Five Top Stock Picks for the Third Quarter: Analyst
By: Katie Little | News Associate
As many companies are releasing their second-quarter earnings reports, one investment firm has put out its list of top stock picks for the third quarter.
David Kestenbaum, Morgan Joseph TriArtisan's head of equity research, detailed his firm's picks in an interview with CNBC on Friday.
Although Hasbro had a rough second quarter, Kestenbaum said he thinks the toymaker will rise in the back half of the year because of new toy products. He expects the company to show a strong earnings performance.
His firm has a "buy" rating for Hasbro and a $54 price target.
His second pick is Amarin, a biotech company, which he called a "blockbuster opportunity" and said will benefit from demand for triglyceride-lowering drugs. The company is in the process of producing a new heart-disease drug.
"We wouldn't be surprised if this company gets taken out by one of the larger pharma companies, and it's been proven to be pretty safe so far," Kestenbaum said.
Morgan Joseph has a "buy" rating on Amarin and a $25 price target for the company.
Integra LifeSciences Holdings, a medical devices company, was Kestenbaum's next stock pick. He said he expects a recent acquisition made by the company earlier this year will strengthen its performance in the second half of the year.
"We don't think hospitals or doctors will cut back on their products, and that's why we find it a very safe company to invest in," he added.
Kestenbaum's firm has a "buy" rating for Integra LifeSciences and a $59 price target.
Another potential stellar stock was Central European Media Enterprises, a leading broadcast company in many Central European countries.
"I think that's part of the opportunity, that investors are worried about what's going on in Southern Europe, with Greece and Italy, but I think that in Central Europe the markets are recovering," Kestenbaum said.
His firm has a "buy" rating for Central European Media Enterprises and a $25 price target.
Kestenbaum's last selection was Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, a biotech company with two cancer drugs and another cancer drug in development.
His firm has a "buy" rating on Spectrum Pharmaceuticals with a $17 price target.
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Disclosures:
Morgan Joseph TriArtisan makes a market in securities of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals.
