Best Blue Chip Companies To Own In Right Now

After a surprising burst over the last week that sent shares to record highs once again, Wall Street fell back slightly today as the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) closed down 32 points or 0.2%. Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO  ) disappointed in its earnings report, as the beverage giant dropped 1.9%, the blue chips' worst performer today. The secular decline in U.S. soda consumption seems to be finally catching up with the world's most valuable brand, as unadjusted profits fell 4%. In addition to weak U.S. sales, the company blamed bad weather, including cold and wet conditions in the U.S. and flooding in Europe, for the poor quarter. Soda volume fell by 4% in North America, but the company still finished with an adjusted earnings per share of $0.63, in line with estimates. Revenue was down 2.5% to $12.75 billion, missing estimates of $12.95 billion.

On the economic slate, the June consumer price index was up 0.5%, above expectations, but the core rate grew just 0.2%, which excludes the volatile food and energy categories, indicating that inflation is under control. Last month's figures for industrial production and capacity utilization came in essentially in line with estimates, and the National Association of Home Builders' Housing Market Index jumped to 57, ahead of expectations of 51, indicating that the housing market remains strong despite rising interest rates.

Best Blue Chip Companies To Own In Right Now: Colgate-Palmolive Company(CL)

Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets consumer products worldwide. It offers oral care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, and mouth rinses, as well as dental floss and pharmaceutical products for dentists and other oral health professionals; personal care products, such as liquid hand soap, shower gels, bar soaps, deodorants, antiperspirants, shampoos, and conditioners; and home care products comprising laundry and dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, bleaches, dishwashing liquids, and oil soaps. The company offers its oral, personal, and home care products under the Colgate Total, Colgate Max Fresh, Colgate 360 Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividend Growth Investor]

  In a previous article, I outlined that it is getting more difficult to find quality dividend paying stocks to buy. Most of the usual suspects like Kimberly-Clark (KMB) or Colgate-Palmolive (CL) are very overvalued today, which prevents me from adding to my positions there. Other companies like Chevron (CVX) are attractively valued today, but unfortunately my portfolio is overweight in them. Currently I find the oil sector to be cheap and have some of the lowest P/E ratios in the market. However, I would hate to be concentrated in one sector which is exposed to the fluctuating prices in its commodity products.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  Colgate-Palmolive
  Toothpaste and toothbrushes may not be exciting business, but it's consistent and consumers tend to develop habits they rarely break. Once they find a toothpaste brand they like, it could be years before they try another one. That leads to another incredibly consistent business for Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL  ) , one that has paid back investors with a dividend since 1895. �

Best Blue Chip Companies To Own In Right Now: Philip Morris International Inc(PM)

Philip Morris International Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products in markets outside of the United States. Its international product brand line comprises Marlboro, Merit, Parliament, Virginia Slims, L&M, Chesterfield, Bond Street, Lark, Muratti, Next, Philip Morris, and Red & White. The company also offers its products under the A Mild, Dji Sam Soe, and A Hijau in Indonesia; Diana in Italy; Optima and Apollo-Soyuz in the Russian Federation; Morven Gold in Pakistan; Boston in Colombia; Belmont, Canadian Classics, and Number 7 in Canada; Best and Classic in Serbia; f6 in Germany; Delicados in Mexico; Assos in Greece; and Petra in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It operates primarily in the European Union, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Canada, and Latin America. The company is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By GuruFocus]

  The decade low yield of tobacco stocks can be clearly seen from our new interactive charts, which are embedded below. The chart shows the dividend yield of three tobacco stocks: Reynolds American (RAI), Philip Morris International (PM) and British American Tobacco (BTI).

Top 10 Undervalued Companies To Buy Right Now: International Business Machines Corporation(IBM)

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. Its Global Technology Services segment provides IT infrastructure and business process services, including strategic outsourcing, process, integrated technology, and maintenance services, as well as technology-based support services. The company?s Global Business Services segment offers consulting and systems integration, and application management services. Its Software segment offers middleware and operating systems software, such as WebSphere software to integrate and manage business processes; information management software for database and enterprise content management, information integration, data warehousing, business analytics and intelligence, performance management, and predictive analytics; Tivoli software for identity management, data security, storage management, and datacenter automation; Lotus software for collaboration, messaging, and so cial networking; rational software to support software development for IT and embedded systems; business intelligence software, which provides querying and forecasting tools; SPSS predictive analytics software to predict outcomes and act on that insight; and operating systems software. Its Systems and Technology segment provides computing and storage solutions, including servers, disk and tape storage systems and software, point-of-sale retail systems, and microelectronics. The company?s Global Financing segment provides lease and loan financing to end users and internal clients; commercial financing to dealers and remarketers of IT products; and remanufacturing and remarketing services. It serves financial services, public, industrial, distribution, communications, and general business sectors. The company was formerly known as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. and changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation in 1924. IBM was founded in 1910 and is based in Armonk, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  The Dow suffered greater losses than the overall market largely because of the influence of IBM (NYSE: IBM  ) , which fell 2.6%. Rival Accenture (NYSE: ACN  ) , which is the major competitor against IBM in the lucrative information-technology consulting business, gave reduced guidance for full-year results when it reported earnings last night. Pointing to weakness in its consulting business, Accenture cut the midpoint of its earnings forecast range by about 2% and pushed down its expected range for revenue growth to just 3% to 4%. Accenture fell 13% on the news, but investors concluded that prospects for the entire industry were weak and therefore bid IBM down in sympathy. Since IBM's share price is by far the largest in the Dow, the loss had a big overall impact on the entire average.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  IBM (NYSE: IBM  ) , down 0.5%
  Tech giant IBM has also seen big swings lately, with a huge plunge after the company's earnings announcement in mid-April. Big Blue suffered especially hard from weakness in China, which rippled beyond its government contracts to hurt businesses as well. Moreover, even though IBM has pioneered the successful business strategy of focusing on high-margin segments rather than low-margin commodity businesses like basic hardware, competitors are finally catching on and giving IBM a run for its money. Still, IBM responded to the price decline by announcing further share buybacks, which should help boost earnings-per-share figures and keep IBM on track for its long-range goal of $20 in EPS by 2015.

• [By Matt Thalman]

  The Dow's triple-digit move higher allowed all but three of its components to move higher today. The three losers were IBM (NYSE: IBM  ) , Alcoa, and Caterpillar. This afternoon I discussed why Alcoa and Caterpillar were moving lower, now let's take a look at IBM.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Still, the bigger question for Adobe is whether it can keep up its quality in web-content management despite rising levels of competition. Industry analyst Forrester highlighted Adobe's platform as having broad application, but it also noted the efforts that Oracle, Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ  ) , and IBM (NYSE: IBM  ) have made in trying to make their digital experiences more appealing. In particular, HP has hinged its turnaround on moving away from commoditized businesses like PCs toward higher-margin software and services, hoping to use its extensive customer base to cross-sell services. Yet both IBM and Oracle have also been moving in the same direction, with IBM particularly having improved its web-content management offerings in order to broaden their appeal not just to the largest corporate customers but also to mid-sized companies as part of IBM's overall goal of building a broader customer base.

Best Blue Chip Companies To Own In Right Now: Apple Inc.(AAPL)

Apple Inc., together with subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers, mobile communication and media devices, and portable digital music players, as well as sells related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications worldwide. The company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, retail stores, direct sales force, third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. In addition, it sells third-party Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores; and digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. The company sells its products to consumer, small and mid-sized business, education, enterprise, government, and creative markets. As of September 25, 2010, it had 317 retail stores, including 233 stores in the United States and 84 stores internationally. The company, formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc., was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  I went out on a limb last week, and now it's time to see how that decision played out.

  I predicted that Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) would close higher on the week. The consumer-tech giant was approaching new lows, and it seemed as if the fears of its demise and hype over recently introduced smartphones were overblown. Apple shares benefited from a bullish week of trading, climbing 1.6% on the week. I was right. I predicted that the tech-heavy Nasdaq would outperform the Dow Jones Industrial Average. (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) . This has been a tricky call lately, so how did it play out this time? Well, the market rallied in a major way this week, with secondary stocks leading the way. The Nasdaq soared 2.8% on the week. The Dow managed to close just 2.1% higher. I was right. My final call was for Apogee (NASDAQ: APOG  ) to beat Wall Street's quarterly profit target. The maker of value-added glass products for the architectural and picture framing industries has been beating Wall Street estimates consistently over the past year. Why should that end? Analysts were looking for a profit of $0.17 a share during the quarter, and it came through with net income of $0.15. I was wrong.

  Two out of three? I can do better than that. Let me once again whip out my trusty, dusty, and occasionally accurate crystal ball to make three calls that may play out over the next few trading days.

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  The iPod may not be too financially meaningful these days (3% of trailing-12-month sales) to Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) , but the Mac maker is still the music king. According to recent estimates from market researcher NPD, Apple's iTunes Music Store still dominates the music download industry with 63% market share. The news comes as we approach the tenth anniversary of iTunes' launch at the end of this month.

Best Blue Chip Companies To Own In Right Now: McDonald's Corporation(MCD)

McDonald?s Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a worldwide foodservice retailer. It franchises and operates McDonald?s restaurants that offer various food items, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 32,478 restaurants in 117 countries, of which 26,216 were operated by franchisees; and 6,262 were operated by the company. McDonald?s Corporation was founded in 1948 and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dividend Growth Investor]

  McDonald�� Corporation (MCD) franchises and operates McDonald's restaurants in the United States, Europe, the Asia/Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, Canada, and Latin America. This dividend aristocrat has managed to raise distributions for 36 years in a row. Over the past decade, it has managed to reward shareholders with 28.40% in annual dividend raises on average. Currently, the stock trades at 17.40 times earnings, and yields 3.20%. Check my analysis of McDonald��.

• [By Chuck Saletta]

  Speaking of dividends
  Of the previously existing holdings in the portfolio, two paid their dividends last week: fast-food giant McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) and electricity generator NV Energy (NYSE: NVE  ) . McDonald's $0.77 per share added $12.32 to the iPIG portfolio's coffers and was the company's third consecutive quarterly dividend at that rate. NV Energy's $0.19 per share handed $15.96 to the iPIG portfolio and was the second quarterly payout at that level.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Internationally, Jamba still has a small presence, but it made a big step by making a master franchise development agreement to open 80 stores throughout Mexico beginning later this year. The success that Arcos Dorados (NYSE: ARCO  ) has had in Mexico and other Latin American countries in franchising McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) locations shows the huge potential that the region has generally for American restaurants, and focusing on warmer climates should help Jamba avoid the seasonality it suffers colder markets like the U.S. and Canada.

Best Blue Chip Companies To Own In Right Now: Chevron Corporation(CVX)

Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. It operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment involves in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as holds interest in a gas-to-liquids project. The Downstream segment engages in the refining of crude oil into petroleum products; marketing of crude oil and refined products primarily under the Chevron, Texaco, and Caltex brand names; transportation of crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car; and manufacture and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives. It a lso produces and markets coal and molybdenum; and holds interests in 13 power assets with a total operating capacity of approximately 3,100 megawatts, as well as involves in cash management and debt financing activities, insurance operations, real estate activities, energy services, and alternative fuels and technology business. Chevron Corporation has a joint venture agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation. The company was formerly known as ChevronTexaco Corp. and changed its name to Chevron Corporation in May 2005. Chevron Corporation was founded in 1879 and is based in San Ramon, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By M. Joy Hayes, Joy]

  Thus, a failure to protect these employees arguably puts Exxon at a competitive disadvantage against companies like Chevron (NYSE: CVX  ) , Shell Oil (NYSE: RDS-A  ) , and BP (NYSE: BP  ) which, according to the Human Rights Campaign, all offer better protections and benefits for LGBT employees.

• [By John Divine]

  The oil and gas sector was the only major sector to decline today, and Chevron (NYSE: CVX  ) shares acted unsurprisingly, slipping 0.8% as a result. Today, the company announced a $1.5 billion investment in an Argentine energy company, but for the $240 billion Chevron, that's just a drop in the bucket.

• [By Dividend Growth Investor]

  The company�� last dividend increase was in April 2013 when the Board of Directors approved a 10.50% increase to 63 cents/share. The company�� largest competitors include Chevron (CVX), British Petroleum (BP) and Royal Dutch (RDS.B). In late 2012, I replaced Exxon Mobil with a position in ConocoPhillips.

Best Blue Chip Companies To Own In Right Now: Visa Inc.(V)

Visa Inc., a payments technology company, engages in the operation of retail electronic payments network worldwide. It facilitates commerce through the transfer of value and information among financial institutions, merchants, consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company owns and operates VisaNet, a global processing platform that provides transaction processing services. It also offers a range of payments platforms, which enable credit, charge, deferred debit, debit, and prepaid payments, as well as cash access for consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company provides its payment platforms under the Visa, Visa Electron, PLUS, and Interlink brand names. In addition, it offers value-added services, including risk management, issuer processing, loyalty, dispute management, value-added information, and CyberSource-branded services. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Shares of Alcoa have jumped 4.3% to $8.28 today at 1:26 p.m, which would have made it the Dow’s best performer today instead of AT&T (T) and its 2.8% gain. Still it’s hard to complain too much today as the Dow’s three new members are having solid, if not extraordinary, days. Nike (NKE) has jumped 1.3% after its CEO told analysts that his company could have $30 billion of sales in 2015 and $36 billion by 2017. Goldman Sachs (GS), meanwhile, has gained 1.3% to $155.04 and Visa (V) has advanced 0.8% to $183.98.

• [By Alex Planes]

  What's in your wallet? The tag line might not be Visa's (NYSE: V  ) , but the answer almost certainly is. At the end of 2011, there were 261 million Visa credit cards and 392 million Visa debit cards circulating in just the United States. People around the world are more likely to have a Visa card than they are to have a cell phone, and are far more likely to have a Visa card than they are to hold any competing card:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM) is proving that it has very limited growth opportunities in new revenues. The only saving grace for the rest of us these days is that IBM is now no longer the largest DJIA stock since Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) is a DJIA stock.

• [By Sean Williams]

  You must be at least "this employed" to participate in our budget
  It all started earlier this week for McDonald's, which insulted the very core of its customer base by teaming up with Visa (NYSE: V  ) to create a budget planning website that it dubbed "Practical Money Skills for Life." The idea is actually a great one as citizens young and old of upper and lower incomes can always use the reminder and education about how to balance their income and spending. The execution, though, left a lot to be desired.