The Best & Worst Stocks (You Own)

[ragingfish]

For those of you that like to dabble in the stock market, what stocks have you purchased that have been performing well? What ones are your worst?My four top performers are (first one being highest performing of all): Lowes Companies (LOW)Quote, originally posted by ragingbull.com »Lowe's Companies, Inc. (Lowe's) is a home improvement retailer, with specific emphasis on retail do-it-yourself (DIY) customers, do-it-for-me (DIFM) customers who utilize its installation services, and commercial business customers. The Company offers a complete line of products and services for home decorating, maintenance, repair, remodeling and maintenance of commercial buildings. Its stores feature a home fashions and interior design center; a lawn and garden center; an appliance center; an outdoor power equipment center; an outdoor grill and patio furniture specialty shop; a hardware store; an air conditioning, heating, plumbing and electrical supply center; a lumber yard, and building materials center. During the fiscal year ended January 28, 2005 (fiscal 2004), the Company operated 1,087 stores in 48 states, with 124 million square feet of retail selling space. Allied Domecq PLC (AED)Quote, originally posted by quote.com »Allied Domecq PLC is an international branded drinks and retailing group. Its business comprises an international spirits and wine group, referred to as the Spirits and Wine business, and an international quick service restaurants group, Dunkin' Brands, Inc., referred to as the QSR business. The Company's Spirits and Wine business manufactures, markets and sells premium branded spirits and premium branded wines. Its brands include Ballantine's, Kahlua, Malibu, Beefeater, Canadian Club, Sauza, Courvoisier, Tia Maria, Maker's Mark, Presidente, Don Pedro, Whisky DYC, Imperial and Stolichnaya. The Company's QSR business operates an international franchise business, which comprises over 12,000 distribution points. QSR is comprised of Dunkin' Donuts, Baskin-Robbins and Togo's. The Company also holds a minority-ownership interest in Britannia Soft Drinks Limited. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2004, the Company acquired Gary Farrell, a Californian wine brand. Target Corporation (TGT)Quote, originally posted by quote.com »Target Corporation (Target) operates large-format general merchandise discount stores in the United States and a much smaller online business. In addition, the credit card operations represent an integral component of the Company's retail business. Target offers both everyday essentials and fashionable, differentiated merchandise. During the fiscal year ended January 29, 2005 (fiscal 2004), the Company completed the disposition of two segments of its business, Marshall Field's and Mervyn's. Target offers credit to qualified guests through its branded credit cards, which include the Target Visa and Target Card. XM Satellite Radio HoldingsQuote, originally posted by finance.yahoo.com »XM Satellite Radio Holdings, Inc., a holding company, provides music, entertainment, and information programming for reception by vehicle, home, and portable radios, as well as over the Internet primarily in the United States. The company offers XM NavTraffic, which provides satellite traffic data, and XM WX satellite weather service that offers graphical data weather service to the marine and aviation markets. Its radio services include music genres-commercial free-and live radio entertainment, popular musical formats, sports and entertainment programming, and local traffic and weather programming, as well as XM Radio Online. As of December 31, 2004, it operated approximately 150 channels, including 65 commercial-free music channels; 30 news and talk channels; 31 sports channels; 21 instant traffic and weather channels; 1 emergency alert channel; and premium channels serving 3.2 million subscribers. The company markets its services through various distribution channels, including automotive manufacturers and dealers, national and regional electronics retailers, car audio dealers, and mass retailers and rental car companies. XM Satellite is headquartered in Washington, District Of Columbia.I have only TWO really bad stocks at this point (first one being WORST performer of all). Kohl's Corporation (KSS)Quote, originally posted by quote.com »Kohl's Corporation, (Kohl's) operates family-oriented, specialty department stores in the United States. The Company's stores sell national brand apparel, shoes, accessories, soft home products and housewares targeted to middle-income customers shopping for their families and homes. The Company's stores emphasize apparel, accessories and footwear for women, men and children; soft home products, such as towels, sheets and pillows, and housewares. During the fiscal year ended January 29, 2005 (fiscal 2004), the Company operated 637 stores in 40 states. In March 2005, the Company opened 15 additional stores across all regions of the United States. Subsequent to fiscal 2004, Kohl's operates 652 stores. Of the 637 stores the Company operated as of January 29, 2005, 171 are take-over locations, which facilitated the entry into several markets including Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, Columbus, Boston, Philadelphia, St. Louis, the New York region and Hartford/New Haven. International Business Machines Corp (IBM)Quote, originally posted by quote.com »International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) is an information technology (IT) company. The Company's major operations comprise a Global Services segment, a Systems and Technology Group, a Personal Systems Group, a Software segment, a Global Financing segment and an Enterprise Investments segment. The majority of the company's enterprise business, which excludes the company's original equipment manufacturer (OEM) technology business, occurs in industries that are broadly grouped into six sectors: financial services, public, industrial, distribution, communications, and small and medium business (mainly companies with less than 1,000 employees). In December 2004, the Company acquired Danish companies Maersk Data and DMdata. In January 2005, IBM acquired SRD, a provider of identity resolution software.

[tnpartsguy]

Only stock I own is ARKONA, a automotive in-house system provider. It's not doing badly, but it's not going to provide retirement income either.http://www.eoddata.com/StockQuote/OBB/ARKN.htmIf I had the funds, I would love to buy some Home Depot, XM Radio, Reynolds & Reynolds, ADP, Target Corp, GM, & Coca Cola stks.I'm surprised that Kohl's isn't doing better, they have several nice stores here in middle TN, but to be honest, they are very bland, and kinda fade into the landscape. My wife even mentioned that lately; when we passed a Kohl's that we have shopped at several times, she said she had forgotten it was there.

[ragingfish]

Quote, originally posted by tnpartsguy »I'm surprised that Kohl's isn't doing better, they have several nice stores here in middle TN, but to be honest, they are very bland, and kinda fade into the landscape. My wife even mentioned that lately; when we passed a Kohl's that we have shopped at several times, she said she had forgotten it was there.I have a friend who is a financial advisor. I asked him his thoughts on the stock. He said Kohl's made some very stupid marketing decisions in the last few years -- similar to GM's blunders -- and that is why they've gone into the crapper. BUT, he said, they realized the error in their ways, and are working to turn it around. Most brokers are still rating the stock at "hold" and are not recommending it be sold yet. I'm holding out and hoping it comes back up...at LEAST to the point where I can sell it and break even. Hopefully, though, when it does come back, it comes back fast and shoots up to the point where I can make a little extra money.I don't own a lot of shares of any stock...never more than 10 or so...I put a little money aside each paycheck to put into stock purchases...I more GM shares too...bought them while they were at a pretty low point, hoping in the next year that should pay off. Home Depot isn't a good stock IMHO, at this point in time. I had it and sold it when Lowes started going up because it became evident, quickly, that Lowes was going to crush them. And they have. HD has become a crappy store. I will pay $2 more to go to Lowes, find what I need (HD never has what I want), and get a nice store, and helpful staff. Similar to my Target/Wally World stance. Here is their 52 week chart:It's fluctuates too greatly for me to have any confidence in them right now. Might be one to watch though...ADP and Coke are interesting ones...never thought about them. I'll have to check them out...maybe add them to the wishlist. Quote, originally posted by silverawd26 »Considering the oil companies.I have a few shares of Royal Dutch Petroleum (known to us as Shell). It isn't doing half-bad, and I have been tossing around the idea of nabbing a few shares of ExxonMobil and British Petroleum (BP). Watch the pharmaceutical companies too. With the baby boomer generation hitting the age where they'll be purchasing singificantly larger amounts of prescription drugs, investments in pharmaceuticals could pay off big time in the next decade or so.

[tnpartsguy]

Quote, originally posted by ragingfish »Home Depot isn't a good stock IMHO, at this point in time. I had it and sold it when Lowes started going up because it became evident, quickly, that Lowes was going to crush them. And they have. HD has become a crappy store. I will pay $2 more to go to Lowes, find what I need (HD never has what I want), and get a nice store, and helpful staff. Similar to my Target/Wally World stance. Funny, that's exactly why I prefer HD over Lowe's the local Lowe's store hire HD's rejects, and I never can find anything in the 3 Lowe's near me. Just the opposite at the HD's. Funny thing is, if HD builds a store, Lowe's buys land across the street, builds a new store, and closes the existing store (usually less than 1.5 miles from the 'new' store). To me, that is a Walmart tactic.

[iinan]

starbucks walmart mcdonalds general motors microsoft matteson tech wells fargo there are a few others but those are the ones that come to mind.

[ArcsVibe]

Nortel for me just killed me!

[fredfreedom]

Nortel is also worst for me. But as we say in French: Chat échaudé craint l'eau froide, donc même à 3$ ou à 70¢, je n'ai pas envie d'en racheter.

[Sputnik]

Quote, originally posted by ArcsVibe »Nortel for me just killed me! I have a coworker who bought Nortel at 78 cents/share. A lot of of it. Man I wish I had done that!

[ArcsVibe]

Quote, originally posted by Sputnik »I have a coworker who bought Nortel at 78 cents/share. A lot of of it. Man I wish I had done that!Fredfreedom: lol Sputnik I had it when it was worth a little more than that

[Sputnik]

Quote, originally posted by ArcsVibe »Fredfreedom: lol Sputnik I had it when it was worth a little more than that Yeah most people did. I knew people mortgaging their houses to buy it over $100/share.

[drunkenmaxx]

Quote, originally posted by desert_dweller »This is a great book to learn how to really make money in the stock market. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obi...07846that guy is a complete weirdo! he has a show on one of the CNN channels called mad money. he rants and raves about stock strategies and callers join in and take beratement or praise. he does seem to know his crap though.

[ragingfish]

My most recent worst performing stock:SBC COMMUNICATIONS INC Unrealized Value: -$513.31

[northvibe]

I do simulation stock at http://www.investopedia.comI made a crap load onCaterpillarNGSGoogleApple3M

[Toolman]

I bought CSCO about 2 weeks ago and it is definatly not paying off. MSN's Jim Jubak had been nagging to buy it for a while.

[northvibe]

Apple is about to announce a phone ipod in collaberation with motorolla. Apple stock should jump, if your a day trader be a good time probably.

[jake75]

A very interesting stockbroker, Malcolm Berko, writes a very good syndicated column. You can read it at a Suburban Illinois News site - free registration. Find it using a google search. He's not always right of course but he cuts through the bull crap and exposes a lot of the phony stuff being pushed by the big brokerage houses. I closed my Merrill Lynch acct. years ago as IMO their main goal was to make commissions and not to enhance my financial position. When I was young commissions were about 3% going in and 3% getting out. Today I trade on-line at Schwab for $12.95. I know there are cheaper places but unless you trade a lot that is cheap enough. Put out to pasture at age 53 I have been self employed for the past decade and since I don't have a regular "pension" have maxed out my Keogh retirement contributions to various Vanguard Funds - mostly the Health Care and Explorer funds. You can put 20% of net in a Keogh plan which defers federal and state income tax. I hate to pay taxes. That stuff is worth about $400,000 now. I still have my former employer's 401k with most of it in fixed income - at my age I am happy to get 4.5% gtd with no risk on this significant chunk of my retirement nest egg. If my stocks go down 50% that will keep me off the welfare rolls.I am not in as good a position as I would have been if my former employer had kept their promises in regard to pension and medical insurance [both of those are history] but things could be a lot worse.

[northvibe]

http://www.morningstar.comThey tell you reviews on stocks (companies) and what they recommend you buy/sell at. Also with past graphs of the stock prices and what the company is planning or has done in the past.

[Vibe]

I was gifted with 500 shares of "Cracker Barrell " stock when the resturant chain first started. Bought at the time --as a gamble --but VERY cheap --Now ------Well , worth a lot more $$$.Will definitely help in my retirement days. Wish I would have dumped all my savings into E bay stock years ago....... James (Vibe)

[jake75]

Quote, originally posted by Vibe »I was gifted with 500 shares of "Cracker Barrell " stock when the resturant chain first started. Bought at the time --as a gamble --but VERY cheap --Now ------Well , worth a lot more $$$.Will definitely help in my retirement days. Wish I would have dumped all my savings into E bay stock years ago....... James (Vibe)We very often eat at CB when traveling as their locations are right off interstate exits. Always try to time our stops at other than prime time to avoid long waits. Not much more expensive than Bob Evans but IMO much better food. You get REAL maple syrup with those pancakes. I have been meaning to look up Cracker Barrel for some time - your post got me to do it. It is owned by CBRL Group, Inc. [CBRL] who also owns Logan's Roadhouse - a moderately priced "steakhouse" that I patronize regularly where you can get a cold one and has peanuts in the shell on the tables. In general restaurant stocks have dropped due to fear that high gas prices hurting business. CBRL has dropped from 40 to 35 just recently. Sells at 15x earnings. 48 cent/sh annual dividend.

[zionzr2]

i just bought some of APL (Atlas Pipeline), GP (Gerogia Pacific), and CNCN (CINTEL CORP)Hopefully they will do well

[Toolman]

I sold a bunch to buy the Vibe, but Synaptics(SYNA) has gained 25% the last week.

[zionzr2]

I'm in favor of any stock with a good dividend. For example Altria (MO), a stock i own, has a great dividend $3.20/yr/share and it typicaly goes up about $.07/share every year.

[Toolman]

I dont keep stocks that long, I usually only have one for a few months.

[tnpartsguy]

OTI need to take pictures of my Vibe in front of CBRL's headquarters, it's 500 feet from my house. It's in a restored mansion on the old Castle Heights Military Academy campus. (BTW RagingFish, if you read this, does your TGIF have a "This Way to Castle Heights" sign? The founder of TGIF has some connection to CHMA and 90% of the Fridays I've been in have a reproduction of the sign)

[zionzr2]

Just dumped GP for a Great Gain!!its being bought out by a privtly held company.

[zionzr2]

How low will GM go???They keep hitting lower lows everyday!!May file Bankrupt within next 12 months!!

[tnpartsguy]

Quote, originally posted by zionzr2 »How low will GM go???They keep hitting lower lows everyday!!May file Bankrupt within next 12 months!!According to Forbes Magazine, GM can't declare bankrupcy under current laws, because they have $40 Billion in cash, and 10 times that amount in assets. I almost get sick of hearing how bad off GM is.....it's a load of crap. Ford was in worse shape just a very short time ago,and they turned around. Chrysler would have gone under if it the 'merger of equals' (ROFLMAO) hadn't happened. Trust me, if GM were close to bankrupcy, Toyota would just aquire the company, because if we are going to discuss fairy tales, let's discuss a big one.

[zionzr2]

Quote, originally posted by tnpartsguy »According to Forbes Magazine, GM can't declare bankrupcy under current laws, because they have $40 Billion in cash, and 10 times that amount in assets. I almost get sick of hearing how bad off GM is.....it's a load of crap. Ford was in worse shape just a very short time ago,and they turned around. Chrysler would have gone under if it the 'merger of equals' (ROFLMAO) hadn't happened. Trust me, if GM were close to bankrupcy, Toyota would just aquire the company, because if we are going to discuss fairy tales, let's discuss a big one. so you might say this may be a good time to consider buying GM and Await the turnaround!?!?!?!?

[jake75]

I've got 1,500 shares of FORD and it ain't doing any better than GM. Had it so long I think I still am above water but I should've sold it long ago.

[zionzr2]

GE just took a ride to the dumps today!!A great buying oppertunity.PCU - Southern Copper has been on Fire for last several months. Wait for a pull back before getting in!