Securities Lawyers Blog

Investor Recovery Options for Targa Resource Partners LP (NGLS) Losses

January 16, 2016 | by Staff Attorney

The investment attorneys with Gana Weinstein LLP continue to report on investor related losses in oil and gas and commodities related investments. Investors may have potential legal remedies due to unsuitable recommendations by their broker to invest in this speculative and volatile area. Targa Resource Partners LP (Ticker Symbol: NGLS) is a Master Limited Partnership (MLP). About 86% of the total MLP securities market, a $490 billion sector, can be attributed to energy and natural resource companies. Targa Resource Partners LP has declined 68.1% in value from its 52-week high and is trading at only $16.08 a share. Targa Resource Partners LP business focuses in the natural gas midstream sector.

In a recent Associated Press article, common stories of how investors are pitched by their financial advisors on oil and gas private placements were reported on. Often times these products are pitched as ways to ride the boom in U.S. oil and gas production and receive steady streams of income.

In the past year, investors have lost $20 billion in publicly traded in master limited partnerships, publicly traded oil funds. This amounts to an astonishing $8 of every $10 they had invested, according to a report prepared for The Associated Press article. The research does not include losses from $37 billion of bonds sold by the partnerships in the five years since 2010 or losses from private placement partnerships. However, banks like Citigroup, Barclays, and Wells Fargo made an estimated $1.1 billion in fees for selling these products to investors.

Broker Harris Kirk Under FINRA Investigation

January 15, 2016 | by Staff Attorney

The investment lawyers of Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating customer complaints against broker Harris Kirk (Kirk). There are at least 3 customer complaints against Kirk. In addition, there is one employment separation disclosed and a FINRA investigation. Some of the customer complaints appear to be related to recommendation of oil and gas private placements and investments likely offered by Reef Oil and Gas Companies. The investment attorneys at Gana Weinstein LLP continue to report on investor losses and unsuitable investments in oil and gas related investments, like Reef Oil and Gas.

The employment termination from Reef Securities, Inc. (Reef) came in September 2013 after the firm alleged that Kirk engaged in actions inconsistent with the firm’s policies in that Kirk provided inaccurate information concerning his outside business activities. Thereafter, Kirk was employed by Chestnut Exploration Partners, Inc. until February 2015 at which time he was once again associated with Reef.

Investors often do not appreciate the risks when investing in oil and gas private placements. Even before the collapse of oil prices it was rare for investors to make money on oil deals. According to Reuters, of 34 deals Reef Oil and Gas has issued since 1996, only 12 have paid out more cash to investors than they initially contributed. Reuters also found that Reef sold an additional 31 smaller deals between 1996 and 2010 taking $146 million from investors and only paying out just $55 million.

Investor Recovery Options for Teekay LNG Partners (TGP) Losses

January 15, 2016 | by Staff Attorney

The investment attorneys with Gana Weinstein LLP continue to report on investor related losses in oil and gas and commodities related investments. Investors may have potential legal remedies due to unsuitable recommendations by their broker to invest in this speculative and volatile area. Teekay LNG Partners (Ticker Symbol: TGP) is a Master Limited Partnership (MLP). Teekay LNG Partners has declined 68.2% in value from its 52-week high and is trading at only $13.79 a share. Teekay LNG Partners business focuses in the liquid natural gas shipping sector.

In a recent Associated Press article, common stories of how investors are pitched by their financial advisors on oil and gas private placements were reported on. Often times these products are pitched as ways to ride the boom in U.S. oil and gas production and receive steady streams of income.

About 86% of the total MLP securities market, a $490 billion sector, can be attributed to energy and natural resource companies. In the past year, investors have lost $20 billion in publicly traded in master limited partnerships, publicly traded oil funds. This amounts to an astonishing $8 of every $10 they had invested, according to a report prepared for The Associated Press article. The research does not include losses from $37 billion of bonds sold by the partnerships in the five years since 2010 or losses from private placement partnerships. However, banks like Citigroup, Barclays, and Wells Fargo made an estimated $1.1 billion in fees for selling these products to investors.

Broker Garland Benton Terminated For Private Securities Transactions

January 14, 2016 | by Staff Attorney

The investment lawyers of Gana Weinstein LLP are investigating customer complaints against broker Garland Benton (Benton). There are at least 3 customer complaints against Benton, one of which appears to be filed in connection with the solicitation of private securities transactions. In addition, there is one employment separations disclosed. One customer complaint alleges that Benton caused $946,670 in damages by failing to conduct due diligence on an investment while the firm has responded that the Benton was not a representative of the customer. In April 2015, Reef Securities Inc. (Reef) terminated Benton stating that the broker was permitted to resign after allegations were made that Benton failed to follow firm policies and procedures regarding private securities transactions from 2008. The conduct allegedly engaged in by Benton is also referred to as “selling away” in the industry.

Benton entered the securities industry in 2002. Between October 2002 and April 2015, Benton was associated with Reef.

In the industry the term selling away refers to when a financial advisor solicits investments in companies, promissory notes, or other securities that are not pre-approved by the broker’s affiliated firm. However, even though when these incidents occur the brokerage firm claims ignorance of their advisor’s activities the firm is obligated under the FINRA rules to properly monitor and supervise its employees in order to detect and prevent brokers from offering investments in this fashion. In order to properly supervise their brokers each firm is required to have procedures in order to monitor the activities of each advisor’s activities and interaction with the public. Selling away misconduct often occurs where brokerage firms either fail to put in place a reasonable supervisory system or fail to actually implement that system. Supervisory failures allow brokers to engage in unsupervised misconduct that can include all manner improper conduct including selling away.

Investor Recovery Options for Rose Rock Midstream (RRMS) Losses

January 14, 2016 | by Staff Attorney

The investment attorneys with Gana Weinstein LLP continue to report on investor related losses in oil and gas and commodities related investments. Investors may have potential legal remedies due to unsuitable recommendations by their broker to invest in this speculative and volatile area. Rose Rock Midstream (Ticker Symbol: RRMS) is a Master Limited Partnership (MLP). Rose Rock Midstream has declined 69% in value from its 52-week high and is trading at only $16.74 a share. Rose Rock Midstream business focuses in the oil pipelines and storage sector.

About 86% of the total MLP securities market, a $490 billion sector, can be attributed to energy and natural resource companies. According to Bloomberg, many oil companies are in trouble and are going bankrupt as U.S. high-yield debt issued to junk-rated energy companies grew four-fold to $208 billion. The bankruptcies have been devastating causing forced selling at fire sale prices. For example, Dune Energy had reserves valued at more than $1 billion but sold those oil fields for only $19 million. The situation is only getting worse with lenders running out of options to put off debts. Most of these companies are now struggling to stay afloat with oil prices at $45.

Oil and gas and commodities related investments have been recommended by brokers under the assumption that commodities prices would continue to go up. Some experts are saying that if production volume continues to be as high as it currently is and demand growth weak that the return to $100 a barrel is years away.

Investor Recovery Options for Crestwood Equity Partners (CEQP) Losses

January 13, 2016 | by Staff Attorney

The investment attorneys with Gana Weinstein LLP continue to report on investor related losses in oil and gas and commodities related investments. Investors may have potential legal remedies due to unsuitable recommendations by their broker to invest in this speculative and volatile area. Crestwood Equity Partners (Ticker Symbol: CEOP) is a Master Limited Partnership (MLP). Crestwood Equity Partners has declined 75.6% in value from its 52-week high and is trading at only $20.62 a share. Crestwood Equity Partners business focuses in the natural gas midstream sector.

About 86% of the total MLP securities market, a $490 billion sector, can be attributed to energy and natural resource companies. According to Bloomberg, many oil companies are in trouble and are going bankrupt as U.S. high-yield debt issued to junk-rated energy companies grew four-fold to $208 billion. The bankruptcies have been devastating causing forced selling at fire sale prices. For example, Dune Energy had reserves valued at more than $1 billion but sold those oil fields for only $19 million. The situation is only getting worse with lenders running out of options to put off debts. Most of these companies are now struggling to stay afloat with oil prices at $45.

Oil and gas and commodities related investments have been recommended by brokers under the assumption that commodities prices would continue to go up. Some experts are saying that if production volume continues to be as high as it currently is and demand growth weak that the return to $100 a barrel is years away.

Investor Recovery Options for Teekay Offshore Partners LP (TOO) Losses

January 13, 2016 | by Staff Attorney

The investment attorneys with Gana Weinstein LLP continue to report on investor related losses in oil and gas and commodities related investments. Investors may have potential legal remedies due to unsuitable recommendations by their broker to invest in this speculative and volatile area. Teekay Offshore Partners LP (Ticker Symbol: TOO) is a Master Limited Partnership (MLP). Teekay Offshore has declined 76% in value from its 52-week high and is trading at only $6.5 a share. Teekay Offshore business focuses in the shuttle tanker sector.

About 86% of the total MLP securities market, a $490 billion sector, can be attributed to energy and natural resource companies. According to Bloomberg, many oil companies are in trouble as U.S. high-yield debt issued to junk-rated energy companies grew four-fold to $208 billion. Most of these companies are now struggling to stay afloat with oil prices at $45. Many of these companies relied upon high energy prices in order to sustain their operations. As reported by the Wall Street Journal the drop in oil and energy prices and the industry downturn has made it difficult for many companies to refinance their debts.

However, brokers that have recommended MLPs to investors may have made unsuitable recommendations based upon the yields of these investments rather than the risk to principal. Over the past year MLPs have been hammered due to weaknesses in oil and gas and commodities markets.

Investor Recovery Options for Legacy Reserves LP (LGCY) Losses

January 11, 2016 | by Staff Attorney

The law offices of Gana Weinstein LLP continue to report on investor related losses and potential legal remedies due to unsuitable recommendations to investor in oil and gas and commodities related investments. Legacy Reserves LP (Ticker Symbol: LGCY) is a Master Limited Partnership (MLP). Legacy Reserves LP has declined 90.2% in value from its 52-week high and is trading at only $1.52 a share. Legacy Reserves business focuses in the oil and gas production sector.

About 86% of the total MLP securities market, a $490 billion sector, can be attributed to energy and natural resource companies. Since January 2013, over 30 new MLPs have entered the market. During 2014, 11 oil and gas MLP offerings generated proceeds of $5.1 billion. In recent years these investments have boomed and profited from the low interest rate environment coupled with favorable oil prices. These investments are often pitched to investors as generating income from consistent cash flow streams. In addition, these investments may also be pitched as growth opportunities from companies looking to grow their businesses and increase their distributions.

However, brokers that have recommended MLPs to investors may have made unsuitable recommendations based upon the yields of these investments rather than the risk to principal. Over the past year MLPs have been hammered due to weaknesses in oil and gas and commodities markets.

Hercules Offshore Investor Recovery Options

January 10, 2016 | by Staff Attorney

According to Bloomberg, Hercules Offshore Inc., (Hercules Offshore) is the owner of the largest fleet of shallow-water drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico when it filed for bankruptcy in August 2015. Debt issues by Hercules Offshore and drilling rig provider Paragon Offshore were among the worst-performing oil and gas service bonds in the high-yield energy index.

The company plans to use the bankruptcy to cut $1.2 billion in debt and for investors to trade their senior notes for almost 97 percent of Hercules’s equity. In addition, noteholders would also lend the company $450 million to finish building a new oil-drilling rig. Meanwhile, the number of rigs operating in the Gulf of Mexico has fallen by more than half from last year’s high of 63 by August 2015.

Oil and gas and commodities related investments have been recommended by brokers under the assumption that commodities prices would continue to go up. Some experts are saying that if production volume continues to be as high as it currently is and demand growth weak that the return to $100 a barrel is years away.

Investor Recovery Options for Navios Maritime Partners (NMM) Losses

January 10, 2016 | by Staff Attorney

The investment attorneys with Gana Weinstein LLP continue to report on investor related losses in oil and gas and commodities related investments. Investors may have potential legal remedies due to unsuitable recommendations by their broker to invest in this speculative and volatile area. Navios Maritime Partners (Ticker Symbol: NMM) is a Master Limited Partnership (MLP). Navios Maritime Partners has declined 77.6% in value from its 52-week high and is trading at only $3.18 a share. Navios Maritime Partners business focuses in the dry bulk shipping sector.

About 86% of the total MLP securities market, a $490 billion sector, can be attributed to energy and natural resource companies. According to Bloomberg, many oil companies are in trouble as U.S. high-yield debt issued to junk-rated energy companies grew four-fold to $208 billion. Most of these companies are now struggling to stay afloat with oil prices at $45. Many of these companies relied upon high energy prices in order to sustain their operations. As reported by the Wall Street Journal the drop in oil and energy prices and the industry downturn has made it difficult for many companies to refinance their debts.

However, brokers that have recommended MLPs to investors may have made unsuitable recommendations based upon the yields of these investments rather than the risk to principal. Over the past year MLPs have been hammered due to weaknesses in oil and gas and commodities markets.