7 Stocks That Could Make You Richer in 2022

Do you make New Year’s resolutions? Even if not, there’s one thing you should set as a goal: become richer.

No, I’m not advocating that you make money your top priority. There are more important things in life. However, improving your financial situation puts you in a stronger position to achieve other key goals. 

Of course, the toughest part of making New Year’s resolutions is actually achieving them. Fortunately, buying and holding solid stocks provide a good way to increase your wealth. Here are seven specific stocks that could make you richer in 2022 (listed in alphabetical order).

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1. Devon Energy

Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN) shares don’t have to go up at all to make you plenty of money this year. That’s because the oil and gas company offers a fixed-plus variable dividend yield of more than 9% — more than seven times greater than the S&P 500 dividend yield.

I think, though, that Devon’s stock price will move higher in 2022 after skyrocketing 179% last year. The outlook for the energy sector remains strong. Devon’s shares also trade at a steep discount compared to S&P 500 with an enterprise value of only 3.8 times expected earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). 

2. Innovative Industrial Properties

Innovative Industrial Properties (NYSE:IIPR) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on the regulated cannabis industry in the U.S. The stock has beaten the market for five years in a row. I expect that trend to continue in 2022.

All IIP has to do to keep the streak going is find more properties to buy from cannabis operators then lease them back to the operators. That should be relatively easy to do, considering that the company only owns 103 properties in 19 states. Another 17 states where IIP doesn’t operate have legalized medical cannabis.

3. Mastercard

Mastercard (NYSE:MA) ended 2021 with a gain of less than 1%. I expect a much better year ahead. So does Wall Street investment firm Cowen, which picked Mastercard as one of its two favorite stocks for the new year.

There are two key factors that I think will drive Mastercard stock higher. First, the company stands to benefit from the overall global economy expanding — especially if travel increases as COVID-19 fears wane. Second, Mastercard initiated a new buy now, pay later program that I expect will be a big winner.

4. PayPal

PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) delivered a dismal performance last year with its shares sinking nearly 20%. But the consensus analysts’ 12-month price target reflects an upside potential of more than 40%. I think this optimism is warranted.

For one thing, Amazon.com now supports purchases with PayPal’s Venmo app. PayPal has also introduced popular new features with its self-named digital wallet. The opportunities for the company are simply too great for investors to ignore for very long.  

5. Sea Limited

Sea Limited (NYSE:SE) was up more than 80% year to date in late October 2021. The stock ended the year with a gain of only 12%. My view is that Sea will bounce back in a major way this year.

The company’s Free Fire remains the highest-grossing mobile game in India, Latin America, and Southeast Asia and has picked up considerable momentum in the U.S. Sea Limited’s Shopee e-commerce platform leads the Southeast Asian market and is also making solid inroads in Latin America. 

6. Teladoc Health

You can put Teladoc Health (NYSE:TDOC) squarely in the losers’ column for last year. However, Wall Street analysts expect the virtual care stock to soar close to 67% in 2022. I’m not sure if Teladoc will actually deliver that big of a gain, but I wouldn’t rule it out.

Teladoc’s new Primary360 virtual primary care solution should gain traction in the new year. Its contract with HCSC, the fifth-largest health insurer in the U.S., also will drive sales higher. I look for a potential short-term boost from the impact of the coronavirus omicron variant as well.

7. Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) could be a sleeping giant in the biotech world. The company already commands a monopoly in treating the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis (CF). But I think Vertex’s efforts outside of CF will be what causes the stock to wake up investors in a big way in 2022.

The company and its partner, CRISPR Therapeutics, expect to file for regulatory approvals of CTX001 in beta-thalassemia and sickle cell disease late in the year. Vertex also plans to launch a pivotal study evaluating VX-147 in treating APOL1-mediated kidney diseases — potentially a bigger market opportunity than CF. It should report results from phase 2 studies of a new type of pain drug in the first quarter of the year as well.