On Monday night, Sony (NYSE: SNE ) held a major event to show off its new PlayStation 4 game console before the E3 gaming conference officially kicked off on Tuesday. It's clear from the event that Sony is going for the jugular in its battle with console rivals Nintendo and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) .
Nintendo has already been struggling with poor sales of its new Wii U console, which was released last fall, and Microsoft is facing a backlash from fans over its use of digital rights management technology. With its announcement on Monday, Sony undercut the Xbox One's price by $100 while emphasizing that the PS4 will not incorporate new DRM restrictions. With these two moves, Sony has positioned itself to become the clear winner in this generation of video game consoles. Meanwhile, Microsoft finds itself on the defensive, as it needs to justify both draconian DRM restrictions and a high price tag.
Battle of the consoles
Last month, after Microsoft revealed the Xbox One -- the successor to its highly successful Xbox 360 game console -- many gamers were outraged by the implementation of digital rights management for the new console. While very few details were given, it was clear that users would not be able to freely trade or resell used games.
Top Information Technology Companies To Invest In Right Now: American Midstream Partners LP (AMID)
American Midstream Partners, LP, incorporated on August 20, 2009, owns, operates, develops and acquires a portfolio of natural gas midstream energy assets. The Company is engaged in the business of gathering, treating, processing and transporting natural gas through its ownership and operation of 10 gathering systems, four processing facilities and a 50% non-operating interest in a fifth plant, two interstate pipelines and four intrastate pipelines. Its assets are located in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas, provide infrastructure, which links producers and suppliers of natural gas to diverse natural gas markets, including interstate and intrastate pipelines, as well as utility, industrial and other commercial customers. In December 2013, American Midstream Partners, LP acquired Blackwater Midstream Holdings, LLC from an affiliate of ArcLight Capital Partners, LLC. In February 2014, Penn Virginia Corporation sold all of its Eagle Ford Shale natural gas midstream assets to the Company.
The Company operates in two segments: Gathering and Processing, and Transmission. In its gathering and processing segment, it receives fee-based and fixed-margin compensation for gathering, transporting and treating natural gas. Where it provide processing services at the plants that it owns, or obtain processing services for its own account under its elective processing arrangements. During the year ended December 31, 2012, it owned four processing facilities that produced an average of approximately 49.9 million gallons of liquid per day of gross natural gas liquids (NGLs). In addition, under its elective processing arrangements, it contracts for processing capacity at a third-party plant where it has the option to process natural gas that it purchases. During 2012, under these arrangements, it sold an average of approximately 27.9 million gallons of liquid per day of net equity NGL volumes. It also receives fee-based and fixed-margin compensation in its transmission segment related to ! capacity reservation charges under its firm transportation contracts and the transportation of natural gas.
Gathering and Processing
The Company�� gathering and processing segment provides wellhead to market services for natural gas to producers of natural gas and oil, which include transporting raw natural gas from various receipt points through gathering systems, treating the raw natural gas, processing raw natural gas to separate the NGLs and selling or delivering pipeline quality natural gas, as well as NGLs to various markets and pipeline systems. It gathers and processes natural gas pursuant to arrangements, including fee-based arrangements, fixed-margin arrangements and percent-of-proceeds arrangements.
The Company competes with Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP), Gulf South and ANR.
Transmission Segment
The Company�� transmission segment transports and delivers natural gas from producing wells, receipt points or pipeline interconnects for shippers and other customers, which include local distribution companies (LDCs), utilities and industrial, commercial and power generation customers. Results of operations from its transmission segment are determined by capacity reservation fees from firm transportation contracts and the volumes of natural gas transported on the interstate and intrastate pipelines it owns. Its transportation arrangements include firm transportation arrangements, interruptible transportation and fixed-margin contracts. Its Midla and AlaTenn systems are interstate natural gas pipelines. Its Bamagas system is a Hinshaw intrastate natural gas pipeline, which travels west to east from an interconnection point with TGP in Colbert County, Alabama to two power plants owned by Calpine Corporation (Calpine), in Morgan County, Alabama. The Bamagas system consists of 52 miles of high pressure, 30-inch pipeline with a design capacity of approximately 450 million cubic feet per day.
The AlaTenn system is an intersta! te natura! l gas pipeline that interconnects with TGP and travels west to east delivering natural gas to industrial customers in northwestern Alabama, as well as the city gates of Decatur and Huntsville, Alabama. Its AlaTenn system has a design capacity of approximately 200 million gallons of liquid per day and is consisted of approximately 295 miles of pipeline with diameters ranging from three to 16 inches and includes two compressor stations with combined capacity of 3,665 horsepower. The AlaTenn system is connected to four receipt and 61 delivery points, including the Tetco Pipeline system, an interstate pipeline owned by Duke Energy Corporation, and the Columbia Gulf Pipeline system, an interstate pipeline owned by NiSource Gas Transmission and Storage.
The Company�� Midla system is an interstate natural gas pipeline with approximately 370 miles of pipeline linking the Monroe Natural Gas Field in Northern Louisiana and interconnections with the Transco Pipeline system and Gulf South Pipeline system to customers near Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Its Midla system also has interconnects to Centerpoint, TGP and Sonat along a high-pressure lateral at the north end of the system, called the T-32 lateral. Its Midla system is located near the Perryville Hub, which is a hub for natural gas produced in the Louisiana and broader Gulf Coast region, including natural gas from the Haynesville shale, Barnett shale, Fayetteville shale, Woodford shale and Deep Bossier formations of Northern Louisiana, Central Texas, Northern Arkansas, Eastern Oklahoma and East Texas, respectively. The Midla system is connected to nine receipt and 19 delivery points. The northern portion of the system, including the T-32 lateral, consists of approximately four miles of high pressure, 12-inch diameter pipeline. Natural gas on the northern end of the Midla system is delivered to two power plants operated by Entergy by way of the T-32 lateral and the CLECO Sterlington plant by way of the Sterlington lateral.
The Company�� s mainlin! e of the system has a design capacity of approximately 198 million cubic feet per day and consists of approximately 172 miles of low pressure, 22-inch diameter pipeline with laterals ranging in diameter from two to 16 inches. During 2012, average throughput on the Midla mainline was approximately 72.7 million cubic feet per day. The southern portion of the system, including interconnections with the MLGT system and other associated laterals, consists of approximately two miles of high and low pressure, 12-inch diameter pipeline. This section of the system primarily serves industrial and LDC customers in the Baton Rouge market. In addition, this section includes two small offshore gathering lines, the T-33 lateral in Grand Bay and the T-51 lateral in Eugene Island 28, each of which are approximately five miles in length. Natural gas delivered on the southern end of the system is sold under both firm and interruptible transportation contracts with average remaining terms of two years.
The MLGT system is an intrastate transmission system that sources natural gas from interconnects with the FGT Pipeline system, an interstate pipeline owned by Florida Gas Transmission Company, the Tetco Pipeline system, the Transco Pipeline system and its Midla system to a Baton Rouge, Louisiana refinery owned and operated by ExxonMobil and five other industrial customers. Its million cubic feet per day system has a design capacity of approximately 170 million cubic feet per day and is consisted of approximately 54 miles of pipeline with diameters ranging from three to 14 inches. The MLGT system is connected to seven receipt and 16 delivery points. During 2010, average throughput on the MLGT system was approximately 50.5 million cubic feet per day.
The Company�� other transmission systems include the Chalmette system, located in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, and the Trigas system, located in three counties in northwestern Alabama. The approximate design capacities for the Chalmette and Trigas sys! tems are ! 125 million cubic feet per day and 60 million cubic feet per day, respectively. During 2012, the approximate average throughput for these systems was 9.8 MMcf/d and 10.6 MMcf/d. It also owns a range of interconnects and small laterals that are referred to as the SIGCO assets.
The Company competes with Southern Natural Gas Company and Louisiana Intrastate Gas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lauren Pollock]
Vacation-home rental website operator HomeAway Inc.(AWAY) and midstream energy owner American Midstream Partners LP(AMID) separately disclosed plans to offer shares and units, respectively. HomeAway is aiming to raise proceeds for general corporate purposes, while American Midstream is looking to use some of the funds to pay for a previously disclosed acquisition.
- [By Monica Gerson]
American Midstream Partners LP (NYSE: AMID) is estimated to post a Q4 loss at $0.30 per share on revenue of $89.74 million.
Hill International (NYSE: HIL) is expected to post its Q4 earnings at $0.01 per share on revenue of $134.74 million.
- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on American Midstream Partners (NYSE: AMID ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. - [By Robert Rapier]
American Midstream Partners (NYSE: AMID) gained 96 percent in 2013 before accounting for distributions. American Midstream is engaged in the business of gathering, treating, processing, fractionating and transporting natural gas and natural gas liquids. Operations are organized into two segments, Gathering and Processing and Transmission. Assets are primarily located in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas. The partnership operates 2,100 miles of pipelines that gather and transport over 850 MMcf/d of natural gas. Units currently yield 6.8 percent.
Top Defensive Stocks To Own For 2014: Enbridge Energy Management LLC (EEQ)
Enbridge Energy Management, L.L.C. operates as a limited partner of Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. that owns and operates crude oil and liquid petroleum transportation and storage assets in the United States. It also owns and operates natural gas gathering, treating, processing, transportation, and marketing assets. The company manages and controls the business and affairs of Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P. Enbridge Energy Management, L.L.C. was founded in 2002 and is based in Houston, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By David Dittman]
Question: What are the differences among Enbridge Income Fund Holdings Inc (TSX: ENF, OTC: EBGUF), Enbridge Energy Partners LP (NYSE: EEP), Enbridge Inc (TSX: ENB, NYSE: ENB) and Enbridge Energy Management LLC (NYSE: EEQ)?
Top Defensive Stocks To Own For 2014: Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp (FMCC)
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) conducts business in the United States residential mortgage market and the global securities market. The Company operates in three segments: Single-family Guarantee, Investments, and Multifamily. The Single-family Guarantee segment reflects results from the Company's single-family credit guarantee activities. The Investments segment reflects results from the Company's investment, funding and hedging activities. The Multifamily segment reflects results from the Company's investment (both purchases and sales), securitization, and guarantee activities in multifamily mortgage loans and securities. The Company conducts its operations in the United States and its territories.
Single-Family Guarantee Segment
In the Company�� Single-family Guarantee segment, it purchases single-family mortgage loans originated by the Company�� seller/servicers in the primary mortgage market. The Company uses the mortgage securitization process to package the purchased mortgage loans into guaranteed mortgage-related securities. The Company guarantees the payment of principal and interest on the mortgage-related security in exchange for management and guarantee fees. The Company�� customers are lenders in the primary mortgage market that originate mortgages for homeowners. These lenders include mortgage banking companies, commercial banks, savings banks, community banks, credit unions, Housing Finance Agency (HFAs), and savings and loan associations. The Company�� customers also service loans in its single-family credit guarantee portfolio.
Mortgage securitization is a process, by which the Company purchase mortgage loans that lenders originate, and pool these loans into mortgage securities that are sold in global capital markets. The United States residential mortgage market consists of a primary mortgage market that links homebuyers and lenders and a secondary mortgage market that links lenders and investors. The Company part! icipates in the secondary mortgage market by purchasing mortgage loans and mortgage-related securities for investment and by issuing guaranteed mortgage-related securities. In the Single-family Guarantee segment, it purchase and securitize single-family mortgages, which are mortgages that are secured by one- to four-family properties. The types of mortgage-related securities it issue and guarantee include PCs, REMICs and Other Structured Securities and Other Guarantee Transactions. The Company also issue mortgage-related securities to third parties in exchange for non-Freddie Mac mortgage-related securities. The non-Freddie Mac mortgage-related securities are transferred to trusts that were specifically created for the purpose of issuing securities, or certificates, in the Other Guarantee Transactions.
Investments Segment
In the Company�� Investments segment, it invests principally in mortgage-related securities and single-family performing mortgage loans, which are funded by other debt issuances and hedged using derivatives. In the Company�� Investments segment, it also provides funding and hedging management services to the Single-family Guarantee and Multifamily segments. The Company�� customers for its debt securities predominantly include insurance companies, money managers, central banks, depository institutions, and pension funds. The Company funds its investment activities by issuing short-term and long-term debt. The Company�� PCs are an integral part of its mortgage purchase program. The Company�� Single-family Guarantee segment purchases many of its mortgages by issuing PCs in exchange for those mortgage loans in guarantor swap transactions. The Company also issue PCs backed by mortgage loans that it purchased for cash.
Multifamily Segment
The Company�� multifamily segment issues Other Structured Securities, but does not issue REMIC securities. The Company multifamily segment also enters into other guarantee commitments for mult! ifamily H! FA bonds and housing revenue bonds held by third parties. The Company acquires a portion of its multifamily mortgage loans from several large seller/servicers.
The Company competes with Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae), Mae Federal Housing Administration/the United States Department of Veteran Affairs (FHA/VA) and Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB).
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lauren Pollock]
Bank of America Corp.(BAC) said it reached a settlement with Freddie Mac(FMCC) to resolve claims stemming from residential mortgage loans the bank sold to Freddie. The bank plans to pay Freddie Mac about $404 million to resolve all outstanding and potential mortgage repurchase and other claims related to loans sold to Freddie from 2000 to 2009.
- [By Jordan Wathen]
3. A political mess
Bruce Berkowitz was successful in bringing AIG�back to private hands, but a new effort to privatize Fannie Mae (NASDAQOTCBB: FNMA ) and Freddie Mac� (NASDAQOTCBB: FMCC ) �may be his biggest campaign ever.
Top Defensive Stocks To Own For 2014: Integrys Energy Group(TEG)
Integrys Energy Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a regulated electric and natural gas utility company in the United States and Canada. It provides natural gas utility services in Chicago, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota. As of December 31, 2009, the company served approximately 1,669,000 residential, commercial and industrial, transportation, and other customers. It had approximately 22,000 miles of natural gas distribution mains; and approximately 1,010 miles of natural gas transmission mains. The company also generates and distributes electric energy form coal, natural gas, fuel oil, hydroelectric, and wind resources in Wisconsin and Michigan. It served approximately 489,000 residential, commercial and industrial, wholesale, and other customers. In addition, Integrys Energy offers nonregulated energy supply and services; and electric transmission services. The company was formerly known as WPS Resources Corporation and changed its name to Integrys En ergy Group, Inc. in February 2007. Integrys Energy Group, Inc. was founded in 1883 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Justin Loiseau]
Integrys (NYSE: TEG ) announced this week that it's selling off one of its hydro dams, marking yet another utility's unease with hydroelectric power. Let's take a closer look to see whether this power company's piddling away profits -- or making smart moves for its future.
Top Defensive Stocks To Own For 2014: Lenovo Group Ltd (LNVGF.PK)
Lenovo Group Limited is principally engaged in investment holding. It is a personal technology company serving customers in more than 160 countries. The Company is a personal computer (PC) vendor. The Company develops, manufactures and markets technology products and services. Its product lines include Think-branded commercial PCs and Idea branded consumer PCs, as well as servers, workstations, and a family of mobile Internet devices, including tablets and smart phones. It offers a range of commercial desktops and notebooks to businesses of all sizes that feature cutting-edge technology, customer-centric innovation and productivity features. It operates in three segments: China, Emerging Markets (excluding China) and Mature Markets. Lenovo has research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina, the United States. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Investometrica]
x86: With regards to the specific x86 server business, it seems that IBM is considering the possibility of fully divesting it. According to Morgan Stanley, the server business generated about $4.9 billion of the company's $15.4 billion in server sales last year. This enormous volume is due to the fact that IBM may be producing the overall market's highest volumes, at the lowest profit level; which suggests this segment is doomed. Finally, IBM has a history of aggressive shifts to areas with better growth prospects and margins. For example, the company agreed to sell off the PC business to Lenovo (LNVGF.PK) at a moment where the PC still seemed attractive.
Top Defensive Stocks To Own For 2014: Owens & Minor Inc.(OMI)
Owens & Minor, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides distribution, third-party logistics, and other supply-chain management services to healthcare providers and suppliers of medical and surgical products. Its services include logistics, supplier management, analytics inventory management, outsourced resource management, clinical supply management, and business process consulting. The company also offers various services comprising PANDAC, an operating room-focused inventory management program that helps healthcare providers to control suture and endo-mechanical inventory; SurgiTrack, a customizable surgical supply service that includes the assembly and delivery of surgical supplies in procedure-based totes; OMSolutions, a supply-chain consulting, customer technology, and resource management service; and WISDOM Gold, an Internet-based supply spend management, data normalization, and contract management solution. In addition, it provides Clinical Supply Solutions, a n inventory and contract management service; and Implant Purchase Manager, a technology-based service, as well as owns OM HealthCare Logistics, a customized third-party logistics and business process outsourcing service. Further, the company distributes medical and surgical supplies to the acute-care market. It serves federal government, including the U.S. department of defense; and alternate-site providers, such as ambulatory surgery centers, physicians? practices, clinics, home healthcare organizations, nursing homes, and rehabilitation facilities, as well as provides distribution and supply-chain management services that include third-party logistics and business process outsourcing services to manufacturers of medical and surgical products. Owens & Minor, Inc. was founded in 1882 and is headquartered in Mechanicsville, Virginia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Owens & Minor (NYSE: OMI ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below. - [By Chris Mydlo]
Owens & Minor Inc. (OMI) is trading at a low P/S ratio of 0.20, near its 10-year low of 0.18. The company offers supply chain assistance to the providers of healthcare services and the manufacturers of healthcare products, supplies, and devices. It is held by 14 gurus we follow.
- [By Dividends4Life]
Memberships and Peers: CAH is a member of the S&P 500, a Dividend Aristocrat and a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers��Index. The company's peer group includes: AmerisourceBergen Corporation (ABC) with a 1.3% yield, McKesson Corporation (MCK) with a 0.6% yield and Owens & Minor Inc. (OMI) with a 2.5% yield.
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