Sell in May, then go away got pushed to the side during the first full week of trading for the month. Investors were mostly in a buying mood, pushing the S&P 500 to within 60 points of its all-time high.  

If you’re looking for even better news, there’s some evidence that the winners are beginning to move beyond the tech sector. But finding those winners comes down to earnings. Companies delivering strong earnings reports and backing them up with solid guidance are being rewarded.  

The good market vibes could change next week when new reads on inflation are released. Investors will also get a read on consumer sentiment when retail stocks such as Walmart Inc. NYSE: WMT and The Home Depot Inc. NYSE: HD report earnings. The MarketBeat team will be covering those earnings reports as well as other stocks and stories moving the markets. Here are some of our most popular articles from this week.   

Articles by Jea Yu 

In this week’s options trading focus, Jea Yu explained the long strangle strategy, which is popular during earnings season as stocks tend to see significant price moves. Long strangles allow investors to bet on the magnitude, not the direction, of the underlying stock price.  

Yu also helped investors understand how the mega-trend towards electrification 2.0 can benefit Generac Holdings Inc. NYSE: GNRC. The stock has been struggling as demand normalizes for its signature home generators. However, the company has a significant role to play as the United States updates an aging electrical grid, including the demand that will come from data centers.  

Weight loss drugs continue to be a popular investment even as the cost of GLP-1 drugs is shrinking. This week, Yu explained why investors should view any pullback in Eli Lilly and Co. NYSE: LLY as a buying opportunity.   

Articles by Thomas Hughes 

With all the things to consider when researching a stock, it can be easy to overlook the person in charge. This week, Thomas Hughes focused on three companies that are good buying opportunities because of the Chief Executive Officer’s leadership. 

While shares of The Walt Disney Company NYSE: DIS are down following earnings, Hughes broke down the numbers and explained why the magic is returning to the company — and why investors should use this post-earnings dip as a buying opportunity.  

On the other hand, Hughes explained why Roblox Corporation NYSE: RBLX is losing its magic touch. The company, which designs games targeted at kids ages 9 to 12, saw its stock drop sharply despite a solid earnings report. The problem is that the growth isn’t nearly fast enough to meet the elevated expectations that come from the metaverse.  

Articles by Sam Quirke 

Articles by Chris Markoch 

As expected, Palantir Technologies Inc. NYSE: PLTR was a market mover, but not in the way that bulls had hoped for. Chris Markoch analyzed the company’s earnings report, which had great headline numbers. But when Palantir guided for slightly lower revenue, traders seized the opportunity to take profit and Markoch explained that Palantir is a magnet for traders and long-term investors. The traders won the day this week, but the long-term outlook for Palantir remains strong.  

Articles by Ryan Hasson 

was a top-performing stock heading into earnings, which had the company set up for potential disaster if it didn’t deliver on earnings. But not to worry, Micron Technology . In his article, Ryan Hasson analyzed what investors should do next.  

Through the first quarter of 2024, many biotech stocks have lagged the market — but not all. Hasson analyzed three of the best-performing biotech stocks and why there could be more upside ahead.  

Articles by Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli 

There are signs that the market is shifting from growth to value. Gabriel Osorio-Mazilli highlighted three value stocks that are currently undervalued but give investors reason to believe they can provide substantial growth. 

As inflation continues to affect the price of new cars, auto parts stocks remain attractive for cyclical investors. Osorio-Mazilli analyzed the stock of three auto parts makers that will benefit not only from consumer demand but also from rising commodity prices on steel and aluminum.  

And while you’re considering how rising commodity prices can benefit the auto parts makers, you may also want to look at these three metals stocks that Osorio-Mazilli believes could be poised for double-digit growth when, or if, the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates sometime this year. 

Before you consider Walmart, you’ll want to hear this.

MarketBeat keeps track of Wall Street’s top-rated and best performing research analysts and the stocks they recommend to their clients on a daily basis. MarketBeat has identified the five stocks that top analysts are quietly whispering to their clients to buy now before the broader market catches on… and Walmart wasn’t on the list.

While Walmart currently has a “Moderate Buy” rating among analysts, top-rated analysts believe these five stocks are better buys.

View The Five Stocks Here