“Successful speculation implies taking risks when the odds are in your favor.”
– Victor Sperandeo

This year’s list contains 20 growth names to watch in 2022. That is ALL this list is, a personal watch list that can and will change over the course of the year, so please do not take it as a recommendation to buy, hold or sell any security.

I currently own six of the names on this year’s list with several new names that I have never owned and a few names that I have owned in the past that I believe will continue to perform.

Please understand that I have several portfolios that I manage for my family:

• Growth Portfolio (active)
• IRA Portfolio (passive)
• Index Funds (passive)
• Crypto Portfolio (active & passive)

I must reiterate that my annual blog post, Stocks to Watch, targets equities that I may trade within my active investing account, a growth stock account that’s more active than my conservative accounts (IRA, 401ks, index funds and our direct company owned stock). This growth account represents roughly a quarter of my investable net worth, per the accounts listed above. I will not disclose the number of shares or the size of the accounts as this is personal information. What I will disclose, here and on twitter, is what I own, what I buy and what I sell – and when I do it. I do believe in being transparent with the equities that I hold as well as the equities I don’t when discussing them on the blog or social media. I have been on Twitter since 2009 and I have not sold any services, newsletters or make any of my income from this blog or twitter.

Please look at my blog and my twitter account as my own personal online diary. This diary contains success stories, mistakes, lessons learned and lessons to be learned. I am not a professional investor or money manager and I am far from perfect when making a watch list and investing my own money.

I make mistakes, but based on my 23 years of investing experience, my consistency in identifying market trends and individual market leaders has improved considerably over the years. I don’t have all the answers and everyone must understand that winning and losing are part of the investing game. Every investor loses money and has ideas that don’t pan out, that’s the price for playing the game. Based on my experience, I know the investors that last and make consistent profits are the ones that learn how to manage their money properly (position sizing), control emotions and remain patient, sticking to their rules.

Please do not follow anything I do blindly – every trader and investor must do their own due diligence, have their own plan and know their own timeframes for their own personal portfolios.

I don’t trade for a living nor do I aspire to trade for a living. I invest to increase my overall net worth and to “play the game”. I enjoy trying to beat the market averages by making my own decisions in individual stocks. Some years this works and in others, it doesn’t. But this is also why I diversify my net worth across active and passive investment portfolios.

In 2020, my growth portfolio returns crushed my IRA and index funds but in 2021, my index funds outperformed my IRA and growth portfolio. My crypto portfolio outperformed them both, in both years. It’s anyone’s guess what will outperform in any given year, so this is why I diversify my dollars.

Similar to prior years, I have generated a watch list that identifies trends and stocks that I believe will grow for years to come. I do NOT want to be in-and-out of positions quickly. I prefer to hold my positions over time but 2021 re-taught me the lesson to cut losers a little quicker and take some profits when the technicals get well above historical norms (i.e.: a stock that trades 100%+ above its 200d ma). We want to learn to be patient during drawdowns and negative headlines, knowing the story of the underlying stock has not changed but at the same time, be cognizant of the risks, should action need to be taken. This is a lot easier said than done, especially in today’s world of instant satisfaction and gratification.

I try to avoid posting the latest fad list of growth stocks that may pump up quickly in the matter of weeks or months only to worry that they will they collapse just as quickly on the back side.

I screen, watch and then buy stocks based on a few simple parameters:

• Great product, service and brand
• Rising sales QoQ and YoY
• Rising EPS QoQ and YoY or EPS looking to turn positive (from negative territory)
• Increasing institutional sponsorship
• Technically: grabbing near support, at a breakout or within a base (near the 50d or 200d moving average)

That’s really it – I keep it simple. My foundation for growth stocks is based on the CANSLIM philosophy, created by William O’Neil.

I must repeat what I say every year and will continue to repeat every year until it no longer makes sense:

The annual “Stocks to Watch” list often includes newer and up-coming growth stocks that I own or candidates I am looking to own. Stocks such as AAPL, AMZN, GOOGL, MSFT, NFLX, FB, V, MA, etc. should be owned in almost every portfolio already, whether in your active trading account or a more passive retirement account, such as an IRA. This is where I own these stocks. I believe these stocks will all likely double or triple over time, once again. Own an index fund as well and add dollars to it annually, during up and down years – just do it and check back in 30 years.

Honestly, 95% of all folks should just own index funds and call it a day and forget about trading or investing in individual equities.

The bottom of this blog posts lists the equities that I currently own in our growth portfolio, our IRA and our crypto account.

“Know what you own, and know why you own it” – Peter Lynch

Beyond today’s list, I still believe in many of the industry trends and names that I highlighted in 2020 and 2021:

Trends that will continue for years to come, with notable names that I still like and/or own:

• E-commerce: SHOP, SE, PINS, ETSY
• Payments: SQ, PYPL
• Security: CRWD, OKTA, ZS
• Edge & Cloud: NET, APPS, TWLO
• Database: MDB, DDOG, PLTR
• Health: TDOC
• Streaming: SPOT
• Digital Adv: ROKU, TTD
• Tech Utilities: ZM, DOCU, CRM, U, FVRR
• Services: UBER, ABNB

Enjoy my 20 Stocks to Watch for 2022, in alphabetical order:
ABNB, AFRM, APPS, ASAN, COIN, CURI, DDOG, DOCN, GENI, GLBE, INMD, MQ, NET, OPRX, RBLX, SI, SOFI, U, UPST, ZI

I currently own six stocks on this year’s Stocks to Watch 2022 watch list:
APPS, COIN, DDOG, GENI, GLBE, MQ

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I posted an abbreviated list of “Stocks to Watch 2020” on January 1st prior to completing my detailed analysis but now it is complete and pasted below. All stock prices quoted are from January 1, 2020.

I received questions on social media asking why I didn’t include the FAANG stocks and other big-time names that normally dominate the headlines. The annual “Stocks to Watch” list typically includes new and up-coming growth stocks that I own or candidates I am looking to own. Stocks such as AAPL, AMZN, GOOGL, MSFT, FB, V, MA, etc. should be owned in almost every portfolio already, whether in your active trading account or a more passive retirement account. Own those stocks as they will all likely double or triple over time, once again. Own an index fund as well and add dollars to it annually, during up and down years – just do it and check back in 30 years.

Honestly, 95% of all folks should just own index funds and call it a day and forget about trading or investing in individual equities.

My annual blog post, Stocks to Watch, targets equities that I trade within my active trading/investing account, an account that’s smaller and more active than my conservative accounts (retirement, index and company stock). I don’t disclose the number of shares or the size of the account as that’s personal information. What I will disclose, here and on twitter, is what I own, what I buy and what I sell. I do believe in being transparent with the equities I hold as well as the equities I don’t when discussing them on the blog or social media.

As some term it on Fintwit: “Skin-in-the-Game”.

I like that because I love the book “Skin in the Game” by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.

I don’t trade for a living nor do I aspire to trade for a living. I invest to increase my overall net worth and to “play the game”. I do get a thrill at trying to beat the market averages by making my own decisions. Some years this works and in others, it doesn’t.

I can hold a position for years or I can be out within days. It’s not about being right or wrong, it’s about making money and protecting capital. I’m wrong with my buys and sells more often than I am right but overall, I usually make money over the long term because I often catch a couple big time winners, which double or triple within a year or two. I am not a millionaire from investing in stocks so don’t rely on me for the answers – fintwit claims that these geniuses exist all over the place so good luck finding them (hint). My primary income and net worth is generated from my business career, which focuses on commercial real estate.

With that said, let’s jump right into it. I make a note of the equities I currently own (on this year’s list), which ones I am looking to own and which ones I am waiting for ideal setups.

Enjoy my 15 Stocks to Watch for 2020, in no special order:

• OKTA – $115.37: Okta, Inc. provides identity solutions for enterprises and other businesses, serving in the security software sector, along with companies such as PANW and CYBR. Sales have been increasing QoQ by an average of 58% the past 8 quarters, from $77.1MM to $153.0MM for a total gain of 98%. The stock debuted as an IPO on April 7, 2017 yet institutional fund sponsorship has increased more than 84% over the past four quarters from 449 to 827 funds.

  Experience shows stocks that enter the 500-1,000 fund level are prime candidates for additional gains. It’s not a given but I always want to be on a train with strong institutional support.

  Technically, the stock made an all-time high back in July, reaching $141.85, before building its current five-month base. Shares can be accumulated now as it trades just above both the 50d and 200d moving averages. I said last year that “I see OKTA as a classic $60 to $100 mover over the next 12 to 24 months.” Well, it made that move and then some within the first six months of 2019. I can see OKTA above $200 over the next 12 to 24 months.

  I am long shares of OKTA.



• STNE – $39.89: StoneCo Ltd. provides financial technology solutions that empower merchants and integrated partners to conduct electronic commerce across in-store, online, and mobile channels in Brazil.

  Borrowing my line from last year, I’ve been a big fan and holder of financial solutions and credit companies for years (i.e.: Visa, Mastercard, Square) so naturally, STNE grabbed my attention following its IPO in October 2018. Sales have increased an average of 65% per quarter (QoQ) over the past eight quarters (moving from $74.7MM to $161.1MM), while earnings are up an average of 376% the past 8 quarters (going from $0.03 to $0.17).

  The stock is less than 10% from an all-time high as it continues to build the final side of its nine-month base. I wouldn’t mind a several week handle to form on this irregular shaped base before the stock looks to make a new all-time high.

  Warren Buffett is one of the top holders of the stock but it could use more institutional support in order to make another double up. I like STNE to double up over the next 12+ months. Shares can be accumulated near either of the major moving averages (50d or 200d).

  I am long shares of STNE.



• ROKU – $133.90: Roku, Inc. provides a TV streaming platform and devices for entertainment.

  I missed this stock in 2019 as it exploded from $26.30 to more than $176 per share (December 2018 to September 2019). Coworkers and friends were talking about “Roku” but I had my head in the sand as I wasn’t a user of the product = “you don’t know what you don’t know”.

  Sales have increased a total of 38% over the past 8 quarters from $188.3MM to $260.9MM with an average gain of 46% QoQ. Institutional sponsorship is up more than 145% the past four quarters, entering that key 500-1,000 fund range.

  The stock has been building a base the past four months but the company has a product and service that is as hot as anything else on the market right now so I am interested. It currently trades below the 50d ma but above the 200d ma so one can accumulate shares here, for the long term. I can see a longer base formation before a return to new highs later in 2020.

  I am long shares of ROKU.



• ZM – $68.04: Zoom Video Communications, Inc. provides a video-first communications platform (via the cloud) by connecting people through frictionless video, voice, chat, and content sharing.

  My biggest crutch with ZM in 2019 was its valuation, too high. It’s still high today but the technology is first class as I use it on a daily basis. I am now interested in grabbing shares due to the six month base that the stock has formed. The stock trades 37% off of all-time highs and may be beginning to build the right side of a long base. Risk takers can grab shares here to see if this is the bottom.

  Sales have increased 227% the past eight quarters with an average gain of 132% QoQ while earnings have turned positive with an 800% and 300% increase the past two quarters, as compared to the same period the prior year.

  I do not own shares as of this writing but I am very close to pulling the trigger on my initial position and will post to twitter when I do.



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January 5, 2020 Update – Stocks to Watch 2020 Full Analysis located here:

Stocks to Watch 2020 – Full Analysis

1/1/2020:

I am posting an abbreviated annual January 1st list of “Stocks to Watch 2020” prior to getting my full analysis uploaded by the end of this weekend. I aimed to get the full blog post up by tonight but I ran short of time with recent holiday travel followed by New Year’s Eve/Day celebrations.

The 2019 Stocks to Watch list contained 14 original names with a final result of +46.36%, besting the S&P 500, DJIA and Nasdaq.

• 10 stocks were positive
• 3 stocks were negative
• 1 stock was acquired

COUP was the leading gainer, +132.66%, joined by three additional triple digit gainers (TTD, STNE & PAYC).

Stocks to Watch 2020:

• STNE – $39.89
• OKTA – $115.37
• ROKU – $133.90
• ZM – $68.04
• LVGO – $25.06
• WORK – $22.48
• SQ – $62.56
• CGC – $21.09
• CRWD – $49.87
• TCEHY – $48.01
• PYPL – $108.17
• MDB – $131.61
• SNAP – $16.33
• SHOP – $397.58
• SE – $40.22

I will follow-up with a detailed analysis for each stock by Sunday night (January 5, 2020).