Today's 3 Worst Stocks

Updated
Today's 3 Worst Stocks

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over daily movements, we do like to keep an eye on market changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

The S&P 500 Index edged closer to its all-time highs on Tuesday, as Wall Street bid stocks higher ahead of the Federal Reserve's much-anticipated policy decision tomorrow. With inflation coming in at just 0.1% in August, investors think the Fed will pare back its monthly stimulus program modestly, a sentiment that added seven points, or 0.4%, to the S&P, which ended at 1,704. That said, these three S&P stocks couldn't keep up today, and ended severely in the red as a result.

Sprint plunged 3.8% Tuesday as it continues to invest in expanding its LTE coverage. Now in 185 markets, the company hopes to woo customers away from competitors like AT&T and Verizon, both of which posted sales more than three times Sprint's last fiscal year. With telecom companies anxiously looking for new growth avenues, the pressure is on Sprint more than ever to invest its capital wisely.


A day after announcing a dividend increase and a $1.5 billion share buyback plan, International Paper lost 2.6%. That doesn't make sense on the face of it, until you consider the company's decision to shut down an Alabama factory today. Citing a shift in consumer preferences as more and more people use digital means to keep records, the company will cut 1,100 jobs in the move.

The $9 billion logistics and delivery company Expeditors International of Washington wraps up today's list of decliners, losing 1.7% after releasing an SEC document that answers prominent shareholder questions in an accessible, amusing way. From recalling a high school math lesson, to including apologies to Bill Cosby and Descartes, this free-roaming document addresses shareholder concerns about returning capital in unconventional ways that Wall Street just wasn't ready for today. The Street, after all, isn't known for its sense of humor or philosophical interest.

How you can capitalize on today's tech trends
Companies like International Paper are feeling the effects of the shift to digital storage. And it's not surprising; after all, the amount of data we store every year is growing by a mind-boggling 60% annually! To make sense of this trend, and pick out a winner, The Motley Fool has compiled a new report called, "The Only Stock You Need to Profit From the NEW Technology Revolution." The report highlights a company that has gained 300% since first recommended by Fool analysts, but still has plenty of room left to run. To get instant access to the name of this company transforming the IT industry, click here -- it's free.

The article Today's 3 Worst Stocks originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor John Divine has no position in any stocks mentioned. You can follow him on Twitter @divinebizkid and on Motley Fool CAPS @TMFDivine.The Motley Fool owns shares of Expeditors International of Washington. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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