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CNBC's Final Trades: Four Market Pros Weigh In on Amazon, Morgan Stanley and More

MarketDash Editorial Team
2 days ago
Four investment pros shared their top picks on CNBC, ranging from a financial giant riding wealth management tailwinds to an energy play with a nearly 7% dividend yield.

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Thursday's CNBC Halftime Report Final Trades segment brought four market professionals to the table, each with a distinct pick spanning financials, defense contractors, energy infrastructure, and tech.

Morgan Stanley's Wealth Management Appeal

Sarat Sethi, managing partner and portfolio manager at DCLA, led off with Morgan Stanley (MS), pointing to momentum in the firm's wealth management division. "I think you got great tailwinds in the wealth management business," Sethi explained.

The timing aligns with Morgan Stanley's broader digital ambitions. The bank recently announced plans to launch a digital wallet in the second half of 2026, marking another step into digital assets and blockchain infrastructure. Meanwhile, JPMorgan analyst Kian Abouhossein maintained a Neutral rating on the stock while bumping the price target from $157 to $162.

Leidos: Charts and Balance Sheets

Bill Baruch, founder and president of Blue Line Capital, turned attention to Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS). He said the defense contractor's chart looks almost as good as its balance sheet, noting that a move above $200 could signal further upside.

Leidos recently brought in Theodore "Ted" Tanner Jr. as its new chief technology officer on December 15, adding some executive firepower to the team.

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Income Play with Enterprise Products

Jenny Harrington, CEO of Gilman Hill Asset Management, highlighted Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (EPD) for income-focused investors, emphasizing its 6.9% dividend yield.

That said, analyst sentiment has cooled slightly. Raymond James analyst Justin Jenkins downgraded Enterprise Products Partners from Strong Buy to Outperform on January 5, though he kept the $36 price target intact.

Amazon Gets the Vote

Joshua Brown, co-founder and CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, went with Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) as his final trade.

His pick has analyst support. Jefferies analyst Brent Thill maintained a Buy rating on Monday and raised the price target from $275 to $300, giving the e-commerce and cloud giant some fresh bullish backing.

How the Stocks Traded

Thursday's price action told a mixed story. Morgan Stanley shares dipped 0.1% to close at $184.68. Leidos fell 0.7% to settle at $195.22. Enterprise Products Partners gained 0.5% to close at $31.86. Amazon was the day's winner among the four, rising 1.9% to settle at $246.29.

Back to Stock Market News

CNBC's Final Trades: Four Market Pros Weigh In on Amazon, Morgan Stanley and More

MarketDash Editorial Team
2 days ago
Four investment pros shared their top picks on CNBC, ranging from a financial giant riding wealth management tailwinds to an energy play with a nearly 7% dividend yield.

Get Amazon.com Alerts

Weekly insights + SMS alerts

Thursday's CNBC Halftime Report Final Trades segment brought four market professionals to the table, each with a distinct pick spanning financials, defense contractors, energy infrastructure, and tech.

Morgan Stanley's Wealth Management Appeal

Sarat Sethi, managing partner and portfolio manager at DCLA, led off with Morgan Stanley (MS), pointing to momentum in the firm's wealth management division. "I think you got great tailwinds in the wealth management business," Sethi explained.

The timing aligns with Morgan Stanley's broader digital ambitions. The bank recently announced plans to launch a digital wallet in the second half of 2026, marking another step into digital assets and blockchain infrastructure. Meanwhile, JPMorgan analyst Kian Abouhossein maintained a Neutral rating on the stock while bumping the price target from $157 to $162.

Leidos: Charts and Balance Sheets

Bill Baruch, founder and president of Blue Line Capital, turned attention to Leidos Holdings, Inc. (LDOS). He said the defense contractor's chart looks almost as good as its balance sheet, noting that a move above $200 could signal further upside.

Leidos recently brought in Theodore "Ted" Tanner Jr. as its new chief technology officer on December 15, adding some executive firepower to the team.

Get Amazon.com Alerts

Weekly insights + SMS (optional)

Income Play with Enterprise Products

Jenny Harrington, CEO of Gilman Hill Asset Management, highlighted Enterprise Products Partners L.P. (EPD) for income-focused investors, emphasizing its 6.9% dividend yield.

That said, analyst sentiment has cooled slightly. Raymond James analyst Justin Jenkins downgraded Enterprise Products Partners from Strong Buy to Outperform on January 5, though he kept the $36 price target intact.

Amazon Gets the Vote

Joshua Brown, co-founder and CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, went with Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) as his final trade.

His pick has analyst support. Jefferies analyst Brent Thill maintained a Buy rating on Monday and raised the price target from $275 to $300, giving the e-commerce and cloud giant some fresh bullish backing.

How the Stocks Traded

Thursday's price action told a mixed story. Morgan Stanley shares dipped 0.1% to close at $184.68. Leidos fell 0.7% to settle at $195.22. Enterprise Products Partners gained 0.5% to close at $31.86. Amazon was the day's winner among the four, rising 1.9% to settle at $246.29.