Nearly 40% of retailers say they will beef up hiring for the holidays. That's up from 36% last year at this time and 29% in 2011, according to CareerBuilder's annual survey conducted by Harris Interactive.
STORY: Amazon to deliver 70K holiday jobs
STORY: Another firm predicts less holiday help
This includes high-end retailers like Macy's, which is expected to hire 83,000 for its stores, call centers, distribution centers and online fulfillment centers, and Wal-Mart, which says it will hire 55,000 seasonal workers.
Don't despair if retail is not your thing but short-term work is.
Other types of corporate settings have opportunities as companies wrap up the year and need extra hands to help them handle everything from customer service, sales and marketing to shipping and delivery, inventory management, clerical work, and accounting and finance.
Top 5 Financial Stocks To Buy For 2015: Bally Technologies Inc (BYI)
Bally Technologies, Inc. (Bally), incorporated on September 30, 1968, is a global gaming company, which designs, manufactures, operates, and distributes advanced technology-based gaming devices, systems, server-based solutions, custom mobile applications, and interactive applications. The Company also provides hardware, including spinning-reel and video gaming devices, specialty gaming devices, and wide-area progressive systems. The Company supports customers include land-based, riverboat, and Native American casinos, video lottery and central determination markets. The Company derives its revenue from sale of gaming devices and related equipment, parts and conversion kits; operation of linked progressive systems, video lottery and centrally determined systems, and the rental of gaming devices and content, and sale and support of specialized systems-based software, hardware and interactive products and related recurring maintenance revenue. In July 2011, the Company acquired MacroView Labs, a company in mobile-application development and mobile platforms for the casino gaming industry.
Game Cabinet Hardware
The Company's Pro Series is available in upright, slant, spinning-reel, curve, V32 and V22/32 formats. They come with features, such as the touch-screen, iDeck. The Company can configure the top-box in Pro Series cabinets in a range of ways, including with upright wheel, as a hammerhead with an oversized 32-inch cinematic display, using the commanding digital ladder 32-inch high definition (HD) video display, and the soon to be released 42-inch vertical display. The Pro Curve Upright, which emulates a spinning-reel cabinet, but is actually a video slot machine with a curved LCD display, features a video-reel technology.
Game Platform
The Company support two gaming platforms; the ALPHA and the ALPHA 2. ALPHA and ALPHA 2 were designed to support industry protocols, as well as various kinds of game bonuses and multi-denomination, multi-game and mu! lti-pay table game configurations. It can operate with stand-alone, local, and progressive products. The ALPHA 2 platform incorporated all the attributes of ALPHA, which featured a layered architecture and modular design, as well as INTEL Core 2 processor; four gigabytes of dual-channel memory; Realtek HD audio, and video technology. ALPHA 2 supports both game content, as well as network and server-based applications. It is operable with the Bally Command Center, which will allow downloadable access to the Company's game content through a central server.
Game Development and Game Content
The Company's game content features original themes, licensed themes using brands, and adaptations of Bally brands, such as Cash Spin, Hot Shot, Quick Hit, and Blazing 7s. The Company has deployed its game content across wide-area progressive, local-area, and near-area progressive slots, spinning-reel and video gaming devices, specialty gaming devices, and multi-suite games. The Company's game-development teams cover the globe, with centers in Arizona, California, Nevada, Australia, and India. In addition, the Company has partnered with brands, such as Michael Jackson, GREASE, Betty Boop, and the Playboy franchise. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company introduced new levels of iDeck interaction on games, such as All That Jazz, Total Blast, and Fish'n for Loot. These games enable players to use the iDeck as an arcade-like device. Players touch and play a virtual piano on All That Jazz. Fish'n for Loot and Total Blast introduced the Company's new U-Shoot virtual shooting gallery bonus-game play mechanic, in which the player touches the iDeck to create weapons for shooting at targets on the main game screens.
Game Parts and Conversion Kits
The Company's gaming device customers purchase replacement parts, upgrades, game conversion kits, and other products from the Company. The Company's Pro Series cabinets, with their all-digital display! s and iDe! ck digital, configurable touch-screen button deck, make game conversions not to change the button configuration or replace game glass.
Maintenance, Trade, and Resale Market
The Company offers a 90-day parts, labor, and performance warranty/guarantee for new gaming devices. The Company provides after-sale services to its customers, including customer education programs, an around-the-clock customer service telephone hotline, a Website for technical support, field service-support programs, and spare parts programs. The Company sells used gaming devices, including products made by the Company, as well as those produced by its competitors. The Company acquires used devices as trade-ins toward the purchase of new gaming devices.
Gaming Operations
Through the Company's Gaming Operations, the Company offers gaming operators a range of rental options for its gaming devices and content. The Company offers its customers gaming devices featuring a common jackpot or prize awards that can be linked (within a casino, in a local-area network, or among multiple casinos within a market or jurisdiction) in a wide-area network. The Company offers progressive gaming devices to customers under a daily-fee arrangement based on a percentage of the money wagered on the participating gaming devices. In many cases, the Company uses a portion of these revenues to fund the ultimate payment of the jackpot awards. The Company markets its linked progressive systems under titles such as Betty Boop's Love Meter, Golden Pharaoh, Money Vault, Instant Fortune, Ultimate Tower of Power, Quarter Million$, Millionaire Sevens and 1,000,000 Degrees. As of June 30, 2012, the Company had a total of 1,792 linked progressive systems.
The Company offers a range of non-linked games and content on a rental basis for either a fixed daily fees or a fee based on the percentage of the net win generated by the gaming device. Many of these games are available as both wide-area progressive! s (WAP) a! nd flat-fee near-area progressives (NAP). This category includes both gaming devices, in which the Company retains ownership and charges a daily fees for the use of the gaming device, and gaming devices its customers purchase which are classified as game sales revenue. Gaming devices, in which the Company retains ownership and charges a daily fees, include rental and maintenance of the gaming device and licensing of the game content. For gaming devices the Company's customers purchase, the Company provides the game content under a usage-fee arrangement, which results in a lower daily-fee than leasing the entire gaming device. The Company markets its rental and daily-fee games under titles, including greases, Michael Jackson King of Pop, Money Vault, Money Talks, Golden Pharaoh, Cash Spin Jackpot, Money Wheel, Vegas Hits Roadtrip, Betty Boop's Love Meter, Cash Spin, Hot Spin, Vegas Hits, Cash Wizard, Ultimate Tower of Power, Hot Shot Progressive Cash Wheel, Fireball, 77777 Jackpot, Reel Money, Hot Shot Progressive, Quick Hit Platinum, Reel Winners, Hee Haw, and Monte Carlo. As of June 30, 2012, the Company had a total installed base of rental and daily fee games of 14,890 units.
The Company offers video and spinning-reel devices, which can operates either as stand-alone devices or as units, which interact with (or can be monitored by) a central system maintained by government agencies. The financial model for this market requires the Company to build, deploy, and maintain the devices, along with providing the related equipment in return for a share of the net win generated by the device for a contractually fixed period of time. As of June 30, 2012, the Company earned recurring revenue from its installed base of 9,281 video lottery devices operated by New York State Lottery (NYSL). The Company also earns recurring revenues from 2,437 video lottery devices deployed at horseracing and other gaming facilities under agreements with the Delaware State Lottery Commission and Maryland State Lottery ! Commissio! n.
The Company offers video and spinning-reel devices, which connects to a central server, which determines the outcome of the games. These systems operate in Native American casinos in Washington, Oklahoma, and Florida, as well as Mexico. In each case, for the use of the Company's central determination software, the Company receives either a fixed daily fee or a percentage of the net wins generated by the devices connected to the system. As of June 30, 2012, the total installed base of gaming devices connected to the Company's centrally determined systems totaled 47,633. In Mexico, the Company sells gaming devices for an upfront fees, and classify the purchases as game sales revenues. The Company also derives a daily fee equal to a percentage of the net win for providing a system network, gaming content, and monitoring, maintenance and consulting. As of June 30, 2012, 9,449 of the total installed base of gaming devices connected to the Company's centrally determined systems were deployed in Mexico. Included in the total installed base of centrally determined games in Mexico are 6,981 iVIEW in-game player-communication units installed in non-Bally games, in which the Company charges a system connection fee.
System Solutions
The Company offers core, slot, casino and table management systems (collectively, casino management systems). The Company's comprehensive suite of technology solutions provides gaming operations of every size with a range of marketing, data management and analysis, accounting, player tracking, security, and other software applications and tools to more manage their operations. The Company also provides technologies to deploy a networked, server-based gaming environment, complete with a command center solution for centralized management and control. Version 11 provides gaming operators with easy-to-use graphical interfaces; vertical and horizontal scalability; distributed architectures, and support for multiple languages and currencies. As of Ju! ne 30, 20! 12, there were more than 300 casinos that have installed Version 11.
The Company partners with its customers to help them add network and server-based solutions to their existing systems, whether on a floor-wide basis, in smaller sections of the floor, or on selected banks of games. The Company's Systems business comprises three facets: hardware, including the Company's iVIEW and Display Manager (DM) player-user-interface devices and specialized system-based products; software and services, including licenses of the Company's core systems and suite of player tracking, bonusing, and marketing applications and customized system solutions, and maintenance, providing access to future enhancements or upgrades to the system software for a fee based on a percent of the license fee.
The system-based hardware and software products in the Company's casino management systems offer gaming operators benefits, including player-loyalty solutions, which are comparable to frequent guest programs found in other leisure and retail industries; database marketing and table-game accounting solutions, including the calculation of all revenue and expense-related items, and cage and credit accountability for all extensions of cage and credit cash balancing functions. The Company designed and deployed these systems in both domestic and international markets so that they would be and adaptable to foreign languages and currencies.
The Company's solutions, which support Gaming Standard Association (GSA) protocols, operate on common platforms, such as Windows, AS/400 (iSeries), Linux, and UNIX. By supporting these platforms, the Company allows its customers to choose a technology solution. The Company designs its slot-management systems with features for handling slots monitoring, accounting, and operations, as well as bonusing, sweepstakes, promotions, cashless transfer, ticketing, jackpots, promotional coupons, redemptions, and soft count. The Bally Business Intelligence applications, which! span acr! oss all the Company's casino management systems, bring data analytics to a gaming operator's key executive and marketing-management teams.
The Company's server-based iVIEW network serves as a way to communicate with players directly at the point-of-play. This network allows gaming operators to present messages in a split or full screen format on the main game display of any touch-screen- equipped gaming device. The Company's iVIEW network also works with the Company's Bally Command Center for server-based download of content, its Elite Bonusing Suite of floor-wide bonusing applications, its Bally CoolSign media management solution, and other new technologies under development. iVIEW and iVIEW DM work on almost any manufacturers' gaming devices that have a touch screen and are backward and forward compatible.
The iVIEW DM solution is for marketing to players at the point of play. This picture-in-picture-style technology facilitates enhanced communication and customer-service functions, such as beverage service, floor mapping, and real-time perishable promotions without interrupting game play. iVIEW DM also used to create excitement on the casino floor with floor-wide bonusing events; game-in-games; second-chance-to-win games; floor-wide slot tournaments; interactive virtual racing events; time-based promotions; targeted, customized player messaging, and bonuses on birthdays, anniversaries and holidays. iVIEW and iVIEW DM can even work in conjunction with the casino's player data to offer customized content based on gender, age, and provide player preferences. The Company can implement iVIEW DM across entire gaming floors, in smaller sections of floors, or bank-by-bank based on casino operator preference and capital budgets. Bonusing applications on the Elite Bonusing Suite server allow operators to tailor and automate promotions using server-based applications, such as Virtual Racing, DM Tournaments, U-Spin Bonusing, Power Winners, Dynamic Random Bonusing, Video Poker Bonusing,! iVIEW Me! ssaging, Flex Rewards and Lucky Match Bonusing. Bally CoolSign is the gaming industry's gaming centric media management tool, which enables gaming promotions and/or gaming information, triggered through any of the Company's products, to be displayed onto any digital display in the casino resort or the casino enterprise.
The Company's server-based command center enables gaming operators to download marketing content on iVIEW and iVIEW DM displays. They can also configure gaming device pay tables and game play options, deliver new game content and game libraries, and perform updates of game firmware, such as ticket printers and bill acceptors through a central server, rather than having to implement updates on each device.
Interactive Solutions
Bally Interactive encompasses the Company's mobile and online initiatives and related product offerings, which provide operators a range of solutions. The Company's online solutions are designed to enable casino operators the ability to offer players a online gaming experience through the Company's iGaming Platform and Remote Gaming Server on computers or mobile devices. The Company's open, cloud-based iGaming Platform, enable operators to choose poker, slot, table, and other gaming content from various providers. This content is delivered through the Company's Remote Gaming Server, allowing access to the entire library of games and one-time integration.
The Company offers or has created mobile apps and mobile Websites for dozens of casinos globally. The Company's apps are designed as casino concierge apps, providing operators the opportunity to attract new players, enhance their patrons' casino resort visit, and sell more to them through their phones or mobile tablets. Apps can include casino games, player's club sign-up and account information, hyper-targeted offers, show previews, room and restaurant bookings, feedback surveys, menus, interactive maps, and many other features. Utilizing the Company's cloud-b! ased mobi! le technology platform, casinos can manage their portfolio of mobile Websites and native apps for iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, BlackBerry, and other devices from a single content management system.
The Company competes with International Game Technology, Game Technology Ltd., Aristocrat Leisure Limited, Aruze Gaming America, Inc., GTECH Holdings Corporation, Konami Co. Ltd., Novomatic AG, Recreativos Franco, S.A., Unidesa Gaming and Systems, and WMS Industries, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
Gaming specialist Bally Technologies (NYSE: BYI ) has teamed up with U.K.-based payment processor Optimal Payments to offer online gamblers�payment options and related services.
- [By Brian Pacampara]
What: Shares of gambling equipment maker SHFL entertainment (NASDAQ: SHFL ) soared 22% yesterday after larger rival Bally Technologies (NYSE: BYI ) agreed to acquire it for about $1.3 billion. �
- [By Jonas Elmerraji]
It may seem like a sort of unlikely choice, but mid-cap gambling device designer Bally Technologies (BYI) is topping off our list today. Bally is capping off a stellar run in 2013, after rallying more than 72% since the start of the year. But don't worry if you missed the move; the technicals point to even higher ground in the short-term.
That's because Bally is currently forming an ascending triangle pattern, a bullish price setup that's formed by a horizontal resistance level above shares and uptrending support to the downside. Basically, as BYI bounced between those two technical price levels, it's been getting squeezed closer and closer to a breakout above resistance. The breakout happened just before Christmas, and it's giving us a buy signal this week.
Momentum adds some extra confidence to the setup in BYI: 14-day RSI has been trending higher since early October, an indication that buyers have been piling in at an increasing rate as the pattern developed. If you decide to jump in here, I'd recommend putting a protective stop at the 50-day moving average.
Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Invest In 2014: Hi Crush Partners LP (HCLP)
Hi Crush Partners LP, formerly Hi-Crush Partners LP, is a domestic producer of monocrystalline sand, a specialized mineral that is used as a proppant to enhance the recovery rates of hydrocarbons from oil and natural gas wells. The Company reserves consist of Northern White sand, a resource existing in Wisconsin and limited portions of the upper Midwest region of the United States. It owns, operates and develops sand reserves and related excavation and processing facilities and will seek to acquire or develop additional facilities. The Company's 561-acre facility with integrated rail infrastructure, located near Wyeville, Wisconsin, enables it to process and deliver approximately 1,600,000 tons of frac sand per year. In June 2013, Hi Crush Partners LP announced the completion of its acquisition of D&I Silica, LLC (D&I).
The Company�� frac sand production is sold to investment grade-rated pressure pumping service providers under long-term, contracts that require its customers to pay a specified price for a specified volume of frac sand each month. The Company owns and operates the Wyeville facility, which is located in Monroe County, Wisconsin and, as of December 31, 2011, contained 48.4 million tons of proven recoverable sand reserves of mesh sizes it has contracted to sell. From the Wyeville in-service date to March 31, 2012, it had processed and sold 555,250 tons of frac sand.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Alex Planes]
Hi-Crush Partners (NYSE: HCLP ) and U.S. Silica Holdings (NYSE: SLCA ) could also pose a threat to CARBO's higher-end products. CARBO has worked feverishly to convince drillers that ceramic proppants are much stronger than sand, and can withstand the high temperatures and pressures of deep, fractured wells. Since Hi-Crush's IPO, however, it does appear that the tide has shifted to sand, as Carbo's revenues have declined�while Hi-Crush and U.S. Silica have gained. Increased competition from a number of Chinese companies that have flooded the domestic market with cheap ceramic proppants is also a danger to CARBO's higher-quality products, provided that the cut-rate ceramics are actually up to the task.
- [By Robert Rapier]
Hi-Crush Partners (NYSE: HCLP) was the year’s best-performing energy MLP with a rally of 130 percent. HCLP is a pure-play supplier of monocrystalline sand that is used as a proppant to enhance the recovery rates of hydrocarbons from oil and natural gas wells that have been hydraulically fractured. Its reserves consist of Northern white sand, predominantly found in Wisconsin and portions of the upper Midwest region of the US. At the most recent closing price, the annualized yield based on the the last quarterly distribution is 4.9 percent.
- [By Dan Burrows]
It sounds like a soft-drink company, but Hi-Crush Partners (HCLP) is racking up profits through the revolution in oil extraction.
This tiny company with a market cap of just $917 million makes the sand used in fracking — and as anyone in an oil-boom state like North Dakota can tell you, business is good.
- [By Robert Rapier]
The fracking revolution has created enormous opportunities for Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) across the oil and gas industry. Upstream MLPs like�BreitBurn Energy Partners�(NASDAQ: BBEP) and�Legacy Reserves�(NASDAQ: LGCY) produced the oil and gas. There was a huge new requirement for sand in the fracking operations, and this encouraged new MLPs like�Emerge Energy Services�(NYSE: EMES) and�Hi-Crush Partners�(NYSE:HCLP) — both of which have more than doubled in price over the past 12 months. Fracking also requires large volumes of water, which�Cypress Energy Partners�(NYSE: CELP) provides.
Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Invest In 2014: Intelsat SA (I)
Intelsat S.A., incorporated on July 18, 2011, is a satellite services business, providing a layer in the global communications infrastructure. The Company operates satellite capacity, holds orbital location rights, contract backlog, serve commercial customers and deliver services. It provides diversified communications services to the world�� media companies, fixed and wireless telecommunications operators, data networking service providers for enterprise and mobile applications, multinational corporations and Internet service providers (ISPs). It is also the provider of commercial satellite capacity to the United States government and other select military organizations and their contractors.
The Company has a satellite fleet comprised of more than 50 satellites, covering 99% of the Earth�� populated regions. Its fleet, combined with the IntelsatOne terrestrial fiber network and a collection of teleports, form a singular unmatched global infrastructure to meet any communications requirement. As the provider of satellite services, the Company provides mission critical communication services.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
Satellite services provider�Intelsat (NYSE: I ) announced yesterday its second-quarter dividend of $0.799 per share on its 5.75% Series A mandatory convertible junior non-voting preferred stock, which trades on the NYSE under the symbol I.PRA.
Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Invest In 2014: Potomac Electric Power Company(POM)
Pepco Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the transmission, distribution, and supply of electricity. The company also distributes and supplies natural gas. It distributes electricity to approximately 1.8 million customers in the mid-Atlantic region and delivers natural gas to approximately 123,000 customers in Delaware. In addition, the company involves in the retail supply of electricity and natural gas; provision of energy efficiency services to federal, state, and local government customers; and designs, constructs, and operates combined heat and power and central energy plants, as well as owns and operates two oil-fired generation facilities. Further, it offers high voltage electric construction and maintenance services, low voltage electric construction and maintenance services, and streetlight construction and asset management services to utilities, municipalities, and other customers in the Washington, District of Columbia. Additionally, the company holds investments in eight cross-border energy leases. Pepco Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1896 and is based in Washington, District of Columbia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Visa (V) gained 2.8% this week and Walt Disney (DIS) rose 2.7% to $80.31, to lead the Dow higher. Visa managed to gain despite sanctions being imposed on two Russian banks. Pepco Holdings (POM) surged 24% after it agreed to be purchased by Exelon (EXC) for $27.25 a share in an all-cash deal. Exelon dropped 1.2% this week. Energizer (ENR) jumped 17% after it said it would split itself into two companies.
- [By Sally Jones]
Highlight: Pepco Holdings Inc. (POM)The POM share price is currently $18.17 or 20.0% off the 52-week high of $22.72. Its yield is 5.90%.
- [By David Dittman]
Answer: Richard Stavros, Ari Charney and I had a long conversation about Exelon in the aftermath of the announcement of its proposed acquisition of Pepco Holdings (NYSE: POM).
Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Invest In 2014: BroadSoft Inc.(BSFT)
BroadSoft, Inc. provides software and services that enable mobile, fixed-line, and cable service providers to deliver unified communications and other voice and multimedia services over Internet protocol (IP) based networks. The company?s communications platform consists of BroadWorks software, which enables its service provider customers to provide enterprises and consumers with a range of cloud-based or hosted IP multimedia communications, such as private branch exchanges, video calling, unified communications, collaboration, and converged mobile and fixed-line services; BroadCloud hosted or cloud service that enables its service provider customers to offer Web collaboration, video conferencing, instant messaging, presence, and short messaging to their end-users; and BroadTouch, a client application that enables carriers to offers unified communications services for smartphones, tablets, desktops, and laptops. It also provides a range of professional support services, i ncluding pre-sales support; installation, network integration, project management, and remote upgrade services, as well as consulting services; product life-cycle services; and training services. The company sells its products to telecommunication service providers directly, as well as indirectly through telecommunications equipment vendors, value-added resellers, and other distributors. It operates in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. BroadSoft, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By SA Pro Top Ideas]
Stock Movers and Great Calls
On August 2, Josh Burwick argued that the market was underestimating BroadSoft's (BSFT) 2014 earnings potential, with 50% upside looming for shares. The stock is +10.6% in the three weeks since. Read article » On June 27, Alan Brochstein said Apogee Glass (APOG) offered compelling value as its architectural glass reverted to historic margins. The shares are +20.4% since. Read article »
Alpha-Rich long and short ideas regularly move stocks and identify stocks that are about to move. Some notable recent calls subscribers had early access to:To Come Today
Don't forget to check your SA Pro dashboard during market hours today for the latest Alpha-Rich ideas, including an undervalued asset manager and a short idea in the oil services sector. Have a great weekend.
SA Pro Editors
…............
The SA Pro team is Eli Hoffmann (Editor in Chief), Rachael Granby (Editorial Product Manager), Daniel Shvartsman, Samir Patel, Michael McDonald, and Jeffrey Fischer (Senior Pro Editors). You can reach us at pro-editors@seekingalpha.com. - [By Seth Jayson]
BroadSoft (Nasdaq: BSFT ) is expected to report Q1 earnings on May 6. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:
The 10-second takeaway
Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict BroadSoft's revenues will grow 0.7% and EPS will shrink -62.1%.
Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Invest In 2014: Sanchez Energy Corp (SN)
Sanchez Energy Corporation, incorporated on August 22, 2011, is an independent exploration and production company. The Company is focused on the acquisition, exploration and development of unconventional oil and natural gas resources onshore along the United States Gulf Coast, primarily in the Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas. The Company also has a position in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale in Mississippi and Louisiana. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had accumulated approximately 95,000 net leasehold acres in the oil and condensate, or black oil and volatile oil, windows of the Eagle Ford Shale in Gonzales, Zavala, Frio, Fayette, Lavaca, Atascosa, Webb and DeWitt Counties of South Texas. The Company's Eagle Ford Shale acreage is consists of approximately 9,700 net acres in Gonzales County, Texas, which the Company refers to as its Palmetto area, approximately 28,400 net acres in Zavala and Frio Counties, Texas, which the Company refers to as its Maverick area, and approximately 57,100 net acres in Fayette, Lavac.
The Company owns all rights and depths on the majority of its Eagle Ford Shale acreage. The Company is evaluating other zones, which may present the Company with additional drilling locations. Several of the Company's existing wells are either producing from or have logged pay in the Buda Limestone and the Austin Chalk formations.
Eagle Ford Shale
The Eagle Ford Shale is one of the unconventional shale trends in North America. In the Eagle Ford Shale, the Company has assembled approximately 95,000 net acres with an average working interest of approximately 87%. Using approximately 120 acre well-spacing for the Company's Maverick and Marquis areas and approximately 80 acre well-spacing for its Palmetto area, the Company believes that there could be up to 973 gross (815 net) locations for potential future drilling on its acreage.
In the Company's Palmetto area, the Company has approximately 9,700 net acres in Gonzales County, Texas with an! average working interest of approximately 48%. The Company has participated in the drilling of 16 gross wells on its acreage that had an average initial 24-hour production rates between 502 and 3,139 barrels of oil equivalent per day . The Company has identified up to 237 gross (113 net) locations based on 80 acre well-spacing for potential future drilling in its Palmetto area. The Company is drilling a five-well pilot program from a single pad to test 40 acre well-spacing in its southern portion of the Palmetto area, and Ryder Scott has given the Company 80 acre well-spaced PUD locations in the same area in its December 31, 2012 reserve report.
In the Company's Maverick area, the Company has approximately 28,400 net operated acres in Zavala and Frio Counties, Texas with an average working interests of approximately 87%. The Company has drilled ten gross horizontal wells that had a range of average initial 24-hour production rates between 214 and 931 barrels of oil equivalent per day . The Company has also drilled four vertical wells that had average initial 24-hour rates between 94 and 264 barrels of oil equivalent per day . The Company tests the feasibility of a vertical well development program and compare horizontal and vertical completion economic returns. The Company has identified up to 264 gross (230 net) locations based on 120 acre well-spacing for potential future drilling on its Maverick acreage.
In the Company's Marquis area, the Company has approximately 57,100 net operated acres, the majority of which are in southwest Fayette and northeast Lavaca Counties, Texas with a 100% working interest. The Company has drilled three horizontal wells that had a range of average initial 24-hour production rates between 1,114 and 1,369 barrels of oil equivalent per day . The Company has identified up to 472 gross and net locations based on 120 acre well-spacing for potential future drilling on its Marquis acreage. The Company is also drilling a 60 acre well-spacing test in the! western ! Prost area of its Marquis area.
Other
The Company has approximately 1,000 net acres in the Haynesville Shale in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, which are operated by Chesapeake Energy Corporation. The majority of the Company's Haynesville leases are held by production, giving the Company and its partners the option to accelerate drilling should natural gas prices increase.
The Company competes with Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Marathon Oil Corporation, EOG Resources, Inc., Halcon Resources Corporation, Penn Virginia Corporation and Magnum Hunter Resources Corporation.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Shares of Penn Virginia have gained 6.2% to $15.02 today at 3:03. p.m., while Sanchez Energy (SN) has risen 5.6% to $30.92, EQT Corp (EQT) has advanced 1.1% to $101.94 and EOG Resources (EOG) is up 1.7% at $180.99.
- [By Tom Armistead]
We're attracted to opportunities like Sanchez Energy Corp. (SN) and Bellatrix Exploration Ltd. (TSX:BXE).
Sanchez went public just a couple years ago. It had a decent-sized position in the Eagle Ford, which it has grown to over 125,000 acres��retty sizeable for a small-cap. Sanchez was producing 600 barrels of oil equivalent per day (600 boe/d); now it's over 12,000 boe/d and should be around 15,000-17,000 by the end of the year.
- [By Vera Yuan]
Sanchez Energy (SN) proved to be the largest detractor during the quarter, falling over 30 percent and costing the Fund 40 basis points of performance. Although the company issued $300 million in senior notes during the quarter for an acquisition that doubled its Eagle Ford Shale acreage, there appeared to be no fundamental reason for the decline. We remain committed to the sector and continue to believe our companies are well positioned for the secular growth opportunities that we think lie ahead.From John Keeley (Trades, Portfolio)�� KEELEY Small Cap Value Fund Q3 2014 Commentary.Also check out: John Keeley Undervalued Stocks John Keeley Top Growth Companies John Keeley High Yield stocks, and Stocks that John Keeley keeps buying Currently 0.00/512345
Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes)
Top 10 Shipping Stocks To Invest In 2014: Westlake Chemical Corporation(WLK)
Westlake Chemical Corporation manufactures and markets basic chemicals, vinyls, polymers, and fabricated building products. It operates in two segments, Olefins and Vinyls. The Olefins segment provides ethylene, polyethylene, styrene monomer, and various ethylene co-products, such as chemical grade propylene, crude butadiene, pyrolysis gasoline, and hydrogen. The Vinyls segment offers polyvinyl chloride (PVC), vinyl chloride monomer, ethylene dichloride, chlorine, caustic soda, and ethylene. This segment also manufactures and sells products fabricated from PVC, including water, sewer, irrigation, and conduit pipes; window and door profiles; and fences. The company?s products are used in various applications, such as consumer and industrial markets comprising flexible and rigid packaging, automotive products, coatings, and residential and commercial construction, as well as in other durable and non-durable goods. Westlake Chemical Corporation provides its products for chem ical processors, plastics fabricators, construction contractors, municipalities, and supply warehouses in the United States, Canada, Singapore, and internationally. The company was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Neil Macneale]
We also considered Westlake Chemical (WLK). Based in Houston, Texas, the company produces basic chemicals such as ethylene and styrene from oil and gas feed stocks.
- [By Lisa Levin]
Westlake Chemical (NYSE: WLK) shares fell 0.25% to touch a new 52-week low of $67.41. Westlake Chemical's PEG ratio is 4.40.
HSBC Holdings plc (NYSE: HSBC) shares declined 0.59% to reach a new 52-week low of $49.54. Analysts at Credit Suisse downgraded the stock from Outperform to Underperform.
- [By Louis Navellier]
To get to the point, here are five companies that have the analyst community buzzing, and they should be on your radar as well.
Facebook (FB): In the past three months, estimates have been revised up 23%. Analysts now expect 47.5% annual sales growth and 58.8% earnings growth this quarter. . Melco Crown Entertainment (MPEL): In the past three months, estimates have been upwardly revised 12%. Analysts now expect 19.9% sales growth and 85% earnings growth. MPEL is a strong buy. Netflix (NFLX): In the past three months, estimates have been upwardly revised 41%. Analysts now expect 23.5% sales growth and 400% earnings growth. NFLX is a strong buy. Westlake Chemical (WLK): In the past three months, estimates have been revised up 13%. Analysts now expect 15.6% sales growth and 50% earnings growth this quarter. . Nu Skin Enterprises (NUS): In the past three months, estimates have been revised up 17%. Analysts now expect 78.1% sales growth and 97.9% earnings growth. NUS is a strong buy.To put these earnings estimates into perspective, analysts forecast that the average S&P 500 company will grow earnings by 8.8% this quarter. This means that each of the five buys above are well-positioned to win this earnings season.
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