Tips & Hints on how to find blue chip stocks

Have you ever thought about stock market investing and considered how blue chip stocks  might help in attaining your ultimate goals financially? In the game of poker, the most valuable poker chips are the blue ones, which is where the term Blue chip stock got its name. When individuals invest in these valuable blue chip stocks, they are in fact investing in well established, reputable companies. These companies have minimal liabilities, stable earnings and high credit ratings.  Additionally, they have a well established customer base and wide ranging lines of product.

Blue chip stocks are considered quite stable, safe investments and that is their biggest advantage. Individuals are fairly sure of positive returns on their financial investments, when they procure stocks and shares in well established companies like Coca-Cola, Wal-Mart, Microsoft, Disney or McDonalds.  In the stock market, blue chip stocks are often thought of as a sure winner, a home run. Because of this, blue chip stocks are eagerly sought by non-profit organizations with small budgets and the need for safe financial risk, as well as retirees looking for conservative, solid investments in planning their future.

The biggest problem with purchasing blue chip stock, however, is of course, the high price per share. Small investors, therefore, have a more difficult time trying to base their portfolios on these desired blue chip stocks. Since the returns on these stocks are known to be relatively modest, individuals would not enjoy the thrill of being able to state that they were a part of the rise of some unknown organization to the top of that industry, nor would they have the opportunity to become overnight millionaires.

What are bellwether stocks

Sometimes, blue chip stocks are called bellwether stocks, even though they are not precisely the same and are not exchangeable. A company that is a leader in its industry and often used by analysts in determining or forecasting the performance of that industry, are referred to as bellwether stocks. As highly valued companies are usually industry leaders, bellwether stocks are usually blue chip stocks as well.  This does not, however, mean that a blue chip stock is a bellwether stock.

The most well known and established listing of blue chip stocks  in the world, is believed to be  the Dow Jones Industrial Average. It was created be Charles Dow, editor of the Wall Street Journal and the founder of Dow Jones & Company.  It is an index of 30 stocks used and quoted by analysts to provide a depiction of the overall performance of the stock market.

There are a number of ways for individuals to purchase shares and stocks if they wish to invest in blue chip stocks.  Some of these methods are through a stock broker, a direct purchase stock plan or a dividend reinvestment plan. Individuals could choose, instead, to invest their money in a mutual fund made up of numerous blue chip stocks which would lower their risk even more.

Between 1990 and 2000 many schools of thought cited that real estate market was neither positively nor negatively correlated and in fact had little or no effect on the US economy. The premise of this theory did have merit as during the 90’s many claimed it was the manufacturing sector which was the main driver for economic growth during the period.

However we disagree strongly. In essence we examined why both must be related especially in such a heavily invested market as the USA real estate market. Mortgage related companies that are listed on the stock exchange NYSE or are in the DJIA (Dow Jones Index) are not the only companies that feel the pinch of a weakening real estate market. But it does signal some trouble on the market. It must be said however that a deeper analysis on the incomes of these companies must be done to truly see a correlation. This leads us to believe that though both are positively correlated, one is a trigger.

First the real estate market is typically reactive and the stock market proactive. When the New York Stock Exchange or the Dow Jones Industrial Averages are booming then many investors turn to the mortgages market to park their hefty returns. This leads to increased demand and invariably an increase in the cost of properties. This phenomenon is evidenced even in the UK as property prices continue to steadily rise. However when the market comes crashing down then investors who were in real estate begin to cover their losses by liquidating real estate and property held mortgages and liens driving the prices down.

Empirical evidence can be found in the Japanese stock market and the Japanese real estate market where once the stock market crashed in 1985 and the real estate market followed unwinding by more than 60% in values and 23 years later in 2008 can still not fully recover. Even closer to home is the 2001 NASDAQ crash in the stock market led to a drop in real estate values by twenty to thirty (20% – 30%). Yet during this time not many investors threaded carefully. However many US based investors and European investors bought into UK mortgage companies, lending them money through Mutual Fund companies and collecting hefty returns.

Again the bottom of this market fell out as it began to unwind in July 2007 in the sub-prime mortgage crisis and to date the fully consequence of that dilemma has not been brought to book for many companies. To be fair however there are other factors that can precipitate a real estate market crash:

• The Federal reserves move to tighten liquidity increasing interest rates led to parking and a slow down in the building market without reaching any market equilibrium. Leading to higher mortgage rates and more foreclosures.
• Rising petrol costs and other inflationary pressures postponed the middle class man from purchasing property whittling demand
• Lack of Government regulatory legislation allowed collusion between property developers to price each other out of the market driving down prices of existing homes.

The stock market unwinding is just a trigger, real estate vales would have passed sustainable levels based on speculative demand and now the real estate market has collapsed under its own weight.

[tags]correlation between real estate and stock market,stock market crash,Masdaq crash 2001,Japanese stock market[/tags]