Murphy Oil Spudding For Ethanol Prospects

Despite significantly weaker margins realized in 2009, Murphy Oil (MUR-$50.75) intends to add a combined 80 new gas stations to its network of Murphy USA sites, located at Wal-Mart supercenters, and its stand-alone Murphy express outlets. In 2009, the company added 26 new filling stations.

The integrated energy company derives about 69 percent of annual sales ($19 billion in 2009) from its U.S. refining and marketing operations.

Chief executive David Wood said on the recent fourth-quarter earnings call that the company was open to opportunities to expand its presence in the ethanol refining business, as the one plant Murphy Oil acquired last year only covers about a quarter of the volume needed in ethanol-blended gasoline that Murphy sells through its own retail network. Read More….

Editor David J Phillips does not hold a financial interest in any stocks mentioned in this article. The 10Q Detective has a Full Disclosure Policy.

McMoran Exploration: What's in Davy Jones' Locker?

Positive drilling results at its Davy Jones prospect could be a boom for McMoran Exploration (MMR-$16.80). The Gulf Coast energy company had proved oil and gas reserves at year-end 2009 totaling 271.9 Bcfe (billion cubic feet of natural gas equivalents), compared with 344.8 Bcfe in 2008. The reserve depletion primarily reflected delays in bringing shut-ins (as a result of the September 2008 hurricanes in the Gulf) back into production. Estimates of the size of the discovery range from 2 trillion to 6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, rivaling the largest gas finds ever made in the Gulf.

Nonetheless, it is worth reminding folks that assumptions to date have been based on sketchy data from well logs. In addition to appraising the actual hydrocarbons in place, the company still hasn’t defined the extent of the reservoir field or the recoverability of the reserves in the tapped reservoir — its flow rates.

Read More….

Editor David J Phillips does not hold a financial interest in any stocks mentioned in this article. The 10Q Detective has a Full Disclosure Policy.

Saving Trump Entertainment Resorts from the Trumps

Ivanka Trump and her father “The Donald” have allied with bondholders of bankrupt Trump Entertainment Resorts (TRMPQ-$0.08), to compete with a plan crafted from senior lender Beal Bank and its new partner, the legendary billionaire Carl Icahn, in salvaging the operations of the bankrupt gaming company. Her significant assets aside, given the Trump family’s dismal past performance in running casinos in Atlantic City, might the Trump Taj Mahal, Trump Plaza and Trump Marina be in better hands with just about anyone else?

Read More at BNET Media….

Editor David J Phillips does not hold a financial interest in any stocks mentioned in this article. The 10Q Detective has a Full Disclosure Policy.

Do Fifty CentiSeconds Justify Acorda Therapeutics' Oral MS Drug Approval by FDA?

Central to the Peripheral and CNS Drugs Advisory Committee’s review of Acorda Therapeutic’s (ACOR-$27.56) oral MS treatment Ampyra was whether the improvements seen with the drug were truly significant to patients. Wishful desires aside, MS patients and their family members would be prudent to carefully take it upon themselves to thoroughly peruse the entire contents of the 177 pages of the Fampridine SR background information and clinical trial data given to health regulators for review.

Drilling down into the data, one uncovers that the walking speed change favored the Fampridine group by just 0.88 seconds (to complete the 25-foot walk) in the first study (MS-F203) and by a scant 0.5 - second difference in the second pivotal trial (MS-F204). Are these meaningful enough improvements to justify a (likely) $10,000 price tag for one year of treatment? Read More….

Editor David J Phillips does not hold a financial interest in any stocks mentioned in this article. The 10Q Detective has a Full Disclosure Policy.

Why Cephalon's Nuvigil Patent-Infringement Challenges Could Backfire

The motive behind Cephalon's (CEPH-$65.00) recent patent-infringement lawsuits is clear: litigate to slow the market entrance of cheaper copycat versions while it continues to transition patients from its older narcolepsy drug Provigil (modafinil) to Nuvigil. Cephalon derived 51 percent of total sales, or almost $925 million, from its Provigil franchise in 2008.

However, the clock winding down prior to any judicial decision(s) is an overhang for Cephalon — and could rip apart the planned Provigil to Nuvigil entrenchment campaign: cheaper copycats of Provigil will flood U.S. pharmacy shelves come April 2012 — just about the time both Teva Pharmaceuticals and Mylan Labs could decide to launch “at-risk” (liable for damages if court invalidates their patent challenges) copies of Nuvigil, alongside their legal introductions of Provigil.

Read More at BNET Pharma….

Editor David J Phillips does not hold a financial interest in any stocks mentioned in this article. The 10Q Detective has a Full Disclosure Policy.

On the Hunt for New MS Drugs: Big Pharma Eyes Acorda Therapeutics

When asked in an interview on the business channel CNBC today if its new oral treatment for MS, Ampyra, would cost between $5,000 to $10,000 a year, Acorda Therapeutics (ACOR-$28.00) CEO Cohen deferred, hinting only that the cost would be a factor of demand and the invested cost to bring the drug to market.

The company is positioned to jump out of the gate come the March launch. At September 30, the company already had a specialty sales force of 73 sales professionals in place, salivating to call on high-volume (RX) prescribers and other influential neurologists who specialize in treating patients with neuromuscular disorders.

Will deeper-pocketed pharma companies looking to broaden the breadth of their own MS drug portfolios, such as Biogen Idec or Teva Pharmaceuticals, move to make an offer for Acorda prior to the March launch of Ampyra? Continue Reading….

Editor David J Phillips does not hold a financial interest in any stocks mentioned in this article. The 10Q Detective has a Full Disclosure Policy.

More Heartburn for Procter & Gamble's Prilosec OTC

For years Procter & Gamble (PG-$60.50) has reminded customers that its Prilosec OTC remedy effectively reduced heartburn-causing acid by shutting down active acid-producing “proton pumps.” Supported by online marketing and sponsorship of popular events, from NFL and NASCAR tie-ins to Prilosec-branded cooking contests and the dice game Bunco, this proton-pump inhibitor (PPI) quickly became the best selling OTC heartburn medicine, with annual sales topping $300 million.

Given the convenience and cost-savings of shopping at the local store for GI antidotes, consumers are increasingly more willing to self-medicate. However, private-label brands have successfully muscled in on this growth in demand. To wit: sales for Prilosec OTC peaked at about $387 million back in 2006. Additionally, Prilosec has now lost market exclusivity (held since 2003) — the FDA has approved for OTC purchase two other branded PPIs. Read More….

Editor David J Phillips does not hold a financial interest in any stocks mentioned in this article. The 10Q Detective has a Full Disclosure Policy.

Burger King Now Serving Up Beer With Those Whoppers

Exclusively at the Whopper Bar South Beach, Burger King (BKC-$17.60) customers can “Have it Their Way” and pair premium Whopper sandwiches with an array of Anheuser-Busch and MillerCoors beer products, including Budweiser, Bud Light, Bud Light Lime and Miller Lite. “We are pleased to offer our guests the option of pairing America’s Favorite Burger with a great American beer in this ideal destination,” said Chuck Fallon, North America President…. Continue Reading at BNET Food….

Editor David J Phillips does not hold a financial interest in any stocks mentioned in this article. The 10Q Detective has a Full Disclosure Policy.

Innovation Key to Callaway Golf's Growth Prospects

Callaway Golf (ELY-$8.25) is the U.S. market leader (as either the No. 1 or No. 2 brand) in almost every equipment category. Management acknowledges that celebrity golfers carrying the Callaway banner — from Arnold Palmer and Gary Player to Phil Mikelson and Annika Sörenstam — help to build brand recognition. However, the company was early to recognize, too, that lots of top golfers walking the fairway with a plethora of labels also dilute the message. In contrast to Nike Golf, the company’s marketing strategy has long been built around loyalty to brand, not star.

The company’s core competitiveness has been the timely introduction of innovative and game-changing technologies, said Callaway spokesman Tim Buckman. The performance-enhancing Big Bertha driver (of then) and the shot-shaping control of its Fusion Technology fairway woods (now), illustrate how the company has strategically captured and grown its share of market.

In today’s marketplace, where consumers worldwide are more sensitive to price tags, is Callaway’s sales strategy obsolete? Continue Reading at BNET Retail….

Editor David J Phillips does not hold a financial interest in any stocks mentioned in this article. The 10Q Detective has a Full Disclosure Policy.