Good MorningEquity markets continued to hover near all-time highs on Thursday as market participants held their breath in anticipation of Friday's PCE price index. All hopes are hung on the PCE price index because it is the key to unlocking FOMC policy. The index needs to trend lower, closer to the 2% target, for the committee to cut interest rates and has been sluggish in its movement. The S&P can continue to climb higher so long as the PCE index falls, but there is a fatigue risk. The longer it takes for the Fed to cut rates, the greater the risk of a deep market correction and the deeper the correction could be.
The market will get some reprieve next week. The Fourth of July Holiday is on Wednesday, the market is closed, and there are few earnings reports and economic data on the calendar. The next hurdle for the market will come the following week when the Q2 earnings reporting season begins. The first critical report will be from JPMorgan Chase & Co., which is expected to show steady top-line growth but with a narrower margin. Featured: 25 candidates screened. 5 made it. (Ad) 
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Consumer Discretionary | |
Some investors have shied away from looking at consumer discretionary stocks as the U.S. consumer struggles with inflation pressures and an uncertain timeline as to whether the Federal Reserve will actually sweep in to cut interest rates this year. In addition to this bearish view, U.S. consumer s... Read the Full Story |
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From Our Partners | | Palantir, Micron and SanDisk show how fast a stock can become the trade everyone suddenly wants. That's often when investors make their costliest mistake: arriving after the easy part of the move is gone.
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Technology | |
BlackBerry (NYSE: BB), one of the many companies that was once part of the “meme stocks” craze, is a technology firm that has transitioned its business from its handheld devices of the 2000s. The firm's operations now revolve around cybersecurity and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions... Read the Full Story |
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Technology | |
Progress Software (NASDAQ: PRGS) is a technology company within the systems software sub-industry. The stock reached its 2024 low on Jun. 20, when it was down nearly 11% year to date. The firm reported its second-quarter financial results on Jun. 25, 2024, and is back in the green, now up almost... Read the Full Story |
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Finance | |
Despite what most market investors may believe, the new business model taking over the consumer discretionary sector and even the financial industry is here to stay much longer. Known as buy now, pay later (BNPL), this business model is precisely what today’s consumer needs as the U.S. econo... Read the Full Story |
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Technology | |
Micron (NASDAQ: MU) shares fell a significant 5% in after-market trading due to its Q3 results and guidance for Q4. However, nothing in the report gives cause to sell and every reason to buy. The results were better than expected; the company revealed market share gains in the critical data center... Read the Full Story |
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Consumer Discretionary | |
A 4% pop yesterday put Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) shares at a new record high and on the verge of a major milestone. After closing at $193.61, they're just a 3% move away from hitting $200 for the first time ever. It also means that they're now up more than 30% since the start of the year and o... Read the Full Story |
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Consumer Discretionary | |
Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR) shares surged 20% on word that it would receive a takeover bid from Bosch. However, the initial price action suggests this is a buy-the-rumor-sell-the-news event, so investors should be cautious. While a catalyst for higher share prices, the offer has yet to be tendered, and ... Read the Full Story |
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Consumer Discretionary | |
In 2021, a trader with a large Reddit following induced a massive rally in shares of GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME). The downtrodden gaming retailer was the most shorted stock in the entire market in January 2021, but the retail buying frenzy triggered a massive run-up in price as hedge funds were for... Read the Full Story |
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Technology | |
After the company reported its full-year 2024 earnings results, shares of Paychex Inc. (NASDAQ: PAYX) are trading lower by as much as 5.5% in the morning’s trading session. The initial reaction to earnings came as a surprise, as the actual results were nothing to bearish about, although mana... Read the Full Story |
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Technology | |
The rise of artificial intelligence has been a gift for investors who own one or more of the technology stocks that stand to benefit from AI. Not only has this been a good trade, but many of these stocks, such as NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA) and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT), are also great buy-an... Read the Full Story |
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Friday's Early Bird Stock Of The Day Alphabet Inc. offers various products and platforms in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, Canada, and Latin America. It operates through Google Services, Google Cloud, and Other Bets segments. The Google Services segment provides products and services, including ads, Android, Chrome, devices, Gmail, Google Drive, Google Maps, Google Photos, Google Play, Search, and YouTube. It is also involved in the sale of apps and in-app purchases and digital content in the Google Play and YouTube; and devices, as well as in the provision of YouTube consumer subscription services. The Google Cloud segment offers infrastructure, cybersecurity, databases, analytics, AI, and other services; Google Workspace that include cloud-based communication and collaboration tools for enterprises, such as Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, and Meet; and other services for enterprise customers. The Other Bets segment sells healthcare-related and internet services. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California. | Should I Buy Alphabet Stock? GOOG Bull and Bear Case Explained
These insights were generated using artificial intelligence. They are based on proprietary MarketBeat data, news articles, and custom LLM A.I. algorithms. This analysis of Alphabet was last updated on Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 6:20 PM.
Alphabet Bull Case -
Google demonstrated exceptional financial performance in its most recent quarter, reporting earnings per share of $9.11, which significantly exceeded the analyst consensus estimate of $2.87, while revenue reached $119.80 billion, surpassing expectations of $116.53 billion and growing 24.2% year-over-year.
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The stock is currently trading at $344.91, which is well below the consensus price target of $422.10, suggesting substantial upside potential as analysts maintain a consensus rating of Buy with 40 out of 44 analysts recommending a Buy or Strong Buy.
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Recent product launches such as the rollout of Gemini 4 Argon to developers and businesses, along with the introduction of Universal Cart in the United States, are strengthening Google's position in generative AI and creating new commercial opportunities in shopping and enterprise services.
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Google's vertical integration in the AI space, including its investment in proprietary chips and AI infrastructure, provides a competitive advantage that supports long-term growth in Google Cloud and helps the company stay ahead of competitors in the rapidly evolving AI market.
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The company's strong balance sheet, indicated by a current ratio of 2.72 and a low debt-to-equity ratio of 0.16, provides financial stability and flexibility to continue investing in high-growth areas like AI and cloud services without excessive financial risk.
Alphabet Bear Case -
Heavy capital expenditures on AI infrastructure have pushed Google's free cash flow into negative territory, raising concerns about the return on investment for these massive spending commitments, which could pressure future earnings if monetization does not keep pace.
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There is growing competition from AI chatbots like ChatGPT, which Bank of America warns could divert digital advertising dollars away from Google Search, posing a long-term threat to the company's core advertising business model.
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Google faces legal risks from securities class action lawsuits alleging that the company failed to disclose setbacks involving Gemini 3.5 Pro training and launch timing, with a lead plaintiff deadline set for December 1, 2026, which could result in potential liability and reputational damage.
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Insider selling activity has been notable, with CEO Sundar Pichai and other executives selling significant numbers of shares in recent months, which some investors may interpret as a signal of reduced confidence in the stock's near-term performance.
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The stock's technical setup is mixed, trading near its 200-day moving average of $348.38, and a failure to hold the support level around $340 could weaken momentum and lead to further declines, as indicated by recent price volatility and short interest increases.
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