Prospective borrowers might not be thrilled about it, but the ongoing rise in interest rates is proving a boon for one group of people: investors in financial stocks. The higher interest rates go, the more money there is to be made on loans and clients' cash balances, which provides a significant boost to bank stocks and shares of other financial institutions.Banks and brokers already have benefited from the four quarter-point hikes we've seen imposed since the beginning of 2017. Bank of America (BAC) reported a 9% year-over-year improvement in revenue from its consumer banking during the first quarter, mostly attributable to deposits and loan growth. Brokerage firm Charles Schwab (SCHW) grew net interest revenue 26% last quarter, to $1.3 billion. Indeed, nearly three-fourths of the market's financial stocks have posted Q1 results, and 78% of those companies have managed to top expectations.More of the same kind of growth could be in the cards for the foreseeable future; too. … [Read more...] about 10 of the Best Financial Stocks to Buy Now
2018 stocks to buy
3 Top Oil Stocks to Buy in March
Oil prices have stabilized above $50 a barrel and that changes the equation in this commodity-driven industry. Although it looks like $100 oil is out of the question right now because of expanding U.S. onshore drilling, the current price is high enough for oil companies to make money again. That's exactly what's going on at Royal Dutch Shell plc (NYSE: RDS-B), which is using the oil upturn to fund its diversification efforts. Devon Energy Corp. (NYSE: DVN), meanwhile, has gotten back on track after a dividend cut. Then there's Suncor Energy Inc. (NYSE: SU), which is set to benefit as new projects come on line at what appears to be just the right time. Here's a deeper dive into each one of these exciting investment opportunities.It's not just about oilJason Hall (Royal Dutch Shell): Shell is one of the biggest oil producers and refiners in the world, and the company has done an incredible job of driving down its costs and improving returns in the oil patch. This has been a key reason … [Read more...] about 3 Top Oil Stocks to Buy in March
3 Top Retail Stocks to Buy Right Now
The peak holiday retailing period is behind us, which makes it an ideal time for investors to do some shopping of their own. Specifically, those businesses that stood out by posting market-thumping operating results during that period might make great buys today.Below, Motley Fool investors offer three attractive options in the retailing sector. Home Depot (NYSE: HD), Dollar Tree (NASDAQ: DLTR), and Walmart (NYSE: WMT) each bring good qualities like sales growth and income gains. Their prices seem right, too, given their potential for earnings growth over the next few years.Staying close to homeDemitri Kalogeropoulos (Home Depot): The rebound in the cyclical housing market is stretching into its eighth year, but that doesn't mean it's too late to buy industry leader Home Depot. The company is coming off a banner 2017 that was highlighted by accelerating revenue gains, rising profitability, and a big hike to its dividend as it passed $100 billion in annual sales for the first time.Image … [Read more...] about 3 Top Retail Stocks to Buy Right Now
3 Top Winning Stocks to Buy Now
I have thrift built into my DNA. I drive cars until they die, wear the same clothing for years, and even travel hack in order to save on vacations.Given my value-seeking nature, it took a long time to embrace the investing maxim "winners tend to keep on winning." I found this saying to be so counter-intuitive to my nature that I resisted following this advice for years.However, I've been investing long enough to realize that it can make a great deal of sense to buy stocks after they've gone on a huge run. The reason is that I've seen plenty of "expensive" stocks go on to double and triple in value even after they've made a hugely bullish move.Knowing that, here's a list of 10 stocks that have been monster winners over the last decade:Company10-Year ReturnNetflix6,240%Trex Company2,770%Bofi Holding2,407%Cantel Medical2,291%Amazon2,260%Exact Sciences2,071%MarketAxess Holdings (NASDAQ: MKTX)2,030%Abiomed1,810%Booking Holdings (NASDAQ: BKNG)1,571%Ulta Beauty (NASDAQ: ULTA)1,319%Data … [Read more...] about 3 Top Winning Stocks to Buy Now
5 Top Stocks to Buy in March
Going into March, the stock market isn't quite as friendly as it's been over the past year. Volatility is back, with major swings up and down no longer scarce. But none of that matters for long-term investors. Over many years, day-to-day fluctuations are meaningless. What truly matters is the quality and performance of the companies you're investing in.What are the best stocks to buy this month? Five of our Foolish contributors have some ideas. Here's why you should considering buying shares of iRobot (NASDAQ: IRBT), Hanesbrands (NYSE: HBI), Vail Resorts (NYSE: MTN), ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM), and Palo Alto Networks (NYSE: PANW) in March.Image source: Getty Images.Let the robots clean up this messSteve Symington (iRobot): It seems an understatement to say that February was a terrible month for iRobot. Shares of the home robotics specialist plummeted over 30% in a single day after it announced stellar fourth-quarter results, but issued forward earnings guidance that left the market … [Read more...] about 5 Top Stocks to Buy in March