Strong holiday spending is great news for 3 of our stocks

Strong holiday spending is great news for 3 of our stocks

Holiday spending held up this year, despite all the economic uncertainty and high inflation. It’s welcome news for a few of our stocks. New data released Tuesday shows U.S. retail sales increased 3.1% year over year from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse . The report, which excludes auto sales and is … Read more

Why Pfizer’s stumble in the obesity market is a boon for Eli Lilly

Why Pfizer’s stumble in the obesity market is a boon for Eli Lilly

Pfizer (PFE) has suffered another setback in its efforts to develop a weight-loss pill — and that’s good news for Club holding Eli Lilly (LLY) as it looks to maintain an edge in the fast-growing obesity-treatment market. Pfizer said Friday it will discontinue its twice-daily weight-loss pill, danuglipron, after patients in a mid-stage trial experienced … Read more

Ford’s strong hybrid sales show the company needs to pivot to increase profits

Ford’s strong hybrid sales show the company needs to pivot to increase profits

Exploding consumer demand for Ford (F) hybrids last month is further evidence the automaker should pivot its production focus and scale back on electric vehicles. Hybrids “make a ton of money,” Jim Cramer said Monday after Ford reported a 75% year-over-year surge in hybrid sales in November to roughly 12,100 vehicles. EV sales were also … Read more

Falling oil hurts energy names. But plenty of others stocks stand to gain

Falling oil hurts energy names. But plenty of others stocks stand to gain

U.S. crude prices continued to fall Wednesday, settling below $70 per barrel for the first time since early July and at their lowest levels since June. That’s good news for the Federal Reserve in its battle against inflation. While the impact on oil and natural gas stocks has not been as cheery, companies across many … Read more

Flying solo without Cigna will keep Humana focused on 2 big priorities in 2024

Flying solo without Cigna will keep Humana focused on 2 big priorities in 2024

It looks like Cigna has scrapped its takeover bid for Club holding Humana , removing a dark cloud over both stocks that’s lingered since the acquisition talks surfaced nearly two weeks ago. Cigna and Humana were unable to agree on an acquisition price and other financial terms, The Wall Street Journal reported Sunday. Cigna will … Read more

Wall Street analysts name 13 of our stocks as top picks for 2024

Wall Street analysts name 13 of our stocks as top picks for 2024

This year’s powerful rally has more than made up for the carnage of 2022 on Wall Street. Tech stocks reasserted their leadership and even some out-of-favor sectors perked up in recent weeks. So, what about 2024 for the market and our Club stocks? The Federal Reserve remains a big question as milder inflation data and … Read more

Weight gain after stopping Eli Lilly’s new obesity treatment should help, not hurt the stock

Weight gain after stopping Eli Lilly’s new obesity treatment should help, not hurt the stock

Some Eli Lilly investors appear concerned about clinical trial data that showed patients regained weight after they stopped taking the company’s obesity drug Zepbound. The situation seems rather clear-cut to us: It’s no reason to sell. Eli Lilly shares on Tuesday shook off afternoon losses to close higher by 0.12%, at $584.76 each — a … Read more

Why Ford should double down on hybrids as it backs off EVs

Why Ford should double down on hybrids as it backs off EVs

Ford Motor ‘s decision to cut production of its electric pick-up allows the automaker to refocus its strategy around its highly profitable hybrid vehicles, which in turn should boost its underperforming stock. Ford said Monday it’s cutting in half planned production of its all-electric F-150 Lightning pick-up truck next year due to moderating consumer demand. … Read more

Here’s what’s driving Wall Street’s newfound bullishness on Coterra

Here’s what’s driving Wall Street’s newfound bullishness on Coterra

Wall Street analysts are warming up to Coterra Energy , a stock we bought more shares of just last week when it was firmly out of favor. In recent days, Citigroup, UBS and Wells Fargo all upgraded Coterra to buy-equivalent ratings, highlighting a host of fundamental reasons — including improving capital efficiency — to own … Read more

Starbucks faces protests, union strife and China headwinds

Starbucks faces protests, union strife and China headwinds

Starbucks is facing multiple challenges in major markets both internationally and in the U.S., making shareholders like us wonder if it’s a good idea to sell shares before the company’s next earnings report, which is expected in late January. “Starbucks is what I call a tough own right now,” Jim Cramer said Tuesday during the … Read more