Nasdaq Stocks

China's exports growth likely slowed in the January-February period, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday, suggesting manufacturers are still struggling for overseas buyers and in need of further policy support at home.

The discount retail scene looks like a great place to put money to work if you're looking to play defense ahead of market volatility. There's no question that some hot tech stocks are starting to overheat. And if some of the market's biggest contributors go down, so too could the rest of the market. Therefore, in this piece, we'll consider three Strong Buy-rated retail plays (COST, KR, and DLTR) that seem well-insulated from a potential tech correction. Each name sports a well-earned Strong Buy rating from the analyst community alongside low betas that could make them relative pillars of stability come the next market sell-off. So, let's use TipRanks' Comparison Tool to gain a quick glimpse of the three retail plays that could have what it takes to power higher, even if Mr. Market's next big move is lower. Costco ( NASDAQ:COST) Costco's loyal members can't seem to stop buying Costco bargains in bulk, and it's not just high inflation to thank for recent strength. The wholesale retailer (and king of bargain-priced bulk buys) boasts a superb management team that seems to have the magic formula down. For this reason, it's hard not to be bullish, even as last year's parabolic run begins to show signs of tapering off. Undoubtedly, after such an explosive move, a period of sideways action is always justified. In fact, it's only normal for a correction or period of consolidation to take hold after a sudden surge. That is unless we're talking about the red-hot semiconductor stocks, which only seem to keep shooting to the moon. Even if the rest of the market goes sideways-to-south from here, Costco stands out as a firm that can get creative to keep sales growth humming along. Beyond offering a wider range of non-traditional goods (think gold bullion) and the expansion opportunity in Asia, Costco also stands to gain a lot from the rise of AI and automation. Yes, Costco, a warehouse retailer, has skin in the AI game. The company's already efficient inventory management stands to become even more efficient with some help from AI. Additionally, greater automation could drive costs even lower, helping Costco enhance its margins or pass on even more value to its members. Personally, I think the firm can justify jacking up annual membership prices if it were to do this. Costco seems to already be ahead of the pack on the front of automation. Did you know Costco has been using robots to help make the pizzas sold at its food court for more than five years now? That's a testament to management's willingness to embrace technology as a means to save money and get things done faster. At 51.8 times trailing price-to-earnings, COST stock seems a bit hot ahead of its earnings (on tap for March 7). Perhaps it's prudent to wait for a potential post-earnings pullback before jumping in. What Is the Price Target of COST Stock? COST stock is a Strong Buy, according to analysts, with 21 Buys and seven Holds assigned in the past three months. The  average COST stock price target of $727.59 implies 4.3% downside potential. Kroger ( NYSE:KR) If you seek a cheaper defensive retailer, perhaps Kroger is more your cup of tea. The stock has done virtually nothing since the midpoint of 2022 after suffering a steep slide off its April 2022 peak. Now down around 20% from these highs, Kroger seems like one of the cheaper low-beta (its 0.46 beta entails less correlation to the S&P 500 ( SPX )) breakout plays on the scene. As the technical saying goes, the higher the base (the consolidation period), the higher in space (the explosiveness of a breakout). With Kroger also slated to report earnings on March 7, 2024, alongside Costco, it's sure to be an eventful week for the former relatively small Berkshire Hathaway ( NYSE:BRK.B ) holding (Kroger stock comprises less than 1% of the Berkshire portfolio as of the latest quarter). Only time will tell if a breakout for the stock looms, but I have to say I'm a big fan of the valuation at current levels. Wall Street's confidence and Berkshire's blessing are also big pluses for the grocery retail juggernaut. With the $25 billion merger with Albertsons ( NYSE:ACI ) likely to be blocked, it will be interesting to see where Kroger goes from here as it attempts to break out of its sideways channel. At 19.2 times trailing price-to-earnings, with a 2.36% dividend yield, KR stock stands out as one of the more value-conscious defensive stocks in the market right now. What Is the Price Target of KR Stock? KR stock is a Strong Buy, according to analysts, with two Buys and one Hold assigned in the past three months. The  average KR stock price target of $53.00 implies 7.1% upside potential. Dollar Tree ( NYSE:DLTR) DollarTree stock has been quite disappointing lately, as shares only recently recovered from a nasty mid-2023 sell-off that saw 30% be wiped out in a matter of months. With consumers feeling inflation's pinch for well over a year, you'd think the discount retailer would be thriving, not treading water. In any case, things could always be worse, as has been the case for some of Dollar Tree's peers, which seem to be experiencing supply chain woes. With shares down around 13% from their 2022 highs, DLTR stock has new highs in sight. Recent glimmers of strength from its latest quarter may just help power the discount retailer to new highs by year's end. All things considered, I remain bullish on the stock as it looks to pull the curtain on its quarterly results next week on March 13. At writing, shares of DLTR go for 27.8 times trailing price-to-earnings, below the discount store industry average of 33.5 times. What Is the Price Target of DLTR Stock? DLTR stock is a Strong Buy, according to analysts, with six Buys and one Hold assigned in the past three months. The  average DLTR stock price target of $163.14 implies 9.4% upside potential. The Takeaway The aforementioned well-run retail plays have the praise of Wall Street, even as the rest of the market gets a tad on the pricy side. With earnings up ahead, the following plays are shaping up to be must-watches over the coming weeks. Of the trio, analysts expect the most gains from DLTR stock (~9.4%). Disclosure

NewtekOne (NEWT) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.53 per share, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.58 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.06 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring i

Soy futures dropped back on Tuesday with beans 1 ½ to 6 ¼ cents lower. The Nov contract was a nickel off the session low, and stayed a net 4 ½ cents higher for the week’s move. The new crop soy/corn ratio was still 2.492 at the settle – which...

Despite slightly worse conditions in the weekly state issued NASS data, wheat futures faded through Tuesday. The Chicago market ended the day 4-6 cents off the session lows with 10 ¾ to 17 ¾ cent losses. KC futures ended down by 9 ¼ to 11 cents. The July HRW/SRW spread...

The Tuesday session reduced Monday’s pullback with 67c to $1.32 gains in the front month live cattle futures market. The April fats remain 45 cents in the red for the week’s move through the first 2 sessions. Feeder cattle also rebounded on the day with $0.75 to $1.50 gains. That...

The Tuesday turnaround pulled lean hog futures to net red for the week’s move as the board dropped 12c to $1.10. The April contract led the way lower and extended the April/June discount to $16.42. USDA’s National Average Afternoon Base Hog price was back up by 47 cents to $74.63....

The nearby cotton futures were more than a penny off their session lows at the closing bell on Tuesday. Prices were still 7 to 34 points weaker out to the March ’25 contract which ended 8 points higher. The spot May contract printed a 121 point range on the day....

A turnaround Tuesday fade pulled the corn futures market back by 3 ¾ to 4 cents after May bumped against the 18-day moving average resistance yesterday. After the pullback, futures are still up by 1 ½ cents for the week’s move. Traders are looking for the WASDE report to show...

As Tether toasts $100 billion in circulation this week, the rapid rise of the world's biggest stablecoin has highlighted concerns about potential risks to wider financial markets.

Canadian media and telecom company BCE hit a 52-week low of $35.88 on Tuesday, its 24th time over the past 52 weeks. There are plenty of reasons why.

Gritstone bio Inc. (GRTS) came out with a quarterly loss of $0.26 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.36. This compares to loss of $0.30 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring

This growth stock under $10 presents a high-risk, high-reward investment opportunity.

Nuvei Corporation (NVEI) came out with quarterly earnings of $0.47 per share, beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.45 per share. This compares to earnings of $0.47 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-rec

Limbach (LMB) closed at $51.76 in the latest trading session, marking a -0.17% move from the prior day. The stock outperformed the S&P 500, which registered a daily loss of 1.02%. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss o

Elevance Health (ELV) closed at $498.35 in the latest trading session, marking a -1.19% move from the prior day. The stock fell short of the S&P 500, which registered a loss of 1.02% for the day. On the other hand, the Dow reg

G-III Apparel Group (GIII) ended the recent trading session at $29.49, demonstrating a -0.82% swing from the preceding day's closing price. This move was narrower than the S&P 500's daily loss of 1.02%. Elsewhere, the Dow saw

In the latest market close, Tenet Healthcare (THC) reached $95.56, with a +1.99% movement compared to the previous day. The stock's change was more than the S&P 500's daily loss of 1.02%. Elsewhere, the Dow lost 1.04%, while t

Top company executives have been loading up on shares of this high-yield real estate investment trust. Is this a bullish sign from company insiders?

The dollar index (DXY00 ) on Tuesday fell by -0.02%. The dollar on Tuesday gave up an early advance and fell to a 1-1/2 week low on weaker-than-expected economic news on Jan factory orders and Feb ISM services. Also, lower bond yields Tuesday weighed on the dollar, as the 10-year...