Folks are vacationing and dining out like there's no tomorrow... Or at least like a recession isn't looming.

Not All Cruises Are Equal Today By Marc Gerstein, director of research, Chaikin Analytics Folks are vacationing and dining out like there's no tomorrow... Or at least like a recession isn't looming. Specifically, the industry that includes hotels, restaurants, and leisure activities is strong... The industry's Power Bar ratio features 62 "bullish" or better companies right now. And only four companies are "bearish" or worse. (Learn more about the Power Bar ratio right here.) That might surprise you for a couple reasons... First, many folks still expect the Federal Reserve's aggressive interest-rate hikes to hurt the economy. And secondly, massive layoffs are happening – especially in Big Tech. Perhaps people will soon shift gears and stay home. Or maybe the economists are wrong. Today, we'll look to get some clarity into this situation... We'll use one reliable indicator to "check the pulse" of the travel industry. And by combining it with the Power Gauge, we'll try to squeeze some answers out of Mr. Market... Recommended Links: Here's What We're Watching Tomorrow (March 2) It has only appeared in the market twice in the past 50 years. And you could've made a 424% gain on the LOWEST-risk investment available the last time this happened. That's why one 20-year market veteran calls it, "THE biggest, and perhaps most obvious setup I've seen in my entire career." Click here to learn more. "The EXACT Day Stocks Will Finally Bottom" Goldman Sachs doesn't know... Bank of America doesn't know... Morningstar doesn't know... but Marc Chaikin believes he does. He called the bottom in 2020, just 24 hours before the fastest bull market in history. Now, Marc has spotted the NEXT market bottom... and he's sounding the alarm. Plus, he's sharing the names of what he says will be the best - and worst - performing stocks of 2023. Click here for full details. Our reliable indicator tracks consumer sentiment. And it's simple to understand... Cruises. When people are healthy and optimistic, they go on cruises. And when they're fearful and pessimistic, they don't. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic hit cruise operators especially hard. The entire industry shut down... You likely recall the horror stories of folks stuck on cruise ships in the COVID-19 pandemic's early days. Many ships couldn't even dock due to fears that the virus would spread. Most cruise operators had to borrow heavily just to stay in business. So as a result, they became financially weaker. But as the economy reopened, cruise bookings came roaring back. Many folks who were stuck in their homes for too long rushed to get back on the open seas. By this past November, cruise bookings topped their pre-pandemic levels. In particular, Black Friday and Cyber Monday saw especially brisk activity. And November isn't even part of the so-called "wave season." That usually happens at the start of a new year. Cruise operators lure potential customers with the best discounts. So with all that in mind, let's get the Power Gauge's take on the three major cruise lines... As regular readers know, the Power Gauge weighs 20 factors. These factors fit into one of four categories – Financials, Earnings, Technicals, and Experts. And in the end, the system generates a "bullish," "neutral," or "bearish" rating for each stock. Today, the Power Gauge gives Royal Caribbean (RCL) a "bullish" ranking. But it's sending a different message about Carnival (CCL) and Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH)... Despite the favorable market sentiment, these two cruise operators have many "bearish" or "very bearish" factors. And overall, they're both ranked as "neutral-" right now... The Financials category is "very bearish" for all three companies. These cruise operators all carry significant debt. That's evident through their high long-term-debt-to-equity ratios. The Earnings category shows the beginnings of their comebacks... Royal Caribbean and Norwegian have reported better-than-expected earnings in recent quarters. Carnival is the weakest of the bunch, with a "bearish" grade in that category. But even it's showing an upward earnings trend. The Technicals and Experts categories help us see what certain groups of investors expect in the future. This is where Royal Caribbean stands above its two rivals today... The company is progressing alongside the positive industry trends. It has "bullish" or better grades in these two categories. And it beats Carnival and Norwegian in both of them. The bottom line is simple... The cruise industry is moving in the right direction. But don't just buy any cruise operator. Right now, Royal Caribbean is the strongest of the industry's big three companies. It has a "bullish" rating. And it should continue to perform well in the months ahead. So if you want to dabble in this space, consider giving Royal Caribbean a closer look. Good investing, Marc Gerstein Market View Major Indexes and Notable Sectors     # Hld:     Bullish     Neutral     Bearish Dow 30 -0.76% 7 18 5 S&P 500 -0.36% 135 274 90 Nasdaq -0.13% 33 49 18 Small Caps -0.02% 507 961 420 Bonds +0.42% — According to the Chaikin Power Bar, Small Cap stocks and Large Cap stocks remain somewhat Bullish. Major indexes are all bullish. *  *  *  * Sector Tracker Sector movement over the last 5 days Materials +2.34% Industrials +0.30% Financial +0.17% Information Technology +0.01% Discretionary 0.00% Energy -0.51% Communication -1.16% Real Estate -1.60% Staples -1.88% Health Care -2.39% Utilities -3.27% *  *  *  * Industry Focus Innovative Technology Services 21 58 22 Over the past 6 months, the Innovative Technology subsector (XITK) has outperformed the S&P 500 by +1.24%. However, its Power Bar ratio, which measures future potential, is Weak, with more Bearish than Bullish stocks. It is currently ranked #14 of 21 subsectors and has moved up 1 slot over the past week. Indicative Stocks CLVT Clarivate Plc SDGR Schrödinger, Inc. ZS Zscaler, Inc. *  *  *  * Top Movers Gainers XRAY +10.19% EW +4.01% STLD +3.93% AMAT +3.64% META +3.18% Losers NCLH -10.18% UHS -8.41% DISH -6.48% CEG -4.44% GS -3.80% *  *  *  * Earnings Report Reporting Today Rating Before Open After Close CRM LOW DLTR No earnings reporting today. Earnings Surprises FSLR First Solar, Inc. Q4 $-0.51 Missed by $-0.27 TGT Target Corporation Q4 $1.89 Beat by $0.49 SRE Sempra Q4 $2.35 Beat by $0.31 RIVN Rivian Automotive, Inc. Q4 $-1.57 Beat by $0.26 AZO AutoZone, Inc. Q2 $24.64 Beat by $2.73 *  *  *  * You have received this e-mail as part of your subscription to PowerFeed. If you no longer want to receive e-mails from PowerFeed, click here. You're receiving this e-mail at STEVENMAGALLANES520.NIMS@BLOGGER.COM. For questions about your account or to speak with customer service, call +1 (877) 697-6783 (U.S.), 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Eastern time or e-mail info@chaikinanalytics.com. Please note: The law prohibits us from giving personalized investment advice. © 2023 Chaikin Analytics, LLC. All rights reserved. Any reproduction, copying, or redistribution, in whole or in part, is prohibited without written permission from Chaikin Analytics, LLC. 201 King Of Prussia Rd., Suite 650, Radnor, PA 19087. www.chaikinanalytics.com. Any brokers mentioned constitute a partial list of available brokers and is for your information only. Chaikin Analytics, LLC, does not recommend or endorse any brokers, dealers, or investment advisors. Chaikin Analytics forbids its writers from having a financial interest in any security they recommend to our subscribers. All employees of Chaikin Analytics, LLC (and affiliated companies) must wait 24 hours after an investment recommendation is published online – or 72 hours after a direct mail publication is sent – before acting on that recommendation. This work is based on SEC filings, current events, interviews, corporate press releases, and what we've learned as financial journalists. It may contain errors, and you shouldn't make any investment decision based solely on what you read here. It's your money and your responsibility.