Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Own Right Now

The week ahead offers economic and corporate news that is potentially market-moving as investors continue to run scared from biotech, Internet and so-called ��omentum��stocks and seek the safety of established and dividend-paying companies like utilities.

Investors will examine retail sales figures for April, updates on inflation and housing starts, and earnings from big companies including Wal-Mart, Cisco and Deere & Co.

Monday brings the U.S. Treasury�� April budget statement and some details on U.S. government bond auctions.

Tuesday sees April figures published for U.S. retail sales and March figures for U.S. business inventories.

Also planned for Tuesday is a hearing of a U.K. House of Commons business committee to question Pfizer CEO Ian Read and AstraZeneca chief Pascal Soroit about Pfizer�� proposed acquisition of AstraZenca, which is proving politically difficult in Britain.

On Wednesday, U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to speak in New York on the U.S. economy, according to Bloomberg News, and the U.S. producer price index for April is due.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Own Right Now: Sempra Energy(SRE)

Sempra Energy, together with its subsidiaries, develops new energy infrastructure, operates utilities, and provides energy-related products and services worldwide. It operates in six segments: SDG&E, SoCalGas, Sempra Generation, Sempra Pipelines & Storage, Sempra LNG (liquefied natural gas), and Sempra Commodities. The SDG&E segment has electric and natural gas franchises that locate, operate, and maintain facilities for the transmission and distribution of electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, street and highway lighting, and direct access customers. The SoCalGas segment has natural gas franchises that locate, operate, and maintain facilities for the transmission and distribution of natural gas to electric generation, wholesale, large commercial, industrial, and enhanced oil recovery customers. The Sempra Generation segment involves in the generation and wholesale distribution of electricity through a fleet of natural gas-fired power generati on facilities in Arizona, Nevada, and Indiana, as well as Mexico with a total capacity of 2,513 megawatts. The Sempra Pipelines & Storage segment operates 1,883 miles of distribution pipelines, 224 miles of transmission pipelines, and 3 compressor stations in Mexico; operates Mobile Gas, a natural gas distribution utility located in Mobile and Baldwin counties in Alabama; and operates natural gas storage facilities in Washington County of Alabama and Simpson County of Mississippi. The Sempra LNG segment involves in the receipt, storage, and vaporization of LNG, as well as the purchase and sale of natural gas. It operates Energia Costa Azul LNG receipt terminal in Baja California, Mexico, as well as Cameron LNG receipt terminal in Hackberry, Louisiana. The Sempra Commodities segment engages in the commodities-marketing business. Sempra Energy has operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered i n San Diego, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Utility operator�Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE  ) announced yesterday its second-quarter dividend of $0.63 per share, the same rate it paid last quarter after raising the payout 5% from $0.60 per share.

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  CBI has been racking up new contracts like crazy. The latest include a $6 billion LNG export facility contract with Sempra Energy (SRE) and a $100 million contract to build pipelines & propane dehydrogenation unit for Enterprise Products Partners (EPD).

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Own Right Now: Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc. (ED)

Consolidated Edison, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides electric, gas, and steam utility services in the United States. It provides electric service to approximately 3.3 million customers and gas service to approximately 1.1 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, as well as provides steam service to office buildings and apartment houses in parts of Manhattan. The company also provides electric service to approximately 0.3 million customers in southeastern New York and in adjacent areas of northern New Jersey, and northeastern Pennsylvania; and gas service to approximately 0.1 million customers in southeastern New York and adjacent areas of northeastern Pennsylvania. In addition, Consolidated Edison involves in the sale and related hedging of electricity to wholesale and retail customers; operation of generating plants; participation in other infrastructure projects; and provision of energy-efficiency services, including the design and installation of lighting retrofits, high-efficiency heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment, and other energy saving technologies to government and commercial customers. It serves residential, industrial, and large commercial customers. The company was founded in 1884 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Consolidated Edison (NYSE: ED) shares declined 1.11% to touch a new 52-week low of $53.36 after Citigroup downgraded the stock from Buy to Neutral.

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Consolidated Edison (NYSE: ED  ) has exploited that volatility in New York City -- its primary market that also hosts the nation's largest spark spreads year round -- to increase its profit margin 22.4% since 2009. Low natural gas prices have been arguably more important than efficiency upgrades, but that advantage may be unraveling. ��

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  Natural NYC
  Consolidated Edison (NYSE: ED  ) announced earlier this week that it plans to spend around $100 million extending its New York City natural gas infrastructure. The decision is based on a variety of factors but can be most directly linked to environmental regulation compliance and cheaper costs for both Con Ed and customers.

Best Growth Companies To Own In Right Now: ConAgra Foods Inc.(CAG)

ConAgra Foods, Inc. operates as a food company primarily in North America. It operates in two segments, Consumer Foods and Commercial Foods. The Consumer Foods segment provides branded, private label, and customized food products, which are sold in various retail and foodservice channels. It offers products in various categories, such as meals, entrees, condiments, sides, snacks, and desserts in frozen, refrigerated, and shelf-stable temperature classes. This segment?s principal brands include Alexia, ACT II, Banquet, Blue Bonnet, Chef Boyardee, DAVID, Egg Beaters, Healthy Choice, Hebrew National, Hunt?s, Marie Callender?s, Orville Redenbacher?s, PAM, Peter Pan, Reddi-wip, Slim Jim, Snack Pack, Swiss Miss, Van Camp?s, and Wesson. The Commercial Foods segment provides commercially branded foods and ingredients that are sold to foodservice, food manufacturing, and industrial customers. Its primary products consist of specialty potato products, milled grain ingredients, a ran ge of vegetable products, seasonings, blends, and flavors. This segment sells products under brands, such as ConAgra Mills, Lamb Weston, and Spicetec Flavors & Seasonings. The company was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  ConAgra Foods (NYSE: CAG) was down, falling 7.34 percent to $30.44 after the company lowered its forecast and said it would miss Q4 estimates.

  Commodities

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Thursday

  Earnings Expected From: Accenture plc. (NYSE: ACN), Pier 1 Imports, Inc. (NYSE: PIR), ConAgra Foods, Inc. (NYSE: CAG), Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE: RAD), Nike, Inc. (NYSE: NKE), Red Hat, Inc. (NYSE: RHT) Economic Releases Expected: British consumer confidence, US existing home sales, British retail sales, British mortgage approvals, eurozone current account, Swiss trade balance.

  Friday

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Own Right Now: Meadwestvaco Corporation (MWV)

MeadWestvaco Corporation (MWV) provides packaging solutions to the healthcare, personal care and beauty, food, beverage, home and garden, tobacco, and commercial print industries worldwide. The company?s Packaging Resources segment produces bleached paperboard, Coated Natural Kraft paperboard, and linerboard. Its Consumer Solutions segment designs and produces multi-pack cartons and packaging systems primarily for the beverage take-home and tobacco market. In addition, it offers a range of converting and consumer packaging solutions, including printed plastic packaging and injection-molded products used for personal care, beauty, and pharmaceutical products; and dispensing and sprayer systems for personal care, beauty, healthcare, fragrance, and home and garden markets. In addition, this segment has a pharmaceutical packaging contract with a mass-merchant, and manufactures equipment that is leased or sold to its beverage and dairy customers to package their products. The c ompany?s Consumer & Office Products segment manufactures, sources, markets, and distributes school and office products, time-management products, and envelopes in North America and Brazil through both retail and commercial channels. Its Specialty Chemicals segment manufactures, markets, and distributes specialty chemicals derived from sawdust and other byproducts of the papermaking process in North America, South America, and Asia. Its products include activated carbon used in emission control systems for automobiles and trucks, as well as for water and food purification applications, and performance chemicals used in printing inks, asphalt paving, adhesives, and lubricants for the agricultural, paper, and petroleum industries. MWV?s Community Development and Land Management segment involves in real estate development, forestry operations, and leasing activities. MeadWestvaco Corporation was founded in 1888 and is based in Glen Allen, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  When you’re stock has been lagging the S&P 500, sometimes drastic action must be followed by even more drastic action. Case in point: MeadWestvaco (MWV), which announced a program of cost cutting on the heels of one announced last year.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on MeadWestvaco (NYSE: MWV  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Own Right Now: Raytheon Company(RTN)

Raytheon Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides electronics, mission systems integration, and other capabilities in the areas of sensing, effects, and command, control, communications, and intelligence systems, as well as mission support services in the United States and internationally. It operates in six segments: Integrated Defense Systems, Intelligence and Information Systems, Missile Systems, Network Centric Systems, Space and Airborne Systems, and Technical Services. The Integrated Defense Systems segment provides integrated naval, air, and missile defense and civil security response solutions. The Intelligence and Information Systems segment offers intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, advanced cyber solutions, weather and environmental solutions, and information-based solutions for law enforcement and homeland security. The Missile Systems segment develops and produces weapon systems, including missiles, smart munitions, close-in weapon systems, projectiles, kinetic kill vehicles, and directed energy effectors for the armed forces of the U.S. and other allied nations. The Network Centric Systems segment provides net-centric mission solutions, including integrated communications systems, command and control systems, combat systems, and operations and precision components for the U.S. federal, state, and local government customers, as well as civil customers. The Space and Airborne Systems segment designs and develops integrated systems and solutions for missions, including intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance; precision engagement; unmanned aerial operations; and space. The Technical Services segment provides training, logistics, engineering, product support, and operational support services for the mission support, homeland security, space, civil aviation, counterproliferation, and counterterrorism markets. Raytheon Company was founded in 1922 and is based in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense, and which ones investors should act on. Today, our headlines include a new buy rating for Workday (NYSE: WDAY  ) , a higher price target for Raytheon (NYSE: RTN  ) , and a lower one for Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN  ) . Let's dive right in.

• [By Rich Smith]

  On the other hand, traditional defense contractors are still earning money by working for the Pentagon. On Tuesday, Raytheon (NYSE: RTN  ) was awarded a $35.2 million order for AN/ALE-50 towed decoys, which aircraft can deploy to distract incoming missiles. Raytheon is expected to complete deliveries on this contract by March 31, 2015.

• [By Rich Smith]

  According to the DSCA, contractors including Raytheon (NYSE: RTN  ) , Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT  ) , Boeing (NYSE: BA  ) , General Electric (NYSE: GE  ) , and General Dynamics (NYSE: GD  ) will participate in providing the requested services, as well as equipment to include:

• [By Rich Smith]

  South Korea plans to arm its Lockheed KF-16 and Boeing F-15K�with the missiles, in part in order to "deter aggression in the region." (Three guesses whom they're aiming to deter). If the deal goes through, it could be worth as much as $452 million to prime contractor Raytheon (NYSE: RTN  ) .

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Own Right Now: Frontier Communications Company(FTR)

Frontier Communications Corporation, a communications company, provides regulated and unregulated voice, data, and video services to residential, business, and wholesale customers in the United States. It offers local and long distance voice services, including basic telephone wireline services to residential and business customers; switched access services that allow other carriers to use the facilities to originate and terminate their long distance voice and data traffic; and directory services that provide white and yellow page directories for residential and business listings. The company also provides data and Internet services, which include residential services comprising high-speed Internet, dial up Internet, portal and e-mail products, and hard drive back-up services; and commercial and carriers services, such as metro Ethernet; dedicated Internet; Internet protocol, optical, multiprotocol label switching, and TDM data transport services. In addition, it offers di rect broadcast satellite services and fiber optic video services, as well as provides online access to video content, entertainment, and news available on the worldwide Web through its Web site myfitv.com. The company was formerly known as Citizens Communications Company and changed its name to Frontier Communications Corporation in July 2008. Frontier Communications Corporation was founded in 1927 and is based in Stamford, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Voice, data, and video services provider Frontier Communications (NASDAQ: FTR  ) also jumped an impressive 4.9% today in spite of no company-specific news. The reason Frontier is rallying does make sense if you consider that the company generates somewhat predictable cash flow and boasts a dividend currently yielding north of 10% -- two perfect ingredients for investors looking for a safe haven stock to buy in a tumbling market environment. However, investors should also be aware that Frontier is bleeding rural landline customers from its $8.5 billion, multi-state landline asset purchase from Verizon (NYSE: VZ  ) announced in 2009. The deal has thus far been a smart move for Verizon, netting it some cash needed to build out its now dominant wireless 4G LTE network, while it's been a drag on Frontier's bottom line.

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Frontier Communications is losing customers, and it’s in a weakening industry. The high yield is the most appealing attribute for the stock, but debt management is a concern and the dividend might be cut in the future. The stock has performed well over the past year, but almost any stock has the potential to perform well in a dartboard market. Therefore, there is near-term upside potential. However, if and when the market begins to act normally,�this isn’t a good place to be. There are too many risks.

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Finally, Tudor Investment's biggest closed positions included Apple�and the iShares MSCI Emerging Market Index Fund ETF. Other closed positions of interest include Frontier Communications (NASDAQ: FTR  ) and BGC Partners (NASDAQ: BGCP  ) . Frontier, recently yielding more than 9%, is a rural telecom specialist. It's weighed down with considerable debt, and is shifting its business focus, favoring business customers more. It's been posting declining revenue lately, though, and its credit rating took a hit in recent months, also. Some worry that its acquisition of landline business from Verizon�may not be as lucrative as expected, and fear a dividend cut.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Own Right Now: Illinois Tool Works Inc.(ITW)

Illinois Tool Works Inc. manufactures a range of industrial products and equipment worldwide. The company?s Transportation segment offers metal and plastic components, fasteners, and assemblies; fluids and polymers; fillers and putties; polyester coatings, and patch and repair products; and truck remanufacturing and related parts and service. Its Industrial Packaging segment offers steel and plastic strapping and related tools and equipment; plastic stretch film and related equipment; paper and plastic products that protect goods in transit; and metal jacketing products. The company?s Food Equipment segment provides warewashing, cooking, refrigeration, and food processing equipment; and kitchen exhaust, ventilation, and pollution control systems. Its Power Systems & Electronics segment provides arc welding equipment; metal arc welding consumables; metal solder materials for PC board fabrication; equipment and services for microelectronics assembly; electronic components an d component packaging; and airport ground support equipment. The company?s Construction Products segment offers anchors, fasteners, and related fastening tools for wood, metal, and concrete applications; metal plate truss components, and related equipment and software; and packaged hardware and other products for retail. Its Polymers & Fluids segment provides adhesives, chemical fluids, epoxy and resin-based coating products, hand wipes and cleaners, and pressure-sensitive adhesives and components. The company?s Decorative Surfaces segment offers laminate for furniture, office and retail space, and countertops; and laminate flooring and worktops. In addition, the company offers plastic reclosable packages and bags, and consumables; plastic and metal fasteners, and components; foil and film products; product coding and marking, paint spray, and static and contamination control equipment; and swabs and mats. The company was founded in 1912 and is based in Glenview, Illinois. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description: 1. Avg. High Yield Price 2. 20-Year DCF Price 3. Avg. P/E Price 4. Graham Number MSFT is trading at a premium to all four valuations above. The stock is trading at a 41.4% discount to its calculated fair value of $68.12. MSFT earned a Star in this section since it is trading at a fair value.Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description: 1. Free Cash Flow Payout 2. Debt To Total Capital 3. Key Metrics 4. Dividend Growth Rate 5. Years of Div. Growth 6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15% MSFT earned three Stars in this section for 1.), 2.) and 3.) above. A Star was earned since the Free Cash Flow payout ratio was less than 60% and there were no negative Free Cash Flows over the last 10 years. The stock earned a Star as a result of its most recent Debt to Total Capital being less than 45%. MSFT earned a Star for having an acceptable score in at least two of the four Key Metrics measured. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 2003 and has increased its dividend payments for 12 consecutive years.Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA. Two items are considered in this section, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description: 1. NPV MMA Diff. 2. Years to > MMA MSFT earned a Star in this section for its NPV MMA Diff. of the $14,663. This amount is in excess of the $2,300 target I look for in a stock that has increased dividends as long as MSFT has. If MSFT grows its dividend at 17.5% per year, it will take 2 years to

• [By Dividends4Life]

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• [By Marc Bastow]

  Illinois Tool Works: Industrial products and equipment supplier Illinois Tool Works (ITW) saw earnings fall 7% between 2008-09, but that was a pretty rough period for most companies across the board. And since then, ITW has bounced back to crank out earnings gains in every fiscal year since. Product diversity helps keep ITW on an even path; from arc-welding equipment to plastic and metal components for transportation needs, ITW holds more than 20,000 patents, and is an innovation machine. It’s also a dividend machine, offering up 39 consecutive years of dividend increases. ITW currently yields 2.2%.

• [By Bob Ciura]

  In the investing world, boring businesses don't get much attention. The financial media obsesses over the next hot stock, preferring to ignore the seemingly sleepy companies that generate reliable profits year after year. Some of the high-quality companies that fly under the radar are pure industrials, such as Emerson Electric (NYSE: EMR  ) , Dover� (NYSE: DOV  ) , and Illinois Tool Works (NYSE: ITW  ) .

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Own Right Now: FirstEnergy Corporation(FE)

Firstenergy Corp. operates as a diversified energy company. The company, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, involves in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity, as well as energy management and other energy-related services. It serves approximately 6 million customers within 67,000 square miles through 10 utility operating companies in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia and Maryland. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Akron, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  Please, sir, I want some more
  Exelon (NYSE: EXC  ) filed renewal applications this week for two of its Illinois nuclear power stations. Collectively, the facilities generate more than 4,600 MW of electricity. That's 13% of the utility's total capacity and 24% of its nuclear capacity. For a peck of peer perspective, that's also more than FirstEnergy's (NYSE: FE  ) entire 3,990 MW nuclear capacity, which accounts for one-fifth of FirstEnergy's total generation.

• [By David Dittman]

  FirstEnergy Corp (NYSE: FE) is perhaps the riskiest play among the six stocks listed in the table. FirstEnergy is coming off a 34.5 percent dividend cut announced in January 2014 following a ��horough��study of the company�� businesses. The board concluded that a dividend rate ��ligned��with revenue and earnings generated by regulated operations ��ill provide the best path forward for FirstEnergy.��/p>

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  Cutting out coal
  FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE  ) announced this month that it plans to shutter two coal-fired power plants in Pennsylvania by October. Coal plants are no lightweights when it comes to capacity, and the closure will knock 2,080 MW (around 10%) off FirstEnergy's total generation capacity.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Own Right Now: Cummins Inc.(CMI)

Cummins Inc. designs, manufactures, distributes, and services diesel and natural gas engines, electric power generation systems, and engine-related component products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Engine, Power Generation, Components, and Distribution. The Engine segment offers a range of diesel and natural gas powered engines under the Cummins and other customer brand names for the heavy-and medium-duty truck, bus, recreational vehicle, light-duty automotive, agricultural, construction, mining, marine, oil and gas, rail, and governmental equipment markets. This segment also provides new parts and service, as well as remanufactured parts and engines. The Power Generation segment offers power generation systems, components, and services, including diesel, natural gas, gasoline, and alternative-fuel electrical generator sets for use in recreational vehicles, commercial vehicles, recreational marine applications, and home stand-by or residential applications. This segment also provides components that make up power generation systems, such as engines, controls, alternators, transfer switches, and switchgears. The Components segment supplies filtration products, turbochargers, aftertreatment systems, intake and exhaust systems, and fuel systems for commercial diesel applications. This segment offers filtration and exhaust systems for on-and off-highway heavy-duty and mid-range equipment, as well as supplies filtration products for industrial and passenger car applications. This segment also develops after treatment and exhaust systems to help customers meet emissions standards and fuel systems. The Distribution segment provides parts and services, as well as service solutions, including maintenance contracts, engineering services, and integrated products. The company sells its products to original equipment manufacturers, distributors, and other customers. Cummins Inc. was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Columbus, Indiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sara Murphy]

  C2ES sees combined heat and power (CHP) systems as key to promoting manufacturing growth while reducing emissions. CHP, or cogeneration, is the production of two kinds of energy -- usually electricity and heat -- from a single fuel. Natural gas or diesel drives these systems. When natural gas is used, efficiency is high and emissions low, making the technology extremely attractive. Cummins Power Generation, a division of Cummins (NYSE: CMI  ) , makes CHP systems from as small as 30 kilowatts to more than 100 megawatts. CHP remains expensive and faces regulatory hurdles, according to C2ES, and is still in its early stages of development, but it holds serious promise. Cummins notes that CHP can save its customers up to 35% on overall energy costs.

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Tuesday’s session are Cummins Inc.(CMI), Actavis(ACT) PLC and Huntsman Corp.(HUN)

• [By Neha Chamaria]

  PACCAR's earnings release is important for two reasons. One, it tells a good deal about the shape of things in the trucking industry. Two, as Cummins' (NYSE: CMI  ) largest customer, PACCAR can also give investors an idea of what to expect from Cummins' quarterly numbers, which will be up about a week later.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Own Right Now: Quanex Building Products Corporation(NX)

Quanex Building Products Corporation provides engineered products and aluminum sheet products. Its Engineered Products segment produces window and door components for original equipment manufacturers that primarily serve the residential construction and remodeling markets. This segment?s products consist of insulating glass spacer/sealant systems, thin film solar panel sealants, window and patio door screens, aluminum cladding and other roll formed metal window components, thresholds and astragals, moldings, residential exterior products, engineered vinyl and composite patio doors, window profiles and custom window grilles, and trim and architectural moldings in various woods primarily for the home improvement and residential construction markets. The company?s Aluminum Sheet Products segment includes reducing reroll coil to specific gauge, annealing, slitting, and custom coating. This segment?s products are used in customer end-use applications comprising window screen fr ames and screens, exterior home trim, fascias, roof edgings, soffits, downspouts, and gutters in the building and construction markets, as well as capital goods and transportation markets. The company offers its products to original equipment manufacturers and distributors through direct and indirect sales groups primarily in the United States, Mexico, Canada, Asia, and Europe. Quanex Building Products Corporation is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  When judging a company's prospects, how quickly it turns cash outflows into cash inflows can be just as important as how much profit it's booking in the accounting fantasy world we call "earnings." This is one of the first metrics I check when I'm hunting for the market's best stocks. Today, we'll see how it applies to Quanex Building Products (NYSE: NX  ) .