New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's secret gastric band surgery in�February�has stolen front-page headlines today. His weight is often the target of comedic fodder, but it was a legitimate concern surrounding his overall health.
This news has gotten the political media stirring that the governor is planning a White House run in 2016, but here at the Fool we're more concerned with investing than with politics. With more than 200,000 stomach-shrinking procedures performed per year, is there money to be made for investors?
In this video, Motley Fool health-care analyst David Williamson takes a closer look at the companies and highlights why this may be no slam-dunk for investors.
What could be a slam-dunk for investors is a stock working to eradicate the macro trend Warren Buffett called "the tapeworm that's eating at American competitiveness." Find out what Buffett was referring to in our free report: "What's Really Eating at America's Competitiveness." Just click here for free, immediate access.
Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Own Right Now: Hercules Technology Growth Capital Inc (HTGC)
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. (HTGC), incorporated on December 18, 2003, is an internally managed, non-diversified closed-end investment company. The Company is a specialty finance company focused on providing senior secured loans to venture capital-backed companies in technology-related markets, including technology, biotechnology, life science, and clean-technology industries at all stages of development. The Company's investment objective is to maximize the Company's portfolio total return by generating current income from its debt investments and capital appreciation from its equity-related investments. The Company invests primarily in structured debt with warrants and, to a lesser extent, in senior debt and equity investments. The Company also makes investments in qualifying small businesses through two wholly-owned, small business investment company (SBIC) subsidiaries, Hercules Technology II, L.P. (HT II) and Hercules Technology III, L.P. (HT III).
The Company focuses its investments in companies active in the technology industry sub-sectors characterized by products or services that requires advanced technologies, including, but not limited to, computer software and hardware, networking systems, semiconductors, semiconductor capital equipment, information technology infrastructure or services, Internet consumer and business services, telecommunications, telecommunications equipment, renewable or alternative energy, media and life science. Within the life science sub-sector, the Company generally focuses on medical devices, bio-pharmaceutical, drug discovery, drug delivery, health care services and information systems companies. Within the clean technology sub-sector, the Company focuses on sustainable and renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency and monitoring technologies. The Company refers to all of these companies as technology-related companies and intend, under normal circumstances, to invest at least 80% of the value of its assets in such businesses. Advisors' Opinion:
- [By Lawrence Meyers]
Business development companies like Hercules Technology Growth Capital (HTGC) invest money into middle-market companies that are experiencing fast growth.� Often, these investments take the form of mezzanine debt paying interest in the teens, and some warrants.� Hercules likes to focus more on senior secured revolvers and term loans to refinance existing debt, and will even take second-liens.� It has more attractive upside with its investments than other BDCs because it focuses on tech, energy tech, healthcare, life sciences and business services — all of which can fetch higher multiples upon exit.� It pays out a sturdy 7.3% dividend.
- [By Helix Investment Research]
Keating Capital is far from the only publicly traded pre-IPO investment company. There are several others, including GSV Capital (GSVC) and Firsthand Technology Value Fund (SVVC). Hercules Technology Growth Capital (HTGC) is also a pre-IPO fund, but with the bulk of its assets (over 92%) invested into loans to and debt of private companies, as opposed to their equity, the company's investment philosophy is different than that of these other pre-IPO funds. Unlike GSV Capital and Firsthand, Keating Capital, as a matter of policy, always purchases equity directly from portfolio companies, never from secondary markets such as SharesPost or SecondMarket. Mr. Keating outlined that this is due to the company's requirement that it be given access to all relevant financial data and managerial projections of its portfolio companies at all times, something that Mr. Keating believes is essential to being able to make informed investor decisions. We note that shares of Facebook (FB) and Twitter are conspicuously absent from Keating Capital's portfolio; the company declined to purchase shares of either company due to an inability to acquire direct financial information regarding these companies. In addition, Keating Capital has a stated goal of investing in the most senior equity securities available at each portfolio company.
- [By Chad Tracy]
StreetAuthority expert analyst Amy Calistri has had incredible success with BDCs in her Daily Paycheck portfolio. When she recommended Hercules Technology (NYSE: HTGC) in February 2010, the stock was trading for a little more than $10 a share.
Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Own Right Now: icad inc. (ICAD)
iCAD, Inc. provides image analysis and workflow solutions that enable radiologists and other healthcare professionals to identify pathologies and pinpoint cancer earlier. It offers CAD solutions for digital and film-based mammography systems, including SecondLook systems, which analyze data, and automatically identify and mark suspicious regions in the images; and SecondLook Digital, a computer server residing on a customer�s network that receives patient studies from the imaging modality, performs CAD analysis, and sends the CAD results to PACS and/or review workstations. The company also offers image analysis and workflow solutions in MRI imaging, including SpectraLook for breast, VividLook for prostate, and OmniLook for other organs; and VersaVue Enterprise, a review and reporting solution that provides visual and quantitative depictions of the movement of contrast agent through a lesion. In addition, it offers VeraLook, which supports the detection of colonic polyps i n conjunction with CT colonography; The TotalLook MammoAdvantage system, a mammography specific digitizer; and Axxent eBx, which is used for the treatment of early stage breast cancer, endometrial cancer, and skin cancer, as well as for the treatment of other cancers or conditions where radiation therapy is indicated. The company sells its products to hospitals, ambulatory care centers, and free standing radiation oncology facilities. It sells its products directly, as well as through various original equipment manufacturer partners, distributors, and resellers worldwide. The company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Nashua, New Hampshire.
Best Penny Companies To Watch In Right Now: RRSat Global Communications Network Ltd.(RRST)
RRsat Global Communications Network Ltd. provides content management and distribution services to television and radio broadcasting industries. The company, through its proprietary ?RRsat Global Network? comprising satellite and terrestrial fiber optic transmission capacity and the public Internet, offers distribution services for content providers. Its content distribution services consist of worldwide transmission of video and audio broadcasts. The company also offers content management services, including digital archiving and compilation of customer?s programming and advertising content into various broadcast channels. In addition, RRsat Global Communications Network Ltd. provides various production services on a contractual basis and satellite newsgathering services through its fleet of vans for outside broadcasting and electronic news gathering crews and packages. Further, it offers live broadcast studios and editing facilities to its customers. The company?s RRs at Global Network delivers content to various end markets, including cable operators, satellite operators, Internet protocol television operators, direct to home market, and public Internet. Additionally, RRSat Global Communications Network provides mobile satellite telecommunications services, such as global telephony, fax, data, Internet, and other value added services for shipping, aviation, construction, and oil companies; humanitarian aid organizations; governmental agencies; and other end customers that require telephony and Internet services in remote areas. As of December 31, 2009, it provided services to approximately 545 television and radio channels in approximately 150 countries. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in D.N. Shikmim, Israel.
Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Own Right Now: Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc.(SNSS)
Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the development and commercialization of oncology therapeutics for the treatment of solid and hematologic cancers. The company?s principal product includes Vosaroxin, an anti-cancer quinolone derivative for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It is conducting various clinical trials of Vosaroxin, including Phase II clinical trial, known as VALOR trial in combination with cytarabine for the treatment of patients with relapsed or refractory AML; and a Phase II clinical trial, known as REVEAL-1 in previously untreated patients of age 60 years or older, as well as completed a Phase II single-agent trial of Vosaroxin in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. In addition, the company is conducting a Phase II/III trial, known as the Less Intensive 1 in patients older than 60 years with AML or high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome. It has a license agreement with Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co. , Ltd. for the development and commercialization of Vosaroxin; a collaboration agreement with Millennium for the development of pan-Raf kinase inhibitor and one additional undisclosed kinase inhibitor program in oncology; and a collaboration agreement with Biogen Idec, Inc. to discover, develop, and commercialize small molecule inhibitors of a preclinical kinase inhibitor program in immunology. The company formerly known as, Mosaic Pharmaceuticals, Inc., was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, biopharmaceutical company Sunesis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SNSS ) has received an alarming one-star ranking.
- [By Selena Maranjian]
The biggest new holdings are Virgin Media�and Constellation Brands. Other new holdings of interest include Sunesis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SNSS ) , which has many investors hopeful about the phase 3 trials of its leukemia drug vosaroxin, which could be a blockbuster.
Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Own Right Now: Mooncor Oil & Gas Corp. (MOO.V)
Mooncor Oil & Gas Corp., a junior oil and gas exploration company, engages in the exploration and development of oil and gas properties in Canada. The company principally holds interests in the Muskwa/Duvernay shale gas play at Hamburg, Alberta covering 103,000 net acres with contingent plus prospective resources of approximately 10.57 trillion cubic feet of gas in place and approximately 2.57 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas. Mooncor Oil & Gas Corp. is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Own Right Now: Yale Resources Ltd. (YLL.V)
Yale Resources Ltd., an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Mexico. The company primarily explores for gold, silver, copper, zinc, and lead. It also has interests in oil and gas properties in the United States. The company was founded in 1987 is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.
Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Own Right Now: Brembo(BRBI.MI)
Brembo S.p.A., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the analysis, design, development, application, production, assembly, and sale of braking systems for automotive vehicles worldwide. It offers brake discs, brake calipers, side-wheel modules, brake master cylinders, light-alloy wheels, and complete braking systems, as well as integrated engineering services for the vehicle manufacturers and manufacturers of motorbikes. The company also engages in the production and sale of brakes and clutches for racing cars and motorbikes; seatbelts for children?s seats and jumpsuits for the racing industry; purchase and resale of vehicles; development, production, and sale of foundry products for the automotive market; logistics and sales activities in the economic and technological development hub of Qingdao; and sale of brake discs, pads, drums, brake shoes, drum-brake kits, and hydraulic components for the aftermarket. In addition, it involves in the design, manufacture, assem bly, and sale of accessories and components for the car industry, including footwear and articles of apparel in general for the racing market; and carbon ceramic brake discs. Further, Brembo offers magnesium and aluminum wheels for racing motorbikes, seats for the original equipment market, and restraint systems for infants. It offers its products under the Brembo, AP Racing, Marchesini, Sabelt, ByBre, AP, and Breco brands to manufacturers of cars, motorbikes, commercial vehicles, and racing cars and motorbikes. The company was founded in 1961 and is headquartered in Stezzano, Italy. Brembo S.p.A. is a subsidiary of Nuova FourB S.p.A.
Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Own Right Now: Paulson Capital Corp.(PLCC)
Paulson Capital Corp., through its subsidiary, Paulson Investment Company, Inc., operates as a brokerage company principally in the United States. It engages in securities brokerage activities, which include acting as agent for purchase and sale of common and preferred stocks, options, warrants, and debt securities traded on securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter market. The company?s corporate finance activities comprise underwriting initial and follow-on public offerings, private investments in public equity, and private placements for smaller companies; securities trading and market making activities consist of executing trades in equity securities, corporate debt securities, and municipal bonds; and market making activities are conducted with dealers in the wholesale market and its customers. Its investment activities include holding securities for investment, which primarily include securities purchased for investment and underwriter warrants. As of December 31, 2010, the company operated 39 branch offices in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. Paulson Capital Corp. was founded in 1969 and is based in Portland, Oregon.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
Paulson Capital Corp. (Nasdaq:PLCC), parent company of Paulson Investment Company, Inc., reported a net income of $1,412,294 (or $0.24 per share) for the three months ended March 31, 2012 versus a net loss of $381,210 (or ($0.07) per share) for the like period in 2011.
No comments:
Post a Comment