1 A rising trend of earings, dividends, and book value per share
2 A balance sheet with less debt than other companies in its particular industry
3 An S&P rating of B+ or better
4 A P/E ratio no higher than average
5 A dividend yield that suits your particular needs
6 A stock that insiders are not selling in significant quantities
7 A below average dividend payout ratio
8 A history of earnings and dividends not pockmarked by erratic ups and downs
9 Companies whose reture on equity is 15 or better
10 A ratio of price to cash flow that is not too high when compared to other stocks in the same industry.