Editor’s note: This article was first published in July 2012, and is a snapshot of then: closing prices from 2 July 2012, analyst price targets of that time and Apple at around $600, before its later stock splits. Several companies named have since been taken over, renamed or gone through bankruptcy.
If the volatility of the IBEX 35 eventually pushes us to look for investment opportunities in other indices, one of the best performers throughout the crisis has, without a doubt, been the S&P 500, an index that has risen more than 8% so far this year despite the turbulence.
CNBC has gathered the stocks with the strongest recommendations from US analysts: those whose average price target could deliver a return of more than 40%. Closing prices are from 2 July 2012, so some of them may have moved up or down since then.
| # | Company (ticker) | Closing price | Price target | Upside |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CBRE Group Inc | $16.16 | $22.75 | 40.78% |
| 2 | Unum Group (UNM) | $19.38 | $27.29 | 40.82% |
| 3 | QEP Resources (QEP) | $29.37 | $41.39 | 40.93% |
| 4 | Noble Corp (NE) | $32.41 | $45.70 | 41.01% |
| 5 | Pioneer Natural Resources Co (PXD) | $85.68 | $125.26 | 46.19% |
| 6 | Devon Energy Corp (DVN) | $57.13 | $82.80 | 44.93% |
| 7 | Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) | $5.75 | $8.36 | 45.39% |
| 8 | National Oilwell Varco Inc (NOV) | $64.40 | $93.65 | 45.42% |
| 9 | Citigroup (C) | $27.46 | $40.39 | 47.09% |
| 10 | The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc (HIG) | $17.45 | $25.69 | 47.22% |
| 11 | Caterpillar (CAT) | $83.68 | $124.68 | 49.00% |
| 12 | Fluor Corp (FLR) | $49.17 | $73.35 | 49.18% |
| 13 | Micron Technology (MU) | $6.55 | $9.97 | 52.21% |
| 14 | MetLife (MET) | $30.66 | $46.76 | 52.51% |
| 15 | Teradyne (TER) | $14.01 | $21.42 | 52.89% |
| 16 | Owens-Illinois (OI) | $19.14 | $29.45 | 53.87% |
| 17 | Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) | $33.88 | $52.16 | 53.96% |
| 18 | Western Digital (WDC) | $29.84 | $47.06 | 57.71% |
| 19 | LSI Corp (LSI) | $6.39 | $10.33 | 61.66% |
| 20 | Denbury Resources (DNR) | $14.97 | $24.62 | 64.46% |
See also: Santiago Niño Becerra, the prophet of doom who got it right
Meanwhile, some analysts are still recommending Apple and Coca-Cola as stocks with plenty of room left to rise. Coca-Cola, in particular, is expected to grow its sales in emerging markets, to the point that some say its sales could rise by more than 30% in the short term. As for Apple, some firms have gone as far as giving it a price target of around $1,200, exactly double where it is trading now.
Further reading
- The 10 most profitable stocks of the last 20 years
- Investing in the stock market is not a casino
- Who the markets really are
Featured image: Wilson Hui from Calgary, Canada, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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