"'Don't catch a falling knife' ... The idea of buying a
former superstar stock at a discount price certainly has its
attractions, but you've got to make sure you catch the haft
-- not the blade."
So runs the thesis of my recurring Fool column "Get Ready
for the Bounce," in which we search the wreckage of Mr.
Market's overturned cutlery drawer, hoping to find future
winners in a pile of 52-week losers. But do we really need to
sit around for a whole year, waiting for a potential
bouncer?
Of course not. Sometimes, stocks fall far in far less time
than a year -- and like a superball dropped from the balcony,
the harder they fall, the higher they bounce. Today, we're
going to look at a few equities that've suffered dramatic
drops over the past week. With a little help from the 140,000
members of
Motley Fool CAPS, we hope to find an
opportunity or two for you:
How Far From 52-Week High?
Recent Price
CAPS Rating
(out of 5):
Patriot Coal  (NYSE:
PCX)
-35%
$11.57
*****
Elan (NYSE: ELN)
-42%
$5.31
****
Ambac Financial  (NYSE:
ABK)
-66%
$1.20
*
Freddie Mac  (NYSE:
FRE)
-46%
$1.18
*
Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM)
-45% Continued... |