7 Stocks Avoiding The Crash, Defensive Works Too (APRI, DARA, EK, HOTT, RGLD, NEM, SINA, MCD, RAI, MO, KMB, AWK, AWR)

When you have a day of -500 DJIA points and when you have the panic back on, it is just assumed that every stock you have in your portfolio is going to be down.  Not so fast.  There are almost always some stocks that are up even on big down days and we aren’t referring to the inverse ETF category.

Apricus Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ: APRI) is up after it received FDA clearance for its OTC anti-fungal drug.  Shares are up 8.9% at $4.30, but keep in mind that this one is only a $85 million market cap even after the pop today.

DARA Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: DARA) is up almost 24% at $2.82 on news that its investigational drug KRN5500 has been granted Fast Track designation by the FDA as a treatment of chemotherapy-induced neuropathic pain.  Keep in mind that this is a $14 million market cap even after the big gain.

Eastman Kodak Company (NYSE: EK) may be a long-term loser headed to the grave yard but the possible patent sales has the stock up double-digits in percentage terms.  Shares are up almost 15% at $3.09.

Hot Topic, Inc. (NASDAQ: HOTT) is bucking the trend.  The turnaround retailer had a loss but it also threw in a $25 million share buyback plan and shares are up 7.5% at $7.47 so far.

Royal Gold, Inc. (NASDAQ: RGLD) and Newmont Mining Corporation (NYSE: NEM) are two of the few gold stocks up on the day, despite the big rise in gold.  When you have nationalization fears hitting then you can’t expect the riskier geographic names to rise too.  Royal gold is up 0.4% at $69.01 and Newmont is up 0.7% at $59.50.

Sina Corporation (NASDAQ: SINA) is one of the few gainers and it is even Chinese.  The company’s earnings may have dropped on higher costs but it is still growing members.  The ADR is up 2.2% at $94.95.

DEFENSIVE STOCKS DOWN LESS THAN HALF THE DJIA & S&P 500 TODAY:

Eat em’ up! McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is down only 1.4% at $86.29 this morning.

Smoke up, the stress is a killer!  Reynolds American Inc. (NYSE: RAI) is the least sold tobacco name and the stock is down only 0.4% at $35.24.    Altria Group, Inc. (NYSE: MO) is down only 1.1% at $25.70.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB) is down only 1.3% at $65.12.

Without water you die! American Water Works Company, Inc. (NYSE: AWK) is down only 1.6% at $28.14 today.  American States Water Company (NYSE: AWR), a smaller water player, is down only 0.7% at $34.41 on the day.

JON C. OGG