As the Dow Industrials challenge the 17,000 level, the debate on Wall Street continues as those who have been caught on the wrong side of this market try to rescue their portfolios before the end of the quarter. Some argue that the low VIX readings are warning of too much complacency while others argue that it is a bullish sign that means the market can move even higher.
The German Dax also made a new all-time high in Monday�� session and it has added to these gains in early trading Tuesday. The regional banks were one of the star performers as the SPDR S&P Regional Banking ETF (KRE) was up 1.55%. On the downside, the REITs had a rough day with the retail and residential REITs losing almost 1.5%.
There were technical signs that the REITs were vulnerable in last month�� Yield Chasers Watch Out, so the drop was not surprising. Overall, the first five months have been tough for bond traders as the market was one sided as the year started.
The stock index futures are a bit lower in early trading and the major averages are overextended on a short-term basis. The NYSE Composite did exceed its monthly projected pivot resistance at 10,920 in Monday�� session. A pullback would improve the technical outlook and could take some of the materials stocks I recently recommended into my buying zones.
5 Best Gold Stocks To Invest In 2015: FX Energy Inc (FXEN)
FX Energy, Inc. is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company with production, appraisal, and exploration activities in Poland. The Company operates within two segments of the oil and gas industry: the exploration and production (E&P) segment in Poland and the United States, and the oilfield services segment in the United States. The Company also has oil production, oilfield service activities, and a shale acreage position in the United States. During the year ended December 31, 2011, its oil and gas production was 4.4 billion cubic feet of natural gas (12.0 million cubic feet equivalent per day). The Company concentrates its exploration operations in Poland primarily on the Rotliegend sandstones of the Permian Basin. The Company has identified a core area consisting of approximately 852,000 gross acres surrounding PGNiG�� producing Radlin field.
Activities and Presence in Poland
The Company conducts its activities in Poland in project areas, including Fences, Blocks 287, 246, and 229 near the Fences concession, Warsaw South, Kutno, Northwest, and Edge. In the Fences during 2011, it completed the Lisewo-1 well as a commercial well and drilled the Plawce-2 well in a tight sand area. In its other concessions it drilled the Machnatka-2 well, a noncommercial Zechstein/Carboniferous test, in the Warsaw South concession, and started drilling the Kutno-2 well, a deep Rotliegend test, in the Kutno concession. The Fences concession area encompasses 852,000 gross acres (3,450 square kilometers) in western Poland�� Permian Basin. The Fences concession area encompasses 852,000 gross acres (3,450 square kilometers) in western Poland�� Permian Basin. The Company has drilled 11 conventional wells targeting Rotliegend structures through the date of this filing. Eight of these wells are commercial. The Company is produce from four of these eight wells.
The Block 287 concession area is 12,000 acres (50 square kilometers) located approximately 25 miles so! uth of the Fences concession area. The Company owns 100% of the exploration rights. As of December 31, 2011, it has reentered only the Grabowka-12 well. During 2011, it produced at an average daily rate of approximately 0.2 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. The Company has a 100% interest in a concession south of its Fences project area covering approximately 241,000 acres (975 square kilometers). The Company hold a 51% interest in a total of 874,000 acres (3,538 square kilometers.) in east-central Poland. During 2011, it entered into a farmout agreement with PGNiG under which it earned a 49% interest in the entire Warsaw South concession in return for paying certain seismic and drilling costs. It subsequently drilled the Machnatka-2 well to test Zechstein and Carboniferous potential in the western part of the concession area.
The Company holds a 100% interest in 706,000 acres (2,856 square kilometers). The area encompasses a Rotliegend structure (Kutno) with projected four-way dip closure. It started drilling the Kutno-2 well during 2011. It hold concessions on 828,000 acres (3,351 square kilometers) in west-central Poland, in Poland�� Permian Basin directly north of PGNiG�� BMB and MLG oil and gas fields. The Company has a 100% interest in four concessions in north-central Poland covering approximately 881,000 acres (3,567 square kilometers). As of December 31, 2011, it held oil and gas exploration rights in Poland in separately designated project areas encompassing approximately 4.6 million gross acres. The Company is the operator in all areas, except its 852,000 gross-acre core Fences project area, in which it hold a 49% interest in approximately 807,000 acres and a 24.5% interest in the remaining 45,000 acres.
U.S. Activities and Presence
The operations consist of shallow, oil-producing wells in the Southwest Cut Bank Sand Unit (SWCBSU), of Montana. Its oil wells produce approximately 155 barrels of oil per day, net to its interest. From its fie! ld office! in Montana, the Company also provides oilfield services. The Company produces oil from approximately 10,732 gross (10,418 net) acres in Montana and 400 gross (128 net) acres in Nevada. In 2011, the Company entered into a joint venture with two other companies, American Eagle Energy, Inc., and Big Sky Operating LLC, in which it pooled our approximately 10,000 net acres in our SWCBSU with their approximately 65,000 net acres, the Americana leases, along with a farmout agreement that provides the group with an ability to earn an interest in an additional 7,000 acres covered by the Somont leases. During 2011, it drilled three vertical wells on joint venture acreage to obtain log and core data. The Company also drilled a 3,600-foot lateral from one of these three wells, the Anderson 14-29, and carried out a multistage fracture. The Company is testing oil potential in the Anderson 14-29 well. The Company has a one-third working interest in all formations below the Cut Bank in its SWCBSU.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Roberto Pedone]
Another energy player that's starting to trend within range of triggering a major breakout trade is FX Energy (FXEN), which is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company with principal production, reserves and exploration in Poland and oil production, oilfield service and exploration activities in the U.S. This stock is off to a slow start in 2013, with shares off by 14%.
If you take a look at the chart for FX Energy, you'll notice that this stock has been trending sideways inside of a consolidation chart pattern for the last two months and change, with shares moving between $2.93 on the downside and $3.98 on the upside. Shares of FXEN are now starting to bounce higher off its 50-day moving average of $3.36 share, and it's quickly moving within range of triggering a major breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent range.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in FXEN if it manages to break out above some key near-term overhead resistance levels at $3.62 to $3.71 a share and then above more resistance at $3.98 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action 377,632 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then FXEN will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $4.50 to $4.76 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give FXEN a chance to tag or trend above $5 a share.
Traders can look to buy FXEN off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $3.15 or $2.93 a share. One could also buy FXEN off strength once it takes out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
- [By James E. Brumley]
If it seems like you've heard the market buzzing about FX Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:FXEN) quite a bit of late, you're not crazy - it's been in the spotlight a little more than usual over the past few weeks. And for good reason. FXEN shares are about to explode higher. All they need is the right nudge. More on that in a second.
Best Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc. (BBW)
Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer of plush animals and related products. The company�s merchandise comprises various styles of animals to be stuffed; clothing, shoes, and accessories for the stuffed animals; and other brand appropriate toy and accessory items. It also licenses its Build-A-Bear Workshop brand to third parties to manufacture and sell merchandise to other retailers. As of January 31, 2013, the company operated approximately 400 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide, including the company-owned stores in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Ireland, as well as franchised stores in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, Mexico, and South America. The company also sells its products through a Web store. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
Toy & Hobby Stores: This industry moved down 1.34% by 10:50 am, with Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE: BBW) moving down 1.2%. Build-A-Bear's trailing-twelve-month EPS is $0.16.
- [By Lisa Levin]
Toy & Hobby Stores: The industry gained 19.58% by 10:30 am. The top performer in this industry was Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE: BBW), which gained 19%. Build-A-Bear reported upbeat quarterly results.
- [By Lisa Levin]
Toy & Hobby Stores: This industry jumped 2% by 10:30 am. The top performer in this industry was Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE: BBW), which rose 2.1%. On Thursday, Build-A-Bear reported upbeat quarterly results.
Best Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: SBM Offshore NV (SBMO)
SBM Offshore NV is the Netherlands-based company engaged in the offshore energy industry. It is a provider of floating production and mooring systems, in production operations and in terminals and services. The Company�� main activity is the design, supply, installation and operation of floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels. The Company�� business is divided into two segments: Lease and Operate, providing leasing and operation of oil and gas production facilities, and Turnkey, providing engineering, supply, overhaul and maintenance of Catenary Anchor Leg Mooring (CALM) buoys, swivels, mooring systems, fluid transfer systems and offloading systems. The Company has four main project execution centers located in the Netherlands, Monaco, the United States and Malaysia, and operates a number of subsidiaries. On September 4, 2013, the Company sold its cryogenic hose system technology to Trelleborg Industrial Solutions, the business area of Trelleborg AB. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tom Stoukas]
PSA Peugeot Citroen and Anglo American Plc led carmakers and mining companies lower, respectively, on concern demand from China will weaken. St. James�� Place Plc tumbled the most in 4 1/2 years after Lloyds Banking Group Plc sold 77 million shares in the British wealth manager. SBM Offshore NV (SBMO) jumped to the highest price in 13 months after saying its first-quarter revenue increased 35 percent.
Best Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Virginia Heritage Bank (VGBK)
Virginia Heritage Bank is a commercial bank. The Bank serves the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area with an emphasis on Northern Virginia. It offers a range of banking services. Its services include free business and consumer checking, premium interest-bearing checking, business account analysis, savings, certificates of deposit and other depository services, as well as an array of commercial, real estate and consumer loans. Total deposits were $491.7 million at December 31, 2011. Non-interest bearing deposits totaled $57.3 million or 11.66% of total deposits as of December 31, 2011. The Bank has full service branches in Fairfax, Chantilly, Gainesville, Tysons Corner and Dulles, Virginia, and a mortgage division headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia.
Lending Activities
The Bank�� primary lending focus is real estate finance, as well as making loans to small businesses, professionals and other consumers in its local market area. At December 31, 2011, approximately 49.3% of the total loan portfolio was composed of commercial real estate loans. The Bank�� primary lending activities are principally directed to its market area in the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area with an emphasis on Northern Virginia. Commercial loans are offered for a variety of business purposes, including government contract receivables, plant and equipment, general working capital, contract administration and acquisition lending. The Bank finances the purchase of commercial real estate properties, such as office buildings and warehouses. A significant portion of the commercial real estate securing the Bank�� commercial real estate loans at December 31, 2011, was owner-occupied. The Bank has a concentration in loans secured by commercial real estate. At December 31, 2011, its loan portfolio consisted of 49.3% respectively, of commercial real estate loans.
The Bank�� real estate construction lending segment of its portfolio is predominately residential in nature and compo! sed of loans with short duration, typically 12 to 24 months. The Bank offers a variety of residential real estate loans both for purchase and refinancing, most of which are sold in the secondary market. It also provides loans to small businesses that may be secured by residential real estate. The Bank�� residential real estate lending products are available through all of its banking facilities and its mortgage division in Chantilly, Virginia. At December 31, 2011, total residential real estate loans amounted to $53.7 million, excluding loans held for sale of $16.9 million, respectively. The Bank offers an array of consumer loans, including automobile loans, term loans, and overdraft protection.
Investments Securities
As of December 31, 2011, the Bank�� investment portfolio was classified as available for sale. As of December 31, 2011, investment securities available for sale amounted to $98.8 million. The investment portfolio contained corporate debt securities amounting to $6.1 million as of December 31, 2011.
Sources of Funds
Deposits are the major source of funding for the Bank. The Bank offers an array of deposit products that include demand, negotiable order of withdrawal (NOW), money market and savings accounts, as well as certificates of deposit.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
Today, VGBK remains (0.00%) +0.000 at $16.00 thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 9:30AM EDT July 31, 2013).
Virginia Heritage Bank previously reported quarterly earnings of $2.5 million after taxes, or $0.55 per share (basic) and $0.54 per share (diluted), for the period ended June 30, 2013. This is a 29% increase over earnings of $1.9 million after taxes, or $0.44 per share (basic and diluted), from the same period a year ago. On a year-to-date basis, earnings were $4.5 million after taxes, or $1.01 per share (basic) and $0.98 per share (diluted) through June 30, 2013 versus $3.3 million after taxes, or $0.76 per share (basic and diluted) in 2012.
The Bank�� second quarter results produced an annualized rate of return of 1.25% on average assets and 16.66% on average common equity compared to 1.25% and 15.40%, respectively for the same period a year ago. On a year-to-date basis, the annualized rate of return was 1.15% on average assets and 15.67% on average common equity compared to 1.12% and 13.55%, respectively for 2012.
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