Wall Street kept clawing its way back in the 12th trading week of 2023. I thought my "three stocks to avoid" -- Ollie's Bargain Outlet Holdings (OLLI +4.14%), Coinbase (COIN +1.20%), and Movado (MOV 1.15%) -- were going to lose to the market in the past week. They rose 12%, declined 10%, and plummeted 16%, respectively. The final result was an average decline of 4.7% for the week.
The S&P 500 moved 1.4% higher for the second week in a row. I was right, and I have still been right 49 of the past 75 weeks, or 65% of the time.
Let's turn our attention to the week ahead. I see Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA +0.00%), H.B. Fuller (FUL 1.86%), and Tesla Motors (TSLA 0.88%) as stocks you might want to consider steering clear of this week. Let's go over my near-term concerns with all three investments.
NASDAQ: WBA
Key Data Points
1. Walgreens Boots Alliance
It's hard to get excited for drugstore operators these days. Next-gen online pharmacies with a ruthless approach to cost-cutting are gnawing away at the market share of established brick-and-mortar chains. The current administration is driving prescription prices lower, too. At the front of the store, rising labor and operating costs are making it challenging to crank out impressive margins on stuff more folks are just buying online.
That makes for a dreary backdrop heading into Walgreens Boots Alliance's fiscal-second quarter results on Tuesday morning. Investors aren't holding out for much. Wall Street pros see a 30% decline in earnings per share on flat earnings. Margins are getting squeezed, after all.
Image source: Getty Images.
It gets worse. I like to check in on analyst moves ahead of telltale financial results. Over the past week, three firms have lowered their price targets on Walgreens Boots Alliance. This isn't the picture of health investors like to see with a quarterly update around the corner.
NYSE: FUL
Key Data Points
2. H.B. Fuller
The world's largest pure-play adhesives provider reports quarterly results this week. The numbers haven't been as sticky as its products. H.B. Fuller fell short of Wall Street revenue targets in back-to-back reports, and its earnings also missed analyst expectations last time out.
The market's bracing for a rough quarter when H.B. Fuller steps up after Wednesday's close. The consensus calls for a 26% year-over-year decline in revenue on a nearly 4% drop on the top line.
H.B. Fuller has been around since 1887. It's not going away anytime soon. However, its pedestrian 1.2% dividend yield and growth concerns aren't going to help if it checks in with another disappointing financial update this week.
NASDAQ: TSLA
Key Data Points
3. Tesla Motors
I have nothing but love for Tesla, the product. I've owned a Tesla for more than two years, and I can't fathom driving anything else. However, I do see shares that have nearly doubled since bottoming out in January. The counterargument is that Tesla stock has shed more than half of its value from its all-time high in late November.
The problem is that the downticks through early January were justified. Tesla was slashing prices in its two largest markets, initially to clear inventory in December, and then tweaking prices lower this year to qualify for U.S. tax credits.
There's a counterargument to that bearish scenario, too. Tesla has the margin wiggle room to cut prices and protect its market share. Legacy automakers trying to break in to the EV realm are not as fortunate. However, Tesla's run over the past two months has already had its setbacks. The stock could be in for another breather until investors get some clarity on how its profits will look after this quarter's pricing moves.
The stock market is always on the move. If you're looking for safe stocks, you aren't likely to find them in Walgreens, H.B. Fuller, and Tesla this week.
