The first trading session of the 2009 may have brought some optimism with it as markets rallied, but it's difficult to imagine all our troubles over after a year that set one bad and worse record after another. Stocks mirrored the global economic slowdown brought on by the housing market and the financial markets crises.Still, there are many who still seek to invest in hope that one day they could get nice returns on their investments. While the recent volatility in the stock market benefited some shrewd day traders, most investors know to stick to a long-term, stable investment plan.
To help achieve some of these long-term return, BloggingStocks contributors continued to suggest some companies to invest in, as well as some to avoid:
Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI) -- despite having his confidence in the stock shaken somewhat lately as sales may have been softer than expected, Steven Mallas is still bullish on the stock and feels it is attractive at these levels. Take-Two Interactive (NASDAQ: TTWO), however, "seems a little scary to be buying in now," he says.
McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD) and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) were the only gainers of the DJIA stocks this year. This performance could continue in 2009 as the recession goes on, making these low cost providers winners.
Pier 1 (NYSE: PIR) and Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD), as opposed to Wal-Mart, are two troubled retailers whose stocks are trading below $1. While low cost retailers may succeed, some estimate that 25% of the large retailers could face more troubles and even bankruptcy in 2009 or 2010. PIR and RAD are already troubled.
Williams-Sonoma Inc. (NYSE: WSM) is one specialty retailer that Jamie Dlugosch thinks is reasonable at $7 and under and long term, "has the chance to double in value over a two- to three-year period" as the retailer is taking steps to protect its bottom line.
Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) has made progress on its osteoporosis drug and may be only a year away from and FDA approval and likely large sales from this new drug. Since in a normal market this stock would have a 20 or higher P/E ratio, AMGN is one of the few stocks justifying valuation expansion, according to Jamie Dlugosch.
Sheldon Liber also picked 9 stocks for 2009: American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE: AEO), Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE: APC), Anglo American ADR (NASDAQ: AAUK), Annaly Capital Management (NYSE: NLY), Diageo plc (NYSE: DEO), EZCorp Inc. (NASDAQ: EZPW), General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), Intuitive Surgical Inc (NASDAQ: ISRG), Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC).
And finally, Steven Halpern prepared 75 favorite stocks from 75 different advisors so there's "something for every type of investors." Some of my own favorite picks of the 75 include: Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) - post, Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) - post, Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan (NYSE: POT) - post and SunPower Corp. (NASDAQ: SPWRA) - post.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-04-2009 @ 10:00AM
Yon said...
Interesting list of prospects for speculation in the securities industry if and when this american and global economy turns around.
The more sure way to turn-around the global economies is to create a massive employment program with an interelated educational aspect that will educate and simultaneously elevate the collective public worldwide who work and are in someway involved with this Aqua-Terra project.
This mass employment and educational aspects of this undertaking can be accomplished by the enhancement of an existing industry that is global in scope (i.e. Long-distance Transportation Industry) and one that will affect many nations simultaneously not only for the immediate future but for hundreds if not one thousand years hereafter.
Believe it or not, such an idea already exists and is a patented invention.
Take a moment and view the Aqua-Terra project schematics and brief description at www.invention.net/aquaterrausa for the US, /aquaterrachina for China, and /aquaterraindia for India.
In short, this is a planetary transport system that will allow us to transport cargo containers, and later persons, at speeds reaching 14,000+ mph (around the world in two hours when completed).
Anyway, please take a look and help find a way to get this information to President-elect Obama so that he can lead our nation and simultaneously, many other nations, with this global economic turn around program.
In fact, this project will take us all into our deserving future of prosperity.
Look forward to your comments.
Respectfully,
Yon