All the talk about bear markets and market crashes that was common just a few months ago has fallen by the wayside. The stock market is forward-looking. And the future looks pretty good for many investors.
The promise of vaccines on the way is raising hopes that there's a light at the end of the tunnel with the COVID-19 pandemic. That could pave the way for a robust economic recovery, which would be great news for the incoming Biden administration. It's even looking like the stock market could deliver a strong performance again next year.
Here are three must-have stocks to own in what could be a Biden bull market.
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1. Brookfield Renewable
Renewable energy will definitely be a winner with Joe Biden in the White House. The president-elect has made reducing carbon emissions a top priority. A rebounding economy would also drive demand for energy production. As one of the leading renewable energy stocks on the market, Brookfield Renewable (BEP -1.51%) (BEPC 0.13%) is in a perfect position to profit.
The company's business has boomed even during the coronavirus-caused recession. Although U.S. electricity generation fell 5% and fossil fuel generation slid 10% earlier this year, renewable energy generation jumped 14%. Meanwhile, Brookfield Renewable's funds from operation (FFO) have continued to climb by double-digit percentages.
The company expects to deliver total annual returns of close to 15% over the long term. That should be attainable. Over the last two decades, Brookfield Renewable has given investors an average annual total return of 18%.
The company's pipeline of 18 gigawatts of energy capacity is nearly as big as its current capacity. With renewable energy more cost-effective than fossil fuels, and rising concerns about climate change, Brookfield Renewable looks like a surefire winner over the next four years and beyond.
2. Intuitive Surgical
There's no question that the pandemic has hurt Intuitive Surgical's (ISRG -0.47%) business. With hospitals operating at maximum capacity due to COVID-19 cases earlier this year and again right now, elective procedures have been pushed back. Many of those procedures are performed using Intuitive's robotic surgical systems.
But Intuitive Surgical will make a strong comeback as COVID cases decline. By the time Joe Biden takes office as president, there's a good chance that two vaccines will be available to Americans, with at least two others potentially on the way. Intuitive's procedure volume should rebound significantly. Hospitals should also begin to feel enough confidence to resume capital spending, which would be great for Intuitive's sales of its da Vinci robotic surgical system.
More importantly, though, Intuitive Surgical's long-term prospects are exceptionally good. The company is a prime beneficiary of an absolutely unstoppable trend -- aging. As populations across the world get older, they're more likely to require surgeries (and especially the kinds of surgeries for which Intuitive's robotic systems are ideally suited). Intuitive also continues to innovate and expand the kinds of procedures where robotic assistance can be used. This healthcare stock is practically a no-brainer for long-term investors looking for reliable growth.
3. The Trade Desk
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a mixed bag for The Trade Desk (TTD -0.73%). Sure, some advertisers reduced spending during the crisis as their revenue plunged. However, people watched streaming-TV services more than ever before, which boosted potential advertising audiences for connected TV (CTV). As the leading provider of a software platform for companies to buy digital ads, The Trade Desk has been and should continue to be a huge winner from the latter trend.
Despite the headwinds with the pandemic, The Trade Desk has gained more market share than at any time in its history. It's poised for even stronger growth as the economy recovers. CEO Jeff Green said in his company's Q3 conference call, "Advertising is an engine of economic growth and our customers know that their campaigns can fuel growth and drive market share gains for their brands." Green's view seems to be on point.
Over the long run, the increased adoption of CTV will provide a much larger market opportunity for The Trade Desk. It's not just CTV, though. Digital ads, in general, bought using The Trade Desk's platform give customers a way to collect data they can use to obtain better returns on investment with their advertising dollars. The Trade Desk is a growth stock that's a great fit in nearly any investment portfolio.
