The Latest Picks And Pans From Barron’s: Barrick Gold, BioNTech, Facebook, WW And More

Market Trading EssentialsApril 4, 2021

3 minutes read

This weekend’s Barron’s cover story discusses a beleaguered social media giant that is still a buy.
Other featured articles share infrastructure picks, capital spending picks and a veteran fund manager’s income picks.
Also, see the prospects for an up-and-coming biotech, a gold rebound play, a personal services provider and more.

Cover story “Like It or Not, Facebook Stock Is a Buy” by Max A. Cherney points out that social network Facebook, Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) has been beat up by controversy, and yet users and advertisers keep showing up. See why Barron’s believes investors now have a chance to buy a growth story on the cheap. Could the stock see a gain of 20% or more in the next year?

Daren Fonda’s “Stocks That Could Gain the Most From Biden’s Infrastructure Plan” discusses how many infrastructure plays have already run up, yet there could be further gains if the market sees a bill inching toward passage. Featured picks run the gamut from Aecom (NYSE: ACM) to Vulcan Materials Company (NYSE: VMC).

In “BioNTech Has Surged on Covid Vaccine. Its Next Big Hit Might Take a While,” Josh Nathan-Kazis shows how BioNTech SE (NASDAQ: BNTX) CEO and co-founder Ugur Sahin intends to make this Germany-based biotech the next Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) or Genentech.

Due to Bitcoin’s growing acceptance as an alternative asset class and to higher Treasury rates, gold has lost some of its luster, according to “Gold Is Due for a Comeback. Barrick Is a Good Way to Play It” by Andrew Bary. Find out why Barron’s thinks shares of mining giant Barrick Gold Corp (NYSE: GOLD) offer a cheap and attractive hedge against financial turmoil.

In Avi Salzman’s “Americans Are Ready to Shed the Pandemic Pounds. This Stock Can Benefit,” discover how WW International Inc (NYSE: WW), the former Weight Watchers, has weathered the lockdowns and shifted its focus to digital subscriptions. The article makes the case that this consumer stock is a healthy reopening play.

“American Road Trip: How the Motel Industry Grew Up” by Kenneth G. Pringle chronicles the growth of the motel industry from the start, as “ramshackle cabins” led to the modern offerings from Wyndham Hotels & Resorts Inc (NYSE: WH) and its peers. Find out how Holiday Inn reshaped the industry and spurred its growth.

Conditions are ideal for a pickup in capital expenditure — even before an infrastructure push. So says Jack Hough’s “11 Stocks That Could Get a Shot in the Arm as Business Spending Gains.” The featured picks include the likes of Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT), Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) and Schlumberger NV (NYSE: SLB).

In “Fund Vet’s Top Picks: ‘Dogs,’ Reopen Plays, REITs, and Preferreds,” Lawrence C. Strauss reveals the latest ideas from a veteran fund manager who has spent much of his long career seeking income across stocks, bonds and other asset classes. Check out what the expert sees in Coca-Cola Co (NYSE: KO), Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ), Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ: WBA) and others.

Sarah Max’s “It’s a Great Time to Own Financial Stocks. Here’s Why” suggests that the financial sector is poised to shine, notwithstanding the emergence of newly disruptive technologies. See whether Square Inc (NYSE: SQ) and Wells Fargo & Co (NYSE: WFC) are among those stocks that are worth a look now.

Also in this week’s Barron’s: