These growth stocks look like smart buys right now.

Despite some significant volatility across the stretch and big macroeconomic risk factors, the financial sector has done quite well over the last year of trading. As of this writing, the the S&P 500 Financials Sector index has delivered a total return of 25% across the stretch -- crushing the S&P 500 index's already-impressive gain of 20% over the period.

While financial stocks have generally outperformed over the last 12 months, there are still some promising players in the sector that trade at big discounts compared to their peak valuations. If you're on the hunt for portfolio additions that can deliver strong returns, read on to see why two Motley Fool contributors identified these stocks as top plays right now.

Upstart stock: d

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