Issues
The New Year is shaping up to be different from recent years. And market leadership is already changing.
The economy is transforming.
The positive effects of tax cuts and deregulation are starting to take effect. There are also significantly cheaper oil prices, lower interest rates, and the absence of much of the tariff uncertainty from last year. The chances are good that 2026 will feature the strongest economy of the bull market so far.
Most cyclical businesses benefit from a stronger economy. In fact, cyclical stocks have been the best performing market sectors for the past few months. Bank stocks in particular are in a great position because of cheap valuations, rising earnings, and a likely steepening yield curve.
Banks took it on the chin during inflation and rising rates. Although bank stocks have recovered from the loss, they are still near the same price level they were four years ago. The recovery should have further to go. In this issue, I highlight one of the country’s largest regional banks. The bank has rapidly growing earnings and the stock price has momentum.
The economy is transforming.
The positive effects of tax cuts and deregulation are starting to take effect. There are also significantly cheaper oil prices, lower interest rates, and the absence of much of the tariff uncertainty from last year. The chances are good that 2026 will feature the strongest economy of the bull market so far.
Most cyclical businesses benefit from a stronger economy. In fact, cyclical stocks have been the best performing market sectors for the past few months. Bank stocks in particular are in a great position because of cheap valuations, rising earnings, and a likely steepening yield curve.
Banks took it on the chin during inflation and rising rates. Although bank stocks have recovered from the loss, they are still near the same price level they were four years ago. The recovery should have further to go. In this issue, I highlight one of the country’s largest regional banks. The bank has rapidly growing earnings and the stock price has momentum.
*Note: Your next issue of Cabot Profit Booster will arrive next Wednesday, January 21 due to the market holiday next Monday, January 20 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
A broad-based rally carried U.S. equities to fresh record territory last week as investors cheered softer labor data and tilted back toward risk. For the week, the S&P 500 advanced by 1.8%, the Dow climbed 3%, the Nasdaq rose 1.9%, and the Russell 2000 led the charge, adding 4.6%.
A broad-based rally carried U.S. equities to fresh record territory last week as investors cheered softer labor data and tilted back toward risk. For the week, the S&P 500 advanced by 1.8%, the Dow climbed 3%, the Nasdaq rose 1.9%, and the Russell 2000 led the charge, adding 4.6%.
January has lived up to its billing so far, with lots of ups and downs among individual stocks and sectors based on a variety of news, rumors and, starting today, some Q4 pre-announcements linked to upcoming conference presentations. Even so, while the action is hectic, the underlying evidence is the same as it has been for the past few weeks: The intermediate-term trend of the major indexes is positive, not powerful, while for individual stocks and sectors, many are acting well, but it depends where you look. If we see a shift in the evidence, we’ll shift our stance, but until then, we’re leaving our Market Monitor at a level 7.
This week’s list is a potpourri of ideas from a variety of different areas that have come into favor this year. Our Top Pick is a solid growth story in the strong aerospace/defense area with big earnings coming. Shares boomed out of a base last week—try to enter on weakness.
This week’s list is a potpourri of ideas from a variety of different areas that have come into favor this year. Our Top Pick is a solid growth story in the strong aerospace/defense area with big earnings coming. Shares boomed out of a base last week—try to enter on weakness.
Landmines abound out there, especially as it relates to the Fed, with two inflation prints coming this week and the Department of Justice launching an investigation into Jerome Powell. And yet, volatility is low, stocks are near all-time highs, and another potentially strong earnings season gets underway this week. So, there’s reason for optimism, particularly given that growth stocks haven’t gone anywhere since late October. Small-cap stocks are starting to gain momentum, and today we add a Canadian one courtesy of Carl Delfeld, who last month recommended our newest portfolio addition to his Cabot Explorer audience.
Details inside.
Details inside.
*Note: Your next issue of Cabot Options Trader will arrive next Tuesday, January 20 due to the market holiday next Monday, January 19 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
A broad-based rally carried U.S. equities to fresh record territory last week as investors cheered softer labor data and tilted back toward risk. For the week, the S&P 500 advanced by 1.8%, the Dow climbed 3%, the Nasdaq rose 1.9%, and the Russell 2000 led the charge, adding 4.6%.
A broad-based rally carried U.S. equities to fresh record territory last week as investors cheered softer labor data and tilted back toward risk. For the week, the S&P 500 advanced by 1.8%, the Dow climbed 3%, the Nasdaq rose 1.9%, and the Russell 2000 led the charge, adding 4.6%.
*Note: Your next issue of Cabot Options Trader will arrive next Tuesday, January 20 due to the market holiday next Monday, January 19 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
A broad-based rally carried U.S. equities to fresh record territory last week as investors cheered softer labor data and tilted back toward risk. For the week, the S&P 500 advanced by 1.8%, the Dow climbed 3%, the Nasdaq rose 1.9%, and the Russell 2000 led the charge, adding 4.6%.
A broad-based rally carried U.S. equities to fresh record territory last week as investors cheered softer labor data and tilted back toward risk. For the week, the S&P 500 advanced by 1.8%, the Dow climbed 3%, the Nasdaq rose 1.9%, and the Russell 2000 led the charge, adding 4.6%.
The flip of the calendar has brought some wild action, and overall, growth stocks and funds remain stuck in the mud, unable to make much progress (even including the Nasdaq itself). We remain cautious right now and, in fact, are placing two of our stocks on Hold today as they’ve been weighed down by the environment. That said, while we’re holding lots of cash, we remain flexible, as tons of names are in consolidations and are presenting at key conferences (which have become like earnings reports at times) next week—if we see many breakouts, we’ll pounce, but for now, we advise a bit more patience.
Welcome to our 2026 TOP PICKS issue! This is one of my favorite issues each year as our Cabot analysts take a deep look at their portfolios and share their top stock ideas for 2026.
You’ll find a well-diversified selection of stocks—growth, value, dividend payers, metals, technology, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and much more!
I hope you’ll find one or more to your liking!
You’ll find a well-diversified selection of stocks—growth, value, dividend payers, metals, technology, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, and much more!
I hope you’ll find one or more to your liking!
Today we’re diving into a fast‑growing oilfield‑services company that sits at the center of one of the most powerful energy build‑outs happening anywhere in the world.
This company is a pure‑play operator in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) – home to the steadiest upstream spending on the planet – and it just secured a multi‑billion‑dollar contract that makes it the largest unconventional completions provider in the region.
With national oil companies racing to expand gas production to fuel AI, data centers, and industrial growth, this stock is positioned to benefit from multi‑year demand in the MENA region.
All the details are inside the January issue of Cabot Small‑Cap Confidential.
This company is a pure‑play operator in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) – home to the steadiest upstream spending on the planet – and it just secured a multi‑billion‑dollar contract that makes it the largest unconventional completions provider in the region.
With national oil companies racing to expand gas production to fuel AI, data centers, and industrial growth, this stock is positioned to benefit from multi‑year demand in the MENA region.
All the details are inside the January issue of Cabot Small‑Cap Confidential.
The bull market enters its fourth year, with no signs of slowing. That bodes well for all stocks; growth is likely to continue to outperform, though the gap between growth and value titles appears to be narrowing. To kick off 2026 in style, today we fuse the two by investing in a traditional growth stock (and a household name) that has been so beaten down in recent months that it is now deeply undervalued, at least compared to its historical norm. We also “Retire” a stock from our Growth & Income Portfolio after it eclipsed our price target in just four months.
Details inside.
Details inside.
Despite a holiday-shortened week and light volume, U.S. stocks pulled back from recent highs last week as year-end positioning and lack of fresh catalysts weighed on sentiment. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq slipped after failing to sustain record levels, while tech and small caps bore the brunt of profit-taking amid mixed breadth. For the week, the S&P 500 fell about 1%, the Dow lost roughly 0.7%, the Nasdaq slid nearly 1.5%, and the Russell 2000 dropped by around 2.1%.
The calendar has flipped, and so far the early-January effect has been in effect, with some volatile ups and downs, as well as some sharp rotation into and out of certain areas. Still, we always go with the evidence, and stepping back, not much has changed: For the overall market, the evidence is tilted higher, though growth stocks look worse, still in intermediate-term sideways-to-down phases for most names, but it depends where you look. Overall, we’ll leave our Market Monitor at a level 7 from here, but we’re flexible and will be keying off any breakouts or breakdowns among individual stocks.
Our first list of the New Year is a mix between strong growth titles, aerospace/defense-related names and cyclical stocks. Our Top Pick is a blue-chip growth name that has a history of stair-stepping higher over time—and whose stock just broke out from a three-month range last week.
Our first list of the New Year is a mix between strong growth titles, aerospace/defense-related names and cyclical stocks. Our Top Pick is a blue-chip growth name that has a history of stair-stepping higher over time—and whose stock just broke out from a three-month range last week.
Updates
It was a rough week for investors of all stripes, as the S&P 500 is down 3.5% since we last wrote, while the Nasdaq tumbled more than 4%. Even the usually steadier Dow Jones Industrial pulled back nearly 5%, while value stocks pulled back nearly 2%. All month, growth stocks have been getting battered, with many high flyers getting sold off even after convincing earnings beats. Now, the selling has spread to other corners of the market.
But not all sectors are suffering.
But not all sectors are suffering.
The market rally is sputtering. The near-term direction of stocks is highly uncertain. But we might have a much better idea of where things are going by the end of this week.
This will be an important week for a market that’s been floundering.
The S&P 500 is still in an uptrend that began in April. The index is up 14.5% year to date and within 3% of the high. But stocks are down 2% so far in November as investors fret about technology.
A growing chorus of concern regarding artificial intelligence valuations is dragging on the market. Several analysts believe AI stocks have gotten ahead of themselves. Technology has pulled this market higher all year and for most of the bull market. A pullback in those stocks will likely drag the index lower.
The S&P 500 is still in an uptrend that began in April. The index is up 14.5% year to date and within 3% of the high. But stocks are down 2% so far in November as investors fret about technology.
A growing chorus of concern regarding artificial intelligence valuations is dragging on the market. Several analysts believe AI stocks have gotten ahead of themselves. Technology has pulled this market higher all year and for most of the bull market. A pullback in those stocks will likely drag the index lower.
In her latest State of the Union address, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen provided the parliament and citizens of Europe with a stark reminder of a problem that continues to plague governments, corporations and individuals around the world.
In her speech, she specifically referenced “the higher cost of living” for millions of Europeans as “THE global crisis” (emphasis mine). Not climate or geopolitical instability or cybersecurity threats, but inflation.
In her speech, she specifically referenced “the higher cost of living” for millions of Europeans as “THE global crisis” (emphasis mine). Not climate or geopolitical instability or cybersecurity threats, but inflation.
Small caps continue to underperform large caps in 2025.
The S&P 600 is up a mere 3.6% year to date, trailing the S&P 500’s 16.7% gain by roughly 13 percentage points.
The gap closes meaningfully if we strip out megacaps’ strong performance and compare the S&P 600 with the S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP), which is up “just” 10.3%.
The S&P 600 is up a mere 3.6% year to date, trailing the S&P 500’s 16.7% gain by roughly 13 percentage points.
The gap closes meaningfully if we strip out megacaps’ strong performance and compare the S&P 600 with the S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP), which is up “just” 10.3%.
The end of the government shutdown is buoying markets while indications that some of the AI-related stocks are retrenching is a headwind for the overall market.
The AI story is clearly impacting the cutting of management jobs with the worst numbers in one month in more than two decades, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The last time companies made more layoffs during that month was in 2003, when cell phones started to take off. American investors funded $104 billion of AI startups in the first half of 2025 alone.
The AI story is clearly impacting the cutting of management jobs with the worst numbers in one month in more than two decades, according to outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. The last time companies made more layoffs during that month was in 2003, when cell phones started to take off. American investors funded $104 billion of AI startups in the first half of 2025 alone.
Growth stocks, led by the Magnificent Seven, have again carried the market this year.
The Mag. 7 – the clever name for big-tech behemoths Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG), Meta (META), Microsoft (MSFT), Nvidia (NVDA) and Tesla (TSLA) – are up an average of 22% this year. Because those seven companies account for more than a third of the entire S&P 500, they’ve carried the index to a solid 16.5% gain year to date. The Equal Weight S&P 500 index, which equally weighs each of the 500 stocks that comprise the benchmark index, is up a mere 8.5% and has barely budged since the Fourth of July. For most stocks, the entirety of this year’s rally occurred during the post-Liberation Day run-up from the second half of April through early July.
The Mag. 7 – the clever name for big-tech behemoths Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), Google (GOOG), Meta (META), Microsoft (MSFT), Nvidia (NVDA) and Tesla (TSLA) – are up an average of 22% this year. Because those seven companies account for more than a third of the entire S&P 500, they’ve carried the index to a solid 16.5% gain year to date. The Equal Weight S&P 500 index, which equally weighs each of the 500 stocks that comprise the benchmark index, is up a mere 8.5% and has barely budged since the Fourth of July. For most stocks, the entirety of this year’s rally occurred during the post-Liberation Day run-up from the second half of April through early July.
It’s cannabis earnings season once again. Like most retailers, cannabis companies report late in the earnings season. I’ll get into company details below. But first, here are the key sector takeaways from third-quarter results.
Stocks started off this week much higher as the end of the government shutdown seems likely. The newfound strength comes off a sluggish month for stocks and could signal a new surge higher.
The shutdown has lasted over 40 days, and investors began to worry that it was negatively affecting consumer confidence and could lower GDP going forward. Ending the shutdown does take some risk off the table. At the same time, some bullish forecasts have come out for 2026, citing rising overall earnings and continuing AI dominance.
The shutdown has lasted over 40 days, and investors began to worry that it was negatively affecting consumer confidence and could lower GDP going forward. Ending the shutdown does take some risk off the table. At the same time, some bullish forecasts have come out for 2026, citing rising overall earnings and continuing AI dominance.
In view of the alarming number of news headlines that point to a weakening economy (at least in some quarters of it), it may seem surprising that the normally defensive consumer staple stocks are underperforming.
Normally, the staples are viewed by investors as something of a safe haven during periods of economic uncertainty, providing as they do essential goods like food and household products that are purchased even in tough times. But the present environment is proving to be an exception to that rule of thumb.
Normally, the staples are viewed by investors as something of a safe haven during periods of economic uncertainty, providing as they do essential goods like food and household products that are purchased even in tough times. But the present environment is proving to be an exception to that rule of thumb.
WHAT TO DO NOW: Our Cabot Tides are now on the fence while our Two-Second Indicator is negative as the market is in the middle of another test of the uptrend. Meanwhile, growth stocks have bent but not too many have truly broken, and there are still a good number setups out there. We sold Arista (ANET) on a special bulletin this morning, leaving us with around 45% in cash; we’ll hold onto that tonight as we want to see how this pullback plays out. Details below.
After beautifully navigating the historically troubling months of September and October, stocks are off to a dicey start this month. While the S&P managed to close slightly higher on Monday, most stocks had a rotten day. The index was propelled by technology while 400 of the 500 stocks moved lower on the day. On Tuesday, technology sold off and almost all sectors were lower. Is this a hiccup or a harbinger?
Alerts
My August pick, Argan (AGX), has become one of the core ways for small-cap investors to play the AI data center, natural gas power and electrification of everything themes. The company grew revenue by 50% last year. As such, expectations from Argan have been high, despite management’s continued conservativism given the current year growth rate will be slower (around 10%) than last year before ramping up again in FY27.
Shares of Byrna (BYRN) are trading modestly higher this morning after the company released preliminary revenue results for Q3.
WHAT TO DO NOW: The weakening of growth stocks that’s been going on for weeks has resulted in all-out selling this week—we came in with 43% in cash, which has helped, but today we’re selling the rest of our Palantir (PLTR) and Rubrik (RBRK) stakes, leaving us with a large 57% on the sideline. Details below.
With a slew of fresh ideas coming in tomorrow’s August Issue and a portfolio that may soon have too many ideas to stay on top of, I’m trimming one position today.
Most of our cannabis companies reported earnings in the past week.
Here are some of the key sector insights, followed by company updates.
Here are some of the key sector insights, followed by company updates.
Today, a whopping eight Profit Booster positions will expire. Most are “slam-dunk,” full-profit trades, while others will go down to the wire.
The big takeaway, before we dive in, is we are going to let the situation play itself out, and come Monday/Tuesday of next week we will revisit our profits, as well as how we will manage the remaining positions.
The big takeaway, before we dive in, is we are going to let the situation play itself out, and come Monday/Tuesday of next week we will revisit our profits, as well as how we will manage the remaining positions.
Portfolios
Strategy
Here some of the most common questions Mike Cintolo gets from the readers of Cabot Top Ten Trader.