Why Cloud Peak Energy's Shares Are on Fire

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of coal producer Cloud Peak Energy (NYS: CLD) rose 11% today, after reporting earnings.

So what: Revenue in the third quarter rose 4.6%, to $425.8 million, and net income more than tripled, to $85.3 million, or $1.39 per share. On an adjusted basis, earnings were $0.80 per share, which was $0.31 ahead of estimates.

Now what: Trends were generally positive for Cloud Peak Energy, and indications are that the coal market has hit bottom. Higher natural gas prices have brought back demand for coal, and Cloud's exports also grew year over year. I'm not a buyer of coal stocks, given the long-term challenges in the market, but I think Cloud is well-positioned if demand continues to recover.

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The article Why Cloud Peak Energy's Shares Are on Fire originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Travis Hoium has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. You can follow Travis on Twitter at @FlushDrawFool, check out his personal stock holdings or follow his CAPS picks at TMFFlushDraw. The Motley Fool has no positions in the stocks mentioned above. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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