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Bill Foote

billfoote

I scour physical and financial commodities globally to uncover the political, economic and financial reasons for value creation and destruction globally.

Recent Articles by Bill Foote

Apr 2, 2014 by Bill Foote

Another Weapon in Putin's Arsenal?

Sanctions against Russia may result in a shift in energy supplies globally. At the center of this shift is a metal critical for energy delivery.

Mar 31, 2014 by Bill Foote

How Railways Profit from Congestion

Cold weather, slow trains, bad tracks, volatile and sometimes lethal cargoes all seem to add up to more profit for railway networks.

Mar 15, 2014 by Bill Foote

How Chinese Defaults Could Create Opportunity

Declining copper prices are helping to realign markets for the commodity and use of the commodity as loan collateral. Will demand continue? Will supply constraints endure? Copper companies are in the middle.

Mar 12, 2014 by Bill Foote

Is There Any Gold In Those Hills?

Another utility profits from the oil and gas production boom. Growth for utilities stems from a growing customer and rate base plus non-regulated businesses. When the non-regulated business is oil and gas will risks be rewarded? This company continues to beat the market.

Mar 4, 2014 by Bill Foote

How 1 Utility Uses Exploration to Grow Earnings

One utility took advantage of its knowledge of its own franchise as the region began to boom. Exposing itself, and its investors, to extracting oil and gas, this utility has learned to grow profit and reap value.

Feb 19, 2014 by Bill Foote

Why Should You Buy and Hold Dominion?

Dominion might well be a buy with its strong dividend growth and market position. Its recent success in garnering customer growth with new investment has been rewarded by regulators and investors.

Feb 12, 2014 by Bill Foote

How Can This Regulated Utility Continue to Find Growth?

Utility stocks feed income strategies. This is because their customer base is flat. PPL seems able to grow rate base in spite of flat customer growth. It does this through service improvements and innovative rate cases in multiple regional franchises.

Feb 10, 2014 by Bill Foote

How Can ConEd Keep Issuing Dividends?

A flat rate base and frozen rates spell zero growth for utility investors. Competitive energy solutions and infrastructure development businesses are a source of small but significant earnings growth for ConEd. This growth is further fueled and financed by city and state campaigns in New York to increase energy efficiency and resiliency.

Feb 4, 2014 by Bill Foote

How Can Smart-Grid Storage Grow Your AES Investment?

AES Storage assets run into the $100 million level this year. Improvements in battery and other storage technologies, along with regulatory mandates, make it possible to get positive returns from integrating storage directly into electric grids. The result may be positive storage returns for investors and a more resilient and reliable electric infrastructure.

Feb 4, 2014 by Bill Foote

How Can Anadarko Fight Low U.S. Natural Gas Prices?

By refocusing its investments globally, Anandarko is mitigating the near term risk of ongoing low natural gas prices in the U.S. Asset sales in Mozambique will help Anandarko to take advantage of new U.S. finds as prices begin to rise.

Jan 27, 2014 by Bill Foote

U.S. Refiners Bet on Export Quotas

To lift crude oil and natural gas export quotas or not? This is a big bet for U.S. refiners who use advantaged West Texas Intermediate pricing and light, tight oil to keep refining and chemicals margins high.

Jan 27, 2014 by Bill Foote

How to Profit From Energy? Invest in Alaska

Repeal an energy tax, lift an oil and natural gas export ban, expand markets. This is the recipe for success in Alaska, one of the biggest public-private partnerships in U.S. history.

Jan 24, 2014 by Bill Foote

How Rail Can Cash in on Crude

With severe crude oil pipeline undercapacity, crude-by-rail has a window of opportunity. High-vapor Bakken crude is volatile to transport. Safety liabilities and operational constraints create uncertainty and opportunity for investors.

Jan 9, 2014 by Bill Foote

How Can ConocoPhillips Deliver More Long-Term Value?

Focused high-margin cash investments do not appear to be reflected in the current pricing of ConocoPhillips. Strong earnings potential from focused shale gas and high-margin volume plays in liquids should fuel growth and mitigate low natural gas price cycles.

Jan 7, 2014 by Bill Foote

How China Is Creating Rare Earth Investment Opportunities in the U.S.

Rare earths are used in everything from steel-making to mobile communications. As the global leader in supplying these minerals, China is growing its usage of rare earths and restricting its exports. One U.S. company stands ready to take advantage of this opportunity.

Jan 3, 2014 by Bill Foote

This Rare Earth Metal Is More Important Than You Think

The rare earth metal tantalum is critical to electronics, steelmaking, transportation, and chemical processes. Idling one key mine provides the collateral needed to fund exploration and development. ArcelorMittal, through its stake in private company Global Advanced Metals, is positioned for growth in steel demand.

Jan 2, 2014 by Bill Foote

Would Glencore Buy Diamonds for Iron?

Mix basic metals, energy, freight, and diamonds together. That is a complete (inorganic) meal for any trading appetite.

Jan 2, 2014 by Bill Foote

Global Uranium Shortage Spurs New Exploration

Nuclear power is revving up globally with a 25% increase in new capacity in the next 10 years. Russia and China are stocking up on uranium oxide through Kazakhstan, which produces most of the world’s uranium. Startups like Peninsula Energy have efficient technology and incentives to beat the mining odds.

Dec 31, 2013 by Bill Foote

How Will Policy in Developing Countries Affect Energy Investment?

Tanzania just levied a $258 million capital gains tax on Ophir Energy’s sales of deepwater gas interests to Singapore’s Pavilion Energy. More restrictive investments are on the horizon as developing countries attempt to reap the benefits of foreign direct investment.

Dec 30, 2013 by Bill Foote

How Another Emerging Nation Is Going Nuclear

South Africa is lining up Russian and French nuclear power companies to build and maintain additions to its nuclear fleet. Globally, nuclear power is on the rise with renewables increasingly competing with fossil-based energy.

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