Hot or Not, Stock Market Edition: 01/30/2026

Happy Friday. We’ve got some good stuff for you today:

• Hot: Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) lands OpenAI chip deal; NVIDIA (NVDA) gains on China chip approval
• Not: Clorox (CLX) faces earnings headwinds; Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) underperforms despite new tools

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🔥 HOT: True: When a company is already up 120% in the past year, it’s tempting to think you already missed the move. But that might not be the case with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). The stock is currently enjoying a jet-fueled moment after landing a major chip deal with OpenAI, with the price and trading volume increasing steadily. Add in strategic investments like the $50 million Eliyan funding round — where AMD doubled down on scalable AI systems — and it looks like the chipmaker is positioning itself squarely in the AI infrastructure boom. AMD earns a B (Buy) rating from WallStreetZen, landing in the top 20% of stocks we track. Under the hood: B grades for Growth and Zen Rating overall, with a standout 91st percentile Growth score driven by AI tailwinds. Despite several Cs in other areas, the recent catalysts and ongoing demand for AI has made it watchlist-worthy. AMD appears poised for continued momentum for investors willing to stomach some potential AI volatility. 

🥶 NOT: A stock like Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) might seem like a sure thing — they act like the toll collector for financial exchanges and clearing houses. Yet the stock is falling flat with a recent downgrade in our Zen Ratings to D (Sell). Yes, there are some good things going on: For instance, the company launched a buzzy new tool with Reddit to use social media conversations as market signals, which has drawn initially positive feedback. However, many investors can’t get past the fact that CE’s Q3 earnings performance left the stock trailing the S&P 500; the stock’s growth has stalled since then. Looking at the Component Grades that shape the overall score, you’ll see ICE has mediocre Cs in most categories like Value, Growth, and Financials, and it’s in a D-rated industry (Financial Data & Stock Exchanges). For now, there are better opportunities in the financial data space. Hold off until ICE demonstrates it can convert flashy new tools into material earnings upside.

🔥 HOT: The original AI hottie! NVIDIA (NVDA) is back in Buy territory, with a recent Zen Rating upgrade from C (Hold) to B (Buy). The catalyst? China approved the first imports of NVDA's H200 AI chips, opening a significant market that had been largely closed. The stock is jumping, signaling renewed momentum after months of consolidation. One analyst framed it this way: "Nvidia is cheapest in years—should you buy now?" Right now, NVDA earns an overall B rating; looking at the Component Grades that shape the rating, it boasts an excellent A in Financials, a strong B from our AI Factor, and Cs for Value, Growth, Momentum, and Sentiment. The one potentially scary spot? A D for Safety, but that is kind of par for the course with AI stocks. The bottom line? With Big Tech earnings optimism fueling the broader market and AI data center demand surging, NVIDIA appears well-positioned for continued gains.  

🥶 NOT: Squeaky clean … or down and dirty? Clorox (CLX) is down over 30% in the past year, and the news cycle isn’t giving investors much optimism. Despite recent momentum that pushed the stock above its moving averages, sentiment around the earnings print is cautious, with analysts expecting earnings to decline when the company reports. The consumer staples giant also faces competitive pressure as Procter & Gamble rolls out Supply Chain 3.0 automation, potentially eating into CLX's market share and margins. Even the GOJO acquisition — aimed at expanding Clorox's cleaning portfolio — drew a muted response from Deutsche Bank, which maintained a Hold rating despite raising the price target. The stock was just downgraded to a D (Sell) in our Zen Ratings, with disappointing scores in several Component Grades that shape the overall Rating, including Fs for Growth and Momentum, a D for Sentiment, and Cs for Value and Safety. Even a strong B in Financials isn’t enough to get us excited — for right now, there may be stronger opportunities elsewhere.

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