Thursday, July 24, 2014

Best Managed Healthcare Companies To Buy Right Now

Don�� read too much into the congressional compromise on the budget. Though the deal was accompanied by a rare outbreak of bipartisanship, that cooperation won�� last.

SEE ALSO: Kiplinger's Economic Outlook

Liberals and conservatives in Congress, including tea party and mainstream Republicans, will disagree more than they concur in coming months. Fundamental philosophical differences will remain and familiar disputes will reemerge, particularly as November�� midterm elections get closer.

The ideological gulf will be on full display soon after the start of the new year, when lawmakers return to Washington to debate extending unemployment benefits for 1.3 million out-of-work Americans.

Some economists contend that the 7% jobless rate is argument enough to keep checks flowing to the long-term unemployed. Yet the extension wasn�� a big part of the negotiations between House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) and Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray (D-WA).

Top Gold Companies To Own In Right Now: NewLink Genetics Corp (NLNK)

NewLink Genetics Corporation (NewLink), incorporated on June 4, 1999, is a development-stage company. The Company is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing immunotherapeutic products for cancer treatment. Its portfolio includes biologic and small-molecule immunotherapy product candidates focused to treat a range of oncology indications. Its product candidate, HyperAcute Pancreas cancer immunotherapy (HyperAcute Pancreas), is being studied in a Phase-III clinical trial in surgically-resected pancreatic cancer patients that is being performed under a Special Protocol Assessment (SPA), with the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It has three additional product candidates in clinical development, including its HyperAcute Lung cancer immunotherapy (HyperAcute Lung), which is being studied in a Phase-I/II clinical trial conducted at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and its HyperAcute Melanoma cancer immunotherapy (HyperAcute Melanoma), which is being studied in an investigator-initiated Phase-II clinical trial.

The Company�� HyperAcute product candidates are based on its HyperAcute immunotherapy technology, which is designed to stimulate the human immune system. It is also conducting small-molecule based research and development to produce new drugs capable of breaking the immune system's tolerance to cancer through inhibition of the indoleamine-(2,3)-dioxygenase (IDO), pathway. It is engaged in the study of IDO pathway inhibitor product candidate, d-1-methyltryptophan (D-1MT), in collaboration with the NCI, in two Phase 1B/II clinical trials.

HyperAcute Cancer Immunotherapy Product Candidates

In May 2010, the Company initiated Phase-III clinical trial for HyperAcute Pancreas. Its second product candidate, HyperAcute Lung, is in a Phase I/II clinical trial that is enrolled with 54 patients for the treatment of refractory, recurrent or metastatic nonresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Its Hyper! Acute Melanoma product candidate is being studied in an investigator-initiated, fully enrolled 25 patient Phase-II clinical trial for the treatment of advanced melanoma.

HyperAcute Cancer Immunotherapy Technology

The Company�� HyperAcute immunotherapies operate by exploiting a natural barrier present in humans that protects against infection being transmitted from other mammals. This barrier is related to the enzyme, alpha (1,3) galactosyl transferase, which is expressed in the cells of lower mammals. The presence of this enzyme results in the expression of a non-human form of carbohydrate called alpha (1,3) galactosyl carbohydrates (a-Gal), on the surface of affected cells. Its HyperAcute immunotherapy product candidates are composed of irradiated, live, allogeneic human cancer cells modified to express the gene that makes a-Gal epitopes. This exposure to a-Gal stimulates the human immune system to attack and destroy the immunotherapy cells on, which a-Gal is present by activating complement.

IDO Pathway Inhibitor Product Candidate

The Company is developing D-1MT, a small-molecule, orally bioavailable product candidate designed to inhibit the IDO pathway. In preclinical models, IDO pathway inhibitors have shown anti-tumor effects in combination with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy or immunotherapy. Through its collaboration with the NCI, it is studying D-1MT in two Phase 1B/II safety and efficacy clinical trials in various chemotherapy and immunotherapy combinations. One clinical trial combines D-1MT with an Ad-p53 autologous dendritic cell vaccine for solid malignancies with p53 mutations, such as lung, breast and colon cancers. The other clinical trial involves the combined use of D-1MT and Taxotere for patients with advanced stage solid tumors, for which Taxotere is the standard-of-care treatment, such as metastatic breast, prostate, ovarian and lung cancers.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jayson Derrick]

    NewLink Genetics (NASDAQ: NLNK) announced that it will discontinue the phase 3 IMPRESS clinical trial of algenpantucel-L for patients with pancreatic cancer. The company intends to regroup and ��athering additional, more mature data in support of our mission to provide improved treatment options for patients with pancreatic cancer.��Shares fell 16.20 percent, closing at $31.60.

Best Managed Healthcare Companies To Buy Right Now: EV Energy Partners LP (EVEP)

EV Energy Partners, L.P. (the Partnership) is engaged in the acquisition, development and production of oil and natural gas properties. As of December 31, 2011, the Company's properties were located in the Barnett Shale, the Appalachian Basin (which includes the Utica Shale), the Mid Continent areas in Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Kansas and Louisiana, the San Juan Basin, the Monroe Field in Northern Louisiana, the Permian Basin, Central and East Texas (which includes the Austin Chalk area), and Michigan. On November 1, 2011, the Company acquired oil and natural gas properties in the Mid Continent area. On December 1, 2011, the Company along with certain institutional partnerships managed by EnerVest, acquired oil and natural gas properties in the Barnett Shale. It acquired a 31.02% proportional interest in these properties. On December 20, 2011, the Company, along with certain institutional partnerships managed by EnerVest, acquired additional oil and natural gas properties in the Barnett Shale. It acquired a 31.63% proportional interest in these properties. On February 7, 2012, the Company along with certain institutional partnerships managed by EnerVest, had a second closing on the oil and natural gas properties, and acquired a 31.63% proportional interest in these properties.

Barnett Shale

The Barnett Shale properties are located in Denton, Parker, Tarrant and Wise counties in Northern Texas. Its portion of the estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011, was 647.4 one billion cubic feet equivalent (Bcfe), 72% of which is natural gas. During 2011, the Company drilled 35 wells. EnerVest operates wells representing 100% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and the Company owns an average 29% working interest in 976 gross productive wells.

Appalachian Basin

The Company�� activities are concentrated in the Ohio and West Virginia areas of the Appalachian Basin. Its Ohio area properties are producing from the Knox and Clinton f! ormations and other Devonian age sands in 41 counties in Eastern Ohio and 11 counties in Western Pennsylvania. Its West Virginia area properties are producing from the Balltown, Benson and Big Injun formations in 23 counties in North Central West Virginia. Its estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011, were 126.4 Bcfe, 76% of which is natural gas. During 2011, it drilled 33 grosswells, 26 of which were completed. EnerVest operates wells representing 92% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and it owns an average 41% working interest in 8,670 gross productive wells.

Mid-Continent Area

The properties are located in 47 counties in Oklahoma, 17 counties in Texas, four parishes in North Louisiana, one county in Kansas and six counties in Arkansas. The Company�� estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011, were 81.2 Bcfe, 63% of which is natural gas. During 2011, it drilled 82 wells, all of which were completed. EnerVest operates wells representing 33% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and it owns an average 12% working interest in 1,864 gross productive wells.

San Juan Basin

The properties are located in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico and La Plata County in Colorado. The Company�� estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011, 68.6 Bcfe, 59% of which is natural gas. During 2011, it drilled two wells, one of which were completed. EnerVest operates wells representing 94% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and it owns an average 71% working interest in 227 gross productive wells.

Monroe Field

The properties are located in two parishes in Northeast Louisiana. The Company�� estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011, were 60.9 Bcfe, 100% of which is natural gas. During 2011, it drilled one well, which was completed. EnerVest operates wells representing 100% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and it owns an average 100% working i! nterest i! n 3,930 gross productive wells.

Permian Basin

The properties are located in the Yates, Seven Rivers, Queen, Morrow, Clear Fork and Wichita Albany formations in four counties in New Mexico and Texas. The Company�� estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011, were 54.1Bcfe, 37% of which is natural gas. During 2011, it did not drill any wells. EnerVest operates wells representing 99% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and it owns an average 93% working interest in 160 gross productive wells.

Central and East Texas

The properties produce primarily from the Austin Chalk formation and are located in 30 counties in Central and East Texas. Its portion of the estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011 was 60.9 Bcfe, 46% of which is natural gas. During 2011, the Company drilled 16 gross wells, 15 of which were completed. EnerVest operates wells representing 93% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and it owns an average 12% working interest in 1,829 gross productive wells.

Michigan

The properties are located in the Antrim Shale reservoir in Otsego and Montmorency counties in northern Michigan. The Company�� estimated net proved reserves as of December 31, 2011, were 44.9 Bcfe, 100% of which is natural gas. During 2011, it did not drill any wells. EnerVest operates wells representing 99% of its estimated net proved reserves in this area, and it has an average 84% working interest in 370 gross productive wells.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Arjun Sreekumar]

    Analysts expect some $2 billion worth of new projects to be revealed, in addition to the $2 billion of projects that have already been announced.�Major projects that have either been proposed or are under way include a natural gas liquids processing plant�by affiliates of NiSource and Hilcorp Energy; a gathering and processing plant by M3 Midstream LLC, Access Midstream Partners, and EV Energy Partners (NASDAQ: EVEP  ) ; and a proposed pipeline from Ohio to Detroit and Canada, to be built by DTE Energy, Spectra Energy (NYSE: SE  ) and Enbridge.

Best Managed Healthcare Companies To Buy Right Now: Northern Tier Energy LP (NTI)

Northern Tier Energy LP, formerly Northern Tier Energy, Inc., incorporated in October 21, 2011, is an independent downstream energy company with refining, retail, and pipeline operations that serves the PADD II region of the United States. The Company operates its assets in two business segments: the refining business and the retail business. The Company owns three pipelines. The Company's operations will be conducted through, and its operating assets will be owned by, its wholly owned subsidiary, Northern Tier Energy LLC, and its subsidiaries. Effective November 12, 2013, Western Refining Inc acquired a 38.681% interest in Northern Tier Energy LP.

Refining Business

The Company�� refining business primarily consists of a 74,000 barrels per calendar day (84,500 barrels per stream day) refinery located in St. Paul Park, Minnesota. Its location allows it to distribute its refined products throughout the midwestern United States. The Company�� refinery produces a slate of refined products, including gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and asphalt, which are then marketed to resellers and consumers primarily in the PADD II region. It also owns various storage and transportation assets, including a light products terminal, a heavy products terminal, storage tanks, rail loading/unloading facilities and a Mississippi river dock. The Company�� refining business also includes its 17% interest in the Minnesota Pipe Line Company, which owns and operates the Minnesota Pipeline, a 455,000 barrels per calendar day crude oil pipeline system that transports crude oil (primarily from Western Canada and North Dakota) for approximately 300 miles from the Enbridge pipeline hub at Clearbrook, Minnesota to its refinery.

As of March 31, 2012, the Company's storage assets included 84 hydrocarbon storage tanks with a total capacity of 3.7 million barrels (156 million gallons), 0.8 million barrels of crude oil storage and 2.9 million barrels of feedstock and product storage. The Company�� r! efinery supplies all of the gasoline and diesel sold in its company-operated and franchised convenience stores, as well as all of the gasoline and diesel sold in 90 independently owned and operated Marathon branded stores in its marketing area. The Minnesota Pipe Line Company owns the Minnesota Pipeline, a crude oil pipeline system in Minnesota that transports crude oil to the St. Paul area. The Minnesota Pipeline system has multiple lines that run approximately 300 miles from Clearbrook in Clearwater County, Minnesota to Dakota County, Minnesota, transporting crude oil received through the Enbridge pipeline connections at Clearbrook from Western Canada and North Dakota to our refinery and Koch Industries�� Flint Hills Resources refinery in Minnesota.

Retail Business

As of March 31, 2012, the Company�� retail business operated 166 convenience stores under the SuperAmerica brand and also supported 67 franchised convenience stores, which are also operated under the SuperAmerica brand. These convenience stores are located primarily in Minnesota and Wisconsin and sell various grades of gasoline and diesel, tobacco products and immediately consumable items, such as non-alcoholic beverages, beer, prepared food and a range of snacks and prepackaged items. It also owns and operates SuperMom�� Bakery, which prepares and distributes baked goods and other prepared food items for sale in its company-operated and franchised convenience stores and other third party locations.

The Company has a retail-marketing network of 233 convenience stores, as of March 31, 2012, located throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota, of which it operates 166 stores and support 67 franchised stores. All of its company-operated and franchised convenience stores are operated under the SuperAmerica brand. It also owns and operates SuperMom�� Bakery, which prepares and distributes baked goods and other prepared items for sale in its retail outlets and for other third parties. Its refine! ry suppli! es all of the gasoline and diesel sold in its company-operated and franchised convenience stores. The Company has retail customers, which primarily include retail end-users, motorists and commercial drivers. It had a retail-marketing network of 233 convenience stores, as of March 31, 2012, located throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin and South Dakota, of which it operated 166 stores and support 67 franchised stores.

The Company competes with Koch Industries��Flint Hills Resources Refinery, Holiday, Kwik Trip and Wal-Mart.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Eric Volkman]

    Northern Tier Energy (NYSE: NTI  ) revenue totaled slightly over $1.1 billion in the first quarter, an improvement over the $999 million in the same period the previous year, the company announced this week.

  • [By Rick Munarriz]

    Monday
    The market kicks off a new trading week with Northern Tier Energy (NYSE: NTI  ) stepping up to report its third quarterly report since going public last year. The limited partnership has been attracting investors as a result of its chunky yield. If it can maintain its most recent quarterly dividend rate of $1.27 per unit, we would be seeing a yield of 20%.

  • [By Robert Rapier] In last week’s issue I discussed the basics of the refining sector. Today I will provide an overview of four MLPs that hold refining assets.

    To review, the refining sector was very profitable in 2012 thanks to unusually high crack spreads, which for many US refiners are approximated by the price differential between Brent and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oils. For a more thorough explanation of this phenomenon, please refer to last week’s issue.

    After years of trading at a $1 to $3 per barrel discount to WTI, Brent began fetching a premium a few years ago as a glut of crude developed in the mid-continent area of the US. In 2011 the Brent-WTI price differential increased to more than $25/bbl, and it remained historically high in 2012.

    But pipeline capacity started to catch up this year, and the share prices of refiners retreated as the glut began to dissipate and the Brent-WTI differential shrank. In Q3 2012, the Brent-WTI differential averaged $17.43/bbl, but by Q3 of this year, the differential had fallen to $4.43/bbl. This promises bad news for refiners about to report Q3 earnings.

    Many analysts downgraded the refining sector in Q3, but as the differential fell below $5/bbl it was hard to imagine that the news could get much worse. With poor Q3 results largely priced in, the differential subsequently rose back above $10/bbl, signaling better refining margins moving into Q4.

    Refiners began to post earnings this past week, and as expected they were weak. Valero (NYSE: VLO) reported slightly higher revenues year-over-year, but net earnings fell more than 50 percent from a year ago. Nevertheless, they beat the extremely pessimistic expectations of analysts, and Valero shares rose on the news.

    Phillips 66’s (NYSE: PSX) refining unit actually posted a loss, but its chemical business turned in a solid quarter which more than compensated for the disappointing refining results.

    The rest of the refine
  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Northern Tier Energy LP (NYSE: NTI) was down, falling 7.37 percent to $18.10 after the company reported an operational issue with crude unit.�

    Commodities
    In commodity news, oil traded down 1.07 percent to $103.62, while gold traded down 0.73 percent to $1,322.40. Silver traded up 0.10 percent Monday to $21.80, while copper fell 0.54 percent to $3.30.

Best Managed Healthcare Companies To Buy Right Now: CNO Financial Group Inc. (CNO)

CNO Financial Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the development, marketing, and administration of health insurance, annuity, individual life insurance, and other insurance products for senior and middle-income markets in the United States. The company markets and distributes Medicare supplement insurance, interest-sensitive and traditional life insurance, fixed annuities, and long-term care insurance products; Medicare advantage plans through a distribution arrangement with Humana Inc.; and Medicare Part D prescription drug plans through a distribution and reinsurance arrangement with Coventry Health Care. It also markets and distributes supplemental health, including specified disease, accident, and hospital indemnity insurance products; and life insurance to middle-income consumers at home and the worksite through independent marketing organizations and insurance agencies. In addition, the company markets primarily graded benefit and simplified issue life insurance products directly to customers through television advertising, direct mail, Internet, and telemarketing. It sells its products through career agents, independent producers, direct marketing, and sales managers. CNO Financial Group, Inc. has strategic alliances with Coventry and Humana. The company was formerly known as Conseco, Inc. and changed its name to CNO Financial Group, Inc. in May 2010. CNO Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Carmel, Indiana.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By David Fried, Editor, The Buyback Letter]

    Insurance holding company CNO Financial Group (CNO) and its insurance subsidiaries��rincipally Bankers Life and Casualty Company, Washington National, and Colonial Penn Life Insurance Company��erve pre-retiree and retired Americans.

  • [By Jonas Elmerraji]

    Up first is CNO Financial Group (CNO), a mid-cap financial stock that's rocketed close to 60% higher since the calendar flipped over to January. Yup, it's been a great year for the market, but it's been a far better one for investors who own CNO. But that strong performance isn't showing any signs of slowing yet. In fact, CNO looks primed for even more upside in the fourth quarter.

    That's because CNO is currently forming a bullish pattern called an ascending triangle. The ascending triangle pattern is formed by a horizontal resistance level above shares -- in this case at $14.75 -- and uptrending support to the downside. Basically, as CNO bounces in between those two technical price levels, it's getting squeezed closer and closer to a breakout above that $14.75 resistance level. When that breakout happens, it's time to become a buyer.

    ACCO's price action isn't exactly textbook. After all, the pattern is coming in at the bottom of a downtrend, not after an uptrend. But ultimately, that doesn't change the trading implications of a move through that $7.50 level.

    Whenever you're looking at any technical price pattern, it's critical to think in terms of those buyers and sellers. Ascending triangles and other pattern names are a good quick way to explain what's going on in a stock, but they're not the reason it's tradable. Instead, it all comes down to supply and demand for shares.

    That $7.50 resistance level is a price where there has been an excess of supply of shares; in other words, it's a place where sellers have been more eager to step in and take gains than buyers have been to buy. That's what makes a breakout above it so significant. The move means that buyers are finally strong enough to absorb all of the excess supply above that price level.

    Don't be early on this trade.

Best Managed Healthcare Companies To Buy Right Now: Tsakos Energy Navigation Ltd(TNP)

Tsakos Energy Navigation Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides seaborne crude oil and petroleum product transportation services worldwide. The company offers marine transportation services for national and independent oil companies and refiners under long, medium, and short-term charters. As of August 16, 2011, its fleet consisted of 50 vessels comprising 59 tankers, including 2 dynamic positioning 2 (DP2) shuttle tankers under construction, and 1 liquefied natural gas carrier. The company was formerly known as MIF Limited and changed its name to Tsakos Energy Navigation Limited in July 2001. Tsakos Energy Navigation Limited was founded in 1993 and is based in Athens, Greece.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rick Munarriz]

    We can start with Tsakos Energy Navigation Limited (NYSE: TNP  ) . Shares of the energy transporter moved 27% higher last week after surprising the market with a quarterly profit. Business isn't great at Tsakos. Revenue dipped slightly during the period, and a profit of $0.02 a share may not turn heads. However, analysts were bracing for a loss of $0.08 a share on a sharper decline in revenue.

  • [By Laura Brodbeck]

    Friday

    Earnings Expected From: Tsakos Energy Navigation (NYSE: TNP) Economic Releases Expected: Japanese industrial production, French GDP, Italian trade balance, Hong Kong GDP, US building permits, US housing starts

    Posted-In: Federal Reserve UkraineEarnings News Guidance Previews Pre-Market Outlook Markets Trading Ideas Best of Benzinga

Best Managed Healthcare Companies To Buy Right Now: Amarok Energy Inc (AMR)

Amarok Energy Inc.(Amarok ), formerly Drako Capital Corp. (Drako) is Canada-based company, engaged in oil and natural gas exploration and development in North America and Colombia. The Company operates in Canada, United States and Colombia. On February 27, 2012, Drako announced the completion of the Qualifying Transaction. On August 22, 2012, Drako Capital Corp. acquired Trilateral Energy Ltd. As part of the business acquisition of Trilateral a net carried working interest of 5% in Block LLA-21 for the two oil wells to be drilled on the Block LLA-21 property was acquired. As part of the business acquisition of Trilateral, oil and gas lease rights located in Montana, USA were acquired. 6,204 net acres (6,949 gross acres) of leases have been secured and approximately seven miles of two-dimensional (2D) seismic was acquired. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Holly LaFon]

    Question (From Bill Miller of Legg Mason): The airline industry is plagued with terrible economics. With the pending merger with U.S. Air (LCC) and American (AMR)��the industry has been consistently profitable with double-digit returns. Do you think the industry�� improved economics are likely to improve?

  • [By Dimitra DeFotis]

    A more temporary phenomenon beset airline stocks, with passenger revenue affected internationally by World Cup soccer mania. Leading the airline stocks lower were United Continental Holdings�(UAL),�Delta Air Lines (DAL) and American Airlines (AMR).

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