It looks like resources ARE the point, folks

International Coal Looks Like a Takeover Target

FinancialNewsOnline | Feb 28, 2011

International Coal (ICO), the West Virginia miner, is placing a bigger bet on metallurgical coal, and its shares could rally as met-coal demand and prices continue to rise. Some think the company is a takeover target, says a feature in this week's Barron's.

Coal stocks are on fire, and the trends stoking the flames—higher coal prices and lively merger-and-acquisition activity in the industry—could last for a while, the article says.

That's good news for miners such as International Coal Group, whose stock has soared more than 120% in the past year, to a recent 9 and change. Much of the gain has been fueled by speculation that the Central Appalachian producer, given its relatively modest market value of $1.9 billion, ample coal reserves and a nonunionized workforce, could be the next takeover target, following Massey Energy's agreement to merge with Alpha Natural Resources.