A rising
market and a still-slow
economy have created a real conundrum. Should you focus on the increasingly smaller group of deep-value stocks, or should you step on the gas, searching for stocks that are set for very strong
profit growth in the years to come?
If you fall into the latter camp, then I've pulled together a great list to start your research. I've found 20 stocks that are poised to boost earnings per share (EPS) by at least 40% in 2012 and by at least another 40% in 2013.
I've excluded commodity stocks from the list. Who knows where oil, gas, copper or steel prices will be a year from now? If the underlying commodities fall in value, then there's no way these kinds of stocks can boost profits sharply in 2013.
I've also sorted out housing stocks from the group and put them in the table below. These stocks may boost profits sharply in coming years -- if the housing market picks up. And that's still a big "if."
On the bigger table later in this piece, you'll also spotWeyerhauser (NYSE: WY) and Potlatch (NYSE: PCH). Each of these firms is in the timber business and would surely benefit in the eventual upturn in new home construction.
I also sorted out technology stocks from the group. These companies are hoping for strong demand in 2012 and 2013, as IT budgets continue to slowly open up. Many corporate networks, along with global telecom networks, are being upgraded with the fastest chips and switches, which may be a boon for these companies, as you can see in the table below...
It's hard to spot a clear theme in the remaining stocks in this group.