Top Takes From RealMoney

The RealMoney contributors are in the business of trading and investing all day on the basis of ongoing news flow. Below, we offer the top five ideas that RealMoney contributors posted today and how they played those ideas.

TheStreet.com brings you the news all day, and with RealMoney's "Columnist Conversation," you can see how the pros are playing it on a real-time basis. Here are the top five ideas played today. To see all that RealMoney offers, click here for a free trial.

1. A Key Trigger Tomorrow

Jason Schwarz
2/17/2009 4:00 PM EST

Everyone now understands that all eyes are on Washington, and I expect Obama to put on a housing show tomorrow. Remember that housing is one of the three triggers for this market. What am I buying ahead of tomorrow? The two stocks that I just can't get out of my head: Exxon Mobil(XOM Quote) and Bank of America(BAC Quote). Oil is very low, and Exxon might have the most reliable trading range of any stock on Wall Street; the big banks are safe, in fact BAC paid back $400 million of TARP today. Way to go, Ken Lewis.

2. SBUX Going Low End? It Makes No Sense

Scott Rothbort
2/17/2009 1:04 PM EST

Starbucks(SBUX Quote) is coming put with value meals and instant coffee. This is a huge departure from its business model. In effect, it is saying that Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's(MCD Quote) got it right. I don't see a turnaround with low-margin products and a high-margin business model.

3. Snapback Trade Idea

James Altucher
2/17/2009 9:58 AM EST

Snapback trade of the day: Long Walter Industries(WLT Quote) at $18-ish.

WLT is down 16% as the company reported net income for the full year 2008 of $346.6 million, or $6.35 per diluted share. This compares with $40 million, or 76 cents per share, in the fourth quarter 2007, and $112 million, or $2.13 per diluted share, for the full year 2007.

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