Genentech (NYSE: DNA) closed yesterday at $82.28. So far the stock has hit a 52-week low of $65.60 and 52-week high of $99.14. The proprietary Key Risk Ranking for DNA has declined from a 3...(Click the story link or go to http://www.marketintelligencecenter.com for the full story)
1. Midas ( MDS ) 10.49 a share As of 1/1/2009 Midas, Inc. is a provider of automotive repair and maintenance services with over 2,550 shops globally. Midas retail shops, which are operated by the Company, its franchisees and licensees, offer an array of automotive repair and maintenance services. As of December 29, 2007, there were 1,711 North American Midas shops located in all 50 United States and nine[More...]
The Wall Street Journalargues that the stock market drop may have killed so many sectors that "defensive stocks" may have disappeared. In many market corrections, there are some companies with shares that have held up because their business are less likely to be hurt by a recession.
The paper says that "a number of defensive stocks lately are acting more like cyclical names." The analysts points to companies such as PepsiCo (NYSE:PEP) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ).
The viewpoint may be flawed. What may have happened is that there has been a rotation out of stocks that used to do well in bear markets to a new set of shares which have held up well.. Over the last year, shares of Wal-Mart (NYSE:WMT) are up over 20%. Shares in Colgate (NYSE:CL) are only off a little over 10%, but the company pays a 2.3% dividend. Shares in Genentech (NYSE:DNA) are up 20%. Granted, it is a takeover target, but it has been considered one for some time.
Maybe The Wall Street Journal is just looking in the wrong places.
Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.
I used to, and will one day return, to posting the best performing stocks of the week - but the wicked volatility and "student body left" trading of the past 4 months has made it a moot point. Everything must either be bought or sold, as stocks are either deemed "good" or "bad" that hour, day, or month. The herd piles in, or piles out - regardless of sector, style, fundamentals. It's been a market of asset allocation not individual stocks much of the back half of the year. I like to look for relative strength and ride sector/company trends for the longer term - this market is not for that sort of investor. This has been for many months a run and gun daytrader environment; not a place for theme investors. With that said, I am always curious to see what stocks held up over the long run... folks, no matter what happens (short of 8%+ rally here in the next 3 days) we are projecting the worst year in the markets at least since the[More...]
Dr. Mark Enns, Colorado State University, explains his in-depth research on attempting to tie cattle health and disease susceptibility to DNA Markers. The Genetics of Feedlot Health project is in conjunction with the National Beef Cattle Evaluation Consortium and sponsored by Pfizer Animal Genetics.