Nasdaq MSFT MicroSoft

One ETF has taken in more money than all others so far in 2023, with a massive $11.3 billion in inflows as of June 6th, according to FactSet. But it’s not a hot new AI fund or an ETF capitalizing on other en-vogue tech trends, although it will give you some exposure to them. Instead, it’s arguably one of the most boring, vanilla ETFs out there, but this doesn’t mean it can’t help you to grow your portfolio. It’s the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF ( NYSEARCA:VOO) . In fact, whether you are just beginning your investing journey or if you are already a veteran trader who has spent years in the investing game, this unassuming but massive ETF can serve as a sound building block for your portfolio. Here’s why.  Harness the Power of the Entire S&P 500 in Your Portfolio  The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF boasts over $300 billion in assets under management (AUM), making it the third-largest ETF in the market today. While there are many complex investing strategies and products out there that claim to offer investors a leg up on the market, VOO keeps it simple. It invests in the S&P 500 ( SPX ), the index that consists of about 500 of the largest 500 U.S. stocks and arguably the most important and influential index in the investing world. The S&P 500 covers all sectors of the U.S. economy, so rather than having to bet on individual sectors, an ETF like VOO gives you exposure to them all -- from tech leaders like Apple ( NASDAQ:AAPL ) and Microsoft ( NASDAQ:MSFT ) to old economy industrial giants like Caterpillar ( NYSE:CAT ) and Deere ( NYSE:DE ) and everything in between. The great thing about VOO is that it allows investors to harness the power and innovation of a large swath of the U.S. economy in one investment vehicle without having to pick favorite sectors or stocks. An investment in VOO is essentially a bet on around 500 of the top publicly-listed companies in the United States continuing to innovate and profit over time, which has historically been a winning proposition.  Below, you’ll find an overview of VOO’s top 10 holdings, created using TipRanks' holdings tool. Because it tracks the S&P 500 index itself, the fund is extraordinarily diversified, holding 504 stocks, and its top 10 positions make up just 27.8% of assets. As you can see, top holding Apple accounts for a 7.2% position in the fund, followed by Microsoft, which has a 6.6% weighting, with Amazon ( NASDAQ:AMZN ), Nvidia ( NASDAQ:NVDA ) and Alphabet (Class A) ( NASDAQ:GOOGL ) rounding out the top five holdings. However, it’s not just tech stocks, Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway ( NYSE:BRK.B ) and energy giant ExxonMobil ( NYSE:XOM ) follow closely behind.  As you can see in the table, VOO's top holdings feature a pretty solid collection of Smart Scores. In fact, four of its top 10 holdings, Apple, Nvidia, Alphabet, and UnitedHealth Group ( NYSE:UNH ), feature 'Perfect 10' Smart Scores. The Smart Score is a proprietary quantitative stock scoring system created by TipRanks. It gives stocks a score from 1 to 10 based on eight market key factors. A score of 8 or above is equivalent to an Outperform rating, and VOO itself has a strong ETF Smart Score of 8 out of 10. Is VOO Stock a Buy, According to Analysts? So the quantitative factors rate VOO favorably, but what do Wall Street analysts think? VOO earns a Moderate Buy consensus rating on TipRanks based on analysts' ratings, and the average VOO stock price target of $445.50 implies upside potential of 11.9%. Of the 6,212 analyst ratings on the name, 59.13% are Buys, 35.33% are Holds, and just 5.54% are Sells. Investor-Friendly Fees        In addition to this ample diversification and broad exposure, another attractive feature of VOO is its low expense ratio. It’s hard to beat VOO’s minuscule expense ratio of just 0.03%. An investor putting $10,000 into VOO would pay just $3 in fees in year one. This type of investor-friendly expense structure helps investors defend the principal of their portfolios over time without coughing up too much in fees. For example, assuming this fee remains constant and that the fund returns 5% a year for the next 10 years, an investor will pay just $39 in fees over the course of the decade. Compare this to the multitude of ETFs on the market with expense ratios of 0.75%, where investors are paying $75 in fees on a $10,000 investment in just year one, and you really see the value proposition of an ETF like VOO. Solid Long-Term Performance With this diversification and investor-friendly expense ratio, it’s easy to see why this massive ETF is the most popular ETF in terms of inflows so far this year. Still, there’s also another factor leading to its popularity -- its long-term performance track record. VOO has consistently produced double-digit annualized total returns for its investors for a long time. No matter what time horizon you are looking over, VOO has delivered. As of the end of May, VOO had an annualized total return of 12.8% over a three-year time frame. Over a five-year time horizon, the massive ETF has delivered 11% total returns annually. Further, over the past 10 years, VOO returned 11.9% annually. VOO has been around since 2010, and since its inception that year, it has returned a stellar 13.3% on an annualized basis.  Keeping Things Simple Can Pay Off It doesn’t hurt to keep it simple. While there are plenty of exotic investment strategies out there, few beat an ETF like VOO over the long term. While this S&P 500 ETF isn't the type of investment that is going to give you a multi-bag return in a year, the reality is that few investments are. However, the good news is that investing in a broad-market ETF like this and allowing these gains to compound over the years is a time-tested way to build long-term wealth. Investors can dollar-cost average over time when they have a surplus of cash and/or when the S&P 500 falls while reinvesting dividends to amplify these results even more. VOO’s strong performance track record, investor-friendly expense ratio, and portfolio of around 500 of the top U.S. stocks have made it a winner for a long time, and it's likely to remain a winner for the foreseeable future. Disclosure

Nvidia (NVDA) is the worldwide leader in visual computing technologies and the inventor of the graphic processing unit, or GPU. Though the company has been public for decades, it has pulled away from former industry juggernauts su

Tech stocks were higher Monday afternoon, with the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLK) rising 1.6% and the Philadelphia Semiconductor index advancing 2.6%.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission will file an injunction blocking Microsoft Corp's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, a source familiar with a planned court filing said on Monday.

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission will file an injunction blocking Microsoft Corp's acquisition of Activision Blizzard, CNBC reported on Monday.

It has only been six months since ChatGPT launched, sparking a new revolution in artificial intelligence (AI), but one thing seems clear. Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL) are going to be two of the companies that most shape the way we use AI.

Looking today at week-over-week shares outstanding changes among the universe of ETFs covered at ETF Channel, one standout is the Invesco NASDAQ 100 ETF (Symbol: QQQM) where we have detected an approximate $1.1 billion dollar inflow -- that's a 10.2% increase week over week in

For Immediate ReleaseChicago, IL – June 12, 2023 – Zacks.com releases the list of companies likely to issue earnings surprises. This week’s list includes Apple AAPL, Amazon AMZN, Alphabet GOOGL, Microsoft MSFT, Meta META, Nvidia N

Below is Validea's guru fundamental report for MICROSOFT CORP (MSFT). Of the 22 guru strategies we follow, MSFT rates highest using our Twin Momentum Investor model based on the published strategy of Dashan Huang. This momentum model looks for a combination of fundamental moment

The CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI on Monday said a tour of capital cities had left him "quite optimistic" about prospects for global coordination on artificial intelligence (AI).

Adobe (NASDAQ: ADBE) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) are both often considered blue chip tech stalwarts instead of exciting growth stocks. Yet both of these tech giants are also plugged into the secular growth of the generative artificial intelligence (AI) market, which includes the

Below is Validea's guru fundamental report for MICROSOFT CORP (MSFT). Of the 22 guru strategies we follow, MSFT rates highest using our Twin Momentum Investor model based on the published strategy of Dashan Huang. This momentum model looks for a combination of fundamental moment

A U.S. stocks rally is showing signs of expanding beyond the cluster of giant growth and tech names that have led gains this year, as investors reposition portfolios primed for a widely expected recession.

Artificial intelligence (AI) stocks have been a cut above the rest in 2023. So much so that some investors might worry it's too late to buy shares, given how far some have climbed year to date.

With $5,000 being a decent-sized chunk of change, some investors may be reluctant to bet it all on a single company. Yet, there's one company that's likely to continue growing and evolving over the next five years, and its stock moves fast (especially lately) but isn't excessivel

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Below is Validea's guru fundamental report for MICROSOFT CORP (MSFT). Of the 22 guru strategies we follow, MSFT rates highest using our Twin Momentum Investor model based on the published strategy of Dashan Huang. This momentum model looks for a combination of fundamental moment

In this podcast, Motley Fool senior analysts Ron Gross and Emily Flippen discuss:

In this piece, I evaluated two Big Tech stocks, Meta Platforms ( NASDAQ:META ) and Alphabet ( NASDAQ:GOOGL ) ( NASDAQ:GOOG ), using TipRanks' comparison tool to determine which is better. Meta shares have more than doubled year-to-date, while Alphabet stock is up a "mere" 37%. However, over the last 12 months, Alphabet has only gained 6%. On the other hand, Meta is up more than 40% over the last 12 months. Of course, Meta Platforms and Alphabet need no introduction and aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Thus, what's being considered is whether now might be a good entry point based on the current prices and past trends. Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) Facebook parent Meta Platforms is trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple of 33.7 versus its five-year mean P/E of 24.8. In fact, it's trading roughly at the top of the range of its P/E over that time period — despite its recent struggles. Thus, a neutral view seems appropriate for now. Insiders have unloaded about $9 million worth of Meta shares over the last three months. Most of those sales were auto-sells, probably part of the executives' preset trading plans aimed at helping them avoid insider trading. However, looking at where executives set their auto-sell price can suggest at what price they think the company is fairly valued. The most recent sale was from two days ago at around a price of $270. Hedge funds have also been dumping Meta shares, selling about 6.1 million shares in the last quarter. It's no secret that Meta Platforms has had a difficult couple of years, despite the tear its stock has been on. The company recently laid off tens of thousands of workers as it struggles to maintain its bottom line. Last year, investors wiped $80 billion off its value overnight following an earnings disappointment. The company has also been dealing with an identity crisis after changing its name to reflect a pivot from social networking to the Metaverse. Meta Platforms is now shelling out billions per year to develop its metaverse, although it will likely be some time before those investments yield fruit. Meanwhile, its competitors like Alphabet and Microsoft ( NASDAQ:MSFT ) are focusing on generative AI (artificial intelligence) instead of the Metaverse, leaving it to play catch-up. In short, at current levels, this doesn't look like a good time or price at which to invest in Meta Platforms. What is the Price Target for META Stock?  Meta Platforms has a Strong Buy consensus rating based on 38 Buys, five Holds, and zero Sell ratings assigned over the last three months. At $287.32, the average Meta Platforms stock price target implies upside potential of 8.4%. Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) At a P/E of 27.9 versus its five-year mean P/E of 29.2, Alphabet looks fairly valued right now. However, the company remains in a solid financial position and should continue growing, helping it recover to its highs near $150/share reached in late 2021. Thus, a bullish view looks appropriate over the long term. Alphabet has also been laying off workers, albeit at a much slower pace, after announcing 12,000 layoffs in January, amounting to 6% of its global workforce. The company hasn't ruled out another round of job cuts, but nothing has been announced yet. Meanwhile, other tech behemoths have cut tens of thousands of jobs, suggesting Alphabet may be in a better position. Like most other tech companies, Alphabet's operating expenses soared in 2022, climbing to $81.8 billion from $68 billion in 2021. However, the company managed to keep its net income margin steady, at ~21% in 2022 versus 29.5% in 2021 and the low 20% range between 2018 and 2021. What is the Price Target for GOOGL Stock?  Alphabet has a Strong Buy consensus rating based on 29 Buys, two Holds, and zero Sell ratings assigned over the last three months. At $130.77, the average Alphabet stock price target implies upside potential of 7%. Conclusion: Neutral on META, Long-Term Bullish on GOOGL Over the long run, it's hard to go wrong with Meta Platforms or Alphabet, but over the short run, Alphabet simply looks better at current levels. Several market watchers have noted that large-cap tech stocks are now seen as recession-resistant names due to their staying power, and this seems true of Alphabet. Although advertising is a cyclical business, I would expect further upside in Alphabet shares in the near-to-long term but little upside in Meta Platforms in the near term due to its current struggles. Eventually, Meta should recover, but its stock has gotten too high too fast, leaving Alphabet in the dust and creating an attractive opportunity in Alphabet stock. Disclosure 

Politics are increasingly creeping into all areas of American life, and for better or worse, investing is not immune to this phenomenon. We recently covered the growing number of ETFs that allow people to invest in companies that they believe are aligned with their viewpoints. These ETFs do this by screening for companies that donate money to political candidates or causes.  Now, Subversive ETFs has unveiled an interesting new twist on political ETFs with two brand new ETFS, one for each opposing side of the aisle --  the Unusual Whales Subversive Republican Trading ETF ( BATS:KRUZ) and the Unusual Whales Subversive Democratic Trading ETF ( BATS:NANC) . How do they work, and could they be worthy of a place in your portfolio?   How Do These ETFs Invest Like Political Insiders? As one might guess, the Democratic version of this ETF’s ticker is a reference to Democratic congresswoman and former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, while the Republican ying to NANC’s yang is named for Ted Cruz, the high-profile Republican Senator from Texas and former presidential candidate.  While a number of ETFs allow investors to invest in stocks that they feel like match up with their political preferences, these two new ETFs take a whole new approach. Instead of merely tracking which companies make donations to politicians, NANC and KRUZ utilize data provided by Unusual Whales, an options and equity data platform, to track what stocks members of Congress are buying and selling, using this information to invest alongside them. KRUZ invests in equities bought or sold by Republican members of Congress, while NANC does the same thing with Democratic members of Congress. If you’ve spent any time on the financial side of Twitter (often called "FinTwit") in recent years, you’ve likely seen plenty of accounts discussing the transactions made by Nancy Pelosi and her husband, Paul, and users joking (or perhaps only half joking), that Pelosi is a better investor than Warren Buffett based on her timely buys and sells before major news comes to light about some of these stocks. While the ability of politicians to enrich themselves based on inside knowledge and influence they derive from positions as lawmakers is an unseemly part of U.S. politics (the U.S. is the only democracy in the world that allows officeholders to invest like this), I give Unusual Whales and Subversive ETFs credit for using data to level the playing field and at least letting everyday Americans invest like these political insiders. They are able to do this because, thanks to the STOCK Act, members of Congress and their spouses must disclose what stocks they buy and sell.     How Are Politicians Investing? Now that we know how they work, let’s take a look at what NANC and KRUZ look like in practice. These ETFs are actually incredibly diversified, which stands to reason, as they are representing the transactions of hundreds of Congressmen and Congresswomen.  NANC holds a massive 741 positions, and its top 10 holdings make up 47.4% of the fund. Below, you’ll find an overview of NANC’s top 10 holdings using TipRanks’ holdings tool.  As you can see above, NANC skews heavily towards mega-cap tech stocks like Microsoft ( NASDAQ:MSFT ) and Apple ( NASDAQ:AAPL ), so holding it would give investors exposure that isn't all that different from investing in massive tech ETFs like the Invesco QQQ Trust ( NASDAQ:QQQ) or the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund ( NYSEARCA:XLK) .  You’ll also notice that NANC’s top holdings collectively boast some pretty impressive Smart Scores, with eight of its top 10 scoring 8 or above. The Smart Score is a proprietary quantitative stock scoring system created by TipRanks. It gives stocks a score from 1 to 10 based on eight market key factors. The score is data-driven and does not involve any human intervention. Meanwhile, KRUZ holds 486 positions, and its top 10 holdings make up a fairly minuscule 16.5% of assets. Check out the table below for an overview of KRUZ’s top holdings.  KRUZ clearly isn’t as tech-centric as NANC, and it skews more towards what you might call ‘old economy stocks’ like energy companies and tobacco giant Philip Morris International ( NYSE:PM ). But there’s a little bit of everything, with Netflix ( NASDAQ:NFLX ) representing the tech sector and healthcare companies also having a presence. Seven out of KRUZ’s top 10 positions feature Smart Scores of 8 or above.  NANC has an ETF Smart Score of 8, edging out KRUZ, which scores a 7.  One thing to make note of is that just because these two ETFs represent different sides of the aisle, that doesn’t mean there isn’t overlap in their positions. Politicians from both parties have bought stocks like Amazon ( NASDAQ:AMZN ), Home Depot ( NYSE:HD ), and Ford ( NYSE:F ), just to name a few, so you’ll find these and plenty more in both ETFs.  Are Analysts Bullish on NANC and KRUZ Shares? Analysts view NANC in a positive light. It has a Moderate Buy rating, and the average NANC stock price target of $29.94 implies upside potential of 11.5% from the ETF’s current price. The analyst community views KRUZ relatively similarly, giving it the same Moderate Buy consensus rating. Further, the average KRUZ stock price target of $28.52 implies 15.2% upside potential. Investor Takeaway This is an interesting concept for an investment vehicle, and I also give Subversive ETFs and Unusual Whales credit for seeking to level the playing field between politicians and everyday Americans, at least in the investing sphere. It’s feasible that this strategy of following the investing decisions of Congressmen and congresswomen could be a fruitful one, but these ETFS just launched in February of 2023, so for now, they don’t have much of a track record to judge them on, and time will tell how effective this strategy is. These are still relatively tiny ETFs in the investing landscape -- KRUZ currently has just $4.9 million in assets under management, while NANC has $6.7 million. One additional downside to be aware of is that both of these ETFs charge relatively high fees -- KRUZ and NANC both have expenses ratios of 0.75%, meaning that if you were to invest $10,000 into one of them today, you would pay $75 in fees in year one. For these reasons, I am watching KRUZ and NANC as an interested observer rather than buying one or the other.  One additional idea is that if I were interested in investing in NANC, I would consider simply investing in the aforementioned ETFs like QQQ or XLK, as they give you much of the same exposure to the large-cap tech stocks that make up NANC’s top holdings and offer lower fees and a much longer track record of performance. Disclosure