Top 20 Most Popular Stocks Among Financial Advisors This Week

Then there is Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX), whose stock has surged by over 50% since the beginning of the year, as the company has reported in-line earnings and strong revenue and same-store sales growth. The company provided weaker-than-expected guidance for the current quarter, with EPS in the range of $0.44-to-$0.45, below the consensus estimate of $0.47. At a forward P/E of 32.3, Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX)’s stock is overvalued, trading above the S&P 500’s mean of 15.6, which might be a reason for concern among some smart money investors. At the end of September, 54 funds from our database held shares of Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) with an aggregate value of $1.72 billion. Among them, Clifford Fox’s Columbus Circle Investors reported a 3.76 million share-stake in its latest 13F filing.

With the latest developments in the pharmaceutical segment, it’s not surprising that Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) is also in the spotlight of financial advisors. Over the last couple of weeks, the Street has been watching Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) and Allergan PLC (NYSE:AGN) closely, as the companies announced that they were involved in merger discussions, raising some criticism and sparking talk regarding how such tax inversion transactions are impacting the U.S economy. Earlier today, Bloomberg reported that Pfizer and Allergan are close to reaching an agreement that could value the latter at as much as $380 per share. Allergan ranks as the most popular stock among the funds we track, but Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) seems to be catching up, as the number of funds with long positions in the company went up to 97 from 85 during the third quarter.

Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC) is another big lender that is under the microscope in relation to lawsuits related to mortgage-backed securities. A recent report issued by Moody’s and cited by several outlets, claims that Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC) endured larger litigation costs than other big banks, spending an estimated $70 billion since 2008. Nevertheless, amid an 8% drop of its stock in the third quarter, Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC) registered an increase in popularity among the funds from our database, with the number of investors in the lender jumping to 108 from 95.

As many investors and analysts have been saying, Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) is a great stock to buy because of its focus on growth rather than short-term results. The stock has surged by 140% since the beginning of the year, helped by a seven-for-one stock split that made it more affordable to smaller investors. Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) is one of the best companies in its industry, considered by many as a technology disruptor, which positions it well ahead of its competition. Smart money investors know this very well, as they are collectively bullish on the company. At the end of September, 57 funds from our database held nearly 15% of Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX)’s outstanding stock, including billionaire Chase Coleman’s Tiger Global Management, which reported a $1.86 billion position that contained almost 18 million shares as of the end of September.