Hot or Not, Stock Market Edition: 05/20/2025

Catch up on the news that matters! Here’s what’s hot and what’s not in the stock market so far this week: 

• HOT: Why Viking Holdings (VIK) expects to cruise through the summer; Cigna Group (CI) continues to be a stock to watch
• NOT: Negative catalysts abound for Applied Materials (AMAT); Take-Two Interactive (TTWO) gains … and loses.

P.S. For more stocks making moves, check out our new Zen Ratings Upgrades & Downgrades screener.

🔥 HOT: Cruise company Viking Holdings (NYSE: VIK) gained 4.4% on Friday ahead of its first-quarter earnings call, which is scheduled for Monday. The stock has been recovering and is now up 8.0% YTD, with the potential for even more momentum should Monday’s report include strong guidance for the remainder of the year. Sentiment surrounding VIK is positive at the moment, and we see the potential for solid growth as we enter the northern hemisphere’s summer travel season. We give VIK a B Zen Rating and a Buy recommendation.

🥶 NOT: Applied Materials (NASDAQ: AMAT) lost 5.3% on Friday after failing to live up to Wall Street’s estimates of its first-quarter earnings. The semiconductor services company failed to impress with its full-year guidance, and investors are worried about its stability due to a high dependence on China despite the current truce. With that said, the company has great Financials (A) and is less volatile than similar stocks. Unfortunately, its current Momentum and potential for Growth leave a lot to be desired. We give AMAT a C Zen Rating and a Hold recommendation.

🔥 HOT: Cigna Group (NYSE: CI) led the healthcare industry higher on Friday, gaining 3.9% by the closing bell. (In related news, CI is prominently featured in our weekly list of top stocks to watch.) Cigna lost 13.9% over the last week-and-a-half as UnitedHealth Group’s ongoing legal issues spilled over to drag down other healthcare stocks along with it. Cigna is trading at an excellent price right now, earning it B ratings in Value and Growth in our analysis. The stock also has solid Financials and positive Sentiment surrounding it right now, making it one of the safer bets in the healthcare space. We give CI an A Zen Rating and a Strong Buy recommendation.

👉 Learn more about how we rank stocks for Sentiment here

🥶 NOT: Video game publisher Take-Two Interactive (NASDAQ: TTWO) lost 2.4% on Friday after briefly flirting with a new all-time high price of $240.78. The company reported earnings on Thursday and revealed an EPS of $1.075, about 2% short of the consensus estimate. The company has a B rating for Momentum, but we don’t love its Safety or Growth, so we give it a C Zen Rating and a Hold recommendation. The stock could perform well if its major releases later this year are well-received, but it could just as easily tank if it faces any delays or if its releases disappoint.

What to Do Next?

• 200 Stocks to Sell Now >
• See All “A” Rated Stocks with +32.52% Average Annual Return >
• 2 New Stocks to Buy from Steve Reitmeister >

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