When markets get volatile, investors of any size and background tend toward certainty in business models and predictability in cash flows. Fitting this category are stocks in the consumer staples sector, known for their defensive nature. This is born of the products and services these companies offer, which drive the stability in earnings that drive analyst targets higher along with stock prices.
Some of the United States technology sectors mistakenly categorized in the consumer discretionary space also fit this list. Companies like Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) will remain the go-to search engine for global users through the business cycle, making most of its money through advertising and cloud computing services. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is also progressing as a commodity product globally.
Moving to a completely different but just as steady and predictable spectrum, investors can look at one of Warren Buffett’s latest picks, Ulta Beauty Inc. (NASDAQ: ULTA), for another commodity player in the skincare and makeup niche. Paired with another of Buffett’s older picks, Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO) will give investors a strong mix to navigate today’s market.
As Long as the Internet Exists, Google Stock Will Always Have Upside
This may sound overstatement, but it’s closer to reality than any other statement surrounding U.S. stocks. As the global economy is increasingly digitized and taken online, businesses like Google will always have a place under the sun.
From storage, cloud computing, email, and office services, and even advertising, Google is there to serve. Having so much reach and such a broad audience allows Google to generate massive cash flows that have become easily predicted.
This very nature allows Wall Street analysts to quickly place a valuation on the stock. And those at BMO Capital Markets landed on $222 a share for Google stock, daring it to rally by as much as 33.8% from where it trades today.
Helping these price targets is the Wall Street forecast for up to 13.1% earnings per share (EPS) growth for Google stock in the next 12 months.
Apple Products: The Must-Have Commodity No One Wants to Let Go Of
It doesn't matter whether the economy is booming or busting; consumers are likely to leave room in their budgets for their necessary Apple products, and that makes the company as much a staple as a grocery store, in most markets' opinion.
Warren Buffett has been a bull on this stock for years and recently decided to sell half of his stake in his biggest winner. However, this move does not mean he has suddenly turned bearish on Apple stock. Buffett laid out his rationale for this sale as being tied to avoiding a higher tax rate on these capital gains down the line.
This is a wise move by Buffett but not one that retail investors have to make; after all, they won't face a multi-billion tax bill like Buffett does.
Wall Street analysts still forecast 12.3% EPS growth in the coming year for Apple, and the stock has recently recovered to 95% of its 52-week high. Meanwhile, those at Goldman Sachs want to see it hit a new high of $275 a share, calling for a 21.4% upside from today.
Ulta Beauty’s Stable High Returns Make It a Buffett Favorite
While business sectors and picks may change for Buffett, one thing does not change, and that is his process. He will always look for sustainable and growing businesses with high returns on capital, and Ulta Beauty's stock fits the bill just perfectly.
The company’s financials show a return on invested capital (ROIC) rate of over 29.6% in the past 12 months, making it one of the most profitable companies in the Buffett portfolio.
These high returns aren’t set up to fluctuate much, either, as makeup and skincare are just as much a commodity as any other.
This is why Wall Street analysts now forecast up to 10.4% EPS growth for the company, helping those at J.P. Morgan Chase land on a price target of up to $544 a share, calling for as much as 42.8% upside from where the stock trades today.
Coca-Cola Products Are Just as Adaptable as Its Stock
Coca-Cola covers it all, whether snacks, water, or good old soda. Warren Buffett knew that Coca-Cola consumers were likely to become addicted and loyal to its products, so he bought the stock very early on, even before it became the global behemoth it is today.
Realizing that, just by keeping up with inflation and raising the price slightly on the billions of Coca-Cola servings daily, the company can generate a few additional millions in earnings per year, analysts are always happy to give their opinion on this stock.
A 6% EPS growth forecast is enough for this giant consumer company to fuel a $75 a share price target coming from those at Citigroup, which also calls for a 7.7% upside from where the stock trades today.
On top of this high single-digit upside, investors can enjoy a 2.8% dividend yield with a 63-year record of increasing each year.
