Top Investments and Stock Picks for 2006
If you read the headlines today you will hear everything from
recession, decline, slow start, etc... Everyone is commenting on
losses or very marginal gains. Yet there are some investors like
me that did really well in the last few years and are continuing
to do well - and none of us fell for the late night TV investing
scams (and they are ALL scams). Instead we were smart. This is
how we did it and what we like (and you can verify the results
or progress of these stocks by looking up their ticker symbols
on the search engines Google and Yahoo):
1) Diversification is key - you need to have some percentage of
your assets in mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETF's). I
recommend IJR (iShares S&P SmallCap 600 IJR Style/Mkt Cap ETF)
as it follows the market, doesnt have wild fluctuations and
always, consistently grows and pays dividends at the same time.
IJR will be a great bet for a 20-30% gain in 2006.
2) Oil, natural gas and energy are king and anyone that says
otherwise is an idiot. They will continue to grow and produce
record profits throughout 2006. I highly recommend XTO - Cross
Timbers Oil Co. Through the last 3 years their stock has grown
over 800% and split numerous times. They are a definite ace in
the hole and a runaway favorite. Great, solid management and a
definite winner. I also like PNY, Piedmont Natural Gas. They are
very consistent and produce very solid yields that they are
always increasing. It won't produce the high returns of XTO, but
a solid performer. XTO can be a highly volatile stock and is a
rollercoaster of a ride at times but will produce solid results
over time. PNY is a safe, solid investment and natural gas
prices are only going to go up.
3) Hotels and travel - One name says it all CHH - Choice Hotels,
they own most of your local Comfort inns and such. They average
50-60% gains per year and pay a slight dividend on top of that.
A solid performer that tends to buck the economy.
4) Banks and financial institutions - BPOP, Popular Inc. The
main latino bank of Puerto Rico and expanding into the U.S. You
can buy it cheap right now and they are prime for a takeover -
$$$. Solid dividends also and low price for a bank. Good
investment value.
5) Mortgage companies - we will always need houses and a solid,
customer service oriented company with a great record is a good
buy. AHM (American Home Mortgage)- high yield, solid company,
will produce great returns for 2006. Enough said.
6) Ebay, Yahoo, Google, Intel - You need to have a piece of the
internet pie, but with whom? Ebay is your best bet. There is no
competition - Yahoo tried and can't get their auctions off the
ground. The others have simple technology that is easily copied
and the risk is great and the returns limited. Google is
questionable as it has risen well, but others with big pockets
are stepping in hard - Yahoo and MSN.
Search engines like Google rise fast out of nowhere, but then
they usually fall back into oblivion. Google is smart, though
and is trying to diversify into other fields - maps, online
libraries, gmail, etc... so they will stay, but I would go for
Ebay. Ebay is trying to do what Walmart did - Expand into China,
Japan, Korea, etc... With billions of new customers and no
competition the skys the limit. Ebay will be rock solid for 2006.
There you have it. A safe, diversified group of true, proven
performers that will guarantee you a great 2006. Also, they are
all available through low cost trading companies - I recommend
Sharebuilder - you can't beat $4 trades and their easy to use
site. There is no need for a commissioned investment advisor
(all they do is charge you extra money and fees, lie, and they
can't possibly even come close to the workhorses I listed
above). Do yourself a favor and print this out. If you care
about your friends give it to them. Put it in your email lists.
If you believe in helping others and making the world a better
place then pass it on to everyone you can. These stocks will
provide you and everyone else with solid gains for years. And a
greater chance at financial freedom and the best thing is it
didn't cost you a penny.