Plenty of technology companies are growing their businesses and could make for good long-term investments. But finding tech stocks that are truly disrupting their industries and using advanced technologies to build out the future is a whole other feat.
To help you find a few companies that stand out from the rest of the crowd, let's take a look at how Upstart Holdings (UPST -1.68%), Roblox (RBLX 4.26%), and Shopify (SHOP 1.27%) are transforming their industries.
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Upstart Holdings: An artificially intelligent lending platform disruptor
For decades, lenders have relied on credit scores to determine who is a qualified borrower and who isn't. The problem is that depending solely on these scores doesn't give lenders the clearest picture of borrowers, and it can often exclude borrowers who would have no problem paying back a loan.
Upstart Holdings aims to fix both of these problems with the company's artificially intelligent lending platform. The company uses its proprietary AI to tap into vast amounts of data available on potential borrowers and uses that data to show lenders which customers are truly the most qualified.
The company says it has 75% fewer defaults than large U.S. banks, even though it has the same approval rates. It also uses its AI to automate most of the loans: 71% of its loans are fully automated.
Investors should expect young companies that are trying to disrupt industries to deliver stellar growth -- and Upstart has it in spades. The company's revenue skyrocketed more than 1,000% in the second quarter of 2021 and the transaction volume from loans originating on its platform spiked more than 1,600% year over year to $2.8 billion.
For investors who believe the current lending process is overdue for an overhaul, Upstart Holdings looks like a solid bet.
Roblox: The next evolution in gaming
The video game industry is poised to nearly double in size over the next several years, according to Global Industry Analysts, becoming a $293 billion market by 2027. That's great news for video game developers and console makers, but it's especially good news for the video game platform, Roblox.
Roblox has a unique opportunity to benefit from the fast-growing video game market because the company's platform not only allows its users to play games, it also helps them to create them.
This novel approach to the gaming market has been a smashing success for Roblox. The company's sales jumped 127% and bookings increased 35% in the second quarter of 2021 (reported on Aug. 16) and the platform now has over 43 million daily active users on average.
Roblox's continued success will be built on its ability to attract developers who create unique experiences for gamers. So far, Roblox has been able to achieve this through its 8 million developers who have made 20 million gaming experiences for its users.
Roblox has only been a publicly traded company since March, and with its share price up a modest 17% since it went public, now may be a good time for investors to get in on this disruptive gaming stock.
Shopify: The future of e-commerce is still being built
It may seem like e-commerce has always been around, but we're actually still in the early stages of this market. Don't believe me? Then consider the fact that in the second quarter of this year just 12.5% of all U.S. retail sales came from online purchases.
As the e-commerce market grows, companies of all sizes will need a platform to be able to build out their own online shops -- and that's where Shopify comes in. Shopify noticed this need years ago and has become one of the best places online for companies to build out their e-commerce stores.
More than 1.7 million businesses now use Shopify's platform, up from 1 million two years ago, and the company's recent quarterly results reflect just how well the company is growing. Quarterly revenue recently surpassed $1 billion for the first time, up 57% year over year, which was partially fueled by a 52% jump in Shopify's merchant solutions segment.
Shopify has experienced phenomenal share price growth over the past few years as well, with its share price gaining 1,000% over the past three years. And considering the company's strong lead in helping companies build out their own e-commerce shops -- and the fact that the e-commerce market is still just a fraction of total retail sales -- there should be plenty of room left for Shopify to continue growing in the years ahead.
Worth the wait
While these technology companies are using AI, e-commerce, and a gaming platform to build out the future of their industries, investors should be patient.
That means short-term share price gains should be celebrated, but don't jump ship if these stocks take a while to fully ramp up or take temporary dips. Holding onto these stocks for years, not months, will be the best way to fully benefit from these innovative companies.
