On the heels of President Obama's visit to Cuba, General Electric Co. and other companies based in the long-embargoed nation have begun signing memorandums of understanding about future business — including in the energy and health care arenas, according to the Wall Street Journal and other sources.

“While we are at the early stages of evaluating the market potential, we believe that Cuba has needs in areas where GE has solutions, particularly in health care and infrastructure,” GE spokesman Josef Skoldeberg told USA Today, adding that “any commercial activity will adhere to U.S. policy and licensing requirements.”

The memorandums have been seen as enticing to Wall Street — a possible harbinger that big deals could be in the offing for firms willing to take on the risk in a country that needs... well, a lot.

"Part of what GE is able to do, is that they don't have to wait for economic development in a country to get to an emerging-market status, which has become pretty much a standard requirement for manufacturers of finished industrial goods," William Blair analyst Nick Heymann said in a phone interview Wednesday with the Wall Street Journal's Real Money, "GE's able to come in and say, 'How can we turn your lights on?'"

At first, basic infrastructure will likely be the best opportunity for the company, noted Heymann. "The road networks in Cuba aren't particularly well developed, and GE has an opportunity to put in a rail network like the ones they are building in South Africa."

Cuba is going to be a big opportunity for everybody, and GE, he added, is "going to be able to start inking deals soon, but they are not going to be able to start work tomorrow. There are still a lot of issues to work out."

Despite the political controversy swirling around the president's visit, clearly U.S. businesses have no problem making money from dealings with Marxists. So far some of the deals, according to CBS News include:

1. Thirteen airlines have applied to the DOT for direct flights to Havana.
2. Airbnb is unleashing its disruptive might by hooking up American tourists with Cuban hostels.
3. Carnival Cruises is likely to announce docking plans in the near future.
4. Colgate-Palmolive is planning to start up its Bright Smiles program.
5. Google has reportedly reached a deal to help the country with greater Internet access.
6. Marriott is planning moves, including its recently acquired Starwood three-hotel Cuban deal.
7. Verizon has signed with Cuba's ETECSA for voice services between the island nation and the U.S.
8. Western Union is setting up services for wiring money to Cuba.
9. PR firm Weber Shandwick is talking to the Cuban government about getting the nod to move into the PR and marketing arena.