Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the investment potential and performance of specific stocks, highlighting the author's long position in HTGC and TRIN, indicating a positive outlook on these investments [1]. Group 1 - The author has a beneficial long position in HTGC and TRIN, suggesting confidence in their future performance [1]. - The article expresses personal opinions on the stocks mentioned, emphasizing that these views are independent and not influenced by external compensation [1]. Group 2 - There is a clear distinction made regarding the nature of the analysis, indicating that past performance does not guarantee future results, which is a standard caution in investment discussions [2]. - The article clarifies that no specific investment recommendations are provided, reinforcing the need for individual assessment of investment suitability [2].

Core Viewpoint - The analyst downgraded Spotify (SPOT) to "Sell" in July 2025, indicating a belief that the stock had reached its peak despite the company's strong performance [1] Group 1: Company Analysis - The analyst focuses on investing in companies with ideal qualitative attributes and aims to buy them at attractive prices based on fundamentals [1] - The investment strategy involves managing a concentrated portfolio to avoid underperforming stocks while maximizing exposure to high-potential winners [1] - The analyst often rates strong companies as 'Hold' when their growth opportunities do not meet the investment threshold or when downside risks are deemed too high [1]

Core Viewpoint - The analyst downgraded Spotify (SPOT) to "Sell" in July 2025, indicating a belief that the stock had peaked despite the company's strong performance at that time [1] Group 1: Investment Strategy - The investment strategy focuses on investing in companies with perfect qualitative attributes, purchasing them at attractive prices based on fundamentals, and holding them long-term [1] - The analyst manages a concentrated portfolio aimed at avoiding underperforming stocks while maximizing exposure to high-potential winners [1] - Ratings may be assigned as 'Hold' for great companies if their growth opportunities do not meet the analyst's threshold or if the downside risk is deemed too high [1]

Core Viewpoint - RB Global, formerly known as Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers, is poised for a breakout as it competes with Copart, which is currently facing challenges in the market [1] Company Overview - RB Global operates a network of auction sites and collaborates with rental and fleet companies such as Hertz Global and Enterprise, as well as major insurance firms like State Farm, Allstate, and Geico, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway [1] Performance Metrics - RB Global has shown rising price performance, leading to an upgrade in its IBD Relative Strength Rating [1] - The company's Composite Rating has improved to 96, indicating strong performance relative to peers [1]

Company Overview - Axon Enterprise, Inc. is a public safety company based in Scottsdale, Arizona, specializing in conducted electrical weapons and integrated hardware and cloud-based software solutions for law enforcement and public safety agencies [1] - The company has a market capitalization of $50.2 billion and is set to announce its fiscal Q4 earnings for 2025 soon [1] Earnings Expectations - Analysts predict that Axon will report a loss of $0.20 per share for the upcoming quarter, a decline of 122.5% from a profit of $0.89 per share in the same quarter last year [2] - For the current fiscal year ending in December, the expected profit is $0.18 per share, down 91.4% from $2.09 per share in fiscal 2024 [3] - Despite the current downturn, EPS is projected to rebound significantly, growing by 611.1% year-over-year to $1.28 in fiscal 2026 [3] Stock Performance - Over the past 52 weeks, Axon shares have increased by 5.6%, which is lower than the S&P 500 Index's return of 16.9% and the State Street Industrial Select Sector SPDR ETF's increase of 20.2% [4] - On January 6, shares surged by 6% following an upgrade from Northcoast Research, which raised the stock rating to "Buy" from "Neutral" and set a price target of $742, reflecting improved growth prospects [5] Analyst Ratings - Wall Street analysts maintain a highly optimistic outlook on Axon's stock, with an overall "Strong Buy" rating [6] - Among 20 analysts, 14 recommend "Strong Buy," four suggest "Moderate Buy," and two indicate "Hold" ratings [6] - The average price target for Axon is $811.22, suggesting a potential upside of 30.1% from current levels [6]

Company Overview - LendingTree (TREE) is recognized as the largest lending marketplace in the United States, promoting the slogan "When banks compete, you win" [3] - The company has demonstrated strong sales and profit growth, indicating robust performance in the lending sector [3] Performance Ratings - LendingTree's Relative Strength Rating has been upgraded to 81, reflecting improved market leadership [6] - The company's Composite Rating has climbed to 96, placing it among top-rated stocks [6][7] - LendingTree has achieved a 90-plus RS Rating, clearing key benchmarks in its performance metrics [6] Market Position - LendingTree hosts a significant number of lenders, connecting them with consumers and businesses seeking loans, which enhances its competitive position in the market [3]

Core Viewpoint - The analyst previously assigned a Sell rating to PepsiCo, Inc. (PEP) due to deteriorating operating metrics and the belief that the dividend yield could not offset capital erosion [1]. Group 1 - The analyst's assessment indicates that PepsiCo's operating metrics are declining, which raises concerns about the company's financial health [1]. - The celebrated dividend yield of PepsiCo is viewed as insufficient to compensate for the ongoing capital erosion faced by the company [1].

Group 1 - Tesco experienced a decent Christmas season, but its stock price fell nearly 10% following the Q3 FY 2026 trading update [1] - The decline in stock price occurred despite positive holiday performance metrics [1] Group 2 - The article highlights the importance of advanced financial modeling and sector-specific KPIs in uncovering hidden value in public equities [1] - The focus is on various sectors including consumer discretionary, food & beverage, and gaming, with an emphasis on micro and small-cap companies [1]

Upgrades - UBS upgraded Brinker (EAT) to Buy from Neutral with a price target of $175, up from $144, citing the company's strong same-store sales momentum [2] - Raymond James upgraded Stryker (SYK) to Outperform from Market Perform with a price target of $418, indicating that the current valuation presents an attractive entry point [2] - BofA upgraded Allegiant Travel (ALGT) to Neutral from Underperform with a price target of $95, up from $55, noting that potential economic stimulus could benefit low-cost carriers and that Allegiant is maintaining flat capacity growth in 2026 [3] - Stephens upgraded Saia (SAIA) to Overweight from Equal Weight with a price target of $414, up from $308, believing that the bulk of new terminal noise is now resolved [4] - William Blair upgraded Medtronic (MDT) to Outperform from Market Perform, highlighting several new and ramping product launches this year [4] Downgrades - Wolfe Research downgraded Shopify (SHOP) to Peer Perform from Outperform, removing the previous price target of $185, due to elevated expectations and full valuation [5] - Freedom Capital downgraded Chevron (CVX) and Exxon Mobil (XOM) to Sell from Hold with price targets of $165 and $123, respectively, arguing that the current optimism in the U.S. oil and gas sector is unjustified [5] - UBS downgraded Lennar (LEN) to Neutral from Buy with a price target of $122, down from $137, suggesting that a return to 20%-plus gross margins may be delayed without a stronger industry recovery [5] - Wells Fargo downgraded D.R. Horton (DHI) to Equal Weight from Overweight with a price target of $155, down from $180, following recent analysis [5] - Baird downgraded Wells Fargo (WFC) to Underperform from Neutral, maintaining a price target of $90, citing limited upside for bank stocks in 2026 [5]

Group 1 - Morgan Stanley has upgraded Hershey Foods (HSY) stock rating from "Equal Weight" to "Overweight," indicating a potential comeback after significant negative revisions [1] - Analysts have observed early-stage positive inflection in Hershey's fundamentals, which could lead to faster EPS growth, and raised the stock price target from $195 to $211, suggesting a 13% upside [2] - Hershey Foods, headquartered in Pennsylvania, is a leader in the global confectionery sector with a market capitalization of $38 billion and a diverse portfolio of iconic brands [3][4] Group 2 - Hershey's stock has gained 9% over the past 52 weeks and 8% over the past six months, despite facing pressure from high cocoa prices, leading to announced price increases in U.S. retail [5] - The company's Q3 2025 results exceeded expectations, with net sales rising by 6.5% year-over-year to $3.18 billion, surpassing the anticipated $3.13 billion [7] - Hershey's current price-to-earnings ratio stands at 31.5 times, which is higher than the industry average, indicating a relatively pricey valuation [6]