Now is clearly not the best time to invest…in anything. After the first stock market crash since 2008 on Monday, March 9, an effect of COVID-19, the market faced three more record-breaking low points on March 12, March 16, and March 23. All sectors of the market are tanking: just last week, the Labor Department reported that a record-breaking 6.6 million people applied for unemployment benefits. However, if you just want to dabble in the system and see where it takes you, here are some observations of which companies are doing relatively well in the stock market during this time of crisis and some expectations for what companies might soon do better. While it might be a little too late to invest, we don’t know how long this pandemic will last, so pick your battles.  

1) Lululemon Athletica Inc.

With all this time indoors, many have decided to strengthen their cores and to tighten their hamstrings. Given these priorities, I can envision a future where yoga mats will replace toilet paper in levels of scarcity. Besides, meditation is a great coping mechanism. People will need the gear to accommodate their daily sun salutation routines. Lululemon stocks are up 3.83% since April 8. 

2) The New York Times 

This one’s kind of a giveaway: With everyone reading about the world and few actually stepping outdoors, the media has all the power. For all its honest and fearless reporting, I wouldn’t feel too guilty for dipping a dollar (or $30.95 to be exact) into The New York Times’ stock pool. The New York Times stocks are down 3.79% since April 8, but based on their promising market patterns, I anticipate they’ll be back up soon.  

3) British American Tobacco

People are stressed, so they smoke. After hitting a brief $27.64 per stock low on March 23, British American Tobacco sprang back up over the past two weeks and until last week, it was closing out at growing rates on a day to day basis. The company is up 2.82% since April 8. Perhaps investors themselves coped with the stress of their losses by indulging in their own investment.

4) Walmart

I can’t begin to imagine what the inside of a Walmart looks like right now. Despite a few spikes, Walmart is doing remarkably well and is currently closing out at its January rates. Walmart is up .05% since April 8.

Side note: If you are grocery shopping, please hoard responsibility; other people need the essentials as much as you do.

5) Art’s Way Manufacturing

As people are leaving the city to avoid contamination and to fulfill their lifelong dreams of becoming self-sufficient hermits, agricultural machinery sales are on the rise. Art’s Way has well surpassed its yearly average over the past few weeks, and while it is down 4.02% since April 8, this drop is marginal in comparison to its recent market trends. 

6) Altice USA (aka Optimum)

Wi-Fi is more important now than ever before. People are Skyping into work from home, and entire schools have gone virtual. As people seek to self-isolate in increasingly creative and distant places, demand for routers and connection has surged. Optimum is up 2.54% since April 8. 

7) FedEx

 Transport of medical equipment. Packages to family, packages to lovers, packages to friends. Packages of goods left at college, packages everywhere. FedEx ships it all. The company’s stocks fell on April 9, down 3.85% since April 8, but they’ve been more or less on the rise otherwise.

8) Nintendo

I knew I wasn’t the only one playing Pokémon Diamond during the quarantine. Nintendo stocks are up just .26% since April 8, but over the past few weeks, they are back up at their yearly price average. Looking pretty good.

9) Netflix Inc.

Also an obvious one, but Netflix is one of the few companies whose stock has tremendously benefited since the pandemic hit the United States. Compared to its November low stock price of $266.69, Netflix is currently up at $369.32—an increase of roughly 38.5%! As of April 9, however, Netflix stocks are down .11%, an unexpected flattening of the company’s otherwise exponentially growing curve.  

10)  Kroger Co.

Like Netflix, this retail company (known for its supermarket chain) only seemed to benefit from the pandemic. Compared to its 52-week low of $20.70 (a low recorded well before the recent crash) a stock, Kroger’s share is coming in at $31.14 on April 9.

 

Steph Dukich can be reached at sdukich@wesleyan.edu.