Top 10 Stocks To Watch For 2018


Macy’s (M) stock was slammed after its Investor Meeting, as reports focused on its gross margin challenges. However, it appears that Macy’s comparable store sale performance has improved compared to previous months and it looks quite capable of reaching its sales guidance for the full year. I believe that the market is now viewing Macy’s too negatively, putting too much weight on a weak February (which was likely influenced by delayed tax refunds) that made its Q1 comps quite weak and also temporarily affected its gross margins.

Comparable Store Sales Trends

Macy’s indicated that its May YTD (February to May) comparable store sales (owned plus licensed) improved by around 1% from its Q1 comparable store sales. As May has historically represented around 24% to 25% of Macy’s sales in the first four months, this means that May’s comps need to be approximately 4% better than Q1 comps to improve May YTD comps by 1%.


Thus, May’s comps (owned plus licensed) are estimated to be -0.6%. Based on Macy’s comments about how March/April performed a bit over 1% better than Q1’s average, we can also estimate that Macy’s owned plus licensed comps were around -7.4% in February and -3.4% in March/April. This leads to an estimate of -2.5% comps for the March to May period.

Top 10 Stocks To Watch For 2018: S&P Smallcap 600(PH)

Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Charles Mizrahi, President and CEO, Hampton Investors, Inc.]

    Parker Hannifin (PH) generates strong revenue from its aerospace division, while its primary industrial segment is lagging.

    Overall, we like the company’s balanced portfolio. PH had solid order rates this past year with backlog of $3.6 billion between its industrial and aerospace segments.

Top 10 Stocks To Watch For 2018: Carnival Corporation(CUK)

Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Rick Munarriz]

    Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE:CCL) (NYSE:CUK)shareholders have to be feeling pretty good these days. The stock hit yet another new high on Friday, and the stock is trading 13% higher so far in 2017.It’s been smooth sailing so far this year, but the first big test comes on Tuesday morning when the world’s largest cruise line operator reports financial results for its fiscal first quarter.

Top 10 Stocks To Watch For 2018: Universal Health Services, Inc.(UHS)


Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Universal Health Services (UHS) tumbled to the bottom of the S&P 500 today after BuzzFeed published an investigative story alleging that the company’s psychiatric hospitals put profits ahead of people.

    Getty Images

    Shares of Universal Health Services dropped 12% to$111.30 today, while the S&P 500 rose 1.3% to 2,241.35, a record high.

    Universal Health Services’ stock had been minding its business for most of the day–it was up 1.1% at $127.76 at 3:10 p.m. today–when the story by BuzzFeed’s Rosalind Adams went live. Here’s the gist:


    Millwood Hospital is part of Americas largest psychiatric hospital chain, Universal Health Services, or UHS. Its more than 200 psychiatric facilities across the country admitted nearly 450,000 patients last year. The result was almost $7.5 billion in revenues from inpatient care last year and profit margins of around 30%. More than a third of the companys overall revenue from both medical hospitals and psychiatric facilities comes from taxpayers through Medicare and Medicaid.

    A yearlong BuzzFeed News investigation based on interviews with 175 current and former UHS staff, including 18 executives who ran UHS hospitals; more than 120 additional interviews with patients, government investigators, and other experts; and a cache of internal documents raises grave questions about the extent to which those profits were achieved at the expense of patients.


    Universal Health Services market capitalization dropped to $10.7 billion today from $12.3 billion yesterday. It reported net income of $680 million on sales of $9 billion in 2015.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Universal Health Services (UHS) slumped to the bottom of the S&P 500 today after getting downgraded by Raymond James.

    Pixabay

    Universal Health Servicesdropped 6.8% to $101.55 today, while the S&P 500 fell 0.8% to 2,253.28.

    Raymond James analyst John Ransom and team explain why they cut Universal Health Services to Market Perform from Outperform:


    We are lowering our rating onUniversal Health Services to a Market Perform (from an Outperform) due to an escalation in events surrounding last weeks Buzzfeed article. Last Friday (12/9), Senator Grassley, Chair of the Judiciary Committee, sent a letter…to the office of inspector general regarding details of the current federal investigation into Universal Health Services. Specifically, the letter rehashes the Buzzfeed article and requests an update on the investigation by Dec. 23. Our view is that – even ifUniversal Health Services management is correct on the legalities – we think the entrance of the venerable Senator Grassley into the mix takes the political risk to a more dangerous level. Plus – even if “suicide ideation” doesn’t generate additional revenues per admission, we think it’s possible that the heightened political scrutiny could invite more caution and/or red tape into the admissions process – either externally or from self-policing. Add in the ongoing OIG investigation, and we think the risk-reward is no longer compelling.


    Universal Health Services’ market capitalization fell to $9.8 billion today from $10.6 billion yesterday. It reported net income of $680 million on sales of $9 billion in 2015.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Universal Health Services (UHS), yesterday’s biggest loser, soared to the top of the S&P 500 today as it rebounded from the massive selloff.

    Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

    Universal Health Servicesgained 6.9% to $108.57 today, while the S&P 500 rose 0.4% to 2,262.03.

    Weakness in Universal Health Services began when Buzzfeed ran an article last week, contending the companys psychiatric hospitals put profits ahead of people. Yesterday, it tumbled when Raymond James cut its rating on the stock due to problems that could be caused by a potential Senate investigation.


    Universal Health Services’ market capitalization rose to $10.5 today from $9.8 billion yesterday, nearly recouping its drop from $10.6 billion on Dec. 13.

    It reported net income of $680 million on sales of $9 billion in 2015.

  • [By Benzinga News Desk]

    Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) has at least one billion reasons to hope President Trump’s paring back of Dodd-Frank will include the Volcker Rule: Link

    ECONOMIC DATA
    10:30 a.m. Dallas Fed Manufacturing Business Index
    11:30 a.m. 6-Month Bill Auction
    11:30 a.m. 3-Month Bill Auction
    1 p.m. 2-Year Note Auction
    1:15 p.m. Chicago Fed President Evans Speaks
    6:30 p.m. FOMC Member Kaplan Speaks
    ANALYST RATINGS
    Piper Jaffray upgraded Best Buy Co (NYSE: BBY) from Neutral to Overweight
    Wells Fargo upgraded Allscripts Healthcare (NASDAQ: MDRX) from Market Perform to Outperform
    Mizuho upgraded Universal Health Service (NYSE: UHS) from Neutral to Buy
    Piper Jaffray downgraded The Michaels Companies (NASDAQ: MIK) from Overweight to Neutral
    JMP Securities downgraded KB Home (NYSE: KBH) from Market Outperform to Market Perform
    Raymond James downgraded Sierra Wireless Inc. (NASDAQ: SWIR) from Outperform to Market Perform


    This is a tool used by the Benzinga News Desk each trading day — it's a look at everything happening in the market, in five minutes. To get the full version of this note every morning, click here or email minutes@benzinga.com.

  • [By David Zeiler]

    Fear that expense could return if Obamacare is repealed hammered hospital stocks on Nov. 9. HCA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HCA) fell almost 11%. Universal Health Services Inc. (NYSE: UHS) slipped nearly 7%. And Tenet Healthcare Corp. (NYSE: THC) plummeted almost 25%.

  • [By Paul Ausick]

    Universal Health Services Inc. (NYSE: UHS) lost 8.4% Wednesday to post a new 52-week low of $1/99.81 after closing Tuesday at $108.99. The 52-week high is $139.77. Volume of around 5.8 million was nearly 6 times the daily average of around 1 million shares traded. Raymond James downgraded the stock this morning on news of another request for information from the company related to a federal investigation.

Top 10 Stocks To Watch For 2018: Chuy's Holdings, Inc.(CHUY)

Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Peter Graham]

    A long term performance chart shows El Pollo LoCo Holdings stabilizing over thepast two yearswhile potentialpeers like large cap Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc (NYSE: CMG) andsmall capsFiesta Restaurant Group Inc (NASDAQ: FRGI) and Chuy’s Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: CHUY)have performed better in the past and appear to be in downtrends for the past 1 1/2 years:

  • [By Peter Graham]

    A long term performance chart shows El Pollo LoCo Holdings having fallen below its IPO price for retail investors, butsharesappear to have stabilized over the past year and a halfwhile potentialpeers like small capFiesta Restaurant Group Inc (NASDAQ: FRGI) and large cap Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc (NYSE: CMG) have performed better in the past and small cap Chuy’s Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: CHUY) is moving sideways:

  • [By Peter Graham]

    A long term performance chart shows Del Taco Restaurants now outperforming Mexican restaurant stock peers such as mid cap Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc (NYSE: CMG) and small caps El Pollo LoCo Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: LOCO), Fiesta Restaurant Group Inc (NASDAQ: FRGI) and Chuy’s Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: CHUY) have mostly been drifting lower lately:

  • [By Peter Graham]

    A long term performance chart shows Chipotle Mexican Grills shares back to breakeven while of the small caps peers, El Pollo LoCo Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: LOCO) has had the worst performance, Fiesta Restaurant Group Inc (NASDAQ: FRGI) is off its 2015s peak and Chuy’s Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: CHUY) has been a mixed performer:

Top 10 Stocks To Watch For 2018: Dow Treasuries(DV)


Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Peter Graham]

    A long term performance chart of Apollo Education Group along with peersITT Educational Services, Inc (NYSE: ESI) and DeVry Education Group Inc (NYSE: DV) reflect the headwinds from the Obama administration:

Top 10 Stocks To Watch For 2018: Cara Therapeutics, Inc.(CARA)

Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By WWW.THESTREET.COM]

    In the Lightning Round, Cramer was bullish on Cara Therapeutics (CARA) , Verizon (VZ) , Radius Health (RDUS) and Six Flags (SIX) .


    Cramer was bearish on Hertz Global Holdings (HTZ) , General Motors (GM) , Pandora Media (P) , Cedar Fair (FUN) , Quotient Technology (QUOT) and Rite Aid (RAD) .

  • [By Javier Hasse]

    On the other hand, Cara Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: CARA) was up almost 1.9 percent in what also looked like a correction of the 1.6 percent gain registered over the regular trading session.

Top 10 Stocks To Watch For 2018: Voyager Therapeutics, Inc.(VYGR)

Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Shares of Voyager Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: VYGR) got a boost, shooting up 20 percent to $13.10 after the company announced 'positive' results from ongoing Phase 1b trial of VY-AADC01 for advanced Parkinson's disease.

Top 10 Stocks To Watch For 2018: NanoString Technologies, Inc.(NSTG)

Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    NanoString Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: NSTG) was down, falling around 21 percent to $18.06 after the company issued weak revenue forecast for FY2016.

Top 10 Stocks To Watch For 2018: Midatech Pharma PLC(MTP)


Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Money Morning Staff Reports]

    But before we show you our pick, here are the top 10 penny stocks to watch this week…

    Penny Stocks Current Share Price (as of Jan. 5) Jan. 2-5 Gain (as of Jan. 5)
    My Size Inc. (Nasdaq: MYSZ) $1.66 152.28%
    Cytori Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: CYTX) $0.47 89.52%
    DelMar Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: DMPI) $1.675 58.02%
    CAS Medical Systems Inc. (Nasdaq: CASM) $1.09 55.71%
    China HGS Real Estate Inc. (Nasdaq: HGSH) $1.83 47.58%
    Aethlon Medical Inc. (Nasdaq: AEMD) $1.56 43.12%
    Midatech Pharma Plc. (Nasdaq: MTP) $1.23 43.01%
    Comstock Holding Cos. Inc. (Nasdaq: CHCI) $1.87 36.5%
    Cenveo Inc. (Nasdaq: CVO) $1.20 31.82%
    EV Energy Partners LP (Nasdaq: EVEP) $0.6844 31.62%

    FREE PROFIT ALERTS: Get real-time recommendations on the best penny stock opportunities the moment we release them. Just sign up here, it’s completely free…

Top 10 Stocks To Watch For 2018: Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation(BGFV)

Advisors’ Opinion:

  • [By Nicholas Rossolillo]

    Dick’s Sporting Goods (NYSE:DKS) and Big 5 Sporting Goods (NASDAQ:BGFV) have both had a great 2016. As far as stock performance goes, Big 5 is the winner this year. But which company is in better shape for the new year?

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