In this article, we’re going to talk about the 10 Best Quality Stocks to Buy According to Analysts.

Income-Focused Investing

The stock market has seen a notable 20% increase year-to-date, but as it approaches the seasonally volatile months leading up to Election Day, potential volatility is expected. The S&P 500 has historically pulled back 5% to 10% around election time but tends to recover afterward.

Instead of cashing out, investors are encouraged to take advantage of any market pullbacks. Historically, when the Fed cuts rates without an impending recession, it creates a favorable environment for broader market performance. Mona Mahajan, Edward Jones senior investment strategist, recently appeared on CNBC to discuss her similar sentiment on these latest market trends, and where investors can find opportunities right now. We talked about this in our article about the 10 Best WallStreetBets Stocks To Buy Right Now, here’s an excerpt from it:

“When asked if investors should consider cashing out and taking a holiday for the remainder of the year, Mahajan advised against such a move. Instead, she suggested that if there are pullbacks or corrections in the market, it would be prudent to lean into those opportunities… Additionally, rate cuts typically lead to expanded valuations, particularly for sectors that have lagged behind in this regard. She emphasized that lower borrowing costs from Fed rate cuts would benefit both consumers and corporations.

In terms of investment strategies during potential downturns, she recommended focusing on cyclical sectors such as utilities and industrials while also maintaining exposure to technology and the artificial intelligence sectors. Mahajan underscored that diversification would be key over the next 12 to 18 months.”

Global Investment Strategist at ProShares Advisors, Simeon Hyman, appeared on CNBC on October 2 to emphasize ‘income’ as a key focus, highlighting the opportunity in fixed-income markets, which could provide 10-15% returns if geopolitical tensions worsen. He thinks that the US economy is stronger than the rest of the world despite tensions.

Simeon Hyman emphasized the importance of the term ‘income’ in the context of current market conditions, noting that the market was just 1% off its all-time highs. This situation presents a salary cut for income-oriented investors, highlighting the challenges they face. However, the fixed-income market offers a silver lining; it currently provides enough yield to cushion against worsening geopolitical tensions. For instance, the yield on the 10-year bond is nearly 4%, and there is potential for it to drop to 3% or lower if significant negative events occur. This scenario presents an opportunity for investors to realize gains of 10% or 15% on bonds in a tumultuous environment, a situation not seen in over a decade.

Despite the current market being down by 3.7%, which is slightly less than 4%, Hyman insisted that rounding was at play. He expressed surprise at this performance given ongoing geopolitical tensions but pointed out that positive economic news in the US persists. Specifically, there has been a 50-basis point cut and indications of a soft landing for the economy. A month-over-month increase of just 0.1% suggests that if one can overlook geopolitical issues, the US economy is faring better than many others globally and remains on solid economic footing.

Additionally, Hyman proposed a covered call strategy focused on the Russell 2000 index, which has been underperforming compared to the S&P 500. He described this strategy as beneficial because it allows investors to generate income that could offset recent losses while maintaining a bullish position in small caps. Historically, rate cuts have positively impacted small-cap stocks, and this strategy enables investors to capitalize on that trend while also generating income through covered calls.

For risk-averse investors, the current emphasis on fixed-income markets as a viable investment option aligns well with the insights shared by Simeon Hyman, who highlighted the potential for 10-15% returns in bonds amid geopolitical tensions. Additionally, they may also explore quality stocks with reliable growth histories, which can provide stability in uncertain market conditions, similar to the defensive strategies Hyman suggested. As investors try to track stock performances to find strategies, we’re here with a list of the 10 Best Quality Stocks to Buy According to Analysts.

Methodology

To compile our list, we first sifted through Vanguard U.S. Quality Factor ETF holdings to find the ones with an upside potential of over 15% as of October 4, 2024. We then selected the 10 stocks that were the most popular among elite hedge funds and that analysts were bullish on. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of their analysts’ upside potential.

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 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

10 Best Quality Stocks to Buy According to Analysts

10. IDEXX Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ:IDXX)

Average Upside Potential: 17.89%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 41

IDEXX Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ:IDXX) is engaged in the development, manufacture, and distribution of products and services for companion animal veterinary, livestock and poultry, water testing, and dairy markets. It’s a global leader in the pet healthcare industry, helping veterinarians provide better care for their patients and improve animal health outcomes.

The company made $1 billion in revenue for the second quarter of 2024, representing 6.35% year-over-year growth, driven by solid gains across various regions. In the US, rapid assay revenues expanded 6% organically, supported by higher net price realization. Global lab revenues also saw a 6% increase, with the US leading the growth. Internationally, single-digit growth was observed in lab revenues.

Veterinary software and diagnostic imaging revenues surged 12% organically, boosted by a recent Greenline software and data platform acquisition. Recurring revenues, driven by cloud-based software placements, contributed significantly to the overall 8% organic revenue growth. Water revenues experienced double-digit gains in the US and continued solid growth in Europe, leading to a 10% organic increase. Livestock, poultry, and dairy revenues grew 3% organically.

However, near-term macro and sector headwinds constrained diagnostic recurring revenue growth in this period, contributing to a 2% decline in US same-store clinical visit growth levels. But IDEXX Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ:IDXX) is still progressing in growing its business and innovating, despite facing challenges from current economic conditions and industry trends.

While near-term challenges may persist, the company’s leadership in the pet healthcare industry, combined with its focus on innovation and growth, positions it well for continued success in the future.

Baron Partners Fund stated the following regarding IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ:IDXX) in its Q2 2024 investor letter:

“Shares of veterinary diagnostics leader IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ:IDXX) detracted from performance. Foot traffic to veterinary clinics in the U.S. remains uneven, which will modestly hamper aggregate revenue growth. Despite this, IDEXX’s excellent execution has enabled the company to continue to deliver robust financial results. We believe IDEXX’s competitive trends are outstanding, and we expect new proprietary innovations and field sales force expansion to be meaningful contributors to growth in 2024. We see increasing evidence that long-term secular trends around pet ownership and pet care spending have been structurally accelerated, which should help support IDEXX’s long-term growth rate.”

9. Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT)

Average Upside Potential: 20.25%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 77

Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) supplies equipment, services, and software for the manufacture of semiconductor chips for electronics, flat panel displays for computers, smartphones, televisions, and solar products. It provides a wide range of products and services, including deposition systems, etch systems, and inspection systems.

For the past 5 years, the company built new capabilities and dedicated teams focused on module integration, device design and simulation, data analytics and AI, advanced packaging, and ICAPS. It grew its revenue by 5.49% year-over-year to make $6.78 billion in FQ3 2024. This growth was driven by demand for the company’s unique and connected portfolio of products and services, which has positioned it to outperform the market over the long term.

Semiconductor Systems sales were up 5% year-over-year. DRAM sales grew nearly 50%. DRAM sales in China declined sequentially as management had anticipated, and this contributed to the company revenue in China declining by 11% sequentially, which is in line with the longer-term average inclusive of Semi Systems, AGS, and Display. NAND memory sales grew by 10%.

Foundry-logic sales were down 4% year-over-year. Leading-edge foundry-logic demand was lower year-over-year but continued to strengthen on a sequential basis. Despite the challenges faced by Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT), many analysts remain optimistic about its future prospects. The company’s strong growth potential, particularly over the next few years, positions it as a compelling investment.

Parnassus Growth Equity Fund stated the following regarding Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) in its Q2 2024 investor letter:

“Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) is the world’s largest supplier of wafer fabrication technologies used in semiconductor manufacturing. The company reported solid earnings for the quarter, and investors believe Applied Materials should continue to benefit from accelerated industry spend due to AI and share gains.”