Article Image

IPFS

A Rare Buy Signal Just Triggered on This Under-$5 Stock

Written by Subject: Economy - Economics USA
A Rare Buy Signal Just Triggered on This Under-$5 Stock
My strategy is nearly foolproof. The setup is easy to spot. Almost every time it happens, shareholders see a huge short-term pop in the stock price.
 
 
As I said last month, this type of setup is rare. In fact, I only remember it happening twice in 2010. Both times, the two large-cap banks jumped more than 30% inside a few months.
 
I'm seeing the same setup today. Before I get to that, though, let me explain how it works...
 
The setup I'm talking about has to do with a bank's tangible book value. Tangible assets are cash, inventory, buildings... anything that can be touched. Tangible book value does not include "goodwill" and other assets that are hard to value.
 
To put it another way, tangible book value is what shareholders can expect to receive if a company goes bankrupt and sells all its assets. Once a large-cap bank's stock price falls below its tangible book value, shares almost always skyrocket higher.
 
The last time this setup happened was two months ago. Bank of America's tangible book value was $11.10. Once the share price dipped below that, the stock jumped more than 30% in less than two months.
 
 
 
Today, we have an opportunity to make 30% on another large-cap bank. It's trading right at its tangible book value.
 
On Tuesday, Citigroup reported earnings that fell short of analysts' estimates. Wall Street was expecting earnings of eight cents a share. The company reported earnings of four cents. The shortfall was due to a $2 billion decline in trading revenue.
 
The decline in trading revenue is a one-time event. It does not indicate business is bad at Citigroup. Overall, banking trends remain favorable. Credit-card delinquencies continue to decline. Plus, tangible book value increased from $4.10 a share last quarter to $4.50.
 
But shares of Citigroup sold off following the weak quarterly results. Its stock is trading at $4.70. The last time Citigroup traded this close to its tangible book value was August 10. My Penny Stock Specialist subscribers remember that date well...
 
We used the opportunity to buy Citigroup under $4 a share. The stock jumped 25% in less than six months.
 
The perfect setup would be for Citigroup to fall below its tangible book value of $4.50. But I suggest buying it right now.
 
Over the past two years, tangible book value has acted as a floor of value for large-cap bank stocks. In other words, with the stock within 5% of its tangible book value, I see little downside risk in buying Citigroup...
 
As for the upside, Citigroup could go as high as $6 a share in 2011. We've got a safe shot at a quick 27% gain.
 
Almost every banking trend for Citigroup gets better with each passing quarter. The government is about to sell its remaining stake in the company. That means Citigroup could reinstate its dividend. It also means institutional ownership could increase from 60% to the industry average of 74%.
 
Like I said, it's rare to see a large-cap bank trade below its tangible book value. I'd use the opportunity to buy Citigroup before shares run higher.
 
Good investing,
 
Frank Curzio


Editor's note: In just three years of writing Penny Stock Specialist, Frank has compiled one of the best track records in the industry, with over 90% of his picks turning a profit, including four stocks that gained over 125%. His current Penny Specialist portfolio is composed on nine double-digit winners. Click here for more information.



Further Reading:

"Tangible book value is one of the best tools I use to analyze banks," Frank said in his original write-up last month. "If you keep this number in mind, it's easy to trade bank stocks for a quick, one-month, 20% gain... You can double, triple, even quadruple your money in two years or less." Read Frank's original write-up here: How to Trade America's Most Hated Stocks.
 
Its shares are priced to perfection. Sixteen out of 17 analysts list it as a "buy." Reuters, Nightly Business Report, and Zachs all love it. But Frank suggests you take profits now. See what company he's talking about here: It's Time to Take Profits on One of Wall Street's Favorite Stocks.
 
Free Talk Live