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The Obama Portfolio: 'Dirt Cheap' Ag, Infrastructure Stocks Best Positioned

Posted Nov 05, 2008 07:00am EST by Aaron Task in Investing, Newsmakers, Recession, Biotech

Now that the votes have been cast, it's time to start thinking about what stocks will fare better under an Obama presidency.

Agriculture and infrastructure stocks are best positioned to benefit from an Obama victory, says James Altucher, managing partner at Formula Capital. In addition to Obama's pledged support for ethanol and infrastructure spending, Altucher says stocks like Mosaic, Potash and KBR are "dirt cheap" after getting trashed by hedge fund-related selling in September and October.

Giving the likelihood Obama will raise taxes on dividends, the fund manager and author also recommends closed-end muni bond funds like TS&W/Claymore Tax-Advantaged Balanced Fund and BlackRock MuniYield Florida Insured Fund.

While an unrepentant bull, Alutcher is less optimistic than other pundits about prospects for biotech and healthcare stocks under an Obama administration, as discussed in the accompanying video. Off camera, he also expressed similar lukewarm views on alternative energy stocks: "The second there is an alt energy bill, oil will fall to $40 -- then we don't need it anymore," he quipped.

(Disclsoure: Altucher owns shares of Mosaic, KBR, and BlackRock MuniYield Florida Insured Fund.)

172 Comments

__A_YAHOO_USER__
__A_YAHOO_USER__ - Wednesday November 05, 2008 07:15AM EST

It does not a matter if a taxes goes up on dividends as long as it can use to create jobs and infrastructure investment in the long run the bottom end is We are beneficiary of the program.......It will reduce American dependent on energy from foreign source.....Like give and take and that is innovation.

you
Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday November 05, 2008 07:37AM EST

The most important thing of all is getting our economy back in shape (both JOBS & Housing). If people believed that our nation can spend all this money in both bailouts and a war and not see and increase then we are all fooling ourselves. The one simple rule in money is either “make more or spend less”. Which side of that do you think we have been on?

you
Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday November 05, 2008 07:52AM EST

CF has a lower P/E than Potash. lots more cash and less debt, and is buying back shares- even more "dirt cheap" than the others in the ag sector. Also, other ag-related (equipment) companies like Deere and CNH have also been creamed lately, generate lots of Free Cash and are starting to bounce back.

JoshS
JoshS - Wednesday November 05, 2008 07:55AM EST

Don't get in just yet... the economy will be bad for some time.

mike
mike - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:07AM EST

Investors and companies and business will move out of the USA. Ask Ask your self why would you want to invest and have to pay more TAX? Also I am sorry to say as long as you have the American work force mostly pushing paper around and not making something useful. Americans will be poorer than ever before. Obama’s plan will be to make more government for you. That will fix it.

david
david - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:10AM EST

I would like to know what stock that little kid bought on the TV ad, just before he threw up.....now there's a "hot tip"

you
Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:11AM EST

The stock market is a ponzi scheme where only the insiders make money and make the rules. All the rest are just cannon fodder.

Talldarkandy
Talldarkandy - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:11AM EST

You don't create jobs through taxes.....and if people think this....we are going to have one hell of a time coming up the next 4 years. You never steal from the lions....and feed the dogs. Unless you want all lions converting to dogs....or jumping ship. furthermore....higher taxes promote the wealthy to move their wealth...find tax loopholes.....netting less taxes. This Obama guy goes against every forefather on distribution of wealth. I'll leave you with one quote. “When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.” — Benjamin Franklin

An
An - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:11AM EST

I would wait another 2-3 maybe 4-6 months before thinking about buying stocks again. There is going to be another downturn coming. Dont get caught holding the bag.

david d
david d - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:19AM EST

A president elected at this moment in the economic cycle will be later perceived as a failure. Government action tends to make the economy worse, not better. I think the Dems will become insufferable with higher taxes and destruction of healthcare.

An
An - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:24AM EST

Remember, we are IN a recession. The stock market will NOT go up, otherwise we wouldnt be in a recession! We can hope it stays flat, but in a recession to think it is not going to fall more is naive.

you
Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:28AM EST

Bottom has not been reached. "New Deal" FDR kept us in recession/depression from 1932 to 1940, until the war came along. "New new deal" will mean recession/depression until 2014-2017, perhaps a new WW will finally end it.

Curtis
Curtis - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:29AM EST

I am one of those "rich" small business owners who is going to get soaked. Instead of investing money in my company and employees, I will be taxed so that my money will be given to someone sitting on a couch with $100 tennis shoes on, watching cable TV & sending text messages on an iPhone. Why wouldn't they want a president who promises an increase in the welfare state. It's the whole lottery mentality - no need to work because I'm going to win soon!

RichardP
RichardP - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:32AM EST

Should oil go down, taxes on oil need to go up. Frivolous flying should be a thing of the past. 5,000 lb cars should be a thing of the past. "Floating" taxation on oil can end as soon as the Iraqi war costs are paid off. And then there's that darn melt off of the sequestered water at the poles. New Orleans and New York can be New Swampland, as far as I'm concerned.

Gris
Gris - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:34AM EST

I think this guy is having a bad hair day - too much partying or just no money left to get a decent hair cut.

KA
KA - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:40AM EST

The tax on capital gains is only for those maknig more than $200K per year in GAINS - i.e. profit - non their investments. How many of you does that affect? Last night they showed that the exit polls stated that of the people that make more than $200K / year (income) more voted for Obama than McCain. I've been watching the financial channel over the months and many investors feel the same. They'd rather have a more stable economy in which to trade (i.e. increasing the chances they can make $200K gains per year) and feel that this will happen with Obama. Also, Obama's gains tax will still be lower than it was under Clinton, and look how much trading/investing was done during his administration!.

you
Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:40AM EST

Hey Mr. Peabody. Set the "Way Back" machine way back to 1995. When the Dow reaches 1995 levels, then maybe, just maybe, I'll start buying.

you
Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:45AM EST

Here we go Carter years all over again!

you
Yahoo! Finance User - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:47AM EST

1. Fertilizer prices have utterly collapsed barring potash. Hint: Both Mosaic and Potash are heavily exposed to nitrogen and phosphate fertilzers which are now racing towards the abyss. Yeah, go ahead and buy MOS now... 2.So buying munis funds is good now eh when muni bond defaults are up to 2,7 billion for 2008 already compared to a few hundred million for 2007? Great recommendation. The smart money knows to only buy general obligation bonds (which are backed by tax revenues). 3.Ok, so no health care because...of what? Ok, so Altucher has no clue on why not. Great argument.

GaryO
GaryO - Wednesday November 05, 2008 08:50AM EST

It's amazing you know the term 'ponzi scheme', yet have no understanding on which to base your comment in relating it to the free market stock exchange as you did... That blows my mind. And by the way, higher corporate taxes will do two things, first deter multinational companies from opening up shop here in the U.S., and second, will promote those who can pack up, and save money doing so, to do just that. India and China are both huge targets for moving operations of our U.S. companies who have hit their limit on how much tax and other costs of doing business within the States they are willing to pay. Higher taxes won't help stem this trend, in fact with those corporate deterrents’, the only thing companies can truly manage in keeping costs down is through their O&M costs. If you don't know what that is, just keep rejoicing over the Obama victory until that little pink slip of paper shows up on your desk. Higher taxes = higher unemployment, there is no other way the equation will work out. It simply can't. Don't get me wrong. I'm VERY proud of my America today. I didn't vote Obama, but am still very proud to be an American with the record voter turnout, and a sense that anyone has the same opportunity to succeed. I just hope he changes his fiscal policy he has pushed after some long hard reasoning from those who know and understand what benefits a free-market can provide. As well as a reconsideration of the higher taxes planned for the ‘rich’. It would be tragic for these two areas of our nation to be changed too drastically...

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