United Health look healthy

UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) offers health care coverage and related services to help people achieve improved health and well-being through all stages of life. The company's products and services reflect a number of core capabilities, including medical information management, health benefit administration, care coordination, risk assessment and pricing, health benefit design and provider contracting. With these capabilities, it is able to provide comprehensive health care management services through organized health systems and insurance products.

The company is increasing EPS by effective cost ccontainment and share repurchase plans.  These gains are being impacted by the high unemployment rates but this is being offset by the enrollment of the aging Baby Boomers who are becoming a larger share of the health care industry's customers.

The price keeps inching up and hit 7 new highs in the last month with a price increase of 4.43%.  The stock has a 100% Barchart technical buy signal and traded recently at 37.26 which is above its 50 day moving average of 34.12.  The stock has a Relative Strength Index of 66.40%.

Wall Street brokerage analysts have 15 buy and 7 hold recommendations published.  They expect sales to increase 7.30% this year and 6.16% next year.  Earning per share are estimated to be up 19.40% this year and continue an upward trend for a 5 year annual EPS growth rate of 9.60%.

There is a very wide and positive general investor following of this stock on Motley Fool with the CAPS members voting 3,307 to 160 that the stock will beat the market.  The All Stars also have a positive vote of 1,075 to 25.  Fool notes that Wall Street columnists have written positive articles 25 to 2.

This stock has :

• Positive and consistent upward price trends
• 100% Barchart technical buy signal
• Wall Street buy recommendations based on projected increases in sales and earnings
• A wide and positive general investor sentiment

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.


Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

Weekly Market Recap - W/E10/22

Well it's the weekend again and time to step back from all the chatter, look at the data not the headlines and figure out just where we stand.  I'll use Barchart to mine for my data and my 3 standard yard sticks.  Each measures the market momentum in a different way and I use 3 because no yardstick is correct all the time.

Value Line Index -- Contains 1700 stocks so it is much broader than the S&P 500 or very narrow Dow 30 -- Although weak it was not out

• 60% Barchart short term buy signal
• 80% Barchart overall buy signal
• Trend Spotter (tm) buy signal
• Up .18% for the week
• Up 6.45% for the last month
• Closed Friday at 2597.89 which is above its 50 day moving average of 2431.58
• 14 day Relative Strength Index is 63.53%

Barchart Market Momentum -- Contains approximately 6000 stocks -- Percentage of stocks closing above their Daily Moving Averages for various periods -- The majority of stocks closed above their DMA for all time periods

• Friday 67.51% closed above their 20 DMA, 81.763% above their 50 DMA, 83.41% closed above their 100 DMA
• Last week 75.43% closed above their 20 DMA, 83.10% closed above their 50 DMA, 83.33% closed above their 100 DMA
• Last month 81.49% closed above their 20 DMA, 80.31% closed above their 50 DMA, 73.94% closed above their 100 DMA

Ratio of stocks hitting new highs/new lows for various time periods -- 1.0+ bullish, 1.0 neutral, below .99 bearish -- Although not very strong we are positive for all time periods.

• 1 month new highs/new lows -- 575/277 = 2.08
• 3 month new highs/new lows -- 425/59 = 7.20
• 6 month new highs/new lows -- 227/42 = 5.40

Summary and Investment Strategy --  Monitor the market closely next week.  Either the market is taking a breather or it may be ready for a slight adjustment.  Remember we are in earnings season and even stocks that have good earnings reports may take a slight hit if they come in less than expectations.  I've confident for the long run but with the way the herd has reacted lately I always have my stop losses in place.

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

USB looks interesting

This is a bank that is starting to get some respect.  U.S. Bancorp (USB) is a financial services holding company. They operate full-service branch offices and ATMs, and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. U.S. Bancorp is the parent company of Firstar Bank and U.S. Bank.

This is an S&P 100 company with a 100% Barchart short term technical buy signal.  The stock hit 9 new highs in the last month with a 5.02% increase in price,  It recently traded at 23.60 which is above its 50 day moving average of 22.27.  The 14 day Relative Strength Index is 63.69% and rising.

Wall Street brokerage analysts look for an 8.50% increase in revenue next year.  The earning projections are attractive with a 357.50% increase expected for this year, a 16.00% increase next year and a 5 year compounded EPS growth rate of 12.00%.

Investors are high on it too with the CAPS members on Motley Fool voting 1,832 to 137 that the stock will beat the market with the All Stars voting 565 to 25.

If you want a large SP 100 bank consider:

• Recent positive and consistent price action
• Wall Street looking of double digit 5 year EPS growth rate.
• Wide and positive investor sentiment

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

PFSWeb - PFSW - added

I added PFSWeb, Inc ( PFSW) to the Barchart Van Meerten Specualtive portfolio.  PFSWeb Inc. is an international provider of transaction management services for both traditional commerce and electronic commerce, or e-commerce, companies. The company provides a broad range of services, including order management, customer care services, billing services, information management and fulfillment and distribution services. The fulfillment and distribution services are conducted at the warehouses and include picking, packing and shipping the clients' customer orders.

The stock is presently followed by a very small number of brokerage analysts but they have buy recommendations based on estimated sales increases of 7.90% next year.  The big story is in the earnings projections of a 40.90% EPS increase next year,

The stock came on my radar when I found it on the under $10 new high list on Barchart.  The stock hit 16 new highs in the last 20 sessions and was up 24.92% last month.  The security has a 96% Barchart overall buy signal and recently traded at 3.91 which is above its 50 day moving average of 3.22.  The stock has a 66.99% Relative Strength Index that is rising.

This is a speculative low priced issue that although followed by some Wall Street analysts has not been discovered by the general investing public.

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.



Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

Hanger Orthopedics -- HGR -- added

I have added Hanger Orthopedics (HGR) to the Barchart Van Meerten New High portolio. The company develops, acquires and operates orthotic and prosthetic patient-care centers. The Orthotics & Prosthetics centers are staffed by orthotists and prosthetists, who design, fabricate, fit and supervise the use of external musculoskeletal support devices and artificial limbs. The company also manufacture custom-made and prefabricated Orthotics & Prosthetics devices and are the country's largest distributor of Orthotics & Prosthetics components and finished Orthotics & Prosthetics patient-care products.

The stock is moving so fast that it may be too late for you to get on board.  The price hit 20 new highs in the last 20 sessions for a 40.88% increase in price in the last month alone.  The stock is trading above its 20, 50 and 100 day moving averages and recently traded at 19.86 well above it's 50 day moving average of 14.95.  The stock has a 100% Barchart short term buy signal and has a Relative Strength Index of 89.79% and is still rising.

Although this company is small it has a Wall Street brokerage following with 6 buy recommendations published for their clients.  The analysts predict an increase in sales of 7.10% this year and 7.00% next year.  Earnings estimates are double digit increases of 12.20% this year, 12.40% next year and a 5 year annual compounded rate of 13.33%.  Double digit growth in earning is what I like to see.

The CAPS members on Motley Fool have voted that the stock will beat the market by 104 to 7 with the All Stars in agreement 25 to 3.  Fool notes that all 7 articles about the stock have been positive.

It may be late to get on board but the stock has:

• 20 new highs in 20 sessions
• 100% Barchart short term buy signal
• Relative Strength Index of 89.79% and rising
• Wall Street brokerage buy reports
• Positive investor sentiment

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.


Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

Scudder Muni Inc Trust -- KTF -- deleted

I am deleting the Scudder Muni Inc Trust (KTF) from the Barchart Van Meerten Speculative portfolio for negative price trends:

• 60% Barchart short term sell signal
• Trend Spotter (tm) sell signal
• Trading below its 20, 50 and 100 day moving average
• Off 5.86% of its high
• Relative Strength Index is 31.02% and falling

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.


Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

Aegon NV -- AEH - deleted

I have deleted Ageogn NV (AEH) from the Barchart Van Meerten New High portfolio for negative price trends:

• 60% Barchart short term technical sell signal
• Trend Spotter (tm) sell signal
• Price crossed below its 50 day moving average
• Off 6.75 from its previous high
• Relative Strength Index is 38.82% and falling

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

Do not panic

Quick note:  Do not panic.  The sky is not falling.  Last earnings season 85% of all earnings consensus were wrong.  Those companies that report good sales and earnings but miss consensus will drop temporarily.

Have faith and believe in the Barchart Opinions and Trend Spotter (tm)

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com





Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.

Microsoft -- Too big to ignore

Microsoft (MSFT) has made a lot of people a lot of money but can new investors make money owning it in the future?

Microsoft develops, manufactures, licenses, and supports a wide range of software products for a multitude of computing devices. Microsoft software includes scalable operating systems for servers, personal computers, and intelligent devices; server applications for client/server environments; knowledge worker productivity applications; and software development tools. The Company's online efforts include the MSN network of Internet products and services and alliances with companies involved with broadband access and various forms of digital interactivity.

There is no doubt that two of the biggest selling software products in the world will continue to be Windows 7 and Office 2010.  MSFT continues to spend in R&D so you can always expect new products in the future.

At the present time the stock is on the move and Barchart rates it a 100% short term buy.  The stock trades above its 20, 50 and 100 day moving averages and presently trades around 25.54 which is above its 50 day moving average of 24.56.  The stock moved up 2.38% last month and has a Relative Strength Index that is 67.33% and rising.

Wall Street brokerages are pumping this stock to their clients with 30 buy and 8 hold reports published.  They estimate sales will increase by 8.40% this year and 7.20% next year.  Earnings forecasts are double digit with an expected increase of 11.90% this year 11.10% next year and a 5 year compounded annual EPS growth rate of 10.72%.

If the following on Motley Fool is any indications this must be a core holding in every average investors' portfolio.  The CAPS members vote 12,341 to 1,903 that the stock will beat the market and the All Stars agree 2,927 to 189.  Fool notes that the recent articles about the company have been positive 49 to 1.

The stock has everything to like:

• Very actively traded
• Widely held and followed by both Wall Street and the average investor
• Relative Strength Index above 75% and rising
• 100% Barchart short term buy signal
• Wall Street estimates sales and earnings will increase

Jim Van Meerten is an advisor to Marketocracy Capital Management who uses his model portfolios not only to manage their mutual funds but also their clients Separately Managed Accounts. You can read his blogs about those model portfolios and investing here and on Barchart Portfolio Blogs. Please leave a comment below or email JimVanMeerten@gmail.com.

Disclosure: Jim Van Meerten through Marketocracy Capital Management has an interest in the stocks mentioned in this blog.