Market Beat | Episode #26

Market Beat | Episode #26

In episode 26 of Market Beat by Argus Research, host Caroline Wygal covers a rough day for markets as a fresh spike in oil prices rattles Wall Street. Brent crude briefly breaches $100 intraday as new hostilities flare in the Persian Gulf, sending the major indices sharply lower and the 10-year Treasury yield up 5 basis points to 4.71%. Since the war with Iran began on February 28th, the benchmark oil contract is up 33%, having swung from $118 in April down to $68 earlier this month and back toward $92 today. American Airlines drops 8% despite record Q2 revenue, citing elevated fuel costs as the reason for lowering full-year profit guidance, and gas prices at the pump hit $4.00 and are likely heading higher. On the earnings side, Alphabet falls 7% after announcing it will double capex spending, Tesla drops 13% on a profit miss and negative free cash flow, and Lockheed Martin surges 11% as the standout of the day. Analyst Christine Dooley delivers Quick Takes with Charles Schwab added to the Argus Focus List after raising revenue guidance, Hasbro celebrating 10 consecutive quarters of earnings growth on Magic: The Gathering strength, and General Motors posting a 41% earnings jump with a raised full-year outlook. The Deeper Dive presents a broadly healthy consumer picture, drawing on commentary from Bank of America, Wells Fargo, the Fed's Beige Book, and the June FOMC minutes, all pointing to resilient spending, low delinquencies, and solid household balance sheets despite inflation pressures. For full research and information about Argus subscriptions, visit argusresearch.com.

Market Beat | Episode #25

In episode 25 of Market Beat by Argus Research, host Caroline Wygal previews what could be the most explosive stretch of earnings season yet, with Big Tech and the Mag Seven on deck. Super Micro Computer surges 23% on a record $60 billion AI server backlog and raised margin guidance, AT&T rises 3% on strong fiber and wireless subscriber growth, and GE Vernova slips 6% on a tariff hit of nearly $200 million. With about 25% of S&P 500 Financial sector companies reported, sector earnings are up 20% annually. The Information Technology sector is forecast to deliver over 60% EPS growth for the quarter, with memory names Seagate and Western Digital expected at 90%-plus growth, networking companies Ciena, Arista, and Cisco at 25% to 50%, and semiconductor giants Broadcom and Nvidia forecast at 80%-plus. The Mag Seven collectively are expected to post 30%-plus EPS growth. Analyst Stephen Biggar delivers Quick Takes with a bullish view on CrowdStrike following its four-for-one stock split and AI-driven cybersecurity expansion, a strong quarter and 19% dividend hike from Bank of New York Mellon, and a raised target on Fifth Third Bancorp on Comerica merger synergies and resumed buybacks. The Deeper Dive examines gold's pullback from a January high near $5,500 to below $4,000, the technical and fundamental signals behind the move, and Argus's full-year average price forecast of $4,200. For full research and information about Argus subscriptions, visit argusresearch.com.

Market Beat | Episode # 24

In episode 24 of Market Beat by Argus Research, host Caroline Wygal covers a strong morning for earnings as guidance raises take center stage. General Motors beats Q2 expectations and raises guidance, jumping 4%, while Hasbro surges 10% and 3M pops 9% on the same combination. Charles Schwab posts record Q2 revenue on client activity during the quarter's volatile stretches, and Danaher falls 14% despite an earnings beat. Chief Economist Chris Graja's call of the week highlights the Dallas Fed's Weekly Economic Index, currently tracking at 2.6% with a 13-week average of 2.8%, as a real-time read on GDP momentum. Analyst Christine Dooley delivers Quick Takes with a new Buy launch on Versigent, an EV charging equipment maker with growing revenue, a raised target on Palo Alto Networks on cybersecurity leadership in the AI era, and a raised target on J.B. Hunt Transport on higher demand and improving margins. The Deeper Dive makes the case for dividend growth as a top investment theme for the second half, explaining why consistent double-digit dividend hikes signal balance sheet strength, management discipline, and board confidence in near-term earnings, and why Argus favors dividend growth over dividend yield at this stage of the cycle. For full research and information about Argus subscriptions, visit argusresearch.com.

Market Beat | Episode #23

In episode 23 of Market Beat by Argus Research, host Caroline Wygal kicks off a big week for earnings season with some World Cup celebration mixed in. Spain takes home the World Cup title, with estimates putting the tournament's economic boost at $40 billion in global GDP and $20 billion for the U.S. alone. On earnings, with only 10% of S&P 500 companies reported, results are already up 26% from last quarter, with Argus forecasting 24% full-year EPS growth for 2026. In Active Stocks, AMC Entertainment surges 12% on a strong quarter ahead of The Odyssey's opening weekend, Domino's Pizza pops 3% on an earnings beat, and chipmakers including Micron and AMD bounce back 4% each after last week's drubbing. Analyst Christine Dooley delivers Quick Takes with a positive read on U.S. Bancorp's raised revenue guidance, a defense of the Netflix Buy rating despite a post-earnings stock drop, and an encouraging outlook on M&T Bank with 4% loan growth and 14% projected earnings growth. The Deeper Dive ranks the top 10 and bottom 5 performers from the Argus universe in Q2, led by Micron at an extraordinary 166% gain, with nine of the top ten being Technology stocks, against a backdrop of oil spikes, AI valuation fears, and Fed leadership uncertainty. For full research and information about Argus subscriptions, visit argusresearch.com.

Market Beat | Episode #22

In episode 22 of Market Beat by Argus Research, host Caroline Wygal covers a mixed market day as semiconductor stocks continue to weigh on the Nasdaq while earnings season rolls on. UnitedHealth Group surges 5% on a strong quarter and raised guidance, while United Airlines slips 2% on $6 billion in fuel cost concerns and GE Aerospace falls 4% despite an earnings beat. On the economic front, retail sales rise a modest 0.2% in June, dragged lower by a 5.3% drop in gas station sales as fuel prices retreated from Iran conflict highs. Pending home sales fall 5.4% month-over-month, with the median home price hitting a record $440,600. Quick Takes shows raised targets on Morgan Stanley, where investment banking revenues surged 58% including SpaceX IPO fees, ASML Holding on generative AI-driven demand for leading-edge lithography tools, and PNC Financial on strong loan growth and improved credit quality. The Deeper Dive examines cooling pricing pressures, with CPI down to 3.5% and PPI at 5.5% for June, both aided by retreating oil prices, and lays out Argus's forecast that the fed funds rate will hold steady at 3.5% to 3.75% through year end. For full research and information about Argus subscriptions, visit argusresearch.com.