I've been following the remarkable rise of the railroads as the preferred shipment option for our increased crude oil production. Last year, crude oil and petroleum products delivered by rail rose by over 30%. This was driven primarily by the rise in production coming out of North Dakota's Bakken region.
Bakken producers like Continental Resources (NYSE: CLR ) seem to have a sweet spot for this age-old mode of transportation. The company and its peers had been producing more oil than the current pipeline infrastructure could handle. That created a huge differential between the price of Bakken crude and that of U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate. However, thanks to the rails, that differential has come down significantly.
In one of the best quotes from earlier this year, Continental President and COO Rick Bott told investors: "We've recently seen a significant improvement in Bakken oil price differentials, reflecting higher volumes being shipped by rail to the coasts and the anticipation of increased pipeline capacity ... We now have excess transportation capacity in both pipe and rail, and, with additional infrastructure projects in the planning and construction stages, capacity should remain ahead of Bakken production growth."
10 Best Quality Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Carrefour SA (CRERF)
Carrefour SA is a France-based company that is primarily engaged in retail distribution sector. The Company operates a network of hypermarkets, supermarkets, hard discount stores, convenience stores and cash-and-carry outlets and offers e-commerce services. The Company's hypermarkets named Carrefour offer a range of food and non-food products. Carrefour SA�� hypermarkets, supermarkets and convenience stores are operating under the Carrefour city, Carrefour contact, Carrefour express, 8aHuit, Shopi, Marche Plus, Proxi banners and cash & carry stores are operating under the Promocash banner, which primarily offer food, clothing and household goods, among others. The Company operates in mainland France and French overseas territories, as well as in Europe, Asia, Latin America, North Africa and the Middle East through a network of consolidated and franchised stores, and stores that Carrefour SA runs with partner companies. In January 2014, it acquired 129 convenience stores. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sophia Yan]
Carrefour (CRERF) has also shuttered many stores, and is reported to be exploring a sale of its China and Taiwan businesses.
Hypermarkets -- big box stores that combine supermarkets and department stores -- first opened up in China's largest cities over a decade ago. And it's no wonder companies such as Wal-Mart have been keen to get a slice of the market.
Top 10 Railroad Stocks To Own Right Now: China Ceramics Co. Ltd.(CCCL)
China Ceramics Co., Ltd. engages in the manufacture and sale of ceramic tiles used for exterior siding, interior flooring, and design in residential and commercial buildings primarily in the People's Republic of China. It offers porcelain tiles, glazed tiles, glazed porcelain tiles, rustic tiles, and ultra-thin tiles under the Hengda, Hengdeli, TOERTO, and WULIQIAO brand names. The company primarily sells its products through a distributor network, as well as directly to property developers. China Ceramics Co., Ltd. is based in Jinjiang City, the People's Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
China Ceramics Co (NASDAQ: CCCL) shares fell 2.40% to touch a new 52-week low of $1.63. China Ceramics shares have dropped 35.27% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 19.70% in the same period.
Top 10 Railroad Stocks To Own Right Now: iShares MSCI Spain Capped ETF (EWP)
iShares MSCI Spain Index Fund (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of publicly traded securities in the aggregate in the Spanish market, as measured by the MSCI Spain Index (the Index). The Index seeks to measure the performance of the Spanish equity market. The Index is a capitalization-weighted index that aims to capture 85% of the (publicly available) total market capitalization. Component companies are adjusted for available float and must meet objective criteria for inclusion in the Index. The Index is reviewed quarterly.
The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tom Aspray]
Even more surprising is Spain whose unemployment rate is over 26%. The iShares MSCI Spain (EWP) was down 6% for the year in late June, but is now up over 11%. All three look positive technically but are closing the week above their starc+ bands indicating that we should get a better entry point in the next few weeks.
- [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, the iShares MSCI Spain Capped Index� (NYSEMKT: EWP ) has received the dreaded one-star ranking.
- [By Tom Aspray]
One of the more surprising developments of the past month or so has been the strong performance by some of the European country ETFs. Leading the pack is Spain as the iShares MSCI Spain (EWP) is up about 10% since the December 18 taper lows but did give up some ground last week.
- [By Matthew McCall]
iShares MSCI Spain Index ETF (NYSE: EWP)
Overnight, a surprise fall in the inflation number out of Spain had a ripple affect across the region. The 0.2 percent annual rate decline in consumer prices was the weakest number since October 2009 and well below expectations. Borrowing costs for Spain and Italy fell to their lowest levels in three years and stocks were trading higher.
Top 10 Railroad Stocks To Own Right Now: First Trust Ise Global Engineering And Construction Index Fund (FLM)
First Trust ISE Global Engineering and Construction Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield of an equity index called the ISE Global Engineering and Construction Index (the Index). The Fund is a series of the First Trust Exchange-Traded Fund II, an investment company and an exchange-traded index fund. The Index is developed and owned by the International Securities Exchange, LLC (ISE or Index Provider), in consultation with Standard & Poor's, a Division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., which calculates and maintains the Index. The Index specifically targets companies that are engaged in civil and capital projects, such as infrastructure, utilities, transportation, telecommunications, commercial, residential and commerce facilities, and whose roles are within the engineering, designing, planning, consulting, project managing and/or constructing of these projects. First Trust Advisors L.P. is the investment adviser for the Fund. Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Mid cap infrastructure construction stock Chicago Bridge & Iron Company N.V. (NYSE: CBI) fell 7.23% after being trashed in an article by an apparent�short seller posted on Seeking Alpha, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of potential benchmarks like Jacobs Engineering Group Inc (NYSE: JEC), KBR, Inc (NYSE: KBR) and First Trust ISE Global Engineering and Construction Index Fund ETF (NYSEARCA: FLM).
- [By John Udovich]
Small cap building materials stock NCI Building Systems Inc (NYSE: NCS) fell yesterday after announcing a share offering plus its investors have (so-far) missed out on any ��ecovery��in construction���meaning it might be time to take a closer look at the stock along with potential performance benchmarks like the PowerShares Dynamic Building & Construction ETF (NYSEARCA: PKB) and the First Trust ISE Global Engineering and Construction Index Fund ETF (NYSEARCA: FLM)���both of which have had decent returns in recent years.
Top 10 Railroad Stocks To Own Right Now: John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (PDT)
John Hancock Patriot Premium Dividend Fund II (the Fund) is a diversified closed-end management investment company. The Fund's investment objective is to provide high current income together with capital growth. The Fund invests in a diversified portfolio of dividend-paying preferred and common stocks. It invests at least 80% of its net assets in dividend-paying securities. The Fund will normally invest more than 65% of its total assets in securities of companies in the utilities industry. Preferred stocks and debt obligations in which the Fund invests are rated investment grade (at least BBB by Standard & Poor�� or Baa by Moody�� Investors Service) at the time of investment, or will be preferred stocks of issuers of investment-grade senior debt, or if not rated, will be of comparable quality as determined by the Fund�� investment advisor. The Fund will invest in common stocks of issuers, whose senior debt is rated investment grade, or in the case of issuers that have no rated senior debt outstanding, whose senior debt is considered by its advisor to be of comparable quality. Its portfolio includes common stocks, preferred securities and short-term investments.
In May 2007, the Fund completed the acquisition of John Hancock Patriot Preferred Dividend Fund. In June 2007, the Fund acquired Hancock John Patriot Global Dividend Fund and John Hancock Patriot Premium Div Fund I. On October 10, 2007, the Fund completed the acquisition of John Hancock Patriot Select Dividend Trust Fund.
The Fund invests in industries, such as multi-utilities, electric utilities, investment banking and brokerage, other diversified financial services, oil and gas exploration and production, gas utilities, consumer finance, life and health insurance, and integrated telecommunication services. John Hancock Patriot Premium Dividend Fund II�� investment advisor is John Hancock Advisers, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of John Hancock Financial Services, Inc., which is a subsidiary of Manulife Fina! ncial Corporation. The Fund�� sub-advisor is MFC Global Investment Management (U.S.), LLC.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ari Charney]
John Hancock Premium Dividend Fund (PDT) tends to allocate roughly 30% to 40% of the portfolio to equities and 60% to 70% to preferred stock, with the utilities and financial sectors as its main focus.
Top 10 Railroad Stocks To Own Right Now: TTM Technologies Inc.(TTMI)
TTM Technologies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides printed circuit board (PCB) products and backplane assemblies worldwide. Its PCB products include conventional, high density interconnect, flexible, and rigid-flex PCBs, as well as backplane assemblies and IC substrates. The company also offers various services, such as design for manufacturability support during new product introduction stages, PCB layout design, simulation and testing services, quick turnaround production, and drilling and routing services. Its customers include original equipment manufacturers and electronic manufacturing service companies that primarily serve the networking/communications, aerospace/defense, high-end computing, cell phone, and medical/industrial/instrumentation end markets of the electronics industry. TTM Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Pacampara]
What: Shares of printed circuit board specialist TTM Technologies (NASDAQ: TTMI ) soared 17% today after its quarterly results topped Wall Street expectations.
Top 10 Railroad Stocks To Own Right Now: Autoliv Inc (ALV)
Autoliv, Inc. (Autoliv) is a holding company. Autoliv is the supplier of automotive safety systems, with a range of product offerings, including modules and components for passenger and driver-side airbags, side-impact airbag protection systems, seatbelts, steering wheels, safety electronics, whiplash protection systems and child seats, as well as night vision systems, radar and other active safety systems. Autoliv has two main operating segments: airbags/seatbelt (including restraint electronics) products and active safety electronics products. In March 2010, the Company acquired Visteon Corporation's radar system business. In April 2010, the Company acquired Delphi's Occupant Protection Systems (OPS) operations in Korea and China. In addition, in April 2010, Autoliv Inc.'s Automotive Holding AS increased its stake in Norma AS from 51% to 93.74%. Additionally, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB and ING Luxembourg SA sold their 6.67% and 10% stake, respectively, held in Norma AS. In October 2010, the Company acquired 51% interest in Bejing Delpi Automotive Safety Products. In November 2011, the Company acquired the airbag cushion cut&sew assets from Milliken. In June 2012, the Company sold its subsidiary Autoliv Mekan AB to Verktygs Allians i Hassleholm AB.
Autoliv has approximately 80 wholly or partially owned or leased production facilities located in 28 countries, consisting of both component factories and assembly factories. The Company�� component factories manufacture inflators, initiators, textile cushions, webbing materials, electronics, pressed steel parts, springs and overmoulded steel parts used in seatbelt and airbag assembly, seat subsystems, steering wheels and its active safety and night vision systems, and its other safety electronic systems. During the year ended December 31, 2010, Autoliv�� revenues were approximately 67% of airbags and associated products and approximately 33% of seatbelts and associated products. The Company�� markets are in Europe, North A! merica, Asia-Pacific and Japan. Its customers include the car manufacturers.
During 2010, the products manufactured by Autoliv�� consolidated subsidiaries consisted of approximately 121 million complete seatbelt systems (of which approximately 49 million were fitted with pretensioners), approximately 57 million side-impact airbags (including curtain airbags), approximately 28 million frontal airbag modules, approximately 12 million steering wheels, approximately 11 million electronic units (airbag control), approximately 0.4 million active safety systems and 0.1 million night vision systems. Autoliv owns two principal subsidiaries, AAB and Autoliv ASP, Inc. (ASP). Its AAB and ASP are developers, manufacturers and suppliers to the automotive industry of automotive safety systems. AAB and ASP�� products include seatbelts, frontal and side-impact airbags, steering wheels and seat sub-systems, as well as components for such systems.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Autoliv (NYSE: ALV) is projected to report its Q3 earnings at $1.34 per share on revenue of $2.06 billion.
Posted-In: Earnings scheduleEarnings News Pre-Market Outlook Markets
- [By Inyoung Hwang]
Allianz SE (ALV) fell 1.6 percent to 126.40 euros. Europe�� biggest insurer was cut to neutral from buy at Citigroup Inc., which says earnings growth is limited.
- [By Sarah Jones]
Allianz (ALV) gained 3.6 percent to 120.70 euros after reporting a 24 percent rise in first-quarter profit to about 1.7 billion euros after results improved at all of its businesses. Operating profit of 2.8 billion euros also topped analysts��estimates.
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