Top 5 Machinery Companies For 2014

The emerging markets that we've come to know so well, the BRIC countries, are finally coming to an end -- at least, as emerging markets. 

China and Brazil are moving away from having industrial economies and are becoming ever more consumption-driven. India continues to suffer from a depreciating rupee and a poor economy, and Russia remains an unpredictable political quagmire.  

A paradigm shift in global industrial manufacturing is beginning to take place, and areas like Indonesia, West Africa and Latin America could emerge as the next bull markets for investors. As the U.S. economy rebounds, it will undoubtedly remain consumer-driven, which is good news for one country in particular. 

The U.S. accounts for 78% of this country's exports, with the five largest U.S. import categories last year being electrical machinery ($56.8 billion), automobiles and parts ($53.5 billion), machinery ($42.3 billion), mineral fuel and crude oil ($39.9 billion), and optical and medical instruments ($10.4 billion). 

Hot Undervalued Stocks To Watch For 2015: Stanley Black & Decker Inc (SWJ)

Stanley Black & Decker Inc., June 4, 1901, is a diversified global provider of power and hand tools, mechanical access solutions (automatic doors, commercial and residential locking systems), electronic security and monitoring systems and products and services for various industrial applications. The Company�� operations are classified into three business segments: Construction & Do-It-Yourself (CDIY), Security, and Industrial. In September 2011, Stanley Black & Decker acquired Niscayah Group AB. In September 2011, the Company acquired Microtec Enterprises, Inc. In January 2011, the Company acquired InfoLogix, Inc. In December 2012, Spectrum Brands Holdings Inc acquired Hardware & Home Improvement Group (HHI) of the Company. In February 2013, the Company completed its acquisition of Infastech.

CDIY

The CDIY segment consists of the professional power tool and accessories business, the consumer power tool business, which includes outdoor products, plumbing (Pfister) and the hand tools, fasteners and storage business. The segment sells its products to professional end users, distributors and retail consumers. The majority of sales are distributed through retailers, including home centers, mass merchants, hardware stores, and retail lumber yards. During the year ended December 31, 2011, annual revenues in the CDIY segment represented 50% of the Company�� total revenues. The professional power tool and accessories business sells professional grade corded and cordless electric power tools and equipment, including drills, impact wrenches and drivers, grinders, saws, routers and sanders. The business also sells power tool accessories, which include drill bits, router bits, abrasives and saw blades.

The consumer power tool business sells corded and cordless power tools sold under the Black & Decker brand, lawn and garden products and home products. Lawn and garden products include hedge trimmers, string trimmers, lawn mowers, edgers and related accessories. Home pro! ducts include hand held vacuums, paint tools and cleaning appliances. The hand tools, fasteners and storage business sells measuring and leveling tools, planes, hammers, demolition tools, knives, saws and chisels. Fastening products include pneumatic tools and fasteners including nail guns, nails, staplers and staples. Storage products include tool boxes, sawhorses and storage units.

Security

The Security segment consists of the electronic security solutions and the mechanical access solutions businesses. Annual revenues in the Security segment represented 26% of the Company�� total revenues in 2011. The electronic security solutions business designs, supplies and installs electronic security systems and provides electronic security services, including alarm monitoring, video surveillance, fire alarm monitoring, systems integration and system maintenance. Purchasers of these systems typically contract for ongoing security systems monitoring and maintenance at the time of initial equipment installation. The electronic security business also sells healthcare solutions, which includes medical carts and cabinets, asset tracking solutions, infant protection, pediatric protection, patient protection, wander management, fall management, and emergency call products.

The electronic security solutions business sells to consumers, retailers, educational, financial and healthcare institutions, as well as commercial, governmental and industrial customers. Products are sold predominantly on a direct sales basis. The mechanical access solutions business sells and installs automatic doors, residential and commercial hardware, locking mechanisms, electronic keyless entry systems, keying systems, tubular and mortise door locksets. The mechanical access solutions business sells to both residential and commercial customers, with distribution through direct sales, through retailers (including home centers) and, through third party distributors.

Industrial

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The In! dustrial segment consists of the industrial and automotive repair tools, engineered fastening and infrastructure businesses. Annual revenues in the Industrial segment represented 24% of the Company�� total revenues. The industrial and automotive repair business sells hand tools, power tools, and engineered storage solution products. The business sells to industrial customers in a variety of industries and geographies. The products are distributed through third party distributors, as well as a direct sales force. The engineered fastening business primarily sells engineered fasteners designed for specific applications. The product lines include stud welding systems, blind rivets and tools, blind inserts and tools, drawn arc weld studs, engineered plastic fasteners, self-piercing riveting systems and precision nut running systems.

The business sells to customers in the automotive, manufacturing, and aerospace industries, amongst others, and the Company's products are distributed through direct sales forces. The infrastructure business consists of the CRC-Evans business, and the Company�� hydraulics business. The business�� product lines include custom pipe handling machinery, joint welding and coating machinery, weld inspection services and hydraulic tools and accessories. The business sells to the oil and natural gas pipeline industry and other industrial customers. The products and services are primarily distributed through a direct sales force.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Rooney]

  Stanley Black & Decker (SWJ) tumbled roughly 10% after the power tools maker lowered its full-year earnings outlook. The company said it expected "uncertainty created by the U.S. government's sequestration and shutdown" to hurt business and consumer spending.

Top 5 Machinery Companies For 2014: Renishaw PLC (RSW)

Renishaw plc is a metrology company. The Company is engaged in the design, manufacture and sale of advanced precision metrology and inspection equipment together with products for the healthcare sector, including Raman spectroscopy systems, dental systems, molecular diagnostic equipment and neurosurgical products. The Company operates in two segments: metrology and healthcare products. The Company�� metrology segment product include Machine Tool Probe Systems, Co-ordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) products, large scale metrology, fixtures, materials research, styli for probe systems, performance testing products, gauging and position encoders. Its healthcare products include Dental Scanners, Raman Microscopes, Dental CAD Software, Neurosurgical robot, Structural and Chemical Analyser, In situ monitors and Neurosurgical Implantables. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Inyoung Hwang]

  Renishaw Plc (RSW) tumbled 5.7 percent to 1,580 pence, its lowest price since Aug. 7. The maker of precision tools said revenue for the quarter ended in September fell to 79 million pounds from 95.9 million pounds in the year-ago period.

Top 5 Machinery Companies For 2014: Komatsu Ltd (KMTUY)

Komatsu Ltd. (Komatsu), incorporated in May 13, 1921, is a global company engaged in the manufacturing, development, marketing and sale of a range of industrial-use products and services. The manufacturing operations of Komatsu are conducted primarily at plants located in Japan, the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Indonesia, China, Thailand and India. Komatsu�� products are primarily sold under the Komatsu brand name and almost all of its sales and service activities are conducted through its sales subsidiaries and independent distributors who primarily sell products to retail dealers in their respective geographic area. Komatsu operates and competes in the six principal markets, such as Japan, the United States, Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), China, Asia (excluding Japan and China) and Oceania and the Middle East and Africa. In May, 2009, Komatsu acquired the additional interest in Komatsu Australia Corporate Finance Pty. Ltd.

Construction, Mining and Utility Equipment

The Company offers various types of construction, mining and utility equipment, ranging from super-large machines capable of mining applications to general construction equipment and mini construction equipment for urban use. Komatsu�� range of products in this operating segment also includes a variety of attachments to be used with its products. Komatsu�� principal products include excavating equipment, loading equipment, grading and roadbed preparation equipment, hauling equipment, forestry equipment, tunneling machines, recycling equipment, industrial vehicles, other equipment, engines and components, casting products and logistics.

Industrial Machinery and Others

The Company�� Industrial Machinery and Others segment products are used by a range of businesses and include industrial machinery, such as forging and sheet metal machinery and other services. Komatsu�� principal products include metal forging and stampi! ng presses, sheet metal machines, machine tools, defense systems, temperature-control equipment and others.

The Company competes with Caterpillar Inc., Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., Volvo Construction Equipment NV, CNH Global N.V., Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., Doosan Infracore Co., Ltd. and Toyota Motor Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Carroll]

  Fellow Japanese manufacturer Komatsu's (NASDAQOTH: KMTUY  ) shares have slid more than 3% this past month, but like Kubota, this stock has blown up in 2013 and could be headed higher with a win by Abe and the LDP. However, there's risk in Komatsu's lofty 45% profit growth outlook in 2013: The company's the top manufacturer in China, but given the current slowdown plaguing the second-largest economy on Earth, Komatsu investors could be left disappointed. Komatsu's likely to see a strong uptick for the full year due to the weak yen -- particularly if Abe moves more aggressively after the elections -- but China's slump could make meeting optimistic projections a tall order.

• [By Dan Carroll]

  An up-and-down yen spurs an up-and-down market
  Abe brought about stimulus in response to one of Japan's worst economic problems of the last half-century: more than two decades of a stagnant economy and deflation. Weakening the yen against other leading currencies would be a boon for leading Japanese exporters looking for an edge against overseas competition. Manufacturers such as Komatsu (NASDAQOTH: KMTUY  ) have applauded the moves as they look to use a weak yen to grow profits. Komatsu alone projected 46% full-year profit growth this year thanks to the weak yen.

• [By Dan Carroll]

  That doesn't mean you should rush headfirst into any old Japanese stock on the hopes of a nationwide surge; as with all investing, picking the best stocks is the way to go. The country's top exporters have seen their stock rise and fall with the yen's volatility, but leading manufacturers such as Kubota (NASDAQOTH: KUBTY  ) and Komatsu (NASDAQOTH: KMTUY  ) are poised to ride a weaker yen higher to better compete against foreign rivals.

• [By Nicole Seghetti]

  Dumped
  Japanese industrial manufacturer Komatsu (NASDAQOTH: KMTUY  ) recently picked up market share in China by outcompeting rival Caterpillar on price. But Fisher probably dumped Komatsu stock based partly on the company's shrinking profits resulting from falling demand in Asian nations such as China and Indonesia�.

Top 5 Machinery Companies For 2014: Sterling Consolidated Corp (STCC)

Sterling Consolidated Corp., incorporated on January 31, 2011, is a holding company. The Company�� operations are conducted through its four subsidiaries: Sterling Seal & Supply, Inc. (Sterling Seal), ADDR Properties, LLC (ADDR), Q5 Ventures, LLC (Q5), and Integrity Cargo Freight Corporation (Integrity). The Company through its subsidiary, Sterling Seal engages primarily in the distribution and sale of O-rings, rubber seals, oil seals, custom molded rubber parts, custom Teflon parts, Teflon rods, O-ring cord, bonded seals, O-ring kits, and stuffing box sealant. The Company also owns real property through its subsidiaries ADDR and Q5. In addition, the Company�� subsidiary Integrity Cargo Freight Corporation (Integrity) is a freight forwarding business. In September 2013, the Company announced the acquisition of Superior Seals and Service in High Point, NC.

Sterling Seal sells directly to smaller distributors and original equipment manufacturers in need of seals. It offers a catalogue of standard sizes, and will take orders for special sizes not available in the standard catalogue. O-rings and the other products that Sterling Seal sells are used in a variety of industries, including automotive, pump, transmissions, oil and energy, machinery, and packaging. Integrity are primarily responsible for transporting products the Company order from its suppliers back to its warehouse in Neptune, NJ. After Sterling Seal confirms from its supplier that a product is ready to be picked up, Integrity Cargo is responsible for picking up the products and getting them to the dock and delivered to the Sterling Seal warehouse. ADDR owns a 28,000 square foot facility in Neptune, NJ. Q5 Ventures, LLC owns a 5,000 square foot facility in Apopka, Florida, which is used by Sterling Seal for its Florida operations.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Muscle Warfare International (OTCMKTS: MWAR), Portlogic Systems Inc (OTCMKTS: PGSY) and Sterling Consolidated Corp (OTCBB: STCC) were all the subject of a few paid promotions as recently as last week but they sure did not start the new week out right because all were sinking on Monday. So are these small cap stocks that are either the subject of promotions or investor awareness campaigns hot or not? Here is a quick reality check:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks Pulse Network Inc (OTCBB: TPNI), Sterling Consolidated Corp (OTCBB: STCC) and diaDexus, Inc (OTCMKTS: DDXS) have or could start to sizzle for investors. However, I should also mention that two of these stocks have been the subject of paid promotions while a third apparently has not been, and could be the real deal. With that in mind, here is a closer look along with a quick reality check about all three small caps to help you decide whether they are hot or not: