U.S. stock futures were trading flat to slightly down on Tuesday.
Dow Jones industrial average index futures fell 0.02%, Standard & Poor's 500 index futures were off 0.05% and Nasdaq index futures declined 0.04%
Asian stock markets steadied Tuesday after a sharp sell-off the day before. Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average was up 0.6% at 15,210.32 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng added 0.1% to 22,296.00. China's Shanghai Composite fell 0.2% to 1,996.68.
Markets across Europe were mixed, with London's FTSE 100 down 0.19% and Germany's DAX up 0.28%.
Benchmark U.S. crude for April delivery was up 1 cent at $101.11 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract fell $1.46 to close at $101.12 a barrel Monday.
On Wall Street Monday, the S&P 500 index edged down 0.87 of a point to close at 1,877.17. The Dow lost 34.04 points, or 0.2%, to 16,418.68. The Nasdaq composite fell 1.77 points, or less than 0.1%, to 4,334.45.
The Babcock & Wilcox Company (B&W), incorporated on March 8, 2010, is a technology innovator in power generation systems, a specialty constructor of nuclear components and a service provider in its segments. The Company provides a variety of products and services to customers in the power and other steam-using industries, including electric utilities and other power generators, industrial customers in various other industries, and the United States Government. The Company operates in four business segments: Power Generation, Nuclear Operations, Technical Services and Nuclear Energy.
Power Generation
Through Power Generation segment, the Company supplies boilers fired with fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas, or renewable fuels, such as biomass, municipal solid waste and concentrated solar energy. In addition, the Company supplies environmental equipment and components and related services to customers in different regions around the world. The Company designs , engineers, manufactures, supplys, constructs and services utility and industrial power generation systems, including boilers used to generates steam in electric power plants, pulp and paper making, chemical and process applications and other industrial uses.
Power Generation segment specializes in engineering, manufacturing, procurement and erection of equipment used in the power generation industry and various other industries, and the provision of related services, including engineered-to-order services, products and systems for energy conversion worldwide and related auxiliary equipment, such as burners, pulverizers, soot blowers and ash handling systems; heavy-pressure equipment for energy conversion, such as boilers fueled by coal, oil, bitumen, natural gas, municipal solid waste, biomass and other fuels; environmental control systems, including both wet and dry scrubbers for flue gas desulfurization, modules for selective catalytic reduction of the oxides of nitrogen, equipment to capture! particulate matter, such as fabric filter baghouses and wet and dry electrostatic precipitators, and similar devices, and power plant equipment and related heavy mechanical erection services.
The Company supports primarily fossil operating plants with a variety of additional services, including the installation of new systems and replacement parts, engineering services, construction, inspection, maintenance and field technical services, such as condition assessments and inventory services. The Company offers a range of construction services through a wholly owned subsidiary including erection of utility and industrial boiler plants and installations of cogeneration facilities and pollution control equipment, such as selective catalytic reduction systems and flue gas desulfurization scrubbers.
The Company also provides power through cogeneration, refuse-fueled power plants and other independent power-producing facilities. In this market, the Company owns and operates facilities, supply equipment and serve as contractors for engineer-procure-construct services and operations and maintenance.
Nuclear Operations
Through Nuclear Operations segment, the Company engineers , design and manufactures precision naval nuclear components and reactors for the United States Department of Energy (DOE)/National Nuclear Security Administration's (NNSA) Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program.The Company's Nuclear Operations segment specializes in the design and manufacture of close-tolerance and equipment for nuclear applications. In addition, the Company is a manufacturer of critical nuclear components, fuels and assemblies for government and limited commercial uses. The Company also converts or downblend high-enriched uranium into low-enriched fuel for uses in commercial reactors to generate electricity. The Company has also been a provider in the receipt, storage, characterization, dissolution, recovery and purification of a variety of uranium-bearing materials. All phases! of urani! um downblending and uranium recovery are provided at the Company's Lynchburg, Virginia and Erwin, Tennessee sites.
The Company works closely with the DOE-supported nuclear non-proliferation program. This program is assisting in the development of a high-density, low-enriched uranium fuel required for high-enriched uranium test reactor conversions.
Technical Services
Through Technical Services segment, the Company provides various services to the United States Government, including uranium processing, environmental site restoration services and management and operating services for various United States Government-owned facilities. These services are provided to the DOE, including the NNSA, the Office of Nuclear Energy, the Office of Science, the Department of Defense and the Office of Environmental Management.
The Company�� principal operations include managing and operating nuclear production facilities; managing and operating environmental management sites; managing spent nuclear fuel and transuranic waste for the DOE, and providing critical skills and resources for DOE sites.The Company manages and operates complex, high-consequence nuclear and national security operations for the DOE and the NNSA, primarily through its joint ventures. The Company's Technical Services segment's overall activity primarily depends on authorized spending levels of the DOE, NNSA, the Office of Nuclear Energy, the Office of Science, the Department of Defense and the Office of Environmental Management.
Nuclear Energy
Through Nuclear Energy segment, the Company supplies commercial nuclear steam generators and components to nuclear utility customers. In addition, this segment offers a full spectrum of services for steam generators and balance of plant equipment, as well as nondestructive examination and tooling/repair solutions for other plant systems and components. The Company's Nuclear Energy segment fabricates pressure vessels, reactors, stea! m generat! ors, heat exchangers and other auxiliary equipment. This segment also provides specialized engineering and maintenance services and power plant construction. This segment specializes in performing full scope, prototype design work coupled with manufacturing integration. The Company is developing the B&W mPower reactor, a small modular reactor design with the flexibility to provide between 180 megawatts to greater than 1,000 megawatts of electrical power generation (in increments of 180 megawatts) and the capacity to operate for a four year operating cycle without refueling.
The Company competes with Alstom S.A., Doosan Babcock, Babcock Power, Inc., Foster Wheeler AG., Hitachi, Ltd., Bechtel National, Inc., URS Corporation, CH2M Hill, Inc., Fluor Corporation, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc., AREVA Inc., EnergySolutions, Inc. and Northrop Grumman Corporation.
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 Babcock & Wilcox (NYSE: BWC ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
Top 5 Asian Companies To Watch In Right Now: comScore Inc.(SCOR)
comScore, Inc. provides a range of digital analytics solutions primarily in the United States, Europe, and Canada. The company offers its customers with information regarding usage of their online properties and those of their competitors, coupled with information on consumer demographic characteristics, attitudes, lifestyles, and offline behavior solutions through its digital media measurement platforms. Its digital media measurement platforms consist of proprietary databases and a computational infrastructure that measures, analyzes, and reports on digital activity. The company also provides audience analytics tools that measure the size, behavior, and characteristics of Internet users on PCs, mobile devices, and tablets, as well as insight into online advertising; and advertising analytics products, such as AdEffx, Media Planner 2.0, and Campaign Essentials, which provide solutions for developing, executing, and evaluating online advertising campaigns, as well as valida ted campaign essentials that provide intelligence regarding validated impressions. In addition, it offers Web analytics products and solutions, as well as Web analytics platform that integrates data from multiple sources, including Web, mobile, video, and social media interactions; and mobile and network analytics products, such as comprehensive market intelligence and network solutions to mobile carriers with information on network optimization and capacity planning, customer experience, and market intelligence. The company serves Internet service providers, investment banks, media and digital agencies, consumer banks, wireless carriers, pharmaceutical makers, credit card issuers, and consumer packaged goods companies. comScore, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Reston, Virginia.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Evan Niu, CFA]
What: Shares of comScore (NASDAQ: SCOR ) scored major gains today, up by as much as 24% after the company reported first-quarter earnings.
- [By Rich Smith]
comScore deserves a touchdown
Investment banker Cantor Fitzgerald upped its rating on market researcher comScore (NASDAQ: SCOR ) to "buy" this morning, predicting the stock will hit $20 within a year. As StreetInsider.com reports today, Cantor is endorsing comScore because "the company seems to be gaining traction with new offerings, including validated Campaign Essentials (vCE), Digital Analytix, and Media Metrix Multi-Platform."
Top 5 Asian Companies To Watch In Right Now: M&T Bank Corporation (MTB)
M&T Bank Corporation operates as the holding company for M&T Bank and M&T Bank, National Association that provide commercial and retail banking services to individuals, corporations and other businesses, and institutions. It offers business loans and leases; business credit cards; deposit products, such as demand, savings, and time accounts; and financial services, including cash management, payroll and direct deposit, merchant credit card, and letters of credit. The company also provides residential real estate loans; multifamily commercial real estate loans; commercial real estate loans; one-to-four family residential mortgage loans; investment and trading securities; short-term and long-term borrowed funds; brokered certificates of deposit and interest rate swap agreements related thereto; and branch deposits. In addition, it offers foreign exchange, as well as asset management services. Further, the company provides consumer loans, and commercial loans and leases; cred it life, and accident and health reinsurance; and securities brokerage, investment advisory, and insurance agency services. As of December 31, 2009, it had 738 banking offices in New York State, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia; a commercial banking office in Ontario, Canada; and an office in George Town, Cayman Islands. The company was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Buffalo, New York.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Jack Adamo]
We've owned the common stock of M&T Bank (MTB) for almost two years. It has returned 43% so far. Super bank analyst Meredith Whitney, and Tom Keene, the brilliant Bloomberg economist, both called M&T the best-managed large American bank. It consistently delivers superior returns while taking less risk.
- [By Holly LaFon]
M&T Bank (MTB)
Warren Buffett has oft remarked of Berkshire's ownership of the jewelers Borsheim's Fine Jewelry, Helzberg Diamonds and Ben Bridge Jewelers, "...if you don't know jewelry, know the jeweler." The same could be applied to Buffett's views on banking and bankers. The list of Warren Buffett's favorite bankers - and it's a short list to be sure ��include the likes Jamie Diamond (J.P. Morgan Chase), Dick Kovacevich (Wells Fargo/Norwest) and Brian Moynihan (Bank of America). Of these three, Berkshire owns multi-billion stakes in both Wells Fargo ($20 billion) and Bank of America ($5 billion 6% preferred and 700 million warrants ��warrant strike price $7.14, current share price $14.) Berkshire also owns a $3 billion stake in U.S. Bancorp.
- [By Amanda Alix]
Too little, too late?
Whether the new regulations have arrived in time to prevent a bust in the commercial sector similar to the one seen with home mortgages remains to be seen. Some banks, at least, are recognizing the risks and staying away. As M&T Bank (NYSE: MTB ) vice chair Mike Pinto tells the Financial Times, "Every 10 years or so, banks make some horrible mistake, and it usually starts with easy money." Hopefully, this time, such a calamity will be avoided.
- [By Jon C. Ogg]
M&T Bank Corp. (NYSE: MTB) was downgraded to Neutral from Outperform by Credit Suisse.
MannKind Corp. (NASDAQ: MNKD) was downgraded to Underperform from Neutral and the price target was slashed to $5 from $8 (versus $6.30 close) at BofA/Merrill Lynch; shares are trading down 6% or so.
Top 5 Asian Companies To Watch In Right Now: Genco Shipping & Trading Limited (GNK)
Genco Shipping & Trading Limited engages in the ocean transportation of drybulk cargoes through the ownership and operation of drybulk carrier vessels worldwide. It transports iron ore, coal, grain, steel products, and other drybulk cargoes. The company charters its vessels primarily to trading houses, which include commodities traders; producers; and government-owned entities. Its fleet consists of 53 drybulk carriers, including 9 Capesize, 8 Panamax, 17 Supramax, 6 Handymax, and 13 Handysize drybulk carriers with an aggregate carrying capacity of approximately 3,810,000 dwt. The company, through its subsidiary, Baltic Trading Limited, operates a fleet of two Capesize, four Supramax, and three Handysize drybulk carriers with an aggregate carrying capacity of approximately 672,000 dwt. Genco Shipping & Trading Limited was incorporated in 2004 and is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By silvmich]
This is Part Three of a series of articles published on GuruFocus outlining a short thesis against Genco Shipping and Trading (GNK). Part One was published on October 31, 2013 and Part Two was published on November 14, 2013. This Part Three provides certain updates on the situation, including recent news items, as well as a look into a number of counterarguments made against the short position.
