ID-100203460The beginning of the year is when it seems like every financial website puts out its top or worst stocks. In that vein, I offer my 15 recommended stocks for 2017 – or at least the first quarter of the year. I cannot list the worst stocks, as there are too many of those to itemize. I can at least list the 15 recommended stocks that will give you a good basis for the first three months of 2017.

Many sites do all year lists, but I am only committing to this list for the first three months. There is a great reason for this. It is almost impossible to predict the market farther out than 3-6 month. In fact, it is quite possible for the market to do a massive correction and even this list would be a fallacy. There is always some risk with any investment and you are encouraged to read this site’s disclaimer before acting on this list.

I would expect all of these companies to maintain their status as Good Companies on my Watch List. I would not expect all of them to make a top 15 recommended stocks list at the end of March. Some of them will grow a bit slower than I expect, and a couple of the 15 recommended stocks are probably going to lose money. As Peter Lynch famously said:

“In this business if you’re good, you’re right six times out of ten. You’re never going to be right nine times out of ten.”

By Peter’s standards, I hope to be right on this list with 12 of these picks but Peter says I should be happy with 9. I don’t expect all 15 recommended stocks to be massive growth stocks in the year. I also think the list is successful if the list of 15 beats the S&P 500 and the Dow30. In April, I plan to publish a list for the second quarter of the year.

All of the stocks on this list are rated as Good Companies using the method that I describe in my book The Confident Investor You can purchase my book wherever books are sold such as AmazonBarnes and Noble, and Books A Million. It is available in e-book formats for NookKindle, and iPad.

The 15 recommended stocks were chosen from Good Companies on my Watch List. This means we already know they are fairly well managed and have a history of solid growth. While all of the stocks on the Watch List are Good Companies, these 15 recommended stocks seem to be the most well setup for aggressive growth in the first quarter of 2016.

The 15 recommended stocks for the first quarter of 2016 also performed very well over the past year and the past 3 years. As I have written before, the past is not a perfect indicator of the future, but it is probably the best indicator that we have to use.

I didn’t try to make this list of 15 recommended stocks to be a balanced portfolio covering multiple industries. I am happy to report that it isn’t a terrible unbalanced. The reality is that if you plan to rebalance your portfolio every 3 months then you really do not have to worry too much about industry balance.

If you want a more balanced portfolio, you should have approximately 30% of your portfolio invested in index funds. These funds should be divided by large and small cap funds, an index bond fund, and an index international fund. This would help to balance your portfolio.

You could also look at the Watch List of stocks. These stocks have shown that they are well-run companies. If you are concerned about a balanced portfolio, I suggest that you compliment the 15 recommended stocks with a couple stocks from the Watch List.

The list of 15 recommended stocks for the first quarter of 2017

The list of 15 recommended stocks for the first quarter of 2016 sorted alphabetically by stock symbol are:

  • ABIOMED, Inc. [stckqut]ABMD[/stckqut]
  • Align Technology, Inc. [stckqut]ALGN[/stckqut]
  • Applied Materials, Inc. [stckqut]AMAT[/stckqut]
  • Amazon.com, Inc. [stckqut]AMZN[/stckqut]
  • Acuity Brands, Inc. [stckqut]AYI[/stckqut]
  • China Biologic Products Inc [stckqut]CBPO[/stckqut]
  • Cirrus Logic, Inc. [stckqut]CRUS[/stckqut]
  • Domino’s Pizza, Inc. [stckqut]DPZ[/stckqut]
  • Edwards Lifesciences Corp [stckqut]EW[/stckqut]
  • Hudson Technologies, Inc. [stckqut]HDSN[/stckqut]
  • Heska Corp [stckqut]HSKA[/stckqut]
  • NVIDIA Corporation [stckqut]NVDA[/stckqut]
  • Constellation Brands, Inc. [stckqut]STZ[/stckqut]
  • Sun Communities Inc [stckqut]SUI[/stckqut]
  • Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc. [stckqut]ULTA[/stckqut]

If you want to know a bit more about the companies that comprise the 15 recommended stocks for the first quarter of 2016, you can read below. The descriptions primarily came from the short paragraph descriptions about the company found on Google Finance. https://www.google.com/finance. The stock price charts also came from Google Finance. You can also click on a company name on the right side of this site, under the heading of Most Reviewed Companies (you may need to scroll down) as most of the companies on this list have been reviewed here several times.

  • ABIOMED, Inc. [stckqut]ABMD[/stckqut]
    • Abiomed, Inc. is a provider of temporary percutaneous mechanical circulatory support devices. The Company offers care to heart failure patients. The Company’s products include Impella 2.5, a percutaneous micro heart pump with an integrated motor and sensors; Impella CP, which is primarily used by either interventional cardiologists to support patients in the catheter lab or by surgeons in the heart surgery suite; Impella 5.0 and Impella LD, a percutaneous micro heart pumps with integrated motors and sensors for use primarily in the heart surgery suite; Impella RP, a percutaneous catheter-based axial flow pump that is designed to allow greater than four liters of flow per minute; AB5000, a circulatory support system for the temporary support of acute heart failure patients in profound shock, and Symphony, a minimally invasive implantable cardiac assist device.
  • Align Technology, Inc. [stckqut]ALGN[/stckqut]
    • Align Technology, Inc. designs, manufactures and markets a system of clear aligner therapy, intra-oral scanners and computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) digital services used in dentistry, orthodontics and dental records storage. The Company operates through two segments: Clear Aligner segment and Scanner and Services (Scanner) segment. The Clear Aligner segment consists of its Invisalign System, which includes Invisalign Full, Express/Lite, Teen, Assist and Vivera Retainers, along with its training and ancillary products for treating malocclusion. The Scanner segment consists of intra-oral scanning systems and other services available with the intra-oral scanners that provide digital alternatives to the traditional cast models. The Company’s iTero scanner is used by dental professionals, and labs and services for restorative and orthodontic digital procedures, as well as Invisalign digital impression submission.
  • Applied Materials, Inc. [stckqut]AMAT[/stckqut]
    • Applied Materials, Inc. provides manufacturing equipment, services and software to the global semiconductor, display and related industries. The Company’s segments are Semiconductor Systems, which includes semiconductor capital equipment for etch, rapid thermal processing, deposition, chemical mechanical planarization, metrology and inspection, wafer packaging, and ion implantation; Applied Global Services, which provides integrated solutions to optimize equipment and fab performance and productivity; Display and Adjacent Markets, which includes products for manufacturing liquid crystal displays, organic light-emitting diodes, upgrades and roll-to-roll Web coating systems and other display technologies for televisions, personal computers, smart phones and other consumer-oriented devices, and Corporate and Other segment, which includes revenues from products, as well as costs of products sold for fabricating solar photovoltaic cells and modules, and certain operating expenses.
  • Amazon.com, Inc. [stckqut]AMZN[/stckqut]
    • Amazon.com, Inc. offers a range of products and services through its Websites. The Company’s products include merchandise and content that it purchases for resale from vendors and those offered by third-party sellers. The Company has three segments: North America, International and Amazon Web Services (AWS). The Company’s North America segment focuses on retail sales of consumer products from sellers and subscriptions, through its North America-focused Websites, such as www.amazon.com, www.amazon.ca and www.amazon.com.mx. The Company’s International segment includes export sales from its internationally focused Websites, including export sales from its sites to customers in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The Company’s AWS segment focuses on the sales of compute, storage, database and other AWS service offerings for start-ups, enterprises, government agencies and academic institutions. The Company offers Amazon Prime, which is an annual membership program.
  • Acuity Brands, Inc. [stckqut]AYI[/stckqut]
    • Acuity Brands, Inc. is a provider of lighting solutions for commercial, institutional, industrial, infrastructure and residential applications throughout North America and other international markets. The Company operates through North American segment. The Company offers a portfolio of indoor and outdoor lighting and building management solutions for commercial, institutional, industrial, infrastructure and residential applications. The portfolio of lighting solutions include lighting products utilizing fluorescent, light emitting diode (LED), organic LED (OLED), high intensity discharge, metal halide, and incandescent light sources to illuminate a number of applications. The solutions portfolio of the Company also includes modular wiring, LED drivers, sensors, glass and inverters sold primarily to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Its lighting and building management solutions are marketed under various brand names, including Lithonia Lighting and Holophane.
  • China Biologic Products Inc. [stckqut]CBPO[/stckqut]
    • China Biologic Products, Inc. (China Biologic) is a biopharmaceutical company. The Company is principally engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and sales of human plasma-based biopharmaceutical products in China. China Biologic has a product portfolio with over 20 different dosage forms of plasma products. The Company’s principal products are human albumin and immunoglobulin for intravenous injection (IVIG). China Biologic operates its business through two subsidiaries, namely, Shandong Taibang Biological Products Co. Ltd. and Guizhou Taibang Biological Products Co., Ltd. The Company also holds an interest in Xi’an Huitian Blood Products Co., Ltd., a plasma products company. Its products include human albumin, human immunoglobulin, IVIG, thymopolypeptides injection, human hepatitis B immunoglobulin, human rabies immunoglobulin, human tetanus immunoglobulin, placenta polypeptide, Factor VIII and human prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC).
  • Cirrus Logic, Inc. [stckqut]CRUS[/stckqut]
    • Cirrus Logic, Inc. is engaged in providing integrated circuits (ICs) for audio and voice signal processing applications. The Company develops analog and mixed-signal ICs for a range of customers. The Company offers two product lines: Portable Audio, and Non-Portable Audio and Other. The Company’s primary facility housing engineering, sales and marketing, and administration functions is located in Austin, Texas. The Company offers products through both direct and indirect sales channels across the world. The Company’s portable audio products include analog and mixed-signal components designed for mobile devices including smartphones, tablets, digital headsets, wearables, smart accessories and portable media players. Its non-portable audio and other products include analog and mixed-signal components targeting the consumer market, including smart home applications, and the automotive, energy and industrial markets.
  • Domino’s Pizza, Inc. [stckqut]DPZ[/stckqut]
    • Domino’s Pizza, Inc. is a pizza restaurant chain. The Company operates pizza stores at 12,500 locations in over 80 markets. It operates through three segments: domestic stores, international franchise and supply chain. Its Domestic Stores segment consists primarily of its franchise operations, through which it operates network of over 4,820 franchised stores located in the United States. Its International Franchise segment consists of a network of franchised stores in approximately 80 international markets. Its supply chain segment operates approximately 20 regional dough manufacturing and food supply chain centers in the United States; a thin crust manufacturing center; a vegetable processing center, and a center providing equipment and supplies to certain of its domestic and international stores. Its basic menu features pizza products in various sizes and crust types. Its stores also offer oven-baked sandwiches, pasta, bread side items, desserts and soft drink products.
  • Edwards Lifesciences Corp [stckqut]EW[/stckqut]
    • Edwards Lifesciences Corporation is focused on technologies that treat structural heart disease and critically ill patients. The Company manufactures heart valve systems and repair products used to replace or repair a patient’s diseased or defective heart valve. It develops hemodynamic monitoring systems used to measure a patient’s cardiovascular function in the hospital setting. The Company conducts operations around the world and is managed in various geographical regions, including the United States, Europe, Japan, and Rest of World. All regions sell products that are used to treat advanced cardiovascular disease. The Company’s products and technologies it offers to treat advanced cardiovascular disease are categorized into three areas: Transcatheter Heart Valve Therapy, Surgical Heart Valve Therapy and Critical Care.
  • Hudson Technologies, Inc. [stckqut]HDSN[/stckqut]
    • Hudson Technologies, Inc. is a refrigerant services company. The Company provides solutions to recurring problems within the refrigeration industry. Its products and services include refrigerant and industrial gas sales; refrigerant management services, which consist of reclamation of refrigerants, and RefrigerantSide services, which consist of system decontamination. Its refrigerant and industrial gas sales include selling of reclaimed and virgin (new) refrigerants to various customers in a range of segments of the air conditioning and refrigeration industry. It provides refrigerant management services, which also include laboratory testing through its laboratory, and banking services. It provides decontamination and recovery services that are performed at a customer’s site using its Zugibeast system under its RefrigerantSide services. The Company also participates in the generation of carbon offset projects as a component of its products and services.
  • Heska Corp [stckqut]HSKA[/stckqut]
    • Heska Corporation develops, manufactures, markets, sells and supports veterinary products. The Company focuses on the canine and feline companion animal health markets. Its segments include Core Companion Animal Health segment, which includes, primarily for canine and feline use, blood testing instruments and supplies, digital imaging products, software and services, and single use products and services, such as heartworm diagnostic tests, heartworm preventive products, allergy immunotherapy products and allergy testing, and Other Vaccines, Pharmaceuticals and Products segment, which includes private label vaccine and pharmaceutical production, primarily for cattle but also for other animals, including small mammals. It offers blood testing instruments and supplies, digital imaging products, software and services, and single use products and services, such as in-clinic heartworm diagnostic tests, heartworm preventive products, allergy immunotherapy products and allergy testing.
  • NVIDIA Corporation [stckqut]NVDA[/stckqut]
    • NVIDIA Corporation (NVIDIA) is engaged in visual computing. The Company operates through segments, including GPU and Tegra Processor. Its GPU businesses include GeForce for personal computer (PC) gaming; Quadro for design professionals working in computer-aided design, video editing, special effects and other creative applications; Tesla for deep learning and accelerated computing, leveraging the parallel computing capabilities of graphics processing units (GPUs) for general purpose computing, and GRID to provide the power of NVIDIA graphics through the cloud and datacenters. The Company’s Tegra processors are primarily designed to enable its branded platforms: DRIVE and SHIELD. Tegra is also sold to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for devices. DRIVE automotive computers provide supercomputing capabilities to make driving safer. SHIELD consists of a family of devices designed to harness the power of mobile-cloud to revolutionize gaming.
  • Constellation Brands, Inc. [stckqut]STZ[/stckqut]
    • Constellation Brands, Inc. is an international beverage alcohol company. The Company’s operating segments include Beer, Wine and Spirits and Corporate Operations and Other. The Company’s wine portfolio is complemented by select spirits brands and other select beverage alcohol products. It is a multi-category supplier (beer, wine and spirits) of beverage alcohol in the United States. The Company’s customers include wholesale distributors, retailers, on premise locations and government alcohol beverage control agencies. In the United States, the Company operates 19 wineries using varieties of grapes grown in the Napa, Sonoma, Monterey and San Joaquin regions of California. It also operates eight wineries in Canada, four wineries in New Zealand and five wineries in Italy. The Company’s Canadian whisky requirements are produced and aged at its Canadian distillery in Lethbridge, Alberta.
  • Sun Communities Inc [stckqut]SUI[/stckqut]
    • Sun Communities, Inc. (SHS) is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company operates in two segments: Real Property Operations, and Home Sales and Rentals. The Real Property Operations segment owns, operates and develops manufactured housing (MH) and recreational vehicle (RV) throughout the United States and is in the business of acquiring, operating and expanding MH and RV communities. Real Property Operations include several home options of various sizes and designs and consist of MH communities and RV communities. The Home Sales and Rentals segment offers manufactured home sales and leasing services to tenants and prospective tenants of its communities. It is engaged in the marketing, selling and leasing of new and pre-owned homes to residents in its communities. It has regional property management offices located in Austin, Texas; Dayton, Ohio; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Traverse City, Michigan; Ft. Myers, Florida, and Orlando, Florida.
  • Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc. [stckqut]ULTA[/stckqut]
    • Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance, Inc. is a beauty retailer. The Company operates specialty retail stores selling cosmetics, fragrance, haircare and skincare products, and related accessories and services. The Company operates through three segments: retail stores, salon services and e-commerce. The Company also offers a full-service salon in every store featuring hair, skin and brow services. The Company offers approximately 20,000 products from over 500 beauty brands across all categories and price points, including its own private label, the Ulta Beauty Collection. The Company operates over 870 stores in approximately 50 states. The Company offers a loyalty program, Ultamate Rewards, and targeted promotions through its Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform. It also offers promotions and coupons, in-store events and gifts with purchase. The Company’s e-commerce business, Ulta.com, provides access to product and store information, beauty trends and techniques.

My typical disclaimer says that I may or may not have a holding of the stocks discussed in this article. This would be a bit misleading for this particular article. You can assume that I am currently invested in every one of these stocks at the time of this writing.

The glass globe image at the top of this article is courtesy of suphakit73 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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