So, we’re eight months through 2017, and so far, so good. Mostly, all chief market indices have touched record to near-record highs in the last 2-3 months, with the coveted S&P 500 index already up 9% since December 2016. This is more than one could hope the market to be at this point in the year. What’s more, the best of the stocks in the index have performed extremely well this year.
However, investors cannot afford to be on autopilot mode for the rest of the year too, and this is the time to have another look at one’s portfolio and shake things up if needed. Keeping that in mind, here’s a list of the top stocks to buy before 2017 come to an end. While some of these have proven to be fundamental bargains, others have clinched a spot here for technical reasons. Notwithstanding why they are on this list, all these stocks are headed for massive growth.
Textron (NYSE: TXT)
Armed with a market cap of a mere $12 billion, the defense and aerospace stock Textron neither comes to investors’ minds nor does it end up turning heads. However, Textron is much like a hidden gem, the company is not only the proud owner of the Beechcraft and Cessna aircrafts but is also the name behind the Bell helicopters. Textron manufactures electronic warfare systems, armored military vehicles, drones (sea and air) and much more. While one doesn’t think about defense when it comes to stock market investment, it is important in the light of the pro-defense initiatives the president of the US wishes to undertake.
Alphabet (NYSE: GOOGL)
Alphabet Inc., which is Google’s parent company, might not be the first choice for many investors, but if one looks at the historical earnings and revenues of the company, one will see a picture of consistency and growth for the last 12 successive years. What’s more, we aren’t just talking annualized revenue growth, but also quarterly earnings and year-on-year sales, which have also shown improvement. Whether one agrees or not, Alphabet is on a growth spree that doesn’t look like it is going to stop soon making it one of the top stocks to buy now.
Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ)
At first glance, you might not recognize the name Constellation Brands, but you will definitely recognize the following names – Woodbridge, Wild Irish Rose, Corona, etc. Constellation Brands owns all of them, apart from other popular spirits and beer, which is what makes Constellation Brands one of the top stocks to buy now for the rest of the year of 2017. The logic of alcohol and spirit companies doing well during a downturn is simple – consumers really don’t give them up even when the going gets tough. While it’s a perception, the strategy pays off sometimes , making it one of the top stocks to buy now.
Garmin (NASDAQ: GRMN)
Garmin is a well-recognized company, manufacturing action cameras, wearable technology, in-car digital mapping equipment, and the likes, and has been growing both its top and bottom lines, albeit with an uneven earnings performance. With the company trading at 15x its trailing 12-month earnings and paying out a dividend of 4%, Garmin makes for top stocks to buy now.
Cutera (NASDAQ: CUTR)
Most investors wouldn’t have heard of Cutera, which is a manufacturer of technology used for cosmetic surgery. While the company is at the top of its field, the field is not exactly a high-profile one. However, what makes Cutera a worthy inclusion in your portfolio for top stocks to buy now is the fact that it has seen high sales growth in the last few quarters, making a profit later. What’s more, last year in 2016, Cutera not only doubled its earnings but also increased its last quarter sales by a whopping 26%. While the earnings numbers for the first quarter weren’t as impressive as the last one, they were encouraging nonetheless. One of the key growth drivers of Cutera is the new enlighten III platform that the company has invented, and with the company’s truSculpt technology having been recently approved, the future holds much promise for Cutera. Judging by the way it is growing, Cutera deserves to be one of the top stocks to buy now.
Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ: ULTA)
The Ulta Beauty Inc. stores are nearly always packed with customers, which is what makes this stock a worthy buy right now. The company, which has proven to be a stunningly reliable growth juggernaut, saw top-line revenue of a whopping $4.8 billion in 2016, a massive 23% growth over the previous year. If that wasn’t enough, its bottom line was $410 million which itself grew 28% since 2015. However, the real kicker is that ULTA’s June stint wasn’t great -in fact, it slid 6%, which is what makes ULTA a value buy the stock right now.
FireEye (NASDAQ: FEYE)
Cybersecurity company FireEye was hanging by a thread one year ago, what with losses originating from a string of expensive, not-needed acquisitions. That was then. Today FireEye, while still making losses, is shrinking them, is gaining popularity with its threat-intelligence platform and is bringing in much revenue from its newly-implemented SaaS (Services-as-a-business) model. In today’s world where cyber attacks and hacking only growing, FireEye is poised for growth.
