Stocks we love

We've had a long-term love affair with Nike. The athletic apparel maker made our list of "Stocks we love" in 2005, back when the company's international exposure first stole our hearts.

Since then, Nike has continued to see strong growth overseas, particularly in China, but domestic sales have held up surprisingly well despite economic instability. In its most recent earnings report, the company said U.S. revenues increased 7%.

"Nike is best positioned to weather the storm given its premier brands, global reach and consistently solid execution," JP Morgan analyst Robert Samuels wrote in a recent research note.

What's more, Nike stands to benefit from a number of large sporting events this year. Both the Beijing Olympics and the European Soccer Championships will provide huge sales opportunities for new products that Nike has in store.

NEXT: Precision Castparts Corp