Best Stocks to Buy Now: These Tech, Gas, and Gold Plays Have Enormous Upside Potential

Best stocks to buy for the week ending April 25, 2014: The newest investment picks from Money Morning experts come from some of the hottest markets like IPOs, cloud computing, Big Data, and commodities.

We highlighted five stocks that tap into Ohio's booming Utica shale formation, where the number of companies seeking drilling permits is up 60% from the same time last year. We also profiled three biotech IPOs that debuted in January and February and are priced at a discount – for now. And we found a small-cap firm that is perfect for investors who can stomach the volatility that comes with turnarounds – plus another that will ease the pain of recent zooming food prices.

Here are our latest, best ways to capture profits.

Money Morning's Best Stocks to Buy Now

• On Tuesday, Money Morning Executive Editor William Patalon III reiterated his recommendation of a surging Milpitas, Calif.-based company because it recently reported first-quarter earnings results that smashed analyst expectations. Revenue totaled $1.51 billion (an increase of 13% year over year) – $20 million more than analysts were expecting. And there's still plenty of upside left for investors to tap into this company that's part of some of the hottest growth trends – including data centers, the mobile wave, and cloud computing.

• Last year was a major turning point for the Utica shale formation in southeastern Ohio. Wells drilled in this "sweet spot" were the main reason Ohio natural gas production more than doubled from 89.4 billion cubic feet in 2012 to 203 billion cubic feet in 2013, according to the Ohio Oil and Gas Association. One well alone has produced 1.25 billion cubic feet of gas in 90 days. The companies with prime holdings in the top shale gas and oil formations stand to profit the most from the shale gas and oil boom – and so do their investors. Here are five natural gas stocks that will benefit as companies increase production in the Utica Shale.

• With gold prices crossing $1,300 an ounce in mid-April, Money Morning's Global Resource Specialist Peter Krauth has pinpointed two gold mining stocks that are set to cash in on the rising price of gold. One is a major mining firm that operates, explores, develops, and acquires precious metal properties in Canada. Its stock has gained 14% so far in 2014 and is poised for growth as the company expands its mining operations. The other is a mid-tier gold producer with a $750 million market cap. It operates in Mexico, and shares are up 46% year to date.

• Market volatility has suddenly created some great opportunities, including those in the biotech sector. One example is Gilead Sciences Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD), which has returned roughly 185% in two years. Gilead has treatments for HIV, cardiovascular diseases, hepatitis C, and more. Another is Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: REGN), which has a two-year return of 187%. But Money Morning Defense & Tech Specialist Michael A. Robinson encouraged readers to look past stocks such as these because they've already realized much of their upside potential. Instead, Robinson highlighted three 2014 IPOs with just as much, if not more, potential… and that just got cheap. These three are in the discount bin – but won't be for long…