10 Best Stocks to Own in 2017

Amid a dense fog of uncertainty, an aging bull will have to find its footing in 2017. Rarely has the way forward been so obscured by the murky policies of a new political regime, as well as by questions about economic growth, monetary policy and the animal spirits—or lack thereof—of America’s corporate chieftains.

Here are 10 stock picks that offering promise in the year ahead.

Alphabet (GOOGL)
The market value of Alphabet is $552 billion, so it’s hard to fathom it getting much bigger. But the owner of Google, YouTube and other tech businesses hasn’t peaked.

Amazon (AMZN)
Amazon.com took a hit in October because of disappointing earnings, but this well-run company continues to have its eyes on the long term. Value Line sees revenues rising 19.5% annually over the next five years.

CME Group (CME) owns the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and other trading venues where speculators bet on everything from the price of pork bellies to the future level of Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index. CME has expanded by merging with other exchanges and providing more services to traders.

CPI Aerostructures (CVU)
CPI Aerostructures makes structural parts, such as wing assemblies and fuel panels, for commercial and military aircraft. With a market cap of $69 million, CPI is the smallest company on our list, so expect a wild ride. But the potential reward looks like it’s worth the risk.

Crown Castle International (CCI)
A real estate investment trust, Crown Castle leases space on nearly 40,000 cell-phone towers to wireless carriers, such as AT&T and Verizon. Income is climbing as customers consume more data on mobile devices.

Henry Schein (HSIC)
Henry Schein is an 84-year-old company that distributes health supplies to physicians, dentists and veterinarians.

Kraft Heinz (KHC)
Warren Buffett, who turned 86 in August, is still America’s greatest living investor. He frequently buys entire companies for Berkshire Hathaway, the company he runs. A few years ago, he purchased about one-fourth of Kraft Heinz, the world’s fifth-largest food company. It is unlikely to soar, but it offers a 2.9% dividend yield and could add ballast to any portfolio.

Medpace Holdings (MEDP)
Running clinical trials for biotech firms, Medpace handles everything from the design of a research study to its execution. Sales should climb at a 13% annual pace through 2020, and the firm should be able to maintain industry-leading profit margins above 30%, says UBS.

Micron Technology (MU)
Micron Technology, an Idaho-based semiconductor maker, has been struggling, but some analysts see profits rising sharply over the next year or two.

Palo Alto Networks (PANW)
Palo Alto Networks sells sophisticated hardware and software to protect networks against cyberattacks. Sales are rising steadily as the firm expands its product lineup and signs up more customers for subscriptions to its cloud-based software, creating revenue streams that should last for years.

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