Gene Marcial, Business Week’s stock-picking guru recommended EBAY today:

Track his stock picks at:

http://trackthepros.com/

a. Ebay is a stock that now deserves new attention

b. Since October 2007, when it traded at 40, the stock’s value has tumbled nearly 50%.

c.  The big discount in the stock’s price relative to eBay’s vast assets and worldwide superiority in online auctions “make eBay a very enticing value play

d.  total listings are forecast to jump 30%, to 720 million users. So far, listings in Asia/Pacific are up 25% in the second quarter, in Europe up 48%, and in North America 16%.

e. eBay is also making sure that it provides a faster, easier, and safer trading experience for buyers and sellers. Through its numerous Web sites, the company pulls together millions of buyers and sellers worldwide, providing an online marketplace for the sale of almost all types of goods and services along with online payment facilities through its PayPal unit and Internet communications through its Skype division.

f. For long-term investors, the deeply discounted stock price is an alluring entry point. With a pristine balance sheet with strong cash flow and no debt, eBay is an attractive haven during this anemic economic period. And when the economy starts revving up again, eBay will surely be among the first to benefit.