The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) opened 10 points lower than its record-high close yesterday. Though yesterday's gains were boosted by positive economic data, investors seem to be pulling back due to continued uncertainty revolving around the Fed's plan for its stimulus policy. As of this writing, the Dow is down 172 points and headed lower.
Economic data releases are limited today, with only the MBA mortgage purchase application survey coming out this morning. The newest data shows an 8.8% decrease in application activity, driven by a 12% decrease in refinancing applications. Since refinancing activity accounts for 71% of the overall applications, this data is not necessarily a bad sign for the housing market. Purchase applications for new mortgages increased 3% versus the previous week, and with the recent home price data showing a rise in prices due to higher demand, mortgage applications may begin commanding a bigger share of the applications activity.
Top 10 Specialty Retail Companies To Buy Right Now: SearchCore Inc (SRER)
SearchCore, Inc., formerly General Cannabis, Inc., incorporated in 2003, is a technology service provider. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was engaged in the medicinal cannabis industry. The Company assists the physicians, dispensaries, and end-users within the medicinal cannabis industry in finding each other and in advertising their businesses. All of its operations are conducted through its wholly owned subsidiaries. On January 5, 2012, WeedMaps, LLC (WeedMaps) acquired substantially all the assets of MMJMenu, LLC. On October 31, 2011, General Merchant Solutions, Inc. discontinued all retail credit card processing operations. On January 11, 2011, the Company acquired all the assets of Revyv, LLC. On December 31, 2012, the Company acquired Sports Asylum, Inc. In February 2013, it acquired ModularHomes.com.
WeedMaps Media, Inc. is its wholly owned subsidiary, and its primary operation is the Internet Website, www.weedmaps.com. WeedMaps.com is an online finder site service that allows patients to find local medical cannabis dispensaries, which are also referred to as collectives. Dispensaries are locations where patients who have received letters of recommendation from a healthcare provider can purchase medicinal cannabis, as well as a variety of other non-cannabis related items including, but not limited to, apparel accessories, posters, bumper stickers, concert tickets, books and musical compact disc�� (CD��).
General Marketing Solutions, Inc. is its wholly owned subsidiary, and its primary operation is the Internet Website, www.cannabiscenters.com. General Management Solutions, Inc. is its wholly owned subsidiary that oversees and provides all of the human resources issues for employees, including hiring, terminating and employee benefits. The Company has two additional wholly owned subsidiaries; General Processing Corporation, CannaCenters Corporation (CannaCenters), and two subsidiaries, namely LV Luxuries Incorporated (which operated as makeup.com) and General ! Health Solutions, Inc. (CannaCenters.com).
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap communications or Internet stocks American Community Development Group Inc (OTCMKTS: ACYD), Globalstar, Inc (OTCMKTS: GSAT) and SearchCore Inc (OTCMKTS: SRER) have been rather quiet lately for investors after making some noise back in September. Nevertheless, all three are still getting some mentions in various investment newsletters or alerts and not because they are the subject of paid promotions. So are these small cap stocks about to make some noise? Here is a closer look:
Hot Prefered Companies To Own In Right Now: 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 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 Robert Rapier]
Twenty-thirteen opened with one of Royal Dutch Shell’s (NYSE: RDS-A) two Arctic drilling rigs breaking free from a tow ship and running aground off the coast of Alaska. Shell sent the two Arctic drilling rigs to Asia for extensive repairs. The accident prompted more calls for restrictions on oil exploration in the Arctic. Shell wants to try again in 2014, but Senate Democrats are asking for a delay in further Arctic oil exploration.
Nevertheless, oil companies rushed north to explore for oil. Norway awarded 24 oil and gas exploration licences to 29 companies, mostly in the Arctic Barents Sea. The licenses were scooped up by international majors like Shell, BP (NYSE: BP), ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP), Total (NYSE: TOT) and Statoil (NYSE: STO), in hopes of reviving Norway’s falling oil production.
Other Arctic nations are also pushing forward with plans for oil exploration in the Arctic. Russia has aggressively defended its interests there, seizing a Greenpeace ship and detaining its crew after the group attempted to interfere with Russia’s Arctic drilling.
- [By David Smith]
Also, as with its competitors, Halliburton registered meaningful achievements during the quarter, including the above-mentioned new contracts with Petrobras (NYSE: PBR ) in Brazil. Those four-year contracts can be expanded for a second equal term, and potentially could result in more than $2.0 billion in revenue for Halliburton. In addition, the company will provide multilateral technology for a pair of mature Statoil (NYSE: STO ) fields in Norway. That work is based upon a three-year contract, with a pair of possible two-year extensions.
Hot Prefered Companies To Own In Right Now: Encana Corporation(ECA)
Encana Corporation and its subsidiaries engage in the exploration for, development, production, and marketing of natural gas, oil, and natural gas liquids. The company owns interests in resource plays that primarily include the Greater Sierra, Cutbank Ridge, Bighorn, and Coalbed Methane resource plays located in British Columbia and Alberta, as well as the Deep Panuke natural gas project offshore Nova Scotia in Canada. It also holds interests in resource plays comprising the Jonah in southwest Wyoming, Piceance in northwest Colorado, Haynesville in Louisiana, and Texas resource play, including east Texas and north Texas. The company serves primarily local distribution companies, industrials, energy marketing companies, and other producers. Encana Corporation was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By David Smith]
Far and wide
Fox's latest version ranges somewhat more widely than its predecessor. Oh sure, there's plenty of attention to environmental damage attributable to Cabot Oil & Gas' (NYSE: COG ) fracking operations in Dimock, Pa., the epicenter of the first film. But�the follow-up also spends considerable time in Pavillion, Wyo., where the Environmental Protection Agency has contended that hydraulic fracturing by Encana (NYSE: ECA ) has sullied the local aquifer. Only lately has the EPA turned over a second investigation into the matter to Wyoming state authorities.
Hot Prefered Companies To Own In Right Now: Intuitive Surgical Inc.(ISRG)
Intuitive Surgical, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets da Vinci surgical systems for various surgical procedures, including urologic, gynecologic, cardiothoracic, general, and head and neck surgeries. Its da Vinci surgical system consists of a surgeon?s console or consoles, a patient-side cart, a 3-D vision system, and proprietary ?wristed? instruments. The company?s da Vinci surgical system translates the surgeon?s natural hand movements on instrument controls at the console into corresponding micro-movements of instruments positioned inside the patient through small puncture incisions, or ports. It also manufactures a range of EndoWrist instruments, which incorporate wrist joints for natural dexterity for various surgical procedures. Its EndoWrist instruments consist of forceps, scissors, electrocautery, scalpels, and other surgical tools. In addition, it sells various vision and accessory products for use in conjunction with the da Vinci Surgical System as surgical procedures are performed. The company?s accessory products include sterile drapes used to ensure a sterile field during surgery; vision products, such as replacement 3-D stereo endoscopes, camera heads, light guides, and other items. It markets its products through sales representatives in the United States, and through sales representatives and distributors in international markets. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Wallace Witkowski]
Intuitive Surgical Inc. (ISRG) shares dropped 6.8% to $372.11 on moderate volume as the surgical robot maker reported third-quarter revenue that slipped below Wall Street expectations and said it faces pressure from soft hospital spending.
- [By John Divine]
Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG ) shareholders couldn't get too psyched about upcoming earnings for the simple fact that the company revealed that earnings would be terrible this quarter. The robotic medical equipment innovator decided to warn shareholders about their optimism late Monday, and shares subsequently plummeted 16.2%. The company thinks sales will increase just 6% in the second quarter, blaming stingy health insurers and a weak economy for the stagnant growth.�
- [By Steven Russolillo]
For instance, the worst-performing S&P 500 component –�Newmont Mining Corp. — is down 48% this year. In December, the stock is down 3.6%. Abercrombie & Fitch Co.(ANF) is off 30% this year, including a 2.6% decline this month. Intuitive Surgical Inc.(ISRG), which has dropped 25% this year, is down 2.6% in December.
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