Best Value Stocks to Buy for December 31st
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 31 2024
0mins
Should l Buy NCLH?
Source: NASDAQ.COM
Stock Recommendations: Three stocks with strong value characteristics and a Zacks Rank #1 are highlighted for investors: American Coastal Insurance Corporation (ACIC), Northwest Bancshares, Inc. (NWBI), and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NCLH), all showing positive earnings estimates increases over the past 60 days.
Value Scores and P/E Ratios: ACIC has a low P/E ratio of 8.36 and a Value Score of A, NWBI has a P/E of 12.90 with a Value Score of B, while NCLH has a P/E of 15.55 and a Value Score of A, indicating their potential as attractive investment options.
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Analyst Views on NCLH
Wall Street analysts forecast NCLH stock price to rise
13 Analyst Rating
8 Buy
5 Hold
0 Sell
Moderate Buy
Current: 23.250
Low
20.00
Averages
26.77
High
40.00
Current: 23.250
Low
20.00
Averages
26.77
High
40.00
About NCLH
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. is a global cruise company. The Company operates Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. With a combined fleet of 32 ships and over 66,500 berths, it offers itineraries to over 700 destinations worldwide. Its brands offer itineraries to worldwide destinations, including Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, South America, Africa, Canada, Bermuda, Caribbean, Alaska and Hawaii. All its brands offer an assortment of features, amenities and activities, including a variety of accommodations, multiple dining venues, bars and lounges, spa, casino and retail shopping areas and numerous entertainment choices. All brands also offer a selection of shore excursions at each port of call, as well as air transportation and hotel packages for stays before or after a voyage. Norwegian’s ships cater to a variety of travelers with up to 20 dining options. Oceania Cruises offers onboard dining, with multiple open-seating dining venues.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Signs New Shipbuilding Agreement with Fincantieri
- New Shipbuilding Agreement: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has signed an agreement with Fincantieri to construct one new cruise ship for each of its three brands, with deliveries scheduled between 2036 and 2037, further advancing the company's long-term fleet development strategy.
- Fleet Expansion Plan: This order adds a total of 17 newbuilds to NCLH's pipeline, expected to increase the fleet by approximately 46,600 berths by 2037, thereby enhancing the company's competitive position in the global cruise market.
- Financial Discipline Assurance: The initial capital outlay for the new ships is modest, and the agreement is not anticipated to materially impact near-term leverage or cash flow, ensuring the company maintains financial stability while expanding its fleet.
- Sustainability Commitment: The new ships are designed to accommodate green methanol as a future fuel source, reflecting the company's strategic direction towards environmental sustainability and aligning with industry trends.
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- Unity's Positive Outlook: Oppenheimer upgraded Unity Software (NYSE:U) to Outperform with a $38 price target, arguing that market fears regarding Google's Project Genie are unfounded, as Unity remains the essential backbone of development, with forecasts indicating accelerating revenue and improving margins, presenting a strong risk/reward scenario.
- Norwegian Cruise Downgrade: Barclays downgraded Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NYSE:NCLH) to Equal Weight with a $23 price target, citing a 24% stock price increase over the past three months, while facing weak 2026 yield expectations and increased competition that could undermine brand value.
- Kraft Heinz's Dim Prospects: JPMorgan downgraded Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ:KHC) to Underweight with a $22 price target; despite beating Q4 2025 earnings expectations, the disappointing 2026 outlook, with North American volumes down for 19 consecutive quarters, raises concerns about the sustainability of dividends absorbing nearly 80% of free cash flow this year.
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- Inflation Data Impact: The U.S. January Consumer Price Index rose by 2.4% year-over-year, below the expected 2.5%, marking the smallest increase in seven months, which may prompt the Fed to continue cutting rates, thus providing support for the stock market and alleviating concerns over rate hikes.
- Strong Software Stock Performance: Software stocks like Crowdstrike Holdings and ServiceNow rose over 4% and 3%, respectively, lifting the broader market and indicating a rebound in investor confidence in tech stocks, particularly amid rapid advancements in AI technology.
- Metal Stocks Retreat: Reports of the Trump administration's plans to narrow tariffs on steel and aluminum products led to declines in metal companies, with Century Aluminum falling over 7%, reflecting the negative impact of policy changes on the sector.
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Dutch Bros and Hershey Options Trading Activity Surges
- Dutch Bros Options Volume: Dutch Bros Inc saw options trading volume of 36,024 contracts, equivalent to approximately 3.6 million shares, representing 60.4% of its average daily trading volume over the past month, indicating strong market interest in the stock.
- High Demand Call Options: Notably, the $60 strike call option expiring on March 20, 2026, has seen 3,340 contracts traded today, representing about 334,000 underlying shares, suggesting investor expectations for future price increases.
- Hershey Options Activity: Hershey Company recorded an options trading volume of 14,351 contracts, approximately 1.4 million shares, accounting for 58.6% of its average daily trading volume over the past month, reflecting ongoing market interest in the company.
- Significant Call Option Trading: The $185 strike call option expiring on February 20, 2026, has seen a trading volume of 4,665 contracts today, representing around 466,500 underlying shares, indicating optimistic sentiment among investors regarding Hershey's future performance.
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- Inflation Data Impact: The US January CPI rose 2.4% year-over-year, below the expected 2.5%, which may prompt the Fed to continue cutting rates, with the 10-year T-note yield falling to 4.05%, providing support for the market.
- Earnings Performance: Over two-thirds of S&P 500 companies have reported earnings, with 76% exceeding expectations, and Q4 earnings growth is projected at 8.4%, demonstrating corporate resilience and restoring market confidence.
- Market Sentiment Fluctuations: Despite the overall market rise, concerns over AI persist, putting pressure on certain stocks, particularly in tech and logistics, reflecting investor caution regarding future economic prospects.
See More
Norwegian Cruise Line Appoints New CEO Amid Market Uncertainty
- Leadership Change: Norwegian Cruise Line announced the appointment of John W. Chidsey as the new CEO, succeeding Harry Sommer, which adds uncertainty for investors amid broader market gains, potentially impacting the company's strategic priorities and operational execution.
- Consistent Financial Guidance: The company expects its Q4 2025 net yield to be around the midpoint of its previously issued guidance range; however, the lack of guidance exceeding prior forecasts, combined with the executive transition, has pressured investor sentiment, leading to a 6.86% drop in stock price.
- Technical Analysis Indicates Weakness: Currently, Norwegian Cruise Line's stock is trading below both its 20-day and 100-day simple moving averages, with a 17.72% decline over the past 12 months, reflecting short-term weakness, although the RSI is neutral while the MACD indicates bullish momentum.
- Analyst Outlook: The upcoming financial update on March 2, 2026, is expected to show an EPS of 25 cents and revenue of $2.35 billion; despite analysts maintaining a Buy rating with a target price of $27.41, the weak momentum suggests concerns about future growth prospects.
See More
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Signs New Shipbuilding Agreement with Fincantieri
- New Shipbuilding Agreement: Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings has signed an agreement with Fincantieri to construct one new cruise ship for each of its three brands, with deliveries scheduled between 2036 and 2037, further advancing the company's long-term fleet development strategy.
- Fleet Expansion Plan: This order adds a total of 17 newbuilds to NCLH's pipeline, expected to increase the fleet by approximately 46,600 berths by 2037, thereby enhancing the company's competitive position in the global cruise market.
- Financial Discipline Assurance: The initial capital outlay for the new ships is modest, and the agreement is not anticipated to materially impact near-term leverage or cash flow, ensuring the company maintains financial stability while expanding its fleet.
- Sustainability Commitment: The new ships are designed to accommodate green methanol as a future fuel source, reflecting the company's strategic direction towards environmental sustainability and aligning with industry trends.
See More
Wall Street Analysts Weekly Recap: Oracle and Unity Upgrades
- Oracle Upgrade: DA Davidson upgraded Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) from Neutral to Buy with a $180 price target, despite the company carrying $130 billion in debt and $248 billion in leases; analysts believe the growth potential justifies investment, expecting only minor stock fluctuations over the next ten weeks.
- Unity's Positive Outlook: Oppenheimer upgraded Unity Software (NYSE:U) to Outperform with a $38 price target, arguing that market fears regarding Google's Project Genie are unfounded, as Unity remains the essential backbone of development, with forecasts indicating accelerating revenue and improving margins, presenting a strong risk/reward scenario.
- Norwegian Cruise Downgrade: Barclays downgraded Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NYSE:NCLH) to Equal Weight with a $23 price target, citing a 24% stock price increase over the past three months, while facing weak 2026 yield expectations and increased competition that could undermine brand value.
- Kraft Heinz's Dim Prospects: JPMorgan downgraded Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ:KHC) to Underweight with a $22 price target; despite beating Q4 2025 earnings expectations, the disappointing 2026 outlook, with North American volumes down for 19 consecutive quarters, raises concerns about the sustainability of dividends absorbing nearly 80% of free cash flow this year.
See More
U.S. Stocks Close Higher as Software Stocks Recover
- Market Recovery: The S&P 500 index rose by 0.05%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average by 0.10%, and the Nasdaq 100 by 0.18% on Friday, indicating a recovery after early losses, reflecting cautious optimism among investors regarding future economic prospects.
- Inflation Data Impact: The U.S. January Consumer Price Index rose by 2.4% year-over-year, below the expected 2.5%, marking the smallest increase in seven months, which may prompt the Fed to continue cutting rates, thus providing support for the stock market and alleviating concerns over rate hikes.
- Strong Software Stock Performance: Software stocks like Crowdstrike Holdings and ServiceNow rose over 4% and 3%, respectively, lifting the broader market and indicating a rebound in investor confidence in tech stocks, particularly amid rapid advancements in AI technology.
- Metal Stocks Retreat: Reports of the Trump administration's plans to narrow tariffs on steel and aluminum products led to declines in metal companies, with Century Aluminum falling over 7%, reflecting the negative impact of policy changes on the sector.
See More
Dutch Bros and Hershey Options Trading Activity Surges
- Dutch Bros Options Volume: Dutch Bros Inc saw options trading volume of 36,024 contracts, equivalent to approximately 3.6 million shares, representing 60.4% of its average daily trading volume over the past month, indicating strong market interest in the stock.
- High Demand Call Options: Notably, the $60 strike call option expiring on March 20, 2026, has seen 3,340 contracts traded today, representing about 334,000 underlying shares, suggesting investor expectations for future price increases.
- Hershey Options Activity: Hershey Company recorded an options trading volume of 14,351 contracts, approximately 1.4 million shares, accounting for 58.6% of its average daily trading volume over the past month, reflecting ongoing market interest in the company.
- Significant Call Option Trading: The $185 strike call option expiring on February 20, 2026, has seen a trading volume of 4,665 contracts today, representing around 466,500 underlying shares, indicating optimistic sentiment among investors regarding Hershey's future performance.
See More
US Stocks Edge Up, Led by Chipmakers' Gains
- Chipmaker Rebound: Applied Materials (AMAT) reported Q1 adjusted EPS of $2.38, surpassing the consensus of $2.21, leading to a 10% stock price increase that helped lift the broader market, indicating strong recovery potential in tech stocks.
- Inflation Data Impact: The US January CPI rose 2.4% year-over-year, below the expected 2.5%, which may prompt the Fed to continue cutting rates, with the 10-year T-note yield falling to 4.05%, providing support for the market.
- Earnings Performance: Over two-thirds of S&P 500 companies have reported earnings, with 76% exceeding expectations, and Q4 earnings growth is projected at 8.4%, demonstrating corporate resilience and restoring market confidence.
- Market Sentiment Fluctuations: Despite the overall market rise, concerns over AI persist, putting pressure on certain stocks, particularly in tech and logistics, reflecting investor caution regarding future economic prospects.
See More
Norwegian Cruise Line Appoints New CEO Amid Market Uncertainty
- Leadership Change: Norwegian Cruise Line announced the appointment of John W. Chidsey as the new CEO, succeeding Harry Sommer, which adds uncertainty for investors amid broader market gains, potentially impacting the company's strategic priorities and operational execution.
- Consistent Financial Guidance: The company expects its Q4 2025 net yield to be around the midpoint of its previously issued guidance range; however, the lack of guidance exceeding prior forecasts, combined with the executive transition, has pressured investor sentiment, leading to a 6.86% drop in stock price.
- Technical Analysis Indicates Weakness: Currently, Norwegian Cruise Line's stock is trading below both its 20-day and 100-day simple moving averages, with a 17.72% decline over the past 12 months, reflecting short-term weakness, although the RSI is neutral while the MACD indicates bullish momentum.
- Analyst Outlook: The upcoming financial update on March 2, 2026, is expected to show an EPS of 25 cents and revenue of $2.35 billion; despite analysts maintaining a Buy rating with a target price of $27.41, the weak momentum suggests concerns about future growth prospects.
See More
