By Contributor Nicolas Straut
When constructing your investment of $1,000 you should consider what the core of your portfolio will … More be made up of and your investment aims.
You could spend your $1,000 on anything, but you made the wise decision to invest it in equities to grow your wealth. This guide will share some of the best stocks for 2025 including growth, income and volatile but high-returning opportunities. These recommendations are based on analyst ratings, sector exposure, earnings and recent momentum.
As you consider this mix of equity options including the “magnificent seven” stocks, large value-oriented companies, REITs and technology stocks, you’ll see some familiar names as well as learn new ones, each with interesting theses as to why you should consider them for your portfolio. Ultimately, constructing a portfolio is research intensive and while you may not invest in each of these picks, you’ll hopefully be exposed to new industries and gain insight into the vast array of stock opportunities at your disposal.
8 Best Stocks To Buy With $1,000
1. Microsoft (MSFT)
Microsoft is a tech giant and household name known for a variety of products from software with Office and Windows, to cloud computing services with Azure, to gaming with Xbox. Its latest venture in AI, through Copilot in partnership with OpenAI, is bringing AI functionality to a broader audience in hopes of better competing with Google and Apple, both of whom are expanding AI features to their customer bases. This behemoth tech stock is a pick because of both its strong balance sheet and consistent earnings, as well as its reliable dividend.
Microsoft is also worthwhile to consider for your stock portfolio because of its aforementioned offering of Azure, the customer base of which is growing 14.2% year-over-year, with over 350,000 organizations utilizing it. This strong showing makes Microsoft more competitive with Amazon’s AWS, a dominant cloud services provider. Microsoft is an ideal fit for investors seeking a long-term hold stock delivering innovation-fueled growth, a strong leadership team, and security in a world adapting to AI.
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2. NVIDIA (NVDA)
You’ve likely heard of NVIDIA in the context of its dominance in the world of chips, with the company holding over 80% market share for sale of data center GPUs. In particular, NVIDIA’s H100 and its now in full production Blackwell chips which power AI training and compute for the top technology firms like Google, Amazon and Microsoft. NVIDIA’s growth isn’t slowing down with revenue in Q1 up 69% from a year ago.
While this firm does have a high P/E, NVIDIA backs it up with strong revenue and income rising as more firms invest in AI to capture its promise. The majority of analysts also maintain this stock as a buy or strong buy. NVIDIA is a good fit for those who want a high-growth stock with more room to grow, who don’t prioritize a dividend yield and who are bullish on the continued adoption of AI.
3. Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B)
Long associated with its founder, Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway is a large firm delivering broad exposure to industries like insurance through Geico, car manufacturers like Mitsubishi, and technology like Apple. While Buffett may have recently stepped down, Berkshire is in solid leadership hands with years of experience working under Buffett’s tutelage and with his famous methodology and wisdom, passed down by both memos and direct work experience. Berkshire holds over $340 billion in cash, awaiting a market downturn or the right opportunities, giving them a secure buffer and investment capital for their next big stakes.
While Berkshire offers no dividend, this stock offers high returns with over 20% returned over the last year. This stock offers diversification and a conservative value-driven investing approach to your portfolio.
4. Visa (V)
Visa is a credit card-processing giant which processes north of 40 billion transactions annually, earning fees from each purchase. With a moat built around its network which is global, billions of cards in use, deep integration with financial institutions and over 1 billion more cards in circulation than its primary competitor, Mastercard, Visa is well positioned to provide financial sector exposure and security to investors. Visa continues to expand, with new partnerships penetrating into emerging markets, and growth from digital payments through providers like Apple Pay.
A majority of analysts consider Visa a buy or strong buy based on its financials and growth prospects. Investors who want a dominant financial sector stock which is conservative and global would be well suited to buy this stock.
5. Palantir (PLTR)
Palantir is a technology company which offers software systems primarily to the U.S. government but also to corporate clients with a suite of platforms delivering data integration, intelligence and analysis. Two of its primary platforms are Foundry, which is used for data centralization and analysis by healthcare companies, commercial firms and governments, as well as Gotham, which is an intelligence and data platform used for defense. With year-over-year revenue growth of 39% and a recent contract with the U.S. government of more than $100 million, Palantir is well positioned for growth from both its commercial and government platforms.
Palantir is a mixed bag in analysts’ eyes with many considering it a stock to hold rather than buy. But with a moat of hard-to-acquire contracts from major firms and government actors and increasingly-advanced products fueled by AI, Palantir could be a worthwhile growth play in your portfolio. Ideal investors for this stock would be those comfortable with volatility in exchange for long-term growth who are not seeking a dividend.
6. Realty Income (O)
Realty Income is a top REIT that owns thousands of commercial properties which lease space to firms like Walgreens, FedEx and other well-known consumer-facing companies. Investors choose O for reliable, monthly dividends which have been paying out income for decades even in the midst of economic downturns. Realty Income offers around 5.6% in dividends making it a desirable option for investors seeking reliable income, like retirees, those supplementing their own income or investors seeking to round out a growth-heavy portfolio.
Realty Income’s diverse clients provide some resiliency even in down markets, and this stock has performed well even as growth stocks dip in price. O could be a good addition to your portfolio if you’re seeking to balance out other equities, if you’re seeking income or would simply like real estate exposure without buying land or properties yourself.
7. Carvana (CVNA)
Carvana is a technology-driven firm which makes it easy for consumers to buy or finance cars online. While its business suffered and nearly went bankrupt in 2022, it grew considerably over the last two years, nearly reaching its 2021 peak of just over $360 a share. This return to life was due to its innovative car purchasing model and drastically reduced costs.
Carvana is a volatile, growth-driven stock that should be considered by investors seeking short-term gains as it rises in value. Over the last year it experienced a return of over 172% without sign of slowing down. As with Strategy, which will be discussed next, consider your risk tolerance and what percentage of your portfolio you would feel comfortable risking for juiced portfolio returns.
8. Strategy Incorporated (MSTR)
Bitcoin treasury companies are a big trend in 2025 as they bet on bitcoin’s continued growth and adoption. The principal driver of this trend is Strategy Incorporated (previously Microstrategy). Strategy holds almost 600,000 Bitcoin, each valued as of July 1, 2025 at $105,820, and continues to buy the cryptocurrency by issuing debt or equity. This stock has risen over 170% in the last year fueled by easing of regulation on crypto, clearance of bitcoin ETFs and speculation that bitcoin will continue to rise in price.
Microstrategy is thought of by some as a leveraged BTC play as MSTR often grows by 2x to 3x the growth of bitcoin, but this leverage can work in the opposite direction if bitcoin crashes. MSTR is a worthwhile investment for investors who don’t mind the high risk that the stock or BTC carries, in the hopes of continued high growth. If you do consider using part of your $1,000 to purchase MSTR, understand the risk that both this stock and bitcoin carries and invest according to your risk tolerance.
Bottom Line
When constructing your investment of $1,000 you should consider your risk tolerance, but also what the core of your portfolio will be made up of and your investment aims. From this list, a good core stock makeup for stability, quality and reasonable growth would be Microsoft, NVIDIA, Visa and Berkshire Hathaway. Good growth stocks to add in moderation and according to risk tolerance, are Palantir and Carvana.
For additional yield, Realty Income could be added to deliver monthly dividends and stability in downturns, and finally, Strategy could be added to deliver crypto exposure as well as the potential for high returns. This stock mix with your $1,000 would deliver income, growth and portfolio stability. Ultimately there are thousands of stocks available to consider for your portfolio but with research, analysis and consideration of your financial position, you can grow your net worth and achieve the future you seek.
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