Note: Here are some of the more notable investment suggestions from the financial-newsletter community.
Growth stocks
"eBay (EBAY) is the world's largest online trader. eBay owns its auction business and expects its revenues to grow more than 50 percent to more than $1 billion for the calendar year. Its international business, which is about 25 percent of the size of its U.S. business, is about to play a significant part of its overall growth. At any given time eBay has more than 5 million items for sale in more than 18,000 categories.
"Sales for the first half of 2002 were $511 million, up from $235 million for the first half of 2001. Earnings were also up sharply at 36 cents a share for the first six months of 2002 against only 17 cents a share in 2001. Earnings for 2002 are expected to be around 80 cents a share, up from 32 cents in 2001. The company has a nominal long-term debt of $12 million, an excellent current ratio of 4.9 as well as a good profit margin of 12 percent. We rate the company a buy."
— Al Toral, The Pure Fundamentalist
Tech stocks
"ESPEED (ESPD) is speeding into the black. The electronic trading platform firm announced record third-quarter financial results. For the quarter, eSpeed reported earnings per share of 16 cents compared to a loss of 8 cents in the year-ago period. Revenue grew 17 percent to $33 million from $28.2 million in the third quarter 2001. eSpeed has also been stockpiling cash, and completed the third quarter with $194 million in the bank. eSpeed's outlook for 2002 is bright. The company expects total revenue to top $124 million and sees earnings per share of 55 cents — 56 cents for fiscal year 2002. The shares are trading near their 52-week high."
— Ian Wyatt, The Growth Report
Income stocks
"Boston Properties (BXP) continues to do a good job of focusing only on selected metro areas. Moreover, they only focus on the higher-caliber office buildings in those areas, which for a REIT is a critical skill. For the short term, there is little in way of catalysts to get real-estate investment trusts moving. Yet BXP pays an annual dividend of $2.44, and thus trades with around a 6.6 percent annual dividend yield.
"It is a big part of the rejuvenation of New York's Times Square district, and is delivering two big office buildings there next year — 5 Times Square and the Times Square Tower. In both cases, the spaces are being absorbed pretty quickly, and this should drive earnings to a good degree."
— Lawrence Raiman, Credit Suisse First Boston, in an interview with The Wall Street Transcript |
