Here’s the formula for paying no federal income taxes on $100,000 a year

The question of how much can we earn without paying federal income taxes is relatively easy to answer for most people. The standard deduction for a married couple is $24,400 in 2019 (if both are under 65 years old), and the top of the 0% capital-gains tax bracket is $78,750. With our daughter, we also qualify for the child tax credit ($2,000), so we could actually generate another $13,333 per year in dividends or capital gains, taxed at 15%.

5 Cheap Dividend Stocks With High Yields And Annual Increases

When writing this article, I was looking for an ideal list of dividend-paying stocks that consistently raise their dividends each year. In addition, the dividend yields have to be higher than average. I used a cutoff of 4 to 6% dividend yield.This is much higher than the S&P 500, with its dividend yield of 1.8%. So picking these stocks has a good chance of appreciation.The stocks also have to be cheap. The price-to-earnings ratio hurdle to make my list is 11 times or lower. This is significantly lower than most stocks trading today. For example, the S&P 500 P/E ratio is 23.8 times earnings. On a forward basis, it is slightly below 20x. So my cutoff is almost 50% to 60% of the market average.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * The 10 Worst Dividend Stocks of the Decade Lastly, the company has to be able to afford the dividends. Earnings per share must be higher than the dividend per share.Even with as strict as all that may sound, I still found five stocks that met these criteria in spades. You might consider investing in them. Dividend Stocks to Buy: AT&T (T)Dividend Yield: 5.3%Price-to-Earnings Ratio: 10.8xAverage Dividend Growth Over 5 Years: 2%Source: Mark R. Hake AT&T (NYSE:T) has consistently raised its dividends to shareholders each year. You can see this in the chart I prepared, at right. Dividends per share are growing consistently by 2% or higher each year over the past three to five years.In addition, AT&T is very cheap compared to its earnings per share. The P/E ratio is below 11x.AT&T purchased Time Warner a little over a year ago and is still in the process of integrating the company. Analysts expect earnings to grow by 2.2% in 2020. Moreover, this is also the same amount by which dividends are expected to grow next year.T stock is expected to begin buying back shares on a larger scale. I recently wrote an article about this which you can read here. Moreover, earnings cover T stock dividend very well. The $2.05 dividend rate represents just 57% of its expected $3.55 earnings per share. AbbVie (ABBV)Dividend Yield: 5.3%Price-to-Earnings Ratio: 9.9xAverage Dividend Growth Over 5 years: 21%AbbVie is a $128 billion market value drug manufacturing company. It has consistently raised its dividend over the past five years. You can see this in the chart I have prepared. On average dividends have increased by 21% per year.Source: Mark R. Hake In addition, ABBV stock is very cheap. For example, International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) stock trades for less than 10 times earnings. In 2020, expected earnings of $9.91 per share put ABBV stock at a P/E of 8.75 times.Abbie made a cash and stock bid for Allergan (NYSE:AGN) in late June 2019. AGN is a $61 billion market cap U.K./U.S. drug company. The deal is expected to close in early 2020. AbbVie claims the deal will significantly increase shareholder value.As it stands, the dividend per share for ABBV stock is well covered by its earnings. The annual $4.72 dividend per share represents just 53% of expected earnings of $8.93 per share. * 7 Sinfully Good Casino Stocks That Could Win the Jackpot in 2020 In sum, ABBV stock looks like a good cheap, high-yield and consistent dividend-paying stock worth buying. Dividend Stocks to Buy: Harley-Davidson (HOG)Dividend Yield: 3.9%Price-to-Earnings Ratio: 11.6xAverage Dividend Growth Over 5 Years: 11.99%Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG) stock has a very nice dividend yield of 3.9%. The company has had a rough few years from EU and China tariffs. Nevertheless, HOG has paid consistently higher dividends, as can be seen in the chart. Its average dividend growth has been 12% over the past five years.Source: Mark R. Hake HOG stock presently trades on 11.6 times earnings. The company is experiencing lower earnings from the tariffs and lower bike sales as a result. Nevertheless, it has reduced its costs. Revenue next year is expected to be slightly higher than this year.Earnings for 2020 are expected to be $3.55 per share by analysts covered by Seeking Alpha. That puts HOG stock at less than 11x earnings.The dividend per share of $1.50 is well covered by expected earnings. Once the tariffs are lifted, HOG stock has a good chance of increasing earnings and dividends dramatically.Meanwhile, the dividend yield of almost 4% is a good inducement for investors to wait for things to turn around for Harley-Davidson. International Business Machines (IBM)Dividend Yield: 4.8%Price-to-Earnings: 10.6xAverage Dividend Growth 5 Years: 10.91%IBM has consistently raised its dividend per share over the past 5 years. Its average dividend growth has been stellar at 10.9%. You can see this in the chart at the right.Source: Mark R. Hake In addition, IBM is very cheap. It trades at just 10.6 times earnings. In 2020 EPS is expected to be $13.31 per share, according to Seeking Alpha. This puts IBM stock on just 10x forward earnings.Moreover, IBM's $6.48 dividend per share is just over 50% of the EPS of $12.80 or so expected this year. As a result, you can see the earnings well cover the dividend.I have written several articles on IBM and its push into the hybrid cloud space now that it fully owns Red Hat. IBM paid $34 billion for that acquisition, which closed in early July 2019. IBN believes the hybrid cloud market represents a $1.2 trillion opportunity over the next decade. Most companies will need to move their operations onto the cloud over that period. * 7 Earnings Reports to Watch Next Week This bodes well for IBM over the long run. With its 4.8% dividend yield, IBM stock will pay investors to investors to wait for earnings to take advantage of the expected spike from hybrid cloud growth. Kohl's Corp (KSS)Dividend Yield: 5.5%Price-to-Earnings: 10.3xAverage Dividend Growth 5 Years: 11.4%Kohl's (NYSE:KSS), the department store chain, can catch your eye with a very nice dividend yield of 5.5%. Moreover, KSS has increased its dividend annually on average 11.4% over the past five years.EPS is expected to be $4.77 this year. Therefore KSS's earnings well cover the dividends. Dividends take up just 56% of earnings. In addition, next year EPS is expected to be roughly flat with this year, according to Seeking Alpha.KSS stock trades for about 10 times earnings. KSS stock is very cheap at these prices. For example, several reasons for this relate to tariff headwinds and customers' increasing preference to shop online. Its recent deal to take in Amazon returns will help drive traffic to its physical stores.I believe that Kohl's will be a winner in the omnichannel sales space. At this price, which is very cheap, the dividend pays investors very well to wait for the company to grow earnings.As of this writing, Mark Hake, CFA does not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. Mark Hake runs the Total Yield Value Guide which you can review here. The Guide focuses on high total yield value stocks. This includes both high dividend and buyback yield stocks. In addition, subscribers a two-week free trial. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * These 7 S&P 500 Stocks Will Deliver a Repeat Performance in the Next Decade * 7 Tech Stocks to Stuff Your Stocking With * 7 Sinfully Good Casino Stocks That Could Win the Jackpot in 2020 The post 5 Cheap Dividend Stocks With High Yields And Annual Increases appeared first on InvestorPlace.

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  Why Public Joint Stock Company "SAFMAR Financial investments" (MCX:SFIN) Should Be In Your Dividend Portfolio

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  Wallenstam AB (publ) (STO:WALL B) Is An Attractive Dividend Stock - Here's Why

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Billionaire George Soros Snaps Up These 3 High-Yield Dividend Stocks

Few investors have realized better sustained profits than George Soros. His hedge fund’s annualized returns exceeded 30% for over 30 years, and made him one of the world’s richest men. He gained fame in 1992 when he made a famous bet against the Pound Sterling and generated over $1 billion in profits in just 24 hours. While his political activities have generated controversy and criticism, no one can doubt his financial acumen.He bases that acumen on a simple aphorism: “If investing is entertaining, if you’re having fun, you’re probably not making any money. Good investing is boring.” He means, of course, that the most reliable stocks are the ones least likely to make waves in the markets or headlines in the news. So, don’t expect to find anything exciting in his firm’s $3.6 billion worth of 13F securities – but do expect to find solid returns and reliable dividends. After all, that’s where the profit is.To find out just how good that profit can get, we’ve taken three of Soros’ big dividend moves and looked them up in the TipRanks database. These are investments that the Stock Screener tool reveals as ‘Buy’ rated and, more importantly, all three offer robust dividend yields, between 4% and 11%. The average dividend yield of the S&P-listed stocks is just about 2%, so Soros’ choices start at double that – and work their way up.BP (BP)Up first is BP, the world’s sixth largest oil and gas company. The company’s revenues in calendar year 2018 totaled $303.7 billion, and gave a net profit of $9.6 billion. BP has had some trouble maintaining that sort of performance in 2019, however. In the Q3 earnings release, the company reported $2.3 billion in profits, a 17% decline sequentially and a 39% drop year-over-year.The drop in profits comes on the heels of declining oil prices. Brent crude, the global benchmark price on the oil markets, is down 12.7% from its peak in April of this year. There are subtleties in pricing, however. BP’s quarterly earnings reflect the generally low oil prices, but those same oil prices have been trending slightly upwards since October – and BP’s Q3 numbers did beat the analysts’ expectations. Among the headwinds the company faces is a CEO transition, as current head Bob Dudley will be stepping down this coming March. He will be followed by the company’s upstream chief. The promotion from within promises continuity despite the upper level churn.So, BP is a stock that is weathering a down time in commodity prices, with the resources to wait out a low-price regime. That’s a good position for a company to hold. Even better, for investors, the company has maintained its dividend. The quarterly payment has been set at 61 cents for the last six quarters, and the was 60 cents prior to that. The annualized dividend of $2.44 gives a yield of 6.67%, more than triple the S&P average. At 92%, the payout ratio, while high, is sustainable long-term.With a background like that, it’s no wonder that Soros moved heavily into BP in Q3. The stock offers a solid industry position, a reliable dividend, and a clear path for future profits. Soros’ purchase of BP marked a new position, of 270,000 shares for his fund. At today’s prices, those shares are worth nearly $10 million.Wall Street is upbeat about BP prospects. Setting that tone is BMO analyst Daniel Boyd, who writes, “We think BP is turning a corner after years flagging financial performance driven in part by oil-spill payments that are dropping off. We expect strong production and cashflow growth, enabled by high margin projects, to fuel dividend growth and improved returns.”Boyd’s Buy rating is backed up by a $53 price target, suggesting a strong upside of 43%. (To watch Boyd’s track record, click here)BP shares have received three recent Buy ratings, giving the stock a unanimous ‘Strong Buy’ from the analyst consensus. The average price target stands tall at $51.33 -- indicating a robust upside potential of 39%. (See BP stock analysis on TipRanks)Dominion Energy (D)BP wasn’t the only energy industry company that Soros was interested in. The master investor also made a large entry purchase in Dominion Energy, a power company based in Richmond, Virginia. Dominion is a major supplier of electricity in Virginia and the Carolinas, and also supplies natural gas to customers in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, the Carolinas, and Georgia.Utilities are a profitable business. Dominion’s earnings in Q3 2019 came in at $1.18 per share, beating the estimates by 1.7%, and beating the year-ago number by 2.6%. Revenues were up more than 23% year-over-year, but missed the Q3 forecast by 3%.Dominion is due to pay out its next dividend on December 20. The payment, of 92 cents, annualizes to $3.67, giving a solid yield of 4.54%. The company has a 10-year history of committing to its dividend payment, and has been raising it annually for the last three years. Dominion has proven itself a reliable dividend stock.Long-term reliability of return likely drew in Soros, who purchased 150,000 D shares in Q3. His purchase is now worth over $12 million. Like BP, this was a new position for Soros, signaling an interest in the energy industry.Wolfe analyst Steve Fleishman takes a bullish stance on Dominion. Writing on the stock this week, he said, “Dominion has a balanced strategy, combining high-growth electric and gas utility operations with heavily contracted gas pipeline and LNG export assets. The company has done a good job de-risking the earnings mix and balance sheet, and we see it as attractive at current levels…”Fleishman gives D shares a ‘Buy’ rating with a $90 price target. His target indicates confidence, and about 12% upside potential for the stock. (To watch Fleishman’s track record, click here)Wall Street is evenly split right now on Dominion, with the analysts giving the stock 4 Buys and 4 Holds. The stock is trading for $80.69, and the $87.57 average price target implies a premium of 8.5% from the trading price. (See Dominion stock analysis on TipRanks)Annaly Capital Management (NLY)Turning away from the energy industry, we come to a stock in which Soros had already held a position. In the third quarter, the billionaire added over 1.15 million shares to his exiting holding in Annaly Capital Management, a substantial increase of 49%. The company is a real estate investment trust, and one of the largest in the US.Real estate investment trusts (REITs) are companies that own and manage combinations of residential or commercial properties, or invest in the loans and mortgages used to fund those properties. Annaly invests primarily in mortgage-backed securities, and holds some $133 billion worth of assets in its portfolio.For dividend investors, whether small-scale or billionaire hedge gurus, the stock is an obvious target. US tax code regulations require REITs to return as much as 90% of their income directly to shareholders, which is usually done in the form of dividends. For income investors, this is a boon. Stocks like NLY generally have dividend payout ratios that start at 85%; in Q3, NLY’s ratio was just over 100%, meaning all of the company’s income was sent back to investors. The current dividend, paid out quarterly at 25 cents per share, annualizes to a yield exceeding 10%.The high dividend makes up for slipping share value, helping to keep investors interested in NLY even though the stock has slipped 4.8% this year. As noted above, Soros’ interest in the company is substantial – and his total holding in the stock, of 3.517 million shares, is worth $32.88 million.4-star Barclays analyst Mark Devries lays out a clear thesis for investing in Annaly: “NLY's diversification into non-Agency and commercial real estate investments are initiatives that could generate attractive returns longer term. We like Agency focused Mortgage REITs at this point in the cycle given their defensive nature and ability to outperform in a bear market for equities.”Devries puts a $10 price target and a Buy rating on this stock. His target suggests a 7% upside to the stock – not spectacular, but still profitable. (To watch Devries’ track record, click here)Wall Street’s analyst give approval to NLY by a 3 to 1 advantage, putting a Strong Buy consensus rating on the stock. The average price target, $9.69, implies a modest upside of 4% from the $9.35 share price. From an investor’s perspective, the high yielding dividend here is more attractive than the shares’ appreciation potential. (See Annaly stock analysis on TipRanks)

3 Great Semiconductor Stocks to Invest In for 2020

Looking forward, the epic semiconductor stocks rally still has plenty of room to run. Since the year began, the Van Eck Vector Semiconductor ETF (NYSE:SMH) is up nearly 61% year to date. The iShares Trust S&P Semiconductor Index Fund (NASDAQ:SOXX) is up 56%. The best part? The sector is well-positioned to push even higher in 2020.As InvestorPlace.com contributor Luke Lango pointed out, "Since early 2018, escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China have weighed on global semiconductor demand and sales. But, those escalating trade tensions are now de-escalating, and should continue to de-escalate into 2020. As they do, semiconductor demand and sales will rebound."Additionally, according to IHS Markit, global semiconductor revenue would rebound up to 5.9% from $442.8 billion in 2019 to $448 billion by 2020. "IHS said that upturn will be directly due to 5G smartphones because the smartphone business is the largest consumer of semiconductors of any industry, with $87.7 billion in global revenue this year," said Light Reading Editorial Director Mike Dano.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips * These 7 S&P 500 Stocks Will Deliver a Repeat Performance in the Next Decade In short, semiconductor stocks -- especially those involved with 5G -- could be explosive in 2020. That being said, here are three semiconductor stocks I think could benefit in the new year: Semiconductor Stocks to Invest In: Qualcomm (QCOM)Source: Akshdeep Kaur Raked / Shutterstock.com When it comes to Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) stock, the next big catalyst is 5G. Considering the massive rollout we're about to see, its chips will be under sizable demand.In fact, Qualcomm expects global smartphone makers to ship up to 450 million 5G handsets in 2021, and another 750 million in 2022. We also have to remember Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) iPhones will be powered by QCOM 5G modem chips.As a result, Qualcomm will benefit because phones will therefore need more chips."We exit the fiscal year having successfully executed on our strategic priorities: helping to drive the commercialization of 5G globally, completing a number of important anchor license agreements and executing well across our product road map," said CEO Steve Mollenkopf, as I pointed out the other day. Marvell Technology (MRVL)Source: Michael Vi / Shutterstock.com After losing 35% of its value in the latter part of 2018, Marvell Technology (NASDAQ:MRVL) is now up 73% since then -- all thanks to clear signs that its 5G business is about to take off in a big way. The company now believes revenues will hit $600 million a year!"Our design win momentum continues in 5G, and we recently announced a significant long-term partnership with Samsung to deliver multiple generations of embedded processors and baseband processors for both LTE and 5G base stations," said CEO Matthew Murphy. "We expect shipments of our 5G products to start to ramp toward the end of the fiscal year 2020 and continue to grow rapidly into fiscal 2021 and beyond."Better, Marvell acquired Avera Semiconductor for $650 million earlier this year. This move will allow it to expand into the application-specific integrated circuits (ASIC); and those have become popular with regards to machine learning and the Internet of Things. Furthermore, 5G demand should create bigger demand for ASICs down the road.With that in mind, analysts are just as upbeat on the stock. * 7 Tech Stocks to Stuff Your Stocking With JP Morgan analyst Harlan Sur sees the company's 5G business "ramping strongly." Barclays' Blayne Curtis says MRVL is the bank's top semiconductor stock for 2020."The key point for us is the strength of the 5G opportunity ahead," he said. Micron Technology (MU)Source: madamF / Shutterstock.com Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) stock should also see a boost from 5G. This is due to demand for its dynamic random access memory chips (DRAMs) and NAND flash storage. Remember, when it comes to 5G, every device will require a combination of both DRAM and NAND memory.We must also remember that 5G devices, such as smartphones, in 2020 and beyond will need "at least 50% more memory than their 4G cousins," as highlighted by Motley Fool contributor, Anders Bylund.Plus, with 5G the average phone will need six gigabytes of DRAM from the four GB in current phones, as noted by Barron's contributor, Eric Savitz."Higher-end phones will need eight GB to 12 GB of DRAM, up from six GB. The same pattern will unfold with NAND flash memory -- (Sumit Sadana, chief business officer at Micron Technology) sees midrange phones shifting from 64 and 128 GB models to 128 and 256 GB, with high-end models getting up to a terabyte of NAND."That offers sizable long-term opportunity for a company like Micron, whose position in mobile is only growing stronger.As of this writing, Ian Cooper did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * The 5 Best Tech Stocks to Buy For the Next Decade * 4 Beaten-Up Pot Stocks Worth Considering in 2020 * Top 5 Tech Stocks of the 2010s Decade The post 3 Great Semiconductor Stocks to Invest In for 2020 appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Tesla Zealotry on Street Fades as Focus Shifts to Fundamentals

(Bloomberg) -- The perpetual war between Tesla Inc.’s bears and bulls may finally be simmering down.Passionate views about the outlook for the electric-vehicle maker have often led to polarizing takes from analysts, with some forecasting global dominance and others predicting an imminent death. But over the past year or so, those extremest stances have started to fade from the mainstream, according to Toni Sacconaghi, an analyst at Sanford C. Bernstein.“Bears are no longer expecting Tesla to run out of cash, while bulls have acknowledged the market’s lukewarm reception to unproven business models (Uber, WeWork, Peloton, etc.),” he wrote in a note to clients, adding that more investors have become focused on different ways to value Tesla shares.The zealots have backed off over the past year. Citron Research founder Andrew Left, once among the most prominent critics, threw in the towel on his short thesis. Morgan Stanley’s Adam Jonas, once an avid Tesla bull, conceded that a host of scenarios could call that optimism into question.Analysts’ average price target on the stock was $343 on Dec. 31, 2018, and currently stands at $292.Sacconaghi, who has the equivalent of a hold rating on the stock and a price target of $325, estimated that the company could be worth less than $250 a share or more than $500 per share, depending on how things shake out over the next few years. The stock fell 0.6% mid-day Friday to $357.37In the event that Tesla ultimately becomes the size of Volkswagen AG with the margins of BMW AG, the shares could rally to $530, the analyst said, ascribing a 20% chance to the outcome. The base-case assumption, in which Tesla matches the size and margins of BMW, yields a value of about $345, and has a 50% probability. The most pessimistic case, with a 30% possibility, will lead to a tumble to $155, Sacconaghi said.Jonas also published a note evaluating the most optimistic scenario for the company, raising his most bullish estimate to $500 from $440 per share, reflecting the potential for selling trucks and generating more revenue in China.Tesla shares are up 8.6% this year, compared with a 26% jump in the S&P 500 Index. If the stock price hovers around the same level, this would be the second straight year of single-digit percentage gain in the stock.\--With assistance from Gregory Calderone.To contact the reporter on this story: Esha Dey in New York at edey@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Brad Olesen at bolesen3@bloomberg.net, Brendan Walsh, Richard RichtmyerFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

The No. 1 highest paid, most in-demand jobs in every U.S. state for 2019

Unemployment hit a 50-year low of 3.5% in November, according to the latest government snapshot of the labor market. The site analyzed government data to project the careers most likely to be lucrative and in demand. Software developers typically require a bachelor’s degree and computer-coding skills such as Java, JavaScript, SQL, C Sharp, Cascading Style Sheets and NET Framework.

Amazon delivers threat to FedEx, UPS with surge in shipments

The world’s largest online retailer is delivering 46 percent of U.S. packages bought on its online platform itself.

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Patience With Aurora Cannabis Will Pay Off in 2020

It has been a rough ride for shares of Canadian cannabis producer Aurora Cannabis (NYSE:ACB) in 2019. Aurora began the year priced around $5. However, it's exiting the year at around half of that value -- mostly thanks to stagnant revenue growth amid challenging demand trends in its core Canadian consumer market.Source: Shutterstock But, I think that 2020 is shaping up to be a great year for Aurora Cannabis.The contrarian bull thesis here is simple. Those challenging demand trends in the Canadian consumer market will turn around in 2020. This is due to the launch of new products like edibles and vapes, a reduction in legal channel supply constraints and an expanded retail distribution footprint.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsAs those demand trends turn around, Aurora's revenue growth will re-accelerate higher. This resurgence, coupled with favorable U.S. legislation progress, will spark a big rebound for Aurora. * These 7 S&P 500 Stocks Will Deliver a Repeat Performance in the Next Decade As such, although it's easy to write off Aurora Cannabis as a falling knife at this point. I ultimately think that dip buyers who exercise patience at these levels will be rewarded in a big way over the next 12 months. The Canadian Cannabis Market Will Bounce BackThe Canadian cannabis market looks poised for a big rebound in 2020 after a rough 2019.The big problem with the Canadian cannabis market in 2019 was that consumer demand in the legal channel fell flat. That happened for a number of reasons, all of which come back to this idea that the legal channel failed to pull that much demand from the black market.That said, the black market had lower prices because they didn't have to pay legal or regulatory fees. They also didn't have any supply issues -- whereas nascent legal suppliers had huge supply constraints. They were also able to get product to consumers in a timely manner -- whereas legal suppliers were still learning the ropes of cannabis distribution and logistics -- and offered a wider array of products that legal suppliers couldn't sell.Fortunately for those interested in investing in the Canadian cannabis market, all of that will change in 2020.First, that Canadian government is aware that the black market is outpricing the legal market, and there appears to be legal steps being made to rectify this issue. Second, legal suppliers have spent all of 2019 increasing growing capacity. So, come 2020, there should be no more supply constraints. Third, legal suppliers are also aggressively expanding their retail footprint throughout Canada, and that should lead to improved logistics. Fourth, the legal market will able to sell cannabis 2.0 products like vapes and edibles in 2020.Therefore, 2019 cannabis market demand headwinds should turn into 2020 demand tailwinds. As they do, everything will improve for cannabis companies. Revenue growth rates will ramp back up, margins will improve and net losses will shrink.As all those things happen, pot stocks should bounce back. It also doesn't hurt that the U.S. is inching towards federal legalization of cannabis with the House Judiciary Committee recently passing the Marijuana Opportunity, Reinvestment, and Expungement (MORE) Act. Aurora Will Bounce Back, TooAs the cannabis sector bounces back in 2020, Aurora will bounce back, too.I like Aurora Cannabis in the cannabis sector for a few, very simple reasons. First, the company is very big in this world. They are second to only Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC) in terms of sales and growing capacity. After those two, it's a steep drop off to the rest of the pack.Second, they have a strong leadership position in the markets in which they operate. In the Canadian consumer market, Aurora owns the top three best-selling cannabis consumer products in Ontario -- Pink Kush, Blue Dream and Tangerine Dream. Internationally, the company has a leadership position in medical marijuana throughout most of Europe.Third, Aurora is supported by favorable margin trends. Gross margins here are high for the cannabis industry, up near 60% last quarter. Those gross margins are also stable, and haven't changed in several months. At the same time, management is exercising disciplined cost control, while selling, general and administrative expenses dropped 1% quarter-over-quarter last quarter.Fourth, the valuation on Aurora is favorable relative to other pot stocks. Aurora's market cap presently stands at $2.7 billion. Revenue estimates for two years ahead stand around $950 million. That gives Aurora Cannabis a two-year-forward sales multiple of less than 3. Peers Canopy Growth, Tilray (NASDAQ:TLRY), and Cronos (NASDAQ:CRON) all trade north of four-times sales that are two years out.All in all, there are a lot of positives which make Aurora stand out in the cannabis sector in a good way. Those positives ultimately mean that if the cannabis sector rebounds in 2020, Aurora could rebound by even more. Bottom Line on Aurora CannabisYes, Aurora looks like a falling knife. In 2019, it was. But, in 2020, it won't be.Instead, Aurora's awful 2019 performance actually sets the stock up nicely for a big 2020 rebound amid a significant reversal in Canadian consumer market demand trends.As such, I think patience will be rewarded here. There's no need to rush and buy the dip just yet. Instead, be patient. Wait for signs that the turnaround is emerging. Then, buy the dip and hold for the big 2020 rally.As of this writing, Luke Lango was long CGC. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * The 10 Worst Dividend Stocks of the Decade * 7 Game-Changing Tech Stocks to Buy Now * 5 Chinese Stocks to Buy for the Big 2020 Rebound The post Patience With Aurora Cannabis Will Pay Off in 2020 appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Simon Property Group Is Preparing Its Balance Sheet for Armageddon

Shopping centers continue to die, leaving behind vast swaths of undeveloped parking lots. This undiscovered country makes Simon Property Group (NYSE:SPG), the largest owner of shopping malls in the United States, worthy of investment.Source: Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock.com But if that doesn't excite you, take time to consider the dividend, $8.40 over the last year with a yield of 5.6%. That's what you get with a real estate investment trust. These companies are required to give you their earnings.While best known for owning giant malls like the 110-acre Roosevelt Field on Long Island, Simon's focus these days is on outlet malls. It competes there with Tanger Factory Outlet Centers (NYSE:SKT). Both stocks have been losers for years as the e-commerce boom rolls on.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsWhere is the hope in buying companies like this? It's in the real estate. RedevelopmentJust because yesterday's shopping mall of department-store anchors, small shops on air-conditioned walks and acres of surrounding parking is dying, the land isn't necessarily worthless.Simon Property Group has 20 projects underway right now, aimed at transforming its malls into destinations with hotels, or sporting venues with poker and e-sports.The REIT is in a good position to be a developer because it has a low ratio of debt to equity and can easily cover its debt payments. It has $7 billion in liquidity and $1.5 billion in retained cash flow. It has the cash to buy out more troubled rivals and to rebuild its own holdings. Its budget for such work now comes to over $1 billion per year. * The 10 Worst Dividend Stocks of the Decade From a technical perspective, the stock is a bargain right now. As InvestorPlace's Vince Martin notes, the shares are at a five-year low. The $32 billion in assets are highly tangible, many of them desirable suburban locations. You have a balance sheet prepared for Armageddon with a yield better than AT&T (NYSE:T).What else would an income investor need? The Bear CaseThere is a bear case to be made on Simon.It starts with the stock price, which is down 20% over the last five years. Dividend returns are barely keeping up with the deterioration. Long-term technical indicators say "sell it."Then there's management. Its big move this century has been to expand into outlet malls. Tanger, which is more heavily into outlet malls than Simon, has lost more than half its value over the last five years. The strategy of moving into outlets looks unsound. The real estate is less valuable, and the merchandise is all moving online.There may be more questionable decisions on the way. CEO David Simon told his July conference call the company is looking to buy out some tenants, the chain stores closing in retailing's Armageddon. That worked three years ago with Aeropostale. If Simon is going to become a retailer, and not a mall operator, that means it's a riskier play. This adds to the bear case. The Bottom Line on Simon Property GroupSimon Property Group is distressed merchandise, but it will pay you to own it.At its Dec. 12 opening price of $145.58, it's selling at trailing price-to-earnings ratio of 19.4, despite having one of the best dividends around.If you're the kind of investor who likes to buy when everyone around you is screaming "sell," then hold for up to 5 years on hopes of an uptick, Simon Property Group is your kind of deal. It's a good speculation for an income investor with a long-term view. That's why many stock sites are now filled with punters screaming "buy, buy, buy."They might be right.Dana Blankenhorn is a financial and technology journalist. He is the author of the historical mystery romance The Reluctant Detective Travels in Time available now at the Amazon Kindle store. Write him at danablankenhorn@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @danablankenhorn. As of this writing he owned no shares in companies mentioned in this story. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * The 10 Worst Dividend Stocks of the Decade * 7 Game-Changing Tech Stocks to Buy Now * 5 Chinese Stocks to Buy for the Big 2020 Rebound The post Simon Property Group Is Preparing Its Balance Sheet for Armageddon appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Top stock picks for 2020: The best of the biggest

DEEP DIVE (This is the first in a three-part series listing highly rated stocks that sell-side analysts expect to rise the most over the next 12 months. This article covers large-cap stocks. Part 2 covers mid-cap stocks and part 3 covers small-caps.

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  Dividend ETFs To Buy And Watch For 2019

  Investor's Business Daily
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  Biggest risks for financial markets in 2020

  Yahoo Finance Video

Oil Climbs to Level Last Seen After Saudi Attacks in September

(Bloomberg) -- Oil settled above $60 a barrel for the first time since missile strikes on Saudi Arabia sparked a record price surge three months ago.Futures closed 1.5% higher in New York on Friday, buoyed by a partial truce in the U.S.-China trade war that has imperiled demand all year. Chinese officials said the countries agreed to hold off on a new round of tariffs set to go into effect in a matter of days. The bullish momentum was undermined when U.S. President Donald Trump tweeted that existing levies will remain in effect.“The market has just priced in this outcome to a certain extent already,” Daniel Ghali, a TD Securities commodity strategist, said by phone. “The hope is that a trade deal will translate into more demand.”Until Friday’s session, crude was poised to end the week little changed after surging more than 7% last week on the strength of a surprise OPEC supply cut. Money managers boosted bullish bets on crude by the most in more than three years in the days before the trade deal was struck.See also: Commodities Enjoy Best Week in 5 Months as Trade Deal Struck“Risk appetite among financial investors is now likely to remain high thanks to the deal between the U.S. and China,” said Eugen Weinberg, head of commodities research at Commerzbank AG in Frankfurt. Yet “the oil market risks facing a massive oversupply and a pronounced inventory build, at least in the first half of the year.”West Texas Intermediate for January delivery rose 89 cents to settle at $60.07 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent for February settlement advanced $1.02 to $65.22 on the London-based ICE Futures Europe Exchange. The global benchmark settled at a $5.24 premium to WTI for the same month.(An earlier version corrected the day in second paragraph)\--With assistance from Catherine Ngai.To contact the reporter on this story: Robert Tuttle in Calgary at rtuttle@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: David Marino at dmarino4@bloomberg.net, Joe CarrollFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

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  Trump Averts Dec. 15 China Tariffs

  Bloomberg
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  Gold Fails to Crumble as Trade Deal Hit Meets Dollar’s Decline

  Bloomberg

5 tricky retirement taxes boomers should watch out for

For the last four decades, baby boomers have been saving for retirement. No more pensions, rising health care costs and increased longevity all add up to a very expensive retirement that could last 10 years longer than their parents’. Perhaps the most surprising and complex set of retirement rules that boomers must navigate is the maze of ‘retirement taxes.’ The rulebooks are long (300 pages +) and the penalties are high (50% penalty for underpayment of RMDs).

Amarin stock heads toward highest prices in more than a decade after new Vascepa FDA approval

Amarin Corp.’s stock rises in the extended session Friday after being halted for half the trading day as the pharmaceutical company hikes its sales outlook following a Food and Drug Administration marketing approval that gives its drug Vascepa a wider use.

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  Amarin Receives FDA Approval of VASCEPA® (icosapent ethyl) to Reduce Cardiovascular Risk

  PR Newswire
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  This Biotech Stock Just Got A Highly Anticipated FDA Approval

  Investor's Business Daily

Think first before going gaga on any U.S.-China trade deal

President Trump tweeted Thursday that China and the U.S. were getting “very close to a [trade] deal.” The stock market immediately rocketed. • The momo (momentum) crowd is aggressively buying stocks.

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  Gold Gains, Copper Slips as ‘Unknown’ on Trade Deal Roils Metals

  Bloomberg
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  Footwear Insiders Upbeat on US-China Trade Deal — But Eventually Want All Tariffs Removed

  Footwear News

The real reason a Baltimore company’s $10 million holiday bonus is such an outlier

A Baltimore commercial real estate developer floored its 198 employees with a surprise $10 million bonus at the firm’s holiday party this past weekend. Fewer companies have been doling out performance-based bonuses in recent years, according to a survey from Challenger, Gray & Christmas, an outplacement firm. The Baltimore company, St. John Properties, was celebrating the overall production of 20 million square feet of office, retail and warehouse space, and awarded employees based on how many years they have worked at the 48-year-old company.

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  6 Women Share How Much They’re Spending On The Holidays — & How They’re Paying For It All

  Refinery29
• 
  Sunny Anderson's holiday home run potluck dish

  ABC News Videos

California Governor Rejects PG&E’s Restructuring Proposal

(Bloomberg) -- California Governor Gavin Newsom rejected PG&E Corp.’s proposed restructuring plan on Friday, dealing a major blow to the power giant as it tries to exit the biggest utility bankruptcy in U.S. history.Newsom said in a letter to PG&E Chief Executive Officer Bill Johnson that the utility’s restructuring plan falls “woefully short” of the state’s requirements. The governor said any reorganization of the San Francisco-based power company would require a better financing plan, an entirely new board with a majority from California and the option of a government takeover should PG&E fail to meet safety performance metrics.PG&E’s bankruptcy punctuates “more than two decades of mismanagement, misconduct, and failed efforts to improve its safety culture,” Newsom said in his letter. And its plan to reorganize does not “result in a reorganized company positioned to provide safe, reliable and affordable service to its customers,” he said. Newsom’s support is crucial to PG&E’s restructuring. The company declared bankruptcy in January after its equipment was blamed for starting catastrophic wildfires in 2017 and 2018, including the deadliest blaze in California history. The fires saddled the utility with an estimated $30 billion in liabilities, and it has spent months trying to cobble together a viable restructuring plan as shareholders and bondholders fight for control of it.PG&E, which has until Tuesday to respond and make changes, said in a statement that it believes its current plan meets state requirements and “is the best course forward for all stakeholders.” The San Francisco-based company said it will “work diligently in the coming days to resolve any issues that may arise.”Deal with VictimsThe rejection is a major setback for PG&E just a week after it reached a $13.5 billion settlement to pay victims affected by the fires its equipment caused. A deal with victims had emerged as the company’s largest obstacle in planning a reorganization. Based on a provision in that settlement, the governor had to find that PG&E’s plan complied with state legislation passed in July. The law required PG&E to settle past fire liabilities and resolve its bankruptcy by June if it wants to participate in a newly established wildfire insurance fund and avoid future damages tied to catastrophic fires.Read More: Elliott Bashes PG&E Plan, Says It Would Be Junk-Bond Issuer Newsom’s demands could give activist investor Elliott Management Corp. and Pacific Investment Management Co. another shot at rallying support around a rival restructuring plan. They’re leading a group of bondholders that have offered to inject $20 billion in cash into PG&E in exchange for most of the equity in the company.The bondholders were, in fact, the first to reach a deal with wildfire victims, agreeing to pay them $13.5 billion while PG&E initially proposed just $8.4 billion. But the utility later raised its offer and won over fire victims, announcing the settlement last week.Junk BondsIn a statement Thursday, Elliott said PG&E’s own restructuring proposal would saddle the company with an additional $10 billion in debt, limit its safety investments and turn the utility into a “junk-bond issuer.”In his letter, Newsom similarly raised concerns about the company’s plan to use a combination of debt, secured debt, securitization and monetization of its net operating losses leaving it “with limited ability to withstand future financial and operational headwinds.” He also said the state is focused on meeting the needs of Californians and not “on which Wall Street financial interests fund an exit from bankruptcy.”PG&E described Elliott’s rival plan as “a last-ditch effort to derail the wildfire victims’ settlements, and force costly, uncertain and protracted litigation.” The company said the bondholders’ proposal only stands to “enrich those firms backing it” and said the group would actually charge interest rates on debt that are above market rate.In the hours leading up to Newsom’s letter, PG&E issued statements from fire victims’ attorneys, backing its settlement.Read More: PG&E Could Have Prevented Deadly California Fire, State Says In a rare display of solidarity with the company, consumer advocate Erin Brockovich -- best known for her success in a court case against PG&E over water contamination in the 1990s -- voiced support for the deal, saying it would “fairly and justly compensate wildfire victims in a timely manner.”PG&E’s equipment was identified as the cause of the November 2018 Camp Fire that killed 85 people, burned down tens of thousands of homes and all but destroyed the Northern California town of Paradise.(Updates with PG&E statement in seventh paragraph)To contact the reporters on this story: Steven Church in Wilmington, Delaware at schurch3@bloomberg.net;Mark Chediak in San Francisco at mchediak@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Rick Green at rgreen18@bloomberg.net, Lynn DoanFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

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  PG&E Files Amended Plan of Reorganization; Remains on Track to Achieve Confirmation of Plan Before June 30 Deadline

  Business Wire
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  Statement By Elliott Management Corporation On The Need For A Reimagined PG&E

  Business Wire

Investors Are Heavily Buying These 19 Stocks

Paycom Software, Amgen, Kemet, and Global Payments are among 19 top-rated stocks showing big year-to-date gains and strong institutional demand.

‘I Almost Sprinted Back to My Desk to Buy TIPS’: Reflation 2020

(Bloomberg) -- Jason Bloom last week asked an audience of about 150 advisers in the U.S. Midwest to raise their hands if they are worried about inflation. Not one hand went up.“I almost sprinted back to my desk to buy TIPS,” said the Invesco strategist based in the Chicago suburbs, referring to the common term for inflation-protected Treasuries. “You see something like that and your antenna goes up. The market is probably really offsides right now, leaning too far in one direction.”The rush to hedge is a theme that resonates with money managers at Pacific Investment Management Co., State Street Corp. and BlackRock Inc. who’ve been been arguing that inflation is one of the underappreciated risks for 2020. Their calls look prescient as the market digests the Federal Reserve’s apparent willingness to let inflation run hotter.These heavyweights have been snapping up trades like TIPS and so-called breakevens because they’re a cheap hedge even if you only expect price pressures to meet targets.“The market right now across asset classes is not really pricing in any type of reflation trade,” said Erin Browne, a manager of the global multi-asset fund at Pimco which is up 13% this year.The narrative goes something like this: Inflation will finally break out in 2020 as a global growth rebound gains momentum and recessionary fears are vanquished. Central bankers will do nothing to snuff it out this time after being blamed for too-hasty rate increases in 2018, even if it means bearing witness to a run-up in consumer prices.The bond market’s gauge of inflation expectations over the decade, U.S. 10-year breakevens, on Friday reached 1.75%, the highest since July, before giving up some of that ground. The nominal benchmark Treasury yield peaked at 1.95% before sliding back to 1.82%. The boost in breakevens came from dovish monetary bets, with the help of an improved growth outlook as the U.S. and China confirmed they’d reached agreement on the first stage of a trade deal.As data signal global manufacturing is emerging from a trough, Browne has gravitated toward TIPS with 2- and 10-year maturities in recent months. These securities “are pretty bearishly priced for almost recession-like conditions,” she said.“One risk for 2020 is that we might have disruptive inflation of some kind,” said Tim Graf, head of macro strategy at State Street, who favors TIPS. “Markets are not adequately prepared for it because we’ve been so used to low inflation.”The nonchalance in Bloom’s audience and many of their peers makes sense when you look at how inflation has undershot Fed targets through the course of the decade-long expansion. Based on the central bank’s preferred gauge, inflation has averaged just 1.5% a year since the end of the last recession, compared with its target of 2%. So it’s easy to disregard the inflationistas.JPMorgan Chase & Co., which is touting reflation trades for 2020, isn’t going all-out on inflation bets. Strategists at the bank see muted price pressures in developed economies and consumer price indexes only “inching higher” in the second half of the year on faster growth and tight labor markets.“Typical reflation trades won’t work as well next year because central banks are on hold,” said John Normand, who is head of cross-asset strategy at JPMorgan. “Targets need to be tamer.”One-Way BetsBut even tame price pressures could come as a nasty surprise to a bond market heavily exposed to the long-dated bonds most vulnerable to a rising cost of living.The Fed’s no-change decision Wednesday found traders moving up bets on the next rate cut into 2020 from early the following year after Chairman Jerome Powell said policy makers would need to see inflation rise significantly and persistently to tighten rates.“Powell noted that there’s a pretty high bar for rate hikes so that certainly underpinned our thoughts,” said Browne at Pimco. “We think we’re on the right side of this trade.”Market-implied expectations for inflation over the coming years -- reflected in breakeven rates, or the difference between nominal and real yields -- are lagging the current gains in consumer prices in many developed countries.At Pimco, Browne is also pairing an underweight position in U.K. inflation-linked notes with a positive view on TIPS. She’s betting on European reflation through subordinated bank debt, or AT1 bonds.BlackRock strategists say higher consumer prices could also be handed down by suppliers squeezed by tariffs.“If you start using tariffs as a political tool, inflation will be higher,” said Scott Thiel, chief fixed income strategist at the firm. “Higher tariffs can break down global supply chains, and that’s inflationary. That’s not going to happen tomorrow. It’s a long-term risk.”(Updates breakeven and nominal Treasury rates.)To contact the reporters on this story: Emily Barrett in New York at ebarrett25@bloomberg.net;Anchalee Worrachate in London at aworrachate@bloomberg.net;Nick Baker in Chicago at nbaker7@bloomberg.netTo contact the editors responsible for this story: Benjamin Purvis at bpurvis@bloomberg.net, Cecile Gutscher, Sid VermaFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

Why your 401(k) isn’t making you enough money for a secure retirement — plus more top investing tips

Workers who diligently put away money from their paycheck into a 401(k) retirement plan expect that acting responsibly will provide greater financial security in old age. Read about this troubling reality for American workers, and don’t miss a report about how women can get the investment advice they want. Then, check out tips for managing a 529 college-savings plan, and learn about a contrarian stock investing strategy where one year’s losers are the next year’s winners.

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  Here’s proof that 401(k) plans are not working for most Americans — can you guess who they ARE working for?

  MarketWatch
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  4 Reasons to Borrow From Your 401(k)

  Investopedia

Broadcom stock declines as wireless chip stance confuses some analysts

Broadcom Inc. shares slid Friday after half the analysts covering the chip maker raised their price targets but expressed concern about the company downplaying its wireless assets ahead of next year’s anticipated release of 5G technology.

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  Broadcom outlook for 2020 gives hope for chip-earnings rebound, stock gains

  MarketWatch
• Broadcom Stock Drops After Wall Street Is ‘Confused’ Over Its Strategy Shift

  Barrons.com

7 ‘A’-Rated Stocks to Buy Before 2020

Well, the Federal Reserve gave its stamp of approval not only for this year, but going into next year. All is steady as she goes.That's good news for stocks that are doing well right now. And because we have plenty of those, there's no real point in buying potential comeback stocks or bottom fishing.The seven "A"-rated stocks to buy before 2020 are the cream of my Portfolio Grader favorites. They represent mostly small- and mid-cap companies, because these sectors should do especially well as the economy continues to expand.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsRemember, in election years, neither party wants to take away the punch bowl. They will let the good times roll until January 2021. These stocks are the best ways to take advantage of that. 'A'-Rated Stocks: Essential Properties Realty Trust (EPRT)Source: Shutterstock Essential Properties Realty Trust (NYSE:EPRT) is part of a larger empire run by Todd Boehly, a former managing partner of global financial giant Guggenheim Partners. Boehly built a new company starting with insurer Security Benefit, and then created a larger holding company, Eldridge Industries.EPRT is one of the few companies in this growing empire that is publicly traded. And it was only launched last year. This real estate investment trust (REIT) focuses on middle market, single-tenant, service-oriented buildings like convenience stores.It also is a triple-net lease REIT, which means the tenants pay taxes, upkeep and insurance. That means the REIT doesn't have any of those hassles or expenses. * These 7 S&P 500 Stocks Will Deliver a Repeat Performance in the Next Decade Since its mid-2018 launch, U.S.-based REITs have been very hot, and that's no exception for EPRT. The stock is up almost 80% in its first year, still has a 3.8% dividend and has a trailing price-to-earnings ratio of 41.8. First Majestic Silver (AG)Source: Shutterstock First Majestic Silver (NYSE:AG) is Canada-based silver mining company that has most of its production and mines in Mexico. It has been around since 1979, so it is a survivor.While its $2.2 billion market capitalization makes it a small stock, it's a pretty big player in metals markets.Generally speaking, silver does a decent job tracking gold prices. The difference between the metal and the miners is that mining stocks are usually a bit more leveraged -- on the upside and downside -- than the actual metal.Silver is now trading around $16.80 an ounce, but in September it was up to nearly $20 an ounce. All the same, it started the year around $14.80, so it has settled down a bit.Silver differs from gold slightly because there is more of it, and it's considered both a precious and industrial metal due to its availability. Like gold, it's a good hedge against currency-based equities like stocks and bonds. But it also does well when demand rises on the industrial side.The stock is up 107% in the past year, which shows the leverage miners get when the economy is improving. Hilltop Holdings (HTH)Source: Shutterstock Hilltop Holdings (NYSE:HTH) is a holding company that operates the regional bank PlainsCapital Bank in Texas. It has 60 branch offices and $9.3 billion in assets.Regional banks are in a very good spot right now, and that should last for a while. Interest rates are stable, so it's easier to manage their stockpile of U.S. Treasury bonds they hold as cash reserves. It also means they can set interest rates and manage their lending with better intermediate-term visibility.Also, some of the legislation they were under with the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act has been eased. This means fewer regulatory hoops and that means healthier margins. * The 10 Worst Dividend Stocks of the Decade And while neo banks and digital banking are both looming threats, good-sized banks are partnering with financial technology companies rather than competing directly with them.HTH stock is up 40% in the past year, yet its trailing P/E is below 12. That's a bargain. Pilgrim's Pride (PPC)Source: Shutterstock Pilgrim's Pride (NASDAQ:PPC) is one of the largest chicken producers in the U.S. and the No. 2 chicken producer in Mexico. It also has operations in Europe and exports its products around the world.PPC has been around since 1946, but in 2009 it went bankrupt. It is now a majority Brazilian-owned company but has its headquarters in Greeley, Colorado.The stock was doing very well until January 2018. That was when the trade war started to take a bite out of the stock. At the time, PPC stock was trading above $37. Now it's at $32.And it's been a wild ride in between. By January 2019, PPC stock was trading in the mid-$15 range. In the past year, the stock is up 90%.In November, China said it would again start buying U.S. chicken products. That is very encouraging news moving forward. Even if the trade war lingers on for some sectors, big outfits like Pilgrim's Pride now have a significant market back, which should help the stock continue its rise. PulteGroup (PHM)Source: Shutterstock PulteGroup (NYSE:PHM) is the third largest home construction company in the U.S. It primarily operates across 23 states. It has a variety of brands that meet every price point, from first-time homebuyer, to upscale communities, to age-restricted 55-plus communities.With over 65 years in the business, PHM has remained ahead of the trends and delivered quality and value.As a U.S.-focused firm, it doesn't have to worry about trade wars. And in the current low-interest rate, low unemployment economy, with the Federal Reserve buying up mortgage-backed securities, PHM is in a great position.What's more, the stock is a bargain. It's up more than 53% in the past 12 months, yet its trailing P/E is a mere 12. * 10 Best-Performing Growth Stocks of the 2010s At this point in the housing cycle, inventories for new homes are low, so that means mild growth can keep PHM on an upward path. Teledyne Technologies (TDY)Source: Shutterstock Teledyne Technologies (NYSE: TDY) has been known as a leading aerospace and defense company.While this is still a great sector for the company -- and recent defense spending shows why -- its work for such demanding customers means its equipment is also perfectly suited for the rigors of other industries as well.For example, its work in drones and aerospace electronics means it can supply these military-grade products to the for-profit aerospace industry looking into drone delivery services.Also, equipment that can endure the rigors of space can also be very valuable when exploring and producing offshore oil. And on the renewable side, its battery technologies have a new potential revenue source.With a market cap just above $12.6 billion, its size also means it has the opportunity to grow more easily than its larger-cap brethren. Its numbers are also encouraging, with industry-leading earnings growth and strong free cash flow.The stock is up 68% in the past year, but its P/E is only half of that. Ross Stores (ROST)Source: Andriy Blokhin / Shutterstock.com Ross Stores (NASDAQ:ROST) seems like an odd stock to have in a story based on a strong economy and a confident consumer. I mean, this discount retailer doesn't even have an e-commerce site.That's right, while other retailers are getting their lunch eaten by companies that have focused on e-commerce, ROST hasn't moved to digital, and it's still doing very well.Part of its allure is the concept of bargain hunting. If you know millennials, you know they love to thrift shop. And ROST is basically kind of upscale thrift shopping. You never know what bargains you'll find.Plus, after the financial crisis and the long decade of struggle to get beyond it, a lot of shoppers left the premium-priced department stores and landed in Ross stores. And those customers have never left.The stock is up 69% in the past 12 months and it's averaging more than 23% gains annually over the past 3 years. Whether the economy is hot or cold, ROST keeps chugging along.Louis Navellier had an unconventional start, as a grad student who accidentally built a market-beating stock system -- with returns rivaling even Warren Buffett. In his latest feat, Louis discovered the "Master Key" to profiting from the biggest tech revolution of this (or any) generation. Louis Navellier may hold some of the aforementioned securities in one or more of his newsletters. More From InvestorPlace * 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid * These 7 S&P 500 Stocks Will Deliver a Repeat Performance in the Next Decade * 7 Tech Stocks to Stuff Your Stocking With * 7 Sinfully Good Casino Stocks That Could Win the Jackpot in 2020 The post 7 'A'-Rated Stocks to Buy Before 2020 appeared first on InvestorPlace.

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  3 Growth-Focused Cloud Stocks for Tech Investors to Buy for 2020

  Zacks
• 10 of the Best Health Care Stocks to Buy for 2020

  U.S.News & World Report