Investing in stocks is a long-term process. You will have to ride the highs and lows of any investment, but the top stocks for April are more reliable than others.
It’s possible to find stocks you can safely hold for over a decade. These corporations exhibit financial strength and have growth opportunities readily available. You can search for smaller corporations that can potentially deliver higher returns, but the corporate giants offer a good mix of stability and returns. Investors looking for promising investments may want to consider these top stocks.
Amazon (AMZN)
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) is expanding in multiple verticals. E-commerce and cloud computing continue to be the highlights, but investors should monitor the company’s advertising, video streaming and grocery segments. Amazon recently launched a low-cost subscription plan. The plan allows consumers to receive groceries right to their door. The subscription pays for itself after a few uses since it will enable people to save money on gas. It costs $9.99/mo for Amazon Prime members. People enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program only have to pay $4.99/mo.
The new grocery subscription should increase Amazon’s recurring revenue and the frequency of orders. Groceries are one of the many components that led to 14% year-over-year net sales growth in Q4 2023. The company reached a record $170.0 billion in sales during the quarter while raising its profit margins to 6.25%. Amazon has outperformed the stock market with a 67% gain over the past year.
Alphabet (GOOG,GOOGL)
Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL) is another tech giant outpacing the market. The stock is up by 15% year-to-date and has gained 151% over the past five years. Despite those gains, Alphabet trades at a 29.5 P/E ratio, which is lower than most Magnificent Seven members.
The corporation continues to rebound from its 2022 results, with profit margin growth as a notable highlight. Alphabet reported $86.3 billion in Q4 2023 revenue, which was 13% higher than in the same period last year. The company also reported a net income of $20.7 billion, representing a 52% year-over-year improvement. Alphabet’s net profit margin came in at 24.0%.
The company’s cloud computing segment continues to grow and represents more than 10% of the corporation’s total revenue. Google Cloud and artificial intelligence initiatives can continue to power up the stock. Meanwhile, advertising revenue is still going strong thanks to Alphabet’s overwhelming dominance in the industry.
Marriott International (MAR)
Not every promising growth stock has to be a tech stock. Marriott International (NASDAQ:MAR) offers growth at a reasonable price. The stock trades at a 24 P/E ratio and provides a 0.84% yield. The company has maintained an annualized 11.84% dividend growth rate over the past decade.
The corporation only took a brief break from dividend distributions during the pandemic. However, investors don’t have to worry about a dividend pause anytime soon with the travel boom still in full force.
Marriott International closed out 2023 with a solid quarter. The company generated net sales of $1.68 billion in Q4 2023. That’s a solid 12% year-over-year increase. Net income increased by 26% year-over-year, bringing the company’s net profit margin to more than 50%.
Marriott stock has been outperforming the broader market. It’s up by 11% year-to-date and has gained 81% over the past five years. The hotel chain has a vast competitive moat with nearly 8,800 properties worldwide.
On this date of publication, Marc Guberti held long positions in GOOG and AMZN. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.