Robinhood Markets investors often favor stocks they think will perform well in the short term. If you're looking for the next big stock market winners, you might consider the 100 most popular stocks on the online-trading platform for a bit of inspiration.
But attention: Some of the companies Robinhood investors buy are highly risky. They may deliver a quick gain, but big losses could come at any moment. That's why it's important to study the overall financial health of companies that make Robinhood's list of most popular stocks -- and their growth outlooks.
Considering this, I found three stocks that may please everyone. Robinhood investors love them for their potential to quickly climb, and you'll love them for their potential to make solid, long-term investments. Let's check out the best Robinhood stocks to own this year (and well into the future).
Image source: Getty Images.
1. Tesla
Tesla (TSLA 2.12%) wowed the market once again when it announced its latest batch of good news. The leading maker of electric vehicles announced deliveries of nearly 1 million last year.
Deliveries are rising sequentially from quarter to quarter. Tesla delivered 308,600 vehicles in the fourth quarter. That's up from 241,391 in the third quarter and about 200,000 in the second quarter. Tesla made such achievements even while suffering through a chip shortage.
In the most recent earnings report -- the third quarter -- Tesla said it aims to reach 50% average annual growth in vehicle deliveries. And just ahead lies a catalyst that clearly could help Tesla achieve its future delivery goals. The carmaker is about to start production at two massive factories in Austin, Texas and Berlin, Germany.
Even prior to the new factory openings, though, things have been looking promising for the company. In the third quarter, Tesla reported record net income, operating profit, and gross profit. Tesla's return on invested capital and free cash flow have been on the rise over the past few years. That's another reason to be optimistic about this innovative company.
TSLA Return on Invested Capital data by YCharts.
2. Starbucks
Starbucks (SBUX -0.95%) shares climbed 106% from their March 2020 low through the end of last year. Investors have cheered about the way the company managed the impact of the health crisis -- and adapted its way of doing business according to what coffee fans want today.
The coffee-shop giant has revamped its fleet of stores. It's put the focus on digital ordering and contactless pickup. And it's opened up more drive-thru locations, as well as smaller pickup-oriented shops in city centers.
Starbucks also has made innovation an important part of its recipe for success. For example, its "Deep Brew" artificial-intelligence system has automated inventory management and staffing. That results in major gains in efficiency.
We've already got a taste of the results of these efforts. In the fiscal fourth quarter ended Oct. 3, Starbucks reported record revenue of $8.1 billion, and the company's loyal fans are likely to keep that trend going. More than half of the spending in U.S. stores comes from this group of customers.
The great news is that this group is growing. Active Rewards program members climbed to nearly 25 million in the quarter. That's a 28% year-over-year increase.
Image source: Getty Images.
3. Moderna
The road has been rocky for Moderna (MRNA -4.25%) in recent months. The coronavirus vaccine-giant's shares tumbled 44% from the record high they hit in September through the end of 2021. The problem? Some investors are worried that growth in coronavirus-vaccine revenue may decline -- as early as this year.
Moderna predicted it will generate between $15 billion and $18 billion in full-year revenue for 2021. It's unclear if sales will continue to grow significantly from there. But I'm not overly concerned about a major drop. Vaccines and/or boosters still are needed. And they likely will be needed at least annually for quite some time.
Experts say the coronavirus will stick around, and that means people will likely opt for protection. The number of variants that have emerged also supports the idea that we need more than just a once-in-a-lifetime vaccination.
Here's what's particularly important -- and the reason for my optimism about Moderna. The biotech isn't only a coronavirus-vaccine company. Moderna has about 37 programs in development. And the company recently started a phase 3 trial for its cytomegalovirus-vaccine candidate, which could be another blockbuster. And if all goes well, commercialization won't be too far off.
Moderna benefited from an exceptional start to its status as a commercial-stage company, but that doesn't mean the story is over. If even a small handful of Moderna's pipeline candidates are successful, revenue, profit, and the stock price may have bright days ahead.
