Issues
The market party is on, but someone forgot to tell healthcare stocks.
They’re the only one of the 11 S&P 500 sectors that is actually down in the month since the presidential election. That has everything to do with these five letters: RFK Jr. But are concerns about Trump’s controversial pick to lead the Health and Human Services Department overblown? It appears Wall Street is starting to think so, as the sector has been in steady recovery after an initial sell-off. Still, as a whole, healthcare stocks have been the weakest performers of any major sector this year. And that spells opportunity for value investors.
In today’s issue, we add a big-name, undervalued healthcare stock to our Buy Low Opportunities portfolio. It’s a company whose name you likely know – and that’s showing signs of more consistent profit growth.
Details inside.
They’re the only one of the 11 S&P 500 sectors that is actually down in the month since the presidential election. That has everything to do with these five letters: RFK Jr. But are concerns about Trump’s controversial pick to lead the Health and Human Services Department overblown? It appears Wall Street is starting to think so, as the sector has been in steady recovery after an initial sell-off. Still, as a whole, healthcare stocks have been the weakest performers of any major sector this year. And that spells opportunity for value investors.
In today’s issue, we add a big-name, undervalued healthcare stock to our Buy Low Opportunities portfolio. It’s a company whose name you likely know – and that’s showing signs of more consistent profit growth.
Details inside.
Updates
The Dow is in a tailspin.
After Wednesday’s Fed-ignited selloff, the 118-year-old index has now fallen for 10 consecutive days – its longest string of down days since 1974. Prior to yesterday, the index hadn’t fallen much during the first nine days of this losing streak, down just 3.47%; but yesterday’s 2.58% decline stretched those losses to an even 6%. So what once was a modest pullback is now hurtling toward a correction.
After Wednesday’s Fed-ignited selloff, the 118-year-old index has now fallen for 10 consecutive days – its longest string of down days since 1974. Prior to yesterday, the index hadn’t fallen much during the first nine days of this losing streak, down just 3.47%; but yesterday’s 2.58% decline stretched those losses to an even 6%. So what once was a modest pullback is now hurtling toward a correction.
Alerts
We are recommending shares of CNH Industrial (CNHI) as a new Buy. The company is a major producer of agriculture (80% of sales) and construction (20% of sales) equipment for customers around the world and is the #2 ag equipment producer in North America (behind Deere). It also provides related supplies, services and financing.
Strategy
I want to point out a problem that I foresee, potentially on the scale of the technology bubble in 2001 and the housing bubble in 2007. I think we’re going to have an “inverse ETF bubble.”
My stock-picking strategy has been refined over the course of 28 years, and has been quite stable for the last six years. My investment goals are (1) minimize stock market risk, (2) achieve capital gains, with dividends as a welcome addition to total return and (3) outperform the U.S. stock markets.
I was talking with an investor recently about the latest stock market downturn. He was puzzled; if General Motors (GM) is supposedly such a great stock and vastly favored among portfolio managers, why would it fall 30% during a market correction?
Our instincts warn us that stocks reaching all-time highs are invariably overdue to fall. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. We examine two common scenarios involving stocks that are about to rise—or fall—from new high prices.