In this article we discuss the 5 best stock picks of billionaire David Shaw for 2021. If you want to read our detailed analysis of the David Shaw’s history and a complete list of his top picks, go directly to 10 Best Buy According to Billionaire D.E. Shaw for 2021.
5. The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS)
The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) is a Los Angeles-based mass media and entertainment company founded by legendary animator Walt Disney in 1923. Most of the Disney stock is owned by large financial institutions. The company operates several film studios, theme park resorts, consumer products, several television channels, and cruises around the world. Mickey Mouse, a cartoon character created by founder Walt Disney almost a hundred years ago, is one of the most famous cartoons in the world. It is also the official mascot for Disney.
The firm has a market cap of more than $341 billion and posted more than $65 billion in revenue in October 2020. Earlier this month, New York-based independent investment banking Needham reiterated a Hold rating on Disney stock amid lowering revenue expectations for the entertainment firm. However, the investment company raised the expectations for the earnings per share on Disney stock despite falling revenues. The Walt Disney Company ranks fifth on our list of top 10 best stock picks of billionaire David E Shaw.
At the end of the fourth quarter of 2020, 144 hedge funds out of 887 in the Insider Monkey database held stakes in Walt Disney, up from 112 out of 817 in Q3 2020. The total value of the shares held by these hedge funds in Q4 2020 was over $16 billion, up from $8 billion in the preceding quarter. As of February 2021, DE Shaw Capital Holdings held 5,743, 501 shares of Disney, with a total value of over $1.04 billion. The hedge fund holds more than 1% of the total shares in the entertainment firm.
4. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL)
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is a California-based technology company that primarily manufactures and sells electronic devices. It also has stakes in the cloud computing, navigation, and computer software and hardware businesses. More than a billion Apple devices are in use around the world and the firm also owns the largest online music retainer in the world, the iTunes service. It recently launched a digital streaming service as well. Apple is known as the most valuable brand in the world because of its popularity and size.
The firm has a market cap of more than $2.23 trillion and posted more than $274 billion in revenue in September 2020. Earlier this month, Swiss investment banking group UBS maintained a Buy rating on Apple stock, projecting good earnings for the company in the next six months as it prepares to launch new products like the latest versions of the iPad and iPhone, two of the best-selling Apple products on the market. Apples features fourth on our list of top 10 stock picks of billionaire David E Shaw.
At the end of the fourth quarter of 2020, 146 hedge funds out of 887 in the Insider Monkey database held stakes in Apple, up from 134 out of 817 in Q3 2020. The total value of the shares held by these hedge funds in Q4 2020 was over $141 billion, up from $127 billion in the preceding quarter. As of February 2021, DE Shaw Capital Holdings held 11,178, 923 shares of Apple, with a total value of over $1.4 billion. The hedge fund holds more than 1% of the total shares in the California-based technology firm.
3. Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) (BOND)
Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) is a California-based automaker that primarily develops and sells electric vehicles around the world. The firm also has stakes in the clean energy business. It makes batteries, solar panels and other energy-related products as well. The EVs of the company are very popular and the Tesla Model 3 vehicle is the best-selling plug-in electric car around the world. Tesla also has a factory set up for manufacturing in China as demand for EVs rises in the Asian country as part of a climate drive by the government.
The company has a market cap of over $649 billion and posted more than $31 billion in revenue in December 2020. Earlier this month, Vancouver-based investment firm Canaccord Genuity upgraded Tesla to a Buy rating and set the price target of shares at $1,071. The investment firm made the valuation based on the battery manufacturing, cell design, and auto structural breakthroughs in automaking that the company has recently achieved, pushing it ahead of competitors who are also in the EV automaking business.
At the end of the fourth quarter of 2020, 68 hedge funds out of 887 in the Insider Monkey database held stakes in Tesla, up from 67 out of 817 in Q3 2020. The total value of the shares held by these hedge funds in Q4 2020 was over $123 billion, up from $87 billion in the preceding quarter. As of February 2021, DE Shaw Capital Holdings held 145,521, 000 shares of Tesla, with a total value of over $1.6 billion. The hedge fund holds more than 1% of the total shares in the California-based automaker.
2. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT)
Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) is a Washington-based multinational firm that is primarily in the computer software and hardware business. The company also develops and sells electronics and other internet-related services. Microsoft became a household name with the advent of the personal computer in the second half of the twenty-first century after it started selling computer software. The firm is still among the top software makers in the world even after the arrival of stiff competition in the last two decades.
It has a market cap of close to $2 trillion and posted more than $143 billion in revenue in June 2020. California-based wealth management firm Wedbush earlier this month said that a recent Microsoft deal with the US army showed that the firm was gaining ground on rival Amazon on government projects. The firm maintained an Outperform rating and set a price target of $300 on Microsoft stocks. Microsoft Corporation thus ranks second on our list of top 10 best stock picks of billionaire David E Shaw for 2021.
At the end of the fourth quarter of 2020, 258 hedge funds out of 887 in the Insider Monkey database held stakes in Microsoft, up from 234 out of 817 in Q3 2020. The total value of the shares held by these hedge funds in Q4 2020 was over $52.8 billion, up from $42.1 billion in the preceding quarter. As of February 2021, DE Shaw Capital Holdings held 8,544,962 shares of Microsoft, with a total value of over $1.9 billion. The hedge fund holds more than 1% of the total shares in the Washington-based company.
1. Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN)
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) is a Seattle-based multinational technology firm that operates one of the largest e-commerce businesses in the world. Over the last few years, the company has also become one of the largest technology firms in the United States. Jeff Bezos, the owner of Amazon, is one of the richest men globally. The firm has stakes in the cloud computing, publishing, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence businesses. Amazon is also the second-largest private employer in the US.
Amazon has a market cap of over $1.65 trillion and posted more than $386 billion in revenue in December 2020. Earlier this month, WSJ reported that Amazon had increased digital advertising revenue to more than 10% of the total, closing the gap on competitors who stood at more than 20%. Last week, global investment firm Evercore named Amazon as one of the top technology stocks for the first half of 2021. The company thus features first on our list of top 10 best stock picks of billionaire David E Shaw for 2021.
At the end of the fourth quarter of 2020, 273 hedge funds out of 887 in the Insider Monkey database held stakes in Amazon, up from 245 out of 817 in Q3 2020. The total value of the shares held by these hedge funds in Q4 2020 was over $51.6 billion, up from $43.7 billion in the preceding quarter. As of February 2021, DE Shaw Capital Holdings held 647,039 shares of Amazon, with a total value of over $2.1 billion. The hedge fund holds more than 1% of the total shares in the technology company.
You can also take a peek at 10 Best Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2021 and Top 10 Best Freelancing Platforms and Websites for 2021.
