We recently published a list of the 12 Best Investment Websites To Research Stocks. In this article, we will look at where Motley Fool stands against other best investment websites to research stocks.
Retail investors put a lot of effort into creating a solid portfolio by researching the economic climate, analyzing the latest stock market trends, learning about investing strategies, and keeping an eye on the most noteworthy moves made by smart investors and elite hedge funds. Retail investors constitute a significant section of the investing community, and they have access to many online resources that can help them navigate the volatile stock market.
According to a study by Gallup, 61% of Americans claim they own stocks as of April 2023, which is the highest percentage since 2008. This is a rebound from post-recession lows, up from 56% in 2021 and 55% in 2020. Between 2001 and 2008, stock ownership averaged 62%; however, after the financial crisis of 2007–2009, it began to drop. Moreover, demographics, education, and income all have a significant impact on ownership. Compared to just 29% of households making less than $40,000, 84% of adults in households making $100,000 or more own stocks. Likewise, over 80% of postgraduates and college graduates own equities, compared to much lower percentages of individuals without a degree. Lastly, another factor is demographics; older, married, and wealthier people tend to have higher ownership levels. Investments in individual stocks, mutual funds, and retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs are included in the measure, which reveals differences in financial engagement between income and academic achievement.
Specifically, according to the 2024 Women & Investing Study by Fidelity, 71% of women own stock market investments, up 18% from 2023. Boomer and Gen X women grew at the fastest rates, at 18% and 23% annually, respectively. In just two years, the percentage of women among Fidelity’s retail clients has increased by more than 20%. By contributing an average of 10.4% of their paychecks, which is greater than the 9.5% average for women overall, 77% of Gen Z women own investments, making them the leaders in early investing. This percentage is up 6% from 2023. Even while 52% of Gen Z women get their financial advice from friends and family, 89% of them seek professional assistance. Nonetheless, there is still a confidence gap, with women almost twice as likely as men to say they know nothing about investing.
Sangeeta Moorjani, Head of Tax Exempt Market and Lifetime Engagement for Fidelity Investments stated:
“It’s encouraging to see the number of women taking control of their finances swell over the past three years,” “We know there is still work to be done – the financial confidence gap continues to persist, and women continue to report higher levels of financial stress than men – but we’ve made considerable strides. Fidelity is committed to continuing that momentum by providing access to tools, support, and education tailored to the unique financial needs of women.”
Most importantly, research is essential before making an individual stock investment, and this is where trustworthy websites for stock research would come in very handy. Determine your level of risk tolerance first. Stocks are riskier than index funds or bonds, which provide diversity. According to experts, you should only own 5%–10% of your portfolio in individual stocks. Next, learn about the business. “Never invest in a business you cannot understand,” as stated by Warren Buffett. Examine the business’s activities, offerings, and sources of income. On their investor relations websites, publicly traded firms post their annual reports, which include financial information and earnings calls. Investors should examine these reports to gain knowledge about growth and profitability.
Stocks
Methodology
To compile our list of the top websites for stock research, we based the rankings on a consensus drawn from multiple sources and Reddit discussions on the topic. Each website earned one point for every mention across the sources, and only those featured at least three times were included. Furthermore, we evaluated measurable aspects of these websites that provide significant value to users, awarding extra points for those features.
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)
Motley Fool
One of the Best websites to research Stocks, Motley Fool is a private company that provides readers with financial and investing advice. Its headquarters are located in Virginia. The company is headed by brothers David and Tom Gardner. There are roughly 300 workers in the company. The Motley Fool operates in the United States, Japan, Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The Fool Stock Advisor, one of The Motley Fool’s core services, has outperformed the broader market in returns over the last fifteen years. The company’s stock alert newsletters also inform potential investors about low-risk investment choices given the present macroeconomic conditions.
More than a million premium members of The Motley Fool have access to live streaming during market hours, comprehensive company research, model portfolios, new monthly stock selections, and advanced investment tools. The six pillars of The Motley Fool’s investment philosophy are a portfolio including more than 25 firms; holding periods exceeding five years; regular additions to savings; holding onto stocks amid market turbulence; allowing portfolio winners to accumulate gains; and long-term return objectives.
As of January 21, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is ranked among the Motley Fool’s Growth Stocks to Buy Now and Hold for the Long Term. The company has a long history of achieving 20% annual revenue growth, and it currently looks to be a very cheap stock as per Motley Fool. Its free cash flow growth rate over the long run is nearly the same.
In Q3 of 2024, a 35% increase in Google Cloud revenue is the primary driver of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL)’s record revenue growth, with consolidated revenue up 15% year over year. Significant advancements have been made in AI and cloud computing; for example, Google Cloud generated $1.9 billion in operating income with a 17% operating margin, while Gemini models had an over 14x increase in API calls over a six-month period. Over the last four quarters, YouTube has surpassed $50 billion in total ad and subscription revenue, with ad revenues rising 12% year over year. In just 18 months, Alphabet has lowered machine costs per query by more than 90% due to its developments in AI infrastructure, which include data center investments and specialized GPUs. The company’s autonomous car business, Waymo, has strengthened its position as the industry leader by reaching one million miles driven entirely on its own each week and growing its collaboration with Uber. These accomplishments show Alphabet’s ongoing expansion and innovation in its major businesses.
Oakmark Equity and Income Fund stated the following regarding Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) in its Q4 2024 investor letter:
“Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) was the top contributor during the quarter. Despite ongoing litigation with the Department of Justice in its antitrust case, the U.S.-headquartered interactive media and services company’s stock price rose after posting solid third-quarter earnings. In the Search division, the company generated low-teens year-over-year revenue growth and management highlighted that they’re seeing strong user engagement with their new AI Overviews feature. The biggest upside surprise came from the Cloud division, where revenue growth accelerated to 35% and margins reached a record of 17%. This performance was driven by client demand for AI Infrastructure and Generative AI Solutions as well as core Google Cloud Platform (GCP) products. We continue to believe Alphabet is a collection of great businesses that can unlock further value over the long term through its world-class AI capabilities.”
Overall, Motley Fool ranks 10th on our list of the Best Investment Websites To Research Stocks. While we acknowledge the potential for GOOGL to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some 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 GOOGL 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 Complete List of 59 AI Companies Under $2 Billion in Market Cap
Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
