One of the best growth trends of the last decade was in streaming services. Starting as an ancillary platform for viewing shows online, a number of companies embraced the model. Many even started producing their own original content, and now top streaming companies are having their original productions nominated for –and winning—Oscars. But sinceNetflix (NFLX) proved it was a viable model, other media companies scrambled to create their own services leading to competition and slower growth. With the big growth gone, investors today should look for value among the media company player...

When it comes to investing in a bull market, traders often go for big growth names. As we’ve seen with market selloffs, that can be a big problem on a pullback, as those high-growth names get knocked down the most. Traders might instead want to consider a different tack, and embrace companies that have low volatility. They may be slower to gain over time, but they’re also likely to hold their own as a defensive play when markets get volatile. One such low-volatility name isPepsiCo (PEP). The food and beverage giant has a Beta of 0.65, meaning it moves about two-thirds as much as the ...

Companies constantly need to reinvent themselves to stay competitive. Sometimes, a change of management can break the stale company culture and breathe new life into a company. However, sometimes new management may stray too far, or, worse, not make new big and bold change to move the needle. When new management comes along, traders may not always know what they’re going to get. But when a former manager comes back to a company, it can sometimes lead to resurgent growth and a renewed focus. That could be the case withStarbucks (SBUX). The company’s existing CEO is stepping down, and ...

The stock market has rebounded strongly in the past few days. While fears of inflation and other issues may cause a few more drops in the weeks and months ahead, many tech names have fared worse than the overall market. Investors waiting for an entry point are looking at a decent one for many tech stocks, particularly big-name companies that can likely continue growing strongly no matter what happens with the economy. One example isAdobe (ADBE). The company just beat on its latest earnings report, but its forward guidance came in a little lower than expected. Nevertheless, the com...

Every market selloff creates an opportunity to buy growth names at a big discount. Typically, investors start discounting growth when a crisis starts, so faster-growing companies sell off more. Growth comes in a variety of sectors and can be measured in a few different ways. Besides looking at obvious big-cap tech names on a selloff, other growth names could deliver market-beating returns at today’s prices. One such potential winner isFive Below (FIVE). The retailer that lists all its products for $5 or less could be a winner with high inflation and economic uncertainty right now. Ye...

The past few weeks has seen a flurry of US companies announcing the termination of their business in Russia. That will impact the bottom line of some companies more than others, given the state of Russia’s economy. For some players, like fast food operations, the loss of the Russian market can have a big impact. For other sectors, there may not be much more than a symbolic gesture. One surprising winner in today’s environment could beThe Wendy’s Company (WEN). The fast-food chain has nearly no exposure to Russia, with far more of its operations being domestic to the US rather than a ...

With high inflation, rising interest rates, and a geopolitical drama unfolding, there’s a lot of uncertainty in markets right now. It may not take much for the economy to potentially slip into a recession, even as some see low odds of that occurring. When markets get uncertain, investors get defensive. One way to stay on the offense is to buy companies that have built a business model around being a discount player. In the retail space, one such name isDollar General (DG). The discount retailer is part grocery store, part general store, and focused on providing low prices. That’s lik...

For the first time since 2018, the Federal Reserve has raised interest rates. With yields at just 0.25 percent, however, it’s unlikely to do much more than start to cool the high inflation rates we’ve been seeing over the course of months. Some traders see a number of sectors traditionally slow down when interest rates rise, and have started to place their bets accordingly. However, while history often rhymes, it doesn’t usually directly repeat itself. One case right now is the housing market. Yes, higher interest rates can mean a higher cost of borrowing capital and therefore higher...

The stock market decline has caused nearly all companies to drop. That means that even strong global companies are trading at their best valuation in over a year. That’s particularly true with consumer discretionary firms. While a market pullback may bring some traders to a company like a grocery store, consumers are still going to need other products, even if at a slower pace compared to a roaring economy. As the economy recovers, these companies should recover handily. A number of such firms have recently started to receive upgrades based on their current valuation. One of the best...

The stock market pullback is getting ugly. With pullbacks deepening into corrections, investors want to know where to go for the best returns on the market’s next rebound. Historically, a handful of companies have used these dire and fearful market conditions to set themselves up for big profits when the outlook is much brighter. A select group of investment managers in particular tend to have a great track record for navigating tough markets. One such player isBlackstone (BX). The asset manager’s expertise in real estate, private equity, and hedge fund strategies places it in a posi...