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3 Software Stocks That Could Go Parabolic

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Motley Fool


If you keep your finger on the pulse of the market, then you likely know that most technology stocks — including most software stocks — are now at record highs. Indeed, the rallies that got them there appear to have accelerated just within the past few weeks, pricing them out of reach for most investors.

Not every software stock though. For a range of reasons, a handful of them are lagging despite their obvious potential upside.

Don’t spend too much time overthinking it. Just capitalize on this temporary weakness by stepping in before they “catch up” with their peers by going parabolic. Here’s a look at your best three bets right now.

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1. Datadog

There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Datadog (NASDAQ: DDOG). Although its $40 billion market cap hardly qualifies it as small cap, that’s not exactly big either. It’s also got no consumer-facing product that would leave the average individual investor familiar with the company.

Don’t let its lack of size or profile fool you. Datadog has a ton of upside, and even more given that the stock’s still down 37% from its late-2021 high and has been mostly stagnant since the beginning of this year.

In simplest terms, Datadog offers observability products to enterprises managing large networks of servers, apps, and cloud-computing platforms. In other words, its software allows information technology (IT) professionals to see and optimize the flow of digital data within a complex network of computers. Technology market research outfit Gartner rates the company’s observability software as one of this year’s best, second only to Dynatrace in terms of completeness and execution. Datadog’s platform is particularly helpful on the cybersecurity front, giving IT teams a means of detecting and responding to cyberthreats in real time.

And the numbers speak for themselves. Revenue is on pace to improve nearly 24% year over year and then grow another 22% next year. Next year’s top-line growth is also expected to rekindle earnings growth from this year’s projected profit of $1.65 per share to $1.95 per share. Look for similar top- and bottom-line growth in 2026 and very likely, beyond.

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This stock isn’t cheap — perhaps the reason it’s struggled since 2022. This increasingly seems to be one of the cases, however, where the company’s fiscal trajectory means more than its stock’s valuation.

2. HubSpot

At first blush, it seems unlikely that any customer-relationship management (CRM) software company could successfully compete with industry titan Salesforce. It’s just too dominant.

The thing is, the more features, options, and services a provider brings to the table in an effort to appeal to more potential customers, the less focused, less compelling, and more expensive that platform becomes. This opens the door to would-be rivals that are willing and able to come up with something different, even if the only major difference is price.

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That appears to be precisely what CRM outfit HubSpot (NYSE: HUBS) has done. Although its founding in 2006 came well after Salesforce’s 1999 launch (plus a bunch of other CRM platforms in between), numbers from market research house HG Insights indicate that Hubspot has grown to a close second to Salesforce in terms of market share, with only about 25% fewer paying customers.

Granted, Salesforce is driving more revenue than HubSpot, suggesting the former is serving bigger corporate clients and/or extracting more revenue from them. Gartner even considers Salesforce to be the more complete platform. Gartner also says, though, that HubSpot is the world’s single-best CRM name in terms of its ability to do what it says it can do for its customers.

These rankings don’t necessarily mean a whole lot to investors, of course. A stock’s potential is ultimately tethered to its underlying company’s fiscal capacity to grow. HubSpot’s got plenty of that even if its shares have underperformed since April. This year’s expected top-line growth of nearly 19% is in line with its past and projected growth. Earnings are growing even faster.

3. Microsoft

Finally, add Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) to your list of software stocks that could go parabolic in the foreseeable future.

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It’s an oldie but a goodie. The stock’s also been a strangely poor performer since July, however, failing to make the move to record highs that most of its fellow technology giants managed to make during this time.

You likely know the reason. While Microsoft appeared to have an edge in the early days of the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution, it seems to be losing it now. D.A. Davidson and Oppenheimer both recently downgraded the software giant’s stock on these competitive concerns. As Davidson analyst Gil Luria plainly explains, “Competition has largely caught up with Microsoft on the AI front, which reduces the justification for the current premium valuation.”

And the worries are legitimate, to be fair. The AI movement’s low-hanging fruit has all been picked, and most of its key players have refined their offerings to near perfection. Going forward, it’s going to be considerably tougher to remain competitive within the AI market.

These fears, however, arguably gloss over a couple of bullish truths about Microsoft. Those are (1) AI isn’t even close to being this company’s only source of revenue, and (2) if nothing else, Microsoft can still leverage its powerful brand name when pitching its products to consumers and corporations alike.

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It’s also worth adding that cloud computing remains a huge part of Microsoft’s business. In this vein, data from research outfit Synergy Research Group indicates that Microsoft’s cloud business is outgrowing all others including Amazon‘s.

This stalwart software name’s revenue and earnings are also both consistently growing in the mid-teens and are expected to continue doing so for at least a few more years.

MSFT Revenue (Quarterly) Chart

MSFT Revenue (Quarterly) Chart

This might drive the point home: While Microsoft stock’s been a subpar performer for a while, most analysts aren’t discouraged. More than three-fourths of them still rate shares as a strong buy, and their consensus-price target of $497.04 is nearly 20% above the stock’s present price.

Should you invest $1,000 in Microsoft right now?

Before you buy stock in Microsoft, consider this:

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The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Microsoft wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

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John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. James Brumley has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Datadog, HubSpot, Microsoft, and Salesforce. The Motley Fool recommends Gartner and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

3 Software Stocks That Could Go Parabolic was originally published by The Motley Fool



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Sam Altman-backed energy stock surges amid AI-driven ‘nuclear power renaissance’

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Sam Altman-backed energy stock surges amid AI-driven 'nuclear power renaissance'


Sam Altman-backed nuclear power company Oklo (OKLO) has boomed on the stock market over the past month as investors look to nuclear energy as the next big AI trade.

Shares in the company, which is designing so-called small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs), have surged nearly 140% over the past month on Big Tech’s growing interest in nuclear power. SMRs are designed to produce cheaper, faster, greener energy than traditional nuclear facilities.

Amazon (AMZN) and Google (GOOG) in mid-October announced substantial investments in SMR projects as they look to balance their climate goals with the growing energy demands of the data centers powering their various AI software. Oracle’s (ORCL) Larry Ellison announced in September that the company intends to build a data center powered by SMRs.

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“A nuclear power renaissance is underway with nuclear increasingly viewed as a solution which solves both the increased need for baseload power and the need to decarbonize,” wrote Craig-Hallum analyst Eric Stine in a recent note to investors. Baseload power refers to the day-to-day energy demand on an electrical grid.

Stine said Google and Amazon’s investments are “truly just the beginning of a multi-decade megatrend.”

Goldman Sachs estimates that global data center power consumption will grow 160% by 2030, driven by demand from artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, separate data from the International Atomic Energy Agency shows nuclear power production in North America potentially doubling by 2050.

Stocks of other firms making similar tech to Oklo’s, such as NuScale (SMƒR) and NANO Nuclear Energy (NNE), also surged following news of Google’s and Amazon’s investments on Oct. 14 and Oct. 16, respectively, before paring gains this week.

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“The opportunity is so massive here in the market that there’s going to be a good number of folks that are successful,” Oklo CEO Jacob DeWitte told Yahoo Finance.

In fact, the SMR market could grow to $300 billion by 2040, according to research cited by Citi analysts.

Oklo went public in May through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company, AltC Acquisition Corp., which Altman co-founded. In addition to Altman, Cathie Wood and Peter Thiel are on its list of investors.

Sam Altman owned a 2.6% stake in the company, according to a regulatory filing in June. He became chair of Oklo in 2024 after serving as its CEO for three years.

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Sam Altman Co-founder and CEO of OpenAI speaks during the Italian Tech Week 2024. (Photo by Stefano Guidi/Getty Images)
Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI as well as chairman of Oklo, speaks during the Italian Tech Week 2024. (Stefano Guidi/Getty Images) · Stefano Guidi via Getty Images

While Oklo was founded in 2013, well ahead of the AI boom, the energy needs of artificial intelligence have been a boon to the firm as it builds its client book, DeWitte said.



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Why This Green Bitcoin Miner Could Be the Next Big AI Infrastructure Stock

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Why This Green Bitcoin Miner Could Be the Next Big AI Infrastructure Stock


The artificial intelligence (AI) revolution is driving unprecedented demand for energy-intensive data centers. The International Energy Agency projects that data centers may account for up to one-third of the anticipated increase in U.S. electricity demand through 2026.

Major tech companies, like Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet, are racing to secure clean energy power sources, such as nuclear energy, to meet their mounting energy needs. One under-the-radar company with established renewable infrastructure is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this accelerating trend.

Digital oil rigs mining Bitcoin.
Image source: Getty Images.

TeraWulf (NASDAQ: WULF) operates Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) mining facilities powered by approximately 95% zero-carbon energy sources, primarily hydroelectric power. The company’s revenue surged 130% year over year to $35.6 million in the second quarter of 2024, driven by an 80% increase in operational mining capacity and higher Bitcoin prices.

Moreover, TeraWulf has significantly strengthened its financial position by eliminating its debt ahead of schedule. This clean balance sheet positions TeraWulf to fund its ambitious expansion plans in both cryptocurrency mining and AI infrastructure.

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TeraWulf is leveraging its existing clean energy infrastructure to enter the high-performance computing and AI market. The company has already completed a 2.5 megawatt (MW) proof-of-concept project designed for next-generation graphics processing unit (GPU) technology.

Additionally, construction is underway on a 20 MW colocation facility engineered to support AI workloads. The facility includes advanced features, like liquid cooling and redundant power systems typical of premium data centers. It is scheduled to kick off operations in Q1 2025, according to the company.

TeraWulf recently secured $425 million through a convertible note offering at a reasonable 2.75% interest rate, reflecting strong institutional investor confidence. The company plans to use these funds for strategic acquisitions and the expansion of data center infrastructure to support its AI computing initiatives.

Furthermore, TeraWulf’s board recently authorized a $200 million share repurchase program through December 2025, signaling management’s belief that the stock may be undervalued despite rising approximately 165% year to date.

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WULF Chart
WULF Chart

TeraWulf’s clean energy resources give it a unique edge in the rapidly growing AI infrastructure market. Major tech companies are actively seeking sustainable power sources for their energy-intensive AI operations, making TeraWulf’s zero-carbon data centers particularly attractive.



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Why I’m Loading Up on These 3 High-Dividend ETFs for Passive Income

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Why I'm Loading Up on These 3 High-Dividend ETFs for Passive Income


I want to become financially independent. My core strategy is to grow my passive income so that it will eventually cover my recurring expenses. To reach that goal, I’m taking a multipronged approach that includes investing in dividend stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and real estate.

I’m loading up on several dividend ETFs to grow my passive income, including JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium ETF (NASDAQ: JEPQ), SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF (NYSEMKT: SPHY), and iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF (NYSEMKT: AGG). Here’s why I like this trio for passive income.

JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium ETF takes a unique approach to generating income. The fund writes out-of-the-money call options on the Nasdaq-100 Index. That strategy generates options premium income each month that the ETF distributes to investors.

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That income has really added up over the past year. The ETF’s dividend yield over the last 12 months is 9.5%. That’s a higher yield than U.S. high-yield junk bonds (7.9%) and the U.S. 10-year Treasury bond (4.4%). However, the payments do ebb and flow based on the options premium income the fund generates, which fluctuates with volatility.

In addition to income, this fund offers price appreciation potential. The ETF also holds a portfolio of stocks the managers select based on data science and fundamental research. The fund’s price rises as that equity portfolio’s value increases. Because of that, the fund offers the best of both worlds: high income and upside potential.

SPDR Portfolio High Yield Bond ETF provides exposure to the high-yield (junk) bond market. These bonds have sub-investment-grade bond ratings because the companies issuing this debt have weaker financial profiles. That puts these bonds at high risk of default.

This fund holds a large basket of these bonds (over 1,900) diversified across sectors, issuers, and maturity. That diversification helps reduce the default risk. If an issuer defaults on its bond, it won’t have a major impact on the ETF. Meanwhile, even if a severe market downturn negatively impacted financially weaker companies, the overall diversification of the fund should help mute the impact on ETF investors.

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Investors get paid well to assume the higher risk profile of these bonds. The fund has a distribution yield currently above 7%. While the monthly distribution payments fluctuate based on interest payments received, the fund offers a relatively steady passive income stream.

The iShares Core U.S. Aggregate Bond ETF focuses on the other side of the bond market: investment-grade bonds. These bonds have a lower risk of defaulting, making them ideal for those seeking a very low-risk income stream.



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Could Buying This Weight Loss Stock Be Like Investing in Novo Nordisk At The Dawn of The GLP-1 Revolution?

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Could Buying This Weight Loss Stock Be Like Investing in Novo Nordisk At The Dawn of The GLP-1 Revolution?


One of the biggest sensations fueling the healthcare space right now is the medication class of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists. Even if you aren’t familiar with the term “GLP-1,” you’ve probably heard of Ozempic and Wegovy. Both medications are GLP-1 agonists, used to treat diabetes and obesity, respectively.

These treatments have become blockbuster drugs for their maker, Novo Nordisk, and have helped fuel generous gains for investors in the stock. While Novo Nordisk currently dominates the GLP-1 industry, a number of other players are looking to enter the space.

One leading entrant is Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VKTX). Below, I’ll break down where Viking stands in its pursuit of the weight loss market, and assess whether buying the stock could be like investing in Novo Nordisk at the beginning of the Ozempic revolution.

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Viking has several drug candidates in its pipeline. But the one that investors seem most honed in on is VK2735 — a dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist focused on treating obesity. As a dual agonist, VK2735 could wind up being a more optimal treatment for obesity and diabetes than single-pathway GLP-1 medicines such as Ozempic or Wegovy.

In late October, Viking announced that it will be meeting with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) during the fourth quarter, about the proper steps and protocols to move VK2735 into a phase 3 clinical trial.

A graphic image of risk and reward balancing each other out
Image source: Getty Images.

Given the information above, you might think buying Viking stock now — prior to phase 3 trials — is a lucrative opportunity. However, there is quite a bit to consider besides anecdotal updates about VK2735.

So far in 2024, shares of Viking have rocketed by a whopping 323% — putting its market cap right around $8.8 billion. Considering that the company doesn’t generate revenue, it’s hard to justify this valuation.

On the bright side, I think Viking is in a pretty solid financial position.

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At the end of the third quarter, it boasted $930 million of cash and equivalents on its balance sheet. Furthermore, the company has spent roughly $105 million in operating expenses through the first nine months of the year. This implies an annual run rate of approximately $140 million in spending on research and development (R&D) and other administrative expenses, suggesting that Viking has ample liquidity to continue funding its operations.

I see Viking Therapeutics as largely a speculative opportunity. While data from its clinical trials so far have been encouraging, there are still plenty of unknowns surrounding the phase 3 study.



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FTX settles lawsuit against the Bybit exchange for $228 million

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FTX settles lawsuit against the Bybit exchange for $228 million


The prices of Bitcoin and other digital assets were significantly lower during the 2022 collapse of FTX compared to current market prices.



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Is SoFi Stock a Buy?

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Is SoFi Stock a Buy?


SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI) has done an excellent job expanding its customer base and growing revenue. However, it has contended with sluggish loan growth in the high-interest rate environment, leading to investor skepticism about its short-term prospects. As a result, the stock remains 62% below its all-time high price in 2021.

However, the company has found multiple levers for growth and is seeing encouraging progress in its nonconsumer business. If you’re considering buying SoFi today, here’s what you should know.

In its early days, SoFi focused on helping people refinance their student loan debt. Then in 2020, the pandemic and policies around student loan forbearance forced SoFi to reevaluate its business. One area that helped drive its ongoing growth was personal lending. From 2020 to 2023, SoFi’s personal loan originations grew from $2.6 billion to $13.8 billion.

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The higher-interest rate environment of the past couple of years has been a double-edged sword for SoFi. On one hand, consumers have had to grapple with higher interest rates, which could make it harder for them to pay down their debts.

In the second quarter, SoFi charged off $151.8 million in personal loans, giving it a charge-off ratio of 3.84% on its $15.9 billion personal loan portfolio. This is up from 2.94% one year ago and is one metric that investors have kept a close eye on. Charge-offs have risen across the banking sector over the past couple of years, which many attribute to normalizing conditions rather than systemic weakness across the consumer.

Additionally, SoFi projects that its lending segment revenue will decline 5% to 8% compared to last year. CEO Anthony Noto told investors during the first quarter that the fintech is taking “a more conservative approach in light of macroeconomic uncertainty.”

Conversely, higher interest rates have helped SoFi grow its net interest income significantly. One big reason for this was its 2022 acquisition of Golden Pacific Bancorp, which enabled SoFi to hold deposits and thus, more loans on its books. Since acquiring the bank, its total deposits have grown to nearly $23 billion, thanks to its high-yielding savings accounts offering an annual yield of up to 4.5%.

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Last year, SoFi brought in almost $1.3 billion in net interest income, up over 400% from 2021. This solid growth continued through the first half of this year, with its net interest income increasing 55% to $815 million.



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