5 Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now

I've been a loyal American Express (NYSE: AXP  ) card member for years. If anyone dares to bring up the company, I won't hesitate to loudly extol the best-in-class customer service, my coveted bankroll of Membership Rewards points, and the not-to-be-overlooked 7% year-over-year growth in earnings per share!

But a few weeks ago, I overheard a colleague mentioning a new product making waves in the marketplace. A card with no annual fee, 5% cash back, and even a concierge service included for free. Could this new card from Discover Financial Services (NYSE: DFS  ) be an AmEx killer?�

I had to find out what this Discover card was all about. In the video below, I discuss Discover's IT card, which, after a few weeks in my wallet has proven to be a real winner with a heck of a lot of potential to win market share from American Express and others.�

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10 Best Healthcare Technology Stocks To Invest In 2015: Petrodorado Energy Ltd (PDQ)

Petrodorado Energy Ltd. (Petrodorado), formerly Cap-Link Ventures Ltd., is engaged in petroleum and natural gas exploration and development activities in Colombia, Peru and Paraguay. The Company�� oil and gas interests are in the pre-production stage other than for two blocks in Colombia. As of December 31, 2010, Petrodorado�� oil and gas assets produced net 15,922 barrels of oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs). As of December 31, 2010, it had participation in nine oil and gas blocks. In Columbia, the Company had Moriche Block, CPO-5 Block, Buganviles Block, La Maye Block, Talora Block and Tacacho Block. In Peru, its block included Block 135 and Block 138. In Paraguay, Petrodorado had Pirity Block. On October 27, 2010, it acquired all outstanding interest of PetroSouth Energy Corporation. In February 2010, Petrodorado, completed its acquisition of a 55% interest of the Talora Block. In February 2010, it closed the purchase of Holywell Resources S.A. (Holywell). Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ning Jia]

  The average size of its stores is 7,300 square feet with the size of its stores ranging from approximately 6,000 to 8,000 square feet. Its stores carry a product offering of approximately 19,000 stock keeping units (SKUs), generally consisting of a custom mix of product based on the stores' respective market. Its stores also have access to an additional assortment of 115,000 SKUs for same-day or next-day delivery from one of its 339 HUB stores or its network of 22 Parts Delivered Quickly (PDQ), facilities. Additionally, its customers have access to over 483,000 SKUs by ordering directly from one of its vendors for delivery to a particular store or other destination as chosen by the customer.

5 Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: FirstEnergy Corporation(FE)

Firstenergy Corp. operates as a diversified energy company. The company, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, involves in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity, as well as energy management and other energy-related services. It serves approximately 6 million customers within 67,000 square miles through 10 utility operating companies in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia and Maryland. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Akron, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Johanna Bennett]

  FirstEnergy (FE) fell 5.7%. The power company last week narrowed its full-year outlook.

  Denbury Resources (DNR) shares dropped 5.9% after oil-and-natural-gas explorer on Sunday announced that it will initiate quarterly dividend and raised its share repurchase plan to $250 million from the $109 million remaining in its program.

• [By John Divine]

  Of course, Exelon isn't the only utilities company that stands to be hit by the changes ahead in energy markets. FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE  ) ended as the second-largest decliner, falling 6.5% on similar concerns as the stock was downgraded by Credit Suisse from outperform to neutral. The utilities sector was the lone major sector of the market to slip today, so it's not shocking to see two of the day's largest laggards originating from that area.

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  Investors might invest in a good company with solid returns -- but is it the place where their hard-earned profits are best spent? Let's compare big dividend-dealing utilities FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE  ) and Consolidated Edison (NYSE: ED  ) , to see where we should stash our cash.

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE  ) announced today that it plans to retire two coal-fired Pennsylvania power plants by the end of October.

  A combination of low electricity prices and high costs to meet environmental regulations has pushed the utility to action, shuttering the equivalent of 2,080 MW at the two plants, representing around 10% of FirstEnergy's total generation capacity. According to the company's press release, these two plants would have required around $280 million in environmental compliance costs, or around 30% of FirstEnergy's total estimated spending to comply with the Environmental Protection Agency's Mercury and Air Toxics Standards.

5 Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: CAMAC Energy Inc (CAK)

CAMAC Energy Inc. (CAMAC), incorporated on December 12, 1979, is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on energy resources in Africa. Its asset portfolio consists of nine production and exploration licenses in four countries covering an area of 43,000 square kilometers (approximately 10 million acres), including existing production and other projects offshore Nigeria, as well as exploration licenses with hydrocarbon potential onshore and offshore Kenya, offshore Gambia, and offshore Ghana.

Nigeria

The Company owns 100% of the economic interests under a Production Sharing Contract (PSC) and related assets, contracts and rights pertaining to those certain Oil Mining Leases 120 and 121 (OMLs 120 and 121) including the producing Oyo Field which is located in deep-water (200-500 meters) approximately 75 kilometers (46 miles) offshore Nigeria. In September 2013, drilling operations commenced on the Oyo-7 well in OML 120. In October 2013, the preliminary results from the Oyo-7 well were announced. Based on logging while drilling (LWD) data, the well encountered gross oil pay of 133 feet (net oil pay of 115 feet) and gross gas pay of 103 feet (net gas pay of 93 feet) in the gas cap from the producing Pliocene reservoir, with reservoir. The top of the reservoir was penetrated at 5,564 feet.

Kenya

The Kenya PSCs for blocks L1B and L16 each provide for an initial exploration period of two years with specified minimum work obligations during that period. The Company conducts, for each block, a gravity and magnetic survey and acquire, process and interpret two dimensional (2D) seismic data. The gravity and magnetic survey on blocks L1B and L16 was completed in April 2013. The Company has the right to apply for up to two additional two-year exploration periods with specified additional minimum work obligations, including the acquisition of three dimensional (3D) seismic data and the drilling of one exploratory well on each block du! ring each such additional period. In December 2013, the Company initiated an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) study in blocks L1B and L16 in order to obtain the license to carry out a 2D seismic survey.

The Kenya PSCs for blocks L27 and L28 each provide for an initial exploration period of three years with specified minimum work obligations during that period. The Company conducts, for each block, a regional geological and geophysical study, acquire 2D seismic data and acquire, process and interpret 3D seismic data. The Company has the right to apply for up to two additional two-year exploration periods with specified additional minimum work obligations, including the drilling of one exploratory well on each block, during each such additional period. CAMAC is participating in a multi-client combined gravity / magnetic and 2D seismic survey which is underway in blocks L27 and L28.

The Gambia

The Gambia Licenses for both blocks provide for an initial exploration period of four years with specified minimum work obligations during that period. The Company conducts, for each block, a regional geological study, acquire process and interpret 750 square kilometers of 3D seismic data, drill one exploration well to the total depth of 5,000 meters below mean sea level and evaluate drilling results. The Company has the right to apply for up to two additional two-year exploration periods with specified additional minimum work obligations, including the drilling of one exploration well during each additional period for each block.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Bieglmeier]

  But, we'll take a look at CAMAC Energy Inc (NYSEMKT:CAK).� Since the odds are you haven't heard of CAK, the company is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on energy resources in Africa. Its asset portfolio consists of nine production and exploration licenses in four countries covering an area of 43,000 square kilometers (approximately 10 million acres), including existing production and other projects offshore Nigeria, as well as exploration licenses with hydrocarbon potential onshore and offshore Kenya, offshore Gambia, and offshore Ghana.

5 Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Buy Right Now: Pan American Silver Corp.(PAAS)

Pan American Silver Corp. engages in the exploration, development, extraction, processing, production, refining, reclamation, and operation of silver properties. The company also produces and sells gold, zinc, lead, and copper. As of April 27, 2011, it had seven silver mining operations in Mexico, Peru, Argentina, and Bolivia. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Doug Ehrman]

  If you've been paying any attention to the financial markets lately, you know that gold has gotten absolutely crushed over the past few weeks. There is, however, an asset that has been hit even harder: silver. With silver hovering around a critical technical level, the price action over the next days and weeks could be critical. In the meantime, Pan American Silver (NASDAQ: PAAS  ) and Silver Wheaton (NYSE: SLW  ) offer attractive dividends for investors who want to keep an allocation to silver.

• [By The Investment Doctor]

  As the mineralized zone seems to be open to the north and the south, I personally expect this project to reach the threshold of 10 billion pounds of copper in the next resource update. The only negative thing is the fact the Josemaria project is located in Argentina, which isn't really a mining-friendly country. It will be an interesting case to see how NGEX and Pan Pacific Copper will be able to move this project forward after Pan American Silver (PAAS) ran into problems with its La Navidad Silver project last year. Fortunately for NGEX Resources, it's not the federal government but the local states who have the prerogative about mining permits and licenses, and the San Juan province is one of the most mining-friendly provinces.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Gold fell below the key $1,300 level Thursday, raising new fears about whether the yellow metal's rally to begin 2014 is now over. Yet, mining companies fared well today, with silver specialists Hecla Mining (NYSE: HL  ) and Pan American Silver (NASDAQ: PAAS  ) posting solid gains of around 2% Thursday. What explains the disconnect that sent SPDR Gold Shares (NYSEMKT: GLD  ) down, but Market Vectors Gold Miners (NYSEMKT: GDX  ) up?