Published:
December 1, 2008
The
correct answer is
(A.) National Oilwell Varco (NYSE:
NOV)
National Oilwell Varco (NOV) is
the world's largest supplier of
equipment used in oil/gas drilling
and production. From drill bits to
mud pumps to comprehensive power
systems, the 140-year old company
offers one-stop shopping for
hundreds of drillers and other
customers around the globe. The
company controls a dominant 60%
share of the market and has
installed components in roughly nine
out of every ten rigs worldwide. And
many customers are happy to give NOV
almost 100% of their business. Over
the past few years, shareholders
have enjoyed rising sales and
gushing profits: annual revenues
have quadrupled to $9.3 billion, and
earnings have exploded more than
20-fold since 2003.
For now, the firm has plenty on its
plate to keep it busy, regardless of
whether oil prices rebound or
continue to slide. In fact, a record
$2.4 billion in new orders over the
past few months have lifted the
total order backlog to $11.8 billion
-- over 90% of which is in
international markets. According to
Morningstar, NOV can rake in $300
million in sales from the addition
of a single new deepwater rig.
As you might expect given the
stunning turnaround in oil prices,
it has been a tough time for many
oil equipment stocks. However, keep
in mind that NOV isn't actually in
the business of selling oil. And
even if prices slip to $50 per
barrel, most companies will go right
on drilling, albeit maybe not as
enthusiastically as before.
Hovering near $30 a share, but with
a fair value well into the $70
range, NOV is just one of the many
undervalued stocks out there, even
in this tough market.
StreetAuthority editor Nathan
Slaughter and his team have dug up
incredible opportunities like NOV in
the latest issue of
Half-Priced Stocks, and all
of those market-beaters are designed
to give investors a much-needed
boost. To learn the names of the
other stocks Nathan has highlighted
this month, and to learn more about
Half-Priced Stocks,
please visit this link.
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