Given last year’s 30% gain in the S&P 500 and the recent rally off the 6% sell-off lows, a question is making the rounds in the financial media: What to buy now? It is a very valid question. Momentum stocks always look tempting, but seem way overheated. Mega-tech leaders are tempting, but extremely expensive. Mega-cap biotech stocks are the same. So where do investors who want to stay long the stock market need to look?
In a new research report, the analysts at Deutsche Bank unveil their “what to buy now?” list for large cap stocks. The names are pulled with extensive screening rules from the firm’s U.S. Equity Insights research team. They point out that with oil at $100, natural gas at $5 and 10-year Treasury yields still below 3% at 2.75%, that justifies the S&P climbing back to its high, but that could be it. They warn that this is not the ideal scenario for capital expenditures and earnings per share growth strengthening in the broader market beyond the energy complex.
Here are the Deutsche Bank “what to buy now?” large cap stocks. We picked a top names from each sector listed in the research report, focusing on the names with the biggest upside to the posted price target.
General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) is a top consumer discretionary name to buy. The company has benefited from incredible sales in China to boost revenue. GM invested heavily in China and grabbed a big chunk of what is now the world’s largest auto market. GM delivered 2.84 million vehicles in China in 2012, representing 11% growth. The company sold 3.16 million vehicles in 2013, which was an increase of 11%. Investors are paid a solid 3.3% dividend. The Deutsche Bank price target for the stock is $45. The Thomson/First Call estimate is at $46.44. GM closed Friday at $36.69.
Loews Corp. (NYSE: L) is a top name for investors in the insurance industry. The firm is essentially a holding company, as well as one of the largest diversified corporations in the United States. Its principal subsidiaries are CNA Financial, a 90% owned subsidiary; Diamond Offshore Drilling, a 50.4% owned subsidiary; Boardwalk Pipeline Partners, a 53% owned subsidiary; HighMount Exploration & Production, a wholly owned subsidiary; and Loews Hotels, a wholly owned subsidiary. Investors do receive a small 0.6% dividend. Deutsche Bank has a $53 price target, while the consensus target is lower at $49.50. Loews closed Friday at $43.50.
Gilead Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD) is a favorite biotech name to buy for the rest of 2014. With a successful hepatitis C drug Sovaldi launch and a very strong and impressive oncology pipeline, the company is poised for another outstanding year. The company also continues to innovate in the HIV arena, which grew 11% in 2013. The Deutsche Bank price target is $132. The consensus estimate is $100.17. Shares closed Friday at $82.59.
Honeywell International Inc. (NYSE: HON) is a top name to buy now in the aerospace and defense sector. The company is a global diversified technology and manufacturing company with a wide range of aerospace products and services; control, sensing and security technologies for buildings, homes and industry; turbochargers; automotive products; specialty chemicals; electronic and advanced materials; process technology for refining and petrochemicals; and energy-efficient products and solutions for homes, business and transportation. Investors are paid a 1.9% dividend. The Deutsche Bank price objective is $105, and the consensus target is set at $100.86. Honeywell closed Friday at $93.93.
Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (NASDAQ: CTSH) provides information technology (IT), consulting and business process outsourcing services worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Financial Services; Healthcare; Manufacturing, Retail and Logistics; and Other. It offers consulting and technology services, such as IT strategy, program management, operations improvement and business consulting services. Deutsche Bank has a $111 price target and the consensus target is $110.10. Shares ended Friday at $102.73.
E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. (NYSE: DD) is rated as a chemical sector stock to buy now at Deutsche Bank. The company had outstanding earnings and is benefiting from the strong manufacturing growth in the United States and abroad. DuPont also fits into the diversified conglomerate category. Shareholders are paid a solid 2.8% dividend. The Deutsche Bank price target is $70. The consensus target is $66.50. DuPont closed Friday at $64.87.
Oracle Corp. (NYSE: ORCL) has sputtered over the past year and is giving investors a prime entry point to the stock. The technology giant is making a push into cloud computing, application virtualization and software-defined networking. The latter two areas should be key areas of revenue growth going forward. Shareholders are paid a 1.3% dividend. Deutsche Bank has set a $45 price target on the stock. The consensus target is $38.92. Oracle closed trading Friday at $38.10.
Citing numerous reasons, the Deutsche Bank analysts have cut their S&P 500 first-quarter earnings estimate to $28.50 from $29, but they maintain their $119 for 2014 on a better second half of the year. Shifting growth to the second half is not very inspiring, but they are encouraged by the U.S. debt ceiling that was lifted until March 2015, strong China exports and imports in January and an improving Europe. They also maintain that second-quarter earnings this year may better than expected. All of these help shape their “what to buy now?” stock selections.
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