Just the other day, I asked investors to consider RTX Corporation (NYSE:RTX) stock and Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) stock as high-conviction holdings for these tumultuous times. These, along with oil-related stocks like ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) and Chevron (NYSE:CVX), are certainly worthy additions to a growth-focused portfolio as geopolitical turmoil takes hold.
Yet, oil stocks and aerospace/ defense stocks certainly aren’t your only options. In the spirit of diversification, I invite you to look beyond the obvious choices and conduct your due diligence on stocks and ETFs that could hold their ground now or recover swiftly later.
Cybersecurity Stocks
Even when war isn’t raging here or abroad, there are still attacks happening everywhere at once. However, they aren’t waged by conventional weapons, but rather, by hackers with malevolent intentions. Security breaches can bring ruin to public and private enterprises and individuals alike, so the need for threat detection and prevention is ever present.
Amid this unsettling backdrop, enterprising investors can consider a variety of cybersecurity stocks. For example, Palantir Technologies (NYSE:PLTR) has been a buzzworthy name on Wall Street for the past several years, particularly as the COVID-19 pandemic forced many businesses to move their operations online. However, Palantir isn’t the only player in the cybersecurity field. Others to consider are Crowdstrike (NASDAQ:CRWD), Cloudflare (NYSE:NET) and Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ:PANW).
I’ll also add one more that people always seem to omit: Zscaler (NASDAQ:ZS). Analysts with Barclays (NYSE:BCS) recently upgraded ZS stock from equal-weight to overweight and raised their price target on the shares from $176 to $190, citing growth in Zscaler’s cloud security-based system known as Secure Access Service Edge.
You could effectively build your own cybersecurity ETF with these stock picks and avoid the management fees/expense ratios. However, if you’re not a do-it-yourselfer, you could instead take your pick of the various cybersecurity ETFs available today. They include the First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF (NASDAQ:CIBR), Global X Cybersecurity ETF (NASDAQ:BUG), ETFMG Prime Cyber Security ETF (NYSEARCA:HACK) and iShares Cybersecurity and Tech ETF (NYSEARCA:IHAK).
Israel ETFs
Meanwhile, some investors might want to consider some international investment option. Of course, not everyone is comfortable investing in non-domestic funds, and that’s understandable. As the old saying goes, investors need to know what they own. However, it’s also fine to expand your horizons and consider ETFs that represent robust economies that reside beyond your home country’s borders.
This leads us to Israel ETFs, which can provide your portfolio with exposure to an ancient nation but also a thoroughly modern economy. Cutting-edge technology is part of the fabric of Israel’s culture in this decade, and there are funds that provide access to some of the best and brightest businesses that Israel has to offer.
If you’re ready to put Israel on your portfolio’s itinerary, check out the VanEck Israel ETF (NYSEARCA:ISRA), Ishares Msci Israel ETF (NYSEARCA:EIS). For more of a tech-focused angle, take a look at the BlueStar Israel Technology ETF (NYSEARCA:ITEQ), and if you’re a fan of Cathie Wood, the ARK Israel Innovative Technology ETF (BATS:IZRL) may be worth considering.
Just be prepared for near-term volatility in these Israel-focused funds, and as always, check their annual expense ratios and other vital stats before hitting the “buy” button. This could actually be a good time for bold investors to pick up some of these Israel ETFs as their prices recently declined due to geopolitical events.
Airline Stocks
Stocks representing a number of U.S.-based airlines have fallen, not just in the wake of recent flashpoint events but all year long. This is due to a number of contributing factors, including the spike in fuel costs.
What does this mean for investors? First and foremost, you’ll probably want to have an expectation that oil prices will stabilize if you’re thinking about buying airline stocks. Otherwise, if you expect a barrel of oil to cost $120 or $130 before the year is over — or if you expect fresh waves of COVID-19 or continuously spreading geopolitical turmoil, etc. — then airline stocks might not be your best bet.
With all of those caveats in mind, I encourage you to consider the supreme value that some airline stocks offer today. Just take a gander at the ultra-low trailing 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios (courtesy of Yahoo! Finance) of these three well-known U.S. carriers:
- American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL): P/E ratio of 3.18
- Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL): 7.46
- United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL): 4.85
You can also get immediate portfolio exposure to a variety of airline-industry businesses via the U.S. Global Jets ETF (NYSEARCA:JETS).
Thus, risk-tolerant investors have a broad array of intriguing options to consider amid these challenging and often worrisome times. Hopefully, sensible minds will prevail and disagreements will be resolved sooner rather than later. In the meantime, be sure to keep your loved ones and your wealth safe and secure.
