5 Top Stocks at Half Price

You love buying your shirts when they go on sale. And who can resist a buy-one-get-one-free offer? So, when our stocks go on sale, why do we cry about their low prices?

Smart investors like Warren Buffett and Marty Whitman love it when their stocks are suddenly selling at bargain-basement prices. For them, these companies become no-brainer buys.

The investors who populate the Motley Fool CAPS community also like a bargain, apparently. Below, you'll find five stocks whose shares are selling at least 50% below their 52-week highs, but who still earn top honors from our investor-intelligence database. Consider it a buy-one-get-one-free sale on stocks.

Naturally, we want you to look a bit closer at these stocks before buying. You can get low-priced appliances in the dent-and-ding section of your home-remodeling superstore, but their quality might not be so good. Same thing here: Make sure there's nothing seriously wrong with the company before you plug it into your portfolio.

Take two, they're small
The drumbeat you hear is the sound of heavy equipment manufacturers like Terex (NYSE:TEX) and Catepillar (NYSE:CAT) reporting earnings that are being driven into the ground like a pile driver. As the wheels came off the train of economic growth last year, it was the stocks of big-name equipment manufacturers that started getting weighed down.

Joy Global was an exception, with a 68% increase in profits and a burgeoning backlog of orders. Yet CAPS All-Star member dexion10 isn't convinced that the global boom-turned-bust will impact Joy Global any differently than it has its rivals:

Mining and construction equipment companies were part of the global boom so they will be part of the global bust. Mining companies are cutting capex - so mining equipment will not do well.

A slippery slope
The national hospital system may soon be in need of some wound care itself as the recession continues to impact its spending programs. Medical device makers like Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) and Hansen Medical have been beset by lowered growth and have issued disappointing forecasts as a result, but Hologic -- which is also feeling the unhealthy cuts that hospitals are making, particularly for its Selenia digital mammogram system -- has been able to counter those trends with meaningful cost-cutting measures. While reducing its revenue outlook for the year, Hologic was able to raise its profit forecast in January. When it then announced results at the beginning of this month, the market was heartened and boosted its stock 20%.

Back in November, CAPS member fdgaley noted that women's health care issues will remain an important component of the health care system, and as it specializes in that field, Hologic should do well over time:

Woman's health care is getting huge. This company has great products and has made some key acquisitions. Will take some time.

Have half a mind
It pays to start your own research on these stocks on 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.

Sign up today for the completely free service and tell us if these stocks are twice as good at half the price.