#64 - Top 5 Stocks for the Rest of 2025

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Top 5 Stocks to Finish Out 2025

With 2025 at the halfway mark, I’m spotlighting 5 stocks I believe are primed for strong finishes and potentially bigger gains heading into 2026 and 2027. Some you’ve seen me write about, others I’m actively researching. No crystal ball here, just high conviction ideas worth your due diligence. In honor of the 4th of July, these 5 companies could light up your portfolio like bottle rockets heading into the new year:

• #1 - Alphabet, Inc. $GOOGL ( ▲ 1.45% )

  

  • Despite Alphabet’s constant innovation, investor sentiment has been clouded by concerns over potential disruption to its search engine business from generative AI, as well as regulatory scrutiny over monopolistic behavior. Yet beneath these headline fears is a deep, underappreciated moat.

  • Down 5% year-to-date, Alphabet trades at around a 19 P/E, which feels compelling given the underlying growth and strategic positioning, it’s starting to look undervalued by most traditional measures.

  • YouTube’s content dominance, Waymo’s lead in autonomous mobility, Google Cloud and Gemini’s emergence as an enterprise AI backbone, and Veo 3’s groundbreaking creative capabilities are not side bets. These are foundational engines that are defensive and offensive. Their diversification will insulate Alphabet from disruption and drive expansion.

• #2 - SoFi Technologies, Inc. $SOFI ( ▲ 1.1% )

  

  • Despite its strong growth, SoFi has come under pressure amid broader fintech selloffs and concerns over interest rate uncertainty. Short-term traders remain cautious, but beneath the noise is a rapidly diversifying financial platform.

  • Now up 31% year-to-date, SoFi reported record Q1 2025 revenue of $772 million (up 33% YOY), marking its sixth consecutive profitable quarter with $71 million in net income. Fee-based revenue surged 67%, now representing 41% of total net revenue signaling a durable shift away from interest-dependent earnings.

  • As of Q1 2025, SoFi reported 8.1 million total members, up 44% year over year. It also reached over 158 million Galileo accounts, its B2B technology platform used by banks and fintech apps alike. While Robinhood $HOOD ( ▼ 0.37% ) continues to be the popular Fintech play, both companies can compete well with one another. Now when there ever another recession, I do expect SoFi to be hit harder than most stocks.

• #3 - Ouster, Inc. $OUST ( ▼ 4.58% )

  

  • Ouster is one of my favorite AI/Robotics trend plays in the market right now. The LiDAR company shipped over 4,700 sensors in Q1 2025, with its solutions now deployed at more than 700 sites globally across smart infrastructure, robotics, and automotive sectors.

  • Their software segment rose 60% year-over-year, with increasing adoption of its Gemini and BlueCity platforms, creating a high-margin recurring revenue stream. I think Ouster will have some bumpy roads ahead, and expect this play to take a few years to come to fruition.

  • Now up 84% year-to-date, Ouster is starting to get noticed as a potential cross-industry play within defense, municipal, transportation, and robotics. With the new legacy defense companies forming under the current administration, Ouster lidars are already in use across U.S. Army, Navy, National Labs, and NASA programs. Ouster is positioned as a key radar alternative in military autonomy.

• #4 - Archer Aviation, Inc. $ACHR ( ▼ 2.51% )

  

  • Archer designs and manufactures electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft aimed at short-range urban air mobility. In 2025, they are preparing for commercial launches in the UAE and Indonesia, expanding “Launch Edition” partnerships with major aviation groups like Abu Dhabi Aviation and Ethiopian Airlines. And will provide air taxis for the 2028 Olympics.

  • The stock has traded with high volatility, currently down from its 52-week highs, and is closely watched as a high-risk, high-reward pre-revenue play. Archer reported a Q1 2025 net loss of $117.4 million, typical for early-stage aerospace companies.

  • Archer is targeting a global urban air mobility market expected to exceed $1 trillion by 2040. With strategic alliances, FAA progress, and military AI integration via Palantir, Archer is positioning itself as a top contender in the next-gen aviation space.

• #5 - Equifax, Inc. $EFX ( ▼ 2.39% )

  

  • Equifax is a global leader in credit reporting and data analytics that provides consumer credit scores, identity verification, and financial insights to lenders, governments, and businesses across more than 24 countries.

  • Since rates began rising in 2021, existing home sales have stalled as buyers and sellers alike hold back. If rates decline over the next year, refinancing and mortgage applications are likely to rise directly boosting demand for Equifax’s core services like credit checks and identity validation. This timing risk play could pay off over the next 1-2 years, and now could be a good time to build a position if the trend occurs.

  • Equifax is also advancing its cloud AI-driven data platform, while expanding in high-growth regions like Latin America and Asia, where rising financial inclusion is creating new demand for its solutions.

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Market & Freedom Fund Recap

U.S. stocks moved higher this week, with the S&P 500 up 1.7% and the Nasdaq rising 1.6%, led by strong gains in tech. Global markets also climbed, with European and Asian stocks rebounding. Bitcoin gained about 2.4%, trading near $109,600 but still below its all-time high. The rally this week was driven by renewed optimism in tech and cooling inflation data. Overall, markets ended the week on a strong note heading into July.

• June 2025 - Recap

  • Portfolio Value - $30,446.43

  • Total Return Since Inception (w/ Dividends) - 38.97%

  • June Dividends Reinvested - $54.26

Since the market is closed for the 4th of July holiday, I executed this week’s Freedom Fund purchases a day early. On July 3rd, the fund added 1 share each of Alphabet $GOOGL ( ▲ 1.45% ) and Apple Hospitality REIT $APLE ( ▼ 0.16% ). Alphabet continues to represent core exposure to long-term tech innovation and AI leadership, while Apple Hospitality adds stability through steady income and real estate diversification. These picks align with the fund’s goal of balancing growth and income as we move into the second half of the year.

^{Freedom Fund Background: I launched the Freedom Fund in October 2022 as a public brokerage account to show that anyone—with just a bank account and Social Security number—can start investing, even with a couple hundred dollars a week. I started from $0 to make the journey real and relatable. Each week, I share transparent updates on purchases, sales, dividends, and growth on X (@GrahamSchroeder) so you can follow along in real time. The hardest part of investing is getting started—so I did, publicly, to help others do the same.}