U.S. Bancorp

Bond Values in a Volatile Market

Steel yourself for six more months of instability.

The model: In May, the Federal Reserve hiked short-term interest rates by half a percentage point, the most in a single adjustment since 2000, and promised to do it again and again until inflation slows.

Stock prices curiously rallied as long-term interest rates fell back, also generating gains for bonds and bond funds. But after a night to contemplate, the rabble of day traders, debt-and-inflation scolds and Fed cynics undid the gains and then some, in both bonds and stocks. This turbocharged the fears of an extended and all-encompassing decline as oil prices re-escalate, high mortgage rates strangle the housing boom, and jobs, business profits and consumer spending gradually weaken. 

  • SEE MORE The 12 Best Healthcare Stocks to Buy for the Rest of 2022

In such a world, everyone with diversified savings and investments is in zugzwang, the chess player’s trap where every possible move makes you worse off. The preventative to that is to find risk-free refuge. I’m seeing one-year certificates of deposit paying 2%. It has been a while since that was on offer. Grab it if you have had your fill of turbulence.

But I am not equating volatility with hopelessness. Plenty of higher-income-paying stuff, despite being in the red so far in 2022, looks oversold. Hence, I forecast better results in the second half among key yield-oriented sectors: taxable and tax-exempt municipals, preferred stocks, utilities, real estate investment trusts (REITs), and corporate bonds rated A and BBB.

The few actual first-half winners are also still safe. Energy investments will continue to thrive, floating-rate funds remain timely, and you can now accumulate two- to five-year Treasuries with respectable coupons. If you are watchful, you will get chances to buy quality bonds, funds and bond-like assets on dips. Don’t fret about missed or reduced dividend or interest payments. You are more apt to get a raise.  

Most of the Market’s Losses May Be Behind Us

After interest rates have risen as they have, and with slower economic growth increasingly likely, I cannot see another two quarters of 10% principal losses in short- and intermediate-duration debt. How much more bond selling makes sense, especially as the yield curve flattens and long-term Treasury rates stop climbing so much?

A bunch of fixed-rate preferred stocks with tax-advantaged dividends are nearly 20% below their $25 par value, and similarly rated issues (around BBB-minus) from such financial luminaries as Allstate (ALL), Bank of America (BAC), Capital One (COF), Morgan Stanley (MS) and U.S. Bancorp (USB) are priced for a current yield at or above 6%. 

The rare year-to-date slide in municipal bond prices followed a long spell of outperformance. Now, munis dated 10 years and longer are commonly priced to yield more than equivalent-maturity Treasuries – a buy signal for tax-exempts, and that is before you calculate your taxable-equivalent yield, which may exceed 7%. 

The war in Ukraine is a boon for domestic energy investments. A raft of 10- to 20-year issues from oil and natural gas firms, pipelines and related industries, rated investment grade or just below, are priced to yield 5.5% or 6% to maturity, with the possibility of price-boosting credit upgrades. 

You get dramatically more value in a number of areas today. That is why I am confident the balance of this year will be less daunting, and possibly more rewarding, than the beginning – at least for discerning investors.

  • SEE MORE The 7 Best Bond Funds for Retirement Savers in 2022

The 15 Best Value Stocks to Buy Right Now

In 2022, the old rules of investing have mostly gone out the window, but one thing hasn’t changed: Wall Street’s best value stocks continue to be an attractive place for investors to plunk down their money for the long term.

The S&P 500 is down roughly 10% year-to-date. War continues to rage in Ukraine and disrupt energy markets. And significant changes in interest-rate policy continue to upend investment strategies that have been profitable for several years running.

  • SEE MORE The 22 Best Stocks to Buy for 2022

But that’s the thing about investing. If you want to get ahead, it’s important to think beyond the obvious opportunities and consider a holistic approach that will generate returns even in even challenging environments. That involves looking beyond fashionable growth investments to value stocks that might been roughed up of late but still offer long-term upside.

In hopes of finding the best value stocks for investors right now, we looked for:

  • Companies with a minimum market value of about $1 billion
  • Those with forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios below the broader market (for reference, the S&P 500’s forward P/E is currently at 18.8)
  • Those with price/earnings-to-growth (PEG) ratios below 1 (PEG factors in future growth estimates, and anything under 1 is considered undervalued)
  • Strong analyst support, with at least 10 Wall Street experts covering the stock and the vast majority of those issuing ratings of Buy or Strong Buy

A few of these companies have admittedly seen trouble lately, hence their sagging stock prices, but even then, their underlying businesses are sound. And considering the broader challenges to every company on Wall Street, it’s important for investors to focus on high-quality picks over the latest flashy growth narrative, regardless of recent performance.

Here are 15 of the best value stocks to buy now.

  • SEE MORE 12 Best Monthly Dividend Stocks and Funds to Buy for 2022

Share prices and other market data as of April 25. Analyst ratings courtesy of S&P Global Market Intelligence. Stocks are listed by analysts’ consensus recommendation, from highest score (worst) to lowest (best).

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Are Big Banks Now Engaging In Payday Lending?

Apparently quite a few traditional big banks are now engaging in and offering payday lending as an option, even if it isn’t under that name. Apparently they couldn’t resist the easy money.

The post Are Big Banks Now Engaging In Payday Lending? appeared first on Bible Money Matters and was written by Peter Anderson. Copyright © Bible Money Matters – please visit biblemoneymatters.com for more great content.