Entergy (ETR) - Electric utility company based in New Orleans. Up about 40% over the last year and is now trading at a somewhat aggressive 21x LTM EPS. If you believe forward estimates though, which have EPS growing 20% year over year, forward P/E is a more palatable 17x. Pays a 2.3% dividend.

Freeport-McMoRan Copper (FCX) - Based in New Orleans and making big news lately with the proposed merger with Phelps Dodge (PD). The stock has been down on commodity price concerns, but it'll be pretty well positioned in the industry after the Phelps merger and it's been throwing off a bunch of cash lately. They pay a 2.2% dividend.

Superior Energy Services (SPN) - Superior is based in Harvey, LA and provides oilfield services. Despite the concerns over the oil & gas industry, the stock has outpaced the S&P over the last year. If you can buy the long term EPS growth estimates of 36%, then the stock's 17x trailing EPS multiple is downright cheap.

Gulf Island Fabrication (GIFI) - A smaller guy ($500m market cap) based in Houma, L.A., Gulf Island manufactures and refurbishes drilling platforms for offshore oil production. The stock is up 40% year over year, with most of those gains coming in the second half of 2006. The company is getting ready to report Q4 and full year numbers, and if they hit expectations, they'll be reporting EPS up almost 80% over 2005.

There are eight other companies in the New Orleans area with market caps over $250m, but the above should give a good kick-off to what New Orleans has to offer investors.

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