12 TOP Stocks to Buy Now in January 2022! (2022 High Growth) – Motley Fool

The New Year is here, and you are asking yourself, “Which stocks should I buy now for 2022?” I’ve got you covered. Today, I am bringing you 12 stock picks for 2022 and the next decade. I am providing a variety of secular growth trends to consider, from cloud services, cybersecurity, and electric vehicles to metaverse, artificial intelligence, fintech, big data analytics, and more!

Many of the stocks on the list have been beaten down from previous highs, and I believe each is positioned well for 2022 and the next several years. These stock picks are not in any particular order. 

1. Cloud services and e-commerce

Here are the five primary reasons I believe Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) should rebound in 2022:

1. Record holiday sales
2. Amazon Web Services (AWS)
3. Amazon Marketplace
4. Infrastructure and employees
5. Lagging performance, historically part of a trend

For detailed analysis on Amazon, please watch this video.

2. Cybersecurity and software-as-a-service (SaaS)

Not many people would dispute the importance of cybersecurity. Cyberattacks are up over 500% since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies spend billions of dollars annually protecting data from breaches and phishing schemes. With that said, cybersecurity awareness training generally does not come to mind as an important piece of the solution. 

The next stock pick is KnowBe4 (NASDAQ:KNBE), a security awareness training company that simulates phishing attacks to educate employees and prevent social engineering cybercrime. KnowBe4 is an extremely scalable solution that focuses on an underpenetrated market within the cybersecurity universe, the human layer. The company leverages machine learning and artificial intelligence to create automated training campaigns with detailed reporting and analytics for decision makers. 

I provide detailed due diligence on KnowBe4 in this video.

3. International e-commerce and fintech

Digitalization is accelerating in all parts of the world. Can we take advantage of this secular growth trend as investors?  

Global internet access, adoption, and digitalization are rapidly increasing, and the number of digital buyers continues to climb annually. Buying MercadoLibre (NASDAQ:MELI) is a great way to invest in Latin America, and its stock is priced attractively after a recent correction. 

For detailed stock analysis on MELI, please watch this video. 

4. Metaverse

The metaverse is unquestionably the hottest stock market topic in recent months. One of the first names that comes to mind is Roblox (NYSE:RBLX). Roblox is a platform that brings players and developers together. The company’s mission is to enable billions of people from across the globe to have fun, learn, and play. Roblox is built on a strong foundation of millions of developers who produce immersive “experiences” using Roblox Studio. Based on average monthly visits and time spent playing, Roblox is ranked as a top entertainment platform for those 18 and under. However, Roblox is making a push to attract older audiences as well.

For more information on Roblox, please check out this previous article. 

Also, see my top 20 stocks and cryptocurrencies for the metaverse here. 

5. Artificial intelligence 

Upstart (NASDAQ:UPST) is down well over 50% from its recent high of $401.49. This red-hot stock is an AI lending platform that works with banks to disrupt traditional lending practices such as FICO scores. In its recent quarter, Upstart reported 242% revenue growth year over year (YOY) with a 12.73% net profit margin. These are impressive numbers, but the stock was priced for perfection. I believe that at around $150, Upstart is priced attractively as a long-term investment. 

For more details on Upstart, please visit here.

6. Reopening stock

I wanted to include a potential “reopen” play, and Everi Holdings (NYSE:EVRI) fits the bill. For a 20-minute deep dive on EVRI, please watch this video.

7. Semiconductors, the “new oil”

I have been calling semiconductors the new oil since August of 2020. Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) has been a leader in the sector, but will its outperformance continue? It’s easy to see why some investors would shy away from Nvidia at these levels. The stock price has delivered over 67,000% returns since going public in 1999. A $10,000 investment then would be worth approximately $6.7 million today. But the company is firing on all cylinders, and when you look under the hood, you will find that its future looks very bright, which can arguably justify the premium share price. Nvidia is involved in nearly every secular tailwind imaginable:

• Data centers
• Cloud computing
• Cybersecurity 
• Space exploration
• Video gaming
• Online gambling
• Augmented reality (AR)
• Virtual reality (VR)
• Mixed reality (MR)
• Autonomous driving
• Electric vehicles
• Genomics
• Esports 
• 5G
• E-commerce
• Cryptocurrency
• Artificial intelligence (AI)
• Metaverse
• Big data

For more information on Nvidia, please check out this video.

8. Cashless and buy now, pay later (BNPL)

PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) is an online payments platform that enables users to send and receive money digitally worldwide. PayPal is not new to the fintech space; it was founded in 1998. The company has grown into a monster over the years, now owning iZettle, Honey, Braintree, Venmo, Xoom, Hyperwallet, PayPal Credit, and more. It even has a “buy now, pay later” platform, which is explained in more detail here. 

9. Fintech

SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI) is a one-stop shop for all things banking and personal finance. From stock investing, crypto, credit cards, and student loans to auto loans, home loans, and more, SoFi is a fintech play that has great long-term potential. 

10. Big data, analytics, and cybersecurity

The more you dig into Palantir (NYSE:PLTR), the more you will discover. In August, I analyzed Palantir and discussed how it crosses over into the cybersecurity space. Of course, the company is not typically thrown into the cybersecurity stock bucket. After all, Palantir is a company that helps government agencies and companies manage and analyze data. However, with the recent increase in hacks and high-profile security breaches, businesses are now faced with complex challenges that require sophisticated solutions. Palantir offers highly secure data compared to most competitors. It started as a company laser-focused on government-related clients, so its solutions were built with security as the backbone. Commercially focused vendors cannot say the same, and this provides a competitive advantage for Palantir.

11. International e-commerce, gaming, and fintech

Sea Limited (NYSE:SE) is what I like to call a three-headed monster. The holding company consists of:

1. Garena (esports and mobile gaming)
2. Shopee (e-commerce)
3. SeaMoney (financial technology)

For more details, please check out my previous video review here.

12. Electric vehicles and AI

I believe Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is the top high-growth artificial intelligence company in the world. 

Tesla crowdsources data from both vehicles and drivers using internal and external sensors and cameras. Tesla has even recently started to leverage the interior camera above the rearview mirror in the Model 3 and Model Y to ensure drivers are paying attention while using Autopilot. This information is extremely valuable. In fact, McKinsey and Co. estimates the total addressable market (TAM) for vehicle analytics will be worth $750 billion a year by 2030. 

For more details on Tesla’s artificial intelligence capabilities, please watch this video.

Please watch the below video for my take on each of these stocks for 2022 and beyond. Also, don’t forget to subscribe to the channel to stay updated throughout the New Year. Happy 2022!

*Stock prices used in the below video were during the trading day of December 30, 2021. The video was published on December 30, 2021.