3 Cheap Stocks I’d Buy Before the Next Bull Market

Suncor Energy (TSX:SU) is a cheap stock I’d buy before the next bull market.

| More on:

Are you looking for cheap stocks to buy before the next bull market? If so, you may have some good opportunities in front of you.

Stocks have been trending lower this week, thanks to continued economic anxiety and concerns about earnings. In some cases, the weakness has been justified. For example, tech companies have lost most of their growth yet remain very expensive. These aren’t the kinds of opportunities you want to be looking at (with some exceptions). However, in sectors like banking, energy, and foreign stocks in general, opportunities remain.

In this article, I’ll explore three stocks I’d buy before the next bull market — including one that I have, in fact, bought!

Suncor Energy

Suncor Energy (TSX:SU) is a stock I’ve owned in the past. I don’t own it now, but that’s not due to active dislike. I sold it last year when oil went above $120. At those oil prices, Suncor was trading at $60. I didn’t think oil prices that high would last, nor did I think that long-term oil prices supported a $60 stock price for Suncor. So, I sold both times last year when West Texas Intermediate crude hit the $120 level.

Why do I think Suncor Energy is a good value today?

Well, for one thing, it’s cheap. At today’s prices, SU trades at 5.3 times earnings, 1.27 times sales, and 1.53 times book value. That’s extremely cheap by the standards of today’s market. Now, it’s true that today’s oil prices won’t produce the kinds of earnings growth we saw from Suncor last year. However, Suncor paid off a lot of earnings last year, so earnings might not good down as much as analysts think. I actually think there is a pretty good chance that Suncor’s earnings this year will be nearly unchanged from last year, in which case the 5.25 P/E ratio will continue being super low.

Cenovus Energy

Cenovus Energy (TSX:CVE) is another energy stock. Many of the same points I made about Suncor apply to Cenovus: it’s cheap, it paid off a lot of debt last year ($9 billion worth), it’s financially healthy, and so on.

What makes CVE different is that it is not as controversial as Suncor. SU took a hit last year because of safety issues at its facilities, and because it owns a gas station business that some say is bad for the environment. Oil companies in general are perceived as being bad for the environment, but gas stations especially, because they’re gassing up cars, which can be electric, as opposed to airplanes, which can only run on jet fuel. CVE sold its gas station business recently, so it’s less exposed to risk related to environmental issues compared to Suncor.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:TSM) is a cheap stock I started buying recently. I began buying in December and have been buying ever since. It’s cheap for a tech stock, trading at only 14 times earnings, and it has great growth potential.

Many people thought that TSM’s earnings would slow down in the current quarter, but it put out a sales update a few days ago that showed shipments still rising in January. The semiconductor industry is, overall, pretty weak right now, with sales declining, but some individual semi stocks are doing well. TSM is one of them.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the “official” recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium service or advisor. We’re Motley! Questioning an investing thesis — even one of our own — helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer, so we sometimes publish articles that may not be in line with recommendations, rankings or other content.

Fool contributor Andrew Button has positions in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

More on Investing

Canadian dollars are printed
Dividend Stocks

Beat the TSX With This Cash-Gushing Dividend Stock

Toronto-Dominion Bank (TSX:TD) stock could do well in the year ahead.

Read more »

monthly desk calendar
Dividend Stocks

Monthly Income: Top Dividend Stocks to Buy in November

Here are two of the best monthly dividend stocks in Canada you can buy in November 2024 and hold for…

Read more »

hand stacks coins
Investing

A Top TSX Stock to Buy Now for Real Wealth Later

Intact Financial (TSX:IFC) stock is a fantastic dividend-growth play for the next 15 years and beyond.

Read more »

tsx today
Stock Market

TSX Today: What to Watch for in Stocks on Thursday, November 14

The U.S. wholesale inflation data and Fed chair Jerome Powell’s remarks about the economy will remain on TSX investors’ radar…

Read more »

Man data analyze
Tech Stocks

3 Reasons Celestica Stock Is a Screaming Buy Now

These three reasons make Celestica stock a screaming buy for long-term investors.

Read more »

profit rises over time
Dividend Stocks

These 2 Dow Stocks Are Set to Soar in 2025 and Beyond

Two Dow Jones stocks are screaming buys but Canadians must hold them in an RRSP or RRIF to avoid paying…

Read more »

TFSA (Tax free savings account) acronym on wooden cubes on the background of stacks of coins
Dividend Stocks

How to Use Your TFSA to Earn Ultimate Passive Income

If you have a TFSA, then you have the key to creating ultimate passive income. All you need is a…

Read more »

Confused person shrugging
Dividend Stocks

Better Buy: Fortis Stock or Hydro One Stock?

Let's do a compare and contrast of these two top utilities stocks right now, shall we?

Read more »