Best Oil Service Stocks To Own For 2015

Halliburton (HAL), Schlumberger (SLB) and Baker Hughes (BHI). Three oil services firms with three very different responses to news today.

Bloomberg

First up, Halliburton. It reported a profit of 93 cents a share, above forecasts for 89 cents, yet Halliburton’s shares have dropped 1.8% to $49.76. Citigroup’s Robin Shoemaker and Mark Brown explain why:

…the stock is trading lower today largely because the company cited several negative factors that are impacting its Latin America operations in 2014…

The major challenge comes from Brazil, where offshore drilling activity fell in 2013 and is expected to decline further in 2014. Halliburton won a large multi-year drilling services contract from�Petrobras (PBR) before offshore activity began to slow. After putting in place the people and infrastructure to execute the contract, [Halliburton] has been very disappointed with the volume of drilling services work that Petrobras� has needed under the terms of the contract…

Best Oil Service Stocks To Own For 2015: Paragon Shipping Inc.(PRGN)

Paragon Shipping Inc. provides shipping transportation services worldwide. The company engages in the ocean transportation of various drybulk cargoes and containers. Its fleet consists of 11 drybulk vessels with a total carrying capacity of 747,994 dwt. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in Voula, Greece.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another under-$10 name shipping player that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Paragon Shipping (PRGN), which is engaged in transporting drybulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along shipping routes worldwide. This stock has been on fire so far in 2013, with shares up sharply by 114%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Paragon Shipping, you'll notice that this stock just recently took out its 50-day moving average of $4.19 a share with strong upside volume. Shares of PRGN are showing relative strength today, despite the overall market weakness, which shows this stock is in strong demand at current levels. This move is now starting to push shares of PRGN within range of triggering a big breakout trade

  Market players should now look for long-biased trades in PRGN if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $4.90 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 25,811 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then PRGN will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $5.70 a share. If that level gets taken out with volume, then PRGN could easily tag its next major overhead resistance levels at $7 to $8.35 a share.

  Traders can look to buy PRGN off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day moving average of $4.19 a share, or below its 200-day moving average at $3.74 a share. One can also buy PRGN off strength once it clears $4.90 a share with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point. I would add to either position once PRGN takes out its 52-week high at $5.70 a share with strong upside volume flows.

Best Oil Service Stocks To Own For 2015: VirtualScopics Inc.(VSCP)

VirtualScopics, Inc. provides imaging solutions for clinical trials serving the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device industries. The company offers a suite of image analysis software tools and applications, which are used in detecting and measuring specific anatomical structures and metabolic activity using medical images. Its image-based measurement and visualization tools enable automated, accurate, and reproducible measurement of changes that occur in anatomic structures in musculoskeletal, oncological, cardiological, and neurological diseases. VirtualScopics has strategic relationship with Pfizer Inc. for the discovery, validation, and application of image-based biomarkers for clinical research; and with PPD Development, LP. to provide to provide clients with an integrated and customized clinical development and medical imaging solution for oncology clinical trials. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Rochester, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  VirtualScopics Inc. (NASDAQ: VSCP) provides imaging services on a contract basis for the pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device industries. Shares were up more than 20%, at $3.70 in a 52-week range of $2.93 to $7.50. Only 10,000 shares had traded hands, against a daily average of just 14,000. The company had no news Monday.

Top Food Stocks To Own Right Now: The Andersons Inc.(ANDE)

The Andersons, Inc. engages in the grain, ethanol, plant nutrient, railcar leasing and repair, turf products production, and general merchandise retailing businesses. It operates in six segments: Grain, Ethanol, Rail, Plant Nutrient, Turf & Specialty, and Retail. The Grain segment operates grain elevators; and is involved in the storage, merchandising, and trading of grains, as well as offers marketing, risk management, and corn origination services to its customers. The Ethanol segment operates three ethanol production facilities; and provides facility operations, risk management, and ethanol and distillers dried grains marketing to the ethanol plants. The Rail segment buys, sells, leases, rebuilds, and repairs a fleet of approximately 23,000 railcars and locomotives; offers fleet management services to private railcar owners; engages in metal fabrication business; and invests in short-line railroad. The Plant Nutrient segment manufactures, distributes, and retails dry an d liquid agricultural nutrients, and pelleted lime and gypsum products to agricultural farm supply dealers; and essential crop nutrients, crop protection chemicals, and seed products, as well as provides application and agronomic services to commercial and family farmers. This segment also offers warehousing, packaging, and manufacturing services to manufacturers and other distributors; and various industrial products, including nitrogen reagents for air pollution control systems. The Turf & Specialty segment produces granular fertilizer and control products for the turf and ornamental markets; and fertilizer and control products, and corncob-based animal bedding and cat litter for the consumer markets. The Retail segment operates The Andersons retail stores; The Andersons Market, a specialty food market; a distribution center; and a lawn and garden equipment sales and service shop. The Andersons, Inc. was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Maumee, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  The Andersons Inc. (NASDAQ: ANDE) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at BB&T Capital Markets.

  Buckeye Partners L.P. (NYSE: BPL) was downgraded to Neutral from Overweight at J.P. Morgan.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Archer isn’t the only stock being hit today. Bunge (BG) has dropped 0.3% to $81.91, while Andersons (ANDE) has fallen 2.2% to $81.55.

  Archer was already weak after reports that Australia would block its takeover of GrainCorp.

• [By Michael Vodicka]

  The Anderson's, Inc. (ANDE) is an agriculture conglomerate, operating in 5 divisions that includes a rail shipping and nutrient business. But its Grain division is its biggest, accounting for more than 60% of revenue, where the company is a wholesaler of grain and grain storage services. The company's share price has been hot in 2013, posting a market and industry crushing return of 58%. Take a look below.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Ethanol producers like Pacific Ethanol Inc. (NASDAQ: PEIX), The Andersons Inc. (NASDAQ: ANDE) and Archer Daniels Midland Co. (NYSE: ADM), as well as other members of the trade group Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), are mightily displeased by this EPA proposal. Refiner and ethanol producer Valero Corp. (NYSE: VLO), which is not a member of the trade group, has been among the loudest critics of the higher blending requirements.

Best Oil Service Stocks To Own For 2015: Old Dominion Freight Line Inc. (ODFL)

Old Dominion Freight Line, Inc. operates as a less-than-truckload (LTL) motor carrier primarily in the United States. The company provides regional, inter-regional, and national LTL services. It also offers a range of logistics services, including ground and air expedited transportation, supply chain consulting, transportation management, truckload brokerage, container delivery, and warehousing services. In addition, the company provides door-to-door international freight services to and from North America, Central America, South America, and the Far East. As of December 31, 2010, it owned a fleet of 5,718 tractors and 20,986 trailers, as well as operated 213 service centers. The company was founded in 1934 and is based in Thomasville, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Heartland Express have gained 50% this year, trumping the 38% rise in Con-Way (CNW) and the 29% advance in J.B. Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) but lagging Old Dominion Freight Lines (ODFL) and Swift Transportation (SWFT).

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Wunderlich’s Nicholas Bender thinks FedEx’s results bode well for Old Dominion (ODFL), Con-way (CNW) and Saia (SAIA):

  We expect all less-than-truckload carriers to benefit in 2Q14 from the same trends that carried FedEx Freight to a banner 4Q14. This includes Hold-rated Old Dominion, which will continue to grow at well above market rates, and Buy-rated Con-way, which we believe can leverage a strong 2Q14 to prime the pump on margin enhancement efforts. Our favorite name in the space remains Saia (SAIA-$42.92, Buy), which will once again see accelerating tonnage growth in 2Q14. Though tonnage growth will moderate in� 2H14 due to steeper comps, there remains considerable potential for the company to boost yield and continue winning incremental business with new accounts.

Best Oil Service Stocks To Own For 2015: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc.(REGN)

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, discovers, develops, and commercializes pharmaceutical products for the treatment of serious medical conditions in the United States. The company?s commercial product includes ARCALYST (rilonacept) injection for subcutaneous use for the treatment of cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes, including familial cold auto-inflammatory syndrome and muckle-wells syndrome in adults and children. Its products under Phase III clinical development stage consist of VEGF Trap-Eye, an aflibercept ophthalmic solution developed using intraocular delivery for the treatment of serious eye diseases; ARCALYST for the prevention of gout flares in patients initiating uric acid-lowering treatment; and Aflibercept (VEGF Trap), which is developed in oncology. The company?s earlier stage clinical programs include various human antibodies, such as REGN727 for low-density lipoprotein cholesterol reduction, REGN88 for rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis; REGN668 for atopic dermatitis and asthma; REGN421 and REGN910 for oncology; REGN475 for the treatment of pain; and REGN728 and REGN846. It also conducts preclinical research programs in the areas of oncology and angiogenesis, ophthalmology, metabolic and related diseases, muscle diseases and disorders, inflammation and immune diseases, bone and cartilage, pain, cardiovascular diseases, and infectious diseases. The company distributes its products through third party service providers. It has strategic collaboration with sanofi-aventis Group to discover, develop, and commercialize human monoclonal antibodies; and Bayer HealthCare LLC to develop and commercialize VEGF Trap. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is based in Tarrytown, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  On a day when biotech stocks like Gilead Sciences (GILD), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN) and Celgene (CELG) are flying, few are flying higher than Alexion�Pharmaceuticals�(ALXN).

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Regeneron (NASDAQ: REGN  ) will soon have a bigger presence on the Asian market. The company announced that its Eylea medication has been granted approval for the treatment of macular edema following central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.

Best Oil Service Stocks To Own For 2015: InSite Vision Inc (INSV)

InSite Vision Incorporated (InSite), incorporated in 1986, is an ophthalmic product development company advancing ophthalmic pharmaceutical products to address unmet eye care needs. The Company's current portfolio of products is based on the Company's DuraSite sustained drug delivery technology. Its DuraSite sustained drug delivery technology is a synthetic polymer-based formulation designed to extend the residence time of a drug relative to conventional topical therapies. It enables topical delivery of a drug as a solution, gel or suspension and can be customized for delivering a wide variety of drug candidates. The Company is focused its research and development and commercial support efforts on the topical products formulated with its DuraSite drug delivery technology. It may also utilize its DuraSite technology platform for the formulation of new ocular product candidates using either non drugs or compounds developed by others for non-ophthalmic indications.

AzaSite (azithromycin ophthalmic solution) 1% is a DuraSite formulation of azithromycin developed as a spectrum ocular antibiotic and approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat bacterial conjunctivitis (pink eye). Azithromycin has a spectrum of antibiotic activity and is used to treat respiratory and other infections in its oral and parenteral forms.

Besivance (besifloxacin ophthalmic suspension) 0.6% is a DuraSite formulation of besifloxacin, a spectrum ocular antibiotic approved by the FDA to treat bacterial conjunctivitis (pink eye). Besivance is the fluoroquinolone specifically developed for ophthalmic use. AzaSite Plus (ISV-502) is a fixed combination of azithromycin and dexamethasone in DuraSite for the treatment of ocular inflammation and infection (blepharitis and/or blepharoconjunctivitis).

DexaSite (ISV-305) is a DuraSite formulation of dexamethasone in development for the treatment of ocular inflammation. DexaSite is included in the Phase 3 clinical trial SPA for ! AzaSite Plus. The Company developed a topical formulation of the corticosteroid dexamethasone to treat eye inflammation caused by infections, injury, surgery or other conditions.

BromSite (ISV-303) is a DuraSite formulation of bromfenac in development for the treatment of post-operative inflammation and eye pain. ISV-101 is a DuraSite formulation with a low concentration of bromfenac for the treatment of dry eye disease.

The Company competes with Alcon Laboratories, Inc., Allergan, Inc., Bausch & Lomb, Novartis Ophthalmics, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co. and Pfizer.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Today, INSV has shed (-2.74%) down -0.009 at $.320 with 15,483 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 10:59AM EDT June 28, 2013), but don�� let this get you down.

  InSite Vision Incorporated previously reported the company has regained North American development rights to azithromycin ophthalmic solution 2%, trademarked as AzaSite Xtra�� from Inspire Pharmaceuticals Inc., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., known as MSD outside the United States and Canada. AzaSite Xtra, formulated in InSite�� DuraSite庐 topical drug delivery system, is a product candidate intended for the topical treatment of ocular infections.

• [By CRWE]

  Today, INSV surged (+2.77%) up +0.009 at $.334 with 24,100 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 11:27AM EDT July 8, 2013).

  InSite Vision Incorporated previously reported it has received a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on its DuraSite庐 2 next-generation enhanced drug delivery system. DuraSite 2 provides a broad platform for developing topically delivered ocular drugs with enhanced tissue penetration in order to improve efficacy and dosing convenience. The patent is expected to provide protection to 2029 for both the delivery system and the drugs that are formulated with DuraSite 2.

Best Oil Service Stocks To Own For 2015: Mastercard Incorporated(MA)

MasterCard Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, provides transaction processing and related services to customers principally in support of their credit, deposit access, electronic cash and automated teller machine payment card programs, and travelers? cheque programs. Its payment solutions include payment programs, marketing, product development, technology, processing, and consulting and information services. The company provides transaction processing services comprising transaction switching, which include authorization, clearing, and settlement; connectivity services, such as network access, equipment, and the transmission of authorization and settlement messages; and other payment-related services consisting of products used to prevent or detect fraudulent transactions, cardholder services, professional consulting and research services, compliance and penalty, account and transaction enhancement services, holograms, and publication services. MasterCard Incor porated manages and licenses payment card brands, including MasterCard, MasterCard Electronic, Maestro, and Cirrus. The company?s payment programs, which are facilitated through its brands, include consumer credit, debit and prepaid programs, commercial payment solutions, and contactless payment solutions. It serves approximately 22,000 financial institutions. The company was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Purchase, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

  It's working with the three biggest credit card companies out there: American Express Co. (NYSE: AXP), MasterCard Inc. (NYSE: MA), and Visa Inc. (NYSE: V). And Apple also has forged relationships with such key retailers as McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD), Macy's Inc. (NYSE:
  M), and Walgreen Co. (NYSE: WAG).

• [By Matt Brownell]

  Alamy The holiday shopping season is upon us, and that means you're probably about to spend a whole lot of money: According to the National Retail Federation, the average American will spend about $738 on gifts, decorations and other holiday purchases. And, actually, that's down 2 percent from last year, so perhaps we're all trying to be a hair more frugal. But another way to save on those holiday outlays can be to pick the right card when you get to the checkout counter. So which one should you use? If you're planning on carrying a balance into 2014, the answer is obvious: Whichever card has the lowest rate. But if you're planning on paying off your purchases in full and APRs aren't a concern, then you'll need to consider what ancillary benefits you can get by choosing one card over another. The Rewards Carousel The biggest consideration here is what sort of cash-back rewards you can get out of your card. Usually, you get only 1 percent back, which is a drop in the shopping bucket. But many cards have 5 percent bonus categories that rotate on a quarterly basis. And the good news is that credit-card issuers tend to pick bonus categories for the fourth quarter that line up nicely with where you're likely to spend money for the holidays. Take the Chase (JPM) Freedom card, for instance: This quarter, you can get 5 percent cash-back at Amazon.com (AMZN) and department stores including J.C. Penney (JCP), Sears (SHLD) and Nordstrom. The bad news is that some of the retailers with the lowest prices, including Target (TGT), Walmart (WMT) and warehouse-club stores, are excluded from the deal. Still, if you drop $300 between Macy's and Amazon this holiday season, you're getting back $15 just by using your Freedom card. If you intend to do most of your shopping online, your best bet might be the Discover (DFS) It card, which provides 5 percent cash-back on all online purchases through the end of the year. "As people do more holiday spending online, this is a great

Best Oil Service Stocks To Own For 2015: North American Palladium Ltd (PAL)

North American Palladium Ltd. (NAP) is a precious metals producer that has been operating its flagship Lac des Iles mine (LDI) located in Ontario, Canada. The Company is in the business of exploring and mining palladium, platinum, gold and certain base metals. The Company�� 100%-owned subsidiary is the Lac des Iles Mines Ltd. (LDI).

The Company�� Lac des Iles (LDI) palladium mine is a palladium producer. The mine is located approximately 85 kilometers northwest of the city of Thunder Bay in Ontario, Canada, and consists of open pit and underground mining operations and a 15,000 ton per day mill.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Are you a gambling man (or gambling woman, as the case may be)? Then now may be the right time to place a bet on North American Palladium Ltd (NYSEMKT:PAL) ... the micro cap precious metals miner that has watched its stock fall from just under $2.00 in early February to a low of 44 cents yesterday. That's a 78% drubbing, for those of you who are counting, with a big chunk of that loss coming yesterday when PAL shares lost 28% of their value on the heels of two... shall we say "less than flattering" articles about the company were posted? Yet, sometimes the very best trades are ideas that never looked good on paper.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  4. Platinum-group metals
  Platinum and palladium both fell sharply, losing 5% and 6% of their value, respectively. Those losses weren't as extreme as gold's, but they nevertheless represented a drop to levels not seen since late last year. The two major miners producing the white metals, Stillwater Mining (NYSE: SWC  ) and North American Palladium (NYSEMKT: PAL  ) , both lost more than 10% on the day.

Best Oil Service Stocks To Own For 2015: Natural Gas Services Group Inc. (NGS)

Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. provides small to medium horsepower compression equipment to the natural gas industry in the United States. It focuses primarily on the non-conventional natural gas production businesses, such as coal bed methane, gas shale, and tight gas. The company engages in the compressor fabrication that assembles compressor components into compressor units for rental or sale; and engineers and fabricates natural gas compressors for sale to customers to meet their specifications based on well pressure, production characteristics, and applications. It also designs and manufactures reciprocating compressor frames, cylinders, and parts; designs, fabricates, sells, installs, and services flare stacks, and related ignition and control devices for the onshore and offshore incineration of gas compounds, such as hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gases; provides customer support for its compressor and flare businesses, and an exchange and rebuild program for screw compressors; maintains an inventory of new and used compressors; and services and maintains compressors. As of December 31, 2012, the company had a rental fleet of 2,279 natural gas compressors with approximately 311,401 horsepower. Natural Gas Services Group, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Midland, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dimitra DeFotis]

  Global Hunter also lowered its rating on Natural Gas Services Group (NGS) and Vantage Drilling (VTG). Global Hunter writes:

  The market seems to be showing fatigue particularly with positive onshore oil service data points that may no�longer seem incremental. Investors have become especially focused on potential issues and macro concerns. We believe this phase�of enhanced risk perceptions will pass and still recommend owning selective stocks based on attractive valuations and healthy�fundamentals. Of the 16 oilfield services companies having reported their quarters to date, the share price changes have at times�been difficult to tie to specific results. �… Five of the 12 companies who have beaten earnings expectations have seen their share prices drop on the day, including Basic Energy Services (BAS) (-9.0%), Baker Hughes (BHI) (-2.5%), National Oilwell Varco (NOV) (-1.5%), Oceaneering (OII) (-4.2%), and Schlumberger (SLB) (-2.0%). Other stocks beating expectations have traded higher as expected, including Cameron International (CAM) (+4.1%), FMC Technologies (FTI) (+3.1%), Mitcham Industries (MIND) (+3.8%), Nabors Industries (NBR) (+1.2%), Patterson-UTI Energy (PTEN) (+1.8%), RPC (RES) (+8.4%), and Weatherford International (WFT) (+2.3%). Companies which have missed have universally seen their share prices decline, including Diamond Offshore Drilling (DO) (-4.3%), Gulfmark Offshore (GLF) (-0.1%), and Hercules Offshore (HERO) (-6.9%). Halliburton (HAL) was in line and flat on the day.

• [By Quoth the Raven]

  Today, I added a little known stock to my portfolio, Natural Gas Services Group (NGS). I wanted to pen a short article explaining my reasons for taking a position in a stock that has run so hard over the past year.