3 “Strong Buy” Stocks Set for Monster Growth in 2020

Let’s not beat about the bush. In a world gripped by uncertainty, one truth will always remain; investors want to know the best places to put their money. The tricky part is sifting through the thousands of stocks on offer in search of the golden tickets – the names which can maximize an investment over the long term.

While there are numerous ways of going about it, a tried and tested path is to follow the lead of the experts. After all, the pros and the casual investor have the same goal in their sights – hefty returns.

Bearing this in mind, we’ve used TipRanks’ Stock Screener tool to pull up three tickers which those in the know see the coming months providing plenty of upside – over 25% as it happens. What’s more, all three currently boast a Strong Buy consensus rating from the Street.

Sequans Communications (SQNS)

Micro-cap Sequans Communications is a developer and provider of 5G and 4G chips and modules for IoT devices and has a partnership in place with telecommunications giant Verizon. The network carrier recently launched Sequans’ products, Monarch Go and Monarch GPS, which enable the connection of IoT Devices to Verizon’s LTE Network in much faster speeds compared to previous modules. Verizon is the first carrier to certify the all-in-one modem components.

The company also delivered its Q4 earnings earlier this week and Needham’s Rajvindra Gill is impressed with the print. The 5-star analyst notes the chipmaker has taken major steps to improve its ability to bring its devices to market. Additionally, with new contracts with 2 large distributors, Avnet and RFPD, Gill expects the distribution channels to be key in targeting a massive, yet fragmented, IoT market.

The 5-star analyst said, “SQNS delivered stronger than expected Q4 sales and grew 25% Q/Q due to a significant increase in services revenue from the $35MM strategic deal they signed in Q4. The company expects $8MM of sales from this deal in 2020 and ~$10MM/year in the following 2 years. Moreover, SQNS continued to experience strong traction in Cat M/NB, benefiting from the ongoing ramp of Monarch SiP coupled with a win at a large metering company… We continue to expect SQNS to benefit from the ramp in Cat M/NB, broadband stabilization, and strong long-term growth in vertical markets.”

Gill, therefore, keeps his Buy rating intact. The positive print has caused him to boost his price target - from $6 to $7. The new figure implies potential upside of a rousing 27.5%. (To watch Gill’s track record, click here)

What does the rest of the Street think? It turns out that they wholeheartedly agree with Gill. With 4 Buy ratings and no Holds or Sells, the message is clear: SQNS is a Strong Buy. If that wasn’t enough, the $8.81 average price target puts the upside potential at 60%. (See Sequans stock analysis on TipRanks)

Callaway Golf Company (ELY)

Callaway Golf Company enjoyed a healthy 2019, but has seen a slight decline to the share price since the turn of the year. While the stock beat the overall market with a strong 33% gain in 2019, so far in 2020 it is down by 11%. Yet, Wall Street analysts see the stock decline as a buying opportunity.

The sporting goods company uses a very 21st century approach in the design of its golfing equipment. Callaway has been using artificial intelligence and machine learning in the new designs of its golf clubs, a strategy that has been paying off; it has taken top position in every category of clubs for 2020 in the industry’s benchmark publication, Golf Digest.

While the company’s recent earnings report was a mixed bag, B.Riley FBR’s Susan Anderson remains a staunch fan. The analyst notes that the golf specialist outperformed in all segments, while exhibiting strong growth in all regions, too - sales growth increased year-over-year by 72.7%, beating the estimate’s call for growth of 69.1%.

Anderson said, “ELY continues to outperform in its core golf equipment segment, which increased +35.6% in 4Q and +7.1% for FY19, driven by innovative new product such as the Epic Forged irons, MDS Jaws wedges, and Stroke Lab putters. We expect ELY's transformation of its business with its recent apparel/outdoor acquisitions, synergies across businesses, and new market expansion will drive growth above the overall golf business over the next several years.”

As a result, Anderson reiterates a Buy rating on Callaway shares, along with a $30 price target. Should the target be met, investors will be pocketing a 55% gain over the next year. (To watch Anderson’s track record, click here)

The Street is with the B.Riley analyst. 7 buy ratings coalesce into a Strong Buy consensus rating. The analysts average price target of $26 implies 34% upside for the golf club designer over the next 12 months. (See Callaway Golf stock analysis on TipRanks)

Lyft Inc (LYFT)

Part of the worry for investors in the disruptive ride sharing category is on the new players’ road to profitability. Lyft has been focusing on an alternative approach to its ride share rival Uber. While Uber has been diversifying in various directions – Uber eats, Uber freight, international expansion – Lyft has solely been concentrating on its ride sharing business in the US.

The company recently posted its 4Q19 earnings report, with beats across the board. Revenue of $1.02 billion beat the estimate’s $984.1 million. Estimates called for a loss of $0.53 per share, while Lyft reported a loss per share of $0.41. Active riders of 22.9 million (up 23% year-over-year) slightly beat the Street’s estimate of 22.8 million. Revenue per active rider came in at $44.40 (an increase of 23% year-over-year) vs. the $43.19 expectation on the Street.

Investors, though, were left disappointed by rising costs and expenses for 2019, which more than doubled from $3.1 billion to $6.3 billion. Additionally, unlike Uber, which projects profitability by the end of the year, Lyft expects to turn a profit by the end of 2021.

Nevertheless, Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives noted “Lyft delivered another strong quarter with all metrics above consensus”. The 5-star analyst further said, “Despite shares down on the print before the conference call we view this as a continuation of Lyft delivering across the board strength every quarter since it's become a public company… This quarter is another step in the right direction for Lyft and rideshare space in general and we think should support continued share performance, estimate upside, and multiple expansion coming out of the results.”

Bottom line, then? Ives maintains an Outperform rating on Lyft, alongside a price target of $75. Should the figure be met, investors can expect a 67% gain over the coming year. (To watch Ives’ track record, click here)

The rest of the Street is in agreement. A Strong Buy consensus rating breaks down onto 21 Buys and 5 holds. At $68.45, the average price target indicates potential upside of 52%. (See LYFT stock analysis on TipRanks)