The highly cyclical paint and coatings business does not typically excite thoughts of high-growth stock performance. Yet in 2012, paint stocks boasted powerful rallies. What can we learn from them? The trade's leaders, including PPG Industries (PPG), Sherwin- Williams (SHW) and Valspar (VAL), pay dividends, enjoy long-term earnings stability, and offer ways to play housing and industrial sector cycles with buffered risk. Plus, new homes and nearly