Edward Jones Company Updates

You can access these company updates on the Edward Jones site. Log in, click the button "Assets," and scroll down to the stock list. In the column "Research Opinion" you will see a "yes" for each stock for which they have one. My summaries are very high level - there is a lot more juicy stuff in their analyses.

FORD: EJ has Ford as a hold. They admire what Ford has been able to do but question whether or not they can continue to make progress at the rate they have been, given the challenges in the automotive sector. As my previous posts suggests, I think we should get out now and take our profits.

PG: EJ rates PG a buy because it's just such a doggone good company. We bought at $63, it's now at $61.50. 52 week 39.37 - 66.95. Snore.

SYK: (think knees) EJ just downgraded from buy to hold. They say Stryker is solid and has good prospects, but the environment is unpredictable under health reform. We bought at $56.09; it's now at $63. Another candidate for a sell and take our modest profit strategy if we want to reduce the total number of stocks we own. We'd realize about $370, less the commission.

GM: EJ says hold. It has fallen from $37 to $32 since we bought. EJ feels the current price reflects the mixed outlook for GM; some of the same overall challenges as Ford but also some leadership uncertainty.

HRL: Downgraded from buy to hold, mainly due to the struggle between good growth potential on the up side and commodity inflation (that would cut into profits) on the down side. They feel the current price is about right. We bought at about $23; it's now at $27.75. Sweet and sour pork, anyone?

GOOG: As of Feb 22, EJ had Google at a buy, and that was when the price was $620! The price today was $576-ish; our cost basis is $486.77. So I think we hold this.

TGT: EJ has Target as a buy. They say "the upside to financial results from its remodeling and card rewards program is under-appreciated," and they believe "the current stock price undervalues the company's long-term earnings power." I think we can put more money into Target - our cost basis is $55.11 and they are at $51.53 right now.