Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) had a tremendous 2013, as evidenced by the market-beating 77% increase in the company's share price during the year. While market-beating returns are great, long-term investors should be more excited by the way that Chipotle executed its growth strategy. By focusing on a few core principles, Chipotle has continued to differentiate itself from the competition and proven to be an exceptional business.

The restaurant industry is crowded, and there is no shortage of competition for consumers in search of a good burrito. On the fast food end of the spectrum, Yum Brands' (NYSE: YUM) Taco Bell franchise continues to dominate in terms of size and price. In casual dining, Chuy's Holdings and many others provide significant competition thanks to a wide range of menu offerings. Chipotle operates in the fast casual sweet spot that combines the speed of fast food and higher-quality products. The company is by no means the only fast casual burrito specialist; Jack in the Box's (NASDAQ: JACK) Qdoba restaurants are one of many brands that target the same customer that Chipotle does.

Chipotle has managed to stand apart from this competition through very simple strategic decisions.

Product differentiation
Chipotle's "food with integrity" mantra has been a consistent theme throughout Chipotle's history of rapid growth. This mission to source ingredients in a way that is friendly to animals, farmers, and the environment has resonated with customers for three reasons. First, there is the obvious "feel good" message of supporting local farmers and protecting animals and the environment. Second, the focus on fresh and naturally raised ingredients clearly parallels the megatrend toward healthier eating that is under way across the United States. Third, the quality of ingredients leads to a noticeably fresher and appetizing meal than anything found at a Taco Bell, including the Cantina Bell menu.

While taste is largely a subjective observation, what is observable is consumer traffic. In Chipotle's most recent earnings release, same store sales (SSS) increased 6.2%, which is more than triple the 2% SSS increases reported by Qdoba and Taco Bell (United States) during comparable periods.

Disciplined growth
Chipotle has been a successful investment thanks to the tremendous growth the company has experienced on its way to over 1,500 locations. However, it is noteworthy that the company has taken a deliberate and controlled approach to growing the Chipotle brand. This discipline is demonstrated by the company's pristine, debt-free balance sheet. While Chipotle could certainly issue debt to finance growth and still remain a solid investment, the fact that the company's cash flow enabled it to increase its store count by more than 10% during 2013 is impressive.

What really sets Chipotle's growth strategy apart is the company's commitment to own all of its restaurant locations. A franchise model can accelerate growth and be profitable, but the decision to retain control over every Chipotle location provides management with the ability to control quality and the customer experience in a way that Yum Brands, Jack in the Box, and others cannot.

People-first culture
Customers that attempted to eat at Chipotle on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Years Day may have been disappointed to find that the local Chipotle was closed. 

Source: Chipotle Facebook Page

Unlike its competitors, Chipotle closes for major holidays (including Easter and July 4th as well) so that employees can spend time with family and enjoy the holidays. This is just one of many ways that Chipotle approaches business differently than its competitors; the company has a unique approach to training and developing employees that has led to the impressive statistic that 97% of Chipotle's salaried managers were promoted internally from hourly positions. 

A winning recipe
The merits of quality ingredients, prudent expansion, and happy employees are simple concepts to understand. However, Chipotle's dedication to each is unmatched among its competition, which has created a very powerful competitive advantage. This advantage drove Chipotle to new heights in 2013, and there is little reason to doubt that this trend will continue in 2014.

This article was written by Oilprice.com -- the leading provider of energy news in the world

No sector of the resource world is changing more quickly than offshore oil.

The last decade has seen a quantum leap in drilling techniques and technology onshore. And producers are just now moving to apply this new-found expertise to offshore plays.

Such developments may be coming to a new area: the U.K. North Sea. Judging from some acquisitions in this area last month.

Chiefly the purchase of North Sea assets by Hungarian oil major MOL.

The firm announced it will pay $375 million to acquire producing fields from Wintershall--the E&P arm of German chemicals giant BASF.

This shuffling of property owners is intriguing. Wintershall has long been a cornerstone player in the North Sea. But the firm's exit suggests they see less upside here today than in other target areas.

When established players start exiting a play like this, it usually creates opportunities. MOL is picking up the assets at a very decent valuation--about $20 per barrel of reserves.

An acquisition environment like this could be perfect for firms looking to cash in on the offshore drilling revolution now under way. Savvy firms in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico have recently been picking up old oil fields at similarly low prices. And using them to prove the benefits of techniques like horizontal drilling in the offshore environment.

The results have been tremendous. Returns on investment from horizontal wells in the shallow Gulf are some of the best going in the industry.

Drilling is low-risk, and the new techniques are improving initial production rates and ultimate recoveries significantly.

Offshore unconventional drilling is now being tried in further afield spots like Thailand. And the North Sea would be another perfect candidate location.

MOL may not have the technical firepower to do it. But with acquisitions in the play looking favourable, it's only a matter of time until someone does.

Keep an eye out for further deals in this space.

Here's to old oil selling cheap,

Recent article from Oilprice.com: State Involvement Key for Decommissioning Old Nuclear Plants

Gazprom Hits Record Gas Exports to Europe

Today, Jamba Juice Company announced it had reach an agreement with Foodmark, a division of Dubai-based Landmark Group, to open 80 Jamba Juice stores across the Middle East over the next 10 years.

Image Source: Flickr/ Elizabeth M

"We are very excited to be partnering with the Landmark Group - they have a 40-year history of successfully building their own and franchise brands and they possess immense business and networking strength in the region," said Jamba Juice Company's International Senior Vice President, International, Thibault de Chatellus, in a press release. De Chatellus praised Landmark's "strong passion for Jamba Juice and a deep understanding of the different markets and consumers in their region."

Currently, Jamba Juice has only 45 international franchise locations, however the company believes it has the potential to have as many as 1,500 international stores. Jamba had 849 stores around the world as of Oct. 1.

It has a "pipeline commitment" to 480 locations, in South Korea, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, and across the Middle East. Of the 80 stores that it plans to open through its agreement with Landmark Group, the first is expected to be opened in Dubai sometime this year.

Kieran Mallon, the COO of Foodmark, said Jamba's offerings are "very relevant for our consumers, who are increasingly looking for healthier food and beverage alternatives, and embracing the global healthy and active lifestyle trends."

In addition to its expansion in the Middle East, Jamba Juice also today announced it would begin offering an expanded menu of "smoothies and fresh juices made with straight from the earth, whole food ingredients." The offerings will feature whole fruits and vegetables in an effort to continue to cater toward a more health-conscious consumer.

The options will include both Whole Food Nutrition smoothies, which feature ingredients like kale, carrots, chia seeds, and Greek Yogurt that will be offered in three new flavors. In addition, it will provide further fresh juice options for consumers that are made-to-order fresh.

"As consumers become more aware of the benefits of getting their daily recommended servings of fruits and vegetables, we are determined to support their everyday health and lifestyle needs through our delicious products," noted Jamba Juice Company's chief brand officer Julie Washington in a press release.

As 2013 draws to a close and many resolve to lose weight in the new year, weight management will require a year-round commitment. Evidence of this is the successful launch of the Nu Skin Enterprises weight-loss product ageLOC TR90, which has sold briskly since its launch in September 2013. There are high expectations that the product's success will continue into 2014. Shares of Nu Skin have risen approximately 43% since the product's launch and 229% since the beginning of 2013 .

Nu Skin, which directly sells its products in 53 international markets across the globe, generated more than $2.17 billion in revenue during 2012. For its third fiscal quarter of 2013, the company reported a 76% increase in revenue over last year to $927.6 million. Earnings per share improved by 107% year-over-year to $1.80. Nu Skin noted a 3% negative impact due to foreign currency volatility. The company reported growth in all of its market segments, especially China and the South Asia/Pacific region .

What does the future hold?
Consumers in Asia have responded well to the company's ageLOC TR90 weight management system. During the quarter, the company generated $205 million in sales during a limited-time sales promotion. The global offer is expected to positively affect other regions during the fourth quarter. The full-year 2013 revenue guidance was increased and the company estimates that revenue will range between $3.18 billion-$3.21 billion. Full-year 2013 EPS was estimated to be $5.77- $5.82, though foreign exchange rates are expected to negatively impact earnings by 4% .

According to Research and Markets, the principal markets for weight loss management products and services are North America, Europe, and Asia. China is expected to experience the most growth over the next five years in its demand for weight loss products . These trends fare well for Nu Skin and its TR90 weight management product. The company's investments in the anti-aging market should also generate positive returns, as this market is expected to be valued at $1 trillion by 2025.

For 2014, Nu Skin expects revenue to reach about $3.9 billion for an estimated growth rate of 25%. EPS, expected to grow between 25% and 30%, should range between $7.25-$7.50. The company's focus for the next few years will be on personalized skin care and nutrition, next generation nutrition and home-use devices, and the creation of products that serve local markets .

How will other direct sellers impact Nu Skin?
Nu Skin's TR90 product competes directly with Herbalife's popular Formula One shakes. While Nu Skin has seen a strong response in Asia, Herbalife gets more sales in North America, the global market leader for weight loss. The company also provides its customers with social support through nutrition clubs, fit camps, and weight loss challenges. This has increased the number of customers and the daily use of Herbalife products. In the first six months of 2013, 150,000 new U.S. members joined Herbalife, and more than 75,000 joined in the third quarter alone .

Herbalife's net sales for the third quarter rose 19% from the prior year to $1.2 billion. Adjusted EPS grew 44% from last year to $1.41. Operating cash flows also grew to more than $220 million . Despite the negative publicity the company has received, a recent reaudit of its financial statements for fiscal years 2010, 2011, and 2012 found no material issues . The company is currently working on new products for the sports nutrition and personal care segments.

Another direct seller, Avon Products , competes with Nu Skin's skin care line. On its website, Avon markets itself as a "company for women," though it does have fragrances and personal care products for men. The company sells mostly personal and beauty care products, along with some fashion and home items. Unlike Herbalife and Nu Skin, Avon does not sell weight loss products. Avon has more than 6 million sales reps who are located in over 100 countries .

Avon's fiscal 2013 third quarter revenue decreased 7% to $2.3 billion. Diluted EPS decreased to ($0.01) versus $0.07 reported in 2012's third quarter. The North American market continues to drag down results for Avon, as the company works on reaching its three-year financial goals.

In December, the company announced a major cost-cutting initiative expected to deliver $400 million in expense reduction by 2016. The changes expected include the elimination of about 650 positions and a halt to the roll-out of the company's service model transformation, or SMT, project. The SMT project included a new and improved order management system that did not deliver the desired results .

My Foolish conclusion
Nu Skin Enterprises is operating in two business segments that have high growth expectations over the long term -- anti-aging and weight loss. Unless macroeconomic forces create headwinds for the company, it's reasonable to expect healthy demand for Nu Skin's products over the long term. Transparency Market Research expects the weight management industry to reach $650 billion by 2015 , so it will be interesting to see if Nu Skin can gain market share as its TR90 product rolls out into the U.S market in 2014, where rival Herbalife has had good results.

Investors looking for growth in the health-care sector often neglect the major pharmas in favor of their smaller counterparts. The idea is simple enough. Big pharmas are generally believed to be finished with rapid growth, and their biggest attraction as an asset is in their stability.

Yet, nothing could be further from the truth. As I discuss below, many big pharmas have more than doubled in share price over the past five years, while still providing less volatility than developmental stage pharmas. They also tend to offer stable dividends, further amplifying gains for patient investors.

With that in mind, here is my take on the prospects for two of the biggest names in health care going forward.

Will Bristol-Myers play the buyout game in 2014?
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a household name. As such, you might be surprised by the fact that its stock has absolutely blasted off over the past five years, rising more than 130%. During this period, Bristol-Myers has also offered investors a 2.7% dividend and hasn't been subject to the wild swings in share price seen in many smaller pharmas. In short, Bristol-Myers has been a sound investment the past five years.

Although the company has seen three blockbusters come off patent protection lately, earnings per share still nearly doubled in 2013 compared to 2012. The company attributes this jump in earnings to an increase in demand for Amylin-based products. As a refresher, Bristol-Myers bought Amylin in 2012 for its diabetes drugs, as part of the collaboration with AstraZeneca .

What does 2014 hold for Bristol-Myers? Bristol-Myers decided to sell its share of its diabetes collaboration with AstraZeneca last December, receiving a handsome $4.1 billion as a result. Given that Bristol-Myers' late-stage candidates look somewhat sparse after this deal, I expect them to engage in the merger and acquisition game this year. The company hasn't been shy about going this route in the past, and the recent infusion of cash from the AstraZeneca deal gives it more than enough ammunition to make a deal. As such, you should definitely keep tabs on this health care goliath this year.

What will propel Merck this year?
Merck  has also performed well over the past five years, with a handsome 72% increase in share price. But this increase in share price is far from the full story. Merck has also paid out a dividend around 3.5% over the last five years. So if you used a dividend reinvestment plan, or DRIP, your compounded gains would have been well over 100%. That's impressive by any standard.

Yet, it hasn't been all rainbows and unicorns for Merck investors. The company has lost patent protection for five former blockbusters over the past two years, and revenues are dropping as a result. In fact, this increase in share price has little to do with the performance of Merck's commercial portfolio. Instead, it's the result of the company's restructuring that began in 2008, as well as a share buyback program initiated May 1, 2013. In other words, the company is creating value for shareholders by laying off a substantial portion of its workforce, reducing its global footprint, and lowering the share count.

So, what's in store for Merck in 2014? Merck has a highly diversified pipeline of mid and late-stage clinical candidates, which should produce a handful of approvals in the U.S. next year. That said, I personally don't see anything in the current pipeline that's destined for blockbuster status. Some of the best candidates, such as Merck's hepatitis C drugs, will face stiff competition in the marketplace, if approved. With a small country's worth of cash on hand, I thus expect Merck to also go the acquisition route this year.

A Fool's take
Looking at the broader big pharma landscape, it's easy to understand why many investors have avoided these stocks. Companies like Eli Lilly and Merck have clearly struggled to deal with lost income from blockbusters coming off of patent protection, and this theme has played out numerous times across the sector. Yet, even Eli Lilly, with its nearly 4% dividend, would have produced compounded gains topping 60% over a five-year period. And Pfizer was thought to be dead money during this period because of the loss of blockbusters, but compounded gains for even this behemoth would have produced an eye-popping 120% return on investment. In sum, you shouldn't sleep on these health-care giants or you could end up missing out on some of the best opportunities for growth in the sector. Indeed, my bet is that this growth trend will continue for the foreseeable, fueled by an uptick in acquisitions in the sector.

The Federal Housing Finance Authority recently announced that it reached settlements with financial institutions for nearly $8 billion in 2013 -- yet notably absent from the list was Bank of America , which was among the 17 institutions the FHFA sued in 2011. 

JPMorgan Chase led the way with $4 billion in settlements, but many have estimated that Bank of America could be on the hook for up to twice that much. Rating agency Fitch noted in an October report that at one point, Bank of America had $57 billion worth of mortgage-backed securities that were sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , versus only the $33 billion at JPMorgan.  

This led the agency to estimate that Bank of America could be on the hook for up to $8 billion -- the same amount the FHFA collected from all banks in 2013 -- when a settlement is finally reached.

In the video below, Motley Fool financial writer Patrick Morris lets investors know what that potential amount could mean to Bank of America and its investors moving forward.

There's no denying that Disney and its Marvel Studios have been more successful than Time Warner when it comes to adapting superhero properties to the big screen. Outside of Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy and solid international numbers from this year's Man of Steel, the Warner studios have made disappointing use of DC Comics' vast array of properties. Disney, meanwhile, has mined the Marvel Universe to great effect and looks to continue these efforts with a slew of new super-properties. 

After years of being criticized for its mishandling and underuse of available superhero licenses, Warner Bros. hopes to make a big play with the tentatively titled Batman vs. Superman in 2015. The film will pair the eponymous heroes together for the first time in big screen history. Warner is also hoping that the film will serve as a successful introduction to some of DC's other big name characters, such as Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and The Flash. Will this strategy help Warner create a suitable rival to Marvel's Avengers, or could it all prove to be too much, too soon?

Super rivals
There was a lot that could have gone wrong when Disney laid out its plans to have Marvel's Avengers united onscreen in a massively budgeted and highly advertised spectacle. 

Planning for the team-up film began in 2005. In the four years between Iron Man's 2008 release and the debut of The Avengers in 2012, five films set in the same universe were released, and gradually the members of the team were introduced through the various lead-in films. The amount of contractual work and conceptual unity involved in the successful lead up to Disney's box office achievement makes the new megaseries among the most impressive feats in the modern film industry. Warner Bros. is aiming for similar results, but is working with a smaller timeframe.

Casting for the future
In order to successfully launch its desired Justice League franchise, Warner Bros. needs Batman vs. Superman to be a massive hit and introduce other members of DC's super team. The film will also require the right cast. The Avengers success was rooted in the original Iron Man's status as a breakout hit, and that film's achievements were largely thanks to star Robert Downey Jr. His turns as Tony Stark propelled him from the initial stages of a comeback to becoming the highest-paid actor in Hollywood.

Actor Henry Cavill will reprise the role of Superman, while Ben Affleck is set to don Batman's famous cowl. Gal Gadot, most known for her work in the Fast & Furious franchise, will play Wonder Woman. The film will take place in the same universe that Zach Snyder established in 2013's Man of Steel. The Flash and Green Lantern are also reportedly set to appear in the upcoming sequel, but to what extent they will be featured remains unknown.

The film's Green Lantern will almost certainly have no continuity with the disappointing 2011 film starring Ryan Reynolds. If the recent rumor that Denzel Washington will land a Lantern role is true, it would be a huge get for Warner. A different take on Green Lantern will be necessary after the last attempt, and Washington has the draw and industry credibility needed to make the character cool again while hyping the formation of the Justice League.

As the film that could potentially enable Warner Bros. to actualize the value of its DC properties, Batman vs. Superman is by far the most important film on the company's slate.

Warner looks to The Flash for inspiration
One of the reasons that Disney took its time in introducing the Avengers team was that it was believed an attempt to debut them all at once would inevitably lead to a mess of a film that did none of the characters justice. A failed superhero team-up has the potential to damage overall brand value and also to kill off individual franchise potential until enough time passes to make reboots feasible.

Warner's rapid introduction of its Justice League characters is evidence of just how far behind it is in the superhero game. That's not to say that Warner won't find success in its ventures, but Man of Steel is not the same envious starting point that Iron Man was.

Better rise to the occasion 
Warner and Zach Snyder have their work cut out for them. The prospect of Batman and Superman in the same movie is certain to pack theater seats. Whether audiences wind up with a film that is closer in quality to 2005's Batman Begins or 1997's Batman and Robin is less clear, but it will be a deciding factor in how Warner's broader ambitions for its Justice Leaguers come together. 

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With 2013 firmly in the rearview mirror, the S&P Dow Jones Indices published the highlights of the Dow Jones Industrial Average from last year. Here's a selection of the 10 juiciest details, curated by yours truly:

Chart by S&P Dow Jones Indices.

• The top 5 point gainers accounted for 16% of the Dow's total gains in 2013, compared to 60% from the top 5 gainers in 2012. The report marks this as "an indicator of a broader market/economic recovery," as nearly every Dow stock added significantly to the points tally.

• Boeing  alone added 444 points to the Dow in 2013. The 787 Dreamliner overcame its launch problems to become a serious growth driver last year.

• The biggest loser of Dow points was IBM , subtracting just 27 points. Big Blue is implementing a software-and-services strategy under new leadership, and these changes hurt in the short term.

• Compare and contrast to get the full effect of Dow trends: The biggest gain added 444 points while the worst drop removed only 27.

• The Dow's 26.5% return in 2013 was the strongest full-year leap since 1995, when the blue-chip index gained 33.5%. It was also the first time the Dow gained more than 25% since 2003 -- a 10-year span.

• IBM was actually the strongest performer on the Dow in two of the first three months -- and Boeing was the worst Dow stock to own in January. But Boeing then spent five months on top of the heap and IBM five months at the bottom of the barrel, while no other Dow component spent more than two months on either of these lists. IBM and Boeing really wrote the Dow's history in 2013.

• The Dow passed two 1,000-point milestones in 2013: 15,000 and 16,000. This has happened four other times in the last 20 years, going back to the Dow passing 4,000 and 5,000 in 1995.

• The Dow traded up in 146 of the 252 trading days last year, yielding 52 record-level closing prices along the way.

• The big gains in 2013 were built on dozens of small moves, not a few big jumps. The index gained at least 200 points on seven days last year but lost 200 points or more on eight days, leaving most of the heavy lifting to scores of less volatile days.

• ExxonMobil paid out $11 billion in dividends last year, accounting for nearly 9% of the Dow's total payouts. But Exxon investors still have to settle for a middling 2.5% dividend yield, because the $11 billion has to be spread out across the Dow's largest market cap.

From the sabermetrics used in baseball to the NBA's motion-tracking cameras, innovation abounds in the world of sports. Football is no stranger to these developments, and there's one little-known company that might just change the game forever.

I'm talking about Competitive Sports Analysis, or CSA for short. I was given an exclusive look at the Atlanta-based company, which uses "Big Data" to analyze sports for everyone from head coaches to fantasy players. 

A tool for any fantasy owner

CSA's flagship products are its scoutPRO Fantasy Football and Fantasy Baseball editions, both of which are part of Gannett's  USA Today Sports Media Group. Each allows users to analyze fantasy sports from an objective and subjective standpoint, combining commonly used stats with expert opinions. I was given access to a demo version of scoutPRO Fantasy Football for Weeks 16 and 17 of this year's NFL season.

The tools work as add-ons to any pre-existing fantasy service. For example, I used it in conjunction with a league on Disney's  ESPN platform. It's also compatible with CBS , Yahoo , and most other mainstream fantasy providers.

As the company is quick to point out, its fantasy football software has better predictive capabilities than many of its competitors in this space. Its rankings are accurate more than 60% of the time, which CSA says is higher than Time Warner's  Sports Illustrated, FOX Sports by 21st Century Fox (NASDAQ: FOXA) and NFL.com itself.

A couple examples: In Week 16, I used scoutPRO's weekly rankings to determine which two running backs to start out of Eddie Lacy, Knowshon Moreno, and Dennis Johnson. I was tempted to sit Moreno because he was coming off a measly four-point outing the week before. CSA's algorithms, though, projected that Lacy and Moreno would score 15 points each, more than Johnson's 11-point estimate. I wound up starting Lacy and Moreno at my RB1 and RB2 spots they combined for 29 points, just one off scoutPRO's total estimate.

In Week 17, the software came through for me again. Its rankings listed Kansas City's Knile Davis -- the backup to Jamaal Charles -- as the 17th highest running back, better than stalwarts like Alfred Morris, Frank Gore and Zac Stacy. ESPN, meanwhile, had Davis at 24th, while Yahoo had him as low as 30th overall among RBs.

Thankfully, I picked him up and started him at my flex spot. On Sunday, Davis rushed for 80 yards and two touchdowns as the Chiefs rested Charles, making my pickup the third best RB, and the highest scoring player on my team that week. 

I ended up winning my league championship partially because of these moves, in addition to dominant efforts from players I had been behind the entire season. I don't give scoutPRO all of the credit for my victory, but it did help me make most of the tough decisions correctly.

Twenty years in the making

But that's not even what excites me. The company is also developing a version of this software for football coaches, called scoutPRO Coaching Edition, which can be tailored for NFL or college teams. CSA's founder, Diane Bloodworth, shared the story behind its long road from the classroom to the football field.

The original scoutPRO Coaching Edition was designed as a game planning system for college football coaches. I had the idea more than 20 years ago...in a class on entrepreneurship [at the University of Miami] with the star running back and developed a business plan to predict the opponent's strategy and develop a winning game plan.

As Bloodworth told me, however, the first prototype of this software "was too early and the world, much less the coaching industry, wasn't ready for next-generation analytics." Instead, she focused on developing a fantasy football product until, in her words, coaches were "ready." 

 

Image via John Martinez Pavliga, Flickr. 

This is where scoutPRO Coaching comes in. In addition to giving college football coaches more statistical tools to analyze high school players, CSA's software aims to track off-field metrics too. The company says it's currently in talks with a testing company to measure what it calls "default skills" like intelligence and football aptitude. In many cases, colleges are forced to rely on ACT and SAT scores to gauge football IQ, a proxy that isn't always accurate. At least the NFL has the famed Wonderlic Test, which, despite its imperfections, is better than nothing.

There's more

Another area where scoutPRO Coaching can revolutionize college recruiting is in the stats themselves. While the majority of NFL recruits come from the same level of play (Division I-A), and thus, can be easily compared, the same can not be said for high schoolers.

Depending on the state, high school players compete against a wide range of talent. In Florida, for example, there are eight levels of play, from 1A to 8A. In Georgia there are six classes. CSA told me they're having internal discussions on how to normalize this data, and Jon Deming, a product marketing manager with the company, shared his thoughts on the subject in a recent blog post:

If a [running back] playing for an "A" team was to rush for 2,000 yards, does that automatically make him better than an "AAAA" RB who rushed for 1,000 yards?  If you were only interested in taking the raw data as is, you would say the RB who rushed for 2,000 yards is better.  But when you factor in the increased level of competition that the "AAAA" RB faces every week, the 1,000-yard difference may not be as much as you think.

Looking toward the future

Because scoutPRO Coaching allows coaches to customize how players are analyzed, it's useful for every type of program, from a spread offense to one that runs the wishbone. According to Bloodworth (emphasis mine), "The longer-term goal is to evaluate...existing players." In other words, it's quite possible the software can eventually have a major effect on front office decisions like contract extensions, free agent signings, and more. 

Mashable has compared scoutPRO Coaching to the MLB's "Moneyball" phenomenon, and even that may not give Competitive Sports Analysis enough credit. Its algorithms have helped fantasy owners win their league championships, yes, but they can also change how coaches view football from the ground up. As Jon Deming has said in the past, "Too much money and time goes into the recruiting process for coaches to be making educated guesses on players," and I couldn't agree more.

The Wolf of Wall Street is a Red Granite Pictures production, and Red Granite Pictures has a distribution deal with Paramount Pictures, which is a subsidiary of Viacom .

Based on early results, this is a positive for Viacom. However, there's a lot more going on than meets the average eye. Red Granite Pictures' next release is likely to benefit Universal Pictures -- a subsidiary of Comcast  -- as well as New Line Cinema, a subsidiary of Warner Bros., which is owned by Time Warner . Confused yet? Don't worry, it gets a lot simpler. 

Unleash the Wolf
Red Granite Pictures was formed by Joey McFarland and Riza Aziz in 2009. The company's strategy is brilliant and original. It looks for movies with strong brand potential that were never green-lighted and were left for dead. Red Granite then works like mad to get those movies made. Red Granite Films produced Out of the Furnace and Friends with Kids. 

For instance, despite several challenges, including Hurricane Sandy setting back production, Red Granite persevered and got The Wolf of Wall Street made -- with Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, and Rob Reiner included. That's a strong cast, not to mention that it's a Martin Scorsese film, which always attracts large audiences.

Red Granite finances its films on an individual basis, relying primarily on Middle Eastern and Asian investors.  Those who invested in The Wolf of Wall Street are likely to be pleased. The film's budget of $100 million was somewhat steep for a small West Hollywood company like Red Granite, but the movie grossed $34.3 million in its first five days, ahead of Paramount Pictures' expectations. 

The movie also sports an IMDb rating of 8.8 out of 10, which is extremely high. For some reason, the movie hasn't fared quite as well on Rotten Tomatoes, sporting an audience score of 79%. However, that's still very respectable. Furthermore, this is the type of movie that should build momentum based on word of mouth. Who doesn't like a movie about a Wall Street con man? 

The Wolf of Wall Street is likely to be profitable for all those involved, and it indicates that Viacom's Paramount Pictures is wise when it comes to risk-taking opportunities with strong upside potential.

Better yet, Red Granite's next movie might have even more potential. If that potential is met, it will benefit Time Warner the most, as the company has a significant financial interest in the film. That movie is...

It's a dumber movie
Red Granite's next film is the upcoming release of the sequel to Dumb and Dumber, which will be called Dumb and Dumber To. Yes, the last word of the title is spelled incorrectly on purpose. 

The best part about Dumb and Dumber To is that, unlike the prequel, Dumb and Dumberer, it will again star Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. This movie should have significant potential. Many Generation Xers will see it. I'm one of them, and as dumb as it sounds, many in my generation see Dumb and Dumber as one of the best comedies ever made (Hey, the same is said about Airplane! from the previous generation, so please don't judge).

From an investing standpoint
Though this is just one small iron in the fire for Viacom's Paramount Pictures, The Wolf of Wall Street is an example of the company's successful strategy of investing in profitable ventures. While we don't know how Dumb and Dumber To will perform, the brand alone indicates potential for Time Warner, which owns Warner Bros. Also keep in mind that Universal Pictures -- a subsidiary of Comcast -- will be releasing and marketing the film. Finally, don't be surprised if this little West Hollywood company is acquired by a larger player at some point over the next several years. 

Rite Aid shares were up more than 9% around 2 p.m. today after the company announced that same-store sales for December grew 2.9% year over year. This keeps the company's string of positive monthly same-store sales results intact following a 2.1% improvement in October compared to the year-ago period and a 2.8% jump in November. 

Rite Aid's stock initially rose following its fiscal 2014 third-quarter earnings announcement on Dec. 23, based on improvements in both non-GAAP revenue and net income. But until today's same-store-sales announcement, Rite Aid's share price had experienced a steady decline, based primarily on tempered expectations for the coming year.

But at roughly $5.50 a share around 2 p.m., a roughly 9% improvement from this morning's opening bell, investors are clearly pleased with Rite Aid's string of positive same-store sales results. Through the 43-week period ending Dec. 28, 2013, same-store sales are up a more modest 0.5%, according to Rite Aid's statement.

December's pharmacy sales, despite the negative impact of introducing new generic drugs, once again led the way, jumping 4.1% year over year. November and October same-store sales were also led by pharmacy results, improving 3.9% and 3.4% compared to the previous year, respectively.

Same-store sales measures compare results from stores open at least a year. Stores open less than a year are not included in a same-store-sales calculations.

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The new year is a great time to think about making positive changes for your financial life in 2014, and taking a look at IRAs is definitely one great way to take a step forward. But many people don't know the basics of IRAs.

In the following video, Dan Caplinger, The Motley Fool's director of investment planning, looks at four key facts you should know about IRAs. Dan notes that you can still make an IRA contribution for 2013 so long as you get it done by April 15. Moreover, the amount you can contribute remains the same in 2014, with those under 50 able to put $5,500 in an IRA and those 50 or older getting a higher $6,500 limit. Dan then discusses the tax benefits of IRAs, noting that some people with high incomes and retirement plans available at work aren't allowed to deduct their IRA contributions. Dan concludes by discussing the true value of IRAs, noting that the tax deferral lets you rebalance core portfolio holdings like Vanguard Total Stock and iShares Russell 2000 without suffering tax consequences. He also talks about how owning Netflix , Celgene , and other high-growth stocks in an IRA gives you more flexibility to consider options without worrying about taxes.

U.S. crude oil supplies continue to drop, down 7.0 million barrels (1.9%) for the week ending Dec. 27, according to an Energy Information Administration report (link opens a PDF) released today.

After falling 4.7 million barrels the previous week, this latest report marks the fifth straight week of draws. Refinery inputs continue to push supplies down, with refinery capacity utilization rates clocking in at 92.3%. Overall inventories are up 0.2% in the past 12 months. 

Source: eia.gov. 

Gasoline inventories increased 0.8 million barrels (0.4%), cancelling out the previous week's 0.6 million barrel draw. Demand for motor gasoline over the last four-week period is up a seasonally adjusted 3.5% over the same period a year ago. In the last year, supplies have decreased 2.2%. 

Over the past week, retail gasoline pump prices increased $0.06 per gallon to $3.331 per gallon on Dec. 30.

Source: eia.gov. 

Distillates supplies, which include diesel and heating oil, added on 5.0 million barrels (4.4%) after dropping 1.9 million barrels the previous week. Distillates demand for the last four weeks is up a seasonally adjusted 1.3% from the same period the previous year. In the past year, distillates inventories have dropped 4%. 

Source: eia.gov. 

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Walgreen has had a good 2013 as its share price has risen nearly 55.20% since the beginning of the year. CVS Caremark also enjoyed a nice run on the market with a 48% gain, while Express Scripts  saw its shares increase by more than 30.70% year-to-date. The market optimism for Walgreen has been fueled by significant bottom-line growth, driven by the company's new partnerships. So is Walgreen a good buy compared to CVS and Express Scripts? Let's find out.

Two long-term partnerships fueled Walgreen's performance
In the first quarter of fiscal 2014, Walgreen's total sales reached $18.3 billion, 5.9% higher than its sales of $17.3 billion in the same period last year. The company filled 213 million prescriptions in the first quarter and its pharmacy market share increased by 50 basis points to 19.4%. Walgreen's operating income grew by 31.1% from $705 million to $924 million.

What might excite investors is Walgreen's 66% earnings-per-share growth, as EPS rose from $0.43 last year to $0.72 this year. This EPS growth was due to Walgreen's partnership with Alliance Boots, the joint venture with generics manufacturers, and the integration of AmerisourceBergen into its global procurement process. Walgreen's partnership with Alliance Boots added around $0.14 per adjusted diluted share to the company's first-quarter EPS.

The company is quite confident about its strategic partnership with Alliance Boots and its long-term relationship with AmerisourceBergen. The former is the leading European integrated wholesale retailer, and the latter is the famous U.S. pharmaceutical service wholesaler. Thus, with the huge scale of both Alliance Boots and AmerisourceBergen, Walgreen's deep relationships with these two iconic brands could allow the company to demand lower price from drug manufacturers.  By 2016, Walgreen expects to achieve four main goals: $130 billion of sales from Alliance Boots and other joint venture operations, $1 billion in synergies, operating cash flow of $8 billion, and net debt of $11 billion. 

CVS Caremark and Express Scripts are also good choices for investors
CVS Caremark, on the other hand, can be expected to enhance shareholder value by generating a lot of free cash flow, around $39 billion in the five-year horizon from 2014-2018, driven by its solid earnings growth and improvement in working capital. CVS has exceeded its original growth estimate for its retail busienss by around 200-400 basis points, party due to patient retention which resulted from the dispute between Walgreen and Express Scripts.

The company is also committed to return cash to shareholders via both dividend payments and share repurchases. Dating back to 2010, CVS has maintained a low payout ratio at only 14%. Over time, CVS targets 25% annual growth in its payout ratio, which could reach 25%-30% by 2015. In addition, it expects to buy back around $3-$4 billion worth of shares annually. 

At the current trading price, CVS yields 1.50%, less than Walgreen's dividend yield at 2.20%. However, CVS spends most of its cash to buy back shares rather than paying dividends. The company has also announced a new $6 billion share repurchase program that gives investors a juicy 7.10% share buyback yield.

Express Scripts is the biggest pharmacy-benefit manager in the U.S., with a big market share in the Medicare prescription market. The company is also a good cash flow generator which returns cash to its shareholders, not via dividend payments but via share buybacks. In the third quarter, Express Scripts generated around $1 billion in operating cash flow, of which $751.5 million was deployed to buy back 11.6 million shares. Thus, year-to-date Express Scripts has repurchased 24.9 million shares to return as much as $1.6 billion to shareholders for a 2.8% buyback yield. 

My Foolish take
Looking forward, the long-term partnerships with Alliance Boots and AmerisourceBergen could continue to drive growth for Walgreen. A lot of value will be delivered to investors by 2016, when Walgreen will generate $130 billion in revenue and $8 billion in operating cash flow. Investors could also benefit from holding CVS and Express Scripts for the long run. With decent cash return yields via their share repurchases and dividends, CVS and Express Scripts could also fit well in investors' income portfolios. 

Ever since the financial crisis, American International Group has been shedding its non-core businesses, as well as other investments, in order to create a slimmer, more focused insurance company. Though the company has very little fat left to lose, it is taking yet another step in the right direction with the sale of its India-based asset-management operations to Canadian Brookfield Asset Management . The deal might not seem significant initially, but upon closer inspection, investors can find a treasure trove of insight into the insurer's management team and its priorities.

First, the terms
For a current client of the Indian segment of AIG Global Real Estate's asset-managment business, very little will change. All of the accounts currently open will be transferred to Brookfield, with both the fund manager and employees following right behind.Though no financial terms of the deal have been disclosed, it's expected to close by the end of January.

AIG Global Real Estate manages $13.6 billion in real estate assets globally, but India has been a relatively small market. In fact, the deal is being completed because the operations have "no short-to-medium-term plans" in India. With only five investments totaling $200 million of the $300 million fund between 2007 and 2009, there has been little to gain for AIG GRE.

Looking elsewhere
With an established presence in India, some may question why AIG would pull out of the fund completely. But if you look at the economic environment, you may see a different picture.

India is Asia's third-largest economy, but it has been plagued with high inflation, a weak currency, and declining foreign investment. The country had been enjoying a GDP growth rate of 8% for much of the past decade, but recent times have seen that rate slip to below 5%. The World Bank dropped its estimate of India's projected GDP growth for the next year to 4.7%. Though the projected growth rate in India is something we Americans might envy, international businesses can find better opportunities elsewhere.

Ni hao, China
Much like India, China has been experiencing a period of decreased GDP growth. But although it has dropped from the historical double-digit rates, the 7.8% annual growth is still healthier than in both India and the U.S. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, a global forum for governmental collaboration on economic issues, China will shortly surpass the eurozone economies and the U.S. economy in purchasing power.

With its capital freed up from the Indian operations, AIG can further its investments in China with the PICC Group, where it has focused sales of both life and retirement products, with the option to expand into property and casualty products. The exit from a lagging market in order to free up capital for more traditional uses highlights the top priority for AIG's management: focus on core insurance businesses.

One small step for Global Real Estate, one giant leap for AIG
With the corner office team clearly focused on distributing capital to the best-performing operations, by either exiting or selling sub-par investments and businesses, investors should feel confident that those at the helm of AIG are steering it in the right direction. It has taken the company five years to recuperate from the financial crisis, but the weakness of the past is leading straight on to strength in the future.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up and down today before surging by more than 50 points just before 3 p.m. after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and other Fed officials offered public comments on the economy and stimulus policy. With that in mind, take any knee-jerk market reactions and volatility with a grain of salt.

In other news, it was a big day for many large industrial companies. Here's what you need to know.

Inside the Dow, General Electric traded flat after pieces of positive and negative news hit the feeds. On the bright side, the Department of Defense awarded a $572.5 million defense contract to GE yesterday. The contract calls for General Electric to repair and replace components for 17 of its F414 afterburning turbofan engines over the next three years. The engines are used to power Navy F/A-18E and -F fighter jets, as well as EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft.

On the down side, General Electric was downgraded to perform from outperform by Oppenheimer analyst Christopher Glynn. He noted that the company is already fairly valued and that "2014-15 represents a transitional period." While this is true, the company is striving to grow its industrial business over its financial service -- GE Capital contributed 47% of GE's operating earnings in its third quarter. GE's goal is to grow its industrial business to 70% of operating earnings, and the faster it can do so the faster analysts will grow to appreciate the stock's potential.

Outside of the Dow, 3D Systems  is moving more than 2% higher after announcing today it would acquire Gentle Giant Studios, a leading provider of 3-D modeling for the entertainment and toy industry. 3D Systems will look to instantly leverage the acquired company and use its vast library of digital content, which includes licensed 3-D characters from Marvel, Disney, AMC's The Walking Dead, Avatar, Harry Potter, and Star Wars.

"Gentle Giant Studios catapults 3DS's consumer platform forward with highly curated, licensed characters, content publishing know-how and first-mover experience for the benefit of leading toy companies, movie studios and their merchandising divisions," 3D Systems President and CEO Avi Reichental said in a press release.

Friday also brings big news from the automotive industry, as all companies will be reporting December sales figures throughout the day.

Ford's F-Series sales surged while the Silverado's plunged. Photo credit: Ford

December is historically the industry's best month for multiple reasons. The holidays bring a surge of consumer activity, as well as with larger incentives and discounts to drive sales. Businesses tend to purchase year-end equipment if deemed in their best interest due to tax write-off purposes. However, in 2013 some sales may have been pulled into November as Black Friday deals seem to begin earlier and earlier each year. For that reason, in combination with winter storms toward the end of the month, sales seem to have come in slightly lower than expected.

Looking at the two largest domestic automakers, Ford posted a sales increase of 2% while General Motors' sales declined 6% -- GM is currently trading more than 3% lower. While General Motors' sales definitely disappointed compared to last year, its total deliveries of 230,157 for December topped Ford's 218,058 mark. However, there's one key factor that changes the tide for investors.

Investors who follow the automotive industry closely understand that full-size pickups drive the majority of profits for all domestic automakers. Full-size pickups carry higher transaction prices, as well as margins -- they are the most important vehicles for Ford, GM, and Chrysler, hands down.

Typically when one company unleashes a fresh design, sales surge, incentives decrease, and profits rise. Unfortunately the first factor I mentioned didn't happen for General Motors in December.

Fresh designs of GM's most important two vehicles, the Silverado and Sierra, posted sales declines of 16% and 4.6%, respectively -- a big disappointment. Ford's F-Series and Chrysler's Ram Truck brand were up 8.4% and 17%, respectively. Over the next few days incentive spending for the month of December will be finalized, and it will be important for investors to know if Ford and Chrysler had to significantly raise their incentives to take market share -- albeit less profitably -- or if GM's full-size pickup sales plunged for other reasons.

Estate planning is one of the tasks that many people seem never to get done. Yet as the new year gets rolling, now is a great time to address this key element of your financial planning.

In the following video, Dan Caplinger, The Motley Fool's director of investment planning, talks about the essentials of getting estate planning done. Dan points to key documents like your will, durable powers of attorney, and health-care directives as essential first steps toward building an estate plan that will protect you and your family. Dan goes on to discuss how those with children will want to protect them with guardians and trusts, and he concludes with advice on checking your beneficiary designations to ensure all your assets go where you want them to go. Dan concludes that estate planning isn't hard once you actually get started.