Diary of a Growth Stock Addict: Amazon, Berkshire, Shopify & My Wobbly Wallet

Monday, 2:47 PM. Another day spent staring at stock charts and pretending I know what I’m doing. It’s like trying to read tea leaves but with more numbers and slightly less dignity. The question on my mind today? Which high-conviction stocks are worth the emotional rollercoaster ride in the coming years? (Value investors probably just rolled their eyes. They’re too busy hunting for bargain-bin companies that no one else wants.)

High Conviction Stocks: What Even Are They?

I looked it up so you don’t have to. High conviction means “I believe this stock is going to crush it.” Average returns hover around 10%, thanks to the S&P 500, which has been chugging along like an old train engine for decades. But here’s the thing about high conviction picks-they’re not guarantees. Some flame out spectacularly, leaving your portfolio looking like last week’s leftovers. Others take their sweet time performing, as if they didn’t get the memo that *you* were expecting results by yesterday.

So here’s my neurotic little mantra: Diversify. Spread those dollars across multiple companies because putting all your eggs in one basket sounds poetic until the basket falls off a cliff. Aim to hold onto shares for at least five years-or, fine, dump everything into index funds if you’d rather binge-watch Netflix than track P/E ratios.

1. Amazon.com (AMZN)

Let’s start with Amazon, shall we? Everyone loves Amazon-it’s basically the golden retriever of tech stocks. Its forward P/E ratio of 34 is downright reasonable compared to its five-year average of 47. Plus, it’s not just an online shop anymore. Oh no, it’s also dabbling in cloud computing (Amazon Web Services) and robots running around warehouses powered by AI. Robots! In case you missed it, robots = future = profit margins.

Now, yes, there’s always the looming fear of recessions and tariffs. But let me tell you something-Amazon thrives on being cheap. If people start tightening their belts, guess where they’ll shop? Exactly. And even if retail takes a hit, Amazon has enough irons in the fire to keep things interesting.

2. Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B)

Ah, Berkshire Hathaway. The Warren Buffett empire. Yes, it dipped 7% over the past three months because apparently, the mere thought of Buffett stepping down sends everyone into a tizzy. But let’s be real: Greg Abel isn’t exactly unqualified. He’s been groomed for this role longer than some of us have had bank accounts.

Investing in Berkshire feels like buying a share of America itself. You own bits of GEICO, See’s Candies, BNSF Railroad, and oh, did I mention Apple? With over $300 billion in cash, Berkshire could buy half the country if it wanted to. Not that it would. Probably.

3. Shopify (SHOP)

And then there’s Shopify, the darling of e-commerce startups everywhere. This platform helps businesses build websites without needing a degree in coding or a nervous breakdown. Over the past decade, its stock has grown faster than mold on forgotten leftovers. A forward P/E of 101 might seem steep, but when you consider how sticky its ecosystem is becoming, it starts to make sense.

After posting impressive Q2 earnings, the stock shot up 22% in one morning. Twenty-two percent! Meanwhile, I gained two pounds eating cookies while refreshing my portfolio page. Life is unfair.

Units of Patience Left: 3. Hours Spent Researching: 12. Number of Times I’ve Cursed My Brokerage Account: Infinite. At the end of the day, these stocks-Amazon, Berkshire, Shopify-are tempting additions to any long-term portfolio. Just remember: investing is part science, part art, and mostly therapy. 📈

2025-08-15 13:32

High Conviction Stocks: What Even Are They?

1. Amazon.com (AMZN)

2. Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, BRK.B)

3. Shopify (SHOP)

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