Posts for Ticker ‘SO’

The Smart Grid Surge Hitting Home (ITRI, COMV, ELON, ED, CEG, DUK, FPL, NVE, POM, SO)

Power Lines ImageWe are seeing at least some significant moves from the company’s who have announced that they are grant recipients under part of the $3.4 billion Smart Grid pledge from the Obama administration day.  We are seeing the big moves in the companies which traders and investors believe will receive the direct orders from the utilities, and are even seeing gains down in the utilities and power companies who are getting direct grants.

Itron Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), for smart metering systems, was up 3% at $59.56 with a $2.38 billion market cap.  Comverge, Inc. (NASDAQ: COMV), for peaking and base load capacity solutions to electric utilities, operators, and electric markets, is up 10% at $12.95 with a $286 million market cap.  Echelon Corporation (NASDAQ: ELON) is up 7% at $14.70 with a $598 million market cap.
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Posted on: October 27, 2009 – 3:37 pm in Green Biz, Politics, Utilities, , , , , , , , , ,

A Massive Expansion Of Nuclear Projects?

oil

Fresh support among Republican senators for a massive expansion of nuclear projects is unlikely as proposed, but it’s an indication of the concessions needed for Democrats to pass their energy reform bill.

That could be a boon for companies including NRG Energy Inc. (NYSE: NRG), Scana Corp. (NYSE: SCG) and Southern Co. (NYSE: SO), all of which are working on next-generation nuclear reactors they hope to start building by as soon as 2011.

They are likely to become the next trendy energy plays, now that T. Boone Pickens’ idea for the world’s largest wind farm has blown over. Read More »

Posted on: July 13, 2009 – 1:44 pm in Alternative Energy, Green Biz, , ,

Analyst Looks More Positive on Utilities (AEP, DUK, EXC, PCG, PEG, UTL, XEL, ED, FPL, PNW, PGN, SCG, SO, IDU)

Power Lines ImageOppenheimer is making a new call in the utility sector.  It looks a bit mixed between positive and somewhat cautious calls this morning, but it is important to note that many of these utilities are still in the lower half of the trading range of their last 52-weeks and some are significantly off of highs.

The new OUTPERFORM rated stocks are American Electric Power Co., Inc. (NYSE: AEP), Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE: DUK), Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), PG&E Corp. (NYSE: PCG), Public Service Enterprise Group Inc. (NYSE: PEG), UNITIL Corporation (NYSE: UTL), Xcel Energy Inc. (NYSE: XEL).

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Posted on: June 30, 2009 – 7:39 am in Analyst Calls, Utilities, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Top Analyst Downgrades (ACLI, AMR, GPS, NOK, SO, HOT)

These are some of the top analyst downgrades or cautious calls we have seen early this Tuesday morning:

  • American Commercial Lines (ACLI) Cut to Market Perform at Morgan Keegan.
  • AMR Corp. (AMR) Cut to Sell at Argus.
  • Gap Inc. (GPS) Started as Neutral at Robert W. Baird.
  • Nokia (NOK) Started as Underperform at BMO Capital Markets.
  • Southern Co. (SO) Cut to Hold at Citigroup.
  • Starwood (HOT) Cut to Market Perform at Wachovia.

JON C. OGG

Posted on: June 30, 2009 – 7:34 am in Analyst Calls, , , , , ,

Media Digest 6/17/2009 Reuters, WSJ, NYTimes, FT, Bloomberg

newspaperReuters: The US faces a long period of economic stagnation.

Reuters:   Obama will release plans for a financial market overhaul.

Reuters:   The White House will not help California fix its deficit.

Reuters:   Large US company bankruptcies are accelerating.

Retuers:   News Corp’s (NWS) MySpace fired 30% of its staff. Read More »

Posted on: June 17, 2009 – 3:08 am in Press Digest, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Cramer Outlines The Obama Target List (COF, ACI, MEE, X, SO)

Obama ImageCramer ImageTonight on CNBC’s MAD MONEY, Jim Cramer came out with several sectors that he thinks that President Obama will be trying to change, and noted Nancy Pelosi is in the fold as well.  He thinks they will be targets for change and these businesses can be hurt by government action more than by any competition.  He thinks credit cards, anything carbon, and healthcare are all at-risk sectors that could be hurt by Obama’s actions.

Capital One Financial (NYSE: COF) is the one he is worried about even though the stock was one of his favorites.  He thinks that the big issuers are at risk here and now thinks Capital One is a SELL.  Anything carbon-related is at risk.  Arch Coal Inc. (NYSE: ACI) and Massey Energy Co. (NYSE: MEE) are at risk, but Cramer thinks China can keep their businesses from rotting.  This hurts the steel producers as well and he would sell US Steel (NYSEL: X) on this notion that they are tied to it.  He would also sell Southern Company (NYSE: SO) because it has 71% of its energy from fossil fuels.

In healthcare, he knows pharma and anything that makes a profit in that sector is a target.  He thinks this can drive down anything tied to healthcare as investors have to move to the sidelines to figure it out.

JON C. OGG
May 21, 2009

Posted on: May 21, 2009 – 5:17 pm in Cramer, Metals, Pharmaceuticals, Politics, Utilities, , , , ,