12 Best Guru Stocks To Buy Now

Published on March 14, 2024 at 7:28 am by Hamna Asim in ETF Trading, Hedge Funds, News

In this article, we discuss 12 best Guru stocks. If you want to skip our discussion on the ETF industry, head directly to 5 Best Guru Stocks To Buy Now.

The Global X Guru Index ETF (NYSE:GURU) aims to outperform the broader market by investing in high-conviction ideas from a select group of hedge funds. It tracks the Solactive Guru Index to mirror the performance of this strategy. Global X Guru Index ETF (NYSE:GURU) provides an opportunity for regular investors to access the investment choices of major hedge funds. By investing alongside these funds, Global X Guru Index ETF (NYSE:GURU) aims to leverage their research and knowledge to beat US equity benchmarks like the S&P 500. Unlike traditional hedge fund investments that incur a 2% management fee and a 20% profit share, Global X Guru Index ETF (NYSE:GURU) has a relatively lower expense ratio of 0.75%, potentially making it a more cost-effective option while still offering access to hedge fund strategies. The ETF was launched on June 4, 2012, and currently has net assets exceeding $42 million, along with a portfolio of 61 stocks.

According to BlackRock, investors are expected to increase their use of ETF strategies to potentially outperform the market in the future. The growth of ETFs is closely linked to investors’ adoption of index investments as foundational strategies. This shift is partly based on the idea, popularized in academia some time ago, that the costs associated with stock selection can eat into long-term returns. Investors are increasingly opting for transparent fee structures based on assets under management, rather than indirect fees through brokerage commissions and retrocessions. This fee-based wealth advisory approach is also beginning to gain traction in Europe, with regulations like the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive II, introduced in 2018, shedding light on commissions and retrocessions charged by fund companies, private banks, and independent financial advisors. With MiFID II requiring advisors to disclose all upfront and ongoing fees to clients, transparency is becoming a key focus. In the future, there is expected to be increased demand for lower-cost index products, leading to greater adoption of ETFs in advisory services. This environment would favor ETFs as core components of portfolios.

Meanwhile, bond liquidity, which many institutions once took for granted, is decreasing. BlackRock observed significant growth potential for bond ETFs as institutions find it increasingly challenging to access individual bonds. To facilitate large transactions, investors are more likely to use bond ETFs alongside or instead of individual securities. Bond ETFs also enable efficient trading of bundles of securities that would otherwise be challenging and costly to access individually. For example, trading individual emerging market bonds from over 50 countries can be up to 65 times more expensive than using an ETF that tracks an index.

In this article, we specifically discuss the best Guru stocks, which include Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), and Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META).

Our Methodology

For this article, we filtered out the 12 best stocks out of The Global X Guru Index ETF (NYSE:GURU)’s portfolio of 61 holdings as of March 11 based on the hedge fund sentiment toward each stock. We have assessed the hedge fund sentiment from Insider Monkey’s database of 933 elite hedge funds tracked as of the end of the fourth quarter of 2023. The list is arranged in ascending order of the number of hedge fund investors in each firm. Hedge funds’ top 10 consensus stock picks outperformed the S&P 500 Index by more than 140 percentage points over the last 10 years (see the details here).

An executive in a suit on the floor of a trading exchange, with screens of stock prices in the background.

Best Guru Stocks To Buy Now

12. Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE:PXD)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 76

Guru’s Stake as of March 11: $723,889

Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE:PXD) functions as an independent firm engaged in the exploration and production of oil and gas in the United States. The company’s activities involve searching for, advancing, and extracting oil, natural gas liquids, and gas. They operate in the Midland Basin located in West Texas. The Global X Guru Index ETF (NYSE:GURU) holds 2,959 shares of Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE:PXD) worth $723,889.

On February 22, Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE:PXD) declared a $2.56 per share quarterly base-plus-variable cash dividend, a 20% decline from the previous dividend of $3.20. It is to be paid on March 22 to shareholders on record as of March 4.

As per Insider Monkey’s fourth quarter database, 76 hedge funds were bullish on Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE:PXD), up from 67 funds in the preceding quarter. Matthew Halbower’s Pentwater Capital Management held the largest position in the company, with 5.84 million shares valued at over $1.3 billion.

Like Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), and Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META), Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE:PXD) is one of the best Guru stocks to buy.

Carillon Chartwell Mid Cap Value Fund made the following comment about Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE:PXD) in its Q3 2023 investor letter:

“The Russell Midcap Value Index declined 4.5%, with only the energy and financials sectors generating positive returns. The healthcare, communication services, and consumer staples sectors were the weakest. Pioneer Natural Resources Company (NYSE:PXD) produces oil and natural gas in the Permian Basin of West Texas and southeastern New Mexico. Its shares rallied along with oil prices, a key driver of revenue and earnings.”

11. S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 82

Guru’s Stake as of March 11: $689,088

S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) is placed among the best Guru stocks. It offers credit ratings, analytics, benchmarks, and workflow solutions across global capital, commodity, and automotive markets. The company functions through different segments, including S&P Global Market Intelligence, S&P Global Ratings, S&P Global Commodity Insights, S&P Global Mobility, and S&P Dow Jones Indices. As of March 11, The Global X Guru Index ETF (NYSE:GURU) holds 1,615 shares of S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) worth $689,088.

On February 8, S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) announced a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $3.13, missing estimates by $0.01, and a revenue of $3.15 billion, outperforming market consensus by $20 million.

According to Insider Monkey’s fourth quarter database, 82 hedge funds were bullish on S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI), compared to 78 funds in the previous quarter. Chris Hohn’s TCI Fund Management is the largest shareholder of the company, with 9.03 million shares worth $3.98 billion.

Baron FinTech Fund stated the following regarding S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) in its fourth quarter 2023 investor letter:

“Shares of rating agency and data provider S&P Global Inc. (NYSE:SPGI) increased due to higher debt issuance amid more favorable market conditions. Billed issuance rose 47% in October and 26% in November against subdued levels last year, with issuance boosted by declining interest rates and tighter bond spreads. Positive equity market performance in the fourth quarter benefited asset-based fees. In addition, the company reported strong quarterly financial results with double-digit growth in revenue and earnings and raised full-year earnings guidance. We continue to own the stock due to the company’s long runway for growth and significant competitive advantages.”

10. Snowflake Inc. (NYSE:SNOW)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 86

Guru’s Stake as of March 11: $479,242

Snowflake Inc. (NYSE:SNOW), being one of the best Guru stocks, offers a cloud-based data platform used by organizations worldwide. Its platform provides Data Cloud, which allows customers to centralize their data for better insights, create applications based on data, and easily share data and data-related products. The Global X Guru Index ETF (NYSE:GURU), as of March 11, owns 2,953 shares of Snowflake Inc. (NYSE:SNOW) worth $479,242.

On February 28, Snowflake Inc. (NYSE:SNOW) reported a Q4 non-GAAP EPS of $0.35 and a revenue of $774.6 million, beating market estimates by $0.17 and $14.38 million, respectively.

According to Insider Monkey’s fourth quarter database, 86 hedge funds were bullish on Snowflake Inc. (NYSE:SNOW), an increase from 71 funds in the prior quarter. Brad Gerstner’s Altimeter Capital Management is the largest position holder in the firm, with 12.42 million shares valued at $2.47 billion.

ClearBridge Multi Cap Growth Strategy made the following comment about Snowflake Inc. (NYSE:SNOW) in its Q2 2023 investor letter:

“While the ClearBridge Multi Cap Growth Strategy has limited mega cap exposure, which has been a recent headwind to relative performance, we own several companies that stand to benefit from the explosive growth in generative AI. These holdings play key roles in building out the necessary infrastructure and helping customers leverage capabilities enabled by this emerging technology.

Snowflake Inc. (NYSE:SNOW), a cloud-based data platform company, is positioned well to help enterprises better leverage their own data to get the most out of AI models. Though it is still early days in terms of adoption, Snowflake saw workloads for data science, machine learning, and AI use cases grow more than 90% year-over-year in its most recent quarter.”

9. Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 100

Guru’s Stake as of March 11: $692,426

Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) is placed among the best Guru stocks. The company provides a range of products and services for enterprise IT needs globally. Among its offerings are cloud software applications such as Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP, Oracle Fusion Cloud Enterprise Performance Management, and Oracle Fusion Cloud Supply Chain and Manufacturing Management, among others. As of March 11, The Global X Guru Index ETF (NYSE:GURU) owns 6,067 shares of Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) worth $692,426.

On March 11, Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) declared a $0.40 per share quarterly dividend, in-line with previous. The dividend is to be paid on April 24 to shareholders on record as of April 10.

According to Insider Monkey’s fourth quarter database, 100 hedge funds were bullish on Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL), up from 88 funds in the preceding quarter. Jean-Marie Eveillard’s First Eagle Investment Management is the top shareholder of the company, with 18.52 million shares worth $1.95 billion.

Madison Sustainable Equity Fund stated the following regarding Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) in its fourth quarter 2023 investor letter:

“Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL) reported a disappointing second quarter due to supply constraints. Cloud revenue was below expectations as Oracle made planning decisions to accommodate some large-scale Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) clients that take longer to bring online. We continue to believe that Oracle has a unique position in Generative AI workloads and continue to like its position and strategy.”

8. Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 131

Guru’s Stake as of March 11: $719,712

Next on the list of the best Guru stocks is Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM), which offers customer relationship management technology that helps firms connect with their customers globally. Its services include sales tools for storing data, tracking leads and progress, predicting opportunities, using analytics and artificial intelligence for insights, and generating quotes, contracts, and invoices. Additionally, their service tools enable companies to provide personalized customer support at scale. As of March 11, The Global X Guru Index ETF (NYSE:GURU) holds 2,352 shares of Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) valued at $719,712.

On February 28, Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) declared a $0.40 per share quarterly dividend, which is to be paid on April 11 to shareholders on record as of March 14.

As per Insider Monkey’s fourth quarter database, 131 hedge funds were bullish on Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM), compared to the last quarter when 122 funds had invested in the stock. Ken Fisher’s Fisher Asset Management held the largest position in the company, with 14.91 million shares valued at $3.92 billion.

Polen Focus Growth Strategy stated the following regarding Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) in its fourth quarter 2023 investor letter:

“In the fourth quarter, the top relative and absolute contributors to the Portfolio’s performance were Netflix, ServiceNow, and Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM).

Salesforce has continued to grow its revenues at what we see as a healthy rate despite market concerns about the impact of the weaker macroeconomy on its business and penetration rates in its core CRM offering. Even its most mature and largest offerings, Sales Cloud and Service Cloud, are still growing revenue at double-digit rates. In addition, management realized that their cost structure, especially in salespeople, had gotten too bloated. Over the past year and a half, the company has run a much more streamlined expense structure that has led to strong operating margin expansion and earnings growth. Importantly, we do not feel Salesforce has cut into its innovation or sales muscle through these cost cuts but has eliminated unnecessary excess fat from the organization.”

7. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 131

Guru’s Stake as of March 11: $646,085

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) is one of the best Guru stocks, ranking 7th on our list. The Global X Guru Index ETF (NYSE:GURU), as of March 11, holds ownership of 3,740 Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares worth $646,085.

On February 1, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) announced results for the first quarter of fiscal year 2024. The company reported a GAAP EPS of $2.18 and a revenue of $119.6 billion, outperforming Wall Street estimates by $0.07 and $1.34 billion, respectively.

As per Insider Monkey’s fourth quarter database, 131 hedge funds were bullish on Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), compared to 134 funds in the previous quarter. Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is the leading position holder in the firm, with 905.56 million shares worth $174.35 billion.

Horizon Kinetics stated the following regarding Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) in its fourth quarter 2023 investor letter:

“The full point is that if BYD has turned its attention from its domestic market to direct global competition, then other Chinese companies can do the same. The next most visible example of Chinese commercially applied technological prowess relates to the 2nd highest-weight company in the S&P 500, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL).

In September 2023, Huawei Technologies introduced its Mate 60 Pro smartphone. It uses its own, internally developed 5G enabled chip that is apparently competitive with the Apple A17 chip. For practical purposes it has the functionality of the iPhone 15 Pro. This came as a great surprise – perhaps even shock – to the U.S. technology community, because four years ago the U.S. placed strict sanctions on China’s access to state-of-the-art semiconductor manufacturing technology…”

6. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 162

Guru’s Stake as of March 11: $685,408

Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is a payments technology firm that operates globally. As of March 11, The Global X Guru Index ETF (NYSE:GURU) owns 2,443 shares of Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) worth $685,408. On January 25, Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) declared a $0.52 per share quarterly dividend. The dividend was paid on March 1.

As per Insider Monkey’s fourth quarter database, 162 hedge funds were bullish on Visa Inc. (NYSE:V), in contrast to the prior quarter when 167 funds had invested in the stock. Chris Hohn’s TCI Fund Management is the top shareholder of the company, with 16.8 million shares valued at $4.37 billion.

In addition to Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), and Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:META), Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) is one of the best Guru stocks to buy.

In its October 2023 investor letter, Lakehouse Capital stated the following regarding Visa Inc. (NYSE:V):

“Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) reported a strong result with net revenue increasing 11% year-on-year to $8.6 billion and non-GAAP earnings per share increasing by 21% to $2.33. As has been the case for many years now, the scalable nature of the business allows for revenue growth to outpace its costs, which places the company in a good position to navigate through this inflationary period. The network continues to grow, with credentials and merchant locations up 7% and 17%, respectively. Cross-border travel-related spend also maintained its robust growth, increasing 26% year-on-year while Visa Direct reported 7.5 billion transactions, up 19% yearon-year, progressing on penetrating categories such as cross-border remittances. Altogether, we’re pleased with how the business is tracking and remain positive on Visa’s outlook.”

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