I have not always been the best investor, but one strategy I have used to much monetary success is buying bigger companies when the market is tanking. There are always at least a handful of large companies that really aren't doing so badly now but are getting beaten up in the larger market troubles.

Things are very tentative right now, but I'm still giving these companies a look:

Merrill Lynch (Symbol: MER) - Getting caught in the subprime mess that's currently the catalyst for so much downward spiraling in the market, but this is a huge, diversified company with a good track record. Seems like an opportunity.

Hanover Financial / All America Insurance Group (THG) - Boring stock but pretty good results. Concern would be that there's not a ton of trading volume.

Dress Barn (DBRN) - Good same-store sales numbers, but women's retail is always iffy.

Wesco International (WCC) - Electrical construction parts distributor. Yes the word construction is in there, which is spooking everyone these days, but a good company.

Remember that I'm not a professional investing analyst in any way, shape, or form. Do your own due diligence.

That said... What companies do you think are trading too low?