Though Shell (NYSE: RDS-A ) recently said it would "pause" its Alaska�oil campaign due to various setbacks, other oil majors are getting to ready plow more investment dollars into the potentially lucrative region.
Most Recently, BP (NYSE: BP ) ��along with ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM ) and ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP ) ��said it plans to invest an additional $1 billion in the North Slope of Alaska over the next five years, spurred by a tax reform signed into law in May that makes drilling in the region more attractive to oil companies. �
In the Prudhoe Bay oil field on Alaska's northern coast, BP says it will boost capital spending by about 30%, with plans to add two onshore rigs in addition to the seven already operating there. The Prudhoe Bay field is jointly owned by BP, which commands a 26% stake, Exxon and Conoco, who each own 36% of the project, and Chevron, which has the remaining 1%.
The three companies are also mulling over a plan to drill more wells and remove bottlenecks from current facilities ��initiatives aimed to boost Prudhoe's production ��that would require an additional $3 billion in capital investment.
Top 10 Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Air Lease Corporation (AL)
Air Lease Corporation engages in the purchase and leasing of commercial aircraft to airlines worldwide. The company also provides fleet management and remarketing services, including leasing, re-leasing, lease management, and sales services to investors and/or owners of aircraft portfolios. As of December 31, 2011, it had a fleet of 102 aircraft comprising 81 single-aisle jet aircraft, 19 twin-aisle widebody aircraft, and 2 turboprop aircraft. The company was founded in 2010 and is based in Los Angeles, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Shahida Humayun]
To cut costs and keep their options open, more airlines are choosing to lease planes, rather than buy them. This strategy helps airlines avoid the expenses of actually owning jets, and gives them more freedom to change the size and makeup of their fleets as needed. In the booming aircraft leasing industry, Air Lease�(NYSE: AL)�looks like your best investment option, for five compelling reasons.
- [By Alex Planes]
Boeing also announced a new, larger version of the Dreamliner at the Paris Air Show last month. Initial orders have already rolled in from several airlines -- United Continental (NYSE: UAL ) signed up to buy 20 of the new birds, and Air Lease (NYSE: AL ) and Singapore Airlines both plunked down a big order for 30 of the larger Dreamliners apiece. The updated 787-10 Dreamliner attacks the Airbus A350's target market, and is expected to offer better fuel efficiency than the comparable Airbus jet. However, EasyJet decided to go with Boeing's rival, placing a massive order for 135 planes from Airbus, 100 of which will be A320neos.
- [By Rich Smith]
If you ask devoted Boeing (NYSE: BA ) shareholders why they own it, they'll tell you there are about 787 good reasons to buy Boeing stock today -- and maybe more. Yesterday, Boeing announced that it's landed 102 orders for its most advanced Dreamliner airplane yet, the 787-10, with United Airlines (NYSE: UAL ) signing up to buy 20 of the new birds, and Air Lease (NYSE: AL ) and Singapore Airlines tying in the race to buy the most -- 30 Dreamliner-10s apiece.
- [By John Udovich]
Yesterday around midday,�Netherlands based aviation leasing stock�AerCap Holdings N.V. (NYSE: AER) began surging on rumors and closed up 11.6%, meaning its probably time to take a closer look at those rumors along with aviation leasing peers like small caps or mid caps�Aircastle Limited (NYSE: AYR), Air Lease Corp (NYSE: AL), Fly Leasing Ltd (NYSE: FLY) and AeroCentury Corp (NYSEMKT: ACY).
Best Consumer Service Companies To Own In Right Now: Astoria Financial Corp (AF)
Astoria Financial Corporation, incorporated on June, 14, 1993, is the unitary savings and loan association holding company of Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association (Astoria Federal). The Company�� principal business is the operation of its wholly owned subsidiary, Astoria Federal. Astoria Federal�� primary business is attracting retail deposits from the general public and investing those deposits, together with funds generated from operations, principal repayments on loans and securities and borrowings, primarily in one- to four-family mortgage loans, multi-family mortgage loans, commercial real estate loans and mortgage-backed securities. Astoria Federal also invests in consumer and other loans, the United States Government, government agency and government-sponsored enterprise (GSE), securities and other investments.
Lending Activities
The Company�� loan portfolio consists primarily of mortgage loans. As of December 31, 2012, 74% of its total loan portfolio was secured by residential properties and 24% was secured by multi-family properties and commercial real estate. The remainder of the loan portfolio consists of a variety of consumer and other loans, including commercial and industrial loans originated in 2012 through its business banking initiatives. As of December 31, 2012, its net loan portfolio totaled $13.08 billion, or 79% of total assets. The Company originates mortgage loans either directly through its banking and loan production offices in New York or indirectly through brokers and its third party loan origination program. It also originates mortgage loans for sale. The Company�� primary lending focus is on the origination and purchase of first mortgage loans secured by one- to four-family properties that serve as the primary residence of the owner.
The Company also originates multi-family and commercial real estate loans. As of December 31, 2012, multi-family mortgage loans totaled $2.41 billion, or 18% of its total loan portfolio,! and commercial real estate loans totaled $773.9 million, or 6% of its total loan portfolio. At December 31, 2012, $264.1 million, or 2%, of the Company�� total loan portfolio consisted of consumer and other loans which were primarily home equity lines of credit. The Company also offers overdraft protection, lines of credit, commercial loans and passbook loans. Consumer and other loans, with the exception of home equity and commercial lines of credit, are offered primarily on a fixed rate, short-term basis.
Investment Activities
At December 31, 2012, the Company�� securities portfolio totaled $2.04 billion, or 12%, of total assets. The Company does not use derivatives for trading purposes. Its securities portfolio consists primarily of mortgage-backed securities. At December 31, 2012, its mortgage-backed securities totaled $1.94 billion, or 95%, of total securities, of which $1.92 billion, or 94%, of total securities, were real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMIC) and collateralized mortgage obligation (CMO) securities, substantially all of which had fixed rates. Of the REMIC and CMO securities portfolio, $2.35 billion, or 98.7%, are guaranteed by Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) or Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) as issuer. At December 31, 2012, its securities available-for-sale totaled $336.3 million and its securities held-to-maturity totaled $1.7 billion. At December 31, 2012, it had no investments in repurchase agreements and federal funds sold.
Sources of Funds
The Company�� primary source of funds is the cash flow provided by its investing activities, including principal and interest payments on loans and securities. Its other sources of funds are provided by operating activities and financing activities, including deposits and borrowings. The Company offers a variety of deposit accounts with a range of interest rates and terms. It offers ! passbook ! and statement savings accounts, money market accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal (NOW) and demand deposit accounts, liquid certificates of deposit (Liquid CDs), and certificates of deposit, which include all time deposits other than Liquid CDs. Liquid CDs have maturities of three months, require the maintenance of a minimum balance and allow depositors the ability to make periodic deposits to and withdrawals from their account. At December 31, 2012, its deposits totaled $10.44 billion. Of the total deposit balance, $1.28 billion, or 12%, represented individual retirement accounts during the year ended December 31, 2012. It held no brokered deposits at December 31, 2012. Core deposits represented 53.3% of total deposits at December 31, 2011. Reverse repurchase agreements are accounted for as borrowings and are secured by the securities sold under the agreements. At December 31, 2012, borrowings totaled $4.37 billion. It also obtains advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank of New York (FHLB-NY).
Subsidiary Activities
In addition to Astoria Federal, the Company has two other subsidiaries, AF Insurance Agency, Inc. and Astoria Capital Trust I. AF Insurance Agency, Inc. is a life insurance agency. Through contractual agreements with various third parties, AF Insurance Agency, Inc. makes insurance products available primarily to the customers of Astoria Federal. Astoria Federal�� wholly owned subsidiaries include AF Agency, Inc., Astoria Federal Savings and Loan Association Revocable Grantor Trust, Astoria Federal Mortgage Corp. (AF Mortgage), Fidata Service Corp. (Fidata), Marcus I Inc. and Suffco Service Corporation (Suffco). AF Agency, Inc. makes various annuity products available to the customers of Astoria Federal through an unaffiliated third party vendor. AF Mortgage is an operating subsidiary through which Astoria Federal engages in lending activities outside the State of New York through its third party loan origination program. Fidata mortgage loans totaled $5.09 bi! llion at ! December 31, 2012. Suffco serves as document custodian for the loans of Astoria Federal and Fidata and certain loans being serviced for Fannie Mae and other investors.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jonathan Morgan]
Air France-KLM Group (AF), Europe�� second-biggest airline by sales, retreated 2.8 percent. Mediaset SpA climbed 2.8 percent after Credit Suisse Group AG raised its price target on the Italian broadcaster. Serco Group Plc added 2.7 percent after predicting that its revenue growth in the first half will exceed its previous estimates.
- [By Namitha Jagadeesh]
International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG) and Air France-KLM (AF) Group rose with as a gauge of travel stocks as oil prices fell after Iran�� accord. PSA Peugeot Citroen gained 3.7 percent after people familiar with the matter said its chief executive officer plans to step down next year. Fresenius Medical Care AG surged the most in five years after U.S. regulators scrapped a plan to cut Medicare payments next year.
Best Consumer Service Companies To Own In Right Now: StealthGas Inc.(GASS)
StealthGas Inc., a ship-owning company, through its subsidiaries, provides international seaborne transportation services worldwide. The company transports petroleum gas products in liquefied form, including propane, butane, butadiene, isopropane, propylene, and vinyl chloride monomer. It also transports refined petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel, crude oil, fuel oil, jet fuel, edible oils, and chemicals. As of January 9, 2012, the company had a fleet of 33 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers with a total capacity of 153,088 cubic meters, 3 medium range product tankers, and 1 Aframax oil tanker. It serves LPG producers comprising national and independent energy companies, energy traders, and industrial users. StealthGas Inc. was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Athens, Greece.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sally Jones]
StealthGas Inc. (GASS) - Yield 0.00%
StealthGas Inc. is up 38% over 12 months. The current share price is around $9.40, down 11% since John Keeley made a new buy as of June 30, 2013.
- [By Tim Melvin]
Several shipping stocks have already started to move higher this year, but in a fashion that will be typical of the volatility in the sector, we saw an opportunity created this week. StealthGas (GASS) reported earnings that fell well short of analyst expectations, and the stock plummeted by almost 8 percent for the week.
Best Consumer Service Companies To Own In Right Now: Walter Energy Inc.(WLT)
Walter Energy, Inc. produces and exports metallurgical coal for the steel industry primarily in the United States. The company also produces thermal and industrial coal, anthracite, metallurgical coke, coal bed methane gas, and other related products. It principally serves electric utility and industrial customers. The company was formerly known as Walter Industries, Inc. and changed its name to Walter Energy, Inc. in April 2009. Walter Energy, Inc. was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Weinstein]
Lawsuit after lawsuit, a billion dollars in cost overruns, taxpayer subsidies and the most expensive coal plant to operate causing electric rates to skyrocket, if this becomes the norm. The new project is called Plant Ratcliffe by Southern Co. Plant Ratcliffe is quite the boondoggle, but proponents say it always costs more to build the first one and costs will come down as the technology improves. More plants are in the planning stages and may bring a needed shot in the arm to mining stocks. Alpha Natural Resources (ANR), Walter Energy (WLT), Arch Coal (ACI), Cliffs Natural Resources (CLF), Peabody Energy (BTU), and James River Coal (JRCC) are companies that may benefit from increased demand for coal. Not all coal or coal companies are equal, so it's crucial to discriminate based on your investment time-horizon goals. With that said, the announcement should have been followed by a deep sell-off in coal and utility related stocks. But something happened. Or, rather, didn't happen. The above coal stocks didn't sell off tremendously and are largely moving along with the rest of the market today. This is noteworthy because stocks don't bottom on good news, they reach a bottom on awful news. Let me explain: When a stock chart continues trending lower, what you're witnessing is investors throwing in the towel and moving on. Leaving aside bankruptcies for a moment, almost all stocks have a core group of investors that are commonly known as the "strong hands." A stock is at the bottom when the weak hands are gone. At some point, distressing news (like an unfavorable EPA announcement regarding coal) hits the wire and the related stock or stocks react with little or no movement. This is what we are witnessing right now in coal-related companies.
- [By Monica Gerson]
Walter Energy (NYSE: WLT) fell 4.55% to $7.97 after UBS downgraded the stock from Neutral to Sell.
Alpha Natural Resources (NYSE: ANR) shares slipped 4.30% to $4.67 after UBS downgraded the stock from Neutral to Sell.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
One name that's quickly pushing within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Walter Energy (WLT), which is a producer and exporter of metallurgical coal for the global steel industry. This stock has been rocked by the shorts so far in 2013, with shares off sharply by 66%.
If you take a look at the chart for Walter Energy, you'll notice that this stock has been downtrending badly for the last six months, with shares plunging from over $40 to its recent low of $9.87 a share. During that downtrend, shares of WLT have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of WLT have now formed a double bottom over the last month, with shares finding buying interest as $9.87 and then at $9.96. This stock has started to rebound higher off that double bottom area, and it's now quickly moving within range of triggering a major breakout trade.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in WLT if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $11.94 to its 50-day moving average of $12.39 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average volume of 9.32 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then WLT will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $14.74 to $17.50 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give WLT a chance to tag $20 a share.
Traders can look to buy WLT off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below today's low of $11.59 a share, or right below $11 a share. If we get weakness below those levels, then I would key off of those double bottom levels at $9.96 to $9.87 a share. One could also buy WLT off strength once it takes out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
Thi
- [By James Brumley]
On the surface, the news that the Environmental Protection Agency is cracking down on carbon dioxide emissions seems like the beginning of the end for coal stocks like Peabody Energy (BTU), Walter Energy (WLT) and Arch Coal (ACI).
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