The stock market took a beating this year, especially tech stocks, with many of them down significantly. Then again, with margins declining and interest rates rising, investors are no longer willing to pay a premium and have retreated to defensive stocks. However, this also means that many companies with solid fundamentals are left undervalued. Contrarian investors should exploit this opportunity as these stocks to buy will offer remarkable gains once monetary policy inevitably flips.
Tech stocks to buy currently offer a very compelling opportunity with the selloff. Sure, many big tech companies have seen their ad revenues shrink and have been laying off workers to avoid disappointing investors. All of this is expected since tech stocks are very cyclical and prone to economic headwinds. However, these volatile stocks will also give you the best bang for your buck if you buy during bad times.
Big techs are the best stocks to buy if you want economic turmoil to work in your favor in the long term. They offer much higher rewards when the market turns a corner. These tech companies are evergreen industry leaders, meaning their products and services are always in high demand. This gives them a competitive advantage and makes them more likely to succeed in the long term. Additionally, the technology sector is growing at a phenomenal long-term rate. Thus the following seven stocks to buy should be considered:
Microsoft (MSFT)
Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is among the most visionary companies in tech, and its top line is still growing as white-collar businesses can’t seem to get enough of Microsoft products. It is among the best stocks to buy and a prime example of how tech companies are firing on all cylinders. Much like Alphabet, this company’s cloud business is one of the fastest-growing and most profitable segments in tech and is quickly becoming the primary driver of growth.
Microsoft’s long-term investments in the future are also paying off. The company’s efforts to build a new generation of computer interfaces and intelligent services are going exceptionally well.
Conversely, yearly net income has fallen to $69.9 billion from $72.7 billion. However, as with many other businesses, Microsoft’s poor profit growth is likely the result of unsustainably high post-Covid growth. Growth cooling off doesn’t mean that the stock isn’t a buy, in any case. In the long term, quarterly profits are growing quickly, from $11.6 billion in Q4 2019 to $17.6 billion in the latest quarter.
Thus, Microsoft’s future looks incredibly bright in the long run, and investors can expect it to deliver strong returns in the years ahead.
Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL)
Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG GOOGL) is a stock I’ve written about in two of my recent articles, and I see no reason to leave it out of this one either. Alphabet’s top line is still growing at a healthy clip, while the company’s cloud business segment’s growth accelerated to 38% year-on-year.
Analysts expect Alphabet to generate $306.23 billion in revenue next year, up from $283.66 billion this year. Earnings per share could also rise to 5.29 next year. These figures are impressive, but Alphabet did miss its Q3 expectations and could continue that trend. Still, those disappointments are already discounted in a stock that lost a third of its value year-to-date.
The best-case scenario for Alphabet will unfold when the broader economy bounces back. I expect advertising revenue to surge once businesses return to spending large amounts on marketing. Alphabet is also making significant investments in future growth. The company’s AI and machine learning efforts are paying off in products like Google Assistant, Google Home, and the Pixel phone. As I’ve previously mentioned, Google’s cloud business is also growing rapidly.
Finally, Alphabet owns the top two websites worldwide, which aren’t fading out of relevancy anytime soon. With all that in mind, GOOG stock is certainly one of the best stocks to buy.
Amazon (AMZN)
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) is one of the most dynamic and disruptive companies in the world. The firm’s retail business is still growing at a double-digit clip, but its web services business is surging and is becoming the primary driver of its growth. AWS sales jumped 27% in Q3, surpassing Amazon’s other major segments.
AWS is one of the most profitable and disruptive segments in tech. The company’s long-term investment in building out a global cloud infrastructure is finally paying off, with profits rising from $11.6 billion to $20.5 billion in just two years. AWS is now the world’s most profitable business, far ahead of Google and Microsoft.
Conversely, the company’s ad and e-commerce segments are sluggish compared to 2021 but rose 25% and 13% in Q3. Amazon’s advertising business is no longer in its early stages but is still growing remarkably fast. Once the bottom line recovers, I see a substantial upside for AMZN stock.
Apple (AAPL)
Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) stock is down 20% this year, making it an intriguing contrarian buy. Although investors are worried about the stock’s growth trajectory, one should remember that Apple faced similar situations in 2016 and 2018 as growth slowed and the stock declined by around 28%. However, investors still found the company’s underlying fundamentals compelling, and AAPL doubled in value in the following years as growth stabilized. Of course, that may not be the case in the years following 2022, but growth will inevitably return as Apple won’t have to compete with its 2021 figures in a stagflationary environment.
Apple’s core business is far from slowing, and the firm is investing in future growth. Apple is transitioning from its hardware-based business model by investing in new services and AI efforts. The company is also building out its subscription business, which includes services like Apple Music, iCloud, and Apple TV+.
Apple is investing in the future of augmented reality, including the acquisition of virtual reality startup Spaces. It is also rumored to launch its AR and VR headset in 2023, putting it at the forefront of this next big tech trend.
Meta Platforms (META)
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is one of the best stocks to buy for contrarian investors. As I’ve mentioned in my recent articles, Meta owns the “Family of Apps,” which generated operating profits of $32 billion this year. In comparison, spending on Reality Labs was $9.4 billion, which is far from unsustainable as many investors fear it to be.
In addition, that $9.4 billion is well-spent. Meta is making substantial progress in developing artificial intelligence and virtual reality technologies. These projects might not be as exciting to woo investors in 2022, but the atmosphere could change rapidly a few years later.
Still, let’s say the metaverse project does fail entirely. That still does not explain how undervalued the company’s core business is getting. We are looking at a 10.4x price-earnings ratio for a tech company that owns Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Oculus. With that in mind, Meta is undoubtedly one of the most undervalued stocks to buy in 2022.
Netflix (NFLX)
With a compelling growth story, Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) is one of the best stocks to buy for long-term investors. The company’s streaming business is still growing despite the pandemic boost, but profit growth is even more impressive. Compared to Q4 2019, profits have grown 170% TTM while the stock price is still below late 2019 figures.
On the other hand, top-line growth has slowed down but is still growing at a healthy clip. We could still see top-line growth trend higher with the recent adjustments to Netflix’s account-sharing rules and adding ads to the platform, which opens more revenue pathways.
2022 is a year where Netflix needs to readjust and adapt to the current environment for long-term growth, as not many people binge-watch as they did during the pandemic. In addition, the stock has already recovered quite a lot, trading at 25 times earnings. However, once the platform adjusts to accommodate more revenue sources and margins improve, I see a substantial upside in the long run.
Cloudflare (NET)
Cloudflare (NYSE:NET) is a web security firm founded in 2010 by Matthew Prince. Despite being a relatively new company, Cloudflare became publicly traded in late 2018 through a successful IPO. As with many tech companies, 2022 was an awful year for Cloudflare, with stock prices down 64% YTD.
Although the company is yet to be profitable, it has remarkable top-line growth, helping its bottom line narrow. Revenue is consistently growing near 50% YoY while margins are making a recovery and surpassing expectations.
Investors are pulling out of unprofitable companies, such as Cloudflare. However, it currently looks too oversold, and its high revenue growth will warrant a more premium valuation once profits turn green.
On the date of publication, Omor Ibne Ehsan did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.