Just as we examine companies each week that may be rising past their fair value, we can also find companies potentially trading at bargain prices. While many investors would rather have nothing to do with companies tipping the scales at 52-week lows, I think it makes a lot of sense to determine whether the market has overreacted to the downside, just as we often do to the upside.
Here's a look at three fallen angels trading near their 52-week lows that could be worth buying.
A lug nut up on the competition
I haven't exactly been the biggest proponent of the trucking industry over the past couple of months, opting instead to throw my support in transportation behind the rails and global delivery companies like FedEx and UPS. But there are a few companies within the trucking sector that even I would never dare bet against. C.H. Robinson Worldwide
C.H. Robinson, which relies on trucking for nearly 80% of its revenue, crumbled under the pressure of shrinking margins and rising fuel costs last week following its fourth-quarter earnings results. Despite the nominal miss ($0.67 profit vs. $0.68 estimate), I see this dip as a call to buy, not a reason to run in the other direction. Revenue still grew by double digits -- the fifth consecutive year-over-year double-digit increase. Considering that fuel prices have been on a (more or less) steady incline since 2002 and C.H. Robinson's stock price has matched that growth, I'm not too concerned about its response to rising fuel costs. I'd consider saddling up this trailer for your portfolio.
What's the fracking problem?
Emotional investing appears to be getting the better of Heckmann
Heckmann is going to have a hard time making a name for itself, as fellow Fool Rich Duprey recently pointed out. Cameron International
Dividends in a blanket
As I've been a champion of cheap foreign telecoms recently, the next logical step for me is to find a basket ETF that combines fixed-line and wireless infrastructure companies worldwide. Allow me to introduce you to the iShares S&P Global Telecom
This global telecom ETF gives you broad exposure -- meaning you can worry less about being stuck strictly in one specific region (ahem... Europe) -- while also giving you the benefits of owning many of telecom's highest-paying dividend stocks. In fact, the iShares S&P Global Telecom ETF yields a not-too-shabby 5.4%. AT&T
Foolish roundup
Just because the stock market is reaching multiyear highs doesn't mean good companies aren't being left out of the mix. Earnings and calmer heads should eventually drive these three higher. I'm so confident these three names will bounce off their lows that I'm going to make a CAPScall of outperform on each one.
In the meantime, consider adding these potential winners to your free and personalized watchlist and get your own personal copy of our latest special report, "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2012," to see which company our chief investment officer has dubbed the "Costco of Latin America." Best of all, this report is completely free, so don't miss out!
- Add C.H. Robinson Worldwide to my watchlist.
- Add Heckmann to my watchlist.
- Add iShares S&P Global Telecom to my watchlist.