Tuesday, September 30, 2014

10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2014

Have you heard what the CEO of Warren Buffett's favorite bank is saying about the housing market? Its more than just words; it's where the bank is putting its money, too!

Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC  ) CEO John Stumpf has been making the media rounds of late, with the housing market on his mind. Stumpf leaves no question about his viewpoint on the subject; Stumpf, and by extension Wells, think that U.S. housing is back.

Putting your money where your mouth is
"Housing for two-thirds of Americans is still the American Dream. I'm bullish on housing."

This quote puts Wells Fargo's view on housing in no uncertain terms. And Wells' financial statements back up that sentiment. Wells' biggest business is mortgage lending, contributing 26% of total non-interest income in the first quarter. That was the sixth consecutive quarter of mortgage production greater than $100 billion.

Stumpf estimates that the size of the U.S. mortgage market is about $10 trillion, or roughly the equivalent of all the nation's bank deposits combined. Stumpf contends that a market this huge can't exist without both a strong secondary market and some government involvement (probably some tweaked format to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac). Without the secondary markets and government, banks simply don't have the funding to meet public demand at a reasonable price. Remember Econ 101: The same demand with less supply would lead to higher prices.

Top Small Cap Companies To Own In Right Now: Remy International Inc (REMY)

Remy International, Inc. (Remy), incorporated on November 22, 1993, is a global vehicular parts designer, manufacturer, remanufacturer, marketer and distributor of aftermarket and original equipment electrical components for automobiles, light trucks, heavy-duty trucks and other vehicles. Remy sells its products worldwide primarily under the Delco Remy, Remy, and World Wide Automotive brand names. The Company�� products include light-duty and heavy-duty starters and alternators for both the original equipment and the remanufactured markets, and hybrid power technology. These products are principally sold or distributed to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for both original equipment manufacture and aftermarket operations, as well as to warehouse distributors and retail automotive parts chains. The Company sells its products principally in North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. In January 2014, Remy International, Inc. acquired all assets of USA Industries.

The Company�� original equipment division consists of three primary channels: automotive, heavy-duty vehicles and electric motors for electric and hybrid applications. Remy is a supplier for such original equipment manufacturers as General Motors, DaimlerChrylser, Toyota, Honda and Hyundai/Kia. The Company is a supplier of original equipment and aftermarket starters and alternators for heavy-duty vehicles in North America. Remy is an independent production electric motor supplier and in many aspects of hybrid and electric vehicle technology, including the patented hairpin stator technology. Its original equipment (OE) business has operations in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, China and Korea.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Smith]

    On Monday, auto parts maker Remy International (NASDAQ: REMY  ) announced that it is taking 100% control of its Remy Hubei Electric Co. (REH) joint venture, buying out partner Hubei Super Electric Auto Motor Company's 49% interest in the JV.

10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2014: Cato Corp (CATO)

The Cato Corporation (Cato) is a women�� fashion specialty retailer. As of January 28, 2012, the Company operated 1,288 fashion specialty stores in 31 states, principally in the southeastern United States, under the names Cato, Cato Fashions, Cato Plus, It�� Fashion, It�� Fashion Metro and Versona Accessories. It operates in two segments: stores and Credit. The Company�� stores offer a assortment of on-trend apparel and accessory items in primarily junior/missy, plus sizes, girls sizes 7 to 16, men�� and kids sizes newborn to seven. Its merchandise lines include dressy, career, and casual sportswear, dresses, coats, shoes, lingerie, costume jewelry, handbags, men�� wear and lines for kids and newborns. Its merchandise is sold under its private label and is produced by various vendors in accordance with the Company�� specifications.

The Company offers its own credit card and a layaway plan to make the purchase of its merchandise convenient for its customers. The Company�� stores are located in the southeastern United States in a variety of markets ranging from small towns to metropolitan areas with trade area populations of 20,000 or more. Stores average approximately 4,500 square feet in size. The Company offers its own credit card, which accounted for 4.8% of retail sales during the fiscal year ended January 28, 2012 (fiscal 2012).

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Reuters]

    Julio Cortez/AP NEW YORK -- Many U.S. retailers had to ramp up promotions last month as shoppers continued to watch their spending during the holiday season, hitting profits at several chains. L Brands (LB) cut its earnings forecast for the holiday quarter Thursday after reporting disappointing December sales at its Victoria Secret and La Senza chains. The company said it had to offer more deals than expected, the second month in a row it has had to do so. Family Dollar Stores (FDO) and teen retailer Zumiez (ZUMZ), which both reported sales declines for December, also slashed their profit forecasts. Even retailers that saw big sales gains, such as Kay Jewelers parent Signet Jewelers (SIG), weren't spared. "Additional discounting was necessary in a highly promotional retail environment," Signet Chief Executive Officer Mike Barnes said in a statement. A group of nine U.S. retailers in the Thomson Reuters same-store sales index are expected Thursday to report a sales rise of 1.9 percent in December at stores open at least a year, well below the 7.2 percent increase of a year earlier. Including drugstore chains Walgreen (WAG) and Rite Aid (RAD), analysts estimate the rise at 2.7 percent. Gap (GPS) will report after the markets close Thursday. Faced with reticent shoppers worried about their job prospects and modest economic growth, retailers offered more discounts during the holiday season than a year earlier. Between Nov. 3 and Jan. 4, eight retailers, including Walmart Stores (WMT), Target (T) and Macy's (M) , increased the number of circulars published by 6 percent and sent 57 percent more promotional emails, according to data prepared for Reuters by MarketTrack. Retailers also had to deal with shoppers who were less willing to go into stores: Data firm ShopperTrak this week said foot traffic had dropped 14.6 percent this holiday season. Walgreen, whose comparable sales of general merchandise rose 2.5 percent in December, said fewer shoppers had com

10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2014: O'Reilly Automotive Inc.(ORLY)

O?Reilly Automotive, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the retail of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment, and accessories in the United States. The company?s stores provide new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, including alternators, starters, fuel pumps, water pumps, brake system components, batteries, belts, hoses, chassis parts, and engine parts; maintenance items comprising oil, antifreeze, fluids, filters, wiper blades, lighting, engine additives, and appearance products; and accessories, such as floor mats, seat covers, and truck accessories. Its stores also offer auto body paint and related materials, automotive tools, and professional service provider service equipment. The company?s stores sell its brand name and private label products for domestic and imported automobiles, vans, and trucks to do-it-yourself customers and professional service providers. As of March 31, 2011, it operated 3,613 stores. The company was foun ded in 1957 and is headquartered in Springfield, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Advance Auto Parts has gained 16% to $95.61, while Autozone has risen 0.8% to $423.49, O’Reilly Automotive (ORLY) has advanced 2% to $131.64 and Pep Boys (PBY) is up 1% at $12.50.

10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2014: Customers Bancorp Inc (CUBI)

Customers Bancorp, Inc. (Customers Bancorp), incorporated in April 2010, through its wholly owned subsidiary Customers Bank (the Bank), provides financial products and services to small businesses, not-for-profits and consumers through its fourteen branches in Southeastern Pennsylvania (Bucks, Berks, Chester and Delaware Counties), Rye, New York (Westchester County) and Hamilton, New Jersey (Mercer County). Customers Bank also provides liquidity to the mortgage market worldwide through the operation of its mortgage warehouse business. As of December 31, 2011, Customers Bancorp had total assets of $2.08 billion, including net loans (including held for sale loans) of $1.50 billion, total deposits of $1.58 billion. The Company offers a range of banking products and financial services to its commercial and consumer customers in Suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Central New Jersey and Southeastern New York. It offers a range of lending products to cater to its customers��needs, including small business loans, mortgage warehouse loans, multi-family and commercial real estate loans, residential mortgage loans and consumer loans. It also offers traditional depository products, including commercial and consumer checking accounts, non-interest-bearing demand accounts, money market deposit accounts, savings accounts and time deposit accounts and cash management services. On September 17, 2011, Customers Bank became a wholly owned subsidiary of Customers Bancorp. On September 17, 2011, Customers Bancorp acquired Berkshire Bancorp, Inc. and its subsidiary Berkshire Bank. In May 2013, Customers Bancorp Inc merged with CMS Bancorp Inc.

Lending Activities

The Company focuses its lending efforts to the lending areas, such as commercial lending, which includes business, small business and multi-family and commercial real estate lending; specialty Lending, which include warehouse lending, and consumer lending, which include local market mortgage lending and home equity lending. It also pr! ovide warehouse financing worldwide and multi-family lending in the Mid-Atlantic States.

The Bank�� commercial lending is segmented into three groups, which include multi-family and commercial real estate, business banking and small business banking. The small business banking platform originates loans, including small business administration loans, through the branch network sales force and a team of dedicated small business relationship managers. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it originated and closed $121.5 million of multi-family loans commitments. As of December 31, 2011, it had $536.9 million in commercial loans outstanding, comprising approximately 35.3% of its total loan portfolio (which includes loans held for sale). During 2011, it originated and closed $167.7 million of commercial loans and commitments. As of December 31, 2011, loans in its warehouse lending portfolio, as well as loans held for sale totaled $794.3 million outstanding, comprising approximately 52.3% of its total loan portfolio (which includes loans held for sale). During the year ended December 31, 2011, it funded $7.7 billion of mortgage loans under warehouse facilities.

The Company offers a range of deposit products to its customers, including checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts and other deposit accounts, including fixed-rate, fixed-maturity retail time deposits ranging in terms from 30 days to five years, individual retirement accounts, and non-retail time deposits consisting of jumbo certificates greater than or equal to $100,000. As of December 31, 2011, its deposit portfolio was consisted of 54.9% of core deposits. Its financial products include Internet banking, wire transfers, electronic bill payment, lock box services, remote deposit capture services, courier services, merchant processing services, cash vault, controlled disbursements, positive pay and cash management services (including account reconciliation, collections and sweep accounts).

! Sources o! f Fund

The Company offers a range of deposit accounts, including checking, savings, money market and time deposits. Deposits are obtained primarily from its service area. As of December 31, 2011, the total deposits grew to $1.58 billion.

Investment Activities

The Company�� investment securities portfolio consists of United States Treasury, government agency and mortgage-backed securities (guaranteed by an agency of the United States government and non-agency guaranteed), municipal securities, domestic corporate debt, and asset-backed securities. In addition to generating revenue, it maintains the investment portfolio to manage interest rate risk, provide liquidity, provide collateral for other borrowings and diversify the credit risk of earning assets. As of December 31, 2011, $79.1 million of its investment securities were classified as available for sale (AFS). As of December 31, 2011, the fair value of its investment securities portfolio was approximately $409.9 million. As of December 31, 2011, it held $319.5 million of investment securities that were classified as held to maturity (HTM).

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Smith]

    Wyomissing, Pa.-based Customers Bancorp (NASDAQ: CUBI  ) has a new CFO.

    On Tuesday, Customers Bancorp announced that Interim Chief Financial Officer James D. Hogan�intends to retire from the bank on Aug. 13. Replacing Hogan will be Robert E. Wahlman, a new hire from Doral Financial, who will join Customers initially in the post of executive vice president on Aug. 5, and then be promoted to permanent CFO on the 13th.

10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2014: Humboldt Capital Corp (HMB)

Humboldt Capital Corporation (Humboldt) is an investment company with its holdings concentrated in the resource sector. The Company�� principal business is to purchase securities for investment income and capital appreciation over the long term. The Company provides early-stage risk capital, business experience and guidance to junior oil and gas enterprises. Humboldt is engaged in making investments in a range of very small to large companies, which are in turn engaged in the exploration, development, production and acquisition of crude oil and natural gas or minerals, or companies, which provides services to such companies. Humboldt also makes investments in other businesses that have potential for growth. Humboldt has investments in western Canadian energy companies, international oil and gas companies and in the mining sector, with particular emphasis on companies exploring or producing commodities. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Inyoung Hwang]

    EasyJet Plc and International Consolidated Airlines Group SA climbed as oil prices fell after the U.S. and Russia agreed on a plan to destroy Syrian chemical weapons. Hennes & Mauritz AB (HMB) advanced to a three-year high after sales topped estimates. Remy Cointreau SA (RCO) soared the most in almost four years as Chinese cognac shipments increased.

  • [By Namitha Jagadeesh]

    Zurich Insurance Group AG (ZURN) lost 3.6 percent after second-quarter profit missed analysts��estimates. Hennes & Mauritz AB (HMB) declined the most in seven weeks as Europe�� second-biggest clothing retailer reported worse-than-expected sales. BG Group Plc, which derives 20 percent of its oil-and-gas production from Egypt, slipped 2.4 percent as the death toll from nationwide violence in the most populous Arab country climbed above 500.

  • [By Tom Stoukas]

    Ladbrokes (LAD) Plc plunged to its lowest price in almost a year after issuing a profit warning for its digital division. Thomas Cook Group Plc slid 6.6 percent after it said winter bookings have slowed. Hennes & Mauritz AB (HMB), Europe�� second-biggest clothing retailer, rose to its highest price after posting third-quarter profit that beat analysts��estimates.

10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2014: Calwest Bancorp (CALW)

CalWest Bancorp owns South County Bank, National Association. The Company is the holding company for South County Bank N.A. South County Bank operates in four divisions: business solutions, professional division, personal services and online banking. Business solutions are engaged in deposit services, cash management solutions and loan services. Professional division is engaged in physicians, dentists, veterinarians, attorneys and certified public accountants. Personal services include deposit services and loan services. Online banking includes personal login, cash management login, cash management demos and user resources.

Business solutions

Deposit services include analysis checking, unlimited checking, interest checking, money market savings, sweep accounts, zero balance accounting, payroll services and merchant card processing. Cash management services include eCorp online banking, remote deposit, electronic payments, positive pay, mobile banking, cash vault and armored transport. Its loan services include business lines of credit, commercial term loans, commercial real estate loans, equipment loans, SBA financing, construction loans and accounts receivable financing.

Professional division

Veterinarians provide deposit services, cash management services and lending services. Attorneys and certified public accountants also include deposit services, cash management services and lending services

Personal services

Deposit services include online banking, checking, saving, money market, certified deposit and retirement accounts. Its loan services include overdraft protection, home equity lines and vehicle financing.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By CRWE]

    Today, CALW remains (0.00%) +0.000 at $.370 thus far (ref. google finance 10:58AM EDT July 24, 2013).

    CalWest Bancorp previously reported the consolidated financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2013. Significant items for the period ending June 30, 2013 include:

    Quarterly net income of $50,000, compared to the previous quarter profit of $12,000;
    No additional loan loss provision required; resulting in the allowance for loan loss (ALL) ratio decreasing slightly from 6.20% to 5.95%;
    Total assets were flat at $144 million, with new business offsetting run-off;
    Non-performing loans reduced significantly in 2013 by 41% quarter-over-quarter; and are down $1.9 million from a year ago;
    Non-interest bearing deposits maintained at 35% of total deposits, helping reduce the Bank�� cost-of-deposits to 0.40% from 0.48% a year ago;
    The increase in Net Interest Income offset the reduction in Non-Interest Income as increased focus is placed on core earnings;
    Non-interest expenses continue to improve, decreasing 2% quarter-over-quartee

10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2014: Powershares High Yield Equity Dividend (PEY)

PowerShares High Yield Equity Dividend Achievers Portfolio is based on the Mergent Dividend Achievers 50 Index. The Mergent Dividend Achievers 50 Index seeks to deliver current income and capital appreciation. It comprises the fifty highest yielding companies with at least 10 years of consecutive dividend increases.

The Index�� high dividend yield approach provides exposure to deep value companies while the long-term dividend growth requirement attempts to minimize exposure to distressed value companies. The yield weighted portfolio is rebalanced quarterly and reconstituted annually.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Chuck Saletta]

    PowerShares High Yield Dividend Achievers (NYSEMKT: PEY  )

    50 higher yielding members of the dividend achievers index�

  • [By Chuck Saletta]

    If that savings target seems too high, your options include either working longer (to keep the length of your retirement shorter) or investing more aggressively. For instance, the PowerShares High Yield Dividend Achievers (NYSEMKT: PEY  ) invests in higher-yielding companies with decent histories of raising their payouts. That ETF currently yields more than the Vanguard bond fund, and the companies in the PowerShares ETF have the potential to raise their payouts as they grow.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Best Gas Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014

Yesterday, the S&P 500 flirted with 2000 and finished at an all-time high. Today, they’ll try again.

Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

S&P 500 futures have gained 0.1%, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures are little changed. Nasdaq Composite futures have advanced 0.2%.

Newmont Mining�(NEM) has risen 1.4% to $26.33 after it withdrew its arbitration case against Indonesia.

Movado Group (MOV) has fallen 4.6% to $42.01 after missing its second quarter earnings estimates.

InterMune (ITMN) has ticked up 0.2% despite being downgraded by JPMorgan and JMP Securities.

DSW (DSW) had jumped 12% to $31.90 after the shoe retailer beat earnings forecasts and raised its guidance.

Burger King Worldwide (BKW) has risen 3.2% to $33.45 after Warren Buffett said he would help finance its merger with Tim Hortons (THI). Tim Hortons has leaped 10% to $82.55.

Best Computer Hardware Companies To Buy For 2015: Callaway Golf Co (ELY)

Callaway Golf Company, incorporated on May 7, 1999, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures and sells golf clubs (drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges and putters) and golf balls, and also sells golf accessories (such as golf bags, golf gloves, headwear, towels, umbrellas and travel gear) under the Callaway Golf and Odyssey brand names. The Company sells pre-owned golf products through its Website, www.callawaygolfpreowned.com. In addition, it sells Callaway Golf and Odyssey products direct to consumers online through its Websites shop.callawaygolf.com and www.odysseygolf.com. The Company also licenses its trademarks and service marks in exchange for a royalty fee to third parties for use on golf related accessories, including apparel, footwear, eyewear, rangefinders and practice aids. Its products are sold in the United States and in approximately 100 countries around the world.

The Company designs, manufactures and sells golf clubs and golf balls, and designs and sells golf accessories. The Company�� products are designed for golfers of all skill levels, both amateur and professional. The Company�� principal products include Drivers, Fairway Woods and Hybrids; Irons; Putters; Golf Balls, and Accessories, Softgoods and Other. Drivers, Fairway Woods and Hybrids product category includes sales of the Company�� drivers, fairway woods and hybrid products, which are sold under the Callaway Golf brand. Irons include sales of the Company�� irons and wedges, which are sold under the Callaway Golf brand. Putters include sales of the Company�� putters, which are sold under the Odyssey brand. Golf Balls includes sales of the Company�� golf balls, which are sold under the Callaway Golf and Strata brands. Accessories, Softgoods and Other includes sales of golf bags, golf gloves, golf footwear, rangefinders, golf apparel, packaged club sets, headwear, towels, umbrellas, eyewear and other accessories, as well as sales of pre-owned products through www.callawaygolfpre! owned.com. Additionally, this product category includes royalties from licensing of the Company�� trademarks and service marks on products such as golf apparel, golf footwear, rangefinders and practice aids.

The Company competes with TaylorMade, Ping, Acushnet, Puma, SRI Sports Limited, Mizuno, Bridgestone, and Nike.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lauren Pollock]

    Callaway Golf Co.'s(ELY) third-quarter loss narrowed significantly as the golf equipment maker reported a jump in sales and sharp increase in gross margins. Results for the period easily topped Wall Street’s expectations, sending shares up.

Best Gas Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: ECOtality Inc (ECTYQ)

Ecotality, Inc., incorporated in 1999, is a provider of electric transportation and storage technologies. The Company provides electric vehicle infrastructure products and solutions that are used in on-road, grid-connected vehicles (including plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and battery electric vehicles (BEV)), material handling and airport electric ground support applications. Through its main operating subsidiary, Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (eTec), the Company�� primary product offering is the Minit-Charger line of advanced battery fast-charge systems that are designed for various motive applications. In addition to its electric transportation focus, Ecotality, Inc. is also involved in the development, manufacture, assembly and sale of specialty solar products, advanced battery systems, and hydrogen and fuel cell systems. Its subsidiaries and primary operating segments consist of eTec, Innergy Power Corporation (Innergy), and ECOtality Stores (doing business as Fuel Cell Store). In addition, the Company has a wholly owned subsidiary in Mexico providing manufacturing services for it and a wholly owned subsidiary in Australia, ECOtality Australia Pty Ltd, to market and distribute battery charging equipment to support on-road electric vehicles, industrial equipment, and electric airport ground support equipment.

The Company�� products include energy engineering services (hydrogen, solar, battery, coal gasification and energy delivery infrastructure); eTec�� Minit-Charger fast-charge systems for material handling and airport ground support equipment; charging systems (Level 2 and 3) for on-road grid-connected electric vehicles; eTec Bridge Power Manager (BPM) systems; hydrogen internal combustion engine (HICE) vehicle conversions; industrial battery systems; solar panel production; specialty solar solutions; specialty thin-sealed lead battery products, and various solar products for consumer, emergency response programs and remote power systems. The Compan! y�� products also include third-party hydrogen and education related products, and EV Microclimate Program.

Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation

As the Company�� primary operating subsidiary, eTec is engaged in the research, development and testing of advanced transportation and energy systems, and is the exclusive provider of the Minit-Charger line of battery fast-charge systems and technologies. Specializing in alternative-fuel, hybrid and electric vehicles and infrastructures, eTec offers consulting, technical support and field services. The Minit-Charger brand is the result of a consolidation of the two fast-charging technologies: eTec SuperCharge and Edison Minit-Charger. In March 2008, all eTec fast-charging products, including the eTec SuperCharge product line, were consolidated under the eTec Minit-Charger brand.

eTec holds the exclusive contract for the United States Department of Energy�� (DoE) Advanced Vehicle Testing Activity (AVTA) program and has conducted more than six million miles of vehicle testing on more than 200 advanced fuel vehicles. The Company acquired eTec as an expansion platform for its core capability in battery technologies, fast charging systems, energy distribution infrastructure, and advanced vehicle technologies and testing, which includes electric vehicle (EV), hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), PHEV and hydrogen vehicle technologies. As of December 31, 2009, eTec had installed more than 5,100 charging stations for motive applications.

On August 5, 2009, eTec was selected by the DoE for a grant to undertake the deployment of EVs and charging infrastructure. On September 30, 2009, eTec accepted the grant. eTec, as the lead applicant for the proposal, partnered with Nissan North America to deploy EVs and the charging infrastructure to support them. The project will install electric vehicle charging infrastructure and deploy up to a total of 4,700 Nissan battery electric vehicles in strategic markets in fiv! e states:! Arizona, California, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington.

Innergy Power Systems

Innergy Power Systems is based in San Diego, California, with a manufacturing facility in Tijuana, Mexico. Innergy is a manufacturer of both renewable energy solar modules and thin-sealed rechargeable batteries, as its solar photovoltaic (PV) product line addresses the worldwide demand for solar energy products and off-grid power. Innergy�� fiberglass reinforced panel (FRP) solar modules are designed to meet a range of applications for emergency preparedness and recreation. Applications include logistics tracking, asset management systems, off-grid lighting, mobile communications, mobile computing, recreational vehicles, signaling devices and surveillance cameras. Innergy and the Company�� wholly owned subsidiary providing manufacturing services, Portable Energy De Mexico, S.A. DE C.V., provides the Company the ability to further expand its production, manufacturing and assembly capabilities for Innergy�� solar products and energy storage devices, as well as products of its other subsidiaries, including eTec�� Minit-Charger products.

ECOtality Stores (doing business as Fuel Cell Store)

ECOtality Stores is the Company�� wholly owned subsidiary and operates as its online retail division. Fuel Cell Store (www.fuelcellstore.com) is an e-commerce marketplace that offers consumers an array of fuel cell products from around the globe. Based in San Diego, California, and with international operations in Japan, Russia, Italy and Portugal, Fuel Cell Store develops, manufactures and sells a range of fuel cell products that includes fuel cell stacks, systems, component parts and educational materials. In addition to primary retail operations, Fuel Cell Store also offers consulting services for high schools, colleges and research institutes, and is available to host workshops, conferences and corporate events.

Hydrality

Hydrality is a reactor system t! hat store! s and delivers hydrogen on-demand using magnesium compounds and water. The EPC/Hydrality technology was initially developed in conjunction with National Aeronautics and Space Administration�� (NASA) Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and subsequently advanced by Arizona State University, Green Mountain Engineering and Airboss Aerospace, Inc. The Company initially sought to design and license a Hydrality system for use in motorized vehicles and industrial equipment, it has identified several additional applications for Hydrality that include stationary applications for remote power, back-up power systems, and large-scale industrial and utility use.

The Company competes with AeroVironment, Inc., Aker Wade Power Technologies LLC, Power Designers, LLC, and C&D Technologies, Inc., Better Place, Coulomb Technologies, AeroVironment, Inc., Aker Wade Power Technologies, LLC, Delta-Q Technologies, Elektromotive, BP Solar International Inc., Evergreen Solar, Inc., First Solar Inc., Kyocera Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Motech Industries Inc., Q-Cells AG, Sanyo Corporation, Sharp Corporation, SolarWorld AG, Suntech Power Holdings Co., Ltd., Airgas, Inc., Air Liquide, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Linde AG, Praxair Technology, Inc., Distributed Energy Systems Corporation, Hydrogenics Corporation, Statoil Hydro, Teledyne Energy Systems, Inc., Heliocentris Fuel Cells AG, Horizon Fuel Cell Technologies, Ltd., BCS Fuel Cells, Inc., Electrochem, Inc., Fuel Cell Scientific, LLC, GasHub Technology, JHT Power, H-Tech, Inc., Element-1 Power Systems and miniHYDROGEN.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    Captain, I just don't have the infrastructure!
    Without question, car companies are on a quest to create the perfect blend of performance, fuel-efficiency, and zero emissions. At the moment, only one company has done a good job of that, and its name is Tesla Motors. But looking at the big picture, the electric vehicles that Tesla produces make up just a fraction of the current automotive market. The real barrier to entry for any alternative modes of transportation is a lack of infrastructure, which is why I think the recent rally in ECOtality (NASDAQOTH: ECTYQ  ) is unwarranted.

  • [By abirk]

    Founded in 1883, Kroger, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a retailer in the United States. The company also manufactures and processes food for sale in its supermarkets. With a market cap of 22.72 billion, this Cincinnati, Ohio, based company is the seventh largest grocery retailer in the world and, along with Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT) and Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST), one of only three U.S. companies in the top ten. Extending well beyond its retail grocer core business, Kroger operates under nearly two dozen banners including: Kroger Real Estate, The Little Clinic, I-Wireless, Kroger Convenience Stores, Littman Jewelers, Fred Meyer Jewelers, Kroger Manufacturing, Kroger Pharmacies, and the recently-acquired Harris Teeter Supermarkets, Inc. (HTSI) (merger transaction between the two companies was completed on January 28, 2014). About half of the Kroger's supermarkets include gas stations. Further, partnering with Ecotality, Inc. (ECTYQ), Kroger has introduced electric car charging stations.

Best Gas Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp.(RPTP)

Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. operates as a biotechnology company in the United States. The company is dedicated to speeding the delivery of new treatment options to patients by working to improve existing therapeutics through the application of highly specialized drug targeting platforms and formulation expertise. Its clinical stage development products include DR Cysteamine, which is in phase IIb for the treatment of cystinosis; phase IIa for the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; and phase II for the treatment of Huntington?s disease. Raptor?s clinical-stage products also include Convivia that is in Phase IIa stage for the potential management of acetaldehyde toxicity due to alcohol consumption; and Tezampanel and NGX 426, which completed phase I stage for the treatment of migraine and pain. Its preclinical product candidates comprise HepTide for the treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatitis; WntTide for the treatment of breast cancer; NeuroTrans for the treatmen t of neurodegenerative diseases; and Tezampanel and NGX 426 for the treatment of Thrombosis and Spasticity Disorder. Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. is headquartered in Novato, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Equities Trading UP
    Raptor Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: RPTP) shot up 16.62 percent to $17.40 after the company announced positive clinical results with RP103 in Huntington's disease Phase 2/3 trial.

  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    One biotechnology player that's starting to trend within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Raptor Pharmaceuticals (RPTP), which has a pipeline that includes both candidates from its proprietary drug targeting platforms and in-licensed and acquired product candidates. This stock is in play with the bulls so far in 2013, with shares up sharply by 151%.

    >>5 Hated Earnings Stocks You Should Love

    If you take a look at the chart for Raptor Pharmaceuticals, you'll notice that stock has been uptrending strong for the last six months, with shares soaring higher from its low of $5.50 to its recent high of $15.29 a share. During that uptrend, shares of RPTP have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of RPTP within range of triggering a big breakout trade.

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in RPTP if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $14.99 a share to its 52-week high at $15.29 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average volume of 844,332 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then RPTP will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $18 to $20 a share, or even north of $20 a share.

    Traders can look to buy RPTP off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $13.69 a share or at $13 a share. One can also buy RPTP off strength once it takes out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

  • [By Sean Williams]

    This week saw two new drugs approved by the FDA: Raptor Pharmaceuticals' (NASDAQ: RPTP  ) Procysbi and Merck's (NYSE: MRK  ) Liptruzet.

Best Gas Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Frontline Ltd (FRO)

Frontline Ltd., incorporated on June 12, 1992, is a shipping company. The Company is engaged primarily in the ownership and operation of oil tankers and oil/bulk/ore (OBO) carriers. The Company operates tankers of two sizes: very large crude carriers (VLCCs), which are between 200,000 and 320,000 deadweight tons, and Suezmax tankers, which are vessels between 120,000 and 170,000 deadweight tons. As of December 31, 2010, its tanker and OBO fleet consisted of 73 vessels. The fleet consists of 44 VLCCs, which are either owned or chartered in, 21 Suezmax tankers, which are either owned or chartered in and eight Suezmax OBOs, which are chartered in. The Company also had five VLCC newbuildings and two Suezmax newbuildings on order and three VLCCs under its commercial management. In February 2010, it purchased the VLCC Front Vista from Ship Finance International Limited (Ship Finance). In January 2011, it sold the VLCC Front Shanghai.

The Company operates through subsidiaries and partnerships located in the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, India, the Isle of Man, Liberia, Norway, the United Kingdom and Singapore. The Company is also engaged in the charter, purchase and sale of vessels. In April 2010, the Company delivered the single hull Suezmax Front Voyager. During the year ended December 31, 2010, six newbuildings were completed. Four Suezmax vessels were delivered: the Northia, on January 5, 2010; the Naticina, on March 9, 2010; the Front Odin, on May 5, 2010, and the Front Njord on August 12, 2010. Two VLCCs were delivered: the Front Cecilie on June 10 and the Front Signe on August 9, 2010. As of December 31, 2010, the Company's newbuilding program consisted of two Suezmax tankers and five VLCCs.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Karee Venema]

    One equity that falls under the small-cap umbrella, and looks poised to benefit from a contrarian boon is shipping concern Frontline Ltd. (FRO).

    Shares of Frontline have more than doubled in value since hitting a decade-plus low of $1.71 last May. In fact, the stock tagged a new annual high of $5.18 in early January.

  • [By Paul Ausick]

    Big Earnings Movers: Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) is up 9.1% at $27.37 after beating on both the top and bottom lines last night. 58.com (NYSE: WUBA) is down 10% at $33.56. Frontline Ltd. (NYSE: FRO) is up 16.6% at $2.74.

  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    The reason for the disconnect between earnings and stock performance has to do with the changing fundamentals for shipping overall. For years, shipping companies both on the dry-bulk and the tanker side of the industry have suffered from weakness in the global economy after having built huge numbers of new ships during better times. That forced Overseas Shipholding Group to seek bankruptcy protection late last year and has left tanker giant Frontline (NYSE: FRO  ) under considerable financial pressure as it continues to labor under a substantial debt load.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Top US Companies To Watch In Right Now

In the cutthroat grocer business, a vote of confidence from a big-time investor goes a long way. If that vote of confidence comes in the form of a billion-dollar investment from Warren Buffett, then it becomes a saving grace. U.K.-based grocery giant Tesco (LSE: TSCO  ) has faced difficult headwinds in recent years, losing market share to competitors and navigating an anemic European economy. Its U.S. branch, called Fresh & Easy, caused company profits to drop 96% and led management to pull the curtains on the five-year-old chain. For Tesco, there's plenty of bad news, but many investors still have faith that the Oracle of Omaha sees something here. Should you be looking at Tesco?

Do you know Tesco?
Though not a household name in the United States, Tesco is the largest retailer in the United Kingdom. It is a behemoth of a company -- many times the size of Whole Foods Market and Safeway, or any other U.S. grocer, with the exception of Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT  ) . It may be in part that Tesco resembles a smaller, younger version of the latter that Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A  ) (NYSE: BRK-B  ) owns more than 5% of the outstanding shares. Buffett often talks about his biggest mistake in investing -- not buying Wal-Mart in the '80s because it was a few cents more than he wanted to pay. The cost to shareholders over time, he says, is in the billions. So perhaps this is an effort to right one of his few mistakes in the past.

Top 5 Defense Companies To Own For 2015: Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. (BIN)

Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. operates as a vertically integrated non-hazardous solid waste management company in North America. It operates through three segments: Canada, the U.S. south, and the U.S. northeast. The company provides waste collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal services to commercial, industrial, municipal, and residential customers in 13 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and 6 Canadian provinces. It also owns and operates a power generating plant fuelled by landfill gas; and generates and sells methane gas. The company was formerly known as IESI-BFC Ltd. and changed its name to Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. in May 2011. Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. was founded in 2001 and is based in Vaughan, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    Keep in mind, though, this is a sectorwide problem, not just one affecting Waste Management. Canada's Progressive Waste Solutions (NYSE: BIN  ) delivered an 11% increase in first-quarter revenue but succumbed to a decrease of 0.5% in recycling revenue because of lower realized metal prices. �

Top US Companies To Watch In Right Now: Hubbell Inc (HUBB)

Hubbell Incorporated (Hubbell), incorporated in 1905, is engaged in the design, manufacture and sale of electrical and electronic products for a range of non-residential and residential construction, industrial and utility applications. Products are either sourced complete, manufactured or assembled by subsidiaries in the United States, Canada, Switzerland, Puerto Rico, Mexico, the People�� Republic of China, Italy, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Australia. Hubbell also participates in joint ventures in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and maintains sales offices in Singapore, China, Mexico, South Korea and countries in the Middle East. It operates in two segments: Electrical segment and the Power segment. The Electrical segment consists of electrical systems products and lighting products. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it acquired two product lines. The first product line acquired consists of grounding, bonding and cable management solutions with renewable energy applications, while the second product line consists of fire pump control panels. The Company has several operations located outside of the United States. These operations manufacture, assemble and/or market Hubbell products and service both the Electrical and Power segments.

Electrical Segment

The Electrical segment consists of businesses that sell stock and custom products, including standard and special application wiring device products, rough-in electrical products, connector and grounding products, lighting fixtures and controls, as well as other electrical equipment. The products are used in and around industrial, commercial and institutional facilities by electrical contractors, maintenance personnel, electricians and telecommunications companies. In addition, certain businesses design and manufacture a variety of high voltage test and measurement equipment, industrial controls and communication systems used in the non-residential and industrial markets. Many of these products are designed such that they can ! also be used in harsh and hazardous locations where a potential for fire and explosion exists due to the presence of flammable gasses and vapors. Harsh and hazardous products are primarily used in the oil and gas (onshore and offshore) and mining industries. Certain lighting fixtures, wiring devices and electrical products also have residential and utility applications.

These products are primarily sold through electrical and industrial distributors, home centers, retail and hardware outlets, and lighting showrooms. Special application products are sold primarily through wholesale distributors to contractors, industrial customers and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). High voltage products are sold primarily by direct sales to customers through its sales engineers. Hubbell maintains a sales and marketing organization to assist users with the application of certain products to their specific requirements, and with architects, engineers, industrial designers, OEMs and electrical contractors for the design of electrical systems to meet the specific requirements of industrial, non-residential and residential users. Hubbell is also represented by sales agents for its lighting fixtures and controls, electrical wiring devices, rough-in electrical products and high voltage products lines.

Hubbell designs, manufactures and sells thousands of wiring and electrical products, which are supplied principally to industrial, non-residential and residential customers. These products include cable reels, cable glands and fittings, connectors and tooling, floor boxes, ground fault devices, wiring devices and accessories, switches and dimmers, pin and sleeve devices, electrical motor controls, and steel and plastic electrical enclosures. Its products also include junction boxes, plugs and receptacles, datacom connectivity and enclosures, speciality communications equipment high voltage test systems and mining communication and controls. These wiring and electrical products are sold under var! ious bran! ds and/or trademarks, including Hubbell, Kellems, Bryant, Burndy, Wejtap, Implo, Raco, Bell, Wiegmann, Killark, Hawke, Chalmit, Victor, GAI-Tronics, Gleason Reel, Haefely, Hipotronics and Austdac.

Hubbell manufactures and sells lighting fixtures and controls for indoor and outdoor applications. The markets served include residential, commercial, institutional and industrial. The Company has a range of light emitting diode (LED)-luminaire products within its portfolio. Hubbell�� variety of lighting products includes canopy light fixtures, emergency lighting/exit signs, specification grade LED fixtures, floodlights and poles, recessed, surface mounted and track fixtures, parking lot/parking garage fixtures, bollards, and bath/vanity fixtures and fans. Its products also include chandeliers, sconces, directionals, fixtures used to illuminate athletic/recreational fields, decorative landscaping fixtures, flourescent fixtures, ceiling fans, site and area lighting fixtures, and occupancy, dimming and daylight harvesting sensors.

These lighting products are sold under various brands and/or trademarks, including Kim Lighting, Sportsliter Solutions, Kurt Versen, Beacon Products, Architectural Area Lighting, Security Lighting Systems, Sterner Lighting, Prescolite, Precision-Paragon [P2], Hubbell Building Automation, Spaulding Lighting and Alera Lighting. Brands and/or trademarks also include Dual-Lite, Progress Lighting and Hubbell Outdoor Lighting.

Power Segment

The Power segment consists of operations that design and manufacture various distribution, transmission, substation and telecommunications products primarily used by the electrical utility industry. In addition, certain of these products are used in the civil construction and transportation industries. Products are sold to distributors and directly to users, such as electric utilities, telecommunication companies, pipeline and mining operations, industrial firms, construction and engineering firms. Pro! ducts inc! lude Arresters, Cutouts and fuse links, lineman tools, hoses and gloves, overhead and pad mounted switches, high voltage bushings, insulators, cable terminations and accessories, formed wire products and splices, taps and connectors. Its products also include grounding equipment, programmable reclosures, sectionalizers, pole line hardware and polymer concrete and fiberglass enclosures and equipment pads.

These products are sold under various brands and/or trademarks, including Ohio Brass, Fargo, Quazite, Electro Composites, Hot Box, Chance, Hubbell, Quadri*sil, USCO, PCORE and Anderson. Brands and/or trademarks also include Polycast, Comcore, CDR and Delmar.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Hubbell (NYSE: HUBB  ) reported earnings on April 19. Here are the numbers you need to know.

    The 10-second takeaway
    For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Hubbell met expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

Top US Companies To Watch In Right Now: Hewlett-Packard Company(HPQ)

Hewlett-Packard Company and its subsidiaries provide products, technologies, software, solutions, and services to individual consumers and small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), as well as to the government, health, and education sectors worldwide. Its Personal Systems Group segment offers commercial personal computers (PCs), consumer PCs, workstations, calculators and other related accessories, and software and services for the commercial and consumer markets. The company?s Services segment provides consulting, outsourcing, and technology services to infrastructure, applications, and business process domains. Its Imaging and Printing Group segment provides consumer and commercial printer hardware, supplies, media, and scanning devices, such as inkjet and Web solutions, laser jet and enterprise solutions, managed enterprise solutions, graphics solutions, and printer supplies. The company?s Enterprise Servers, Storage, and Networking segment offers industry standard s ervers, business critical systems, storage platforms, and networking products, including switches, routers, wireless LAN, and TippingPoint network security products. Its HP Software segment provides enterprise IT management software, information management solutions, and security intelligence/risk management solutions. The company?s HP Financial Services segment offers leasing, financing, utility programs, and asset recovery services; and financial asset management services for enterprise customers, as well as specialized financial services to SMBs, and educational and governmental entities. Hewlett-Packard Company also provides business intelligence solutions that enable businesses to standardize on consistent data management schemes, connect and share data across the enterprise, and apply analytics, as well as licenses its specific technology to third parties. The company was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Adam Levine-Weinberg]

    In the past month, the budget tablet segment experienced a new round of price cuts by major manufacturers. Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS  ) initiated this new price war as the company dramatically slashed the prices of its soon-to-be-discontinued Nook HD and Nook HD+ tablets to clear inventory. Other vendors such as Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) and Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ  ) have followed suit with more modest price reductions.

  • [By Rich Bieglmeier]

    [Related -Hewlett-Packard Company (HPQ) Q2 Earnings Preview: Enough Margin For Victory]

    When profitable since 2009, Hewlett-Packard's P/E range was 5.27 to 16.83 times earnings with an average of 11.26. Today, investors are paying slightly above the norm at 12.11. During the same timeframe, earnings per share actually contracted on an annual basis; falling an average of 3.78% a year.

  • [By Paul Ausick]

    Big Earnings Movers: Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ) is up 9.1% at $27.37 after beating on both the top and bottom lines last night. 58.com (NYSE: WUBA) is down 10% at $33.56. Frontline Ltd. (NYSE: FRO) is up 16.6% at $2.74.

Top US Companies To Watch In Right Now: U.S. Bancorp(USB)

U.S. Bancorp, a financial services holding company, provides various banking and financial services in the United States. It generates various deposit products, including checking accounts, savings accounts, money market savings, and time certificates of deposit accounts. The company originates a portfolio of loans comprising commercial loans and lease financing; commercial real estate; residential mortgage; and retail loans consisting of credit cards, retail leasing, home equity and second mortgages, and other retail loans. It also offers wholesale lending, equipment finance, small-ticket leasing, depository, treasury management, capital markets, foreign exchange, and international trade services to middle market, large corporate, commercial real estate, and public sector clients. In addition, U.S. Bancorp provides telebanking and automated teller machine (ATM) services, as well as cash management services. The company, through other subsidiaries, provides trust, private banking, financial advisory, investment management, retail brokerage services, insurance, and custody and fund services; and payment services, including consumer and business credit cards, stored-value cards, debit cards, corporate and purchasing card services, consumer lines of credit, and merchant processing. U.S. Bancorp primarily serves individuals, estates, foundations, business corporations, and charitable organizations. It operates a network of approximately 3,031 banking offices and 5,310 ATMs. The company was founded in 1863 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jay Jenkins]

    The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau recently�ordered�U.S. Bancorp (NYSE: USB  ) �and its partner Dealers' Financial Services (DFS) to return $6.5 million to military service members. The CFPB uncovered unfair marketing practices and fees designed and implemented by DFS.

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Best Gas Utility Companies For 2014

Norwegian oil company Statoil (NYSE: STO  ) has had its eye on becoming more intimately involved in its operations in the Eagle Ford shale region in Texas since it first acquired the acreage in 2010, and last year it advised its joint venture partner,�Talisman Energy (NYSE: TLM  ) , that it intended to take over all the activities associated with the eastern region of its asset.

Today, it announced it was doing just that, though Talisman would continue the operational activities in the western division.

Statoil VP for U.S. Onshore�Torstein Hole said, "We now have operational activities in all our onshore assets, Bakken, Marcellus and Eagle Ford. Our organization in Houston is eager to further develop our Eagle Ford holding as operator and we look forward to engaging with communities and landowners in the eastern part of our�joint venture�acreage."

Despite the division of responsibilities, the joint ownership of the Eagle Ford acreage, which is split 50-50 with Talisman, does not change.

10 Best Performing Stocks To Own For 2015: Steinway Musical Instruments Inc. (LVB)

Steinway Musical Instruments, Inc., through its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, markets, and distributes musical instruments in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Pianos and Band & Orchestral Instruments. The Pianos segment offers pianos under Steinway & Sons, Boston, and Essex brands; and engages in online music retailing business. This segment sells its products to professional artists and amateur pianists, and institutions through independent dealers primarily in the United States, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. It operates six retail showrooms in the United States and five retail showrooms in Europe. The Band & Orchestral Instruments segment manufactures and sells piccolos, flutes, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, trumpets, French horns, tubas, and trombones, as well as intermediate and professional level woodwind and brass instruments under Bach, Selmer, Selmer Paris, C.G. Conn, Leblanc, King, Armstrong, Holton, Yanagisawa, Vito, Emerson, Avanti, Noblet, Artley, and Benge brands; distributes saxophones and clarinets; manufactures and distributes acoustical and tuned percussion instruments, including outfit drums, marching drums, concert drums, marimbas, xylophones, vibraphones, orchestra bells, and chimes; distributes violins, violas, cellos, and basses under Glaesel, Scherl & Roth, and William Lewis & Son brands; and manufactures mouthpieces and distributes accessories, such as music stands, batons, mallets, straps, mutes, reeds, pads, chin rests, strings, bows, cases, and instrument care products. This segment sells its products to students, amateur and professional musicians, and institutions through independent musical instrument dealers and distributors primarily in the United States, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. The company, formerly known as Selmer Industries, Inc., was founded in 1993 and is based in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Eric Volkman]

    Steinway Musical Instruments (NYSE: LVB  ) has ceased to be the owner of its iconic Steinway Hall in New York City. The company formally closed a deal to sell the building to a partnership headed by real estate concern JDS Development Group. Steinway received $46.3 million in the acquisition, and will recognize a taxable gain of roughly $22 million.

Best Gas Utility Companies For 2014: Barclays PLC (GRN)

Barclays PLC (Barclays) is a global financial services provider engaged in retail banking, credit cards, wholesale banking, investment banking, wealth management and investment management services. The Company�� operations include its overseas offices, subsidiaries and associates. The Company operates in eight segments: UK Retail and Business Banking (UK RBB), Europe Retail and Business Banking (Europe RBB), Africa Retail and Business Banking (Africa RBB), Barclaycard, Barclays Investment Bank, Barclays Corporate Banking, Wealth and Investment Management, and Head Office and Other Operations. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Todd Shriber, ETF Professor]

    Big winners (up at least 5%): VelocityShares 3x Inverse Natural Gas ETN (NYSE: DGAZ), iPath Global Carbon ETN (NYSE: GRN), ProShares UltraShort DJ-UBS Natural Gas (NYSE: KOLD) and the ProShares MSCI UltraShort Mexico (NYSE: SMK).

  • [By Todd Shriber, ETF Professor]

    Big losers (down at least 5%): Direxion Daily Gold Miners Bear 3X Shares (NYSE: DUST), iPath Global Carbon ETN (NYSE: GRN), iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Value ETF (NYSE: EVAL) and the PureFunds ISE Mining Service ETF (NYSE: MSXX).

  • [By Brian Pacampara]

    Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, the iPath Global Carbon ETN (NYSEMKT: GRN  ) has received the dreaded one-star ranking.

Best Gas Utility Companies For 2014: Tryg A/S (TRYG)

Tryg A/S, formerly TrygVesta A/S, is a Denmark-based insurance company. It is the parent company within the Tryg Group, which supplies insurance services in the Nordic countries. The Company is organized in four business areas, namely Private, Commercial, Industry and Sweden. Private sells insurance products to private individuals in Denmark and Norway. Commercial sells insurance products to small and medium-sized companies in Denmark and Norway. Industry sells insurance products to industrial customers under the Tryg brand in Denmark and Norway and the Moderna brand in Sweden. Sweden sells insurance products to private individuals in Sweden under the Moderna brand name. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had one wholly owned subsidiary, Tryg Forsikring A/S. On May 1, 2013, it sold its Finnish branch. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

    Commodity producers slid as the release fueled concern about the slowdown in the world�� second-biggest economy. Burberry Group Plc (BRBY) gained 4.8 percent after the company�� spring-summer collection helped increase retail sales in its fiscal first quarter by more than analysts had estimated. Tryg A/S (TRYG) added 3.3 percent after posting better-than-forecast pretax profit as cost cuts offset increased weather-related claims.

Best Gas Utility Companies For 2014: Ply Gem Holdings Inc (PGEM)

Ply Gem Holdings, Inc. (Ply Gem Holdings), incorporated on January 23, 2004, is a manufacturer of residential exterior building products in North America. The Company operates in two segments: Siding, Fencing, and Stone and Windows and Doors. These two segments produce a product line of vinyl siding, designer accents, cellular polyvinyl chloride (PVC) trim, vinyl fencing, vinyl and composite railing, stone veneer and vinyl windows and doors used in both new construction and home repair and remodeling in the United States and Western Canada. It also manufactures vinyl and aluminum soffit and siding accessories, aluminum trim coil, wood windows, aluminum windows, vinyl and aluminum-clad windows and steel and fiberglass doors, enabling it to bundle complementary and color-matched products and accessories with its core products. The Company�� subsidiaries includes including Ply Gem Industries, MWM Holding, AWC Holding Company, MHE, and Pacific Windows. On July 30, 2012, Ply Gem acquired substantially all of the assets of Greendeck Products, LLC.

Siding, Fencing, and Stone Segment

In the Siding, Fencing, and Stone segment, its principal products include vinyl siding and skirting, vinyl and aluminum soffit, aluminum trim coil, J-channels, wide crown molding, window and door trim, F-channels, H-molds, fascia, undersill trims, outside/inside corner posts, rain removal systems, injection molded designer accents, such as shakes, shingles, scallops, shutters, vents and mounts, vinyl fence, vinyl and composite railing, and stone veneer. It sells its siding and accessories under its Variform, Napco, Mastic Home Exteriors, and Cellwood brand names and under the Georgia-Pacific brand name through a private label program. It also sells its Providence line of vinyl siding and accessories to Lowe�� under its Durabuilt private label brand name. Its vinyl and vinyl-composite fencing and railing products are sold under its Kroy and Kroy Express brand names. Ply Gem Holdings stone veneer produ! cts are sold under its United Stone Veneer brand name.

The Company sells the siding and accessories to specialty distributors (one-step distribution) and to wholesale distributors (two-step distribution). Its specialty distributors sell directly to remodeling contractors and builders. Its wholesale distributors sell to retail home centers and lumberyards who, in turn, sell to remodeling contractors, builders and consumers. In the specialty channel, it has developed a network of approximately 800 independent distributors, serving over 22,000 contractors and builders nationwide.

Windows and Doors Segment

In the Windows and Doors segment, its principal products include vinyl, aluminum, wood and clad-wood windows and patio doors, and steel, wood, and fiberglass entry doors that serve both the new home construction and the repair and remodeling sectors in the United States and Western Canada. Its products in its Windows and Doors segment are sold under the Ply Gem Windows, Great Lakes Mastic by Ply Gem, and Ply Gem Canada brands.

The Company competes with Alsco, Gentek, U.S. Fence, Homeland, Westech, Bufftech, Royal, Azek., Eldorado Stone, Coronado Stone, Jeld-Wen, Simonton, Pella and Andersen, MI Home Products, Atrium, Weathershield, Milgard, Jeld-Wen, Gienow, All Weather and Loewen.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Traders Reserve]

    There hasn�� been a January effect rally in shares of Ply Gem (PGEM). In fact, it has been quite the opposite. Shares are down a whopping 25% during the month. For a stock I rated as on of the Top 10 Sizzling Stocks, such a move is painful, but not disastrous. Sizzling Stocks are meant to be held for the duration of the year and we have 11 months to go. Small-cap stocks like Ply Gem can move sharply one direction or the other.

  • [By Matt Jarzemsky]

    Installed Building Products��debut follows mixed performance from shares of some newly public building-products companies. Through Tuesday, siding manufacturer Ply Gem Holdings Inc.(PGEM)�� shares were down 39% from the offer price in its $381 May debut. Wood-products maker Boise Cascade Co.(BCC) was up 46% from its $284 million February IPO.

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Ply Gem Holdings (NYSE: PGEM) shares reached a new 52-week low of $11.48 after the company reported wider-than-expected Q4 loss and issued a weak Q1 revenue forecast.

Best Gas Utility Companies For 2014: Dynavax Technologies Corporation(DVAX)

Dynavax Technologies Corporation, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, discovers and develops novel products to prevent and treat infectious diseases. The company's lead product candidate includes HEPLISAV, a Phase 3 investigational adult hepatitis B vaccine designed to provide protection with fewer doses than current licensed vaccines. It also develops Universal Flu vaccine, a Phase 1b clinical trial vaccine for influenza prevention; SD-101, a Phase Ib clinical trial hepatitis C therapy; DV-601, a Phase Ib clinical trial hepatitis B therapy; AZD1419, a preclinical asthma therapy; and DV1179, a Phase 1 trial autoimmune and inflammatory disease therapy. Dynavax Technologies Corporation has strategic alliance with GlaxoSmithKline plc to discover, develop, and commercialize DV1179 and other endosomal toll-like receptor inhibitors for diseases, such as lupus, psoriasis, and rheumatoid arthritis; and develop a TLR8 inhibitor for the treatment of multiple autoimmune and i nflammatory diseases, as well as has research and license agreement with AstraZeneca to discover and develop TLR9 agonist-based therapies for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The company was founded in 1996 and is based in Berkeley, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    Another under-$10 bio therapeutic player that's starting to trend within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Dynavax Technologies (DVAX), which discovers and develops novel products to prevent and treat infectious and inflammatory diseases. This stock has been hit hard by the sellers so far in 2013, with shares off sharply by 55%.

    If you take a look at the chart for Dynavax Technologies, you'll notice that this stock has been trending inside of a big range for the last three months and change, with shares moving between $1.10 on the downside and $1.46 on the upside. This large consolidation pattern for DVAX could mean that this stock is under accumulation by the bulls, since the bears have been unable to push the stock out of this range and take it to new lows. Shares of DVAX are now starting to spike back above its 50-day moving average of $1.25 a share with decent upside volume. Volume so far on Thursday has already registered 1.6 million shares versus its three-month average action or 1.81 million shares. This move is starting to push DVAX within range of triggering a major breakout trade.

    Market players should now look for long-biased trades in DVAX if it manages to break out above some key overhead resistance levels at $1.29 to $1.32 a share, and then once it takes out more resistance at $1.46 to $1.50 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that registers near or above its three-month average action of 1.81 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then DVAX will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance level at $1.70 a share. Any high-volume move above $1.70 a share will then give DVAX a chance to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from June that started at $2.60 a share.

    Traders can look to buy DVAX off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support at $1.10 a sha

  • [By Keith Speights]

    Dynavax (NASDAQ: DVAX  ) is a good case in point. The company's Heplisav hepatitis B vaccine looked good in clinical trials when compared to the leading vaccine on the market. Dynavax thought that the safety profile for Heplisav also compared favorably. The Food and Drug Administration even told the company that it could expand its Biologic License Application, or BLA, to include a wider age range of adults than originally planned.

  • [By Selena Maranjian]

    Among holdings in which Farallon Capital Management increased its stake were Dynavax (NASDAQ: DVAX  ) and Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold (NYSE: FCX  ) . Dynavax shares fell sharply upon an FDA rejection of its hepatitis B vaccine Heplisav. It may still win more limited approval, but Dynavax now has more work to do, and it's burning cash while its revenue has been shrinking. Fortunately, it does seem to have have ample cash to keep it afloat for a few years. Meanwhile, Dynavax has a new CEO, and its latest earnings report featured a loss slightly bigger than expected.

Best Gas Utility Companies For 2014: BOK Financial Corporation(BOKF)

BOK Financial Corporation, a financial holding company, offers a range of financial products and services to commercial and industrial customers, and other financial institutions and consumers. It operates in three segments: Commercial Banking, Consumer Banking, and Wealth Management. The Commercial Banking segment offers lending, treasury, and cash management services; and customer risk management products to small businesses, middle market, and larger commercial customers. The Consumer Banking segment involves in retail lending and deposit services, and mortgage banking activities, as well as offers indirect automobile lending products. The Wealth Management segment provides fiduciary, brokerage and trading, private bank, and investment advisory services. As of December 31, 2010, the company operated 207 consumer banking locations, including branch banking locations and mortgage lending offices; and 1,943 ATM locations. BOK Financial Corporation operates in Oklahoma, Tex as, New Mexico, Northwest Arkansas, Colorado, Arizona, and Kansas/Missouri. The company was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Maxfield]

    Given that you clicked on this article, it seems safe to assume you either own stock in BOK Financial (NASDAQ: BOKF  ) or are considering buying shares in the near future. If so, then you've come to the right place. The table below reveals the nine most critical numbers that investors need to know about BOK (which stands for "Bank of Oklahoma") before deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold its stock.

Best Gas Utility Companies For 2014: InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp (NVIV)

InVivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp., formerly Design Source, Inc., incorporated on April 2, 2003, is a development-stage company. The Company is developing and commercializing technologies for the treatment of spinal cord injuries. The Company develops biopolymer scaffolding devices for the treatment of spinal cord injuries. The biopolymer devices are designed to protect the damaged spinal cord from further secondary injury and promote neuroplasticity, a process where functional recovery can occur through the rerouting of signalling pathways to the spared healthy tissue.

The Company�� biopolymer-based devices are surgically implanted or injected into the lesion created during traumatic injury, or the primary injury. Additional applications of its platform technologies include the treatment for, spinal cord injury following tumor removal, peripheral nerve damage, and postsurgical treatment of any transected nerve. Its biocompatible scaffolding device for the treatment of acute spinal cord injury, is regulated as a Class III medical device by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Company's biocompatible hydrogel is used for the local release of methylprednisolone to treat acute spinal cord injuries and the biocompatible polymer scaffolding device seeded with autologous human neural stem cells.

The Company�� porous biopolymer scaffold consists of polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) and-polylysine. PLGA is a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer, which is used for applications, such as surgical sutures (Dolphin sutures and Ethicon sutures), drug delivery (Lupron Depot and Sandostatin LAR Depot), and tissue engineering (Dermagraft). The PLGA-polylysine biopolymer scaffolding device is biocompatible and biodegradable and degrades naturally inside the body without requiring subsequent removal.

The Company focuses to develop an injectable hydrogel designed to counteract the inflammatory environment that results during a secondary injury from a closed-wound spi! nal cord injury where further cell death occurs. It focuses to counteract the pathophysiology of spinal cord injury by replacing lost cells of the spinal cord and activating endogenous regenerative processes, such as the formation of new synapses and axonal sprouting based on molecules the stem cells produce.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Bryan Murphy]

    I came close to pointing this out yesterday, but didn't pull the trigger. Though delaying didn't cost you or me more than a few cents, I don't want to tarry any longer... Invivo Therapeutics Holdings Corp. (OTCBB:NVIV) is a buy.

Friday, September 26, 2014

Top Gas Companies To Own In Right Now

Top Gas Companies To Own In Right Now: Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc (ANW)

Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc., incorporated on June 6, 2005, is an independent physical supplier and marketer of refined marine fuel from refineries, major oil producers and other sources and resell and deliver these fuels using its bunkering vessels to a broad base of end users, including oil tankers, container ships, drybulk carriers, cruise ships, reefers, LNG/LPG carriers, car carriers, ferries, marine fuel traders, brokers and other users. The Company serves Greece, Gibraltar, the United Arab Emirates, or UAE, Jamaica, Singapore, Northern Europe, Antwerp-Rotterdam-Amsterdam (ARA), Portland, United Kingdom, West Africa, Vancouver, Montreal, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago, Las Palmas, Tenerife, Morocco, Cape Verde and Panama. In December 2013, the Company announced that it has completed the acquisition of the United States East Coast bunkering business of Hess Corp.

The Company provides its customers with a service that requires sophisticated logistica l operations designed to meet their strict fuel quality and delivery scheduling needs. The Company owns a double hull Aframax tanker, the Leader, with cargo-carrying capacity of approximately 84,000 deadweight ton (dwt), which operates as a floating storage facility in the United Arab Emirates. The Company also operates a barge, the Mediterranean, with a cargo-carrying capacity of approximately 19,900 dwt, and one single hull bunkering barge, the Tapuit, with a cargo-carrying capacity of approximately 2,500 dwt, which the Company uses as floating storage facilities in Greece and Northern Europe, respectively. In addition, the Company owns and operates one special purpose vessel, the Orion, a 550 dwt tanker, which is based in its Greek market. The Company operates land-based storage facilities in Panama, Tangiers, Las Palmas, and the United Kingdom, where it stores marine fuel in terminals with storage capacity of approximately 27,000, 218,000! , 65,000 and 40,000 cubic meters, respectively.

The Company competes with World ! Fuel Services Corporation, Chemoil Corporation, BP Marine, Shell Marine Products, ExxonMobil Marine Fuel, CESPA (Gibraltar) Ltd., Eko Abee., Sekavin S.A., Seka S.A., Jet Oil S.A., Eteka S.A., Nova Bunkers S.A., Vemaoil Company Ltd., Bominflot of Gibraltar Ltd., and Peninsula Petroleum Ltd., ENOC Bunkering (Fujairah) LLC, Akron Trade and Transport, International Supply, and Oil Marketing & Trading Inc., Global Energy Trading Pte. Ltd., Alliance Oil Trading, Searights Maritime Services Pte. Ltd., Equatorial Marine Fuel, Sentek Marine & Trading, Brightoil Petroleum, OW Bunkering, Addax Bunkering Services, Stena Oil, S.K. Shipping, WFS (Falmouth), Marine Petrobulk Ltd., Shell Canada, and Petro Canada and Fujairah National Bunkering Co. LLC.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Travis Hoium]

    What: Shares of marine fueling company Aegean Marine Petroleum Network (NYSE: ANW  ) jumped 12% today after the company was upgraded by an analyst.

  • source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-gas-companies-to-own-in-right-now-3.html

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Top 5 Quality Stocks To Watch For 2014

The AARP Public Policy Institute (PPI) recently published a report that explores the meaning of livability and describes lessons learned by AARP Public Policy Institute PPI as part of its work to measure community livability and quantify the degree to which a community has the elements that are necessary to meet individual needs regardless of age, income, physical ability, ethnicity and other factors.

We spoke with Rodney Harrell, senior policy adviser in AARP's Public Policy institute, aka AARP's housing expert, about that report as well as another report just published by the PPI, "Is This A Good Place to Live? Measuring Community Quality of Life for All Ages." Here's an excerpt and slightly edited Q&A of that discussion.

Q. What is a livable community?

A. People's definitions of a livable community differ, so the most livable community will have options to meet people's needs, regardless of one's age, physical ability, income or other factors.

Hot Small Cap Companies To Own For 2015: Durata Therapeutics Inc (DRTX)

Durata Therapeutics, Inc., incorporated on November 4, 2009, is a pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapeutics for patients with infectious diseases and acute illnesses. The Company enroll and dose patients in two global Phase III clinical trials with its product candidate, dalbavancin, for the treatment of patients with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections (abSSSI). Dalbavancin is an intravenous antibiotic product candidate designed for once-weekly dosing. In addition to abSSSI, the Company focuses on the development of dalbavancin for additional indications, including osteomyelitis, diabetic foot infection and pneumonia.

As of December 31, 2011, Dalbavancin had already completed three Phase III clinical trials, in which more than 1,000 patients in total received dalbavancin. Dalbavancin achieved its primary efficacy endpoint of non-inferiority in each of these three completed Phase III clinical trials when compared to linezolid, cefazolin or vancomycin, three of the standard-of-care agents for uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections (uSSSI), and complicated skin and skin structure infections (cSSSI). Its two ongoing Phase III clinical trials are designed to compare dalbavancin to vancomycin, with an option to switch to oral linezolid, under the new FDA draft guidance.

The Company competes with Pfizer, Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Theravance, Inc., Forest Laboratories, Inc., Sanofi-Aventis Ltd., The Medicines Company, Trius Therapeutics, Inc., Cempra, Inc., Rib-X Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Nabriva Therapeutics AG, Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Furiex Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Bob's Stocks]

    Durata Therapeutics (DRTX) is developing Dalbavancin, a once a week, intravenous antibiotic product candidate, for the treatment of patients with acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections, or ABSSSI. The company is expected to file a NDA (New Drug Application) at any moment and MAA (Marketing Authorization Application) at the end of 2013.

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Durata Therapeutics (NASDAQ: DRTX) shares climbed 5.30% to $14.18. The volume of Durata Therapeutics shares traded was 861% higher than normal. The FDA Advisory Committee unanimously recommended the approval of Durata's Dalvance.

Top 5 Quality Stocks To Watch For 2014: Capital Senior Living Corp (CSU)

Capital Senior Living Corporation, incorporated on October 25, 1996, is an operator of residential communities for senior adults. The Company provides senior living services. Its communities integrate independent living, assisted living and home care services, to provide residents the opportunity to age in place. The Company operated 112 senior living communities in geographically concentrated regions with an aggregate capacity of approximately 14,600 residents.

The Company�� senior living options include independent living, assisted living, memory care and planning resources. The Company�� services include special nutrition counseling, additional housekeeping and laundry, exercise programs, recreation and entertainment, medication reminders and access to a choice of home health agencies.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Capital Senior Living (NYSE: CSU  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Capital Senior Living (NYSE: CSU  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top 5 Quality Stocks To Watch For 2014: ING Risk Managed Natural Resources Fund (IRR)

ING Risk Managed Natural Resources Fund the (Fund) is a non- diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund�� investment objective is total return through a combination of current income, capital gains and capital appreciation. The Fund will seek to achieve its investment objective by investing in a portfolio of equity securities of companies in the energy and natural resources industries. ING Investments, LLC is the Fund�� investment adviser.

The Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its managed assets in the equity securities of, or derivatives linked to the equity securities of companies that are primarily engaged in owning or developing energy, other natural resources and basic materials, or supplying goods and services to such companies (Natural Resources Companies). Equity securities held by the Fund could include common stocks, preferred shares, convertible securities, warrants and depository receipts.

The Fund�� top 10 holdings include ExxonMobil Corp., Chevron Corp., ConocoPhillips, Schlumberger Ltd., Occidental Petroleum Corp., Marathon Oil Corp., Valero Energy Corp., Hess Corp., XTO Energy, Inc. and EI DuPont de Nemours & Co.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Value Digger]

    Manitok's total cost per Well (Drill, Case, Complete, Equip & Tie) is about $5.5 million. With average reserves per well ranging from 300 to 850 MMboe, the average payout is about 1.5 years and the peak Internal Rate of Return (IRR) reaches even 150% in some of the most productive properties of the company. Considering the company's balanced production mix, the average operating netback for 2013 is strong and hovers at approximately $33/boe.

Top 5 Quality Stocks To Watch For 2014: Newfield Exploration Co (NFX)

Newfield Exploration Company (Newfield), incorporated on December 5, 1988, is an independent energy company engaged in the exploration, development and production of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. The Company�� domestic areas of operation include the Mid-Continent, the Rocky Mountains and onshore Texas. Internationally, it focuses on offshore oil developments in Malaysia and China. As of December 31, 2011, it was in the process of drilling 16 gross (9.6 net) exploitation wells and 24 gross (19.7 net) development wells domestically. As of December 31, 2011, internationally, it was drilling one gross (0.6 net) exploratory well in Malaysia. In May 2011, the Company acquired assets in the Uinta Basin of Utah.

Resource Plays

As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned an interest in approximately 825,000 net acres in the Rocky Mountains area. Its assets are oil. It is an operator in the state of Utah, consisting approximately 30% of the state�� total oil production. It has approximately 230,000 net acres in the Uinta Basin and its operations in the Basin can be divided into two areas: its legacy Monument Butte and its position in the Central Basin, located immediately north and adjacent to Monument Butte. It has approximately 1,800 oil wells in the Green River formation in its Monument Butte field. Its acquisition of acreage north of Monument Butte added approximately 65,000 net acres, including the Uteland Butte and Wasatch formations. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it had drilled approximately 20 wells in these new plays with encouraging results. As of December 31, 2011, its net production from the Uinta Basin was approximately 22,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

The Company has approximately 65,000 net acres under development on the Nesson Anticline of North Dakota and west of the Nesson. In addition, it has about 40,000 net acres in the mature Elm Coulee field, located in Richland County, Montana. As of December 31, 2011, it had! drilled 67 wells in North Dakota with production from the Bakken formation. Its acreage is also prospective for the Sanish/Three Forks formation. As of December 21, 2011, its net production was approximately 7,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day. It has approximately 340,000 net acres in the Southern Alberta Basin of northern Montana. Its activities in the Mid-Continent have been focused on two natural gas plays - the Arkoma Woodford and the Granite Wash. As of December 31, 2011, it had approximately 480,000 net acres in the Mid-Continent and its production was approximately 330 millions of cubic feet equivalent per day.

The Company has more than 300,000 net acres in Oklahoma�� Woodford play. Approximately 170,000 net acres are in the Arkoma Woodford Basin. As of December 31, 2011, its net daily production in the Arkoma Woodford was approximately 180 millions of cubic feet equivalent per day. As of December 31, 2011, it had more than 125,000 net acres in the Cana Woodford play, located in the Anadarko Basin. The Company has approximately 50,000 net acres in the Granite Wash, located in Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. As of December 31, 2011, its net production from the region was approximately 101 millions of cubic feet equivalent per day. Its producing field in the Granite Wash includes Stiles/Britt Ranch, where it operates and owns 17,000 net acres. During 2011, it ran three to four operated rigs in the Granite Wash. It has approximately 317,000 net acres in the Eagle Ford and Pearsall shales in the Maverick Basin, located in Maverick, Dimmit and Zavala counties, Texas. As of December 31, 2011, it completed a total of 54 wells in the basin and its production was approximately 3,800 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The acreage includes multiple geologic horizons, including the Georgetown, Glen Rose, Pearsall, Austin Chalk and the Eagle Ford.

Conventional Plays

The Company has operations in conventional plays onshore Texas, offshore Malaysia and China and! in the G! ulf of Mexico. As of December 31, 2011, it owned an interest in approximately 147,000 net acres in conventional onshore Texas plays with net production of approximately 88 millions of cubic feet equivalent per day. Its international activities are focused on offshore oil developments in Southeast Asia and China. It has production and active developments offshore Malaysia and the People�� Republic of China. As of February 21, 2012, its net production from Malaysia was at 29,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. It has an interest in approximately 925,000 net acres offshore Malaysia and approximately 290,000 net acres offshore the People�� Republic of China.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned interests in 91 deepwater leases and approximately 275,000 net acres. As of December 31, 2011, its net production from the Gulf of Mexico was approximately 75 millions of cubic feet equivalent per day. In February 2012, production commenced from its deepwater Pyrenees development, with net daily production of approximately 3,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Matt DiLallo]

    Oil and gas producers face many risks, with weather being one that could really impact a company's results if it's focused on just one play. This is where a producer like�Newfield Exploration� (NYSE: NFX  ) , for example, can have a leg up on more focused producers. Newfield, which operates in four major U.S. basins, including the Bakken, can move its capital around if it runs into issues with the weather or prices. The plan this year is to spend about 16% of its capex budget on the Bakken, which will produce 25% oil production growth year over year. The flexibility of working in multiple basins has enabled Newfield to work around weather and infrastructure challenges in the Bakken to grow its overall oil and natural gas liquids production by 39% this year.

  • [By Ben Eisen and Saumya Vaishampayan]

    Newfield Exploration Co. (NFX) �shares shed 4.1%, along with other energy stocks.

Hot Electric Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now

After a strong jobs report was released this morning, investors quickly began buying stocks and moving out of bonds. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) opened this morning up more than 100 points and, despite a mid-morning decline, managed to close the day up 147 points, or 0.98%. But, bond investors surely didn't have as good of a day, as Treasury bond yields quickly shot higher and closed well above were they were yesterday. The 10-year Treasury bond opened the day yielding 2.5%, and closed at 2.72%, while the 30 year T-Bill opened at 3.5%, and closed at 3.68%. The jobs report showing better-than-expected results was likely the reason for both the stock rally and the changes in bond yields. On one hand, a strong jobs market means the economy is doing well and businesses are busy enough to increase employee head counts; but this also means that the Federal Reserve may soon begin slowing its bond-buying program, and allow interest rates to start creeping higher.

Top 5 Sliver Companies To Own For 2015: Meritage Homes Corp (MTH)

Meritage Homes Corporation, incorporated on May 26 1988, operates as holding company. The Company through its subsidiaries is a designer and builder of single-family detached homes based on the number of home closings. The Company primarily builds in regions of the western and southern United States and offer a variety of homes that are designed to appeal to a range of homebuyers, including first-time, move-up, active adult and luxury. It has operations in three regions: West, Central and East, which consists of seven states: Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, Colorado, Florida, and the Carolinas. Operations within the Carolinas include the Raleigh and Charlotte metropolitan areas, with some Charlotte communities located across the border into South Carolina. These three regions are its principal business segments. The Company�� homebuilding and marketing activities are conducted under the Meritage Homes brand, except for Arizona and Texas where it operates under the name Monterey Homes. As of December 31, 2012, it was selling homes in 158 communities. Effective September 4, 2013, Meritage Homes Corporation acquired Phillips Builders Inc from Beazer Homes USA Inc.

The Company�� homes range from entry level to luxury. The Company purchases a combination of finished lots and partially-developed or undeveloped lots. As of December 31, 2012, in addition to its approximately 17,500 owned lots, it also had approximately 3,300 committed lots under option or contract. It also participates in three mortgage and one title business joint ventures. The mortgage joint ventures are engaged in mortgage activities, and they provide services to both its customers and other homebuyers. The Company acts as a general contractor.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Morgan Housel]

    Meritage Homes (NYSE: MTH  ) �a large national builder, opened sales last September for 75 new homes at its Belmonte subdivision, with prices starting just below $280,000. By the time the community had sold out, in early March of this year, prices had risen by between $55,000 and $75,000 on every model.

  • [By James E. Brumley]

    Given the bad news regarding new-home sales unveiled� this morning, it's no real surprise that homebuilder stocks like KB Home (NYSE:KBH) and M/I Homes Inc. (NYSE:MHO) are struggling. KBH is down 2.8% as of the last look, while MHO shares are off 4.1%. None of the major homebuilder names are underwater as much as Meritage Homes Corp. (NYSE:MTH) is today, though, with its 8.6% drubbing. Already struggling, today's stumble from MTH may well jump-start a more serious selloff that the bulls have thus far been able to stave off.

Hot Electric Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (REFG.PK)

Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions, incorporated on December 1, 2005, is a provider of integrated supply and distribution technology. The Company�� Seed-to-Sale (S2S) integrated solution is a management and compliance technology for growers, caregivers and dispensaries in the market. The Company also works with public officials and government agencies to expand the acceptance of medicinal cannabis, and the adoption of a legal framework where maximum market expansion is possible. The Company solves the fragmentation problem by identifying tools that are important to dispensaries, and customizing those tools specifically catered to the industry. The Company's solutions include Spark, Ghost and S2S.

Spark

The Company�� SPARK Hosted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provides customers with enterprise-class hosted phone systems customized to fit customers��needs. SPARK's service is a fully-managed, cloud-based system. The Company offers the convenience of an online Internet Protocol (IP)-based telecommunications system while still delivering substantial savings to customers bottom line.

Ghost

By offering customers a customized, tailored mobile solution, the Company's Ghost Mobile Apps give a marketing tool with a texting and e-mail solution, keeping customers in constant contact with patients and clients. The Company creates an optimized experience in context to each device or screen size.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Alan Brochstein]

    Not too surprisingly, supply is starting to increase. We have seen some companies enter the space by expanding their own businesses, but there have been some reverse mergers lately too. I had mentioned Refill Energy (REFG.PK) recently (soon to be Medical Cannabis Financial Group), but earlier this month Promap (PMAP.OB) acquired 94% of Advanced Cannabis Solutions (link to 8-K). As an aside, I think that this company is worth considering given the management team and the business model. Investors should keep in the back of their mind that there are many companies that are quietly developing their business models and could become public over time, especially as the regulatory and legal landscapes improve.

Hot Electric Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: EnteroMedics Inc.(ETRM)

EnteroMedics Inc., a clinical development stage medical device company, focuses on the design and development of devices that use neuroblocking technology to treat obesity and associated co-morbidities, and other gastrointestinal disorders. The company?s proprietary neuroblocking technology is designed to intermittently block the vagus nerve using electrical impulses. Its product under development is the Maestro System, which is used to limit the expansion of the stomach, control hunger sensations between meals, reduce the frequency and intensity of stomach contractions, and produce a feeling of early and prolonged fullness. The company intends to market its products to potential referral source clinicians, including general practitioners, internists, endocrinologists, and nurses. It has collaboration agreement with Mayo Clinic and Australian Institute of Weight Control. The company was formerly known as Beta Medical, Inc. and changed its name to EnteroMedics Inc. in 2003 . EnteroMedics Inc. was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    On Tuesday, small cap EnteroMedics Inc (NASDAQ: ETRM) soared 63.5% after reporting new clinical trial data for its Maestro system that is designed to control obesity, meaning it might be time to take a closer look at the stock along with the performance of other small cap obesity drug or treatment players like Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: ARNA), Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc (NASDAQ: OREX) and VIVUS, Inc (NASDAQ: VVUS).

  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap biotech Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: ARNA) soared yesterday and last Friday on earnings as well as news that the company will expand its marketing and supply agreement with Japan based Eisai for its BELVIQ (lorcaserin HCl) obesity drug, meaning it might be time to take a closer look at other biotech stocks like Orexigen Therapeutics, Inc (NASDAQ: OREX), EnteroMedics Inc (NASDAQ: ETRM) and VIVUS, Inc (NASDAQ: VVUS) that are in the business of treating obesity. Specifically, Arena Pharmaceuticals announced an expanded agreement providing Eisai with exclusive commercialization rights for all countries worldwide (except for South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, Israel and New Zealand) for BELVIQ where Arena will receive an upfront payment of $60 million and is eligible to receive up to a total of $176.5 million in regulatory and development milestone payments - an increase of $123 million from the amount remaining available under the previous agreement. BELVIQ was approved in June 2012, but didn't reach the market until June 2013 due to logistical concerns like classification by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Its also�approved for use in adults who are obese or who are overweight and who have at least one serious medical condition (e.g. diabetes or high cholesterol).

  • [By James E. Brumley]

    Look out VIVUS, Inc. (NASDAQ:VVUS) and Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARNA). There's a new weight-loss player ready to take aim at your target market, and its name is EnteroMedics Inc. (NASDAQ:ETRM). If the recent action from ETRM is any indication, the market thinks it could be a real threat to your weight-loss ventures.

Hot Electric Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida(SBCF)

Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida operates as the holding company for Seacoast National Bank that provides various financial products and services in the United States. It offers an array of deposit accounts and retail banking services; engages in consumer and commercial lending activities; and provides various trust and asset management services, as well as securities and annuity products to its customers. The company also offers marine loans. In addition, it provides Internet banking, and brokerage and annuity services. As of June 17, 2011, the company had 39 offices in South and Central Florida. Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida was founded in 1926 and is based in Stuart, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    One that recently crossed my radar as an "avoid" is small-cap bank Seacoast Banking Corp. of Florida (NASDAQ: SBCF  ) �(henceforth known here as Seacoast to make our lives easier).

Hot Electric Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF (IWN)

iShares Russell 2000 Value Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Russell 2000 Value Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the small-capitalization value sector of the United States equity market. It is a subset of the Russell 2000 Index. The Index is a capitalization-weighted index and consists of those companies or portion of a company, with lower price-to-book ratios and lower forecasted growth within the Russell 2000 Index. The Index represents approximately 50% of the total market capitalization of the Russell 2000 Index.

The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. iShares Russell 2000 Value Index Fund's investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap custom carry and protective solutions stock Forward Industries, Inc (NASDAQ: FORD) jumped 22.51% earlier today as an apparent turnaround continues, meaning its worth taking a closer look at a stock that�� in a decidedly niche area plus look at the performance of potential investment benchmarks like the iShares Russell 2000 Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IWM), iShares Russell 2000 Growth Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IWO) and iShares Russell 2000 Value Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IWN).

  • [By John Udovich]

    Yesterday, Luna Innovations Incorporated (NASDAQ: LUNA), a rather unusual and innovative small cap stock,�soared some 23.26%���meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with its performance verses the performance of small cap benchmarks like the iShares Russell 2000 Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IWM), the�iShares Russell 2000 Value Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IWN) or the iShares Russell 2000 Growth Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IWO).

Hot Electric Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: Qiwi PLC (QIWI)

QIWI plc., incorporated on February 26, 2007, is a provider of payment services in Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). The Company has an integrated network that enables payment services across physical, online and mobile channels. In December 2013, the Company announced that it has completed the acquisition of Blestgroup Enterprises Limited.

The Company has deployed over 11 million virtual wallets, over 169,000 kiosks and terminals, and enabled over 40,000 merchants to accept cash and electronic payments monthly from over 65 million consumers using the Company 's network at least once a month. The Company�� consumers can use cash, stored value and other electronic payment methods to order and pay for goods and services across physical or online environments interchangeably.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Qiwi plc (NASDAQ: QIWI) is expected to report its Q4 earnings at $0.28 per share on revenue of $50.00 million.

    Krispy Kreme Doughnuts (NYSE: KKD) is estimated to post its Q4 earnings at $0.13 per share on revenue of $119.59 million.

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Equities Trading UP
    Qiwi plc (NASDAQ: QIWI) shot up 5.02 percent to $44.15 on Q3 results.

    Shares of Brocade Communications Systems (NASDAQ: BRCD) got a boost, shooting up 8.40 percent to $8.77 after the company reported a better-than-expected Q4 profit.

  • [By David Zeiler]

    10. QIWI PLC (Nasdaq: QIWI): QIWI provides payment services to 65 million monthly customers in Russia as well as nations once part of the former Soviet Union. QIWI went public May 3 at an offer price of $17 and rose only 8 cents on its first day. Yet now QIWI trades at $40.95 - 140.88% higher than its IPO price.

  • [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

    With that in mind, the four main Russian tech leaders investors should know about are:

    VimpelCom Ltd. (ADR) (Nasdaq: VIP), a broad telecom play. The company provides both fixed and wireless web access, as well as mobile communications and services. The company has a number of subsidiaries that, taken together, have something like 215 million subscribers. Mobile Telesystems OJSC (ADR) (NYSE: MBT), a straight-up mobile play that operates in the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Armenia. Plus, it has a strategic relationship with one of Europe's major players, Vodafone Group Plc (ADR) (Nasdaq: VOD). Qiwi PLC (Nasdaq: QIWI), a leader in electronic payments through kiosks, the web, and mobile platforms. It's Russia's version of PayPal - so we better not tell Carl Icahn... he might start a campaign to break up that company, too. And Yandex NV (Nasdaq: YNDX), which is the "Google of Russia." Yandex operates the world's fourth-ranked search engine and enjoys a 60% market share in its home country. Google, with about a quarter of the market, is a very distant second there.

    That's a great rundown on Russia's tech leaders. Are there any worth buying at this level? And why?

Hot Electric Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: Omnicare Inc (OCR)

Omnicare, Inc. (Omnicare) is a healthcare services company. The Company operates in two primary businesses: Long-Term Care Group (LTC) and Specialty Care Group (SCG). Through LTC, Omnicare provides pharmaceuticals and related pharmacy and ancillary services to long-term care facilities, as well as chronic care facilities and other settings. SCG provides commercialization services for the biopharmaceutical industry in addition to end-of-life pharmaceutical care management for hospice care agencies. At December 31, 2011, LTC provided its pharmacy services in 47 states in the United States, the District of Columbia and in Canada. In September 2012, Five Star Quality Care, Inc. sold its pharmacy business to Omnicare.

Long-Term Care Group

Omnicare operates the institutional pharmacy business in North America. LTC's customers consist of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), assisted living facilities (ALFs), independent living communities, hospitals, correctional facilities, and other healthcare service providers. LTC consisted of approximately 83% of the Company�� total net sales during the year ended December 31, 2011 and dispensed approximately 115.1 million prescriptions. The Company provides pharmacy consulting, including monthly patient drug therapy evaluations, assist in compliance with state and federal regulations and provide clinical and health management programs (utilizing outcomes-based algorithm technology). LTC also provides a range of technology solutions based on its Omniview Web-based platform.

LTC also provides a range of other products and services, including intravenous medications and nutrition products (infusion therapy products and services), respiratory therapy services, medical supplies and equipment (including billing the Medicare Part B program for eligible patients) and clinical care planning. It also provides pharmaceutical case management services for retirees, employees and dependents. The Company purchases, repackages and dispenses presc! ription and non-prescription medication in accordance with physician orders and deliver such prescriptions to long-term care facilities for administration to individual residents (by the facilities��nursing staff for SNFs).

The Company services long-term care facilities typically within a radius of approximately 150 miles of its pharmacy locations and maintain an around-the-clock, seven-day per week, on-call pharmacist service for emergency dispensing and delivery, and for consultation with the facility's staff or attending physician. The Company utilizes a unit-of-use drug distribution system. This means that its prescriptions are packaged for dispensing in individual doses. The Company�� range of technologies allow Web-based access to electronic medical records, automated pharmacy billing, online medication refills and returns processing, census tracking, pre-admission medication assessment and access to the Omnicare Guidelines.

Specialty Care Group

SCG serves the needs of biopharmaceutical manufacturers, physicians, nurses, caregivers and patients. Its services are based on five platforms: brand support services, third party logistics, patient assistance programs, specialty pharmacy and disease management for end-of-life care. In the Company�� specialty pharmacy platform, it provides dispensing of specialized pharmaceuticals. These specialized drugs deal primarily with specific categories of drugs and disease states, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, oncology and growth hormones. In its end-of-life care platform, Omnicare provides hospice care pharmaceutical management. SCG accounted for approximately 17% of the Company�� total net sales during 2011.

Omnicare competes with PharMerica Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Kell]

    Omnicare Inc.(OCR) swung to an unexpected fourth-quarter loss on write-downs related to its hospice pharmacy business and certain certain retail operations that have been classified as discontinued operations. Results missed expectations, sending shares down 5.5% to $61 premarket.

  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Healthcare services provider Omnicare (OCR) raised its quarterly dividend 43% to 20 cents per share, payable on Dec. 24 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 16.
    OCR Dividend Yield: 1.36%