The Best Stocks to Invest $50,000 in Right Now – The Motley Fool

The stock market has left many investors uneasy lately. With valuations of many once-high-flying stocks tumbling in recent months, as well as concerns about a global recession rising, businesses across a range of industries are facing unique challenges.

High-quality businesses with strong leadership and a decisive path forward to future growth can not only come out on the other side of this volatile period, but also deliver enviable returns for investors for many years to come. If you have $50,000 to put in the stock market right now, here are three powerhouse stocks to consider for at least part of that investment.

Let’s jump right in.

1. Alphabet: A stock you can buy and hold forever

Google and YouTube’s parent company Alphabet (GOOGL 0.39%) (GOOG 0.26%) is a familiar stock to most investors. Its leadership in digital advertising has enabled it to grow its annual revenue and net income by an astonishing 460% and 608%, respectively, over the past decade, all while delivering a total return of more than 250% for investors.

Even in the current environment where some businesses are temporarily scaling back their digital ad spend, Alphabet still generated 13% year-over-year revenue growth in the most recent quarter, to the tune of $69.7 billion. The company’s earnings were down, but it still reported a profit of over $16 billion and closed the quarter with nearly $21 billion in cash and cash equivalents on its balance sheet.

Alphabet remains the unequivocal leader in digital advertising, capturing an eye-popping 28.6% of this industry’s revenues in the U.S. alone in 2021. If you want to invest in a tech stock you can buy, hold, and add to many times over throughout your investing journey, Alphabet is a no-brainer to consider.

2: Airbnb: Don’t underestimate this travel stock

The world of travel is changing, but a company like Airbnb (ABNB 5.18%) is more than equipped to roll with the punches. While the early days of the pandemic hit the company’s financials hard, it has recovered at near-lightning speed, all while continuing to innovate and expand its platform to meet the rapidly evolving needs of consumers.

Airbnb’s platform is ideally situated to cater to the changing dynamics of travel — with the virtually endless selection of properties on its platform that cover almost every corner of the world — and allow travelers the option to choose anything from a single night’s stay to a months-long commitment.

From vacationers to digital nomads, anyone can find a place that fits their travel needs on Airbnb. For hosts, the ability to earn consistent income, even in the current global economy, continues to bring more entrepreneurial-minded individuals to Airbnb’s platform.

Airbnb’s revenue surged 73% and its booked Nights and Experiences jumped 24% in the most recent quarter from pre-pandemic 2019 levels, while net income surged $700 million higher to a positive $379 million. An investment in Airbnb, which is only in the early stages of the growth it could achieve in the years ahead, could reap substantial returns for patient investors over the long haul.

3. Vertex Pharmaceuticals: A market leader with massive potential

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX -1.70%) isn’t a household name like the previous two picks, but the products it sells are changing the fight against cystic fibrosis. The company currently stands as the indomitable leader in the cystic fibrosis treatment market — which hit a global valuation of $6.6 billion last year — with its four approved products: Trikafta, Symdeko, Orkambi, and Kalydeco.

Trikafta is Vertex’s top-selling product. When the drug first received the green light from the Food and Drug Administration in 2019, its approval captured 90% of all cystic fibrosis patients. Its foothold on the market has only grown since that time as the drug has garnered additional approvals from the FDA for younger cohorts of patients.

In the most recent quarter, Vertex reported revenue growth of 22% year over year, while its net income popped more than 1,100%. And over the trailing five-year period, the company has increased its annual revenue, net income, and cash from operations by 204%, 789%, and 213%, respectively.

Its strong competitive edge in the fast-growing cystic fibrosis treatment market — not to mention its highly promising research and development pipeline featuring candidates targeting everything from Duchenne muscular dystrophy to diabetes to sickle cell disease — make this healthcare stock a compelling choice to consider for a long-term investment.

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Rachel Warren has positions in Alphabet (A shares). The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Airbnb, Inc., Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.