Today's hot stocks

[snowcat]

03/10/06
If you worried about falling off the bike, you'd never get on. – Lance Armstrong

DIET continued to lose weight – today's 12% drop made yesterday's 30% drop look good.  On the message boards, however, there are still people talking about the perfect entry point.  Sheesh!!!  I look at my mistakes: buying a stock that was not a leader in the field (or even a contender – a NTRI wannabe), unclear answers from the management, not great numbers in the earnings and growth areas, earnings that were way after NTRI's great earnings, so there was no momentum, and earnings during a bad week – How could I expect any good news?  Another expensive lesson.

Speaking of which, TRAD continues to fall apart and I cannot determine why.  AMTD and the other brokers are hanging in there.

PETS and TTM are still looking strong, inching up more today.  INFA coming back – nearing 15 again. 

XSNX.ob was up another 7% making another play at 2 – I am seeing a lot of newsletters pushing this solar film stock.  I would not be surprised to see it pumped to 3+.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=XSNX.OB

Watching Mr. Market, his pick, MFLX, was promptly down $4 today while WIRE was up a buck.   There a bunch of stocks on my watch-list, but nothing great:
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=FCFS+fix+pssi

Stay with what works.  And if you figure that out, tell me.  Snowcat

Here is a list of Jim Cramer's 25 rules of investing (with comments from Harry Newton
http://www.technologyinvestor.com/

Rule No. 1: Bulls, Bears Make Money, Pigs Get Slaughtered
It's essential for all traders to know when to take some off the table.
That's why I closed off my Google short yesterday.

Rule No. 2: It's OK to Pay the Taxes
Stop fearing the tax man and start fearing the loss man because gains can be fleeting.
In short, take the profits. Worry about paying the taxes later. I agree with this.

Rule No. 3: Don't Buy All at Once
To maximize your profits, stage your buys, work your orders and try to get the best price over time.
This depends on how much time you have.

Rule No. 4: Buy Damaged Stocks, Not Damaged Companies
There are no refunds on Wall Street, so do your research and focus your trades on damaged stocks rather than companies.
He means buy good companies whose stock prices have fallen for not-altogether logical reasons.

Rule No. 5: Diversify to Control Risk
If you control the downside and diversify your holdings, the upside will take care of itself.
I have preached the benefits of diversification. No one can predict the future. Diversification helps protect your capital.

Rule No. 6: Do Your Stock Homework
Before you buy any stock, it's important to research all aspects of the company.
Absolutely.

Rule No. 7: No One Made a Dime by Panicking
There will always be a better time to leave the table, so it is best to avoid the fleeing masses.
This is not easy.
Rule No. 8: Buy Best-of-Breed Companies
Investing in the more expensive stock is invariably worth it because you get piece of mind.
I don't like big mature companies. Sometimes they're the "best of breed." In short, don't buy junk. I agree.
Rule No. 9: Defend Some Stocks, Not All
When trading gets tough, pick your favorite stocks and defend only those.
In short, get out of the dogs.
Rule No. 10: Bad Buys Won't Become Takeovers
Bad companies never get bids, so it's the good fundamentals you need to focus on.
I agree.
Rule No. 11: Don't Own Too Many Names
It can be constraining, but it's better to have a few positions you know well and like.
Don't use managers or funds who have hundreds of stocks.
Rule No. 12: Cash Is for Winners
If you don't like the market or have anything compelling to buy, it's never wrong to go with cash.
Or with muni bonds.
Rule No. 13: No Woulda, Shoulda, Couldas
This damaging emotion is destructive to the positive mindset needed to make investment decisions.
Nothing will drive you nuts faster than revisiting your old idiocies.
Rule No. 14: Expect, Don't Fear Corrections
It is not always clear when a correction will strike, so expect and be prepared for one at all times.
Stocks decline. But always keep your stop losses tight.
Rule No. 15: Don't Forget Bonds
It's important to watch more than stocks, and bonds are stocks' direct competition.
Bonds give you peace of mind.
Rule No. 16: Never Subsidize Losers With Winners
Any trader stuck in this position would do well to sell sinking stocks and wait a day.
I don't like the use of the word "trader." But it is better to think that way today. You can't invest long-term any longer.
Rule No. 17: Check Hope at the Door
Hope is emotion, pure and simple, and trading is not a game of emotion.
Good luck with this one.
Rule No. 18: Be Flexible
Recognize and be open to the unexpected shifts in the market because business, by nature, is dynamic, not static.
When Strategy A doesn't work, try Strategy B.
Rule No. 19: When the Chiefs Retreat, So Should You
High-level executives don't quit a company for personal reasons, so that is a sign something is wrong.
Not always true.
Rule No. 20: Giving Up on Value Is a Sin
If you don't have patience, think about letting someone who does run your money.
But manage the managers. See yesterday's column.
Rule No. 21: Be a TV Critic
Accept that what you hear on television is probably right, but no more than that.
Everything you hear on TV is being said for a reason. Someone is trying to push something.
Rule No. 22: Wait 30 Days After Preannouncements
Preannouncements signal ongoing weakness, wait 30 days to see if anything has gotten better before you pull the trigger to buy.
He knows more about this rule than I do.
Rule No. 23: Beware of Wall Street Hype
Never underestimate the promotion machine because analysts get behind stocks and can keep them propelled in an up direction well beyond reason.
But you can also ride the escalator and make a few shekels along the way. Get out when the promotion stops.
Rule No. 24: Explain Your Picks
Buying stocks is a solitary event, too solitary in fact, so always make sure you can articulate your reasoning to someone else.
But not your wife.
Rule No. 25: There's Always a Bull Market
It's OK if you have to work hard to find it, just don't default to what's in bear mode because you are time-constrained or intellectually lazy.
There isn't always a bull market. Sometimes it's better to go for a walk, or play tennis.

[akclide]

One main thing that we have to have is discipline,which most of us lack.We must have a plan and must stick to it.Problem is we see a Rosy stock pick making a 100% return and we move away from our plan,including myself.Greed factor kicks in and at the end of the year we find ourselves holding the bag and Granny and Grandpa who followe S&P have done better than us and they did not even looked at the screen whole year,Go figure

[snowcat]

03/12/06
What's the story, Morning Glory, What's the word, Hummingbird? – By By Birdie


IBD's top 10 under $10
http://biz.yahoo.com/special/low0313_06.html

Charts:
http://stockcharts.com/candleglance/?CBIZ,CYBS,IED,IIG,SMDI,ADAM,FNSR,MERX,PCNTF,ANSR|C|A12,26,9

FNSR was up 13% due to a mention on the Jim Cramer, Madd Money show.  What concerns me is that there was recent heavy insider selling after the earnings release.
It is on the IBD top 10 under $10.

MFLX bounced off its trend line.  The company that makes flexible circuits for thin cell phones got hit on Friday when MOT announced that their RAZR phones have been dropping calls and there will be a recall.  It was not confirmed that it hung up only on callers who mentioned the code word "Meet me at BrokeBack Mountain".

I think the problem will be resolved and the stock will be over $60 in no time.
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui

XSNX up another 17%, smashing through $2! The company completed a successful test of its production.   http://biz.yahoo.com/pz/060313/95562.html

XRX is showing a nice ascending triangle.......
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui

Both ROS (Russian phone con) and ERS (aluminum sales) came back from the dead today with 7% gains.  ERS is back in an uptrend for those of you with a strong stomach.  http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=ERS&t=1y

ADM broke out to a new high.  The top producer of ethanol in the US is inching up as Congress debates modernizing the waterways to more efficiently move corn to the ethanol facilities.
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui

And NVAX reaches a new high as the Bird Flu infects large areas of Africa and the thought of the FLU reaching the US becomes more evident.

QDEL, which makes influenza testing kits, might be of interest.  I do not know if anyone makes a cure that works, but it looks like this Flu could be trouble.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=QDEL&t=1y

Keep your chins up, baseball season is almost here.  Snowcat

[snowcat]

3/14/06
Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm. – Winston Churchill

CYBS up 8% from the top 10 under $10
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=CYBS

MFLX came back a bit from the problem with the RAZR phone –
Up 5% ($3).  They make flexible circuits that fit in these thin phones.  I think this one belongs in the $65 range.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=MFLX

ADM, the company that has all the country's corn was up another dollar.
Corn=Ethanol.  If you don't think corn is valuable, see how much a large tub of popcorn is at the movies – more expensive than a gallon of gas!  Sweet chart!
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=ADM

TRAD woke up from its sleep, rising once again above $15 making it and INFA very buyable again.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=trad+infa

Two that I like a lot are medical supply company PSSI and HVAC Company, FIX.
They got the charts, they got the numbers and they are getting major print time in IBD.
This cannot hurt.  FIX is IBD 100 material when it hits 15!
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=pssi+fix

I sold WIT due to the descending triangle and the downgrade – it should go up tomorrow!

DXPE was a huge mover today, up 14% or $3.5 on great volume.  It broke out of a long, sleepy base last week, fumbled around a bit, and then blasted off.  It was on the IBD 100 for a while doing nothing for weeks.  They obviously know something I don't, but I will try to pay better attention.  This one could be the next BIG one! (And in the works could be ABB.....Sssssssssshhhhhhhhhhh)
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=dxpe

ERS looks like it is headed for 22ish b4 it completes its ascending triangle.  OSTK and ABLE blasted off like rockets today to my amazement.
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?c=able,uu[r,a]daclyyay[dc][pb5!b10!b20!b50!d20,2!h.02,.20!f][vc60][iut!lb14!ld20!ll14!la12,26,9!lm10!lj[$spx]]

And to top the day off, SVI, the distributor of "Jamba Juice" was up 20% today.  Kendall found this one last week and I did not believe it.  Why couldn't BRVO discover the secret of "Jamba Juice"?
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=svi

Don't mind me, I'm with the band.  Snowpal

[snowcat]

03/15/06
An idea can turn into dust or magic – depending on the talent who rubs against it. – Wm. Bernbach

Good day today.  Here is Cabot's stock pick of the month:
Write this name down: Stryker (NYSE: SYK).

As you're about to discover, this recent Stock of the Month is riding a major uptrend, is backed by solid financials, and is growing its revenue in a way that could easily make you 50% richer in the next 12 months, and in the long term, hand you $5-for-$1 profits in the next three years.

The reason is simple: This company is not just one of the leading implanted medical devices companies in the world, it sits squarely in a sector that's growing at a mind-boggling 10% annual clip. In fact, experts estimate the demand for implanted medical devices will reach an incredible $36.4 billion by 2009.

What kind of medical devices am I talking about?

Everything from hip replacements, knee replacements, pacemakers, stents - you name it. What's driving this growth? Three key factors:

(1) 70 million baby boomers are not only turning 60, but are also now beginning to suffer from age-related illnesses.
(2) Because this generation is the most active, athletic, and health conscious generation in history, they're not about to let anything slow them down.
(3) When you add to that the fact that insurance companies are now paying for more implantable defibrillators, stents, hips, knees, and other devices, you can see a boom in the making.
What I like most about our top pick here is that the company is one of the biggest profit-takers in the field of orthopedic implants - a market that is projected to bring in $15.2 billion in 2009.

With demand for reconstructive knee, hip, and spine implants exploding, our pick for Stock of the Month is truly the right company to own at the right time. Let me throw some numbers out at you, and I think you'll agree:

1. The company's five-year compounded growth rate is 89%.
2. The company's five-year dividend growth rate is 87%.
3. The company not only holds a whopping 68% market share of the combined hip, knee, spine, and micro device, but with an 18% growth rate.
4. The company's quarterly earnings growth is an incredible 817%.
When you consider that Stryker has virtually no debt and nearly $1 billion in operating cash flow, you can clearly see why this Stock of the Month could be even more profitable than Intuitive Surgical, which surged from $23 to $125 in 16 months.

The bird flu news gets scarier all the time – here are some interesting bits I picked up from Yahoo.  I own some NVAX and GNBT, they both started moving in the last hour.
There are many to choose from, but NVAX seems to be getting all the attention.
Included for background
http://finance.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?action=m&board=7077111&tid=nox&sid=7077111&mid=162453

but this is the meaty one about where nvax has been and is going
http://finance.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?.mm=FN&action=m&board=7077111&tid=nox&sid=7077111&mid=162585

The renowned scientist that said 50% of us could die
http://www.abcnews.go.com/WNT/AvianFlu/story?id=1724801&page=1

MFLX continued up – finishing near 62, it was 56 when it took the dive last week due to the problems with the MOT RAZR phone.  That was a gift.

Here is a list of a bunch of the stocks I am currently following/own
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=mflx+adm+amtd+cwpc.ob+nihk.ob+nto+pce.v+peix+pets+ptsc.ob+rtk+trad+ttm+uts.to+xsnx+infa+mps+brvo+fnsr+pssi+abax+emci+rvsn+fcfs+wite+fix+nfi+mtu+cybs+ied+smdi+nhwk+intx+abb+cwtr+abax+lsi+mcu

ENWV looking set for another run:
http://stockcharts.com/h-sc/ui?s=enwv&p=D&yr=0&mn=3&dy=0&id=p10114103162

Invest with your head, the one on your shoulders.  Snowster

[snowcat]

03/16/06
The roots of education are bitter, but the fruit is sweet. – Aristotle

TRAD came out with some nice numbers, but nothing could halt its slide.  It is nearing its sell stop which is about 14.20.  I do not know what is ailing this stock.  The numbers are good, the market is strong and it is a takeover target. – And there are a lot of good looking stocks out there that can take its place.

I took a small position in ABAX, which is working on the rt side of a cup.  They make portable blood analysis machines for pets & humans and business is good.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=ABAX

Not a great day for my recent purchases, CYBS & PSSI decided to take a breather, Though MFLX was up almost a buck and FIX is close to 13.

You are probably sick of me writing about solar company, XSNX, but I said it should close in on 3 – and it was up 20% today!  I am up over 100% on this one for the 2nd time!
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=XSNX.OB

A good day for bird flu stocks as NVAX and GBNT were up nicely.  When the flu strikes, it might kill us, but we ill die happy knowing we made money in these stocks.
NVAX looks near to a top; GBNT has a big conference tomorrow.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=nvax+gnbt+lsi+

A semi-conductor stock which was a big swinger in the late 90's is coming back strong.  LSI is nearing profit, the chart is a work of art and they got a recent upgrade.

TTM, I continue I think is worth accumulating.  The Indian economy is growing and the people want to buy cars.  It is a sign of success.  This is the Indian way.
Find a better chart and company, and I'll eat a big mouthful of Vandal!
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=TTM

New issue, VIMC, a Chinese company that makes parts for MP3 players has had a great week – and blasted off today.  I should have told you about it yesterday, sorry.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=TTM

Otherwise I came out ahead today.  Let's keep the rally going.  Snows

[snowcat]

03/17/06
The colder the x-ray table, the more of your body is required to be on it.

Recent buy, ABAX was up a buck.  MFLX and ADM continue to make new highs.

XSNS was sold today.
With a market cap of over $450 million and only 1 salaried employee out of an executive suite, XSNX might be one of the most overvalued stocks we have ever seen.  What is the true value of a company who has never seen $1 in revenue and has spent less than half a cent per share on research and development?  The full story on XSNX can be read at

www.stocklemon.com

it is funny.  One employee and $450 market cap?  If he dies, who turns the sign around in the morning?

The stock fell, but I was still up over 100%.  One Newsletter said it would go to $25 in 3 months!  Yow!

ERS continues to work on an ascending triangle.  Up a dollar.
http://139.142.147.19/StockChart_ImageOnly.dll?cus=&co=ask&i_chart=0&inm=5&ind=2&idx_sym=&sb=ers&cn=us&size=1&ind2=-6&inm2=-1&ty=1&sca=1&mov1=0&mov2=0&mov3=0&boll=0&lin=0&chk_vol=on&rsi=8&sto1=15&sto2=5&sto3=5&wil=12&macd1=12&macd2=25&macd3=9&roc1=16&roc2=8&mfi=14&rsc_sym=INX&ref_rate=180

GIGM will report earnings on March 23.  I like this on-line Mah-Jongg company and I think it has a great future.  But earnings' reactions are always unpredictable.

VPHM got slaughtered today.  Good thing that for once I followed my "sell and stay out" rule on that.

And what looks good today?  Big bo on semiconductor based laser system company (for eye disease and skin lesions), IRIX., ATHR is looking better, up 5%,  pawn shop FCFS is in a great business and Heavy Duty truck seller, RUSHA has a nice looking chart.
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/cq?d=v1&s=athr+irix+rusha+fcfs+nhwk
Check them out.  And get some half price pints of Ale and corn beef for St. Pat's Day.  It will make you a better investor. Thanks.  Eugene