For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – November 19, 2009 – Zacks.com releases the latest Zacks Industry Rank. Stocks featured in this week’s analysis include B.P. Prudhoe Bay Trust (BPT), San Juan Basin (SJT), Exxon Mobil (XOM) and Petrobras (PBR).

Zacks Industry Rank Analysis is written by Dirk Van Dijk, CFA, Chief Equity Strategist for Zacks.com.

This week: Some Improvements in Energy

A good example of an industry that is showing both a very good overall rank and substantial improvement is Oil Royalty Trusts, which with a industry rank of 2.00 is tied for 4th place with several other industries. What sets it apart is that it improved 21 spots in its ranking as the average ranking of its components, up from 2.43 last week. Every one of the seven firms in the industry has a Zacks Rank of 2.

These are great vehicles for income-oriented investors, as they simply represent big pools of oil or natural gas in the ground. As the oil is produced, the proceeds are paid out in the form of dividends. It also means that the dividends are very variable with the price of oil.

The problem with them is that eventually the oil in the ground will run out, so some of that dividend is really a return of capital, not a return on capital. Thus if you are thinking about investing in them, look at how long those reserves will last, as well as the current income you are getting from them.

On the plus side, the tax code recognizes this, so a portion of the dividend is sheltered from the IRS. Unlike a regular exploration and production oil firm, there is no risk of a dry hole, nor are they exposed to changes in the price of drilling. If you think that the price of oil is headed higher, they are very attractive investments, especially if you want current income. Two of the larger names in the area that are worth considering are B.P. Prudhoe Bay Trust (BPT) and San Juan Basin (SJT).

A good example of a big important industry that is still distinctly mediocre in terms of its absolute standing is the Integrated Oil Industry, the home of some of the world’s largest firms like Exxon Mobil (XOM) and Petrobras (PBR). It currently has an average rank of 2.95, which puts it in 102nd place out of 206 industries ranked. That, however, is a substantial improvement from the 3.16 average last week, and was enough to lift it by 49 spots.

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Contact: Dirk Van Dijk, CFA
Company: Zacks.com
Phone: 312-265-9211
Email: pr@zacks.com
Visit: www.zacks.com

 

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