Are These The Best Epicenter Stocks To Buy Now?
Epicenter stocks could be the name of the game in the stock market today. Overall, this could be the case as most would argue that we are approaching the tail end of the pandemic. With widespread vaccination efforts, the economy reopening, and improving employment figures, things appear to be looking up. At the very least, Fundstrat’s co-founder Tom Lee seems to believe so, arguing that epicenter stocks could gain momentum now. Lee cites the CDC’s latest update on vaccinated people not needing a mask as a sign of things returning to normal. Subsequently, a return to normal would make for favorable operating environments for ‘epicenter’ companies. By extension, it would not surprise me if investors are looking for good stocks to invest in right now.
Even now, most of the biggest names in this group of stocks are already gearing up for better times ahead. We could look at cruise line operators such as Royal Caribbean Cruises (NYSE: RCL) for example. Just last week, the company provided updates about its ongoing efforts to vaccinate all crew members. Elsewhere, ride-hailing companies such as Uber (NYSE: UBER) and Lyft (NASDAQ: LYFT) could benefit from more people going out. As of this week, the duo is currently collaborating with the White House, offering free rides to vaccination sites. In the long run, this would help the Biden administration reach its inoculation targets, accelerating the return to normalcy.
All in all, epicenter stocks could be looking at major tailwinds ahead thanks to pent-up consumer demand. While some of them are still recovering towards pre-pandemic levels, investors could see unique buying opportunities. Having said all that, here are three making headlines in the stock market now.
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Top Epicenter Stocks To Buy [Or Avoid] Now
Carnival Corporation
Carnival is one of the world’s biggest cruise line operators. The leisure travel company is a provider of vacations to all cruise destinations throughout the world. Its segments include North America & Australia (NAA), and Europe & Asia (EAA). Carnival boasts over 85 vessels across its 10 cruise line brands. Impressively, it plans to add a total of 16 new ships to its fleet through 2025. Pre-pandemic, its brands host nearly 13 million guests annually, accounting for nearly half of the overall global cruise market. CCL stock currently trades at $26.78 as of 11:44 a.m. ET and has doubled in the last year.
Today, the company announced that its AIDA Cruises are expanding its vacation program for summer 2021. This is due to the high demand for these cruises. To meet this pent-up demand, AIDA Cruises announced the launch of additional new voyages. All cruises are carried out in compliance with AIDA’s enhanced health and safety protocols, as well as applicable laws and regulations for infection protection. This would no doubt help improve customer confidence in Carnival.
The company has certainly been building momentum as it announces its reopening plays. This comes amidst vaccination rollout throughout the globe. Earlier this month, Carnival’s Costa Cruises had restarted cruises in the Mediterranean. Its flagship Costa Smeralda left the port of Savona on May 1 and is the first ship to resume operations in 2021. Given that the company is on track for recovery, will you consider adding CCL stock to your portfolio?
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Exxon Mobil Corporation
Exxon is a multinational oil and gas corporation headquartered in Irving, Texas. In essence, it is an industry leader in almost every aspect of the chemical and energy manufacturing businesses. The company also operates facilities, markets products in most of the world’s countries, and explores oil and natural gas on six continents. XOM stock currently trades at $60.46 as of 11:44 a.m. ET. In April, the company reported its first-quarter financials for 2021.
Diving in, the company reported an earnings of $2.7 billion or $0.64 per share compared with a loss of $610 million in the first quarter of 2020. Cash flow from operating activities was $9.3 billion which fully funded dividend and capital expenditures. Oil-equivalent production was 3.8 million barrels per day. The strong first-quarter results reflect the benefits of higher commodity prices and the company’s focus on structural cost reductions. Exxon has also been prioritizing investments in assets with a low cost of supply.
The company has also advanced several initiatives to reduce emissions and launched its Low Carbon Solutions business to commercialize its extensive low-carbon technology portfolio. Notable mentions include its large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) concepts and also the evaluation and advancement of more than 20 new business opportunities. The company is also testing advanced biofuels and renewable, lower-carbon eFuels with Porsche (OTCMKTS: POAHY). All things considered, will you buy XOM stock?
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Walt Disney Company
Topping off our list today is the Walt Disney Company. Indeed, when it comes to epicenter stocks, many would consider DIS stock a go-to. This would mainly be thanks to the company’s timeless tourism offerings paired with its legendary media portfolio. From its fairy tale classics to its growing collection of pop culture IPs, Disney continues to dominate the entertainment industry. But having an impressive portfolio is not all.
More importantly, Disney continues to leverage all this content across its wide array of operations. Most investors would be familiar with its booming Disney+ video streaming service. The likes of which seem to be gunning for industry lead Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) at the moment. On top of that, Disney’s in-person entertainment services would also benefit from loosening pandemic restrictions. Could all this make DIS stock a go-to for investors now?
If anything, Disney continues to bolster its tourism services. The company recently launched its latest cruise ship, the Disney Wish. This addition to its cruise fleet will be offering Star Wars and Marvel-based experiences to cruisers. Moreover, Disney also announced plans for Halloween in Disneyland earlier today. In short, “Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party” will be a three-hour ticketed event taking place in Disneyland Florida. It seems that Disney is gearing up for an incoming surge of post-pandemic tourists. All things considered, would it be wise for investors to jump on DIS stock because of this?
