March 4, 2009 - Notice the title does not say "Safe Havens". Nothing is safe in the stock market. There are always risks with every stock. Being big doesn't mean safe. Look at WaMu, Fannie Mae, Countrywide, Freddie Mac. Very big. Very gone. And good financial statements don't always mean safe. Remember MCI. Bernie Ebbers cooked the books until they were overdone. Now he sits and tries to come up with new recipes. Only there aren't many opportunities in jail.

Of course, these numbers are from the past, historical facts, not forecasts. What happens in the future, especially in this economic time, is very, very difficult to determine. Make that impossible. But if management continues to show the same skills that produced these favorable numbers, there's a good chance they will continue to manage well even in hard times.

IBM: International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) develops and manufactures information technology products and services worldwide.
Sales Growth: (last 5 years annual average): 5%
Earnings Growth: (last 5 years annual average): 7%.
Total Cash: $12.91 billion
Total Debt: $34.14 billion
Dividend Yield: 2.2%

JNJ: Johnson & Johnson engages in the research and development, manufacture, and sale of various products in the health care field worldwide.
Sales Growth: (Average annual increase for last 5 years): 11%
Earnings Growth: (Average annual growth for last 5 years): 14.5%
Total Cash: $12.8 billion
Total Debt: $11.85 billion
Dividend Yield: 3.7%

KO: The Coca-Cola Company engages in the manufacture, distribution, and marketing of nonalcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups worldwide. It principally offers sparkling and still beverages.
Sales Growth: (Annual average for last 5 years): 4.5%
Earnings Growth: (Past 5 years annual average): 8.5%
Total Cash: $4.98 billion
Total Debt: $9.31 billion
Dividend Yield: 4%

NKE: Nike, Inc. designs, develops, and markets footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessory products worldwide.
Sales Growth (last 5 years average): 12%
Earnings Growth (last 5 years average): 19.5%
Total Cash: $2.73 billion
Total Debt: $793.9 million
Dividend yeild: 2.4%

ORCL: Oracle Corporation, an enterprise software company, engages in the development, manufacture, distribution, servicing, and marketing of database, middleware, and application software worldwide.
Sales Growth: (last 5 years average): 14.5%
Earnings Growth: (last 5 years average) 19.5%
Total Cash: $10.65 billion
Total Debt: $11.24 billion
No dividend

XOM: Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration, production,transportation, and sale of crude oil and natural gas. It also engagesin the manufacture of petroleum products, and transportation and saleof crude oil, natural gas, and petroleum products.
Sales Growth (Last 5 years average annual rate): 16.5%
Earnings Growth (Last 5 years average annual rate): 25.5%
Total Cash: $38.43 billion
Total Debt: $10.26 billion
Dividend Yield: 2.4%

These stocks aren't an automatic buy. They're not necessarily going up. They may go down. More research is required. Investors have to determine if one or all is the right one for their risk tolerance. Many more attributes make up a good stock. But these are good ones to consider if you're tired of being battered by the market and looking for stocks that have shown solid sales and earnings growth.

- Ted Allrich