Top 10 Trending Reddit Stocks for September 2021 For some traditional investors, it may be easy to dismiss the retail trading community on Reddit. This band of retail investors is seen as a catalyst...

For some traditional investors, it may be easy to dismiss the retail trading community on Reddit. One reason for this is that many Reddit investors use the trading app Robinhood (NASDAQ: HOOD), which is widely seen as a catalyst for the rise in "meme stocks" such as GameStop and AMC Entertainment.

Yet, the top stock trading on Robinhood as of August 24, 2021, was Apple – one of the well-known FAANG stocks and a stock that investors of all stripes carry in their portfolio.

Some investors might say this is an example of the broken clock being correct twice a day. But Apple isn't the only "mainstream" stock that's popular with the Reddit community. MarketBeat tracks the number of mentions a company receives on Reddit and provides a ranking over a certain period of time. This newly launched tool lets investors identify companies that may be poised for future growth, based on the number of mentions they've received on Reddit.

Here's a list of ten stocks that the Reddit community is buzzing about in the last 30 days.

1. GameStop (NYSE: GME) – GameStop is the original Reddit stock. However, don't be so quick to dismiss the stock. It retains its share of true believers who are holding on to the stock because they believe in the company's pivot to an e-commerce model. Analysts have a consensus sell rating on the stock so if GME stock is to go higher it will be due to the Reddit crowd. However, the company's earnings report, scheduled for September 8, will likely be a catalyst for strong price movement.
2. AMC Entertainment (NYSE: AMC) – AMC Entertainment has garnered the attention of a loyal group of "apes" within the Reddit community. One reason for optimism was that AMC stock was a recovery play. But so far, the box office has not recovered as swiftly as expected. The company faces some fundamental issues with its existing business model. However, like GameStop, loyal investors hold out hope that the company can pivot to a more viable model. Analysts don't hold out the same belief, and a recent downgrade is not helping the case for retail investors.
3. Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) – It shouldn't be surprising that the first of the "non-meme stocks" to crack this list is Amazon. The company became an essential destination for millions of Americans who were staying socially distant and in their homes. However, AMZN stock has been a roller-coaster stock this year. And until late August, it was down over the previous 12-month period. However, it now looks like Amazon is on the verge of a breakout which is also the consensus opinion of analysts who project the stock has a nearly 20% upside.
4. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) – Apple is the number one purchased stock on Robinhood, and it's the fourth most mentioned stock in the Reddit forum. The manufacturer of the iconic iPhone is enjoying another strong year and recent boosts in its price target suggest that AAPL stock has further to climb. One reason for this is that Apple has announced it is unlikely to be as affected by the global chip shortage as other companies. As one example of that, it's new iPhone launch is expected to go off as planned.
5. Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) – Just as Amazon is a household name in e-commerce; Google (whose parent company is Alphabet) is a household name for many reasons, notably online search. The company is drawing the attention of regulators. But for now there doesn't appear to be much that is going to slow down the stock. GOOGL stock is up 81% in the last 12 months. And although the consensus opinion of analysts is that the stock only has a small upside, recent opinions suggest the stock could have much larger upside.
6. Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA) – It's not easy to invest in Chinese stocks right now. That's a lesson that investors in the "Amazon of China" have learned the hard way. BABA stock is down 39% in the last 12 months and 15% in the last 30 days ending September 3, 2021. Concern lingers over how much influence the Chinese government will have on the company's profits. This got further traction as the company announced a $15.5 billion pledge to Beijing's "common prosperity" vision.
7. Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) – It's always best to leave your emotions out of your investment decisions. And that's the case with Pfizer. No matter your personal feelings about the company's Covid-19 vaccine, it's likely to have an outsize effect on the company's revenue and profits for the next several quarters. News that millions of Americans will likely be receiving a booster shot of the vaccine over the next several quarters should serve as a nice tailwind for PFE stock.
8. Clover Health (NASDAQ: CLOV) – The short squeeze has become trendier than the expected investment strategy. And advocates of the strategy don't necessarily believe in the fortunes of the underlying company, but they see an opportunity to turn a quick profit. That certainly seems to be the case for CLOV stock. Short interest is not high overall, but it's jumped up nearly 20% in the last 30 days. The company is a play on Medicare insurance, but it lacks pricing power in what is a competitive sector.
9. Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) – It would be easy to look at Microsoft stock as a pandemic and post-pandemic winner. The stock is up 119% since the onset of the pandemic. However, MSFT stock was a solid performer for years prior to the pandemic. In the five-year period from February 2015 to February 2020, MSFT stock was up 321% - an average annual gain of 64%. When you add in the company's dividend which it has grown by 31% in the last three years, there are many reasons for investors to be excited about owning Microsoft stock.
10. Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) – In mid-August, NVDA stock broke through a line of support and has been on an upswing. The question for investors is how much of a run does the stock has left. On the one hand, the company stands to benefit as the global chip shortage will make demand stronger than supply for the next several quarters. The company last released earnings in mid-August. Since that point, ten analysts have increased their price target for NVDA stock.