5 Best Mid Cap Stocks To Invest In 2014

New products and changes introduced over the last week include the Goldman Sachs Small/Mid Cap Value Fund; the Perritt Low Priced Stock Fund; an expanded advisory role for the advisor of the Vanguard Windsor II Fund; a new version of LPL Financial’s Portfolio Manager; and an integrated platform for Wells Fargo’s health savings accounts and 401(k) services.

In addition, NASDAQ OMX announced expanded availability of some of its global indexes; AdvisorShares announced the launch for its YieldPro ETF; Envestnet launched liquid endowment portfolios; First Trust launched the Dorsey Wright Focus 5 ETF; and Scivantage launched the next generation of its Scivantage Investor platform.

Here are the latest developments of interest to advisors:

1) Goldman Sachs Asset Management Launches Small/Mid Cap Value Fund

Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) has announced the launch of the Goldman Sachs Small/Mid Cap Value Fund (GMVAX, A shares; GSMVX, I shares). The fund seeks long-term capital appreciation in a portfolio of small- and mid-cap securities that portfolio management believes are undervalued and have potential attractive risk-reward profiles.

Top 10 Consumer Stocks To Invest In 2015: Hercules Offshore Inc.(HERO)

Hercules Offshore, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides shallow-water drilling and marine services to the oil and natural gas exploration and production industry in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and internationally. Its services comprise oil and gas exploration and development drilling, well services, platform inspection, and maintenance and decommissioning services in various water provinces. As of May 10, 2011, the company owned and operated a fleet of 50 jackup rigs, 17 barge rigs, 65 liftboats, 3 submersible rigs, and 1 platform rig. It serves national oil and gas companies, integrated energy companies, and independent oil and natural gas operators. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Travis Hoium]

  Hercules Offshore (NASDAQ: HERO  ) is one of only a few companies left that focuses on shallow water drilling. But even now it's moving away from onshore shallow water by selling rigs that have little use to the company. This is a good move right now but does it make Hercules a top drilling stock? Fool.com contributor Travis Hoium took a look at Hercules' recent $45 million asset sale and discovered that there are still better drilling buys out there.�

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Hercules Offshore (NASDAQ: HERO) dropped 14.43% to $4.92. Global Hunter downgraded the stock from Buy to Neutral and cut the price target from $12.00 to $6.00.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What: Shares of Hercules Offshore (NASDAQ: HERO  ) dropped as much as 11% today after a rig standing over a ruptured well collapsed.

  So what: A fire broke out on one of Hercules's rigs yesterday, and there are now reports that the rig has collapsed and the fire has yet to be contained. All workers were evacuated and there's no evidence yet of oil escaping from the natural gas well, but the company will be on the hook for massive repair costs at the very least.

• [By Rich Bieglmeier]

  That's exactly what happened with Hercules Offshore, Inc. (NASDAQ:HERO). Last week, three directors purchased 256,000 shares for a total investment of $1,029,960 ��dollar cost average of $4.02 per share.

5 Best Mid Cap Stocks To Invest In 2014: Boewe Systec AG (BSY)

BOEWE SYSTEC AG is a Germany-based provider of paper management systems. The Company is primarily engaged in the production of inserting systems, for the secure distribution of printed documents and plastic cards. Its product portfolio also includes plastic card personalization and mailing solutions, software for the monitoring and interconnection of various mailroom systems, paper processing solutions, sorting and mail verification systems, and scanners. The Company developed reading technologies used for cutters, cut sheet feeders, enclosure feeders and inserting systems, which are integrated into its software solutions. BOEWE SYSTEC AG�� products are modular, allowing machinery from different manufacturers to be connected into a production line, offering solutions for the automated mailroom. In addition, the Company provides installation, commissioning and maintenance services, as well as spare parts for its products. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  U.K. stocks erased losses in the last half hour of trading, leaving the FTSE 100 Index (UKX) little changed, as a rally in British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc (BSY) and SABMiller Plc (SAB) offset Dagong Global Credit Rating Co.�� downgrade of U.S. sovereign debt.

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  BSkyB (BSY) sank 3.3 percent to 822 pence, the biggest slide since May 16, even as the U.K.�� largest pay-TV broadcaster reported sales that topped estimates. The company unveiled a box to link televisions to the Internet and said it will buy back 500 million pounds of shares.

5 Best Mid Cap Stocks To Invest In 2014: Rock Energy Inc (RENFF.PK)

Rock Energy Inc. (Rock) is an energy company engaged in the exploration for and development and production of crude oil and natural gas in Western Canada. Rock owns 35,915 (35,881 net) acres of land in the Plains area of east central Alberta and west central Saskatchewan. Rock owns 6,280 (5,960 net) acres of land in the Onward area of south west Saskatchewan, which consists primarily of two Lloydminster heavy oil pools. As of December 31, 2011, the Mantario area consisted of 4,480 (4,480 net) acres of land. Its Bigstone area, which is within the Greater Kaybob region includes Rock�� Saxon, Tony Creek and Waskahigan properties. As of December 31, 2011, Rock owned 101,278 (58,992 net) acres of land in the Elmworth area of Alberta, with two dimensions (2D) and three dimensions (3D) seismic coverage. The property included 38 (12.77 net) producing natural gas wells. During the first quarter of 2012, Rock acquired an additional 5,748 (5,748 net) acres of land. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Value Digger]

  Same thing happened with Rock Energy (RENFF.PK), when I recommended it at $1 about three months ago. My article is here.

  Rock Energy is at $1.3 today, and its annual report confirmed my bullish call. I have been alone in that bullish call once again.

5 Best Mid Cap Stocks To Invest In 2014: Baidu Inc.(BIDU)

Baidu, Inc. provides Chinese and Japanese language Internet search services. Its search services enable users to find relevant information online, including Web pages, news, images, multimedia files, and blogs through the links provided on its Websites. The company also offers online community-based products and entertainment platforms; an instant messaging service; and a consumer-oriented e-commerce platform. In addition, it designs and delivers online marketing services and auction-based P4P services that enable its customers to reach users who search for information related to their products or services. The company serves online marketing customers consisting of small and medium sized enterprises, large domestic corporations, and Chinese divisions or subsidiaries of multinational corporations primarily operating in the medical, machinery, education, franchising, electronic products, e-commerce, ticketing, tourism, information technology, consumer products, real estate, entertainment, and financial services industries. It sells its online marketing services directly, as well as through its distribution network. The company was formerly known as Baidu.com, Inc. and changed its name to Baidu, Inc. in December 2008. Baidu, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  It took some time, but Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU  ) has finally joined the Wall Street rally of Chinese growth stocks.

  China's leading search engine has been meandering since browser and security software specialist Qihoo 360 (NYSE: QIHU  ) surprised the market last summer with its rival platform, but the past few weeks have been pretty encouraging.