Recommended by: Walter Price, co-manager of the Wells Fargo Advantaged Specialized Technology Fund (WFTZX), ranked No. 5 by Bloomberg Rankings

Likes it because: First Solar's (FSLR) competitive advantage is improving as the cost of thin film for solar panels continues to fall by 5 percent to 10 percent per year, outpacing cost reduction for polysilicon, which other solar panel manufacturers depend on, amid quality and supply constraint issues in China. Concerns about reduced demand in parts of Europe have been pushed out to 2012, says Price, and financing for solar systems has rebounded strongly from depressed levels in 2008 and the first half of 2009.

The stock's year-to-date performance through Oct. 15: +6.8 percent