Find out which stocks that were complete losers in 2015 are about to become the biggest winners in 2016. These are four stocks that you will want to watch as we move into the fourth quarter.
I came across one of the most interesting data points I have seen in some time this weekend. Bespoke Investment Group did some research into the components of the S&P 500 Index. The research firm took a look at the 50 worst and 50 best performers in the S&P 500 from the benchmark's peak on May 21st to the end of September. In the first ten days of October, the 50 biggest losers over the previous time frame have gained an average of 15% while the “winners” have lost nearly four percent. This marks a huge rotation in the market.
Obviously, a lot of this has to do with a bounce in energy and commodity prices during October so far. These have been dismal sectors for investors throughout 2015 and were overdue for some good news at some point. The energy sector gained some eight percent in the week ending October 9th and the sector was a market leader in last week's rally as well. I still think the energy and commodity complex is too opaque to make big bets in until we see some acceleration of global growth. I also worry about the debt levels of a good portion of the companies in these sectors as well which is why I continue to underweight them in my own portfolio.
However, low PE value stocks seem to be grabbing market leadership from growth plays to start the final quarter of the year. Maybe some beaten up value stocks are worth a look here as they feel oversold compared to the rest of the market. As my late father liked to say “Life is like a pendulum. It swings too far to the right. It swings too far to the left. It is rarely in the middle where it belongs.” With that in mind, let's take a look at some dismal performers in 2015 that look like good values and could close out the year on a stronger note. If the 2014 train wreck known as the Atlanta Falcons can start 2015 with five straight victories, why can't these stocks also go from “worse to first” too?
