Today's news from the financial markets was mixed regarding the U.S. economic outlook, with rising confidence levels from homebuilders inching closer to outright optimism. Moreover, prices at the wholesale level posted another sharp drop in April following a similar decline in March that brought year-over-year price gains to just 0.6%. Yet those developments were offset by a bigger-than-expected drop in industrial production and an unexpected decline in New York regional manufacturing activity, which helped restrain the stock market. As of 10:55 a.m. EDT, the Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) are down a mere five points. The broader market is also flat, signaling a pause in the latest record-breaking run for the S&P 500 and Dow in recent weeks.
Leading the decliners in the Dow is Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ ) , which has fallen 2.1%. IDC released projections forecasting a slower rate of growth in worldwide IT spending. This could pose a threat to HP's turnaround strategy, which hinges on its ability to widen its customer base and pull in revenue from a broader range of business segments. IDC blamed weak PC shipments for the slowdown, confirming a separate report showing a decline of more than 20% in Western European PC shipments during the first quarter of 2013 compared with the year-ago quarter. HP will need to accelerate its efforts to go beyond PCs if it wants to grow faster in the future.
Best Tech Stocks To Watch For 2015: Gevo Inc (GEVO)
Gevo, Inc., incorporated in June 2005, is a renewable chemicals and advanced biofuels company. The Company is focused on the development and commercialization of alternatives to petroleum-based products. The Company operates in two segments: Gevo, Inc. Segment and Gevo Development/Agri-Energy Segment. Gevo, Inc. Segment is responsible for all research and development activities related to the future production of isobutanol, maintaining and protecting its intellectual property portfolio, developing future markets for its isobutanol and providing corporate oversight services. Its Gevo Development/Agri-Energy Segment is responsible for the production of ethanol and related products. In September 2010, the Company acquired a 22 MGPY ethanol production facility in Luverne, Minnesota that the Company intends to retrofit to produce isobutanol.
The Company�� isobutanol can also be converted by its customers into a range of hydrocarbons, which form the basis for the production of many products, including plastics, fibers, rubber and other polymers and hydrocarbon fuels, including jet and diesel fuel. Its technology platform consists of biocatalysts and a isobutanol separation unit. Together these technologies form the Gevo Integrated Fermentation Technology (GIFT). GIFT is designed to allow relatively low capital expenditure retrofits of existing ethanol facilities, enabling isobutanol production from a range of renewable feedstocks. The Company�� biocatalysts are microorganisms that have been designed to metabolize sugars to produce isobutanol.
GIFT consists of two components, biocatalysts which convert sugars derived from multiple renewable feedstocks into isobutanol through fermentation, and a separation unit which is designed to continuously separate isobutanol from water during the fermentation process. The Company developed its technology platform to be compatible with the existing approximately 20 BGPY of global operating ethanol production capacity, as estimated by the R! enewable Fuels Association (RFA).
The Company competes with Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC (Butamax), BP p.l.c. (BP), E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Butalco GmbH, Cathay Industrial Biotech Ltd., METabolic EXplorer S.A., TetraVitae Bioscience, Inc., Cobalt Technologies, Inc., Green Biologics Ltd. Shell Oil Products US (Shell Oil), BP, DuPont-Danisco Cellulosic Ethanol LLC, Abengoa Bioenergy, S.A., POET, LLC, ICM, Mascoma, Range Fuels, Inbicon A/S, INEOS New Planet BioEnergy LLC, Coskata, Archer Daniels Midland Company, BlueFire Ethanol, Inc., KL Energy Corporation, ZeaChem Inc., Iogen Corporation, Qteros, Inc., and AE Biofuels, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Rapier]
KiOR (Nasdaq: KIOR) is one of three advanced biofuel companies that venture capitalist Vinod Khosla took public in 2011. The other two were Amyris (Nasdaq: AMRS) and Gevo (Nasdaq: GEVO). Each of these companies has seen its share price drop sharply since the IPO. While KiOR is one of the few companies to have produced advanced biofuel for sale, the volumes have consistently come in below company guidance, and I expect production costs to remain above the sales price for the foreseeable future.
- [By Alyce Lomax]
Solazyme is more than a biofuels play like fellow biofuels upstarts like Amyris (NASDAQ: AMRS ) and Gevo (NASDAQ: GEVO ) . I purchased shares of Solazyme for the Prosocial Portfolio (I hold shares in my personal portfolio, too) not only for its impressive foray into a nascent field, but also because it had already inked some impressive partnerships. Meanwhile, its alternative oils go much further than simply trying to provide alternatives to fossil fuels. Its microalgae-derived oils can also be used in skin care and food.
- [By Bryan Murphy]
The so-called fundamentals, frankly, don't really matter for Entest BioMedical Inc. (OTCMKTS:ENTB) or Gevo, Inc. (NASDAQ:GEVO). Oh, both GEVO and ENTB are generating sales, but both are consistently taking losses. That's ok though, as for both companies right now, profits aren't really the point - it's the pipeline that matters.
Top 5 New Stocks For 2014: SolarCity Corp (SCTY)
SolarCity Corporation (SolarCity), incorporated on June 21, 2006, is engaged in the design, installation and sale or lease of solar energy systems to residential and commercial customers, or sale of electricity generated by solar energy systems to customers. The Company sells renewable energy to its customers. As of December 12, 2012, the Company served customers in 14 states. The Company�� residential customers are individual homeowners and homeowners. The Company�� commercial customers represent several business sectors, including technology, retail, manufacturing, agriculture, nonprofit and houses of worship. The Company has installed solar energy systems for several government entities, including the the United States Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy, and the Department of Homeland Security. The Company purchases major components, such as solar panels and inverters directly from multiple manufacturers. As of September 30, 2012, its primary solar panel suppliers were Trina Solar Limited, Yingli Green Energy Holding Company Limited and Kyocera Solar, Inc., among others, and its primary inverter suppliers were Power-One, Inc., SMA Solar Technology, AG, Schneider Electric SA, Fronius International GmbH and SolarEdge Technologies, among others.
Solar Energy Products
The Company�� solar energy products include Solar Energy Systems, and SolarLease and power purchase agreement finance products. The major components of its solar energy systems include solar panels that convert sunlight into electrical current. Most of its solar energy customers choose to purchase energy from the Company pursuant to one of two payment structures: a SolarLease or a power purchase agreement. In both structures, the Company charges customers a monthly fee for the power produced by its solar energy systems. In the lease structure, this monthly payment is pre-determined and includes a production guarantee. In the power purchase agreement structure, the Company charges customers a fee per kilowatt! hour based on the amount of electricity actually produced by the solar energy system.
Energy Efficiency Products and Services
The Company�� energy efficiency products and services include home energy evaluation and energy efficiency upgrades. The Company sells home energy efficiency evaluations to new solar energy system customers and existing customers. The Company�� energy efficiency upgrade products and services address heating and cooling, air sealing, duct sealing, water heating, insulation, furnaces, weatherization, pool pumps and lighting. As of December 12, 2012, the Company had completed over 13,000 home energy evaluations and performed more than 2,000 energy efficiency upgrades.
Other Energy Products and Services
The Company�� other energy products and services include electric vehicle charging and energy storage. The Company installs electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment that it sources from third parties. SolarCity markets EV equipment to residential and commercial customers through retail partnerships with companies, such as The Home Depot, and through EV manufacturers and dealerships, such as its partnership with Tesla Motors, Inc. The Company is developing a battery management system built on its solar energy monitoring communications backbone. As of December 12, 2012, the Company had over 100 energy storage pilot projects under contract. As of December 12, 2012, the Company had sold over 750 charging stations.
Enabling Technologies
The Company�� enabling technologies include SolarBid Sales Management Platform, SolarWorks Customer Management Software, Energy Designer, Home Performance Pro and SolarGuard and PowerGuide Proactive Monitoring Solutions. SolarBid is a sales management platform, which incorporates a database of rate information by utility, sun exposure, roof orientation and a range of other factors to enable a detailed analysis and customized graphical presentation of each customer� �s savin! gs.
SolarWorks is the software platform the Company uses to track and manage project. Energy Designer is a software application its field engineering auditors use to collect pertinent site-specific design details on a tablet computer. Home Performance Pro is its energy efficiency evaluation platform that incorporates the United States Department of Energy�� Energy Plus simulation engine. Home Performance Pro collects and stores details of a building�� construction and energy use. SolarGuard and PowerGuide provide its customers a view of their home�� or business�� energy generation and consumption.
The Company competes with American Solar Electric, Inc., Astrum Solar, Inc., Petersen Dean, Inc., Real Goods Solar, Inc., REC Solar, Inc., Sungevity, Inc., Trinity Solar, Inc., Verengo, Inc., SunRun Inc. and Ameresco, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Barron�� recently published a rather bearish article about small cap solar stock SolarCity Corp (NASDAQ: SCTY) that has the stock sliding downward albeit its still up more than 150% since the start of the year. That article was then followed by a defense of the company from a bullish Forbes��contributor. So who is right here?
- [By Eric Volkman]
Renewable energy has notched a small victory in Texas, with SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY ) at the forefront of the effort. The company announced that it has signed an agreement by which it will offer its products for every new residence built by CastleRock Communities, a privately held home builder headquartered in the state. The deal covers 42 of CastleRock's communities in the Austin, Houston, and San Antonio metropolitan areas. The terms of the arrangement were not disclosed.
- [By Travis Hoium]
Solar financing is still a relatively new phenomenon but it's come a long way in just the last few years. Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A ) recently sold $1 billion in financing for a utility-scale project, and SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR ) and SolarCity (NASDAQ: SCTY ) are two of the leasing leaders who have developed financing that brings in tax equity.�
Top 5 New Stocks For 2014: KiOR Inc (KIOR)
KiOR, Inc. (KiOR), incorporated on July 23, 2007, is development- stage company. KiOR is a renewable fuels company engaged in producing cellulosic gasoline and diesel from abundant non-food biomass. Cellulosic fuel is derived from lignocellulose found in wood, grasses and the non-edible portions of plants. The Company generates hydrocarbons from renewable sources . Its end products are fungible hydrocarbon-based gasolines and diesels that can be used as components in formulating finished gasoline and diesel fuels, rather than alcohols or fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) such as ethanol or biodiesel. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company commenced construction of its initial-scale commercial production facility in Columbus, Mississippi, designed to process 500 bone dry ton per day (BDT) of feedstock per day, As of December 31, 2011, the Company had not generated any revenues.
The Company has developed a process that converts non-food lignocellulose into gasoline and diesel that can be transported using the existing fuels distribution system for use in vehicles on the road. Its biomass-to-cellulosic fuel technology platform combines catalyst systems with fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) processes that have been used in crude oil refineries to produce gasoline. The biomass fluid catalytic cracking (BFCC) process operates at moderate temperatures and pressures to convert biomass in a matter of seconds into the renewable crude oil that can be processed using standard refining equipment into its cellulosic gasoline and diesel. In its demonstration unit the Company varies its volume output of gasoline from 37% to 61%, diesel from 31% to 55% and fuel oil from 8% to 9% from its renewable crude oil. The Company focuses on its commercialization efforts with respect to its gasoline and diesel. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had 76 pending original patent application families containing over 2,300 pending claims.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Roberto Pedone]
Another biodiesel player that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is KiOR (KIOR), which is a next-generation renewable fuels company, producing cellulosic gasoline and diesel from abundant non-food biomass. This stock has been trashed by the bears so far in 2013, with shares off by 62%.
If you look at the chart for KiOR, you'll notice that this stock has been trending sideways and consolidating for the last month, with shares moving between $2.06 on the downside and $3.10 on the upside. Shares of KIOR are now starting to spike higher right above its 50-day moving average of $2.20 a share, and it's quickly moving within range of triggering a big breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in KIOR if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.54 to $2.62 a share, and then once it takes out more near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.87 to $3.10 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 882,812 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then KIOR will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at its 200-day moving average of $4.05 to $5 a share.
Traders can look to buy KIOR off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day at $2.20 a share, or around its recent low of $2.06 a share. One can also buy KIOR off strength once it takes out that breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
- [By Bryan Murphy]
To say KiOR Inc. (NASDAQ:KIOR) is one of today's biggest winners would still be an understatement. This clean-fuels company's stock is up nearly 60% in Thursday's trade on news of plans to grow its production capability significantly within the foreseeable future. Traders responded accordingly, rewarding the corporation's initiative by bidding up KIOR to a price of $2.86, as of the last look.
- [By Travis Hoium]
What: Shares of renewable fuel company KiOR (NASDAQ: KIOR ) fell 10% today after reaching an operational milestone.
So what: The company has made its first shipment of cellulosic gasoline and diesel and has been operating for 30 days. The company's first shipment since March was made on June 28, and now we should see continuous shipments going forward. �
- [By Nickey Friedman]
It has not been a good year for biofuel producer KiOR (NASDAQ: KIOR ) . Aside from the stock being down over 75%, the company has badly missed its guidance targets virtually every time, and its CFO quit without any explanation. Then, to top off the 12 months of disappointment, KiOR ended the year with another resignation and more production shortfalls.
Top 5 New Stocks For 2014: Zinco Do Brasil Inc (ZNBR)
Zinco do Brasil Inc., formerly TurkPower Corporation, incorporated on November 4, 2004, has been a Turkish-American consulting and service operations firm and junior mining company. TurkPower offered its domestic and international clients consulting services and plans to act as a full service operator for wind, hydro, solar, coal and geothermal energy parks in Turkey.
In November 2011, the Company ceased all operations in Turkey. During the fiscal year ended May 31, 2012 (fiscal 2012) the Company impaired its entire mining company investment.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap mining stocks Discovery Minerals Ltd (OTCMKTS: DSCR), Zinco Do Brasil Inc (OTCMKTS: ZNBR) and Amalgamated Gold and Silver Inc (OTCMKTS: BCHS) have been getting some extra attention lately as one stock surged last Friday while the other two are or have been in the past, the subject of paid promotions. It goes without saying though that small cap mining stocks tend to be riskier than your average stock. But do these three small cap mining stocks have what it takes to produce a mother lode for investors? Here is a deeper dig into all three:
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