Are you looking for a post-summer portfolio boost? Look no further. Investment firm Oppenheimer has just released a bullish report highlighting its latest Top Stock Picks for August-September 2018.

“These are the most timely stocks in the opinion of our research analysts” stated the firm. “Each analyst was asked to contribute the one idea they considered to outperform over the next 12 months, based on their view of the company’s fundamentals in the context of current market conditions.”

The report lists 30 top stocks. But here I focus on the seven stocks that truly stand out from the crowd. I used TipRanks’ market data to cherry-pick the report’s best stocks. These are the the stocks which boast a “strong buy” consensus rating from the Street. This is based on all the ratings each stock has received over the last three months. That way we have the added reassurance of knowing that these stocks score big across the board.

Let’s take a closer look at these hot shots now:

Top Stock Picks: CymaBay Therapeutics (CBAY)

CymaBay Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CBAY) is a cutting-edge biotech company working in liver disease. Right now, all eyes are on lead product candidate seladelpar. This is for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC). The big news is that Phase 3 testing of seladelpar in PBC is set to begin by the end of the year.

Analysts are very excited about the drug’s potential. Compared to current treatments, seladelpar boasts a potentially far superior safety profile. “We estimate that seladelpar can become the standard of care for second-line treatment of PBC” writes Oppenheimer’s Jay Olson (Profile & Recommendations). He has a bullish $20 price target on the stock (59% upside potential).

Plus, serious upside could come from development in NASH. This non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is estimated to affect over 16 million Americans — and represents a large commercial opportunity. A Phase 2b trial of seladelpar in NASH has already begun.

Overall, CBAY — a “strong buy” stock — has received only buy ratings from the Street. Their average price target of $21.80 suggests big upside potential of over 70%. See what other Top Analysts are saying about CBAY.

Top Stock Picks: Albemarle (ALB)

If you mix bullish market dynamics and strong execution you get Albemarle (NYSE:ALB). This is the No. 1 lithium company in the world. Luckily for Albemarle, lithium is a key component of automotive batteries. “We believe that ALB deserves a premium multiple given the multiyear growth opportunity we see in lithium” writes top Oppenheimer analyst Colin Rusch (Profile & Recommendations).

Indeed the company has just reported strong Q2 results. We continue to see robust global growth in EV/PHEV, particularly in China notes Rusch. He has a $157 price target on the stock (64% upside potential). Bottom line: “We believe a capable management team is likely to succeed in achieving its targeted overall revenue growth of 7%-10% and adjusted EBITDA margins of 32%-35% over the next five years.”

Four analysts have published buy ratings on the stock in the last three months. This is with an average price target of $133 — 39% upside potential. See what other Top Analysts are saying about ALB.

Top Stock Picks: Take-Two Interactive (TTWO)

Are you ready for the next big thing? Take-Two Interactive (NASDAQ:TTWO) is a developer and publisher of video games for console, PC, and mobile platforms. After an 8-year hiatus since the first installment, TTWO is finally about to release Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2). This much-hyped game is scheduled for release for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on Oct. 26.

“If we are correct, RDR2 lifetime sold-in will reach 50M units, ranking among one of the best-performing video game franchises of all time” predicts five-star Oppenheimer analyst Andrew Uerkwitz (Profile & Recommendations). He expects RDR2’s shelf life to last well into the ninth console cycle.

According to Uerkwitz we could be looking at a new generational classic. Think: superior graphics, unique gameplay and a deeply immersive story. Bear in mind, the game was created by some of the foremost experts in the field.

Overall, this “strong buy” stock has received eight recent buy ratings vs two hold ratings. Meanwhile the average analyst price target stands at $139. See what other Top Analysts are saying about TTWO.

Top Stock Picks: Jefferies (JEF)

I highly recommend taking a closer look at this underrated top financial stock. Jefferies Financial Group (NYSE:JEF) is transforming from a conglomerated holding company into a focused financial firm. But the move has gone largely under the radar — creating a sweet investing opportunity.

According to Oppenheimer’s Christ Kotowski (Profile & Recommendations) the “unique” firm “combines a strong investment bank’s deal-sourcing capability with the power of being able to write a large equity check at a moment’s notice.”

In fact, until very recently, Kotowski was the only one from a sell-side firm covering the stock. This all changed on Aug. 21 when KBW’s Ann Dai initiated JEF with a “buy” rating and $29 price target (24% upside potential).

“While we normally do not comment on other analysts’ reports, we were glad to see this one because it is the most visible and concrete step forward in our thesis that the shares will be revalued as JEF gains more of a following” cheered Kotowski. He has more bullish price target on the stock of $35 (49% upside potential). See what other Top Analysts are saying about JEF.

Top Stock Picks: Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT)

Global Blood Therapeutics (NASDAQ:GBT) is a clinical-stage biopharma company focusing on sickle cell disease. Shares are up 82% over the last year, and plenty of upside potential still lies ahead. The stock also boasts a stellar Street rating. This means 10 back-to-back buy ratings and an $85 average price target (72% upside potential).

Top Oppenheimer analyst Mark Breidenbach (Profile & Recommendations) sees prices spiking 45% to $74. He is optimistic that the company’s Phase 3 asset, GBT440, could find regulatory and commercial success in sickle cell disease (SCD). According to Breidenbach, GBT440 could “substantially improve the standard of care in this indication.”

Intriguingly, he also adds that based on recent M&A activity and interest in SCD, GBT could be a takeout target in 2018-2019. So watch this space. See what other Top Analysts are saying about GBT.

Top Stock Picks: BorgWarner (BWA)

Auto-parts maker BorgWarner (NYSE:BWA) is a leading provider of clean, energy-efficient propulsion systems and tech solutions for cars. Its diverse offering is keeping Oppenheimer’s Noah Kaye (Profile & Recommendations) bullish on the stock’s prospects.

“We see BWA well-positioned to remain nimble, with respect both to market conditions and to the evolving fuel mix, given its portfolio of combustion, hybrid and electric products” writes the analyst. For example, BWA posted 7.3% organic growth in 2Q- driving a sound earnings beat.

And this should have a knock-on effect on share prices: “In our view, the platform should support robust organic market outgrowth and multiple expansion for shares currently trading below historical multiple averages.” With this in mind, Kaye has a $58 price target on the stock (26% upside potential).

This “strong buy” stock has received six recent buy ratings vs two hold ratings. The $58 average price target mirrors Kaye’s own target. See what other Top Analysts are saying about BWA.

Top Stock Picks: XPO Logistics (XPO)

As its name suggests, XPO Logistics (NYSE:XPO) is a leading provider of outsourced transportation and logistics services. The company just crushed it with Q2 earnings. Not only did XPO deliver 2Q18 top to bottom outperformance, but it also announced $1 billion-plus of new revenue.

No question about it, XPO knows how to win new business. It is now tracking $2.1B (annual revenue) in the first half of 2018. “Pairing XPO’s momentum with the potential for sizable, accretive acquisitions on the horizon, we reiterate our Outperform rating/$119 target” gushes top Oppenheimer analyst Scott Schneeberger (Profile & Recommendations).

He believes XPO possesses a compelling adjusted EBITDA/free cash flow growth story and is “anticipating continued top-line growth with gradual margin expansion over 2018E-2019E.”

Over the last three months, 7 out of 9 analysts have rated XPO a ‘Buy’. This is paired with a $122 average analyst price target. See what other Top Analysts are saying about XPO.

TipRanks.com offers exclusive insights for investors by focusing on the moves of experts: Analysts, Insiders, Bloggers, Hedge Fund Managers and more. See what the experts are saying about your stocks now at TipRanks.com. As of this writing, Harriet Lefton did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

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Source: Investor Place

Now more than ever, it makes sense to listen to analysts with a proven track record of success. Anyone can claim to be a market expert. Anyone can have an opinion. But that opinion becomes a lot more meaningful when the figures show that this person tends to be right.

Here I turned to TipRanks to pinpoint analysts who really know what they are talking about. These are the analysts that demonstrate the highest success rates and consistently high average returns per rating. We can track the latest ratings from these best-performing analysts to gain an edge on the market.

Plus by searching for stocks with a ‘Strong Buy’ top analyst consensus rating, I know these stocks score big on a Street-wide basis too. Let’s take a closer look at ten of these top stock picks now:

Strong Buy Stocks: Amazon (AMZN)

Source: Amazon

E-commerce king Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) has just held its best-ever Prime shopping bonanza. Despite a few early technical glitches, the event was an unparalleled success. Its fourth annual Prime day lasted 36 hours, up from 30 hours previously, with over 1 million deals globally. This included over double the number of deals on Amazon goods specifically, as well as special Whole Foods Market discounts.

“We estimate that Amazon generated ~$2B in revenue from its fourth Prime Day event this year” wrote top RBC Capital analyst Mark Mahaney (Profile & Recommendations). But the real value is even greater: “We view Prime Day as no only a revenue and GMV driver for Amazon, but also a catalyst for growing its Prime subscriber base, Alexa-enabled device ecosystem, and Private labels.”

He has a $1,900 price target on AMZN- just below the Street average of $1,931. In the last three months, 36 top analysts have published Amazon Buy ratings vs 2 hold ratings. The stock’s biggest supporter is Deutsche Bank’s Lloyd Walmsley. This top analyst has just called AMZN his top ‘net pick for the long-haul. His Street-high $2220 price target suggests 20% upside potential. See what other Top Analysts are saying about AMZN.

Strong Buy Stocks: UnitedHealth (UNH)

Source: Shutterstock

One of the largest U.S. insurance companies, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) looks unstoppable right now. The company has just released another round of impressive earnings results. Strong broad-based performance drove total 2Q revenue of was $56.1 billion (+12.1% y/y).

“We believe UNH is nicely diversified and should remain a core holding in all large-cap portfolios” cheered five-star Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Steven Halper (Profile & Recommendations). He has a $300 price target on the stock, indicating over 18% upside potential from current levels.

Crucially, Halper notes that its lucrative Optum tech business continues to account for a large share of earnings. Indeed, all three Optum segments grew earnings at a double-digit rate. Optum plans to sustain this growth into 2019 through digital health products, such as Rally.

Halper concludes: “UNH should continue to execute on its growth strategies and deploy capital efficiently. We believe the shares are attractive at current levels.” Five top analysts have published recent Buy ratings on the stock vs just 1 Hold rating. See what other Top Analysts are saying about UNH.

Strong Buy Stocks: Lowe’s (LOW)

Source: Mike Mozart via Flickr (modified)

The stars are aligning for Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:LOW), the second-largest Home Improvement specialty retail chain in the US. The company owns over 2,000 retail stores across the US and Canada. And now Oppenheimer’s Brian Nagel (Profile & Recommendations) has reaffirmed his bullish take on the stock:

“Early in 2018, we identified LOW as a Top Pick and our preferred way to play Home Improvement, on the view that recently announced activist intervention could spur a long-overdue strategic repositioning at the chain.”

He continues: “Now, following a string of positive developments at LOW, and with an eye toward 2019, we are increasingly of the opinion that the components are in place to support a potentially meaningful fundamental strengthening at the chain.” Indeed, Nagel’s $140 price target sees the stock spiking 40% from current levels.

Activist investor Bill Ackman recently disclosed a $1 billion bet on Lowe’s, while hedge fund D.E. Shaw Group pressured the company to put three new directors on the Lowe’s board. As a result, the company has a very-experienced new CEO on the way (former J.C. Penney CEO Marvin Ellison).

In the last three months, the stock has scored 7 top analyst buy ratings vs just 1 hold rating. See what other Top Analysts are saying about LOW.

Strong Buy Stocks: Micron (MU)

Source: Shutterstock

Red-hot chip stock Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) just got even hotter. The company has just announced a savvy Credit Agreement with various lenders. This provides the chip giant with a $2 billion revolving credit facility. The facility matures 5 years after the effective date. And it’s Micron’s potential plans for this new cashflow that has excited top Nomura analyst Romit Shah (Profile & Recommendations).

He comments: “This is really interesting in our opinion because at the analyst meeting in May Micron guided to a target liquidity model in the low 30% range of sales. Adding $2.0 billion in revolving credit to an estimated $8.0 billion in total cash would put Micron’s liquidity at $10.0 billion, or roughly 33% of revenues, exiting the month of August. This, to us, strongly suggests that every dollar of free cash flow could be used to repurchase the stock, which management has repeatedly indicated is cheap at current levels.”

“The punch line is that if earnings don’t grow from the August period, MU could repurchase $10 billion of the stock (15+ percent) over the next four quarters, boosting EPS by an estimated $1.50 year over year,” the analyst concluded.

He has a $100 price target on MU- indicating massive upside potential of over 88%.  This makes the stock extremely appealing at current levels. Plus the data shows that 17 analysts are bullish on MU with just 3 staying sidelined. See what other Top Analysts are saying about MU.

Strong Buy Stocks: Nutrien (NTR)

Source: Shutterstock

This new company deserves a prime place in your investing radar. Nutrien Ltd. (NYSE:NTR) is the world’s largest fertilizer producer, formed through the merger of Agrium and PotashCorp in January. It is now targeting $500 million in post-merger synergies by end-2019. This cash can be returned to shareholders and boost growth.

Plus Nutrien is perfectly positioned for a strong catch-up in US farm activity following a delayed spring and better fertilizer prices. Top Cowen & Co analyst Charles Neivert (Profile & Recommendations) has compared this fertilizer stock to “green bananas,” urging investors to buy before prices surge. He spies a positive supply/demand situation for nutrient producers set to last 18-24 months.

With this in mind, Neivert ramped up his price target from $60 to $63 price target. This translates into 20% upside potential from current levels. The stock has 100% top analyst support right now with 4 recent buy ratings. See what other Top Analysts are saying about NTR.

Strong Buy Stocks: Immunomedics (IMMU)

Source: Shutterstock

Biotech Immunomedics, Inc. (NASDAQ:IMMU) is buzzing right now. The catalyst: a key regulatory approval. The FDA has now accepted the BLA submission for sacituzumab govitecan (IMMU-132) for the treatment of metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC). This is for patients who have already received two or more prior therapies for their metastatic disease.

Most encouragingly, the application will now be evaluated under priority review. “The priority review signals the FDA’s appreciation for the unmet need in TNBC, and we expect an approval and early 2019 launch” states five-star Cowen & Co analyst Phil Nadeau (Profile & Recommendations). He adds: “We continue to think IMMU is undervalued for sacituzumab.”

Given the drug’s strong efficacy and acceptable safety profile, sacituzumab has the potential to become a standard therapy in this indication. Consultants believe the therapy “will be embraced by physicians” writes Nadeau.

IMMU is already up 51% year-to-date. However, the $36 average analyst price target suggests a further 46% upside potential still lies ahead. This is with four recent top analyst buy ratings. See what other Top Analysts are saying about IMMU.

Strong Buy Stocks: Gulfport Energy (GPOR)

Source: Shutterstock

Natural gas giant Gulfport Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:GPOR) currently has a whopping ~215,000 net acres under lease in the massive Utica Shale formation. For Williams Capital’s Gabriele Sobara (Profile & Recommendations) GPOR represents a Top Pick in the world of natural gas.

Following a strong second-quarter earnings beat, Sobara reaffirmed his Buy rating and $16 price target (36% upside potential). Production surged 28% in Q2 as drilling expanded in Oklahoma and Ohio. Meanwhile, natural gas prices rose to $2.48 per thousand cubic feet of natural gas, up from $2.15 one year ago. He is now awaiting the earnings call scheduled for August 2.

Sobara concludes: “With the 2Q18 production beat, we believe there is upside to Consensus estimates for 2H18 production…  We continue to view GPOR as a Top Pick for natural gas exposure, especially as it transitions to free cash flow in 2H18.” Five top analysts have published recent buy ratings on this ‘Strong Buy’ stock. See what other Top Analysts are saying about GPOR.

Strong Buy Stocks: Sage Therapeutics (SAGE)

Sage Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:SAGE) is making leaps and bounds in the treatment of central nervous system disorders. Its most advanced drug is Brexanolone for postpartum depression. Five-star Matthew Harrison of Morgan Stanley (Profile & Recommendations) has just reiterated his SAGE buy rating with a $228 price target (42% upside potential). “Given the lack of standard treatment and the modest benefit available with generic antidepressants, we believe brexanolone can be a [nearly] $1 billion global drug,” the analyst said.

An NDA (new drug application) was submitted to the FDA back in April. If the drug gets the green light, it could be launched as soon as the first half of 2019. The crucial date to keep an eye on is December 19. If the drug receives FDA approval it could easily push shares higher very quickly.

Plus Harrison forecasts more than $2.5 billion in peak sales for SAGE-217, which is currently trials for the treatment of depression, bipolar disorder and insomnia. This is where the company’s real value is. “We see continued de-risking of ‘217 driving SAGE higher,” the analyst wrote.

Luckily so far the chances of success are high as the data has proved ‘robust.’ Note that this stock scores the backing of six top-rated analysts. See what other Top Analysts are saying about SAGE.

Strong Buy Stocks: Alibaba (BABA)

Source: Shutterstock

Can Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) do no wrong? The stock has scored consistent support from top analysts. In the last three months alone, 13 top analysts have published BABA buy ratings. This comes with huge upside potential to boot of 33%.

“We believe Alibaba and JD.com will continue to benefit from increasing online/mobile shopping penetration, offline/online retail integration, and China’s emerging middle class” commented Scott Devitt (Profile & Recommendations). This five-star Stifel Nicolaus analyst has a bullish $256 price target on BABA (35% upside potential).

Most encouragingly, he is very optimistic on the stock’s long-term potential. This is because Alibaba is taking the time to invest in ‘omnichannel retail initiatives.’ As part of its groundbreaking New Retail strategy, BABA is bringing tech to the traditional world of retail. Devitt explains “the company is leveraging its data technology to empower its brick-and-mortar retail partners to transform through digitization.”

With the aid of technology, store operators can react to consumer demands in real-time, improve inventory management, and address the evolving demands of customers much quicker than ever before. See what other Top Analysts are saying about BABA.

Strong Buy Stocks: Microchip (MCHP)

Source: Shutterstock

Last but not least we have auto tech specialist Microchip Technology Incorporated(NASDAQ:MCHP). The high-quality chip stock is already a top ten automotive supplier with over 50 components sold into the vehicle.

According to top Needham analyst Rajvindra Gill (Profile & Recommendations), the company is targeting automotive semiconductor growth via embedded systems which are smarter, networked, and more secure. This is particularly relevant for the rapidly growing field of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) in self-driving vehicles.

“We would argue that MCHP is one of the leading ADAS suppliers through its broad product portfolio of MCUs, networking, analog, HMI and memory targeting important applications, such as lane departure, front collision avoidance AEB, adaptive cruise control and more” sums up Gill.

He has a $130 price target on the stock. This works out at 39% upside potential from the current share price. Bear in mind this ‘Strong Buy’ stock has received 11 Buy ratings from the Street in the last three months. This is versus only 1 hold rating in the same period. See what other Top Analysts are saying about MCHP.

Buffett just went all-in on THIS new asset. Will you?
Buffett could see this new asset run 2,524% in 2018. And he's not the only one... Mark Cuban says "it's the most exciting thing I've ever seen." Mark Zuckerberg threw down $19 billion to get a piece... Bill Gates wagered $26 billion trying to control it...
What is it?
It's not gold, crypto or any mainstream investment. But these mega-billionaires have bet the farm it's about to be the most valuable asset on Earth. Wall Street and the financial media have no clue what's about to happen...And if you act fast, you could earn as much as 2,524% before the year is up.
Click here to find out what it is.

Source: Investor Place

Like me, I’m sure many of you already follow the ‘strong buy’ recommendations of analysts that receive a lot of attention, analysts that work for leading financial institutions such as Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse (to name but a few). But there is a completely different group of financial experts who are also capable of delivering robust returns for investors — financial bloggers. So which stocks are bloggers raving about right now?

Here, I combine the wisdom of both financial bloggers and the Street to find 7 top stocks. I used the nifty TipRanks Stock Screener to scan for stocks which have a Very Bullish sentiment from top bloggers and a Strong Buy consensus rating from top analysts. These are the best-performing analysts who consistently outperform the market based on their success rate and average return per rating. You can track these analysts to ensure you are basing crucial investing decisions on analysts who tend to get it right.

From the list generated by these criteria, I picked these 7 compelling ‘Strong Buy’ stocks. Now let’s dig down into just why these top stocks are so popular with online bloggers right now:

Strong Buy Stock: Microsoft (MSFT)

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has no shortage of supporters right now. And two of the most recent bullish blogger pieces highlight a crucial element of the MSFT story for investors — dividends. Did you know that Microsoft has managed to grow its dividend by 225% in just eight years? Top blogger Valuentum Securities Inc. even wonders if MSFT is setting itself up as a future Dividend Aristocrat. This is the name given to an elite handful of companies that have raised their dividends consecutively for over 25 years.

MSFT’s dividend prowess comes from the fact that this is one of the most cash-rich companies around. Right now the company is sitting on a stupendous cash pile of around $135 billion. These cash flows are partly generated by the extreme success of MSFT’s Azure cloud platform. Top blogger InvestorPlace’s Aaron Levitt praises Microsoft’s renaissance as a cloud company under the leadership of CEO Satya Nadella. He points out that in the last quarter Azure grew 90% year-over-year.

Five-star KeyBanc analyst Brent Bracelin agrees. He picks MSFT as one of his favorite cloud platforms to own in software as:

“The combination of Office 365, Azure and Dynamics 365 not only makes Microsoft the largest cloud platform in the world, but also ranks it as one of the fastest-growing among its Cloud Titan peers.”

Bracelin — one of the Top 50 analysts on TipRanks — reiterates his Buy rating with a $110 price target.

Strong Buy Stock: Alcoa (AA)

Source: Josh Hallett via Flickr (Modified)

High-flying aluminum stock Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) is a great buy right now. The stock has the seal of approval from both bloggers and the Street. Indeed we can see that blogger sentiment is 100% bullish with positive articles from publications across the board.

This upbeat mood comes on the back of the company’s stellar Q1 earnings results and guidance. For the quarter, AA announced profit of 77 cents per share and revenue of $3.09 billion. These figures easily exceeded consensus expectations of 70 cents and $3.08 billion respectively. Berenberg Bank explains in its mining report: “The confluence of current events (trade actions, sanctions and supply disruptions) has created highly favorable trading environments for Alcoa.”

Encouragingly, top blogger IP.com’s James Brumley believes that “things could get even better for Alcoa as the year progresses.”  The company is projecting a full-year 2018 global deficit for both alumina and aluminum.

In the recent earnings call, AA revealed that: “Due to delays in projects to expand smelters in China, the Company expects the global aluminum deficit to grow to between 600,000 – 1 million metric tons, up from last quarter’s deficit estimate of between 300,000 – 700,000 metric tons.” Meanwhile global aluminum demand is due to rise 4.25 to 5.25%.

And this tightening aluminum market further strengthens AA’s pricing power. As a result, management has upgraded 2018 guidance and signaled their intention to return cash to shareholders in Q2.

Strong Buy Stock: XPO Logistics (XPO)

Bloggers are raving over transportation hot stock XPO Logistics Inc (NYSE:XPO) right now. And with good reason. With over 95,000 employees, the company is an industry leader in both transportation and logistics. But it is the company’s ‘rock solid’ business that is really getting commentators excited.

Leo Nelissen notes that revenue is growing at a CAGR of 87% since 2014 while EBITA is growing at 157%. These figures are through the roof. He calls the stock a “real winner” (Editor’s note: source is behind a paywall) due to its massive growth spurt across the US and Europe. In fact XPO has huge expansion potential in Europe where it has its eye on the $455 billion European transport segment. Already XPO is the largest provider of truck brokerage and largest owned fleet in Europe.

From a Street perspective, we can also see that XPO boasts 100% buy ratings from best-performing analysts. In the last three months, six top analysts have published buy ratings on the stock. Meanwhile their average price target of $113 indicates just over 8% upside potential from the current share price.

Top Oppenheimer analyst Scott Schneeberger is more bullish than consensus. He sees shares spiking 14% and explains that XPO won $2.8B (annualized revenue) of new business in 2017 with a global pipeline of $3.2B. “Pairing strong business conditions/ the 2017 new business wins, we anticipate high-single digit organic revenue growth in 1Q18, which could persist over the balance of 2018” concludes Schneeberger.

Strong Buy Stock: Applied Materials (AMAT)

This semiconductor stock may be a controversial choice right now but as far as bloggers are concerned, it’s full steam ahead. Share prices in Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) are down from close to $58 on April 17 to just above $51. Weighing on the semiconductor space is China’s plan to boost domestic chip production as part of its ongoing trade tussle with the US.

However, the subsequent pullback in prices has been described as a ‘kneejerk’ reaction by bloggers. Crucially, as blogger Joseph Hargett points out, Chinese semiconductor firms are far behind their US, Japanese and European rivals. “In other words, competition from Chinese chip makers isn’t coming anytime soon, making yesterday’s selloff rather premature,” states Hargett.

Plus with prices at these levels, the Street is now predicting considerable upside potential of over 42%. This would take shares to over $72. Nine analysts have published buy ratings on AMAT recently — so no hold or sell ratings here. Analysts are confident that demand for DRAM chips remains favorable with “upward memory spending pressure.”

One of these analysts is TipRanks’ Number 2 analyst, Craig Ellis from B.Riley FBR. He recently reiterated his AMAT buy rating with a $77 price target. “We believe AMAT’s +100% dividend boost and $6.0B share buyback hike to $8.8B exemplify confidence in fundamentals sustainability and growth execution,” writes Ellis.

Strong Buy Stock: Align Technology (ALGN)

Source: Shutterstock

Global medical device company Align Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALGN) wins the award of top-performing S&P 500 stock in 2017. Shares shot up in the year from $96 to $223 during the year. The company is pioneering a new wave of teeth straightening technology with its popular ‘clear aligners.’ So say goodbye to the high school movie makeover, because this is fast becoming an increasingly feasible alternative to traditional braces.

“We’ve seen a maturation of Invisalign’s clear aligners over the past decade,” explains Robert W Baird analyst Jeff Johnson. “They went from a product that was passable for some patients but not good for all back in 2011, to a product that by mid-2016, had orthodontists saying ‘I can use this technology in most cases.’”

Luckily for investors it seems like Align’s growth spurt is only just beginning. Top-ranked blogger Keith Speights believes Align has the power to double again over the next couple of years. First of all — even with the rapid uptake — the company still only accounts for 11% of the global orthodontics market. This means its expansion potential is huge. And at the same time, aligners are currently usable in only 65% of teeth misalignment cases. Align wants to take this figure to 80%.

The stock is also a top pick from the Street. Note that Goldman Sachs has also just selected Align as one of its 30 buy-rated high dispersion stocks. This means that it boasts “micro driven, idiosyncratic returns” not dictated by the general market forces. Good news when the market is as choppy and unpredictable as it is right now.

Strong Buy Stock: Home Depot (HD)

Source: Mike Mozart via Flickr (Modified)

Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD) is a key beneficiary of the housing market upswing. A recent report by CoreLogic reveals that US house prices are peaking again. The average home price is now 1% higher than it was in 2006, the report said — with the greatest improvement in West Coast states.

According to TipRanks, this home improvement chain store boasts a 91% bullish blogger rating right now. This works out way more bullish than the average services sector stock. Indeed, just a couple of days ago, five-star blogger Valuentum Securities Inc. described Home Depot as ‘building for the long haul.’ The financial blogger continued:

“We find Home Depot’s comparable store sales numbers highly impressive, but we find its return on invested capital (ROIC) targets downright amazing.” Indeed, its targeted ROIC stands at a very impressive 40%.

Meanwhile Morgan Stanley’s Simeon Gutman sees the stock spiking a further 19%. He is betting on the stock following ‘reassuring’ meetings with Home Depot management. Gutman told clients:

“Our meetings reinforced several strengths of the story: a favorable macro backdrop, an ability to take market share through differentiation, investing for the future, and organizational cohesion that increases productivity and efficiency while minimizing execution risk.”

Strong Buy Stock: Booking Holdings (BKNG)

Source: Shutterstock

Last, but by no means least, we have this extremely promising online travel company. Andres Cardenal is one of the Top 100 bloggers out of over 6,400 tracked by TipRanks. On April 10 he sets out why he is such a fan of the Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) — formerly known as Priceline.com. I particularly like this point “the company makes massive amounts of money.” (Editor’s Note: Paywall)

This is borne out by the facts — Booking was making $1.88 billion in revenue in 2008, fast forward ten years, and the Street is looking for $14.18 billion in revenue this year.

In fact, Booking has just disclosed a total of 28MM listings on its platform, of which 5.2MM listings are Alternative Accommodations. As a result, Booking now exceeds Airbnb’s ~4.85MM, to become the leading supplier of alternative accommodations. This trend is set to continue according to Mizuho Securities James Lee. He has recently initiated BKNG with a buy rating.

Even though the stock is already trading at $2,140 he sees big upside potential of 20%. This means we are looking at prices around the $2,600 mark. Lee believes Booking will continue to gain “disproportional” market share due to its “industry-leading expertise” in performance marketing. In fact, out of the 16 recent analyst ratings on the stock, 13 are bullish with only 3 analysts staying on the sidelines.

We are now rolling into the second quarter of 2018. So far this year the markets have been undeniably jumpy. Just last week global markets posted sharp losses as talk of a trade war continues to spook investors. But for the stocks listed below 2018 hasn’t been so bad at all.

In fact, it’s been something of a blessing. Bearing in mind the recent turbulence, all these stocks have defied the market and posted exceptional first-quarter gains. Here we dive in and take a closer look at the best-performing stock from each sector and what has prompted these out-sized movements.

Some are obvious picks — Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) for example — while others slide in relatively under the radar; Whiting Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:WLL) anyone? But the crucial question is: Are these stocks capable of recording similar high-growth levels in the coming months?

Using TipRanks we can see both the overall Street take on each stock’s outlook and specific insights from the Street’s top analysts. And if the stock isn’t looking so promising for the next quarter, I suggest a better stock pick to boost your 2018 portfolio. Ready? Let’s take a closer look:

Best Sector Stocks Through Q2: Healthcare: TG Therapeutics (TGTX)

Source: Shutterstock

Sector: Biotech

Shares in TG Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:TGTX) have exploded by a whopping 76% over the last three months. This innovative biotech is focused on developing novel treatments for devastating blood cancers and autoimmune diseases.

“We believe TG is generating a complete B-cell therapy franchise that is unique in the oncology space, which could provide substantial value across various B-cell cancers” cheers B.Riley FBR’s Madhu Kumar. He selects TGTX as an Out the Gate 2018 Pick, due to his “reasonable confidence in success in the Phase III UNITY-CLL trial, with interim data expected in 2Q18.”

For investors looking for some serious upside potential, five-star HC Wainwright analyst Edward White sees the stock spiking to $38 (154% upside potential). He reiterated his buy rating on March 21. White bases his valuation on the potential revenue and success of the company’s two main drugs ublituximab and umbralisib. Combined, he is projecting very promising 2026 revenue for these drugs of $990 million.

Bear in mind that so far White has struck gold with his TGTX recommendations. Across his 20 TGTX ratings he scores an 85% success rate and 38.3% average return.

Overall four analysts have published recent buy ratings on TGTX. No “hold” or “sell” ratings here. And with an average analyst price target of $27.50, on average analysts are predicting huge upside potential of over 80%. Conclusion: for risk-tolerant investors, this top stock still seems like a bargain!

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Best Sector Stocks Through Q2: Twilio (TWLO)

Source: Web Summit Via Flickr

Sector: Tech

Cloud communications platform Twilio Inc. (NYSE:TWLO) is no stranger to volatility. After going public in June 2016 at $15/share, prices surged to $71. But a 7-million secondary share offering saw the stock plummet just as fast. And on the shock loss of major customer Uber, shares sunk to just $23.

Now TWLO is on a roll again. In the last three months, prices have climbed almost 61% to $40. So what does all this mean? Will this bumpy ride continue? Well word on the Street is decidedly bullish. Analysts are excited about the recent unveiling of Twilio Flex, a programmable contact center vertical that is poised to become a major new platform for Twilio.

Following Twilio’s strong 4Q17 results, Oppenheimer analyst Ittai Kidron takes a deep dive into the company’s growth metrics. Even though sentiment is improving, the stock’s long-term potential is still underappreciated.

Kidron explains: “We believe that (1) expectations still underestimate Twilio’s growth potential; (2) expansion into traditional enterprise is showing early signs of success and offers a long runway ahead; (3) gross margin is likely to bottom in 1Q18 and has the potential to recover thereafter; and (4) Twilio continues to outperform the competition.”

In total, this ‘Strong Buy’ stock boasts 7 recent buy ratings vs 3 hold ratings. On average these analysts see just 5% upside potential from current levels. However, on the high-end Drexel Hamilton’s $47 price target from Brian White suggests much more appealing upside of almost 18%.

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Best Sector Stocks Through Q2: Bofl Holding (BOFI)

Source: Shutterstock

Sector: Financials

Internet-based Bofl Holding, Inc. (NASDAQ:BOFI) is proof that banks don’t need physical branches to succeed. Over the last five years, BOFI has posted life-changing returns 344%. Even in the last quarter shares climbed 35% to $39.45 due to better-than-expected earnings results.

For top B.Riley FBR analyst Steve Moss this is a top-notch stock with multiple positives. We are looking at “a quality franchise with clean credit, solid loan growth, ample capital, and strong profitability.” However, bearing in mind the stock’s sharp gains, he removes BOFI from his Alpha Generator list. He notes a “significant narrowing of its valuation relative to peers.”

Nonetheless, his report ends on a bullish note with a price target ramp from $42 to $45 (14% upside potential). Moss puts the move down to ‘increased confidence’ in estimates following H&R Block‘s (NYSE:HRB) disclosure of $1.07 billion in refund anticipation loans. Indeed this is the first year BofI is the exclusive provider of HRB’s refund anticipation loans giving the company huge cross-selling potential.

In total, this Strong Buy stock has recorded 3 recent buy ratings vs just 1 hold rating. Meanwhile the $43.25 average analyst price target indicates upside potential of just under 10%.

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Best Sector Stocks Through Q2: Fossil Group (FOSL)

Source: Joe King via Flickr (Modified)

Sector: Consumer

Is Fossil Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:FOSL) making a comeback? The fashion watch and accessories maker jumped nearly 67% in Q1 on a resound Q4 earnings beat. Specifically, FOSL reported earnings of 64 cents per share, topping analysts’ expectations of 40 cents per share. In addition, revenue came in at $920.8 million, ahead of Wall Street’s estimate of $890 million.

However, don’t bring the champagne out just yet. Top Oppenheimer analyst Anna Andreeva is going into party-pooper mode. She reiterates a Perform rating on FOSL shares as: “On the surface, FOSL appears to be playing better defense” but wearables growth is moderating, and even traditional watches are resetting lower with partners managing inventories down.

She concludes that the: “Stock is heavily shorted and is up big AMC on covering; net/net, in our view, not much has changed fundamentally: sales guided down sharply for 1Q18, profitability improvement aided by financial fixes as underlying trend is still negative.”

If we take a step back, we can see that Wall Street is not rooting for FOSL stock’s success. Based on 4 recent analyst ratings, TipRanks analytics exhibit FOSL as a Hold. However- boosted by the 1 bullish rating- the average analyst price target of $15 indicates 24% upside potential.

A far better investment proposition in the consumer good sector is semiconductor stock Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX). As the memory chip industry goes from strength to strength this stock is flourishing right now. With 32% upside potential and 14 recent “buy” ratings this is a stellar company I highly recommend checking out.

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Best Sector Stocks Through Q2: Netflix (NFLX)

Source: via Netflix

Sector: Services

Streaming giant Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) has popped over 56% in Q1 to an all-time-high. Now NLFX is worth approx. 130 billion, just short of Disney’s $150 billion. Of course, at these levels, we need to ask: how sustainable are these gains, and where can the stock price go now? And here the Street is- not surprisingly- divided. Let’s take a look:

On the one hand we have Pivotal analyst Jeffrey Wlodarczak. He is out with a bullish research note on NFLX after conducting thorough country by country research. The analyst’s verdict? “As long as NFLX continues to beat and raise on subscribers we believe the stock will continue to work.” Indeed, his $400 price target suggests big upside potential of 32%.

Long term international subscribers are looking better than ever, with Wlodarczak now angling for 250 million international subscribers by 2024. Netflix is even finally showing traction in Japan with upward trends detected across Asia as a whole. Following Netflix’s fourth quarter print, “the market appeared to effectively give NFLX management carte blanche to spend aggressively to drive healthy subscriber growth” highlights Wlodarczak.

Top Loop Capital Markets analyst Alan Gould is more restrained. Yes Netflix has an “unstoppable lead” in the US streaming TV business but ultimately: “with the stock up 66 percent in the first 11 weeks of the year, we find it hard to justify a bullish rating.”  Even so, his Hold rating comes with a $325 price target indicating 8% upside potential.

Overall, the stock has a mixed bag of ratings. We can see that the price target average for the last three months indicates downside potential. But crucially the average price target from ratings over just the last month comes out at $348. So now we are looking at 15% upside potential. Not so bad after all for one of the fastest-growing stocks out there!

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Best Sector Stocks Through Q2: Whiting Petroleum (WLL)

Sector: Basic Materials

Haven’t heard of Whiting Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:WLL) before? Well now’s your chance. This is a top crude oil producer in North Dakota which also operates substantial assets in northern Colorado. Shares soared over 30% in Q1 after the shale driller reported stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter results and a bullish 2018 outlook.

On the news Seaport Global analyst Mike Kelly upgraded Whiting Petroleum to Buy from Hold. He also increased his price target to $40 from $30 citing confidence in the Bakken development post Q4 results and the experience of new CEO, Brad Holly. He is pushing WLL toward its goal “of becoming a top-tier E&P company as measured by capital efficient growth and free cash flow generation.”

However even though the stock posted stellar gains this quarter, I would recommend not to invest at this point. Top analysts in particular appear unconvinced by WLL’s success story and there are better stocks worth checking out. Instead consider a ‘Strong Buy’ basic materials stock like MasTec, Inc. (NYSE:MTZ).

While MTZ hasn’t posted Q1 gains like WLL, it has big upside potential and has just been named a top mid-cap idea by Canaccord Genuity.

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Best Sector Stocks Through Q2: Axon Enterprise (AAXN)

Source: Shutterstock

Sector: Industial Goods

Arizona-based Axon Enterprise, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAXN) is best known for its flagship product: electroshock tasers. In fact, the company used to be known as TASER International. However, the company actually develops a wide range of technology and weapons for military, law enforcement and personal defense usage. Right now, it is focusing on developing on-body cameras and digital evidence software.

Over the last few quarters, it is fair to say that AAXN has not been a top performer. However, in Q1 all that changed with an impressive 43% increase in share prices. AAXN finally showed that it is delivering on its promise of better discipline and positive changes. After two quarters of GAAP operating break-even, Axon Enterprises posted the best operating profit in a year. This was on adjusted EBITDA basis the best in three years and a near record.

Top Oppenheimer analyst Andrew Uerkwitz believes that a ‘positive change is occurring.’ Operating expense was still up and there was yet another quirky one-time cash tax expense but “for the first time in several quarters, we are raising our numbers.” However even though he “liked what he heard,” for now Uerkwitz is staying sidelined. “We want to see where the stock settles in the near term and spend time on new growth initiatives such as fleet and RMS” explains Uerkwitz.

For investors looking to invest in the industrial goods sector, I would suggest trying major U.S. defense contractor Raytheon Company (NYSE:RTN) instead. Shares are up 15% in the last three months and with multiple big contract wins the stock has 100% Street support right now.

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