5 Stocks To Watch: August 13, 2020

Aug 13, 2020
5 Stocks To Watch: August 13, 2020
Credit: Geralt / Pixabay

August 13, 2020: Here’s a quick recap on our stocks to watch from Wednesday:

Our top pick, MRNA failed to move despite the sale of 100-million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to the U.S. government. A deal worth $1.525-billion.

Picks TSLA and EAT were amongst the top-movers during yesterday’s trading. With 13.1-percent and 14.5-percent increases respectively.

CSCO also climbed after a better-than-expected fourth-quarter report and make our top-five again today.

Finally, RRGB, which made it onto our stocks to watch list because of their negative second-quarter report, fell 12.1-percent during trading.

  • Moderna, Inc. (MRNA): From $68.97 to $69.52.
  • Tesla, Inc. (TSLA): From $1,374.39 to $1,554.76.
  • Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, Inc. (RRGS): From $10.90 to $9.58.
  • Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO): From $47.19 to $48.10.
  • Brinker International, Inc. (EAT): From $30.11 to $34.55.

CHECK OUT: Global stocks rise on U.S. stimulus bets. Plus gold is soaring again.

Here are our top-five stocks to watch during this Thursday’s trading.

Today’s #1 Stocks To Watch: Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) – $48.10

Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO) made it on to our top-five list on Wednesday and makes it again, this time for a different reason.

Forget the fact Cisco Systems, Inc. posted better-than-expect fourth-quarter results, with revenue of $12.15-billion and earnings per share of $0.80 each yesterday. Focus on their weak forecast for the current quarter. With Q1 revenue expected to be at most $11.97-billion, and earnings per share at most $0.71 each.

We said yesterday that share prices looked to be heading back to values before the March lockdown slump and were curious as to which way the Q4 results would take CSCO.

After-hours trading points CSCO is heading downwards, with shares dropping 6.4-percent. From $48.10 to $45.00. This twist to the trend makes CSCO our number one stocks to watch today.

LYFT, Inc. (LYFT) – $30.52

The second-largest U.S. ride-sharing service provider LYFT, Inc. (LYFT) reported better-than-expected second-quarter results on Wednesday.

With Q2 revenue at $339.35-million, $2.58-million above the estimate and with Q2 earnings per share reporting at a loss of $0.86 each, $0.13 better than the estimate.

The big news during yesterday’s results was that active riders plunged 60-percent during the quarter, and yet revenue increased quarter-over-quarter, and year-over-year for Q2.

This report did little for their shares value, with it falling 0.7-percent during after hours trading. This market reaction is why LYFT ranks in our top-five stocks to watch today.

CHECK OUT: Tesla woos investors with 5-for-1 stock split.

Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) – $66.50

Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT) will report their third-quarter results after closing bell today.

Estimates put Q3 revenue at $4.18-billion and earnings per share at $0.95 each. For comparison, Q2 revenue was $3.96-billion and earnings per share was $0.89 each. Both were below the estimate, by $193-million and $0.06 respectively.

With Q3 results looming, share value fell by 0.2-percent during after-hours trading. Yet news sentiment is Bullish (82-percent positive). Plus, AMAT’s value has been trending up since the March lockdown dip, from $37.99 to present value.

It’s definitely one-to-watch today.

Baidu, Inc. (BIDU) – $126.11

Another company reporting after the bell today is Baidu, Inc. (BIDU).

Estimates put BIDU Q2 revenue at $3.69-billion and earnings per share at $1.37 each. During after-hours trading, BIDU increased by 0.4-percent, from $126.11 to $126.65.

If the results are positive, share prices should trend upwards but U.S. China tension could force the markets hand.

CHECK OUT: Britain to step up challenge over U.S. whisky tariff.

NetEase, Inc. (NTES) – $474.53

One company who reported before the bell today is NetEase, Inc. (NTES). Their second-quarter results included revenue of $2.57-billion, $134-million above the estimate. Earnings per share reported at $5.64 each, $1.05 over the estimate.

During after-hours trading yesterday NTES gained 0.2-percent. Rising from $474.53 to $475.53.

With bullish news sentiment (85-percent) and strong Q2 results, NetEase, Inc. could have easily topped our stocks to watch top five today.