Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Top 10 Chemical Stocks To Watch Right Now

With shares of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (NYSE:DD) trading at around $55.52, is DD an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

C = Catalyst for the Stock�� Movement

DuPont is trading at 11 times earnings whereas The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE:DOW) is trading at 42 times earnings, and Monsanto (NYSE:MON) is trading at 23 times earnings. However, Monsanto is the most impressive of the three when it comes to profit margin, which is 17.18 percent. DuPont has a profit margin of 13.18 percent, and Dow Chemical has a profit margin of 2.34 percent. In regards to dividend yield, Dow Chemical currently yields 3.70 percent, DuPont yields 3.20 percent, and Monsanto yields 1.50 percent. Up until this point in time, it should be unclear which stock is the most appealing. However, that will change by the time we reach the Conclusion section.

Sticking with the numbers comparison theme for now, there is a 2.90 percent short position on DuPont, a 1.50 percent short position on Dow Chemical, and a 0.90 percent short position on Monsanto. None of these short positions are high, but there is a takeaway from these numbers, which is that shorts don�� want to have anything to do with Monsanto. Why?

Top 5 Performing Stocks To Own For 2015: Wacker Chemie AG (WCH)

Wacker Chemie AG is a Germany-based company engaged in chemical industry. The Company operates through four business segments: WACKER SILICONES, which produces silicone products, ranging from silanes through silicone fluids, emulsions, elastomers, sealants and resins to pyrogenic silicas; WACKER POLYMERS, which offers a range of polymeric binders and additives; WACKER POLYSILICON, which provides polysilicon, and WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS, which is the life science division of the Company, offers solutions and products for the food, pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. The Company offers its products for a range of sectors, including consumer goods, food, pharmaceuticals, textiles and the solar, electrical/electronics, basic-chemical industries, medical technology, biotech and mechanical engineering, automotive and construction. The Company also supplies silicon wafers to the semiconductor industry. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jonathan Morgan]

    Wacker Chemie AG (WCH), the fourth-largest producer of polysilicon, jumped 9 percent to 56.22 euros, its largest increase since December.

    Banks Decline

    Commerzbank slumped 3.7 percent to 8.18 euros, for the biggest loss on the benchmark index.

Top 10 Chemical Stocks To Watch Right Now: Symrise AG (SY1)

Symrise AG is a Germany-based fragrances and flavors manufacturer. The Company diversifies its activities into two business divisions: Flavor & Nutrition and Scent & Care. The Flavor & Nutrition business division produces flavors in liquid, powder, granulated and paste form, providing individual flavors as well as complete solutions which, apart from aroma, can contain additional functional raw materials, colorants or microencapsulated components. The products are divided into the beverages, savory, sweet and consumer health groups. The Scent & Care business division is divided into Fragrances, Oral Care, Life Essentials and Aroma Molecules. The Fragrances products are divided into the Fine Fragrances, Personal Care and Household groups. The Life Essentials are used in the cosmetic ingredients market, and include Botanicals and Cosmetic Ingredients, among others. The Aroma Molecules are used in the aroma chemicals market, and include Sensates (Menthols), among others. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Inyoung Hwang]

    Symrise AG (SY1) jumped 5.7 percent to 32.95 euros. The fourth-largest maker of flavors and fragrances pledged to remain one of the most profitable companies in its industry amid higher demand for aroma molecules and fragrances. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, will be about 20 percent of sales in 2013 and will stay in the range of 19 percent to 22 percent in coming years, the company said today.

Top 10 Chemical Stocks To Watch Right Now: Passport Potash Inc (PPI)

Passport Potash Inc. is a Canada-based exploration-stage company engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral resource properties. The Company is engaged in the exploration and development of potash properties. The Company has an interest in or has the right to earn an interest in six properties, Southwest Exploration Property, Twin Buttes Ranch, Sweetwater/American Potash, Mesa Uranium, Ringbolt Property and Fitzgerald Ranch (the Holbrook Basin properties), which are all located in Arizona. The Company has not established any proven or probable reserves on its mineral property interests. The Company's Holbrook Basin project is located seven miles east of Holbrook, Arizona. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Arrow Analysis]

    The merger between the two companies had been in the works since September, but hit many a bump on the road. The two major obstacles in the path were the Chinese regulations and the ongoing tax investigation regarding Nokia�� Indian plant, operating in Chennai. While China green-lighted the deal easily, the Indian authorities were less obliging. The end result is that the Indian facility was not a part of the acquisitions and will be retained by Nokia. Although Nokia has not announced any conclusive plans, the fact that it offered its 7500+ Indian workers early retirement scheme suggests that the plant may soon be shut down. Also, noticeably absent from the terms of the merger was the ��tate of the art��South Korean plant in Masan. The deal closed for $7.5 billion. As previously decided, Nokia�� former CEO Stephen Elop will be reporting to Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella and will be appointed executive vice president of Microsoft Devices Group. He will be overseeing the division that, from hence on, will be in charge of expanding the business of Lumia smartphones and tablets, Xbox hardware, Perceptive Pixel (PPI) products and accessories. Microsoft also plans to export more than 25,000 of Nokia�� former 90,000 employees.What does it mean for Microsoft�� future?

  • [By JulieYoung789]

    On Friday, June 13 the Commerce Department released its monthly report on producer prices which is one measure used to gauge the direction of price inflation in the U.S. The May Producer Price Index (PPI) reading showed a decrease of 0.2% seasonally adjusted. The Producer Price Index is a significant market moving news release and the worse than expected results likely had an effect on the market�� downward turn for the week.

Top 10 Chemical Stocks To Watch Right Now: Celanese Corporation (CE)

Celanese Corporation, a technology and specialty materials company, engages in manufacture and sale of value-added chemicals, thermoplastic polymers, and other chemical-based products. It operates through four business segments: Advanced Engineered Materials, Consumer Specialties, Industrial Specialties, and Acetyl Intermediates. The Advanced Engineered Materials segment offers specialty polymers for application in automotive, medical, and electronics products, as well as other consumer and industrial applications. The Consumer Specialties segment provides cellulose acetate flake, film, and tow that are primarily used in filter products applications; Sunett, a sweetener; and food protection ingredients, such as sorbates and sorbic acid for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. The Industrial Specialties segment produces emulsions and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) performance polymers. Its emulsions products are used in applications, such as paints and coatings, adhesives, construction, glass fiber, textiles, and paper; and EVA performance polymers are used in flexible packaging films, lamination film products, hot melt adhesives, medical products, automotive, carpeting and photovoltaic cells. The Acetyl Intermediates segment offers acetyl products, including acetic acid, vinyl acetate monomer, acetic anhydride, and acetate esters for use as starting materials for colorants, paints, adhesives, coatings, and medicines. It also provides organic solvents and intermediates for pharmaceutical, agricultural, and chemical products. The company offers its products directly, as well as through distributors and electronic marketplaces in North America, Europe, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, and South America. Celanese Corporation was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Celanese (NYSE: CE) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $1.04 per share on revenue of $1.59 billion.

    Posted-In: Earnings scheduleEarnings News Pre-Market Outlook Markets

  • [By Travis Hoium]

    What: Shares of chemical maker Celanese (NYSE: CE  ) jumped as much as 16% today after the company released earnings.

    So what: Revenue fell slightly in the first quarter, to $1.61 billion, but adjusted earnings per share jumped 44%, to $1.14. Revenue was in line with expectations, and earnings crushed the $0.79 that analysts expected.�

  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Chemical products manufacturer Celanese (CE) raised its quarterly dividend 39% to 25 cents per share payable payable on May 16 to shareholders of record May 5.
    CE Dividend Yield: 1.69%

  • [By Magic Diligence]

    Given this fact, and the fact that consumer electronics (CE) is a cyclical industry, flash supply and demand balance is very tenuous. Frantic production to catch up to demand often leads to dramatic over-supply when the CE market cools off. One needs only to look at SanDisk's financials to see this. The company swung from a $917 dollar operations loss in 2008 to a $1.5 billion dollar profit in 2011, and which was then cut in half to just a $700 million profit the following year!

Top 10 Chemical Stocks To Watch Right Now: Stepan Co (SCL)

Stepan Company, incorporated on February 19, 1959, produces specialty and intermediate chemicals, which are sold to other manufacturers and then made into a variety of end products. The Company serves principal markets, such as manufacturers of cleaning and washing compounds (including detergents, shampoos, fabric softeners, toothpastes and household cleaners), paints, cosmetics, food and beverages, agricultural products, plastics, furniture, automotive equipment, insulation and refrigeration. The Company has three segments: surfactants, polymers and specialty products. The Company operates in the geographical regions of North America, Europe, Latin America and Asia. As of December 31, 2012, the Surfactants segment accounted to 72%, Polymers segment accounted to 24% and Specialty segment accounted to 4% of the Company�� revenues. On March 22, 2012, the Company increased its controlling interest in Stepan Philippines Inc from 89% to 100%.

Surfactants

Surfactants are used in a variety of consumer and industrial cleaning compounds as well as in agricultural products, lubricating ingredients, biodiesel and other specialized applications. The Surfactants are principal ingredients in consumer and industrial cleaning products, such as detergents for washing clothes, dishes, carpets, floors and walls, as well as shampoos, body washes, toothpastes and fabric softeners. Surfactants are manufactured at six North American sites (five in the United States and one in Canada), three European sites (United Kingdom, France and Germany), and three Latin American sites (Mexico, Brazil and Colombia), and one Asian site (Philippines and Singapore). The Company also holds a 50% ownership interest in a joint venture, TIORCO, LLC (TIORCO), that markets chemical solutions for increasing the production of crude oil and natural gas from existing fields.

Polymers

Polymers generate its revenues primarily from the sale of polyols and phthalic anhydride used in plastics, buildi! ng materials and refrigeration systems. It includes two primary product lines: polyols and phthalic anhydride. Polyols are used in the manufacture of rigid laminate insulation board for thermal insulation in the construction industry. Polyols are also a base raw material for flexible foams, coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers.

Phthalic anhydride is used in unsaturated polyester resins, alkyd resins and plasticizers for applications in construction materials and components of automotive, boating and other consumer products. In addition, phthalic anhydride is used internally in the production of polyols. In the United States, polymer product lines are manufactured at the Company�� Millsdale, Illinois, site. In Europe, polyols are manufactured at the Company�� subsidiaries in Germany and Poland. In Asia, polyols are produced at the Company�� 80% owned joint venture in Nanjing, China.

Specialty Products

Specialty products are used in food, flavoring and pharmaceutical applications. It includes flavors, emulsifiers and solubilizers used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Specialty products are primarily manufactured at the Company�� Maywood, New Jersey, site.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Stepan Company (NYSE: SCL) is expected to report its Q3 earnings at $0.93 per share on revenue of $467.40 million.

    Lennox International (NYSE: LII) is projected to report its Q3 earnings at $1.28 per share on revenue of $877.87 million.

  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Specialty chemical maker Stepan (SCL) raised its quarterly dividend 6% to 17 cents per share, payable on Dec. 13 to shareholders of record as of Nov. 29. This marks the 46th consecutive annual dividend increase.
    SCL Dividend Yield: 1.13%

  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Basic guidelines
    In this series, I examine inventory using a simple rule of thumb: Inventory increases ought to roughly parallel revenue increases. If inventory bloats more quickly than sales grow, this might be a sign that expected sales haven't materialized. Is the current inventory situation at Stepan (NYSE: SCL  ) out of line? To figure that out, start by comparing the company's inventory growth to sales growth. How is Stepan doing by this quick checkup? At first glance, not so great. Trailing-12-month revenue decreased 4.8%, and inventory increased 30.6%. Comparing the latest quarter to the prior-year quarter, the story looks potentially problematic. Revenue dropped 1.9%, and inventory grew 30.6%. Over the sequential quarterly period, the trend looks OK but not great. Revenue grew 6.9%, and inventory grew 9.5%.

  • [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 Stepan (NYSE: SCL  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top 10 Chemical Stocks To Watch Right Now: PolyOne Corp (POL)

PolyOne Corporation (PolyOne), incorporated on August 31, 2000, is a provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions with operations in specialty polymer formulations, color and additive systems, polymer distribution and specialty vinyl resins. The Company is a specialized developer and manufacturer of additives, liquid colorants, and fluoropolymer and silicone colorants. The Company offers approximately 52,000 polymer solutions to approximately 14,000 customers across the globe. The Company has 60 manufacturing sites and nine distribution facilities in North America, Europe, Asia and South America. The Company operates in four segments: Global Specialty Engineered Materials; Global Color, Additives and Inks; Performance Products and Solutions, and PolyOne Distribution. On January 3, 2011, the Company acquired Uniplen Industria de Polimeros Ltda. (Uniplen). In February 2011, the Company sold its 50% interest in SunBelt Chlor Alkali Partnership (SunBelt). On December 21, 2011, the Company acquired ColorMatrix Group, Inc. In December 2012, the Company acquired Glasforms Inc. Effective March 13, 2013, the Company acquired the interest of Spartech Corporation.

Global Specialty Engineered Materials

Global Specialty Engineered Materials is a provider of custom plastic formulations, services and solutions for designers, assemblers and processors of thermoplastic materials across a range of markets and end-use applications. Its product portfolio includes standard and custom formulated high-performance polymer compounds that are manufactured using thermoplastic compounds and elastomers, which are then combined with advanced polymer additive, reinforcement, filler, colorant and/or biomaterial technologies. The segment includes GLS Corporation (GLS). Global Specialty Engineered Materials has plants, sales and service facilities located throughout North America, Europe and Asia and South America.

Global Color, Additives and Inks

Global Color! , Additives and Inks is a provider of specialized color and additive concentrates, as well as inks and latexes. Its additive masterbatches encompass a range of performance enhancing characteristics and are commonly categorized by the function that they perform, such as ultra violet (UV) stabilization, anti-static, chemical blowing, antioxidant and lubricant, and processing enhancement. Its colorant and additives masterbatches are used in a range of plastics, including those used in food and medical packaging, transportation, building products, pipe and wire and cable markets. The Company also provides custom-formulated liquid systems that meet a variety of customer needs and chemistries, including vinyl, natural rubber and latex, polyurethane and silicone. Products include inks and latexes for diversified markets, including recreational and athletic apparel, construction and filtration, outdoor furniture and healthcare. Global Color, Additives and Inks has plants, sales and service facilities located throughout North America, Europe, Asia and North America.

Performance Products and Solutions

Performance Products and Solutions offers an array of products and services for vinyl coating, molding and extrusion processors principally in North America. Its product offerings include vinyl compounds, vinyl resins, and specialty coating materials based on vinyl. These products are sold to manufacturers of plastic parts and consumer-oriented products. The Company also offers a range of services, including materials testing and component analysis, custom compound development, colorant and additive services, design assistance, structural analyses, process simulations and extruder screw design. Vinyl is utilized across a range of applications in building and construction, wire and cable, consumer and recreation markets, transportation, packaging and healthcare. The segment also includes Producer Services, which offers custom compounding services to resin producers and processors that desig! n and dev! elop their own compound and masterbatch recipes.

PolyOne Distribution

The Company�� PolyOne Distribution business distributes approximately 3,500 grades of engineering and commodity grade resins, including PolyOne-produced compounds, to the North American market. These products are sold to approximately 5,700 custom injection molders and extruders who, in turn, convert them into plastic parts that are sold to end-users in a range of industries. Representing approximately 20 major suppliers, the Company offers its customers a product portfolio, just-in-time delivery from multiple stocking locations and local technical support. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company extended its distribution operations to Asia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Specialized polymer materials manufacturer and distributor PolyOne (POL) raised its quarterly dividend 33% to 8 cents per share, payable on Jan. 9, 2014 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 17.
    POL Dividend Yield: 0.97%

Top 10 Chemical Stocks To Watch Right Now: Intrepid Potash Inc (IPI)

Intrepid Potash, Inc.( Intrepid), incorporated on November 19, 2007, is a producer of muriate of potash (potassium chloride or potash) in the United States and are engaged the production and marketing of potash and langbeinite (sulfate of potash magnesia), another mineral containing potassium, magnesium, and sulfate, that is produced from langbeinite ore and as Trio when it refers to sales and marketing. Its Carlsbad assets consist of underground mining operations, which are supported by surface processing facilities. It is also operators of solar solution mining operations, as its Moab and Wendover facilities both utilize these techniques for recovering potash. Its revenues are generated from the sale of potash and Trio. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned five potash production facilities, three in New Mexico and two in Utah. Its two products are potash and langbeinite, which is marketed as Trio.

Potash

The Company derives revenues and gross margin are derived from the production and sales of potash. Its potash is marketed for sale into three primary markets: the agricultural market as a fertilizer, the industrial market as a component in drilling and fracturing fluids for oil and gas wells, and the animal feed market as a nutrient. Its sales of potash tend to focus on agricultural areas and feed manufacturers in central and western United States, as well as oil and gas drilling areas in the Rocky Mountains and the greater Permian Basin area.

Trio

Trio is marketed into two primary markets, the agricultural market as a fertilizer and the animal feed market as a nutrient. It markets Trio internationally through an exclusive marketing agreement with PCS Sales (USA), Inc. (PCS Sales) for sales outside the United States and Canada and through a non-exclusive agreement for sales into Mexico.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Potash Corp of Saskatchewan (POT), for instance, lost 16% last year, while Mosaic (MOS) dropped 15%, Intrepid Potash (IPI) plunged 26% and Agrium (AGU) declined 5.9%.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Intrepid Potash (IPI) has fallen 1.3% to $16.00 after it was downgraded to Underweight from Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley.

    Shares of Potbelly (PBPB) rose 129% $32 on their first day of trading.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Best Industrial Conglomerate Companies To Buy For 2015

Best Industrial Conglomerate Companies To Buy F or 2015: Toshiba Corp (TOSBF)

TOSHIBA CORPORATION is a Japan-based manufacturer that operates in five business segments. The Digital Product segment manufactures and sells cellular phones, hard disc devices, optical disc devices, televisions among others. The Electronic Device segment provides general logic integrated circuits (ICs), optical semiconductors, power devices, large-scale integrated (LSI) circuits, among others. The Social Infrastructure segment manufactures and sells various generators, power distribution systems, water and sewer systems, transportation systems and station automation systems, among others. The Home Appliance segment provides refrigerators, drying machines, washing machines, cooking utensils, cleaners and lighting equipment, among others. The Others segment is involved in the provision of logistics services. In January 2014, Toshiba Corp purchased substantially all assets of OCZ Technology Group, and launched new subsidiary, OCZ Storage Solutions. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Bruce Kennedy]

    On Monday, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced indictments against five officers in China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) for "serious cybersecurity breaches" against six American firms: Westinghouse Electric, a division of Toshiba (OTC: TOSBF) , Alcoa (NYSE: AA), Allegheny Technologies (NYSE: ATI), U.S. Steel (NYSE: X), the United Steelworkers Union and SolarWorld (OTC: SRWRY).

  • [By Dan Carroll and Max Macaluso, Ph.D.]

    Panasonic's (NASDAQOTH: PCRFY  ) not the first company you may think of in the health-care field, but this Japanese electronics maker's a player in blood glucose monitors and other fields. With Panasonic's sales under fire across the board, however, this company's looking to sell off its health-care business to refocus on its core segments. To! shiba (NASDAQOTH: TOSBF  ) reportedly has expressed interest in a buy, and private equity-firms are also in the hunt to get on board with Asia's health-care rise.

  • source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-industrial-conglomerate-companies-to-buy-for-2015-2.html

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Top 10 Media Stocks To Own For 2015

Top 10 Media Stocks To Own For 2015: DISH Network Corporation(DISH)

DISH Network Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides direct broadcast satellite (DBS) subscription television services in the United States. It offers programming that includes approximately 280 basic video channels, 60 Sirius satellite radio music channels, 30 premium movie channels, 35 regional and specialty sports channels, 2,800 local channels, 250 Latino and international channels, and 55 channels of pay-per-view content. The company also offers local HD channels in approximately 160 markets and 215 national HD channels; and receiver systems, including a small satellite dish, digital set-top receivers, and remote controls. In addition, it provides DISHOnline.com, which enables DISH Network subscribers to watch 150,000 movies, television shows, clips, and trailers; DISH Remote Access that enables subscribers to remotely manage their DVRs using compatible mobile devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops through their broadband-connected receiver; and Go ogle TV that enables DISH Network subscribers to search the Internet, check email, interact with social media, and find additional online programming content while simultaneously watching television. As of March 31, 2011, the company had approximately 14.191 million customers. DISH Network provides receiver systems and programming through direct sales channels; and independent third parties, such as small satellite retailers, direct marketing groups, local and regional consumer electronics stores, nationwide retailers, and telecommunications companies. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Englewood, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Adam Levy]

    But "TV Everywhere" that fulfills its promise could become a reality in the near future, thanks to several companies working with content owners to provide Internet-delivered tele! vision. Sony (NYSE: SNE  ) plans to launch its service by the end of the year, and Verizon (NYSE: VZ  ) is aiming for mid-2015. Dish Network (NASDAQ: DISH  ) already has at least one content deal in the works, and rival DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV  ) isn't far behind. Internet-delivered television could finally deliver on the promise of TV Everywhere.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    We expect a seasonal pickup in implied and realized volatility as we approach year-end. We surveyed analysts across the department to identify the top events in each sector through year-end. We recommend long volatility positions in sectors and companies where the options market appears to be missing key events this fall including Bristol-Myers Squibb, Dish Network (DISH), Intel, Ford Motor, JC Penney, and Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD). We continue to see strong economics keeping volatility below average; however, we believe it is likely for realized volatility to rise from the extremely low levels observed this summer.

  • [By muhammadbazil]

    A few of the basic lessons we can learn from the WWE Network, which went live on Feb. 24, 2014, include:

    Streaming video can increase a company's revenue. On March 30, 2014, right after WWE Network appeared, World Wrestling Entertainment reported a TTM revenue figure of $509.54 million for the first quarter of 2014. On June 30, 2014, WWE reported a TTM revenue figure of $513.57 million. The company's revenues grew by $4.3 million. Building a stable audience for streaming video is tough. The WWE managed to sign up 700,000 paying subscribers by June 30, 2014. Yet Variety.com reported that it had lost 128,000 subscribers between April 6 and June 30. Convincing consumers, even diehard wrestling fans, to spend money on streaming video subscriptions is hard. WWE found its fans balked at paying $9.99 a month (around the cost of a Chipotle dinner) for a six-month subscription. World Wrestling is now trying to lur! e fans wi! th a no-commitment monthly subscription of $12.99 that is supposed to rise to $19.99 at some point in the future. Broadcast, satellite, and cable TV are not dead yet, and they will fight back against streaming video. Satellite TV companies Dish Network (DISH) and DirecTV Group (DTV) refused to carry WWE's pay per view events unless it killed WWE Network. The satellite companies did this because wrestling is still one of the highest rated programs on basic cable and satellite. Supplying cheap programming through streaming video can hurt your core business. Historically, some of WWE's biggest revenue generators have been pay per view events—major wrestling shows featuring big matches between top stars that cable and satellite viewers pay extra to watch. Since WWE Network started streaming pay per views live for just $9.99, pay per view revenues and ratings have collapsed. The June 2013 Payback pay per view attracted 186,000 buyers; only 67,000 pay per view fans tuned into the June 2014 Payback event. Overall, WWE's pay per view revenues hav
  • [By Jayson Derrick]

    Analysts at Wunderlich maintained a Hold rating on Dish Network (NASDAQ: DISH) with a price target raised to $60 from a previous $56. Shares lost 0.81 percent, closing at $64.82.

  • source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-media-stocks-to-own-for-2015.html

Saturday, September 27, 2014

3 Reasons Eli Lilly & Co.'s Stock Could Fall

While revenue and earnings have been slashed at Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE: LLY  ) for the past year, investors who bet more recently on a turnaround have been rewarded with shares at a 10-year high and an admirable 3% dividend yield.

LLY Chart

LLY data by YCharts

Several factors have contributed to this renewed optimism, including cost control measures and an anticipated return to earnings growth in 2015. While there is some merit to those arguments that could continue to send the stock higher, there are other factors at play that could just as easily hurt shareholders. It's worth exploring those factors in depth before deciding whether this ship can right the course.

More patent loss pains

While Lilly's revenue has already fallen 17% in the first half of 2014 compared with the same period in 2013 on the loss of patents for Cymbalta, Zyprexa, and Evista, yet another crucial moneymaker for the company could be on the chopping block. Humalog, Lilly's fast-acting insulin analog, brought in $2.6 billion in 2013, despite having lost patent protection in May of that year. Cheaper generic versions of Humalog have not yet hit the market in the U.S., though not for lack of trying. In fact, Biocon and generic-drug powerhouse Mylan have inked a collaboration to develop generic versions of Humalog, NovoNordisk's Novolog, and Sanofi's Lantus. While the developmental hurdles and still-murky regulatory landscape for biosimilar drugs may delay competition for some time, long-term investors should be aware of the enormous potential for additional top-line troubles.

Business model

Lilly hasn't been alone in its struggle to deflect the blows of patent expirations, but it has chosen a unique approach that differs from its industry peers. Many Big Pharma players have engaged in mergers and acquisitions of various sizes with the intention of bolstering pipelines and cutting costs, sometimes by rebalancing the business to reduce tax rates. With the exception of the acquisition of Novartis Animal Health and smaller bolt-on acquisitions, Lilly has chosen the opposing model of internal innovation and organic growth. This business model leaves little room to debate the efficiency of Lilly's capital allocation, as R&D expense can be compared directly to the company's success in regulatory approvals, without debating the merits of acquisitions and capital expenditures.

LLY Revenue (TTM) Chart

LLY Revenue (TTM) data by YCharts

For the past 10 years, R&D spending roughly kept pace with revenue growth until patent losses impaired that growth a few years ago. Now, R&D spending as a percentage of revenue has increased, suggesting that we look more closely at the efficiency of Lilly's development strategy.

According to Matthew Herper of Forbes, Eli Lilly ranked as the seventh highest spender on R&D per new drug at $6.7 billion adjusted for inflation over a 10-year period. A major threat to Lilly's future financial health is its ability to improve the return on R&D investments. Lilly's model will require disciplined management of pipeline assets to stimulate growth while keeping costs at bay. Management has yet to prove that it can accomplish that goal, and has even inspired doubt with large failed investments in high-risk candidates such as Alzheimer's drugs solanezumab and LY2886721. Questions about capital allocation and return on R&D investment should not be taken lightly, particularly for a company with a dividend that has been stagnant since 2009.

"Perilous pipeline"

For a company leaning on its history of innovation at a time of great turbulence, Eli Lilly has a relatively uninspiring pipeline. A peek at Lilly's website shows a pipeline stocked with several late-stage candidates. A closer look at the lineup, though, is fairly underwhelming. In fact, Foolish colleague Sean Williams crowned Lilly as having "Pharma's Most Perilous Pipeline" -- a title with which I agree.

Lilly's most developed candidates don't do much to differentiate the pipeline from other, more robust Big Pharma pipelines. Take AstraZeneca's  (NYSE: AZN  ) pipeline for comparison. Facing similar revenue declines and an uncertain future, AstraZeneca's pipeline is loaded with drug candidates across multiple areas of medicine, with the built-in strategic flexibility of oncology combination therapies and partnerships. As peers such as AstraZeneca boast truly innovative personalized approaches to treating disease, Lilly's late-stage pipeline lacks the firepower needed to replace its lost revenue. While it is set to compete in some very large markets, namely diabetes and oncology, these markets will become increasingly crowded.

Best Mid Cap Companies For 2015

Even its most advanced oncology candidate, necitumumab, will compete in an established market of Epidermal Growth Factor inhibitors, should the FDA see through an increased risk of blood clots and approve an upcoming regulatory filing. Likewise, Cyramza (ramucirumab) has also been less successful than originally hoped, despite its recent approval for gastric cancer and success in trials for colorectal and non-small-cell lung cancers. That drug failed trials for breast and liver cancer, two important markets for a drug that improved median overall survival in gastric cancer patients by only less than two months.

Foolish bottom line

It is of course possible that Eli Lilly & Co. will return to earnings growth in 2015 and beyond, but several factors stand in the company's way that could stunt growth and hurt investors looking to play the turnaround game. With a comparatively uninspiring pipeline facing the threat of future revenue declines and a bloated cost structure, the odds of a prompt recovery are less than certain. Next time, we'll take a closer look at the balance of bull and bear arguments, and pit Lilly's prospects against other Big Pharma names to see whether now is the right time to invest in Eli Lilly & Co.

Apple Watch revealed: The real winner is inside
Times have been challenging for Lilly and other traditional Big Pharma players as they adapt to a new reality in health care. Their legacy of one-size-fits-all medicine is over, giving way instead to personalized medicine. Wearable technology will be central to that theme, and one company is poised to profit.

Apple recently revealed the product of its secret-development "dream team" -- the Apple Watch. The secret is out, and some early viewers are claiming that its everyday impact could trump the iPod, iPhone, and the iPad. In fact, ABI Research predicts that 485 million of this type of device will be sold per year. But one small company makes Apple's gadget possible. And its stock price has nearly unlimited room to run for early in-the-know investors. To be one of them, and see where the real money is to be made, just click here!

Hot Valued Companies To Own In Right Now

When gold shoots up, but investors are uncertain if the high prices will last, gold mining stocks often lag; mining shares can also plunge more rapidly than bullion prices when the latter are sinking, explains Jim Powell, editor of Global Changes & Opportunities Report.

At some point, however, gold producers can become so undervalued, compared to the price of the metal, that they make catch-up moves that can be breathtaking. That�� especially true when investors think gold has hit bottom and is likely to rebound.

That�� the situation we have today, and I think a big rebound is on the way. In fact, I believe the mining recovery is already starting and I think it�� time to do some buying.

Goldcorp (GG) is a gold mining pure-play that is well-suited for somewhat more aggressive investors who want a tighter focus than GDX offers. The company is the second largest producer after Barrick Gold (ABX) and is considered by many analysts to be the best in its industry.

Top 5 Airline Stocks To Own For 2015: Tupperware Corporation(TUP)

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

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Johanna Bennett]

    Corporate earnings took a back seat today to the Fed�� latest policy decision. Still, quarterly financial results, and other news sent shares of McCormick & Co. (MKC) and Tupperware (TUP), falling during regular market hours�Here�� a rundown of several of today�� moves:

  • [By James Brumley]

    CSCO stock might be one of the market’s dark-horse stories of 2014; the dividend yield is the icing on the cake.

    Dividend Stocks to Buy: Tupperware Brands (TUP)

    Dividend Yield: 3.2%

  • [By Jonathan Berr]

    Multilevel marketing (MLM) groups such as Herbalife operate through independent sales representatives, who earn money both through the sales of product and by recruiting other people to join their team. This business model — which is used by scores of companies, including�Pampered Chef, which is owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B), Tupperware (TUP) and Mary Kay Cosmetics — is legal provided that actual products are sold.

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

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

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Paul Ausick]

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

Hot Valued Companies To Own In Right Now: Caterpillar Inc.(CAT)

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

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Chris Hill]

    Caterpillar's (NYSE: CAT  ) �first-quarter profit�fell 45% and the company lowered guidance. But its CEO said that his confidence is at a two-year high and sales in China rose. Should investors buy the stock? In this installment, our analysts discuss Caterpillar's future and explain why Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (NYSE: RBA  ) could be a hidden winner.

  • [By Matt Thalman]

    This past week, eight of the Dow Jones Industrial Average's (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) 30 components reported earnings: McDonald's, DuPont (NYSE: DD  ) , AT&T, Travelers (NYSE: TRV  ) , United Technologies, Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) , Boeing, and 3M (NYSE: MMM  ) .

Hot Valued Companies To Own In Right Now: Schlumberger N.V.(SLB)

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

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lee Jackson]

    Schlumberger Ltd. (NYSE: SLB) is a top mega cap oil field services stock rated as an Overweight at Baird. Strong offshore drilling activity combined with a seasonal rebound in western Canadian activity have driven Schlumberger’s recent growth. The company said it expects double-digit earnings growth for the rest of the year when it reported earnings recently. For 2014 and beyond, Schlumberger sees five markets providing strong growth: Russia, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, China and Australia. Shareholders are paid a 1.8% dividend. The consensus price target is $110.83. Schlumberger closed Thursday at $91.11.

  • [By Editor , DividendChannel.com]

    ENB operates in the Oil & Gas Equipment & Services sector, among companies like Schlumberger (SLB), and Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (EPD).

  • [By Michael Fitzsimmons]

    So what is GE to do? The O&G segment is a very fast growing and nicely profitable business that is synergistic with the rest of GE's industrial operations. Yet it is such a small part of the company, its valuation is being diluted by GE's other businesses. A spin-off would surely unlock value. That said, a spun-off O&G company would be a relatively small player compared to a companies like Schlumberger (SLB), with $42 billion in 2012 revenue and a P/E=19.5, and even Haliburton (HAL), with $24.8 billion in 2012 revenue and a P/E=23.6. But both these companies trade at a premium valuation to GE (P/E=17.8) despite GE's higher dividend yield (3.1%).

Friday, September 26, 2014

Best Electric Utility Stocks For 2014

Shares of Best Buy Co., Inc. (BBY) surged to attain a new 52-week high of $30.35 on Jul 9, 2013, before closing at $29.73. Shares of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock have amassed a year-to-date return of roughly 155.2%.

Based on the current price, this consumer electronic retailer is 12.1% above the Zacks Consensus average analyst price target of $26.53. The company currently trades at a forward P/E of 13.03x, a discount of 5% to the peer group average of 13.72x.

Best Buy is undergoing a turnaround program including a price match policy, multi-channel strategy, multi-year cost reduction program and closure of some big box stores. In the first quarter of fiscal 2014, the company lowered its cost by $175 million, in addition to $150 million reduced in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013.

Best Buy�� online sales performance remains a positive. Domestic online sales jumped 7.1% during the quarter. We believe that the company is leaving no stone unturned in wooing consumers and capturing incremental revenue, as evident from its strategic initiative of opening "Samsung Experience Shops" within its stores.

Top 5 Heal Care Companies To Own In Right Now: SurModics Inc.(SRDX)

SurModics, Inc. provides drug delivery and surface modification technologies to the healthcare industry. The company offers surface modification coating technologies to enhance access, deliverability, and predictable deployment of medical devices, as well as drug delivery coating technologies to provide site-specific drug delivery from the surface of a medical device for the coronary, peripheral, neuro-vascular, and urology markets. It also provides a range of drug delivery technologies for injectable therapeutics, including microparticles, nanoparticles, and implants addressing a range of clinical applications, such as ophthalmology, oncology, dermatology, and neurology. In addition, the company provides in vitro diagnostic component products and technologies comprising microarray slide technologies, protein stabilization reagents, substrates, polymers and reagent chemicals, and antigens for diagnostic test kits and biomedical research applications. SurModics, Inc. market s its technologies and products worldwide through direct sales force consisting of sales professionals. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

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 SurModics (Nasdaq: SRDX  ) , 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 SurModics (Nasdaq: SRDX  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Best Electric Utility Stocks For 2014: Companhia Energetica de Minas Gerais Cemig (CIG)

Companhia Energetica de Minas Gerais (CEMIG), incorporated on May 22, 1952, is a Brazil-based holding company mainly engaged in the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity. In the generation segment, CEMIG operates through hydroelectric plants, thermoelectric plants and wind farms. In the transmission segment, as of December 31, 2008, CEMIG�� transmission network was comprised of 38 substations with a total of 94 transformers and an aggregate transformation capacity of 15,583 Megavolt amperes. In the distribution business, as of December 31, 2008, the Company owned and operated 451,539 kilometers of distribution lines, supplying electricity to approximately 10 million customers. CEMIG is also engaged in the natural gas distribution business in Minas Gerais, through its subsidiary Companhia de Gas de Minas Gerais - GASMIG, as well as in the telecommunications business, through its subsidiary Cemig Telecomunicacoes SA - Cemig Telecom, which provides optical fiber and coaxial cable network.

Power Generation and Trading

As of December 31, 2009, the Company generated electricity at 54 hydroelectric plants, three thermoelectric plants and two wind farms, and had a total installed capacity of 6,624 megawatts. As of December 31, 2009, it owned and operated 3,085 miles of transmission lines and 281,756 miles of distribution lines. It holds concessions to distribute electricity in 96.7% of the territory of Minas Gerais. Eight of CEMIG�� hydroelectric plants accounted for approximately 81% of its installed electric generation capacity during the year ended December 31, 2009. CEMIG operates the Ipatinga thermoelectric plant, through its subsidiary Usina Termica Ipatinga S.A. The plant has an installed capacity of 40 megawatts, generated by two units and that uses blast furnace gas as fuel. The Company operates the Sa Carvalho hydroelectric power plant, located on the Piracicaba River in the municipality of Antonio Dias in the State of Minas Gerais, through its subsid! iary Sa Carvalho S.A. The Company�� Rosal hydroelectric plant has an installed capacity of 55 megawatts. The Rosal plant is located on the Itabapoana River, which runs along the border between the states of Espirito Santo and Rio de Janeiro.

Cemig Capim Branco Energia S.A. is engaged in developing the Capim Branco Generating Complex in partnership with Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD), a mining company, Comercial e Agricola Paineiras, an agricultural company, and Companhia Mineira de Metais (CMM) a metallurgical company. Horizontes Energia S.A. was formed by the Company to generate and trade electricity, through the commercial operation of its hydroelectric plants: the Machado Mineiro Power Plant (located on the Pardo River in the municipality of Ninheira in the State of Minas Gerais with an installed capacity of 1.72 megawatts); the Salto do Paraopeba Power Plant (located on the Paraopeba River in the town of Jeceaba in the State of Minas Gerais with an installed capacity of 2.37 megawatts); the Salto Voltao Power Plant (located on the Chapecozinho River in the town of Xanxere in the State of Santa Catarina with an installed capacity of 8.2 megawatts), and the Salto do Passo Velho Power Plant (located on the Chapecozinho River in the town of Xanxere in the State of Santa Catarina with an installed capacity of 1.8 megawatts), as well as other generating projects.

Usina Termeletrica Barreiro S.A. holds the assets of the Barreiro thermoelectric power plant. The Irape Hydroelectric Power Plant, which has an installed capacity of 360 megawatts, is located on the Jequitinhonha River, in northern Minas Gerais. The Company�� wind farm, Morro do Camelinho is located in Gouveia, a municipality in northern Minas Gerais. It has a total generation capacity of 1 megawatt, powered by four turbines with a capacity of 250 kilowatts each. Central Eolica Praia do Morgado S.A is located in the county of Acarau, in the State of Ceara. Central Eolica Volta do Rio S.A is located in the county ! of Acarau! , in the State of Ceara.

Transmission

The Company�� transmission business consists of the bulk transfer of electricity from the power plants where it is generated to the distribution system, which carries the electricity to final consumers, and others consumer agents connected directly in the transmission grid. Its transmission system comprises transmission lines and step-down substations with voltages ranging from 230 kilovolt to 500 kilovolt. As of December 31, 2009, the Company�� transmission network in Minas Gerais consisted of 1,352 miles of 500 kilovolt lines, 1,244 miles of 345 kilovolt lines and 485 miles of 230 kilovolt lines, as well as 35 substations with a total of 94 transformers and an aggregate transformation capacity of 15,506 megavolt ampere. The Company transmits the energy that it generates and the energy that it purchases from Itaipu and other sources, as well as the energy for the interconnected power system. On December 31, 2009, the Company also had 13 industrial consumers, to whom it transported 4,103 gigawatt hour directly with high voltage energy, through their connections to its transmission lines. Nine of these industrial consumers accounted for approximately 66.9% of the transported total volume of electricity. The Company also transmits energy to distribution systems, through the south/southeast-linked system of the grid.

Distribution and Purchase of Electric Power

The Company�� distribution operation consists of electricity transfers from distribution substations to final consumers. Its distribution network consists of a network of overhead and underground lines and substations with voltages lower than 230 kilovolts. The Company supplies electricity to industrial consumers at the higher end of the voltage range and residential and commercial consumers at the lower end of the range.

Other Businesses

The Company holds approximately 55% of Gasmig and Petrobras, through its subsidiary, Gaspet! ro-Petrob! ras Gas S.A., holds 40%. In 2009, Gasmig supplied approximately 1.5 million cubic meters of natural gas per day to 276 consumers, including 175 industrial and commercial clients, 93 retail distribution stations for natural gas vehicles, two thermal power plants and six distributors of compressed natural gas (CNG). Gasmig supplied 0.2 million cubic meters of gas per day to thermal power plants and 1.3 million cubic meters of gas per day to retail consumers. In addition to, Gasmig also supplied eight customers with re-gasified liquefied natural gas (LNG). In 2009, Gasmig distributed approximately 4.1% of all natural gas distributed in Brazil.

The Company�� owns a 99.9% interest in Cemig Telecomunicacoes S.A., which has an optical fiber-based long-distance communications backbone installed along the Company�� power grid using optical ground wire cables. This communications backbone is connected to an access network that is based on hybrid fiber-coaxial cable technology and is deployed along its power grid. The telecommunication services provided by Cemig Telecomunicacoes S.A., through its network are signal transportation and access, both for point-to-point and point-to-multipoint applications, delivered to telecommunications operators and Internet service providers on a channel basis. Cemig Telecomunicacoes S.A. also provides intra-company data transmission services to the Company. CEMIG provides consulting services to governments and public utility companies in the electricity industry. The Company has a 100% interest in Efficientia S.A.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Garrett Cook]

    Toward the end of trading Friday, the Dow traded down 0.60 percent to 16,947.43 while the NASDAQ declined 0.75 percent to 4,557.59. The S&P also fell, dropping 0.83 percent to 1,980.97.

    Leading and Lagging Sectors Cyclical consumer goods & services shares fell by just 0.50 percent in trading on Friday. Top gainers in the sector included ULTA Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance NASDAQ: (ULTA), up 17.5 percent, and 1-800-Flowers.com (NASDAQ: FLWS), up 4.5 percent. In trading on Friday, utilities shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 1.89 percent. Meanwhile, top decliners in the sector included Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais - CEMIG (NYSE: CIG), down 4.7 percent, and CPFL Energia SA (NYSE: CPL), off 4.3 percent. Top Headline Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI) reported better-than-expected fiscal first quarter earnings. The Orlando, Florida-based company reported a quarterly loss of $19.3 million, or $0.14 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $42.2 million, or $0.32 per share. Excluding non-recurring items, the company earned $0.32 per share. Its sales surged to $1.6 billion versus $1.53 billion. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.30 per share on revenue of $1.6 billion. Equities Trading UP Conversant (NASDAQ: CNVR) shares shot up 30.25 percent to $34.79 after Alliance Data Systems (NYSE: ADS) announced its plans to buy Conversant for $35 per share. Shares of ULTA Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance (NASDAQ: ULTA) got a boost, shooting up 17.69 percent to $114.72 after the company reported upbeat second-quarter results and raised its outlook. The company also unveiled a five-year plan for impressive growth. Sportsman's Warehouse Holdings (NASDAQ: SPWH) shares were also up, gaining 15.89 percent to $7.00 after the company reported stronger-than-expected fiscal second-quarter results. Equities Trading DOWN Shares of Ruckus Wireless (NASDAQ: RKUS) were down 5.19 percent to $14.35. Buckingham
  • [By Garrett Cook]

    Utilities shares dropped by 0.53 percent in today’s trading. Top decliners in the sector included Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais (NYSE: CIG), down 3.0 percent, and Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo (NYSE: SBS), off 3.07 percent.

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    In trading on Wednesday, utilities shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.25 percent. Top decliners in the sector included Companhia Energ茅tica de Minas Gerais SA (NYSE: CIG), off 5.3 percent, and Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo (NYSE: SBS), down 3.3 percent.

Best Electric Utility Stocks For 2014: 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 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.

Best Electric Utility Stocks For 2014: Madison Covered Call & Equity Strategy Fund (MCN)

Madison/Claymore Covered Call & Equity Strategy Fund (the Fund), formerly Madison/Claymore Covered Call Fund, is a diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund�� primary investment objective is to provide current income and current gains, with a secondary objective of long-term capital appreciation. The Fund invests in a portfolio consisting primarily of large capitalization common stocks. The Fund will sell covered call options to seek to generate a reasonably steady production of option premiums.

Madison Asset Management, LLC is the Fund�� investment manager. Madison Asset Management, LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Madison Investment Advisors, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Robert Hsu]

    Name Type of Security� Recommendation� Kinder Morgan Energy Partners L.P. (NYSE: KMP) � MLP August 15, 2013� TeeKay LNG Partners L.P.� (NYSE: TGP) � MLP September 16, 2013� PowerShares S&P 500 BuyWrite Portfol ETF� (NYSE Arca: PBP)� Buy-Write ETF September 30, 2013� Madison Covered Call Equity Strtgy Fd (NYSE: MCN)� Buy-Write ETF September 30, 2013� Nuveen Equity Premium Opportunity Fund (NYSE: JSN)� Buy-Write ETF September 30, 2013� BlackRockEnhanced Dividend Achievers Tr (NYSE: BDJ)� Buy-Write ETF September 30, 2013� Vornado Realty Trust � (NYSE: VNO)� Real Estate
    Investment
    Trust September 26, 2013�

    Robert Hsu is the editor of Permanent Wealth Investor and a former hedge fund portfolio manager at Wall Street powerhouse Goldman Sachs. He retired from Goldman at age 31. He since has come out of retirement to establish and preside over his money management firm, Absolute Return Capital Advisors. His retirement experience has given him his current mission: helping investors like you achieve their goal of comfortable retirement through profitable income strategies.

  • [By Robert Hsu]

    Here are four to consider:

    PowerShares S&P 500 BuyWrite ETF (PBP), yielding 4.09%

    Madison/Claymore Covered Call & Equity Strategy (MCN), yielding 8.94%

    Nuveen Equity Premium Opportunity Fund (JSN), yielding 9.19%

    BlackRock Enhanced Dividend Achievers (BDJ), yielding 7.39%

    The yield on these funds is very attractive. Even more attractive is the fact that many buy-write funds actually are selling at a discount to their net asset value.

Best Electric Utility Stocks For 2014: Hitachi Ltd (HTHIF)

Hitachi, Ltd. is a diversified company. Information and Telecommunication System segment offers system integration services and automated teller machines. Electricity System segment offers power generation systems. Social and Industrial System segment offers industrial machinery. Electronic Device and System segment offers liquid crystal displays. Construction segment offers hydraulic shovels and wheel loaders. High Functional Material segment offers electric wires and cables. Automotive System segment offers engine management and in-car information systems. Component and Device segment offers information record media and batteries. Digital Media and Consumer Product segment offers optical disk drives and refrigerators. Financial Service segment offers leasing and loan services. On March 1, 2014, it fully acquired Hitachi Medical Corp. On April 1, 2014, it transferred and integrated its air conditioning systems construction, and elevator and escalator businesses into two subsidiaries. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By MARKETWATCH]

    LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- A rising Japanese yen and weak results from Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) overnight sent Tokyo-listed shares lower in early Thursday trade, with the Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) falling 0.4% to 14,363.59, while the Topix also lost 0.4%. With the U.S. dollar remaining below the 98-yen level amid concerns about the health of China's largest banks, some currency-sensitive shares extended their losses after driving the Nikkei Average down 2% in the previous session. Among them, trading house Mitsui & Co. (JP:8031) (MITSY) fell 1.3%, retail major J. Front Retailing Co. (JP:3086) lost 1.2%, auto maker Nissan Motor Co. (JP:7201) (NSANY) retreated 0.6%, and Fujitsu Ltd. (JP:6702) (FJTSY) traded 1% lower. The below-forecast quarterly results and outlook cut from U.S. construction-equipment maker Caterpillar sent its Japanese rivals tumbling, with Komatsu Ltd. (JP:6301) (KMTUF) dropping 3.5% and Hitachi Construction Macheriny Co. (JP:6305) (HTCMF) falling 3.1%. On the upside, Hitachi Ltd. (JP:6501) (HTHIF) soared 5.4% after raising its profit and revenue guidance for the fiscal first hal

Best Electric Utility Stocks For 2014: STMicroelectronics N.V.(STM)

STMicroelectronics N.V., an independent semiconductor company, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of a range of semiconductor integrated circuits and discrete devices. Its products include discrete and standard commodity components, application-specific integrated circuits, custom devices and semi-custom devices, and application-specific standard products for analog, digital, and mixed-signal applications. The company also offers subsystems and modules for the telecommunications, automotive, and industrial markets comprising mobile phone accessories, battery chargers, ISDN power supplies, and in-vehicle equipment for electronic toll payment, as well as provides Smartcard products. Its products are used in various microelectronic applications consisting of automotive products, computer peripherals, telecommunications systems, consumer products, industrial automation, and control systems. The company sells its products through distributors and ret ailers. STMicroelectronics N.V. was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lee Jackson]

    STMicroelectronics NV (NYSE: STM) supplies most set-top box chips for Scientific�Atlanta, and also sells chips for disk drives that end up in DVRs; but still has less than a 10% exposure. The consensus target for the stock is $11. Investors do receive an outstanding 4.0% dividend from the company.

  • [By Michael Allison]

    On Aug. 13, 2013, the company announced that shareholders of Energy Fuels overwhelmingly approved Energy Fuel's acquisition of Strathmore Minerals Corp. (STM). (See Energy Fuel's press release here.)

  • [By John Udovich]

    If you are looking for a semiconductor stock that�� focus on an area that�� not so cyclical, mid cap microcontroller (MCU) stock Atmel Corporation (NASDAQ: ATML) could be a good choice���meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with other�microcontroller�players like Microchip Technology Inc (NASDAQ: MCHP), STMicroelectronics N.V. (NYSE: STM) and Cypress Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ: CY). Microcontrollers are programmable and�embedded�chips that are increasingly�hidden inside a all sorts of products these days e.g. if you have an appliance�with a�LED or LCD screen and a keypad, it contains some kind of�microcontroller plus all new�automobiles contain at least one�and often several. I should mention that we have also recently added Atmel Corporation to our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio and we are down about 5.6% mostly due to the recent market volatility.

  • [By Vanina Egea]

    Reed Elsevier NV (ENL) is a diversified publisher and information provider. It works on a wide range of market segments that include scientific, technical and medical (STM); legal; risks solutions and business information and exhibitions. The key of the company�� growth, however, lies almost exclusively in two brands: Elsevier and LexisNexis.

Best Electric Utility Stocks For 2014: Neustar Inc (NSR)

NeuStar, Inc., incorporated on December 8, 1998, is a provider of real-time information and analysis. The Company operates in three segments: carrier services, enterprise services and information services. The Company combines data sets to develop algorithms, models, point solutions and complete work flow solutions. The Company provides services, such as database services (telephone number databases, domain names, short-codes and fixed Internet protocol (IP) addresses), analytics platforms used for Internet security services, caller identification services, Web performance monitoring services and real-time information and analytics services. In October 2013, Neustar, Inc acquired Aggregate Knowledge, Inc.

Carrier Services

The Company�� carrier services include numbering services, order management services and IP services. Its numbering services enable the dynamic routing of calls and text messages. In particular, the Company provides near real-time updates to the North American telephone numbering system that is essential for the accurate routing of telephone calls and text messages. In addition, it also facilitates order management and work-flow processing among carriers, including telephone number inventory management, and allow carriers to manage and optimize the addressing and routing of IP communications. The numbering services the Company provides to its carrier customers using these databases include number portability administration center services (NPAC Services), in the United States and Canada and local number portability (LNP), services in Taiwan and Brazil, or international LNP solutions, and number inventory and allocation management. The Company�� order management services permit its carrier customers to exchange essential operating information with multiple carriers in order to provision and manage services. The Company provides these services through a single interface or on-premise installations. In addition, it offers inventory management services that! allow its carrier customers to manage their assigned telephone numbers and associated resources. The Company provides scalable IP services to global carriers and service providers that allow them to manage access for the routing of IP communications, such as multimedia messaging service. Its solutions also provide accurate and reliable routing of text messages and voice calls by identifying terminating service provider networks. In addition, it provides a solution for carriers to migrate from the public switched telephone network to IP Interconnect through mapping a phone number to an IP address for accurate and reliable routing to a carrier�� network.

Enterprise Services

The Company�� Enterprise Services include Internet infrastructure services and registry services. It provides Internet infrastructure services that its customers use in order to direct, prioritize and manage Internet traffic. In addition, enterprise customers rely on its services to optimize their Website performance, including protecting against malicious traffic. Enterprises use its infrastructure and its datasets to identify the location of their online customers for a variety of purposes, including fraud prevention and marketing. It also operates the authoritative common short codes registry on behalf of the United States wireless industry. The Company provides a suite of domain name systems (DNS) services to its enterprise customers built on a global directory platform. These services play a key role in directing and managing Internet traffic flow, resolving Internet queries, providing security protection against distributed denial of service attacks, providing geolocation services used to enhance fraud prevention and online marketing, and monitoring, testing and measuring the performance of Websites and networks. The Company operates the authoritative registries of Internet domain names for the .biz, .us, .co, .tel and .travel top-level domains. It also provides international registry gateways for! China�� s .cn and Taiwan�� .tw country-code top-level domains. All Internet communications routed to any of these domains must query a copy of its directory to ensure that the communication is routed to the appropriate destination. The Company also operates the authoritative common short codes registry on behalf of the United States wireless industry. In addition, it operates the user authentication and rights management system, which supports the UltraViolet digital content locker that consumers use to access their entertainment content.

Information Services

The Company�� Information Services include identification services, verification and analytics services, and local search and licensed data services. It utilizes databases and solutions to inform real-time decisions on customer initiated interactions over the telephone, Internet and at points of sale. Its services correlate attributes, such as demographic information, projected buying behaviors and location. Its business listings identity management services manage the placement of its customers��online local business listings on search engines, improving brand awareness and targeted advertising. The Company provides Caller ID services to carriers in the United States and real-time identification and location services to over 1,000 businesses in the United States across multiple industries. Its location service enables clients to match a 10-digit phone number to a latitude and longitude, and is used for a number of applications, including intelligent site planning, market scoring, and Web-based location lookup. In addition, it provides services that enable clients to remarket to non-converting prospects and to help identify whether an inbound inquiry is coming from an existing customer or a prospect. The Company provides lead verification services that allow clients to validate customer data, enhance leads and assign a lead quality rating to each lead to provide a client the ability to contact a customer. The Company provide! s an onli! ne local business listing identity management solution that serves local search platforms, national brands, authorized channel partners and local businesses. This service provides businesses and channel partners the essential tools to verify, enhance and manage the identity of local listings on local search platforms across the Web, and offers local search platforms an accurate, complete and up-to-date database of local business listings for online publishing.

The Company competes with Accenture plc, Computer Sciences Corporation, Hewlett-Packard Company, International Business Machines Corporation, Noblis, Inc., Nortel Networks Corporation, Pearson Education, Inc., Perot Systems Corporation, Telcordia Technologies, Inc., VeriSign, Inc., Afilias Limited, Oracle Corporation, Synchronoss Technologies, Inc., Syniverse Technologies, Inc., Akamai Technologies, Inc., F5 Networks, Inc., Keynote Systems, Inc., Compuware Corporation, TNS, Inc., eBureau, LLC, Acxiom, Nielsen Holdings N.V., DataLogix International Inc. and infoGROUP Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rex Moore]

    You may not have heard of NeuStar (NYSE: NSR  ) , but the services it provides can affect you greatly. This $3 billion company is also handily beating the market as it shifts its focus to move deeper into the information and analytics industry.

  • [By Rex Moore]

    You may not have heard of NeuStar (NYSE: NSR  ) , but the services it provides can affect you greatly. This $3 billion company is also handily beating the market as it shifts its focus to move deeper into the information and analytics industry.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Top Beverage Stocks For 2014

My top pick for 2014 links the Pacific Coast and Gulf Coast ports with the Midwest and eastern United States gateways, through a rail network of over 31,000 route miles, explains dividend and value investing expert Kelley Wright, editor of Investment Quality Trends.

Union Pacific Corp. (UNP) provides freight transportation services for a wide variety of products and industries, that includes agriculture, food and beverage, automotive parts and materials, finished vehicles, and industrial and construction materials and products.

More importantly, the company provides transportation services for the petrochemical industry, which includes industrial chemicals, plastics, crude oil, and liquid petroleum gases; fertilizers, soda ash, and energy products comprising coal and petroleum coke.

It is the transportation of crude oil and petroleum products that we believe will be the major driver of revenues for the company.

As energy production increases in North America, the lack of pipelines makes the UNP rail network the major transportation conduit to refineries and shipping ports.

Top 10 Growth Companies To Own For 2015: Alkaline Water Company Inc (WTER)

The Alkaline Water Company Inc., formerly Global Lines Inc, incorporated on June 6, 2011, is a developer of electrolysis beverage process, packaged and branded as Alkaline84. Alkaline84 is the Company's flagship product designed to encourage daily consumption of Alkaline Water through a consumer oriented bulk delivery system. The Company is engaged in the development of a national retail bulk distribution network delivering Electrochemically Activated Water (ECA) to consumers everywhere. The Company is focused on the business of distributing and marketing the retail sale of its packaged Alkaline84 branded beverage products.

Alkaline84 is available in two sizes: three liters and one gallon. Alkaline84 is a pH balanced bottled alkaline drinking water enhanced with 84 trace minerals and electrolytes. Alkaline84 is available for consumer sales at a number of major retail locations across the southwestern United States.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Bryan Murphy]

    PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE:PEP), consider your dominance in the bottled water arena - via Aquafina - under a serious attack. And for The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO), well, your Dasani brand's #2 position in the market share race isn't as secure as you'd like it to be either. There's a new name in town you need to watch out for - Alkaline Water Company Inc. (OTCBB:WTER). This young company is hungry... well, thirsty, and with its impressive product already making a big splash in the few markets its been introduced to, WTER is not only positioned to make a dent in the bottled water revenue being generated by the likes of KO and PEP, this little company may be serving up some solid gains for its investors as well.

Top Beverage Stocks For 2014: PureSafe Water Systems Inc (PSWS)

PureSafe Water Systems, Inc., incorporated on March 9, 1987, is engaged in the design and development of its technology to be used in the manufacture and sale of water purification systems both in and outside the United States. The Company�� PureSafe First Response Water System (PureSafe FRWS) is self-contained and purifies most types of contaminated fresh or service water, including seawater that may be found at a first response emergency site. This system is mobile, by helicopter or transported by truck.

The PureSafe FRWS utilizes its technology which consists of water extraction boom that extracts water from the ocean, streams, ponds, pools of floodwater or a failed municipal distribution system. The extracted water is then treated by the application of advanced water treatment technologies which employ multiple stage filtration, multiple stage sanitation (including ozone, chlorine and ultraviolet purification techniques), reverse osmosis membranes, mineralization and final polishing to meet the standard drinking water requirements of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (the EPA). Its 2nd prototype (FRWS unit) unit can produce EPA compliant drinking from contaminated fresh or surface water at the rate of 30,000 gallons per day, to provide drinking water to 45,000 people. The unit has a built in generator and water bagging capability at the rate of 30,000 and a half liters bags of water per day

The Company competes with GE, Siemens, Severn Trent, Ecospheres Technology, Lenntech, Testa/Viwa, Lifekeeper, Mobile MaxPure, Bi Pure Water, Rodi, Global Water Group, Nirosoft, LifeStream, and Aquapura Tempest.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap Sodastream International Ltd (NASDAQ: SODA), an Israeli based developer, manufacturer and marketer of�home beverage carbonation systems, has attracted its share of hype over both its products and its stock, but could other small cap water stocks like Primo Water Corporation (NASDAQ: PRMW), Puresafe Water Systems Inc (OTCMKTS: PSWS) and Alkaline Water Company Inc (OTCBB: WTER) attract a similar following? After all, Sodastream International has managed to create a significant amount of buzz from consumers, investors and even short sellers because it�� the�world's largest manufacturer, distributor and marketer of home carbonation systems as its�brands are sold in over 60,000 retail stores in 45 countries. Sodastream International is also up 45.7% since the start of the year, up 70.2% over the past year and up 99.3% since November 2010, but shares did spike up to the $75 level in the middle of 2011 and now trade at the $63 level.

Top Beverage Stocks For 2014: C&C Group PLC (CCGGY)

C&C Group plc, incorporated on March 19, 2004, is engaged the production, marketing and selling of cider and beer. The Company operates in five segments: Republic of Ireland (ROI), Cider United Kingdom (Cider UK), Tennent�� United Kingdom (Tennent�� UK), International, and Third Party Brands United Kingdom (Third Party Brands UK). The Company�� cider brands include Bulmers, Magners, Gaymers Cider, Blackthorn Cider, Olde English, Addlestones, Woodchuck Hard Cider, Wyder�� Cider and Hornsby��. Its other cider brands include Bulmers Berry, Bulmers Pear, Magners Pear, Magners Specials, Special Vat, K, Natch and Diamond White.

ROI includes the results from sale of all products in the Republic of Ireland (ROI), including Bulmers, Tennent��, Caledonia Smooth and third party brands. Cider UK segment includes the results from sale of the Company�� cider products in the United Kingdom, with Magners, Gaymers and Blackthorn the principal brands. Tennent�� UK segment includes the results from sale of the Company�� owned beer brand Tennent�� in the United Kingdom and sales of Caledonia Best in the United Kingdom. International segment includes the results from sale of the Company�� cider and beer products, principally Magners, Blackthorn, Hornsby��, Woodchuck and Tennent�� in all territories outside of the ROI and the United Kingdom. Third Party Brands UK segment relates to the distribution of third party brands and the production and distribution of private label products in the United Kingdom.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Duprey]

    At C&C Group's (NASDAQOTH: CCGGY  ) annual meeting earlier this month, it was revealed that when it bought the Hornsby brand two years ago, it paid $25 million and got a 20% share of the market for its efforts. It paid more than 10 times that amount, or about $300 million, for Vermont Hard Cider and its top Woodchuck brand, and got another 42% share of the market. So C&C had almost two-thirds of the cider market all to itself.

  • [By Rich Duprey]

    While�Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE: BUD  ) introduced some fruit-flavored margarita drinks and even Beam offered flavored bourbons to water down the market more,�the bigger threat may be coming from the explosive growth being witnessed in�hard cider.�Brewer Boston Beer (NYSE: SAM  ) rolled out its Angry Orchard cider brand just last year and has already catapulted to the top of the market, surpassing C&C Group's (NASDAQOTH: CCGGY  ) Vermont Hard Cider, the previous market leader.

  • [By Rich Duprey]

    The growth in 2012 follows the success of hard cider sales the year before, which saw a 40% increase. Yet the industry leader remains C&C Group's (NASDAQOTH: CCGGY  ) Vermont Hard Cider, whose Woodchuck Hard Cider has a 41% share of the market, though analysts say Angry Orchard owns nearly half of the on-premises market at the end of the first quarter.

Top Beverage Stocks For 2014: Celsius Holdings Inc (CELH)

Celsius Holdings, Inc., incorporated on April 26, 2005, is engaged in the development, marketing, sale and distribution of functional calorie-burning beverages under the Celsius brand name. The Company focuses to combine nutritional science with mainstream beverages by using its thermogenic (calorie-burning) MetaPlus formulation. The Company does not directly manufacture its beverages, but instead outsource the manufacturing process to established third-party co-packers. The Company provides its co-packers with flavors, ingredient blends, cans and other raw materials for its beverages purchased by the Company from various suppliers. Celsius, Inc. and Elite FX, Inc. are the wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company.

The Company�� Celsius is a calorie-burning beverage. Celsius is available in seven flavors, lemon-lime, ginger ale, cola, orange and wild berry (which are carbonated) and non-carbonated green tea raspberry/acai and green tea/peach mango. Its beverages are sold in 12 ounce cans, although it has begun to market the ingredients in powdered form in individual On-The-Go packets. The Company�� customer�� include on-the-go women, age 25 to 54, who are looking for a way to burn calories and gain energy with beverages and natural alternatives to diet sodas, as well as sports enthusiasts of both sexes, who are seeking low sodium, preservative-free alternatives. During the year ended December 31, 2009, the Company developed its MetaPlus formulation into a powder that can be mixed with water.

The Company competes with The Coca-Cola Company, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, PepsiCo, Inc., Nestl茅, Waters North America, Inc., Hansen Natural Corp., and Red Bull.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    Monster Beverage Corp (NASDAQ: MNST), a mid cap marketer and distributor of energy drinks and alternative beverages, has been a monster of a performer since the end of the financial crisis as the stock is up around 308% over the past five years, but could new or overlooked players like small cap beverage stocks�Jones Soda Co (OTCMKTS: JSDA), Celsius Holdings, Inc (OTCMKTS: CELH) and Konared Corp (OTCBB: KRED) repeat that performance? A look strictly at the long term performance of all three small caps might have you thinking otherwise. After all, none of these small cap beverage stocks are profitable while�the beverage industry can be a long hard expensive slog just to increase market share by one or two points when you are competing for shelf space with industry giants like Pepsi and Coke. But past performance is just that���the past and only part of the story as there is much more to consider about these small cap beverage stocks which could also make them potential acquisition targets by larger beverage players seeking to expand their product line up with innovative products:

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Top 10 Transportation Stocks To Watch Right Now

On this day in economic and business history...

Before the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) , there was the Dow Jones Transportation Average (DJINDICES: DJT  ) , Charles Dow's first foray into stock indexing. This index first debuted in Dow's brief "Customer's Afternoon Letter" on July 3, 1884. Originally known as the Dow Jones Railroad Average (its name finally changed to reflect the importance of more modern transport stocks in 1970), the Transportation Average consisted of only 11 stocks -- nine railroads, one steamship mail-carrier, and one representing the cutting edge of information transmission in the 19th century: Western Union.

Dow's focus on railroads wasn't simply born out of personal interest. At the time, railroads were the backbone of the American economy, and rail stocks were then entering a second period of bubble-like growth following the Panic of 1873, which would not peak for another nine years in the Panic of 1893. Despite the Long Depression following the 1873 panic, railroad track-miles continued to increase year after year from roughly 70,000 laid across the country in the year of the crash to more than 100,000 by the time Dow put together his first stock average. If you wanted to invest in American industry in the latter half of the 19h century, you probably invested primarily in railroads.

Top 5 Tech Stocks To Buy For 2015: Ryder System Inc.(R)

Ryder System, Inc. provides transportation and supply chain management solutions. It operates in three segments: Fleet Management Solutions (FMS), Supply Chain Solutions (SCS), and Dedicated Contract Carriage (DCC). The FMS segment offers leasing, contract maintenance, contract-related maintenance, and commercial rental of trucks, tractors, and trailers primarily in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It also offers fleet support services, such as fuel, insurance, safety, administration, environmental management, and information technology services. In addition, this segment sells its used vehicles through 55 company owned retail sales centers, as well as through its Web site, Usedtrucks.Ryder.com. Its customers include small businesses and enterprises operating in transportation, grocery, lumber and wood products, food service, and home furnishings industries. The SCS segment provides supply chain consulting solutions in North America and Asia. It offers di stribution management, transportation management, and professional services, as well as various support services, such as information technology and engineering solutions. This segment primarily serves automotive, electronics, high-tech, telecommunications, industrial, consumer goods, consumer packaged goods, paper and paper products, office equipment, food and beverage, and general retail industries. The DCC segment offers vehicles and drivers as part of a transportation solution in the United States. It combines the equipment, maintenance, and administrative services of a service lease with drivers and additional services, such as routing and scheduling, fleet sizing, safety, regulatory compliance, risk management, technology and communication systems support, and other technical support. This segment serves energy and utility, metals and mining, retail, construction, healthcare products, and food and beverage industries. The company was founded in 1933 and is based in Mia mi, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Damian Illia]

    a. Required Rate of Return (r)

    The capital asset pricing model (CAPM) estimates the required return on equity using the following formula: required return on stock j = risk-free rate + beta of j x equity risk premium

  • [By James Miller Phd]

    Required Rate of Return (r)

    The capital asset pricing model (CAPM) estimates the required return on equity using the following formula: required return on stockj = risk-free rate + beta of j x equity risk premium

  • [By Rich Smith]

    This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense, and which ones investors should act on. Today, our headlines feature a pair of downgrades for Ryder System (NYSE: R  ) and Zions Bancorp (NASDAQ: ZION  ) . But the news isn't all bad, so before we address those two, let's start with why one analyst thinks...

Top 10 Transportation Stocks To Watch Right Now: Kinder Morgan Inc (KMI)

Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI), incorporated on August 23, 2006, owns and manages a diversified portfolio of energy transportation and storage assets. The Company operates in five business segments: Products Pipelines-KPM, Natural Gas Pipelines-KMP, CO2-KMP, Terminals-KMP and Kinder Morgan Canada-KMP. The Company through Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (KMP) operates or owns an interest in approximately 37,000 miles of pipelines and approximately 180 terminals. These pipelines transport natural gas, refined petroleum products, crude oil, carbon dioxide and other products, and its terminals store petroleum products and chemicals, and handle such products as ethanol, coal, petroleum coke and steel. The Company is a provider of carbon dioxide (CO2), for enhanced oil recovery projects in North America. On December 15, 2011, KMP acquired a refined petroleum products terminal located on a 14-acre site in Lorton, Virginia from Motiva Enterprises, LLC. On May 25, 2012, KMI acquired El Paso Corporation. In August 2012, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. acquired Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP) and a 50% interest in El Paso Natural Gas (EPNG) pipeline from KMI.

NGPL PipeCo LLC consists of its 20% interest in NGPL PipeCo LLC, the owner of Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC and certain affiliates (collectively NGPL), an interstate natural gas pipeline and storage system, which it operates. On November 30, 2011, KMP acquired certain natural gas treating assets from SouthTex Treaters, Inc. On July 1, 2011, KMP acquired from Petrohawk Energy Corporation both the remaining 50% ownership interest in KinderHawk Field Services LLC that KMP did not already own and a 25% equity ownership interest in EagleHawk Field Services LLC. As of December 31, 2011, its interests in KMP and its affiliates consisted of the general partner interest, which the Company holds through its ownership of the general partner of KMP and which entitles the Company to receive incentive distributions; 21.7 million of the 238.0 mi! llion outstanding KMP units, representing an approximately 6.4% limited partner interest, and14.1 million of KMP�� 98.5 million outstanding i-units, representing an approximately 4.2% limited partner interest, through its ownership of 14.1 million Kinder Morgan Management, LLC (KMR) . The Company�� subsidiaries include Kinder Morgan Kansas, Inc. (KMK) and Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (KMP).

Products Pipelines-KMP

The segment consists of KMP�� refined petroleum products and natural gas liquids pipelines and their associated terminals, Southeast terminals, and its transmix processing facilities. Products Pipelines-KMP, which consists of approximately 8,400 miles of refined petroleum products pipelines that deliver gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel and natural gas liquids to various markets; plus approximately 60 associated product terminals and petroleum pipeline transmix processing facilities serving customers across the United States.

KMP�� West Coast Products Pipelines include the SFPP, L.P. operations (often referred to in this report as the Pacific operations), the Calnev pipeline operations, and the West Coast Terminals operations. The assets include interstate common carrier pipelines regulated by the FERC, intrastate pipelines in the state of California regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission, and certain non rate-regulated operations and terminal facilities. The Pacific operations serve six western states with approximately 2,500 miles of refined petroleum products pipelines and related terminal facilities that provide refined products to population centers in the United States, including California; Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada, and the Phoenix-Tucson, Arizona corridor. During the fiscal year ended February 22, 2012 (fiscal 2011), the Pacific operations��mainline pipeline system transported approximately 1,071,400 barrels per day of refined products, with the product mix being approximately 59% gasoline, 24% diesel fuel, and 17! % jet fue! l.

The Calnev pipeline system consists of two parallel 248-mile, 14-inch and eight-inch diameter pipelines that run from KMP�� facilities at Colton, California to Las Vegas, Nevada. The pipeline serves the Mojave Desert through deliveries to a terminal at Barstow, California and two railroad yards. It also serves Nellis Air Force Base, located in Las Vegas, and also includes approximately 55 miles of pipeline serving Edwards Air Force Base in California. During fiscal 2011, the Calnev pipeline system transported approximately 118,800 barrels per day of refined products, with the product mix being approximately 41% gasoline, 33% diesel fuel, and 26% jet fuel.

KMP owns approximately 51% of Plantation Pipe Line Company, the sole owner of the approximately 3,100-mile refined petroleum products Plantation pipeline system serving the southeastern United States. KMP operates the system pursuant to agreements with Plantation and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Plantation Services LLC. The Plantation pipeline system originates in Louisiana and terminates in the Washington, District of Columbia area. It connects to approximately 130 shipper delivery terminals throughout eight states and serves as a common carrier of refined petroleum products to various metropolitan areas, including Birmingham, Alabama; Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Washington, District of Columbia area. An affiliate of ExxonMobil Corporation owns the remaining approximately 49% ownership interest, and ExxonMobil has historically been one of the shippers on the Plantation system both in terms of volumes and revenues. In fiscal 2011, Plantation delivered approximately 518,000 barrels per day of refined petroleum products, with the product mix being approximately 67% gasoline, 20% diesel fuel, and 13% jet fuel.

KMP owns 50% of Cypress Interstate Pipeline LLC, the sole owner of the Cypress pipeline system. KMP operates the system pursuant to a long-term agreement. The Cypress pipeline is a! n interst! ate common carrier natural gas liquids pipeline originating at storage facilities in Mont Belvieu, Texas and extending 104 miles east to a connection with Westlake Chemical Corporation, a petrochemical producer in the Lake Charles, Louisiana area. Mont Belvieu, located approximately 20 miles east of Houston, is a hub for natural gas liquids gathering, transportation, fractionation and storage in the United States. The Cypress pipeline system has a capacity of approximately 55,000 barrels per day for natural gas liquids. In fiscal 2011, the system transported approximately 45,000 barrels per day.

KMP�� Southeast terminal operations consist of 27 liquid petroleum products terminals located along the Plantation/Colonial pipeline corridor in the Southeastern United States. The marketing activities of the Southeast terminal operations are focused on the Southeastern United States from Mississippi through Virginia, including Tennessee. The primary function involves the receipt of petroleum products from common carrier pipelines, short-term storage in terminal tankage, and subsequent loading onto tank trucks. Combined, the Southeast terminals have a total storage capacity of approximately 9.1 million barrels. In fiscal 2011, these terminals transferred approximately 353,000 barrels of refined products per day and together handled 9.2 million barrels of ethanol.

KMP�� Transmix operations include the processing of petroleum pipeline transmix, a blend of dissimilar refined petroleum products that have become co-mingled in the pipeline transportation process. During pipeline transportation, different products are transported through the pipelines abutting each other, and generate a volume of different mixed products called transmix. KMP processes and separates pipeline transmix into pipeline-quality gasoline and light distillate products at six separate processing facilities located in Colton, California; Richmond, Virginia; Dorsey Junction, Maryland; Indianola, Pennsylvania; Wood Riv! er, Illin! ois; and Greensboro, North Carolina. Combined, KMP�� transmix facilities processed approximately 10.6 million barrels of transmix in 2011.

Natural Gas Pipelines-KMP

Natural Gas Pipelines-KMP, which consists of approximately 16,200 miles of natural gas transmission pipelines and gathering lines, plus natural gas storage, treating and processing facilities, through which natural gas is gathered, transported, stored, treated, processed and sold. The Natural Gas Pipelines-KMP business segment contains both interstate and intrastate pipelines. Its primary businesses consist of natural gas sales, transportation, storage, gathering, processing and treating. Within this segment, KMP owns approximately 16,200 miles of natural gas pipelines and associated storage and supply lines that are strategically located at the center of the North American pipeline grid. KMP�� transportation network provides access to the gas supply areas in the western United States, Texas and the Midwest, as well as consumer markets.

KMP�� subsidiary, Kinder Morgan Treating, L.P., owns and operates (or leases to producers for operation) treating plants that remove impurities (such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide) and hydrocarbon liquids from natural gas before it is delivered into gathering systems and transmission pipelines to ensure that it meets pipeline quality specifications. Additionally, its subsidiary KM Treating Production LLC designs, constructs, and sells custom and stock natural gas treating plants. Combined, KMP�� rental fleet of treating assets include approximately 213 natural gas amine-treating plants, approximately 56 hydrocarbon dew point control plants, and more than 140 mechanical refrigeration units that are used to remove impurities and hydrocarbon liquids from natural gas streams prior to entering transmission pipelines.

KinderHawk Field Services LLC gathers and treats natural gas in the Haynesville shale gas formation located in northwest Louisiana.! Its asse! ts consist of more than 450 miles of natural gas gathering pipeline in service, with average throughput of approximately 1.1 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas. Additionally, the system�� natural gas amine treating plants have a capacity of approximately 2,600 gallons per minute. During 2011, KinderHawk executed firm gathering and treating agreements with a third-party producer for the long-term of five sections. KinderHawk also holds additional third-party gas gathering and treating commitments. In total, these contracts provide for the dedication of 36 sections, from four shippers, for 3 to 10 years. EagleHawk Field Services LLC provides natural gas gathering and treating services in the Eagle Ford shale formation in South Texas.

KMP owns a 40% interest in Endeavor Gathering LLC, which provides natural gas gathering service to GMX Resources��exploration and production activities in its Cotton Valley Sands and Haynesville/Bossier Shale horizontal well developments located in East Texas. GMX Resources, Inc. operates and owns the remaining 60% ownership interest in Endeavor Gathering LLC. Endeavor�� gathering system consists of over 100 miles of gathering lines and 25,000 horsepower of compressors that collect and compress natural gas from GMX Resources��operated natural gas production from wells located in its core area. The natural gas gathering system has takeaway capacity of approximately 115 million cubic feet per day. KMP owns a 50% equity interest in Eagle Ford Gathering LLC, which provides natural gas gathering, transportation and processing services to natural gas producers in the Eagle Ford shale gas formation in south Texas.

KMP�� Natural Gas Pipelines��upstream operations consist of its Casper and Douglas, Wyoming natural gas processing operations and its 49% ownership interest in the Red Cedar Gas Gathering Company. KMP owns and operates its Casper and Douglas, Wyoming natural gas processing plants, and combined, these plants have the capacity ! to proces! s up to 185 million cubic feet per day of natural gas depending on raw gas quality. Casper and Douglas are the natural gas processing plants, which provide straddle processing of natural gas flowing into KMP�� Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission LLC pipeline system. KMP also owns the operations of a carbon dioxide/sulfur treating facility located in the West Frenchie Draw field of the Wind River Basin of Wyoming, and includes this facility as part of its Casper and Douglas operations. The West Frenchie Draw treating facility has a capacity of 50 million cubic feet per day of natural gas.

KMP owns a 49% interest in the Red Cedar Gathering Company (Red Cedar). Red Cedar owns and operates natural gas gathering, compression and treating facilities in the Ignacio Blanco Field in La Plata County, Colorado. The remaining 51% interest in Red Cedar is owned by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. Red Cedar�� natural gas gathering system consists of approximately 750 miles of gathering pipeline connecting more than 900 producing wells, 104,600 horsepower of compression at 22 field compressor stations and three carbon dioxide treating plants. The capacity and throughput of the Red Cedar gathering system is approximately 600 million cubic feet per day of natural gas.

KMP�� subsidiary, TransColorado Gas Transmission Company LLC (TransColorado), owns a 300-mile interstate natural gas pipeline that extends from approximately 20 miles southwest of Meeker, Colorado to the Blanco Hub near Bloomfield, New Mexico. KMP operates and owns 50% of the 1,679-mile Rockies Express natural gas pipeline system, a natural gas pipelines constructed in North America. The Rockies Express system consists of three pipeline segments: a 327-mile pipeline that extends from the Meeker Hub in northwest Colorado, across southern Wyoming to the Cheyenne Hub in Weld County, Colorado, a 713-mile pipeline from the Cheyenne Hub to an interconnect in Audrain County, Missouri and a 639-mile pipeline from Audrain Count! y, Missou! ri to Clarington, Ohio. KMP�� ownership is through its 50% equity interest in Rockies Express Pipeline LLC, the sole owner of the Rockies Express pipeline system. Sempra Pipelines & Storage, a unit of Sempra Energy, and ConocoPhillips each own 25% of Rockies Express Pipeline LLC.

The Rockies Express pipeline system is powered by 18 compressor stations totaling approximately 427,000 horsepower. The system is capable of transporting two billion cubic feet per day of natural gas from Meeker, Colorado to the Cheyenne Market Hub in northeastern Colorado and 1.8 billion cubic feet per day from the Cheyenne Hub to the Clarington Hub in Monroe County in eastern Ohio. Capacity on the Rockies Express system is contracted under 10 year firm service agreements with producers from the Rocky Mountain supply basin. These agreements provide the pipeline with fixed monthly reservation revenues for the primary term of such contracts through 2019, with the exception of one agreement representing approximately 10% of the pipeline capacity that grants a shipper the one-time option to terminate effective late 2014. With its connections to numerous other pipeline systems along its route, the Rockies Express system has access to almost all of the gas supply basins in Wyoming, Colorado and eastern Utah. Rockies Express is capable of delivering gas to multiple markets along its pipeline system, primarily through interconnects with other interstate pipeline companies and direct connects to local distribution companies.

KMP�� Central interstate natural gas pipeline group, which operates primarily in the Mid-Continent region of the United States, consists of four natural gas pipeline systems: Trailblazer Pipeline, Kinder Morgan Louisiana Pipeline, KMP�� 50% ownership interest in the Midcontinent Express Pipeline and KMP�� 50% ownership interest in the Fayetteville Express Pipeline. KMP�� subsidiary, Trailblazer Pipeline Company LLC (Trailblazer), owns the 436-mile Trailblazer natural gas pipelin! e system.! The Trailblazer pipeline system originates at an interconnection with Wyoming Interstate Company Ltd.�� pipeline system near Rockport, Colorado and runs through southeastern Wyoming to a terminus near Beatrice, Nebraska where it interconnects with NGPL�� and Northern Natural Gas Company�� pipeline systems. NGPL manages, maintains and operates the Trailblazer system for KMP, for which it is reimbursed at cost. Trailblazer offers its customers firm and interruptible transportation, and in 2011, it transported an average of approximately 717 million cubic feet per day of natural gas.

KMP�� subsidiary, Kinder Morgan Louisiana Pipeline LLC owns the Kinder Morgan Louisiana natural gas pipeline system. KMP owns a 50% interest in Midcontinent Express Pipeline LLC, the sole owner of the approximate 500-mile Midcontinent Express natural gas pipeline system. KMP also operates the Midcontinent Express pipeline system. Regency Midcontinent Express LLC owns the remaining 50% ownership interest. The Midcontinent Express pipeline system originates near Bennington, Oklahoma and extends eastward through Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, and terminates at an interconnection with the Transco Pipeline near Butler, Alabama. It interconnects with numerous pipeline systems and provides an important infrastructure link in the pipeline system moving natural gas supply from newly developed areas in Oklahoma and Texas into the United States��eastern markets. The pipeline system is comprised of approximately 30-miles of 30-inch diameter pipe, 275-miles of 42-inch diameter pipe and 197-miles of 36-inch diameter pipe. Midcontinent Express also has four compressor stations and one booster station totaling approximately 144,500 horsepower. It has two rate zones: Zone 1 (which has a capacity of 1.8 billion cubic feet per day) beginning at Bennington and extending to an interconnect with Columbia Gulf Transmission near Delhi, in Madison Parish Louisiana and Zone 2 (which has a capacity of 1.2 billion cubic feet ! per day) ! beginning at Delhi and terminating at an interconnection with Transco Pipeline near the town of Butler in Choctaw County, Alabama. Capacity on the Midcontinent Express system is 99% contracted under long-term firm service agreements that expire between 2012 and 2021. The ity of volume is contracted to producers moving supply from the Barnett shale and Oklahoma supply basins.

CO2-KMP

The CO2-KMP business segment consists of Kinder Morgan CO2 Company, L.P. and its consolidated affiliates, (collectively referred to KMCO2). The CO2-KMP business segment produces, transports, and markets carbon dioxide for use in enhanced oil recovery projects as a flooding medium for recovering crude oil from mature oil fields. CO2-KMP, which produces, markets and transports, through approximately 2,000 miles of pipelines, carbon dioxide to oil fields that use carbon dioxide to increase production of oil; owns interests in and/or operates eight oil fields in West Texas; and owns and operates a 450-mile crude oil pipeline system in West Texas

KMCO2 holds ownership interests in oil-producing fields located in the Permian Basin of West Texas, including an approximate 97% working interest in the SACROC unit; an approximate 50% working interest in the Yates unit; an approximate 21% net profits interest in the H.T. Boyd unit; an approximate 65% working interest in the Claytonville unit; an approximate 99% working interest in the Katz Strawn unit, and lesser interests in the Sharon Ridge unit, the Reinecke unit and the MidCross unit.

KMCO2 operates and owns an approximate 65% gross working interest in the Claytonville oil field unit and operates and owns an approximate 99% working interest in the Katz Strawn unit, both located in the Permian Basin area of West Texas. The Claytonville unit is located approximately 30 miles east of the SACROC unit, in Fisher County, Texas. The unit produced approximately 200 gross barrels of oil per day during 2011 (100 net barrels to KMCO2! per day)! . During 2011, the Katz Strawn unit produced approximately 500 barrels of oil per day (400 net barrels to KMCO2 per day). In 2011, the average purchased carbon dioxide injection rate at the Katz Strawn unit was 46 million cubic feet per day.

KMCO2 operates and owns an approximate 22% working interest plus an additional 28% net profits interest in the Snyder gasoline plant. KMCO2 also operates and owns a 51% ownership interest in the Diamond M gas plant and a 100% ownership interest in the North Snyder plant, all of which are located in the Permian Basin of West Texas. The Snyder gasoline plant processes natural gas produced from the SACROC unit and neighboring carbon dioxide projects, specifically the Sharon Ridge and Cogdell units, all of which are located in the Permian Basin area of West Texas. The Diamond M and the North Snyder plants contract with the Snyder plant to process natural gas. Production of natural gas liquids at the Snyder gasoline plant during 2011 averaged approximately 16,600 gross barrels per day (8,300 net barrels to KMCO2 per day excluding the value associated to KMCO2�� 28% net profits interest).

KMCO2 owns approximately 45% of, and operates, the McElmo Dome unit in Colorado, which contains more than 6.6 trillion cubic feet of recoverable carbon dioxide. It also owns approximately 87% of, and operates, the Doe Canyon Deep unit in Colorado, which contains more than 870 billion cubic feet of carbon dioxide. For both units combined, compression capacity exceeds 1.4 billion cubic feet per day of carbon dioxide and during 2011, the two units produced approximately 1.25 billion cubic feet per day of carbon dioxide. KMCO2 also owns approximately 11% of the Bravo Dome unit in New Mexico. The Bravo Dome unit contains more than 800 billion cubic feet of recoverable carbon dioxide and produced approximately 300 million cubic feet of carbon dioxide per day in 2011. As a result of KMP�� 50% ownership interest in Cortez Pipeline Company, it owns a 50% equity inter! est in an! d operates the approximate 500-mile Cortez pipeline. The pipeline carries carbon dioxide from the McElmo Dome and Doe Canyon source fields near Cortez, Colorado to the Denver City, Texas hub. The Cortez pipeline transports over 1.2 billion cubic feet of carbon dioxide per day. The tariffs charged by the Cortez pipeline are not regulated, but are based on a consent decree.

KMCO2 also owns a 13% undivided interest in the 218-mile, Bravo pipeline, which delivers carbon dioxide from the Bravo Dome source field in northeast New Mexico to the Denver City hub and has a capacity of more than 350 million cubic feet per day. Tariffs on the Bravo pipeline are not regulated. Occidental Petroleum (81%) and XTO Energy (6%) hold the remaining ownership interests in the Bravo pipeline. In addition, KMCO2 owns approximately 98% of the Canyon Reef Carriers pipeline and approximately 69% of the Pecos pipeline. The Canyon Reef Carriers pipeline extends 139 miles from McCamey, Texas, to the SACROC unit in the Permian Basin. The pipeline has a capacity of approximately 270 million cubic feet per day and makes deliveries to the SACROC, Sharon Ridge, Cogdell and Reinecke units. The Pecos pipeline is a 25-mile pipeline that runs from McCamey to Iraan, Texas. It has a capacity of approximately 120 million cubic feet per day and makes deliveries to the Yates unit. The tariffs charged on the Canyon Reef Carriers and Pecos pipelines are not regulated.

Terminals-KMP

The Terminals-KMP business segment includes the operations of KMP�� petroleum, chemical and other liquids terminal facilities (other than those included in the Products Pipelines-KMP business segment) and all of its coal, petroleum coke, fertilizer, steel, ores and other dry-bulk material services facilities, including all transload, engineering, conveying and other in-plant services. Combined, the segment is composed of approximately 115 owned or operated liquids and bulk terminal facilities and approximately 35 rail transloadin! g and mat! erials handling facilities. The terminals are located throughout the United States and in portions of Canada.

KMP�� liquids terminals operations primarily store refined petroleum products, petrochemicals, ethanol, industrial chemicals and vegetable oil products in aboveground storage tanks and transfer products to and from pipelines, vessels, tank trucks, tank barges, and tank railcars. Combined, KMP�� approximately 25 liquids terminals facilities possess liquids storage capacity of approximately 60.2 million barrels, and in 2011, these terminals handled approximately 616 million barrels of liquids products, including petroleum products, ethanol and chemicals. KMP�� bulk terminal operations primarily involve dry-bulk material handling services. KMP also provides conveyor manufacturing and installation, engineering and design services, and in-plant services covering material handling, conveying, maintenance and repair, truck-railcar-marine transloading, railcar switching and miscellaneous marine services. KMP owns or operates approximately 90 dry-bulk terminals in the United States and Canada, and combined, its dry-bulk and material transloading facilities handled approximately 100.6 million tons of coal, petroleum coke, fertilizers, steel, ores and other dry-bulk materials in 2011.

Kinder Morgan Canada-KMP

The Kinder Morgan Canada-KMP business segment includes the Trans Mountain pipeline system, KMP�� ownership of a one-third interest in the Express pipeline system, and the 25-mile Jet Fuel pipeline system. The Trans Mountain pipeline system originates at Edmonton, Alberta and transports crude oil and refined petroleum products to destinations in the interior and on the west coast of British Columbia. Trans Mountain�� pipeline is 715 miles in length. KMP also owns a connecting pipeline that delivers crude oil to refineries in the state of Washington. The capacity of the line at Edmonton ranges from 300,000 barrels per day when heavy crude represents 20% ! of the to! tal throughput (which is a historically normal heavy crude percentage), to 400,000 barrels per day with no heavy crude. Trans Mountain is the sole pipeline carrying crude oil and refined petroleum products from Alberta to the west coast.

In 2011, Trans Mountain delivered an average of 274,000 barrels per day. The crude oil and refined petroleum products transported through Trans Mountain�� pipeline system originates in Alberta and British Columbia. The refined and partially refined petroleum products transported to Kamloops, British Columbia and Vancouver originates from oil refineries located in Edmonton. Petroleum products delivered through Trans Mountain�� pipeline system are used in markets in British Columbia, Washington State and elsewhere offshore. Trans Mountain also operates a 5.3 mile spur line from its Sumas Pump Station to the United States.-Canada international border where it connects with KMP�� approximate 63-mile, 16-inch to 20-inch diameter Puget Sound pipeline system. The Puget Sound pipeline system in the state of Washington has a sustainable throughput capacity of approximately 135,000 barrels per day when heavy crude represents approximately 25% of throughput, and it connects to four refineries located in northwestern Washington State. The volumes of crude oil shipped to the state of Washington fluctuate in response to the price levels of Canadian crude oil in relation to crude oil produced in Alaska and other offshore sources.

NGPL PipeCo LLC

The Company owns a 20% interest in NGPL PipeCo LLC and account for its interest as an equity method investment. The Company continues to operate NGPL PipeCo LLC�� assets pursuant to an operations and reimbursement agreement effective through February 15, 2023. NGPL PipeCo LLC owns a interstate gas pipeline and storage system consisting primarily of two interconnected natural gas transmission pipelines terminating in the Chicago, Illinois metropolitan area. NGPL�� Amarillo Line originates in th! e West Te! xas and New Mexico producing areas and is comprised of approximately 4,400 miles of mainline and various small-diameter pipelines. Its other pipeline, the Gulf Coast Line, originates in the Gulf Coast areas of Texas and Louisiana and consists of approximately 4,100 miles of mainline and various small-diameter pipelines. These two main pipelines are connected at points in Texas and Oklahoma by NGPL�� approximately 800-mile Amarillo/Gulf Coast pipeline.

NGPL is a natural gas storage operator with approximately 600 billion cubic feet of total natural gas storage capacity, approximately 278 billion cubic feet of working gas capacity and over 4.3 billion cubic feet per day of peak deliverability from its storage facilities, which are located in supply areas and near the markets it serves. NGPL owns and operates 13 underground storage reservoirs in eight field locations in four states. These storage assets complement its pipeline facilities and allow it to optimize pipeline deliveries and meet peak delivery requirements in its principal markets.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    And finally, there are the Kinder Morgan triplets, Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI) and Kinder Morgan Management (KMR) and Kinder Morgan Partners (KMP), which fell 6%, 4.7% and 3%, respectively today. The reason for the drop: a press release from Hedgeye Risk Management, which called Kinder Morgan “a house of cards,” and said to expect a report on Sept. 10, explaining why. Deutsche Bank came out with its own note today defending Kinder Morgan, but the damage was done. Considering that Hedgeye’s Kevin Kaiser (and our own Andrew Bary) got Linn Energy (LINE) right, you can see why.

  • [By Aimee Duffy]

    When the secondary market for renewable identification numbers, the designation given to ethanol credits, took off earlier this year, it crushed refining stocks. Many wondered if the soaring ethanol credits would hurt consumers at the gas pump. Almost no one wondered who was on the other side of the soaring costs, benefiting as their credits jumped in value, if only for a short time. In this video, Fool.com contributor Aimee Duffy takes a look at how Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI  ) profits from the RINsanity.

Top 10 Transportation Stocks To Watch Right Now: United Parcel Service Inc.(UPS)

United Parcel Service, Inc., a package delivery company, provides transportation, logistics, and financial services in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: U.S. Domestic Package, International Package, and Supply Chain & Freight. The U.S. Domestic Package segment engages in the time-definite delivery of letters, documents, and packages in the United States. The International Package segment offers air and ground delivery of small packages and letters to approximately 220 countries and territories, including shipments outside the United States, as well as shipments with either origin or distribution outside the United States; export services; and domestic services move shipments within a country?s borders. The Supply Chain & Freight segment provides forwarding and logistics services, such as supply chain design and management, freight distribution, customs brokerage, mail, and consulting services in approximately 195 countries and territorie s; and less-than-truckload and truckload services to customers in North America. In addition, the company offers various technology solutions for automated shipping, visibility, and billing; information technology systems and distribution facilities to various industries comprising healthcare, technology, and consumer/retail; and a portfolio of financial services that provides customers with short-term working capital, government guaranteed lending, global trade financing, credit cards, and export financing. It operates a fleet of approximately 99,800 package cars, vans, tractors, and motorcycles; an air fleet of 527 aircraft; and 33,800 containers used to transport cargo in its aircraft. The company was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Shauna O'Brien]

    United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) announced that it has named David Abney as the company’s new CEO.

    UPS reported that its current COO David Abney will be appointed to�the CEO position and will become a member of the Board of Directors. The company’s current CEO Scott Davis will retire from his position after being in the position since 2008. These changes will be effective on September 1, 2014.

    Abney joined the company in 1974 as a part-time package loader. He has held several position leading up to his current position.

    Abney commented: “I am deeply honored to be selected by the Board to serve as CEO. The company has provided me tremendous opportunity, amazing career experiences and rewarding professional development. I believe it is my duty to create an environment where talented UPS people can excel by helping our customers to accomplish their goals. Ultimately, I believe that is how, together, we will build on the UPS legacy of success.”

    UPS Dividend Snapshot

    As of market close on June 5, 2014


    Click here to see the complete history of UPS dividends.

    UPS shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading Friday. The stock is down 1.39% YTD.

  • [By Arjun Sreekumar]

    For instance, Waste Management (NYSE: WM  ) has amassed a fleet of around 2,000 trucks that are powered by compressed natural gas and plans to add more, while UPS (NYSE: UPS  ) recently announced plans to purchase 285 more gas-powered trucks next year.

  • [By Adam Levine-Weinberg]

    That said, neither match is perfect, and some analysts have argued strenuously that Ackman probably isn't buying FedEx stock. While the air cargo market has high barriers to entry, there is still plenty of competition between FedEx, UPS (NYSE: UPS  ) , DHL, and others. The other criteria are also vague enough to leave plenty of doubt about Ackman's plans.

Top 10 Transportation Stocks To Watch Right Now: Expeditors International of Washington Inc.(EXPD)

Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. provides logistics services in the United States and internationally. The company?s services include consolidation or forwarding air and ocean freight; distribution management; vendor consolidation; cargo insurance; purchase order management; and customized logistics information. Its airfreight services comprise the procurement of shipments from its customers; determination of the routing; consolidation of shipments bound for a particular airport distribution point; and selection of the airline for transportation to the distribution point. The company also offers breakbulk services that include receiving and breaking down consolidated airfreight lots and arranging for distribution of the individual shipments. Its ocean freight and ocean services include ocean freight consolidation; and handling full container loads. In addition, the company acts as a customs broker, who assists importers to clear shipments through customs by pre paring required documentation, calculating and providing for payment of duties on behalf of the importer, arranging for any required inspections by governmental agencies, and arranging for delivery; and provides other value added services at destination, such as warehousing and product distribution, time definite transportation, and inventory management. Further, it offers custom clearances for goods moving by rail and truck between the United States, Canada, and/or Mexico; and customs consulting services The company?s customers primarily include retailers, distributors of consumer electronics, department store chains, clothing and shoe wholesalers, manufacturers, and catalogue stores. Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. was founded in 1979 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Duprey]

    Global logistics specialist Expeditors International (NASDAQ: EXPD  ) announced yesterday that the company's CEO would retire effective�March 1.�

Top 10 Transportation Stocks To Watch Right Now: Kirby Corp (KEX)

Kirby Corporation, incorporated on January 31, 1969, is a domestic tank barge operator, transporting bulk liquid products throughout the Mississippi River System, on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, and along all three United States coasts and in Alaska and Hawaii. The Company transports petrochemicals, black oil products, refined petroleum products and agricultural chemicals by tank barge. The Company, through its subsidiaries, conducts operations in two business segments: marine transportation and diesel engine services. Through the diesel engine services segment, the Company provides after-market service for diesel engines and reduction gears used in marine and power generation applications. The Company also distributes and services diesel engines and transmissions, pumps and compression products, and manufactures oilfield service equipment, including hydraulic fracturing equipment, for land-based pressure pumping and oilfield service markets. The Company, through its marine transportation segment, is a provider of marine transportation services, operating tank barges and towing vessels transporting bulk liquid products throughout the Mississippi River System, on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, and along all three United States coasts and in Alaska and Hawaii. On December 15, 2011, the Company completed the purchase of the coastal tank barge fleet of Seaboats, Inc. and affiliated companies (Seaboats). On July 1, 2011, the Company completed the acquisition of K-Sea Transportation Partners L.P. (K-Sea). On April 15, 2011, the Company purchased United Holdings LLC (United), a distributor and service provider of engine and transmission related products for the oil and gas services, power generation and on-highway transportation industries, and manufacturer of oilfield service equipment. On February 24, 2011, the Company acquired 21 inland and offshore tank barges and 15 inland towboats and offshore tugboats from Enterprise Marine Services LLC (Enterprise). On February 9, 2011, the Company acquired from ! Kinder Morgan Petcoke, L.P. (Kinder Morgan).

The Company transports petrochemicals, black oil products, refined petroleum products, and agricultural chemicals by tank barge. The Company also owns and operates fits offshore dry-bulk barges and tugboats engaged in the coastal transportation of dry-bulk cargoes. It is a provider of transportation services for its customers. The Company, through its diesel engine services segment, sells replacement parts, provides service mechanics to overhaul and repair diesel engines, transmissions, reduction gears, pumps and compression products, maintains facilities to rebuild component parts or diesel engines, transmissions and reduction gears, and manufactures oilfield service equipment, including hydraulic fracturing equipment. The Company services the marine, power generation, oilfield service, and land-based oil and gas operator and producer markets.

Marine Transportation

The marine transportation segment is a provider of transportation services by tank barge for the inland and coastal markets. As of February 22, 2012, the equipment owned or operated by the marine transportation segment consisted of 819 inland tank barges, 236 inland towboats, 59 coastal tank barges, 65 coastal tugboats, fits offshore dry-cargo barges, fits offshore tugboats and one docking tugboat. The 236 inland towboats, 65 coastal tugboats, fits offshore tugboats and one docking tugboat provide the power source and the 819 inland tank barges, 59 coastal tank barges and fits offshore dry-cargo barges provide the freight capacity for the marine transportation segment. The Company�� coastal and offshore tows consist of one tugboat and one tank barge or dry-cargo barge.

During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company�� inland marine transportation operation moved over 50 million tons of liquid cargo on the United States inland waterway system. Products transported for its customers along the inland waterway system consisted of petrochemi! cals, bla! ck oil products, refined petroleum products and agricultural chemicals. Bulk liquid petrochemicals transported include, such products as benzene, styrene, methanol, acrylonitrile, xylene and caustic soda, all consumed in the production of paper, fibers and plastics. During 2011, the transportation of petrochemical products represented 59% of the segment�� revenues. Customers shipping these products are refining and petrochemical companies. Black oil products transported include products, such as asphalt, residual fuel oil, No. 6 fuel oil, coker feedstock, vacuum gas oil, carbon black feedstock, crude oil and ship bunkers (engine fuel). During 2011, such products represented 20% of the segment�� revenues. During 2011, refined petroleum products transported include the various blends of finished gasoline, gasoline blendstocks, jet fuel, No. 2 oil, naphtha, heating oil and diesel fuel, and represented 16% of the segment�� revenues. The Company also classifies ethanol in the refined petroleum product category. Customers are oil and refining companies, marketers and ethanol producers.

During 2011, agricultural chemicals transported represented 5% of the segment�� revenues. They include anhydrous ammonia and nitrogen-based liquid fertilizer, as well as industrial ammonia. Agricultural chemical customers consist of domestic and foreign producers of such products. As of December 31, 2011, the marine transportation segment operated a fleet of 819 inland tank barges and 236 inland towboats, as well as 59 coastal tank barges and 65 coastal tugboats. The segment also owns and operates fits offshore barge and tug units transporting dry-bulk commodities in coastal trade. As of December 31, 2011, the marine transportation segment operated a fleet of 819 inland tank barges and 236 inland towboats, as well as 59 coastal tank barges and 65 coastal tugboats. The segment also owns and operates fits offshore barge and tug units transporting dry-bulk commodities in coastal trade.

The Canal ! fleet tra! nsports petrochemical feedstocks, processed chemicals, pressurized products, black oil products and refined petroleum products along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, the Mississippi River below Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and the Houston Ship Channel. The Linehaul fleet transports petrochemical feedstocks, chemicals, agricultural chemicals and lube oils along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, Mississippi River and the Illinois and Ohio Rivers. Loaded tank barges are staged in the Baton Rouge area from Gulf Coast refineries and petrochemical plants, and are transported from Baton Rouge to waterfront terminals and plants on the Mississippi, Illinois and Ohio Rivers, and along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The River fleet transports petrochemical feedstocks, chemicals, refined petroleum products, agricultural chemicals and black oil products along the Mississippi River System above Baton Rouge. Petrochemical feedstocks and processed chemicals are transported to waterfront petrochemical and chemical plants, while black oil products, refined petroleum products and agricultural chemicals are transported to waterfront terminals.

The marine transportation inland operation moves and handles a range of cargoes. As of December 21, 2011, of the 819 inland tank barges operated, 618 were petrochemical and refined products barges, 123 were black oil barges, 63 were pressure barges, 10 were refrigerated anhydrous ammonia barges and five were specialty barges. Marine transportation services for inland movements are conducted under long-term contracts, ranging from one to five years. Kirby Inland Marine, LP (Kirby Inland Marine) operates commercial tank barge fleeting service (temporary barge storage facilities) in ports, including Houston, Corpus Christi and Freeport, Texas, Baton Rouge and New Orleans, Louisiana and other locations on the Mississippi River. Included in the fleeting service is a 51% interest and management control of a shifting operation and fleeting service for dry cargo barges and tank barges ! on the Ho! uston Ship Channel. Kirby Inland Marine provides service for its own barges, as well as outside customers, transferring barges within the areas noted, as well as fleeting barges.

Kirby Logistics Management (KLM) is a division of Kirby Inland Marine providing shore-based tankerman and support services to the Company and third parties. Services provided by KLM include barge tankermen, marine terminal, refinery and chemical plant dock operators, and terminal management services. KLM�� services to the Company and third parties cover the Gulf Coast, mid-Mississippi Valley, and the Ohio River Valley. The Company owns a 66% interest in Osprey Line, L.L.C. (Osprey), which transports project cargoes and cargo containers by barge on the United States inland waterway system. The segment�� coastal operations are conducted through wholly owned subsidiaries, K-Sea Transportation Partners LLC and Kirby Ocean Transport Company (Kirby Ocean Transport). K-Sea provides marine transportation of refined petroleum products and black oil products in each coastal region of the United States. The coastal operations consist of the Atlantic, New York, Pacific and Hawaii Divisions. The Atlantic Division operates along the eastern seaboard of the United States and along the Gulf Coast. The Atlantic Division vessels call on coastal states from Maine to Texas, servicing refineries, storage terminals and power plants. The Atlantic Division also operates equipment on the Great Lakes, in the Caribbean, and in Venezuela and the Eastern Canadian provinces.

The New York Division operates in the New York Harbor, close to container terminals, cruise piers, refineries and petroleum storage facilities. The New York Division also performs coastal voyages between Maine and Norfork, Virginia and manages operations in Philadelphia. The New York Division�� fleet consists of tank barges in the 10,000 to 89,000 barrel capacity range and tugboats in the 1800 to 3400 horsepower range, transporting refined petroleum produ! cts for l! ocal and regional customers, black oil products to power generation customers and the delivery of bunker fuel to ships. The Pacific Division operates along the Pacific coast of the United States, servicing refineries and storage terminals from Southern California to Washington State, throughout Alaska, including Dutch Harbor, Cook Inlet and the Alaska River Systems, and from California to Hawaii. The Pacific Division�� fleet consists of tank barges in the 13,000 to 185,000 barrel capacity range and tugboats in the 1000 to 11800 horsepower range, transporting refined petroleum products.

The Hawaii Division services local petroleum retailers and oil companies distributing refined petroleum products and black oil products between the Hawaiian islands and provides other services to the local maritime community. As of December 31, 2011, the Hawaii Division�� fleet consisted of tank barges in the 52,000 to 86,000 barrel capacity range and tugboats in the 1200 to 7200 horsepower range, transporting refined petroleum products for local and regional customers, black oil products to power generation customers, and the delivery of bunker fuel to ships. The Hawaii Division also provides service docking, standby tug assistance and line handling to vessels using the Single Point Mooring installation at Barbers Point, Oahu, a facility for tankers to load and discharge their cargos through an offshore buoy and submerged pipeline without entering the port. As of December 31, 2011, the coastal fleet consisted of 59 tank barges, 56 of which were double hull and three of which were single hull, with 3.8 million barrels of capacity, transporting refined petroleum products and black oil products. As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated 65 Company-owned coastal tugboats ranging from 1000 to 11800 horsepower. Tugboats in the 1800 to 3400 horsepower classes provide power for barges used in the New York Division. Tugboats in the 1000 to 11800 horsepower classes provide power for barges used in the Atlantic! , Pacific! and Hawaii Divisions. Kirby Ocean Transport owns and operates a fleet of fits offshore dry-bulk barges, fits offshore tugboats and one docking tugboat. Kirby Ocean Transport also has a contract with Holcim (US) Inc. (Holcim) to transport Holcim�� limestone requirements from a facility adjacent to the PEF facility at Crystal River to Holcim�� plant in Theodore, Alabama. Kirby Ocean Transport is also engaged in the transportation of coal, fertilizer and other bulk cargoes on a short-term basis between domestic ports and occasionally the transportation of grain from domestic ports to ports primarily in the Caribbean Basin.

Diesel Engines

The Company, through wholly owned subsidiary Kirby Engines Systems, Inc. (Kirby Engine Systems), is engaged in the overhaul and repair of medium-speed and high-speed diesel engines and reduction gears, and related parts sales used in marine and power generation applications, and distributes and services high-speed diesel engines and transmissions, pumps and compression products, and manufactures oilfield service equipment, including hydraulic fracturing equipment, used in land-based pressure pumping, oilfield service, power generation and transportation applications.

For the marine market, the Company sells Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) replacement parts, provides service mechanics to overhaul and repair engines and reduction gears, and maintains facilities to rebuild component parts or entire engines and reduction gears. For the power generation market, the Company provides service and parts capabilities and safety-related products to power generation operators and to the nuclear industry, and manufactures engine generator and pump sets for the power generation operators and municipalities. The Company expanded its diesel engine services operation with the purchase of United, a manufacturer, diesel engine and transmission distributor and service provider for the land-based oil and gas services market, oil and gas operat! ors and p! roducers, compression companies, power generation companies, on-highway transportation companies and agricultural markets. United�� principal businesses are the distribution and service of diesel engines, pumps and transmissions, the manufacture and remanufacture of oilfield service equipment, including hydraulic fracturing equipment, and the manufacture of compression equipment for natural gas transmission and for natural gas fired power generation plants.

The Company is engaged in the overhaul and repair of medium-speed and high-speed diesel engines and reduction gears, line boring, block welding services and related parts sales for customers in the marine industry. The Company services medium-speed and high-speed diesel engines utilized in the inland and offshore barge industries. It also services marine equipment and offshore drilling equipment used in the offshore petroleum exploration and oil service industry, marine equipment used in the offshore commercial fishing industry and vessels owned by the United States government. The Company has marine operations throughout the United States providing in-house and in-field repair capabilities and related parts sales. The medium-speed operations are located in Houma, Louisiana, Chesapeake, Virginia, Paducah, Kentucky, Seattle, Washington and Tampa, Florida. The operations based in Chesapeake, Virginia and Tampa, Florida are authorized distributors for 17 eastern states and the Caribbean for Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. (EMD). The marine operations based in Houma, Louisiana, Paducah, Kentucky and Seattle, Washington are nonexclusive authorized service centers for EMD providing service and related parts sales. The Houma, Louisiana operation concentrates on the inland and offshore barge and oil services industries. The Tampa, Florida operation concentrates on Gulf of Mexico offshore dry-bulk, tank barge and harbor docking operators. The Paducah, Kentucky operation concentrates on the inland river towboat and barge operators and the Great Lake! s carrier! s. The Seattle, Washington operation concentrates on the offshore commercial fishing industry, tugboat and barge industry, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and Navy, and other customers in Alaska, Hawaii and the Pacific Rim. The high-speed operations are located in Houma, Baton Rouge, Belle Chasse and New Iberia, Louisiana, Paducah, Kentucky, Mobile, Alabama and Houston, Texas. The Company serves as a factory-authorized marine dealer for Caterpillar diesel engines in Alabama, Kentucky and Louisiana. The Company also operates factory-authorized full service marine dealerships for Cummins, Detroit Diesel and John Deere diesel engines, as well as Allison transmissions and Twin Disk marine gears.

During 2011, the Company was engaged in the overhaul and repair of diesel engines and reduction gears, line boring, block welding service and related parts sales for power generation customers, which represented 9% of the segment�� revenues. The Company is also engaged in the sale and distribution of parts for diesel engines and governors to the nuclear industry. The Company services users of diesel engines, which provides standby, peak and base load power generation, as well as users of industrial reduction gears, such as the cement, paper and mining industries. The Company provides in-house and in-field repair capabilities and safety-related products to power generation operators from its Rocky Mount, North Carolina, Paducah, Kentucky and Seattle, Washington locations. The Rocky Mount operation is also the distributor of EMD products to the nuclear industry, the global distributor for Woodward Governor products to the nuclear industry, the global distributor of Cooper Energy Services, Inc. products to the nuclear industry, and owns the assets and technology necessary to support the Nordberg medium-speed diesel engines used in nuclear applications. In addition, the Rocky Mount operation is a distributor for Honeywell International Incorporated industrial measurement and control products to the ! nuclear i! ndustry, an distributor for Norlake Manufacturing Company transformer products to the nuclear industry and a non-exclusive distributor of analog Weschler Instruments metering products and distributor of digital Weschler metering products to the nuclear industry. The Paducah, Kentucky operation provides in-house and in-field repair services for Falk industrial reduction gears in the Midwest. The Seattle, Washington operation provides in-house and in-field repair services for Alco engines located on the West Coast and the Pacific Rim.

The Company�� power generation customers are domestic utilities and the global nuclear power industry. The Company is engaged in the distribution and service of diesel engines, pumps and transmissions, the manufacture and remanufacture of oilfield service equipment and the manufacture of compression equipment for natural gas transmission and for natural gas fired power generation plants. The Company offers a range of custom fabricated oilfield service equipment, fully tested and field ready. The Company manufactures products or components that are purchased by a company and marketed under the purchasing company�� brand name. The Company distributes, sells parts and services diesel engines and transmissions for on and off-highway use, and provide in-house and in-field service capabilities. The Company is also the exclusive distributor for Daimler for engines and related equipment in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. The Company manufactures and re-manufacturers oilfield service equipment, including hydraulic fracturing equipment, pressure pumping units, nitrogen pumping units, cementers, hydration equipment, mud pumps and blenders. The Company also manufactures and packages custom compressor systems, including electric motor driven systems, natural gas driven systems and industrial air systems, and manufactures natural gas General Motors and Isuzu diesel-powered engines for a range of applications from 40 to 500 horsepower. The Company is a dealer of Thermo K! ing refri! gerated systems for trucks, railroad cars and other land transportation markets in south and central Texas. The Company�� land-based customers include oilfield service providers, oil and gas operators and producers, compression companies, domestic utilities, on-highway transportation companies and companies associated with the agricultural markets.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Aimee Duffy]

    The role of the barge can't be underestimated. Barge receipts increased more than two percentage points year over year, and this is a great place for investors to look for opportunity. Companies with maritime resources benefit from this trend, as well as growth in exports. Three such companies that are worth a look are:

    Kirby Corporation (NYSE: KEX  ) , which operates 30% of the coastal tank barges in the U.S.� Oiltanking Partners (NYSE: OILT  ) , which has storage capacity of 12.1 million barrels and six deepwater docks on the Houston Ship Channel Martin Midstream Partners (NASDAQ: MMLP  ) , which operates a large fleet of inland barges and controls 31 marine terminals�

    These companies won't be the only winners, but they are a good place to start your research.

Top 10 Transportation Stocks To Watch Right Now: CryoPort Inc (CYRX)

Cryoport, Inc. (CryoPort), incorporated on May 25, 1990, provides frozen shipping logistics solutions to the biotechnology and life science industries. The Company�� solutions are disruptive to old technologies and provide reliable, economic alternatives to existing products and services utilized for frozen shipping in biotechnology and life sciences including stem cells, cell lines, vaccines, diagnostic materials, semen and embryos for in-vitro fertilization, cord blood, bio-pharmaceuticals, infectious substances and other items that require continuous exposure to frozen or cryogenic temperatures.

The Company offer its solutions to companies in the biotechnology and life sciences industries and specific verticals including manufacturers of stem cells and cell lines, diagnostic laboratories, bio-pharmaceuticals, contract research organizations, in-vitro fertilization, cord blood, vaccines, tissue, animal husbandry, and other producers of commodities requiring reliable frozen solutions for logistics problems.

The CryoPort Express System

Cryoport Express Solutions include a cloud-based logistics management software branded as the Cryoportal. The Cryoportal supports the management of the entire shipment process through a single interface which includes initial order input, document preparation, customs clearance, courier management, shipment tracking, issue resolution, and delivery. Cryoport�� total turnkey logistics solutions offer reliability, cost effectiveness, and convenience, while the use of recyclable and reusable components provides green, environmentally friendly solutions. The Cryoportal provides an array of information dashboards and validation documentation for every shipment.

Cryoport Express Solutions include recording and retaining a fully documented chain-of-custody and, at the client�� option, chain-of-condition for every shipment, helping ensure that safety, efficacy, and stability of shipped commodities are maintained. This re! corded and archived information allows its customers to meet the exacting requirements necessary for scientific work and for regulatory purposes. Cryoport Express Solutions can be used by customers, as a turnkey solution, through direct access to the cloud-based Cryoportal, or by contacting Cryoport Client Care for order entry tasks. Cryoport provides 24/7/365 logistics services through its Client Care team and also provides complete training and process management services to support each client�� specific requirements.

The CryoPort Express System

The CryoPort Express System consists of the CryoPort Express Portal, which programmatically manages order entry and all aspects of shipping operations, CryoPort Express Shippers, the CryoPort Express Smart Pak data logger, and CryoPort Express Analytics, which monitors shipment performance metrics and evaluates temperature-monitoring data collected by the data logger during shipment. In addition, the Company provides a containment bag, which is used in connection with the shipment of infectious or dangerous goods using the CryoPort Express Shipper and other accessories used in the shipment of biological and pharmaceutical specimens.

CryoPort Express Portal

The CryoPort Express Portal is used by CryoPort, the Company�� customers and its business partners to automate the entry of orders, prepare customs documentation and to facilitate status and location monitoring of shipped orders while in transit it is used by CryoPort to manage shipping operations. It is also used to support the high level of customer service. The CryoPort Express Portal also serves as the communications nerve center for the management, collection and analysis of Smart Pak data collected from Smart Pak data loggers in the field.

The CryoPort Express Shippers

The Company�� CryoPort Express Shippers are cryogenic dry vapor shippers capable of maintaining cryogenic temperatures of minus 150掳 Celsius or below f! or a peri! od of 10 or more days. A dry cryogenic shipper is a device that uses liquid nitrogen contained inside a vacuum insulated bottle, which serves as a refrigerant to provide stable storage temperatures below minus 150掳 Celsius. It has developed a retention system to ensure that liquid nitrogen stays inside the vacuum container, which allows the shipper to be designated as a dry shipper meeting International Air Transport Association (IATA) requirements. The Company is offering two sizes of dry vapor shippers, the CryoPort Express Standard Shipper with a storage capacity of up to 75 0.2 milliliter vials and the CryoPort Express High Volume Shipper, which was introduced, in January of 2012 with a capacity of up to 500 0.2 milliliter vials.

The CryoPort Express Standard Shipper

The Standard CryoPort Express Shippers are lightweight, re-usable dry vapor liquid nitrogen storage containers. A Standard CryoPort Express Shipper is composed of an aluminum metallic dewar flask, with a well for holding the biological material in the inner chamber.

The CryoPort Express High Volume Shippers

The Cryoport Express High Volume Shipper also uses a dry vapor liquid nitrogen (LN2) technology to maintain below -150掳 C temperatures with a dynamic shipping endurance of 10 days. The CryoPort Express High Volume dry shipper uses a dry vapor liquid nitrogen (LN2) technology to maintain below -150掳 Celsius temperatures. The High Volume dry shipper has a storage capacity of up to 500 0.2 milliliter vials.

The CryoPort Express Smart Pak

Phase II of the Company�� Smart Pak System, which is a self-contained automated data logger capable of recording the internal and external temperatures of samples shipped in its CryoPort Express Shipper is used in every shipment. Phase III of its Smart Pak System consists of developing and rolling out a chip with wireless connectivity to enable its customers to monitor a shipper�� location, specimen temperature and over! all state! of health via its Web portal. The Company is developing the requirements for Phase III.

Cryoport Express Analytics

The Cryoportal is an important information technology element of its business strategy and has been designed to support planned future features to allow for an expansion of its solutions offering. Analytics is a term used by IT professionals to refer to performance benchmarks or Key Performance Indicators (KPI��) that management utilizes to measure performance against desired standards. Examples for analytics tracked through the Cryoportal include time-based metrics for order processing time and on-time deliveries by its shipping partners, as well as profiling shipping lanes to determine average transit times and predicting potential shipping exceptions based on historical metrics.

Biological Material Holders

The Company has developed a containment bag, which is used in connection with the shipment of infectious or dangerous goods using the CryoPort Express Shipper. Up to five vials, watertight primary receptacles are placed onto aluminum holders and up to fifteen holders (75 vials) are placed into an absorbent pouch, which is designed to absorb the entire contents of all the vials in the event of leakage. This pouch containing up to 75 vials is then placed in a watertight secondary packaging Tyvek bag capable of withstanding cryogenic temperatures, and then sealed. This bag is then placed into the well of the cryogenic shipper.

The Company competes with MVE/Chart Industries, Taylor Wharton and Air Liquide, Marathon Products Inc., Kodiak Thermal Technologies, Inc, BioStorage Technologies and BioMatrica, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By CRWE]

    Today, CYRX has shed (-10.00%) down -0.050 at $.450 with�179,695 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 12:35PM EDT October 4, 2013).

    Cryoport, Inc. and OCASA, Inc. have previously entered into a master services agreement to provide global cold chain logistics solutions for life science and biotech commodities requiring cryogenic temperatures. OCASA will have access to Cryoport�� full range of cryogenic business solution capabilities including its proprietary Cryoport Express庐 Shippers and cloud-based logistics management software platform, the CryoportalTM. Cryoport will leverage OCASA�� global logistics network to provide more complete global services to its customers. In conjunction with Cryoport and OCASA providing each other with logistics solutions, the Companies will engage in co-marketing, joint sales activities, and a wide range of customer-driven support requirements to provide comprehensive and seamless solutions to the life sciences and biotech industries

Top 10 Transportation Stocks To Watch Right Now: Tallgrass Energy Partners LP (TEP)

Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP incorporated on February 6, 2013, is a limited partnership company. It provides natural gas transportation and storage services for customers in the Rocky Mountain and Midwest regions of the United States through its Tallgrass Interstate Gas transportation system and processing services for customers in Wyoming through its Midstream Facilities. The Company operates in two segments: Gas Transportation and Storage and Processing. The Gas Transportation and Storage segment is engaged in ownership and operation of interstate natural gas pipelines and related natural gas storage facilities that provide services to third-party natural gas distribution utilities and other shippers. The Processing segment is engaged in ownership and operation of natural gas processing and treating facilities that produce natural gas liquids and residue gas that is sold in local wholesale markets or delivered into pipelines for transportation to additional end markets.

The Company provides processing services for customers in Wyoming through its Casper and Douglas natural gas processing and West Frenchie Draw natural gas treating facilities. The Casper and Douglas plants have combined capacity of 138.5 138.5 MMcf/d. The Company has its operations in Lakewood, Colarado. The Company owns and natural gas processing plants in Casper and Douglas, Wyoming and a natural gas treating facility at West Frenchie Draw, Wyoming through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tallgrass Midstream, LLC.

The Company competes with Kinder Morgan and Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Robert Rapier] There were a half a dozen initial public offerings (IPOs) by master limited partnerships in the first half of the year, and all but one are now in the green while one has nearly doubled in value.

    The first MLP IPO of 2013 debuted on Jan. 15. USA Compression Partners (NYSE: USAC), which I mentioned in last week’s issue, provides compression services for the oil and gas industry. Units have advanced 36 percent since the IPO, and at the current price yield 7.3 percent.

    The day after the USA Compression Partners IPO, CVR Refining (NYSE: CVRR) made its debut.  CVRR was spun off from CVR Energy (NYSE: CVI), and both companies remain majority-owned by Carl Icahn. CVR Refining’s primary assets are two refineries located in Kansas and Oklahoma with a combined processing capacity of approximately 185,000 barrels per day (bpd). These refineries are strategically located near the major Cushing, Oklahoma shipment and storage hub, with easy access to discounted feedstock from the nearby Permian basin, as well as the Bakken shale and Canadian oil sands.

    But refiners have struggled with diminished margins in 2013 because of a much lower Brent-WTI differential. After the recently concluded second quarter, CVRR declared a distribution of $1.35 per unit, bringing its per-unit distributions for the first half of the year to $2.93. At the same time, CVR Refining lowered its annual distribution target to a range of $4.10 to $4.80 per unit. This was lower than the outlook issued in March, when it foresaw annual distributions of $5.50 to $6.50. CVRR units slid on the news, and are presently trading slightly below the $25 IPO price. The lower end of the revised forecast implies distributions of $1.17 per unit in the second half of the year, for a forward annualized yield of 10 percent based on the recent $23.50 unit price.

    SunCoke Energy Partners (NYSE: SXCP) was the third IPO to debut during a very busy third week of January. SXCP is the first M
  • [By Aimee Duffy]

    Tallgrass Energy Partners (NYSE: TEP  ) followed closely behind, going public on May 14. This midstream company picked up some of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners'�western-based natural gas assets when KMP was forced to divest them to receive the Department of Justice's blessing on the El Paso acquisition.