U.S. markets closed

  • S&P 500

    3,509.44
    -1.01 (-0.03%)
     

  • Dow 30

    28,323.40
    -66.80 (-0.24%)
     

  • Nasdaq

    11,895.23
    +4.33 (+0.04%)
     

  • Russell 2000

    1,644.16
    -15.89 (-0.96%)
     

  • Crude Oil

    37.49
    +0.35 (+0.94%)
     

  • Gold

    1,951.50
    -0.20 (-0.01%)
     

  • Silver

    25.70
    +0.04 (+0.17%)
     

  • EUR/USD

    1.1892
    +0.0066 (+0.56%)
     

  • 10-Yr Bond

    0.8200
    +0.0440 (+5.67%)
     

  • GBP/USD

    1.3160
    +0.0012 (+0.09%)
     

  • USD/JPY

    103.2940
    -0.3060 (-0.30%)
     

  • BTC-USD

    15,381.04
    +240.29 (+1.59%)
     

  • CMC Crypto 200

    302.63
    +5.06 (+1.70%)
     

  • FTSE 100

    5,910.02
    +3.84 (+0.07%)
     

  • Nikkei 225

    24,325.23
    +219.93 (+0.91%)
     

Barron's Picks And Pans: Apollo Global, Biogen, Biden Picks And More

Nelson Hem
·3 min read

  • This weekend's Barron's examines how Biden won an extraordinary election and what a Biden administration could mean.

  • Other featured articles discuss how to position a portfolio for political gridlock, the outlook for big tech and dividends that are being resumed.

  • Also, the prospects for a private equity firm, a leading biotech, timeshare companies and more.

In this week's Barron's, Avi Salzman points to the positives of a divided government in his article "Biden Wins the Most Extraordinary Election of Our Time. What's Next." He says the division can bring about a measured pace of change, which typically is a good thing for investors. What may be next for the likes of Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and Walmart Inc. (NYSE: WMT)?

In "What a Biden Presidency Means," Salzman also talks about what the election outcome means for the economy and for stocks, including NextEra Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: NEE)

In "How to Position Your Portfolio for Uncertainty and Gridlock," Reshma Kapadia makes the case that the best approach may be a portfolio that doesn't pick sides (growth or value) and includes a small buffer for the unexpected. See if Barron's believes Amazon.com Inc. (NYSE: AMZN) has a place in that portfolio.

Apollo Global Management Inc. (NYSE: APO) stock looks attractive, even as the private equity firm reviews the conduct of its co-founder and CEO, and some investors bolt. So says Andrew Bary in his piece "Apollo Could Thrive With or Without CEO Leon Black. What’s at Stake for Investors." How does the asset manager thrive without Leon Black?

In Lawrence C. Strauss's "Here's a Timeshare Pitch That's Worth a Listen," learn why Barron's believes that Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corp. (NYSE: VAC) trades at a premium to peers, but it has a good footing in a corner of the travel market that is proving resilient despite the pandemic: the timeshare business.

"Biogen's Alzheimer's Drug Inches Closer to Approval. That Doesn't Make the Stock a Buy," by Ben Levisohn examines why Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) stock jumped 47% after the FDA released documents showing that the agency leaned toward approving the company's Alzheimer's drug aducanumab.

See also: Wall Street Glad To Be Free Of Trump's Tweets Following Biden Win

The fight over how drivers for Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE: UBER) and others should be classified appears likely to rage on, according to Eric J. Savitz's "Gig-Worker Companies Win in California but May Face Battles Elsewhere." Plus, another new law that could have a big effect on Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) and other tech giants.

In "Gold? No Thanks. Investors’ New Favorite Safe Haven Is Tech Stocks," Alex Eule points out that at this tumultuous time, investors are finding a haven not in gold but rather in the likes of Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) and other pricey tech shares. See why.

Lawrence C. Strauss's "Dividend Stocks Begin to Resume Payouts After Pandemic Pause" indicates that some companies that halted their payouts due to the pandemic have since restored them, albeit at lower levels in some instances. Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE: MRO) is one of those companies.

Also in this week's Barron's:

  • Startups developing psychedelic drugs for psychiatric illnesses

  • Whether divided government will push the Federal Reserve to go bigger

  • Whether prime money-market funds could disappear

  • How Bidenomics can unite a divided nation

  • The ongoing merger mania among asset managers

  • Whether gold will be one of the winners in the election

  • How younger traders are embracing the familiar

  • Whether the expansion is self-sustaining without stimulus

  • COVID-19 infections top 100,000 again

  • How to tell if a 401(k) is too conservative or aggressive

  • Whether U.S. tourism to Caribbean Islands is set to return

  • Estate taxes and planning moves to make now

  • At the time of this writing, the author had no position in the mentioned equities.

Keep up with all the latest breaking news and trading ideas by following Benzinga on Twitter.

See more from Benzinga

© 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Latest Stories

  • How analysts think Wall Street will greet the Biden victory

    The election may be over, but 2020's market volatility may not be done.

  • How a Biden presidency could change your tax bill

    A victory by Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden in the November election could significantly change tax bills for a slew of Americans. Here's what you need to know.

  • Stock Market Rally Wins In Landslide, Nvidia In Buy Range; Do This Before Monday's Open

    The market rally is showing real power on election results, with several top stocks in buy range. Do this before Monday's opening bell.

  • Warren Buffett Doubles Down On Major Reversal In Investing Strategy

    Warren Buffett jumped back into the stock market again in Q3, after net selling in Q2, and spent a record amount buying back Berkshire Hathaway shares.

  • Biden Defeated Trump to Win the Election. Here’s How Much You Would Pay Under His Tax Plan.

    Former Vice President Biden has a detailed proposal that involves raising taxes on people with taxable income of more than $400,000—essentially targeting the top 1%. President Trump wants to keep the tax cuts that went into effect in 2018, which largely benefited top earners.

  • Cramer Gives His Opinion On Workhorse, Alibaba And More

    On CNBC's "Mad Money Lightning Round," Jim Cramer said he would pick First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) over Solaredge Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: SEDG).Plantronics Inc. (NYSE: PLT) is a good company and a very high quality stock, he said. He prefers lower-end companies, more gaming oriented, but he doesn't want to go against the call and he thinks Plantronics is a good one.Workhorse Group Inc. (NASDAQ: WKHS) is a bit of a showhorse for Cramer. If he wanted an EV stock, he would buy Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG).Instead of Moneygram International Inc. (NASDAQ: MGI), Jim Cramer would buy Paypal Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL) because it is going all in with crypto.Fortinet Inc. (NASDAQ: FTNT) is okay, Cramer said. He prefers Palo Alto Networks Inc. (NYSE: PANW) and Crowdstrike Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWD). Cramer is pounding the table to buy Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE: BABA).Trupanion Inc. (NASDAQ: TRUP) also is good, Cramer said -- he thinks we need pet insurance.See more from Benzinga * Click here for options trades from Benzinga * Carter Worth And Mike Khouw See SLV Moving Higher * Tony Zhang Sees Bullish Sign For American Water Works(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  • Here’s what a President Joe Biden would mean for Americans’ retirement savings

    Of course, retirement security was on some legislators’ minds before the election. The Ways and Means Committee introduced bipartisan legislation last month called the Securing a Strong Retirement Act of 2020, which builds upon the Secure Act passed in December.

  • Biden Win Emboldens Bulls as Emerging Markets Scream Buy

    (Bloomberg) -- The emerging-market bargain-buyers are in celebration mode. And the party’s not over yet.The prospect of a Joe Biden presidency checked by a divided Congress has gotten everyone from to Eaton Vance Corp. to Medley Global Advisors predicting a fresh boost for risk assets, just a week after the stocks, currencies and bonds of developing nations hit the buffers as the U.S. election approached. BlackRock Inc. says developing-nation assets, which look more appealing in this low-rate world, could benefit from a more moderate leader in the White House. The Biden administration’s policy approach will probably reduce uncertainty, according to UBS Global Wealth Management.Gains for emerging markets would support the view that the election result is likely to cap U.S. interest rates for longer and weaken the dollar, lifting the debt and currencies of developing nations as they struggle to finance efforts to contain the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic.Gauges of developing-nation stocks and currencies reached the highest levels in more than two years on Friday, after getting whipsawed last month by uncertainty over the U.S. election outcome. Local bonds had their best weekly performance since April in the five days through Friday. The Mexican peso and offshore yuan surged on the prospect of reduced trade tensions.“A Biden presidency with a Republican Senate is likely the best possible scenario for emerging-market assets and if this outcome holds it should provide a very strong backdrop for the asset class,” said Eric Stein, chief investment officer of fixed income at Eaton Vance in Boston. “Biden should have a less confrontational approach to China and other countries than Trump.”Asia’s markets will likely outperform emerging peers as the region’s control of the coronavirus pandemic helps economies recover faster than in other parts of the world where strict lockdowns are returning. China’s October exports unexpectedly accelerated and inflation and credit reports due this week will likely signal stable underlying demand.“The flows data over the past few months suggest that investors’ purchases of EM assets have been heavily biased towards a handful of Asian countries,” said Nick Stadtmiller, a strategist at Medley Global Advisors in New York. “Asian economies are expected to grow faster than other emerging-market peers in the coming year, and that growth differential has been supportive of Asian markets.”Still, there are some fragile spots to be worried about. Turkey remains on top of traders’ watchlist after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan fired the country’s central bank governor as a series of interest rate increases failed to halt the lira’s slide to a record low. Zambia could become Africa’s first sovereign defaulter since the onset of the pandemic, if investors reject on Friday a request to defer interest payments on its $3 billion worth of Eurobonds until April.In Latin America, Mexico and Peru will decide on interest rates, while an International Monetary Fund mission will arrive in Argentina to negotiate with authorities on a new program.Turkey’s SurpriseThe lira, the worst performing emerging-market currency of 2020, will likely remain volatile after Erdogan appointed former Finance Minister Naci Agbal to replace Murat Uysal as central bank governorThe move is unlikely to alter the current trends of inflation, reserves and the lira -- if they are not followed by significant changes in policy, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc.“Only future monetary policy actions will show if the new appointment once again implies a change in policy and, if so, in which direction,” economists Murat Unur and Clemens Grafe wrote in a reportThis may be evident by the Monetary Policy Committee’s next scheduled meeting on Nov. 19Mexico, Peru to DecideMexico’s central bank will meet on Thursday and while many expect officials to leave the key rate flat, Bloomberg Economics is bracing for a quarter-point cut to 4%Inflation figures for October, meantime, probably ticked higher from a month earlier. September industrial production, out on Wednesday, is expected to flag a recovery from earlier this year while remaining below pre-pandemic levelsThe peso was among the top performers in developing markets last weekIn Peru, policy makers are expected to keep interest rates at 0.25% on Thursday and repeat their plans to keep conditions expansionary, according to Bloomberg EconomicsCongress will vote on a motion to impeach President Martin Vizcarra on Monday. Most investors expect the motion to fail just like last month’s attempt, but political uncertainty held back the Peruvian sol last weekData and EventsChina will announce CPI and PPI data on Tuesday. CPI probably slowed to 0.8% in October from 1.7% the previous month, according to a Bloomberg survey. China’s economy has been recovering from the pandemic but household spending may still be relatively weakChina’s local bonds have returned 6.6% this year in dollar terms, according to a Bloomberg Barclays index, while the onshore yuan has gained more than 5%China may also report on aggregate financing this week, which will reveal how much credit is supporting the economyThe Philippines will report third-quarter GDP on Tuesday, and Malaysia will announce the same data on FridayBoth nations are expected to say their economic contraction slowed in the period even as virus cases continued to take a tollThe Philippine peso is the best-performing Asian currency outside China this year, while the Malaysian ringgit has weakenedTaiwan will release October trade data on Monday. A recovery in exports and rising demand for technology products has seen the Taiwan dollar gain more than 4% this yearIndia will report CPI figures on Thursday. Accelerating inflation has kept the Reserve Bank of India on hold since it cut interest rates in May. CPI for October is estimated at 7.1%, still above the RBI’s target range of 2% to 6%. India is also scheduled to report trade statistics this weekIndia’s local bonds are one of the best performers in Asia this year, even as the rupee trails all of its regional peersMyanmar started counting millions of votes cast Sunday in the country’s second election since military rule ended in 2011, with de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her ruling National League for Democracy expected to win another termThe nation’s kyat has climbed about 11% against the dollar this year, according to data compiled by BloombergIn Brazil, retail sales data for September, to be released on Wednesday, will be watched for signs of how lower emergency aid transfers effected consumer habits. A reading of economic activity for the same month will probably show a fifth monthly increase, according to economists surveyed by BloombergInvestors will watch for signs of more orthodox economic measures from Argentina as it tries to shore up investor confidence and lure capital back into the country after failing to stem a run on its currency with heavy-handed restrictionsAn IMF mission will arrive in Buenos Aires on TuesdayA reading of October inflation will probably show a pickupColombia will release September retail sales and industrial production data on Wednesday, which may offer clues on the pace of recoveryThe nation’s central bank last week improved its 2020 growth forecast saying the recovery in the third quarter was faster than expectedThe Colombian peso was one of the best performers in emerging markets last weekFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

  • Here’s what a Biden presidency spells for stocks, bonds and commodities

    After days on tenterhooks, investors now have clarity about the next occupant of the White House and will start planning for the presidency of Joe Biden.

  • Disney, Lyft, DraftKings, Nikola, Palantir, and Other Stocks for Investors to Watch This Week

    Walt Disney, McDonald’s, Beyond Meat, DraftKings, Softbank, DraftKings, and more companies report third-quarter results. Plus, October jobs numbers, a FOMC meeting, and election day.

  • Suze Orman's money do's and don'ts for today's crisis economy

    Here are 18 tips on how to make the right financial choices during a tough recovery.

  • These Are The 5 Best Stocks To Buy And Watch Now

    Buying a stock is easy, but buying the right stock without a time-tested strategy is incredibly hard. So what are the best stocks to buy now or put on a watchlist?

  • Bearish Bets: 2 Vulnerable Stocks You Should Consider Shorting This Week

    Using technical analysis of the charts of those stocks, and, when appropriate, recent actions and grades from TheStreet's Quant Ratings, we zero in on five names. While we will not be weighing in with fundamental analysis, we hope this piece will give investors interested in stocks on the way down a good starting point to do further homework on the names. Nutrien Ltd. recently was downgraded to Sell with a D+ rating by TheStreet's Quant Ratings.

  • If you rely on Obamacare, what if it's struck down?

    Here are tips if a case before the Supreme Court on Tuesday kills the health care law.

  • Biogen Bombs at the FDA Panel; J.P. Morgan Weighs In

    By a vote of one for, eight against, and two abstaining, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee concluded Friday that positive clinical data from Biogen's (BIIB) "EMERGE" trial, when "viewed independently and without regard for" data from the company's "ENGAGE" trial, were not sufficient to convince it that aducanumab is an effective treatment for Alzheimer's.The Advisory Committee furthermore voted zero to seven (with four abstentions) against a finding that Biogen's PRIME study data was any better. And although on the bright side, the committee voted five-to-zero-to-six sort of in favor of the verdict that Biogen has "presented strong evidence of a pharmacodynamic effect of aducanumab on Alzheimer’s disease pathophysiology," in the end, they concluded by a crushing zero-to-10 margin (with one abstention) that it was not reasonable to rely upon the EMERGE data as a reason to approve the drug for commercial sale.That's the bad news.The good news is that the Advisory Committee's recommendations above are not binding on the FDA itself, and the FDA could, therefore, end up approving the drug anyway. (The FDA intends to render its own final verdict by March 7, 2021).But the other bad news is that, when you get right down to it, the Advisory Committee's conclusions were "overwhelmingly negative," as J.P. Morgan analyst Cory Kasimov opined in a note out today. Tallying up the results, points out Kasimov, Biogen garnered a grand total of just "one yet vote across the three key efficacy questions." And this, in the analyst's opinion, "certainly calls into serious question the FDA's very positive stance on aducanumab."Calling the Advisory Committee's verdicts a "near unanimous vote against aducanumab and strong commentary against the FDA's own analyses," Kasimov warns that "with the FDA's reputation already in a precarious position, it could be difficult -- maybe impossible -- to go against an expert panel at this time no matter how badly they want this."Which kind of makes the March 7 decision sound like a foregone conclusion, and not one that favors Biogen.So what does this mean for Biogen and the investors who've placed their faith in it? On the one hand, the aducanumab polls were unqualifiedly bad for Biogen. Still, they apparently weren't quite bad enough to shake JP Morgan's faith in the company so as to necessitate downgrading the stock from "neutral" (the stock's current rating) to "sell." Nor did Kasimov cut his price target on the stock from its present level of $269 per share.That being said, when you consider that Biogen stock costs nearly $329 a share today, Kasimov's $269 price target does still imply that Biogen stock is worth nearly 19% less than what investors are currently paying for it. (To watch Kasimov's track record, click here)This stock has attracted plenty of interest from Wall Street’s analysts. BIIB’s analyst consensus rating is a Moderate Buy based on 27 reviews, which include 11 Buys against 14 Holds and 2 Sells. (See BIIB stock analysis on TipRanks)To find good ideas for healthcare stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights.Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analyst. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

  • 7 Best Marijuana Stocks to Buy

    The election results are bullish for marijuana stocks. Cannabis stock investors didn't get the blue wave they were hoping for in the U.S. election, but all five state marijuana legalization measures on the ballot have passed. Recreational and/or medical marijuana was legalized in Arizona, Mississippi, Montana, New Jersey and South Dakota, increasing the potential geographic footprint of cannabis multistate operators, or MSOs.

  • President-elect Joe Biden, Nikola and Disney earnings: What to know in the week ahead

    Wall Street this week is set to consider the implications of President-elect Joe Biden's incoming administration, alongside another batch of corporate earnings results.

  • 3 Solar Stocks To Buy Now For Future Political Gridlock

    Wall Street has already declared a winner this week when it comes to the U.S. elections. But when it comes to solar stocks and today’s charged political environment, the vote has been less decisive, and even derisive at times. Let’s look at three players whose price charts and options strategies make them solar stocks to buy — without getting burned. The President won’t concede. That’s the latest breaking news as Biden narrowly gains the lead in Pennsylvania and Georgia. But after four years, was anyone expecting anything less? Likely not, and by and large, investors haven’t blinked. The S&P 500 rallied more than 6.50% this week, and as much as 9% since last Friday’s corrective low. And market leaders from Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) to Zoom Video (NASDAQ:ZM) have rallied strongly on the prospects of an ineffective White House that will be challenged to dismantle Trump’s more popular market policies. Call it the Biden Gridlock Tour if you will.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips 7 Augmented Reality Stocks To Buy Now For The Future Despite the popcorn-worthy political theater for the Oval Office, the fact is Congress will be decidedly split between red and blue politicians in the House and Senate. As much as and beyond favorable corporate tax breaks, loosened environmental standards will also remain as a legacy of the Trump administration. At the same time, any glimmer of hope for a Green New Deal has been doused. Net, net that’s bad for solar stocks, right? Maybe not. First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Sunrun (NASDAQ:RUN) Enphase Energy (NASDAQ:ENPH) So, what’s a solar stock investor to do? The suggestion is to look at the world around us and our many greener neighbors. Also, recognize our own country’s many individual states, businesses and families that continue to champion alternative energy practices despite the Federal government. Then consider the following three well-positioned solar stocks to buy with risk-adjusted strategies to profit from this secular trend with greater authority. Solar Stocks to Buy: First Solar (FSLR) Source: Charts by TradingView The first of our solar stocks to buy is First Solar. The Western hemisphere’s largest PV module manufacturer knocked it out the ballpark with solid Q3 results last week, and reinforced the report with bullish guidance visibility into 2021. Investors responded by sending shares up more than 13%. And if the FSLR price chart has any say in matters, the future looks even greener for today’s investors. Technically, this solar stock’s earnings reaction has solidified a recent monthly chart move above key pattern congestion formed over the past six years. The interpretation is that third time’s the charm for bullish FSLR investors, with sizzling gains in 2021 on deck after two corrective base breakout failures in 2016 and 2018. Favored Solar Stock Exposure: Long FSLR March $100/$120 bull call spread. Sunrun (RUN) Source: Charts by TradingView The next stock of our solar stocks to buy is Sunrun. RUN stock was an early overachiever relative to its peers this summer. And conditions look great for that run to continue into the next year and beyond. An announced buyout of Vivant Solar, which will make Sunrun the market’s largest solar installer, coupled with optimism the company will improve its financial position via investment in virtual power plants, sent shares skyrocketing by more than 175% from July through September. And as recently expressed here at InvestorPlace, the best may be yet to come. Technically, a sizable correction appears to have completed. Shares are currently bottoming in an oversold, higher volume engulfing weekly candlestick formation that’s been helped along by this week’s earnings topper. Full weekly pattern and stochastics confirmation will have to wait until next week, but in our view, RUN’s bullishly developing intentions look good for buying into right now. 7 Augmented Reality Stocks To Buy Now For The Future Favored Solar Stock Exposure: Long RUN February $65/$75 bull call spread. Enphase Energy (ENPH) Source: Charts by TradingView The last of our solar stocks to buy is Enphase Energy. Shares of the large-cap solar inverter manufacturer have been on fire, with gains of nearly 375% since January and 570% over the past 12 months. A recent spotty earnings report plus today’s Biden Gridlock Tour could have easily and effectively capped an end to the friendly price trend, but it hasn’t. Not only should that be respected, right now it’s price action worth buying into. Technically, the weekly price chart reveals ENPH has broken out of  a slightly short cup-shaped base to all-time highs in Thursday’s session. With this solar stock still less than 5% from a picture-perfect buy decision, and given today’s heated market environment, a vertical spread is a great way to deploy capital more strategically. Favored Solar Stock Exposure: Long ENPH January $125/$140 bull call spread. On the date of publication, Chris Tyler does not hold, directly or indirectly, any  positions in securities mentioned in this article. Chris Tyler is a former floor-based, derivatives market maker on the American and Pacific exchanges. The information offered is based on his professional experience but strictly intended for educational purposes only. Any use of this information is 100%  the responsibility of the individual. For additional market insights and related musings, follow Chris on Twitter @Options_CAT and StockTwits. More From InvestorPlace Why Everyone Is Investing in 5G All WRONG Top Stock Picker Reveals His Next 1,000% Winner Radical New Battery Could Dismantle Oil Markets Revolutionary Tech Behind 5G Rollout Is Being Pioneered By This 1 Company Daily Picks: Stocks to Buy Ahead of the Election The post 3 Solar Stocks To Buy Now For Future Political Gridlock appeared first on InvestorPlace.

  • Bitcoin Enters New Bullish Cycle, Aiming for New All-Time Highs

    Bitcoin entered October with its price contained within an ascending parallel channel. As the new month kicked off, the flagship cryptocurrency was rejected by this technical formation’s middle line leading to a correction towards the lower boundary.

  • 10 Best-Performing 401(k) Funds

    The 401(k) might be the best wealth-building tool for retirement ever created. Couple the ongoing tax savings with the best 401(k) funds, and average investors can find a path to financial security. When it comes to options, a company's provider determines what 401(k) mutual funds are available.