During the "Halftime Report Final Trades" segment on CNBC, several high-profile stocks were identified as key investment opportunities by notable market participants. Jim Lebenthal, partner at Cerity Partners, selected Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) as his recommended final trade. This optimism around defense-related equities reflected recent geopolitical events, notably the U.S. government's apprehension of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, an operation that occurred over the prior weekend. Such developments often underscore the strategic importance of defense contractors like Lockheed Martin, potentially influencing investor sentiment.
Lockheed Martin has further lined up the announcement of its financial results for the fourth quarter, which is scheduled to be released prior to the market opening on January 29. Investors and analysts alike anticipate insights into the company’s performance amid the evolving defense landscape.
Stephen Weiss, who serves as chief investment officer and managing partner of Short Hills Capital Partners, highlighted QXO, Inc. (NYSE:QXO) as his final trade. This choice follows the company's recent disclosure of a notable $1.2 billion convertible offering backed by Apollo, a strategic financing initiative that may impact the company's capital structure and future growth prospects.
In the healthcare sector, Joe Terranova, senior managing director for Virtus Investment Partners, put forth McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) as his final trade. This endorsement comes in light of Barclays analyst Glen Santangelo’s initiation of coverage for McKesson on December 9, assigning an Overweight rating alongside a price target of $960. Such analyst support may provide additional confidence in the stock’s near-term trajectory.
McKesson is poised to release its fiscal 2026 third-quarter financials after the market closes on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. Analyst consensus forecasts the company will report earnings per share of $9.28, a rise from $8.03 recorded in the same quarter the previous year. Revenue projections estimate quarterly sales of approximately $105.98 billion, up from $95.29 billion year-over-year, indicating expectations of strong operational performance.
Regarding recent price movements, Lockheed Martin’s shares increased by 2.9%, closing at $511.57 on Monday, underscoring positive investor reaction amid favorable conditions. QXO shares experienced an even more pronounced gain, jumping 18.2% to settle at $23.30, reflecting market enthusiasm possibly linked to the convertible offering announcement. McKesson’s stock saw a marginal advance of 0.2%, ending the session at $824.92, demonstrating stability ahead of its forthcoming earnings release.
This range of stock activity reflects a mix of geopolitical influence, strategic corporate actions, and anticipated financial disclosures across defense and healthcare sectors. Investors are closely monitoring these factors as indicators of each company’s potential performance in the upcoming reporting periods.