SLIDESHOW: Today's Five Most Expensive Stocks
Priceline reached rare territory when it hit $1,000 per share recently, up 130 percent in the past year and nearly 200 percent in the past three years.
That also begs the question: is a $500 or $1,000 share any better than a like amount of $5 shares?
The answer: not necessarily. High-priced stocks can topple, as Apple has shown over the past year. Pricey stocks, however, do tend to hold their value. Plus, a high share price avoids vulnerability to takeover by another company when shares are at their low; a strong earnings report means a company can meet debt requirement -- and this is golden for creditors.
Large market caps call for substantial analyst coverage which converts to free publicity, therefore, boosting the odds that the stock will gain popularity among people—which is always a good thing.
That coverage gives you some insight into what might happen to the stock next. Here's a look at five of the market's priciest stocks right now.
-
Berkshire Hathaway
Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-A)(NYSE: BRK-B) Berkshire Hathaway is at the forefront of the stock market. They have been in the limelight for some time, so let’s give them the spotlight now as well.
The stock is trading over $176,000 per share for a few reasons.
Strategy being one, power playing is another and diversification is the third reason.
Buying in at the right time is the name of the game, similar to boxing, you bob and weave, and you just try not to get hit. In 2011, Warren Buffet, primary shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway, made a $5 billion investment in Bank of America.
The approach was for preferred shares with a six percent dividend, and warrants to buy 700 million shares at $7.14 per share, which in the long-run calculated for billions of dollars as the bank shares doubled.
During the 2008, when the market was at a notorious crisis, Buffet made sure that Berkshire would be the scapegoat lender for companies in need; he did this through smart investing.
What’s exactly going on at Berkshire Hathaway is nothing short of extreme business management. The firm owns more than 80 businesses in various sectors such as retail and insurance. They sit on $130 billion of equity and fixed income investments and do well to manage their profits.
-
Priceline
Priceline (NASDAQ: PCLN) opened at 997.55 Thursday, so it was anticipated like a New Year's Eve countdown for the progression company to hit $1000 for the second time this week.
Shares hit $1,003.31 to make the new 52-week high.
A major percentage of Priceline's revenue comes from hotels, as they are a travel site assisting customers to find discount rates on air-fare and hotel stays. Another impressive milestone is that they've seen a 37.8 increase in gross profit this past quarter.
-
NVR
NVR (NYSE: NVR) is a real estate development company casting a shadow over competitors with their opening price of 949.10.
This year, NVR hit $1,100, as the stock trails behind its 52-week high. Whether shares surpass that or not may depend on the grand opening of the new Seabrook single-family and Monocacy villa models at Bay Forest at Bethany Beach in Ocean View, Delaware.
-
Google
Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) opened Thursday at 905.99.
Shares recently hit the 52-week high of $928 back in June. As the stock stays in distance to the $1,000 mark, Google may surprise investors.
Known for internet-related services and products, Google has taken on a responsibility giving them the hot spot for potential growth.
Backing a company called Calico, the company aims to assist in reversing the aging process and extend human life.
This week, Google's stock gained two percent and the company ambitions have doubled as well.
-
Apple
Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), one of the leading designers and developers of electric and computer software that the world has ever seen, opened Thursday at 470.70.
Apple's new 5C smartphones and the new flagship iPhone 5S, have raised shares up to $6.40 in pre-market trading to $478.70. Apple is expected to aim high, however, every great story has it's challenges.
After a past release of Apple iPhones, shares had dropped 5 percent, and apple had been down 10 percent. Not to mention only a year ago they were closing in on reaching $1,000 per share, when they hit $702.
The lesson Apple teachers is that even one of the best companies will have their bad days, weeks, months and even a bad year.
But if you faithfully pursue an ambition company like theirs, your trust will pay off in the long-run. Furthermore, Apple still isn't done with the surprises, the most anticipated iWatch has yet to hit the shelf. Wait and see.
Conclusively, Apple is the safest wildcard there is as they are sequentially revealing new products that are high in popular demand.
-
The Washington Post
The Washington Post (NYSE: WPO) opened Thursday at 577.
Although shares are a little above the middle of the 52-week low/high range, measured against other stocks the stock is priced fairly high, especially for a daily newspaper.
New honcho of the Washington Post, Jeff Bezos, has been a trending topic.
If his experience of almost two decades with Amazon, leveraging them to the top, converts over to his leadership at the post, then they may be headlining in the following quarters.
-
Related links
Check out these other pieces from Benzinga:
Five Prevailing Auto Stocks For The Remainder of September
Auto-Trading Programs Give Peace of Mind While On Vacation
© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Posted-In: CalicoEducation Psychology Trading Ideas General Best of Benzinga
