Nike (NKE)
Sports apparel and footwear giant Nike has been a popular stock for investors. Over the past five years, shares have climbed more than 140%.
Management is also returning cash to investors. In the most recent quarter, Nike paid out $484 million in dividends to shareholders — up 12% from the prior-year period.
Those dividends are backed by a profitable business. For the quarter, Nike earned a profit of $1.4 billion. Meanwhile, its revenue grew 5% year over year to $10.9 billion.
Morgan analyst Kimberly Greenberger is confident in Nike’s ability to deliver strong earnings despite rising wages in the U.S.
“We expect Global Brands to be relatively insulated from wage inflation given lower store counts and high revenue penetration in the wholesale & eComm channels,” she writes. “Additionally, revenue exposure to international geographies could help alleviate pressures from US wage inflation.”
Greenberger has a price target of $192 on Nike — about 44% above where the stock sits today.
Invest in real estate without the headache of being a landlord
Imagine owning a portfolio of thousands of well-managed single family rentals or a collection of cutting-edge industrial warehouses. You can now gain access to a $1B portfolio of income-producing real estate assets designed to deliver long-term growth from the comforts of your couch.
The best part? You don’t have to be a millionaire and can start investing in minutes.
Learn MoreKnight-Swift Transportation Holdings (KNX)
Knight-Swift is in the freight transportation business, providing multiple truckload transportation and logistics services throughout North America.
Having Knight-Swift on this list may seem counterintuitive because pay raises have been common in the transportation industry amid the driver shortage. But Morgan analyst Ravi Shanker sees the company coming out just fine.
“While TL driver wages have seen some of the sharpest increases over the last two years, KNX's relatively low exposure to wage-driven costs as a % of revenues and remarkable pricing power (evidenced by EBIT growth 2x the group average) should position them well to navigate wage inflation,” he says.
“We believe scale and exposure can make them the biggest beneficiary of any additional upside from the cycle.”
Knight-Swift is already delivering rapid growth in this cycle. In Q4 of 2021, consolidated revenue rose 38.8% year over year while consolidated operating income shot up 76%.
The company hasn’t been an investor favorite lately as shares are down about 25% year to date. But Shanker sees a rebound on the horizon. His price target of $85 implies a potential upside of 86%.
Rockwell Automation (ROK)
More and more companies are choosing to automate their processes in the face of rising labor costs. And that means a significant tailwind for Rockwell Automation — a global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation.
“We view Rockwell as a prime beneficiary of secular investments driven by a multitude of catalysts converging (supply chain constraints, labor shortages, near-shoring) as technology is improving and paybacks are shortening,” writes analyst Josh Pokrzywinski.
He adds that because Rockwell can also increase automation in its own factories, the stock is “fairly insulated from higher wages.”
Rockwell shares are down 20% in 2021. But the company recently achieved record quarterly orders of $2.5 billion, a year-over-year increase of more than 40%.
Rockwell’s improvement should give contrarian investors something to think about. Pokrzywinski has a price target of $395 on Rockwell shares — 42% higher than the current levels.
Retire richer: The secret to building wealth faster
Most people miss out on key opportunities to grow their wealth. Partnering with the right financial advisor can help you secure a brighter future. Learn how to make your money work harder for you today.
Discover the secretMore from Moneywise
- Warren Buffett says these are the best stocks to own when inflation spikes — with consumer prices at a 40-year high, it's time to follow his lead
- Jim Rogers warns of a ‘big collapse’ and recession fairly soon — here’s how to protect yourself from the possible pain
- Want to invest in $100 oil? Read these tips and warnings from commodities legend Rick Rule before you dive in
The richest 1% use an advisor. Do you?
Wealthy people know that having money is not the same as being good with money. Advisor.com can help you shape your financial future and connect with expert guidance . A trusted advisor helps you make smart choices about investments, retirement savings, and tax planning.
Try it now