Watch out for these three stocks in 2014: Pro
Plastic Jedi Knights, power tools and American-made cars—those three things could translate to next year's stock market winners, according to TIAA-CREF's Saira Malik.
Hasbro, Home Depot and General Motors are the stocks to own as the market continues growing, albeit more slowly than during 2013's banner year, said Malik, the head of global equity research at TIAA-CREF, which oversees more than $520 billion in assets.
Investors should look toward corporations with strong earnings and companies that cater to the consumer, she said.
"We like the consumer," Malik said Tuesday on "Squawk Box." "We think the consumer is king. That's because there's a wealth effect for the consumer right now from the higher stock market, higher home prices and lower gas prices. So we're looking for those companies that are leveraged to the consumer."
Hasbro has strong product lines tied to blockbuster movie franchises such as "X-Men," "The Avengers" and "Star Wars," which Malik described as the "Big Kahuna" of movie-to-toy franchises.
General Motors is "hitting on all cylinders," she said, with a well-received product line and strong cash position. (She did not mention her reasoning behind choosing Home Depot.)
Overall, Malik sees the market rising about 10 percent next year.
"We do think it will be more of a stock-picker's market," she said.
—By CNBC's Jeff Morganteen. Follow him on Twitter at @jmorganteen.