DeusXMac's observations

By definition, "large-cap" refers to stocks with a market capitalization – or share price times shares outstanding – greater than $10 billion. These companies represent a large portion of the U.S. stock market, and investors often use them as anchors in their portfolio. When investing in a large-cap stock, investors can expect transparent financial information, sector leadership and, often, sizable dividends. Amid the current market uncertainty, these leaders offer years of strong performance and have the potential to post outsize gains throughout the rest of 2022. Hailing from industries ranging from consumer electronics and e-commerce to energy and infrastructure, these stocks all boast durable business models that are able to withstand headwinds. With that in mind, here are seven large-cap stocks to buy for 2022.

Apple Inc. (AAPL)
Amazon Inc. (AMZN)
Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM)
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT)
Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST)
Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC)
Walt Disney Co. (DIS)

 
The Federal Reserve recently raised interest rates for the first time since 2018. While rising rates are good news for income investors, the Fed's planned incremental 0.25% hikes mean interest rates will likely remain historically low for at least several more quarters. In the meantime, income investors waiting for higher rates on bonds and savings can invest in high-yielding dividend stocks as a source of regular income. Most high-yield stocks pay quarterly dividends or distributions, but these monthly dividend stocks have at least 5% yields and make payments about once every four weeks.

Pembina Pipeline Corp. (PBA)
AGNC Investment Corp. (AGNC)
Prospect Capital Corp. (PSEC)
Main Street Capital Corp. (MAIN)
LTC Properties Inc. (LTC)
Broadmark Realty Capital Inc. (BRMK)
Ellington Financial Inc. (EFC)
EPR Properties (EPR)

 
Most of the best-performing stocks of 2022 up to this point are highly exposed to the red-hot energy market. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has sent oil, natural gas, coal and other commodity prices soaring, creating an earnings tail wind for many energy sector stocks. Stocks that are highly correlated to oil prices have generally been great investments so far this year. However, high correlation to crude can be a double-edged sword, as many energy investors experienced when crude prices collapsed in early 2020. Here are the seven Bank of America buy-rated stocks with the highest correlation to WTI crude oil prices.

APA Corp. (APA)
Baker Hughes Co. (BKR)
Chevron Corp. (CVX)
Eastman Chemical Co. (EMN)
Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM)
Fortune Brands Home & Security Inc. (FBHS)
Halliburton Co. (HAL)

 
Value stocks are those thought by the market to be underpriced relative to their true fundamentals. These stocks are often those of more "boring" companies in less flashy sectors, such as consumer staples, consumer defensive, health care, manufacturing and industrial stocks. These companies generally have lower price-earnings (P/E), price-sales (P/S), price-book (P/B) and price-free cash flow (P/FCF) ratios. These criteria exclude the high-valuation growth and tech stocks that outperformed over the last decade, such as Apple and Tesla. Value stocks are generally perceived as riskier, and the theory is that over long periods of time, investors might be compensated for that risk with better returns, called the "value premium." While investors can undertake research to pick individual value stocks, an easier and less time-consuming approach is to buy a value exchange-traded fund, or ETF. Here's a list of the seven best value ETFs to buy for 2022.

Vanguard Value ETF (VTV)
Vanguard S&P Small-Cap 600 Value ETF (VIOV)
iShares Russell 2000 Value ETF (IWN)
Avantis U.S. Small Cap Value ETF (AVUV)
Invesco S&P 500 Pure Value ETF (RPV)
Vanguard Russell 1000 Value ETF (VONV)
iShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF (VLUE)

 
One of the driving forces of the stock market rally over the past two years has been the rise of a new generation of investors that are engaging with the market on social media and trading stocks on investment apps like Robinhood. The youngest generations of Americans are often the trendsetters in the economy and the market. Investors looking for the next long-term investment opportunity would be wise to keep an eye on what stocks young investors are buying. Here are the 10 most commonly owned stocks among millennial investors as of the end of 2021, according to Apex Clearing.

Tesla Inc. (TSLA)
Apple Inc. (AAPL)
AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. (AMC)
Amazon Inc. (AMZN)
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT)
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA)
Nio Inc. (NIO)
Meta Platforms Inc. (FB)
Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD)
SoFi Technologies Inc. (SOFI)

 
The stock market is off to a shaky start to 2022. Fears over persistently high inflation, aggressive Federal Reserve interest rate hikes, and geopolitical conflict between Russia and Ukraine have the S&P 500 down 4.9% through the end of March. Fortunately for investors, a handful of top-performing stocks have bucked the bearish trend. Top performers include oil and gas stocks benefiting from surging energy prices and materials stocks capitalizing on supply chain disruptions. Here are the 10 best-performing stocks of 2022 so far among companies that trade on major U.S. exchanges and have market capitalizations of at least $1 billion. Returns are through March 31.

Occidental Petroleum Corp. (OXY)
LSB Industries Inc. (LXU)
US Silica Holdings Inc. (SLCA)
Golar LNG Ltd. (GLNG)
BRC Inc. (BRCC)
Kosmos Energy Ltd. (KOS)
Alpha Metallurgical Resources Inc. (AMR)
RPC Inc. (RES)
Peabody Energy Corp. (BTU)
NexTier Oilfield Solutions Inc. (NEX)

 
In the first few months of 2022, there has been rampant volatility in the cryptocurrency market, most of which has been bearish. The total crypto market capitalization has fluctuated between more than $3 trillion in November 2021 and less than $2 trillion at times this year before ending the quarter at about $2.1 trillion. Bitcoin and other popular cryptos have taken a dip to start the year alongside the S&P 500, which is down 4.95% year to date. Many factors are at play to knock major cryptos off their streak. The crypto market is experiencing uncertainty from the war between Russia and Ukraine, questions about how governments all over the world plan to regulate crypto, and the Federal Reserve's expected interest rate increases to combat inflation. Even though most of them lost value in the first quarter, here are the top 10 performing cryptocurrencies in the first quarter with at least $10 billion in market value.

Terra (LUNA)
XRP (XRP)
Bitcoin (BTC)
Ether (ETH)
Cardano (ADA)
Avalanche (AVAX)
BNB (BNB)
Dogecoin (DOGE)
Cronos (CRO)
Shiba Inu (SHIB)

 
It's normal to look at the state of the stock market in 2022 and wonder how your portfolio should change. Major indexes are still underwater after three months of trading, there is uncertainty around Federal Reserve interest rate policy, and the war in Ukraine is roiling commodity and energy markets worldwide. But as Sir John Templeton famously wrote in his 16 rules for investment success, "The investor who says, 'This time is different,' when in fact it's virtually a repeat of an earlier situation, has uttered among the four most costly words in the annals of investing." Yes, there's uncertainty in this moment – but don't panic! In the long run, the stock market has always found a way to thrive. If you want to move past the day-to-day uncertainty and instead focus on building long-term wealth, then consider these nine dividend stocks to buy and hold forever.

AbbVie Inc. (ABBV)
Consolidated Edison Inc. (ED)
Boston Properties Inc. (BXP)
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
Morgan Stanley (MS)
Prudential Financial Inc. (PRU)
Public Storage (PSA)
Procter & Gamble Co. (PG)
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ)

 
Amid high inflation, rising interest rates and supply chain shocks, investors have been scrambling to find assets capable of producing gains in the current market conditions. Commodities, precious metals and real estate tilts in portfolios have all become popular recently, given the losses suffered by stocks so far in 2022. However, it's worth remembering that many of the great investors – perhaps Warren Buffett being the most prominent – endorse buying the stocks of great companies and holding them forever. Investing in the stock of a blue-chip company with quality products or services, a strong economic moat, excellent management and sound financials is a good way to build long-term wealth. Therefore, instead of timing the market or chasing trends, investors should focus on building positions in the stocks of great businesses. Here are seven of the best long-term stocks to buy in 2022.

McDonald's Corp. (MCD)
Walmart Inc. (WMT)
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ)
Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST)
3M Co. (MMM)
Coca-Cola Co. (KO)

 
Persistently elevated inflation and the potential for sharply rising interest rates have investors concerned about 1970s-era stagflation returning in 2022. The last time stagflation was a problem, real estate was a top-performing sector in the market. Buying physical property can be difficult and expensive, but investors can easily invest in real estate by buying shares of real estate investment trusts, or REITs. There are many types of REITs, and most of them pay sizable dividends and serve as a reliable source of income. Here are eight of the best real estate stocks to buy in 2022, according to CFRA analysts.

Prologis Inc. (PLD)
Equinix Inc. (EQIX)
Realty Income Corp. (O)
Equity Residential (EQR)
Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. (ARE)
Extra Space Storage Inc. (EXR)
Weyerhaeuser Co. (WY)
Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc. (MAA)

 
Aggressive growth stocks are back in the penalty box. After a brief respite in March, funds such as the Ark Innovation ETF (ARKK) have resumed their downward trajectories. With inflation soaring and interest rates rapidly climbing, this investing environment tends to favor companies with strong profits and cash flow today rather than future growth plans. That said, as prices for speculative growth companies continue to decline, it could be creating some bargains that are simply too good to pass up. After all, the best buys often come at moments of peak pessimism, and things are certainly looking pretty grim in the disruptive growth stock field right now. That makes these seven contrarian picks interesting high-risk stocks with high upside.

StoneCo Ltd. (STNE)
Unity Software Inc. (U)
Spotify Technology SA (SPOT)
Dutch Bros Inc. (BROS)
Bark Inc. (BARK)
Redfin Corp. (RDFN)
Coupang Inc. (CPNG)

 
Environmental, social and governance, or ESG, issues are becoming more and more important to investors. "Global ESG assets are on track to exceed $53 trillion by 2025, representing more than a third of projected total global assets under management," says Danene Cronin, financial advisor with Morgan Stanley. As the effects of climate change become more acute, the environmental portion of this type of investment arguably has never been more important. But as with any type of stock market purchase, you'll want to do your homework, which may include considering these seven green stocks.

Beyond Meat Inc. (BYND)
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings Inc. (DNA)
Amyris Inc. (AMRS)
Local Bounti Corp. (LOCL)
Plug Power Inc. (PLUG)
Enphase Energy Inc. (ENPH)
Republic Services Inc. (RSG)

 
In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a law preventing states from legalizing sports gambling. Since that landmark ruling, the U.S. sports gambling business has boomed, including the launch of a number of sports betting apps and online sports betting, or OSB, platforms. Zion Market Research estimates the global sports betting industry will generate $179.3 billion in revenue per year by 2028. U.S. companies generated $211 million in OSB gross gaming revenue in February, up 39% compared with a year ago. Here are seven top sports betting stocks to watch in 2022.

Penn National Gaming Inc. (PENN)
DraftKings Inc. (DKNG)
Flutter Entertainment PLC (PDYPY)
Churchill Downs Inc. (CHDN)
Caesars Entertainment Inc. (CZR)
MGM Resorts International (MGM)
Boyd Gaming Corp. (BYD)

 
A growing number of analysts and investors are concerned that the cycle of rising interest rates is just getting started. U.S. inflation rates are at more than 40-year highs, and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell recently said an aggressive 0.5% interest rate hike is "on the table" for the Fed's upcoming two-day meeting starting May 3. The bond market is pricing in at least a 2.5% cumulative interest rate hike from the Fed by the end of 2022, according to CME Group. Here are seven buy-rated S&P 500 stocks that have some of the strongest outperformance over the past 50 years when interest rates rise, according to Bank of America analysts.

Marathon Petroleum Corp. (MPC)
NXP Semiconductors NV (NXPI)
United Rentals Inc. (URI)
Equinix Inc. (EQIX)
General Motors Co. (GM)
F5 Inc. (FFIV)
SBA Communications Corp. (SBAC)

 
Autonomous vehicle technology is one of the few tech fields that is generally considered a can't-miss long-term opportunity for investors. In the past couple of years, companies have launched the first fully driverless autonomous public vehicle services on public roads in Arizona and California. At this point, the AV technology race is still in the first inning, and early investors who bet big on the eventual AV market winners could generate tremendous long-term returns. Guidehouse Insights has ranked these seven public companies as being AV market leaders based on 10 different criteria, including vision, technology and commercial readiness.

Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL)
Nvidia Corp. (NVDA)
Ford Motor Co. (F)
Volkswagen AG (VWAGY)
Baidu Inc. (BIDU)
General Motors Co. (GM)
Intel Corp. (INTC)

 
What keeps the global economic machine running? An argument could be made that it’s the stuff coming out of your kitchen tap. As the world's most used commodity, and one that is increasingly scarce at that, water is essential not only for life, but also for a variety of industries. Agriculture, beverages and even power generation rely on the free flow of water. Now investing in water doesn't mean you have to stock up on Aquafina bottles in your basement. Instead, investors can buy the stocks of companies involved in the sourcing, purification and distribution of water, which tend to hail from the utilities or consumer staples sectors. If increased diversification is what you seek, an exchange-traded fund that holds multiple water-related stocks can also be an excellent alternative. Here is a list of seven great water stocks and ETFs to buy in 2022.

Essential Utilities (WTRG)
Xylem Inc. (XYL)
American Water Works Co. (AWK)
Primo Water Corp. (PRMW)
Invesco S&P Global Water Index ETF (CGW)
First Trust Water ETF (FIW)
Invesco Water Resource ETF (PHO)

 
After a big year in 2021 and a hot start to 2022, bank stocks have lagged in recent months. The combination of a recovering U.S. economy and the potential for aggressive Federal Reserve interest rate hikes could set up bank stocks for outsize earnings growth in the next couple of years. However, exposure to the Ukraine war and the possibility of slowing loan growth have weighed on bank stocks as of late. Despite the recent volatility, analysts say many bank stocks remain undervalued. Here are 10 of the best bank stocks to buy in 2022, according to Wall Street analysts.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM)
Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC)
Citigroup Inc. (C)
M&T Bank Corp. (MTB)
Bank of America Corp. (BAC)
U.S. Bancorp (USB)
PNC Financial Services Group (PNC)
Truist Financial Corp. (TFC)
SVB Financial Group (SIVB)
Fifth Third Bancorp (FITB)

 
Over the three months preceding May 4, utilities were the second-best-performing sector in the S&P 500, rising more than 3% as the broader market fell about 7%. Investors are moving into these stocks as a defensive play amid worries about the economy. That leaves about three-fourths of U.S utilities overpriced, according to research firm Morningstar, even as higher inflation is poised to threaten profits. "The risk for utility stock investors is fairly high right now, and the investment options are limited," says Don Kaufman, co-founder of trading education firm TheoTrade. "That being said, the potential for the sector to outperform the market makes it a place to consider investing." As of May 3, all but one of these stocks were yielding more than the 10-year Treasury note. But dividends aren't everything, and sometimes it may be wise to pick a utility with a lower payout if it's a stronger company. Here's a look at six utilities stocks to put on your watch list.

American Electric Power Co. (AEP)
Duke Energy Corp. (DUK)
Consolidated Edison Inc. (ED)
Pinnacle West Capital Corp. (PNW)
UGI Corp. (UGI)
NextEra Energy Inc. (NEE)

 
Annual U.S. inflation rates reached 8.5% in March 2022, marking a 40-year high. With the prices of gas, foodstuffs and labor soaring, the Federal Reserve is anticipated to continue a series of aggressive rate hikes. While the Fed approved a 25-basis-point hike in March, the markets have been pricing in a series of aggressive 50-basis-point hikes, a series that started May 4. With yields on the benchmark 10-year Treasury topping 3% recently, investors have been wrestling with falling bond prices and a volatile sideways trading market that has arguably entered bear territory. However, some assets and sectors remain resilient to inflation, with a few even benefiting from it. Short-term bonds have kept their value, and commodities, gold and energy stocks are all up strongly year to date. Here is a list of seven exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, to buy in the current rising rate environment.

Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE)
iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV)
Invesco Optimum Yield Diversified Commodity Strategy No K-1 ETF (PDBC)
Vanguard High Dividend ETF (VYM)
SPDR Gold MiniShares (GLDM)
Direxion Daily 20+ Year Treasury Bear ETF (TMV)
ProShares UltraPro Short QQQ (SQQQ)

 
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