NuStar Energy L.P. (NS) shares ended the last trading session 18.3% higher at $21.32. The jump came on an impressive volume with a higher-than-average number of shares changing hands in the session. This compares to the stock's 1.
Global investors aren't expecting much from China's economy this year, but some say the collapse in its already cheap stocks merits a wager on an eventual rebound and perhaps a new approach to investing in the market.
Which stocks are best to buy now? According to Top Wall Street Analysts, the three stocks listed below are Strong Buys. Each stock received a new Buy rating recently and has a significant upside as well.
To find more stocks like these, take a look at TipRanks’
Analyst Top Stocks tool. It shows you a real-time list of all stocks that have been recently rated by Top-ranking Analysts.
Here are today’s top stock picks, according to analysts. Click on any ticker to thoroughly research the stock before you decide whether to add it to your portfolio.
Driven Brands Holdings (
NASDAQ:DRVN)
– This is an automotive services company. Yesterday,
Benchmark Co. Analyst John Lawrence maintained a Buy rating with a price target of $25 per share. Interestingly, four out of the five Top Analysts who recently rated the stock gave it a Buy. Taken together, their 12-month price targets imply an upside of about 52%.
United Airlines Holdings (
NASDAQ:UAL)
– United Airlines is an airline holding company. Yesterday,
TD Cowen Analyst Helane Becker maintained a Buy rating on the stock with a price target of $65 per share. Interestingly, two out of the three Top Analysts who recently rated the stock gave it a Buy. Taken together, their 12-month price targets imply an upside of about 47%.
Magnite (
NASDAQ:MGNI)
– This is
an American online advertising technology firm. Yesterday,
Craig-Hallum Analyst Jason Kreyer maintained a Buy rating on the stock with a price target of $11 per share. In the last three months, all four Top Analysts covering the stock have rated it a Buy. Taken together, their 12-month price targets imply an upside of about 34%.
Who are the Top Analysts?
TipRanks ranks financial analysts according to the success rates of their ratings and the average return on each of their ratings. The Top Analysts have each earned a five-star ranking, thanks to the accuracy and profitability of their ratings over time.
See real-time analyst rankings and learn more about the performance of Top Analysts on TipRanks’
Top Wall Street Analysts page.
Disclosure
Given its better prospects, we believe AMD stock (NYSE: AMD) is a better pick than Union Pacific stock (NYSE: UNP). Although these companies are from different sectors, we compare them because they have a similar revenue base of around $22-24 billion. The decision to invest oft
MetLife’s stock (NYSE: MET) has lost 5% since the start of 2023 as compared to the 26% rise in the S&P500 index over the same period. Further, at its current price of $69 per share, it is trading 12% below its fair value of $79 – Trefis’ estimate for&nb
Las Vegas Sands (NYSE:LVS) is expected to publish its Q4 2023 results on Wednesday, January 24. We expect the company’s revenues for the quarter to come in at about $2.9 billion, marking an increase of 2.6x versus last year and roughly in line with consensus estimates, driv
Advanced Micro Devices stock (NASDAQ: AMD) is expected to publish its Q4 FY’23 results toward the end of January, reporting on a quarter that is likely to see the company’s CPU business pickup as the PC market shows signs of turning the corner. We expect the com
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is expected to publish its Q1 FY’24 results in early February, reporting on a quarter that is likely to see Apple’s key computing products continue to exhibit sluggish demand. We expect earnings to stand at $2.10 per share, about in line with conse
Egyptian economic growth will be slower than previously expected as its pound weakens, inflation cuts into purchasing power and fallout from the Gaza crisis eats into the country's main sources of foreign currency, a Reuters poll showed on Wednesday.
Iconic Seattle-based coffee company Starbucks (
NASDAQ:SBUX
) faces investor scrutiny these days, with consumers boycotting its stores due to accusations of mistreatment of employees and tensions in the Middle East.
Shares have dipped by 11% over the past year, underperforming the S&P 500 (
SPX
), which has risen 21% during the same period. However, I see the cup as half full and brimming with potential. This is due to strong growth prospects and a cheap valuation, forming a promising blend for bullish optimism.
What's Keeping Starbucks Stock Under Pressure?
Starbucks is weathering a storm of controversy as employees, former baristas, and Palestinian advocacy groups nationwide unite in boycotts. At the heart of the turmoil is a legal battle between Starbucks and its workers' union, Starbucks Workers United, over a pro-Palestinian social media post during the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The company alleges trademark infringement, while the union countersues, claiming defamation and seeking to retain its name and logo. Starbucks distanced itself from the union's stance, condemning terrorism and violence. At the same time, tensions escalated during a nationwide boycott event, coinciding with Red Cup Day, where Starbucks employees protested alleged unfair labor practices.
The controversy has spilled into stores, with customers even confronting employees and sending violent messages to Starbucks. As calls for a boycott gained momentum on social media, Starbucks faces a complex challenge in restoring its image and managing the impact of legal disputes and broader issues of labor practices and its political stance.
In the face of these events, the market is anticipating headwinds for the company's upcoming results, encompassing the period from November to January. In a recent analysis, JPMorgan (
NYSE:JPM
) analyst John Ivankoe downgraded Starbucks' initial Q1 U.S. comparable sales growth forecast from 6% to 4%. Projections from Wall Street forecast the company's sales in its upcoming Q1-2024 results to reach $9.67 billion, notably below the $9.88 billion estimate for this quarter around the same time last year.
Reflecting on these developments, it becomes evident why investors have been offloading their Starbucks shares. Whether driven by funds aiming to uphold a positive image for their clients or investors genuinely foreseeing a potential downturn in sales and profits due to the ongoing boycott, the prospect of holding Starbucks stock lacks its usual allure.
Starbuck's Growth Remains Robust, Nonetheless
Despite the ongoing havoc, Starbucks' growth remains robust. Take the company's upcoming Q1-2024 results, for example. Despite heavy downgrades among Wall Street analysts, as I just mentioned, it still implies year-over-year growth of 11%. What company is in the midst of heavy consumer boycotting yet is still expected to deliver double-digit growth?
From my perspective, the extensive media coverage of Starbucks' boycott may significantly influence investors closely monitoring the company's developments. However, the average consumer is likely unaware of such a movement or indifferent to getting involved.
I know it's anecdotal evidence, but every Starbucks location I pass by in Athens, Greece, these days is bustling with customers. To put it simply, even if there is a boycott taking place in certain isolated regions, it certainly doesn't appear to be a widespread phenomenon, especially when it comes to Starbucks' international locations.
In the meantime, the company continues to open more stores and maximize same-store sales, pointing to near-double-digit growth throughout this year. For context, the company ended Fiscal 2023 with 38,038 locations, up 6.5% compared to the previous year, while global same-store sales in its existing locations grew by 8%. With aggressive store openings set to continue this year and overall sales growth expected to remain strong, Starbucks is anticipated to deliver total sales of $39.48 billion in Fiscal 2024, up 9.8% versus last year.
Shares of Starbucks Appear Cheaply Valued Now
With Starbucks stock lagging lately despite continuing to post
revenue and earnings growth, its valuation appears to be hovering at rather cheap levels now. I believe this is going to make bulls return to the stock sooner rather than later.
As highlighted earlier, Starbucks is poised for robust sales growth, which is anticipated to approach 10% in Fiscal 2024. At the same time, the company's management is committed to extending margins this year. Consequently, Wall Street analysts anticipate that EPS growth will outpace the overall increase in revenue.
Projections indicate EPS of $4.12 for Fiscal 2024, implying a strong year-over-year surge of 16.4%. Despite this, the implied forward price-to-earnings ratio of 22.7 seems cheap, in my view. Numerous companies in the S&P 500 trade at comparable or loftier multiples, often without the luxury of double-digit growth. Furthermore, few can rival the brand strength that Starbucks commands, which inherently attracts a premium.
In my view, a P/E ratio nearing 25 appears to better align with Starbucks' growth potential. But even if we assume that Starbucks' existing forward P/E persists and stock returns align with EPS growth, the stock appears poised for strong returns. This is supported by Starbucks' projected double-digit EPS growth in the medium term.
Is SBUX Stock a Buy, According to Analysts?
Regarding Wall Street’s view on the stock, Starbucks has a Moderate Buy consensus rating based on eight Buys and 11 Holds assigned in the past three months. At $108.83, the
average SBUX stock prediction implies 18.3% upside potential.
If you’re wondering which analyst you should follow if you want to buy and sell SBUX stock, the most accurate analyst covering the stock (on a one-year timeframe) is John Ivankoe from JPMorgan, with an average return of 19.83% per rating and a 75% success rate.
The Takeaway
While Starbucks is currently grappling with challenges stemming from controversies and boycotts, its growth prospects and undervalued stock suggest a potential turnaround. The ongoing issues, particularly related to labor disputes and geopolitical tensions, have impacted the stock negatively. However, the company's strong global presence, aggressive expansion plans, and robust sales growth forecast for Fiscal 2024 indicate resilience.
With its forward P/E ratio appearing cheap compared to its growth potential, Starbucks might reattract bullish investors, signaling upside potential.
Disclosure
Gold bugs, listen up. There's nothing wrong with owning physical bullion, but there's also an alternative approach, and it's quite simple. There's a small-cap business called Gold Royalty Corp. (
NYSEMKT:GROY
) that provides exposure to the gold market through an ingenious business model. So, I am bullish on GROY stock and hope that more investors will take a look at it in 2024.
Canada-based Gold Royalty Corp. makes money from a diversified array of gold-focused properties in the Americas. Yet, Gold Royalty doesn't need to actually own these properties to generate revenue from their gold discoveries. How is this possible? Stick around, as Gold Royalty uses a business concept that you'll wish you had thought of.
Gold Royalty: A Less Risky Gold Mining Business
As the company's name implies, Gold Royalty Corp. uses the royalty business model and focuses on gold-yielding properties. "Royalty" basically means that Gold Royalty doesn't actually own the properties but instead invests money in a variety of gold-mining companies.
In return for the capital infusion, these companies will give Gold Royalty Corp. a percentage of their revenue generated from sales of discovered gold. This means that the various mining companies have the responsibility, risks, and associated costs of exploring properties, testing and drilling, hiring miners, and so on. Gold Royalty Corp. doesn't have to do any of that.
I wouldn't say that Gold Royalty Corp. is 100% derisked, but at least the company isn't exposed to some risks that individual mining companies have to deal with. Plus, there's the diversification aspect with Gold Royalty that you won't get if you only invest in a particular mining company.
With a little bit of digging, I found that Gold Royalty Corp. recently invested in gold-focused projects in Quebec, Canada, as well as in Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil. Furthermore, it's reassuring that CEO David Garofalo predicted that the company is "poised to break into positive
free cash flow in 2024."
Is GROY Stock a Buy, According to Analysts?
On TipRanks, GROY comes in as a Moderate Buy based on two Buys and one Hold rating assigned by analysts in the past three months. The
average Gold Royalty Corp. price target is $3.67, implying 162.1% upside potential.
Conclusion: Should You Consider GROY Stock?
Of course, it's a prerequisite that you'll need to be bullish on gold if you plan to invest in Gold Royalty Corp. After all, even if Gold Royalty is somewhat derisked compared to individual mining businesses, it still will fare better if the gold price goes up. Hence, if you expect gold to shine this year and seek easy diversification in one asset, now's a great time to consider GROY stock.
Disclosure
There's no guarantee that cannabis will be reclassified on a federal level in the U.S. in 2024. However, just imagine what could happen to Tilray (
NASDAQ:TLRY
) (
TSE:TLRY
) stock if the Biden Administration enacts pro-cannabis legislation. It's a gamble on an uncertain outcome, but I am still generally bullish on TLRY stock.
Tilray is a Canadian cannabis producer that also delves into craft beers. A Tilray subsidiary, the SweetWater Brewing Company, recently
expanded its lineup of high-alcohol-content beers.
However, Tilray's bread and butter is cannabis production. If there's positive news on the legislative front, Tilray can venture aggressively into the U.S. market and rake in a whole lot of green, if you know what I mean.
Great News for Tilray Investors
There are plenty of positive news items for Tilray's shareholders to chew on. First of all, it's a good sign that
Tilray CEO Irwin Simon bought 53,700 shares of TLRY stock. That's what I would call confidence in a company and putting your money where your mouth is.
Second, Tilray seems to be in a decent
financial position, with $260 million worth of cash and other resources. Furthermore, in the company's most recently reported quarter, Tilray generated record revenue totaling $194 million. That's up 34% on a year-over-year basis.
Besides, Tilray might be technically a small-cap company, but it has a big presence. In fact, Tilray states that it has the number-one cannabis market share in Canada. That's impressive, as some folks would claim that Canada is "Cannabis Central."
Finally, there's potentially good news for Tilray in the works, as the buzz is growing louder about the Biden Administration possibly rescheduling cannabis as a less-restricted Schedule 3 drug sometime in 2024. If that happens, Simon expects that it would help attract "institutional shareholders that actually can hold the stock."
Is Tilray Stock a Buy, According to Analysts?
On TipRanks, TLRY comes in as a Hold based on one Buy, five Holds, and zero Sell ratings assigned by analysts in the past three months. The
average Tilray stock price target is $2.33, implying 14.8% upside potential.
Conclusion: Should You Consider Tilray Stock?
Tilray has a huge presence in Canada's cannabis market, and the company's chief executive owns a lot of shares. Moreover, Tilray's revenue growth is impressive, and a possible rescheduling of cannabis in the U.S. would certainly benefit Tilray's business. Consequently, risk-tolerant investors who are bullish on the cannabis market might want to consider a stake in TLRY stock.
Disclosure
India will remain the fastest-growing major economy this year and next, boosted by continued strong government spending, according to a Reuters poll of economists who also said inflation was unlikely to surge again.
After blowing away their quarterly earnings expectations last Friday, The Travelers Companies TRV and World Acceptance WRLD are two top-rated Zacks stocks that investors will want to consider.
KC wheat closed with as much 1.4% to 1.7% gains. Chicago was fractionally higher, though March was below the $6 mark. MGE futures were mostly lower but losses were held to 1 ½ cents. Canada’s Agriculture and Agri-Food agency released their preliminary assumptions for 24/25 grains. Wheat area is projected...
Cattle rally with 52 to 92 cent gains after off the lows on Monday. The feeder cattle futures led the way with over 1% gains of as much $2.45. USDA confirmed Friday cash sales near $172-$173. USDA reported 6 thousand head were sold in the OKC auction, including 63% steers...
Lean hogs rallied as much as 3.5% with triple digits gains. USDA’s National Average Base Hog price was shown at $47.41 this morning, up by $1.18. The CME Lean Hog Index for 1/18 was listed at $68.06, up by another 19 cents. China’s National Bureau of Statistics had 2023 pork...
Corn finished Tuesday’s trading with fractional to 1 ¼ cent gains leading March futures to their 4th consecutive gain. March is a net 4 ¼ cent higher for the 4-day rally. USDA’s weekly Export Inspections data showed 713.3k MT (28.1 mbu) of corn was shipped during the week that ended...
Old crop cotton cooled off with 5 to 23 point losses while new crop finished with 13 to 40 point gains. The S&P Global cotton area estimate was 10.675 million acres for 24/25. The Seam confirmed another 23.883 bales were sold on 1/19, to top the 22k on Thursday, for...
The soybean market was 8 ½ to 15 ¼ cents stronger with 1% gains for the old crop contracts. Soymeal futures were 1% to 1.5% higher for the front months. Soy oil futures closed 5 points in the black. Farm Futures survey results have 24/25 soybean area at 84.95m acres....