Hot Logistics Companies To Own For 2014

The Department of Defense announced a sizable $170.9 million contract Wednesday, with a total of 30 contractors receiving pieces of the work, and the potential for multiple "option" extensions that could ultimately increase its value to $854.6 million.

The contract, for "non-inherently governmental logistics support services," is classified as an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, performance-based multiple award contract with provisions for firm-fixed-price, time and material, labor hour, cost-plus- fixed-fee task orders. The contract in question is set to run initially through May 2014, although it may be extended as far out as through May 2018 -- or until the mentioned ultimate ceiling value is reached.

As already mentioned, 30 contractors are named as recipients, from well-known contractor names such as Booz Allen Hamilton (NYSE: BAH  ) , General Dynamics (NYSE: GD  ) , Honeywell (NYSE: HON  ) , Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT  ) , and Raytheon (NYSE: RTN  ) , all the way down to small businesses with names like PrimeTech International, Metrostar Systems, and Tatitlek Training Services. It is divided into three groupings, with some of the work reserved for section 8(a) Small Businesses and other work only for Reserved Small Business. But the majority of the work is considered "unrestricted," and up for bidding by 19 of the 30 firms named.

10 Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2015: Renasant Corporation(RNST)

Renasant Corporation operates as the bank holding company for the Renasant Bank that provides various financial and insurance services to retail and commercial customers. The company offers checking accounts, money market accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit, time deposits, individual retirement accounts, and health savings accounts. It also provides commercial, financial, and agricultural loans; construction loans, including loans for the construction of single family residential properties, multi-family properties, and commercial projects; residential mortgage loans; home equity loans or lines of credit; consumer loans; and equipment leasing, as well as safe deposit and night depository facilities. In addition, the company offers various fiduciary services; and administers qualified retirement plans, profit sharing and other employee benefit plans, personal trusts, and estates. Further, the company provides annuities, mutual funds, and other investment ser vices through a third party broker-dealer. Additionally, the company offers commercial and personal insurance products through carriers. As of October 21, 2011, it operated approximately 75 banking, mortgage, financial services, and insurance offices in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and Georgia. The company was founded in 1904 and is based in Tupelo, Mississippi.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Financial services specialist�Renasant� (NASDAQ: RNST  ) �announced yesterday�its second-quarter dividend of $0.17 per share, the same rate it's paid since 2007.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Renasant (NASDAQ: RNST) is expected to post its Q3 earnings at $0.31 per share on revenue of $60.87 million.

  Posted-In: Earnings scheduleEarnings News Pre-Market Outlook Markets

Hot Logistics Companies To Own For 2014: Market Vectors Brazil Small-Cap ETF (BRF)

Market Vectors Brazil Small-Cap ETF (the Fund) seeks to replicate as closely as possible the price and yield performance of the Market Vectors Brazil Small-Cap Index (the Index). The Index is a rules-based, modified market capitalization-weighted, float-adjusted index consisting of publicly traded small-capitalization companies that are domiciled and primarily listed on an exchange in Brazil, or that generate at least 50% of their revenues in Brazil. The Index is the exclusive property of 4asset-management GmbH, which has contracted with Standard & Poor��, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. to maintain and calculate the Index. The Fund is passively managed and may not hold each Index component in the same weighting as the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is Van Eck Associates Corporation. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Market Vectors Brazil Small-Cap ETF (NYSEArca: BRF) has performed closely with the larger ETF group, with a drop of almost 4% so far in 2014. By its name, you can assume it tracks small-cap stocks. It aims to track the Market Vectors Brazil Small-Cap Index. At $28.51, its 52-week trading range is $27.99 to $44.17.

• [By Hilary Kramer]

  Brasil Foods SA (BRF) is South America�� largest food processing company, involved in everything from meat and dairy products to pasta, frozen vegetables and soybean-related products. The company has been around since 1939, and Forbes ranked it 39th on its list of the world�� most innovative companies. It brings in about $13 billion in sales each year, and analysts are estimating that earnings will grow from 94 cents per share in 2012 to $1.94 for all of 2013, with additional growth to $2.78 in 2014.

Hot Logistics Companies To Own For 2014: Aurizon Holdings Ltd (QRNNF)

Aurizon Holdings Limited, formerly QR National Limited, is a rail freight operator. It owns and operates a coal network made up of 2,670 kilometers of heavy haul rail infrastructure. It provides specialist services in rail design, engineering, construction, management and maintenance, and offers supply chain solutions to a range of customers in Australia. Its business comprises three product lines. Coal business includes transport of coal from mines in Queensland and New South Wales to end customers and ports. Freight business includes transport of bulk mineral commodities, including iron ore, agricultural products, mining and industrial inputs and general freight throughout Queensland and Western Australia. Network Services business provides access to, and operation and management of the Central Queensland Coal Network. In January 2014 the Company announced that National Australia Bank Limited and its associated entities has ceased to be the substantial holder of the Company. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australia stocks enjoyed early Monday gains after an advance for commodities and U.S. stocks since the last session, with a relatively good reception for earnings. The S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) improved by 0.4% to 5,376.30, with miners tracking gains in gold and copper. Rio Tinto Ltd. (AU:RIO) (RIO) added 1.3%, and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (AU:FMG) (FSUMF) traded 1.1% higher, while gold miners Newcrest Mining Ltd. (AU:NCM) (NCMGF) and Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd. (AU:KCN) (KSKGF) rallied 2.2% and 4.7%, respectively. Banks rose after Wall Street shares climbed on Friday, with National Australia Bank Ltd. (AU:NAB) (NAUBF) up 1% and Australia & New Zealand Banking Group (AU:ANZ) (ANEWF) adding 0.9%, though Commonwealth Bank of Australia (AU:CBA) (CBAUF) dropped 2.4% as it traded without rights to its latest dividend. Coal transport firm Aurizon Holdings Ltd. (AU:AZJ) (QRNNF) tacked on 2.1% as its fiscal first-half underlying profit increased 18%, though net profit f

Hot Logistics Companies To Own For 2014: Plexus Corp.(PLXS)

Plexus Corp., together with its subsidiaries, provides electronic manufacturing services to original equipment manufacturers and other technology companies. The company offers product development and design services, including program management, feasibility studies, product conceptualization, specification development, circuit design, field programmable gate array design, printed circuit board layout, embedded software design, mechanical design, development of test specifications, and product verification testing. It also provides value-added services, such as engineering change-order management, cost reduction redesign, component obsolescence management, product feature expansion, test enhancement, and component re-sourcing. In addition, the company offers prototyping and new product introduction services comprising assembly of prototype products, materials management, analysis of the manufacturability and testability of a design, test implementation, and pilot productio n. Further, it provides test equipment development; material sourcing and procurement; agile manufacturing; fulfillment and logistic; after-market support; and regulatory requirements services. The company serves the wireline/networking, wireless infrastructure, medical, industrial/commercial, and defense/security/aerospace markets in the United States, Malaysia, China, the United Kingdom, Mexico, and Romania. Plexus Corp. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Neenah, Wisconsin.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  What: Shares of Plexus (NASDAQ: PLXS  ) have jumped today by as much as 13% after the company reported earnings results.

  So what: Revenue in the fiscal third quarter totaled $571.9 million, well ahead of the Street consensus of $565 million. Earnings per share were $0.68, similarly topping expectations of just $0.58 per share. CEO Dean Foate said the strong results were driven by the networking and communications as well as the health care and life sciences sectors.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Plexus (Nasdaq: PLXS  ) reported earnings on July 17. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended June 29 (Q3), Plexus beat slightly on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading UP
  Plexus (NASDAQ: PLXS) shares shot up 6.98 percent to $42.09 after the company reported its Q2 earnings of $0.60 per share on revenue of $557.60 million. The company also issued a strong Q3 outlook.