Diamonds and Dogs

12/30/15

Today's diamond in the rough is Fairchild Semiconductor (FCS) up 3% in a down market. The company that specializes in semiconductors for various applications from industrial, mobile, and automotive to lighting and consumer electronics agreed to be bought out back in November by ON Semiconductor for $20 per share. Now it looks like a new unnamed bidder is offering to acquire all of the outstanding Fairchild stock for $21.70 per share. Now it's up to the company's board of directors and shareholders to review the new offer. We'll see if On Semiconductor raised their bid.

2015 can't end soon enough for oil and gas companies. Gulfport Energy Corp (GPOR) is today's dog along with the energy sector. Gulfport's stock dropped 7% today down over 50% since the April highs following the slide in energy prices.  Gulfport a once profitable firm, will report a loss for 2015. Things don't look like they'll get any better in 2016. Like most oil companies, Gulfport has to hunker down and make sure they don't run out of money before the price of oil and the fundamentals turn around.