Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights: Apple, Robinhood, Coinbase, DraftKings and Flutter

By Zacks Equity Research | October 30, 2025, 4:52 AM

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 30, 2025 – Today, Zacks Investment Ideas feature highlights Apple AAPL, Robinhood HOOD, Coinbase COIN, DraftKings DKNG and Flutter FLUT.

The Rise of Integrated Financial Platforms

iPhone Success Underscores the Power of All-In-One Offerings

One of the most celebrated sales pitches of all time occurred when then-Apple CEO Steve Jobs first unveiled the iPhone, which would eventually become the company - and the world’s - most impactful product. In a clever unveiling, Jobs began by telling the audience that “Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone.”

Next, in a lengthy and repetitive build-up, Jobs displayed a widescreen iPod with a touch screen, a new mobile phone, and an internet communications device. Finally, Jobs spilled the beans, saying, “Are you getting it? These are not three separate devices!” The iPhone would go on to become Apple’s best-selling product, as consumers could have a mini-computer, MP3 player, and camera packed into a single device capable of fitting in their pocket.

All-In-One Concept Moves to the Financial Space

Although the financial industry is very different from the smartphone market, history is repeating itself as consumers yearn for all-in-one product offerings. Below are areas that are being combined or are in the process of being combined among financial industry leaders.

· Stock Trading: Following the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 and the nasty bear market that followed, retail interest in investing waned. However, the COVID-19 pandemic fueled a historic resurgence in retail investing among younger generations.

· Crypto Trading: Crypto trading has exploded due to education, deregulation, and rising prices of top assets like Bitcoin and Ethereum.

· Sports Betting: With the advent of online betting and deregulation in the US (sports betting is legal in 38 states), sports betting has increased dramatically.

· Prediction Markets: Prediction markets have also surged in popularity, offering bettors with unique betting opportunities on elections, interest-rate moves, and economic data.

Winners: HOOD, ICE, COIN

Robinhood: From Trading App to Full-Service Financial App

Initially, Robinhood gained popularity by becoming the first broker to offer commission-free trading. However, HOOD has evolved into an app for equity trading, options trading, investing, saving, credit, sports betting and crypto. HOOD arguably has the wide-range of offerings of any financial services company and is thus the biggest winner. Shares have more than quadrupled over the past year, and EPS has grown steadily since the company went public in 2022.

ICE Expands to Prediction Markets with Polymarket Investment

Intercontinental Exchange operated major exchanges such as the NYSE. Beyond providing data and analytics products, ICE also has a stranglehold over various energy, commodity, and fixed-income markets. ICE has also entered the mortgage market with its acquisition of Ellie Mae. Finally, ICE recently made a bold $2 billion bet to enter prediction markets with a bold investment in Polymarket. Polymarket allows customers to bet on everything from politics to sports. Though Polymarket has been banned in the US, betting markets will reopen to US users a in late November.

Coinbase: From Crypto Exchange to Global Financial Infrastructure

Coinbase is the leading crypto exchange in the United States. However, the company is expanding with its Coinbase Wallet, which allows developers to build on its ecosystem. Additionally, its stablecoin partnership with Circle Group is bearing fruit. The USDC stablecoin has seen transaction volume soar to a staggering $5.9 trillion, suitable for a more than five-fold increase. The recent passage of the GENIUS ACT, a regulatory framework for stablecoins, should only further bolster growth.

Losers: DKNG & FLUT

As first-movers gain clients, single-dimension sports betting companies like DraftKings and Flutter are likely to be losers. For these firms to move into other markets, they will need to jump major regulatory hurdles, rebrand, and incur significant costs.

Bottom Line

The success of the iPhone demonstrated the power of combining multiple functions into a single, seamless product. Companies like Robinhood, ICE, and Coinbase are now doing the same in finance.

Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks?

Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +7.7% average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +48.4%, +50.2% and +56.7% per year.

Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.

See Stocks Free >>

Media Contact

Zacks Investment Research

800-767-3771 ext. 9339

[email protected]

https://www.zacks.com

Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report


 
Apple Inc. (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
DraftKings Inc. (DKNG): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Robinhood Markets, Inc. (HOOD): Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Flutter Entertainment PLC (FLUT): Free Stock Analysis Report

This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

Zacks Investment Research

Latest News