Some have wondered why gas prices haven't plunged while America's energy production booms. The simple answer is that oil is a global commodity and fairly easy to transport, so it's priced on the global market. Rising U.S. production has been mostly offset by Iranian sanctions. There's little net impact on price.
Natural gas is different. It's more difficult to transport, so prices tend to vary depending on location. America's energy boom has pushed natural gas prices down, hitting decade-lows last year. That has a big impact on home energy bills, as the Energy Information Administration noted this week:
Consumers spent 2.7% of their household income on home energy bills last year, the lowest percentage in 10 years. Aggregate home energy expenditures by U.S. households fell $12 billion in 2012 from the 2011 level. In 2012, prices for residential natural gas decreased 3% from the previous year, while household electricity prices stayed about the same.�
10 Best Prefered Stocks To Own For 2015: Buderim Ginger Ltd (BUG.AX)
Buderim Ginger Limited primarily engages in the manufacture and marketing of confectionery ginger and other ginger-based products to industrial, food service, and retail customers worldwide. Its products include naked ginger, baby stem ginger syrup, crystallized syrup, ginger beers, ginger refreshers, chews, gingerbons, cordials, ginger spreads, naked ginger seconds, original ginger marmalades, OsteoSoothe and QueaseEase capsules, sweet chilli and ginger sauces, and whipped ginger. The company is also involved in the processing and marketing of macadamias to wholesale and retail customers worldwide; and manufacture and marketing of frozen bakery products to food service and retail customers in Australia. In addition, it engages in tourism operations that cover the sale of ginger and other retail gift and food products, and the provision of leisure activities within the Australian tourism market. Buderim Ginger Limited was founded in 1941 and is headquartered in Yandina, Au stralia.
10 Best Prefered Stocks To Own For 2015: Five Oaks Investment Corp (OAKS.N)
Five Oaks Investment Corp., incorporated on March 28, 2012, focused on investing in, financing and managing a leveraged portfolio of Agency and Non-Agency residential mortgage-backed securities, or RMBS, residential mortgage loans and other mortgage-related investments. The Company invests in both Agency RMBS and Non-Agency RMBS.
As of December 31, 2012, the Company�� portfolio consisted of Agency RMBS and Non-Agency RMBS. The Company is managed by Oak Circle Capital Partners LLC.
Tesoro Logistics LP engages in the ownership, operation, development, and acquisition of crude oil and refined products logistics assets in the United States. The company is involved in the gathering, terminalling, transportation, and storage of crude oil and refined products. Its assets consist of a crude oil gathering system in the Bakken Shale/Williston Basin area of North Dakota and Montana; eight refined products terminals in the midwestern and western United States; a crude oil and refined products storage facility; and five related short-haul pipelines. The company was founded in 2010 and is based in San Antonio, Texas. Tesoro Logistics LP is a subsidiary of Tesoro Corporation.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Ben Levisohn]
Yesterday, Tesoro Corp. (TSO) sold a bunch of assets to Tesoro Logistics (TLLP) for $650 million, the second “drop-down,” or sale of assets by a parent company to a partnership.
- [By Robert Rapier]
RRMS didn’t see the same kind of price surge in 2013 as ACMP, so offers a more generous annualized yield of 5.2 percent. RRMS also has a lower total debt/equity (mrq), at 22 percent versus ACMP’s 71 percent. For Q3 2013, RRMS reported $15.4 million in adjusted EBITDA, a year-over-year increase of 65 percent. In comparison, adjusted EBITDA for the 2013 third quarter totaled $227 million for ACMP, an increase of 90 percent year-over-year.
Tesoro Logistics (NYSE: TLLP) was spun off by the refiner Tesoro (NYSE: TSO) in 2011 to operate pipelines leading to and from its plants. TLLP’s assets consist of a crude oil gathering system in the Williston Basin area of North Dakota and Montana, 17 refined product and storage terminals, three dedicated storage facilities, four California marine terminals, a rail unloading facility, and a petroleum coke handling facility.
Distributions have grown steadily since the IPO, from $1.35 per unit (annualized) in Q2 2011 to the current annualized level of $2.18/unit. At a current unit price of $53.49, TLLP is well off its 52-week high of $71.92. Distributions have increased each quarter since the IPO, and units currently have a yield of 4.2 percent. But investors should be wary given that TLLP is highly leveraged. Its total debt/equity (mrq) is nearly 400 percent, much higher than most competitors. Of the three MLPs — ACMP, RRMS and TLLP — RRMS looks best at the moment with the least downside risk. It is by far the least-leveraged, didn’t have a huge run-up in 2013 that depressed its yield, and it has managed to steadily grow revenues and distributions since its IPO.
- [By Lee Jackson]
Tesoro Logistics L.P. (NYSE: TLLP) is an Oppenheimer favorite, especially after the pullback in the stock price. The company has strong fee-based contracts that increase the likelihood of consistent increases in the distribution. The Oppenheimer price target is posted at $61, while the consensus is at $63. Shareholder are paid a 3.8% distribution.
- [By Lauren Pollock]
Tesoro Logistics LP(TLLP), a company spun off in 2011 by oil refiner Tesoro Corp.(TSO), agreed to pay its former parent $650 million to acquire Los Angeles assets that include two marine terminals and a pipeline system.
10 Best Prefered Stocks To Own For 2015: Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (TDY)
Teledyne Technologies Incorporated provides instrumentation, digital imaging products and software, aerospace and defense electronics, and engineered systems in the United States and internationally. The company?s Instrumentation segment provides monitoring and control instruments for marine, environmental, scientific, industrial, and defense applications, as well as harsh environmental interconnect products. Its Digital Imaging segment includes sponsored and centralized research laboratories benefiting government programs and businesses, as well as development efforts for innovative digital imaging products for government and space applications. It also includes infrared detectors, cameras, and optomechanical assemblies. Teledyne Technologies? Aerospace and Defense Electronics segment provides electronic components and subsystems and communications products, including defense electronics, data acquisition, and communications equipment for air transport and business aircra ft and components and subsystems for wireless and satellite communications, as well as general aviation batteries. The company?s Engineered Systems segment provides systems engineering and integration, advanced technology application, software development, and manufacturing solutions to space, military, environmental, energy, chemical, biological and nuclear systems, and missile defense requirements. This segment also designs and manufactures hydrogen generators, thermoelectric and fuel-cell based power sources, and small turbine engines. Teledyne Technologies? customers include government agencies, aerospace prime contractors, energy exploration and production companies, industrial companies, and airlines. The company was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Teledyne Technologies (NYSE: TDY ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
- [By Inyoung Hwang]
Teledyne Technologies (TDY), which gets 80 percent of its revenue from the U.S., raised its 2013 per-share earnings projections last week. The Thousand Oaks, California-based aerospace and defense electronics provider, up 39 percent for the year, exceeded analyst projections by 8.1 percent last quarter, data compiled by Bloomberg show.
- [By Geoff Gannon]
We should be careful to overstate the tax aspect of buybacks. For example, Q-Logic has a lot of cash overseas (almost all of its $500 million). The company could ��in theory ��make several tender offers for close to 50% of its market cap with that cash. This is the Teledyne (TDY) approach. Q-Logic doesn�� do that for several reasons. One, it likes having some cash on hand at all time. But, more importantly, it doesn�� want to pay the tax.
10 Best Prefered Stocks To Own For 2015: Ulstra Lithium Inc (ULI.V)
Ultra Lithium Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Canada. The company primarily explores for lithium and rare earth metals. It holds an option to acquire 100% interest in the Berland Property consisting of 2 lithium brine projects located near Berland River within west central Alberta; the Zigzag Lake lithium, tantalum, beryllium, and gallium property located in the town ship of Crescent Lake, Ontario; and South Big Smokey Valley comprising of approximately 364 placer claims covering approximately 7,280 acres located in the South Big Smokey Valley, Esmeralda County, Nevada. The company was formerly known as Jantar Resources Ltd. and changed its name to Ultra Lithium Inc. in September 2009. Ultra Lithium Inc. was founded in 2004 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.
10 Best Prefered Stocks To Own For 2015: Organic Resources Management(ORI.V)
Organic Resource Management Inc. provides vacuum truck services for the collection, processing, and recycling of food-related organic residuals in Canada. The company offers grease trap services, such as grease trap cleaning, clean-flo preventive maintenance, grease trap repairs, and grease trap installation. It collects the liquefied solid food residuals from approximately 10,000 regularly scheduled grease traps at restaurants, grocery stores, and other food processing facilities. The company also offers drain services, including flushing and snaking, clean-flo preventive maintenance, camera inspection, and sump cleaning; and food processor services comprising handling, transportation, and recycling/disposal of waste water pre-treatment residuals, and off-spec raw materials and product destruction. In addition, it provides food waste recycling services through organic resource recovery system, which is used for the on-site management of solid organic (food) waste, as well as for converting solid organics into slurry. Further, the company offers residuals and feedstock services, such as feedstock recycling, conversion of liquid organic waste into biogas renewable energy, and composting. Organic Resource Management Inc. serves industrial, commercial, and institutional food industry customers primarily in Ontario, the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, and Quebec. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Woodbridge, Canada.
10 Best Prefered Stocks To Own For 2015: NuFarm Ltd(NUF.AX)
Nufarm Limited, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a crop protection company worldwide. The company engages in the manufacture and supply of agricultural chemicals, including turf and ornamental, glyphosate, insecticide, fungicide, and non-glyphosate herbicides. It also operates a seeds business focusing on canola, sorghum, and sunflower seeds, as well as offers seed treatment products. The company supplies its products to farmers to protect crops from damage caused by weeds, pests, and diseases. Nufarm Limited sells its products in 100 countries. The company is headquartered in Laverton, Australia.
10 Best Prefered Stocks To Own For 2015: Baxano Surgical Inc (BAXS)
Baxano Surgical Inc, formerly TranS1 Inc., incorporated in May 2000, is a medical device company focused on designing, developing and marketing products that implement its approach to treat degenerative conditions of the spine affecting the lower lumbar region. It develops its pre-sacral approach to allow spine surgeons to access and treat intervertebral spaces without compromising important surrounding soft tissue, nerves and bone structures. As of December 31, 2011, the Company was marketing the AxiaLIF family of products for single and multilevel lumbar fusion, the Vectre and Avatar lumbar posterior fixation systems and Bi-Ostetic bone void filler, a biologics product. All of the Company�� AxiaLIF products are delivered using its pre-sacral approach. It generates revenue from the sales of itsimplants and disposable surgical instruments. It has two distinct sales methods. The first method is when implants and/or disposable surgical instruments are sold directly to hospitals or surgical centers for the purpose of conducting a scheduled surgery. In November 2011, the Company launched its VEO Lateral Access and Interbody Fusion System.
The Company sells its products directly to hospitals and surgical centers in the United States and certain European countries, and to independent distributors elsewhere. The Company also markets its products at various industry conferences and through industry organized surgical training course. The Company has developed and markets two fusion products that are delivered using its pre-sacral approach include AxiaLIF 1L and AxiaLIF 2L+. Its products include surgical instruments for creating an access route to the L4/L5/S1 vertebral bodies, fusion implants, as well as supplemental stabilization products.
AxiaLIF Lumbar Fusion Implants
The Company markets AxiaLIF family of products for single and two level lumbar fusion, the VEO lateral access and interbody fusion system, the Vectre and Avatar posterior fixation systems and Bi-Ostet! ic bone void filler, a biologics product. The Company also market products that may be used with its AxiaLIF surgical approach, including bowel retractors, a bone graft harvesting system and additional discectomy tools. Its AxiaLIF implants and instruments, combined with facet screws or pedicle screws, provide surgeons with the tools necessary to perform a lumbar fusion.
The Company's AxiaLIF 1L and AxiaLIF 2L+ implants are threaded titanium rods, that come in varying lengths to enable one-level L5/S1 fusions and two-level L4/L5/S1 fusions. As they are implanted, its design allows for the separation of the vertebrae to restore disc height.
VEO Lateral Access and Interbody Fusion System
This system features a two-stage retraction method that focuses on nerve visualization followed by controlled retraction. The VEO Lateral System is designed for direct visualization of the psoas muscles and adjacent nerves prior to muscle dissection, and features a full range of PEEK lateral interbody implants and a variety of ergonomic instruments.
TranS1 Access and Disc Preparation Instruments
The Company�� pre-sacral approach requires the use of a sterile set of surgical instruments that are used to create a safe and reproducible working channel and to prepare the disc and vertebrae for its implant. The instrumentation contained in the set includes stainless steel navigation tools and tubular dissectors to create the working channel, as well as nitinol cutters and brushes to cut and remove the degenerated disc material and prepares the disc space for its implant and the bone graft material.
Vectre Facet Screw System
The Company's Vectre facet screw system offers a cannulated facet screw inserted over a guidewire to provide stability while reducing the muscle and tissue trauma associated with conventional pedicle screws. The Vectre system features offer a reproducible posterior fixation option in select patients.
A! VATAR Ped! icle Screw System
In January 2010, the Company entered into an agreement to distribute Avatar, a pedicle screw system. Avatar can be used with or without its implants to provide lumbar posterior fixation. The AVATAR MIS System offers cannulated pedicle screws inserted over a guidewire to reduce muscle and tissue trauma. Extended tabs integrated to the screws provide a pathway for implantation of the rod while minimizing tissue dissection.
Bi-Ostetic Bone Void Filler
In February 2010, TranS1 entered into an agreement to sell Bi-Ostetic, an osteoconductive bone substitute. Bi-Ostetic is an alternative to allografts or cadaver bone. The spongy granules are bioceramics with interconnected porosity that mimic the cancellous bone structure.
Iliac Crest Bone Graft Harvesting System
The Company�� Iliac Crest Bone Graft Harvesting System is developed to aid surgeons in harvesting iliac crest autograft via a minimally invasive approach. Use of autograft, which is osteogenic, osteoinductive and osteoconductive, further improves the chances of fusion success. It provides structural support as well as scaffolding for new bone growth.
The Company competes with Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Johnson & Johnson DePuy Spine, Stryker Spine, NuVasive, Zimmer Spine, Synthes, Orthofix International, Globus Medical and Alphatec Spine.
10 Best Prefered Stocks To Own For 2015: Commander Resources Ltd (CMD.V)
Commander Resources Ltd. engages in the acquisition and exploration of gold, base metal, and uranium properties primarily in Canada. The company primarily explores for gold, copper, zinc, lead, nickel, molybdenum, and uranium. It holds interests in the Glenmorangie gold property located within the Watson Lake mining district of the Yukon, Canada; the Omineca copper-gold property located in north central British Columbia; Sabin copper-gold property that consists of 114 claims located in northwest Ontario; Houghton Lake gold property located in Ontario; and the Storm copper property located on the northwest corner of Somerset Island, Nunavut. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.
10 Best Prefered Stocks To Own For 2015: Sinovac Biotech Ltd.(SVA)
Sinovac Biotech Ltd., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and commercialization of vaccines against the hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and influenza viruses in the People's Republic of China. It offers Healive, an inactivated hepatitis A vaccine; Bilive, a combination of hepatitis A and B vaccine; Anflu, a split virus influenza vaccine; and Panflu, a vaccine against the influenza A H1N1 virus. The company's pipeline vaccine candidates include a split viron vaccine, which completed Phase II clinical trials for the H5N1 influenza virus; and a SARS vaccine, which completed Phase I clinical trials for the SARS virus. In addition, its pipeline vaccine candidates that completed the pre-clinical trials comprise human vaccines for EV71, pneumococcal conjugate, haemophilus influenzae type b, meningitis, Japanese encephalitis, chickenpox, mumps, and rubella diseases, as well as rabies vaccine for humans and animals. The company markets and sell s its vaccine products directly to the provincial and municipal disease control and prevention centers. It has a patent license agreement with the National Institutes of Health; distribution agreements with LG Life Sciences, Ltd. and Glovax C.V.; and a pandemic influenza vaccine co-development agreement with the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Sinovac Biotech Ltd. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People's Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, biopharmaceutical company Sinovac Biotech (NASDAQ: SVA ) has received the dreaded one-star ranking.
- [By Rich Duprey]
Troubling is that it's a new presence in humans, and while that makes its spread among the populace difficult, scientists fear that it's gaining momentum. Sinovac Biotech (NASDAQ: SVA ) , which was approved to produce vaccines several years ago, jumped almost 7% yesterday as it gears up to mass produce a vaccine to combat the new threat.
1. The U.S. economy grows 3% as housing starts surpass 1 million and private employment hits an all-time high 
6. The U.S. dollar appreciates as U.S. energy and manufacturing trends continue to improve