Best Warren Buffett Companies To Own For 2014

In this segment from Thursday's edition of The Motley Fool's everything-financials show, Where the Money Is, banking analysts Matt Koppenheffer and David Hanson discuss the growing concerns around former students being unable to repay loans and the potential reputational risk facing the big banks holding some of these loans.

While many of the biggest banks have scaled back student lending, some firms like Discover Financial Services have moved into the area more aggressively. Matt and David tell investors if they see this as a reason to be nervous about holding a big bank stock.

It's not just student loans...
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Best Warren Buffett Companies To Own For 2014: Strategic Energy Resources Ltd (SER.AX)

Strategic Energy Resources Limited engages in the exploration for oil and gas, and mineral properties in Australia. It primarily explores for oil and gas, iron oxide, copper, gold, nickel, graphite, and other base metals. The company holds interests in offshore petroleum exploration permits in the Gippsland Basin, Victoria; and in onshore petroleum exploration block in the Cooper Basin, South Australia. It also has interests in the flake graphite deposit located in Uley, South Australia; and mineral exploration licenses for projects in South Australia and Western Australia. Strategic Energy Resources Limited is based in Melbourne, Australia.

Best Warren Buffett Companies To Own For 2014: Gaz Metro Ltd Partnership (VNR.TO)

Valener Inc. engages in the distribution of natural gas to residential and commercial customers in Canada. It holds a 29% interest in Gaz Metro Limited Partnership, which distributes natural gas to approximately 182,000 customers in Quebec and 138,000 customers in Vermont. The company also has a 24.5% indirect interest in the Seigneurie de Beaupr茅 wind power project located on the private lands of S茅minaire de Qu茅bec. The company was incorporated in 2010 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

Top 5 Penny Stocks To Watch Right Now: Lihua International Inc.(LIWA)

Lihua International, Inc., through its subsidiaries, produces copper replacement products in the People?s Republic of China. It develops, designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes refined copper products, including copper anode, copper rod, pure superfine copper wire, and copper-clad aluminum superfine wire. The company offers its products in various diameters ranging from 0.03 mm to 0.18 mm. Its copper rod based wire products comprise cable products used for telephone drop wire and conductors; electric utilities; transmission lines, grid wire, fence, and structured grounds; industrial drop wire, magnet wire, battery cables, and automotive wiring harnesses; and radio frequency shielding, as well as magnet wire products used in electronic motors, transformers, water pumps, automobile meters, energy, industrial, commercial, and residential industries. It produces and distributes copper superfine wire in various forms, including fine wire to smaller wire manufacturers for further processing; magnet wire that is used for electrical conductivity in a range of motorized appliances; and tin plated wire for the transmission of audio and visual signals. Lihua International manufactures and sells copper anode to copper entities, which produce and sell copper cathode to copper products manufacturers. The company sells its products directly to manufacturers or through distributors in the wire and cable industries, as well as to manufacturers in the consumer electronics, white goods, automotive, utility, telecommunications, and specialty cable industries. The company is headquartered in Danyang, the People?s Republic of China.

Best Warren Buffett Companies To Own For 2014: Savaria Corp Com Npv (SIS.TO)

Savaria Corporation designs, manufactures, and distributes accessibility equipment for people with mobility challenges; and elevators for commercial and residential applications. It offers home elevators, including infinity, eclipse, and telecab home elevators; commercial elevators, such as the Orion elevators; B.07 and SL-1000 stair lifts; wheelchair conversions for rear, side, and dual entry systems for personal and commercial needs; Roby mobile tracked systems and automatic sliding doors; and door and gate openers, swing doors, and powered scooters. The company also provides wheelchair lifts, such as multi lift, V-1504, and pro lift vertical platform lifts; and ES-125, delta, omega, S64, and C65 inclined platform lifts. In addition, it offers resources for assisting architects in home and commercial projects; lowered-floor minivans and other vehicles to accommodate wheelchairs; and converts automotive vehicles. The company sells its products through a network of retaile rs. Savaria Corporation was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Laval, Canada.

Best Warren Buffett Companies To Own For 2014: Hancock Holding Company(HBHC)

Hancock Holding Company, a financial holding company, provides various banking and financial services in south Mississippi, Louisiana, South Alabama, and Florida. The company accepts various deposit products that include non-interest bearing demand deposits, NOW account deposits, money market deposits, savings deposits, and time deposits. Its loan portfolio comprises provision of commercial, consumer, commercial leasing, and real estate loans to consumers and small and middle market businesses. Hancock also offers various trust services that include operating as an executor, administrator, or guardian in administering estates; provision of investment custodial services for individuals, businesses, and charitable and religious organizations, as well as investment management services on an agency basis; and trustee services for pension plans, profit sharing plans, corporate and municipal bond issues, living trusts, life insurance trusts, and various other types of trusts cre ated for individuals, businesses, and charitable and religious organizations. In addition, it provides consumer financing services; owns, manages, and maintains real property; offers general insurance agency services; holds investment securities; markets credit life insurance; and engages in discount investment brokerage services, as well as owns approximately 3,700 acres of timber land in Hancock County, Mississippi. The company operates 182 banking and financial services offices and 161 automated teller machines. Hancock Holding Company was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Best Warren Buffett Companies To Own For 2014: United Fire & Casualty Company(UFCS)

United Fire Group, Inc. engages in the writing of property, casualty, and life insurances. It sells annuities through a network of independent agencies. The company?s property and casualty insurance segment comprises commercial lines insurance products, including surety bonds, personal lines insurance, and assumed insurance. Its life insurance segment consists of deferred and immediate annuities, universal life insurance products, and traditional life insurance products. The company was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.