Markets continue to see some big moves in individual companies reporting earnings. Or, more accurately, in companies making announcements in conjunction with earnings. For instance,Walmart (WMT) reported solid earnings thanks to rising ecommerce sales, and boosted its share buyback program to $20 billion. Yet shares sold off anyway, as the firm came in light with guidance for the year ahead. It also didn’t help that the company announced a higher wage for 425,000 workers. The wage raise will increase the company’s average hourly rate to $15 per hour from $14. That’s about in line wit...

Earnings season continues to create new trading opportunities for investors. While the explosion of e-commerce trends over the past year is likely to slow, the gains made are likely to hold. So when a company warns on guidance, any selloff can create a buying opportunity. Case in point?Shopify (SHOP). The company saw stronger-than-expected earnings in the fourth quarter of 2020, yet shares sold off on lower guidance for 2021. That’s the market’s mistake. The selloff in shares creates a buying opportunity here. The company has recently flipped to profitability in the past year as well...

There are many tech stories dominating the market today. From 5G to electric and autonomous vehicles, many of them have one thing in common. They require storing and processing large amounts of data. That’s why there’s also a tech trend known as big data. Like any other tech play, it will move in fits and starts, creating opportunities for traders to make some quick profits buying on a dip and selling on the market’s periodic over-optimism. A dip has arrived inPalantir (PLTR), the big data company backed by Peter Theil that went public last year. Trading as high as $45, shares have n...

It’s almost a cliché at this point, but the winner in any gold rush is often the supplier of picks and shovels, and not someone or some company doing the actual gold mining. In the tech space today, with its intense competition and drive to improve products and lower prices, a few companies that supply entire industries are the biggest potential winners from today’s trends. With a footing in everything from semiconductors to consumer electronics to electric vehicles and other manufacturing, a clear winner isCorning Incorporated (GLW). The company is starting to look like a breakout g...

The past year has seen a strong uptick in digital transformations for companies. That includes content delivery, operations, as well as services like payment systems. With these powerful trends in place, growth is likely to continue. That will continue to attract capital to the space, and be a strong source of returns for investors going forward. One of the more powerful trends will be in digital payments. These companies act as “toll booths” for digital transactions, taking a very small cut on each transaction, but seeing an explosion in volume. For instance, in its first quarter as...

Shares ofPinterest (PINS) surged to an all-time high, on reports that the company had been approached byMicrosoft (MSFT) about a potential acquisition. Microsoft tried to buy TikTok last year, and the tech giant acquired business networking site LinkedIn for $26 billion in 2016. Buying Pinterest, where users pin items they like on personalized boards, would be a far more consumer-facing social media experience. With a market cap of $55 billion, Pinterest would be at least double the valuation of LinkedIn five years ago. Shares have more than tripled from a year ago, as the pandemic h...

Some company CEOs have discussed getting rid of quarterly earnings reports. As long as it’s required by the SEC, it will never happen. But those CEOs are right to point out that quarterly numbers, along with the Wall Street earnings guessing game, often creates a short-term focus that distracts from the long-term. That’s also why some of the best trades to make are companies that sell off after an earnings report, whether good or bad. Especially when a company has great long-term prospects but is sitting poorly with the market right now. That seems to be the case withCarrier (CARR). ...

When times get tough, investors turn to defensive stocks. Typically areas such as utilities or telecoms, these companies tend to offer slower prospective growth, but offer some strong income opportunities as well. Some other sectors such as consumer goods also fall into the defense space. But, under the right circumstances, companies in this space can see solid growth during an expanding economy as well. One brand in a defensive area that still looks set to grow? Alcohol and spirits. Goldman Sachs recently upgradedConstellation Brands (STZ), citing higher growth rates in the future a...

Tech stocks have performed exceptionally well in the past year. Pandemic-driven trends have pushed higher e-commerce, remote work, and other trends that play well to tech over other sectors. However, not all companies have gone along for the ride. A global chipmaker shortage has been an issue preventing physical technological products from being made. Another bottleneck? Networking infrastructure. But those trends are improving. One surprising winner here may beCisco Systems (CSCO). The company saw a slow year in 2020 as other tech plays performed far better. It may be one of the las...

The past year has seen a surge of e-commerce growth. While most may think of the sales of goods normally bought in stores, a number of other services are also available online. Companies that cater to small businesses growing online have seen tremendous growth from the increased online sales of both goods and services. That’s a trend likely to continue, which could be a big winner for a number of firms in the year ahead, even after a stellar year. One such play?Bill.com Holdings (BILL). The cloud-based financial software company helps out firms with billing and other back-end service...