The rebuilding of Japan will require large amounts of basic materials. One such material is cement. Cement is used in virtually every type of large building or factory.

It might be helpful to look at some cement stocks. Here are just a few, along with their recent share prices:

• Lafarge Coppee (LFRGY): $14.00. One of the world's largest cement and gypsum manufacturers.

Continue reading Cement Companies Could Benefit from Japanese Disaster

Cement Companies Could Benefit from Japanese Disaster originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

When you are in a hole, stop digging -- no expression better exemplifies the situation in Venezuela caused by Hugo Chavez and his government. Obviously, this is not something they understand, as the current administration keeps digging the Venezuelan economy into a deeper hole, intensified by its attempt to nationalize rigs owned by a U.S.-based company.

On Wednesday, Venezuelan Oil Minister Rafael Ramirez issued a statement that Petroleos de Venezuela SA, the state oil company, was going to nationalize 11 oil rigs owned by Helmerich & Payne, a Tulsa, Oklahoma-based drilling company.

Continue reading Hugo Chavez Government to Nationalize U.S. Company Rigs

Hugo Chavez Government to Nationalize U.S. Company Rigs originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 Jun 2010 10:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

In celebration of the holiday, I thought it would be nice to remind investors not to forget about the opportunities in our southern neighbor. While Mexico is not a red hot emerging market like China or Brazil, there are still profits to be had there if you know where to look.

Here's why:

Continue reading Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Three Mexican Stock Picks

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Three Mexican Stock Picks originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 05 May 2010 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Hugo Chavez Racing Toward Economic Peril

Hugo Chavez Racing Toward Economic Peril originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The CBOE Board of Directors approved plans to pursue an underwritten initial public offering (IPO) of common stock of CBOE Holdings Inc. According to their statement, "It is the intent of the Board that CBOE's demutualization and IPO take place concurrently. It is the Board's judgment that combining the timing of the demutualization and IPO would be in the best interest of CBOE owners. Subject to a member vote in favor of demutualization, our goal is to complete both the demutualization and the IPO by the end of the second quarter of 2010."

Cemex (CX) closed at $11.08. Cemex announced on Dec. 10 the raising of $1.75 billion through a bond and note offering. December option implied volatility is at 53; January is at 51; below its 26-week average of 58, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Options Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Options Update: Chicago Board Options Exchange possible IPO by end of Q2 2010 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture & planning firm. He writes the columns Chasing Value and Serious Money. DISCLOSURE: I own shares of CX but not XOM .

Hugo Chavez wants those bad capitalists to bail him out of a jam originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of a special report, A Dozen Ways to Play an Obama Building Boom.

"I think we have bottomed in some sectors, including commodities and materials," explains Glenn Rogers. In Internet Wealth Builder, he explains, "President-elect Obama has said he will pour hundreds of billions into projects.

"The Chinese and the Europeans have also committed to huge amounts to infrastructure spending." Here, he looks at one play on this trend -- Cemex (NYSE: CX).

"If you want to venture back into the stock market at this point and you're a long-term investor, my advice is to buy high-quality names with low P/E ratios, no debt coming due next year, and the sustainable ability to pay a dividend.

"Late last month, this Mexican cement giant traded as low as $4.01. Then President-elect Obama announced his plan to spend billions on infrastructure projects and guess what happened?

"The share price shot up on the expectation that infrastructure spending will translate into a growing demand for cement.

"Cemex shares traded as high as $11.35 before pulling back to close the week at $8.16. That's still more than double the November low but this is a stock that was trading at over $30 last June so it still looks like good value at this level.

Continue reading Cemex (CMX): 'Solid' play on infrastructure

Cemex (CMX): 'Solid' play on infrastructure originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 20 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

America Movil (NYSE: AMX), a provider of wireless telecommunications service in Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Columbia & Ecuador, closed at $33.88. AMX overall option implied volatility of 83 is above its 26-week average of 43 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Telmex (NYSE: TMX), an operator of wireline telecommunication systems in Mexico, closed at $22.64. TMX November option implied volatility of 63 is above its 26-week average of 35 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Cemex (NYSE: CX), an international producer, distributor and marketer of cement, closed at $10.12. Smith Barney says "Tougher times ahead; downgrading to Hold." CX November option implied volatility of 122 is above its 26-week average of 45 according to Track Data, suggesting larger price movement.

Option Update is provided by Stock Specialist Paul Foster of theflyonthewall.com.

Option Update: Major Mexican conglomerate's volatility elevated (AMX, TMX, CX) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In the margins of Barron's this week there was a smallish note about the government of Venezuela nationalizing Cemex's (NYSE: CX) operations in that country. For some reason the government of Hugo Chavez thinks that stealing all of the private companies in 'his' country will lead to greater prosperity for 'his' people.

While it is a long journey from Venezuela to Zimbabwe, with its exponential inflation rate and a near-total economic breakdown, every journey begins with a first step. Mr. Chavez will move much closer to this inevitable outcome if he continues on his chosen path.

Motley Fool has a good write-up on the subject in which they detail the sour relations between Chavez and foreign businesses. Chavez recently offered to re-open negotiations with Cemex, but since he has already decided to take the company, that offer is suspect -- you can't negotiate with a gun pointing at you. To date, Chavez has nationalized the telecommunications industry, electricity, and oil. How many steps down the road is that? Why would anyone want to invest in Venezuela?

Continue reading Could Venezuela become Zimbabwe? Ask Cemex

Could Venezuela become Zimbabwe? Ask Cemex originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This article is part of a 20 article special report on "Metals, miners and money".

A highlight at the recent New Orleans Investment Conference was a speech by Frank Holmes, CEO of US Global Investors, on "mega-trends" -- with a focus on global infrastructure needs, from the U.S. to China.

Here, we offer excerpts from his speech, as well as some specific stock ideas from Frank Holmes and US Global Investors' Chief Strategist, Jack Dzierwa.

"Megatrends are usually defined by sustainable and substantial growth in capital expenditures in any country or sector. They can be created by governmental policies for infrastructure or a massive technological breakthrough.

"We isolate megatrends through a series of proprietary models, including a top down analysis of such issues as global macroeconomic theme, regional and country trends, technological trends, government policies, and currency effects. As examples of megatrends:

• 1950s -- 1960s Megatrend: Massive growth of infrastructure in the U.S. and Europe leads to post-war prosperity, creating a wealth effect and consumer culture.
• 1990s -- Present Megatrend: Moore's Law and disruptive technologies lead to massive growth in information technology and data communications.
• 2000 and beyond Megatrend: Unprecedented change in global growth driven by globalization, urbanization, and wealth creation leads to a global infrastructure boom on a massive, intractable scale.

Continue reading Top resource ideas: US Global on mega-trends

Top resource ideas: US Global on mega-trends originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 10 Nov 2007 13:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• According to Barron's Online's (subscription required) "Inside Scoop" column, Blockbuster Inc (NYSE: BBI) CEO James Keyes purchased 679,250 class A shares on Monday at an average price of $4.42 per share.
• The Financial Times (subscription required) reported that Nortel Networks Corporation (NYSE: NT) is open to acquiring companies.

• The New York Times reported that British mining company Anglo American plc (NASDAQ: AAUKD) is going to begin the process of selling Tarmac, with possible buyers including Orascom Construction Industries, Lafarge Coppee (NYSE: LR), and Cemex (NYSE: CX).
• From BusinessWeek's "Inside Wall Street" column:
• UAL Corporation's (NASDAQ: UAUA) stock has soared to around $44 from $21 in February 2007, and Daniel McKenzie of Credit Suisse believes UAL is a potential private equity play.
• USA Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: USAT) is the largest maker of the e-port devices that enable vending machines selling soft drinks, snacks, and laundry products to accept plastic, and the company has only begun to penetrate the market, according to CEO George Jensen.
• SemBiosys Genetics, which trades in Toronto under the symbol SBS, is developing a way to make insulin from safflower.

Newspaper wrap-up: Nortel open to acquisitions originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 03 Aug 2007 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Komag was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at Craig-Hallum, to Market Perform from Outperform at Piper Jaffray, to Hold from Buy at Deutsche Bank and to Neutral from Outperform at Robert W Baird & Co following the announcement it would be acquired by Western Digital Corporation (NYSE: WDC).
  
• Morgan Stanley downgraded Commercial Mortgage REITs to Underweight from Neutral. Specifically, the firm downgraded shares of Capital Trust, Inc (NYSE: CT) to Equal Weight from Underweight and Gramercy Capital Corp (NYSE: GKK) to Underweight from Equal Weight, citing increased credit spreads and subordination levels.
  
• Getty Images was downgraded to Sell from Hold at Matrix as the firm believes margins are declining and sees downside to their $40/share intrinsic value calculation.
  
• Rural/Metro was downgraded by Ferris, Baker Watts to Neutral from Buy on valuation.

• PMI Group Inc (NYSE: PMI) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at UBS.
  
• Deutsche Bank downgraded Palm, Inc (NASDAQ: PALM) to Sell from Hold.
  
• BMO Capital downgraded shares of Carrizo Oil & Gas Incorporated (NASDAQ: CRZO) to Market Perform from Outperform.
  
• Morgan Stanley downgraded shares of Cemex (NYSE: CX) to Equal Weight from Overweight.
  
• Barnes & Noble Inc (NYSE: BKS) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Matrix.

Analyst downgrades 6-29-07: KOMG, GYI and RURL originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 29 Jun 2007 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Longleaf investing abroad originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 11 Jun 2007 15:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY

• Citigroup upgraded Cablevision (NYSE: CVC) to Hold from Sell with a $36 target to reflect the Dolan's bid for the company.

• Credit Suisse upgraded shares of UAL Corp (NASDAQ: UAUA) to Outperform from Neutral citing valuation and capacity reductions.

• Abbott Labs (NYSE: ABT) was upgraded to Overweight from Equal Weight at Lehman Brothers citing valuation and potential upside in the pharma business.

• Bear Stearns raised Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI) to Outperform from Peer Perform citing the announcement of the divestiture of Smokey Bones, which takes away a drag on earnings.

• Wachovia upgraded the food industry to Overweight from Equal Weight, saying food companies are beginning to drive higher prices through the supply chain and yields look attractive.

• Susquehanna upgraded Healthways, Inc (NASDAQ: HWAY) to Positive from Neutral.

• Matrix USA raised Waste Connections, Inc (NYSE: WCN) to Hold from Sell.

• Buckingham raised DSW Inc (NYSE: DSW) to Accumulate from Neutral with a $46 target.

• Dusa Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: DUSA) was upgraded to Hold from Sell at Roth Capital.

• Deutsche Bank upgraded Cemex ADS (NYSE: CX) to Buy from Hold with a $41 target.

Analyst upgrades 5-07-07: ABT, CVC, DRI and UAUA originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 07 May 2007 11:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Looking to put new money in the market and trying to build my portfolio on a stable foundation, I find myself thinking about concrete.

The top three cement companies are all headquartered outside of the United States. The number three producer CEMEX S.A. B de C.V. (ADR) (NYSE:CX) is in near by Mexico and the number one producer LaFarge ADS (NYSE:LR) is French owned. The number two producer is a great Swiss company, HOLCIM, but its shares are only traded over-the-counter on the so-called "pink sheets," and those I won't touch.

Continue reading Chasing Value: Cemex and LaFarge look solid

Chasing Value: Cemex and LaFarge look solid originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 23 Mar 2007 16:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

CEMEX (NYSE:CX), Mexico's giant maker of cement, has quietly continued to grow both its income and its revenue through strategic acquisitions and market share expansion. Currently the world's biggest concrete producer by volume, with an annual volume of 2.6 billion cubic feet, CEMEX now operates in over 50 countries worldwide, and is looking for opportunities in China, Brazil, Russia and India. But even without operations in these rapidly growing countries, CEMEX posted a 3.5% global growth rate for the first half of 2006, earning a profit of over $1 billion on revenues of $8.6 billion. CEMEX is currently sitting on free cash flow of $2.5 billion.

According to an interview with CEO Lorenzo Zambrano in NYSE Magazine (October-November 2006), CEMEX has perfected the art of integrating recent acquisitions into CEMEX in order to achieve highly efficient results. Zambrano is particularly proud of CEMEX's efficiency in energy consumption. While energy cost of cement production rose 118% for the period 2001-2005, CEMEX's energy cost per ton increased only 11%, due in large measure to a relentless effort to curb inefficiencies in all aspects of production, delivery and inventory. Unlike other cement production companies, CEMEX runs its plants on petroleum coke, a solid fuel by-product of oil refining. Annual energy savings amount to $75 million.

Continue reading CEMEX: A solid investment

CEMEX: A solid investment originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Feb 2007 10:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.