If I'm investing long term, does it matter which big name stock I buy?

I'm thinking INTC, MSFT, Coke, or McD. 10-15 year investment.

donald, yes I do have a retirement fund that I will also be contributing to.

joe, i agree. I plan to be diversified enough, not planting all my money on one company. Not that I think Intel or IBM is going away anytime soon.

Look at Exchange Traded Securities. Here you are buying an index and don't need a lot of money so that you can be well diversified. Check out http://finance.yahoo.com/etf They are a low cost and efficient way for an individual to purchase a diversified portfolio,

It really does not matter which Blue Chip you invest in. The key is to dollar cost average. This has been proven to be one of the most effective long-term strategies known to investors.

Your first option should be to fund fully a retirement account. If you do this, and you have extra cash, then one of the best things you can do is open a DRIP Plan.

Go to : low-cost-stock-recommendations

.com

Click on the "DRIP's" Button on the Navigation Bar

These powerful investment plans are seldom talked about because brokers make very little money when they suggest them. Yet, they have proven to be one of the best, if not the best, long-term strategy on Wall Street.

They are perfect for small investors, as well as big investors. They are safe and allow you to not care about whether the market is going up or down. They are a must for any serious investor.

If you decide you are interested in DRIP Plans, I believe there is instructions on the webpage.

I strongly recommend looking into it. They are great plans.

Good Luck

If you bought a big name stock like Enron, you'd realize that buying a single stock is always a gamble. You must buy a diversified portfolio of stocks, as some will do badly, even over the long run. If you are a beginner, it is best to buy no-load low costs mutual funds, such as you can get at Vanguard.com.

It can. usually though if the financials are stable enough it does not matter

I'd go for Coke, Johnson & Johnson or GE

never, Never, NEVER invests only in one(1) stock, even if it is a big name stock. You must, Must, MUST invest in a portfolio of stocks, STOCKS with a S at the end. Remember ENRON?