Stocks in Play - January 17th 2025

TLDR Stocks in Play: QRVO, AAPL, CRYPTO

Welcome to today's Stocks in Play report. Below are the key stocks to watch, along with brief x-ray and analysis. I’m early posting this morning as I have to attend to some personal matters so will likely miss some of the later morning earnings.

If you find this Newsletter helpful and ever want to say thank you then feel free to Buy Me a Coffee. It’ll inspire me to work faster….

1) Qorvo (QRVO) (Rating: B-, Single-Day)

Industry Group: Semiconductors Market Cap: $6.9b,  Float: 95m, Short Interest: 8.6%, Days to Cover: 2.7, Exchange: NASDAQ

Catalyst: Activist Investors Starboard have taken a large (8%) stake in QRVO according to WSJ Article. They are pushing for changes. This stock is a whopping 60% off it’s 2021 highs. Big gap down last earnings. Some huge volume came in in December. In the Semiconductor space so should be a hot stock. Usually I’m not too impressed with these activist investor buys as SIPs but this company is small enough and beaten down enough for there to be a strong price impact.

Honorable Mention to: AAPL - Will temporarily turn off Apple Intelligence news alert after being criticized for inaccurate information. Had a big negative day yesterday (-4%). I think we probably get some more downside today if it rejects $230 early in the day. There is likely opportunity for a day two short or a bounce later in the day. Personally I prefer playing the bounce. CRYPTO - Crypto Stocks are getting a strong push this morning after Trump said yesterday that Crypto would be a ‘‘National Priority’’ after he takes office. My favoured plays are always MARA & MSTR. But here is a full Crypto Watchlist

Market Awareness

Difficult choppy day yesterday. Exactly the days you want to realize quickly and just walk away from the screen. I didn’t manage to do that as early as I would have liked but no big deal. We are at the top of this 6 week channel, rejected yesterday like it has done each previous. Inauguration next week, new US Administration. So we either Breakout of this today and next week or take another trip back to the bottom of the channel.

I think the most likely scenario is an inside day here. I note that we are gapping up from yesterdays close so I won’t be looking to enter anything early. Most likely waiting for a single digit trade later in the day for some lunch money. Save the mental capital for the big weeks. With Trump and big earnings next week I think that is the play here.

Top Pick Watchlists:

• Top Picks - November 2024

  • LONG: ALAB, HNST, SNOW, ESTC, RKLB, SMTC, URBN, PLTR, GAP, TSLA, SE, RDDT

• Top Picks - December 2024 

  • LONG: CRDO, MRVL, OKTA, FIVE, RBRK, AVGO

• Top Picks - January 2025 

  • LONG: CEG, FUBO, BLK

Sources & Services I Use in my Trading:

• Finviz - Short Interest, Float, Articles, Fundamentals (Free)

• Benzinga Pro - News Source + News Squawk + Earnings Data (Paid)

• Tradingview - Charting & Scanning (Paid)

• Koyfin - Fundamental Data (Paid)

• EarningsWhispers - Earnings Calendar (Free)

• Tradersync - Trade Journal (Paid)

_{PS: There are many ways to trade stocks in play. It does not have to be the one that keeps going straight up and sometimes it doesn’t even have to be day one of the catalyst. Everyone must find a setup, timeframe and method that works for them. This list is supposed to educate on the criteria I use and the methods in which I find Stocks in Play. Yours may differ and that is completely okay.}