The stock market edged slightly higher by Friday’s closing bell, despite another attempt by bank stocks to pull everyone lower. The S&P 500 increased 0.3% at day’s end, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.2%.
As we head into the new week, you’ll want to pay close attention to a small set of stocks: Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATVI), Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT).
Here’s what you need to know:
Alcoa Inc (AA)
Alcoa will act as the starter pistol for the first-quarter earnings season later today, and as one can expect from most stocks with an afternoon earnings release, AA could be on the move well before we see any results.
For the record, analysts are expecting Alcoa to earn 2 cents per share on revenues of $5.14 billion for the quarter ended March 16. That would represent a 93% decline in earnings on a drop of nearly 12% in sales.
That also reflects a rapidly declining view of Alcoa over the past month, as analysts had expected 7 cents per share on average when asked 90 days ago.
Apple Inc. (AAPL)
Apple shares will try to recover from last week’s slide, but it will be a (literally) uphill climb, as AAPL will have to do so as reviews for the new iPhone — which are hardly flattering — continue to roll in.
The iPhone SE is smaller than the iPhone 6s, reaching after consumers who simply don’t like the larger form factor, and also gunning after lower-market consumers. However, the device’s look leaves something to be desired.
Perhaps the most disappointing feature of the iPhone SE is the fact that its display is not as solid as its predecessor. It has a 4-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD with 640 x 1136 pixels and 60.8% screen-to-body ratio — the iPhone 6s has a 4.7-inch LED-backlit IPS LCD, graphics at 1334 x 750 pixels and a 65.6% screen-to-body ratio.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (WMT)
Walmart shares may be on the upswing as the company made a bold move with hopes of attracting more consumers.
Walmart’s Spring MegaRollback promotion is here, offering discounts for 900 of its items. Some products are selling at discounts of more than 25 of their original price.
Among the store’s spring offerings are a solid wood potting bench for $99.99 (down from $199.95), an outdoor swing canopy hammock for under $200 and a family cabin tent for $174.
As of this writing, Karl Utermohlen did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.
