Stocks To Buy

With the holiday season underway, it won’t be long until consumers start to think about how much they ended up consuming during the holidays. And while gym memberships spike in early January only to fade out in a few weeks, spending on healthy food options tends to persist for much longer. Investors can play to that trend by owning shares of packaged food companies now, ahead of a move higher after the holidays. One play is The Simply Good Foods Company (SMPL) ...
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Sometimes, a company will look to unlock value by spinning off part of its business. That may prove a more logical approach, particularly for a company that has built a diverse number of business segments. Part of that move could also be driven by regulators. The U.S. government broke up Standard Oil into seven different oil-related companies, many of which have survived and grown to this day. Ditto with telecom companies, which survived the breakup of Ma Bell, aka AT&T (T). Today, ...
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Retailers have been a mixed bag based on third-quarter earnings. Some retailers have reported strong numbers while others have seen a big miss. That’s true whether the retailer is a big box store, a specialty retailer, or an apparel retailer. Investors looking for guidance this holiday season should look for a retailer that is still inexpensive but can continue to grow. One indication of further growth is a company that’s already seeing positive momentum going into the final weeks of the ...
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Every industry can go in and out of favor with the markets. And every industry has its peaks and troughs at different times. Investors who pick up shares of industry-leading companies during a trough can see substantial returns over time. But the key is over time. A changing cycle takes time to play out, and may not even be noticeable at first. A great company will likely be able to start trending higher before the cycle becomes clear. For instance, agriculture has ...
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Traders take a short-term view. That means that investors can take a longer-term view that may be different depending on a situation. When a company takes a hit because it’s facing a problem, even an easily-solvable one, traders tank the stock. But in time, a successful company can overcome any short-term problem and trend higher. Investors who buy during periods of short-term fear can earn big profits as the fear subsides. Concerns over consumer spending are nothing new. But the retail outlook ...
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Companies have limits to their growth. A tree grows toward the sun, but not to the sun. To continue along a successful path, companies need to branch out and offer new products and services. Ideally, these will be natural extensions of their existing products. If there’s a good fit, a company can continue to grow and even accelerate its growth before it starts to see a big slowdown. For instance, brokerage Robinhood (HOOD) grew quickly thanks to offering zero fees and the ...
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After being frozen for nearly two years, the real estate market is starting to show signs of life. Listings are on the rise, indicating that homeowners may be ready to sell. While mortgage rates are still near multi-year highs, the Federal Reserve is now starting to lower interest rates. Rates will start trending lower in time, and now may be the time for investors to bet on a real estate rebound. That means that more home transactions are on the horizon, which ...
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Most industries tend to start with a large number of companies competing for market share. Over time, companies that can carve out a successful niche can grow their market share. Eventually, only a few players will remain. When a sector settles down to a few oligopoly players, profits tend to be steady. And investors in those companies tend to fare well over time. It doesn’t matter if it’s in software, credit cards, or consumer brands. One sector with an oligopoly is the ...
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