Park the Prius: Pump prices are heading lower for the second straight summer. But even as individual drivers get more for less, shifting preferences could sideline some auto investors. I'll look at the price predictions, and I'll outline two winners and two losers from this latest trend.
Pump it up
The Energy Information Administration released its 2013 Summer Fuels Outlook report (link opens a PDF) this week, and things are looking up for gas prices to head down. According to the report, summer retail gasoline prices will drop to a national average of $3.63 per gallon, $0.03 below 2012's summer and $0.08 below 2011's price tag.
Two winners
Heavyweights win on this latest news. In the game of supply and demand, cheaper gas prices make gas guzzlers more affordable for Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Ford (NYSE: F ) and General Motors (NYSE: GM ) are revving up their latest line of pickups, and new sales could pour in with less wear on drivers' wallets. General Motors announced last week that its new Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra will sport the most fuel-efficient V-8 engines in their market. The Silverado's 5.3-liter engine will get a whopping 23 mpg, with more pulling power than any of its competitors.
Hot Semiconductor Companies To Invest In Right Now: Popular Inc.(BPOP)
Popular, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides a range of retail and commercial banking products and services primarily to corporate clients, small and middle size businesses, and retail clients in Puerto Rico and Mainland United States. It offers deposit products; commercial, consumer, and mortgage loans, as well as lease finance; and finance and advisory services. The company also offers trust and asset management, brokerage and investment banking, and insurance and reinsurance services. As of December 31, 2010, it owned and occupied approximately 94 branch premises and other facilities in Puerto Rico; and 119 offices, including 20 owned and 99 leased in New York, Illinois, New Jersey, California, Florida, and Texas. Popular, Inc. was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Maria Armental var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach]
Popular Inc.(BPOP), Puerto Rico’s largest bank, said Wednesday that regulators approved its plan to repay the $935 million rescue package it received during the financial crisis. Popular was the U.S. government’s largest remaining crisis-era bailout after auto-lender Ally Financial Inc.(ALLY), which has paid back more than the $17.2 billion bailout it received during the financial crisis as a result of going public in April.
- [By John Udovich]
For investors looking for exposure to the US commonwealth of Puerto Rico, banking stocks Doral Financial Corp (NYSE: DRL), First Bancorp (NYSE: FBP), OFG Bancorp (NYSE: OFG) and Popular Inc (NASDAQ: BPOP) offer the best bet as these Puerto Rico stocks trade on major US exchanges rather than the OTC. However, it should be mentioned that there has been a slowdown in Puerto Rico�� economy which has also shrunk in five of the past seven fiscal years. Then last�February, Puerto Rico�� debt was cut to speculative grade by the three largest credit-rating companies while�Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla has proposed a series of budget cuts to help tackle the island�� mounting debt load -including the freezing public workers��salaries and the closing about 100 schools.
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Popular (NASDAQ: BPOP) shares tumbled 5.54 percent to $27.48 after Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock from Equal-weight to Underweight.
Pacific Coast Oil Trust (NYSE: ROYT) down, falling 7.13 percent to $16.70 after the company priced a public offering by Pacific Coast Energy Company LP and other selling unitholders of 13,500,000 trust units at a price of $17.10 per unit.
- [By Paul Ausick]
Among multinationals, Sterne Agee recommends three banks. The first is Puerto Rico�� Popular Inc. (NASDAQ: BPOP). The mid-cap bank�� stock closed at $28.21 on Friday in a 52-week range of $20.31 to $34.34. Based on Sterne Agee�� 2014 price target of $40.00, Popular has an upside potential of nearly 42% and a 2014 EPS estimate of $2.90. The investment firm�� forward multiple is just 9.6, below the Thomson Reuters consensus multiple of 10.3. Popular received TARP funds in 2009 and could repay the loan in the first quarter of next year, which will give the stock a shot in the arm as well.
Top 10 Cheap Companies To Watch For 2014: Capstone Turbine Corporation(CPST)
Capstone Turbine Corporation develops, manufactures, markets, and services turbine generator sets and related parts for use in stationary distributed power generation applications. Its stationary distributed power generation applications include cogeneration combined heat and power (CHP), integrated (CHP), resource recovery, and secure power, as well as combined cooling, heat, and power; and its products are used as battery charging generators for hybrid electric vehicle applications. The company primarily offers microturbine units, subassemblies, and components. It also provides various accessories, including rotary gas compressors with digital controls, heat recovery modules for CHP applications, dual mode controllers that allow automatic transition between grid connect and stand-alone modes, batteries with digital controls for stand-alone/dual-mode operations, power servers for multipacked installations, and protocol converters for Internet access, as well as frames, ex haust ducting, and installation hardware. Further, it remanufactures microturbine engines; and provides after-market parts and services, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, and factory and on-site training services. The company?s microturbines can be fueled by various sources, including natural gas, propane, sour gas, landfill or digester gas, kerosene, diesel, and biodiesel. It primarily sells its products directly to end users, as well as through distributors in North America, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Russian Federation, and South America. Capstone Turbine Corporation was founded in 1988 and is based in Chatsworth, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rick Munarriz]
Capstone Turbine (NASDAQ: CPST ) -- $1.30
Things are finally starting to happen for the microturbine maker. Revenue is growing at a healthy clip, and analysts see Capstone finally turning a quarterly profit later this year. - [By Dan Caplinger]
Capstone Turbine (NASDAQ: CPST ) will release its quarterly report on Monday, and investors have been increasingly optimistic about the microturbine maker's immediate prospects. Yet, even though the company's stock rose recently to its best levels in almost three years, Capstone still has to demonstrate that its niche offerings give it a viable market that is too insignificant for larger rivals General Electric (NYSE: GE ) and Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT ) to go after.
- [By Tyler Crowe and Aimee Duffy]
Over the past couple weeks Capstone Turbine (NASDAQ: CPST ) shares have launched into orbit on the news that the company had secured several orders for its microturbines. But 40% in a month? On the surface, it seems a bit silly that a company could gain that much on a couple news stories about sales. For a company like Capstone, which has struggled with sales, this kind of news is exactly what shareholders were looking for.
Top 10 Cheap Companies To Watch For 2014: Kohl's Corporation(KSS)
Kohl?s Corporation operates department stores in the United States. The company?s stores offer private and exclusive, as well as national branded apparel, footwear, and accessories for women, men, and children; soft home products, such as sheets and pillows; and housewares primarily to middle-income customers. As of January 29, 2011, it operated 1,089 stores in 49 states. The company also offers on-line shopping on its Web site at Kohls.com. Kohl?s Corporation was founded in 1962 and is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sam Mattera]
AFP/Getty Images TVs stand out as one of the premiere, big-ticket items of Black Friday. Even Kohl's (KSS), a store known for its clothing (not electronics), will have a few in stock that day, in an attempt to lure in a few extra bargain hunters. With so many different stores running specials, and all the different models on sale, there are literally dozens of different Black Friday TVs to choose from. While there are plenty of great deals available, a few stand out as being particularly noteworthy. Head to Walmart for the All-Around Cheapest Flat-Screen TV Walmart (WMT) will be selling a 32-inch LED Funai for just $98, making it one of the very cheapest TVs on sale this year. Discriminating buyers, however, should likely stay away -- Funai isn't in the same league as Sony (SNE) or Panasonic (PCRFY) when it comes to picture quality, and this particular set is just 720p (in contrast to full-HD 1080p). If you've never heard of Funai, the company generally sells its TVs under the Sylvania and Magnavox brands, two budget names not exactly known for their quality. Nevertheless, $98 for a 32-inch LED is hard (perhaps impossible) to beat. Shoppers looking for the cheapest flat-screen they can get their hands on should plan to be at Walmart Thanksgiving night. For a Great Deal on a Quality Samsung, Hit h.h. gregg At h.h. gregg (HGG), they'll also be offering a 32-inch LED, but unlike Walmart's Funai deal, this is on a model known for its quality. The set, Samsung's UN32EH5300, was declared one of the best 32-inch LCD TVs you can buy by LCD TV Buying Guide for 2012. It sports full-HD 1080p, and comes equipped with Samsung's smart TV suite -- owners can access digital content from sites like Netflix (NFLX) and Youtube. h.h. gregg will sell the TV for $299.99, what it claims is a 33 percent discount. Right now, Amazon (AMZN) is charging about $330 for the TV as part of its "Countdown to Black Friday" sale, making the h.h. gregg discount closer to 10 percent. (O
Top 10 Cheap Companies To Watch For 2014: AeroVironment Inc.(AVAV)
AeroVironment, Inc. designs, develops, produces, and supports unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and efficient energy systems for various industries and governmental agencies. Its UAS provide intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, including real-time tactical reconnaissance, tracking, combat assessment, and geographic data to the small tactical unit or individual war fighter. The UAS wirelessly transmit critical live video and other information generated by their payload of electro-optical or infrared sensors directly to a hand-held ground control system, enabling the operator to view and capture images during the day or at night on a hand-held ground control unit. AeroVironment also provides spare equipment, alternative payload modules, batteries, chargers, repair services, and customer support for the UAS. In addition, the company produces industrial productivity and clean transportation solutions for commercial and government customers, develops potential clean t ransportation solutions, and performs contract engineering services; offers PosiCharge electric vehicle charging systems for industrial electric material handling fleets, electric vehicle charging systems for passenger and fleet vehicles, and power cycling and test systems for developers and manufacturers of plug-in electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as battery packs, electric motors, and fuel cells; and supplies power cycling and test systems to research and development organizations that focus on developing electric propulsion systems, electric generation systems, and electricity storage systems. It supplies its UAS primarily to the organizations within the United States department of defense. AeroVironment, Inc. was incorporated in 1971 and is headquartered in Monrovia, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Ringo Chiu/Zuma Press/Alamy There were plenty of winners and losers this week, including a fast-growing pastry shop that ran out of dough and had to shut its stores, and a maker of unmanned aircraft vehicles soaring after a blowout quarterly report. Here's a rundown of the week's best and worst. Nikola Tesla -- Winner Funding for a Nikola Tesla museum was announced on Thursday with Telsa Motors (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk is contributing $1 million to build the homage to Tesla on the grounds of the inventor's lab in Long Island. Brainy humorist Matthew "The Oatmeal" Inman has been championing a museum to honor the underrated visionary, taking to Twitter a few months ago to appeal for Musk's financial contribution. It worked. The museum's getting built. Musk gets one step closer to becoming Tony "Iron Man" Stark incarnate. And Tesla Motors does the right thing by honoring the man that gave it its name. The Container Store (TCS) -- Loser Remember when retailers dismissed concerns about sloppy holiday showings because of the snowstorms that blanketed a lot of the country in December and January? Remember how those same retailers then blamed the Easter holiday shift -- from March last year to April this year -- as a reason for the slow traffic the following quarter? Well, it seems that many chains are still stumbling, and they're running out of excuses. "We thought our sluggish sales were all because of weather and calendar shifts that began last November and continued into the spring, but now we've come to realize it's more than weather and calendar," The Container Store's CEO said on Tuesday. Kip Tindell blamed his storage and housewares store's weakness on a "retail funk" that's going around. Symptoms include "traffic declines" a "tepid retail environment" and "challenging sales." The Container Store warned that it will fall short of its earlier profit and sales targets for this fiscal year. Comparable store sales declined during the quarter ending in May, an
- [By Travis Hoium]
It's not easy being a government supplier these days. Small-drone manufacturer AeroVironment (NASDAQ: AVAV ) is finding that out ��� terrible fiscal fourth quarter has to give investors pause about the company's growth.
Top 10 Cheap Companies To Watch For 2014: Cloud Peak Energy Inc(CLD)
Cloud Peak Energy Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in coal mining operations in the Powder River Basin of the United States. It produces sub-bituminous steam coal with low sulfur content for electric utilities and industrial customers. The company owns and operates Antelope surface coal mine located to the south of Gillette, Wyoming; the Cordero Rojo surface coal mine located to the south of Gillette, Wyoming; and the Spring Creek surface coal mine located in Montana. It also owns a 50% interest in the Decker surface coal mine located in Montana. As of December 31, 2010, it had approximately 970 million tons of proven and probable reserves. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Gillette, Wyoming.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Aaron Levitt]
Simply put, the coal stocks trio of Peabody Energy (BTU), Alpha Natural Resources (ANR) and Cloud Peak Energy (CLD) could be some of the biggest bargains out all energy stocks.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Shares of Cloud Peak Energy (CLD) have fallen 3.3%, for instance, while Peabody Energy has dropped 12%, Alpha Natural Resources has plunged and Arch Coal (ACI) has plummeted. Consol Energy (CNX), which is as much a gas company as a coal miner, has gained.
- [By Johanna Bennett]
As for specific stocks, the Goldman analysts issued five ratings changes:
Upgrade CONSOL Energy to Buy given strong production growth at its E&P segment, improving cash flow from the coal business and potential for asset sales/restructuring to help realize its SOTP value. Downgrade Arch Coal to Sell due to high leverage, peak valuations and low free cash flow levels. Neutral Ratings on Cloud Peal Energy (CLD), Alpha Natural Resources (ANR) and Walt Energy (WLT): Goldman downgrade Cloud to a Neutral given a lower production outlook and a reduced PRB price forecast. The firm upgraded Alpha and Walt to Neutral from Sell, predicting that met coal prices have bottomed.Arch Coal has fallen 5.7% to day to $4.26, followed by Cloud Pearl, down 3.4% to $14.68, and a 3% drop by Walt Energy to $14.10. Alpha Natural dropped 2.8% to $6.10. And CONSOL fell 0.9% to $33.46.
- [By Joshua Bondy]
Not all coal is the same. Utilities can buy relatively clean, low-sulfur Powder River Basin coal from�Cloud Peak Energy (NYSE: CLD ) , or stick to more traditional dirty sources. �China and the U.S. are tiring of highly polluting coal, and Cloud Peak Energy is a critical part of the solution.
Top 10 Cheap Companies To Watch For 2014: Merck & Company Inc.(MRK)
Merck & Co., Inc. provides various health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products. The company?s Pharmaceutical segment provides human health pharmaceutical products, such as therapeutic and preventive agents for the treatment of human disorders in the areas of bone, respiratory, immunology, dermatology, cardiovascular, diabetes and obesity, infectious diseases, neurosciences and ophthalmology, oncology, vaccines, and women's health and endocrine. This segment also offers human health vaccines, such as preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines. Its Animal Health segment discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets animal health products. This segment offers antibiotics, anti-inflammatory products, vaccines, products for the treatment of fertility disorders, and parasiticides for cattle, swine, horses, poultry, dogs, cats, salmons, and fish. The Consumer Care segment develops, manufac tures, and markets over-the-counter, foot care, and sun care products. Its over-the-counter product line includes non-drowsy antihistamines; treatment for occasional constipation; decongestant-free cold/flu medicine for people with high blood pressure; nasal decongestant spray; and treatment for frequent heartburn. This segment?s foot care products comprise topical antifungal, and foot and sneaker odor/wetness products; and sun care products include sun care lotions, sprays and dry oils; and sunburn relief products. The company serves drug wholesalers and retailers, hospitals, government agencies, physicians, physician distributors, veterinarians, animal producers, and managed health care providers, as well as food chain and mass merchandiser outlets in the United States and Canada. Merck & Co., Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Orelli]
Merck (NYSE: MRK ) -- which sells Zetia and its combination products, Vytorin and recently approved Liptruzet -- seems like the most obvious choice. AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN ) might also be a good fit since it sells Crestor, a cholesterol-lowering statin that could be combined with Vascepa in a single pill.
- [By Brian Orelli]
Getting to the market first is usually a big advantage, but I'm not sure if it'll actually help simeprevir to beat sofosbuvir by a month. Johnson & Johnson is asking for approval of the drug in combination with pegylated interferon and ribavirin. Pegylated interferon drugs -- Merck's (NYSE: MRK ) PegIntron and Roche's Pegasys -- both have to be injected and cause unpleasant side effects.
- [By Alex Planes]
Technology and pharmaceuticals gained a permanent foothold in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) on June 29, 1979. The index added IBM (NYSE: IBM ) and Merck (NYSE: MRK ) that day, replacing floundering automaker Chrysler and food-products company Esmark for only its second component swap in the previous 20 years -- still the slowest rate of changes in Dow history.
Top 10 Cheap Companies To Watch For 2014: Alliance Holdings GP L.P.(AHGP)
Alliance Holdings GP, L.P., through its subsidiaries, produces and markets coal primarily to utilities and industrial users in the United States. It produces a range of steam coal with varying sulfur and heat contents. The company operates nine underground mining complexes in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, and West Virginia. As of December 31, 2010, it had approximately 697.4 million tons of proven and probable coal reserves in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. In addition, the company leases land; and operates a coal loading terminal, with a capacity of 8.0 million tons with ground storage of approximately 60,000 to 70,000 tons, on the Ohio River at Mt. Vernon, Indiana. Further, it engages in purchasing and selling coal; and providing services, including ash and scrubber sludge removal, coal yard maintenance, and arranging alternate transportation services. Alliance GP, LLC, serves as the general partner of the company. Allian ce Holdings GP, L.P. is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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 Alliance Holdings GP (Nasdaq: AHGP ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. - [By Robert Rapier]
The National Association of Publicly Traded Partnerships (NAPTP) lists five MLPs in the category ��atural Resources – Coal,��although two of the five are Alliance Holdings (NYSE: AHGP) and its operating affiliate, Alliance Resource Partners (NYSE: ARLP). The other three are Natural Resource Partners (NYSE: NRP), Rhino Resource Partners (NYSE: RNO), and Oxford Resource Partners (NYSE: OXF).
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