5 ASX 100 new yearly highs

5 ASX 100 stocks hit new yearly highs

The first week in 2014 demonstrates opportunities for the year ahead.

Darryl Daté-Shappard

I started investing after finding a copy of Peter Lynch's "Beating the Street" in the English book section of a library in Japan, where I was living at the time in 1997. Seeing that regular people can find investment ideas just as easily as professionals, I used the philosophy of that book to invest in stocks in Japan, and later in Australia after moving in 2001. I also have experience in property investing, and went on to complete my masters degree in Applied Finance at QUT in Brisbane. I follow the investment style of Peter Lynch, Phillip Fisher and Warren Buffett-- knowing what you invest in, doing your homework to keep up with a stock's story and holding a healthy skepticism of what the stock market calls "value".

Published January 6, 2014 12:15 am AEDT

Only the first week of 2014, but the new yearly highs don't stop coming. Last Friday five companies in the S&P ASX 100 Index (ASX: ^XTO) hit 52-week highs.

Ramsay Healthcare (ASX: RHC) ($43.47)

Ramsay is a multinational healthcare provider and operator of hospitals and day surgery facilities. With a recent acquisition, it became the third-largest hospital operator in France. The group now has 151 hospitals in five countries.

Per-share-net-earnings before abnormals were up 17.1% to 135.9 cents-per-share in 2013. Return on equity was 17.8%.

James Hardie (ASX: JHX) ($12.85)

Boosted by the effects of both the US and Australian housing markets recovering, the building materials producer and distributor is the largest fibre cement producer in North America. In 2013 almost 70% of its revenue was from its US business.

Twenty-First Century Fox (ASX: FOX) ($38.97)

Operates the entertainment and media assets of News Corporation (ASX: NWS) – after the two were split up in 2013. Twenty-First Century Fox just announced that it will sell its 47% stake in Star China TV, further signifying its pullback from the Chinese market after earlier difficulties in China.

Tabcorp Holdings (ASX: TAH) ($3.65)

Although 2013 NPAT after abnormals was down to $126.6 million from $340 million in 2012, it entered into a joint venture with the Victorian Racing Industry in 2012, and operates its Victorian Wagering and Betting License. In addition, it is further expanding its online wagering platforms like Luxbet to take advantage of the growth of internet and mobile wagering.

Telstra (ASX: TLS) ($5.27)

The company is getting closer to its "triple-play" service of bundling Pay TV, mobile phone and internet service in conjunction with Twenty-First Century Fox through the 50-50 owned Foxtel platform. It also announced in December that it will sell its 76.4% stake in the Hong Kong mobile phone company CSL, with profit projections of about $600 million.

Foolish takeaway

2014 will have many opportunities for investors. With the GFC becoming a fading memory and the world economy beginning to repair itself, the Australian market will have a better chance to move forward.

The mining industry still has to work out its problems, but the upside is that lower interest rates will encourage more business investment and consumer spending, without the RBA worrying too much about inflation.

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