Top 10 Oil Service Stocks To Invest In 2014

Is a big merger brewing in the oil services field?

Citing people familiar with the deal, the Wall Street Journal reports that Halliburton (HAL) is in talks to buy Baker Hughes (BHI). The talks are reportedly moving quickly and the two could soon reach an agreement.

What about a price? The newspaper couldn�� get a number, but argues that any deal would have to bring a premium to Baker Hughes�� $21.6 billion market capitalization.

Investors seem to approve. Baker Hughes surged 15.2% to close at $58.75 shortly before today�� closing bell, while Halliburton jumped just over 1% to end at $53.79.

If it happens, Halliburton buying Baker Hughes would be one of the biggest acquisitions for the industry in recent memory. �It comes at a time when companies related to the oil industry ��from major producers to offshore drillers — have been battered by slipping crude oil prices.

Crude oil for December delivery fell below $75 a barrel today for the first time in more than three years, and dragged energy stocks along for the ride.

Hot Penny Companies To Invest In Right Now: Dynegy Inc (DYN)

Dynegy Inc. (Dynegy), incorporated in 2007, is a holding company and conducts the business operations through its subsidiaries. Dynegy�� primary business is the production and sale of electric energy, capacity and ancillary services from the fleet of 16 operating power plants in six states totaling approximately 11,600 megawatts of generating capacity. The Company sells electric energy, capacity and ancillary services on a wholesale basis from its power generation facilities. Its customers include Regional Transmission Organization (RTOs) and Independent System Operators (ISOs), integrated utilities, municipalities, electric cooperatives, transmission and distribution utilities, industrial customers, power marketers, financial participants, such as banks and hedge funds, and other power generators. Dynegy operates in three segments: the Coal segment (Coal), the Gas Segment (Gas) and the Dynegy Northeast Segment (DNE). In September 2011, it acquired direct ownership of Dynegy Coal Holdco, LLC. In July 2012, the Company announced that it has filed a voluntary petition to reorganize under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, Poughkeepsie Division. It emerged from bankruptcy, on October 1, 2012. In May 2013, the Company sold its Roseton power generation facility (Roseton) to a subsidiary of Castleton Commodities International LLC (CCI).

Coal segment

Dynegy�� Coal segment consists of four operating coal-fired power generation facilities and two operating natural gas-fired peaker facilities in Illinois with a total generating capacity of 3,132 megawatts. On November 17, 2011, it permanently retired the 176 megawatts Vermilion power generation facility. As of December 31, 2011, the facilities operated entirely within MISO. Its Coal segment is primarily a fleet of baseload coal facilities, located in Illinois. The MISO market includes all of Wisconsin and portions of Michigan, Kentucky, Indian! a, Illinois, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Montana and Manitoba, Canada. MISO is as an independent RTO.

Gas Segment

Dynegy�� Gas segment consists of seven operating natural gas-fired power generation facilities located in California (two), Nevada (one), Illinois (one), Pennsylvania (one), New York (one), and Maine (one), and one fuel-oil fired power generation facility located in California, totaling 6,771 megawatts of electric generating capacity. On November 7, 2011, it deconsolidated DH, which indirectly owns all of its assets in the Gas segment. The PJM market includes all or parts of Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia. The Company�� Kendall and Ontelaunee facilities located in Illinois and Pennsylvania operate in PJM with an aggregate net generating capacity of 1,780 megawatts.

DNE Segment

Dynegy�� DNE segment consists of the Roseton and Danskammer facilities located in Newburgh, New York, with a total capacity of 1,693 megawatts. Its total of 1,570 megawatts of generation capacity relates to leased units at the two facilities. The Company�� Roseton and Danskammer facility sites are adjacent and share common resources, such as fuel handling, a docking terminal, personnel and certain associated systems.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  Regulatory resilience
  Ameren (NYSE: AEE  ) and Dynegy (NYSE: DYN  ) aren't letting regulatory snafus get in the way of their plans. The two companies published a statement this week assuring investors that despite the Illinois Pollution Control Board's denial of a variance relief transfer, Dynegy still plans to acquire Ameren Energy Resources.

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  Dynegy (NYSE: DYN) announced that it has acquired power generation assets from Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) and Energy Capital partners. In total, Dynegy acquired 12.5 megawatts of coal and gas generation, almost doubling its existing assets to nearly 26,000 megawatts. Dynegy expects the acquisitions will create synergy targets of more than $40 million per year, $200 million in collateral efficiencies translating to nearly $500 million in present value cash savings. The company expects its adjusted EBITDA accretion to be 125 percent, while its free cash flow accretion will be 220 percent in 2015. Shares gained 8.75 percent, closing at $32.32.

• [By Ali Berri]

  Dynegy (NYSE: DYN) shares shot up 7.62 percent to $31.99 after the company announced its plans to acquire assets from Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK) and Energy Capital Partners for a total consideration of $6.25 billion.

Top 10 Oil Service Stocks To Invest In 2014: AbbVie Inc (ABBV)

AbbVie Inc. (AbbVie), incorporated on April 10, 2012, is a research-based pharmaceuticals company. The Company discovers, develops, and commercializes advanced therapies. AbbVie's portfolio of products include a line of adult and pediatric pharmaceuticals, which includes HUMIRA, metabolics/hormones products, virology products, endocrinology products, dyslipidemia products and other products.

AbbVie products are used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn's disease, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), cystic fibrosis complications, low testosterone, thyroid disease, Parkinson's disease and complications associated with chronic kidney disease, among other indications. In October 2012, AbbVie initiated a comprehensive Phase III program for hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype one.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shauna O'Brien]

  On Tuesday, AbbVie Inc (ABBV) released phase III results from the SAPPHIRE-II study, which is the second of six phase 3 studies for the treatment of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 (GT1) infection.

  AbbVie reported that in the study, which included 394 patients, 96% of those who has previously failed pegylated interferon and ribavirin treatment in the past sustained virologic response at 12 weeks with the regimen.

  There are 160 million infected with hepatitis C worldwide. ABBV’s HCV program is currently the largest all oral, interferon-free clinical program in GT1 patients being conducted.

  AbbVie shares were mostly flat during Tuesday morning trading. The stock is up 50% YTD.

• [By Keith Speights]

  How accurate those peak sales projections will actually be depends in large part on the competition, though. Pharmacyclics benefited from AbbVie's (NYSE: ABBV  ) bad news in February after the company suspended its development of leukemia drug ABT-199. However, AbbVie told FierceBiotech that it expects to move forward with the studies later this year and could yet be a rival for Pharmacyclics.

• [By Tom Rojas var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach(func]

  AbbVie Inc.(ABBV) and Shire (SHPG) PLC officially agreed Monday to terminate their $54 billion deal, killing the year’s biggest agreed-upon merger.

• [By Sean Williams]

  Finally, shares of drug maker AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV  ) added 3.8% at the expense of peer Idenix Pharmaceuticals, which imploded after the Food and Drug Administration placed a hold on clinical trials for experimental hepatitis-C drug, IDX20963. The FDA is requesting Idenix supply the agency with additional safety data before it'll let it start clinical trials for IDX20963, placing the company even further behind in the hepatitis-C race. AbbVie, on the other hand, is in great share with its oral hep-c trio performing very in trials and looking like the only serious competitor to Gilead Sciences�sofosbuvir -- assuming, of course, that it gets approved.�

Top 10 Oil Service Stocks To Invest In 2014: Lattice Semiconductor Corporation(LSCC)

Lattice Semiconductor Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, and markets programmable logic products and related software. The company offers field programmable gate array (FPGA) products, including LatticeECP family for deployment in wireless infrastructure and wireline access equipment, as well as in video and imaging applications; and LatticeXP for the security, surveillance, and display markets. It also provides programmable logic device (PLD) products comprising various versions of ispMACH4000 in-system programmable complex programmable logic device family; MachXO family that is designed for a range of low density applications; platform manager, power manager, and ispClock programmable mixed signal devices; and software development tools and intellectual property cores. The company sells its products directly to end customers through a network of independent manufacturers? representatives and indirectly through a network of independent sell-in and sell-through distributors. It primarily serves original equipment manufacturers in the communications, computing, consumer, industrial, military, automotive, and medical end markets. The company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By kcpl]

  Lattice Semiconductor (LSCC) is doing well. It has seen improvements in its operations. The company excels in the manufacture of programmable chips which are sold in various segments such as mobile, communications, automotives, industrial etc. The reason for the company�� strong performance has been its key customers such as China Mobile and Cisco. On the back of a strong client base, Lattice has seen a good 40% growth in its stock price. Let us take a look at its business.

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Lattice Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ: LSCC) is a top chip stock to buy at Jefferies. The company announced last month three new complete reference designs that will make it easier for electronic OEMs to deliver media-rich experiences to their end users by taking advantage of low-cost, industry-standard MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface) camera, application processor and display technologies. The Jefferies price objective for the stock is $6.50, and the consensus is also at $6.50. Lattice closed yesterday at $4.63.

Top 10 Oil Service Stocks To Invest In 2014: Home Federal Bancorp Inc.(HOME)

Home Federal Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for Home Federal Bank that provides financial products and services to consumers and businesses. The company?s deposit products include checking accounts, money market deposit accounts, savings accounts, and certificates of deposits. Its loan products portfolio comprises one-to-four family residential real estate, real estate construction, and commercial and multifamily real estate loans; commercial business loans for various business purposes, such as working capital and equipment financing, and capital and general investment; and consumer loans, including home equity loans and lines of credit, savings account loans, automobile loans, recreational vehicle loans, and personal unsecured loans. The company offers its products and services in the Treasure Valley region of southwestern Idaho, including Ada, Canyon, Elmore, and Gem counties; the Tri-County region of Central Oregon comprising the counties of Crook, Desc hutes, and Jefferson, as well as the communities of Eugene, Grants Pass, and Medford; and Lane, Josephine, Jackson, and Multnomah counties in Western Oregon. As of January 27, 2012, it operated 28 full-service banking offices. The company was founded in 1920 and is headquartered in Nampa, Idaho.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

  Sanofi fell 2.6 percent after withdrawing a U.S. application for a diabetes drug. Cie. Financiere Richemont (CFR) SA dropped 2.3 percent as revenue missed analysts��estimates. Vivendi SA advanced 2.7 percent after saying it will begin a formal study to separate its French phone unit from its media businesses. Home Retail Group Plc (HOME) surged 5.4 percent to a two-year high as sales exceeded projections.

Top 10 Oil Service Stocks To Invest In 2014: Biodel Inc (BIOD)

Biodel Inc. (Biodel), incorporated on December 3, 2003, is a development-stage speciality biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of treatments for diabetes. The Company develops its product candidates by applying its formulation technologies to existing drugs. Its advanced program involves developing formulations of injectable recombinant human insulin (RHI). In addition to its ultra-rapid-acting insulin formulations, the Company has developed prototype formulations of a liquid glucagon, a basal insulin and a glucose responsive insulin, in each case for use by patients with diabetes. RHI-based formulation known as Linjeta was the subject of a New Drug Application (NDA).

The Company has two pivotal Phase III clinical trials with its preferred commercial formulation of Linjeta prior to re-submitting the NDA. In August 2011, it completed patient visits and analyzed top-line data from the first Phase 1 clinical trial of two RHI-based formulations. The trial was a single-center, randomized, double-blind, three-period crossover trial in 18 subjects with Type 1 diabetes. The purpose of the trial was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic characteristics and injection site toleration of BIOD-105 and BIOD-107, as compared to the insulin analog marketed as Humalog. The Company conducted Phase I, Phase II and Phase III clinical trials comparing the performance of its Linjeta formulation of RHI to either Humulin, which is a branded formulation of RHI or Humalog. Its pivotal Phase III clinical trials were open-label, parallel group, randomized trials conducted at centers in the United States, Germany and India.

The Company competes with Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, Sanofi-Aventis, Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. and MannKind Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  One under-$10 specialty biopharmaceutical player that's starting to trend within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Biodel (BIOD), which is focused on the development and commercialization of innovative treatments for diabetes. This stock has been hit hard by the bears over the last three months, with shares down by 24%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Biodel, you'll notice that this stock is ripping higher here right off its 50-day moving average of $2.32 a share with strong upside volume. Volume on Thursday has so far registered over 750,000 shares, which is well above its three-month average action of 445,084 shares. This move is quickly pushing shares of BIOD within range of triggering a big breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in BIOD if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.52 to $2.60 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 445,084 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then BIOD will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels $3 to its 200-day moving average of $3.39 a share. Any high-volume move above $3.39 will then give BIOD a chance to tag $4 a share.

  Traders can look to buy BIOD off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support at $2.10 a share. One can also buy BIOD off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Biodel (NASDAQ: BIOD) is expected to post a Q1 loss at $0.24 per share.

  First Majestic Silver (NYSE: AG) is estimated to post its Q1 earnings at $0.10 per share on revenue of $63.35 million.

Top 10 Oil Service Stocks To Invest In 2014: Toyota Motor Corp Ltd Ord(TM)

Toyota Motor Corporation engages in the design, manufacture, assembly, and sale of passenger cars, minivans, and commercial vehicles. It offers conventional engine vehicles, including subcompact and compact cars under the Corolla, Yaris, micropremium iQ, Passo, Ractis, Vitz, and Etios brand names; mini-vehicles, passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and auto parts under Toyota brand name; mid-size cars under the Camry, REIZ, Avensis, and Mark X brand names; luxury cars under the Lexus and Crown brands; Century limousine; sports cars under the Scion tC and Lexus brands; sport-utility vehicles under the Sequoia, 4Runner, RAV4, Highlander, FJ Cruiser, and Land Cruiser brands; pickup trucks under the Tacoma and Tundra brands; minivans under the Alphard, Vellfire, Corolla Verso, Wish, Hiace, Regius Ace, Estima, Noah, Voxy, Sienta, Isis, Passo Sette, and the Sienna brands; cabwagons; large, medium, and small trucks; and large, small, and micro-buses. The company also provides hybrid cars under Prius and Crown brands. In addition, it offers a range of financial services comprising retail financing, retail leasing, wholesale financing, and insurance; and credit cards and housing loans. Further, the company designs and manufactures prefabricated housing, as well as involves in the information technology related businesses, such as an e-commerce marketplace known as GAZOO.com; and sales promotions for KDDI communication related products, primarily the au brand. It sells its vehicles in approximately 170 countries and regions, including Japan, North America, Europe, and Asia. The company was founded in 1933 and is headquartered in Toyota City, Japan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Benjamin Shepherd]

  Those geographic and cost advantages have proven a strong lure to automobile manufacturers in particular. Toyota Motor Corp (NYSE: TM), Mazda Motor Corp (Tokyo: 7261), Ford (NYSE: F) and a host of others already have manufacturing facilities in Mexico and BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz all have plans to begin to ramping up assembly lines there. BMW alone is investing nearly $1 billion, creating 1,500 jobs and a production capacity of about 150,000 vehicles per year.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Auto firms, such as Toyota Motor (TM) and Fuji Heavy Industries (TSE:7270), generated notable absolute gains for the Fund during the quarter. These stocks were buoyed by the weakening yen, as well as a continued improvement in the U.S. auto market in which these firms derive a large portion of their business. We believe there is potential for Japanese automakers to improve their competitive position in the years to come as the downward pressure from a strong yen has reversed course.

• [By Suravi Thacker]

  It�� time for celebrations for Toyota Motor (TM) since it finally managed to earn the second position in American-made car index. Toyota�� Camry stood at the second position while Ford�� (F) F-150 topped the list. In fact, the Camry is the top selling car in the USA, according to a competition in June. Its sales climbed 13.4% in June, clocking in at 40,664 vehicles.

Top 10 Oil Service Stocks To Invest In 2014: National Bank of Canada (NBC)

National Bank of Canada (the Bank) is a bank. The Bank provides integrated financial services to retail, commercial and corporate/institutional clients. The Bank's offerings include securities brokerage, insurance, wealth management, mutual and pension-fund management as well as banking and investment solutions across three business segments: Personal and Commercial, Wealth Management, and Financial Markets. The Personal and Commercial segment meets the financial needs of some 2.4 million retail banking clients and approximately 130,000 business clients throughout Canada. The Wealth Management segment includes National Bank Financial Wealth Management and National Bank Direct Brokerage Inc. The Financial Markets segment provides banking and investment banking services. On August 1, 2012, Maple Group Acquisition Corporation (Maple) acquired Alpha Trading Systems Inc., Alpha Trading Systems Limited Partnership and The Canadian Depository for Securities Limited. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rhonda Abrams]

  A woman may be the brains behind an organization, but having a handsome guy like Pierce Brosnan, with Stephanie Zimbalist in a 1982 photo for 'Remington Steele,' attracts the cash, a study shows.(Photo: NBC)

• [By Damian Illia]

  The company owns Kaplan, a leading global provider of educational services to individuals, schools and businesses, across more than 30 countries, Post-Newsweek Stations in Detroit (NBC), Houston (NBC), Miami (ABC), Orlando (CBS), San Antonio (ABC) and Jacksonville, Cable ONE, digital video, Internet and phone services provider to homes and businesses, the Slate Group, a daily online magazine, Trove, a digital team focused on innovation and experimentation with new technologies, Social Code, leading social marketing solutions partner, Celtic Healthcare, and Forney Corporation. The company has recently sold most of its newspaper operations.