Posts for Ticker ‘RIG’

Will Gustav Raise or Lower Crude Prices? (XOM, RIG, RDS, COP, CVX)

Tx00338coilwellgusherodessatexasp_2Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005 forced a halt to about 25% of US oil and natural gas production. Now Tropical Storm Gustav, which is predicted to gain hurricane status by the weekend, is drawing a bead on Gulf of Mexico production facilities and crude oil prices are beginning to rise as companies shut down operations and evacuate workers.

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) has not yet begun to evacuate workers from its offshore platforms, but has begun planning a staged evacuation as Gustav gets closer. Transocean (NYSE:RIG) has already brought about 400 workers ashore and plans to move its remaining eight semi-submersibles, with 1,500 more employees on board, out of harm’s way. Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS.A/RDS.B) has already evacuated 750 workers from Gulf platforms and plans to withdraw the rest today. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) has already shut-in its only Gulf platform, and Chevron (NYSE:CVX) has begun evacuating workers for some of its platforms. Plans are also being made to close down the 57 onshore refineries along the Gulf coasts of Texas and Louisiana.

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Oil Services Better Insulated Than Most Energy Sub-Sectors (RIG, DVR, PDS, WFT, NOV, BJS, BHI, BAS, HAL, SLB, SII)

Oil_well_logo_2_2Oil Services are deemed by many market pundits as being more insulated than integrated oils, refiners, and other sub-sectors of the energy sector for oil and gas.  While these frequently move in-line with oil prices and with the sector, they are expected to have much more stable earnings than counterparts elsewhere in the sector.  Many of the oilfield services shares are down nearly 20% or more along with a major drop in oil prices. Transocean’s shares are holding at less than 1% down from 52-week highs, probably on the strength of the company’s bookings.

Transocean Inc. (NYSE: RIG) has given back nearly one-quarter of its value from its highs.  The worst performer among the larger players was CalDive (NYSE:DVR), down 43% from its 52-week high. Precision Drilling Trust (NYSE:PDS) is down about 30%, Weatherford (NYSE:WFT) is off about 27%, and National Oilwell Varco (NYSE:NOV) and BJ Services (NYSE:BJS) are down about 25%. A host of others are off around 20%: Baker Hughes (NYSE:BHI) at 22%; Basic Services (NYSE:BAS) at 21%; Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) at 20%; and Schlumberger (NYSE:SLB) and Smith International (NYSE:SII) are off about 19%.

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Controlling Expenses is the Name of the Game (FWLT, RIG)

This morning, Foster Wheeler Ltd. (NASDAQ:FWLT) and Transocean Inc. (NYSE:RIG) both reported earnings before the market opened. Both reported good earnings, but there are some warning signs to note in each.

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National Oilwell Varco Backlog Sets Rig Stock Standards (NOV, BHI, RIG)

Oil_well_logoExcluding special items, National Oilwell Varco (NYSE:NOV) reported second quarter 2008 income of $486.5 million, or $1.20 EPS. During the quarter, the company paid $62.5 million related to its merger with Grant Prideco, took a $29 million charge for taxes related to repatriating foreign earnings, and paid $7.2 million in taxes for the sale of a Grant Prideco subsidiary. Net income including all these charges was $421.7 million, or $1.04 EPS, still a very good performance.

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Top 10 Pre-Market Analyst Upgrades (CCJ, EDS, GENZ, GU, QCOM, STLD, RIG, VRSN, WB, XNPT)

These are not all of the upgrades we have seen so far this morning, but here are ten of the top positive analyst calls we have seen so far early this Tuesday morning:

  • Cameco (NYSE: CCJ) raised to Outperform at FBR.
  • Electronic Data Systems (NYSE: EDS) Raised to Neutral from Sell at Goldman Sachs.
  • Genzyme (NASDAQ: GENZ) started as Buy at UBS.
  • Gushan Environmental (NYSE: GU) Raised to Buy at Piper Jaffray.
  • Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) Started as Buy at Citigroup.
  • Steel Dynamics (NASDAQ: STLD) Raised to Buy from Neutral at UBS.
  • Transocean (NYSE: RIG) Raised to Overweight from Neutral at JPMorgan.
  • VeriSign (NASSDAQ: VRSN) Raised to Outperform from Neutral at Baird.
  • Wachovia (NYSE: WB) Raised to Neutral from Underperform at Merrill Lynch.
  • XenoPort (NASDAQ: XNPT) Raised to Outperform from Market Perform at FBR.

Jon C. Ogg
July 9, 2008

Oil Gushing Again (XOM, COP, RIG, APA, OMNI, NR, WNR, ALJ)

Yesterday, the energy sector gained 1.69%, as money flowed into ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM), up 2.63%; ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP), up 3.07%, Transocean (NYSE:RIG), up 3.21%; and Apache (NYSE:APA), up 6.04%. Other big gainers were oilfield services companies, with OMNI (NASDAQ:OMNI) up 11.52% and Newpark (NYSE:NR) setting a new 52-week high.

Refiners fared worse, with Western Refining (NYSE:WNR) off 11.22% for the day and Alon (NYSE:ALJ) off 6.53%.  In light of last Friday’s huge jump in crude oil, this all makes some sense. The oil majors and the E&P companies are getting their reserves factored in at the new prices. New exploration and drilling is bumping up the services companies. Refiners, who can’t raise prices fast enough to offset the costs of crude, are falling.

Many analysts think last week’s spike in crude prices was the result ofshort covering, abetted by the strengthening dollar. That may accountfor the uptick in companies with E&P plays, but what about servicescompanies? Yesterday’s surge indicates that traders are pricing newoperations into the companies’ stocks. But, if demand for crude isdropping, and according to the IEA, the latest projections for the restof 2008 indicate a global drop of 70,000 b/d, then it iscounter-intuitive that drilling will increase.

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UBS Hikes Oil (CVX, DO, HERO, NE, PDE, RDC, RIG)

UBS has raised its raw oil price targets for 2008 to 2010 and has lifted its coverage in the oil sector.  UBS also initiated coverage on some of the oil and drilling companies this morning.  Here are a few of the stocks they initiated coverage on:

  • Chevron (NYSE: CVX) raised to Buy from Neutral.
  • Diamond Offshore (NYSE: DO) started as Buy with a $160 target.
  • Hercules Offshore (NASDAQ: HERO) started as Neutral with a $35.00 price target.
  • Noble Corp. (NYSE: NE) started as Buy with $81.00 target.
  • Pride (NYSE: PDE) started as Neutral.
  • Rowan (NYSE: RDC) started as Buy with $53.00 target.
  • Transocean (NYSE: RIG) started as Buy with a $200 target.

As far as average oil price, UBS raised those as well:

  • $115.00 average per barrel for 2008.
  • $120.00 average per barrel for 2009.
  • $116.50 average per barrel for 2010.

Jon C. Ogg
May 15, 2008

Top 10 Pre-Market Analyst Calls (BBI, DO, NE, EMC, ELX, HP, MEE, MHK, PVA, TEF, VOD, RIG)

These are the early-bird calls that we are looking at pre-market this Tuesday morning ahead of the earnings deluge that is about to start:

  • Blockbuster (NYSE: BBI) Cut to Neutral at JPMorgan.
  • Diamond Offshore (NYSE: DO) & Noble Corp. (NYSE: NE) cut to Hold at Deutsche Bank.
  • EMC Corp. (NYSE: EMC) cut to Hold from Buy at Citigroup.
  • Emulex (NYSE: ELX) Cut to Sell from Buy at Citigroup.
  • Helmerich & Payne (NYSE: HP) Started as Overweight at JPMorgan.
  • Massey Energy (NYSE: MEE) Raised to Overweight from Neutral at JPMorgan.
  • Mohawk Industries (NYSE: MHK) Started as Buy at UBS.
  • Penn Virginia (NYSE: PVA) Started as Overweight at Lehman Brothers.
  • Telefonica (NYSE: TEF) and Vodafone (NYSE: VOD) started as Outperform at Bernstein.
  • Transocean (NYSE: RIG)) cut to Sell from Hold at Deutsche Bank.

Jon C. Ogg
April 15, 2008

Top 10 Pre-Market Analyst Calls (AEM, MDRX, BP, CSCO, ENR, GRMN, SHW, STI, TGT, RIG)

These are the early bird analyst calls we are focusing on this Thursday morning at 247WallSt.com:

  • Agnico-Eagle Mines Ltd. (NYSE: AEM) cut to Neutral at UBS.
  • Allscripts (NASDAQ: MDRX) raised to Buy from Neutral at UBS.
  • BP (NYSE: BP) downgraded to Sell from Hold at Citigroup.
  • Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) raised to Buy from Hold at Citigroup.
  • Energizer (NYSE: ENR) raised to Buy from Hold at Citigroup.
  • Garmin (NASDAQ: GRMN) raised to Outperform at Baird.
  • Sherwin Williams (NYSE: SHW) raised to Overweight from Neutral at JPMorgan.
  • SunTrust (NYSE: STI) cut to Underperform at Oppenheimer.
  • Target (NYSE: TGT) downgraded to Sell from Hold at Citigroup.
  • Transocean (NYSE: RIG) raised to Buy at Goldman Sachs.

Jon C. Ogg
February 21, 2008

Goldman Sachs Sees Gold in Offshore Drillers (DO, PDE, RIG)

Goldman Sachs has said enough is enough in oil drillers.  The firm is suggesting that investors take advantage of recent weakness seen in the offshore oil drillers.

Its two Buy-rated picks in the call were Diamond Offshore (NYSE: DO) with some 23% upside to its price targets and Pride International (NYSE: PDE) with about 20% upside to its price targets.

Goldman Sachs even noted Transocean (NYSE: RIG) with 22% upside to its target, although Goldman Sachs only has a neutral rating on that name.

This huge discovery in Brazil is noted as part of the reason for day rates rising, although this now notes a record $639,000/day rate.

Jon C. Ogg
February 19, 2008

Backward & Forward, Cramer In 2007 To 2008

2007 was one volatile year and for now it appears that will be the norm for at least the start of 2008.  Everyone’s favorite market pundit or least liked pundit is obviously Jim Cramer.  If you love Cramer or can’t stand him it really doesn’t matter.  He signed a new multi-year deal with CNBC recently.  Here are some of his major calls this year that will still be referred to in 2008:

Here were Cramer’s TOP 9 STOCKS FOR 2007, with a call broken down for each one.  Borat would say HI FIVE on some and NOT SO NICE on others, as would be expected.  Cramer’s 14,582 year-end DJIA target…..Friday’s close was 13,365.87……although we did hit 14,279.96 on OCT11, 2007.  Cramer also gave a batch of price targets on most of theDJIA components:

Cramer’s Stock Picks FOR 5-YEARS OUT:

SOME LISTS: His list of recession proof stocks compared to ours.  We are updating our
Defensive Stocks For The First Half Of 2008" currently.  Cramer gave a huge list of companies he expects to benefit from the alternative energy traders (SGR, FWLT, BWA, OMG, FSLR, FTEK, WFR, TTEK, ZOLT, BP, SPWR, CY, CPST, ITRI)… Jim Cramer pondered which US companies China would want to acquire, about 3 months before sovereign funds started buying into US companies.  Cramer’s mortgage winners and losers…… Here were his MAJOR BULL MARKET STOCK PICKS(MHS, CVS, AGN, CELG, GENZ, CEPH, RIG, HAL, EMR, CAT, CMI, UTX, KO,PEP, CL, GS, SKS, VFC, UNP, CSX, BA), some of which are DJIAcomponents.  Cramer produced a "MUST OWN" list of stocks, many of whichare up significantly and some are down (WHR, BDK, ATI, BGC, HON, ASD, JCI, MDR, FWLT, CAT, TEX, DE, QCOM)

Cramer spent lots of time on International stocks that most US investors might not cover on their own.  He made a big call on Mercadolibre (MELI) (also BIDU, GOOG) with some emphasis on buying immediately, right before it made a huge run up.  Cramer’s Hidden Video Game Investment Perfect World (PWRD, ATVI, ERTS, VIA) was one he said could run more than 50% for 2008.  Cramer made 5 TOP CHINESE PICKS (CEO, CHL, SSW, FMCN, BIDU, GMR).  We’ll see in 2008 if any of his Canadian OIL TRUSTS get acquired in 2008 (BTE, CNE, PGH, PVX, PWE, AAV, GDI).  Cramer also went over his top picks from Europe for American investors (TOT, SI, ABB, PHG, BF)

ON TECHNOLOGY:  Cramer’s NEW HORSEMEN OF TECH…. will the list change in 2008???  Did Cramer Say $1,000.00 on Google, Or Is It $600.00? That was in May 2007.  Cramer Gave Monster Price targets to Baidu.com (BIDU, GOOG).. will these targets change in 2008? Cramer was very positive on all the GPS stocks,although we’d expect that Cramer will change his tune in 2008 now thatthe holiday madness is behind us (GRMN, UA, CROX, NVT, TRMB, SIRF).

Would it be fair not to include the Barron’s attack on Cramer from summer for those of you that criticize his every word?

ON WARREN BUFFETT…. Cramer noted that BROOKFIELD ASSET MANAGEMENT in Canada may be the next Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK/A) NYSE: BAM). Cramer reviewed 10 Warren Buffett stocks for analysis and then reviewed 10 More Warren Buffett stocks:

Will his buyout of ALCOA (AA) prediction come true in 2008??? Cramer gave a list of stocks that had bought back so much stock that they might be taking themselves private.

Join our free email distribution list for other Cramer calls or for updates we send out regarding IPO’s, spin-offs, restructuring, reorganization, activist investors and more.

Happy New Years from the 247WallSt.com team!

Jon C. Ogg
December 31, 2007

Pre-Market Stock News (December 18, 2007)

Below is the top news that 247WallSt.com is focusing on that is impacting stocks in pre-market trading activity:

  • Adobe Systems (ADBE) traded down 2% after beating earnings and slightly raised guidance.
  • ATS Medical (ATSI) received FDA approval for AP360 mechanical heart valve.
  • Best Buy (BBY) $0.53 EPS vs $0.41 est. and $9.92 Billion revenues vs. $9.45 Billion est.; shares traded up 4%.
  • Borg Warner (BWA) trades ex-split to reflect a 2 for 1 stock split today.
  • Cherokee (CHKE) retained Goldman, Sachs & Co. to explore strategic alternatives including possible sale of the company.
  • Dollar Financial (DLLR) raised fiscal 2008 guidance after formally closing its previously announced acquisition of 82 Florida financial-services stores.
  • Eli Lilly (LLY) announced that CEO Sidney Taurel will retire in March 2008.
  • First Solar (FSLR) noted as a stock pick with 5-years earnings visibility by Cramer on MAD MONEY.
  • Forest Labs (FRX) won FDA approval for its new high blood pressure beta blocker along with Maylan Labs.
  • Goldman Sachs (GS) set to report earnings with $6.61 EPS estimate (whisper of $7.00 and higher).
  • Natus Medical (BABY) put Q1 guidance $0.09-0.10 vs $0.12 estimate; sees 2008 EPS $0.68 to $0.70 vs. $0.63 estimate.
  • MedcoHealth Solutions (MHS) noted as a stock pick with 5-years earnings visibility by Cramer on MAD MONEY.
  • Mylan Labs (MYL) won FDA approval for its new high blood pressure beta blocker along with Forest Labs.
  • Range Resources (RRC) to replace Tribune in S&P 500 Index on Thursday after close.
  • Salix Pharmaceuticals (SLXP) will replace Coherent Inc. (COHR) in the S&P SmallCap 600 after the close TODAY.
  • Synovus (SNV) lowered its guidance.
  • Thornburg (TMO) reinstated dividend with $0.25 payment, says mortgage uncertainties continue.
  • Transocean (RIG) noted as a stock pick with 5-years earnings visibility by Cramer on MAD MONEY.

Jon C. Ogg
December 18, 2007

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

Top Oil & Gas Analyst Calls (December 18, 2007)

These are the top analyst research noted that 247WallSt.com has seen in the oil, gas, and energy sector early this morning:

  • Approach Resources (AREX) started as Overweight at J.P.Morgan.
  • Atwood Oceanics (ATW) raised to Buy at Banc of America.
  • Cal Drive (DVR) started as Buy at Banc of America.
  • Diamond Offshore (DO) started as Buy at Banc of America.
  • Ensco (ESV) started as Neutral at Banc of America.
  • Grant Prideco (GRP) downgraded to Hold at Citigroup.
  • Gulfmark Offshore (GLF) raised to Buy at Banc of America.
  • Hornbeck Offshore (HOS) started as Buy at Banc of America.
  • Noble Energy (NE) started as Buy at Banc of America.
  • Occidental Petroleum (OXY) raised to Market Perform at FBR.
  • Pride International (PDE) started as neutral at Banc of America.
  • Transocean (RIG) started as Buy at Banc of America; Jim Cramer also noted this one as being one of his top 5-year stocks with earnings visibility.

Jon C. Ogg
December 18, 2007

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

Cramer’s Third Pick For Five Years Out: Transocean (RIG)

On tonight’s MAD MONEY on CNBC, Jim Cramer said he wanted to reviewsome picks that you might want to own with a 5-year time horizon forthe future.  He wants to look beyond the current markets and thevolatility, so he wants to look at earnings visibility for a multi-yearperiod.  So that way he can look past a major market swing or againstan analyst panicking over a stock drop.  He has three picks that have5-years worth of visibility and his THIRD PICK is as follows:

  • Cramer’s third pick with 5-years visibility is Transocean (NYSE: RIG) that just bought GlobalSantaFe in an $18 Billion merger.  This one gets great prices for deep water oil rigs that are in short supply and its deepest water rigs are under contract on great rates out to 2010 and 2012.  Despite this on getting hit every time oil drops, he thinks that shouldn’t happen because its 38 rigs of that sort are under long-term pacts.  Even the deeper water over 10,000 feet have far longer contracts with huge rates locked in.  Now that Transocean bought its largest competitor it has pure pricing power.  Since it takes so long to build a giant rig they won’t have any serious competition for a ways out.  High oil prices will continue to benefit it.  These have been hit with the pullback and can be bought now.

His first pick was First Solar and you can see that here.

His second pick MedcoHealth Solutions and you can see that here.

Cramer’s TOP PICKS FOR 2007.

Here is our own open email distribution list where we highlight some other Cramer picks, buyouts, break-ups, spin-offs, value stocks, merger-arb, and more.

Jon C. Ogg
December 17, 2007

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

As Transocean Hits All-Time Highs, Fitch Cuts Rating (RIG)

Maybe the ratings agencies are finally doing their job by monitoring leverage, and maybe the ratings companies are overly alert since they fell asleep at the wheel during the entire CDO meltdown on Wall Street.  Today FITCH RATINGS has downgraded Transocean, Inc.’s (NYSE:RIG) debt ratings to ‘BBB’ from ‘BBB+’. The Rating Outlook is Stable and this is still barely investment grade.

This downgrade was triggered with the completion of the GlobalSantaFe merger closing, and the previously announced intent to distribute $15 Billion cash to shareholders upon closing the merger.

FITCH’s downgrade also reflects Transocean’s intent to devote free cash flow during the next two years toward debt repayment, the significant visibility that the company has with regard to free cash flow levels as a result of its substantial contract backlog and the increased diversification and size of the company’s fleet of offshore drilling rigs. Initial borrowings to fund the $15 billion cash dividend to shareholders will be funded by borrowings on a 364-day bridge facility, and Fitch anticipates Transocean will move quickly to reduce borrowings under the bridge facility by using a combination of capital markets issuances and bank term debt.  As a result of Transocean’s commitment to devote free cash flows to repay debt, the company is expected to reduce debt levels from the current approximately $17 billion to approximately $10 billion by year-end 2009.  Fitch will also continue to monitor the strength of the company’s contract backlog.

Transocean shares are still up 5% on the day at $135.98, although they traded as high as $137.59 before FITCH made its debt rating cut.  Since this was planned upon the merger closing it could have probably been somewhat expected.  The high before today was $131.51.

Other pending or speculated oil and gas and energy mergers are covered in our Special Situation Investing Newsletter, and we also give previews or other data to our open email distribution list.

Jon C. Ogg
November 27, 2007

Jon Ogg produces the 24/7 Wall St. Special Situation Investing Newsletter; he does not own securities in the companies he covers.

Baker Hughes’ Likely Uses For Its $2 Billion Securities Offering (BHI, GE, RIG, GSF)

Last night Baker Hughes Inc. (NYSE:BHI) filed to sell up to $2 Billion in a mixed securities shelf, and this has surprisingly received very little coverage.  If you have been tracking this sector at all, you would wonder why on earth the company needs up to $2 Billion more.  None of the analysts that follow Baker Hughes are looking for losses any time this year or next with close to 20% earnings growth expected and it can internally service its debt without having to tap the markets, so they don’t have to raise cash.  The last time it filed to raise cash like this was in 1999 with a $1 Billion filing.

The company could be raising cash for a myriad of reasons, but raising some good old spending money would seem to be the most logical.  The markets have also closed the window or have at least made it less desired to borrow money just to buyback stock, but this is always possible as well.  Look at the "Use of Proceeds": acquisitions; working capital; capital expenditures; repayment of debt; and repurchases and redemptions of securities (identical to 1999 filing).

Baker Hughes is one of the leaders in the oilfield services industry as a supplier of products and technology services and systems to the oil and natural gas industry worldwide.  In a quite brief summary this includes products and services for drilling, formation evaluation, completion and production of oil and natural gas wells.  Baker Hughes’ shares are trading up over four-fold from the end of 1999-2000 and still up more than 100% from the start of 2005 when the sector and oil prices began a meteoric rise.

We just recently pondered how large General Electric’s (NYSE:GE) oil and gas operations would become since it is acquiring into the space.  The Transocean Inc. (NYSE:RIG) and GlobalSantaFe Corp. (NYSE:GSF) and other prior large deals spread out in the oil & gas sector are not expected to be the last in the space.  With other mergers selectively taking place in the sector and the company not truly needing the cash, it’s just hard to imagine anything different than Baker Hughes looking for some spending cash.  T. Boone Pickens recently called for $80 oil before he is 80, and there are some who still believe that $100 oil is coming.

The June 30 balance sheet is lean for a company with a $27.5 Billion market cap: a hair under $840 million in cash and short-term securities, but $2.333 Billion in receivables.  The company’s total assets (minus Goodwill, intangible, and ‘other’) is over $7 Billion; with the ‘official’ total assets at $8.99 Billion.  Its total debt is only $3.146 Billion, with under $2 Billion being allocated to long-term debt, deferred long-term debt, and other liabilities.

The company bought Western Atlas in the past and made several smaller deals since then, so it isn’t as though it wouldn’t be out of the norm for it to go shopping for a fairly large company.  It is very possible that the funds will in part just be used to repay some debt maturing in early 2009: per the annual report debt schedule it has notes due in January and February of 2009 that combined equals $534.4 million. 

If this is being done for defensive purposes that is another thing, although it is hard to imagine that a hostile deal would be headed its way.  We don’t want to fuel any speculation by throwing names out as to whom the company would look at.  Besides that there are just too many large and small companies (and units thereof) in too many segments that Baker Hughes could consider buying if it wants to.

Jon C. Ogg
September 6, 2007

Jon Ogg can be reached at jonogg@247wallst.com; he produces the 24/7 Wall St. SPECIAL SITUATION INVESTING NEWSLETTER and he does not own securities in the companies he covers.

Short Selling Energy, Oil & Gas Stocks (June 2007)

Stock Tickers: VLO, XOM, CVX, COP, SLB, HAL, OIH, HES, PBR, MRO, BHI, RIG, BJS, WMB, GSF, BP, VLO, WFT, NOV, HES

Higher and higher oil prices got you down?  They definitely don’t do wonder for the people increasing their short selling bets against stocks across the various groups of the Oil & Gas sector.  Here is a list of many key (mostly US-based) stocks spread across the various segments inside the energy patch.  It’s amazing that short selling rises as commodity prices biased upward and oil close to $70.00 per barrel.

Increases in short interest:

Stock (Ticker)                                  JUNE    MAY            Change
Exxon Mobil (XOM)                       49.65M   46.6M         +6.55%
Chevron (CVX)                              31.17M   30.79M      +1.2% 
ConocoPhillips (COP)                21.38M    17.37M      +23%
Marathon Oil (MRO)                     11.65M    5.62M        +3.6%      
Baker Hughes (BHI)                    15.38M    13.44M     +14.4% 
Transocean (RIG)                        16.27M    14.7M        +10.6%    
BJ Services (BJS)                         21.57M    19.21M     +12.3%
‘PetroBras’ (PBR)                            4.84M      3.15M       +53%
Williams Companies (WMB)      20.25M     17.93M     +12.9%
Oil Service HOLDRs(OIH)           20.9M     19.0M         +10%
GloabalSantaFe (GSF)                 10.7M      9.24M        +15.8%

Decreases in short interest

Stock (Ticker)                                  JUNE         MAY        Change
BP plc (BP)                                     5.945M       6.61M        -10%
Valero (VLO)                                   29.06M      46.05M      -36.8%
Schlumberger (SLB)                     20.94M      31.28M      -30%
Halliburton (HAL)                           44.27M      47.32M      -6.4%
Weatherford (WFT)                        17.93M      19.22M      -6.7%
Nat’l Oilwell Varco (NOV)               7.59M        8.06M        -5.8%
Hess Corp. (HES)                             6.4M        6.42M        -0.4%

Jon C. Ogg
June 22, 2007

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

Mixed Bag in Energy Short Selling (BP, VLO, MRO, BHI, RIG, XOM, CVX, COP, SLB, HAL, OIH)

Stock Tickers: BP, VLO, MRO, BHI, RIG, XOM, CVX, COP, SLB, HAL, OIH

The short interest for MAY 2007 is out and the oil and energy patch names is fairly mixed.  The Oil Service HOLDRs (OIH) showed a 13.3% rise in the short interest with the April reading of 16.76 million shares going up to a new 19.0 million shares in May.  As you can see out of the liquid and actively traded US-based (most anyway), the list is actually pretty mixed for the month.  Fighting rising energy prices is just hard to do after a while.

STOCK (Ticker)           MAY07    APR07    Change
BP plc (BP)                   6.61M      6.13M      7.7%
Valero (VLO)                46.05M    10.78M    327%
Marathon Oil (MRO)    5.62M      5.37M       5.6%
Baher Hughes (BHI)   13.44M    12.93M    4.2%
Transocean (RIG)        14.7M      14.64M    1.7%

lower short interest…..

Exxon Mobil (XOM)         46.6M      49.78M    -6.4%
Chevron (CVX)                30.79M    32.43M    -5.1%
ConocoPhillips (COP)  17.37M    18.74M    -7.3%
Schlumberger (SLB)     31.28M    30.07M    -3.8%
Halliburton (HAL)           47.32M    113.7M    -58%   

Jon C. Ogg
May 22, 2007

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

Cramer’s 21 Major Bull Market Stock Picks (2)

Stock Tickers: MHS, CVS, AGN, CELG, GENZ, CEPH, RIG, HAL, EMR, CAT, CMI, UTX, KO, PEP, CL, GS, SKS, VFC, UNP, CSX, BA

On Thursday evening, Jim Cramer came out very bullish again on CNBC’s MAD MONEY.  Cramer said you better know what is working and what isn’t.Cramer said the analysts were giving out estimates like they were allgoing to be horrible and full of gloom and doom.  Even companies thathave been inconsistent are becoming consistent and estimates are beingretooled and companies are being revalued. Cramer again said the DJIAis heading straight to 14,000, but some sectors have peaked.  Here is the full summary:

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Cramer’s 21 Major Bull Market Stock Picks

Stock Tickers: MHS, CVS, AGN, CELG, GENZ, CEPH, RIG, HAL, EMR, CAT, CMI, UTX, KO, PEP, CL, GS, SKS, VFC, UNP, CSX, BA

Jim Cramer came out very bullish again (you get the trend here) as much as he could on tonight’s MAD MONEY on CNBC.  He’s still maintaining that yesterday was only the beginning and this is the start of a major rally, and you better know what is working and what isn’t.  Cramer said the analysts were giving out estimates like they were all going to be horrible and full of gloom and doom.  Even companies that have been inconsistent are becoming consistent and estimates are being retooled and companies are being revalued. Cramer again said the DJIA is heading straight to 14,000, but some sectors have peaked.

Healthcare: Medco (MHS-NYSE), CVS (CVS-NYSE) and Allergan (AGN-NYSE)

Celgene (CELG-NASDAQ), Genzyme (GENZ-NASDAQ), and Cephalon (CEPH-NASDAQ)

Oil Drillers: Transocean (RIG-NYSE), Halliburton (HAL-NYSE)

Capital Goods: Emerson (EMR-NYSE), Caterpillar (CAT-NYSE), Cummins (CMI-NYSE), United Technologies (UTX-NYSE)

Household Coca-Cola (KO-NYSE), Pepsi (PEP-NYSE), and Colgate Polmolive (CL-NYSE)

Brokers: Goldman Sachs (GS-NYSE)

Retail: Saks (SKS-NYSE), VF Corp (VFC-NYSE)

Rails: Union Pacific (UNP-NYSE) and CSX (CSX)

Planes/Aerospace:  Boeing (BA-NYSE)

He also noted that companies in Materials, Agriculture, Brokers, & Telecom but he gave no picks there.  These may be able to pick apart and many may slam Cramer, but he’s been right on the directions so far this time around.

Jon C. Ogg
April 26, 2007

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