Cox is bullish on SunTrust Banks and BB&T. He is also very big on dividend payers.
"Dividend growth this year is our sector for 2012," he said. "There are a lot of companies that need to do something with their capital, and they will reward shareholders with dividends."
As investors seeking fixed income from bond investments continue to be disappointed, dividend yield may serve as the next best bet.
Craig Columbus agreed, saying, "I like equity income as well. Cash as a percentage of total assets is at an all time high at 11 percent."
Columbus says this year's bounceback sectors are: energy, technology, and equity income.
But he takes a special shine to energy: "OPEC production is going to be tight as we go forward, and the U.S. is now a net-energy exporter. To me that is sustainable."
Neither analyst sees the debt crisis in Europe as reversing the U.S. rebound.
"The European market is going to muddle through. We're not going to have a Lehman-like moment. The more time that elapses, the less likely that becomes. The market is paying more attention to the U.S.," said Cox.
Additional News: Banking Stocks Providing a Boost
Additional Views: Good Economy Not Good Enough For Investors
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Disclosures:
Neither Jaime Cox nor Harris Financial Group own stock in either SunTrust Banks or BB&T. No disclosure information was available for Craig Columbus or his company.
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