Friday, October 30, 2015

Sunoco Logistics: A Midstream Energy Company

Sunoco Logistics is a master limited partnership that operates as a midstream energy company. The business is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and markets its common shares on the New York Stock Exchange. Shares are traded using the ticker symbol SXL.

The company operates several properties that are strategically located in locations where they can harness the full potential of their facilities. These hubs are used to transport, terminal and store crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and other refined products. The operations of Sunoco Logistics are divided into four segments, namely Crude Oil Acquisition and Marketing, Crude Oil Properties, Terminal Facilities and Products Pipelines.

Founded in 2001, the company acquires properties to further expand its network pipelines that stretch up to 2,400 miles. The operations of the company are focused in Oklahoma and in Texas. Sunoco Logistics is listed as a component of the Wilshire 5000 Index.

Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Summit Midstream Partners: A Midstream Energy Company

It is in the energy capital of the world that Summit Midstream Partners holds its corporate office. While the business holds several offices in the United States, its main office is located in The Woodlands, Texas. The company is registered as a master limited partnership and focuses in the midstream energy industry.

The operations of the company are comprised of systems intended to support the gathering of natural gas, crude oil and produced water in unconventional resource basins. There are currently four locations where the business conducts its business: the Piceance Basin, the Fort Worth Basin, the Williston Basin and in the Appalachian Basin. To address the needs in the areas they operate in, the business maintains 5 systems to support operations in the regions.

The Mountaineer Midstream system continues to operate in the Appalachian Basin. The Polar & Divide system serves the Williston Basin, so is the Bison Midstream system. It is in Fort Worth Basin that DFW Midstream system operates, while the Grand River system is in operation in the Piceance Basin. As of December 2014, the company’s network of gathering pipelines stretches up to 2,600 miles and continue to support the operations of some of the largest names in the energy industry in North America. Some of the names they closely work with include WPX Energy, Inc., TOTAL, S.A., Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Antero Resources, Black Hills Corporation and EOG Resources, among others.

The company engages in the development, ownership and operation of midstream energy infrastructure assets in North America. These properties are strategically located in areas where most of the largest names in the energy industry continue to operate. The gathering systems of the company strongly focus on the collection of natural gas. Summit Midstream Partners, LP remains publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Common stocks of the company are marketed using the ticker sybol SMLP.

Friday, October 23, 2015

Sonic Foundry, Inc.: Provider of Enterprise Solutions

The web communications market is the focus of Sonic Foundry, Inc. The company is one of the leading providers of enterprise solutions that allow its consumers to share knowledge online. It offers a wide range of solutions that include video content management and distribution.

Headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin, the business offers video webcasts solutions that empower businesses, government and education entities to continue on disseminating information. Through these services, they are able to bridge the gap brought about by distance. These products fortify learning, save time and expenses and improve performance of its users. Among the platforms offered by the company are the Mediasite Enterprise Video Platform, Mediasite Capture Solutions and Mediasite Cloud. Additionally, they also provide Installation Services and Training Services and Advanced Integration Services.

Sonic Foundry, Inc. is one of the components of the Wilshire 5000 Index and is publicly traded on the NASDAQ Capital Market. Common shares of the business are marketed using the ticker symbol SOFO.

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Solar Capital Ltd: An Investment Company

Through debt and equity investments, Solar Capital Ltd. is able to generate both current income and capital appreciation. The company is registered as a closed-end, externally managed, non-diversified management investment company. It is publicly traded on the NASDAQ and markets its common shares using the ticker symbol SLRC.

Headquartered in New York City, the company is categorized as a business development venture. It focuses its resources on investing in middle market companies through senior secured loans, equity securities and mezzanine loans. It employs a rigid process of filtering the businesses they will invest in, to ensure that their shareholders are able to get the most out of their investments. It invests in a wide range of industries and generally makes investments that range from $5 million to $100 million on every company. The investments made by the business are also proportional to the business they are investing in.

Solar Capital Partners, LLC is the external company manager of the business. It provides Solar Capital Ltd the administrative services it needs to continue on doing its transactions smoothly. As of December 2014, the company’s investment portfolio is already estimated to be around  $1 billion, with net assets of about $936.6 million. Part of the investment portfolio of Solar Capital Ltd are 43 companies that thrive in the industries of education services, diversified financial services, diversified telecommunications services, chemicals, automobiles, building products, air freight and logistics, food products, healthcare, hotels, restaurants and leisure and internet software and services, among others.

The company is registered as a publicly traded business on the NASDAQ. Common shares of the business are marketed using the ticker symbol SLRC. It is listed as one of the components of the Wilshire 5000 Index and has received ratings from investment grade rating companies like Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor’s.

Friday, October 16, 2015

Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc.: A Bank Holding Company

Based in Narberth, Pennsylvania, Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania, Inc. operates as a bank holding company. It is the parent business of Royal Bank of America and was incorporated in June 1994. The business remains publicly traded on the NASDAQ Global Markets and trades its common shares using the symbol RBPAA.

Royal Bank America (the bank) operates in two reporting segments: Community Banking and Tax Liens. Through its Community Banking unit, the bank offers a wide range of customary banking services. Its operations cover the state of Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey. The Tax Liens unit is engaged in the acquisition of delinquent tax certificates from local municipalities. It generates  income from interest rates.

Reportedly, the bank’s deposits as of December 2014 is estimated to be around $530.4 million. Royal Bancshares of Pennsylvania is one of the components of the Wilshire 5000 Index.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

REX American Resources Corp: Producer and Marketer of Ethanol

REX American Resources Corporation is one of the companies engaged in the energy industry. The business is a diversified venture that produces and markets ethanol, natural gas and distillers grains. Prior to 2009, the business served as the parent company of three other corporations, namely Kelly & Cohen Apliances, Rex Radio and Television, Inc. and Stereo Town, Inc. These three businesses were eventually divested to allow the business to focus on its energy products.

Today, REX American Resources Corporation oversees their interests in 6 ethanol production facilities in the United States. In a span of 12 months, which ended in July 2015, these facilities were able to produce and ship out 633 million gallons of ethanol. The biggest operations and interests of the company are in their NuGen Energy, LLC operations. The company has 99.5% ownership over this production facility that is capable of generating 100 million gallons of ethanol and an additional 320,00 tons of dried distiller grains. One Earth Energy, LLC is the second largest company that the business has interests over. REX American Resources has 74.6% interests over this facility. Just like NuGen Energy, LLC, this facility is also capable of producing 100 million gallons of ethanol and 320,000 tons of distiller grains.

The ownership of the company over the other 4 facilities is less than 10%. These facilities include Big River Resources W Burlington, LLC, Big River Resources Galva, LLC; Big River Resources Boyceville, LLC and Big River United Energy, LLC. These facilities are also capable of producing millions of gallons of ethanol.

It was in 1980 that the business was started. Today, it generates more than $695.69 million in annual revenue. REX American Resources publicly trades its common shares on the New York Stock Exchange, using the ticker symbol REX.

Friday, October 9, 2015

Research Frontiers, Inc.: Developer of the SPD-Smart Light-Control Technology

Research Frontiers, Inc. is the company that continues to develop and licenses the suspended particle device (SPD-Smart) light-control technology. The business has licensed their technology to more than 40 companies that make use of their technology to address the needs of the growing demand for smart glass products.

SPD-Smart light-control technology is a platform that allows its users to precisely, uniformly and instantly control the sharing of plastic or glass. The shading process is either done manually or automatically depending on the capacity of its users. These products make use of light-absorbing nanoparticles that are suspended in a thin film. It is used to protect artwork, in the creation of glass products and the surfaces of automobiles, aircrafts, yachts and even on buildings.

The company is headquartered in Woodsbury, New York. It is listed as a component of the Wilshire 5000 Index and continues to market its common shares on the NASDAQ Capital Market. It markets its stocks using the ticker symbol REFR.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Republic Services: A Recycling and Waste Disposal Company

Recycling, sustainability and renewable energy are the three focuses of Republic Services. The company is listed as a recycle and waste disposal services company. It is a publicly traded venture that has its common shares marketed on the New York Stock Exchange. It markets its common shares using the ticker symbol RSG. The company is listed as a component of the Wilshire 5000 and the S&P 500 Indices.

It was in 1996 that the business started its venture and is considered today as the second largest non-hazardous solid waste management company in the entirety of the United States. Being one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly companies in the country, the business attracts giant investors like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett. It is in Phoenix, Arizona that the business holds its corporate office.

Through the efforts and the services offered by the company, they are making the world and our planet a better place to live in. It provides products and services that impact homes, businesses and the communities they thrive in. The business brings dependable recycling and waste management services. The client base of the company includes commercial establishments, industrial customers, municipalities, government agencies and residential customers. Annually, the business collects about 5 million tons of materials that can be recycled. The fleet of vehicles collects these trash are powered by compressed natural gas, which helps control the emission of hazardous and damaging gas to the atmosphere. The landfills that are operated by the company convert waste energy to renewable energy.

Republic Services operates across the country and provides career opportunities to more than 30,000 associates across the country. Annually, the business is capable of generating more than $8.42 billion. Donald W. Slager continues to run the business as their president and CEO.

Friday, October 2, 2015

Piedmont Natural Gas Company: A Natural Gas Distributor

The states of North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee are the focus markets of Piedmont Natural Gas. The business is listed as a natural gas distributor that was founded in 1949. Incorporated the following year, the business started its operations a year thereafter.

More than 1 million residential and industrial consumers rely on the gas offered by the company. Additionally, they also have more than 51,600 wholesale customers, who have been using the offerings of the company. Based on their 2012 report, the business is capable of storing more than 36.1 million dekatherms of natural gas. Their assets grow as the business continues its aggressive take in acquiring competing brands and properties.

Piedmont Natural Gas is not only concerned about the company’s annual revenue of more than $1.2 billion. More than anything else, the business has underscored the importance of safety of their workers. For this ideal, the business has been awarded by the American Heart Association the Platinum-level Start! Fit-Friendly Company award.