Equity markets rallied this year, as investors remained bullish on Big Tech but also scooped up shares in under-the-radar companies. Ongoing political tensions and macroeconomic uncertainty have nevertheless raised questions over which sectors — and stocks — will outperform during the rest of the year . CNBC Pro touched base with Kevin Teng, CEO of Wrise Private Singapore, for his take on the stocks he favored at the start of the year , as well as names he’s betting on before the year’s end. The wealth manager — whose firm serves ultra-high-net-worth individuals across Asia, the Middle East and Europe — identified tech giant Microsoft , oil and gas behemoth Exxon Mobil and Canadian miner Barrick Gold as his top picks at the start of the year. Months on, he still likes all three stocks. Year-to-date, shares in Exxon have gained 16.7%, while the stock of Barrick and Microsoft have gained around 10.8% and 15% respectively. Exxon Mobil and Barrick Gold Teng still described Exxon as a “promising opportunity,” but cautioned investors to “seek more favorable entry points going forward,” seeing as the stock has been on the decline over the last few weeks. He also notes that Barrick Gold “remains one of the top stocks to play the ongoing gold rally ,” saying that investors should “consider trimming their positions and [take] profits” now, given market consensus on the current positioning of gold. Microsoft Teng remains bullish on Microsoft, despite Wrise making a “partial switch” and reducing its weight in the tech giant while increasing allocations to Nvidia in early August. Microsoft and and Nvidia are among the so-called Magnificent Seven stocks, which also include Alphabet , Amazon , Apple , Meta Platforms and Tesla . “We recognized [Microsoft’s] relative underperformance compared to the Magnificent Seven and made the partial switch to take advantage of the pullback,” Teng explained. He is betting on Microsoft now, given its “strong monopoly in PC operating systems and productivity software.” It is also “well-positioned to capitalize on rising demand for generative AI through its existing partnership with OpenAI,” Teng added. His comments come as Microsoft’s fiscal first-quarter results surpassed Wall Street’s expectations , with earnings per share coming in at $3.30 — compared to the $3.10 expected — while revenue hit $65.59 billion, versus the anticipated $64.51 billion. The tech giant has provided revenue guidance of $68.1 billion to $69.1 billion for the current quarter — below the $69.83 billion that analysts were expecting Microsoft’s shares have plummeted, following its forecast for slower-than-expected growth. Like Teng, most analysts nevertheless remain upbeat on the tech giant, with 53 out of 58 analysts covering the stock having a buy or overweight rating at an average target price of $496.66, according to FactSet data. That gives the stock an upside potential of 14.8%. Nike Athletic footwear and apparel label Nike is another stock that Teng likes, despite bearish sentiments in Wall Street. Nike recently announced its expectations of an 8% to 10% drop in revenue in its current quarter — worse than the 6.9% decline analysts expected. Shares in Nike have been on the decline, falling almost 30% since the start of the year. “At present, Nike looks a bit oversold due to bearish sentiments,” Teng acknowledged. However, he describes it as an “attractive investment opportunity,” thanks to its “leading market position, robust brand equity and strategic initiatives aimed at long-term growth.” Data from consulting firm AlixPartners’ Consumer Sentiment Index showed Nike as the top active footwear retailer among respondents across age groups. Out of 37 analysts covering the stock, 18 give it a buy or overweight rating, 17 have a hold rating, while two have a sell call, according to FactSet data. The analysts have an average price target of $90.62 for the stock, giving it 18.5% upside potential. Walt Disney Also on Teng’s list of top stocks is Walt Disney , the home of Mickey Mouse and the company behind brands like streaming platform Disney Plus and movie producer Marvel Studios. The stock “appears attractive at current valuations due to its cost-cutting plans and its focus on its streaming services,” he said. “With popular content among consumers, Disney Plus’ subscriber base has grown quickly and its streaming profit should ramp up into 4Q and 2025,” the wealth manager added. Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios laid off 14% of its headcount earlier this year in a bid to cut costs. Its other businesses commenced layoffs last year, as the company prioritizes the quality over the quantity of its content. Shares in Disney are up 5.3% year to date. Twenty-three of the 33 analysts covering the stock give it a buy or overweight rating at an average price of $110.20, according to FactSet data. This gives it 15.9% upside potential.
