MarketBeat: Week in Review 2/22 – 2/26

Bond yields went up. Bitcoin went down and tech stocks along with the cryptocurrency. Interest rates will stay the same for as long as it takes. GameStop (NYSE:GME) became a thing again. And the stimulus package remains on the launching pad with an expected vote in the house this weekend. Other than that it was a quiet week in the market.

Actually, it was kind of a quiet week. The economy looks like a runner at the starting block. All that it needs to hear is the starter’s gun. And if the vaccine rollout continues that may be sooner than we think. But right now the market knows it wants to go up but it just needs to see the economy reopen. And that day is looking to be coming.

Next week investors will continue to get earnings and will see if March comes in like a lion or a lamb for the market. To help you identify and act on the trends that are moving the market, the MarketBeat staff will continue to bring you insight on stocks of interest. Here’s a sampling of what they saw this week.

Articles by Sean Sechler

The early days of the pandemic masked a shortage in semiconductor chips that is now disrupting supply chains as the economy starts to re-open. Sean Sechler gave readers three chip stocks that are positioned to be long-term winners. For investors who are looking for less volatility in their portfolio, Sechler also gave three dividend stock picks that can bring balance to your portfolio. And speaking of dividend stocks, a safe and reliable dividend is just one reason for investors to consider McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD). The company is in the middle of a digital transformation that is starting to pay off. As Sechler notes, the stock looks undervalued, but there are many reasons to believe that it’s only a matter of time before MCD stock begins to rise.

Articles by Jea Yu

Jea Yu had his attention on the electric vehicle (EV) sector and offered thoughts on two stocks. In the case of Livent Corporation (NYSE:LTHM), the issue is one of supply and demand. The average EV will require anywhere from 5,000 to 10,000 times more lithium than a smartphone. However, lithium prices are not accounting for this demand. When they do, LTHM stock should soar. The story for Ideanomics (NASDAQ:IDEX) is murkier. Sometimes low-priced stocks have a low price for a reason. Ideanomics is a penny stock that has an association with the EV sector. But it also has its hands in other sectors. Yu advises that IDEX stock may present some trading opportunities, but is only for the most aggressive speculators. Moving over to the clean energy trade, Yu was advising investors to give Denison Mines (NYSE:DNN) a look as demand for uranium is on the rise. If nuclear energy becomes a core part of a Biden clean energy plan, DNN stock may be only getting started.

Articles by Thomas Hughes

There are many things that investors will remember about 2020. One of the more odd phenomena was the prevalence of SPAC stocks that brought many companies, many in the EV sector, to market. And  while some of the air has gone out of that bubble, Thomas Hughes writes that investors should look to get in on Lucid Motors (NYSE:CCIV) and Workhorse Group (NASDAQ:WKHS) at less SPAC-ulative levels. Speaking of Workhorse, the company’s stock is dropping after it lost a potentially multi-billion dollar contract with the USPS. However, investors in Oshkosh Corporation (NYSE:OSK) are benefiting from the news. The $6.5 billion in projected revenue now makes the company a significant player in the EV sector. Hughes was also analyzing Square (NASDAQ:SQ) stock that has been volatile since it made the decision to invest heavily in Bitcoin (BTC). Hughes believes that the short-term dip presents a buying opportunity for Square bulls.

Articles by Nick Vasco

Nick Vasco was advising investors not to pay too much attention to the decline in Carvana (NYSE:CVNA) stock. The company is attempting to disrupt an entrenched buying model for how we buy used cars. That’s going to take some time, but Carvana has a first-mover advantage that makes it a buy-on-the-dip opportunity. Another company that was trying to disrupt a model was Fiverr (NYSE:FVRR). Fiverr is a play on the gig economy because it is an online marketplace for freelancers. The problem is that it appears Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) via its LinkedIn platform is trying to create a rival site. But Vasco says there’s room for both companies. Another company that Vasco believes investors should not be concerned about is Salesforce (NYSE:CRM). The company is projecting nearly 20% CAGR over the next five years in large part because of its leadership position in a sector that thrives in any economy.

Articles by Sam Quirke

With death and taxes being the two certainties in life, Sam Quirke outlines for investors why the financial and tax software giant Intuit (NASDAQ:INTU) is still a good buy-on-the-dip opportunity even after the company reported disappointing earnings. Quirke was also advising readers on how to play the surge in Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) after it delivered strong earnings. With the likelihood that a chip shortage will remain in place, and demand for smartphones and graphics cards (two of Nvidia’s key markets) Quirke sees Nvidia as a strong buy. Another undervalued stock that caught Quirke’s attention was Nike (NYSE:NKE). Shares of the stock have been trading mostly sideways for some time. But the hope of an economic recovery should outweigh any concerns about rising interest rates which creates a favorable outlook for NKE stock.

Articles by Chris Markoch

You wouldn’t know if by looking at the company’s current stock price, but Chris Markoch still sees Palantir (NYSE:PLTR) as a momentum buy after an analyst upgrade and the news that the respected fund manager Cathie Wood added to her fund’s position. Markoch was also bullish on Roku (NASDAQ:ROKU) as the company begins to transition into original content that will help the company’s Roku channel compete more directly with Netfilx (NASDAQ:NFLX). And for investors who are interested in the penny stock sector, Markoch pointed them towards AIM Immunotech (NYSEAMERICAN:AIM). The company’s flagship drug, Ampligen is moving into late-stage trials as a potential treatment for “long haul” Covid-19 patients. 

Articles by Steve Anderson           

Steve Anderson was advising investors that the expected surge in pent-up demand looks to be a catalyst for the high-end handbag dealer, Tapestry (NYSE:TPR). The company recently got a bullish outlook from Credit Suisse, but that is not the only analyst that is giving the company a bullish outlook. Anderson was also writing about Lowe’s (NYSE:LOW). And the home improvement company delivered a familiar refrain for investors. Namely, even after bullish earnings, the company was still expressing caution about the post-pandemic outlook for the home improvement sector. And Anderson was also advising investors that any skepticism about Teladoc Health (NYSE:TDOC) may be overdone. The company was a no-brainer pandemic winner because it allowed a vital connection between doctors and patients. That link will likely remain in place in a post-pandemic world due to convenience, not fear of contagion.