10 Stocks That Can Move Higher Whatever Happens

As we move nearer to 2019, market sentiment is growing increasingly cautious. And that’s fair enough. Talks of inverted yield curves and the ongoing U.S.-China trade war certainly aren’t boosting sentiment. But even within these conditions, there are still stellar stocks to buy out there.

I mean stocks with strong fundamentals and high growth potential. And the best part is, you don’t even have to look that far to find them. Morgan Stanley has just released a report revealing its stock picks for 2019. They see 2019 as a year of consolidation for the stock market. Consolidated stocks typically trade within limited price ranges and offer relatively few trading opportunities.

However, the names singled out in the report are capable of growing earnings even if the economy slows and the market tumbles.

Here I pinpoint 10 of the firm’s most compelling stock picks. As you will see all 10 stocks boast a “strong buy” analyst consensus rating (according to TipRanks research tools), and their upside potential doesn’t look too bad either. With that in mind, let’s see why Morgan Stanley is such a fan of these stocks right now:

Alphabet (GOOGL)

Stocks to Buy: Alphabet (GOOGL)

Source: Shutterstock

All’s well that ends well. Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL) may have endured a rocky trading period recently, but the future remains bright according to Morgan Stanley.

“As the dominant player in paid search, Google continues to benefit from secular growth as advertising dollars shift into digital,” the firm’s Brian Nowak (Track Record & Ratings) said.

Most notably, Google also owns YouTube, the leader in online video advertising. Indeed, Novak sees video advertising expanding nearly 25% from 2017 to 2020 to roughly $22 billion in the U.S. alone.

The Street shares this upbeat outlook. With a “strong buy” analyst consensus, the company’s $1,349 average price target speaks of 24% upside potential ahead. Get GOOGL Research Report.

Amazon (AMZN)

Stocks to Buy: Amazon (AMZN)

Source: Shutterstock

Also on Nowak’s stocks-to-buy list: Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN). “As the dominant player in U.S. eCommerce, Amazon continues to experience secular growth as retail dollars shift online,” the analyst explained.

He believes the e-commerce giant has a “significant opportunity” to capture a larger piece of the roughly $1 trillion worldwide eCommerce market (ex China). This is thanks to 1) the company’s growing logistics network and 2) its expanding Prime membership program.

Indeed, an impressive 37 out of 38 analysts covering the stock are bullish. That’s with a $2,154 average price target (27% upside potential). Bear in mind that while GOOGL stock might be struggling, AMZN is still enjoying strong momentum. Shares are up 40% year-to-date. Get the AMZN Research Report.

Expedia (EXPE)

Stocks to Buy: Expedia (EXPE)

Source: Shutterstock

Let’s stay in internet land for our third stock: leading online travel player Expedia Group (NASDAQ:EXPE). Like other web stocks, Expedia continues to benefit from secular growth as travel dollars shift online.

“The $1.3 trillion global travel industry remains a highly fragmented market and both BKNG and EXPE look well positioned given their scale advantages and portfolio of brands” writes Morgan Stanley’s Brian Nowak.

In all, over the next three years he expects EXPE’s bookings to grow at an aggressive 11% CAGR.

Indeed, while some skeptics may call the stock overvalued, the Street is forecasting a 23% rise in share prices for EXPE. That’s with 12 buy ratings vs three hold ratings over the last three months. Get the EXPE Research Report.

Illumina (ILMN)

Stocks to Buy: Illumina (ILMN)

Genetic sequencing stock Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN) gets the thumbs up from Morgan Stanley’s Steve Beushaw (Track Record & Ratings). This is a stock that’s already up 55% year-to-date, boosted by the savvy acquisition of Pacific Biosciences in December.

“As the dominant provider of technology to sequence DNA, ILMN stands to benefit from a series of market developments and policy changes that have emerged over the last year,” Beuchaw said.

Here are a few positive catalysts to consider: 1) The success of DNA-driven drug administration in immunotherapy by Merck 2) Stronger global pharma and government funding for DNA analysis 3) Growing consumer interest in DNA-derived applications; and 4) Growing global research funding for genomic research.

In terms of share price, the Street is modelling for 8% upside ahead. This would take this “strong buy” stock to buy to $367. Get the ILMN Research Report.

Intuitive Surgical (ISRG)

Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) specializes in robots — robotic surgeries to be precise. Its da Vinci robotic system has already racked up a whopping five million procedures. That’s with 44,000 da Vinci surgeons trained worldwide.

“Intuitive Surgical is the leader in robotic surgery,” states the firm’s David Lewis (Track Record & Ratings) said. The system allows doctors to carry out minimally invasive procedures. It does this by translating the surgeon’s hand movements into smaller, precise movements of tiny instruments inside the patient.

Lewis added: “The company has gained significant adoption within urology and gynecology and is still in the relatively early stages of penetration internationally and within broader procedures (including general surgery).”

With eight buy ratings vs two hold ratings, analysts forecast 24% upside for shares. Get the ISRG Research Report.

National Vision Holdings (EYE)

Stocks to Buy: National Vision Holdings (EYE)

Source: Shutterstock

National Vision Holdings (NASDAQ:EYE) is one of the largest and fastest-growing optical retailers in the U.S. It already boasts 1,000 stores in over 40 states.

“We believe EYE offers a unique blend of defensiveness and growth vis-à-vis its focus on value within the non-cyclical optical retail segment and ~50% unit growth runway,” Morgan Stanley’s Simeon Gutman (Track Record & Ratings) said.

The numbers speak for themselves. As Gutman points out, “EYE has delivered 67 consecutive quarters of positive SSS [same store sales] and is expected to grow square footage ~10% annually over the next several years.”

Plus the upside potential looks very compelling. Analysts see shares exploding by nearly 50% to $49. Get the EYE Research Report.

Palo Alto (PANW)

Stocks to Buy: Palo Alto (PANW)

This cybersecurity stock is primed for success. So says Keith Weiss (Track Record & Ratings). He sees Palo Alto Networks (NYSE:PANW) as well-positioned for future industry trends.

“To garner more effectiveness and efficiency in information security architectures, we believe the key secular trend in security will be the consolidation of spending towards integrated security platforms” revealed this five-star analyst.

And Weiss believes PANW can emerge victorious: “Palo Alto Networks stands well positioned to excel within that trend given its leadership in core network security and growing traction into areas such as Endpoint, Cloud, and Security Analytics.”

Encouragingly, its $240 average price target suggests 24% upside potential for this “strong buy” stock. Get the PANW Research Report.

Pluralsight (PS)

Despite what its name might suggest, this isn’t another vision-related stock. Pluralsight (NASDAQ:PS) is an online education company that provides IT and software video training courses through its website. The company is seeing “exceptional” business-to-business activity, with Q3 with billings growth over 50%.

“We believe Pluralsight is well positioned to help enterprises address the need for IT knowledge while managing an accelerating industry-wide talent gap,” commented Brian Essex (Track Record & Ratings).

He continues, “The platform is driven by machine learning technology that not only enables a more efficient learning process at the individual level but also enables enterprises to efficiently quantify, develop, and manage talent across technology platforms.”

Five analysts have rated the stock in the last three months. All named it a stock to buy. They see 30% upside potential ahead. Get the PS Research Report.

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX)

Stocks to Buy: Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX)

Source: Shutterstock

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) is a biotech that focuses primarily on cystic fibrosis (CF). Word on the Street: This is a stock with some of the best growth prospects in large-cap biotech.

“The company’s CF therapies Kalydeco and Orkambi collectively generated ~$2.2B in sales in 2017, and a third therapy (Symdeko) was approved in early 2018, which we believe could generate ~$750M in sales for 2018E” comments Morgan Stanley’s Matthew Harrison.

Plus Vertex is also developing a triple combination therapy for cystic fibrosis. According to Harrison, this triple therapy has generated strong late-stage data and “could address a large portion of the CF market.”

In total, 12 out of 13 analysts rate this “strong buy” stock a buy, with 17% upside potential from current levels. Get the VRTX Research Report.

Visa (V)

Stocks to Buy: Visa (V)

Source: Shutterstock

Last but not least we have financial giant Visa (NYSE:V). Trends are looking strong going into 2019.

“Visa is a key beneficiary of robust consumer spending worldwide, the ongoing migration from cash to electronic payments, and broadening merchant acceptance,” sums up Morgan Stanley analyst James Faucette.

This should power the stock higher despite forex headwinds.

“Global Personal Consumption Expenditure and secular growth drivers should support high-single-digit volume growth and low double-digit revenue growth in the near-to-medium term” he adds.  Europe, India and Visa Direct are all potential upside drivers.

All told, 15 analysts rate this a stock to buy with only two analysts staying sidelined. Their average price target indicates 19% upside potential. Get the V Research Report.

This ‘Overlooked’ Sector Produced the Biggest Winners of the Last Decade
Wall Street is oblivious to it, yet you can earn 2,537% profits from an overlooked "blue chip" sector. The same group of stocks that has produced some of the biggest winners of the last 10 years.
Investors have earned 618%, 834%, and up to 2,500% - performing better than Amazon, Netflix and Facebook.
Click here to get in on your own 2,537% windfall.

Source: Investor Place 

Market Preview: Markets Cling to Gains as Rally is Sold

Markets continued a trend of sell the rallies today, even though the three major indexes finished in the black. News that the U.S. and China were making progress on tariffs, and that President Trump was willing to consider intervention in the detention of the Chinese CFO of Huawei, sent markets soaring after the open. The rally on headline trade news was once again sold as traders turned negative in the afternoon, leaving the DJIA up .64%, the S&P 500 clinging to a gain of .54%, and the Nasdaq up .95%. The tech heavy Nasdaq had been up as much as 2.35% earlier in the day. Investors are running out of time for any meaningful rally in December, and face the prospect of another Fed rate hike next week. Continued unsettling trade news, rate hike fears, a crumbling housing market, and general international unrest, both with BREXIT and riots in Paris, have kept the market on an uneven kilter as 2018 is drawing to an end. Investors can likely expect more up and down trading until some of these major issues are resolved.

Tech earnings will be front-and-center Thursday when Adobe (ADBE) and Ciena Corp. (CIEN) report. Adobe will look to placate investors who have begun to rely on the Saas company to produce ever increasing earnings. Last quarter the company hit another earnings record, increasing earnings 24%, beating both company and analyst projections. Expectations for Ciena are a little more down to earth, with an expected 4.8% year-over-year earnings increase projected. The stock has performed well in 2018, and will look to assure investors who have driven the stock to a 50% gain thus far. Also reporting Thursday is warehouse retailer Costco (COST). Reporting 10% comparable store sales for November late last week, investors are expecting another great number from the membership store as we head into year end.  

Thursday analysts will review weekly jobless claims, import and export prices and the EIA nat gas report. The recent uptick in jobless claims is expected to level off, with claims projected at 228K, down slightly from last week’s 231K. Thursday afternoon the Treasury budget and the Fed balance sheet numbers will be released. While it usually attracts little attention, the Treasury budget may garner mention this week with the possible partial shutdown of the U.S. Government looming in a few weeks. The Fed balance sheet has been in focus lately as the Fed is using a reduction in the balance sheet to tighten monetary policy. The balance sheet has shrunk from a high of $4.5 trillion to just over $4 trillion currently. The Fed shrinks the balance sheet by decreasing the amount of reinvestment it performs from maturing securities. Another $11 billion is expected to be removed from the balance sheet this week.

Retail sales and industrial production numbers will be released Friday. Industrial production, which rose only .1% in October, is expected to rebound slightly rising .3%. Also released Friday will be the PMI composite flash reading along with the Baker-Hughes rig count numbers and business inventories.

Indian multinational ICICI Bank (IBN) is projected to report earnings on Friday. With a $62 billion market cap, the bank has traded relatively flat in 2018. Earnings are expected to come in at $.05 per share. Analysts are also expecting numbers from Telecom Italia (TI) to close out the week. The NYSE traded ADR of the Italian communications company has fallen on hard times this year. The stock is down 26% so far in 2018.

A Pizza Company More Profitable Than Amazon?
Forget Tesla, Amazon, Netflix and Google! A Pizza Company has beat every single one of these tech giants... and made its investors over 2,500% since 2010.
It's all thanks to a $100 Trillion ‘Digital Helix’ and it could make YOU 2,537% profits if you act before November 29.
Click here to find out more...

This 20.1% Yield is Too Good to Be True (But This 11.8% Payout Isn’t!)

Most dividend investors understandably love the idea of an 8% No Withdrawal Portfolio. It’s a simple yet “game changing” idea that you don’t hear much from mainstream pundits and advisors.

Find stocks that pay 7%, 8% or more and you can retire comfortably, living off dividend checks while your initial capital stays intact (or even appreciates).

Now this strategy is a bit more complicated than simply finding 8% yields and buying them. Granted the recent stock market pullback has benefited investors like us because we can snag more dividends for our dollar. Yields are higher overall, and that’s a good thing.

Next we must smartly select the stocks that are going to pay our dividends securely – without tapping their own shares prices to pay us.

An Ideal 11.8% Dividend Payer That “Pivoted” Properly

As I write to you there are 123 stocks (trading on major US exchanges with market caps above $500 million) that yield 8% or more. A holiday basket of these dividends is going to be a mixed bag, however. While some of these stocks will shower you with quarterly (or even monthly) payouts with price appreciation to boot, others will lose some or all of your cash in price depreciation.

Of our 123 candidates, 99 have not delivered 40% total returns over the past five years. And this is the minimum we ask of an 8% payer – dish us our dividend and don’t lose our initial capital!

Granted this “back of the envelope” study is probably a bit harsh. We’re missing a few elite 8% payers that “graduated” to lower yields thanks to good stock performances. Still, the important lesson here is that 8% payout success is challenging (though not impossible, as we’ll see shortly).

Of these 99 high paying under-performers we have 57 “biggest losers.” These stocks have actually lost their investors money over the past five years. In other words, they have delivered their big dividends yet lost as much (or more) in price. Not good!

And remember, the S&P 500 returned 61% over the time period. So while we can expect our steadier strategy may underperform during roaring bull markets, we would expect a business to at least beat your mattress as a total return vehicle.

Exceptions? Sure. Business models can change, and past performance isn’t necessarily a predictor of future results.

For example a subscriber recently wrote in to ask why New Residential Investment (NRZ) declined in price three years ago. Well, NRZ had a completely different portfolio now than it did then. Let me explain.

Mortgage REITs (mREITs) like NRZ typically buy mortgage loans and collect the interest. Their business model prints money when long-term rates are steady or, better yet, declining. When long-term rates drop, these existing mortgages become more valuable (because new loans pay less).

On the other hand, the mREIT gravy train usually derails when rates rise and these mortgage portfolios decline in value. Historically, rising rate environments have been very bad for mREITs and resulted in deadly dividend cuts.

But NRZ has actually doubled its investors’ money and the value of its own portfolio (its book value) in less than three years. Its secret? Rather than buying mortgages, NRZ has been investing in mortgage service rights (MSRs). This is “the right” to collect payments from a borrower. In other words, the firm doesn’t own these loans – it owns the rights to service these loans.

MSRs tend to rise in value when mortgage refinancing slows down. That’s exactly what happened, and this “pivot” has made many retirement riches. Happy NRZ investors have collected double-digit dividends while enjoying price appreciation to the tune of 151% total returns!

An Ideal 11.8% Dividend Payer

NRZ’s success story is, as discussed, more rare than not in 8%-ville. Let’s now call out a couple of popular “losers” that, despite their high current yields, don’t really belong in retirement portfolios.

2 Stocks Yielding Up to 20.1% to Avoid

Fashion retailer Buckle Inc (BKE) has paid 14.7% of its current share price in dividends over the past twelve months (thanks to a $2 “special” payout). But the dividend well might run dry soon.

Buckle’s sales (the blue line below) have been in a slow-motion nosedive for three years, taking earnings (red line) and free cash flow (FCF, in orange) down with them:

Belt Tightens on Buckle’s Payout

Why are sales suffering? The firm’s revenues are drying up with its retail outlets. Buckle must pivot its business model to sell direct to consumers online in order to survive.

These “death of retail” market stresses, predictably, have driven up Buckle’s payout ratios: in the last 12 months, the company paid out more than it earned in dividends (140% of profits, to be precise), along with 123% of FCF.

I don’t like to see payout ratios above 50% from non-REITs, let alone 100%. This dividend has too high a risk of becoming unbuckled to belong in a No Withdrawal Portfolio.

Government Properties Income Trust (GOV) meanwhile is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that frequently pops up on cute recession-proof dividend lists. Most of the company’s income comes from government entities, so it seems like a smart way to potentially tap Uncle Sam for rent checks.

And GOV’s big dividend usually qualifies itself for No Withdrawal consideration. However its recent run-up in yield is actually a bad thing:

The Wrong Kind of Bull Market

Problem is, this “bull market” in yield has happened because GOV’s stock has collapsed! Its share price is down 66% in five years. Even with the supposedly generous payout, GOV investors have the taste of stale government cheese in their mouths:

GOV Investors Down 46% With Dividends

There are a few reasons GOV has been crushed. First, its stated funds from operation (FFO) have been in decline. FFO per share is 24% lower today than it was five years ago, even though the dividend is the same.

Second, GOV may be overstating its FFO. The firm has been accused of conveniently excluding maintenance-related capital expenditures. Can you imagine old government buildings that don’t require any maintenance?

And finally, even if we give GOV the benefit of the doubt, it still seems to be paying cash it doesn’t have. Its annual dividend of $1.72 per share exceeds its trailing twelve-month FFO of $1.54. A more responsible 90% payout ratio (which is OK for a REIT) would mean a reduced dividend closer to $1.38 per share.

But the market is expecting worse, which is why GOV yields a “beyond contrarian” 20.1%. Stay away from this sketchy situation.

Editor's Note: The stock market is way up – and that’s terrible news for us dividend investors. Yields haven’t been this low in decades! But there are still plenty of great opportunities to secure meaningful income if you know where to look. Brett Owens' latest report reveals how you can easily (and safely) rake in 8%+ dividends and never worry about drawing down your capital again. Click here for full details!

Source: Contrarian Outlook