We recently compiled a list of the 12 Best Growth Stocks Under $25 to Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where LendingClub Corporation (NYSE:LC) stands against the other growth stocks.
AI is the Most Defining Theme of 2025, Says Expert
Most experts agree that the AI wave is not over yet. On January 8, Wendy Sheehan Donnell, Editor-in-Chief at PCMag, joined Yahoo Finance from CES 2025 to share her take on trending innovations and the increasing role of artificial intelligence in revolutionizing industries.
Donnell unveiled some of the groundbreaking innovations spearheaded by companies from across the globe and emphasized that “AI is the prevailing theme” across all these new products and services. She highlighted the incidence of AI-powered home devices such as smart microwaves and fridges to help people live smarter and tech-immersed lives. She also shed light on the growing role of AI in healthcare and biotechnology, which will contribute to the well-being of people.
A Glance at the Tech Sector in 2025
The market close on Tuesday reiterated a similar pattern where tech stocks continued to shine, however, some analysts expect the market to broaden over the course of 2025. On January 7, Joe Mazzola, head trading and derivatives strategist at Charles Schwab, joined Yahoo Finance, to discuss his market thesis for the tech sector especially.
Mazzola suggested that the market breadth was of importance in the earnings season, and pointed towards the strengthening of the US dollar and how it may impact the earnings of tech names. He added that the market needs the other “493 names” in the S&P 500 to catch up. Mazolla also emphasized that while 2025 can be a win for Big Tech like 2024, a broadening would help the overall market immensely in terms of earnings.
He added that the financials sector would supposedly catalyze the broadening of the market, because of favorable economic and market conditions. He then discussed the tailwinds for financials and how the same factors serve as headwinds to Big Tech, emphasizing that the bullishness on tech has been slower than it was at the end of 2024.
Our Methodology
We used Finviz to look for companies operating in growth sectors such as technology, financials (fintech), biotech, and communication services. We only focused on companies with a market cap of at least $2 billion and that gained more than 50% over the past 2 quarters. We then examined the hedge fund sentiment surrounding 25 stocks and picked the 12 stocks that were the most widely held by hedge funds.
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).
A real estate broker viewing a commercial property as part of a loan consultation.
LendingClub Corporation (NYSE:LC)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 21
Share Price as of January 8, 2024: $15.9
LendingClub Corporation (NYSE:LC) is a financial services company that offers personal loans and full-service banking facilities. Some of its services include debt paydown loans, cash loans, medical loans, and auto loan refinancing. So far, the company has helped over 5 million people reach their financial goals and expects its customer base to grow further. The digital marketplace bank has gained immense traction for its unique banking system that connects borrowers with investors with absolutely no brick-and-mortar presence.
In the third quarter of 2024, LendingClub Corporation (NYSE:LC) grew its assets by 25% year-over-year which is primarily driven by the purchase of LendingClub loans worth $1.3 billion. In addition to its solid fundamentals, the company is also expanding its presence through strategic partnerships and acquisitions. For instance, in October 2024, LC acquired Tally’s Technology to expand its product roadmap.
Its liquidity situation coupled with its growing customer base positions LC as an emerging leader in the fintech industry, which also contributes to its ranking on our list. Investors are also placing their bets on the stock as the easing cycle is executed in full action.
Overall LC ranks 12th on our list of the best growth stocks under $25 to buy now. While we acknowledge the potential of LC as an investment, 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 LC but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
