Top Smart-Home Stocks to Buy in 2019

Smart homes and buildings are becoming increasingly popular with a projected market growth of 18% according to Acumen Researching and Consulting. The internet of things, and IFTTT (If this then that) has allowed for individuals to create systems that works together with minimal human intervention.

Automation and connected smart appliances have seen a huge rise in demand in recent years. Amazon recently acquired Eero and previously paid $1 billion to acquire Ring, a doorbell-camera startup. It had acquired Blink, a smart camera maker in 2017.

Google also invested heavily in the smart-home game a few years ago when it acquired Nest for 3.2 billion. Nest was quiet for a few years after its acquisition by Google but recently launched new temperature sensors, a video doorbell and an outdoor smart camera.

Smart lights, security, entertainment systems, and temperature control are the principle smart devices in demand. These products are surely to grow as we become more invested in energy-saving and healthy lifestyles.

Most of these smart devices work with voice assistants, but read carefully as not all are compatible, depending on your brand. Apple’s Homekit is an example of a software framework that lets you use a smart device with Siri.

Nest smart-home products at B&H

Here are the top companies developing smart homes products…

💻 Technology

Microsoft (MSFT-Q)
Cortana, the voice assistant, can be used to control compatible smart devices. The IFTTT chains helps you automate actions.

Microsoft (MSFT-Q) — Stockchase

Enter now at $137 and add to a position? He owns a lot for the long-term. MSFT has been going up for a long while. Occasionally, it consolidates or pullbacks? Not bad to buy it now. Nothing wrong with this chart.

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Sony Corp. ADR (SNE-N)
They offer a suite of voice assistant enabled smart products that help automate the home. You can even control your Sony TV through Google Home.

Sony Corp. ADR (SNE-N) — Stockchase

One of the world's giants in consumer electronics. Very fine company. Starting to see the old stodgy management change. There's an American who's running it now.

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Apple (AAPL-Q)
Homekit, along with the Home app, is the company’s smart home system used as a platform for iOS user. The platform brings multiple devices together and coordinates their actions.

Apple (AAPL-Q) — Stockchase

(A Top Pick Nov 27/18, Up 31%) He continues to like them for many reasons. The cloud services, the app store and others continue to do well. It is indefensible and people keep buying their products. They increased iPhone orders for parts by 10% -- a good sign. His largest since equity holding.

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Amazon.com (AMZN-Q)
A leader in e-commerce and they sell smart home solutions that also works with their voice assistant, Alexa. They help you get what you need to turn your home smart, and a way to control everything.

Amazon.com (AMZN-Q) — Stockchase

(A Top Pick Oct 31/18, Up 9%) His target is $2,100. They is primed for continued growth. AWS is a powerhouse, unlimited. Even in the latest quarter they showed a big win in subscriptions. In a correction or recession, all Amazon has to do is expand their e-commerce margins and still do fine.

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Alphabet Inc. (A) (GOOGL-Q)
They acquired Nest and is a big player in connected home devices. Many devices connect through their Google Home platform.

Alphabet Inc. / Google (GOOG-Q) — Stockchase

(A Top Pick Aug 21/18, Down 3%) It is part of his fund and has been flat for some time. On the back of government action that we are seeing from the tech world, Google looks fantastic. It is very interesting again. They are a leader in autonomous driving.

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Some stocks not on Stockchase are also worth mentioning : Alarm.com NASDAQ: ALRM, Control4 NASDAQ: CTRL and Sonos NASDAQ: SONO are among many smart-home stocks you should watch. Other companies are also involved and benefit from the home automation rise in demand even if they don’t develop consumer products themselves, here are more smart-home related stocks :

Canon Inc. (CAJ-N)
Smart all-in-one printers are the mainstay of a smart-office. Canon offers multiple solutions for big and small sized companies and help automate the workplace.

Canon Inc. (CAJ-N) — Stockchase

A great company. 16 times earnings. Well run, world leading company.

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Amdocs (DOX-Q)
A supplier of billing and back-office support for telecommunication and cable companies. They offer real-time intelligence capabilities for contextualized customer engagement.

Amdocs (DOX-Q) — Stockchase

Expects a lot of growth

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Logitech International SA (LOGI-Q)
Harmony Hub takes all your devices and lets you control them with your smartphone. They are working on creating a universal controller.

Logitech International SA (LOGI-Q) — Stockchase

A great brand name for computer accessories. Also a great way to participate in the global move to wireless Bluetooth, game stations and Xboxes. A great entry point.

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Marvell Technology Group (MRVL-Q)
They produce storage, communications, and consumer semiconductors. Their digital semiconductors for consumer communications is used in smart home technology.

Marvell Technology Group (MRVL-Q) — Stockchase

Ranks in the middle of the pack. Not cheap.

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Silicon Laboratories Inc (SLAB-Q)
A semiconductor producer that is used widely in cell-phones and smart devices.

Silicon Laboratories Inc (SLAB-Q) — Stockchase

(Was a top pick on Mar 11. Up 1%.) Still likes. Don't buy at these prices. Wait for pull backs.

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Intel (INTC-Q)
They create chips that power the smart home devices. They have good technical support, and could break out, but semiconductors have done poorly recently.

Intel (INTC-Q) — Stockchase

The chart is a rounded-U formation in the past 12 months. It looks a little oversold, and has broken a short-term trendline. It will probably land to $45. Wait till it consolidates. Maybe the worst is over. There isn't a real direction, so keep an eye on it.

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Qualcomm (QCOM-Q)
A strong player in the IoT space, offering connectivity and machine intelligence to smart home technology. They offer security and automation technology to consumers.

Qualcomm (QCOM-Q) — Stockchase

He's bought and sold this within a range over the past five years. Likes this because 5G will be a huge technology spend, and Qualcomm is the technology licensee. It pays over a 4% dividend. They are suing Apple over technology and, if they win, will be huge for QCOM. Low-risk, good upside. (Analysts’ price…

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AT&T (T-N)
They’re focusing on home security and automation systems to protect your home and family.

AT&T (T-N) — Stockchase

US telcos are having a tough time. Lot more pricing competition. Battling to get into video. Increasing debt over the years, can't get growth, questionable acquisitions. He's stayed away. No dividend growth from here.

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AMERICA MOVIL, S.A.B. DE C.V. (AMX-N)
They are working on 5G technology and are working to commercialise smart products to tap into the IoT universe.

AMERICA MOVIL, S.A.B. DE C.V. (AMX-N) — Stockchase

Gaining continus scale. Penetration is still going very strongly, as well as having several ventures in Brazil.

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Home Depot (HD-N)
You can get everything you need to connect your home. They’ve profited from the DIY boom and smart homes could be the next big thing.

Home Depot (HD-N) — Stockchase

Earnings came out today and the stock was punished HD is the go-to store for certain products and taking market share from the mom-and-pop shops, like Walmart. They're investing heavily in store technology that will pay off. It has a strong position in its sector, but there remains room for growth, say, outside North America.…

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Best Buy Company Inc (BBY-N)
A name synonymous with consumer technology. They offer a wide variety of smart homes devices, and smart home systems.

Best Buy Company Inc (BBY-N) — Stockchase

Has a massive presence online. Probably trading at 4 or 5 times earnings compared to Amazon at about 100 times. Thinks people are overly pessimistic about this company. No question their business is in decline but maybe they’ll turn it around.

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Office Depot (ODP-Q)
They offer a smart home and office installation service that installs and connects Google and Nest products to you building.

Office Depot (ODP-Q) — Stockchase

Fairly cheap. Has excellent upside potential.

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Audiovox Corp. (VOXX-Q)
A custom home automation and consumer electronics company. They are working on connecting residential and commercial properties.

Audiovox Corp. (VOXX-Q) — Stockchase

No debt and $160 million in cash, a little over $7 per share. Chairman owns 20%. Not widely followed.

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Comcast Corp (CMCSA-Q)
Its Xfinity brand has driven their smart home products. They specialize in smart voice-drive TV experiences. They also have partnerships with home security and smart lock companies.

Comcast Corp (CMCSA-Q) — Stockchase

A complicated company. It is family owned. He prefers Disney (DIS-N), because they don’t have ownership of cable TV stations. Feels Netflix is too much of a threat to TV stations. He likes part of this company, but doesn’t like the stock.

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ABB Ltd. (ABB-N)
A Swedish-Swiss multinational that develops robotics, power, and automation technology. They are working on building smart grids. These grids are adaptive and responsive, and many current infrastructure needs replacing. These smart grids have a big potential when these infrastructures are redone.

ABB Ltd. (ABB-N) — Stockchase

These big capital equipment companies are obviously fairly late cycle plays because the people who buy stuff from them have to feel confident and have the funding to do so.

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Honeywell International (HON-N)
They have consumer smart home solutions, including thermostats, and security systems. It has a good management team and they have good branding.

Honeywell International (HON-N) — Stockchase

It has been a great company and is well run. It has left GE-N in the dust. The history of spinouts is that after the original dumping of stock investors got, spinouts outperform other parts of the market. You might even buy more of it.

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General Electric (GE-N)
They have smart outlets and security systems. However, it’s been beaten down a lot, and analysts are wary. They are not cash flow positive, and the business is trying to sell off assets trying to survive.

General Electric (GE-N) — Stockchase

They've fallen on hard times due to mismanagement. They carry a lot of debt. So, if we enter a recession, GE will have a tough time paying that off.

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Johnson Controls (JCI-N)
An automotive batteries and electronics, and HVAC equipment producer. They also have their building automation system. The system helps keep occupants safe and productive.

Johnson Controls (JCI-N) — Stockchase

Auto sector is turning around.

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Eaton Corp. (ETN-N)
Provides engineering equipment to different companies. They are a key player in the global human machine interface (HMI) race. HMI is a growing market especially due to the rising demand for lower expenses.

Eaton Corp. (ETN-N) — Stockchase

Trading at quite a low multiple because of the perception that it is a trucking supply company. Have done a great job of diversifying away from this over the last 5 years, mainly through acquisitions. 75% of their business is not related to the automotive side, but is an infrastructure play. Strong balance sheet.

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Ametek (AME-N)
They manufacture electronic instruments and electromechanical devices. They make monitors for many industries, including pharma and oil. A leader in highly engineered electrical connectors.

Ametek (AME-N) — Stockchase

Likes industrials. He used to have a decent weighting, but with the recent run-up in industrial companies in the US, he sold a great many of them, but kept this one. It is a high-quality multi industrial. Their forecast this year is to grow zero to maybe +4%. Over time they have shown the ability…

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Anixter International (AXE-N)
A communications and security products company. They offer a full-line solutions. A leader in helping businesses and communities build reliable systems.

Anixter International (AXE-N) — Stockchase

This is a feeder into the global industrial growth. They make and are distributors of communication products, wire and cable products. About 15% of their businesses is C class parts consisting of nuts and bolts, screws, etc.

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