Sustainable Stock Picks for August 2025. Includes 12 articles featuring sustainable stock and green bond picks from mostly North America.
By Ron Robins, MBA
Transcript & Links, Episode 158, August 22, 2025
Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast episode 158, published on August 22, 2025, titled “Sustainable Stock Picks for August 2025.” Before I begin, I would like to inform you that I’m adjusting the release schedule for these podcasts. So, for the foreseeable future, this podcast will be released on the last Friday of every month. Hence, my next podcast will be on September 26th.
This podcast is presented by Investing for the Soul. Investingforthesoul.com is your go-to site for vital global, ethical, and sustainable investing mentoring, news, commentary, information, and resources.
Remember that you can find a full transcript and links to content, including stock symbols and bonus material, on this episode’s podcast page at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts.
Also, a reminder. I do not evaluate any of the stocks or funds mentioned in these podcasts, and I don’t receive any compensation from anyone covered in these podcasts. Furthermore, I will reveal any investments I have in the investments mentioned herein.
I have a great crop of 12 articles for you in this podcast!
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12 Best Ethical Companies to Invest in 2025
The first article is by someone who has been on this podcast a few times. His name is Faheem Tahir, and his article is titled 12 Best Ethical Companies to Invest in 2025. It’s found on fool.com. The methodology underlying his stock selection is fascinating and impressive. Here’s some of what he has to say about it and brief quotes on each of his picks.
“To curate our list of the 12 Best Ethical Companies to Invest in 2025, we used Ethisphere’s list of ‘World’s Most Ethical Companies’. Ethisphere’s list relies on its Ethics Quotient, which evaluates companies based on their ethics, compliance, governance, and corporate responsibility across multiple criteria. We then used Insider Monkey’s database to assess hedge fund sentiment on the shortlisted stocks. Finally, we ranked the stocks in ascending order based on the number of hedge funds holding stakes in the respective stocks as of Q1 2025.
Our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. (See more details here.)
12. Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK) Number of Hedge Funds: 82
On July 23, Loop Capital started coverage on Autodesk with a ‘Hold’ rating, setting a $320 price target… Autodesk is a global 3D design, engineering, construction, and entertainment software company, offers cutting-edge tools for everything from infrastructure to animation.
11. Workday, Inc. (NASDAQ:WDAY) Hedge Funds: 85
On July 14, 2025, Workday was selected by Seattle University as its partner… Serving global corporations, universities, and now, government entities, Workday offers AI-driven enterprise cloud applications, particularly for finance, HR, and student segments.
10. Eaton Corporation plc (NYSE:ETN) Hedge Funds: 85
Investor confidence is growing in Eaton Corporation with KeyBanc increasing its price target on the company from $355 to $410… The company has paid dividends every year since 1923…
By designing and delivering electrical, hydraulic, and mechanical solutions, Eaton Corporation has made itself a leader in the intelligent power management solutions market, helping industries improve efficiency, safety, and sustainability.
9. Lam Research Corporation (NASDAQ:LRCX) Hedge Funds: 91
On July 21, 2025, UBS increased its price target on Lam Research Corporation from $95 to $120, maintaining a ‘Buy’ rating…
Lam Research Corporation, serving major foundries and integrated device manufacturers worldwide, manufactures advanced semiconductor processing equipment for chip production.
8. Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) Hedge Funds: 91
On July 24, 2025, Intel Corporation reported its financial performance for Q2, surprising Wall Street with a revenue of $12.86 billion that beat estimates of $11.92 billion. However, the company reported a net loss of $2.9 billion…
Intel Corporation designs and manufactures computing products for tech companies worldwide.
7. Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) Hedge Funds: 96
With rapid growth acceleration in the space economy, Micron Technology announced the launch of the industry’s highest-density, radiation-tolerant SLC NAND flash memory on July 22, 2025. This memory chip is designed to survive space’s harsh environment, marked by radiation, extreme temperatures, and vacuum pressure…
Micron Technology is the only major U.S.-based memory maker, delivering advanced DRAM, NAND, and NOR solutions with its Micron and Crucial brands.
6. Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) Hedge Funds: 99
On July 24, 2025, Pfizer finalized the global licensing agreement with 3SBio, Inc…. Leveraging 3SBio’s proprietary CLF2 platform, this innovative treatment enhances Pfizer’s oncology pipeline and solidifies its competitive edge in cancer research…
Operating globally, Pfizer discovers, develops, and sells biopharmaceuticals.
5. ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:NOW) Hedge Funds: 106
On July 23, 2025, ServiceNow reported financial results for Q2, beating guidance across all areas…
On the same day as the earnings release, Jefferies increased its price target on ServiceNow from $1,025 to $1,150, maintaining a ‘Buy’ rating. Stifel also increased its target to $1,200 on the same day.
With its Now platform, ServiceNow offers a cloud-based solution for digital workflows globally.
4. Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) Hedge Funds: 119
On July 18, Leerink Partners maintained its ‘Buy’ rating on the company, citing growth potential through the GLP-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) space… On the same day, Jefferies also maintained a ‘Buy’ rating, setting its price target at $1,057…
Operating globally, Eli Lilly and Company discovers, develops, and markets human pharmaceuticals.
3. Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:CRM) Hedge Funds: 140
Salesforce is demonstrating a mixed performance as of the time of writing…
Previously, on July 16, 2025, Citizens JMP maintained a ‘Market Outperform’ rating on Salesforce with a price target of $430, citing future growth driven by the company’s AI and cloud services.
Offering Agentforce, Data Cloud, Salesforce Starter, and Tableau, Salesforce provides customer relationship management (CRM) technology, bridging companies and customers.
2. Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:MA) Hedge Funds: 155
Ahead of its Q2 earnings, Truist decreased its price target on Mastercard Incorporated from $640 to $612, maintaining a ‘Buy’ rating, reflecting its continued confidence in the stock…
Mastercard Incorporated… offers transaction processing and other related products and services.
1. Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) Hedge Funds: 165
Truist Securities decreased its price target on Visa from $400 to $397, maintaining a ‘Buy’ rating. Despite the price target reduction and recent underperformance of the fintech sector, the firm cited optimism regarding the company’s strong fundamentals and promising outlook for the fintech sector.
Visa is a global payment technology company, offering credit, debit, and prepaid card products, and VisaNet, a transaction processing network.”
End quotes.
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Best Sustainable Companies to Own: 2025 Edition
The second featured article is titled Best Sustainable Companies to Own: 2025 Edition. It’s by Emelia Fredlick and Leslie P. Norton and seen on morningstar.com. (Note: follow the article link on this podcast episode’s webpage to all 83 companies that Morningstar considers the best 2025 sustainable companies.) The article also highlights the three companies below. Here are some brief quotes from the authors.
“Morningstar’s research finds that the biggest ESG risk is in energy and utilities, with the smallest in technology and real estate.
Morningstar Sustainalytics measures this with the Sustainalytics ESG Risk Rating… We didn’t include valuations for these (83) companies. Rather, we focused on the criteria that set a company up for success in the long term. So, while not all these names can be considered a buy today, this can serve as a great watchlist… Data Source: Morningstar Direct as of Jun. 30, 2025.
1) RELX RELX UK-based RELX is a global provider of business information, analytics, and decision-making tools for professionals across industries. The firm generates revenue mainly by creating and selling access to curated information databases, analytics, and journals. Morningstar senior analyst Rob Hales assigns RELX a wide Morningstar Economic Moat Rating…
Sustainalytics gives RELX an ESG Risk Management Rating of Strong.
2) Danaher DHR Danaher focuses primarily on manufacturing scientific instruments and consumables in the life science and diagnostic industries. The firm aims to accelerate core growth at acquired companies, including Cytiva (formerly GE Biopharma), by making research and development and marketing-related investments… Sustainalytics gives Danaher an ESG Risk Management Rating of Strong.
Morningstar senior analyst Julie Utterback assigns Danaher a wide economic moat.
3) Keysight Technologies KEYS Keysight Technologies is the leader in communications testing and measurement solutions. We think it has the strongest and broadest communications testing capabilities in the market across hardware, software, and services. Its wide moat rating, according to Morningstar senior analyst William Kerwin, owes to ‘intangible assets in the design of test and measurement equipment and software and switching costs for its portfolio of solutions.’
Because of Keysight’s strong ESG reporting and oversight of ESG issues, Sustainalytics gives the company an ESG Risk Management Rating of Strong.”
End quotes.
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Top Wind Energy Stocks That Will Drive Long-Term Portfolio Growth
The last article I’m covering is by Avisekh Bhattacharjee, for Zacks, and found on nasdaq.com. It’s titled Top Wind Energy Stocks That Will Drive Long-Term Portfolio Growth. Here are some quotes from his article.
“As clean energy technologies evolve, they are set to capitalize on growth opportunities and provide lucrative investment prospects. Our Wind Energy Screen helps identify stocks with high growth potential in this dynamic sector.
1) Arcosa ACA is a well-known provider of infrastructure-related products and services that serve the energy, construction and transportation markets. The company’s Engineered Structures business provides wind towers, utility structures and telecommunication structures for wind power generation, electricity transmission and distribution, and wireless communication markets.
This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) company’s Engineered Structures business continues to witness strong demand for its wind towers and engineered structures. Arcosa, Inc. (ACA): Free Stock Analysis Report.
2) Dominion Energy D together with its subsidiaries, produces and transports energy in the United States… The company has a portfolio of nearly 30,300 MW of electric-generating capacity, 10,600 miles of electric transmission lines and 79,700 miles of electric distribution lines…
By 2035, the Zacks Rank #2 company also intends to make zero and low-emitting resources accountable for 99% of its electric generation. Dominion Energy Inc. (D): Free Stock Analysis Report.
3) Brookfield Renewable Partners BEP owns and operates several renewable power generating facilities. The company's power generating portfolio is comprised of hydroelectric generating, wind facilities and natural gas-fired plants. It has operations in the United States, Canada and Brazil.
The Zacks Rank #2 company’s exposure in wind and utility-scale solar generation sectors has been enabling it to capitalize on the growing opportunities across the renewable power sectors, with high cash margins and minimum fuel input cost. Brookfield Renewable Partners L.P. (BEP): Free Stock Analysis Report.
4) DTE Energy DTE is a diversified energy company that develops and manages energy-related businesses and services. The company has been investing steadily to enhance its renewable generation assets…
Notably, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company plans to reduce carbon emissions of its electric utility operations by 65% in 2028, 85% in 2032 and 90% by 2040 from the 2005 level. DTE Energy Company (DTE): Free Stock Analysis Report.”
End quotes.
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More articles with Sustainable Stock & Bond Picks for August 2025 from around the world.
1. Title: Three Stocks For The Global Energy Transition on finimize.com. By Blair Couper.
2. Title: Unlocking Sustainable Income: Why the CIBC Sustainable Canadian Core Plus Bond ETF is a Must-Have for Resilient Portfolios on ainvest.com. By Wesley Park.
3. Title: Kroger a Top Socially Responsible Dividend Stock With 2.0% Yield (KR) on nasdaq.com. By BNK Invest.
4. Title: Biblically Aligned Fixed Income: The Case for the Inspire Corporate Bond Impact ESG ETF (IBD) in a Shifting Market Environment on ainvest.com. By Isaac Lane.
5. Title: Green Bonds and Sustainable Income Generation: Assessing VanEck Green Bond ETF (GRNB) as a Monthly Distribution Play in a Decarbonizing World on ainvest.com. By Samuel Reed.
6. Title: Enphase Energy: A Best-In-Class Balance Sheet Positioned To Thrive As Rates Decline on seekingalpha.com. By Gustavo Ribeiro.
7. Title: Baker Hughes Named Top Socially Responsible Dividend Stock with 2.1% Yield on ainvest.com. Author name unavailable.
8. Title: This Company Could Be the Amazon of AI Infrastructure on fool.com. By Harsh Chauhan.
9. Title: 11 Best Alternative Energy Stocks to Buy Right Now on insidermonkey.com. By Neha Gupta.
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Ending Comment
These are my top news stories with their stock and fund tips for this podcast, “Sustainable Stock Picks for August 2025.”
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Contact me if you have any questions.
Thank you for listening.
As I mentioned earlier, the release schedule for these podcasts is changing. So, for the foreseeable future, this podcast will be released on the last Friday of every month. So, my next podcast will be on September 26th.
See you then. Bye for now.
© 2025 Ron Robins, Investing for the Soul
