Stocks To Buy

Many industries consolidate over time into just a handful of players. These oligopolies can jockey for market share. Chances are one of the players will move towards higher-end consumers to differentiate, and others may shift to the lower end. Either way, the company that can sport the highest profit margin will typically be the best performer for shareholders over time. Higher profit margins provide more capital for reinvestment in the business, or for dividends or share buybacks for investors. In the credit ...
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Investors are more than willing to place trades outside their comfort zone in a bull market. But in a slowing economy, they tend to gravitate towards the tried and true. That explains the relative outperformance of value stocks in a flat or sideways market. Investors do the same thing as consumers. They cut back on new products and services, and stick with what’s tried and true. That’s why there are so many brands out there – including those at a reasonable ...
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Market volatility is back. That means that companies can expect their share price to see sizeable swings by the day. As markets get turbulent, investors should look for companies that can continue to grow no matter what the economy does. Many gravitate towards income stocks. But a high payout along isn’t enough. Stability, rather than the potential for big growth, may win out in the market in the months ahead. That’s where a company like Honeywell International (HON) comes into play. As ...
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Market sentiment has turned on a dime, as fears about the solvency of several banks has surged. In this flight to quality, investors are moving into assets such as Treasury bonds and gold. However, some stocks could be a better option here. That’s because some companies will continue to grow their income. And that can be used to buy back shares, pay out a growing dividend, or otherwise reward those with the willingness to buy in a fearful market. One of the ...
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Most companies tend to find that they have their best profitability in a narrow niche. But over time, competition or changing consumer tastes can eat away at that niche. Many firms have found that expanding into other roles can be a long-term winner. Big tech companies in particular have been good about expanding beyond just one piece of hardware or software, and into creating a suite of experiences that can bring back customers time and time again. One company could become the ...
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There are many things that companies can control. But they can’t control how the market will react to one of their quarterly earnings reports. A company may have great earnings, but see shares sell off on a lower outlook, or because revenues are off. However, a company isn’t just one quarterly report. And a company that can continue to improve its earnings over time will see its share prices rise, even if that process takes time to play out. Database software company ...
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Tech layoffs have dominated headlines since the start of the year. However, many of these companies vastly increased their hiring during the pandemic, and may have overshot to the upside. So while layoffs and workforce reductions now sound painful, it may allow companies to lower their spending and lead to bigger profits. That could be a boon to investors now, especially given how much share prices have declined for big-name tech stocks. That advantage could be even further compounded by companies buying ...
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Dividend-paying companies have a few ways of delivering cash to shareholders. They can borrow the money, which increases debt and debt payments. They can issue shares, which dilutes shareholders. Neither of those strategies can be done for long. The best way is to grow their earnings and cash flow. This allows for companies to pay out a growing amount of that cash flow to the owners of the company – the shareholders. It’s why investors should look for dividend-growing companies. One company ...
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