In this article, we discuss the 10 companies to consider in the portfolio of Oprah Winfrey.
Oprah Winfrey is among a rare breed of television personalities who have successfully cashed in on their brand value in the media to produce a billion dollar business empire that is on the growth path. The net worth of the talk show host is estimated to be in excess of $3 billion. This includes investments in businesses similar to Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD), Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA), and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL). Oprah is expected to soon feature on the Forbes 400, a list of the 400 richest Americans.
Over the course of her more than three decade long career in the media industry, Oprah has mostly limited her investments to sectors such as media, food, and education. This strategy has been especially successful for the famed TV host and teaches a valuable investing lesson as well – investing in areas where you have expertise is a necessary prerequisite to generating lucrative stock market returns. Oprah is by far the wealthiest TV personality in the world and a role model for young investors.
Our Methodology
The companies listed below were picked from public statements that Oprah Winfrey has made regarding these stocks. It’s important to note that Oprah Winfrey may not have direct stakes in some of these companies as of today. Those are included in the article because they have either received funding from the celebrity in the past or their business models are aligned with Oprah Winfrey’s investing philosophy and values. We also included some notable companies that have partnerships with Oprah Winfrey.
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Oprah Winfrey Stock Portfolio: Companies To Consider
10. Oatly Group AB (NASDAQ:OTLY)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 12
Oatly Group AB (NASDAQ:OTLY) is an oat milk company that provides a range of plant-based dairy products made from oats in Sweden. It is one of the best stocks to consider in the Oprah Winfrey stock portfolio. On October 26, Oatly Group AB revealed that it has launched its Oatly Barista Edition in approximately 1,250 Aral-owned sites, as part of the new cooperation between both companies. Aral is Germany’s largest petrol station network with 2,400 retail sites in Germany.
In May 2021, Oprah was part of a group of celebrities that invested nearly $200 million in a funding round for the company.
On August 3, RBC Capital analyst Nik Modi maintained an Outperform rating on Oatly Group AB stock and lowered the price target to $9 from $14, noting that company’s Q2 results outperformed organic growth estimates and the management appeared to focus more on cost discipline and profitability.
Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, London-based investment firm Half Sky Capital is a leading shareholder in Oatly Group AB with 2.8 million shares worth more than $7.4 million.
In its Q4 2021 investor letter, ClearBridge Investments, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Oatly Group AB was one of them. Here is what the fund said:
“We also closed out three names as we constantly seek ways to improve the Strategy’s overall growth profile. Oatly Group AB is a leader in dairy alternative oat-milk products benefiting from the long-term secular growth of the category. That growth, however, is contingent on its ability to scale up manufacturing and we sold the position due to increased risk that global supply chain constraints would limit such efforts.”
9. WW International, Inc. (NASDAQ:WW)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 19
WW International, Inc. (NASDAQ:WW) provides weight management products and services worldwide. It is one of the top stocks to consider in the Oprah Winfrey stock portfolio. On August 4, WW International posted earnings for the second quarter of 2022, reporting earnings per share of $0.40, beating market estimates by $0.04. The revenue over the period was $269.5 million, down 13.4% compared to the revenue over the same period last year and missing market estimates by $15.79 million.
Oprah has been a part of the incredible growth story of the firm. She first invested in the company in October 2015, spending $43 million to acquire a 10% stake. In 2019, Oprah extended a partnership deal with the company till 2025. At the time the deal was renewed, the stock had rallied 450% since Oprah bought a stake in the firm.
On October 5, Truist analyst Michael Swartz maintained a Hold rating on WW International, Inc. stock and lowered the price target to $5 from $7, noting the impact of rising interest rates and a stronger US dollar over the past 60 days.
At the end of the third quarter of 2022, 19 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $28 million in WW International, Inc., compared to 20 in the previous quarter worth $88.9 million.
8. United Natural Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:UNFI)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 23
United Natural Foods, Inc. (NASDAQ:UNFI) distributes natural, organic, specialty, produce, and conventional grocery and non-food products in the United States and Canada. It is one of the premier stocks to consider in the Oprah Winfrey stock portfolio. On October 4, United Natural Foods noted that it has opened a 125,000-square-foot refrigerated distribution center in Londonderry, NH. The food company is expanding its capacity and ability to deliver a leading selection of products to support customer growth across the northeast. Oprah has long supported the rise of plant-based alternative food firms like United Natural Foods.
On October 20, Goldman Sachs analyst Leah Jordan initiated coverage of United Natural Foods, Inc. stock with a Neutral rating and $40 price target, noting that the fundamental backdrop for the supermarket industry indicated that growth will likely be moderate in the coming months.
At the end of the third quarter of 2022, 23 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $121 million in United Natural Foods, Inc., compared to 19 in the preceding quarter worth $125.4 million.
7. Chegg, Inc. (NYSE:CHGG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 28
Chegg, Inc. (NYSE:CHGG) operates a direct-to-student learning platform that supports students starting with their academic journey and extending into their careers with products and services to support and help them better understand their academic course materials. It is one of the elite stocks to consider in the Oprah Winfrey stock portfolio. On November 1, Chegg posted earnings for the third quarter of 2022, reporting earnings per share of $0.21, beating market estimates by $0.07. The revenue over the period was $164.74 million, down 4.2% compared to the revenue over the same period last year and beating market estimates by $6.4 million.
The firm features on the list of stocks to consider in the Oprah Winfrey stock portfolio since it mimics the business model of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy, a school for young girls in South Africa established by Oprah herself.
On November 2, Citi analyst Thomas Singlehurst maintained a Neutral rating on Chegg, Inc. stock and raised the price to $29 from $25, noting that the company’s Q3 results were very encouraging.
Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, New York-based investment firm D.E. Shaw is a leading shareholder in Chegg, Inc. with 87.4 million shares worth more than $75.7 million.
In its Q4 2021 investor letter, Artisan Partners, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Chegg, Inc. was one of them. Here is what the fund said:
“Short-term market dynamics aside, we did experience several disappointing profit cycle developments during the quarter, Chegg, Inc. and Roku in particular. Chegg is a digital education platform. A pattern of steady long-term growth in US subscribers surprisingly came to an end when it reported Q3 results. This precipitated a sharp decline in the company’s valuation and our estimate of its private market value (PMV). Management cited factors such as fewer enrollees in 2-year colleges (lured into the workforce by higher wages) and less need for study aids as COVID-related pressures have resulted in students taking less-challenging courses and professors assigning lighter workloads. We view these explanations as mostly logical, but we also believe the US penetration of the company’s services has become relatively mature. These headwinds could persist for at least the next few quarters, and we are currently evaluating whether other long-term growth drivers—international subscriber growth, and new services—remain intact. Meanwhile, it represents a very small GardenSM position in our portfolio.”
6. General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 40
General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS) manufactures and markets branded consumer foods worldwide. On November 2, General Mills introduced new itty-bitty innovative cereals Minis cereals. It is one of the major stocks to consider in the Oprah Winfrey stock portfolio. On October 13, General Mills formed a partnership with No Kid Hungry which extends from a giant cereal box into a bowl of heart-shaped Cheerio pillows to raise awareness and funds for the non-profit.
In 2018, Oprah had disclosed that she had made an investment in the company. The restaurant firm later announced that Oprah would be joining the Board of Directors of the firm as a consultant.
On September 22, BMO Capital analyst Kenneth Zaslow maintained a Market Perform rating on General Mills, Inc. stock and raised the price target to $85 from $80, noting that the company’s Q1 beat the expectations.
At the end of the third quarter of 2022, 40 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $933.7 million in General Mills, Inc., compared to 35 in the previous quarter worth $965.7 million.
In its Q2 2022 investor letter, Chartwell Investment Partners, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and General Mills, Inc. was one of them. Here is what the fund said:
“In the Dividend Equity accounts, the three best performers in Q2 include General Mills (NYSE:GIS, 3.2%), up 12.2%. General Mills benefitted from the combination of being in a very defensive industry as well as demonstrating solid business momentum; margins have been particularly impressive, following price increases.”
5. The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ:KHC)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 40
The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ:KHC) manufactures and markets food and beverage products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It is one of the best stocks to consider in the Oprah Winfrey stock portfolio. On October 25, Kraft Heinz Company and NotCo, a food tech startup, revealed the first products of their innovative partnership: animal-free cheese slices and mayonnaise. The cheese will be tested in 30 Cleveland, OH Stores. The new mayo is expected to be launched in 2023. Oprah had teamed up with the food company in 2017 to introduce a new line of healthy and nutritious products called the Oprah Winfrey line that included special soups, dishes, and other products.
On October 14, Morgan Stanley analyst Pamela Kaufman maintained an Equal Weight rating on The Kraft Heinz Company stock and lowered the price target to $37 from $41, noting that fundamentals in Q3 should look similar to Q2 with strong pricing-led organic sales growth and significant gross margin pressure for the firm.
Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Omaha, Nebraska-based investment firm Berkshire Hathaway is a leading shareholder in The Kraft Heinz Company with 325.6 million shares worth more than $10.9 billion.
4. Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 61
Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. a media company, provides content across various distribution platforms. It is one of the top stocks to consider in the Oprah Winfrey stock portfolio. On October 24, Warner Bros. Discovery estimated that it will take on some $3.2 billion to $4.3 billion in pre-tax charges tied to restructuring its business. The company said that $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion of those charges are coming in its third quarter. The firm is on the list of companies to consider in the portfolio of Oprah Winfrey because it is reported that Oprah sold some of her stake in the Oprah Winfrey Network, a cable channel she owns, in late 2020 to Discovery in a deal rumored to be around $35 million that included stock options.
On October 11, Barclays analyst Kannan Venkateshwar maintained an Equal Weight rating on Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. stock and lowered the price target to $15 from $17, noting that idiosyncratic variables result in widely varying Q3 trends across media companies as investor bias remains broadly negative.
At the end of the third quarter of 2022, 61 hedge funds in the database of Insider Monkey held stakes worth $1.6 billion in Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc., compared to 68 in the preceding quarter worth $2.3 billion.
In its Q2 2022 investor letter, Mayar Capital, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. was one of them. Here is what the fund said:
“We sold the last of our shares in Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. in early April. Luckily, we were able to sell the majority of our long-held holdings in the crazy run-up that accompanied the Archegos Capital debacle in early 2021. We did, however, rebuild a position in the stock when the stock went back down and this second go was disappointing.
We weren’t happy with the shift in strategy from the company’s core non-scripted and documentary content—where it commanded a leading position— into the wider media business it dived into with the Warner Media acquisition. We were also unhappy with the resulting increase in debt levels. It was time to take our money and walk away.”
3. Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 73
Comcast Corporation operates as a media and technology company worldwide. It is one of the premier stocks to consider in the Oprah Winfrey stock portfolio. On November 2, Comcast Corporation and Charter Communications, a telecommunication and mass media company, named their streaming platform joint venture Xumo, reprocessing the name of Comcast’s free ad-supported streaming service into a bigger ecosystem. The firm is on the list of firms in the Oprah Winfrey stock portfolio since it purchased Oxygen Media for $925 million in 2017. Oxygen Media is a media project Oprah co-founded in 1998 that focused on content for women and children.
On October 28, Cowen analyst Gregory Williams maintained an Outperform rating on Comcast Corporation stock and lowered the price target to $49 from $51, noting that the company was focused on more durable growth strategies for Mobile Business Services.
Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, New York-based firm First Eagle Investment Management is a leading shareholder in Comcast Corporation with 31.6 million shares worth more than $928 million.
In its Q4 2021 investor letter, ClearBridge Investments, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Comcast Corporation was one of them. Here is what the fund said:
“Weakness among our holdings in the communication services sector was the other detractor to performance. Comcast Corporation was hurt by tepid subscriber growth in its broadband business but demonstrated strong growth in free cash flow, positioning the company for accelerated capital return going forward.”
2. Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 115
Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) provides entertainment services. It offers TV series, documentaries, feature films, and mobile games across various genres and languages. On October 27, Netflix and Walmart revealed that they are expanding a previously online deal for streaming show merchandise to take it into brick-and-mortar stores nationwide. Both had created a digital storefront, The Netflix Hub, and are moving into more than 2,400 Walmart stores. Oprah has partnered with the streaming giant on several occasions and also owns her own production house, called Harpo Productions, that operates as a media and entertainment firm.
On October 25, Daiwa analyst Satoshi Tanaka upgraded Netflix, Inc. stock to Outperform from Neutral with a price target of $330, up from $226.
Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, Chicago-based investment firm Citadel Investment Group is a leading shareholder in Netflix, Inc. with 9.4 million shares worth more than $2.2 billion.
In its Q3 2022 investor letter, Ensemble Capital Management, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Netflix, Inc. was one of them. Here is what the fund said:
“Netflix, Inc. (+34.6%): After a punishing first half of the year when bearish investors came to believe that Netflix’s growth days were done for good, the company reported fewer subscriber losses than expected in the second quarter and guided for a return to at least modest subscriber growth in the third quarter. In addition, as more information about the company’s planned advertising-supported subscription tier has become available, investors began to express growing confidence in this tool to revitalize growth in 2023.”
1. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG)
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 156
Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) provides various products and platforms such as Google Services, Google Cloud etc. It is one of the major stocks to consider in the Oprah Winfrey stock portfolio. On October 27, according to a report from TechCrunch, Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet, acquired Alter, an AI startup for approximately $100 million. On October 27, Google introduced a Blockchain Node Engine based on Google Cloud for Ethereum projects. The firm is on the list of stocks to consider the Oprah Winfrey stock portfolio since Oprah has contributed to a $1.7 million funding round for Waywire, a New York-based internet platform targeted at young people that features original content from members that users could watch and share for free. Google runs a similar service called YouTube.
On October 26, KeyBanc analyst Justin Patterson maintained an Overweight rating on Alphabet Inc. stock and lowered the price target to $118 from $120, highlighting that the company’s Q3 net revenue was largely in line with expectations.
Among the hedge funds being tracked by Insider Monkey, London-based investment firm TCI Fund Management is a leading shareholder in Alphabet Inc. with 52.4 million shares worth more than $5 billion.
In its Q2 2022 investor letter, Baron Funds, an asset management firm, highlighted a few stocks and Alphabet Inc. was one of them. Here is what the fund said:
“Alphabet Inc. is the parent company of Google, the world’s largest search and online advertising company. Shares of Alphabet declined 21.6% in the quarter due to concerns about slower global growth impacting the company’s core advertising business. We retain conviction in Alphabet’s merits as it continues to benefit from growth in mobile and online video advertising, which accrues to its core assets of search, YouTube, and the Google ad network. We are further encouraged by Alphabet’s investments in Cloud, AI, and Autonomous Driving (through its Waymo subsidiary).”
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This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
