Don't Worry About Bulls or Bears, This 'Sin' Stock Is A Buy Regardless

Daniel Cross - INO.com Contributor - Equities


Sin stocks are popular with most investors. These are the types of companies that peddle alcohol, cigarettes and gambling to consumers – products and services that appeal to vices. It's popularity is easy to understand though. These companies tend to do well regardless of the economic environment. Whether the economy is expanding or contracting, people will still consume alcohol, smoke cigarettes and gamble.

For long-term investors, these are good stocks to own. They might be subject to short-term volatility, but generally have high free cash flow, operating margins and growth expectations. Alcohol in particular right now has a lot of potential for future growth.

The expanding global middle class – especially in BRIC economies – are becoming more demanding of what they want. Name-brand liquor and beer have proliferated in these countries as consumers have developed disposable income. Continue reading "Don't Worry About Bulls or Bears, This 'Sin' Stock Is A Buy Regardless"

This Small Cap Stock Is Overdue For A Breakout Performance

Daniel Cross - INO.com Contributor - Equities


Certain stock sectors are great tools for measuring the health and state of the economy. Transportation is arguably the sector that says the most about it. When transportation companies are posting profits, that means more goods are being shipped and the economy is growing. And when those same companies are missing earnings, it means that fewer goods are being shipped and the economy is either stagnating or contracting.

So far this year, the Dow Jones Transportation Average doesn't reflect a strong and robust economy. It's fallen around 10% year-to-date and most transportation stocks have been bouncing around their 52-week lows for the past six months or so. However, that downward trend could be on the verge of entering a major reversal. Continue reading "This Small Cap Stock Is Overdue For A Breakout Performance"

Energize Your Portfolio With This Alternative Energy Play

Daniel Cross - INO.com Contributor - Equities


Oil has dominated the headlines for energy markets this year so you might have missed out on the growth building up in alternative energy. Specifically – solar.

Just take a look at the chart for Guggenheim Solar ETF (TAN).

NYSE:TAN
Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com

It's sold off quite a bit from its mid-April highs, but looks severely oversold based on its RSI reading of just 28.52. Still, it's up more than 20% year-to-date and looks like it will reverse course and trend higher from here.

The solar industry may be a volatile market, but it's also the fastest growing sector of new energy capacity for the next year according to a report by Bloomberg. It's expected to grow 30% compared to wind at 12%. According to one source, solar could power over 7.6 million homes by 2016 – a 21 times increase over the 360,000 homes powered by solar in 2009. Continue reading "Energize Your Portfolio With This Alternative Energy Play"

This Stock Is Best In Class In The High Growth Auto Parts Industry

Daniel Cross - INO.com Contributor - Equities


The S&P 500 is expected to return around 10% for 2015 – year-to-date though, it's only up 2.35%. Yields on bonds are slowly tracking higher in advance of the Fed interest rate hike, but still remain far below historical averages. Commodities haven't fared well either with oil plunging in the past year and gold trading relatively flat. However, there's no such thing as a market without opportunity.

The auto parts industry is growing at a tremendous rate – for one company, the 5-year expected EPS growth rate is over 20%. In April, I wrote about the opportunities in the auto industry for manufacturers. The auto parts segment is a great way to play off of that angle.

A significant tailwind for the industry is the fall in gas prices that we've seen over the last few months. While prices have begun to rise again, consumers have already been logging more miles in their vehicles since they can travel further for the same cost. Increased wear and tear on motor vehicles translates into high demand for auto parts. Continue reading "This Stock Is Best In Class In The High Growth Auto Parts Industry"

This Company Is A Shareholder Favorite

Daniel Cross - INO.com Contributor - Equities


Some companies set the example for how a business should be run. It keeps debt liabilities low, stays on top on dynamic changes in the marketplace to avoid unnecessary risks, and gives back to its shareholders on a consistent basis.

One consistently overlooked market is regional banking. Investors looking to add financial exposure often identify larger national brands leaving these smaller competitors to operate in relative obscurity. Analysts treat regional banks in much the same way – most have little, if any, analyst coverage at all. Savvy investors know that this is actually a good sign. Unknown stocks are often undervalued gems hidden away behind the cacophony of Wall Street. Continue reading "This Company Is A Shareholder Favorite"