Low interest rates will undoubtedly leave investors seeking out the top dividend stocks of 2014. Let's look at three companies that, though they may not boast the highest dividend yields around, have substantially grown their payouts. All three stocks also boast price-to-earnings ratios close to or lower than that of the overall market.

Clorox's  dividend yield recently hit 3%. The household-products company raised its dividend by 11% last year and by an average of more than 8% annually over the past five years. Even though the maker of Clorox, Pine-Sol, and Formula 409 may seem like an unexciting, slow-growing company, its stock has returned nearly 33% so far this year. The company boasts a strong brand portfolio that, in addition to its household cleaners, also includes Burt's Bees, Brita, Glad, Hidden Valley, and KC Masterpiece. Clorox is transitioning from a commodity-based business to one focused on higher-margin categories. As margins grow, it'll give the company more leeway to increase its already enticing dividend. Watch for Clorox to be among the ranks of the top dividend stocks of 2014.

Illinois Tool Works recently yielded 2.1%. The company raised its dividend more than 10% this year and has grown its dividend more than 6% on average annually over the past five years. In fact, Illinois Tool Works has raised its dividend for almost 40 consecutive years. And with a payout ratio of 31%, the company has plenty of room to continue to grow its dividend. Illinois Tool Works designs and manufactures products including zipper fasteners, cordless nail guns, and welding equipment. Innovation is what keeps this 102-year-old company going. Its major focus is creating pricing power by developing new or improved products in order to increase value to customers and avoid commodity-like products. For investors seeking the top dividend stocks of 2014, Illinois Tool Works is likely to craft satisfaction.

Cummins grew its dividend 25% last year and has nearly doubled its dividend within the past three years. The stock recently yielded 1.9%. With a payout ratio of 28%, the dividend still has lots of growth potential. Cummins designs, makes, and services diesel and natural-gas engines, power generation systems, and engine-related components. It has benefited from the one-two punch of a surge in supply of domestically produced natural gas and the push to more fuel efficiency in our big-rig trucks. As a result, trucking fleets are transitioning to natural gas for fuel. And Cummins has teamed up with Westport Innovations to provide the long-haul trucking industry with  the capability to use liquefied natural gas as fuel. At a price-to-earnings ratio of 17, the stock appears undervalued. For investors interested in the top dividend stocks 2014 has to offer, the coming year looks like a boon for Cummins.

As tax filing season approaches, people who are expecting a tax refund for 2014 are eager to get their hard-earned money back in their hands. But with several different ways to get your 2014 refund faster, you have to be more careful than ever to avoid costly traps for unwary taxpayers.

The wrong way: tax refund advances
For years, taxpayers frequently used refund anticipation loans to get early access to their money. Under a refund anticipation loan, your tax preparer would figure out how much the IRS owed you and then offer to give you that money immediately. Taxpayers didn't have to wait weeks, or even months in some cases, to get access to their refunds.

The problem, though, was that businesses charged substantial fees in connection with those loans. In 2006, California's attorney general sued H&R Block , alleging that its refund anticipation loan business failed to disclose the true cost of fees and interest charges associated with the loans. In 2010, JPMorgan Chase voluntarily chose to stop offering loans, and later that year federal regulators ordered HSBC -- which had provided loans through H&R Block -- to stop making refund anticipation loans.

Refund anticipation loans are now effectively unavailable, but they have been replaced by similar products. Refund anticipation checks and tax refund advances involve a similar fee-laden business model, with high interest rates and added fees that can escalate effective financing costs dramatically. Some lenders now offer loans that get around regulations by not being directly tied to refunds.

These products have also raised concerns. Intuit , for instance, entered into a proposed class-action settlement agreement in May 2013 over allegations that a refund-processing service it offered to help users pay for its TurboTax fees violated prohibitions against refund anticipation loans. Whatever they're called, in most cases, paying huge fees just to get your tax refund for 2014 a week or two earlier isn't worth it.

The right way: electronic filing plus direct deposit
By contrast, combining two well-established methods -- electronic filing and direct deposit -- can expedite your tax refund for 2014 more without incurring big fees. The IRS said it issued 90% of refunds in less than 21 days after receiving those taxpayers' returns last year. Sending returns electronically starts that clock running a lot faster.

In addition, using direct deposit to have your tax refund for 2014 put into your bank account electronically saves even more time. Having your refund delivered by snail mail and driving to the bank with your paper check add to the overall time you'll wait for your refund.

Admittedly, using the combination of direct deposit and e-filing won't get you your 2014 tax refund immediately. But it will get you every single penny you deserve -- which is a lot more than some alternative methods can say.

Apple has been on a tear since the newest iPhone lineup (5s and 5c) was announced in September, and the new iPad Air and Mini Retina models in October. Most analysts and research firms have issued reports pointing toward brisk sales of these products. Investors responded by boosting the stock's price to 52-week highs, although it has since retreated a bit.

A new report by Counterpoint Technology Research says that sales momentum is such, that:

This might allow Apple to even reach the No. 1 smartphone player in December or January in China. 

Apple battles against Google with their Android operating system, the leading provider of which is Samsung , whose flagship Galaxy S4 seems to be past its peak in popularity.

Globally
The report corroborates others (see here)

Apple's iPhone 5s continued to be the best-selling phone globally during October. iPhone 5s sales saw an upward sales momentum as Apple continued expansive roll-out for its flagship model thus further widening the gap with its arch rival's flagship model Samsung's Galaxy S4.

As the figure shows, Apple and Samsung shared the top 7 spots globally, with Nokia (NYSE: NOK) taking up 2 spots. (Counterpoint has just verified that the spot No. 9 is the S3 mini also by Samsung-not Nokia.) Interestingly, the Nokia phones are the only feature phones in the list. Nokia is selling its phone division to Microsoft and its flagship smartphones now run Windows Phone 8. While the new line has put WP8 back in the ratings, so far Microsoft's share is still very small.

[Source: Counterpoint]

China
While Samsung continued as the top overall smartphone supplier in China, it should be remembered that they provide a wide variety of phone models, including many relatively cheap ones. In fact, not all their phones run Android. Some run Windows Phone 8. Additionally, the iPhone currently is not sold on China's largest telcom China Mobile, with 750 million customers. Rumors are that could change as early as Dec. 18.

Counterpoint suggests this release will likely instigate a price war among the carriers that will further boost iPhone sales. It has been suggested that China Mobile alone could add as many as 30 million new iPhone sales per year. This is why they speculate that Apple might rise to the number one smartphone supplier either this month or in January.

So far, they have jumped from about 2% in August to about 12% now. An enormous change, this now puts it into striking range of Samsung's approximately 18%.

[Source: Counterpoint]

In other breaking news, NPD just reported:

NPD just reported a [consumer electronics] sales increase of 10% for Thanksgiving week as interesting promotions, some solid category performances, and nice results from some mid-size categories helped propel results to a more than $400 million increase in revenue over the previous three years.

While the release highlighted that it was not only the tablet market that pushed sales figures, these were the largest drivers.

Conclusion
Apple's new products are certainly a success as the iPhone and iPads all are at the top of the charts. With this new availability in China we should see yet higher sales ahead. If they should bump Samsung in China, it would be viewed as very positive in a public relations sense and as a serious rejection of Google's Android.

I expect that there will also be an iPhone halo effect that will push sales of iPads and Macs in China as well. Last year Apple sold 48 million iPhones and 23 million iPads in the holiday quarter. They should eclipse those numbers, but by how much is still an open question. Whatever it is, it is sure to be good for the bottom line.

This new China Mobile deal is just in time for the upcoming Chinese New Year. I hope they have lots of the new gold colored models in stock.

This December, everyone seems to be looking for investing ideas for 2014 -- that magic combination of stocks that will help them beat the market. One popular strategy will offer up 10 blue-chip stocks with excellent dividend yields. I'll reveal those 10 stocks at the end, but first, let me tell you where these 10 stocks come from.

Back in 1991, Michael O'Higgins was in his 13th year of running his O'Higgins Asset Management when he published a book that got millions of casual investors interested in the stock market. O'Higgins claimed that by investing in the 10 highest-yielding stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average at the beginning of every year, one could outperform the market.

Because the Dow represents stocks of solid, well-entrenched companies, the highest-yielding stocks are usually the ones that have fallen on hard times or are at the bottom of a business cycle. By buying these stocks -- the theory goes -- investors are getting bigger dividend payouts and investing in companies that will soon be on the upswing.

The theory was back-tested all the way back to 1929. If someone had invested $1 in the "Dogs of the Dow" back then, they would now be sitting on $9,451 -- not including commissions and taxes. That's a whopping 600% more than if the money were simply invested in the S&P 500. 

Taking a closer look at recent history
But while back-testing is nice, it proves a lot more if the theory actually proves out after it is stated. To get an idea of the effectiveness of this strategy, look at how continual use of the "Dogs" strategy, starting in 1996, would have performed versus an investment in the S&P 500.

Sources: Dogsofthedow.com, YCharts, www.multpl.com. Includes dividends; does not include commissions or taxes.

As you can see, this strategy didn't work very well during the dot-com era, as much of the money being made was in new technology start-ups instead of blue chip stocks. But over time, the bubble hasn't burst nearly as hard using the "Dogs" strategy.

If you invested $1,000 in 1996 using the Dogs strategy, you would currently have $4,536; over the same timeline, an investment in the S&P 500 would have left you with $3,490.

On the whole, we Fools prefer a buy-to-hold strategy which focuses on the underlying fundamentals of individual companies, rather than rebalancing every year. It should also be noted that taxes and commissions could have taken a significant bite out of the Dogs' performance, depending on the type of account the money was being held in.

That being said, we are a motley bunch, and recent history shows that this strategy works.

The 10 Investing Ideas for 2014
Now, the year isn't quite over yet, so this list could change. But if 2013 were to end today, here is the list of stocks you'd need to buy to follow the Dogs of the Dow strategy.

Sources: Yahoo! Finance.

Some of these companies are perennially on the list of Dow Dogs. AT&T and Verizon have been on the list every year for the past nine years -- and they have been the two highest-yielding stocks for the past five.

This is largely because each company produces tons of free cash flow -- usually via telecom subscriptions -- to pay out dividends. At the same time, some investors shy away from these companies because they have to spend enormous amounts of money to build out infrastructure, and if the telecom business encounters a disruptive innovator, all of that spending will be for nothing.

Others are on the list because investors aren't willing to pay a premium for what they see as businesses with shrinking growth prospects. For example, investors have been worried for quite some time that Intel's inability to jump into the mobile game from the beginning has irreparably hurt the company's potential.

Cisco, on the other hand, just came out with earnings that warned of slowing business. This spooked investors, and the stock has fallen 20% since August -- which also means the yield has risen from 2.6% to today's 3.2%.

The all-new 2015 Ford Mustang was unveiled in a series of special events last week. It will go on sale next spring. Photo credit: Ford Motor Co.

Ford's  2015 Mustang is the first Mustang to be designed from the start as a global model. Unlike past versions of the model, this one will be sold in markets all over the world. 

That's a big change. To emphasize that point, Ford unveiled its new pony in a series of events around the world. In six different cities on four continents, the automaker hosted events featuring members of the all-new Mustang's design team and senior executives, giving analysts and media representatives an up-close look at the car and the thinking that went into its design. 

Our "Motor Money" team of Rex Moore and John Rosevear were front and center at Ford's New York event to take a close look and share their impressions of the 50th anniversary model of the Mustang. They also had the rare opportunity to get Ford CEO Alan Mulally, executive director of design Moray Callum, and  Mustang chief engineer Dave Pericak to give their thoughts on the 2015 Mustang.

So what's the verdict? The new Mustang may look a lot like the car it's replacing, but it's quite a bit different. It's actually a big step forward for Ford. In this video, shot live at the New York event, Rex and John share their first impressions of Ford's hot new pony -- and give some insight into the Blue Oval's plans for the all-new Mustang.

It's no secret that Microsoft's consumer devices haven't been wildly successful lately. Its Windows Phone platform trails a very distant third to Android and iOS, and its Windows 8 platform has received a lot of criticism, leading the company to bring back the iconic Start button recently.

But additional reports have surfaced this week that Microsoft may revamp the entire Start Menu for the next iteration of Windows. If these rumors come true, it'll prove Microsoft is missing consumer preferences in a dying PC market, which is a bad combination.

Windows 8.1. Source: Microsoft.

Back to Windows basics
Windows recently updated to version 8.1, adding the familiar Start button to the Metro Start screen for PC users. The move was an admission that the company had missed the boat with its revamp of Windows, but it seems the change hasn't quelled user dissatisfaction just yet. A report came out this week that Microsoft may bring back the Start Menu in the next iteration of Windows 8.

The poor consumer and enterprise response to Windows 8 prompted IDC analyst Bob O'Donnell to go so far as to say, "At this point, unfortunately, it seems clear that the Windows 8 launch not only failed to provide a positive boost to the PC market, but appears to have slowed the market." And that was back in April. But whether it was Windows 8 or the overall PC market simply crumbling on its own, Window 8 certainly hasn't helped the industry bounce back.

The problem for Microsoft if it brings back the Start Menu isn't that it made a mistake in the first place, but that it doesn't know how to anticipate users' needs. As one of the dominant software companies in the world, this should be a bit troubling for Microsoft investors. The company is already struggling to make a name with its Windows Phone platform and Surface tablets, so experiencing setbacks with its flagship PC software is just salt in the wound.

Microsoft is in the middle of some monumental changes at the moment -- searching for a new CEO, trying to grow its own tablet devices, purchasing Nokia's devices and services, and trying to get Windows Phone into more hands. The company's focus obviously needs to be on mobile going forward, but setbacks with Windows on PC units hurts the company's consumer reputation and shows original equipment manufacturers that the company may be out of touch with its core demographics.

Investors need to look no further than Windows RT to see how OEMs have distanced themselves from a Microsoft platform that missed consumer expectations. Updating Windows 8 with a Start Menu may ultimately be the right thing for the software platform, but it would still point out the glaring flaw that Microsoft may be losing its ability to connect with users. 

You often hear people in their 60s, 70s and even 80s say that the house they lived in for 30 years was the best investment they ever made. Given what we recently went through in the housing market that can be hard to believe. But they're probably right; it's just not for the reason you think.

For the last 120 years, housing prices barely kept pace with inflation. The last 30 years haven't been any better, once you include the ugly numbers from the last recession. So how could an asset that barely kept pace with inflation be the best investment someone ever made?

Let's start with how we used to look at houses. After World War II, the United States saw a huge increase in home ownership. From 1940 to 1960 home ownership increased from 43 percent to 62 percent of Americans.

You know these people. For some of you, they were your parents, and for others, they were your grandparents. You went there for Thanksgiving and other holidays. These houses were homes, not investments. Nobody thought about what they were worth every day, month or even decade. You just lived there.

But no more. It's almost gotten to the point where I expect to see a quote for my home on Yahoo! Finance every morning. The website Zillow has come pretty close to being able to provide that.

A few years ago, investing in real estate, including the house you lived in, became America's favorite spectator sport, with most of us either joining in or wishing we could. If you look again at the chart of home values over the years that I linked to above, it looks just as scary and volatile as the stock market.

But in the past, no one knew they were supposed to be scared while they lived in their house. The only time you cared about the real estate market, such as it was, was when you needed to move.

So part of the reason people who lived in the same house for 30 years claim their home was their best investment comes from it probably being the only investment they actually held for 30 years. The power of compound interest, even if the return is just over inflation, is amazing, but only if you actually let it compound.

For comparison, look at stock mutual funds, which are meant to be held for a long time but often are not. According to the research firm Dalbar, the average investor holds on to their mutual fund for just over three years.

Three years versus 30 years may go a long way to explaining why people may say that their home has been their best investment. It's not because real estate has delivered a fantastic return; it's simply because of the decision they made to sit tight in that four-bedroom asset.

So in the end this consideration of the best investment isn't about the relative merits of real estate. It's about behavior. The question to ask yourself, then, is this: 30 years from now, what will be your best investment?

Every year, taxpayers look for opportunities to reduce their tax bills, and one of the most popular ways to cut income is to make contributions to 401(k) retirement accounts. But for those who routinely aim to max out their tax benefit, the 401(k) 2014 contribution limit doesn't give them any more ability to save for retirement than they had in 2013. Let's take a look at why those levels stayed the same and what it means for savers.

Image source: 401(K) 2013.

Why was there no increase in the 401(k) 2014 contribution limit?
The contribution limit on 401(k)s has been linked to inflation for years, and that often produces annual increases in contribution limits. For instance, in 2013, 401(k) savers got to save an extra $500 compared to 2012. That followed another $500 increase between 2011 and 2012.

But the contribution limit for 2014 will remain at 2013's levels. Those under age 50 will be eligible to save up to $17,500 in a 401(k). The catch-up provision for those age 50 or older will add $5,500 to that amount, letting them save $23,000 in a 401(k).

The 401(k) 2014 contribution limit didn't change because inflation wasn't high enough to justify an increase. With the Consumer Price Index rising about 1.5% during the period the IRS uses to calculate changes in the contribution limit, the raw, unrounded figure under the 401(k) law rose from $17,547 to $17,820, according to figures calculated by Buck Consultants (link opens PDF). Because the law requires the IRS to round down to the nearest $500 level, the $17,500 amount stayed the same.

Similarly, the catch-up contribution limit stayed the same for the fourth straight year because its inflation adjustment added less than $100 to its unrounded figure.

Good news comes to those who wait
The silver lining for 401(k) savers is that 2015 is likely to be a good year, with both the regular contribution limits and catch-up limit poised to rise at the same time. Inflation would have to come in at just 1% or higher to boost the 401(k) contribution limit in 2015 to $18,000, and the same inflation rate would send the catch-up contribution limit to $6,000.

Until then, though, investors will have to make do with the same 401(k) 2014 contribution limit that they had in 2013. With potential tax savings that could rise as high as almost $10,000 for taxpayers in the highest brackets, though, making maximum use of 401(k)s still makes sense for millions of Americans trying to minimize their tax bill.

The Motley Fool's John Rosevear spoke with Ford CEO Alan Mulally in New York last week. Photo by Rex Moore.

One of the great things about working for The Motley Fool is the access that we have to some of America's most important business leaders. These dynamic executives give us great insights into their approaches and strategies, insights that help us as investors to understand the fine points of the companies we own.

But few of the executives we interview are more fun -- and at the same time, enlightening -- to talk to than Ford  CEO Alan Mulally. As Fool senior auto analyst John Rosevear says: "Every time I talk to Alan I'm blown away by his energy and enthusiasm -- and by how well he explains everything from the nuances of Ford's global strategy to little details about the company's latest products. He's not just the architect and leader of Ford's global transformation, but like all great CEOs, he's also one of the company's very best salesmen. It's clear that he just loves this stuff. When you meet him, you understand right way why he has been such an effective leader for Ford."

John and his "Motor Money" co-host Rex Moore had a few minutes to speak with Mulally last week, at the New York unveiling of the 2015 Ford Mustang. Join John and Rex as Ford's boss shares insights into the design of the new Mustang, and how it fits into Ford's global product plan, in his own enthusiastic style. 

Exchange-traded funds offer a convenient way to invest in sectors or niches that interest you. If you'd like to add some financial stocks to your portfolio but don't have the time or expertise to hand-pick a few, the Financial Select Sector SPDR ETF could save you a lot of trouble. Instead of trying to figure out which financial stocks will perform best, you can use this ETF to invest in lots of them simultaneously.

The Basics
ETFs often sport lower expense ratios than their mutual fund cousins. This ETF, focused on financial stocks, sports a very low expense ratio -- an annual fee -- of 0.18%.

This ETF has performed reasonably, beating the world market over the past one and three years, but lagging it over the past five and 10. As with most investments, of course, we can't expect outstanding performances in every quarter or year. Investors with conviction need to wait for their holdings to deliver.

Why financial stocks?
If you expect the financial sector to do well over time as it continues to recover from the meltdown of several years ago, you might want to consider financial stocks for your portfolio. Remember, for example, how good banks are at levying fees and generating income, no matter what regulations are thrown at them.

More than a handful of financial stocks had strong performances over the past year. Bank of America jumped 44%, for example. Its reputation isn't the most squeaky-clean, as it has been slapped with more than $40 billion in fines since the financial crisis -- with billions more possible. That's enough to keep many away, but many are sticking with the company, and my colleague Alexander MacLennan sees plenty of reasons to be bullish on Bank of America: "A low price to book value, substantial potential earnings growth, greater dividends and share buybacks, and a slowly recovering economy." Some worry about the new Volker Rule regulations and whether they'll hamper the performance of big banks. Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan isn't worried, though, seeing business picking up.

Marsh & McLennan popped by 40% and yields 2.4%. The insurance broker has been making money from Obamacare, serving as a consultant to corporations. Marsh & McLennan is offering its Mercer Marketplace to companies as a private health-insurance and benefit exchange. The company is also putting a lawsuit from then-New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer behind it, having paid some $850 million to settle the matter. The company's third quarter featured profit margins growing a bit, while revenue and adjusted earnings per share rose by 3% and 18%, respectively. Analysts at Morningstar like its depth and breadth of services, along with its geographic scope.

Citigroup gained 35% and has also lost some public favor in the wake of the financial crisis. One of its most underappreciated features is its massive global diversification -- it's been setting itself up for additional profits in China, for example. Bears haven't liked Citigroup's credit quality, and its stock dilution is a concern, too. Many would like to see a heftier dividend and additional share buybacks. Still, Citigroup still has plenty of fans, including some of our own analysts who have bought shares for themselves.

Aflac advanced 24% and yields 2.2%. Aflac is an insurance company that derives most of its revenue from Japan, and there's a lot to like about it, such as improving profit margins and solid free cash flow growth. (It has been growing its dividend for more than 30 years, too.) Bulls see it as undervalued, especially relative to peers. Aflac is experiencing solid growth in the U.S., where its supplemental insurance is selling well.

The big picture
If you're interested in adding some financial stocks to your portfolio, consider doing so via an ETF. A well-chosen ETF can grant you instant diversification across any industry or group of companies -- and make investing in and profiting from it that much easier.

Rock-bottom interest rates have left investors hungry for income-producing securities. That has led to a surge in the popularity of dividend stocks. No doubt investors will continue to seek out the best dividend stocks in 2014. Here are three attractive companies each growing their dividends and boasting price-to-earnings ratios near or below that of the overall stock market.

Kraft Foods' dividend yield recently hit 4%. The packaged-foods company raised its dividend by 40% last year. Given Kraft's 48% dividend payout ratio, future increases could also be on the horizon. Even though the maker of Oscar Mayer, Cool Whip, and Jell-O may seem like a stodgy, slow-growing company, its stock has returned nearly 27% since its October 2012 split from its parent company, now known as Mondelez International. Since the corporate breakup, Kraft has emerged as a leaner organization and is specifically focused on cost-cutting and profitability. As Kraft's margins grow, it'll give the company more leeway to increase its already-enticing dividend. Watch for Kraft to be among the ranks of the best dividend stocks of 2014.

McDonald's recently yielded 3.4%, and the company has grown its dividend 10% on average annually during the past five years. In fact, McDonald's has increased its dividend every single year since paying its first one in 1976. Despite its recent same-store sales declines and weak earnings growth in recent quarters, McDonald's is the most frequented business in the U.S.  The Golden Arches boasts a track record of reinvention through product innovation. Its renewed emphasis on brand imaging, coupled with a strengthening global economy (70% of company revenue is derived internationally),  shows potential. For investors seeking the best dividend stocks of 2014, McDonald's is likely to serve up an order of satisfaction.

Target has doubled its dividend within the past five years, and it recently yielded 2.7%. With a payout ratio of 40%, the dividend still has a lot of growth potential. Target has successfully differentiated itself from competitors like Wal-Mart through superior merchandising, attractively remodeled stores, edgier advertising, and a trendier, more upscale image. During Black Friday weekend, roughly 12% of all holiday retail shoppers opened their wallets at Target. Further, at a price-to-earnings ratio of less than 17, the stock appears undervalued. For investors interested in the best dividend stocks 2014 has to offer, the coming year looks like a bull's-eye for Target.

The market isn't necessarily buzzing about Netflix's new season of Lilyhammer. The entire second season of the show about a mobster sent to Norway as part of the federal witness protection program will be available through the streaming service on Friday. 

As far as Netflix's original content goes, the show may not seem to have the same kind of appeal as House of Cards, Orange Is the New Black, and the fourth season of Arrested Development. However, this will also be the first time that Netflix introduces the second season of an original show. We're still two months away from the second run of House of Cards. 

As Fool contributor Rick Munarriz explains in this video, Netflix is pretty good at building audiences between seasons. All one has to do is take a look at the success that AMC Networks has had with Breaking Bad, Walking Dead, and Mad Men. All three shows experienced huge ratings increases after AMC began making earlier seasons available through Netflix. 

Netflix knows what it's doing.

Making mistakes is never fun. And this is particularly true when it comes to investing, as money is on the line. It's for this reason that many of us often refuse to learn from our mistakes, choosing instead to erase painful experiences from our memories.

With this in mind, Motley Fool contributor John Maxfield discusses the three most important lessons that investors never seem to learn. In doing so, he provides a simple strategy, centered around the Vanguard Total  Stock Market Return ETF and the SPDR S&P 500 ETF, to help combat these emotional and behavioral errors.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday kicked off one of the most intense promotional environments retailers have ever seen. In the past, massive discounts were only available on these two days, but now the discounts have been extended and they seem to be constant throughout December. This has caused retailers to lower their earnings guidance due to lower margins, and the stocks have taken a hit. Let's look at two of the biggest retail losers and one brand that has flourished without discounting at all.

Loser: Express

Source: Express.com.

Express is a speciality retailer of women's and men's apparel and accessories, with a targeted age range of shoppers who are 20 to 30 years old. On Dec. 4, Express reported third-quarter earnings that were in line with expectations, but proceeded to fall 22.98% after it cut its outlook for the fourth quarter. Here are the new expectations:

The company cited the promotional environment as the main reason behind the guidance reduction. CEO Michael Weiss said that the main factors in driving customer traffic at Express this season have been pricing and "offering the same terrific discounts on things that other people are, that our competitors are," while also having the most fashionable products available. Being forced to offer the best products at the lowest prices just to compete for the consumer is not a great situation for Express. Its stock now trades more than 24.5% below its 52-week high, and a weak fourth quarter could send it even lower. I would stay away from Express for now.

Loser: American Eagle

Source: AE.com.

American Eagle is a specialty retailer of apparel, accessories, and personal care products, and it is one of the destination retailers for teens. On Dec. 6, the company reported earnings in line with expectations and revenue that exceeded expectations; however, like Express, American Eagle announced weaker-than-expected guidance for the fourth quarter. Here is the new outlook:

Analysts had expected earnings of $0.39 per share for the fourth quarter, so the company's guidance came in well below their estimates. In its conference call, CEO Robert Hanson said, "We continue to operate in the most challenging sector of retail, where there has been intense promotional competition and tepid consumer spending. This has led to weak store traffic and a high level of promotional activity." This is not a good sign at all, and the stock has fallen more than 9.5% since then. I would stay far away from American Eagle because of the "tepid" consumer and because teen retail is one of the most difficult industries to be successful in.

Winner: Michael Kors 
As retailers scramble to offer the lowest possible prices to drive traffic, Michael Kors  hasn't had to do much of anything to keep product moving. The only notable "promotion" the company has offered recently is free shipping on orders over $100 if you order from its website, as you can see here:

In stores such as Macy's and Dillard's, Kors brand items like watches and handbags are currently offered for 25% off, but this comes at the expense of Macy's and Dillard's, not Michael Kors; this fact has been confirmed by the salespeople at the retailers' locations at the Altamonte Mall in Altamonte Springs, Fla., and by the friendly people at each corporate headquarters. I think the best-in-class management team at Michael Kors knows the strength of their brand and realizes that discounts are not needed to drive sales. This is one of the best companies in the market today.

The Foolish bottom line
Today's promotional environment is killing the bottom lines and the stocks of retailers like Express and American Eagle. To navigate this environment from an investment standpoint, it is better to buy the hot brands rather than the retailers who sell them. Michael Kors has been one of the hottest companies in the market over the last two years and it has been continuing its dominance this shopping season. Investors should consider buying Michael Kors on any significant pullback, as it has shown that declines are nothing more than buying opportunities. 

Ciena swung to an adjusted net profit in its Q4, but the result still fell short of expectations. For the quarter, revenue was $583 million, a substantial improvement over the $466 million in the same period the previous year. The company's net loss was much narrower, at $9.8 million ($0.09 per diluted share), against Q4 2012's $38.8 million ($0.39). On an adjusted basis, those figures were a profit of $18.3 million ($0.16 per share) and a shortfall of $6.7 million ($0.07), respectively. Analysts had been anticipating an adjusted EPS of $0.24 on revenue of $569 million.

For the entirety of fiscal 2013, Ciena posted revenue of $2.1 billion and a net loss of $85.4 million ($0.83 per diluted share). On an adjusted basis, bottom line was just under $59 million ($0.54). Those figures for fiscal 2012 were $1.8 billion, and losses of $144.0 million ($1.45 per diluted share), and $23.5 million ($0.24), respectively.

Ciena also provided selected guidance for its current Q1 2014. It believes its top line will come in at $515 million to $545 million, while its adjusted gross margin percentage will be in the low 40s, and operating expenses will total roughly $205 million.

Separately, Ciena announced that it is to transfer the listing of its common stock from Nasdaq to the New York Stock Exchange. It anticipates the first day of trading on the NYSE will be December 23, and that it will keep its present ticker symbol of CIEN.

Stanley Black & Decker shares were up in trading following the company's unveiling of its guidance for fiscal 2014. The power tools specialist is projecting that its EPS for the year will be $5.30 to $5.50 per share, on organic growth of roughly 4% on a year-over-year basis.The former is in line with the average analyst estimate of $5.40 per share.

In the press release detailing the figures, the company said it believes growth will come from the investments it has made this year, combined with the results of a recent spate of cost-cutting measures.

In presenting the 2014 projections, Stanley Black & Decker also reaffirmed its existing fiscal 2013 estimates. The firm still anticipates that it will post EPS of $4.90 to $5.00 for the year, on organic growth of 3% over 2012  The average analyst EPS estimate is $4.94.

In the wake of the new guidance, the company's stock advanced by 1.5%, or $1.20, to close the day at $80.55 per share.

The Department of Defense announced nine new defense contracts on Thursday worth $1.31 billion. Lockheed Martin didn't win the biggest of these contracts. That honor went to Boeing. But Lockheed did win the second-largest award -- a $200.7 million contract modification to a contract to build GPS III space vehicles 05 and 06.

The contract being modified was originally awarded to Lockheed Martin on May 15, 2008, being then described as "a new contract for the first increment, of the next generation of Global Positioning System (GPS Base IIIA) ... a satellite-based radio navigation system that serves military and civil users worldwide... [using] existing capabilities [to] introduce a new L1C civil signal, increase earth coverage M-Code power for authorized military users, provide a graceful growth path to achieve full capabilities development document threshold requirements, and continue support for the Nuclear Detonation Detection System mission."

This original contract was valued in excess of $1.46 billion, and has subsequently been modified  -- and had dollars added to its value. The modification announced today covers work that should be completed by Dec. 14, 2017.

On Tuesday, news broke that ITG Investment Research, an equity-research firm and subsidiary of Investment Technology Group based out of New York, expects Starbucks to see slower growth moving forward. Following the announcement, shares of the world's largest coffee chain fell more than 3%. In light of this news, is now the time to sell the chain or is the market overreacting to ITG's findings?

A look back at Starbucks
Over the past few years, Starbucks has grown tremendously. Between 2009 and 2013, the company's revenue rose by 52.4% from $9.77 billion to $14.89 billion. This growth has been primarily attributed to a 123.8% jump in Starbucks' number of locations, from 8,832 at the end of 2009 to 19,767 in 2013.

As Starbucks increased its store count and its comparable-store sales grew over this time-frame, its net income rose by 254.1% from $390.8 million to $1.38 billion in 2012. Due to the unfavorable outcome of a lawsuit by Kraft alleging that Starbucks breached an agreement between the companies, Starbucks took a pre-tax charge of $2.78 billion in 2013. However, if you remove the litigation charge from Starbucks' financial statements and adjust for its tax implications, the company's net income would have grown a further 14.5% to $1.58 billion in 2013.

Though management reported an increase in the number of locations (franchised and company-owned combined) of 9.4%, Starbucks also saw comparable-store sales jump roughly 7%. Of the comparable-store sales growth, 5% came from higher traffic while another 2% came about from higher prices, so it should be concluded that the growth was healthy.

ITG's expectations
To be clear, ITG doesn't expect Starbucks to fall off the map or anything of the sort for the current quarter. In fact, the company actually believes that Starbucks will still manage to grow its comparable-store sales by 5%-6% within the United States. This would be only slightly less than the 7% rate the company saw in the U.S. throughout 2013.

In comparison, rival Dunkin' Brands Group saw only a 4.2% increase in comparable-store sales in the U.S. as of its most recent fiscal year. Year-to-date, the chain has done even worse with comparable-store sales rising 3.3% in the U.S. and sales contracting internationally. If ITG is correct about Starbucks, this could also signal a further decline in growth for Dunkin'.

However, the Foolish investor shouldn't fear that this is the end of Starbucks, Dunkin', or anyone else in the coffee industry. J.M. Smucker , who acts as the distributor of packaged coffee products for Dunkin', reported that its coffee sales declined by 6% in its most recent quarter. The decline was driven by the pass-through of lower commodity prices and it was partially offset by an increase in volume.

On top of higher volume, Smucker saw its operating margin in its U.S. retail coffee segment rise from 25.4% to 30.3%. What this likely means is that, despite sales falling, some margin improvement should be seen by companies like Dunkin' and Starbucks should this trend persist.

Foolish takeaway
Based on the analysis provided by ITG as well as the most recent quarterly results from Smucker, it appears that Starbucks' comparable-store sales will still likely rise but possibly not at the rate that investors have seen in the past. Though this may scare some investors, any decrease in sales growth for coffee sellers should be accompanied by a decrease in cost of goods sold relative to sales.

The downside is that Starbucks' top-line growth could be impaired but its margins should see some improvement as a result. So, to counter the concerns of pessimists, it should be said that ITG may be right and Starbucks may not be as high-flying in the future as some might have hoped. However, margin improvement should set Starbucks up for better and more sustainable long-term growth down the line.

Some deadlines come and go without much notice. But other deadlines are critical to your financial well-being. We've got five retirement planning reminders you shouldn't miss.

Pull out your pocket calendar and get ready to scribble in some notes.

IRA contributions
It's a pretty safe bet that you know this one, but it's always good to put a reminder in your planner or smartphone: IRA contributions for the prior calendar year have to be made before the tax filing deadline of April 15.

You can put up to $5,500 of your earned income into an IRA for 2013. And the amount will remain the same for 2014 contributions as well.

Catch-up contributions to your retirement account
If you are 50 or over and want to make up for lost time with your retirement savings, here's a deadline you want to circle on the calendar: Dec. 31.

That's the deadline for making a catch-up contribution to your 401(k) and most other employer-sponsored retirement plans. The maximum amount you can kick in to the kitty varies by the account, but for your 401(k) you can add $5,500 (for 2013 and 2014), and for your IRA you can deposit another $1,000.

It's really rare, but some employer-sponsored retirement plan years may end at a date other than Dec. 31. Check with HR to be sure. And some employers will allow after-tax catch-up contributions. Be sure to ask.

And just to be totally accurate: You can make your IRA catch-up contribution by the tax deadline of April 15.

Required minimum distributions
This is a giant yellow "Caution" sign on the side of Retirement Road. You can't miss this one! Required minimum distributions must be taken from all qualified retirement plans: 401(k)s, IRAs, SEPs, and all the rest.

You have to withdraw a minimum amount, as mandated by IRS tables, by April 1 of the year following the year you turn 70 1/2. Isn't the government crazy specific? No matter how wacky the details, this is one rule you don't want to ignore. Failing to withdraw the necessary amount on time triggers a 50% penalty!

Full retirement age
This is an important date for those who continue to work after their full retirement age, as defined by Social Security. Before this age, which varies from 65 to age 67 depending on when you were born, if you draw Social Security benefits while still working, they are reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn over $15,480 (for 2014). Even in the months before reaching your full retirement age, your benefits are reduced by a certain amount over an earnings cap.

But the good news for working "retirees" is, after you reach that magical month of your full retirement age, you receive full Social Security benefits regardless of the income you receive.

This can be a real boost for those who have struggled to save enough for retirement. Generating an income, without an earnings limit reducing benefits, and receiving full Social Security payments can really help close the income gap for late savers.

NerdWallet Inside Tip: You don't permanently lose Social Security benefits that are withheld because of an earnings cap. They are deferred until you reach your full retirement age, at which time your benefits are recalculated. In fact, the more you earn, the more your Social Security benefits grow, because they are calculated based on your top 35 years of income.

Medicare
This one is easy: Sign up for Medicare when you're 65, right? Actually, that was a trick question. The mavens of Medicare actually want you to enroll three months before your 65th birthday, even if you plan on delaying benefits because you're still working.

You can sign up online, and they say it takes only 10 minutes. Of course, they said that about Obamacare, too, didn't they?

There you have it. The little-string-on-your-finger reminders for retirement planning.

Read more from NerdWallet:

• 73 Will Be the Retirement Norm for Millennials
• The Best Online Brokers for Penny Stock Trading
• The Best Online Brokers for Free Stock Trading

Next year will bring plenty of exciting investment opportunities, but sometimes shopping for quality dividend yields will be more beneficial to growing your retirement nest egg. Today we share three stocks that our analysts think are solid dividends to fuel your retirement.

: ConocoPhillips is one of the best oil companies for a retirement account in my opinion. The independent oil and gas giant has the three characteristics I look for in a long-term holding. It has a solid growth plan, a steadily rising dividend, and a product or service that isn't likely to be replaced in the next few years.

At just under 4%, ConocoPhillips' dividend is pretty compelling. The company sees its dividend as its highest-priority use of its cash flow as it enhances capital discipline and provides its investors with a more predictable return. ConocoPhillips just raised the payout 4.5% last quarter and is targeting consistent increases in the future. That steadily rising dividend will go a long way to fueling the retirement of many Americans.

The reason ConocoPhillips can consistently grow its payout is that it has a solid plan to grow its business. The current plan will see it grow its oil and gas production as well as its margins by 3%-5% annually through 2017. The focus on more profitable growth means ConocoPhillips will have more income available to fund its already generous dividend.

Finally, as an oil and gas company, ConocoPhillips' main product isn't about to be innovated away anytime soon. Sure, renewables will supply a growing amount of our future energy needs, but even the sunniest estimates show that renewables won't overtake oil and gas anytime soon. That means investors can rest on the idea that ConocoPhillips will still be pumping oil and gas out of the ground for years to come. Bottom line: ConocoPhillips is a perfect dividend stock to hold for a long time in a retirement account.

: Fertilizer giant PotashCorp tops my list of dividend stocks you should consider for your retirement account. The name may have surprised you, given the uncertainty caused by the sudden collapse of the Uralkali-Belaruskali cartel earlier this year. But while the event was historical, its effect may not last long.

Fertilizers are responsible for nearly 50% of the world's food production, with potash, nitrogen, and phosphate counting as the three most important nutrients. As the world's largest potash producer, with 20% global capacity, and the third-largest producer of both nitrogen and phosphate, PotashCorp will be a key beneficiary as the world demands greater food. And as PotashCorp grows, investors can safely expect greater dividends. In fact, the stage is already set for some huge shareholder returns.

The major expansion program that PotashCorp started nearly a decade back is nearing completion. Those investments should start paying off now, while reduced capital requirement going forward should free up greater amounts of cash, which will likely go into shareholders' pockets.

PotashCorp's cash from operation at $3.4 billion for the past 12 months is almost at its 10-year high, having grown a staggering 800% since 2004. Meanwhile, its debt-to-equity ratio of 36% is close to its 10-year low. That's a killer combination, indicating how strong PotashCorp financially is.

For investors, it's the perfect recipe for potentially solid dividends, and even share buybacks, in the years to come. PotashCorp's dividend has grown a whopping 950% in just the past three years, and the stock already leads the industry with 4.3% dividend yield. PotashCorp should let you sleep well in retirement.

Maxx Chatsko: One of the biggest surprises for energy investors in 2013 was the resiliency of the world's nuclear power industry. There are localized cases where new construction doesn't make economic sense, but there are many more profitable examples that don't make the headlines. While nuclear powerhouse Exelon made headlines earlier this year for cutting its dividend and warning that nuclear was losing its competiveness in the marketplace, events haven't quite deteriorated to that level nor should they for the foreseeable future.

What made for such a dismal announcement earlier this year? Most of Exelon's nuclear capacity is stationed in the nation's Midwest, which also happens to be home to most of the country's wind capacity. I explained earlier this year how the production tax credit, or PTC, for wind energy has led to negative energy prices for consumers in parts of the country. Unfortunately, nuclear operators cannot switch off production with the ease of natural gas or coal-fired generating facilities, which means they pay to produce power. Luckily, negative energy prices are mostly relegated to off-peak hours, thus reducing the impact on nuclear power.

Considering that Exelon provides 20% of the nation's nuclear capacity and generates 55% of its electricity from nuclear, a competitive energy marketplace is within its best interests -- an issue management has continued to raise awareness for. Therefore, I wouldn't worry too much about the viability of the company's business or profitability. The recent merger with Constellation Energy will ease concerns regarding the company's competitiveness and lead to increased generation efficiencies. With its shares hovering near 10-year lows and the dividend sitting near 4.5%, I think investors can safely buy now and laugh their way to long term gains.