MarketBeat Week in Review – 1/29 – 2/2

Markets remained resilient despite the doubling they received from Apple Inc. NASDAQ:AAPL and the employment report. Apple stock, a bellwether for the broader market, was down 2% in early trading Friday after revealing slowing sales in China in its quarterly earnings report. And the economy added far more jobs than expected, which on the surface puts aside any lingering hopes of a rate cut in March.

Still, companies have generally outperformed this earnings season. And in the coming week, investors will hear about names like Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. NYSE:CMG, McDonald’s Corp. NYSE:MCD And PepsiCo Inc. NASDAQ:PEP, which will provide more data on the consumer’s health.

And just like you can count on the groundhog to see its shadow or not, the MarketBeat team will stay on top of the stocks and news that move the market. Here are some articles that received the most views on MarketBeat.com last week.

Articles by Jea Yu

One of the easiest ways to invest in artificial intelligence stocks is to look at chip stocks. This week, Jea Yu highlighted two companies that are the clear leaders in terms of market share in the sector and explained why each stock has even more growth to come.

Investors also continue to see upside potential travel stocks. As Yu points out, this is particularly true for Marriott International Inc. NASDAQ:MAR. With the global hotel industry expecting a full recovery in 2024, Yu explains why MAR stock is worth considering even though the company has lowered its forecast.

However, investors are not getting rid of the weak forecasts of Humana Inc. NYSE: HUM. The health insurer’s shares are under pressure and raising questions about the rising costs of Medicare Advantage plans.

Articles by Thomas Hughes

One of the biggest stories this earnings season came from Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META). The report was released Thursday evening, but Thomas Hughes looked into the matter by analyzing the company’s report. META stock reaching a critical inflection pointyou’ll want to see where Hughes thinks the stock could be headed.

Hughes also wrote about windfall profit report Since Advanced Micro Devices Inc. NASDAQ:AMD. The company recently launched its MI300 chips to compete NVIDIA Company NASDAQ:NVDA. And early reports show that AMD will be a worthy competitor.

However, not all tech stocks are scoring well this earnings season. This is the case of Intel Company NASDAQ:INTC. As Hughes writes, the company had a strong fourth quarter, but it’s trading lower after the company expects weaker-than-expected first quarter.

Articles by Sam Quirke

If you’re surprised that bank stocks were among the best performing stocks over the past quarter, you’re not alone. But with the inflation rate rising and optimism about a reduction in interest rates by 2024, bank stocks are on the move. This week, Sam Quirke highlights three big bank stocks that just received an analyst upgrade, meaning investors who want to participate may still have an opportunity.

Another title that has seen an upswing in recent times is Spotify Technology SA NYSE:SPOT. Quirke writes that SPOT stock is still well below its all-time high of more than $360 in 2021. But the stock is up more than 80% over the past 12 months, and with several catalysts in place , the stock could still have a ways to go.

Tree Dollar Inc. NASDAQ:DLTR is another stock rising sharply since October 2023. Discount retailers tend to do better when consumers feel the effects of inflation. Still, Quirke reminds investors that DLTR stock is doing better since the inflation rate has eased. And with analysts issuing upgradesthe stock may not trade at a discount for a very long time.

Articles by Kate Stalter

Kate Stalter wrote about the recent earnings report from International Business Machines NYSE: IBM and explains why the the stock is trading near its highest level in 10 years (hint: it’s an AI story), and it explains why the company’s status as a Dividend Aristocrat makes it a growth and revenue story.

IBM was also one of the stocks mentioned by Stalter in an article on three Dow stocks which are helping to push the index to new heights. If you’re a fan of big blue-chip stocks, you’ll want to see how Stalter analyzes the role Dow stocks may have in how these stocks perform.

Stalter also gave investors three reasons to be bullish on airline stocks. The sector has attracted headlines, most of them negative. But as long as consumers continue to fly, this sector should continue to see huge benefits.

Articles by Ryan Hasson

If you believe in skating where the puck goes, you will look for areas where growth is likely to be the greatest. In this case, Ryan Hasson offers two suggestions. The first would come from Industrial stocks. As Hasson writes, a Popular industrial sector ETF is up more than 16% in the last three months. But if you prefer individual stocks, Hasson analyzes three industrial stocks that are among the most important components of this fund.

Hasson also examines home builder stocks. This sector has shown resilience in 2023 and will likely see more upside potential if the Federal Reserve lowers interest rates, as expected, at some point in 2024.

And if you have a more speculative eye, Hasson explains why the software company AppLovin Corp. NYSE: APPLICATION worth a closer look. Although the stock is up 260% in last 12 monthsHasson explains why higher growth could be coming.

Articles by Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli

The US government is about to release the next round of Chips Act subsidies. And Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli tells you three chip stocks which are likely beneficiaries of these subsidies but are undervalued at their current prices.

And as geopolitical tensions continue to arise across the world, particularly in the Middle East, it’s a good idea for investors to look into defense sector stocks. Osorio-Mazilli writes about three defense stocks who are in the process of receiving new contracts from the US government.

Osorio-Mazilli also wrote about the recent sell-off in Williams-Sonoma Inc. (NYSE WSM). While such declines can be upsetting for long-time shareholders, it’s important to check whether your fundamental arguments for owning shares are still intact. This seems to be the case with WSM stock, and perhaps that’s why Warren Buffett is buy the dip.

MarketBeat Staff Articles

When a company like Netflix Inc. NASDAQ:NFLX delivers a eruption report, this has ripple effects. One of these ripple effects occurs with the stock price of TKO Holdings Group Inc. NYSE:TKOsharply increasing after its latest deal with streaming giant.

The MarketBeat team also wrote about Celsius Holdings Inc. NASDAQ:CELH. The story seems to be that even bad news is good news for this stock, which continues to generate positive sentiment among analysts even after a notable analyst issued a downgrade.

And if your guilty pleasure comes in the form of chocolate and other candy or a greasy fast food burger, you’ll want to check out the staff article on two food reserves which has just been upgraded and might be ready to go higher.

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