Micron Technology trounced the market's returns in 2025, and it's poised to do the same next year.The returns of many artificial intelligence (AI) stocks have been a significant driver of the market's gains over the past year, and one standout stock has been the data center memory company Micron Technology (MU +6.89%).Micron's shares have increased about 217% since the beginning of 2025, outpacing the S&P 500's 16% returns. And there are a few good reasons why it could continue marching higher in 2026 and b ...

Amazon and Alphabet are two market leaders in cloud computing.Two of the big three cloud computing companies are Alphabet (GOOGL +1.47%) (GOOG +1.60%) and Amazon (AMZN +0.21%). While both Google Cloud and AWS (Amazon Web Services) have seen solid growth, Alphabet's stock far outpaced Amazon's in 2025, climbing nearly 60% as of this writing, versus a modest gain for Amazon.Let's look at which stock is set to outperform in 2026. The case for AlphabetAlphabet has been one of the best-performing mega-cap tech s ...

Investors are growing concerned about the increasing leverage on Oracle's balance sheet.Oracle's (ORCL +7.03%) stock price is falling, and investors are curious about the causes.*Stock prices used were the afternoon prices of Dec. 17, 2025. The video was published on Dec. 19, 2025. ...

Explore how sector focus and holdings concentration set these leveraged ETFs apart for risk-aware traders.The Direxion Daily S&P 500 Bull 3X Shares ETF (SPXL +2.61%) and the ProShares - Ultra QQQ ETF (QLD +2.61%) both offer amplified exposure to major U.S. stock indexes, but they differ meaningfully in sector focus, and holdings concentration.Both funds are designed for aggressive traders seeking daily leveraged returns, but SPXL targets triple the daily S&P 500 performance, while QLD aims for double the da ...

Parkev Tatevosian, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Parkev Tatevosian is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through his link, he will earn some extra money that supports his channel. His opinions remain his own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool. ...

There are several companies primed to thrive in 2026.With 2026 quickly approaching, investors need to have a game plan for what stocks they will buy. Several interesting trends are brewing in the market, and may cause investors to think differently about how they want to invest. Still, I think some smart investments in the artificial intelligence (AI) realm could result in monster returns in 2026.Three smart stocks to buy with $1,000 right now for 2026 are Alphabet (GOOG +1.60%) (GOOGL +1.47%), Taiwan Semic ...

If you are seeking multibagger returns over the long term, this group of five growth stocks may offer some potential.As we approach a new year, it is the perfect time to add some new money to some of the most promising growth stocks on the market. While the broader S&P 500 index remains within a couple of percentage points of its all-time high, the stocks in this article are down between 22% and 55% from their 52-week highs.Despite their recent declines, these businesses have exhibited strong past price app ...

The streaming giant's returns have beaten the market by a wide margin.Netflix (NFLX +0.35%) has been back in the news recently with its bid to acquire the majority of Warner Bros. Discovery's assets. Although there's a way to go until that massive deal closes (or falls apart), it represents a new direction for the streaming king.Netflix has done this several times before -- pivoting into an adjacent business and pioneering new media directions. And if you had invested $500 in its stock 10 years ago, back wh ...

The Detroit automaker has done a great job winning over investors this year.For investors in the U.S., Ford Motor Company (F +1.13%) is probably a household name, especially these days. That's because its shares have performed extraordinarily well, producing a total return of 48% in 2025 (as of Dec. 17). That gain almost triples the performance of the S&P 500.The Detroit carmaker has had a phenomenal year, giving it due credit. Investors should have no complaints. However, there's one automotive stock you s ...

Subtle differences in cost, holdings, and risk profiles set these two emerging markets ETFs apart for globally minded investors.Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets ETF (VWO +1.07%) and iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG +1.05%) differ on expense ratio, the number of holdings, and recent performance, with VMO offering broader stock coverage, while IEMG has delivered stronger one-year returns.Both VWO and IEMG are large, highly liquid exchange-traded funds tracking emerging market stocks, aiming to provi ...