The S&P 500 has been the gold standard of the stock market for nearly 70 years. It was officially launched on March 4, 1957, as the first true market-cap-weighted index in the United States. Today, it’s the benchmark that mutual funds, ETFs, pension plans and institutions across the globe.
Getting added to this index is a milestone. It signals that a company has not only grown large enough but also stable enough to stand alongside America’s most important businesses.
That’s why I’m excited to share some good news – three of my Growth Investor holdings will be added to the S&P 500 on Monday, September 22: AppLovin Corporation (APP), EMCOR Group Inc. (EME) and Robinhood Markets Inc. (HOOD).
I’ve been in the financial industry for over four decades. And it’s not every day that a company in one of my portfolios gets added to the S&P 500 – much less three.
Since this is such a rare feat, in today’s Market 360, we’re going to unpack why getting added to the S&P is a big deal. We’ll also talk about the underlying strength of these companies that made them worth picking over all the other companies on the market. And finally, since my Stock Grader system (subscription required) was able to find these winners ahead of the crowd – I’ll also tell you about how it’s helping me find the next big megatrend on the horizon.
Why Getting Added to the S&P Is a Big Deal
The S&P traces its roots back to 1923, when the Standard Statistics Company created its first stock market index of 233 companies. In 1941, the firm merged with Poor’s Publishing, forming Standard & Poor’s. Fast forward to 1957, and the modern S&P 500 was born.
Since then, it has become the most widely tracked index in the world. It’s considered a proxy for the U.S. economy. And because it’s market-cap weighted, large companies carry more influence than small ones.
For investors, it’s the key benchmark to measure performance.
That’s why inclusion in this index matters. When a stock joins the S&P, index funds have to buy in, pension plans follow and institutions take notice.
The addition to the S&P 500 should increase visibility with investors, as well as boost institutional buying pressure. So, all three stocks will likely meander higher in the upcoming weeks.
But here’s the thing – Growth Investor subscribers are already ahead of the curve. We didn’t need S&P inclusion to tell us these were winners. In fact, we’ve been enjoying some fantastic gains already, thanks to my Stock Grader system.
So, let’s take a closer look at these three companies, why we bought them and how they earned their spot in America’s most important index.
Three Growth Investor Winners in the Spotlight
EMCOR Group Inc. (EME)
EMCOR may not be a household name, but it’s a leader in mechanical and electrical construction, industrial services and energy infrastructure. The company is a key player in everything from data center builds to clean energy projects – areas that continue to see long-term investment.
The ravenous appetite for AI data centers, as well as EMCOR’s superior fundamentals, made it a Stock Grader “buy” well before Wall Street took notice.
We first added EMCOR to the Growth Investor Portfolio on Aug. 25, 2023, and the stock is up 186% since.
Now, the stock earns a B-grade from Stock Grader, which still makes it a “Buy.” And with S&P inclusion, institutions are catching up to what we already knew.
AppLovin Corporation (APP)
AppLovin operates a powerful software platform that helps app developers market, monetize and analyze their products. At the center is its machine-learning engine, AXON, which uses AI to optimize mobile ad placement and drive engagement.
As the advertising market rebounded in 2024, AppLovin’s business soared, sending shares sharply higher. Stock Grader picked up on the improving fundamentals and strong buying pressure, giving us the green light.
So, I recommended AppLovin to my Growth Investor subscribers on Feb. 28, 2024, and it has gained nearly 79%. For the record, the stock has an A-grade right now, making it a “Strong Buy.”
Robinhood Markets Inc. (HOOD)
Robinhood disrupted the retail brokerage model with commission-free trading and a slick mobile-first platform during the “meme stock” craze in the pandemic.
But the company has evolved well beyond stock trading. It’s now a major player in crypto, retirement accounts and more. It’s even moving into AI-powered research and custom trading strategies, thanks to its acquisition of the investment platform Pluto.
The company’s ambitions are lofty – it’s seeking to become an all-in-one financial solution for its users.
We added Robinhood to Growth Investor on Aug. 29, 2025, and it’s already up about 10%. It still has an A-grade in Stock Grader, making it a “Strong Buy.” And with millions of active users and a strong brand among younger investors, Robinhood is positioned to capture the next wave of growth in digital finance.
The Next Big Shift
Catching these three winners before Wall Street was forced to recognize them shows the power of Stock Grader. But the system isn’t just good at spotting individual companies – it also helps us identify tomorrow’s megatrends.
In fact, the biggest one I’m watching right now has to do with “upgrading” the dollar.
See, on July 18, President Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law.
Among other things, this landmark legislation establishes a legal and regulatory framework for stablecoins.
Why should you care?
Unlike volatile cryptocurrencies, these stablecoins are fully backed by U.S. Treasuries. And this “upgrade” could transform the way money moves in our economy – just like credit cards in the 1950s or mobile payments in the 2000s.
For this reason, many are calling these stablecoins “Trump Dollars” – or a new, digital form of the U.S. dollar.
This is not a niche experiment. Wall Street banks, payment giants and even retailers are already adopting the technology. And I believe it could unleash a multi-trillion-dollar boom.
I should also add that there’s a reason why this has the full backing of the Trump administration. These digital dollars, fully backed by Treasuries, are designed to fight inflation, restore dollar dominance and create massive new demand for U.S. debt.
How You Can Profit
Now, Robinhood is one of our plays on this shift, but it’s not the only one. My research has uncovered other A- and B-grade stocks tied to this megatrend – companies that could deliver outsized returns as the dollar upgrade rolls out.
In fact, thanks to the power of Stock Grader, we developed an entire widget that tracks them.
It’s called the Stablecoin Opportunity Tracker, and it covers 35 companies tied to the stablecoin revolution.
I’ve put together all the details in a special briefing on the dollar upgrade, so you can see how to position your portfolio for what could be the most important financial shift of our lifetimes.
Click here now to learn how to access my special research briefing.
Sincerely,
Louis Navellier
Editor, Market 360
The Editor hereby discloses that as of the date of this email, the Editor, directly or indirectly, owns the following securities that are the subject of the commentary, analysis, opinions, advice, or recommendations in, or which are otherwise mentioned in, the essay set forth below:
AppLovin Corporation (APP), EMCOR Group Inc. (EME) and Robinhood Markets Inc. (HOOD)
