Best Undervalued Companies To Invest In Right Now

“I don’t know why this strategy isn’t written about more in the press,” Marty Sass innocently remarked. “Maybe it sounds too complicated."

The strategy to which Sass referred is “covered call option writing against attractive equities with growing dividends combined with the purchase of index put options for downside protection.”

Not complicated at all.

While it might sound facetious, when the CEO and chairman of independent investment management firm MD Sass with $8 billion under management, explained the strategy, it really is easily understood.

“It has three ingredients,” Sass told ThinkAdvisor on Thursday. “The first is buying undervalued, high quality stocks with better yields than the S&P 500 delivers. The second is selling covered calls with attractive premiums out of the money. The last is buying index puts out of the money for additional downside protection.”

It currently results in cash flow from dividends that average 2.5%, compared with 2.1%the market is currently yielding. The option premiums result in added income of 8.8% annualized. Combine the two and the client is currently looking at 11.3% annualized. Take 1% away for the cost of the index put protection and 75 basis points for the funds fee, and it results in a net annualized return of around 9%.

Top 5 Chemical Companies To Own For 2015: Tupperware Corporation(TUP)

Tupperware Brands Corporation operates as a direct seller of various products across a range of brands and categories through an independent sales force. The company engages in the manufacture and sale of kitchen and home products, and beauty and personal care products. It offers preparation, storage, and serving solutions for the kitchen and home, as well as kitchen cookware and tools, children?s educational toys, microwave products, and gifts under the Tupperware brand name primarily in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific, and North America. The company provides beauty and personal care products, which include skin care products, cosmetics, bath and body care, toiletries, fragrances, nutritional products, apparel, and related products principally in Mexico, South Africa, the Philippines, Australia, and Uruguay. It offers beauty and personal care products under the Armand Dupree, Avroy Shlain, BeautiControl, Fuller, NaturCare, Nutrimetics, Nuvo, and Swissgar de brand names. The company sells its Tupperware products directly to distributors, directors, managers, and dealers; and beauty products primarily through consultants and directors. As of December 26, 2009, the Tupperware distribution system had approximately 1,800 distributors, 61,300 managers, and 1.3 million dealers; and the sales force representing the Beauty businesses approximately 1.1 million. The company was formerly known as Tupperware Corporation and changed its name to Tupperware Brands Corporation in December 2005. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, household products company Tupperware Brands (NYSE: TUP  ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

• [By Oliver Pursche]

  European large-cap pharmaceuticals like Novartis (NVS) �and Bristol Meyers Squibb (BMY) �count amongst some of our favorite stocks right now, as do U.S. multinationals that are growing revenue and margins in Asia ��Tupperware (TUP) �is a shining example. Stay away from utilities and energy stocks, as they are likely to be the laggards over the next year.

Best Undervalued Companies To Invest In Right Now: Schlumberger N.V.(SLB)

Schlumberger Limited, together with its subsidiaries, supplies technology, integrated project management, and information solutions to the oil and gas exploration and production industries worldwide. The company?s Oilfield Services segment provides exploration and production services; wireline technology that offers open-hole and cased-hole services; supplies engineering support, directional-drilling, measurement-while-drilling, and logging-while-drilling services; and testing services. This segment also offers well services; supplies well completion services and equipment; artificial lift; data and consulting services; geo services; and information solutions, such as consulting, software, information management system, and IT infrastructure services that support oil and gas industry. Its WesternGeco segment provides reservoir imaging, monitoring, and development services; and operates data processing centers and multiclient seismic library. This segment also offers variou s services include 3D and time-lapse (4D) seismic surveys to multi-component surveys for delineating prospects and reservoir management. The company?s M-I SWACO segment supplies drilling fluid systems to improve drilling performance; fluid systems and specialty tools to optimize wellbore productivity; production technology solutions to maximize production rates; and environmental solutions that manages waste volumes generated in drilling and production operations. Its Smith Oilfield segment designs, manufactures, and markets drill bits and borehole enlargement tools; and supplies drilling tools and services, tubular, completion services, and other related downhole solutions. The company?s Distribution segment markets pipes, valves, and fittings, as well as mill, safety, and other maintenance products. This segment also provides warehouse management, vendor integration, and inventory management services. Schlumberger Limited was founded in 1927 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Thursday

  Earnings Expected From: SAP AG (NYSE: SAP), Novartis AG (NYSE: NVS), UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE: UNH), Mattel, Inc, (NASDAQ: MAT), Key Corp (NYSE: KEY), Philip Morris International (NYSE: PM), Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS), PPG Industries, Inc (NYSE: PPG), The Blackstone Group L.P. (NYSE: BX), Schlumberger N.V. (NYSE: SLB), International Business Machines (NYSE: IBM), Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) Economic Releases Expected:  Chinese house prices, US housing starts, eurozone CPI, Hong Kong’s unemployment rate

  Friday

• [By Matt DiLallo]

  Oil-field services company, Schlumberger's (NYSE: SLB  ) large size and global presence means that it really has a read on the pulse of the global energy industry. When Schlumberger executives speak, it's a good idea for investors to listen closely because the company can provide important industry insights. With that in mind, I'd like to point your attention to a couple of important quotes from the company's first-quarter conference call.

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  Talk to your CFO if you experience bloating
  This quarter, Nabors, Halliburton (NYSE: HAL  ) , and Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) have all struggled in their pressure-pumping businesses because of oversupply in the current market. According to Nabors CEO Anthony Petrello, this has led to a very competitive market: "It is not unusual to bid frac jobs against 20 other pumpers, and sometimes as many as 35 show up. We have seen some instances of competitors winning bids with economics that at least from our perspective appear to be near cash break-even."

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Morgan Stanley’s Ole Slorer and Igor Levi explain why�Schlumberger (SLB) could gain more than 70%:

  Getty Images

  Schlumberger�guided earnings to grow at a 17-20% [compound annual growth rate] to $9-10/sh by 2017, ahead of our current estimate of a 15% [compound annual growth rate]. However, the company�� estimates are based on just a 6% industry spending growth level, which is about in line with our long-term expectations of 4-6%.

  Schlumberger has historically converted 30% of its EBITDA or 75% of [earnings per share] into free cash flow, meaningfully above that of its peers, while trading at a�free cash flow yield of 2-4%.� Currently shares are trading at the high-end of the range making valuation compelling. Applying a conservative 3.5% yield to the company�� 2017 EPS estimate of $9-10/sh, its 75%�free cash flow conversion and discounting it back 2 years at 10%, we arrive at our new $168 PT. If�Schlumberger is able to bring this growth 6-12 months forward and its�free cash flow yield approaches its historical 3% average, we arrive at our $200 bull case.

  While Schlumberger has a free-cash-flow yield of about 3.5%, Cameron International’s (CAM) and Dril-Quip’s (DRQ) are just over 3% and�FMC Technologies‘ (FTI) is just under 3%. Halliburton (HAL) has a free-cash-flow yield of just over 1%.

  Shares of Schlumberger have gained 2.1% to $116.19 at 2:06 p.m., while Cameron has doped 0.78% to $66.71, Dril-Quip has fallen 1.1% to $105.62, FMC Technologies has declined 2.2% to $60.20 and�Halliburton is up 0.2% at $69.57.

Best Undervalued Companies To Invest In Right Now: Caterpillar Inc.(CAT)

Caterpillar Inc. manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives worldwide. It operates through three lines of businesses: Machinery, Engines, and Financial Products. The Machinery business offers construction, mining, and forestry machinery, including track and wheel tractors, track and wheel loaders, pipelayers, motor graders, wheel tractor-scrapers, track and wheel excavators, backhoe loaders, log skidders, log loaders, off-highway trucks, articulated trucks, paving products, skid steer loaders, underground mining equipment, tunnel boring equipment, and related parts. It also manufactures diesel-electric locomotives; and manufactures and services rail-related products and logistics services for other companies. The Engines business provides diesel, heavy fuel, and natural gas reciprocating engines for Caterpillar machinery, electric power generation systems, marine, petrol eum, construction, industrial, agricultural, and other applications. It offers industrial turbines and turbine-related services for oil and gas, and power generation applications. This business also remanufactures Caterpillar engines, machines, and engine components; and offers remanufacturing services for other companies. The Financial Products business provides retail and wholesale financing alternatives for Caterpillar machinery and engines, solar gas turbines, and other equipment and marine vessels, as well as offers loans and various forms of insurance to customers and dealers. It also offers financing for vehicles, power generation facilities, and marine vessels. The company markets its products directly, as well as through its distribution centers, dealers, and distributors. It was formerly known as Caterpillar Tractor Co. and changed its name to Caterpillar Inc. in 1986. Caterpillar Inc. was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Peoria, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By JulieYoung789]

  Strengthening valuations in the DJIA continued to show in Industrials as Caterpillar (CAT) gained 1.53% on July 3. Exxon Mobil (XOM), Goldman Sachs (GS) and United Health (UNH) also led the DJIA higher on Thursday, July 3 with daily returns of greater than 1%.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Caterpillar�� (CAT) mining business has already fallen from a peak of $21.2B to about $10.3B (-51%) whereas Joy Global�� combined businesses have fallen 32% with its OE business down 57% and its service business down about 7% from peak. The key question from investors is whether Joy Global’s revenue has further to fall, especially its service business which has held up better than expected in FY��4. Lack of visibility makes it hard to call, but certainly deteriorating US thermal coal conditions skew the risk to the downside.

• [By Alexis Xydias]

  Caterpillar (CAT)�� valuation has climbed 28 percent in the past year as the largest manufacturer of mining and construction machinery posted three quarters of earnings declines. Analysts predict a profit drop of 27 percent in 2013. Last month, the Peoria, Illinois-based company cut its earnings forecast as mining-equipment sales declined on slower commodity demand from emerging markets.

Best Undervalued Companies To Invest In Right Now: Dollar Tree Inc.(DLTR)

Dollar Tree, Inc. operates discount variety stores in the United States and Canada. Its stores offer merchandise primarily at the fixed price of $1.00. The company operates its stores under the names of Dollar Tree, Deal$, Dollar Tree Deal$, Dollar Giant, and Dollar Bills. Its stores offer consumable merchandise, including candy and food, and health and beauty care, as well as household consumables, such as paper, plastics, household chemicals, in select stores, and frozen and refrigerated food; variety merchandise, which includes toys, durable housewares, gifts, party goods, greeting cards, softlines, and other items; and seasonal goods, such as Easter, Halloween, and Christmas merchandise. As of April 30, 2011, it operated 4,089 stores in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 88 stores in Canada. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Victor Reklaitis]

  Today�� movers & shakers: Retailers have dropped in the wake of disappointing quarterly results or outlooks. Target Corp. (TGT) �was down 4% after posting weaker margins and earnings at its U.S. business, while Dollar Tree Inc. (DLTR) �dropped 4% after its earnings fell in the third quarter. Read more in the Movers & Shakers column.