Starbucks sells more tea
While Starbucks has long served tea, the company took its relationship with the dried leaves to a new level last year when it purchased Teavana for $620 million. That brand is now the face of Starbucks' first stand-alone tea bar, located in New York City. Teavana is also going to be used as a rebranding for Starbucks' other tea brand, Tazo.
10 Best Life Sciences Stocks To Watch For 2015: Orange County Business Bank (OCBB)
Orange County Business Bank is Orange County's elite full-service commercial bank. The Company is a capitalized bank in Southern California.
The Company is serving the needs of businesses and professionals throughout Orange County. It offers relationship banking services for locally owned and operated businesses, professional practices, and commercial/industrial companies in Orange County and adjacent markets.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
Today, OCBB remains (0.00%) +0.000 at $7.15 thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 2:07PM EDT August 1, 2013).
Orange County Business Bank previously reported financial results for the three months and six months ended June 30, 2013.
The Bank�� net income for the three months ended June 30, 2013 was $204 thousand versus a net loss of $47 thousand for the same period in 2012. The Bank reported net income for the first six months of 2013 of $649 thousand versus a net loss of $126 thousand for the same period in 2012.
The Bank�� net interest income for the three months ended June 30, 2013 was $1.4 million versus $1.1 million a year ago. The difference of $300 thousand in net interest income was primarily driven by an increase in the total loans outstanding. Net interest income for the six months ended June 30, 2013 was $2.6 million versus $2.4 million for the same period in 2012. The difference of $200 thousand was due to an increase in the total loans outstanding. The Bank continues to aggressively push into established and successful markets to develop profitable relationships. This push has resulted in the growth of loans, deposits and net interest income
5 Best Electric Utility Stocks For 2014: Good Times Restaurants Inc.(GTIM)
Good Times Restaurants, Inc., through its subsidiary, Good Times Drive Thru Inc., engages in developing, owning, operating, and franchising hamburger-oriented drive-through restaurants. The company operates restaurants under the Good Times Burgers & Frozen Custard name primarily in Colorado. It also has franchised restaurants in North Dakota and Wyoming. As of September 30, 2011, the company operated 25 company-owned and joint venture restaurants located in Colorado; and franchises, including 16 located in Colorado, 2 in Wyoming, and 2 in North Dakota. Good Times Restaurants, Inc. was founded in 1987 and is based in Golden, Colorado.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Small cap restaurant stocks BJ's Restaurants, Inc (NASDAQ: BJRI), Good Times Restaurants Inc (NASDAQ: GTIM) and Giggles N Hugs Inc (OTCMKTS: GIGL) aren�� well known to most investors and consumers, but they have produced their share of decent returns for investors. Here is what investors need to know about all three small cap restaurant stocks:
5 Best Electric Utility Stocks For 2014: Murphy Oil Corp (MUR)
Murphy Oil Corporation, incorporated on June 29, 1964, is a worldwide oil and gas exploration and production company with retail and wholesale gasoline marketing operations in the United States and refining and marketing operations in the United Kingdom. In August 2013, the Company announced that it has completed the spin-off of its United States retail marketing business into an independent public company called Murphy USA Inc.
Murphy's exploration and production activities are subdivided into five geographic segments, including the United States, Canada, Malaysia, the Republic of the Congo and all other countries. Murphy's refining and marketing activities are subdivided into segments for the United States and the United Kingdom.
Exploration and Production
During the year ended December 31, 2012, Murphy's principal exploration and production activities were conducted in the United States by wholly owned Murphy Exploration & Production Company - USA (Murphy Expro USA), in Malaysia, Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, Suriname, Australia, Brunei, the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Cameroon, Vietnam and Equatorial Guinea by wholly owned Murphy Exploration & Production Company - International (Murphy Expro International) and its subsidiaries, in Western Canada and offshore Eastern Canada by wholly owned Murphy Oil Company Ltd. (MOCL) and its subsidiaries, and in the U.K. North Sea and the Atlantic Margin by wholly owned Murphy Petroleum Limited.
Murphy's crude oil and natural gas liquids production in 2012 was in the United States, Canada, Malaysia, the Republic of the Congo and the United Kingdom; its natural gas was produced and sold in the United States, Canada, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. MOCL owns a 5% undivided interest in Syncrude Canada Ltd. in northern Alberta, one of the producers of synthetic crude oil. Murphy's worldwide crude oil, condensate and natural gas liquids production in 2012, averaged 112,591 barrels per day. The Company's worldwi! de sales volume of natural gas averaged 490 million cubic feet per day in 2012.
In the United States, Murphy primarily has production of oil and/or natural gas from fields in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, in the Eagle Ford Shale area of South Texas and onshore in South Louisiana. The Company produced approximately 26,100 barrels of oil per day and 53 million cubic feet of natural gas per day in the U.S. in 2012. During 2012, approximately 54% of total U.S. hydrocarbon production was produced at fields in the Gulf of Mexico. The Company holds a 60% interest at Medusa in Mississippi Canyon Blocks 538/582, which produced total daily oil and natural gas of about 4,300 barrels and for million cubic feet, respectively, in 2012. At December 31, 2012, the Medusa field had total proved oil and natural gas reserves of approximately 9.2 million barrels and 9.4 billion cubic feet, respectively. Murphy has a 62.5% working interest in the Front Runner field in Green Canyon Blocks 338/339. Oil and natural gas production at Front Runner averaged about 3,900 barrels of oil per day and four million cubic feet per day in 2012. The Company also acquired additional working interests in the Thunder Hawk field in Mississippi Canyon Block 734 in 2012 and holds 62.5% of this field. In 2012 oil production from this field averaged 2,800 barrels per day and 1.7 million cubic feet per day and 3.2 million cubic feet per day due to a new well completed in 2012.
The Company is primarily concentrating drilling efforts in the areas of the Eagle Ford where oil is the primary hydrocarbon produced. Totals for 2012 oil and natural gas production in the Eagle Ford area were approximately 13,300 barrels per day and 13 MMCF per day, respectively. On a barrel of oil equivalent basis, Eagle Ford production accounted for 44% of total U.S. production volumes in 2012. At December 31, 2012, the Company's proved reserves in the Eagle Ford Shale area totaled 113.6 million barrels of oil and 108.7 billion cubic feet of natural! gas. Tot! al proved U.S. oil and natural gas reserves at December 31, 2012 were 142.6 million barrels and 209.7 billion cubic feet, respectively. The Company is developing the Dalmatian field located in DeSoto Canyon Blocks 4 and 48 in the Gulf of Mexico.
In Canada, the Company owns an interest in three non-operated assets - the Hibernia and Terra Nova fields offshore Newfoundland in the Jeanne d'Arc Basin and Syncrude Canada Ltd. in northern Alberta. In addition, the Company owns interests in one heavy oil area, two natural gas areas and light oil prospective acreage in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB). Murphy has a 6.5% working interest in Hibernia, while at Terra Nova the Company's working interest is 10.475%. Oil production in 2012 was about 5,300 barrels of oil per day at Hibernia and 1,700 barrels per day at Terra Nova. Total proved oil reserves at December 31, 2012 at Hibernia and Terra Nova were approximately 10.6 million barrels and 5.9 million barrels, respectively.
Murphy owns a 5% undivided interest in Syncrude Canada Ltd., a joint venture located about 25 miles north of Fort McMurray, Alberta. Syncrude utilizes its assets, which include three coking units, to extract bitumen from oil sand deposits and to upgrade this bitumen into a synthetic crude oil. Production in 2012 was about 13,800 barrels of synthetic crude oil per day. Total proved reserves for Syncrude at year-end 2012 were 119.1 million barrels. Daily production in 2012 in the WCSB averaged about 7,500 barrels of mostly heavy oil and about 217 million cubic feet of natural gas. Through 2012, the Company has acquired approximately 144 thousand net acres of mineral rights in the Montney area, including Tupper and Tupper West.
In Malaysia, the Company has majority interests in six separate production sharing contracts (PSCs). The Company serves as the operator of all these areas other than the Kakap field. The production sharing contracts cover approximately 2.79 million gross acres. Murphy h! as an 85%! interest in discoveries made in two shallow-water blocks, SK 309 and SK 311, offshore Sarawak. About 7,400 barrels of oil per day were produced in 2012 at Blocks SK 309/311, with almost 75% of this at the West Patricia field and the remainder mostly associated with gas liquids produced at other Sarawak fields. Total net natural gas sales volume offshore Sarawak was about 174 million cubic feet per day during 2012 . Total proved reserves of oil and natural gas at December 31, 2012 for Blocks SK 309/311 were 10.3 million barrels and 284.7 billion cubic feet, respectively.
The Company made a discovery at the Kikeh field in deepwater Block K, offshore Sabah, Malaysia. Total gross acreage held by the Company in Block K as of December 31, 2012 was 80,000 acres. Production volumes at Kikeh averaged 44,900 barrels of oil per day during 2012. Total proved reserves booked in Block K as of year-end 2012 were 85.4 million barrels of oil and 72.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas.Total proved reserves booked in Block K in 2012, were 85.4 million barrels of oil and 72.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas. Total gross acreage held by the Company at year-end 2012 in Block H was 1.40 million acres. Murphy has a 75% interest in gas holding agreements for Kenarong and Pertang discoveries made in Block PM 311, located offshore peninsular Malaysia.
The Company had interests in Production Sharing Agreements (PSA) covering two offshore blocks in Republic of the Congo - Mer Profonde Sud (MPS) and Mer Profonde Nord (MPN) during 2012. These interests covered approximately 1.33 million gross acres with water depths ranging from 490 to 6,900 feet, and the Company operated both blocks. Total oil production in 2012 averaged 2,100 barrels per day at Azurite for the Company's 50% interest. Anticipated production in 2013 is 1,500 barrels per day.
The Company holds six exploration permits in Australia and serves as operator of four of them. Block NT/P80 in the Bonaparte Basin, offshore northwester! n Austral! ia, was acquired in June 2009 and covers approximately 1.20 million gross acres. In May 2012, Murphy was awarded permit WA-476-P in the Carnarvon Basin, offshore Western Australia. The Company holds 100% working interest in the permit which covers 177,000 gross acres. In August 2012, Murphy was awarded permit WA-481-P in the Perth Basin, offshore Western Australia. The permit covers approximately 4.30 million gross acres, with water depths ranging from 20 to 300 meters. The Company holds a 40% working interest. The work commitment calls for tw0- dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) seismic acquisition and processing, geophysical work and three exploration wells. In November 2012, Murphy acquired a 20% non-operated working interest in permit WA-408-P in the Browse Basin. This block is adjacent to AC/P36 and is in the midst of a two-well exploration campaign. The permit comprises approximately 417,000 gross acres.
The Company has interests in four exploration licenses in Indonesia and serves as operator of all these concessions. . Following contractually mandated acreage relinquishment in 2012, the block covers approximately 745 thousand gross acres. The Company has a 28.3% interest in the block which covers about 543 thousand gross acres after a required partial relinquishment of acreage during 2012. The permit calls for a 3D seismic program and three exploration wells. Murphy has a 100% interest in the block which covers 1.22 million gross acres. In November 2012, the Company signed a production sharing contract with Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group and PetroVietnam Exploration Production Company, whereby it acquired 65% interest and operatorship of Blocks 144 and 145. The blocks cover approximately 4.42 million gross acres and are located in the outer Phu Khanh Basin. In late 2012, the Company was granted Vietnam's government approval to acquire a 60% working interest and operatorship of Block 11-2/11.
The Company operates and holds a 50% interest in the block. The Ce! ntral Doh! uk block covers approximately 153 thousand gross acres and is located in the Dohuk area of the Kurdistan region in Iraq. The Company shot seismic in 2011 and drilled an unsuccessful exploration well in 2012.The Company acquired a 100% working interest and operatorship of Block 48 offshore Suriname. The block encompasses 794 thousand gross acres with water depths ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 meters. Murphy relinquished Block 37 in July 2012.
Murphy was granted government approval to acquire a 50% working interest and operatorship of the NTEM concession. The working interest was acquired from Sterling Cameroon Limited (Sterling) via a farm-out agreement of the existing production sharing contract. Sterling retained a 50% non-operated interest in the block. The NTEM block, situated in the Douala Basin offshore Cameroon, encompasses 573 thousand gross acres, with water depths ranging from 300 to 1,900 meters. In October 2012, Murphy signed an agreement with Perenco Cameroon to acquire a 50% interest in the Elombo production sharing contract, immediately adjacent to the NTEM concession. The Company received government approval to acquire the acreage in December 2012. Perenco retained a 50% operating interest in the block. The Elombo block, situated in the Douala Basin offshore Cameroon, between the shoreline and the NTEM block, encompasses 594 thousand gross acres with water depths ranging up to 1,100 meters.
In December 2012, Murphy signed a production sharing contract for block W offshore Equatorial Guinea. Murphy has a 45% working interest and has been designated the operator. The government is expected to ratify the contract early in 2013. The block is located offshore mainland Equatorial Guinea and encompasses 557 thousand gross acres with water depths ranging from 60 to 2,000 meters. The initial exploration period of five years is divided into two sub-periods, a sub-period of three years and a second sub-period of two years. The sub-period may be extended one year and with this! extensio! n is the obligation to drill one well. Murphy has produced oil and natural gas in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea for many years. In 2012, Murphy entered into several contracts to sell all of its oil and gas properties in the United Kingdom.
Murphy's total proved undeveloped reserves at December 31, 2012 increased 42.0 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBOE) from a year earlier. Approximately 44.0 MMBOE of proved undeveloped reserves were converted to proved developed reserves during 2012. During 2012, there were 26.6 million barrels of oil per day of positive revisions for proved undeveloped reserves. At December 31, 2012, proved reserves are included for several development projects that are ongoing, including natural gas developments at the Tupper West area in British Columbia and offshore Sarawak Malaysia, and an oil development at Kakap, offshore Sabah Malaysia. Total proved undeveloped reserves associated with various development projects at December 31, 2012 were approximately 219 million barrels of oil per day, which is 36% of the Company's total proved reserves.
Murphy Oil USA, Inc. (MOUSA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Murphy Oil Corporation and markets its refined products through a network of Company stations, unbranded wholesale customers and bulk products customers in a 30-state area, primarily in the Southern and Midwestern United States. Murphy's Company stations are located in 23 states and are primarily located in the parking lots of Walmart Supercenters using the brand name Murphy USA. The Company stations also include stand-alone locations using the Murphy Express brand. During 2012, Company stations sold over 3.8 billion gallons of motor fuel. At December 31, 2012, the Company marketed fuel and convenience merchandise through 1,165 Company stations. Of these Company stations, 1,015 are located on parking lots of Walmart Supercenters or other Walmart stores and 150 are stand-alone Murphy Express locations.
The Company owns land und! erlying 9! 08 of the Company stations on Walmart parking lots. No rent is payable to Walmart for the owned locations. For the remaining 104 Company stations located on Walmart property that are not owned, Murphy has master agreements that allow the Company to rent land from Walmart. The master agreements contain general terms applicable to all rental sites on Walmart property in the United States. In addition to the motor fuel sold at the Company's Company stations, its stores carry a broad selection of snacks, beverages, tobacco products, and other non-food merchandise. The Company's merchandise offerings include two private label products, an isotonic drink offered in several flavors and a private label energy drink. In 2012, the Company purchased more than 88% of its merchandise from a single vendor, McLane's Company, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.
Murphy owns an interest in a crude oil pipeline that connects storage at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) at Clovelly, Louisiana, to the formerly owned Meraux refinery. Murphy owns a 40.1% interest in its 22 miles of this pipeline from Clovelly to Alliance, Louisiana, and 100% of the remaining 24 miles from Alliance to Meraux. Murco Petroleum Limited (Murco), a wholly owned U.K. subsidiary, owns 100% interest in a refinery at Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales. The refinery is located on a 938 acre site owned by the Company; 430 acres are used by the refinery and the remainder is rented for agricultural use. The refinery consistently performed near nameplate capacity during 2012. Murphy has announced its intention to sell the Milford Haven refinery and United Kingdom marketing assets.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Smith]
Sometime in the second half of this year, Murphy Oil� (NYSE: MUR ) will split in two. When that happens, the company announced today, its current president and CEO, Steve Cosse, will be leaving Murphy proper to join the spun-off business running the firm's current downstream operations, Murphy USA.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
The shares will likely react more to the fleet status report that was released last night, which saw the newbuild Ocean BlackRhino secure a contract, but only because it will take over the contract that the Ocean Confidence was set to begin in April 2015. The transfer of this backlog suggests that the BlackRhino could not secure its own contract that commenced in its delivery window. The customer (Murphy Oil (MUR)) has the option to extend the original 285-day contract at $550k/d to a 2-year contract at $500k/d, or a 3-year contract at $485k/d. The 485k/d rate represents the step down from recent 3-year contracts in the $550-$600 range. While the rate is above initial speculation of a flat $400k/d rate and our estimate of $450k/d, we think it will be perceived negatively as it serves as a reminder that the trend in ultra-deepwater dayrates remains firmly down. Several positive datapoints recently had seemed to instill a sense of complacency in the market that this contract will likely help dispel.
5 Best Electric Utility Stocks For 2014: Mechanical Technology Inc (MKTY)
Mechanical Technology, Incorporated (MTI), incorporated on October 4, 1961, operates in two segments: the Test and Measurement Instrumentation segment, which is conducted through MTI Instruments, Inc. (MTI Instruments), a wholly-owned subsidiary, and the New Energy segment, which is conducted through MTI MicroFuel Cells, Inc. (MTI Micro), a variable interest entity (VIE) as of December 31, 2011. MTI Instruments is a worldwide supplier of precision non-contact physical measurement solutions, portable balance equipment and wafer inspection tools. MTI Micro is developing Mobion, a handheld energy-generating device. Mobion handheld generators are based on direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) technology. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned approximately 47.6% of MTI Micro's interest.
The Test and Measurement Instrumentation Segment
MTI Instruments is a worldwide supplier of precision non-contact physical measurement solutions, portable balance equipment and wafer inspection tools. MTI Instrument's products use a range of technologies to solve applications in numerous industries including manufacturing, semiconductor, solar, commercial and military aviation, automotive and data storage. The Company's test and measurement segment has three product groups: Precision Instruments, Semiconductor and Solar Metrology Systems, and Aviation Balancing Systems. The Company's products consist of electronic, computerized gauging instruments for position, displacement and vibration applications for the design, manufacturing/production and test and research markets; metrology tools for wafer characterization of semiconductor and solar wafers; tensile stage systems for materials testing in research and industrial settings; and engine balancing and vibration analysis systems for both military and commercial aircraft.
The Precision Instruments group employs capacitance, laser and fiber optic technologies to make nano-accurate measurements. These advanced sensing and physical measur! ement technologies are used to produce products that range from basic sensors to complete, fully integrated measurement systems, and are available as single sensors for integration into existing data acquisition systems or as complete system level solutions that can be further integrated into a facility wide communication backbone. MTI Instruments' Precision Instruments product offerings & technologies include Accumeasure Family, Microtrak Family, Microtrak II Series, Microtrak Pro-2D, MTI-2100 Fotonic Sensor Series, MTI Tensile Stages, Semiconductor and Solar Metrology Systems, Aviation Balancing Systems, PBS-4100+ /4100R+ Portable Balancing System, TSC-4800A Tachometer Signal Conditioner, and 1510A Calibrator.
The Accumeasure family of products is designed to address the needs of product developers, process engineers, researchers, designers, and others who need measurements. MTI Instrument's Microtrak family of laser triangulation sensors offers displacement, position and vibration measurements. The Microtrak II comes with an interface controller that provides a digital display of the target position, alarm set points and connections for analog and RS-485 outputs. The Microtrak II Stand-Alone Laser Head also uses complementary metal oxide semiconductors with charged coupled device (CMOS - CCD) detection technology. During the year ended December 31, 2011, MTII launched its Microtrak PRO-2D laser triangulation scanners, which provides profile, displacement and dimensional information in real time.
The MTI-2100 features fiber-optic and electronic technologies for precise measurements of displacement, position and vibration. MTI Instruments' miniature tensile, compression and bend testing machines are designed for use in scanning electron microscopes, atomic force microscopes, and light microscopes. The Company's family of wafer metrology systems includes manual and semi-automated systems. The Semiconductor and Solar Metrology Systems include Proforma 200SA/300SA, Proforma 300 a! nd PV-100! 0. The Proforma 300 is a manual tool. The PV-1000 is incorporated into solar cell production lines to help manufacturers determine quality control issues. The computer-based portable balancing systems (PBS) products collect and record aircraft engine vibration data, identify vibration or balance trouble in an engine, and calculate a solution to the problem.
The portable PBS-4100+ detects if an engine has a vibration problem or a trim balance problem and provides a solution, resulting in reduced engine vibration, longer engine life, and lower fuel costs. The PBS-4100R+ rack mounted system offers the same features and functions as the portable PBS-4100+ with added data channels, speed input channels, direct current (DC) outputs and diagnostic options. TSC-4800A Tachometer Signal Conditioner is targeted for operators of Engine Test cells, where accurate and reliable conditioning of speed signals is essential. The TSC-4800A features multiple output circuits that provide more than 10 different signals types for the monitoring devices. The PBS family of products includes a 1510A calibrator - a product that automatically performs a calibration check of the PBS unit which otherwise would take hours.
The New Energy Segment
MTI Micro has been developing an off-the-grid power solution for various portable electronic devices to address this power gap. The Company's DMFC technology platform, called Mobion, converts methanol fuel to usable electricity. The Company's fuel cell power solution consists of two components integrated into a manufactured device: the direct methanol fuel cell power engine, which the Company refers to as its Mobion Chip, and methanol fuel cartridges. MTI Micro is focusing the development of an external power charger product as a standalone device that uses a universal serial bus (USB) interface as a power output connector that can be used to recharge handheld mobile devices. A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device, which is similar t! o a batte! ry that produces electricity from a liquid or gaseous fuel, such as methanol, and an oxidant, such as oxygen.
The Company competes with KLA-Tencor, Sigma Tech Corporation, E+H Eichhorn+Hausmann GmbH, Chadwick-Helmuth Company, Inc., ACES Systems, Micro-Epsilon, and Keyence Corporation.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Small cap Plug Power Inc was formed in 1997 as a joint venture between Michigan utility owner DTE Energy Co (NYSE: DTE) and Mechanical Technology Inc (OTCMKTS: MKTY) to develop fuel-cell systems to power homes and small businesses. Plug Power Inc says it has�revolutionized the material handling industry with cost-effective power solutions that increase productivity, lower operating costs and reduce carbon footprints as�it manufactures a full suite of products designed to fit seamlessly into the existing battery compartment of all major OEM material handling equipment. In addition, the company says its GenDrive fuel cell is a superior alternative to lead-acid batteries for electric lift trucks in the $20 billion�global material handling market.
- [By John Udovich]
Meanwhile, Plug Power Inc was formed in 1997 as a joint venture of Michigan utility owner DTE Energy Co (NYSE: DTE) and Mechanical Technology Inc (OTCMKTS: MKTY) to develop fuel-cell systems to power homes and small businesses. Plug Power Inc says it has�revolutionized the material handling industry with cost-effective power solutions that increase productivity, lower operating costs and reduce carbon footprints as�it manufactures a full suite of products designed to fit seamlessly into the existing battery compartment of all major OEM material handling equipment. The company also says that�its GenDrive fuel cell is a superior alternative to lead-acid batteries for electric lift trucks in the $20 billion�global material handling market.
No comments:
Post a Comment