#1 Applied Materials (Nasdaq: AMAT)
This has been a wild year for Applied Materials shareholders, who saw AMAT shares hit all-time highs in early 2018, only to be nearly cut in half as fears over tech valuations, the trade war and demand for memory chips hit the stock hard.
#2 AbbVie (ABBV)
The $134 billion health care powerhouse is simply a strong company with growing revenue trading more cheaply than it should. Driven by its blockbuster drug, Humira, which increased sales 9 percent in the third quarter, AbbVie is the envy of many peers in its industry.
#3 Stitch Fix (SFIX)
The growth of the stay-at-home economy, and the booming demand for convenience, personalization and delivery to your front door dovetail nicely to make Stitch Fix shares an excellent way to bet on these megatrends.
#4 CVS Health Corp. (CVS)
Having just officially completed its acquisition of health insurer Aetna on Nov. 28, fund managers and savvy individual investors alike may begin snapping up CVS shares in anticipation of the combined companies’ revamped strategy for 2019 and beyond.
#5 Amazon.com (AMZN)
It doesn’t get much more December-y than Amazon, the leading e-commerce player in the U.S. About a third of Amazon’s 2018 sales are expected to come in the fourth quarter, as Americans swarm the e-tailer’s website to shop for themselves and their loved ones.