Top Gas Stocks To Buy For 2014

The Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) dropped 167 points, or about 1%, on Thursday, with retail earnings providing one of the catalysts for the Dow to extend its losses from yesterday. In addition, conflicting reports on the economy led to uncertainty among investors about whether the sluggish recovery will continue at its current pace or give way to growth headwinds that could slow its advance even further. In a sea of red, only AT&T (NYSE: T  ) and one other Dow component rose, but AT&T rival Verizon (NYSE: VZ  ) managed to minimize its losses on a tough day for the broader market, falling just 0.1%.

How investors look at telecom stocks
Historically, investors viewed AT&T, Verizon, and other telecom stocks in much the same way they would consider traditional electric and gas utilities. In essence, the business models they had were similar: telecoms and utilities made large upfront capital expenditures to build out their distribution networks, and then they relied on regulated rate environments to recoup those capital costs gradually over time and guarantee a modest, but adequate, profit. Everyone needed a phone just like they needed electricity and other utility services, and so AT&T and Verizon could count on their landline base to support the expenses of upkeep, and leave plenty of extra cash flow for dividends and buybacks.

Top 5 China Companies To Watch For 2015: Enduro Royalty Trust (NDRO)

Enduro Royalty Trust (the Trust) is a statutory trust. On May 13, 2011, the Trust was formed by Enduro Resource Partners LLC (Enduro Sponsor) to own a net profits interest representing the right to receive 80% of the net profits from the sale of oil and natural gas production from certain properties in the states of Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico (the Underlying Properties) held by Enduro Sponsor as of the date of the conveyance of the net profits interest to the trust. The business and affairs of the Trust will be managed by The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the Trustee). In addition, Wilmington Trust Company will act as Delaware trustee (the Delaware Trustee) of the Trust.

The Trust will enter into an administrative services agreement with Enduro pursuant to which Enduro will provide the Trust with certain accounting, bookkeeping, and informational services related to the Net Profits Interest. Enduro Sponsor is a privately-held limited liability company engaged in the production and development of oil and natural gas from properties located in Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Statutory trust Enduro Royalty Trust (NYSE: NDRO  ) announced yesterday its July monthly distribution of $0.128817�per unit; it has paid a monthly dividend since November 2011. The distribution announced in May was $0.096825 per unit.

Top Gas Stocks To Buy For 2014: Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RDSA)

Royal Dutch Shell plc (Shell), incorporated on February 5, 2002, is an independent oil and gas company. The Company owns, directly or indirectly, investments in the numerous companies constituting Shell. Shell is engaged worldwide in the principal aspects of the oil and gas industry and also has interests in chemicals and other energy-related businesses. The Company operates in three segments: Upstream, Downstream and Corporate. Upstream combines the operating segments Upstream International and Upstream Americas, which are engaged in searching for and recovering crude oil and natural gas; the liquefaction and transportation of gas; the extraction of bitumen from oil sands that is converted into synthetic crude oil, and wind energy. Downstream is engaged in manufacturing; distribution and marketing activities for oil products and chemicals, in alternative energy (excluding wind), and carbon dioxide (CO2) management. Corporate represents the key support functions, comprising holdings and treasury, headquarters, central functions and Shell�� self-insurance activities. In October 2011, the Company bought a marine terminal on Canada's Pacific Coast as a possible site for a liquefied natural gas export terminal. In January 2012, the Company's 50% owned, Australia Arrow Energy Holdings Pty Ltd acquired all of the shares in Bow Energy Ltd. In January 2014, Royal Dutch Shell plc completed the acquisition of Repsol S.A.'s liquefied natural gas (LNG) portfolio outside North America.

Upstream International manages the Upstream businesses outside the Americas. It searches for and recovers crude oil and natural gas, liquefies and transports gas, and operates the upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver oil and gas to market. Upstream International also manages Shell�� entire liquefied petroleum gas (LNG) business, gas to liquids (GTL) and the wind business in Europe. Its activities are organized primarily within geographical units, although there are some activities that are mana! ged across the businesses or provided through support units.

Upstream Americas manages the Upstream businesses in North and South America. It searches for and recovers crude oil and natural gas, transports gas and operates the upstream and midstream infrastructure necessary to deliver oil and gas to market. Upstream Americas also extracts bitumen from oil sands that is converted into synthetic crude oil. Additionally, it manages the United States-based wind business. It comprises operations organized into business-wide managed activities and supporting activities.

Downstream manages Shell�� manufacturing, distribution and marketing activities for oil products and chemicals. These activities are organized into globally managed classes of business, although some are managed regionally or provided through support units. Manufacturing and supply includes refining, supply and shipping of crude oil. Marketing sells a range of products including fuels, lubricants, bitumen and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for home, transport and industrial use. Chemicals produces and markets petrochemicals for industrial customers, including the raw materials for plastics, coatings and detergents. Downstream also trades Shell�� flow of hydrocarbons and other energy-related products, supplies the Downstream businesses, markets gas and power and provides shipping services. Downstream additionally oversees Shell�� interests in alternative energy (including biofuels, and excluding wind) and CO2 management.

Projects and Technology manages the delivery of Shell�� major projects and drives the research and innovation to create technology solutions. It provides technical services and technology capability covering both Upstream and Downstream activities. It is also responsible for providing functional leadership across Shell in the areas of health, safety and environment, and contracting and procurement.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Royal Dutch Shell is focused on oil and gas exploration and distribution, with operations all around the world. The company recently posted earnings that have not really pleased investors. The stock has struggled to make significant progress in recent years and is now trading near the low-end of its yearly range. Over the last four quarters, earnings and revenues have been mixed, which has not really pleased investors in the company. Relative to its peers and sector, Royal Dutch Shell has been a weak year-to-date performer. WAIT AND SEE what Royal Dutch Shell does this coming quarter.

Top Gas Stocks To Buy For 2014: TransAtlantic Petroleum Ltd (TAT)

TransAtlantic Petroleum Ltd. is an international oil and gas company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas. The Company holds interests in developed and undeveloped oil and gas properties in Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania. As of March 1, 2012, it held approximately 5.4 million net onshore acres. As of March 1, 2012, it was producing an aggregate of approximately 2,638 net barrels of oil per day. As of March 1, 2012, it held interests in 57 onshore exploration licenses and nine onshore production leases covering a total of 5.3 million gross acres in Turkey. On February 18, 2011, the Company�� wholly owned subsidiary TransAtlantic Worldwide, Ltd. acquired Direct Petroleum Morocco, Inc. and Anschutz Morocco Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiary TransAtlantic Petroleum Cyprus Limited. On June 7, 2011, TransAtlantic Worldwide acquired Thrace Basin Natural Gas (Turkiye) Corporation. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  TransAtlantic Petroleum Ltd. (Amex:TAT) reported that the Turkish Competition Authority has approved the Company’s sale of its oilfield services business to Dalea Partners, LP (“Dalea”, an affiliate of N. Malone Mitchell, 3rd, the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer).

Top Gas Stocks To Buy For 2014: Lehigh Gas Partners LP (LGP)

Lehigh Gas Partners LP, incorporated on December 2, 2011, is engaged in the wholesale distribution of motor fuels, consisting of gasoline and diesel fuel, and to own and lease real estate used in the retail distribution of motor fuels. It generates revenues from the wholesale distribution of motor fuels to gas stations, truck stops and toll road plazas, which it refers to as sites, and from real estate leases. It generates cash flows from the wholesale distribution of motor fuels by charging a per gallon margin. Its supply agreements with lessee dealers have three-year terms, and its supply agreements with independent dealers generally have 10-year terms. In May 2011, the Company acquired from Motiva Enterprises, LLC (Motiva) a total of 26 Shell Oil Company branded gas stations and convenience stores (Shell Locations) located in New Jersey and also acquired 56 wholesale fuel supply agreements. In September 2013, the Company announced that it has completed asset acquisition in the Knoxville, Tennessee region from Rocky Top Markets, LLC and Rocky Top Properties, LLC.

The Company generates cash flows from rental income by collecting rent from lessee dealers and Lehigh Gas-Ohio, LLC (LGO) pursuant to lease agreements. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it distributed approximately 561 million gallons of motor fuels to 570 sites. In addition, it has agreements requiring the operators of these sites to purchase motor fuels from it. As of December 31, 2011, it distributed motor fuels to the classes of businesses, including 185 independent dealers; 181 sites owned or leased by it and that will be operated by LGO following the closing of this offering; 134 sites owned or leased by it and operated by lessee dealers; and 70 sites distributed through six sub-wholesalers. In May 2012, the Company entered into a master lease agreement to lease 120 sites from an affiliate of Getty Realty Corp. Of the 120 sites, 74 are located in Massachusetts, 22 are located in New Hampshire, 15 are located in Pen! nsylvania and nine are located in Maine. The Company is focused on owning and leasing sites located in metropolitan and urban areas. It owns and leases sites located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts, Kentucky, New Hampshire and Maine.

Wholesale Motor Fuel Distribution

The Company purchases branded and unbranded motor fuel from integrated oil companies, refiners and unbranded fuel suppliers. It distributes motor fuel to lessee dealers, independent dealers, LGO and sub-wholesalers. The Company is a distributor of brands of motor fuel, as well as unbranded motor fuel. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it distributed approximately 561 million gallons of motor fuel. It distributes motor fuel to lessee dealers and independent dealers under supply agreements. It provides credit terms to its lessee dealers and independent dealers, which are generally one to three days.

The Company distributes motor fuel to sub-wholesalers under supply agreements. Under its supply agreements, it agrees to supply a particular branded motor fuel or unbranded motor fuel to the sub-wholesaler. Motor fuels are sold to the sub-wholesalers at rack plus. It provides credit terms to its sub-wholesalers, which are one to three days. Branded motor fuels are purchased from integrated oil companies and refiners under supply agreements. During the year ended December 31, 2011, its wholesale business purchased approximately 46%, 23%, 22% and 5% of its motor fuel from ExxonMobil, BP Products North America, Inc. (BP), Shell Oil Company (Shell) and Valero respectively.

Real Estate

The Company owns or lease 315 sites located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, New York, Massachusetts and Kentucky. 186 of the sites it owns fee simple and 107 sites it leases from third-party landlords. Over 90% of its sites are located in metropolitan and urban areas. It derives its rental income from sites it owns or leases. It collects rent from the lessee dealers and! LGO purs! uant to lease agreements it has with the lessee dealers and LGO. All of its 186 owned sites are leased to lessee dealers or LGO. Its leases with the lessee dealers have three year terms. As of December 31, 2011, the average remaining lease term for owned sites it leases to lessee dealers was 1.8 years. As of December 31, 2011, it also leased 98 sites from third-parties and then sub-leased these sites to lessee dealers and LGO. As of December 31, 2011, the average remaining lease term for sites it leases from third-parties was 7.5 years. Its sub-leases with the lessee dealers have three-year terms. The average remaining sub-lease term for sites it sub-lease to lessee dealers is 4.2 years.

The rental income the Company earns from sites it owns or leases include rental income associated with the personal property located on these sites, such as motor fuel pumps. It sells sites, which it owns and then leases the sites back from the buyer. It refers to these transactions as sale-leasebacks. In these sale-leaseback transactions, it retains the environmental liabilities associated with the site. As of December 11, 2012, the Company leased 22 sale-leaseback sites. As of December 31, 2011, the average remaining lease term of these sale-leaseback sites was 17.5 years. It sub-leases its sale-leaseback sites to lessee dealers and LGO. Its sub-leases with the lessee dealers have three-year terms. As of December 31, 2011, the average remaining sub-lease term for sites it sub-lease to lessee dealers was 2.1 years. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned 186 sites.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier]

  Non-traditional MLPs like Susser and Lehigh Gas Partners (NYSE: LGP) have risks and opportunities that are different from the midstream mainstream. Such MLPs can provide some diversification from the midstream MLPs that make up the bulk of the space, with less commodity and execution risk than most upstream partnerships. On the other hand, they are unlikely to have the same potential upside and growth opportunities as most midstream names. I might consider Susser as part a broader portfolio of MLPs, but it wouldn’t be a core holding in my own portfolio.

Top Gas Stocks To Buy For 2014: Murphy Oil Corp (MUR)

Murphy Oil Corporation, incorporated on June 29, 1964, is a worldwide oil and gas exploration and production company with retail and wholesale gasoline marketing operations in the United States and refining and marketing operations in the United Kingdom. In August 2013, the Company announced that it has completed the spin-off of its United States retail marketing business into an independent public company called Murphy USA Inc.

Murphy's exploration and production activities are subdivided into five geographic segments, including the United States, Canada, Malaysia, the Republic of the Congo and all other countries. Murphy's refining and marketing activities are subdivided into segments for the United States and the United Kingdom.

Exploration and Production

During the year ended December 31, 2012, Murphy's principal exploration and production activities were conducted in the United States by wholly owned Murphy Exploration & Production Company - USA (Murphy Expro USA), in Malaysia, Republic of the Congo, Indonesia, Suriname, Australia, Brunei, the Kurdistan region of Iraq, Cameroon, Vietnam and Equatorial Guinea by wholly owned Murphy Exploration & Production Company - International (Murphy Expro International) and its subsidiaries, in Western Canada and offshore Eastern Canada by wholly owned Murphy Oil Company Ltd. (MOCL) and its subsidiaries, and in the U.K. North Sea and the Atlantic Margin by wholly owned Murphy Petroleum Limited.

Murphy's crude oil and natural gas liquids production in 2012 was in the United States, Canada, Malaysia, the Republic of the Congo and the United Kingdom; its natural gas was produced and sold in the United States, Canada, Malaysia and the United Kingdom. MOCL owns a 5% undivided interest in Syncrude Canada Ltd. in northern Alberta, one of the producers of synthetic crude oil. Murphy's worldwide crude oil, condensate and natural gas liquids production in 2012, averaged 112,591 barrels per day. The Company's worldwi! de sales volume of natural gas averaged 490 million cubic feet per day in 2012.

In the United States, Murphy primarily has production of oil and/or natural gas from fields in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico, in the Eagle Ford Shale area of South Texas and onshore in South Louisiana. The Company produced approximately 26,100 barrels of oil per day and 53 million cubic feet of natural gas per day in the U.S. in 2012. During 2012, approximately 54% of total U.S. hydrocarbon production was produced at fields in the Gulf of Mexico. The Company holds a 60% interest at Medusa in Mississippi Canyon Blocks 538/582, which produced total daily oil and natural gas of about 4,300 barrels and for million cubic feet, respectively, in 2012. At December 31, 2012, the Medusa field had total proved oil and natural gas reserves of approximately 9.2 million barrels and 9.4 billion cubic feet, respectively. Murphy has a 62.5% working interest in the Front Runner field in Green Canyon Blocks 338/339. Oil and natural gas production at Front Runner averaged about 3,900 barrels of oil per day and four million cubic feet per day in 2012. The Company also acquired additional working interests in the Thunder Hawk field in Mississippi Canyon Block 734 in 2012 and holds 62.5% of this field. In 2012 oil production from this field averaged 2,800 barrels per day and 1.7 million cubic feet per day and 3.2 million cubic feet per day due to a new well completed in 2012.

The Company is primarily concentrating drilling efforts in the areas of the Eagle Ford where oil is the primary hydrocarbon produced. Totals for 2012 oil and natural gas production in the Eagle Ford area were approximately 13,300 barrels per day and 13 MMCF per day, respectively. On a barrel of oil equivalent basis, Eagle Ford production accounted for 44% of total U.S. production volumes in 2012. At December 31, 2012, the Company's proved reserves in the Eagle Ford Shale area totaled 113.6 million barrels of oil and 108.7 billion cubic feet of natural! gas. Tot! al proved U.S. oil and natural gas reserves at December 31, 2012 were 142.6 million barrels and 209.7 billion cubic feet, respectively. The Company is developing the Dalmatian field located in DeSoto Canyon Blocks 4 and 48 in the Gulf of Mexico.

In Canada, the Company owns an interest in three non-operated assets - the Hibernia and Terra Nova fields offshore Newfoundland in the Jeanne d'Arc Basin and Syncrude Canada Ltd. in northern Alberta. In addition, the Company owns interests in one heavy oil area, two natural gas areas and light oil prospective acreage in the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin (WCSB). Murphy has a 6.5% working interest in Hibernia, while at Terra Nova the Company's working interest is 10.475%. Oil production in 2012 was about 5,300 barrels of oil per day at Hibernia and 1,700 barrels per day at Terra Nova. Total proved oil reserves at December 31, 2012 at Hibernia and Terra Nova were approximately 10.6 million barrels and 5.9 million barrels, respectively.

Murphy owns a 5% undivided interest in Syncrude Canada Ltd., a joint venture located about 25 miles north of Fort McMurray, Alberta. Syncrude utilizes its assets, which include three coking units, to extract bitumen from oil sand deposits and to upgrade this bitumen into a synthetic crude oil. Production in 2012 was about 13,800 barrels of synthetic crude oil per day. Total proved reserves for Syncrude at year-end 2012 were 119.1 million barrels. Daily production in 2012 in the WCSB averaged about 7,500 barrels of mostly heavy oil and about 217 million cubic feet of natural gas. Through 2012, the Company has acquired approximately 144 thousand net acres of mineral rights in the Montney area, including Tupper and Tupper West.

In Malaysia, the Company has majority interests in six separate production sharing contracts (PSCs). The Company serves as the operator of all these areas other than the Kakap field. The production sharing contracts cover approximately 2.79 million gross acres. Murphy h! as an 85%! interest in discoveries made in two shallow-water blocks, SK 309 and SK 311, offshore Sarawak. About 7,400 barrels of oil per day were produced in 2012 at Blocks SK 309/311, with almost 75% of this at the West Patricia field and the remainder mostly associated with gas liquids produced at other Sarawak fields. Total net natural gas sales volume offshore Sarawak was about 174 million cubic feet per day during 2012 . Total proved reserves of oil and natural gas at December 31, 2012 for Blocks SK 309/311 were 10.3 million barrels and 284.7 billion cubic feet, respectively.

The Company made a discovery at the Kikeh field in deepwater Block K, offshore Sabah, Malaysia. Total gross acreage held by the Company in Block K as of December 31, 2012 was 80,000 acres. Production volumes at Kikeh averaged 44,900 barrels of oil per day during 2012. Total proved reserves booked in Block K as of year-end 2012 were 85.4 million barrels of oil and 72.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas.Total proved reserves booked in Block K in 2012, were 85.4 million barrels of oil and 72.9 billion cubic feet of natural gas. Total gross acreage held by the Company at year-end 2012 in Block H was 1.40 million acres. Murphy has a 75% interest in gas holding agreements for Kenarong and Pertang discoveries made in Block PM 311, located offshore peninsular Malaysia.

The Company had interests in Production Sharing Agreements (PSA) covering two offshore blocks in Republic of the Congo - Mer Profonde Sud (MPS) and Mer Profonde Nord (MPN) during 2012. These interests covered approximately 1.33 million gross acres with water depths ranging from 490 to 6,900 feet, and the Company operated both blocks. Total oil production in 2012 averaged 2,100 barrels per day at Azurite for the Company's 50% interest. Anticipated production in 2013 is 1,500 barrels per day.

The Company holds six exploration permits in Australia and serves as operator of four of them. Block NT/P80 in the Bonaparte Basin, offshore northwester! n Austral! ia, was acquired in June 2009 and covers approximately 1.20 million gross acres. In May 2012, Murphy was awarded permit WA-476-P in the Carnarvon Basin, offshore Western Australia. The Company holds 100% working interest in the permit which covers 177,000 gross acres. In August 2012, Murphy was awarded permit WA-481-P in the Perth Basin, offshore Western Australia. The permit covers approximately 4.30 million gross acres, with water depths ranging from 20 to 300 meters. The Company holds a 40% working interest. The work commitment calls for tw0- dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) seismic acquisition and processing, geophysical work and three exploration wells. In November 2012, Murphy acquired a 20% non-operated working interest in permit WA-408-P in the Browse Basin. This block is adjacent to AC/P36 and is in the midst of a two-well exploration campaign. The permit comprises approximately 417,000 gross acres.

The Company has interests in four exploration licenses in Indonesia and serves as operator of all these concessions. . Following contractually mandated acreage relinquishment in 2012, the block covers approximately 745 thousand gross acres. The Company has a 28.3% interest in the block which covers about 543 thousand gross acres after a required partial relinquishment of acreage during 2012. The permit calls for a 3D seismic program and three exploration wells. Murphy has a 100% interest in the block which covers 1.22 million gross acres. In November 2012, the Company signed a production sharing contract with Vietnam National Oil and Gas Group and PetroVietnam Exploration Production Company, whereby it acquired 65% interest and operatorship of Blocks 144 and 145. The blocks cover approximately 4.42 million gross acres and are located in the outer Phu Khanh Basin. In late 2012, the Company was granted Vietnam's government approval to acquire a 60% working interest and operatorship of Block 11-2/11.

The Company operates and holds a 50% interest in the block. The Ce! ntral Doh! uk block covers approximately 153 thousand gross acres and is located in the Dohuk area of the Kurdistan region in Iraq. The Company shot seismic in 2011 and drilled an unsuccessful exploration well in 2012.The Company acquired a 100% working interest and operatorship of Block 48 offshore Suriname. The block encompasses 794 thousand gross acres with water depths ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 meters. Murphy relinquished Block 37 in July 2012.

Murphy was granted government approval to acquire a 50% working interest and operatorship of the NTEM concession. The working interest was acquired from Sterling Cameroon Limited (Sterling) via a farm-out agreement of the existing production sharing contract. Sterling retained a 50% non-operated interest in the block. The NTEM block, situated in the Douala Basin offshore Cameroon, encompasses 573 thousand gross acres, with water depths ranging from 300 to 1,900 meters. In October 2012, Murphy signed an agreement with Perenco Cameroon to acquire a 50% interest in the Elombo production sharing contract, immediately adjacent to the NTEM concession. The Company received government approval to acquire the acreage in December 2012. Perenco retained a 50% operating interest in the block. The Elombo block, situated in the Douala Basin offshore Cameroon, between the shoreline and the NTEM block, encompasses 594 thousand gross acres with water depths ranging up to 1,100 meters.

In December 2012, Murphy signed a production sharing contract for block W offshore Equatorial Guinea. Murphy has a 45% working interest and has been designated the operator. The government is expected to ratify the contract early in 2013. The block is located offshore mainland Equatorial Guinea and encompasses 557 thousand gross acres with water depths ranging from 60 to 2,000 meters. The initial exploration period of five years is divided into two sub-periods, a sub-period of three years and a second sub-period of two years. The sub-period may be extended one year and with this! extensio! n is the obligation to drill one well. Murphy has produced oil and natural gas in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea for many years. In 2012, Murphy entered into several contracts to sell all of its oil and gas properties in the United Kingdom.

Murphy's total proved undeveloped reserves at December 31, 2012 increased 42.0 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBOE) from a year earlier. Approximately 44.0 MMBOE of proved undeveloped reserves were converted to proved developed reserves during 2012. During 2012, there were 26.6 million barrels of oil per day of positive revisions for proved undeveloped reserves. At December 31, 2012, proved reserves are included for several development projects that are ongoing, including natural gas developments at the Tupper West area in British Columbia and offshore Sarawak Malaysia, and an oil development at Kakap, offshore Sabah Malaysia. Total proved undeveloped reserves associated with various development projects at December 31, 2012 were approximately 219 million barrels of oil per day, which is 36% of the Company's total proved reserves.

Murphy Oil USA, Inc. (MOUSA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Murphy Oil Corporation and markets its refined products through a network of Company stations, unbranded wholesale customers and bulk products customers in a 30-state area, primarily in the Southern and Midwestern United States. Murphy's Company stations are located in 23 states and are primarily located in the parking lots of Walmart Supercenters using the brand name Murphy USA. The Company stations also include stand-alone locations using the Murphy Express brand. During 2012, Company stations sold over 3.8 billion gallons of motor fuel. At December 31, 2012, the Company marketed fuel and convenience merchandise through 1,165 Company stations. Of these Company stations, 1,015 are located on parking lots of Walmart Supercenters or other Walmart stores and 150 are stand-alone Murphy Express locations.

The Company owns land und! erlying 9! 08 of the Company stations on Walmart parking lots. No rent is payable to Walmart for the owned locations. For the remaining 104 Company stations located on Walmart property that are not owned, Murphy has master agreements that allow the Company to rent land from Walmart. The master agreements contain general terms applicable to all rental sites on Walmart property in the United States. In addition to the motor fuel sold at the Company's Company stations, its stores carry a broad selection of snacks, beverages, tobacco products, and other non-food merchandise. The Company's merchandise offerings include two private label products, an isotonic drink offered in several flavors and a private label energy drink. In 2012, the Company purchased more than 88% of its merchandise from a single vendor, McLane's Company, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, Inc.

Murphy owns an interest in a crude oil pipeline that connects storage at the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) at Clovelly, Louisiana, to the formerly owned Meraux refinery. Murphy owns a 40.1% interest in its 22 miles of this pipeline from Clovelly to Alliance, Louisiana, and 100% of the remaining 24 miles from Alliance to Meraux. Murco Petroleum Limited (Murco), a wholly owned U.K. subsidiary, owns 100% interest in a refinery at Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales. The refinery is located on a 938 acre site owned by the Company; 430 acres are used by the refinery and the remainder is rented for agricultural use. The refinery consistently performed near nameplate capacity during 2012. Murphy has announced its intention to sell the Milford Haven refinery and United Kingdom marketing assets.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Tristan Liu]

  Murphy USA (MUSA) first caught my attention after Southeastern Asset Management acquired a massive stake ($668mm) in its former parent company Murphy Oil Corporation (MUR) in Q1 2013. One thing about Murphy Oil Corporation I noticed after an initial glance through their 10-K and annual report was its ownership of a valuable fuel and convenience retailer segment with high ROIC, valuable real estate, low CAPEX requirements, and relatively decent growth prospects that was under-followed and whose underlying value was concealed by the parent company's core production and exploration business.

Top Gas Stocks To Buy For 2014: Callon Petroleum Co (CPE)

Callon Petroleum Company (Callon), incorporated on March 29, 1994, is an independent oil and natural gas company. It is focused on growing production and reserves from its oil-weighted multi-play assets in the Permian Basin. In 2013, the Company shifted its operations from the offshore waters in the Gulf of Mexico to the onshore, Permian Basin region in Texas.

The Company operates 100% of its Permian acreage. As of December 31, 2013, the Company�� proved reserves were 14.9 million barrels of oil equivalent (80% oil and 50% proved developed).

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Callon Petroleum Company (NYSE: CPE) is estimated to post its Q4 earnings at $0.00 per share on revenue of $26.83 million.

  Supernus Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SUPN) is expected to post a Q4 loss at $0.55 per share on revenue of $7.78 million.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  In trading on Friday, energy shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.40 percent. Top losers in the sector included Callon Petroleum Company (NYSE: CPE), down 5 percent, and Tesco (NASDAQ: TESO), off 3.9 percent.

• [By Garrett Cook]

  In trading on Friday, energy shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.40 percent. Top losers in the sector included Callon Petroleum Company (NYSE: CPE), down 5.67 percent, and Tesco (NASDAQ: TESO), off 3.99 percent.