Coal Archives - Page 13 of 46

Many prominent investors, including Warren Buffett, David Tepper and Stan Druckenmiller, have been cautious regarding the current bull market and missed out as the stock market reached another high in recent weeks. On the other hand, technology hedge funds weren't timid and registered double digit market beating gains. Financials, energy and industrial stocks initially suffered the most but many of these stocks delivered strong returns since November and hedge funds actually increased their positions in these stocks. In this article we will find out how hedge fund sentiment towards CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX) changed recently.

Is CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX) a superb investment today? Prominent investors were cutting their exposure. The number of bullish hedge fund bets retreated by 2 recently. CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX) was in 23 hedge funds' portfolios at the end of the first quarter of 2021. The all time high for this statistic is 38. Our calculations also showed that CNX isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds (click for Q1 rankings). There were 25 hedge funds in our database with CNX holdings at the end of December.

Why do we pay any attention at all to hedge fund sentiment? Our research has shown that a select group of hedge fund holdings outperformed the S&P 500 ETFs by 115 percentage points since March 2017 (see the details here). That's why we believe hedge fund sentiment is an extremely useful indicator that investors should pay attention to.

Joel Greenblatt of Gotham Asset Management

At Insider Monkey, we scour multiple sources to uncover the next great investment idea. For example, Chuck Schumer recently stated that marijuana legalization will be a Senate priority. So, we are checking out this under the radar stock that will benefit from this. We go through lists like the 10 best battery stocks to pick the next Tesla that will deliver a 10x return. Even though we recommend positions in only a tiny fraction of the companies we analyze, we check out as many stocks as we can. We read hedge fund investor letters and listen to stock pitches at hedge fund conferences. You can subscribe to our free daily newsletter on our homepage. Now we're going to take a gander at the key hedge fund action encompassing CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX).

Do Hedge Funds Think CNX Is A Good Stock To Buy Now?

Heading into the second quarter of 2021, a total of 23 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey were long this stock, a change of -8% from the fourth quarter of 2020. On the other hand, there were a total of 24 hedge funds with a bullish position in CNX a year ago. With the smart money's positions undergoing their usual ebb and flow, there exists an "upper tier" of key hedge fund managers who were boosting their holdings considerably (or already accumulated large positions).

Among these funds, Southeastern Asset Management held the most valuable stake in CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX), which was worth $434.3 million at the end of the fourth quarter. On the second spot was Aequim Alternative Investments which amassed $29.2 million worth of shares. Arrowstreet Capital, D E Shaw, and AQR Capital Management were also very fond of the stock, becoming one of the largest hedge fund holders of the company. In terms of the portfolio weights assigned to each position Southeastern Asset Management allocated the biggest weight to CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX), around 9.29% of its 13F portfolio. Quaker Capital Investments is also relatively very bullish on the stock, setting aside 4.43 percent of its 13F equity portfolio to CNX.

Because CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX) has faced a decline in interest from the aggregate hedge fund industry, it's safe to say that there lies a certain "tier" of money managers that elected to cut their positions entirely in the first quarter. Intriguingly, Ken Griffin's Citadel Investment Group sold off the largest investment of the 750 funds watched by Insider Monkey, worth an estimated $21.9 million in stock, and Matt Smith's Deep Basin Capital was right behind this move, as the fund dumped about $14.1 million worth. These bearish behaviors are interesting, as total hedge fund interest fell by 2 funds in the first quarter.

Let's now take a look at hedge fund activity in other stocks similar to CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX). These stocks are Arvinas, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARVN), Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE:EAT), Assured Guaranty Ltd. (NYSE:AGO), Shutterstock Inc (NYSE:SSTK), Revolve Group, Inc. (NYSE:RVLV), Vertex, Inc. (NASDAQ:VERX), and Butterfly Network, Inc. (NYSE:BFLY). This group of stocks' market valuations are similar to CNX's market valuation.

[table] Ticker, No of HFs with positions, Total Value of HF Positions (x1000), Change in HF Position ARVN,28,365585,-6 EAT,31,475033,3 AGO,22,192881,5 SSTK,18,207880,-5 RVLV,29,256608,5 VERX,11,40913,0 BFLY,32,299537,32 Average,24.4,262634,4.9 [/table]

View table here if you experience formatting issues.

As you can see these stocks had an average of 24.4 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $263 million. That figure was $607 million in CNX's case. Butterfly Network, Inc. (NYSE:BFLY) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand Vertex, Inc. (NASDAQ:VERX) is the least popular one with only 11 bullish hedge fund positions. CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX) is not the least popular stock in this group but hedge fund interest is still below average. Our overall hedge fund sentiment score for CNX is 49.7. Stocks with higher number of hedge fund positions relative to other stocks as well as relative to their historical range receive a higher sentiment score. This is a slightly negative signal and we'd rather spend our time researching stocks that hedge funds are piling on. Our calculations showed that top 5 most popular stocks among hedge funds returned 95.8% in 2019 and 2020, and outperformed the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) by 40 percentage points. These stocks gained 23.8% in 2021 through July 16th and surpassed the market again by 7.7 percentage points. Unfortunately CNX wasn't nearly as popular as these 5 stocks (hedge fund sentiment was quite bearish); CNX investors were disappointed as the stock returned -14.6% since the end of March (through 7/16) and underperformed the market. If you are interested in investing in large cap stocks with huge upside potential, you should check out the top 5 most popular stocks among hedge funds as most of these stocks already outperformed the market in 2021.

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BHP Group BHP released production details for the year ended Jun 30, 2021 and provided guidance for fiscal 2022. Total iron ore production rose 2% to 254 Mt (million tons) in fiscal 2021 courtesy of record production at Western Australia Iron Ore (WAIO). The company met production guidance for iron ore, copper, metallurgical coal, nickel and energy coal. Petroleum production for the 2021 financial year was slightly above guidance.

Production Highlights

In the April-June quarter, BHP’s iron ore production was down 2% year over year to 65.2 Mt. On a sequential basis, production, however, improved 9% primarily due to enhanced performance at WAIO. Brazilian miner, Vale S.A. VALE, reported its iron ore production for the second quarter of 2021 at 75.7 Mt, which came in 12% higher than the year-ago quarter and 11.3% higher than the first quarter of 2021. Last week, Rio Tinto plc RIO reported a 9% drop in second-quarter iron ore production to 75.9 Mt due to above average rainfall in the West Pilbara.

For the year ended Jun 30, 2021, BHP’s total iron ore production improved 2% year over year to a record 253.5 Mt, within the company’s provided guidance of 245 Mt to 255 Mt. WAIO production was up 1% to a record 252 Mt reflecting record production at Jimblebar and Mining Area C, which included first ore from South Flank in May 2021. This performance was impressive considering weather impact, temporary rail labor shortages due to COVID-19 related border restrictions and the planned Mining Area C and South Flank major tie-in activity. Strong operational performance across the supply chain reflected continued improvements in car dumper performance and reliability, and train cycle times.

Total petroleum production was 102.8 MMboe (million barrels of oil equivalent) for the period under review, down 6% year over year. Total copper production was down 5% year over year to 1,635.7 kt in fiscal 2020. Metallurgical coal production dipped 1% to 40.6 Mt, while energy coal production was 19.3 Mt, down 17% year over year. Nickel production was up 11% year over year to 89 kt.

Average realized prices for iron ore, copper and nickel in fiscal 2021 surged 69%, 52% and 17% respectively. Average realized prices for metallurgical coal declined 19%, while of thermal coal rose 2%. Average realized prices for oil (crude and condensate) and Natural gas were up 6% and 8%, respectively, while LNG prices slumped 22%.

Fiscal 2022 Production Guidance

In fiscal 2022, BHP expects to produce between 249 and 259 Mt of iron ore compared with 253.5 Mt produced in fiscal 2021 as WAIO continues to focus on incremental volume growth through productivity improvements. The company’s petroleum production guidance for fiscal 2022 is expected to be 99-106 MMboe. BHP anticipates copper production between 1,590 kt and 1,760 kt in fiscal 2022. Production guidance of Metallurgical coal for fiscal 2022 is at 39-44 Mt, while the same for energy coal is at 13-15 Mt. Nickel production for fiscal 2022 is now expected between 85 kt and 95 kt.

Development Projects on Track

During fiscal 2021, BHP successfully achieved first production at four major development projects, all of which were delivered either on or ahead of schedule and also within budget. The Atlantis Phase 3 petroleum project and the Spence Growth Option copper project achieved first production in the first half of the financial year. During the fiscal fourth quarter, the South Flank iron ore sustaining project in Western Australia, and the Ruby oil and gas project in Trinidad and Tobago achieved first production.

As of Jun 31, 2021, the company had two major projects under development in petroleum (Mad Dog Phase 2) and potash (Jansen mine shafts), with both of these on track. The Jansen Stage 1 project in Canada remains on track for a go or no-go decision in the next two months.

On 28 Jun, 2021, BHP announced that it had signed a Sale and Purchase Agreement with Glencore PLC GLNCY to divest its 33.3 per cent interest in Cerrejón, a non-operated energy coal joint venture in Colombia, for $294 million cash consideration. The transaction is expected to be completed in the second half of fiscal 2022.

BHP’s efforts to make operations more efficient through smart technology adoption across the entire value chain will continue to aid in reducing costs, thereby boosting margins. Focus on lowering debt will fuel growth.

Price Performance

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Over the last year, BHP’s shares have gained 35.7%, compared with the industry’s rally of 22.6%.

Zacks Rank

BHP currently carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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Hedge funds and large money managers usually invest with a focus on the long-term horizon and, therefore, short-lived dips or bumps on the charts usually don't make them change their opinion towards a company. This time it may be different. The coronavirus pandemic destroyed the high correlations among major industries and asset classes. We are now in a stock pickers market where fundamentals of a stock have more effect on the price than the overall direction of the market. As a result we observe sudden and large changes in hedge fund positions depending on the news flow. Let’s take a look at the hedge fund sentiment towards Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU) to find out whether there were any major changes in hedge funds' views.

Is Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU) a buy here? The smart money was betting on the stock. The number of bullish hedge fund bets rose by 1 lately. Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU) was in 21 hedge funds' portfolios at the end of the first quarter of 2021. The all time high for this statistic is 36. Our calculations also showed that BTU isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds (click for Q1 rankings). There were 20 hedge funds in our database with BTU positions at the end of the fourth quarter.

So, why do we pay attention to hedge fund sentiment before making any investment decisions? Our research has shown that hedge funds' small-cap stock picks managed to beat the market by double digits annually between 1999 and 2016, but the margin of outperformance has been declining in recent years. Nevertheless, we were still able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that outperformed the S&P 500 ETFs by more than 115 percentage points since March 2017 (see the details here). We have been able to outperform the passive index funds by tracking the moves of corporate insiders and hedge funds, and we believe small investors can benefit a lot from reading hedge fund investor letters and 13F filings.

Paul Singer of Elliott Management

At Insider Monkey, we scour multiple sources to uncover the next great investment idea. For example, Chuck Schumer recently stated that marijuana legalization will be a Senate priority. So, we are checking out this under the radar stock that will benefit from this. We go through lists like the 10 best battery stocks to pick the next Tesla that will deliver a 10x return. Even though we recommend positions in only a tiny fraction of the companies we analyze, we check out as many stocks as we can. We read hedge fund investor letters and listen to stock pitches at hedge fund conferences. You can subscribe to our free daily newsletter on our homepage. With all of this in mind let's go over the new hedge fund action regarding Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU).

Do Hedge Funds Think BTU Is A Good Stock To Buy Now?

At first quarter's end, a total of 21 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey held long positions in this stock, a change of 5% from the previous quarter. Below, you can check out the change in hedge fund sentiment towards BTU over the last 23 quarters. With hedge funds' sentiment swirling, there exists an "upper tier" of key hedge fund managers who were increasing their holdings significantly (or already accumulated large positions).

More specifically, Elliott Investment Management was the largest shareholder of Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU), with a stake worth $88.5 million reported as of the end of March. Trailing Elliott Investment Management was Adage Capital Management, which amassed a stake valued at $8.3 million. Hosking Partners, Renaissance Technologies, and Alden Global Capital were also very fond of the stock, becoming one of the largest hedge fund holders of the company. In terms of the portfolio weights assigned to each position Alden Global Capital allocated the biggest weight to Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU), around 1.18% of its 13F portfolio. Elliott Investment Management is also relatively very bullish on the stock, setting aside 0.66 percent of its 13F equity portfolio to BTU.

With a general bullishness amongst the heavyweights, key hedge funds were leading the bulls' herd. JS Capital, managed by Jonathan Soros, initiated the largest position in Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU). JS Capital had $0.4 million invested in the company at the end of the quarter. Michael Gelband's ExodusPoint Capital also made a $0.2 million investment in the stock during the quarter. The other funds with new positions in the stock are Cliff Asness's AQR Capital Management and Peter Muller's PDT Partners.

Let's now take a look at hedge fund activity in other stocks – not necessarily in the same industry as Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU) but similarly valued. We will take a look at BELLUS Health Inc. (NASDAQ:BLU), Greenlight Capital Re, Ltd. (NASDAQ:GLRE), Eiger BioPharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:EIGR), Navios Maritime Containers L.P. (NASDAQ:NMCI), Xeris Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:XERS), AudioEye, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEYE), and Theratechnologies Inc. (NASDAQ:THTX). All of these stocks' market caps match BTU's market cap.

[table] Ticker, No of HFs with positions, Total Value of HF Positions (x1000), Change in HF Position BLU,12,88516,-2 GLRE,8,5644,-2 EIGR,17,69455,0 NMCI,3,23247,-1 XERS,11,65125,4 AEYE,5,28137,-1 THTX,6,43493,1 Average,8.9,46231,-0.1 [/table]

View table here if you experience formatting issues.

As you can see these stocks had an average of 8.9 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $46 million. That figure was $122 million in BTU's case. Eiger BioPharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:EIGR) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand Navios Maritime Containers L.P. (NASDAQ:NMCI) is the least popular one with only 3 bullish hedge fund positions. Compared to these stocks Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE:BTU) is more popular among hedge funds. Our overall hedge fund sentiment score for BTU is 73.5. Stocks with higher number of hedge fund positions relative to other stocks as well as relative to their historical range receive a higher sentiment score. Our calculations showed that top 5 most popular stocks among hedge funds returned 95.8% in 2019 and 2020, and outperformed the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) by 40 percentage points. These stocks returned 23.8% in 2021 through July 16th but still managed to beat the market by 7.7 percentage points. Hedge funds were also right about betting on BTU as the stock returned 184.6% since the end of March (through 7/16) and outperformed the market by an even larger margin. Hedge funds were clearly right about piling into this stock relative to other stocks with similar market capitalizations.

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ST. LOUIS, July 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — On Thursday, July 29, 2021, Peabody (NYSE: BTU) will announce results for the quarter ended June 30, 2021. A conference call with management is scheduled for 10 a.m. CT on Thursday, July 29, 2021.

The call, replay and other investor data will be available at PeabodyEnergy.com.

Participants may also access the call using the following phone numbers:

U.S. and Canada (888) 312-3049
Australia 1800 849 976
United Kingdom 0808 238 9907

For all other international participants, please contact Peabody Investor Relations at (314) 342-7900 prior to the call to receive your dial-in number.

Peabody (NYSE: BTU) is a leading coal producer, providing essential products to fuel baseload electricity for emerging and developed countries and create the steel needed to build foundational infrastructure. Our commitment to sustainability underpins our activities today and helps to shape our strategy for the future. For further information, visit PeabodyEnergy.com.

Contact:
Alice Tharenos
314.342.7900

Cision

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/peabody-to-announce-results-for-the-quarter-ended-june-30-2021-301337966.html

SOURCE Peabody

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – July 19, 2021 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: BHP Group BHP, Materion Corp. MTRN, Tronox Holdings plc TROX, MP Materials Corp. MP and Freeport-McMoRan Inc. FCX.

Here are highlights from Friday’s Analyst Blog:

U.S. Bulks Up Rare Earth Production: 5 Stocks to Track

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, China was responsible for 80% of rare earth imports in 2019. While the pandemic caused disruptions in the supply chain and exports fell short last year, China’s dominance over the rare earth market cannot be denied. After all, the country currently holds about 70% of the world’s known rare earth reserves.

The group of 17 elements is used in electric vehicles (EV), batteries, renewable energy systems and a wide range of electric appliances, ranging from smartphones, display panels, speakers, televisions and more. Cerium and neodymium are commonly used in smartphones, flat-screen TVs and LED lights as well as in F-35 fighter jets and missiles, radar and lasers by the U.S. Department of Defense. Elements like lanthanum are used in oil refining.

America is making an effort in upping its game in rare earth element production as several big trends are at play. President Joe Biden’s administration has massive investments planned in climate change technology, and rare earth elements are essential to this change. However, as the name suggests, these elements are not widely available, and extracting, processing and refining these elements entail several political and environmental issues.

On Jul 13, the Senate Democrats reached an agreement on a $3.5-trillion budget plan that encompasses an expansion in Medicare, fund climate change initiatives and fulfill other parts of Biden’s economic agenda. The Democrats hope to pass this budget plan on top of a bipartisan infrastructure bill, which will surely aid the rare earth mining space.

To address issues on groundwater and air pollution, as rare earth mining creates radioactive waste byproducts, the White House holds up an Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance as a model for the mining industry. This model includes mining companies, unions and groups of advocates, and plans to create environmental and human rights principles for this industry.

In fact, it emphasizes getting prior and informed consent from Indigenous communities and local residents before mineral processing operations. Additionally, mining and processing companies have to arrange for the permanent disposal of toxic waste and build waste treatment facilities.

5 Stocks to Keep an Eye On

It may take America time to lower its reliance on China for rare earth elements but the new government funding will boost production which open up investment opportunities that investors should watch out for. Per a Valuates.com report, the global rare earth elements market size is projected to reach $3757.7 million by 2026, up from $2664.5 million in 2020, at a CAGR of 5.9%.

BHP Group engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas properties, and also engages in mining of copper, silver, zinc, molybdenum, uranium, gold, iron ore, and metallurgical and energy coal. The company's expected earnings growth rate for the current year is more than 100% compared with the Zacks Mining – Miscellaneous industry’s projected earnings growth of 18.9%.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s current-year earnings has been revised 21.7% upward over the past 60 days. BHP Group currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Materion Corp produces PVD rare earth elements for modern technologies and supports most major OEM thin film deposition platforms. The company's expected earnings growth rate for the ongoing year is 57.1% compared with the Zacks Mining – Miscellaneous industry’s projected earnings growth of 18.9%.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s current-year earnings has been revised nearly 1% upward over the past 60 days. Materion holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), at present.

Tronox operates titanium-bearing mineral sand mines, and beneficiation and smelting operations. The company's expected earnings growth rate for the current year is more than 100% compared with the Zacks Chemical – Diversified industry’s projected earnings growth of 27.6%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s current-year earnings has been revised 6.7% upward over the past 60 days. Tronox presently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

MP Materials engages in the ownership and operation of integrated rare-earth mining and processing facilities. This Zacks Rank #3 company's expected earnings growth rate for 2021 is 81.5% compared with the Zacks Mining – Miscellaneous industry’s projected earnings growth of 18.9%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s current-year earnings has been revised nearly 29% upward over the past 90 days.

Freeport-McMoRan engages in the mining of mineral properties. This Zacks Rank #3 company's estimated earnings growth rate for the ongoing year is more than 100% against the Zacks Mining – Non Ferrous industry’s projected earnings decline of 1.3%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s current-year earnings has been revised 10.2% upward over the past 60 days.

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

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Newmont Corporation’s NEM board recently approved the advancement of the Ahafo North Project to the execution stage. The project, exceeding the required internal rate of return (“IRR”), will be bringing profitable production from the best un-mined gold deposit in West Africa.

The Ahafo North Project includes four open-pit mines and the setting up of a stand-alone mill. The construction is expected to complete in the second half of 2023. At the current gold prices, production from the mine is expected to deliver more than 30% IRR.

It will also lead to the creation of approximately 1,800 jobs, with more than 550 permanent roles. The company aims to focus on the key aspect of achieving gender parity in the workforce after the commencement of operations.

There have been considerable engagements with traditional leaders, local and regional government agencies and also public stakeholder engagement meetings by the company. Stakeholders have backed the project’s infrastructure plans and permits necessary to begin construction.

The company remains dedicated to maintaining its stakeholder interaction by providing regular updates as the project proceeds. This will strengthen its social acceptance.

The full scope of funding will be deployed to high-impact activities, including but not limited to tasks like finalizing engineering and EPCM services, relocating of the national highway and support of additional resettlement activities, constructing and commissioning a 3.7-million-ton per annum plant, constructing a Tailings and Wastewater Management Storage Facility, and long-lead sourcing including the acquisition of 14 CAT 770 haul trucks.

Newmont noted that the project will expand its existing footprint in Ghana and add more than three million ounces of gold production over the initial 13-year mine life. It is committed to sustainably develop and operate the project to add value to its stakeholders.

Shares of Newmont have declined 3.8% over a year against the industry’s rise of 26%. Its earnings growth rate for the current year is pegged at 25.6%.

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In its first-quarter earnings call, the company said that it expects attributable gold production of 6.5 million ounces, gold cost applicable to sales (CAS) to be $750 per ounce and all-in sustaining costs (AISC) to be $970 per ounce. It also foresees an increase in gold production and is undertaking investments in its operating assets and other growth prospects.

Newmont Corporation Price and Consensus

Newmont Corporation price-consensus-chart | Newmont Corporation Quote

Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider

Currently, Newmont carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Better-ranked stocks in the basic materials space include Glencore PLC GLNCY and Rio Tinto Group RIO, both sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and BHP Group BHP, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Glencore has a projected earnings growth rate of 296.7% for the current year. The company’s shares have appreciated 82.9% over a year.

Rio Tinto has a projected earnings growth rate of 124.3% for the current year. The company’s shares have grown 32.6% over a year.

BHP has a projected earnings growth rate of 192.5% for the current year. The company’s shares have gained 38.8% over a year.

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VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Melior Resources Inc. (TSXV: “MLR”) (“Melior” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that on July 14, 2021 Ranchero Gold Corp. (“Ranchero”) closed its previously announced brokered and non-brokered private placement (the “Concurrent Financing”) pursuant to which Ranchero issued an aggregate of 9,107,068 subscription receipts (each, a “Subscription Receipt”) at a purchase price of $0.55 per Subscription Receipt for aggregate gross proceeds of $5,008,887.

The Concurrent Financing was completed in connection with the previously announced reverse takeover transaction (the “Transaction”) with Ranchero pursuant to which Melior will acquire all of the issued and outstanding securities of Ranchero by way of a three-cornered amalgamation in accordance with the terms and conditions of the amalgamation agreement dated February 17, 2021, as amended, among Melior, Ranchero and 1274169 B.C. Ltd. (“Melior Newco”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Melior, as more particularly described in the Company’s news releases dated November 2, 2020, February 18, 2021 and July 13, 2021. Pursuant to the Transaction, Ranchero will amalgamate with Melior Newco, and Melior will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Ranchero (the “Ranchero Shares”) from the Ranchero shareholders in exchange for post-consolidation common shares of Melior (the “Resulting Issuer Shares”) on the basis of one Resulting Issuer Share for one Ranchero Share. Prior to the completion of the Transaction, Melior intends to consolidate its common shares on the basis of 32.6764 pre-consolidation common shares for one post-consolidation common share of Melior.

Each Subscription Receipt entitles the holder thereof to automatically receive, upon satisfaction of certain escrow release conditions, one Ranchero Share, which shall immediately be exchanged for one Resulting Issuer Share upon completion of the Transaction. The resulting issuer of the Transaction (the “Resulting Issuer”) intends to use the proceeds of the Concurrent Financing for exploration and development of its properties in Mexico and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Haywood Securities Inc. (the “Agent”) acted as the agent and bookrunner to locate purchasers in the Concurrent Financing on a best-efforts agency basis. In consideration for the services performed by the Agent in connection with the Concurrent Financing, Ranchero has paid a cash fee of $5,720.08 (50% of which is held in escrow and will be released upon satisfaction of certain escrow release conditions) and issued 10,400 broker warrants (each, a “Broker Warrant”) to the Agent. Ranchero also engaged certain finders to locate purchasers to participate in the Concurrent Financing and in consideration for their services paid an aggregate cash fee of $186,486 and issued an aggregate of 308,693 finder warrants (each, a “Finder Warrant”). Each Broker Warrant and Finder Warrant will be exchanged for one warrant of the Resulting Issuer on completion of the Transaction, which will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Resulting Issuer Share at an exercise price of $0.55 per Resulting Issuer Share for a period of 24 months from the closing of the Transaction.

The gross proceeds of the Concurrent Financing less certain deductions and 50% of the cash fee payable to the Agent, applicable taxes and expenses of the Agent incurred in connection with the Concurrent Financing are held in escrow by TSX Trust Company, the subscription receipt agent, in accordance with the terms of a subscription receipt agreement dated July 14, 2021 between TSX Trust Company, Ranchero and the Agent, and the remaining portion of the cash fee payable to the Agent and the balance of the gross proceeds will be released to the Agent and Ranchero, respectively, upon the satisfaction of certain escrow release conditions in connection with the Transaction.

All securities issued in connection with the Concurrent Financing are subject to an indefinite hold period, as required under applicable securities laws.

Furthermore, the Company announces that Mr. George Lloyd has today resigned from the board of directors of the Company to pursue other opportunities. The Company thanks Mr. Lloyd for his valuable contributions and wishes him every success in his future endeavors.

On behalf of the board of directors of the Company:

Martyn Buttenshaw
Interim Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please contact:

Martyn Buttenshaw
Interim Chief Executive Officer
+41 41 560 9070
info@meliorresources.com

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell and is not a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities in the United States. The securities of the Company and Ranchero have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “U.S. Securities Act”) or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws unless pursuant to an exemption from such registration.

Completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions, including but not limited to, TSXV acceptance. The Transaction cannot close until all necessary approvals are obtained. There can be no assurance that the Transaction will be completed as proposed or at all.

Investors are cautioned that, except as disclosed in the management information circular or filing statement to be prepared in connection with the Transaction, any information released or received with respect to the Transaction may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon. Trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative.

The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This news release contains certain forward-looking statements. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as “expects” or does not expect”, “is expected”, anticipates” or “does not anticipate” “plans”, “estimates” or “intends” or stating that certain actions, events or results “ may”, “could”, “would”, “might” or “will” be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release may include, but are not limited to, the terms, structure and completion of the Transaction and the use of proceeds of the Concurrent Financing.

Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to materially differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: risks related to regulatory approval, including the approval of the TSXV, liabilities inherent in mine development and production; geological risks, risks associated with the effects of the COVID-19 virus, the financial markets generally, the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions precedent to the Transaction, and the ability of the Company to complete the Transaction and obtain requisite TSXV acceptance and shareholder approvals. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statement will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipate in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

New downloadable digital vaccine records, over-the-counter rapid Antigen Self Tests, online vaccine availability maps, and discounted Lyft rides reinforce Company’s commitment to health and wellness

BOISE, Idaho, July 19, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In an ongoing effort to help America combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Albertsons Companies (NYSE: ACI) today announced several new important offerings that will help empower its customers to stay well this summer. These offerings build on the Company’s leading efforts in administering 6 million COVID-19 vaccinations to date through its 1,700 pharmacies nationwide.

"As front-line healthcare providers, our pharmacy teams have been heroic in administering millions of vaccinations to our customers across the country and providing them with critical information and solutions during these unprecedented times," said Omer Gajial, Albertsons Companies SVP of Pharmacy and Health. "With these enhancements, we are proud to be able to offer local communities new resources to help keep them safe and make informed decisions about their health as we continue to navigate through this public health crisis together."

Vaccine Records

A free digital vaccine record that can be downloaded and saved to a digital device is being rolled out. Customers who completed their COVID-19 vaccine series through any Albertsons Cos.’ pharmacy will receive an email in the next few days with detailed instructions on how to access their digital vaccine record. This information will also be shared with anyone receiving the vaccine in the future at one of the Company’s pharmacy locations.

Rapid Antigen Self-Tests

The Company is also offering over-the-counter rapid COVID-19 testing. These self-administered tests are a product of Abbott’s BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self Test and can be used by individuals with or without symptoms who may have been exposed to COVID-19. The tests can be purchased at in store pharmacies and do not require a prescription. Antigen tests can be used on children as young as 2 years old, when administered by an adult.

Each test kit includes two nasal swabs and easy-to-follow instructions. The swabs are intended to be administered within 48 to 72 hours of each other. The tests are minimally invasive and results for symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals are available in as little as 15 minutes.

While the over-the-counter tests may not be covered by insurance, they are an affordable option to quickly provide COVID-19 infection status.

Locating, Booking and Traveling to Vaccine Appointments

Albertsons Cos. and Moderna have teamed up to sponsor a COVID-19 vaccine map on Nextdoor to help users locate nearby vaccine appointment locations. Customers are then redirected from Nextdoor to the Albertsons Cos. scheduling tool to schedule a vaccine appointment, receive a confirmation, and get the second dose scheduled all in under three minutes.

Lastly, the Company is partnering with Lyft to offer discounted rides to and from any of Albertsons Cos.’ pharmacy for vaccinations. When customers make a vaccination appointment at https://www.albertsons.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html they will receive a Lyft discount code in their appointment confirmation email. Lyft discounts are not available in New York or New Jersey. Customers who get vaccinated at an eligible Albertsons Cos. pharmacy will also be provided with a 10% off coupon for grocery purchase, up to $200 (subject to certain exceptions).

Pharmacies participating in these programs include Safeway, Vons, Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Shaw’s, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Market Street, Haggen, and Carrs.

About Albertsons Companies

Albertsons Companies is a leading food and drug retailer that operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia with more than 20 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw's, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets and Balducci's Food Lovers Market. The Company is committed to helping people across the country live better lives by making a meaningful difference, neighborhood by neighborhood. In 2020, along with the Albertsons Companies Foundation, the Company gave $260 million in food and financial support, including $95 million through our Nourishing Neighbors Program to ensure those living in our communities have enough to eat. Albertsons Companies also pledged $5 million to organizations supporting social justice. These efforts have helped millions of people in the areas of hunger relief, education, cancer research and treatment, social justice and programs for people with disabilities and veterans' outreach.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210719005480/en/

Contacts

Kirby Nardo
Kirby.nardo@albertsons.com

Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE:ACI) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next four days. The ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date, which is the cut-off date for shareholders to be present on the company's books to be eligible for a dividend payment. The ex-dividend date is an important date to be aware of as any purchase of the stock made on or after this date might mean a late settlement that doesn't show on the record date. Accordingly, Albertsons Companies investors that purchase the stock on or after the 23rd of July will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 10th of August.

The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.10 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of US$0.40 per share. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Albertsons Companies stock has a trailing yield of around 2.0% on the current share price of $19.89. Dividends are an important source of income to many shareholders, but the health of the business is crucial to maintaining those dividends. We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it's growing.

View our latest analysis for Albertsons Companies

If a company pays out more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable – hardly an ideal situation. Albertsons Companies has a low and conservative payout ratio of just 13% of its income after tax. Yet cash flows are even more important than profits for assessing a dividend, so we need to see if the company generated enough cash to pay its distribution. The good news is it paid out just 7.0% of its free cash flow in the last year.

It's positive to see that Albertsons Companies's dividend is covered by both profits and cash flow, since this is generally a sign that the dividend is sustainable, and a lower payout ratio usually suggests a greater margin of safety before the dividend gets cut.

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. That's why it's comforting to see Albertsons Companies's earnings have been skyrocketing, up 167% per annum for the past three years. Albertsons Companies earnings per share have been sprinting ahead like the Road Runner at a track and field day; scarcely stopping even for a cheeky "beep-beep". We also like that it is reinvesting most of its profits in its business.'

Given that Albertsons Companies has only been paying a dividend for a year, there's not much of a past history to draw insight from.

To Sum It Up

Is Albertsons Companies an attractive dividend stock, or better left on the shelf? We love that Albertsons Companies is growing earnings per share while simultaneously paying out a low percentage of both its earnings and cash flow. These characteristics suggest the company is reinvesting in growing its business, while the conservative payout ratio also implies a reduced risk of the dividend being cut in the future. Overall we think this is an attractive combination and worthy of further research.

With that in mind, a critical part of thorough stock research is being aware of any risks that stock currently faces. For example – Albertsons Companies has 3 warning signs we think you should be aware of.

If you're in the market for dividend stocks, we recommend checking our list of top dividend stocks with a greater than 2% yield and an upcoming dividend.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

Recently, Lynas Rare Earths Limited (LYSCF) received a $30-million grant from the U.S. government to open a new processing facility with Blue Line. The plant is one of the many rare earth production plants that Biden hopes to open in order to boost production and reduce reliance on China for the elements. On Jul 13, the Senate Democrats reached an agreement on a $3.5-trillion budget plan that encompasses an expansion in Medicare, fund climate change initiatives and fulfill other parts of Biden’s economic agenda. The Democrats hope to pass this budget plan on top of a bipartisan infrastructure bill, which will surely aid the rare earth mining space.

As Biden plans to boost the EV market, supply-chain vulnerabilities might pose hindrances. In February, Biden ordered a federal review analysis of supply-chain vulnerabilities to make better investments in mines abroad and boost refining. To address issues on groundwater and air pollution, as rare earth mining creates radioactive waste byproducts, the White House holds up an Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance as a model for the mining industry. This model includes mining companies, unions and groups of advocates, and plans to create environmental and human rights principles for this industry. In fact, it emphasizes getting prior and informed consent from Indigenous communities and local residents before mineral processing operations. Additionally, mining and processing companies have to arrange for the permanent disposal of toxic waste and build waste treatment facilities.

5 Stocks to Keep an Eye on

BHP Group BHP engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas properties, and also engages in mining of copper, silver, zinc, molybdenum, uranium, gold, iron ore, and metallurgical and energy coal. The company's expected earnings growth rate for the current year is more than 100% compared with the Zacks Mining – Miscellaneous industry’s projected earnings growth of 18.9%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s current-year earnings has been revised 21.7% upward over the past 60 days. BHP Group currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Materion Corporation MTRN produces PVD rare earth elements for modern technologies and supports most major OEM thin film deposition platforms. The company's expected earnings growth rate for the ongoing year is 57.1% compared with the Zacks Mining – Miscellaneous industry’s projected earnings growth of 18.9%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s current-year earnings has been revised nearly 1% upward over the past 60 days. Materion holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), at present.

Tronox Holdings plc TROX operates titanium-bearing mineral sand mines, and beneficiation and smelting operations. The company's expected earnings growth rate for the current year is more than 100% compared with the Zacks Chemical – Diversified industry’s projected earnings growth of 27.6%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s current-year earnings has been revised 6.7% upward over the past 60 days. Tronox presently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

MP Materials Corp. MP engages in the ownership and operation of integrated rare-earth mining and processing facilities. This Zacks Rank #3 company's expected earnings growth rate for 2021 is 81.5% compared with the Zacks Mining – Miscellaneous industry’s projected earnings growth of 18.9%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s current-year earnings has been revised nearly 29% upward over the past 90 days.

Freeport-McMoRan Inc. FCX engages in the mining of mineral properties. This Zacks Rank #3 company's estimated earnings growth rate for the ongoing year is more than 100% against the Zacks Mining – Non Ferrous industry’s projected earnings decline of 1.3%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company’s current-year earnings has been revised 10.2% upward over the past 60 days.

It’s never easy to pick stocks to buy for the second half of a calendar year. That’s especially true when the markets are hotter than a pistol — which they are in 2021.

As of July 14, the S&P 500 was up 18.31% year-to-date (YTD). That’s an annualized return of almost 34%. Since 1928, the index has done better on just six occasions, the last being in 1995.

Ultimately, I want to give suggestions that can make money for readers over the long haul and not just the remaining five months of this year.

InvestorPlace – Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips

With that in mind, a strategy based on 10 momentum stocks could backfire if the markets cool off in the second half. But on the other hand, if I go with 10 tried-and-true stocks and the markets stay hot, you’re likely to underperform relative to the index.

7 of the Best Contrarian Stocks to Buy as Others Get Greedy

Therefore, I’ll try to have my cake and eat it too. These 10 stocks have high free cash flow (FCF) yields and are trading at or near the index’s YTD return:

BHP Group (NYSE:BHP)
ViacomCBS (NASDAQ:VIAC)
Columbia Sportswear (NASDAQ:COLM)
Nomad Foods (NYSE:NOMD)
TechnipFMC (NYSE:FTI)
Orix Corporation (NYSE:IX)
Jazz Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:JAZZ)
Masonite International (NYSE:DOOR)
Paramount Group (NYSE:PGRE)
Genpact (NYSE:G)

Stocks to Buy: BHP Group (BHP)

a construction worker looks on as an excavator gets to work in a mine

Source: Shutterstock

As with all my stock galleries, I try to provide sector diversification. I would like to load up on stocks in industries I enjoy, such as the consumer cyclical or consumer defensive sectors. But as my dad used to say — and he was generally an optimist — “Life is to be endured.” So, I endure by selecting a materials stock.

BHP Group is the world’s largest mining conglomerate. Based in Australia, it has a YTD return of 15% and an FCF yield of 5.6%. As for BHP stock’s rating, of the 15 analysts that cover it, nine rate it as either a buy or overweight. Only two rate it as underweight or an outright sell.

For the trailing 12 months (TTM) ended March 31, BHP had $46.3 billion in revenue. That’s higher than it’s been at any point in the past three years. Over the same period, the company has seen $16.6 billion in operating income.

I consider companies with FCF yields between 4% and 8% to be very attractive long-term investments.

ViacomCBS (VIAC)

Source: Jer123 / Shutterstock.com

The media conglomerate’s stock has gathered speed in the past three months. In that time, VIAC shares have risen 4% in response to rumors that the company may be the subject of a bid by Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA).

The main attraction for Comcast would be ViacomCBS’ Paramount+ streaming service. The telecommunications company has its own streaming unit, Peacock, as part of its NBCUniversal media conglomerate. Combining both services would put Comcast in a good position to capture the coveted number-three spot in the lucrative streaming industry.

Paramount+ is adding several items to its streaming repertoire this summer. Most notably, the service will stream hundreds of live soccer-related events like the Men’s Concacaf World Cup Qualifiers.

Tom Ryan, president and chief executive officer of ViacomCBS Streaming, said, “The breadth and depth of premium feature films and exclusive series coming to the service further strengthens our position in the market as a premium entertainment destination and, by offering this compelling content portfolio at an all-new low cost, makes us even more accessible to a wide consumer audience.”

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When you consider the boost Disney (NYSE:DIS) has gotten from Disney+, ViacomCBS executives have good reason to be excited.

Stocks to Buy: Columbia Sportswear (COLM)

Source: Ekaterina_Minaeva / Shutterstock.com

On average, the 12 analysts covering COLM stock rate it overweight with a 12-month target price of $127. That’s 28% upside at current prices.

In April, COLM stock hit its all-time high of $114.98. Up nearly 25% over the past year, CEO Timothy Boyle must be very happy with its run of late. Boyle’s shares are now worth $2.3 billion.

The board of directors could use a few more women — of the nine members, just two are female. It could also benefit from a few younger members, as the average director’s age is 68. But there’s no doubt that they are a group of very talented individuals.

Normally I’m not a fan of boards that are particularly ancient, especially when it comes to consumer-facing products such as apparel and footwear. But in Columbia’s case, the proof is in the pudding.

The company has managed to produce returns for shareholders in recent years. I see good things happening in the long term for investors in COLM stock.

Nomad Foods (NOMD)

NOMD stock: Nomad Foods braded products featured in a store

Source: defotoberg / Shutterstock.com

If you haven’t heard of Nomad, it’s the largest frozen food company in Europe. In the U.S., the company is the third-largest of its kind, with Nestle (OTCMKTS:NSRGY) and Conagra Brands (NYSE:CAG) in the top two spots.

In March, Nomad announced that it will acquire Fortenova’s frozen food business. The company’s Ledo and Frikom brands are well-known to consumers in Central and Eastern Europe. Nomad paid 615 million Euros ($726 million) for the frozen food group. That’s less than 10 times the group’s adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA).

Nomad’s Green Cuisine brand is Europe’s fastest-growing frozen meat-free brand. In 2020, its retail sales grew by 299%. That’s almost five times faster than Beyond Meat (NASDAQ:BYND), which saw 65% growth in the same timeframe.

Another reason to like Nomad is that Sir Martin Franklin owns 7.4% of its stock. Franklin is a company builder with a success rate matched by few others.

As for the analysts’ perspective, 10 cover NOMD stock, with nine rating it a buy and one rating it overweight. They list a median target price of $28.66. I think we’ll see a bunch of revisions for this stock in the next few months.

7 High-Quality Stocks to Buy That Are Trading Below Fair Value

Nomad’s TTM FCF is $410.6 million. Based on a market cap of $4.9 billion, it has an FCF yield of 8.4%. I consider that to be value territory.

Stocks to Buy: TechnipFMC (FTI)

Stocks to buy FTI Stock: The Technip logo on the side of a building

Source: abu emran / Shutterstock.com

If we were talking about weaknesses in stock coverage, the energy sector would be at the top of the list. I don’t see the point in covering businesses that probably won’t exist in a decade or two.

TechnipFMC was created during the January 2017 merger of FMC Technologies and Technip. The combination created a global leader in subsea and surface technologies. TechnipFMC also provides services to oil and gas exploration and production companies.

In the first quarter of 2021, the company’s subsea operations generated revenue of $1.39 billion, an 11% increase from last year. TechnipFMC’s subsea operations account for 85% of its overall revenue and has a backlog of $6.86 billion.

In 2021, the company expects to see revenue of at least $6.05 billion with an EBITDA margin in the low double digits.

In Q1, it had an FCF of $137 million. For the TTM ended March 31, its FCF was $620 million, implying an FCF yield of 18%.

I’m not a fan of energy stocks, but it’s hard not to notice FTI stock’s value at current prices.

Orix Corporation (IX)

hands at desk near laptop computer, with one hand holding a pile of hundred dollar bills

Source: shutterstock.com/CC7

It’s always nice to be able to include a stock that I’ve previously recommended. In the case of Orix, I suggested investors take a look at the Japanese diversified financial services company in May 2020.

I recommended Orix partially because of its U.S. division, which has its hands in all kinds of financial pies. It manages more than $70 billion in assets.

Fast forward to today, and IX stock is up 48% over the past 14 months. Its momentum doesn’t look like it will slow in the second half of 2021.

I believe this despite the fact that fiscal 2021 wasn’t one of the company’s best years on record. On the top line, revenue grew by less than 1% to 2.293 trillion Japanese Yen ($20.7 billion). Its pre-tax income fell 30% to 287.5 billion Japanese Yen ($2.6 billion).

There are a lot of moving parts in Orix’s business. For example, Orix USA’s revenue was up 2% in 2021, but its segment profits fell 23%. The latter decline was primarily due to the sale of equity ownership in Houlihan Lokey (NYSE:HLI) in fiscal 2020.

7 Best Stocks To Buy Now if You Want To Get In at the Bottom

I suggest you visit Orix’s various sites, including its investor relations page. It’s a diamond in the rough.

Stocks to Buy: Jazz Pharmaceuticals (JAZZ)

Image of the Jazz Pharmaceuticals logo on a sign

Source: Michael Vi / Shutterstock.com

If there’s one thing I like to see from most non-financial stocks, it’s strong free cash flow.

Jazz Pharmaceuticals, a developer of medicines for neuroscience and oncology-related treatments, has excellent FCF. In the trailing 12 months, it had $750 million in FCF and an FCF yield of 6.8%.

Many cannabis investors jumped on JAZZ stock after the company acquired GW Pharmaceuticals in May for $7.6 billion in cash and stock.

GW’s cannabis-based medication Epidiolex treats children with rare types of early-onset epilepsy. In 2020, revenue from Epidiolex grew by 73% to $511 million. This growth, in addition to the company’s sleep disorder medicine Xyrem, shows that Jazz has the makings of a major player in the drug development industry.

Of the 17 analysts covering JAZZ, 15 rate it a buy, one rates it overweight, and one rates it a hold. In their eyes, it’s a clear buy with a target price of $208.82.

Masonite International (DOOR)

DOOR stock: a white front door of a house between two wall-mounted lights and two potted plants

Source: David Papazian / Shutterstock

It wouldn’t be a proper gallery from a Canadian writer if it didn’t have a Canadian company in its midst. Masonite, a Toronto-based manufacturer of doors, fits the bill nicely.

Masonite’s history dates back to 1925, but the Canadian connection didn’t happen until 1999. That’s when Premdor Inc. entered into a strategic alliance with Masonite Corp., then owned by International Paper (NYSE:IP). A year later, Premdor acquired Masonite from IP for $523 million. Once the acquisition closed, the Premdor name was replaced with Masonite.

Masonite had sales of $301 million in 1999. In 2020, they were $2.26 billion with a TTM FCF of $230 million and an FCF yield of 8.5%.

As for Masonite’s business, it generates 73% of its sales from the North American residential market. Europe accounts for another 11% of sales, and its architectural business is responsible for the rest.

It is one of only two vertically integrated residential interior door manufacturers in North America. New residential construction accounts for 45% of its North American sales, while the renovation market accounts for the remaining 55%.

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The company is continuing to grow its margins. In 2015, its adjusted EBITDA margin was 10.9%. Today, it’s over 16%. That’s how you grow free cash flow.

Stocks to Buy: Paramount Group (PGRE)

hand of person in a suit dangling keys with a house symbol on the ring. Windows overlooking city skyline in background.

Source: ImageFlow/shutterstock.com

Paramount Group is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on owning the best assets in the best markets and providing top-notch service for tenants.

Founded in 1978, it owns properties in New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Its 19 assets are valued at approximately $13.5 billion. These properties cover 13.9 million square feet of leasable space and generate $358 million in annualized cash net operating income.

New York City accounts for 70% of the REIT’s gross asset value and 62% of its leasable square feet.

While the REIT’s office real estate accounts for a concerning 96% of its revenue, the quality of its properties enables it to charge top dollar rents compared to its peers. Further, none of its largest tenants accounts for more than 4.5% of its annual rent. Most importantly, 32% of its leases will not expire until 2031 or thereafter.

Despite Covid-19 affecting its business, Q1 2021 saw the REIT deliver $50.6 million in core funds from operations. That was down from $61.5 million a year ago, but still very positive. As re-openings accelerate, its earnings will too.

Genpact (G)

Image of two business people shaking hands

Source: Shutterstock

Genpact helps Global Fortune 500 companies transform their digital operations to deliver a world that works better for people.

In the first quarter, all Genpact’s financial metrics exceeded expectations. Revenues grew 1%, excluding currency, to $946 million while adjusted earnings per share rose 11% to 59 cents.

For all of 2021, Genpact expects revenue of at least $3.93 billion, 5% higher than last year, with an adjusted EPS of $2.27.

A real-world example of Genpact’s work is its partnership with Envision Virgin Racing, a Formula E racing team. The partnership aims to make the team’s electric vehicles as efficient as possible during Formula E races.

“Genpact’s technology helps Envision Virgin Racing do this with data analytics and augmented intelligence — the combination of machine-generated insights and human know-how, context, and experience — that engineers, drivers, and pit crew rely on during races to make quick decisions and shift strategies,” Fast Company reported on July 12.

Now, multiply this by hundreds of companies across many different industries, and you have the makings of a successful business services provider.

Genpact currently has an FCF yield of 6.7%, which can provide investors with an excellent entry point.

On the date of publication, Will Ashworth did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Will Ashworth has written about investments full-time since 2008. Publications where he’s appeared include InvestorPlace, The Motley Fool Canada, Investopedia, Kiplinger, and several others in both the U.S. and Canada. He particularly enjoys creating model portfolios that stand the test of time. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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(Adds BHP, Vale comments, photo)

By Carolina Mandl

SAO PAULO, July 16 (Reuters) – Creditors of bankrupt miner Samarco Mineracao SA, a joint venture between Vale SA and BHP Group Plc, objected to the company's restructuring plan on Thursday, according to a court document.

Creditors said the plan's main goal is to protect Samarco's giant shareholders, Vale and BHP, and reduce future payments to creditors.

They also rejected Samarco's offer to apply an 85% haircut to all creditors, including shareholders Vale and BHP, which extended 24 billion reais in loans to the company. Debt payments to creditors would occur in 2041.

Creditors said both Vale and BHP, as shareholders, should be paid only after all other creditors fully recover their money. They also questioned if both giant companies should recover any value as creditors consider that both miners are co-debtors.

They also refused Samarco's offer to swap their debt for shares in the company.

"It is unacceptable that a restructuring plan of a company controlled by the world's biggest miners outlines an outright (and illegal) debt forgiveness to create value for its multimillionaire shareholders, which are also responsible for Brazil's biggest environmental disaster," creditors said in the court document.

They referred to the collapse of a dam at the Samarco mine complex in 2015 that killed 19 people, severely polluted the Doce River with mining waste and led the company into financial trouble.

Creditors have proposed Samarco, Vale and BHP pay in three equal parts for all damage caused by the rupture of the dam, creditors lawyers Paulo Padis and Marcos Pitanga said in an interview. That contrasts with Samarco's restructuring plan, which proposes the company pay for the damage entirely.

Creditors and Samarco have recently signed confidentiality agreements to start negotiations.

Samarco and Vale said in separate statements that the proposed restructuring plan takes into consideration the company's financials and aims at keeping payments to repair damage caused by the disaster.

BHP said loans extended to Samarco to allow its continuity in the last five years were at terms similar to credit lines taken by the miner before the disaster.

Samarco added creditors have not presented any alternative plan so far.

(Reporting by Carolina Mandl; Editing by Nick Macfie and Steve Orlofsky)

The worst result, after buying shares in a company (assuming no leverage), would be if you lose all the money you put in. But on the bright side, you can make far more than 100% on a really good stock. For instance, the price of BHP Group (ASX:BHP) stock is up an impressive 169% over the last five years. We note the stock price is up 4.8% in the last seven days.

See our latest analysis for BHP Group

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. One imperfect but simple way to consider how the market perception of a company has shifted is to compare the change in the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price movement.

During the last half decade, BHP Group became profitable. Sometimes, the start of profitability is a major inflection point that can signal fast earnings growth to come, which in turn justifies very strong share price gains. Since the company was unprofitable five years ago, but not three years ago, it's worth taking a look at the returns in the last three years, too. We can see that the BHP Group share price is up 58% in the last three years. During the same period, EPS grew by 14% each year. This EPS growth is reasonably close to the 16% average annual increase in the share price (over three years, again). So one might argue that investor sentiment towards the stock hss not changed much over time. Rather, the share price has approximately tracked EPS growth.

You can see how EPS has changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values).

This free interactive report on BHP Group's earnings, revenue and cash flow is a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further.

What About Dividends?

As well as measuring the share price return, investors should also consider the total shareholder return (TSR). The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. In the case of BHP Group, it has a TSR of 253% for the last 5 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

A Different Perspective

We're pleased to report that BHP Group shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 43% over one year. That's including the dividend. That's better than the annualised return of 29% over half a decade, implying that the company is doing better recently. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better with time. I find it very interesting to look at share price over the long term as a proxy for business performance. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for BHP Group you should be aware of, and 1 of them is a bit unpleasant.

If you would prefer to check out another company — one with potentially superior financials — then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can grow earnings.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on AU exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

Grocery distribution to Fred Meyer stores in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska could be disrupted starting Sunday if unionized warehouse workers vote to strike after talks on a new contract broke down.

Meanwhile, spokespersons said representatives for the Teamsters union reached a tentative agreement with Safeway on a new labor deal for truck drivers and warehouse workers shortly after midnight Friday, likely ensuring that about 200 stores in the region will continue to receive deliveries without interruption.

Contracts with both groups of workers are set to expire this weekend.

More than 1,000 workers are demanding increases in compensation and better safety protections after working on the front lines of the COVID pandemic for 16 months to maintain supplies of food and other household goods under difficult circumstances.

Local 117 spokesperson Paul Zilly said a vote to ratify the Safeway deal recommended by leadership will take place on Sunday. Results of the vote will be known at 6:30 p.m. Pacific Standard Time. Local 117 represents about 500 warehouse workers at the Fred Meyer distribution center in Puyallup, Washington, and about 460 employees at Safeway's warehouse in Auburn. Both locations are near Tacoma.

Workers will vote on a work stoppage at Fred Meyer, part of the Kroger (NYSE: KR) empire, on Saturday. Zilly said he expected a near-unanimous vote to walk off the job. A shutdown would impact about 180 Fred Meyer outlets in Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Idaho, as well as delivery of some nutrition products to California.

The Safeway DC services about 187 Safeway stores and 15 Haggen natural outlets in Washington and Alaska.

Local 174, the bargaining unit for about 175 big rig drivers who transport groceries from the Auburn facility to stores throughout the state, will vote Saturday to ratify the contract with Safeway, spokesperson Jamie Fleming said.

Drivers are compensated by a complicated activity-based formula that essentially pays them by the task.

Union officials provided few specifics about the issues being negotiated, but said their members wanted to be shown respect after putting themselves at risk to keep the food distribution system going when COVID restricted people from shopping or working in close proximity.

"Our members in the grocery warehouse industry have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to make sure grocery shelves in communities across the Pacific Northwest are stocked with food and supplies," said John Scearcy, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 117, in a statement Thursday before reaching the agreement with Safeway. "They've put themselves and their families' safety at risk to feed Washington families despite major COVID-19 outbreaks in the workplace. It's inexcusable that both Safeway and Fred Meyer, companies that have seen soaring profits over the last year, are unwilling to recognize the indispensable contributions these essential workers have made for all of us."

On Friday, Searcy said, "We are happy to see that Safeway put forth a fair contract proposal that our members will be voting on this weekend. Unfortunately, Fred Meyer has yet to demonstrate the same recognition of the indispensable contributions these essential workers have made for all of us."

Safeway owner Albertsons (NYSE: ACI) achieved record results for the fiscal year ended Feb. 27, with net sales up 11.6% to $69.7 billion year-over-year and gross profit rising 16% to $20.4 billion. Kroger has raised its guidance for earnings to be about 10% higher than in 2019 for the full year.

"As with all our collectively bargained agreements, we are committed to reaching a fair agreement that properly rewards our outstanding employees," Albertsons spokesperson Kirby Nardo said in an email. Kroger did not respond to inquiries about the contract.

Safety issues were a big priority for the workers, especially for Fred Meyer because it suspended regular safety meetings at the start of the pandemic, Zilly said.

The union proposal to both companies would allow members, if they deem something as unreasonably safe, to refuse a work assignment without the risk of discipline until the matter has been evaluated by management, he said. Safety concerns could apply to work procedures, equipment, COVID protocols or even to whether truck trailers are properly loaded, which could affect public safety.

Click here to read more FreightWaves/American Shipper stories by Eric Kulisch.

Image by jaymethunt from Pixabay

See more from Benzinga

Every investor in Hallador Energy Company (NASDAQ:HNRG) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. Institutions will often hold stock in bigger companies, and we expect to see insiders owning a noticeable percentage of the smaller ones. I quite like to see at least a little bit of insider ownership. As Charlie Munger said 'Show me the incentive and I will show you the outcome.

Hallador Energy is not a large company by global standards. It has a market capitalization of US$101m, which means it wouldn't have the attention of many institutional investors. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it seems that institutions are noticeable on the share registry. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about Hallador Energy.

View our latest analysis for Hallador Energy

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Hallador Energy?

Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices.

As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Hallador Energy. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at Hallador Energy's earnings history below. Of course, the future is what really matters.

Hallador Energy is not owned by hedge funds. Our data shows that Lubar & Co., Inc. is the largest shareholder with 9.1% of shares outstanding. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 5.5% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 5.2% by the third-largest shareholder. Steven Hardie, who is the third-largest shareholder, also happens to hold the title of Member of the Board of Directors. In addition, we found that Brent Bilsland, the CEO has 4.2% of the shares allocated to their name.

On studying our ownership data, we found that 25 of the top shareholders collectively own less than 50% of the share register, implying that no single individual has a majority interest.

Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. There is some analyst coverage of the stock, but it could still become more well known, with time.

Insider Ownership Of Hallador Energy

While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves.

Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group.

Our most recent data indicates that insiders own a reasonable proportion of Hallador Energy Company. It has a market capitalization of just US$101m, and insiders have US$13m worth of shares in their own names. It is great to see insiders so invested in the business. It might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying recently.

General Public Ownership

The general public — including retail investors — own 52% of Hallador Energy. This level of ownership gives investors from the wider public some power to sway key policy decisions such as board composition, executive compensation, and the dividend payout ratio.

Private Equity Ownership

Private equity firms hold a 9.1% stake in Hallador Energy. This suggests they can be influential in key policy decisions. Some investors might be encouraged by this, since private equity are sometimes able to encourage strategies that help the market see the value in the company. Alternatively, those holders might be exiting the investment after taking it public.

Next Steps:

It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Hallador Energy better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with Hallador Energy (at least 1 which is significant) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

BOISE, Idaho, July 15, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) will release financial results for the first quarter of fiscal 2021, which ended June 19, 2021, before the market opens on Thursday July 29, 2021. ACI will host a conference call that day at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time, which will include a brief discussion of the results followed by a question and answer session. The conference call will be available at the following address by accessing the "Events & Presentations" link included therein:

http://albertsonscompanies.com/investors

A replay of the conference call will be available for at least two weeks following completion of the call.

About Albertsons Companies

Albertsons Companies is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States, with both a strong local presence and national scale. Albertsons Companies operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia with more than 20 well-known banners including Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Carrs, Jewel-Osco, Acme, Shaw's, Star Market, United Supermarkets, Market Street, Haggen, Kings Food Markets and Balducci’s Food Lovers Market.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210715005090/en/

Contacts

Melissa Plaisance
melissa.plaisance@albertsons.com | 925-226-5115

SAO PAULO, July 15 (Reuters) – Creditors in bankrupt miner Samarco Mineracao SA, a joint venture between Vale SA and BHP Group PLC, made on Thursday an objection to the company's restructuring plan, according to a court document.

Creditors said the plan's main goal is to protect Samarco's giant shareholders, Vale and BHP, and reduce future payments to creditors.

They also rejected Samarco's offer to apply an 85% haircut to all creditors, including shareholders Vale and BHP, which extended 24 billion reais in loans to the company. Payments would occur in 2041.

They also refused Samarco's offer to swap their debt into shares in the company.

"It is unacceptable that a restructuring plan of a company controlled by the world's biggest miners outline a outright (and illegal) debt forgiveness to create value for its multimillionaire shareholders, which are also responsible for Brazil's biggest environmental disaster," creditors said in the court document.

The collapse of a dam at the Samarco mine complex in 2015 killed 19 people, severely polluted the Doce River with mining waste and led the company to financial trouble.

Creditors have proposed Samarco, Vale and BHP pay in three equal parts for all damages caused by the rupture of the dam, creditors lawyers Paulo Padis and Marcos Pitanga said in an interview. That contrasts with Samarco's restructuring plan, which proposes the company pay for damages entirely.

(Reporting by Carolina Mandl; Editing by Sam Holmes)

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, July 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Lupaka Gold Corp. ("Lupaka Gold" or the “Company") (TSX-V: LPK, FRA: LQP) announces that the Company has closed the non-brokered private placement previously announced on June 23, 2021 (the “Placement”).

The Company issued 4,000,000 units at a price of $0.05 per unit for gross proceeds of $200,000. Each unit consists of one common share of the Company (“Share”) and one transferable common share purchase warrant (“Warrant Share”) entitling the holder to purchase an additional common share of the Company at a price of $0.10 for a period of three years from the closing (the “Placement”). All Shares issued and Warrants Shares (if exercised prior to November 15, 2021) are subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day from the closing date of the Placement in accordance with applicable securities laws. Closing of the Placement is subject to final acceptance by the TSX Venture Exchange.

In connection with the subscriptions received the Company expects to pay finders’ fees in the amount of $10,000 in cash. No insiders participated in this Placement.

The proceeds of the Placement will be used to pay ongoing operating costs as the Company continues to pursue its litigation against the Republic of Peru and to support review of potential new properties.

This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The Securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless an exemption from such registration is available.

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service Provider (as the term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy of this news release.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Gordon Ellis, C.E.O.
gellis@lupakagold.com
Tel: (604) 985-3147

or visit the Company’s profile at www.sedar.com or its website at www.lupakagold.com

(Bloomberg) — South African stocks rose, led by companies that derive much of their income abroad and benefit from weakness in the local currency, as authorities grappled with a wave of unrest in two key provinces that has left more than 70 people dead.

The FTSE/JSE Africa All Share Index was 1.1% higher as of 10:09 a.m. in Johannesburg, with rand-hedge giants BHP Group Plc, Richemont, Anglo American Plc and Naspers Ltd. prominent in the advance after the currency slipped to its lowest level against the dollar since April.

South Africans are expected to face major food shortages, as rioters upend supply chains by looting supermarkets and torching goods trucks.

Food Shortage Set to Grip South Africa After Rioters Rampage

South Africa’s Biggest Refinery Shuts Down Due to Unrest

Negative foreign sentiment toward South African stocks was evident in the large outflows recorded Tuesday, with non-residents selling 4 billion rand ($271 million) of local equities, the most since November last year.

Globally, investors are evaluating a surprise U.S. inflation jump that stirred the debate on how long Federal Reserve policy can stay ultra-loose. The June U.S. inflation print topped all forecasts and pointed to higher costs associated with the reopening from the pandemic.

In Johannesburg Wednesday, an index of industrial miners surged 1.7% to provide the biggest boost to the overall market.

BHP +1.1% after RBC Capital Markets said the company has the potential to pay out 100% of 2021 earnings in dividends and still come in below its net debt target amid surging iron ore prices.NOTE: BHP Could Pay Out 100% of Earnings on Iron Ore Surge, RBC SaysAnglo American +1.2%, Glencore Plc +1.6%, Kumba Iron Ore Ltd. +0.7%, African Rainbow Minerals Ltd. +0.5%

Luxury goods retailer and popular rand-hedge Richemont advanced 1.2% to a record.

Global tech investor Naspers advanced 1.7% to contribute the most to the rising benchmark.

An index of banks steadied after plunging the most since December on Tuesday. The gauge was 0.7% higher, with Standard Bank Group Ltd. up 1.1%.

NOTE: Rand Hovers Near Weakest Level Since April: Inside South Africa

Real Estate Investment Trusts dropped to the lowest in two weeks, as investors avoided some sectors exposed to the unrest.

GrowthPoint Properties Ltd. -1.1%, Redefine Properties Ltd. -1.2%, Vukile Property Fund Ltd. -2.5%, Attacq Ltd. -3.7%, EPP NV -1.7%, Irongate Group -1.2%, Hyprop Investments Ltd. -0.8%, Hammerson Plc -1.3%, Resilient Reit Ltd 1.1%

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Investors with an interest in Mining – Miscellaneous stocks have likely encountered both Billiton (BBL) and Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (WPM). But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.

There are plenty of strategies for discovering value stocks, but we have found that pairing a strong Zacks Rank with an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system produces the best returns. The Zacks Rank is a proven strategy that targets companies with positive earnings estimate revision trends, while our Style Scores work to grade companies based on specific traits.

Currently, Billiton has a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that BBL has an improving earnings outlook. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

Value investors also try to analyze a wide range of traditional figures and metrics to help determine whether a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.

The Value category of the Style Scores system identifies undervalued companies by looking at a number of key metrics. These include the long-favored P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that help us determine a company's fair value.

BBL currently has a forward P/E ratio of 5.96, while WPM has a forward P/E of 29.82. We also note that BBL has a PEG ratio of 1.44. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. WPM currently has a PEG ratio of 5.96.

Another notable valuation metric for BBL is its P/B ratio of 1.23. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, WPM has a P/B of 3.46.

Based on these metrics and many more, BBL holds a Value grade of A, while WPM has a Value grade of D.

BBL has seen stronger estimate revision activity and sports more attractive valuation metrics than WPM, so it seems like value investors will conclude that BBL is the superior option right now.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

BHP Billiton PLC (BBL) : Free Stock Analysis Report

Wheaton Precious Metals Corp. (WPM) : Free Stock Analysis Report

To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

TORONTO, July 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Sparton Resources Inc. (TSXV: SRI) ("Sparton" or the "Company") reported today that VRB Energy Inc. (“VRB Energy”) recently announced that it has been selected by the China State Power Corporation to install a 500KWh vanadium flow battery at the National Photovoltaic and Energy Demonstration Experimental Center (“the Center”) in Daqing, north-eastern China.

The Center has agreed to purchase a 125KW/500KWh all vanadium redox flow battery energy storage system from VRB Energy. The unit will be installed at the Center and used as an evaluation and demonstration unit to assist in developing the Peoples Republic of China’s (“PRC”) industrial energy storage policies and technical standards as part of the nation’s commitment to carbon neutrality.

The Center is PRC’s first integrated photovoltaic and energy storage evaluation site approved by the National Energy Administration. Its mandate is to produce systematic scientific research data on the practical operation of integrated photovoltaic energy generation and energy storage technology. The operating performance of the system will be fully evaluated and assist in setting technical standards and industry policies for future installations in the PRC.

The Center and the battery system are scheduled to be completed and fully functional by September 26^th, 2021. Once operational, the Center will evaluate performance and promote technological innovation, and the application of scientific protocols within the entire energy storage industry chain. This work will include evaluation of the integration of photovoltaic/vanadium battery storage systems into diversified industries according to their power needs and provide guidance for new and larger scale photovoltaic and energy storage projects. Locally it will promote urban transformation and development, and the revitalization of the Daqing Area and all of north-eastern China.

VRB Energy has been selected for the project amongst several competitors and is being recognized as the supplier of choice in China for this evaluation of vanadium redox battery energy storage systems. It has advanced technology and the ability to deliver reliable, efficient, and safe installations.

“Sparton is delighted with this news,” stated Lee Barker, Sparton CEO. “This is a clear recognition that VRB Energy is the leading vanadium flow battery manufacturer in China and bodes well for new future sales. The new Gen3 system nearing completion in development will be another milestone in VRB Energy’s technical development journey.”

The Company owns a minority interest in VRB Energy through its subsidiary, VanSpar Mining Inc.

Information regarding the Company’s interest held in VRB Energy is as Follows:

Sparton’s 89.8% owned subsidiary, VanSpar Mining Inc., registered in the British Virgin Islands, owns 9.8% of VRB Energy which is registered in the Cayman Islands, which in turn owns 100% of VRB Energy Systems, registered in China, and is the vanadium flow battery manufacturer. Full information regarding the history of the VRB Energy investment interest held by Sparton is in its various news releases and available at www.sedar.com in its corporate filings.

For more information contact:

A. Lee Barker, M.A Sc., P. Eng.
President and CEO
Tel./Fax: 647-344-7734 or Mobile: 416-716-5762
Email: info@spartonres.ca Website: www.spartonres.ca

Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward Looking Statements

Information set forth in this news release involves forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. The forward-looking statements contained herein include, but are not limited to, financings and transactions being pursued, and all such forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as expressly required by applicable securities legislation. Although the Company believes that the expectations represented in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct and, accordingly, undue reliance should not be put on such forward-looking statements. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities described herein.

We Seek Safe Harbor

Grocery stores used to employ their own delivery drivers, paying unionized workers dependable wages; with DoorDash and Instacart signing deals with chains, those drivers see the end in sight.

Momentum investing is all about the idea of following a stock's recent trend, which can be in either direction. In the 'long' context, investors will essentially be "buying high, but hoping to sell even higher." And for investors following this methodology, taking advantage of trends in a stock's price is key; once a stock establishes a course, it is more than likely to continue moving in that direction. The goal is that once a stock heads down a fixed path, it will lead to timely and profitable trades.

Even though momentum is a popular stock characteristic, it can be tough to define. Debate surrounding which are the best and worst metrics to focus on is lengthy, but the Zacks Momentum Style Score, part of the Zacks Style Scores, helps address this issue for us.

Below, we take a look at Peabody Energy (BTU), a company that currently holds a Momentum Style Score of B. We also talk about price change and earnings estimate revisions, two of the main aspects of the Momentum Style Score.

It's also important to note that Style Scores work as a complement to the Zacks Rank, our stock rating system that has an impressive track record of outperformance. Peabody Energy currently has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). Our research shows that stocks rated Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and #2 (Buy) and Style Scores of A or B outperform the market over the following one-month period.

You can see the current list of Zacks #1 Rank Stocks here >>>

Set to Beat the Market?

In order to see if BTU is a promising momentum pick, let's examine some Momentum Style elements to see if this coal mining company holds up.

A good momentum benchmark for a stock is to look at its short-term price activity, as this can reflect both current interest and if buyers or sellers currently have the upper hand. It's also helpful to compare a security to its industry; this can show investors the best companies in a particular area.

For BTU, shares are up 29.07% over the past week while the Zacks Coal industry is up 1.1% over the same time period. Shares are looking quite well from a longer time frame too, as the monthly price change of 20.48% compares favorably with the industry's 0.42% performance as well.

Considering longer term price metrics, like performance over the last three months or year, can be advantageous as well. Over the past quarter, shares of Peabody Energy have risen 172.8%, and are up 278.78% in the last year. In comparison, the S&P 500 has only moved 6.56% and 39.44%, respectively.

Investors should also pay attention to BTU's average 20-day trading volume. Volume is a useful item in many ways, and the 20-day average establishes a good price-to-volume baseline; a rising stock with above average volume is generally a bullish sign, whereas a declining stock on above average volume is typically bearish. BTU is currently averaging 9,392,166 shares for the last 20 days.

Earnings Outlook

The Zacks Momentum Style Score also takes into account trends in estimate revisions, in addition to price changes. Please note that estimate revision trends remain at the core of Zacks Rank as well. A nice path here can help show promise, and we have recently been seeing that with BTU.

Over the past two months, 1 earnings estimate moved higher compared to none lower for the full year. These revisions helped boost BTU's consensus estimate, increasing from -$1.91 to -$0.69 in the past 60 days. Looking at the next fiscal year, 1 estimate has moved upwards while there have been no downward revisions in the same time period.

Bottom Line

Given these factors, it shouldn't be surprising that BTU is a #2 (Buy) stock and boasts a Momentum Score of B. If you're looking for a fresh pick that's set to soar in the near-term, make sure to keep Peabody Energy on your short list.

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Peabody Energy Corporation (BTU) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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The latest sizzling Consumer Price Index (CPI) may not tell the whole story on the inflationary outlook as a rebounding U.S. economy rounds the corner into the second half of the year, but big food makers like PepsiCo do.

Headline consumer prices rose 0.9% in June compared to May, accelerating from May's 0.6% monthly increase. CPI increased 5.4% from a year ago — marking the biggest rise since 2008. Gains were seen in everything from used cars to women's dresses to food. The core consumer price index for June, which excludes food and energy prices, rose 4.5% over last year. This marked the fastest rise since 1991.

"Price increases stemming from the reopening of the economy and ongoing supply chain bottlenecks will keep the rate of inflation elevated and sticky as supply/demand imbalances are only gradually resolved," said Greg Daco, Oxford Economics' chief U.S. economist.

But for a truer picture on what may be ahead on the inflationary front, investors would be wise to check out the latest from the country's biggest food makers, as opposed to just relying on the CPI.

Most food producers are dealing with significant inflation in labor and transportation, and are eyeing new rounds of price increases into year-end in a bid to protect profits. Generally, these price increases are far in advance of the headline readings for the CPI and many of its components.

Here are three of the latest examples.

PepsiCo

After an impressive second quarter on the back of resurgent demand for beverages and snacks outside of one's home, PepsiCo (PEP) is looking at more price increases to help offset high levels of inflation borne from the pandemic recovery.

"The way we think about pricing is really a reflection of the investments we make in our brands and the innovation that we have because those are the things consumers are willing to pay more for. We think of it as connected to delivering value to consumers. Obviously with cost pressures it puts that much more pressure on pricing," PepsiCo Vice Chairman and CFO Hugh Johnston told Yahoo Finance Live on Tuesday.

PepsiCo clobbered analyst forecasts for the second quarter and raised its full-year profit outlook, so it does appear consumers have accepted the company's price increases. How they will respond to more price increases later this year is anyone's guess.

Conagra Brands

The king of frozen food is teeing up more price increases of its own after inflation hammered profits in the most recent quarter. Adjusted operating profit margins for the quarter fell 311 basis points from a year ago in large part because of inflationary pressures, Conagra Brands (CAG) said Tuesday. Operating profits fell in all business segments vs. a year ago, save for food service.

"As the fourth quarter unfolded, input cost inflation accelerated and we now expect fiscal 2022 input cost inflation to be materially higher than we anticipated at the end of fiscal Q3. In response, we have further enhanced the aggressive and comprehensive action plan already being executed, which includes broad-based pricing. While we are pleased with the initial results, there will be a lag between the time we are hit with higher costs and when we realize the benefits of our actions," said Conagra Brands CEO Sean Connolly.

A selection of products made by ConAgra Foods is on display at ConAgra world headquarters in Omaha, Neb., Tuesday, June 30, 2015. ConAgra Foods Inc. plans to sell its faltering business that makes store-brand packaged food just two years after spending $5 billion to beef it up by buying the private-label food maker Ralcorp. (AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

Despite the price increases, Conagra was still forced to slash its full-year profit outlook.

For its current fiscal year, Conagra now sees adjusted earnings per share of $2.50. Previously, it forecast full-year earnings of $2.63 to $2.73.

General Mills

The cereal and snack maker has been hesitant to say how much it has raised prices, and by how much it will move forward. But it's being hit by inflation like its food peers, and is prepared to act further.

"So we're very well aligned with our customers, not only on the demand environment, but also the cost environment," General Mills (GIS) CEO Jeff Harmening told investors on an earnings call in late June. "They see the same cost pressures we do. And we've instituted pricing in the vast majority of our categories and markets throughout the world. And while no one wants to increase prices, we've had to do that because the cost environment is what it is. And we have found them to be understanding because they're in the same kind of boat that we are."

General Mills' fiscal fourth quarter adjusted operating profits fell 18% year-over-year, quicker than the 10% drop in sales as inflation reared its ugly head. Even with its price increases, General Mills sees full fiscal-year adjusted earnings staying unchanged to falling 2% year-over-year.

Brian Sozzi is an editor-at-large and anchor at Yahoo Finance. Follow Sozzi on Twitter @BrianSozzi and on LinkedIn.

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BOISE, Idaho, July 13, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) (the "Company") today announced its Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend for the second quarter of 2021 of $0.10 per share of Class A common stock and Class A-1 common stock. The cash dividend is consistent with the Company’s dividend policy established in connection with its initial public offering. The cash dividend is payable on August 10, 2021 to stockholders of record as of the close of business on July 26, 2021.

The Company’s comprehensive capital allocation strategy leverages the Company’s strong and consistent levels of free cash flow to drive profitable growth, maintain a strong balance sheet and create value for stockholders, including through the payment of dividends.

About Albertsons Companies

Important Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements regarding the Company’s expectations, perspectives and projected financial performance, are forward looking statements. The words "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend," "plan" and similar expressions, when related to the Company and its subsidiaries, indicate forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are based on the Company’s current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties. The Company cautions that actual results could differ materially from the expectations described in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements include those related to the COVID-19 pandemic, about which there are still many unknowns, including the duration of the pandemic and the extent of its impact. The Company also cautions that undue reliance should not be placed on any of the forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no responsibility to update any of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this report or to reflect actual outcomes. Information about certain potential factors that could affect our business and financial results and cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements are included under the captions "Risk Factors" and "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended February 27, 2021, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), and may be contained in reports subsequently filed with the SEC and available at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210713005311/en/

Contacts

Melissa Plaisance
melissa.plaisance@albertsons.com |925-226-5115

NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES

TORONTO, July 13, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Melior Resources Inc. (TSXV: “MLR”) (“Melior” or the “Company”) provides the following update on the reverse take-over transaction (the “Transaction”) with Ranchero Gold Corp. (“Ranchero”) pursuant to which Melior will acquire all of the issued and outstanding securities of Ranchero by way of a three-cornered amalgamation in accordance with the terms and conditions of the amalgamation agreement dated February 17, 2021, as amended, between Melior, Ranchero and 1274169 B.C. Ltd. (“Melior Newco”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Melior, as more particularly described in the Company’s news releases dated November 2, 2020 and February 18, 2021.

Pursuant to the Transaction, Ranchero will amalgamate with Melior Newco, and Melior will acquire all of the outstanding common shares of Ranchero (the “Ranchero Shares”) from the Ranchero shareholders in exchange for post-consolidation common shares of Melior (the “Resulting Issuer Shares”) on the basis of one Resulting Issuer Share for one Ranchero Share. An aggregate of approximately 47,444,998 Resulting Issuer Shares will be issued to Ranchero shareholders, excluding the Resulting Issuer Shares to be issued pursuant to the Concurrent Financing (as defined below). Following the Transaction, Melior (the “Resulting Issuer”) will continue the business of Ranchero. The completion of the Transaction is subject to a number of conditions precedent, as described in the news releases of the Company dated November 2, 2020 and February 18, 2021. Prior to the completion of the Transaction, Melior intends to consolidate its common shares (the “Consolidation”) on the basis of 32.6764 pre-consolidation common shares for one post-consolidation common share of Melior.

The completion of the Transaction remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the “TSXV”).

At least seven business days prior to the closing of the Transaction, the Company will file a filing statement providing comprehensive disclosure regarding the Transaction, as well as the business and assets of Ranchero.

Concurrent Financing

Ranchero intends to close a brokered and non-brokered private placement (the “Concurrent Financing”) of up to 9,090,909 subscription receipts of Ranchero (each, a “Subscription Receipt”) at a purchase price of $0.55 per Subscription Receipt for aggregate gross proceeds of up to $5,000,000, subject to an over-allotment option exercisable by Haywood Securities Inc. (the “Agent”) for an additional $1,000,000 of Subscription Receipts on or about Wednesday, July 14, 2021. More details regarding the Concurrent Financing can be found in the news release of the Company dated November 2, 2020.

Each Subscription Receipt entitles the holder thereof to automatically receive, upon satisfaction of certain escrow release conditions, one Ranchero Share, which shall immediately be exchanged for one Resulting Issuer Share upon completion of the Transaction. The Resulting Issuer intends to use the proceeds of the Concurrent Financing for exploration and development of its properties in Mexico and for working capital and general corporate purposes.

Ranchero has engaged the Agent as the agent and bookrunner to locate purchasers in the Concurrent Financing on a best-efforts agency basis. In consideration for the services performed by the Agent, Ranchero has agreed to pay the Agent: (i) a cash fee equal to 6% of the gross proceeds of the Concurrent Financing excluding the sale of Subscription Receipts to purchasers identified by Ranchero; (ii) issue broker warrants (each, a “Broker’s Warrant”), equal to 6% of the aggregate number of Subscription Receipts sold pursuant to the Concurrent Financing excluding the sale of Subscription Receipts to purchasers identified by Ranchero; and (iii) issue 741,611 Subscription Receipts to the Agent. Ranchero also engaged certain finders to locate purchasers to participate in the Concurrent Financing and in consideration for their services agreed to pay a cash fee and issue finder warrants (each, a “Finder’s Warrant”). Each Broker Warrants and Finder’s Warrant will be exchanged for one warrant of the Resulting Issuer on completion of the Transaction, which will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one Resulting Issuer Share at an exercise price of $0.55 per Resulting Issuer Share for a period of 24 months from the closing of the Transaction.

The gross proceeds of the Concurrent Financing less certain deductions and 50% of the cash fee payable to the Agent, applicable taxes and expenses of the Agent incurred in connection with the Concurrent Financing will be held in escrow by TSX Trust Company, the subscription receipt agent, in accordance with the terms of a subscription receipt agreement to be entered into between TSX Trust Company, Ranchero and the Agent, and the remaining portion of the cash fee payable to the Agent and the balance of the gross proceeds will be released to the Agent and Ranchero, respectively, upon the satisfaction of certain escrow release conditions.

In accordance with the policies of the TSXV, the Company also provides the following information regarding the Transaction:

Financial Information Regarding Ranchero

As at December 31, 2020, the most recently completed annual financial period of Ranchero, Ranchero had assets of US$1,289,316 and total liabilities of US$869,144, and during the financial year ended December 31, 2020, Ranchero had a comprehensive loss of US$366,144. The foregoing financial information is derived from the audited consolidated financial statements of Ranchero for the financial years ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

As at March 31, 2021, Ranchero had assets of US$2,720,308 and total liabilities of US$971,442, and during the financial quarter ended March 31, 2021, Ranchero had a comprehensive loss of US$143,094. The foregoing financial information is derived from the condensed consolidated interim financial statements of Ranchero for the quarters ended March 31, 2021 and 2020.

Principals of the Resulting Issuer

Following the initial announcement of the Transaction on November 2, 2020, there have been certain changes to the planned board of directors and management of the Resulting Issuer. Martyn Buttenshaw, a current director and CEO of Melior, will continue to serve as a director of the Resulting Issuer, and Travis Miller will not be appointed as a new director of the Resulting Issuer. In addition, Ranbir Sall will replace David Miles as the Chief Financial Officer of the Resulting Issuer. The backgrounds of the Principals (as defined in TSXV policies) of the Resulting Issuer are as follows:

William Pincus – President, Chief Executive Officer, and Director

Mr. Pincus was Founder and President of Esperanza Resources that discovered the Cerro Jumil (Mx) and San Luis (Peru) gold deposits. He has worked extensively in Mexico and elsewhere in South America. He is a graduate of the Colorado School of Mines with M.Sc. degrees in Geology and Mineral Economics. He is also a fellow of The Society of Economic Geologists and is a Certified Professional Geologist by the A.I.P.G. Mr. Pincus is a “Qualified Person” as defined in NI 43-101. He is also fluent in Spanish. Mr. Pincus is resident in Colorado.

Ranbir Sall – Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary

Ms. Sall is a chartered professional accountant with experience working with manufacturing and mineral exploration companies. Ms. Sall previously served as the CFO of Naturally Splendid Enterprises Ltd. from July 2019 to December 2019 and as a senior accountant with Seabord Services Corp. from July 2007 to January 2018. Ms. Sall is resident in British Columbia.

Martyn Buttenshaw – Director

Mr. Buttenshaw is a senior mining executive and experienced non-executive director with over 20 years of mining experience, and is currently Chairman & CEO of Melior. Most recently, he was an Operating Partner at Antarctica Capital where he was responsible for managing investments in the metals and minerals sector, with a particular focus upon the raw materials supply chain for the non-fossil fuel energy sector. Previously, Mr. Buttenshaw was a Managing Director with Pala Investments Limited (“Pala”). Additionally, Mr. Buttenshaw has held senior roles with Anglo American in business development and as a senior mining engineer with Rio Tinto. Mr. Buttenshaw is a chartered mining engineer and holds an MBA with distinction from the London Business School and a MEng (First Class) in Mining Engineering from the Royal School of Mines, Imperial College, London. Mr. Buttenshaw is resident in Switzerland.

Gustavo Mazón – Director and Control Person

Mr. Mazón is the CEO of the Mazón family group of companies. He is an experienced executive and successful entrepreneur with a strong focus in growth. He is an expert in good management practices and control implementation. He has had exposure in a wide variety of industries and engaged in large-scale infrastructure projects. He is a director of Tonogold Resources. Mr. Mazón holds a Bachelor of Business and Finance from the ITESM in Monterrey, Mexico. Mr. Mazón is resident in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. Mr. Mazon will have control or direction over an aggregate of 42,300,000 Resulting Issuer shares held by certain corporations, and a result will be a Control Person (as defined in TSXV policies) of the Resulting Issuer.

Steven Ristorcelli – Director

Mr. Ristorcelli has over 40 years of experience in minerals exploration and development. For the last 29 years, he has been a principal of Mine Development Associates. His primary focus has been in deposit modeling, identifying and correcting sampling problems, conducting geologic evaluations, and directing exploration programs. He is a “Qualified Person” as defined in NI 43-101. He has worked with a wide variety of commodities including but not limited to gold, silver, copper, base metals and cobalt. Mr. Ristorcelli is resident in Nevada.

Pala Investment Limited – Insider

Pala will hold an aggregate of 8,172,949 Resulting Issuer Shares, and a result will be an Insider (as defined in TSXV policies) of the Resulting Issuer. Pala is a metals and minerals focused investment company, responsible for deal origination, mergers and acquisition, strategy development, and project financing across a range of commodities and metals and mining related industry sectors. Pala is based in Zug, Switzerland.

Shareholder Approval

Melior intends to obtain the shareholder approval of the Transaction, of shareholders holding over 50% of the outstanding common shares of Melior, by way of written consent.

Sponsorship

Pursuant to Policy 2.2 of the TSXV, sponsorship is required in a Reverse Takeover (as defined in the policies of the TSXV). The Resulting Issuer intends, subject to the approval of the TSXV, to rely on an exemption of the sponsorship requirements provided in section 3.4(a)(i) of TSXV Policy 2.2. Management of the Resulting Issuer meets the standards contemplated in in section 3.4(a) of TSXV Policy 2.2. In addition, the Resulting Issuer will be a mining company that satisfies the Tier 2 initial listing requirements as provided in TSXV Policy 2.1 and the Santa Daniela property of the Resulting Issuer has a current geological report.

On behalf of the board of directors of the Company:

Martyn Buttenshaw
Interim Chief Executive Officer

For further information, please contact:

Martyn Buttenshaw
Interim Chief Executive Officer
+41 41 560 9070
info@meliorresources.com

The TSXV has in no way passed upon the merits of the Transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward Looking Statements

Forward-looking statements are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties which could cause actual events or results to materially differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: risks related to regulatory approval, including the approval of the TSXV, liabilities inherent in mine development and production; geological risks, risks associated with the effects of the COVID-19 virus, the financial markets generally, the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions precedent to the Transaction, the ability of Ranchero to complete the Concurrent Financing, and the ability of the Company to complete the Transaction and obtain requisite TSXV acceptance and shareholder approvals. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statement will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipate in such statements. The Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements if circumstances or management’s estimates or opinions should change except as required by applicable securities laws. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements.

Calling all taco connoisseurs —McCormick & Company (MKC) is hiring a "director of taco relations" for a short-term stint, and it comes with a pretty hefty paycheck.

On this taco Tuesday, the food company known for its spices officially announced the new, four-month contract position, which pays $100,000 (or $25,000 per month). Applicants must be 21 years of age, a U.S. resident, be available to sign a contract by the end of August and work up to 20 hours a week from September 2021 to December 2021.

The incumbent should have a pretty hearty appetite as well, addressing hard-hitting questions like "Which are better, soft or hard shell tacos?” according to the release.

Daily responsibilities include keeping up to date on taco trends, "trolling TikTok", developing content for a "Taco Tuesday" social media series and lots of taste tests to encourage taco lovers alike to crave the latest creations.

The job advertisement — coming in the midst of a widely chronicled staffing shortage that's squeezing the restaurant industry — appears to be a shameless plug for taco seasoning, one of McCormick's hottest products. In the past year the company says the item flew off of grocery shelves at a rate of more than 200 packets per a minute.

“While taco trends continue to change and evolve, our seasoning has remained the first choice for countless families across the country," Jill Pratt, McCormick's Chief Marketing Officer, said in the release.

The taco czar "will ultimately honor and support the millions of Americans that rely on our taco seasoning everyday while keeping McCormick at the forefront of the tacos of tomorrow," Pratt added.

The role will require the ability to work remotely and attend virtual meetings, while 10% of the role will require the newly-named director to travel across the nation to visit "famous taco restaurants and chefs," and McCormick's headquarters in Maryland.

In order to apply, taco lovers must submit a two minute or less video highlighting their favorite recipes, taco tips and tricks, favorite taco themed-trivia and fun facts, taco experiences, go-to topping. In short, McCormick wants applicants to describe why the role is "your dream gig."

Applications close next Tuesday, July 20 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

Brooke DiPalma is a producer and reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter at @BrookeDiPalma or email her at bdipalma@yahoofinance.com. Check out her latest:

As of late, it has definitely been a great time to be an investor in Peabody Energy Corporation BTU. The stock has moved higher by 19.5% in the past month, while it is also above its 20-day SMA too. This combination of strong price performance and favorable technical could suggest that the stock may be on the right path.

We certainly think that this might be the case, particularly if you consider BTU’s recent earnings estimate revision activity. From this look, the company’s future is quite favorable; as BTU has earned itself a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), meaning that its recent run may continue for a bit longer, and that this isn’t the top for the in-focus company. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

TULSA, Okla., July 12, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: ARLP) will report its second quarter 2021 financial results before the market opens on Monday, July 26, 2021. Alliance management will discuss these results during a conference call beginning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern that same day.

To participate in the conference call, dial (877) 407-0784 and request to be connected to the Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. earnings conference call. International callers should dial (201) 689-8560 and request to be connected to the same call. Investors may also listen to the call via the "investor information" section of ARLP’s website at http://www.arlp.com.

An audio replay of the conference call will be available for approximately one week. To access the audio replay, dial U.S. Toll Free (844) 512-2921; International Toll (412) 317-6671 and request to be connected to replay using access code 13721535.

About Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.

ARLP is a diversified natural resource company that generates operating and royalty income from coal produced by its mining complexes and royalty income from mineral interests it owns in strategic oil & gas producing regions in the United States, primarily the Permian, Anadarko and Williston basin.

ARLP currently produces coal from seven mining complexes it operates in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland and West Virginia. ARLP also operates a coal loading terminal on the Ohio River at Mount Vernon, Indiana. ARLP markets its coal production to major domestic and international utilities and industrial users and is currently the second largest coal producer in the eastern United States.

In addition, ARLP also generates income from a variety of other sources.

News, unit prices and additional information about ARLP, including filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), are available at http://www.arlp.com. For more information, contact the investor relations department of ARLP at (918) 295-7674 or via e-mail at investorrelations@arlp.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210712005682/en/

Contacts

Brian L. Cantrell
Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.
(918) 295-7673

In this article, we discuss the 10 best oil stocks to buy amid post-COVID demand boom and price volatility. If you want to skip our detailed analysis of these stocks, go directly to the 5 Best Oil Stocks to Buy Amid Post-COVID Demand Boom and Price Volatility.

Oil companies, perhaps one of the biggest losers of the coronavirus lockdowns and the dramatic decrease in domestic and international travel last year, are on the rebound trail as the post-COVID economy takes off, resulting in increased demand for oil in the wake of cars returning to roads and airports around the world reopening for business. According to a study published by the World Bank, crude oil prices are expected to average $56/bbl in 2021 and $60/bbl in 2022, driven by production constraints put in place by oil producing nations.

Some of the companies that can expect to take advantage of the increase in oil prices over the next few months include Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM), Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX), and Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET-PD), among others. Oil giants like Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM) are in the process of transitioning away from fossil fuels, the firm has adopted economic, social, and governance (ESG) policies in house to signal intent in this regard, but still depend in large part on oil and other fossil fuels for revenue generation.

However, some have warned of drastic consequences if energy firms are forced to transition away from oil in a hasty manner. In early June, Igor Sechin, the chief of Russian oil firm Rosneft, warned of a severe oil shortage if consumption continued and investments into the industry were discouraged. He made the comments while speaking to an energy panel at the International Economic Forum. As oil prices reach their highest levels in six years, largely as a result of delays in production increases by oil producing nations, investors should take note.

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which includes some of the top oil producing nations in the world, and OPEC+, which has an additional ten members, including Russia and Kazakhstan, have recently postponed talks regarding a disagreement over production curbs. However, analysts expect a major policy decision in this regard soon. Stephen Schork, an advisor at The Schork Group, an energy analysis firm, told news platform CNBC earlier this week that it was highly likely that the production issue was going to resolve itself.

It remains to be seen how OPEC nations resolve their differences and bring much-needed stability to the prices of oil. As new oil projects face the wrath of environmentalists, it might not be too long before OPEC countries are forced to cooperate for their own survival. The entire hedge fund industry is feeling the reverberations of the changing financial landscape. Its reputation has been tarnished in the last decade, during which its hedged returns couldn’t keep up with the unhedged returns of the market indices. On the other hand, Insider Monkey’s research was able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that outperformed the S&P 500 ETFs by more than 124 percentage points since March 2017. Between March 2017 and February 26th 2021 our monthly newsletter’s stock picks returned 197.2%, vs. 72.4% for the SPY. Our stock picks outperformed the market by more than 124 percentage points (see the details here). We were also able to identify in advance a select group of hedge fund holdings that significantly underperformed the market. We have been tracking and sharing the list of these stocks since February 2017 and they lost 13% through November 16th. That’s why we believe hedge fund sentiment is an extremely useful indicator that investors should pay attention to. You can subscribe to our free newsletter on our homepage to receive our stories in your inbox.

10 Best Oil Stocks to Buy Amid Post-COVID Demand Boom and Price Volatility

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With this context in mind, here is our list of the 10 best oil stocks to buy amid post-COVID demand boom and price volatility. These were ranked keeping in mind hedge fund sentiment, business fundamentals, and the analyst ratings for each firm.

Best Oil Stocks to Buy Amid Post-COVID Demand Boom and Price Volatility

10. Dorian LPG Ltd. (NYSE: LPG)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 18

Dorian LPG Ltd. (NYSE: LPG) is a petroleum and gas transportation firm. It is ranked tenth on our list of 10 best oil stocks to buy amid post-COVID demand boom and price volatility. The company’s shares have returned 75% to investors over the course of the past twelve months.

On May 19, Dorian LPG Ltd. (NYSE: LPG) posted earnings for the fourth fiscal quarter, reporting earnings per share of $0.86, beating market estimates by $0.01. The revenue over the period was close to $100 million, up close to 5% year-on-year.

At the end of the first quarter of 2021, 18 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $99 million in Dorian LPG Ltd. (NYSE: LPG), up from 14 the preceding quarter worth $128 million.

Just like Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM), Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX), and Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET-PD), Dorian LPG Ltd. (NYSE: LPG) is one of the stocks to buy amid post-COVID demand boom and price volatility.

9. Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE: PXD)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 37

Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE: PXD) is an energy firm exploring and producing oil and gas. It is placed ninth on our list of 10 best oil stocks to buy amid post-COVID demand boom and price volatility. The stock has returned 71% to investors over the course of the past year.

On June 21, investment advisory Bernstein upgraded Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE: PXD) stock to Outperform from Market Perform with a price target of $202, up from the previous target of $156.

Out of the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Wyoming-based investment firm Adage Capital Management is a leading shareholder in Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE: PXD) with 1.2 million shares worth more than $192 million.

Just like Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM), Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX), and Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET-PD), Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE: PXD) is one of the stocks to buy amid post-COVID demand boom and price volatility.

8. Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE: DVN)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 52

Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE: DVN) is an energy company with interests in oil, gas, and natural gas liquids. It is ranked eighth on our list of 10 best oil stocks to buy amid post-COVID demand boom and price volatility. The company’s shares have returned 182% to investors in the past year.

On June 21, Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE: DVN) announced a new plan to achieve Scope 1 and 2 net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The share price of the energy firm jumped more than 3.5% after the announcement.

Out of the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Wyoming-based investment firm Adage Capital Management is a leading shareholder in Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE: DVN) with 11.3 million shares worth more than $247 million.

Just like Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM), Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX), and Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET-PD), Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE: DVN) is one of the stocks to buy amid post-COVID demand boom and price volatility.

In its Q4 2020 investor letter, GoodHaven Capital Management, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE: DVN) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

“After a rough start to the year our two biggest energy holdings – WPX Energy rebounded materially in the last six months though energy was still our biggest detractor for the year. I’ve previously written about deciding earlier this year to direct new capital towards better businesses versus adding more to the energy sector, but given the material optionality at WPX, we opted to maintain a material exposure. Recently WPX announced an all stock merger with a larger competitor – Devon Energy – which will leave the new company with plenty of cash flow at lower oil prices, less leverage, and material upside to higher commodity prices.”

7. CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE: CNX)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 23

CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE: CNX) is an oil and gas company based in Pennsylvania. It is placed seventh on our list of 10 best oil stocks to buy amid post-COVID demand boom and price volatility. The stock has returned 58% to investors in the past twelve months.

On April 29, CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE: CNX) posted earnings results for the first quarter of 2021, reporting earnings per share of $0.43, beating market estimates by $0.17. The revenue over the period was more than $473 million, beating market estimates by $60 million.

At the end of the first quarter of 2021, 23 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $607 million in CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE: CNX), down from 25 in the previous quarter worth $551 million.

Just like Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM), Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX), and Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET-PD), CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE: CNX) is one of the stocks to buy amid post-COVID demand boom and price volatility.

In its Q1 2021 investor letter, Longleaf Partners Fund highlighted a few stocks and CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE: CNX) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

“CNX Resources (36%, 1.86%), the Appalachian natural gas company, was another top contributor. The company earned $85 million FCF in the fourth quarter and used the profits to pay down debt and repurchase shares at a 7% annualized pace. 2021 and 2022 production is hedged at solid prices, and the company has guided to a growing $1.90 per share FCF coupon in the near term. The stock trades under 8x FCF before adjusting for farther off undeveloped acreage and the company’s pipeline infrastructure. CNX is the lowest-cost producer in the region and its PDP decline rate continues to improve, meaning it can maintain or grow future production without spending heavily. Encouragingly, CNX announced meaningful progress in its ESG initiatives in the quarter, including its commitment to transparent reporting through its adoption of Climate-Related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) and the Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) disclosure standards. We have engaged with CNX leadership on this topic over the last several years and have encouraged them to commit to these leading industry standard disclosure frameworks. Additionally, the company formed a dedicated working group focused on future emissions reduction and approved a performance measure program that ties executive compensation to meeting targeted methane emissions reduction thresholds over a three-year period.”

6. ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 51

ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is an energy company based in Texas. It is ranked sixth on our list of 10 best oil stocks to buy amid post-COVID demand boom and price volatility. The company’s shares have returned 53% to investors in the past year.

On July 1, investment advisory Wells Fargo maintained a Buy rating on ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) stock with a price target of $73. The advisory noted the efforts the firm was making to improve return on capital in the ratings update.

At the end of the first quarter of 2021, 51 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $1.2 billion in ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP), up from 49 in the previous quarter worth $687 million.

Just like Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM), Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX), and Energy Transfer LP (NYSE: ET-PD), ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is one of the stocks to buy amid post-COVID demand boom and price volatility.

In its Q1 2021 investor letter, ClearBridge Investments highlighted a few stocks and ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) was one of them. Here is what the fund said:

“While reducing in health care and consumer staples, we increased our exposure to high-quality names in economically sensitive areas of the market. We added to low-cost, high-quality energy names (including) ConocoPhillips. We are positive on the company’s strong balance sheets, competitive positions and exposure to an economic recovery.”

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CMC Metals Ltd.	CMB.V	+900.00%
Eden Energy Ltd	EDE.AX	+200.00%
GoviEx Uranium Inc.	GXU.V	+42.86%
Eagle Nickel Ltd.	ENL.AX	+41.67%
Citigold Corp. Limited	CTO.AX	+33.33%
Mount Burgess Mining NL	MTB.AX	+33.33%
Exalt Resources Limited	ERD.AX	+31.94%
Casa Minerals Inc.	CASA.V	+30.00%
Cariboo Rose Resources Ltd	CRB.V	+28.57%
Belmont Resources Inc.	BEA.V	+28.57%

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For Immediate Release

Here are highlights from Friday’s Analyst Blog:

U.S. Bulks Up Rare Earth Production: 5 Stocks to Track

5 Stocks to Keep an Eye On

Newmont Corporation Price and Consensus

Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

To Sum It Up

5 Stocks to Keep an Eye on

Stocks to Buy: BHP Group (BHP)

ViacomCBS (VIAC)

Stocks to Buy: Columbia Sportswear (COLM)

Nomad Foods (NOMD)

Stocks to Buy: TechnipFMC (FTI)

Orix Corporation (IX)

Stocks to Buy: Jazz Pharmaceuticals (JAZZ)

Masonite International (DOOR)

Stocks to Buy: Paramount Group (PGRE)

Genpact (G)

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Best Oil Stocks to Buy Amid Post-COVID Demand Boom and Price Volatility

10. Dorian LPG Ltd. (NYSE: LPG)

9. Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE: PXD)

8. Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE: DVN)

7. CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE: CNX)

6. ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP)

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