These 3 Stocks Might Be the Smartest Buys of the Month: Buy Them Today
Choosing growth stocks is a great way to diversify your portfolio while setting yourself up for success in the future. Unlike value stocks, growth stocks generally don’t offer much upside in the near future. In fact, the entire point of investing in growth stocks is to buy low so you can sell high later on. While it may take anywhere from one to ten years for you to see a profit on these stocks, the goal of long-term investing is to make a lot of money later on.
With that in mind, what are the best stocks to buy now? We’ve put together a list of some major players on the market that, for one reason or another, have seen a dip in value. Keep reading to find out more about three of the best stocks to buy now, why their value has dipped, and what you can expect from these stocks later on.
CAVA Group (CAVA): The Fast-Casual Chain That Could Be the Next Chipotle
The CAVA Group isn’t a household name yet, but there’s a real possibility that it’s going to happen sooner rather than later. If you’re unfamiliar with CAVA, it’s a Mediterranean-style fast-casual chain that has a general premise much like that of Chipotle.
CAVA’s recent dip in stock price has nothing to do with fears about the company’s future or the quality of its product. Instead, it likely points to issues with its hefty valuation coming into 2025. The chain experienced a boom in popularity in 2024 that led to an uptick in value that still hadn’t actually been proven by the balance sheet. However, in the first quarter of 2025, CAVA opened 15 new restaurants, which led to a 28% increase in revenue compared to the first quarter of 2024. The growth of this taste of Greece isn’t only based on new restaurant openings, though. Same-restaurant sales increased by 10.8% year over year, and guest traffic was up by 7.5% across the chain.
CAVA’s leadership has been vocal about the company’s goals to reach 1,000 restaurants by 2032, a goal that the company is nowhere near reaching right now. CAVA is currently only in 26 states, but has an operating profit of 6.6% on a trailing one-year basis. The business is going to continue to scale up, which should promote further growth. At the time of this writing, there are 398 locations, which leaves the company 602 locations short of its 1,000-restaurant goal.
Cava restaurant stock has performed well on the market, primarily because of the quality that customers experience when they visit any of the 398 current locations. This should allow Cava to continue to grow, even before adding more locations to the roster. The company currently has a great opportunity to increase sales at existing locations while expanding brand awareness. Fast Company, a business publication, recently ranked Cava as the 13th-most innovative company in its top 50, so the word about Cava is getting out.
At the time of this writing, Cava restaurant stock is currently worth around $74.84 per share, making it a great growth stock opportunity. If the company gets close to reaching the goal of 1,000 locations within the next seven years, that value could, at the very least, double in value.
Shopify (SHOP): A Powerhouse Riding the E-Commerce Wave
E-commerce has changed the way that we buy everything, which is why companies like Shopify are such great options for your portfolio. When you think of diversifying your portfolio, it’s important to look for subcategories within some of the major categories. For example, you probably already know about the importance of investing in the tech industry. However, within that sector, you’ll find things like fintech, biotech, and e-commerce. By adding Shopify stock to your investment portfolio, you’re choosing the largest e-commerce provider in the nation.
According to studies, Shopify controls roughly 30% of the e-commerce market. This puts the brand in a position to hold off any existing competition without having to focus too much on new names in the industry. However, Shopify isn’t resting on its laurels with its control of the industry. Instead, the online shopping giant is constantly releasing new products and looking for ways to improve the user experience.
Perhaps the biggest reason for Shopify’s surge in popularity is found in its ability to innovate. What started off as a company that served as an e-commerce website developer that offered back-office management systems is now producing point-of-sale (POS) products for brick-and-mortar retailers, along with online shopping options for customers.
Shopify also offers tailored services based on client needs. The willingness to let clients pick and choose which services they need has opened the door for Shopify to work with some of the biggest brands in the world, including Mattel and Kraft Heinz. Shopify also has partnerships with major players in the tech industry, such as Meta Platforms and Amazon.
Shopify stock is worth a little more than $105 per share at the time of this writing. While that makes it a bit more expensive than some other growth stocks, it’s important to understand why that’s the case. Shopify has experienced quarterly growth of more than 25% for the last eight quarters, including a 27% year-over-year increase in the first quarter of 2025. Profits are also on the rise, and the company’s free-cash flow jumped from 12% to 15% in Q1 this year.
According to a study published by eMarketer, e-commerce made up 20.3% of sales in 2024, and it’s expected to jump to 23% by 2027. That increase represents trillions of dollars, a large chunk of which will land on Shopify’s balance sheet.
Shopify’s stock isn’t down because of anything the company has done, and there are no concerns about how the brand will continue to grow in the future. Instead, the dip in value is related to ongoing concerns about tariffs and other economic factors. Still, Shopify continues to grow as it develops new products that will serve businesses and consumers. A decade ago, Shopify’s market opportunity was valued at $46 billion, but that number jumped to $900 billion by 2023. If you can get some Shopify stock in your portfolio while it’s less than $110 per share, it’s a great value add that should pay major dividends within the next five to six years.
Nike (NKE): A Turnaround Story in the Making
Part of successfully investing in growth stocks is recognizing when brands have had a rough stretch, and that’s certainly true for Nike. Throughout the company’s illustrious history, it has been the leading name in the world of sportswear and athletic gear. However, the company has sputtered in recent years, largely due to strategic missteps from the previous leadership team. When you add in stiff competition from some other major brands in the industry, it’s no wonder that Nike stock has dipped in value. For context, Nike Stock costs $61.88 per share at the time of this writing. At its most valuable, the sportswear giant was worth more than $168 per share in November of 2021.
What went wrong with the Swoosh? Ultimately, the former CEO made a series of mistakes that resulted in the brand losing ground to other major players in the industry. However, Elliot Hill was named as the new CEO near the end of 2024 and was tasked with helping Nike stock rebound from an extended period of struggle. The transition to Hill has already started to show some promise, as the company has reported some growth in running-shoe sales with the introduction of the Pegasus 41.
However, Hill’s plans for a Nike stock rebound seem to be as much about returning to what works as they are about innovation. Keep in mind, Nike is still the largest name in the industry, and with that in mind, Hill has recalibrated the company’s focus on traditional marketing channels and working with wholesale partners. These changes come on the heels of years of Nike trying to adopt a straight-to-consumer model that simply did not work.
Investors shouldn’t expect a Nike stock rebound to come overnight. Frankly, the company spent years making bad decisions, which resulted in a drop in stock value. However, growth stocks aren’t about overnight success. Nike is still the leading name in the world of sportswear, and while value has dropped, it still controls the biggest share of the market. If management can prove that these changes are working by the fourth quarter of 2025, there’s plenty of reason to be optimistic about the stock’s value in 2026 and beyond.