Pandemic restrictions are ending globally, which points to a potential revival, however slowly, of global travel. While some may be wary of international travel, others may be sick of staying at home or traveling domestically. Either way, those trends bode well for the larger travel and tourism industry. With business picking up, the fundamentals of many companies will likely improve, leading to higher share prices for those stocks. One big potential winner here isAirbnb (ABNB). Many who resume traveling may want to avoid the crowds of hotels, and selecting properties with limited ac...

The entertainment industry has been hit hard thanks to the pandemic. While many areas are resuming in-person forms of entertainment once again, the best gauge for how the industry is faring is by looking at box office receipts. While movies have declined somewhat in the past few years thanks to video games and streaming, it’s starting to show signs of a return to a pre-pandemic life. Case in point?The Walt Disney Company (DIS). The company just reported its latest release, Black Widow, hit $90 million in domestic box office sales opening weekend, and $215 million internationally. Tha...

Historically, most companies focused on one product or service. That eventually saturates the market. Today’s tech companies, particularly software ones, are able to break that cycle with new products or better upgrades to existing software. Companies that also pivot to other opportunities can create big value for themselves and shareholders as well. That’s why so many of today’s big tech names have continued to increase in value, even as some of them have become multi-trillion-dollar companies. One up-and-comer for this club isOracle (ORCL). Shares are already up nearly 40 percent t...

Sometimes, a company will be caught in a virtuous loop, where its rising share price attracts analyst upgrades. In turn, the shares rise again, prompting more analysts to turn bullish. While that can sometimes end up looking a little silly in hindsight, for the right company, it may be a sign that growth is taking off. That could be the case with a big growth story in the markets right now, especially when the virtuous cycle leads a company back to all-time highs after a big selloff. In this case, analysts who loveChipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) may be on to something. The company has r...

Some companies assume that when things are going well, that trend will continue forever. That can sometimes lead to unpleasant surprises. During last year’s pandemic, a number of companies cut or suspended dividends or share buybacks, for instance. However, companies in the commodity space tend to recognize the power of cycles. When things are going well, they may be more inclined to pass the good times on to shareholders rather than overinvest when times are good. Case in point?Royal Dutch Shell (RDS-A). The Anglo-Dutch energy giant sees higher oil prices boosting its bottom line. B...

The economy has been moving strongly past the pandemic, but concerns over inflation and supply chain disruptions have led to some uncertainty. While markets are generally heading higher, one area is likely to continue plugging along at a steady and growing rate. That space? Retail. Pent-up consumer demand is coming out as the labor market looks to not only stabilize, but do so at higher wages. That bodes well to companies across the retail spectrum. Most investors would do well to focus on the big-box retailers that dominate a niche space and can continue to deliver solid returns to ...

There’s nothing wrong with a company trading in a range, moving up a little and down a little, but mostly unchanged over time. But investors who look for catalysts can likely find hints as to whether a company will break out of its range higher or lower. Right now, one range-bound stock is also one of the biggest out there. Shares ofAmazon (AMZN) have been stuck in the low $3,000 range after a massive rally over the past few years. Now, one key catalyst has arrived for the stock’s next move. The company has a new CEO, Andy Jassy, who formerly built and ran the company’s value-gene...

It’s a simple trading strategy: Find a company that’s performing well and just posted great quarterly earnings numbers. Then, if shares drop because the company’s guidance isn’t bullish enough, buy the dip and wait for the rebound, following the fundamentals. That’s as strategy likely to pay off well in this market throughout earnings season. One such trade has already presented itself inWalgreens Boots Alliance (WBA). The drugstore chain posted great growth, but shares got knocked down last week following earnings anyway. That partially unwound some of the firm’s gains over the past...

The first half of the year saw a slowdown in tech stocks, and better relative strength in value names. While growth has started to rise in recent sessions, investors who continue to invest in both growth and value can do well in this market. Some of the best values may be in value names that have now underperformed over the past year. Any positive surprises in such a company may result in a jump higher in shares with low downside risk. One such value play isPepsiCo (PEP). The company is set to report earnings later this month, which may give the company a boost higher as some analyst...

A number of sectors are looking strong going into the back half of the year. In one sector, costs are going down, expenditures look likely to drop, and prices remain robust, which makes for an attractive move going forward. The sector? Oil and natural gas. A number of companies are looking good as OPEC is set to meet on production, with oil potentially capable of seeing oil hit $100 per barrel. Case in pointis ConocoPhillips (COP). The energy giant just increased its share buyback by $1 billion, from $1.5 to $2.5 billion. That’s on top of the strong dividend that shares pay now of 2....