Fast Money Recap 8/15/08 - CNBC Fast Money Stock Picks August 15th

Fast Money Stock Picks 8/15/08

Quint Tatro

Financials: Watch the financials as a que to where the market is going
Oil: I would not be touching Oil stocks right here....you have shorts who are piling on....you have longs who want to sell out of the first bounce
SSO, DDM: I'm long

Joe Terranova

Commodities: I don't think the rally is over
RIMM: I like RIMM, I am long this stock
Goldman Sachs GS: I am long Goldman....and I'm concerned about it...looks like its headed to $150

Pete Najarian

Warren Buffett: He doubled his position in Union Pacific...he doesn't below the story is over in the commodities.
NRG: Buffett bought this.....I'd wait for a dip though
Target TGT: Target looks better then Wal Mart WMT here
VMW VMWare: Options very active.....stock is jumping
Goldman Sachs GS: It was $180 on Monday....this pullback should have this stock on your focus list.

Tim Seymour

S&P 500: I think we are positioned to break through 1320
RTH: I would be shorting the RTH here
MBI ABK: I wouldn't touch these stocks on the equity side.

Dennis Gartman: Bad week to be a gold buyer.....technicals have been broken on the Euro......Europe is slowing down, USA is holding up, a lot of positions have to be unwound....some people aren't hedged long the dollar and they have to do this.
Gold or Oil? If I had to make a trade.....I'd say I thought Crude could go down to $85 per barrel. I am long wheat.....I don't like Ag Stocks right now....Buy wheat and sell Potash ( POT )

Lehman ( LEH ) Stock Alert - George Soros takes huge stake in LEH 8-15-08

George Soros, the billion dollar investor, reported yesterday upping his stake in Lehman Brothers ( ticker symbol - LEH ).

George Soros reported last quarter that he had 10,000 shares of Lehman. As of 8/15/08, George Soros now has just under 9.5 million shares of LEH. Big buying!

Lehman ( LEH ) stock is up 6% in pre market to $17.10.

This should give a nice boost to the financial sector!

Warren Buffet bought 3.24 million shares of NRG Energy.

Ambac ( ABK ) Pre Market Stock Breakout - 8/15/08 - ABK Analysis - Hot stocks August 15th

This morning in Pre Market trading we have Ambac ABK stock breaking out hard to the upside.

Ambac Financial Group today announced that Standard & Poor's Ratings Services (S&P) affirmed the 'AA' financial strength rating on Ambac Assurance Corporation (AAC) and removed it from CreditWatch Negative.

This is huge news for ABK.....I think this stock has much further up to go.

On August 6th I wrote about ABK after they released earnings and stated we had resistance at $5.60. Today on 8/15/08 we are hovering around this level in pre market. Keep an eye on this situation. If we get another close above this level we can test $6...and then $8.11 appears to be the next target.

XTO Energy ( XTO ) CNBC John Najarian Opinion 8/13/08

I wrote about XTO Energy on July 25th, 2008. John Najarian came on CNBC in the morning talking about how big money was flowing into options by the way of calls.

On August 13th, 2008- John Najarian again mentioned this over the past two days XTO call buying was up huge.

Is it time to buy XTO Energy? If you think Oil is done going down, then Yes! XTO is a hyper stock mover and the stock moves a lot bigger then the commodity itself. This can set you up for huge gains if you are right! I would suggest scaling in over time.....buying little pieces here and there.

I thought Oil bottomed yesterday but today we plunged again but has come back to $115. The USO has been beaten up severely. Personally, I love XTO below the $44 mark. I will be buying heavily if XTO goes below this. I also like Chesapeake Energy CHK as well.

Fast Money Recap 8/14/08 - CNBC Fast Money Stock Picks

Fast Money Stock Picks 8/14/08 (1:00pm edition )

Jeff Mackie
Oil: Oil is trading like the trend is broken
Bulk Shipping Stocks: I have respect for these stocks because they are following through from yesertdays stock rally. DRYS especially
Target TGT: Target is rallying huge today....I think it is a sell here!
.
Guy Adami
USB: Any pull back in this stock should be bought...they have done everything right!
GS: Don't bet against Goldman Sachs!
.
Quint Tatro
UYG: I like this stock
SMN: Keep an eyes on this stocks
.
Tim Seymour
Markets: I am not buying this rally
UYG: I think you can take a shot on this stock
Oil Sector: Watch out for mergers and aquisitions!

John Najarian - take a look at Nvidia NVDA....surge in call buying...also surge in call buying with WPI

Technical Analysis: Visa ( V ) Ivanhoe Energy ( IVAN ) Stock Charts

This morning I updated my Visa ( V ), First Solar ( FSLR ), DryShips ( DRYS ), and Ivanhoe Energy ( IVAN ) technical analysis stock charts.

Visa ( V ) is one that really sticks out to me as this stock is getting ready to move hard one way or under. It has formed triangle pattern and is near the breaking point, either a break out or a break down. A close below $69 would be a break down....a close above $76.40 could start a nice breakout. Keep an eye on this stock!

The Haynesville Shale stocks have been hot over the past few days.....CHK and XTO. Keep an eye on these stocks as they have gotten slaughtered over the past month. If Nat gas and Oil move higher these will move even bigger.

DryShips ( DRYS ) - Baltic Shipping Index Turns Higher

For the first time in awhile, the Baltic Shipping Index has turned higher. This is making stocks like DryShips ( DRYS ), Excel Marinetime ( EXM ), TBSI International ( TBSI ), and Diana Shipping ( DSX ) to all move higher.

Out of all of these, I really like DryShips ( DRYS ). Now that the bottom has been established around $65 last week, I think it is set to move higher to test the $85 level. Drys hasn't closed over this level in awhile! I believe a close over $85 would start a nice uptrend and break out.

Trading Drys - While DRYS is $74 right now, I will be buying any dips under the $70 level. I think the trend is changing as we speak from downtrend to uptrend. Keep an eye on Drys and keep an eye on the baltic shipping index!

PDO Pyramid Oil reports Earnings - Stock Up 13% 8-13-08

Pyramid Oil ( PDO ) just came out with Earnings at 9am...just a few mintues ago here on 8-13-08.

Earnings again look incredible. Keep in mind during the quarter the company did a 5/4 stock split that is not accounted for on most stock charts.

Pyramid Oil PDO earned .24 cents per share vs .10 a year ago or 154% increase....revenue was 2.1 million vs 1.1 a year ago.

Last quarter PDO earned .22 cents per share vs .02 a year ago! ( these are numbers pre split, keep this in mind! )

Technical Analysis: PDO has resistance at $13...a close over this level would be very bullish....strong support at $9

Highlights:

Second quarter revenue increased 91% to $2.1 million from $1.1 million in last year's second quarter. Approximately 93% of the increase resulted from higher oil and gas prices, which increased by approximately $57.19 per equivalent barrel of oil versus last year's second quarter. Operating income increased by 226% to $1.2 million versus $362,000 in the second quarter a year ago. Net income improved by 154% to $908,000, or $0.24 per diluted share ($0.19 per diluted share after a 5-for-4 stock split that became effective July 7, 2008) from $357,000, or $0.10 per diluted share ($0.08 per diluted share, post split) in the second quarter last year.
Through six months, Pyramid reported revenue of $3.7 million, up 92% versus revenue of $1.9 million in the same period a year ago. Operating income increased 372% to $1.9 million from $406,000 in the six-month period last year. Net income increased 320% to $1.7 million, or $0.47 per diluted share ($0.37 per diluted share, post split) from $415,000, or $0.11 per diluted share ($0.09 per diluted share, post split) in the 2007 six-month period.

John Alexander, president and CEO, said, "Our strong second quarter performance helped fuel solid cash flow from operations, which through six months had increased 183% to $1.7 million versus the comparable period last year. We expect to elevate our oil and gas production rates during the second half of the year, and are therefore optimistic about our prospects for continued strong top- and bottom-line financial results."

Potash ( POT ) stock ready for a bounce? POT Technical Analysis 8-13-08

Last week I wrote about Potash when it was on the verge of breaking that key support level of $190. POT has wrestled with that level many times over the past few months and when the stock finally closed below this level, all hell broke loose! Potash and all the AG stock were beaten down with the rest of the commodities stocks.

So what now? Well, Potash has some major ground to gain back before it can be a stable stock again. This breakdown in Potash shares was the first MAJOR breakdown in a few years. The stock is damaged big time. But are investors missing something? Are they missing the fact the demand for Potash as a product remains strong? Are investors missing that POT stock trades at only 7.8 times 2009 earnings?

Looking at my POT technical analysis stock chart, we have that support now at $157 which will be very crucial. $175 is also your line of resistance as this was the low a few months ago before it ran to $240. If Potash can close above $175 & $190 it will be back! Until then, buy the dips and sell the rips!

Fuel Systems Solutions ( FSYS ) Stock is Hot!!

Many of you have never heard of Fuel Systems Solutions ticker symbol FSYS. Fuel Systems is only up 299% in 2008! I have been following this stock for several months now and last week it really broke out big time! Why has FSYS broken out into a huge explosive uptrend? Earnings!

What does Fuel Systems Solutions ( FSYS ) do?

Fuel Systems Solutions, Inc. engages in the design, manufacture, and supply of alternative fuel components and systems for use in the transportation, industrial, and power generation industries. Its components and systems control the pressure and flow of gaseous alternative fuels, such as propane and natural gas used in internal combustion engines. The company offers a range of gaseous fuel components, such as fuel delivery pressure regulators, fuel injectors, flow control valves, and other components to control the pressure, flow, and/or metering of gaseous fuels; electronic controls, such as solid-state components and proprietary software that monitor and optimize fuel pressure and flow for engine requirements; and gaseous fueled internal combustion engines. It also provides systems integration support to integrate the gaseous fuel storage, fuel delivery, and/or electronic control components and sub-systems; various ancillary components for systems operation on alternative fuels; and engineering and systems integration services. The company supplies its products and systems primarily to automobile manufacturers, taxi companies, transit and shuttle bus companies, and delivery fleets through a network of distributors and dealers, as well as through a sales force that develops sales with distributors, original equipment manufacturers, and end-users. Fuel Systems Solutions, Inc. was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, California

Have you been hearing the news from the Chesapeake Energy CEO ( Top company in the Haynesville Shale ) going to Washington D.C to convince congress to start switching to Natural Gas as transportation fuel? It is coming folks...maybe in 3-5 years. Europe already has natural gas cars. Fuel System Solutions ( FSYS ) is set to profit big time from this trend. This could be the wave of the future for automobiles.

Earnings:

FSYS reported earnings of .29 cents per share vs a year ago only earning .03 cents per share. Revenue went up 50% to 98.3 million. The Market cap of FSYS is only 885 Million.

Keep a close eye on this company.....it could be huge in the coming years!