How would you like to get paid every quarter (and sometimes every month) to own a stock? That's exactly what happens when you invest in dividend stocks. Sometimes, the amount you are paid to own these stocks can be very attractive.

Three Motley Fool contributors believe they've found stocks you can buy right now that have mouthwatering dividends. Here's why they picked AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY), and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE).

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »

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A top dividend stock for the long haul

Prosper Junior Bakiny (AbbVie): Several factors make for an above-average dividend stock. AbbVie, a pharmaceutical company, checks many of those boxes. Consider the company's forward yield, which currently tops 3.5% versus the 1.3% average for the S&P 500. Although a stock can be attractive for dividends with a relatively low yield, income seekers often like juicy ones, and AbbVie's is.

We can also point to AbbVie's fantastic track record. The company is a Dividend King with an active streak of 53 consecutive payout increases. That suggests AbbVie is unlikely to slash its payouts anytime soon, as doing so would force the company to start the streak from scratch and maybe rejoin this exclusive club in another 50 years. Of course, AbbVie might be forced to cut its dividends if the business faces significant headwinds. However, that's yet another area where the company excels, which makes it a top dividend stock.

AbbVie is a leading drugmaker with a deep lineup of products that generate consistent revenue and earnings. Some of the company's medicines continue increasing their sales at a good clip. AbbVie's two biggest growth drivers are Skyrizi and Rinvoq, a pair of immunology medicines. These therapies have surprised even the company's management, which recently increased Skyrizi and Rinvoq's combined 2027 guidance by $4 billion to more than $31 billion.

AbbVie's lineup features several other key products, including its Botox franchise. And although it will face patent cliffs, as every drugmaker does, AbbVie also has a deep pipeline of investigational compounds that will eventually allow it to move beyond its current crop of therapies. All these things (and more) make AbbVie an attractive dividend stock. Income investors can safely add shares of the company to their portfolios and hold on to them for a long time.

Bristol Myers stock pays 5% and has underrated growth potential

David Jagielski (Bristol Myers Squibb): A dividend stock that income investors might want to consider loading up on right now is that of pharma giant Bristol Myers Squibb. It currently yields 5.1%, which is a higher-than-typical payout for this top healthcare company. At such a high yield, you may be concerned that it's unsustainable, but that's not the case.

The company's fundamentals are sound. In the trailing 12 months, Bristol Myers generated free cash flow totaling $13.1 billion, which is more than double the amount it has paid out in cash dividends during that stretch ($4.9 billion). In each of the past four years, Bristol Myers' free cash flow has totaled at least $11 billion.

The company has been struggling with growth in recent years due to rising competition and the loss of patent protection on key drugs. But its growth portfolio has been giving investors a reason to remain optimistic. Through the first three months of the year, its non-legacy products generated year-over-year growth of 18% when excluding foreign exchange.

Bristol Myers has been a solid name in healthcare for years, and while it's facing adversity, it's still growing. Last year, it obtained approval for schizophrenia drug Cobenfy, which may generate peak sales of up to $10 billion, according to some analysts.

At 18 times trailing earnings, this can be a great, cheap dividend stock to add to your portfolio today.

A safer dividend than initially meets the eye

Keith Speights (Pfizer): Investors are right to be at least somewhat skeptical when they see a stock with a super-high dividend yield. For example, Pfizer's forward dividend yield is 7.38%. Is a dividend cut on the way for the big pharmaceutical company? I don't think so.

Granted, Pfizer's dividend payout ratio of 122.5% might seem worrisome. However, the company generates enough free cash flow to cover its dividend at the current level. The amount of free cash flow could also increase as a result of Pfizer's cost-cutting initiatives. The drugmaker's dividend is safer than initially meets the eye, in my view.

I believe Pfizer's underlying business is also stronger than it might look at first glance. It's easy to focus only on the negatives. There are several, including a steep decline in COVID-19 product sales, some notable pipeline setbacks, the upcoming loss of exclusivity for multiple top-selling drugs, and the Trump administration's threats of tariffs on pharmaceutical imports.

But Pfizer has plenty of positives that offset those negatives. For one thing, I think its valuation more than reflects all the challenges, with shares trading at only 8 times forward earnings. The company also has several new products with fast-growing sales and a robust pipeline.

Should you invest $1,000 in AbbVie right now?

Before you buy stock in AbbVie, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and AbbVie wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $669,517!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $868,615!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 792% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 171% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of June 2, 2025

David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Keith Speights has positions in AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Pfizer. Prosper Junior Bakiny has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Pfizer. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

If you want to achieve significant gains in the stock market, you'll probably want to plan to hold on and remain invested for many years, or even decades. But in some cases, big payoffs can come much faster than that. The benefit of investing in growth stocks is that they have the potential to deliver some terrific returns.

For example, growth stocks Strategy (NASDAQ: MSTR), Mara Holdings (NASDAQ: MARA), and Verona Pharma (NASDAQ: VRNA) have yielded fantastic gains for investors over the past five years. If you had invested $15,000 into each one of these stocks just five years ago and held on, you would have a portfolio worth more than $1 million today. The question is, do they still have the potential for further significant gains for investors who buy them right now?

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

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Strategy

A $15,000 investment made five years ago into the company that at that time called itself MicroStrategy would now be worth around $458,000. That's a staggering return when you consider that its core technology business hasn't been taking off. The company, which earlier this year shortened its name to Strategy, has actually experienced a decline in revenue in recent years. While it's nominally involved in providing business intelligence solutions, the reason its stock skyrocketed was tied to its aggressive moves in the cryptocurrency space.

Strategy is the largest corporate holder of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), with a stash that now totals more than 500,000 coins. The company routinely updates investors on its position and Bitcoin holdings. Executive Chairman Michael Saylor is incredibly bullish on the popular digital currency's potential value, predicting that its token price will climb to well over $1 million in the future, and suggesting that it could potentially top $13 million by 2045.

Strategy stock could still rise higher if Bitcoin does well. But it's a highly speculative buy: Its valuation is not tied to its overall performance, but is instead contingent on how strong the crypto market is. If you're bullish about that, you may feel that the stock could be a good buy. But for the majority of investors, this investment is likely to be too risky and speculative to hold.

Mara Holdings

Bitcoin mining company Mara has also benefited from the cryptocurrency's rising value over the past five years. During that stretch, a $15,000 investment into the stock would have grown into a holding worth approximately $290,000. Remarkably, that result includes a steep drop that it hasn't fully recovered from yet: The crypto stock is down by more than 50% from where it began 2022.

In the past three years, the company's bottom line has fluctuated drastically, from a loss of more than $694 million in 2022 to a profit of $541 million in 2024, and the stock has been similarly volatile. Its performance inevitably hinges on the changes in the market value of the digital assets it mines and holds.

As with Strategy, this is a speculative buy, as Mara's valuation will ultimately depend on how well Bitcoin is doing. This isn't a stock I'd suggest owning unless you have an extremely high risk tolerance.

Verona Pharma

The only stock on this list that hasn't amassed its gains due to crypto is Verona Pharma. However, the biopharmaceutical company has still generated impressive returns for investors. A $15,000 investment in the business five years ago would now be worth $267,000. Add that to the gains from your hypothetical $15,000 investments in the other two companies mentioned, and you'd have around $1.02 million.

Shares of Verona started to take off in June 2024 after the company obtained Food and Drug Administration approval for Ohtuvayre as a maintenance treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Analysts believe Ohtuvayre can become a blockbuster drug, generating more than $1 billion in annual revenue for Verona by 2029.

Verona incurred a loss of more than $173 million last year, but with Ohtuvayre already beginning to generate sales, the business is on a much more positive trajectory. The stock's valuation isn't cheap, as its market cap is hovering around $7 billion. But given its promising growth prospects and its possible path to profitability, it's the only stock on this list that I'd consider buying today.

Should you invest $1,000 in Strategy right now?

Before you buy stock in Strategy, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Strategy wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $668,538!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $869,841!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 789% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of June 2, 2025

David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Make money without even trying: That's what passive income is all about. But good investment alternatives are required to make this "easy" money.

Three Motley Fool contributors believe they have found some great dividend stocks that fit the bill. Here's why they think Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT), AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) are magnificent stocks that are passive income machines.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

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A dividend stock you can buy and (almost) forget about

David Jagielski (Abbott Laboratories): When picking a top dividend stock to hold in your portfolio, you want to consider a company that not only has a solid track record for making payouts but that also has solid fundamentals. The former helps demonstrate its commitment to rewarding shareholders, while the latter ensures that it has the capacity to continue doing so.

Abbott Laboratories has been paying a dividend going back more than 100 years, to 1924. And it has also been increasing its dividend annually for more than 50 consecutive years. Investors have become accustomed to not only receiving a dividend from this stock every quarter, but also seeing their dividend income rise over the years.

The diversified healthcare company currently pays its shareholders a quarterly dividend of $0.59, and that has risen by 146% over the past 10 years. That averages out to a compound annual growth rate of 9.4%. The stock's 1.8% dividend yield may look modest, but the likelihood of further rate hikes is why it can make for a great long-term buy.

What's also attractive about Abbott's business is that it has diverse operations, which makes it less dependent on any one particular business unit. It has segments related to nutrition, diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, and medical devices.

The company has generated stable and solid results, with its top line coming in at more than $40 billion in each of the past four years. And with strong free cash flow of $6.7 billion over the trailing 12 months (more than the $3.9 billion it paid out in dividends during that time frame), it's in an excellent position to continue growing its dividend for the foreseeable future.

A drugmaker that's proved its resilience

Keith Speights (AbbVie): Abbott Labs spun off AbbVie as a separate entity in 2013. It inherited its parent company's outstanding track record of dividend increases and has kept the streak going. The big drugmaker has increased its dividend for an impressive 53 consecutive years.

Even better, AbbVie's dividend program is quite generous. The company's forward dividend yield stands at 3.64%.

What I like most about AbbVie, though, is its resilience. After the spinoff, management knew that it was only a matter of time before key patents for its autoimmune disease drug Humira would expire. The company was heavily dependent on Humira's sales.

However, AbbVie invested heavily in research and development. It made strategic acquisitions, notably including the 2020 purchase of Allergan. Those efforts paid off.

Today, the company's lineup features multiple growth drivers that more than offset Humira's sales decline that began after the drug lost U.S. patent exclusivity in 2023.

AbbVie's greatest new success stories are its two successors to Humira, Rinvoq and Skyrizi. These two autoimmune disease drugs should rake in combined sales of $31 billion by 2027, more than Humira achieved at its peak.

A seasoned dividend payer for all seasons

Prosper Junior Bakiny (Johnson & Johnson): In the past few years, Johnson & Johnson's solid performance has been somewhat overshadowed by its legal and regulatory issues. More recently, the threat of tariffs has created new challenges to overcome. Despite these problems, Johnson & Johnson remains an excellent passive income stock. Here are three reasons:

First, it's a leading healthcare company that makes most of its money thanks to its pharmaceutical business, although its medical device unit also contributes significantly. Healthcare is a defensive industry that performs relatively well even during challenging economic times. So, even if a recession eventually hits, as some investors fear, well-established and consistently profitable healthcare players like Johnson & Johnson will be much more resilient than those in most other industries.

Second, it has a rock-solid financial foundation. As evidence of the strength of its balance sheet, the drugmaker has an AAA rating from S&P Global. That's the highest available -- even higher than the U.S. government's.

Third, Johnson & Johnson has an impeccable dividend track record. The company has increased its payouts for 62 consecutive years, making it part of the elite clique of Dividend Kings. It might be facing some headwinds, but its solid business and expertise in the healthcare sector, coupled with significant financial flexibility, make it likely to overcome these obstacles. Meanwhile, the company should continue growing its dividends for many more years. That's why the stock is an excellent pick-up for income-seeking investors.

Should you invest $1,000 in AbbVie right now?

Before you buy stock in AbbVie, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and AbbVie wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $635,275!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $826,385!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 967% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 171% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of May 12, 2025

David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Keith Speights has positions in AbbVie. Prosper Junior Bakiny has positions in Johnson & Johnson. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends AbbVie, Abbott Laboratories, and S&P Global. The Motley Fool recommends Johnson & Johnson. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Investing in the stock market isn't all about trying to find the next big growth stock or swinging for the fences, hoping for a massive return. Many investors don't want to turn investing into a job that requires constantly monitoring stocks. They simply want investments that can generate recurring cash flow for years to come.

A good way to accomplish that is by investing in exchange-traded funds (ETFs) which can allow you to do that easily. Not only can you quickly diversify your portfolio through ETFs, but some of them also offer attractive yields.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

The ETFs listed below focus on blue chip dividend stocks and offer high yields. For long-term investors who don't want to worry about the market, these can be safe investments to buy and forget about.

Image source: Getty Images.

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF

The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEMKT: SCHD) pays a yield of 4%, which is fairly high for such a diversified investment. By comparison, the average yield on the S&P 500 is just 1.4%.

Another great feature of this fund is that its expense ratio is fairly low at just 0.06%, which ensures that fees don't chip away at your overall returns.

The stocks selected for the fund pay dividends and have strong financials. Some of the fund's top holdings include Coca-Cola, Verizon Communications, and Home Depot. These are the types of big-name stocks that you can feel comfortable hanging on to for the long haul, and which can generate recurring dividend income for your portfolio along the way.

The majority of the stocks are in energy, consumer staples, and healthcare, with those three sectors accounting for about 56% of the entire portfolio. In total, there are currently 103 holdings in the ETF.

If you just want a good buy-and-forget investment that provides you with plenty of dividend income, the Schwab fund can be an excellent option. Over the past year, its total returns (which include dividends) are modest but stable at around 4%. While that trails the S&P 500 and its 13% performance over the same time frame, in return, you get a fairly diversified investment that doesn't contain as much risk as the overall market.

Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF

A more diversified ETF to consider is the Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index Fund ETF (NYSEMKT: VYM), which has nearly 600 stocks in its portfolio. This is also a low-cost fund whose expense ratio is 0.06%. Its yield is, however, slightly lower at right around 3%, but that is still above average.

There can be a bit less risk and volatility with this ETF simply because there are more holdings, which means that there's less vulnerability to how a single stock performs in the fund. The largest holding in the ETF is Broadcom, which accounts for 4% of the fund's total weight. Other recognizable names include JPMorgan and ExxonMobil.

The Vanguard fund's main three sectors are financials (20%), healthcare (14%), and industrials (13%). In the past 12 months, this ETF's total returns are just under 11%, making it the best-performing fund on this list.

iShares Core High Dividend ETF

Rounding out this list is the iShares Core High Dividend ETF (NYSEMKT: HDV). At just over 8%, its total returns over the past year put it in the middle of the pack. But overall, it's the same story: Investors are sacrificing some returns with these ETFs in exchange for safety. They can help protect you and make your portfolio less susceptible to large declines, but they usually underperform the market when it is doing well.

^SPX data by YCharts.

With the iShares ETF, you'll be collecting a yield of 3.5%. It has a slightly higher expense ratio than the other two ETFs listed here at 0.08%, but the difference is minor and won't have a drastic effect on your overall returns.

The fund is a bit more concentrated with 75 holdings in its portfolio. The focus is on high-quality dividend stocks, with a bit less diversification. ExxonMobil, Johnson & Johnson, and Progressive, which are its three top holdings, make up more than 18% of the ETF's overall weight. Consumer staples, energy, and healthcare are the three largest sectors here, representing close to 60% of the ETF's overall portfolio.

All three of the ETFs listed here can be great options for income investors for the long haul. You get some excellent diversification, incur low fees, and collect fairly high yields.

Should you invest $1,000 in Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF right now?

Before you buy stock in Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $635,275!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $826,385!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 967% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 171% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of May 12, 2025

JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Home Depot, JPMorgan Chase, Progressive, and Vanguard Whitehall Funds-Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom, Johnson & Johnson, and Verizon Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

If you want to retire a millionaire, there are many ways to do so, without having to take on significant risk. Even if you don't have a boatload of money to invest in the stock market today, simply adding to your position over time with regular monthly investments can lead to significant returns in the long run.

Investing in top exchange-traded fund (ETF) can be a low-risk strategy to deploy that can put you on a path to growing your portfolio to $1 million -- and potentially higher -- by the time you retire. Here's how investing $250 a month can set you up for a much more enjoyable retirement.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

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Invest in a top Vanguard fund that's focused on growth

Vanguard ETFs typically come with low fees, have excellent diversification, and can make for solid long-term investments. The Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund ETF (NASDAQ: VONG) is an excellent example of an ETF that you can safely put money into on a regular basis.

It has a modest expense ratio of just 0.07% and holds nearly 400 stocks. It focuses on growth and tracks the Russell 1000 Growth Index.

Tech is a major part of this ETF, accounting for over 56% of its total holdings. The next-largest sector, consumer discretionary, makes up just 19%.

As a result, there will be some volatility from one year to the next, but overall, the long-term trajectory should be a strong one. Over the past decade, the fund has outperformed the S&P 500 by a wide margin.

^SPX data by YCharts.

Past results don't predict the future, but the ETF's focus on growth stocks should make it an ideal fund to invest in over the long term, since it may be in a good position to outperform the broader markets.

How a monthly $250 investment could grow to over $1 million

If you're patient and continually invest $250 per month into the ETF, you could end up with a portfolio worth over $1 million. There are no secrets involved, it's just a matter of simply compounding your gains over the long haul.

Here's how your portfolio's value could grow, assuming you average an annual return of 10%, which is in line with the S&P 500's long-run average.

Calculations and table by author.

Under these assumptions, it would take approximately 36 years for this investment strategy to result in your portfolio's balance rising to more than $1 million. This means continually investment every month for 36 years. But there are a couple things to consider with this.

The first is that your average annual return plays a big role in determining these values. If the ETF performs better than 10%, then you can reach the $1 million mark sooner. On the flip side, however, slow market conditions could mean it takes more than 36 years.

Second, you can accelerate these gains by investing more money over this timeframe. Whether it's an inheritance, money from tax returns, or a profit from the sale of a house or investment, any extra money you can afford to invest in the fund will result in more compounding over the years, which will strengthen your portfolio's overall returns.

It may not be exciting, but this is a safe way to invest for the long haul

You might be tempted to pursue more-aggressive growth investments that promise quicker and higher returns, but those will come with much more risk. By going with this route, you can ensure your money is safe and your returns don't hinge on a few risky investments. While you may see your portfolio's balance fall in a year if the overall market performs poorly, over the long term, you can expect to see it rise significantly.

Staying invested and adding to your position in a top fund like the Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund ETF can give you the best of both worlds -- long-term safety and great returns.

Should you invest $1,000 in Vanguard Scottsdale Funds - Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF right now?

Before you buy stock in Vanguard Scottsdale Funds - Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Vanguard Scottsdale Funds - Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth ETF wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $617,181!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $719,371!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 909% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 163% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of May 5, 2025

David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Has the excitement surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) stocks cooled off? Many top AI stocks are down this year, including Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD), better known as just AMD, and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA). They have both declined around 15% thus far in 2025, which is worse than S&P 500's more modest drop of 4%.

There's still massive potential for AI to revolutionize businesses and entire industries, but investors have been starting to scale back their positions in AI. If, however, you're looking at the long haul, then now can be a great time to add a top AI stock to your portfolio. Which of these two chip stocks is the better option right now: AMD or Nvidia?

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

Image source: Getty Images.

Comparing their valuations

Nvidia is one of the most valuable companies in the world, with a market cap of $2.8 trillion. That has come down a bit amid its recent decline (last year it was well above $3 trillion), but it's still close to 17 times the value of AMD, which has a market cap of around $165 billion. While AMD isn't a small company by any means, when compared to Nvidia, it looks tiny.

While you might think that Nvidia is the pricier of the two stocks given its massive valuation, based on earnings, it's actually the cheaper stock.

NVDA PE Ratio data by YCharts

Last year, AMD reported $1.6 billion in profit, while Nvidia, which has a fiscal year that ends in January, has generated an incredible $72.9 billion in earnings over its last four quarters. Not only has its business been experiencing explosive growth, but Nvidia's bottom line has been growing quickly as its profit margin has averaged 56%. That has enabled its price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple to remain relatively low.

By comparison, AMD's profit margin is just 6%. And with a more modest bottom line, it's the more expensive stock of the two when taking into account its earnings per share.

Which AI stock may have the most upside?

Both stocks have been struggling this year but when looking at the past 12 months, Nvidia is still up around 29% while AMD has fallen by 33%. A case could be made that AMD may be due for a rally, especially if its AI chips prove to offer formidable competition to Nvidia's high-priced options. AMD CEO Lisa Su previously forecast that the company could generate "tens of billions of dollars in annual revenue" in the near future due to its AI chips.

If AMD can generate that much growth, it can certainly help attract more investors and propel the stock to a much higher valuation. Thus far, it's lagged behind Nvidia in a big way. Last year, AMD's sales rose by 14%, while Nvidia more than doubled its revenue during its most recent fiscal year. But what also matters are AMD's margins, which need improvement. Otherwise, its P/E multiple may not come down significantly even if its growth rate accelerates. And a high premium could deter investors.

Nvidia is in pole position today, dominating the market and still innovating and coming up with new AI chips. AMD has to prove that it can put up some formidable competition. And until it does, that could limit its upside both in the near term and the long term.

Nvidia is the stock I'd go with today

AMD can potentially be a great long-term investment but it has a lot of question marks around its operations; it's far from a slam-dunk buy at this stage and it comes with some risk. Not only does it need to show that its chips can provide real competition to Nvidia, but the company also has to improve upon its single-digit profit margin.

With much stronger financials, a more attractive valuation, and a more dominant position in the market, Nvidia is the better AI stock to buy today.

Don’t miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity

Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you’ll want to hear this.

On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a “Double Down” stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you’re worried you’ve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it’s too late. And the numbers speak for themselves:

• Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you’d have $303,566!*
• Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you’d have $37,207!*
• Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you’d have $623,103!*

Right now, we’re issuing “Double Down” alerts for three incredible companies, available when you join Stock Advisor, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon.

See the 3 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of May 5, 2025

David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) has been undergoing changes over the past several months in an effort to turn around its business and get back to growth. CEO Brian Niccol took over back in September and has been working on improving the in-store experience for customers. The company is still in the early stages of that turnaround, but Niccol is seeing progress.

Recently, Starbucks released its latest quarterly numbers, which showed positive growth. And Niccol is optimistic that better results are ahead for the business. With the coffee stock down around 30% from its 52-week high at the time of this writing, has it become a no-brainer buy?

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

Image source: Getty Images.

Starbucks shows some progress with Q2 results

On April 29, coffee giant Starbucks reported its second-quarter earnings numbers. For the period ending March 30, consolidated net revenue rose by 2% to $8.8 billion. And the company's global comparable-store sales were down by just 1% -- in the previous quarter, the decline was as much as 4%. While those aren't blowout numbers, they do show that, at least for now, things may be stabilizing.

Niccol was encouraged with the results and the company's turnaround thus far, stating, "We are on track and if anything, I see more opportunity than I imagined." The new CEO has been working on making the Starbucks experience better for customers, which has included simplifying the menu and working on improving wait times at stores.

Why the results may not look all that impressive

At first glance, it may appear as though Starbucks is generating good, modest growth, and could be making a solid turnaround. But don't forget that the company is coming off some poor quarters and lapping some underwhelming comparable numbers. Consider that the company's revenue two years ago, in the same quarter, totaled $8.7 billion -- nearly as much as it generated this past quarter.

The top line is effectively flat over a two-year window and puts into context the challenges that Starbucks has been enduring during that time frame. Meanwhile, the $384 million in profit it posted last quarter was just a fraction of the $908 million in earnings it reported two years ago.

And so while the lack of change in the top line may be underwhelming, what's even more concerning is the significant drop on the bottom line. When looking at the bigger picture, the results don't nearly look as impressive anymore.

Investors also shouldn't forget that given the macroeconomic uncertainty in the markets today, Starbucks' results may look even less impressive in the future. While the CEO is optimistic, investors often need to take such excitement from management with a grain of salt.

Is Starbucks stock a good buy?

As of Monday's close, shares of Starbucks have fallen by around 11% since the start of the year. And the stock trades at roughly 30 times its trailing earnings, which is high compared to the S&P 500 average of 23.

Given the risk and uncertainty facing Starbucks, it should arguably be trading for more of a discount. I wouldn't rush out to buy the stock, as its results weren't all that impressive when you compare to where it was just two years ago. And although Niccol is optimistic about the future, investors should brace for more challenges ahead, as Starbucks still has a long way to go in proving that it can turn things around, grow its business at a high rate, and improve upon its bottom line.

For now, this is a stock I'd put on a watch list and take a wait-and-see approach.

Should you invest $1,000 in Starbucks right now?

Before you buy stock in Starbucks, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Starbucks wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $623,103!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $717,471!*

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See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of May 5, 2025

David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Starbucks. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

As of Monday's close, the S&P 500 was down by about 4% from where it started the year -- and that's after the markets bounced back considerably from their 2025 lows in recent weeks.

One stock, however, that has soundly outperformed the broad index this year is Dollar General (NYSE: DG). It's up more than 21%. The discount retailer has been a growth machine over the years, and opened its 20,000th location in 2024. Its significant presence across the country and its focus on low-cost goods have led many investors to see it as a promising opportunity of late.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »

But what's been driving the share price rally? Is now really a good time to invest in Dollar General?

Image source: Getty Images.

Why is Dollar General stock doing so well in 2025?

One big reason for Dollar General's impressive gains in the early part of 2025 is that investors see it as a fairly safe stock to hold amid the growing risks related to tariffs. According to analysts' estimates, just 4% of Dollar General's purchases are imported goods. Rival Dollar Tree has much more exposure to tariffs, and its stock has experienced a more modest increase of 12% this year.

Another condition supporting Dollar General's rise, however, could simply be that the stock was beaten down previously. Last year, Dollar General's stock lost 44% of its value, and the year before that, it fell by 45%. After such a sharp sell-off over two consecutive years, some bargain hunters may have been loading up on the stock as it was trading in the neighborhood of its seven-year low.

Even after its gains this year, it's still below $100 -- nowhere near the high of over $260 that it hit in 2022.

The company may not be out of the woods just yet

Before you decide to pile your own money into Dollar General's rally, consider that while its direct exposure to tariff risks may not be high, there are still other problems to worry about, too. First and foremost, its core customer base is struggling, and Dollar General management has mentioned this on multiple occasions. Most recently, in March, CEO Todd Vasos said that many of the chain's customers "only have enough money for basic essentials."

Now, consider that Dollar General's core customer is already feeling the pinch, and the U.S. economy has yet to come close to feeling the full effects of tariffs, which could include layoffs, rising unemployment, and a wide-scale reduction of spending across the board as consumers tighten their belts.

For its current fiscal year, which ends in January 2026, Dollar General has guided for same-store sales growth of between 1.2% and 2.2%. But I wouldn't be surprised by a downward adjustment to that if economic conditions worsen as the year progresses.

Investors should tread carefully

Despite Dollar General stock's encouraging start to 2025, I wouldn't hop on the bandwagon just yet. The business may struggle less than some of its peers, but it may still not perform all that well. If its core customer is already only buying essentials, and tougher times appear to be ahead, it's not hard to imagine a scenario in which Dollar General performs worse than expected and the stock gives back some of its early gains.

The stock trades at 18 times its trailing earnings, which is light in comparison to the S&P 500 average of 23, but there's good reason for that -- Dollar General's business has been sluggish in recent years and there hasn't been much of a reason to be optimistic. It should be trading at a discount.

While Dollar General may not be as vulnerable to tariffs as other companies, I don't see that as a good enough reason to buy shares. There are far better growth stocks out there to add to your portfolio.

Should you invest $1,000 in Dollar General right now?

Before you buy stock in Dollar General, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Dollar General wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $623,103!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $717,471!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 909% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 162% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of May 5, 2025

David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Any time is a great time to buy stocks -- if you pick the right stocks. That's true even in May, a month where some investors have traditionally opted to take a break from the stock market for the summer.

Three Motley Fool contributors think they've found no-brainer healthcare stocks to buy in May. Here's why they picked Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY), Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO), and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX).

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »

Image source: Getty Images.

An unstoppable growth stock with plenty of runway

David Jagielski (Eli Lilly): One of the best growth stocks you can buy in the healthcare sector today is Eli Lilly. The company has experienced a surge in revenue in recent years, thanks in large part to its GLP-1 offerings, Zepbound and Wegovy, which are still in the early stages of their growth.

Just a few years ago, the company was coming off a lackluster performance in 2022, when sales totaled less than $29 billion and showed minimal growth from the previous year. Last year, however, its top line jumped to more than $45 billion, growing by 58% in a span of just two years.

It's no mystery why, either. Zepbound, which was approved as a weight loss treatment in late 2023, began contributing in a big way to the company's top line, generating $4.9 billion in revenue last year. Meanwhile, Mounjaro, which is approved for the treatment of diabetes, more than doubled its sales to $11.5 billion, becoming Eli Lilly's top-selling drug in the process. Trulicity, once the center of Eli Lilly's portfolio, fell by 26% with sales totaling $5.3 billion last year.

But with Eli Lilly focusing on a highly lucrative GLP-1 drug market, those gains can more than outweigh any declines that its other products experience. Currently, the company is working on what may be an even bigger opportunity: a weight loss pill. Late-stage trial results involving orforglipron have been encouraging, and it may obtain approval by next year.

Although Eli Lilly is worth $800 billion and may seem expensive, trading at over 75 times its trailing earnings, this growth stock looks unstoppable and could easily hit a $1 trillion valuation within the next year or two, given its impressive results.

Buy the dip on this excellent stock

Prosper Junior Bakiny (Novo Nordisk): It wasn't that long ago that Novo Nordisk seemed almost unstoppable. The Denmark-based pharmaceutical leader's revenue and earnings were flying high while it delivered market-crushing returns. That has changed over the past 18 months, or at least the part about superior stock market returns. Novo Nordisk encountered clinical setbacks with what were previously thought to be promising pipeline candidates.

However, there remain excellent reasons to invest in Novo Nordisk. The company is still a leader -- perhaps the leader -- in diabetes and obesity care. Despite recent clinical setbacks, the company's pipeline in this field is incredibly deep. There is an excellent chance Novo Nordisk will redeem itself in the next few years. Furthermore, Novo Nordisk's financial results remain strong. Perhaps some of that success was already baked into the stock price before the recent sell-off. But after dropping by almost 50% over the trailing-12-month period, Novo Nordisk's shares now look far more attractively priced.

Lastly, Novo Nordisk is developing products outside its core area of endocrine-related disorders. That's a great move, considering the increased competition in the weight management market, which, by the way, should still grow by leaps and bounds in the coming years. Novo Nordisk's pipeline features investigational drugs across various areas, including rare blood diseases, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, and others.

Novo Nordisk may have lagged behind the market over the past year, but it still has attractive long-term prospects. The stock looks like a no-brainer at current levels, at least for investors willing to hold on to its shares for a while.

This big biotech stock should continue beating the market

Keith Speights (Vertex Pharmaceuticals): You wouldn't know that the stock market has been in turmoil by looking at Vertex Pharmaceuticals' performance. The big biotech stock has soared roughly 24% year to date. I think Vertex will continue beating the market.

The main reason for my optimism over the near term is the tremendous commercial potential for Vertex's new pain medication, Journavx. This non-opioid drug won U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval on Jan. 30 for treating moderate to severe acute pain. Vertex already has strong early momentum with payers. I don't expect it will take long for Journavx to become a blockbuster drug for the company.

Journavx isn't the only reason I'm bullish about Vertex, though. The biotech innovator has another new product on the market: cystic fibrosis (CF) therapy Alyftrek. Vertex has the only approved therapies for treating the underlying cause of CF. Alyfrek offers a more convenient dosing than the company's current top-selling drug, Kaftrio/Trikafta. It should also be more profitable for Vertex because of its lower royalty burden.

Gene-editing therapy Casgevy hasn't moved the needle much for the company yet after securing FDA approvals for treating sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia in late 2023 and early 2024, respectively. However, the CRISPR gene-editing process Casgevy uses is complex. Vertex believes the commercial momentum is building and that Casgevy has a multibillion-dollar opportunity.

Don't overlook Vertex's pipeline, either. The company has four programs in phase 3 testing, all of which have the potential to be big winners. I'm especially watching the progress of zimislecel, an islet cell therapy that could cure severe type 1 diabetes. Success for zimislecel should bode well for VX-264, which doesn't require immunosuppressants and could be used in a larger patient population.

Should you invest $1,000 in Eli Lilly right now?

Before you buy stock in Eli Lilly, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Eli Lilly wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $623,685!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $701,781!*

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*Stock Advisor returns as of April 28, 2025

David Jagielski has positions in Novo Nordisk. Keith Speights has positions in Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Prosper Junior Bakiny has positions in Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool recommends Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Many income investors would love to have a low-maintenance portfolio that doesn't require constant attention. They'd prefer to buy great stocks and rake in the dividends without any hiccups.

Three Motley Fool contributors believe they've identified fantastic dividend stocks to buy and hold for the next decade. Here's why they chose Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT), AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV), and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE).

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

A diversified dividend stock with a growing payout

David Jagielski (Abbott Laboratories): If you're looking for a solid, safe dividend stock you can buy and hold for years, Abbott Laboratories makes for an easy choice. The healthcare company has a terrific track record for paying and increasing its dividend, plus its diversified business makes it the type of buy-and-forget stock that long-term investors won't have to worry about.

What makes Abbott Laboratories a great investment is the stability it offers. With the company announcing its latest dividend in February, this marks the 405th consecutive quarterly payout it will make to investors (the dividend is payable next month). That means the company has been making dividend payments to investors on a regular basis since 1924.

Amid all that has happened over the past century, the company hasn't interrupted its dividend. On top of that, the stock is a Dividend King, with Abbott having increased its dividend for 53 consecutive years. Currently, it yields 1.8%, which is better than the S&P 500's average of 1.5%.

The company reported its first-quarter numbers recently, and it was another stellar performance for the business. For the first three months of the year, Abbott's sales totaled $10.4 billion, representing a 4% year-over-year increase. Its pharma business grew, as did nutritional and medical device sales.

The only area where it didn't generate positive growth was diagnostics, which declined by 7% (largely due to a decline in COVID-19 testing). Even amid economic uncertainty, the company is forecasting an organic growth rate of between 7.5% and 8.5% for its entire business this year.

Abbott trades at 17 times its trailing earnings and is reasonably priced, given the dividend income and long-term stability you get from this top healthcare stock. It's a great stock to buy and hold for the next decade or longer.

A reliable dividend payer to hold for the long term

Prosper Junior Bakiny (AbbVie): Income-seeking investors want stocks that won't suspend their dividends or, better yet, will increase their payouts year after year. There are several factors to consider when determining whether a company belongs to this class, including its track record of dividend increases (or lack thereof) and its underlying business.

AbbVie, a leading pharmaceutical giant, excels on both counts. The company is a Dividend King -- it has now raised its payouts for 53 consecutive years, taking into account the time it spent under the wing of Abbott Laboratories.

Since splitting from its former parent company in 2013, AbbVie has increased its dividend by an impressive 310%. The company checks our first box, but what about the second?

One of the best pieces of evidence that AbbVie's underlying operations are rock-solid is that, despite losing U.S. patent exclusivity in 2023 for the most lucrative drug in the industry's history, it returned to top-line growth last year, an impressive achievement. It wouldn't have been odd (by industry standards) for AbbVie to see its revenue decline for even a couple of years, but thanks to newer products with fast-growing sales, it didn't have to. Over the next decade, expect AbbVie to continue doing what it has been doing since 2013.

Generate consistent revenue and earnings, develop and market newer products, and increase its dividends every single year. It's a great income stock to buy and hold through 2035.

A better story than meets the eye

Keith Speights (Pfizer): I'll readily admit that a quick glance at Pfizer's stock performance might raise questions about buying and holding its stock. Shares of the big drugmaker have plunged more than 60% since late 2021, when Pfizer enjoyed smooth sailing because of its COVID-19 vaccine. The pharma stock is also down by a double-digit percentage year to date.

Pfizer certainly faces some challenges. Its COVID-19 product sales will likely never be as high as they were three years ago. Several of the company's key drugs are set to lose patent exclusivity in the coming years. Pfizer has also experienced some pipeline setbacks, most recently due to safety data for danuglipron, which led the company to discontinue development of the experimental obesity drug.

But I think Pfizer has a better story than meets the eye. Its forward dividend yield stands at a lofty 7.57%. This dividend is also pretty safe, in my view, thanks to Pfizer's solid cash flow. The company's management has consistently reiterated a commitment to maintaining and growing the dividend.

Pfizer's valuation is attractive, with shares trading at only 7.6 times forward earnings. The average forward earnings multiple for the S&P 500 healthcare sector is roughly 16.4.

Don't rule out Pfizer's ability to deliver solid growth, either. The company has beefed up its product lineup and pipeline through investments in research and development, as well as acquisitions. I wouldn't be surprised if Pfizer makes another deal to pick up a promising weight-loss drug in the wake of the danuglipron flop.

Pfizer will be most appealing to income and value investors. However, I think any investor who buys and holds this beaten-down stock over the next decade will enjoy market-beating total returns.

Should you invest $1,000 in AbbVie right now?

Before you buy stock in AbbVie, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and AbbVie wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $594,046!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $680,390!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 872% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 160% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of April 21, 2025

David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Keith Speights has positions in AbbVie and Pfizer. Prosper Junior Bakiny has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends AbbVie, Abbott Laboratories, and Pfizer. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Everyone has to start somewhere when saving for retirement. Even if you don't have any money saved up today, it's possible to build up a strong nest egg by the time you retire, potentially even $1 million. Through the power of compounding and investing, you can grow your savings at far higher levels than if you were to just accumulate money in a bank account.

What's important, however, is to have a plan and know how much you may need to invest regularly in order to achieve your goals. Below, I'll show you what amount you may want to aim to invest each month, based on your age and years until retirement, in order to end up with a portfolio of at least $1 million by the time you retire.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

Growth stocks are your go-to option for long-term investing

If you're investing for a period of 20-plus years, then you'll likely be far better off going with growth stocks than dividend stocks. The latter are more suitable when you're older, closer to retirement, and want to keep your risk relatively low. The former, however, can produce much better gains over the long run but come with much greater uncertainty and risk in any individual year. As long as you're in it for the long haul and can stomach any bad years along the way, the payoff can be well worth it.

Rather than picking growth stocks yourself, there are many exchange-traded funds (ETFs) you can invest in that will give you exposure to many of them. One popular option for growth investors is the Vanguard Growth Index Fund ETF (NYSEMKT: VUG). This has been a market-beating fund to own over the past decade, with its total returns (which include reinvested dividends) up more than 240%.

^SPX data by YCharts.

The past doesn't predict the future. But odds are, by sticking with growth stocks, you'll be putting yourself in an excellent position to achieve some terrific returns in the years ahead.

The VUG ETF holds more than 160 of the U.S.'s largest growth stocks, including big names like Nvidia and Meta Platforms. Its constituent stocks have averaged an annual earnings growth rate of more than 26% over the past five years. The fund also charges a low expense ratio of 0.04%, which means fees won't take a big chunk out of your gains.

How much do you need to invest each month to retire with $1 million?

In order to forecast how much you'll need to save and invest each month to be on track to retire with at least $1 million, you need to consider the number of years you have until retirement, as well as the average return that you'll achieve over that timeframe.

You might have some control over the retirement number (in this example, I'm assuming you retire at age 65). But predicting an average return can be challenging, and that can make a significant difference in your overall returns and how much you might need to invest.

Historically, the S&P 500 has averaged an annual return of around 10%. For the sake of being conservative, in the table below, I've shown you how much you'll need to invest monthly based on a 10% annual return, and also a 9% return, should the market slow down.

Table and calculations by author.

These numbers can seem high, but they don't need to be discouraging. You can invest tax refunds, inheritance, investment gains, and any other potential lump sum amounts to help accelerate your portfolio's growth. The more money you have invested, the more it will compound over time, and help you end up with a higher balance in the end.

Knowing the amounts you might need can help you create a plan that aligns with your goals, and that doesn't set expectations too high or depend on a best-case scenario. Either way, trying to put aside a regular amount of money into growth-oriented investments can still help you build up a strong portfolio balance by the time you retire, even if you don't end up with $1 million.

Should you invest $1,000 in Vanguard Index Funds - Vanguard Growth ETF right now?

Before you buy stock in Vanguard Index Funds - Vanguard Growth ETF, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Vanguard Index Funds - Vanguard Growth ETF wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $594,046!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $680,390!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 872% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 160% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of April 21, 2025

Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Meta Platforms, Nvidia, and Vanguard Index Funds-Vanguard Growth ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) hit a value of more than $100,000 last year, for the first time ever. Did the fourth Bitcoin halving event prove to be a positive catalyst for the cryptocurrency and its valuation? Or has its rapid rise in value had more to do with other factors?

How Bitcoin has done since the halving event

Bitcoin's big selling point is its scarcity. And every four years, the rewards of Bitcoin mining are halved. It's bad news for miners, but it slows the rate at which new tokens enter circulation, thereby helping maintain Bitcoin's scarcity.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

Bitcoin's value sometimes rises after a halving, prompting investors to buy the digital currency beforehand. But did that happen after the last halving event, which took place on April 19, 2024? Here's a look at Bitcoin's price in the months following the event.

Calculations by the author. Source: Yahoo! Finance.

While Bitcoin has risen since the halving event, the rise really began only after Donald Trump, who campaigned as a crypto-friendly president, won a second term.

Relying on patterns and charts is a dangerous strategy

Stocks and cryptocurrencies often move in relation to new developments in the market. And what happened in the past won't necessarily happen again.

As usual, the 2024 Bitcoin halving event was planned and would have been priced into the digital currency's valuation even before it happened. The scarcity was not new or unexpected, so investors shouldn't have expected it to have an immediate impact on Bitcoin's valuation, regardless of what may have happened in previous years.

The real catalyst behind the digital currency's surge in value was due to something that wasn't priced in -- the election win of a president who was looking at loosening restrictions in the crypto world, and even setting up a bitcoin reserve.

Investors should remain careful with crypto

Bitcoin has hit record highs in recent months, but that doesn't mean it's destined to continue going up in value. This is a speculative investment, and favorable policies from President Trump may lead to greater use and acceptance of the digital currency, but there's no way of knowing.

Some investors call Bitcoin "digital gold," but it has not lived up to that name this year, as the cryptocurrency has declined right along with the S&P 500. At the same time, the price of gold has been hitting record levels this year as many investors are craving safe assets. Although it has been picking up steam in recent days, Bitcoin's proving to be as volatile as ever; it's a safe investment only when compared to other cryptocurrencies.

For the vast majority of investors, that's not safe enough. Unless you have a high risk tolerance, you're likely better off pursuing growth stocks than taking a chance on Bitcoin or any other cryptocurrency. With the markets still on shaky ground, speculative investments could be particularly vulnerable to sharp and sudden sell-offs this year.

It might be tempting to buy Bitcoin especially as it gets hot and rises in value, but investors should tread carefully with the cryptocurrency as its movements can be unpredictable. And with a lot of question marks remaining around the economy, there's still plenty of risk in the markets right now.

Relying on safe businesses with strong growth prospects is going to be a more tenable option for investors, especially those who are risk-averse.

Should you invest $1,000 in Bitcoin right now?

Before you buy stock in Bitcoin, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Bitcoin wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $594,046!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $680,390!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 872% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 160% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of April 21, 2025

David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Two stocks that could benefit from President Donald Trump's popularity this year are Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ: DJT) and Newsmax (NYSE: NMAX). The former was launched by Trump in 2021 when he created the Truth Social platform, while the latter features a conservative cable channel that the president has endorsed in the past. Newsmax recently went public, but Trump Media's stock has been around for a little over a year after merging with Digital World Acquisition Corp.

Which of these two stocks is likely to perform better this year and over the long haul?

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

The case for Trump Media

Trump Media stock is more closely aligned with President Trump's brand and image. It involves his Truth Social platform and streaming business.

The company has also been looking at crypto as a growth opportunity, recently partnering with crypto.com, which plans to offer exchange-traded funds comprising both digital and non-digital assets. Among the possible ETFs that could soon be available are a "Made in America" ETF and a "Bitcoin Plus" fund. While the details of those funds are not known, Trump Media has applied to trademark investment products with those names.

Trump Media is also well-funded, finishing last year with $777 million in cash and short-term investments. That liquidity can give the business lots of runway to grow even as it's still burning through cash. The company's net sales totaled just $3.6 million last year, but with plans to offer more services and greater opportunities for monetization ahead, there could be strong growth on the horizon for the company.

The case for Newsmax

Shares of Newsmax went public last month and at a market cap of less than $2 billion, it's a cheaper option than Trump Media stock (worth nearly $5 billion). And the company also has a much more established business today, centering around its cable channel and website.

Last year, Newsmax reported more than $171 million in revenue, with its top line growing by 26% year over year. The company incurred a loss of more than $72 million but with strong gross profit margins of around 50%, there may be hope for the business to one day turn a profit as it scales its operations and adds to its subscribers.

With the company focused on conservative news, it could stand to benefit from President Trump's strong popularity. Newsmax rose in prominence during Trump's first presidential term as he soured on once-favored Fox News, which he called "unwatchable" back in 2020.

Which stock is the better buy?

Although both media stocks present risks and neither is a safe buy, if you're deciding between the two, I'd go with Newsmax.

At this stage, Trump Media doesn't seem to be much more than a meme stock. It isn't generating much revenue, and simply having a strong cash balance doesn't make it an investable business. It's a speculative buy, and year to date, it has fallen more than 36%. What's concerning is that even amid that decline, it still looks egregiously overpriced and has plenty of room to fall even lower.

Almost by default, Newsmax looks to be the better option right now. Its valuation is lower, and its business is growing quickly. But with steep losses, it's not a safe stock to own either. However, with an established business and more modest valuation, I expect it'll outperform Trump Media this year and beyond.

Should you invest $1,000 in Newsmax right now?

Before you buy stock in Newsmax, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Newsmax wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $566,035!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $629,519!*

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If you're a dividend investor, now can be an ideal time to go bargain-hunting. The stock market is in the midst of a broad sell-off, with investors dumping all types of stocks, both bad ones and good ones. Fear has taken over, and while it may seem like a terrible time to buy, it may actually be a great one, especially if you're looking for stocks to buy and hold for the long haul.

Three dividend stocks that are near their 52-week lows and which may make for solid income-generating investments are Pfizer (NYSE: PFE), Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), and Rogers Communications (NYSE: RCI). Here's what you need to know about these stocks and why they are worth buying for their dividend income.

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Pfizer

One of the most attractive dividend yields you can find on the markets right now comes from Pfizer. At 7.5%, it's paying you more than five times the S&P 500 average of 1.4%. It's a mouthwatering payout, and the big question for investors comes down to whether it's safe or if it's too good to be true and due for a cut.

Based on the stock's more than 16% decline this year (as of Monday), investors don't appear convinced that Pfizer's dividend is safe, not with the new government potentially taking a tough stance on healthcare and vaccines in general.

The stock's payout ratio is more than 100%, which may also be concerning. But that's due to multiple one-time expenses, including asset impairment charges and restructuring costs. The healthcare company is expecting its top line to be fairly stable in 2025 and says it's on track to generate $4.5 billion in cost savings by the end of the year due to its Cost Realignment Program.

CEO Albert Bourla previously referred to the company's dividend as a "sacred cow," suggesting that it is an important priority to keep it going. While there will be some risk as Pfizer faces patent expirations on key products, it has been investing in developing and growing its pipeline of future drugs.

Pfizer is a bit of an underrated, contrarian pick that investors can get at an attractive valuation. Not only did it recently hit a new 52-week low, but it's also trading at less than 8 times its estimated future earnings (based on analyst expectations).

Lockheed Martin

Defense and aerospace stock Lockheed Martin makes for another solid, high-yielding option for investors to buy right now. Its dividend yield isn't as high as Pfizer's, but at over 3%, you're still getting a fairly attractive payout from the company.

While President Donald Trump has been vocal about cutting costs from government spending, he's also been a strong proponent of securing the country's borders and focusing on defense -- priorities that Lockheed Martin can benefit from. The company is expecting single-digit growth this year and for free cash flow to total at least $6.6 billion, up from $5.3 billion in 2024.

The stock's payout ratio is fairly modest at 57% of earnings, and with stable growth ahead, it looks like one of the safer income stocks to own right now. As of Monday, the stock was down 12% since the start of the year, but that may be primarily due to the broader market sell-off, as this still looks like a solid investment to buy and hold.

Rogers Communications

Canadian-based telecom giant Rogers Communications yields 5.4%. It is down 17% this year and hit a new 52-week low recently, but overall, its operations are stable, and historically, this has been a low-volatility stock to own. Concerns about the economy and high interest rates are weighing on the stock, but the company's fundamentals are strong.

Rogers has reported a profit totaling 1.7 billion Canadian dollars over the trailing 12 months, which is more than 8% of its top line (CA$20.6 billion). Its payout ratio of 63% is fairly modest and sustainable, even if it experiences a slowdown due to challenging economic conditions ahead.

Telecom stocks as a whole have been struggling in recent years, and Rogers' stock is trading at levels it hasn't been at since 2009. But as a top Canadian operator, there's little worry about its competitiveness and ability to generate strong results in the long run. This is a deep-value buy that investors shouldn't overlook.

Should you invest $1,000 in Pfizer right now?

Before you buy stock in Pfizer, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Pfizer wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $578,035!*

Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than quadrupled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

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*Stock Advisor returns as of April 5, 2025

David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Pfizer. The Motley Fool recommends Lockheed Martin and Rogers Communications. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Investing in the S&P 500 index has long been a great way to take advantage of the economy's growth. But in many cases, buying and holding individual stocks has resulted in far more impressive gains. While there has been a lot of turmoil in the markets of late, a simple buy-and-hold strategy has worked incredibly well.

Over the past 10 years, the S&P 500 has risen by 174% (assuming an April 1 cutoff). But during that same time frame, chipmaker Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) has produced gains of nearly 21,000% for investors. To put that into perspective, that means a $5,000 investment in the company 10 years ago would have grown to a value of more than $1 million by now. By comparison, the same size investment in the S&P 500 would be worth less than $14,000.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »

Nvidia has been an incredible growth stock, and it's been a bit of an anomaly -- no other stock within the index has come close to generating the same types of returns over the past decade. Below, I'll look at who is in the second spot, and how close its returns are to Nvidia's.

A familiar rival for Nvidia

The second-best-performing stock on the S&P 500 over the past decade is none other than Nvidia's rival Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD), more commonly referred to as AMD. Over the same time frame that Nvidia has risen by nearly 21,000%, AMD has amassed gains of more than 3,700%. A $5,000 investment at the beginning of that time frame would have grown to a value of $191,000. That's still an impressive performance, but unfortunately, anything can look modest in relation to Nvidia.

Data by YCharts.

For the most part, however, the two tech stocks performed similarly well. The big delta emerged in 2023 and grew more prominent as Nvidia became synonymous with artificial intelligence (AI). Its AI chips have been crucial for companies developing AI chatbots, and enhancing their products and services with next-gen capabilities. While AMD also makes AI chips, it has been lagging behind Nvidia, and investors and analysts don't appear convinced that those chips will be competitive and take significant market share.

Nvidia's growth rate has been far superior to AMD's

AI has been a mammoth catalyst for Nvidia, with its growth rate surpassing 200% last year. While that has come down as the company has been lapping some incredibly strong performances, its growth rate remains far higher than AMD's, which is why it has been the more lucrative investment to own.

Data by YCharts.

AMD's growth rate has been picking up, and it's possible the gap between these two companies may shrink in the future. AMD launched its latest AI chips late last year; how they perform could be key in determining just how well its growth rate ends up being, and how the stock does in relation to its rival.

Which stock is the better buy today?

If AMD's growth rate continues to accelerate while Nvidia's slows down, it wouldn't be surprising to see growth investors pivot more toward AMD in the future, especially given its more modest valuation ($135 billion versus $2.2 trillion for Nvidia). But if you're bullish on AI, it may not be a bad idea to hold a position in both companies. These businesses are likely to experience strong growth due to AI for years to come. They've both been excellent buys and can continue to deliver great returns for investors over the long haul.

Don’t miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity

Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you’ll want to hear this.

On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a “Double Down” stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you’re worried you’ve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it’s too late. And the numbers speak for themselves:

• Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you’d have $244,570!*
• Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you’d have $35,715!*
• Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you’d have $461,558!*

Right now, we’re issuing “Double Down” alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon.

Continue »

*Stock Advisor returns as of April 5, 2025

David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

The market has been in free fall of late, but if you have 10-plus investing years left, now can be an optimal time to actually pile more money into stocks. With valuations lower, it can be a cheaper time to load up on quality stocks.

And as long as you are confident that you won't need to pull money out of your portfolio anytime soon, now can be a great time to buy stocks.

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The key, of course, is quality and ensuring that you aren't buying just any stock that looks cheap. Three companies that are no-brainer investments when looking at the long term are Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY), and Walmart (NYSE: WMT). Here's why these can be ideal for buy-and-hold investors today.

1. Microsoft

Microsoft was a top name in its industry decades ago, and it wouldn't be surprising if it remains so decades from now. Businesses all over the world rely on its systems and office software for managing their day-to-day operations, including creating reports, analyzing performance, and helping with the preparation of their financial statements.

The company has also been investing heavily into artificial intelligence (AI) to add value and augment its current offerings.

Meanwhile, the business has also been expanding via acquisitions, with the most notable being its $69 billion purchase of video game company Activision Blizzard in 2023. And with tremendous assets at its disposal, Microsoft can still get a whole lot bigger and diverse in the future. Over the trailing 12 months, it generated just under $93 billion in profit.

The tech stock recently hit a new 52-week low. And with a price-to-earnings multiple (P/E) of 29, it isn't egregiously overpriced even though it's one of the most valuable companies in the world, with a market cap of around $2.7 trillion. Microsoft is not only a fantastic growth stock but a fairly safe investment to hang on to for the long haul.

2. Eli Lilly

Another behemoth to invest in today is Eli Lilly. The healthcare company looks unstoppable in the early innings of an incredibly promising opportunity in GLP-1 weight loss drugs.

The company is working on bringing a weight loss pill to market. But in the meantime, it already has an approved injectable drug in Zepbound, which brought in close to $5 billion in sales last year, already accounting for 11% of the company's overall revenue, despite only obtaining approval from regulators in late 2023.

The anti-obesity market could be worth more than $100 billion, and some analysts believe $200 billion may be more accurate. As an early leader in this space, Eli Lilly is poised for significant growth. And with a diverse portfolio of drugs beyond just GLP-1, it provides investors with long-term stability.

Shares are down more than 12% this year, and any discount you can get on the healthcare stock can prove to be a deal in the long run given its long-term potential. It trades at more than 57 times earnings, but the premium looks reasonable given the company's opportunities.

3. Walmart

Completing this list of top blue chip stocks is big-box retailer Walmart. Like the other stocks on this list, it's an industry leader, and it seems like a safe bet to assume it will continue to be a dominant force years from now.

As of the end of last week, the stock was down around 8% since the start of 2025. It's not a huge discount -- you're still paying more than 34 times trailing earnings to own a piece of Walmart. But for the stability it offers and its continued growth, it's a premium that is justifiable given the current market conditions; it's one of the safer options to hang on to right now.

Walmart may seem like a boring stock, but make no mistake: It is a good growth investment. It acquired TV maker Vizio last year, it looks to bolster its ad business, it has dabbled in healthcare, it's growing its online business, and last year it announced plans to open or expand up to 150 stores in the U.S. market over a five-year period.

The company has generated more than $19 billion in profit over the past 12 months, and it's one of the more resilient businesses you can invest in for the long haul.

Don’t miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity

Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you’ll want to hear this.

On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a “Double Down” stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you’re worried you’ve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it’s too late. And the numbers speak for themselves:

• Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you’d have $244,570!*
• Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you’d have $35,715!*
• Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you’d have $461,558!*

Right now, we’re issuing “Double Down” alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon.

Continue »

*Stock Advisor returns as of April 5, 2025

David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Microsoft and Walmart. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Dividend stocks can provide you with some valuable income on a recurring basis. And the more you invest, the more you can collect in dividends. Given the decline in the stock market of late, now may be a great time for investors to scoop up some quality income stocks at attractive valuations.

Three high-yielding stocks you may want to consider loading up on right now are Realty Income (NYSE: O), United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS), and Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE: BNS). Here's how investing $17,000 into these stocks can set you up to earn more than $1,000 in annual dividends.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »

1. Realty Income

Realty Income offers investors an attractive dividend that yields 5.8%, which is more than four times what you would get with the average stock on the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) at a 1.4% yield. By investing $5,000 into the real estate investment trust (REIT), you could collect around $290 per year in dividends from the stock.

REITs can be attractive options for dividend investors because they can generate not only recurring income, but also provide you with some stability. As long as tenants are paying their rent, a REIT will typically be in strong financial shape.

And with Realty Income, investors get some valuable diversification. By having more than 1,500 clients in its portfolio, Realty Income may not be as vulnerable to a downturn as other, less diversified REITs may be.

Realty Income is a rarity in that it pays its dividend on a monthly basis (most dividend stocks pay quarterly). Plus, it has increased its dividend 130 times since going public in 1994.

The REIT posted solid results for 2024, with its funds from operations per share coming in at $4.01, which was only down slightly from the $4.07 it reported in the previous year. With good stability and a monthly dividend, Realty Income can make for an excellent option for any dividend investor.

2. United Parcel Service

United Parcel Service, better known as just UPS, is another dividend stock I'd put on my buying list right now. Its yield is up to 6.7%, and investing $6,000 into it would generate more than $400 in annual dividends.

Shares of UPS fell in late January when the company posted its latest earnings numbers and said it would be cutting its Amazon deliveries by more than half. While that may sound like a bad development, it could end up being a great one for business, as CEO Carol Tomé says that helps guide the company toward more profitable contracts. And at the end of the day, profitability is what is of key importance to dividend investors, as opposed to just top-line growth.

It's a hard but important decision for UPS to come to, which comes at a key time, as economic conditions may deteriorate this year due to tariffs and trade wars. The stock's payout ratio is up around 100%, and a greater focus on profitability will give it some much-needed breathing room and more room for increases. UPS raised its quarterly dividend by $0.01 earlier this year, and the company has either increased or at least maintained its payout since it went public in 1999.

3. Bank of Nova Scotia

Another top dividend stock to own is Bank of Nova Scotia, also known as Scotiabank. What's remarkable about Scotiabank is the reliability it offers. It has been paying dividends continuously since 1833 and makes for a dependable dividend stock to buy and hold over the long term. Over the past decade, it has increased its dividend at an average rate of 5%.

The company has been a staple in the Canadian banking sector, and it consistently generates strong earnings and stable growth. In the trailing 12 months, its net income has totaled 7.2 billion Canadian dollars, approximately 22% of its top line. With a healthy profit margin and a dominant position in the banking industry, this is one of the safest income stocks you can buy and hold for the long term.

The Canadian-based bank's dividend yields 6.4%. By investing $6,000 into the stock, you could collect approximately $384 in dividends per year. Combined with the other investments on this list, that would put your total annual dividend income at a little over $1,070 from investments totaling $17,000.

Don’t miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity

Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you’ll want to hear this.

On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a “Double Down” stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you’re worried you’ve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it’s too late. And the numbers speak for themselves:

• Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you’d have $244,570!*
• Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you’d have $35,715!*
• Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you’d have $461,558!*

Right now, we’re issuing “Double Down” alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon.

Continue »

*Stock Advisor returns as of April 5, 2025

John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon and Realty Income. The Motley Fool recommends Bank Of Nova Scotia and United Parcel Service. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Don't let the sell-off in the markets scare you off: Now may be an ideal time to buy stocks. Even if you don't have a lot of money that you can afford to invest, there are many great stocks you can buy for less than $100, and over time you can slowly build up your position.

Three growth stocks that look like fantastic buys for the long haul right now are AstraZeneca (NASDAQ: AZN), Uber Technologies (NYSE: UBER), and Arista Networks (NYSE: ANET). Here's why these can be great investments to hang on to for years.

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AstraZeneca

Shares of AstraZeneca currently trade at less than $70. This is a stock that can be both a good growth stock and an income-generating investment. Its dividend currently yields 2.3%, which is higher than the S&P 500 average of 1.4%.

But the big reason to invest in AstraZeneca is for its long-term growth potential. The company is investing in growing its pipeline, but it is also using acquisitions to open up new growth opportunities. Last year, it acquired Fusion Pharmaceuticals, a company that develops next-gen cancer treatments involving radiopharmaceuticals, which are more targeted approaches to cancer treatment than chemotherapy.

Through acquisitions and in-house investments, AstraZeneca now has a whopping 191 projects in its pipeline. In addition to oncology, the company has opportunities in rare diseases, respiratory and immunology, cardiovascular, and other therapeutic areas.

AstraZeneca reported more than $54 billion in sales last year, but there's considerably more growth on the horizon. By 2030, it's aiming for $80 billion in sales. This fast-growing stock is a great investment to just buy, put into your portfolio, and forget about.

Uber Technologies

Uber Technologies stock trades at a similar price to AstraZeneca, also below $70. While it doesn't pay a dividend, it also makes for a compelling growth stock. The simplicity and efficiency of its operating model is what makes it an attractive investment.

Investors have been worried that robotaxis will encroach on Uber's turf and eat into its market share, but I'm not convinced they will pose a significant threat to the business. Uber's model relies on its software connecting drivers to customers, rather than on operating a fleet of vehicles, which can be costly and difficult to turn a profit on. That software can work for robotaxis too, so they may prove to be complementary to Uber's growth in the long run. For example, Uber recently partnered with Alphabet's Waymo on the deployment of autonomous vehicles in Austin and Atlanta.

Uber is seeing terrific growth -- sales have more than doubled in three years, going from $17.5 billion in 2021 to just under $44 billion this past year. And over that time, Uber went from being unprofitable to now posting a strong profit margin of 22%. The company may benefit from new opportunities related to robotaxis, as well as by entering more markets to further expand its reach around the globe.

Arista Networks

Another fantastic growth stock to consider buying right now is Arista Networks, which trades at a similar price point to both Uber and AstraZeneca. The tech company provides businesses with networking solutions, helping them upgrade their infrastructure to meet the needs of artificial intelligence (AI) and ensuring they balance their workloads efficiently.

Arista grew its sales by just under 20% last year, to $7 billion; net income also rose by 37% to nearly $2.9 billion. The company can benefit from trends in AI, and while it hasn't generated the sort of returns that chipmaker Nvidia has, there's been a notable correlation in its performance. Over the past three years, while Nvidia's stock has risen more than 300%, Arista has climbed by more than 100%. And as AI stocks have tumbled of late, so too has Arista's valuation.

For investors who are bullish on the opportunities in AI, Arista Networks can make for a compelling buy. With a market cap of around $80 billion and the stock trading at an attractive valuation of 26 times the company's estimated future earnings (based on analyst expectations), it could have a lot of upside in the long run.

Don’t miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity

Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then you’ll want to hear this.

On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a “Double Down” stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If you’re worried you’ve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before it’s too late. And the numbers speak for themselves:

• Nvidia: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2009, you’d have $244,570!*
• Apple: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2008, you’d have $35,715!*
• Netflix: if you invested $1,000 when we doubled down in 2004, you’d have $461,558!*

Right now, we’re issuing “Double Down” alerts for three incredible companies, and there may not be another chance like this anytime soon.

Continue »

*Stock Advisor returns as of April 5, 2025

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Arista Networks, Nvidia, and Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool recommends AstraZeneca Plc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.