Last updated Mon May 17,2004 16:02
|
Company
(Ticker
symbol) |
Current
share
price |
52-wk
high |
52-wk
low |
Proj.
P/E |
Proj.
5-year
growth |
PEG
ratio |
Comments |
| 3M (MMM) |
$82.94 |
$88.70 |
$61.25 |
22 |
12.0% |
1.9 |
The maker of Scotch tape is seeing sales gains for many products |
| Abbott Laboratories (ABT) |
$41.03 |
$47.25 |
$37.65 |
17 |
12.0% |
1.5 |
Diverse health-care products and a promising pipeline of new drugs |
| Aetna (AET) |
$79.29 |
$95.09 |
$52.60 |
11 |
15.0% |
0.8 |
Health insurer recovering from business lost because of corporate layoffs |
| Aflac (AFL) |
$39.16 |
$42.60 |
$29.83 |
17 |
15.0% |
1.1 |
Life insurer suffering from recession-induced sluggishness in sales |
| Alcoa (AA) |
$28.68 |
$39.44 |
$21.83 |
14 |
13.6% |
1.1 |
Biggest U.S. aluminum producer, with growth-stock earnings potential |
| American Express (AXP) |
$48.55 |
$54.99 |
$39.15 |
18 |
13.0% |
1.4 |
Record billings and membership growth hinge on consumer spending |
| American Intl. Group (AIG) |
$69.43 |
$77.36 |
$54.20 |
15 |
15.0% |
1.0 |
World's largest insurer is benefiting from a surge in premium rates |
| Amgen (AMGN) |
$56.39 |
$72.37 |
$55.80 |
23 |
21.0% |
1.1 |
Former biotech diversifying beyond two blockbuster products |
| Anadarko Petroleum (APC) |
$55.40 |
$57.03 |
$40.27 |
10 |
9.0% |
1.2 |
Leading exploration and production company for natural gas |
| Anheuser-Busch (BUD) |
$51.68 |
$54.10 |
$48.51 |
18 |
11.0% |
1.7 |
World's largest brewer produces half of the beer consumed in the U.S. |
| Applied Materials (AMAT) |
$18.54 |
$25.94 |
$13.49 |
23 |
20.0% |
1.2 |
World's dominant producer of computer chipmaking equipment |
| Bank of America (BAC) |
$79.81 |
$84.90 |
$72.04 |
10 |
10.0% |
1.1 |
Acquisition of FleetBoston helps consumer business, and stock is cheap |
| Baxter International (BAX) |
$31.71 |
$34.70 |
$22.15 |
17 |
11.0% |
1.6 |
Niche medical businesses—drug delivery, blood collection and dialysis |
| Best Buy (BBY) |
$49.83 |
$62.70 |
$33.81 |
17 |
15.0% |
1.2 |
Consumer-electronics retailer anticipates a cheery holiday season |
| Boeing (BA) |
$42.70 |
$45.10 |
$28.55 |
19 |
10.0% |
1.9 |
Largest U.S. maker of commercial airplanes is awaiting industry upturn |
| Boston Scientific (BSX) |
$39.51 |
$46.10 |
$23.51 |
22 |
20.0% |
1.1 |
Maker of less-invasive medical devices for heart and digestive tract |
| Cisco Systems (CSCO) |
$20.95 |
$29.39 |
$15.46 |
28 |
15.0% |
1.9 |
Leading maker of routers for the Internet is posting very strong sales |
| Citigroup (C) |
$44.93 |
$52.88 |
$38.09 |
11 |
12.0% |
0.9 |
Largest and best-diversified U.S. financial services company |
| Clear Channel Comm (CCU) |
$39.22 |
$47.76 |
$36.36 |
27 |
18.0% |
1.5 |
Leading radio-station operator awaits advertising upturn |
| Coca-Cola (KO) |
$49.83 |
$53.50 |
$42.28 |
23 |
10.0% |
2.3 |
One of the world's most recognized brands is still expanding globally |
| Colgate-Palmolive (CL) |
$56.17 |
$60.99 |
$48.56 |
21 |
11.0% |
1.9 |
Maker of toothpaste, soap and laundry detergent appears undervalued |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) |
$73.45 |
$75.56 |
$51.29 |
10 |
8.0% |
1.3 |
Cheaper alternative to ExxonMobil as a hedge against inflation |
| Dell (DELL) |
$34.20 |
$37.18 |
$29.23 |
27 |
15.0% |
1.8 |
Low-cost PC maker diversifying into other areas of electronics |
| Disney (DIS) |
$22.80 |
$28.41 |
$17.45 |
23 |
15.0% |
1.6 |
Awaiting advertising recovery at ABC and upturn at theme parks |
| DuPont (DD) |
$41.13 |
$46.25 |
$38.60 |
17 |
10.0% |
1.8 |
Largest U.S. chemical company offering above-average dividend yield |
| ExxonMobil (XOM) |
$43.08 |
$44.24 |
$34.90 |
15 |
9.0% |
1.8 |
International integrated oil giant is key hedge against inflation |
| FedEx (FDX) |
$70.44 |
$78.05 |
$59.01 |
20 |
15.0% |
1.4 |
Overnight shipper by air and ground tracks overall business activity |
| First Data (FDC) |
$41.73 |
$46.80 |
$33.26 |
19 |
15.0% |
1.3 |
Provider of services for money-transfer and credit-card transactions |
| Fortune Brands (FO) |
$72.39 |
$80.50 |
$48.34 |
16 |
12.0% |
1.3 |
Superb collection of consumer brands from golf balls to bourbon |
| Gannett (GCI) |
$86.27 |
$91.38 |
$73.54 |
17 |
10.0% |
1.7 |
Publisher of USA Today and 100 other newspapers tracks advertising |
| Genentech (DNA) |
$60.04 |
$68.25 |
$24.50 |
38 |
25.0% |
1.5 |
Original biotech company now boasts 11 successful products |
| General Dynamics (GD) |
$94.37 |
$97.00 |
$62.28 |
16 |
12.0% |
1.4 |
Diversified defense company making aircraft, ships and subs |
| General Electric (GE) |
$29.93 |
$34.57 |
$26.90 |
19 |
10.0% |
1.9 |
Former stellar conglomerate now trading at very low price |
| Harley-Davidson (HDI) |
$54.63 |
$59.86 |
$38.06 |
19 |
15.5% |
1.2 |
Leading U.S. maker of motorcycles with fantastically loyal customers |
| Hershey Foods (HSY) |
$88.95 |
$90.37 |
$67.04 |
22 |
10.0% |
2.2 |
Brand extensions and cost cutting wring higher profits from chocolate |
| Home Depot (HD) |
$33.36 |
$37.89 |
$27.85 |
15 |
12.5% |
1.3 |
Do-it-yourselfers encouraged by strong housing sales and refinancings |
| IBM (IBM) |
$85.35 |
$100.43 |
$78.73 |
17 |
10.0% |
1.7 |
Diverse computer giant looks for upturn in corporate IT spending |
| Illinois Tool Works (ITW) |
$84.59 |
$89.40 |
$60.94 |
19 |
14.0% |
1.4 |
Maker of fasteners and construction items benefiting from recovery |
| Intel (INTC) |
$26.93 |
$34.60 |
$18.51 |
22 |
15.0% |
1.5 |
Dominates production of microprocessors, with new chips on the way |
| InterActiveCorp (IACI) |
$28.86 |
$42.88 |
$27.46 |
31 |
24.1% |
1.3 |
Barry Diller's extraordinary collection of Internet businesses that turn in consistent profits |
| J.P. Morgan Chase (JPM) |
$35.22 |
$43.84 |
$25.26 |
10 |
10.0% |
1.1 |
Second-largest U.S. bank is nine months into turnaround |
| Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) |
$54.72 |
$56.39 |
$48.05 |
18 |
13.0% |
1.4 |
Best-diversified health-care company with superbly consistent track record |
| Johnson Controls (JCI) |
$52.00 |
$62.32 |
$39.91 |
12 |
13.5% |
0.9 |
Control systems and auto parts largely reflect state of auto business |
| Lilly (LLY) |
$72.76 |
$76.95 |
$56.51 |
25 |
14.0% |
1.8 |
Top drugmaker is ready to launch several promising new products |
| Limited Brands (LTD) |
$19.27 |
$21.65 |
$13.00 |
14 |
13.3% |
1.1 |
Retailer owns chains such as Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works |
| Lowe's (LOW) |
$49.75 |
$60.42 |
$38.20 |
18 |
17.5% |
1.1 |
Smaller, cheaper rival of Home Depot looks to state of housing market |
| MBNA (KRB) |
$23.44 |
$29.68 |
$18.61 |
11 |
13.3% |
0.8 |
Leading issuer of credit cards and a beneficiary of consumer spending |
| Merrill Lynch (MER) |
$54.30 |
$64.89 |
$40.17 |
11 |
12.0% |
1.0 |
After three years of job cuts, leading full-service firm is hiring brokers |
| Microsoft (MSFT) |
$25.59 |
$30.00 |
$23.59 |
20 |
10.0% |
2.0 |
Still the premier software company for PCs, with $50 billion in cash |
| Nike B (NKE) |
$65.90 |
$78.56 |
$49.60 |
18 |
13.4% |
1.4 |
World's largest footwear maker feels the swoosh of recovery |
| Northrop Grumman (NOC) |
$98.83 |
$105.16 |
$82.92 |
16 |
10.0% |
1.7 |
Maker of stealth bomber expects visible earnings gains in 2004 |
| Omnicom Group (OMC) |
$78.61 |
$88.82 |
$63.42 |
20 |
12.5% |
1.6 |
World's largest ad company posts earnings gains on better ad market |
| PepsiCo (PEP) |
$53.50 |
$55.48 |
$42.38 |
23 |
11.0% |
2.1 |
Pepsi, snack foods and a lower valuation than Coca-Cola carries |
| Pfizer (PFE) |
$35.43 |
$38.89 |
$29.43 |
16 |
13.5% |
1.2 |
Largest drugmaker with enormously powerful R&D capabilities |
| Procter & Gamble (PG) |
$106.21 |
$108.85 |
$86.51 |
22 |
11.0% |
2.1 |
Superb collection of widely recognized consumer brands |
| Schlumberger (SLB) |
$57.20 |
$66.75 |
$44.50 |
28 |
15.0% |
1.9 |
Oil service company especially sensitive to new oil exploration |
| Staples (SPLS) |
$24.52 |
$27.87 |
$17.87 |
18 |
16.8% |
1.1 |
Office-supplies retailer tracks the level of general business activity |
| Sysco (SYY) |
$37.89 |
$41.27 |
$28.54 |
27 |
15.0% |
1.8 |
Largest U.S. distributor of food to restaurants and institutions |
| Target (TGT) |
$42.41 |
$46.81 |
$32.56 |
18 |
15.0% |
1.2 |
The upscale discounter's sales are running a bit below expectations |
| Texas Instruments (TXN) |
$24.93 |
$33.98 |
$17.21 |
23 |
20.0% |
1.2 |
Top maker of digital signal processors used in communications |
| Time Warner (TWX) |
$16.27 |
$19.30 |
$13.42 |
27 |
12.9% |
2.1 |
Diverse collection of media assets still depressed by merger with AOL |
| Tribune (TRB) |
$46.53 |
$53.00 |
$44.28 |
19 |
12.0% |
1.7 |
Newspaper publisher is a nearly pure play on an upturn in advertising |
| Union Pacific (UNP) |
$56.59 |
$69.56 |
$55.81 |
13 |
10.0% |
1.4 |
Largest U.S. railroad, tied to freight traffic and trading, at a bargain P/E |
| United Technologies (UTX) |
$82.04 |
$97.84 |
$64.93 |
15 |
10.0% |
1.6 |
Conglomerate looking for upturn in its aerospace markets |
| UnitedHealth Group (UNH) |
$62.49 |
$68.50 |
$46.85 |
16 |
17.0% |
1.0 |
Health insurer's acquisition of Mid-Atlantic allows for cost cutting |
| Viacom B (VIA.B) |
$37.66 |
$49.75 |
$35.62 |
N/A |
N/A% |
N/A |
Entertainment giant with strong franchises such as VH1 and MTV |
| Wal-Mart Stores (WMT) |
$54.70 |
$61.31 |
$50.50 |
23 |
14.0% |
1.6 |
World's largest retailer enjoying surprisingly strong sales gains |
| Walgreen (WAG) |
$33.48 |
$37.42 |
$28.80 |
25 |
15.0% |
1.7 |
Leading drugstore chain posting exceptional gains in same-store sales |
| Washington Mutual (WM) |
$38.84 |
$46.85 |
$36.83 |
9 |
11.0% |
0.8 |
Rapidly expanding Seattle-based lender, trading at a bargain P/E |
| Wyeth (WYE) |
$37.87 |
$49.95 |
$36.62 |
14 |
10.0% |
1.4 |
Strong pharmaceutical pipeline still eclipsed by liabilities from diet drugs |
