Quality Pays Off

Article Excerpt

It’s generally a mistake to sell high-quality stocks just because their prices have dropped. Nor should you sell them just because they’ve gone out of investor favor. Well-established but out-of-favor stocks can provide great opportunities for patient investors. MCDONALD’S CORP. $62 (New York symbol MCD; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 1.1 billion; Market cap: $68.2 billion; WSSF Rating: Above average) provides an example: The stock fell over 23%, from around $64 in mid-December 2007 to $49 in January 2008, on fears that high gasoline prices and lower consumer confidence in the wake of the housing market slowdown would limit customer spending. However, we felt the company’s Dollar Menu would continue to attract cost-conscious consumers. Also, McDonald’s operates over 31,000 fast food restaurants in 120 countries. Rising sales in overseas markets would also offset weaker domestic sales, and shield it from a weaker U.S. dollar. As well, new menu items such as premium coffee and healthier foods would continue to spur repeat…