Tag - Science

<p>This week, we feature three advisers who see large potential gains from the &ldquo;smallest&rdquo; of ideas&mdash;nanotechnology. This broad field involves the study and manipulation of matter at an atomic level. Given that this is a new and developing field, investors in nanotech should have a long-term view.</p> <p>For those willing to incur the higher risks of selecting an individual stock in the nanotech space, we turn to two emerging growth experts. First, Gregg Early, editor of The Real Nanotech Investor, considers <strong>Maxwell Technologies</strong> (Nasdaq: <a target="_blank" href="/quotes?symbol=mxwl">MXWL</a>), a stock with a market cap of $246 million, among his favorite speculative buys.</p> <p>&ldquo;The company specializes in a very arcane field, even by nanotech standards. Maxwell is one of the few companies involved in developing capacitors and increasingly, ultracapacitors,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;This new generation of capacitor has the potential to revolutionize motive and stationary power storage and distribution as we know it.&rdquo;</p> <p>According to Early, the company was recently awarded a contract by Mercedes Car Group to design and produce ultracapacitors for an advanced engineering hybrid-electric drive train program that increases fuel efficiency and reduces emissions.</p> <p>&ldquo;This is also a very good sign for Maxwell because its new CEO, David Schramm, hails from the auto industry,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Landing a deal with a major innovator like Mercedes is an optimistic sign of things to come.&rdquo;</p> <p>Early said that the company's technology is also being used in programs with German wind power companies and has also made great progress with power distribution companies in China.</p>

This week, we feature three advisers who see large potential gains from the “smallest” of ideas—nanotechnology. This broad field involves the study and manipulation of matter at an atomic level. Given that this is a new and developing field, investors in nanotech should have a long-term view.

For those willing to incur the higher risks of selecting an individual stock in the nanotech space, we turn to two emerging growth experts. First, Gregg Early, editor of The Real Nanotech Investor, considers Maxwell Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: MXWL), a stock with a market cap of $246 million, among his favorite speculative buys.

“The company specializes in a very arcane field, even by nanotech standards. Maxwell is one of the few companies involved in developing capacitors and increasingly, ultracapacitors,” he said. “This new generation of capacitor has the potential to revolutionize motive and stationary power storage and distribution as we know it.”

According to Early, the company was recently awarded a contract by Mercedes Car Group to design and produce ultracapacitors for an advanced engineering hybrid-electric drive train program that increases fuel efficiency and reduces emissions.

“This is also a very good sign for Maxwell because its new CEO, David Schramm, hails from the auto industry,” he said. “Landing a deal with a major innovator like Mercedes is an optimistic sign of things to come.”

Material sciences company Hoku Scientific (Nasdaq: HOKU) said after the close Wednesday that one of its units, Hoku Materials, will sell and deliver polysilicon to Global Expertise Wafer Division, a subsidiary of Solar-Fabrik AG (SFXG.DE). 

Under the contract, up to approximately $185 million may be payable to Hoku Materials. The contract is good for a seven-year period beginning in 2009.

"We are pleased to have signed this agreement with Global Expertise Wafer Division, and look forward to supporting the long-term growth and success of the Solar-Fabrik family of companies," said Dustin Shindo, CEO of Hoku Scientific. "Solar-Fabrik's integration strategy and business model make them an ideal partner for Hoku Materials."

The contract, which provides for the delivery of predetermined volumes of polysilicon each year at set prices, contains an initial direct deposit of $2 million to Hoku Materials upon signing. The contract also requires that Global Expertise Wafer Division make additional prepayments prior to the first shipment in the amount of $51 million if Hoku Materials' successfully delivers.