As the first quarter earnings draws to a close, investors are focusing on updated quant ratings for firms for cues on their investments. Seeking Alpha’s quant ratings awards grades based on quantitative measures, like valuation, earnings growth, and recent stock performance. The highest possible score for any individual company is a 5. Below is a snapshot of large-cap and mega-cap consumer staple ...
As the first quarter earnings draws to a close, investors are focusing on updated quant ratings for firms for cues on their investments. Seeking Alpha’s quant ratings awards grades based on quantitative measures, like valuation, earnings growth, and recent stock performance. The highest possible score for any individual company is a 5. Below is a snapshot of large-cap and mega-cap consumer staple companies with market capitalizations exceeding $10B, highlighting the highest- and lowest-rated stocks by quant score following earnings season, and showcasing which companies improved their fundamentals versus those that underperformed. Top-quant rated stocks: Ambev ( ABEV ); Quant Rating: 4.82, Strong Buy Archer-Daniels-Midland Company ( ADM ); Quant Rating: 4.79, Strong Buy Bunge Global SA ( BG ); Quant Rating: 4.69, Strong Buy Smithfield Foods, Inc. ( SFD ); Quant Rating: 4.60, Strong Buy Tyson Foods, Inc. ( TSN ); Quant Rating: 4.27, Buy Bottom quant rated stocks: Beiersdorf Aktiengesellschaft ( BDRFY ); Quant Rating: 1.20, Strong Sell BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. ( BJ ); Quant Rating: 1.55, Sell Kerry Group plc ( KRYAY ); Quant Rating: 1.71, Sell Pernod Ricard SA ( PRNDY ); Quant Rating: 1.72, Sell Reckitt Benckiser Group plc ( RBGLY ); Quant Rating: 1.73, Sell More on Consumer Staples BJ's Wholesale Club: After Q1, The Hold Case Still Makes Sense BJ's maintains FY2026 guidance for 2%-3% comps ex gas and $4.40-$4.60 EPS as Texas membership runs 33% ahead of plan BJ's Wholesale Club gains after strong membership fee income growth in Q1
HJBC/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Amazon: The Market Realizes Its Incredible Durability Almost a month has passed since Amazon's first quarter earnings ( AMZN ). So I think we already have a good enough opportunity to take a look at how market sentiment has played out, as we can ascertain whether a new advancing phase is readily upon us. Now, as a quick reminder, I did downgrade my rating on ...
HJBC/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Amazon: The Market Realizes Its Incredible Durability Almost a month has passed since Amazon's first quarter earnings ( AMZN ). So I think we already have a good enough opportunity to take a look at how market sentiment has played out, as we can ascertain whether a new advancing phase is readily upon us. Now, as a quick reminder, I did downgrade my rating on Amazon in my pre-earnings piece. Back then I thought the multiples were looking on the high side, as the company needed to navigate a significant reduction in its free cash flow margins for FY2026. It was always good to consider the risk-reward with a bit more caution as we headed into the earnings scorecard. Shift from training to inference benefits AWS. (Stratechery) Coming out of it, I am beginning to better appreciate Amazon's durability, as Stratechery presented it in a May write-up, demonstrating to us just how long-term looking Amazon is in the entire ecosystem. For a while it seems like Amazon's investment in its chips programs may not quite pan out as it continues to be second fiddle to what Nvidia ( NVDA ) is putting out there, right? With Nvidia being on the frontier side, Amazon is always catching up in terms of capabilities. Now that the zeitgeist has moved from training to inference, especially with the advent and anticipated proliferation of AI agents in enterprise, it seems like Amazon's chip architecture is now finally ready for prime time. So this massive Amazon ecosystem that we know of transcends beyond its core business, which is the physical goods business. Where it involves building massive fulfillment infrastructure to maximize the leverage for its e-commerce setup. Amazon expanding its third-party logistics business (The Wall Street Journal) We know that recently Amazon has also expanded its supply chain solutions, sparking a sell-off for its freight and logistics rivals as it managed to secure flagship customers, including Procter & Gamble ( PG ) a...
HJBC/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Amazon: The Market Realizes Its Incredible Durability Almost a month has passed since Amazon's first quarter earnings ( AMZN ). So I think we already have a good enough opportunity to take a look at how market sentiment has played out, as we can ascertain whether a new advancing phase is readily upon us. Now, as a quick reminder, I did downgrade my rating on ...
HJBC/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Amazon: The Market Realizes Its Incredible Durability Almost a month has passed since Amazon's first quarter earnings ( AMZN ). So I think we already have a good enough opportunity to take a look at how market sentiment has played out, as we can ascertain whether a new advancing phase is readily upon us. Now, as a quick reminder, I did downgrade my rating on Amazon in my pre-earnings piece. Back then I thought the multiples were looking on the high side, as the company needed to navigate a significant reduction in its free cash flow margins for FY2026. It was always good to consider the risk-reward with a bit more caution as we headed into the earnings scorecard. Shift from training to inference benefits AWS. (Stratechery) Coming out of it, I am beginning to better appreciate Amazon's durability, as Stratechery presented it in a May write-up, demonstrating to us just how long-term looking Amazon is in the entire ecosystem. For a while it seems like Amazon's investment in its chips programs may not quite pan out as it continues to be second fiddle to what Nvidia ( NVDA ) is putting out there, right? With Nvidia being on the frontier side, Amazon is always catching up in terms of capabilities. Now that the zeitgeist has moved from training to inference, especially with the advent and anticipated proliferation of AI agents in enterprise, it seems like Amazon's chip architecture is now finally ready for prime time. So this massive Amazon ecosystem that we know of transcends beyond its core business, which is the physical goods business. Where it involves building massive fulfillment infrastructure to maximize the leverage for its e-commerce setup. Amazon expanding its third-party logistics business (The Wall Street Journal) We know that recently Amazon has also expanded its supply chain solutions, sparking a sell-off for its freight and logistics rivals as it managed to secure flagship customers, including Procter & Gamble ( PG ) a...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Despite the soaring stock market, investors this year remain quite concerned about a choppy macroeconomy, especially for companies that have direct exposure to weaker consumer spending. And while most retail companies catering to both lower- and higher-income consumers are feeling a pinch, there are some luxury companies that potentially illustrate the e...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Despite the soaring stock market, investors this year remain quite concerned about a choppy macroeconomy, especially for companies that have direct exposure to weaker consumer spending. And while most retail companies catering to both lower- and higher-income consumers are feeling a pinch, there are some luxury companies that potentially illustrate the emergence of the “K-shaped economy” with more inflexible spending at the high end. Canada Goose ( GOOS ), the maker of $1,000+ jackets and winter wear, is demonstrating this amply with its latest results. Defying the tough macro, Canada Goose’s sales have accelerated recently, making the company an outlier in a weakened retail environment. At the same time, its stock continues to decline, with shares down roughly 30% since the start of the year. Data by YCharts I last wrote a buy article on Canada Goose in February, when the stock was trading at $12 per share. Since then, Canada Goose has missed out on the historic rally in the S&P 500 to new highs; in fact, the stock has been testing new lows, despite the fact that fundamental trends appear on solid ground. There’s a widening gap here between Canada Goose’s perception in the stock market and its actual performance. This stock represents a great way to buy “growth at a reasonable price” and insulate our portfolios with a stock that has little to do with the overcrowded, overvalued AI/data center trade. I reiterate my buy rating here. As a reminder for investors who are newer to this stock, here are the core reasons to be long on Canada Goose: Healthy comp sales. In a very tough retail environment. Most apparel brands are showcasing flat to declining comp sales trends. Canada Goose, by contrast, has been achieving accelerating comps, driven by pricing actions plus a deeper clothing assortment. Expanding beyond winter wear. Though Canada Goose remains highly seasonal and does most of its business during the winter months, the ...
As global e-commerce continues to evolve, investors often weigh the massive scale of Amazon (AMZN 0.75%) against the high-growth potential of MercadoLibre (MELI 1.49%) to determine which is a better buy. Amazon dominates North American retail and global cloud computing, while MercadoLibre has built a leading e-commerce and fintech ecosystem across Latin America. Both companies benefit from the dig...
As global e-commerce continues to evolve, investors often weigh the massive scale of Amazon (AMZN 0.75%) against the high-growth potential of MercadoLibre (MELI 1.49%) to determine which is a better buy. Amazon dominates North American retail and global cloud computing, while MercadoLibre has built a leading e-commerce and fintech ecosystem across Latin America. Both companies benefit from the digital transformation of commerce, but operate in different economic climates. This comparison examines their business strategies, recent financial performance, and current valuations to help you decide between them. The case for Amazon Amazon operates a vast global business in the retail stocks category, integrating consumer sales, logistics, and subscriptions. The company serves millions of customers through its retail stores and Prime membership, which offers millions of items with fast delivery. Beyond retail, its AWS segment provides essential cloud services to businesses and government agencies worldwide. In FY 2025, revenue reached nearly $716.9 billion, representing a growth rate of approximately 12.4% over the previous year. Net income for the period was close to $77.7 billion, showing significant growth from prior years. The net margin, which shows how much of every dollar in revenue remains as profit after all expenses, reached approximately 10.8%. The case for MercadoLibre MercadoLibre operates a leading e-commerce and fintech ecosystem centered on its namesake marketplace and the Mercado Pago payments platform. The company serves 18 countries in Latin America, focusing on logistics and financial services for over 120 million unique buyers. Combining online shopping with digital banking creates a sticky environment for consumers in emerging markets. In FY 2025, the company reported revenue of approximately $28.9 billion, a substantial 39.1% increase compared to the prior fiscal year. It achieved net income of roughly $2.0 billion during this period. The net margin...
Key Points Amazon.com maintains a dominant position in global e-commerce and cloud computing through its AWS division. MercadoLibre continues to experience rapid expansion across Latin America via its integrated commerce and fintech platforms. Which of these two e-commerce giants is the better fit for your investment portfolio in 2026? These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › As ...
Key Points Amazon.com maintains a dominant position in global e-commerce and cloud computing through its AWS division. MercadoLibre continues to experience rapid expansion across Latin America via its integrated commerce and fintech platforms. Which of these two e-commerce giants is the better fit for your investment portfolio in 2026? These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › As global e-commerce continues to evolve, investors often weigh the massive scale of Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) against the high-growth potential of MercadoLibre (NASDAQ:MELI) to determine which is a better buy. Amazon dominates North American retail and global cloud computing, while MercadoLibre has built a leading e-commerce and fintech ecosystem across Latin America. Both companies benefit from the digital transformation of commerce, but operate in different economic climates. This comparison examines their business strategies, recent financial performance, and current valuations to help you decide between them. The case for Amazon Amazon operates a vast global business in the retail stocks category, integrating consumer sales, logistics, and subscriptions. The company serves millions of customers through its retail stores and Prime membership, which offers millions of items with fast delivery. Beyond retail, its AWS segment provides essential cloud services to businesses and government agencies worldwide. In FY 2025, revenue reached nearly $716.9 billion, representing a growth rate of approximately 12.4% over the previous year. Net income for the period was close to $77.7 billion, showing significant growth from prior years. The net margin, which shows how much of every dollar in revenue remains as profit after all expenses, reached approximately 10.8%. The case for MercadoLibre MercadoLibre operates a leading e-commerce and fintech ecosystem centered on its namesake marketplace and the Mercado Pago payments platform. The company serves 18 countries in Latin America, focusing on...
Although the S&P 500 has gained 17% over the past 8 weeks, the instinctive reaction across Wall Street has been familiar: brace for a pullback. Yet, the historical record, as compiled by research firm Creative Planning, points in a direction most market watchers would not guess. According to a Creative Planning analysis posted by Daily ... The Stock Market Just Saw One of Its Best 8-Week Stretches...
Although the S&P 500 has gained 17% over the past 8 weeks, the instinctive reaction across Wall Street has been familiar: brace for a pullback. Yet, the historical record, as compiled by research firm Creative Planning, points in a direction most market watchers would not guess. According to a Creative Planning analysis posted by Daily ... The Stock Market Just Saw One of Its Best 8-Week Stretches Ever. What Normally Happens Next Will Surprise You.
is a senior reporter who’s been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2006, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid. Oppo launched a new smartphone accessory that makes it easier to snap selfies using your smartphone’s rear cameras that typically feature better sensors than front-facing cameras. The Bubble offers similar functionality to the recently announced Ins...
is a senior reporter who’s been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2006, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid. Oppo launched a new smartphone accessory that makes it easier to snap selfies using your smartphone’s rear cameras that typically feature better sensors than front-facing cameras. The Bubble offers similar functionality to the recently announced Insta360 Snap with a screen providing live camera previews so you can properly frame shots, plus remote camera controls and a shutter button. What sets the Bubble apart is a thinner design, wireless capabilities up to nearly 33 feet away, and, unfortunately, limited device compatibility. The Oppo Bubble is currently available in China for 499 yuan, or around $73, but the company hasn’t confirmed if the accessory will see a global release. It features a round AMOLED touchscreen with a 550mAh battery, but it’s only seven-millimeters thick. The company hasn’t specified the Bubble’s estimated battery life, but it needs to be charged through a USB-C port on the bottom instead of powering up wirelessly when attached to the back of a phone. The Bubble can display various 3D characters when not in active use, or you can create your own wallpaper from photos or videos. Image: Oppo Some Oppo devices do support wireless charging, but the company hasn’t released any with built-in magnetic rings for attaching accessories. To dock the Bubble to an Oppo phone, you’ll need to add a magnetic case. The screen can also be attached directly to devices with embedded magnets like iPhones and recent Pixel phones, but Oppo has only made the Bubble compatible with a small assortment of its own devices including the Reno 14, 15, and 16, as well as the Find X8, X9, X9 Pro, and X9 Ultra, through an accompanying mobile app. The company hasn’t announced plans to expand the Bubble’s compatibility to devices from other companies.
Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Companies often include background props in their product imagery that serve as set dressing, but one of Govee’s decorative choices is raising some eyebrows. An eagle-eyed Verge reader spotted that two copies of a book with “White Supremacy” plastered on the spine were included in a lifestyle image on Govee’s w...
Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. Companies often include background props in their product imagery that serve as set dressing, but one of Govee’s decorative choices is raising some eyebrows. An eagle-eyed Verge reader spotted that two copies of a book with “White Supremacy” plastered on the spine were included in a lifestyle image on Govee’s website, in a scene that seemingly depicts a child’s bedroom. You’d be forgiven for assuming that this is the result of some failed generative AI experiment, or the work of a rogue designer, but what actually led to the image being published on Govee’s website is unclear. (The image didn’t contain any C2PA and SynthID data when we checked, but that doesn’t necessarily rule out that it was generated with AI tools). A cursory look at archived versions of the website suggests the image has been live since at least April 11th 2026. We have reached out to Govee for clarification on how this has happened. The image has since been pulled from Govee’s website shortly after we sent our inquiry. This was Govee’s website before we sent our inquiry… Image: Govee …and this is what it looks like now, with the image replaced. Image: Govee The book in question does appear to be a real publication, however. It resembles a collection of essays titled “State of White Supremacy: Racism, Governance, and the United States.” That’s far less nefarious than presumed, but still a wildly unfortunate and questionable cover to include without such context about its content. Especially on an image that’s promoting pretty decorative lighting for a kids room? For what it’s worth, the other book in the image (titled “Another Art Book”) is also a genuine book by Jefferson Hack, despite the cover being displayed backwards. More bizarrely, this isn’t the first time that this exact book has caused similar controversy. British hardware retailer B&Q issued an apology back in 2023 after the book was featured on it...
Wall Street’s AI boom is spilling into credit markets. As hyperscalers' issue huge amounts of debt, banks are buying protection to manage exposure, while hedge funds sell that protection for what looks like easy money. But if the AI race starts producing winners and losers, this quiet CDS trade could become much riskier. (Source: Bloomberg)
Wall Street’s AI boom is spilling into credit markets. As hyperscalers' issue huge amounts of debt, banks are buying protection to manage exposure, while hedge funds sell that protection for what looks like easy money. But if the AI race starts producing winners and losers, this quiet CDS trade could become much riskier. (Source: Bloomberg)
Key Points USA Rare Earth aims to become one of the U.S.'s first "mine-to-magnet" businesses. It owns the polymetallic Round Top deposit in Texas and a magnet factory in Oklahoma. USA Rare Earth's supply chain is more complicated than meets the eye. 10 stocks we like better than USA Rare Earth › USA Rare Earth (NASDAQ: USAR) is an American mining company focused on helping the U.S. build a domesti...
Key Points USA Rare Earth aims to become one of the U.S.'s first "mine-to-magnet" businesses. It owns the polymetallic Round Top deposit in Texas and a magnet factory in Oklahoma. USA Rare Earth's supply chain is more complicated than meets the eye. 10 stocks we like better than USA Rare Earth › USA Rare Earth (NASDAQ: USAR) is an American mining company focused on helping the U.S. build a domestic supply chain for rare-earth magnets. Put differently, USA Rare Earth wants to help the U.S. government break its dependence on Chinese rare-earth mining companies. Currently, China accounts for about 70% of the world's rare-earth extraction and 90% of its rare-earth processing. It also produces over 90% of the world's permanent magnets, underscoring its complete dominance in the rare-earth magnet market. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » But does USA Rare Earth actually stand a chance in this cost-intensive industry? Can it scale its polymetallic Round Top deposit in Texas, which is currently under development, and its magnet factory in Oklahoma into profitable businesses? Or will USA Rare Earth, like so many mining companies before it, fall prey to the intense cyclicality of metal prices and the brutal capital demands of turning ore into a functioning supply chain? Let's take a closer look at this potential millionaire-making metal stock and see what it's building. A "mine-to-magnet" business with a lot of moving parts The bullish case for USA Rare Earth is pretty straightforward. In a nutshell, the company is trying to build one of the few domestic rare-earth magnet supply chains in the U.S. Theoretically, it has the assets to become America's rare-earth champion. Round Top is considered one of the largest rare-earth deposits in the U.S., with 16 of the 17 rare-earth elements. Its magnet...
Bargain hunters are wise to pay careful attention to insider buying, because although there are many various reasons for an insider to sell a stock, presumably the only reason they would use their hard-earned dollars to make a purchase, is that they expect to make money. Today we look at two noteworthy recent insider buys. At TWFG, a filing with the SEC revealed that on Thursday, Director Michael ...
Bargain hunters are wise to pay careful attention to insider buying, because although there are many various reasons for an insider to sell a stock, presumably the only reason they would use their hard-earned dollars to make a purchase, is that they expect to make money. Today we look at two noteworthy recent insider buys. At TWFG, a filing with the SEC revealed that on Thursday, Director Michael Doak purchased 33,283 shares of TWFG, at a cost of $18.65 each, for a total investment of $620,652. So far Doak is in the green, up about 7.3% on their buy based on today's trading high of $20.00. TWFG is trading up about 1.2% on the day Tuesday. And at Patria Investments, there was insider buying on Thursday, by Director Olimpio Matarazzo Neto who purchased 45,000 shares at a cost of $11.18 each, for a total investment of $502,950. Patria Investments is trading up about 2.5% on the day Tuesday. Neto was up about 1.6% on the buy at the high point of today's trading session, with PAX trading as high as $11.35 in trading on Tuesday. VIDEO: Tuesday 5/26 Insider Buying Report: TWFG, PAX The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
The stock market keeps climbing in 2026, and if you only glanced at the headlines, you’d think the U.S. economy was firing on all cylinders. S&P 500 futures pushed above 7,540 for the first time ever over the Memorial Day weekend, while the index itself is up roughly 9% year to date. President Donald Trump ... Trump’s 2026 Bull Market is Really Just an Nvidia Rally
The stock market keeps climbing in 2026, and if you only glanced at the headlines, you’d think the U.S. economy was firing on all cylinders. S&P 500 futures pushed above 7,540 for the first time ever over the Memorial Day weekend, while the index itself is up roughly 9% year to date. President Donald Trump ... Trump’s 2026 Bull Market is Really Just an Nvidia Rally
SmileStudioAP/iStock via Getty Images Co-authored with Luuk Wierenga If you watch the financial news, you are well aware that the talking heads love to talk about interest rates. There are good reasons for that—interest rates impact everything in finances. Interest rates are determined by the price of "risk-free" debt, which in the United States is U.S. government bonds, notes, and bills. Interest...
SmileStudioAP/iStock via Getty Images Co-authored with Luuk Wierenga If you watch the financial news, you are well aware that the talking heads love to talk about interest rates. There are good reasons for that—interest rates impact everything in finances. Interest rates are determined by the price of "risk-free" debt, which in the United States is U.S. government bonds, notes, and bills. Interest rates impact how much money you get from interest-paying bank accounts, CDs, and variable debt. They also determine how much interest you pay on your credit cards or a new mortgage. They're the benchmark upon which the coupon of newly issued corporate debt is based. When a bond investor is looking at buying a corporate bond, they're looking at the interest they can collect from the corporation relative to what they could get from the same capital invested in US Treasuries with a similar maturity. Indirectly, interest rates have an impact on every financial transaction, often having an influence on the value of the US dollar relative to other currencies. You can dig into any financial question and find that the current interest rates have some impact. Sometimes direct and obvious, sometimes indirect and less obvious. Interest rates today are high relative to most of recent history. After 30 years of declining rates from 1990-2020, we've seen interest rates back to where they were in the early 2000: Today, we're going to take a look at two investments that have been negatively impacted by rising rates. They're trading at a lower price today primarily due to rates increasing over the past five years. Let's dive in! Pick #1: DEA – Yield 7.6% Easterly Government Properties, Inc. ( DEA ) is the leading REIT that specializes in operating 106 mission-critical government-leased real estate. This makes it a very interesting company for dividend investors. The fact that it specializes in a niche market makes it a great addition to your basket of REITs. Source DEA May 2026 Investor Pr...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images As many readers may know, my analysis is mainly focused on the tech sector. With the AI revolution ongoing, I have covered a wide array of companies ranging from chipmakers to connectivity providers in the past few years. One of the emerging areas in this infrastructure boom is optics and photonics. As important as copper wires have been, there are very ...
JHVEPhoto/iStock Editorial via Getty Images As many readers may know, my analysis is mainly focused on the tech sector. With the AI revolution ongoing, I have covered a wide array of companies ranging from chipmakers to connectivity providers in the past few years. One of the emerging areas in this infrastructure boom is optics and photonics. As important as copper wires have been, there are very real physical limits, and that's where Lumentum Holdings Inc. ( LITE ) steps in. As you can see in the chart below, the stock has soared 1,150% in the past 52 weeks as optimism takes hold that the company is a key part of the next stage of data center connectivity. Not long ago, Lumentum was both added to the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq-100 , and so it is clear that they have become a critical piece of the AI boom. They reported their latest earnings results earlier this month, and today I have decided to finally initiate coverage and provide an analysis for readers. Seeking Alpha Below, it is shown that Lumentum's business is seeing extraordinary momentum. Growth continues to accelerate despite supply constraints, and margins are also expanding significantly as a signal of strong profitability. Moving forward, supply constraints are a near-term risk, but the company is planning production expansion for the long term. Furthermore, while dilution is another risk worth monitoring, strong guidance and innovation show that the growth story is secure. With that being the case, the high valuation seems justifiable. A famous person once said that buying a great business at a fair price isn't a bad idea, and so I have decided to initiate Lumentum at a buy rating. Momentum Accelerates Data by YCharts Starting with the top line, Lumentum's FY2026 Q3 was clearly a robust quarter. The company generated $808.40 million worth of revenues, up 90.12% YoY. As you can see above, this represents a seventh straight quarter of top-line growth acceleration to show that there are sustained AI tailwind...