BTIG has some plays for investors as 2025 kicks into high gear. Coming off an unusually strong two-year run for stocks, investors are wondering what areas of the market can drive further upside. The financial services firm’s research team dropped its top picks list for the first half of 2025 this week, which represents its highest-conviction ideas for the next 12 months. Here’s 10 stocks that made the list: Howmet Aerospace is one pick that comes after a banner year for the stock, with its share price more than doubling in 2024. That marked its sixth straight winning year. “The stock has had a very steady uptrend for the last couple of years,” the team said, while also noting its pullback of more than 7% in December. “The presumption is it can now continue higher and exceed prior highs with a move toward $130.” HWM YTD mountain Howmet, 1-year BTIG’s $130 price target implies shares can rally 15% over Friday’s closing level. Howmet has caught the attention of several on Wall Street. Ari Wald, Oppenheimer’s head of technical analysis, told CNBC on Thursday that traders should use the recent retreat as an entry point. “The industry didn’t really take off, but the stock has continued to work,” he said on CNBC’s “Power Lunch.” “We still like it.” BTIG also listed Starbucks , noting it took a top pick spot from Domino’s Pizza . Starbucks notched its third straight negative year in 2024. Despite the downtrend, Wall Street cheered the coffee chain’s poach of Brian Niccol to take the chief executive role after serving in the equivalent position at Chipotle . “Our Top Pick switches … given the leadership change at Starbucks, the turnaround potential we see, and the likely timing of these efforts as they build through the calendar year, creating a compelling return setup as we enter the second half of 2025 and into 2026,” the BTIG team wrote to clients. SBUX 1Y mountain Starbucks, 1-year The firm’s price target of $115 suggests upside of 24% over Thursday’s close. Boot Barn was one of the smaller names on BTIG’s list. Even after finishing 2024 higher by almost 98%, the retailer’s shares are in an appealing spot, the firm said. Shares have retreated from highs in mid-October after it announced the departure of its longtime CEO Jim Conroy, along with mixed fiscal second-quarter results. BTIG said the report was otherwise strong. Boot Barn has been viewed as a winner of the recent focus on Western wear within American fashion. What’s more, Circana reported a more than 20% jump in Western boot sales in just the week following the release of Beyoncé’s “Cowboy Carter” album last year. BOOT 1Y mountain Boot Barn, 1-year The firm’s $185 price target implies shares can jump nearly 17% from Friday’s close.
