Based on the aggregated intelligence of 165,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, offshore energy supply company Tidewater (NYSE: TDW) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Tidewater's business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

Tidewater facts

Headquarters (Founded)

New Orleans (1956)

Market Cap

$2.2 billion

Industry

Oil and gas equipment and services

Trailing-12-Month Revenue

$1.2 billion

Management

CEO Dean Taylor (since 2002)

CFO Quinn Fanning (since 2008)

Return on Equity (Average, Past 3 Years)

16.3%

Cash/Debt

$233.1 million / $300 million

Dividend Yield

2.4%

Competitors

Hornbeck Offshore (NYSE: HOS)

Gulfmark Offshore (NYSE: GLF)

Source: Capital IQ (a division of Standard & Poor's) and Motley Fool CAPS.

On CAPS, 97% of the 786 members who have rated Tidewater believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward. These bulls include johnnykillz and tax482.

About two months ago , johnnykillz tapped Tidewater as a particularly slick selection:

Bottom-feeding on the offshore oil services industry. Not everyone of them will do a Deepwater Doo Doo and we still gots to have oil! This one is trading under book value with little debt and a steady 2.4% yield.

As the world's largest operator of offshore supply vessels, Tidewater continues to be one of the more interesting ways to play the uncertainty surrounding the Gulf of Mexico. Despite having the vast majority of its fleet in international markets, Tidewater's shares have been pounded 20% over the past three months. While smaller, more highly levered players with younger fleets such as Hornbeck and Gulfmark seem to offer more upside, Tidewater's global reach and rock-solid financial position make it a better choice for more conservative tastes.

CAPS member tax482 drills deeper into the bull case:

Moderate to low exposure to Gulf, suggesting recent hit to price driven by overreaction. Strong balance sheet allowing it to update its fleet, particularly if anticipated spike in inflation holds off for 18-24 months (likely of W or slow U recovery) positioning it to take advantage of any subsequent oil price increases (inflation or demand driven). Ship building backlog large but overall need for ship replacement due to aging likely greater than replacement capabilities, keeping supply in check vs. demand for ship services such as those provided by [Tidewater].

What do you think about Tidewater, or any other stock for that matter? If you want to retire rich, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Owning exceptional stocks is a surefire way to secure your financial future, and on Motley Fool CAPS, thousands of investors are working every day to find them. CAPS is 100% free, so get started!