Best Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now

TECO Energy (NYSE: TE  ) reported earnings this week, making up at the bottom what it missed on its top line. With a 4.8% dividend yield and an increasingly cost-competitive, coal-centric portfolio, TECO shares are up 13% for 2013. Let's take a look at the company's latest report to see if there's still upside for this dividend stock.

Number crunching
On the top line, quarterly sales stumbled, down 9.4% year over year to $661 million. Falling sales are a common trend across utilities, but TECO also failed to live up to analysts' expectations of $668 million revenue.

But even as sales fell, TECO's industry-defying margins pulled through once again, leaving the company with $41.5 million net income for Q1 2013. For investors, that translates to $0.19 adjusted EPS, a $0.05 decrease from Q1 2012 adjusted EPS. Still, TECO's earnings beat analyst expectations of an even larger drop to $0.17 for the most recent quarter.

Regulation station
Two factors dictate this dividend stock's soar or stumble ahead: (1) its regulated utility rates and (2) natural gas prices.

Best Life Sciences Stocks To Own Right Now: Eastman Chemical Company (EMN)

Eastman Chemical Company, a chemical company, engages in the manufacture and sale of chemicals, plastics, and fibers in the United States and internationally. The company operates in four segments: Coatings, Adhesives, Specialty Polymers, and Inks (CASPI); Fibers; Performance Chemicals and Intermediates (PCI); and Specialty Plastics. The CASPI segment manufactures resins, specialty polymers, and solvents that are used in the production of paints and coatings, inks, adhesives, and other formulated products. The Fibers segment offers Estron acetate tow and Estrobond triacetin plasticizers used in cigarette filters; Estron natural and Chromspun solution-dyed acetate yarns for use in apparel, home furnishings, and industrial fabrics; and cellulose acetate flake and acetyl raw materials for acetate fiber producers. The PCI segment offers intermediates; performance chemicals; and complex organic molecules, such as diketene derivatives, specialty ketones, and specialty anhydrides for medical, pharmaceutical, fiber, and food and beverage ingredients, which are used in specialty market applications. This segment?s products are used in various markets and end uses, including agriculture, transportation, beverages, nutrition, pharmaceuticals, coatings, medical devices, toys, adhesives, household products, polymers, textiles, and consumer and industrial products, as well as used for health and wellness uses. The Specialty Plastics segment primarily offers engineering and specialty polymers, specialty film and sheet products, and packaging film and fiber products. This segment?s products include specialty copolyesters and cellulosic plastics, which are used in specialty packaging, in-store fixtures and displays, consumer and durable goods, medical goods, personal care and consumer packaging, photographic film, optical film, fibers/nonwovens, tapes/labels, and LCD?s. The company was founded in 1920 and is headquartered in Kingsport, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Victor Selva] e exception. The firm has made an emphasis on its acetate tow production, mainly used for cigarettes. The company stands out for using coal as its input, in contrast with other competitors using petroleum and gas, both more expensive for production. This mark up has allowed Eastman to transfer some of its increasing costs onto prices, �without compromising its sales revenue.

  In addition to this, the acquisition of Solutia Inc. (former global leader in performance materials) completed on July 2, 2012, broadened Eastman�� specialty chemicals output by adding automotive and solar end products to its portfolio.

  Although Eastman is a highly diversified company, it has proven to be severely affected by negative cycles of the economy. Even though this feature is not appealing whatsoever to investments, it certainly has caused it to become a cheap alternative. And, a quite promising one, since the economic recovery boosted its revenue, as a result of Eastman�� focus on cost-advantage production methods.

  Other specialty chemical competitors, such as Ashland Incorporated (ASH) didn�� show such a promising comeback, and the drop in revenue during 2012 was anticipated by investor Jean-Marie Eveillard (Trades, Portfolio), who sold out his 3.9 million share position by the third quarter of that year.

  Another industry giant, Huntsman Corporation (HUN) did show more promising results, and less volatile revenues during these last years. This, of course, has led to a high price to earnings ratio discouraging investors as we see later.

  Geographically Diversified

  On 2012, almost 50% of Eastman sales were generated in North America, while more than 25% were in Asia and 20% in Europe, Middle East and Africa. This diversification is to be taken into account since it guarantees long-term revenue, even if cigarette consumption decreases in some specific region (for instance, American sales declined �in recent years),

• [By Michael A. Robinson]

  Today, Eastman Chemical Company (NYSE: EMN) ranks as an industry leader with a $12 billion market cap and whose stock is up 350% over the past five years, not counting the 1.5% dividend.

• [By John Divine]

  Quarterly results, or a lack thereof, were also the Achilles' heel of Eastman Chemical (NYSE: EMN  ) , which shed 5.1% today. Earnings actually came in above expectations, but sales numbers just didn't cut it, even though the company reported higher revenue in every single geographic region it reports in. Asia especially stood out as a segment of rapid growth, with those sales rocketing more than 50% higher. Although 48% sales growth in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa isn't too shabby, either, especially considering the macroeconomic worries and political instability surrounding those parts of the world.

Best Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Hurco Companies Inc. (HURC)

Hurco Companies, Inc., an industrial technology company, engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of computerized machine tools, computer control systems, and software products to companies in the metal working industry primarily in North America, Europe, and Asia. The company offers general purpose computerized machine tools, such as vertical machining centers/mills and turning centers/lathes. It also provides computer control systems and related software for press brake applications. In addition, the company produces and distributes software options, control upgrades, hardware accessories, and replacement parts for its machine tool product lines, as well as provides operator training and support services to its customers. Hurco Companies, Inc. offers its products to the precision tool, die, and mold manufacturers; independent metal parts manufacturers; and specialized production application or prototype departments within manufacturing operations. It serves aerospace , defense, medical equipment, energy, automotive/transportation, electronics, and computer industries. The company sells its products through independent agents and distributors in North America, Europe, and Asia, a swell as through direct sales personnel in Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, and certain parts of the United States. Hurco Companies, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Emerson]

  Hardinge (HDNG) the Perfect Fit to the Investment Puzzle
  
  Several years earlier I had started following the machine tool sector and I became quite familiar with Hardinge. Although I never invested in the stock (I had opted for Hurco), I had noted that Jeffrey Gendell had been purchasing shares the company. Hurco (HURC) had much higher margins and it was my belief that the superior quality of their computerized machine tools and their accompanying software were reflected in their earnings. Hurco also held a vastly superior balance sheet at the time I made my investment.

Best Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Commerce Bancshares Inc.(CBSH)

Commerce Bancshares, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Commerce Bank, N.A. that provides various general banking services to individuals and businesses. It operates in three segments: Consumer, Commercial, and Wealth. The Consumer segment includes the retail branch network, consumer installment lending, personal mortgage banking, consumer debit and credit bank card activities, and student lending. The Commercial segment provides various corporate lending, merchant and commercial bank card products, leasing, and international services, as well as business and government deposit and cash management services. The Wealth segment offers traditional trust and estate tax planning services, brokerage services, and advisory and discretionary investment portfolio management services to personal and institutional corporate customers. This segment also manages a family of proprietary mutual funds, which are available for sale to trust and general retail customers. The comp any, through its other non-banking subsidiaries, involves in underwriting credit life and credit accident, and health insurance; selling property and casualty insurance; private equity investment; securities brokerage; mortgage banking; and leasing activities. It serves customers through a network of branches and ATM machines, online banking, and a central contact center from approximately 370 locations in Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Oklahoma, and Colorado. Commerce Bancshares, Inc. was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Maxfield]

  Bank investors got their first glimpse of what first-quarter earnings might look like today when Commerce Bancshares (NASDAQ: CBSH  ) reported its results. Shares of the Kansas City-based bank are trading sharply lower after its earnings per share fell by 4.3% on a year-over-year basis.

• [By BLOGS.BARRONS.COM]

  Commerce Bancshares: Davidson likes the mid-sized bank because of its conservative business model. Commerce Bancshares�(CBSH) has been a�victim of the low interest rate environment according to Davidson. ��heir net interest margin has been under pressure and earnings have been a little light versus expectations.��The stock is down a little more than 2% this year. ��heir conservative asset mix is what led to the shortfall, that�� music to our ears.���/p>

• [By Roland Head]

  Today's earning calendar is fairly quiet ahead of tomorrow's results from JPMorgan and Wells Fargo, but Commerce Bancshares (NASDAQ: CBSH  ) started off the financial reporting season this morning, reporting earnings of $0.72 per share -- a penny ahead of analyst expectations. The company credited "strong growth in loans, improved net interest income and continued free income growth," as well as "growth in revenues from our trust and corporate card businesses, which grew by 8% and 8.6%, respectively, compared to the second quarter of last year."

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Commerce Bancshares (NASDAQ: CBSH) is projected to report its Q3 earnings at $0.72 per share on revenue of $254.92 million.

  First Republic Bank (NYSE: FRC) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $0.76 per share on revenue of $320.72 million.

Best Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Mercury General Corporation (MCY)

Mercury General Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in writing personal automobile insurance products. The company also writes homeowners, commercial automobile and property, mechanical breakdown, fire, and umbrella insurance products. Its insurance products cover collision, property damage liability, bodily injury liability, comprehensive, personal injury protection, underinsured and uninsured motorist, and other hazards for automobile policy holders. The company sells its policies through a network of independent agents in California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, Oklahoma, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Nevada, and Michigan. Mercury General Corporation was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Fredrik Arnold]

  Ten Champion dogs that promised the biggest dividend yields into July included firms representing five of nine market sectors. The top stocks were three of five from the financial sector: Universal Health Realty Trust (UHT); Mercury General Corp. (MCY); Old Republic Int'l (ORI). The other two financial firms, HCP Inc., and United Bankshares Inc. (UBSI), placed sixth and eighth.

• [By John Udovich]

  Auto sales are booming and that�� good news for large cap auto insurer�the Progressive Corporation (NYSE: PGR) along with small cap auto insurers Safety Insurance Group, Inc (NASDAQ: SAFT) and�Mercury General Corporation (NYSE: MCY) as they offer income to yield hungry investors as well as income in the form of dividends. Specifically, a Yahoo! Autos blog recently noted that last month, automakers sold 1.5 million new vehicles for the highest rate in years with�most industry forecasters expecting sales to�return to the level they hit before the 2008 recession of 16 million vehicles a year. The blog post then went on to note the three forces driving auto sales:

Best Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: ADT Corp (ADT)

The ADT Corporation (ADT), incorporated on January 18, 2012, is a provider of electronic security, interactive home and business automation, and monitoring services for residences and small businesses in the United States and Canada. The Company�� products and services include ADT Pulse interactive home and business solutions, and home health services. ADT provides business security intrusion detection, which protect the business from burglary, robbery and intruders. Its electronic access control limits unauthorized entry and employee access to the business, as well as complete access. Effective August 2, 2013, The ADT Corp acquired Devcon Security Services Corp, a provider of security protection services, from Devcon International Corp. In November 2013, Kastle Systems International announced that it had acquired Mutual Central Alarm Services and Stat-Land Security Systems from ADT Corporation.

The Company's video surveillance views events in multiple areas of facility, which has control over loss and oversees business. On October 1, 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of Absolute Security.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  ADT Corp.'s(ADT) fiscal fourth-quarter earnings rose 2.1% as the security-monitoring company’s recurring revenue improved thanks to customer growth. The top line beat views, pushing shares up 2.2% to $43.75 premarket.

Best Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Tata Motors Ltd(TTM)

Tata Motors Limited, an automobile company, engages in the manufacture and sale of commercial and passenger vehicles primarily in India. The company offers cars, utility vehicles, trucks, buses and coaches, and defense vehicles, as well as develops electric and hybrid vehicles for personal and public transportation. It also involves in distributing and marketing cars; and financing the vehicles sold by the company. In addition, the company engages in the provision of engineering and automotive solutions, as well as machine tools and factory automation solutions; construction equipment manufacturing; automotive vehicle components manufacturing and supply chain activities; tooling and plastic and electronic components for automotive and computer applications; and automotive retailing and service operations. It offers its products and services through its dealership, sales, services, and spare parts network. The company also markets its commercial and passenger vehicles in Eu rope, Africa, the Middle East, South East Asia, South Asia, and South America. The company was formerly known as Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company Limited and changed its name to Tata Motors Limited in July 2003. Tata Motors Limited was founded in 1945 and is based in Mumbai, India.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sophia Yan]

  Shares of Tata Motors (TTM) tumbled almost 5% in morning trading in Mumbai as investors reacted to news of Slym's death. Tata Motors also owns Jaguar and Land Rover brands.

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  2. Gimme those car keys
  Sniff ... they grow up so fast. Before we know it, little Georgie's going to be ready to sit his royal tuckus in the driver seat. Tata Motors (NYSE: TTM  ) offers a flashback to the days of British colonialism, although this time it's India with the ownership. Although the South Asian automaker is most famous for its Tata Nano, the world's cheapest car, Prince George would probably have his eyes set on Tata's Jaguar Land Rover subsidiary.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Among car makers, the Cadillac brand from General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM), the Lincoln brand from Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F), and Toyota Motor Corp.’s (NYSE: TM) Lexus brand make the list, as does Jaguar, which is owned by India’s Tata Motors Ltd. (NYSE: TTM).

Best Gas Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Ship Finance International Limited(SFL)

Ship Finance International Limited, through its subsidiaries, engages in the ownership and operation of vessels and offshore related assets in Bermuda, Cyprus, Malta, Liberia, Norway, the United States, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the Marshall Islands. The company also involves in the charter, purchase, and sale of assets. As of March 22, 2011, it owned 29 oil tankers, 8 oil/bulk/ore carriers, 3 dry bulk carriers, 9 container vessels, 2 jack-up drilling rigs, 3 ultra-deepwater drilling units, 6 offshore supply vessels, and 2 chemical tankers. The company offers its services to various sectors of shipping and offshore industry, including oil transportation, drybulk shipments, chemical transportation, container transportation, drilling rigs, and offshore supply vessels. Ship Finance International Limited was founded in 2003 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  While�[Seadrill] will continue to lean on [Seadrill Partners (SDLP)] and potentially [Ship Finance International (SFL)] to meet its funding requirements, a lot has to break right for�[Seadrill] to meet these funding requirements.

• [By James Brumley]

  But they’re also potent. Not only do they contain the possibility for significant capital appreciation, but they also offer plenty as far as dividends are concerned. In fact, of the following four small caps, the weakest dividend yield is still a very healthy 8%.

  Ship Finance International Limited (SFL)

  SFL Dividend Yield: 9.1%

• [By John Buckingham, Chief Investment Officer, Al Frank Asset Management, Inc. (AFAM)]

  Ship Finance International (SFL) primarily engages in the transportation of crude oil and oil products, dry bulk, and containerized cargos, and in offshore drilling and related activities.