Wyatt Research Week-in-Review: May 18-23

The market carries a lot of momentum into the holiday weekend.
The S&P 500 closed just a hair under 1,900 after advancing another 1.2% this week. Volatility is nonexistent, with the VIX trading near eight-year lows. Consumer confidence is higher than it’s been since before the Great Recession. And 21 companies have gone public on U.S. exchanges this month. So much for “Sell in May.”
There’s a lot to like on Wall Street at the moment. As usual, that gave us plenty to write about at Wyatt Investment Research this week.
Options analyst Andy Crowder detailed how to use low volatility to your advantage. Tyler Laundon revealed a little-known global oil explorer that’s one of the best energy plays on the market today. And Marshall Hargrave trotted out three tech stocks that are more profitable than Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) – a sure sign of the fast-improving financial times.
Here’s what else was on our mind at Wyatt Research this week:
The Four Best Dividend Stocks for Summer 2014 – Summer is fast approaching. That’s good news if you’re anyone who endured the polar vortex this winter. But it’s traditionally not-so-great news if you’re an investor. Here are four dividend stocks to get you through the dog days.
How to Protect Your Portfolio with Put Options – Earnings season is upon us. And with earnings season comes the oft-asked question from our loyal readers, “What is the best way to protect my returns in case of a bad earnings release?” For most individual investors, buying put options is the answer.
How Trading Low Volatility Can Result in a 43% Return– Contrarian investments often result in big returns. When the rest of Wall Street is running away, that’s when you should be buying. And just such an opportunity exists in the VIX right now.
Q1 Earnings Wrap: Biggest Surprises and Disappointments– A historically harsh and seemingly never-ending winter wasn’t the earnings killer many Wall Street analysts had expected. First-quarter earnings have been a surprising success, at least in relation to relatively low expectations.
Top Three Preferred Stock Funds to Buy Now– For income investors considering preferred stocks, having an idea of what to consider is a rational starting point. I have three preferred-stock funds worth considering today.
Tullow Oil: The Best “Unknown” Global Oil Explorer– One of the best oil companies in the world has seen its shares fall by 30% over the past two years. But its fortune may change in 2014, if just a few things can fall into place.
How to Get Growth and Income from FNV Stock– Gold’s comeback may have stalled out with just a 7% rise year-to-date, but a few gold miners have continued to rally heading into the middle of the year. One of the better performers has been Franco-Nevada (NYSE:FNV).
The Best Fixed-Income Investment to Buy Today – Because I’ve altered my outlook on interest rates, I’ve altered my conclusions on fixed-income investments. I like them. Let me be specific: not all fixed-income investments, but a few. Preferred stocks are one of the few.
Three Tech Stocks More Profitable than Apple – Apple’s net profit margin over the trailing twelve months is 21.4%, and its operating margin is 28.6%. Believe it or not, three tech companies are more profitable than that.
VIDEO: Jim Cramer Doesn’t Know Puts– Jim Cramer pooh-poohed selling puts. Andy Crowder says there’s a very good reason why: because Cramer doesn’t understand them.
Thanks for making us part of your weekend. Throughout the week, please make sure to visit WyattResearch.com for the information you need to know and opinions you need to read to become a better investor.