Kimberly-Clark Corporation

Continuing my tour through cyclical stocks, today I am going to analyze some large packaging and paper companies. Few, if any, industries took more of a hit than paper companies in 2008-2009. Some companies, like industry leader International Paper Company (IP), have come back smartly; others may never really recover. So, I will delve into the good, the bad, and the ugly.

There's a reason one of the world's most popular maxims is, "never judge a book by its cover." That's because everybody judges a book by its cover. Traditional or fancy, plain or electric, simple or three-dimensional, a cover says a lot about the text inside, and the imprint (and printers) behind it. Last issue's cover story on how publishers are using eye-catching covers to boost sales and improve positioning on retailer's shelves was an instant hit with readers, because publishers know that great covers sell great books. That's why they design them to stand out and be judged. The high level of enthusiasm for