Top 10 Undervalued Companies To Watch In Right Now

General Motors (GM) recently garnered headlines after investor Warren Buffett's recent 13F filing showed that he purchased 15 million shares of GM during Q2 2013. At the end of the quarter, he owned 40 million shares. This increase of 60% sparked my interest in the company. Also, Harris Associates bought 51.9 million shares in Q2. After researching the company, GM shares are undervalued when compared to their main rival, Ford (F). Also, there are upcoming catalysts for the company that should result in revaluation - new models gaining recognition, sales improvements based on vast improvements in quality, an improving European economy, and an end to the US Treasury, UAW, and Canadian government liquidation of their stake in the company. In particular, I think the conclusion of the treasury sales of GM stock is an under-appreciated catalyst given the performance of companies in similar situations in the past.

Valuations of GM compared to Ford

Top 10 Undervalued Companies To Watch In Right Now: Caterpillar Inc.(CAT)

Caterpillar Inc. manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives worldwide. It operates through three lines of businesses: Machinery, Engines, and Financial Products. The Machinery business offers construction, mining, and forestry machinery, including track and wheel tractors, track and wheel loaders, pipelayers, motor graders, wheel tractor-scrapers, track and wheel excavators, backhoe loaders, log skidders, log loaders, off-highway trucks, articulated trucks, paving products, skid steer loaders, underground mining equipment, tunnel boring equipment, and related parts. It also manufactures diesel-electric locomotives; and manufactures and services rail-related products and logistics services for other companies. The Engines business provides diesel, heavy fuel, and natural gas reciprocating engines for Caterpillar machinery, electric power generation systems, marine, petrol eum, construction, industrial, agricultural, and other applications. It offers industrial turbines and turbine-related services for oil and gas, and power generation applications. This business also remanufactures Caterpillar engines, machines, and engine components; and offers remanufacturing services for other companies. The Financial Products business provides retail and wholesale financing alternatives for Caterpillar machinery and engines, solar gas turbines, and other equipment and marine vessels, as well as offers loans and various forms of insurance to customers and dealers. It also offers financing for vehicles, power generation facilities, and marine vessels. The company markets its products directly, as well as through its distribution centers, dealers, and distributors. It was formerly known as Caterpillar Tractor Co. and changed its name to Caterpillar Inc. in 1986. Caterpillar Inc. was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Peoria, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Carroll]

  China slows further
  The International Monetary Fund cut its Chinese growth projections for 2013 and 2014 today, now expecting the world's second-largest economy to grow by 7.75% per year after earlier projecting 8% growth this year and 8.2% next year. China's slowdown from its previous double-digit-percentage economic growth has hurt companies counting on the developing economy to fuel sales. Industrials in particular have been hit hard: Major China manufacturing player Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) saw its Asia-Pacific retail sales fall at least 20% in each of the last three months as reduced Chinese infrastructure spending hurts demand. Caterpillar's stock hasn't reacted badly to the news, however, with shares gaining 0.5% so far today to defy the Dow's drop.

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Other areas to focus on are industrials and tech, Greenhaus said. Several industrial Dow components report such as United Technologies Corp. (UTX) �on Tuesday, Boeing Co. (BA) � and Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) �on Wednesday, and 3M Co. (MMM) �on Thursday. Also on Thursday after the close, Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) �reports results.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Many of the stocks contributing the most to the Dow's losses are the same stocks that have struggled for a while now. Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) has fallen more than 2%, showing a complete lack of confidence among investors that the morning's economic data marks a turnaround in the foreseeable future. Following its earnings disappointment yesterday, a Wall Street analyst added insult to injury by downgrading the stock. Strength in the U.S. economy will help Caterpillar, but it really needs global expansion to resume in order to make the most of its profit opportunities.

Top 10 Undervalued Companies To Watch In Right Now: Schlumberger N.V.(SLB)

Schlumberger Limited, together with its subsidiaries, supplies technology, integrated project management, and information solutions to the oil and gas exploration and production industries worldwide. The company?s Oilfield Services segment provides exploration and production services; wireline technology that offers open-hole and cased-hole services; supplies engineering support, directional-drilling, measurement-while-drilling, and logging-while-drilling services; and testing services. This segment also offers well services; supplies well completion services and equipment; artificial lift; data and consulting services; geo services; and information solutions, such as consulting, software, information management system, and IT infrastructure services that support oil and gas industry. Its WesternGeco segment provides reservoir imaging, monitoring, and development services; and operates data processing centers and multiclient seismic library. This segment also offers variou s services include 3D and time-lapse (4D) seismic surveys to multi-component surveys for delineating prospects and reservoir management. The company?s M-I SWACO segment supplies drilling fluid systems to improve drilling performance; fluid systems and specialty tools to optimize wellbore productivity; production technology solutions to maximize production rates; and environmental solutions that manages waste volumes generated in drilling and production operations. Its Smith Oilfield segment designs, manufactures, and markets drill bits and borehole enlargement tools; and supplies drilling tools and services, tubular, completion services, and other related downhole solutions. The company?s Distribution segment markets pipes, valves, and fittings, as well as mill, safety, and other maintenance products. This segment also provides warehouse management, vendor integration, and inventory management services. Schlumberger Limited was founded in 1927 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Taylor Muckerman and Joel South]

  Many oil and natural gas service companies called the fourth quarter of 2012 a trough in the North American market. By all accounts so far during this reporting period, that appears to be especially prescient. International heavyweights Halliburton (NYSE: HAL  ) and Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) both witnessed signs that a second half turnaround us likely upon them and the industry as a whole.

• [By Sean Williams]

  Finally -- and to keep with today's theme of earnings-driven moves -- oil services contractor Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) added 5.4% after topping the Street in the second quarter. Overall, revenue rose 8%, to $11.18 billion, with net income soaring 50%, to $2.1 billion, or $1.57 per share. Excluding one-time gains, Schlumberger topped EPS estimates by $0.05 and slid by revenue projections by $60 million. Schlumberger can thank robust drilling activity overseas in China and Australia, as well as domestically in the Gulf of Mexico, for its market-beating results. To add the icing on the cake for shareholders, Schlumberger also announced a new $10-billion share repurchase program. Investors would be smart to keep their eyes on Schlumberger moving forward.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Along with announcing earnings, both Halliburton (NYSE: HAL  ) and Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) announced multi-billion-dollar stock buybacks. With so much money on the line, investors have to ask if this is the right move for these two oil-field service giants. Are these stocks cheap enough to warrant the buybacks or should these companies consider other options for those funds?

Hot Financial Companies To Own In Right Now: Dollar Tree Inc.(DLTR)

Dollar Tree, Inc. operates discount variety stores in the United States and Canada. Its stores offer merchandise primarily at the fixed price of $1.00. The company operates its stores under the names of Dollar Tree, Deal$, Dollar Tree Deal$, Dollar Giant, and Dollar Bills. Its stores offer consumable merchandise, including candy and food, and health and beauty care, as well as household consumables, such as paper, plastics, household chemicals, in select stores, and frozen and refrigerated food; variety merchandise, which includes toys, durable housewares, gifts, party goods, greeting cards, softlines, and other items; and seasonal goods, such as Easter, Halloween, and Christmas merchandise. As of April 30, 2011, it operated 4,089 stores in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 88 stores in Canada. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Dollar General�� share price is up less than 6% in the past 12 months, but since the beginning of the year shares have risen more than 22%. And even then, Dollar General�trails Dollar Tree Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR) in share price growth since January 1. Dollar Tree stock is up 30%.

• [By Brendan Byrnes]

  Brendan: Not a problem at all. What about the surprising amount of dollar-store companies that are public? You have Family Dollar (NYSE: FDO  ) , Dollar Tree (NASDAQ: DLTR  ) , Dollar General (NYSE: DG  ) . You mention, in particular, Family Dollar, which is the lowest market cap out of all of those, as doing the best, an exceptional company. Why?

• [By Lawrence Meyers]

  The finance sector, as mentioned, can make money in many ways. The second-highest growth sector is expected to be consumer discretionary, with a 6.2% increase. When you look at earnings from luxury brands like Tiffany & Co. (TIF), and that the hotel sector continues to do very well, it suggests that those people who are in good financial shape are spending their money. Meanwhile, dollar players like Dollar Tree (DLTR) continue to perform very well, suggesting that folks with less money are spending it on cheaper items.

• [By ANUP SINGH]

  Dollar Tree (NASDAQ: DLTR  ) is among the most successful single-price-point retailers in the U.S. It operates more than 4,842 stores across 48 states in the U.S. and five Provinces in Canada. The chart below shows that the company has been performing consistently well over the past five years.

Top 10 Undervalued Companies To Watch In Right Now: Tupperware Corporation(TUP)

Tupperware Brands Corporation operates as a direct seller of various products across a range of brands and categories through an independent sales force. The company engages in the manufacture and sale of kitchen and home products, and beauty and personal care products. It offers preparation, storage, and serving solutions for the kitchen and home, as well as kitchen cookware and tools, children?s educational toys, microwave products, and gifts under the Tupperware brand name primarily in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific, and North America. The company provides beauty and personal care products, which include skin care products, cosmetics, bath and body care, toiletries, fragrances, nutritional products, apparel, and related products principally in Mexico, South Africa, the Philippines, Australia, and Uruguay. It offers beauty and personal care products under the Armand Dupree, Avroy Shlain, BeautiControl, Fuller, NaturCare, Nutrimetics, Nuvo, and Swissgar de brand names. The company sells its Tupperware products directly to distributors, directors, managers, and dealers; and beauty products primarily through consultants and directors. As of December 26, 2009, the Tupperware distribution system had approximately 1,800 distributors, 61,300 managers, and 1.3 million dealers; and the sales force representing the Beauty businesses approximately 1.1 million. The company was formerly known as Tupperware Corporation and changed its name to Tupperware Brands Corporation in December 2005. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Tupperware Brands (NYSE: TUP) is expected to report its Q3 earnings at $1.03 per share on revenue of $623.34 million.

  Varian Medical Systems (NYSE: VAR) is projected to post its Q4 earnings at $1.12 per share on revenue of $779.02 million.