Bruce Murray, the seasoned CEO and CIO of Murray Wealth Group, is doubling down on his global equities strategy, identifying a trio of stocks he believes are undervalued gems in a volatile market. Speaking with BNN Bloomberg on April 17, 2025, Murray outlined a cautiously optimistic view of the economy, suggesting that the correction in high-growth tech names and rising fears of recession have set the stage for a selective rebound. His latest picks—Meta, Eli Lilly, and Linamar—span tech, healthcare, and industrials, signaling confidence in fundamentals across sectors despite ongoing political and economic turbulence.
Market Outlook: Volatility with a Side of Opportunity
Murray’s tone was firm yet measured. While he acknowledged ongoing risks tied to U.S. President Donald Trump’s economic maneuvering and the looming threat of a recession, he insisted that the worst of the market selloff is behind us. According to Murray, much of the fear driving recent volatility has already been priced in. Investors, he says, should begin cautiously reallocating capital into equities, particularly those with solid fundamentals and long-term growth prospects.
The so-called "Magnificent Seven" tech giants have taken a beating in recent months, but Murray believes this pullback presents a golden opportunity. Artificial intelligence, he contends, is poised to revolutionize industries over the next decade, and the companies leading that charge—despite their current struggles—will eventually be rewarded. Trump’s dramatic economic statements and unpredictable trade stances may spook investors temporarily, but Murray sees this noise gradually fading. His advice is clear: Don’t panic. Buy quality. Hold steady.
Meta: Advertising Juggernaut with Untapped AI Potential
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) has been battered in recent weeks, with its stock shedding over $200 a share—roughly a 30% drop—on fears of antitrust challenges, surging AI-related capital expenditures, and broader concerns about a slowdown in advertising due to Trump-era volatility. But Murray sees this correction as unwarranted panic. Meta remains a $160 billion advertising titan with a reasonable price-to-earnings ratio just north of 20 and a projected mid-teens EPS growth rate through the end of the decade.
Mark Zuckerberg’s leadership, once widely questioned, is now increasingly viewed as shrewd and adaptive. Meta’s acquisition track record—from Instagram to WhatsApp—has aged exceptionally well. Time spent on Meta’s platforms continues to rise, and the company is aggressively monetizing WhatsApp across the developing world, positioning itself as the connective tissue for billions of users. Meanwhile, its explorations into robotics and next-generation wearables hint at bold ambitions to blend digital connectivity with real-world interaction.
Wall Street’s consensus still sees a bright future: target prices hover north of $725, well above current levels. As fears subside and AI-driven capabilities mature, Meta could prove to be one of the most resilient growth names of the decade.
Eli Lilly: Betting on the Future of Medicine
For investors hunting for quality in the chaos, Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) represents a fortress of innovation. Best known recently for its wildly successful weight-loss drug Zepbound—an outperformer even against industry leader Ozempic—Lilly is not resting on its laurels. The pharma heavyweight has a pipeline stacked with high-impact drugs aimed at Alzheimer’s, various forms of cancer, and several autoimmune and genetically-inherited diseases.
Sales hit $45 billion in 2024, but that number may just be the beginning. Murray is particularly bullish on the potential for Lilly’s earnings per share to triple or even quadruple by 2027, pushing EPS toward the $35–$40 range. That kind of explosive growth, coupled with strong patent protection and market leadership, suggests a stock that could still be significantly undervalued—even after its massive run last year.
The correction has pulled LLY back from its all-time highs above $950 to a more reasonable level. But with average analyst targets still above $1,000 and bullish firms like Morgan Stanley projecting over $1,100, the pullback may be more of a gift than a warning. For those seeking a safe haven with upside, Lilly may be the prescription.
Linamar: The Quiet Canadian Powerhouse
While Meta and Lilly dominate headlines, Murray’s third pick—Linamar (TSX: LNR)—flies under the radar. But that’s exactly why he likes it. The Canadian manufacturing company has quietly doubled its revenues and earnings over the past decade while its stock has languished. Investors have largely ignored the name, wary of its automotive exposure in an era of electrification, but Murray sees opportunity hiding in plain sight.
Linamar isn’t just building parts for yesterday’s vehicles. It has strategically repositioned itself, becoming a key supplier for next-gen vehicle components and expanding into specialty agricultural machinery and industrial access equipment. With earnings per share between $10 and $12 and a price-to-earnings ratio under five, Linamar is a classic value play.
The company’s operations are also trade war-proof, with all products qualifying under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), insulating it from Trump’s unpredictable tariff swings. Linamar has also been buying back stock, reducing share count by six percent over the past three years. Its book value is nearly $90 per share—well above its current price—setting the stage for a potential breakout once the next industrial cycle begins.
Murray believes the stock could eclipse its 2021 high of $88, particularly if economic headwinds fade and industrial confidence rebounds. In his words, Linamar is “a value situation with little downside.”
Reinvesting in Quality: The Case for Cautious Optimism
Bruce Murray isn’t suggesting a full-blown buying spree. His outlook is deliberate and strategic. He sees a market still contending with geopolitical uncertainty, inflationary pressures, and erratic policy swings from Washington. But beneath that turbulence, he sees strength. Meta is innovating at the edge of digital and physical worlds. Eli Lilly is building the future of medicine. Linamar is redefining industrial relevance in North America.
As fear gives way to fundamentals, these companies offer a rare blend of growth, resilience, and undervaluation. For investors ready to step back into the market, Bruce Murray’s picks represent a powerful call to action: follow the fundamentals, embrace the future, and bet on businesses that solve real-world problems.
