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Friday, December 21, 2012

Best & Worst Trades of 2012 top stocks,YHOO , $FB, BBY, AAPL ?



Facebook (FB)
Year-to-Date: Down 27 Percent

A trading glitch at Nasdaq on the day of Facebook's initial public offering provided an inauspicious start to one of the most-anticipated IPOs in recent years. Shares opened at $38, briefly spiked higher before trading down as low as $17 in the following months as questions about how the social media giant would generate revenues. Improved performance in the following months, a mobile advertising strategy and plans to monetize its Instagram acquisition lifted Facebook's stock price toward the end of the year.

(Watch: Time to 'Like' Facebook Again?)
» more from Fast Money ›


Best Buy (BBY)
Year-to-Date: Down 48 Percent

Looking at Best Buy's stock price in December, it's tough to believe that shares appeared poised to hit $30 in March. A few reasons have contributed to the decline, from a third-quarter loss and worsening cash flow, not to mention increased competition from Amazon.com. Best Buy's founder and its largest shareholder, Richard Schultze, reportedly sought to take the company public, but faces a financing hurdle, adding more uncertainty to the company's shares.

Yahoo (YHOO)
Year-to-Date: 21 Percent

Now for the best trades of 2012.

With Marissa Meyer at the helm — a new CEO with a Google pedigree — Yahoo saw its stock price run up to its highest level in four years. Some have questioned whether the positive sentiment is justified, but so far Meyer has upped spending on advertising and quickly closed the nearly $8 billion Alibaba deal, all while improving employee morale. For now, Wall Street is willing to give Meyer the benefit of the doubt.
Apple (AAPL)
Year-to-Date: Up 29 Percent

No stock was more talked-about in 2012 than Apple — and for good reason. Shares hit a record $705 in September as the company rolled out its new iPhone 5, iPad Mini, and sky-high expectations. While Apple's stock price recently posted big losses — briefly falling below $500 mid-December — it's still up nearly 30 percent for the year. While a range of analysts have downgraded the stock and investors are questioning it, there is also exposure to the Chinese market and a rumored Apple TV ahead.


J.C. Penney (JCP)
Year-to-Date: Down 43 Percent

Despite the best efforts of Apple's former marketing whiz, Ron Johnson, who now heads J.C. Penney as its CEO, this retailer's stock fell from its high of $43 in February to the $20 level in mid-December. High hopes for a turnaround in the heavily competitive retail sector never materialized, and the stock has yet to regain its footing. Competitors such as Macy's, Nordstrom, and Saks, meanwhile, saw their shares post year-to-date gains.

1 comment:

QUALITY STOCKS UNDER 4 DOLLARS said...

With all the issues facebook has had it should have remained private.