Miami, Fl.-based Opko Health (NYSE: OPK ) took a 10% stake in Russian peer pharmaceutical firm OAO Pharmsynthez, Opko announced Thursday.
Like the name sounds, Pharmsynthez is a drugmaker and, in fact, the only life sciences company currently trading on the Moscow Stock Exchange. (The "OAO" simply refers to the Russian words for "joint stock company," the Russian designation for a public corporation). It manufactures and sells branded pharmaceutical products, primarily in Russia and the Baltics.
Opko described its stake-purchase as part of a $60 million, two-stage financing project, whereby Russian state-owned corporation Russian Corporation of Nanotechnologies first invested $26.1 million in Pharmsynthez, followed by Opko's larger investment.
Going forward, Opko plans to partner with Pharmsynthez in the development and marketing of several of its own products for sale in Russia and other East European countries, specifically:
The companies will also collaborate on R&D projects.
5 Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2015: Ares Capital Corp (ARCC)
Ares Capital Corporation (Ares Capital), incorporated on April 16, 2004, is a specialty finance company, which is a closed-end, non-diversified management investment company. The Company�� wholly owned subsidiaries and vehicles managed or sub-managed by its wholly owned portfolio company, Ivy Hill Asset Management, L.P. (IHAM). It is externally managed by its investment adviser, Ares Capital Management LLC (Ares Capital Management or its investment adviser), a wholly owned subsidiary of Ares Management LLC (Ares Management), a global alternative asset manager. Ares Operations LLC (Ares Operations or administrator), its administrator, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ares Management, provides the administrative services. It invests in United States middle-market companies. It invests in first and second lien senior loans and mezzanine debt, which in some cases includes an equity component. It also makes preferred and/or common equity investments.
The Company�� portfolio company, IHAM, manages 10 unconsolidated credit vehicles and sub-manages or sub-advises four other unconsolidated credit vehicles (these vehicles managed or sub-managed/sub-advised by IHAM). It has also made direct investments in securities of certain of these vehicles. Ares Management�� (Ares) finance activities include the origination, acquisition and management of senior loans, bonds, mezzanine debt and special situation investments. Ares' private equity activities focus on providing flexible, junior capital to middle-market companies.
The Company has an investment portfolio of first and second lien loans, mezzanine debt and equity investments in private middle-market companies. The Company and General Electric Capital Corporation and GE Global Sponsor Finance LLC (GE) co-invest through the Senior Secured Loan Fund LLC, which operates using the name Senior Secured Loan Program. As of December 31, 2011, the Senior Secured Loan Program (SSLP) consisted of a portfolio of loans to 32 different borrowers and th! e portfolio companies in the SSLP are in industries similar to the companies in Ares Capital's portfolio. It also makes preferred and/or common equity investments. It makes senior secured loans in the form of first and/or second lien loans. Its first and second lien loans have terms of three to 10 years. The list of the industries, in which it has invested include aerospace and defense, business services, consumer products, containers and packaging, education, energy, environmental services, financial services, food and beverage, healthcare services, investment funds and vehicles, manufacturing, restaurant and food services, retail, and telecommunications. It has made investments in its portfolio company, IHAM, which manages 10 unconsolidated credit vehicles: Ivy Hill Middle Market Credit Fund, Ltd. (Ivy Hill I), Ivy Hill Middle Market Credit Fund II, Ltd. (Ivy Hill II), Ivy Hill Middle Market Credit Fund III, Ltd. (Ivy Hill III), Ivy Hill Senior Debt Fund, L.P. and related vehicles (Ivy Hill SDF and, together with Ivy Hill I, Ivy Hill II and Ivy Hill III, the Ivy Hill Funds); Knightsbridge CLO 2007-1 Limited, Emporia Preferred Funding I, Ltd., Emporia Preferred Funding II, Ltd. and Emporia Preferred Funding III, Ltd. (collectively, the Emporia Funds), and Ares Private Debt Strategies Fund II, L.P. and Ares Private Debt Strategies Fund III, L.P. (collectively, the PDS Funds). In addition, IHAM serves as the sub-adviser/sub-manager for four others: CoLTS 2005-1 Ltd., CoLTS 2005-2 Ltd. and CoLTS 2007-1 Ltd. (collectively, the CoLTS Funds), and FirstLight Funding I, Ltd. (FirstLight).
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ron Rowland]
The underlying index has 138 constituents, with the largest allocations going to PowerShares Emerging Markets Sovereign Debt (PCY) 10.0%, iShares iBoxx $ High Yield Corporate Bond ETF (HYG) 9.9%, iShares US Preferred Stock ETF (PFF) 7.0%, Market Vectors High Yield Municipal Index ETF (HYD) 4.9%, Ares Capital (ARCC) 4.2%, and Energy Transfer Partners LP (ETP) 4.0%.
Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Buy Right Now: TPC Group Inc.(TPCG)
TPC Group Inc. produces and sells value-added products derived from petrochemical raw materials to chemical and petroleum based companies in North America. The company operates in two segments, C4 Processing and Performance Products. The C4 Processing segment offers butadiene that is primarily used to produce synthetic rubber used in tires and other automotive products; butene-1, which is principally used in the manufacture of plastic resins and synthetic alcohols; raffinates that are primarily used to manufacture alkylate; and methyl tertiary butyl ether, which is principally used as a gasoline blending stock. The Performance Products segment provides high purity isobutylene, which is primarily used in the production of synthetic rubber, lubricant additives, surfactants, and coatings; conventional polyisobutylenes and highly reactive polyisobutylenes that are principally used in the production of fuel and lubricant additives, caulks, adhesives, sealants, and packaging; di isobutylene, which is primarily used in the manufacture of surfactants, plasticizers, and resins; and nonene and tetramer that are principally used in the production of plasticizers, surfactants, and lubricant additives. The company was formerly known as Texas Petrochemicals Inc. and changed its name to TPC Group Inc. in January 2010. TPC Group Inc. was founded in 1943 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
TPC Group Inc. (Nasdaq:TPCG), a leading fee-based processor and service provider of value-added products derived from niche petrochemical raw materials, reported that it has entered into a definitive merger agreement with investment funds sponsored by First Reserve Corporation, a leading global investment firm dedicated to the energy industry, and SK Capital Partners, a U.S. based private investment firm focused on the chemicals sector.
Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Buy Right Now: Perion Network Ltd (PERI)
Perion Network Ltd, incorporated in November 1999, is a digital media company. The Company's products include: IncrediMail, a communication client; Smilebox, a photo sharing and social expression product and service; and Sweet IM, an instant messaging application. The Company generates revenues primarily through search, the sale of products and services, and advertising. Its product is available in seven languages in addition to English. On November 30, 2012, the Company acquired SweetIM (a.k.a. SweetPacks).
Communication vertical
IncrediMail is its communication client, available over the Internet it its basic version free of charge, used for managing email messages and Facebook feeds, with many graphic and personalizing capabilities. However, most important is that it is safe, simple and easy to use. The premium version of this software offers, for an annual subscription fee, VIP support and enhanced graphic capabilities, as well as advanced anti-spam software for a separate annual subscription. SweetIM is free downloadable and easy to use software that enables users to enhance their messaging experience and express themselves in creative ways across online platforms, such as messenger and email.
Digital photo vertical
Smilebox is an Internet photo sharing service available for the desktop and smart-phone. On the desktop, Smilebox can be used both on the PC and the Mac, making it easy to create digital creations from personal photos using a range of digital designs including Invitations, Greetings, Collages, Scrapbooks, Photo Albums and slideshows. These creations can then be shared free of charge via email, Facebook, Twitter, Print, digital versatile disk (DVD) or photo frames. Smilebox is also available free of charge for the iPhone, making it easy to personalize and share photos in real time, directly from the device. Personalization options include captions, stickers and frames, and sharing options include email, Facebook and short message ser! vice (SMS).
The Company competes with America Online, Inc., QUALCOMM Incorporated , Mozilla Corporation and Microsoft Corporation.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Perion Network (NASDAQ: PERI) soared 1.16% to $12.17 in the pre-market trading after the company announced its inclusion in the NASDAQ Global Select Market.
Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Buy Right Now: Teekay Corporation(TK)
Teekay Corporation engages in the marine transportation of crude oil and gas in Bermuda and internationally. Its Shuttle Tanker and FSO segment operates shuttle tankers, and floating storage and off-take (FSO) units for offloading and transportation of cargo from oil field installations to onshore terminals; and provides floating storage services for oil field installations. The company?s FPSO segment provides floating production, processing, and storage services through floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) units. Its Liquefied Gas segment comprises liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas carriers. The company?s Conventional Tanker segment operates conventional crude oil and product tankers that are employed on long-term fixed-rate time-charter contracts. As of December 31, 2010, its fleet consisted of 151 vessels, including 11 vessels under construction. The company serves energy and utility companies, oil traders, oil and LNG consumers, p etroleum product producers, government agencies, and various other entities that depend upon marine transportation. Teekay Corporation was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
Teekay (NYSE: TK) shares rose 13.26% to reach a new 52-week high of $66.10 after the company adopted a new dividend policy and announced its plans to increase dividend by 75%-80%.
Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Buy Right Now: ProLogis(PLD)
Prologis Inc. is an independent equity real estate investment trust. It invests in the real estate markets across the globe. The firm engages in the ownership, development, management, and leasing of industrial distribution and retail properties. It was previously known as Security Capital Investment Trust. Prologis Inc. was formed in 1991 and is based in San Francisco, California with an additional office in Denver, Colorado.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dimitra DeFotis]
Among real estate trusts:
American Tower��(AMT),�the diversified �REIT, is the best performer in the index.�It was�up 4.6% after saying�Friday it will buy the parent of tower operator Global Tower Partners for $4.8 billion. HCP (HCP), a healthcare REIT, was�up 3.3%. Prologis (PLD) an industrial REIT, was�up 2.8%. Vornado Realty Trust (VNO) was�up 2.7%. Boston Properties (BXP), the office REIT, was�up 2.3%. Equity Residential (EQR), a residential REIT, was�up 2.4%. Ventas (VTR), a healthcare REIT, was�up 2%. - [By Oliver Pursche]
As the real-estate crisis unfolded in 2008, Mr. Moghadam acted boldly and intelligently, taking advantage of opportunities around the world and eventually merging AMB with ProLogis (PLD) �in 2011 to create the current, a company who�� stock, since the bottom of the crisis in 2009, has outperformed the S&P 500.
- [By Rich Duprey]
Industrial real estate developer Prologis� (NYSE: PLD ) �has declared regular and preferred dividends for the second quarter of 2013. The company plans to distribute $0.28 per share of its common stock on June 28 to shareholders of record as of June 11. For its�8.54% Series Q cumulative redeemable preferred stock, Prologis will distribute $1.0675 per share, which will be paid on July 1 to shareholders of record at the close of business on June 18.
- [By Eric Volkman]
Prologis (NYSE: PLD ) has announced that it will sell 31 million new pieces of itself. That's the number of common shares it will float in an upcoming, underwritten public stock offering. The price of the shares will be $41.60 apiece, and the company's underwriters have been granted a 30-day purchase option for up to an additional 4.65 million shares to cover overallotments, if any.
Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Buy Right Now: China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation(SNP)
China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation engages in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of crude oil and natural gas properties primarily in China. It operates 16 oil and gas production fields in China. As of December 31, 2010, the company?s estimated proved reserves of crude oil and natural gas consisted of 3,963 million barrels-of-oil equivalent comprising 2,888 million barrels of crude oil and 6,447 billion cubic feet of natural gas. It also engages in the refining of crude oil; marketing and distribution of refined petroleum products; and production and sale of petrochemical products that consist of intermediate petrochemicals, synthetic resins, synthetic fiber monomers and polymers, synthetic fibers, synthetic rubber, and chemical fertilizers, as well as owns and operates oil depots and service stations. The company was founded in 2000 and is based in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China. China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation is a subsidiary of China Petrochemical Corporation.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
Just a few years ago, China was in a mad dash to buy up the world's resources, particularly those in Africa.�China Petroleum & Chemical (NYSE: SNP ) , also known as Sinopec, was not only in Argentina taking over Occidental Petroleum's oil and gas fields, but it was also was negotiating for deepwater assets off Angola.
Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Buy Right Now: Lehigh Gas Partners LP (LGP)
Lehigh Gas Partners LP, incorporated on December 2, 2011, is engaged in the wholesale distribution of motor fuels, consisting of gasoline and diesel fuel, and to own and lease real estate used in the retail distribution of motor fuels. It generates revenues from the wholesale distribution of motor fuels to gas stations, truck stops and toll road plazas, which it refers to as sites, and from real estate leases. It generates cash flows from the wholesale distribution of motor fuels by charging a per gallon margin. Its supply agreements with lessee dealers have three-year terms, and its supply agreements with independent dealers generally have 10-year terms. In May 2011, the Company acquired from Motiva Enterprises, LLC (Motiva) a total of 26 Shell Oil Company branded gas stations and convenience stores (Shell Locations) located in New Jersey and also acquired 56 wholesale fuel supply agreements. In September 2013, the Company announced that it has completed asset acquisition in the Knoxville, Tennessee region from Rocky Top Markets, LLC and Rocky Top Properties, LLC.
The Company generates cash flows from rental income by collecting rent from lessee dealers and Lehigh Gas-Ohio, LLC (LGO) pursuant to lease agreements. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it distributed approximately 561 million gallons of motor fuels to 570 sites. In addition, it has agreements requiring the operators of these sites to purchase motor fuels from it. As of December 31, 2011, it distributed motor fuels to the classes of businesses, including 185 independent dealers; 181 sites owned or leased by it and that will be operated by LGO following the closing of this offering; 134 sites owned or leased by it and operated by lessee dealers; and 70 sites distributed through six sub-wholesalers. In May 2012, the Company entered into a master lease agreement to lease 120 sites from an affiliate of Getty Realty Corp. Of the 120 sites, 74 are located in Massachusetts, 22 are located in New Hampshire, 15 are located in Pen! nsylvania and nine are located in Maine. The Company is focused on owning and leasing sites located in metropolitan and urban areas. It owns and leases sites located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, Kentucky, New Hampshire and Maine.
Wholesale Motor Fuel Distribution
The Company purchases branded and unbranded motor fuel from integrated oil companies, refiners and unbranded fuel suppliers. It distributes motor fuel to lessee dealers, independent dealers, LGO and sub-wholesalers. The Company is a distributor of brands of motor fuel, as well as unbranded motor fuel. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it distributed approximately 561 million gallons of motor fuel. It distributes motor fuel to lessee dealers and independent dealers under supply agreements. It provides credit terms to its lessee dealers and independent dealers, which are generally one to three days.
The Company distributes motor fuel to sub-wholesalers under supply agreements. Under its supply agreements, it agrees to supply a particular branded motor fuel or unbranded motor fuel to the sub-wholesaler. Motor fuels are sold to the sub-wholesalers at rack plus. It provides credit terms to its sub-wholesalers, which are one to three days. Branded motor fuels are purchased from integrated oil companies and refiners under supply agreements. During the year ended December 31, 2011, its wholesale business purchased approximately 46%, 23%, 22% and 5% of its motor fuel from ExxonMobil, BP Products North America, Inc. (BP), Shell Oil Company (Shell) and Valero respectively.
Real Estate
The Company owns or lease 315 sites located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts and Kentucky. 186 of the sites it owns fee simple and 107 sites it leases from third-party landlords. Over 90% of its sites are located in metropolitan and urban areas. It derives its rental income from sites it owns or leases. It collects rent from the lessee dealers and! LGO purs! uant to lease agreements it has with the lessee dealers and LGO. All of its 186 owned sites are leased to lessee dealers or LGO. Its leases with the lessee dealers have three year terms. As of December 31, 2011, the average remaining lease term for owned sites it leases to lessee dealers was 1.8 years. As of December 31, 2011, it also leased 98 sites from third-parties and then sub-leased these sites to lessee dealers and LGO. As of December 31, 2011, the average remaining lease term for sites it leases from third-parties was 7.5 years. Its sub-leases with the lessee dealers have three-year terms. The average remaining sub-lease term for sites it sub-lease to lessee dealers is 4.2 years.
The rental income the Company earns from sites it owns or leases include rental income associated with the personal property located on these sites, such as motor fuel pumps. It sells sites, which it owns and then leases the sites back from the buyer. It refers to these transactions as sale-leasebacks. In these sale-leaseback transactions, it retains the environmental liabilities associated with the site. As of December 11, 2012, the Company leased 22 sale-leaseback sites. As of December 31, 2011, the average remaining lease term of these sale-leaseback sites was 17.5 years. It sub-leases its sale-leaseback sites to lessee dealers and LGO. Its sub-leases with the lessee dealers have three-year terms. As of December 31, 2011, the average remaining sub-lease term for sites it sub-lease to lessee dealers was 2.1 years. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned 186 sites.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ali Berri]
Lehigh Gas Partners LP (NYSE: LGP) shares shot up 24.13 percent to $32.25 after CST Brands (NYSE: CST) announced its plans to acquire Lehigh Gas GP LLC, the general partner of Lehigh Gas Partners LP. Lehigh Gas Partners also reported its financial results for the second quarter.
- [By Garrett Cook]
Lehigh Gas Partners LP (NYSE: LGP) shares shot up 25.80 percent to $32.69 after CST Brands (NYSE: CST) announced its plans to acquire Lehigh Gas GP LLC, the general partner of Lehigh Gas Partners LP. Lehigh Gas Partners also reported its financial results for the second quarter.
- [By Robert Rapier]
Non-traditional MLPs like Susser and Lehigh Gas Partners (NYSE: LGP) have risks and opportunities that are different from the midstream mainstream. Such MLPs can provide some diversification from the midstream MLPs that make up the bulk of the space, with less commodity and execution risk than most upstream partnerships. On the other hand, they are unlikely to have the same potential upside and growth opportunities as most midstream names. I might consider Susser as part a broader portfolio of MLPs, but it wouldn’t be a core holding in my own portfolio.