Best Solar Stocks To Watch For 2015

Best Solar Stocks To Watch For 2015: Peabody Energy Corporation(BTU)

Peabody Energy Corporation engages in the mining of coal. It mines, prepares, and sells thermal coal to electric utilities and metallurgical coal to industrial customers. The company owns interests in 30 coal mining operations located in the United States and Australia, as well as owns joint venture interest in a Venezuela mine. It is also involved in marketing, brokering, and trading coal. In addition, the company develops a mine-mouth coal-fueled generating plant; and Btu Conversion projects that are designed to convert coal to natural gas or transportation fuels; and clean coal technologies. As of December 31, 2011, it had 9 billion tons of proven and probable coal reserves. The company was founded in 1883 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Louie Grint]

  One example is Arch Coal (NYSE: ACI  ) , which is the second-largest coal producer in the U.S. The company holds thermal coal operations in its Central Appalachia mine, but unfortunately, this mine holds high costs and is in secular decline. This is why Arch Coal is shifting its focus toward metallurgical coal, particularly higher-quality coking coals that hold lower costs compared to other competitors in the region. Hence, in the event of higher thermal coal demand, we might not see Arch Coal making extra cash.
  
  But there's another coal producer that is better positioned than Arch Coal, Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU  ) . The company holds an interesting asset that is located in one of the lowest-cost coal-mining regions in the world: the Powder River Basin. The geology in the area allows easier extraction and thus lower operation costs. So, with this abundant, low-sulfur, low-cost mine, Peabody could arrange coal shipments at competitive prices to meet a possible higher European demand.

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• [By Ben Levisohn]

  When Goldman Sachs talks, people listen. So it’s odd to see Goldman upgrade Consol Energy (CNX) and for the coal miner to fall today. Even odder: Three coal stocks that were on the receiving end of price target cuts–Alpha Natural Resources (ANR), Arch Coal (ACI) and Walter Energy (WLT)–have gained. At least Peabody Energy (BTU), which Goldman cut, is falling.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Gains in coal stocks like Peabody Energy (BTU) and Alpha Natural Resources (ANR) have gone up in smoke during the past month thanks to new rules from the EPA that would limit its use as a fuel for power generation.

  AP

  Shares of Cloud Peak Energy (CLD) have fallen 3.3%, for instance, while Peabody Energy has dropped 12%, Alpha Natural Resources has plunged and Arch Coal (ACI) has plummeted. Consol Energy (CNX), which is as much a gas company as a coal miner, has gained.

  Don’t count coal out yet, say Stifel’s Paul Forward and Vincent Anderson. They explain why:

  The CO2 policy proposal represents the continuation of a long struggle for U.S. power market share between natural gas (+ renewables) and coal, a conflict that has intensified during a period of flat U.S. power demand from 2005 to 2013. During that time, coal's power market share fell from 49.6% to 39.1%, while the natural gas share rose from 18.8% to 27.4%. Much of the investment case for U.S. coal, in our view, centers on its ability to step in as a low-cost, reliable "Plan B" if "Plan A" (gas+renewables) falls short. The cold weather-impacted 1Q14 offered a glimpse of what this might look like, in our view…

  We favor exposure to U.S. coal mining firms in low-cost regions including the Illinois Basin, Powder River Basin, and Northern Appalachia. These include Buy-rated Peabody Energy, Cloud Peak Energy and CONSOL Energy.

  Shares of Peabody Energy have risen 2.3% to $16.63 at 2:06 p.m., while Cloud Peak Energy has advanced 2.1% to $18! .98, Cons! ol Energy has gained 1.6% to $46.49, Alpha Natural Resources has jumped 5.1% to $3.38 and Arch Coal is up 2.7% at $3.39.

• [By James Brumley]

  On the surface, the news that the Environmental Protection Agency is cracking down on carbon dioxide emissions seems like the beginning of the end for coal stocks like Peabody Energy (BTU), Walter Energy (WLT) and Arch Coal (ACI).

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-solar-stocks-to-watch-for-2015-2.html