Wednesday -- For Investors; And The Wall Street Journal; Reality Sets In At Tesla

Five companies announced increased dividends/distributions.

Calumet and MDU are partners on the new refinery going up west of Dickinson. Calumet is also active in the Eagle Ford:

Calumet Specialty Products expands crude oil logistics network; TexStar Midstream Logistics to build new crude oil pipeline system that will supply significant volumes of Eagle Ford crude oil to Calumet's San Antonio, Texas refinery by year-end 2014: Co announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Calumet San Antonio Refining, has entered into a definitive agreement with TexStar Midstream Logistics, under which TexStar will construct, own and operate a 30,000 barrel per day crude oil pipeline system that will supply significant volumes of Eagle Ford crude oil to Calumet's San Antonio, Texas refinery.

The Wall Street Journal

All that talk about insurance companies cancelling policies and Congress/President putting pressure on insurers NOT to cancel policies. It turns out, this, too, will be a non-story. The Congress/President are only asking that insurers extend those policies until the end of the year. By the time "they" quit quibbling, the year will be over. Hello! It's November 6, 2013. Even if they go beyond "year-end," the cut-off date is March 15, 2013. That's the law. Starting January 1, 2014, the insurers are liable for unlimited expenses.

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Tesla stock skids on outlook. 

Tesla reported a narrower third quarter net loss on higher production but its shares fell sharply in after-hours trading as investors worried the luxury electric car maker's outlook for revenue and profit fell short.

The Palo Alto, Calif., company said it delivered 5,500 of its $70,000 and up Model S electric cars in the three months ended Sept. 30, including 1,000 vehicles shipped to Europe. That was more than the company had projected earlier but below the whisper number of as many as 7,000 cars.

Tesla's shares fell 12% in after hours trading on Tuesday after the company told investors to expect fourth quarter adjusted profit would be similar to the third quarter. Excluding stock-based compensation costs and accounting for Model S leases and "noncash interest expense," the company said it had adjusted income of $16 million, or 12 cents a share, in the quarter.

Of course, today, I will get a gazillion e-mail notes telling me "they" sold their Tesla stock last week. LOL. The company's production is constrained by  adequate battery availability. And then this: "Tesla's gross margin, the profit after product costs, was 24%. The company aims to get a 25% gross margin by year-end." We'll be watching.

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Unless I missed it, Syria was not mentioned in the on-line edition of The Wall Street Journal, as a headline story.