In an October 5, 2026, article, Motley Fool contributor James Brumley named Viking Therapeutics, Alphabet, SoFi Technologies and MercadoLibre as his top stocks to buy that month. The picks span clinical-stage biotech, advertising and cloud computing, financial technology, and e-commerce and payments; they are an analyst’s opinions, not personalized recommendations or guarantees of returns. The evidence and risks behind each thesis differ, and several reported figures below are attributed to Brumley’s article rather than independently confirmed company releases.
What the four picks have in common—and what they do not
Brumley’s selection is a set of distinct growth theses, not four interchangeable investments. Viking’s prospects depend in part on clinical development and regulatory milestones. Alphabet’s case centers on advertising, cloud growth and AI investment. SoFi combines financial services with a technology platform, while MercadoLibre operates across commerce and payments in Latin America. Their business risks, revenue drivers and valuation questions are therefore different.
The article was published October 5, 2026. Stock prices, analyst estimates and company outlooks can change quickly, so its “buy” framing should be read as a time-specific opinion, not a current valuation assessment or a forecast of future returns.
| Company | Brumley’s thesis | Evidence cited | Key uncertainty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ: VKTX) | Potential of investigational obesity candidate VK2735, including injectable and oral development and possible maintenance dosing. | Viking said on July 29, 2026, that its injectable Phase 3 VANQUISH-1 and VANQUISH-2 trials were fully enrolled and advancing. | Clinical results, trial timing, regulatory review and whether the candidate can become an approved medicine. |
| Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG/GOOGL) | Cloud and Search advertising growth may be underappreciated amid concern about AI spending. | Alphabet reported Q2 2026 Google Cloud revenue of $24.8 billion, up 82% year over year, and 17% growth in Google Search & other revenue. | Whether growth continues, how AI investment affects returns, and whether the shares’ valuation is attractive. |
| SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI) | Member and revenue growth despite concerns about its Galileo technology platform and short-seller allegations. | Brumley reported Q2 adjusted revenue of $1.2 billion, 15.8 million members and raised full-year revenue guidance. | Those figures are reported by the article; a primary SoFi release was not independently verified here. Platform exposure and execution remain relevant risks. |
| MercadoLibre (NASDAQ: MELI) | E-commerce and payments growth, alongside investment in shipping and marketplace expansion. | Brumley reported Q2 revenue of nearly $10.2 billion, up 50% year over year, and increasing cross-category purchasing. | The detailed figures are attributed to the article rather than independently verified against a primary report here; investment needs and execution across markets matter. |
Viking Therapeutics: a clinical-development bet
Brumley’s thesis rests on VK2735, an investigational obesity-drug candidate Viking is developing in injectable and oral forms. The distinction matters: a drug candidate in trials is not an approved medicine available to patients, and trial progress does not establish eventual safety, efficacy or commercial success.
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In its July 29, 2026, update, Viking said the injectable VK2735 Phase 3 VANQUISH-1 and VANQUISH-2 trials were fully enrolled and advancing. The company said it expected to initiate oral Phase 3 trials in Q4 2026 and expected maintenance-dosing data in Q3 2026. Those are expectations stated in the July update, not confirmation that the milestones occurred on schedule. See Viking’s July 29 company update for the reported status.
For an investor, the central question is not simply whether the obesity-drug market is large. It is whether VK2735 can produce sufficiently strong trial results, progress through review, and compete if approved. A clinical-stage company can face sharp share-price changes when trial data or timelines shift, and the cited update alone does not settle those questions.
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Alphabet: growth in cloud and search alongside AI spending
Brumley argues that investors may be too focused on Alphabet’s AI spending and not focused enough on its established businesses. Alphabet’s Q2 2026 results provide evidence of growth: the company reported consolidated revenue of $119.8 billion, Google Cloud revenue of $24.8 billion, up 82% year over year, and 17% year-over-year growth in Google Search & other revenue. These results support a growth case; they do not, by themselves, prove the article’s comparative market-share argument or establish that the shares are undervalued.
CEO Sundar Pichai said, “Q2 was an amazing quarter, with Alphabet revenues growing 24% year-over-year and Google Cloud revenues accelerating to 82% growth, driven by demand for AI infrastructure and AI solutions.” The figures and statement are in Alphabet’s investor-relations materials.
The investment question is whether revenue growth can translate into durable returns after the cost of competing in AI and building infrastructure. Search advertising, cloud services and AI are related parts of Alphabet’s business strategy, but one strong quarter cannot establish how those economics will develop over time.
SoFi: growth with platform and execution questions
Brumley’s SoFi case pairs growth with concerns around Galileo, its technology platform, and allegations from a short seller. The article reports Q2 adjusted revenue of $1.2 billion, 15.8 million members after 35% member growth, and higher full-year revenue guidance. These metrics are attributed to The Motley Fool’s October 5 article; they were not independently confirmed against SoFi’s primary earnings release here.
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For a prospective shareholder, member growth and adjusted revenue are only part of the assessment. Consider how the company converts growth into sustainable earnings, how important Galileo is to the overall business, and how the company responds to platform or reputational concerns. Short-seller allegations should be evaluated as claims, not treated as established facts merely because they exist.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.MercadoLibre: commerce and payments growth with reinvestment
Brumley’s thesis combines the company’s e-commerce and payments businesses with its willingness to spend on shipping and marketplace growth. His article reports nearly $10.2 billion in Q2 revenue, up 50% year over year. It also reproduces a statement attributed to MercadoLibre’s Q2 report that the ratio of daily active users to monthly active users reached a record, and that the share of users buying in three or more categories rose almost six percentage points year over year to a record. These details are reported through Brumley’s article rather than independently checked against the company’s report here.
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Greater engagement and cross-category purchases may support the growth thesis, but spending to improve delivery and expand the marketplace can affect profitability. MercadoLibre operates across multiple Latin American markets; the article’s shorthand comparison to Amazon should not be taken to mean the businesses, markets or risks are equivalent.
Brumley’s article also cited a $2,295.31 consensus 12-month price target and 36% implied upside at its publication. That is a dated analyst-consensus estimate as presented in the article, not a company forecast, intrinsic-value calculation or assurance of return. It can become stale as share prices and analyst estimates change.
How to evaluate the picks for your own situation
Before acting on any time-specific stock list, assess each company separately rather than treating the four names as a ready-made portfolio. Useful questions include:
- What evidence supports the thesis? Separate reported operating results from analyst interpretation and future expectations.
- What could break it? For Viking, focus on clinical and regulatory execution; for Alphabet, on growth durability and AI investment economics; for SoFi, on business and platform execution; for MercadoLibre, on the cost and returns of growth investments.
- Does the valuation fit your assumptions? A fast-growing business can still be a poor investment at an excessive price. The cited article’s consensus target is not a substitute for your own valuation work.
- Does the risk fit your finances? Consider your time horizon, diversification, ability to tolerate losses and need for cash before buying individual shares.
- Are the facts current? Check the latest company filings and updates, particularly for Viking’s trial milestones and any earnings figures reported secondhand in the Motley Fool article.
James Brumley disclosed that he held Alphabet. The Motley Fool disclosed positions in or recommendations of Alphabet, Amazon, Eli Lilly, MercadoLibre, Microsoft, Novo Nordisk and Viking Therapeutics. These disclosures provide context for the article; they do not determine whether a stock is suitable for a particular investor.
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