Daniel Sparks

Key Points Shopify's recent effort to improve profitability is working. The company is benefiting from several strong tailwinds likely to persist for years to come. Despite the company's good characteristics, the stock still looks overvalued. 10 stocks we like better than Shopify

Key Points Nvidia's board of directors just authorized $50 billion more for share repurchases. This big number may not be big enough to excite investors. Nvidia could be better off saving its cash to buy back its stock at a lower price. Monster Growth Potential: 10 stocks we like better than Nvidia

Key Points A huge cash balance, strategic equity investments, a powerful insurance business, and dozens of other resilient subsidiaries combine to make Berkshire stock attractive. Shares of the conglomerate are already up 34% year to date. The Warren Buffett-led company is well-positioned for any future market sell-offs. Monster Growth Potential: 10 stocks we like better than Berkshire Hathaway

Buying the dip may not make sense.

Key Points American Express' unique business model helps it generate consistently strong earnings growth. The company's focus on premium consumers means it has low delinquency rates. The integrated payments specialist differentiates itself by creating a membership-like experience for its cardholders.

Key Points Shares of the iPhone maker have had a nice run, but investors shouldn't rush to sell. The tech giant remains an exceptional business with extraordinary cash flow and a loyal customer base. Apple spent nearly $100 billion buying back its own stock over the last 12 months. Investor Alert: Our 10 best stocks to invest in right now (and Apple didn't make the list)

Key Points The e-commerce king is generating huge sums of cash flow every quarter. Though the company is widely known for its e-commerce business, it's Amazon's cloud-computing segment that is generating most of its operating profit. The company's huge scale has morphed into its greatest competitive advantage.

Key Points Tractor Supply's quarterly dividend has more than tripled in five years. The headwinds the company is facing today may soon subside. The rural-lifestyle retailer has some ambitious long-term targets for new store openings and comparable-store sales growth rates. Motley Fool Issues Rare “All In” Buy Alert

Key Points On top of its regular dividend, Costco occasionally pays shareholders a massive special dividend. The company is paying out only about one-fourth of its earnings in dividends, leaving plenty of room for dividend growth. A growing underlying business should support robust dividend growth for years to come.

Daniel Sparks, The Motley Fool 4 min read In This Article