Big Al's Casino

Welcome to Big Al's Casino, more commonly known as the stock market! Watch Big Al navigate the treacherous waterways of the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ. Not quite betting on the ponies or the lottery, but the odds might be better here. Thanks for visiting!

I was doing some research on the stock market last weekend and came across what I think are some really interesting stocks and funds. I started off by reviewing some older Wall Street Journal Smartmoney Stock Screens. I have an occasional habit of clipping them out of the paper and putting them in an envelope if they strike my fancy. (I found Redhat this way in 2005). Then I reviewed what the price was at the time the WSJ published the stock screen, and what the current price is now. This is easily done online. I may have looked at about 120, and of those I choose about 15* to do further research on, based on their solid record of accomplishment, though I will continue to look at them all, plus the 30 or so I have in my portfolio. Bottom line, these folks are making money, and you might want a piece of the action.

Here they are with ticker symbol, screen, date, price then, price on January 26, 2007, and percent growth. with % growth based on January 26. And my highly subjective comments, of course!

*Sherwin Williams (SHW) "Insider buying" published 3/21/2006 price then $48.92, now $66.71 up 36%. Yep, the company that make paint. I love these guys buying their own stock. Will need to check to see if they are still buying - stock is still climbing!
*Orient-Express Hotels (OEH) "Mid-caps with impressive growth" 2/7/2006, $32.97 - $46, up 39%. I am in the hotel business, and hotel stocks in general have been strong. And there is a lot of growth opportunity in the Far East.
*Regal- Beloit (RBC) "Mid-caps with impressive growth" 2/7/2006, $36.85 -$48 up 30%. I think they make pumps. Another boring business (like SHW) that makes their shareholders money. Worth a look.
*First Marblehead (FMD) "Unheard of Stocks" 4/4/2006, $44.31 - $55 up 20%. This company provides credit services. Boring but profitable.
Goldman Sachs (GS) "Growing Earnings", 3/28/2006 $154 - $213 up 38%. I don't have a feel for how to track this financial services company. They are obviously doing something right.
*Fidelity Select Transportation (FSRFX) "Small Mutual Funds" 2/20/2006, no price. I like this because it doesn't appear in the paper on Sunday. It's off the radar, you really have to hunt for it, and it's doing well.
Fidelity Select Industrial Materials, "Small Mutual Funds", 2/20/2006, no price, I haven't really checked this one out except to know it's doing well.
*Alliance Data Systems (ADS) "Free Cash Flow" 2/17/2006 $44 - 66, up 50%. This is intriguing, certainly data systems is what communication is all about.
Knight Capital Group (NITE) "Value Stocks" 3/6/2006 $12.63 - $18.46 up 46%, Investment brokerage, with a very low price to cash-flow ratio of -6.3. Making money!
*Salesforce.com (CRM) "Momentum Stocks", 7/25/2005, $22.46 - $42.23, up 88%. All big companies are really into sales and service. This little guy keeps creeping up a couple percent a day, nice steady volume - there is something going on here! ( I bought a small stake last week).
*SiRF Technology Holdings (SiRF) "Momentum Stocks", 7/25/2005, $18.81 - to $29 up 50% as of Feb. 1. These guys make global positioning chips. I love that idea, though I have been burned on chips before. They rocketed up 50% this week based on strong earnings. Another company to watch is Atheros (ATHR) which has been a slightly better performing competitor.

Here's a few others:
WSJ Stock Screen - "Municipal Bonds to Consider"
*USAA Tax- Exempt Intermediate Term ( (USATX)
*Fidelity Intermediate Municipal Income (FLTMX)
*Vanguard Intermediate Term Tax Exempt (VWITX)
Do not keep these in an IRA because you will be hit at ordinary income rates when you retire. But these are relatively safe investments.

"Unheard of Stocks" (with good share growth)
Ocwen Financial (OCN) savings and loans
Skechers (SKX) apparel
*GFI Group (GFIG) Regional investment broker - this stock has been climbling lately.

"Funds for Novices" (terrific three year returns of 27% or higher)
Bruce Fund (BRUFX) small cap
*Alpine Int'l REIT (EGLRX)
ICAP International (ICEUX)

"Bargain Growth"
*Phillips - Van Heusen Clothing (PVH)

And finally, a stock I just stumbled upon in the tables: *MEMC Electronic Materials (MEMC) This stock I found due to recent momentum. They produce semi-conducter wafers. Also check out Mothers Work (MWRK) down lately but seems to be rebounding.

Thanks for checking in. See you next time at Big Al's Casino!

Big Al