MarketBeat Week in Review: 1/22 - 1/26

Key Points

  • Markets continue to hit new all-time highs on higher consumer spending and cooling inflation 
  • Earnings season kicks into high gear with many of the big tech names reporting, but you'll also want to pay attention to what UPS has to say about the consumer. 
  • Here are some of our most popular articles from this week.   
  • 5 stocks we like better than Tesla

Markets continued to push to new all-time highs as the latest data on GDP and inflation both showed a resilient economy. Consumer spending was up during the holiday season, but inflation still trended lower, even though it's still above the Federal Reserve's preferred target of 2%. 

Looking at individual stocks, Netflix was a big winner after posting blowout earnings. On the other hand, Tesla Inc. NASDAQ: TSLA stock continues to fall after missing expectations on both the top and bottom lines. 

Earnings season kicks into high gear next week, with many big tech names reporting. Lower or cautious guidance could easily throw cold water on this rally. You'll also want to pay attention to the report from United Parcel Service Inc. NYSE: UPS to see what it has to say about the consumer's health. 

The MarketBeat team will be on top of these and other stories affecting your money. Here are some of the top stories the MarketBeat team covered this week.  

Articles by Jea Yu 

Many analysts are bullish on biotech stocks in 2024. If so, it may be due to the promise of gene editing. This week, Jea Yu wrote two articles that helped investors understand the possibilities in this fast-moving sector. 

Yu provides two gene editing stocks for speculative investors looking for watchlist stocks that are not generating revenue yet but may in 2024. 

Yu also wrote about the opportunity in Sarepta Therapeutics Inc. NASDAQ: SRPT. The company already has a product in the market and is pursuing an expanded label that will increase the company's addressable market. 

Yu also wrote about the state of CAVA Group Inc. NYSE: CAVA before it reports earnings next week. The company's stock has been rallying hard for the last three months as it continues to show strong revenue growth and will benefit from the age of personalization


Articles by Thomas Hughes 

One of the biggest bullish moves of the week came from Netflix Inc. NASDAQ: NFLX. The streaming giant posted blockbuster earnings showing leverage in the sector. Thomas Hughes broke down the highlights from the report and pointed investors to where NFLX stock may go. 

High-yield dividend stocks may look attractive if you're looking for a less volatile option in 2024. But that's only if the stock is a real value and not a value trap. This week, Hughes analyzes Verizon Communications Inc. NYSE: VZ and AT&T Inc. NYSE: T and explains why you should like and avoid the other. 

Sticking with the high-yield dividend stock theme with companies outside the telecom sector, Hughes gives you three consumer staples stocks that offer an attractive total return in 2024. 

Articles by Sam Quirke 

Big tech stocks report earnings next week, but Sam Quirke gave investors a preview of what to expect from several of these heavy hitters. 

Regarding Meta Platforms Inc. NASDAQ: META, Quirke gives three reasons why the stock is likely to move higher

Microsoft Corporation NASDAQ: MSFT pushed past the $400 price per share this week. But as Quirke writes, far from being frothy, the gains in MSFT stock may still have room to go higher. Speaking of stocks moving to new highs, you'll want to read what Quirke writes about Apple Inc. NASDAQ: AAPL

The energy sector is another area showing promise in 2024. Quirke wrote about three energy stocks with fresh analyst upgrades that investors should have on their radar. 

Articles by Chris Markoch  

The spot price of uranium recently hit a 16-year high. This week, Chris Markoch points you to three uranium stocks to buy to capitalize on what is likely to be the beginning of a long rally, as demand should outpace supply for several years. 

Markoch also wrote about the results from GE NYSE: GE and why investors should use any dip as an opportunity to buy company shares before it splits off its power-generation business, GE Vernova, in the second quarter of 2024. 

Articles by Kate Stalter  

Many investors take a more risk-on approach as the market hits record highs. That means finding attractively priced growth stocks. This week, Kate Stalter explains the chart action that could push these five growth stocks higher in the coming months. 

Less risk-tolerant investors may also want to look at stocks that are undervalued from a fundamental perspective. This week, Stalter highlights three undervalued stocks trading at a low multiple relative to their earnings expectations. 

Palantir Technologies Inc. NYSE: PLTR remains a polarizing stock. Whether you already have a position or are considering getting involved, you'll want to read Stalter's take on the doubts surrounding Palantir and why its upcoming earnings will show if the company continues to silence its doubters. 

Articles by Ryan Hasson 

If you're looking for tech stocks beyond the Magnificent Seven stocks, Ryan Hasson wrote about two stocks with strong momentum heading into earnings. Hasson writes about the recent breakthrough with Super Micro Computer NASDAQ: SMCI after the company pre-reported revenue for its upcoming second-quarter earnings. 

Hasson also explained the bullish technical setup pushing Snowflake Inc. NYSE: SNOW stock higher in the last three months. He also analyzes why the best may come for the data analytics company. 

Hasson also highlighted several stocks with high short interest that squeezed higher and explained why elevated short interest means that there could be a secondary squeeze in these three highly shorted stocks.

Articles by Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli 

The steel sector will benefit from rate cuts that would reduce the cost of capital for business. This week, Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli writes about three steel stocks investors should have on their watch list if there is a revival in manufacturing and industrial stocks

Osorio-Mazilli also wrote about the insider buying with Alibaba Group Holding Limited NYSE: BABA. Chinese stocks have been beaten down, but a money shift may occur, and BABA may be one of the winners if that happens. 

This week's economic data shows that Wall Street believes the economy is stronger than expected. However, it doesn't feel like that on Main Street. Osorio-Mazilli offers up three defensive stocks for investors who want to hedge their bets on a rally in growth stocks. 

Articles by MarketBeat Staff 

Dividends, dividends, dividends. That was on the mind of the MarketBeat staff, who gave investors two different ideas for investors. If you're a fan of consumer cyclical stocks, the staff offers up three well-known consumer stocks that have a dividend yield of over 5%

If you're looking for reliable dividend stocks ready to deliver upside stock price growth, you should look at this article highlighting three large cap stocks with high dividend yields and trade near their 52-week lows.  

And sports betting remains one of the best sectors for investors. 

This week, the staff wrote about the surge in Flutter Entertainment plc OTCMKTS: PDYPY as it prepares for its listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), which could happen as soon as next week. 

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Should you invest $1,000 in Tesla right now?

Before you consider Tesla, you'll want to hear this.

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Companies Mentioned in This Article

CompanyMarketRank™Current PricePrice ChangeDividend YieldP/E RatioConsensus RatingConsensus Price Target
Tesla (TSLA)
4.7684 of 5 stars
$168.29-1.1%N/A42.93Hold$186.70
United Parcel Service (UPS)
4.887 of 5 stars
$147.59+0.1%4.42%21.39Hold$165.23
Sarepta Therapeutics (SRPT)
4.2059 of 5 stars
$128.77+1.1%N/A-21.04Moderate Buy$156.60
CAVA Group (CAVA)
1.8683 of 5 stars
$69.16+10.5%N/AN/AModerate Buy$60.42
Netflix (NFLX)
4.782 of 5 stars
$561.23-0.6%N/A38.95Moderate Buy$630.58
Verizon Communications (VZ)
4.9519 of 5 stars
$39.68+1.2%6.70%14.81Moderate Buy$44.21
AT&T (T)
4.7948 of 5 stars
$16.75+1.0%6.63%9.01Moderate Buy$20.81
Meta Platforms (META)
4.1731 of 5 stars
$443.29+0.4%0.45%25.46Moderate Buy$509.18
Microsoft (MSFT)
4.8902 of 5 stars
$406.32+1.8%0.74%35.18Moderate Buy$452.61
Apple (AAPL)
4.9151 of 5 stars
$169.30-0.3%0.57%26.37Moderate Buy$203.05
General Electric (GE)
4.6858 of 5 stars
$162.35+0.7%0.69%53.23Moderate Buy$170.00
Palantir Technologies (PLTR)
2.7721 of 5 stars
$22.52+3.7%N/A250.25Hold$18.35
Super Micro Computer (SMCI)
4.9423 of 5 stars
$857.44+8.9%N/A66.94Moderate Buy$949.85
Snowflake (SNOW)
4.4095 of 5 stars
$158.13+3.7%N/A-62.01Moderate Buy$202.00
Alibaba Group (BABA)
4.0704 of 5 stars
$75.55+0.6%1.30%13.94Moderate Buy$112.91
Compare These Stocks  Add These Stocks to My Watchlist 

Chris Markoch

About Chris Markoch

  • CTMarkoch@msn.com

Editor & Contributing Author

Retirement, Individual Investing

Experience

Chris Markoch has been an editor & contributing writer for MarketBeat since 2018.

Areas of Expertise

Value investing, retirement stocks, dividend stocks

Education

Bachelor of Arts, The University of Akron

Past Experience

InvestorPlace


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