MarketBeat: Week in Review 2/14 – 2/18

The prevailing sentiment in the markets is uncertainty. Investors are weighing the potential for Russia to invade Ukraine. The Producer Price Index (PPI) number for January gave the Federal Reserve more ammunition for more and larger rate hikes. Even jobless claims gave the market no comfort as they were up counter to seasonal expectations. The one bright spot was retail sales which showed surprising strength. The question is how long will consumers do the heavy lifting in an inflationary economy? That and other questions will be on the minds of the MarketBeat team as we head into a long President’s Day weekend. The markets will be closed on Monday, but we will continue to track the events that are affecting the market and share our insights to help you be a more profitable investor.

Articles by Sean Sechler                                                                                                                                                                

Sean Sechler reminds investors that keeping it simple is frequently a sound approach to investing. Specifically, Sechler was inviting investors to look at travel stocks. 2021 was a false start in some regards as new strains of the coronavirus kept the re-opening at arm’s length. But with restrictions dropping in virtually every state, now is the time to reconsider this sector. And if you’re participating in the flight to value stocks, Sechler writes that you could do worse than to choose stocks that are being bought by Warren Buffett. Sean gives readers a sampling of three Warren Buffett stocks that investors can buy today and hold for the long haul.

Articles by Jea Yu                                                                     

Jea Yu was looking back on the first-quarter earnings report for Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX). Although the company’s earnings missed expectations, Yu believes that the effects of the Omicron variant may be transitory which can set the coffee products retailer up for a strong recovery in future quarters. Yu also believes that Robinhood (NASDAQ:HOOD) may now be priced at a level that makes the stock a bargain. The company lowered its guidance, but it also reports 22 million accounts, a number that’s still growing and may be on the radar of company’s looking to acquire the fintech company. And continuing his theme of pointing investors towards value, Yu writes that a prudent gamble on Penn National Gaming (NASDAQ:PENN) may pay off. The company is reporting flat guidance for 2022. But with online sportsbooks and iGaming likely to become legal in more states, Penn’s footprint is likely to grow – along with revenue and earnings.

Articles by Thomas Hughes                                                 

Investors seeking to offset the effects of inflation would do well to look at what stocks institutional investors are buying. And Thomas Hughes gave investors three stocks that are trading at a deep value to the broader market, pay out a safe, high-yield dividend, and are being purchased by institutional investors. Hughes was also advising investors to look at the recent dip in Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) stock as the gift that it is. In an earnings season where the slightest hiccup can be a reason to sell, investors expressed some concern over the company’s margins. Hughes advises that you don’t overthink this one and buy NVDA which is showing both fundamental and technical strength. And, Hughes was bullish on Walmart (NYSE:WMT) which, as expected, reported strong earnings that showed it was weathering the supply chain better than most. Hughes advises that the stock may stay range-bound. However, analysts don’t believe it will stay that way.

Articles by Sam Quirke

Sam Quirke was looking at two stocks that are telling different stories but analysts love them both. In the case of Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU), it appears that the semiconductor company was caught up in the tech selloff in mid-January. But analysts are bullish on the stock which has made a significant recovery and is making another run at the all-time high set in January. Quirke was also looking at Twitter (NYSE:TWTR), which continues to fall, but both buy side and sell side analysts seem to be reaching a consensus that TWTR stock is trading at less than fair value. That could mean the social media company may be getting more likes from investors in the following quarters.

Articles by Chris Markoch

Gold is on pace to have its best week in nine months. And with demand for physical gold is rising, Chris Markoch gives investors three mining stocks that stand to benefit. While mining stocks are not the same as buying precious metals directly, they are less volatile and many pay a dividend. Markoch was also writing about the continuing bearish narrative surrounding Palantir (NYSE:PLTR). The company missed on earnings by a penny but showed an increase in revenue. Markoch writes that the company continues to make progress in growing the commercial side of its business. If it continues to do that, PLTR stock looks like a good long-term buy at these levels. Markoch was also looking at the metaverse stock, Matterport (NASDAQ:MTTR). The company has some revenue in the real world, but that won’t be enough to keep investors excited if the metaverse doesn’t become a reality as soon as expected.

Articles by Melissa Brock

Melissa Brock provided investors with some perspective on space stocks. This is a sector that’s still in its infancy, but is growing fast. That’s particularly true with commercial space travel becoming a reality. Brock gave investors three space stocks to consider. And while Virgin Galactic (NYSE:SPCE) is on the list, Brock also gives investors two picks-and-shovels stocks in this sector. Brock was also reminding investors that the potential for conflict between Russian and Ukraine is likely to be bullish for defense stocks. With that in mind, Brock gave investors a list of three defense stocks that are likely to surge if tensions escalate. On a more conservative front, Brock was providing value-conscious investors with three defensive stocks that provide relatively stable earnings and typically pay a divided. Both of those attributes are desirable for investors looking to shield their portfolios from the effects of inflation.