Top 10 Logistics Companies To Own For 2014

GasLog Partners (GLOP) is a limited partnership firm which owns, operates and acquires LNG carriers under long-term charter of five years or more. The company has an initial fleet of three LNG carriers with long-term contracts scheduled to expire in 2018 and 2019.

GasLog (GLOG) is the parent company of GasLog Partners. The company is an owner, operator and manager of LNG carriers and works as a part of LNG logistics chain. In April 2012, the company had a fleet of 10 LNG carriers and since then GasLog has increased its capacity by 111% to 21 fully owned ships.

This article discusses the investment positives for the recently listed GasLog Partners. The investment conclusion is that the company is a strong buy for the long term.

Key Investment Positives:�Modern Fleet with Visible Growth

GasLog Partners��initial fleet consists of three LNG carriers with contract expiry in 2018 and 2019. In addition to this, GasLog Partners has the option to purchase 12 LNG carriers over the next three years.

Top 10 Trucking Companies For 2015: Masco Corporation (MAS)

Masco Corporation engages in the manufacture, distribution, and installation of home improvement and building products primarily in North America and Europe. The company operates through five segments: Cabinets and Related Products, Plumbing Products, Installation and Other Services, Decorative Architectural Products, and Other Specialty Products. The Cabinets and Related Products segment manufactures and sells stock and semi-custom assembled, and ready-to-assemble cabinetry for kitchen, bath, storage, home office, and home entertainment applications, as well as kitchen countertops, and integrated bathroom vanity and countertop solutions. The Plumbing Products segment offers single-handle and double-handle faucets, showerheads, handheld showers, valves, and toilets; tub and shower systems, bath and shower enclosure units, shower trays, and laundry tubs, as well as spas; and brass and copper plumbing system components, and other plumbing specialties. The Installation and Ot her Services segment sells installed building products, such as gutters, after-paint products, fireplaces, and garage doors, as well as insulation and insulation accessories, and roofing and other products. The Decorative Architectural Products segment produces architectural coatings, including paints, primers, specialty paint products, stains, and waterproofing products; and cabinet, door, window, and other hardware products. The Other Specialty Products segment manufactures and sells vinyl, fiberglass, and aluminum windows and patio doors; and manual and electric staple gun tackers, staples, and other fastening tools. The company offers its products to the home improvement and new home construction markets through mass merchandisers, hardware stores, home centers, homebuilders, distributors, and other outlets for consumers and contractors, as well as directly to the consumers. Masco Corporation was founded in 1929 and is headquartered in Taylor, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Divine]

  Finally, Masco (NYSE: MAS  ) shares fell 6.1%. Masco, as a building materials supplier, faces the exact same dilemma as PulteGroup: its business outlook has materially declined in just a few days, as looming higher interest rates spell tougher times ahead for real estate. The stock has fallen more than 11% this week alone, with 9% of that decline coming in just the last two days.

Top 10 Logistics Companies To Own For 2014: FNB United Corp.(FNBN)

FNB United Corp. operates as the bank holding company for CommunityONE Bank, National Association that provides consumer, mortgage, and business banking services to individual and business customers in North Carolina. Its deposit products include checking accounts, interest checking accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and individual retirement accounts. The company?s loan products portfolio comprises commercial and agricultural loans, real estate construction loans, real estate residential loans, and consumer loans. It also offers debit cards, credit cards, online and mobile banking, cash management, investment management, and trust services, as well as operates automated teller machines. In addition, it originates, underwrites, and closes loans for sale into the secondary market. FNB United operates through 45 offices. The company was formerly known as FNB Corp. and changed its name to FNB United Corp. in April 2006. FNB United Cor p. was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Asheboro, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  The second stock, FNB United Corp. (FNBN), is 95.4% off of its three-year high, but it has also had a stock split in that time. It has also seen greater insider activity. Five unique insiders bought shares of the company, for a total number of six insider buy transactions in the past month.

Top 10 Logistics Companies To Own For 2014: DigitalGlobe Inc (DGI)

DigitalGlobe, Inc. provides commercial earth imagery products and information services worldwide. It collects imagery products and services through its QuickBird, WorldView-1, and WorldView-2 satellites, as well as aerial and satellite imagery from third party suppliers. The company offers a range of online and offline distribution options, including desktop software applications; Web services, which provide direct online access to the company�s image library; file transfer protocol; physical media, such as CD, DVD, and hard drive; and direct access program that facilitates certain customers to task and download data from its WorldView-1 and WorldView-2 satellites. Its imagery products and services support various uses, including defense, intelligence and homeland security, mapping and analysis, environmental monitoring, oil and gas exploration, and infrastructure management. DigitalGlobe, Inc. serves defense contractors; civil government agencies; providers of location-b ased services; and various companies in energy, telecommunications, utility, forestry, mining, financial services, environmental, and agricultural industries through direct and indirect channels. The company was formerly known as EarthWatch, Incorporated and changed its name to DigitalGlobe, Inc. in August 2002. DigitalGlobe, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Longmont, Colorado. DigitalGlobe, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  Telecommunications services shares dropped about 0.48 percent in trading on Friday. Top decliners in the sector included DigitalGlobe (NYSE: DGI), down 5.7 percent, and NQ Mobile (NYSE: NQ), off 3.8 percent.

• [By James Miller Phd]

  The company has a current ratio of 13.05% which is higher than the one registered by Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR), Digital Globe Inc. (DGI), EchoStar Corp (SATS), Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (GILT) and Intelsat SA (I).

Top 10 Logistics Companies To Own For 2014: China Southern Airlines Company Limited(ZNH)

China Southern Airlines Company Limited provides commercial airline services in the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and internationally. It principally engages in the provision of passenger, air cargo, and mail airline services. The company also offers logistics services; air catering services; property management services; aircraft and engine repair and maintenance services; pilot training services; flight simulation services; and airport ground services. As of December 31, 2010, it had a fleet of 422 aircraft, as well as a network reaching 898 destinations connecting 169 countries and regions, and cities worldwide. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Guangzhou, the People?s Republic of China. China Southern Airlines Company Limited operates as a subsidiary of China Southern Air Holding Company.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Hong Kong stocks started modestly lower Thursday, tracking broad weakness in Asia, with mainland Chinese banks mixed after the release of November lending data. The Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) lost 0.2% to 23,288.02, while the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index fell 0.4%. However, the Shanghai Composite (CN:SHCOMP) added 0.1% to 2,205.39 in choppy trade that saw it swing between positive and negative territory. Mainland Chinese banks saw mixed reaction after data showed new yuan-denominated loans rose to 624.6 billion yuan ($102 billion) in November, more than 100 billion yuan above the year-earlier figure and beating market forecasts of between 560 billion yuan and 580 billion yuan, according to the XInhua news agency. Among the top banks, Bank of China Ltd. (HK:3988) (BACHY) was up 0.3%, Bank of Communications Co. (HK:3328) (BKFCF) rose 0.2%, Agricultural Bank of China Ltd. (HK:1288) (ACGBF) traded flat, and Industrial & Commercial Bank of China Ltd. (HK:1398) (IDCBF) fell 0.6%. Shares of Aluminum Corp. of China Ltd. (HK:2600) (ACH) lost 0.7% after saying it could see a drop of up to 37% in output from a key Peruvian copper mine. Angang Steel Co. (HK:347) (ANGGF)

Top 10 Logistics Companies To Own For 2014: ISA Internationale Inc (ISAT)

ISA Internationale Inc. (ISAI),), incorporated on June 2, 1989, is a business development company. The Company�� business is to acquire relationships with the business community to develop into client companies that can lead to consulting contracts and the providing of services to assist American client companies in complying with the reporting requirements to the government and in communicating with shareholders, customers and the public and the accessing of needed growth capital.

The Company also did use third party agencies and attorneys to collect its portfolios. The Company is in the process of changing its business plan of operation. As of September 30, 2012, the Company has not generated and sales and gross profit from any of its new operations as a Business Development Company. The Company is seeking additional sources of debt financing other than additional convertible notes payable issued by a related party.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Stoukas]

  Inmarsat Plc (ISAT) gained 5.4 percent to 732.5 pence. Morgan Stanley upgraded the world�� biggest supplier of maritime satellite services to overweight from equal weight, meaning that investors should hold more of the shares than are represented in benchmark indexes. Morgan Stanley said the outlook for the company�� core business has improved.

Top 10 Logistics Companies To Own For 2014: Descartes Systems Group Inc (DSGX)

The Descartes Systems Group Inc. (Descartes) is a global provider of federated network and global logistics technology solutions that help its customers make and receive shipments and manage related resources. The Company�� network-based solutions, which primarily consist of services and software, connect people to their trading partners and enable business document exchange (bookings, bills of lading and status messages); regulatory compliance and customs filing; route and resource planning, execution, monitoring and reporting; inventory and asset visibility; rate and transportation management, and warehouse operations. Its pricing model provides its customers solutions either on a perpetual license, subscription or transactional basis. In December 2013, the Company acquired Compudata and Impatex Freight Software Limited.

The Company�� focus is on serving transportation providers (air, ocean and truck modes), logistics service providers (including third-party logistics providers, freight forwarders and customs brokers) and distribution-intensive companies. To help deliver the resources in motion management solutions (RiMMS) solutions to customers, Descartes developed the Logistics Technology Platform. Descartes��Logistics Technology Platform is synthesis of network, applications and community. The Logistics Technology Platform fuses Descartes��Global Logistics Network (GLN), logistics networks covering multiple transportation modes, with an array of modular, interoperable Web and wireless logistics management applications.

The applications available over the Logistics Technology Platform that work in conjunction with the GLN, help transportation companies and logistics service providers (LSPs) control their shipment management process, comply with regulatory requirements, expedite cross-border shipments and connect and communicate with their trading partners. Applications are also available on the Logistics Technology Platform to help manufacturer, retailer, distribu! tor and mobile service provider (MRDM) enterprises. Its applications are designed to support global trade and compliance systems (GT&C), which encompasses the preparation and filing of the necessary electronic documentation relating to a shipment, such as cross-border customs documentation, freight waybills or manifests; supply chain execution (SCE), which entails the processes related to managing shipments from their point of origin to their point of destination, as well as the documents related to those shipments (booking data, orders, contracts and rates, shipment status, proof of delivery, invoices and payments), and mobile resource management applications (MRM), which involves tracking, information gathering, measuring, reporting, compliance filing, delegating and optimizing the use of mobile assets and people that are involved in the movement of goods.

The Logistics Technology Platform supports a community of over 35,000 trading partners sending over one billion messages annually in over 160 countries. Designed specifically for logistics processes and their users, the Logistics Technology Platform enables organizations to centrally manage information, deliver messages and transform data.Customers use its modular, software-as-a-service solutions to route, schedule, track and measure delivery resources; plan, allocate and execute shipments; rate, audit and pay transportation invoices; file customs and security documents for imports and exports.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Descartes Systems Group (Nasdaq:DSGX), the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, reported that Salient Management Company, a leading provider of performance management solutions, has selected Descartes’ advanced geographic information system (GIS) platform for incorporation into Salient’s performance management solution.

Top 10 Logistics Companies To Own For 2014: Brooks Macdonald Group PLC (BRK)

Brooks Macdonald Group plc is an integrated wealth management group, consists of three principal companies: Brooks Macdonald Asset Management Limited; Brooks Macdonald Financial Consulting Limited, which provides a bespoke, fee based, investment management service to private high net worth individuals, charities and trusts, and also provides in-house custody, nominee and dealing services; Brooks Macdonald Funds Limited, which provides fee-based, independent advice to high net worth individuals, families and businesses, and Brooks Macdonald Financial Consulting Limited, which acts as fund manager to its regulated open ended investment Companies, under the name Brooks Macdonald Funds, as well as providing specialist funds in the property and structured return sectors. It also manages property assets on behalf of the funds and other clients. Its segments include investment management, financial planning, and fund and property management. On July 1, 2012, it acquired JPAM Limited. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bob Bogda]

  The track record of the annual list is equally as impressive. Since the inaugural edition in 2003, "top stocks" have beaten the market 7 out of 10 years (the jury is still out on the current year). That beats the performance of Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK) by one year during the same span.

• [By David Sterman]

  Insurance companies are some of the best deals on the market right now, as many of them still trade below tangible book value. And considering that book value will rise more quickly as interest rates (and interest income) move higher in coming years, Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK) could afford to pay up to 1.25 times book value and still garner excellent long-term returns. Here's a quick list of insurers that fit the bill: