Volatility continued in the markets this week, with economic reports decidedly mixed.
While retail sales went through the roof, the housing market stats showed a slowdown in housing starts but a pickup in building permits and mortgage applications. Unemployment claims remained steady, and so did the leading indicators.
Earnings season continues to surprise on the positive side, yet Europe’s problems also impact our markets almost daily.
We are on the right side of the trend, so investors should remain optimistic but always cautious in their selections. This week, most of the companies that look interesting to me are a dividend payer and a technology player.
Here are my two favorites:
Silicon Motion Technology (NASDAQ:SIMO)
SIMO makes multimedia data processing, storage and transfer products, including flash memory, embedded graphics processors, mobile television tuners and LTE modem solutions.
Price: $22.09
Market cap: $685.94 million
Target: $$30
Why I Like It: While chip prices are down, improving economic conditions should strengthen technology, including the semiconductor market, in terms of volume. However, caution remains during this earnings period of volatility. There could be a short-term pullback in the shares, but expect long-term appreciation.
Huntington Bancshares (NASDAQ:HBAN)
HBAN is a regional bank in the Midwest, headquartered in Ohio.
Price: $6.45
Market cap: $5.7 billion
Dividend yield: 2.5%
Target: $9.50
Why I Like It: A well-run financial institution, Huntington should benefit from the resurgence of the banking industry. While banks are not traditionally barn-burners in terms of appreciation, HBAN looks interesting and pays a decent dividend while you await appreciation.
Note: I intend to establish a portfolio of similar picks, some 25-30 stocks that I’ll update on a regular basis. I will discuss them from time-to-time in my blog and on this website, but a full analysis of each stock — as well as detailed update — will be available only via subscription. If you’d like more information, contact me directly at nzambell@frontiernet.net
