High priced stocks are certainly not right for every investor, but for those who are willing to dive into pricey shares it’s important to know if the risk will be worth the reward. With the right pick, a high priced stock with a solid outlook can translate into a high value investment.
Here are 5 stocks with shares trading well into triple-digits that would not surprise with a steady rise in current asking price in the days to come.
Apple Inc. (AAPL)
Price (7/26 close): $259.28
Market Cap: $235.9 billion
It’s easy to see why Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) is leading the tech revolution, from digital media distribution to smart phones to personal computing. The colossal success experienced with its iPhone and iPad sales kept this industry-leader riding high this past quarter, with record revenues and 78% earnings growth for Q3. A stock with a history of stellar performance for its shareholders, EPS trend estimates for Apple appear to be only looking up for the next year or more. Apple shares are a conservative risk, but with a cult following such as the one it has amassed, the consumer demand will likely keep AAPL healthy for the foreseeable future.
Amazon.com (AMZN)
Price (7/26 close): $118.40
Market Cap: $53.5 billion
Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) started as Earth’s biggest bookstore, but has rapidly become the planet’s biggest anything store. Relentless expansion has propelled Amazon.com in countless directions in the quest of bigger sales and profits. With the growing popularity of digital readers, Amazon has reaped the rewards with its Kindle, which has exceeded its e-book sales numbers from this time last year by more than 200%. With quarterly growth in net sales in Q2 41%, and estimates for Q3 between 27 -40%, AMZN stock may be a lot of weight out of the wallet, but it is a moderately aggressive risk if it continues to perform well in such a highly competitive and quickly evolving market.
Netflix Inc. (NFLX)
Price (7/26 close): $102.79
Market Cap: $6.4 billion
Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) is a movie rental company that has developed an ingenious business model built around the idea that individuals don’t want to leave their houses in order to rent a movie. Wall Street severely is underestimating this stock’s growth potential. The company had an excellent first quarter, posting a 25% year-over-year growth from the same period in 2009, and although revenue during Q2 didn’t live up to analysts’ expectations, thew company still beat earning estimates. Netflix should continue to expand in the months ahead, with plans to offer subscription services in Canada as its first step toward international growth. Buying shares in this industry visionary might be a calculated risk that could give back big.
Priceline.com (PCLN)
Price (7/26 close): $231.55
Market Cap: $10.4 billion
Priceline.com (NASDAQ: PCLN) allows buyers to name their own price for everything from airline tickets to rental cars to cruises. With its patented business model, the company generates virtually all of its sales from travel-related services. You may not think that travel spending is very high right now, but cash-strapped consumer and generate huge numbers even during the recession. The value in this blue chip is that its revenues have upward trends which indicate potential toward future growth as e-commerce expands. Consider this stock an aggressive risk that might turn out to be a steal at its current price.
Intuitive Surgical Inc. (ISRG)
Price (7/26 close): $340.51
Market Cap: $13.3 billion
Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG) is an industry leader in microsurgery, developing space-age instruments that allow doctors to perform robotically aided surgery from a remote console. Its ground-breaking da Vinci system faithfully reproduces the doctor’s hand movements in real time, with surgery performed by tiny electromechanical arms and instruments inserted in the patient’s body through small openings. Intuitive Surgical is a global powerhouse that has been outperforming its earnings and revenue estimates for more than a year now. With very few competitors in the robot surgery game, ISRG could enjoy the lion’s share of the industry for some time to come.
Top 10 Stocks for the Next Six Months — These must-own companies are the biggest wealth-builders for the second half of 2010. Get Louis Navellier’s top picks here.
