<div id="readability-page-1"><div> <h2>Key Points</h2><ul><li>NextEra Energy operates the largest electric utility in the U.S. </li><li>Vertex Pharmaceuticals markets therapies for treating cystic fibrosis and other diseases.</li><li>Walmart is the world's largest consumer staples company and has a thriving e-commerce business.</li><li>10 stocks we like better than NextEra Energy ›</li></ul>Gas prices have soared roughly 80% year to date. When transportation costs rise, so do the prices of most products. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell publicly acknowledged that the energy shock is causing considerable concern about the potential for a broader inflationary impact.However, White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai posted on X (formerly Twitter) that these are only &#34;short-term disruptions&#34; and &#34;the American economy remains on a solid trajectory.&#34; National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett echoed Desai in an interview with Fox (NASDAQ: FOX) News, stating that high gas prices are a &#34;temporary phenomenon&#34; and that the &#34;economy has so much momentum that it's humming along.&#34; Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an &#34;Indispensable Monopoly&#34; providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue »Americans don't have to worry about inflation if Trump's team is right. But what if they're wrong? Here are three stocks to buy.<img src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-dXJsPWh0dHBzOi8vZy5mb29sY2RuLmNvbS9lZGl0b3JpYWwvaW1hZ2VzLzg2NTQyMC9pbmZsYXRpb24td2l0aC0xMDAtYmlsbC5qcGcmdz03MDA?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/interlace,1/resize,w_1440,h_1440/quality,q_95/format,jpg" width="700" height="464" original-src="https://imageproxy.pbkrs.com/https://g.foolcdn.com/image//query-dXJsPWh0dHBzOi8vZy5mb29sY2RuLmNvbS9lZGl0b3JpYWwvaW1hZ2VzLzg2NTQyMC9pbmZsYXRpb24td2l0aC0xMDAtYmlsbC5qcGcmdz03MDA"/>Image source: Getty Images. <h2>1. NextEra Energy</h2>Electric utilities are often some of the most inflation-proof investments on the market. They can typically pass higher costs along to consumers. And the electricity demand won't plunge as inflation rises. That makes NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE) an attractive choice if the White House's optimism proves to be unfounded.NextEra is North America's largest electric power and energy infrastructure company. It owns Florida Power &amp; Light, the largest electric utility in the U.S. The company's NextEra Energy Resources unit is also one of the largest energy infrastructure development companies in the country. Like many utility stocks, NextEra Energy offers an attractive dividend. Its forward dividend yield is currently 2.7%. NextEra expects to grow the dividend by around 10% this year and by 6% per year through 2028. Even better, the company projects a compound annual growth rate for adjusted earnings per share of at least 8% through 2032. NextEra plans to triple the size of its renewables and storage business during that period. Its energy infrastructure unit has a pipeline of over $25 billion. <h2>2. Vertex Pharmaceuticals</h2>Will higher inflation cause patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) to stop taking their medications? Of course not. As the maker of the only approved therapies that treat the underlying cause of CF, Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: VRTX) doesn't have to worry about inflation.While Vertex's CF products generate most of its revenue now, the company's future growth will likely be driven by other therapies. Journavx, a non-opioid pain medication, is especially important to Vertex's growth strategy. The company is targeting a year-over-year increase in Journavx prescriptions of over 3x in 2026. Casgevy, the first approved CRISPR gene-editing therapy, is also picking up momentum. Another key therapeutic category to watch with Vertex is renal disease. The company hopes to win accelerated approval for povetacicept in treating IgA nephropathy, a chronic kidney disorder, later this year. It also plans to report results from a pivotal study of inaxaplin for treating APOL1-mediated kidney disease by early 2027 and to quickly file for U.S. accelerated approval, pending positive results. <h2>3. Walmart</h2>Walmart (NASDAQ: WMT) ranks among the most resilient stocks during turbulent periods, including times of rising inflation. It's the world's largest consumer staples company, operating more than 10,900 stores in 19 countries. E-commerce has also become a big business for Walmart. The company's global e-commerce net sales jumped 24% year over year in the fourth quarter of 2025, comprising 23% of total net sales. Walmart's e-commerce platform is particularly strong in the U.S. and China, where sales increased by 27% and 28%, respectively, in Q4. Walmart is also a member of the Dividend Kings, a group of stocks that have increased their dividends for at least 50 consecutive years. Earlier this year, Walmart raised its dividend for the 53rd consecutive year. <h2>Should you buy stock in NextEra Energy right now?</h2> Before you buy stock in NextEra Energy, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and NextEra Energy wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $555,526!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,156,403!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 968% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 191% for the S&amp;P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of April 14, 2026. Keith Speights has positions in Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends NextEra Energy, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and Walmart. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc. </div></div>

VRTX

Trump's team reassures against rising inflation, suggesting it's a temporary issue. Key stocks to consider if inflation persists include NextEra Energy, known for its stability and dividend growth; Vertex Pharmaceuticals, which focuses on cystic fibrosis treatments and has promising future therapies; and Walmart, a resilient consumer staples giant with strong e-commerce growth. Despite optimism, analysts recommend exploring other stocks as potential better investments.

- NextEra Energy operates the largest electric utility in the U.S. and is seen as resilient against inflation due to its ability to pass costs to consumers.  
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals, with its focus on cystic fibrosis treatments and expanding pipeline, remains unaffected by inflation concerns.  
- Walmart's robust e-commerce growth and status as a Dividend King position it well during economic turbulence, while analysts suggest considering other stocks for investment over NextEra Energy.

nasdaq

Vertex Pharma

Walmart

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VanEck Retail ETF

SPDR S&P Retail ETF

SPDR FD Consumer Staples

iShares US Consumer Staples ETF

ProShares Ultra Consumer Staples

Target

Costco Wholesale

Kroger

Trump's Team Says Don't Worry About Rising Inflation. Here Are 3 Stocks to Buy If They're Wrong.