Looking for bargains? Here are the stocks we love
By Paul R. La Monica, CNN Business
Most companies have reported fourth quarter earnings. The biggest takeaway for investors? This is a stock picker’s market. Some companies are thriving while their competitors are not.
Just look at how Disney posted blockbuster numbers while Netflix disappointed investors. And the recent stumbles for Facebook owner Meta Platforms weren’t a sign of broader tech weakness. Google owner Alphabet, Apple and Amazon all posted extremely strong results.
With that in mind, we figured it’s time to bring back the CNN Business Stocks We Love feature.
Using screening software from data provider Refinitiv, we looked for companies in the main three S&P indexes that trade at reasonable valuations, have strong earnings growth prospects, healthy sales, high returns on equity and little debt.
We started with 1,500 companies and whittled down the list from there. Here’s a closer look at nine companies that made the cut.
Interestingly, Meta looks attractive. The stock is certainly cheaper now following its massive drop after its earnings report. Mark Zuckerberg’s company is still posting solid profit and revenue growth. So investors may be overreacting to concerns about the company’s metaverse pivot.
Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs, which fell after its latest earnings report when the investment bank disclosed a big increase in worker pay, is also on the list. The company continues to benefit from the boom in mergers and initial public offerings.
Several other companies whose stocks have slid lately made it through our screening process too.
Semiconductor supply chain issues haven’t gone away, which has hurt companies like chip equipment leader Applied Materials and processor manufacturer Analog Devices. Both might be attractive investments now.
Homebuilder DR Horton may be another bargain as investors worry about rising mortgage rates leading to a slowdown in housing. Still, rates remain relatively low. The lack of inventory in the housing market could also help DR Horton, which raised its 2022 sales forecast earlier this month.
Finally, a bunch of retailers and consumer companies are in Wall Street’s discount bin. Farm equipment giant Tractor Supply, hair care company Ulta Beauty, furnishings retailer Williams-Sonoma and Dick’s Sporting Goods all made our cut.
All eyes on Charlie
You wouldn’t think that a relatively small newspaper publisher’s annual shareholder meeting would attract a lot of interest from Wall Street. But Daily Journal is no ordinary media company.
The company is run by Charlie Munger, the vice chairman of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway who has been in the news quite a bit over the past year.
Munger, 98, has made headlines over his plans for windowless dorms at schools where he has donated money, as well as favorable comments about Beijing’s crackdown on top Chinese companies.
Munger, who is not known for mincing words, could have colorful comments about these topics (and many others) at Daily Journal’s shareholder meeting on Wednesday afternoon.
Investors may also hear more about some of the stocks that Munger likes. Despite his comments about China and Big Tech, Daily Journal has been increasing its investment in Alibaba over the past few months.
Like Buffett, Munger is a fan of big banks. Daily Journal owns stakes in Bank of America, US Bancorp and Wells Fargo. It’s an investor in South Korean steelmaker Posco, too.
The Daily Journal meeting will be a virtual event due to the pandemic. But it’s possible that investors could see Munger in person at the end of April. As of right now, Berkshire Hathaway is planning to have its annual “Woodstock for Capitalists” shareholder meeting in person in Omaha.
The 2021 meeting was held in Los Angeles, closer to Munger’s home in Southern California. The 2020 Berkshire meeting was a virtual affair.
Up next
Monday: Earnings from Avis Budget
Tuesday: US producer prices; UK unemployment; Earnings from Marriott, Restaurant Brands, ViacomCBS, Airbnb, IAC, Wynn Resorts and Roblox
Wednesday: US retail sales, UK inflation; Fed minutes; Daily Journal annual meeting; Earnings from Kraft Heinz, Sunoco, Barrick Gold, Analog Devices, Hilton, Shopify, Cisco, Nvidia, AIG, Applied Materials, DoorDash, Hyatt and Boston Beer
Thursday: US housing starts/building permits; US weekly jobless claims; Earnings from Walmart, AutoNation, Yeti, Palantir, Roku, Redfin and Dropbox
Friday: US existing home sales; Earnings from Deere
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