"Sanofi-Aventis (SNY), a pharmaceutical products company, is a buy based on our 'Benjamin Graham value' model," says John Reese who assesses stocks based on the investment criteria of numerous "legendary" investors.

The editor of Validea, explains, "Indeed, the stock earns a 100% score, meeting all of the investment criteria we review in for this value-oriented screen.

Continue reading Sanofi-Aventis (SNY): 100% Score on a Ben Graham Value Model

Sanofi-Aventis (SNY): 100% Score on a Ben Graham Value Model originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"For good reason, there are hundreds of investment managers who are devout Warren Buffett-style value investors," observes Ian Wyatt.

The editor of The 100K Portfolio explains, "From 1965 to 2010, under Buffett's leadership, Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A or BRK.B) has seen it's per share book value increase at an annual rate of 20.2 percent.

"Since Warren Buffett is now 80 years young, and his partner Charlie Munger is 87, the future leadership of Berkshire is certainly a concern.

Continue reading Berkshire Hathaway Offers Vision and Value

Berkshire Hathaway Offers Vision and Value originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Benjamin Graham has been recognized for decades as the father of value investing; Warren Buffett was a student of Ben Graham at Columbia University and later worked for Mr. Graham for several years," notes J. Royden Ward.

The editor of the Cabot Benjamin Graham Value Letter explains, "We've combined Warren Buffett's and Ben Graham's investing criteria for choosing stocks and and found six high-quality companies.

"We believe that the six stocks that passed our screen each sell at sensible prices, offer reasonable appreciation potential, and provide solid dividends.

Continue reading Double Values: 6 Stocks That Meet Buffett and Graham Criteria

Double Values: 6 Stocks That Meet Buffett and Graham Criteria originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"We screened the Investors Business Daily (IBD) and Zacks databases to find companies whose earnings are accelerating and whose earnings estimates are being increased by analysts," says J. Royden Ward.

The editor of the Cabot Benjamin Graham Value Letter continues, "All of the stocks in our list have IBD Composite Ratings of 95 (99 is best) and Zacks Ratings of 1 or 2 (1 is best). These recommendations offer excellent appreciation potential with moderate risk.

Continue reading Ben Graham-Style Techs with Rising Estimates

Ben Graham-Style Techs with Rising Estimates originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Mar 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Ensco: A Ben Graham Value in Drilling

Ensco: A Ben Graham Value in Drilling originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The editor of Validea explains, "Atwood Oceanics (ATW), a Houston-based offshore oil drilling firm, gets strong interest from both my Benjamin Graham- and Peter Lynch-inspired strategie.

"With a $2.4 billion market cap. Atwood has been a big winner for one of my most stringent -- and most successful -- strategies, the model I base on the writings of the late Benjamin Graham.

Continue reading Atwood Oceanics (ATW): 'Under the Radar'

Atwood Oceanics (ATW): 'Under the Radar' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 02 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Chasing Value: 2011 Picks Dust the S&P

Chasing Value: 2011 Picks Dust the S&P originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 01 Feb 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Last year, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) was included in my stock picks for 2010 and it lost 4.9%. I gave some consideration to keeping it in the mix this year but thought more highly of other stocks in 2011, so I cast it off.

The turning of a calendar page is arbitrary and investments have only modest correlation to it in most instances. However, two weeks into the year ADM is already up, closing Wednesday at $32.56.

Corn prices have been rising and when last I checked futures were up another 1.47% in early morning trading.

Continue reading Chasing Value: Corn Soaring, ADM Boring, Investors Snoring

Chasing Value: Corn Soaring, ADM Boring, Investors Snoring originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Chasing Value: How to Find Value Stocks -- Part 2

Chasing Value: How to Find Value Stocks -- Part 2 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

On Friday I had the opportunity to present an investment strategy I developed over the past few years to a major asset manager interested in learning the intricacies. Among the questions he asked, one that comes up often, is how do I go about finding particular stocks that I think might be of value.

The answer of course is not so simple, because like any other type of discovery they come about in a variety of ways. Sometimes it begins with a story, as it did in December 2008 when I included EZCorp (EZPW) among my 2009 stock picks (and 2010 and 2011). In this case I was pondering what was going to be safe, and perhaps even in growing demand during a year of financial turmoil and high unemployment. The answer was pawn shops and cash-advance stores.

Continue reading Chasing Value: How to Find Value Stocks -- Part 1

Chasing Value: How to Find Value Stocks -- Part 1 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here are the next four of my 2011 picks. I am behind schedule, after publishing the first 5 earlier in the week (see: Chasing Value: 2011 Stock Picks -- 5 of 11). This year instead of starting completely anew, I am adjusting my 2010 picks. There is no sense in abandoning good ideas just because the calendar turned a page.

You will actually find support of running themes I have been writing about over the past few months. One of these is the idea of making a contrarian investment in a basket of stocks that have been both scalded and scolded in the headlines. Six stocks were included in such a group that I called the "toxic stocks" (see: Chasing Value: Toxic Stock Update #3 -- BAC, BP, C, GE, GS, RIG).

Continue reading Chasing Value: 2011 Stock Picks -- 6, 7, 8, 9

Chasing Value: 2011 Stock Picks -- 6, 7, 8, 9 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Quality companies with low price-to-book value ratios (P/BV) have outperformed companies with higher valuations for the past three-, five- and 10-year periods," says J. Royden Ward.

The editor of the Cabot Benjamin Graham Value Letter explains, "Our search for undervalued companies to with price to book value ratios found three stocks in tech-related sectors: Kyocera (KYO), PC Connection (PCCC), and Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO).

"To find the best stocks with low price-to-book value ratios, we required Value Line Financial Strength ratings of A or better, dividend payments increasing over time, low P/E ratios and good earnings prospects for the next 12-month and five-year periods.

Continue reading Ben Graham Techs? A Trio of Low P/E-to-Book Value Buys

Ben Graham Techs? A Trio of Low P/E-to-Book Value Buys originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Nov 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Research In Motion (RIMM) is clearly undervalued at 9.7 times forward EPS; investor's concerns regarding the intense competition in the smart phone market have caused the stock price to decline 26% during the past seven months," says value investor J. Royden Ward.

The editor of Cabot Benjamin Graham Value Letter explains, "We believe exciting new product introductions will boost sales and earnings growth more than expected during the next couple of years.

Continue reading Research In Motion (RIMM): A 'Ben Graham' Value Buy

Research In Motion (RIMM): A 'Ben Graham' Value Buy originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Nov 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Chasing Value: Newcastle Reports Great Results

Chasing Value: Newcastle Reports Great Results originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 09 Nov 2010 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Texas Instruments (TXN) was roughed up pretty badly in 2008 and 2009. Profits fell sharply for this semiconductor giant, as did the stock price," says dividend reinvestment plan specialist Chuck Carlson.

The editor of The DRIP Investor explains, "The shares plummeted from nearly $40 per share in 2007 to $13 in early 2009. The stock has come roaring back from the 2009 lows, paced by impressive rebounds in sales and profits.

"For 2010, Texas Instruments should post record per-share profits in the vicinity of $2.47 per share. Based on that estimate, the stock seems cheap at less than 12 times earnings.

Continue reading Texas Instruments (TXN): Growth and Value

Texas Instruments (TXN): Growth and Value originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The editor of Validea continues, "Sanofi-Aventis (SNY), which is involved in pharmaceuticals and human vaccines, earns a Guru Score of 100% based on the value investing strategy of Benjamin Graham.

"In its pharmaceutical activity, the company specializes in six therapeutic areas: diabetes, oncology, thrombosis and cardiovascular, central nervous system (CNS), and internal medicine.

Continue reading Sanofi-Aventis (SNY): A Ben Graham Value Buy

Sanofi-Aventis (SNY): A Ben Graham Value Buy originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 25 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"We discriminate among investments primarily by their relative valuation metrics; we buy only those stocks we find undervalued relative to their own trading history, their peers or that of the market in general," says value investor John Buckingham.

The editor of The Prudent Speculator explains, "Two such buys are Marathon Oil (MRO) and Tsakos Energy Navigation (TNP).

"Both stocks could be chosen as part of the foundation of a portfolio for new investors or for those seeking to diversify their holdings.

Continue reading Marathon and Tsakos: Prudent Plays in Oil Sector

Marathon and Tsakos: Prudent Plays in Oil Sector originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 16 Oct 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The editor of Cabot Benjamin Graham Value Letter explains, "Gilead is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and markets therapeutic treatments to combat viral, bacterial and fungal infections. Its shares undervalued at 9.7 times forward 12-month EPS.

"Teva, based in Israel, develops, makes and sells generic and proprietary-branded (store brand) drugs. Its shares are clearly undervalued at 10.6 times forward EPS. We consider both stocks to be very low risk.

Continue reading Ben Graham Buys in Pharma: Gilead (GILD) and Teva (TEVA)

Ben Graham Buys in Pharma: Gilead (GILD) and Teva (TEVA) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

• Lockheed Martin: 3.77%
• Raytheon Company: 3.16%
• Northrop, Grumman: 2.89%
• General Dynamics: 2.59%

Continue reading Chasing Value: Scoping Out Defense Contractors -- Part 2

Chasing Value: Scoping Out Defense Contractors -- Part 2 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Chasing Value: Scoping Out Defense Contractors -- Part 1

Chasing Value: Scoping Out Defense Contractors -- Part 1 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.