Natural gas and propane utility operator Chesapeake Utilities (NYSE: CPK ) announced yesterday that as of May 31�it had completed the acquisition of Eastern Shore Gas (ESG) along with its affiliate Eastern Shore Propane (ESP), both indirect, wholly owned subsidiaries of Energy Equity Partners�that provide propane gas to residents of Worcester County, Md.
Chesapeake subsidiary Sandpiper Energy will operate ESG while subsidiary Sharpgas will operate ESP's assets. Management says that because its own interstate natural gas pipeline operations have already made major expansionary moves into Worcester County, it will look to convert ESG's propane facilities into natural gas.
Chesapeake Utilities CEO�Michael P. McMasters said: "The acquisition of the operating assets of ESG by Sandpiper Energy is a key next step in our growth �strategy, enabling us to significantly expand our footprint in Worcester County.� ... Over the next few months, we will evaluate the potential conversion of the ESG facilities from propane to natural gas.� We will proceed with conversions where economically feasible."
Top Gas Companies To Buy Right Now: Sealed Air Corporation(SEE)
Sealed Air Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides food safety and security, facility hygiene, and product protection solutions worldwide. Its Food Packaging segment provides shrink bags and vacuum packaging products; packaging materials for cook-in applications; laminated and coextruded rollstock packaging materials used in thermoforming and form, fill, and seal applications; and associated packaging equipment and systems, including bag loaders, dispensers, and vacuum chamber systems. The company?s Food Solutions segment offers case-ready packaging offerings; ready meals packaging technologies; vertical pouch packaging solutions for packaging flowable food products; foam and plastic trays; absorbent products for food packaging; and related packaging equipment, including vacuum chamber systems. Its Protective Packaging segment provides air cellular packaging materials; polyolefin performance shrink films for product display; shrink packaging equipment systems; pol yurethane foam packaging systems that provide protective packaging; lightweight and tear-resistant mailers and bags; inflatable packaging systems; paper cushioning systems that include recycled paper and automated dispensing equipment; paper packaging products; and suspension and retention packaging products. The company?s Diversey Segment offers a range of products and services, such as kitchen cleaning products; food and beverage and manufacturing and processing products; floor care products and systems; restroom care and other housekeeping products; and laundry products, as well as consulting services. Sealed Air Corporation also provides specialty materials products to fabricators and manufacturers; and medical applications products and solutions to medical device manufacturers and pharmaceutical companies. The company markets its products primarily under the Bubble Wrap, Cryovac, and Diversey brands. Sealed Air Corporation was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in El mwood Park, New Jersey.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By ovenerio]
The company has a current ROE of 14.5% which is higher than the industry median. Also, it is higher than the ones exhibit by Sealed Air Corp (SEE) and Sonoco Products Co (SON). In general, analysts consider ROE ratios in the 15-20% range as representing attractive levels for investment. So for investors looking at those levels, MeadWestvaco Corp (MWV) and Packaging Corp of America (PKG) could be the options. It is very important to understand this metric before investing, and it is important to look at the trend in ROE over time.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
On the upside, Sealed Air (SEE) has gained 8.4% to $30.90 after it said it earned 39 cents share, beating forecasts for 34 cents, and offered strong guidance. Gilead Sciences (GILD) has risen 4.3% to $72.50 after it reported a profit of 52 cents, beating forecasts for 48 cents.
- [By Lee Jackson]
Basic Materials: Sealed Air Corp. (NYSE: SEE) is top pick at other firms that we cover on Wall Street as well. Credit Suisse believes that following the recent (October) management change at the company, Sealed Air will significantly improve its profitability and cash flows while also deleveraging its sizable debt load, with both of these things driving significant shareholder value. The price target for the stock is posted at $36. The Thomson/First Call estimate is at $33. Investors are paid a 1.9% dividend. Credit Suisse is the high target on Wall Street and would represent a 31% gain for investors. The stock closed Tuesday at $27.48.
Hot Forestry Stocks For 2014: Compass Diversified Holdings (CODI)
Compass Diversified Holdings is a public investment firm specializing in acquiring controlling stakes in small to middle market companies. The firm seeks to make middle market and buyout investments. It seeks to invest in industries such as manufacturing, distribution, consumer products, and business services. The firm prefers to invest in companies based in North America with a preferred transaction size between $60 million and $300 million in value, cash flows between $5 million and $40 million, with enterprise values between $50 million and $250 million, and a minimum EBITDA of $10 million. It seeks to acquire controlling ownership interests in its portfolio companies and can also make additional platform acquisitions. The firm makes investments through balance sheet. Compass Diversified Holdings was founded in 2005 and is based in Westport, Connecticut. Compass Diversified Holdings operates as a subsidiary of The Compass Group LLC.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Eric Volkman]
Compass Diversified Holdings (NYSE: CODI ) is holding its dividend steady for its Q2. For the tenth quarter in a row, the company will pay a distribution of $0.36 per share, the company announced this week.
- [By Rick Munarriz]
I went out on a limb last week, and now it's time to see how that decision played out.
I predicted that Clean Energy Fuels (NASDAQ: CLNE ) would close higher on the week. The provider of natural gas fueling solutions for transportation has been posting narrowing losses, and Wall Street was eyeing a 35% surge in revenue. The company was a solid report. Revenue came in a little light, but bottom-line results improved nicely. Shares of Clean Energy Fuels moved slightly higher on the week. I was right. I predicted that the tech-heavy Nasdaq would outperform the Dow Jones Industrial Average. (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) . This has been a tricky call lately, so how did it play out this time? Well, the market had a strong run this week, fueled be encouraging economic news. Secondary stocks led the way, with the Nasdaq soaring 1.7% on the week. The Dow managed to close just 1% higher. I was right. My final call was for Compass Diversified Holdings (NYSE: CODI ) to beat Wall Street's quarterly profit target. The investor in several middle-market companies has been posting blowout quarterly results over the past year, and I was banking on seeing the trend continue. Analysts were looking for a profit of $0.36 a share during the quarter, but Compass Diversified failed to beat the prognosticators. I was wrong.Two out of three? I'll take it. That makes me eight of nine over the past three weeks.
- [By Rick Munarriz]
Compass Diversified Holdings (NYSE: CODI ) owns several middle-market businesses. From printed circuit boards to gun safes -- from upholstered furniture to personal hydration products -- Compass lives up to the "Diversified" in its moniker.
- [By Rich Smith]
Westport, Conn.-based Compass Diversified Holdings (NYSE: CODI ) will soon have a new CFO.
On Thursday, the diversified holding company of manufacturing, distribution, consumer products, and services businesses announced that current Chief Financial Officer James J. Bottiglieri intends to retire from the company on November 30, 2013. At that time, he will be replaced by newly promoted CFO Ryan J. Faulkingham (although Bottiglieri will remain on the Board of Directors).
Hot Forestry Stocks For 2014: Ethan Allen Interiors Inc (ETH)
Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (Ethan Allen), incorporated in May 25, 1989, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Ethan Allen Global, Inc. and Ethan Allen Global, Inc.�� subsidiaries, is a manufacturer and retailer of home furnishings and accessories, offering a complement of home decorating and design solutions through home furnishing retail networks. The Company operates in two segments: wholesale and retail. As of June 30, 2013, the Company operated 147 design centers and its independent retailers operated 148 design centers. Its wholesale segment net sales include sales to its retail segment and sales to its independent retailers. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2013 (fiscal 2013), independent retailers opened 11 new design centers, acquired two from the Company, closed 12, and sold two to the Company.
The Company�� customer service offerings include gift card, on-line room planning and Ethan Allen Consumer Credit Programs. Gift Card allows customers to purchase gift cards through its Website or at any participating retail design center, which can be redeemed for any of its products or services. The Company offers, through its Website, an online room planning resource, which serves to assist consumers with their home decorating needs. Through the use of this Web-based tool, customers can determine which of its product offerings fit their particular needs based on their own individual home floor plan. The Ethan Allen Finance Plus program offers consumers (clients) a menu of custom financing options through the use of just one account.
Wholesale Segment
The wholesale segment, principally involved in the development of the Ethan Allen brand, encompasses all aspects of design, manufacture, sourcing, sale, and distribution of its range of home furnishings and accessories. Wholesale revenue is generated upon the wholesale sale and shipment of its products to its network of independently operated design centers and Company-operated design centers through its na! tional distribution center and one other smaller fulfillment center. The Company�� domestic manufacturing is included in the results of the wholesale segment. The Company operates four case plants (including one sawmill), three upholstery plants (two upholstery plants on its Maiden, North Carolina campus and one cut and sew plant in Mexico) and one home accessory plant. The Company also source selected case goods, upholstery, and home accessory items from third-party suppliers located both domestically and outside the United States.
Retail Segment
The retail segment sells home furnishings and accessories to consumers through a network of Company-operated design centers. During fiscal 2013, the Company opened seven design centers acquired two from independent retailers, closed four design centers and sold two to our independent retailers. As of June 30, 2013, the Company�� network of approximately 300 retail design centers and approximately 4,000 independent members of the Interior Design Affiliate program benefit from these marketing efforts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dividends4Life]
Memberships and Peers: LEG is a member of the S&P 500, a Dividend Aristocrat, a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers��Index and a Dividend Champion. The company's peer group includes: Hooker Furniture Corp. (HOFT) with a 2.7% yield, Flexsteel Industries Inc. (FLXS) with a 1.8% yield and Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (ETH) with a 1.6% yield.
Hot Forestry Stocks For 2014: Arrium Ltd (ARRMF)
Arrium Limited is an international mining and materials company. The Company�� principal activities are mining and supply of iron ore and other steelmaking raw materials to steel mills internationally and in Australia; the manufacture and supply of mining consumables products globally; the manufacture and distribution of steel long products and recycling of ferrous and non-ferrous scrap metal. Its key businesses include Mining, Mining Consumables, Steel and Recycling. Arrium Mining is an exporter of hematite ore with operations in South Australia. Arrium Mining also supplies pelletised magnetite iron ore and some hematite lump iron ore to the Company�� integrated steelworks. Arrium Mining Consumables supplies resource companies with a range of key mining consumables, including grinding media, wire ropes and rail wheels. Arrium�� integrated Steel and Recycling include OneSteel Manufacturing, long products steel manufacturing business, and OneSteel Distribution. Advisors' Opinion:- [By MARKETWATCH]
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australian stocks rose modestly in early Tuesday trade, with the market reacting to a mixed batch of earnings. The S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) added 0.2% to 5,391.80, with BHP Billiton Ltd. (AU:BHP) (BHP) rising 1.7% after its July-December profit almost doubled from a year earlier, beating forecasts. However, smaller rival Arrium Ltd. (AU:ARI) (ARRMF) added 2.5% after reporting a swing back to profit. Other miners got a bump up from rising commodity prices, as Newcrest Mining Ltd. (AU:NCM) (NCMGF) gained 2.3% and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (AU:FMG) (FSUMF) added 1.2%, though Oz Minerals Ltd. (AU:OZL) (OZMLF) slipped 0.4%. Shares of Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd. (AU:CCL) (CCLAF) slumped 5.1% after the drinks firm saw a more than 80% drop in 2013 profit, weighed by a writedown on its fruit-processing business. Packaging firm Amcor Ltd. (AU:AMC) (AMCRF) lost 4.6% after its fiscal-first-half profit fell by about a third.
Hot Forestry Stocks For 2014: Portola Pharmaceuticals Inc (PTLA)
Portola Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Portola), incorporated on September 2, 2003, is a biopharmaceutical company developing product candidates that have the potential to represent advances in the fields of thrombosis and hematology. The Company is advancing its three wholly owned programs using biomarker and genetic approaches.
Betrixaban
Portola's compound, betrixaban, is an oral, once-daily Factor Xa inhibitor being evaluated in the only biomarker-based Phase-III study for hospital to home prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in acute medically ill patients. Betrixaban's properties particularly suited to potentially demonstrate efficacy without increasing bleeding in this patient population.
Andexanet Alfa
Portola's second development candidate, andexanet alfa (PRT4445), has the potential to be a reversal agent to directly reverse the effects of Factor Xa inhibitors in patients who suffer a bleeding episode or who require emergency surgery. Portola has entered into clinical collaboration agreements with all of the manufacturers of direct Factor Xa inhibitors, including Bristol-Myers Squibb and Pfizer (Eliquis [apixaban]), Bayer HealthCare and Janssen Pharmaceuticals (XARELTO [rivaroxaban]), and Daiichi Sankyo (Savaysa [edoxaban]), while retaining all decision-making and commercial rights to the program.
Cerdulatinib (PRT2070) and PRT2607
Portola's third wholly owned product candidate, cerdulatinib (PRT2070), is an orally available kinase inhibitor that uniquely inhibits two validated tumor proliferation pathways - spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) and janus kinase (JAK). It is being studied in patients with leukemias or lymphomas with a focus on genetically-defined subtypes, as well as in patients who have failed therapy due to relapse or acquired mutations. Portola's fourth program is partnered with Biogen Idec and is focused on the development of PRT2607, a selective Syk inhibitor.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Todd Campbell]
That leads me to Medivation (NASDAQ: MDVN ) , Ophthotech (NASDAQ: OPHT ) , and Portola (NASDAQ: PTLA ) , three companies with important therapies that may very well be destined to become top sellers.
Hot Forestry Stocks For 2014: Chimera Investment Corporation (CIM)
Chimera Investment Corporation operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) in the United States. The company, through its subsidiaries, invests in residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS), residential mortgage loans, commercial mortgage loans, real estate-related securities, and other asset classes. Its targeted asset classes include agency or non-agency RMBS; prime, jumbo prime, and Alt-A mortgage loans; first or second lien loans secured by multifamily properties, mixed residential or other commercial properties, retail properties, office properties, or industrial properties; and asset-based securities (ABS), including commercial mortgage-backed securities, debt and equity tranches of collateralized debt obligations, and consumer and non-consumer ABS. The company has elected to be treated as a REIT for federal income tax purposes and would not be subject to income tax, if it distributes at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its share holders. Chimera Inve stment Corporation was founded in 2007 and is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Maxfield]
"Nepotism has never been unknown in American banking," Martin Mayer wrote in The Greatest-Ever Bank Robbery, his 1990 book about the savings-and-loan crisis. While Mayer was referring to American Continental, the notoriously corrupt holding company run into the ground by the infamous Charles Keating in the 1980s, his point rings true today in the case of Annaly Capital Management (NYSE: NLY ) and its publicly traded portfolio company Chimera Investment (NYSE: CIM ) .
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