When the traders on CNBC's "Halftime Report" share their final picks, it's usually a mix of conviction plays and tactical bets. Tuesday's lineup didn't disappoint, spanning energy giants, airlines fresh off earnings, beaten-down financials, and a sports entertainment company riding technical momentum.
Joshua Brown, co-founder and CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, went with Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) as his final trade. The energy major is set to report fourth-quarter results on Friday, January 30, with analysts penciling in earnings of $1.69 per share on revenue of $79.14 billion. Exxon shares climbed 2% to close at $126.54 on Tuesday.
Jim Lebenthal, partner at Cerity Partners, picked Delta Air Lines, Inc. (DAL) as his top choice. The airline just delivered its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year 2025, along with guidance for the March quarter and full year 2026, pointing to improving demand trends and continued cost discipline.
Delta reported adjusted earnings of $1.55 per share for the fourth quarter, topping the $1.53 Wall Street consensus, while revenue reached $16.003 billion, beating the $15.585 billion forecast. Despite the solid beat, Delta shares fell 2.4% to settle at $69.33 during the session.
Stephanie Link, chief investment strategist, head of investment solutions and portfolio manager at Hightower Advisors, saw an opportunity in Capital One Financial Corporation (COF), arguing the market overreacted to Monday's selloff. She recommended buying the dip.
Banking and financial stocks, including Capital One, traded lower on Monday after President Donald Trump said failure to cap credit card rates at 10% by January 20 would be treated as a violation of the law. Capital One shares edged down 0.8% to close at $231.41 on Tuesday.
Joe Terranova, senior managing director for Virtus Investment Partners, highlighted TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (TKO), noting the stock held its 50-day moving average, is bouncing nicely, and remains in a bull trend. Adding weight to his pick, BTIG analyst Tyler DiMatteo maintained a Buy rating on TKO Group on December 31 and raised the price target from $235 to $250.
TKO Group shares rose 4.9% to settle at $208.89 during the session.
