Sometimes a stock looks so enticing that investors just can't help themselves.
The market appetite is such that the stock rockets higher, leaving behind most reasonable measures of the company's worth. To commemorate this week's Thanksgiving feasts, BusinessWeek went hunting for stocks that have arguably inspired feeding frenzies over the past year.
Arguments over what a stock ought to be worth are always subjective. And many of these firms deserve premium valuations: They are among the most innovative firms in the market. But, by most metrics, investors should beware before taking a second helping of these stocks.
1. Amazon.com
Despite recession and weakness among consumers, online retailer Amazon.com has had a stellar year. And many investors expect a profitable holiday season and good prospects for the firm's growth initiatives, including the Kindle electronic book reader.
Amazon is so popular among investors that its stock is up 279 percent from a year ago. That has brought its valuation to stratospheric heights.
The most popular measure of valuation is the price-to-earnings ratio, or p-e ratio. According to data  provider Capital IQ, Amazon's p-e ratio based on projected earnings in the next 12 months is an eye-popping 57.4. According to Thomson Reuters, the forward p-e for the entire Standard & Poor's 500-stock index is 14.9.
Investors are willing to pay so much for Amazon stock because of its rapid growth. The firm has grown earnings at a long-term rate of almost 25 percent, according to CapIQ.
"As long as this company is growing at a fast clip, people are going to be willing to overpay for that growth," Morningstar analyst Larry Witt says.
But if any part of Amazon's growth plans falter or its growth slows just a bit, the stock could be punished severely. And there are several reasons to worry, Witt says: New online competition from Wal-Mart poses a threat. Or Amazon could have difficulty navigating the shift of media -- books, movies, and music -- to digital formats.
Some observers expect profit margins to widen, but Amazon's need to have competitive low prices could get in the way. "That could scare some investors," Witt says.
2. Cerner
Political headlines can sometimes send investors flocking to particular stocks.
As part of stimulus and health-care reform, policymakers in Washington have focused on improving the health-care industry's use of technology, especially the adoption of electronic health records. That has made stock market stars of health-care information technology firms, especially Cerner. Cerner shares are up 155 percent in the past 12 months, and its forward p-e is 29.4. (continued...)
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