Stock picks and pans for troubled times: ADM, FSLR, GG, CLWR, DELL, MTW ...

So, with all this, is there any reason to rush in and buy stocks? Well, for those who have the funds and the long-term horizon, some companies still offer some value. Here are a few BloggingStocks contributors suggested this week:

Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) lost nearly 50% of its value since last May. Despite the recession, though, people still need food. Eventually, due to population growth and a finite supply of food, it will see increasing demand. This might be the best place to invest during a crisis, says Jamie Dlugosch. Already ADM's valuation is so low that bad news would have little impact, and since it trades for just 8 times forward earnings, the stock is cheap.

Consumer Staples SPDR (NYSE: XLP) is just one of the 15 ETFs Steven Halpern brings from different advisors. ProShares Ultra Oil and Gas (NYSE: DIG) is another pick, but the one I found most interesting is Proshares UltraShort Financials (NYSE: SKF), an inverse double fund, which not only moves in the opposite direction of financial stocks, but moves twice as much as well.

First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR) is a leading designer and manufacturer of solar modules that convert sunlight to electricity. FSLR stock got a boost recently after President-elect Obama outlined his energy proposals. The company's balance sheet is strong, with a long-term debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10 and a current ratio of 3.23. Also, Obama's job stimulus program could give it an extra push.

Goldcorp (NYSE: GG) and Kinross (NYSE: KGC) are two stocks that could be good for those looking to invest in gold. Another option is the ETF SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE: GLD). Mind you, not everyone agrees gold is such a good investment.

Clearwire Corporation (NASDAQ: CLWR) recently closed on a transaction which merged the Sprint/Nextel (NYSE: S) wireless Internet business with the WiMax business of CLWR. Since it had some writedowns, investors have kept the price of CLWR depressed in spite of recent good news from the company. But the company's balance sheet reflects it's in a growth mode, with a long-term debt-to-equity ratio of 186 and a current ratio of 3.25. The expansion opportunities for WiMax are substantial, and CLWR is well-positioned to grow with the expansion.

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) is going to be introducing a $99 netbook PC soon, selling it with a two-year wireless data plan through AT&T, Inc. (NYSE: T) at a total cost of $350. While Brian White thinks that maybe Dell has something here, he leaves the valuation to the individual investor.

Manitowoc Company (NYSE: MTW) is interestingly enough an infrastructure play. The company manufactures and sells cranes for different industries, and now as world governments may start spending on infrastructure to stimulate the economy, MTW should benefit handsomely. And since it trades for just six times the low end of '09 guidance, there may be a big upside here.