What are the best companies to invest in during a bear market?

Question

What investments are your best performers in the past year. Do you think they will keep performing well in the year to come?

Answer 1

Go with the " basics"...things that people need ( not just want).
Companies like Procter & Gamble...Colgate.. or food chains/drug stores SVU, Walgreen's, Rite-Aid...
...and look for " dividend paying" companies ( every little bit helps)
Look at the profile of LTR...and it's charts...been a winner for me...just steady, no rocket.

Answer 2

You want to invest in 'Slow Growers' or 'Stalwarts'. These are companies with a high market cap. and slow but consistant growth. So basically, a company like Wal-Mart.

Also, in regard to your other questions. Oil stocks have been a big winner for the past few years, but last year was definitely defined by the great performance of IPO's (initial public offering). Companies like Crocs (CROX), Chipotle (CMG), and J Crew (JCG) made their mark. Whether these will stay good investments, no one really knows (You can't predict the stock market), but my guess is they'll have a little bit of a pull back.

If you'd like to learn more about analyzing companies, check out my blog (click on my profile and there's a link in there). I just did my first post yesterday.

Answer 3

It depends on what makes the market a bear. With the real estate and finance problems today, then REITs and mortgage banks are out (unless you are shorting). With increased political instability (fortunately not the moment), then lots of things would tank, but not the makers of military equipment. When commodity prices rise at risks, then the makers, not the buyers, will be good. In each, the reverse is true, if things take a different direction. How do you see things working out?