Best Performing Stocks To Watch Right Now

tags:RAVE,CBFV,ALXN,

The so-called "smart money" hedge funds are dramatically underperforming this year.

Goldman Sachs explained the weakness is the result of big positions in Facebook shares and disastrous bets against stocks.

The firm said the average stock hedge fund is down 1 percent this year through Aug. 17 versus the S&P 500's 8 percent gain.

"Volatility among the most popular stocks and low net leverage in a rising market have weighed on recent hedge fund returns," strategist Ben Snider said in Goldman's quarterly "Hedge Fund Trend Monitor" report Monday. "Nearly 100 hedge funds owned Facebook as a top 10 portfolio position at the start of 3Q … weighing on fund returns as the stock tumbled in July."

Facebook shares plunged 19 percent on July 26, a day after the internet giant warned about slower sales growth for the third and fourth quarters and a reduced forecast for long-term profit margins.

Best Performing Stocks To Watch Right Now: Rave Restaurant Group, Inc.(RAVE)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Media coverage about Pizza Inn (NASDAQ:RAVE) has trended somewhat positive recently, according to Accern. The research group identifies positive and negative press coverage by reviewing more than twenty million news and blog sources in real-time. Accern ranks coverage of publicly-traded companies on a scale of -1 to 1, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Pizza Inn earned a coverage optimism score of 0.06 on Accern’s scale. Accern also assigned news coverage about the restaurant operator an impact score of 44.1311226041984 out of 100, indicating that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the company’s share price in the immediate future.

Best Performing Stocks To Watch Right Now: CB Financial Services, Inc.(CBFV)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  CB Financial Services Inc (NASDAQ:CBFV)’s share price hit a new 52-week high and low on Wednesday following a dividend announcement from the company. The company traded as low as $34.95 and last traded at $34.40, with a volume of 4600 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $34.65.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on CB Financial Services (CBFV)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

Best Performing Stocks To Watch Right Now: Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(ALXN)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Lange]

  Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s (NASDAQ: ALXN) short interest rose to 4.64 million shares from the previous level of 4.57 million. Shares were trading at $116.55, in a 52-week range of $96.18 to $149.34.

• [By Motley Fool Transcribing]

  Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALXN) Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallFeb. 4, 2019 8:00 a.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

• [By Chris Lange]

  Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ALXN) is scheduled to reveal its first-quarter results Thursday morning. The consensus forecast calls for EPS of $1.50 and $922.99 million in revenue. Shares were trading at $107.78 on Friday's close. The consensus price target is $158.60, while the 52-week range is $96.18 to $149.34.

• [By Brian Feroldi]

  In response to the company reporting expectation-topping first-quarter results and sharing upbeat pipeline news, shares of Alexion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALXN) jumped 12% as of 3:15 p.m. EDT on Thursday.

• [By Chris Lange]

  The Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ALXN) second-quarter report is scheduled for Thursday before the opening bell. The consensus forecast is $1.70 in EPS on $977.89 million in revenue. Shares ended the week at $135.27 apiece. The consensus price target is $158.89, and the 52-week range is $102.10 to $149.34.