The idea of a bull market may seem far away right now. The three major indexes dipped into bear territory this year, and even some of today's biggest and strongest companies sank. But when we find ourselves in the stock market doldrums, looking at history is always a good idea because history brings good news.
It tells us bear markets don't last forever and bull markets have always followed. Right now, one of the best things you can do is prepare for that bull market.
How? By investing in stocks that have strong growth prospects and could excel in a bull market. Here are three stocks to snap up before the end of the year.
1. Etsy
Etsy's (ETSY -0.46%) business soared during the early days of the pandemic. People favored online shopping -- so the e-commerce platform for handmade goods became a popular go-to place for face masks, gifts, and other items. Momentum has slowed since then.
Importantly, Etsy kept most of the gains it made during the past couple of years. Etsy marketplace's gross merchandise sales (GMS) totaled $2.6 billion in the third quarter, compared to $1 billion in the third quarter of 2019. On a currency-neutral basis, Etsy marketplace's GMS even managed to edge higher by 0.2% year over year.
The company is also adding more new buyers than it did three years ago. In the recent quarter, 6 million new buyers shopped on Etsy. That's 50% higher than the average in the quarters before the pandemic.
Etsy has made progress that wasn't just temporary. It's lasting -- and should boost growth and share price once today's economic pressures ease.
Today, Etsy trades for 33 times forward earnings estimates. That's down from more than 60 earlier this year. At this price, and considering Etsy's growth in a difficult economic environment, the stock is a no-brainer buy.
2. Lululemon
Lululemon Athletica (LULU 2.64%) is outperforming the market this year. The maker of yoga-inspired clothing has lost less than 3%.
Despite today's economic challenges, Lululemon's fans continue to flock to the shops and buy online. Lululemon reported double-digit growth in total revenue, same-store sales, and digital revenue in the most recent quarter. And if Lululemon meets its full-year revenue goal, its three-year compound annual growth rate will reach 26%.
Lululemon has demonstrated it can perform even during tough economic times. And Lululemon's Power of Three growth plan was so successful that the company now launched a second plan: the Power of Three x2.
The goal is to double revenue to $12.5 billion by 2026. How to get there? The new plan aims to double men's-line revenue, double digital revenue, and quadruple international revenue. Lululemon already grew these areas significantly through its original Power of Three plan.
Lululemon shares trade at 38 times forward earnings estimates, compared to more than 60 late last year. The company showed us it could deliver on a growth plan during tough times, so I'm optimistic it can deliver growth as part of its new plan. That makes today's price look dirt cheap.
3. Tesla
Tesla's (TSLA -3.40%) shares are heading for a 48% decline this year. Investors are worried about competition in the electric-vehicle (EV) market and that Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk will focus more on his purchase of Twitter than on Tesla.
But those concerns look overdone. Yes, Tesla may lose some market share as the industry develops, but it's still greatly ahead of its rivals. Recent figures from S&P Global Mobility show Tesla has a 65% share of the U.S. market and an 86% share in the luxury-EV market. As for Musk, he's been involved in various projects simultaneously before, so I wouldn't expect the Twitter operation to take his attention away from Tesla.
Tesla, like Lululemon, has excelled in a difficult environment. The company reported record revenue, operating profit, and free cash flow in the most recent quarter. That's despite the headwinds of rising raw-materials prices and the negative impact of currency exchanges.
Tesla even managed to report an operating margin of more than 17%. That's among the strongest in the industry.
Tesla shares today trade at 43 times forward earnings estimates, which is down from more than 80 earlier this year. The company looks like a great deal at this level, especially since this stock has what it takes to soar during the next bull market.
