Best Prefered Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Yesterday, I wrote a piece where I listed the three categories that my investments typically fall into: Franchises, Cheap and Good Stocks, and Cheap Asset Stocks. I also described a 4th category called Special Situations that I occasionally participate in when I find an interesting idea. The vast majority of my investments fall into the first three categories, but recently, I've looked at two interesting special situations that have a few similarities.

Dell (DELL) and Ebix (EBIX) are two stocks that I've been following for some time. Both have shown up in Joel Greenblatt's screen for months, and I've considered both to be potential investment candidates. Both have CEO's with large ownership stakes, both have negative sentiment surrounding the stock (for different reasons), both look cheap using basic value metrics, and both have traded above their deal price, signaling the market might expect a higher bid.

I own Dell, but unfortunately let Ebix pass by after not being comfortable with their accounting. (This is a lesson in and of itself: when bad news causes a stock to drop dramatically, the market often over discounts the news. The market has a hard time efficiently pricing these types of scenarios, and in my experience, the initial reaction is often the worst (BP during the oil spill, HLF after the Ackman short announcement, etc...). The market tends to price things toward the worst case scenario end of the spectrum, but the worst case often does not materialize.

5 Best European Stocks To Watch For 2015: Brady Corp (BRC)

Brady Corporation (Brady), incorporated in 1914, is an international manufacturer of identification solutions and specialty materials that identify and protect premises, products and people. Brady provides customers with a range of customized and diverse products for use in various applications. The Company is organized and managed on a geographic basis within three regions: Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA), and Asia-Pacific, which are the segments. Across these regions, the Company operates three primary business platforms: Identification Solutions (ID Solutions), Direct Marketing and Die-Cut. During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company�� revenue included Americas 45%, EMEA 29% and Asia-Pacific 26% respectively. During fiscal 2012, the Company�� ID Solutions generated 56%, Direct Marketing 27% and Die-Cut 17% of revenue. In December 2012, Water Street Healthcare Partners sold Precision Dynamics Corporation (PDC) to the Company.

ID Solutions

Within the ID Solutions platform, Brady�� product categories include workplace safety and compliance, which includes facility identification, labeling systems, spill control, lockout/tagout, and software services; product identification, which includes materials and printing systems for product identification, brand protection labeling, work in process labeling, finished product identification, and bar coding that performs under a range of harsh or demanding conditions; wire identification, which includes handheld printers, wire markers, sleeves and tags, and people identification, which includes self-expiring name tags, badges, lanyards, and access control software and products. Approximately 75% of ID Solutions products are sold under the Brady brand.

Safety and facility identification products are also marketed under the Safety Signs Service brand, with some lockout/tagout products offered under the Scafftag brands. In the United States, identification products for the u! tility industry are marketed under the Electromark brand, and spill-control products are marketed under the Sorbent Products Company brand; security and identification badges and systems are included in the Temtec, B.I.G., Identicard/Identicam, STOPware, J.A.M. Plastics, PromoVision, and Brady People ID brands; wire identification products are marketed under the Modernotecnica brand in Italy and the Carroll brand in Australia; hand-held regulatory documentation systems are available under the Tiscor brand, and custom labels and nameplates are available under the Stickolor brand in Brazil.

The Company�� ID Solutions platform offers products with rapid response and superior service to provide solutions to customers. The business markets and sells products through multiple channels, including distributors, direct sales, mail-order-catalog marketing, and electronic access through e-commerce. The ID Solutions platform serves customers in many markets, which include industrial manufacturing, electronic manufacturing, chemical, oil, gas, food and beverage, aerospace, defense, mass transit, electrical contractors, and telecommunications, among others. The ID Solutions platform provides differentiated, products, many which have been internally developed and manufactured. These internally developed products include materials, printing systems, and software.

Direct Marketing

Within the Direct Marketing business platform, Brady�� product categories include workplace safety and compliance products, which include informational signs, tags, security and traffic related products, first aid supplies, material handling, asset identification, safety and facility identification, and regulatory products. Products within the Direct Marketing platform are sold under a range of brands, including safety and facility identification products offered under the Seton, Emedco, Signals, Safetyshop, Clement and Personnel Concepts brands; spill-control products under the D.A.W.G. brand, and ! first aid! supplies under the Accidental Health and Safety, Trafalgar, and Securimed brands. The Direct Marketing platform markets and sells products through multiple channels, which include catalog, telemarketing and e-commerce. The business serves customers in many markets, which include process industries, manufacturers, government, education, construction, and utilities. The Direct Marketing platform manufactures a range of stock and custom identification products, and also sells a range of related resale products.

Die-Cut

Within the Die-Cut business platform, the Company's products include customized precision die-cut products used to seal, dissipate heat, insulate, protect, shield, or provide other mechanical performance properties. Products within the Die-Cut platform are sold primarily under the Brady brand, with some European business marketed as Balkhausen products. The business sells through a technical direct sales force, and is supported by global strategic account management. The Die-Cut platform serves customers in many markets, which include mobile handset, hard disk drive, consumer electronics, other computing devices, as well as products for the automotive and medical equipment markets. The Die-Cut platform consists of engineered customized products, manufactured to specific customer requirements.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Brady (NYSE: BRC  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Diane Alter]

  Dividend Stocks That Increased Payout in September

  Accenture plc (NYSE: ACN) announced a 14.8%, or $0.12 per share, increase to its semiannual dividend. The management consulting firm will now pay a semiannual dividend of $0.93. Shares yield 2.53%. Agruim Inc. (NYSE: AGU) boosted its dividend by $1.00 per share to a total dividend of $3.00 on an annualized basis. Shares of the global retailer of agricultural products now sprout a 3.54% yield. Air Industries Group Inc. (NYSE: AIRI) doubled its dividend to $0.125 per share. The maker of airplane and helicopter parts now floats a lofty yield of 6.6%. Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. (NYSE: ARE) upped its dividend 4.6% to $0.68 per quarter for a yield of 4.21%. Banner Corp. (Nasdaq: BANR) boosted its quarterly dividend 25% to $0.15 per share. The parent company of Banner and Islander Bank serves the Pacific Northwest region. Brady Corp. (NYSE: BRC) lifted its quarterly dividend 2.6% to $0.78 per share. It was the 28th straight dividend increase from the identification solutions company. Shares yield 2.57%. Campbell Soup Co. (NSE: CPB) raised its quarterly dividend to $0.31 per share, up from $0.29. The company last raised its dividend in November 2010. Shares yield a hearty 3.06%. CLARCOR Inc. (NYSE: CLC) raised its quarterly dividend 26% to $0.17 per share. It's the largest percentage increase from the Tennessee-based diversified marketer of mobile filtration and packaging products in the last 20 years, and it continues the company's consecutive streak of increasing dividends for the last 30 years. Franklin Resources Inc. (NYSE: BEN) boosted its quarterly dividend 2.6% to $0.10 per share. Frisch's Restaurants Inc. (NYSE: FRS) increased its quarterly dividend 12.5% to $0.18. Shares yield 3.10% The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company (NYSE: GT), in a move that suggests good times are ahead, reinstated its dividend at $0.05 per share. Good
• [By Mike Deane]

  For the 28th year in a row, Brady Corp (BRC) has increased its dividend payout to investors.

  The Milwaukee, WI-based company increased its quarterly dividend to 19.5 cents from 19 cents, an increase of 2.6%. The annual dividend now stands at 78 cents. The quarterly dividend will be paid on October 31st, 2013 to all shareholders of record on October 10, 2013.

  BRC shares were down 40 cents, or �1.23%, by market close on Wednesday. YTD, the company’s stock is down over 4%.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Basic guidelines
  In this series, I examine inventory using a simple rule of thumb: Inventory increases ought to roughly parallel revenue increases. If inventory bloats more quickly than sales grow, this might be a sign that expected sales haven't materialized. Is the current inventory situation at Brady (NYSE: BRC  ) out of line? To figure that out, start by comparing the company's inventory growth to sales growth. How is Brady doing by this quick checkup? At first glance, OK, it seems. Trailing-12-month revenue increased 1.7%, and inventory decreased 6.1%. Comparing the latest quarter to the prior-year quarter, the story looks decent. Revenue shrank 7.8%, and inventory shrank 6.1%. Over the sequential quarterly period, the trend looks healthy. Revenue dropped 5.7%, and inventory dropped 20.2%.

Best Prefered Stocks To Invest In Right Now: ProShares Short FTSE Xinhua China 25 (YXI)

ProShares Short FTSE China 25 (the Fund) is an exchange-traded fund. The Fund seeks daily investment results that correspond to the inverse (opposite) of the daily performance of the FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index (the Index). The Index consists of 25 of the largest and most liquid Chinese stocks listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. This free float adjusted Index caps the weight of any of constituent stock at 10% to ensure broad representation of the Chinese economy. The Fund seeks investment results for a single day only, not for longer periods. The Index is compiled and calculated by FTSE International Limited (FTSE) on behalf of FTSE/Xinhua Index Limited (FXI). The Fund will typically concentrate its investments in issuers of one or more particular industries to the same extent that its underlying Index is so concentrated. The Fund�� investment advisor is ProShare Advisors LLC. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By pamatlarge]

  Three short ETFs are designed to profit from China�� economic downward slide. The ProShares Short FTSE China 25 (YXI), an unleveraged ETF, holds shares in iShares FTSE China Large-Cap (FXI) swaps. Investors looking to magnify their returns can choose from two leveraged short ETFs: ProShares Ultra Short FTSE China 25 (FXP) and Direxion Daily China Bear 3x Shares (YANG). Both ProShares Ultra Short and Direxion Daily hold shares that increase in value three times faster than an unleveraged ETF. The downside is that the per share price of these leveraged ETFs also drops three times faster.

Best Prefered Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Vocus Inc.(VOCS)

Vocus, Inc. provides cloud marketing software that enables businesses attract, engage, and retain customers in the United States, Europe, Asia, and Morocco. It offers a suite of software for social media marketing, search marketing, email marketing, and publicity. The company?s cloud marketing solutions include search marketing and news distribution solution that helps customers increase their online visibility and organic search engine rankings with press releases; and email marketing solution, which provides a method of keeping in touch with prospects and customers by using professional looking emails to send newsletters, special offers, and other useful content. Its cloud marketing solutions also comprise social media software solution that helps customers run social marketing campaigns, as well as monitor and analyze conversations across multiple social networks and other online Websites; and publicity solution, which offers media database, news monitoring, and analyt ics and publicity opportunities that help companies increase their media exposure, manage relationships with reporters, and monitor and analyze trends unfolding in the media. The company also provides professional services that consist of data migration, custom development, and training. Vocus, Inc. sells its products to the financial and insurance, technology, healthcare and pharmaceutical, and retail and consumer products industries, as well as government agencies, not-for-profit organizations, and educational institutions through its direct sales channels, indirect sales channels, and the Internet. Vocus, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Beltsville, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Vocus (Nasdaq: VOCS  ) reported earnings on April 23. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Vocus met expectations on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.

• [By Rich Smith]

  In a separate statement, the company announced a small change in management, bringing in ex-Vocus (NASDAQ: VOCS  ) Chief Operating Officer William R. Wagner to become its own COO. In an SEC filing, LogMeIn noted that it will pay Wagner $400,000 in annual base salary, plus:

• [By The GeoTeam]

  Our recent 2013 articles on SaaS companies Selectica (SLTC), E2open (EOPN), Responsys (MKTG), Vocus (VOCS), and ExactTarget (ET) highlighted such opportunities. The average return since the inception of our coverage currently stands at around 34% (55% at their highs).

• [By Alex Planes]

  What: Shares of Vocus (NASDAQ: VOCS  ) have plunged 15% today after the company's forward guidance failed to impress the Street.

  So what: Vocus reported its earnings last evening, and both the $46.6 million top line and the $0.01 earnings per share result were better than Wall Street's consensus, which sought a $45.3 million revenue number and a $0.02 loss per share. However, third-quarter guidance of $46.5 million to $46.8 million on the top line is below the $47 million consensus, and a $0.03 to $0.04 EPS result is roughly in line with the $0.03 consensus. Additionally, the full fiscal year's guidance of $188 million to $189 million is roughly in line with the $188.2 million consensus.

Best Prefered Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Great Plains Energy Inc (GXP)

Great Plains Energy Incorporated (Great Plains Energy), incorporated on February 26, 2001, is a public utility holding company. The Company does not own or operate any assets other than the stock of its subsidiaries. Great Plains Energy�� wholly owned direct subsidiaries with operations or active subsidiaries includes Kansas City Power & Light Company (KCP&L), and KCP&L Greater Missouri Operations Company (GMO). The Company is engaged in the business segment of electric utility. The electric utility segment consists of KCP&L, a regulated utility, and GMO�� regulated utility operations, which include its Missouri Public Service and St. Joseph Light & Power (L&P) divisions. Electric utility serves approximately 825,300 customers located in western Missouri and eastern Kansas.

KCP&L is an integrated, regulated electric utility that provides electricity to customers in the states of Missouri and Kansas. KCP&L has one active wholly owned subsidiary, Kansas City Power & Light Receivables Company (Receivables Company). GMO is an integrated, regulated electric utility that provides electricity to customers in the state of Missouri. GMO also provides regulated steam service to certain customers in the St. Joseph, Missouri area. GMO wholly owns MPS Merchant Services, Inc. (MPS Merchant), which has certain long-term natural gas contracts remaining from its former non-regulated trading operations.

Customers include approximately 726,100 residences, 96,600 commercial firms, and 2,600 industrials, municipalities and other electric utilities. During the year ended December 31, 2012, electric utility�� retail revenues averaged approximately 90% of its total operating revenues. Wholesale firm power, bulk power sales and miscellaneous electric revenues accounted for the remainder of electric utility�� revenues. During 2012, electric utility�� total electric revenues were 100% of Great Plains Energy�� revenues. During 2012, electric utility�� net income accounted for approximately! 108%, of Great Plains Energy�� income from continuing operations, respectively.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Dittman]

  Answer: It’s too soon to say what the financial impact of the Winnipeg incident will have on TransCanada. The impact for its customers, including Xcel Energy (NYSE: XEL) and Great Plains Energy (NYSE: GXP), may be more acute in the short term. TransCanada will definitely be under increased regulatory scrutiny.
  I’m a fan of TransCanada for the long term. It has a solid, diverse and growing presence in North American energy infrastructure. It’s about much more than Keystone XL.

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  Reeling in rates
  Great Plains Energy (NYSE: GXP  ) shares are up 18.3% in the past year, a sign that something's going right for this Missouri/Kansas utility company. Fiscal 2013 EPS bumped up 8%, but the real gains came from regulation risk reduction. After filing for rate increases in early 2012, Great Plains got the green light from regulators to boost its 2013 prices. On the unregulated front, the utility generates 83% of its electricity from coal and 14% from nuclear power, a (recently revealed) welcome relief from natural gas' rapidly rising prices.

Best Prefered Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Cummins Inc.(CMI)

Cummins Inc. designs, manufactures, distributes, and services diesel and natural gas engines, electric power generation systems, and engine-related component products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Engine, Power Generation, Components, and Distribution. The Engine segment offers a range of diesel and natural gas powered engines under the Cummins and other customer brand names for the heavy-and medium-duty truck, bus, recreational vehicle, light-duty automotive, agricultural, construction, mining, marine, oil and gas, rail, and governmental equipment markets. This segment also provides new parts and service, as well as remanufactured parts and engines. The Power Generation segment offers power generation systems, components, and services, including diesel, natural gas, gasoline, and alternative-fuel electrical generator sets for use in recreational vehicles, commercial vehicles, recreational marine applications, and home stand-by or residential applications. This segment also provides components that make up power generation systems, such as engines, controls, alternators, transfer switches, and switchgears. The Components segment supplies filtration products, turbochargers, aftertreatment systems, intake and exhaust systems, and fuel systems for commercial diesel applications. This segment offers filtration and exhaust systems for on-and off-highway heavy-duty and mid-range equipment, as well as supplies filtration products for industrial and passenger car applications. This segment also develops after treatment and exhaust systems to help customers meet emissions standards and fuel systems. The Distribution segment provides parts and services, as well as service solutions, including maintenance contracts, engineering services, and integrated products. The company sells its products to original equipment manufacturers, distributors, and other customers. Cummins Inc. was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Columbus, Indiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael Flannelly]

  Early on Wednesday, analysts at both UBS and BMO Capital raised their price targets and earnings estimates on diesel engines manufacturer Cummins Inc. (CMI).

  The analysts at UBS raised the numbers on CMI to reflect better growth from market positions and new products. As such, they now see shares of CMI reaching $146, which suggests a 10.6% upside to the stock’s Tuesday closing price of $131.96.

  At BMO Capital, the analysts raised CMI’s earnings estimates through 2015 as distribution acquisitions should add to earnings. Furthermore, the analysts rate CMI as “Outperform” and see shares reaching $146 as well.

  Cummins shares were down 20 cents, or 0.15%, during pre-market trading on Wednesday. The stock is up 21.79% year-to-date.

• [By Matt Thalman]

  Despite having recently been upgraded by Longbow Research from "neutral" to "buy," shares of�Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) are down 0.35% today. The main reason shares are falling today is the poor earnings report released by Cummins (NYSE: CMI  ) this morning. The company reported that sales dropped 19% in the company's engine and turbine unit. Cummins also blamed the poor results on weak oil, gas, and mining demand -- areas in which Caterpillar also operates.�

Best Prefered Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Chesapeake Utilities Corp (CPK)

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation (Chesapeake), incorporated in 1947, is a utility company engaged in energy and other businesses. The Company operates in three segments: Regulated Energy, Unregulated Energy and Other. The Company operates regulated energy businesses through its natural gas distribution divisions in Delaware, Maryland and Florida, natural gas and electric distribution operations in Florida through Florida Public Utilities Company (FPU), and natural gas transmission operations on the Delmarva Peninsula and Florida through its subsidiaries, Eastern Shore Natural Gas Company (Eastern Shore) and Peninsula Pipeline Company, Inc. (Peninsula Pipeline), respectively. Its unregulated businesses include its natural gas marketing operation through Peninsula Energy Services Company, Inc. (PESCO); propane distribution operations through Sharp Energy, Inc. and its subsidiary Sharpgas, Inc. (collectively Sharp) and FPU�� propane distribution subsidiary, Flo-Gas Corporation; and its propane wholesale marketing operation through Xeron, Inc. (Xeron). It also has an advanced information services subsidiary, BravePoint, Inc. (BravePoint). In February 2013, Florida Public Utilities Company, a a subsidiary of the Company announced that its propane subsidiary, Flo-Gas Corporation, purchased the propane operating assets of Glades Gas Company. In June 2013, the Company acquired Eastern Shore Gas Company (ESG) and Eastern Shore Propane Company (ESP). In June 2013, Chesapeake Utilities Corp announced that it has acquired the operating assets of Austin Cox Home Services, Inc.

Regulated Energy

The Company�� regulated energy segment provides natural gas distribution service in Delaware, Maryland and Florida, electric distribution service in Florida and natural gas transmission service in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Florida. As of December 31, 2011, its Delaware and Maryland natural gas distribution divisions serve 53,851 residential and commercial customers and 97 industrial ! customers in central and southern Delaware and on Maryland�� eastern shore. Its Florida natural gas distribution operation consists of Chesapeake�� Florida division and FPU�� natural gas operation. As of December 31, 2011, its Florida electric distribution operation distributed electricity to 30,986 customers in four counties in northeast and northwest Florida. Eastern Shore operates a 402-mile interstate pipeline system, which transports natural gas from various points in Pennsylvania to its Delaware and Maryland natural gas distribution divisions, as well as to other utilities and industrial customers in southern Pennsylvania, Delaware and on the eastern shore of Maryland. Eastern Shore also provides swing transportation service and contract storage services. Peninsula Pipeline provides natural gas transportation service to a customer for a period of 20 years. This service is provided at a fixed monthly charge, through Peninsula Pipeline�� eight-mile pipeline located in Suwanee County, Florida.

The Company�� Delaware and Maryland natural gas distribution divisions have both firm and interruptible transportation service contracts with five interstate open access pipeline companies, including the Eastern Shore pipeline. These divisions are directly interconnected with the Eastern Shore pipeline, and have contracts with interstate pipelines upstream of Eastern Shore, including Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company LLC (Transco), Columbia Gas Transmission LLC (Columbia), Columbia Gulf Transmission Company (Gulf) and Texas Eastern Transmission, LP (TETLP). The Transco, Columbia and TETLP pipelines are directly interconnected with the Eastern Shore pipeline. The Gulf pipeline is directly interconnected with the Columbia pipeline and indirectly interconnected with the Eastern Shore pipeline.

Chesapeake�� Florida natural gas distribution division has firm transportation service contracts with Florida Gas Transmission Company (FGT) and Gulfstream Natural Gas System, LLC ! (Gulfstre! am). Eastern Shore has three contracts with Transco for a total of 7,292 dekatherms of firm peak day storage entitlements and total storage capacity of 288,003 dekatherms. Its electric distribution operation through FPU purchases all of its wholesale electricity from two suppliers: Gulf Power Company (Gulf Power) and JEA (formerly known as Jacksonville Electric Authority). The JEA contract provides generation, transmission and distribution service to northeast Florida. The Gulf Power contract provides generation, transmission and distribution service to northwest Florida.

Unregulated Energy

The Company�� unregulated energy segment provides natural gas marketing, propane distribution and propane wholesale marketing services to customers. As of December 31, 2011, its natural gas marketing subsidiary, PESCO, provided natural gas supply and supply management services to 3,080 customers in Florida and 16 customers on the Delmarva Peninsula. The gas, which PESCO sells, is delivered to retail customers through affiliated and non-affiliated local distribution company systems and transmission pipelines. PESCO bills its customers through the billing services of the regulated utilities that deliver the gas, or directly, through its own billing capabilities. As of December 31, 2011, Sharp, its propane distribution subsidiary, served 34,317 customers throughout Delaware, the eastern shore of Maryland and Virginia, and southeastern Pennsylvania. Its Florida propane distribution subsidiary provides propane distribution service to 14,507 customers in parts of Florida. Xeron, its propane wholesale marketing subsidiary, markets propane to petrochemical companies, resellers and retail propane companies in the southeastern United States. Its propane distribution operations purchase propane from suppliers, including oil companies, independent producers of natural gas liquids and from Xeron. In current markets, supplies of propane from these and other sources are readily available for purchase. It! s propane! distribution operations use trucks and railroad cars to transport propane from refineries, natural gas processing plants or pipeline terminals to its bulk storage facilities.

Other

The other segment consists of its advanced information services subsidiary, other unregulated subsidiaries, which own real estate leased to Chesapeake and its subsidiaries. Its advanced information services subsidiary, BravePoint, provides domestic and a range of international clients with information technology services and solutions for both enterprise and e-business applications. Skipjack, Inc. and Eastern Shore Real Estate, Inc. own and lease office buildings in Delaware and Maryland to affiliates of Chesapeake. Chesapeake Investment Company is an affiliated investment company.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Chesapeake Utilities� (NYSE: CPK  ) �has declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.385 per share, a 5.5% increase over its previous payout of $0.365 per share. The dividend will be paid on July 5 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on June 17.�The increase raises the annualized dividend�$0.08�per share, from�$1.46, to�$1.54�per share.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Natural gas and propane utility operator Chesapeake Utilities (NYSE: CPK  ) announced yesterday that as of May 31�it had completed the acquisition of Eastern Shore Gas (ESG) along with its affiliate Eastern Shore Propane (ESP), both indirect, wholly owned subsidiaries of Energy Equity Partners�that provide propane gas to residents of Worcester County, Md.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Chesapeake Utilities (NYSE: CPK) announced a three-for-two stock split of its outstanding common stock. Chesapeake Utilities shares fell 2.18% to close at $70.91 yesterday.