The Short Version: June was basically a victory lap for the stock market. All the major indexes went green, inflation kept chilling out, and three stocks in particular decided to absolutely demolish expectations. Here’s why they matter for your portfolio.
The Setup: June 2024 was the kind of month that makes investors actually want to check their portfolios. The S&P 500 returned 3.5% (solid), but the Nasdaq? That beast jumped 6.2%—basically the market’s way of saying “tech is back, baby.” Meanwhile, the Fed sat tight on interest rates while inflation kept trending toward that magical 2% target. Small caps were the only party crashers, down 1.1%, but honestly, they’ve been struggling all year anyway.
Adobe: The Creative Cloud Juggernaut
Adobe (ADBE) decided to show up in mid-June and absolutely flex. On June 14, the stock rocketed from $459 to $525—a 14.4% jump in a single day. Why? Because they dropped earnings that made analysts’ jaws hit the floor. Record revenue of $5.3 billion (up 10% year-over-year), net income that skyrocketed 21.5% to $1.6 billion, and earnings per share of $3.50. CEO Shantanu Narayen basically said, “Our AI strategy is working, and customers love it.” The stock finished June up 24.9%, though it’s still down 5.2% for the year. Translation: there’s still room to run.
CrowdStrike: The Cybersecurity Darling
CrowdStrike (CRWD) had the kind of quarter that makes cybersecurity investors lose sleep—the good kind. On June 4, they reported first-quarter fiscal-2025 earnings that sent the stock from $305 to $343 the next day, and it kept climbing. Revenue jumped 33% year-over-year to $921 million, and net income went from basically nothing ($0.5 million) to $43 million. That’s the kind of inflection point that gets Wall Street’s attention. They also got added to the S&P 500 on June 24, which is like getting a golden ticket. The stock is up 50.5% year-to-date, and management is guiding for even stronger growth ahead.
Broadcom: The AI Chip Monster
Broadcom (AVGO) is basically the Energizer Bunny of tech stocks—it just keeps going. Up 20.8% in June and 47% year-to-date, this AI chipmaker reported fiscal Q2 revenue growth of 43% to $12.5 billion. Sure, net income dipped 40% due to VMware acquisition costs, but adjusted net income soared 20% to $5.4 billion. The real kicker? They announced a 10-for-1 stock split effective July 15, which makes the stock more accessible to regular investors. At $1,638 per share, that split is basically a gift.
The Reality Check: All three stocks are trading at premium valuations, so don’t just throw money at them blindly. But if you’re looking for companies with genuine earnings power and strong growth trajectories, these three are worth serious consideration. Just remember: high multiples mean high expectations, so watch those earnings reports like a hawk.
