Best Integrated Utility Companies To Watch In Right Now

With shares of Barrick Gold (NYSE:ABX) trading around $18, is ABX an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

Barrick Gold is engaged in the production and sale of gold as well as exploration and mine development. The company also produces copper and holds other interests, which include a nickel development project. Barrick Gold�� business is organized into seven primary operating segments: four regional gold businesses, a global copper business unit, an oil and gas business, and a capital projects group. Its gold, copper, nickel, and oil and gas businesses and interests are dispersed around the world.

Barrick Gold shares have fallen 6.24 percent in pre-market trading as the miner announced it�� shutting down work on its Pascua-Lama mine on the border of Chile and Argentina. Barrick, which has already spent $5 billion on the mine, said the project is being stopped indefinitely when it reported third-quarter earnings on Thursday. In addition, Barrick announced plans for a bought-deal public offering that will help the miner raise $2.6 billion.

Top 5 Net Payout Yield Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Delta Air Lines Inc (DAL)

Delta Air Lines, Inc. (Delta) provides scheduled air transportation for passengers and cargo throughout the United States and around the world. The Company�� route network gives it a presence in every domestic and international market. Delta�� route network is centered around the hub system it operate at airports in Amsterdam, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York-JFK, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Salt Lake City and Tokyo-Narita. Each of these hub operations includes flights that gather and distribute traffic from markets in the geographic region surrounding the hub to domestic and international cities and to other hubs. The Company�� network is supported by a fleet of aircraft that is varied in terms of size and capabilities.

Delta has bilateral and multilateral marketing alliances with foreign airlines to improve its access to international markets. These arrangements can include code-sharing, reciprocal frequent flyer program benefits, shared or reciprocal access to passenger lounges, joint promotions, common use of airport gates and ticket counters, ticket office co-location, and other marketing agreements. Its international code-sharing agreements enable it to market and sell seats to an expanded number of international destinations. The Company has international codeshare arrangements with Aeromexico, Air France, Air Nigeria, Alitalia, Aeroflot, China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, CSA Czech Airlines, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Korean Air, Olympic Air, Royal Air Maroc, VRG Linhas Aereas (operating as GOL), Vietnam Airlines, Virgin Australia and WestJet Airlines.

In addition to the Company�� marketing alliance agreements with individual foreign airlines, it is a member of the SkyTeam airline alliance. Delta also has frequent flyer and reciprocal lounge agreements with Hawaiian Airlines, and codesharing agreements with American Eagle Airlines (American Eagle) and Hawaiian Airlines. It has air service agreements with multiple do! mestic regional air carriers that feed traffic to its route system by serving passengers primarily in small-and medium-sized cities.

Through the Company�� regional carrier program, it has contractual arrangements with 10 regional carriers to operate regional jet and, in certain cases, turbo-prop aircraft using its DL designator code. In addition to Delta�� wholly owned subsidiary, Comair, it has contractual arrangements with ExpressJet Airlines, Inc. and SkyWest Airlines, Inc., both subsidiaries of SkyWest, Inc.; Chautauqua Airlines, Inc. and Shuttle America Corporation, both subsidiaries of Republic Airways Holdings, Inc.; Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. and Mesaba Aviation, Inc. (Mesaba), both subsidiaries of Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (Pinnacle); Compass Airlines, Inc. (Compass) and GoJet Airlines, LLC, both subsidiaries of Trans States Holdings, Inc. (Trans States), and American Eagle.

The Company�� SkyMiles program allows program members to earn mileage for travel awards by flying on Delta, Delta�� regional carriers and other participating airlines. Mileage credit may also be earned by using certain services offered by program participants, such as credit card companies, hotels and car rental agencies. In addition, individuals and companies may purchase mileage credits. The Company reserves the right to terminate the program with six months advance notice, and to change the program�� terms and conditions at any time without notice.

SkyMiles program mileage credits can be redeemed for air travel on Delta and participating airlines, for membership in the Company�� Delta Sky Clubs and for other program participant awards. Mileage credits are subject to certain transfer restrictions and travel awards are subject to capacity controlled seating. During the year ended December 31, 2011, program members redeemed more than 275 billion miles in the SkyMiles program for more than 12 million award redemptions. During 2011, 8.2% of revenue miles flown on Delta were from a! ward trav! el.

The Company generates cargo revenues in domestic and international markets through the use of cargo space on regularly scheduled passenger aircraft. Delta is a member of SkyTeam Cargo, an airline cargo alliance. SkyTeam Cargo offers a network spanning six continents and provides customers an international product line.

The Company has several other businesses arising from its airline operations, including aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO); staffing services for third parties; vacation wholesale operations, and its private jet operations. Delta�� MRO operation, known as Delta TechOps, is an airline MRO in North America. In addition to providing maintenance and engineering support for its fleet of approximately 775 aircraft, Delta TechOps serves more than 150 aviation and airline customers. Its staffing services business, Delta Global Services, provides staffing services, professional security, training services and aviation solutions to approximately 150 customers. The Company�� vacation wholesale business, MLT Vacations, is the provider of vacation packages in the United States. Its private jet operations, Delta Private Jets, provides aircraft charters, aircraft management and programs allowing members to purchase flight time by the hour.

The Company competes with SkyTeam, United Air Lines, Continental Airlines, Lufthansa German Airlines, Air Canada, American Airlines, British Airways and Qantas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) shares tumbled 5.26 percent to $38.19. Delta reported June PRASM growth of 4.5%. It expected Q2 operating margin of 14% to 16% and operating cash flow of $2 billion.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  AMR has gained 9.7% to $4.51 at 12:24 p.m., while U.S. Airways has risen 3.4% to $19.60. The news also appears to be giving other airlines a boost. United Continental (UAL) has gained 3.1% to $31.66, while Delta Air Lines (DAL) has advanced 1.5% to $23.94.

Best Integrated Utility Companies To Watch In Right Now: Amcol International Corp (ACO)

AMCOL International Corporation (AMCOL), incorporated on December 3, 1959, is focused on the development and application of minerals and technology products and services to various industrial and consumer markets. It operates in five segments: performance materials, construction technologies, energy services, transportation and corporate. Its performance materials segment previously referred to as its minerals and materials segment is a supplier of bentonite related products. Its construction technologies segment previously referred to as its environmental segment provides products for non-residential construction, environmental and infrastructure projects worldwide. Its energy services segment previously referred to as its oilfield services segment offers a range of patented technologies, products and services for both upstream and downstream oil and gas production. Its transportation segment serves domestic subsidiaries, as well as third parties, is a dry van and flatbed carrier and freight brokerage service provider.

Performance Materials Segment

The Company supplies chromite and leonardite, and operates more than 25 mining or production facilities worldwide. It mines chromite, an iron chromium oxide, from open cast mines in South Africa and transport it to our nearby processing facility. Its primary uses include metalcasting, drilling fluid additive, and agricultural applications. Its performance materials segment conducts its business through wholly owned subsidiaries and investments in affiliates and joint ventures throughout the world. It consists of four product lines: metalcasting; specialty materials; basic minerals, and pet products. Its principal products are marketed under various registered trade names, including VOLCLAY, PANTHER CREEK, PREMIUM GEL, ADDITROL, ENERSOL, and Hevi-Sand.

The Company�� metalcasting products include blended mineral binders containing sodium and calcium bentonite and organic additives sold under the trade name ADDITROL. I! n the ferrous casting market, the Company specializes in blending bentonite of various grades by themselves or with mineral binders containing sodium bentonite, calcium bentonite, seacoal and other ingredients. It also has a line of formulated additives that introduce silicon and carbon in the melt phase of the casting process. In the steel alloy casting market, it sells a chromite product with a particle size distribution specific to a customer�� needs.

The Company�� specialty materials products contain bentonite and synthetic additives offering solutions for consumer and industrial applications. It also offers products for bio-agricultural applications. The markets and applications of its specialty materials products include fabric care, personal care, basic materials and pet products. It supply high-grade, agglomerated bentonite and other mineral additives used in fabric care products. It manufactures adsorbent polymers and purified grades of bentonite for sale to manufacturers of personal skin care products. The adsorbent polymers are used to deliver high-value actives in skin-care products. Microsponge and Poly-Pore are the principal trade names under which these products are sold. Its basic minerals product line supplies minerals to a variety of markets and industrial applications, including drilling fluid additives, ferro alloys and other industrial.

The Company�� pet products include sodium bentonite-based scoopable (clumping), traditional and alternative cat litters, as well as specialty pet products sold to grocery and drug stores, mass merchandisers, wholesale clubs and pet specialty stores throughout the United States. It is primarily a private-label producer of cat litter, and its products are marketed under various trade names. These products are sold solely in the United States from three principal sites from which it package and distribute finished goods. Its transportation segment provides logistics services and is a component of its capability in supplyi! ng custom! ers on a national basis.

Construction Technologies Segment

The Company�� construction technologies segment serves customers engaged in a range of construction projects, including site remediation, concrete waterproofing for underground structures, liquid containment on projects ranging from landfills to flood control, and drilling applications including foundation, slurry wall, tunneling, water well and horizontal drilling. Its construction technologies segment conducts its business through wholly owned subsidiaries and joint ventures throughout the world. This segment consists of four product lines: building materials; contracting services; drilling products, and lining technologies.

The Company sells lining and other products for a variety of applications, most of which are directed to preserving or remediating environmental issues. It helps customers protect ground water and soil through the sale of geosynthetic clay liner products containing bentonite. It market these products under the BENTOMAT and CLAYMAX trade names principally for lining and capping landfills, mine waste disposal sites, water and wastewater lagoons, secondary containments in tank farms, and other contaminated sites. It also provides associated geosynthetic materials for these applications, including geotextiles and drainage geocomposites.

The Company�� lining technologies product line also includes specialized technologies to mitigate vapor intrusion in new building construction. It also provides reactive capping technologies and solutions to contain residual contamination, reduce costs associated with ex-situ remedies, and aid in environmental protection. Products offered include Liquid Boot, a liquid applied vapor barrier system; REACTIVE CORE-MAT, an in-situ sediment capping material; ORGANOCLAY, which absorbs organic containments, and QUIK-SOLID, a super absorbent media.

The Company offer a variety of active and passive waterproofing and greenroof technolog! ies for u! se in protecting the building envelope of non-residential constructions, including buildings, subways, and parkway systems. Its products include VOLTEX, a waterproofing composite comprised of two polypropylene geotextiles filled with sodium bentonite; ULTRASEAL, an advanced membrane using a active polymer core, and COREFLEX, featuring heat-welded seams for protection of critical infrastructure. In addition to these membrane materials, it also provides roofing products and a variety of sealants and other accessories required to create a functional waterproofing system.

The Company drilling products are used in environmental and geotechnical drilling applications, horizontal directional drilling, mineral exploration and foundation construction. The products are used to install monitoring wells, facilitate horizontal and water well drilling, and seal abandoned exploration drill holes. VOLCLAY GROUT, HYDRAUL-EZ, BENTOGROUT and VOLCLAY TABLETS are among the trade names for products used in these applications. It also offer a range of drilling products used in the excavation of foundations for large buildings, bridges and dams; these products include SHORE PAC and PREMIUM GEL. Contracting services, which involve installation of products, are occasionally offered to customers for select projects.

Energy Services Segment

The Company�� energy services segment provides services to improve the production, costs, compliance, and environmental impact of activities performed in the oil and gas industry. Operating as CETCO Energy Services, it offer a range of patented technologies, products and services for all phases of oil and gas production, transportation, refining, and storage throughout the world. It provide both land-based and offshore water treatment, well testing, pipeline separation, nitrogen, coil tubing and other services to the oil and gas industry. The Company provides its services through subsidiaries located in Australia, Brazil, Malaysia, Nigeria, the United Ki! ngdom, an! d the United States, principally in the Gulf of Mexico and the surrounding on-shore area. Its principal services include water treatment, coil tubing, well testing, nitrogen services and pipeline. The Company helps customers comply with regulatory requirements by providing equipment, technologies, personnel and filtration media to treat waste water generated during oil production.

The Company's coil tubing services utilize metal piping, which comes spooled on a large reel. It provide both equipment and operating personnel to perform services ranging from acid stimulation, reverse circulation, cementing, pressure control, nitrogen injection, and other operations that involve pumping fluids into a well. Horizontal wells and shale completions are a large component of its operations. It provide equipment and personnel to help customers control well production, as well as to clean up, unload, separate, measure component flow, and dispose of fluids from oil and gas wells. Nitrogen services are provided in jetting wells that are loaded with fluid; stimulating wells, including fracturizing and acidizing; displacing completion fluids prior to perforating; inflating flotation devices for offshore installations, and pressure testing and other maintenance activities.

Transportation Segment

The Company operates a long-haul trucking business through Ameri-Co Carriers, Inc., and a freight brokerage business through Ameri-Co Logistics, Inc. primarily for delivery of finished products throughout the continental United States. These services are provided to its subsidiaries, as well as third-party customers.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  AMCOL International (NYSE: ACO  ) is expected to report Q2 earnings on July 26. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict AMCOL International's revenues will grow 1.6% and EPS will wither -16.9%.

Best Integrated Utility Companies To Watch In Right Now: H&E Equipment Services Inc.(HEES)

H&E Equipment Services, Inc. operates as an integrated equipment services company. The company rents, sells, and provides parts and service support for hi-lift or aerial work platform equipment, crane, earthmoving equipment, and industrial lift truck categories. It offers heavy construction and industrial equipment for rent on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. As of December 31, 2011, the company?s fleet consisted of 17,538 pieces of equipment. It also sells new heavy construction and industrial equipment in various categories. In addition, the company sells used equipment from its rental fleet, as well as inventoried equipment that is acquired through trade-ins from its customers and selective purchases; and new and used parts. Further, it provides maintenance and repair services; and ongoing preventative maintenance services and warranty repairs, as well as offers ancillary equipment support activities, including transportation, hauling, parts shipping, and loss damag e waivers. The company provides its services to industrial and commercial companies, construction contractors, manufacturers, public utilities, municipalities, and maintenance contractors, as well as for other industrial accounts. As of February 28, 2012, it operated a network of 65 full-service facilities, serving approximately 29,800 customers across 22 states in the West Coast, Intermountain, Southwest, Gulf Coast, Southeast, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The company markets its equipment rental services, and new and used equipment through its sales force. H&E Equipment Services, Inc. was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  The Q2 2014 earnings report for equipment rental stock United Rentals, Inc (NYSE: URI), a peer or competitor of Essex Rental Corp (NASDAQ: ESSX) and H&E Equipment Services, Inc (NASDAQ: HEES), is scheduled for after the market closes on Wednesday. Aside from the United Rentals earnings report, it should be said that the Essex Rental Corp reported Q4 2013 earnings on May 7th while the estimated release date for the H&E Equipment Services, Inc Q2 2014 earnings report is August 4th. However, United Rentals��shares rose after its last earnings report plus analysts have issued bullish research notes since then.

Best Integrated Utility Companies To Watch In Right Now: Cancer Genetics Inc (CGIX)

Cancer Genetics, Inc. (CGI), incorporated on April 8, 1999, is an early-stage, diagnostic company. The Company focuses on developing and commercializing genomic tests and services to improve the diagnosis, prognosis and response to treatment (theranosis) of cancer. These cancers include hematological, urogenital and human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated cancers. It provides its tests and services to oncologists and pathologists at hospitals, cancer centers, and physician offices. In January 2012, the Company received CLIA approval for MatBA-SLL, its microarray for risk stratification in small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL). In February 2013, the Company received CLIA approval for MatBA-DLBCL, its microarray for diagnosis, prognosis and patient monitoring in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). In addition, the Company is developing a series of other genomic tests in its core oncology markets. The Company develops and produces two types of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)-based genomic tests: microarrays and probes.

The Company is in the final stages of validating MatBATM-SLL for risk stratification in small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), a subset of CLL that presents as a mass, with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Long Island Jewish / North Shore Hospital. The Company is also internally clinically validating the MatBATM microarray in a variety of additional lymphoma subtypes, including mantle-cell lymphoma (MCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), and diffuses large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Its MatBATM array has been designed to measure genetic markers at 80 specific genomic sites where genetic alterations are associated with mature B cell neoplasms.

CGI is also developing microarray tests for the diagnosis, prognosis and theranosis of a range of urogenital cancers. These include the UroGenRA microarray for kidney, prostate and bladder cancers and the UGenRA microarray for endometrial (lining of the uterus), ovarian and cervical cancers. UroGenRA detects genomic changes in over 100 r! egions of the human genome with potential diagnostic and/or prognostic value in one or more of these types of cancer. It has initiated clinical validation for UroGenRA targeting kidney and prostate cancers in collaboration with Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. Its UGenRA microarray has been designed as a platform to detect genomic changes occurring in 83 regions of the human genome that have been linked to endometrial, ovarian and cervical cancers In addition, it develop and manufacture a portfolio of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) based DNA probes focused on blood-based and solid cancers that it sell outside the United States. The Company laboratory services include: Oncology Testing Services, which are based on its microarray tests and are available only in its clinical laboratory; Esoteric Oncology Testing Services, which it offers a suite of esoteric oncology testing services for hematological, urogenital and HPV-associated cancers, and Clinical Trial Services, which also utilize its clinical laboratory to provide clinical trial services to biopharmaceutical companies and clinical research organizations.

Hematological Cancer Arrays: MatBA-CLL/SLL, Other Mat-BA and LeukA

MatBA is an oligonucleotide-based microarray the Company developed for the analysis of genomic alterations in mature B-cell neoplasms to determine prognosis and theranosis. MatBA incorporates a common architecture of specific genomic regions that can be applied across the seven major mature B-cell neoplasms. As a group, hematologic cancers (cancers of the blood, bone marrow or lymph nodes) display clinical, pathologic and genetic complexity. Importantly, the clinical course of the six main subtypes of these neoplasms ranges from indolent (follicular lymphoma) to aggressive (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, mantle cell lymphoma and multiple myeloma), or mixed (chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma, or CLL/SLL).

MatBA is designed to detect genomic copy number chan! ges in ma! ture B-cell neoplasms. The test relies on the comparative genomic hybridization of fluorescently differentially-labeled normal DNA and DNA extracted from the cancer specimen (array-CGH). Array-CGH utilizes minimal biopsy material and uses DNA as the analyte (the component whose properties are being measured). MatBA was custom-designed to represent 80 regions of the human genome which have diagnostic and/or prognostic value in one or more of the mature B-cell neoplasm subtypes as identified through our research and analysis efforts. Unlike other technologies such as FISH, array-CGH using MatBA simultaneously permits the detection of genomic gains and losses at multiple locations on a chromosome (loci) that characterize the mature B-cell neoplasm subtypes. For each subtype of B-cell neoplasm, cohorts of specimens with full clinical annotation are evaluated using MatBA to identify associations between single and weighted combinations of genomic gains/losses and clinically relevant endpoints.

The Company offers the application of MatBA for prognostication in one subtype of mature B-cell neoplasm, CLL, where about half of patients experience indolent disease, or slow progression, and the remaining half, a relatively aggressive progression. MatBA-CLL provides genetic-based information to guide clinical management of this disease. In January 2012, MatBA-SLL was approved under CLIA and accordingly may now be offered as an LDT by its laboratory. In January 2013, this assay received approval by CLIA and New-York State for clinical use, and accordingly may now be offered as an LDT by our reference laboratory.

During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company had similar development of MatBA as a prognostic tool in two of the other main subtypes of mature B-cell lymphomas, namely DLBCL and FL. FL is characterized by a slow progression that in up to approximately 60% of cases transforms to DLBCL, an aggressive lymphoma. Prognostic and theranostic biomarkers of therapeutic options are req! uired for! these diseases.

Urogenital cancer arrays: UroGenRA, UGenRA

The UroGenRA microarray provides diagnostic and prognostic analysis for kidney, bladder and prostate cancer. Its initial launch, UroGenRA-Kidney targets kidney cancer. It also develops extensions of UroGenRA for bladder and prostate cancers. UGenRA provide diagnostic, prognostic and theranostic information for the primary gynecological cancers, cervical, ovarian and endometrial. UroGenRA is a CGH-based array which serves as a platform for the diagnosis, prognosis and theranosis of kidney, prostate and bladder cancers. It represents 101 regions of the human genome potentially with diagnostic, prognostic and/or theranostic value in one or more of these types of cancers. UroGenRA-Kidney For kidney cancer, UroGenRA is specifically designed to classify renal tumors into the four main subtypes (clear cell, papillary, chromophobe and oncocytoma), which is critical to patient management and treatment protocols.

UroGenRA-Prostate for prostate cancer, UroGenRA use prostate core/needle biopsy to assess genomic variability of the cancer and help in the identification of biomarkers for assessment of the risk of recurrence, to assess treatment options for intermediate risk patients, and to explore the genomic aberrations of circulating tumor cells. UroGenRA-Prostate is in the commercial development stage. UroGenRA-Bladder is a diagnosed bladder cancers are defined by the fact or extent of invasion of the muscle. UroGenRA-Bladder is in the clinical development stage.

UGenRA for Endometrial, Ovarian and Cervical Cancers

UGenRA is designed as a platform to detect gains and losses of genomic material in 83 regions of the chromosome associated with responses to particular therapies in patients with endometrial, ovarian and cervical. UGenRA-Endometrial Endometrial cancer is common cancer in women in the United States. In this disease, endometrial hyperplasia is a precursor lesion of endometr! ioid endo! metrial carcinoma (EEC). UGenRA Endometrial is in the clinical development stage.

UGenRA-Ovarian is cases of ovarian cancer. UGenRA Ovarian is in the clinical development stage. As of December 31, 2012, UGenRA-Cervical was approximately 11,270 cases of cervical cancer diagnosed and approximately 4,290 deaths from cervical cancer in the United States. UGenRA Cervical is in the clinical development stage.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Biotech and the cancer treatment segment of the biotech market has been a hot area for some time with important cancer stocks like large cap Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ: CELG) and small caps�Array BioPharma (NASDAQ: ARRY), Cancer Genetics Inc (NASDAQ: CGIX), EXACT Sciences Corporation (NASDAQ: EXAS) and�MetaStat Inc (OTCMKTS: MTST) all producing a steady flow of important news�for investors this week or in recent weeks. Consider the following:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Biopharmaceutical development company CytRx Corp.(CYTR) and early-stage diagnostics company Cancer Genetics Inc.(CGIX) separately disclosed plans to sell stock. CytRx, whose offering of 10 million shares priced at an 18% discount, is aiming to raise money to fund its clinical trials, while Cancer Genetics wants to hire more sales and marketing personnel, as well as fund research and development. CytRx dropped, while Cancer Genetics fell.

• [By RedChip]

  Cancer Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CGIX) had a big run in September; at one point, shares were up more than 130% over their IPO and secondary offering price of $10.