Bob Chandler

Can Hologic Inc. turn itself around? Famous billionaire Carl Icahn thinks so. Icahn, with a large stake in the company, is pushing for better performance and a higher share price from the medical device maker. Should individual investors join in on his turnaround quest?

Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, a natural gas master limited partnership, drastically slashed its quarterly distribution presumably due to a weak operating environment. Investors didn't take the news well, dropping the firm's common unit price over 40% in a single day. The market reaction may have been overdone, however.

Activist hedge funds have been hard at work on SandRidge Energy, WPX Energy, and Chesapeake Energy, and other well known investors have taken notice. Can these oil and gas companies deliver the returns that the "smart" money expects?

A new age in medical testing may be dawning. Improvements in genetic analysis could revolutionize the way disease is treated. Can investors in participating companies like Illumina, Myriad Genetics and Bio-Rad Labs gain from this momentous transformation?

Where can investors looking for income go? Water utilities might be a consideration. Companies like American Water Works, California Water Service, and American States Water could offer shareholders both decent dividend yields and noticeable price appreciation.

Fertilizer producers like PotashCorp, CF Industries, and Mosaic have had a rough time over the past year. Abundant supply amid sluggish demand crippled industry profits, and the unexpected breakup of a key selling alliance destroyed investor confidence. Can the sector recover? There is evidence that things may be improving for these companies and that their share prices may have upside.

Why is Berkshire Hathaway buying ExxonMobil while selling ConocoPhillips? Does Warren Buffett, not a casual buyer of shares, see something special in ExxonMobil? If so, investors may find it worthwhile to discover the secret a legendary investor may have already spotted.

Two recent events may have drastically changed the future for cable television providers. Potential industry consolidation and a propitious court ruling could make industry share gains much easier to achieve, with companies like Time Warner Cable and Cablevision the biggest beneficiaries.

Can retailer shares go higher in a sluggish consumer spending environment? Those that can deliver unexpected good news are most likely to see their stock pop. Of all retailers, J.C. Penney, Nordstrom, and Macy's might be best positioned to produce that kind of upside surprise.

Masco, Home Depot, and Lowe’s shares could be pressured in a weakening housing recovery.

An upturn in TiO2 pricing could boost Kronos Worldwide, Huntsman Corp., or DuPont shares.

AT&T might be the biggest beneficiary of a Sprint/T-Mobile merger.

Moderate growth could cap share upside for Microsoft, Cisco Systems and Apple.

JPMorgan Chase may be valued more highly once litigation worries recede.

Weight Watchers shares may rise on any sign of a turnaround.

Lorillard, Scientific Games, and Molson Coors might be alluring considerations for the new year.

Johnson Controls withdrawal might denote tougher times in the auto parts industry.

The Community Health Systems and Tenet Healthcare deals may benefit shareholders.

Ulta Salon has an appealing future and could now also have an attractive stock price.

Small retail REITs, like DDR or Pennsylvania REIT, may be a bargain.