Top 10 Logistics Stocks To Own Right Now

Petroleum products logistics provider Buckeye Partners (NYSE: BPL  ) is out with its first-quarter earnings. It was a very solid quarter for the MLP with steady performance across its business segments. Let's take a closer look at how the company performed in three areas that I previewed as being the most important to watch.

The numbers
Buckeye beat analysts' expectations by delivering first-quarter income of $89.3 million, or $0.86 a unit, which exceeded the projection of $0.73 a unit. Revenue of $1.34 billion also beat expectations of $1.29 billion. Strong performance at Buckeye's terminal operations along with a big improvement at its energy services segment led to the�excellent�performance this quarter.

Buckeye reported distributable cash flow of $124.2 million which provided it with a coverage ratio of 1.21 times. This represented a very nice year-over-year increase to distributable cash flow which was $73.6 million last year and represented a coverage ratio just 0.78 times. Better overall business performance and the contribution from its growth projects provided a nice boost to the bottom line. The big news here is that the coverage ratio was high enough this quarter for the company to finally raise its distribution.

Best Communications Equipment Stocks To Buy Right Now: Emergent Biosolutions Inc. (EBS)

Emergent BioSolutions, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, engages in the development, manufacture, and commercialization of specialized products for use in defense and commercial markets in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Biodefense and Biosciences. It markets BioThrax, an FDA licensed vaccine for the prevention of anthrax disease; and RSDL (decontamination lotion) product for removal or neutralization of chemical warfare agents from the skin. The company�s development pipeline includes Anthrivig (Human Anthrax Immunoglobulin), a polyclonal anthrax therapeutic candidate; PreviThrax, a recombinant anthrax vaccine candidate, NuThrax (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed with CPG 7909 Adjuvant); BioThrax with a novel adjuvant; and Thravixa (Fully Human Anthrax Monoclonal Antibody), a therapeutic being studied for use against symptomatic anthrax infection. In addition, it develops TRU-016, a humanized anti-CD37 therapeutic candidate, ba sed on its ADAPTIR (Modular Protein Technology) platform that is in Phase I/II clinical trials to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Further, the company develops preclinical product candidates targeted for solid tumors, inflammatory bowel disease, graft versus host disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and a human vaccine to protect against influenza caused by a range of circulating H5 influenza strains. Emergent BioSolutions, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Rockville, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Traders Reserve]

  I discovered Emergent Bio Solutions (EBS) when I ran my proprietary P/E Gap model at the end of December. Without getting into the details, P/E Gap identifies stocks that have the potential to rally based on being significantly undervalued.

• [By Stephen Quickel]

  Emergent BioSolutions (EBS) is a far smaller specialist in bio-medical products for the military and commercial markets, including anthrax vaccine and decontamination agents. With revenues nearing $400 million, EBS is acquiring Canada's Cangene Corp. to expand its product line.

Top 10 Logistics Stocks To Own Right Now: Semtech Corporation(SMTC)

Semtech Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, designs, produces, and markets analog and mixed-signal semiconductor products. The company?s product lines include protection products comprising filter and termination devices that provide protection for electronic systems from voltage spikes; power management products consisting of switching voltage regulators, combination switching and linear regulators, smart regulators, and charge pumps; and discrete semiconductor products, such as rectifiers, assemblies, and other products. It also offers wired communication, ultra-high speed Serializer/Deserializer, and modulator driver products that perform timing, synchronization, and amplification functions in high-speed networks; chips and transceivers for short reach, metro, and long haul applications; and high performance transceivers for datacenter applications. In addition, the company provides wireless and sensing products that perform radio frequency functions in indust rial, medical, and networking applications; and sensing functions in industrial and consumer applications. It serves original equipment manufacturers and their subcontractors in the computing, communications, consumer, and industrial end-markets directly, and through independent distributors and sales representative firms in North America, the Asia Pacific, and Europe. Semtech Corporation was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Camarillo, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of Semtech (NASDAQ: SMTC) were down 11.763 percent to $24.77 on lowered forecast. Raymond James downgraded the stock from Strong Buy to Outperform.

• [By Jayson Derrick]

  After the market close yesterday, Semtech (NASDAQ: SMTC) lowered its fourth quarter guidance. The company sees revenue in a $120 million to $130 million range from a previous $132 million to $144 million range. EPS was lowered to a $0.18 to $0.24 range from a previous $0.29 to $0.37 range. Management blamed the lowered guidance on ��ngoing delays in carrier capex spending��Analysts at Oppenheimer downgraded shares to Perform from Outperform while Raymond James downgraded shares to Outperform from Strong Buy. Williams Financial also downgraded shares to Hold from Buy with a $27 price target, lowered from a previous $32. The analysts share similar beliefs that the company is showing no near-term growth drivers. Shares hit new 52 week lows of $22.57 before closing at $24.67, down 12.11 percent.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  When judging a company's prospects, how quickly it turns cash outflows into cash inflows can be just as important as how much profit it's booking in the accounting fantasy world we call "earnings." This is one of the first metrics I check when I'm hunting for the market's best stocks. Today, we'll see how it applies to Semtech (Nasdaq: SMTC  ) .

Top 10 Logistics Stocks To Own Right Now: SurModics Inc.(SRDX)

SurModics, Inc. provides drug delivery and surface modification technologies to the healthcare industry. The company offers surface modification coating technologies to enhance access, deliverability, and predictable deployment of medical devices, as well as drug delivery coating technologies to provide site-specific drug delivery from the surface of a medical device for the coronary, peripheral, neuro-vascular, and urology markets. It also provides a range of drug delivery technologies for injectable therapeutics, including microparticles, nanoparticles, and implants addressing a range of clinical applications, such as ophthalmology, oncology, dermatology, and neurology. In addition, the company provides in vitro diagnostic component products and technologies comprising microarray slide technologies, protein stabilization reagents, substrates, polymers and reagent chemicals, and antigens for diagnostic test kits and biomedical research applications. SurModics, Inc. market s its technologies and products worldwide through direct sales force consisting of sales professionals. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [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 SurModics (Nasdaq: SRDX  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top 10 Logistics Stocks To Own Right Now: Peoples Bancorp Inc.(PEBO)

Peoples Bancorp Inc. operates as a holding company for Peoples Bank, National Association that provides financial products and services. It offers commercial and retail banking, insurance, brokerage, and trust services. The company accepts various deposit products, including demand deposit accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit; and provides commercial, consumer, and real estate mortgage loans, as well as lines of credit. It also offers debit and automated teller machine (ATM) cards; corporate and personal trust services; safe deposit rental facilities; travelers checks, money orders, and cashier?s checks; and telephone and Internet-based banking services. In addition, the company provides a range of life, health, and property and casualty insurance products; and fiduciary and wealth management services. Further, it offers brokerage services through an unaffiliated registered broker-dealer; and credit cards to consumers and business es, as well as provides merchant credit card processing services through joint marketing arrangements with third parties. The company offers its financial products and services through 47 financial service locations and 40 ATMs in southeastern Ohio, northwestern West Virginia, and northeastern Kentucky. Peoples Bancorp Inc. was founded in 1902 and is based in Marietta, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Marietta, Ohio-based bank holding company Peoples Bancorp (PEBO) raised its quarterly dividend 7% to 15 cents per share, payable on Feb. 18 to shareholders of record as of Feb. 3.
  PEBO Dividend Yield: 2.60%

Top 10 Logistics Stocks To Own Right Now: TCF Financial Corporation(TCB)

TCF Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for TCF National Bank that provides various retail and commercial banking products and services in the United States and Canada. Its products and services include consumer, small business, and commercial deposits, as well as interest-bearing checking accounts, money market accounts, regular savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and retirement savings plans; and consumer real estate loans, commercial real estate loans, commercial business loans, and multi-purpose campus cards for colleges, as well as consumer loans for personal, family, or household purposes. The company also offers leasing and equipment finance products for various companies, inventory finance products, auto finance products, and treasury services. As of December 31, 2011, it had 434 retail banking branches, including 196 branches in Illinois, 110 in Minnesota, 53 in Michigan, 36 in Colorado, 26 in Wisconsin, 7 in Arizona, 5 in Indiana, an d 1 in South Dakota. The company was founded in 1923 and is based in Wayzata, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Melvin]

  I always find it very interesting to see what long-term investors are selling in a given quarter. Kahn Brothers lightened up on many financials that have shot up and now trade above book value. The firm sold out of Flushing Financial (FFIC), TCF Financial (TCB) and Dime Community Bank (DCOM). Khan apparently shares my views on the large-cap drug stocks, easing up on both Pfizer (PFE) and Bristol Meyers (BMY) over the summer. Khan Brothers also sold the last of the Travelers shares (TRV) it has owned since 2008 at more than twice the purchase price.

• [By Zacks]

  Shares of TCF Financial Corporation (NYSE: TCB) have recorded a year-to-date return of 26.6%. Impressive organic growth, balance sheet repositioning and strong capital deployment activities of the company were primary factors behind the growth. However, we are not so optimistic about these positives translating into further price appreciation down the road as there will likely be significant pressure on its top line.

Top 10 Logistics Stocks To Own Right Now: Hyundai Motor Co (HYMLF.PK)

HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY is a Korea-based automobile manufacturer. Along with its subsidiaries, the Company operates in three business divisions: vehicle division, financial division and other business division. Its vehicle division manufactures passenger cars under the brand names of Centennial, Genesis, Veloster, Azera, Sonata, i40, Elantra, Accent, i30cw, i20, ix20 and others; sport utility vehicles (SUVs) under the brand names of Veracruz, Santa Fe and Tucson, and commercial vehicles, including trucks, buses, special vehicles and bare chassis, as well as provides automobile maintenance services and related components. Its financial division mainly provides automobile financing services and credit card services. Its other business division includes construction of railways and others. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Quoth the Raven]

  It was reported this morning that Hyundai's (HYMLF.PK) CEO, John Krafcik, has gone on the record and said that the U.S. government shutdown could affect the U.S. automobile market negatively. He's made a headline that's been picked up by news organizations across the board this morning. It echoes sentiments from executives at both Ford and GM. Autonews.com reported:

Top 10 Logistics Stocks To Own Right Now: Lennox International Inc (LII)

Lennox International Inc. (LII) is a provider of climate control solutions. The Company designs, manufactures and markets a range of products for the heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) markets. Its products and services are sold through multiple distribution channels under brand names, including Lennox, Armstrong Air, Ducane, Bohn, Larkin, Advanced Distributor Products, Service Experts and others. The Company operates in four segments: Residential Heating & Cooling, Commercial Heating & Cooling, Service Experts, and Refrigeration. On January 14, 2011, the Company acquired Kysor/Warren business from The Manitowoc Company. Kysor/Warren is a manufacturer of refrigerated systems and display cases for supermarkets throughout North America and is included in its Refrigeration Segment. In April 2012, it sold its Lennox Hearth Products business to Comvest Investment Partners IV.

Residential Heating & Cooling

The Company manufactures and markets a range of furnaces, air conditioners, heat pumps, packaged heating and cooling systems, and accessories. These products are available in a range of designs, and at a range of price points, and provide a range of home comfort systems. Its advanced distributor products (ADP) operation builds evaporator coils and air handlers under the Advanced Distributor Products brand, as well as the Lennox, brand. ADP sells their own ADP branded evaporator coils to HVAC distribution, comprising over 400 wholesale distributors across North America, as well as, a range of evaporator coils for Allied Air Enterprise.

The Company�� hearth products include factory-built gas, wood-burning and electric fireplaces; free standing wood-burning, pellet and gas stoves; wood-burning, pellet and gas fireplace inserts; gas logs, venting products and accessories. Its fireplaces are built with a blower or fan option. It markets its hearth products under the Lennox, Superior, Country Collection and Security Chimneys brand names.

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The Company competes with United Technologies Corp., Goodman Global, Inc., Ingersoll-Rand plc, Paloma Co., Ltd., Johnson Controls, Inc., Daiken, Nordyne, HNI Corporation and Monessen Hearth Company.

Commercial Heating & Cooling

In North America, the Company manufactures and sells unitary heating and cooling equipment used in light commercial applications, such as low-rise office buildings, restaurants, retail centers, churches and schools. Its product offerings for these applications include rooftop units ranging from 2 to 50 tons of cooling capacity and split system/air handler combinations, which range from 1.5 to 20 tons of cooling capacity. These products are distributed through commercial contractors and directly to national account customers.

In Europe, the Company manufactures and sells unitary products, which range from 2 to 70 tons of cooling capacity, and applied systems with up to 200 tons of cooling capacity. Its European products consist of small package units, rooftop units, chillers, air handlers and fan coils, which serve medium-rise commercial buildings, shopping malls, other retail and entertainment buildings, institutional applications and other field-engineered applications. It manufactures heating and cooling products in several locations in Europe and markets these products through both direct and indirect distribution channels in Europe, Russia, Turkey and the Middle East.

The Company competes with United Technologies Corp., Ingersoll-Rand plc, Johnson Controls, Inc., AAON, Inc. and Daikin Industries, Ltd.

Service Experts

The Company sells a range of its manufactured equipment, parts and supplies, and third-party branded products. It also has Lennox National Account Services business, which is providing service and preventive maintenance to commercial national account customers. It uses a portfolio of management procedures and practices, including standards for customer service, common informa! tion tech! nology systems and financial controls, a national accounting center and an inventory management program.

The Company competes with Direct Energy, Sears and American Residential Services.

Refrigeration

The Company manufactures and markets equipment for the global commercial refrigeration markets under the Heatcraft Worldwide Refrigeration name. It sells these products to distributors, installing contractors, engineering design firms, original equipment manufacturers and end-users. Its commercial refrigeration products for the North American market include condensing units, unit coolers, fluid coolers, air-cooled condensers, compressor racks and air handlers. These products are sold for refrigeration applications to preserve food and other perishables, and are used by supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants, refrigerated warehouses and distribution centers. As part of the sale of commercial refrigeration products, it provides application engineering for consulting engineers, contractors and others. It also sells products for non-food and various industry applications, such as telecommunications, dehumidification and medical applications.

In international markets, the Company manufactures and markets refrigeration products, including condensing units, unit coolers, air-cooled condensers, fluid coolers, compressor racks and industrial process chillers. The Company has manufacturing locations in Germany, France, Brazil and China. In Australia and New Zealand, it is a wholesale distribution business serving the refrigeration and HVAC industry. It also owns a 50% interest in a joint venture in Mexico, which produces unit coolers, air-cooled condensers, condensing units and compressor racks. It also owns an 8% stock interest in a manufacturer in Thailand, which produces compressors for use in its products and for other HVACR customers.

The Company competes with Hussman Corporation, Emerson Electric Co., United Technologies Corp., GEA Group,! Alfa Lav! al and Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Greg Williamson]

  Watsco's current P/E of 24.5 is in the same ballpark as its competitor Lennox International (NYSE: LII  ) (NYSE: LII  ) (NYSE: LII  ) , whose P/E is 23.8. Lennox is a manufacturer of HVAC equipment and components, and will also benefit from HVAC industry tailwinds.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Lennox International (NYSE: LII) is projected to report its Q3 earnings at $1.28 per share on revenue of $877.87 million.

  ManpowerGroup (NYSE: MAN) is expected to report its Q3 earnings at $1.08 per share on revenue of $5.08 billion.