Whether the broad market is finally peaking or is gearing up for another bullish go-around remains in question. The fourth quarter’s earnings reports have been collectively better than expected, but the novel coronavirus’ persistence could up-end what is seemingly a fragile economy.

A few names, though, look like they can find a way of continuing their forward progress regardless of what lies ahead for stocks. They may dish out more than a little volatility, but the very best names with the right growth stories can shrug off any trouble thrown at them.

With that as a backdrop, here’s a closer look at three growth stocks investors may want to mull over at a pivotal time for the market. Notice that not all three are household names.

1. StoneCo Ltd

The name StoneCo Ltd (NASDAQ:STNE) may not ring a bell, but that’s for good reason. The company is based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and primarily serves that local market’s retailers — online and offline — with a variety of financial technology solutions. For instance, its pagar.me unit allows e-commerce outfits to accept online card payments, while its flagship division, called Stone, offers brick-and-mortar retailers point-of-sale (cash register) solutions.

It’s an increasingly crowded arena, particularly now that PayPal owns European payments services company iZettle and Square has become much more than just a card-acceptance solution. Both companies seem to be quietly eyeing international expansion.

The numbers suggest StoneCo has a firm hold on the Brazilian market. Analysts are modeling revenue growth of more than 40% this year, which should drive the company well into the black after turning the profitability corner in 2018.

DATA SOURCE: THOMSON REUTERS. CHART BY AUTHOR.

The kicker: This is actually a stock Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway owns. It’s not a major holding, making up less than 5% of the Berkshire portfolio, but still, that’s nearly a $600 million stake in a company few people outside of South America have even heard of.

2. Paycom Software

Paycom Software (NYSE:PAYC) is a more familiar name than StoneCo, but perhaps only slightly. With a market cap of only $17.3 billion and without a must-have consumer gadget, the company still doesn’t turn many heads.

It should… Continue reading at The Motley Fool