Alexis Tate
Disclosure: I am in full compliance with all ethics and other policies for Market Realist research analysts. I am not invested in securities that I cover on Market Realist.
More From Alexis Tate

Why Most Analysts Recommend a ‘Hold’ for Cloud Peak Energy
Of the nine analysts covering Cloud Peak Energy (CLD), seven analysts rated its stock as a “hold,” and two gave CLD a “buy” or “strong buy” rating.

Analysts Expect Peabody Energy’s Revenues to Rise in 3Q17
In 3Q15, Peabody Energy (BTU) reported $1.42 billion in revenues. Analysts anticipate that it will post $1.46 billion in 3Q17 compared to $1.26 billion in 2Q17.

Canadian Solar Beat Analysts’ 3Q17 Revenue Estimates
Canadian Solar’s revenues from the sale of electricity in 3Q17 totaled $9.6 million, which was marginally lower than $9.8 million in 2Q17.

Understanding Arch Coal’s Financial Position
Arch Coal’s leverage On June 30, 2017, the book value of Arch Coal’s (ARCH) long-term debt was about $315.6 million, of which ~$297 million is due for payment in 2024. Arch Coal’s leverage, which is its net debt divided by EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization), has increased since the acquisition of International […]
How Westmoreland Coal Maintains Positive Cash Flow Each Quarter
Range-bound margins Since the majority of Westmoreland Coal’s (WLB) contracts are long-term cost-protected contracts, its margins are protected. Many contracts have high-margin reclamation. The company’s EBITDA[1.earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization] margins have remained between 10% and 26% during the last six quarters. This trend contrasts with that followed by other major coal producers (KOL) such as […]

Analyzing JA Solar’s Leverage and Liquidity Position
JA Solar Holdings (JASO) reported $12.1 million as interest expense for 3Q17 compared to $12.4 million in 2Q17 and $11.3 million in 3Q16.

Appalachian Coal Price Rose in the Last Week of September
During the week ended September 29, 2017, spot coal prices for the Powder River Basin and the Illinois Basin closed at the same price as the previous week.

Introducing Alliance Resource Partners: A Company Overview
In this series, we’ll explore how Alliance Resource Partners has expanded its business and evaluate its key operational metrics and financial position.

Coal Spot Prices Remained Steady in the Week Ended October 20
During the week ended October 20, 2017, coal spot prices from all the regions remained steady compared to their prices in the week ended October 13.

Coal Spot Prices Remain Steady for the Second Month
On December 18–22, the PRB and Illinois Basin coal prices remained at $12.10 per short ton and $32.60 per short ton, respectively.

Chicago Bridge & Iron Stock: How It’s Performing
As of November 24, 2017, CBI stock has fallen 51% YTD due to earnings misses and a fall in profits.

More about KBR’s Major Clients
Clients and their sectors KBR (KBR) has a diverse customer base. According to KBR, its customers are “domestic and foreign governments, international and national oil and gas companies, independent refiners, petrochemical producers, fertilizer producers and manufacturers.” Revenue from overseas operations represented 63%, 57%, and 51% of KBR’s total revenue in 2014, 2015, and 2016, respectively. In this part, we’ll look at […]

Understanding the Master Limited Partnership Structure of Alliance Resource Partners
As of December 31, 2016, Alliance Resource Partners was being managed by its MGP, which is 100% owned, directly and indirectly, by AGHP.

Is KBR on a Path to Transformation?
Strategic focus and restructuring In December 2014, KBR (KBR) revamped its operations to strengthen its global presence. From 16 business lines servicing many end markets, it narrowed its focus to only two end markets (hydrocarbon and government services) through three segments. Winding down In response to the reorganization plan, KBR sold off its building group […]

No Change in Coal Prices Week-Over-Week
Powder River Basin coal prices Powder River Basin (or PRB) coal stood at $12.10 per short ton on November 24, 2017. PRB coal prices have not changed for the last three weeks. PRB has surface mines, where sub-bituminous coal is mined. These surface mines, located in Wyoming and Montana, are in the lowest-cost coal mining region in […]

Coal Prices Have Been Steady Week-over-Week
Powder River Basin (or PRB) coal prices settled at $12.10 per short ton when the market closed on December 1, 2017. The prices were constant for all of November.

What Factors Could Drive Arch Coal Stock in 2H17?
1H17 in review Majority of the coal (KOL) stocks began 2017 on a weak note. The stocks have not been able to recoup from the slump until now. They have been outperformed by the broader market and the VanEck Vectors Coal ETF so far in 2017. On September 19, 2017, Arch Coal (ARCH) has fallen […]

SunEdison’s Solar Energy and Semiconductor Businesses
On December 2, 2016, GlobalWafers completed the acquisition of SunEdison Semiconductor for $683.0 million.

Coal Prices Stay Put in Winter 2017
For the week ended December 15, Powder River Basin (or PRB) coal prices came in at $12.10 per short ton. PRB coal prices have remained at the same rate since November 10.

Where Cloud Peak Energy’s Stock Is Trading next to Peers
On August 17, 2017, Cloud Peak Energy (CLD) had a forward EV-to-EBITDA multiple of 5.5x.

Spot Coal Prices Remained Flat in the Week Ending November 3
Powder River Basin coal settled at $11.75 per short ton, while Illinois Basin spot coal prices closed at $32.60 per short ton.

Westmoreland Coal’s Canadian Operations: An Overview
Westmoreland’s Canadian operations Westmoreland Coal (WLB) acquired seven surface mines in Alberta and Saskatchewan, a stake in an activated carbon plant, and a char plant in Canada from Sherritt International in 2014. As of January 1, 2016, WLB’s Canadian operations are grouped as one entity, Prairie Mines & Royalty ULC. Its Canadian operations hold total […]

The Flip Side of Alliance Resource Partners’ Business: Key Risks
As of June 30, 2017, ARLP’s long-term contracts totaled ~38.0 million tons for 2017, 20.1 million tons for 2018, and 11.0 million tons for 2019.

Inside Alliance Resource Partners’ Mining Operations
Alliance Resource Partners (ARLP) operates eight underground mining complexes in two regions: Illinois and Appalachia.

Coal Prices Have Been Constant Week-over-Week
The coal prices in the Powder River Basin (or PRB) reached $12.10 per short ton for the week ended December 8, 2017.

Powder River Basin Coal Spot Prices Recovered Sharply
During the week ended November 10, 2017, PRB coal closed at $12.10 per short ton, which was ~3% higher than $11.75 per short ton that coal maintained for the past five weeks.

How Arch Coal’s Leverage and Liquidity Compare
Arch Coal’s debt According to Arch Coal’s (ARCH) latest 10-Q filings, the book value of its long-term debt is ~$315 million, of which a term loan of ~$297 million is due for payment in 2024. It is also subject to quarterly principal amortization payments of $750,000. Arch Coal’s interest expenses were ~$6.0 million in 2Q17 […]

How Westmoreland Coal’s Business Model Differs from Peers’
Business model Westmoreland Coal (WLB) has a different business model than American coal producer (KOL) peer Arch Coal (ARCH), Alpha Natural Resources (ANRZQ), and Peabody Energy (BTU). Contract Westmoreland Coal’s contracts are long term and cost protected. According to company filings, its weighted average contract life (contract life weighted by tonnage) extends to 2022. Low-cost supplier […]

Coal Prices Remain Steady in Week Ended November 17
Power River Basin coal prices In the week ended November 17, 2017, PRB (Power River Basin) coal prices closed at $12.10 per short ton, the same price reported at the end of the previous week. PRB produces sub-bituminous coal from surface mines, which make it a low-cost coal mining area. These coal reserves are located in […]

Why Canadian Solar’s Shipments Rose during 3Q17
In 4Q17, Canadian Solar expects its solar module shipments to reach ~1.7–1.8 GW.

Natural Gas Inventories and Coal in Week Ended September 1
When the prices of other fuels are more attractive, the demand for coal can fall, and when other fuel prices increase, coal can become more attractive.

JA Solar’s Costs in 3Q17 and How That Affected Its Bottom Line
JA Solar’s total cost of sales for 3Q17 was $575.4 million compared to $778.9 million in 2Q17 and $539.3 million in 3Q16.

Natural Gas Inventory Remains below the 5-Year Average
During the winter, the demand for natural gas increases in the US. In previous weeks, the supply continued to be below the five-year average.

Coal Production Continues to Fall
On December 21, the EIA released the estimate of the coal volumes produced in the US for the week ending December 16.

Crude Oil Prices Rise: Will It Impact Coal Miners?
On December 21, 2017, the price of Brent crude oil was $64.90 per barrel—up 2.6% from $63.23 per barrel recorded on December 15.

Natural Gas Prices Continue to Fall
In the EIA’s STEO report, it predicted that the Henry Hub natural gas benchmark price would average $3.12 per MMBtu in 2018.

KBR Stock: Performance and Outlook
KBR has an assorted mix of business portfolios, which helps it combat cyclicality associated with any single market.

How Well Is KBR Handling Its Short-Term Obligations?
As of September 30, 2017, KBR (KBR) had a total debt of $2.7 billion against $3.4 billion at the end of fiscal 2016. Nearly $1.2 billion of that is currently payable.

An Introduction to KBR
KBR (KBR), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a comprehensive professional service and technology provider.

Understanding KBR’s Business Segments
Business segments KBR’s (KBR) business is classified into three core segments (government services, technology and consulting, and engineering and construction) and two non-core segments (non-strategic business and other business). Government services The government service segment’s primary focus is providing support solutions to US, UK, and Australian government agencies. According to KBR’s Form 10-K, the segment offers “full […]

A Look at KBR’s Subsidiaries
Primary subsidiaries Previously, we discussed various acquisitions completed by KBR (KBR). Let’s now take a look at some of KBR’s subsidiaries and how they fit into the big picture for the company. Energy and construction Granherne, a KBR technology and engineering subsidiary, operates in the oil and gas industry. Granherne provides front-end engineering and design services […]

More about KBR’s Recent Strategic Acquisitions
Consulting and technical services On January 12, 2016, KBR (KBR) acquired three of Chematur Technologies’ engineering subsidiaries—Weatherly, Plinke, and Chematur Ecoplanning Oy—for $24.5 million. Chematur is a Swedish chemical engineering company specializing in bioethylene technologies. It is owned by China-based aniline trader and producer Connell Chemical Industry. Through subsidiary Brown & Root Industrial Services, KBR acquired MEI […]

Understanding KBR’s Inorganic Growth
KBR’s acquisitions In 2016, four significant acquisitions were made by KBR (KBR) to reorganize its technology business, industrial maintenance welding, and government services under suitable market segments. In this part, we’ll look at KBR’s government service business expansion. Wyle acquisition On July 5, 2016, KBR acquired Wyle for $579 million, using nearly $200 million in […]

Analyzing Coal Production’s Recent Fall
On December 14, the EIA (Energy Information Administration) issued its coal shipment estimates for the week of December 9.

Will the Marginal Drop in Crude Oil Prices Hit Coal Miners?
On December 15, Brent crude oil settled at $63.23 per barrel—0.3% below the $63.40 per barrel reported on December 8.

Why Natural Gas Prices Keep Falling despite the Onset of Winter
The January 2018 US natural gas futures contract price settled at $2.74 per MMBtu (million British thermal units) while the Henry Hub natural gas spot price was $2.71 per MMBtu when the market closed on December 18.

Natural Gas Inventories Down: Positive for Coal?
Inventories are a significant driver of commodity prices. In this part of our series, we’ll focus on inventory levels for natural gas.

Coal Production Rebounded in the Week Ended December 2
For the week ended December 2, 2017, coal production rose sharply to 15.7 MMst (million short tons) from 14.1 MMst in the previous week.

Are Coal Miners Impacted by a Fall in Crude Oil Prices?
On December 8, 2017, the price of WTI crude oil was $57.36 per barrel. This price was nearly 2.0% below the price of $58.36 per barrel when the market closed on December 1.

Chart in Focus: Natural Gas Prices and the Henry Hub Benchmark
The January 2018 US natural gas futures contract price settled at $2.83 per MMBtu (million British thermal units) when the market closed on December 11, 2017.

Natural Gas Inventories Rose Unexpectedly: The Impact on Coal
According to EIA estimates, the natural gas inventory for the week ended December 1, 2017, is 3,695 Bcf (billion cubic feet). This reading is just 2 Bcf above the 3,693 Bcf recorded for the week ended November 24.

Chicago Bridge & Iron’s Relative Valuation Compared to Its Peers
Chicago Bridge & Iron Company (CBI) has a PB ratio of 1.41x based on its 2017 consensus estimates.

Chicago Bridge & Iron: Highly Leveraged Compared to Peers
As of September 30, 2017, Chicago Bridge & Iron (CBI) had a total debt of $2.1 billion against $2.2 billion at the end of fiscal 2016.

How Chicago Bridge & Iron Classifies Its Business Operations
Chicago Bridge & Iron Company (CBI) currently has two operating groups catering to customers in the energy (XLE) infrastructure market.

Chicago Bridge & Iron Company: An Introduction
In this series, we’ll analyze Chicago Bridge & Iron’s (CBI) business model. We’ll explore how it has expanded its business and evaluate its key operational metrics and financial position.

Why Coal Production Declined in Week Ended November 25
For the week ended November 25, coal production fell sharply to 14.1 mmst (million short tons) from 14.9 mmst in the previous week.

Are Coal Miners Impacted by Volatility in Crude Oil Prices?
On December 1, 2017, the price of WTI crude oil was $58.36 per barrel. That was 1% below $58.95 per barrel when the market closed on November 24, 2017.

Natural Gas Prices Rose: How That Could Affect Coal
The EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration), in its recent Short-Term Energy Outlook report, has projected the average Henry Hub natural gas spot price for 2018 at $3.10 per MMBtu.

Natural Gas Inventory Fell: Could Coal Benefit?
According to EIA estimates, natural gas inventory for the week ended November 24, 2017, was 3,693 Bcf, which is 0.9% lower than 3,726 Bcf for the previous week.

Coal Production Rises Marginally in Week Ended November 18
Weekly coal production Coal shipment estimates for the week ended November 18, 2017, were announced on November 22 by the EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration). Coal acts as a key commodity for railroad companies such as Kansas City Southern (KSU) and Union Pacific (UNP). The report on weekly US coal production is based on railcar […]

Natural Gas Prices Falls despite Strong Demand
Natural gas prices December US natural gas futures closed at $2.93 per MMBtu (million British thermal units), while Henry Hub natural gas settled at $2.82 per MMBtu on November 27, 2017. The Henry Hub figure was lower than the $3.05 per MMBtu reported on November 20, 2017. In its latest short-term energy outlook report, the […]

Natural Gas Inventories Fall: What Now for Coal?
In this series, we’ll review the natural gas inventory levels as reported by the EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration), and how they have impacted natural gas and coal prices.

Analysts Expect Yingli Solar’s Revenue to Rise in 3Q17
In 3Q16, Yingli Solar (YGE) posted nearly $218.9 million in total revenues. Analysts estimate that it will report ~$242 million in revenues in 3Q17.

Yingli Solar Stock Has a ‘Sell’ Rating before Its 3Q17 Results
Currently, only one analyst is covering Yingli Solar (YGE) stock. The analyst gave the company a “sell” (or 100%) rating.

What to Expect from Yingli Solar’s 3Q17 Earnings
Yingli Solar will announce its 3Q17 earnings results on December 6 before market hours. Since its 2Q17 earnings, its stock price has fallen nearly 13.1%.

Coal Production Falls in the Week Ended November 10
Weekly coal production Coal shipment metrics for the week ended November 10, 2017, were released by the EIA (US Energy Information Administration) on November 16, 2017. Coal is a primary commodity for railway companies such as Union Pacific (UNP) and Kansas City Southern (KSU). Each week, US coal production information is issued based on railcar loadings. In […]

How Lower Crude Oil Prices Could Affect Coal Miners
Crude oil prices On November 17, 2017, WTI (West Texas Intermediate) was at $56.55 per barrel, 0.3% lower than the $56.74 per barrel reported when the market closed on November 10, 2017. On November 17, 2017, Brent crude oil was down 1.3% week-over-week, settling at $62.72 per barrel. Prices fell partially due to doubts on whether […]

Natural Gas Prices Fall despite Higher Demand
Natural gas prices On November 20, 2017, December US natural gas futures closed at $3.05 per MMBtu (million British thermal units), and Henry Hub natural gas spot prices settled at $3.05 per MMBtu, below the $3.12 per MMBtu posted on November 13, 2017. The EIA’s (US Energy Information Administration) latest short-term energy outlook report suggests […]

Natural Gas Inventory Falls: Could Coal Miners Benefit?
In this series, we’ll examine the natural gas inventory for the week ended November 10, 2017, and its effects on natural gas and coal pricing.

How JA Solar Beat Analysts’ 3Q17 Revenue Estimates
In 3Q17, JA Solar reported total revenues of $652.6 million compared to $878.2 million in 2Q17 and $624.3 million in 3Q16.

Why JA Solar Stock Fell after Its 3Q17 Earnings Release
On November 15, 2017, after market hours, JA Solar Holdings (JASO) announced its 3Q17 results for the quarter ended September 30, 2017.

Why Canadian Solar’s Stock Price Fell after Its 3Q17 Results
Canadian Solar (CSIQ) reported its 3Q17 earnings results on November 9. CSIQ declared earnings per share of $0.22, slightly below the analyst consensus estimate of $0.26.

Coal Production Rebounded in Week Ended November 4
The week ended November 4 witnessed an increase of 3.9% in coal production, from 14.5 mmst (million short tons) in the previous week to 15.0 mmst.

Can Rising Crude Oil Prices Affect Coal Miners?
On November 10, 2017, the price of WTI crude oil closed at $56.74 per barrel. That was 1.9% higher than $55.64 per barrel when the market closed on November 3, 2017.

Natural Gas Prices Rose in the Wake of Winter
As of November 10, 2017, December US natural gas futures contract price closed at $3.21 per MMBtu. The Henry Hub natural gas spot price settled at $3.14 per MMBtu.

How Did Vivint Solar’s Costs Affect Its Bottom Line in 3Q17?
In 3Q17, Vivint Solar (VSLR) posted $34.7 million as its cost of revenue for its operating leases and incentives, higher than the $33.8 million in 2Q17 but lower than the $39.3 million in 3Q16.

How Natural Gas Inventories Are Affecting Coal
The EIA issued its natural gas inventory report on November 9, 2017. Natural gas inventory was 3,790 Bcf which is 0.4% more than 3,775 Bcf for the week ended October 27, 2017.

Vivint Solar Beat Analysts’ 3Q17 Revenue Estimates
Vivint Solar reported $75.1 million in consolidated revenue for 3Q17 compared to $73.0 million in 2Q17 and $41.3 million 3Q16.

Vivint Solar Reported Rise in Estimated Retained Value in 3Q17
Vivint Solar (VSLR) reported a cost per watt of $2.94 for 3Q17, higher than the $2.88 it reported in 2Q17 and $3.85 in 3Q16.

Why Vivint Solar Stock Fell after 3Q17 Results
Vivint Solar posted $75.1 million in revenues in 3Q17, up by 82% on a YoY (year-over-year) basis.

Why SunPower Reported Lower 3Q17 Revenues
SunPower (SPWR) reports its revenue under the power plant, residential, and commercial segments. The latter two segments are together called the distributed generation segments.

SunPower Stock Surges 15% after 3Q17 Earnings Release
SunPower (SPWR) announced its 3Q17 earnings before market hours on November 2. In this series, we’ll examine SunPower’s 3Q17 results in detail and compare the results with analysts’ estimates.

Coal Production Fell during the Week Ending October 28
The week ending October 28 witnessed a fall of 3.1% in coal production from 14.9 million short tons in the previous week to 14.5 million short tons.

Rising Crude Oil Prices Could Impact Coal Miners
As of November 3, 2017, Brent crude oil prices rose 2.1% on a week-over-week basis. Brent crude oil settled at $62.07 per barrel on November 3, 2017.

Winter Is Coming: How Will Natural Gas Prices React?
Strong natural gas prices might encourage utilities to use coal instead of natural gas. It could help coal (KOL) increase its market share.

Natural Gas Inventory Continues to Fall below the 5-Year Average
On November 2, the EIA published the natural gas inventory report for the week ending October 27, 2017. The latest natural gas inventory is 3,775 Bcf.

Westmoreland Coal’s Leverage and Liquidity Position
Interest expenses for Westmoreland Coal (WLB) have gradually increased since 1Q15. In 3Q17, they were $30.0 million compared to $29.5 million in 3Q16.

Westmoreland Coal Missed 3Q17 Earnings Estimates
Westmoreland Coal’s Coal-U.S. segment reported adjusted EBITDA of $34.3 million in 3Q17 compared to $38.0 million in 3Q16 and $23.7 million in 2Q17.

Why Westmoreland Coal’s Revenue Fell in 3Q17
For 3Q17, Westmoreland Coal reported consolidated revenue of $358 million compared to $371 million in 3Q16. That’s 11% higher than $323 million in 2Q17.

Why Westmoreland Coal’s Shipments Fell in 3Q17
For 3Q17, Westmoreland Coal posted 13.6 million tons in total coal (KOL) shipments compared to 13.9 million tons in 3Q16 and 11.0 million tons in 2Q17.

Peabody Energy’s Future Earnings: What the Company Expects
After its 3Q17 earnings release, Peabody Energy (BTU) increased its 2017 US sales guidance to 151 million–158 million short tons, from 148 million–153 million short tons.

A Look at Peabody Energy’s Liquidity Position
According to recent company filings, the book value of Peabody Energy’s (BTU) indebtedness is ~$1.7 billion. In 3Q17, BTU repaid $300 million of its term loan.

Peabody Energy Stock Fell Marginally after 3Q17 Earnings Release
On October 25, 2017, Peabody Energy (BTU) announced its 3Q17 earnings results. It reported adjusted diluted EPS of $1.47 against analysts’ estimate of $1.18.

Analysts’ Views on Arch Coal Ahead of Its 3Q17 Results
Analysts’ ratings As of October 27, 2017, of the nine analysts covering Arch Coal (ARCH) stock, eight (89%) recommended “buy” or “strong buy,” and one (11%) recommended “hold.” There were no “sell” or “strong sell” ratings. Arch Coal’s price target Arch Coal’s 12-month target price was $94.88 as of October 27, 2017. The target price indicates an upside […]

What to Expect for Arch Coal’s 3Q17 Earnings
Arch Coal (ARCH) is expected to announce its 3Q17 earnings results on October 31, 2017, before market hours.

Could Arch Coal’s Margins Improve in 3Q17?
Arch Coal’s earnings estimates In 3Q16, Arch Coal’s (ARCH) adjusted EBITDAR (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortization, and restructuring) were about $81.3 million, and its EBITDAR margin was 14.8%. Analysts expect the company to report EBITDAR of about $95 million in 3Q17 and an EBITDAR margin of 17.3%. A higher EBITDAR figure suggests higher income from […]

Analysts Expect a Marginal Rise in Arch Coal’s Revenue in 3Q17
Arch Coal’s estimated revenue In 3Q16, Arch Coal (ARCH) reported consolidated revenue of ~$550.3 million. Analysts expect Arch Coal to post revenue of $550.7 million in 3Q17, a marginal increase of 0.06% year-over-year. The expected rise is primarily due to an anticipated increase in metallurgical coal shipments. Arch Coal expects its metallurgical segment to benefit from […]

A Closer Look at Westmoreland Coal’s 2017 Guidance
Westmoreland Coal Company (WLB) affirmed its 2017 sales guidance after the second-quarter earnings were released on July 27.

Why Wall Street Rates Westmoreland Coal a ‘Buy’
All three Wall Street analysts covering Westmoreland Coal Company (WLB) gave the company a “buy” rating. There were no “sell” or “hold” ratings for the company as of October 27.

What to Expect from Cloud Peak Energy’s 3Q17 Earnings
Cloud Peak Energy (CLD) is expected to announce its 3Q17 earnings on October 27, 2017, after market hours.