Hot Defense Stocks To Own Right Now

The Department of Defense awarded a total of five contracts worth in excess of $680 million Tuesday -- but only one contract went to a traditional "defense contractor."

Amidst a series of mundane Pentagon orders for commercial forklifts, safety goggles, and milk and dairy products, the only publicly traded defense company to land a contract of significant size was Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT  ) , recipient of a $19.3 option exercise, instructing the firm to perform Aegis Platform Systems Engineering Agent activities and Aegis Modernization Advanced Capability Build engineering for the Navy.

DoD clarified that Lockheed's role under this contract will be to configure Navy combat systems aboard warships already in service and also to integrate and upgrade Aegis air defense capability aboard Ticonderoga-class (CG 47) guided missile cruisers and Arleigh Burke-class (DDG 51) class guided missile destroyers. This work should be completed by September.

Hot Defense Stocks To Own Right Now: Sultan Minerals Inc. (SUL.V)

Sultan Minerals Inc. engages in the exploration and development of mineral properties in Canada. The company primarily focuses on the exploration of gold, silver, zinc, lead, molybdenum, tungsten, and other base metals. It holds 100% interests in the Kena gold property, a gold-copper-silver prospect covering approximately 8,173 hectare located near the town of Nelson in southeastern British Columbia; and the Jersey-Emerald property located southeast of the mining community of Salmo property located near Salmo, British Columbia. The company was incorporated in 1989 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.

Hot Defense Stocks To Own Right Now: Seneca Foods Corp. (SENEA)

Seneca Foods Corporation produces and distributes processed fruits and vegetables. It offers canned, frozen, and bottled produce and snack chips, including canned fruits and vegetables, frozen vegetables, and other food products under private label, as well as national and regional brands that the it owns or licenses, including Seneca, Libby�s, Aunt Nellie�s Farm Kitchen, Stokely�s, Read, Taste of the West, Cimarron, Tendersweet, Blue Boy, Festa, and Seneca Farms. The company also packs Green Giant, Le Sueur, and other brands of canned vegetables, as well as select Green Giant frozen vegetables for General Mills Operations, LLC under a long-term alliance agreement. Seneca Foods sells its products to grocery outlets, including supermarkets, mass merchandisers, limited assortment stores, club stores, and dollar stores; and food service distributors, industrial markets, other food processors, and export customers in 80 countries, as well as to federal, state, and local gov ernments for school and other feeding programs. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Marion, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Portfolio Grader]

  Seneca Foods (NASDAQ:SENEA) shows solid improvement this week. The company’s rating rises from a C to a B. Seneca Foods produces and distributes processed fruits and vegetables. The stock currently has a trailing PE Ratio of 9.30. 

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now: NewStar Financial Inc.(NEWS)

NewStar Financial, Inc. operates as a commercial finance company in the United States. It focuses on meeting the financing needs of companies and private investors in the middle market. The company originates, structures, and underwrites senior and secured cash flow loans, as well as second lien, subordinated debt, and equity or other equity-linked products; and senior debt financing options, including revolving credit facilities, term loans, and other debt products secured by various business assets. It also offers first mortgage debt and asset-based debt primarily to finance the acquisition of commercial real estate properties. In addition, the company?s commercial real estate loans provide capital for various purposes comprising acquisition, lease-up, repositioning and build-out, and refinancing and recapitalization. Further, it offers senior and secured asset-based loans that provide capital for purposes, such as working capital, acquisition, dividend recapitalization s, refinancing and restructuring, corporate growth, and management buyouts. Additionally, the company provides various direct finance leases for equipment types, including manufacturing, technology, healthcare, and telecom equipment. It serves various companies operating in healthcare, manufacturing and industrial, financial services, energy/chemical services, printing/publishing, consumer, retail, restaurants, telecommunications, education, auto/transportation, marketing, wholesale distribution, and business and technology services industries. NewStar Financial, Inc. was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.