KeyCorp (KEY), NRG Energy Inc (NRG), TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. (TRW): Carlson Capital’s Top Stock Picks

Like most energy sector companies, NRG Energy Inc (NYSE:NRG) has endured a rocky run since the middle of 2014, with its stock losing 37% since then. It was also one of the top losers on April 1, falling by more than 6% after a ruling by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission went against PJM Interconnection, with whom NRG Energy Inc (NYSE:NRG) derives some of its energy capacity. Despite that, NRG increased its dividend slightly in 2015, improving its dividend yield to 2.46%, and plans to repurchase $100 million worth of shares, taking advantage of the stock’s reduced price.

After skipping Carlson’s sixth pick Allergan, which was bought by Actavis plc (NYSE:ACT), we come to TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. (NYSE:TRW), the fund’s seventh top pick, as it has a position of 1.35 million shares valued at $138.44 million, up by 91% during the quarter. That still left it behind a number of other bullish investors, the majority of whom increased their position during the last quarter also, with that group being led by Matthew Halbower’s Pentwater Capital Management, which has a 4.85 million share position, up 13% during the fourth quarter.

After a huge two-year run from the middle of 2012 until the middle of 2014 that saw shares nearly triple in value, TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. (NYSE:TRW) has leveled off, and is actually down slightly from its peak in late July. The automotive parts, modules, and systems manufacturer had sales of $17.5 billion in 2014 and employs 65,000 people in 24 countries around the world. Though it hasn’t yet been finalized, TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. (NYSE:TRW) has also been purchased, by German car-parts supplier ZF Friedrichshafen. The merged company would be the second-largest auto parts supplier in the world.

Disclosure: None