Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Top 5 Shipping Companies To Watch For 2014

Getting stuff from point A to point B has been going on for a long time; there's nothing really new to the concept here. Global shipping goliath United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS  ) has been doing a bang-up job of it for years -- since 1907, in fact, when the company was founded. Today, it's the world's largest package delivery company and in 2012 it was responsible for delivering 4.1 billion packages (16.3 million pieces per day) and brought in more than $54 billion in sales.

The chart below shows how UPS has performed over the last five years:

UPS Total Return Price�data by�YCharts.

Moat-ilicious
We often hear the word "moat" thrown around when we're looking at companies as potential investments. It was Warren Buffett who said: "In business, I look for economic castles protected by unbreachable 'moats.'" Simply put, a moat is a company's competitive advantage and the wider and deeper it is, the tougher it is for other competitors to infringe upon it.

Top 5 Shipping Companies To Watch For 2014: CST Brands Inc (CST)

CST Brands, Inc., incorporated on November 7, 2012 , is a retailer of transportation fuels and convenience goods in North America. As of April 30, 2013, the Company operated 1,032 Corner Stores throughout the United States, including Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona and California. Its stores also provide prepared foods. In May 2013, the Company announced that the Company which includes Corner Store and Depanneur du Coin, spun off from Valero Energy Corporation.

The Company offers a range of products, such as snack foods, tobacco products, beverages and fresh foods, including its own brands: Fresh Choices sandwiches, salads and packaged goods; U Force energy drinks; Cibolo Mountain coffees (the United States); Transit Cafe coffee and bakery (Canada); FC bottled sodas, and Flavors 2 Go fountain sodas. Its Corner Store locations also provide in-store Subway sandwich shops.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    Another potential earnings short-squeeze trade is CST Brands (CST), a retailer of transportation fuels and convenience goods in North America, which is set to release its numbers Tuesday before the market open. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect CST Brands to report revenue of $3.19 billion.

    The current short interest as a percentage of the float for CST Brands is very high at 19.4%. That means that out of the 55.66 million shares in the tradable float, 11.75 million shares are sold short by the bears. If the bulls get the earnings news they're looking for, then this stock could easily rip substantially higher post-earnings as the bears rush to cover some of their bets.

    From a technical perspective, CST is currently trending above its 50-day moving average, which is bullish. This stock has been trending sideways for the last three months, with shares moving between $30.31 on the downside and $33.96 on the upside. A high-volume move above the upper-end of its recent range could trigger a major breakout trade for shares of CST post-earnings.

    If you're in the bull camp on CST, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $32.99 to its all-time high at $33.96 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 1.29 million shares. If that breakout hits, then CST will set up to enter new all-time high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $40 to $45 a share.

    I would simply avoid CST or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout and then drops back below its 50-day moving average of $32.12 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then CST will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major support levels at $31.06 to $30.31 a share. Any high-vol

Top 5 Shipping Companies To Watch For 2014: Green Plains Renewable Energy Inc. (GPRE)

Green Plains Renewable Energy, Inc. engages in the production, marketing, and distribution of ethanol and related distillers grains in the United States. It also involves in grain warehousing and marketing; selling and servicing agronomy and petroleum products; the production and sale of corn oil; and the marketing and distribution of company-produced and third-party ethanol and distillers grains. The company was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Nickey Friedman]

    Other biofuel companies
    Unlike KiOR, Renewable Energy Group (NASDAQ: REGI  ) and Green Plains Renewable Energy (NASDAQ: GPRE  ) are ending the year with stock prices at more than double where they started it due to their excellent operational performance. For example, last quarter Renewable Energy Group reported revenue leaped 42% to $458.4 million. Net income had a dramatic turnaround, from a loss of $6.9 million to positive $78.5 million or $2.31 per share, though $42.1 million of that was an IRS tax benefit. Analysts expect Renewable Energy Group to report positive EPS of $1.66 next year while KiOR is expected to lose nearly a buck per share.

  • [By STOCKPICKR]

     

    Green Plains (GPRE) produces, markets, and distributes ethanol in the U.S. This stock closed up 4.8% at $31.54 in Monday's trading session.

     

    Monday's Volume: 1.54 million

    Three-Month Average Volume: 1.03 million

    Volume % Change: 50%

     

    From a technical perspective, GPRE spiked sharply higher here and broke out above some near-term overhead resistance at $30.94 with above-average volume. This spike higher on Monday is quickly pushing shares of GPRE within range of triggering of triggering another big breakout trade. That trade will hit if GPRE manages to clear Monday's intraday high of $31.89 to its 52-week high of $32.60 with high volume.

     

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in GPRE as long as it's trending above some near-term support at $30 or above its 50-day at $28.59 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 1.03 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then GPRE will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $35 to $40.

     

  • [By Tristan R. Brown]

    Three months ago I wrote that the stock performance YTD of independent ethanol producer Pacific Ethanol (PEIX) was an "aberration", especially in light of the performance of its industry peers' shares. The discrepancy between Pacific Ethanol's share price and those of its peers has only grown more pronounced since July (see figure). Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE) and REX American Resources (REX) have continued to greatly outperform the S&P 500. Even Biofuel Energy, which fell behind on its interest and debt payments over the summer and is facing a shareholder-ruining liquidation, has seen its share price perform significantly better than Pacific Ethanol's in 2013. The oddest part about the stock's performance over the last three months, however, is that the period has been marked by multiple positive announcements from the company. It late July it reported its first positive EPS in almost two years for Q2 (0.07). Its Q2 EBITDA of $3.8 million was its highest since Q4 2011. Its current ratio is well above its previous lows, its ratio of total assets to total liabilities is increasing, and its total shareholders' equity is at a 3-year high. Despite these improvements, the company's price/book ratio is a mere 0.77.

Top 5 Asian Stocks To Invest In 2015: Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc.(SNSS)

Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the development and commercialization of oncology therapeutics for the treatment of solid and hematologic cancers. The company?s principal product includes Vosaroxin, an anti-cancer quinolone derivative for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It is conducting various clinical trials of Vosaroxin, including Phase II clinical trial, known as VALOR trial in combination with cytarabine for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory AML; and a Phase II clinical trial, known as REVEAL-1 in previously untreated patients of age 60 years or older, as well as completed a Phase II single-agent trial of Vosaroxin in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. In addition, the company is conducting a Phase II/III trial, known as the Less Intensive 1 in patients older than 60 years with AML or high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome. It has a license agreement with Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co. , Ltd. for the development and commercialization of Vosaroxin; a collaboration agreement with Millennium for the development of pan-Raf kinase inhibitor and one additional undisclosed kinase inhibitor program in oncology; and a collaboration agreement with Biogen Idec, Inc. to discover, develop, and commercialize small molecule inhibitors of a preclinical kinase inhibitor program in immunology. The company formerly known as, Mosaic Pharmaceuticals, Inc., was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Brian Pacampara]

    Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, biopharmaceutical company Sunesis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SNSS  ) has received an alarming one-star ranking.

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    In trading on Thursday, healthcare shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.64 percent. Top decliners in the sector included Sunesis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SNSS), off 5.6 percent, and NewLink Genetics (NASDAQ: NLNK), down 6.3 percent.

Top 5 Shipping Companies To Watch For 2014: Pinnacle West Capital Corporation(PNW)

Pinnacle West Capital Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides retail and wholesale electric services primarily in the State of Arizona. The company involves in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity through coal, nuclear, gas and oil, and solar resources. It also offers energy-related products and services, such as energy master planning, energy use consultation and facility audits, cogeneration analysis and installation, and project management with a focus on energy efficiency and renewable energy to commercial and industrial retail customers in the western United States. In addition, the company owns minority interests in various energy-related investments and Arizona community-based ventures; and develops residential, commercial, and industrial real estate projects in Arizona, Idaho, New Mexico, and Utah. As of December 31, 2010, it owned or leased approximately 6,290 mega watts of regulated generation capacity; and serviced approximately 1.1 million customers. Pinnacle West Capital Corporation was founded in 1920 and is based in Phoenix, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Now don’t misunderstand. Gordon isn’t telling investors to avoid all regulated utilities. He has some favorites, including American Electric Power (AEP), Dominion Resources (D), ITC Holdings (ITC), Pinnacle West Capital (PNW) and Westar Energy (WR).

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Iron Mountain has gained 2.6% to $26.55 at 3:05 p.m., making it the fourth-best performer in the S&P 500, ahead of WPX Energy (WPX), which has gained 2.4% to $19.94, Pinnacle West Capital (PNW), which has gained 2.3% to $53.55 and Dominion Resources (D), which has risen 2.1% to $59.85.

  • [By David Dittman]

    Early solar movers have subtracted rate-payers, which eats at revenue. Utilities must continue to invest in infrastructure, and that requires rate increases. But higher electricity rates make solar installation seem less expensive, raising incentives to go solar and further eroding the rate-payer base. It’s a potentially vicious cycle for utilities.
    Arizona regulators recently ruled that Pinnacle West Capital Corp (NYSE: PNW) can charge customers who install solar panels a fee based on their continued reliance on the grid, a trend that could have legs around the US.

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