Investors buy growth stocks, hoping that those investments will outperform the stock market. Growth stocks to buy tend to perform especially well during bullish markets, as investors experienced in 2023 and the start of 2024.
The Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 are both up by roughly 10% year-to-date. Many growth stocks have generated higher returns than those indices. However, it’s also possible for once-heralded growth stocks to lose their spark and generate significant losses for long-term investors.
These growth stocks have attractive catalysts and moats that suggest they will be around for a long time. These are some of the top stocks to consider.
ServiceNow (NOW)
ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW) is valued at $160 billion and has a 92 P/E ratio. The company’s revenue and profit margins have both been rising as more enterprise customers use the company’s Now Platform.
Many Fortune 500 companies use ServiceNow to set up workflows and increase productivity. Businesses are using chatbots powered by ServiceNow to engage with customers and increase sales. ServiceNow is incorporating artificial intelligence throughout its product line and is anticipated to grow sales by 20% annually over the next five years.
ServiceNow certainly lives up to that expectation. The company reported 26% year-over-year revenue growth in Q4 2023. The company added 168 transactions with annual contract values exceeding $1 million per year. That’s a 33% year-over-year increase and brings the total number of customers within this segment to 1,897. ServiceNow has more than 8,100 customers using its platform. ServiceNow stock is up by 13% year-to-date and has gained 219% over the past five years.
Celsius Holdings (CELH)
Celsius Holdings (NASDAQ:CELH) is a leading sports beverage company with a $19 billion market cap. The company has been reporting substantial revenue and earnings growth for several quarters. Celsius Holdings didn’t disappoint in Q4 2023 and generated $347 million in revenue. That’s a 95% year-over-year increase from Q4 2022. Net income came in at $50.1 million compared to a $21.2 million net loss in Q4 2022.
Celsius Holdings generates most of its revenue from domestic sales. The company’s early-stage expansion into international markets can accelerate revenue and increase profit margins. The sports beverage drink regularly spots double-digit profit margins.
The company stands out from its competitors by offering a healthier alternative. Celsius drinks do not have many unhealthy ingredients like high fructose corn syrup or sugar. The beverage has a lot of caffeine. The stock has gained an astonishing 5,900% over the past five years. It’s already off to a good start with a 41% year-to-date gain.
Meta Platforms (META)
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is a top advertising platform that grabs people’s attention through its family of social networks. The company has rising profit margins and top line revenue growth to go along with it.
Revenue increased by 25% year-over-year in Q4 2023 while net income more than tripled year-over-year. Meta Platforms reported 3.19 billion daily active users across its platforms which is up by 8% year-over-year. Monthly active users also jumped by 6% year-over-year.
The company is committed to returning value to shareholders. Meta Platforms recently announced its first dividend and repurchased $6.32 billion in shares in Q4 2023. The dividend can see a lot of growth over the years since Meta Platforms will want to impress shareholders. It has suddenly become a dividend growth stock worth watching.
It has plenty of funds to grow the dividend. Meta Platforms closed out the year with $65.40 billion in cash and cash equivalents. Meta Platforms stock has been a winner with a 139% gain over the past year.
On this date of publication, Marc Guberti held long positions in NOW and CELH. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.