By Doug Busch
Revisiting former stock picks isn't just about tallying past performance -- old calls can reveal fresh investing opportunities.
By examining how stocks have behaved since the initial call, traders can identify renewed momentum and position themselves ahead of potential upside. They might find tactical entry points that weren't fully exploited, patterns that are reforming, or more favorable risk/reward levels.
This week I revisit S&P Global, a financial data play possibly on the rebound; Boeing's tactical pullback; and entertainment play MSG Sports. The latter's strength shows consumers are still willing to spend on live experiences, something artificial intelligence cannot replicate.
Last month, Barron's Todd Chanko said to buy S&P Global, the ratings and financial data giant, when it was trading around $528. The stock is attempting to stabilize after a punishing four-week slide that saw shares tumble roughly 30% from peak to trough. Since our recommendation one month ago, it has declined 21% to around $423. That said, a sizable insider purchase has provided a potential confidence boost at current levels.
On the daily chart, several constructive traits are emerging for S&P Global. Tuesday's session produced a bullish engulfing candle that reversed higher precisely at the very round $400 level, an example of round number theory coming into play. Shares closed at the session's highs for a 3.3% gain, marking the second strongest daily percent advance of 2026, on above-average volume.
If the stock stabilizes here, a double bottom formation could take shape in the second half of the year. Notably, the potential base-building process began with back-to-back doji candles last August, often an early signal of trend fatigue. From a tactical standpoint, a move toward $485 by mid-2026 appears achievable, implying roughly 16% upside from current levels. Remain bullish above $404.
Boeing, the aerospace and defense powerhouse, is up 30% over the past year, as the industrial sector has been the top-performing group among the 11 major S&P sectors during that span.
Al Root recommended the shares last October, citing CEO Kelly Ortberg's turnaround efforts. Boeing changed hands around $230 Wednesday, marking a 15% gain since Barron's Investor Circle's call. However, the advance hasn't been without volatility. In the final week of January, shares stumbled 7% after reporting earninngs, as the Industrial Select Sector SPDR edged 0.7% higher.
A look at the daily chart is impressive. Following a bullish piercing line on April 7, the stock went on to double into its Jan. 27 peak. This week, shares have successfully retested the prior double-bottom breakout pivot at $225.66, a level first cleared on the opening trading day of the year in a 5% surge on strong volume.
Notably, the double bottom base building process began with a bearish engulfing candle on July 29, when the stock fell 4.4%. With a new double bottom structure potentially forming, investors could consider adding here and again on a decisive move through the $247.96 pivot. A push toward $285 by mid-2026 appears achievable, implying roughly 22% upside from current levels. Remain bullish above $220.
MSG Sports, a live entertainment and communications services company, has delivered a robust one-year gain of 55%, far outpacing the S&P 500's 16% rise. Last week, shares jumped about 12%, after the company announced it is exploring a tax-free spinout of its flagship franchises, the New York Knicks and New York Rangers.That marked the stock's strongest showing since the final week of December 2022.
But Barron's was bullish on MSG Sports long before last week. This past September, Andrew Bary highlighted the stock as a possible winner, when it traded around $215. Since then, it has climbed some 50% to around $322 Wednesday.
The daily chart shows MSG Sports has been a strong performer relative to peers, with an uptrend evident on the ratio chart versus the State Street Communication Services Select Sector SPDR ETF since last September. Following a breakout above a double bottom pivot of $231.62 on Dec. 11, when the stock rose 5%, a bull flag emerged. That pivot coincided with the very round $300 number, which was decisively cleared on Feb. 18. Shares are now retracing toward the breakout, offering a potential entry near $310, with a tactical target of $375 by mid-2026, representing roughly 20% upside. Remain bullish above $285.
This is a weekly column. Read last week's edition here .
Doug Busch is the senior technical analyst at Barron's Investor Circle . His technical view is added to stock picks, including those published exclusively for Investor Circle readers. A glossary of technical terms is updated regularly with new entries.
Write to Doug Busch at douglas.busch@barrons.com
This content was created by Barron's, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. Barron's is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
February 25, 2026 13:38 ET (18:38 GMT)
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