Friday, October 31, 2014

Top 10 Chemical Companies To Buy Right Now

Thanks to the Environmental Protection Agency, you can now eat more of Monsanto's (NYSE: MON  ) herbicide Roundup in your food.

Because there wasn't anywhere near as much coverage as there was for President Obama signing into law the so-called "Monsanto Protection Act" -- which prohibits federal courts from halting the sale of genetically modified or engineered seeds -- the decision by the regulatory agency to increase the acceptable level of pesticides permitted on food crops went through without much of a fight (though the EPA received nearly 11,000 public comments opposing the move).

What it means is that Roundup will become an even larger profit center for the chemicals giant. Monsanto's agricultural productivity segment generated $1.2 billion last quarter,�driven primarily by sales of its glysophate-based herbicide Roundup to farmers and a smaller portion to consumers, which is handled by Scotts Miracle-Gro. Sales have risen 24% over the first nine months of the fiscal year, only a small portion of which is because of higher prices.

Hot Wireless Telecom Companies To Watch In 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 Companies To Buy Right Now: Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc.(POT)

Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. produces and sells fertilizers and related industrial and feed products primarily in the United States and Canada. The company mines and produces potash, which is used as fertilizer. It also offers solid and liquid phosphate fertilizers; animal feed supplements; and industrial acids that are used in food products and industrial processes. In addition, the company produces nitrogen fertilizers, as well as nitrogen feed and industrial products, including ammonia, urea, nitrogen solutions, ammonium nitrate, and nitric acid. Further, it holds the right to mine 785,759 acres of land in Saskatchewan; and 58,263 acres of land in New Brunswick in Canada. The company sells its fertilizers primarily to retailers, dealers, co-operatives, distributors, and other fertilizer producers; industrial products primarily to chemical product manufacturers; and purified phosphoric acid directly to consumers of the product. Potash Corporation was founded i n 1953 and is based in Saskatoon, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jim Jubak]

    That's certainly not good news for such agriculture stocks as fertilizer producers Potash of Saskatchewan (POT), Mosaic (MOS), and Yara International (YARIY). And it's not good news for Deere for 2014, as a whole, either. The company lowered guidance for the quarter that ends in April to sales of $9.65 billion, versus the current Wall Street consensus of $9.89 billion. That would represent a 6% drop in sales in the quarter.

Top 10 Chemical Companies To Buy Right Now: PetroLogistics LP (PDH)

PetroLogistics LP owns and operates propane dehydrogenation (PDH) facility. The Company is located in the vicinity of the Houston Ship Channel. As of April 23, 2012, the Company had an annual production capacity of approximately 1.45 billion pounds of propylene. Its PDH facility uses a CATOFIN dehydrogenation technology pursuant to a fully-paid license from CB&I Lummus. It derives its sales from three different sources: propylene sales, hydrogen sales, and mixed stream of butane and butylenes (C4 mix stream) and heavier hydrocarbons (C5+ stream) sales.

Contracted Propylene Sales

The Company has propylene sales contracts with The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), Total Petrochemicals USA, Inc. (Total), and INEOS Olefins and Polymers USA (INEOS), each of which use the propylene it supplies in the acrylic acid, polypropylene and acrylonitrile plants. Effective January 1, 2012, it added BASF Corporation (BASF) and LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (LyondellBasell) as additional contracted customers. It delivers propylene to these customers through its integrated pipeline system, which connects its facility to the Dow and Total plants and the LyondellBasell system, and through interconnected third-party pipelines, which connect its facility to INEOS and BASF and to other potential propylene customers.

Spot-Market Propylene Sales

Through the Company�� integrated pipeline system, the Company accesses other consumers of propylene, which it is able to supply on a spot basis with its excess production capacity. It manages its contract and spot portfolio.

Hydrogen Gas Sales

As part of the PDH process, the Company produces commercial quantities of hydrogen. Hydrogen is consumed in refinery processes, including fuel desulphurization.

C4 Mix/C5+ Streams Sales

The Company produces commercial quantities of C4 mix/C5+ streams. It sells the C4 mix stream to specialty chemical consumers or refiners and these customers tran! sport the purchased volumes from its facility by truck. The C5+ stream, which is heavy in aromatics, is transported by its pipeline to a Kinder Morgan terminal, and then sold to Texas Aromatics for use in the chemical or gasoline markets.

The Company competes with Enterprise, Chevron Phillips, ExxonMobil Chemical, Shell Chemical, Flint Hills and the Williams Companies.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    PetroLogistics (NYSE: PDH  ) reported earnings on July 24. Here are the numbers you need to know.

    The 10-second takeaway
    For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), PetroLogistics met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

  • [By Travis Hoium]

    What: Shares of propane company PetroLogistics (NYSE: PDH  ) fell as much as 10% today after reporting earnings.

    So what: Sales dropped 18% from a year ago to $159.4 million but the company swung to a net income of $41.4 million. On an adjusted basis net income fell from $64.4 million a year ago to $37.8 million in the second quarter. �

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

Top 10 Chemical Companies To Buy Right Now: Sensient Technologies Corp (SXT)

Sensient Technologies Corporation, incorporated on December 07, 1882, is a global manufacturer and marketer of colors, flavors and fragrances. Sensient uses advanced technologies at facilities around the world to develop specialty food and beverage systems, cosmetic and pharmaceutical systems, inkjet and specialty inks and colors, and other specialty and chemicals. The Company�� customers include international manufacturers representing some of the Known brands. The Company operates in two segments: Flavors & Fragrances Group and the Color Group. The Asia Pacific and the China Groups are included in the Corporate & Other category, along with the Company�� corporate expenses. The Company's principal products include: flavors, flavor enhancers and bionutrients; fragrances and aroma chemicals; dehydrated vegetables and other food ingredients; natural and synthetic food and beverage colors; cosmetic and pharmaceutical colors and additives; and technical colors, inkjet colors and inks, and specialty dyes and pigments.

Flavors & Fragrances Group

The Company is a developer, manufacturer and supplier of flavor and fragrance systems for the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care and household-products industries. The Company�� flavor formulations are used in consumer products. Under the unified brand names of Sensient Flavors, Sensient Dehydrated Flavors and Sensient Fragrances, the Company is a supplier to multinational companies. The Flavors & Fragrances Group produces flavor and fragrance products, which impart a taste, texture, aroma and/or other characteristics to a range of consumer and other products. It includes the Company�� dehydrated flavors business, which produces ingredients for food processors. The products are systems products, including flavor-delivery systems, and compounded and blended products. In addition, the Company is engaged in selected ingredient products, such as essential oils, natural and synthetic flavors, and aroma chemicals. The Company ! serves food and non-food industries. In food industries, markets include savory, beverage, dairy, confectionery and bakery flavors. In non-food industries, the Company supplies fragrance products to the personal and home-care markets and supplies flavor products to the pharmaceuticals market.

Operating through the Company�� Sensient Dehydrated Flavors business, the Company is produces dehydrated onion and garlic products in the United States. The Company is also producers and distributors of chili powder, paprika, chili pepper and dehydrated vegetables, such as parsley, celery and spinach. Domestically, the Company sells dehydrated products to food manufacturers for use as ingredients and also for repackaging under private labels for sale to the retail market and to the food service industry. In addition, Sensient Dehydrated Flavors is dehydrators of specialty vegetables in Europe. The Flavors & Fragrances Group operates through the Company's subsidiaries Sensient Flavors LLC and Sensient Dehydrated Flavors LLC. The Company�� principal manufacturing plants are located in California, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Belgium, Canada, the People�� Republic of China, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Color Group

The Company is a developer, manufacturer and supplier of colors for businesses globally. The Company provides natural and synthetic color systems for use in foods, beverages and pharmaceuticals; colors and other ingredients for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, and technical colors for industrial applications and digital imaging. The Company sells its synthetic and natural colors to domestic and international producers of beverages, bakery products, processed foods, confections, pet foods, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. The Company also makes inkjet inks and other dyes and pigments used in a variety of non-food applications.

The Color Group operates through the Company's subsidiary Sensient Col! ors LLC. ! Its principal manufacturing plants are located in California, Missouri, New Jersey, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The Color Group operates under trade names of Sensient Food Colors (food and beverage colors); Sensient Pharmaceutical Coating Systems (pharmaceutical colors and coatings); Sensient Cosmetic Technologies (cosmetic colors and ingredients and systems). and Sensient Industrial Colors (including paper colors; industrial colors for plastics, leather, wood stains, antifreeze and other uses; inkjet colors and inks; specialty inks, and display imaging).

Asia Pacific and China Groups

The Asia Pacific Group and the China Group focus on marketing the Company�� diverse product line in the Pacific Rim under the Sensient name. Through these operations, the Company offers a range of products from its Flavors & Fragrances Group and Color Group, as well as products developed by regional technical teams to appeal to local preferences. Sales, marketing and technical functions are managed through the Asia Pacific Group's headquarters in Australia. Manufacturing operations are located in Australia, Japan, New Zealand and the Philippines. The Asia Pacific Group maintains offices for research and development, as well as sales, in India, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore and Thailand.

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 Sensient Technologies (NYSE: SXT  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top 10 Chemical Companies To Buy Right Now: Linde AG (LIN)

Linde AG is a German company engaged in the gases and engineering sector. It operates two divisions: Gases and Engineering, as core divisions, as well as Gist. The Gases Division includes Healthcare, producing medical gases; and Tonnage, as its two global business units; as well as the two business areas Merchant and Packaged Gases, offering liquefied and cylinder gases, and Electronics. The Company�� products are used in the energy sector, for steel production, chemical processing, environmental protection and welding, as well as in food processing, glass production and electronics. The Engineering division offers planning, project development and construction of turnkey industrial plants used in fields, such as petrochemical and chemical industries, in refineries and fertilizer plants, to recover air gases, to produce hydrogen and synthesis gases, to treat natural gas, and in the pharmaceutical industry. As of August 13, 2012, the Company acquired Lincare Holdings Inc. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Wolfe]

    Gabelli started the week by reducing his position in LIN Media (LIN). The guru reduced his position by -1.36%. Gabelli sold a total of 23,007 shares at an average price of $16.88 per share. Gabelli now holds on to a total of 1,666,208 shares of LIN Media, representing 3.06% of the company�� shares outstanding.

  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap media stock�LIN Media LLC (NYSE: LIN) might not be a household name, but there is a good chance you might be watching the company�� programs because like the Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc (NASDAQ: SBGI) and Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc (NASDAQ: NXST), its helping to consolidate the media industry plus its making investment in other forms of media like social media. The stock has also outperformed those two peers along with the�PowerShares Dynamic Media Portfolio ETF (NYSEARCA: PBS).

Top 10 Chemical Companies To Buy Right Now: OCI Partners LP (OCIP)

OCI Partners LP, incorporated on February 07, 2013, owns and operates an integrated methanol and ammonia production facility that is strategically located on the Texas Gulf Coast near Beaumont. The Company is a methanol producer in the United States with an annual methanol production capacity of approximately 730,000 metric tons and an annual ammonia production capacity of approximately 265,000 metric tons, and it is in the early stages of a debottlenecking project that increases its annual methanol production capacity by 25% to approximately 912,500 metric tons and its annual ammonia production capacity by 15% to approximately 305,000 metric tons.

Both methanol and ammonia are global commodities that are essential building blocks for numerous end-use products. Methanol is a liquid petrochemical that is used in a variety of industrial and energy-related applications. Methanol is used in industrial applications to produce adhesives used in manufacturing wood products, such as plywood, particle board and laminates, resins to treat paper and plastic products, paint and varnish removers, solvents for the textile industry and polyester fibers for clothing and carpeting. Methanol is also used outside of the United States as a direct fuel for automobile engines, as a fuel blended with gasoline and as an octane booster in reformulated gasoline. In the United States, ammonia is primarily used as a feedstock to produce nitrogen fertilizers, such as urea and ammonium sulfate, and is also directly applied to soil as a fertilizer. In addition, ammonia is widely used in industrial applications, particularly in the Texas Gulf Coast market, including in the production of plastics, synthetic fibers, resins and numerous other chemical compounds.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Robert Rapier]

    Rounding out the bottom five were�OCI Partners�(NYSE: OCIP), a methanol and ammonia producer (-24 percent YTD),�Natural Resource Partners�(NYSE: NRP), another coal producer (-19 percent), and�Eagle Rock Energy Partners�(NASDAQ: EROC), an oil and gas production partnership (-17 percent).

  • [By Robert Rapier]

    OCI Partners (Nasdaq: OCIP) owns and operates OCI Beaumont, an integrated methanol and ammonia production facility on the Texas Gulf Coast. OCI Beaumont has a methanol production capacity of 730,000 metric tons (MT) per year and an ammonia production capacity of 265,000 MT per year. The facility is in the middle of a debottlenecking project that will increase its annual methanol production capacity by 25 percent and its annual ammonia production capacity by 15 percent.

  • [By Robert Rapier]

    Also speaking will be the leaders of some of the world�� leading methanol producers. Among them will be Egyptian billionaire Nassef Sawiris, the CEO of Orascom Construction Industries (OCI N.V.), a Netherlands-listed chemicals, fertilizer and construction conglomerate. OCI also happens to be the sponsor of OCI Partners (NYSE: OCIP), a master limited partnership (MLP) producing methanol and ammonia at a single plant on the Texas Gulf coast. The facility was mothballed in 2004 amid high natural gas prices, and restarted in 2012 by OCI N.V.

  • [By Paul Ausick]

    Stocks on the Move: Potbelly Corp. (NASDAQ: PBPB) is up 119.1% at $30.68 after a blistering IPO at $14 a share. OCI Partners LP (NYSE: OCIP) is up 5.6% at $19.01 after an IPO at $18.00 a share. Cherry Hill Mortgage Investment Corp. (NYSE: CHMI) is down 7.6% at $18.48 following its IPO on Friday morning. Discovery Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ: DSCO) is up 37.1% at $2.70 following approval of updated specifications for a drug to prevent respiratory distress in premature infants. Forest Oil Corp. (NYSE: FST) is down 9.7% at $5.74 following the sale of $1 billion worth of assets in the Texas panhandle.

Top 10 Chemical Companies To Buy Right Now: ICL Israel Chemicals Ltd (ISCHY.PK)

ICL Israel Chemicals Ltd (ICL) is an Israel-based company, engaged in the fertilizer and specialty chemical sectors. The company operates in three segments: Fertilizers, Industrial Products, and Performance Products. The Fertilizers segment is engaged in the production of standard, granular, fine red and white potash from three sources, as well as in the production of phosphates, such as phosphate rock, phosphoric acid, fertilizers and animal feed addictives. The Industrial Products segment produces flame retardants, such as brominates and organ phosphorus; elemental bromine, and other chemicals. In addition the Performance Products segment produces specialty phosphates, such as technical, food grade and electronic grade phosphoric acid, phosphate salts, food additives and wildfire safety products, as well as alumina and other chemicals. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Chris Damas]

    I never thought Uralkali would get back together with Belaruskali as I expressed in this article written a day after the break-up roiled the fertilizer world, causing 20% plunges in the stocks of major producers such as Potash Corp (POT), Mosaic Company (MOS) and Israel Chemicals Ltd (ISCHY.PK).

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Top 5 Communications Equipment Companies To Buy For 2014

Popular Posts: 9 Biotechnology Stocks to Buy Now4 Pharmaceutical Stocks to Buy Now3 Communications Equipment Stocks to Buy Now Recent Posts: 3 Semiconductor Stocks to Sell Now 10 Semiconductor Stocks to Buy Now 3 Insurance Stocks to Buy Now View All Posts

This week, five commercial banking stocks are improving their overall rating on Portfolio Grader. Each of these rates an “A” (“strong buy”) or “B” overall (“buy”).

Capital Bank Financial Corp. Class A () ups its rating to a B (“buy”) this week after earning a C (“hold”) in the week before. The stock’s price of $22.93 is above the 50-day moving average of $22.68. .

Top Warren Buffett Companies To Buy For 2015: FLIR Systems Inc (FLIR)

FLIR Systems, Inc. (FLIR), incorporated on March 8, 1978, is a designer, manufacturer, and marketer of thermal imaging systems. The Company�� advanced sensors and integrated sensor systems enable the gathering and analysis of critical information through a range of applications in commercial, industrial, and government markets worldwide. Its business is organized into two divisions: Commercial Systems and Government Systems. Commercial Systems division includes Thermal Vision & Measurement and Raymarine. Government Systems division include Surveillance, Detection, and Integrated Systems. It offers a range of sensor products, including infrared imaging cameras and systems, detector cores, CBRNE threat detectors, test and measurement instruments, radars, maritime electronics, and related products and solutions. On December 20, 2012, the Company acquired Lorex Technology Inc. In December 2012, the Company acquired Traficon International NV. In August 2013, Tessera Technologies Inc announced that FLIR Systems, Inc. acquired a portion of the assets of Tessera's Micro-Optics business based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Thermal Vision & Measurement

Thermal Vision & Measurement (TVM) products are generally sold for applications where the customer need is to see at night or in adverse conditions or to image a scene while gathering valuable situational and temperature information. The Company�� infrared sensors business, which sells focal plane arrays and camera cores internally, as well as to third parties on an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) basis, is also part of TVM. Its thermal and visible light security products are used to protect critical infrastructure, ports, borders, commercial sites, and residential homes. The Company offers a night vision system for passenger automobiles that provides drivers with the ability to see at night and through obscurants, such as fog, at distances much further and wider than can be seen with traditional headlights. As of December 31, ! 2012, provide camera cores for certain Audi, BMW, and Rolls Royce models through its partnership with Autoliv Electronics, a supplier of automotive safety equipment. The Company offers an integrated suite of maritime electronics that utilizes multifunction displays, infrared cameras, depth sounders, GPS, auto pilots, and advanced command and control software.

The Company is engaged in providing advanced thermal imaging technology for consumer applications. It�� easy to use, affordable, and lightweight personal vision thermal cameras give people the ability to see at night. In the home, its cameras can be used for numerous household and security applications, such as locating heat leaks, evaluating insulation coverage, detecting water damage, identifying intruders, and locating pests. The Company supplies hand-held systems to the law enforcement market. The Company supplies cooled and uncooled camera cores, sensors, and readout integrated circuits on an OEM basis for a range of applications where customers require a product at a lower level of integration than a fully developed thermal imaging system.

In Thermal Measurement Markets thermal imaging systems are used for monitoring the condition of mechanical and electrical equipment. The company�� systems provide the ability to view thermal distribution in real time for products ranging in size from small hybrid integrated circuits to jet engines. Common applications include product development of microelectronics, cell phones, laptop computers, telecommunications equipment, consumer appliances, automotive components, and aircraft engines. Systems used in research and development applications require high imaging performance and measurement precision, coupled with extensive analysis and reporting software. Thermal imaging applications for manufacturing process control include applications where temperature consistency is critical, including monitoring the quality of metal, plastic and glass cast parts, which are highly depend! ent upon ! the temperature distribution in the mold; monitoring the quality of paper, which is dependent upon proper and even moisture distribution during the drying process; and monitoring the quality of products such as rubber gloves, which can be thermally examined to locate abnormally warm or cool spots, indicating non-uniform thickness that may result in a quality defect.

Infrared imagers can detect missing insulation, electrical faults, water intrusion and pest infiltration, can gauge energy efficiency, and can help detect the presence of moisture. Market segments include building diagnostics, energy auditing and home inspection, property and facility management, HVAC and plumbing, and moisture detection and restoration. Specially designed infrared systems can detect and image hydrocarbon gas emissions or leaks. It supplies trade professionals a range of test equipment to deliver high accuracy readings for the measurement of electricity, light, sound, temperature, humidity, airflow, revolutions per minute, and water quality. The Company offers fee-based training on the principles of thermography and the use of its products through ITC, its Infrared Training Center, which provides instruction, training, certification and applications engineering from several FLIR locations or at the customer�� site. It also licenses Infrared Training Centers to third parties in certain countries.

The Company competes with Danaher (Fluke), General Dynamics (Axsys), L-3 Communications, Sofradir (ULIS), Axis Communications, NEC and Testo.

Raymarine

Raymarine is a provider of marine electronics, and continues as a pioneer in the technologies that give boaters confidence on the water. The products that Raymarine develops and markets is intended to fulfill all of the marine electronic needs of recreational boaters and offer best-in-class integrated control solutions for all of their on-board instrumentation. Raymarine designs, develops, and markets electronics for the maritime market a! nd is a p! rovider of fully integrated stem to stern networked electronic systems for boats of many sizes. The business distributes its products through a network of independent distributors and retailers, as well as through its relationships with boat builders, providing both first fitment and aftermarket solutions.

The Company competes with Furuno, Garmin and Navico.

Surveillance

Surveillance focuses on providing enhanced vision and detection capabilities to a range of military, paramilitary, law enforcement, public safety, and other government customers. Its systems typically provide the capability to see over long distances, day or night, through adverse weather conditions, and from a range of vehicle, man portable, and fixed installation platforms. Typical applications include intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), force protection, drug interdiction, search and rescue, special operations, and target designation. Surveillance products are sold off-the-shelf or can be customized for specific applications and frequently incorporate additional sensors, including visible light cameras, radars, low light cameras, laser rangefinders, laser illuminators, and laser designators.

Surveillance offers a range of products across multiple applications. For airborne applications, it has developed highly stabilized platforms, known as gimbals, which typically contain multiple payloads in addition to the infrared imaging system, as well as sophisticated software and analytic capabilities. For land applications, it manufactures three types of products: hand-held products, platform mounted products, and targeting products. Platform mounted surveillance systems include imaging and radar solutions, which are typically housed in a weather-tight enclosure and feature remote control capabilities and multi-sensor integration capability. Hand-held products are ruggedized and have optional lenses and target location capabilities. Ground-based targeting products are designed t! o attach ! to existing daylight sights to provide bore-sighted, nighttime capabilities. For maritime applications, it manufacture shipborne products which are similar to its airborne gimbals, but are inverted and customized for the marine environment.

In Search and Rescue market thermal imaging systems are used in airborne nd shipborne search and rescue missions to rescue individuals in danger or distress on boats or vehicles, or wounded or lost in adverse conditions. Such systems are in use by organizations such as the United States Army, United States Coast Guard, the United States Marine Corps, the United States Air National Guard, and the United Kingdom Ministry of Defense. In Border and Maritime Patrol market thermal imaging systems are used in airborne, shipborne, hand-held and fixed installation applications for border and maritime surveillance, particularly at night, to enforce borders and coastal waters, to monitor national fishing boundaries and to prevent smuggling. Its cameras are deployed along numerous borders worldwide, including in the United States, Europe and the Middle East. In Surveillance and Reconnaissance market Thermal imaging systems are used in surveillance and reconnaissance applications for the precise positioning of objects or people from substantial distances and for enhanced situational awareness, particularly at night or in conditions of reduced or obscured visibility. It also offers high-resolution frequency-modulated continuous wave radars that enable wide-area surveillance capable of detecting potential threats before they cross a perimeter. These systems can be installed on fixed platforms, manned mobile platforms, and unmanned aerial vehicles.

The Company supplies airborne thermal imaging systems for federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Agencies with this type of equipment have the ability to track suspects, locate lost persons, and provide situational awareness to officers on the ground. It offers several products that provide precise t! arget loc! ation and designation capabilities in applications ranging from clip-on rifle scope devices to high-precision, stabilized, airborne laser designator systems. Thermal imaging systems enable government agencies to expand their drug interdiction and support activities by allowing greater surveillance and detection capabilities. The Company�� systems are in use by the United States Customs Service, the United States Drug Enforcement Agency and the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as by foreign government agencies.

The Company competes with BAE Systems, DRS (a Finmeccanica company), Elbit Systems, General Dynamics, L-3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Sagem, Sofradir, and Thales.

Detection

The Company�� Detection segment provides capabilities in the development of advanced sensor technologies used to detect and identify CBRNE threats. The Detection segment is focused on developing technologies and products to penetrate a global market for advanced threat detection capabilities. Detection manufactures and markets the portable explosive detector, the smallest spectroscopic radiation detector, and the smallest hand-held Raman sensor.

The Company offer both indoor and outdoor biological air monitors that are used by various governmental agencies, including the United States Department of Defense, airport authorities, and the National Park Service, for layered security at facilities and events. Its explosives detection products are used to identify military-grade explosives and homemade explosive devices in a range of military and public safety applications, such as screening high-risk individuals at checkpoints, identifying improvised explosive device (IED) makers, and screening air passengers and baggage. Its radiation products protect the public by warning of radionuclide exposure and have been or are being used by the U.S. Department of Energy�� Nuclear Emergency Search Team, the New York Police Department, the Internat! ional Ato! mic Energy Agency, the U.S. Coast Guard, and the United Kingdom�� Home Office Border and Immigration Agency.

The Company competes with Agilent Technologies, Canberra Industries, Idaho Technologies, NUCSAFE, SAIC, Smiths Detection, Thermo Fisher Scientific, and United Technologies.

Integrated Systems

Integrated Systems develops platform solutions for combating sophisticated security threats and incorporates multiple sensor systems in order to deliver actionable intelligence for wide area surveillance, intrusion detection, border security, and facility security. Integrated Systems incorporates advanced sensors from both the FLIR product suite and external vendors in order to design and manufacture adaptive and effective force protection, homeland security, and commercial solutions that are designed to save lives and protect critical assets. Integrated Systems utilizes an array of sensor technologies, such as radars, thermal imaging and visible light cameras, chemical detectors, radiation detectors, and command and control systems, provided by its other segments as well as from external parties, to create high value solutions for customers across the world.

Integrated Systems manufactures and markets several accurate mobile and fixed solutions for perimeter surveillance. The Cerberus mobile unmanned towers and manned SkyWatch towers are utilized for protecting borders, securing facilities, protecting forces, and safeguarding the public. These tower systems can be deployed in almost any environment and are fully networkable platform solutions that integrate various sensor suites, including infrared thermal or visible light cameras, ground surveillance radar, video motion detection, and unattended ground sensors. In addition, Integrated Systems offers open-source software that enables customers to command, control, and monitor their sensor networks. Cohesion is a flexible integration software enabling CBRNE sensors to be incorporated into standard command! and cont! rol software systems and is specifically designed to support or integrate with its or third-party advanced sensors and devices. Cameleon video integration software allows for advanced monitoring and control of video surveillance camera networks.

The Company competes with Boeing, Cobham, Honeywell, L-3 Communications, Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman, Raytheon, SAIC, Telephonics, and Thales.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sue Chang and Saumya Vaishampayan]

    Flir Systems Inc. (FLIR) rallied 9.7% following the release of several new products at CES, including a thermal imaging system for smartphones.

  • [By Rich Smith]

    The Department of Defense issued $312.5 million worth of new contract awards Monday. Notable winners included subsidiaries of two major defense contractors, FLIR Systems (NASDAQ: FLIR  ) and General Dynamics (NYSE: GD  ) .

  • [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

    The fund has a solid mix of companies, including cutting-edge small caps like FLIR Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: FLIR), the world's predominant maker of commercial thermal-imaging cameras.

Top 5 Communications Equipment Companies To Buy For 2014: ADT Corp (ADT)

The ADT Corporation (ADT), incorporated on January 18, 2012, is a provider of electronic security, interactive home and business automation, and monitoring services for residences and small businesses in the United States and Canada. The Company�� products and services include ADT Pulse interactive home and business solutions, and home health services. ADT provides business security intrusion detection, which protect the business from burglary, robbery and intruders. Its electronic access control limits unauthorized entry and employee access to the business, as well as complete access. Effective August 2, 2013, The ADT Corp acquired Devcon Security Services Corp, a provider of security protection services, from Devcon International Corp. In November 2013, Kastle Systems International announced that it had acquired Mutual Central Alarm Services and Stat-Land Security Systems from ADT Corporation.

The Company's video surveillance views events in multiple areas of facility, which has control over loss and oversees business. On October 1, 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of Absolute Security.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Michael Robinson]

    CSD also holds shares in a stock that has prospered after being spun-off from troubled Tyco��he ADT Corp. (ADT), which is best known as a leading home security firm.

  • [By Matt Thalman]

    On a more somber note, shares of security system provider ADT (NYSE: ADT  ) fell 5.79% today, after the company announced that it will repurchase 10.24 million shares from hedge fund Corvex Management. The agreed-upon amount was Friday's closing price of $44.01 per share. While Corvex currently owns 11.2 million shares of ADT, this is a massive cut to its holding amount and comes despite ADT's reporting of earnings growth in recent quarters as its customer base grows and the housing industry becomes healthier. Corvex founder Keith Mieister will resign from the ADT board now that it will no longer own 5.3% of the outstanding shares. While current shareholders should be happy the company agreed to buy back those shares, it does seem odd that such a large investor would dump nearly its entire holding. And that's probably why investors pushed the price lower today.

  • [By Jim Fink]

    Year-to-Date Performance

    Industry Diamond Offshore (NYSE: DO) $55.39 $7.7 billion 3.3 -14.2% Oil Drilling HCP Inc. (NYSE: HCP) $36.22 $16.5 billion 3.5 -16.0% Healthcare REIT American Realty Capital Properties (Nasdaq: ARCP) $12.64 $2.4 billion 8.6 1.9% Retail and Office REIT Southern Co. (NYSE: SO) $40.88 $36.1 billion 9.8 -0.1% Electric Utility Cooper Tire & Rubber (NYSE: CTB) $22.01 $1.4 billion 10.3 -11.8% Automobile Tires CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) $31.36 $18.5 billion 11.8 -14.5% Telecommunications Quest Diagnostic (NYSE: DGX) $54.05 $7.8 billion 13.4 -5.4% Medical Diagnostic Tests Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (NYSE: KMP) $79.57 $34.9 billion 15.4 6.0% Energy pipeline MLP Altera (Nasdaq: ALTR) $31.98 $10.3 billion 15.9 -5.6% Semiconductors ADT Corp. (NYSE: ADT) $40.01 $8.0 billion 16.8 -12.9% Home Security

    Source: Bloomberg

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Equities Trading DOWN
    Shares of The ADT (NYSE: ADT) were down 5.93 percent to $41.41 after the company announced the repurchase of 10.24 million shares held by Corvex at $44.01 per share.

Top 5 Communications Equipment Companies To Buy For 2014: ADVA Optical Networking SE (ADV)

ADVA Optical Networking SE is a Germany-based company that develops, manufactures and sells optical and Ethernet-based networking solutions to telecommunications carriers and enterprises to deploy, manage and deliver data storage, voice and video services in metropolitan areas. Its optical transmission solutions are based on wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) technology. Its Ethernet-optimized transmission solutions for fiber- or copper-based lines are used to provide access for enterprises into a carrier's network. Its systems are used by telecommunications services providers, companies, universities and government agencies worldwide. It sells its product portfolio both directly and through an international network of distribution partners. Its optical and Ethernet-based network solutions have been deployed by more than 250 carriers and more than 10,000 enterprises. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 13 wholly owned subsidiaries across Europe, Asia, North and Latin America. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Adrian Day]

    Adrian Day: Yes, yes, I like the concept of looking up the secondary plays. I mean, you know we own Altius (ALS) for example, rather than Alderon (ADV). Altius owns 30% of Alderon, that is more diversified, has a better balance sheet. If Alderon succeeds, Atius will succeed.

  • [By Holly LaFon]

    We re-established an investment in CME Group, Inc. (CME) during the period. CME is the largest and most diversified derivatives marketplace in the U.S. Its exchanges support trading across a variety of asset classes, including interest rates, equity indexes, energy, agricultural commodities, foreign exchange and metals. We believe CME has the opportunity to significantly accelerate its growth rates due to the eventual normalization of interest rates and the attendant interest rate volatility. CME's interest rate trading volumes (ADV) have been depressed as a result of the Fed's zero interest rate policy and low interest rate volatility. For example, interest rate ADV was 4.8 million in 2012compared to 7.1 million in 2007, before the financial crisis. However, given the Fed's recent policy statements (discussed above), market participants are starting to anticipate an end to quantitative easing (QE). On May 30, CME experienced record volume for interest rate derivatives with ADV of 19.4 million. With the globalization of CME's business, a host of new products, and the regulatory requirement for interest rate swaps to be cleared on an exchange, we believe CME's interest rate volumes can surpass their prior peak, significantly driving earnings growth for the company.

Top 5 Communications Equipment Companies To Buy For 2014: Cisco Systems Inc (CSCO)

Cisco Systems, Inc., incorporated on December 10, 1984, designs, manufactures, and sells Internet protocol (IP)-based networking and other products related to the communications and information technology (IT) industry and provide services associated with these products and their use. The Company provides a line of products for transporting data, voice, and video within buildings, across campuses, and around the world. Its products are designed to transform how people connect, communicate, and collaborate. Its products are installed at enterprise businesses, public institutions, telecommunications companies, commercial businesses, and personal residences. The Company has five segments: United States and Canada, European Markets, Emerging Markets, Asia Pacific, and Japan. The Emerging Markets theater consists of Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa, and Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States. In July 30, 2012, it acquired NDS Group Ltd. In October 2012, it acquired virtual networking company, vCider. In August 2011, the Company acquired Versly. In November 2011, it acquired BNI Video. In March 2012, the Company acquired Lightwire, Inc. In May 2012, the Company acquired ClearAccess. In December 2012, the Company acquired Cloupia. In December 2012, the Company acquired Cariden Technologies Inc. In December 2012, the Company acquired Meraki, Inc.

The Company�� product offerings fall into three categories: its core technologies, routing and switching; advanced technologies, and other products. In addition to its product offerings, the Company provides a range of service offerings, technical support services and advanced services. The advanced services program supports networking devices, applications, solutions, and complete infrastructures.

Routing

The Company offers a range of routers, from core network infrastructure for service providers and enterprises to access routers for branch offices and for telecommuters and consumers at ho! me. Key products within its routing category are the Cisco ASR 901/903, Cisco 1000, 5000, and 9000 Cisco Aggregation Services Routers (ASR), as well as the Cisco ASR 800, 1900, 2900 and 3900 Cisco Integrated Services Routers (ISR):; Cisco CRS-1, 7600 and Cisco CRS-3 Cisco Carrier Routing Systems (CRS). During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2010 (fiscal 2010), Cisco introduced the Cisco CRS-3 Carrier Routing System (CRS-3) and Cisco 7600 Series Routers.

Service Provider Video

The Company�� end-to-end, digital video distribution systems and digital interactive set-top boxes enable service providers and content originators to deliver entertainment, information, and communication services to consumers and businesses around the world. Key product areas within its Service Provider Video category are: Set-Top Boxes, IP set-top boxes (both High-Definition (HD) and Standard Definition (SD)); Digital cable set-top boxes (both HD and SD); Cable Modem CPE (Data, EMTA, and Gateways); Videoscape Software Products and Headend Equipment (Encoders, Decoders, and Transcoders).

Switching

The Company�� switching products offer many forms of connectivity to end users, workstations, IP phones, access points, and servers, and also function as aggregators on local-area networks (LANs), metropolitan-area networks (MANs), and wide-area networks (WANs). Its switching systems employ several widely used technologies, including Ethernet, Power over Ethernet, Fibre Channel over Ethernet, Packet over Synchronous Optical Network, and Multiprotocol Label Switching. Many of its switches are designed to support an integrated set of advanced services, allowing organizations to be more efficient by using one switch for multiple networking functions rather than multiple switches to accomplish the same functions.

Cisco offers a family of Ethernet switching solutions from fixed-configuration switches for small and medium-sized businesses to modular switches for enterprise! s and ser! vice providers. Its fixed-configuration switches are designed to provide a foundation for converged data, voice, and video services. Key products within its switching category are the Cisco Catalyst 2960, 3560, 3750, 4500 and 6500 Series; the Cisco Nexus 2000, 3000, 5000 and 7000 Series switches; and MDS Series: MDS 9000.

Fixed-configuration switches are designed to cover a range of deployments in small and medium-sized businesses. It fixed-configuration switches are designed to provide a foundation for converged data, voice, and video services. They range from small, standalone switches to stackable models that function as a single, scalable switching unit. Modular switches are typically utilized by enterprise and service provider customers. Fixed-configuration and modular switches also include products such as optics modules which are shared across multiple product platforms.

NGN Routing

Routing technology is fundamental to the Internet, and this technology interconnects public and private IP networks for mobile, data, voice, and video applications. The Company's NGN Routing products are designed to enhance the intelligence, security, reliability, scalability, and level of performance in the transmission of information and media-rich applications. It offers a broad range of routers, from core network infrastructure and mobile Internet network for service providers and enterprises to access routers for branch offices and for telecommuters and consumers at home. Key product areas within its NGN Routing category are, Cisco Aggregation Services Routers: Cisco ASR 901/903, Cisco ASR 1000, Cisco ASR 5000 and Cisco ASR 9000. Cisco Integrated Services Routers: Cisco ISR 800, Cisco ISR 1900, Cisco ISR 2900 and Cisco ISR 3900. Cisco Carrier Routing Systems: Cisco CRS-1, Cisco CRS-3 and Cisco 7600 Series Routers.

Security

Cisco security solutions deliver identity, network and content security solutions designed to enable customers to reduce the ! impact of! threats and realize the benefits of a mobile, collaborative, and cloud-enabled business. The products in this category span firewall, intrusion prevention, remote access, virtual private networks (VPNs), unified clients, network admission control, Web gateways, and email gateways. Its AnyConnect Secure Mobility Client solution enables users to access networks with their mobile device of choice, including laptops and smartphone-based mobile devices, while allowing organizations to manage the security risks of networks. Its cloud-based Web security service is designed to provide real-time threat protection and to prevent malware from reaching corporate networks, including roaming or mobile users. It focuses on a proactive, layered approach to counter both existing and emerging security threats. During the fiscal year ended July 28, 2012, it introduced the Cisco ASA 5500-X Series Midrange Security Appliance, Cisco Security Manager 4.3, the IPS 4500 Series, and Prime Security Manager.

Wireless

The Cisco Unified Wireless Network aims to harness the network to solve business problems, uniting high-performance wireless access across campus, branch, remote and outdoor environments. Its offerings include wireless access points (including the Cisco Aironet product family), controllers, antennas, and integrated management. The Company�� offerings provide users with simplified management and mobile device troubleshooting features which are designed to reduce operational cost and maximize flexibility and reliability. It is also investing in custom chipsets to deliver functions such as CleanAir proactive spectrum intelligence, ClientLink acceleration for mobile devices and VideoStream multicast optimization technology.

Data Center

The Company�� data center product category has been its major product category for the past two fiscal years. Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) and Server Access Virtualization form the core of the Data Center product category.! Key prod! uct areas within its Data Center product category are: Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Servers, Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers and Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnects.

Other Products

The Company�� other products category primarily consists of Linksys home networking products, certain emerging technologies, and other networking products. In addition to its product offerings, it provide a range of service offerings, including technical support services and advanced services.

The Company competes with Alcatel-Lucent; ARRIS Group, Inc.; Aruba Networks, Inc.; Avaya Inc.; Belden Inc.; Brocade Communications Systems, Inc.; Check Point Software Technologies Ltd.; Citrix Systems, Inc.; D-Link Corporation; LM Ericsson Telephone Company; Extreme Networks, Inc.; F5 Networks, Inc.; Force10 Networks, Inc.; Fortinet, Inc.; Hewlett-Packard Company; Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd.; International Business Machines Corporation; Juniper Networks, Inc.; LogMeIn, Inc.; Meru Networks, Inc.; Microsoft Corporation; Motorola, Inc.; NETGEAR, Inc.; Polycom, Inc.; Riverbed Technology, Inc.; and Symantec Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    In 1999 you could throw a dart at the newspaper, purchase the stock your dart landed on, and probably have come out a winner. Earnings, cash flow, and valuation were all placed on the back burner as the emergence of the Internet as a commerce medium was putting all of those "archaic" investment tools back in the box. The technology-driven Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC  ) would eventually cross 5,000, and both Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO  ) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT  ) would top $500 billion in market value. Near their peaks, Cisco traded for around 120 times earnings, while Microsoft was valued at a multiple of 55. It was truly a time of emotional and irrational investing, and Wall Street encouraged it just as much as speculative traders promoted it.

  • [By Jon C. Ogg]

    Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) took a beating this last week. It was a bad enough drop that it made our own worst major blowups of the week feature on Saturday. In no way can investors expect that Cisco stock will suddenly bounce back to where it was immediately, and we would not at all be shocked if its problems persist and if shares even drift lower in the coming days and weeks. But the reality is that Cisco’s huge drop may have just made it very cheap against peers even though it did warn of a rough 2014.

  • [By Paul Ausick]

    Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) bounced lower today, down 1.19% to $22.06 in a 52-week range of $19.98 to $26.49. Share volume was about equal to the daily average of around 42.7 million shares traded. The networking giant was hit with a lawsuit charging that Cisco violates 11 patents owned by Spherix Inc. (NASDAQ: SPEX) and that virtually all of Cisco�� revenues from switches and routers since 2008 were generated from the patent infringements.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Hot Gas Companies To Buy For 2014

Popular Posts: 18 Oil and Gas Stocks to Sell Now7 Biotechnology Stocks to Buy Now4 Pharmaceutical Stocks to Buy Now Recent Posts: 24 Commercial Banking Stocks to Buy Now 7 Insurance Stocks to Buy Now 3 Commercial Services Stocks to Buy Now View All Posts

This week, three commercial services stocks are improving their overall rating on Portfolio Grader. Each of these rates an “A” (“strong buy”) or “B” overall (“buy”).

Performant Financial Corporation’s () grade is moving up to a B (“buy”) this week from last week’s C (“hold”). Performant Financial provides technology-enabled recovery and related analytics services in the United States. The stock price has risen 10.2% over the past month, better than the 1.3% decrease the Nasdaq has seen over the same period of time. .

Best Building Product Companies To Invest In 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 Robert Rapier]

    Tallgrass Energy Partners (NYSE: TEP) is a midstream limited partnership that provides natural gas transportation and storage services in the Rocky Mountain and Midwest regions of the US. The partnership launched on May 13, 2013 and in late June increased EBITDA guidance above analysts’ expectations, causing units to climb nearly 21 percent by year-end. In December TEP reiterated guidance for 1.2x distribution coverage for the entire year. The partnership recently declared a distribution of $0.3150 per unit for the fourth quarter of 2013 – a 5.9 percent increase from the Q3 2013 distribution. TEP’s annualized yield based on the most recent distribution is 4.8 percent, its current EV is $1.28 billion and its total debt/equity (mrq) is 30.5 percent.

  • [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.

Hot Gas Companies To Buy For 2014: MEG Energy Corp (MEGEF.PK)

MEG Energy Corp. is a Canada-based oil sands company focused on in situ development and production in the southern Athabasca oil sands region of Alberta. The Company has identified two steam assisted gravity drainage projects, the Christina Lake project and the Surmont project. The Company owns a 100% interest in over 900 sections of oil sands leases in the Athabasca region of northern Alberta and is primarily engaged in a steam assisted gravity drainage oil sands development at its 80 section Christina Lake Regional Project (Christina Lake Project). The development includes co-ownership of Access Pipeline, a dual pipeline to transport diluent north from the Edmonton area to the Athabasca oil sands area and a blend of bitumen and diluent south from the Christina Lake Project into the Edmonton area. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Stephan Dube]

    Athabasca's most notable producers:

    Suncor Energy (SU) (Part 1), see article here.Suncor Energy (Part 2), see article here.Athabasca Oil (ATHOF.PK), see article here.Canadian Natural Resources, see article here.Imperial Oil, see article here.Cenovus Energy (CVE), see article here.MEG Energy (MEGEF.PK), see article here.Devon Energy, see article here.Royal Dutch Shell, see article here.Ivanhoe Energy (IVAN), see article here.Nexen (CNOOC) (CEO), see article here.

    An analysis of the current operations of the company will be examined with the objective to provide the most complete information available to potential investors before deciding to seize the opportunity that the 54,132 square miles of the Carbonate Triangle has to offer. Let's start by introducing Athabasca, a famous and most prolific region in the Canadian oil sands as well as one of the largest reserve in the world.

Hot Gas Companies To Buy For 2014: Maverick Minerals Corp (MVRM)

Maverick Minerals Corporation (Maverick), incorporated on August 27, 1998, is an exploration-stage company. The Company is engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of prospective oils and gas properties and mineral properties. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company's business focus was to implement the terms of the Farmout Agreement pursuant to which were to earn an interest in certain oil and gas mineral leases located in Fort Bend and Wharton Counties, Texas.

The Company�� subsidiary includes Eskota Energy Corporation. On January 22, 2011, the Company completed drilling of its Initial Test Well on the Company's 4,513 acre Farm-Out property in Fort Bend County, Texas. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had not generated any revenues.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Peter Graham]

    On Friday, small cap mining stocks Maverick Minerals Corp (OTCMKTS: MVRM) and Liberty Coal Energy Corp (OTCMKTS: LBTG) plus oil stock Gray Fox Petroleum Corp (OTCBB: GFOX) sank 30.9%, 16.67% and 11.2%, respectively. However, only one of these stocks appears to have been the subject of some kind of paid promotion in the form of an investment in some shares. So will these three small cap mining or oil stocks keep coming up empty for investors this week? Here is a closer look:

    Maverick Minerals Corp (OTCMKTS: MVRM) Has Been Quiet Lately

    Small cap Maverick Minerals Corp is an exploration stage company involved in the acquisition, exploration, and development of prospective oil and gas properties and mineral properties. On Friday, Maverick Minerals Corp sank 30.9% to $0.38 for a market cap of $6.13 million plus MVRM is up 280% over the past year and up 322.2% over the past five years according to Google Finance.

Hot Gas Companies To Buy For 2014: Pioneer Energy Services Corp (PES)

Pioneer Energy Services Corp., formerly Pioneer Drilling Company, incorporated in 1979, provides drilling and production services to independent oil and gas exploration and production companies throughout much of the onshore oil and gas producing regions of the United States and internationally in Colombia. The Company operates in two segments: Drilling Services Division and Production Services Division. The Company�� Drilling Services Division provides contract land drilling services. The Company�� Production Services Division provides a range of services to oil and gas exploration and production companies. On December 31, 2011, the Company acquired Go-Coil, LLC.

Drilling Services Division

The Company�� Drilling Services Division provides contract land drilling services with its fleet of 64 drilling rigs in South Texas, East Texas, West Texas, North Dakota, North Texas, Utah, Appalachia and Colombia. As of February 10, 2012, 55 drilling rigs are operating under drilling contracts, 44 of which are under term contracts. In 2011, the Company established its West Texas drilling division location location where it has 18 drilling rigs operating. In addition to its drilling rigs, the Company provides the drilling crews and the ancillary equipment needed to operate its drilling rigs. Its drilling contracts provide for compensation on either a daywork, turnkey or footage basis.

As of February 10, 2012, the Company owned a fleet of 54 trucks and related transportation equipment that it uses to transport its drilling rigs to and from drilling sites. Under daywork drilling contracts, it provides a drilling rig and required personnel to its customer who supervises the drilling of the well. Under a turnkey contract, the Company agrees to drill a well for its customer. It provides technical and engineering services, as well as the equipment and drilling supplies required to drill the well. The Company often subcontracts for related services, such as the provision of cas! ing crews, cementing and well logging. Under footage contracts, it is paid a fixed amount for each foot drilled.

The Company competes with Helmerich & Payne, Inc., Precision Drilling Trust, Patterson-UTI Energy, Inc. and Nabors Industries, Ltd.

Production Services Division

The Company�� Production Services Division provides a range of services to oil and gas exploration and production companies, including well services, wireline, coiled tubing and fishing and rental services. Its production services operations are managed through locations concentrated in the United States onshore oil and gas producing regions in the Gulf Coast, Mid-Continent, Rocky Mountain and Appalachian states. The Company provides its services to a diverse group of oil and gas exploration and production companies. Under well services, it provides rig-based well services, including maintenance of existing wells, workover of existing wells, completion of newly-drilled wells, and plugging and abandonment of wells at the end of their useful lives.

The Company provides wireline services in Texas, Kansas, Colorado, Utah, Montana, North Dakota, Louisiana, West Virginia, Wyoming and Mississippi. The Company�� Coiled tubing is used for a number of horizontal well applications such as milling temporary plugs between frac stages. Its coiled tubing business consists of ten coiled tubing units which are deployed in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Pennsylvania. The Company�� rental and fishing tool business provides a range of specialized services and equipment that are utilized on a non-routine basis for both drilling and well servicing operations. It provides rental services out of four locations in Texas and Oklahoma. As of February 10, 2012, the Company had a total of 91 well service rigs. Its well service rig fleet consists of eighty-one 550 horsepower rigs, nine 600 horsepower rigs, and one 400 horsepower rig. As of February 10, 2012, the Company had 109 wireline units in 24 locations.

The Company competes with Key Energy Services, Basic Energy Services, Nabors Industries, Superior Energy Services, Inc,

CC Forbes, Schlumberger Ltd., Halliburton Company, Weatherford International, Baker Hughes, Superior Energy Services, Basic Energy Services, and Key Energy Services, Quail Tools and Knight Oil Tools.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Chuck Carnevale]

    Therefore, risk and earnings growth rates will represent counteracting forces affecting starting or current valuation (PEs). This partially explains why a 3% grower (less risky to achieve) might command the same current valuation PE of, for example, an 11% or 12% grower (riskier and harder to achieve). But this is a critical point; the faster grower will generate a higher future return than the slower grower, ceteris paribas.

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Pioneer Energy Services (NYSE: PES) shares touched a new 52-week high of $11.58. Pioneer Energy shares have jumped 40.39% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 21.92% in the same period.

Hot Gas Companies To Buy For 2014: Western Gas Partners LP (WES)

Western Gas Partners, LP (the Partnership) is a master limited partnership (MLP) organized by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation to own, operate, acquire and develop midstream energy assets. The Partnership operates in East and West Texas, the Rocky Mountains (Colorado, Utah and Wyoming) and the Mid-Continent (Kansas and Oklahoma) and are engaged primarily in the business of gathering, processing, compressing, treating and transporting natural gas, condensate, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and crude oil for Anadarko and third-party producers and customers. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� assets consist of 11 gathering systems, seven natural gas treating facilities, seven natural gas processing facilities, one NGL pipeline, one interstate pipeline, and interests in a gas gathering system and a crude oil pipeline. Its assets are located in East and West Texas, the Rocky Mountains (Colorado, Utah and Wyoming), and the Mid-Continent (Kansas and Oklahoma). In August 2012, it has acquired an additional 24% membership interest in Chipeta Processing LLC from Anadarko Petroleum Corporation.

On January 13, 2012, the Partnership completed the acquisition of Anadarko�� 100% ownership interest in Mountain Gas Resources, LLC, which owns the Red Desert Complex (Red Desert), a 22% interest in Rendezvous Gas Services, LLC (Rendezvous) and related facilities. Red Desert includes the Patrick Draw processing plant, the Red Desert processing plant, 1,295 miles of gathering lines and related facilities. Rendezvous owns a 338-mile mainline gathering system serving the Jonah and Pinedale Anticline fields in south-western Wyoming, which delivers gas to the Granger complex and other locations. In July 8, 2011, the Company acquired the Bison gas treating facility from Anadarko. In February 28, 2011, it acquired a natural gas gathering system and cryogenic gas processing facilities, collectively referred to as the Platte Valley assets, financed with borrowings under its revolving credit facility. On February 28,! 2011, Kerr-McGee Gathering LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Western Gas Partners, LP (the Partnership), acquired midstream assets from Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. These assets are located in the Denver-Julesburg Basin, northeast of Denver, Colorado, and consist of an approximately 1,054-mile natural gas gathering system and related compression and other ancillary equipment, and gas processing facilities with current cryogenic capacity of 84 one million cubic feet per day.

Rocky Mountains

The Bison treating facility consists of three amine treaters with a combined treating capacity of 450 million cubic feet per day located in the north-eastern corner of Wyoming. The assets also include three compressors with a combined compression of 5,230 horsepower and five generators with combined power output of 6.5 megawatts. The Company operates and has a 100% working interest in the Bison assets, which provide carbon dioxide (CO2) treating services for the coal-bed methane gas gathered in the Powder River Basin. During the year ended December 31, 2011, Anadarko provided approximately 73% of the throughput at the Bison treating facility, and the remaining throughput was from one third-party producer. The Bison treating facility treats and compresses gas from the coal-bed methane wells in the Powder River Basin. The Bison Pipeline, operated by TransCanada, is connected directly to the facility, which is the only inlet into the pipeline. The Bison treating facility also has access to the Ft. Union and Thunder Creek pipelines.

The Company is the managing member of Chipeta, a limited liability company owned by the Partnership (51%), Ute Energy Midstream Holdings LLC (25%) and Anadarko (24%). The Chipeta complex includes a natural gas processing plant with two processing trains, the Natural Buttes plant, and a 100% Partnership-owned 17-mile natural gas liquid (NGL) pipeline connecting the Chipeta plant to a third-party pipeline. The Chipeta assets has cryogenic and refrigeration ! processin! g capacity of 670 million cubic feet per day. These assets provide processing and transportation services in the Greater Natural Buttes area in Uintah County, Utah. During 2011, Chipeta began construction of a second cryogenic train at the Chipeta plant with processing capacity of approximately 300 million cubic feet per day. During 2011, Anadarko is a customer on the Chipeta system with approximately 94% of the system throughput. The Chipeta system has access to Anadarko and third-party production in the area with excess available capacity in the Uintah Basin. Anadarko controls approximately 217,000 gross acres in the Uintah Basin. Chipeta is connected to both Anadarko�� Natural Buttes gathering system and to the Three Rivers gathering system owned by Ute Energy and a third party. The Chipeta plant delivers NGLs through its 17-mile pipeline to the Mid-America Pipeline (MAPL), which provides transportation through the Seminole pipeline in West Texas and ultimately to the NGL markets at Mont Belvieu, Texas and the Texas Gulf Coast. The Chipeta plant has natural gas delivery points through the pipelines, which includes Colorado Interstate Gas Company (CIG), Questar Pipeline Company�� pipeline, and Wyoming Interstate Company, Ltd.

The 47-mile Clawson gathering system, located in Carbon and Emery Counties of Utah, to provide gathering services for Anadarko�� coal-bed methane development of the Ferron Coal play. The Clawson gathering system provides gathering, dehydration, compression and treating services for coal-bed methane gas. The Clawson gathering system includes one compressor station, with 6,310 horsepower, and a CO2 treating facility. During 2011, Anadarko is the shipper on the Clawson gathering system with approximately 97% of the total throughput delivered into the system, and the remaining throughput on the system was from one third-party producer. Clawson Springs Field has approximately 7,000 gross acres and produces primarily from the Ferron Coal play. The Clawson gathering s! ystem del! ivers into Questar Transportation Services Company�� pipeline. The Fort Union system is a 324-mile gathering system operating within the Powder River Basin of Wyoming, starting in west central Campbell County and terminating at the Medicine Bow treating plant. The Fort Union gathering system consists of three parallel pipelines and includes CO2 treating facilities at the Medicine Bow plant. At CO2 levels, the system is capable of treating and blending over one billion cubic feet per day while satisfying the CO2 specifications of downstream pipelines. Fort Union Gas Gathering, LLC is a partnership among Copano Pipelines/Rocky Mountains, LLC (37.04%), Crestone Powder River LLC (37.04%), Bargath, Inc. (11.11%) and the Partnership (14.81%). Anadarko is the field and construction operator of the Fort Union gathering system. The NGLs have market access to Enterprise�� Mid-America Pipeline Company (MAPCO), which terminates at Mont Belvieu, Texas, as well as to local markets.

The 810-mile natural gas gathering system and gas processing facility is located in Sweetwater County, Wyoming. The Granger system includes eight field compression stations with 41,950 horsepower. The processing facility has a cryogenic capacity of 200 million cubic feet per day and refrigeration capacity of 100 million cubic feet per day with NGL fractionation. During 2011, Anadarko is the customer on the Granger system with approximately 54% of throughput, and the remaining throughput was primarily from five third-party shippers. The Granger system is supplied by the Moxa Arch, the Jonah field and the Pinedale anticline across, which Anadarko controls approximately 568,000 gross acres. The Granger gas gathering system has approximately 690 receipt points. The residue gas from the Granger system can be delivered to the pipelines, which includes CIG, Kern River and Mountain Gas Transportation, Inc (MGTI) pipelines through a connect with Rendezvous Pipeline Company, Northwest Pipeline Co (NWPL), Overthrust Pipeline OTTCO, a! nd Questa! r Gas Management Company (QGM).

The 67-mile Helper gathering system, located in Carbon County, Utah, built to provide gathering services for Anadarko�� coal-bed methane development of the Ferron Coal play. The Helper gathering system provides gathering, dehydration, compression and treating services for coal-bed methane gas. The Helper gathering system includes two compressor stations with a combined 14,075 horsepower and two CO2 treating facilities. Anadarko is the shipper on the Helper gathering system. The Helper Field and Cardinal Draw Fields are Anadarko-operated coal-bed methane developments on the south-western edge of the Uintah Basin that produce from the Ferron Coal play. The Helper Field covers approximately 19,000 acres as of December 31, 2011 and Cardinal Draw Field, which lies immediately to the east of Helper Field, also covers approximately 20,000 acres. The Helper gathering system delivers into the Questar Transportation Services Company�� pipeline. Questar provides transportation to regional markets in Wyoming, Colorado and Utah and also delivers into the Kern River Pipeline, which provides transportation to markets in the western United States, primarily California.

The 1,056-mile Hilight gathering system, located in Johnson, Campbell, Natrona and Converse Counties of Wyoming, built to provide low and high-pressure gathering services for the area�� conventional gas production and delivers to the Hilight plant for processing. The Hilight gathering system has 11 compressor stations with 32,263 combined horsepower. The Hilight system has a capacity of approximately 30 million cubic feet per day and utilizes a refrigeration process and provides for fractionation of the recovered NGL products into propane, butanes and natural gasoline. Gas gathered and processed through the Hilight system is from numerous third-party customers, with the nine producers providing approximately 75% of the system throughput during 2011. The Hilight gathering system serves the g! as gather! ing needs of several conventional producing fields in Johnson, Campbell, Natrona and Converse Counties. The Hilight plant delivers residue gas into its MIGC transmission line.

The MIGC system is a 256-mile interstate pipeline regulated by FERC and operating within the Powder River Basin of Wyoming. The MIGC system traverses the Powder River Basin from north to south, extending to Glenrock, Wyoming. The MIGC system is well positioned to provide transportation for the natural gas volumes received from various coal-bed methane gathering systems and conventional gas processing plants throughout the Powder River Basin. MIGC offers both forward-haul and backhaul transportation services and is certificated for 175 million cubic feet per day of firm transportation capacity. During 2011, Anadarko is the firm shipper on the MIGC system, with approximately 86% of throughput, with the remaining throughput from 11 third-party shippers. As of December 31, 2011, Anadarko has a working interest in over 1.7 million gross acres within the Powder River Basin. Anadarko�� gross acreage includes substantial undeveloped acreage positions in the expanding Big George coal play and the multiple seam coal fairway to the north of the Big George play. MIGC volumes are redelivered to the Glenrock, Wyoming Hub, which accesses the interstate pipelines, which includes CIG, Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transportation Company, Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Company, and Wyoming Interstate Gas Company. Volumes are also delivered to Anadarko�� MGTC, Inc. (MGTC) intrastate pipeline, a Hinshaw pipeline that supplies local markets in Wyoming.

The 179-mile Newcastle gathering system, located in Weston and Niobrara Counties of Wyoming, was built to provide gathering services for conventional gas production in the area. The gathering system delivers into the Newcastle plant, which has gross capacity of approximately two million cubic feet per day. The plant utilizes a refrigeration process and provides for frac! tionation! of the recovered NGLs into propane and butane/gasoline mix products. The Newcastle facility is a joint venture among Black Hills Exploration and Production, Inc. (44.7%), John Paulson (5.3%) and the Partnership (50.0%). The Newcastle gathering system includes one compressor station with 560 horsepower. The Newcastle plant has an additional 2,100 horsepower for refrigeration and residue compression. Gas gathered and processed through the Newcastle system is from 12 third-party customers, with the four producers providing approximately 92% of the system throughput during 2011. The producer, Black Hills Exploration, provided approximately 62% of the throughput during 2011. The Newcastle gathering system and plant primarily service gas production from the Clareton and Finn-Shurley fields in Weston County. Propane products from the Newcastle plant are typically sold locally by truck, and the butane/gasoline mix products are transported to the Hilight plant for further fractionation. Residue gas from the Newcastle system is delivered into Anadarko�� MGTC pipeline for transport, distribution and sale.

The Platte Valley system, located in the Denver-Julesburg Basin, consists of a processing plant with current cryogenic capacity of 100 million cubic feet per day, two fractionation trains, a 1,099-mile natural gas gathering system and related equipment. The Platte Valley gathering system has 13 compressor stations with a combined 17,011 of operating horsepower. During 2011, approximately 8% of the Platte Valley system throughput was from Anadarko and the remaining throughput was from various third-party customers, the EnCana Corporation. There are 713 receipt points connected to the Platte Valley gathering system as of December 31, 2011. The system is connected to its Wattenberg gathering system. The Platte Valley system is primarily supplied by the Wattenberg field and covers portions of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Elbert, and Weld Counties, Colorado. The Platte Valley system de! livers NG! Ls through the pipelines, which includes local markets, ONEOK Overland Pass Pipeline, and the Wattenberg Pipeline owned and operated by DCP Midstream (formerly the Buckeye Pipeline). In addition, the Platte Valley system can deliver to the CIG and Xcel Energy residue gas pipelines.

The Wattenberg gathering system is a 1,781-mile wet gas gathering system in the Denver-Julesburg Basin, north and east of Denver, Colorado, and includes six compressor stations and combined 72,579 of operating horsepower. The Fort Lupton processing plant has two trains with combined processing capacity of 105 million cubic feet per day. During 2011, Anadarko-operated production represented approximately 66% of system throughput. Approximately 29% of Wattenberg system throughput was from two third-party producers and the remaining throughput was from various third-party customers. There are 2,129 receipt points and over 5,900 wells connected to the gathering system as of December 31, 2011. The Wattenberg gathering system is primarily supplied by the Wattenberg field and covers portions of Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield and Weld counties. Anadarko controls approximately 762,000 gross acres in the Wattenberg field. Anadarko drilled 472 wells and completed 2,090 fracs at the Wattenberg field during 2011, and had identified 1,200 to 2,700 opportunities to increase production, including new well locations, re-fracs and recompletions. The Wattenberg gathering system has five delivery points, with the primary delivery points, which includes Anadarko�� Wattenberg processing plant, Fort Lupton processing plant, and Platte Valley processing plant.

The White Cliffs pipeline consists of a 526-mile crude oil pipeline that originates in Platteville, Colorado and terminates in Cushing, Oklahoma. It has an approximate capacity of 80,000 barrels per day. At the point of origin, it has a 100,000-barrel storage facility and a truck-loading facility with an additional 220,000 barrels of storage. The pipeline is a! joint ve! nture owned by SemCrude Pipeline LP (51%), Plains Pipeline LP (34%), Noble Energy, Inc. (5%) and the Partnership (10%). The White Cliffs pipeline has two throughput contracts with Anadarko and Noble Energy. During 2011, Anadarko was the shipper on the White Cliffs pipeline. The White Cliffs pipeline is supplied by production from the Denver-Julesburg Basin and is the only direct route from the Denver-Julesburg Basin to Cushing, Oklahoma. The White Cliffs pipeline delivery point is SemCrude�� storage facility in Cushing, Oklahoma, a major crude oil marketing center, which ultimately delivers to the mid-continent refineries.

Mid-Continent

The 1,953-mile Hugoton gathering system provides gathering service to the Hugoton field and is primarily located in Seward, Stevens, Grant and Morton Counties of Southwest Kansas and Texas County in Oklahoma. The Hugoton gathering system has 44 compressor stations with a combined 92,097 horsepower of compression. Anadarko is the customer on the Hugoton gathering system with approximately 76% of the system throughput, during 2011. During 2011, approximately 19% of the throughput on the Hugoton system was from one third-party shipper with the balance from various other third-party shippers. The Hugoton field is a natural gas fields in North America. The Hugoton gathering system is connected to DCP Midstream�� National Helium plant, which extracts NGLs and helium and delivers residue gas into the Panhandle Eastern pipeline. The system is also connected to the Satanta plant, which is owned by Pioneer Natural Resources Corporation (51%) and Anadarko (49%), for NGLs and helium processing and delivers residue gas into Kansas Gas Services and Southern Star pipeline.

East Texas

The 323-mile Dew gathering system is located in Anderson, Freestone, Leon and Robertson Counties of East Texas. The Dew gathering system has 10 compressor stations with a combined 36,175 horsepower of compression. Anadarko is the only shipper on the ! Dew gathe! ring system. As of December 31, 2011, Anadarko has approximately 833 producing wells in the Bossier play and controls approximately 122,000 gross acres in the area. The Dew gathering system has delivery points with Pinnacle Gas Treating LLC, which is the primary delivery point and is described in more detail below, and Kinder Morgan�� Tejas pipeline.

The Pinnacle gathering system includes the Partnership�� 266-mile Pinnacle gathering system and its Bethel treating plant. The Pinnacle system provides sour gas gathering and treating service in Anderson, Freestone, Leon, Limestone and Robertson Counties of East Texas. The Bethel treating plant, located in Anderson County, has total CO2 treating capacity of 502 million cubic feet per day and 20 long tons per day of sulfur treating capacity. During 2011, Anadarko was shipper on the Pinnacle gathering system with approximately 90% of system throughput and the remaining throughput on the system was from four third-party shippers. The Pinnacle gathering system provide gathering and treating services to the five-county area over, which it extends, including the Cotton Valley Lime formations, which contain concentrations of sulfur and CO2. The Pinnacle gathering system is connected to Atmos Texas pipeline, Enbridge Pipelines (East Texas) LP pipeline, Energy Transfer Fuels pipeline, Enterprise Texas Pipeline, LP�� pipeline, ETC Texas Pipeline, Ltd pipeline, and Kinder Morgan�� Tejas pipeline. These pipelines provide transportation to the Carthage, Waha and Houston Ship Channel market hubs in Texas.

West Texas

The 118-mile Haley gathering system provides gathering and dehydration services in Loving County, Texas and gathers a portion of Anadarko�� production from the Delaware Basin. During 2011, Anadarko�� production represented approximately 69% of the Haley gathering system�� throughput, and the remaining throughput is attributable to Anadarko�� partner in the Haley area. As of December 31, 2011, in the great! er Delawa! re basin, Anadarko has access to approximately 355,000 gross acres, is a portion of which is gathered by the Haley gathering system. The Haley gathering system has multiple delivery points. The primary delivery points are to the El Paso Natural Gas pipeline or the Enterprise GC, LP pipeline for delivery into Energy Transfer�� Oasis pipeline. It also delivers into Southern Union Energy Services��pipeline for further delivery into the Oasis pipeline. The pipelines at these delivery points provide transportation to both the Waha and Houston Ship Channel markets.

The Company competes with QEP Field Services Company, El Paso Midstream Group, Inc., XTO Energy, ETC Texas Pipeline, Ltd, Enbridge Pipelines (East Texas) LP, Kinder Morgan Tejas Pipeline, LP, MIGC, Thunder Creek Gas Services, Williston Basin Interstate Pipeline Company, TransCanada, Williams Field Services, Enterprise Gas Processing, LLC, Jonah Gas Gathering Company, QEP Field Services Company, Anadarko�� Delaware Basin JV Gathering LLC, Enterprise GC, LP, Targa Midstream Services LLC, Southern Union Energy Services Company, DCP Midstream, Merit Energy, ONEOK Gas Gathering Company, Pioneer Natural Resources and AKA Energy.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Anna Prior]

    Anadarko Petroleum Corp.(APC) said it has taken steps to improve its financial flexibility, including paring its stake in the company that manages natural-gas and crude-oil unit Western Gas Partners LP(WES). Anadarko said it made $335 million in cash on the offering. Anadarko shares rose 2.9% to $109.00 premarket.

  • [By David Fickling]

    Wesfarmers Ltd. (WES), Australia�� largest private-sector employer, fell the most in more than two years in Sydney trading after it said earnings from its Target department stores would drop as much as 43 percent from a year earlier.

Hot Gas Companies To Buy For 2014: Hi Crush Partners LP (HCLP)

Hi Crush Partners LP, formerly Hi-Crush Partners LP, is a domestic producer of monocrystalline sand, a specialized mineral that is used as a proppant to enhance the recovery rates of hydrocarbons from oil and natural gas wells. The Company reserves consist of Northern White sand, a resource existing in Wisconsin and limited portions of the upper Midwest region of the United States. It owns, operates and develops sand reserves and related excavation and processing facilities and will seek to acquire or develop additional facilities. The Company's 561-acre facility with integrated rail infrastructure, located near Wyeville, Wisconsin, enables it to process and deliver approximately 1,600,000 tons of frac sand per year. In June 2013, Hi Crush Partners LP announced the completion of its acquisition of D&I Silica, LLC (D&I).

The Company�� frac sand production is sold to investment grade-rated pressure pumping service providers under long-term, contracts that require its customers to pay a specified price for a specified volume of frac sand each month. The Company owns and operates the Wyeville facility, which is located in Monroe County, Wisconsin and, as of December 31, 2011, contained 48.4 million tons of proven recoverable sand reserves of mesh sizes it has contracted to sell. From the Wyeville in-service date to March 31, 2012, it had processed and sold 555,250 tons of frac sand.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rick Munarriz]

    Tuesday
    Hi-Crush Partners (NYSE: HCLP  ) checks in on Tuesday. This is another high-yielding limited partnership that went public last year. Hi-Crush is a producer of monocrystalline sand that's primarily used in the fracking process.

  • [By Alex Planes]

    Hi-Crush Partners (NYSE: HCLP  ) and U.S. Silica Holdings (NYSE: SLCA  ) could also pose a threat to CARBO's higher-end products. CARBO has worked feverishly to convince drillers that ceramic proppants are much stronger than sand, and can withstand the high temperatures and pressures of deep, fractured wells. Since Hi-Crush's IPO, however, it does appear that the tide has shifted to sand, as Carbo's revenues have declined�while Hi-Crush and U.S. Silica have gained. Increased competition from a number of Chinese companies that have flooded the domestic market with cheap ceramic proppants is also a danger to CARBO's higher-quality products, provided that the cut-rate ceramics are actually up to the task.

  • [By Robert Rapier]

    The fracking revolution has created enormous opportunities for Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) across the oil and gas industry. Upstream MLPs like�BreitBurn Energy Partners�(NASDAQ: BBEP) and�Legacy Reserves�(NASDAQ: LGCY) produced the oil and gas. There was a huge new requirement for sand in the fracking operations, and this encouraged new MLPs like�Emerge Energy Services�(NYSE: EMES) and�Hi-Crush Partners�(NYSE:HCLP) — both of which have more than doubled in price over the past 12 months. Fracking also requires large volumes of water, which�Cypress Energy Partners�(NYSE: CELP) provides.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

5 Best Wireless Telecom Stocks To Buy For 2015

Amazon's Fire HD Kid's Edition is a clear shot at LeapFrog's LeapPad tablet line. Credit: Amazon.com

Look out LeapFrog (NYSE: LF  ) , because Amazon.com� (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) has its eyes on one of your most lucrative revenue streams.

Amazon just unveiled its new Fire HD Kids Edition tablet, which will set parents back $149 for the 6-inch display version, or $189 for the 7-inch model. That's certainly not a bad price, but at first glance it seems LeapFrog might even have the advantage given the $100 price tag on its 5-inch LeapPad3, and the $130 cost of the 7-inch LeapPad Ultra XDi.

LeapFrog's LeapPad Ultra XDi Learning Tablet could face huge competition from Amazon. Credit: LeapFrog

That's also not to mention�LeapFrog has gone to great lengths to cater both to kids and parents alike by developing easy-to-use parental controls, an educator-approved library of more than 1,000 apps, LeapPad's own drop-tested design, and a one-year "kid-proof warranty" that covers up to one replacement of the device -- as long as it was purchased from LeapFrog.com, anyway -- even in the case of accidental damage.�.

5 Best Wireless Telecom Stocks To Buy For 2015: CalAmp Corp (CAMP)

CalAmp Corp. (CalAmp) develops and markets wireless technology solutions that deliver data, voice and video for critical networked communications and other applications. The Company has two business segments: Wireless DataCom, which serves commercial, industrial and government customers, and Satellite, which focuses on the North American Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) market. In May 2012, CalAmp Corp announced that it has entered into a five-year supply agreement to provide fleet tracking products to Navman Wireless. As part of the transaction, CalAmp has acquired certain products and technologies from Navman Wireless and established a research and development center in Auckland, New Zealand. The assets acquired by CalAmp include technology for Mobile Display Terminals (MDT) and an MDT product line marketed to telematics original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) globally. In March 2013, it completed the acquisition of the operations of Wireless Matrix Corporation.

Wireless DataCom

The Wireless DataCom segment provides wireless technology, products and services for industrial Machine-to-Machine (M2M) and Mobile Resource Management (MRM) market segments for a range of applications, including optimizing and automating electricity distribution and ancillary utility functions; facilitating communication and coordination among emergency first-responders; increasing productivity and optimizing activities of mobile workforces; improving management control over valuable remote and mobile assets, and enabling emerging applications in a wirelessly connected world.

The Company's Wireless DataCom segment is comprised of a Wireless Networks business and an MRM business. CalAmp's Wireless Networks business provides products, systems and services to industrial, utility, energy and transportation enterprises and state and local governmental entities for deployment where the ability to communicate with mobile personnel or to command and control remote assets is crucial. Utilities! , oil and gas, mining, railroad and security companies rely on CalAmp products for wireless data communications to and from outlying locations, permitting real-time monitoring, activation and control of remote equipment. Applications include remotely measuring freshwater and wastewater flows, pipeline flow monitoring for oil and gas transport, automated utility meter reading, remote Internet access and perimeter monitoring. CalAmp is among the leaders in the application of wireless communications technology to Smart Grid power distribution automation for electric utilities.

MRM wireless solutions include global positioning system (GPS) location, cellular data modems and programmable events-based notification firmware as key components, allowing customers to know where and how their assets are performing, no matter where those mobile assets are located. Commercial organizations, vehicle finance providers, city and county governments, and a range of other enterprises rely on CalAmp products and systems to optimize delivery of services and protect valuable assets. Applications include fleet management, asset tracking, student and school bus tracking and route optimization, stolen vehicle recovery, remote asset security, remote vehicle start, and machine-to-machine communications. In addition to functioning as an OEM supplier of location and communications hardware for MRM applications, CalAmp is a total solutions provider of turn-key systems incorporating location and communications hardware, cellular airtime and Web-based remote asset management tools and interfaces.

The Company competes with Motorola Solutions, GE-MDS, Freewave, Sierra Wireless, GenX, Spireon, Novatel Wireless-Enfora and Xirgo.

Satellite

The Satellite segment develops, manufactures and sells DBS outdoor customer premise equipment and whole home video networking devices for digital and high definition satellite television (TV) reception. CalAmp's satellite products are sold primarily to ! EchoStar,! an affiliate of Dish Network.

The Company's DBS reception products are installed at subscriber premises to receive television programming signals transmitted from orbiting satellites. These DBS reception products consist principally of outdoor electronics that receive, process, amplify and switch satellite television signals for distribution over coaxial cable to multiple set-top boxes inside the home that can acquire, recognize and process the signal to create a picture.

The Company competes with Sharp, Wistron NeWeb Corporation, Microelectronics Technology, Pro Brand and Global Invacom.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Paul Ausick]

    Canaccord Genuity also raised its price target on CalAmp Corp. (NASDAQ: CAMP) Tuesday, boosting it from $30.00 a share to $33.00. CalAmp makes wireless equipment and has a market cap of around $960 million. The company posted strong third-quarter results after markets closed Monday, and Canaccord expects strong growth in both the 2015 and 2016 fiscal years, based on the company’s expected fourth-quarter showing. Interestingly enough, CalAmp’s fourth-quarter estimates were slightly below consensus estimates.

  • [By Sara Sjolin]

    In the corporate sector, CalAmp Corp. (CAMP) �is likely to move. Shares dropped late Monday after its outlook for the current quarter fell short of Wall Street estimates.

  • [By Rich Bieglmeier]

    [Related -CalAmp (CAMP) To Supply Mobile Data Network For City Ff Buffalo Emergency Services]

    CalAmp develops and markets wireless technology solutions that deliver data, voice and video for critical networked communications and other applications. The Company has two business segments: Wireless DataCom, which serves commercial, industrial and government customers, and Satellite, which focuses on the North American Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) market.

  • [By Jason Shubnell]

    Yesterday, CalAmp (NASDAQ: CAMP) issued a downbeat outlook for the fourth quarter.

    CalAmp expected adjusted earnings of $0.19 to $0.23 per share on revenue of $60 million to $63 million. However, analysts were estimating earnings of $0.24 per share on revenue $63.2 million.

5 Best Wireless Telecom Stocks To Buy For 2015: T-Mobile US Inc (TMUS)

T-Mobile US, Inc., formerly MetroPCS Communications, Inc., incorporated on March 10, 2004, is a wireless telecommunications carrier, which offers wireless broadband mobile services primarily in metropolitan areas in the United States, including the Atlanta, Boston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando/Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Sacramento, San Francisco and Tampa/Sarasota metropolitan areas. Its flagship brands include T-Mobile and MetroPCS. As of December 31, 2012, it held licenses for wireless spectrum suitable for wireless broadband mobile services covering a total population of 144 million people in and around many of the metropolitan areas in the United States. It provides its services using code division multiple accesses (CDMA) networks using 1xRTT technology and evolution data optimized (EVDO) and fourth generation long term evolution (4G LTE).

The Company has roaming agreements with other wireless broadband mobile carriers that allow them to offer its customers service in many areas when they are outside its service area. These roaming agreements, together with the area it serve with its own networks, allows its customers to receive service in an area covering over 280 million in total population under the Metro USA brand. The Company sells products and services to customers through its Company-owned retail stores, as well as indirectly through relationships with independent retailers and third party dealers. Its service allows its customers to place unlimited local calls from within its local service area and to receive unlimited calls from any area while in its service area, for a flat-rate monthly service fee. For additional usage fees, it also provide certain other value-added services. All of these plans require payment in advance for one month of service. If no payment is made in advance for month of service, service is suspended at the end of the month that was paid for by the customer and, if the customer does not pay within 30 day! s, the customer is terminated. It believes its service plans differentiate them from the more complex plans and long-term contract requirements of traditional wireless carriers.

The Company voice services allow customers to place voice calls to, and receive calls from, any telephone in the world, including local, domestic long distance, and international calls. Its voice services also allow customers to receive and make calls while they are located in areas served by its networks and in those geographic areas served by the networks of certain other wireless broadband mobile carriers with whom it has roaming arrangements. The Company�� data services include text messaging services (domestic and international); multimedia messaging services; mobile Internet access; mobile instant messaging; location-based services; social networking services; push e-mail; multimedia streaming and downloads; and services provided, depending on the network and locale, through the Binary Runtime Environment for Wireless, or BREW, Blackberry, Windows, and the Android platforms, such as ringtones, ring back tones, games, content, and applications.

The Company�� Custom calling features offers custom calling features, including caller ID, call waiting, three-way calling and voicemail. Its Advanced handsets sells a variety of feature phones, and increasingly, smartphones, predominately manufactured by nationally recognized manufacturers for use on its network, including models that have cameras, include HTML browsers, play music, play streaming audio, display streaming video and downloaded video, and have other features facilitating digital data. It sells a variety of handsets using vendor or handset specific operating systems, such as BREW, Blackberry, Windows, and the Android operating system.

The Company provides its wireless broadband mobile services using paired personal communications services (PCS), spectrum and advanced wireless services, or AWS, spectrum. In addition, it holds a! license ! for 12 MHz of paired 700 MHz Lower Band A spectrum in the Boston-Worcester, MA/NH/RI/VT basic economic area (BEA), which, unless it receives a waiver from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), of the four year construction requirements, it plans to construct in the first half of 2013. In each of its metropolitan areas where irt provides service. As of December 31, 2012, it holds between 10 mega hertz (MHz) and 60 MHz of paired spectrum and on average it has approximately 22 MHz of paired spectrum in the metropolitan areas it serves. In the aggregate, as of December 31, 2012, it offers wireless broadband mobile services using its own network.

The Company operates 1xRTT CDMA networks in all of the metropolitan areas it serves and it has upgraded its networks to 4G LTE in all of metropolitan areas. It also has deployed EVDO at selected high use sites in its CDMA network to increase network data capacity to meet the growing data needs of iy customers. Its network includes a mobile switching center (for CDMA), enhanced packet core (for 4G LTE), and IP core. These serve several purposes, including routing traffic, managing call handoffs, and managing access to the public switched telephone network (for CDMA) or the Internet (CDMA and 4G LTE). These network elements also provide access to voicemail and other value-added services, base stations (for CDMA) or eNodeBs (for 4G LTE), cell sites or distributed antenna system (DAS), nodes, and backhaul facilities, which carry traffic to and from its cell sites and its switching or enhanced packet core facilities, consisting of a combination of dedicated circuits, cable, fiber, and microwave facilities.

Its cell sites in the network are co-located, meaning its equipment is located on leased facilities that are owned by third parties who retain the right to lease the locations to additional carriers and in many cases other wireless broadband mobile service providers already have facilities at such locations. The switching centers and na! tional op! erations center provide around-the-clock monitoring of its network. Its switches connect to the public switched telephone network through fiber rings leased from third-parties, which transmit originating and terminating traffic between its equipment and local exchange and long distance carriers. It also has negotiated interconnection agreements with relevant local exchange carriers, or LECs, in its service areas. It uses third-party providers for domestic and international long distance services, international SMS interconnection with the public switched network and other carriers, roaming services, and the majority of its backhaul services.

The Company competes with AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel, T-Mobile USA , Deutsche Telekom, Clearwire, Dish Network , Time Warner Cable, Comcast, Cox Communications, Cricket Communications, Leap Wireless International and Google.

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

    Equities Trading UP
    Sprint (NYSE: S) was up on Wednesday's session, gaining 11.10 percent to $8.70 after the company reportedly secured financing to acquire T-Mobile (NYSE: TMUS).

10 Best Cheapest Stocks To Buy Right Now: Eutelsat Communications SA (ETL)

Eutelsat Communications SA is a France-based holding company that provides fixed satellite services. It provides four types of services, including broadcast services, such as direct-to-home and professional broadcasting; broadband services, comprising broadband Internet access; telecoms and data services to ensure permanent communications links from all points of the globe, establish or restore communications in an emergency and multicast content; as well as mobile and maritime communications, such as fleet management and on- and off-shore broadband maritime communications. It operates a fleet of satellites covering Europe, the Middle East, North and sub-Saharan Africa, as well as parts of Asia and the Americas. In January 2014, it acquired Satelites Mexicanos, S.A. de C.V. and together with SES SA have completed the sale to EchoStar Corp. of Solaris Mobile Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

    Eutelsat Communications SA (ETL) declined 6.2 percent to 21.02 euros after predicting sales will grow by more than 2.5 percent for the year 2013 to 2014. The company, which operates 31 satellites, forecast growth of more than 5 percent for the following two years through June 2016. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut its price target for the stock to 24 euros from 33 euros, saying analysts��will probably reduce their estimates following the company�� revised guidance.

5 Best Wireless Telecom Stocks To Buy For 2015: KDDI Corp (KDDIF)

KDDI CORPORATION is a telecommunications company. The Mobile Telecommunication segment is engaged in the provision of mobile communications services, including voice and data services, and mobile WIMAX services, as well as the sale of mobile communication terminals and the provision of contents. The Fixed-line Telecommunication segment provides broadband services, including fiber to the home (FTTH) and cable television (TV) services, as well as domestic and overseas communication services, data center services and information and communication technology (ICT) solution services. The Others segment is involved in the operation of call centers and the development of research and advanced technology. On December 2, 2013, it transferred all shares of a wholly owned subsidiary, JAPAN CABLE NET LIMITED to another subsidiary. In December 2013, the Company acquired the entire share capital in Yugen Kaisha Cosmos. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By MARKETWATCH]

    LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- With the yen holding on to its gains and investors cautious as earnings season kicks off, Japanese stocks slid lower Friday after closing the previous day with some late-session gains. The Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) fell 0.9% to 14,358.28, with the Topix down 0.8%, as the dollar bought 97.36 yen, little changed from 24 hours earlier. The relatively strong yen weighed on some names with high global exposure, as Sharp Corp. (JP:6753) (SHCAF) lost 1%, Pioneer Corp. (JP:6773) (PNCOF) dropped 1.6%, and Bridgestone Corp. (JP:5108) (BRDCF) fell 1.2%. An outlook cut from Canon Inc. (JP:7751) (CAJ) helped send its shares down 1%, while rival Nikon Corp. (JP:7731) (NINOF) lost 1.8%, though Olympus Corp. (JP:7733) (OCPNF) gained 1%. Telecoms were weak, with Softbank Corp. (JP:9984) (SFTBF) falling 2.5%, KDDI Corp. (JP:9433) (KDDIF) down 1.7%, and NTT DoCoMo Inc. (JP:9437) (NTDMF)

  • [By Daniel Inman]

    In Tokyo, KDDI (JP:9433) � (KDDIF) �gained 0.6% after the telecommunications company reported a record-high and consensus-beating operating profit for the first half of the fiscal year, due to a stronger-than-expected increase in subscription and a rise in usage revenue.

  • [By Daniel Inman]

    In Tokyo, telecoms firm KDDI Corp. (JP:9433) � (KDDIF) �rose 2% after a Nikkei report said that the firm will likely report a record first-half group operating profit, with a 50% on-year increase. TDK Corp. (JP:6762) � (TTDKF) , however, dropped 0.2% after a separate Nikkei report said that the electronics-component producer will report an 8% increase in operating profit over the same period.

5 Best Wireless Telecom Stocks To Buy For 2015: Rewards Nexus Inc (ERNI)

Rewards Nexus Inc., formerly NIS Holdings Corp., incorporated on June 21, 2004, through its subsidiaries, operates in the loyalty/rewards industry. The Company has launched the Earn IQ rewards program, a consumer loyalty platform-coupled with marketing and advertising services for various industries.

The Company provides consumers with opportunities to interact and engage with online and mobile products. It primarily focuses on various business sectors, including the customer loyalty management market, the gift card industry, the online food ordering industry, and the marketing consulting industry

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Peter Graham]

    Small cap stocks Rewards Nexus Inc (OTCMKTS: ERNI), MyEcheck Inc (OTCMKTS: MYEC) and ITonis Inc (OTCMKTS: ITNS) fell 29.6%, 18.92% and 9.09%, respectively, last Friday. Moreover, some of these small cap stocks are already making big moves again this morning - perhaps in part because they have all been the subject of recent paid promotions. So where are these small cap heading this week and for the long term? Here is a quick reality check: