Australian LNG Has Bright Future

Each month we host a joint web chat for subscribers of The Energy Strategist (TES) and MLP Profits. The chat is conducted by Igor Greenwald, managing editor for The Energy Strategist and chief investment strategist for MLP Profits, and myself.

We place a priority on answering questions about portfolio holdings and recommendations during the chat, but often get questions about companies we don’t currently recommend. Sometimes we may get questions that require an extended answer, or there may just be so many questions we can’t get to them all. For the most recent chat there were a few questions that warrant some elaboration.

Q: Do you have any thoughts on the immediate success of the Australians becoming really active in exporting LNG?

Australia has a lot of potential for LNG exports, and the country is ideally situated geographically to export to southeast Asia. Australia’s proved natural gas reserves have grown steadily over the past 20 years, from 1 trillion cubic meters (tcm) in 1992 to 2.5 tcm in 2002 and 3.8 tcm in 2012. Australia’s proved reserves would last 77 years at the current production rate. For perspective, US reserves are more than twice Australia’s at 8.5 tcm, but US production is also higher. The reserves to production ratio (R/P) for the US is 12.5.

In the US, growing gas output has been driven by shale exploitation. In Australia, it is coal seam gas (CSG) that is driving the current gas rush. CSG can be extracted like tight shale gas in the US, with hydraulic fracturing (fracking) of a coal seam (as opposed to a shale formation).

CSG is transforming Australia’s gas industry in the same way that shale gas has done in the US. Between 2004 and 2010 production of CSG increased by more than a factor of 20. CSG now supplies a third of eastern Australia’s gas, and some project that Australia will overtake Qatar as the world’s leadi! ng LNG exporter by 2020.

Currently, Australia has three operating LNG plants, and seven others are being built. The North West Shelf Venture is owned by an international consortium, and started exporting LNG in 1989.

Elsewhere, ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is the majority owner and operator of the Darwin LNG facility, which began production in 2006.

The Pluto LNG project is a joint venture between Woodside, the operator, with a 90 percent interest, Tokyo Gas (5 percent) and Kansai Electric (5 percent). Pluto started production in April 2012.

In conclusion, yes, Australia has tremendous potential for greatly increasing LNG exports. It enjoys a major advantage relative to the US given proximity to Asian import markets, but there are also fracking bans in place in certain areas that may slow development. Those with projects already in place have a significant first mover advantage, but there is still lots of opportunity given the projections for Australia’s gas production growth.

Q: Do you have an opinion on Susser Petroleum Partners LP?

Susser Petroleum Partners (NYSE: SUSP) engages in fee-based wholesale distribution of motor fuels. The partnership also distributes petroleum products like propane and lube oil, and receives rental income from real estate.

SUSP went public in September 2012, and has advanced 45 percent since. The most recent quarterly distribution was $0.4687 per unit, or $1.87 on an annualized basis. At the recent closing price of $33.40, that corresponds to an annual yield of 5.6 percent.

Non-traditional MLPs like Susser and Lehigh Gas Partners (NYSE: LGP) have risks and opportunities that are different from the midstream mainstream. Such MLPs can provide some diversification from the midstream MLPs that make up the bulk of the space, with less commodity and execution risk than most upstream partnerships. On the other hand, they are unlikely to have the same potential upside and growth opportunities as most midstream names. I might consider Susser as part a broader portfolio of MLPs, but it wouldn’t be a core holding in my own portfolio.

Q: Any opinion on Lightstream?

Most investors may not have heard of Calgary-based Lightstream Resources (OTC: LSTMF), but they may have heard of its predecessor, PetroBakken Energy, which was spun out of Petrobank Energy and Resources. The latter struggled to make its novel Toe-to-Heel Air Injection (THAI) technology commercially viable, and partially as a result of Petrobank’s struggles, PetroBakken suffered as well.

So in May of this year the company announced it would break from its past and move forward under a new name, Lightstream Resources. But Lightstream struggled with some of the legacy issues from PetroBakken, like dividends that had to be cut and high debt levels, and shares declined. Following the name change in May, shares have fallen 36 percent.

In the US, we associate the Bakken mostly with North Dakota, but the Bakken formation also lies underneath parts of South Dakota, Montana, and southern Saskatchewan. Lightstream Resources is developing Bakken acreage in Saskatchewan. In addition the company is focused on growth in the Cardium formation in central Alberta, and in north-central Alberta it’s working on emerging light oil resource plays. Lightstream also has land holdings in the Horn River and Montney plays in northeast British Columbia.

While the company has struggled in recent years — and the share price has suffered — it may be turning the corner. Last week Lightstream unveiled its strategic plan and 2014 capital program and production guidance. The plan involves reducing 2014 capex while holding production flat for the year, cutting the dividend in half, eliminating the dividend reinvestment plan, and targeting $600 million from sales of non-core assets.

The immediate market reaction was negative, but these are all moves that should put the company in a much better financial shape. Further, the shares appear to be oversold at this point, and the company is trading at a discount to its asset value. On the downside, investors have been generally unhappy with management decisions, and the same managers continue to run the company.

For aggressive investors, though, this one could be worth the plunge. The downside looks fairly limited at this point, and if the quarterly results begin to show the positive effect of the recent changes, there is tremendous upside.

Q: Is the worst over for LINN?  Would you be taking a look at it now?

We got numerous questions about Linn Energy (Nasdaq: LINE) in the chat. I commented on this in last week’s MLP Investing Insider, but it bears repeating here as there is obviously still a lot of interest. Igor’s answer to this question was “I expect the merger to close by year’s end, but I think Linn has some structural issues that go beyond [pending merger partner Berry Petroleum (NYSE: BRY)] with its debt load and past acquisition quality, so I’m steering clear. There are better upstream MLPs in our portfolios.”

I would add that we have been pretty steadfast in believing that the SEC inquiry wouldn’t turn up anything substantive. However, we couldn’t recommend Linn with that inquiry hanging over the partnership. MLP investors in general are not looking to take on that kind of risk, and I suspect most didn’t think it was possible to see Linn drop like it did (down ~40 percent over the summer). This kind of volatility might be acceptable for aggressive speculators, but that doesn’t fit the profile of most MLP investors.

Now that the SEC cloud appears to be lifting and the merger with Berry seems imminent, we have taken another look at Linn. But after comparing it with peer upstream MLPs, we feel that there are safer options, especially given the increased purchase price Linn had to pay for Berry, and Linn’s relatively high debt level. The present dividend yield of nearly 10 percent is certainly attractive, but our view is that the downside risk will continue to be unacceptably high for conservative investors.

(Follow Robert Rapier on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook.)

Longtime Progressive CEO Peter Lewis dies

MAYFIELD VILLAGE, Ohio (AP) — Peter Lewis, who shepherded Progressive from a small-time operation to one of the largest auto insurers in the country and later became the billionaire backer of marijuana legalization, died Saturday. He was 80.

Philanthropic adviser Jennifer Frutchy said Lewis died at his home in Coconut Grove, Fla.

Progressive President and CEO Glenn Renwick said the company owes its growth and its culture of openness to Lewis. He said Lewis' caring and honesty are "bedrock" values of the company.

"The history of Progressive is very much the history that Peter Lewis laid down," Renwick said. A willingness to take risks and constantly learn and grow are principles that can be traced to Lewis, he added.

"He really was a special person, there's no doubt about that," Renwick said.

Lewis became chief executive officer of Progressive in 1965, built from the company his father co-founded in 1937. Lewis held the leadership post for 35 years, during which Progressive — and Lewis' fortune — steadily grew. In 2006, Forbes calculated his net worth at $1.4 billion.

Lewis turned his wealth into support for a number of progressive causes, including strong support for marijuana law reform that began after he used it following a leg amputation. Lewis helped bankroll marijuana-related causes in Ohio, Washington and Massachusetts.

In a 2011 interview with Forbes magazine, Lewis said he first tried marijuana at age 39. He said he found it to be "better than scotch" and later relied on it for pain management.

"I don't believe that laws against things that people do regularly, like safe and responsible use of marijuana, make any sense," he told Forbes. "Everything that has been done to enforce these laws has had a negative effect, with no results."

Lewis also spent time as a trustee of the Guggenheim Museum and stepped down in 2005, saying he saying disagreed with the institution's focus on international expansion. He had been a leading benefactor of t! he museum, donating tens of millions of dollars.

For a time Lewis largely stopped giving to local Cleveland-area concerns, saying there was little cooperation among civic leaders or public development. Last year, however, he donated $5 million to the Cleveland Institute of Art, the Plain Dealer reported. At the time, he said he made the donation because a development plan that impressed him in 2004 had met his expectations.

Lewis also gave generously to his alma mater, Princeton University. He donated more than $220 million to the school, where he also served as a trustee.

Penn Mutual lays off team of wholesalers and relationship managers

The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Co., a burgeoning player in the variable annuity space, recently let go of a team of wholesalers and relationship managers.

The carrier, which ended 2012 with just under $1 billion in sales, laid off seven regional directors and two relationship managers on its annuity side in September. The layoffs come close to a year after the insurer decided to sever its relationships with a slate of independent broker-dealers. Last November, Penn Mutual trimmed its selling agreements to 30 distributors, from 80.

“We wanted variable annuity sales, but we didn't want too much,” said Tom Harris, executive vice president of distribution at Penn Mutual. “Now the position is to remain committed to the annuity space, and manage the fixed and variable, but we'd like to go through [Hornor Townsend & Kent Inc.] and Janney Montgomery Scott LLC.”

HTK is the broker-dealer for Penn Mutual's career agency system, and Janney Montgomery Scott is a wealth management subsidiary of the life insurer.

Penn Mutual brought on the wholesaling team in the early 2000s to build the insurer's presence among independent broker-dealers and push distribution of its variable annuity and variable-life product lines.

“The way we want the sales moving forward is through our proprietary distribution,” Mr. Harris said. “We didn't feel it was appropriate to have this team of people who were designed to drum up business in the broker-dealer space. It didn't make sense for us. We have a capacity, and we want to sell at this capacity.”

Going forward, the carrier's sales desk will handle contact with the distributors, he added.

In 2013, Penn Mutual decided that it would aim for just more than $700 million in sales, and so far, the company is on track to meet that goal, Mr. Harris said.

Indeed, the insurer is light-years away from reaching the sales levels of the top three variable annuity sellers in the first half of the year: Jackson National Life Insurance Co., Lincoln National Corp. and Prudential Financial Inc. For instance, Pru sold $6.63 billion in variable annuities during that time, according to LIMRA.

Nevertheless, Penn Mutual has some very attractive products on its shelf. For instance, its Smart Foundation variable annuity offers 7% step-ups to clients' withdrawal benefit base, as well as a withdrawal rate of up to 5%, depending on the age of the client at the time of the withdrawal and whether it's a single or joint withdrawal benefit.

Is General Motors a Buy Now?

With shares of General Motors (NYSE:GM) trading around $37, is GM an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let's analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

General Motors designs, manufactures, and markets cars, crossovers, trucks, and automobile parts worldwide. The company markets its vehicles primarily under the Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Opel, Holden, and Vauxhall brand names, as well as under the Alpheon, Jiefang, Baojun, and Wuling brand names. It sells cars and trucks to dealers for consumer retail sales as well as to fleet customers in daily rental car companies, commercial fleet customers, leasing companies, and governments.

On Monday, the Opel division of General Motors reported that it has reached a preliminary accord with workers to shut its factory in Bochum at the end of 2014, showing that European automakers have tried to slow down the attenuation of manufacturing capacity. Opel had already said that it would close the factory, which builds Zafira minivans and employs some 3,200 persons. However, the arrangement with the Opel workers' council would permit the company to stop production at the end of next year without the protests or work stoppages that have damaged efforts by firms such as Ford or PSA Peugeot Citroën to shut their facilities.

T = Technicals on the Stock Chart Are Strong

General Motors stock has been surging higher in the past couple of years. The stock is currently trading near highs for the year and looks poised to continue. Analyzing the price trend and its strength can be done using key simple moving averages. What are the key moving averages? The 50-day (pink), 100-day (blue), and 200-day (yellow) simple moving averages. As seen in the daily price chart below, General Motors is trading above its rising key averages, which signal neutral to bullish price action in the near-term.

(Source: Thinkorswim)

Taking a look at the implied volatility (red) and implied volatility skew levels of General Motors options may help determine if investors are bullish, neutral, or bearish.

	Implied Volatility (IV)	30-Day IV Percentile	90-Day IV Percentile
General Motors Options	25.82%	6%	4%

What does this mean? This means that investors or traders are buying a small amount of call and put options contracts as compared to the last 30 and 90 trading days.

	Put IV Skew	Call IV Skew
December Options	Flat	Average
January Options	Flat	Average

As of today, there is an average demand from call buyers or sellers and low demand by put buyers or high demand by put sellers, all neutral to bullish over the next two months. To summarize, investors are buying a small amount of call and put option contracts and are leaning neutral to bullish over the next two months.

On the next page, let’s take a look at the earnings and revenue growth rates and the conclusion.

E = Earnings Are Mixed Quarter-Over-Quarter

Rising stock prices are often strongly correlated with rising earnings and revenue growth rates. Also, the last four quarterly earnings announcement reactions help gauge investor sentiment on General Motors’s stock. What do the last four quarterly earnings and revenue growth (Y-O-Y) figures for General Motors look like and more importantly, how did the markets like these numbers?

	2013 Q3	2013 Q2	2013 Q1	2012 Q4
Earnings Growth (Y-O-Y)	-49.44%	-16.67%	-3.33%	6.49%
Revenue Growth (Y-O-Y)	3.72%	3.88%	-2.32%	3.47%
Earnings Reaction	3.24%	-1.10%	3.01%	0.03%

General Motors has seen decreasing earnings and rising revenue figures over the last four quarters. From these numbers, the markets have had conflicting feelings about General Motors’s recent earnings announcements.

P = Average Relative Performance Versus Peers and Sector

How has General Motors stock done relative to its peers, Ford (NYSE:F), Toyota (NYSE:TM), Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), and sector?

	General Motors	Ford	Toyota	Tesla	Sector
Year-to-Date Return	33.30%	30.97%	35.66%	277.70%	34.31%

General Motors has been an average relative performer, year-to-date.

Conclusion

General Motors continues to change its business as it looks to entice companies and consumers with its new and improved vehicles. The company reported that it has reached a preliminary accord with workers to shut its factory in Bochum at the end of 2014, showing that European automakers have tried to slow down the attenuation of manufacturing capacity. The stock has been surging higher in the past couple of years and is now trading near highs for the year. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been decreasing while revenues have been rising, which produced conflicting feelings among investors. Relative to its peers and sector, General Motors has been an average year-to-date performer. Look for General Motors to catch up and OUTPERFORM.

Top 10 Energy Stocks To Buy For 2014

Five years ago, in the depths of the financial meltdown, bond powerhouse Pimco launched a diversified fund designed to produce solid returns and to protect investors against severe market downturns. Mohamed El-Erian, Pimco�� co-chief investment officer, has been the fund�� lead manager since its inception in 2008.

See Also: 12 Stocks to Cash in on the Energy Revolution

Pimco Global Multi-Asset D (PGMDX) was tailor-made for the ��ew normal,��a term that the highly respected El-Erian coined along with the firm�� better known co-CIO, Bill Gross. The fund�� Web site says ��nvestors can use [the fund] as a core allocation strategy, or as an alternative or complement to a traditional [60% stock-40% bond] portfolio. The fund can also be used as an equity replacement, as it seeks to provide equity-like returns with lower volatility.��Vineer Bhansali, Curtis Mewbourne and Saumil Parikh co-manage the fund.

Top 10 Energy Stocks To Buy For 2014: HRT Participacoes em Petroleo SA (HRTPY.PK)

HRT Participacoes em Petroleo SA, formerly BN 16 Participacoes Ltda, is a Brazil-based holding company engaged in the oil and gas industry. The Company is primarily involved in the exploration and production (E&P) of oil and natural gas in Brazil and Namibia. Through its subsidiaries, it is active in the geophysical and geological research, exploration, development, production, import, export and sale of oil and natural gas, as well as in the provision of air logistics services in transporting people and equipment related to oil and gas activities in the exploratory campaign in the Solimoes Basin. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had seven subsidiaries, including Integrated Petroleum Expertise Company Servicos em Petroleo Ltda (IPEX), HRT O&G Exploracao e Producao de Petroleo Ltda, HRT Netherlands BV, HRT America Inc, HRT Africa, HRT Canada Inc and Air Amazonia Servicos Aereos Ltda.

Top 10 Energy Stocks To Buy For 2014: Precision Drilling Corp (PDS)

Precision Drilling Corporation (Precision) is a provider of contract drilling and completion and production services primarily to oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in Canada and the United States. The Company operates in two segments: Contract Drilling Services, and Completion and Production Services. In Canada, the Contract Drilling Services segment includes land drilling services, directional drilling services, procurement and distribution of oilfield supplies and the manufacture and refurbishment of drilling and service rig equipment, and the Completion and Production Services segment includes service rigs for well completion and workover services, snubbing services, camp and catering services, wastewater treatment services and the rental of oilfield surface equipment, tubulars, well control equipment and wellsite accommodations.

Top Financial Stocks To Watch Right Now: New Western Energy Corp (NWTR)

New Western Energy Corporation, incorporated on September 25, 2008, is an oil and gas and mineral exploration and production company with current projects located in Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas. The Company�� principal business is in the acquisition, exploration and development of, and production from oil, gas and mineral properties. The Company�� project includes Oklahoma Project, Texas Project, Kansas Project and Pennsylvania project. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� total estimated unproved reserves were approximately 1,495,757 barrels of oil reserves. On January 2, 2012, the Company acquired of 100% interest in Royal Texan.

Oklahoma Project

This project comprises of two leases Glass and Phillips. The Glass Lease is located in Roger County, Oklahoma. The Glass leasehold property contains approximately 120 acres. The Phillips Lease is located in Rogers County, Oklahoma. The Phillips leasehold property contains approximately 150 acres. The Company�� oil leases located in Oklahoma were originally obtained from one lessor RC Oil Co.

Texas Project

This project comprises of three leases Swenson, Reves and McLellan. On January 27, 2011, the Company�� subsidiary New Western Texas acquired a 50% working interest in 160 acres of oil and gas leases in Jones County, Texas, known as the Swenson Lease. On August 8, 2011, the Company�� subsidiary New Western Texas was assigned from a third party a Paid Up Oil and Gas Lease agreement with Michael L. McLellan and Paula McLellan (Lessors), which provided us a 50% working interest in approximately 160 acres of land for the purpose of exploring for developing, producing and marketing oil and gas, along with all hydrocarbon and non-hydrocarbon substances produced.

Kansas Project

On December 20, 2011, entered into an assignment of oil and gas lease with an independent third party for an oil and gas property in Kansas referred to as Chautauqua Lease, whereby the assignor gra! nted the rights to the Company to carry on geographical and other exploratory work, including core drilling, and the drilling, and operating for producing, and marketing all of the oil, gas, including all associated hydrocarbons. As of December 31, 2011, the Company has not started any oil and gas exploration on Chautauqua Lease.

Pennsylvania project

The property is approximately 23 acres and is located on a glacial aged kame terrace. The terrace sands, gravels and finer sediments were deposited in response to blockage by glacial ice. Pennsylvania's Marcellus Shale natural gas producers operate approximately 50,000 wells and deliver more than 158 billion cubic feet of natural gas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]
  New Western Energy Corp (OTCMKTS: NWTR) May Have Enough Cash for Now

  Small cap New Western Energy Corp is an independent energy company engaged in the acquisition, development, production, and exploration of oil, gas and minerals primarily in North America. On Friday, New Western Energy Corp fell 16% to $0.189 for a market cap of $13.02 million plus NWTR is down 37% over the past year and down 10% since February 2012 according to Google Finance.

Top 10 Energy Stocks To Buy For 2014: WaterFurnace Renewable Energy Inc (WFIFF.PK)

WaterFurnace Renewable Energy, Inc. specializes in the design, manufacture and distribution of geothermal and water-source systems. It�� the United States subsidiary companies are WaterFurnace International, Inc. (WaterFurnace) and LoopMaster International, Inc. (LoopMaster). In December 2010, it incorporated two Australian subsidiaries: WaterFurnace International Asia Pacific Pty. Ltd. (WaterFurnace Asia Pacific) and Hyper WFI Pty. Ltd. (Hyper WFI). WaterFurnace designs, manufactures and distributes geothermal water source heating and cooling systems for residential, commercial and institutional buildings. LoopMaster installs geothermal loops for residential applications, does commercial conductivity testing and provides design and installation assistance. Hyper WFI designs, develops and builds devices that limit the inrush current, which electric motors draw upon start up. On January 21, 2011, the Company acquired inventory and fixed assets from Binary Engineering Pty. Ltd.

Top 10 Energy Stocks To Buy For 2014: Freedom Energy Holdings Inc (FDMF)

Freedom Energy Holdings, Inc. (FDMF), incorporated in June 2005, is a holding company with a focus on the identification of opportunities within the oil and energy sectors. KC-9000 is the Company�� heavy oil technology, to assist in the recovery of heavy oil. As of December 31, 2011, the Company research had developed and shown a new product SR-139 at breaking down asphalt shingles allowing the extraction and recovery of hydrocarbons.

KC-9000 is a micro-emulsion technology. KC 9000 is a micro-emulsion developed to assist in the recovery and extraction of heavy based hydrocarbons that are saturated with high metals and paraffin content. KC 9000 is used for tank cleaning processes. By injecting KC 9000 directly into the tank port holes, at the tank bottom, with the emulsifies turning into an easily extractable slurry.

Top 10 Energy Stocks To Buy For 2014: (NFYEF)

New Flyer Industries, Inc. a Canadian Income Fund, operates as an unincorporated open-ended trust in Canada. The fund engages in the manufacture and sale of heavy duty transit buses in the United States and Canada. It uses various propulsion systems, including diesel electric or gasoline electric hybrid systems, compressed natural gas or liquid natural gas systems, and zero emission electric trolleys in heavy duty transit buses. The fund also provides aftermarket parts and services, including parts distribution, field services, support documentation, and training, as well as bus parts. It supplies heavy duty transit buses primarily to municipal and local transit authorities. New Flyer was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada.

Top 10 Energy Stocks To Buy For 2014: HRT Participacoes em Petroleo SA (HRTPY)

HRT Participacoes em Petroleo SA, formerly BN 16 Participacoes Ltda, is a Brazil-based holding company engaged in the oil and gas industry. The Company is primarily involved in the exploration and production (E&P) of oil and natural gas in Brazil and Namibia. Through its subsidiaries, it is active in the geophysical and geological research, exploration, development, production, import, export and sale of oil and natural gas, as well as in the provision of air logistics services in transporting people and equipment related to oil and gas activities in the exploratory campaign in the Solimoes Basin. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had seven subsidiaries, including Integrated Petroleum Expertise Company Servicos em Petroleo Ltda (IPEX), HRT O&G Exploracao e Producao de Petroleo Ltda, HRT Netherlands BV, HRT America Inc, HRT Africa, HRT Canada Inc and Air Amazonia Servicos Aereos Ltda.

Top 10 Energy Stocks To Buy For 2014: Total Nigeria PLC (TOTAL)

Total Nigeria PLC is a Nigeria-based company engaged in the marketing of petroleum and liquefied petroleum gas. The Company operates in three business lines, namely White Products (Retail and General Trade), Lubricants & Special Products, and Aviation fuels. The Company�� products portfolio includes fuels, lubricants, gas, insecticides, car-care products and bitumen. (Nigeria) PLC operates through a network of 500 retail outlets, five LPG bottling plants and three lubricant blending plants. Total (Nigeria) PLC�� major shareholder is Total SA.

Top 10 Energy Stocks To Buy For 2014: Shell Refining Company (FED OF MALAYA)

Shell Refining Company (Federation of Malaya) Berhad is principally engaged in refining and manufacturing of petroleum products. The Company operates primarily in Malaysia. Its operations also include the gas to liquids (GTL) plant of its kind in Bintulu, Sarawak, and a refinery in Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan. Its upstream operations focus on the development and extraction of crude oil and natural gas offshore Sarawak and Sabah. In downstream its main activity is in refining, supply, trading and shipping of crude oil and petroleum products through the sales and marketing of transportation fuels, lubricants, specialty products and technical services. The Company is also a partner in two joint ventures that convert natural gas to liquefied natural gas. Royal Dutch Shell plc is its holding company.

Top 10 Energy Stocks To Buy For 2014: ATP Oil And Gas Corp (ATPO.MU)

ATP Oil & Gas Corporation, incorporated in 1991, is engaged in the acquisition, development and production of oil and natural gas properties. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had estimated net proved reserves of 118.9 Million barrels of crude oil equivalent (MMBoe), of which approximately 75.9 MMboe (64%) were in the Gulf of Mexico and 42.9 MMBoe (36%) were in the North Sea. The reserves consisted of 78.6 Million barrels (MMBbls) of oil (66%) and 241.5 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas (34%). Its proved reserves in the deepwater area of the Gulf of Mexico account for 62% of the Company�� total proved reserves and its proved reserves on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf account for 2% of its total proved reserves. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company acquired three licenses in the Mediterranean Sea covering potential natural gas resources in the deepwater off the coast of Israel (East Mediterranean). On August 17, 2012, ATP Oil And Ga s Corp filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The Company�� natural gas reserves are split between the Gulf of Mexico (57%) and the North Sea (43%). Of its total proved reserves, 8.3 MMBoe (7%) were producing, 19.0 MMBoe (16%) were developed and not producing and 91.6 MMBoe (77%) were undeveloped. The Company�� average working interest in its properties at December 31, 2011, was approximately 81%. The Company operates 92% of its platforms. At December 31, 2011, in the Gulf of Mexico, it owned leasehold and other interests in 38 offshore blocks and 49 wells, including 23 subsea wells. The Company operates 43 (88%) of these wells, including 100% of the subsea wells. In the North Sea, it also had interests in 13 blocks and two Company-operated subsea wells. As of March 15, 2011, the Company owned an interest in 13 platforms, including two floating production facilities in the Gulf of Mexico, the ATP Titan at its Telemark Hub and the ATP Innovator at its G omez Hub. It operates the ATP Innovator and the ATP Titan.!

Top 5 Companies To Buy Right Now

After launching iOS developer tools in March, eBay's (NASDAQ: EBAY  ) PayPal has unveiled more tools to help Android developers accept both PayPal and credit card payments on mobile.

Available Wednesday, the Android SDK is a "native mobile payments solution," meaning it's built specifically for Android users. The company believes the tool will help Android apps integrate mobile payments "simply and seamlessly."

The SDK ensures that customers don't leave the developer's app to pay and PayPal's technology lets customers pay securely with PayPal, credit, or debit so that developers needn't worry so much about fraud.

Connecting more than 128 million account holders across 50 financial networks in 190 markets and in 25 currencies, PayPal says its SDK is a payment solution that "scales with [developers] as they grow." The PayPal SDK for Android supports versions 2.2 and above, and will be available for U.S. developers on May 15.

link

Top 5 Companies To Buy Right Now: Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp.(SNTA)

Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp., a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of small molecule drug candidates for treating severe medical conditions, including cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases. The company has two drug candidates in clinical trials for treating multiple types of cancer and various drug candidates in the preclinical stage of development. Its oncology product portfolio includes Ganetespib, an Hsp90 inhibitor in various phase 1, 2, and 3 clinical trail programs for various types of cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer, gastrointestinal stromal tumors, hematologic cancers, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, small cell lung cancer, ocular melanoma, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, hepatocellular cancer, and solid tumors; Elesclomol, a mitochondria-targeting agent in phase 2 clinical trails for non-small cell lung cancer and ovarian cancer, as well as in phase 1 clinical trail for acut e myeloid leukemia; STA-9584, a vascular disrupting agent in preclinical development stage for prostate cancer; and various Hsp90 inhibitors in preclinical development stage for cancers. The company?s inflammatory diseases product portfolio includes calcium release activated calcium modulator (CRACM) channel inhibitors in preclinical development stage for autoimmune diseases, respiratory conditions, and transplantation; and IL-12/23 inhibitors in lead optimization stage for autoimmune diseases. It has a license agreement with Hoffman-La Roche for the development and commercialization of compounds from CRACM. Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. was incorporated in 2000 and is based in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of Synta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SNTA  ) , a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on treating cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases, fell as much as 36% after reporting the results from its phase 2b/3 second-line non-small cell lung cancer trial with experimental treatment, Ganetespib.

• [By Alex Barinka]

  Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp. (SNTA) soared 41 percent to $7.15 for the biggest gain in more than four years. A small trial of its drug in breast cancer met goals warranting expansion of the study.

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Synta Pharmaceuticals Corp.(SNTA) said it intends to offer an unspecified number of shares to the public. The biopharmaceutical company has about 69 million shares outstanding. Shares dropped.

Top 5 Companies To Buy Right Now: Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania Inc.(RBPAA)

Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Royal Bank America, which provides various banking services to individual and corporate customers primarily located in the Mid-Atlantic states. Its deposit products include demand deposits; money market deposit, savings, and super negotiable order of withdrawal accounts; and time deposits. The company?s lending portfolio comprises commercial demand loans; commercial mortgage loans; residential mortgages consisting of home equity lines of credit; construction loans; real estate tax liens; asset based loans; small business leases; and installment loans, as well as home equity and SBA loans. It also offers safe deposit boxes, collections, Internet banking, and bill payment services, as well as drive-up, ATM, and night depository services. In addition, the company engages in the purchase and service of delinquent tax liens; and investment activities. It operates 15 branches in Montgomery, Philadel phia, and Berks counties in Pennsylvania; and New Jersey. The company serves customers located primarily in the Montgomery, Chester, Bucks, Delaware, Berks, and Philadelphia counties of Pennsylvania; and New Jersey. Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc. was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Narberth, Pennsylvania.

Top 5 Warren Buffett Stocks To Own Right Now: Crown Ltd(CWN.AX)

Crown Limited operates in gaming and entertainment industry primarily in Australia. It owns and operates two integrated resorts, including Crown Entertainment Complex in Melbourne and Burswood Entertainment Complex in Perth. The company?s Crown Entertainment Complex comprises 2,500 electronic gaming machines and approval to operate 500 table games; three hotels offering approximately 1,600 rooms, including 31 luxury villas; conference centre; banqueting facilities; 70 restaurants and bars; boutiques and retail outlets; a multi-screen cinema complex; a bowling alley; and an interactive gaming auditorium. Its Burswood Entertainment Complex includes approval to operate 2,000 gaming machines and 220 table games; 2 hotels; 22 restaurants and bars; a nightclub; a convention centre; 2,300 seat Burswood theatre; 20,000 seat Burswood dome; a day spa; and retail outlets. The company also owns and operates the Aspinalls Club, a high end casino in London. In addition, Crown holds int erest in casino/hotel properties in Macau, which include the City of Dreams, Altira Macau, and Mocha Clubs; and owns a portfolio of gaming investments comprising an online betting exchange, four casinos in Nevada and Western Pennsylvania, and a casino business in the United Kingdom. The company is based in Southbank, Australia.

Top 5 Companies To Buy Right Now: Harvey Nash Group(HVN.L)

Harvey Nash Group plc, a professional recruitment and outsourcing consultancy, provides information technology (IT) professionals for permanent and contract positions to businesses, governments, and institutions worldwide. Its services include executive search, interim management, IT and finance recruitment, and IT outsourcing services. The company supports multinational organizations and smaller niche companies to attract, recruit, and retain outstanding executives and senior management through a specialist search approach and strategic leadership consultancy services related to various sectors, such as technology and telecommunications, professional services, financial services, consumer, retail, life sciences, business services, and public services, including central government. It also provides specialist interim executives across a range of sectors and functions; manages critical IT infrastructure functions, such as data centre operations, help desk services, producti on support, and local area network administration; and offers outsourcing services, including application development, third party software maintenance, and outsourced software services to blue chip clients across various sectors. In addition, the company provides businesses with qualified, talented finance professionals on a temporary and permanent basis, as well as offers IT systems management services, including management of mainframe platforms, including performance evaluation, data migration, system changes and support services. Harvey Nash Group plc was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Top 5 Companies To Buy Right Now: Connecticut Water Service Inc. (CTWS)

Connecticut Water Service, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a regulated water company in Connecticut. It operates in three segments: Water Activities, Real Estate Transactions, and Services and Rentals. The Water Activities segment supplies drinking water. The Real Estate Transactions segment involves in the sale or donation of its real estate holdings. The Services and Rentals segment provides contracted services to water and wastewater utilities and other clients, which include contract operations of water and wastewater facilities; Linebacker, an optional service line protection program that comprises repairing or replacing leaking or broken water service line, curb box, curb box cover, meter pit, meter pit cover, meter pit valve, and in-home water main shut off valve before the meter; and providing bulk deliveries of emergency drinking water to businesses and residences through tanker trucks. This segment also engages in leasing and renting residential and c ommercial properties. As of December 31, 2009, Connecticut Water Service, Inc. served 88,534 customers in 54 towns in Connecticut. The company was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Clinton, Connecticut.

ON THE MARKET - Alert > The VIX ticked 11.99 on Friday - watch it

Pre-market – Monday 11-18-2013

"The most important single central fact about a free market is that no exchange takes place unless both parties benefit."

~ Milton Friedman ~

Dr. John L. Faessel

ON THE MARKET

Commentary and Insights

Quotes of the day

"I know more about policies on any particular issue than my policy directors."

&

"I am absolutely certain that generations from now we will be able to look back and tell our children that this was the moment when we began to provide care for the sick and good jobs to the jobless; this was the moment when the rise of the oceans began to slow and our planet began to heal."

~ Barack Obama ~

~~~~~~

"I would simply ask—do you really want the same people who implemented Healthcare.gov (the Obamacare website) to run medicine in this country?" Mark Ling, M.D. Ph.D.

"If you like your plan" video montage

ALERT > The VIX ticked 11.99 on Friday - WATCH IT…

MARKET

The Dow Jones Industrials and S&P 500 (SPX) had their sixth straight week of price gains however it was another mostly dull week despite new highs for all three major indexes. Last week's volume was below average in the NYSE and slightly above average in the Nasdaq tho it was options expiration. "Price" in the S&P 500 (SPX) remains well above the resistance (now questionable support) of the top trendline of the channel that goes back to 2009. Overboughtness (McClellan) is in Neutral.

My Take

Major stock indexes remain extended and remain in strong uptrends and they keep adding points with hardly a hiccup albeit the gains have been relatively modest week over week. Bullish sentiment has eased over the last week although some indicators are flashing euphoric alerts. I continue to believe that discretion suggests that some $$ should be taken off the table as the market is priced to perfection. The debt ceiling is closing in and the Iran nuclear situation is smoldering on the front burner as they are very close to having nukes and I continue to believe that Israel, in concert with possibly the Saudi's, will act while the USA continues to have its head in the sand. The global debt behemoth, manipulation of interest rates, printing money and debasement of our currency continues unabated. EuroLand is slows with new rate cuts. Oh and the VIX premier gauge of fear ticked 11.99 on Friday. It's a la la land situation where major players seem to believe that we are in a new paradigm and debt means nothing – in effect saying; "let the good times roll – thank you – I'm fine and I'll have another bottle, err - make it two, of tequila." I'm dizzy just watching them getting bombed a la 1999.

Remember the prescient Volker quote;

In my ON THE MARKET report on 7-8-1999 I gave you the 'IT' quote:

"The fate of the world economy is now totally dependent on the growth of the US economy, which is dependant on the stock market, whose growth is dependent on about 50 stocks, half of which have NEVER REPORTED ANY EARNINGS." Said Paul Volker, former Chairman of the US Federal Reserve, who made that statement in the summer of 1999 when the Nasdaq was at 2500.Recall that in October 1998 the Nasdaq traded at 1357. In March 2000 it topped and traded at 5132.

Of Note re IRAN

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called last week's offer to Iran, which incredibly had the support of USA's Secretary of State John Kerry, a "very, very bad deal."

S&P 500

The S&P 500 (SPX) closed Friday at 1798.18 - the prior Friday it was 1770.61

The 50-day moving average support is 1724

Short term 'Price' support is at 1791 / 1773 /

The a bit further out 1762 / 1746 / 1740 / 1716 / 1646 and 1627

The 200-day moving average support is at 1637

The top trend line of the channel that goes back 2009 to at (SPX) 1756 is now support ('that' previous resistance was breached on October 22nd.)

Channel and trend line support of (November 2012) is at 1702

Then deep channel and trend line support of (October 2011) is at 1595

Then the deepest channel and trend line support of (March 2009) is at 1389

* This Week's Investor Sentiment

The Bullishness / Bearishness complex overview has eased from recent post high Bullish readings.

(High BULLISH readings in the Investor Sentiment Readings usually are signs of Market tops; low ones, market bottoms.)

The Citigroup "Panic / Euphoria" Model remained in 'very high' neutral at a plus 0.42 registering a duplicate of last week's 0.42. These numbers are very near the Euphoria zone. In February 2013 it ticked into Euphoria at plus 0.49 and that posting was the highest since May 2008. At the end of June, 2011 it ticked cycle lows of minus0.31 in the Panic mode.

The American Association of Individual Investors [AAII]Investor Sentiment Survey of BULLISHNESS slid to 39.2% from 45.5% the prior week.

The "Bullish" survey posted recent highs of 52.3% 8-months ago. It posted cycle lows of 22.2% on 7/23/2012 the lowest percentile since August 2010. Long-Term Average: Bullish: 39.0%

The American Association of Individual Investors [AAII] Investor Survey of BEARISHNESS added a few percentile to 27.5% from last week's 21.8 -- 5- weeks ago it registered the lowest read since 1/12/2012 at 17.6%. Cycle highs of Bearishness of 54.5% were posted 14 weeks ago. Long-Term Average: Bearish: 30.5%

Consensus Index BULLISH was up to 72% from 68% last week's posting. New Cycle highs in Bullishness of 77% were posted 6-months ago matching the top tick of 77% on 10/11/2007.

The Market Vane (Market Letter Survey) posted a duplicate of last week's 65%. In October 2007 it topped at 70% bullish.

The BARRON's Confidence Index is 72.6 upa tick from 72.5 the prior week, one-year ago it was 66.6.

The Confidence Index is the premier measure of how the bond markets trillions (total global is around $93 trillion and USA is about 39% of that) are allocated: (The bond market is twice the size of the stock market.) The Index is the High-grade bond index divided by intermediate-grade index. A decline in latter vs. former - generally indicates rising confidence, pointing to higher stocks.

Friday's key indicators and metrics:

Cycle highs or lows are in red

·McClellan Oscillator is in Neutral at plus 39.7%

·3-month $ LIBOR hangs at new lows of 0.23810%

·CBOE Put / Call Volume Ratio – 0.75

·VIX – 12.19 - interday it ticked 11.99

·Swiss Franc – 1.0929

·US Dollar Index – 80.90

·Euro – 1.3490

·Japanese Yen – 0.9979

·Canadian Dollar – 0.9564

·Aussie Dollar –0.9343

·Crude oil (NYMEX) 93.84

·Brent crude 107.89

·Copper – 3.1710

Top 5 Bank Companies To Own For 2014

·Gold (COMEX) – 1287.4

·Natural Gas (Globex) – 3.660

·The Treasury 5-year yield – 1.34%

·The Treasury 10-year yield – 2.70% - cycle high was on 9/10/2013 at 2.98%

·The 30-year Treasury – 3.80% - cycle high was on August 22nd at 3.93%

·Silver (COMEX) – 20.727

·Platinum 1438.9

·Palladium 732.65

·Lumber (CME) – 363.50

.

Wolff: Is art a criminal enterprise?

The art market with its auction seasons has become something like fashion with its celebrity runway weeks, an insiders' game with a growing, almost sporting, appeal to outsiders.

Last week, an auction at Christie's delivered a new record price, $142 million for a triptych portrait of the artist Lucian Freud by the artist Francis Bacon, and Sotheby's drummed up more than a $100 million for a 1960s Andy Warhol piece.

Most of the hyperventilating commentary has been about the exhilaration of those prices, and the incredibility of the people who can pay them. To a lesser extent, some critics sought to rally around the troubling issues of reconciling great art with the distortion of so much dough. (The auctions, said The New York Times censoriously, "are a kind of fiction that has almost nothing to do with anything real.")

But hardly anybody was willing or able to explain the actual process of creating astronomical value where otherwise none might exist, and how, over many years, prices with no underlying logic have not only been sustained but have inevitably headed ever higher.

Those questions were absent in the auction commentary despite a steady litany of recent scandals in the art world. This included last week's guilty plea by art family scion Helly Nahmad, accused of racketeering, money laundering, extortion and gambling in concert with a coterie of Russian gangsters. His plea helps his secretive family, one of the most powerful in the art market, avoid further scrutiny.

Indeed, it is nearly commonplace among art professionals that art, perhaps second only to drug trafficking, is among the world's most lucrative dubious business. It is hard to overlook the connections between these two cash-rich enterprises.

Art is, too, a business of finance.

5 Best Medical Stocks To Invest In 2014

Many of the most prominent figures at the auctions are men whose primary interest is! not art, or the art market, but financial markets. This includes Dan Loeb, the billionaire corporate raider who buys stakes in companies and, using a variety of market strategies, moves up the price and then sells his stake — the basic model for high-end art dealing.

Steven Cohen, one of the world's leading art buyers, runs an investment firm, SAC Capital that pleaded guilty last week in the largest insider trading case in history. Cohen, who personally paid a fine of $1.8 billion, was a significant seller in last week's auctions, putting $88 million worth of art on the block.

The fact that financial trading is the business of so many new collectors, and that the international art market now provides a viable and ever more liquid alternative currency, one that is almost entirely unregulated, ought to suggest a reason for their interest. But curiously, Cohen and Loeb tend to be most often cast as victims of the art world, seduced by its status and social benefits, rather then predators in it.

Still, at least their interest is public.

A distinguishing feature of a big art auction is the extraordinary measures many bidders take to hide their identities. In a world where the rich most often want to proclaim themselves ever more loudly, in which art itself is supposed to be of value precisely because it identifies you as both rich and cultured, neither the sellers nor the buyers of the Bacon and Warhol works were revealed.

Why?

Not unlikely, for all the reasons it is better that people don't know you've just moved an indecent amount of money.

Art has become an efficient instrument for hiding cash. Swiss banks are no longer a very private place. But a warehouse in Switzerland — or, for that matter, New Jersey — is nicely confidential.

And art is a way to clean up your dirty wealth. Say you sell, well, drugs. You might buy a painting for $7 million, paying $2 million in cash (helping the seller to avoid taxes), so the transaction is listed as $5 million. Y! ou put it! in a warehouse for two years, let it predictably appreciate, and then sell it for $9 million. You've not only made $2 million, but you've cleaned another $2 million. Nobody the wiser.

Art, too, is a market that can be handily manipulated in a way that is likely more beautiful than art itself to financial fixers. If you own, for instance, five Warhols, you might put one up for auction, participate yourself in bidding up the price — you might even buy it yourself at a high price — thereby increasing the value of your other four paintings (which, now you can borrow against at their higher valuation).

A notable anomaly in the market is that old masters, with their limited supply, are now in less demand and are often priced more modestly than new artists, with unlimited supply. That defies economic logic — yet can be explained. Living artists print money. If you are a big buyer who helps set prices, you might be offered work at a goodly increase over an artist's last price point: $2 million, where the last sale was at $1 million. For that, you get one thrown in free, hence the deal has cost you nothing, but doubled the value for everybody else who holds the works, including the artist — leaving everybody happy.

Because there are few widows and orphans in the art market, there appears to be little need or public outcry to fix the system. Who is hurt? Nobody but artists who fail to willingly or adroitly play the game. And, perhaps, the culture itself, surrendering art to drug lords, oligarchs, money launderers and international vulgarians, and forcing the rest of us to admire what we might, given more rational values, disdain.

5 Stocks Under $10 Making Big Moves

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- At Stockpickr, we track daily portfolios of stocks that are the biggest percentage gainers and the biggest percentage losers.

>>5 Stocks Under $10 Set to Soar

Stocks that are making large moves like these are favorites among short-term traders because they can jump into these names and try to capture some of that massive volatility. Stocks that are making big-percentage moves either up or down are usually in play because their sector is becoming attractive or they have a major fundamental catalyst such as a recent earnings release. Sometimes stocks making big moves have been hit with an analyst upgrade or an analyst downgrade.

Regardless of the reason behind it, when a stock makes a large-percentage move, it is often just the start of a new major trend -- a trend that can lead to huge profits. If you time your trade correctly, combining technical indicators with fundamental trends, discipline and sound money management, you will be well on your way to investment success.

>>Why You Should Buy Hedge Funds' 5 Favorite Stocks

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at a several stocks under $10 that are making large moves to the upside today.

Altair Nanotechnologies

Altair Nanotechnologies (ALTI) develops, manufactures and sells nano lithium titanate batteries and energy storage systems. This stock closed up 13.7% to $5.70 in Thursday's trading session.

Thursday's Range: $5.00-$5.74

52-Week Range: $2.02-$8.00

Thursday's Volume: 97,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 116,922

>>5 Stocks With Big Insider Buying

From a technical perspective, ALTI soared higher here right above some near-term support at $4.50 with decent upside volume. This stock recently formed a major bottoming pattern between $4.30 and $4.50. Following that bottom, shares of ALTI have started to spike sharply higher and move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if ALTI manages to take out Thursday's high of $5.75 and once it clears some key near-term overhead resistance at $6 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ALTI as long as it's trending above Thursday's low of $5 or above $4.50 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 116,922 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then ALTI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $7.50 to its 52-week high at $8. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give ALTI a chance to tag $9.

Document Security Systems

Document Security Systems (DSS) is engaged in fraud and counterfeit protection for all forms of printed documents and digital information. This stock closed up 8.1% to $1.20 in Thursday's trading session.

Thursday's Range: $1.10-$1.24

52-Week Range: $0.86-$3.64

Thursday's Volume: 1.61 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 476,778

>>5 Rocket Stocks to Buy This Week

From a technical perspective, DSS ripped higher here right off its 50-day moving average of $1.13 with strong upside volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of DSS within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if DSS manages to take out Thursday's high of $1.24, and then once it clears some more key overhead resistance levels at $1.30 to $1.38 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in DSS as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $1.13 or above more key support at $1 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 476,778 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then DSS will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $1.68 to $1.75. Any high-volume move above those levels will then put its next major overhead resistance levels at $1.88 to its 200-day at $1.95 into range for shares of DSS.

Gulf Resources

Gulf Resources (GURE) manufactures and trades bromine and crude salt, and manufactures and sells chemical products used in oil and gas field exploration. This stock closed up 6.6% to $2.56 in Thursday's trading session.

Thursday's Range: $2.43-$2.58

52-Week Range: $0.88-$3.10

Thursday's Volume: 273,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 428,468

>>2 Oversold Stocks That Could Bounce Higher

From a technical perspective, GURE ripped higher here with lighter-than-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last three months and change, with shares soaring higher from its low of $1.14 to its recent high of $3.10. During that uptrend, shares of GURE have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of GURE within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if GURE manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.73 to its 52-week high at $3.10 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in GURE as long as it's trending above some near-term support at $2.22 or above more support at its 50-day at $1.98 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 428,468 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then GURE will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $3.50 to $4.50.

Inovio Pharmaceuticals

Inovio Pharmaceuticals (INO) is a biomedical company focused on the development of next-generation vaccines to prevent or treat cancers and chronic infectious diseases. This stock closed up 6.6% to $2.01 in Thursday's trading session.

Thursday's Range: $1.78-$2.06

52-Week Range: $0.44-$3.03

Thursday's Volume: 4.98 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 6.67 million

From a technical perspective, INO soared higher right above some near-term support at $1.70 with lighter-than-average volume. This move pushed shares of INO into breakout territory, since the stock took out some near-term overhead resistance at $1.97. Market players should now look for a continuation move higher in the short-term if INO can manage to take out Thursday's high of $2.06 to its 50-day moving average at $2.09 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in INO as long as it's trending above Thursday's low of $1.78 or above more support at $1.70 and then once it sustains a move or close above $2.06 to $2.09 with volume that hits near or above 6.67 million shares. If we get that move soon, then INO will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $2.19 to $2.38. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give INO a chance to tag its next major overhead resistance levels at $2.54 to $2.92.

Empresas ICA

Empresas ICA (ICA) is engaged in construction and related activities, including the construction of infrastructure facilities as well as industrial, urban and housing construction. This stock closed up 4.2% to $7.39 in Thursday's trading session.

Thursday's Range: $7.05-$7.51

52-Week Range: $6.14-$13.73

Thursday's Volume: 857,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 506,189

From a technical perspective, ICA ripped higher here right off some near-term support at $7 with above-average volume. This stock has been downtrending badly for the last month and change, with shares moving lower from its high of $9.34 to its recent low of $6.85. During that downtrend, shares of ICA have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, this bounce higher on Thursday could be signaling that the downside volatility for shares of ICA is over in the short-term, and the stock is ready to bounce higher.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ICA as long as it's trending above some key near-term support at $6.85 and then once it sustains a move or close above Thursday's high of $7.51 with volume that hits near or above 506,189 shares. If we get that move soon, then ICA will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $8 to its 50-day moving average at $8.31. Any high-volume move above $8.3 will then give ICA a chance to tag $9 to $9.20.

To see more stocks that are making notable moves higher today, check out the Stocks Under $10 Moving Higher portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

RELATED LINKS:

>>4 Stocks Rising on Big Volume

>>5 Stocks Set to Soar on Bullish Earnings

>>5 Tech Stocks to Trade This November

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including

CNBC.com and Forbes.com. You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.

Non-traded REIT managers have little skin in the game

Insiders and managers of nontraded real estate investment trusts typically own much fewer shares of their REITS than those affiliated with publicly traded REITS, a factor that could influence whether broker-dealers decide to sell shares in non-traded REITs.

A long-held tenet of institutional investing known as “eating your own cooking” or having “skin in the game,” the practice of aligning the interests of investors and REIT managers and executives is gaining importance for some independent broker-dealers, brokerage and REIT executives said.

(Dive in: Inside ownership of 11 big nontraded REITs)

Best selling nontraded REITs of 2013, plus data on management's ownership stake. Sources: Robert A. Stanger & Co. Inc., SNL Financial

According to research conducted by SNL Financial for InvestmentNews, the median percentage of shares owned by insiders of nontraded REITs is 0.25%, with the average being 6.12%. Subtract two nontraded REITs where insiders own 100% of the shares, and the median ownership drops to 0.23% and the average ownership falls to 3.09%.

10 Best Heal Care Stocks To Invest In 2014

Insiders and managers of listed REITs typically own far more of their shares, according to SNL. The median percentage of shares owned by insiders of traded REITs is 3.58%; the average is 8.92%.

SNL based its research on 162 traded REITs and 61 nontraded REITs.

BROKER-DEALERS CARE

Most nontraded REITS don't identify the degree of skin the game in their due-diligence analysis, but to some broker-dealers, it's becoming an important part of the process they use to decide whether they want to sell shares in the investments.

About two years ago, the network of four broker-dealers under the National Planning Holdings Inc. umbrella began to include REIT managers' share ownership as part of the criteria they use to evaluate these investments. The NPH due-diligence team said it had not rejected any sponsors yet because of a failure to meet its guidelines, but share ownership was watched closely.

“We do want management to participate in the offering and do prefer direct participation, that they buy [shares] themselves,” said Alfredo Gomez, assistant vice president for alternative investments and due diligence at NPH. “We prefer they own shares in the REIT directly, from the outset.”

The reps and advisers at the NPH broker-dealers are currently selling four nontraded REITs. Some are nearing the close of their period to raise money, so the firm is actively reviewing other offerings, Mr. Gomez said.

“A minority of REITs are doing this, but we're seeing it grow,” said Mr. Gomez. “I'm heari! ng that more managers from REITs are considering this. There seems to be more willingness to put money in from the get- go, but it depends on the manager and it could range from a few hundred thousand to millions of dollars. Some [REIT executives] are putting in part of their net worth.”

NOT A CONCERN

Other broker-dealer executives, however, said that management's ownership of nontraded REIT shares was not a great concern. Such REITs typically operate with an external adviser and therefore have a markedly different compensation structure, resulting in nontraded REIT managers' owning far fewer shares at the outset of an offering than the insiders of a traded REIT.

“I look at skin in the game when [there are] clear conflicts of interest at the sponsor level,” said John Rooney, a managing principal at Commonwealth Financial Network. “Say, if the sponsor has an institutional arm buying properties that the retail side is also chasing.”

“I don't put too much weight in it,” added Mr. Rooney, whose background includes doing due diligence on a variety of alternative investments. “Does Ned Johnson have money in Fidelity funds?”

Nontraded REITs began to draw the attention of regulators after the collapse of the commercial real estate market in 2007-08. Large REIT sponsors left advisers and clients bewildered as some slashed dividends and steeply reduced the valuations on their offerings.

Broker-dealer and REIT executives often point to the improvements in the product since then, including proposing rules to disclose brokers' commissions for selling the product clearly on client account statements and industry-proposed uniform guidelines for share valuations.

A RECORD YEAR

Coinciding with a recovery in the commercial real estate market, the result is that 2013 has been a record year for nontraded REIT sales. Industry executives believe that registered representatives and advisers will sell $18 billion in nontraded REITs this year, almost double! the amou! nt the industry sold last year.

Kevin Hogan, chief executive of the Investment Program Association, an industry trade group, declined to comment about the different percentages of share ownership between listed REITs and nontraded REITs.

However, he wrote in an e-mail that nontraded REIT advisers “are moving towards taking their fees in shares instead of cash and this is a positive development. “

There are clear differences between non-traded REITs and listed REITs, Mr. Hogan added. “Comparing compensation for listed REITs and nonlisted REITs requires clarity about the differences in corporate structure,” he wrote. “Traded REITs are internally run or employee-run vehicles. Because they're employees of the REIT, those executives can be compensated in stock. On the other hand, nontraded REITs are externally advised by corporate entities. The nontraded REITs don't pay executives directly. They pay the advising company, which in turn pays its executives. This is a critical distinction if you're talking about executives having skin in the game.”

Other REIT executives pointed to the considerable costs of launching a nontraded REIT, perhaps $5 million to $10 million, as an indication of a commitment by REIT managers that doesn't translate directly to share ownership. As many as two dozen REITs have failed to launch successfully since 2009, resulting in sponsors eating millions of dollars in external costs. They also stressed that serious alignment of managers' and shareholders' interests takes place after a REIT's initial public offering or fund-raising period, when sponsors and managers take fees in the form of shares and not cash.

That said, the market appears to be paying attention to skin in the game. According to investment bank Robert A. Stanger & Co. Inc., the top nontraded REIT in sales over the first nine months of this year was Griffin-American Healthcare REIT II Inc., which raised $1.73 billion. That REIT's management has a strong commitment to owni! ng shares! . For example, its chief executive, Jeffrey Hanson, takes 100% of his after-tax compensation in shares.

“We don't grant shares to ourselves,” Mr. Hanson said. “We have bought all our stock in full.”

“If you do the right thing, and align the interests of investors and management through a meaningful investment of your own net worth, it truly changes human psychology,” he said. “You make different decisions and better decisions, and the result is better long-term performance.”

Oil reclaims $94 as traders eye supplies

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Oil futures climbed on Wednesday, rebounding from the more than five-month closing low it saw in the previous session, as traders placed their bets ahead of weekly reports that are expected to reveal an increase in last week's U.S. crude supplies.

Crude futures for December delivery (CLZ3)  rose $1.15, or 1.2%, to $94.19 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, rebounding after a loss of 2.2% on Tuesday.

Weekly supply data from the American Petroleum Institute is slated for release at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time. A more closely watched petroleum-supply update will be released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration on Thursday at 11 a.m. Eastern. The reports on supplies were each delayed by a day due to Monday's Veterans Day holiday.

A Platts survey of analysts projected a 1.8-million-barrel rise in U.S. crude inventories for the week ended Nov. 8. Gasoline supplies, however, were predicted to fall by 1.2 million barrels, while distillate stocks — which include heating oil — were also seen down 1.2 million barrels, Platts said.

While expectations for further gains to crude supplies helped weigh on oil Tuesday, Platts also cited Oil Outlooks president Carl Larry as saying the consensus could well be wrong.

"It's looking like we're going to start refilling a lot of those refineries that have been more in hibernation than they have been in turnaround," Larry said in a Platts news release.

Brent rallies too

On the ICE Futures exchange, December Brent crude (UK:LCOZ3) improved by $1.21, or 1.1%, to $107.02 a barrel, ready to erase its 0.6% loss on Tuesday. The December Brent contract was set to expire at the close.

Blog: Energy Ticker
A blog about how to profit from the global energy market.
• Follow @EnergyTicker
/conga/story/misc/energy_ticker.html 281319

"U.S. oil prices were bid higher today on a wider Brent-[West Texas Intermediate crude] spread influenced partly by supply concerns affecting Iraq and Libya of course," said Richard Hastings, a macro strategist at Global Hunter Securities.

The difference between the two types of crude oils was near $13 a barrel but they were climbing in unison Wednesday. The spread had topped $14 recently — a level not seen since April.

But a weaker dollar helped provide a boost for both types of the dollar-denominated crudes on Wednesday.

The greenback fell against the British pound (GBPUSD)  after the Bank of England signaled that it could reach its 7% employment threshold for raising interest rates sooner than expected.

Comments from Peter Praet, a member of the European Central Bank's executive board, caused the euro to swing widely. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, published Wednesday, Praet emphasized that negative interest rates or asset purchases were still possibilities to boost inflation.

The suggestion of negative interest rates should pressure the euro and pull the U.S. dollar index (DXY)  higher — and commodities lower, said Darin Newsom, senior analyst at DTN, a commodity-market research company. But traders aren't looking at all of these factors, he said. Instead, "the driving force in crude oil is investors covering some of their short positions."

On Nymex Wednesday, gasoline futures also bounced back after their recent decline. December gasoline (RBZ3)  tacked on 4 cents, or 1.7%, to $2.63 a gallon. At the retail level, U.S. prices ticked higher for the first time in 12 days, after prices earlier this week dropped to their lowest in about 33 months.

December heating oil (HOZ3)  was up 4 cents, or 1.4%, at $2.89 a gallon after dropping 1.3% on Tuesday.

"You have to consider the very near-term boost from cold weather in the U.S. indicating a slight uptick to consumption of distillates," said Hastings. Distillates include heating oil.

Bloomberg

Futures prices for natural gas, however, pulled back after Tuesday's 1.2% gain on colder-than-normal temperatures for the Eastern U.S. The EIA will issue its weekly update on natural-gas supplies as usual on Thursday at 10:30 a.m. Analysts polled by Platts are looking for a supply increase of between 20 billion cubic feet and 24 billion cubic feet.

Top 5 Insurance Companies For 2014

December natural gas (NGZ13)  was last down 2 cents, or 0.6%, to $3.60 per million British thermal units.

Top 5 Clean Energy Stocks To Watch For 2014

There are many countries across the globe that utilize natural gas as transportation fuel. Argentina and Iran are among the world leaders. It is a trend that hasn't really picked up in the U.S. -- until now.

Natural gas is too cheap and too useful to ignore, and it is making inroads in the world of long-distance trucking. In this video, Fool.com contributor Aimee Duffy talks about the efforts of UPS (NYSE: UPS  ) and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT  ) �to take advantage of this growing movement.

The movement toward alternative energy is gaining momentum. One potential opportunity in this field is Clean Energy Fuels, which focuses its natural gas efforts primarily on trucking and fleets. It's poised to make a big impact on an essential industry. Learn everything you need to know about Clean Energy Fuels in The Motley Fool's premium research report on the company. Just click here now to claim your copy today.

Top 5 Clean Energy Stocks To Watch For 2014: August Metal Corporation (AGP.V)

August Metal Corporation, a development stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and evaluation of mineral resource properties in Mexico. The company holds interest in the 16,310 hectare Las Lajas Gold Project, located in southern Sonora, Mexico, which contains precious and base metal deposits. It also holds interests in the Thurlow Property located on British Columbia�s southwestern coast near Phillips Arm; and the El Capitan Property and the Cottonwood Showing that are located in Vancouver Island. The company was formerly known as Cuda Capital Corp. and changed its name to August Metal Corporation in November 2009. August Metal Corporation was incorporated in 2006 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.

Top 5 Clean Energy Stocks To Watch For 2014: Twoco Petroleums Ltd. (TWO.V)

Twoco Petroleums Ltd., an oil and gas company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas reserves in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin. The company�s core areas include the Andrew/Willingdon/Tofield area covering approximately 62,164 net acres of mineral rights and the Steele/Bolloque/Grassland area comprising 13,948 net acres of mineral rights located in Alberta, Canada. As of December 31, 2011, it had an interest in 30.75 net producing and 52.20 net non-producing oil and natural gas wells. The company was incorporated in 2000 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

10 Best Casino Stocks To Buy Right Now: NBT Bancorp Inc.(NBTB)

NBT Bancorp Inc., a financial holding company, provides commercial banking and financial services to individuals, corporations, and municipalities in central and upstate New York, northeastern Pennsylvania, and the greater Burlington, Vermont area. The company accepts various deposit products that include demand deposit accounts, savings accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, money market deposit accounts, and certificate of deposit accounts. Its loan portfolio comprises residential real estate mortgages, commercial loans, commercial real estate loans, real estate construction and development loans, agricultural and agricultural real estate loans, consumer loans, home equity loans, and lease financing. NBT Bancorp also provides retirement plan consulting and recordkeeping services; and trust and investment, financial planning, and life insurance services, as well as enables customers to check balances, transfer funds, pay bills, view statements, apply for loans , and access various other product and service information online. As of December 31, 2010, the NBT Bank division had 86 divisional offices and 114 automated teller machines (ATMs) located primarily in central and upstate New York and Burlington, Vermont; and the Pennstar Bank division had 37 divisional offices and 50 ATMs located primarily in northeastern Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1856 and is headquartered in Norwich, New York.

Top 5 Clean Energy Stocks To Watch For 2014: Canstar Resources Inc. (ROX.V)

Canstar Resources Inc., a junior resource company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Canada. It primarily explores for gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, and other base and precious metals. The company focuses on the McFauld's Lake property comprising 38 contiguous claim units in 3 mineral licences located in Northwestern Ontario; the Mary March property that covers 18 staked claims, 2 licenses, 1 lease, and 2 patented lots totaling 1,616 hectares located in the Buchans area of Newfoundland and Labrador; and Mary March extension property comprising 34 claims staked in 2 contiguous blocks located in the west and north of the Mary March property. It also focuses on the Slate Bay property totaling 8 contiguous patented claims covering 128 hectares located in the north of the town of Red Lake, Ontario. Canstar Resources Inc. is headquartered in Toronto, Canada.

Top 5 Clean Energy Stocks To Watch For 2014: Pan Orient Energy Corp (POE.V)

Pan Orient Energy Corp. operates as a junior oil and natural gas company. The company holds interests in four partially developed concessions located on-shore Thailand; and four production sharing contracts onshore Indonesia. It also has interests in contiguous sections of heavy oil sands leases in the Sawn Lake Property within the central Alberta Peace River Oil Sands area. As of December 31, 2011, the company had proved plus probable reserves of 19 million barrels in Thailand. Pan Orient Energy Corp. is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Top 5 Low Price Companies To Own In Right Now

Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI  ) has returned more than 9% so far this year, but as we all know, past performances are not indicative of future returns. That's why�I created a�premium report on Kinder Morgan -- to help investors examine its future and decide if the company is still right for their portfolios.

The following is an excerpt from the report, which focuses on the main risks facing the company. It's just a sample of one section, but we hope you enjoy.

Risks

Opposition to pipeline construction�and expansion may affect Kinder Morgan's growth. The company is already experiencing this with its Trans Mountain line. The 300,000 barrel per day pipeline connects Alberta's oil sands to British Columbia. KMP is currently trying to more than double capacity on the line, which is frequently oversubscribed, but it is running into a bit of opposition from environmental groups and local citizenry. One of North Vancouver's First Nation tribes has already signed a legal declaration banning oil sands pipelines on its land. Kinder Morgan has received long-term customer commitments to bring contracted capacity up to 700,000 barrels per day, targeting an eventual capacity of 890,000 bpd. Realistically, the company will probably have to spend some time in court if the expansion is to be realized. Commodity risk�is a concern as well. Kinder Morgan's CO2 segment includes oil and natural gas liquids production. Though operations are going well -- the partnership is setting NGL production records -- prices have plummeted over the past year and it is impacting earnings in this segment. Additionally, though Kinder Morgan doesn't take possession of its natural gas, and therefore isn't on the hook when prices drop, the low price environment means that producers have been pulling rigs out of dry gas plays in favor of producing other commodities like oil and NGLs. As a result, Kinder Morgan systems devoted to dry gas, like KinderHawk in the Haynesville Shale, have experienced lower volumes, and subsequently, lower revenue. Declining demand�for refined products, coal, and steel could cause problems. Recently, Kinder Morgan has been able to buck the national trend of declining demand, as the partnership's refined products volumes increased slightly. But the Energy Information Administration is reporting a 1.2% decline in demand nationwide, so this is a segment that may have tough times ahead. Domestic demand for coal continues to fall, impacting the partnership's terminals segment. That business unit is also affected by soft demand for steel. If and when the economy rebounds, steel demand will likely rise as well. What will happen with domestic coal demand remains to be seen.

Looking for more guidance?
That was just a sample of our new premium report on Kinder Morgan. If you're weighing whether the company�is a�buy or sell, the report is an essential resource for investors seeking more information on the company. Not only that, but the report also comes with updated quarterly guidance and dives into upcoming catalysts on the horizon. To get started, simply�click here now.

Top 5 Low Price Companies To Own In Right Now: Abcourt Mines Inc. (ABI.V)

Abcourt Mines Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mining properties in Canada. It explores for gold, siver, copper, and zinc ores. The company owns 100% interests in the Elder and Tagami mine project that consists of 34 claims and a mining concession covering an area of 876 hectares located near Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec; the Abcourt-Barvue property, which comprises 139 claims and 2 mining concessions covering 5,865 hectares located to the north of the mining community of Val-d�Or, Quebec; and the Vendome property that includes 59 claims covering 2,546 hectares located to the north of Val-d�Or, Quebec. It also holds a 100% interest in the Aldermac property that covers 303 hectares located in Beauchastel township near Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec; and interests in the Vezza property consisting of 85 claims and 19 cells covering 2,233 hectares in Vezza township, Quebec. The company is headquartered in Mont-St-Hilaire, Canada.

Top 5 Low Price Companies To Own In Right Now: Aetrium Incorporated(ATRM)

Aetrium Incorporated designs, manufactures, and markets electromechanical equipment for the semiconductor industry to handle and test integrated circuits (ICs). The company provides test handler products, which incorporates thermal conditioning, contacting, and automated handling technologies to provide automated handling of ICs during production of test cycles; change kits to adapt test handlers to various IC package configurations or to upgrade installed equipment; and gravity feed test handlers. It also offers reliability test equipment, which provides structural performance data to aid in the evaluation and improvement of IC designs and manufacturing processes. The company sells its products to semiconductor manufacturers, and their assembly and test subcontractors through direct salespeople, independent sales representatives, and distributors in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, a nd the Philippines. Aetrium Incorporated was founded in 1982 and is based in North St. Paul, Minnesota.

10 Best Insurance Stocks To Watch For 2014: Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc.(CRTX)

Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, engages in the acquisition, development, and commercialization of prescription pharmaceutical drugs for the hospital, niche respiratory, and related specialty markets. The company offers CUROSURF, a natural lung surfactant used for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants; and ZYFLO CR and ZYFLO, which are leukotriene synthesis inhibitor drugs used for the prevention and chronic treatment of asthma in adults and children. It also provides anti-infective products, such as FACTIVE, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic used for the treatment of acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis (ABECB) and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) of mild to moderate severity; and SPECTRACEF, a antibiotic used for the treatment of respiratory tract infections, pharyngitis and tonsillitis, uncomplicated skin and skin-structure infections, ABECB, and CAP. In addition, the company?s pipeline products include CRTX 080, a vasopressin receptor 2 antagonist lixivaptan used for the treatment of hyponatremia; CRTX 073, an anti-asthma product candidate used for the treatment of asthma; and CRTX 067, a cough/cold product candidate for the treatment of cough and cold. It serves drug wholesalers, retail drug stores, mass merchandisers, and grocery store pharmacies in the United States. The company was formerly known as Critical Therapeutics, Inc. and changed its name to Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. as a result of its merger with Cornerstone BioPharma Holdings, Inc. in October 2008. Cornerstone Therapeutics Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Cary, North Carolina.

Top 5 Low Price Companies To Own In Right Now: Mission NewEnergy Limited(MNEL)

Mission NewEnergy Limited, a renewable energy company, owns and operates biodiesel refinery plants. It produces biodiesel a clean alternative energy substitute for diesel. The company also engages in the cultivation and supply of Jatropha Curcas, an inedible biofuel feedstock. As of October 31, 2011, it had approximately 234,587 acres of Jatropha Curcas under contract farming agreements. In addition, the company owns and operates two wind energy turbines. It has operations in Asia, Australia, Europe, and North America. The company, formerly known as Mission Biofuels Limited, was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered Osborne Park, Australia.

Top 5 Low Price Companies To Own In Right Now: Core Laboratories N.V. (CLB)

Core Laboratories N.V. engages in the provision of reservoir description, production enhancement, and reservoir management services to the oil and gas industry worldwide. The company�s reservoir description services comprise the characterization of petroleum reservoir rock, fluid, and gas samples; and provision of analytical and field services to characterize properties of crude oil and petroleum products. Its production enhancement products and services relate to reservoir well completions, perforations, stimulations, and production, as well as include integrated services to evaluate the effectiveness of well completions and to develop solutions to increase the effectiveness of enhanced oil recovery projects. The company�s reservoir management services consist of the combination and integration of information from reservoir description and production enhancement services to increase production and enhance recovery of oil and gas from clients' reservoirs. Core Laboratori es N.V. markets and sells its services and products through sales representatives, technical seminars, trade shows, and print advertising, as well as through direct sales force, technical experts, operating managers, sales representatives, and distributors in various markets. The company was founded in 1936 and is based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joel South and Taylor Muckerman]

  In the following video, Motley Fool energy analysts Joel South and Taylor Muckerman take a close look at one energy services company reporting earnings next week, Core Laboratories (NYSE: CLB  ) . Joel gives us some of the particulars on why this company, which helps exploration and production companies maximize production from their wells, is a particular favorite of his, what investors should be looking for in the earnings report next week, and what he thinks of the stock today.

• [By Louis Navellier]

  Oil companies are finding it increasingly difficult to extract gas from traditional deposits and are now being forced to look to alternative sources and methods of extraction. And Core Laboratories (CLB) is a Netherlands-based company that provides the technology that oil producers use to develop their oil and gas properties��ncluding reservoir description, production enhancement and reservoir management services. Here’s a quick rundown of those services:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  On Wednesday, Core Labs (NYSE: CLB  ) will release its latest quarterly results. The key to making smart investment decisions on stocks reporting earnings is to anticipate how they'll do before they announce results, leaving you fully prepared to respond quickly to whatever inevitable surprises arise. That way, you'll be less likely to make an uninformed knee-jerk reaction to news that turns out to be exactly the wrong move.

• [By GuruFocus]

  Added: Core Laboratories N.V. (CLB)

  Tom Gayner added to his holdings in Core Laboratories N.V. by 200%. His purchase prices were between $126.24 and $153.63, with an estimated average price of $141.69. The impact to his portfolio due to this purchase was 0.02%. His holdings were 6,000 shares as of 06/30/2013.