This Small Oil Producer is Ripe for a Takeover… Here’s How to Profit

by Sheena Martin, Contributing Editor Friday, November 20, 2009

Takeovers are big news in the market at the moment.

In fact, did you know that takeovers have the biggest one-day gain in stocks for any asset?

As my colleague – and takeover expert – Louis Basenese says, they’re “some of the safest companies you can own. According to FactSet Merger Stat LLC, the average one-day return for shareholders of the target company is 48%.”

Furthermore, Louis says, “Industries naturally go through cycles of consolidation – waves of mergers, acquisition and takeovers.”

One industry riding this wave as it comes out of recession is oil. And I have a takeover target making strides in oil exploration that could put money in your pocket in a few months

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 19, 2009 – Zacks.com announces the list of stocks featured in the Analyst Blog. Every day the Zacks Equity Research analysts discuss the latest news and events impacting stocks and the financial markets. Stocks recently featured in the blog include: Cognizant (CTSH), UBS AG (UBS), Infosys Technologies Ltd (INFY), Repsol YPF S.A. (REP) and Eni S.p.A. (E).

Get the most recent insight from Zacks Equity Research with the free Profit from the Pros newsletter: http://at.zacks.com/?id=5513

Here are highlights from Friday’s AnalystBlog:

Cognizant Buys UBS ISC

Cognizant (CTSH) recently announced a definitive agreement to acquire UBS India Service Centre Private Limited for about $75 million. Based in India, UBS ISC is a captive service provider to UBS AG (UBS) and currently employs 2,000 associates.

Headquartered in Zurich

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Following the test on recently found gas resource in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Venezuela, Repsol YPF S.A. (REP) confirmed reserves of between 5.6 trillion and 7.8 trillion cubic feet of gas. With an estimated area of 33 square kilometers, it is the country’s largest discovery.

Repsol (32.5% interest) partners with Italy's Eni S.p.A. (E – 32.5%) and Venezuela's state-owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA (35%) for future production on this resource.

While Venezuela aims to increase natural gas output to overcome the current deficit, Repsol wants to boost oil and gas production through new discoveries off the coasts of Brazil and Venezuela after four years of declining output.

However, a challenging operating and contractual environment in Venezuela may create obstacles for developing new gas reserves. Moreover, the mandate of the Venezuelan government to sell any new gas to the domestic market at subsidized prices may negatively impact

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A consortium, led by Eni SpA (E) was awarded the license to develop the giant Zubair oil field in Iraq. Eni, which is the operator, will have a participation of 40% in the consortium, subject to adjustments. The other members include Occidental Petroleum Corp. (OXY) and Korea Gas Corp. It also includes the participation of Southern Oil, the Iraqi state company, who has a 25% interest in the field.   The Zubair field currently produces 195,000 barrels of oil per day (Bbls/d). As a result of the expansion program, production at the field is expected to reach 1.125 million Bbls/d over the next seven years.   Eni’s job at the field consists of drilling more than 200 wells, construction of treatment facilities and the required collection network, as well as the overhaul of the existing plants. The service contract expires in 20 years with a provision to ...

Repsol YPF S.A. (REP) recently found a huge gas resource in shallow waters of the Gulf of Venezuela. The largest integrated oil and gas company in Spain said that the offshore field had an estimated area of 33 square kilometers and was 60 meters deep.

Along with its exploration partner Italy's Eni SPA (E), Repsol estimates that the discovery could hold between 7 and 8 trillion cubic feet of gas. This equals to more than five years of gas consumption in Spain.

While the two companies will have a 32.5% interest each in all future productions, Venezuela's state-owned oil company Petroleos de Venezuela SA would hold a 35% stake.

Repsol is targeting stable production growth driven by pipeline projects in Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, Libya, Bolivia, Argentina and Ecuador. Long-term growth is expected to come from opportunities in Trinidad and Tobago, Algeria, the US Gulf of Mexico,

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The Gas Exporting Countries Forum has delayed a vote for secretary general after Russia did not propose a candidate.  Lukoil has been unsuccessful in its attempt to win a bid for Iraq's West Qurna oil field, but the company may have a second chance as Royal Dutch Shell has withdrawn its offer.  A BP-led consortium has won a deal to develop Iraq's largest oilfield in a landmark televised auction.  'It is not difficult to see that the Kremlin's China strategy is identical to the course pursued by former Yukos CEO Mikhail Khodorkovsky' says Yulia Latynina in the Moscow Times, but the Kremlin's version is 'killing off the Far East'.  The Washington Post reports that the last shipment of bomb-grade uranium has been transported out of Romania.  The EU is reportedly ready to lend Ukraine $2 billion ...

In the energy market on Friday, crude for July delivery declined, closing at $69.55/barrel, down $1.82. July reformulated gasoline plunged 10.51 cents, to $1.9244/gallon. “Our bearish view on oil price is mainly the result of a lingering weak demand for oil products and relatively high oil [inventories levels],” said Commerzbank analysts.

Crude moved higher earlier, as “Investors are looking for a confirmation of their bullish expectations and find it in the news flow from Nigeria,” the Commerzebank analysts said.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said yesterday that it blew up a pipeline belonging to a subsidiary of Eni SpA. It was the latest of a string of attacks against oil companies. The pipeline, owned by Agip, delivers crude to the Brass export terminal, which has a daily capacity of about 160,000 barrels.

In the natgas arena, the fuel posted a gain on the week, with July futures

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Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #5 Rank ("strong sell") List today:

ABB Ltd (ABB) Actuant Corp (ATU) Allegheny Energy Inc (AYE) Benchmark Electronics Inc (BHE) Blyth Inc (BTH) Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc (BBW) Cincinnati Financial Corp (CINF) Cleco Corp (CNL) CONMED Corp (CNMD) Dassault Systemes SA (DASTY) Einstein Noah Restaurant Group Inc (BAGL) Electronics For Imaging Inc (EFII) EMS Technologies Inc (ELMG) EnerSys (ENS) Eni SpA (E) Enstar Group Ltd (ESGR) Expeditors International of Washington (EXPD) FNB United Corp (FNBN) Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc (FDP) The Hain Celestial Group Inc (HAIN) Harleysville Group Inc (HGIC) Hartford Financial Services (HIG) Haverty Furniture Companies Inc (HVT) Heritage Financial Corp (HFWA) I-Flow Corp (IFLO) Independent Bank Corp (IBCP) Investment Technology Group (ITG) ...

Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #5 Rank ("strong sell") List today:

Anthracite Capital Inc (AHR) Blyth Inc (BTH) Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc (BBW) Capital Bank Corp (CBKN) Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd (CP) CNinsure Inc (CISG) Community Bancorp (CBON) Dassault Systemes SA (DASTY) DRI Corp (TBUS) Eastman Kodak Co (EK) Eni SpA (E) Erie Indemnity Co (ERIE) Fairpoint Communications Inc (FRP) First Merchants Corp (FRME) First Security Group Inc (FSGI) The Hain Celestial Group Inc (HAIN) Heritage Financial Corp (HFWA) I-Flow Corp (IFLO) Investment Technology Group (ITG) ITT Corp (ITT) JDA Software Group Inc (JDAS) Kelly Services Inc (KELYA) KVH Industries Inc (KVHI) Legacy Bancorp Inc (LEGC) The Macerich Co (MAC) Marine Products Corp (MPX) MB Financial Inc (MBFI) Mercantile Bank ...

Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #5 Rank ("strong sell") List today:

Allegheny Energy Inc (AYE) AnnTaylor Stores Corp (ANN) Arbor Realty Trust Inc (ABR) Bank of New York Mellon Corp (BK) Boise Inc (BZ) Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc (BBW) C&D Technologies Inc (CHP) Callaway Golf Co (ELY) Celgene Corp (CELG) China Sunergy Co Ltd (CSUN) Cutera Inc (CUTR) Cynosure Inc (CYNO) Dayton Superior Corp (DSUPQ) Domtar Corp (UFS) Doral Financial Corp (DRL) Eastern Insurance Holdings Inc (EIHI) Embraer - Empr Bras Aeronautica (ERJ) Employers Holdings Inc (EIG) EMS Technologies Inc (ELMG) Eni SpA (E) FalconStor Software Inc (FALC) FARO Technologies Inc (FARO) FBL Financial Group (FFG) First M & F Corp (FMFC) Gevity HR Inc (GVHR) Harbin Electric Inc (HRBN) Hartford ...