5 Stocks To Invest in Ahead of Inauguration Day, According to Experts
Written by
Vance Cariaga
Edited by
Cory Dudak
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As is usually the case in election years, the stock markets have done well in the weeks since the Nov. 5 presidential election. This has less to do with who won (ex-President Donald Trump) than the fact that investors have finally moved past the uncertainty of who might win.
“[The market] doesn’t care who wins presidential elections. It just is happy the election is over,” investment analyst Chris Preston wrote in a recent report for the Cabot Wealth Network. “Beyond that, stocks — led by certain sectors — rise on the promises of what could be under the new administration.”
It will likely take years to learn which stocks benefit the most under a second Trump administration, which officially begins with his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025. But certain companies are decent bets to see a near-term uptick in their share prices.
Here are five stocks to invest in ahead of Inauguration Day, according to experts.
Mastercard (MA)
- Dec. 4 closing price: $521.14
- Year-to-date share price gain: 23.45%
- Average 2025 earnings estimate: $16.32 per share
David Materazzi, CEO of automated trading platform Galileo FX, called Mastercard his “top pick for a world that never stops buying” — something he expects will happen if the economy picks up steam.
“If the economy gets a boost, Mastercard becomes a direct beneficiary,” Materazzi told GOBankingRates. “Every transaction fuels its growth. With digital payments growing and cash fading fast, Mastercard isn’t just riding the wave…it is the wave.”
Bio-Rad Laboratories (BIO)
- Dec. 4 closing price: 326.35
- Year-to-date share price gain: 1.07%
- Average 2025 earnings estimate: $11.47 per share
Here’s a case of a stock that hasn’t set the world on fire lately, but could be undervalued and primed for a rebound in the months ahead. Bio-Rad develops life sciences products for the research and clinical diagnostic markets. Following Trump’s win, it was cited as a “stock to buy” by Dave Sekera, CFA, chief US market strategist at Morningstar.
“We think it relies kind of on that razor and razor blade business model,” Sekera said in a recent analysis. “Consumable reagents account for 70% of their total sales. And of course those reagents are often sold at a higher margin than what we see for the equipment and for the instruments.”
Tesla (TSLA)
- Dec. 4 closing price: $369.45
- Year-to-date share price gain: 49.35%
- Average 2025 earnings estimate: $3.27 per share
Trump has been an outspoken critic of government incentives to boost electric vehicles sales, so EV leader Tesla might be a surprise pick here. On the other hand, Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Trump have become close associates — which definitely works in Tesla’s favor, according to Jason Brown, stock market expert at The Brown Report.
Tesla should get an additional boost from potential tariffs on imported EVs, Brown told GBR, as well as “lower regulation on autonomous driving.”
Nucor (NUE)
- Dec. 4 closing price: $149.31
- Year-to-date share price gain: -17.13%
- Average 2025 earnings estimate: $10.26 per share
The Charlotte-based steelmaker’s stock has had a rough go in 2024, but that could change if the new administration’s proposed tariffs slow the import of foreign steel. Nucor would also benefit from increased spending on U.S. infrastructure.
“Steel is the core of America’s comeback,” Materazzi said. “Infrastructure spending means jobs, growth and demand for steel. If America rebuilds, Nucor cashes in. I see this as the ultimate stock for a pro-infrastructure agenda.”
JPMorgan Chase (JPM)
- Dec. 4 closing price: $243.40
- Year-to-date share price gain: 44.53%
- Average 2025 earnings estimate: $16.87 per share
The banking giant was mentioned by both Brown and Materazzi as a good stock to buy ahead of the inauguration — largely due to expectations that the banking industry will be deregulated under Trump.
“When Trump was previously president, deregulation of the banking industry was a priority,” Brown said. “[His election] could remove some compliance restrictions, reserve restrictions and allow banks to lend more and take on higher leverage which could lead to them increasing their profitability.”
Disclaimer: Numbers last updated as of Dec. 4, 2024.
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