PODCAST: Best 2021 Renewable Energy Stocks. And More. - a podcast by Ron Robins

Best 2021 Renewable Energy Stocks. And More. Includes SunPower, Enphase Energy, Lucid Group, First Solar, Inc., mCloud Technologies, Janus Henderson Global Technology and Innovation Fund Class A, Calvert Equity Fund Class A, Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund - Investor, and New Alternatives Fund Class A. The reviews are by top analysts at Zacks, fool.com, others

PODCAST: Best 2021 Renewable Energy Stocks. And More.

Transcript & Links, Episode 72, December 3, 2021

Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to podcast episode 72 published on December 3, titled “Best 2021 Renewable Energy Stocks. And More” — and presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investing news, commentary, information, and resources.

Remember that you can find a full transcript, links to content – including stock symbols, quotes, and bonus material – at this episode’s podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts.

Now, just a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in this podcast. Furthermore, if you’re concerned about the ESG and sustainability ratings of any stock or fund included in this podcast, check your broker’s online site for such information.

If your broker doesn’t have this information, signup for free with Morningstar and you can gain access to company and fund ESG-sustainability ratings. Please note, I receive no compensation from Morningstar or anyone else covered in these podcasts.

Also, if any terms are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them.

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1. Best 2021 Renewable Energy Stocks. And More

I’m beginning this podcast with three great analysts who I feature regularly. They are Travis Hoium, Howard Smith, And Daniel Foelber and they’ve posted an article titled 3 Renewable Energy Stocks We're Thankful for in 2021. It appears on fool.com. Here are their picks followed by brief quotes on them.

“1) Travis Hoium likes SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR)

The last few years have been a wild ride for SunPower. The company sold off its utility-scale solar business, spun off its solar panel manufacturing business, and is in the process of finding a buyer or other alternative for its commercial solar business. What's left is the residential solar installation business that's become one of the most valuable parts of the solar energy market. And… it's treated investors very well. 

I'm thankful that SunPower found a path to success on the market and can now focus on becoming a growth stock. The company has built the infrastructure to sell, design, install, and finance residential solar projects at scale, which is what the market is rewarding today. And it made a great deal in selling its inverter business to Enphase Energy for stock that ultimately saved the company. 

2) Howard Smith recommends Enphase Energy (NASDAQ: ENPH)

I first heard of Enphase Energy seven years ago… and I wish I had bought Enphase stock more than 2,000% ago…

Enphase recently released the eighth-generation microinverter system. The IQ8 is an all-in-one system that the company says is ‘capable of forming a microgrid during a power outage using only sunlight, providing backup power even without a battery…’

Enphase recently launched its battery storage system in Belgium and has also just expanded into Brazil and Italy… Enphase just announced plans to acquire ClipperCreek, an electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions company… The move into the EV sector also gives Enphase a path ‘to enable bi-directional charging capability for vehicle-to-home and vehicle-to-grid applications.’ 

3) Daniel Foelber picks Lucid Group (NASDAQ: LCID)

From its pre-merger stint with Churchill Capital IV, to its merger in July, to reaching deliveries in late October, Lucid has given investors a wild, volatile, and quite often stressful experience in 2021. But so far this year, Lucid is the best-performing automaker in the world -- giving investors who have stayed the course a fourfold return. 

In just a year, Lucid has transformed itself from an unproven company to a company with some of the best technology in the entire electric vehicle (EV) industry.

The short-term outlook looks impressive. Its balance sheet is rich with cash, its manufacturing plant has enough capacity to meet 2022 demand, reservations are now over 17,000, and it is on track to build 20 sales and service centers throughout the U.S. and Canada before year-end. 

The medium-term outlook looks excellent as well. In 2022, the company expects to be producing four versions of the Lucid Air sedan at price points ranging from $77,400 to $169,000. It's also further growing its manufacturing capacity to 50,000 units by 2022 so it can handle production of the Air and Gravity SUV in 2023…

Over the last three months, share prices of Lucid have dipped as low as $16.12 per share and as high as $57.44 a share… despite the volatility, long-term investors hope that Lucid's growth story is maybe only in the first or second inning.” End quotes.

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2. Best 2021 Renewable Energy Stocks. And More

Continuing on the energy theme is this article titled Bet Big on These 2 Alternative Energy Stocks by Emma Duncan. It appeared on schaefferresearch.com. SunPower is again recommended. Here are some of her comments.

“While the list of electric vehicle stocks is ever growing, alternative energy stocks have been around a little longer and thus can be seen as slightly more stable at the moment. For example, two note-worthy names worth exploring are First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) and SunPower Corporation (NASDAQ: SPWR)…

What’s more, both of these alternative energy disruptors showed up on a list of stocks that are now flashing a historic bull signal…

SunPower Corporation

SunPower stock has added 20% in 2021, with its recent round of lower highs finding a leg of support at both the 360-day moving average and the round $20 level. Meanwhile, First Solar stock has added just over 9% this calendar year, and has seen a trendline of support near $103 in the last few weeks.

SunPower stock has pulled back to its 40-day moving average, after spending a significant period of time above it. According to data from Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White, a notable seven similar signals have occurred during the past three years. The security saw a positive one-month return 71% of the time, averaging a 6.4% gain. Last seen at $30.45, a similar move would put SunPower above $32 -- just below its six-month highs.

First Solar, Inc.

For First Solar stock, the equity recently pulled back to its 80-day moving average, after spending a significant period of time above it. Per White, five similar signals have occurred during the past three years. First Solar enjoyed a positive one-month return in 80% of those cases, averaging an impressive 9.8% gain. From its current perch of $106.65, a similar move would put the security back above the $117 level, within a chip-shot of its 10-year peak…

Both stocks also look ripe for a fresh round of bullish attention too. Of the 14 and 11 analysts following First Solar and Sunpower, respectively, seven and 10 carry tepid ‘hold’ or worse recommendations. In simpler terms, this leaves ample room for upgrades, should these trendlines prove to be historical springboards.

Short interest has been building on SunPower stock, too… At the equity’s average pace of daily trading, it would take shorts the better part of a week to buy back their bearish bets.

First Solar and SunPower options also look affordable from an options standpoint… options players are pricing in relatively low volatility expectations at the moment.” End quotes.

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3. Best 2021 Renewable Energy Stocks. And More

Now, this is interesting. Kate Birch pens an article titled Deloitte: Top 10 fastest-growing tech companies in Canada. However, only one is a public company and it, fortunately, has ESG credentials. Its name is mCloud Technologies. Here’s what she says about it. Quote.

“Not only is Nasdaq-listed mCloud Technologies (NASDAQ: MCLD) ranked 10th in Canada (57th America-wide) on the latest Fast 500 list (and) having experienced growth of 3,003%, but it has further been named number two on Deloitte’s Clean Technology Fast 50 in Canada. Founded in Calgary in 2010, mCloud has become a leading provider of AI-powered asset management and ESG solutions. Focused on unlocking the untapped potential of energy intensive assets with AI and analytics, curving energy waste and maximising energy production, mCloud has a global presence and offices worldwide, boasting more than 100 blue-chip customers and over 62,000 assets connected in thousands of locations worldwide.” End quote.

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4. Best 2021 Renewable Energy Stocks. And More

And finally, Zacks Equity Research has produced this research titled 4 Funds to Buy as Sustainable Investing Hits Record High. Here are the US funds they like followed by some of their research comments. Quote.

“We handpicked four sustainable investment-based mutual funds. All these funds carry a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy). In addition, the minimum initial investment for these funds is within $5,000…

1) Janus Henderson Global Technology and Innovation Fund Class A JATAX

Aims for long-term capital growth. The fund invests the majority of net assets in securities of companies benefiting from advances or improvements in technology.

This Sector-Tech product has a history of positive total returns for more than 10 years. Specifically, (this fund’s) returns are 34.9% and 30.3% over the past three and five-year periods, respectively. To see how this fund performed compared to its category… please click here.

Janus Henderson Global Technology and Innovation Fund Class A has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank of 1 and an annual expense ratio of 0.99% compared with the category average of 1.05%.

2) Calvert Equity Fund Class A CSIEX

Aims for growth of capital through investment in stocks believed to offer opportunities for potential capital appreciation. The fund invests the majority of assets in common stocks of companies that rank among the top 1,000 U.S.-listed companies.

This Zacks Large Cap Growth product has a history of positive total returns for more than 10 years. Specifically, Calvert Equity Fund Class A has a three and five-year returns of 26.1% and 22.9%, respectively. To see how this fund performed compared to its category… please click here.

Calvert Equity Fund Class A has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 and an annual expense ratio of 0.94% compared to the category average of 0.99%.

3) Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund - Investor PARNX

Aims for capital appreciation. The fund invests the majority of assets in mid-sized growth companies.

This Zacks Sector – Large Cap Value has a history of positive total returns for more than 10 years. Specifically, Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund - Investor has returned 20.2% and 16.4% for the three and five-year periods, respectively. To see how this fund performed compared to its category… please click here.

Parnassus Mid Cap Growth Fund - Investor has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #2 and an annual expense ratio of 0.83%, below the category average of 1.09%.

4) New Alternatives Fund Class A NALFX

Aims for long-term capital growth with income as its secondary objective. It primarily invests in common stocks of companies and even in other equity securities, such as real-estate investment trusts and American Depository Receipts.

This Zacks sector – Other product has a history of positive total returns for more than 10 years. Specifically, (it) has… three and five-year returns of 32.4% and 19.9%, respectively. To see how this fund performed compared to its category… please click here.

New Alternatives Fund Class A has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #2 and an annual expense ratio of 0.96% compared to the category average of 1.26%.” End quotes.

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Ending Comment

Well, these are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips -- for this podcast: “Best 2021 Renewable Energy Stocks. And More.“

To get all the links, stock symbols, or to read the transcript of this podcast -- and more -- go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and scroll down to this episode.

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Talk to you next on December 17. Bye for now.

© 2021 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul.

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