Revenge of the Plumbers, Carpenters, and Welders

While everybody is looking here, there's a case to be made that there has never been a better time to look there... The "here," of course, is artificial intelligence ("AI"), Wall Street's newest sex symbol. Truth is, AI is little more than black hole speculation... If I had to put a bet on who will […] Not rendering correctly? View this e-mail as a web page [here](. [Empire Financial Daily] Revenge of the Plumbers, Carpenters, and Welders By Herb Greenberg --------------------------------------------------------------- [The only moneymaking acronym you need to know for 2023]( Soon, the acronym "PVAB" could be as commonplace as "ASAP" or "TGIF." But if you don't know it yet, you're not too late... By the time it fully rolls out, PVAB will have a bigger lasting impact on our society than the Internet. That's why some of the biggest names in the business – from Bill Gates to Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk – are pumping billions into it. To see how you can get massive returns from what could well be the biggest investment opportunity of this year, [click here now](. --------------------------------------------------------------- While everybody is looking here, there's a case to be made that there has never been a better time to look there... The "here," of course, is artificial intelligence ("AI"), Wall Street's newest sex symbol. Truth is, AI is little more than black hole speculation... If I had to put a bet on who will be the winner from the current crop of "pioneers," I'd say either Microsoft (MSFT) or Alphabet's (GOOGL) Google. I currently give Microsoft a slight edge in part because of its investment in OpenAI, which gives it access to the emerging companies OpenAI is investing in. (That's one reason I added it to the Empire Real Wealth portfolio back in February.) Still, it's arguably a coinflip with Google in the lead, especially since to date there doesn't appear to be any sign of Microsoft gaining any first-mover advantage in the paid search space since adding ChatGPT to its Bing search engine... But let's be real here... If we've learned anything with technology, it's that first-mover advantage, while a plus, guarantees nothing. That's especially true with something like AI, which is moving so quickly. Search for "top AI companies" and you'll find dozens and dozens of dot-ai businesses you've never heard of... But you just know they're on every investment banker's dialing-for-dollars list. The rough part is that everybody is looking at the same thing here, trying to identify who the winners will be, when there are plenty of winners right beneath their noses over there... Except, they have nothing to do with AI and everything to do with real companies that make real things that real people need, use, and want. This isn't rocket science... It's common sense, and that runs through the kinds of companies I like in my Empire Real Wealth and QUANT-X System newsletters. I've been thinking a lot about this in the wake of so much talk about everybody who will supposedly lose their jobs at the hands of AI. You know who won't? Plumbers, because AI can't fix a broken toilet. Carpenters, because AI can't put the finishing touches on building a house or installing a new gate. The same goes for anybody who lays tile or installs flooring or roofing. And welders? There will never be an AI app for that. I was chatting about this with a friend (on the phone, no less – a wonderful invention – using voice, not text) and we started talking about companies that aren't AI plays that will do well. --------------------------------------------------------------- Recommended Link: [Is this the 'perfect battery' for electric vehicles?]( It's safer... 61% cheaper... and nearly five times longer lasting... than the lithium-ion batteries you will find in most electric cars today. Experts call it "the next holy grail for EVs" and predict that it will "go global" and "take over as the standard EV battery." [Here's how to play it](... --------------------------------------------------------------- That's where the 'revenge of the trades' idea, as I call it, came from... He started talking about a few of his favorite stocks, which have done well for him, like Owens Corning (OC). You probably haven't thought much about Owens lately. It's not the type of company that the mainstream media is clamoring to talk about. Owens makes roofing and insulation materials. The one thing its products all have in common: construction. Owens is the ultimate anti-AI play. While the company may very well use AI in its factories – and I hope it does! – human beings have to apply or install most of its products. We're supposedly either in or headed for a recession, yet Owens is trading at record highs... And yet, the stock is still arguably cheap. It's clearly positioned for whatever happens. It has a strong enough balance sheet – and good enough free cash flow – to boast a total shareholder yield of 10%, via buybacks and dividends. And it has done that without increasing debt. That doesn't mean it won't get hit if the economy slows down. In fact, management says it could. It's the same setup at another infrastructure play in my QUANT-X System model portfolio... The company scores a 93 out of 100 on my quantitative scoring system, making it one of the higher-scoring stocks in the portfolio. My subscribers are up 20% in the month since my recommendation, and I think the gains are just getting started... because fundamentally, it's doing well despite the economy. Plus, it's dirt-cheap. (My subscribers can read my write-up [right here](. To learn how to sign up for my QUANT-X System newsletter at a 40% discount, [click here]( Like Owens, this company is hitting new all-time highs... all without being a play on AI. Just remember that next time you need a plumber. What are your favorite non-AI ideas that play off basic trades? I'd love to hear them and share your e-mails in an upcoming Empire Financial Daily. Let me know what you think [right here](mailto:feedback@empirefinancialresearch.com?subject=Feedback%20for%20Herb). [Image] One last note... If you missed my Empire Financial Daily from earlier this week on how exchange-traded funds may have helped cause the run on bank stocks, here's an interview I did on the topic with my friend and former colleague from my MarketWatch days, Chuck Jaffe: [Herb Greenberg on how ETFs may have caused the run on bank stocks](. Regards, Herb Greenberg May 10, 2023 [Get a 60-day, 100% money-back trial to Empire Real Wealth by clicking here.]( --------------------------------------------------------------- If someone forwarded you this e-mail and you would like to be added to the Empire Financial Daily e-mail list to receive e-mails like this every weekday, simply [sign up here](. © 2023 Empire Financial Research. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, copying, or redistribution, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written permission from Empire Financial Research, 1125 N. 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