PowerShares DB Commodity Tracking (NYSE:DBC)
DBC is an exchange traded fund (ETF) which falls into the Commodities-broad basket category of funds. DBC’s has an investment objective of tracking changes to the DBIQ. The fund does this by investing in a broad futures portfolio of crude oil, heating oil, Natural Gas, gold, silver, aluminum, zinc, copper, corn, wheat, soybeans and sugar. As these commodities prices move up or down, the tracking fund attempts to profit from those movements. DBC is by far the largest commodities ETF in terms of assets under management. The net assets of the fund are about $2.5 billion. The funds large size also gives it excellent liquidity. Investopedia has recently ranked DBC as #1 of the top three commodity funds. DBC’s 2018 YTD return of 4.64%, one-year return of 15.1%. Commodities are more volatile than most other markets. This volatility can also lead to big return swings, with 3-year return of 3.47% and 5-year return of -8.2%. So, a long-term investing objective is important.
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO)
Cisco Systems, (Cisco for short) was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley, San Jose, California. Cisco designs, manufactures and sells internet protocol (IP) network products worldwide. These products include internet switching systems and routing systems that interconnect public and private wired and wireless networks. Also, data center products and wireless access points for data, voice and video. Annual revenues are just around $50 billion for the last 4 fiscal years. The stock is up just over 25% for the year so far and is trading just under its 52-week high of $49.47. Cisco has been a great investment over the last few years, and with its dominance in networking and with 5G mobile networks in the near future, Cisco is set to profit handsomely.
Praxair, Inc. (NYSE:PX)
Praxair, Inc produces and distributes industrial and medical gases worldwide. These include oxygen, nitrogen and argon. They also process gases such as carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, among others. Praxair services several different industries, such as healthcare, petroleum refining, manufacturing, food, beverage carbonation, fiber optics, steel making, aerospace, chemicals and water treatment. Praxair was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut. Praxair recently hit is 52-week high at $169.75 and with a solid backlog of orders and new orders coming, it should drive the stock price performance in the near term and solid dividend payments will help Praxair be a good long-term stock to buy and hold.
Ecopetrol SA ADR (NYSE:EC)
Ecopetrol S.A., founded in 1948 in Bogota, Colombia, is an integrated oil and gas company, which operates as three business units, Exploration and Production; Refining, Petrochemical, and Biofuels; and Transport and Logistics. The company produces crude oil and gas, extraction, collection, storage, and pumping of oil and gas. The company also owns 8,500 kilometers of pipeline systems. Ecopetrol S.A. has become a top pick of momentum investors because of its current bullish trend and strong potential future performance. The stock has hit several new 52-week highs over the last several months, most recently at $27.96. Currently Ecopetrol S.A has strong fundamentals and a Zacks Rank of #1 Strong Buy. This puts Ecopetrol S.A. in a good place for a positive move in the stock price at least for the short to midterm.
Hess Corporation (NYSE:HES)
Hess Corporation is an energy exploration and production company the develops, produces, transports and sells crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and natural gas. The company operates primarily in the United States, Denmark, Malaysia, and also has offshore operations in Guyana, Suriname, Canada and the Gulf of Mexico. The company also processes natural gas and gas fracking in the Bakken shale oil basin in North Dakota. The company is headquartered in New York, New York and was founded in 1920. Hess Corporation is in a good position to take advantage of higher oil prices especially as it relates to its operation in the North Dakota shale oil reserves. The North Dakota Bakken Shale is setting up quietly for a comeback. The fracking industry including Hess, has been lowering costs and reducing the time required to get a shale oil well up and running from about 30 days down to around 11, all for lower costs per well. So as oil has been rising in price, there is a great opportunity to capitalize on this increased production. Hess last week hit a new 52-week high at $74.74 per share and is in a good position as it processes these domestic oil reserves.
Keysight Technologies Inc (NYSE:KEYS)
Headquartered in Santa Rosa, California and incorporated in 2013, the company has ridden the high-tech boom of the last few years with electronic design and test solutions for multiple applications in various high-tech industries. Keysights’ products are used to test and implement multiple electronic solutions including high-speed data centers to help them to be more robust and secure. Also, the company has introduced solutions that will help accelerate the deployment of Faster Mobile 5G networks. The company has also developed solutions to help companies advance autonomous cars driving safety using high frequency radar test solutions for the coming boom in the autonomous car industry. All forward-looking, forward-solutions in up and coming industries. The stock recently hit a 52-week high of $70.40 and stable revenue growth puts this company in a very good position as innovative technologies come to the market over the next several years.