MarketBeat: Week in Review 4/18 – 4/22

The market is in full sell-off mode. One reason is that the Federal Reserve is signaling that it may raise interest rate more aggressively than originally intended. In addition to a 50 basis points increase in May, the Fed is saying a 75 basis point hike in June is “on the table.” Corporate earnings are also in focus (yes, we’re talking about Netflix). And investors continue to navigate the effects of inflation on their portfolio. Next week, over 100 companies of the S&P 500 companies will deliver earnings reports. That will give investors plenty of information to digest. And you can count on the MarketBeat team to be on top of the key market movers so your portfolio can profit.

Articles by Sean Sechler                                                                                                                                                                

Sean Sechler was all about helping investors reduce their risk this week. One area for risk-conscious investors to focus on is blue-chip stocks. These are companies that are in a mature phase of their business cycle. That means they are financially sound and have a track record of solid performance regardless of what is happening in the broader economy. And Sechler gives investors three blue-chip stocks that analysts are bullish about. Sechler also reminds investors that now is a perfect time to add some low-beta stocks to their portfolios. These are stocks that tend to be less volatile than a broader market index, but still offer upside growth and, usually, a dividend. Sechler was also reminding investors that you don’t have to have a lot of cash to start investing. This week, he shows investors three stocks they can buy if they only have $1,000 to spend.  

Articles by Jea Yu

Believe it or not, there are several stocks that are reaching new highs in this market. These stocks can present buying opportunities when they pull back (as they almost always do). That is the bullish case that Jea Yu makes for Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ). The producer of premium spirits and beverages recorded a double beat when it reported earnings on April 7. That sent the stock soaring near its all-time high. Based on a number of potential catalysts, Yu believes investors should consider STZ stock on any pullback. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Yu was looking at Levi Strauss (NYSE:LEVI) which has been in a prolonged downturn. However, the company’s latest earnings report showed that the company’s digital strategy is paying off which Yu believes makes it a buy the dip candidate. And for investors looking to invest in financial stocks, Yu offered up PNC Financial (NYSE:PNC) which was trading at oversold levels after its earnings report.

Articles by Thomas Hughes

Thomas Hughes was also recommending a bank stock this week. His choice is Bank of America (NYSE:BAC). Hughes was bullish on the bank’s net interest income growth which is being fueled by more loans and consumer deposits. And Hughes believes that technical signals support an investment in BAC stock. Hughes was also looking at the oil and gas sector and is recommending two stocks for investors that are in multi-year upcycles. Haliburton (NYSE:HAL) stock is getting ready to push higher as analysts digest an earnings report that was strong, but perhaps not as strong as analysts had hoped. And a similar story is in place with Baker Hughes (NYSE:BKR). In this case, the company did miss on both the top and bottom lines, but Hughes still believes that this is a buy-the-dip opportunity.

Articles by Sam Quirke

Sam Quirke was not shy about offering investors his thoughts on three of the stocks that made headlines this week. Let’s start with Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) which delivered an alarmingly bad earnings report. The report confirms that the streaming model is bruised, but whether or not it’s broken beyond repair is a conversation for another day. Unfortunately, the patience of NFLX stock investors is wearing thin, and Quirke admits that the stock is only for risk-tolerant investors. SNAP (NYSE:SNAP) also missed on both the top and bottom lines. And while investors at first pumped up SNAP stock, it’s now continuing its downward trend. But Quirke did find a bullish narrative in Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA). The cult stock has been more down than up for several months. But a strong earnings report is offsetting concerns about slightly soft delivery numbers. Both of which Quirke believes puts the stock’s all-time high in view.

Articles by Chris Markoch

Renewable energy stocks were all the rage in 2021. But it’s been a different story in 2022. But as Chris Markoch points out, investors shouldn’t let that short-term pain cloud their view of the long-term gain that is possible with NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE). The company’s stock is down for the year, and may have further to fall after disappointing earnings, but it’s perhaps the “cleanest” option among clean energy stocks. Markoch was also looking at The Boston Beer Company (NYSE:SAM). The company is expected to post disappointing earnings, but analysts continue to see a bullish upside. As Markoch says, something has to give but investors should wait for confirmation before exploring the opportunity. The same narrative is in place when comparing the stocks of Carvana (NYSE:CVNA) and AutoNation (NYSE:AN). Markoch wasn’t willing to give either stock a full-throated seal of approval, but suggests that speculative investors may want to take a ride with AN stock based on the company’s service business.