Yahoo Finance 3 Top Stocks to Buy in February
The shortest month of the year has started out as a great month to be short the market. The S&P 500 plunged 6.2% through the first three trading days of February, including Monday's record-setting points-based slide.
The market's stumble could also be a buying opportunity. Roku (NASDAQ: ROKU), Lumber Liquidators (NYSE: LL), and Universal Display (NASDAQ: OLED) are three names that have posted double-digit percentage declines in 2018, but are armed with the catalysts to bounce back later this month.
Image source: Lumber Liquidators.
Roku
The pioneer of streaming media devices was one of last year's hottest IPOs. Roku stock more than quadrupled at one point after going public at $14 in late September, but the shares have fallen 22% so far in 2018.
Roku's big pop came after November's blowout quarter. Roku as an investment story isn't about its namesake set-top devices anymore. Hardware sales have actually been sluggish in recent quarters. The real driver now is its service-agnostic software platform. There are now 16.7 million people relying on Roku, through both the actual set-top devices and the growing number of smart TVs opting to run Roku's operating system. Roku's active accounts have risen 48% over the past year, but platform revenue soared 137% in the third quarter as average revenue per user is spiking as engagement grows.
Roku announces quarterly results on Feb. 21. Another strong report won't surprise the market like it did last time out, but with the stock sliding and short interest on the rise, the stock could be off to the races again with another strong showing in two weeks.
Lumber Liquidators
The leading dedicated retailer to hardwood flooring has been volatile over the years. It was a market darling when it busted through the triple-digit price ceiling in 2013, as folks looked to upgrade their homes with stylish yet attractively priced hardwood and laminate flooring. Investors and shoppers would go on to run the other way when scandals involving potentially toxic China-sourced laminates and accusations of using illegally harvested trees from habitats for endangered Siberian tigers broke.
Lumber Liquidators is in a better place these days. It shook up its executive ranks, and the stock more than doubled last year as sales rose for the first time since 2014. The stock has taken a breather lately. The shares are trading 21% lower in 2018. Lumber Liquidators is still expected to post another period of top-line growth in the high single digits and build on its profitability when it reports quarterly results on Feb. 27. The housing and remodeling markets are holding up nicely, and that should translate into another strong report out of Lumber Liquidators.
Universal Display
The pioneer in organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology is championing the hot display tech that's popping up in more smartphones, tablets, and TVs. Patent-rich Universal Display collects licensing revenue and also provides essential materials. The stock soared last year after it was revealed that the iPhone X would be the first iPhone with OLED tech, but the stock headed lower last week on reports of soft demand for the new high-priced smartphone.
Shares of Universal Display have declined 15% in 2018, but OLED is only growing in popularity given its sharp displays and battery-efficient merits. The company reports again on Feb. 22 after the market close.
Roku, Lumber Liquidators, and Universal Display more than doubled last year. They're all down by at least 15% so far in 2018. They all report important financial results later this month. The catalysts are there, making them my top stocks to buy this month.
More From The Motley Fool
Rick Munarriz owns shares of Roku, Inc. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Universal Display. The Motley Fool recommends Lumber Liquidators. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
