Westmoreland Coal Co
Latest Westmoreland Coal Co News and Updates

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.
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 […]

What Are Analysts’ Ratings for Westmoreland Coal?
Of the four analysts covering Westmoreland Coal (WLB), 100% or four analysts gave the company a “buy” rating. There weren’t any “sell” or “hold” ratings.

What to Expect from Major Coal Mining Companies in Their Future Earnings
Alliance Resource Partners (ARLP) revised its fiscal 2016 shipments guidance to 36.5 million–37.0 million tons from its prior guidance of 35.0 million–36.0 million tons.

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.

Factors Driving Major Coal Company Stocks So Far in 4Q16
Stocks of all major coal mining companies remained upbeat after the US election results on November 9, 2016. The recent rally in natural gas prices helped coal stocks continue their momentum so far in December 2016.

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.

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 […]
Westmoreland Coal Company is probably the strongest US coal name
Westmoreland Coal Company (WLB) operates a unique business model of supplying coal to power plants in the vicinity of mines through cost-effective transportation modes on long-term, cost-protected contracts.

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.
Why natural gas injections affect thermal coal demand
Coal’s share in electricity generation is down from over 50% in 2004 to 39% in 2013. During the same period, natural gas’ share increased from 18% to 27.5%.

Why Are Analysts Rating Westmoreland Coal a ‘Buy’?
Of the three analysts covering Westmoreland Coal (WLB), 100% (three analysts) gave the company a “buy” recommendation.

Why Did Coal Stocks Soar after the US Election Results?
The Republicans won the majority of the major coal-producing (KOL) states in the United States such as Wyoming, West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, and Montana.

Teck Resources’ 2Q17 Earnings: What’s the Word on Wall Street?
Teck Resources (TECK), the Canada-based diversified miner (EWC), is scheduled to release its 2Q17 earnings on July 25.

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 […]

What Could Drive Alliance Resource Partners Stock in 2017?
The majority of coal stocks began 2016 on a weak note. But they outperformed the broader market in 2016—mostly through gains in the second half of 2016.

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

Is a Rising Chinese Aluminum Supply a Risk for Alcoa Investors?
During their 2Q16 earnings calls, Century Aluminum (CENX) and Norsk Hydro (NHYDY) expressed concern over higher Chinese supply in the second half of the year.

BHP Billiton Revised Its Coal Costs. Here’s Why
Coal is one of the key commodities for BHP and contributes 21% of its revenues and 20% if its underlying EBITDA.

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 […]
Westmoreland Coal Company’s 3Q 2014 cost performance
With coal prices plummeting, WLB took a $24 million non-cash charge on derivative contracts. The company also reported interest expenses of $21.3 million in 3Q 2014 compared to $9.9 million in 3Q 2013.
Must-know: ANR’s thermal coal business in 3Q14
ANR produces thermal coal from its mines in the Appalachian and Powder River Basin (or PRB). The company had around three billion tons of thermal coal reserves.

How Does Vale Plan to Unlock Value in Coal?
Vale’s (VALE) focus in its coal division is on stabilizing the business, which is why it’s not bothered by the flat growth in production.

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.

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.

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.

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.

What Could Support Higher Profitability in Vale’s Coal Division?
Vale’s (VALE) coal EBITDA has been declining due to lower realized prices and higher tariff costs in the NLC (Nacala Logistics Corridor).

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.

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.

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 […]

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.

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.

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.

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.

Why Vale’s 3Q17 Earnings from Coal Declined despite Higher Volumes
Vale’s (VALE) coal production in Mozambique reached a quarterly record of 3.2 million tons in 3Q17. This implies 38.3% YoY (year-over-year) growth.

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.

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.

Will Strong Crude Oil Prices Affect Coal Producers?
On October 20, 2017, WTI (West Texas Intermediate) crude oil prices closed at $51.47 per barrel.

How Higher Crude Oil Prices Impact Coal Producers
On October 13, 2017, Brent crude oil prices settled at $57.17 per barrel, 3% higher than $55.60 reported during the previous week.

How Weather Affects Natural Gas Prices
On October 16, the November US natural gas futures contract price was reported as $2.95 per MMBtu.

Why We Should Watch Peabody Energy’s Leverage and Liquidity
According to the latest company filings, the book value of Peabody Energy’s (BTU) debt as of June 30, 2017, after exiting from bankruptcy is $1.77 billion.
An Overview of Westmoreland Coal
In this series, we’ll analyze Westmoreland Coal’s (WLB) business model. We’ll explore how the company has expanded its business, and evaluate its key operational metrics and financial position.

Arch Coal Beats Analyst’s 4Q16 Revenue Estimates
For 4Q16, Arch Coal (ARCH) reported revenues of ~$576 million compared to analyst estimates of $548 million.

Which Major Coal Mining Company Is Trading at a Discount?
On December 14, 2016, analysts had a consensus 12-month target price of $6.40 for Cloud Peak Energy (CLD).

Leverage and Liquidity Concern the Coal Mining Industry
Among the major coal mining companies, Peabody Energy (BTUUQ) has the highest level of debt on its books. On September 30, 2016, Peabody Energy had ~$8 billion in the form of consolidated debt.

Why Westmoreland Coal Had Higher Coal Pricing Growth in 3Q16
Westmoreland Coal (WLB) and Arch Coal (ARCH) witnessed an improvement in average coal sales price per ton sold on a YoY basis when compared to its peers.

Behind Major Coal Mining Companies’ 3Q16 Shipment Growth
All major coal mining companies reported higher coal (KOL) shipments in 3Q16 compared to 2Q16. However, a majority of them reported lower shipments on a year-over-year basis.

Alcoa Investors: What’s Keeping Chinese Aluminum Exports Subdued?
One of the major challenges for the global aluminum industry has been the rise in Chinese aluminum exports.

San Juan Acquisition Keeps Driving Westmoreland Coal’s Top Line
Revenue from the company’s coal mining operations in the US came in at about $168.9 million compared to $132.0 million in 3Q15 and $151.4 million in 2Q16.

Why Did Westmoreland Coal’s Stock Surge 18% on Its 3Q16 Results?
Westmoreland Coal (WLB) announced its 3Q16 earnings results before markets opened on November 1, 2016.

Why Alliance Resource Partners’s Stock Rose after Its 3Q16 Results
Alliance Resource Partners (ARLP) announced its 3Q16 earnings results before market hours on October 28. In this series, we’ll analyze the company’s 3Q16 results, compare the results with analyst expectations, and analyze the factors that caused deviation.

Why Did Cloud Peak Energy’s Stock Surge 13% on Its 3Q16 Results?
For 3Q16, Cloud Peak Energy posted adjusted EPS of $0.06, as compared to the analysts’ consensus estimate of -$0.12. Its stock price rose ~13% the same day.

Why Westmoreland Coal’s Leverage and Liquidity Position Are Important for Investors
For 2Q16, WLB’s interest expenses came in at $29.2 million, as compared to $22.7 million in 2Q15 and $27.9 million in 1Q16.

A Closer Look at Westmoreland Coal’s 2016 Guidance
For fiscal 2016, WLB has a coal (KOL) sales guidance of 53 million–60 million tons.

Can Westmoreland Coal Company Outperform Its Peers in 3Q16?
Westmoreland Coal (WLB) is expected to announce its 3Q16 results on October 21, 2016, before the market opens.

Analyzing Major Coal Mining Companies’ Adjusted Net Income in 2Q16
Most coal mining companies witnessed losses during 2Q16. Cloud Peak Energy’s adjusted net income rose from -$18 million in 2Q15 to $30 million in 2Q16.

Cloud Peak Energy Topped EBITDA Margin Growth in 2Q16
Cloud Peak Energy reported positive growth in its 2Q16 EBITDA margins. Cloud Peak Energy’s EBITDA margins came in at 11.1% in 2Q16.

Looking Closer at Westmoreland’s Leverage and Liquidity Positions
For 2Q16, Westmoreland’s interest expenses came in at $29.2 million, as compared to $22.7 million in 2Q15 and $27.9 million in 1Q16.

Westmoreland Coal’s 2Q16 Net Income Missed Analyst Estimates
The 2Q16 operating income of Westmoreland’s Canadian Coal Mining segment was $4.2 million, as compared to $9.5 million in 2Q15 and $12.4 million in 1Q16.

Canadian Coal Mining’s Effect on Westmoreland’s Earnings in 2Q16
Westmoreland Coal’s 2Q16 operating performance was dragged down by its Canadian Coal mining segment’s adjusted EBITDA of only $13.4 million.

This Segment’s Performance Was Key to Westmoreland’s 2Q16 Earnings
Revenue from Westmoreland Coal’s US Coal Mining segment came in at about $151 million, as compared to $133 million in 2Q15 and $155 million in 1Q16.

Peabody Energy: How Are Analysts Rating It?
Of the two analysts covering Peabody Energy (BTUUQ), both gave the company a “sell” rating. There were no “hold” or “buy” ratings for the stock as of July 13, 2016.

What to Expect from Peabody Energy’s 2Q16 Earnings
Peabody Energy (BTUUQ) is expected to announce its 2Q16 earnings results on July 26, 2016, after Market hours. In this series, we’ll look at analysts’ expectations for the company’s earnings.

What’s Westmoreland Coal’s Leverage and Liquidity Position?
According to its latest 10-Q filings, Westmoreland Coal (WLB) has about $1.13 billion of debt on its books as of March 31, 2016.

Inside Westmoreland Coal’s Margin Estimates
Analysts expect Westmoreland Coal to report EBITDA of $62.1 million and an EBITDA margin of 17.6%. This implies higher income from its ongoing operations.

Analyzing Westmoreland Coal’s Revenue Estimates
Westmoreland Coal reported about $349 million in consolidated revenues for 2Q15. Analysts estimate that it will report $353 million in 2Q16 revenues.

Can Westmoreland Coal Outperform Its Peers in 2Q16?
So far, Westmoreland Coal’s stock outperformed its peers in 2016. The recent rally in commodity prices helped the stock recover from its February lows.
An overview of Westmoreland Coal Company’s Canadian operations
Westmoreland’s Canadian operations contain six operational surface mines. The company uses dragline excavators to extract coal from these mines.