US Factory Employment Drops to 5-Year Low as Manufacturing Slump Deepens
The drop in hiring came amid a broader deterioration in operating conditions. Both surveys reported soft orders and reduced output as factories cut back on inventories and workers. ISM's employment index slid 1.6 points to 43.4 percent—its lowest reading since June 2020 and well below the 50-point threshold that separates expansion from contraction—marking the sixth straight month of job losses in the sector.
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Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Oppenheimer Predicts Up to 590% Rally for These 2 ‘Strong Buy' Stocks
There's a lot to say about the economy and markets today. Earnings season is well underway, with 317 S&P 500 companies having reported so far, and the results have been broadly encouraging – 83% have topped profit forecasts. That strength has helped drive both the S&P 500 and NASDAQ toward record highs, although August began with a pullback as investors reacted to a weaker-than-expected jobs report and the rollout of new tariffs from President Trump. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Even with those headwinds, Oppenheimer's chief investment strategist John Stoltzfus remains optimistic about the path ahead. 'This year reminds us of the classic Charles Dickens quote, 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.' Although much uncertainty and worry prevailed for some time both with trade policy and geopolitical events, and given the multitude of potential outcomes, we'd note that cooler heads prevailed – leading to positive outcomes at least for now. Monetary policy by the Fed has brought down the pace of inflation (if not yet to its 2% target level) without thus far causing a recession. This in our view is a substantial achievement… We are revising our year-end price target for the S&P 500 to 7,100 from 5,950,' Stoltzfus noted. That S&P target implies a gain of ~14% from current levels, a solid gain by any standard. But some stocks are going to outperform, even substantially – and Oppenheimer analysts are predicting much stronger rallies for 2 names in particular, including one with a potential upside as high as 590%. Using the TipRanks database, we've looked at the big-picture view on both of these picks, and it seems the broader Street agrees with Oppenheimer's bullish stance – both stocks hold Strong Buy consensus ratings, with forecasts pointing to potential triple-digit gains. Let's dig into what makes these high-upside picks so compelling. Climb Bio (CLYM) We'll start with Climb Bio, a biotech research firm focused on developing new treatments for immune-mediated diseases. These conditions – affecting an estimated 1 in 7 people worldwide – often stem from malfunctioning B cells, which can mistakenly attack the body's own tissues. Climb is developing therapies that target this root cause, aiming to address a range of serious and underserved diseases. The company's pipeline includes two drug candidates: its lead program, budoprutug, is currently being tested in three clinical trials and one preclinical study, while its second candidate, CLYM116, remains in preclinical development. Budoprutug is an anti-CD19 monoclonal antibody designed to deplete B cells. The drug has shown encouraging early clinical data and is now being evaluated in clinical trials across three distinct indications: primary membranous nephropathy (pMN), immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In pMN, a rare autoimmune kidney disorder that causes damaging protein leakage into the urine, budoprutug is entering a Phase 2 open-label, dose-ranging trial to assess safety and efficacy. This follows positive data from a small Phase 1b study, in which 3 of 5 patients who completed all four doses achieved complete remission of proteinuria. All five patients in that study experienced rapid and sustained B-cell depletion, even at the lowest tested dose of 100 mg, and no serious drug-related adverse events were reported. Meanwhile, in ITP, Climb has received FDA clearance to begin a Phase 1b/2a study, with the trial now advancing. ITP is an autoimmune disorder in which B cells produce antibodies that target and destroy platelets. Budoprutug is being tested in this setting based on its CD19-targeting mechanism, which may offer an advantage over CD20-based therapies by depleting a broader range of B-cell populations, including plasma cells that drive the underlying disease process. The drug is also being explored in SLE, a chronic autoimmune disease that can cause widespread inflammation and tissue damage across multiple organs. A Phase 1b trial has been cleared by the FDA and is set to run at ex-U.S. sites. This open-label study is designed to assess safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and early signs of clinical efficacy. Climb's B-cell-targeted approach is supported by the well-established role these cells play in driving lupus pathogenesis. To further expand its reach, Climb is also developing a subcutaneous formulation of budoprutug, with a Phase 1 trial in healthy volunteers expected to begin by year-end. Beyond budoprutug, Climb is advancing its second candidate, CLYM116, an Fc-engineered anti-APRIL monoclonal antibody with a novel pH-dependent mechanism. Currently in preclinical development, CLYM116 is being explored as a treatment for IgA nephropathy (IgAN), a serious kidney disorder also known as Berger's disease. Climb expects to report preclinical data and submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application or Clinical Trial Application (CTA) by year-end. With CLYM trading at $1.45, Oppenheimer analyst Leland Gershell views the stock as a high-potential opportunity, pointing to the company's advancing clinical pipeline and the therapeutic promise of budoprutug. 'We have a favorable outlook on budoprutug across its three indications in primary membranous nephropathy (pMN), immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)… Each of these indications has clear IgG-driven pathophysiology and significant residual unmet need, despite existing first- and second-line therapies, where budoprutug has opportunity to shine above… We see $1B+ sales potential across these indications, and a subcutaneous, potentially use-at-home version offers upside optionality… With shares reflecting little credit for the company's opportunities and cash runway into 2027, we see favorable risk-reward and encourage investors to build a position. We would expect positive results in pMN to generate considerable stock upside potential,' Gershell opined. So how much upside does Gershell see overall? The analyst rates CLYM an Outperform (i.e., Buy), with a $10 price target – implying a substantial 590% surge over the next year. (To watch Gershell's track record, click here) Supporting this optimistic outlook, CLYM has 3 recent analyst reviews on record – all unanimously positive – earning the stock a Strong Buy consensus rating. With an average price target of $9, analysts expect shares to be changing hands at ~521% premium over the next 12 months. (See CLYM stock forecast) Wave Life Sciences (WVE) The next Oppenheimer pick is Wave Life Sciences, a biotech company developing a lineup of RNA medicines through its proprietary platform, dubbed PRISM. RNA therapeutics represent a fast-growing frontier in biotechnology, and Wave is harnessing innovations in chemistry and human genetics to create targeted treatments for serious, genetically driven diseases that have historically lacked effective solutions. This ambitious vision is translating into a diverse clinical pipeline. Wave is advancing four distinct programs, each built on a separate RNA modality: WVE-006 uses RNA editing, WVE-007 employs RNA interference (RNAi), WVE-N531 leverages exon skipping, and WVE-003 utilizes allele-selective silencing. By tackling different mechanisms and indications, the company is positioning itself to address multiple areas of high unmet medical need. WVE-006 is a GalNAc-conjugated, subcutaneously delivered RNA editing oligonucleotide (AIMer) designed to treat alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD), a genetic disorder affecting the lungs and liver. The drug is currently in the Phase 1b/2a RestorAATion-2 trial, with key clinical data from both the 200 mg single and multidose cohorts expected in the third quarter of 2025. Additional results from the 400 mg single-dose cohort are anticipated later this fall. Progress is also accelerating with WVE-007, an RNAi therapy targeting obesity. This GalNAc-siRNA candidate works by silencing the INHBE gene and has shown strong preclinical efficacy in reducing weight while preserving muscle mass. Following promising initial safety and pharmacodynamic results in Cohort 1, Wave expanded enrollment in Cohort 2 and expects data from the first two cohorts in Q4 2025, with high-dose cohort results to follow in early 2026. The third program, WVE-N531, is an exon-skipping oligonucleotide developed for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a severe and progressive neuromuscular disorder. In a Phase 2 open-label trial, the therapy showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in Time-to-Rise, a key measure of functional strength. Wave plans to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) in 2026 to pursue accelerated approval. Rounding out the clinical pipeline is WVE-003, an allele-selective oligonucleotide designed for Huntington's disease (HD). This first-in-class candidate has demonstrated selective reduction of mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) while preserving healthy wild-type HTT – an approach believed to protect neuronal function. A Phase 2/3 trial is in planning, with Wave aiming to submit an IND in the second half of 2025. This pipeline, and its potential for success, has caught the attention of Oppenheimer analyst Cheng Li, who writes: 'We think RNA medicine is poised to become an important therapeutic modality for future medicine, leveraging its unique target engagement mechanism compared to other modalities. The PRISM platform further enhances the potency, durability, tissue distribution, and pharmacological properties of oligonucleotides in a multimodal fashion… We are optimistic about WVE's four clinical programs, each having its own merits and collectively providing validation to the platform technology that propels a next wave of programs for high-value targets with differentiated approaches… We anticipate multiple meaningful clinical catalysts from WVE-006 for alpha1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) and WVE-007 for obesity, with current valuation offering a favorable risk/reward setup.' Reflecting this conviction, Li assigns WVE an Outperform (i.e., Buy) rating, along with a $24 price target that suggests shares could surge 178% over the next year. (To watch Li's track record, click here) Li's bullish stance is echoed across the Street. The stock has picked up 12 recent analyst reviews, supporting a Strong Buy consensus rating, with an 11-to-1 split favoring Buys over Holds. Shares currently trade at $8.63, and the average price target of $18.18 points to a potential upside of ~111% over the next 12 months. (See WVE stock forecast) To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks' Best Stocks to Buy, a tool that unites all of TipRanks' equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment. Disclaimer & DisclosureReport an Issue Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Miami Herald
an hour ago
- Miami Herald
Stocks will try to recover their mojo this week
So after Friday, when the all the stocks in the Standard & Poor's 500 fell an average 1% and the major averages fell more than 2% in a week, it's understandable to ask, "OK, now what?" Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter Well, there are 1,382 earnings reports to think about. There's the economy, too. And all the tariff negotiations to consider. Will there be a deal with China? Can Canada kiss and make up with the Trump administration? How about we think about only a few earnings (we'll get to them shortly) and some of the forces that may well affect markets more than we expect now. Related: Warren Buffett's stock still struggling since May peak The Standard & Poor's 500 Index managed to hit five straight new closing highs between July 21 and July 28. The index then closed lower each day for the next four days ending with Friday's bust, with the S&P 500 off 1.6% for the day. The question is if those four days of selling were one-offs. Let's look at four realities. The indexes and many stocks have been giving off signals for weeks that it was getting to be overbought. Multiples have expanded until something triggered professional money managers to decide to wait for better prices. You saw it Thursday when the Federal Reserve held rates steady and wouldn't say when a rate is coming. You saw it Friday after reports from (AMZN) and Coinbase Global (COIN) disappointed investors. Not so much because the jobs created came in less than expected. It was the huge revisions for May and June that enraged President Trump enough to fire the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, accusing her of cooking the data to make him look bad. (Without evidence) This is a month, which, the Stock Traders Almanac tells us, is the worst month of the year for the Dow Jones Industrial Average and second worst month for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite Index. Related: Veteran trader takes hard look at Microsoft Q4 report and sends a warning They're doing back-to-school shopping. They're worried about wild fires in the West. Along the southern Atlantic and Gulf coasts, they're watching for hurricanes. China, Mexico and Canada negotiations are moving slowly. And they're starting to be a problem for many companies that can't absorb higher costs. Listen carefully when Walmart (WMT) reports earnings on Aug. 21. Last week's selloff pushed bond yields lower. Especially the 10-year Treasury note, the key determinant of mortgage rates. The rate on a 30-year mortgage was pushing toward 6.6%. Enough to save a home buyer upwards of $1,200 a year if buying a $300,000 home with 15% down. That assumes buyers and sellers can agree on prices that make sense. Did it affect stocks last week? It sure did. Shares of D.R. Horton (DHI) jumped 5.2% to $150.30 on Friday as bond yields came down. Horton, Pultegroup (PHM) , Lennar (LEN) and (NVR) were all sharply higher Friday and led the S&P 500's Consumer Discretionary Sector. The sector index was down 3.6%, partly because of Amazon's 8.3% tumble. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images Start with Palantir (PLTR) , which reports after Monday's close. The stock fell 2.9% last week, but it is up 13.2% this quarter and 104% this year. This an artificial intelligence play. It takes lots and lots of data and makes sense of it for military and big corporate clients. Revenue estimate: Earnings of 12 cents a share, up 33%. Revenue of $939 million would be up 38%. It is a pricey stock: Its simple price earnings ratio is 674. Its forward p/e ratio is 328. More Palantir Veteran trader surprises with Palantir price target and commentsMusk moves xAI, Grok onto Palantir turfVeteran analyst sends bold message on Palantir stock targetPalantir makes surprise move into weather On the AI vein, chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) reports after Tuesday's close. The revenue estimate is $7.4 billion, up 27.2%. Earnings are projected at 40 cents, but down 42%. Eaton Corp (ETN) , maker of important gear used in AI applications, also reports Tuesday. Related: A country is ready to scrap all visas for Americans Wednesday brings in consumer stocks, especially McDonald's (MCD) and Walt Disney Co. (DIS) . Both should have lots to say about what consumers are telling them. Neither is expected to report big earnings and revenue gains. Eli Lilly (LLY) and Gilead Sciences (GILD) lead the Thursday earnings. The former has a big weight drug Zepound with more in the pipeline. Also reporting Uber Technologies (UBER) , DoorDash (DASH) , Shopify (SHOP) and Airbnb (ABNB) . Related: Costco has a serious credit card problem The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
2 Magnificent Stocks to Buy With $100 as the Bull Market Continues in August, According to Wall Street
Key Points Most Wall Street analysts anticipate big gains for Chipotle and Digital Ocean shareholders, and investors can buy a share of both stocks for less than $100. Chipotle stock declined sharply following the company's second-quarter report, but the weak results said more about the economy than the business. DigitalOcean simplifies cloud computing for small and medium-sized businesses, and Wall Street appears to be underestimating future earnings growth. 10 stocks we like better than Chipotle Mexican Grill › The S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) bull market is still intact, and the index has historically moved higher in August, returning an average of 0.6% during the month since 1928, according to Yardeni Research. Of course, a long-term mindset is the surest path to success in the stock market, but there is no harm in leaning into historical trends. On that note, Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) and DigitalOcean (NYSE: DOCN) are stocks worth buying today, according to Wall Street. Among 38 analysts, Chipotle has a median target price of $59.50 per share. That implies 38% upside from its current share price of $43. Among 14 analysts, DigitalOcean has a median target price of $38 per share. That implies 40% upside from its current share price of $27. Investors can purchase a single share of both stocks for less than $100. Here's why they are worth owning. Chipotle Mexican Grill: 38% implied upside Chipotle reported disappointing second-quarter financial results. Revenue increased 3% to $3.1 billion, but Wall Street expected 5% growth. And non-GAAP net income fell 3% to $0.33 per diluted share. Particularly discouraging was the 4% drop in same-store sales, which itself was caused by a decrease in consumer traffic. Same-store sales are viewed as an indicator for brand appeal and consumer sentiment, and the market was unsettled by the decline. Chipotle stock fell 9% and settled at a 52-week low after the company announced its Q2 results. But I think the market overreacted, and the sell-off creates an opportunity for patient investors. Chipotle's same-store sales declined in this year's Q1 and Q2, but that is highly unusual. In fact, the company last reported a decrease in same-store sales five years ago following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. Similar to that incident, I think the most recent drop in customer traffic was entirely due to economic uncertainty, not a loss of brand appeal. Consumer sentiment dropped to its lowest level in three years following President Trump's tariff blitz in April, according to the University of Michigan. That coincided with weakness in Chipotle's business. But consumer sentiment rebounded in June, and Chipotle CFO Adam Rymer said that coincided with a reacceleration in consumer traffic as the company rolled out summer marketing initiatives. The rebound continued into July, which hints at better days ahead. Going forward, Wall Street expects adjusted earnings will increase at 16% annually through 2026. That makes the current valuation of 38 times adjusted earnings look fairly reasonable. Likewise, Chipotle currently trades at 5 times sales, a material discount to the three-year average of 6.4 times sales. Long-term investors should feel comfortable buying a small position today. DigitalOcean: 40% implied upside DigitalOcean reported Q1 financial results that exceeded expectations on the top and bottom lines. Revenue increased 14% to $211 million, the second straight acceleration, due to strong demand for core cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) services. Non-GAAP net income jumped 30% to $0.56 per diluted share. The investment thesis for DigitalOcean is simple: While large public clouds like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure offer a much broader and deeper range of cloud-computing services, their products are built for large enterprises with robust IT departments. DigitalOcean simplifies cloud computing for individual developers and small businesses with click-and-go options, extensive technical documentation, and 24/7 customer support. Importantly, the company is also leaning into demand for AI, a market forecast to grow at 36% annually through 2030. DigitalOcean introduced a generative AI development platform earlier this year, which lets businesses customize foundational models to build and deploy AI agents. It also introduced an AI-powered copilot that helps businesses detect and resolve website issues. Looking ahead, Wall Street expects the company's earnings to remain unchanged through 2026, but I think analysts have missed the mark. The International Data Corp. estimates that, among individual developers and businesses with fewer than 500 employees, cloud-services spending will increase at 22% annually to reach $250 billion by 2028. Furthermore, DigitalOcean beat the consensus earnings estimate by an average of 25% in the last six quarters, which suggests analysts may be underestimating future earnings growth. And with the stock currently trading at a reasonable 13 times adjusted earnings, patient investors should feel confident buying a small position today. Do the experts think Chipotle Mexican Grill is a buy right now? The Motley Fool's expert analyst team, drawing on years of investing experience and deep analysis of thousands of stocks, leverages our proprietary Moneyball AI investing database to uncover top opportunities. They've just revealed their to buy now — did Chipotle Mexican Grill make the list? When our Stock Advisor analyst team has a stock recommendation, it can pay to listen. After all, Stock Advisor's total average return is up 1,019% vs. just 178% for the S&P — that is beating the market by 841.12%!* Imagine if you were a Stock Advisor member when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $624,823!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $1,064,820!* The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of July 29, 2025 Trevor Jennewine has positions in Amazon. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, Chipotle Mexican Grill, DigitalOcean, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft, short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft, and short September 2025 $60 calls on Chipotle Mexican Grill. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 2 Magnificent Stocks to Buy With $100 as the Bull Market Continues in August, According to Wall Street was originally published by The Motley Fool
