Olympic Stocks

There are more than two feet of snow on the ground here in Baltimore.  Meanwhile, record warmth has hit the Vancouver area. Go figure. Nevertheless, Canada’s westernmost metropolis is hosting the Winter Olympics starting this Friday, and that’s where I’m looking for stock picks. So let’s look at some sponsors of the snowy season’s premier athletic showcase and see where they line up on the market’s medal stand. Advertisement Here’s What Every Wealthy Energy Investor Already Knows… The U.S. Department of Energy has indicated that enough electric power for the entire country can be generated by covering about 9% of Nevada with solar power systems. This is a plot of land roughly 92 miles by 92 miles. According to M.I.T., there are over 100 million quads of accessible geothermal energy worldwide. The world only consumes about 400 quads. The Institute for the Analysis of Global Security has stated that if all cars on the road were hybrids, and half were Plug-In Hybrids by 2025 — U.S. imports would be reduced by 8 million barrels per day. That’s about 80% of our daily consumption! Want a million more reasons that renewable energy investors have become some of the wealthiest in 2009? Click here for all the proof you’ll ever need! Vancouver Olympic Stocks A wide range of international companies have ponied up the money to get their names on placards and on TV during the Games. We’ll see the familiar logos of U.S. corporate giants Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), General Electric (NYSE: GE), and McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD) all over the commercials and sidelines. Those three blue chips have all done relatively well over the past year. Let’s look at why. Coke shares are up 22% since last February. Heading into Q4 earnings, we can expect the company to reiterate its focus on developing well-managed supply chains in emerging markets like India and China. As wealth spreads across those countries and rural citizens get more of a taste for sweet, fizzy soda, Coca-Cola’s fortunes depend on beating Pepsi (NYSE: PBG) in distribution. Coca-Cola shares are sitting right at $53 per share, where support was established in October and November of 2009. General Electric has gained 41% over the past year on improving demand for durable goods — the kind of heavy-duty machinery and systems GE cranks out as well or better than anyone in the world. Under CEO Jeff Immelt, GE is pushing its earnings expectations not just with big ticket domestic orders, but also with cleantech and green industrial acquisitions. Two Brazilian companies have already asked GE to provide turbines for new wind farms that are being developed there in South America’s top market, and across the world GE China President and CEO Jeff Norbom says he “absolutely” sees a recovery beginning to happen in China’s manufacturing sector . GE wants to become an integral part of the Middle Kingdom’s industrial landscape, partnering with companies like China Shenhua Group to develop clean coal technology and selling manufacturing systems to local manufacturers as they move up the value chain from cheap plastic and clothing to major equipment. Losses at GE’s financing arm GE Capital are worrisome to some GE watchers, but the company’s core operations are moving along. McDonald’s comes in last in this heat…

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Olympic Stocks