10 Stocks to Buy Now According to Hari Hariharan’s NWI Management

In this article, we discuss 10 stocks to buy now according to Hari Hariharan’s NWI Management.

Hari Hariharan graduated from the University of Madras with a bachelor’s degree in commerce and accounting and holds an MBA in finance from IIM, India. In addition, he completed the Management Development Program at Harvard University. Hari Hariharan worked with Citibank N.A. from 1976 to 1993. He created the hedge fund called Santander New World Investments Group in 1993, which was spun off as NWI Management in 1999.

NWI Management is a New York-based hedge fund. It focuses mainly on global macro, with a concentration on developing markets. Its investment strategy begins with a broad, top-down examination of various economic and policy aspects and variables derived from a survey of international markets, including global equities, fixed income, commodities, and currency markets, such as money flows, price action, and supply/demand factors. As of Q4 2021, NWI Management’s 13F portfolio value reduced to $1.52 billion from $1.61 billion in the prior quarter. However, the number of holdings increased to 49 from 45 during the fourth quarter. The hedge fund made additional purchases in 3 stocks and reduced holdings in 9 equities.

Some of the significant holdings of NWI Management include Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD), Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE), and NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA).

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., in which NWI Management has a $2.16 million stake, is gaining a lot of attention as on February 16, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. announced the general availability of compute-optimized Amazon EC2 C6a instances as part of Amazon Web Services’ AMD EPYC processor-based solutions. C6a instances expand the cloud’s largest and most comprehensive array of EC2 instances, allowing users to execute a wide range of compute-intensive tasks.

10 Stocks to Buy Now According to Hari Hariharan's NWI Management

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Another notable stock in NWI Management’s portfolio is Adobe Inc.. On January 21, Deutsche Bank analyst Brad Zelnick decreased his price objective on Adobe Inc. from $715 to $660 and maintained a Buy rating. In addition, he advised a balanced strategy for the group with higher value sensitivity than in prior years.

NWI Management added NVIDIA Corporation to its portfolio in the fourth quarter by buying 7,000 shares. The hedge fund owns a $2.06 million stake in the company. NVIDIA Corporation has been up 78.46% over the last 12 months as of February 24.

Our Methodology

Keeping all these points in mind, let’s start our list of 10 stocks to buy now according to Hari Hariharan’s NWI Management. For this list, we collected data from Hariharan’s 13F portfolio as of Q4 2021. The fourth quarter database of elite hedge funds maintained by Insider Monkey was used for this analysis.

Stocks to Buy Now According to Hari Hariharan’s NWI Management

10. Twitter, Inc. (NYSE:TWTR)

NWI Management Stake Value: $22,016,000

Percentage of NWI Management’s 13F Portfolio: 1.44%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 83

Twitter, Inc. (NYSE:TWTR) is an American micro-blogging and social networking website. Twitter, Inc. introduced ethereum credentials to its cryptocurrency functionality under Tips on February 16. Tips allows customers to connect their third-party payment information to their profile, such as Cash App.

Wells Fargo analyst Brian Fitzgerald lowered his price objective on Twitter, Inc. from $70 to $42 on February 15 and maintained an Equal Weight recommendation on the stock. Twitter, Inc.’s Q4 earnings were broadly in line with expectations, according to the analyst.

Cathie Wood’s ARK Investment Management, with approximately 17.25 million shares worth $745.36 million, is the largest shareholder of Twitter, Inc. as of Q4 2021. Overall, 83 hedge funds were bullish on the stock.

Along with Twitter, Inc., some other important holdings of Hari Hariharan’s NWI Management include Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Adobe Inc., and NVIDIA Corporation.

RiverPark Funds, an investment management firm, mentioned Twitter, Inc. in its third-quarter 2021 investor letter. Here is what the fund said:

“Twitter: Despite reporting in-line third quarter results, TWTR shares struggled at the end of 2021. For TWTR, the declines could be attributed to a fear of continued headwinds from Apple’s iOS tracking changes, as well as the stock continuing to be a show-me story after posting two disappointing quarters since its investor day in February (prior to this in-line quarter), as well as its recent CEO change (founder Jack Dorsey stepped down and is being succeeded by long-time CTO Parag Agrawal). Investors continue to be concerned with the platform’s user engagement, as total monetizable daily active users (mDAU) grew 13% year over year to 211 million, in-line with expectations, but still below management’s long-term target of 20% growth. Management expects mDAU growth to accelerate, driven by continued economic reopening and new features such as Spaces and Communities and an increase in the number and penetration of Twitter Topics. For the quarter, revenue increased 37% year over year to $1.3 billion and 4Q guidance was strong at about 20% growth, as Twitter has less exposure to Apple’s ATT headwinds.

With $4.8 billion of TTM revenue (only 4% of Facebook’s revenue), the company has a large opportunity to take share in the $200 billion global digital advertising market that continues to flow to mobile, Twitter’s focus. As the company continues to launch and improve its products (including stories, audio chat, podcasting, video and subscriptions), its platform should become more compelling to both users and advertisers, allowing it to take advertising dollar share through increased user engagement and ad pricing. As Twitter showed this year, we believe that the company can generate 20%+ revenue growth while also driving operating leverage in its already highly profitable business model, generating expanding excess free cash flow growth over time (3Q OCF grew 81% year over year).”

9. Intercorp Financial Services Inc. (NYSE:IFS)

NWI Management Stake Value: $27,446,000

Percentage of NWI Management’s 13F Portfolio: 1.8%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 5

Intercorp Financial Services Inc. (NYSE:IFS) operates as a holding company that provides financial services. NWI Management entered the fourth quarter of 2021 with 1.02 million Intercorp Financial Services Inc. shares in its portfolio, worth around $27.45 million. The company has featured on the hedge fund’s portfolio since the fourth quarter of 2019.

With collective stakes worth $32.7 million, 5 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey held long positions in Intercorp Financial Services Inc. in Q4 2021.

8. Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:PANW)

NWI Management Stake Value: $27,838,000

Percentage of NWI Management’s 13F Portfolio: 1.82%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 73

Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:PANW) is a network security company that provides services to businesses, service providers, and government agencies. On January 24, Citi analyst Fatima Boolani initiated coverage of Palo Alto Networks, Inc., rating the stock as Buy and setting a price target of $585.

Hedge funds are loading up on Palo Alto Networks, Inc., as Insider Monkey’s data shows that 73 funds were bullish on the stock as of the end of the fourth quarter of 2021, with collective stakes amounting to $6.4 billion.

Even after selling 25,000 shares of Palo Alto Networks, Inc. in the fourth quarter, NWI Management still holds 50,000 shares of the company worth about $27.84 million.

7. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)

NWI Management Stake Value: $29,832,000

Percentage of NWI Management’s 13F Portfolio: 1.96%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 134

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) develops, manufactures, and sells smartphones, tablets, laptops, wearables, accessories, and other products and services. Following Apple Inc.’s outstanding Q4 earnings, Tigress Financial analyst Ivan Feinseth boosted his price target to $210 from $198 and reiterated a Strong Buy recommendation on the stock. On January 27, Apple Inc.’s first quarter revenue came in at $123.94 billion, up 11.2% Y/Y, beating the estimates by $5.41 billion.

NWI Management started investing in Apple Inc. during the fourth quarter of 2014, with a stake worth roughly $128.04 million. In Q4 2021, the hedge fund held shares worth $29.83 million. Apple Inc. represents close to 1.96% of the hedge fund’s 13F portfolio.

Legendary investor and billionaire Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is the most significant stakeholder of Apple Inc. in the fourth quarter of 2021. The Oracle of Omaha owns 887.14 million shares of the company worth $157.53 billion.

In its fourth-quarter 2021 investor letter, Alger mentioned Apple Inc.. Here is what the fund said:

“Apple is a leading technology provider in telecommunications, computing and services. Apple’s iOS operating system is the company’s unique intellectual property and competitive strength. This software drives tight engagement with consumers and enterprises, fostering the growing purchases of high-margin services like music, apps and Apple Pay. Apple’s quarterly earnings exceeded street estimates on strong margin realization driven by a sales mix of more profitable services. The margin strength was even more impressive given significantly higher freight costs and supply constraints that prevented approximately $6 billion in revenue realization.”

6. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN)

NWI Management Stake Value: $35,344,000

Percentage of NWI Management’s 13F Portfolio: 2.32%

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 279

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) is an e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence-focused American multinational technology firm. Following the company’s fourth-quarter results, Citi analyst Jason Bazinet on February 9 raised his price target for Amazon.com, Inc. from $4,100 to $4,115 and maintained a Buy rating on the shares.

On February 17, Amazon.com, Inc. and Barclays PLC (NYSE:BCS) announced a partnership in the United Kingdom for installment payments. This partnership will enable Amazon.com, Inc. customers in the United Kingdom to utilize installments by Barclays to finance purchases of £100 ($136) or more.

In Q4 2021, the number of hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey having stakes in Amazon.com, Inc. was 279, up from 242 in the preceding quarter. These stakes hold a value of over $49 billion.

Like Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Adobe Inc., and NVIDIA Corporation, Amazon.com, Inc. is also one of the important stocks in Hariharan’s Investment portfolio.

Weitz Investment Management published its fourth-quarter 2021 investor letter in which it mentioned Amazon.com, Inc.. Here is what the experts at Weitz Investment Management had to say about the company:

“Several “platform” companies thrived during COVID and have been very strong stocks. In 2021, their businesses continued to thrive, though their stock prices cooled off. Amazon continues to steamroll the competition and grow rapidly, but its stock ended the year about where it began.”

5. Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA)

NWI Management Stake Value: $35,748,000
Percentage of NWI Management’s 13F Portfolio: 2.34%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 41

Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) manufactures bauxite, alumina, and aluminium in various cast and rolled forms. As part of a more significant analysis on Metals & Mining, Goldman Sachs analyst Emily Chieng boosted her price target on Alcoa Corporation to $88 from $78 and maintained a Conviction Buy rating on the stock on February 15.

NWI Management started building its position in Alcoa Corporation in the fourth quarter of 2020. In the fourth quarter of 2021, the hedge fund held 600,000 shares of the company, valued at $35.75 million. Alcoa Corporation represents 2.34% of the hedge fund’s 13F portfolio.

41 out of the 924 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey held stakes in Alcoa Corporation in the fourth quarter of 2021, worth $1.48 billion, compared to 44 in the preceding quarter, holding stakes in Alcoa Corporation valued at $1.74 billion.

4. Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU)

NWI Management Stake Value: $37,726,000
Percentage of NWI Management’s 13F Portfolio: 2.47%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 83

Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) is a computer memory and data storage company in the United States. Its products include dynamic random-access memory, multi chip packages, NAND Flash memory, NOR Flash memory, solid-state drives, and hybrid memory cubes. Micron Technology, Inc. accounts for about 2.47% of NWI Management’s Q4 portfolio, as the hedge fund owns a $37.73 million stake in the company.

Wedbush analyst Matt Bryson raised Micron Technology, Inc. from Neutral to Outperform on February 2, increasing his price target to $120 from $100, reflecting lower long-term uncertainty and near-term NAND projections.

Micron Technology, Inc. saw an increase in hedge fund sentiment recently. The number of long hedge fund positions rose to 83 at the end of the fourth quarter, compared to 63 positions in the previous quarter.

Hazelton Capital Partners, an investment management firm, in its third-quarter 2021 investor letter, mentioned Micron Technology, Inc.. Here is what Hazelton Capital Partners said about Micron Technology, Inc.:

“It’s hard to explain how shares of Micron Technology, manufacture of DRAM and NAND semiconductor chips, can fall during a global chip shortage. In most industries, focusing on demand can give you a clear insight into what lays ahead for a company. Today, the memory and storage chip industry is no different. However, in the past, companies focused on market share led to the reckless build out of chip fabrication plants (FABs), oversupply, falling average selling prices (ASPs) of memory and storage chips, lower margins, and declining cash flows. As the industry consolidated – there are now just 3 major producers of DRAM and 5 on the NAND side – rational behavior among the key players began to take hold as competitors began focusing more on R&D. Currently, chip pricing remains cyclical although less so than in the past and that cyclicality has a long-term upward bias. The ongoing transition to newer and more robust platforms (3D 176-layer NAND & 1-Alpha node DRAM) has provided the memory and storage chip industry with improved supply capacity under its current manufacturing footprint, ultimately pressuring ASPs. Over the past three years, as most of the large platform conversions have already taken place, being able to add more bits per wafer has reached a saturation point. With no major FAB build outs planned in the near-term by competitors Samsung or SK Hynix, constrained supply and flattening cost curves should lead to durable and upward sloping ASPs once the recent volatility from the chip shortage subsides.

Currently Micron Technology trades at just 8x 2022 estimate earnings. MU is expecting growth in both DRAM and NAND not just from the supply of more chips to data centers, artificial intelligence, the auto sector, and mobile devices, but also from greater demand for gigabyte capacity per unit within those segments. With a healthy balance sheet, improving return on invested capital, and expanding cash flows, not only should Micron benefit from improving future earnings but its multiple should also reflect the transition to a flattening cost curve.”

3. Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:FB)

NWI Management Stake Value: $58,861,000
Percentage of NWI Management’s 13F Portfolio: 3.86%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 224

Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:FB), formerly known as Facebook, Inc., is an American global technology corporation located in Menlo Park, California. As of the end of the fourth quarter, 224 hedge funds in Insider Monkey’s database of 924 funds held stakes in Meta Platforms, Inc., down from 248 funds in the prior quarter.

Meta Platforms, Inc. was downgraded to Hold from Buy by Argus analyst Joseph Bonner on February 4. According to the analyst, the company’s Q4 numbers were somewhat disappointing, but his rating adjustment was due to the company’s 2022 guidance. On February 2, Meta Platforms, Inc. posted a Q4 EPS of $3.67, missing the consensus by $0.16.

In Q4 2021, NWI Management held a stake worth over $58.86 million in Meta Platforms, Inc., after increasing its position by 40%. Meta Platforms, Inc. accounted for 3.86% of NWI Management’s portfolio.

Jefferies Group mentioned Meta Platforms, Inc. in its third-quarter 2021 investor letter. Here is what the firm said:

“While still early, FB is in the process of building the platforms that will ultimately support the development the Metaverse. We look at FB’s position through the lens of 4 current investment initiatives: 1) Oculus VR hardware, 2) Smart glasses, 3) Augmented Reality lenses, and 4) “Horizon Workrooms”

Oculus Virtual Reality hardware: Since acquiring Oculus in 2014 ($2B deal), FB has been focused on developing best-in-class hardware and complementary software & services to support VR experiences. The Oculus Quest 2 is FB’s newest VR headset; it retails at $299 and allows users to play games, try fitness classes, play sports, and watch concerts in virtual environments. Most importantly, Quest 2 is linked to users’ Facebook accounts, which means users can seamlessly connect with friends in virtual environments to play games or spend time together. We believe one of FB’s biggest differentiators in VR is its large array of non-gaming experiences that were designed for Oculus. For instance, users can explore extreme terrain in National Geographic Explore VR, join virtual fitness classes, or simulate being a chef. As FB’s hardware continues to improve and becomes less cumbersome, we would expect a flywheel of greater developer and user adoption of VR…” (Click here to see the full text)

2. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT)

NWI Management Stake Value: $77,354,000
Percentage of NWI Management’s 13F Portfolio: 5.08%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 262

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) is a multinational technology business headquartered in Redmond, Washington. Morgan Stanley analyst Keith Weiss maintained an Overweight rating on Microsoft Corporation shares with a $372 price target on February 8.

NWI Management owns 230,000 shares in Microsoft Corporation worth over $77.35 million, representing close to 5.08% of its Q4 portfolio. The hedge fund reduced its stake in Microsoft Corporation by 33% in the fourth quarter of 2021.

As per Insider Monkey’s Q4 data, 262 hedge funds reported owning stakes in Microsoft Corporation, up from 250 funds in the previous quarter. The total value of these stakes is nearly $75.6 billion.

Baron Funds in its third-quarter 2021 investor letter mentioned Microsoft Corporation. Here is what it said:

“Shares of Microsoft Corporation, a cloud-software leader and provider of software productivity tools and infrastructure, rose during the quarter following a strong earnings report highlighting solid demand for its broad product stack and continued momentum migrating its business to the cloud. Microsoft’s results continued to be strong across the board, with total revenue beating Street estimates by 4.5%, an acceleration in Commercial Cloud revenue to 31% constant-currency growth, a four-point improvement in Commercial Cloud gross margins (to 70% from 66%), and GAAP earnings up 42%. We believe the company is positioned to deliver 13% to 15% organic growth over the next three years, underpinned by TAM expansion across its disruptive cloud product portfolio, as more companies look to transform and digitize their businesses, as well as strong operating leverage as its cloud products gain scale.”

1. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG)

NWI Management Stake Value: $141,786,000
Percentage of NWI Management’s 13F Portfolio: 9.31%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 158

Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) is a high-tech corporation. Alphabet Inc. took its most significant asset – the millions of daily Google search engine users – and applied it to various businesses, including the Android smartphone operating system. On February 2, Stifel analyst Scott Devitt boosted his price objective on Alphabet Inc. to $3,500 from $3,200 and maintained a Buy rating on the shares after the company reported another strong quarter.

On February 1, Alphabet Inc. published earnings for the fourth quarter, announcing an EPS of $30.69, beating estimates by $3.39. In addition, the $75.32 billion revenue for the period was up 32.4% year-over-year, exceeding estimates by $3.51 billion.

158 out of the 924 hedge funds held stakes in Alphabet Inc. in the fourth quarter of 2021, worth $36.6 billion, up from 156 funds in the preceding quarter, holding stakes in Alphabet Inc. worth $34.9 billion.

Weitz Investment Management, in its fourth-quarter 2021 investor letter mentioned Alphabet Inc.. Here is what the fund said:

“A couple of other platform companies deserve a mention as well. Meta Platforms and Alphabet have both been under regulatory scrutiny that has affected their valuations. The threats of punitive action are real, but we have tried to be imaginative about how onerous any fines, rule changes or forced divestitures might be, and we believe that the fiveyear outlook for each is well above average under almost any scenario. So, we include these two in the list of the under-appreciated.”

You can also take a peek at 10 Biotech Stocks to Buy According to Matthew Strobeck’s Birchview Capital and Top 10 Stock Picks of Peter S. Park’s Park West Asset Management.

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This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.