Analysts' 9 Top Stock Picks for Q1

For this first market weekend of 2022 I thought I'd share this week's edition of U.S. News Invested in which their analysts select the nine best companies to buy during Q1. As always, they're all solid picks.  Enjoy the weekend.  

JANUARY 4, 2022 Invested Advice, rankings and stock market news for investors. Good morning, investors. Highlights of today's newsletter include: Analysts' 9 Top Stock Picks for Q1 5 IPO Stocks to Watch in January How to Buy IPO Stock at Its Offer Price TODAY'S FEATURED STOCK STORY Analysts' 9 Top Stock Picks for Q1 The S&P 500 just finished its third consecutive year of outsize gains. But while some investors are concerned about persistently high inflation and rising interest rates, most remain optimistic that the global economy will continue to normalize in 2022. Bank of America anticipates elevated stock market volatility in the first quarter and throughout the upcoming year, which could make stock selection more important than ever. Bank of America recently released its quarterly list of top stock picks for the next three months. Here are nine high-conviction stocks to buy that should have bullish catalysts coming in the first quarter: 1. Citigroup Inc. (ticker: C). Citigroup has been a disappointment for investors over the past decade, lagging behind the S&P 500 and many of its big bank stock peers. However, analyst Ebrahim Poonawala says Citigroup may finally be reaching a long-term inflection point in the first quarter. Poonawala says new CEO Jane Fraser has been aggressive in reshaping the bank's business. Citigroup shares trade below tangible book value, and Poonawala says the company's upcoming investor day event March 2 could be the bullish catalyst investors have been waiting for. Bank of America has a "buy" rating and $100 price target for C stock, which finished 2021 at $60.39. 2. Carrier Global Corp. (CARR). Carrier Global provides heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration, fire and security products. Analyst Andrew Obin says the latest pandemic wave will likely keep demand for indoor air quality services high in the first quarter. Obin says Carrier has an attractive valuation relative to its peers, and the pending divestment of the Chubb Fire and Security business will significantly improve Carrier's balance sheet and potentially unlock valuation upside in the first quarter. Finally, Obin says pricing power and supply chain improvements could drive first-quarter earnings upside for Carrier. Bank of America has a "buy" rating and $70 price target for CARR stock, which closed at $54.24 on Dec. 31. Click here to continue reading. Analysts' top stock picks to buy for Q1 2022: Citigroup Inc. (C) Carrier Global Corp. (CARR) CNH Industrial NV (CNHI) CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. (CRWD) Lamb Weston Holdings Inc. (LW) Occidental Petroleum Corp. (OXY) Rexford Industrial Realty Inc. (REXR) ViacomCBS Inc. (VIAC) Xcel Energy Inc. (XEL)