The following video is part of our "Motley Fool Conversations" series, in which analyst John Reeves and advisor David Meier discuss topics across the investing world.

There are plenty of dark clouds on the economic horizon. John and David are holding lots of cash in their real-money portfolio, so they thought it would be good to look for companies with lots of net cash on their balance sheets. The names shouldn't surprise any investor: Microsoft, Google, Cisco, Apple, and Oracle. Although each of them can weather any storm, investors may not find all of them compelling investment opportunities. Microsoft, for example, hasn't had much luck with acquisitions. And Cisco and Oracle seem to be coming to the end of their life cycle. Apple and Google are arguably the most interesting. Apple doesn't need all of its cash, and will grow its dividend over time. And Google has lots of big investment opportunities. Those are the cash-rich tech stocks to buy in order to protect and grow your portfolio.

Apple is the most influential company in technology and has delivered market-smashing returns for those lucky enough to invest in the company. However, with the impending release of the iPhone 5 and Apple TV on the horizon, the stakes have never been higher for the company. If you're looking for a recommendation on how to play Apple along with continuing updates and guidance on the company whenever news breaks, we've created a brand new report that details when to buy and sell Apple. To get started, just click here now.