Equity markets have been seesawing for the past two weeks. Stocks fell hard after President Donald Trump announced his tariff plans, then bounced back big once he said he would pause expanded tariffs on imported goods from most countries for 90 days.
It's hard to predict which way major indexes will move next, but amid all this volatility, it helps to buy shares of companies that are likely to perform well in the long run. Here are two great examples: Vertex Pharmaceuticals(NASDAQ: VRTX) and Veeva Systems(NYSE: VEEV).
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1. Vertex Pharmaceuticals
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is a leading drugmaker that develops therapies in areas with high unmet needs. That's not a bad strategy. Despite significant advances and innovations in medicine, there are no treatment options for many diseases, while for others, the existing medications come with severe side effects or only address their symptoms.
Vertex has been massively successful in developing medicines for cystic fibrosis (CF), a disease that affects internal organs. Though many drugmakers have tried to get into this area, they have all failed, except for Vertex, which markets the only drugs that target CF's underlying genetic causes. As a result, the biotech's revenue and earnings have grown rapidly in the past decade.
There is more to like as well. Vertex'w newest products fit the company's MO. Casgevy, approved in 2023, is a medicine for two rare, life-threatening blood disorders with few treatment options. Journavx is a medicine for acute pain -- though there are lots of options here, most are opioid-based ones. Journavx became the first non-opioid oral pain inhibitor to earn the green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It could win some label expansions down the line.
Vertex's pipeline also looks exciting. Two years ago, the company's management said it aimed to launch five new products in the next five years, so by 2028. The plan is working out well so far. Including Alyftrek, a next-gen CF therapy, the biotech is more than halfway there. Based on its late-stage pipeline, Vertex could earn approval for inaxaplin, a potential treatment APOL1-mediated kidney disease, and povetacicept, an investigational drug for IgA nephropathy (a kidney condition also known as Berger's disease).
Even if these programs don't pan out, Vertex Pharmaceuticals has proven that it is an innovative biotech company with a clear strategy that has worked wonders before and is still proving successful. The stock could deliver strong returns to those who hold onto it amid the market volatility.
2. Veeva Systems
Veeva Systems is a leader in the cloud industry. Though it does not have a market share anywhere as large as a company like Amazon's, Veeva focuses on providing cloud solutions to life science companies, a niche where it has been successful.
Whether drugmakers or medical device specialists (or others), life science corporations have specific demands and needs. They operate in a highly regulated industry and they often make significant upfront investments to develop products; these products can take years to reach the market and can do so only after passing stringent clinical trials.
Generic cloud solutions can hardly meet those demands, but Veeva's do. Some of the company's options focus on ensuring regulatory compliance across all stages of clinical trials and regulatory applications, storing data from studies in a single integrated platform -- to give just a few examples.
That's why some of the largest pharmaceutical companies do business with Veeva Systems. This is also why it has generally recorded excellent financial results.
And despite the instability in the markets, Veeva Systems' future looks bright. No matter what happens, the life sciences industry it serves will continue to grow. People won't stop needing lifesaving medical products anytime soon. And as long as the corporations that develop these products are around and the industry is expanding, there will be room for Veeva Systems to do the same. The company estimates a $20 billion addressable market -- its revenue over the trailing 12 months is a fraction of that at $2.7 billion.
Veeva might not capture this entire market by itself, but even getting to 30% penetration in the next five years or so -- or $6 billion -- would allow it to grow its revenue and earnings at a good clip. The stock should deliver excellent returns in the meantime.
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John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Prosper Junior Bakiny has positions in Amazon and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Veeva Systems, and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
