Big data means big money. Companies that compile and sell their data are revealing customer buying habits, frequency of purchase, age, location, tendencies, media habits, and more. With this information comes the ability for a company to target their online stock trading options to higher probability buyers, to tailor the layout of grocery stores based on which items are purchased frequently, or more efficiently run age-specific advertisements at certain times. This is one reason big data stocks are so important. The possession of this valuable information comes great responsibility. Big data is frequently in and out of the news, whether it be due to a hack or those who possess it not be careful with who utilizes it. Despite your view on whether companies should have this information and be able to use it or sell it, we’re detailing the top big data stocks in the world to see what exactly our information is being used for and how the use of big data equates to financial success.
1. Alphabet (GOOG, GOOGL)
Unsurprisingly, Google comes in at the top spot for profitable stocks of big data companies. The number 1 search engine in the world takes in insanely large amounts of big data each day. People flock to Google to answer their questions, search their interests, and research personal information, all while giving Google their location while searching. Along with the search engine, Google is also getting continuous data from YouTube, Google Chrome, and their smart home devices. This amount of information Google has will be used towards the development of their AI services. They will be able to make the most accurate and personalized products because they understand their consumer base better than they do. Google Duplex, their current AI system, already responds to humans in real time with accurate responses and voice inflections. All of the markets that are coming into prevalence as technology progresses, smart home, automated cars, AI and VR, Google is leading them. And, with all the big data they continually take in on the services they make, Google is likely to stay at the front of those markets for many, many years.
2. Facebook (FB)
If you’ve heard negative things about big data, it’s likely that Facebook was also a part of the conversation. Big data sprung into the mainstream conversation during the 2016 Presidential Election scandal with Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. Facebook was fined with the largest amount of money they could be due to the amount of big data they actually have on their user base. Though they are nowhere close to the size of Google on how much big data they have, Facebook collects information from its 1 billion Instagram users, 2.2 billion Facebook users, 1.5 billion Whatsapp users, and 1.3 billion Messenger users. Facebook also utilizes its data to generate revenue in different ways, mainly focusing their efforts on targeted advertising to their users. And though they may be focusing on this right now, the room Facebook has to grow with the uses of their big data makes their future bright and their profits extremely promising.
3. Amazon (AMZN)
If you’re like 92% of all online shoppers, you’ve bought something from Amazon. The marketplace giant stores extremely large amounts of data by taking in consumer habits, preferences, sales, locations, times, and frequency. They then are able to use their predictive analysis to recommend you products that you’re most likely to purchase based on the habits that they’ve observed. Other results of their big data usage include book recommendations based on what you highlight when reading on your Kindle. The specific phrases that intrigue you or that you want to share with others allows Amazon to learn your preferences and recommend books to you in this space. Also, Amazon’s success with fast, 2-day shipping has revealed that if customers can get their product faster somewhere else, they will. Thus Amazon started their “one-click” service which allows for fast purchase and delivery. As Amazon continues to grow, with the creation if the HQ2 centers in both Virginia and New York, their amount of data and their ability to use it in market-changing ways isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
4. Intel (INTC)
Intel is using it’s big data to help companies utilize their analytics in their business models. They want companies to take hold of their information in order to be more innovative, engage their customers, be more efficient, and equip themselves to perform better in their desired market. They focus on the IT strategy of a company, working with them to deliver “stand-out customer service and experience.” They are able to do this through helping you understand your customer analytics and understanding your general data insights in a more comprehensive way. Their efforts, of bother personal devices, original equipment, and data services are paying off. Investingnews reported that “the company in July announced that its data centric business grew 26 percent and that the ‘company is competing in the $260 billion market opportunity’ which being the data centric solutions.”
5. Microsoft (MSFT)
Microsoft also wants to help companies take control of their collected data to make better business decisions. They advertise that big data will help you enable action, be fast and flexible, be secure and stable, and me more intelligent with understanding customer needs. With the help of Microsoft, you can “access, store, and analyze data of any kind and any size…get fully-managed Hadoop and Spark, as well as the industry’s best SLA, with Azure HDInsight.” Their efforts in the big data space have paid off and are projected to continue. Investingnews continues on to report that “In July, Microsoft announced that its Azure product, which is the overall backend of its big data platform, recorded an 89 percent revenue growth year over year.”
In Conclusion: Big Data Is A Worthy Investment
These top big data stocks make a major difference in the way the financial world operates, as well as the world of tech. Keep an eye on their success to make for a happier portfolio.