Sunday, September 7, 2014

Top Managed Healthcare Companies To Buy For 2014

The new Health Insurance Marketplace is off to a shaky start since its Oct. 1 launch, despite its intention to provide a simple, easily accessible comparison of healthcare plans and purchase coverage. At a Oct. 21 White House Rose Garden event, President Obama acknowledged glitches that have plagued the central online Marketplace, stating, ��he problem has been that the website that�� supposed to make it easy to apply for and purchase the insurance is not working the way it should for everybody. And there�� no sugarcoating it. The website has been too slow. People have been getting stuck during the application process. And I think it�� fair to say that nobody is more frustrated by that than I am.��

Users have reported long load times for web pages (with the accompanying message: ��lease wait. We have a lot of visitors on our site right now and we��e working to make your experience here better. Please wait here until we send you to the login page. Thanks for your patience!��, blank drop-down menus, error messages (such as ��mportant: Your account couldn�� be created at this time. The system is unavailable"), long hold times for support calls and the website�� live chat feature, and even inaccurate or missing information.

Hot Trucking Companies To Buy For 2015: Strayer Education Inc (STRA)

Strayer Education, Inc. provides post-secondary education services. The Company offers a range of academic programs through its wholly owned subsidiary Strayer University, Inc. (the University), both in classroom courses and online via the Internet. Strayer University is an institution of higher learning that offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business administration, accounting, information technology, education, health care, public administration and criminal justice at 92 physical campuses in Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Washington, D.C., and online. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had opened 78 of its campuses. The Company has also developed a robust online education program.

Strayer University offers business, information technology and professional-oriented curricula to equip students with specialized and practical knowledge and skills for careers in business, industry and Government. Its Academic School Deans and Program Curriculum Committees regularly review and revise the University�� course offerings to improve the educational programs and respond to changes in job markets. Strayer University offers graduate programs in Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.); Jack Welch Executive Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) Degree; Master of Education (M.Ed.) Degree;Master of Health Services Administration (M.H.S.A.) Degree; Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) Degree; Master of Science (M.S.) Degree (Information Systems, Accounting, Human Resource Management and Management), and Executive Graduate Certificate Programs (Business Administration, Information Systems and Accounting).

Strayer University�� undergraduate programs include Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree (Accounting, Information Systems, Economics and Criminal Justice! ); Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) Degree;Associate in Arts (A.A.) Degree (Accounting, Acquisition and Contract Management, Business Administration, Information Systems, Economics, Marketing and Criminal Justice); Diploma Programs (Accounting, Acquisition and Contract Management, and Information System), and Undergraduate Certificate Programs (Accounting, Business Administration and Information Systems). Each undergraduate degree program includes courses in oral and written communication skills, as well as mathematics and a range of disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. In addition to its degree, diploma and certificate programs, it offers classes to non-degree and non-program students wishing to take courses for personal or professional enrichment. Strayer University students may enroll in courses at more than one campus and take courses online.

Students can take classes online using either a synchronous (real time) or asynchronous (on demand) format. Students may take all of their courses online or may take online courses as a supplement to traditional, classroom-based courses. Tuition for online courses is the same as for campus courses. During the year ended December 31, 2011, Strayer University had over 32,000 students who took classes solely online.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Bill Smith]

    Competition
    ESI competes with many other for-profit ventures, including:
    Other for-profit educators, such as: Strayer (STRA), Apollo (APOL), DeVry (DV), Capella (CPLA), Corinthian Colleges (COCO), and Career Education Corporation (CECO)Traditional colleges/universitiesCommunity colleges
    Sales, EBITDA and Earnings
    ESI has steadily increased revenue and earnings. In the last decade they've grown revenue at 20.8%; EBITDA at 34.4%; FCF at 22.5%, and Book Value at 8.5%.

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Strayer Education (NASDAQ: STRA) shares touched a new 52-week low of $37.61 after the company reported a 17% drop in its Q3 net income. The company also announced its plans to lower its workforce by 20% and close 20 campuses.

Top Managed Healthcare Companies To Buy For 2014: Mazda Motor Corp (MZDAY.PK)

Mazda Motor Corporation is a Japan-based company engaged in the manufacture and distribution of automobiles and automobile parts. The Company provides mini vans, compact vehicles, sports cars, sport-utility vehicles, station wagons, sedans, light cars, commercial vehicles, welfare vehicles and special edition automobiles, as well as automobile accessories, including car navigation systems, automobile audio systems, side monitors, rear seat monitors, electronic toll collection (ETC) in-vehicle equipment, security products, driving support products, bulbs, pet carriers and child seats, among others. As of March 31, 2013, the Company had 56 consolidated subsidiaries and 15 associated companies. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Elliott Gue]

    This so-called One Ford initiative involved the US$2.3 billion sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors (TTM) and the US$1.6 billion divestment of Volvo to Geely Automobile Holdings (GELYF.PK). After selling the majority of its stake in Mazda Motor Corp (MZDAY.PK) and discontinuing Mercury, Ford Motor Company's portfolio consists of its eponymous mass-market brand and the higher-end Lincoln.

Top Managed Healthcare Companies To Buy For 2014: Marathon Petroleum Corp (MPC)

Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC), incorporated on November 9, 2009, is a petroleum product refiners, transporters and marketers in the United States. The Company operates in three segments: Refining & Marketing, Speedway and Pipeline Transportation. Marathon Petroleum�� refining, marketing and transportation operations are concentrated in the Midwest, Gulf Coast and Southeast regions of the United States. MPC has two retail brands: Speedway and Marathon. Effective as of June 30, 2011, MPC was separated from Marathon Oil Corporation (Marathon Oil) and became an independent company in a spin-off transaction.

Refining & Marketing

The Company owned and operated six refineries in the Gulf Coast and Midwest regions of the United States with an aggregate crude oil refining capacity of approximately 1.2 million barrels per calendar day as of December 31, 2011. During 2011, its refineries processed 1,177 million barrels per day of crude oil and 181 mbpd of other charge and blend stocks. Its refineries include crude oil atmospheric and vacuum distillation, fluid catalytic cracking, catalytic reforming, desulfurization and sulfur recovery units. The refineries process a range of crude oils and produce numerous refined products, ranging from transportation fuels, such as reformulated gasolines, blend-grade gasolines intended for blending with fuel ethanol and ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel, to heavy fuel oil and asphalt. Additionally, MPC manufacture aromatics, propane, propylene, cumene and sulfur.

The Company�� Garyville, Louisiana refinery is located along the Mississippi River in southeastern Louisiana between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. The Garyville refinery is configured to process heavy sour crude oil into products, such as gasoline, distillates, asphalt, polymer grade propylene, propane, isobutane, sulfur and fuel-grade coke. The Catlettsburg, Kentucky refinery is located in northeastern Kentucky on the western bank of the Big Sandy River, near the confluence! with the Ohio River. The Catlettsburg refinery processes sweet and sour crude oils into products such as gasoline, distillates, asphalt, cumene, petrochemicals, propane and propylene. The Robinson, Illinois refinery is located in southeastern Illinois. The Robinson refinery processes sweet and sour crude oils into products, such as multiple grades of gasoline, distillates, anode-grade coke, propane, butane and propylene.

MPC�� Detroit, Michigan refinery is located near Interstate 75 in southwest Detroit. It is the petroleum refinery operating in Michigan. The Detroit refinery processes light sweet and heavy sour crude oils, including Canadian crude oils, into products, such as gasoline, distillates, asphalt, slurry, propane, and propylene. Its Canton, Ohio refinery is located approximately 60 miles southeast of Cleveland, Ohio. The Canton refinery processes sweet and sour crude oils into products such as gasoline, distillates, asphalt, propane, slurry and roofing flux. Its Texas City, Texas refinery is located on the Texas Gulf Coast approximately 30 miles south of Houston, Texas. The refinery processes sweet crude oil into products such as gasoline, chemical grade propylene, propane, slurry and aromatics.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned and operated 62 light product and 21 asphalt terminals. In addition, it distributes through approximately 52 third-party light product and 12 third-party asphalt terminals in its market area. During 2011, marine transportation operations included 15 towboats, as well as 167 owned and 14 leased barges that transport refined products on the Ohio, Mississippi and Illinois rivers and their tributaries, as well as the Intercoastal Waterway. As of December 31, 2011, the Company leased or owned approximately 1,950 railcars of various sizes and capacities for movement and storage of refined products. In addition, it own 124 transport trucks for the movement of refined products.

The Company produces propane at all six of its! refineri! es. Propane is primarily used for home heating and cooking, as a feedstock within the petrochemical industry, for grain drying and as a fuel for trucks and other vehicles. The Company is also a producer and marketer of feedstocks and specialty products. Product availability varies by refinery and includes propylene, cumene, dilute naphthalene oil, molten sulfur, toluene, benzene and xylene. Propane is primarily used for home heating and cooking, as a feedstock within the petrochemical industry, for grain drying and as a fuel for trucks and other vehicles.

Speedway

The Company sells transportation fuels and convenience products in the retail market in the Midwest, primarily through Speedway convenience stores. The Speedway segment sells gasoline and merchandise through convenience stores that the Companu owns and operates, primarily under the Speedway brand. Speedway-branded convenience stores offer a range of merchandise, such as prepared foods, beverages and non-food items, including a number of private-label items. As of December 31, 2011, Speedway had 1,371 convenience stores in seven states.

Pipeline Transportation

The Company transports crude oil and other feedstocks to our refineries and other locations, delivers refined products to wholesale and retail market areas and includes, among other transportation-related assets, a majority interest in LOOP LLC, which is the owner and operator of the United States deepwater oil port. It owns common carrier pipeline systems through Marathon Pipe Line LLC (MPL) and Ohio River Pipe Line LLC (ORPL), both of which are wholly owned subsidiaries. These pipeline systems transport crude oil and refined products, primarily in the Midwest and Gulf Coast regions, to its refineries, its terminals and other pipeline systems. The Company�� MPL and ORPL wholly owned carrier systems consist of 1,707 miles of crude oil lines and 1,825 miles of refined product lines comprising 31 systems located in 11 states, as of Decem! ber 31, 2! 011. In addition, MPL leases and operates 217 miles of common carrier refined product pipelines.

The common carrier refined product pipelines include the owned and operated Cardinal Products Pipeline and the Wabash Pipeline. The Cardinal Products Pipeline delivers refined products from Kenova, West Virginia, to Columbus, Ohio. The Wabash Pipeline system delivers refined products from Robinson, Illinois, to various terminals in the area of Chicago, Illinois. Other refined product pipelines owned and operated by MPL extend from: Robinson, Illinois to Louisville, Kentucky; Robinson, Illinois to Lima, Ohio; Wood River, Illinois to Indianapolis, Indiana; Garyville, Louisiana to Zachary, Louisiana, and Texas City, Texas to Pasadena, Texas.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company had partial ownership interests in the pipeline companies that have approximately 110 miles of crude oil pipelines and 3,600 miles of refined products pipelines, including about 970 miles operated by MPL, which include Centennial Pipeline LLC (Centennial), Explorer Pipeline Company (Explorer), LOCAP LLC (LOCAP), LOOP LLC (LOOP), Muskegon Pipeline LLC (Muskegon) and Wolverine Pipe Line Company (Wolverine).

The Company holds a 50% interest in Centennial, which owns a refined products pipeline system connecting the Gulf Coast region with the Midwest market. The Company holds a 17% interest in Explorer, a refined products pipeline system extending from the Gulf Coast to the Midwest. It holds a 51% interest in LOOP, the owner and operator of the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, which is a deepwater oil port capable of receiving crude oil from large crude carriers, located 18 miles off the coast of Louisiana, and a crude oil pipeline connecting the port facility to storage caverns and tanks at Clovelly, Louisiana. The Company holds a 60% interest in Muskegon, which owns a refined products pipeline extending from Griffith, Indiana to North Muskegon, Michigan. It hold a 6% interest in Wolverine, a refined prod! ucts pipe! line system extending from Chicago, Illinois to Toledo, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    In the last 3 months,�Valero Energy has underperformed its closest peers Marathon Petroleum (MPC) and Phillips 66 (PSX) by 5% and 7.1%, respectively. While Marathon Petroleum,�Phillips 66 and ExxonMobil (XOM) have major planned turnaround scheduled for 4Q14,�Valero Energy will be operating at a meaningfully higher utilization rate and is best positioned to capture any widening Gulf Coast differentials resulting from high turnaround activity. In addition to 4Q14 earnings revision upside, we estimate�Valero Energy has $800MM in MLP-able EBITDA (including organic growth projects) which can be dropped into Valero Energy Partners (VLP) in the foreseeable future. Assuming a 10.0x EBITDA multiple, we estimate Valero Energy can unlock ~$19.6/shr (drop-down proceeds + GP valuation + LP valuation) in value if it chooses to drop these assets into�Valero Energy Partners in the 3 years. For Valero Energy, higher pace of drops could provide a much higher EVA strategy than cutting capex.

Top Managed Healthcare Companies To Buy For 2014: Tractor Supply Company(TSCO)

Tractor Supply Company operates retail farm and ranch stores in the United States. Its stores offer a selection of merchandise, including equine, pet, and animal products, such as items required for their health, care, growth, and containment; hardware, truck, towing, and tool products; seasonal products, including lawn and garden items, power equipment, gifts, and toys; maintenance products for agricultural and rural use; and work/recreational clothing and footwear. The company operates its retail stores under the Tractor Supply Company and Del?s Farm Supply names, as well as a Website under the TractorSupply.com name. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 1,085 retail farm and ranch stores in 44 states. The company serves recreational farmers and ranchers, as well as tradesmen and small businesses. Tractor Supply Company was founded in 1938 and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Some investors…believe that we are too negative on Sears Holdings’ outlook…So let�� accept their math and take the low end of their assumed improvements. Based on that, we would add $1 billion to EBITDA from initiatives, which adding to trailing twelve months would give them positive EBITDA (yes you read that right) of $300 million. Here is the problem. The bulls on Sears argue for the most part that the value is in the real estate and brand names. If Mr. Lampert is trying to make it as an operator we should value them as such, but that’s a bigger problem. Using a positive $300 million EBITDA, that would imply a multiple of 29.5x lets say in 2017 to give them time for the turnaround. That would place their multiple well above anything we cover, including our best growth names such as The Container Store (TCS), Tractor Supply (TSCO)…Lumber Liquidators (LL), and CarMax (KMX). So if one accepts the turnaround and we give them an eight multiple of EBITDA three years out, a somewhat generous multiple for a non-top-line grower, then the value of the equity would be negative. H��mm. Maybe the company should explore the asset sale. Said another way, this remains a significantly overvalued stock and while we are not moving to a negative target price, we maintain our $20 price target.

  • [By Trista Kelley]

    Provexis halved its underlying operating loss for the year ending in March to 1.1 million pounds, helped by an 11 percent sales gain in Science in Sport products to 5.5 million pounds. The products include versions with caffeine, nitrates to increase stamina or choline to help the body derive energy from fat, the company said. SiS gels are sold online, at cycling shops and in grocery chains including Tesco Plc. (TSCO)

  • [By Sally Jones]

    According to the GuruFocus Value Screen for finding historical lows, two food retailers Empire Company Limited (TSX:EMP.A) and Tesco PLC (TSCDY), and a farm and ranch retailer, Tractor Supply (TSCO) are held by guru investors and are being traded at or near a 10-year low. �Here are the company updates and trading highlights as of the third quarter of 2013.

Top Managed Healthcare Companies To Buy For 2014: Pound/Rand(PX)

Praxair, Inc. engages in the production, distribution, and sale atmospheric and process gases, as well as surface coatings in North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. The company offers atmospheric gases, such as oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and rare gases; and process gases comprising carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, electronic gases, specialty gases, and acetylene. It also designs, engineers, and builds equipment that produces industrial gases; and manufactures precious metal and ceramic sputtering targets used primarily in the production of semiconductors. In addition, the company supplies surface coatings consisting of wear-resistant and high-temperature corrosion-resistant metallic and ceramic coatings and powders to the aircraft, energy, printing, textile, plastics, primary metals, petrochemical, and other industries. Further, it provides electric arc, plasma, and oxygen fuel spray equipment, as well as arc and flame wire equipment used for the application of wea r-resistant coatings; and distributes welding equipment purchased from independent manufacturers. The company sells its products primarily through independent distributors. It serves various industries, such as healthcare, petroleum refining, computer-chip manufacturing, beverage carbonation, fiber-optics, steel making, aerospace, chemicals, and water treatment industries. The company was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    As a reminder, Air Products & Chemicals was in the low $90s when activist Bill Ackman told investors in July 2013 that he had taken a major position in a large-cap, investment-grade US corporation. Since then Air Products & Chemicals has closed its valuation gap with Praxair (PX), although restructuring has been limited so far.

Top Managed Healthcare Companies To Buy For 2014: LRR Energy LP (LRE)

LRR Energy, L.P (LRR Energy) is a limited partnership formed by affiliates of Lime Rock Resources to operate, acquire, exploit and develop producing oil and natural gas properties in North America. The Company�� properties are located in the Permian Basin region in West Texas and southeast New Mexico, the Mid-Continent region in Oklahoma and East Texas and the Gulf Coast region in Texas. As of March 31, 2011, the Company�� total estimated proved reserves were approximately 30.3 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBoe), of which approximately 84% were proved developed reserves. During the year ended December 31, 2010, approximately 55% of its pro forma revenues were from oil and natural gas liquids (NGLs) and approximately 37% of its total estimated proved reserves were oil and NGLs. As of March 31, 2011, the Company operated 93% of its proved reserves. Based on its pro forma average net production of 6,503 barrels of oil equivalent per day (Boe/d) for December 31, 2010, the Company�� total estimated proved reserves as of March 31, 2011 had a reserve-to-production ratio of approximately 12.8 years. In January 2013, the Company acquired oil and natural gas properties in the Mid-Continent region in Oklahoma from its sponsor, Lime Rock Resources. In April 2013, it announced that it closed its acquisition of oil and natural gas properties in the Mid-Continent region in Oklahoma.

The Company�� general partner, LRE GP, LLC, is controlled by Lime Rock Management LP. The Company�� general partner has sole responsibility for conducting its business and for managing its operations. The Company�� properties consist of mature, low-risk onshore oil and natural gas reservoirs with long-lived, predictable production profiles located across three diverse producing regions: the permian basin region in west texas and southeast new mexico, the mid-continent region in oklahoma and east texas, and the gulf coast region in texas. As of March 31, 2011, the Company�� estimated proved developed non-! producing reserves included 192 gross (158 net) recompletion, refracture stimulation and workover projects. In addition, as of March 31, 2011, the Company�� proved undeveloped reserves included 213 gross (140 net) identified drilling locations.

As of March 31, 2011, approximately 55% of the Company�� estimated proved reserves and approximately 44% of its pro forma average daily net production for the three months ended December 31, 2010, were located in the Permian Basin region. Approximately 60% of the Company�� estimated net proved reserves in the Permian Basin region are oil and NGLs. The Permian Basin is one of the oil and natural gas producing basins in the United States, extending over 100,000 square miles in West Texas and southeast New Mexico, and has produced over 24 billion barrels of oil. The Company owns an 83% average working interest across 665 gross (552 net) wells and operates approximately 92% of its properties in the Permian Basin. The Company�� estimated proved reserves for its Permian Basin properties as of March 31, 2011 totaled 16.6 MMBoe and had a standardized measure of $237.7 million, which represented 69% of the total standardized measure for all of its estimated proved reserves.

The Company�� properties in the Red Lake area is an oil-weighted field located in Eddy County, New Mexico. The Red Lake properties have produced approximately 4.9 MMBoe. The primary producing formations are the San Andres and Yeso at a depth of approximately 2,000 to 5,000 feet. The Company operates approximately 99% of its proved reserves in the Red Lake area, including 157 gross (144 net) producing wells in the field with an average working interest of 92%, and own a non-operated working interest in 10 gross (3 net) additional wells in the area with an average working interest of 31%. The Company�� properties in the field contained 9.6 MMBoe of estimated net proved reserves as of March 31, 2011, approximately 86% of which are oil and NGLs, and generated average n! et produc! tion of 1,410 Boe/d for December 31, 2010. These properties represented 32% of its total estimated proved reserves as of March 31, 2011 and 22% of the Company�� pro forma average net production for December 31, 2010. In addition, these properties had a standardized measure of $163.3 million as of March 31, 2011, which represented 48% of the total standardized measure for all of the Company�� estimated proved reserves.

The Company�� properties in the Pecos Slope area is a gas-weighted field located in Eddy, Chaves, Lea and Roosevelt Counties, New Mexico. The Company operates approximately 100% of its proved reserves in the Pecos Slope area, including 434 gross (382 net) producing wells in the field with an average working interest of 88%. The Company�� Willow Lake field is an oil-weighted field located in Eddy County, New Mexico. There are 41 gross (8 net) producing wells in this area with an average non-operated working interest of 19%. The Cowden Ranch area is an oil-weighted field located in Crane County, Texas. The Company operate s100% of its proved reserves in the Cowden Ranch area, including 8 gross (approximately 5 net) producing wells in the field with an average working interest of 71%. The Company�� properties in the Corbin and Vacuum have produced approximately 3.0 MMBoe. The Company operates 100% of its proved reserves in the Corbin and Vacuum areas, including 8 gross (8 net) producing wells with an average working interest of 100%.

As of December 31, 2010, approximately 33% of the Company�� estimated proved reserves and approximately 38% of its pro forma average daily net production for December 31, 2010 were located in the Mid-Continent region. The Company�� Potato Hills Area is an Arkoma Basin natural gas property located in Latimer and Pushmataha Counties in Southeast Oklahoma. The Company�� Reklaw properties have produced approximately 5.6 MMBoe. The Company operates 100% of its proved reserves in the Reklaw area, including 63 gross (61 net) pro! ducing we! lls in the field with an average working interest of 97%. Its properties in the Black Bayou-Doyle Creek area is a natural gas-weighted field located in Angelina, Cherokee and Nacogdoches Counties, Texas, in close proximity to the Reklaw area. The Company�� non-operated interest in 43 gross (approximately 12 net) producing wells in the field with an average non-operated working interest of 26%.

As of March 31, 2011, approximately 12% of the Company�� estimated proved reserves and approximately 18% of its pro forma average daily net production for December 31, 2010 were located in the Gulf Coast region. Approximately 31% of the Company�� estimated net proved reserves in the Gulf Coast region are oil and NGLs. The Company owns an 82% average working interest across 42 gross (35 net) wells and operates 100% of its properties in the Gulf Coast region. The Company�� property New Years Ridge area is a natural gas-weighted field located in DeWitt County, Texas. The Company�� George West-Stratton areas consist of natural gas-weighted fields located in Live Oak and Hidalgo Counties, Texas. The Company�� operates 100% of its proved reserves in the George West-Stratton areas, including 23 gross (17 net) producing wells in the George West-Stratton areas with an average working interest of 73%.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By CRWE]

    LRR Energy, L.P. (NYSE:LRE) reported that its management will present at the National Association of Publicly Traded Partnerships��2012 Master Limited Partnership Investor Conference in Greenwich, CT on Thursday, May 24, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time.

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