Continue Playing to Winning Retail Trends

Consumer spending may be slowing… but it’s also a huge chunk of the economy. And no matter how bad things slow down, there are still many goods that people will need to buy. That may be bad news for those who make higher-end goods. Ultra-wealthy consumer unaffected by the economy can only buy so much for themselves. That leaves companies that offer the best bargains for consumers as the top way to play current economic trends. For the apparel space, off-price retailers ...
Read More
|

Look for Opportunities to Buy Two (Or More) Companies For the Price of One

There are many ways to earn a great return in the stock market. One way is to look at special situations, such as a merger announcement. There’s also a less-well-known way to profit by buying up a company about to split into multiple companies. Such moves happen with less fanfare than an acquisition. But it can be a way for a company to unlock the value of a line of business that may not fit into the stock market’s perception of ...
Read More
|

Cheap, Boring, and Hated Stocks Can Outperform In Slow Markets

Following the market’s big drop last year and bounce so far this year, it’s likely that markets will continue to bounce around as economic data points a mixed picture. That’s a good trading environment—and it can also be a good one for long-term investors. The way to take advantage is to look for stocks that are cheap, ignored or even hated by the market in general, and capable of moving higher thanks to strong financial performance. The life insurance industry is cheap ...
Read More
|

Customers Are Slowing Spending, But Will Never Stop Entirely

Most economic activity is driven by consumer spending. That’s why changes in consumer spending can cause stocks to rise or fall. Some areas can hold up well, particularly those consumer goods or services that offer reasonable quality at a reasonable price. That’s because a slowing economy will cause consumers to shift to lower-price options rather than stop spending entirely. That may not be good news for upscale brands or services, but for some companies, it may indicate higher share prices ahead. Darden ...
Read More
|

Invest With Companies with the Ability to Follow Through

Many things in life have a first-mover advantage. However, in investing, the first company to come to the marketplace with a product isn’t always the winner. A company that follows up with a better product or a far lower price point can end up grabbing the most market share. That’s particularly true in the tech space. Today’s successful tech companies prefer to either buy a company on its way to winning, or wait until they can overtake the early movers. That makes ...
Read More
|

When Markets Are Down, Buy the Boring Business

In a bull market, traders can profit by buying companies with an exciting story behind them. Those stocks tend to be runaway winners. But when the market is trading flat or down, the slow-and-steady, boring businesses can be the better winners. That’s because these companies can be more recession resistant. And they tend not to get as overvalued on the way up. That makes for a solid value play, and often one that pays out a solid source of growing income. One ...
Read More
|

Buy the Winner in a Consolidating Industry

When an industry starts out, there may be dozens, if not hundreds of competitors. But, much like the automotive industry, eventually the space will consolidate into a few big players. Sometimes, that consolidation will occur through acquisitions. Other times, an economic crisis or two will also help to shake out weaker competitors. And consumer tastes and preferences may make it easy for a big player to stay big, even if newer companies try and grab market share. The shakeout in the cryptocurrency broker ...
Read More
|

Buy the Best Companies to Play a Hot Growth Trend

When a growth trend is underway, nearly every company that plays to that trend will rally. At least, at first. However, weaker companies will get squeezed out by competition, leading to only a few big players. Of those players, a few will win based on quality. Others will cater to a lower-end market. When a sector is still new, chances are the higher-end product will perform better than the lower-end one until a few iterations of the technology are worked out. Right ...
Read More
|