Recession fears compounded last week, following actions from the Federal Reserve and other central banks to tame inflation, along with the release of downbeat US economic data. Those concerns pushed the S&P 500 into bear market territory, closing Friday’s session down 23.7% from its January record. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed out the week down 19.1% from its all-time high, just outside of a bear market. All that said, Morgan Stanley highlighted some stocks it thinks are equipped to weather this type of storm. Strategists at the bank screened the Russell 1000 index – excluding financials, real estate and utilities – for companies with strong balance sheets. Here are the criteria used for the screen: Cash as a percent of enterprise value of more than 3% More than 5% free cash flow growth expected by analysts in each of the next two years Return on invested capital expected in each of the next two years of more than 10% Assets-to-liabilities multiple of more than 1 Debt-to-equity ratio of less than 2.5 This screen includes only stocks that have investment grade credit ratings and excludes names with negative equity. Check out 10 names that made the list: Micron made Morgan Stanley’s list, with cash as a percentage of enterprise value at 12.2%. The chipmaker’s free cash flow is also expected to more than double next year and expand by nearly 52% the year after that. The company’s stock has struggled this year, falling roughly 40% in that time. Howe ver, UBS last week reiterated it as a top pick, noting that company specific and industry factors should support its margins. “Amid macro concerns, we believe investors continue to overlook several key factors,” analyst Tim Arcuri wrote. “Although end market weakness in PC / smartphones is weighing somewhat on near term DRAM ASPs, we see very strong pricing support heading into C2023 as the industry growth in bit supply is set to compress significantly.” United Therapeutics topped Morgan Stanley’s list, with cash as a percentage of enterprise value at 24.9%. Analysts also expect double-digit free cash flow growth in the next two years and see return on investment capital at 14.3% and 13.5% during those years. Shares of the biotech company have outperformed the market in 2022, eking out a slight gain in that time. The stock is also up 20% over the past 12 months. Shoemaker Skechers also made the cut, with 8.5% cash as a percentage of enterprise value. The company’s free cash flow is expected to grow by just 7.1% next year, but it’s forecast to jump by 72.5% the year after. The stock is down about 16% in 2022, outperforming the S&P 500. Argus Research upgraded it to buy from hold last week, noting that the company’s “supply-chain initiatives and strong brand are likely to boost revenue and earnings over the next two years. ” Google-parent Alphabet is also on the list, sporting cash as a percentage of enterprise value of 7.2%. The company’s free cash flow is also expected to grow by 13.4% and 17.7% in each of the next two years. Alphabet shares have fallen 26% this year, as investors have broadly dumped technology names in the face of rising rates. Other stocks that made the list are: Arista Networks, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Five Below, Jabil and Emerson Electric. —CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this report.
