10 Best Media Stocks To Own For 2014

U.S. stocks are ahead this morning, with the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC  ) and the narrower, price-weighted Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) up 0.35% and 0.36%, respectively, at 10:05 a.m. EDT.

Barnes & Noble moves on, but will it move up?
Less than two weeks after bookseller Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS  ) released abysmal quarterly results, CEO William Lynch is out, having resigned after three years on the job. The departure is a final acknowledgement of Barnes & Noble's failed digital strategy; Mr. Lynch championed the development of the Nook e-book store, e-reader, and tablets. Last month, the company announced it would no longer manufacture its own Nook tablets.

Barnes & Noble's future course is highly uncertain, but Lynch's exit and the promotion of Michael Huseby to CEO of Nook media, which covers the company's digital business and its college book stores, suggests a breakup may be in the works (Mitchell Klipper remains chief executive of the traditional bookstore activity). In January, executive chairman Leonard Riggio, who owns 30% of the company, produced an offer to buy the traditional book stores.

Top Cheap Companies For 2015: Time Warner Cable Inc(TWC)

Time Warner Cable Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a cable operator in the United States. It offers video, high-speed data, and voice services over its broadband cable systems to residential and commercial customers. The company provides a range of video services, including on-demand, high-definition (HD), and digital video recorder (DVR) services; residential high-speed data services with connection to the Internet; wireless mobile broadband Internet services; and digital phone services to residential customers. It offers video programming tiers and music services; high-speed data, networking, and transport services; and commercial digital phone service to small and medium-sized businesses under the Time Warner Cable Business Class brand. Further, Time Warner Cable Inc. sells advertising to various national, regional, and local customers. As of June 30, 2011, the company served approximately 14.5 million residential and commercial customers in the New Yor k State, the Carolinas, Ohio, southern California, and Texas. Time Warner Cable Inc. is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC  ) reported earnings on April 25. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Time Warner Cable met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  In comparison, Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA  ) has 18.3 million broadband subscribers, AT&T (NYSE: T  ) has 16.4 million, Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC  ) boasts 10.9 million, and Verizon (NYSE: VZ  ) enjoys 8.8 million subscribers.

10 Best Media Stocks To Own For 2014: Liberty Global Inc.(LBTYA)

Liberty Global, Inc. provides video, broadband Internet, and telephony services primarily in Europe and Chile. The company offers broadband services over cable distribution systems, including video, broadband Internet, and telephony; and video services through direct-to-home satellite, or through multichannel multipoint distribution systems. Its analog video services comprise basic and expanded basic programming; and digital cable services include basic and premium programming, digital video recorders, and high definition programming, as well as pay-per-view programming, such as video-on-demand and near video-on-demand. In addition, the company offers voice-over-Internet-protocol and circuit-switched telephony services, as well as mobile telephony services using third-party networks. Further, it owns programming networks that provide video programming channels to multi-channel distribution systems owned by the company and the third parties. As of December 31, 2011, the com pany owned and operated networks that passed 33,262,100 homes; and served 18,405,500 video subscribers, 8,159,300 broadband Internet subscribers, and 6,225,300 telephony subscribers. Liberty Global, Inc. was founded in 2004 and is based in Englewood, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sam Robson]

  LONDON -- Vodafone� (LSE: VOD  ) (NASDAQ: VOD  ) �is believed to have increased its offer for Kabel Deutschland following a rival bid from�Liberty Global� (NASDAQ: LBTYA  ) .

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Having completed its $24 billion acquisition of Virgin Media, cable operator Liberty Global (NASDAQ: LBTYA  ) said its board of directors had authorized a $3.5 billion stock repurchase program that it intended to complete over the next two years.

• [By Vera Yuan]

  In other portfolio activity we added to Liberty Global (LBTYA) after a helpful meeting with management, topped up our Valeant (VRX) position when the stock weakened during the summer, and modestly trimmed Iconix (ICON) shares with the stock in the $40��. We also sold Target (TGT) at a healthy gain as new management works through several operational challenges against a tough competitive backdrop. On balance we were net buyers, with residual cash declining from 28% to 24% of net assets at quarter end.

10 Best Media Stocks To Own For 2014: Cablevision Systems Corporation (CVC)

Cablevision Systems Corporation provides telecommunications and media services. It operates in two segments, Telecommunications Services and Other. The Telecommunications Services segment is involved in television business, including video, high-speed data, and VoIP operations, as well as the provision of commercial data and voice services. The Other segment offers Newsday, a daily newspaper; amNewYork, a free daily newspaper; and Star Community Publishing, a group of weekly shopper publications; and newsday.com and exploreLI.com. This segment also engages in motion picture theatre business, Clearview Cinemas; provision of the News 12 Networks, a regional news programming services; and the MSG Varsity network, a network covering high school sports and activities, and other local programs, as well as cable television advertising. Cablevision Systems Corporation was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Bethpage, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anna Prior]

  Cablevision Systems Corp.(CVC) said it swung to a profit in the first quarter, driven by higher rates and advertising sales that boosted its cable revenue.

• [By M. Joy Hayes]

  With no alternative candidates, there's no guarantee that directors will leave even if they fail to receive majority support. Consider the case of Cablevision (NYSE: CVC  ) . In 2010 and 2012, directors Thomas V. Reifenheiser, John R. Ryan, and Vincent S. Tese remained on the board even though they all failed to receive majority support in the company's 2010 and 2012 elections. Worse, Cablevision renominated the shunned directors yet again in 2013.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  SNL Kagan noted that cable outfits like Comcast Corp. (NASDAQ: CMCSA), Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC) and Cablevision Corp. (NYSE: CVC) saw subscriber losses double to 607,000. Cable�� share of the pay TV market has now fallen to 55.3%.

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  'Interconnection' The better access that Netflix is getting from Comcast is known as "interconnection," a term referring to digital content's journey to an Internet service provider's gates. That path technically isn't covered by the current definition of Net neutrality, which refers to how service providers treat digital content once it's inside the gates. Comcast has promised to honor the previous rules governing Net neutrality through 2018. In a blog post last month, Hastings argued that future Net neutrality guidelines should be expanded to address interconnection issues, too. "Without strong Net neutrality, big ISPs can demand potentially escalating fees for the interconnection required to deliver high quality service," Hastings wrote. "The big ISPs can make these demands -- driving up costs and prices for everyone else -- because of their market position." Google's YouTube video site and many other websites were paying interconnection fees to Comcast before Netflix struck its own deal with the carrier. Even with the March improvements, Comcast's delivery of Netflix content lags behind several other major service providers. Cablevision (CVC), Cox, Suddenlink and Charter (CHTR) each delivered Netflix video at higher speeds than Comcast in March, according to Monday's breakdown. Netflix has interconnection deals with Cablevision, Cox and Suddenlink, although those arrangements don't require Netflix to pay fees.

10 Best Media Stocks To Own For 2014: News Corporation(NWSA)

News Corporation operates as a diversified media company worldwide. Its Cable Network Programming segment produces and licenses news, business news, sports, general entertainment, and movie programming for distribution through cable television systems and direct broadcast satellite operators primarily in the United States, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. The company?s Filmed Entertainment segment produces and acquires live-action and animated motion pictures for distribution and licensing in entertainment media, as well as produces and licenses television programming worldwide. Its Television segment operates 27 broadcast television stations in the United States. The company?s Direct Broadcast Satellite Television segment distributes programming services via satellite and broadband directly to subscribers in Italy. Its Publishing segment provides newspapers and information services, such as publishing national newspapers in the United Kingdom, approximately 146 newspapers in Australia, and a metropolitan and a national newspaper in the United States; book publishing services, including the publishing of English language books worldwide; and integrated marketing services comprising the publishing of free-standing inserts, which are marketing booklets containing coupons, rebates, and other consumer offers, as well as provides in-store marketing products and services, primarily to consumer packaged goods manufacturers in the United States and Canada. The company also sells advertising, sponsorships, and subscription services on the company?s various digital media properties and outdoor advertising space on various media primarily in Russia and eastern Europe; and provides data systems and professional services that enable teachers to use data to assess student progress and deliver individualized instructions. News Corporation was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  News Corp. (Nasdaq: NWSA  ) reported earnings on May 8. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q3), News Corp. beat expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

10 Best Media Stocks To Own For 2014: DISH Network Corporation(DISH)

DISH Network Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides direct broadcast satellite (DBS) subscription television services in the United States. It offers programming that includes approximately 280 basic video channels, 60 Sirius satellite radio music channels, 30 premium movie channels, 35 regional and specialty sports channels, 2,800 local channels, 250 Latino and international channels, and 55 channels of pay-per-view content. The company also offers local HD channels in approximately 160 markets and 215 national HD channels; and receiver systems, including a small satellite dish, digital set-top receivers, and remote controls. In addition, it provides DISHOnline.com, which enables DISH Network subscribers to watch 150,000 movies, television shows, clips, and trailers; DISH Remote Access that enables subscribers to remotely manage their DVRs using compatible mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops through their broadband-connected receiver; and Go ogle TV that enables DISH Network subscribers to search the Internet, check email, interact with social media, and find additional online programming content while simultaneously watching television. As of March 31, 2011, the company had approximately 14.191 million customers. DISH Network provides receiver systems and programming through direct sales channels; and independent third parties, such as small satellite retailers, direct marketing groups, local and regional consumer electronics stores, nationwide retailers, and telecommunications companies. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Travis Hoium]

  DISH Network (NASDAQ: DISH  ) �put a bid in for Sprint (NYSE: S  ) early this week, which has pushed the mobile carrier's shares higher. The company is now weighing two bids, and one analyst thinks DISH's offer is the worst possible option for Sprint. Erin Miller sat down with Fool contributor Travis Hoium to see why Sprint needs more than DISH Network to survive.�

• [By Chris Hill]

  Noodles & Company's (NASDAQ: NDLS  ) stock continues to rise. Westport Innovations (NASDAQ: WPRT  ) experiences a pullback. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV  ) and DISH Network (NASDAQ: DISH  ) team up to offer live TV to passengers. And it was a bad day for anyone who thinks Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) is overvalued. In this installment of Investor Beat, Jason and Matt discuss four stocks making big moves today.

• [By Dan Radovsky]

  SoftBank had been battling satellite-TV provider DISH Network (NASDAQ: DISH  ) �since April 15 for the right to buy Sprint. It was only last week that SoftBank seemed destined to come out on top when it sweetened its proposal with an additional $4.5 billion in cash for shareholders.

10 Best Media Stocks To Own For 2014: Time Warner Inc.(TWX)

Time Warner Inc. operates as a media and entertainment company in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: Networks, Filmed Entertainment, and Publishing. The Networks segment provides domestic and international networks, premium pay and basic tier television programming services, and digital media properties, which primarily consist of brand-aligned Websites. Its premium pay television services consist of the multi-channel HBO and Cinemax premium pay television services. This segment provides programming to cable system operators, satellite service distributors, telephone companies, and other distributors; sells advertising; and licenses original programming to domestic and international television networks. The Filmed Entertainment segment produces and distributes feature films, television and other programming, and videogames; distributes home video products; and licenses rights to its feature films, television programming, and characters. T he Publishing segment publishes magazines and books; and operates various Websites, as well as engages in marketing services and direct-marketing businesses. This segment publishes magazines on style and entertainment, lifestyle, news, and sports. The company?s brands include TNT, TBS, CNN, HBO, Cinemax, Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, People, Sports Illustrated, and Time. Time Warner Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Beyers]

  Can anyone touch Walt Disney's (NYSE: DIS  ) Marvel Studios? Man of Steel has proved to be a winner for Time Warner's (NYSE: TWX  ) DC Entertainment and should close the weekend with about $248 million at the U.S. box office, Deadline.com reports. Audiences seem to like director Zack Snyder's grittier, more realistic version of Superman.

• [By Alex Planes]

  CNN achieved prominence in 1986 when it was the only network to offer live television coverage of the space shuttle Challenger, which exploded shortly after takeoff. The Persian Gulf War of 1991 was CNN's coming-out party, as it was the only outlet offering live communications from inside Iraq during the initial bombing strikes. Five years later, CNN (along with the other Turner broadcasting networks) merged with Time Warner (NYSE: TWX  ) , which dramatically expanded its reach, both domestically and internationally. Today, CNN reaches more than 100 million households and nearly a million hotel rooms in the United States, and is also available in an international format in virtually all of the world's sovereign countries.

10 Best Media Stocks To Own For 2014: DIRECTV(DTV)

DIRECTV provides digital television entertainment in the United States and Latin America. The company provides direct-to-home (DTH) digital television services, as well as multi-channel video programming distribution services in the United States. It offers various channels of digital-quality video entertainment and CD-quality audio programming directly to subscribers' homes or businesses, as well as video-on-demand services; and approximately 160 national high-definition television channels and 4 3D channels. The company also provides premium professional and collegiate sports programming, such as the NFL SUNDAY TICKET package, which allows subscribers to view the NFL games. In addition, it offers DTH digital television services in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico. The company provides its local and international programming under the DIRECTV and SKY brand names. As of December 31, 2010, it served approximately 19.2 million subscribers in the United States; and 8.9 million subscribers in Latin America. The company was founded in 1990 and is based in El Segundo, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  DIRECTV (NASDAQ: DTV  ) , the likely victor, is the country's largest satellite television provider. U-verse parent AT&T (NYSE: T  ) and Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC  ) are also in the running as part of larger joint bids.

• [By Geoff Gannon] pretty sure is not a Warren Buffett purchase. It is however a Berkshire Hathaway purchase. Made by one of the other portfolio managers. That is a subscription-based company. Which is the sort of thing Buffett would be interested in.

  Have you listened to Buffett's interview by the financial crisis commission? It is online somewhere. He talks about why he invested in Moody's (MCO). He mentions that Moody's was part of Dun & Bradstreet (DNB). And D&B had a few good businesses but Moody's was a great business. And it was splitting up.

  And then he goes on to talk about how he can't evaluate management at Moody's because it is such a great business that it is hard to know whether management is any good when you put someone in charge of a business like that.

  He focused on the idea of pricing power. At the Buffalo Evening News he focused on the fact that they were the dominant weekday paper and they weren't doing a Sunday edition. He knew they could knock their competitor out if they went ahead with a Sunday paper. He knew how important that was to a newspaper's economics.

  Doing a common sense qualitative analysis ��like a reporter on a news story ��is what can give you these insights. For example, Quan recently wrote a blog post where he casually mentions that Games Workshop ��a small U.K. company ��raises prices every June. It is an annual ritual for them. Just like at See's Candies.

  If you remember my discussion of George Risk (RSKIA), one of the things I said was that I knew George Risk's materials cost was higher than some competitors' selling price. The fact that any company could survive under conditions like that immediately suggested that dollars paid for the product was not the key concern for this product.

  Perceived costs had to involve other concerns like customization, shipping speed, reliability, etc. Because it was a low cost product going into a higher cost product going into very high cost projects it seemed like

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  If you're wondering who will pay to install monitors for every seat you may have missed the Wi-Fi component here. Unlike JetBlue -- which has seatback monitors delivering 36 DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV  ) television channels and most of Sirius XM's (NASDAQ: SIRI  ) satellite radio stations, but is late to the game by just now starting to update its fleet for Wi-Fi -- Southwest won't be providing monitors. Passengers will use their Wi-Fi tablets, laptops, and smartphones to log into the Web-based service that DISH has been advertising in recent months.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  We still have many key oil and energy companies reporting in the week ahead but we have now seen the sector leaders report earnings. Earnings previews have been prepared for the following stocks:

  CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CME) Hertz Global Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HTZ) Kellogg Company (NYSE: K) DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV) Office Depot Inc. (NYSE: ODP) and OfficeMax Incorporated (NYSE: OMX) Tesla Motors Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE: TMUS) American Water Works Company Inc. (NYSE: AWK) Duke Energy Corp. (NYSE: DUK) QUALCOMM Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX) Whole Foods Market Inc. (NASDAQ: WFM) Groupon Inc. (NASDAQ: GRPN) Molycorp Inc. (NYSE: MCP) The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) Priceline.com Inc. (NASDAQ: PCLN) The Wendy’s Company (NYSE: WEN)

  CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CME) reports earnings on Monday morning. With all of the exchange mergers of the last decade this remains one of the dominant exchanges. Estimates are $0.73 EPS and $713.3 million in revenue. Keep in mind that this exchange is now worth $25 billion. At $74.70, the consensus analyst price target is only just barely higher at almost $75.50.