Hot Gas Companies To Own For 2014

An hour and a half into the trading day,�American International Group (NYSE: AIG  ) is up 0.5%, with investors confidently shrugging off last week's news of a potentially expensive lawsuit and riding today's market wave.

Hurricanes and job gains
Last Wednesday, news broke that AIG and 10 other insurers were being sued by Public Service Enterprise Group (NYSE: PEG  ) . The New Jersey-based gas and electric provider claims that damage from last fall's Hurricane Sandy far exceeded insurers' payouts of $50 million and is pursuing a total payout of $426 million.�

On a more macro scale, last Friday, the Department of Labor reported that the U.S. economy added 195,000 non-farm jobs in June, easily beating economists' expectations of 165,000. In addition, numbers for the previous two months were revised upwards by 70,000. Unemployment stayed at 7.6%, but only because more people are trying to return to the workforce.

Foolish bottom line
The market wave can clearly be chalked up to Friday's jobs numbers, but what wasn't clear was whether investors would react positively to such seemingly obvious good news.

Top 10 Restaurant Companies For 2015: Delek US Holdings Inc. (DK)

Delek US Holdings, Inc. operates as an integrated downstream energy company that operates in petroleum refining, logistics, and convenience store retailing businesses. The company operates in three segments: Refining, Logistics, and Retail. The Refining segment owns and operates two refineries in Tyler, Texas, and El Dorado, Arkansas; and produces various petroleum-based products used in transportation and industrial markets. The Logistics segment gathers, transports, and stores crude oil, as well as markets, distributes, transports, and stores refined products. It also offers crude oil transportation services for terminalling and marketing services; and markets light products using third-party terminals. This segment owns approximately 400 miles of crude oil transportation pipelines, 123 miles of refined product pipelines, 600-mile crude oil gathering system, and associated crude oil storage tanks with an aggregate of approximately 2.6 million barrels of active shell capa city. The Logistics segment serves oil companies, independent refiners and marketers, jobbers, distributors, utility and transportation companies, and independent retail fuel operators. The Retail segment markets gasoline, diesel, and other refined petroleum products, as well as convenience merchandise. As of May 8, 2013, this segment operated 373 retail fuel and convenience stores under the MAPCO Express, MAPCO Mart, Discount Food Mart, Fast Food and Fuel, East Coast, Delta Express, and Favorite Markets brands. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee. Delek US Holdings, Inc. is a subsidiary of Delek Petroleum Ltd.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Dzombak]

  Second among oil and gas stocks today was Delek U.S. Holdings (NYSE: DK  ) up 4.78%, to $37.28. During the refiners' drop on Tuesday and Wednesday, Delek dropped 9.88%. Despite the comeback today, the stock is still down 5.6% from where it was before the plunge. The company owns two refineries in Texas, terminals throughout Texas, Arkansas, and Tennessee, and retail stores throughout Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  As a result, Garcia and Molchanov changed their rating on a number of refining stocks. Valero Energy gets cut to Outperfrom from Strong Buy, while Holly Frontier, Delek US (DK) and PBF Energy (PBF) get downgraded to Market Perform from Outperform. Only “defensive, insulated” Phillips 66 gets an upgraded, to Outperform from Market Perform.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Phillips 66 fell 2.6% yesterday, while Holly Frontier dropped 3.1%, Tesoro (TSO) declined 1.4%, Western Refining (WNR) plunged 4.3% and Delek US (DK) finished off 5.2%.

• [By Russ Fischer]

  Deltek US Holdings (DK)

  Energy, midstream, downstream. Delek US Holdings, Inc. operates as an integrated downstream energy company that operates in petroleum refining, logistics, and convenience store retailing businesses. The company owns 400 miles of crude oil transportation pipelines, 123 miles of refined product pipelines, 600-mile crude oil gathering system, and associated crude oil storage tanks with an aggregate of approximately 2.6 million barrels of active shell capacity. The company should benefit from the trend toward US energy independence without the exposure of exploration and production companies. Yield: 1.7%

Hot Gas Companies To Own For 2014: Exxon Mobil Corporation(XOM)

Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas, and manufacture of petroleum products, as well as transportation and sale of crude oil, natural gas, and petroleum products. The company manufactures and markets commodity petrochemicals, including olefins, aromatics, polyethylene and polypropylene plastics, and other specialty products. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 35,691 gross and 30,494 net operated wells. The company has operations in the United States, Canada/South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia/Oceania. Exxon Mobil Corporation was founded in 1870 and is based in Irving, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tony Daltorio]

  Although it may be hard to believe, the shale revolution is not being led by the major oil companies such as Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM), Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX), and Royal Dutch Shell plc (NYSE: RDS.A).

• [By Douglas A. McIntyre]

  Google’s stock market success is nothing short of extraordinary. It market capitalization is $376 billion. Its share price has risen 40% in the last 12 months, much better than the 18.4% improvement in the S&P 500. That rate has also bested those of the two companies ahead of Google on the market cap list — Apple and Exxon Mobil Corp.(NYSE: XOM)

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Performance data quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Current performance may be lower or higher than the performance data quoted. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than original cost. As stated in the current prospectus, the Fund�� Investor Class Share�� annual operating expense ratio (gross) is 1.28%. The Fund�� adviser has contractually agreed to waive a portion of its fee and/or reimburse Fund expenses to limit total annual operating expenses at 1.25%, which is in effect until October 31, 2015. Other share classes may vary. The Fund charges a 2.0% redemption fee on shares redeemed within six months of purchase. For the most recent month-end performance, please call (877)328-9437 or visit the Advisor�� website at www.auxierasset.com. The recent growth rate in the stock market has helped to produce short-term returns that are not typical and may not continue in the future.Spring 2014 Market CommentaryAuxier Focus Fund�� Investor Class returned a modest 0.25% for the quarter ended March 31, while Standard and Poor�� 500 Stock Index (S&P) rose 1.81%. The Fund ended the quarter with 70% in U.S. stocks, 16% foreign stocks, 1.7 % bonds and 12.3% cash. Since inception in 1999, the Fund�� equity exposure has averaged 72%. Our stockholdings in the healthcare industry generally gained for the quarter. But many of our multinational and foreign stocks were hurt by the threat of currency repercussions from geopolitical events in Russia and Ukraine. The foreign portion of the Fund is easily the most undervalued. Longer term, we see a very favorable risk/reward potential with our UK and European holdings. Some emerging market companies we follow are the cheapest in over twenty years. In allocating capital, we much prefer the gloom of down to flat markets and the corrective process that tempers exuberance. We remember that one of th

Hot Gas Companies To Own For 2014: VAALCO Energy Inc (EGY)

VAALCO Energy, Inc. (VAALCO), incorporated in 1985, is an independent energy company principally engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas. VAALCO owns producing properties and conducts exploration activities as operator in Gabon, West Africa, conducts exploration activities as an operator in Angola, West Africa, and has conducted exploration activities as a non-operator in the British North Sea. The Company owns minor interests in production activities as a non-operator in the United States. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Etame, Avouma, South Tchibala and Ebouri fields produced approximately 8.1 million barrels of oil (2.3 million barrels of oil net to the Company).

Offshore Gabon

The Company�� primary source of revenue is from the Etame Production Sharing Contract related to the Etame Marin block located offshore the Republic of Gabon. VAALCO operates the Etame Marin block on behalf of a consortium of companies. As of December 31, 2010, VAALCO owned a 30.35% interest in the exploration acreage within the Etame Marin block. The Company owns a 28.1% interest in the development areas surrounding the Etame, Avouma, South Tchibala and Ebouri fields, each of which is located on the Etame Marin block. The Company produces from the Etame, Avouma, South Tchibala and Ebouri fields on the block.

Onshore Gabon

The Mutamba Iroru block is ocated onshore near the coast in central Gabon. The Mutamba Iroru block contains an exploration area of approximately 270,000 acres.

Offshore Angola

The Company has 40% working interest in Offshore Angola. The four year primary term with an optional three year extension awards the Company exploration rights to 1.4 million acres offshore central Angola.

Onshore Domestic-Texas

In July 2011, the Company acquired a 480 acre lease in the Granite Wash formation in North Texas. In November 2011, the Company commen! ced drilling a second well on the initial Granite Wash formation lease.

Onshore DomesticMontana

In May 2011, the Company acquired a 70% working interest in approximately 5,200 acres (3,640 net acres) in Sheridan County, Montana in the Middle Bakken formation. In September 2011, it acquired a 65% working interest in approximately 22,000 gross acres covering the Middle Bakken and deeper formations in the East Poplar unit and the Northwest Poplar field in Roosevelt County, Montana.

DomesticOutside Operated

The Company has minor interests in Brazos County, Texas producing from the Buda/Georgetown formations. The Company also owns certain minor non-operated interests in the Ship Shoal area of the Gulf of Mexico and in Pickens County, Alabama.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Nitish]

  VAALCO Energy, Inc. (EGY) last month reported net income of $24.7 million or $0.43 per diluted share for the second quarter of 2014 compared to net income of $7.1 million or $0.12 per diluted share for the comparable period in 2013. Second quarter 2014 revenues were $52.1 million compared to$29.1 million in the second quarter of 2013, primarily due to the higher volumes of crude liftings in the second quarter of 2014 as compared to the second quarter of 2013.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Energy services shares fell by 0.12 percent on Friday. Top losers in the sector included Basic Energy Services (NYSE: BAS), down 8.6 percent, and Vaalco Energy (NYSE: EGY), off 5.7 percent.

Hot Gas Companies To Own For 2014: Rose Rock Midstream LP (RRMS)

Rose Rock Midstream, L.P., incorporated on August 5, 2011, owns, operates, develops and acquires a diversified portfolio of midstream energy assets. The Company is engaged in the business of crude oil gathering, transportation, storage, distribution and marketing in Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Texas. It serves areas that are through its exposure to the Bakken Shale in North Dakota and Montana, the Denver-Julesburg Basin (DJ Basin) and the Niobrara Shale in the Rocky Mountain region, and the Granite Wash and the Mississippi Lime Play in the Mid-Continent region. The Company�� operations are conducted through, and the Company�� operating assets are owned by, its wholly-owned subsidiary, Rose Rock Midstream Operating, LLC, and its subsidiaries.

Cushing Storage

The Company owns and operates 28 crude oil storage tanks in Cushing with an aggregate storage capacity of approximately 7.0 million barrels and an additional 600,000 barrels of storage. The Company�� storage terminal has a combined capacity to deliver 480,000 barrels of crude oil per day, and has inbound connections with the White Cliffs Pipeline from Platteville, Colorado, the Great Salt Plains Pipeline, the Cimarron Pipeline from Boyer, Kansas, its Kansas and Oklahoma gathering system and two-way interconnections with all of the other storage terminals in Cushing.

Kansas and Oklahoma System

The Company owns and operates an approximately 640-mile crude oil gathering and transportation pipeline system and over 660,000 barrels of associated storage in Kansas and northern Oklahoma. This system gathers crude oil from throughout the region and delivers it to third-party pipelines and refineries and its Cushing terminal. During the years ended December 31, 2012, the Company�� transported an average of approximately 52,000 and 36,000 barrels per day, respectively, from multiple receipt points. The system has pipeline diameters ranging from 4 to 12 inches and! has 25 pump stations. This system also includes 18 truck unloading stations.

Bakken Shale Operations

The Company owns and operates a crude oil gathering, storage, transportation and marketing business in the Bakken Shale area in western North Dakota and eastern Montana. Using its fleet of trucks and two truck unloading facilities, the Company purchase crude oil at the wellhead, transport it through its trucks and third-party pipelines, including the Enbridge North Dakota System, and market it to customers. The Company owns tanks in Trenton and Stanley, North Dakota, with an aggregate storage capacity of 61,800 barrels that connect into the Enbridge North Dakota System. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company handled and marketed an average of approximately 7,100 barrels per day.

Platteville Facility

The Company owns and operates a modern, sixteen-lane crude oil truck unloading facility in Platteville, Colorado, which connects to the origination point of the White Cliffs Pipeline. Much of the crude oil production from the DJ Basin and the nearby Niobrara Shale must initially be transported by truck due to a shortage of gathering capacity. Throughput at the facility averaged 43,500 and 32,400 barrels per day for the years ended December 31, 2012. The facility includes 230,000 barrels of crude oil storage capacity. The Platteville facility also allows customer pipeline gathering systems to connect to the origination point of the White Cliffs Pipeline.

The Company competes with Enbridge Energy Partners, L.P., Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P., Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P., Enterprise Products Partners L.P, MV Purchasing, LLC, Plains All American Pipeline, L.P., National Cooperative Refinery Association, Plains All American Pipeline, L.P. and Eighty Eight Oil LLC.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier]

  Rose Rock Midstream (NYSE: RRMS) isn’t a name we have discussed much here. RRMS is an MLP that owns oil-gathering, storage and transportation assets in Colorado, Kansas, Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Texas. The MLP was formed by midstream energy giant SemGroup (NYSE: SEMG), which acts as the general partner. RRMS had its IPO in December 2011 with an initial EV of $1.2 billion and a minimum yield of 4.7 percent.

Hot Gas Companies To Own For 2014: Hydrocarb Energy Corp (HECC)

Hydrocarb Energy Corp., formerly Duma Energy Corp., incorporated on April 12, 2005, is a natural resource exploration and production company engaged in the exploration, acquisition and development of oil and gas properties in the United States. The Company maintains an aggregate of approximately 395 gross (217 net) developed acres and approximately 6,120 gross (4,456 net) undeveloped acres, pursuant to leases or acquisitions. Of that acreage, it maintains approximately 176 gross (132 net) developed acres in Louisiana, 219 gross (85 net) developed acres in Texas, 4,614 gross (3,123 net) undeveloped acres in Illinois, 160 gross (150 net) undeveloped acres in Louisiana, and 1,346 gross (1,183 net) undeveloped acres in Texas. The interest holding properties of the Company include The Welder Lease (Barge Canal), Texas; South Delhi/Big Creek Field, Louisiana; The Holt Lease; The Strahan Lease; Janssen Lease, Texas; Koliba Lease, Texas, and Illinois. As of July 31, 2010, the Company had a total of six gross (five net) producing oil wells and one gas well. In December 2013, the Company announced that it has completed the acquisition of Hydrocarb Corporation.

The Welder Lease (Barge Canal), Texas

The Company owns a 100% working interest (90% after payout) and a 72.5% net revenue interest (65.25% after payout) in approximately 81 acres of an oil and gas lease (the Welder Lease). This lease is located in Calhoun County, Texas. Effective January 1, 2010, it acquired the remaining 10% working in the Welder Leases from Treydan Corporation and owned 100% of the working interest. As of July 31, 2010, two wells were producing gas and oil from the property. The wells were operated using a gas lift system. A third well was utilized for salt water disposal. The wells have additional proven non-producing zones behind pipe. The Company focuses to develop the proved developed non-producing (PDNP) zones as producing horizons deplete.

South Delhi/Big Creek Field, Louisiana

! On August 24, 2006, the Company entered into an assignment of oil and gas interests purchase agreement with Energy Program Accompany, LLC (the EPA Purchase Agreement). At the time of the acquisition, one of four wells on the Holt lease and the one well on the Strahan lease were producing assets. The lease consists of the Holt Lease, the Strahan Lease and the McKay Lease (no longer owned). The Company owns a 97% working interest and an 81.25% net revenue interest in approximately 136 acres in Franklin Parish, Louisiana (the Holt Lease). As of July 31, 2010, the Company produced oil from the Holt No.�� 10 and 22 wells. The Holt No. 4 and 24 wells were off-line pending workover or offset drilling. The Holt No. 15 well was utilized as a salt water disposal well. Pursuant to the EPA Purchase Agreement, we acquired a 100% working interest and an 81.25% net revenue interest in approximately 40 acres in Richland Parish, Louisiana (the Strahan Lease). As of July 31, 2010, it produced oil from the Strahan No. 1 well. As of July 31, 2010, the Janssen A-1 well produced between 250-300 mcf gas per day and approximately six barrels per day of condensate.

Koliba Lease, Texas

The Koliba Lease property is located near the Company�� Welder lease and has one shut-in oil/gas well. The well previously produced 30 one stock tank barrel (Bbls) oil per day plus water. The well is in close proximity to the Company�� Welder gas sales line and salt water disposal system. The Koliba No. 2 well was drilled June 2010 and found to be slightly down-dip from the No.1 well. The Company elected to plug the No. 2.

Illinois

During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2010, the Company entered into numerous oil and gas leases in Jefferson and other counties in Illinois. As of July 31, 2010, these leases total approximately 2,994 gross acres, pursuant to which the Company has a working interest of 100% and a net revenue interest of 87.5%. It has an additional 1,620 gross acres under lea! se in Ill! inois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  It's the market's tacit way of saying it expects oil to rebound firmly in the foreseeable future, even if the professionals aren't explicitly saying it. With that being the case, true contrarian speculators - the ones who put their money where their mouth is - may want to consider small cap oil play Hydrocarb Energy Corp. (OTCBB:HECC) as a high-potential way of playing oil's recovery in 2015.

Hot Gas Companies To Own For 2014: Petroleo Brasileiro Petrobras SA (PETR3)

Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras (Petrobras) is a Brazil-based integrated oil and gas company. The Company divides its activities into seven segments: Exploration and Production; Refining, Transportation and Marketing; Gas and Power; Biofuel; Distribution and International. Directly or through its subsidiaries, Petrobras is engaged in the research, extraction, refining, processing, trade and transport of oil from wells, shale and other rocks, its derivatives, natural gas and other liquid hydrocarbons, as well as in activities related to energy, development, production, transport, distribution and commercialization of energy. The Company's offering comprises road transportation products such as Automotive Gasoline, Diesel Fuel, Natural Vehicular Gas, Lubrax; agriculture and cattle raising products such as Sunflower Meal, among others; Industrial products such as Solvents and Paraffins, among others. The Company provides its services both for individual and business clients. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Maria Levitov]

  Brazil�� Ibovespa advanced amid speculation that a three-session slump for Brazil�� benchmark equity index was excessive. Usiminas, as Usinas de Minas Gerais is known, rose 7.5 percent, while oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PETR3) contributed the most to the gauge�� advance.

• [By Julia Leite]

  Brazil�� Ibovespa rose 1.2 percent, reversing a decline of as much as 0.9 percent, as Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PETR3), Brazil�� state-run crude producer, surged. The real added 1.5 percent.