Mark Lin

While recent higher snowfall levels have driven Douglas Dynamics’ near term financial growth, its ability to manage risk should see it perform regardless of how the weather changes.

If you thought all consumer discretionary stocks were risky, this diversified maker of outdoor performance products with a strong focus on innovation might change your mind.

More people have given up trying to fix their own cars -- which auto parts chain will be the biggest beneficiary?

As an investor, it pays to be a contrarian. An emerging company with growing market share may promise greater rewards than the market leader in that particular industry, such as ValueVision Media in the home shopping market.

An increasing number of Americans are obese and turning to weight loss programs. Investing in multichannel weight loss player Medifast means you don't have to make a bet which weight loss channel will be most popular with consumers.

To survive in the gaming sector, size isn’t the biggest factor. Instead, focusing on less competitive markets and diversifying into non-gaming operations are better bets for gaming companies.

When a company reports disappointing financial results, investors should assess if uncontrollable factors were responsible and whether company fundamentals are strong. In the case of Bravo Brio Restaurant, its financial performance was impacted by bad weather and it has a sound business model with the customer needs in mind.

While the high protein diet is gaining popularity with an increasing number of consumers, not all companies will benefit to the same extent. Omega Protein has factors such as demand outpacing supply and its quality-assured domestic manufacturing facilities working in its favor.

The classic hotelier model involved building as many hotels as possible and replicating the same service level and customer experience across all of them. However, when you try to provide everything to everybody you end up representing nothing. As a result, more travelers have become attracted to hotels that serve their specialized needs, like those managed by Morgans Hotel.

Successful restaurant operator Ignite Restaurant Group leverages its portfolio of multiple brands by optimizing real estate and copying elements of each individual brand's success.

When the going goes tough, the tough gets going. Citi Trends managed to deliver positive earnings following two years of losses, by going back to its roots and focusing on the strengths of its business model.

Obesity is a real problem in America today, but investors shouldn’t rush into buying all the fitness and weight-management stocks. Instead they should choose the company offering the best weight-loss results, which will imply strong customer captivity in the mid-to-long term.

When you take care of the downside, the upside will take care of itself. Investors should focus on low risk investment choices when choosing the best apparel company to invest in.

Good companies don’t ignore trends; they capitalize on them. Jamba, a leading seller of smoothies and juices, has achieved three years of same store-sales growth, despite a difficult economic environment. Its success lies in its ability to capitalize on two emerging food service trends.

The battle of bricks versus clicks is raging on in many consumer markets. Online retailer Vitacost.com has capitalized fully on its advantages compared to its physical counterparts, by offering more choices at lower prices. This gives it a clear advantage over its brick and mortar peers in the vitamins and dietary supplements market.

A strategy of following superinvestors' stock purchases has proven to be more profitable for many investors, and there's no bigger superinvestor than Warren Buffett. His investment into newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises is worth examining.

Better cost management and a higher degree of franchised operations are the only ways to mitigate the impact of slower restaurant sales growth.

A good company stands still, while a great one strives for continuous improvement. Xerium isn’t satisfied with its current status as the top two players in its businesses and has embarked on initiatives to be a better company.

Private labels needn’t be cheap products, and snacks aren’t necessarily unhealthy. Inventure, a food company, is capitalizing on the emerging trends of premium private labels and healthy snacking to its advantage.

Boring is good when it comes to choosing a good long-term investment. Warren Buffett’s choice of candies (See’s) and sodas (Coca-Cola) reaped huge dividends. This ordinary-looking housewares company could be an interesting investment option.