Value Investing News

Virtually every financial writer will pen an article selecting his or her top stock picks for the upcoming year. I enjoy reading them and the logic behind the picks. As a long-term buy and hold investor, generally most aren't useful for me; nevertheless, I find them entertaining and sometimes there is a gem to be found. Here are some picks for 2012...

The latest 10-K filing by ASHLAND INC.

Life often deals us difficult circumstances to work through at what seems to be the most inopportune time. During economic downturns, many people lose their jobs at a time when companies aren't hiring. When things like this happen, those with an alternative income, including dividend growth stocks, are in a better position to deal with the circumstances thrust on them.

Companies Profiting from the Gulf Spill; How Remediation Company Wescorp Energy Inc (OTCBB: WSCE), Nalco Holdings (NYSE:NLC), Clean Harbors (NYSE:CLH), Ashland (NYSE:ASH) and others Play a Role

The oil leak was sealed in late July, but the environmental damage was immense and the clean up is predicted to take years

According to Ned Davis Research, $100 invested in all dividend payers of the S&P 500 index in 1972, would have grown to $2,266 by the end of 2009. The same $100 invested in non-dividend paying stocks in the S&P 500 returned a negative 39% over the same period. The performance of dividend payers and initiators was even better, returning $2,945 on the initial investment in 1972.