Investing for the Long-Term? Look for Stability

Instead of focusing on the short term, a request from my two daughters to invest their money, prompted me to take a longer-term view of the market.

And when you’re talking long term, you almost have to be bullish about stocks.  My reasoning is that after the long malaise of the ‘60s and ‘70s, the market finally broke the sideways congestion and continued pretty much straight up until 2000.

Recently, we went through another long drought, with the market making zero progress from 2000 until early last year.

That breakout doesn’t imply another 1,000% move, but it does bode positive for stocks.

In thinking long term for my daughters, I wanted stable, steady growth stocks that paid a dividend.  They had to be in businesses that a) didn’t go out of style and b) businesses where they dominated. That led me to ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) and Waste Management (NYSE: WM).  First, take a look at XOM.  Unless we stop driving cars, I think this stock is a good bet for another 50 years or so.

As far as WM, ask yourself: are you disposing of more or less trash than you were even a few years ago?  Even if you aren’t, there are certainly more people living in the U.S. than there ever was.  That bodes well for any company picking up the garbage.

Back next week to celebrate the first week of June!