NEW YORK, March 27, 2026, 07:03 EDT
StockStory’s latest breakdown of S&P 500 names split the field, favoring Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Progressive but sounding alarms for GoDaddy, Caterpillar, eBay, and Molson Coors—highlighting which companies are holding on to earnings momentum and which are feeling the pinch from weaker demand or rising costs. The analyses, posted from March 24 to March 27, are detailed here:
Timing is key. On Thursday, the Nasdaq fell into correction, while the S&P 500 logged its steepest single-day loss since Jan. 20. Investors keep toggling between defensive moves and picking spots, unsettled by jumpy oil prices and worries over rates rocking risk assets.
Big U.S. stocks keep pulling in cash. Equity funds picked up $37.24 billion for the week ending March 25—the biggest weekly haul since mid-November 2024. Barclays, meanwhile, upped its S&P 500 year-end call to 7,650, describing its outlook as “incrementally bullish” despite acknowledging choppier trading ahead. Reuters
HPE stood out as the bullish pick in the latest screen. According to StockStory, the company’s annual recurring revenue—basically contracted yearly sales from subscriptions and services—averaged 47.2% growth over the past two years. That pace, plus revenue projections, suggests more share gains ahead. On March 9, HPE announced its AI backlog had climbed past $5 billion. The company also lifted its fiscal 2026 adjusted earnings outlook and put second-quarter revenue above the Street’s expectations. CFO Marie Myers said HPE was now focused on “higher-margin product orders.” That’s as it goes head to head with Dell and Super Micro, navigating a market where expensive components and rapid product refreshes keep putting the squeeze on margins. StockStory
Progressive landed as the other bright spot. In a March 24 note, StockStory cited two-year net premiums earned climbing 18% and earnings per share jumping 72.1% annually. Back in January, Progressive reported a 25% profit gain for the fourth quarter, with net premiums written up 8%. The combined ratio stood at 88%, a level that signals profitable underwriting, since it measures claims and expenses versus premiums—under 100 is the key.
GoDaddy didn’t get a glowing review this round. StockStory flagged a slowdown in billings growth and highlighted that the sales growth outlook is lagging behind GoDaddy’s own recent pace. Back in February, GoDaddy had already warned investors that 2026 revenue would fall short of Wall Street’s forecasts, citing slower adoption of its AI offerings and tougher competition from Wix.
EBay got called out, mainly for its uneven active-buyer numbers and slimmer margins. Still, there’s another side: back in February, the company projected first-quarter revenue would beat expectations. CEO Jamie Iannone pointed to the Depop acquisition as a push toward younger consumers drawn to second-hand fashion.
Caterpillar and Molson Coors landed on the caution list as well. StockStory flagged Caterpillar’s stagnant sales and slipping earnings per share. Yet Reuters noted the machinery giant still topped quarterly forecasts, helped by strong orders for power systems—especially big generators snapped up by data center operators. Jefferies’ Stephen Volkmann pointed out that while sales surprised to the upside, ongoing tariff pressures could linger into 2026.
Molson Coors flagged dropping volumes, tighter margins, and disappointing returns on capital. Back in February, the brewer projected 2026 profits would take a big hit—aluminum prices rising, consumer spending taking a dip. CEO Rahul Goyal described the reset as a series of “difficult decisions” the company had to make. StockStory
The bearish narrative isn’t locked in just yet. Wall Street is looking for Caterpillar’s construction unit to flip positive this year. Over at eBay, management has put out guidance that tops consensus, while Molson Coors execs signal better days ahead for revenue. HPE faces a different hitch: Myers cautioned that prioritizing higher-margin AI orders might actually dampen AI systems revenue growth.
Selective bets are getting rewarded; the days of blanket bullishness aren’t here. Large-cap U.S. equity funds added $45.07 billion last week, but tech sector funds shed $1.45 billion. Doug Beath, global equity strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute, blamed the “fog of war” for pushing investors away from equities. Despite that, Barclays and HSBC maintain that U.S. growth and corporate earnings put Wall Street in a stronger position compared with most markets. Reuters
