Heading into the final month of a remarkable year, the S&P 500 has advanced in 11 of the past 13 months. A handful of retailers, led by the rebounding RH (RH), report as the holiday shopping season arrives full force. Dow Jones software play Salesforce (CRM) is just one of many stocks in buy zones or near buy points ahead of the coming week’s earnings reports. Economic news is also likely to have an influence on the stock market, as the November jobs report lands just ahead of the year’s final Federal Reserve rate policy meeting.
Stocks To Watch: Some Breakout-Ready Big Names
The stock market rally continues to make progress, with the major indexes at or near highs. Several stocks are near buy points, including tech titans Amazon.com (AMZN) and Meta Platforms (META), along with insurance giant Travelers (TRV), luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers (TOL) and Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (BRKB). Amazon and Toll Bros. are in buy zones. Berkshire had pulled back to just below its entry, following a brief breakout on Wednesday. Travelers and Facebook-parent Meta are both in flat bases, which are also base-on-base patterns. Travelers is nearer to its buy point, and in a four-week rebound from support at its 10-week moving average.
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Stocks Rally To Close Out Strong November; Nvidia, Apple, Shopify In Focus
Economic Calendar: Jobs Data Could Bring Clarity
The November jobs report could make the difference between a third-straight rate cut and a pause at the Fed’s December meeting. Despite strong economic growth, the job market has flashed caution signs as hurricanes and strikes muddled the data. Friday’s report could provide some clarity. FactSet consensus expects a 180,000 job gain, including 177,500 in the private sector. That would be pretty weak, unless October’s paltry 12,000 job gain is revised substantially higher. The unemployment rate is seen rising to 4.2% from 4.1%. Also in focus: The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, out Tuesday, and Wednesday’s private-sector jobs report preview from ADP.
Blue Chip Journal: Software Leader In A Buy Zone
Dow Jones enterprise software maker Salesforce reports Q3 earnings after the stock market close on Tuesday. Salesforce stock rallied into the Q3 print, scoring a breakout from a seven-month base, amid rising expectations for monetized generative artificial intelligence products. Salesforce recently pivoted to autonomous AI agents. For Q3, analysts project a 16% rise in adjusted EPS and a 7% gain in revenue. A key metric, current remaining performance obligations, targets a 9% rise to $26.1 billion. Some analysts will look for CEO Marc Benioff’s views on management changes with the chief financial officer’s planned departure and the head of AI research leaving for Meta Platforms.
Technology Earnings: HP Poised To Accelerate
Management’s 2025 guidance, and views on demand for “accelerated” servers designed for artificial intelligence applications in data centers will be key When Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) reports fiscal Q4 earnings on Thursday. For the October quarter, analysts model adjusted EPS up 7%, with revenue rising 12%. Shares are up 26% this year.
Security Software: Cybersecurity Looks For A Lift
Zscaler, SentinelOne (S) and Okta (OKTA) report earnings in the coming week. Analysts model an adjusted EPS dip of 6% when Zscaler reports Monday, amid higher sales and marketing investments. Revenue is expected to jump 22%. On Wednesday, SentinelOne’s one-cent-per-share target would mark a 141% surge from a year earlier. Analysts predict revenue will rise 28%. Okta’s adjusted profit, on Thursday, is expected to rise 33%, with revenue climbing 11%. Despite the critical need for security software, the stock market has shown little enthusiasm. Zscaler shares are down 7% this year. SentinelOne is essentially flat. Okta is down 14%.
Chart Readers’ Radar: Breakouts For The Holidays
A broad array of stocks are in or near buy zones as the companies prepare to roll out their late-season earnings in the coming week. Marvell (MRVL), Box (BOX), Donaldson (DCI), Thor Industries (THO), Chewy (CHWY), Kroger (KR) and Signet (SIG), to name a few. Expectations are highest for Chewy (a 170% EPS jump). Buying ahead of earnings is a risky move. But studying IBD’s option-trading strategy is a great way to capitalize while reducing risk.
Retail Earnings: RH Faces Strong Expectations
A mostly ragtag group of retail stocks move to close out the Q3 reporting season. Five Below (FIVE) and Dollar Tree (DLTR), Lululemon Athletica (LULU) and Ulta Beauty (ULTA). RH may show the most promise of the group, up 82% from a June low, analyst expect a 733 surge in earnings, turning around eight quarters of declines.
Calendar Notes: Two Key Materials Confabs
An important week for the materials sector opens with the Goldman Sachs Industrials and Materials Conference on Monday. Companies presenting include BorgWarner (BWA), Honeywell (HON) and 3M (MMM). Citi will host two key conferences, both of which get underway on Tuesday. Alcoa (AA), Air Products (APD) and International Paper (IP) will present at the basic Materials Conference. The Citi Global Healthcare conference includes AbbVie (ABBV), Bristol-Meyers (BMY) and Merck (MRK).
Stock Market Earnings Briefs
Credo Technology Group (CRDO) reports fiscal Q2 earnings Monday. Analysts project adjusted EPS of 5 cents, up 422% from a year earlier, with revenue climbing 52% to $66.8 million. Credo’s products speed communications among racks of computer servers in data centers. Shares are extended after an October breakout.
AeroVironment (AVAV) reports Q2 2025 results late Wednesday. Analysts expect the drone and missile maker to post a nearly 22% decline in earnings to 76 cents per share on a slight uptick in revenue to $181.8 million. AVAV stock has rallied nearly 56% so far this year.
Guidewire (GWRE) reports fiscal Q1 earnings on Thursday. Analysts the insurance software maker to report adjusted EPS of 30 cents, down 27% from a year earlier, with revenue climbing 22% to $254 million. Shares have a year-to-date gain of 85%
Lululemon Athletica (LULU) reports late Thursday. Analysts project growth will slow from a double-digit pace to 6.9%, year over year, on the top and bottom lines. Holiday-quarter outlook will be key. The yogawear retailer has struggled with a slowdown in the U.S. and botched product launches. Ahead of the report, LULU stock wrestled the 200-day moving average — below which it has traded since March.
Veeva Systems (VEEV) is on deck to report its fiscal third-quarter results after the stock market closes on Thursday. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expect Veeva to earn an adjusted $1.58 per share on $684 million in sales. Earnings would rise 18% while sales climb almost 11%.
Samsara (IOT) reports Q3 earnings Thursday. Analysts expect adjusted profit to be flat year-over-year at 4 cents per share, with revenue rising 31% to $310.6 million. Samsara provides sensors and cloud-based software to manage vehicle fleets and industrial operations.
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