These S&P 500 Stocks Soared During Trump’s First 100 Days in Office. Are They No-Brainer Buys Today?

• The S&P 500 fell through the first 100 days of the brand new administration, however some shares nonetheless delivered robust positive aspects.

• Palantir confronted volatility when new authorities cost-cutting hit its key protection contracts.

• I do not crave financial uncertainty and low shopper confidence, however these traits will be excellent news for price-sensitive retailers like Greenback Common.

The inventory market took a tumble within the first 100 days of the second Trump administration. The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) market index fell 7.1% on this generally analyzed benchmarking interval for brand new American governments. The extra unstable Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) index took a heavier 11.1% hit.

However it wasn’t doom and gloom for the entire market — 161 of the 502 shares on the S&P 500 roster posted optimistic returns on this unstable span. Let’s check out a few of the largest 100-day positive aspects. Did these shares profit from Trump’s insurance policies, or have been they only arrange for achievement with out assist from the White Home?

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Listed here are the 5 largest worth positive aspects within the S&P 500 for the Trump crew’s first three months (and alter):

Knowledge collected from Finviz.com and YCharts on 5/1/2025.

Most of those winners merely added extra heft to optimistic long-term worth traits. Let me check out three of the current market-beaters: Palantir, Greenback Common, and Netflix.

Knowledge analytics knowledgeable Palantir is completely hovering as of late. It is onerous to beat a greater than fivefold return in 52 weeks, and the inventory hasn’t slowed amid the Trump authorities’s unpredictable insurance policies.

That stated, the Palantir worth you see right now is not a document. It has really backed down by 7% from a short-lived peak in the course of February. The reversal was certainly impressed by a few Trump insurance policies. The U.S. army is Palantir’s most necessary shopper group, so buyers have been fast to promote the inventory when the brand new administration’s cost-cutting efforts reached the Pentagon.

So Palantir is a blended bag. The corporate clearly does not profit from all of Trump’s coverage strikes. On the similar time, it’s clearly doing one thing very proper — $274 billion market caps do not spring out of skinny air. Fourth-quarter revenues rose 36% 12 months over 12 months whereas free money move margins widened from 50% to 63%. Palantir was on a roll in 2024.

How a lot of that momentum can Palantir protect below the brand new regime? Subsequent week’s Q1 report ought to make clear how Washington’s agenda is affecting Palantir’s enterprise outcomes.

On the different finish of this elite spectrum, I feel it is fairly clear that Netflix largely moved with out authorities help.

Certain, the inventory adopted the broader market every day, usually reflecting the identical common market temper because the S&P 500. However the large positive aspects sprung from a pair of analyst-stumping earnings stories in January and April. The media-streaming pioneer has overcome the weak development it noticed in 2022, marching to new inventory worth information in 2025.

I can not name Netflix a no brainer purchase right now, given the reasonably lofty valuation ratios below its belt. The inventory is altering arms at 54 occasions trailing earnings and 65 occasions free money flows. Netflix has earned these premium worth tags the sincere manner, reporting strong development and industry-leading revenue margins.

However I am additionally not promoting any of my Netflix shares proper now. The corporate goes from power to power, and its service-oriented enterprise mannequin appears to be like almost resistant to political dangers equivalent to import tariffs and worldwide commerce tensions.

Greenback Common is an outlier on this dialogue. The discount-store retailer was in a deep dive when Trump took workplace once more, trying again at a destructive whole return of 47% over the earlier 52 weeks.

However the inventory began exhibiting actual power at that time. Fourth-quarter revenues rose 4.5% 12 months over 12 months amid optimistic same-store gross sales development. Administration arrange optimistic long-term development targets with regular retailer openings and continued same-store development within the years forward.

Low-priced shops like Greenback Common are inclined to do nicely when customers fear concerning the financial system. With shopper confidence not too long ago matching the gloomy ranges seen within the depth of the coronavirus pandemic, this firm appears to be like poised for a powerful run. And I might argue that the Trump administration’s unpredictable insurance policies are serving to on this case.

Regardless of who’s within the White Home, specializing in fundamentals stays the Silly solution to make investments. Authorities strikes can reshape the enjoying area, however you’ll be able to nonetheless construct wealth with a clear-eyed enterprise evaluation. If nothing else, you would possibly need to purchase S&P 500 index funds just like the Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) whereas they’re comparatively low-cost.

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Anders Bylund has positions in Netflix and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Idiot has positions in and recommends Netflix, Palantir Applied sciences, Vanguard S&P 500 ETF, and VeriSign. The Motley Idiot recommends Philip Morris Worldwide. The Motley Idiot has a disclosure coverage.

These S&P 500 Shares Soared Throughout Trump’s First 100 Days in Workplace. Are They No-Brainer Buys Immediately? was initially revealed by The Motley Idiot