5 Stocks to Be Thankful For

by Jim Woods | November 25, 2009 8:24 am

I have a lot of things to be thankful for this year. I have a gorgeous wife, a career I love and a fantastic group of very smart colleagues. I’m also truly thankful that I live in the United States, where success in life is largely a function of how hard you work, and what decisions you make. I’m also thankful for the freedom and the capitalism that makes 21st-century America a true land of plenty.

Of course, I am also thankful for some very specific companies — and some very specific stocks — that make my life a lot easier and that have made many investors a whole lot richer over the past year. So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I want to share with you five stocks that I am truly thankful for. 

Stock #1 – Amazon.com (AMZN[1])

I’m thankful for Amazon.com (AMZN[1]) because as a writer, it’s my job to read anything and everything I can get my hands on. Amazon.com makes this possible by allowing me to get nearly any book I want, at the best price out there, in just a day or two at the most.  The ease with which Amazon.com feeds my voracious literary appetite is remarkable, and I don’t really know how I’d cope without this online retailer in my life. Over the past 12 months, AMZN shares have climbed an incredible 250%, so apparently, I’m not the only one addicted to swimming in this river.

Amazon vs. eBay – Who Will Win the Battle of the Online Retailers?[2]

Stock #2 – Apple (AAPL[3])

I’m thankful for Apple (AAPL[3]) because of its incredible iPhone 3GS. This smartphone is a veritable hand-held wonder, and the increased personal productivity I’ve experienced since my smartphone conversion took place is remarkable. I can do so much more, so much easier, while away from the office that I can’t believe how I ever accomplished anything without my iPhone. Apple stock has also been an indispensable asset over the past year, with AAPL shares climbing 150%. Now that’s the kind of portfolio productivity we all can believe in.

Apple (AAPL) and Six More Pricey Stocks Worth the Cost[4]

Stock #3 – SPDR S&P 500 (SPY[5])

The next stock I’m thankful for isn’t really a stock.  Rather, it’s an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that allows me to buy the S&P 500 Index in one simple, elegant and low-cost basket. It’s the SPDR S&P 500 (SPY[5]), and it has delivered a 39% gain over the past 12 months. That’s a lot of upside to be thankful for this year; especially considering the fund is actually down 23% over the past two years. Yeah, it’s been a good year to be long on the general market, and nothing makes it easier to go long, and to stay long, than SPY.

Stock #4 – Starbucks (SBUX[6])

As a confirmed and unrepentant coffee addict, I’m thankful for the original — and in my opinion, still the best — premium coffee seller out there, Starbucks (SBUX[6]). You can always count on Starbucks coffee to deliver your caffeine in a robust, flavorful and piping-hot package. The company’s shares also have delivered piping-hot performance since last Thanksgiving, with a 176% increase over the past 12 months. As much as I love my morning coffee, I love my portfolio gains even more. With SBUX, I can have both.

Stock # 5 – Tiffany & Co. (TIF[7])

The final member of my list of stocks I’m thankful for this year is Tiffany & Co. (TIF[7]).  The luxury goods retailer[8] is always a big hit in my family, and I just can’t go wrong by giving the gift that comes in that little blue box. With Tiffany, I can be a gift-giving superhero, and with TIF shares I can be an investing superhero. The stock is up 115% in the past year, and that’s the kind of heroic gift we can all be thankful for.

Related Articles:

• Thanksgiving Options Trades for Tasty Profits[9]
• Six Stocks to Sell Before the End of the Year[10]
• Forget Frugal, Luxury Retail Stocks Are Back[11]

 

26 Cheap Stocks to Sell Now[12]
Not all cheap stocks are created equal! Get the names of 26 cheap stocks to avoid right now, plus the five red flags for buying cheap stocks[13].

 

 

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