Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Buy For 2015

Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, global mining giant Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold (NYSE: FCX  ) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Freeport and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

Freeport facts

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Headquarters (founded)

Phoenix, Ariz. (1987)

Market Cap

$28.0 billion

Industry

Diversified metals and mining

Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Buy For 2015: Republic Bancorp Inc.(RBCAA)

Republic Bancorp, Inc. operates as the holding company for Republic Bank & Trust Company and Republic Bank, which provides banking, tax refund solutions, and mortgage banking services to individuals and businesses in the United States. The company offers a range of deposit products, including demand deposits, money market accounts, brokered and Internet money market accounts, savings deposits, individual retirement accounts, time deposits, and certificates of deposit. It also provides single family residential real estate loans; commercial loans; residential construction real estate loans; and consumer loans, which consists of home improvement and home equity loans, as well as secured and unsecured personal loans. In addition, the company offers private banking services; treasury management services, such as lockbox processing, remote deposit capture, business online banking, account reconciliation, and automated clearing house processing services; Internet banking service s and products through its Website, republicbank.com; and trust, title insurance, and other financial institution related products and services. Further, it provides tax refund solutions that include the payment of federal and state tax refunds through third party tax preparers. The company facilitates the payment of these tax refunds through refund anticipation loans, electronic refund checks, and electronic refund deposits. Its mortgage banking activities comprise origination and sale of loans in the secondary market, and the servicing of loans for others. As of December 31, 2009, the company had 44 banking centers, including 35 located in Kentucky; 5 located in metropolitan Tampa, Florida; 3 located in southern Indiana; and 1 located in metropolitan Cincinnati, Ohio. Republic Bancorp, Inc. was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  In the fourth quarter, he bought 32 new stocks. The largest new buys are: Air Lease (AL), Colfax (CFX) and Republic Bancorp Inc. (RBCAA).

  Air Lease (AL)

Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Buy For 2015: International Montoro Resources Inc (IMT)

International Montoro Resources Inc. is engaged in the exploration and development of mineral properties, focusing on projects in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Ontario, Canada. The Company holds a 100% interest in the Malachite Project (New Brunswick). The Company holds a 50% interest in the Red Lake Project (Ontario), the Malachite property consists of 62 claim units comprising 1,352.25 hacteres. The Crackingstone River Project (Saskatchewan) consists of 750 hectare claim block in northern Saskatchewan near Uranium City. The Cup Lake/Donen Claims located in the Greenwood Mining District of B.C. On May 24, 2012, the Company acquired a 100% interest in four mineral claims representing 1,065.10 hactares, which were located in the middle of the west side of the Tacheeda Lake claim block. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Namitha Jagadeesh]

  British American Tobacco Plc and Imperial Tobacco Group Plc (IMT) each lost at least 1.5 percent as American peer Philip Morris International Inc. forecast 2014 profit growth below its long-term target. Antofagasta Plc (ANTO) and Vedanta Resources Plc (VED) followed miners lower, sliding at least 2 percent. Johnson Matthey Plc (JMAT) gained 3.9 percent after posting better-than-forecast profit and raising its dividend.

Hot Machinery Stocks For 2015: Omega Commercial Finance Corp (OCFN)

Omega Commercial Finance Corporation (Omega), incorporated on November 6, 1973, is a commercial real estate financing company that also provides asset backed lending services located in the Miami, Florida area. The Company consults on various financing programs with an emphasis on Loans secured by commercial real estate such as core assets that include office buildings, multi-family residences, shopping centers, industrial, and hotels, as well as asset backed loans secured by account receivables from established companies.

On February 20, 2012, CCRE Capital, LLC (CCRE), its wholly owned subsidiary entered into the Strategic Alliance Agreement (the Strategic Alliance) with Gardens VE Limited (Company No. 07071936), a British Company (Gardens). In January 2013, the Company acquired VFG Securities Incorporated and VFG Advisors Inc. The Company�� subsidiaries include CCRE (CCRE), OMEGA FACTORI and Omega Capital Street LLC.

The Company competes with CapitalSource Inc, Goldman Sachs Commercial Real Estate, Morgan Stanley Real Estate and JP Morgan Chase.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Virginia Harrison]

  The other big Olympic sponsors are Visa (V, Fortune 500), Samsung (SSNLF), Panasonic (PCRFF), General Electric (GE, Fortune 500), Dow Chemical (DOW, Fortune 500), Procter & Gamble (PG, Fortune 500), Omega (OCFN) and Atos (ATOS). They're staying tight-lipped about the issue in public but a senior official at the International Olympic Committee said this month that several had raised concerns about how the law could affect the Games.

Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Buy For 2015: Hemis Corp (HMSO)

Hemis Corporation, incorporated on February 9, 2005, is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of mineral properties. The Company carries out exploration activities in Mexico through its wholly subsidiary, Hemis Gold SA de CV. It is engaged in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in Sonora, Mexico; British Columbia, Canada; and Alaska, United States. The Company is an exploration stage company.

The Company has 67.5% interest in mining rights in El Tigre Property and Porvenir Property. On November 5, 2007, the Company entered into an agreement granting Monte Cristo Gold Corporation the option to purchase either 49% or 60% of its interest in these properties from it. On November 16, 2007, the Company entered into an agreement, which became effective on November 23, 2007 granting Condor Gold Corporation, the option to purchase either 49% or 60% of its interest in the Anchor Point Gold Project from it.

The Company�� interest in the Wolfe Creek and Covenant mining concessions consists of an option agreement it signed with Stacs GmbH on March 13, 2007, whereby it has an option to acquire a 100% interest to mineral rights on two properties: Wolfe Creek and Covenant, in British Columbia, Canada. The Company intends to primarily explore for gold and molybdenum, but if it discovers that any of its mineral properties hold potential for other minerals, then it intends to explore for those other minerals.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sarah Jones]

  Land Securities gained 1.5 percent to 902 pence, British Land Co., the U.K.�� second largest REIT, advanced 2.1 percent to 595.5 pence and Hammerson Plc (HMSO) rose 2.1 percent to 507 pence.

Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Buy For 2015: Dorman Products Inc.(DORM)

Dorman Products, Inc. supplies automotive replacement parts, fasteners, and service line products primarily for the automotive aftermarket. The company offers approximately 128,000 products comprising original equipment dealer parts, which include intake manifolds, exhaust manifolds, oil cooler lines, window regulators, radiator fan assemblies, power steering pulleys, and harmonic balancers; and replacement parts, such as window handles and switches, door hardware, interior trim parts, headlamp aiming screws and retainer rings, radiator parts, battery hold-down bolts and repair kits, valve train parts, and power steering filler caps. It also provides application specific and general automotive hardware, such as body hardware, general automotive fasteners, oil drain plugs, and wheel hardware; a selection of electrical connectors, wires, tools, testers, and accessories; and a line of home hardware and home organization products designed for retail merchandisers. In addition, the company offers a brake and clutch program; remanufactured automotive replacement parts, such as transfer case modules and instrument clusters; and heavy duty aftermarket parts for class 4-8 heavy vehicles, including coolant tubes, door handles and other body parts, fluid reservoirs, headlights and lighting, hood components, window regulators, and wiper transmissions. It sells its products under the OE Solutions, HELP!, AutoGrade, FirstStop, Conduct-Tite!, Pik-A-Nut, and HD Solutions brand names through automotive aftermarket retailers; national, regional, and local warehouse distributors; specialty markets; and salvage yards in the United States, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Canada. The company, formerly known as R&B, Inc., was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Colmar, Pennsylvania.

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 Dorman Products (Nasdaq: DORM  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Buy For 2015: LifePoint Hospitals Inc.(LPNT)

LifePoint Hospitals Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates general acute care hospitals in non-urban communities in the United States. The company?s hospitals provide a range of medical and surgical services comprising general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics, emergency room care, radiology, oncology, diagnostic care, coronary care, rehabilitation services, and pediatric services, as well as specialized services, such as open-heart surgery, skilled nursing, psychiatric care, and neuro-surgery. Its hospitals also offer outpatient services, including one-day surgery, laboratory, x-ray, respiratory therapy, imaging, sports medicine, and lithotripsy. As of December 31, 2009, LifePoint Hospitals owned or leased 47 hospitals with a total of 5,552 licensed beds in 17 states. The company was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee. Lifepoint Hospitals Inc. (NasdaqNM:LPNT) operates independently of HCA Inc. as of May 11, 1999.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Yesterday afternoon, Pennsylvania announced that it would use federal dollars to pay private insurers to cover eligible Pennsylvanians. UBS analysts A.J. Rice and Jailendra Singh think Community Health Systems (CYH), Tenet Healthcare (THC) and LifePoint Hospitals (LPNT) stand to benefit the most from the deal:

Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Buy For 2015: Osiris Therapeutics Inc.(OSIR)

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., a stem cell company, focuses on the development and marketing of therapeutic products to treat various medical conditions in the inflammatory, autoimmune, orthopedic, and cardiovascular areas. It operates in two business segments, Therapeutics and Biosurgery. The Therapeutics segment focuses on developing biologic stem cell drug candidates from a readily available and non-controversial source, adult bone marrow. The Biosurgery segment works to harness the ability of cells and novel constructs to promote the body's natural healing. This segment focuses on developing biologic products for use in surgical procedures. The company?s lead biologic drug candidate is Prochymal, which is in phase 2 and 3 clinical trails for various indications, including acute graft versus host disease (GvHD), Crohn's disease, acute myocardial infarction, type 1 diabetes, pulmonary disease, and gastrointestinal injury resulting from radiation exposure. Its biologic drug candidates also include Chondrogen, a preparation of adult mesenchymal stem cells that is in phase 2 clinical trials for osteoarthritis and cartilage protection. The company has collaboration agreements with Genzyme Corporation for the development and commercialization of Prochymal and Chondrogen in various countries except in the United States and Canada. It also has a partnership with Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation for the development of Prochymal as a treatment for the preservation of insulin production in patients with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus. Osiris Therapeutics, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alexander Maxwell]

  One of the companies attempting to develop a better treatment for chronic diabetic foot ulcers is Osiris Therapeutics� (NASDAQ: OSIR  ) . Earlier this month, Osiris shares more than doubled as the company announced positive data for its CDFU drug Grafix. The study results were very impressive to say the least; the study was stopped early due to the overwhelming efficacy exhibited by the treatment. A main highlight is the fact that 62% of Grafix patients had their wound closed at 12 weeks, compared to only 21% of patients using conventional methods. Clearly, the efficacy in this endpoint was overwhelming. Grafix also achieved all of the secondary endpoints for the trial, and more importantly demonstrated a relatively benign safety record.�

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Osiris Therapeutics Inc.(OSIR) said Friday a proposed ruling from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services won’t immediately affect reimbursements for its Grafix stem-cell product. The regenerative medicine company said Grafix will maintain its current reimbursement status — also called transitional pass-through status — potentially through late 2015.

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Additionally, stem cell therapies have remained elusive as the industry's ultimate Holy Grail. Osiris (NASDAQ: OSIR  ) received Canadian approval for the world's first stem cell drug, Prochymal, for children battling acute graft-versus-host disease, or GvHD, last year. The approval meant more symbolically than to the bottom line, but it definitely put the potential of stem cells front and center for investors.

Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Buy For 2015: MDU Resources Group Inc (MRE)

MDU Resources Group, Inc.,incorporated on March 14, 1924, is a diversified natural resource company. Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (Montana-Dakota) is a public utility division of the Company. Montana-Dakota, through the electric and natural gas distribution segments, generates, transmits and distributes electricity and distributes natural gas in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. Cascade Natural Gas Corporation (Cascade), which is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of MDU Energy Capital, distributes natural gas in Oregon and Washington. Intermountain Gas Company (Intermountain) distributes natural gas in Idaho. Great Plains Natural Gas Co. (Great Plains), which is a public utility division of the Company, distributes natural gas in western Minnesota and southeastern North Dakota. These operations also supply related value-added services. The Company�� segments include electric, pipeline and energy services, exploration and production, construction materials and contracting and construction services.

The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Centennial Energy Holdings, Inc. (Centennial), owns WBI Holdings, Inc. (WBI Holdings) (consisting of the pipeline and energy services and the exploration and production segments), Knife River Corporation (Knife River) (construction materials and contracting segment), MDU Construction Services Group, Inc. (MDU Construction Services) (construction services segment), Centennial Energy Resources LLC (Centennial Resources) and Centennial Holdings Capital LLC (Centennial Capital) (both included in the Other category). The Company produces Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions primarily from its fossil fuel electric generating facilities, as well as from natural gas pipeline and storage systems, operations of equipment and fleet vehicles, and oil and natural gas exploration and development activities.

Electric

Montana-Dakota provides electric service at retail, serving more than 131,000 residential, commercial, indu! strial and municipal customers in 177 communities and adjacent rural areas as of December 31, 2012. The principal properties owned by Montana-Dakota for use in its electric operations include interests in 10 electric generating facilities and three small portable diesel generators, as further described under System Supply, System Demand and Competition, approximately 3,100 and 4,700 miles of transmission and distribution lines, respectively and 51 transmission and 268 distribution substations. Montana-Dakota has obtained and holds valid and existing franchises authorizing it to conduct its electric operations in all of the municipalities it serves where such franchises are required.

The Company, through the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. (Midwest ISO), Montana-Dakota has access to wholesale energy, ancillary services and capacity markets. The Midwest ISO is a regional transmission organization responsible for operational control of the transmission systems of its members. The Midwest ISO provides security center operations, tariff administration and operates day-ahead and real-time energy markets, ancillary services and capacity markets. In 2012, Montana-Dakota purchased approximately 27 % of its net kilowatts-hour needs for its interconnected system through the Midwest ISO market.

Montana-Dakota serves markets in portions of western North Dakota, including Bismarck, Mandan, Dickinson and Williston; eastern Montana, including Glendive and Miles City; and northern South Dakota, including Mobridge. The maximum electric peak demand experienced to date attributable to Montana-Dakota's sales to retail customers on the interconnected system was 573,587 kilowatts in July, 2012. The interconnected system consists of nine electric generating facilities and three small portable diesel generators, which has an aggregate nameplate rating attributable to Montana-Dakota's interest of 488,905 kilowatts. Through the Sheridan System, which is a separate electric system o! wned by M! ontana-Dakota, Montana-Dakota serves Sheridan, Wyoming, and neighboring communities. The maximum peak demand attributable to Montana-Dakota sales to retail customers on that system was approximately 61,501 kilowatts in July, 2012.

Montana-Dakota's four principal generating stations are steam-turbine generating units, which uses coal for fuel. The nameplate rating for Montana-Dakota's ownership interest in these four stations , including interests in the Big Stone Station and the Coyote Station, aggregating 22.7 % and 25%, respectively is 327,758 kilowatts. Two combustion turbine peaking stations, two wind electric generating facilities, a heat recovery electric generating facility and three small portable diesel generators supply the balance of Montana-Dakota's interconnected system electric generating capability.

The Coyote coal supply agreement provides for the purchase of coal necessary to supply the coal requirements of the Coyote Station or 30,000 tons per week, whichever may be the greater quantity at contracted pricing. The Heskett and Lewis & Clark coal supply agreements provide for the purchase of coal necessary to supply the coal requirements of these stations at contracted pricing. Montana-Dakota estimates the Heskett and Lewis & Clark coal requirement to be in the range of 450,000 to 550,000 tons and 250,000 to 350,000 tons per contract year, respectively

Natural Gas Distribution

The Company's natural gas distribution operations consist of Montana-Dakota, Great Plains, Cascade and Intermountain, which sell natural gas at retail, serving over 859,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in 334 communities and adjacent rural areas across eight states as of December 31, 2012, and provide natural gas transportation services to certain customers on their systems. These services are provided through distribution systems aggregating approximately 18,200 miles.

The Company's purchased natural gas is supplied by a po! rtfolio o! f contracts specifying market-based pricing and is transported under transportation agreements with WBI Energy Transmission, Northwest Pipeline GP, Northern Natural Gas, Gas Transmission Northwest LLC, Northwestern Energy, Viking Gas Transmission Company and Ruby Pipeline LLC. The natural gas distribution operations have contracts for storage services to provide gas supply during the winter heating season and to meet peak day demand with various storage providers, including WBI Energy Transmission, Questar Pipeline Company, Northwest Pipeline GP and Northern Natural Gas. In addition, certain of the operations have entered into natural gas supply management agreements with various parties.

Pipeline and Energy Services

WBI Energy Transmission, the regulated business of this segment, owns and operates approximately 3,800 miles of transmission, gathering and storage lines in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming. WBI Energy Midstream owns a 50% undivided interest in certain midstream assets located in western North Dakota. Three underground storage fields in Montana and Wyoming provide storage services to local distribution companies, producers, natural gas marketers and others, and serve to enhance system deliverability. WBI Energy Transmission's system is located near five natural gas producing basins, making natural gas supplies available to WBI Energy Transmission's transportation and storage customers. The system has 13 interconnecting points with other pipeline facilities allowing for the receipt and/or delivery of natural gas to and from other regions of the country and from Canada.

WBI Energy Midstream, the non-regulated pipeline business of this segment, owns and operates gathering facilities in Colorado, Kansas, Montana and Wyoming. It also owns a 50% undivided interest in certain midstream assets located in western North Dakota that were acquired in 2012, which include a natural gas processing plant, both oil and gas gathering pipelines, an ! oil stora! ge terminal and an oil pipeline. Prairielands is an energy services business,which provides natural gas purchase and sales services to local distribution companies, producers, other marketers and a limited number of end-users, primarily using natural gas produced by the Company's exploration and production segment. WBI Energy Transmission's underground natural gas storage facilities has a storage capacity of approximately 353 billion cubic feet, including 193 billion cubic feet of working gas capacity, 85 billion cubic feet of cushion gas and 75 billion cubic feet of native gas.

Exploration and Production

Fidelity is involved in the acquisition, exploration, development and production of oil and natural gas resources. Fidelity continues to seek additional reserve and production growth opportunities through these activities. Fidelity's business is focused primarily in two core regions: Rocky Mountain and Mid-Continent/Gulf States.

Fidelity's Rocky Mountain region includes Bakken areas , which includes oil targets in which Fidelity holds approximately 16,000 net acres in Mountrail County, North Dakota, approximately 51,000 net acres in Stark County, North Dakota, and approximately 60,000 net acres in Richland County, Montana; Cedar Creek Anticline, which is in primarily in eastern Montana, the Company has a long-held net profits interest in this oil play. Paradox Basin holds approximately 83,000 net acres located in Grand and San Juan Counties, Utah, targeting oil; Big Horn Basin includes approximately 33,000 net acres in Wyoming, targeting oil and Natural gas liquids (NGL); Green River Basin properties primarily includes natural gas targets in Wyoming in which the Company holds approximately 36,000 net acres; Baker Field is a long-held natural gas properties in which Fidelity holds approximately 99,000 net acres in southeastern Montana and southwestern North Dakota; Bowdoin Field is a long-held natural gas properties in which Fidelity holds approximately 127,000 net! acres in! north-central Montana, and Other includes other exploratory oil projects in the Niobrara play in Wyoming and the Heath Shale in Montana; along with the Powder River Basin natural gas properties, which Fidelity is pursuing divestment of and various non-operated positions.

Fidelity's Mid-Continent/Gulf States region includes South Texas area includes approximately 9,000 net acres in the Tabasco, Texan Gardens and Flores fields, this area has NGL content associated with the natural gas. East/Central Texas holds approximately 27,000 net acres, primarily natural gas and associated NGL. Other includes various non-operated onshore interests, as well as offshore interests in the shallow waters off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana. At December 31, 2012, there were 44 gross (17 net) wells in the process of drilling or under evaluation, 39 of which were development wells and 5 of which were exploratory wells.

Construction Materials and Contracting

Knife River operates construction materials and contracting businesses. These operations mine, process and sell construction aggregates (crushed stone, sand and gravel); produce and sell asphalt mix and supply ready-mixed concrete for construction, including roads, freeways and bridges, as well as homes, schools, shopping centers, office buildings and industrial parks. Although not common to all locations, other products include the sale of cement, liquid asphalt for various commercial and roadway applications, various finished concrete products and other building materials and related contracting services.

Construction Services

MDU Construction Services specializes in constructing and maintaining electric and communication lines, gas pipelines, fire suppression systems, and external lighting and traffic signalization equipment. This segment also provides utility excavation services and inside electrical wiring, cabling and mechanical services, sells and distributes electrical materials, and manufactures ! and distr! ibutes specialty equipment. These services are provided to utilities and manufacturing, commercial, industrial, institutional and government customers. MDU Construction Services operates a fleet of owned and leased trucks and trailers, support vehicles and specialty construction equipment, such as backhoes, excavators, trenchers, generators, boring machines and cranes. In addition, as of December 31, 2012, MDU Construction Services owned or leased facilities in 17 states. This space is used for offices, equipment yards, warehousing, storage and vehicle shops.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Lam]

  Martinrea International Inc. (MRE), a metal auto-parts maker, slumped 10 percent to C$10.96 after the company said it received a press release discussing a claim from Nat Rea, former vice chairman of the company. Martinrea has not received the claim or reviewed the allegations and will ��espond appropriately in due course.��

Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Buy For 2015: Opexa Therapeutics Inc.(OPXA)

Opexa Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, develops patient-specific cellular therapies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Its principal product includes Tovaxin, a personalized cellular immunotherapy treatment that completed Phase IIb clinical study for multiple sclerosis. Tovaxin is derived from T-cells isolated from peripheral blood, expanded ex vivo, and reintroduced into the patients via subcutaneous injections. The company was formerly known as PharmaFrontiers Corp. and changed its name to Opexa Therapeutics, Inc. in June 2006. Opexa Therapeutics, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is based in The Woodlands, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Opexa Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:OPXA), a biotechnology company developing a novel T-cell therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS), reported that the Company is rebranding its leading MS therapy with the new name Tcelna(TM).