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Shares of Range Resources (NYSE:RRC) rose more than 10% by 2:30 p.m. EST on Monday after the top-10 natural gas producer reported strong reserve numbers for 2018.

Toronto Dominion Bank increased its holdings in Range Resources Corp. (NYSE:RRC) by 25.2% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 123,421 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock after purchasing an additional 24,839 shares during the period. Toronto Dominion Bank’s holdings in Range Resources were worth $1,794,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Companies in this region have had more measured growth plans because of the lack of pipelines. As Miller mentioned, though, improved efficiency has resulted in most companies outpacing their production growth plans. The lack of takeaway capacity has led to much lower prices for in-basin production. Range Resources (NYSE:RRC), one of the larger producers in the region, has noted that its price realizations were 10% below benchmark prices because of a lack of takeaway capacity. 

Range Resources Corp. (NYSE:RRC) – Equities research analysts at Seaport Global Securities raised their Q4 2018 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Range Resources in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, May 23rd. Seaport Global Securities analyst M. Kelly now anticipates that the oil and gas exploration company will post earnings per share of $0.12 for the quarter, up from their previous forecast of $0.11. Seaport Global Securities has a “Neutral” rating on the stock. Seaport Global Securities also issued estimates for Range Resources’ Q1 2019 earnings at $0.36 EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $0.18 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $0.26 EPS and FY2019 earnings at $0.98 EPS.

Range Resources Corp. (NYSE:RRC) – Equities research analysts at Piper Jaffray Companies issued their Q3 2018 earnings per share estimates for shares of Range Resources in a report issued on Sunday, October 7th. Piper Jaffray Companies analyst K. Harrison expects that the oil and gas exploration company will post earnings of $0.17 per share for the quarter. Piper Jaffray Companies currently has a “Buy” rating and a $27.00 target price on the stock. Piper Jaffray Companies also issued estimates for Range Resources’ Q4 2018 earnings at $0.16 EPS, FY2018 earnings at $0.88 EPS, Q1 2019 earnings at $0.38 EPS, Q2 2019 earnings at $0.33 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $0.47 EPS, FY2019 earnings at $1.58 EPS, Q1 2020 earnings at $0.63 EPS, Q2 2020 earnings at $0.42 EPS, Q3 2020 earnings at $0.45 EPS and FY2020 earnings at $2.02 EPS.

Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Marathon Oil (MRO)

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Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO) is another oil producer built for $50 oil. At that level, Marathon can generate enough cash to grow its U.S. oil production 25% to 30% this year, while at $60 oil, the company can produce $500 million in free cash — and even more at current prices. Marathon Oil has a range of options for that money, including buying back shares, boosting the dividend, paying off debt, or acquiring more drillable land.

Shares of Melrose Industries PLC (LON:MRO) have received an average rating of “Buy” from the nine analysts that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a buy recommendation. The average 1 year target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is GBX 255 ($3.30).

After plunging 40% over the final three months of 2018, oil prices snapped back to start 2019, rebounding 18% for the month. That rally in the oil market sent most oil stocks higher, including shares of producers Denbury Resources (NYSE:DNR), Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO), and Diamondback Energy (NASDAQ:FANG), which all rallied more than 10% for the month, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence. 

At the same time, there has been a tremendous amount of consolidation (like this and this and this), leaving fewer — stronger — companies operating just when work is starting to pick up. Here’s a look at quarterly revenue for Diamond Offshore (NYSE:DO), Transocean (NYSE:RIG), Ensco PLC (ADR) (NYSE:ESV), Noble Corp. (NYSE:NE), and Rowan (NYSE:RDC) so far this year. 

TD Ameritrade clients appeared to take some profits in multiple names during the period. Oil companies were popular sells with ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP), BP  PLC (ADR) (NYSE: BP), National-Oilwell Varco Inc. (NYSE: NOV), and Transocean LTD (NYSE: RIG) all net sold. Oil prices traded near three-year highs on higher global demand and possible OPEC-led production cuts. COP and BP both traded at multi-year highs, while NOV and RIG reached 52-week highs, enticing clients to take profits in all four names. Alcoa Corp. (NYSE: AA) traded at levels not seen since before the financial crisis following proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum, and was net sold. For the third month in a row, Facebook, Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) was net sold after CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before Congress regarding the misuse of user data and a beat on earnings.

For the details of LASRY MARC’s stock buys and sells, go to www.gurufocus.com/guru/lasry+marc/current-portfolio/portfolio

These are the top 5 holdings of LASRY MARCPacific Drilling SA (PACD) – 18,702,188 shares, 49.14% of the total portfolio. New PositionVistra Energy Corp (VST) – 6,438,245 shares, 29.01% of the total portfolio. Shares reduced by 5.78%Transocean Ltd (RIG) – 7,772,098 shares, 10.62% of the total portfolio. New PositionMidstates Petroleum Co Inc (MPO) – 3,494,914 shares, 5.17% of the total portfolio. Roan Resources Inc (ROAN) – 1,57

An issue of Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) debt rose 2.5% as a percentage of its face value during trading on Thursday. The debt issue has a 6.8% coupon and is set to mature on March 15, 2038. The debt is now trading at $85.45. Price moves in a company’s debt in credit markets often predict parallel moves in its share price.

Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) started as Overweight with a $15 price target, which represented an implied upside call of 25% compared with the prior day’s $11.93 closing price. Elsewhere, Wells Fargo raised it to Outperform from Market Perform with an even more aggressive $16 price target, and BTIG initiated Transocean with a Buy rating and with an $18 price target just a day earlier. The stock closed up 2.9% at $11.93 on Tuesday, and it was up 3.3% at $12.33 in Wednesday’s midday trading. The 52-week range is $8.70 to $14.34, and the prior consensus price target of $12.61 ticked up to above $13 after the calls.

Often a high yield is an indication of a stock that’s facing some sort of trouble — but not always. If you take the time, you can find high-yield stocks worth buying if you look in the right places. For example, decidedly low-tech Lamar Advertising Company (NASDAQ:LAMR), beaten-up midstream player Magellan Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE:MMP), and renewable power-focused TerraForm Power, Inc. (NASDAQ:TERP) come from vastly different industries. However, each of these high-yield stocks has a solid business and good growth prospects.

Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP) had its price target boosted by Barclays from $72.00 to $74.00 in a research note released on Monday morning. Barclays currently has an equal weight rating on the pipeline company’s stock.

Hetty Green Would Love This Trade
It’s in Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE: MMP).

Magellan Midstream Partners owns the longest refined petroleum products pipeline system in the country, with access to nearly 50% of the nation’s refining capacity and the ability to store more than 100 million barrels of petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel fuel and crude oil.

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Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP) Q1 2018 Earnings Conference CallMay. 3, 2018 1:30 p.m. ET

Contents:
Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants
Prepared Remarks:

Operator

Speaking of debt, energy infrastructure MLPs tend to take on high levels of it to fund their large infrastructure development projects. That means taking on additional debt to fund a distribution isn’t always feasible. Luckily, in the case of Magellan and Enterprise, their conservative management teams have kept them at comparatively good debt ratings and low levels of debt relative to their peers:

Company Debt Rating Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM)  Debt-to-Adjusted-EBITDA Ratio (TTM)
Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP) BBB+/Baa1 3.5 3.3
Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE:EPD) BBB+/Baa1 4.3 3.7
Buckeye Partners BBB-/Baa3 5.0 4.3
Energy Transfer Partners BBB-/Baa3 5.2 N/A

Data sources: Company presentations and YCharts. TTM = trailing 12 months.

Williams Companies is in the midst of a major transition. It recently agreed to acquire the rest of its MLP, Williams Partners (NYSE:WPZ), in a $10.4 billion deal. The pipeline giant is making this acquisition so that it can more easily finance the expansion projects Williams Partners has under development. The transaction would allow it to free up some cash flow and improve its credit metrics, giving it more financial flexibility.

Simpler organizational structures could yield significant benefits for individual investors. In addition to being easier to follow and understand, it will make it easier than ever to own some of the most important pieces of energy infrastructure in the United States. The proposed merger between Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) and Williams Partners LP (NYSE:WPZ) is a great example, as it owns some of the best natural gas infrastructure in the United States. Here’s why investors should be bullish on the multi-billion dollar merger.

The stock market stayed in a pretty narrow range on Thursday, climbing early in the session but then slowly drifting lower through the afternoon hours. In the absence of major news, investors largely looked forward to key events like trade negotiations among the world’s largest economies. Other financial markets saw mixed moves as well, with 10-year Treasury yields climbing above 3.1% while oil prices stayed comfortably above $70 per barrel. Despite the quiet day, some companies had good news that pushed their shares sharply higher. World Wrestling Entertainment (NYSE:WWE), Chesapeake Energy (NYSE:CHK), and Williams Partners (NYSE:WPZ) were among the best performers on the day. Below, we’ll look more closely at these stocks to tell you why they did so well.

Electra (CURRENCY:ECA) traded down 5.1% against the U.S. dollar during the 24-hour period ending at 15:00 PM E.T. on June 12th. Over the last seven days, Electra has traded down 25.7% against the U.S. dollar. Electra has a market cap of $34.53 million and approximately $134,011.00 worth of Electra was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One Electra coin can currently be bought for $0.0013 or 0.00000020 BTC on exchanges including CryptoBridge, Fatbtc, CoinFalcon and Coinhouse.

Electra (CURRENCY:ECA) traded 8% higher against the U.S. dollar during the 1-day period ending at 22:00 PM ET on June 20th. In the last week, Electra has traded 12.6% higher against the U.S. dollar. Electra has a market capitalization of $34.87 million and $128,874.00 worth of Electra was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One Electra coin can now be purchased for $0.0014 or 0.00000020 BTC on exchanges including Fatbtc, Novaexchange, CoinFalcon and CryptoBridge.

Encana Corp (NYSE:ECA) (TSE:ECA) – National Bank Financial issued their FY2019 EPS estimates for shares of Encana in a report released on Tuesday, February 12th. National Bank Financial analyst T. Wood expects that the oil and gas company will post earnings of $0.61 per share for the year. National Bank Financial has a “Outperform” rating and a $18.50 price objective on the stock.

This stock has pulled back sharply and is offering an outstanding entry point. Encana Corp. (NYSE: ECA) is an energy producer focused on developing its multibasin portfolio of natural gas, oil and natural gas liquids (NGLs) producing plays. Its operations also include the marketing of natural gas, oil and NGLs. All of its reserves and production are located in North America.

Canada’s Montney Shale doesn’t currently capture investors’ attention like the Permian Basin. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a second-tier play. Quite the contrary since, like the Permian, it’s a resource-rich region with as many as six drillable formations that produce highly economic liquids-rich natural gas. Because of those features, it has become an important growth driver for companies like Encana (NYSE:ECA).

Cenovus Energy (NYSE:CVE) and Encana (NYSE:ECA) are both large-cap oils/energy companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, valuation, profitability, dividends, earnings and analyst recommendations.

Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) – Seaport Global Securities increased their Q1 2019 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Whiting Petroleum in a report issued on Wednesday, May 23rd. Seaport Global Securities analyst M. Kelly now expects that the oil and gas exploration company will post earnings of $0.98 per share for the quarter, up from their previous estimate of $0.55. Seaport Global Securities has a “Buy” rating and a $40.00 price target on the stock. Seaport Global Securities also issued estimates for Whiting Petroleum’s Q2 2019 earnings at $0.87 EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $0.85 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $0.89 EPS and FY2019 earnings at $3.58 EPS.

ClariVest Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 53,424 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,816,000.

Whiting Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: WLL) was reiterated as Overweight and the target price was raised to $56 from $45 (versus a $50.78 close) at KeyBanc Capital Markets.

When most people think about oil and gas drillers, they think about integrated majors like ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) or maybe a producer whose name they’ve seen on a gas station, like Hess (NYSE:HES). One most don’t think about is Apache Corporation (NYSE:APA). 

So, we asked three top Motley Fool contributors to each discuss a stock that they believe is absurdly cheap right now. Read on to learn what they had to say about JD.com (NASDAQ:JD), Apache Corporation (NYSE:APA), and Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU).

The IEA’s forecast bodes well for oil stocks, especially those that have underperformed during the rally over the past year. Two that stand out are Newfield Exploration (NYSE:NFX) and Apache (NYSE:APA), since both have lost value even though oil has been red-hot. Because of that, they trade at dirt cheap valuations versus their peers. That underperformance doesn’t make sense given the growth these companies can deliver at much lower oil prices.

Teacher Retirement System of Texas decreased its stake in Apache Co. (NYSE:APA) by 17.4% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 84,391 shares of the energy company’s stock after selling 17,824 shares during the period. Teacher Retirement System of Texas’ holdings in Apache were worth $3,247,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Haliburton Co. (NYSE: HAL) is expected to reveal its fourth-quarter results on Monday. The consensus forecast calls for $0.46 in EPS, as well as $5.63 billion in revenue. Shares were trading at $53.01 on Friday’s close. The consensus price target is $55.09. The stock has a 52-week range of $38.18 to $58.78.

How To Invest
When spending dried up, this group was hit hard. Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) went from a profit of $3.5 billion in 2014 to a painful loss of $5.8 billion in 2016. But the pendulum is swinging. As any good salesman will tell you, it’s much easier to close deals when your customers have more cash in their pocket. And as we just discussed, big oil producers have $425 billion locked, loaded and ready to fire.

Halcyon (HAL) is a PoW/PoS coin that uses the
X15 hashing algorithm. Its genesis date was July 16th, 2014. Halcyon’s total supply is 6,668,787 coins. Halcyon’s official website is halcyon.top. Halcyon’s official Twitter account is @halcyondev.

In 2012, ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) enacted a major corporate overhaul. It spun off its downstream assets (which is what refining and chemicals businesses are called in industry lingo) so it could focus on its upstream (or drilling) business. This shift meant oil and natural gas prices were the main factor driving the company’s top and bottom lines. When oil prices plummeted in mid-2014, going from over $100 a barrel to the $30 range, it wasn’t long before ConocoPhillips was forced to cut its dividend.

From 2016 to 2017, Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) saw a 16% boost in profits, while Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) saw a 30% boost. Texas-based ConocoPhillips Corp. (NYSE: COP) saw a strong 37.5% boost.

With the mixed signals coming out of OPEC, oil prices could be quite volatile until the organization makes it clear what it intends to do. That could have an effect on financially weaker oil companies that desperately need higher oil prices to provide them with extra cash to firm up their financial foundations. Stronger producers, on the other hand, should continue to do well no matter what OPEC decides since they built their businesses to thrive at much lower oil prices. Three that stand out are ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP), Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE:APC), and EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG).

Naples Global Advisors LLC trimmed its holdings in ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) by 8.2% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 7,279 shares of the energy producer’s stock after selling 648 shares during the quarter. Naples Global Advisors LLC’s holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $495,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec raised its position in ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) by 285.9% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 652,900 shares of the energy producer’s stock after purchasing an additional 483,700 shares during the quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec owned 0.06% of ConocoPhillips worth $38,710,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Natural gas pipeline giant Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) and its MLP Williams Partners (NYSE:WPZ) reported mixed second-quarter results after the close Wednesday. Earnings declined fractionally due to asset sales and some higher costs. Cash flow, on the other hand, moved slightly higher thanks in part to lower interest expenses as a result of  debt reduction. However, while both numbers underwhelmed in Q2, they should head much higher in the coming year because Williams has several expansion projects under way that should boost its bottom line.

Natural gas pipeline giant Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) announced today that it agreed to acquire the rest of its master limited partnership (MLP) Williams Partners (NYSE:WPZ) that it didn’t already own in a $10.5 billion deal. Not to be outdone, Canadian energy infrastructure giant Enbridge (NYSE:ENB) made an offer to acquire its namesake MLP Enbridge Energy Partners (NYSE:EEP), along with the rest of its publicly traded entities, including Spectra Energy Partners (NYSE:SEP). These transactions have big implications not only for investors in these entities but for those who own other pipeline companies, too.

Analysts at Stifel Nicolaus downgraded Williams Partners L.P. (NYSE: WPZ) from Buy to Hold..

Williams Partners shares fell 0.63 percent to close at $41.23 on Friday.

The stock posting the largest daily percentage loss in the S&P 500 ahead of the close was Halliburton Co. (NYSE: HAL) which fell about 6% to $37.05. The stock’s 52-week range is $36.82 to $57.86. Volume was about 18 million compared to the daily average volume of about 8 million.

IEZ is also a top-heavy fund. Just two stocks — Schlumberger NV (NYSE: SLB) and Halliburton Inc. (NYSE: HAL) — combine for almost 26 percent of the fund's weight. Underscoring the correlation to oil prices, IEZ has a three-year standard deviation of 30 percent, indicating this ETF is far more volatile than standard diversified energy funds.

Halcyon (HAL) is a PoW/PoS coin that uses the
X15 hashing algorithm. Its genesis date was July 16th, 2014. Halcyon’s total supply is 6,668,787 coins. Halcyon’s official website is halcyon.top. Halcyon’s official Twitter account is @halcyondev.

This stock has pulled back sharply and is offering an outstanding entry point. Encana Corp. (NYSE: ECA) is an energy producer focused on developing its multibasin portfolio of natural gas, oil and natural gas liquids (NGLs) producing plays. Its operations also include the marketing of natural gas, oil and NGLs. All of its reserves and production are located in North America.

Electra (CURRENCY:ECA) traded down 5.1% against the U.S. dollar during the 24-hour period ending at 15:00 PM E.T. on June 12th. Over the last seven days, Electra has traded down 25.7% against the U.S. dollar. Electra has a market cap of $34.53 million and approximately $134,011.00 worth of Electra was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One Electra coin can currently be bought for $0.0013 or 0.00000020 BTC on exchanges including CryptoBridge, Fatbtc, CoinFalcon and Coinhouse.

Electra (CURRENCY:ECA) traded 8% higher against the U.S. dollar during the 1-day period ending at 22:00 PM ET on June 20th. In the last week, Electra has traded 12.6% higher against the U.S. dollar. Electra has a market capitalization of $34.87 million and $128,874.00 worth of Electra was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One Electra coin can now be purchased for $0.0014 or 0.00000020 BTC on exchanges including Fatbtc, Novaexchange, CoinFalcon and CryptoBridge.

Electra (CURRENCY:ECA) traded 3.4% lower against the dollar during the 24-hour period ending at 18:00 PM Eastern on June 4th. Electra has a total market capitalization of $45.83 million and approximately $326,372.00 worth of Electra was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One Electra coin can currently be bought for $0.0018 or 0.00000024 BTC on cryptocurrency exchanges including Novaexchange, Octaex, Fatbtc and Cryptopia. In the last seven days, Electra has traded 12.8% higher against the dollar.

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While higher oil prices would be bad for oil consumers, it would benefit oil producers, especially those that can capture Brent-based prices, which are currently $10 a barrel more than the U.S. oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI). Multinational oil companies like ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) and Chevron (NYSE:CVX) would be among those that benefit the most. In ConocoPhillips’ case, every $1-per-barrel change in the price of Brent would boost its cash flow by $105 million to $125 million during the course of a year, whereas that same increase would only improve its WTI-based cash flows by $45 million to $55 million. Meanwhile, Chevron produces an average of 575,000 BPD of oil and other liquids in the U.S. that fetch WTI-based prices while getting nearly 1.2 million BPD from places that capture Brent pricing. Because of their higher weighting toward Brent, Chevron and ConocoPhillips would earn more money per barrel if global oil prices rise in the wake of supply problems in Venezuela and Iran.

A third factor to focus on is how an E&P company allocates its oil-fueled cash flows. Some oil companies take the “drill, baby, drill” mentality and spend everything that comes in, and then some, on new wells. That approach, however, can lead them to pile on debt, which can be their undoing during the next downturn. That’s why investors should look for oil companies that keep spending to within cash flow. Though the best ones spend much less than what comes in, which gives them excess cash that they can return to shareholders via dividends and buybacks. That more conservative approach helps ensure they don’t drill their own grave. An excellent example of an adept capital allocator is ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP). The U.S. oil giant aims to return 20% to 30% of its cash flow to investors via dividends and share buybacks each year while reinvesting the rest on oil projects that are profitable under $50 a barrel. Because of that more conservative approach, ConocoPhillips will avoid drilling itself into trouble by outspending cash flow on new wells to chase production growth. Many oil stocks provide detailed cash flow analysis on the most recent investor presentation posted to their website.  

U.S. oil giant ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) used $50 oil as a rough baseline for its 2019 capital plans as well. ConocoPhillips currently expects to invest $6.1 billion on capital projects this year — enough money to grow production per share by 8% — which it can fund on the cash flows produced at $40 oil. Add in a dividend that the company increased twice last year to a $3 billion repurchase program and ConocoPhillips is on track to return 50% of the cash it produces at $50 oil to investors this year, though some of that money will come from its cash-rich balance sheet. However, with oil in the mid-$50s, ConocoPhillips is on track to produce more cash than expected this year, which could lead it to buy back even more stock than planned as it works to whittle down a cash balance that stood at $6.4 billion at the end of 2018.

The number of ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) shares short rose slightly to 21.33 million from the previous level of 21.01 million. Shares were trading at $64.79, within a 52-week range of $42.27 to $71.71.

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) insider Don E. Jr. Wallette sold 59,432 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, August 22nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $71.87, for a total transaction of $4,271,377.84. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 83,047 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,968,587.89. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

Rockefeller Capital Management L.P. reduced its stake in shares of ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) by 57.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 515,409 shares of the energy producer’s stock after selling 686,670 shares during the period. Rockefeller Capital Management L.P.’s holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $35,883,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

CenturyLink Investment Management Co trimmed its stake in Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) by 10.7% during the third quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 97,454 shares of the offshore drilling services provider’s stock after selling 11,676 shares during the period. CenturyLink Investment Management Co’s holdings in Transocean were worth $1,359,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

On June 27, shares of Seadrill Ltd (NYSE:SDRL), Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc (NYSE:DO), and Ensco PLC (NYSE:ESV) traded up more than 10% at various points. And while they’ve cooled off a bit — up 9.9%, 10.3%, and 8.9%, respectively, at recent prices — they continue to march toward today’s close with big gains. And while not quite as much as the three aforementioned companies, shares of Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) and Noble Corporation PLC (NYSE:NE) are showing big days as well, up 6.4% and 7.2% in late-afternoon trading. 

American International Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) by 7.7% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 872,019 shares of the offshore drilling services provider’s stock after buying an additional 62,611 shares during the quarter. American International Group Inc.’s holdings in Transocean were worth $8,633,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Shares of Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) have been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the twenty-four brokerages that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, twelve have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $12.52.

Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO) gapped down before the market opened on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $22.09, but opened at $21.63. Marathon Oil shares last traded at $21.47, with a volume of 12430818 shares traded.

The S&P 500 stock posting the largest daily percentage gain in the S&P 500 ahead of the close was Marathon Oil Corp. (NYSE: MRO) which rose by about 9% to $16.92. The stock’s 52-week range is $12.57 to $24.20. Volume was about 34.5 million compared to the daily average volume of 20.95 million.

Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO) CEO Lee Tillman feels the same way. He stated on the company’s first-quarter call that: “Our financial flexibility is at the top of our peer group and was further strengthened by receipt of proceeds from Libya and our final Canadian oil sands payment. This flexibility allows us to pursue multiple high-return uses of free cash, but we are taking a disciplined approach and we are not considering large-scale M&A.”

Shares of Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) have been given an average rating of “Buy” by the thirty-two ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, thirteen have given a hold recommendation, fifteen have given a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $46.58.

Whiting Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: WLL) was reiterated as Overweight and the target price was raised to $56 from $45 (versus a $50.78 close) at KeyBanc Capital Markets.

Foundry Partners LLC acquired a new stake in Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund acquired 108,476 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,671,000. Foundry Partners LLC owned about 0.12% of Whiting Petroleum at the end of the most recent quarter.

Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) – Seaport Global Securities increased their Q1 2019 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Whiting Petroleum in a report issued on Wednesday, May 23rd. Seaport Global Securities analyst M. Kelly now expects that the oil and gas exploration company will post earnings of $0.98 per share for the quarter, up from their previous estimate of $0.55. Seaport Global Securities has a “Buy” rating and a $40.00 price target on the stock. Seaport Global Securities also issued estimates for Whiting Petroleum’s Q2 2019 earnings at $0.87 EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $0.85 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $0.89 EPS and FY2019 earnings at $3.58 EPS.

Penn Capital Management Co. Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) in the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund purchased 318,157 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock, valued at approximately $10,783,000.

Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) gapped up before the market opened on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $53.25, but opened at $51.53. Whiting Petroleum shares last traded at $52.01, with a volume of 68181 shares.

Media headlines about Range Resources (NYSE:RRC) have been trending somewhat positive on Saturday, Accern Sentiment Analysis reports. The research group identifies positive and negative press coverage by monitoring more than twenty million news and blog sources in real-time. Accern ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of -1 to 1, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Range Resources earned a daily sentiment score of 0.07 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave media headlines about the oil and gas exploration company an impact score of 46.3371462950661 out of 100, indicating that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the stock’s share price in the near future.

OppenheimerFunds Inc. lowered its holdings in Range Resources Corp. (NYSE:RRC) by 68.2% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 30,532 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock after selling 65,576 shares during the quarter. OppenheimerFunds Inc.’s holdings in Range Resources were worth $444,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

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There are always clear signs of excess at market tops — which everyone typically sees in hindsight. With stock market averages trading near all-time highs and now two companies’ market caps topping $1 trillion, it’s time to considering some boring, financially strong dividend payers. Here are three stocks to get you going: NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE), The Hormel Foods Company (NYSE:HRL), and Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE:MMP).

Income investors have to evaluate a lot of factors when looking at the dividend stocks they add to their portfolios. One quick way to streamline the process is to focus on high-yield stocks of companies with long histories of dividend increases. Right now midstream energy players Magellan Midstream Partners LP (NYSE:MMP), Enterprise Products Partners LP (NYSE:EPD), and Enbridge Inc. (NYSE:ENB) look like top options. Here’s what you need to know about each.

Fayez Sarofim & Co boosted its stake in Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE:MMP) by 14.0% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 13,372 shares of the pipeline company’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,644 shares during the period. Fayez Sarofim & Co’s holdings in Magellan Midstream Partners were worth $780,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

To see why we believe some of the richest players in the world are preparing for a market collapse, click here.

Stocks to Watch Today: WTW, CHK, BBY
Shares of Weight Watchers International Inc. (NASDAQ: WTW) cratered more than 30% after the company fell well short of earnings expectations after the bell and issued worse-than-expected 2019 guidance. The firm reported adjusted earnings of $0.46, a figure that missed expectations by $0.14. The firm also issued weak forward guidance. After yesterday’s slump, Oprah Winfrey’s stake in the company plunged by a whopping $48 million. Shares of Chesapeake Energy Corp. (NYSE: CHK) popped 10.2% after the natural gas producer reported earnings before the bell. Higher natural gas prices in the fourth quarter helped bolster the firm’s bottom line. Total natural gas sales jumped 37% in Q4 to $3.07 billion, well above analysts’ expectations of $2.28 billion. That strong natural gas revenue helped the firm report adjusted EPS of $0.49, which was a 49% jump year over year. Shares of Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE: BBY) popped 10% after the electronics retailer topped Wall Street earnings expectations before the bell. The firm’s profit of $2.72 topped consensus expectations by $0.15 per share. The firm cited stronger-than-expected same-store sales, hiked its dividend from $0.45 to $0.50, and issued a positive 2019 outlook. Today, look for more earnings reports from Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA), Box Inc. (NYSE: BOX), Campbell Soup Co. (NYSE: CPB), Dean Foods Co. (NYSE: DF), Fitbit Inc. (NYSE: FIT), HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ), L Brands Inc. (NYSE: LB), Lowe’s Co. Inc. (NYSE: LOW), Office Depot Inc. (NYSE: ODP), and Square Inc. (NYSE: SQ).

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Three companies that the market has walloped are Apache Corporation (NYSE:APA), Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP), and General Motors (NYSE:GM). Here’s why these stocks look like bargains, and why today might be a good time to scoop up some shares. 

Apache (NYSE:APA) was upgraded by analysts at ValuEngine from a sell rating to a hold rating.

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Big Lots (NYSE:BIG) was upgraded by analysts at ValuEngine from a sell rating to a hold rating.

Now, I haven’t dabbled in U.S. shale oil or in the permian basin since I extracted myself from Apache (APA) several months ago after an epic fight in the name of capital preservation. But The Wall Street Journal ran a piece last week explaining that due to already-mentioned distribution bottlenecks, Permian-basin oil prices had fallen below $60 a barrel despite the fact that WTI futures were trading above $70.

It seems like a great time to buy in, but you still shouldn’t just buy any oil and gas stock. Luckily, it doesn’t take a genius to identify great choices in the oil and gas industry like Apache Corporation (NYSE:APA), Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN), and Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS-A)(NYSE:RDS-B). Here’s why they’re such no-brainer investments.

The stock posting the largest daily percentage gain in the S&P 500 ahead of the close was Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA) which rose over 5% to $41.75. The stock’s 52-week range is $33.60 to $51.21. Volume was 4.8 million compared to the daily average volume of 4.4 million.