5 Great Stocks For April 2012

We recently launched a feature highlighting the 10 best stocks to buy for all of 2012. The idea was to find a pick that investors could buy and hold ALL YEAR, and ride to profits.

My pick for this feature was the Dow Jones componentAlcoa (AA). And here's why:

When Alcoa reported earnings in October, CEO Klaus Kleinfeld told investors, “Alcoa is a confident company in a nervous world. We are well prepared for whatever lies ahead, with more cash on hand, lower debt and continued focus on profitable growth.”

It would be natural to write off those comments as mere platitudes for Wall Street’s grumpy traders. But taking a closer look at Alcoa across the past several weeks has made me agree with Klaus — and consider AA stock as a bargain buy to hang on to across 2012.

Shares of Alcoa were trading as high as $18 this spring before sovereign debt fears, stagnant job numbers and other issues sent the stock back into a tailspin. AA stock is under $9 to end the year.

5 Great Stocks For April 2012:PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III (PZC)

 PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III is a close ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Allianz Global Investors Fund Management LLC. It is co-managed by Pacific Investment Management Company LLC. The fund invests in fixed income markets. Its investment portfolio include California municipal bonds, and other municipal bonds and notes; California variable rate notes and other variable rate notes; California variable rate demand notes and other variable rate demand notes; U.S. treasury bills; and call options written and put options written. Allianz Global Investors Fund Management LLC serves as an investment Manager to the fund. PIMCO California Municipal Income Fund III was formed in 2002 and is based in New York City.

5 Great Stocks For April 2012:Edac Technologies Corporation (EDAC)

 EDAC Technologies Corporation provides design, manufacturing, and other services to the aerospace and industrial markets. The company produces low pressure turbine cases, hubs, rings, disks, and other complex and close tolerance components for various aircraft engine and ground turbine manufacturers. It also offers rotating components, such as disks, rings, and shafts; provides precision assembly services, including the assembly of jet engine sync rings, aircraft welding and riveting, post-assembly machining, and sutton barrel finishing; and engages in precision machining for the maintenance and repair of components in the aircraft engine industry. In addition, the company designs and manufactures fixtures, precision gauges, close tolerance plastic injection molds, and precision component molds for composite parts and specialized machinery. Further, it designs, manufactures, and repairs various types of precision grinders, as well as precision rolling element bearing spindles, including hydrostatic and other precision rotary devices for machine tool manufacturers, special machine tool builders and integrators, industrial end-users, and powertrain machinery manufacturers and end-users in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Asia. The company serves a range of industries in areas, such as special tooling, equipment and gauges, and components used in the manufacture, assembly, and inspection of jet engines. EDAC Technologies Corporation was founded in 1946 and is based in Farmington, Connecticut.

5 Great Stocks For April 2012:The Middleby Corporation (MIDD)

 The Middleby Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, and sale of commercial foodservice and food processing equipment in the United States, Canada, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. The company?s Commercial Foodservice Equipment Group segment manufactures cooking equipment for restaurants and institutional kitchens. Its product line comprises conveyor ovens, ranges, steamers, convection ovens, combi-ovens, broilers and steam cooking equipment, induction cooking systems, baking and proofing ovens, griddles, char broilers, catering equipment, fryers, toasters, hot food servers, food warming equipment, and coffee and beverage dispensing equipment. These products are sold and marketed under the brand names of Anets, Blodgett, Blodgett Combi, Blodgett Range, Bloomfield, CTX, Carter-Hoffmann, CookTek, Doyon, Frifri, Giga, Holman, Houno, Jade, Lang, MagiKitch?n, Middleby Marshall, Nu-Vu, Pitco, PerfectFry, Southbend, Star, Toastmaster, TurboChef, and Wells. In addition, this segment involves in sales, distribution, and export management activities internationally through independent manufacturing representatives and a combined network of independent and company-owned distributors. The Middleby?s Food Processing Equipment Group segment manufactures preparation, cooking, packaging, and food safety equipment for the food processing industry. Its principal products include batch ovens, belt ovens, and conveyorized cooking systems sold under the Alkar brand name; grinding, slicing, emulsification, mixing, and blending products under the Cozzini brand name; breading, battering, mixing, slicing, and forming equipment sold under the MP Equipment brand name; and packaging and food safety equipment sold under the RapidPak brand name. The company was formerly known as Middleby Marshall Oven Company and changed its name to The Middleby Corporation in 1985. The Middleby Corporation was founded in 1888 and is based in Elgin, Illinois.

5 Great Stocks For April 2012:Ecolab Inc. (ECL)

 Ecolab Inc. develops and markets products and services for the hospitality, foodservice, healthcare, and industrial markets primarily in the United States. It provides cleaning and sanitizing products and programs, as well as pest elimination, maintenance, and repair services primarily to customers in the foodservice, food and beverage processing, hospitality, healthcare, government and education, retail, textile care, commercial facilities management, and vehicle wash sectors. The company offers specialized cleaners and sanitizers for washing dishes, glassware, flatware, foodservice utensils, and kitchen equipment; food safety products and equipment, water filters, dishwasher racks, and related kitchen sundries; pool and spa treatment programs; janitorial cleaning and floor care products; chemical dispensing device systems; and energy-efficient dishwashing machines, detergents, rinse additives, and sanitizers. In addition, it provides detergents, cleaners, sanitizers, lubricants, and animal health products, as well as cleaning systems, electronic dispensers, and chemical injectors; infection prevention and other healthcare related products; and chemical laundry products and proprietary dispensing systems. The company provides pest elimination services, which include detection, elimination, and prevention of pests, such as rodents and insects; and equipment repair and maintenance services for the commercial food service industry. It sells its products through direct sales personnel, dealers, and independent third-party distributors in the United States. The company also exports and sells its products to distributors, agents, or licensees in approximately 72 countries in Europe, the Asia Pacific, Latin America, Canada, the Middle East, and Africa. Ecolab Inc. was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in St. Paul, Minnesota.