10 Stocks to Buy As They Soar Higher in Q4 and Beyond

As we say goodbye to a strong Q3, it’s time to welcome the seasonally strong Q4. So far, the quarter has had a choppy start, with shares pulling back on rising Treasury interest rates. But don’t let that faze you. “The market is going to be on the defensive for another few weeks, but we think it sets up the year-end rally,” Wall Street’s Jeff Saut, chief strategist at Raymond James told CNBC.

But how do you ensure that you are picking the right stocks to buy for an end-of-year flourish and a lucrative 2019?

Here are 10 top stock ideas. I found these stocks to buy by zeroing in on stock recommendations on TipRanks from best-performing analysts. All these stocks share a “Buy” consensus from the Street and compelling upside potential to match.

Let’s delve in now:

Netflix (NFLX)

Netflix (NFLX) stocks to buy

Source: Shutterstock

Shares in Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) are down in the last few days. But 2019 promises to give NFLX stock more room to run. Expect a strong slate of original content, international dramas and movies like Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, starring Al Pacino, and Michael Bay’s Six Underground, starring Ryan Reynolds.

Plus the streaming giant has the green light from Goldman Sachs’ Heath Terry (Track Record & Ratings). This five-star analyst believes shares can spike over 30% to $470. “Despite Netflix outperforming consensus estimates for net subscriber additions for the past five years, analyst forecasts continue to understate the company’s future growth, both near and long term, in our view,” Terry explained.

Terry sees out-of-home mobile viewing as a big source of potential subscribers, especially in emerging markets like India. The firm is looking for 30 million net adds in 2019 versus consensus estimates of 25 million.

Even though Terry is notably above consensus, he is far from the most bullish analyst. That award goes to Imperial Capital’s David Miller (Track Record & Ratings). His Street-high $494 price target suggests upside potential of 40%. See what other Top Analysts are saying about NFLX.

Cigna Corp (CI)

Cigna Corp (CI) stocks to buy

Source: Shutterstock

U.S. health insurance stock Cigna Corporation (NASDAQ:CI) has only Buy ratings from the Street right now.

Top 25 analyst Steven Halper of Cantor Fitzgerald (Track Record & Ratings) spies a compelling risk/reward ratio. He has just initiated coverage of Cigna with a $245 price target (16% upside potential).

Word on the Street is that “[a]n attractive franchise gets more attractive.” He sees multiple benefits from the recent $54 billion acquisition of Express Scripts (NASDAQ:ESRX), a large pharmacy benefit manager (PBM).

“In addition to its core franchise in the self-insured market, the company should see strong benefits from the pending acquisition of Express Scripts” he explains. “We believe the transaction, which should close by year-end 2018, is a logical fit, both strategically and financially, with natural synergies.”

Plus Goldman Sachs has just upgraded the stock from Buy to Conviction Buy.

Concho Resources (CXO)

Concho Resources (CXO) stocks to buy

Source: Shutterstock

This is a core Permian Basin large cap with a strong track record of execution. Shares are up 19% in the last month and poised to move higher.

Williams Capital analyst Gabriele Sorbara (Track Record & Ratings) singles out Concho Resources (NYSE:CXO) as a “Top Pick.”

“We believe CXO is positioning for an even better 2019+ with continued execution and further differentiation from its peers with strong oil growth and FCF generation” states Sorbara.

Most notably, large infrastructure spending in 2H18 should allow for large-scale development and acceleration of the RSPP assets in 2019 and 2020. Given this, the Williams Capital analyst reaffirms his buy rating with a $189 price target (19% upside potential).

Similarly Jefferies’ Mark Lear calls the stock “vastly undervalued.” Due to its long-term growth potential and FCF, he sees prices hitting $203 (28% upside).

Overall, this is a stock to buy with 100% top analyst support and a $193 average price target.

VMWare (VMW)

VMWare (VMW) stocks to buy

Source: Shutterstock

VMware (NASDAQ:VMW) is the leading provider of virtualization solutions for businesses. This includes data center consolidation and remote management.

“We’re adding VMware to our top picks” cheered top Oppenheimer analyst Ittai Kidron (Track Record & Ratings). Following the VMWorld conference, he ramped up his price target to $180 (15% upside potential).

“With stock trading at ~15x CY19/FCF estimates, we believe there’s still skepticism with respect to VMware’s competitive positioning and ability to grow in the face of a cloud transition. Our checks/meetings indicate otherwise. We’re bullish.”

Indeed, his customer survey points to a double whammy of 1) strong spending intentions and 2) new product uptake. Encouragingly, ~77% of VMWare customers revealed plans to increase spending over the next 12 months vs. none to reduce.

Bottom line: “We’re positive on VMware’s technology and execution, and believe it is now well positioned to be a leader in enabling hybrid cloud deployments.”  See what other Top Analysts are saying about VMW.

Rhythm Pharma (RYTM)

Rhythm Pharma (RYTM) stocks to buy

Source: Shutterstock

This biopharma is developing treatments for rare genetic deficiencies that result in life-threatening metabolic disorders.

Rhythm Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:RYTM) has just announced positive updated clinical data from setmelanotide’s Phase II “basket” study. This includes both Bardet-Biedl Syndrome (BBS) and Alström Syndrome.

“We continue to think that Rhythm is undervalued for setmelanotide’s potential” cheers Cowen & Co’s Phil Nadeau (Track Record & Ratings). He has just reiterated his Buy rating with a $40 price target. Luckily for investors this translates into over 39% upside potential.

According to Nadeau “Setmelanotide’s impact continues to look durable, with responders maintaining reductions in weight and appetite for over a year.” With approximately 2,500 patients with BBS in the U.S., this could be a major driver of RYTM’s revenue.

Next step: a Phase III study that will include both BBS and Alström patients. By combining both indications, the company expects a more rapid path to approval. The trial is expected to initiate by the end of 2018.

Alexion Pharma (ALXN)

Alexion Pharma (ALXN) stocks to buy

Source: Alexion Pharmaceuticals

Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALXN) is a “Strong Buy” U.S. pharma best known for its development of Soliris. The flagship drug is already used to treat rare blood disorders. However, it is now expanding into other indications, including NMO. This is a rare central nervous system disorder that has no FDA-approved treatment.

Alexion has just released successful trial data for Soliris in patients with NMO. Citi analyst Robyn Karnauskas (Track Record & Ratings) now models 2025 NMO sales of $1.3 billion with a price target of $195 (43% upside potential).

“NMO data comes as relatively unexpected upside adding another potentially large market & growth opportunity for Soliris & +$4/sh to our PT” comments RBC analyst Kennen MacKay (Track Record & Ratings). He sees shares surging 25% to $170.

The RBC analyst added: “While Soliris expansion does not help skeptics of “pipeline in a product” structure we continue to see ALXN as one of the Large-Cap Biotech companies with the highest growth potential through 2020.”

Boeing (BA)

Boeing (BA) stocks to buy

Source: Shutterstock

“Boeing remains our #1 pick for extended commercial cash upswing” cheers top Cowen & Co analyst Cai Rumohr (Track Record & Ratings). He is forecasting strong EPS/cash flow gains through 2021. Bear in mind that this top analyst has scored highly with his Boeing (NYSE:BA) ratings so far (a 79% success rate and 36% average return per rating).

According to Rumohr, Boeing’s three recent military program wins (MQ-25, Huey Replacement, and T-X), have a combined program plan size of $24 billion.

“T-X will have a meaningful potential foreign market as well as opportunity for sale in a light attack role; and MQ-25 has potential for downstream ISR applications” the analyst states. He has a $445 price target on BA stock. Even with shares up 10% in the last month, he still sees 15% upside potential ahead.

If we look at ratings from only top analysts the consensus is a firm “Strong Buy.”

Salesforce (CRM)

Salesforce (CRM) stocks to buy

Source: Shutterstock

Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) calls itself the world’s No. 1 customer relationship management (CRM) platform. And right now, CRM stock is basking in the Street’s highest praise. Piper Jaffray’s Alex Zukin (Track Record & Ratings) writes: CRM “is making all the right moves, at the right time, with the right people.”

He has just reiterated his CRM Buy rating following CRM’s Dreamforce conference and analyst meeting. Plus Zukin bumped up his price target from $180 to a Street-high of $190 (23% upside potential).

Moreover, Oppenheimer’s Brian Schwartz sees prices hitting $180 (up from $160 previously). According to Schwartz: “We consider CRM one of the healthiest long-term growth stories in our SaaS/applications software universe.” Indeed, Salesforce has just revised their TAM to $140 billion, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 7% from the calendar year 2018 to 2022.

He zeroes in on the company’s “upbeat” presentations at the recent analyst meeting. “We found the company’s product updates, partnership news with Apple and Amazon, and overall commentary on the strategy, business trends and opportunities, as positive” Schwartz explains. See what other Top Analysts are saying about CRM.

Energy Transfer (ETE)

Energy Transfer (ETE) stocks to buy

Source: Shutterstock

Elvira Scotto (Track Record & Ratings), one of the Top 100 analysts on TipRanks, is betting on the fortunes of Energy Transfer Equity (NYSE:ETE). She sees ETE stock surging 32% to hit $23. Energy Transfer Equities is about to merge with its affiliated master limited partnership Energy Transfer Partners LP (NYSE:ETP). This is a savvy move advises Scotto.

“We continue to view the proposed ETP/ETE simplification transaction positively, and believe the pro-forma entity will have a better cost of capital and the ability to self-fund growth capex” she says. According to Scotto, ETE is on track to achieve its leverage targets by ramping cash flows and reducing debt.

What’s more, the RBC analyst expects the resulting entity to “continue to benefit from growing crude oil production in the United States given its well positioned asset base.” With six consecutive buy ratings, it isn’t just Scotto calling the bull-story on this energy powerhouse. See what other Top Analysts are saying about ETE.

Verastem (VSTM)

Verastem (VSTM) stocks to buy

Source: Shutterstock
Shares in Verastem (NASDAQ:VSTM) are up a whopping 125% year-to-date. And analysts are predicting significant growth ahead (123%). This is with six consecutive buy ratings over the last three months.

Most notably, Verastem has just announced an early FDA approval for Copiktra (duvelisib). This is a treatment for adult patients with specific types of lymphoma. Post-approval, VSTM signed an exclusive licensing agreement for the drug with CSPC, a leading pharma in China.

Under the agreement, Verastem snaps up $15 million alongside $160 million for additional milestones. It will also receive double-digit royalties on Copiktra sales.

China is a major oncology market with growing incidence of leukemia. Since 2012, China follows Japan as the world’s second-largest pharmaceutical market with annual sales of over $122 billion. While historically the incidence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas has been much lower in China than the West, the rate is increasing at nearly 6% per year over the last decade.

“We believe that the latest agreement represents a significant market opportunity for Copiktra, and we believe that CSPC is a great partner for Verastem to develop the drug in China” concludes H.C. Wainwight’s Ramakanth (Track Record & Ratings). See what other Top Analysts are saying about VSTM.

Source: Investor Place

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3 Imminent Special Dividends Ripe for Buying Now (yields up to 9.7%)

If you want to double—or even triple—your dividend income overnight, there’s an easy way to do it: buy stocks that pay special dividends.

And today I’ve got 3 totally ignored special-dividend payers for you. Each of these top-notch income plays throws off “hidden” payouts yielding up to 9.7%!

We’ll unmask all 3 as we roll through this article. We’ll also look at the almost comical reason why stocks like these get completely overlooked, and I’ll give you everything you need to get in on the next big special payout before it drops.

A $2-Trillion Cash Stash Looking for a Home

It happens like clockwork: a company announces a blowout quarter or a hike in its regular payout … and rolls out a big special dividend either days before or just after.

It’s the ultimate attention getter!

Because let’s be honest, there’s no better way to get first-level investors to take notice than by doling out free money. With S&P 500 firms sitting on a $2-trillion hoard, plus billions more in overseas cash headed back to the US due to tax reform, there’s a boatload of extra greenbacks to go around these days.

And when a surprise special dividend drops into your account, it can turn a ho-hum payer into an income investor’s dream—like what happened with my first pick.

Special-Dividend Buy No. 1: A “Pick-and-Shovel” Play for 5.9% Cash Payouts

Duke Realty (DRE) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) I pounded the table on a few weeks ago in “3 Shocking Ways to Get a Double-Digit Dividend From Amazon.”

As I wrote in that piece, Duke owns 499 warehouses across 32 states, and Amazon.com (AMZN) is its No. 1 tenant, making Duke a perfect “pick-and-shovel” play on the e-commerce megatrend.

(If you’re unfamiliar, “pick and shovel” refers to the California gold rush, when the people who really got rich were the shopkeepers who sold picks and shovels to the gold-seekers, rather than the prospectors themselves.)

Last December, Duke paid out a hefty $0.85 special dividend—its second “bonus” payout in three years! That came on top of a growing “regular” dividend:

An Off-the-Radar Cash Machine

Here’s the thing, though: if you go to, say, Yahoo! Finance, you’ll see that DRE’s current dividend yield is 2.9%.

That’s not bad, better than the S&P 500 average of 1.7%. But it’s a shadow of DRE’s “true” yield, because the popular stock screeners don’t count special dividends in their yield calculations.

Take a look at this screen grab on Duke from Yahoo! Finance:

Special Dividend: MIA

Source: Yahoo! Finance

But when you add DRE’s $0.85 special dividend back into its regular payouts, you get its “true” dividend yield of 5.9%!

And Duke can easily keep these extra payouts coming: its regular dividend eats up just 52% of its funds from operations (FFO, the best standard of REIT performance), very low for a REIT.

Finally, even though Duke goosed its full-year guidance in its Q2 earnings report, the stock boasts a far lower price/FFO ratio than a year ago: a reasonable 20.9 now vs. 23.5 then.

So go ahead and grab a piece of “Amazon’s landlord” before it drops its next special payout and/or big dividend hike in 2019.

4 Proven Ways to Spot Special Dividends Early

“So,” you’re probably thinking, “if you can’t spot a company’s special dividend on a stock screener, how on earth do you find stocks that offer these payouts?”

I zero in on 3 things when I’m filtering out special-dividend payers to recommend in my Contrarian Income Reportservice:

  1. Healthy balance sheets, with low (or no) debt and a high cash balance;
  2. Strong free cash flow; and
  3. High insider ownership—because special dividends are an indirect way to reward top execs.

The second of our 3 picks, truck maker PACCAR Inc. (PCAR), ticks off all 3 boxes—and it’s dirt cheap, too!

Special-Dividend Buy No. 2: A “Hidden” 94% Income Boost

PACCAR makes big rigs flying the Peterbilt and Kenworth names on their hood ornaments, and the company’s dividend is just as rugged as its products: PACCAR has paid a regular dividend every year since 1941.

But the first-level crowd still shuns PACCAR because it only sports a “regular” dividend yield of 1.6%. That’s too bad, because if you’ve been watching the company, you know this isn’t its real payout.

The ignored truth here is that the big-rig maker has rolled out special dividends every single January for the last eight years. Check it out:

“Hidden” Payout Doubles Your Yield

When you add in PACCAR’s last special dividend, its “real” yield jumps to 3.1%—94% higher than most folks think it is!

And as I said a second ago, this one is blaring all 3 of our special-dividend signals:

  1. Healthy balance sheet, with $3.5 billion in cash and $9.2 billion in debt (the difference, $5.7 billion, is a modest 23% of PACCAR’s market cap);
  2. Strong free cash flow (FCF), up 75% on a trailing-12-month basis in the last 5 years; and
  3. High insider ownership, with 4% of PACCAR’s outstanding shares in the hands of its execs.

To be sure, this is a cyclical business, but PACCAR still has a lot of upside as it cashes in on surging US consumer and business spending: profits soared 50% in the second quarter, while revenue spiked 23%, to a record $5.8 billion.

Thank Trump for This Bargain

Here’s the kicker: Despite those sizzling results, trade worries have pushed the stock down about 2% on the year, giving us a chance to steal this one for just 12 times earnings.

But it’s only a matter of time before the herd realizes that the new USMCA deal between the US, Canada and Mexico frees PACCAR from those fears; the company gets 63% of its sales from these 3 countries.

Oh, and management typically announces its next special dividend in early December, making now the time to buy.

Which brings me to …

Special-Dividend Pick No. 3: A 9.7% Payout at a 16% Discount

The third pick I have for you is the General American Investors Fund (GAM), closed-end fund (CEF) I recommended back on August 14.

GAM is the classic example of an overlooked special dividend. Right now, its “regular” payout of $0.50 yearly, paid in February, yields just 1.4%.

But we need to look closer.

Because the lion’s share of GAM’s dividend rolls out as a special payout every December. (This year-end payment is based on management’s estimate of income from the fund’s portfolio for the full year, plus capital gains from January through October.)

When you factor in GAM’s last regular payout and the special dividend, the fund’s trailing-12-month yield jumps to 9.7%!

“Regular” Payout a Red Herring

Source: CEFConnect.com

Funny thing is, the so-called “regular” dividend is nothing more than spillover: capital gains or income GAM racks up in the last two months of the year!

This may seem like a bizarre dividend policy, but it’s there for a reason: it gives management leeway to invest in fast-growers like Gilead Sciences (GILD), Microsoft (MSFT) and Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A).

This strategy has paid off in spades. Check out the beat-down GAM has laid on the S&P 500 since its inception 20 years ago. And of course, due to those outsized payouts, nearly all of that gain has been in cash:

Hands-On Approach Pays Off

The upshot? Thanks in part to this bizarre dividend policy, whose value has been completely missed, GAM trades at a ludicrous 16% discount to its net asset value (NAV, or the value of its underlying portfolio).

Let’s buy now, before the first-level crowd takes a second to actually look at the charts.

The Dream Portfolio: Special Dividends and 8%+ Monthly Payouts

When you combine these 3 special dividend payers with my NEW 8% Monthly Dividend Portfolio, you get something truly magical indeed.

Imagine this: you’re banking a safe-and-sound 8% from your investments (either in your golden years or while you’re still working). So if you’ve got a $500k nest egg, that amounts to a steady $40,000—year in and year out!

It gets better, though, because the 6 cash-rich buys in my 8% Monthly Dividend portfolio drop their dividends into your account monthlySo you can count on $3,333 every single month on your $500k.

You can use that cash however you like: either to pay your bills or plow straight back into your portfolio, growing your income stream further!

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

Two Stocks to Buy in Japan’s Quiet Bull Market

It’s the bull market that almost no U.S. investor has heard about. But it is a very real and vibrant bull market. What am I talking about?

The Japanese stock market, which last week hit a 27-year high!

After Japan’s “bubble economy” collapsed in the early 1990s, its entered a long period of recession and stagnation. In the late 1990s, conditions got even worse as a financial crisis hit some of its leading financial companies, such as Yamaichi Securities and the Long-Term Credit Bank of Japan. The Nikkei index continued drifting downward after that, hitting the 7,054.98 mark on March 10, 2009 as the global financial crisis took its toll.

But then, the second Abe government began in December 2012, and its so-called Abenomics economic strategy, including an ultra-easy monetary policy from the Bank of Japan, took both Japan’s economy and stock market into a long upward trend, which has continued to this day.

Clear evidence of that was seen in the second quarter of 2018 when Japan’s economy grew at the fastest pace in more than two years, as the country witnesses its longest stretch of economic growth in a generation.

Japan Regains Former Glory

This economic growth is reflected in Japan’s stock market, which this past summer regained its place as the world’s second largest stock market, as it surpassed a struggling mainland Chinese stock market. It lost the second spot to China in 2014.

Why has Japan’s stock market come to life? There are a number of reasons.

First of all, Wall Street was wrong about the effects of the U.S. – China trade war on Japan. It thought Japan would suffer, but instead it has flourished. As CLSA equity strategist Nicholas Smith told Bloomberg, “If China and the U.S. are going to throw bricks at each other’s windows, it pays to be the one that sells glass to both sides.”

But there’s a lot more at play here than the trade war. Earnings have been spectacular. In the last quarter, about two-thirds of the companies listed on Japan’s benchmark Topix index had big earnings beats. And we’re talking here about the big familiar names like Sony.

And these Japanese companies are thrashing earnings forecasts while their valuations are dirt cheap. The average Japanese stock is selling for about a 20% discount to the average European stock, which in turn is selling at a 20% discount to the average U.S. stock. In other words, in many cases, you are getting growth that is outpacing their U.S. counterparts and at a much, much lower valuation.

One look at Japanese companies’ pre-tax profits will show you what a good story Japan is. Over the past five years, Japanese companies’ average profit margins have risen from about 4.5% to 7.7% – well ahead of where margins were even at the peak of the late 1980s bubble era when market valuations were stratospheric. The profitability growth arises, in large part, from cost-cutting exercises conducted across much of corporate Japan following the global financial crisis.

Look at the chart (based on Ministry of Finance data and compiled by the brokerage firm CLSA) below that shows the profitability of corporate Japan (including unlisted companies) surging to its highest level since comparable data started being compiled in 1954.

Japanese companies have also found enthusiasm for corporate governance, which had always been a problem. The 2014 publication of the stewardship code encouraged investors to demand more from companies and the companies have delivered. Increasing dividends and share buybacks are becoming much more commonplace in Japan.

Finally, there is also direct support for Japanese equities from the Bank of Japan (BOJ), which for years bought Japanese stocks as part of its massive monetary easing program to lift the country out of deflation and hit a 2% price-stability target.

Under governor Haruhiko Kuroda’s quantitative and qualitative monetary easing (QQE) plan, stock-buying through exchange-traded funds (ETFs) started in 2013 at a pace of about 1 trillion yen ($8.873 billion) annually, expanding to about 3 trillion yen in October 2014, and further to about 6 trillion yen in July 2016. The BOJ though has begun to taper its purchases as well as shifting the emphasis from ETFs focused on the Nikkei 225 index to the Topix index.

This form of QE makes the BOJ a predictable buyer in the event of a sharp market sell-off. Since the start of Abenomics in 2013, the index has never fallen for more than eight days in a row.

Japan’s ‘New’ Stock Leaders

It is interesting to note that this run to a 27-year high has not been led by the usual ‘suspects’ – the giant exporters like Toyota.

Instead, retailers, healthcare and pharma companies and other more defensive shares have been driving the increase, with companies such as Fast RetailingFamilyMart UNY Holdings and Eisai at the forefront. On the broader Topix index, it’s the same story with pharmaceutical companies, utilities and service firms among the standout performers.

The top 10 ranking of Japanese stocks today is vastly different from the last time stocks traded at the current level in 1991. Back then, banks claimed seven of the top 10 spots. Today, there are only two. And even Toyota, which occupies the top spot currently is only valued at about 80% of its pre-financial-crisis level.

Four of the companies in the current top 10 had not even listed yet in 1991. Technology and investment giant Softbank Group (OTC: SFTBY) went public in 1994 and currently sits behind only Toyota, with a valuation of more than $105 billion. Third-ranked NTT Docomo – the mobile unit of fourth-ranked Nippon Telegraph & Telephone listed in 1998. Telecommunications company KDDI, at No. 8, went public in 1993. And the 10th-ranked stock, staffing company Recruit Holdings, did so in 2014.

Companies, like Softbank, that are overseas powerhouses are also in the top 10. For both automation equipment maker Keyence, the No. 7 player, and sixth-ranked Sony (NYSE: SNE), at least half of sales come from outside Japan. By the way, Keyence’s market cap of 8 trillion yen represents 19-fold growth from 27 years earlier.

How to Invest in Japan

If you are looking to invest into Japan’s bull market, please do NOT use ETFs. If you do, your performance will be held back by the banks and other similar companies in the index that offer little growth.

Instead, stick with individual stocks as I have with the Growth Stock Confidential portfolio that currently holds three Japanese stocks with great growth potential. There are many possibilities that offer you growth at a good price.

Related: Buy These 3 Growth Stocks on Robinhood and Pay NO Commission

For instance, there is Sony, which this year has racked up record profits. Quite a change from losses totaling more than $8.8 billion over the prior decade!

The company is shifting away from consumer electronics to more growth-oriented area such as artificial intelligence and has increased its focus on subscription revenue from online gaming and streaming of videos and music (EMI Music). As part of that strategy, Sony will take a more strategic approach to collecting data from its users across a range of devices and platforms, spanning PlayStation games, financial services and mobile phones.

In February, Sony announced plans to launch a ride-hailing service in partnership with several Japanese taxi companies to obtain data on vehicles. The company is looking to expand the sale of image sensors, which are used in Apple’s iPhones and other mobile devices, for use in self-driving cars. Sales of its sensors to the automobile industry have become a big business for Sony.

Another stock worth your consideration is Softbank. It is led by its founder Masayoshi Son, whom I believe is the best tech investor of his generation. Just his investment of $20 million into Alibaba (NYSE: BABA) in 2000 makes him so. He ignored all the naysayers (as is currently) about investing into China. That $20 million turned into an incredible $70 billion when Alibaba had its IPO in 2014.

The naysayers are out again about his $100 billion Vision Fund, which is equivalent in size to all the world’s other venture capital funds combined! The investments made so far all have one thing in common – they are all make heavy use of artificial intelligence and big data. As Son said recently, “It may look like we are investing on a whim without any consistency, but one common theme is artificial intelligence.” Here in the U.S., Son has established positions in Nvidia, Uber, WeWork, and GM’s autonomous vehicle unit, Cruise.

Add in the fact, despite its recent price rally, that Softbank sells well below its net asset value and below even just the valuation of its holdings in Alibaba and Yahoo Japan and you have a long-term winner for your portfolio.

And there are many more stocks like Sony and Softbank in Japan that are worth a look and that I may be adding to both the Growth Stock Advisor and Growth Stock Confidential portfolios in the months ahead.

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.

Market Preview: Market Directionless With Bond Market Closed

Markets seesawed between positive and negative Monday without the U.S. bond market available to lend direction. Already pundits are calling for Fed Chief Powell’s head, as they fear rising rates will crush the decade long bull market. In a CNBC interview Monday, BlackRock CIO Rick Rieder, who oversees the management of $1.85 trillion in bonds, said he believes the Fed will back down and only raise one or two times next year. Many worry that by telegraphing its moves, the Fed has been set on autopilot and a course correction would be very difficult to implement. Market participants may prefer a little more uncertainty coupled with a more data driven approach headed into 2019. But, others point to the fact that the market moves thus far in reaction to rising rates has been a mere blip in this long-toothed bull market.

Tuesday investors will get earnings from AZZ Corp. (AZZ) and Helen of Troy (HELE). AZZ had a rough past year, as CEO Tom Ferguson put it on their last earnings call, “We are glad to have the year…behind us.” In addition to issues including large customer project cancellations, the company was forced to undertake a restatement of its financials which clearly took a toll on management. The company, which provides a variety of metal working and coating material services for the energy market, has performed relatively well in the circumstances. Investors will be looking for the company to hit the reset button, and will want to know exactly what that entails moving forward. Helen of Troy CEO Julien Mininberg proudly touted the company’s increased online sales, up 30%, last quarter. Shareholders were pleased with the efficient operation of the household and beauty goods provider, sending the stock up almost 15% after that earnings report. The stock has continued a good run, but has pulled back recently headed into Tuesday’s earnings.

The small business optimism index is expected to pull back very slightly from last month’s record high when it is announced Tuesday morning. The consensus is for the index to move from 108.8 to 108. Redbook retail numbers will also be released Tuesday morning. The weekly number may serve as a canary in a coal mine for analysts looking for interest rate impact on consumer pocketbooks as we head into Q4. Mortgage application numbers are expected to be flat when they are announced Wednesday. With new mortgages ticking up .1% but refis backtracking .1% the overall number is expected to remain unchanged. Investors will also have a chance to peruse the PPI and Atlanta Fed business inflation expectation data on Wednesday.

Fastenal (FAST), a bellwether of the industrial construction market, reports earnings Wednesday. Analysts will want to hear how management sees rising rates impacting business into next year. The nuts and bolts provider may have especially relevant insight into the industrial construction market at this juncture in the Fed story. Also reporting on Wednesday is VOXX International (VOXX). The automotive and consumer audio provider is down 38% in the past year. Last quarter CEO Pat Lavelle promised the second half of the year would see better earnings numbers, as well as a continuation of cost cutting. Investors looking for a rebound in the stock will be looking to Mr. Lavelle for the promised improvements.

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Are you secure in retirement or will you be when you reach that age? Odds are that if you are a middle class wage earner, the answer is a scary NO. A recent Wall Street Journal article noted that 10,000 baby boomers turn 65 every day. On the subject of these people entering retirement the article said this:

“Most of the rest are unprepared. Fifty-four percent of households with middle incomes—ranging from around $48,000 to $95,000 a year—don’t have enough saved to maintain their quality of living in retirement, according to the Boston College Center for Retirement Research.”

A 54% chance of a financially challenged retirement just stinks! Once you leave the job with a paycheck, you must plan your finances to make what you have accumulated up until that time last the rest of your life.

It is truly a daunting task to manage your savings to both provide enough money to pay for your lifestyle in retirement and to make sure your money will last the rest of your life, which could be 35 or 40 years or longer.

There is no scarier scenario than the possibility of running out of money late into your retirement years. Just at the time when your expenses may be increasing to pay for the life changes that getting older my force upon us.

You may be surprised at the poor choices the planning options the financial services industry offers to retirees who have saved enough or close to enough, but need to that money to produce a strong rate of return that can be withdrawn to provide a retirement income.

If you have a big enough nest egg so that a 3% to 4% withdrawal rate will provide the income you want, the financial services industry can help you out. Keep in mind that level of withdrawal means a $30,000 to $40,000 retirement income from $1 million in savings. I don’t know about you, but to me $30k a year doesn’t feel like being a millionaire! Even with this low of a withdrawal rate a back testing of the traditional portfolio balanced between stocks and bonds has a 20% chance of running out of money in 30 years. That too is a scary statistic.

When I give investor conference presentations, I talk to investors about using a portfolio of higher yield stocks as the core of an investment portfolio. By higher I mean cash returns ranging from 5% into the teens.

Consider this scenario. If you have a portfolio with an average yield of 8%, you can withdraw 6% per year and never have to sell a share. You will even have cash earnings left over to reinvest and grow your future income potential.

In contrast to that approach, the 4% rule espoused by the financial services industry assumes you will sell of stocks and bonds, since such a portfolio will not produce enough dividend and interest income to cover the withdrawals. Selling shares to pay for retirement in the middle of a stock market crash will put an unrecoverable dent in your retirement savings. Back to the high yield dividend idea If you earn enough income from your stocks to never have to sell shares, your retirement security is immune to the swings of the stock market. Let that sink in. A retirement investment plan that takes out worrying about what the stock market is doing.

There are challenges to implementing a high-yield stock investment plan. These types of stocks require a different set of analysis tools. You can’t just do a stock screen for yield and buy the ones at the top of the list. You can’t build a high yield portfolio using ETFs. Financial advisors love recommending ETFs. They don’t have the time to analyze individual stocks. You as an individual investor need to have the tools or the help to pick out the safe high yield stocks from the dangerous ones.

Finally, you might be surprised to learn that most brokerage accounts do not track and do not include dividend income in the return calculations shown in a brokerage account. The high yield stock investor needs other tools to track how much income a portfolio is generating to accurately determine how much can be withdrawn to cover a retirement lifestyle.

One tool that I, along with thousands of my readers, use is the Monthly Dividend Paycheck Calendar.

With the calendar you can forecast with a great degree of accuracy exactly how much your stocks will bring in month.

It tells you when you’ll get paid and helps you figure out how much each and every month based on a portfolio of only about 20 stocks. That way you won’t have to worry about how you’ll cover the bills and can better budget during retirement and stop worrying about money.

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Source: Investors Alley 

6 Stocks Set for Monster Growth in 2019

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Although stocks have experienced a rough start so far in 2018, some stocks still have a big chance to shine this year. The best stocks to buy now go above and beyond the normal growth prospects. While looking for these kinds of investments, I examined six of the best stocks to invest in, all with huge upside potential and support from the Street’s top analysts.

The best way to find these stocks is with TipRanks’ Top Analyst Stocks tool.

Why? Well, the tool reveals all stocks with strong buy ratings from Wall Street’s best-performing analysts. You can then sort the stocks by upside potential to pinpoint compelling investing opportunities.

At the same time, I was careful to avoid stocks that have big upside potential simply because share prices have crashed recently. Check the price movement over the last three months to be sure shares are moving in the right direction.

With that being said, let’s get straight down into taking a closer look at these six stocks to buy now — all of which I believe look undervalued.

[Editor’s Note: This article originally ran on Feb. 23, 2018. It has since been republished to reflect changes in upside potential.]

Stocks to Buy Now: Cloudera (CLDR)

Big data cruncher Cloudera (NYSE:CLDR) has upside potential of 22.3% say the Street’s top analysts. Currently, the stock is trading at $18.31 but analysts see it hitting $22.38 in the coming months. The stock has experienced some volatility this year, but it is now in a very promising setup. Indeed, since its downturn in April, Cloudera has surged 50%!

Michael Turits, a five-star analyst from Raymond James, reiterated his Cloudera “buy” rating yesterday at $24.

We can see from TipRanks that this ‘Strong Buy’ stock has a lot of Street support. Indeed, in the last three months, CLDR has received five buy ratings, including an upgrade from D.A. Davidson.

Stocks to Buy Now: Dave & Busters (PLAY)

The hybrid game arcade and restaurant chain Dave & Buster’s Entertainment (NASDAQ:PLAY) is set for a rebound in 2018. And that means big upside potential from the current share price. Analysts expect that PLAY shares will go all the way from $63.25 to $70.20, or upside of roughly 11%.

However, Maxim Group’s Stephen Anderson is more bullish than consensus — he believes the stock can soar to $71. Even though the stock has experienced some short-term sales volatility, he says that valuation remains very compelling.

Ealier, Anderson described PLAY stock as “deeply inexpensive relative to Casual Dining Peers” and ultimately: “Our core thesis on PLAY, which is comprised of; (1) high-margin entertainment revenue growth; (2) robust unit expansion; and (3) longer-term comp growth of at least 2%, remains intact.” PLAY should also benefit big-time from the upcoming tax reform.

In the last three months, PLAY has received an impressive seven consecutive buy ratings. As a result, the stock has a ‘Strong Buy’ analyst consensus. Out of these ratings, five come from best-performing analysts.

Stocks to Buy Now: CBS Corp (CBS)

Media stock CBS Corporation (NYSE:CBS) can climb more than 34% in the next 12 months say top analysts. This would see the stock trading at nearly $70 versus the current share price under $60.

Just a couple of days ago, Imperial Capital’s David Miller reiterated his “buy” rating. This was accompanied with a very bullish $71 price target. Miller expressed positivity in the outlook following strong fundamentals from “positive initiatives” put in place by the former CEO.

Previously, Benchmark’s Daniel Kurnos said, “that the demise of Network ad revenues is greatly exaggerated.” He even says that this bearish talk is overshadowing “the positive traction CBS is seeing in its ancillary revenue streams.” The underlying business model is very strong and “the pressure on the media sector has created a buying opportunity for the content leader.”

Meanwhile, out of nine recent ratings on CBS, six are buys. This means that in the last three months only three analyst have published hold ratings on the stock.

Stocks to Buy Now: Neurocrine (NBIX)

Source: Shutterstock

Stocks to Buy Now: Neurocrine (NBIX)

In this article’s previous iteration, I highlighed Neurocrine Biosciences (NASDAQ:NBIX) at $79 with a 12-month price target of $104.88. Now NBIX stock is trading at $115.30! And top analysts believe this biopharma still has serious growth potential left to run in 2019. Specifically, the Street sees NBIX rising from $115.30 to $133.71, or 16% upside.

The Street is buzzing about Neurocrine’s Ingrezza drug. This is the first FDA-approved treatment for adults with tardive dyskinesia (TD). A side effect of antipsychotic medication, TD is a disorder that leads to unintended muscle movements. Stifel analyst Paul Matteis is very optimistic, raising his price target from $137 to $142.

Encouragingly, the stock has received no less than 10 consecutive buy ratings from analysts in the last three months. Seven out of the 10 of these buy ratings are from top-performing analysts.

Stocks to Buy Now: Sinclair Broadcast (SBGI)

Source: Shutterstock

Stocks to Buy Now: Sinclair Broadcast (SBGI)

Sinclair Broadcast Group (NASDAQ:SBGI) is one of the U.S.’s largest and most diversified television station operators. SBGI stock has had a rough 2018, but top analysts see strong upside potential ahead.

Benchmark Capital previously named SBGI as one of its Best Ideas for 1H18. Five-star Benchmark analyst Daniel Kurnos says “We see SBGI as one of the best values in the entire media landscape.” He is now eyeing $38 as a potential price target, a double-digit gain from its current perch of $28.56.

According to Kurnos, Sinclair has multiple upcoming catalysts over the next six months. This includes the pending mega deal between Sinclair and Tribune. Sinclair is currently waiting for regulatory approval for the $3.9 billion takeover would give Sinclair control of 233 TV stations.

Top analysts are united in their bullish take on this strong buy stock. In the last three months, five analysts have published buy ratings on Sinclair.

Stocks to Buy Now: Laureate Education (LAUR)

Source: Shutterstock

Stocks to Buy Now: Laureate Education (LAUR)

Laureate Education (NASDAQ:LAUR) is the largest network of for-profit higher education institutions. This Baltimore-based stock owns and operates over 200 programs (on campus and online) in over 29 countries. Analysts believe impressive upside is on the way. Currently, this is still a relatively cheap stock to buy at just $14.85.

Barrington analyst Alexander Paris, just today, reiterated his “buy” rating on LAUR stock at $20, meaning upside of 34%!

Previously, Stifel Nicolaus analyst Shlomo Rosenbaum notes that Chile’s election result is a “material positive” for Laureate. He says new President Sebastian Pinera is less likely to support legislation for free post-secondary education- the prospect of which has dampened prices to date. Rosenbaum currently has an $18 price target on the stock.

Overall, Laureate certainly has the Street’s seal of approval. The stock has scored four top analyst buy ratings recently. This includes a bullish call from one of TipRanks’ Top 20 analysts for 2017, BMO Capital’s Jeffrey Silber.

TipRanks offers investors the latest insight into eight different sectors by tracking the activity of 4,500 analysts, 5,000 financial bloggers and even 37,000 corporate insiders. As of this writing, Harriet Lefton did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

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Source: Investor Place

8 Stocks to Buy That Will Never Go Out of Style

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First, it was the shocking news that Donald Trump became the 44thperson to become president. Then came the avalanche of controversies: Russia, China, Sessions, the “wall” and currently, Kavanaugh. I’m missing about 50 other scandals, but this is a family-friendly website!

And under this environment, it’s hard to figure out which stocks to buy.

I propose that now is a time to stop overanalyzing the granularity and to consider companies which have indefinite demand. Some of the best stocks to invest in are secular picks that will enjoy consumer dollars no matter the situation. Because let’s face it: we can all use a little stability and predictability in our finances, especially right now.

At the same time, don’t expect every name on this list to be the usual suspects. Next-generation challenges call for next-generation solutions. Therefore, some of my ideas for best stocks to invest in will likely surprise you.

So without any more delay, here are the eight best stocks to buy featuring products (or services) that you’ll always use:

Facebook (FB)

Best Stocks to Buy for Virtually-Guaranteed Demand: Facebook (FB)

Source: Shutterstock

Without hesitation, Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) has suffered one of the worst overall rides in the market this year. At its peak, FB stock gained over 22% against the January opener. But after a “devastating” earnings report, Facebook had to pick itself off the ground. Currently, its staring at double-digit losses.

No matter. I’m stilling putting the social-media giant on my list of stocks to buy. In previous write-ups, I made some detailed arguments, including that Facebook’s earnings report wasn’t nearly as bad as advertised. Moreover, user-growth statistics indicated that grassroots efforts to hurt the company didn’t make much of an impact.

But let’s think in broader strokes. FB stock remains one of the best stocks to invest in because it will likely forever dominate social media. And social media taps into a universal human longing: to connect with other people.

My friends, that’s the very definition of a product that you’ll always use!

Procter & Gamble (PG)

They say the only certainties are death and taxes. But if you look a little below those absolute certainties you find plenty of near-certainties.

People are still going to wash their clothes. Wash their dishes. Brush their teeth. And as long as they’re doing that, Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) stands to profit. Disposable razors, toilet paper, shampoo … none of this stuff is going away, and PG stock is the purveyor of many of the most trusted brands in their spaces.

PG stock is an investment in everything you purchase that you completely take for granted. And that demand should keep PG stock solid.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

Source: Shutterstock

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) is one of the best stocks to invest in among cradle-to-grave companies. Obviously, when most people consider JNJ stock, they immediately think about their mom. The iconic organization is a permanent fixture in parenthood. And as kids become adults, they too will depend on Johnson & Johnson.

But the other component of life is the inevitability of death. Because sometimes, prior to death comes cancer. According to multiple medical journals, your chance of getting cancer at least once in your lifetime is roughly around 50% (or at least they are in the UK). That’s startling news. Fortunately, Johnson & Johnson has a robust pharmaceutical division, with oncology a prime specialty.

Better yet, the company has several drugs in late-stage clinical trials. With JNJ stock, you’re taking out the speculative nature of many healthcare-related stocks to buy. Finally, JNJ pays out a fairly generous 2.6% dividend yield.

Microsoft (MSFT)

Microsoft (MSFT)

Source: Shutterstock

When investors discuss tech stocks to buy with indefinite demand, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is usually the go-to name. The first trillion-dollar company, Apple’s rise to the stratosphere seemingly has no bounds. But the biggest concern I have for AAPL is that it’s vulnerable to commoditization. I can’t say the same about Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT).

Yeah, yeah, get the pitchforks out and call me a paid shill for Microsoft (full disclosure: I’m not). Instead, I’m looking at reality. While Apple makes incredibly attractive devices, Microsoft focuses on sheer functionality. I can get infinitely more stuff done on Microsoft computers. Plus, they don’t take away buttons from the mouse for aesthetic reasons. That’s one reason to buy MSFT stock.

The other? This dominance isn’t going to fade anytime soon. Microsoft-based operating systems represent the runaway leader in PC market share. And in the professional world, Microsoft Office programs are the universal standard.

Have you heard of anyone requesting a Pages document? Don’t even get me started with Numbers, which is a dumbed-down version of Excel made worse with Apple’s mouse-button deficiencies.

Bottom line, if you use computers for any legitimate reason, you’re going to use Microsoft. Therefore, buy MSFT stock with confidence.

Amazon (AMZN)

Amazon (AMZN)

Source: Shutterstock

Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) is an easy one. Among the most dominant stocks to buy, the-commerce giant lives up to the title “disruptor.” After a stunning year in 2017, AMZN stock is back at it again. Year-to-date, shares are up over 60%. It will eventually join Apple as the other trillion-dollar company.

But as I discussed this past summer, I like AMZN stock to take the $2 trillion benchmark first. The reason is that Apple doesn’t appear to have too many great ideas in the tank. They risk commoditization as manufacturers produce equivalently advanced but cheaper alternatives.

Amazon, on the other hand, isn’t levered to consumer whims. So long as people want to buy anything, they’ll come to the e-commerce company. What’s more, AMZN isn’t just limited to retail, as its acquisitive nature has demonstrated. With its influence stretching into multiple, disparate industries such as cloud computing and groceries, management has guaranteed itself future relevance.

Home Depot (HD)

Home Depot (NYSE:HD) is another easy one to place on the best stocks to buy list. As a secular investment, HD stock isn’t subject to market or even economic whims. Unless we experience cataclysmic devastation, Home Depot will find ways to generate sales, particularly because sales will come to them.

Consider these points: in a bullish real-estate market like we’re experiencing now, home owners will request renovations to drive up prices. On the other end of the scale, a down market is still bullish for HD stock. So long as you own property in at least a somewhat desirable location, renovations represent money well spent.

Best of all, Home Depot is Amazon-proof. Construction and home improvement are hands-on projects. You have to see, touch, and try your desired tools and components before purchasing them. And if they don’t work out, you need a physical outlet for quick and easy returns or exchanges.

Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL)

Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL)

Source: Shutterstock

The internet is a wonderful place. And when you use it, chances are extremely high that you utilize Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL) Google search engine. According to the latest reading, Google levers an insurmountable market share at 92.3% of all search engines across all platforms. You can take GOOG stock to the bank.

To give you an idea of how utterly dominant Alphabet is, take a look at search-engine rankings in ChinaBaidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) understandably ranks in first place, but at a comparatively low 66.3%. Baidu can’t convincingly put away its Chinese rivals. Moreover, Google puts up a respectable 2.7% market share in hostile territory.

This is another way of saying that Alphabet, and by logical extension, GOOG stock, owns the internet. Bullish analysts will cite other factors, such as the Waymo self-driving vehicle. That’s wonderful and all, but the most compelling argument for Alphabet is the search engine. It demonstrates perhaps eternal demand.

Marimed (MRMD)

Marimed (MRMD)

Source: Shutterstock

According to the Pew Research Center49% of Americans admitted to trying marijuana. This survey was conducted more than three years ago. A survey from last year suggests that the figure has bumped up to 52%. Whatever. I’m sure the actual percentage is substantially higher.

At any rate, I firmly believe that marijuana companies are the best stocks to buy at this juncture. I’m especially optimistic about Marimed (OTCMKTS:MRMD). Over the next several years, various state legislations will incentivize “weedpreneuers” to set up shop. The problem is, legal marijuana is a complicated endeavor. You need advisors to assist you, which is what Marimed provides.

From permit applications to facilities planning, MRMD stock offers a compelling, diversified exposure to cannabis. Because the company is not tied to any one segment within the industry, this reduces market risk. Indeed, shares have been flying. Just in this month, Marimed is up 25%.

Of course, MRMD stock has its risks. Like other sector players, Marimed’s financials aren’t the most robust. And technically, draconian federal mandates could squash legal cannabis.

But in all likelihood, that’s not going to happen. If you want a potentially explosive opportunity that has somewhat flown under the radar, consider MRMD stock. I know I have!

As of this writing, Josh Enomoto was long MRMD.

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 

8 Stocks to Buy That Are Growing Faster Than Amazon

Source: Shutterstock

Do you think Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) is a growth machine like no other, one of the best stocks to buy? It’s a beast to be sure, with the most recently reported quarterly top line up a healthy 22% … a pace that’s pretty much been the norm for a while now. Profits are growing nicely as well, as its AWS (Amazon Web Services) division — the company’s fastest-growing segment — produces high-margin revenue.

Amazon.com certainly isn’t the only growth name worth owning, however. There are several other stocks that you should buy with even better sales growth, better earnings growth or both. It’s just a matter of going out there and finding them.

Just to help you move down that path a little faster, here’s a closer look at the best stocks to buy if you’re looking for a little more kick (or a little more value) than Amazon can offer.

Some are familiar, while some aren’t. But all of these stocks to buy merit consideration.

Exelixis (EXEL)

Exelixis, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXEL)

Source: Shutterstock

Biotech stocks are a tricky bunch to bother with, and Exelixis, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXEL) is no exception. It’s arguably worth the trouble, though.

Exelixis has been bearing revenue for several years, but it didn’t fan its revenue flames in earnest until the middle of 2016. That’s when its renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer) drug Cabometyx was approved.

EXEL is not one of those stocks to buy for traders that can’t stomach volatility — shares tumbled more than 40% since the start of 2018.

Stocks to Buy for Breakneck Growth: Yelp (YELP)

Yelp Inc (YELP) Stock Isn't as Costly as It Looks... But It's Still Pricey

Source: Shutterstock

Calling a spade a spade, online review and rating site/directory Yelp Inc (NYSE:YELP) hasn’t been a stock to buy since early 2014. That’s when it peaked, and even with a 170%-plus rally off of its early 2016 lows, YELP shares are still down roughly 50% from their peak price hit in 2014.

And yet, there it is. Yelp mustered a 30% improvement in last year’s top line and — oh yeah — swung to a profit three quarters ago. That profit has been widening ever since. Analysts are looking for similar growth going forward, projecting next year’s profit per share to ramp up from this year’s 8 cents to 37 cents.

Looks like the once-questionable premise is a viable business model after all.

Stocks to Buy for Breakneck Growth: Tableau Software (DATA)

Tableau Software Inc (NYSE:DATA)

Source: Shutterstock

Just for the record, Tableau Software Inc (NYSE:DATA) isn’t growing quite as quickly as Amazon.com is. DATA still is one of a handful of hot growth stocks to buy, however, because the pace of its bottom-line growth is leaving Amazon’s profit growth in the dust.

The name might ring a bell. Tableau Software has been rumored to be a buyout candidate off and on for some time now, with the most recent big suitor pegged as none other than Salesforce.com, Inc. (NYSE:CRM).

No such deal has been consummated yet, but it’s not tough to see why a potential buyer would be interested in the data-analytics outfit. The next five years look promising for DATA stock — earnings are expected to grow at an annual rate of 85.8%. You could do a lot worse.

Stocks to Buy for Breakneck Growth: JD.com (JD)

What better alternative to Amazon.com than one of the Chinese copycats of the popular e-commerce giant — JD.Com Inc (ADR) (NASDAQ:JD)? Yes, Alibaba Group Holding Ltd(NYSE:BABA) is the bigger and arguably better-established player on the landscape of China’s e-commerce industry, but it has become a bit unwieldy with its size.

JD.com is smaller, and therefore more nimble, and the company is using that to its advantage. Don’t worry about the lack of income or even the lack of clarity regarding its profitability. Like Amazon.com in its early days, JD is mostly just focused on spreading its footprint, which it’s doing quite well.

The top line is expected to grow at a 27.8% clip for the current quarter, and JD.com has been driving that kind of growth for quite some time now — with 115.4% growth in the bag for next year.

Stocks to Buy for Breakneck Growth: Ctrip.com (CTRP)

Not unlike the United States’ online travel agent market, China’s OTA space started out with many players, but has been whittled down to just a few, and just one dominant name that effectively controls the market. That’s Ctrip.Com International Ltd (ADR) (NASDAQ:CTRP), which has either acquired its competition or crushed it.

Either way, the company is taking advantage of its dominance. Its top line is expected to grow at a 16.1% clip for the current year and a 25.1% clip in 2019.

Better yet, the company’s management expects to see revenue growth of between 40% and 45% for the foreseeable future.

The reason CTRP has earned a spot on a list of the best stocks to buy for growth fans is now that the company has plenty of scale, it’s looking for its profit margins to rise to a range of 20% to 30%. And yet, nobody’s really looking.

Stocks to Buy for Breakneck Growth: Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI)

Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc (NASDAQ:SBGI)

Source: Shutterstock

This list of top stocks to buy for big growth is packed with some recognizable heavy hitters. Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc (NASDAQ:SBGI) isn’t one of them. That doesn’t make the $14 billion company any less impressive, however, particularly in light of its long string of revenue and earnings growth.

Sinclair Broadcast Group does a little of everything in the world of television. Not only does it create some of its own content for syndication, it owns a handful of stations, and provides services to several others. Its most compelling feature is its ability to assimilate other media players, and when appropriate, leverage its properties into other mediums. For example, it’s the owner of the Tennis Channel, and soon will be the owner of tennis.com and Tennis Magazine.

The proof of the premise is in the numbers. Sinclair is expected to turn in growth of 76.7% this quarter, followed by 222.5% the following quarter. Analysts see 20% upside in the shares, too. The long-term looks a bit bumpy, so you may want to consider swing trading SBGI into that momentum.

Stocks to Buy for Breakneck Growth: Abiomed (ABMD)

ABIOMED, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABMD)

Finally, put Abiomed, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABMD) on your list of hot growth stocks to buy sooner than later. Abiomed is self-described as a “leading provider of medical devices that provide circulatory support.” Its products enable the heart to rest by improving blood flow and/or performing the pumping of the heart.

The description doesn’t quite do the company justice, however. Its Impella is the world’s smallest heart pump, and as of last month, more than 50,000 of them had been implanted in the U.S. market.

Those who know the Abiomed story well, however, will know the Impella is nothing new. What’s new is a couple of approvals for the Impella 2.5 and Impella 5.0, for expanded use in the United States (as of December), and for use in Japan (as of September).

Even with just the approval in Japan, we saw a strong acceleration of revenue. Q4’s top line was up 33%, and it still has yet to reach full penetration with the previously approved uses and markets. The device was only given its first FDA green light in early 2015, which makes it an infant by biomedical device standards.

As of this writing, James Brumley did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.


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Market Preview: Interest Rates Spook Markets, Earnings from the Big Banks Next Friday

One word could be used to describe the performance of the equity markets on Friday: bonds. Rising interest rates, combined with the lowest unemployment rate since the ‘60s, spooked markets. Both the DJIA (-.68%) and Nasdaq (-1.16%)  fell, rallying off of lows into the close. Traders worry that the Feds balancing act may prove difficult as the economy either picks up steam too quickly, or rising rates put a brake on what many believe are the beginnings of a normalization of the economy. The fear of deteriorating relations with China, both political and economic, meant there was no good news on the tariff front either. Deals with both Mexico and Canada have helped keep the rally in motion the past few weeks. China trade issues will likely take a more prominent role Monday as bond markets are closed for Columbus Day.

Given the holiday, there are no earnings reports on Monday, but earnings start rolling in for the second week of October on Tuesday. Helen of Troy (HELE) and AZZ, Inc. (AZZ) both report Tuesday morning. Helen of Troy is expected to show a revenue decline of just over 7% from the previous year’s quarter, but earnings are expected to tick up slightly. The household and personal goods provider is up over 30% in 2018. AZZ is expected to report a 40% increase in year-over-year earnings. The stock had been performing well this year until the last month in which it has fallen almost 10%. Rising interest rates may be spooking investors in the energy and metal coatings industrial company.

Monday we’ll see the release of the TD Ameritrade investor sentiment index. Analysts will be interested to see if rising rates have begun to show up in the index which measures retail investor exposure to the equity markets. Tuesday analysts will parse the small business optimism numbers as well as Redbook retail data. Wednesday will see investors turn back to talk of interest rates as mortgage application and the Atlanta Fed business inflation expectation numbers are released.  Mortgage applications are expected to be flat. CPI data and weekly jobless claims will be released on Thursday. CPI is expected to move up .2% month-over-month. We’ll close out next week with import-export prices and consumer sentiment numbers on Friday.

Fastenal (FAST) reports earnings on Wednesday, along with VOXX International (VOXX) and Saratoga Investment Corp. (SAR). Thursday Delta Airlines (DAL) and Walgreens Boots Alliance (WAL) take the earnings spotlight. Walgreens recently announced a $34.5 million fine from the SEC for misleading investors in the midst of its merger with Boots Alliance in 2013-14. Friday will be the most anticipated earnings day next week. Several big banks, including Citibank (C), Wells Fargo (WFC), and JP Morgan (JPM) are among those reporting. Analysts will be keen to hear the banks’ take on rising rates and how they will impact future earnings. All three banks have shown positive price action the last few days.   

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5 Artificial Intelligence Stocks to Consider

Apple (AAPL) self-driving car technology

Source: Apple

I recently attended a meeting of startup founders who pitched their companies. Interestingly enough, many of them touted artificial intelligence.

Yes, this technology has quickly become red hot. After all, the market opportunity is massive. Gartner estimates that spending will grow at an average compound annual rate of 18% to $383.5 billion by 2020.

Yet AI is not easy to develop. There needs to be access to huge amounts of data, so as to find patterns. What’s more, AI requires top-notch data scientists. As should be no surprise, this kind of talent is in short supply nowadays.

Because of all this, when it comes to finding artificial intelligence stocks, they are usually larger companies.

OK then, which names are positioned to benefit? Well, let’s take a look at five that stand out:

Artificial Intelligence Stocks: Alphabet (GOOG)

Source: Harman Kardon

Alphabet (GOOG)

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL) CEO Sundar Pichai refers to the company as “AI first.” And this is certainly not hype. AI has become pervasive across the product line, such as with Gmail, YouTube, Maps, Photos, Google Cloud and so on. The company has also developed its own assistant, which connects with more than 5,000 devices in the home.

Google has been creating industry standards for AI as well, primarily through its own language called TensorFlow. Just some of the companies that use it include UbereBay (NASDAQ:EBAY) and Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO).

Something else: Google is a top player in autonomous vehicles. The company’s Waymo unit could be worth as much as $175 billion, according to analysts at Morgan Stanley.

Finally, the valuation of GOOG stock is at reasonable levels, with the forward price-to-earnings ratio is 25X — which is in-line with other mega tech operators like Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT). This puts it at the top of the heap among artificial intelligence stocks.

Nvidia (NVDA)

Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) is the pioneer of GPUs (Graphics Processing Units), which are chips that process large amounts of data cost-effectively. The technology was initially focused on the gaming market.

But NVDA realized that GPUs were also ideal for AI. To this end, the company has leveraged these systems into areas like datacenters and autonomous vehicles.

No doubt, it has been a very good move.  Consider that NVDA has been on a strong growth ramp.  In the latest quarter, revenues soared by 40% to $3.12 billion and earnings per share increased by 91% to $1.76.

It’s true that the valuation of NVDA stock is far from cheap, with the forward price-to-earnings ratio is 36X. But then again, a premium is to be expected for a company that is a leader in a massive industry.

For example, Evercore ISI analyst C.J. Muse recently boosted the price target on NVDA stock to $400, which implies 41% upside. In his report, he noted that the company’s technology is “becoming the standard AI platform.”

IBM (IBM)

Source: Shutterstock

IBM (IBM)

AI is nothing new for IBM (NYSE:IBM). The company has been developing this type of technology for many years. For example, back in 1985, it developed its AI computer called Deep Blue. It would actually beat chess world champion Garry Kasparov in 1996. Then in 2011, IBM created Watson to take on the best players on the quiz show Jeopardy!. And the computer won.

Now, IBM has definitely had its troubles. But the investments in AI and other cutting-edge technologies have been making a difference. Note that during the trailing 12 months, IBM’s Strategic Imperatives — which include cloud computing, security, analytics, Big Data and mobile — generated $39 billion, or about 48% of total revenues. This has helped improve the growth rate of the overall business.

IBM stock also has an attractive dividend, which is at 4.1%. This is one of the highest in the tech industry. Oh, and the valuation is reasonable as well. Consider that the forward price-to-earnings ratio is only 11X.

Yext (YEXT)

AI has been good to Yext (NYSE:YEXT). The reason: the company is a top data provider, with integrations of over 150 services from operators like Google, Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN), Microsoft, Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) and Tencent. Yext has also added context and intent to all this, which allows for more accurate real-time searches.

On the latest earnings call, CEO Howard Lerman noted: “Today the world is moving to smart databases. AI powered services that do the thinking for you.”

Growth has been strong. In the latest quarter, revenues shot up by 35% to $55.1 million. The company has also been getting much of traction with enterprise customers. Note that the quarter saw 80 new logos, such as AT&T (NYSE:T), Deutsche TelekomMetroPCS and Vodafone.

Baidu (BIDU)

Baidu (BIDU)

When it comes to the search business, Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) remains the king in China. Over the years, the company has transitioned to mobile, which has been critical. But BIDU has also invested heavily in becoming an artificial intelligence stock. This has helped with personalizing the search experience as well as improving the impact of online ads.

But AI has done more than just bolster BIDU’s own platform. The company has created several platforms for third parties. One is DuerOS, which has an installed base of 100 million devices and processes over 400 million queries a month. Then there is Apollo. It is an AI system for autonomous vehicles. During the latest quarter, BIDU used this with King Long Motors to launch the first fully self-driving L4 minibus.

The AI efforts have been paying off. In the latest quarter, revenues jumped by 32% to $3.93 billion and the adjusted EBITDA came to $1.12 billion — or about 29% of total revenues. Yes, BIDU has a highly scalable business model.

BIDU stock has taken a hit this year, going from $273 in June to $218 today. Keep in mind that Chinese stocks have been in the bear phase and that there are concerns about the U.S. trade tensions. But for investors looking for a play on AI in China, BIDU stock does look attractive at these levels.

Source: Investors Alley 


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.

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