5 Top Stocks for November

One of the greatest challenges of being a long-term investor is enduring market cycles. It can be downright perplexing to see individual stocks and sectors go from in favor to out of favor on a whim. But steep sell-offs and volatility can present impeccable buying opportunities for patient investors.

As a recent example, note that in 2020 the three worst-performing sectors in the S&P 500 were energy, real estate, and financials. The reverse was true the following year, as energy, real estate, and financials were, in order, the three best-performing sectors of 2021. While investors shouldn't expect these kinds of rapid reversals over the short term, it's worth noting that sharp price movements aren't always grounded in fundamentals and can have nothing to do with a core investment thesis.

Bear markets have historically presented impeccable buying opportunities -- but only for companies that have what it takes to overcome obstacles and grow over the long term. Here's why Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), The Trade Desk (NASDAQ: TTD), Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX), and Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG) stand out as five compelling buys now.