Oshkosh Truck Powers Up In Hybrids
Posted: January 31, 2006 Filed under: Transportation Leave a comment »Among the more agreeable types of government programs are the ones that help your company win new business and cozy up to important customers. Consider the case of Oshkosh Truck, Waste Management and the Department of Energy’s Advanced Heavy Hybrid Propulsion Systems initiative.
The program, managed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, began in 2002. Its goal: Bring industry and government researchers together to get cleaner, more fuel efficient trucks and buses on the road by the end of the decade. Notable corporate participants are Eaton, Caterpillar, General Motors and Rockwell Automation.
In February 2003, Oshkosh Truck , which makes big, tough, trucks for military, municipal and other customers, received a $9 million grant from the Advanced Heavy Hybrid program to develop hybrid power-control systems and electronics for its severe-duty trucks. A key component of Oshkosh’s bid: its relationship with trash industry giant Waste Management .
State Of The Border Security Business
Posted: January 31, 2006 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »WASHINGTON, D.C. – A prediction for tonight’s State of the Union address: President George W. Bush will get a standing ovation when he talks tough on stopping the flow of illegal immigrants into the U.S.
If our prediction holds, another group will have reason to clap: defense and technology contractors doing business in homeland security. Last week, a few hundred of their reps heard from the Administration on technology needed for an ambitious border security proposal, one that could be worth billions.
“This issue is clearly one of the most important public-policy priorities for the Administration as well as for the Congress,” Department of Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Michael Jackson told the crowd.
Six Tech Picks: Cheap And Profitable
Posted: January 20, 2006 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »WASHINGTON, D.C. – By Reuters’ count, there are 1,784 technology stocks listed on U.S.
exchanges. With a series of screens on profitability and valuation, we trimmed that number down to six promising bets.
Buy Like Buffett
Posted: January 18, 2006 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »Here’s an investing mind-set to adopt: think like a corporate acquirer. In other words, even if you’re only picking up a few shares, pretend you’re buying the entire company. Such discipline forces you to contemplate important fundamental and conceptual items before pulling the trigger on a trade.
One pro to emulate with this type of investment strategy is Warren E. Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway. In the company’s 2004 annual report, Buffett lists his acquisition criteria–among them, $75 million or more in pretax profits, consistent earnings power, good return on equity with a light debt load, management in place and “simple” (not too technological) businesses.
Smartcard Small Cap
Posted: January 11, 2006 Filed under: Uncategorized Leave a comment »WASHINGTON, D.C. – The notion that small-caps are riskier than large-caps flows from common sense. Small companies usually have fewer customers and lines of business. Their stocks aren’t as widely held, thus intensifying the effects if a big shareholder pulls the plug.
But what if one of your customers is the recession-resistant mother of all spenders? The one that can print money? Fargo Electronics is strong in a niche business that the U.S. federal government demands: printers that personalize identification cards with text and images.
“The federal government isn’t generally a big risk taker, so they’re looking for products that are tried and true,” explains Kathleen Phillips, Fargo’s vice president for sales and marketing. “We have those products.”
