Which of these stocks gained +145.7% in just four short months--+400% for investors who got in a little earlier--after winning approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for an enzyme that can be used in the production of beer and wine?

A.) Dyadic International (DYAI)
B.) Amgen (AMGN)
C.) Genzyme (GENZ)
D.) Gilead Sciences (GILD)
E.) Biogen Idec (BIIB)

Rise of the Dead

The financial meltdown has left many industries looking like shells of their former selves. Some investors in these industries look like shells of their former selves, too. But which of these sectors is bouncing back hard, more than doubling since hitting bottom this March, in contrast to the broader S&P 500's advance of just +62% since then?

A.) REITs
B.) Treasurys
C.) Preferred stock
D.) Investment-grade bonds
E.) TIGRs
 

Calling All Investors

Even in the grip of a deep recession, sales, profits and cash flows all set new records for this little-known tech company. While revenues advanced +16% last year, earnings rose at three times that pace, climbing +48% to hit $0.71 per share. Which one was it?

A.) NaviSite, Inc. (NAVI)
B.) Agilsys, Inc. (AGYS)
C.) ATS Corporation (ATCT.OB)
D.) Skyworks Solutions (SWKS)
E.) Elron Electronic Industries, Ltd. (ELRN)

Tech Triumph
The pendulum in tech investments has swung from one extreme to another. But which of these ETFs has climbed +37% this year and rebounded about +50% from the 2003 bear market?

A.) iShares S&P Global Technology (IXN)
B.) Goldman Sachs Networking Index Fund (IGN)
C.) PowerShares Dynamic Networking fund (PXQ)
D.) First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index (FDN)
E.) ProShares Ultra Semiconductor (USD)

Home and Abroad
India's defense spending is usually pretty low on the list of things that get investors' attention, but which of these American companies is making it one of his top priorities, selling the country $2.1 billion of maritime patrol aircraft?

A.) Acme Corporation (ACME)
B.) Boeing (BA)
C.) General Dynamics (GD)
D.) Motorola (MOT)
E.) Honeywell (HON)

Mortgage is a Dirty Word
Anything with "mortgage" in the name has spooked investors during the past year, usually for good reason. But which of these institutions is paying only 1.96% on its liabilities and raking in a yield of 4.27% on its portfolio, all with the support of Uncle Sam, and is yielding a huge 17.1% to investors?  

A.) Wells Fargo (WFC)
B.) Freddie Mac (FRE)
C.) Capstead Mortgage (CMO)
D.) Ameritrans Capital Corporation (AMTC)
E.) Washington Mutual (WAMUQ)

Thanks, Uncle Sam
Without question, certain industries have burned investors over the last few years like no other time in history. But which industry index has rebounded more than 90% since diving more than -70% in March of 2009?

A.) BSE Auto Index (BSE-AUTO.BO)
B.) KBW Insurance Index (KIX)
C.) Standard & Poor's 500 Banks Index (S5BANKX:IND)
D.) Standard & Poor's Retail Index (RLX)
E.) Dow Jones U.S. Select Real Estate Securities Index (DWRSF)

New Products Equal New Profits
Research and development benefits more than just pharmaceutical companies. For example, which of these companies has belted it out of the ballpark thanks to product development, posting a wild +4,500% increase in stock price over the past decade?

A.) Citigroup (C)
B.) American Airlines (AA)
C.) Dell (DELL)
D.) Hansen (HANS)
E.) E*Trade (ETFC)

Reversal of Fortune
Just seven years after receiving the largest IMF bailout on record ($41 billion), which of these countries now has a $12 billion trade surplus and is one of the world's largest economies, offering a bevy of double-digit investment opportunities?

A.) Australia
B.) Brazil
C.) Cambodia
D.) Denmark
E.) Estonia

The Lost Decade
Microsoft, Wal-Mart, Berkshire Hathaway--they're some of the most successful stocks of the past two decades. But there are plenty of other big winners that might not be as obvious. For instance, which of these stocks has posted a jaw-dropping +1,700% gain since 2001?

A.) Charter Comms (CHTR)
B.) Biopure (BPUR)
C.) Middlby (MIDD)
D.) Sirius XM Radio (SIRI)
E.) BroadVision (BVSN)

Thanks, Uncle Sam
Government spending can be controversial in the investing world, but sometimes it can create unrivaled opportunities for investors. For example, which of these companies has raked in a 56.5% revenue increase since 2006 and a whopping 364.5% increase in profit over the same period, thanks in part to the actions of the U.S. Government?

A.)  McDonald's (MCD)
B.)  Ford Motor Company (F)
C.)  Vestas Wind Systems (VWDRY)
D.)  The Medicines Company (MDCO)
E.)  MGM Mirage (MGM)

Digging a Hole to China
If a fund has "China" somewhere in the name, odds are good that it has screamed to the top of the charts. For example, which of these ETFs has posted annualized gains of +17.4% over the last decade--enough to quintuple a $20,000 investment into nearly $100,000?

A.) iShares FTSE/ Xinhua 25 (FXI)
B.) Claymore/Alpha Shares China Real Estate (TAO)
C.) iShares FTSE Hong Kong Listed China Index Fund (FCHI)
D.) WisdomTree Dreyfus Chinese Yuan Fund (CYB)
E.) Templeton Dragon (TDF)

Get Your Motor Running
Investors are avoiding the battered auto industry like the plague these days, what with the bailouts, complicated cost structures, and imminent bankruptcies rippling through the industry. But not all car makers are under water. Which of these manufacturers has posted 25% annual revenue increases from 2003 to 2007 and even sports a dividend that has risen significantly since it first began in 2006?

A.) Daimler AG (DAI)
B.) Tata Motors (TTM)
C.) Honda Motor Co. (HMC)
D.) Zap (ZAAP.OB)
E.) Chicago Rivet & Machine Co. (CVR)

And Now for Some Good News
Which of these companies just hiked its latest distribution, has returned +43% so far this year, has zero debt, and is sitting on a pile of cash--and sports a juicy double-digit yield of 10.5%?

A.) Terra Nitrogen (TNH)
B.) Heritage Commerce Corp. (HTBK)
C.) Layne Christensen Co. (LAYN)
D.) Starbucks (SBUX)
E.) Panera Bread (PNRA)

Finding Treasure Island
In ordinary market conditions, it's nearly impossible to find attractive companies whose net cash exceeds market cap. That money would act as a floor, and the negative enterprise value could entice arbitrageurs to step in and collect a quick profit. But in this market, the usual rules don't apply. Leveraged buyouts and other mergers and acquisition activity has dried up because of the lack of financing -- leaving deals for the rest of us that would usually be off the table by now. For instance, which of these firms has 45 million outstanding shares worth a total of $135 million even though the firm has accumulated a cash stockpile (net of a trivial amount of debt) in excess of $230 million?

A.)  Genentech (DNA)
B.)  Palm (PALM)
C.)  General Motors (GM)
D.)  MGM Mirage (MGM)
E.)  Nam Tai Electronics (NTE)

Up When They're Down
Record yield spreads have already begun to narrow, and some bonds and bond funds have produced impressive equity-like returns in recent months. For example, which of these closed-end bond funds is up close to +50% since October and sports a yield close to 20%?

A.)  BlackRock Corporate High Yield Fund (COY)
B.)  Helios Select Intermediate Fund (HSICX)
C.)  John Hancock Government Income A (JHGIX)
D.)  Thrivent Core Bond A (AAINX)
E.)  Van Kampen Limited Duration A (ACFMX)
 

Ratio rationale
The market downturn has beaten down asset values, and funds that are saddled with debt are at risk of violating certain ratio requirements, particularly one in Section 18 of the Investment Company Act of 1940. Under the legislation how much in assets should a fund have for each $1 of preferred stock issued, and how much in assets should a fund have for each $1 of bank debt?

A.) $2 and $3, respectively
B.) $1 and $1, respectively
C.) $2 and $2, respectively
D.) $3 and $3, respectively
E.) $4 and $3, respectively

Raising the Bar
According to Bloomberg, profit forecasts have shrunk across the board for every industry. There are now more than 3,500 companies whose 2009 EPS estimates are lower today than they were 90 days ago. But which of these companies is actually raising its earnings estimates from $3.49 per share in 2009 to $3.80, with some of the more optimistic projections even calling for $4.00?

A.) Apollo Group (APOL)
B.) General Motors (GM)
C.) Home Depot (HD)
D.) Philip Morris (PM)
E.) Starwood Hotels (HOT)

A Falling Dollar Can Mean Big Dividend Growth
A falling dollar is good news for U.S. investors who own foreign securities, but you don't necessarily have to look beyond America's borders to find opportunities. For instance, which of these commodities producers has taken advantage of the lower dollar and increased its quarterly dividend +44% in only three years?

A.) Endeavour Silver Corp (EXK)
B.) Intrepid Potash Inc. (IPI)
C.) New Gold Inc. (NGD)
D.) Royal Dutch Shell (RDS-A)
E.) Bunge Ltd. (BG)

Triple-Digit Yield Growers
Like the rest of the market, income securities have taken a big hit, leaving many investors scrambling for higher yields. But not everything has been decimated. Which of these securities groups has witnessed a +151% increase in dividend yields between 2007 and 2008?

A.)  TIGRs
B.)  Preferred stocks
C.)  General partnerships
D.)  TIPs
E.)  Utility stocks

Stoxx Sectors That Rock

Which of these is the highest yielding group among all 20 sectors in the Dow Jones Stoxx 600 Index, which represents companies in 18 European countries?

A.) European banks
B.) European telecoms
C.) European autos
D.) European energy
E.) European media
 

Everybody knows that outsourcing IT services to India has helped many American companies buoy profits, but which of these companies has actually boosted sales +50% by keeping an army of local reps available in the United States to personally answer questions and fulfill certain tasks for American customers?

A.) ATA Inc. (ATAI)
B.) Intrepid Potash (IPI)
C.) Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTSH)
D.) VanceInfo Tech (VIT)
E.) Linear Technology (LLTC)

On Fire

Energy prices go up, and energy prices go down, but which of these energy sectors has seen share prices double or even triple off last year's lows and still offers yields of up to 10%?

A.) Propane
B.) Natural Gas
C.) Diesel Fuel
D.) Gasoline
E.) Wind

Mighty Oaks
Most income-seeking investors spend little time hunting for small stocks, preferring their stocks to be full-grown. But promising small-cap firms are like tiny acorns that will one day become towering oaks, and overlooking smaller companies can be costly. For instance, which one of these small-caps would have turned a $25,000 investment into a cool $1 million in just 10 years? 

A.) Otter Tail (OTTR)
B.) Fannie Mae (FNM)
C.) KeyCorp (KEY)
D.) Interpublic Group (IPG)
E.) Dillard's (DDS)

A Little Goes a Long Way
The recession has prompted companies to implement cost-cutting measures -- sometimes drastic measures -- to survive. Though that makes for tough times, cutting out the fat also sets many companies up for incredible profits as the economy recovers. For example, which of these companies has grown revenues by +25% in 2009 but, thanks to cost controls, has seen its operating margins explode 580 basis points to 36%?

A.) Plantronics (PLT)
B.) ITT Educational Services (ESI)
C.) Banta Corp. (BN)
D.) MGM Mirage (MGG)
E.) Peace Arch Entertainment (PAE)

The Best of Both Worlds
Which of these asset classes has trounced the +11% return of the S&P 500, shining with a robust +21% gain in the first half of 2009?

A.) REITs
B.) Convertible Bonds
C.) Blue Chip Stocks
D.) Treasurys
E.) Commercial Paper

Health Care Reform
Which of these health care companies delivered an annualized +24.5%, about twice the average historical return of the S&P, in the past 10 years, and is poised to add billions more to its bottom line if Washington moves more people onto private insurance?

A.) Continucare CP (CNU)
B.) Neostem Inc. (NBS)
C.) Mednax (MD)
D.) DaVita (DVA)
E.) MDS Inc. (MDZ)

Driving Home a Bargain
Which one of these car stocks is actually a winner in the industry, offering a 9.7% yield and 50.5% year-to-date returns?

A.) Ford Motor Co. Capital Trust II   Cumulative Conv. Trust Preferred (F-S)
B.) General Motors Series G Preferred (GM-G)
C.) Hilltop Holdings Preferred Series A (HTH-PA)
D.) DaimlerChrysler 7.25% Trust Preferred Stock (PYO)
E.) Mills Corp Preferred Series F (MLSFO.PK)

Boldly Go Where No Income Investor Has Gone Before
Tech stocks don't fit the typical income investor's profile. But which of these instruments allow investors to lock in double-digit yields of 10%, 11%, or 12% and also participate in the tech rally?

A.) TIPS
B.) TIGRs
C.) SPDRs
D.) STRIDES
E.) ADRs

The Hunt for the Safest Dividend
Both Wall Street and Main Street are looking for something they can be sure of in the year ahead. And for income investors, that means finding a safe and rewarding dividend yield. So which of these companies has StreetAuthority editor Carla Pasternak determined to have one of the safest dividends in the market?

A.) Verizon (VZ)
B.) American Capital (ACAS)
C.) Gannett Co. (GCI)
D.) Archer Daniels Midland (ADM)
E.) Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB)

Green Shoots
Investors are looking for some "green shoots" after a long winter of discontent. So which of these instruments are up a remarkable +46% for the year through mid-April?

A.) Convertible bonds
B.) Treasurys
C.) Preferred stock
D.) Blue chip stocks
E.) TIPs

A Financial Booster Shot
As governments around the world scramble to ensure there are adequate supplies of antiviral medications, all of them wish they had a vaccine to better protect their populations. Currently there is no vaccine for things like swine flu, but which of these antiviral-medication manufacturers has an effective treatment for H1N1 as well as long-term prospects for income-oriented investors?

A.) GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)
B.) Johnson and Johnson (JNJ)
C.) Chem Rx Corp. (CHRXE.OB)
D.) Inhibition Therapeutic (IHBT.OB)
E.) GeoPharma, Inc. (GORX)
 

Investing with the Stars
There is no definitive "A-list" roster of superstar value investors. But if there were, you'd undoubtedly see names such as Warren Buffett, Bruce Berkowitz, Bill Nygren, Charlie Dreifus, and Mario Gabelli. But there are lots of other starts in the sky. For example, which of these fund managers has delivered a cumulative +150% gain since the inception of his fund 9 years ago, compared to a -28% return for the S&P 500?

A.) Abe Froman
B.) Bruce Berkowitz
C.) Steven Cohen
D.) David Tepper
E.) Edward Lampert

Star Performers
Some types of stocks don't just beat the S&P 500 in down markets -- they bludgeon the S&P 500. For example, over the long-term, which class of stock tends to outperform the broader market average by +17% in the year following major market bottoms?

A.) Large-cap value stocks
B.) Small-cap value stocks
C.) Small-cap growth stocks
D.) Blue chip stocks
E.) Tech stocks

Nuts for Brazil
The so-called BRIC emerging markets -- Brazil, Russia, India and China -- have driven more than their share of the world's economic growth over the past five years but are either slowing or slumping now. But there are still some amazing winners out there. For example, which of these Brazilian companies recently reported a +12% increase in earnings and a +23.6% increase new customers?

A.)  Gerdau (GGB)
B.)  Aracruz Celulose (ARA)
C.)  Telesp (TSP)
D.)  Braskem (BAK)
E.)  Gafisa (GFA)

Cashing In
Despite the terrible economy, which of these MLP-focused ETFs is throwing off about $1,110 in annual income on a $10,000 investment — about +50% more than the $730 you would have been getting on an annualized basis last summer?

A.) Tortoise Energy (TYG)
B.) Fiduciary/Claymore MLP Opportunity Fund (FMO)
C.) BearLinx Alerian MLP Select Index (BSR)
D.) Kayne Anderson Energy TR (KYE)
E.) Cushing MLP Total Return  Fund (SRV)

Pick-Up Game
India has some important lessons to teach about sector formation in emerging economies. For example, as an emerging market grows, which of these industries is one of the first to develop?
 
A.) Aerospace
B.) Banking
C.) Restaurants
D.) Advertising
E.) Media

Not All Retailers Got Hammered in 2008
According to the U.S. Commerce Department, the fourth quarter of 2008 marked the worst retail shopping season since at least the 1970s. But few would guess that the best performer in the Dow last year was actually a retailer. Who was it?

A.) Big Lots (BIG)
B.) Wal-Mart Stores (WMT)
C.) TJX Companies (TJX)
D.) Williams-Sonoma (WSM)
E.) Limited Brands (LTD)

Outperforming the Market
Nearly everything in the investing universe was hit hard by the market in 2008, but some sectors still managed to maintain their enviable track records. For example, which of these iShares funds tracks an index that has shown impressive annualized gains of +11.4% over the past five years, versus an annual loss of -2.2% for the S&P 500?

A.)  iShares S&P Global Utilities (JXI)
B.)  iShares S&P Global Financials     (IXG)
C.)  iShares S&P North American          Technology (IGW)
D.)  iShares MSCI Belgium Investable (EWK)
E.)  iShares Dow Jones U.S. Consumer Goods Sector (IYK)

A Triple-Digit Trend
Which of these electronics companies has surged +116% in just one year and, despite the current economic instability, has posted five consecutive triple-digit quarterly sales increases since the end of 2007?

A.)  Sigma Designs (SIGM)
B.)  Avid Technology (AVID)
C.)  Thomson ADS (TMS)
D.)  Harman International (HAR)
E.)  Hubbell (HUB-B)