Though the inventory market has been doing properly to date in 2026, with the S&P 500 up round 8% as of Might 13, the place it would end the yr is anybody’s guess. Not solely will the warfare in Iran doubtless impression the market, however so too will rates of interest and what the brand new Fed chair will do. And what’s worse is that issues can change drastically, so the outlook that you’ve got at the moment will not be the identical in a couple of weeks or months.
There are, nevertheless, strong blue chip shares that you may purchase at the moment that may do properly in the long term and be nice buys, no matter what occurs this yr. Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), and Uber Applied sciences (NYSE: UBER) are all implausible companies that I feel could make for glorious investments so as to add to your portfolio at the moment, even for those who’re involved concerning the total inventory market.
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Coca-Cola
There are few manufacturers on this planet as robust as Coca-Cola’s. Its title and emblem are iconic, and that helps guarantee its merchandise stay in persistently excessive demand. It additionally explains how the corporate was in a position to do properly even when inflation was excessive; customers have been nonetheless largely keen to pay greater costs for its merchandise, and proceed to take action at the moment.
The power of its model is why it is a inventory you’ll be able to comfortably maintain for the foreseeable future, as a result of even when Coca-Cola’s smooth drinks modestly enhance in worth, demand for them is not prone to crater. And with robust revenue margins of roughly 28% over the trailing 12 months, the corporate additionally has room to soak up greater prices whereas nonetheless producing robust outcomes on the underside line.
An added incentive is to purchase the inventory for its rising dividend revenue. It yields 2.7%, and Coca-Cola is a Dividend King, having raised its payout for many years; its streak at the moment stands at 64 consecutive years of annual will increase.
Microsoft
Software program shares have come beneath stress this yr, and that has introduced Microsoft down in worth. Its shares have declined by 17% as they’ve considerably underperformed the broader market. However that is a superb factor, as a result of heading into the yr, the inventory appeared costly. Now, nevertheless, at a price-to-earnings a number of of 24, its valuation is far more tenable than when it traded round 40 occasions earnings.
What’s enticing concerning the enterprise is its deep integration with the company world. Its Home windows working system and Workplace suite are staples that corporations use and depend on daily. And I am optimistic that with its Copilot assistant and the unreal intelligence capabilities it gives, Microsoft may have loads of alternatives to upsell and proceed to generate strong development. Its operations are additionally extremely worthwhile, with Microsoft’s internet margin averaging greater than 39% over the previous 4 quarters.
