Germany, High Yields, and Wind Energy

It appears that Germany is the strongest member of the European Union and is the country that seems to be the primary member keeping the EU alive. Germany contributes more money by far than any other country to the EU, approximately 21% of the total EU budget. From an income investing standpoint, according to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com, there are about ten dividend paying German stocks that trade in the United States, on the New York Stock Exchange and the Pink Sheets.

One German play is Deutsche Bank AG (DB) trades at 7 times forward earnings and pays a yield of 1.0% based on its last annual dividend. Earnings for the latest quarter ending March 31, 2011 were up 17% year over year.

BASF AG (BASFY.PK), the large chemical company, has a forward price to earnings ratio of 11 and generated an earnings increase of 141.8% for the latest quarter ending December 31. The stock yields 2.3% based on its last annual dividend.

E.ON AG is the German based holding company of the world's largest investor-owned energy service provider in the world. The stock pays a generous 5.9%, and trades at 7.5 times earnings.

Speaking of earnings, Germany announced its first commercial offshore wind farm, called the Baltic 1, which generates 50-megawatts of power from 21 Siemens turbines, enough to power approximately 50,000 households. The windfarm is operated by EnBW (EBK.DE), which unfortunately for US investors, can only be purchased on German stock exchanges.

However, there are other wind energy companies available to Americans, such as Broadwind Energy, Inc. (BWEN), a manufacturer of products for the wind energy industry, which has a forward PE ratio of 21. There is also Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) is a Canadian based asset management holding company which has a division that develops wind power throughout Canada, trades at 24 times forward earnings and yields 1.5%. MasTec, Inc. (MTZ) builds wind farms, solar farms, and underground and overhead distribution systems, and has a forward PE ratio of 14.5.

Even the high yield German utility E.ON has a wind energy division. For a free list of dividend paying German stocks, which can be downloaded and sorted, go to WallStreetnewsnetwork.com.

Disclosure: Author did not own any of the above at the time the article was written.

By Stockerblog.com

Tax Selling Bargain Stocks

One popular stock trading technique that has proven successful with many short term investors is buying stocks that are beaten down during the month of December. These are the stocks which have dropped due to people dumping their shares which were purchased at much higher prices, in order to take a tax loss establishing the loss in the 2010 calendar year. Many shareholders own stocks that they have held for three or four years, or even longer that are currently trading at a loss. The investors may need to take a loss to offset a capital gain that was generated this year. The sellers usually wait to the end of the year to dispose of their shareholdings, driving down the prices in December.

There are over 35 companies that have dropped more than 70% during the last 52 weeks, according to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com, which could include many tax selling bargain opportunities. Just remember, you want to be in and out of these stocks quickly, as the drop in stock price could be due to more than just tax selling.

Flagstar Bancorp Inc. (FBC), a Troy, Michigan based banking company, had had a huge drop. The stock traded above $5 a share back in May and even higher earlier in the year on a pre-split basis; it now trades at less than $1.50 per share. Although the company's latest earnings were negative, quarterly revenues were up 218%. The stock trades at way below its book value of $5.30, and trades at 47 times forward earnings. Earlier this year, FBR Capital upgraded its rating of the stock from Market Perform to Outperform.

Broadwind Energy, Inc. (BWEN) is another company that has taken a big dump, dropping from over $9.80 per share last December to less than $2 now. This wind tower manufacturing company has a forward price to earnings ratio of 197, with current earnings being negative. The book value is $1.64.

The bio-pharmaceutical company Affymax, Inc. (AFFY) traded for about $25 per share during the last year, but now trades at slightly above $6 a share. Recent quarterly earnings were negative but the company is debt free and has $4.14 in cash per share. Last month, WBB Securities initiated coverage on the stock giving it a Buy rating. At the same time, WBB Securities upgraded the stock from a Hold to a Buy.

To see a free list of the rest of the stocks that have dropped more than 70% during the last year and trade for at least a dollar a share, go to WallStreetNewsNetwork.com. The Excel list can be downloaded, sorted, and updated.

Disclosure: Author didn't own any of the above at the time the article was written.

By Stockerblog.com

Wind Power Stocks are Spinning

Do you know when the first use of a windmill was recorded? It was first utilized in the 1st Century AD. Can you guess what it was used for? It was used to power an organ.

Some facts about wind power:
1. Wind power generation went up over 300% between 2000 and 2006.
2. It provides 20% of electricity in Denmark.
3. It provides 9% of electricity in Spain.
4. It provides 7% of electricity in Germany.

The following stocks are a list of the pure plays and semi-pure plays in the wind energy field. Many utilities and conglomerates are involved in wind energy. However, companies that have a very small portion of their business in wind were excluded in this report, such as General Electric (GE), FPL Group Inc. (FPL), Hawaiian Electric (HE), and TXU Corp. (TXU).

American Superconductor Corporation (AMSC) has an AMSC Power Systems division which markets electrical systems used in wind turbines, electronic power products that regulate wind farm voltage, proprietary wind energy system designs to wind farm manufacturers, and consulting services to the wind farm industry.

Ameron (AMN) is a Pasadena, California based company that makes and markets engineered products primarily in water pipeline systems but they also make large-diameter wind towers.

Brookfield Asset Management (BAM) is a Canadian based asset management holding company, which has a division that develops wind power throughout Canada, along with the operation of hydroelectric power facilities, interconnections, and transmission facilities throughout North America.

Broadwind Energy, Inc. (BWEN) is a Naperville, Illinois company, which manufactures wind energy products including steel fabricated towers, internal tower components, and other large fabricated components.

Clipper Windpower (CRPWF.PK) is the British manufacturer and marketer of wind turbines, and develops wind power electrical generating projects in North and South America and Europe. Queen Elizabeth II of England recently purchased the world’s largest wind turbine from the company, which is 492 feet high and will produce 7.5 megawatts a year.

Energias de Portugal (EDPFY.PK) is a Portugal based company, which is one of Europe's largest electricity providers and the fourth largest wind power producer in the world. One of its newest divisions is Horizon Wind Energy.

Gamesa Corp. (GCTAF.PK) is based in Spain, with 18% of the world's share of the wind turbine market.

Iberdrola (IBDRY.PK) bought Scottish Power, so it is the world's largest provider of wind power, and the second largest electric utility in Spain.

Kaydon (KDN) is an Ann Arbor, Michigan based company which makes parts such as custom bearings for windmills. In 2008, they built a state-of-the- art facility in Monterrey, Mexico devoted to servicing the wind energy industry.

MasTec (MTZ) is a Coral Gables, Florida based specialty contractor which builds, installs, and maintains utility and communications infrastructures and builds wind farms.

Nordex (NRDXF.PK) is a German based wind turbine company.

Otter Tail Corp. (OTTR) is a Fergus Falls, Minnesota based electric utility, founded in 1907, which also manufacturers and markets wind towers. They distribute electricity in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Owens Corning (OC) produces glass fiber reinforced composite materials used in wind energy, transportation, electronics, and the marine industry. Their WindStrand™ product for windmills is longer, lighter, and less costly than other blades, according to the company.

Thomas & Betts (TNB) is a Memphis, Tennessee based electrical component manufacturer, which provides structural solutions for wind generation.

Trinity Industries Inc. (TRN) is a Dallas, Texas based company which has an energy equipment division which manufactures structural wind towers.

Vestas Wind Systems (VWSYF.PK) is a Denmark based company, which is the world's largest manufacturer of wind turbines.

Woodward Governor (WGOV) is a Fort Collins, Colorado based manufacturer of electrical power system equipment, which provides wind turbines and switchgear equipment.

Zoltek Companies (ZOLT) is a St. Louis, Missouri based supplier of carbon fiber for windmill blades to major wind energy companies, including DeWind and Vestas.

If you like green stocks, there are several lists of alternative energy stocks available at WallStreetNewsNetwork.com.

Author owns OTTR.

By Stockerblog.com