#S&P500  #emini  #ESfutures  #SP500

Market Pressures_

Copper rallies with the dollar drop. Gold and silver are near a new long entry.

Crude oil continues in the move up. Natural gas rallied 20 cents off the 2.84 lows.

The US 30 year Treasury Bond is at a downside target and may rally with the dollar decline.

The US Dollar futures are in a move down creating opposite reactions in the equities and the commodities.

_______________

S&P 500 Futures_

Monthly – In the move up from the 2152 long entry in early 2017. Trade pressures are up. Volumes closed the month of August as bullish. The next monthly target up is 3383. A close below 2726 would confirm any weekly move lower.

Weekly – New Yearly highs. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. At the 2927 target. The next target up is 3234. Expect consolidation here. A close below 2867 would confirm any daily move lower.

Daily – Flat. In the move up from the 2754 level and at the 2938 upside target. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are bearish.

The next target up is 2988.

A close below 2886 would signal lower.

Expecting consolidation here. The projected earnings for the S&P 500 constituent stocks is $178; applying a 15-17 multiple to that suggests a fair value of 2700 to 3000 on the S&P 500 for 2018.

The Navellier Top 5 stocks pulled back this week, but earnings projections remain positive.

#S&P500  #emini  #ESfutures  #SP500

Market Pressures _

Copper moving side ways as trade pressures ease. Gold attempts a move up as silver plummets.

Crude oil starting to show bearish volumes. Natural gas is at the bottom of a channel.

The US 30 Year Treasury Bonds futures are in the short trade.

The US Dollar futures are pointing down. Reflexive moves – The dollar rises, commodities fall, then the country currencies involved in those commodities hedge their currencies with long gold trades.

_________________

S&P 500 Futures_

Monthly – In the move up from the 2152 level. Trade pressures are up and trending. Volumes closed the month of August as bullish. The next target up is 3103. A close below 2701 would confirm any weekly move lower.

Weekly – In the move up from the 2800 new long entry. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 3226. A close below 2844 would confirm any daily move lower.

Daily – Flat. In the move up from the July 2740 entry. Trade pressures have returned to up. Volumes are Bullish.

The next target up is 2988.

Moving side ways after the late August high pivot. A close below 2862 would signal lower.

 

The Navellier Top 5 moved up to near their old highs which would be about a $22,000 move up for the year on the $125,000 virtual portfolio.

 

#S&P500  #emini  #ESfutures

Market Pressures_

Copper attempted a new move up but failed. Gold is neutral and silver is in the move down.

Crude oil is looking lower. Natural gas is in a move down.

The US 30 year Treasury Bond futures are in a new short trade.

The US Dollar futures are bouncing off moving average support and looking higher.

___________________

S&P 500 Futures_

Monthly – Sept is lower than August. Trade pressures are up and trending. Volumes closed the month of August as bullish. The next target up is 3102. A close below 2696 would confirm any weekly move lower.

Weekly – A pullback this week, but still in the up trend. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bearish. The next target up is 2927. A close below 2838 would confirm any daily move lower.

Daily – Flat. Remains in the uptrend. Trade pressures are down into the neutral zone. Volumes are bearish. The next target up is 2988. A close below 2857 would signal lower.

The Navellier Top 5 portfolio was up about $11,000 in August on the virtual $125,000 invested. September is looking lower.

#emini #ES #spfutures

Market Pressures_

Copper is trying to moe up into a new long trade. Gold is trying to move up also. Silver is consolidating at the 14.43 downside target.

Crude oil is in the move up from last week. Natural Gas tried a move up but is meeting resistance.

The US 30 year Treasury Bond rallied into the last vacation week of August but has pulled back to the lower channel support line.

The US Dollar futures are in a pull back after a rally off the 94.29 level.

_______________

S&P 500 Futures_

Monthly – New Highs. Trade pressures are up and trending. Volumes closed the month of August as bullish. The next target up is 3103. A close below 2695 would confirm any weekly move lower.

Weekly – A 21 week run higher! Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 2927. A close below 2838 would confirm any daily mover lower.

Daily – Flat. Stopped out of this move up on the pullback on the 8/15 leaving more than 100 pts. Trade pressures are up and rolling over. Volumes are bearish to neutral.

The next target up is 2968.

A close below 2857 would signal lower.

The Navellier TOP 5 got a boost from the ABMD and LULU earnings. WEX was dropped and GRUB was added.

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,

High-Growth Investments Top 5

HollyFrontier Corp. (HFC) is my top High-Growth Investment stock yet again. HollyFrontier is an independent petroleum refiner and marketer that serves the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains and Southwest regions of the U.S. The company produces gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, specialty lubricant products, liquefied petroleum gas, fuel oil, and specialty and modified asphalt.

For the second quarter, HollyFrontier’s earnings surged 498% year-on-year to $345.5 million, or $1.94 per share. Adjusted earnings per share were $1.45, which missed estimates for $1.61 per share by 9.9%. Second-quarter revenue increased 29.2% year-over-year to $4.47 billion. Analysts were expecting sales of $4.07 billion, so HollyFrontier posted a 9.8% sales surprise.

While HFC initially declined on the earnings miss, it has since recovered completely. And I expect it to move higher from here. With its strong forecasted sales and earnings, and solid 1.8% dividend yield, HFC is one of my top refining plays.

I recommend you buy this Aggressive stock up to $84 per share. As a refresher, Aggressive stocks should make up no more than 10% of your portfolio. These stocks have more upside potential, but they also come with more downside risk. So please make sure to follow my 60%/30%/10% rule for HFC.

SOM Technicals:

6-30-18: Closed at 68.43. Trade pressures are down. Volume has closed as neutral. In the move down and at the 66.42 target.

7-6-18: Closed at 68.60. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are neutral. Holding at the 161.00 pullback level.

7-14-18: Closed at 68.68. Trade pressures are down but rising. Volumes are now neutral. Sitting on support. A close above 72 would trigger a new long entry.

7-20-18: Closed at 71.02. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are now bullish. The next target up is 73.10.

7-29-18: closed at 74.07. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 75.41.

8-4-18: Closed at 67.65. Trade pressures are up but turning down. Volumes are now bearish. Earnings miss. At support now.

8-10-18: Closed at 69.01. Trade pressures are down. volumes are bearish. The prior low is support at 65.77.

8-18-18: Closed at 68.63. Trade pressures are down and trending. Volumes are bearish. The prior low is 65.77.

8-26-18: Closed at 73.58. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. the 25×5 moving average is at 70.70.

9-1-18: Closed at 74.72. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. Thru the 25×5 and a new long entry is at 75.41.

9-8-18: Closed at 70.81. Trade pressures are up, but rolling over. Volumes are now bearish. 65.77 is support.

9-15-18: Closed at 70.39. Trade pressures are down into the neutral zone. Volumes are bearish. 65.77 is support.

9-23-18: Closed at 66.88. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are neutral. The next target down is 59.05 and the 200 day moving average.

 

ABIOMED, Inc. (ABMD) returns to the Top 5 list after rebounding nicely in the past month. This is the only medical devices company that provides technologies that replace or assist the pumping function of a failing heart. This is a big deal because heart disease accounts for some 800,000 deaths in the U.S. alone each year. So ABIOMED provides lifesaving services to tens of thousands of patients and their families. There’s strong demand for heart disease treatments, especially ABIOMED’s medical devices.

ABIOMED will announce its third-quarter results towards the end of October. And it’s shaping up to be a strong report. Analysts are expecting earnings of $0.74 per share on $175.7 million in revenue, or 37% annual earnings growth and 32.2% annual sales growth. Then again, ABMD is one of my earnings heavyweights. Last quarter, it posted a whopping 137.8% earnings surprise. Analysts have revised their earnings estimates higher in recent weeks, so I’ll be looking for big things from ABIOMED’s third-quarter report.

ABIOMED also recently lifted its outlook for FY 2018. The company expects revenue between $755 million and $770 million, representing 27% to 30% annual sales growth. Clearly, many people rely upon ABIOMED’s lifesaving innovations, and this translates to strong sales and earnings. Buy this Moderately Aggressive stock up to $452 per share.

SOM Technicals:

3-30-18: Closed at 290.99. Trade pressures are down into the neutral zone. On the 25×5 moving average as support. The next target up is 323.10.

4-7-18: Closed at 286.22. Trade pressures are neutral. Volumes are neutral. the Next target up is 323.10

4-14-18: Closed at 297.00. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 323.10.

4-21-18: Closed at 305.92. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 323.10.

4-27-18: Closed at 300.83. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are neutral. The next target up is 323.10.

5-5-18: Closed at 349.28. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. the next target up is 359.38. 

5-11-18: Closed at 372.70. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 412.00.

5-19-18: Closed at 384.36. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 412.

5-26-18: Closed at 391.49. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. the next target up is 412.00.

6-3-18: Closed at 392.25. Trade pressures are up but turning down. Volumes are neutral. The next target up is 412.00.

6-8-18: Closed at 409.77. Trade pressures are up but turning over. Volumes are neutral. Traded to the 412.00 target and now experiencing profit taking.

6-16-18: Closed at 443.58. Trade pressure are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 463.97.

6-22-18: Closed at 427.29. Trade pressures are up but rolling over. Volumes are now bearish. The next target up is 463.97. Support is the 25×5 moving average at 411.26.

6-30-18: Closed at 409.05. Trade pressures are down into the neutral zone. Volumes are bullish to bearish. At the 25×5 moving average support.

7-6-18: Closed at 406.00. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are bearish. Back at the June breakout levels.

7-14-18: Closed at 418.76. Trade pressures are down but rising. Volumes are now bullish. Need to get thru the 433 resistance.

7-20-18: Closed at 423.48. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 463.97.

7-29-18: Closed at 368.17. Missed on earnings. Trade pressures are up but trending down. Volumes are high but neutral. Support is at 341.85.

8-4-18: Closed at 377.11. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are bearish. In the retracement move back up. The new long entry is at 385.54.

8-10-18: Closed at 377.83. Trade pressures are down but rising. Volumes are bullish. Touched the new long entry.

8-18-18: Closed at 358.82. Trade pressures remain down. Volumes are bearish. The prior low is 344.11.

8-26-18: Closed at 381.03. Trade pressures are up into the neutral zone. Volumes are bullish. At the 25×5 resistance.

9-1-18: Closed at 406.58. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bearish on Friday. In the new move up, the next target up is 452.59.

9-8-18: Closed at 377.49. Trade pressures are down into the neutral zone. Volumes are bearish. Support at 341.11.

9-15-18: Closed at 395.67. Trade pressures are in the neutral zone . Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 452.59.

9-23-18: Closed at 384.88. Trading pressures are in the neutral zone. Volumes are neutral. Still in uptrend and the next target up is 452.59.

 

Lululemon Athletica, Inc. (LULU) continues its winning streak on the Top 5 list. Today, the stock closed 13% higher after reporting its second-quarter results.

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.

Lululemon released its second-quarter results after the closing bell on Thursday. And it was an excellent report. Sales rose 25% year-on-year to $724 million. Analysts expected sales of $667.8 million, so Lululemon posted an 8.4% sales surprise. Over the same period, comparable sales climbed 20%. Lululemon’s comparable sales in Asia grew a stunning 55%. Meanwhile, income from operations nearly doubled year-over-year to $134.2 million. Earnings came in at $0.71 per share. This beat the $0.49 consensus EPS estimate by a whopping 45%.

Pleased with these results, Lululemon lifted its third-quarter outlook. The company now expects earnings to range between $0.65 and $0.67 per share, or between 16.1% and 19.6% annual earnings growth. Net revenue is expected to be between $720 million and $730 million, or between 16.3% and 17.9% annual sales growth. This is well above the Street view of $0.64 EPS on $708.6 million in sales.

LULU shares shot up after its report, and I see plenty of upside potential here. Buy this Moderately Aggressive stock up to $167 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.

 

Ecopetrol SA (EC) is another familiar name on the Top 5 list. Thanks to a series of strategic acquisitions and oilfield discoveries, Ecopetrol is Colombia’s largest oil company and Latin America’s fourth-largest oil company. With operations in Brazil, Colombia, Peru and the U.S. Gulf Coast, Ecopetrol accounts for 60% of oil production in Colombia.

Last quarter, Ecopetrol achieved “significant operational and financial achievements” in the second quarter. Part of the company’s success was due to its highest production levels in seven quarters. Ecopetrol produced 721,000 barrels of petroleum equivalent per day during the second quarter.

Ecopetrol reported that second-quarter sales increased 29.2% year-over-year to 16.99 trillion Colombian pesos. Net income surged 169.7% year-over-year to 3.52 trillion Colombian pesos (or $1.17 billion). In U.S. dollar terms, earnings came in at $0.60 per ADS. This beat the $0.57 per ADS consensus estimate by 5.3%.

Looking ahead, the company is on track to meet its 2018 production goal of 715,000 to 725,000 barrels per day. After this announcement, analysts scrambled to revise their earnings estimates higher. For the current quarter, the consensus estimate calls for 190.9% earnings growth and 35.9% sales growth.

Clearly, the sky is the limit for Ecopetrol. Buy this Moderately Aggressive stock up to $25 per share.

SOM Technicals:

6-30-18: Closed at 20.55. Trade pressures are rising into the neutral zone. Volumes are bullish. Meeting the 25×5 moving average resistance at the 21.03 level. 

7-6-18: Closed at 20.49. Trade pressures are up into the neutral zone. Volumes are now bullish. A close above 20.44 would signal higher.

7-14-18: Closed at 20.72. Trade pressures are in the neutral zone. Volumes are mixed neutral and bullish. The next target up is 23.28.

7-20-18: Closed at 20.85. Trade pressures are in the neutral zone. Volumes are now bullish. The next target up is 23.28.

7-29-18: Closed at 20.68. Trade pressures are still in the neutral zone. Volumes are bearish. Consolidating after a new buy signal.

8-4-18: Closed at 21.32. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are now bearish. In the move up off the June lows. The next target up is 23.28.

8-10-18: Closed at 20.90. Trade pressures are down into the neutral zone. Volumes are bearish. Now sitting on support.

8-18-18: Closed at 20.49. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are bearish.The prior low is 18.68.

8-26-18: Closed at 22.10. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are neutral. The next target up is 23.28.

9-1-18: Closed at 22.60. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 23.28.

9-8-18: Closed at 22.32. Trade pressures are up but turning down. Volumes are mixed, bearish to bullish. The next target up is 23.28.

9-15-18: Closed at 25.14. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are neutral. The next target up is 26.12.

9-23-18: Closed at 24.78. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are neutral. Consolidating at the 26.12 target.

 

GrubHub Inc. (GRUB) joins the Top 5 list after just one month on the Buy List. And it’s easy to see why—the stock has surged an impressive 31% since I added it! The catalyst was a strong second-quarter earnings report, and I see further upside potential here.

GrubHub is revolutionizing the food delivery industry, one order at a time. The company operates GrubHub, Seamless and Eat 24, online ordering platforms that connect hungry customers in 1,600 cities with 80,000 local restaurants. The company also operates two online menu websites—Allmenus.com and MenuPages.com. Together, these websites are helping to make paper takeout menus obsolete.

These easy-to-use apps are becoming very popular. Last quarter, active diners surgedi 72% year-over-year to 15.1 million. Of those, nearly a half a million users were Daily Active Grubs, which meant they placed orders every single day. Given this phenomenal growth rate, it’s no surprise that GrubHub is entering dozens of new markets every quarter.

So I’m looking forward to GrubHub’s third-quarter earnings report, which is slated for the end of October. The Street view is for earnings of $0.41 per share on $238.1 million in revenue, or 46% earnings growth and 46% sales growth. GrubHub is also known for beating estimates, so I expect that it’ll do even better.

In the meantime, buy this Moderately Aggressive stock up to $162 per share.

SOM Technicals:

9-1-18: Closed at 144.11. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. In the move up from the 105.30 entry. The next target up is 152.41.

9-8-18: Closed at 141.92. Trade pressures are up but turning down. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 152.41.

9-15-18: Closed at 146.11. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 152.41.

9-23-18: Closed at 135.75. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are bearish. The next target down is 128.90.

Market Pressures_

Copper is pressing up against a breakout to the upside. Gold is is a new long trade but needs confirmation. Silver is consolidating at a downside profit target.

Crude oil triggered a second leg up. Natural Gas is signaling lower.

The US 30 Year Treasury Bond futures are approaching the July highs.

The US Dollar futures are signaling lower.

__________________

S&P 500 Futures_  #emini #spfutures

Monthly – Near the old highs. Trade pressures are up and trending. Volumes closed the month of July as bullish. The next target up is 3102. A close below 2883 would confirm any weekly move lower.

Weekly – Remains in the uptrend. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 2927. A close below 2749 would confirm any daily move lower.

Daily – Flat. In the move up from the 2740 long entry. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 2894. A close below 2824 would signal lower.

The time cycle expired on the 23rd and the next day the market has a rally.

The Navellier Top 5 have held up well and rallied into the weekend.

Market Pressures_

Copper rips down thru the prior lows. Gold is testing the yearly lows. Silver is under similar pressures down.

Crude Oil futures are in the second leg down. Natural gas is at resistance with pressures pointing up.

The US 30 year Treasury Bonds are at a new decision point.

The US Dollar futures are at target and experiencing consolidation.

______________

S&P 500 Futures_ #spfutures

Monthly – Up against a potential MACD crossover. Trade pressures are up and leveling out. Volumes closed the month of July as bullish. The next target up is 2887.A close below 2634 would confirm any weekly move lower.

Weekly -Resistance has been broken and now in a new uptrend. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is the prior high at 2887, then 3226. A close below 2738 would confirm any daily move lower.

Daily – Flat. The prior long trade was stopped out at the 2789 level, but turned back higher the next two weeks. Trade pressures are still in the neutral zone. Volumes remain bullish.

The next target up is again the prior high of 2887. Support has been the 2800 level.

A close below the 2803 would signal lower.

The Navellier Top 5 are sagging in this low volume August, but the expected sales and earnings growth  exceeds that of the general market. These Top 5 are still up roughly 10% on the year.

Market Pressures_

Copper is consolidating with a bias to the upside. Gold and Silver in similar consolidation, but gold still has pressures on the downside, while silver seems to see accumulation.

Crude oil’s upward retracement has failed. The Natural Gas break out is up against resistance.

The US 30 year Treasury bonds are rising as the dollar rises.

The US Dollar futures are in a new breakout above the prior consolidation at 95.

________________________

S&P 500 Futures_ ESU18  #spfutures

Monthly – Remains in the move up. Trade pressures are up but in a decline. Volumes closed the month of July as bullish. The next target up is 2887. A close below 2534 would confirm any weekly move lower.

Weekly – Thru the upside resistance and in a mew move up. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is the old high of 2887. A close below 2734 would confirm any Daily move lower.

Daily – Flat. The drop near the end of the week spurred by currency fears stopped out the long trade with a 109 pt profit. Trade pressures are still up but have declined to near the neutral zone,. Volumes are bearish at the close of this last week.

Technically the move up is still intact. The expected resistance at the 2866 level rejected price. A close below 2803 would trigger a new move lower.

August 23rd is an end of a series of time cycles; so, look for downward pressures into that date.

The Navellier Top 5 are experiencing a sell off despite some good earnings reports. Maybe a “tell” for the market?

 

Market Pressures_

Copper ran up to a target the retraced to get stopped out at the entry price. Gold and Silver remain under downward pressure.

Crude oil is in a move up with our much conviction. Natural Gas is in a new move up but also with no momentum.

The US 30 year treasury Bond had a nice short trade but was stopped at the first profit target.

The US Dollar futures are in a move up and retesting the prior highs.

________________

S&P 500 Futures_

Monthly – Into the fifth month of a rally off the February-March 2018 correction. Trade pressures are up but showing some divergences. Volumes closed the July month as bullish. The next target up is the 2887 prior high. Another close below the 2667 level would confirm a weekly move lower.

Weekly – Since April, no move down has lasted more than two weeks. Trade pressures are up, but diverging from price. Volumes have returned to bullish. In the new move up from 2800. The next target up is the prior high of 2887 and then the 3226 61% target. A close below 2730 would confirm a daily move lower.

Daily – Long. In the move up from the 2740 July long entry. Trade pressures are in the neutral zone. The next target up is 2866. A close below 2789 would signal lower. Timing signals show some downward time pressure Aug 16th to Aug 21st.

[8-7-18: OCO, one cancels the other. Raise the stop to the 60 min short entry of 2849. Set the profit stop at the 2866 profit target.]

[8-10-18: Long trade stopped out at the 2849 short entry. No short entry til an upside retest of the 2869 area.]

The Navellier Top 5 have have experienced earnings misses and paid the price. Both Abiomed and HollyFrontier have missed and dropped in price. But earnings growth remains intact, so Navellier keeps them on the list.

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,

High-Growth Investments

HollyFrontier Corp.

HollyFrontier Corp. (HFC) once again claims the top spot on the Top 5 list. HollyFrontier is an independent petroleum refiner and marketer that serves the Great Plains, Rocky Mountains and Southwest regions of the U.S. The company produces gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, specialty lubricant products, liquefied petroleum gas, fuel oil, and specialty and modified asphalt. HollyFrontier operates five refineries in Kansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Wyoming and Utah.

Just a few weeks ago, HollyFrontier announced plans to acquire Red Giant Oil Company. With over 115 years in the business, Red Giant Oil is one of the continent’s largest suppliers of locomotive engine oil. Red Giant Oil is headquartered in Council Bluffs, Iowa. It has storage facilities across Idaho, Utah and Wyoming, and it has a blending and packaging facility in Texas. This acquisition is expected to generate $7.5 million in annual earnings for HollyFrontier. The deal should wrap up in the third quarter of 2018.

In the meantime, HollyFrontier will announce its second-quarter results before the opening bell on Thursday, August 2. And the latest estimates are looking great, with analysts calling for 17.7% annual sales growth and a whopping 143.9% annual earnings growth. Over the past 90 days, the consensus EPS estimate has jumped 18.4% to $1.61.

HollyFrontier has a history of smashing estimates. Last quarter, it posted a stunning 102.6% earnings surprise. And for three of the past four quarters, it has posted a double- or triple-digit earnings surprises. So I’m expecting big things from HollyFrontier on August 2.

Over the next few days, HFC will also likely declare its next quarterly dividend. HFC rewards shareholders with a 2.0% annual dividend yield. Buy HFC, an Aggressive stock, up to $83 per share.

SOM Technicals:

6-30-18: Closed at 68.43. Trade pressures are down. Volume has closed as neutral. In the move down and at the 66.42 target.

7-6-18: Closed at 68.60. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are neutral. Holding at the 161.00 pullback level.

7-14-18: Closed at 68.68. Trade pressures are down but rising. Volumes are now neutral. Sitting on support. A close above 72 would trigger a new long entry.

7-20-18: Closed at 71.02. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are now bullish. The next target up is 73.10.

7-29-18: closed at 74.07. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 75.41.

8-4-18: Closed at 67.65. Trade pressures are up but turning down. Volumes are now bearish. Earnings miss. At support now.

8-10-18: Closed at 69.01. Trade pressures are down. volumes are bearish. The prior low is support at 65.77.

8-18-18: Closed at 68.63. Trade pressures are down and trending. Volumes are bearish. The prior low is 65.77.

8-26-18: Closed at 73.58. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. the 25×5 moving average is at 70.70.

 

ABIOMED Inc.

My next Top 5 stock may surprise some of you. I decided to add ABIOMED Inc.(ABMD) to the Top Stocks list again this month, even though the stock pulled back on Thursday’s earnings report. I’ll review the latest results in a moment, but what you need to know is that ABMD is a great buy on the dip. It is still an excellent long-term holding on our High-Growth Investments Buy List.

As a refresher, ABIOMED is the only medical devices company that provides technologies that replace or assist the pumping function of a failing heart. This is a big deal because heart disease accounts for some 800,000 deaths in the U.S. alone each year. So ABIOMED provides a life-saving service to tens of thousands of patients and their families. There’s strong demand for heart disease treatments, especially ABIOMED’s medical devices. This was clear in the company’s first-quarter report.

Total first-quarter revenue jumped 36% year-over-year to $180 million, topping estimates for $173.27 million. Breaking this down, worldwide Impella heart pump revenue came in at $173.7 million, or 37% annual growth. U.S. Impella heart pump revenue totaled $151.7 million, and revenue from Impella heart pumps outside of the U.S. was $21.9 million.

ABIOMED reported a first-quarter profit of $90.1 million, or $1.95 per share. Adjusted earnings per share were $0.78, which fell short of estimates for $0.82 per share. The earnings miss, as minor as it was, weighed on ABMD shares on Thursday.

I expect that ABMD will bounce back. The company has excellent forecasted sales and earnings for the foreseeable future. In fact, for fiscal year 2019, ABIOMED lifted its revenue guidance by $15 million. The company now expects revenue between $755 million and $770 million, or 27% to 30% annual sales growth.

ABIOMED also announced on Thursday that its Impella 2.5, Impella CP and Impella 5.0 heart pumps were approved by the Central Drugs Standard Control Organization for use in India. An 86-year-old man was the first patient in India, and he was treated with the Impella 2.5 heart pump. Day-by-day, ABIOMED continues to revolutionize how we treat heart disease. Buy ABMD, a Moderately Aggressive stock, up to $403 per share.

SOM Technicals:

3-30-18: Closed at 290.99. Trade pressures are down into the neutral zone. On the 25×5 moving average as support. The next target up is 323.10.

4-7-18: Closed at 286.22. Trade pressures are neutral. Volumes are neutral. the Next target up is 323.10

4-14-18: Closed at 297.00. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 323.10.

4-21-18: Closed at 305.92. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 323.10.

4-27-18: Closed at 300.83. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are neutral. The next target up is 323.10.

5-5-18: Closed at 349.28. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. the next target up is 359.38. 

5-11-18: Closed at 372.70. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 412.00.

5-19-18: Closed at 384.36. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 412.

5-26-18: Closed at 391.49. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. the next target up is 412.00.

6-3-18: Closed at 392.25. Trade pressures are up but turning down. Volumes are neutral. The next target up is 412.00.

6-8-18: Closed at 409.77. Trade pressures are up but turning over. Volumes are neutral. Traded to the 412.00 target and now experiencing profit taking.

6-16-18: Closed at 443.58. Trade pressure are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 463.97.

6-22-18: Closed at 427.29. Trade pressures are up but rolling over. Volumes are now bearish. The next target up is 463.97. Support is the 25×5 moving average at 411.26.

6-30-18: Closed at 409.05. Trade pressures are down into the neutral zone. Volumes are bullish to bearish. At the 25×5 moving average support.

7-6-18: Closed at 406.00. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are bearish. Back at the June breakout levels.

7-14-18: Closed at 418.76. Trade pressures are down but rising. Volumes are now bullish. Need to get thru the 433 resistance.

7-20-18: Closed at 423.48. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are bullish. The next target up is 463.97.

7-29-18: Closed at 368.17. Missed on earnings. Trade pressures are up but trending down. Volumes are high but neutral. Support is at 341.85.

8-4-18: Closed at 377.11. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are bearish. In the retracement move back up. The new long entry is at 385.54.

8-10-18: Closed at 377.83. Trade pressures are down but rising. Volumes are bullish. Touched the new long entry.

8-18-18: Closed at 358.82. Trade pressures remain down. Volumes are bearish. The prior low is 344.11.

8-26-18: Closed at 381.03. Trade pressures are up into the neutral zone. Volumes are bullish. At the 25×5 resistance.

 

Lululemon Athletica Inc. (LULU) joins the Top 5 list after just one month on the High-Growth Investments Buy List. Over the past two decades, Lululemon has practically invented 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.

Lululemon will post its second-quarter results around late August. And it’s already shaping up to be an excellent report. Analysts are forecasting 25.6% annual earnings growth and 14.6% annual sales growth. Those estimates will likely rise in the coming weeks. Over the past 60 days, analysts have increased the consensus earnings estimate by 8.8%.

Lululemon has beaten estimates for the past several quarters running, and I expect a repeat performance here. Buy LULU, a Conservative stock, up to $128 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

 

Ecopetrol SA (EC) returns to the Top 5 list for the second month in a row. Thanks to a series of strategic acquisitions and oilfield discoveries, Ecopetrol is Colombia’s largest oil company and Latin America’s fourth-largest oil company. With operations in Brazil, Colombia, Peru and the U.S. Gulf Coast, Ecopetrol accounts for 60% of oil production in Colombia.

With oil production plummeting in Venezuela, Brent crude oil prices are on the rise. Ecopetrol is benefitting from this trend. Also, Colombia’s recent Presidential election had a favorable outcome for Colombia’s oil industry. President Ivan Duque has pledged to cut taxes and boost the company’s competitiveness in the energy patch.

Ecopetrol has been taking advantage of this environment. The company is ramping up its spending, with plans to invest $3.5 billion to $4.0 billion in boosting production and exploring for more oil. This year, it will double the number of rigs that it has in operation. Ecopetrol expects 2018 production to range between 715,000 and 725,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day. By 2020, Ecopetrol is targeting output of 870,000 barrels of oil per day.

This, plus rising oil prices, translates to strong forecasted sales and earnings growth. We don’t have to wait long for its next earnings report—Ecopetrol’s next announcement will be results on or around August 7. Right now, the consensus estimate is for $0.35 EPS on $5.13 billion in revenue. Compared with the year ago quarter, this represents a whopping 150% bottom-line growth and 11.7% top-line growth. Buy EC, a Moderately Aggressive stock, up to $23 per share.

SOM Technicals:

6-30-18: Closed at 20.55. Trade pressures are rising into the neutral zone. Volumes are bullish. Meeting the 25×5 moving average resistance at the 21.03 level. 

7-6-18: Closed at 20.49. Trade pressures are up into the neutral zone. Volumes are now bullish. A close above 20.44 would signal higher.

7-14-18: Closed at 20.72. Trade pressures are in the neutral zone. Volumes are mixed neutral and bullish. The next target up is 23.28.

7-20-18: Closed at 20.85. Trade pressures are in the neutral zone. Volumes are now bullish. The next target up is 23.28.

7-29-18: Closed at 20.68. Trade pressures are still in the neutral zone. Volumes are bearish. Consolidating after a new buy signal.

8-4-18: Closed at 21.32. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are now bearish. In the move up off the June lows. The next target up is 23.28.

8-10-18: Closed at 20.90. Trade pressures are down into the neutral zone. Volumes are bearish. Now sitting on support.

8-18-18: Closed at 20.49. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are bearish.The prior low is 18.68.

8-26-18: Closed at 22.10. Trade pressures are up. Volumes are neutral. The next target up is 23.28.

 

WEX, Inc. (WEX) is another new addition to the High-Growth Investments Buy List. Last month, I added WEX as another play on rising consumer spending in the U.S. In 1983, Wright Express Corporation got its start as a fleet card provider. Since then, the company has grown by leaps and bounds, securing a leadership position in the global corporate payments industry. In 2012, the company changed its name to WEX, Inc. to better brand its business internationally.

Today, with the help of its more than 3,000 associates around the world, WEX strives to simplify payment systems, as well as give is clients better control over their business, more efficiency, lower operating costs and a better customer experience. Three company operates three divisions: Fleet Solutions, Travel & Corporate Solutions, and Health & Employee Benefit Solutions.

Last year, WEX achieved $30 billion in total purchase volume across its three businesses. A few of its biggest customers include AutoZone, Verizon, Sheetz, Sunoco, Enterprise Fleet Management, Bank of America, PNC, Kaiser Permanente and Chevron.

WEX will report its second-quarter results before the opening bell on August 2. The consensus estimate calls for 61.9% annual earnings growth and 20.4% annual sales growth. As with our other Top 5 stocks, analysts have been hiking up their estimates. Over the past 90 days, the consensus EPS estimate has jumped 9.7% to $2.04.

Looking forward, WEX has a long-term annualized revenue growth target of 10% to 15%. This is a great way to profit from the retail comeback in the U.S. Buy WEX, a Conservative stock, up to $206 per share.

SOM Technicals:

7-30-18: Closed at 192.67. Trade pressures are down into the neutral zone. Volumes are now bearish. 187 is the next support level.

8-4-18: Closed at 187.53. Trade pressures are down. Volumes are neutral. The next target down is 173.82.

8-10-18: Closed at 182.71. Trade pressures are down and trending. Volumes are bearish. the next target down is 173.82.

8-18-18: Closed at 183.00. Trade pressures are down and trending. Volumes are bearish. The next target down is 173.82.

8-26-18: Closed at 188.88. Trade pressures are up into the neutral zone. Volumes are bullish. 193.81 would start a new leg up.