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Top Stock Picks From CNBC's Final Trades: Tech Giants and an Infrastructure Play

MarketDash Editorial Team
5 hours ago
Investment experts made their picks on CNBC's Halftime Report, choosing Palo Alto Networks, Micron, Adobe, and Vertiv. Each recommendation came with fresh earnings beats or upcoming catalysts that have market watchers paying attention.

Four investment pros shared their top stock picks on CNBC's "Halftime Report Final Trades," and the list reads like a who's who of technology and infrastructure plays. Here's what caught their attention and why these names might be worth watching.

Palo Alto Networks Gets the Nod After Earnings Beat

Brenda Vingiello, chief investment officer of Sand Hill Global Advisors, went with Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW) as her pick. The cybersecurity company gave investors plenty to like when it reported first-quarter results on November 19. Revenue came in at $2.47 billion, edging past analyst estimates of $2.46 billion. More importantly, adjusted earnings hit 93 cents per share, beating the 89 cents Wall Street was expecting.

Micron: A Pre-Earnings Bet

Kevin Simpson, CEO and founder of Capital Wealth Planning, chose Micron Technology, Inc. (MU) ahead of its upcoming earnings announcement. The memory chip maker is scheduled to release first-quarter results after the closing bell on Wednesday, December 17. Analysts are forecasting earnings of $3.91 per share, a substantial jump from $1.79 per share in the same quarter last year. Revenue expectations are equally impressive, with projections calling for $12.86 billion compared to $8.71 billion a year earlier. That's the kind of growth that gets attention in the semiconductor space.

Adobe Riding Recent Earnings Momentum

Jim Lebenthal, partner at Cerity Partners, picked Adobe Inc. (ADBE) following the software giant's solid fourth-quarter performance. On December 10, Adobe reported earnings of $5.50 per share, beating the analyst consensus of $5.39. Revenue of $6.19 billion also topped the Street estimate of $6.11 billion, marking a healthy increase from $5.61 billion in the year-ago period. When a company consistently beats expectations, it tends to stay on investors' radar screens.

Vertiv Gets a Vote Despite Recent Volatility

Stephen Weiss, chief investment officer and managing partner of Short Hills Capital Partners, selected Vertiv Holdings Co (VRT) as his final trade. The infrastructure company recently received a boost from Goldman Sachs analyst Mark Delaney, who maintained a Buy rating on December 9 and lifted the price target from $182 to $204. That's a meaningful vote of confidence from one of Wall Street's major players.

How the Stocks Traded

Friday's trading session showed mixed results for these picks. Palo Alto shares climbed 0.7% to close at $191.69, while Adobe gained 1.7% to finish at $356.43. On the flip side, Micron dipped 6.7% to settle at $241.14, and Vertiv Holdings fell 9.7% to close at $161.27. That volatility is exactly why these pros get paid to make tough calls on when to buy.

Back to News

Top Stock Picks From CNBC's Final Trades: Tech Giants and an Infrastructure Play

MarketDash Editorial Team
5 hours ago
Investment experts made their picks on CNBC's Halftime Report, choosing Palo Alto Networks, Micron, Adobe, and Vertiv. Each recommendation came with fresh earnings beats or upcoming catalysts that have market watchers paying attention.

Four investment pros shared their top stock picks on CNBC's "Halftime Report Final Trades," and the list reads like a who's who of technology and infrastructure plays. Here's what caught their attention and why these names might be worth watching.

Palo Alto Networks Gets the Nod After Earnings Beat

Brenda Vingiello, chief investment officer of Sand Hill Global Advisors, went with Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (PANW) as her pick. The cybersecurity company gave investors plenty to like when it reported first-quarter results on November 19. Revenue came in at $2.47 billion, edging past analyst estimates of $2.46 billion. More importantly, adjusted earnings hit 93 cents per share, beating the 89 cents Wall Street was expecting.

Micron: A Pre-Earnings Bet

Kevin Simpson, CEO and founder of Capital Wealth Planning, chose Micron Technology, Inc. (MU) ahead of its upcoming earnings announcement. The memory chip maker is scheduled to release first-quarter results after the closing bell on Wednesday, December 17. Analysts are forecasting earnings of $3.91 per share, a substantial jump from $1.79 per share in the same quarter last year. Revenue expectations are equally impressive, with projections calling for $12.86 billion compared to $8.71 billion a year earlier. That's the kind of growth that gets attention in the semiconductor space.

Adobe Riding Recent Earnings Momentum

Jim Lebenthal, partner at Cerity Partners, picked Adobe Inc. (ADBE) following the software giant's solid fourth-quarter performance. On December 10, Adobe reported earnings of $5.50 per share, beating the analyst consensus of $5.39. Revenue of $6.19 billion also topped the Street estimate of $6.11 billion, marking a healthy increase from $5.61 billion in the year-ago period. When a company consistently beats expectations, it tends to stay on investors' radar screens.

Vertiv Gets a Vote Despite Recent Volatility

Stephen Weiss, chief investment officer and managing partner of Short Hills Capital Partners, selected Vertiv Holdings Co (VRT) as his final trade. The infrastructure company recently received a boost from Goldman Sachs analyst Mark Delaney, who maintained a Buy rating on December 9 and lifted the price target from $182 to $204. That's a meaningful vote of confidence from one of Wall Street's major players.

How the Stocks Traded

Friday's trading session showed mixed results for these picks. Palo Alto shares climbed 0.7% to close at $191.69, while Adobe gained 1.7% to finish at $356.43. On the flip side, Micron dipped 6.7% to settle at $241.14, and Vertiv Holdings fell 9.7% to close at $161.27. That volatility is exactly why these pros get paid to make tough calls on when to buy.