Ticker Reports for July 8th
3 Upgraded Stocks to Load Up on Before Earnings
MarketBeat’s screen for Most Upgraded Stocks is a never-ending source of good ideas. Stocks on the list today are receiving upgrades due to their results, turnaround efforts, and outlooks, which include growth, profits, and capital returns.
The only questions that need to be answered are which ones fit the portfolio, and how high their share prices may go.
Meta Platforms' Superintelligent Strategy
Meta Platforms' (NASDAQ: META) success story continues to unfold, now featuring a robust push into AI. Already using AI to drive revenue growth and internal efficiency, the company created a “superintelligence” division and is poaching staff from companies like Apple and OpenAI to run it.
The goal is to develop cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology, encompassing models, software applications, and hardware. Regarding the analysts, they are raising their price targets and sentiment ratings because of it, setting the market up for new highs.
Meta is the second-most upgraded stock at the end of Q2, and the trends are strong, including increasing coverage, firming sentiment, and an increasing price target. The price target lags behind the price action in early Q3 but provides robust market support, having risen more than 40% in the first half of the year, and recent revisions are leading to the high end of the range.
That puts META stock near $900, sufficient for new all-time highs and a 25% gain from early July trading levels.
The technical signals are more robust. The Q2 price action featured a significant price rebound, confirming the uptrend and setting a new all-time high. A move to new highs opens the door to another sustained rally with the potential to advance an amount equal to the rebound in place.
That puts this market near $950 and potentially heading higher. Meta’s AI push costs money but also generates ample cash flow, allowing it to pay dividends, increase its distribution, and buy back shares.
Dollar General Price Reversal Advances on Turnaround Results
Dollar General’s (NYSE: DG) 2025 is highlighted by the positive impact of its turnaround efforts and rationalization strategy. The company is in the process of accelerating its strategy, and analysts are responding favorably to the news. The trends in Q2 include increased coverage, a firmer sentiment, and positive price target revisions that confirm the sentiment shift that began earlier in the year.
The takeaway is that Dollar General’s analyst sentiment is firming to Moderate Buy from Hold, and the price target revisions are leading the market in its reversal.
Dollar General is set to report Q2 earnings in early September and will likely provide another catalyst for the market. Analysts forecast another mid-single-digit revenue growth offset by margin weakness, and are underestimating the company in both regards.
Leaning into digitization and easier-to-use stores is a recipe for unlocking store traffic, revenue, and margin. Investors should expect the company to outperform the consensus forecast and provide another substantial guidance improvement.
Wingstop Focuses on Unit Growth, Can Fly Higher
Wingstop (NASDAQ: WING) faces a headwind in 2025 that is impacting comparable store sales. However, unit growth and the lean into international markets are sustaining the growth outlook while building leverage for when macroeconomic headwinds reverse. The analysts’ response is to upgrade the stock and increase price targets, positioning it to reach a new all-time high by year’s end.
The H1 analysts' activity includes a 25% increase in coverage, solid coverage of nearly 25 analysts, a firming rating pegged at Moderate Buy, and a rising price target. The consensus in early Q3 forecasts a 10% upside for this stock; the high-end range puts it at a new all-time high, representing a more than 30% gain when reached.
Wingstop’s stock price rebound is also supported by its capital return program. The company pays a token distribution yielding less than 0.5% but compounds it with aggressive share buybacks. The buybacks in Q1 reduced the count sequentially and compared to the previous year and are expected to continue at a robust pace for the foreseeable future.
A new rule goes live in July — and the banks are quietly cashing in
A new rule goes live in July — and the banks are quietly cashing in
1999 Again? The Danger of These 3 Companies Making Bitcoin Bets
By many standards, today’s NASDAQ 100 and S&P 500 look a lot like they did during the 2000 internet bubble, when the narrative that stocks involved with new technologies could only go up, sending a clear message that complacency (along with valuations) was sitting at an all-time high. As many know, the 2000 internet bubble didn’t end well, wiping out many businesses, and those that survived struggled for several years before reclaiming their previous prices.
That same complacency seems to be returning, particularly around the rise of cryptocurrency and blockchain.
While blockchain itself may be transformative, the way certain companies are leveraging the hype, i.e., pivoting from failing core businesses to Bitcoin investments, is unsettlingly similar to the dot-com bust. Three companies in particular, stand out: MicroStrategy Inc. (NASDAQ: MSTR), AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. (NYSE: AMC), and GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME). Their recent moves suggest more speculation than strategy.
1. MicroStrategy: A Bitcoin-Only Business in Disguise
Any investor should be able to recognize the red flags in MicroStrategy. Originally a software firm, MicroStrategy has transformed into what amounts to a Bitcoin holding company.
Over the past few years, it’s acquired over 597,000 BTC, currently valued at more than $64 billion. However, this massive stake hasn’t been funded by profits. Instead, MicroStrategy has issued new blocks of stock to finance its purchases.
This is like when businesses in 1999 pivoted “online” when their core operations showed no results, but the internet was a way to get markets excited again. If Bitcoin is the “dot com” signature, and blockchain is the internet, then companies that pivot into Bitcoin mining or buying Bitcoin for their balance sheets outright make for the speculative bubble scenario.
Essentially, MicroStrategy investors are buying into an ultra-leveraged Bitcoin fund with no revenue cushion. When Bitcoin rises, this vehicle can outperform significantly and mitigate the effects of share dilution. But if Bitcoin drops and MicroStrategy continues diluting its shareholders, losses could spiral.
And it’s not just a theory. The company has reportedly paused further Bitcoin purchases amid a class-action lawsuit concerning its disclosures.
2. AMC: Throwing A Hail Mary With Bitcoin
It would take a significant amount of capital and imagination to reinvent the movie theater business, which is why AMC has been losing money year after year for some time now. Online streaming and the “at-home” movie experience have squeezed out profits and market share from this once giant brand.
AMC reported a $202 million loss in Q1 2025. To try to revive its popularity and valuation, AMC has taken a page out of MicroStrategy’s playbook, pivoting into issuing stock in order to buy Bitcoin for its balance sheet. The hope is that investors will keep subscribing to the newly issued stock betting that a cryptocurrency bull run will save the company—and their investment.
The truth is, it likely won’t. AMC is in the movie business, not the asset management business, and has been mismanaged, falling behind in today’s marketplace.
Sadly, some in the market will fall for this modern-day Ponzi scheme. Those who act early may be able to make a profit at the expense of large losses for those who enter late in this speculative situation.
3. GameStop: The King of Meme Stocks
During the COVID-19 pandemic, GameStop became a broad case study of master speculation. Cheap money and low interest rates triggered a massive short squeeze in the stock, sending it to stratospheric valuations. While this event made many millionaires overnight, it also created unrealistic expectations about how the market works.
GameStop is now leveraging its notoriety in a new way. Following its recent capital raise via convertible notes, GameStop has invested more than $500 million into Bitcoin. By diluting shareholders through stock issuance, GameStop makes its cash flow seem healthy. But, like AMC, its core retail business is bleeding cash.
As with MicroStrategy and AMC, this approach may work very well for those early enough in the stock and hoping that Bitcoin’s price rises. However, if Bitcoin declines and risk appetites wane, driving money away from buying newly issued stock at these companies, the losses could be too significant for any shareholder to recover from.
Trump's Exec Order #14154 could be a "Millionaire-Maker"
Trump's Exec Order #14154 could be a "Millionaire-Maker"
3 Tech Stocks Poised for Explosive EPS Growth in 2025
The retail investment community has become saturated with indicators and sophisticated methods for attempting to predict future stock prices, almost completely forgetting the tried-and-tested methodologies that have worked for decades in fundamental investment strategies.
By focusing on what really matters—the financials of a business—investors can cut out most of the noise happening today and steer their portfolios in the right direction for the future.
One of the most important metrics in this space is the direction of earnings per share (EPS) growth, and whether the future of the United States and the global economy is in place to support these growth expectations moving forward. EPS growth tells the story of a company’s profitability trend—and where it might go next. When paired with macroeconomic support and market sentiment, it becomes a powerful tool for stock selection.
Three technology stocks stand out as prime candidates for future appreciation: Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU), Lyft Inc. (NASDAQ: LYFT), and Spotify Technology (NYSE: SPOT). Each company shows promising EPS momentum backed by institutional interest or strong business models.
1. Micron Technology: Wall Street Is Catching Up
Micron had been one of the laggards in the semiconductor and chipmaking industry over the past year, falling behind most (if not all) of its peers; however, that story quickly changed in the most recent quarterly performance. Micron stock delivered a monster rally of up to 88.5% during this recent period, an unexpected jump that drew Wall Street’s attention.
Starting with valuations, investors can see how this price action now begins to justify the call made by Robert W. Baird analyst Tristan Gerra in late June 2025, who reiterated an Outperform rating for Micron stock alongside a valuation target of $200 per share.
Even with this strong run over the past quarter, this valuation still suggests an additional 64% upside for investors to consider, not to mention the possibility of the stock reaching a new 52-week high. Typically, this sort of momentum triggers systemic buying from institutional players, which could (and likely will) add to the upside pressure present in this stock.
All told, all of this upside pressure is justified by the expectations that Micron will report up to $2.04 in EPS for the fourth quarter of 2025, a net jump of 7% from today’s reported $1.91 in EPS. While this may not be the largest jump, investors should note that Micron has consistently beaten expectations for the entirety of 2025.
2. Lyft: Institutional Buying Fuels Confidence
As of early May 2025, institutional buyers from the Vanguard Group decided to increase their holdings in Lyft stock by as much as 5.7% to bring their entire position to a high of $451.6 million today, representing 9.1% ownership in the company. This ownership rate in the company not only reiterates the potential for a bullish future in Lyft but also brings a few added benefits.
With such institutional backing, Lyft can now count on the stewardship Vanguard can offer it as a large stockholder, which will likely increase the brand's odds of future success and scalability in the ridesharing marketplace.
With this in mind, it looks like Wall Street analysts feel more confident about Lyft being able to outperform on a financial basis in the future, which is why their EPS forecasts now call for up to $0.05 in the fourth quarter of 2025, a fivefold increase from today’s reported $0.01.
While this may not be the largest EPS figure, the increase is what matters for the future of the stock price and its performance down the line, creating an upside gap that will be filled and enjoyed by current and prospective shareholders.
3. Spotify: Steady Model, Explosive Growth
As the focus grows on the future potential of EPS growth in today’s list of winning stocks, Spotify's underlying business model comes into play to make this expectation a reality in the coming months and quarters. In fact, some on Wall Street are already betting that this scenario will play out sooner rather than later.
With a steady and predictable subscription business model, Spotify is able to repeatedly grow and beat its bottom-line EPS figure in the future, driving Jessica Reif from Bank of America to reiterate her Buy rating for Spotify stock as of late June 2025 while also placing a $900 per share valuation on the stock.
Despite the stock already trading at 92% of its-52 52-week high, this analyst expects to see a further 25% upside in the stock moving forward. Behind this bullish expectation lies the potential for Spotify to keep growing its EPS by high double-digit percentage rates, as it has become the norm for this company’s recent history.
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[No Brainer Gold Play]: "Show me a better investment."
[No Brainer Gold Play]: "Show me a better investment."
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