An unloved sector is doing OK in 2026. One stock is especially attractive, Wolfe says
While the market took its lumps last week, a less-beloved sector held its ground – and Wolfe Research is eyeing two stocks in that space that i says have potential. A panic over how artificial intelligence could rattle software companies resulted in sharp losses for the major averages. Though dip buyers helped fuel a rebound on Friday, the S & P 500 eased 0.1% on the week. The real estate sector happened to put on a solid performance amid all the selling, though, posting a weekly advance of 1.5%. This corner of the market caught the attention of Wolfe’s technical analyst Rob Ginsberg. .SPLRCR .SPX 5D mountain The S & P 500 Real Estate Sector vs the S & P 500 over the past five trading days “In a day which saw a sea of red led by risk being aggressively sold off, Real Estate was one sector that hung in better than most,” he wrote in a Friday note. “It has not exactly been the most exciting or active group, flat over the past year and trading sideways over that time.” Within the sector, one stock in particular has emerged with a bullish chart pattern, according to Ginsberg – and it happens to offer dividend income too. The Wall Street researcher firm called out Phillips Edison & Co , a Cincinnati-based owner and operator of grocery-anchored shopping centers. Major tenants at their properties include Safeway, Sprouts Farmers Market and Trader Joe’s. Shares have advanced more than 3% in the past 12 months, and offer a current dividend yield of about 3.3%. “Going back to a near-term timeframe, this retail [real estate investment trust] is just starting to breakout of a textbook base,” wrote Ginsberg. He noted that investors ought to “take advantage of any overbought digestions” as the stock approaches a retest of the $40 level. Phillips Edison just last week posted fourth-quarter results, narrowly topping analysts’ expectations for core funds from operations [FFO] – a measure of a REIT’s operating performance. The company posted core FFO of 66 cents per share on revenue of $187.6 million, versus the FactSet consensus estimate of 65 cents per share on $167.6 million. Analysts are divided on Phillips Edison, with half rating it a buy or strong buy and half deeming it a hold, according to LSEG. The average price target calls for about 6% upside from current levels, excluding the dividend.
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