Top 5 Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Several large regional U.S. banks took it on the chin Thursday, with shares sliding 4%.

Regional banks seeing 4% declines included KeyCorp (KEY) of Cleveland, which closed at $11.60 and Regions Financial (RF) of Birmingham, Ala., closed at $9.21.

The broad indices ended mixed, after the euphoria of the decision Wednesday by the Federal Open Market Committee to leave Federal Reserve economic stimulus unchanged, wore off. The FOMC decided not to taper the central bank's "QE3" long-term bond purchases from a monthly pace of $85 billion. The Fed has expanded its balance sheet at this rate since last September.

Bank stocks were weak on Thursday. The KBW Bank Index (I:BKX) was down 1.4% to close at 63.77, with all but one of 24 index components ending with declines. The decision for the Fed not to lower bond purchases took most market watchers by surprise, and was greeted with enthusiasm Wednesday by the broad market. But bank stock investors need to worry about the Fed's main policy tool -- the federal funds rate, which has remained in range of zero to 0.25% since late 2008. The FOMC made a slight change in its language from the previous statement, saying its "highly accommodative" policy for short-term rates would "remain appropriate" at least until the national unemployment rate drops below 6.5%, assuming inflation projections remain in check, but added that it was likely to keep the federal funds rate in its current range "for a considerable time after the asset purchase program ends and the economic recovery strengthens." That's bad news for many regional bankers. Long-term interest rates have been rising, as investors have anticipated a tapering of the Fed's bond purchases. But many banks need a parallel rise in interest rates to see a significant boost to their net interest margins and net interest income. And that may take until at least late next year, depending on how accurate the FOMC's revised economic forecasts turn out to be. JPMorgan Chase The nation's largest bank holding company early Thursday was ordered by four regulators to pay $920 million in fines resulting from investigations of events leading to the "London Whale" hedge trading losses that totaled at least $6.2 billion during 2012.

Top Heal Care Companies To Watch In Right Now: BankFinancial Corporation(BFIN)

BankFinancial Corporation operates as the holding company for BankFinancial, F.S.B., which provides commercial, family, and personal banking services in Illinois. It accepts deposit accounts, such as savings accounts, NOW accounts, checking accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, and IRAs and other qualified plan accounts. The company?s loan portfolio consists of investment and business loans, including multi-family, nonresidential real estate, commercial, construction and land loans, and commercial leases, as well as one-to-four family residential mortgage loans comprising home equity loans, lines of credit, and other second mortgage loans. It also provides financial products and services consisting of cash management, funds transfers, bill payment and other online banking transactions, automated teller machines, safe deposit boxes, wealth management, and general insurance agency services. In addition, the company offers investment, financial planning, and other wealth management services; and sells life insurance, fixed annuities, property and casualty insurance, and other insurance products on an agency basis. It provides its products and services through banking offices and an Internet Branch. As of December 31, 2009, it operated 18 full-service banking offices and 3 express branch facilities in Cook, DuPage, Lake, and Will Counties, Illinois. The company was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in Burr Ridge, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  Thompson says the firm likes Bank Financial (BFIN) right now. The bank is in the lucrative Chicago market that has seen a lot of consolidation in the past year. The bank has 20 branches in fairly desirable locations and must be on the target list of anyone looking to expand into Chicago.

Top 5 Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: VOC Energy Trust(VOC)

VOC Energy Trust owns a term net profits interest of the net proceeds from production of the interests in oil and natural gas properties in the states of Kansas and Texas. It owns an 80% term net profits interest of the net proceeds on the underlying properties. As of December 31, 2009, the underlying properties produced oil from approximately 892 gross (550.2 net) wells located in 193 fields; and had total proved reserves of 13.0 million barrels of oil equivalent. The company was founded in 2010 and is based in Austin, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  VOC Energy Trust (VOC): Formed by a private energy firm, VOC owns both oil and gas wells in has wells in Kansas and Texas. The royalty trust owns an 80% net royalty on the wells on its properties. That makes a prime play on rising energy prices- no matter which fuel is doing well. VOC’s royalties will expire at the end of 2031 and yield no terminal value. Meaning shares will go to zero. Yet, VOC features a trailing yield of about�14% based on the last four payments.

Top 5 Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Forbes Energy Services Ltd (FES)

Forbes Energy Services Ltd. (FES Ltd) is an independent oilfield services contractor that provides a range of well site services to oil and natural gas drilling and producing companies to help develop and enhance the production of oil and natural gas. These services include fluid hauling, fluid disposal, well maintenance, completion services, workovers and recompletions, plugging and abandonment, and tubing testing. FES Ltd operates in two segments: well servicing and fluid logistics and other. Its operations are concentrated in the onshore oil and natural gas producing regions of Texas, with additional locations in Mississippi, in Pennsylvania and, prior to the disposition of its Mexican assets in January 2012, which is discussed below, in Mexico. In January 2012, the Company sold its assets located in Mexico, as well as its equity interests in Forbes Energy Services Mexico Servicios de Personal, S. de R.L. de C.V. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Forbes Energy Services Ltd. (NASDAQ:FES), a leader in well servicing and fluid logistics management in the oilfield services industry, will participate in the GHS 100 Energy Conference being held June 25-26, 2012, at the Intercontinental Hotel in San Francisco.

Top 5 Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Richardson Electronics Ltd. (RELL)

Richardson Electronics, Ltd. engages in the provision of engineered solutions; and distribution of electronic components to the electron device and display systems markets. Its Electron Device Group provides engineered solutions, and distributes electronic components to customers in various markets, such as steel, automotive, textile, plastics, semiconductor manufacturing, and broadcast industries. It designs solutions for various applications comprising industrial heating, laser technology, semiconductor manufacturing equipment, radar, and welding. This division also provides replacement products for systems using electron tubes, as well as offer design and assembly services for new systems employing semiconductor manufacturing equipment. The company?s Canvys division provides integrated display products, workstations, and value-added services to the healthcare, industrial and medical original equipment manufacturers, and digital signage markets. Its display solutions con sist of touch screens, protective panels, custom enclosures, specialized cabinet finishes, application specific software packages, and display products. This division also partners with hardware vendors and offers liquid crystal displays, mounting devices, and customized computing platforms. Richardson Electronics offers its solutions in North America, the Asia Pacific, Europe, and Latin America. The company was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in LaFox, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Richardson Electronics (NASDAQ: RELL) is estimated to post its Q1 earnings.

  NovaGold Resources (NYSE: NG) is expected to post a Q3 loss at $0.03 per share.

• [By gurujx]

  Richardson Electronics (RELL) Reached the Three-Year Low of $11.13

  The prices of Richardson Electronics (RELL) shares have declined to close to the three-year low of $11.13, which is 31.1% off the three-year high of $15.40.