Why is it called blue-chip stocks?
Blue chip companies are stable, profitable companies that are seen as safe investments in their industries. The term "blue chip" comes from the game of poker, where blue chips are the highest-value pieces. A company must be well-known, well-established, and well-capitalized to be a blue chip.
The term "blue chip" was first used in 1923 by Oliver Gingold, an employee of Dow Jones, to describe stocks that traded at $200 or more per share.2 It relates to poker chips of blue, white, and red, with the blue chips having the greatest value. Today, blue chip stocks aren't necessarily stocks with a high price tag.
Income stocks provide regular income by distributing a company's profits, or excess cash, through dividends that are higher than the market average. Blue-chip stocks are shares of well-established companies with a large market capitalization.
The name "red chip" may sound similar to "blue chip," but the two terms should not be confused. A large, well-known, and financially stable company may be referred to as a blue chip. A distinguishing feature of a red-chip stock, in contrast, is a sizable Chinese government stake in the company.
A blue chip stock is stock issued by a large, well-established, financially-sound company with an excellent reputation. Normally, such companies have operated for many years, have dependable earnings, and usually pay dividends to investors. A blue chip company typically has a market capitalization in the billions.
The problem is that despite being included in blue chip ETF indexes, companies like Nvidia and Tesla aren't truly blue chip stocks, George Pearkes, an analyst at Bespoke, told CNN. They're much more volatile. Tesla, for example, is down about 23% so far this year.
Blue-Chip Stocks to Buy: McDonald's (MCD)
The Golden Arches is as blue-chip as stocks come. The hamburger and restaurant chain has been a reliable performer for decades, trades at a reasonable 24 times future earnings estimates, and pays a quarterly dividend that yields a strong 2.40%.
As a small example, Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ:COST) has trended higher by 226% (capital gains) in the last five years. This has led to this list of blue-chip stocks under $20.
- Common stock. Common stock is probably what you think of when you are looking to invest in stocks. ...
- Preferred stock. Preferred stock is more like a bond than it is a stock. ...
- Large-cap stock. ...
- Mid-cap stock. ...
- Small-cap stock. ...
- Growth stock. ...
- Value stock. ...
- Foreign stock.
What do IBM, Walmart, JPMorgan Chase, and DuPont have in common? Although they are in different sectors, they are all known as blue chip companies. Blue chip companies are the mature firms that represent the stalwarts of an industry.
Is Amazon a blue-chip stock?
The Dow Index – popularly known as Wall Street's blue-chip index – has a new look since the beginning of trading on Feb 26. The restructuring of the 30-stock index resulted in the exit of medical-retailer Walgreens Boots Alliance and the entry of the e-commerce super giant Amazon.com Inc. AMZN.
Name | Symbol | % Loss |
---|---|---|
Bajaj Finance | BAJFINANCE | -10.37 |
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. | ZEEL | -8.51 |
Bajaj Finserv Ltd. | BAJAJFINSV | -6.82 |
Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. | GODREJCP | -6.41 |
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Company (Ticker) | Sector | Market Cap |
---|---|---|
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) | Technology | $2.26T |
JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) | Financial | $576.94B |
Salesforce (CRM) | Technology | $292.14B |
Caterpillar (CAT) | Industrials | $182.99B |
Market Volatility: Although Blue Chip stocks are less volatile than smaller-cap firms, market movements can nevertheless harm them. Economic Downturns: Even Fortune 500 corporations are not immune to economic downturns. The value of their stock may fall during severe economic downturns.
Stock (ticker) | Market Capitalization |
---|---|
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) | $378 billion |
Procter & Gamble Co. (PG) | $377 billion |
AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | $320 billion |
Coca-Cola Co. (KO) | $256 billion |
Blue-chip companies especially appeal to cautious investors who prefer consistency and regular returns over higher-risk, high-reward techniques. Long-term investors, particularly retirees, can profit from blue-chip companies' proven ability to weather market downturns and pay dividends.
Netflix (NFLX)
Streaming pioneer Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) usually makes the list of the top blue-chip entertainment stocks. Through its transformative streaming service, the platform has disrupted the cable industry and then some.
Blue-chip stocks tend to be the highest-weighted constituents in many leading stock market indexes, such as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite. Blue-chip stocks often provide essential services and products, such as telecommunications, consumer staples, health care or banking.
Adding it all together. No company's journey is always smooth, but Starbucks has been a winning company and stock for decades. Sometimes, these blue chips get boring, and the market loses interest. Shares are trading near their 52-week low, providing potential buyers with a great opportunity.
What is a purple chip stock?
Purple Chip Stock is a term coined by portfolio manager John Schwinghamer in his 2012 book "Purple Chips: Winning in the Stock Market with the Very Best of the Blue Chip Stocks" to describe a stock that is “the royalty of blue chip stocks,” or the highest-quality and lowest-risk of these top-notch stocks.
This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 7.3%, on average. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Home Depot: Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, HD stands as another distinguished blue-chip stock, dominating the home improvement retail sector.
Blue chip stocks are large, diversified, recognizable businesses that are market leaders in their industries. Think Apple, American Express, UPS, and Home Depot. Companies you know well. They get their nickname from blue poker chips, which tend to be high-value chips in the game.
Lowe's is a blue-chip stock that offers investors reliability and resilience amid market fluctuations. Its 49-year history of dividend growth highlights its financial health and commitment to shareholders. Plus, with its stock buybacks, Lowe's enhances shareholder value over the long term.
Because blue chip companies are relatively stable, blue chip stocks are considered a low-risk investment. In all likelihood, no matter what happens tomorrow, the most established companies in the banking or real estate sector would not collapse overnight, so investing in them is a relatively safe bet.