I have a lot of things to be thankful for this year. I have a gorgeous wife, a career I love and a fantastic group of very smart colleagues. I'm also truly thankful that I live in the United States, where success in life is largely a function of how hard you work, and what decisions you make. I'm also thankful for the freedom and the capitalism that makes 21st-century America a true land of plenty.
Of course, I am also thankful for some very specific companies — and some very specific stocks — that make my life a lot easier and that have made many investors a whole lot richer over the past year. So, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I want to share with you five stocks that I am truly thankful for.
Stock #1 - Amazon.com (AMZN)
I'm thankful for Amazon.com (AMZN) because as a writer, it's my job to read anything and everything I can get my hands on. Amazon.com makes this possible by allowing me to get nearly any book I want, at the best price out there, in just a day or two at the most. The ease with which Amazon.com feeds my voracious literary appetite is remarkable, and I don't really know how I'd cope without this online retailer in my life. Over the past 12 months, AMZN shares have climbed an incredible 250%, so apparently, I'm not the only one addicted to swimming in this river.
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Stock #2 - Apple (AAPL)
I'm thankful for Apple (AAPL) because of its incredible iPhone 3GS. This smartphone is a veritable hand-held wonder, and the increased personal productivity I've experienced since my smartphone conversion took place is remarkable. I can do so much more, so much easier, while away from the office that I can't believe how I ever accomplished anything without my iPhone. Apple stock has also been an indispensable asset over the past year, with AAPL shares climbing 150%. Now that's the kind of portfolio productivity we all can believe in.
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Stock #3 - SPDR S&P 500 (SPY)
The next stock I'm thankful for isn't really a stock. Rather, it's an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that allows me to buy the S&P 500 Index in one simple, elegant and low-cost basket. It's the SPDR S&P 500 (SPY), and it has delivered a 39% gain over the past 12 months. That's a lot of upside to be thankful for this year; especially considering the fund is actually down 23% over the past two years. Yeah, it's been a good year to be long on the general market, and nothing makes it easier to go long, and to stay long, than SPY.
Stock #4 – Starbucks (SBUX)
As a confirmed and unrepentant coffee addict, I'm thankful for the original — and in my opinion, still the best — premium coffee seller out there, Starbucks (SBUX). You can always count on Starbucks coffee to deliver your caffeine in a robust, flavorful and piping-hot package. The company's shares also have delivered piping-hot performance since last Thanksgiving, with a 176% increase over the past 12 months. As much as I love my morning coffee, I love my portfolio gains even more. With SBUX, I can have both.
Stock # 5 - Tiffany & Co. (TIF)
The final member of my list of stocks I'm thankful for this year is Tiffany & Co. (TIF). The luxury goods retailer is always a big hit in my family, and I just can't go wrong by giving the gift that comes in that little blue box. With Tiffany, I can be a gift-giving superhero, and with TIF shares I can be an investing superhero. The stock is up 115% in the past year, and that's the kind of heroic gift we can all be thankful for.
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