Monthly Archives: July 2017

Infrastructure is a topic most of us dont think about. We just expect it to work in the same way we expect the lights to come on when we flip a switch. However, there has been increasing concern by trucking companies, shippers, and even the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that the infrastructure we all count on safe roads, bridges, waterways is showing its age and in need of repair.

That is not surprising when you realize that our interstate highway system was created in the 1950s. Since that time, commercial and passenger traffic has grown exponentially, while arguably, investments and repairs have not kept pace. According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Americas roads are often crowded, frequently in poor condition, chronically underfunded, and dangerous.

The ASCE recently gave our roads and bridges a score of D+ on a scale of A-F, with F being a failing grade. Their report also puts a price tag on the congestion that they say impacts every two out of five miles of Americas urban interstates $160 billion in wasted time and fuel in the calendar year 2014 alone.

For supply chain managers, the impact of our nations infrastructure is about more than a long commute to work. It is about delays that could make it harder to get products to market and more difficult to compete, as well as potential capacity issues as carriers strive to deliver just-in-time service while dealing with congestion, poor road conditions, and increased costs for fuel and labor when trucks are forced to sit in traffic.

Many groups and advocates are proposing a variety of solutions to the current and pending infrastructure crisis in America. While we may be limited in our ability to impact the governments plan for infrastructure, we can take advantage of technology to mitigate the impacts of the issue on our businesses and supply chains.

Here are the top four ways that a Transportation Management System (TMS) can help you navigate the often crowded road ahead.

Routing

One of the most common features of a TMS solution is its ability to route freight movements. If your TMS provides control tower visibility across both inbound and outbound shipments, the technology can help you find the most direct routes and eliminate empty miles. And with flexible and customizable TMS solutions, you can proactively plan around areas of gridlock. This will keep your freight moving, not stuck in traffic.

Mode optimization

With a TMS that has a single platform for all modes of transportation parcel, less-than-truckload, truckload, ocean, air, rail, and intermodal you can optimize loads. For example, several small parcels can become one less-than-truckload (LTL) shipment, or multiple LTL shipments can be consolidated into one truckload. A good TMS optimization tool will ensure that you have the ability to quickly review multiple scenarios, building in service commitments as well as past experience that you have had with specific carriers. You may experience a reduction in overall transportation spending, and with fewer, fuller trucks on the road, everyone benefits from less congestion on already crowded highways.

Fleet management

For companies that use a combination of a private fleet and outside carriers, deciding how to best utilize all of these assets can be a challenge. For example, should you move a shipment from Charlotte, NC to Miami, FL on your private fleet when the chances are the truck will return from Miami empty? If so, can you search your entire network for a backhaul opportunity? A TMS that offers fleet management solutions can help you make those types of decisions and can also help you to maximize all of your assets, with complete and current data about drivers, equipment and operations. If a driver is stuck in a traffic jam and nearing the end of their hours of service (HOS), that is information you need sooner, rather than later.

Access to capacity for backhauls

TMS solutions can also offer quick and easy access to information about available capacity, helping you to secure backhauls to offset imbalances. Some systems provide you with the ability to view all of the options available on private and public bid boards, and you can save time by using automated email messages regarding loads. Again, this will help you avoid empty miles, which add unnecessary costs to your supply chain and place even more strain on the nations roads and highways.

When it comes to infrastructure, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sums up the issue very succinctly, Most Americans agree that our roads, bridges, mass transit systems, air, and seaports and water infrastructure are critical national assets that drive growth, jobs, and global competitiveness. What we cant seem to agree on is how to pay for badly needed maintenance and repairs.

Clearly there is not an easy or obvious solution. But, technology solutions like TMSs can help supply chain managers avoid extra costs and gain efficiency even when dodging potholes.

Karen Sage isMercuryGatesChief Marketing Officer (CMO) responsible for the companys global marketing, communications, sales enablement, and go-to-market efforts. She is a veteran with 20+ years of experience in business-to-business marketing and communications helping several industry leaders launch disruptive new categories, accelerate revenue growth, build leadership brands, and establish marketing organizations that scale globally. She comes to MercuryGate most recently from the spend management solution provider, SciQuest. Prior to SciQuest, she was at CA Technologies where she served as vice president of marketing leading rapid growth initiatives. Her experiences leading growth also include multiple leadership roles during a 15-year stint at Cisco. Karen started her career having invented the NETSYS Performance tools at NETSYS Technologies, Inc., which was acquired by Cisco in 1996.

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America's Infrastructure Remains a Topic of Spirited Debate: How Can TMS Help Users of the Nation's Highways Avoid ... - Logistics Viewpoints (blog)

Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) shares are moving today onvolatility10.00% or $0.005 from the open.TheTSXV listed companysaw a recent bid of0.055 and62000shares have traded hands in the session.

Stock market investing can sometimes cause investors heads to spin. Following stocks on a daily basis, it is plain to see the amount of coverage that follows certain companies. This non-stop barrage of information may eventually become overwhelming for the novice investor. Filtering through all the data may involve taking a look at a company or stock from multiple angles. There are many investors out there that preach strictly following fundamental data. There are others that swear by the technical analysis. Many investors will opt to employ a research strategy that involves pieces of the two approaches. Knowing every little detail about a company may not be overly necessary, but it may help provide a bit more direction when navigating the stock market maze. Investors who put in the time to study all the fundamentals may want to also start watching the charts on stock that they are thinking about adding to the portfolio. Making sure that no stone is left unturned when examining a stock may end up being the difference between a big winner and a big loser.

Now letstake a look at how the fundamentals are stacking up for Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V). Fundamental analysis takes into consideration market, industry and stock conditions to help determine if the shares are correctly valued. Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. currently has a yearly EPS of -0.11. This number is derived from the total net income divided by shares outstanding. In other words, EPS reveals how profitable a company is on a share owner basis.

Another key indicator that can help investors determine if a stock might be a quality investment is the Return on Equity or ROE. Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) currently has Return on Equity of -124.73. ROE is a ratio that measures profits generated from the investments received from shareholders. In other words, the ratio reveals how effective the firm is at turning shareholder investment into company profits. A company with high ROE typically reflects well on management and how well a company is run at a high level. A firm with a lower ROE might encourage potential investors to dig further to see why profits arent being generated from shareholder money.

Another ratio we can look at is the Return on Invested Capital or more commonly referred to as ROIC. Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) has a current ROIC of -108.54. ROIC is calculated by dividing Net Income Dividends by Total Capital Invested.

Similar to ROE, ROIC measures how effectively company management is using invested capital to generate company income. A high ROIC number typically reflects positively on company management while a low number typically reflects the opposite.

Turning to Return on Assets or ROA, Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) has a current ROA of -95.05. This is a profitability ratio that measures net income generated from total company assets during a given period. This ratio reveals how quick a company can turn its assets into profits. In other words, the ratio provides insight into the profitability of a firms assets. The ratio is calculated by dividing total net income by the average total assets. A higher ROA compared to peers in the same industry, would suggest that company management is able to effectively generate profits from their assets. Similar to the other ratios, a lower number might raise red flags about managements ability when compared to other companies in a similar sector.

Investors may be taking a closer look stock market trends as we move into the second half of the year. Investors often have to grapple with the timing of selling a stock. After all the research is done and the portfolio is rounded out, the time will eventually come when decisions need to be made about whether to hold a winner or sell to lock up some profits. Often times, investors will hold on to a certain stock for much too long letting profits erode. Thinking that a hot stock will keep going higher and higher, may lead to lost profits further down the road. On the flip side, investors may become emotionally attached to a stock and not be able to part ways when the time has come. Avoiding the trap of waiting for a stock to bounce back and just break even can lead to the undoing of the portfolio. The belief that a particular stock will definitely come back to the buying level may leave investors out in the cold. Being able to keep the emotions in check and stay focused on the pertinent data, may help the stock portfolio thrive into the future.

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Placing the Spotlight on Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V): Technical Stock Update - Financial Newsweek