Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014

American Banker Magazine recently published a reputation survey that showed respondents are more likely to give their own financial institution higher reputation scores than other banks.�

For the big banks, the gap was greatest and overall scores were generally lower. It seems that battered institutions like Citigroup (NYSE: C  ) and Bank of America� (NYSE: BAC  ) are still trapped in the mud of 2007 and 2008. Regional banks contrast that, though, with banks like Huntington Bancshares� (NASDAQ: HBAN  ) and Suntrust (NYSE: STI  ) scoring higher and with less of a gap between customers and non customers.

In the video below, Motley Fool contributor Jay Jenkins discusses the results and the takeaways.

Many investors are terrified about investing in big banking stocks after the crash, but the sector has one notable stand-out. In a sea of mismanaged and dangerous peers, it rises above as "The Only Big Bank Built to Last." You can uncover the top pick that Warren Buffett loves in The Motley Fool's�new report. It's free, so click here to access it now.

5 Best Life Sciences Stocks To Watch For 2015: Autodesk Inc.(ADSK)

Autodesk, Inc. provides design software and services to customers worldwide. Its Platform Solutions and Emerging Business segment offers AutoCAD software, a customizable and extensible computer-aided design (CAD) application for professional design, drafting, detailing, and visualization in fields ranging from construction to manufacturing, civil engineering, and process plant design; and AutoCAD LT, a professional drafting and detailing software that includes document sharing capability. The company?s Architecture, Engineering and Construction segment offers Autodesk Revit products, which provide model-based design and documentation system for architects, structural engineers, and design-build teams, as well as mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineers; AutoCAD Civil 3D products, which provide a surveying, design, analysis, and documentation solution for civil engineering; AutoCAD Architecture software that includes architecture industry-specific tools to improve co ordination; and AutoCAD Map 3D software, which provides direct access to data needed for infrastructure planning, design, and management activities. Autodesk, Inc.?s Manufacturing segment?s products comprise Autodesk Inventor, which offers engineers a set of tools for 3D mechanical design, simulation, analysis, tooling, visualization, and documentation; AutoCAD Mechanical software that accelerates the mechanical design process; and Autodesk Moldflow, which provides tools that help manufacturers optimize the design of plastic parts and injection molds, and study the injection molding process. Its Media and Entertainment segment offers animation products that provide tools for digital sculpting, modeling, animation, effects, rendering, and compositing; and creative finishing products that provide editing, finishing, and visual effects design and color grading. The company also offers design and creation suites. Autodesk, Inc. was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in San R afael, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Damian Illia]

    In order to answer these interrogations, I will look into Nuance and Autodesk (ADSK), and try elucidate which one stands as the most appealing investment opportunity.

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014: Rackspace Hosting Inc(RAX)

Rackspace Hosting, Inc. operates in the hosting and cloud computing industry. It provides information technology (IT) as a service, managing Web-based IT systems for small and medium-sized businesses, as well as large enterprises worldwide. The company?s service suite includes dedicated hosting comprising customer management portal and other management tools that manage data center, network, hardware devices, and operating system software; and cloud computing that enables customers to provide and manage a pool of computing resources, as well as delivery of computing resources to business when they need them. It offers cloud servers, cloud files, and cloud sites, as well as cloud applications, such as email, collaboration, and file back-ups; and hybrid hosting that provides a combination of dedicated hosting and cloud computing services. The company also offers customer support services. It sells its service suite through direct sales teams, third-party channel partners, an d online ordering. The company was formerly known as Rackspace.com, Inc. and changed its name to Rackspace Hosting, Inc. in June 2008. Rackspace Hosting, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Tim Beyers]

    Real money was on the line then as it is now, which means any one of the five stocks you see below could ruin my investment strategy. None has fit that description more in recent weeks than Rackspace Hosting (NYSE: RAX  ) . The stock recently set a new 52-week low amid concerns over intensifying competition.

  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Rackspace Hosting (NYSE: RAX) reported better-than-expected first-quarter earnings. Rackspace reported its quarterly earnings of $0.18 per share on revenue of $421 million. Rackspace shares surged 13.26% to $31.18 in the after-hours trading session.

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014: Wolverine World Wide Inc.(WWW)

Wolverine World Wide, Inc. designs, manufactures, sources, markets, licenses, and distributes branded footwear, apparel, and accessories. It offers industrial work shoes, boots, uniform shoes, outdoor sports footwear, rugged casual footwear, lifestyle footwear, sandals, and closed-toe products. It also provides outdoor apparel, and work and rugged casual apparel; and accessories, such as packs, bags, and luggage, as well as eyewear, gloves, handbags, socks, watches, and plush toys. The company offers its products under various brand names, including Bates, Cat Footwear, Chaco, Cushe, Harley-Davidson Footwear, Hush Puppies, HyTest, Merrell, Patagonia Footwear, Sebago, Soft Style, and Wolverine. It sells its products to a range of retail customers, which comprise department stores, national chains, catalogs, specialty retailers, mass merchants, Internet retailers, governments, and municipalities in the United States, Canada, and Europe. The company also markets its products in approximately 190 countries and territories through company-owned wholesale operations, licensees, and distributors. It also licenses its brands for use on non-footwear products. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated 101 retail stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom; and operated 42 consumer-direct Websites. Further, it markets pigskin leather, and purchases raw pigskins from other source. Wolverine World Wide, Inc. was founded in 1883 and is based in Rockford, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Chris Hill]

    In this installment of Investor Beat, Jason and Matt explain why they're keeping a close watch on shares of DaVita HealthCare Partners (NYSE: DVA  ) and Wolverine Worldwide (NYSE: WWW  ) .

  • [By Michael Lewis]

    Two of the biggest shoe companies available to investors, Deckers Outdoor (NASDAQ: DECK  ) and Wolverine Worldwide (NYSE: WWW  ) , have experienced great growth in recent periods, with the former posting a 20% stock gain on the day it released earnings last week. Both companies have made fantastic accretive brand purchases and renovations over the past year, and both should continue to grow at appealing rates. Unfortunately for investors, both also appear to be fully valued stocks. The question for investors going forward regards whether the companies' phenomenal successes can sustain the lofty valuations imparted by an ever-myopic market.

  • [By Suravi Thacker]

    Some of the prominent players in the industry are Crocs (CROX), Deckers Outdoor Corporation (DECK) and Wolverine World Wide (WWW). Each of the players has adopted a variety of ways to attract customers and boost its revenue.

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Top Headline
    Wolverine World Wide (NYSE: WWW) reported a 66% rise in its third-quarter earnings and raised its adjusted earnings outlook for the year. Wolverine now projects adjusted earnings of $2.73 to $2.83, versus its earlier forecast of $2.60 to $2.75 per share. The company narrowed its revenue view to $2.71 billion to $2.73 billion, versus $2.7 billion to $2.775 billion.

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014: Kinder Morgan Inc (KMI)

Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI), incorporated on August 23, 2006, owns and manages a diversified portfolio of energy transportation and storage assets. The Company operates in five business segments: Products Pipelines-KPM, Natural Gas Pipelines-KMP, CO2-KMP, Terminals-KMP and Kinder Morgan Canada-KMP. The Company through Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (KMP) operates or owns an interest in approximately 37,000 miles of pipelines and approximately 180 terminals. These pipelines transport natural gas, refined petroleum products, crude oil, carbon dioxide and other products, and its terminals store petroleum products and chemicals, and handle such products as ethanol, coal, petroleum coke and steel. The Company is a provider of carbon dioxide (CO2), for enhanced oil recovery projects in North America. On December 15, 2011, KMP acquired a refined petroleum products terminal located on a 14-acre site in Lorton, Virginia from Motiva Enterprises, LLC. On May 25, 2012, KMI acquired El Paso Corporation. In August 2012, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. acquired Tennessee Gas Pipeline (TGP) and a 50% interest in El Paso Natural Gas (EPNG) pipeline from KMI.

NGPL PipeCo LLC consists of its 20% interest in NGPL PipeCo LLC, the owner of Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America LLC and certain affiliates (collectively NGPL), an interstate natural gas pipeline and storage system, which it operates. On November 30, 2011, KMP acquired certain natural gas treating assets from SouthTex Treaters, Inc. On July 1, 2011, KMP acquired from Petrohawk Energy Corporation both the remaining 50% ownership interest in KinderHawk Field Services LLC that KMP did not already own and a 25% equity ownership interest in EagleHawk Field Services LLC. As of December 31, 2011, its interests in KMP and its affiliates consisted of the general partner interest, which the Company holds through its ownership of the general partner of KMP and which entitles the Company to receive incentive distributions; 21.7 million of the 238.0 mi! llion outstanding KMP units, representing an approximately 6.4% limited partner interest, and14.1 million of KMP�� 98.5 million outstanding i-units, representing an approximately 4.2% limited partner interest, through its ownership of 14.1 million Kinder Morgan Management, LLC (KMR) . The Company�� subsidiaries include Kinder Morgan Kansas, Inc. (KMK) and Kinder Morgan Energy Partners, L.P. (KMP).

Products Pipelines-KMP

The segment consists of KMP�� refined petroleum products and natural gas liquids pipelines and their associated terminals, Southeast terminals, and its transmix processing facilities. Products Pipelines-KMP, which consists of approximately 8,400 miles of refined petroleum products pipelines that deliver gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel and natural gas liquids to various markets; plus approximately 60 associated product terminals and petroleum pipeline transmix processing facilities serving customers across the United States.

KMP�� West Coast Products Pipelines include the SFPP, L.P. operations (often referred to in this report as the Pacific operations), the Calnev pipeline operations, and the West Coast Terminals operations. The assets include interstate common carrier pipelines regulated by the FERC, intrastate pipelines in the state of California regulated by the California Public Utilities Commission, and certain non rate-regulated operations and terminal facilities. The Pacific operations serve six western states with approximately 2,500 miles of refined petroleum products pipelines and related terminal facilities that provide refined products to population centers in the United States, including California; Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada, and the Phoenix-Tucson, Arizona corridor. During the fiscal year ended February 22, 2012 (fiscal 2011), the Pacific operations��mainline pipeline system transported approximately 1,071,400 barrels per day of refined products, with the product mix being approximately 59% gasoline, 24% diesel fuel, and 17! % jet fue! l.

The Calnev pipeline system consists of two parallel 248-mile, 14-inch and eight-inch diameter pipelines that run from KMP�� facilities at Colton, California to Las Vegas, Nevada. The pipeline serves the Mojave Desert through deliveries to a terminal at Barstow, California and two railroad yards. It also serves Nellis Air Force Base, located in Las Vegas, and also includes approximately 55 miles of pipeline serving Edwards Air Force Base in California. During fiscal 2011, the Calnev pipeline system transported approximately 118,800 barrels per day of refined products, with the product mix being approximately 41% gasoline, 33% diesel fuel, and 26% jet fuel.

KMP owns approximately 51% of Plantation Pipe Line Company, the sole owner of the approximately 3,100-mile refined petroleum products Plantation pipeline system serving the southeastern United States. KMP operates the system pursuant to agreements with Plantation and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Plantation Services LLC. The Plantation pipeline system originates in Louisiana and terminates in the Washington, District of Columbia area. It connects to approximately 130 shipper delivery terminals throughout eight states and serves as a common carrier of refined petroleum products to various metropolitan areas, including Birmingham, Alabama; Atlanta, Georgia; Charlotte, North Carolina, and the Washington, District of Columbia area. An affiliate of ExxonMobil Corporation owns the remaining approximately 49% ownership interest, and ExxonMobil has historically been one of the shippers on the Plantation system both in terms of volumes and revenues. In fiscal 2011, Plantation delivered approximately 518,000 barrels per day of refined petroleum products, with the product mix being approximately 67% gasoline, 20% diesel fuel, and 13% jet fuel.

KMP owns 50% of Cypress Interstate Pipeline LLC, the sole owner of the Cypress pipeline system. KMP operates the system pursuant to a long-term agreement. The Cypress pipeline is a! n interst! ate common carrier natural gas liquids pipeline originating at storage facilities in Mont Belvieu, Texas and extending 104 miles east to a connection with Westlake Chemical Corporation, a petrochemical producer in the Lake Charles, Louisiana area. Mont Belvieu, located approximately 20 miles east of Houston, is a hub for natural gas liquids gathering, transportation, fractionation and storage in the United States. The Cypress pipeline system has a capacity of approximately 55,000 barrels per day for natural gas liquids. In fiscal 2011, the system transported approximately 45,000 barrels per day.

KMP�� Southeast terminal operations consist of 27 liquid petroleum products terminals located along the Plantation/Colonial pipeline corridor in the Southeastern United States. The marketing activities of the Southeast terminal operations are focused on the Southeastern United States from Mississippi through Virginia, including Tennessee. The primary function involves the receipt of petroleum products from common carrier pipelines, short-term storage in terminal tankage, and subsequent loading onto tank trucks. Combined, the Southeast terminals have a total storage capacity of approximately 9.1 million barrels. In fiscal 2011, these terminals transferred approximately 353,000 barrels of refined products per day and together handled 9.2 million barrels of ethanol.

KMP�� Transmix operations include the processing of petroleum pipeline transmix, a blend of dissimilar refined petroleum products that have become co-mingled in the pipeline transportation process. During pipeline transportation, different products are transported through the pipelines abutting each other, and generate a volume of different mixed products called transmix. KMP processes and separates pipeline transmix into pipeline-quality gasoline and light distillate products at six separate processing facilities located in Colton, California; Richmond, Virginia; Dorsey Junction, Maryland; Indianola, Pennsylvania; Wood Riv! er, Illin! ois; and Greensboro, North Carolina. Combined, KMP�� transmix facilities processed approximately 10.6 million barrels of transmix in 2011.

Natural Gas Pipelines-KMP

Natural Gas Pipelines-KMP, which consists of approximately 16,200 miles of natural gas transmission pipelines and gathering lines, plus natural gas storage, treating and processing facilities, through which natural gas is gathered, transported, stored, treated, processed and sold. The Natural Gas Pipelines-KMP business segment contains both interstate and intrastate pipelines. Its primary businesses consist of natural gas sales, transportation, storage, gathering, processing and treating. Within this segment, KMP owns approximately 16,200 miles of natural gas pipelines and associated storage and supply lines that are strategically located at the center of the North American pipeline grid. KMP�� transportation network provides access to the gas supply areas in the western United States, Texas and the Midwest, as well as consumer markets.

KMP�� subsidiary, Kinder Morgan Treating, L.P., owns and operates (or leases to producers for operation) treating plants that remove impurities (such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide) and hydrocarbon liquids from natural gas before it is delivered into gathering systems and transmission pipelines to ensure that it meets pipeline quality specifications. Additionally, its subsidiary KM Treating Production LLC designs, constructs, and sells custom and stock natural gas treating plants. Combined, KMP�� rental fleet of treating assets include approximately 213 natural gas amine-treating plants, approximately 56 hydrocarbon dew point control plants, and more than 140 mechanical refrigeration units that are used to remove impurities and hydrocarbon liquids from natural gas streams prior to entering transmission pipelines.

KinderHawk Field Services LLC gathers and treats natural gas in the Haynesville shale gas formation located in northwest Louisiana.! Its asse! ts consist of more than 450 miles of natural gas gathering pipeline in service, with average throughput of approximately 1.1 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas. Additionally, the system�� natural gas amine treating plants have a capacity of approximately 2,600 gallons per minute. During 2011, KinderHawk executed firm gathering and treating agreements with a third-party producer for the long-term of five sections. KinderHawk also holds additional third-party gas gathering and treating commitments. In total, these contracts provide for the dedication of 36 sections, from four shippers, for 3 to 10 years. EagleHawk Field Services LLC provides natural gas gathering and treating services in the Eagle Ford shale formation in South Texas.

KMP owns a 40% interest in Endeavor Gathering LLC, which provides natural gas gathering service to GMX Resources��exploration and production activities in its Cotton Valley Sands and Haynesville/Bossier Shale horizontal well developments located in East Texas. GMX Resources, Inc. operates and owns the remaining 60% ownership interest in Endeavor Gathering LLC. Endeavor�� gathering system consists of over 100 miles of gathering lines and 25,000 horsepower of compressors that collect and compress natural gas from GMX Resources��operated natural gas production from wells located in its core area. The natural gas gathering system has takeaway capacity of approximately 115 million cubic feet per day. KMP owns a 50% equity interest in Eagle Ford Gathering LLC, which provides natural gas gathering, transportation and processing services to natural gas producers in the Eagle Ford shale gas formation in south Texas.

KMP�� Natural Gas Pipelines��upstream operations consist of its Casper and Douglas, Wyoming natural gas processing operations and its 49% ownership interest in the Red Cedar Gas Gathering Company. KMP owns and operates its Casper and Douglas, Wyoming natural gas processing plants, and combined, these plants have the capacity ! to proces! s up to 185 million cubic feet per day of natural gas depending on raw gas quality. Casper and Douglas are the natural gas processing plants, which provide straddle processing of natural gas flowing into KMP�� Kinder Morgan Interstate Gas Transmission LLC pipeline system. KMP also owns the operations of a carbon dioxide/sulfur treating facility located in the West Frenchie Draw field of the Wind River Basin of Wyoming, and includes this facility as part of its Casper and Douglas operations. The West Frenchie Draw treating facility has a capacity of 50 million cubic feet per day of natural gas.

KMP owns a 49% interest in the Red Cedar Gathering Company (Red Cedar). Red Cedar owns and operates natural gas gathering, compression and treating facilities in the Ignacio Blanco Field in La Plata County, Colorado. The remaining 51% interest in Red Cedar is owned by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. Red Cedar�� natural gas gathering system consists of approximately 750 miles of gathering pipeline connecting more than 900 producing wells, 104,600 horsepower of compression at 22 field compressor stations and three carbon dioxide treating plants. The capacity and throughput of the Red Cedar gathering system is approximately 600 million cubic feet per day of natural gas.

KMP�� subsidiary, TransColorado Gas Transmission Company LLC (TransColorado), owns a 300-mile interstate natural gas pipeline that extends from approximately 20 miles southwest of Meeker, Colorado to the Blanco Hub near Bloomfield, New Mexico. KMP operates and owns 50% of the 1,679-mile Rockies Express natural gas pipeline system, a natural gas pipelines constructed in North America. The Rockies Express system consists of three pipeline segments: a 327-mile pipeline that extends from the Meeker Hub in northwest Colorado, across southern Wyoming to the Cheyenne Hub in Weld County, Colorado, a 713-mile pipeline from the Cheyenne Hub to an interconnect in Audrain County, Missouri and a 639-mile pipeline from Audrain Count! y, Missou! ri to Clarington, Ohio. KMP�� ownership is through its 50% equity interest in Rockies Express Pipeline LLC, the sole owner of the Rockies Express pipeline system. Sempra Pipelines & Storage, a unit of Sempra Energy, and ConocoPhillips each own 25% of Rockies Express Pipeline LLC.

The Rockies Express pipeline system is powered by 18 compressor stations totaling approximately 427,000 horsepower. The system is capable of transporting two billion cubic feet per day of natural gas from Meeker, Colorado to the Cheyenne Market Hub in northeastern Colorado and 1.8 billion cubic feet per day from the Cheyenne Hub to the Clarington Hub in Monroe County in eastern Ohio. Capacity on the Rockies Express system is contracted under 10 year firm service agreements with producers from the Rocky Mountain supply basin. These agreements provide the pipeline with fixed monthly reservation revenues for the primary term of such contracts through 2019, with the exception of one agreement representing approximately 10% of the pipeline capacity that grants a shipper the one-time option to terminate effective late 2014. With its connections to numerous other pipeline systems along its route, the Rockies Express system has access to almost all of the gas supply basins in Wyoming, Colorado and eastern Utah. Rockies Express is capable of delivering gas to multiple markets along its pipeline system, primarily through interconnects with other interstate pipeline companies and direct connects to local distribution companies.

KMP�� Central interstate natural gas pipeline group, which operates primarily in the Mid-Continent region of the United States, consists of four natural gas pipeline systems: Trailblazer Pipeline, Kinder Morgan Louisiana Pipeline, KMP�� 50% ownership interest in the Midcontinent Express Pipeline and KMP�� 50% ownership interest in the Fayetteville Express Pipeline. KMP�� subsidiary, Trailblazer Pipeline Company LLC (Trailblazer), owns the 436-mile Trailblazer natural gas pipelin! e system.! The Trailblazer pipeline system originates at an interconnection with Wyoming Interstate Company Ltd.�� pipeline system near Rockport, Colorado and runs through southeastern Wyoming to a terminus near Beatrice, Nebraska where it interconnects with NGPL�� and Northern Natural Gas Company�� pipeline systems. NGPL manages, maintains and operates the Trailblazer system for KMP, for which it is reimbursed at cost. Trailblazer offers its customers firm and interruptible transportation, and in 2011, it transported an average of approximately 717 million cubic feet per day of natural gas.

KMP�� subsidiary, Kinder Morgan Louisiana Pipeline LLC owns the Kinder Morgan Louisiana natural gas pipeline system. KMP owns a 50% interest in Midcontinent Express Pipeline LLC, the sole owner of the approximate 500-mile Midcontinent Express natural gas pipeline system. KMP also operates the Midcontinent Express pipeline system. Regency Midcontinent Express LLC owns the remaining 50% ownership interest. The Midcontinent Express pipeline system originates near Bennington, Oklahoma and extends eastward through Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, and terminates at an interconnection with the Transco Pipeline near Butler, Alabama. It interconnects with numerous pipeline systems and provides an important infrastructure link in the pipeline system moving natural gas supply from newly developed areas in Oklahoma and Texas into the United States��eastern markets. The pipeline system is comprised of approximately 30-miles of 30-inch diameter pipe, 275-miles of 42-inch diameter pipe and 197-miles of 36-inch diameter pipe. Midcontinent Express also has four compressor stations and one booster station totaling approximately 144,500 horsepower. It has two rate zones: Zone 1 (which has a capacity of 1.8 billion cubic feet per day) beginning at Bennington and extending to an interconnect with Columbia Gulf Transmission near Delhi, in Madison Parish Louisiana and Zone 2 (which has a capacity of 1.2 billion cubic feet ! per day) ! beginning at Delhi and terminating at an interconnection with Transco Pipeline near the town of Butler in Choctaw County, Alabama. Capacity on the Midcontinent Express system is 99% contracted under long-term firm service agreements that expire between 2012 and 2021. The ity of volume is contracted to producers moving supply from the Barnett shale and Oklahoma supply basins.

CO2-KMP

The CO2-KMP business segment consists of Kinder Morgan CO2 Company, L.P. and its consolidated affiliates, (collectively referred to KMCO2). The CO2-KMP business segment produces, transports, and markets carbon dioxide for use in enhanced oil recovery projects as a flooding medium for recovering crude oil from mature oil fields. CO2-KMP, which produces, markets and transports, through approximately 2,000 miles of pipelines, carbon dioxide to oil fields that use carbon dioxide to increase production of oil; owns interests in and/or operates eight oil fields in West Texas; and owns and operates a 450-mile crude oil pipeline system in West Texas

KMCO2 holds ownership interests in oil-producing fields located in the Permian Basin of West Texas, including an approximate 97% working interest in the SACROC unit; an approximate 50% working interest in the Yates unit; an approximate 21% net profits interest in the H.T. Boyd unit; an approximate 65% working interest in the Claytonville unit; an approximate 99% working interest in the Katz Strawn unit, and lesser interests in the Sharon Ridge unit, the Reinecke unit and the MidCross unit.

KMCO2 operates and owns an approximate 65% gross working interest in the Claytonville oil field unit and operates and owns an approximate 99% working interest in the Katz Strawn unit, both located in the Permian Basin area of West Texas. The Claytonville unit is located approximately 30 miles east of the SACROC unit, in Fisher County, Texas. The unit produced approximately 200 gross barrels of oil per day during 2011 (100 net barrels to KMCO2! per day)! . During 2011, the Katz Strawn unit produced approximately 500 barrels of oil per day (400 net barrels to KMCO2 per day). In 2011, the average purchased carbon dioxide injection rate at the Katz Strawn unit was 46 million cubic feet per day.

KMCO2 operates and owns an approximate 22% working interest plus an additional 28% net profits interest in the Snyder gasoline plant. KMCO2 also operates and owns a 51% ownership interest in the Diamond M gas plant and a 100% ownership interest in the North Snyder plant, all of which are located in the Permian Basin of West Texas. The Snyder gasoline plant processes natural gas produced from the SACROC unit and neighboring carbon dioxide projects, specifically the Sharon Ridge and Cogdell units, all of which are located in the Permian Basin area of West Texas. The Diamond M and the North Snyder plants contract with the Snyder plant to process natural gas. Production of natural gas liquids at the Snyder gasoline plant during 2011 averaged approximately 16,600 gross barrels per day (8,300 net barrels to KMCO2 per day excluding the value associated to KMCO2�� 28% net profits interest).

KMCO2 owns approximately 45% of, and operates, the McElmo Dome unit in Colorado, which contains more than 6.6 trillion cubic feet of recoverable carbon dioxide. It also owns approximately 87% of, and operates, the Doe Canyon Deep unit in Colorado, which contains more than 870 billion cubic feet of carbon dioxide. For both units combined, compression capacity exceeds 1.4 billion cubic feet per day of carbon dioxide and during 2011, the two units produced approximately 1.25 billion cubic feet per day of carbon dioxide. KMCO2 also owns approximately 11% of the Bravo Dome unit in New Mexico. The Bravo Dome unit contains more than 800 billion cubic feet of recoverable carbon dioxide and produced approximately 300 million cubic feet of carbon dioxide per day in 2011. As a result of KMP�� 50% ownership interest in Cortez Pipeline Company, it owns a 50% equity inter! est in an! d operates the approximate 500-mile Cortez pipeline. The pipeline carries carbon dioxide from the McElmo Dome and Doe Canyon source fields near Cortez, Colorado to the Denver City, Texas hub. The Cortez pipeline transports over 1.2 billion cubic feet of carbon dioxide per day. The tariffs charged by the Cortez pipeline are not regulated, but are based on a consent decree.

KMCO2 also owns a 13% undivided interest in the 218-mile, Bravo pipeline, which delivers carbon dioxide from the Bravo Dome source field in northeast New Mexico to the Denver City hub and has a capacity of more than 350 million cubic feet per day. Tariffs on the Bravo pipeline are not regulated. Occidental Petroleum (81%) and XTO Energy (6%) hold the remaining ownership interests in the Bravo pipeline. In addition, KMCO2 owns approximately 98% of the Canyon Reef Carriers pipeline and approximately 69% of the Pecos pipeline. The Canyon Reef Carriers pipeline extends 139 miles from McCamey, Texas, to the SACROC unit in the Permian Basin. The pipeline has a capacity of approximately 270 million cubic feet per day and makes deliveries to the SACROC, Sharon Ridge, Cogdell and Reinecke units. The Pecos pipeline is a 25-mile pipeline that runs from McCamey to Iraan, Texas. It has a capacity of approximately 120 million cubic feet per day and makes deliveries to the Yates unit. The tariffs charged on the Canyon Reef Carriers and Pecos pipelines are not regulated.

Terminals-KMP

The Terminals-KMP business segment includes the operations of KMP�� petroleum, chemical and other liquids terminal facilities (other than those included in the Products Pipelines-KMP business segment) and all of its coal, petroleum coke, fertilizer, steel, ores and other dry-bulk material services facilities, including all transload, engineering, conveying and other in-plant services. Combined, the segment is composed of approximately 115 owned or operated liquids and bulk terminal facilities and approximately 35 rail transloadin! g and mat! erials handling facilities. The terminals are located throughout the United States and in portions of Canada.

KMP�� liquids terminals operations primarily store refined petroleum products, petrochemicals, ethanol, industrial chemicals and vegetable oil products in aboveground storage tanks and transfer products to and from pipelines, vessels, tank trucks, tank barges, and tank railcars. Combined, KMP�� approximately 25 liquids terminals facilities possess liquids storage capacity of approximately 60.2 million barrels, and in 2011, these terminals handled approximately 616 million barrels of liquids products, including petroleum products, ethanol and chemicals. KMP�� bulk terminal operations primarily involve dry-bulk material handling services. KMP also provides conveyor manufacturing and installation, engineering and design services, and in-plant services covering material handling, conveying, maintenance and repair, truck-railcar-marine transloading, railcar switching and miscellaneous marine services. KMP owns or operates approximately 90 dry-bulk terminals in the United States and Canada, and combined, its dry-bulk and material transloading facilities handled approximately 100.6 million tons of coal, petroleum coke, fertilizers, steel, ores and other dry-bulk materials in 2011.

Kinder Morgan Canada-KMP

The Kinder Morgan Canada-KMP business segment includes the Trans Mountain pipeline system, KMP�� ownership of a one-third interest in the Express pipeline system, and the 25-mile Jet Fuel pipeline system. The Trans Mountain pipeline system originates at Edmonton, Alberta and transports crude oil and refined petroleum products to destinations in the interior and on the west coast of British Columbia. Trans Mountain�� pipeline is 715 miles in length. KMP also owns a connecting pipeline that delivers crude oil to refineries in the state of Washington. The capacity of the line at Edmonton ranges from 300,000 barrels per day when heavy crude represents 20% ! of the to! tal throughput (which is a historically normal heavy crude percentage), to 400,000 barrels per day with no heavy crude. Trans Mountain is the sole pipeline carrying crude oil and refined petroleum products from Alberta to the west coast.

In 2011, Trans Mountain delivered an average of 274,000 barrels per day. The crude oil and refined petroleum products transported through Trans Mountain�� pipeline system originates in Alberta and British Columbia. The refined and partially refined petroleum products transported to Kamloops, British Columbia and Vancouver originates from oil refineries located in Edmonton. Petroleum products delivered through Trans Mountain�� pipeline system are used in markets in British Columbia, Washington State and elsewhere offshore. Trans Mountain also operates a 5.3 mile spur line from its Sumas Pump Station to the United States.-Canada international border where it connects with KMP�� approximate 63-mile, 16-inch to 20-inch diameter Puget Sound pipeline system. The Puget Sound pipeline system in the state of Washington has a sustainable throughput capacity of approximately 135,000 barrels per day when heavy crude represents approximately 25% of throughput, and it connects to four refineries located in northwestern Washington State. The volumes of crude oil shipped to the state of Washington fluctuate in response to the price levels of Canadian crude oil in relation to crude oil produced in Alaska and other offshore sources.

NGPL PipeCo LLC

The Company owns a 20% interest in NGPL PipeCo LLC and account for its interest as an equity method investment. The Company continues to operate NGPL PipeCo LLC�� assets pursuant to an operations and reimbursement agreement effective through February 15, 2023. NGPL PipeCo LLC owns a interstate gas pipeline and storage system consisting primarily of two interconnected natural gas transmission pipelines terminating in the Chicago, Illinois metropolitan area. NGPL�� Amarillo Line originates in th! e West Te! xas and New Mexico producing areas and is comprised of approximately 4,400 miles of mainline and various small-diameter pipelines. Its other pipeline, the Gulf Coast Line, originates in the Gulf Coast areas of Texas and Louisiana and consists of approximately 4,100 miles of mainline and various small-diameter pipelines. These two main pipelines are connected at points in Texas and Oklahoma by NGPL�� approximately 800-mile Amarillo/Gulf Coast pipeline.

NGPL is a natural gas storage operator with approximately 600 billion cubic feet of total natural gas storage capacity, approximately 278 billion cubic feet of working gas capacity and over 4.3 billion cubic feet per day of peak deliverability from its storage facilities, which are located in supply areas and near the markets it serves. NGPL owns and operates 13 underground storage reservoirs in eight field locations in four states. These storage assets complement its pipeline facilities and allow it to optimize pipeline deliveries and meet peak delivery requirements in its principal markets.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Joel South and Tyler Crowe]

    U.S. energy policy has been shaped by one critical event that happened 40 years ago this week: the OPEC oil embargo of 1973. Since then, the United States has embarked on an ambitious goal of drilling for our own oil and gas, as well as diversifying our energy portfolio. In this segment, Joel discusses why the shift away from OPEC domination could be a major opportunity for companies like Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) and Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI  ) as well as whether OPEC is still the force it once was.

  • [By Aimee Duffy]

    Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI  ) is the third-largest energy company in the U.S. by enterprise value. But make no mistake, this company is far from a lurching, unwieldy conglomerate. Kinder Morgan and its master limited partnerships, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (NYSE: KMP  ) and El Paso Pipeline Partners (NYSE: EPB  ) , form a nimble and diverse partnership, able to weather the effect of whatever the energy world throws at it. In this video, Fool.com contributor Aimee Duffy examines the opportunity at Kinder Morgan, and offers up examples of how the partnership is able to mitigate tough times and succeed when others fail.

  • [By Chuck Saletta]

    Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI  ) is a selection for the real-money Inflation-Protected Income Growth portfolio. Like any investment, it needs to be reviewed from time to time to see if it's still worth owning. In the brief video below, portfolio manager Chuck Saletta reviews its valuation, balance sheet, and dividends, and decides whether to hold on to the stock or let it go.

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014: Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions (REFG.PK)

Medical Cannabis Payment Solutions, incorporated on December 1, 2005, is a provider of integrated supply and distribution technology. The Company�� Seed-to-Sale (S2S) integrated solution is a management and compliance technology for growers, caregivers and dispensaries in the market. The Company also works with public officials and government agencies to expand the acceptance of medicinal cannabis, and the adoption of a legal framework where maximum market expansion is possible. The Company solves the fragmentation problem by identifying tools that are important to dispensaries, and customizing those tools specifically catered to the industry. The Company's solutions include Spark, Ghost and S2S.

Spark

The Company�� SPARK Hosted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provides customers with enterprise-class hosted phone systems customized to fit customers��needs. SPARK's service is a fully-managed, cloud-based system. The Company offers the convenience of an online Internet Protocol (IP)-based telecommunications system while still delivering substantial savings to customers bottom line.

Ghost

By offering customers a customized, tailored mobile solution, the Company's Ghost Mobile Apps give a marketing tool with a texting and e-mail solution, keeping customers in constant contact with patients and clients. The Company creates an optimized experience in context to each device or screen size.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Alan Brochstein]

    Not too surprisingly, supply is starting to increase. We have seen some companies enter the space by expanding their own businesses, but there have been some reverse mergers lately too. I had mentioned Refill Energy (REFG.PK) recently (soon to be Medical Cannabis Financial Group), but earlier this month Promap (PMAP.OB) acquired 94% of Advanced Cannabis Solutions (link to 8-K). As an aside, I think that this company is worth considering given the management team and the business model. Investors should keep in the back of their mind that there are many companies that are quietly developing their business models and could become public over time, especially as the regulatory and legal landscapes improve.

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014: United States Cellular Corporation(USM)

United States Cellular Corporation operates as a wireless telecommunications service provider in the United States. The company offers wireless voice and data services to retail consumer and business customers. It provides wireless services in postpaid service plans with voice, messaging, and data services; and prepaid service plans with minutes, messaging, and data services for a monthly fee. The company also offers various additional features, including caller ID blocking, call forwarding, voicemail, call waiting, and three-way calling; and data usage features consisting of Web browsing, email services, instant messaging, text messaging, and picture and video messaging. As of December 31, 2010, it provided wireless voice and data services to 6.1 million customers in 26 states. In addition, the company operates retail stores that sell a range of wireless devices, including handsets, modems, and tablets, as well as accessories, such as carrying cases, hands-free devices, b atteries, battery chargers, memory cards, and other items to consumers and small businesses. Further, it sells wireless devices to agents and other third-party distributors for resale; operates service facilities that provide servicing and repair for wireless devices; and enables customers to activate service and purchase wireless devices online. The company?s business customers include small-to-mid-size businesses in various industries, including construction, retail, professional services, and real estate. It offers its products and services through retail sales and service centers, direct sales, and independent agents. The company was founded in 1983 and is based in Chicago, Illinois. United States Cellular Corporation is a subsidiary of Telephone and Data Systems, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Reuters]

    Michael Sohn/APSprint CEO Dan Hesse Sprint has been ranked last among U.S. cellphone service operators in a customer satisfaction survey by the influential Consumer Reports organization, scoring dismal marks for measures ranging from voice to 4G reliability. No-frills carrier Consumer Cellular received the highest overall score of 88 out of 100, followed by U.S. Cellular (USM) with 75. Sprint received the lowest score of 59, faring the worst in terms of value, voice, text and 4G services. The annual ratings were based on a September survey of 58,399 cellphone service subscribers by the Consumer Reports National Research Center, which publishes widely followed surveys and reviews of everything from cars to refrigerators. In last year's survey, Sprint (S) trailed only Verizon Wireless among the four major carriers. Verizon Wireless (VZ) (VOD) ranked highest again this year with a score of 71. T-Mobile US (TMUS) rated 65 and AT&T (T) 64, according to survey results released Thursday. The rankings are based on ratings for voice, text and 4G, taking into account the occurrence of problems and adjusted for frequency of use. Sprint has been revamping its network after years of customer losses. The company, which is 80 percent owned by SoftBank, warned in October that customer defections would remain high in coming quarters. The company reported a decline in third-quarter revenue as it lost more subscribers than expected following the shutdown of its older network. "Our latest cell service satisfaction survey revealed a somewhat precipitous decline by Sprint that shuffled the rankings of the major standard service providers," Glenn Derene, Electronics Content Development Team Leader for Consumer Reports, said in a statement.

    Mint made the Mac App Store's Best of 2012 list for a reason. This simple, clean app shows how much you are spending in each category of your budget by monitoring all of your transactions. We love signing in and getting a quick,

  • [By Evan Niu, CFA]

    Wireless carrier U.S. Cellular (NYSE: USM  ) will get Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) iPhone "later this year," the company has announced.

  • [By Tim Beyers]

    Low price-to-book stocks suffer from a similar problem. Who cares if the stock sells for a discount to its assets if the company can't earn a good return on said assets? United States Cellular (NYSE: USM  ) has seen its returns on assets and equity decline steadily since 2011. Thus, despite a history of trading near or below book value, the stock is down 22% since the beginning of last year.

    Investment strategies are just that: strategies. Recognize that every company is different. Analyze the underlying strengths and weaknesses before you buy. Because the more you understand about what drives a business to grow, the more likely it is you'll pay a fair price to own a piece of it, Tim says.

    Do you agree? Please watch the video to get Tim's full take, and then leave a comment to let us know which investment strategies have worked best for you.

Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2014: Education Realty Trust Inc. (EDR)

Education Realty Trust, Inc., a real estate investment trust (REIT), develops, acquires, owns, and manages student housing communities located near university campuses in the United States. It also provides third-party management services, including residence life and student development, marketing, leasing administration, strategic relationships, information systems, and accounting services for student housing communities owned by educational institutions and charitable foundations. In addition, the company offers third-party development consulting services, such as market analysis and evaluation of housing needs and options; co-operation with university in architectural design; negotiation of ground lease, development agreement, construction contract, architectural contract, and bond documents; oversight of architectural design process; co-ordination of governmental and university plan approvals; oversight of construction process; design, purchase, and installation of fu rniture; pre-opening marketing to students; and obtaining final approvals of construction. It provides its third-party development consulting services primarily to universities seeking to modernize their on-campus student housing communities, as well as to other third-party investors. As of December 31, 2009, the company owned 40 student housing communities located in 19 states containing 25,454 beds in 7,813 apartment units located near 35 universities. It also provided third-party management services for 20 student housing communities located in 9 states containing 10,186 beds in 3,272 apartment units at 16 universities. The company qualifies as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. As a REIT, it would not be subject to federal corporate income tax if it distributes at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its stockholders. The company was founded in 1964 and is based in Memphis, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Wolfe]

    Education Realty Trust (EDR)

    Over the past week two insiders made some buys. Both the CEO as well as the company�� CFO made these buys.

    Executive VP, CFO and Treasurer Randall Brown bought 5,500 shares at $9.04 per share. This cost him a total of $49,720. The price per share has increased 1.44% since then. Brown now holds on to 99,346 shares of company stock.

  • [By Rich Duprey]

    College dorm room operator�Education Realty Trust (NYSE: EDR  ) announced today its second-quarter dividend of $0.11 per share, a 10% hike in the payout of $0.10 per share that it made last quarter.

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