Top Oil Stocks To Own Right Now

tags:APA,WPZ,HAL,MMP,

It has been a wild year for crude oil. After rising for most of 2016 and 2017, oil has hit a strange trading channel. On one hand, potential geopolitical supply shocks and higher demand have kept prices elevated. On the other hand, the trade war has managed to crimp much of the enthusiasm and overall need for oil. And in this wonkiness, energy stocks have followed suit.

Today, the sector proxy — the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSE:XLE) — is basically trading for where it was at the start of the year. That’s despite rising much higher and falling much lower over the last eight months.

It’s like energy stocks have reset.

But that reset could be just what investors are looking for. Energy stocks sill appear pretty cheap, especially when you consider the broad effects of tax reform and their newfound lower cost structures. At current prices per barrel, many can still profit handsomely. For investors, the bargains among energy stocks are too good to pass up.

Top Oil Stocks To Own Right Now: Apache Corporation(APA)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Thanks to red-hot oil prices over the past year, oil stocks are up sharply. To give some sense of the magnitude of the rebound, the iShares U.S. Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF (NYSEMKT:IEO) -- which holds more than 60 U.S.-focused oil and gas stocks -- has rallied nearly 33% over the last 12 months. However, while that rising tide has lifted most boats, not all oil and gas stocks have enjoyed the oil market's rebound. In fact, some stocks have managed to lose ground in the past year. Two of those laggards are Antero Resources (NYSE:AR) and Apache Corporation (NYSE:APA), which have declined 6% and 12%, respectively, in the last year.

• [By John Bromels]

  And despite the stock market's long bull run, there are still some dividend stocks out there that are both cheap and high-quality. So let's go bargain shopping and see if we can find some! Three in the bargain bin that look promising are Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI), ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM), and Apache Corporation (NYSE:APA). Here's why they might be right for your portfolio.

• [By Chris Lange]

  The stock posting the largest daily percentage gain in the S&P 500 ahead of the close was Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA) which rose over 5% to $41.75. The stock's 52-week range is $33.60 to $51.21. Volume was 4.8 million compared to the daily average volume of 4.4 million.

Top Oil Stocks To Own Right Now: Williams Partners L.P.(WPZ)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tyler Crowe, Jason Hall, and Matthew DiLallo]

  Matt DiLallo (Williams Companies): This natural gas pipeline giant has had a slow start in 2018. Through the first half of the year, cash flow at the company's MLP Williams Partners (NYSE:WPZ) has only increased by about 2%, due mainly to recent asset sales. However, with a major expansion project coming on line, cash flow growth should accelerate in the second half of the year. That project and others in the pipeline have the company on track to grow cash flow 9% in 2018 and another 13% next year.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Williams Pipeline Partners (WPZ)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Loxo Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ: LOXO) rose 17.1 percent to $163.30 in pre-market trading as the company disclosed that LOXO-292 Phase 1 trial abstract was selected for 'Best of ASCO'. CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTMX) rose 11.5 percent to $27.15 in pre-market trading after the company announced presentations at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting. Check-Cap Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHEK) rose 12.3 percent to $5.47 in pre-market trading after reporting narrower-than-expected Q1 loss. Flotek Industries, Inc. (NYSE: FTK) shares rose 7.1 percent to $3.62 in the pre-market trading session. Baozun Inc. (NASDAQ: BZUN) shares rose 5.8 percent to $47.65 in pre-market trading after reporting Q1 results. World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) rose 5.5 percent to $46.00 in pre-market trading. Williams Partners L.P. (NYSE: WPZ) rose 5.3 percent to $40.50 in pre-market trading after The Williams Companies, Inc. (NYSE: WMB) announced agreement to acquire all public equity of Williams Partners in a $10.5 billion deal. Koss Corporation (NASDAQ: KOSS) shares rose 4.6 percent to $2.72 in pre-market trading after surging 12.55 percent on Wednesday. Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH) rose 4.5 percent to $5.85 in pre-market trading after gaining 5.66 percent on Wednesday. Farmer Bros. Co. (NASDAQ: FARM) rose 4.1 percent to $27 in pre-market trading after climbing 7.90 percent on Wednesday. Kosmos Energy Ltd. (NYSE: KOS) rose 4 percent to $7.70 in pre-market trading.

   

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Analysts at Stifel Nicolaus downgraded Williams Partners L.P. (NYSE: WPZ) from Buy to Hold..

  Williams Partners shares fell 0.63 percent to close at $41.23 on Friday.

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Simpler organizational structures could yield significant benefits for individual investors. In addition to being easier to follow and understand, it will make it easier than ever to own some of the most important pieces of energy infrastructure in the United States. The proposed merger between Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) and Williams Partners LP (NYSE:WPZ) is a great example, as it owns some of the best natural gas infrastructure in the United States. Here's why investors should be bullish on the multi-billion dollar merger.

Top Oil Stocks To Own Right Now: Halliburton Company(HAL)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Taylor Muckerman]

  In this week's episode of Industry Focus: Energy, host Sarah Priestley and analyst Taylor Muckerman go through a grab bag of questions from listeners. They explain the issues surrounding Permian Basin production, why investors might want to check out midstream company Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE:EPD), a few important things to know about oil services companies Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) and Schlumberger (NYSE:SLB), and what might become of the beleaguered offshore industry.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  That's clear by the comments of oil-field services giants Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) and Schlumberger (NYSE:SLB) in September, as both issued warnings about the impact this would have on their industry. In Halliburton's case, it said that the slowdown in the Permian, as well as some slower-to-develop work in the Middle East, would knock $0.08 to $0.10 per share off its earnings in the third quarter. Meanwhile, Schlumberger's CEO said that "these [pipeline] challenges will likely have a dampening effect on production growth, wellhead prices, and investment levels in the coming year."

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Tiverton Asset Management LLC grew its holdings in Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) by 110.1% during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 42,268 shares of the oilfield services company’s stock after purchasing an additional 22,153 shares during the quarter. Tiverton Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Halliburton were worth $1,905,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Ferguson Wellman Capital Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor purchased 386,214 shares of the oilfield services company’s stock, valued at approximately $17,403,000.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Halliburton Co. (NYSE: HAL) was started with an Overweight rating and assigned a $50 price target. This call represented right at 30% in implied total return (including the dividend), and it is still not even an above-consensus target. The stock closed up 1.2% at $39.16 the prior day, and its shares were up 1.8% at $39.88 in Wednesday’s session. The 52-week range is $35.75 to $57.86, and the consensus target price is $51.97.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Halcyon (CURRENCY:HAL) traded up 0.4% against the U.S. dollar during the one day period ending at 13:00 PM E.T. on September 9th. Over the last seven days, Halcyon has traded 40.7% lower against the U.S. dollar. Halcyon has a market capitalization of $171,200.00 and $23.00 worth of Halcyon was traded on exchanges in the last day. One Halcyon coin can currently be bought for approximately $0.0272 or 0.00000426 BTC on cryptocurrency exchanges.

Top Oil Stocks To Own Right Now: Magellan Midstream Partners L.P.(MMP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Bromels]

  Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP), Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS-A)(NYSE:RDS-B), and Darling Ingredients (NYSE:DAR) are three energy industry companies that are safe bets to buy and then forget about all summer long. 

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP) had its price target boosted by Barclays from $72.00 to $74.00 in a research note released on Monday morning. Barclays currently has an equal weight rating on the pipeline company’s stock.

• [By Tyler Crowe, Matthew DiLallo, and Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  Fortunately for those looking at these attractive valuations, oil's end-of-days scenario is likely a ways down the road. So we asked three Fool.com contributors to highlight a stock they see in the oil industry right now that looks attractive. Here's why they picked Plains All American Pipeline (NYSE:PAA), Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:MPC), and Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP). 

• [By Motley Fool Transcribing]

  Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP) Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallJan. 31, 2019 1:30 p.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

5 Tax Breaks for Uber or Lyft Drivers

Rideshare services make it convenient for passengers to get where they need to go, and driving for companies like Uber or Lyft is a lucrative prospect for folks who do so on a full-time or part-time basis. Of course, the downside of driving for one of these services is that you're responsible for maintaining a fairly expensive piece of equipment -- your vehicle -- to earn money. The good news, however, is that by working as an independent contractor for one of these companies, you're privy to a number of key tax breaks that could put some cash back in your pocket. Here are a few to be aware of.

1. Deductions for vehicle-related expenses

Since you use your vehicle for work purposes, the money you spend to maintain it is deductible on your taxes. There are two ways you can claim this deduction. The first is to deduct the actual expense of operating your vehicle as it relates to your business. This means that you can tally up your insurance, maintenance, and auto repair costs, and claim a deduction based on that dollar amount.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.

That said, if you use your vehicle for personal matters as well, you can only deduct a portion of those expenses. For example, if your vehicle is driven for personal use 50% of the time, and for income-earning purposes the other 50% of the time, you only get to claim 50% of the aforementioned costs.

The second way you can claim a deduction against your vehicle is to take the standard IRS mileage deduction. For 2018, the approved rate is $0.545 per mile, and for 2019, it's $0.58 per mile. What you would do here is figure out exactly how many miles you drove for Uber, Lyft, or whatever company you work for, and multiply that total by the appropriate mileage rate. For example, if you drove 2,000 miles for Uber last year, you'd get a $1,090 deduction.

Keep in mind, however, that it's your responsibility to document any expenses you incur as they relate to your vehicle. This means retaining copies of receipts whenever you fill up gas, get your oil changed, or pay for repairs. If you're claiming mileage, you'll need to keep a detailed log showing your starting and ending points for each work-related trip you take.

2. Tolls and parking fees

If you're required to pay for tolls and parking in the course of your job, you can deduct those expenses on your taxes. Once again, you'll need to retain receipts showing when those costs were incurred in case the IRS decides to double check.

3. Refreshments for your passengers

Some Uber and Lyft drivers go the extra mile (no pun intended) by providing light refreshments for their passengers, like water or snacks. If you purchase food or drink items for your passengers to consume, they're considered deductible. But sorry -- the coffee you buy for yourself to stay awake on the job is not. Keep receipts of everything you buy so that you have proof of those purchases in the event of a tax audit (and to know what amount to claim).

4. Company commissions

One drawback of working for a big-name ridesharing service is that those companies take a cut of your earnings in the form of commissions. Maintain a record of how much you paid to the company you work for -- you can deduct that amount since you didn't actually get to keep it.

5. Your cell phone

You're generally required to have a cell phone to work for a major rideshare company -- that's how you'll claim your fares and communicate with passengers. As such, you're allowed to deduct a portion of your cell-phone costs, and that portion will depend on how much you use that phone for work versus personal calls. If it's a 50/50 split, for example -- meaning, you use your phone half the time for work -- you can claim half of your annual cell-phone costs. If you work for a rideshare service full-time, however, it might make sense to get a dedicated cell phone for that purpose.

Whether you do so full-time or as a side hustle, driving for a rideshare service is a great way to boost your income. Just be sure to make estimated quarterly tax payments on your earnings throughout the year, since, as an independent contractor, you won't have taxes deducted from your income. At the same time, be aware of the tax breaks you're entitled to and keep meticulous records so that you not only know what to claim on your tax return, but also have documentation in case the IRS decides to dig deeper.

Luminex Corp (LMNX) Files 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended on December 31, 2018

Luminex Corp (NASDAQ:LMNX) files its latest 10-K with SEC for the fiscal year ended on December 31, 2018. Luminex Corp develops, manufactures and sells proprietary biological testing technologies and products with applications throughout the life sciences and diagnostics industries. Its products include MAGPIX, Luminex 100/200, and FLEXMAP 3D. Luminex Corp has a market cap of $1.16 billion; its shares were traded at around $26.03 with a P/E ratio of 61.95 and P/S ratio of 3.67. The dividend yield of Luminex Corp stocks is 0.91%. Luminex Corp had annual average EBITDA growth of 15.60% over the past ten years. GuruFocus rated Luminex Corp the business predictability rank of 3.5-star.

For the last quarter Luminex Corp reported a revenue of $81.1 million, compared with the revenue of $78.20 million during the same period a year ago. For the latest fiscal year the company reported a revenue of $315.8 million, an increase of 3% from last year. For the last five years Luminex Corp had an average revenue growth rate of 8.9% a year.

The reported diluted earnings per share was 41 cents for the year, a decline of 38.8% from the previous year. Over the last five years Luminex Corp had an EPS growth rate of 7.2% a year. The Luminex Corp had an operating margin of 8.82%, compared with the operating margin of 12.12% a year before. The 10-year historical median operating margin of Luminex Corp is 10.02%. The profitability rank of the company is 7 (out of 10).

At the end of the fiscal year, Luminex Corp has the cash and cash equivalents of $76.4 million, compared with $127.1 million in the previous year. The company had no long term debt. Luminex Corp has a financial strength rank of 9 (out of 10).

At the current stock price of $26.03, Luminex Corp is traded at close to its historical median P/S valuation band of $27.61. The P/S ratio of the stock is 3.67, while the historical median P/S ratio is 3.87. The intrinsic value of the stock is $8.88 a share, according to GuruFocus DCF Calculator. The stock gained 32.24% during the past 12 months.

For the complete 20-year historical financial data of LMNX, click here.

Top Tech Stocks To Buy Right Now

tags:JCS,KINS,UPS, What happened

USA Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:USAT) stock lost 55.7% in September, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. Shares plummeted following the cashless-payment company's decision to conduct an internal probe into matters involving contracts, accounting, and financial reports.

USAT data by YCharts.

USA Technologies stock sank 33% on Sept. 11 after the company published a press release outlining moves to perform an audit and delay its full-year report. Shares continued to lose ground as the month went on.

Image source: Getty Images.

So what

The audit meant that USA Technologies had to delay the filing its annual Form 10-K with the SEC beyond the Sept. 13 deadline, with the company initially filing for a 15-day extension. The key details from the company's Sept. 11 press release are excerpted below:

Top Tech Stocks To Buy Right Now: Communications Systems Inc.(JCS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Cara Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CARA) shares surged 42.76 percent to close at $16.56 on Wednesday in reaction to a new licensing agreement with Europe-based Vifor Pharma. As part of the agreement, the biopharmaceutical company that alleviates pain licensed worldwide rights (except U.S., Japan, and South Korea) to Vifor Pharma to commercialize its KORSUVA therapy to Vifor $70 million. Yangtze River Port and Logistics Limited (NASDAQ: YRIV) gained 31.28 percent to close at $7.05 on Wednesday. Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF) climbed 23.29 percent to close at $126.05 after the company reported upbeat results for its first quarter and raised its FY2018 earnings guidance. EVO Payments, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVOP) gained 18.88 percent to close at $19.02. EVO Payments priced its IPO at $16 per share. Carver Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: CARV) rose 16.1 percent to close at $6.85. USA Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: USAT) gained 15.68 percent to close at $13.65 after announcing pricing of public offering. eXp World Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPI) shares jumped 15.01 percent to close at $17.70. Geron Corporation (NASDAQ: GERN) gained 14.99 percent to close at $4.68. Evolus, Inc. (NASDAQ: EOLS) rose 14.62 percent to close at $19.36. Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE: RL) shares rose 14.34 percent to close at $133.33 after the company reported stronger-than-expected results for its fourth quarter. Turtle Beach Corporation (NASDAQ: HEAR) jumped 13.26 percent to close at $17.34 on Wednesday. Turtle Beach S-3 showed registration for 1.857 million share common stock offering via selling holders. Communications Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: JCS) rose 13.18 percent to close at $3.95. Communications Systems reported establishment of special committee to explore strategic alternatives. Immutep Limited (NASDAQ: IMMP) shares climbed 12.95 percent to close at $2.53. xG Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: XGTI) rose 12.64 percent to close at $0.8561 after the company&rsq

Top Tech Stocks To Buy Right Now: Kingstone Companies, Inc(KINS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  AXIS Capital (NYSE: AXS) and Kingstone Companies (NASDAQ:KINS) are both finance companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, risk, analyst recommendations, earnings, dividends, institutional ownership and profitability.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Kingstone Companies (KINS)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Kingstone Companies (KINS)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Kingstone Companies (NASDAQ:KINS) was upgraded by analysts at ValuEngine from a hold rating to a buy rating.

  Kosmos Energy (NYSE:KOS) was upgraded by analysts at ValuEngine from a hold rating to a buy rating.

Top Tech Stocks To Buy Right Now: United Parcel Service Inc.(UPS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Baldwin]
  Markets are cheering a major development in efforts to fix the ongoing trade conflict between the United States and China. According to Reuters, Chinese telecom giant ZTE has signed an agreement to get back into business with its American partners. The agreement will lift a ban by the U.S. Commerce Department that prevented China's No. 2 telecommunications equipment from buying from U.S. suppliers. This is a major development, and one that signals progress among trade officials from both nations. There are now more job openings in the United States than available workers. This is the first time that the Department of Labor has documented this phenomenon. There are 6.7 million openings compared to the 6.4 million workers available to fill those positions. As a result, U.S. companies have been forced to increase compensation in order to attract talent. All of the positive economic development could come to a screeching halt should the U.S. experience the largest labor strike in a decade. Reports indicate that the Teamsters and the United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) are on a collision course that could result in a general strike. The union has announced that 260,000 UPS employees have authorized a strike should both sides fail to reach a labor deal by August 1. UPS is responsible for the transport of 6% of the nation's gross domestic product. Three Stocks to Watch Today: TSLA, NOG, WFC Tesla Inc. (Nasdaq: TSLA) investors remain committed to giving Chairman Elon Musk more of their money. On Tuesday, shareholders struck down proposals that would have removed Musk from the chairman role and shaken up the board of directors. Both proposals failed. At the same shareholder event, Musk announced plans for Tesla to open a production facility in Shanghai and projected that his firm will likely produce 5,000 Model 3 vehicles per week by the end of June. In deal news, defense contractor Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOG) has won U.S. antitrust approval to purchase rocket moto
• [By ]

  Plus, if USPS were to raise rates, FedEx Corp. (FDX) and United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) would likely follow suit in a move that would impact all firms like Amazon that rely heavily on shippers, Jefferies wrote. For Amazon, about 62% of packages flow through USPS, 21% through UPS, 8% through FedEx and 9% through regional carriers.

• [By Garrett Baldwin]

  I mean the Teamsters at United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE: UPS), of course. UPS drivers are one of the most critical components – cogs, if you will, in the massive machine that is American commerce.

• [By Adam Levy]

  Previously, Amazon had always considered FedEx (NYSE:FDX) and UPS (NYSE:UPS) partners. But the company is moving more and more of its shipping needs in-house. On the fourth-quarter earnings call, CFO Brian Olsavsky said the online retailer can ship many packages itself for less than it'd have to pay a third party.

• [By Rich Smith]

  Shares of shipping giant United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) are up 22% off their lows of earlier this year -- but still lagging the S&P 500 by more than 10 percentage points over the past year. Can UPS maintain its momentum and pull itself out of its funk? That may depend in large part on how quickly investors believe UPS can return to free-cash-flow positive status, as one Wall Street analyst opines in an upgrade covered on TheFly.com this morning.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Personal Capital Advisors Corp lessened its holdings in United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) by 3.0% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 279,188 shares of the transportation company’s stock after selling 8,732 shares during the quarter. Personal Capital Advisors Corp’s holdings in United Parcel Service were worth $29,220,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.