Time to sell these six

Article Excerpt

We’re always on the lookout for new stocks that we feel offer conservative investors strong growth with limited risk. International Flavors & Fragrances (this issue), is a good example. At the same time, we constantly monitor our current recommendations for reasons that might cause us to change our opinion. Here are six with limited prospects that we now see as sells: HARTE-HANKS INC. $12 (New York symbol HHS) continues to see slow demand for its direct-marketing services and ads in its free “shopper”newspapers. Sell. LIZ CLAIBORNE INC. $6.55 (New York symbol LIZ) needs a strong surge in consumer confidence to spur demand for its clothing. As well, the company’s high debt load adds risk. Sell. WASHINGTON FEDERAL INC. $16 (Nasdaq symbol WFSL) is losing less money to bad loans, its high exposure to troubled housing markets continues to hold it back. Sell. SUPERVALU INC. $11 (New York symbol SVU) is facing stronger competition from bigger retailers like Wal-Mart, which is selling more groceries in its stores. Sell. SYSCO CORP. $29 (New York symbol SYY) could have a harder time…