Covered Call Trades for May 2011

It is time to begin looking at the next month (May) covered calls at this time as April expired on Friday.  I have already started a short list of potential trades.  This list is most at-the-money and slightly out-of-money calls.  I have included the S&P Ranking as well as the volatility measures on the chart.  Here is the list. with company profiles below (click image to enlarge).

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (Thermo Fisher) is engaged in serving science. It provides analytical instruments, equipment, reagents and consumables, software and services for research, manufacturing, analysis, discovery and diagnostics. The Company operates through two segments: analytical technologies and laboratory products and services. Analytical technologies segment includes pharmaceutical, biotechnology, academic, government and other research and industrial markets. Laboratory products and services segment offers combination of products and services that allows its customers to engage in their core business functions of research, development, manufacturing, clinical diagnosis and drug discovery. In April 2010, the Company acquired Proxeon A/S, a supplier of products for proteomics analysis. In December 2010, the Company acquired Lomb Scientific. In April 2011, the Company sold two laboratory testing services businesses, Athena Diagnostics and Lancaster Laboratories.
Cummins Inc. designs, manufactures, distributes and services diesel and natural gas engines, electric power generation systems and engine-related component products, including filtration, exhaust aftertreatment, fuel systems, controls and air handling systems. The Company sells its products to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), distributors and other customers worldwide. It has four segments: Engine, Power Generation, Components and Distribution. It serves its customers through a network of more than 600 company owned and independent distributor locations and more than 6,000 dealer locations in more than 190 countries and territories. In November 2010, it purchased a majority interest in a previously independent North American distributorship. On January 4, 2010, it acquired the 70% interest in Cummins Western Canada (CWC).
World Fuel Services Corporation is engaged in the marketing and sale of marine, aviation and land fuel products and related services on a global basis. The Company operates in three business segments: marine, aviation and land. In the marine segment, it offers fuel and related services to maritime customers, including international container and tanker fleets, commercial cruise lines and time-charter operators, as well as to the United States and foreign governments. In the aviation segment, the Company offer fuel and related services to commercial airlines, second and third-tier airlines, cargo carriers, regional and low cost carriers, corporate fleets, fractional operators, private aircraft, military fleets and to the United States and foreign governments. In the land segment, the Company offers fuel and related services to petroleum distributors operating in the land transportation market, retail petroleum operators, and industrial, commercial and government customers.
Prudential Financial, Inc. is a financial services company. It has operations in the United States, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Through its subsidiaries, it offers an array of financial products and services, including life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds, investment management and real estate services. It offers these products and services to individual and institutional customers through third-party distribution networks. It has two businesses: Financial Services Businesses, which comprises its U.S. Retirement Solutions and Investment Management division, U.S. Individual Life and Group Insurance division, and International Insurance and Investments division, and The Closed Block Business, which comprises the assets and related liabilities of the Closed Block. On February 1, 2011, it completed the acquisition from American International Group, Inc. (AIG), of AIG Star Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and AIG Edison Life Insurance Company.
General Motors Company (GM) is a global automotive company. It develops, produces and markets cars, trucks and parts worldwide. GM also provides automotive financing services through General Motors Financial Company, Inc. (GM Financial), formerly AmeriCredit Corp. (AmeriCredit). These financing operations consist principally of financing automobile purchases and leases for retail customers. The Company operates in five segments: GM North America (GMNA), GM Europe (GME), GM International Operations (GMIO), GM South America (GMSA) and GM Financial. GM Financial is an automotive finance company. GM Financial purchases automobile finance contracts for new and used vehicles purchased by consumers primarily from franchised and select independent dealerships. On October 1, 2010, GM completed the acquisition of GM Financial. In February 2010, GM completed the sale of Saab Automobile AB (Saab). In May 2010, the Company completed the sale of Saab Automobile GB (Saab GB).
Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. is a technical professional services firm in the United States. It provides a range of technical, professional, and construction services to. The Company provides four categories of services: project services, which include engineering, design, architectural, and similar services; process, scientific and systems consulting services, which includes services performed in connection with a range of scientific testing, analysis, and consulting activities; construction services, which encompasses construction services, as well as modular construction activities, and includes direct-hire construction and construction management services, and operations and maintenance services, which includes services performed in connection with operating facilities on behalf of clients, as well as services involving process plant maintenance. In December 2009, it acquired TYBRIN Corporation. In February 2010, it acquired Jordan, Jones and Goulding, Inc.
Newfield Exploration Company (Newfield) is an independent oil and gas company engaged in the exploration, development and acquisition of oil and gas properties. The Company’s domestic areas of operation include the Mid-Continent, the Rocky Mountains, onshore Texas, Appalachia and the Gulf of Mexico. Internationally, the Company operates in Malaysia and China. Mid-Continent division is focused primarily in the Anadarko and Arkoma basins. Its Greater Monument Butte is the Greater Monument Butte field area, located in the Uinta Basin of Utah. During the year ended December 31, 2010, approximately 82% of its proved reserves and 90% of its probable reserves were located in resource plays, primarily in the Mid-Continent and the Rocky Mountains. As of December 31, 2010, Newfield had proved reserves of 3.7 one trillion cubic feet equivalent. On February 11, 2010, the Company acquired some of TXCO Resources Inc. (TXCO’s) assets in the Maverick Basin of southwest Texas.

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