World Fuel Services Corp (NYSE: INT) markets fuel and related logistical services to a wide range of customers in the land, sea and air transportation businesses. The company doesn’t produce, refine or transport the fuel itself, instead serving as a middleman that arranges the purchase, storage, shipping and sale of fuel through third-party operators.

Don’t dismiss World Fuel Services’ business model as mundane and boring. Not only do companies worldwide regard fuel-related logistics as essential to their success, but there’s also plenty of scope for the firm to grow its business in coming years. World Fuel Services benefits from three key trends: a focus on cost savings, rising global demand for fuel and ongoing consolidation within the fuel logistics industry.

World Fuel Services Corp, a new addition to the growth-oriented Wildcatters Portfolio, rates a buy under 40.

The market’s enthusiasm for Oasis Petroleum (NYSE: OAS) stems from its operations in the Bakken Shale, an oil-producing region of North Dakota and Montana and arguably the most exciting US onshore oil field.

The stock should also benefit from two upside catalysts: rising oil prices and a slew of drilling results due out over the next few months. Oasis Petroleum rates a buy under 31 in the Gushers Portfolio. 

Optimism about the US economy and fuel demand has been a tailwind for US refiner and Gushers Portfolio recommendation Valero Energy Corp (NYSE: VLO) in recent weeks. Since the stock joined the Gushers Portfolio in the Feb. 17, 2010, issue A New Dark Age for Refiners, the stock has gained roughly 47 percent.

There’s an old saw on Wall Street that investors should sell when they can, not when they have to. Heed this advice. We’re downgrading Valero Energy Corp a hold. Investors should sell half their position and place a stop order to sell the stock at 22.25.

We added ExxonMobil Corp (NYSE: XOM) to the Proven Reserves Portfolio in the July 21, 2010, issue Energy Value Plays for two key reasons: It’s a great stock to own in times of market volatility, and sentiment surrounding ExxonMobil’s purchase of XTO Energy was far too bearish at the time.

We took advantage of a golden opportunity to buy ExxonMobil Corp, but there are better opportunities elsewhere in the market. Sell half your position for a 35 percent profit and raise your stop to 72 to lock in profits on the remainder of the position. This downgrade doesn’t reflect any specific fundamental problems; ExxonMobil’s management team is best in the business. Rather, this is a tactical move.

Including the value of dividends received, shares of Nordic American Tanker Shipping (NYSE: NAT) are down about 7.5 percent since we added the stock to the Portfolio in the June 23, 2010, issue A Full Tank of Oil. Nordic American Tanker Shipping now rates a hold.

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