Technology

Internet and Digital Media Growth Is Huge: 4 Stocks to Buy Right Now

Lee Jackson

Published: May 15, 2017 10:20 am

Last Updated: January 12, 2020 12:01 pm

To say that the internet has had a massive impact on the lives of people around the world is a huge understatement. Most people own smartphones, and many have the ability access all the information learned and recorded since the beginning of time. The growth and expansion of internet capability, along with digital media, will continue well into the future, and some companies will be huge winners.

In a new SunTrust Robinson Humphrey research note wraps up the firm’s just completed Internet & Digital Media (IDM) conference. Major themes that continue to emerge are artificial intelligence and machine learning, which when applied to valuable data is a huge force currently being used by mega cap tech, and increasingly by other companies as well.

Four companies highlighted in the report are rated Buy at SunTrust, and all make sense for aggressive growth accounts looking for alpha-generating ideas.

Criteo

This French-based advertising tech company is becoming a very hot commodity on Wall Street. Criteo S.A. (NASDAQ: CRTO) engages in the digital performance marketing in France and internationally. Its Criteo Engine solution includes recommendation algorithms that create and tailor advertisements to specific user interest by determining the specific products and services to include in the advertisement; prediction algorithms that predict the probability and nature of a user’s engagement with a given advertisement; and bidding engine for executing campaigns based on objectives set by the clients.

The Criteo Engine solution also comprises dynamic creative optimization; software systems and processes that enable data synchronization, storage and analysis of distributed computing infrastructure in multiple geographies; and experimentation platform, an offline/online platform to enhance the prediction abilities of its models. In addition, it offers data assets, which collect information about the interaction of users with its advertisers and publishers digital properties, and access to advertising inventory.

The SunTrust price target for the stock is $59, the same as the Wall Street consensus target. Shares closed Friday at $53.61.

Pandora Media

This company is facing ever more competition, but it continues to try and hold their own. Pandora Media Inc. (NYSE: P) provides internet music streaming services in North America. It allows its listeners to create personalized stations to access free music and comedy catalogs, as well as a personalized playlist generating system. It also offers Pandora One, a paid subscription service to listeners. And it sells audio, display and video advertising to advertisers for delivery on computer, mobile and other connected device platforms.

While Pandora is clearly not the only company with a big desire to be in the music streaming business, it is the current leader in installation and use in the automotive world, and despite poor earnings, a shake-up is perhaps on the way.

The analysts noted this about the current state of affairs for the company:

As it relates to the KKR investment, Board shakeup, and strategic review, we think the company has a strategy in place should it remain independent, but is first pursuing a sale over the next 30 days with the fallback financing/strategy possibly providing some better footing in negotiation.

We wrote recently that some of the interest in a possible sale of the company could be slowing.

The $16 SunTrust price target compares with the consensus target of $13.50. The stock closed Friday at $9.82.

Nielsen

Given the demand for audience data, it is no surprise to see this top company a favorite at SunTrust. Nielsen Holdings PLC (NYSE: NLSN) is a global information, measurement and analytics company. The company is expected to have $6.6 billion in revenue in 2017 from clients in the media, consumer goods and telecom industries.

The company provides media and marketing information, analytics and manufacturer and retailer expertise about what and where consumers buy, read, watch and listen. Its Buy segment provides retail transactional measurement data, consumer behavior information and analytics primarily to businesses in the consumer packaged goods industry.

The Watch segment provides viewership and listening data, as well as analytics primarily to the media and advertising industries for television, radio, print, online and mobile viewing and listening platforms. This segment offers television audience measurement services; audio audience measurement services; digital audience measurement services, such as digital media and market research, audience analytics and social media measurement; mobile measurement services comprising measurement and consumer research for telecom and media companies; and total audience measurement services, as well as advertising solutions.

President and COO Stephen Hasker held a chat with the analysts at the conference, and their report noted this:

On Watch, Mr. Hasker expressed confidence that no competitor is even close in matching the company in measurement with the TAM platform likely to support client retention and pricing (legacy client pressures offset by new digital-first clients like Google SNAP, etc.). In our keynote fireside chat, Irwin Gotlieb noted he does not expect any significant measurement players out of left field (it’s Nielsen and comScore).

Shareholders receive a 3.37% dividend. SunTrust has a $50 price objective, and the consensus target is $46.11. The shares closed trading last Friday at $4040.

Yelp

This is another top internet play for investors looking for exposure in the sector. Yelp Inc. (NASDAQ: YELP) provides free and paid business listing services to businesses of various sizes, as well as enabling businesses to deliver targeted search advertising to large local audiences through its website and mobile app.

Yelp also provides other services, including Yelp platform, which allows consumers to transact directly on Yelp; Yelp deals that allow local business owners to create promotional discounted deals for their products and services; and gift certificates products for local business owners to sell full-price gift certificates directly to customers. The Yelp platform also enables consumers to complete food delivery transactions, book spa and salon appointments, order flowers, make winery reservations and more.

The stock got hit last week when the company posted quarterly results that were less than expected by a Thomson Reuters consensus estimate. We covered this large miss in-depth.

The SunTrust price target is $46. The consensus target is $32.13, but shares closed above that level at $41.11.

These four solid stocks could show some nice price momentum, especially with earnings season behind us. While they are all more suited for accounts with a higher risk tolerance, the companies are established companies with sizable track records.