Markets are improving, with the benchmark S&P 500 index up 9% on the year so far. The technology-laden Nasdaq index has gained 17% year to date. With a recovery underway, now looks like an opportune time for investors to wade back into high-growth stocks, while also looking for companies with attractive valuations.
There happen to be many high-growth stocks that can be purchased right now at attractive prices and valuations. Indeed, I think the majority of gains for many of these high-growth stocks could be in the coming years.
That’s partially due to investor positioning favoring defensive stocks right now. Should investors rotate back into a more balanced investment mix, these high-growth stocks could really take off in the next bull market.
So, without further ado, here are seven high-growth stocks that could make you a fortune, if you get in now.
| CMG | Chipotle Mexican Grill | $1,800 |
| AI | C3.AI | $20.06 |
| INTU | Intuit | $446.40 |
| RACE | Ferrari | $278.03 |
| CRM | Salesforce | $199.03 |
| META | Meta Platforms | $212.89 |
| MSFT | Microsoft | $285.76 |
Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG)
Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE:CMG) continue to outperform. In 2023, CMG stock has increased 30%. Since the Covid-19 pandemic struck in 2020, the company’s share price has nearly tripled. Indeed, No matter what headwinds crop up, Chipotle seems ready and able to weather the storm and come out stronger on the other side. The company’s growth has continued unabated, with Chipotle’s management team recently announcing plans to open 285 new locations and hire 15,000 workers this year.
While many restaurant chains have struggled to win back customers coming out of the pandemic, Chipotle hasn’t missed a beat. The company’s strong performance has led to a number of analyst upgrades and bullish predictions about CMG stock. U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) recently labeled CMG stock a “strong buy,” saying in a note to clients that “We continue to view Chipotle as one of the most compelling growth stocks.”
C3.ai (AI)
When it comes to technology, artificial intelligence is the hot sector this year. And among AI stocks, none is hotter right now than C3.ai (NYSE:AI).
So far this year, AI stock is up 105%, driven almost entirely by the hype surrounding generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT. The good news for investors is that despite the big year-to-date run, C3.ai’s stock still trades for less than $25 per share, making it affordable for most investors.
To be fair, the short interest in AI stock has grown dramatically in recent months, with a quarter (25%) of the company’s stock now sold short. There are rumblings on message boards such as r/WallStreetBets that a major short squeeze is brewing for the stock.
That said, there’s also a fundamental thesis supporting this rise. C3.ai has reported strong quarterly earnings and its stock has continued to rise despite a growing chorus of naysayers predicting it will decline.
In my view, long-term buy and hold investors might want to get in on the ground floor with this stock.
Intuit (INTU)
Intuit (NASDAQ:INTU), the software company behind TurboTax, QuickBooks, and Credit Karma, has been on a roll this year, with its stock gaining 13% since the first trading day in January. Over the past five years, INTU stock has risen nearly 150%.
Businesses and consumers alike are fans of Intuit’s products, which help them with their finances. This has made the company’s stock a winning investment. Helping matters, Intuit has consistently reported better-than-expected earnings.
While Intuit isn’t as well-known or widely-covered as other tech companies or software developers, it has provided great returns to investors who have stuck with it over the years. Despite being around since 1983, Intuit continues to boast impressive growth. In its most recent quarter, Intuit reported that its earnings per share grew 42% from a year earlier. Analysts, on average, forecast that Intuit’s earnings per share will increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15% over the next five years.
Ferrari (RACE)
Shares of Italian luxury racecar manufacturer Ferrari (NYSE:RACE) look ready to shift into overdrive. Since the start of the year, RACE stock has sped ahead by 30%. This at a time when more traditional automakers such as General Motors (NYSE:GM) and Volkswagen (ETR:VOW3) are limping along with their stock up only about 5% on the year. The keys to Ferrari’s success have been robust sales and strong margins.
Ferrari reported record earnings in 2022, and a strong backlog of orders indicates that the luxury automaker may do even better this year. Additionally, Ferrari is embracing fully electric and hybrid model sports cars, promising that they will comprise 80% of its annual sales by 2030.
Despite the transition to EVs, Ferrari is assuring investors that it will remain in growth mode, forecasting that its earnings will grow by a compound annual growth rate of 9% through decade’s end.
Salesforce (CRM)
Things are looking up for Salesforce (NYSE:CRM). Among the world’s largest cloud computing companies, Salesforce has seen its stock rise 47% this year, making it a top performer in 2023. The gain is welcome news for shareholders who have had to watch Salesforce, which specializes in customer relationship management software, struggle over the last year with a number of problems that led to a cratering share price.
Specifically, Salesforce was targeted by several activist investors and saw the departure of multiple top executives. The turmoil pushed CRM stock down 60% between November 2021 and December 2022.
Fortunately, the company is now on the mend, with its stock jumping 16% in one day after it delivered better-than-expected earnings and issued strong forward guidance. Salesforce also announced that it is doubling its stock buyback program to $20 billion from $10 billion previously. Music to investors’ ears.
Meta Platforms (META)
Speaking of tech stocks that are rebounding, how about Facebook parent company Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META)?
This year, META stock has risen 75%. The share price is now back above $200 and a new 52-week high looks close at hand. Sentiment towards the company run by Mark Zuckerberg has improved dramatically since the company scaled back its investments in the metaverse and undertook company-wide cost cutting initiatives.
Meta Platforms has managed to win back investors’ trust with aggressive spending cuts that have included laying off more than 20,000 employees. Zuckerberg has labeled 2023 the “year of efficiency.” Meta Platforms has also announced a $40 billion stock buyback program, which has helped to lift its share price. Additionally, META stock is also benefitting from the company’s forays into A.I. and government threats to ban Chinese social media app TikTok.
Microsoft (MSFT)
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) has a lot going for it right now. The company is arguably the biggest winner so far in the artificial intelligence race. Executives at the tech giant had the foresight to invest $10 billion into privately held OpenAI, a move that has enabled Microsoft to integrate the powerful ChatGPT AI system into its Bing search engine. Now, recent headlines have piqued investor interest in the stock once again, as Samsung is reportedly considering making Bing the default web browser on its smartphones, laptops and other electronic devices, replacing Google.
If that weren’t enough, Microsoft is nearing the finish line on its $68 billion acquisition of video game maker Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI), which seems increasingly-likely to be approved by regulators in the coming months. The Activision purchase will bolster Microsoft’s already impressive library of exclusive game titles that includes Halo and Forza Motorsport. The company is now talking about the potential of AI to enhance its video game offerings. MSFT stock has gained 20% since January.
On the date of publication, Joel Baglole held long positions in GM and MSFT. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.