Between fundraising, legislating, and engaging in a number of other responsibilities, the politicians who serve in Washington, D.C., are busy. Many of them, however, find enough time to buy and sell stocks. And because many politicians demonstrate an uncanny ability to outperform the market, ordinary investors are keen to know the stock trades of senators and representatives.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican from Georgia who sits on the Oversight and Reform Committee and the Homeland Security Committee, recently submitted regulatory filings that acknowledged six recent stock purchases in late June: ASML(NASDAQ: ASML), Costco Wholesale(NASDAQ: COST), CrowdStrike(NASDAQ: CRWD), Lululemon Athletica(NASDAQ: LULU), Nestle(OTC: NSRGY), and NextEraEnergy(NYSE: NEE). Although the exact value of each transaction wasn't reported, all six trades were valued between $1,001 and $15,000.
The deets on Greene's newest holdings
Although Greene didn't provide any commentary regarding the thinking behind her stock purchases, there are some clear reasons that could've motivated her decision making. Consistent with the market's overwhelming interest in artificial intelligence (AI) stocks, two of Greene's recent picks have significant AI exposure. ASML manufactures equipment that semiconductor manufacturers require for making microchips. Encouraging news broke prior to Green's purchase that TaiwanSemiconductorManufacturing would be purchasing ASML's extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUV) machine earlier than expected. Providing sophisticated cloud-based cybersecurity solutions, CrowdStrike helps customers -- with help from AI -- protect various devices such as laptops, mobile devices, and those connected on the Internet of Things. The company recently reported strong results for its fiscal first quarter of 2025, ended April 30, including year-over-year diluted earnings-per-share (EPS) and free-cash-flow increases of 63% and 42%, respectively.
Stretching out to the world of retail apparel, Greene scooped up shares of activewear powerhouse Lululemon. Shares of Lululemon had plunged 33% from the start of the year to June 23, the day before Greene clicked the buy button. It's likely that the company's auspicious outlook for 2024 played a pivotal role in her decision-making. In its release of its financial results for its first quarter of fiscal 2024, ended April 28, management forecast top-line year-over-year growth of 11% to 12% for 2024, and diluted EPS to rise from 17% to 19%.
Warehouse club superstar Costco also made its way onto Green's buy list. In early June, Costco reported sales in May had risen 6.4% compared to May 2023. And the growth didn't just occur for one month. The company also noted that revenue in the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2024 had climbed 5.4% compared to the same period last year.
Evidently, Greene also recognized a tasty opportunity with Nestle stock. Perhaps it was management's outlook for 2024 -- guidance that it reaffirmed during a business update in April -- that Greene found appetizing. In addition to organic sales rising 4%, management projected EPS growth between 6% and 10% for 2024. Or maybe it was Greene's hunger for passive income that was the source of motivation. Currently, Nestle stock offers a forward dividend yield of 3.1%.
Lastly, Greene chose to power her portfolio with NextEra Energy, a renewable energy powerhousethat performed exceptionally well in the first half of 2024. And while the company's future isn't guaranteed, a look at the company's past suggests that it has a history of growth -- a trend that it can certainly extend in the future. Over the past 20 years, for example, NextEra Energy has achieved compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 9% and 8% for adjusted EPS and operating cash flow, respectively. During the same period, the company maintained focus on rewarding shareholders, hiking its dividend at a 10% CAGR.
Should you make the same buys?
As savvy investors know, monitoring politicians' stock picks is a smart strategy. Rushing to copy the stock moves that politicians just made, however? Not so much. That being said, ASML and CrowdStrike are two excellent options for tech-focused investors who want to lean into AI and are certainly worth further investigation. Similarly, Lululemon and Costco are two premier consumer-focused companies that can bolster one's portfolio.
Nestle, on the other hand, has a history of underperforming the market, and it doesn't seem like there's a catalyst to change that in the near future. For those looking to supplement their passive income, moreover, there are much more compelling options than Nestle. NextEra Energy, for instance, is a compelling dividend stock and with it trading at 11.6 times operating cash flow, a discount to its five-year average cash-flow valuation of 15.8, today seems like an especially good time to take a close look at it.
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Scott Levine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends ASML, Costco Wholesale, CrowdStrike, Lululemon Athletica, NextEra Energy, and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. The Motley Fool recommends Nestlé. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
