4 Cheap Stocks to Buy Right Now

Dec 27, 2022

A company's stock price may not always represent the real performance of actual companies. Sometimes terrible firms' stock prices rise for absurd reasons (like people touting the stock of social media for reasons that have nothing to do with its actual business). In other circumstances, share prices decline for macroeconomic or speculative factors that have nothing to do with the brand's success.

As a long-term, buy-and-hold, investor (someone who wants to own the stock for at least three years, but likely longer), market disconnects generate buying opportunities.

Essentially, you want to find companies functioning well or positioned to perform well but whose share price has lagged.

The previous year saw a lot of amazing value acquisitions, and excellent companies saw their share price decline in 2022. Still, it's difficult to imagine that continuing over the following several years.

(All share values are as of the market closure on Christmas Eve).

1. Starbucks

Starbucks (SBUX) may see some consumers amount to cut back during harsh economic times, while others may perceive a premium coffee drink as an inexpensive luxury. Shares of coffee businesses are trading about 16% down year over year, but that pricing reflects labor issues, executive turmoil, and general economic anxiety, not a demand for the chain's products.

Starbucks is the market leader and has a well-defined business plan. After years of focusing on execution, the chain now has a huge strategy to make its process more efficient while simultaneously decreasing costs and continuing to innovate.

2. Walt Disney

In a year when Walt Disney (DIS) - resort vacations were even more expensive (and profitable for the corporation), and Disney+ became the number two streaming service, the company's stock suffered.

Concerns over Disney's movie industry, worries about now-former CEO Bob Chapek, and political battles with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis all contributed to a 43% drop in the company's stock price during the previous year.

Investors were also concerned about losses in the streaming business, but those losses were in line with what the company had told investors to expect. And, although the movie business may never recover, Disney has more intellectual property than any of its competitors, and maybe all of them together.

Customers will pay for Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and Disney content. It may take the corporation some time to find out the best platforms, but in the end, the company with the best content will win, and Disney will win by a wide margin.

3. Target

Target (TGT) stock has lost over 40% of its value in 2022. That reduction occurred as a result of the declining margins and the buildup of extra high-priced inventory that had to be sold at a discount (something that likely gave it a stronger bond with its customers).

Target's profit margins did fall, but sales and foot traffic grew. There has been a struggle for retail consumers, and "Tar-Jay," as some of the chain's fans humorously call it, has clearly won that battle.

4. Microsoft

Microsoft (MSFT) is perhaps the most unexpected name on this list.

The corporation does face some regulatory worries about its acquisition of Activision Blizzard (ATVI), but the software/cloud behemoth's fortunes aren't riding on that.

It's also possible that broader economic issues have weighed on the corporation, but businesses will not abandon the Office suite simply because times are rough.

And it is also a fact that Microsoft sells/licenses products that are deeply rooted in companies' ecosystems. It is virtually impossible to reduce or remove them quickly, making Microsoft recession-proof.