5 Best Mid Cap Stocks To Watch Right Now

Top-performing funds tend to attract a lot of money. That�� what happened to Wells Fargo Advantage Discovery (STDIX), which recently closed to new customers after seeing its asset base nearly doubled, to more than $3 billion, over the past five years. As is our custom, the closure prompted us to remove the mutual fund from the Kiplinger 25 and set us in search of a replacement.

AT A GLANCE: Kiplinger's 25 Favorite No-Load Funds

The newest member of the list of our favorite no-load funds is Parnassus Mid Cap (PARMX). As the name indicates, Parnassus prowls among midsize companies, which for it means generally investing in stocks with market capitalizations, at the time of purchase, of $3 billion to $20 billion. What the name doesn�� say is that Parnassus practices socially responsible investing, making it the first such fund to join the Kip 25. The fund favors companies that it believes behave ethically, and it won�� invest in tobacco stocks, beer and booze companies or weapons makers, among others.

Top Cheapest Companies For 2015: MEG Energy Corp (MEGEF.PK)

MEG Energy Corp. is a Canada-based oil sands company focused on in situ development and production in the southern Athabasca oil sands region of Alberta. The Company has identified two steam assisted gravity drainage projects, the Christina Lake project and the Surmont project. The Company owns a 100% interest in over 900 sections of oil sands leases in the Athabasca region of northern Alberta and is primarily engaged in a steam assisted gravity drainage oil sands development at its 80 section Christina Lake Regional Project (Christina Lake Project). The development includes co-ownership of Access Pipeline, a dual pipeline to transport diluent north from the Edmonton area to the Athabasca oil sands area and a blend of bitumen and diluent south from the Christina Lake Project into the Edmonton area. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Dube]

  Athabasca's most notable producers:

  Suncor Energy (SU) (Part 1), see article here.Suncor Energy (Part 2), see article here.Athabasca Oil (ATHOF.PK), see article here.Canadian Natural Resources, see article here.Imperial Oil, see article here.Cenovus Energy (CVE), see article here.MEG Energy (MEGEF.PK), see article here.Devon Energy, see article here.Royal Dutch Shell, see article here.Ivanhoe Energy (IVAN), see article here.Nexen (CNOOC) (CEO), see article here.

  An analysis of the current operations of the company will be examined with the objective to provide the most complete information available to potential investors before deciding to seize the opportunity that the 54,132 square miles of the Carbonate Triangle has to offer. Let's start by introducing Athabasca, a famous and most prolific region in the Canadian oil sands as well as one of the largest reserve in the world.

5 Best Mid Cap Stocks To Watch Right Now: Qihoo 360 Technology Co. Ltd.(QIHU)

Qihoo 360 Technology Co. Ltd. provides Internet and mobile security products in the People's Republic of China. Its principal products include 360 Safe Guard, an Internet security product for Internet security and system optimization; 360 Anti-Virus, an anti-virus application to protect users? computers against trojan horses, viruses, worms, adware, and other forms of malware; and 360 Mobile Safe, a security program for the Google Android, Apple iOS, and Nokia Symbian smartphone operating systems. The company?s platform products comprise 360 Safe Browser, a Web browser; 360 Personal Start-up Page, a default homepage of 360 Safe Browser and a key access point to popular and preferred information and applications; 360 Application Store, a key access point to securely obtain and manage software and applications; and 360 Safebox, a solution that protects users against thefts of personal account information. It also provides online advertising services, including online marketi ng services and search referral services; and Internet value-added services comprising the operation of Web games developed by third-parties, remote technical support, and cloud-based services. The company was formerly known as Qihoo Technology Company Limited and changed its name to Qihoo 360 Technology Co. Ltd. in December 2010. Qihoo 360 Technology Co. was founded in 2005 and is based in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Baidu's fallen out of favor since Qihoo 360 (NYSE: QIHU  ) introduced a rival search engine last year. Even though Qihoo's 13% share of China's search market has come largely at the expense of non-Baidu rivals, worrywarts fear that the presence of a legitimate competitor will slow Baidu's already decelerating revenue.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Qihoo 360 Technology Co. Ltd. (NYSE: QIHU) on Monday morning reported adjusted earnings per American Depositary Share (ADS) of $0.40 on revenues of $151. 67 million for its second fiscal quarter ended on June 30. The numbers are well above consensus estimates.

5 Best Mid Cap Stocks To Watch Right Now: Tallgrass Energy Partners LP (TEP)

Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP incorporated on February 6, 2013, is a limited partnership company. It provides natural gas transportation and storage services for customers in the Rocky Mountain and Midwest regions of the United States through its Tallgrass Interstate Gas transportation system and processing services for customers in Wyoming through its Midstream Facilities. The Company operates in two segments: Gas Transportation and Storage and Processing. The Gas Transportation and Storage segment is engaged in ownership and operation of interstate natural gas pipelines and related natural gas storage facilities that provide services to third-party natural gas distribution utilities and other shippers. The Processing segment is engaged in ownership and operation of natural gas processing and treating facilities that produce natural gas liquids and residue gas that is sold in local wholesale markets or delivered into pipelines for transportation to additional end markets.

The Company provides processing services for customers in Wyoming through its Casper and Douglas natural gas processing and West Frenchie Draw natural gas treating facilities. The Casper and Douglas plants have combined capacity of 138.5 138.5 MMcf/d. The Company has its operations in Lakewood, Colarado. The Company owns and natural gas processing plants in Casper and Douglas, Wyoming and a natural gas treating facility at West Frenchie Draw, Wyoming through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tallgrass Midstream, LLC.

The Company competes with Kinder Morgan and Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier] There were a half a dozen initial public offerings (IPOs) by master limited partnerships in the first half of the year, and all but one are now in the green while one has nearly doubled in value.
  
  The first MLP IPO of 2013 debuted on Jan. 15. USA Compression Partners (NYSE: USAC), which I mentioned in last week’s issue, provides compression services for the oil and gas industry. Units have advanced 36 percent since the IPO, and at the current price yield 7.3 percent.
  
  The day after the USA Compression Partners IPO, CVR Refining (NYSE: CVRR) made its debut.  CVRR was spun off from CVR Energy (NYSE: CVI), and both companies remain majority-owned by Carl Icahn. CVR Refining’s primary assets are two refineries located in Kansas and Oklahoma with a combined processing capacity of approximately 185,000 barrels per day (bpd). These refineries are strategically located near the major Cushing, Oklahoma shipment and storage hub, with easy access to discounted feedstock from the nearby Permian basin, as well as the Bakken shale and Canadian oil sands.
  
  But refiners have struggled with diminished margins in 2013 because of a much lower Brent-WTI differential. After the recently concluded second quarter, CVRR declared a distribution of $1.35 per unit, bringing its per-unit distributions for the first half of the year to $2.93. At the same time, CVR Refining lowered its annual distribution target to a range of $4.10 to $4.80 per unit. This was lower than the outlook issued in March, when it foresaw annual distributions of $5.50 to $6.50. CVRR units slid on the news, and are presently trading slightly below the $25 IPO price. The lower end of the revised forecast implies distributions of $1.17 per unit in the second half of the year, for a forward annualized yield of 10 percent based on the recent $23.50 unit price.
  
  SunCoke Energy Partners (NYSE: SXCP) was the third IPO to debut during a very busy third week of January. SXCP is the first M
• [By Robert Rapier]

  Tallgrass Energy Partners (NYSE: TEP) is a midstream limited partnership that provides natural gas transportation and storage services in the Rocky Mountain and Midwest regions of the US. The partnership launched on May 13, 2013 and in late June increased EBITDA guidance above analysts’ expectations, causing units to climb nearly 21 percent by year-end. In December TEP reiterated guidance for 1.2x distribution coverage for the entire year. The partnership recently declared a distribution of $0.3150 per unit for the fourth quarter of 2013 – a 5.9 percent increase from the Q3 2013 distribution. TEP’s annualized yield based on the most recent distribution is 4.8 percent, its current EV is $1.28 billion and its total debt/equity (mrq) is 30.5 percent.

• [By Aimee Duffy]

  Tallgrass Energy Partners (NYSE: TEP  ) followed closely behind, going public on May 14. This midstream company picked up some of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners'�western-based natural gas assets when KMP was forced to divest them to receive the Department of Justice's blessing on the El Paso acquisition.

5 Best Mid Cap Stocks To Watch Right Now: Fossil Inc.(FOSL)

Fossil, Inc. designs, develops, markets, and distributes fashion accessories worldwide. It offers a line of fashion watches under its proprietary brands, such as FOSSIL, MICHELE, RELIC, and ZODIAC; and through licensed brands, including ADIDAS, BURBERRY, DIESEL, DKNY, EMPORIO ARMANI, MARC BY MARC JACOBS, and MICHAEL KORS. The company designs, markets, and arranges for the manufacture of watches and accessories on behalf of certain mass market retailers, companies, and organizations as private label products or as premium and incentive items for use in various corporate events. It also provides various fashion accessories for men and women, including handbags, belts, small leather goods, jewelry, and sunglasses through company owned retail stores, department stores, and specialty retail stores, as well as over the Internet and through catalogs. In addition, the company sells a line of soft accessories, such as hats, gloves, and scarves, as well as a handbag collection. Furt her, it offers apparel comprising jeans, outerwear, fashion tops and bottoms, and tee shirts for men and women through company-owned stores, as well as over the Internet and through catalogs. Additionally, the company provides footwear products, including sport court sneakers, authentic casuals, dress classics, and boots for men, as well as fashionable flats, heels, wedges, and boots for women. Fossil, Inc., through a license agreement with the Safilo Group, manufactures, markets, and sells optical frames under the FOSSIL and RELIC brand names in the United States and Canada. As of August 9, 2011, it had approximately 360 company-owned and operated retail stores. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Richardson, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Leading the S&P 500 higher was fashion accessories maker Fossil (NASDAQ: FOSL  ) , which blew past the Street's estimates in the first-quarter and gained 9% on the day. For the quarter, revenue rose 15% to $680.9 million as adjusted EPS gained 16% to $1.08. Results were driven by double-digit watch growth, a 22% rise in direct-to-consumer sales, and a nice reversal in Europe, where its wholesale business grew 14%. Furthermore, Fossil raised its full-year EPS forecast for the year to a range of $6-$6.26 from its previous outlook of $5.85-$6.15. While I've long been a fan of Fossil, this report could also foretell that a big beat is coming for Michael Kors (NYSE: KORS  ) , with which Fossil has a watch manufacturing agreement.

• [By Andrew Marder]

  I can't remember exactly where designer watches come in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, but I'm sure they're in there somewhere. That might explain how Fossil (NASDAQ: FOSL  ) has managed to make such a strong and extended run. The stock is up 12% this year, and 50% over the last 12 months. All that growth has pushed Fossil's P/E to 18, but it's still substantially cheaper than many of the luxury brands it mingles with.

• [By apolloportfolio]

  Most Wall Street analysts will focus their research with the time horizon of less than one year. With 17 analysts covering Fossil (FOSL), It is very difficult to have materially different points of view. However, if we do our research with the time horizon between three and five years, the difference in time horizon will help us to gain a competitive edge against the Wall Street analysts.