Investment strategist picks 5 stocks to watch heading into 2025

Group 1: AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) - AST SpaceMobile is currently trading at $21.27, reflecting a significant year-to-date growth of 338% [1] - The company is focused on developing SpaceMobile satellites and Direct-to-Cell technology, aiming to provide global satellite-to-cellphone connectivity for underserved regions [10][11] - The demand for connectivity in remote areas positions ASTS as a potential game-changer in global communication systems [11] Group 2: Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) - AMD is recognized for its pivotal role in the artificial intelligence semiconductor space, with a stock price of $122.75, experiencing a decline of almost 12% year-to-date [5][6] - Analysts predict a possible 40% increase in AMD's stock value in 2025, driven by its continued market expansion in AI [18] - The company's product lineup, particularly the MI300 GPUs and EPYC processors, is crucial for enhancing performance in data centers and AI workloads [12] Group 3: ARM Holdings - ARM Holdings is a key enabler in the global tech ecosystem, licensing advanced chip architectures that power various devices [15] - The company has seen an impressive stock performance in 2024, gaining 82% to trade at $126.08 [16] - ARM is expected to attract more interest as AI workloads and IoT continue to grow [16] Group 4: Meta Platforms - Meta Platforms has maintained a dominant position in the augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) markets, holding a 65% share of the global VR market in Q3 2024 [24][25] - The company's stock has rallied 71% year-to-date, valued at $589.94 [29] Group 5: Cameco Corporation - Cameco Corporation is a significant player in the nuclear energy sector, supplying enriched uranium for nuclear power plants globally [32] - The stock was valued at $51.58, reflecting over 22% growth in 2024, with attention drawn to its joint venture with Brookfield Renewable [28]