Showing posts with label best way to invest in 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label best way to invest in 2012. Show all posts

3 Undervalued Tech Stocks to Buy in 2012

When investors see the words “undervalued tech stocks,” the first companies that jump to mind are probably the mega-cap giants like Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT). The large-cap space certainly has more than its share of cheap tech stocks, but a look into mid- and small-cap territory reveals other, less talked-about opportunities. Computer Sciences (NYSE:CSC), Lexmark International (NYSE:LXK), and China Digital TV (NYSE:STV), are three such stocks that deserve more attention than they receive.
3 Undervalued Tech Stocks to Buy in 2012 - Computer Sciences
Shares of CSC, an IT-outsourcing company, have been pummeled from a February high above $56 to $37.20 on Wednesday. The stock has been hit by less-than-stellar earnings results and concerns that the U.S. government’s perilous fiscal situation will weigh on the 39% of CSC’s business that comes from federal contracts. That’s undoubtedly a legitimate worry, but also one that is well-known at this point. At 7.3 times 2012 estimates (and a price-to-earnings-to-growth ratio of 0.9) and a share price sitting at 0.8 times book value, it appears that the bad news is fully discounted in the stock. Two other key points regarding CSC: first, the stock yields 2.2% – much better than you’ll find with the average large-cap tech stock. Second, the company is cash-rich and is frequently mentioned as a target of a buyout. Betting on a takeover is always a dicey proposition, but CSC offers investors a solid risk-reward tradeoff even without the benefit of a buyout.
Keep in mind: The last time CSC’s P/E was at this level, the stock traded up 25% in less than two months.
3 Undervalued Tech Stocks to Buy in 2012 - Lexmark International
A maker of printers, ink, and imaging products, Lexmark has seen its shares come under heavy selling pressure since late 2010 – a trend that wasn’t helped by its May earnings miss. While the printing business is indeed in gradual decline, it may finally be time to say “enough is enough” regarding the downturn in Lexmark’s share price. After hitting a high above $47 in mid-October, the stock now stands at $28.62. At this level, the stock trades at forward P/E of less than 7x, and removing the net cash of $7 a share (about a quarter of its market cap) on its balance sheet brings the P/E below 5.5x. A low P/E can be a trap when growth is slowing, of course, but the company’s core ink business continues to generate substantial free cash flow. And like CSC, Lexmark has the added benefit of being a strong candidate for an eventual takeover.
Keep in mind: The recent selloff has driven LXK’s valuation to its lowest level in history.
3 Undervalued Tech Stocks to Buy in 2012 - China Digital TV
The smallest of the three companies discussed here, China Digital could offer big potential to patient investors. The company makes smart cards that allow the conversion of an analog signal to digital. A boring business perhaps, but consider that China is the world’s largest TV market with 377 million viewing households. Of these, 187 million have cable and only 90 million currently have a digital signal. This adds up to a stellar growth opportunity for a company with no debt and over 70% of its market cap accounted for by the $214 million of cash on its balance sheet. The stock trades for less than 7x 2012 earnings estimates and a PEG of just over 0.4. Chinese stocks are not without risk, as 2011 has taught us, but patient investors who tune into STV may be in for quite a show.

Keep in Mind: Like LXK, CSC trades at an all-time low P/E.
Technology investing has been no picnic for investors thus far in 2011, but these stocks provide a compelling margin of safety in the event of further volatility in the months ahead.

High Dividend Stocks For 2013

Go Global for Bigger Dividends, Growth

How is a prudent, conscientious person supposed to retire these days? The mutual fund industry tells you to invest in their low-dividend (or no-dividend) funds and hope the capital gains will be enough to carry you through. As we’ve seen in the past decade, though, the gains don’t always materialize when you need them. What then?
High-dividend stocks. Rather than buying an index fund yielding only 1.8%, you should choose carefully among high-dividend stocks. And while there are dividend stocks on our own shores that may fit the bill, investors who are willing to look beyond our borders can find generous yields with greater growth potential.
Here are seven top global dividend stocks to buy:

High Dividend Stocks For 2013#1 – Cellcom Israel (CEL)

Cellcom Israel (NYSE: CEL)Recommended by: Richard Band, Editor, Profitable Investing
Cellcom Israel (NYSE: CEL), Israel’s largest wireless carrier with 34% of the market, just declared its first quarterly dividend for 2011 — the equivalent of 85.7 cents (U.S.) per share. Annualized, that works out to a super-sweet yield of almost 11%!
CEL hands over virtually all its profits to shareholders as dividends, so there’s a chance the company may have to trim the payout in future quarters if business hits a speed bump. On the other hand, this “pay it all out” policy (similar to the approach taken by most U.S. master-limited partnerships) imposes rigorous capital allocation discipline on management. In short, Cellcom execs don’t waste money.
Buy dividend stock CEL on a pullback below $33.

High Dividend Stocks For 2013 #2 – Aberdeen Chile Fund (CH)

Chilean FlagRecommended by: Bryan Perry, Editor, Cash Machine
One of my mega-themes for 2011 (and beyond) is the emergence of certain South American countries toward becoming developed nations. At the forefront of this movement, most would argue for Brazil, but within the past year, it has become evident that Chile might be the first to become a comparable neighbor to that of its northern counterparts, the United States and Canada.
Because many of the companies that thrive in the Chilean economy are not listed here in the United States, I find it suitable to embrace the Chilean investment theme with the purchase of the Aberdeen Chile Fund (AMEX: CH), a closed-end fund that has been a star performer in 2010. CH traded ex-dividend on March 29, and after hitting $23, it is now trading back down to support near $21 where a good entry point can be established while locking in a 9.61% dividend yield. Shares of CH should make their way back to $26. Buy CH up to $22.

High Dividend Stocks For 2013#3 – Telkom Indonesia (TLK)

Telkom Indonesia (NYSE: TLK) Recommended by: Richard Band, Editor, Profitable Investing
The mantra here is “free cash flow.” In recent years, Telkom Indonesia (NYSE: TLK), the dominant provider of both fixed-line and wireless communications in sprawling Indonesia, has poured huge sums into upgrading its networks. Now the company has the luxury of throttling back a bit.
Starting in 2011, each sales dollar (rupiah, actually) will generate more profit — along with a surge of cash that can be distributed to shareholders. I predict, in fact, that Indonesia’s largest telco will boost its dividend more than 30% by 2013 (from a 2010 base). That’s the kind of growth you want in retirement! Current yield, based on my estimate of 2011 dividends, is 4.8%. Buy TLK up to $36.

High Dividend Stocks For 2013 #4 – ING Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund (IAE)

Asia MapRecommended by: Bryan Perry, Editor, Cash Machine
We are witnessing the re-acceleration of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) following a period of consolidated growth. The BRICs are enjoying renewed gross domestic product (GDP) expansion in the first quarter of 2011, especially China, and revving up for a strong year following a full six-month correction.
Pacific Rim countries will lead the way, making the ING Asia Pacific High Dividend Equity Income Fund (NYSE: IAE) an attractive buy after trading ex-dividend on April 1. With the stock sitting right on its 200-day moving average at $18.50, sporting a current dividend yield of 9.12%, it’s timely to pick up some shares. Buy IAE under $21.

High Dividend Stocks For 2013 #5 – CPFL Energia S.A. (CPL)

CPFL Energia S.A. (NYSE: CPL)
marketing copy
Recommended by: Louis Navellier, Global Growth
It is a well-known fact that electricity consumption grows faster than the rate of growth of the economy. This is because as people build their wealth, they consume more. They buy bigger houses, they get more appliances and technology and such. Also, as industries enter a growth phase, they tend to use more power.
Because of the above characteristics, electric utilities in emerging markets are the first to see their businesses flourish. Brazil’s CPFL Energia S.A. (NYSE: CPL) distributes electricity to 6.4 million customers in about 570 communities, primarily in the states of Sao Paulo and Rio Grande do Sul. CPFL Energia also owns hydroelectric power plants and trades wholesale power in the open market and offers energy management services. Management estimates show that the company provides about 13% of Brazil’s electricity.
The company currently has a 6.9% dividend yield and should also benefit from a strong “currency tailwind” from the Brazilian real. The Brazilian real is a very strong currency as the central bank there maintains the highest real interest rates among major emerging economies. The shares offer a rare combination of both a high dividend yield and high growth rates, which makes them a great buy. Currently trading around $88, buy CPL on a pullback.

High Dividend Stocks For 2013 #6 – Telenor (TELNY)

Telenor (OTC: TELNY) Recommended by: Richard Band, Editor, Profitable Investing
Why would you want to own a telco in Norway? For one thing, as a hedge against the ruinous financial policies of the U.S. government. Thanks to prudent management of the country’s oil revenues, Norway has run a budget surplus every year since 1995. The Norwegian currency (krone), in which Telenor (OTC: TELNY) reports its profits (and pays its dividends), is sounder than both the euro and the U.S. dollar.
But there’s more to this story. TELNY has expanded far beyond its Norwegian base, with mobile and broadband operations in Sweden, Denmark, central and eastern Europe, plus five Asian countries. As a result, little-known Telenor is one of Europe’s fastest-growing telecom businesses. Sales will likely pass $19 billion in 2011. Current yield: 4.2%. Dividends have nearly quadrupled over the past seven years. This year’s dividend amounts to only about half of TELNY’s estimated 2011 profits, so an increase of 10% or so seems probable when the board declares next year’s payout. Buy TELNY on a pullback below $49.

High Dividend Stocks For 2013 #7 – SeaDrill (SDRL)

SeaDrill Ltd. (NYSE: SDRL) Recommended by: Bryan Perry, Editor, Cash Machine
SeaDrill Ltd. (NYSE: SDRL) is a unique opportunity for income investors seeking a pure play on deep-water drilling outside the post-BP spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The company was formed in 2005, and owns the most state-of-the-art drilling equipment in the entire industry that commands premium day rates. It is in big demand with utilization rates running near100% as big oil deposits become harder to find without going deep.
These guys operate all over the world in 15 countries on four continents, owning 54 rigs with exposure to only one rig in the Gulf of Mexico. Most of their drilling activity is off the coast of Norway and South Asia, so it has no exposure to the now unstable Middle East. However, news of ARAMCO in Saudi Arabia upping drilling production is hugely positive news for the oil and gas drilling sector. It confirms the belief that the worldwide drilling rig count will rise as well as day rates for the balance of 2011.
Shares of SeaDrill stand to trade significantly higher than its current price of $36.50, while paying a dividend yield of 7.5%. Buy SDRL under $40.

Stocks to Buy 2012 - Best Stock Picks 2012

elow is a list of my latest stock picks for 2012. These 2012 Stock Picks are my favorite stocks to buy and some of the stocks I will be trading personally. Last year, one of my top stock picks was Best Stock Picks 2012 Apple (AAPL) which I recommended at $330 per share. Apple stock recently hit $400 per share. Another one of my hot stocks to buy in 2011 was Hyperdynamics (HDY). HDY stock provided a huge gain in January and several more good rallies.

I feel 2012 will be a sideways year for stocks and the overall stock market. As you know, 2012 is an election year. Stocks could get volatile late in the year as investors position their portfolios accordingly. Check out my 2012 best stocks to buy list below.

Latest 2012 Stock Picks


Top Stock Gainers - 2012
#1 Top Stock Pick 2012 - ( Small Cap Stocks ) - Direxion Daily Small Cap Bull 3X Shares (TNA) - Direxion Daily Small Cap Bull 3X Shares (TNA) is my top stock pick for 2012. As we head into December 2011, I am fine tuning my stocks to buy given the fluid conditions we are seeing with the overall stock market and Europe. TNA is one of the most volatile ETF's you can buy but it is a play on the direction of the stock market. TNA is currently trading around $33.50, down $13 per share in just six trading days as Wall St. stresses out about the problems in Europe. Earnings here in the U.S have been strong and some can argue that the jitters we are seeing are just fluff. However, as we head into 2012, we are seeing some great stocks to buy and TNA falls into that category. I feel TNA can rally back to $48-$50 at some point in 2012 with the chance to go to $60. TNA will be my top stock to trade in 2012 given It's volatility. TNA has huge swings almost daily so you can trade it all day long. And, if you want to go short the market, try Direxion Daily Small Cap Bear 3X Shares (TZA). However, TZA is not a good long term stock to buy.

What is Direxion Daily Small Cap Bull 3X Shares (TNA)? The investment seeks daily investment results, before fees and expenses, of 300% of the price performance of the Russell 2000® Index. The fund will invest at least 80% of assets in securities that comprise the index. It will also utilize financial instruments that, in combination, provide leveraged and unleveraged exposure to the index. The fund is non-diversified. TNA fund holds a basket of stocks and bonds with the highest percentage being technology, industrials, financials, and healthcare.
If the stock market crashes, TNA will get crushed. However, I am predictiing the S&P 500 to return to 1250-1300 at some point in 2012 so TNA will be a 35-45% gainer from here. Not a bad return on your money!

Stocks to Buy 2012 - ( Technology - Mobile Phone Stocks ) - Stocks to Buy 2012 - Apple Inc. (AAPL) - Apple Inc. (AAPL) is my top large cap stock pick in 2012. The iPad 3 in expected to launch early 2012 and the iPhone 5 will hopefully arrive at the end of 2012. The passing of Steve Jobs and a key earnings miss has caused AAPL stock to sell off back into the low $360's. AAPL hit a high of $424 in late 2011. I am giving AAPL a $450 price target in 2012 which represents a 25% gain from the current stock price. AAPL will be a monster stock in 2012 as iPhones and iPads sell like crazy. There is even talk of an iTV device coming in late 2012 or early 2013. With the current stock price around $360, you can't go wrong buying AAPL stock today!

#3 Best Stock Pick 2012 - ( Rare Earth Stocks - Metals ) - MolyCorp (MCP) - MolyCorp (MCP) stock recently dropped to $26 so I decided to add this stock to my Top 2012 Stocks to Buy list. Molycorp (MCP) is by far very risky but has been thrown out with the bath water. Rare Earth stocks are out of favor right now due to the huge drops in mineral prices. However, the Mountain Pass mine will come online by mid 2012 which will allow Molycorp to start earning big money. Look for rare earth prices to stablize in early 2012 and this stock to start going back up. This is by far my boldest stock pick of 2012 and if I am right, MCP will again see $40-$45 at some point during the year.

2012 Best Dividend Stocks To Buy

How is a prudent, conscientious person supposed to retire these days? The mutual fund industry tells you to invest in their low-dividend (or no-dividend) funds and hope the capital gains will be enough to carry you through. As we’ve seen in the past decade, though, the gains don’t always materialize when you need them. What then?High-dividend stocks. Rather than buying an index fund yielding only 1.8%, you should choose carefully among high-dividend stocks. And while there are dividend stocks on our own shores that may fit the bill, investors who are willing to look beyond our borders can find generous yields with greater growth potential.Here are top global dividend stocks to buy:

2012 Best Dividend Stocks To Buy: Mosaic Company (The) (MOS)

The Mosaic Company engages in the production and marketing of concentrated phosphate- and potash-based crop nutrients for the agriculture industry worldwide. The company also offers phosphate-based animal feed ingredients; and produces and sells potash for use as fertilizers and animal feed ingredients, as well as for use in industrial applications. Its potash products are also used for de-icing and as a water softener regenerant. The company?s distribution facilities include sales offices, port terminals, crop nutrient blending and bagging facilities, and warehouses. It sells its products primarily to wholesale distributors, retail chains, cooperatives, independent retailers, and national accounts. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Minnesota. As of May 25, 2011, The Mosaic Company operates independently of Cargill, Incorporated.Advisors’ Opinion:
  • Seeking Alpha2011-9-7Mosaic (MOS) potash production capacity has grown 10% since 2006 and is expected to increase another 60% between now and 2020. And as it rises, the company’s stock seems likely to follow. Currently yielding: 0.3%

    2012 Best Dividend Stocks To Buy: Eaton Corporation (ETN)

    Eaton Corporation operates as a power management company worldwide. It provides electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution, and control; hydraulics components, systems, and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics, and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain, and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy, and safety. The company also manufactures screw-in cartridge valves, custom-engineered hydraulic valves, and manifold systems; and electrical and electromechanical systems. In addition, it designs, manufactures, and distributes intake and exhaust valves for diesel and gasoline engines; supplies electrical components for commercial and residential building applications and industrial controls for industrial equipment applications; and manufactures human machine interfaces, programmable logic controllers, and input/output devices. Further, the company also operates as a provider of customized enclosures, rack systems, and air-flow management systems to store, power, and secure mission-critical IT data center electronics; and manufacturer, distributor, and service provider of single-phase and three-phase uninterruptible power supply systems. Eaton Corporation was founded in 1916 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.Advisors’ Opinion:
  • Curtis Hesler2011-9-28Eaton Corporation (NYSE:ETN): Down 0.23% to $34.73. Eaton Corporation manufactures engineered products which serve industrial, vehicle, construction, commercial, and aerospace markets. The Company’s principal products include hydraulic products and fluid connectors, electrical power distribution and control equipment, truck drivetrain systems, engine components, and a wide variety of controls.

Top 100 Dividend Stocks to Invest in 2012

In the light of the big news about the death of Osama Bin Laden, it should be an interesting on the world markets.  That being said, no matter what happens, I think it’s fair to say that you should not let your future financial independence depend on world events such as this one. That is one reason why this monthly post is always so popular as it represents a good first step to build and improve your passive income portfolio in what could be the difference between an early & enjoyable retirement and a very late retirement where you depend on your former employer or the government to determine the level of your life. So today we resume our monthly tradition of looking at the top 100 dividend stocks in the broad based S&P500 index.
What to look for
Over the past few months, we have looked at quite a few criteria that have helped us find the best dividend stocks including current yield, dividend growth and also companies that produce solid enough earnings to keep up the dividend payments. We summed it all up when we discussed the 20 things that we look for in dividend stocks.
FTR remains once more at the top of our list although it continues to pay out much more than what it makes making its 9% dividend yield unsustainable for now.  We did review FTR in the mailing list a few months and did determine it was not a great dividend stock. Both the #2 and #3 positions are also telephone/telecom stocks. Once again, later this week, we will be focused on growth stocks as those seem to be the key to a long term dividend portfolio.
Hopefully this will help you when building your passive dividend porrtfolio.

We will be filtering out the top 100 list to find the ones that fit all of these criteria! In the meantime, here is the list!


Ticker Name Price Dividend Yield Payout Ratio Ex-Date

FTR Frontier Communications Corp 8.27 9.07 346.75 6/7/2012
WIN Windstream Corp 12.81 7.81 150.63 6/28/2012
CTL CenturyLink Inc 40.78 7.11 92.65 6/6/2012
PBI Pitney Bowes Inc 24.56 6.03 97.09 5/11/2012
RAI Reynolds American Inc 37.11 5.71 81.34 6/8/2012
MO Altria Group Inc 26.84 5.66 77.98 6/13/2012
POM Pepco Holdings Inc 19.27 5.6 173.38 6/8/2012
T AT&T Inc 31.12 5.53 52.32 7/8/2012
RRD RR Donnelley & Sons Co 18.86 5.51 96.71 8/2/2012
FE FirstEnergy Corp 39.96 5.5 85.46 5/4/2012
HCN Health Care REIT Inc 53.77 5.32 554.64 5/6/2012
LLY Eli Lilly & Co 37.01 5.29 42.75 5/11/2012
DUK Duke Energy Corp 18.65 5.25 97.07 5/18/2012
AEE Ameren Corp 29.31 5.25 264.75 6/6/2012
PGN Progress Energy Inc 47.45 5.23 83.83 7/8/2012
TEG Integrys Energy Group Inc 52.36 5.2 94.56 5/25/2012
VZ Verizon Communications Inc 37.78 5.16 213.72 7/6/2012
PPL PPL Corp 27.43 5.1 63.35 6/8/2012
CINF Cincinnati Financial Corp 31.68 5.05 68.7 6/20/2012
AEP American Electric Power Co Inc 36.48 5.04 68.04 5/6/2012
EXC Exelon Corp 42.15 4.98 54.31 5/11/2012
LO Lorillard Inc 106.5 4.88 62.68 5/26/2012
HCP HCP Inc 39.62 4.85 198.62 5/5/2012
PNW Pinnacle West Capital Corp 43.39 4.84 67.88 7/29/2012
SO Southern Co 39.04 4.84 75.75 8/4/2012
ETR Entergy Corp 69.72 4.76 48.31 5/10/2012
NI NiSource Inc 19.45 4.73 86.8 7/27/2012
BMY Bristol-Myers Squibb Co 28.1 4.7 71.24 6/29/2012
SCG SCANA Corp 41.52 4.67 63.56 6/8/2012
ED Consolidated Edison Inc 52.12 4.61 68.15 5/16/2012
PBCT People’s United Financial Inc 13.69 4.6 254.49 7/29/2012
DTE DTE Energy Co 50.53 4.43 58.25 6/16/2012
TE TECO Energy Inc 19.27 4.26 73.1 5/11/2012
PEG Public Service Enterprise Group Inc 32.17 4.26 44.51 6/7/2012
CNP CenterPoint Energy Inc 18.6 4.25 72.35 5/12/2012
D Dominion Resources Inc/VA 46.42 4.24 36.37 5/25/2012
CMS CMS Energy Corp 19.8 4.24 43.38 5/4/2012
KMB Kimberly-Clark Corp 66.06 4.24 58.87 6/8/2012
MRK Merck & Co Inc 35.95 4.23 549.36 6/15/2012
XEL Xcel Energy Inc 24.33 4.15 61.8 6/21/2012
VTR Ventas Inc 55.93 4.11 153.91 6/8/2012
LEG Leggett & Platt Inc 26.29 4.1 87.94 6/13/2012
PCG PG&E Corp 46.08 3.95 60.24 6/28/2012
PCL Plum Creek Timber Co Inc 43.09 3.9 134.65 5/11/2012
NEE NextEra Energy Inc 56.57 3.89 41.93 6/1/2012
PFE Pfizer Inc 20.96 3.82 72.18 5/11/2012
PAYX Paychex Inc 32.71 3.79 93.94 7/28/2012
LMT Lockheed Martin Corp 79.25 3.79 36.64 5/27/2012
CAG ConAgra Foods Inc 24.45 3.76 46.82 7/27/2012
FII Federated Investors Inc 25.78 3.73 127.68 5/4/2012
PM Philip Morris International Inc 69.44 3.69 61.77 6/21/2012
KIM Kimco Realty Corp 19.54 3.69 361.29 6/29/2012
ABT Abbott Laboratories 52.04 3.69 59.05 7/15/2012
SYY Sysco Corp 28.91 3.6 49.64 6/29/2012
SE Spectra Energy Corp 29.04 3.58 62.32 5/11/2012
RTN Raytheon Co 48.55 3.54 30.6 7/6/2012
HNZ HJ Heinz Co 51.23 3.51 58.04 6/21/2012
SRE Sempra Energy 55.1 3.49 51.56 6/14/2012
HRB H&R Block Inc 17.29 3.47 41.09 6/7/2012
JNJ Johnson & Johnson 65.72 3.47 43.54 5/26/2012
WM Waste Management Inc 39.46 3.45 63.38 5/26/2012
KFT Kraft Foods Inc 33.58 3.45 81.98 6/27/2012
CPB Campbell Soup Co 33.59 3.45 44.08 6/30/2012
MAT Mattel Inc 26.72 3.44 42.53 5/23/2012
IP International Paper Co 30.88 3.4 27.48 5/13/2012
MCHP Microchip Technology Inc 41.04 3.36 115 5/17/2012
GAS Nicor Inc 55.43 3.36 61.42 6/28/2012
HCBK Hudson City Bancorp Inc 9.53 3.36 55.05 5/3/2012
COP ConocoPhillips 78.93 3.35 27.95 5/19/2012
GPC Genuine Parts Co 53.7 3.35 54.45 6/8/2012
WEC Wisconsin Energy Corp 31.21 3.33 41.15 5/11/2012
EIX Edison International 39.27 3.26 32.91 6/28/2012
PG Procter & Gamble Co/The 64.9 3.24 48.84 7/20/2012
MTB M&T Bank Corp 88.37 3.17 48.21 5/26/2012
CLX Clorox Co 69.66 3.16 48.09 7/26/2012
NOC Northrop Grumman Corp 63.61 3.14 26.74 5/26/2012
AVP Avon Products Inc 29.38 3.13 63.71 5/18/2012
INTC Intel Corp 23.19 3.13 30.56 5/4/2012
MCD McDonald’s Corp 78.31 3.12 48.68 5/26/2012
SVU SUPERVALU Inc 11.26 3.11 N/A 5/27/2012
NUE Nucor Corp 46.96 3.09 339.9 6/28/2012
NU Northeast Utilities 35.6 3.09 46.84 5/27/2012
BMS Bemis Co Inc 31.34 3.06 50.66 5/18/2012
K Kellogg Co 57.27 3 46.83 5/27/2012
NYX NYSE Euronext 40.05 3 43.85 6/14/2012
OKE Oneok Inc 69.94 2.98 57.84 7/27/2012
MWV MeadWestvaco Corp 33.69 2.97 61.83 7/28/2012
GE General Electric Co 20.45 2.93 42.29 6/16/2012
GIS General Mills Inc 38.58 2.9 42.06 7/7/2012
DD EI du Pont de Nemours & Co 56.79 2.89 49.75 5/11/2012
VNO Vornado Realty Trust 96.68 2.86 77.37 5/5/2012
CVX Chevron Corp 109.44 2.85 29.81 5/17/2012
AVB AvalonBay Communities Inc 126.61 2.82 304.59 6/28/2012
BLK BlackRock Inc 195.94 2.81 37.62 6/3/2012
SPG Simon Property Group Inc 114.54 2.8 123.98 5/13/2012
PEP PepsiCo Inc/NC 68.89 2.79 47.92 6/1/2012
KO Coca-Cola Co/The 67.46 2.79 34.4 6/13/2012
MMC Marsh & McLennan Cos Inc 30.28 2.78 79.67 7/6/2012
UPS United Parcel Service Inc 74.97 2.77 54.73 5/19/2012
PLD ProLogis 16.29 2.76 N/A 5/11/2012

Best Stocks For 2012 - Place Your Bid on eBay Stock Now

Best Stocks For 2012 - eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY) — This online auctioneer is in reality a global commercial platform that is the largest of its kind. It owns Pay-Pal, Bill Me Later, Gmarket, GSI Commerce, Shopping .com and StubHub.
Its fourth-quarter 2011 earnings were considerably above analysts’ estimates. Currently,11 Wall Streetanalysts have a “strong buy” on Best Stocks For 2012 - EBAY, nine are a “buy,” and 13 are a “hold. There is only one who rates the stock “underperform.”
Yesterday, EBAY confirmed a major breakout through a compound top that has taken a full year to form. Heavy accumulation in the past month helped it flash a “golden cross,” a long-term buy signal. The breakout has a trading target of $41.
Trade of the Day – eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY)
Trade of the Day Chart Key

Best Stocks For 2012 - Don’t Put Any Stock in Denim

Jeans. Long ago, this word evoked the most pedestrian of images — blue, rugged, simple, cheap. But over the past few decades (and a few million acid washes and knee holes later), jeans became the stuff of high fashion, selling for exorbitant prices.
So it’s logical to think that the premier makers of high-end denim should be minting money, right? Well, not exactly. While jeans have demonstrated staying power as a fashion statement, some of the biggest names in denim are far from a long-term lock as an investment.

Best Stocks For 2012 - Guess

Of this group, Guess is the oldest and the largest. Guess was one of the premier jean brands of the 1980s, then fell by the wayside in the ’90s to Best Stocks For 2012 - Gap (NYSE:GPS), Calvin Klein and others. But since the aughts, Guess has been heading in the right direction in several areas.
Guess increased sex appeal in its ads to improve popularity. It diversified both its offerings, adding accessories and perfume, and its finances — Guess’ revenues outside the U.S. and Canada have gone from 20% of total revenues in 2005 to almost half last year. Earnings have increased an average of 28% annually in the past five years, debt is next to negligible and GES has been increasing its dividend since 2007, currently yielding 20 cents, or 2.5%.
However, Guess stock has fallen almost 30% since a November 2010 peak above $50. Its most recent quarterly earnings of 71 cents per share were down 5%, and analysts expect similar drops in earnings across the next couple quarters and FY 2012. The Street does expect GES earnings to grow 10% in FY13, but that still would far lag an industry-wide expectation of about 23%. Though it has a fair forward P/E of about 12, the growth concerns raise a red flag.

Best Stocks For 2012 - True Religion

True Religion, while still a bit diversified in its offerings, is a purer play on jeans. It’s also a worse one. True Religion is a much smaller operation than Guess, though similar in that it also sells its clothes through other retailers. Its jeans run in a range between $220 and $320, so it’s safe to call TRLG a luxury stock. And a look at its share price shows True Religion definitely is behaving like other luxury stocks — TRLG is up 70% in the past year.
What’s troubling is that True Religion’s stock movement doesn’t reflect the company’s performance. TRLG’s earnings growth on a quarterly basis has been extremely inconsistent during the past two years. Also, while its full-year 2011 adjusted earnings reported Thursday were up 1 cent per share from 2010, at $1.88, they’re still 4 cents shy of 2009 earnings. Q4 2011 adjusted earnings also were down 2 cents down from 2010 levels, and well short of Wall Street expectations — and True Religion stock was hammered for it Friday, losing 27% in a single day!
But even if you think of buying on the dip at around $28, TRLG still isn’t a that much of a bargain, trading around 12 times expected 2012 earnings. And with no dividend, there’s nothing convincing me to stick around and wait for better times.

Best Stocks For 2012 - Joe’s Jeans

I saved the worst for last. Joe’s Jeans is a tiny company that sells jeans in the $100-$200 range, as well as other clothes and accessories. And there’s not much good to say about it. Its fourth-quarter earnings were … whoops! We don’t know. JOEZ was tentatively slated to report on Thursday, but as of this writing, it didn’t show. What we do know is the company lost 3 cents per share in its previous quarter, and analysts expect Joe’s Jeans to break even for the year, then earn 3 cents per share in FY12.
But don’t bother. Joe’s Jeans is dangling off the Nasdaq cliff — JOEZ has traded below $1 since April, so the company was given a six-month delisting warning from the Nasdaq in June, then got a six-month extension in December. And at about 70 cents per share, the company is as close as it has been to a buck since August.
In other words? This stock is sunk. If you’re dead-set on playing Joe’s Jeans, be aware that it has very thin daily volume and has a microcap market size ($45 million). So even though it doesn’t trade on the pink sheets yet, it is for all intents and purposes a high-risk penny stock gamble — not an investment.

Best Investment For 2012 - 3 Shocking Energy Trends That Should Scare Investors

Energy is the lifeblood of the global economy. Factories need energy to run, and goods need fuel to get shipped.

So it is wise for investors to keep an eye on trends in the energy sector as a way to gauge the status of the economic recovery — or, when trends are ugly, a sign that investors might be in for a bumpy ride.

There are a host of indicators and headlines relating to oil and energy consumption, but here are three recent reports I found that I think are particularly telling.

All three should set off warning bells, and investors should take note:
Diesel Consumption

The UCLA Anderson School of Management teams up with employment services firm Ceridian Corporation to track real-time diesel fuel consumption data. The pair’s most recent report shows an alarming decline in use of the key fuel.

Specifically, the “Pulse of Commerce Index” — that’s the official name for the diesel data — fell 1.7% in January following a 0.4% decrease in December. January’s figures are not just down month-over-month, but also off 2.2% from last year.


Click to Enlarge Most disturbing? The diesel index shows almost zero growth since the summer of 2010. Check out the chart.

“It seems difficult to square the behavior of the PCI with the evident improvement in a number of economic indicators, most notably the increase in payroll jobs and the decrease in initial claims for unemployment,” said Ed Leamer, chief economist for the index.

In short, something doesn’t add up.

This index is not a magic measuring stick. But diesel obviously is a crucial part of the national economy and a good proxy for rail traffic and truck traffic … and thus worth paying attention to.
Gasoline Deliveries


Click to Enlarge As with diesel, broader gasoline deliveries reflect the ebb and flow of the economy. Check out this chart about monthly total U.S. deliveries as measured by the U.S. Energy Information Administration:

This data is most interesting because it is raw. It is not “seasonally adjusted” or modified based on flash estimates and revisions. It is, for all intents and purposes, real demand.

The biggest takeaway? Retail gasoline deliveries are well below 1980 levels, with no sign of rebound, despite the fact that the recession is “over.”

Now, we have to consider that these are deliveries, not raw demand. So the phenomenon takes into account the general trend that gas stations are stockpiling much less than they used to — likely because margins are so tight and there isn’t a lot of cash on hand to tie up in inventories. Stations are not in the storage business at all these days.

But it’s hard to blame everything on a drop in inventories alone. In November 1983, gasoline deliveries were 51.1 thousand gallons per day. In November 2010, the total was 42.8 thousand gallons daily. Even more disturbing? Just a year later, in November 2011, they were 30.9 thousand gallons.
No Leaders in Alternative Energy
Click here to find out more!

Energy isn’t all about fossil fuels, cars and broad demand. So-called “green collar” jobs are part of what should be an emerging industry as alternative energy gains popularity and as Americans move toward cleaner sources of power.

Except there’s no money in green energy. So companies are going under and jobs are being eliminated, not added.

Take First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR), the biggest U.S. solar company, which ousted its chief executive officer in October and still is seeking a replacement. Few people want the job, since FSLR stock has gone from over $310 per share in 2008 to a mere $40 right now. Earnings per share have fallen from $7.68 in 2010 to $5.80 in 2011 to a projected $3.93 in 2012. Not good for the heavyweight of U.S. solar.

Wind isn’t much better. At Vestas Wind Systems (PINK:VWDRY), the largest turbine maker, the chairman and finance director are leaving after the company cut sales forecasts twice in three months.

If there is trouble filling jobs in the corner office, that’s not very inspiring for rank-and-file employees.

Throw in the bankruptcy of Solyndra LLC, which left the U.S. government responsible for $527 million in debt, and things are ugly in alternative energy.

Just consider this telling quote from an alternative energy headhunter, trying to find leaders for these struggling companies:

“It’s becoming significantly more difficult to attract people into this market,” said a clean technology recruiter at Korn/Ferry International. “In my 15 years, this is probably the most difficult time to recruit.”

Jeff Reeves is the editor of InvestorPlace.com. Write him at editor@investorplace.com, follow him on Twitter via @JeffReevesIP and become a fan of InvestorPlace on Facebook. As of this writing, he did not own a position in any of the aforementioned stocks.

3 Stocks That Are Better Than Facebook to buy in 2012

Chances are that you have to allocate your investing dollars wisely and where you think you’ll get the best payoff. So, should you put your money on Facebook? Or might it be another company?
I actually think investors can find some much better deals to choose from — without worrying about the fickleness of Internet fads, upstart competitors — which are getting tons of venture capital — as well as giant rivals like Google (NASDAQ:GOOG). Besides, in the Facebook S-1, Mark Zuckerberg does write: “we don’t build services to make money; we make money to build better services.” Yes, this may be scary for some investors.
So what might be some other stocks to consider? Here’s my shortlist of those with a market cap similar to Facebook’s estimated $100 billion:
3 Stocks That Are Better Than Facebook to buy in 2012 - ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) — $92 billion market cap.
Let’s face it, the world is having a tougher time finding oil reserves. Yet the demand continues to grow, especially in countries like China.
In the latest quarter, Conoco’s profits came to $3.39 billion while revenues increased by 17% to $62.39 billion. The company also plans to spin off its refining division, which will generate cash to pay down debt and allow for more focus on deepwater exploration.
Finally, Conoco has a juicy dividend, currently at 3.8%.  In other words, if you bought Conoco for $92 billion, your annual distribution would be $3.5 billion.  That should be enough for any kind of lifestyle.
Oh yeah, Berkshire Hathaway’s (NYSE:BRK.A) Warren Buffett, who is probably still worth more than Facebook’s Zuckerberg, holds 2.19% of the stock.
3 Stocks That Are Better Than Facebook to buy in 2012 - McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) — $100 billion market cap.
As seen recently, the company has had some snafus with its social media marketing campaigns. But it’s something that Mickey D. will definitely learn from. When it comes to building a brand, few are better than McDonald’s.
And as InvestorPlace.com contributor Gene Marcial points out, the company is really the Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) of fast food. And unlike Facebook, it also has a thriving business in China.
Despite the sluggishness in the global economy — especially in Europe — McDonald’s still finds ways to crank out growth. In November, global comparable sales growth came to 7.4%.
What about a dividend? The current yield is 2.8%.
3 Stocks That Are Better Than Facebook to buy in 2012 - QUALCOMM (NASDAQ:QCOM) — $103 billion market cap.
Yesterday, Qualcomm reported a blowout quarter. Revenues soared by 40% to $4.68 billion, with profits coming to $1.4 billion, or 81 cents per share. The company sees next quarter’s revenues at $4.6 billion to $5 billion, which compares to the analyst consensus of $4.51 billion.
Of course, Qualcomm is getting a lift from its Apple business, and it has lots of strength in India and China. So, in light of the expected momentum in the smartphone market, Qualcomm is likely to continue to post high-performance results. By contrast, Facebook makes virtually nothing from its mobile business.
Something else: Qualcomm even has a decent dividend yield of 1.5%.  Don’t expect a dividend from Facebook anytime soon.

Best Stocks to buy 2012 Labels