If you've got $2,500 that you will not need for at least a few years, then investing it in the stock market is an excellent option. Here are two stocks you can currently buy at bargain prices.
Netflix (NFLX -0.63%), the streaming content pioneer, thrived at the pandemic's onset when billions of folks were stuck spending most of their time at home. Meanwhile, Meta Platforms (META 0.43%) is arguably the world's most dominant social media company. Investors have rarely had an opportunity to buy these stocks as cheaply as they are available now.
Netflix's subscriber losses to reverse
Netflix finds itself in bargain territory after the stock has fallen 60% so far this year. The streaming pioneer added millions of new subscribers as engagement surged when government-mandated business closures reduced entertainment options. Restrictions halted content production industrywide, so expenses also fell as revenue soared. This trend ended in early 2022 for Netflix as the economic reopening gained momentum.
NFLX PE Ratio data by YCharts.
After over 10 years of continuous growth, Netflix has shed subscribers for two quarters. Fortunately, management has said that's as far as the losses will go, forecasting growth of 1 million subscribers in the third quarter. That is an excellent opportunity for investors to start accumulating shares. Netflix is trading at a price to earnings of 21, near the lowest it has sold for in the previous five years. So, while the most prominent risk (trending subscriber losses) has been significantly reduced, the stock has arguably not responded strongly following the news.
Meta Platforms has a history of expanding profits
Similarly, Meta Platforms is in the bargain bin because of near-term headwinds. Apple has implemented changes to its operating system, which has made it challenging for Meta to collect data on its users. This information has allowed Meta to show targeted ads relevant to the people seeing them. That way, folks in Chicago are not seeing ads for season tickets to see the Dallas Cowboys. Due to these changes, advertisers have pulled back spending on Meta's apps.
After growing revenue at a compounded annual rate of 41.3% over the last decade, Meta reported its first-ever decrease in year-over-year revenue in its quarter, which ended on June 30. Still, Meta expanded its operating income from $538 million to $46.7 billion from 2012 to 2021. It will likely take time, but investors can reasonably expect Meta to find a solution to the headwinds from Apple's policy changes.
META PE Ratio data by YCharts.
Meanwhile, the market remains pessimistic about Meta's prospects; the stock is just about as cheap as it's ever been, trading at a price to earnings of 14.5. So if you've got $2,500 you will not need for a few years, Netflix and Meta Platforms are bargain stocks you can buy now.
