Investing a regular amount of money into the stock market each month can be an excellent way to grow your savings and build up a portfolio that's eventually worth $1 million or more. But it can be challenging to do, especially since you have to ensure you can continue to afford making monthly investments, and then picking which investments to make with that money. Amid volatile economic conditions, that's no easy task.

You can, however, simplify the process by going with some solid exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that can diversify your portfolio and set you up for some great growth opportunities in the future. A couple of low-cost Vanguard ETFs to consider for this purpose include the Vanguard Growth Index Fund (NYSEMKT: VUG) and the Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund (NYSEMKT: VGT).

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Here's why investing $300 per month into either one of these ETFs could put you on track to generating a $1 million portfolio in the future.

Vanguard Growth Index Fund

The Vanguard Growth Index Fund is a great, growth-focused ETF you can add to your portfolio. It charges an expense ratio of only 0.04%, which means you don't have to worry about high fees chipping away at your gains.

What's attractive about this fund is that it focuses on large-cap growth stocks. These are the types of investments that can drive long-run returns for your portfolio and make the most of your money. Stocks such as Tesla, Amazon, and Nvidia are all among its top-10 holdings. These are leaders within their respective industries, and their businesses are synonymous with growth. With more than 160 stocks in total, this is a well-diversified ETF to simply buy and hold. It also yields around 0.5%.

Over the past decade, the ETF has achieved total returns (which include dividend payments) of approximately 327%. That averages out to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.6%.

But for the sake of being conservative, let's assume that its returns will slow down given how hot the market has been in the past few years and how it's reaching record levels. If the ETF averages a return of about 10% for the very long haul (which is in line with the S&P 500's long-term average), then a $300 per-month investment could grow to more than $1 million after a period of 34 years.

This would require investing in the ETF every month during that time frame. But by doing so, you can put yourself on a path to producing some fantastic returns thanks to the effects of compounding.

VUG Total Return Level data by YCharts.

Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund

As terrific of a growth investment as the Vanguard Growth Index Fund has been in recent years, it still falls well short of the gains the Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund has produced during that stretch. At 543%, its 10-year total returns average out to an annual gain of 20.5%.

That's a mind-boggling return, and it highlights just how impressive the stocks within this ETF have been. There will be some overlap between this fund and the growth ETF, but the big difference is there is heavier exposure to big tech. Nvidia, Microsoft, and Apple account for a combined 45% of the Vanguard Information Technology ETF's total holdings, but they make up just around 32% of the growth ETF. That difference can be substantial over time, especially given how well a massive stock like Nvidia has performed. In 10 years, its returns have been truly exceptional, totaling 28,000%.

Given Nvidia's size today as one of the most valuable companies in the world, odds are its returns will be far more modest over the next decade. While they may still be great, it's probably a good idea to factor in a healthy dose of conservatism with this ETF as well given how much of a boost Nvidia has given it in the past. Even though the ETF is focused on tech and growth, averaging 20% annual returns likely isn't going to be sustainable over the very long haul. The expectation of a 10% return may also be prudent with this ETF to ensure your expectations aren't set too high for future gains.

As with the growth ETF, if you invest $300 per month into this fund, you can also be on the path to a $1 million portfolio. If this ETF continues to outperform the market, however, then it may take less than 34 years to get to $1 million. But by staying the course and investing regularly into this or the growth ETF, you can be in a good position for building up a solid portfolio over the long haul.

The Vanguard Information Technology ETF charges an expense ratio of 0.09%, and while that's a bit higher than the growth ETF's fees, they aren't going to drastically alter your prospects for generating potentially life-changing returns from regularly investing in this fund.

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:

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Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $659,171!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $891,722!*

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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, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla, and Vanguard Index Funds-Vanguard Growth ETF. 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.

The IPO market is alive and well, and the best example of that is Circle Internet Group (NYSE: CRCL). It's one of the hottest new crypto stocks on the market. It began trading on the New York Stock Exchange earlier this month, and from an initial public offering price of $31, it soared to a value of $133.56 as of June 13.

It doesn't hold Bitcoins or other risky digital assets, and it instead gives you a supposedly more stable way to invest in the crypto world. Here's what you need to know about the latest new crypto stock, and whether it's worth adding it to your portfolio today.

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Circle Internet Group's business centers around its stablecoin

Unlike meme coins and risky, volatile assets, Circle Internet Group is an issuer of a stablecoin, USDC, which is pegged to the U.S. dollar. That means that by definition, it shouldn't experience a lot of volatility. Finding a stable investment while also investing in crypto is no easy task as often the big allure is to generate a huge profit from a fast-moving asset like Bitcoin. Circle Internet Group, however, could be a more enticing option for risk-averse investors.

The company recently launched the Circle Payments Network, which connects the USDC to eligible banks. By providing "near-instant settlement," it can help facilitate transactions all over the world. The company says that interest is growing. "We are seeing growth in start-up banks and neo-banks in many emerging markets focused on providing digital dollar payment and settlement services using USDC and the Circle stablecoin network," the company said in its IPO filing. By having more people use the network and its stablecoin, that can help Circle drive more growth for its business in the long run.

The company's financials look impressive

Circle generates revenue primarily from the interest it earns on cash it receives in exchange for USDC. Through the first three months of 2025, the company's revenue totaled $578.6 million, which was an increase of 58% from the same period last year. This was largely due to an increase in USDC in circulation, with daily averages rising by 93%.

What was most impressive was Circle's bottom line, however. It totaled $64.8 million and was up 33%. With a profit margin north of 11%, this is an investment that looks a lot safer than many other crypto stocks; Circle's financials didn't feature any wild swings in value due to gains or losses on digital assets.

Where Circle may struggle

The big risk with Circle is that inevitably, everything hinges on the success and popularity of its stablecoin, USDC. At its core, this can still be a volatile business. The most popular stablecoin right now is Tether, which has a market cap of $156 billion, versus $62 billion for USDC. If USDC's popularity suffers, that could pose a big risk to Circle's future growth and profitability.

Another risk is that its revenue is vulnerable to changing interest rates. If rates decline, that will negatively impact Circle's financials, as interest rates along with USDC adoption drive its top line.

While investors may like the idea of investing into a crypto stock with steady financials and sound operations, generating interest income on USDC funds doesn't exactly scream growth, and it may not be the type of investment that excites crypto investors in the long run. Circle's success depends on the overall popularity of USDC. Without significant and continued increases in adoption, this can quickly become a slow-growing business.

Should you buy Circle Internet Group stock?

Although it's been a hot buy since going public, Circle Internet Group stock may already be a bit of a pricey investment to be hanging on to today as its market cap is at around $37 billion, putting it at a price-to-revenue multiple of more than 19. It has a lot of potential growth ahead, especially as the crypto world grows in size, but there's a lot of competition in this space and although USDC is one of the top stablecoins today, that may not be the case in a few years. Paying such a high premium for the business may not make a lot of sense right now.

Circle Internet Group's fundamentals look good, but with many question marks around its long-term future, I wouldn't rush to buy it, especially given how fast it has already rallied. It may be better to take a wait-and-see approach with this investment.

Should you invest $1,000 in Circle Internet Group right now?

Before you buy stock in Circle Internet Group, 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 Circle Internet Group 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 $658,297!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $883,386!*

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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.

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) has disappointed investors this year. It has delayed some artificial intelligence (AI) features for its iPhones until next year, and that has resulted in a lot of bearishness around the business as there are rival phones with advanced AI capabilities already available.

Shares of Apple are down more than 21% thus far in 2025 (as of June 13), with its valuation dipping below the $3 trillion mark.

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AI is a hot topic these days, with consumers seeking the latest tech on their phones to help with many day-to-day tasks. However, Apple recently published a report about AI that could shed some light as to why it may not be leading the charge and investing as heavily in next-gen technologies as other tech companies.

Apple may not be convinced of AI's potential

Researchers at Apple have been testing multiple AI reasoning models, and while they have seen that they can perform better than standard models, they fail as tasks become more complex.

As a result, the researchers believe that there are limits to the reasoning that AI can achieve, and they don't appear to be as convinced of its abilities as the general public. They found that the models couldn't follow steps in complex tasks and appeared to rely heavily on the familiarity of data, as opposed to applying advanced reasoning skills.

AI chatbots have become more sophisticated because they have been trained on existing data, but the ability for them to truly reason like humans is by no means a certainty. If Apple isn't convinced of the potential that AI possesses, that may be part of the reason it hasn't been investing as heavily in these types of technologies as its peers.

Even if Apple is right, investors have a right to be worried

Whether or not AI can reason like a human doesn't excuse the fact that Apple has fallen well behind other companies in terms of innovation. While Apple has made changes to the look and feel of its icons with its Liquid Glass design, the company's newest iPhones haven't given consumers a compelling reason to upgrade their devices. Apple's product sales over the six-month period ending March 29 have totaled $166.7 billion -- up just 2% from the same period last year. And iPhone revenue during that stretch was nearly unchanged.

Lack of growth and innovation is a big problem for Apple these days. Regardless of whether it's completely sold on AI or not, the company needs to be doing more in advancing its phones so they don't fall behind the competition. Things like cross-app awareness, extracting information from photos to fill in forms, and integrating with third-party apps are some of the AI features that could be coming to iPhones next year. But whether that will be sufficient to keep up with rivals is questionable.

While the company has built up a strong ecosystem of products and services, the danger is that customers may eventually see a reason to jump ship toward more innovative devices.

Is Apple stock a buy on weakness?

Apple's stock has struggled this year, but it's still not a terribly cheap buy, trading at 31 times its trailing earnings. At that kind of multiple, investors might expect to see much more growth from the business. I believe that a discount is warranted for Apple stock, given the company's lack of innovation and growth.

While the business is still robust and generating fantastic free cash flow and profits, its future growth is questionable, and that's a big reason investors are ditching Apple for other growth stocks instead. It can still make for a good long-term buy, but at an elevated valuation, I would look for other investments to buy.

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

Before you buy stock in Apple, 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 Apple 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 $658,297!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $883,386!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 992% — 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.

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*Stock Advisor returns as of June 9, 2025

David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Apple. 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?

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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.

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.

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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.

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.

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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.

Portfolio Balance Assuming a $250 Monthly Investment
Year	10% Annual Growth
30	$569,831
31	$632,668
32	$702,084
33	$778,769
34	$863,484
35	$957,069
36	$1,060,454
37	$1,174,665
38	$1,300,836
39	$1,440,218
40	$1,594,195

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 »

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 »

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!*

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 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?

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.

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.

		Monthly Investment Needed to Get to $1 Million
Age	Years to Retire	Average Annual Growth at 9%	Average Annual Growth at 10%
45	20	$1,486	$1,306
40	25	$885	$747
35	30	$542	$439
30	35	$337	$261

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.

Date	Bitcoin Value	% Change Since Halving
April 20, 2024	$64,994	n/a
May 20, 2024	$71,448	10%
June 20, 2024	$64,829	0%
July 20, 2024	$67,164	3%
Aug 20, 2024	$59,013	(9%)
Sep 20, 2024	$63,193	(3%)
Oct 20, 2024	$69,002	6%
Nov 20, 2024	$94,339	45%
Dec 20, 2024	$97,756	50%

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!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 829% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 155% 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 no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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.

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 »

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.

See the 10 stocks »

*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.