Best Oil Stocks For 2014

First came the deep cold, then sharply higher heating bills.

Bone-chilling temperatures have rattled consumers across the nation since mid-December. Bitter cold is likely to linger over the Northeast and Midwest, and unseasonably low temperatures are forecast for the Southeast, so millions of consumers who've seen skyrocketing utility bills are likely to see another spike in January and February.

The Energy Information Administration predicted that more than 90% of the nation's 116 million homes would have higher heating bills this winter, projecting rises of 2% (for those heating with electricity) to 13% (natural gas). Homes heated with propane were expected to spend 9% more than last year, while those using heating oil were expected to get a 2% price break. Those estimates came in October, before two-decade-low temperatures, rising demand and lower energy stockpiles gripped much of the nation. Revised EIA estimates from earlier this month peg some home heating bills rising as much as 23.5% in the Midwest. But even those estimates may be too low.

Best Stocks To Invest In: Transdigm Group Incorporated(TDG)

TransDigm Group Incorporated designs, produces, and supplies engineered aircraft components for use on commercial and military aircraft principally in the United States. The company?s products include mechanical/electro-mechanical actuators and controls, ignition systems and engine technology, pumps and valves, power conditioning devices, AC/DC electric motors and generators, NiCad batteries and chargers, engineered latching and locking devices, rods and locking devices, engineered connectors and elastomers, cockpit security components and systems, cockpit displays, aircraft audio systems, lavatory components, engineered interior surfaces, and lighting and control technology. Its customers comprise distributors of aerospace components; commercial airlines, including national and regional airlines; commercial transport and regional and business aircraft original equipment manufacturers (OEMs); various armed forces of the United States and foreign governments; defense OEMs; system suppliers; and various other industrial customers. TransDigm Group Incorporated was founded in 1993 and is based in Cleveland, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Cleveland-based TransDigm Group (NYSE: TDG  ) is buying a piece of GE.

  On Friday, as trading wound down for the week, TransDigm announced a deal to buy the Electromechanical Actuation Division of General Electric (NYSE: GE  ) Aviation for $150 million, cash. The business, which makes proprietary, highly engineered aerospace electromechanical motion control subsystems for civil and military applications, counts all three of the world's biggest airplane manufacturers -- Boeing, Airbus, and Brazil's Embraer -- among its clients, and Sikorsky and General Atomics, as well, on the military side.

• [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 TransDigm Group (NYSE: TDG  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Best Oil Stocks For 2014: Pinecrest Energy Inc (PNCGF.PK)

Pinecrest Energy Inc. (Pinecrest), formerly Antler Creek Energy Corp., is a Canada-based junior oil and gas exploration company. Pinecrest is engaged in the acquisition, exploitation and development of petroleum and natural gas-related assets primarily in Western Sedimentary Basin. During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2010 (fiscal 2010), Pinecrest was engaged in two (0.4 net) wells that were drilled in the southeast Saskatchewan Bakken. On July 14, 2010, the Company acquired the Loon Properties. On July 14, 2010, Pinecrest acquired the Red Earth #1 Properties. On July 15, 2010, the Company acquired the Red Earth #2 Properties. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MLP Trader]

  Here are the current top five companies in the list:

  CompanySymbolEV/BOEPD/NetbackPrice/NAVEV/DACFPinecrest(PNCGF.PK)53564%4.0XLightstream(LSTMF.PK)131753%4.5XNovus(NOVUF.PK)133290%4.1XZargon(ZARFF.PK)138664%5.6XTwin Butte(TBTEF.PK)155885%5.5X

  Of the larger companies, one that remains obstinately near the top of the list is Lightstream . Lightstream trades at 40% of its book value and a whopping 13.4% yield.

Best Oil Stocks For 2014: Southern Pacific Resource Corp (STPJF.PK)

Southern Pacific Resource Corp. (Southern Pacific) is engaged in the acquisition and development of heavy oil and bitumen producing properties, with a focus on thermal extraction in-situ oil sands projects in the Western Canadian sedimentary basin. Southern Pacific has two principal assets STP-McKay and STP-Senlac. The Company also holds additional oil sands leases in the McMurray and Peace River sub-basins in northeastern Alberta. The Company has 100% working interest in approximately 37,760 acres, of oil sands leases in McKay Block. Southern Pacific has its 100% working interest SAGD thermal heavy oil asset near Unity, Saskatchewan, STP-Senlac. In September 2013, the Company announced the closing of a disposition of non-core assets related to its Leismer property. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Dube]

  Cold Lake's most notable producers:

  Husky Energy (HUSK.PK), see article here.Pengrowth Energy Corporation (PGH), see article here.Southern Pacific Resource (STPJF.PK), see article here.Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ), see article here.Devon Energy (DVN), see article here.Imperial Oil (IMO), see article here.Baytex, see article here.Bonavista Energy (BNPUF.PK), see article here.

  Athabasca's most notable producers:

Best Oil Stocks For 2014: Chesapeake Energy Corporation(CHK)

Chesapeake Energy Corporation engages in the acquisition, development, exploration, and production of natural gas and oil properties in the United States. It also provides marketing and other midstream services. The company?s properties are located in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. As of December 31, 2010, it had interests in approximately 45,800 gross productive wells. The company?s proved reserves include 17.096 trillion cubic feet of natural gas equivalent. Chesapeake Energy Corporation was founded in 1989 and is based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  The problem here is that the company bit off more than it could chew to get to this point. It followed the model of Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK  ) much too closely and got itself caught in the gas bubble a few years back, and it has spent billions of dollars it didn't have to transition into oil and liquids. It probably shouldn't surprise you that current SandRidge CEO Tom Ward also co-founded Chesapeake.

Best Oil Stocks For 2014: Etablissements Maurel et Prom SA (MAU)

Etablissements Maurel et Prom SA is a France-based company engaged in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons (oil and gas), and in oil drilling activities. Its main activities comprise geological surveys, seismic acquisition and processing, geophysical interpretation and drilling. The Company pursues its activities mainly in Africa and Latin America, but it also has its businesses in Gabon, Senegal, Congo, Mozambique, Syria, Tanzania, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, France and Italy. Maurel & Prom SA operates through its direct and indirect subsidiaries, including M&P Venezuela SAS, Prestoil Kouilou, Maurel & Prom Peru Holdings, Maurel & Prom Tanzanie Ltd and Panther Eureka SRL, among others. In December, 2013, the Company the acquisition of all of the shares of Caroil SAS (excluding the South American business of Caroil) from Tuscany International Drilling Inc. and has sold all of its 109,000,000 common shares of Tuscany to an entity incorporated in the Cayman Islands. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Riddhi Kharkia]

  Since I have touched the topic of metrics, it is worthwhile to note that Twitter�� monthly active users (MAU) number stands at 57 million as compared to approximately 1.23 billion MAUs for Facebook. Monthly active user growth ticked up just 6% for Twitter on a sequential basis, while monthly active users fell 8% year over year. Even in terms of quarterly results, Facebook was miles ahead of Twitter, which was also a factor behind the sell-off in Twitter stock.