The Best Stocks of the Year

Despite the unpredictability of US stock market recently, there have been some clear winners over the past few months.

1. This tech company has really flourished since its debut and is known as the Chinese Google.  Yes, you guessed it, Baidu(BIDU), this company's stock chart has been looking an awful lot like Google's did.  Its stock price has risen to over $300 and has had a whopping 200% gain so far for the year.  This is a great company and its stock price should continue to soar.  The only thing that I would watch out for would be that expectations for earnings might be set a little too high for this newcomer to match.

2. The next company is TBS International Limited(TBSI), which has had the good fortune of claiming the highest percentage gains of 2007.  TBSI has gained an enormous 730% to over $66 a share.  The company provides ocean transportation services and has profited greatly from the increased natural resource needs of China.  TBS International operates its vessels on five trade routes. Eastbound Liner Service operates routes from East Asia to the West or North Coasts of South America. The service provides on average two sailings per month from ports in China, South Korea, Japan and Central America. One vessel calls at ports in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile, and another sails through the Panama Canal to call at ports in Venezuela and the Caribbean basin. This service typically carries steel products, project cargo and general cargoes. TBS Pacific Westbound parcel service originates in Peru, Ecuador or Chile and generally carries metal concentrates, beet pulp pellets and fertilizers to East Asia. The service operates at least two sailings per month.

3. This pick has seen an increase of over 130% to a stock price of $88 a share.  Consistently beating earnings, although recently the earnings expectations were a little too high to match, it operates retail websites for practically every product on the planet.  Of course, I’m talking about none other than Amazon.com(AMZN).  Recently, the firm has definitely showed improvement and it is being reflected in the stock price.  Could the dot-coms do it again (but with actual earnings this time)?

4. This list wouldn’t be complete without everyone’s recent favorite, Apple(AAPL).  What can I say?  This company constantly and consistently delivers and it doesn't look like it's going to shy away anytime soon.  Apple’s ability to repeatedly reinvent itself is genius.  I don't know what Steve Jobs did on that long sabbatical of his, but it definitely worked.  Under his direction, the company has gained 120% for the year to over $180 a share and just recently beat the estimates again.  The iPod Touch is their next hot item and this looks to be a perfect compliment to their still fresh iPhone.  I can't believe it, but Apple reinvented the design of the IPod to look even better than before and kept the luscious looks of the Apple products.

5. For my fifth and final best stock of they year, I'd like to slip in an unknown, and future “1000% gainer.”  The company is called Spicy Pickle Franchising and has gained 280% for the year and is gaining even more steam.  Even though it is an OTC and under $2, don’t dismiss its potential.  These penny stocks have the most room for growth and this one is a diamond in the rough.  The company is a lot like Panera, but with a touch of elegant class and is looking to be a very popular restaurant.

Thats all for top five stock of the year, and I hope you can find the next “1000% gainer.”