Swing Trading Strategies & Stock Picks Since 2003

Another quarter’s earnings report season is upon us and I will be using this post as a scorecard for the different stocks I track in my two portfolios: Income Portfolio and Special Opportunities Portfolio. The portfolios currently hold 21 stocks or ETF’s and I want to rate them using an easy two part scale.

In my AF flying days we had a saying: “It takes a thousand atta-boys to make up for one aw-shit”. I am going to rate each earnings report as either an “atta-boy” or an “aw-shit”. Below the score card will be a short comment on each stock with a link to any in-depth article I have written. Ratings are entirely arbitrary as determined by myself.

• Atta-boy: NRGY, TRA, APL, HW, NAT, PWE, AYR, TTI, MNRTA
• Aw-Shit: CTBK, SLW

City Bank (CTBK: 11.57 +0.32 +2.84%) had earnings fall by half and significantly increased write-offs and loan loss reserves. My analysis here.

Inergy L.P. (NRGY: 24.52 +0.28 +1.16%) increases dividend for 27th straight quarter. Yield at current price of 9.7%. Earnings to be reported 8/11. Earning out: EBITA and revenues growing at a steady 10% YoY. Yield on stock at 10%.

Terra Industries (TRA: 43.997 -1.323 -2.92%) Earnings growth continues at phenomenal rate. Up 300% from Q2/2007 and up 100% from Q1/2008. Article here.

Atlas Pipeline Partners (APL: 33.59 +0.05 +0.15%) Increased dividend to 96¢ from the 87¢ paid in the first quarter. I wrote an artcle about APL and its sister company Atlas Energy Resources (ATN: 33.00 +0.09 +0.27%).

Headwaters (HW: 15.54 +0.49 +3.26%) Has turned the corner on profitability. My article here.

Silver Wheaton (SLW: 10.085 -0.415 -3.95%) Flat earnings and silver sales show the company still treading water on the revenue side. Eight new production deals gives hope for the future, when ever it comes. Article here.

Nordic American Tanker (NAT: 37.87 +0.76 +2.05%) Increases dividend to $1.60 from $$1.17. This company is easy money for the patient investor. My short article here.

Penn West Energy (PWE: 27.73 -0.62 -2.19%) Canadian oil and gas producer continues to expand production and is working to reduce debt. The board commits to continue dividend for next three months.  However, the stock price continues to erode and the yield pushes towards 14%.

Aircastle Ltd. (AYR: 14.09 +0.67 +4.99%) Aircastle is growing revenues and free cash flow at better that 30% YoY. This stock is severely undervalued. My article here.

Monmouth Real Estate Investment Corp. (MNRTA: 7.13 -0.17 -2.33%) This small cap REIT is doing fine. All properties are leased. Some property sales at nice profits. Current stable dividend gives 8.7% yield.

Tetra Technologies Inc. (TTI: 19.60 -0.02 -0.10%) Record earnings in the second quarter show that management’s restructuring of the business is on the right path.

Note: At the time of writing I had positions in NRGY, HW, NAT, AYR, CTBK.