Hot Energy Companies To Buy For 2014

As a value investor, one of my top rules comes from a quote by Warren Buffett warning investors not to buy into hype: "Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful."

Following this advice, its time to dig deep to find value in today's bull market. Even�The Economist�featured a cover this week with a menacing�golden bull charging through a concrete wall with the words "Wall Street is back".�

To find long-term value in surging markets sometimes its best to dive into the discount bin. In the video below, energy analysts Joel South and Taylor Muckerman look into the lagging energy sector to find a rare gem in Devon Energy (NYSE: DVN  ) . This exploration and production company is trading�significantly�under its net asset value as the market continues to punish energy producers who hold significant natural gas assets in addition to oil sands�acreage.�

With natural gas spot prices moving higher, in addition to Devon's 12%-20% oil growth this year, Devon presents a unique value proposition. In addition, the company has an incredible balance sheet which offers investors a safe haven while the company grows its liquids production over the long term.

10 Best Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: Bison Petroleum Corp (BISN)

Bison Petroleum Corp. (Bison), incorporated on February 9, 2010, is an independent American oil and gas company founded to provide the United States energy security by developing and producing oil and gas from the nation's energy heartlands. Bison's holdings are located in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming.

On August 9, 2013, he Company entered into a Lease Purchase Agreement with Nelan Advisors Corporation (Nelan), whereby Nelan sold certain oil and gas leases issued by the State of Wyoming to Bison. Bison focuses to commence oil and gas drilling operations on these leases.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  On Friday, small cap stocks Bison Petroleum Corp (OTCMKTS: BISN) and Interactive Leisure Systems Inc (OTCMKTS: IALS) sank 16.27% and 16%, respectively, and despite being the subject of recent paid promotions or investor relation campaigns. Of course, there is nothing wrong with a properly disclosed stock promotion or paid for investor relations campaigns, but investors and traders alike need to be careful about how they get into and exit such stocks before getting badly burned. With that in mind, here is a quick look at both small cap stocks to help you decide on an investment or trading strategy for this week:

  Bison Petroleum Corp (OTCMKTS: BISN) Has Given Another Corporate Update

  Small cap Bison Petroleum Corp is a publicly traded oil and gas exploration and development company based in Salt Lake City, Utah, and dedicated to the exploration and development of domestic Energy in the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming. On Friday, Bison Petroleum Corp sank 16.27% to $1.39 for a market cap of $65.35 million plus BISN is up 396.4% since last June according to Google Finance.

Hot Energy Companies To Buy For 2014: New Source Energy Partners LP (NSLP)

New Source Energy Partners L.P., incorporated on October 2, 2012, is engaged in the acquiring oil and natural gas properties in the United States. The Company�� properties consist of non-operated working interests in the Misener-Hunton formation (the Hunton Formation), a conventional resource reservoir located in east-central Oklahoma. As of June 30, 2012, of which approximately 58% were classified as proved developed reserves and of which approximately 76.4% were comprised of oil and natural gas liquids. As of June 30, 2012, the Company had 89,116 gross (31,554 net) acres, of which 6,796 gross (2,323 net) acres were undeveloped. As of June 30, 2012, the Company had 127 gross (28.5 net) proved undeveloped drilling locations, of which 66 gross (20.7 net) were infill drilling locations. In June 2013, New Source Energy Partners LP announced that it has acquired additional oil and natural gas properties from New Source Energy Corporation. In November 2013, New Source Energy Partners LP acquired MCE LP.

The Company�� properties are located in the Golden Lane field within the Hunton Formation of east-central Oklahoma and consist of mature, legacy oil and natural gas reservoirs. The Company�� properties consist of non-operated working interests in producing and undeveloped leasehold acreage, including 215 gross (82.4 net) producing wells with working interests ranging from 21% to 87% (38.3% weighted average); and 127 gross (28.5 net) proved undeveloped drilling locations with working interests ranging from 1% to 84% (22.4% weighted average). As of June 30, 2012, the Company had 89,116 gross (31,554 net) acres in the Golden Lane field.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lee Jackson]

  New Source Energy Partner L.P. (NYSE: NSLP) is definitely a name for investors interested in yield. While the company faced some issues in the second quarter due to flooding in some of its drilling areas, production is back to normal and management is very positive for the remainder of 2013. Oppenheimer has a $23 price objective, while the consensus is at $24. Investors are paid a stellar 11% distribution.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  New Source Energy Partners (NYSE: NSLP) debuted in February 2013 as the year’s first initial public offering of an upstream master limited partnership, with an initial enterprise value (EV) of $186 million. The partnership is engaged in the development and production of liquids-rich conventional resource reservoirs in east-central Oklahoma.

• [By Robert Rapier] There were a half a dozen initial public offerings (IPOs) by master limited partnerships in the first half of the year, and all but one are now in the green while one has nearly doubled in value.
  
  The first MLP IPO of 2013 debuted on Jan. 15. USA Compression Partners (NYSE: USAC), which I mentioned in last week’s issue, provides compression services for the oil and gas industry. Units have advanced 36 percent since the IPO, and at the current price yield 7.3 percent.
  
  The day after the USA Compression Partners IPO, CVR Refining (NYSE: CVRR) made its debut.  CVRR was spun off from CVR Energy (NYSE: CVI), and both companies remain majority-owned by Carl Icahn. CVR Refining’s primary assets are two refineries located in Kansas and Oklahoma with a combined processing capacity of approximately 185,000 barrels per day (bpd). These refineries are strategically located near the major Cushing, Oklahoma shipment and storage hub, with easy access to discounted feedstock from the nearby Permian basin, as well as the Bakken shale and Canadian oil sands.
  
  But refiners have struggled with diminished margins in 2013 because of a much lower Brent-WTI differential. After the recently concluded second quarter, CVRR declared a distribution of $1.35 per unit, bringing its per-unit distributions for the first half of the year to $2.93. At the same time, CVR Refining lowered its annual distribution target to a range of $4.10 to $4.80 per unit. This was lower than the outlook issued in March, when it foresaw annual distributions of $5.50 to $6.50. CVRR units slid on the news, and are presently trading slightly below the $25 IPO price. The lower end of the revised forecast implies distributions of $1.17 per unit in the second half of the year, for a forward annualized yield of 10 percent based on the recent $23.50 unit price.
  
  SunCoke Energy Partners (NYSE: SXCP) was the third IPO to debut during a very busy third week of January. SXCP is the first M

Hot Energy Companies To Buy For 2014: Newfield Exploration Co (NFX)

Newfield Exploration Company (Newfield), incorporated on December 5, 1988, is an independent energy company engaged in the exploration, development and production of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. The Company�� domestic areas of operation include the Mid-Continent, the Rocky Mountains and onshore Texas. Internationally, it focuses on offshore oil developments in Malaysia and China. As of December 31, 2011, it was in the process of drilling 16 gross (9.6 net) exploitation wells and 24 gross (19.7 net) development wells domestically. As of December 31, 2011, internationally, it was drilling one gross (0.6 net) exploratory well in Malaysia. In May 2011, the Company acquired assets in the Uinta Basin of Utah.

Resource Plays

As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned an interest in approximately 825,000 net acres in the Rocky Mountains area. Its assets are oil. It is an operator in the state of Utah, consisting approximately 30% of the state�� total oil production. It has approximately 230,000 net acres in the Uinta Basin and its operations in the Basin can be divided into two areas: its legacy Monument Butte and its position in the Central Basin, located immediately north and adjacent to Monument Butte. It has approximately 1,800 oil wells in the Green River formation in its Monument Butte field. Its acquisition of acreage north of Monument Butte added approximately 65,000 net acres, including the Uteland Butte and Wasatch formations. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it had drilled approximately 20 wells in these new plays with encouraging results. As of December 31, 2011, its net production from the Uinta Basin was approximately 22,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

The Company has approximately 65,000 net acres under development on the Nesson Anticline of North Dakota and west of the Nesson. In addition, it has about 40,000 net acres in the mature Elm Coulee field, located in Richland County, Montana. As of December 31, 2011, it had! drilled 67 wells in North Dakota with production from the Bakken formation. Its acreage is also prospective for the Sanish/Three Forks formation. As of December 21, 2011, its net production was approximately 7,500 barrels of oil equivalent per day. It has approximately 340,000 net acres in the Southern Alberta Basin of northern Montana. Its activities in the Mid-Continent have been focused on two natural gas plays - the Arkoma Woodford and the Granite Wash. As of December 31, 2011, it had approximately 480,000 net acres in the Mid-Continent and its production was approximately 330 millions of cubic feet equivalent per day.

The Company has more than 300,000 net acres in Oklahoma�� Woodford play. Approximately 170,000 net acres are in the Arkoma Woodford Basin. As of December 31, 2011, its net daily production in the Arkoma Woodford was approximately 180 millions of cubic feet equivalent per day. As of December 31, 2011, it had more than 125,000 net acres in the Cana Woodford play, located in the Anadarko Basin. The Company has approximately 50,000 net acres in the Granite Wash, located in Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle. As of December 31, 2011, its net production from the region was approximately 101 millions of cubic feet equivalent per day. Its producing field in the Granite Wash includes Stiles/Britt Ranch, where it operates and owns 17,000 net acres. During 2011, it ran three to four operated rigs in the Granite Wash. It has approximately 317,000 net acres in the Eagle Ford and Pearsall shales in the Maverick Basin, located in Maverick, Dimmit and Zavala counties, Texas. As of December 31, 2011, it completed a total of 54 wells in the basin and its production was approximately 3,800 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The acreage includes multiple geologic horizons, including the Georgetown, Glen Rose, Pearsall, Austin Chalk and the Eagle Ford.

Conventional Plays

The Company has operations in conventional plays onshore Texas, offshore Malaysia and China and! in the G! ulf of Mexico. As of December 31, 2011, it owned an interest in approximately 147,000 net acres in conventional onshore Texas plays with net production of approximately 88 millions of cubic feet equivalent per day. Its international activities are focused on offshore oil developments in Southeast Asia and China. It has production and active developments offshore Malaysia and the People�� Republic of China. As of February 21, 2012, its net production from Malaysia was at 29,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. It has an interest in approximately 925,000 net acres offshore Malaysia and approximately 290,000 net acres offshore the People�� Republic of China.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned interests in 91 deepwater leases and approximately 275,000 net acres. As of December 31, 2011, its net production from the Gulf of Mexico was approximately 75 millions of cubic feet equivalent per day. In February 2012, production commenced from its deepwater Pyrenees development, with net daily production of approximately 3,300 barrels of oil equivalent per day.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Divine]

  Oil and gas explorer Newfield Exploration (NYSE: NFX  ) lost 6.3% Thursday after its quarterly earnings also failed to impress investors. In sharp contrast to PulteGroup, however, profits actually fell by nearly 40% in the quarter due to lower gas volumes. Newfield's profitability has fluctuated wildly over the years: The company lost $542 million in 2009, then made more than $1 billion in the combined years of 2010 and 2011, only to lose nearly $1.2 billion in 2012. It's not a very predictable business, and shareholders suffered for that today.

• [By Victor Selva]

  Competitors such as Sandridge Energy Inc. (SD), Penn Virginia Corp. (PVA), Newfield Exploration Co. (NFX) also have a negative ROE. An alternative could be Cabot Oil &Gas Corp. (COG), Range Resources Corp. (RRC), SM Energy Co. (SM), Pioneer Natural Resources Co. (PXD) or Whiting Petroleum Corp (WLL), Berry Petroleum Co. (BRY), but for investors searching for a higher ratio, Continental Resources Inc. (CLR) will be the best option.

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Oil and gas producers face many risks, with weather being one that could really impact a company's results if it's focused on just one play. This is where a producer like�Newfield Exploration� (NYSE: NFX  ) , for example, can have a leg up on more focused producers. Newfield, which operates in four major U.S. basins, including the Bakken, can move its capital around if it runs into issues with the weather or prices. The plan this year is to spend about 16% of its capex budget on the Bakken, which will produce 25% oil production growth year over year. The flexibility of working in multiple basins has enabled Newfield to work around weather and infrastructure challenges in the Bakken to grow its overall oil and natural gas liquids production by 39% this year.

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Newfield Exploration Co. (NYSE: NFX) is a smaller E&P looking to rise in stature. It was recently listed by Goldman Sachs as one of the 40 cheapest stocks to buy. It is expected to spend $1.5 billion this year in an effort to increase capacity and production. The consensus price target for the stock is set at $32. A move to the target price would be a 35% gain for investors.

Hot Energy Companies To Buy For 2014: Williams Partners L.P.(WPZ)

Williams Partners L.P. focuses on natural gas transportation, gathering, treating and processing, storage, natural gas liquid fractionation, and oil transportation activities in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Gas Pipeline, and Midstream Gas and Liquids. The Gas Pipeline segment owns and operates approximately 13,900 miles of pipelines with annual throughput of approximately 2,700 trillion British thermal units of natural gas and delivery capacity of approximately 13 million dekatherms of gas. This segment also owns interests in joint venture interstate and intrastate natural gas pipeline systems. The Midstream Gas and Liquids segment includes natural gas gathering, processing, and treating facilities; and crude oil gathering and transportation facilities that serve the producing basins in Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, the Gulf of Mexico, and Pennsylvania. Williams Partners GP LLC serves as the general partner of the company. Williams Partners L.P . was founded in 2005 and is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By The Part-time Investor]

  Williams Partners (WPZ), 38 shares at $52.73.

  Finally, I had to make some adjustments to my portfolio due to an unexpected tax issue. Through the comments section in response to an article I wrote about some MLPs that passed my criteria, I learned that there are extra tax implications to holding MLPs in a tax deferred retirement portfolio. With this new knowledge I decided to change some of my holdings:

• [By Dividend]

  Williams Partners (WPZ) has a market capitalization of $22.97 billion. The company employs 3,658 people, generates revenue of $7.320 billion and has a net income of $1.232 billion. Williams Partners�� earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $2.273 billion. The EBITDA margin is 31.05 percent (the operating margin is 20.72 percent and the net profit margin 16.83 percent).