Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK-B) and Warren Buffett disclosed their full equity holdings this week. The first thing we noticed was that there was a total equity value of $92.035 billion at the end of September, versus $89.03 billion at the end of June. What stood out was that there were really only about five transactions that really mattered . Still, they offer great insight and opportunity.
24/7 Wall St. wanted to identify the most important Buffett transactions of the past quarter. We wanted to see what the expected value is ahead for individual investors who may want to copy the Oracle of Omaha’s strategy. We also wanted to get inside Mr. Buffett’s head to see what he was thinking and how our readers can benefit.
The most important change was one we have called for endlessly, and we joked that Buffett finally took our suggestion. This was a new stake of Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) with almost 40.1 million shares. We just outlined the 10 reasons he took such a big stake, and we would say that it seems likely that Team Buffett would only grow this stake through time. Shares were up yet another 1% on Friday trading to above $94.00, and the consensus analyst price target is $95.54. Note that some analysts see it rising to well over $100 in the year, or years, ahead. Buffett even made a statement in favor of Exxon, because he substantially lowered his stake in ConocoPhillips.
World Fuel Services Corporation, a fuel logistics company, engages in marketing, selling, and distributing aviation, marine, and land fuel products and related services worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Aviation, Marine, and Land. The Aviation segment offers fuel and related services to commercial airlines, second and third-tier airlines, cargo carriers, regional and low cost carriers, airports, fixed based operators, corporate fleets, fractional operators, private aircraft, military fleets, and to the U.S. and foreign governments. Its aviation related services include fuel management, price risk management, arranging ground handling, and dispatch services; and arranging and providing international trip planning, including flight plans, weather reports, and overflight permits. The Marine segment offers fuel and related services to international container and tanker fleets, commercial cruise lines, yachts, and time-charter operators, as well as to the U.S. and foreign governments. Its marine fuel related services comprise management services for the procurement of fuel, cost control, quality control, and claims management. This segment also provides various services, which consist of fueling of vessels in port and sea, and transportation and delivery of fuel and fuel products. The Land segment offers fuel and related services to petroleum distributors operating in the land transportation market; retail petroleum operators; and industrial, commercial, and government customers, as well as engages in crude oil marketing activities. Its land related services include management services for the procurement of fuel and price risk management. In addition, the company offers transaction management services, which consists of card payment solutions and merchant processing services to customers in the aviation, marine, and land transportation industries. World Fuel Services Corporation was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Miami, Florida.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, fuel logistics company World Fuel Services (NYSE: INT ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.
10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: Isramco Inc.(ISRL)
Isramco, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, development, production, and exploration of onshore oil and natural gas properties in the United States. It owns various working interests in oil and gas wells in Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado; and operates approximately 589 wells principally in Texas and New Mexico. The company sells its oil and natural gas products to independent marketers, oil and natural gas companies, and gas pipeline companies. As of December 31, 2010, its estimated total proved reserves were approximately 9,031 thousand barrels of oil equivalent, which included 3,318 thousand barrels of oil, and 23,701 million cubic feet of natural gas, and 1,763 thousand barrels of natural gas liquids. The company was founded in 1982 and is based in Houston, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Rich Duprey]
Yet when you think about it, there should be oil there. It's been found on all sides of Israel. Total� (NYSE: TOT ) �found�oil north of the Sinai Peninsula in the 1980s, but the wells subsequently went dry;�Isramco� (NASDAQ: ISRL ) found oil off the coast of Tel Aviv, but never enough to make it profitable; and�Noble found a large gas deposit in the Tamar field of the Levant basin. Several Israeli companies have also found oil and gas, but Zion keeps striking out.
- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Isramco (Nasdaq: ISRL ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Isramco (Nasdaq: ISRL ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: MWI Veterinary Supply Inc.(MWIV)
MWI Veterinary Supply, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the distribution of animal health products to veterinarians in the United States and the United Kingdom. It primarily offers pharmaceuticals, vaccines, parasiticides, diagnostics, capital equipment, supplies, specialty products, veterinary pet food, and nutritional products. The company?s pharmaceutical products include anesthetics, analgesics, antibiotics, ophthalmics, and hormones; vaccine products consist of small animal, equine, and production animal biologicals; and parasiticides are used for control of fleas, ticks, flies, mosquitoes, and internal parasites. Its diagnostics products comprise consumable in-clinic tests for detecting heartworm, lyme, feline leukemia, and parvovirus, as well as consumable products for measuring blood chemistry, electrolyte balance, and cell counts; capital equipment products include anesthesia machines, surgical monitors, diagnostic equipment, dental machines, cage s, lights, and x-ray machines; and supplies consists of syringes, instruments, bandages, IV products, surgical consumables, grooming materials, and other small equipment items. The company?s veterinary pet foods products include foods for specialty diets and premium pet foods; and nutritional products comprise dietary supplements, vitamins, dental chews, and specialty treats. As of September 30, 2011, it served approximately 24,000 veterinary practices in the United States; and 1,500 veterinary practices in the United Kingdom. The company was formerly known as MWI Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to MWI Veterinary Supply, Inc. in April 2005. MWI Veterinary Supply, Inc. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Boise, Idaho.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on MWI Veterinary Supply (Nasdaq: MWIV ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
- [By Rupert Hargreaves]
Pet-related companies are highly sought after
Having said that, it would appear that in comparison to the rest of the pet-related sector, Zoetis is fairly valued. Peer MWI Veterinary Supply (NASDAQ: MWIV ) trades at 27 times forward earnings, and again the company is highly defensive, engaging in the distribution of animal health products to veterinarians in the United States and the United Kingdom. Veterinary supply is exposed to the same demand factors as Zoetis -- greater demand for animal treatments will lead to more demand for the distribution of animal health products.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Overvalued companies include MWI Veterinary (MWIV) and�Stericycle (SRCL), while companies with attractive valuations include Cardinal Health (CAH), Selected Medical (SEM). He’s not a fan of Intrexon (XON) but calls�Aratana (PETX) a “hidden gem.”
10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: Document Security Systems Inc (DSS)
Document Security Systems, Inc. (DSS), incorporated on May 30, 1984, develops, markets, secure technologies. The Company specializes in fraud and counterfeit protection for all forms of printed documents and digital information. The Company holds numerous patents for optical deterrent technologies that provide protection of printed information from unauthorized scanning and copying. The Company operates three production facilities, a security and commercial printing facility, a packaging facility and a plastic cards facility, where the Company produces secure and non-secure documents for its customers. The Company licenses its anti-counterfeiting technologies to printers and brand-owners. In addition, the Company has a digital division which provides cloud computing services for its customers, including disaster recovery, back-up and data security services. The Company operates in four segments: DSS Printing Group, DSS Plastics Group, DSS Packaging Group and DSS Digital Group. In June 2013, Document Security Systems Inc announced the closing of its previously announced merger with Lexington Technology Group, Inc. In October 2013, the Company announced that it has acquired two portfolios that will enable DSS to develop protected hardware and peripherals that incorporate core DSS security technologies.
The Company provides document security technology to security printers, corporations, consumer product companies and governments worldwide and for currency, identifications, certifications, travel documents, prescription and medical forms, consumer product and pharmaceutical packaging, and school transcripts. Its products are delivered on paper, plastic, or digitally via its AuthentiGuard DX product suite.
DSS Printing Group
The DSS Printing Group provides secure and commercial printing services for end-user customers along with technical support for the Company�� technology licensees. The division produces a wide array of printed materials such as security paper,! vital records, prescription paper, birth certificates, receipts, manuals, identification materials, entertainment tickets, secure coupons, parts tracking forms, brochures, direct mailing pieces, catalogs, business cards, etc. The division also provides the basis of research and development for its security printing technologies.
DSS Plastics Group
The DSS Plastics Group manufactures laminated and surface printed cards which can include magnetic stripes, bar codes, holograms, signature panels, invisible ink, micro fine printing, guilloche patterns, biometric, radio frequency identification (RFID) and watermarks for printed plastic documents such as identity cards, event badges, and driver�� licenses.
DSS Packaging Group
The DSS Packaging Group produces custom paperboard packaging serving clients in the pharmaceutical, beverage, photo packaging, toy, specialty foods and direct marketing industries, among others. The division incorporates the Company's security technologies into printed packaging to help companies prevent or deter brand and product counterfeiting.
DSS Digital Group
The DSS Digital Group provides data center centric solutions to businesses and governments delivered via the cloud. This division is also develops digital data security technologies based on the Company�� optical deterrent technologies.
The Company competes with Standard Register Company, De La Rue Plc, Sharp, Xerox Canon, Ricoh, Hewlett Packard, Eastman Kodak, NoCopi Technologies, Graphic Security Systems Corporation, RR Donnelley, Canadian printer Quebecor World, Bristol ID, AbNote, LaserCard Corporation and L-1 Identity Solutions, Rock-Tenn Company, Caraustar Industries, Inc., Graphic Packaging Holding Company and Mead Westvaco.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Susan Decker]
Document Security Systems Inc. (DSS), based in Rochester, New York, is suing Facebook Inc. and LinkedIn Corp. for infringing technology covering online collaboration. The patents were acquired in a reverse merger with Lexington Technology Group Inc., an intellectual property company. The shares have fallen 33 percent since the deal closed on July 1.
10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd (IMPUY.PK)
Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Implats) is a producer of platinum group metals (PGMs) and associated base metals. Implats has operations on the PGM-bearing orebodies of the Bushveld Complex in South Africa and the Great Dyke in Zimbabwe. PGMs include platinum, and the associated by-products, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and gold usually occur in association with nickel and copper. As of June 30, 2012, the Company�� holdings in various mining and exploration activities included Impala Platinum Limited (100%), which includes PGM mining, processing and refining; Impala Refining Services Limited (100%), which is engaged in purchase of concentrate and/or smelter matte; Impala Chrome (Pty) Limited (100%) and Makgomo Chrome (Pty) Limited (50%), which are engaged in purchase of chrome in tailings, and Zimplats Holdings Limited (86.9%), Afplats (Pty) Limited (74%), Marula Platinum (Pty) Limited (73%), Mimosa Investments Limited (50%) and Two Rivers Platinum (Pty) Limited (45%), which are engaged in PGM mining.
Impala Platinum
Impala Platinum, Implats��primary operational unit, has operations situated on the Impala lease area on the western limb of the Bushveld Complex near Rustenburg in South Africa, and in Springs east of Johannesburg. Impala holds contiguous mining rights and prospecting rights for a total area of 260 square kilometres. Operations comprise 14 operational shaft systems, five of which have underground decline systems.
Zimplats Holdings Limited
Zimplats Holdings Limited (Zimplats) is 87% owned by Implats and is located on the Hartley Geological Complex on the Zimbabwean Great Dyke south-west of Harare. Zimplats operates three underground mines and a concentrator at Ngezi. The Selous Metallurgical Complex (SMC), located some 77 kilometer north of the mine, comprises a concentrator and a smelter. The Company also owns the Hartley Platinum Mine situated at the SMC, which is under care and maintenance.
Marula Platin! um Limited
Marula Platinum Limited (Marula) is 73% owned by Implats. Marula is located in the Limpopo Province, some 50 kilometres north of Burgersfort. The operation consists of two on-reef decline shafts, one off-reef conventional decline and a concentrator plant.
Mimosa
Mimosa is wholly owned by Mimosa Investments Limited, a Mauritius-based company jointly held by Implats and Aquarius Platinum Limited (Aquarius) in a 50:50 joint-venture. Mimosa is located on the Wedza Geological Complex on the Zimbabwean Great Dyke east of Bulawayo. The operation comprises a shallow underground mine, accessed by a decline shaft, and a concentrator.
The Two Rivers Platinum Mine
The Two Rivers Platinum Mine (Two Rivers) is a joint venture between African Rainbow Minerals (ARM) (55%) and Impala Platinum Holdings Limited (Implats) (45%). The operation is situated on the farm Dwarsrivier on the southern part of the eastern limb of the Bushveld Igneous Complex in Mpumalanga, South Africa. The operation consists of two on-reef decline shafts and a concentrator.
Impala Refining Services (IRS)
IRS products include flotation concentrates from Marula, Mimosa and Two Rivers, as well as Aquarius��Marikana, Everest mine and Blue Ridge mines (on care and maintenance) and Eastern Platinum�� Crocodile River mine; furnace matte from Zimplats; spent autocatalysts from A-1 Specialised Services and Supplies Inc. for recycling, and selected base metal residues and other secondary materials.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Zacks Investment Research]
It is hard to find a good play in the Zacks Industry of mining non-ferrous metals, as the industry currently has a rank of 247 out of 261. In fact, in our five mining industries, there are only two No. 1-Ranked stocks: Brigus Gold (BRD) and Impala (IMPUY.PK). Both of these are in struggling industries, but they have proven to be best-in-class thanks to improving earnings estimates. Plus, both have seen their ranks surge from holds (or worse) up to strong buy territory, suggesting either of these names might be better picks than the struggling SCCO at this time.
10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: PRGX Global Inc.(PRGX)
PRGX Global, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides recovery audit, healthcare claims recovery audit, and analytics and advisory services. The company?s recovery audit services are based on the mining and auditing of clients? purchasing data for overpayments to suppliers; and healthcare claims recovery audit services consist of identification of overpayments and underpayments made to healthcare providers, such as hospitals and physicians? practices. Its analytics and advisory services focuses on client functional and process areas and provides services to senior finance executives to optimize working capital, reduce enterprise costs, transform the finance function, and enhance corporate performance. The company serves retailers, such as discount, department, specialty, grocery, and drug stores; business enterprises, including manufacturers, financial services firms, and pharmaceutical companies; private sector health insurance companies, and state and federal go vernment payers consisting of the centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and federal and state government agencies. It has operations in the United States, Canada, rest of Latin America, Europe, Asia, and rest of the Pacific region. The company was formerly known as PRG-Schultz International, Inc. and changed its name to PRGX Global, Inc. in January 2010. PRGX Global, Inc. was founded in 1990 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on PRGX Global (Nasdaq: PRGX ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
10 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch For 2014: American Airlines Group Inc (AAL)
American Airlines Group Inc., formerly AMR Corporation, incorporated in October 1982, operates in the airline industry. The Company's principal subsidiary is American Airlines, Inc. (American). As of December 31, 2011, American provided scheduled jet service to approximately 160 destinations throughout North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, Europe and Asia. AMR Eagle Holding Corporation (AMR Eagle), a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, owns two regional airlines, which do business as American Eagle-American Eagle Airlines, Inc. and Executive Airlines, Inc. (collectively, the American Eagle carriers). American also contracts with an independently owned regional airline, which does business as AmericanConnection (the AmericanConnection carrier). As of December 31, 2011, AMR Eagle operated approximately 1,500 daily departures, offering scheduled passenger service to over 175 destinations in North America, Mexico and the Caribbean.
American, AMR Eagle and the AmericanConnection airline served more than 250 cities in approximately 50 countries with, on average, 3,400 daily flights and the combined network fleet numbered approximately 900 aircraft as of December 31, 2011. American Airlines is also a founding member of the oneworld alliance, which includes British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, LAN Airlines, Iberia, Qantas, JAL, Malev Hungarian, Mexicana, Royal Jordanian and S7 Airlines. Together, oneworld members serve 750 destinations in approximately 150 countries, with about 8,500 daily departures. American is also one of the scheduled air freight carriers in the world, providing a range of freight and mail services to shippers throughout its system onboard American's passenger fleet.
To improve access to each other's markets, American has established marketing relationships with other airlines and rail companies. As of December 31, 2011, American had marketing relationships with Air Berlin, Air Pacific, Air Tahiti Nui, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Cape Air, C! athay Pacific, China Eastern Airlines, Dragonair, Deutsche Bahn German Rail, EL AL, Etihad Airways, EVA Air, Finnair, GOL, Gulf Air, Hawaiian Airlines, Iberia, Japan Airlines (JAL), Jet Airways, JetStar Airways, LAN (includes LAN Airlines, LAN Argentina, LAN Ecuador and LAN Peru), Niki Airlines, Qantas Airways, Royal Jordanian, S7 Airlines, and Vietnam Airlines.
American has established the AAdvantage frequent flyer program (AAdvantage). AAdvantage members earn mileage credits by flying on American, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection carrier or by using services of other participants in the AAdvantage program. Mileage credits can be redeemed for free, discounted or upgraded travel on American, American Eagle or other participating airlines, or for other awards. American sells mileage credits and related services to other participants in the AAdvantage program. There are over 1,000 program participants, including a credit card issuer, hotels, car rental companies, and other products and services companies in the AAdvantage program. As of December 31, 2011, AAdvantage had approximately 69 million total members.
The Company competes with Alaska Airlines (Alaska), Delta Air Lines (Delta), Frontier Airlines, JetBlue Airways (JetBlue), Hawaiian Airlines, Southwest Airlines (Southwest) and AirTran Airways (Air Tran), Spirit Airlines, United Airlines (United) and Continental Airlines (Continental), US Airways and Virgin America Airlines.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Ben Levisohn]
You can never let a little good news stand between you and your desire to sell. That seems to be the case for American Airlines (AAL) and Southwest Airlines (LUV) today, who’s solid revenue numbers have caused shares of these airlines–as well as Delta Air Lines (DAL) and United Continental (UAL) to fall today.
- [By Chris Isidore and Gregory Wallace]
The new American Airlines trades on the Nasdaq under the symbol AAL (AAL). Most of the shares were distributed to AMR's former creditors and US Airways shareholders. But in an unusual step for a company emerging from bankruptcy, American's former shareholders got 0.0665 share of AAL stock for each of their former shares of AMR, giving them just over 3% of the company.