True penny stocks are a minefield, but small-cap copper beauties can be one way to easily double your money.
There are also those companies whose shares trade at the other end of the price spectrum. I call 'em "three-digit stocks," though if they're anything like Berkshire Hathaway, they can trade in the four-, five-, and six-digit range, too.
While a penny stock might not be a good buy simply because it's cheap, a three-digit stock shouldn't scare you away just because it carries a hefty price tag. Handsome is as handsome does, so we check in with the Motley Fool CAPS community to see which ones the investor-intelligence database sees as having the best chance of succeeding.
Below are a handful of these high-priced high fliers, and we'll take a look to see if investors think they can maintain their lofty valuations.
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Stock
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3-Digit Price
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CAPS Rating
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Return on Capital, TTM
|
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DIAMONDS Trust, Series 1 (NYSE: DIA )
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$104.59
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**
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2%
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W.W. Grainger (NYSE: GWW )
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$101.43
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****
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15.3%
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Franklin Resources (NYSE: BEN )
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$115.60
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**
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10%
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Source: CAPS and Capital IQ, a division of Standard & Poor's. TTM=Trailing 12 months.
High-falutin' honeys
Although many bargain stocks drove the market averages higher earlier this year, higher quality large cap stocks have since come along for the ride. While the S&P 500 broke the psychologically important 1,100 barrier the other day, the Dow Jones index has performed almost as well.
That's not such a surprising development, since smaller, riskier stocks will react more quickly to indications of "green shoots." With SPDRS (NYSE: SPY ) having also climbed above the three-digit market, the lumbering bears of the market take a little more time to get moving but eventually they respond to healthier signs too.
The benefit for investors who focus on these blue chip bellwethers represented by the DIAMONDS Trust is that should the economy go south again, they shouldn't fall as far. CAPS member 881500 thinks they have other advantages as well because of their size.
I believe large caps as a group (and dividend stocks) will outperform the market going forward from here. The economy is in a shambles and the large caps have greater access to credit that is squeezed.
Clean up in Aisle 3
Earlier this summer I suggested investors keep an eye on industrial suppliers like W.W. Grainger, Fastenal (NYSE: FAST ) , and MSC Industrial Direct (NYSE: MSM ) as they might be leading indicators for an economic recovery. As businesses start moving again, they're going to need the basic supplies that these companies provide. And the sector has done well, with MSC and Grainger (my two favorites) rising some 30% over those four months.
Highly rated CAPS All-Star turtle286 thinks Grainger's industry leading position situates it to capitalize on further opportunities.
Should reap benefits from it's many investments over the past couple years. Look for increasing dividends and takeovers of smaller competitors.
A penny saved
The bankers have certainly bought into the excuse that they've got to keep paying outrageous salaries and bonuses -- even after the taxpayers bailed them out -- to retain their "talent." Unlike rival Legg Mason (NYSE: LM ) , mutual fund company Franklin Resources saw an influx of cash into its coffers last quarter as it attracted more investors to its numerous fixed income funds. But it also suffered the effects of higher compensation and overhead costs as a result.
With compensation policies based upon assets under management, Franklin's $12.2 billion in inflows created the opportunity to reward its managers accordingly. The market initially didn't take too kindly to the news, sending shares down, but they've since recovered that lost ground.
The market's been kind to financial stocks in this rally, but some smart investors like highly rated CAPS All-Star DarthMaul09 expect there to be a retrenchment, and Franklin Resources might be one to suffer.
Contrarian bet based on the generally good mood of the market driving financial stocks higher than they may be worth. If we see a significant market correction in the next six months, the drop in the stock price might also overshoot to the down side. I thinks it is likely that we will see such a correction, which is the basis for this bet.
Count to 10
These three-digit stocks might be on their way to even higher valuations. That's why it pays to start your own research in Motley Fool CAPS. Read a company's financial reports, scrutinize key data and charts, and examine the comments your fellow investors have made, all from a stock's CAPS page.
Want help finding your own three-digit darlings? Join Fool co-founders David and Tom Gardner at Motley Fool Stock Advisor as they search the market for stocks with the potential to double, triple, and even quadruple in value over time.
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