Happy New Year 2018. Here are my Value stock picks for the new year. I will evaluate results this time at 1 year and 2 year intervals because sometimes good things in Value investing take time.

Dow Jones Industrial Average 24,719.22  Year End at 12/31/2017
S & P 500 Average 2673.61

2017 was a great year for both Value and Growth investing. You could have just bought Apple or Microsoft and been up 40-50% but who would have thought to do just that?

This year I decided to go with 12 picks to help you build your assets. These are all Value stock picks specifically this year. I think in the long term these with give you the best results with the least risk to your capital.

"Bull markets are born on pessimism, grow on skepticism, mature on optimism and die on euphoria.”  Sir John Templeton

So in no particular order, here are my picks for 2018:

1.  Alaska Airlines (Symbol ALK)
2.  J.P Morgan Chase (symbol JPM)
3.  Andeavor (symbol ANDV)
4.   InTEST Corp.  ( Symbol INTT)
5.   Express Scripts (Symbol ESRX)
6.   Gilead Sciences (Symbol GILD)
7.   Mastercard Inc. (Symbol MA)
8.   ManuLife Financial Corp. (Symbol MFC)
9.   Square (Symbol SQ)
10.  Discovery Communications (Symbol DISCA)
11.  Jazz Pharmaceutical (Symbol JAZZ)
12.  Brown Forman Group (Symbol BF.B or BF/B) 

This is a mix of varying ideas developed from concepts on Value Investing with consideration to PEG, ROE and intrinsic value of the company . Some Value investors would say these picks are not ugly enough or distressed enough to make a real killing, but for my readers this is an appropriate list that will also preserve capital. (***email me or comment if you want some ugly names and I will be glad to oblige).

We did have some losses in 2017,    but they were not financial.......

 Tom Petty R.I.P. (Rock in Peace)

Have a healthy, happy and prosperous New Year, 2018,

Freewilly