Stocks with a high short interest have outperformed the market over the past five years, but is this meme trading or a new trend in long-term investing? Plus, the crew talks about Taiwan Semiconductor's earnings, Google's medical AI, and the "cockroaches" that could be hiding in the market.
American Express delivered quarterly results ahead of Wall Street expectations, prompting a positive market response. Management attributed the quarter’s momentum to accelerating cardmember spending, a resurgence in travel activity, and continued strength in retail categories. CEO Stephen Squeri highlighted the recent refresh of the U.S. Platinum Card as a primary driver, noting that “initial customer demand and engagement are exceeding our expectations.” The company also pointed to excellent credit performance and stable delinquency rates supporting profitability.
Shares of athletic apparel retailer Lululemon (NASDAQ:LULU)
jumped 4.4% in the afternoon session after BNP Paribas Exane upgraded the stock to Neutral from Underperform, setting a new price target of $146. The upgrade came after the shares had fallen about 65% since the firm's previous downgrade, leading the analyst to note that the current valuation was "pricing in a lot of bad news." The firm also pointed to potential positive developments that could help the stock. These included a partnership with American Express Platinum and the possibility of "founder-led activism." Analysts suggested that most negative expectations from Wall Street were already factored into Lululemon's stock price.
A surprisingly strong finish on Wall Street capped a volatile week. Calming words from President Trump about China and better-than-expected earnings from regional banks fueled a late-session rebound, pushing major indices into positive territory.
