Stocks on Wall Street ended lower on Friday, with the benchmark S&P 500 index declining for the fifth straight session amid growing worries over the economic outlook as the COVID-19 pandemic drags on.
Between another batch of notable earnings reports from companies like Oracle (NYSE:ORCL), FuelCell Energy (NASDAQ:FCEL), and JinkoSolar Holding Company (NYSE:JKS), and important economic data, including the latest U.S. consumer price inflation and retail sales reports, the week ahead is expected to be a busy one.
Regardless of which direction the market goes, below we highlight one stock likely to be in demand in the coming days and another which could see fresh losses.
Remember though, our timeframe is just for the week ahead.
Stock To Buy: Crocs
Crocs (NASDAQ:CROX) will be in focus this week, as the high-flying casual footwear maker hosts an investor day on Tuesday, Sept. 14. At the event, Chief Executive Officer Andrew Rees and other members of the Crocs leadership team will provide an overview of the company's long-term strategy and key initiatives to deliver sustainable, profitable growth. The presentations will be broadcast live on the Crocs website.
The Broomfield, Colorado-based company has thrived this year amid soaring demand for its foamy rubber clogs, which have amassed a cult-like following among men, women, and children of all ages due to their extraordinary comfort and unique style.
Year-to-date, Crocs shares have soared by 130%, easily making them one of the biggest apparel industry shoe winners of 2021.
CROX ended at $144.11 on Friday, a tad below its all-time high of $147.76 reached on Aug. 30. At current levels, the company has a market cap of around $9 billion.
Crocs reported blowout profit and booming revenue growth when it released second quarter results in late July. Earnings spiked 121% from the year-ago period to $2.23 per share, while revenue soared 93% to $640.8 million, the fifth straight quarter of accelerating sales growth.
The footwear maker made clear that it does not expect any slowdown in the months ahead, with full-year revenue now forecast to grow by 60%-to-65% as it benefits from favorable consumer trends and customer demand.
Stock To Dump: Carnival
Shares of Carnival (NYSE:CCL), one of the world’s largest cruise line operators, are expected to suffer another volatile week amid ongoing fears over the negative impact of the spread of COVID-19's Delta variant on its main business.
The U.S. had an average of 136,500 daily new cases, 11,750 hospitalizations and more than 1,000 deaths in its most recent seven-day period, according to the latest numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The worrying surge in infections and deaths could potentially disrupt the upcoming fall and winter vacation seasons.
The cruise operator announced last month that it will keep its strict health requirement policies in place for sailings through December, forcing passengers and vacationers to confirm their vaccination status and show proof of a negative COVID test before boarding.
The CDC also said recently that fully vaccinated passengers should still wear masks on cruises, a reversal of May guidance that masks were not needed for vaccinated passengers.
Carnival—and other reopening plays, such as, airlines and hotels which rallied in tandem earlier this year—has seen its recovery falter lately as investors react to more negative COVID-related headlines.
Shares of the cruise liner are down roughly 14% for the quarter-to-date, compared with a gain of about 4% for the S&P 500, as investors rotate out of economy-linked stocks and back into stay-at-home defensive stocks like technology.
CCL stock closed Friday’s session at $22.75, roughly 28% below its recent post-pandemic high of $31.52 reached on June 8. At current levels, the Doral, Florida-based cruise giant has a market cap of $25.3 billion.