While the golden years may be decades away for many of you, here’s the thought process behind retirement stocks for new investors: they represent an inevitability.
Honestly, the aging process may seem to take forever, especially if you’re stuck in a rut climbing the career ladder. However, that might be a blessing in and of itself. When you’re having fun, time just seems to fly. And before you know it, you’re sitting around in a park bench bemoaning how things were different in your day.
Given that no one is going to escape Father Time – and eventually the Grim Reaper – you should think about these retirement stocks for new investors. Yes, it’s a different name but it’s very much the same game.
Meta Platforms (META)
Social media platform and overall technology juggernaut Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) is everywhere these days. That’s about as good a reason as any to target it as one of the retirement stocks for new investors. What may have started out as an idea in a dorm room has catapulted into a leading player in some of the most innovative sectors.
Likely, the trend will only continue to rise. In many ways, META stock is the investment equivalent of sliced bread. While there are other social media networks available for users to choose, none commands the global reach and utility of Facebook. It’s a platform you can grow old with, not age out of, which in my opinion is a risk factor impacting Snap (NYSE:SNAP).
It’s not a perfect investment – nothing is. And surely, I have big questions about the company’s pivot to the metaverse. Nevertheless, that wart aside, Facebook will probably continue to rise in prominence. And its investments in areas such as virtual reality and augmented reality should pay off.
Lastly, its introduction of a dividend is a possible gamechanger. Analysts for good reason rate META stock a consensus strong buy.
H&R Block (HRB)
To be blunt, H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) might seem an incredibly odd idea for retirement stocks for new investors. As a tax consultancy firm, it’s incredibly boring. However, this boring business is about to get exciting – at least on the relevancy front. It’s all about the burgeoning gig economy.
Earlier this year, Statista noted that in 2023, analysts projected that the gig economy could reach a market value of $455.2 billion. Looking ahead, analysts project that the space could expand to $918.94 billion by 2028. From levels seen in 2022, this trajectory would represent a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.22%.
Here’s why HRB stock will likely become more important. Companies hire employees. In contrast, the gig economy fosters independent contractors. Stated differently, the tax profile is far different from employees to contractors. It’s a sizable leap in complexity and filing requirements, potentially boosting demand for tax consultancy services.
Analysts rate H&R Block a hold with a $55 price target. I think this is ungenerous considering its forward relevance and dividend yield.
IBM (IBM)
An aging tech giant, IBM (NYSE:IBM) recently had its 100th birthday. Before I receive emails regarding the nuances of Big Blue’s origin, the name International Business Machines materialized in February 1924. In the present day, IBM doesn’t seem a particularly enticing idea for retirement stocks for new investors. However, it may be time for a rethink.
For one thing, IBM stock has been on a surprisingly robust run. Since the beginning of the year, shares gained almost 15% of market value. In the trailing one-year period, they swung up almost 45%. While tech fans have coalesced around the usual suspects, Big Blue has been quietly reasserting itself as an innovator. After all, its Watson computer system – capable of answering questions posed in natural language – helped forward the concept of machine learning.
Further, because it has limited expectations, it wouldn’t be surprising to see IBM stock continue its ascent. While other companies are latching onto digital intelligence, IBM has been pioneering this trend. Looking ahead, I see more practical applications arising from the Armonk, New York-based enterprise.
On the date of publication, Josh Enomoto did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
