Are you ready? October was a rough month for stocks. In fact, US markets lost nearly $2 trillion, with tech large-caps some of the worst hit. So will this turbulence roll over into November? The jury is out. But even within these choppy markets some key stocks still stand out. Top analysts say these 4 ‘Strong Buy’ stocks are looking as compelling as ever as we head into November. We pinpointed these stocks using TipRanks stock screener. This enables you to screen for stocks with a killer ‘Strong Buy’ consensus from the Street’s best-performing analysts. Let’s dive in to four top stocks now. As you will see, three out of these four stocks even boast 100% Street support based on ratings from the last three months:

1. Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation (MSFT – Research Report) is on a roll right now, crushing Street estimates with extremely robust 1Q19 results. This includes a $1.2B revenue beat and an equally impressive $0.18 EPS beat.

Think about this: 1Q19 revenue increased 18.5% y/y to $29.1B. We are now looking the fifth consecutive quarter of double-digit growth for the largest software franchise in the world.

“We would continue to Overweight MSFT shares on a multiyear model transformation driven by fast-growing cloud and internet segments that we estimate could top $70B in revenue by CY20 vs. $18.5B in CY16” says KeyBanc’s Brent Bracelin (Track Record & Ratings).

Bear in mind this analyst falls in the Top 25 out of over 4,800 analysts ranked by TipRanks. In other words, he knows what he’s doing. Bracelin sees prices surging 22% to $125. This is up from $123 previously.

Overall, 15 out of 16 top analysts have published Buy ratings on MSFT in the last three months. Their average price target stands at $123 (20% upside potential).

View MSFT Price Target & Analyst Ratings Detail

2. Gray Television

If you are looking for a lower-priced stock that still packs a big punch, look no further. Gray Television (GTN – Research Report) has received 3 recent buy ratings — all from top analysts. These analysts (on average) see prices surging from $16.60 to $23.67. In other words, this means upside potential of over 42%.

The stock has two primary revenue sources: owning and operating TV stations in the US and selling internet ads on its stations’ websites. But what really gives the company its investing edge is, that’s right, political dollars. This is because its strong positioning in its markets (i.e. holding the #1/#2 spot) makes its stations a must buy for political candidates and political action committees (PACs).

“Gray’s appealing fundamentals are led by its proven ability to capitalize on available political dollars as a direct consequence of its exceptional dominance in local news” gushes five-star Barrington analyst James Goss (Track Record & Ratings). This is all the more so given 1) 2018 midterms 2) highly competitive senator and governor races and 3) higher level of voter engagement which has spurred political fundraising through the roof.

View GTN Price Target & Analyst Ratings Detail

3. Merck

When a stock has managed to climb in these choppy times, you know it must be doing something right. Pharma giant Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK – Research Report) is up over 12% in the last three months. And from top-performing analysts, it scores 5 recent Buy ratings. So no Hold or Sell here.

The key product to keep your eye on is Keytruda. This is a prescription medicine that helps the immune system do what it was meant to do: detect and fight cancer cells. Its suitable for specific cancers including non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

“We now see Keytruda as a $17Bn franchise,” writes five-star BMO Capital analyst Alex Arfaei (Track Record & Ratings). This is up from his previous estimate of $13.5 billion. As a result, he boosts his MRK price target from $70 to $82 (16% upside potential). Bear in mind that’s the figure he’s expecting for 2030; in the near-term Keytruda should make sales of around $8 billion in 2018.

“Despite over-dependence on Keytruda, Merck is executing very well in the important IO [immunotherapy] market and should maintain leadership” concludes Arfaei. Plus the stock has a number of other growth drivers up its sleeve including the Gardasil vaccine, animal health and Lynparza for ovarian cancer.

View MRK Price Target & Analyst Ratings Detail

4. Twilio

Cloud communications pioneer Twilio Inc (TWLO – Research Report) wants to ‘fuel the future of communications’. And to further this goal the company has just splurged $2 billion worth-of-stock on cloud-based email service SendGrid.

“Increasingly, our customers are asking us to solve all of their strategic communications challenges – regardless of channel,” Twilio CEO Jeff Lawson explained in an October 15 statement.

Five-star Oppenheimer analyst Ittai Kidron (Track Record & Ratings) gives the deal his seal of approval: “After taking time to digest the details of the SendGrid acquisition, we come away confident that management has opportunistically acquired a strategic asset that offers substantial revenue synergy.”

Modeling for a $106M revenue synergy opportunity in FY21, longer-tern Kidron see further upside as penetration rises (20%-30%) and as cohort usage and ARPU [average revenue per user] expands.

“Overall, we see the combination solidifying Twilio’s long-term revenue growth trajectory, justifying its premium valuation” the analyst concludes. As a result, Kidron maintains his Buy rating with a bullish $90 price target (20% upside potential).

View TWLO Price Target & Analyst Ratings Detail