It's not always easy to be a long-term investor, particularly when contending with the natural cyclicality that the stock market presents if you buy and hold through bull as well as bear markets. Investing consistently during all types of market environments is key.

Here are three stocks with buy ranks and strong growth characteristics for investors to consider today, November 21: Pitney Bowes Inc. PBI: This shipping and mailing company carries a Zacks Rank #1, and has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for its current year earnings increasing 8.6% over the last 60 days.

There are plenty of growth stocks trading at obscenely high valuations right now. Part of the reason for that is the current enthusiasm for all things artificial intelligence (AI)-related. Some of those high valuations are because AI has sent some stock prices skyrocketing.