Getting into the stock market is now easier than ever before. There are plenty of online trading platforms that offer basic services for free -- with no required account minimum. This has given scores of people a newfound level of access to investing.
Every new (and old) investor intends to beat the market in the long run. Here are two unstoppable growth stocks that can help you accomplish this goal: Innovative Industrial Properties (IIPR -0.82%) and Etsy (ETSY 0.49%).
1. Innovative Industrial Properties
The marijuana industry is growing like a weed, no pun intended. Among the many companies looking to profit from this trend, Innovative Industrial Properties stands out. As a real estate investment trust, or REIT, Innovative Industrial Properties provides pure-play pot growers in the U.S. with a nifty way to raise capital.
Since cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, traditional banking services are often off-limits to marijuana companies. That's where Innovative Industrial Properties comes in. It acquires real estate properties from pot companies, then leases them back, helping free up capital for its tenants while guaranteeing rent payments for itself. The results have been impressive. Innovative Industrial Properties' revenue, earnings, and stock price have skyrocketed over the past few years.
IIPR Revenue (Quarterly) data by YCharts
There is a lot of growth left ahead for the company. Innovative Industrial Properties currently owns 73 properties in 18 states, with an average lease length of 16.7 years and a 100% occupancy rate. Medical use of marijuana is legal in 36 states, which means the company has room to significantly expand its current operations. The ongoing growth of the cannabis sector will give Innovative Industrial Properties plenty of opportunities to add new tenants to its portfolio, especially as it makes its way into new states -- leading to continued revenue and earnings increases.
There is the worry that if marijuana becomes legal at the federal level, it will allow pot companies to do business with banks, thereby severely disrupting Innovative Industrial Properties' operations. But I think these fears are overblown. It's true that the current laws serve as a strong barrier to entry into the cannabis sector, and if these laws are relaxed, the number of pot companies will balloon. Innovative Industrial Properties would have to compete with banks under this scenario.
But dealing with these financial institutions has its downsides, including very stringent lending criteria and relatively high interest rates. Many pot companies will continue to turn to Innovative Industrial Properties to raise cash, regardless of the legal landscape. That's why the company is well positioned to continue beating the market. New investors can't go wrong with this fast-growing cannabis stock.
Image source: Getty Images.
2. Etsy
Etsy is riding the wave of another industry ripe for growth: e-commerce. The pandemic helped companies in this sector perform well in the past 18 months. But e-commerce sales were increasing rapidly before the events of 2020, and they will continue to do so long after. According to some estimates, the industry will expand at a compound annual growth rate of 16% through 2026.
Etsy is carving out a niche for itself in the competitive e-commerce industry. It primarily offers unique, custom, vintage, and handmade goods that are hard and sometimes impossible to find elsewhere. That's helping the company build a competitive advantage -- the network effect. Customers looking for handmade items will be increasingly likely to turn to Etsy, thereby attracting more sellers onto its platform. This, in turn, will make Etsy even more attractive to consumers.
Image source: Getty Images.
Etsy's financial results continue to impress. In the second quarter ending June 30, the company's active buyers increased by 50.1% year over year to 90.5 million, and the number of active sellers jumped by 66.7% year over year to 5.2 million. The company's revenue of $528.9 million and gross merchandise volume (the total value of items sold on its platform) of $3.04 billion increased by 23.4% and 13.1% year over year, respectively. . Meanwhile, Etsy currently holds a tiny portion of its $1.7 trillion total addressable market.
Even if it ultimately captures just a fraction (say, 10%) of this market, revenue and earnings could easilyi soar, especially given its growing competitive advantage. That's why this tech company is an excellent buy for new investors looking to beat the market.
