The market has bounced back quite nicely in recent weeks yet there is a chance a second wave of COVID-19 will erase some of the gains.  Plenty of stocks have appreciated in price this past week, putting up exemplary marks with our exclusive POWR Ratings system.

The POWR Ratings update on a daily basis, providing valuable insight into the stocks that are most worthy of investor attention.  Sony Corporation (SNE), Twilio (TWLO), RingCentral (RNG) and New Gold (NGD) were recently upgraded.  Let’s take a closer look at these stocks.

Twilio (TWLO A – Strong Buy)

The embedding of communications features into applications and platforms with highly specialized tools will prove quite important in the years and decades ahead.  This is precisely why TWLO has been upgraded in the POWR Ratings.  The cloud communications platform-as-a-service provider empowers developers to create and operate communications with software.

In short, TWLO makes it easy for developers to add video, voice, messaging and other interactive capabilities to apps and platforms.  The POWR Ratings have TWLO ranked as the top company out of 10 in the Software – SAAS space with an A Buy & Hold Grade as well as an A Trade Grade.

TWLO price returns are flawless: 705% across three years, 103% across six months and 149% across three months.  The high forecast for the stock is $240, meaning it has significant upside.

TWLO just might blow past its 52-week high of $209.94 as economic activity picks back up.

Sony Corporation (SNE A – Strong Buy)

Everyone with stock trading account has the opportunity to invest in an electronics powerhouse with a gaming segment, motion picture division, music business and financial services wing.  SNE provides each of these products and services.  SNE is ranked #1 of 20 stocks in the Entertainment – Media Producers category with As across the POWR Components but for its Industry Rank.

The average price target for SNE is $75.12, meaning there is nearly 7% upside at a bare minimum.  SNE price returns are in the green for all time frames: 130% across five years, 41% across the past year and 23% across the past three months.  With a relatively low forward P/E ratio of 23, this electronics behemoth appears to be a solid deal at its current trading level.

Sony also has its hands in the virtual reality (VR) pie, with its PlayStation VR selling better than any other offering in the space.  The company’s VR technology is fully compatible with its upcoming gaming system, the PlayStation 5, giving SNE a considerable competitive advantage over Microsoft and Nintendo.

RingCentral (RNG A – Strong Buy)

Software-as-a-service (SaaS) is one of the hottest industries at the moment.  RNG’s SaaS solutions are used in an array of devices ranging from PCs to smartphones, desk phones and tablets.  The company provides:

• Smart call routing
• Extension dialing
• Flexible extension structure
• Call transfers
• Seamless integration with smartphones

The POWR Ratings have RNG ranked fourth of 47 stocks in the Software – Business category.  RNG has a -3.73% price return in the past month yet a 53% price return across the past three months and a 63% price return across the past six months.  Furthermore, RNG’s one-year price return is 127%.

RNG is approaching the analysts’ average price target of $276.  The high forecast for the stock is $315.

New Gold (NGD A – Strong Buy)

When in doubt, buy gold.  Gold has proven to be a solid investment amidst economic turmoil and societal uncertainty.  NGD is zeroed in on the exploration for and development of gold and natural resource properties.  The company has been in business for 40 years.

The POWR Ratings have NGD rated 5th of 29 stocks in the Miners – Gold category, highlighted by an A Trade Grade and an A Buy & Hold Grade.  NGD price returns are quite solid: 217% across three months, 50% across one month and 84% across one year.

NGD recently spiked 12.9% after announcing the sale of its Blackwater mine to Artemis for more than $140 million, making the company’s balance sheet that much more attractive to prospective investors.

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About the Author: Patrick Ryan

Patrick Ryan has more than a dozen years of investing experience with a focus on information technology, consumer and entertainment sectors. In addition to working for StockNews, Patrick has also written for Wealth Authority and Fallon Wealth Management. More...

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