Top 5 Safest Stocks For 2018


Will it be a very merry or a very wary holiday gift-giving season?

So far, many of us have not been able to climb out of the agitated, argumentative state that the presidential election has created in our communities.Some even might have a hard time imagining sitting around the table for Thanksgiving dinner.

No matter, bright shiny objects are lining up on store shelves now.Ready. Willing. And more than able to coax consumers into ringing up big bills for the New Year.

Glitter, it would appear, is the next new big thing. Sequined sweaters. Sequins on pants. Sparkles on reindeer. But if you mindlessly chase all the bling, you could find yourself in a financial squeeze in 2017 when the bill comes due.Here’s how to avoid being tripped up by the gilt(wink-wink) this holiday season:

Top 5 Safest Stocks For 2018: Immunomedics, Inc.(IMMU)


Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Chris Lange]

    Immunomedics, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMMU) saw its shares rise after the firm sent out a letter to shareholders imploring them to vote for its director nominees at the upcoming annual stockholders meeting on February 16. The board of directors is making this request because it is currently waging a proxy contest with venBio SelectAdvisor.

Top 5 Safest Stocks For 2018: Old National Bancorp Capital Trust I(ONB)


Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By kiplinger]

     Old National Bancorp (ONB) is a 181-year-old financial institution with 195 branches, mainly in the Midwest. The stock, which is still down by about one-third from its prerecession high, trades at just 13 times projected 2016 earnings and yields an attractive 3.4%. If interest rates ever rise, the bank should benefit from a widening spread between its cost of funds and the interest rates borrowers pay.

    It’s a favorite of David Dreman, author of the classic 1980 book Contrarian Investment Strategy. His philosophy: “We believe that the markets are not perfectly efficient.” Some stocks, in other words, are judged by the market to be cheaper than their actual worth.
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    The twenty stocks in Worth’s basket are: Ameriprise Financial (AMP) Bank of America, Banner (BANR), Citigroup, Citizens Financial Group (CFG), East West Bancorp (EWBC), First NBC Bank Holding (FNBC), HFF (HF), KeyCorp(KEY), Legacy Texas Financial Group (LTXB), Lincoln National (LNC), Morgan Stanley, Old National Bancorp (ONB), PacWest Bancorp (PACW), PNC Financial Services Group (PNC), Principal Financial Group (PFG), Stifel Financial (SF), SVB Financial Group (SIVB), TCF Financial (TCB), and Wells Fargo.

Top 5 Safest Stocks For 2018: Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.(CMG)


Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Brian Stoffel]

    Coming out of the Great Recession, Chipotle (NYSE:CMG) was an investment phenomenon. The company somehow found the magical combination of expanding its number of stores while simultaneously achieving rapid growth at its existing locations.

  • [By Rick Munarriz]

    Just when you thought that a return to positive comps would spell an end to the giveaways thatChipotle Mexican Grill(NYSE:CMG)sprinkled through 2016, the former fast-casual darling is back with another online game where everybody’s a winner.

  • [By Peter Graham]

    A long term performance chart shows El Pollo LoCo Holdings stabilizing over thepast two yearswhile potentialpeers like large cap Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc (NYSE: CMG) andsmall capsFiesta Restaurant Group Inc (NASDAQ: FRGI) and Chuy’s Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: CHUY)have performed better in the past and appear to be in downtrends for the past 1 1/2 years:

  • [By Seth McNew]

    Chipotle Mexican Grill(NYSE:CMG) looks to be in recovery mode after a very rough year and a half. Things seem to be turning around, with traffic and sales picking back up as Chipotle continues to drive the message that its food is “as real as it gets.” One area that could help to amplify its growth is if Chipotle’s new digital strategy really starts to take off this year.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) soared to the top of the S&P 500 today after M Science, a data analytics firm, predicted better same-store sales.

    Getty Images

    Chipotle Mexican Grillgained 2.8% to $407.52 today, while the S&P 500 dropped 1.2% to 2,344.02.

    Bloomberg’s Craig Giammona and Leslie Patton have the details on the M Science report:

    Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. shares rose the most in almost six weeks after data-analysis firm M Science predicted that first-quarter sales will easily beat Wall Streets estimates, bringing a ray of optimism to a chain battered by a food-safety crisis.


    The researcher studied same-store sales during February and the first 10 days of March, according to M Science Chief Executive Officer Michael Marrale. The firm made the call based on multiple data sets and proprietary models, he said.

    Chipotle Mexican Grill’s market capitalization rose to $12.9 billion today from $11.4 billion yesterday. It reported net income of $22.9 million on sales of $3.9 billion in 2016.

  • [By Peter Graham]

    Troubled mid cap restaurant stock Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc (NYSE: CMG) reported Q2 2017 earnings after the market closed today. Revenue was up 17.1% to $1.17 billion driven by new restaurant openings (50 new restaurants were opened during the quarter and two were closed, bringing the total restaurant count to 2,339) and an 8.1% increase in comparable restaurant sales. Comparable restaurant sales improved primarily due to an increase in customer visits, along with an increase in average check as a result of a reduction in promotional activity. Food costs were 34.1% of revenue, a decrease of 10 basis points as compared to the second quarter of 2016 ashigher avocado costs were offset by lower costs from bringing the preparation of lettuce and bell peppers back intorestaurants, as well as the benefit of menu price increases in select restaurants in the second quarter of 2017, and a decrease in paper usage and costs. Net income increased 161% to $66.7 million.

Top 5 Safest Stocks For 2018: Core Laboratories N.V.(CLB)


Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Matthew DiLallo]

    Core Laboratories (NYSE:CLB) literally has its ear to the ground when it comes to deciphering what’s going on in the oil market. The company studies oil reservoirs, which tell it what’s happening with production, giving it a deep level of understanding on the supply side of the market. Core Labs takes what the reservoirs are saying, compares this with other data, and then blends it into an informed macro view of the oil market, which CEO David Demshur shared on the company’s recent quarterly earnings conference call. Here are five things he says the reservoirs are telling us about what’s really going on in the oil market.

  • [By Craig Jones]

    Core Laboratories N.V. (NYSE: CLB) performed poorly and it is in the oil business. Cramer wouldn’t buy it, because he doesn’t want to recommend a stock in the oil and gas business.

  • [By Lisa Levin] Gainers
    Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. (NASDAQ: RRGB) shares rose 18.4 percent to $68.65 in pre-market trading as the company reported upbeat results for its first quarter.
    Jack in the Box Inc. (NASDAQ: JACK) shares rose 9.5 percent to $111.60 in the pre-market trading session after the company posted better-than-expected earnings for its second quarter. The company also disclosed that it has retained Morgan Stanley to evaluate potential alternatives for Qdoba.
    Coherus Biosciences Inc (NASDAQ: CHRS) rose 9.8 percent to $24.20 in pre-market trading. Coherus BioSciences disclosed that it prevailed in ‘135 IPR decision.
    Qiwi PLC (NASDAQ: QIWI) rose 8.1 percent to $21.49 in pre-market trading after reporting strong quarterly results.
    Korea Electric Power Corporation (ADR) (NYSE: KEP) shares rose 7.9 percent to $20.00 in pre-market trading after dropping 4.33 percent on Tuesday
    Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) shares rose 7.5 percent to $58.60 in pre-market trading after the company reported stronger-than-expected results for its first quarter.
    AngloGold Ashanti Limited (ADR) (NYSE: AU) rose 4.3 percent to $11.71 in pre-market trading after falling 0.09 percent on Tuesday.
    Colgate-Palmolive Company (NYSE: CL) rose 4.1 percent to $74.53 in pre-market trading after the NY Post reported that the company might be up for sale for $100 per share.
    Harmony Gold Mining Co. (ADR) (NYSE: HMY) rose 4 percent to $2.35 in pre-market trading after declining 1.74 percent on Tuesday.
    Core Laboratories N.V. (NYSE: CLB) rose 3.6 percent to $109.00 in pre-market trading after gaining 0.39 percent on Tuesday.
    Clovis Oncology Inc (NASDAQ: CLVS) rose 3.2 percent to $51.15 in pre-market trading. JP Morgan upgraded Clovis Oncology from Neutral to Overweight.


    Find out what's going on in today's market and bring any questions you have to Benzinga's PreMarket Prep.

Top 5 Safest Stocks For 2018: Discovery Communications, Inc.(DISCA)

Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Discovery Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: DISCA) announced plans to acquire Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. (NYSE: SNI) for $14.6 billion.

    Discovery will pay $90 per share in cash and stock to buy Scripps. The transaction is projected to close by early 2018.

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Find out what's going on in today's market and bring any questions you have to Benzinga's PreMarket Prep.

    Analysts are expecting Discovery Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: DISCA) to have earned $0.47 per share on revenue of $1.69 billion in the latest quarter. Discovery Communications shares rose 0.17 percent to $29.08 in after-hours trading.
    Analysts expect T-Mobile US Inc (NASDAQ: TMUS) to report

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