MarketBeat: Week in Review 3/21 – 3/25

The markets are trying to close the week on a positive note. But there’s no way to spin the fact that this will be one of the worst quarters in recent memory. Investors are trying to find traction amidst the Federal Reserve taking a more hawkish tone and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Some institutional investors are sounding the bearish alarm not to fight the Fed. However, on the positive side oil prices have stayed below their recent peak which could be good news for consumer spending. Next week will give investors a chance to analyze the Biden administration’s budget.  And the MarketBeat team will be tracking the stocks and sectors that are likely to be affected by government policy.

Articles by Sean Sechler                                                                                                                                                                

Sean Sechler reminds investors that boring can be beautiful. In this case, he’s referring to the slow, steady growth of “boring stocks” which are leading the market in 2022. Sechler gives investors three slow, steady performers that frequently are not hyped by institutional investors and the financial media. Sechler also had his eye on semiconductor stocks. This sector has not been immune to the market sell-off. However, Sechler reminds investors that you don’t have to look too hard to find reasons that this sector should perform well over both the medium and long term. And if investors are looking at another high-growth industry, they can look at cloud computing stocks. The products and services offered by these companies will be used in some of the most compelling trends such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Articles by Jea Yu

Gaming stocks in general are holding up despite the market sell-off. This week, Jea Yu points investors in the direction of International Gaming Technology (NYSE:IGT). The company recently reported its highest EBITDA in its history and looks to have a tailwind as sports betting and iGaming become legal in more states. Yu was also looking at two market laggards that appear to be oversold. First, Yu was writing about SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI). The disruptive fintech company continues to add customers and invest in its business. And SoFi just received approval for its bank charter which means it should benefit from rising interest rates.  Yu was also looking at Domino’s Pizza (NYSE:DPZ). The stock has been falling after a top-line miss in its last earnings report. But that is creating an opportunity for investors to grab a slice of the world’s largest pizza restaurant chain.

Articles by Thomas Hughes

How much weight should investors give to analyst ratings? That’s a question that Thomas Hughes addresses. His answer comes down to the trend is your friend. When there is a clear shift in analyst sentiment either good or bad, it can drive price action in stocks. And Hughes gives investors three of the most upgraded stocks to buy right now. And speaking of trends, Hughes was writing about Winnebago (NYSE:WGO). The maker of recreational vehicles benefited from a surge in demand due to the pandemic. The company is now butting up against tough comps. However, Hughes points out that the stock still offers good value for investors. Hughes was also looking at the strong earnings report from Nike (NYSE:NKE) which included higher margins. Although there was a lot to like, the stock faces some technical headwinds that may limit the stock’s growth.

Articles by Sam Quirke

After a sharp sell-off to start the month of March, shares of Ralph Lauren (NYSE:RL) are moving higher after the company received a bullish upgrade from JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM). The retailer is exiting the pandemic with several revenue streams and a healthy balance sheet. Analysts were less impressed by the earnings report from Federal Express (NYSE:FDX). This may be a case where delivering good results may simply not be good enough. However, with the stock down significantly from its 52-week high, opportunistic investors may feel FDX stock is worth the risk. Quirke was also looking at Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA). As a cult stock, investors don’t need to pay much attention to the analysts. And TSLA stock is showing once again that it can’t be kept down for long.

Articles by Chris Markoch

Investing in cruise line stocks is trying the patience of investors. This was a sector that looked like a sure-fire contrarian bet at the onset of the pandemic. However, for many reasons, it’s taken longer than expected for cruise ships to set sail. But it looks like the skies are brightening, and that’s why Chris Markoch feels that Carnival Cruise Lines (NYSE:CCL) will be a good buy, particularly in the second half of the year. Markoch also gave investors two stocks that are good watchlist candidates. Ollie’s Bargain Outlet Holdings (NASDAQ:OLLI) is not showing the same strength as other dollar store stocks. But the stock should benefit from consumers looking for low-priced items. And as long as discretionary income remains under pressure, investors have a reason to keep the online consignment marketplace, Poshmark (NASDAQ:POSH) on their watchlist.

Articles by Melissa Brock

Melissa Brock gives investors three approaches to weathering the current volatility in equity. One is to buy tried-and-true stocks. One way to find these stocks is to look at the stocks bought by Warren Buffett for instance. Many of these stocks are defensive stocks that may seem antiquated when the market is in rally mode. But market corrections have a way of bringing these stocks back in fashion. Times of volatility also remind investors why gold stocks deserve a place in your portfolio. And Brock gave investors a list of three gold stocks that may be outperforming physical gold. And some investors prefer to zig while others are zagging. Buying contrarian stocks is not without risk, but it can be profitable if you have a long-term outlook and a good sense of future trends.