Top Blue Chip Companies To Watch In Right Now

Bloomberg News

Stocks rallied the most in 10 months Thursday in a relief rally touched off by signs that lawmakers were moving toward an agreement to increase the debt ceiling and avoid a default.

Based on preliminary numbers, the blue chip Dow Jones industrial average gained 323.09 points, or 2.2%, to 15,126.10. The broad market S&P 500 index added 32.36 points, or nearly 2%, to 1,688.76 and the Nasdaq composite index surged 82.97 points, or 2.25%, to 3,760.75.

Dow up 300 points! Do investors really think we were that close to default yesterday, and that far away from default today? #stillshutdown

Top Blue Chip Companies To Watch In Right Now: International Business Machines Corporation(IBM)

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. Its Global Technology Services segment provides IT infrastructure and business process services, including strategic outsourcing, process, integrated technology, and maintenance services, as well as technology-based support services. The company?s Global Business Services segment offers consulting and systems integration, and application management services. Its Software segment offers middleware and operating systems software, such as WebSphere software to integrate and manage business processes; information management software for database and enterprise content management, information integration, data warehousing, business analytics and intelligence, performance management, and predictive analytics; Tivoli software for identity management, data security, storage management, and datacenter automation; Lotus software for collaboration, messaging, and so cial networking; rational software to support software development for IT and embedded systems; business intelligence software, which provides querying and forecasting tools; SPSS predictive analytics software to predict outcomes and act on that insight; and operating systems software. Its Systems and Technology segment provides computing and storage solutions, including servers, disk and tape storage systems and software, point-of-sale retail systems, and microelectronics. The company?s Global Financing segment provides lease and loan financing to end users and internal clients; commercial financing to dealers and remarketers of IT products; and remanufacturing and remarketing services. It serves financial services, public, industrial, distribution, communications, and general business sectors. The company was formerly known as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. and changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation in 1924. IBM was founded in 1910 and is based in Armonk, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividends4Life]

  Related Articles:
  - Nike, Inc. (NKE) Dividend Stock Analysis
  - Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Dividend Stock Analysis
  - Genuine Parts Company (GPC) Dividend Stock Analysis
  - International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) Dividend Stock Analysis
  - More Stock Analysis Also check out: (Free Trial) High Yield Dividend Stocks in Gurus' Portfolio Top dividend stocks of Warren Buffett Top dividend stocks of George Soros

  » Take a Free Trial of Premium Membership

• [By Matt Koppenheffer]

  Brendan Mathews: Toward the end of the meeting, a shareholder asked about IBM's (NYSE: IBM  ) moat. Warren basically sidestepped the question, saying he didn't understand IBM's moat as well as Coca-Cola's (NYSE: KO  ) . According to Buffett, He likes IBM's financial policies and thinks it will do well, but he feels more conviction in Coca-Cola, Wrigley, Heinz (NYSE: HNZ  ) , and Burlington Northern Santa Fe.

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  Alamy April is Financial Literacy Month, and our goal is to help you raise your money IQ. In this series, we'll tackle key economic concepts -- ones that affect your everyday finances and investments -- to help you make smarter choices with every dollar decision you face. Today's term: net worth. In a nutshell, net worth is what you get when you subtract liabilities from assets -- what you owe from what you own. Like many economic and financial terms, net worth can apply in a variety of situations. If you're evaluating a company for your portfolio,you might glance at its balance sheet to get a handle on its net worth. Balance sheets break out assets (such as cash, inventory, and receivables) and liabilities (such as debt and accounts payable). Subtracting the latter from the former gives you net worth, which is also referred to in this context as shareholders' equity or book value. Here's an example: As of the end of 2012, IBM's (IBM) assets totaled $119 billion, and its liabilities totaled $100 billion. Thus, its net worth, or shareholders' equity, was $19 billion. Net Worth in Our Lives Each of us has an individual net worth, too, and it's arrived at in similar fashion. First, grab a sheet of paper and list all your assets. These would include the contents of your bank accounts, your investments, the equity you have in your home, your retirement accounts, the current value of your car(s), the value of your jewelry, the contents of your wallet or purse, and so on. Be thorough -- your sizable board game collection might be worth several thousand dollars, for example. Next, list all your liabilities, or debts. These would include what you owe on your mortgage or car loan, your credit card debt, any school loans outstanding, and any other debt, such as a home equity loan. Finally, subtract the liabilities from the assets. What's left is your net worth. Ideally, your net worth is positive and will grow over time. If your net worth is in negative territory,

Top Blue Chip Companies To Watch In Right Now: Apple Inc.(AAPL)

Apple Inc., together with subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers, mobile communication and media devices, and portable digital music players, as well as sells related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications worldwide. The company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, retail stores, direct sales force, third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. In addition, it sells third-party Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores; and digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. The company sells its products to consumer, small and mid-sized business, education, enterprise, government, and creative markets. As of September 25, 2010, it had 317 retail stores, including 233 stores in the United States and 84 stores internationally. The company, formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc., was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rex Moore]

  The much-hyped Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone will be available in the U.S. beginning this week with some carriers. In this multipart series, Fool analysts Rex Moore and Andrew Tonner talk about what the launch means in the marketplace. Today, they discuss whether BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY  ) is falling farther behind Samsung and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) .

• [By Evan Niu, CFA, CFA, Erin Kennedy, and Eric Bleeker, CFA]

  With�Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) iPhone event on Tuesday, the next major version of iOS won't be far behind. iOS 7 is the biggest revamp to date of Apple's critically important mobile operating system and could be considered a catalyst in its own right.�Google� (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) Android offers a compelling alternative at lower price points, but iOS is more differentiated.�

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  June 10
  Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) is in an unusual position as it heads into next week's WWDC 2013 powwow for developers.

  The consumer tech giant was on top of the world during last year's five-day showcase for developers, but now -- with the stock off by more than 20% since last year's fete -- it's time for answers.

• [By James Brumley]

  JCPenney’s woes have been more than adequately documented. Ron Johnson effectively drove the company into the ground in an effort to make the value-oriented retailer look and feel like Apple (AAPL) stores, and it didn’t work. While he was finally ousted and former CEO Mike Ullman stepped back into the role in April, by that time it was too late.

Top Cheapest Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Visa Inc.(V)

Visa Inc., a payments technology company, engages in the operation of retail electronic payments network worldwide. It facilitates commerce through the transfer of value and information among financial institutions, merchants, consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company owns and operates VisaNet, a global processing platform that provides transaction processing services. It also offers a range of payments platforms, which enable credit, charge, deferred debit, debit, and prepaid payments, as well as cash access for consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company provides its payment platforms under the Visa, Visa Electron, PLUS, and Interlink brand names. In addition, it offers value-added services, including risk management, issuer processing, loyalty, dispute management, value-added information, and CyberSource-branded services. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Hill]

  Visa (NYSE: V  ) and Under Armour (NYSE: UA  ) hit new all-time highs. General Motors (NYSE: GM  ) appears to be turning the corner in Europe. And second-quarter profits for Crocs (NASDAQ: CROX  ) fell a whopping 43%. In this installment of Investor Beat, Motley Fool analysts David Hanson and Jason Moser discuss four stocks making moves on Thursday.

• [By Matt Thalman]

  Before we get to the Dow's biggest losers of the week, let's review its top performer. Visa (NYSE: V  ) gained 4.99% this past week, following a big gain on Friday after American Express reported better-than-expected results for the fourth quarter and a massive increase in customer spending. If the same spending trend holds true for Visa, it should see a huge boost in revenue and, more importantly, profits when it reports earnings on Jan. 30. �

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  This will be a ��ow-a-day��week of quarterly results with Merck & Co. (MRK) �on Monday, Pfizer Inc. (PFE) �on Tuesday, Visa Inc. (V) �on Wednesday, Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) �on Thursday, and Chevron Corp. (CVX) �on Friday.

• [By Grace L. Williams]

  Many critics of that settlement have said Amex’s existing surcharging rules would prevent them from surcharging Visa (V) and MasterCard (MA) credit cards.

Top Blue Chip Companies To Watch In Right Now: McDonald's Corporation(MCD)

McDonald?s Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a worldwide foodservice retailer. It franchises and operates McDonald?s restaurants that offer various food items, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 32,478 restaurants in 117 countries, of which 26,216 were operated by franchisees; and 6,262 were operated by the company. McDonald?s Corporation was founded in 1948 and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Louis Navellier] Popular Posts: 3 Stocks That Just Aced Their Exams3 Stocks to Avoid On Their Way Down – TZOO, UIS, ISRGGoogle Stock Split Is All Good For GOOG Investors Recent Posts: MCD Earnings Clouds McDonald’s Stock Outlook (MCD) 3 Media Stocks Lighting Up Your Entertainment World Buzz Words You Need to Know to Profit This Earnings Season View All Posts

  Welcome to the Stock of the Day.

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Other earnings highlights in the coming week include Dow components McDonald�� Corp. (MCD) , DuPont (DD) , AT&T Inc. (T) , and Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) . Notable S&P 500 companies include Halliburton Co. (HAL) , Netflix Inc. (NFLX) �, Amgen Inc. (AMGN) �, TripAdvisor Inc. (TRIP) �, Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) �, Colgate-Palmolive Co. (CL) �, Ford Motor Co. (F) �, Dow Chemical Co. (DOW) �, and United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) �

• [By Garrett Baldwin]

  Sin Stocks to Buy: McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD)

  McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD), home of the Big Mac, remains one of the most reliable streams of income for international investors.

• [By Mike Deane]

  McDonald’s (MCD) announced a 0.5% rise in its global comparable sales for November, with a decrease in U.S. sales offset by an increase in sales overseas.

  The U.S. comps declined 0.8%, due to competition and flat industry traffic trends. In Europe for November, sales rose 1.9%, bolstered by sales in the U.K., �France and Russia. European sales made this small increase due to McDonald’s focusing on the pricing tiers of its menu, and promotional events. The company’s APMEA market (Asia/Pacific, Middle East and Africa) fell 2.8%, because of falling sales in Japan. The company is now “pursuing customer-focused initiatives that broaden accessibility and enhance value across all daypart,” according to its new release.

  McDonald’s President and CEO Don Thompson had the following comments about November’s sales: “Throughout the McDonald’s System we’re focused on satisfying our customers by providing a differentiated experience that delivers high-quality food and meaningful value in a comfortable and modern environment. As consumer expectations and the marketplace continue to evolve, we are making investments in our menu, restaurants and service to strengthen our connection with customers and build our business for long-term profitable growth.”

  McDonald’s stocks were down just 65 cents, or 0.67%, in pre-market trading Monday morning. YTD, the company’s stock is up 7.41%.

Top Blue Chip Companies To Watch In Right Now: Colgate-Palmolive Company(CL)

Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets consumer products worldwide. It offers oral care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, and mouth rinses, as well as dental floss and pharmaceutical products for dentists and other oral health professionals; personal care products, such as liquid hand soap, shower gels, bar soaps, deodorants, antiperspirants, shampoos, and conditioners; and home care products comprising laundry and dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, bleaches, dishwashing liquids, and oil soaps. The company offers its oral, personal, and home care products under the Colgate Total, Colgate Max Fresh, Colgate 360 Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG  ) will release its quarterly report on Friday, and investors have watched the stock hit new all-time record highs in November before falling back in the past two months. Despite the optimism, Procter & Gamble earnings face pressure from international giant Unilever (NYSE: UL  ) as well as domestic rivals Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL  ) and Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB  ) . The question facing investors is whether P&G can sustain its longtime competitive advantages against its rivals and bolster its growth.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  One concern, though, is how the company handled news of Venezuela's currency devaluation. Clorox (NYSE: CLX  ) and Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL  ) also felt the pinch, with Clorox taking about a $0.05 to $0.10 per-share earnings hit and Colgate losing about $0.50 per share. But they also addressed the potential devaluation more proactively than P&G did. Clorox actually�anticipated�the devaluation in its February earnings report, projecting the potential hit if a devaluation took place. Colgate didn't provide specific guidance in advance but clearly saw it as an issue, delivering on a promise to give prompt guidance revisions after the devaluation occurred.

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Colgate-Palmolive Co. (NYSE: CL) is a top consumer staples name to make the UBS. Colgate sells its products in more than 200 countries and makes more than 75% of its revenue outside the United States, which provides geographic diversification and growth opportunities in emerging markets for the company. This diversity, matched with a huge list of consumer products, keeps revenues and dividends growing. Investors are paid a 2.3% dividend. The consensus target is $67.14. Colgate closed Tuesday at $64.34.

Top Blue Chip Companies To Watch In Right Now: Chevron Corporation(CVX)

Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. It operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment involves in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as holds interest in a gas-to-liquids project. The Downstream segment engages in the refining of crude oil into petroleum products; marketing of crude oil and refined products primarily under the Chevron, Texaco, and Caltex brand names; transportation of crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car; and manufacture and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives. It a lso produces and markets coal and molybdenum; and holds interests in 13 power assets with a total operating capacity of approximately 3,100 megawatts, as well as involves in cash management and debt financing activities, insurance operations, real estate activities, energy services, and alternative fuels and technology business. Chevron Corporation has a joint venture agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation. The company was formerly known as ChevronTexaco Corp. and changed its name to Chevron Corporation in May 2005. Chevron Corporation was founded in 1879 and is based in San Ramon, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Charley Blaine]

  Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) shares are trading at $111.70. That is about 1% above the 52-week low of $110.54 and down about 10.5% on the year. The second-largest oil company reported a 26% decline in fourth-quarter profits, thanks to low oil prices, and it has seen oil and gas production levels decline. The consensus price target is $130.53, which is 16.7% above the current price.

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Chevron provides essential energy products and services to a wide range of companies operating in different industries around the world. The stock has been on a bullish run for the last several years and is now trading near all-time high prices. Earnings and revenue figures have been mixed but investors have been pleased during most of the last four quarters. Relative to its peers and sector, Chevron has led in year-to-date performance by a wide margin. Look for Chevron to continue to OUTPERFORM.

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  Even though the country has so much oil, it has struggled to keep up production growth and has asked for outside help. This week, Venezuela has signed financing deals with Chevron (NYSE: CVX  ) , Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) , and Russia's Rosneft that will total $5.6 to expand production. The country hopes to increase production from 3 to 5 million barrels per day by 2015.

Top Blue Chip Companies To Watch In Right Now: Philip Morris International Inc(PM)

Philip Morris International Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products in markets outside of the United States. Its international product brand line comprises Marlboro, Merit, Parliament, Virginia Slims, L&M, Chesterfield, Bond Street, Lark, Muratti, Next, Philip Morris, and Red & White. The company also offers its products under the A Mild, Dji Sam Soe, and A Hijau in Indonesia; Diana in Italy; Optima and Apollo-Soyuz in the Russian Federation; Morven Gold in Pakistan; Boston in Colombia; Belmont, Canadian Classics, and Number 7 in Canada; Best and Classic in Serbia; f6 in Germany; Delicados in Mexico; Assos in Greece; and Petra in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It operates primarily in the European Union, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Canada, and Latin America. The company is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim McAleenan Jr.]

  And lastly, Mankiw mentions emerging markets. If you want to bet against the United States dollar and own a company that generates all of its profits outside the United States, it could be useful to take a look at Philip Morris International (PM). Asia makes up 37% of its profits. The Middle East, Africa, and Eastern Europe make up 27% of its profits. Smoking rates in countries like Indonesia are increasing at 10-25% annual rates. The Marlboro brand is gaining market share in Asia. The company is planning aggressive expansion into Central Africa. If you want emerging markets exposure, Philip Morris International could be a decent way to cover your bases.