The stock market has been topsy-turvy lately. There's no denying that. Does that mean you should give up on stocks and call it a day? Quite the opposite.
While it may be tempting to give up the ship and try to cut your losses during choppy periods in the market, this may not only result in you losing more money, but you'll forfeit the opportunity to build your portfolio even as many top stocks are trading at incredible bargains.
If you have $1,000 to invest in the stock market right now and a long-term buy-and-hold horizon for your portfolio, here are two compelling stocks to consider buying next.
1. Fiverr
Shares of Fiverr (FVRR +0.67%) may not be racing upward at anywhere near the clip they were a year ago. This doesn't negate the fact that Fiverr is still one of the top platforms where gig workers from around the world go to connect with clients in every industry ranging from large public companies to individual business owners. From copywriting to transcription to legal document preparation to voiceovers to coding, whatever type of gig you might imagine someone would offer, you can find it on Fiverr.
In the most recent quarter, Fiverr reported revenue up 13% year over year, with an increase in spend per buyer to the tune of 14%. And, the cohort of buyers on Fiverr that spend $10,000 or more annually increased by a whopping 60% from the year-ago period.
Fiverr is also steadily growing its overall take rate (the fee it collects from each gig). This rose to 29.8%, compared to 27.8% in the year-ago quarter. Although the company's net loss widened in the three-month period, it increased its cash stockpile to $98.1 million.
NYSE: FVRR
Key Data Points
Now, with fears of a recession widely circulating and talk about hiring freezes rampant among companies across a range of sectors, you might be wondering what kind of staying power Fiverr has in that type of environment. Well, Fiverr actually released findings from a survey on that exact topic in late August. According to the report, while 85% of business owners in the U.S. intend to institute a hiring freeze in an economic downturn, 78% reported that they were more inclined to hire freelance talent to help offset the impact of these hiring freezes.
At a recent summit held by global staffing and workforce solutions provider Staffing Industry Analysts, speakers noted that the gig economy has already hit a valuation of $5.2 trillion, $1.7 trillion of which was generated in the U.S. alone.
Regardless of whether or not an economic downturn is on the horizon, the future of the gig economy appears quite bright indeed as workers around the world continue to seek location-independent and virtual work opportunities. Investors who wish to capitalize on this trend and put their money into a market leader would do well to consider Fiverr.
2. DoorDash
DoorDash (DASH +2.75%) has faced its fair share of naysayers since it became a publicly traded company in December 2020. While the company has continued to generate strong revenue growth and made a number of key acquisitions to further diversify its business, profitability has remained elusive. However, there are some notable reasons to consider taking up even a small position in the company.
For one, there's DoorDash's ever-expanding market share, despite the growth of larger competitors and new entrants to the space. According to a study by Bloomberg Second Measure, DoorDash controls roughly 60% of all meal delivery sales in the U.S. The study also found that in the first quarter of 2022, customers spent more on meal delivery through DoorDash than at any other competitor, including Uber Eats, Postmates, and Grubhub. For instance, the average amount that customers spent on DoorDash in the quarter totaled $323, while the average Uber Eats customer spent $246 during the three-month period.
Second, DoorDash is far more than just a meal delivery company. As of 2021, DoorDash controlled the lion's share -- 60%, in fact -- of all convenience store deliveries in the U.S., according to a study by Edison Trends. It's also worth mentioning that DoorDash has diversified its business model far beyond just food deliveries.
NASDAQ: DASH
Key Data Points
In addition to generating revenue from delivery and service fees, it also makes money from features like its premium plan DashPass, advertising fees, commissions, and its fast-growing portfolio of ghost kitchens, to name several sources. Just this week, the company announced that it would be partnering with JP Morgan Chase and Mastercard to launch the DoorDash Rewards Mastercard. According to the announcement, "The DoorDash Rewards Mastercard will allow cardmembers to unlock benefits and earn rewards on purchases both on and off the DoorDash platform."
In the most recent quarter, DoorDash reported 30% year-over-year revenue growth, along with a gross profit that was 4% higher than in the year-ago period. The company also closed the period with $2.5 billion in cash and cash equivalents.
Even with DoorDash's considerable footprint in the U.S., looking at the markets it serves on a global scale, management still believes the company's platforms "currently represent just 5% of restaurant spend in these markets and well under 1% of convenience, grocery, and non-food spend." For investors with a more aggressive, risk-tolerant investing style, DoorDash may be worth considering.
