Out Fox The $treet

Amazing to see a stock liftoff to a all time high in this market, but Panera Bread (PNRA) achieved that feat today. After a rocky summer, PNRA has rocked higher. The below 3 year chart sure suggests how individual stock picking can easily beat index funds. Of course this isn't a stock that I've ever owned. PNRA has never seemed like the stock with a catalyst for this type of growth nor one worth a 25 forward PE, but clearly I've been very wrong. Congrats to all the longs that have held on. While all the high flying internet stocks especially the recent IPOs like Groupon (GRPN) have been crushed, PNRA keeps creeping higher. Very impressive chart. Disclosure: No positions mentioned. Please review the disclaimer page for more details.

Leading insurance provider Hartford Financial (HIG) reported an 11% sequential increase in Book Value to $45.80 on a $.46 earnings beat of $1.43. Yes, that is correct a company that continues to report solid earnings quarter after quarter now trades at 50% of Book Value. Thats difficult to grasp. Companies shouldn't trade below book value if they are very profitable. Usually they trade at multiples of BV commensurate with profits and growth. Analysts expect HIG to make $3.6+ next year after all. HIG repaid TARP earlier this year. Very difficult to tell what is holding back investors. Heck even mega financial investor John Paulson invested back in August and that hasn't gotten the stock going. What is it going to take? No reason to sweat that as an opportunistic investor willing to wait out the market. HIG provides one of the better values in the market. Via Bloomberg : Chief Executive Officer  Liam McGee , hired in October 2009, returned Hartford to profit last year a...

At least that's the reasoning for an upgrade by Barclays of Hartford Financial (HIG) to a price target of $32. The stock current trades in the $23s and has a book value over $40 so that's not a huge stretch. Actually anything in the low $30s seems absurdly cheap. Interesting news though to see that big agents that sell life insurance policies are restarting business with HIG. Not sure what took so long as HIG has been financially solid for a while now. Info from Barclays: Investment Conclusion We are upgrading The Hartford to a 1-Overweight from a 2-Equal Weight and are increasing our price target by a dollar, to $32 from $31. There are two reasons for the upgrade. First, a survey of top-producing life insurance salespeople around the U.S. conducted in recent weeks by Barclays Capital Life Insurance Research -- a survey of agents who would be best positioned to write big policies for The Hartford -- found renewed interest by these agents in doing business with The Hartfor...

Everybody claims it's not a stock picker market because all stocks are theoretically trading together due to ETFs. Not sure what explains why some stocks are hitting 52 week highs and others are lagging. Other then Riverbed Technology (RVBD) which has consistently hit new highs recently, Millicom Cellular (MICC) and ICICI Bank (IBN) are at or approaching 52 week highs under the radar. What do these 2 stocks have in common? Mainly a focus on business outside the US in fast growing markets. MICC is a leading cellular provider in Latin America, South America and Africa. They operate in 14 locations in these fast growing areas providing much more opportunity then any domestic operator. MICC has continued to slowly creep up even during a flat to down market the last 4 months. Almost a perfect chart. IBN is a leading bank in India. Having one of the largest banking networks in the fast growing country with the goal of growing beyond the borders of that country...

After such a reversal yesterday its surprising to see the market up much less 3 stocks that we own in the Growth and Opportunistic Portfolios hitting new 52 week highs today. Especially considering the reversal on Apple (AAPL) yesterday seemed to foretell lower prices. AerCap (AER) and Sears Holdings (SHLD) remain very cheap value plays while AAPL would be considered a cheap growth stock. Not sure I'd chase them today, but it further highlights how stock selection can beat the market.