BP Demands Ban Relief, BlackBerry’s Private Prospects Attract Interest, and 3 More Hot Stocks

BP (NYSE:BP): The oil giant has asked a court to order the Environmental Protection Agency to lift the ban it placed on the company’s ability to receive new government contracts, as BP claims it has cost the firm billions of dollars. The company went further, calling the ban arbitrary, capricious, and “an abuse of discretion.” The motion was put into effect in November, when BP pled guilty to to criminal charges related to the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

BlackBerry (NASDAQ:BBRY): Shares of BlackBerry are continuing their run as news that Alberta Investment Management would invest in the company were phone maker to go private. “It’s early days,” Alberta CEO Leo De Bever said to Bloomberg. “No one has approached us with anything that is baked.” The Canada Pension Plan Investment Board has also expressed interest in BlackBerry if the smartphone maker were to take itself off the public exchanges.

Viacom (NYSE:VIAB): Viacom has raised $3 billion in a bond sale of notes with maturities of 5 years, 10 years, and 30 years, making for the largest bond sale by the company since 2006. The debt is rated Baa2 by Moody’s Investors Service and BBB at Standard & Poor’s, according to Bloomberg data.

Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. (NYSE:PNK): Pinnacle has agreed to sell two of its casinos to satisfy regulators after pressure mounted in the wake of the purchase of AmeriStar Casinos by the company earlier this year. The two properties in question are the Lumiere Place Casino in St. Louis, Missouri, and its interest in a property under development at Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Domino’s Pizza Inc. (NYSE:DPZ): Bain Capital will be selling a majority stake of the Japan franchisee of Domino’s to Domino’s Pizza Enterprises of Australia for 12 billion yen — roughly $124 million. However, the firm is retaining a 25 percent stake in Domino’s Pizza Japan.

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