Philip Saglimbeni

With casinos set to end 2013 with a bang, investors need to know which major operator is poised to lead the industry higher in 2014. Will it be Las Vegas Sands, MGM Resorts International, or Wynn Resorts, Limited?

Bigger is not always better. This appears to be the case with Church & Dwight and Prestige Brands, two relatively small companies succeeding in an industry dominated by behemoths.

With aggressive revenue and earnings per share growth and compelling valuation multiples, Packaging Corporation is set to lead the industry higher in 2014.

When growth companies begin to mature, investors often look forward to increasing dividends. No three companies have shown a willingness to be great with regard to dividend growth more than MasterCard, Starbucks, and Visa.

With some analysts projecting a weak holiday shopping season, investors should focus on companies with strong brand recognition like Michael Kors.

Ford's recent recalls of popular vehicles should illustrate the tumultuous nature of the automotive industry and only solidify Tesla's solid history of vehicle safety.

In an industry as hated among consumers as the airlines, Alaska Air Group's commitment to customer satisfaction is not just a worthy achievement but a serious competitive advantage as well.

Although often overlooked by many investors, reinvesting dividends can greatly enhance a growth portfolio.

Although it is growing slower than credit card titans MasterCard and Visa, American Express remains one of the safest ways to play the growth in the payments space.

With several core drama series set to end soon, AMC Networks is turning to spinoffs and comedy shows to carry much of the growth burden going forward.

After a very challenging 2013, small-cap specialty chemical producer Stepan is poised to come roaring back in 2014 on recovering revenue growth and aggressive earnings-per-share growth.

Although more mature now than its many of its competitors, Nike is making up for its relatively slower growth through aggressive share buybacks and increasing dividends.

Does the most dominant ecommerce company in the world still have more room to grow amid rising competition from Wal-Mart Stores and Best Buy, or is Amazon's growth story almost over?

While not the most aggressive growth play in retail, VF Corporation has been very consistent with regard to dividend growth and the company's five-year plan for global expansion means revenue and earnings per share growth will likely accelerate despite competitive pressures from Phillips-Van Heusen and Polo Ralph Lauren.

In an industry as red hot as payments solutions, it is rare to find a company like FleetCor which is growing faster than popular industry stalwarts MasterCard and Visa, while still trading at comparable valuation levels.

In what is quickly becoming one of the most popular movie genres, Disney and Time Warner represent the two best ways to capitalize on the world's growing fascination with superheroes.

With Sony and Microsoft launching their highly anticipated new gaming consoles in the coming days, is it too early to consider crowing a victor?

Despite operating in the tumultuous airline industry, Alaska Air Group remains a high quality growth stock with an impenetrable moat in the Alaskan flight market.

Many recent events, including the acquisition of MapMyFitness that was announced last week, indicate that management at Under Armour is set to revolutionize the athletic apparel segment all over again.

With yet another bad PR event taking place for Lululemon last week, shares of Under Armour look even more enticing as the company can now take advantage of its competitor's weakness.