Arch Coal Inc. (ACI) and Great Northern Properties Limited Partnership (GNP) have entered into a coal lease agreement for all of GNP’s coal resources in the Otter Creek Tracts located in southeastern Montana. Following the agreement, Arch will own the right to mine about 9,600 acres (731 million tons) of GNP-owned minerals for a consideration of 10 cents per ton or $73.1 million, payable in equal annual installments over a period of five years. The 731 million tons of high-quality, low-cost, sub-bituminous coal reserves, which are low in sulfur dioxide content, are located in the Ashland coalfield southeast of Billings, Montana.   The coal lease provides a future growth opportunity for Arch to build a significant position in the Northern Powder River Basin coal region. We believe investment in these low-ratio reserves would support the future development of a large-scale, dragline-operated surface coal mine. It will also give Arch

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Pacific Asia Petroleum, Inc., a company engaged in the business of oil and gas development, production and distribution in Asia and the Pacific Rim countries, announced this morning that its common stock has been approved for listing on the NYSE Amex. Trading is anticipated to begin Thursday of this week under the new ticker symbol PAP. Until then, Pacific Asia Petroleum’s shares will continue to trade on the Over-the-Counter (OTC) Bulletin Board under the symbol PFAP.

“Moving from the OTC Bulletin Board to the NYSE Amex is another tremendously important milestone for Pacific Asia Petroleum,” stated President and CEO Frank C. Ingriselli. “We have always prided ourselves on our conservative accounting, transparency and corporate governance. Moving up to the NYSE Amex not only validates these efforts, it provides us with greater visibility for our company, more liquidity for our stock and the opportunity to further expand our investor base. We

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For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 8, 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: Iron Mountain Incorporated (IRM), Equifax (EFX), R.R. Donnelley & Sons (RRD), Dun & Bradstreet Corp. (DNB) and Hewitt Associates, Inc. (HEW).

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 Wednesday’s Analyst Blog:

Iron Mountain Remains Solid

Boston, MA-based Iron Mountain Incorporated (IRM) is a leading provider of information protection and storage services in North America, Latin America, Europe and the Pacific Rim. We are encouraged by the company’s continuous momentum through 2007 and 2008,

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Guidance for 2009 Reaffirmed At the Investor Day yesterday, Iron Mountain Incorporated (IRM) reiterated its guidance for fiscal 2009. The company expects revenue in the range of $2.98 - $3.04 billion, representing growth of 3% to 5% from fiscal 2008, excluding the effects of foreign currency fluctuations and acquisitions. Operating income is expected in the range of $510 - $540 million and depreciation and amortization of approximately $320 million. Thus operating income before depreciation and amortization (OIBDA), excluding asset gains and losses, is expected to be in the range of $830 - $860 million, a growth of 10% to 14% from fiscal 2008. The company expects to incur a capital expenditure of $380 million for the full year (approximately 10.8% of revenue). Preliminary Guidance for 2010 Iron Mountain also provided a strong preliminary outlook for fiscal 2010 due to efficient capital spending and growth ...

Today we are featuring top-performing “Global" equity mutual funds, which primarily invest in equity securities of both US and foreign companies.

Investors can find such funds by checking out the entire list of the Zacks #1 Rank Global Equity Funds.

3 Worldly Picks

RS International Growth A (GUBGX) seeks long-term capital appreciation. This might be accompanied by dividend income, which may vary depending on factors such as the location of the investments.

The fund primarily invests in a diversified portfolio of foreign companies that can sustain above-average growth rates and trade at reasonable prices. As of March 31, its portfolio was 35%.

Gerard Callahan has led the fund since December 2007. The fund has topped total returns of its benchmark index in the last 1-, 3- and 5-year periods.

Lord Abbett Global Allocation A (LAGEX) seeks long-term growth of capital and income by investing in domestic

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Today we are featuring top-performing “Global" equity mutual funds, which primarily invest in equity securities of both US and foreign companies.

Investors can find such funds by checking out the entire list of the Zacks #1 Rank Global Equity Funds.

3 Worldly Picks

RS International Growth A (GUBGX) seeks long-term capital appreciation. This might be accompanied by dividend income, which may vary depending on factors such as the location of the investments.

The fund primarily invests in a diversified portfolio of foreign companies that can sustain above-average growth rates and trade at reasonable prices. As of March 31, its portfolio was 35%.

Gerard Callahan has led the fund since December 2007. The fund has topped total returns of its benchmark index in the last 1-, 3- and 5-year periods.

Lord Abbett Global Allocation A (LAGEX) seeks long-term growth of capital and income by investing in domestic

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Tesoro Corp. (TSO) shipped its first barrels of crude oil through a reversed Panama pipeline, which runs from the Atlantic to the Pacific Basin. Owned by Petroterminal de Panama (PTP), a cooperative venture between the Government of the Republic of Panama and private industry, the 81-mile pipeline formerly flowed from the Pacific to the Atlantic.   At the time of signing the agreement to use the PTP pipeline in December 2008, Tesoro said that it will ship 107,000 barrels per day (Bbl/d) of crude through the pipeline under a seven-year agreement.   Reversal of the pipeline establishes a new conduit for crude oil transportation and will help Tesoro to economically deliver a broader range of crude oils produced in Africa, the Atlantic region of South America and the North Sea, through Panama, to the company's five Pacific Rim refineries (two in California and one each in Washington, Hawaii ...

Say what? Geithner begs for higher debt ceiling, says it will restore world confidence… Deficit now three times last year’s record… so Congress buys 8 private jets… A currency sea change? Bill Jenkins on the dollar’s surprise rally… Jim Nelson on the best sectors for income investing… John Williams digs deeper into Friday’ jobs report… four data distortions you need to know…

“It is critically important that Congress act before the [debt] limit is reached,” Tim Geithner wrote over the weekend in a letter to lawmakers, “so that citizens and investors here and around the world can remain confident that the United States will always meet its obligations.”

Sounds like our Treasury Secretary is finally putting his foot down, insisting that Congress pull back its lavish spending programs and start addressing our incredible $11.6 trillion national debt.

Wait… what’s that? Oh, Geithner’s actually asking for Congress to raise the debt ceiling. If Congress

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It’s been a rough year for dividends, but if you know where to look, your income will be just fine.

Below is a breakdown of S&P 500 yields by sectors:

As you can see, the biggest loser on the list is financials, which shouldn’t be a surprise. The segment’s dividend yield fell 300 basis points (right-hand column) from last year to now.

The sector that pays the most is doing so under the radar: telecommunication services. This is a favorite of ours. That 14 basis point increase is primarily due to AT&T (NYSE:T) and Verizon (NYSE:VZ) — both paying out around 6%.

These dividends aren’t nearly as safe as we’d like, though. Instead of gunning for the U.S. telecom industry, we like to play that game in emerging markets. We already have a Pacific Rim telecom in

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It’s been a rough year for dividends, but if you know where to look, your income will be just fine.

Below is a breakdown of S&P 500 yields by sectors:

As you can see, the biggest loser on the list is financials, which shouldn’t be a surprise. The segment’s dividend yield fell 300 basis points (right-hand column) from last year to now.

The sector that pays the most is doing so under the radar: telecommunication services. This is a favorite of ours. That 14 basis point increase is primarily due to AT&T (NYSE:T) and Verizon (NYSE:VZ) — both paying out around 6%.

These dividends aren’t nearly as safe as we’d like, though. Instead of gunning for the U.S. telecom industry, we like to play that game in emerging markets. We already have a Pacific Rim telecom in

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