Five Fast-Growing Stocks to Own

BOSTON (TheStreet) - In choppy markets, investors look for stocks that can gain in any economic scenario. These fast-growing companies are projected to boost revenue and profit by 12% or more in the coming year.

5. Stifel Financial(SF Quote) is a boutique investment bank.

The numbers: Third-quarter net income surged 73% to $22 million and earnings per share climbed 46% to 67 cents, hurt by a higher share count. Revenue grew 31% to $293 million. Stifel's gross margin rose from 13% to 14%, and its operating margin remained steady at 12%. The bank is adequately capitalized, with $443 million of cash. Its debt-to-equity ratio of 0.7 is below the industry average, indicating restrained leverage.

The stock: Stifel Financial has risen 21% this year, beating the Dow Jones Industrial Average and matching the S&P 500 Index. The stock trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 26, a premium to the market, but a discount to capital markets peers. Stifel doesn't pay a dividend.