Sharebuilder has a current deal where new signups will get $25 if they purchase at least 1 share by 1/15/04. I want to setup some custodial accounts to give along with xmas gifts for the kiddies.
More info:
https://www.msufcu.org/sharebuilder.html
They even have "gift certificates" you can print out. My question is that I'm trying to find a "cheap yet cool" stock (preferably under $5) with a name that kids would recognize...something like a Coca cola, Mc Donalds, etc, but those have higher share prices. Any stocks with brand name awareness among kids, yet are under $5? Its obviously not easy to find a list of such "cheap yet cool" stocks, so Im asking for suggestions from the FW community.
EDIT: Sharebuilder will let you buy FRACTIONAL shares of stock, so you can buy "just $5" of a stock that costs much more per share. And there has been discussion that some stocks send "freebies" to shareholders (ex: wrigleys gives gum)...so if you know of stocks that give "freebies" to fractional shareholders...please post!
(NOTE: For those who will inevitably raise the following issue - I dont think this is a "stock tip" question per se - I'm not really concerned about the earnings forecast for the stock, just a recommendation for any low priced stock with a famous "kid aware" name in order to be able to take advantage of the $25 bonus deal)...please be sure to NOT discuss earnings forecasts or investment quality of any particular stock////
I have some old Kmart, Global Crossing and a little company called Worldcom, I'll sell you a hundred shares of each for $25.00..... Though I should warn you your rate of return is definitely YMMV.... LOL.... seriously though, if they're techies, western digital is around $10, Ford is at $16, Qwest is at $3.50 or so, Wilson, the leather experts (retail, around $3.50; Restoration Hardware $4.50; just a few.....
SIS - with Sharebuilder, you invest whole dollar amounts and can purchase franctional shares, so you could invest $5 in ANY company and you would just end up with a fractional share. That would qualify for the $25 bonus. The transaction fee on that purchase is going to be $4 if you sign up for the basic account and schedule the purchase as a one-time purchase.
I opened a couple of these accounts a few years ago to get the sign-up bonus and I wish I had never bothered. The accounts might be okay for someone who is going to invest $100 each month in a couple of different companies (although I think there are cheaper ways to do this), but for one time or occasional investments, I think the accounts are very cumbersome to manage. I am now trying to liquidate the Sharebuilder accounts that I have so that I can move on, and it is very expensive to now sell those fractional holdings.
I know about 10 years ago, Wrigley (WWY) was a popular stock to gift to kiddies because they would include a pack of gum with their annual report. Don't know if they're still doing it though.
Also, Disney (DIS) stock certificates were known to be one of the best looking stock certificates around.
They're not in your $5 price range though...
How about TOPP, the trading card company? They're trading around 10.
Grand Toys, Limited http://www.grand.com (GRIN), ~3 Skechers (SKX), 7.92
<< SIS - with Sharebuilder, you invest whole dollar amounts and can purchase franctional shares, so you could invest $5 in ANY company and you would just end up with a fractional share. That would qualify for the $25 bonus. The transaction fee on that purchase is going to be $4 if you sign up for the basic account and schedule the purchase as a one-time purchase.. >>
CPN Calpine 4.81, heavily in debt, but has an array of enviable assets. Management are cleaning up the balance sheet; if they can make it happen, it will go much higher. Negative cash flow projected till 05
S&P rated Accumulative Argus rated Buy, target 11
Unlike other energy/utility stocks, this one doesn't offer a dividend.
LU seems like the turnaround story of the year, they've doubled from under $1.70 to $3.40 before the fuzzy euphoria wore off
then LU announced the $2million bonus they're paying to the CEO on top of a $3mil option package and how 90% of the "performance" bonuses will be paid this year. good sign or bad sign? LU has tanked since then as shareholders see it as excessive bonuses, or good sign because it means they've met all their performance targets...
MOSS is still around and historically cheap, they've turned around from bankruptcy but that mossimo gianulli guy's probably getting paid too much still...
then you have your share of Maxtor MXO, Seagate STX, Western Digital WDC, all sporting foward p/e's of about 10
oneida is hovering around 5, they are closing almost all their plants and outsourcing the work. so much for fine crafstmanship, however they have no choice otherwise they'll be bankrupt
speaking of bankrupt ENRON... 3 cents a share, pink slips baby!!
you're preference of stocks under $5 is not necessarily a wise choice if you intend to give a gift of stock, as stocks under $5 have a tendency to go bankrupt and get delisted [S3/SonicBlue style]
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