Top Stocks of 2012
“Aflac (NYSE: AFL) is best known in the U.S. for its ‘duck ads,’ but actually earns over 75% of its money from Japan,” says Dirk Van Dijk.
In selecting the stock as his top pick for 2012, the strategist for Zacks.com, recalls “Aflac happens to be an old favorite of mine, a stock that I first recommended back in 1991.” Here’s his current update.
“In the U.S., its policies are sold through employers on a payroll deduction, as part of companies ‘cafeteria plans’. They are pretty straight forward. If you get sick and can’t work, or are in the hospital, it pays out a set mount directly to the insured.
“It is thus not at risk for rising health care costs (but is if more people get sick). The U.S. unit was under some pressure as payrolls shrank, but with some positive news on the employment front, that should turn around.
“In Japan, once people get AFL insurance they don’t drop it (which is very important in the life and health insurance industry) with a persistency rate of 95%.
“The firm has a superb track record, but came under big pressure during the crash last year due to fears about its investment portfolio. I think those fears are being assuaged over time.
“It has already realized $1.7 billion (pre-tax) in investment losses. Some of those are not going to come back, like its holdings in Lehman Brothers and WAMU, but other parts of the holdings that were written down just might come back.
“Aflac did however write down $380 million as other than temporary losses in holdings of some Ford debt, and Ford has been doing much better of late, certainly much better that it looked back at the end of the first quarter when GM and Chrysler were going down for the count.
“The company has generated an ROE of 33.4% over the last 12 months, and its five year average ROE is 20.84% (it has leveraged up a bit, from having no debt to a still very manageable and conservative 22% debt to capital. As that happens AFL should return to its historic valuations.
“How much upside potential is that? A Lot. Over the last five years (which of course included the big sell o? last year) AFL’s P/E has averaged 15.4x.
“Based on 2010 earnings estimates it is going for 9.5x now, and 8.7X 2012 consensus estimates, and those estimates have been rising.
“AFL also has a habit of beating the estimates. It has done so the last three times out, and in 17 of the last 28 quarters, with only five disappointments.
“AFL currently yields 2.4%, which is nice. It has however, increased that dividend in each of the last 27 years, and over the last 15 years it has done so at a compound annual rate of 20.7%.
“AFL happens to be an old favorite of mine, a stock that I first recommended back in 1991, and was a core holding for most of my tenure at C.H. Dean. I know the management team well from those days, and they are amongst the best I know in the industry.”
Showing posts with label best shares to invest in 2012. Show all posts
Showing posts with label best shares to invest in 2012. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Sunday, November 20, 2011
3 Undervalued Tech Stocks to Buy Now
When investors see the words “undervalued tech stocks,” the first companies that jump to mind are probably the mega-cap giants like Cisco (NASDAQ:CSCO) and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT). The large-cap space certainly has more than its share of cheap tech stocks, but a look into mid- and small-cap territory reveals other, less talked-about opportunities. Computer Sciences (NYSE:CSC), Lexmark International (NYSE:LXK), and China Digital TV (NYSE:STV), are three such stocks that deserve more attention than they receive.
Computer Sciences
Shares of CSC, an IT-outsourcing company, have been pummeled from a February high above $56 to $37.20 on Wednesday. The stock has been hit by less-than-stellar earnings results and concerns that the U.S. government’s perilous fiscal situation will weigh on the 39% of CSC’s business that comes from federal contracts. That’s undoubtedly a legitimate worry, but also one that is well-known at this point. At 7.3 times 2012 estimates (and a price-to-earnings-to-growth ratio of 0.9) and a share price sitting at 0.8 times book value, it appears that the bad news is fully discounted in the stock. Two other key points regarding CSC: first, the stock yields 2.2% – much better than you’ll find with the average large-cap tech stock. Second, the company is cash-rich and is frequently mentioned as a target of a buyout. Betting on a takeover is always a dicey proposition, but CSC offers investors a solid risk-reward tradeoff even without the benefit of a buyout.
Keep in mind: The last time CSC’s P/E was at this level, the stock traded up 25% in less than two months.
Lexmark International
A maker of printers, ink, and imaging products, Lexmark has seen its shares come under heavy selling pressure since late 2010 – a trend that wasn’t helped by its May earnings miss. While the printing business is indeed in gradual decline, it may finally be time to say “enough is enough” regarding the downturn in Lexmark’s share price. After hitting a high above $47 in mid-October, the stock now stands at $28.62. At this level, the stock trades at forward P/E of less than 7x, and removing the net cash of $7 a share (about a quarter of its market cap) on its balance sheet brings the P/E below 5.5x. A low P/E can be a trap when growth is slowing, of course, but the company’s core ink business continues to generate substantial free cash flow. And like CSC, Lexmark has the added benefit of being a strong candidate for an eventual takeover.
Keep in mind: The recent selloff has driven LXK’s valuation to its lowest level in history.
China Digital TV
The smallest of the three companies discussed here, China Digital could offer big potential to patient investors. The company makes smart cards that allow the conversion of an analog signal to digital. A boring business perhaps, but consider that China is the world’s largest TV market with 377 million viewing households. Of these, 187 million have cable and only 90 million currently have a digital signal. This adds up to a stellar growth opportunity for a company with no debt and over 70% of its market cap accounted for by the $214 million of cash on its balance sheet. The stock trades for less than 7x 2012 earnings estimates and a PEG of just over 0.4. Chinese stocks are not without risk, as 2011 has taught us, but patient investors who tune into STV may be in for quite a show.
Keep in Mind: Like LXK, CSC trades at an all-time low P/E.
Technology investing has been no picnic for investors thus far in 2011, but these stocks provide a compelling margin of safety in the event of further volatility in the months ahead.
Computer Sciences
Shares of CSC, an IT-outsourcing company, have been pummeled from a February high above $56 to $37.20 on Wednesday. The stock has been hit by less-than-stellar earnings results and concerns that the U.S. government’s perilous fiscal situation will weigh on the 39% of CSC’s business that comes from federal contracts. That’s undoubtedly a legitimate worry, but also one that is well-known at this point. At 7.3 times 2012 estimates (and a price-to-earnings-to-growth ratio of 0.9) and a share price sitting at 0.8 times book value, it appears that the bad news is fully discounted in the stock. Two other key points regarding CSC: first, the stock yields 2.2% – much better than you’ll find with the average large-cap tech stock. Second, the company is cash-rich and is frequently mentioned as a target of a buyout. Betting on a takeover is always a dicey proposition, but CSC offers investors a solid risk-reward tradeoff even without the benefit of a buyout.
Keep in mind: The last time CSC’s P/E was at this level, the stock traded up 25% in less than two months.
Lexmark International
A maker of printers, ink, and imaging products, Lexmark has seen its shares come under heavy selling pressure since late 2010 – a trend that wasn’t helped by its May earnings miss. While the printing business is indeed in gradual decline, it may finally be time to say “enough is enough” regarding the downturn in Lexmark’s share price. After hitting a high above $47 in mid-October, the stock now stands at $28.62. At this level, the stock trades at forward P/E of less than 7x, and removing the net cash of $7 a share (about a quarter of its market cap) on its balance sheet brings the P/E below 5.5x. A low P/E can be a trap when growth is slowing, of course, but the company’s core ink business continues to generate substantial free cash flow. And like CSC, Lexmark has the added benefit of being a strong candidate for an eventual takeover.
Keep in mind: The recent selloff has driven LXK’s valuation to its lowest level in history.
China Digital TV
The smallest of the three companies discussed here, China Digital could offer big potential to patient investors. The company makes smart cards that allow the conversion of an analog signal to digital. A boring business perhaps, but consider that China is the world’s largest TV market with 377 million viewing households. Of these, 187 million have cable and only 90 million currently have a digital signal. This adds up to a stellar growth opportunity for a company with no debt and over 70% of its market cap accounted for by the $214 million of cash on its balance sheet. The stock trades for less than 7x 2012 earnings estimates and a PEG of just over 0.4. Chinese stocks are not without risk, as 2011 has taught us, but patient investors who tune into STV may be in for quite a show.
Keep in Mind: Like LXK, CSC trades at an all-time low P/E.
Technology investing has been no picnic for investors thus far in 2011, but these stocks provide a compelling margin of safety in the event of further volatility in the months ahead.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Where To Buy Penny Stocks
Tips On Where To Buy Penny Stocks
For those not acquainted with what penny stocks are, these would be stocks offered at under $5 a share. The goal here is to procure the stocks at reasonable prices and sell them for over what they cost to buy. Some will purchase these stocks for long-term investments but most of the people wondering where to buy penny stocks will look towards trading.
Daytrading is the method of selling and purchasing stocks in the exact same day. It’s no secret that such an enterprise includes great jeopardy. Nevertheless many have conclusively proved that huge profits can be generated thru such stocks which are why they’re perennially commended to those hunting for something more dynamic in their trading ventures.
Again, this all does raise issues concerning where to buy penny stocks. The fast answer will be to get them from a trusty service that trades in penny stocks. The majority already know this. What they want is a suggestion for a service that trades in such stocks. These are 3 of the most well-known brokers that handle this type of :
E*Trade : Is there a rather more well-liked online trading site than E*Trade? The solution to that question can be discussed for hours. There are scores of glorious trading firms out there. Having said that, few have the ability to deliver the top quality service this company is understood to supply.
Again, there are lots of corporations on the market that confess the facility to offer low cost, high volume trades but few deliver at the same quality level as E*Trade.
Scottrade : you might say that Scottrade gives E*Trade a run for its cash so far as renown goes. Scottrade has definitely merited its reputation as a quality trading service. This is a trading service that takes many further steps to be certain that clients have accessibility to the trades they want to make at costs which will prove reasonable to them. Such a combo is surely a noble one and Scottrade definitely is merited of its positive reputation.
Zecco : Zecco won’t be as well called the other 2 trading services it is unquestionably a top resource for those wondering where to buy penny stocks. What drives folks to get penny stocks from this actual broker? Low transaction costs and prime quality shopper service would be among the 2 most cited reasons.
Naturally, there are much more than 3 brokerages which handle penny stocks. The key is to get a service that charges a fair rate mixed with top quality shopper service. Such a twin approach will definitely evoke and excite folks into making the required trades that may yield major returns on their investments.
For those not acquainted with what penny stocks are, these would be stocks offered at under $5 a share. The goal here is to procure the stocks at reasonable prices and sell them for over what they cost to buy. Some will purchase these stocks for long-term investments but most of the people wondering where to buy penny stocks will look towards trading.
Daytrading is the method of selling and purchasing stocks in the exact same day. It’s no secret that such an enterprise includes great jeopardy. Nevertheless many have conclusively proved that huge profits can be generated thru such stocks which are why they’re perennially commended to those hunting for something more dynamic in their trading ventures.
Again, this all does raise issues concerning where to buy penny stocks. The fast answer will be to get them from a trusty service that trades in penny stocks. The majority already know this. What they want is a suggestion for a service that trades in such stocks. These are 3 of the most well-known brokers that handle this type of :
E*Trade : Is there a rather more well-liked online trading site than E*Trade? The solution to that question can be discussed for hours. There are scores of glorious trading firms out there. Having said that, few have the ability to deliver the top quality service this company is understood to supply.
Again, there are lots of corporations on the market that confess the facility to offer low cost, high volume trades but few deliver at the same quality level as E*Trade.
Scottrade : you might say that Scottrade gives E*Trade a run for its cash so far as renown goes. Scottrade has definitely merited its reputation as a quality trading service. This is a trading service that takes many further steps to be certain that clients have accessibility to the trades they want to make at costs which will prove reasonable to them. Such a combo is surely a noble one and Scottrade definitely is merited of its positive reputation.
Zecco : Zecco won’t be as well called the other 2 trading services it is unquestionably a top resource for those wondering where to buy penny stocks. What drives folks to get penny stocks from this actual broker? Low transaction costs and prime quality shopper service would be among the 2 most cited reasons.
Naturally, there are much more than 3 brokerages which handle penny stocks. The key is to get a service that charges a fair rate mixed with top quality shopper service. Such a twin approach will definitely evoke and excite folks into making the required trades that may yield major returns on their investments.
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