There are no safe havens in the stock market. Every stock carries risk. But some less than others. This column features stocks that have shown one or more of the following characteristics: less volatility, better earnings, larger market caps, safe and increasing dividends. In these times of turmoil, our goal is to show readers better opportunities for investing with fewer risks.

April 6, 2011 - Bank of America Corporation (BAC-NYSE), through its subsidiaries, provides various banking and financial products and services to individual consumers, small-and middle-market businesses, institutional investors, corporations, and governments in the United States and internationally.

Its Card Services segment issues credit and debit cards in the United States providing a range of lending products, including co-branded and affinity products.

The Consumer Real Estate Services offers a line of consumer real estate products and services comprising fixed and adjustable-rate first-lien mortgage loans for home purchase and refinancing needs, home equity lines of credit, and home equity loans.

Global Commercial Banking provides a range of lending-related products and services, integrated working capital management, and treasury solutions to business banking and middle-market companies, commercial real estate firms, and governments.

Global Banking & Markets offers advisory services, financing, securities clearing, settlement, and custody services to institutional investor clients; debt and equity underwriting and distribution; merger-related and other advisory services; and risk management products.

Global Wealth & Investment Management provides brokerage, banking, and retirement products; wealth structuring, investment management, trust and banking needs, and asset management services; and institutional and personal retirement solutions.

As of December 31, 2011, the company served customers through a network of 5,700 banking centers, 17,750 ATMs, call centers, and online and mobile banking platforms. Bank of America Corporation was founded in 1874 and is based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Latest News:
A federal judge approved a $25 billion mortgage settlement with five top U.S. banks, including Bank of America Corp. and Wells Fargo & Co. over allegations of foreclosure abuses and misconduct in servicing home loans, Reuters reports.

Bank of America had the best performance of all 30 Dow Jones Industrial Average stocks in the first quarter, rising 72.12%. In March alone, it gained 20.08%.

Expectations:
First Quarter: 12 cents a share vs 17 cents last year in the first quarter. Announcement due on April 19.
Second quarter: 17 cents compared to a loss of 90 cents last year in the second.
Full year 2012: 69 cents vs 1 cents in 2011.
Full year 2013: $1.06

- Essential Numbers:
- Forward P/E: 8.71
- Price to sales ratio: 1.23
- Price to book: .46
- Operating margin: 13.37%
- Profit margin: 1.81%
- Return on equity: .63%
- Return on assets: .07%
- Total debt: $682.35 billion
- Book value per share: $20.09
- Beta: 2.07
- 52 week change: -31.53%
- Shares Outstanding: 10.73 billion
- Held by institutions: 57.20%
- Dividend: 4 cents
- Yield: .04%

- Company Web site: www.bankofamerica.com

- Ted Allrich