Fill Up On World Fuel Services

Years ago, Money magazine interviewed a few celebrities and asked them what was their favorite stock. Since this was before the tech bubble burst, I recall that almost all picked a stinker, except one. Remember “America’s Rich and Famous”? Host Robin Leach mentioned what at that time was to me a new, yet intriguing security. That security was World Fuel Services (INT). He stated that the world will always need fuel, and with a growing population, World Fuel Services was a long term holding for him. I owned this stock in the late 1980s, made a few bucks and traded it out.

INT is not a talking head favorite, but I like it now, even after a modest run. World Fuel Services is engaged in the marketing and sale of aviation, marine and land fuel products and services worldwide. The company offers fuel and maritime services to a base of maritime customers, including international tanker and container fleets as well as time-charter operations. INT also sells fuel to the United States and other governments. INT aviation offers fuel to major commercial airlines and second and third tier air operations, cargo carriers, discount carriers, regional carriers, corporate and charter carriers, fractional owner carriers, military fleets and many governments. On land, it operates a significant petroleum distribution network that fuel distributors use to hedge shipment timing.

Based in Miami, FL, World Fuel Services currently trades at $29.61/share. The 52-week share price has ranged from $19.18-45.08, generally inversely tracking the cost of oil. With a market cap of $845m, INT sports a PE of only 12.4 and trades below its 200-day average - although it has bumped up over the past month. Analysts are mixed to slightly favorable on INT.

With carbon energy not in the media scarelines of doom at present, now is a great time to snap up INT for your portfolio. I think it may well reach into the mid-$40s in several months. G’Day, Robin. Well done.

The author recently purchased a position in INT for his Permanent Portfolio.

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