Dow Showdown: Coca-Cola vs. General Electric

This video is part of our "Motley Fool Conversations" series, in which consumer-goods editor and analyst Austin Smith and industrials editor/analyst Brendan Byrnes discuss topics around the investing world.

In honor of March Madness, The Motley Fool is running its own bracket, only it has nothing to do with basketball. We created a bracket based on performance over the next 12 months for the components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEX: ^DJI  ) . Today, Brendan and Austin pit industry toppers Coca-Cola and General Electric head to head to see which one is expected to perform the best over the next 12 months. Austin is a big fan of Coca-Cola's economic moat, while Brendan is quick to point out that GE Capital could rise from the ashes as a hugely profitable division once again. Both pay great dividends and are steadfast companies for the long-term investor.

Despite their potential for great long-term investments, neither GE or Coke was selected for the illustrious title of: "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2012." We've created a special free report for investors to uncover this soon-to-be rock star. The report highlights a company that is revolutionizing commerce in Latin America, and you can get instant access to the name of this company by clicking here to download it now.