The third-quarter earnings season has been a very successful one. Most companies have beaten earnings expectations this quarter, continuing a long streak of better-than-expected earnings reports. The U.S. equity research team at Jefferies has dug through corporate presentations and earnings reports to find a number of emerging themes that could very well help drive stocks over the next year.

In a new research report, Jefferies highlighted five top themes that may help to provide investors a path for what will succeed in the coming months and next year. They note an increase in industrial orders, commercial construction picking up, corporate personal computer spending increasing, earnings stabilizing for the miners and an increase in credit card use. The focus is on the companies that are receiving large orders and have backlogs going forward. Here are the top stocks to buy that are showing increasing orders and bookings.

Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) reported 200 aircraft orders in the third quarter and shipped 170. The full year may top 1,250 orders, which is well in excess of estimated deliveries of 650. Investors are paid a 1.5% dividend. The Jefferies price target for the stock is $145. The Thomson/First Call estimate is $142, and Boeing closed Thursday at $130.50.

Eaton Corp. PLC (NYSE: ETN) reported accelerating orders in a number of different categories. Electrical products posted 7% bookings growth, versus 2% in the second quarter. Hydraulics reported an 8% gain, versus a 12% decline last quarter. The aerospace division bookings were up 6%, versus a 2% gain last quarter. Investors are paid a 2.3% dividend. The Jefferies price target for the stock is $70, but the consensus is at $78. Eaton closed Thursday at $70.56.

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) saw its second quarter in a row of growth in Windows Pro OEM, suggesting stabilizing corporate demand. It also expects to see further improvement in the next quarter. Investors are paid a solid 3.4% dividend. Jefferies has a $42 price target for the stock, but the consensus is much lower at $35. Microsoft closed Thursday at $35.40.

Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) also indicated that it saw improvement in the enterprise PC market in the quarter. This is a huge turnaround, as computer sales to corporations have been slowing for years. The company also announced Wednesday that it may bow out of its ambitious cable-television-via-the-Internet venture, known as OnCue, by selling it to Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ). This may help the company to focus on its core business and improve in the smartphone and tablet arena. Investors are paid a very solid 3.7% dividend. The Jefferies price target for the stock is $30. The consensus target is lower at $24. Intel closed Thursday at $24.47.

Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc. (NYSE: FCX) has been battered as investors have fled mining companies. The company is planning to enter the U.S. oil and gas space, which could truly make it a powerhouse. The company reported strong third-quarter earnings that beat Wall Street expectations convincingly. Investors are paid a 3.3% dividend. Jefferies has a $45 price target for the stock, and the consensus is posted at $40. The stock closed Thursday at $36.76.

Nucor Corp. (NYSE: NUE) is a leader in the steel industry in vertical integration. That means owning steel mills, iron ore operations and coal mines. The goal is to remove the middle men, and added costs, from the process of making steel. It is a road that several of the industry’s biggest players have gone down. Jefferies likes the strategy and has a $55 price target. The consensus is at $54. Nucor close Wednesday at $51.77. Investors are paid a 2.9% dividend.

While not covering some of the top financial names, Jefferies was very positive on the increase in U.S. and international credit card use. Top bank credit card issuers saw an almost 10% gain in usage in the third quarter. This bodes extremely well ahead of the busy holiday shopping season. The analysts mentioned American Express Co. (NYSE: AXP), Bank of America Corp. (NYSE: BAC), J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. (NYSE: JPM) and U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB) as top financial firms seeing increased credit card business and billings growth.

The higher the market trades, the more important it is for investors to focus on names that still have a growth bias. The rising tide does tend to lift all boats. However, as a year that will prove to be one of the best in almost a decade winds down, investors cannot count on another more than 20% gain next year. Stock picking will become even more important in 2014, so growth in orders and billings will be critical.

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