Hot Oil Companies To Watch For 2014

Two energy issues have passed our screen for low-price to book value stocks; both stocks have price to book ratios of less than two, Value Line Financial Strength rating of B++ or better, and forecasted EPS growth during the next 12 months of 15% or higher, notes J. Royden Ward, editor of Cabot Benjamin Graham Value Letter.

Apache (APA), founded in 1954 and based in Houston, is one of the largest independent exploration and production companies in the US, with operations in Canada, Egypt, the UK, Australia, Argentina, and Chile.

During the past three years, Apache has made four major purchases totaling $12 billion. The company's aggressive buying spree has added substantial crude oil and natural gas assets with great potential.

Exceptional production growth could push sales and earnings considerably higher than expected. Apache sold 33% of its troubled assets in Egypt to Sinopec for $3.1 billion, which will help to pay down its debt.

After a sharp drop in EPS in 2012, caused by slower production, and low oil and natural gas prices, Apache is poised to bring newly acquired production online and increase sales by 9%, and boost EPS by 32% to $8.85 during the 12 months ending September 30, 2014.

Best Small Cap Stocks For 2015: Midstates Petroleum Company Inc (MPO)

Midstates Petroleum Company, Inc. is an independent exploration and production company. The Company�� areas of operation include Pine Prairie, South Bearhead Creek/Oretta, West Gordon and North Cowards Gully. Its Upper Gulf Coast Tertiary trend extends from south Texas to Mississippi across its operating areas in central Louisiana. As of December 31, 2011, it had accumulated approximately 77,100 net acres in the trend. As of December 31, 2011, its development operations are focused in the Wilcox interval of the trend. The Company�� business is conducted through Midstates Petroleum Company LLC, as a direct, wholly owned subsidiary. In September 2012, the Company and its subsidiary acquired all of Eagle Energy Production, LLC�� producing properties as well as their developed and undeveloped acreage primarily in the Mississippian Lime oil play in Oklahoma and Kansas.

As of December 31, 2011, it drilled 57 gross wells in the trend, approximately 93% of. During the year ended December 31, 2011, its average daily production were 7,499 barrels of oil equivalent per day. As of December 31, 2011, it had a total of 974 gross vertical drilling locations, including 115 related to acreage under option, in the trend. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� properties included approximately 92 gross active producing wells, 95% of, which it operate, and in which it held an average working interest of approximately 99% across its 77,100 net acre leasehold. During March 31, 2012, the Company continued its drilling program, spudding 14 wells, of which nine are producing, three are being drilled and two are waiting to be completed. As of December 331, 2011, it averaged daily production is approximately 9,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Pine Prairie

The Company�� properties in the Pine Prairie area represented 46% of its total proved reserves as of December 31, 2011. During 2011, the Company�� average production from these properties was 3,793 net barrels of oil equ! ivalent per day, consisting of 2,143 barrels of oil, 565 barrels of natural gas liquidations (NGLs) and 6,508 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. As of December 31, 2011, it held an average working interest and average net revenue interest of 92.2% and 68.9%, respectively, on its acreage in Pine Prairie area. The Company has an additional 194 identified drilling locations in this area based primarily on 10-acre spacing.

South Bearhead Creek/Oretta

The Company�� properties in the South Bearhead Creek/Oretta area represented 20.3% of its total proved reserves as of December 31, 2011. During 2011, the Company�� average production from these properties was 4,367 net barrels of oil equivalent per day, consisting of 2,196 barrels of oil, 438 barrels of NGLs and 10,396 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. During 2011, these wells produced at an average daily rate of 2,413 net barrels of oil equivalent per day. As of December 31, 2011, it held an average working interest and average net revenue interest of 100% and 78.5%, respectively, on its acreage in South Bearhead Creek/Oretta area. The Company has an additional 43 identified drilling locations in this area based primarily on 40-acre spacing.

West Gordon

The Company�� properties in the West Gordon area represented 21% of its total proved reserves as of December 31, 2011. During 2011, the Company�� average production from these properties was 1,002 net barrels of oil equivalent per day, consisting of 617 barrels of oil, 68 barrels of NGLs and 1,901 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. As of December 31, 2011, it held an average working interest and average net revenue interest of 95.9% and 71.2%, respectively, on its acreage in West Gordon area. The Company has an additional 74 identified drilling locations in this area based primarily on 40-acre spacing.

North Cowards Gully

The Company�� properties in the North Cowards Gully area represented 11.5% of ! its total! proved reserves as of December 31, 2011. During 2011, the Company�� average production from these properties was 149 net barrels of oil equivalent per day consisting of 103 barrels of oil, 11 barrels of NGLs, and 211 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. As of December 31, 2011, it held an average working interest and average net revenue interest of 94.3% and 71.2%, respectively, on its acreage in North Cowards Gully area. The Company has an additional 95 identified drilling locations in this area based primarily on 40-acre spacing.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Midstates Petroleum (MPO) has surged 21% to $3.46 after the independent E&P company easily topped analyst earnings forecasts.

  Jamba (JMBA) has tumbled 9% to $11.74 after the juice store missed the Street’s earnings and revenue expectations. Jamba also announced a $25 million share buyback program.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  One energy player that's starting to move within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Midstates Petroleum (MPO), an independent exploration and production company focused on the application of modern drilling and completion techniques to oil-prone resources. This stock is off to a rough start in 2013, with shares off by 30%.

  If you look at the chart for Midstates Petroleum, you'll notice that this stock has recently come out of a nasty downtrend that took shares from over $8 to its low of $4.26 a share. Shares of MPO have started to find some buying interest over the last month at $4.44, 4.26 and $4.48 a share, as the stock has held those levels on recent pullbacks. This could be signaling that a bottom is forming for MPO, since the downside volatility looks over. Shares of MPO are now rebounding strong off those support levels and are quickly moving within range of triggering a major breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MPO if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.82 a share and then once it takes out its 50-day moving average at $5.30 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 542,939 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then MPO will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $6 to its 200-day moving average of $6.54 a share.

  Traders can look to buy MPO off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $4.48 or $4.26 a share. One can also buy MPO off strength once it takes out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By The Energy Report]

  Onshore, my favorite play is the Utica Shale, in which my top plays are Gulfport Energy Corp. (GPOR) and Rex Energy Corp. (REXX). Both companies have highly economic acreage, solid balance sheets and industry-leading production growth. I also like Rex Energy for its likely production upside. Another one of my favorite plays is the Eagle Ford Shale, in which my top plays are Penn Virginia Corp. (PVA) and Sanchez Energy Corp. (SN). Both have core acreage in the region, improving operating results and experienced management. Another favorite name of mine is Midstates Petroleum Co. Inc. (MPO). The company has assets in three solid plays and a management team with a long successful track record. Those are my favorite names at this time.

Hot Oil Companies To Watch For 2014: Snam SpA (SRG)

Snam SpA is an Italy-based company engaged in the management of natural gas services. The Company is diversified into four operating segments. The Transportation segment covers transportation-related gas services, including capacity management and transportation of the gas at the entry points of the gas network to the redelivery points. It owns transportation infrastructures of gas pipelines. The Regasification segment is focused on extraction activities of natural gas, its liquefaction for transport by ship and subsequent regasification. The Storage segment covers deposits, gas treatment plants, compression plants and the operational dispatching system. The Distribution segment engages gas distribution through local transportation networks from delivery points at the metering and reduction stations to the gas distribution network redelivery points at the end customers. Additionally, Snam SpA as the parent company, focuses on planning, management, coordination and control of the group. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  Snam SpA (SRG) dropped the most in almost a year as Eni SpA sold an 11.7 percent stake in the owner of Italy�� biggest natural-gas network. Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc tumbled the most in more than 14 months. Experian Plc jumped to a record after the world�� largest credit-checking company raised its dividend and announced a share buyback.

• [By Victor Selva]

  The Specialty Restaurant Group (SRG), which includes Bahama Breeze and The Capital Grille, has grown over the last couple of quarters. Eddie V's Restaurants and Yard House might be meaningful long-term drivers, as we think most of the growth in the next years will come from the acquisition of those restaurants.

Hot Oil Companies To Watch For 2014: Profire Energy Inc (PFIE)

Profire Energy, Inc., incorporated on May 5, 2003, is engaged in the business of developing combustion management technologies for the oil and gases industry. The Company manufactures, install and service oilfield combustion management technologies and related products, such as train components and secondary airplates. The Company's primary products are burner management systems. The Company�� Profire 2100 burner management system allows the end-user to manage a variety of combustion vessels. Its Profire 1300 is a flare-ignition system that provides fundamental ignition capabilities for combustor and open-flare vessels, and can relay flame-status. Its Profire 1800 is a mid-range burner management system option that provides fundamental burner management functionality, such as burner re-ignition and temperature management.

The Company also manufactures other technologies and products for sale, including specialized burner management systems intended for use in specific firetube vessels (e.g. incinerators), valve train products, including valves, gauges, and installation products, and miscellaneous componentry, such as solar-power generation kits, add-on cards to expand the functionality of a given system, and a airplate that meters secondary airflow to the burner, allowing for more optimized combustion and reduced emissions.

The Company competes with SureFire, Platinum, ACL and TitanLogix.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap green stocks Eco Depot Inc (OTCMKTS: ECDP), Eco Building Products Inc (OTCMKTS: ECOB) and Profire Energy, Inc (OTCBB: PFIE) has been getting some extra attention lately in various investment newsletters thanks to paid promotions or investor relation campaigns. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed promotions and investor relations campaigns, but small cap green stocks tend to be extra volatile when compared with other stocks. So how in greenbacks will these three small cap green stocks produce for investors? Here is a quick reality check:

Hot Oil Companies To Watch For 2014: Tesoro Petroleum Corporation(TSO)

Tesoro Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in refining and marketing petroleum products in the United States. It operates in two segments, Refining and Retail. The Refining segment refines crude oil and other feed stocks into transportation fuels, such as gasoline, gasoline blendstocks, jet fuel, and diesel fuel, as well as other products, including heavy fuel oils, liquefied petroleum gas, petroleum coke, and asphalt. This segment also sells refined products in the wholesale market primarily through independent unbranded distributors; and in the bulk market primarily to independent unbranded distributors, other refining and marketing companies, utilities, railroads, airlines and marine, and industrial end-users. It owns and operates 7 refineries with a combined crude oil capacity of 665 thousand barrels per day. The Retail segment sells gasoline, diesel fuel, and convenience store items through company-operated retail stations, and third-party branded dea lers and distributors in the western United States. As of December 31, 2011, this segment had 1,175 branded retail stations under the Tesoro, Shell, and USA Gasoline brands. The company was formerly known as Tesoro Petroleum Corporation and changed its name to Tesoro Corporation in November 2004. Tesoro Corporation was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Yet Valero and its peers have seen new challenges pop up recently. Price spreads between U.S. West Texas intermediate and European Brent crude oil have narrowed considerably in April, threatening those wide margins. That's especially bad news for HollyFrontier (NYSE: HFC  ) , Tesoro (NYSE: TSO  ) , and Valero, whose western-U.S. exposure has helped those companies benefit the most from cheap mid-continent crude supplies. Phillips 66's recent deal to transport U.S. crude by rail may look a lot less lucrative if spreads narrow further, and Valero and the rest of the industry will inevitably see profits shrink if the financial incentive to export gasoline gets smaller.

• [By Doug Ehrman]

  The boom in the production of shale oil has had an impact on the performance of various oil stocks. It has also led many to wonder why the price of gasoline has remained so high with so much additional supply. While the export of crude oil is highly limited, the export of refined product is not. This has benefited some oil stocks ��including refiners Tesoro (NYSE: TSO  ) and Valero (NYSE: VLO  ) -- more than others.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  Robert Rapier: The oil refiners, that's an interesting story. You really have to stay on top of oil refiners and that is not a sector that I recommend for a buy and hold investor. When I joined the Energy Strategist a year ago, that's one of the first recommendations I made, was buy the oil refiners, Valero (VLO), Tesoro (TSO).

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Tesoro Corp. (NYSE: TSO) is one of the names to buy at Merrill Lynch. The company operates in two segments. The Refining segment refines crude oil and other feed stocks into transportation fuels, such as gasoline, gasoline blend stocks, jet fuel and diesel fuel, as well as other products, including heavy fuel oils, liquefied petroleum gas, petroleum coke and asphalt. The Retail segment sells gasoline, diesel fuel and convenience store items through company-operated retail stations and third-party branded dealers and distributors in the western United States. It operated approximately 2,200 retail stations, including approximately 595 company-operated stations under the Tesoro, Shell, ARCO and USA Gasoline brands. Investors receive a 1.8% dividend. Merrill Lynch has a $76 target, and the consensus is posted lower at $66.�Tesoro closed Monday at $58.31.