Issues
Today’s stock candidate is a promising small-cap biotech with two high-potential drug candidates, each of which could develop into a billion-dollar asset.
The title of today’s issue is “Don’t Overreact”—the major trend of the market is still up, and there are many signs pointing to higher prices in the months ahead. Chloe adds a new stock to the Safe Income Tier and presents her view on the forces affecting interest rates and income investments today.
After a huge run, the market finally hit some turbulence this week, and it’s a 50-50 bet whether we see more profit taking going forward. Our focus is mostly on the bigger picture (still very bullish) and individual stocks, as the advance has gotten more selective and earnings season is revving up. We remain mostly bullish, but it remains important to take things on a stock-by-stock basis.
My recommendation this week is a high-quality Chinese growth stock that has just completed a normal pullback. In fact, while the market was down today, this stock was up!
Current Market OutlookThe market is coming off another very solid week, with the major indexes tagging higher highs on solid volume and the early returns from earnings season generally positive. It is fair to say the advance is becoming more selective, with some factors (bad earnings, rising interest rates, falling U.S. dollar) causing certain areas to stall out. Overall, we remain bullish, especially in the longer-term, as this recent unusual strength has historically portended good things down the road. In the near-term, though, you should be taking things on a stock-by-stock basis, ditching stocks that break their intermediate-term uptrends and looking for buying opportunities either on shakeouts (in established leaders) or earnings blastoffs.
This week’s list has everything from turnarounds to speculations to recent earnings winners—there’s a lot to like here. Our Top Pick is AbbVie (ABBV), which has been a steady liquid leader in the biotech space and just popped on earnings.
| Stock Name | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | 93.53 | ||
| G-III Apparel (GIII) | 45.25 | ||
| Helmerich & Payne (HP) | 63.68 | ||
| Ligand Pharmaceuticals (LGND) | 267.14 | ||
| Neurocrine Biosciences (NBIX) | 123.40 | ||
| Shopify (SHOP) | 585.00 | ||
| Spectrum Pharmaceuticals (SPPI) | 19.31 | ||
| Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM) | 19.00 | ||
| Varian Medical (VAR) | 118.33 | ||
| Weibo (WB) | 98.16 |
In this week’s issue, there’s good news about the portfolio’s performance in 2017 and great news about TAL Education. There’s also a new recommendation for a big energy company that’s emerging from the cloud of an enormous national scandal.
Today’s recommendation is a little-known but mature industrial company with great growth prospects. Chart risk is small, as the stock has been basing for months, but there is some liquidity risk—this is more thinly traded than any of the current stocks in the portfolio. So if you buy, buy carefully.
Current Market OutlookThe market’s story has remained the same since the new year began—the major indexes and most leading stocks are in firm uptrends, with many longer-term indicators and studies pointing to higher prices in the months ahead. That said, most stocks are extended to the upside (and, now, earnings season is getting underway), so be sure to keep your feet on the ground and look for good entry points. Right now, we’re mostly looking for pullback entries; if the market does relax, the odds are good that there will be opportunities in stocks that have recently gotten going. All in all, we remain bullish and heavily invested.
This week’s list again contains a wide mix of stocks (big, small, growth, commodity, turnarounds, etc.), which isn’t surprising given the market’s broad advance. Our Top Pick is ASML Holding (ASML), which was one of the first chip stocks to re-emerge following a great earnings report.
| Stock Name | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| ASML Holding (ASML) | 350.01 | ||
| Canada Goose Holdings (GOOS) | 46.21 | ||
| Continental Resources (CLR) | 66.19 | ||
| Corcept Therapeutics (CORT) | 16.06 | ||
| Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT) | 0.00 | ||
| Kohl’s (KSS) | 70.62 | ||
| Lowe’s Companies (LOW) | 98.15 | ||
| ON Semiconductor (ON) | 24.07 | ||
| Teck Resources Limited (TECK) | 26.07 | ||
| Wynn Resorts (WYNN) | 121.08 |
Updates
Has there ever been anything as overvalued as SpaceX (SPCX)?
Elon Musk’s rocket and space-based internet company reported $18.7 billion in revenue in 2025. That’s less than half the revenue declining electronics store chain Best Buy (BBY, $41.7 billion) generated last year, less than International Paper Company (IP, $23.6 billion), and barely more than Casey’s General Stores (CASY, $17.6 billion). Those three companies have a combined market cap of roughly $67 billion. As of this writing, SpaceX has a market cap of $2.7 trillion. That’s more than the combined market cap of Walmart (WMT), JPMorgan (JPM) and Visa (V). Together, those three companies generated $847 billion in revenue last year.
Elon Musk’s rocket and space-based internet company reported $18.7 billion in revenue in 2025. That’s less than half the revenue declining electronics store chain Best Buy (BBY, $41.7 billion) generated last year, less than International Paper Company (IP, $23.6 billion), and barely more than Casey’s General Stores (CASY, $17.6 billion). Those three companies have a combined market cap of roughly $67 billion. As of this writing, SpaceX has a market cap of $2.7 trillion. That’s more than the combined market cap of Walmart (WMT), JPMorgan (JPM) and Visa (V). Together, those three companies generated $847 billion in revenue last year.
Small caps continue to hold up well. The S&P 600 Small Cap Index is up modestly since last Thursday and is trading just below the fresh all-time highs it hit earlier this week. The group’s resilience stands out, especially against a backdrop of narrowing leadership and ongoing rotation beneath the market’s surface.
The main macro development this week was the Fed’s June meeting and Chair Kevin Warsh’s press conference, which confirmed a shift in policy direction.
The main macro development this week was the Fed’s June meeting and Chair Kevin Warsh’s press conference, which confirmed a shift in policy direction.
WHAT TO DO NOW: The market’s bounce has been a good one, and the intermediate-term outlook remains bright. That said, near term, there are still some crosscurrents (rotation into the broad market, Dow outperforming the Nasdaq) that tell us growth stocks could throw us another curveball in the coming week or two. Overall, then, we’re mostly standing pat, but we’re going to add a half-sized stake in Guardant Health (GH) here, leaving us with a still-good-sized cash position of 37% or so. Details below.
Stocks started this week with a huge rally as the Iran ceasefire deal appears to be the real thing.
Of course, it’s been months of supposed peace deals falling apart. It’s hard to believe. I’m sure that fact is holding the market back somewhat. But this one is different for a couple of reasons.
Of course, it’s been months of supposed peace deals falling apart. It’s hard to believe. I’m sure that fact is holding the market back somewhat. But this one is different for a couple of reasons.
Stocks are starting off this week with a huge rally as the U.S. and Iran have reached a ceasefire deal.
We’ve been here before. These peace deals have fallen apart several times. I’m sure that fact is holding the market back somewhat. But this one is different for a couple of reasons. First, it’s the furthest a peace deal has gotten with both sides agreeing and independent verification from Pakistan. Second, this is what a peace deal would look like at this point if it’s real and lasting.
We’ve been here before. These peace deals have fallen apart several times. I’m sure that fact is holding the market back somewhat. But this one is different for a couple of reasons. First, it’s the furthest a peace deal has gotten with both sides agreeing and independent verification from Pakistan. Second, this is what a peace deal would look like at this point if it’s real and lasting.
[Note: The Cabot Turnaround Letter weekly update won’t be published next Friday, June 19, due to the market being closed for the Juneteenth holiday.]
Before we get into the main topic for today’s newsletter update, a quick note on the portfolio is in order. I’m continuing our “spring cleaning” effort that we began last week by trimming a couple more of our holdings, but I’m also adding a new position to take the place of the recent deletions.
Before we get into the main topic for today’s newsletter update, a quick note on the portfolio is in order. I’m continuing our “spring cleaning” effort that we began last week by trimming a couple more of our holdings, but I’m also adding a new position to take the place of the recent deletions.
After two near-record-setting months, stocks are encountering their first real turbulence since March. It’s no surprise.
While stocks go up an average of 10% a year, they rarely do so in a straight line. And after the S&P 500 rallied nearly 20% in April and May and the Nasdaq shot up nearly 30%, a pullback of some kind – or possibly even a true correction – was to be expected. It seems it’s happening all at once.
While stocks go up an average of 10% a year, they rarely do so in a straight line. And after the S&P 500 rallied nearly 20% in April and May and the Nasdaq shot up nearly 30%, a pullback of some kind – or possibly even a true correction – was to be expected. It seems it’s happening all at once.
Stocks look set to enter the summer near all-time highs, but leadership has narrowed, volatility has ticked up, and there’s been renewed scrutiny on the AI trade and valuation concerns in some of the market’s biggest winners.
At the same time, the macro backdrop remains a mix of resilience and intermittent turbulence. While economic data continues to hold up, energy prices remain elevated due to the ongoing Iran conflict – which has no end in sight – keeping upward pressure on inflation and yields.
At the same time, the macro backdrop remains a mix of resilience and intermittent turbulence. While economic data continues to hold up, energy prices remain elevated due to the ongoing Iran conflict – which has no end in sight – keeping upward pressure on inflation and yields.
Tech, commodity, AI, and Explorer stocks struggled this week as concern over capital expenditures increased. Mideast tensions intensified and inflation numbers came in yesterday at their highest rate in over three years, fueled by rising energy costs. The combination of anticipated higher interest rates and rising bond yields impacted the price of precious metals, with gold sliding below $4,200 an ounce and silver falling below $64 an ounce.
Stocks look to enter summer near all-time highs, but leadership has narrowed and volatility has ticked up thanks to renewed scrutiny on the AI trade and open-ended questions about valuations in some of the hottest areas of the market.
There’s also been more focus on the evolving macro landscape, which features a resilient U.S. economy but stubbornly high energy prices due to the ongoing Iran conflict, and somewhat elevated yields. We’re now looking at a higher likelihood of a Fed rate hike, with the odds of a hike by December now well over 50%.
There’s also been more focus on the evolving macro landscape, which features a resilient U.S. economy but stubbornly high energy prices due to the ongoing Iran conflict, and somewhat elevated yields. We’re now looking at a higher likelihood of a Fed rate hike, with the odds of a hike by December now well over 50%.
The high-flying AI stocks got crushed on Friday. But those stocks started this week higher. Where do we go from here?
The technology-heavy Nasdaq index fell 4% on Friday, and the S&P 500 fell for the week for the first time in 10 weeks. A couple of things spooked investors. The AI trade turned sour after Broadcom (AVGO) reported earnings that included slightly lower revenue projections for its AI chips than were expected. Also, a blowout jobs report strengthened the case for a Fed rate hike by the end of the year.
The technology-heavy Nasdaq index fell 4% on Friday, and the S&P 500 fell for the week for the first time in 10 weeks. A couple of things spooked investors. The AI trade turned sour after Broadcom (AVGO) reported earnings that included slightly lower revenue projections for its AI chips than were expected. Also, a blowout jobs report strengthened the case for a Fed rate hike by the end of the year.
A major economic narrative that took shape in recent years was the decline and (presumptive) inevitable death of the so-called “petrodollar,” as a growing number of countries diversified their foreign exchange reserves away from the U.S. dollar and toward gold and alternative currencies like the Chinese yuan.
Alerts
Skyworks Solutions (SWKS 91.60) reached its Minimum Sell Price of 92.81 today and should be sold
Since the S&P 500 is reaching new highs and some of our stocks are making significant moves this week, I thought I’d review those with you today.
Here are some portfolio notes, for those of you who like to assess your stocks over the weekend. Energy stocks are having what appear to be normal pullbacks. Take advantage of the lower prices, and buy BP plc (BP), ExxonMobil (XOM), Total (TOT) and Tesoro (TSO).
Portfolios
Strategy
A few Cabot Options Trader subscribers have asked me about ways to protect gains in their portfolios, so I thought I would write to everyone with a couple of strategies using options to hedge your portfolio.
A subscriber recently asked me if I keep a journal of my trades. Many traders keep journals so they can look back at their trades and evaluate what they did right and what they did wrong.
Want to know how the big institutional investors use options? Here is an example of how one trader spent $132 million on three technology stocks.
Options trading has its own vernacular. To know how to do it, you need to know what every options term means. Here are some of the basics.
Our Cabot Top Ten Trader’s market timing system consists of two parts—one based on the action of three select, growth-oriented market indexes, and the other based on the action of the fast-moving stocks Cabot Top Ten features.