See beyond this market

Article Excerpt

We think today’s bear market has done as much damage as it is likely to do. In fact, the market has now moved back up enough that investors worry about whether to buy now or to “wait for a dip” when “things settle down.” My view is that you should look beyond short-term setbacks. Instead, look at where stocks may be in two to five years. That’s what we are doing now in evaluating our buy recommendations for you. Investors must also keep in mind that top-quality stocks—including spinoffs—tend to lose less value in the kind of severe market setback we’ve experienced. They also tend to bounce back sooner and more rapidly when conditions improve. A great example is Pfizer. We’ve long recommended the drugmaker for its strong portfolio of products and its ability to bring new ones to market. The company is now spinning off some of its smaller businesses, which should unlock more of its hidden value for investors. Also this issue, we…