Cosan (NYSE: CZZ), an ethanol and sugar company, closed at $7.99. Sugar prices are near a 28-year high. CZZ call option volume of 2,974 contracts compares to put volume of 274 contracts. CZZ September option implied volatility is at 82, December is at 77; below its 26-week average of 98, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

Imperial Sugar (NASDAQ: IPSU) closed at $14.60. IPSU September option implied volatility is at 65, October is at 64 and January is at 61; below its 26-week average of 70, according to Track Data, suggesting decreasing price movement.

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

Options Update: Cosan and Imperial Sugar volatility low on sugar prices originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 24 Aug 2009 08:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is part of a series in which TheStockAdvisors.com asked financial experts to name their top stock pick if McCain or if Obama wins the election.

"My pick for an Obama victory would be Cosan (NYSE: CZZ), a major Brazilian maker of ethylene from sugar; the company should benefit as the U.S. expands its use of alternative fuels," says Vivian Lewis, editor of Global Investing.

"Cosan will benefit from growing world demand for sugar. But it is also an alternative energy play because Brazil leads the world in production and distribution of ethylene, a policy undertaken after the first oil price shock of 1974.

"Obama is not happy with U.S. dependence on OPEC oil imports; and, obviously, the Brazilians are much less of a threat to our values, with the country now a democracy with free elections and a rather liberal economic policy.

"The U.S. ethylene market currently remains closed to Brazilian exports as we try to making the stuff from corn. But some of that nonsense may not survive.

"If the U.S. is serious about alternative fuels, then these alternative fuels should be as easy to import to the U.S. as crude oil, if not easier. After all, Brazil does not finance terrorists.

"While many have been focused on the falling price of oil, I forecast that the price drop will soon reverse.

"Meanwhile, the London-based International Sugar Organization says regardless of what happens to the world economy, demand for sugar will exceed supplies this year for the first time since 2006.

"Brazil is the world's top sugar producer, and it will use 56% of its production to make ethanol. Cosan management says they plan to increase production and expect the strengthening dollar to give an extra boost to earnings.

"In my view, Cosan is cheap. The stock was recently trading at half its 12-month high. It already ships its ethylene and sugar diesel fuel to European markets, which are more sensible about encouraging alternatives than is our current government in Washington."

Steven Halpern's TheStockAdvisors.com offers a daily look at the latest market commentary and favorite stock picks and investment ideas from the nation's leading financial newsletter advisors.

Obama stock: Expanding biofuels from Brazil, Cosan (CZZ) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MOST NOTEWORTHY:

• Societe Generale expects the Banco Santander's (NYSE: STD) strong organic growth in earnings to continue with the purchase of ABN Amro's (NYSE: ABN) assets in Brazil and Italy, starting shares off with a Buy rating. Shares were started at Merrill Lynch with a Neutral rating.
  
• William Blair initiated Solera Holdings (NYSE: SLH) with an Outperform rating, as they believe underlying trends for auto insurance claims are favorable.
  
• FTI Consulting (NYSE: FCN) was initiated at Deutsche Bank, as they believe the company is positioned to sustain double-digit growth, and with a Buy rating and $65 target and at Goldman with a Neutral rating and $62 target.
  
• Pacific Crest initiated Blue Coat Systems (NASDAQ: BCSI) with a Sector Perform rating on valuation and estimates fair value at $50/share.

• BNP Paribas started shares of China Netcom (NYSE: CN) and China Telecom (NYSE: CHA) with Buy ratings and China Mobile Limited (NYSE: CHL) with a Hold rating.
  
• Cosan Limited (NYSE: CZZ) was initiated with a Neutral rating at Goldman.
  
• Methanex Corporation (NASDAQ: MEOH) was started at HSBC with an Overweight rating.

Analyst initiations: STD, SLH, FCN and BCSI originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 15 Oct 2007 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

At last, U.S. investors who want a piece of the ethanol game may have a pure play that's solidly profitable. South America's largest ethanol company, Cosan, filed Monday to raise $2 billion through the United States financial markets. According to Dow Jones, Cosan will use about $650 million in IPO proceeds for a new ethanol plant. $500 million to expand existing sugar and ethanol plants, and $325 million to build plants to generate electricity from left over sugar cane.

Cosan reported net income of $346.5 million in fiscal year 2007, and its size and strength have led to speculation that Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE: ADM) may make a run at buying the company. The plans for an IPO make that seem less likely however.

Cosan may have missed the speculative ethanol bull market of last year that sent companies like Pacific Ethanol (NASDAQ: PEIX) into the stratosphere, but the fact that Cosan actually makes money -- and lots of it -- gives it the making of a potentially very successful IPO.

Cosan's sugar-based ethanol is probably more efficient than the corn-based ethanol that is being produced in the United States, but huge government tariffs and farm subsidies will put the company at a disadvantage in the United States for now. But if gas prices continue to soar and pressue mounts in Washington to remove the tarrifs, Cosan would probably become a major player in the ethanol market here. If that happens, investors who scoop up Cosan at the IPO will be richly rewarded.

South America's largest ethanol player, Cosan, to list on NYSE originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 Jun 2007 01:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.