In this article, we discuss the 10 Best Foreign Stocks to Buy According to Billionaires.
The global economy demonstrated resilience in 2024, maintaining a steady annualized growth rate of 3.2% in the latter half of the year. However, recent economic indicators suggest that global growth may be losing momentum. The OECD forecasts that global growth will be 3.1% in 2025 and 3% in 2026, compared to 3.2% in 2024. The marginal fall in growth is because of rising trade restrictions across economies, strict policy updates that often upend investment opportunities, and uncertain household spending. Although growth in the United States has been very strong as of late, it is expected to slow down to 2.2% this year and 1.6% in 2026. Economic growth will be weak in the Euro Zone as well, with OECD projecting real GDP growth of 1.0% in 2025 and 1.2% in 2026. China follows a similar trend, with growth declining to 4.4% in 2026 from 4.8% in the current year.
In the midst of stagnant global economic forecasts, Michael Hartnett, an analyst at Bank of America, cautioned investors that the United States stock market is coming off its recent highs, and is no longer benefiting from high fiscal spending, lenient immigration policies, and robust AI budgets. The analyst noted that Chinese competitors are now successfully producing large language models for under $6 million, which is a fraction of the billions spent by American firms to create the same tech. Similarly, Manish Kabra of Societe Generale observed that Chinese developments in AI are disrupting investor confidence and making them question spending by American tech firms.
BofA’s Michael Hartnett noted that investors are not paying attention to foreign markets like Japan and Europe, where stocks are cheaper, and value stocks are ahead of their growth counterparts. He pointed out that Japan’s Nikkei 225 has climbed 9% in the past year, while the European index displayed outperformance at the beginning of 2025.
Others also share a similar sentiment about foreign stocks. For example, David Herro, partner and portfolio manager at Harris Associates, joined CNBC on January 15, 2025, and commented that US stocks are largely overvalued, so it is only logical to look for opportunities elsewhere. This is where foreign markets come into play. According to Herro, fundamentals of overseas stocks are okay, and while they may not be robust, these stocks are growing in mid-single digits with attractive valuations. These valuation characteristics make it almost impossible not to consider these foreign stocks and increase international portfolio exposure. He noted that companies based out of Europe are not just doing business there, but their operations are spread worldwide. For cheap valuations, this is a huge plus. For long-term investors, he suggested that they should mainly focus on company fundamentals rather than the macroeconomic environment that they operate in because that’s how you make money. With this outlook in mind, let’s take a look at the best foreign stocks that billionaires own.
A foreign investor glancing across a cluttered desk, looking out a window at the city skyline.
Our Methodology
For this article, we referred to Insider Monkey’s database containing billionaires’ stock picks and chose the top 10 companies headquartered outside the United States that were most popular with billionaire investors in Q4 of 2024. We have also mentioned the value of billionaire holdings for further insight. The stocks are ranked in ascending order based on the number of billionaire investors.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
10. Shopify Inc. (NYSE:SHOP)
Number of Billionaire Investors: 16
Value of Billionaire Holdings: $1.54 billion
Shopify Inc. (NYSE:SHOP) is a Canadian commerce company that allows individuals and businesses to start and scale their online retail presence. The Shopify platform is available in more than 175 countries. On March 18, the company announced that it is moving its US stock listing from the NYSE to Nasdaq. Trading on the NYSE ends on Friday, March 28, and begins on Nasdaq on March 31. Its TSX listing under SHOP remains unchanged. With 16 billionaires backing SHOP, it’s among the best foreign stocks to consider buying.
Shopify Inc. (NYSE:SHOP) reported strong growth throughout 2024. The company focused on making entrepreneurship more accessible and solidifying Shopify as the go-to platform for businesses. The fourth quarter marked the seventh straight quarter of 25%+ revenue growth (excluding logistics) for Shopify, a 22% free cash flow margin, and a 24% year-over-year GMV increase, which was the highest in three years. For Q1 2025, Shopify expects revenue growth in the mid-20% range, gross profit growth in the low-20% range, $120 million in stock-based compensation, and a mid-teen free cash flow margin.
On March 28, Deutsche Bank analyst Bhavin Shah assigned a Buy rating on Shopify Inc. (NYSE:SHOP) and a $150 price target, following insights from ShopTalk Spring 2025. The analyst projects that Shopify will benefit from the growing demand for artificial intelligence, personalization, and unified commerce.
9. CRH plc (NYSE:CRH)
Number of Billionaire Investors: 16
Value of Billionaire Holdings: $2.16 billion
CRH plc (NYSE:CRH) operates in Ireland, the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, and globally. It is a building materials company that supplies construction materials, paving services, aggregates, cement, and ready-mix concrete for infrastructure, commercial, and residential projects. CRH ranks 9th on our list of the best foreign stocks to invest in.
On March 20, Truist Securities assigned a Buy rating to CRH plc (NYSE:CRH) with a $120 price target. Analyst Keith Hughes sees big opportunities in Europe’s construction market, especially with Ukraine’s potential rebuilding efforts and Germany’s stimulus spending. 28% of its revenue is generated from Europe, and this allows CRH’s US investors unique access to the region’s growth.
In Q4 2024, CRH plc (NYSE:CRH) posted a revenue of $8.9 billion and a net income of $0.7 billion. These figures increased by 2% and 24% year-over-year, respectively. Adjusted EBITDA was positively impacted by a favorable pricing mix, operational efficiency, and acquisitions, rising 12% to $1.8 billion. EPS also increased 4% to $1.03. In 2024, CRH made 40 acquisitions worth $5 billion, including a $2.1 billion cement/concrete deal in Texas. It also sold $1.4 billion in assets, mainly European Lime operations.
On February 27, CRH plc (NYSE:CRH) announced a quarterly per share dividend of $0.37, reflecting a 5.7% increase from its last dividend of $0.35. The dividend will be paid on April 16, to shareholders listed by March 14.
8. Nu Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NU)
Number of Billionaire Investors: 17
Value of Billionaire Holdings: $1.91 billion
Nu Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NU) was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in São Paulo, Brazil. It is a digital banking leader in Latin America, offering credit and prepaid cards, mobile payments, and an e-commerce platform. NU also offers accounts, investment options like stocks, ETFs, and crypto, a loyalty token (Nucoin), loans, and insurance. Philippe Laffont, along with 16 other billionaires, is a major investor in the company, positioning it as one of the best foreign stocks to buy.
On March 20, Citi analyst Ashwin Shirvaikar reiterated a Sell rating on Nu Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NU) with a $9 price target. While most Mexican banks saw deposits decline in January, Nubank has continued to grow deposits and loans. With 48.7% revenue growth and a $57.6 billion market cap, the company has strong momentum, but Citi remains cautious due to a shift from demand deposits to time deposits.
Nubank Crypto is expanding its lineup with new coins like Cardano (ADA), Near Protocol (NEAR), Cosmos (ATOM), and Algorand (ALGO), adding to its existing selection of 16 cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana. It is also rolling out 11 new crypto pairs that can be swapped for USDC, featuring options like AAVE, AVAX, and DOT. Plus, users holding at least 10 USDC in their wallets now earn a fixed 4% annual return, paid daily.
NU grew its customer base to 114 million in 2024, adding 20 million new users in just a year. Revenue shot up 58% to $11.5 billion for the year, and net income nearly doubled to $2 billion. The company made huge moves in Brazil, becoming the country’s third-largest financial institution by the number of customers. Meanwhile, Mexico hit 10 million users, and Colombia reached 2.5 million. Engagement stayed strong, with an 83.1% activity rate and rising revenue per customer.
7. Sea Limited (NYSE:SE)
Number of Billionaire Investors: 17
Value of Billionaire Holdings: $2.44 billion
Sea Limited (NYSE:SE) is a Singapore-based company operating in digital entertainment, e-commerce, and financial services across Southeast Asia, Latin America, and beyond. It operates multiple platforms: Garena for gaming, Shopee for online shopping, and SeaMoney for payments and credit services. On February 21, the company partnered with OpenAI to enhance Shopee’s shopping experience with AI. As a launch partner for OpenAI’s Operator in Southeast Asia and Brazil, Shopee will refine the AI agent to make online shopping more intuitive. It is one of the best foreign stocks to keep an eye on.
On March 7, Barclays raised Sea Limited (NYSE:SE)’s price target to $182 from $148, keeping an Overweight rating on the shares. The stock has jumped 134.5% in the past year. Barclays analysts observed that Sea’s e-commerce business grew 23.5% year-over-year in Q4, beating expectations by 7.7%. Revenue increased by 28.75% during the fourth quarter, and e-commerce profits were 70% higher than expected. Additionally, the company’s goal of reaching a 2-3% profit margin now seems within reach, with 20% GMV growth expected in 2025.
In 2024, Sea’s three business segments bounced back to strong double-digit growth and surpassed expectations. It was also the company’s second straight year of profitability, with each division reporting positive adjusted EBITDA. Shopee had an especially strong year, with GMV soaring 28% year-over-year to exceed $100 billion. The platform turned a profit in both Asia and Brazil, and the company is confident about sustaining this momentum. Sea’s digital financial services also took off, with its loan book growing over 60% year-over-year to more than $5 billion by the end of 2024, making it one of the biggest consumer lending businesses in Southeast Asia. Garena’s growth was led by Free Fire’s big comeback, with the game’s annual bookings increasing 34% year-over-year. Sea expects both user numbers and bookings to keep growing at a double-digit pace in 2025. By the end of 2024, the company had $10.4 billion in cash and investments, adding $478.6 million in the last quarter.
6. Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA)
Number of Billionaire Investors: 17
Value of Billionaire Holdings: $2.60 billion
A Chinese tech giant, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) is favored by 17 billionaire investors, making it one of the best foreign stocks to monitor. In November 2023, Jack Ma called on Alibaba to “correct its course” as the company faced one of its toughest periods, including plummeting stock prices, slowing growth, intense competition, and ongoing government scrutiny. Fast forward to today, and Alibaba is making a strong comeback. Its core business is growing again, and the company is emerging as a major AI player, competing with OpenAI and DeepSeek. Alibaba’s US-listed shares have jumped nearly 60% this year, adding over $100 billion in value.
For Q4 2024, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA)’s revenue was up 8% year-over-year, hitting $38.38 billion. Operating income jumped 83% to $5.65 billion, helped by fewer asset write-downs and better profitability. Net income skyrocketed 333% to $6.36 billion for the quarter, boosted by gains in equity investments. Adjusted net income also grew 6% to $7 billion, and earnings per share rose 13%. As of December 31, 2024, Alibaba held $83.58 billion in cash, short-term investments, and other treasury assets, slightly down from $83.98 billion in March. The decline was mainly due to share buybacks of $11.25 billion, dividend payments of $3.98 billion, acquiring more equity in subsidiaries for $2.73 billion, and debt repayment of $2.22 billion.
On March 28, Mizuho Securities upped its price target for Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:BABA) from $140 to $170, keeping an Outperform rating. The firm sees Alibaba as a leader in AI, working toward artificial general intelligence, expanding AI model APIs, and rolling out AI-driven solutions. Mizuho expects these investments to boost productivity, improve recommendations, and increase conversions. Alibaba is now on Mizuho’s Top Picks list for Asia’s Internet sector.
5. Atlassian Corporation (NASDAQ:TEAM)
Number of Billionaire Investors: 17
Value of Billionaire Holdings: $2.91 billion
Atlassian Corporation (NASDAQ:TEAM) designs software for businesses to manage workflows efficiently. Its tools include Jira, Confluence, Tello, and Loon, which are utilized for higher efficiency in project management, team collaboration, task organization, and video conferencing. On January 31, Piper Sandler’s Rob Owens raised the stock’s price target from $310 to $365, maintaining an Overweight rating. The upgrade follows strong earnings, with cloud revenue growth prompting a full-year guidance boost to 26.5%. Atlassian is gaining traction in AI and enterprise adoption, with a 40% rise in higher-tier product usage. Owens remains confident in the company’s potential amid improving market conditions.
On March 17, Atlassian’s Government Cloud got FedRAMP Moderate authorization, making it easier for US federal, state, and local agencies to use its cloud-based tools securely. This means government teams can switch from Atlassian Data Center to the cloud, gaining better security, compliance, and efficiency while cutting down on server maintenance. The authorization covers Jira, Confluence, and Jira Service Management.
Atlassian Corporation (NASDAQ:TEAM) is seeing strong momentum as more businesses turn to its platform for better team collaboration. The company credited solid enterprise sales for driving 30% year-over-year growth in subscription revenue. In Q2 FY2025, it brought in $1.29 billion in GAAP revenue, a 21% increase from last year. Operating income rose to $335.1 million, with a non-GAAP operating margin of 26%. Net income reached $255.6 million, with earnings per share at $0.96. Free cash flow came in at $342.6 million, reflecting a 27% margin.
Atlassian Corporation (NASDAQ:TEAM) ranks among the best foreign stocks to watch, appearing in the portfolios of 17 billionaire investors.
4. Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT)
Number of Billionaire Investors: 17
Value of Billionaire Holdings: $4.58 billion
Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT) is a Luxembourg-based audio streaming giant with both Premium and Ad-Supported services. On February 5, Benchmark analyst Mark Zgutowicz raised Spotify’s price target to $720 from $600 while keeping a Buy rating, citing strong Q4 earnings and confidence in premium content tiers. The price upgrade reflects growing user engagement and the company’s ability to monetize premium offerings. SPOT is one of the best foreign stocks on Wall Street, with 17 billionaires backing this play.
Spotify Technology S.A. (NYSE:SPOT) is expanding its Partner Program to nine more countries on April 29, after a strong launch in the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Creators in France, Belgium, Germany, and more can now join. The program helps creators earn through Premium video engagement and ad revenue across platforms, giving them a more stable income. Since launching, payouts have jumped over 300%, with top podcasters making six figures a month.
Spotify exceeded expectations across the board and hit record profitability in 2024. The company added 35 million monthly active users in Q4, the biggest quarterly gain in its history, along with 11 million new Premium subscribers, both outperforming Street estimates. Revenue was stronger than expected, given favorable currency shifts and solid business performance. Gross margin rose to 32.2%, up 5.55% from the previous year. Operating income came in at €477 million, slightly below target due to €96 million in unexpected social charges from rising stock prices. Free cash flow amounted to €877 million for the fourth quarter, bringing the yearly total to €2.3 billion.
3. JD.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:JD)
Number of Billionaire Investors: 18
Value of Billionaire Holdings: $1.82 billion
JD.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:JD) started as an e-commerce innovator and has grown into a leading tech-driven company with a strong focus on supply chain management. On August 27, 2024, JD.com announced a new $5 billion share repurchase program set to begin in September 2024 and run through August 2027. The company will buy back shares, including American depositary shares, through open-market transactions, private deals, and block trades, depending on market conditions. JD is a top pick among billionaire investors, placing it third on our list of the best foreign stocks.
On March 6, JD.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:JD) announced a $1 per ADS annual dividend, a 31.6% increase from last year’s $0.76, set to be distributed on April 29 to shareholders on record as of April 8. This comes as the company reported strong financial performance, with Q4 revenue surging 13.4% year-over-year to $147.5 billion and full-year revenue rising 6.8% to $158.8 billion. In addition to increasing shareholder returns, JD is working to lower its outstanding shares by repurchasing them.
Mizuho Securities upped JD.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:JD)’s price target from $43 to $50 on March 7, maintaining an Outperform rating. The boost comes after JD reported solid revenue growth, better margins, and strong government-backed initiatives, like an expanded trade-in program. Analysts also raised their FY26 EBITDA forecast by 11% to RMB 57 billion, expecting continued growth, especially in lower-tier markets.
2. PDD Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:PDD)
Number of Billionaire Investors: 21
Value of Billionaire Holdings: $2.14 billion
PDD Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:PDD) is a global commerce company behind Pinduoduo, a popular e-commerce platform, and Temu, an online marketplace. The company was originally known as Pinduoduo Inc, and it rebranded to PDD Holdings Inc in 2023. Founded in 2015, it is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. It is one of the best foreign stocks to buy according to billionaires.
On March 21, Bank of America analyst Joyce Ju maintained a Hold rating on PDD Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:PDD) with a price target of $140. The company’s financial performance somewhat underwhelmed the analyst, since revenue growth in 2024 did not meet Street estimates.
PDD Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:PDD)’s revenue increased 24% year-over-year to $15.15 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024, driven by increased online marketing and transaction services. Earnings per share came in at $2.71, and diluted EPS was $2.54 for Q4. The company generated $4.05 billion in operating cash flow. By the end of 2024, cash reserves had grown significantly to $45.4 billion, compared to $31.6 billion in 2023.
Artisan Partners Limited Partnership raised its position in PDD during the fourth quarter by 56.4%. The firm purchased 375,586 shares during Q4, bumping its total stake to over 1 million shares, worth $101 million.
1. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM)
Number of Billionaire Investors: 30
Value of Billionaire Holdings: $14.62 billion
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) is the largest pure-play semiconductor company in the world. On January 21, investment advisory Bernstein assigned TSM an Outperform rating with a price target of $258. The firm observed that robust AI demand and a forecasted revenue growth of 27% in FY2025 are positive catalysts for the company. Semiconductor prices are also stabilizing, which will benefit TSM. It is one of the best foreign stocks to buy according to billionaires. In Q4, TSM was found in 30 billionaire stock portfolios.
On March 4, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) announced a plan to invest $100 billion in the United States. The company plans to build five new chip facilities so there is less dependence on Asian semiconductor production. TSM aims to construct three fabrication plants in the US to expand operations, as well as two packaging facilities and a research and development unit. TSM made an earlier commitment to invest $65 billion in the US and build a third Arizona factory by 2030.
In the fourth quarter of 2024, the company earned a revenue of $26.88 billion, up 37% year-over-year and 14.4% from the last quarter. TSM recorded a profit margin of 43.1%, driven by solid demand for its advanced 3nm and 5nm chips, which accounted for 60% of overall wafer revenue. While the company expects a revenue dip in Q1 2025 due to slower smartphone sales, it will be offset by growing demand for AI.
Overall, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM) ranks first on our list of the best foreign stocks to buy according to billionaires. While we acknowledge the potential of TSM to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that certain AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than TSM but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.
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