In a recent segment of CNBC's "Halftime Report Final Trades," financial leaders shared their curated selections of stocks based on current market dynamics and earnings forecasts, giving investors a detailed perspective on several key companies in the energy, transportation, financial, and niche markets sectors.
Joshua Brown, co-founder and CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, singled out Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) as his final trade. Exxon Mobil is set to announce its results for the fourth quarter on Friday, January 30. Market analysts project the energy giant to report earnings of $1.69 per share on a substantial revenue base expected around $79.14 billion. This release is keenly anticipated as it will provide insights into the company’s performance amid fluctuating oil prices and evolving global energy demands.
Jim Lebenthal, a partner at Cerity Partners, selected Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) as his closing trade recommendation. Delta recently disclosed its financial outcomes for the last quarter and the full previous year and issued forward-looking guidance for both the first quarter and calendar year 2026. The airline cited stronger demand trends coupled with ongoing stringent control of operational costs as drivers behind its outlook.
Specifically, Delta Air Lines reported adjusted earnings in the fourth quarter of $1.55 per share, surpassing Wall Street’s estimate of $1.53. Additionally, revenue reached $16.003 billion, exceeding the consensus forecast of approximately $15.585 billion. These figures point to sustained recovery and profitability improvements in the competitive aviation market segment.
On the financial front, Stephanie Link, who serves as chief investment strategist, head of investment solutions, and portfolio manager at Hightower Advisors, noted a significant overreaction in the share price of Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF) during the previous trading session. She advocated for purchasing the stock amid recent price declines.
The downturn in Capital One's stock price followed remarks from President Donald Trump indicating that failure to enforce a cap on interest rates at 10% by January 20 would be considered a legal violation. This statement contributed to a broad sell-off within banking and financial sectors, impacting Capital One along with other banks.
Meanwhile, Joe Terranova, senior managing director at Virtus Investment Partners, highlighted TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:TKO) as a stock exhibiting solid technical resilience. He observed that TKO maintained support at its 50-day moving average, was exhibiting a positive rebound, and remained firmly within a bullish trend.
This bullish stance is further reinforced by BTIG analyst Tyler DiMatteo, who maintained a Buy rating on TKO Group as of December 31, simultaneously increasing the price target from $235 to $250. This signals confidence in the company’s prospects and performance momentum.
From a market action perspective, the day saw notable movements: Exxon Mobil shares improved 2%, closing at $126.54; Delta Air Lines' shares declined 2.4%, settling at $69.33; Capital One Financial witnessed a decrease of 0.8%, closing at $231.41; and TKO Group shares experienced a robust 4.9% gain, finishing at $208.89.
These figures reflect investor responses influenced by earnings expectations, regulatory developments, and technical chart indicators across sectors.
Investors looking deeper into stock opportunities might find value by reviewing analyses such as Benzinga’s latest research, which has identified seven stocks with strong potential to outperform in 2026. This research leverages proprietary ranking methodologies including growth, value, quality, and momentum metrics. Notably, some recommended stocks have already delivered gains exceeding 80%, suggesting continued upside potential.
Notwithstanding the promising outlook expressed by various analysts here, prospective investors should consider the prevailing market uncertainties and individual risk profiles before making investment decisions.