That first part is the painful cheer of my University - *shakes head*
None the less, the world’s got problems ahead when it comes to Water. I went through PHO, skimmed every 2007 report, and came to some conclusions…PHO sucks as a ‘water’ play. Tons of noise and random other segments. As far off the topic as ‘Defense’ and ‘Oil’. Also, too much emphasis on infrastructure, which is debatably not the best way to play it…I want to be in the names purifying, measuring it, desalinating if possible.
After my analysis, if you’re going to own PHO - well don’t. Instead, pick up these names:
AMN, DHR, CCC, PNR, TTEK, BMI/ITRI
They are the leaders of the fund, in my opinion, they are the ones offsetting the dogs. They still span the major areas that the rest of the stocks do and even still include some noise (eg DHR).
I liked TTEK and AMN, cause they are in ‘wind’ as well. TTEK was the only company (that wasn’t a directionless conglomerate) that was into desalination. BMI/ITRI have the market cornered on automatic metering….for now (boom/bust cycle happening there forsure). CCC is into purifying water and air, and they add ultra-violet light systems exposure. I have an ultra-violet light water purfication system at my cottage - it kicks ass.
I think I’m buying ITRI, CCC, and TTEK.
Update: New friend Buck Woodford, money runner at Teewinot Asset Management, likes TTEK too, he picked it before reading this piece, and it was in my head as the top choice (or the 3) before he added his two cents. Great minds think alike I guess 
May 19th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
man, you and i seem to share similar thoughts on a lot of things, its almost scary haha. i was just looking at PHO last month and was pissed off that it wasn’t really that great of a water play. I just hadn’t gotten around to examining each component as you’ve done to figure out which ones to play. nice work
I’ll definitely be checking into all of those.
May 19th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
What about the regulated water utilities? Kinda like owning the railroad track and the power line. They should have pricing power, too. Any reason you’re not interested in these?
CWT, YORW, to name a few.
May 19th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
Madhatter - scary eh, but that’s how a market works, one guy buys a stock gives his pitch, and passes on the word.
Ross - I looked at some, as some were in PHO, but didn’t see CWT and YORW. You’re right they will have pricing power, but they are going to be the ones buying the purification systems. Besides I’m not a billionair yet, I can’t own 10 water stocks…haha.
May 19th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
TODO: look into A Company called ‘Energy Recovery’ and ‘HYFLUX’
May 19th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
I think you may be onto something with TTEK…
May 20th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
TTEK’s third try up thru 25.25 is has good odds to keep going. we’re adding at 24.75 and hope to add more if it acts right.
May 24th, 2008 at 12:17 am
[…] Tech: Water, Water Everywhere; Time to Wade In? Smarter minds than mine have been wading into water this week. It’s a part of the clean tech space that I’ve neglected thus […]
May 29th, 2008 at 12:34 am
Besides water, AMN does wind too apparently, which I didn’t know. They’re involved making the actual towers.
July 11th, 2008 at 6:22 pm
I enjoyed your writing style and I’ve added you to my Reader. Keep these posts coming.