Investors in this leader in concert promotions and ticket sales got a boost in July when news circulated about a ­potential acquisition by ­Sirius XM, reportedly backed by Liberty ­Media (which owns 34% of Live Nation). Instead, Sirius purchased streaming service Pandora, and its CEO said that Live Nation is “not on my mind right now.” Whether or not a buyout happens, there are plenty of reasons to be bullish about a company that has ­delivered a 26% annual shareholder return over the past three years. It’s growing its international presence—­attendance at its concerts overseas has risen 58% in the past two years, and revenue per fan at its European festivals grew 12% this last quarter. And with its control of Ticketmaster, Live Nation has a big moat against competitors in the U.S.