Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) today announced that it would slash 20,000 jobs as the boom in ethanol production that fueled the company's growth is turning into a bust. Earnings at the farm and heavy-machinery equipment maker also will trail analysts' forecasts.

But wait. There's more.

Home Depot Inc. (NYSE: HD), whose reputation suffered under the leadership of former CEO Robert Nardelli, will slash 7,000 jobs and exit the EXPO business. I am sure this won't make workers at Nardelli's current employer Chrysler LLC feel too good. Sprint Nextel Corp. (NYSE: S), whose troubles pre-date the economic slump, is firing 8,000 workers as it seeks to lower its expenses by $1.2 billion.

Thousands more jobs will be axed in the Pfizer Inc.'s (NYSE: PFE) $68 billion acquisition Wyeth (NYSE: WYE). Who knows how many employees will get chopped now that the Dow Chemical Co. (NYSE: DOW) purchase of Rohm & Haas Co. (NYSE: ROH) will not take place. Let's not forget Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX), which reportedly is firing 1,000 workers at its corporate headquarters.

Investment Quality Trends -- one of the most respected newsletters in the advisory field -- uses a proprietary strategy that assesses historic level of stock price to yield; it's goal is to buy those stocks offering the best potential for downside protection and upside appreciation.

Here, editor Kelley Wright explains his methodology and highlights his current "Timely Ten" stocks that best match his time-tested criteria.

"Investors who wished to hold every stock in that we currently rank in the 'Undervalued and Rising Trend' categories, would need to hold one hundred twenty six stocks as of March; clearly too many positions to be practical.

"Our Timely Ten, therefore, is our reasoned expectation based on our methodology and experience for what we believe will perform best over the next five years.

"Do we believe that all 10 will go up simultaneously or immediately? Of course not. Our four decades of research and experience, however, leads us to believe that these stocks, purchased at current Undervalued levels, are well positioned for appreciation.