Posts for Ticker ‘OTTR’

Bankruptcy in Wind Turbine Maker Highlights Sector Risks (GE, SI, ZOLT, OTTR, BWEN)

Burning House ImageWind energy is supposed to be one of the key puzzle pieces in the quest to get off the dependence of foreign energy sources.  Yet a fairly disturbing story from the Daily Camera in Boulder. Colorado last night highlighted how all the federal grant money and all the alternative energy money in the world will still not be enough to keep every player alive.  Entegrity Wind Systems Inc. is a Canada-based wind turbine manufacturer that has based some operations in Boulder, CO.  And now the company has gone bankrupt.  In now way will this kill the efforts and ambition of the two giants in the U.S.:  General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) and Siemens AG (NYSE: SI).  It might even be good news for the giants as one less future competitor may be gone.  However, it does highlight at least some of the potential risks and ongoing risks for three smaller companies:

Posted on: October 27, 2009 – 11:33 am in Alternative Energy, Bankruptcy, Green Biz, , , , ,

Bill Gates Top Holdings (ABT, AN, BRK-A, BP, CNI, CAT, KO, COST, CCI, EK, XOM, FMX, JNJ, MCD, OTTR, RSG, SGP, WMT, WMI)

bill-gates-imageWe compiled a list of the equity holdings of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and for Bill Gates’ personal investment vehicle Cascade Investment.  These are as of December 31, 2008 and we have taken out the positions listed as under $50 million to make this list easier to read.  This list also excludes the massive holdings in Microsoft (MSFT).
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Posted on: February 17, 2009 – 8:48 am in Activist Investor, Insider Activity, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Bill Gates & Cascade New Stock Holdings (AN, BRK-A, CNI, KOF, FSCI, FMX, GBL, TV, OTTR, PCX, LGBT, PNM, RSG, SIX, BEE)

These are the new holdings (sans ETF and sans derivatives) for Bill Gates’ CASDADE INVESTMENT LLC As of September 30, 2008:

  • AUTONATION (NYSE: AN)                                5,263,588
  • BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY (NYSE: BRK-A)         4,050
  • CANADIAN NATL RY (NYSE: CNI)                     33,859,544
  • COCA COLA FEMSA S A B (NYSE: KOF)         857,128
  • FISHER COMMUNICATIONS (NASDAQ: FSCI)  455,700
  • FOMENTO ECONOMICO (NYSE: FMX)             20,966,795
  • GAMCO INVESTORS (NYSE: GBL)                  90,845
  • GRUPO TELEVISA SA (NYSE: TV)                  19,680,400
  • OTTER TAIL (NASDAQ: OTTR)                         2,556,499
  • PATRIOT COAL (NYSE: PCX)                          2,408,653
  • PLANETOUT (NASDAQ: LGBT)                        521,739
  • PNM RESOURCES (NYSE: PNM)                    7,019,550
  • REPUBLIC SERVICES (NYSE: RSG)               34,873,836
  • SIX FLAGS (NYSE: SIX)                                   10,210,600
  • STRATEGIC HOTELS & RESORT (NYSE: BEE) 4,190,000

You can join our open email distribution list to hear about holdings of Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, IPO’s, secondary offerings, private placements, merger, special situations, rumors, and more.

Jon C. Ogg
November 14, 2008

Posted on: November 14, 2008 – 4:35 pm in Activist Investor, Insider Activity, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Top Pre-Market Upgrades & Downgrades (AB, ABFS, CNY, DKX, BEN, KMT, ODFL, OTTR, PZN, RJF, JOE, TROW, YRCW)

These are not all of the research calls affecting shares of stock, but these are some we have our eyes on this Monday:

  • Alliance Bernstein (AB) Raised to Outperform at KBW.
  • Arkansas Best (ABFS) Cut to Underweight at JPMorgan.
  • Con-Way (CNY) Cut to Neutral at JPMorgan.
  • Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS) Started as Overweight at Lehman.
  • Franklin Resources (BEN) Cut to Market Perform at KBW.
  • Kennametal (KMT) Cut to Sell at Goldman Sachs.
  • Old Dominion Freight Line (ODFL) Cut to Neutral at JPMorgan.
  • Otter Tail (OTTR) Raised to Outperform at Baird.
  • Pzena (PZN) Cut to Underperform at KBW.
  • Raymond James Financial (RJF) Cut to Market Perform at KBW.
  • St. Joe (JOE) Cut to Market Perform at KBW.
  • T. Rowe Price (TROW) Cut to Underperform at KBW.
  • YRC Worldwide (YRCW) Cut to Underweight at JPMorgan.

Jon C. Ogg
September 22, 2008

Posted on: September 22, 2008 – 6:27 am in Analyst Calls, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The 52-Week Low Club 9/19/2008 (IHS)(DM)(OTTR)

Sad_clownBad day for the 52-week low club.

IHS (IHS) Decision to buy Global Insight for $200 million drives shares down. Bottom at $45.66 from 52-week high of $72.19.

Dolan Media (DM) No news, just a sell-off. Drops to $11.22 from 52-week high of $31.15.

Otter Tail Power (OTTR) Market unhappy with company’s plan to sell stock and with new guidance. Sells off to $29.71 from 52-week high of $46.15.

Douglas A. McIntyre

Posted on: September 19, 2008 – 2:49 pm in HI/LOW, , ,

Otter Tail Secondary Comes To Roost (OTTR)

Otter_tail_logoOtter Tail Corp. (NASDAQ: OTTR) is trading lower this morning after pricing its secondary offering.  The proposed 5 million share offering came in at 4.5 million shares. It also priced at $30 after closing at $33. last night.  Shares have also been hit hard as its 52-week trading range is $31.28 to $46.15.

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Posted on: September 19, 2008 – 7:40 am in Alternative Energy, Conglomerates, Secondary Offering,

Status on Companies Raising Cash (ORA, TCBI, VRTX, OTTR)

We have seen three issues so far since yesterday’s close to sell shares of stock and one offering still pending on the calendar for the week.  We have seen filings out of Ormat Technologies Inc. (NYSE: ORA), Texas Capital Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ: TCBI), and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ: VRTX).  We are also still waiting for pricing from Otter Tail Corp. (NASDAQ: OTTR) on its secondary offering.

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Posted on: September 18, 2008 – 8:18 am in Secondary Offering, , , ,

Otter Tail Loses Its Tail (OTTR)

Otter_tail_logoOtter Tail Corp. (NASDAQ: OTTR) may have been caught with its tail between its legs.  The small diversified mini-conglomerate has warned that its earnings were going to fall short of expectations.  For those new to Otter Tail, this is one which Jim Cramer featured for its wind power operations. Based on its very diversified operations and its small size, we’ve dubbed this on "General Eclectic" to describe the manner of the conglomerate’s operations.  We have also noticed how Bill Gates was an owner of this one.

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Posted on: August 5, 2008 – 5:45 am in Alternative Energy, Conglomerates, Earnings Warning,

Short Sellers Targeting Solar & Alternative Energy (AKNS, ASTI, CSIQ, CPST, ESLR, FTEK, OTTR, SPWR)

The overall short interest on NASDAQ stocks was actually pretty dull from the end of April to Mid-May, or at least that is the case until you go straight into looking at solar stocks and other alternative energy stocks.  Many of these have seen their stock prices rise sharply over the last few months.  Many were viable with $70 or $80 oil, but after $100 and then $130 oil you can imagine that short sellers are targeting the most up or most speculative names. 
                                                         MAY 15       APRIL 30     CHANGE
Akeena Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKNS)   3,280,165    3,042,025       7.83%
Ascent Solar Tech (NASDAQ: ASTI)     2,106,784    1,889,624      11.49%
Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ)   4,311,126    3,562,672      21.01%
Capstone Turbine (NASDAQ: CPST)     12,860,110   11,491,389    11.91%
Evergreen Solar (NASDAQ: ESLR)       22,122,144   20,622,446     7.27%
Fuel Tech, Inc. (NASDAQ: FTEK)          7,488,443    6,443,583      16.22%
Otter Tail Corp. (NASDAQ: OTTR)         2,126,732    1,960,651        8.47%
SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWR)     15,231,873   14,016,469      8.67%

As you have seen, most of these are solar plays, but some aren’t.  Fuel Tech helps power plants burn cleaner coal, and it has had more problems over the last year on making its earnings numbers.  Otter Tail is a diversified "General Eclectic" but it has become more well known for making wind towers of late; and it hasn’t hurt that Bill Gates has been a holder for quite some time.  Capstone Turbine has been our largest winner in our weekly "10 Stocks Under $10" newsletter in the sector with a 200% gain; and it is still an active hold in that group.  We also just featured Akeena Solar over at VSinvestor.com for a highly unusual volume spike alert.

These are the ones we screened with the largest short interest increases in the sector seem to be more speculative names, although there were some that saw decreases and we excluded those from this list.  Out of the alternative energy or "cleaner" energy stocks we follow, these were the ones with the largest increase in the short interest.

You can join our open email distribution list to hear about other issues in short interest, secondary offerings, IPO’s, private equity, special financings.

Jon Ogg
May 28, 2008

Posted on: May 28, 2008 – 9:58 am in Alternative Energy, Short Interest, , , , , , , ,

Cramer Breaking Wind Power Analysis (TRN, OTTR)

On tonight’s MAD MONEY on CNBC, Jim Cramer continued his GREEN WEEK stock picks. Tonight he wanted to cover the buy on weakness for these stocks and tonight he covered wind power stocks. He said it is impractical in many parts of the country, but he noted many parts where wind will work.  Cramer did note that the wind power tax credit could expire at the end of the year, and that would hurt the sector even though this is the cheapest energy out there.  Here are his picks:

  • Trinity Industries Inc. (NYSE: TRN) was one Cramer thought was only a rail car company, but they also have a wind operation for wind towers that was 6% of 2007 business in 2007 that may be 10% soon.  At 8-times earnings and with it down 40%, he said he was wrong in his negativity last night.  This stock closed up 3.5% today at $28.21, and shares rose 4.5% after his tout to $29.50; its 52-week trading range is $21.91 to $49.70.
  • His favorite play on wind power is Otter Tail Corp. (NASDAQ: OTTR) that is a boring utility serving in the Dakotas and Minnesota that owns a wind construction company called "DMI" with huge growth the entire worth of the company. Cramer said that Otter Tail could reward shareholders in a spin-off. Shares rose 4% after-hours on this one to $37.45.  If you go back to February, you’ll now know why maybe Bill Gates owns a huge portion of the company.

Earlier this week he has gone over various alternative energy stock picks that will work under various presidential candidates.  Cramer went over his picks that he thinks will win in natural gas on Tuesday and on Monday night he returned to talk about his old picks in alternative energy stocks from 2007 with his updated Buy, Hold, or Sell recommendations on those.

Jon C. Ogg
April 24, 2008

Posted on: April 24, 2008 – 5:21 pm in Alternative Energy, Cramer, ,

Bill Gates Personal Stock Holdings (MSFT, CNI, FSCI, OTTR, LGBT, PNM, RSG, SIX, FMX, TV, BRK.A)

Below are most of the equity holdings listed for Bill Gates’ own Cascade Investment, L.L.C. as of December 31, 2007.  These were disclosed in a filing late in the week.  Keep in mind that these are not tied at all to Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and these also do not include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation either.  This also does not include any ETF holdings.  These are not quite all of his holdings inside of Cascade, but these are the bulk of the holdings:

Company (Ticker)                                                  Value                 Shares
Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A)             $573,480,000       4,050
Canadian National Rail (NYSE: CNI)           $1,589,028,000     33,859,544
Fisher Communications (NASDAQ: FSCI)  $17,298,000          455,700
Fomento Econmico Mexicano (NYSE: FMX)$412,617,000        10,810,000
Grupo Televisa S.A. (NYSE: TV)                      $467,803,000       19,680,400
Otter Tail Corp. (NASDAQ: OTTR)                  $88,455,000          2,556,499
PlanetOut Inc. (NASDAQ: LGBT)                    $3,240,000             521,739
PNM Resources Inc. (NYSE: PNM)               $150,569,000         7,019,550
Republic Services Inc. (NYSE: RSG)            $852,483,000         27,192,451
Six Flags, Inc. (NYSE: SIX)                              $20,728,000           10,210,600

If you want to see Mr. Gates’ new best friend’s holdings (that would be Warren Buffett) you can see all of those here for the same period.

Or you can see Carl Icahn’s top equity holdings as well.

Jon C. Ogg
February 16, 2008

Posted on: February 16, 2008 – 7:41 am in Insider Activity, , , , , , , , , , ,

Bill Gates & Cascade Holdings

These are the holdings of Cascade Investment Management, L.L.C. as of March 31, 2007.  For those that do not recognize the name "Cascade," that is Bill Gates own private investment vehicle he uses for outside unrelated and passive investments for his own money that is not tied to Microsoft operations.  Here are the holdings as of March 31 per the SEC FILING:

Stock                                                                                $$Value            Shares
BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY (BRK-A)        $441,410       4,050                
CANADIAN NAT. Rail (CNI-NYSE)        $1,387,530      31,434,745            
FISHER COMMUN. (FSCI-NASDAQ)    $22,147         455,700   
FOUR SEASONS HOTEL (FS-NYSE)   $57,483         715,850   
GRUPO TELEVISA SA (TV-NYSE)         $579,288      19,439,200 
OTTER TAIL CORP (OTTR-NASDAQ)   $87,535       2,556,499   
PNM RES INC  (PNM-NYSE)                   $210,581       6,519,550
REPUBLIC SVCS INC (RSG-NYSE)     $756,494      27,192,451 
SIX FLAGS INC  (PKS-NYSE)                  $61,366      10,210,600
WESTERN ASSET
CLAYMORE US TR                                    $26,425       2,270,200   
WESTERN ASSET/CLYMRE
US TR INF (WIA-NYSE)                             $48,872       4,113,800 

Jon C. Ogg
May 15, 2007

Jon Ogg can be reached at jonogg@247wallst.com; he does not own securities in the companies he covers.

Posted on: May 15, 2007 – 4:42 pm in Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , ,