Being Green Can Pay Off: Fund Manager

Matt Patsky finds taking a fund green has been good not only for the environment but his investors as well.

The manager of Winslow Management's Winslow Green Growth Fund is up 11.2 percent year to date, and 22.5 percent over the last five years.

One of Patsky's favorite green stocks in the fund is United Natural Foods, which he describes as the industry leader in the distribution of natural and organic foods in the United States. 

"They have just gone through a major expansion and an acquisition," he told CNBC.  "We think they're going to return to 4 percent operating margins over the next 18 months, and the stock will lift as we see that higher operating margin."

It's a strong company in a strengthening business. 

"Organic and natural foods are going to continue to grow faster than conventional," he said. 

"We've been seeing basicallu 15 percent-plus annual growth in natural and organic ... six times that of conventional foods, and we're seeing increasing expansion in where it's carried and where it's available."

Patsky's Picks

WGGFX

Loading...

UNFI

Loading...

SPWR

Loading...

Sunpower, a company that manufactures solar panels, is another Patsky favorite.  It's the largest installer of residential solar-power systems in energy-conscious (and sunny) California.

Pansky said Sunpower's panels are "22 percent more efficient in their modules versus the industry average ... it's become the logical choice whenever you're dealing with high real-estate costs." 

Patsky does not personally own either stock but Winslow Green Growth owns both.