The following is provided by Navellier with technical comment from South Ocean Management – pls do your own due diligence.

https://navelliergrowth.investorplace.com/

Navellier says,

Burlington Stores, Inc. (BURL) is making its third-straight appearance on the Top 5 Stocks list. The company remains a fixture in shopping centers across the country. In fact, while many department stores are downsizing and cost cutting, Burlington Stores is thriving. That’s because it offers shoppers high-quality, name brand merchandise at unbeatable prices. Of course, every store claims to do that, but Burlington Stores actually delivers through its off-price model.

The company released third-quarter results on Wednesday, November 28—and it was a stunning quarter. Burlington Stores noted that it saw a 4.4% increase in comparable sales and 13.7% total sales growth. Total third-quarter sales were $1.63 billion, which topped estimates for $1.6 billion.

Burlington Stores also posted 70% annual third-quarter earnings growth. Adjusted earnings came in at $83 million, or $1.21 per share, compared with $0.70 per share in the same quarter a year ago. The consensus estimate called for adjusted earnings of $1.06 per share, so BURL beat estimates by 14.2%.

Looking forward to the fourth quarter, Burlington Stores expects total sales growth between 8% and 9%. Adjusted earnings per share are forecast to be between $2.71 and $2.75, up from $2.14 per share in the fourth quarter of 2017. Buy this Conservative stock up to $178 per share.

SOM Technicals:

9-29-18: Closed at 162.93. Trade pressures are down but rising into the neutral zone. Volumes are neutral. Need a close above 168.90 to signal higher.

10-7-18: Closed at 152.34. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are bearish. The next target down is 145.70.

10-13-18: Closed at 155.48. Trade pressures are up into the neutral zone. Volumes are now bullish. The next target up is the 25×5 resistance at 162.62.

10-20-18: Closed at 155.35. Trade pressures are up into the neutral zone. Volumes are bullish. 162.62 is now the new long entry.

10-28-18: Closed at 170.82. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. Ripped thru the new long entry; the next target up is 175.48.

11-3-18: Closed at 173.19. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. the next target up is 180.99.

11-10-18: Closed at 172.12. Trade pressures are up and rolling over. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 180.99.

11-17-18: Closed at 161.75. Trade pressures are up but have turned down. Volumes are Bearish. At the 25×5 moving average support line and the 162.62 long entry level.

11-24-18: Closed at 148.32. Trade pressures are now down. Volumes are bearish. At the 200 Day MA. The next target down is 135.90.

11-30-18: Closed at 166.13. Trade pressures are up into the neutral zone. Volumes are neutral. The bounce up off the 200 day MA was dramatic and marks that level as strong support. Next target up is 173.42.

12-8-18: Closed at 157.75. Trade pressures are up but turning down. Volumes are neutral. Support at the 200 day MA, @150.50.

12-15-18: Closed at 158.30. Trade pressures are still in the neutral zone. Volumes are bearish. Support is at the 200 day MA @151.46.

 

CME Group, Inc. (CME) is being added as a Top 5 Stock for December following its strong third-quarter earnings report. Before we dive into the numbers, let me share a quick review of the company for you: CME runs the world’s leading derivatives marketplace, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Simply put, CME Group dominates the world of options trading. In fact, its tagline is that it is “where the world comes to manage risk.” For those of you who aren’t as familiar with the CME, or “the Merc,” it trades several types of financial instruments: Interest rates, equities, currencies and commodities (like energy, agricultural products and metals). CME Group executes trades through its electronic trading platforms, and it also provides hosting, connectivity and customer support for electronic trading.

CME posted double-digit earnings growth for the third quarter. Last quarter, the company earned $411.8 million, or $1.21 per share, on $904 million in revenue. Compared with Q3 2017, this represented 33% annual earnings growth and 1.6% sales growth. Adjusted earnings came in at $1.45 per share. Analysts were expecting adjusted earnings of $1.43 per share on $913.3 million in revenue, so CME Group posted a 1.4% earnings surprise and a slight sales miss.

For the fourth quarter, the consensus estimate calls for earnings of $1.61 per share on $1.06 billion in sales, which represents 17.8% annual sales growth and 43.7% annual earnings growth. Earnings estimates have fluctuated a bit in the past three months, but CME has a history of topping estimates.

While CME is on our High-Growth Investment Buy List, we get the added benefit of its 1.4% annual dividend yield. It also has a strong track record of dividend increases and special dividends. In fact, since 2012, CME has returned nearly $10 billion to shareholders in the form of dividends. The company will pay a quarterly dividend of $0.70 per share on December 27. All shareholders of record on December 10 will receive the dividend. Buy this Conservative stock up to $202.

SOM Technicals:

11-30-18: Closed at 190.08. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are neutral. Support at 184.15.

12-8-18: Closed at 187.11. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are bearish. The 25×5 day MA is holding as support.

12-15-18: Closed at 187.54. Trade pressures are up in the neutral zone. Volumes are bearish. Holding support at the 25×5 MA.

 

Fortinet, Inc. (FTNT) is another premium cybersecurity play on the High-Growth Investments Buy List, which is why I’m keeping it on our Top 5 Stock list this month. Fortinet provides unified security solutions that can be deployed over digital networks to protect users against malware, spam and network intrusions. The company provides its security solutions to data centers, enterprises, carriers and distributed offices around the globe. Fortinet currently boasts a portfolio of more than 530 patents worldwide.

Since its founding back in November 2000, the company has experienced a meteoric rise. Over the past 18 years, it has shipped more than four million units of its security solutions. It has built up a base of over 360,000 customers. And since 2002, its revenues have surged from just $2 million to nearly $1.5 billion.

Clearly, the company’s products are in high demand. And FTNT is looking great going forward. For the third quarter, the company brought in $453.9 million in revenue. This represented a 21% increase over Q3 2017.This also beat the $450.9 million consensus estimate. Meanwhile, net income soared 120% year-over-year to $58.7 million, or $0.33 per share. Adjusted earnings came in at $0.49 per share. Analysts were expecting earnings of $0.42 per share, so Fortinet posted a 16.7% earnings surprise.

Looking ahead to FY 2018, Fortinet expects revenue will range between $1.785 billion and $1.795 billion. The company is also targeting adjusted earnings in the range of $1.72 to $1.76 per share. This represents 19.8% to 20.5% annual revenue growth and 65.4% to 69.2% annual earnings growth.

While the stock has pulled back in recent weeks, I believe this is more profit taking than anything else. FTNT remains an excellent cybersecurity play and a strong growth stock. Buy this Moderately Aggressive stock up to $80 per share.

SOM Technicals:

9-29-18: Closed at 92.27. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 99.90.

10-7-18: Closed at 86.10. Trade pressures are down into the neutral zone. Volumes are bearish. Support is at 83.83.

10-13-18: Closed at 79.95. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are bearish. The old upside target of 277.70 could hold support.

10-20-18: Closed at 81.20. Trade pressures are down but rising. Volumes are now bullish. 84.20 signals a new long entry.

10-28-18: Closed at 78.19. Trade pressures are down but showing some divergence. Volumes are neutral. The next target down is 76.14.

11-3-18: Closed at 72.56. Trade pressures are up into the neutral zone. Volumes are bearish. The 200 day is the next support at 65.28.

11-10-18: Closed at 74.73. Trade pressures are neutral. Volumes are neutral to bearish. Need a close above 79.15 to get going again.

11-17-18: closed at 73.45. Trade pressures are in the neutral zone. Volumes are bearish. At support/ Need the close above 79.16 to resume the move up.

11-24-18: Closed at 67.96. Trade pressures are now down. Volumes are mixed bullish to neutral. At the 200 day MA. Need a  close above 72.11 to resume any move up.

11-30-18: Closed at 73.84. Trade pressures are up into the neutral zone. Volumes are bullish. The 200 day MA was support. the next target up is 77.70.

12-8-18: Closed at 71.61. Trade pressures are up but turning down. Volumes are neutral. At the new long entry of 72.11.

12-15-18: Closed at 72.91. Trade pressures are down into the neutral zone. Volumes are bearish. 68.91 is support at the 200 day MA.

 

Lamb Weston Holdings (LW) was added to the Buy List in our November issue, and I like it so much that I’m making it a Top 5 Stock this month. As we discussed last month, the company is a leading supplier of frozen potato and vegetable products. When it comes to frozen potatoes, Lamb Weston is the top supplier in the United States, and the second-largest in the world.

Lamb Weston caught my eye because it’s a strong, predominantly domestic company that’s not adversely impacted by a strong U.S. dollar. Also, Lamb Weston is benefitting from strong restaurant sales—about a third of its revenue comes from the foodservice industry. When it comes to French fries and other potato products, Americans can’t seem to get enough.

Just look at the company’s latest quarterly results. Last quarter, Lamb Weston’s sales climbed 11.9% year-on-year to $914.9 million. Meanwhile, earnings jumped 30.4% year-on-year to $107.8 million, or $0.73 per share. This beat the $0.68 consensus estimate by 7.4%.

And Lamb Weston is expected to keep up the momentum. This quarter, analysts are calling for earnings of $0.72 per share on $897.1 million in revenue. This represents 33.3% annual earnings growth and 8.8% annual sales growth.

As an added bonus, LW has a 1.0% annual dividend yield. Speaking of which, LW paid a $0.191 per share dividend today, November 30. Shareholders of record on November 2 should have received the dividend. Buy this Conservative stock up to $82.

SOM Technicals:

11-30-18: Closed at 76.70. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are bearish. The next target down is 73.69. The 200 day MA is 67.40. Need a close above the 25×5 MA at 79.72 to get the uptrend moving again.

12-8-18: Closed at 73.45. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are neutral. Some consolidation here at the 73.69 downside target.

12-15-18: Closed at 75.83. Trade pressures are down but rising. Volumes are neutral. Consolidating after reaching the downside target of 73.89.

 

Lululemon Athletica, Inc.  (LULU) stays on our Top 5 list in anticipation of its upcoming third-quarter earnings report. Over the past two decades, Lululemon has led the athleisure fashion movement. Lululemon has more than 400 stores across four continents. And for workout buffs who are too busy to drive to their nearest store, there are multiple Lululemon e-commerce sites and mobile apps.

Even as it has grown its global footprint and customer base, Lululemon has kept true to its founding values. It differentiates itself by making some of the highest quality and most comfortable workout clothing that money can buy. Meanwhile, it maintains a strong presence in its local communities, offering free workshops and yoga classes in its stores.

Now is a good time to buy LULU on the dip because the company will post third-quarter results on Wednesday, December 5. And it’s shaping up to be an excellent report. The company expects between 16.1% and 19.6% annual earnings growth and between 16.3% and 17.9% annual sales growth. Analysts are even more bullish about the company, forecasting 23.2% annual earnings growth and 18.9% annual sales growth. Given that the consensus estimate has jumped 7.8% in the past 90 days, it’ll likely do even better.

I must also mention that LULU has had a lot of positive analyst attention. On Tuesday, a William Blair analyst maintained her “Outperform” rating ahead of the report due to the company’s strong sales trends, decent execution and strong flow of new products.

So while LULU has pulled back on general market volatility, I consider it an excellent buy on the dip. Buy this Moderately Aggressive stock up to $147 per share.

SOM Technicals:

7-30-18: Closed at 120.00. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are bearish. Consolidating at the prior 119.00 target level.

8-4-18: Closed at 126.08. Trade pressures are rising into the neutral zone. Volumes are bullish. Still in the consolidation zone. Need a close above 130.05 to start a new move up.

8-10-18: Closed at 130.52. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 150.12.

8-18-18: Closed at 130.19. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are neutral. One of the few with an upward bias in August.

8-26-18: Closed at 138.76. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 150.12.

9-1-18: Closed at 154.93. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are neutral. Big earnings surprise puts LULU above the 150.12 target. The next target up is 170.18.

9-8-18: Closed at 150.82. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are neutral. The next target up is 170.18. 

9-15-18: Closed at 153.71. Trade pressures are up and trending. Volumes are neutral. The next target up is 170.18.

9-23-18: Closed at 156.99. Trade pressures are up and trending. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 170.18.

9-29-18: Closed at 162.49. Trade pressures up and trending. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 170.18.

10-7-18: Closed at 153.84. Trade pressures are up but turning down. Volumes are bearish. The next target down is the 25×5 moving average at 148.50.

10-13-18: Closed at 143.71. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are bearish. The initial long entry at 130.05 is the the next support.

10-20-18: closed at 136.77. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are bearish. the prior long entry at 130.05 is support.

10-28-18: Closed at 134.82. Trade pressures are down. volumes are bearish. the next target down is 131.02.

11-3-18: Closed at 142.02. Trade pressures are down but rising. Volumes are bullish.  144.25 is the new long entry.

11-10-18: Closed at 137.56. Trade pressures are neutral. Volumes are bearish. support at the 133.13 low pivot.

11-17-18: Close at 139.02. Trade pressures are in the neutral zone. Volumes are mixed, bullish to bearish. At support need a close above the 144.35 level to resume the move up.

11-24-18: Closed at 120.86. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are neutral. At the 200 day MA. Need a close above 129.64 to start a new move up.

11-30-18: Closed at 132.55. Trade pressures are up into the neutral zone. Volumes are bullish. Again a nice bounce off the 200 day MA. This close above 129.64 restarts the move up.

12-8-18: Closed at 113.87. Trade pressures are into neutral zone. Volumes are very bearish. Next target down is 103.91.

12-15-18: Closed at 119.12. Trade pressures are down but showing divergence. Volumes are bearish. At the 200 day MA and holding.