My "three stocks to avoid" column last week didn't pan out. All three investments I figured would be in for a rough few trading days moved sharply higher. The three names I thought were going to move lower for the week -- Alibaba, Tesla, and Nordstrom -- finished up 8%, 14%, and 25%, respectively, averaging out to a 15.7% gain. Ouch!
The S&P 500 soared 6.6% for the week, but naturally the stocks I figured would fare worse did not. I was wrong, but I have still been right in 22 of the past 32 weeks.
I see GameStop (GME 1.88%), ChargePoint (CHPT 1.30%), and Conn's (CONN +0.00%) as stocks you may want to consider steering clear of this week. Let's go over my near-term concerns with all three investments.
Image source: Getty Images.
GameStop
The original meme stock is rolling again. Shares of the video game retailer soared 54% -- yes, 54% -- in the last three trading days. What can possibly get in the way of a meme stock mowing down its short sellers? Earnings season. GameStop shares have declined the trading day after reporting earnings in 11 of the past 14 quarters. Some of the slides have been fairly substantial, even last year when GameStop was off to the races. The retailer will peel back the curtain on its fiscal first quarter results on Wednesday afternoon.
GameStop's performance when it has fresh financials to put out has been sobering. It has posted a larger-than-expected loss for three consecutive quarters. The $1.32 billion analysts are forecasting in revenue is a small year-over-year increase, but 15% below its top-line results three years ago in its last pre-pandemic fiscal first quarter. More importantly, the stock was in the single digits at the time.
GameStop is making some interesting moves in NFTs and crypto, but those markets have also been hit hard in recent months. GameStop is going to need a strong report to justify last week's gains. History tells us that you probably don't want to bet on that.
NYSE: GME
Key Data Points
ChargePoint
There's no doubt that the electric-vehicle market will have years of explosive growth, but it's probably too early to bet on the growing number of companies that are providing charging stations. It could be a race to the bottom, and players building out their networks now may never turn a profit. Analysts don't see ChargePoint in the black until 2026, and by then the market will probably be far more cutthroat than it is now.
ChargePoint reports fresh financials after Tuesday's market close. Momentum hasn't been kind. It has posted larger losses than analysts were targeting in back-to-back quarters. Wall Street pros have been widening their expected deficits for the quarter it will discuss on Tuesday as well as the current fiscal year.
NYSE: CHPT
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Conn's
Let's close out the list with yet another name reporting quarterly results this week. Wednesday morning is when Conn's steps up to the plate. The big-box retailer that sells furniture, appliances, and consumer electronics could be in for a rough financial update. We've already seen a few retailers warn that guests have been shifting their spending away form big-ticket home items. Conn's also had the problematic distinction of missing Wall Street estimates on both ends of its income statement last time out.
The stock tumbled 26% in the four trading days following its last report. Is there any reason to expect that Conn's will fare any better in a climate that has grown even more challenging? It could be a tough week for the retailer.
OTC: CONN
Key Data Points
It's going to be a bumpy road for some of these investments. If you're looking for safe stocks, you aren't likely to find them in GameStop, ChargePoint, or Conn's this week.
