Rise of the Dead
The financial meltdown has left many industries looking
like shells of their former selves. Some investors in
these industries look like shells of their former
selves, too. But which of these sectors is bouncing back
hard, more than doubling since hitting bottom this
March, in contrast to the broader S&P 500's advance of
just +62% since then?
A.)
REITs
B.)
Treasurys
C.)
Preferred stock
D.)
Investment-grade bonds
E.)
TIGRs
Around the World in 80 Days
To say emerging markets are on fire is an
understatement. Which of these countries rules the
leaderboard, posting amazing year-to-date returns of
+114%?
A.)
Andorra
B.)
Brazil
C.)
Indonesia
D.)
Peru
E.)
Ethiopia
Calling All Investors
Even in the grip of a deep recession,
sales, profits and cash flows all set new records for
this little-known tech company. While revenues advanced
+16% last year, earnings rose at three times that pace,
climbing +48% to hit $0.71 per share. Which one was it?
A.)
NaviSite, Inc. (NAVI)
B.)
Agilsys, Inc. (AGYS)
C.)
ATS Corporation (ATCT.OB)
D.)
Skyworks Solutions (SWKS)
E.)
Elron Electronic Industries, Ltd. (ELRN)
Tech Triumph
The pendulum in tech investments has swung from one
extreme to another. But which of these ETFs has climbed
+37% this year and rebounded about +50% from the 2003
bear market?
A.)
iShares S&P Global Technology (IXN)
B.)
Goldman Sachs Networking Index Fund (IGN)
C.)
PowerShares Dynamic Networking fund (PXQ)
D.)
First Trust Dow Jones Internet Index (FDN)
E.)
ProShares Ultra Semiconductor (USD)
Home and Abroad
India's defense spending is usually
pretty low on the list of things that
get investors' attention, but which of
these American companies is making it
one of his top priorities, selling the
country $2.1 billion of maritime patrol
aircraft?
A.)
Acme Corporation (ACME)
B.)
Boeing (BA)
C.)
General Dynamics (GD)
D.)
Motorola (MOT)
E.)
Honeywell (HON)
|
Oracle Picks
Last October, during the market's darkest days of
fear and uncertainty, Warren Buffett sent a bullish
op-ed piece to the New York Times offering reassuring
comments that helped quell anxiety far more than any
government intervention. Of course, Buffett was putting
his money where his mouth was. Ever the opportunist, he
took advantage of the panic-driven sell-off by putting
Berkshire Hathaway's mountainous cash stockpile to work.
And with a limitless array of investment options, what
was at the very top of his shopping list?
A.)
Preferred stocks
B.)
Junk bonds
C.)
Treasurys
D.)
Investment-grade bonds
E.)
TIGRs
Coming Home to Roost
Everybody knows that outsourcing IT
services to India has helped many American companies
buoy profits, but which of these companies has actually
boosted sales +50% by keeping an army of local reps
available in the United States to personally answer
questions and fulfill certain tasks for American
customers?
A.)
ATA Inc. (ATAI)
B.)
Intrepid Potash (IPI)
C.)
Cognizant Technology Solutions (CTSH)
D.)
VanceInfo Tech (VIT)
E.)
Linear Technology (LLTC)
On Fire
Energy prices go up, and energy prices go down, but
which of these energy sectors has seen share prices
double or even triple off last year's lows and still
offers yields of up to 10%?
A.)
Propane
B.)
Natural Gas
C.)
Diesel Fuel
D.)
Gasoline
E.)
Wind
Mighty Oaks
Most income-seeking investors spend little time
hunting for small stocks, preferring their stocks to be
full-grown. But promising small-cap firms are like tiny
acorns that will one day become towering oaks, and
overlooking smaller companies can be costly. For
instance, which one of these small-caps would have
turned a $25,000 investment into a cool $1 million in
just 10 years?
A.)
Otter Tail (OTTR)
B.)
Fannie Mae (FNM)
C.)
KeyCorp (KEY)
D.)
Interpublic Group (IPG)
E.)
Dillard's (DDS)
A Little Goes a Long Way
The recession has prompted companies to
implement cost-cutting measures -- sometimes drastic
measures -- to survive. Though that makes for tough
times, cutting out the fat also sets many companies up
for incredible profits as the economy recovers. For
example, which of these companies has grown revenues by
+25% in 2009 but, thanks to cost controls, has seen its
operating margins explode 580 basis points to 36%?
A.)
Plantronics (PLT)
B.)
ITT Educational Services (ESI)
C.)
Banta Corp. (BN)
D.)
MGM Mirage (MGG)
E.)
Peace Arch Entertainment (PAE) |
