These non-tech stocks are ‘back from the dead.’ Here’s where we stand
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A number of Club stocks that were unloved on Wall Street earlier in the year have seen their fortunes rebound in recent months, including oilfield-services firm Halliburton (HAL) and industrial Caterpillar (CAT) — creating potential opportunities to lock in gains. It’s been the year of technology on Wall Street. But, as Jim Cramer said Wednesday stocks in other parts of the market have started to come “back from the dead.” But how should investors navigate their positions in these resurrected stocks? In that vein, we screened our 35-stock portfolio to isolate the companies that have underperformed the S & P 500 so far in 2023 — meaning that, as of Wednesday’s close, they had gained less than 18.9% year-to-date. This allowed us to focus on a universe of stocks that haven’t necessarily been red hot like technology names such as Nvidia (NVDA), which has more than tripled in value this year. From there, we calculated each stocks’ lowest closing price since May 1 — roughly a month before this year’s rally started to broaden beyond tech — and how much each has climbed since that low to determine which have had the strongest momentum. We found eight stocks with double-digit percentage gains off their recent lows: Halliburton, Caterpillar, Wells Fargo (WFC), Constellation Brands (STZ), Emerson Electric (EMR), Coterra Energy (CTRA), Morgan Stanley (MS) and TJX Companies (TJX). Between May 1 and Wednesday’s close, the S & P 500 advanced 9.6%. Here’s a look at where we stand on these eight Club stocks, starting with the biggest gainer, Halliburton, and concluding with the eighth-best performer, TJX Companies. HAL 3M mountain Halliburton’s stock performance over the past three months. Recognizing Halliburton’s recent strength, we trimmed our position in the oilfield-services firm last week , locking in a small profit. Its second-quarter earnings report Wednesday underscored the company’s cash-generation abilities, and drilling activity may pickup further if oil prices climb. Plus, the stock remains cheap on a historical basis. Taken together, we’re comfortable holding onto our Halliburton position. CAT 3M mountain Caterpillar’s stock performance over the past three months. Similar to Halliburton, we made a disciplined, 30-share Caterpillar sale on July 10 because the stock’s strong momentum allowed it to break above our cost basis. We wanted to make sure we didn’t give back any of that move higher in what’s proven to be a battleground stock. Still, our multiyear thesis around CAT as an infrastructure spending winner remains intact, and we’re willing to let the position ride here. WFC 3M mountain Wells Fargo’s stock performance over the past three months. Wells Fargo is finally getting the respect it deserves, after issuing better-than-expected second-quarter results and raising its 2023 net-interest income guidance. The stock remains attractively valued — trading at 9.6 times forward earnings versus its five-year average of 11.4, per FactSet — and carries a respectable dividend yield around 2.5%. Those are reasons to feel comfortable owning it. But from a portfolio management perspective, Wells Fargo now carries a nearly 5% weighting, making it our second-largest holding behind only Apple (AAPL). For that reason, we may look to trim some WFC if its rally continues. STZ 3M mountain Constellation Brand’s stock performance over the past 3 months. Our outlook on Constellation Brands is even brighter knowing activist investor Elliott Management is involved and sees “meaningful growth potential” for the Corona and Modelo beer maker. We booked some profits Monday in Constellation, taking advantage of its recent momentum, and now feel comfortable to let the position run as we wait for Elliott’s influence to lead to improved financial discipline at the company. “If you get frustrated, you end up selling too low,” Jim said earlier this week. On Thursday, he suggested STZ shares could reach $300 per share . EMR 3M mountain Emerson Electric’s stock performance over the past three months. Following the bounce off its May 31 low, Emerson Electric has broken above our cost basis — a very welcome development for this hot-and-cold position. If Emerson is able to mount another run higher, we may look to sell some stock because of our uncertainties around management’s execution. It’s no secret that the way Emerson’s National Instruments acquisition played out left us frustrated. CTRA 3M mountain Coterra Energy’s stock performance over the past three months. Coterra Energy is another stock on this list that we’re willing to just hold here. If its recent momentum fades and a meaningful pullback ensues, we may look to add to our fairly small position, at a roughly 1% weighting. Energy prices have increased, and we know that the oil-and-gas producer can break even with relatively low oil prices, which should bode well for free cash flow and capital returns to shareholders. MS 3M mountain Morgan Stanley’s stock performance over the past three months. Morgan Stanley’s stronger-than-expected quarterly results , released Tuesday, demonstrated that the bank’s once-struggling stock price didn’t reflect its underlying fundamentals. But, similar to Wells Fargo, portfolio management may eventually win the day. “Discipline always trumps conviction,” Jim said earlier this week . “My conviction is that Morgan Stanley’s stock goes higher. It doesn’t matter. My discipline says you already have too much of it.” As of Thursday, Morgan Stanley had the third-largest weighting in our portfolio, at approximately 4.5%. TJX 3M mountain TJX Companies’ stock performance over the past three months. The parent of TJ Maxx and Home Goods closed out Thursday just shy of Wednesday’s all-time high, validating our selective approach to the retail sector. While we’re always cautious about adding to a position near a peak, the story at TJX continues to look solid. Jim said last week he could see TJX ascending to $95 per share, representing more than 10% upside from Thursday’s close, at $85.44 apiece. The off-price retailer has an opportunity to gain market share not only due to Bed Bath & Beyond’s bankruptcy, but from consumers who are increasingly seeking out value. (Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust is long HAL, CAT, WFC, STZ, EMR, CTRA, MS and TJX. See here for a full list of the stocks.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.
Workers walk towards Halliburton Co. “sand castles” at an Anadarko Petroleum Corp. hydraulic fracturing (fracking) site north of Dacono, Colorado, U.S., on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2014.
Jamie Schwaberow | Bloomberg | Getty Images
A number of Club stocks that were unloved on Wall Street earlier in the year have seen their fortunes rebound in recent months, including oilfield-services firm Halliburton (HAL) and industrial Caterpillar (CAT) — creating potential opportunities to lock in gains.