Why Peabody Energy Corporation (BTU), Amphenol Corporation (APH) and Aratana Therapeutics Inc (PETX) Are 3 of Today’s Best Stocks

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U.S. markets sank today as bad news out of Greece and a slight slowing in the housing market weighed heavily on U.S. markets and led to broad-based selling.

coal-stocks-btu-stock-peabody-energyGreece was unable to reach accord with international lenders to secure more funding, and shut down its banks for several days, while introducing capital controls. In addition, Greece’s long-term credit rating was downgraded by Standard & Poor’s from CCC to CCC-, with a negative outlook.

Back at home, the National Association of Realtors reported that May’s pending home sales rose 0.9% in May from the previous month — the highest reading since 2006.  However, April’s number was revised downward, and the 0.9% was still slightly below expectations.

Closed sales of existing homes for May were up 5.1%, and that was above expectations.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.9%, while the S&P 500 lost 2.1% and the Nasdaq Composite fell 2.4%.

You couldn’t find a sector in the green today, but utilities were the best of a bad lot. In fact, it was a tough day to find many winning stocks, but Peabody Energy Corporation (BTU), Amphenol Corporation (APH) and Aratana Therapeutics Inc (PETX) managed to prevail, becoming three of today’s best stocks.

Peabody Energy Corporation (BTU)

A bad day for the general market was a good day for coal and basic materials stocks after the Supreme Court ruled against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and in favor of coal producers.

The court ruled that the EPA must consider the financial impact to a company before it can impose regulations over public health concerns. The court had considered the EPA’s imposition of regulations to reduce emissions of mercury and other pollutants upon the coal industry.

BTU has had several difficult years, and the stock has fallen from $16 in late 2013 to just over $2 this week. But BTU blistered up 9.6% today, so perhaps today’s ruling will be a boon to BTU stock going forward.

Amphenol Corporation (APH)

APH stock, moved up more than 4% today before pulling back to end the day up 2.1%. APH moved after the company entered into negotiations to acquire FCI Asia for nearly $1.3 billion. Amphenol manufactures fiber-optic cables and equipment, and FCI manufactures electronic connectors.

Amphenol will pay cash and finance the rest, and expects a closing to the transaction by the end of the year. The deal should be accretive to APH’s bottom line sometime in 2016.

APH stock has enjoyed a nice smooth uptrend over the last two years, climbing steadily from $34 to today’s closing price of $56.84.

Aratana Therapeutics Inc (PETX)

After the closing bell on Friday, Aratana Therapeutics reported positive statistical results from a clinical trial of capromorelin (AT-002). Capromorelin is a therapeutic treatment to stimulate the appetite of dogs who are not eating for one reason or another, and the Capromorelin was shown to be statistically significant when compared with a placebo group that did not receive the treatment.

PETX stock jumped 10.5% higher today on the news. PETX stock has struggled this year, falling from $20 to a low of $12 recently, before rebounding over the past few days.

As of this writing, Ethan Roberts does not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

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Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2015/06/peabody-energy-corporation-btu-amphenol-corporation-aph-aratana-therapeutics-inc-petx-3-todays-best-stocks/.

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