It's no secret that capital spending budgets are falling at oil companies across the globe, but that's not the case for this company, writes MoneyShow's Jim Jubak, who points out the efficiency measures and new technology products responsible for much of its success.
Everyone knows that capital spending budgets at the world's oil companies are falling.
But it just doesn't seem to matter for Schlumberger (SLB). Schlumberger is a member of my Jubak's Picks portfolio.
On January 17, the oil services and technology company reported fourth quarter earnings of $1.35 a share, beating Wall Street estimates by two cents a share. Earnings grew by 29.8% year over year.
Revenue climbed 7.4% year over year to $11.91 billion. That was slightly below the $11.98 projected by Wall Street.
I think you can tell what's going on at Schlumberger simply by taking a glance at those earnings and revenue growth rates. Revenue growth is indeed sluggish in the oil field. But Schlumberger's margins are climbing, thanks to efficiencies at the company and, especially, thanks to its years of investment in oil field technologies.
Top Insurance Companies To Watch For 2015: FireEye Inc (FEYE)
FireEye, Inc., incorporated on February 18, 2004, invented a purpose-built, virtual machine-based security platform that provides real-time protection to enterprises and governments worldwide against the next generation of cyber attacks. Its technology approach represents a paradigm shift from how information technology (IT) security has been conducted since the earliest days of the information technology industry. The FireEye platform provides real-time, dynamic threat protection without the use of signatures to protect an organization across the primary threat vectors, including Web, email, and files and across the different stages of an attack life cycle. The core of its purpose-built, virtual machine-based security platform is its virtual execution (MVX), engine, which identifies and protects against known and unknown threats that existing signature-based technologies are unable to detect. The new generation of cyber attacks on organizations, including large and small enterprises and governments worldwide, is characterized by an unprecedented escalation in the complexity and scale of advanced malware created by criminal organizations and nation-states. In January 2014, FireEye, Inc. announced that it had acquired Mandiant.
The Company provides a comprehensive platform that employs a virtualized execution engine and a cloud-based threat intelligence network that uniquely protects organizations from next-generation threats at all stages of the attack lifecycle and across all primary threat vectors, including Web, email and file systems. Its platform is delivered through a family of software-based appliances and includes its DTI cloud subscription as well as support and maintenance services. Its technology platform, built on its MVX engine, is able to identify and protect against known and unknown threats without relying on existing signature-based technologies employed by legacy IT security vendors and best-of-breed point solution vendors. FireEye has over 1,000 customers across more t! han 40 countries, including over one-third of the Fortune 100.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Matt Jarzemsky]
Out of the 2013 vintage, some of the best performers so far this year have been early-stage healthcare firms like BioAmber Inc.(BIOA), up 86% year-to-date through Thursday, and Kindred Biosciences Inc.(KIN), up 82%. A number of high-flying tech startups have also continued to soar. Cybersecurity firm FireEye Inc.(FEYE) has gained 67% since the start of the year. Online coupon company RetailMeNot Inc.(SALE) is up 48%.
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
FireEye (NASDAQ: FEYE) was also down, falling 9.35 percent to $81.20 after the company's secondary offering lead to fear on the street.
Commodities
In commodity news, oil traded up 0.94 percent to $102.51, while gold traded down 0.96 percent to $1,339.20. - [By Jon C. Ogg]
FireEye, Inc. (NASDAQ: FEYE) and Rocket Fuel Inc. (NASDAQ: FUEL) have now passed their analyst and underwriter IPO quiet periods. Both were smoking hot initial public offerings, and in fact were so hot that they made our “14 Hottest First Day IPOs of 2013″ in a recent report. And now we have the brokerage firm research reports coming out from the underwriters who have initiated coverage on them.
Top Oil Service Companies To Invest In 2014: Corrections Corporation of America (CXW)
Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) incorporated on September 24, 1998, is a real estate investment trust. The Company is the owner of privatized correctional and detention facilities and prison operators in the United States. As of December 31, 2012, the Company operated 67 correctional and detention facilities, including 47 facilities that the Company own, with a total design capacity of approximately 92,500 beds in 20 states and the District of Columbia. Beginning of January 1, 2013, the Company has provided correctional services and conducted other operations through TRSs. A TRS is a subsidiary of a REIT that is subject to applicable corporate income tax and certain qualification requirements. In January 2012, the Company closed the operations of the 1,172-bed Delta Correctional Facility in Greenwood, Mississippi. In January 2013, the Company announced that it has completed an internal reorganization of its business operations.
The Company specializes in owning, operating, and managing prisons and other correctional facilities and providing inmate residential and prisoner transportation services for governmental agencies. In addition to providing the fundamental residential services relating to inmates, its facilities offer a variety of rehabilitation and educational programs, including basic education, religious services, life skills and employment training and substance abuse treatment. These services are intended to help reduce recidivism and to prepare inmates for their re entry into society upon their release. The Company also provides health care (including medical, dental, and mental health services), food services, and work and recreational programs.
The Company�� customers consist of federal, state and local correctional and detention authorities. During the year ended December 31, 2012, federal correctional and detention authorities represented 43% of its total revenue. Federal correctional and detention authorities primarily consist of the Federal Burea! u of Prisons (BOP), the United States Marshals Service (USMS), and the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Its management services contracts typically have terms of three to five years and contain multiple renewal options. Its facility contracts also contain clauses that allow the government agency to terminate the contract at any time without cause, and its contracts are generally subject to annual or bi-annual legislative appropriations of funds.
The Company is compensated for providing prison bed capacity and correctional services at an inmate per diem rate based upon actual or minimum guaranteed occupancy levels. Occupancy rates for a particular facility are typically low when opened or immediately following an expansion. However, beyond the start-up period, which typically ranges from 90 to 180 days, the occupancy rate tends to stabilize. During 2012, the average compensated occupancy of its facilities, based on rated capacity, was 88.2% for all of the facilities it owned or managed, exclusive of facilities where operations have been discontinued.
The Company provides a variety of rehabilitative and educational programs at its facilities. Inmates at facilities the Company manage may receive basic education through academic programs designed to improve literacy levels and the opportunity to acquire GED certificates. The Company also offers vocational training to inmates who lack marketable job skills. Its craft vocational training programs are accredited by the National Center for Construction Education and Research. This foundation provides training curriculum and establishes industry standards for over 4,000 construction and trade organizations in the United States and several foreign countries. In addition, the Company offers life skills transition-planning programs that provide inmates with job search skills, health education, financial responsibility training, parenting training, and other skills associated with becoming productive citizens.
! As of December 31, 2012, the Company provides transportation services to governmental agencies through its wholly owned TRS, TransCor America, LLC, or TransCor. CCA owns 49 correctional and detention facilities in 15 states and the District of Columbia, two of which it leases to third-party operators. The Company also owns two corporate office buildings. Additionally, it manages 20 correctional and detention facilities owned by government agencies. Owned and managed facilities include facilities placed into service that the Company owned and managed. Managed-only facilities include facilities owned by a third party and managed by the Company.
The Company competes with The GEO Group, Inc. and Management and Training Corporation.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Prison REIT Corrections Corp of America (CXW) yields 6.2% and trades at 24.9 times earnings, while�Geo Group (GEO) yields 6.4% on a P-E ratio of 20.8 times.
- [By Rich Smith]
Nashville, Tenn.-based Corrections Corporation of America (NYSE: CXW ) has won a contract extension from the California Department of Corrections, the company announced Wednesday, extending its contract length by three years.
Top Oil Service Companies To Invest In 2014: Mattson Technology Inc.(MTSN)
Mattson Technology, Inc. engages in the design, manufacture, marketing, and support of semiconductor wafer processing equipment used in the fabrication of integrated circuits for the semiconductor industry worldwide. Its dry strip products include the SUPREMA strip system that incorporates its inductively coupled plasma (ICP) technology photoresist process module, and vacuum-based productivity platform for processing of sub 30 nm devices. The company?s rapid thermal processing products include the Helios and Helios XP systems for conventional annealing applications, and the Millios system for millisecond anneal applications. Its etch products comprise the paradigmE and Alpine that feature a proprietary Faraday-shielded ICP with etch bias control to provide process on-wafer performance. The company sells its products directly, as well as through distribution agreements to foundries, and memory and logic device manufacturers. Mattson Technology, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Fremont, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Stephen Simpson, CFA]
Ultratech isn't the only game in town, though, and there are multiple technologies and process steps that are going to play significant roles in the production of FinFETs and 3D circuits. With that, I would take a look at Mattson Technologies (MTSN), as this company has already accomplished the not-so-easy task of gaining meaningful share in the dry strip, rapid thermal processing (RTP), and etch markets despite competing with giants like Lam Research (LRCX), Applied Materials (AMAT), and Tokyo Electron (TOELY.PK).
Top Oil Service Companies To Invest In 2014: China Southern Airlines Company Limited(ZNH)
China Southern Airlines Company Limited provides commercial airline services in the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and internationally. It principally engages in the provision of passenger, air cargo, and mail airline services. The company also offers logistics services; air catering services; property management services; aircraft and engine repair and maintenance services; pilot training services; flight simulation services; and airport ground services. As of December 31, 2010, it had a fleet of 422 aircraft, as well as a network reaching 898 destinations connecting 169 countries and regions, and cities worldwide. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Guangzhou, the People?s Republic of China. China Southern Airlines Company Limited operates as a subsidiary of China Southern Air Holding Company.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
China Southern Airlines Co (NYSE: ZNH) shares fell 2.47% to reach a new 52-week low of $15.38. China Southern Airlines' PEG ratio is 3.00.
DARA BioSciences (NASDAQ: DARA) shares fell 15.02% to touch a new 52-week low of $1.81. DARA BioSciences' trailing-twelve-month ROA is -66.74%.
- [By MARKETWATCH]
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Hong Kong stocks started modestly lower Thursday, tracking broad weakness in Asia, with mainland Chinese banks mixed after the release of November lending data. The Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) lost 0.2% to 23,288.02, while the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 0.4%. However, the Shanghai Composite (CN:SHCOMP) added 0.1% to 2,205.39 in choppy trade that saw it swing between positive and negative territory. Mainland Chinese banks saw mixed reaction after data showed new yuan-denominated loans rose to 624.6 billion yuan ($102 billion) in November, more than 100 billion yuan above the year-earlier figure and beating market forecasts of between 560 billion yuan and 580 billion yuan, according to the XInhua news agency. Among the top banks, Bank of China Ltd. (HK:3988) (BACHY) was up 0.3%, Bank of Communications Co. (HK:3328) (BKFCF) rose 0.2%, Agricultural Bank of China Ltd. (HK:1288) (ACGBF) traded flat, and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. (HK:1398) (IDCBF) fell 0.6%. Shares of Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. (HK:2600) (ACH) lost 0.7% after saying it could see a drop of up to 37% in output from a key Peruvian copper mine. Angang Steel Co. (HK:347) (ANGGF)
- [By Belinda Cao]
The Bloomberg China-US Equity Index (HSCEI) of the most-traded Chinese stocks in the U.S. added 0.3 percent to 103.21 yesterday. Renren, owner of a real-name social network website, jumped to the highest level since August as volumes surged. Web travel agency Elong Inc. (LONG) soared 20 percent. China Southern Airlines Co. (ZNH), Asia�� biggest carrier by passenger numbers, fell the most in a week and China Eastern Airlines Corp. slid to a three-week low.
No comments:
Post a Comment