Hot Logistics Companies To Own For 2015

Bloomfield, Conn.-based Kaman Corporation (NYSE: KAMN  ) looks likely to land a sizable contract with the New Zealand Ministry of Defense, the company announced late Thursday.

According to Kaman, the NZ MoD has been authorized to sign a contract to purchase 10 of the company's SH-2G(I) Super Seasprite anti-submarine/anti-surface warfare helicopters, plus "spare parts, a full mission flight simulator, and related logistics support," for a total purchase price of $120 million. Pen's not been set to paper just yet, but Kaman expects to execute a sales contract for the whirlybirds sometime within "the next few weeks." Deliveries �would begin later this year, and be spaced out over the course of the next three years.

In a press release, Kaman advised that the NZ MoD has been flying Super Seasprites since 2001. The company says its helicopter "has the highest power-to-weight ratio of any maritime helicopter," and "is the largest, most powerful small ship helicopter in use today." In addition to the Kiwis, Super Seasprites are in use in the Polish Navy and Egyptian Air Force.

Hot Logistics Companies To Own For 2015: Federated Investors Inc. (FII)

Federated Investors, Inc. is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm provides its services to individuals, including high net worth individuals, banking or thrift institutions, investment companies, pension and profit sharing plans, pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations, state or municipal government entities, and registered investment advisors. Through its subsidiaries, it manages separate client-focused equity, fixed income, and money market mutual funds and separate client-focused equity, fixed income, and balanced portfolios. The firm invests in the public equity and fixed income markets across the globe. It invests in growth and value stocks of small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap companies. The firm makes its fixed income investments in ultra-short, short-term, and intermediate-term mortgage-backed, U.S. Government, U.S. Corporate, high yield, and municipal securities. It employs a fundamental and a quantitative analysis to make its equity investmen ts. The firm also makes sector-focused equity investments. Federated Investors was founded in 1955 and is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with an additional office in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Lately, though, T. Rowe Price hasn't benefited as much from share-price gains. Competitor Invesco (NYSE: IVZ  ) has managed to expand its margins and produce growth among its current lineup of funds, with exposure to a big range of markets that leaves it broadly placed to serve its customers' needs. But for T. Rowe Price and peer Federated Investors (NYSE: FII  ) , investors haven't been putting as much money to work in their funds as analysts had expected to see, and that has led to some growth shortfalls. Federated in particular missed its earnings estimates in its most recent quarter, and analysts see growth there slowing to just 3%. T. Rowe Price has better prospects, retaining its double-digit revenue growth, but after a substantial move upward at the beginning of the year, its stock has treaded water.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  For money market fund managers, the debt ceiling drama is just the latest in a long series of challenges. Low rates have forced Federated Investors (NYSE: FII  ) , Schwab (NYSE: SCHW  ) , and many other major money market fund managers to subsidize their funds, accepting reduced management fees just to keep their interest rates from going negative. As the graph below shows, fund levels have fallen sharply in response to those low rates as well, hurting fund managers' profitability.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  But there are winners–and they’re any stock that’s helped by higher rates. There are mutual fund companies with big money-market fund businesses, who wouldn’t be forced to run these funds for what is essentially free. Federated Investors (FII), for instance, has jumped 2.1% to $27.99. Life insurance companies, too, are rising because they should be able to earn more on their investments. MetLife (MET), for instance, has risen 1.3% to $53.03.

Hot Logistics Companies To Own For 2015: Parker Drilling Company(PKD)

Parker Drilling Company, together with its subsidiaries, provides contract drilling and drilling-related services in the United States, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East (AME), the Asia Pacific, and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). As of December 31, 2010, its fleet consisted of 11 rigs in the CIS/AME region; 10 rigs in the Americas region, including 7 land rigs and 1 barge rig in Mexico, and 2 land rigs in Colombia; 5 land rigs in the Asia Pacific region, including 2 rigs in Indonesia, 1 rig in Papua New Guinea, and 2 rigs in New Zealand; 13 barge drilling rigs in the inland shallow waters of the U.S. Gulf of Mexico; and 1 unassigned land rig held in New Iberia, Louisiana. The company also offers premium rental tools, including drill pipe, drill collars, tubing, high- and low-pressure blowout preventers, choke manifolds, junk and cement mills, and casing scrapers for land and offshore oil and gas drilling and workover activities. In addition, it provides non-capital intensive services, such as front end engineering and design; engineering, procurement, construction, and installation; operations and maintenance; and other project management services, which include labor, maintenance, and logistics for operators who own their own drilling rigs. The company serves independent and national oil and gas companies, and integrated service providers. Parker Drilling Company was founded in 1934 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Houston-based Parker Drilling Co. (NYSE: PKD  ) has a new CFO.

  On Thursday, Parker announced that it has hired away offshore driller Ensco plc's vice president and treasurer, Christopher T. Weber, to become its own senior VP and Chief Financial Officer. Weber will take office on May 20.

5 Best Transportation Stocks To Watch Right Now: Golub Capital BDC Inc (GBDC)

Golub Capital BDC, Inc. (Golub Capital BDC), incorporated on November 9, 2009, is an externally managed, closed-end, non-diversified management investment company. The Company's investment objective is to generate current income and capital appreciation by investing primarily in senior secured, one stop, second lien, subordinated loans of, and warrants and minority equity securities in, United States middle market companies. The Company seeks to create a diverse portfolio that includes senior secured, one stop, second lien and subordinated loans and warrants and minority equity securities by primarily investing in the securities of United States middle market companies. The Company's investment activities are managed by the Company's investment adviser, GC Advisors LLC (GC Advisors).

The Company seeks to generate risk-adjusted net returns by assembling a diversified portfolio of investments across a broad range of industries and private equity investors. The Company seeks to create a diverse portfolio that includes senior secured, one stop, second lien and subordinated loans and warrants and minority equity securities by primarily investing on average, in the securities of United States middle market companies. The Company primarily targets United States middle markets companies controlled by private equity investors that require capital for growth, acquisitions, recapitalizations, refinancings and leveraged buyouts. The Company may also make opportunistic loans to independently owned and publicly held middle market companies. The Company focuses on senior secured loans and one stops investments, given the principal protection from the first lien security interest associated with such loans.

Senior Secured Loans

The Company structures these investments as senior secured loans. The Company obtains security interests in the assets of the portfolio company that serve as collateral in support of the repayment of such loans. This collateral may take the form of! first-priority liens on the assets of the portfolio company borrower. The Company's senior secured loans may provide for moderate loan amortization in the early years of the loan, with the majority of the amortization deferred until loan maturity.

One Stop Loans

The Company structures its one stop loans as senior secured loans. The Company obtains security interests in the assets of the portfolio company that serve as collateral in support of the repayment of these loans. This collateral may take the form of first-priority liens on the assets of the portfolio company. One stop loans typically provide for moderate loan amortization in the initial years of the facility, with the majority of the amortization deferred until loan maturity. One stop loans generally allow the borrower to make a lump sum payment of principal at the end of the loan term, and there is a risk of loss if the borrower is unable to pay the lump sum or refinance the amount owed at maturity.

Second Lien Loans

The Company structures these investments as junior, secured loans. The Company obtains security interests in the assets of the portfolio company that serve as collateral in support of the repayment of such loans. This collateral may take the form of second priority liens on the assets of a portfolio company. Second lien loans typically provide for moderate loan amortization in the initial years of the facility, with the majority of the amortization deferred until loan maturity.

Subordinated Loans

1The Company structures these investments as unsecured, subordinated loans that provide for relatively high, fixed interests rates that provide the Company with interest income. These loans typically have interest-only payments (often representing a combination of cash pay and payment-in-kind, or PIK, interest) with amortization of principal deferred until loan maturity.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By GuruFocus]

  SVP and CFO Michael D James bought 2,500 shares of GMAN stock on 12/17/2013 at the average price of 7.1. Michael D James owns at least 69,158 shares after this. The price of the stock has increased by 6.9% since.

  Golub Capital BDC, Inc. (GBDC): CEO, 10% Owner David Golub Bought 5,000 Shares

  CEO, 10% Owner of Golub Capital BDC, Inc. (GBDC) David Golub bought 5,000 shares on 12/23/2013 at an average price of $18.71. Golub Capital BDC, Inc. was formed in November 2009. Golub Capital Bdc, Inc. has a market cap of $810.256 million; its shares were traded at around $18.71 with a P/E ratio of 13.90 and P/S ratio of 7.70. The dividend yield of Golub Capital Bdc, Inc. stocks is 6.84%.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Golub Capital BDC (NASDAQ: GBDC) dipped 2.88% to $17.89 in pre-market trading after the company announced a public offering of 3.5 million shares of its common stock.

Hot Logistics Companies To Own For 2015: ABIOMED Inc.(ABMD)

Abiomed, Inc. provides medical devices in circulatory support and continuum of care in heart recovery to acute heart failure patients. The company?s products are designed to enable the heart to rest, heal, and recover by enhancing blood flow and/or performing the pumping function of the heart. Its products consist of Impella 2.5 catheter, a percutaneous micro heart pump with integrated motor and sensors for use in interventional cardiology; and Impella 5.0 catheter and Impella LD, which are percutaneous micro heart pumps with integrated motors and sensors for use primarily in the heart surgery suite. The company also manufactures and sells the AB5000 circulatory support system and the BVS 5000 biventricular support system for temporary support of acute heart failure patients in profound shock, including patients suffering from cardiogenic shock after a heart attack, post-cardiotomy cardiogenic shock, or myocarditis. Its products are used in the cardiac catheterization lab by interventional cardiologists and/or in the heart surgery suite by heart surgeons. The company sells its products through direct sales and clinical support personnel in the United States, Canada, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and internationally. Abiomed, Inc. was founded in 1981 and is based in Danvers, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of ABIOMED (NASDAQ: ABMD  ) , a maker of medical devices for the cardiovascular system, jumped as much as 10% after the company reported better-than-expected preliminary revenue for the fourth-quarter.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Calling all cash flows
  When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on ABIOMED (Nasdaq: ABMD  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap heart stocks Sunshine Heart Inc (NASDAQ: SSH), Abiomed, Inc (NASDAQ: ABMD) and AtriCure Inc (NASDAQ: ATRC) each find different ways go to the heart of the problem for cardiac�patients and have all been good performers for investors this year. After all and according to statistics collected by the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women as about 600,000 people die of heart disease in the United States every year���accounting�for 1 in every 4 deaths. Moreover, roughly 715,000 Americans have a heart attack every year and�ff these, 525,000 are a first heart attack and 190,000 happen to people who have already had one. In other words, there is a big market for the following small cap heart stocks to address:

• [By Todd Campbell]

  So far I've outlined the reasons for the robust returns last year at diabetes device maker Dexcom and cardiovascular device play Cardiovascular Systems (NASDAQ: CSII  ) . That brings us to No. 3 in my series,�Abiomed (NASDAQ: ABMD  ) , a company that saw its latest product line propel its shares 98% higher in 2013.

Hot Logistics Companies To Own For 2015: Regus plc (RGV)

Regus plc is a Luxembourg-based provider of global office outsourcing services. Its primary activity and business segment is the provision of global workplace solutions. There are three parts to the Company�� business: Mature, New and Third Place. The Company�� products and services include outsourcing, workplace recovery, business lounges, businessworld, meeting rooms, video communications, offices and virtual offices. It offers bespoke packages for starting a business, home based business, mall and medium business, international business and corporate workspace solutions. It has some 1,203 locations across 550 cities in 94 countries serving more than a million customers. Its principal geographical segments include Americas; Europe, Middle East and Africa; Asia Pacific; and the United Kingdom. In June 2013, Regus plc announced that it has launched its business centre in Nepal. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Whitney George is Director of Investments, Managing Director, and a Portfolio Manager of Royce & Associates, LLC, investment advisor to The Royce Funds. He serves as portfolio manager for Royce Premier Fund (RPR), Royce Low-Priced Stock Fund (RLP), Royce Global Value Fund (RGV), Royce SMid-Cap Value Fund (RSV), and Royce Focus Trust (FUND). He also serves as assistant portfolio manager for Royce Micro-Cap Fund (RMC), Royce Value Fund (RVV), Royce Value Plus Fund (RVP), Royce Focus Value Fund (RFV), and Royce Capital Fund ��Micro-Cap Portfolio (RCM). Mr. George's thoughts in this interview concerning the stock market are solely his own and, of course, there can be no assurance with regard to future market movements.