5 Best Transportation Stocks To Invest In 2014

Airport workers in SeaTac, Wash., are poised to have their minimum wage raised to $15 an hour.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) It's a good day for low-wage workers in New Jersey and the city of SeaTac, Wash., after residents on Tuesday favored ballot measures that will raise the minimum wage.

The SeaTac initiative will raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour for hospitality and transportation workers in and near Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The current minimum wage in Washington State is $9.19.

With all precincts counted, the 'Yes' vote was leading by 54% to 46%, but opponents say it is still too close to call. There are still uncounted votes, due to Washington's mail-in voting system.

SeaTac Proposition 1 also calls for paid sick leave and tip protection.

Top Tech Companies To Watch For 2015: Canadian Pacific Railway Limited(CP)

Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, through its subsidiaries, operates as a transcontinental railway providing freight transportation services, logistics solutions, and supply chain expertise in Canada and the United States. It transports bulk commodities, including grain, coal, sulphur, and fertilizers; merchandise freight; finished vehicles and automotive parts; forest products, which include wood pulp, paper, paperboard, newsprint, lumber, panel, and oriented strand board; and industrial and consumer products comprising chemicals, energy, and plastics, as well as mine, metals, and aggregates. The company provides rail and intermodal transportation services over a network of approximately 14,700 miles serving the principal business centers of Canada, from Montreal to Vancouver, British Columbia; and the Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States. Canadian Pacific Railway Limited was founded in 1881 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Another prime choice in the world of railroad stocks could be the chief Canadian rival of CNI:�Canadian Pacific (CP). Like CNI, CP has made crude-by-rail a top contributor to its revenues and profits. Canadian Pacific has expanded into new terminal partnerships and projects, and its crude shipments should reach 70,000 oil-tank cars by the end of the year. Oh, and that number will expand roughly to 140,000 by the end of 2015.

• [By Teresa Rivas]

  Canadian Pacific Railway�(CP) wants to merge with�CSX Corp. (CSX), and shareholders seem to like the idea as well, sending both stocks up Monday.

  However, CSX isn�� sold: As The Wall Street Journal�� Dana Mattioli, Liz Hoffman and David Georg-Cosh report, it resisted CP�� offer, and there�� no guarantee the latter will try again.

  Also among the skeptics: Cowen & Co.�� Jason Seidl and Matthew Elkott. In a note out today, the write that the timing is not ideal for a mega merger: While such a deal would likely benefit both companies in the long run, ongoing service and capacity issues have soured shippers and regulators on the industry at the whole. Indeed, their recent survey showed 70% of shippers are opposed to another merger among Class 1 railroads, an increase from 64% in the second quarter. As it stands, current service issues are unlikely to ease until mid-2015, and shippers, recalling integration issues associated with previous mergers, are likely loath to see that protracted timeline stretched any further.

  So what comes next, in their opinion?

  If CP has shelved the offer, it could mean that a Class I merger may not be revisited for a while. However, given the tenacity of CP�� management, we would not be surprised if the company resorts to other means for making the deal happen. Indeed, management could team up with Pershing Square Capital in taking the proposal directly to CSX�� shareholders. While the activist fund has won many accolades from investors for its remarkable success in turning around CP over the last couple of years, a merger between the two carriers will likely still face many hurdles, not the least of which will be the Surface Transportation Board (STB), which has been listening intently to shippers��service and rail pricing concerns. Other regulatory and national security authorities will likely be involved.

  However, if a merger does happen, expect others to quickly follow, write Seid

• [By Caroline Chen]

  CEOs were replaced at Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. (CP) and Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) after activist investor Bill Ackman pushed for shakeups. Greg Taxin�� Clinton Group Inc. prompted management changes at Nutrisystem Inc. (NTRI) and Wet Seal Inc. (WTSL) in the past year.

• [By Marshall Hargrave]

  Has the market lost faith in Ackman that quickly? Granted, the media has had a field day over the J.C. Penney (NYSE: JCP) debacle, not to mention the virtual implosion of his Herbalife (NYSE: HLF) short. However, Ackman is coming off one of his biggest wins with Canadian Pacific Railway (NYSE: CP), which also happens to be in the industrials sector. His Pershing Square hedge fund managed to make 2.5 times its money in just around two years at Canadian Pacific.  

5 Best Transportation Stocks To Invest In 2014: Tallgrass Energy Partners LP (TEP)

Tallgrass Energy Partners, LP incorporated on February 6, 2013, is a limited partnership company. It provides natural gas transportation and storage services for customers in the Rocky Mountain and Midwest regions of the United States through its Tallgrass Interstate Gas transportation system and processing services for customers in Wyoming through its Midstream Facilities. The Company operates in two segments: Gas Transportation and Storage and Processing. The Gas Transportation and Storage segment is engaged in ownership and operation of interstate natural gas pipelines and related natural gas storage facilities that provide services to third-party natural gas distribution utilities and other shippers. The Processing segment is engaged in ownership and operation of natural gas processing and treating facilities that produce natural gas liquids and residue gas that is sold in local wholesale markets or delivered into pipelines for transportation to additional end markets.

The Company provides processing services for customers in Wyoming through its Casper and Douglas natural gas processing and West Frenchie Draw natural gas treating facilities. The Casper and Douglas plants have combined capacity of 138.5 138.5 MMcf/d. The Company has its operations in Lakewood, Colarado. The Company owns and natural gas processing plants in Casper and Douglas, Wyoming and a natural gas treating facility at West Frenchie Draw, Wyoming through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Tallgrass Midstream, LLC.

The Company competes with Kinder Morgan and Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  No. 5:�Tallgrass Energy Partners (NYSE: TEP  ) , up 60.5%
  If the saying goes "when life gives you lemons, then make lemonade," then one of the themes for the energy world was if oil prices plummet, buy energy investments isolated from oil prices. Tallgrass certainly fits that bill with its interstate gas transmission lines and partial ownership of the Pony Express crude pipeline.

• [By Robert Rapier] There were a half a dozen initial public offerings (IPOs) by master limited partnerships in the first half of the year, and all but one are now in the green while one has nearly doubled in value.
  
  The first MLP IPO of 2013 debuted on Jan. 15. USA Compression Partners (NYSE: USAC), which I mentioned in last week’s issue, provides compression services for the oil and gas industry. Units have advanced 36 percent since the IPO, and at the current price yield 7.3 percent.
  
  The day after the USA Compression Partners IPO, CVR Refining (NYSE: CVRR) made its debut.  CVRR was spun off from CVR Energy (NYSE: CVI), and both companies remain majority-owned by Carl Icahn. CVR Refining’s primary assets are two refineries located in Kansas and Oklahoma with a combined processing capacity of approximately 185,000 barrels per day (bpd). These refineries are strategically located near the major Cushing, Oklahoma shipment and storage hub, with easy access to discounted feedstock from the nearby Permian basin, as well as the Bakken shale and Canadian oil sands.
  
  But refiners have struggled with diminished margins in 2013 because of a much lower Brent-WTI differential. After the recently concluded second quarter, CVRR declared a distribution of $1.35 per unit, bringing its per-unit distributions for the first half of the year to $2.93. At the same time, CVR Refining lowered its annual distribution target to a range of $4.10 to $4.80 per unit. This was lower than the outlook issued in March, when it foresaw annual distributions of $5.50 to $6.50. CVRR units slid on the news, and are presently trading slightly below the $25 IPO price. The lower end of the revised forecast implies distributions of $1.17 per unit in the second half of the year, for a forward annualized yield of 10 percent based on the recent $23.50 unit price.
  
  SunCoke Energy Partners (NYSE: SXCP) was the third IPO to debut during a very busy third week of January. SXCP is the first M
• [By Robert Rapier]

  Tallgrass Energy Partners (NYSE: TEP) is a midstream limited partnership that provides natural gas transportation and storage services in the Rocky Mountain and Midwest regions of the US. The partnership launched on May 13, 2013 and in late June increased EBITDA guidance above analysts’ expectations, causing units to climb nearly 21 percent by year-end. In December TEP reiterated guidance for 1.2x distribution coverage for the entire year. The partnership recently declared a distribution of $0.3150 per unit for the fourth quarter of 2013 – a 5.9 percent increase from the Q3 2013 distribution. TEP’s annualized yield based on the most recent distribution is 4.8 percent, its current EV is $1.28 billion and its total debt/equity (mrq) is 30.5 percent.

• [By Aimee Duffy]

  Tallgrass Energy Partners (NYSE: TEP  ) followed closely behind, going public on May 14. This midstream company picked up some of Kinder Morgan Energy Partners'�western-based natural gas assets when KMP was forced to divest them to receive the Department of Justice's blessing on the El Paso acquisition.

5 Best Transportation Stocks To Invest In 2014: United Parcel Service Inc.(UPS)

United Parcel Service, Inc., a package delivery company, provides transportation, logistics, and financial services in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: U.S. Domestic Package, International Package, and Supply Chain & Freight. The U.S. Domestic Package segment engages in the time-definite delivery of letters, documents, and packages in the United States. The International Package segment offers air and ground delivery of small packages and letters to approximately 220 countries and territories, including shipments outside the United States, as well as shipments with either origin or distribution outside the United States; export services; and domestic services move shipments within a country?s borders. The Supply Chain & Freight segment provides forwarding and logistics services, such as supply chain design and management, freight distribution, customs brokerage, mail, and consulting services in approximately 195 countries and territorie s; and less-than-truckload and truckload services to customers in North America. In addition, the company offers various technology solutions for automated shipping, visibility, and billing; information technology systems and distribution facilities to various industries comprising healthcare, technology, and consumer/retail; and a portfolio of financial services that provides customers with short-term working capital, government guaranteed lending, global trade financing, credit cards, and export financing. It operates a fleet of approximately 99,800 package cars, vans, tractors, and motorcycles; an air fleet of 527 aircraft; and 33,800 containers used to transport cargo in its aircraft. The company was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Gary Bourgeault]

  UPS debacle
  United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS  ) was probably the biggest victim of Amazon.com's success, taking a big beating in the press as it scrambled to meet the promised delivery of packages by Amazon to customers. It wasn't able to do so, and has suffered a public-relations disaster as a result.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Moreover, FedEx's (NYSE: FDX  ) moves to emphasize ground transportation have created a more competitive environment against its rival United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS  ) , and the changing dynamics in the industry have implications for trucking companies as well. As the biggest shipping companies rely more on ground-based solutions for moving goods, JB Hunt's freight services have the opportunity to benefit from the higher demand for trucking and intermodal services.

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  United Parcel Service is a package delivery company that offers its services to consumers and companies around the world. The company�on Friday warned it would miss its fourth-quarter earnings targets. The stock has been surging higher over the last several years, but is now pulling back. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been mixed while revenues have been increasing which has produced conflicting feelings among investors about recent earnings announcements. Relative to its peers and sector, United Parcel Service has been an average year-to-date performer. WAIT AND SEE what United Parcel Services does this quarter.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS  ) is expected to report Q2 earnings on July 23. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

  The 10-second takeaway
  Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict United Parcel Service's revenues will increase 1.8% and EPS will decrease -1.7%.

5 Best Transportation Stocks To Invest In 2014: Navios Maritime Partners LP (NMM)

Navios Maritime Partners L.P. (Navios Partners) is an international owner and operator of dry cargo vessels formed by Navios Holdings. Navios GP L.L.C. (the General Partner), a wholly owned subsidiary of Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. (Navios Holdings) acts as the general partner of Navios Partners and received a 2% general partner interest in Navios Partners. Navios Partners is engaged in the seaborne transportation services of a range of drybulk commodities, including iron ore, coal, grain and fertilizer, chartering its vessels under medium to long-term charters. On May 19, 2011, Navios Partners acquired from Navios Holdings the Navios Orbiter, a 76,602 deadweight Panamax vessel. On May 19, 2011, Navios Partners acquired from Navios Holdings the Navios Luz. In June 2012, the Company purchased the Navios Buena Ventura, a 2010 South-Korean-built Capesize vessel of 179,259 dwt from Navios Maritime Holdings Inc.

The Company is an international owner and operator of drybulk carriers formed by Navios Maritime Holdings Inc., a vertically integrated seaborne shipping company. Its vessels are chartered-out under medium to long-term time charters with an average remaining term of approximately four years to a group of counterparties, consisting of Cosco Bulk Carrier Co. Ltd., Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd., Samsun Logix, STX Panocean, Sanko Steamship Co. Ltd., Daiichi Chuo Kisen Kaisha, Augustea Imprese Maritime, Rio Tinto, Constellation Energy Group and Mansel.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� fleet consisted of 11 Panamax vessels, six Capesize vessels and one Ultra-Handymax vessel. Its fleet of dry cargo vessels has an average age of approximately 5.6 years. Panamax vessels are flexible vessels capable of carrying a range of drybulk commodities, including iron ore, coal, grain and fertilizer. All of its vessels operate under medium to long-term time charters of three or more years at inception with counterparties. It also operates vessels in the spot market until the vessels have! been fixed under appropriate medium to long-term charters.

The Company competes with China Ocean Shipping, China Shipping Group, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Kawasaki Kisen, Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Cargill, Pacific Basin Shipping, Bocimar, Zodiac Maritime, Louis Dreyfus/Cetragpa, Cobelfret and Torvald Klaveness.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  If you're reading this, then odds are you already know shipping stocks like Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE:DSX), Safe Bulkers, Inc. (NYSE:SB), and Navios Maritime Partners L.P. (NYSE:NMM) are all up big-time today, and up nicely for the week, for that matter. SB is up 11% for the day, NMM is up 6% for the week, while DSX is higher by 8% for the session, snapping a surprisingly-long weak streak.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  The index includes everything from behemoths like Enterprise Product Partners (NYSE: EPD) and Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (NYSE: KMP) down to a pair with market capitalizations under $1 billion in Martin Midstream Partners (NASDAQ: MMLP) and Navios Maritime Partners (NYSE: NMM). The total market cap of the index is $328 billion, and its one-, three- and five-year total returns are 20 percent, 48 percent and 194 percent. The index yield is 6 percent.

• [By Igor Greenwald]

  Our Aggressive Portfolio already includes one beneficiary of these trends��avios Maritime Partners (NMM), a partnership with 25 dry bulk carriers, and now, five newly-acquired container ships.

• [By Robert Rapier]

  Some of our portfolio picks that are suitable for IRA accounts include Kinder Morgan (KMI), Williams (WMB), Targa Resources (TRGP) and Navios Maritime Partners (NMM).