Normally, red ink should inspire a cautious approach but under the specific context of stocks for young investors to buy, an exception can be made. Now, just because of this exception does not mean no market risks exist. Clearly, going contrarian presents significant dangers, in large part because you’re moving against the tape.
Fundamentally, 2022 has been a rough year for the market thanks to the Federal Reserve. A few months back, Fed chair Jerome Powell committed to a hawkish monetary policy to unwind prior excesses. Combined with geopolitical instability, skyrocketing energy prices and global central banks responding with their own adjustments, global recession risks soared. Thus, it’s a troubling time, even for the stocks for young investors to buy.
However, fresh market participants typically have an advantage due to implied time in the market. If you’re willing to ride out potentially extreme volatility, you might be able to win out with a contrarian approach several years down the line.
With that, here are seven stocks for young investors to buy.
| NFLX | Netflix | $283.63 |
| META | Meta Platforms | $128.29 |
| GOOG GOOGL | Alphabet | $99.93 |
| LCID | Lucid Group | $12.99 |
| SMR | NuScale Power | $11.81 |
| ROVR | Rover Group | $4.08 |
| BTBT | Bit Digital | $1.01 |
Netflix (NFLX)
When the topic of stocks for young investors to buy came up, I immediately thought of Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX). Sure, following the close of the Oct. 20 session, NFLX finds itself down 55%. Ordinarily, a company losing more than half its equity value should be a cause for serious concern. However, NFLX brings too much fundamentally to the table to ignore.
Let’s step back for a moment. When the coronavirus pandemic struck, many folks cut the cord because live sports incurred cancellations. In turn, this dynamic benefitted NFLX. What’s more, the shelter-in-place orders effectively handed Netflix a hostage audience. However, as Covid-19 fears and restrictions faded, consumers rushed out of the home for real experiences (i.e. revenge travel).
Recently, though, Netflix posted encouraging results for its third-quarter earnings report. Most importantly in my opinion, the streaming firm enjoyed an uptick in traffic. This to me implies a normalization of entertainment-related behaviors; that is, entertainment is moving back to the living room.
Under this framework, arguably no one does home entertainment better than Netflix, making it one of the best stocks for young investors to buy.
Meta Platforms (META)
Once a pandemic winner, tech innovator Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) suffered a reversal of fortunes so far this year. Since the Jan. opener, META hemorrhaged a staggering 61% of equity value. As with Netflix above, such losses usually generate (rightful) alarm. But as a candidate for stocks for young investors to buy, META presents an awfully attractive profile.
Fundamentally, I’m focused on the company’s social media network Facebook. It’s common knowledge that the platform is steadily marching toward three billion monthly active users. That’s going to bring a massive platform for digital advertisers. Therefore, I’m not so worried about the digital ad spend slowdown that management warned about.
After all, companies that want to compete can’t just not advertise. Moving forward, much of Meta’s problems stem from internal missteps. Frankly, the company’s pivot to the metaverse is asinine. For instance, this idea of using virtual reality to simulate the office environment is laughable. Once Meta lets go of certain goofy, recursive aspirations, it can get back to its core social network catalyst.
Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL)
I’ve discussed Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL) numerous times so I don’t necessarily want to keep going back to the same idea. However, when it comes to stocks for young investors to buy, GOOG and GOOGL need to be near the top.
I’m going to repeat what I said recently. “Essentially, the company owns the internet. For example, the latest data for global search engine traffic indicates that Alphabet’s Google commands a market share of 92.4%. Everybody else (including the best that Russia and China have to offer) fights for the scraps.”
Further, I doubt that the Google ecosystem will be akin to something like MySpace: immensely popular for the moment but fades out eventually. No, Alphabet invested heavily in the future so that the underlying platforms have become too integrated to ignore. Therefore, if enterprises want to get anything done, it must appease the Google gods.
Of course, this dynamic lends to political criticisms of big tech’s influence. But to paraphrase the conservative-leaning professor Jordan Peterson, you can’t win against someone you can’t say no to. No one can say no to Alphabet, which is why it’s one of the stocks for young investors to buy.
Lucid Group (LCID)
While seemingly everyone loves waxing poetic about electric vehicles representing the future of transportation, the reality is that several EV plays floundered this year. That includes Lucid Group (NASDAQ:LCID), an arguably promising manufacturer of premium EVs. At the moment, LCID shares hemorrhaged 69% of equity value on a year-to-date basis.
That’s not a great performance, obviously. Nevertheless, LCID could make a case for stocks for young investors to buy. Yes, one could look at other EV-related market ideas – go knock yourself out. However, keep in mind that the average price of a new EV stands at nearly $63,000. Given the median U.S. household income of nearly $71,000, EVs represent an unrealistic proposition for most families.
However, Lucid doesn’t target most families. Instead, its exclusively geared toward the most affluent of buyers. Therefore, LCID represents both an opportunity and a hedge. An opportunity because Lucid garnered automotive industry accolades. A hedge because unlike much of its competition, Lucid focuses on a recession-insulant consumer base. If you have the time and patience, LCID ranks among the stocks for young investors to buy.
NuScale Power (SMR)
Another name that I’ve been rambling on and on about, NuScale Power (NYSE:SMR) brings much excitement to the table. Fundamentally, the company brings a fresh look to the nuclear power industry with its small modular reactors. The segment carries this description because of its physically smaller footprint enabling integration in areas that traditional facilities wouldn’t “fit.”
Scientifically, while nuclear power remains a controversial segment, it’s also unignorable. That’s a key reason why SMR ranks among the stocks for young investors to buy. No other energy source features the reliability, known as capacity factor of nuclear facilities. In addition, no other source features the energy density of nuclear fuel.
Now, I believe that NuScale represents the future of energy distribution because of its SMR platform’s flexibility. With smaller, safer and more modular facilities, NuScale can bring energy supply closer to the source of demand. Such conveniences and innovations can economically empower previously challenging endeavors such as desalination. If you have the patience, SMR deserves careful consideration regarding stocks for young investors to buy.
Rover Group (ROVR)
With the gig economy representing one of the more viable growth narratives available, platforms that cater to this development in the workforce enjoy substantial relevance. While not taking anything away from those stocks for young investors to buy, Rover Group (NASDAQ:ROVR) offers an intriguing angle. Like other names in the space, Rover connects service seekers with service providers. However, in this case, it’s not about analytics or graphic designs but rather pet care. From dog walking to grooming to boarding services, Rover undergirds America’s love for its furry friends.
Primarily, Rover may enjoy downwind benefits. In 2021, the American Pet Products Association reported that the U.S. pets industry generated revenue of $123.6 billion. Since at least 2018, this segment printed consecutive years of total revenue growth. Therefore, ROVR represents one of the stocks for young investors to buy based on a burgeoning addressable market. Plus, millennials themselves love pets so Rover makes sense for patient investors.
Bit Digital (BTBT)
While the cryptocurrency sector printed several millionaires last year, this year presents a far different story. With several key digital assets losing half or more of their market value on a YTD basis, blockchain-related enterprises carry significant risk. Therefore, most folks should probably stay away from Bit Digital (NASDAQ:BTBT). Unfortunately, the underlying market is too volatile.
As further evidence, BTBT plunged nearly 84% YTD. Whether the context is stocks for young investors to buy or not, that’s an alarming loss. Again, Bit Digital is not for the faint of heart. At the same time, the few intrepid speculators that want to take a shot will probably consider the anything-is-possible framework of cryptos. Moreover, the sector captured global attention throughout 2021. It’s probably impossible to put this genie back into its bottle. While the financials present many questions, Bit Digital curiously enjoys a very stable balance sheet. If you take a look, the company carries zero debt. That gives it a sizable measure of resilience during this ugly storm.
On the date of publication, Josh Enomoto did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.