Hot or Not, Stock Market Edition: 02/27/2026

Here’s what’s hot and what’s not going into the weekend:

• Hot: Music streaming giant Spotify Technology (SPOT) is gaining momentum; communication equipment maker Ciena (CIEN) is catching fire
• Not: Industrial REIT Americold Realty Trust (COLD) is hitting a rough patch; medical device maker Boston Scientific (BSX) is grinding down 

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🔥 HOT: Is music streaming giant Spotify Technology (SPOT) making a comeback? We wrote about Smart Money’s sudden interest in the stock last week, and now it’s earned a coveted spot on the Hot list for a few reasons: 1) Institutional money and analysts are holding steady. For instance, Guggenheim maintains its Buy rating, albeit with a lowered price target from $720 to $600, signaling continued Smart Money confidence in the streaming leader's trajectory. 2) The action is matching the Sentiment: Recent news highlights options trading activity and fund performance featuring Spotify as a notable contributor. 3) The stock was just upgraded to a B (Buy) Zen Rating, meaning it currently ranks in the top 20% of stocks based on a 115-factor review. It enjoys several solid Component Grades, including Bs for Financials, Growth, and Sentiment. The verdict? Spotify's combination of solid fundamentals, positive analyst backing, and strong component scores makes it an attractive pick for investors seeking exposure to the streaming sector's growth story.

🥶 NOT: Industrial REIT Americold Realty Trust (COLD) is living up to the name of its ticker. While management recently outlined priorities for 2026 and emphasized sequential occupancy gains in Q4, the upbeat 2026 outlook couldn't mask weak 2025 earnings performance and continued cold-storage industry headwinds. The stock plunged 12.97% in a single day before rebounding 15.75%, a volatility pattern that signals uncertainty rather than confidence. The stock was just downgraded to a D (Sell) rating, placing it in the next-to-last tier of stocks we track. It struggles with a D Grade for Momentum, and an F Grade for Industry Rank and Sentiment. The bottom line? Americold may have longer-term potential, but right now it's navigating choppy waters with weak sentiment and an industry backdrop that's not doing it any favors.

🔥 HOT:  Communication equipment maker Ciena (CIEN) is catching fire. Why? Three compelling reasons: 1) The stock is enjoying momentum following a major product launch: Ciena unveiled a new solution for AI data centers designed to slash power consumption by up to 70% — and people seem to like it. The stock is up over 10% in the past week alone. AI 2) The broader AI spending surge is lifting all boats. Following AMD's latest moves and Meta's expanded AI buildout, data center and optical networking stocks — including Ciena—are rallying as investors bet on sustained capital expenditure in AI infrastructure. 3) CIEN was just bumped to a B (Buy) rating in our Zen Ratings, placing it in a market-beating class of stocks that have historically delivered 19.88% annual returns. Its Component Grades are solid: an A Grade from our proprietary AI Factor, and B Grades for Financials, Growth, Momentum, and Safety. The bottom line? Ciena is riding multiple tailwinds — product innovation, industry momentum, and strong technical positioning — that suggest there's more room to run. (For more AI-adjacent stocks poised to run, check out this video.)

🥶 NOT:  Medical device maker Boston Scientific (BSX) is losing steam after a strong run. Why? 1) The stock is down over 25% over the past three months, with shares now trading well below recent moving averages and reflecting a reversal from earlier highs. 2) Analyst sentiment is cooling: Canaccord Genuity cut its price target from $112 to $109, and while the firm maintained a Buy rating, the overall Street consensus has pulled back with a 14.64% reduction in average price targets to $107.13. 3) Recent board additions from Starbucks and Takeda signal strategic recalibration, but that's not enough to reverse near-term momentum concerns. 4) The stock was recently downgraded from a Buy to Hold (C) in our Zen Ratings. It also has D Grades for Momentum and Sentiment, though it does score a C Grade for Financials, Growth, Safety, and Value. The verdict? Boston Scientific has strong fundamentals and a solid track record, but the momentum has clearly shifted. This is a wait-and-see situation — better to stay on the sidelines until the stock finds a floor and sentiment stabilizes.

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