Monday, September 30, 2013

Futures Thrill To Taper Delay, Jobless Claims Near Six-Year Lows; JPM To Pay ‘Whale’ Fine

Stocks seemed ready to plunge even farther into record territory after Wednesday's euphoria.

The market held onto gains despite a rise in jobless claims: Initial unemployment claims were up 15,000 to 309,000 in the week ended Sept. 14; the week prior was also revised upward by 2,000, to 294,000. The numbers remain murky because of backlogs in California and Nevada that might be skewing data.

Nonetheless, the figure came in well below economists' expectations for 338,000 claims, and unemployment remains near a six-year low.

Elsewhere, investors were still digesting the Federal Reserve's decisions not to begin pulling back on its $85 billion per month bond-buying program.

While the decision obviously pleased the market, the decision carries its own problems, as investors are once again left wondering when the Fed's highly accommodative policies will start to wind down—not to mention the implications of a reduced forecast for U.S. economic growth.

"Markets were primed for a reduction, and along with a host of other flashing yellow lights that was enough to make plenty of market watchers cautious, including us," wrote Nicholas Colas, chief market strategist at ConvergEx Group.  Yes, the Fed will eventually cut the QE tow rope if/when labor markets improve, but for now they seem content to keep toting the barge and lifting the bale.  That leaves markets free to head to the bar, hopefully avoiding incarceration along the way.  Remember 1999, when markets ripped through Q4 because so many investors had bided their time waiting for the dot-com bubble to collapse earlier in the year?  Cue the music, because this is beginning to look like the same market setup."

Yet for now, markets seem happy to push ahead on the surprise leniency and jobs numbers.

The Fed also said yesterday that mortgage lending reached a five-year high, boosted by refinancing activity as rates remain historically low.

Also in the news, European leaders have announced changes to budget policies that are largely seen reducing austerity measures required in nations that were most impacted by the financial crisis.

In company-specific news, J.P. Morgan (JPM) will pay a $920 million fine in its 'whale' case, as it admitted to wrongdoing in a settlement.

5 Best Value Stocks To Watch For 2014

ConAgra (CAG) was down 1.4% after its first-quarter profit fell, missing forecasts.

Rite Aid (RAD) jumped 12% after it reported an unexpected profit, thanks to ongoing sales growth and stronger margins.

Tesla (TSLA) was up nearly 3% in before the bell, after Deutsche Bank raised its  target price to $200 late Wednesday.

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Alibaba’s Hong Kong woes a lesson for Twitter IPO

SAN FRANCISCO — Events playing out in Hong Kong suggest that any initial public offering of Twitter shares in the U.S. will come sooner, rather than later.

As noted in this column in July, the biggest Internet IPO on the horizon will come not from the San Francisco-based social media startup but from Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., a fast-growing e-commerce company with headquarters on mainland China.

Earlier this year, Alibaba signaled it would offer its shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, which last month celebrated 20 years of accepting such listings from mainland companies.

But Alibaba's plans for a listing in the former British colony have hit a major snag, as exchange officials there rejected its proposed ownership structure, saying it violates rules that protect the rights of ordinary shareholders.

The company's failure to get the rules exemption it asked for in Hong Kong makes it more likely Alibaba will list its IPO shares in New York instead.

Such a move would very likely push a U.S. listing by Alibaba into the first or second quarter of next year, as it would take time for the company to clear regulatory hurdles and adjust its accounting to conform to U.S. rules.

It would also put the offering in competition with Twitter's — if the U.S.-based firm hasn't executed its IPO by then.

Alibaba is at least several times the size of Twitter, as measured by revenue.

According to figures made public in July by Yahoo, which owns approximately 24% of Alibaba, revenue for the China-based firm soared 71% to $1.38 billion for the quarter ended in March.

That size and rate of growth suggests the company will post 2013 revenue of more than $5 billion, though we won't know for sure until Alibaba discloses its financial statements.

Twitter also hasn't yet disclosed details of its business, choosing instead to file its initial registration statement with U.S. securities regulators on a confidential basis.

Yet such a filing — made possible by ! changes to U.S. securities laws under the 2012 JOBS Act — is available only to companies with annual revenue of less than $1 billion in their most-recently completed fiscal year.

Research firm eMarketer estimates Twitter's advertising revenue will double this year to $583 million, then rise 63% in 2014 to $950 million.

John Shinal, technology columnist for USA TODAY.(Photo: USA TODAY)

That makes it significantly smaller than its largest rivals in the market for Internet advertising — namely, Google and Facebook, which eMarketer estimates will capture 33% and 5%, respectively, of the $118 billion market this year.

Twitter's smaller size points up the risk the company has taken by signaling its IPO intentions in a tweet on its own site, without divulging any details of its financials — or of its potential offering.

While the tweet regarding its confidential IPO filing has helped generate interest — and allows Twitter to highlight pre-IPO shares to prospective employees — a delay in executing the offering might be seen by investors as a sign of potential problems.

If Twitter plans to raise money to help it compete with larger, well-funded rivals, doing it sooner would be better.

That's because the time between Thanksgiving and tax day on April 15 has been a graveyard for previous tech IPOs. Zynga's lackluster offering in December 2011 is a prime example.

If Alibaba decides to list its IPO on the New York Stock Exchange, as Twitter is reportedly considering, any significant delay by Twitter could put its share sale in direct competition with an even larger one in the minds of Internet-sector investors.

For all of these reasons, look for the Twitter IPO to be priced in the n! ear futur! e.

John Shinal has covered tech and financial markets for 15 years at Bloomberg, BusinessWeek, the San Francisco Chronicle, Dow Jones MarketWatch, Wall Street Journal Digital Network and others.

Saturday, September 28, 2013

Top 10 Casino Companies To Invest In 2014

Trading in the financial markets is stimulating, exciting and engrossing. But one can become addicted, just like with actual casino gambling or illegal drugs. Like any severe addiction, this can cost you your job, relationships and, of course, your financial resources. In this article we will consider what causes such addiction, the symptoms and how to break out of the downward spiral. Our focus is on the brain and understanding how its reward systems can literally train you to trade compulsively and dangerously.

German financial psychologist Norman Welz works constantly with these issues, as well as with the people affected, and his input and recommendations are reflected below.

The Temptations of Trading
You can make a lot of money from trading. And you can do it more or less on your own whenever you like, without a boss or being embedded in a company, both of which may be driving you around the bend. There are lots of ways to make money by trading, irrespective of whether markets rise, fall or stagnate. Also, you can do it fast, thanks to leveraging. In theory (sadly, far more so than in practice), you could become financially independent, which is a dream for so many employees. But this dream of fast cars and luxury is statistically likely to remain just that. The stats tell us that over 90% of amateurs lose pretty consistently. The fundamental problem is that this is a risky, speculative business, and the leveraging goes downward just as fast and as much as it goes upward. If it goes sour on you, you can lose your proverbial shirt and a whole lot more.

Top 10 Casino Companies To Invest In 2014: Pinnacle Entertainment Inc.(PNK)

Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. owns, develops, and operates casinos, and related hospitality and entertainment facilities in the United States. It operates casinos, such as L'Auberge du Lac in Lake Charles, Louisiana; River City Casino and Lumiere Place in St. Louis, Missouri; Boomtown New Orleans in New Orleans, Louisiana; Belterra Casino Resort in Vevay, Indiana; Boomtown Bossier City in Bossier City, Louisiana; and Boomtown Reno in Reno, Nevada. The company also operates River Downs racetrack in southeast Cincinnati, Ohio. As of May 26, 2011, it operated seven casinos and one racetrack. The company was formerly known as Hollywood Park, Inc. and changed its name to Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. in February 2000. Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. was founded in 1935 and is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Pinnacle Entertainment (PNK) has gained 56% this year; Las Vegas Sands (LVS) has climbed 38%. And Deutsche Bank has nice things to say about both today.

    Bloomberg

    First Pinnacle. Deutsche Bank’s Carlo Santarelli ponders the stock’s big move and comes away still seeing value in its shares. He writes:

    When we upgraded PNK in April, our thesis centered on the FCF strength of the combined entities [Pinnacle completed its acquisition of Ameristar Casinos on Aug. 14], a handful of favorable catalysts, easing regional gaming comps, & an inexpensive relative valuation. Given the shares’ sizeable move since then, we believe it is worth revisiting the investment case. Post the announcement of several asset sales and the closing of the transaction, we are adjusting our estimates, raising our PT to $30 from $24, and maintaining our bullish view at current levels given what we still believe to be an attractive free cash flow valuation, meaningful potential synergy realization beyond the $40 mm of announced benefits, and a free option on a lagging regional recovery.

    Santarelli also revisited Las Vegas Sands and there too, he likes what he sees. He writes:

    With…LVS at [a share price level] that have been challenging to break from over the last year plus, we believe this time is different and hence we see continued upward momentum…In the case of LVS, we see; 1) meaningful mass market strength continuing through year end, setting the stage for upward company and market estimate revisions for 2014, 2) continued cash flow appreciation and capital returns serving as downside protection and positive catalysts, and 3) continued shared gains, largely driven by table optimization and mass market strength, driving both estimates and sentiment.

    He also likes Wynn Resorts (WYNN), despite its 34% gain.�Santarelli writes:

    As for WYNN, we believe near-term estimates continue to take a back seat to capital return

Top 10 Casino Companies To Invest In 2014: Wynn Resorts Limited(WYNN)

Wynn Resorts, Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the development, ownership, and operation of destination casino resorts. The company owns and operates Wynn Las Vegas casino resort in Las Vegas, which includes approximately 22 food and beverage outlets comprising 5 dining restaurants; 2 nightclubs; 1 spa and salon; 1 Ferrari and Maserati automobile dealership; wedding chapels; an 18-hole golf course; meeting space; and foot retail promenade featuring boutiques. Wynn Las Vegas casino resort also features approximately 147 table games, 1 baccarat salon, private VIP gaming rooms, 1 poker room, 1,842 slot machines, and 1 race and sports book. It also owns and operates an Encore at Wynn Las Vegas resort, a destination casino resort located adjacent to Wynn Las Vegas that features a 2,034 all-suite hotel, as well as a casino with 95 table games, 1 sky casino, 1 baccarat salon, private VIP gaming rooms, and 778 slot machines. In addition, the company operates Wyn n Macau casino resort located in the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People?s Republic of China. Wynn Macau casino resort features approximately 595 hotel rooms and suites, 410 table games, 935 slot machines, 1 poker room, 1 sky casino, 6 restaurants, 1 spa and salon, lounges, meeting facilities, and retail space featuring boutiques. Further, it operates Encore at Wynn Macau resort located adjacent to Wynn Macau. Encore at Wynn Macau resort features approximately 410 luxury suites and 4 villas, as well as casino gaming space, including a sky casino consisting of 60 table games and 80 slot machines, 2 restaurants, 1 luxury spa, and retail space. The company was founded in 2002 and is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Michael Vodicka]

    But that got me thinking: Which companies from the S&P 500 are the most shareholder friendly, with the biggest dividend increases in the last 5 years? Here is a list of the top 5 companies from the last 5 years with the biggest dividend increases.

    UnitedHealth Group (UNH) 152%Wynn Resorts Ltd. (WYNN) 137%Aetna, Inc. (AET) 136%Ensco Plc. (ESV) 121%Western Union (WU) 91%

    But from the group, there is one company that offers the most unique combination of growth and income. And even though shares are up a market-beating 43% on the year, there should be plenty more to come.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy For 2014: MGM Resorts International(MGM)

MGM Resorts International, through its subsidiaries, primarily owns and operates casino resorts in the United States. The company?s resorts offer gaming, hotel, dining, entertainment, retail, and other resort amenities. It also owns and operates golf courses and a golf club. As of December 31, 2010, the company owned and operated 15 properties located in Nevada, Mississippi, and Michigan; and has 50% investments in 4 other casino resorts in Nevada, Illinois, and Macau. In addition, MGM Resorts International has an agreement with the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, which owns and operates a casino resort in Connecticut, to carry the ?MGM Grand? brand name. The company was formerly known as MGM MIRAGE and changed its name to MGM Resorts International in June 2010. MGM Resorts International was founded in 1986 and is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Wolfe]

    MGM Resorts International (MGM)

    Paulson�� fifth largest position is in MGM Resorts International. The guru holds on to 34 million shares of the company�� stock, representing 3.5% of his total portfolio and 6.94% of the company�� shares outstanding.

  • [By Paul Ausick]

    U.S.-based casino operators Las Vegas Sands Inc. (NYSE: LVS), Wynn Resorts Ltd. (NASDAQ: WYNN), and MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) already operate resorts and casinos in Macau and these companies would be much smaller without them.

  • [By Lisa Abramowicz]

    ��t�� allowed companies such as ourselves to continue to access the capital markets,��Dan D��rrigo, the executive vice president and chief financial officer of Las Vegas-based casino company MGM Resorts International (MGM), said in a Sept. 17 telephone interview. During the crisis, ��e still had access but at much more costly rates to our company,��he said.

Top 10 Casino Companies To Invest In 2014: (XTRN)

Las Vegas Railway Express Inc. focuses to re-establish a conventional passenger train service between the Las Vegas and Los Angeles metropolitan areas. It plans to establish a ?Vegas-style? passenger train service. The company is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Top 10 Casino Companies To Invest In 2014: Boyd Gaming Corporation(BYD)

Boyd Gaming Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a multi-jurisdictional gaming company in the United States. As of December 31, 2011, the company owned and operated 1,042,787 square feet of casino space, containing approximately 25,973 slot machines, 655 table games, and 11,418 hotel rooms. It also owned and operated 16 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and New Jersey. In addition, the company owns and operates a pari-mutuel jai-alai facility located in Dania Beach, Florida, as well as a travel agency in Hawaii. Further, it holds a 50% controlling interest in the limited liability company that operates Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Boyd Gaming Corporation was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    One gaming player that's rapidly moving within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Boyd Gaming (BYD), which owns and operates gaming entertainment facilities located in Nevada, Mississippi, Illinois, Louisiana and Indiana. This stock has been blazing a trail to the upside so far in 2013, with shares up sharply by 115%.

    If you look at the chart for Boyd Gaming, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong over the last month and change, with shares moving sharply higher from its low of $11.27 to its intraday high of $14.38 a share. During that move, shares of BYD have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of BYD into breakout territory above resistance at $13.79 a share, and it's quickly pushing the stock within range of another big breakout trade.

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in BYD if it manages to break out above its 52-week high at $14.50 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 2.34 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then BYD will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $18 to $20 a share.

    Traders can look to buy BYD off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some near-term support at $13 a share. One can also buy BYD off strength once it takes out $14.50 a share with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Top 10 Casino Companies To Invest In 2014: Penn National Gaming Inc.(PENN)

Penn National Gaming, Inc. and its subsidiaries own and manage gaming and pari-mutuel properties in the United States. It operates approximately 27,000 gaming machines; 500 table games; and 2,000 hotel rooms in 23 facilities in 16 jurisdictions, including Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ontario. The company was formerly known as PNRC Corp. and changed its name to Penn National Gaming, Inc. in 1994. Penn National Gaming, Inc. was founded in 1982 and is based in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Top 5 Energy Companies To Invest In 2014

Stocks have seen five days of selling, and investors are deciding which stocks are bargains and which ones will have more downside. 24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of Wall Street analyst research reports each morning in order to find fresh ideas for investors and traders. Some turn out to be stocks to buy and others stocks to sell. Here are some of this Thursday’s top Wall Street analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations.

Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ: BIDU) was started with an Outperform rating at Credit Suisse.

Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CBST) was raised to Outperform from Market Perform at Leerink Swann.

Diamondback Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: FANG) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Canaccord Genuity.

Diamond Foods Inc. (NASDAQ: DMND) was raised to Buy from Hold at BB&T Capital Markets.

Helmerich & Payne Inc. (NYSE: HP) was reinstated as Buy with a $82 price target at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.

HomeAway Inc. (NASDAQ: AWAY) was downgraded to Equal Weight from Overweight by Morgan Stanley.

Top 5 Energy Companies To Invest In 2014: Samson Oil and Gas Ltd (SSN)

Samson Oil & Gas Limited (Samson), incorporated on April 6, 1979, is engaged in exploration and development of oil and natural gas properties in the United States. Samson owns a working interest in each of its three material producing properties, through which it has entered into operating agreements with third parties under which the oil and gas are produced and sold. The Company also has 100% working interest in one exploration property and 50% to 100% in a second property. As of June 30, 2012, the Company�� properties included North Stockyard Project; State GC Oil and Gas Field, New Mexico; Davis Bintliff (Sabretooth Prospect), Brazoria County, Texas; Hawk Springs Project, Goshen County, Wyoming, and Roosevelt Project, Roosevelt County, Montana. As of June 30, 2012, the Company along with its subsidiaries produced approximately 87,956 barrels of oil and 214,463 thousand cubic feet of gas.

North Stockyard Project -Williston Basin, North Dakota

Samson has 34.5% working interest in 3,303 acres adjacent to the North Stockyard Oil Field, which is located in the Williston Basin in North Dakota and is operated by Zavanna LLC. Together with the Company�� working interest owners, it has drilled seven wells in this field, six in the Bakken formation and one in the Mission Canyon formation. During July 2012, the Harstad #1-15H well averaged 15 barrels of oil per day (BOPD). The Leonard-23H (10% working interest, 37.5% after non-consent penalty) is a Mississippian Middle Bakken Formation. In July 2011, this well averaged 46 barrels of oil per day. The Company drilled its third Bakken well in the North Stockyard Field, the Gary-24H (37% working interest). During July 2012, this well averaged 75 BOPD. It drilled its fourth Bakken well in the North Stockyard Field, the Rodney-14H (27% working interest). In July 2011, this well averaged 92 BOPD. It drilled its fifth Bakken well in the North Stockyard Field in Williams County, North Dakota, the Earl 1-13H (32% working interest). In Jul! y 2011, the well averaged 193 BOPD. In June 2011, it drilled its sixth Mississippian Bakken well in the North Stockyard field in Williams County, North Dakota, the Everett 1-15H (26% working interest). As of June 30, 2012, the North Stockyard project had net proved reserves of 598,500 barrels of oil and 757,800 thousand cubic feet (of natural gas).

State GC Oil and Gas Field, New Mexico

The State GC oil and gas field is located in Lea County, New Mexico, and covers approximately 600 acres. As of June 30, 2012, the field had two wells, the State GC#1 and State GC#2. Average daily production during the year ended June 30, 2012 from the State GC oil and gas field was approximately 43 BOPD and 37 million standard cubic feet per day. As of June 30, 2012, the State GC oil and gas field had net proved reserves of 65,500 barrels of oil and 87,300 thousand cubic feet (of natural gas).

Davis Bintliff #1 Well (Sabretooth Prospect), Brazoria County, Texas

The Davis Bintliff #1 well is operated by Davis Holdings. During the year ended June 30, 2012, this well averaged 29 BOPD and 2.61million cubic feet per day. As of June 30, 2012, the Davis Bintliff well had net proved reserves of 700 barrels of oil and 66,400 Thousand cubic feet (of natural gas).

Hawk Springs Project, Goshen County, Wyoming

The Company has 37.5%-100% working interest in Hawk Springs Project. The Spirit of America 1 replacement well, Spirit of America 2, was successfully drilled to a total depth of 10,634 feet during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012).

Roosevelt Project, Roosevelt County, Montana

The well was drilled to a total measured depth of 14,972 feet with the horizontal lateral remaining within the target zone for the entire lateral length. approximately 3,425 barrels of oil have been produced.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By James E. Brumley]

    Had Samson Oil & Gas Limited (NYSEMKT:SSN) made the late-July surge and subsequent early-August pullback and then gotten stuck in the mud again, I might not even bother taking a look at it. That's not how it happened though. Since the pullback, SSN has perked up again, perhaps not as hot as it was with the initial rally at the end of last month, but more than hot enough to get my attention. I suspect another surge - perhaps a longer-lasting surge - is in the cards.

Top 5 Energy Companies To Invest In 2014: Statoil ASA (STO)

Statoil ASA (Statoil), incorporated on September 18, 1972, is an integrated energy company primarily engaged in oil and gas exploration and production activities. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had business operations in 41 countries and territories. Effective from January 1, 2011, the Company�� segments were Development and Production Norway; Development and Production International; Marketing, Processing and Renewable Energy; Fuel & Retail, Other. As of 31 December 2011, the Company had proved reserves of 2,276 million barrels (mmbbl) and 3,150 billion cubic meters (bcm) (equivalent to 17,681 trillion cubic feet (tcf)) of natural gas, corresponding to aggregate proved reserves of 5,426 mmboe. In December 2011, the Company acquired Brigham Exploration Company. On April 14, 2011, Statoil's formation of a joint venture and sale of 40% of the Peregrino field off the coast of Brazil to the Sinochem Group was closed. With effect from January 2011, Statoil formed a joint venture with PTTEP of Thailand in its oil sands business and, as part of that transaction, sold PTTEP a 40% interest in the leases in Alberta, Canada. Statoil retains 60% ownership and operatorship of the oil sands project. In June 2012, the Company divested its 54% interest in Statoil Fuel & Retail ASA to Alimentation Couche-Tard.

Development and Production Norway

Development and Production Norway (DPN) consists of the Company�� field development and operational activities on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). Development and Production Norway is the operator of 44 developed fields on the NCS. Statoil's equity and entitlement production on the NCS was 1.316 mmboe per day in 2011, which was about 71% of Statoil's total production. Acting as operator, DPN is responsible for approximately 72% of all oil and gas production on the NCS. In 2011, its average daily production of oil and natural gas liquids (NGL) on the NCS was 693 mboe, while its average daily gas production on the NCS was 99.1 mmcm (3.5 b! illion cubic feet (bcf)). The Company has an ownership interests in exploration acreage throughout the licensed parts of the NCS, both within and outside its production areas. It participates in 227 licenses on the NCS and is the operator for 171 of them. As of 31 December 2011, Statoil had a total of 1,369 mmbbl of proved oil reserves and 444 bcm (15.7 tcf) of proved natural gas reserves on the NCS. Total entitlement liquids and gas production in 2011 amounted to 1,316 mmboe per day.

Statoil's NCS portfolio consists of licenses in the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea and the Barents Sea. It has organized its production operations into four business clusters: Operations South, Operations North Sea West, Operations North Sea East and Operations North. The Operations South and Operations North Sea West and East clusters cover its licenses in the North Sea. Operations North covers the Company�� licenses in the Norwegian Sea and in the Barents Sea, while partner-operated fields cover the entire NCS and are included internally in the Operations South business cluster. During 2011, it two Statoil-operated oil discoveries: the Aldous discovery (PL265) in the North Sea and the Skrugard discovery (PL532) in the Barents Sea. The Aldous Major South discovery in PL265 on the Utsira Height in the Sleipner area is situated 140 kilometers west of Stavanger and 35 kilometers south of the Grane field. The Skrugard discovery is located about 250 kilometers off the coast from the Melkoya LNG plant in Hammerfest.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� fields under development included the Gudrun, Valemon, Visund South, Hyme, Stjerne, Vigdis North-East, Skuld, Vilje South, Skarv, and Marulk. In 2011, the Company�� total entitlement oil and NGL production in Norway was 252 mmbbl, and gas production was 36.2 bcm (1,287 bcf). The main producing fields in the Operations South area are Statfjord, Snorre, Tordis, Vigdis, Sleipner and partner-operated fields. Operations North Sea East is a gas area tha! t also co! ntains quantities of oil. The area includes the Troll, Fram, Vega, Oseberg and Tune fields. The Company�� producing fields in the Operations North area are Asgard, Mikkel, Yttergryta, Heidrun, Kristin, Tyrihans, Norne, Urd, Alve, Njord, Snohvit and Morvin.

Development and Production International

Development and Production International (DPI) is responsible for the development and production of oil and gas outside the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). In 2011, the segment was engaged in production in 12 countries: Canada, the United States, Brazil, Venezuela, Angola, Nigeria, Iran, Algeria, Libya, Azerbaijan, Russia and the United Kingdom. In 2011, DPI produced 28.9% of Statoil's total equity production of oil and gas. Statoil has exploration licenses in North America (Gulf of Mexico, Canada and Alaska), South America and sub-Saharan Africa (Brazil, Cuba, Suriname, Venezuela, Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania), Middle East and North Africa (Libya and Iran) and Europe and Asia (the Faeroes, Greenland, the United Kingdom, Azerbaijan and Indonesia). The main sanctioned development projects in which DPI is involved are in the United States, Angola and Canada. The Brigham Exploration Company acquisition added production of approximately 21 mboe per day (as of December) to Statoil's production and gave access to 1,500 square kilometers (375,000 acres) in the Bakken and Three Forks formations in the Williston Basin.

The Company has exploration licenses in North America (Gulf of Mexico, Canada and Alaska), South America and sub-Saharan Africa (Brazil, Cuba, Suriname, Venezuela, Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania), Middle East and North Africa (Libya and Iran), and Europe and Asia (the Faroes, Greenland, the United Kingdom, Azerbaijan and Indonesia). It completed 16 wells in 2011. Five were announced as discoveries: the Mukuvo and Lira discoveries in Angola, the Gavea and Peregrino South discovery in Brazil and the Logan discovery in Gulf of Mexico (GoM). Statoil acquired in! terests i! n six new licenses in Indonesia in 2011. Statoil has activities in the United States, with approximately 300 exploration leases in the GoM and 66 in Alaska. It is also an operator and partner in exploration licenses off the coast of Newfoundland in Canada. Statoil is operator and partner in exploration licenses off the coast of Newfoundland (11,138 square kilometers). It has exploration licenses in Brazil, Cuba, Suriname, Venezuela, Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania. The Company has licenses in Libya, Iran, Faroes, Greenland, the United Kingdom, Azerbaijan and Indonesia. In 2011, Statoil's petroleum production outside Norway amounted to an average of 334 mboe per day of entitlement production and 534 mboe per day of equity production.

The Company has activities in the United States Gulf of Mexico, the Appalachian region, south-west Texas, the Williston Basin, off the East Coast of Canada and in the oil sands of Alberta, Canada. It also has a representative office in Mexico City. Offshore, the Company has production interests in Hibernia and Terra Nova, and interests in two development projects. Its development and production activities in South America and sub-Saharan Africa comprise the Peregrino operatorship in Brazil, the Petrocedeno project in Venezuela, the Agbami offshore field in Nigeria and four Angolan offshore blocks. Statoil's development and production in the Middle East and North Africa in 2011, primarily encompassed Algeria, Libya, Egypt, Iran and Iraq. The Company�� Development and Production in Europe and Asia primarily comprises Azerbaijan, Russia, United Kingdom and Ireland.

Marketing, Processing and Renewable Energy

Marketing, Processing and Renewable Energy (MPR) is responsible for the transportation, processing, manufacturing, marketing and trading of crude oil, natural gas, liquids and refined products, and for developing business opportunities in renewables. It runs two refineries, two gas processing plants, one methanol plant and three crude! oil term! inals. MPR is also responsible for marketing gas supplies originating from the Norwegian state's direct financial interest (SDFI). In total, it is responsible for marketing approximately 80% of all Norwegian gas exports. In 2011, Statoil sold 36.1 bcm (1.3 tcf) of natural gas from the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) on its own behalf, in addition to approximately 33.5 bcm (1.2 tcf) of NCS gas on behalf of the Norwegian state. Statoil's total European gas sales, including third-party gas, amounted to 79.8 bcm (2.9 tcf) in 2011, of which 39.5 bcm (1.4 tcf) was gas sold on behalf of the Norwegian state. The Natural Gas business cluster is responsible for Statoil's marketing and trading of natural gas worldwide, for power and emissions trading and for overall gas supply planning. In 2011, the Company sold 36.1 bcm (1.3 tcf) of natural gas from the NCS on its own behalf, in addition to approximately 33.5 bcm (1.2 tcf) of NCS gas on behalf of the Norwegian state. Statoil's total European gas sales, including third-party gas, amounted to 79.8 bcm (2.9 tcf) in 2011, of which 39.5 bcm (1.4 tcf) was gas sold on behalf of the Norwegian state. In addition, it sold 5.5 bcm (0.2 tcf) of gas originating from its international positions, mainly in Azerbaijan and the United States, of which 2.7 bcm (0.1 tcf) was entitlement gas. As technical service provider (TSP), Statoil is responsible for the operation, maintenance and further development of the Karsto gas processing plant on behalf of the operator Gassco.

Statoil is the seller of crude oil, operating from sales offices in Stavanger, Oslo, London, Singapore, Stamford and Calgary and selling and trading crude oil, condensate, NGL and refined products. Statoil holds the lease for the South Riding Point crude oil terminal in the Bahamas, which includes, oil storage as well as loading and unloading facilities. It also operates the Mongstad terminal and has shared ownership with Petoro. The Company is a majority owner (79%) and operator of the Mongstad ref! inery in ! Norway, which has a crude oil and condensate distillation capacity of 220,000 barrels per day. It is the sole owner and operator of the Kalundborg refinery in Denmark, which has a crude oil and condensate distillation capacity of 118,000 barrels per day. In addition, it has rights to 10% of production capacity at the Shell-operated refinery in Pernis in the Netherlands, which has a crude oil distillation capacity of 400,000 barrels per day. The Company�� methanol operations consist of an 81.7% interest in the gas-based methanol plant at Tjeldbergodden, Norway, which has a design capacity of 0.95 million tons per year. It also operates the Oseberg Transportation System (36.2% interest), including the Sture crude oil terminal.

Technology, Projects and Drilling

Technology, Projects and Drilling (TPD) is responsible, as a global service provider to Statoil, for delivering projects and wells and for providing support through global expertise, standards and procurement. TPD is also responsible developing and implementing new technological solutions. Statoil's research and development portfolio is organized in seven programs covering the upstream building blocks. The research and development organization operates and develops laboratories and test facilities and has an academia program that addresses cooperation with universities and research institutes.

Global Strategy and Business Development

Global Strategy and Business Development (GSB) was established in 2011, with its main office in London. GSB sets the direction for Statoil and identifies, develops and delivers opportunities for global growth.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jon C. Ogg]

    Statoil ASA�(NYSE: STO) was raised to Buy from Neutral at BofA/Merrill Lynch.

    Workday Inc. (NYSE:�WDAY) was reiterated as Buy with a price target raised to $85 from $75 at Canaccord Genuity.

  • [By Paul Ausick]

    In similar fashion, Noble is going to concentrate its efforts on the high-margin deepwater drilling business and leave the shallow-water business. Last May, Noble won a contract with Statoil ASA (NYSE: STO) for a North Sea project in deep water and a harsh environment that Noble hopes will lead to strategic relationship with Statoil in the coming developments in the Arctic.

  • [By Aaron Levitt]

    Prospecting these fields is a technical and expensive undertaking. For firms like Noble that own advanced ultra deepwater drilling rigs, that can mean some serious profits. Already, Noble has been capitalizing on this trend towards deeper waters, as seen with its recent deal with Norway�� Statoil (STO) to prospect the harsh North Sea.

  • [By Cameron Swinehart]

    Going forward I will be looking to add investments on my watchlist and trim other positions. It will be interesting to see how an overweight commodity portfolio will perform relative to the rest of the market.

     Cost Basis# SharesCurrent Price% of PortfolioCurrent ValueReturnMetal/Miners      Sprott Physical Gold Trust (PHYS)$12.4985$11.043.75%$938.40-13.13%Sprott Physical Silver Trust (PSLV)$7.95125$8.744.37%$1,092.509.04%FreePort-McMoran (FCX)$31.6731$33.874.20%$1,049.976.50%Ishares MSCI Global Gold Miners ETF (RING)$13.0695$10.644.04%$1,010.80-22.74%Energy      Statoil ASA(STO)$21.7940$22.683.63%$907.203.92%Vanguard Natural Resources LLC (VNR)$27.5636$27.874.01%$1,003.321.11%ConocoPhillips (COP)$63.6822.43$71.006.37%$1,592.5310.31%Agriculture      CVR Partner LP (UAN)$26.3630.9$18.932.34%$584.94-39.25%Adecoagro$6.78125$7.443.72%$930.008.87%Archer-Daniels Midland (ADM)$34.8030$37.244.47%$1,117.206.55%Mixed Commodity      Powershares DB Commodity Index (DBC)$26.3540$25.954.15%$1,038.00-1.54%Sprott Resource Corp$3.34400$2.714.34%$1,084.00-23.25%    Total % of portfolio49.40%               Cost Basis12,666.00      Current Value12,348.86      Return-2.50%  Source: Investing For The Future Surge In Commodity Prices

    Disclosure: I am long ADM, FCX, UAN, AGRO, RING, VNR, SCPZF.PK, COP, DBC, PHYS, PSLV. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. (More...)

Top Growth Stocks For 2014: First Power and Light Inc (VOLT.PK)

First Power and Light, Inc. (FPL), formerly Mainstream Entertainment, Inc., incorporated on June 24, 2008, is a full service solar installation company. The Company is engaged in the financing, design, installation and maintenance of small to large scale solar installations. The Company�� services include residential, commercial and solar farms.

As of July 22, 2013, the Company has completed over 400 commercial, Federal Government and residential installations. The Company has developed software. Its monitoring software provides both the Company and its customers with a view of their energy generation, consumption and carbon offset through an application available on smart-phones and any device with a Web browser.

Top 5 Energy Companies To Invest In 2014: TotalFinaElf S.A.(TOT)

TOTAL S.A., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated oil and gas company worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Upstream, Downstream, and Chemicals. The Upstream segment engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas. It also involves in the transportation, trade, and marketing of natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as in LNG re-gasification and natural gas storage operations. In addition, this segment engages in the shipping and trade of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG); power generation from gas-fired power plants, nuclear, or renewable energies; production, trade, and marketing of coal, as well as in solar power systems and technology operations. As of December 31, 2010, it had combined proved reserves of 10,695 Mboe of oil and gas. The Downstream segment involves in refining, marketing, trading, and shipping crude oil and petroleum products. It also produces a range of specialty products, s uch as lubricants, LPG, jet fuel, special fluids, bitumen, marine fuels, and petrochemical feedstock. This segment holds interests in 24 refineries located in Europe, the United States, the French West Indies, Africa, and China, as well as operates a network of 17,490 service stations. The Chemicals segment produces base chemicals, including petrochemicals and fertilizers, as well as engages in rubber processing, resins, adhesives, and electroplating activities. TOTAL S.A. was founded in 1924 and is based in Paris, France.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Dan Carroll]

    Outside the defense sector, Chevron's (NYSE: CVX  ) among the only Dow stocks making any headway today: The oil giant's shares are up about 0.2%. Chevron agreed to sell its retail network in Egypt to French competitor Total (NYSE: TOT  ) in a deal announced by the latter today. With more than 1.4 million tons of annual sales in a network consisting�of 66 service stations and other assorted infrastructure, it's a big move for Total as it looks to develop its reach outside of Europe.

  • [By Jon C. Ogg]

    Total S.A. (NYSE: TOT) was raised to Equal Weight from Underweight at Barclays.

    Webster Financial Corp. (NYSE: WBS) was raised to Buy from Neutral with a new $28 price target at Sterne Agee.

  • [By Sara Sjolin]

    Among notable movers in the pan-European index, shares of Total SA (FR:FP) � (TOT) �climbed 3.1% after Barclays lifted the oil giant to equal weight from underweight. The analysts said that the company�� capital markets day was ��nough to convince us that it can control capex more than we had previously anticipated.��

Top 5 Energy Companies To Invest In 2014: Contango Oil & Gas Co (MCF)

Contango Oil & Gas Company (Contango) is an independent natural gas and oil company. The Company�� core business is to explore, develop, produce and acquire natural gas and oil properties onshore and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico in water-depths of less than 300 feet. Contango Operators, Inc. (COI), its wholly owned subsidiary, acts as operator on its properties.

Offshore Gulf of Mexico Activities

Contango, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, COI and its partially owned affiliate, Republic Exploration LLC (REX), conducts exploration activities in the Gulf of Mexico. COI drills, and operates its wells in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as attends lease sales and acquires leasehold acreage. As of August 24, 2012, the Company's offshore production was approximately 83.5 million cubic feet equivalent per day, net to Contango, which consists of seven federal and five state of Louisiana wells in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico. These 12 operated wells produce through the four platforms: Eugene Island 24 Platform, Eugene Island 11 Platform, Ship Shoal 263 Platform, Vermilion 170 Platform and Other Activities.

This third-party owned and operated production platform at Eugene Island 24 was designed with a capacity of 100 million cubic feet per day and 3,000 barrels of oil per day. This platform services production from the Company�� Dutch #1, #2 and #3 federal wells. From this platform, the gas flows through an American Midstream pipeline into a third-party owned and operated on-shore processing facility at Burns Point, Louisiana, and the condensate flows through an ExxonMobil pipeline to on-shore markets and multiple refineries. As of August 24, 2012, it was producing approximately 22.5 million cubic feet equivalent per day, net to Contango, from this platform. The Company finished laying six inches auxiliary flowlines from the Dutch #1, #2, and #3 wells to its Eugene Island 11 Platform and is in the process of redirecting production from the Eugene Island 24! Platform to the Eugene Island 11 Platform.

The Company�� Company-owned and operated platform at Eugene Island 11 was designed with a capacity of 500 million cubic feet equivalent per day and 6,000 barrels of oil per day. These platforms service production from the Company�� five Mary Rose wells, which are all located in state of Louisiana waters, as well as its Dutch #4 and Dutch #5 wells, which are both located in federal waters. From these platforms, it can flow its gas to an American Midstream pipeline through its eight inches pipeline and from there to a third-party owned and operated on-shore processing facility at Burns Point, Louisiana. It can flow its condensate through an ExxonMobil pipeline to on-shore markets and multiple refineries.

The Company�� gas and condensate can flow to its Eugene Island 63 auxiliary platform through its 20 inches pipeline, which has been designed with a capacity of 330 million cubic feet equivalent per day and 6,000 barrels of oil per day, and from there to third-party owned and operated on-shore processing facilities near Patterson, Louisiana, through an ANR pipeline. As of August 24, 2012, it was producing approximately 44.6 million cubic feet equivalent per day, net to Contango, from this platform.

The Company�� owned and operated platform at Ship Shoal 263 was designed with a capacity of 40 million cubic feet equivalent per day and 5,000 barrels of oil per day. This platform services natural gas and condensate production from our Nautilus well, which flows through the Transcontinental Gas Pipeline to onshore processing plants. As of August 24, 2012, it was producing approximately 3.0 million cubic feet equivalent per day, net to Contango, from this platform. As of June 30, 2012, the Company owed a 100% working interest and 80% net revenue interest in this well and platform.

The Company�� owned and operated platform at Vermilion 170 was designed with a capacity of 60 million cubic feet equivalent per ! day and 2! ,000 barrels of oil per day. This platform services natural gas and condensate production from its Swimmy well, which flows through the Sea Robin Pipeline to onshore processing plants. As of August 24, 2012, it was producing approximately 13.4 million cubic feet equivalent per day, net to Contango, from this platform.

On July 10, 2012, the Company spud its South Timbalier 75 prospect (Fang) with the Spartan 303 rig. It has a 100% working interest in this wildcat exploration prospect. On July 3, 2012, the Company spud its Ship Shoal 134 prospect (Eagle) with the Hercules 205 rig. The Company purchased the deep mineral rights on Ship Shoal 134 from an independent third-party. It has a 100% working interest in this wildcat exploration prospect. On December 21, 2011, the Company purchased an additional 3.66% working interest (2.67% net revenue interest) in Mary Rose #5 (previously Eloise North). The Company has a 47.05% working interest (38.1% net revenue interest) in Dutch #5.

Offshore Properties

During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), State Lease 19396 expired and was returned to the state of Louisiana. As of August 24, 2012, the interests owned by Contango through its affiliated entities in the Gulf of Mexico, which were capable of producing natural gas or oil included Eugene Island 10 #D-1, Eugene Island 10 #E-1, Eugene Island 10 #F-1, Eugene Island 10 #G-1, Eugene Island 10 #I-1, S-L 18640 #1, S-L 19266 #1, S-L 19266 #2, S-L 18860 #1, S-L 19266 #3 and S-L 19261, Ship Shoal 263, Vermilion 170 and West Delta 36. As of August 24, 2012, interests owned by Contango through its related entities in leases in the Gulf of Mexico included Eugene Island 11, East Breaks 369, South Timbalier 97, Ship Shoal 121, Ship Shoal 122, Brazos Area 543, Ship Shoal 134 and South Timbalier 75.

Onshore Exploration and Properties

As of August 24, 2012, the Company had invested in Alta Energy Canada Partnership (Alta Energy) to purchase over! 60,000 a! cres in the Kaybob Duvernay. Contango has a 2% interest in Alta Energy and a 5% interest in the Kaybob Duvernay project. On April 9, 2012, the Company announced that through its wholly owned subsidiary, Contaro Company, it had entered into a Limited Liability Company Agreement (the LLC Agreement) to form Exaro Energy III LLC (Exaro). The Company owns approximately a 45% interest in Exaro. Exaro has entered into an Earning and Development Agreement (the EDA Agreement) with Encana Oil & Gas (USA) Inc. (Encana) to provide funding to continue the development drilling program in a defined area of Encana�� Jonah field asset located in Sublette County, Wyoming.

As of June 30, 2012, the Exaro-Encana venture had three rigs drilling, has completed five wells and achieved first production. As of August 24, 2012, the Company had invested to lease approximately 25,000 acres in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale (TMS), a shale play in central Louisiana and Mississippi.

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Top Financial Companies To Invest In 2014


This is part two of my recent commentary on Alcoa. The first part was Alcoa and its CEO. In this part, I will concentrate on the conference calls from 2009 to 2010 and see what direction the business has been taking since the financial crisis.

To better understand the situation, let me put here the chart for Alcoa and Aluminum prices.
[ Enlarge Image ]
Fig 1. Price of Aluminum

[ Enlarge Image ]
Fig 2. Alcoa, stock chart.

Top Financial Companies To Invest In 2014: Fortune Real Estate Inv Trust (F25U.SI)

Fortune Real Estate Investment Trust, through its subsidiaries, engages in the ownership and investment of retail shopping malls in Hong Kong. As of December 31, 2008, it holds a portfolio of 11 retail malls and properties located in Hong Kong. The company was founded in 2003 and is based in Singapore, Singapore.

Top Financial Companies To Invest In 2014: Credit Suisse Group(CS)

Credit Suisse Group AG, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a financial services company. The company operates in three segments: Private Banking, Investment Banking, and Asset Management. The Private Banking segment offers advisory services and a range of wealth management solutions, including pension planning, life insurance products, tax planning, and wealth and inheritance advice for the high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. This segment also supplies banking products and services to affluent, high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, and corporates and institutions. The Investment Banking segment provides investment banking and securities products and services to corporations, governments, pension funds, and institutions. Its products and services include debt and equity underwriting, sales and trading, mergers and acquisitions advice, divestitures, corporate sales, restructuring, and investment research. The Asset Management segment offe rs integrated investment solutions and services to institutions, governments, foundations and endowments, corporations, and individuals. It provides access to a range of investment classes across alternative investment, asset allocation, and traditional investment strategies. The company operates in Switzerland, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific. Credit Suisse Group AG was founded in 1856 and is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Trefis]

    Switzerland signed an agreement late last week that will see about 100 small Swiss banks disclose hidden details about their U.S. operations and pay hefty fines for helping U.S. citizens evade taxes. [1] The agreement also gets an additional 200 Swiss local banks off the hook by giving them a clean record with U.S. authorities. [2] The accord, hence, covers all but the 14 Swiss banks which are currently being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) – Credit Suisse (CS), Julius Baer and HSBC’s Swiss arm among others. The largest Swiss bank, UBS (UBS), already settled tax evasion charges with the U.S. in 2009 for $780 million.

  • [By Vaughan Scully, ,]

    Three of the fund's top 10 holdings��NG Groep (ING), BNP Paribas (Paris:BNP) (US:BNPQY), and Credit Suisse Group (CS)��re European financials that came into the fund beginning in early 2012, when the team began to sense the pessimism regarding the European banking sector was too extreme.

Top 5 Bank Stocks To Buy For 2014: Banca Milano(PMII.MI)

Banca Popolare di Milano Societa Cooperativa a r.l. provides banking and financial services primarily in Italy, Europe, the United States, and Asia. The company offers current and savings accounts, mortgage and personal loans, credit cards, finance leases, and factoring services. It also provides commercial, corporate, and investment banking services; treasury services; financial advisory services; brokerage services; bancassurance products; collective and individual portfolio management services; and open and close-ended mutual funds, and hedge funds. As of 30 June 2011, the company operated a network of 770 retail branches, 4 corporate branches, 10 SME units, and 17 private banking centers, as well as 3 direct branches and 28 financial shops. It also offers telephone and Internet banking services. The company was founded in 1865 and is headquartered in Milan, Italy.

Top Financial Companies To Invest In 2014: Singapore Reinsurance Cor Ltd (S49.SI)

Singapore Reinsurance Corporation Limited operates as a general reinsurance company. It underwrites property, liability, miscellaneous accident, and marine classes on a facultative and treaty basis. The company, through its subsidiaries, also provides various services, including managing the GIA Records Management Centre (GIARMC); providing and supporting the Web-based e-filing system for non-injury motor accident reporting at GIARMC; the Agents' Registration and Continuous Professional Development Management System, a Web- based agents' information system, which is accessible by the General Insurance Association of Singapore, training providers, insurers, and insurance agents; and information technology (IT) systems for insurers, reinsurers, and insurance intermediaries. It also offers IT software development and consultancy services, such as turnkey and systems integration services to businesses; and software solutions to the insurance industry, which include Broker 2000 and Millennium Broker Assistant for the professional insurance intermediaries, and Integrated Reinsurance InfoSystem for the professional reinsurers. In addition, the company provides advertising and consultancy services, such as design, copy-writing, media planning, and the production and printing of promotional media, as well as investment, business, management, international trade, property, human and education, and insurance and marine consultancy services. Further, the company publishes magazines, books, and other publications, as well as organizes conferences and insurance training courses to meet the information needs of insurance and reinsurance practitioners in Asia. Singapore Reinsurance Corporation operates in Singapore, Malaysia, and the other Asian countries. The company was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Singapore, Singapore.

Top Financial Companies To Invest In 2014: One Liberty Properties Inc.(OLP)

One Liberty Properties, Inc., a real estate investment trust (REIT), engages in the acquisition, ownership, and management of commercial real estate properties in the United States. The company�?s property portfolio includes retail furniture stores, as well as industrial, office, flex, health and fitness, and other properties. As of March 31, 2008, it owned 67 properties; holds a 50% tenancy in common interest in 1 property; and owns 4 properties through joint ventures. The company has elected to be treated as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code. As a REIT, it would not be subject to federal income tax, if it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. One Liberty Properties was founded in 1982 and is based in Great Neck, New York.

Top Financial Companies To Invest In 2014: PSB Holdings Inc.(PSBH)

PSB Holdings, Inc. operates as the holding company for Putnam Bank that provides a range of banking services to individual and small business customers located primarily in eastern Connecticut. It accepts various deposit products that include checking, savings, money market deposit accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, and fixed-term certificates of deposit. The company?s loan portfolio comprises one- to four-family residential real estate mortgage loans, including home equity loans and lines of credit; commercial real estate loans comprising multi-family real estate loans; commercial loans; construction mortgage loans primarily secured by single-family properties; and consumer loans, such as loans on new and used automobiles, loans secured by deposit accounts, and unsecured personal loans. It operates seven full service branch offices and one loan origination center. The company was founded in 1862 and is headquartered in Putnam, Connecticut. PSB Holdings, I nc. is a subsidiary of Putnam Bancorp, MHC.

Monday, September 23, 2013

How To Manage Lifestyle Inflation

Most people will spend more money if they have more money to spend. Consider a college graduate who, just embarking on his career, settles into to a comfortable apartment for $750 a month. A couple years later, his salary has increased, so he finds a "better" apartment for $1,250 a month. The old apartment was adequate – good condition, great location, nice neighbors – but the new one is located in a more exclusive neighborhood. Despite the fact that the original living arrangement was fine, he traded up to a more expensive apartment – not because he needed to, but because he could.

When a person advances into a more profitable position at work, his or her monthly expenses typically rise correspondingly. This is a phenomenon known as lifestyle inflation, and it can present a problem, because even though you might still be able to pay your bills, you are limiting your ability to build wealth.

Why Lifestyle Inflation Happens

People have a strong tendency to spend more if they have more. A couple factors are at work here. One is the "keeping-up-with-the-Joneses" mentality. It's not uncommon for people to feel like they have to keep up with their friends' and business associates' buying habits. If everyone drives a BMW to the office, for example, you might feel compelled or pressured to buy one as well, even if your old Honda Accord gets the job done just fine.

Likewise, your house on one side of the city may have been your dream home when you moved in, but with so many of your colleagues talking up life on the other side of the city, suddenly you may feel the need for a new address. Lifestyle inflation creeps into more areas than cars and homes – you can also end up spending more money than you need to (or should) on vacations, dining out, entertainment, boats, private school tuition and wardrobes, just to keep up with the Joneses. Keep in mind that the Joneses are typically servicing a lot of debt over a period of decades to maintain their wealthy appearance. Just because they look rich doesn't mean they are and doesn't mean they are making financially sound decisions.

Another contributing factor to lifestyle inflation is entitlement. You've worked hard for your money so you feel justified in splurging and treating yourself to better things. While this is not always a bad thing, rewarding yourself too much for your hard work can be detrimental to your financial health now and in the future.

Spending More Makes Sense – Sometimes

There may be times when increasing your spending in certain areas makes sense. You may need to upgrade your wardrobe, for example, in order to be dressed appropriately at work following a recent promotion. Or, with the birth of a new baby, you may really need to move into a house with an additional bedroom so the grown-ups can get some sleep. Your situation will change over time – both professionally and personally – and you will likely have to spend more money on things you previously avoided altogether (like a car) or things you could skimp on (like your wardrobe). A certain amount of lifestyle inflation is to be expected as your work and family obligations evolve.

Spending a little extra to improve your quality of life might also make sense – as long as you can afford it. As you advance in your career, for example, you may not have time anymore to mow the lawn and clean the house – unless you use your one day off to take care of such chores. Even though it's an added expense, it's reasonable to spend the money and pay someone else to do it, so you can free up some time to spend with family, friends or doing a hobby you enjoy. Being able to enjoy a bit of free time helps promote a healthy work-life balance and can make you more productive at work.

Avoiding Lifestyle Inflation

While some level of lifestyle inflation may be unavoidable, remember that every spending decision you make today affects your financial situation tomorrow. In other words, that $800 pair of Jimmy Choo heels you just bought is coming straight out of your retirement nest egg. Can you afford to spend that much on shoes? Even if you can, should you?

Even with a substantial pay increase, it's possible (and quite easy) to end up living paycheck to paycheck, just like you did when you were making much less money. That's because the increased spending that results from lifestyle inflation can quickly become a habit: the more you earn, the more you burn. You buy more things than you need just to maintain your new (inflated) standard of living.

Assume you splurged and bought that $800 pair of Jimmy Choos when you were 25 years old. Imagine you had invested that $800 instead. When you reach age 65, your $800 would be worth $5,632, assuming no additional investment and a 5% interest rate return. Even though the shoes are awesome, would you rather have great shoes for a couple years or almost $6,000 extra entering retirement? While some purchases are necessary, it always pays to separate needs (things we have to have for survival, including shoes) from wants (things we would like to have but don't need to survive, like the Jimmy Choos). Keeping needs and wants in mind – and making realistic, honest assessments about whether a potential purchase is a need or a want – can help you make better financial decisions and avoid excessive lifestyle inflation.

Another way to avoid excess spending as you make more money is to save and/or invest a healthy percentage of your increased wages. For example, if you now earn $1,000 extra each month, plan on saving or investing $750 – an extra contribution to your 401(k), adding money to your emergency fund or funding your IRA. If you stash the extra money away, you won't be able to spend it on things that you don't need and that don't really matter.

The Bottom Line

While an income boost is generally welcome, you can be just as broke and in debt whether you're earning $20,000 or $200,000 a year – it depends on how you spend and save your money. Putting some of your good fortune to work through savings and investments and being mindful of the differences between needs and wants can help you manage lifestyle inflation – before it manages you.

Saturday, September 21, 2013

Best Safest Companies To Own In Right Now

LONDON -- Gulf Keystone� (LSE: GKP  ) saw its shares dip slightly today, down 2.5 pence to 149.5 pence, despite revealing plans to drill a new exploration well, to be called Shaikan-7.

The new well, which spudded at the weekend, is the first deep exploration well to be drilled at the company's huge Shaikan discovery in Kurdistan, and is one kilometer east of the original discovery well.

Gulf Keystone said the well will "evaluate the potential for significant quantities of light oil and identify commerciality of the deeper Triassic reservoir. The well is then expected to penetrate the Permian, the deepest undrilled horizon to date on the Shaikan structure."

The total depth of the well is expected to be 4,500 meters, and it could take about nine months to complete.

Best Safest Companies To Own In Right Now: Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras(PBR)

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. primarily engages in oil and natural gas exploration and production, refining, trade, and transportation businesses. The company?s Exploration and Production segment involves in the exploration, production, development, and production of oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and natural gas in Brazil. This segment supplies its products to the refineries in Brazil, as well as sells surplus petroleum and byproducts in domestic and foreign markets. Its Supply segment engages in the refining, logistics, transportation, and trade of oil and oil products; export of ethanol; and extraction and processing of schist, as well as holds interests in companies of the petrochemical sector in Brazil. The Gas and Energy segment involves in the transportation and trade of natural gas produced in or imported into Brazil; transportation and trade of LNG; and generation and trade of electric power. In addition, the segment has interests in natural gas transportation and d istribution companies; and thermoelectric power stations in Brazil, as well engages in fertilizer business. The Distribution segment distributes oil products, ethanol, and compressed natural gas in Brazil. The International segment involves in the exploration and production of oil and gas, as well as in supplying, gas and energy, and distribution operations in the Americas, Africa, Europe, and Asia. Further, the company involves in biofuel production business. Petroleo Brasileiro was founded in 1953 and is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Best Safest Companies To Own In Right Now: Fluor Corporation(FLR)

Fluor Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance, and project management services worldwide. Its Oil & Gas segment offers design, engineering, procurement, construction, and project management services to upstream oil and gas production, downstream refining, chemicals, and petrochemicals industries. This segment also provides consulting services comprising feasibility studies, process assessment, and project finance structuring and studies. The company?s Industrial & Infrastructure segment offers design, engineering, procurement, and construction services to the transportation, wind power, mining and metals, life sciences, manufacturing, commercial and institutional, telecommunications, microelectronics, and healthcare sectors. Its Government segment provides engineering, construction, logistics support, contingency response, management, and operations services to the United States government focusing on the Departme nt of Energy, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Department of Defense. The company?s Global Services segment offers operations and maintenance, small capital project engineering and execution, site equipment and tool services, industrial fleet services, plant turnaround services, temporary staffing services, and supply chain solutions. Its Power segment provides engineering, procurement, construction, program management, start-up and commissioning, and operations and maintenance services to the gas fueled, solid fueled, plant betterment, renewables, nuclear, and power services markets. The company also offers unionized management and construction services in the United States and Canada. Fluor Corporation was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Irving, Texas.

Top 5 Warren Buffett Companies To Watch For 2014: Under Armour Inc.(UA)

Under Armour, Inc. develops, markets, and distributes performance apparel, footwear, and accessories for men, women, and youth primarily in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It offers products made from moisture-wicking synthetic fabrics designed to regulate body temperature and enhance performance regardless of weather conditions. The company provides its products in three fit types: compression (tight fitting), fitted (athletic cut), and loose (relaxed) extending across the sporting goods, outdoor, and active lifestyle markets. Its footwear offerings comprise football, baseball, lacrosse, softball, and soccer cleats; slides; performance training footwear; and running footwear. The company also provides baseball batting, football, golf, and running gloves, as well as licenses bags, socks, headwear, custom-molded mouth guards, and eyewear that are designed to be used and worn before, during, and after competition. Under Armour sells its products through retai l stores, as well as directly to consumers through its own retail outlets and specialty stores, Website, and catalogs. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland.

Best Safest Companies To Own In Right Now: Goldman Sachs Group Inc.(The)

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides investment banking, securities, and investment management services to corporations, financial institutions, governments, and high-net-worth individuals worldwide. Its Investment Banking segment offers financial advisory, including advisory assignments with respect to mergers and acquisitions, divestitures, corporate defense, risk management, restructurings, and spin-offs; and underwriting securities, loans and other financial instruments, and derivative transactions. The company?s Institutional Client Services segment provides client execution activities, such as fixed income, currency, and commodities client execution related to making markets in interest rate products, credit products, mortgages, currencies, and commodities; and equities related to making markets in equity products, as well as commissions and fees from executing and clearing institutional client transactions on stock, options, and fu tures exchanges. This segment also engages in the securities services business providing financing, securities lending, and other prime brokerage services to institutional clients, including hedge funds, mutual funds, pension funds, and foundations. Its Investing and Lending segment invests in debt securities, loans, public and private equity securities, real estate, consolidated investment entities, and power generation facilities. This segment also involves in the origination of loans to provide financing to clients. The company?s Investment Management segment provides investment management services and investment products to institutional and individual clients. This segment also offers wealth advisory services, including portfolio management and financial counseling, and brokerage and other transaction services to high-net-worth individuals and families. In addition, it provides global investment research services. The company was founded in 1869 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Friday, September 20, 2013

Market Wrap-Up for Sept. 10 (GS, V, NKE, BAC, more)

Despite all the bearish warnings heading into September, the month has gotten off to a decidedly bullish start. Stocks all around the globe rallied today, helped by better-than-expected economic data from China. The U.S. indices are rallied as well, extedning yesterday’s significant gains.

Dow 30 Shake Up

Probably the most widely-covered story on Wall Street this morning was the shake up in the components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. It was announced that Goldman Sachs (GS), Visa (V), and Nike (NKE) would replace Bank of America (BAC), Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), and Alcoa (AA) on the widely-watched (and scrutinized) 30-stock index. These changes will be put into effect after the closing bell on Friday, September 20th.

Because of these moves, investors and traders are sent shares of Goldman Sachs, Visa, and Nike higher this morning. Hewlett-Packard and Alcoa shares edged slightly lower on the day, while Bank of America shares rallied along with the rest of the financial stocks.

Stocks on the Rise

Other stocks getting a bump today were Cisco Systems (CSCO), after the company announced an acquisition, Wal-Mart (WMT), after it announced a new smartphone trade-in program, Pep Boys (PBY), after its second-quarter earnings call pleased investors, and Casey General Stores (CASY), following its investor-pleasing first quarter earnings release.

Top 10 Biotech Companies To Own For 2014

Wall Street analysts’ upgrades helped shares of Raytheon (RTN), Masco Corp. (MAS), National-Oilwell (NOV), Merck (MRK), and Marvell Technology (MRVL) head into positive territory as well today.

Stocks on the Decline

Due to the news that a resolution might be on the horizon in Syria, the price of oil and gold have been sliding in today’s trading. As such, stocks like Hess Corp. (HES), Anadarko Petroleum (APC), Goldcorp (GG), Barrick Gold (ABX), and other energy and gold mining stocks were dragged into negative territory.

Other stocks on the decline today were PVH Corp (PVH