It is easy to invest in companies that do good and are still very successful by conventional business standards. After all, who would not like to own a company growing at a mid-teens rate that pays its employees fairly, is a good corporate citizen, treats the environment well and sells a product that makes people’s lives better?
But what about the other side of the coin? What about investing in companies that sell products you do not like, or engage in practices that are perfectly legal but strike you as unsavory? Can you learn to love a business you do not like, and is it worth it? The reality is that some companies are phenomenal investments, but carry undeniable social costs. You can reap a great deal of profits by investing in sin stocks, but there are other costs you must consider.
Full story: Can You Maintain Virtue In Vice Stocks? – Forbes.com