Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2018


This post was written by Bob Ciura for Sure Dividend

Bank stocks have been in rally mode since the November elections. This has made Warren Buffett even richer than he was before. Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) holds several bank stocks in its massive, $148 billion portfolio, led by U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB). With 85 million shares, Berkshire is U.S. Bancorp’s second-largest investor. Berkshire owns 5% of the company, in a stake worth approximately $4.3 billion.

Banks have seen their valuations rise considerably in just the past few months, as investors become more comfortable with the outlook for the financial sector.

This article will discuss why Buffett has taken such a huge ownership stake in U.S. Bancorp.

Business Overview

The biggest reason why Warren Buffett owns U.S. Bancorp is likely because of its strong management team and competitive advantages.


Last year was a record one for U.S. Bancorp. Net income reached a record of $5.9 billion. Earnings per share of $3.24 was also a record performance. Earnings per share rose 2.5% for the year. The company experienced growth across most of its key metrics.

Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2018: Tidewater Inc.(TDW)

Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    In trading on Friday, energy shares slipped by 0.20 percent. Meanwhile, top losers in the sector included Northern Oil & Gas, Inc. (NYSE: NOG), down 9 percent, and Tidewater Inc. (NYSE: TDW), down 8 percent.

Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2018: SolarWindow Technologies, Inc. (WNDW)


Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By SEEKINGALPHA.COM]

    SolarWindow Technologies, Inc. (OTCQB:WNDW) is another third-party currently engaged in research and development to incorporate one of GLW’s glass products in an innovative manner. WNDW, a leading developer of transparent electricity-generating coatings for glass windows and flexible veneers, announced its plan to develop electricity-generating flexible glass. In particular, WNDW’s scientists and engineers recently applied layers of its liquid coatings onto GLW’s Willow Glass and laminated them under conditions that simulate the high pressure and temperatures of the manufacturing processes used by commercial glass and window producers. The result was a bendable glass “veneer” which generates electricity. WNDW anticipates installing these sheets of electricity-generating glass veneers over existing office tower windows, turning buildings into vertical power generators and helping decrease their carbon footprint. The company also believes that such veneers could be applied to flat and curved surfaces on automobiles, trucks, buses, airplanes, and boats to generate onboard electrical power. WNDW’s veneer products are being developed in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory in an effort to commercialize WNDW’s products. While we saw no specific timeline for when WNDW would offer its products incorporating Willow Glass, we are once again excited by this innovative use of a GLW product.

Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2018: Meritage Corporation(MTH)


Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Jason Hall]

    WhenMeritage Homes Corp(NYSE:MTH) last reported earnings to wrap up fiscal 2016, it left investors with reason to be concerned. The company finished the year with strong 15% home-closing revenue growth in the fourth quarter, 19% home-closing revenue growth for the full year, and a 15% jump in earnings per share for the year. Unfortunately, the homebuilder reported that its unit sales, and that its backlog of homes on order, were down from the year-ago period in the fourth quarter — not a positive metric considering the general strength of the new homes market and the company’s success in expanding and growing in recent years.

Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2018: NGL ENERGY PARTNERS LP(NGL)


Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    In trading on Thursday, energy shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.87 percent. Meanwhile, top losers in the sector included NGL Energy Partners LP (NYSE: NGL), down 17 percent, and Contango Oil & Gas Company (NYSE: MCF), down 12 percent.

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Shares of NGL Energy Partners LP (NYSE: NGL) were down around 24 percent to $16.40. NGL Energy Partners declared a quarterly distribution of $0.39 per unit and revised its fiscal year 2017 and fiscal year 2018 outlook.

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    On Friday, the energy sector proved to be a source of strength for the market. Leading the sector was strength from NGL Energy Partners LP (NYSE: NGL) and Legacy Reserves LP (NASDAQ: LGCY).

Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Buy For 2018: Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (The)(IPG)

Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Laurie Kulikowski]

    Net operating cash flow has significantly increased by 59.42% to $280.90 million when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, INTERPUBLIC GROUP OF COS has also vastly surpassed the industry average cash flow growth rate of 8.14%.


     

  • [By Paul Ausick]

    The Interpublic Group of Companies Inc. (NYSE: IPG) dropped about 4% Wednesday to post a new 52-week low of $21.28 after closing Tuesday at $22.16. The 52-week high is $25.71. Volume reached nearly 10 million shares traded, more than double the daily average of around 3.8 million. Tuesday’s weak earnings report continued to weigh on the share price.

  • [By Laurie Kulikowski]

    Interpublic is our income play in our media universe. While other stocks we cover offer a higher yield than IPG’s 2.1%, the company’s double digit EPS growth projections for 2016 (following an estimated 18% in 2015) will also likely be a driver of outperformance for the year. While results can be somewhat volatile for IPG, we would point to record new business win backlog this year, which improves our conviction that the better than average recent organic revenue growth trends will continue next year. At 18x our 2016 EPS estimate, we find IPG shares attractive at current levels for another projected year of healthy double digit total returns. 

  • [By Laurie Kulikowski]

    Despite its growing revenue, the company underperformed as compared with the industry average of 7.2%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 1.3%. This growth in revenue does not appear to have trickled down to the company’s bottom line, displayed by a decline in earnings per share.

     

  • [By Paul Ausick]

    The Interpublic Group of Companies Inc. (NYSE: IPG) dropped about 2.3% Thursday to post a new 52-week low of $20.94 after closing Wednesday at $21.44. The 52-week high is $25.71. Volume reached nearly 13 million shares traded, nearly 3 times the daily average of around 3.8 million. The company had no specific news, but Tuesday’s weak earnings report continues to weigh on the share price.

  • [By Laurie Kulikowski]

    The debt-to-equity ratio is somewhat low, currently at 0.94, and is less than that of the industry average, implying that there has been a relatively successful effort in the management of debt levels. Although the company had a strong debt-to-equity ratio, its quick ratio of 0.96 is somewhat weak and could be cause for future problems.

     

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