Tag Archives: BG

The Utility Stocks That Margaret Thatcher Gave Us

By Tony Reading, The Motley Fool

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LONDON — Baroness Thatcher will be remembered for many reforms, but one enduring legacy for investors is that she gave us the stock market we know today.

Privatization became a key plank of economic policy, and nine of the firms in the FTSE 100 are the direct descendants of state-owned companies privatized during her time as prime minister.

Thirty-five years ago, the precursors to BG , Centrica , Severn Trent , United Utilities , BP, BAE, International Consolidated Airlines, BT, and Rolls-Royce were all state-owned enterprises (in a companion piece, I have covered the five industrial and service companies). Today, they are successful blue-chip firms with a combined market capitalization of more than 200 billion.

The gas industry
British Gas, the U.K.’s monopolistic gas utility, was privatized in 1986 in the famous “Tell Sid” campaign to attract private investors.

The downstream operations were spun off as Centrica in 1997. The gas-distribution assets were demerged as Lattice Group and subsequently became part of National Grid in 2002. The remainder, British Gas‘ upstream activities, became BG Group.

Neither Centrica nor BG stuck to its existing business. Centrica has expanded upstream, and it is now the largest investor in the Cygnus North Sea gas field. A dominant market position in gas distribution has secured good returns for shareholders, and the country’s dependence on gas should boost opportunities in the future.

BG moved into, and then back out of, downstream distribution overseas. The retreat was partly to finance development of its massive discoveries in Brazil’s Santos Basin, and a significant part of the company’s value now rides on how soon and successfully it can start production. It also built a solid and successful international liquefied-natural-gas business.

The water industry
Britain’s regional water companies were privatized in 1989. (The electricity-distribution companies followed a year later, just falling outside Margaret Thatcher‘s premiership.)

Several companies have been snapped up by foreign investors keen to tap into a secure and profitable income stream. Just three listed companies remain: United Utilities in the North West, Severn Trent in the Midlands, and the FTSE 250 company Pennon.

The water companies’ fortunes ebb and flow with five-year regulatory reviews, the next of which begins in 2015 and is now being negotiated. Severn Trent has an almost unblemished dividend record; United Utilities less so.

Margaret Thatcher believed individuals should take responsibility for their own well-being. There’s no question that’s even more important today, especially when it comes to saving for retirement. That’s why The Motley Fool has created a brand-new report: “Five Shares To Retire On.” It describes five companies with healthy balance sheets, dominant market shares, and robust cash flows that could form the core of any portfolio, whether you’re saving for retirement or shorter-term goals. You can download it by clicking here — it’s free.

The article The Utility Stocks That Margaret Thatcher Gave Us originally appeared on Fool.com.

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From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/11/the-utility-stocks-that-margaret-thatcher-gave-us/

The Stocks That Margaret Thatcher Gave Us

By Tony Reading, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

LONDON — Baroness Thatcher will be remembered for many reforms, but one of enduring legacy for investors is that she gave us the stock market we know today.

Privatization became a key plank of economic policy, and nine of the firms in the FTSE 100 are the direct descendants of state-owned companies privatized during her time as prime minister.

Thirty five years ago, the precursors to BP , BAE , International Consolidated Airlines , BT , Rolls-Royce , BGCentrica, Severn Trent and United Utilities were all state-owned enterprises. Today. they are successful blue-chip firms with a combined market capitalization of over £200 billion.

1. BP
Privatization had started in 1977 when the Labor government of James Callaghan sold a 32% stake as part of the conditions of the country’s IMF bailout. Under Margaret Thatcher‘s watch the remaining stake was sold, with two big sales in 1979 and 1987. The 1987 offering coincided with a stock market crash and the stock was left with underwriters, costing them billions.

BP subsequently grew to become the FTSE‘s biggest dividend payer, but the U.S. Deepwater Horizon disaster put paid to that. With a new alliance with Russia‘s state-owned oil company, it’s set to resume its former upwards trajectory.

2. BAE
British Aerospace (BAE) was sold off in two chunks in 1981 and 1985. BAE struggled in the 1990s and merged in 1999 with Marconi to become BAE Systems. BAE sold its 20% of Airbus to EADS in 2006 to concentrate on defense, only for new management to seek a merger with EADs in 2012 to regain exposure to commercial aerospace.

Poor strategic management may have been a counterweight to superb engineering, but a 5% yield in a — literally — defensive sector makes the company an attractive investment.

3. BT
Half of British Telecom was privatized under Margaret Thatcher in 1984, with the remaining shares sold off in 1991 and 1993. It was the first of the blockbuster utility privatizations, with the company at the time enjoying a virtual monopoly (a consortium, Mercury Communications, provided nominal competition).

Shareholders have had a roller-coaster time, with the changing structure of the industry and the technology bubble. More recently, a push into broadband has given the company a new lease of life.

4. IAG
British Airways was fully privatized in 1987, in an offer that was 11-times oversubscribed. It grew in scale with the acquisition of British Caledonian, and then in profit under CEO Willie Walsh, who did some union-wrestling of his own.

IAG was formed from the merger of British Airways and Iberia in 2010, to enjoy greater global scale. However, management is now hampered by Spanish union intransigence.

5. Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce is an oddity in the privatization program. It had been nationalized by Lady Thatcher‘s predecessor Edward Heath in 1971 to save it from administration after cost over-runs on the RB211 engine. The Thatcher government returned it to the private sector in 1987, since when it has prospered to be one of three global manufacturers of big engines.

In a companion piece, I’ll cover the four utility stocks.

Margaret Thatcher believed in individuals taking

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Shivering Britain Underlines Opportunities for Centrica and BG Group

By Tony Reading, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

LONDON — It only took a few days of marginally unseasonable weather and some technical problems with the interconnector that pipes gas from the Continent to bring Britain close to energy rationing last month.

Gas stores were down to just two days supply and an LNG (liquefied natural gas) tanker was diverted here to avert the kind of rationing seen in third world countries.

It highlighted the U.K.’s poor gas storage facilities. But it should put some impetus behind the government‘s new “Gas Generation Strategy“.

Higher prices, more investment
It could be good news for investors, if not consumers. Higher gas prices and more investment into the sector should benefit both Centrica  and BG .

Though best known for its downstream British Gas business, Centrica is the largest investor in the Cygnus gas field in the North Sea, which is due to come on-stream in 2015.

Centrica claims that its involvement in upstream activities just hedges its downstream exposure to gas prices, but most observers would reckon high gas prices are good for the company.

Storage and generation
Centrica also has substantial gas storage and gas-powered electricity generation capacity, though it’s been closing down generating plant as its ageing fleet falls foul of the government‘s green agenda.

That’s where the Gas Generation Strategy comes in. It will “consider whether there is a case for measures to encourage gas storage”. Last month’s near-miss seals that question. The strategy should ensure that there are “opportunities for investors in gas generation plant”. That should help Centrica build new more efficient plants.

What might put some action into these words is the recent appointment of Michael Fallon as Energy Minister, while retaining a dual brief as Business Minster. He is expected to put more emphasis on securing low-cost energy supplies.

Coals to Newcastle
The diversion of the tanker Zarga to Milford Haven last month illustrates the global economics of LNG. Carrying enough gas from Qatar to provide six hours’ U.K. consumption, the tanker goes wherever the price is highest. The U.K. is building more LNG import terminals — and both Centrica and BG are cashing in on the global LNG market.

BG was one of the first companies to sign a long-term LNG supply deal in the U.S., where the shale gas glut has seen LNG import terminals reconfigured as export terminals. Centrica has just signed a 20-year deal with the same exporter.

BG‘s LNG business, a third of revenues, adds stability to the big bet it’s placing on its Brazilian offshore projects. It has just signed a 20-year contract to supply India with up to $20bn-worth of gas.

Gas is a sector with a healthy outlook and I have shares in both these companies. But any portfolio should be well diversified, and have a core of solid and dependable blue-chip shares that you can buy and forget about. The Motley Fool has picked the five best shares that fit this bill.

You can read all about them in this brand-new report. Just click …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread Has Arrived for MS Patients

By Sean Williams, The Motley Fool

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Last November, I examined five experimental drugs that appeared as if they had all of the tools necessary to become life-changing blockbusters from a financial and quality of life perspective. Yesterday, the first experimental drug I highlighted from Biogen Idec was approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a first-line treatment for relapsing MS.

Pardon the cliche, but I believe the greatest thing since sliced bread has just been bestowed upon MS patients whether they realize it yet or not.

Greater efficacy with fewer side effects is possible!
Tecfidera — previously known as BG-12 in trials — was studied in two different clinical trials known as Confirm and Define. In its Confirm study, Biogen noted that its pill, administered twice daily, reduced the rate of MS relapses by an impressive 49%, and was associated with a 71% to 99% drop in new or expanding lesions in both trials.

What’s truly unique about Tecfidera is its adverse events profile, which demonstrates the promise of fewer side effects with better efficacy. The most common side effects exhibited by patients on Tecfidera were flushing and gastrointestinal events, which often resulted in very low trial dropout rates. Biogen’s new medication could also lower lymphocyte counts in patients, according to its press release. 

However, compare this to Novartis‘ Gilenya or Sanofi‘s Aubagio and you’ll get a much clearer picture why Biogen’s oral medication appears superior.

Gilenya, which is approved as both a first-line and second-line MS treatment within the U.S. and comes in pill form as well, has the potential to cause serious cardiovascular problems through slowing a patients’ heart rate, can lower lymphocyte counts (similar to Tecfidera), and can potentially lead to macular edema or liver problems. Sure, it’s a once-daily pill compared to Tecfidera, which is required to be taken twice a day, but the side effects are night-and-day visible to me.

Aubagio, another pill-based drug from Sanofi, comes with even harsher warnings in the form of an FDA black box warning label. The warning specifically notes that Aubagio can cause severe liver problems that can lead to death. Additional side effects for the second-line treatment include kidney problems, high blood pressure, and breathing problems.

When given the choice of these three drugs, even with Tecfidera’s $50,000-$55,000 annual price tag, according to RBC Capital Markets analyst Michael Yee, I can almost assure you physicians and patients with any complication potential are going to opt for Biogen’s therapy.  

Biogen’s MS-sector domination
But, Biogen isn’t done there. The growing biotech behemoth recently paid $3.25 billion to acquire a full working interest in IV-based MS therapy Tysabri from Elan . The cash gives Elan the working capital to start over from a relatively empty portfolio while giving Biogen the chance to challenge Novarits, Sanofi, and Teva Pharmaceuticals in the MS arena.

Trust me, there’s little love lost in the MS sector with Teva’s $4 billion MS drug, Copaxone, …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Biogen's Revolutionary Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Clears First Hurdle

By Max Macaluso, Ph.D., The Motley Fool

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Biogen‘s 48% return over the last 12 months can largely be chalked up to investor optimism surrounding its oral multiple sclerosis drug Tecfidera (formerly referred to as BG-12). Today, the company happily announced that the EU’s CHMP recommended approval for the drug’s use in Europe. With an FDA decision on this same drug just around the corner, could Tecfidera soon be available to patients on both sides of the Atlantic?

In the following video, Motley Fool health-care analyst Max Macaluso discusses what this decision means for Biogen, and how this drug might compete with the current market leaders in the multiple sclerosis space.

What macro trend was Warren Buffett referring to when he said,This is the tapeworm that’s eating at American competitiveness?” Find out in our free report, What’s Really Eating at America’s Competitiveness. You’ll also discover an idea to profit as companies work to eradicate this efficiency-sucking tapeworm. Just click here for free, immediate access.

The article Biogen’s Revolutionary Multiple Sclerosis Treatment Clears First Hurdle originally appeared on Fool.com.


Max Macaluso, Ph.D., has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Should I Buy BG Group for My ISA?

By G.A. Chester, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

LONDON — ISA season is upon us again! If you haven’t yet used this year’s £11,280 allowance for a stocks and shares ISA, you only have a short time left before the 5 April deadline.

Remember, you don’t pay any tax on share gains held within an ISA, which means the high capital appreciation of a successful growth stock is sheltered from the reach of HMRC. (For more information about the tax benefits of ISAs, click here.)

Today, I’m going to tell you why I believe blue-chip oil and gas explorer BG Group  (NYSE: BRGGY) is a great choice for your ISA this year.

Overlooked growth
Many investors looking to build a diversified portfolio of U.K. blue chips don’t look beyond the FTSE 100’s top two oil companies, Royal Dutch Shell and BP. These super-majors certainly have their attractions, one of the biggest at the moment being dividend yields of more than 5%.

BG doesn’t distribute as much of its earnings to shareholders as Shell and BP, and offers an income of just 1.5%. However, there are good reasons why BG keeps back much of its cash. Despite being a £40 billion giant, BG remains a growth company and prefers to reinvest the bulk of its earnings in the business to keep driving the growth.

Assets for growth
There’s no doubt that BG owns valuable oil and gas assets with the potential to deliver superior earnings growth. In particular, the company’s interest in the hydrocarbon-rich Santos Basin off Brazil could have investors dancing the Samba for decades to come.

The secret to success will be how well BG manages the commercialization of its largest and most valuable resource, but I believe the company’s track record and the potential of the Santos Basin make for a favorable risk-reward outlook.

Growth at the right price
BG‘s shares have become out of favor with the market since last autumn as a result of the company revising down its production targets for the next couple of years.

In my opinion, though, the short-term horizon of many big institutional investors has created an opportunity for any private investor who is prepared to take a longer view to buy growth at a reasonable price.

At the time of writing, BG‘s shares are trading at 1,175 pence, which equates to a little over 14 times forecast earnings for 2013. But perhaps more significantly, analysts reckon the company could be valued at a discount of as much as 30%-40% to the true value of its assets.

Such a discount means that there’s not only the potential for a significant rerating of the shares for long-term holders, but also the possibility of a premium bid for the company in the shorter term. Either way, the capital gains would be out of reach of the taxman for investors who had the foresight to hold the shares in an ISA.

Investing tax-efficiently and buying quality growth companies at reasonable prices are two of the tools investors like us can employ to build …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Biogen Idec to Present New Data on Diverse Neurological Portfolio at 65th AAN Annual Meeting

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Biogen Idec to Present New Data on Diverse Neurological Portfolio at 65th AAN Annual Meeting

– Biogen Idec’s MS Franchise Strengthened with Data for Novel Treatment Options –

– Encouraging Data on Early and Late Stage Pipeline Therapies Presented –

WESTON, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Biogen Idec (NAS: BIIB) will present more than 50 company-sponsored platform and poster presentations on data supporting its multiple-marketed and pipeline therapies for neurological diseases at the 65th American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting in San Diego, March 16-23, 2013. The breadth of data presented demonstrates Biogen Idec‘s robust neurology research and development programs, and affirms the company’s decades-long leadership in multiple sclerosis (MS).

Biogen Idec is dedicated to addressing unmet medical needs of people living with neurological diseases through innovative science,” said Douglas E. Williams, Ph.D., executive vice president, Research and Development at Biogen Idec. “We are proud to have the deepest MS pipeline in the industry, supplied by a strong R&D neurology program. We will continue to focus on improving the lives of patients through novel scientific discovery, as well as by providing first-in-class treatments, unsurpassed patient support and educational services.”

Highlights include data on Biogen Idec‘s currently marketed products, TYSABRI® (natalizumab), AVONEX® (interferon beta-1a) and FAMPYRA® (prolonged-release fampridine tablets). The company will also present results from the investigational trials of its late-stage MS pipeline, including TECFIDERA™ (dimethyl fumarate), peginterferon beta-1a and daclizumab high-yield process (DAC HYP).

As part of the company’s overall commitment to improving the lives of people living with neurological diseases through education and support, Biogen Idec is proud to be a sponsor of the American Brain Foundation‘s 2013 Brain Health Fair, a day-long event that will take place on Saturday, March 16, 2013 in San Diego, CA. This event connects thousands of patients, families and caregivers affected by a brain disease. The Brain Health Fair will provide health screenings, educational activities for kids and teens, as well as “Brain Health Classes,” led by expert neurologists. Registration is free at BrainHealthFair.com.

Notable data from Biogen Idec at AAN 2013:

TECFIDERA

Process Instance not running properly.

By ankitknit

I have run 10 instances of the process eg, process name is BG

nohup /WP01IRB1_irbapp/IRBWPROD/RB/bin/BG -c 1 -t 23 -a ‘-caTop TESTBILLCYCLE=’5FEB13_81PT19NPT”>a.txt &

nohup /WP01IRB1_irbapp/IRBWPROD/RB/bin/BG -c 2 -t 23 -a ‘-caTop TESTBILLCYCLE=’5FEB13_81PT19NPT”>b.txt &

nohup /WP01IRB1_irbapp/IRBWPROD/RB/bin/BG -c 3 -t 23 -a ‘-caTop TESTBILLCYCLE=’5FEB13_81PT19NPT”>c.txt &

nohup /WP01IRB1_irbapp/IRBWPROD/RB/bin/BG -c 4 -t 23 -a ‘-caTop TESTBILLCYCLE=’5FEB13_81PT19NPT”>d.txt &

nohup /WP01IRB1_irbapp/IRBWPROD/RB/bin/BG -c 5 -t 23 -a ‘-caTop TESTBILLCYCLE=’5FEB13_81PT19NPT”>1.txt &

nohup /WP01IRB1_irbapp/IRBWPROD/RB/bin/BG -c 6 -t 23 -a ‘-caTop TESTBILLCYCLE=’5FEB13_81PT19NPT”>2.txt &

nohup /WP01IRB1_irbapp/IRBWPROD/RB/bin/BG -c 7 -t 23 -a ‘-caTop TESTBILLCYCLE=’5FEB13_81PT19NPT”>22.txt &

nohup /WP01IRB1_irbapp/IRBWPROD/RB/bin/BG -c 8 -t 23 -a ‘-caTop TESTBILLCYCLE=’5FEB13_81PT19NPT”>3.txt &

nohup /WP01IRB1_irbapp/IRBWPROD/RB/bin/BG -c 9 -t 23 -a ‘-caTop TESTBILLCYCLE=’5FEB13_81PT19NPT”>4.txt &

These instances supposed to completed within 8 hrs. But the problem is 7 instances completed within a time and the last instance is taking to long too complete.

Plz guide on this. Why the last instance is taking more time as compared to others.

Thanx in advance

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