Diversification is an important part of any sound investment strategy.
In fact, it’s critical that a portfolio be well-balanced to help minimize risk and maximize opportunity.
While many investors follow that advice to determine which sectors are most appropriate for their situation, many don’t extend that advice to include an often-overlooked market segment, which includes “cheap” stocks.
In order to add true high upside potential to any sound, diversified portfolio, it’s important to consider investing a portion of that portfolio in “cheap” stocks that offer the potential for outsized returns. What follows is a list of the top 3 stocks – currently trading under $10 each – to consider adding to your portfolio.
As always, be sure to do your own due diligence before investing in any stock to make sure it’s right for your financial situation and that it is consistent with your acceptable level of risk.
EVgo (EVGO)
With the electric vehicle boom accelerating, we’ll need thousands of charging stations, which is great news for companies, like EVGO.
Specializing in the development of EV charging stations, EVgo is one of America’s biggest fast-charging networks. “With more than 850 fast charging locations, our charging network in more than 30 states serves over 60 metropolitan areas – and we plan to triple in size over the next five years,” says the company.
Even better, the Biden Administration is committed to building a national network of 500,000 EV charging stations by 2030. That’s all great news for stocks, like EVGO.
And, according to Fortune Business Insights, “Governments worldwide are contributing towards setting up the charging stations. For instance, the Chinese government has approved the development of fast-charging stations by national policies. Similarly, in the United States, the government is offering all its support and funds to develop EV charging stations.”
After all, we can’t have millions of EVs on the roads, and not have charging stations.
Earnings haven’t been too shabby either. In its third quarter, the company saw revenues jump 70% year over year to $10.5 million. It also added about 54,000 new customer accounts, bringing total accounts to 498,000. It launched Autocharge+, which allows EV drivers to start a charging session with a fast charger.
Over the new year, we’d like to see EVGO closer to $8 a share.
Standard Lithium (SLI)
The lithium story will remain red-hot in 2023.
For one, countries all over the world want millions of electric vehicles on the roads. Two, major automakers are abandoning combustion engines for electric. And with oil prices gushing higher, EV demand is on the rise.
At the moment, forecasts say the world could need anywhere from between three and five million tonnes of lithium by 2030, according to Anthony Tse of Franklin Templeton, as noted by InvestingNews.com.
In addition, “The booming interest in electric vehicles over the next decade will see demand for lithium—a crucial metal in EV battery manufacturing—increase 40 times, according to a report last year from The International Energy Agency,” says Fortune.com. “At current extraction rates, carmakers will need more mining to hit industry forecasts of as many as 300 million electric vehicles on the road worldwide by 2030, as will countries to meet their commitments to achieve net-zero carbon emissions.”
Unfortunately, we don’t have enough lithium supply.
However, there’s hope companies like Standard Lithium (SLI) – a $525 million company operating out of Vancouver – can help.
Most recently, the company said it completed all necessary agreements with LANXESS Corporation to secure access to the proposed commercial lithium plant site and conduct all required fieldwork to support the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) underway. It also started the site work needed for the design of its first commercial lithium plant.
Even better, according to Standard Lithium, “The Company’s flagship project, the 150,000+ acre Lanxess Project, is located in the prolific and productive Smackover brine region of southern Arkansas. By securing access to the strategic resource through agreements with the region’s largest commercial brine operator.”
With plenty of demand and potential commercialization, we’d like to see the SLI stock closer to $6 in New Year 2023.
Lion Electric (LEV)
Let’s also take a look at Lion Electric (LEV) – a $431 million electric school bus company, with a big story ahead of it. For one, the White House recently awarded a $1 billion contract to U.S. school districts to replace older buses with electric models. Two, right now, about 1% of all school buses are electric in the U.S. As that number grows, so should the LEV stock.
Three, Lion Electric just delivered its first LionC zero-emission school bus funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program to Mount Desert Island Regional School System in Bar Harbor, Maine. At full scale, this facility is expected to be able to produce up to 20,000 medium and heavy-duty vehicles annually. Deliveries were also completed to Wabaunsee County Schools in Kansas and Big Valley Joint Unified School District in Northern California, according to a company release.
Four, earnings have been solid – and are only set to accelerate.
In its third quarter, the company announced the delivery of 156 vehicles, an increase of 116 delivered year over year. Revenue jumped to $41 million, up from $11.9 million year over year. Adjusted EBITDA was ($15.1 million), as compared to ($8.8 million) year over year.
“For the fourth quarter in a row, we delivered a record number of vehicles in the history of Lion. This proves that the switch to electrification is happening, today,” commented Marc Bedard, CEO – Founder of Lion. “As we are nearing the start of commercial production at both our U.S. manufacturing facility and our battery plant, we are excited by these important milestones, which represent a major step forward in our growth strategy.”
As it gains market share, we’d like to see the LEV stock closer to $6, as well.