If nothing else, the stock market is full of surprises. 2025 began with investors feeling upbeat, with a new business-friendly president stepping into the White House. Now, a sell-off may be in the works as investors worry about tariffs and trade wars.
Nodding to the tariff turmoil, here’s a list of domestic services businesses as the top stocks for April. Since services are not subject to tariffs, these providers should be somewhat insulated from an escalating trade war.
How These Top Stock Picks Were Chosen
The top stocks below were identified by screening health care, technology and financial services businesses on these parameters:
- Average analyst rating of buy or strong buy
- Price target upside over 10%
- Expected EPS growth this year of 20% of more
- Operating margin over 20%
- Debt-to-equity ratio below 1
Mostly software companies passed this test, partly due to the margin requirement. The top six in terms of market capitalization were selected.
6 Top Stocks To Buy In April 2025
The table below introduces six American companies that meet the criteria outlined above. Metrics are from stockanalysis.com and company earnings releases.
For more investing ideas, see: best stocks for 2025 and best ETFs.
1. Salesforce (CRM)
- Stock price: $278.53
- TTM revenue: $37.9 billion
- TTM EPS: $6.44
- 2025 EPS growth expectation: 77.38%
- Debt-to-equity: 0.20
- P/E ratio: 43.91
- Price target upside: 29.15%
Salesforce Business Overview
Salesforce offers subscription customer relationship management (CRM) software that helps businesses manage and track customer interactions. The company has the leading market share in CRM, estimated at 29.2% by Apps Run The World. Salesforce also launched an agentic AI solution called Agentforce in 2024. Agentic AI supports complex conversations without human intervention.
Why CRM Stock Is A Top Choice
Salesforce has a strong balance sheet and a leading market position in CRM. The company also has a track record of revenue growth, though the growth rate has slowed in recent years. Offsetting the revenue trend has been a dramatic rise in operating margin from below 6% in fiscal 2023 to over 20% in fiscal 2025. Cash flow has gained also—the company’s free cash flow margin was nearly 33% last year, up from 20% two years ago.
The latest results from Salesforce show momentum in data cloud and AI solutions, where revenue is up 120% from the prior year. The company also closed 5,000 Agentforce deals last year. These newer solutions enhance the company’s growth opportunity and complement its dominant position in customer relationship management software.
Salesforce pays annual dividends of $1.60 per share, for a yield of 0.57%. If you’re looking for a higher dividend yield, see this list of best dividend stocks.
2. Intuit (INTU)
- Stock price: $600.59
- TTM revenue: $17.1 billion
- TTM EPS: $10.85
- 2025 EPS growth expectation: 88.60%
- Debt-to-equity: 0.38
- P/E ratio: 56.13
- Price target upside: 20.18%
Intuit Business Overview
Intuit develops and supports software for personal and business tax reporting, business accounting and consumer credit management. The company also owns the small business email service provider Mailchimp.
Why INTU Stock Is A Top Choice
Intuit is building AI capabilities into its solutions and the strategy is paying off. In the second quarter of fiscal 2025, Intuit reported 17% revenue growth driven by increases in its Global Business Solutions Group, Credit Karma and Consumer Group. GAAP operating income also rose 61% and GAAP diluted EPS shot up 26%.
Management expects 12% to 13% revenue growth for fiscal year 2025. As Zacks Investment Research notes, the company has single-digit penetration in its addressable market valued at $300 billion—meaning the growth opportunity is significant.
The company also maintains a strong financial position, with $2.5 billion in cash and investments on the balance sheet.
Intuit pays annual dividends of $4.16 per share, for a yield of 0.69%. The company also actively repurchases shares, investing $721 million in the second quarter.
3. Adobe (ADBE)
- Stock price: $389.33
- TTM revenue: $22.3 billion
- TTM EPS: $15.24
- 2025 EPS growth expectation: 68.40%
- Debt-to-equity: 0.50
- P/E ratio: 25.70
- Price target upside: 38.32%
Adobe Business Overview
Adobe provides a suite of creative applications through subscriptions to corporate marketing departments, graphic designers, video editors and photographers. The company also provides analytics and publishing solutions.
Why ADBE Stock Is A Top Choice
Investors have not been kind to ADBE. The stock lost 20% in 2024 and is down nearly 9% in 2025. Impatience has prompted these losses. Adobe has devoted resources to developing and launching AI tools, but the monetization has been disappointing.
In the company’s last earnings call, CEO Shantanu Narayen said the team is focused on using AI to drive new, engaged subscription customers, rather than selling standalone AI products. This makes Adobe a longer-term play. The current stock price represents a reasonable value on a company that should continue growing revenue and earnings by 10% or more annually.
Adobe does not pay a dividend but has a buyback yield of 2.86%.
4. Autodesk (ADSK)
- Stock price: $267.73
- TTM revenue: $6.1 billion
- TTM EPS: $5.17
- 2025 EPS growth expectation: 84.10%
- Debt-to-equity: 0.98
- P/E ratio: 52.56
- Price target upside: 24.91%
Autodesk Business Overview
Autodesk provides subscription-based software for 3-D modeling, drafting, design, collaboration and production management. Customers include architects, engineers, product designers and media and entertainment companies.
Why ADSK Stock Is A Top Choice
Autodesk reported consensus-beating revenue and earnings for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025. The company also provided a fiscal 2026 guidance above expectations. Still, the stock is down about 9% year to date.
The story is like Adobe’s. Investors want to see stronger growth in Autodesk’s cloud and AI offerings. However, the company is focusing on margins first. In the latest earnings release, Autodesk announced a restructuring plan that will terminate 1,350 employees. The savings will fund further cloud and AI investment.
Autodesk expects to deliver industry-leading GAAP margins and fiscal 2026 revenue growth of 12.4% to 13.6%.
5. PTC (PTC)
- Stock price: $159.69
- TTM revenue: $2.3 billion
- TTM EPS: $3.27
- 2025 EPS growth expectation: 84.60%
- Debt-to-equity: 0.53
- P/E ratio: 49.23
- Price target upside: 32.13%
PTC Business Overview
PTC makes subscription-based software that helps teams design, engineer and optimize products and manufacturing systems. The company serves aerospace, defense, automotive, electronics, industrial equipment and health care businesses.
Why PTC Stock Is A Top Choice
PTC has a good record of growth in annual recurring revenue (ARR) and cash flow, demonstrating low customer churn and a productive business model.
In its first quarter 2025 earnings release, PTC reported 11% ARR growth on a constant currency basis and 29% free cash flow growth. Both numbers are relative to the prior-year quarter. Operating margin declined somewhat to 20% from 22%. The company also spent $75 million on share repurchases.
PTC is also reshaping its go-to-market strategy to be more targeted. This should enhance the growth opportunity for a business model that already has high visibility and resilience.
6. Manhattan Associates (MANH)
- Stock price: $172.98
- TTM revenue: $1.0 billion
- TTM EPS: $3.56
- 2025 EPS growth expectation: 32.40%
- Debt-to-equity: 0.17
- P/E ratio: 49.13
- Price target upside: 40.93%
Manhattan Associates Business Overview
Manhattan Associates offers cloud-enabled supply chain and inventory management software to retail, consumer goods, technology, life sciences, government and industrial customers. The company sells its applications on a subscription basis.
Why MANH Stock Is A Top Choice
Manhattan Associates has beaten consensus revenue and EPS estimates for at least eight consecutive quarters. In 2024, the company delivered over $1 billion in revenue for the first time and increased its cloud subscription revenue by $83 million. GAAP diluted EPS rose 24% to $3.51. The company also spent $241.6 million on share repurchases.
The bad news is twofold. Manhattan Associates had a slow fourth quarter for services revenue and President and CEO Eddie Capel recently retired. Investors quickly repriced the stock, which has dipped 39.7% since the earnings release. The pullback creates upside for the company, which is expected to deliver 32% EPS growth in 2025.
Bottom Line
Software companies have an opportunity to shine in 2025. Growth prospects look especially strong for providers that are transitioning to AI-driven solutions. And, the escalating trade war—a potential lag for goods exporters—may signal it’s time to increase your exposure to technology services stocks.
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