Buy these stocks ahead of earnings. Bank of America says they offer plenty of upside
There are still plenty of stocks to buy that have room to run before and after they report earnings, Bank of America says. The investment bank says investors should buy companies like Spotify t hat are well positioned going into quarterly results. Other buy-rated names screened by CNBC Pro include: Cisco, RB Global, Ralph Lauren and DoorDash. Spotify Technology Analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich is sticking with the music platform ahead of earnings on August 4. “We are confident that SPOT’s 2Q26 results will reflect stable underlying trends across [key performance indicators], with reported revenue growth accelerating in the quarter primarily driven by moderating FX headwinds,” she wrote. The bank also says it came away more constructive following the company’s investor day in May. “While it is too early to say whether SPOT is an AI winner, we are impressed by the company’s AI product roadmap and initiatives in development,” she said. Reif Ehrlich also likes Spotify’s pricing power and upcoming digital initiatives. Shares climbed 9% in July. RB Global Shares of the online marketplace for used vehicles and equipment, formerly Ritchie Brothers, are up less than 7% this year, trailing the S & P 500 and leaving the stock attractive, Bank of America wrote in a recent note. “As we cited in our upgrade report at the end of last year, we see RB building a quality compounder,” analyst Michael Feniger said. The bank believes some headwinds are inevitable from higher fuel costs, but that they shouldn’t derail the long-term story. “We believe RBA’s earnings prospects are likely to improve from 2025 as the used equipment backdrop improves in 2026 and growth initiatives start to bear fruit on the auto side (share gains, new customer wins),” Feniger said. RB will report earnings on August 4. Ralph Lauren The “beat and raise story should continue,” Bank of America said ahead of the apparel company’s earnings on August 4. Analyst Kendall Toscano said in a recent note that Ralph Lauren shares are too attractive to ignore at current prices. “We think strong sales and [average unit retail] momentum will continue, and see potential margin upside for the year given a more favorable tariff environment,” she wrote. Further, Toscano said concerns about slowing sales are overdone and that she sees potential upside to profit margins. “Still a lot to like,” in the Polo parent, she said. Shares are up about 8% this year. DoorDash “We continue to believe DASH’s 2026 margin outlook provided the company with significant expense flexibility this year. With YTD stock underperformance we see potential for a positive re-rating in 2H’26 as y/y margins improve & the Street anticipates better product velocity in 2027.” Spotify “We are confident that SPOT’s 2Q26 results will reflect stable underlying trends across [key performance indicators], with reported revenue growth accelerating in the quarter primarily driven by moderating FX headwinds … While it is too early to say whether SPOT is an AI winner, we are impressed by the company’s AI product roadmap and initiatives in development.” RB Global “As we cited in our upgrade report at the end of last year, we see RB building a quality compounder … We believe RBA’s earnings prospects are likely to improve from 2025 as the used equipment backdrop improves in 2026 and growth initiatives start to bear fruit on the auto side (share gains, new customer wins).” Cisco Systems “We focus on four main areas into the print: (1) continued strength in AI orders, and increased conversion of backlog to revenue, (2) acceleration of Campus revenue growth, (3) gross margin stabilization despite mix shift toward Cloud infrastructure and memory costs rise, and (4) formal FY27 guidance.” Ralph Lauren “Still a lot to like … Beat and raise story should continue; Reaffirm Buy … we see a long horizon on margin-accretive growth in underpenetrated categories/geographies. … .We think strong sales and AUR momentum will continue, and see potential margin upside for the year given a more favorable tariff environment.”
