Happy Sunday to everyone on The Street. 

Well, looks like we might not be seeing a $3,500 Apple $AAPL ( ▼ 0.19% ) iPhone, after all.

Over the weekend, President Trump announced smartphones, chips, and computers will be exempt from his tariffs. The White House did not issue further clarification, but this presumably includes the 145% taxes levied against China last week.

Great news! Now we can all go back to fretting about $3,500 brake pads instead.

Going for Gold

Fool's Gold or Golden Opportunity?

The chaos of recent weeks has left many investors wondering if gold is a good place to park their cash. Gold prices rose 19% in Q1, while the S&P fell by 5%. It marked gold's biggest quarterly gain in almost 40 years. Talk about a gold rush.

Recession fears, tariff tensions, and high levels of uncertainty are driving money into safe-haven assets. But as gold prices continue to set new highs, investors may question how high they may go.

A recent Barron's article says if you haven't yet jumped aboard the gold wagon, it isn't too late. However, it warns investors not to go overboard. It suggests portfolios hold no more than 3% to 8% in gold.

Good as Gold

On the other side, Morgan Stanley $MS ( ▲ 1.22% ) , UBS $UBS ( ▲ 2.45% ) , and Deutsche Bank $DB ( ▲ 1.91% ) are all bullish on gold, according to CNBC. Morgan Stanley analysts think the price could rise to $3,500 per ounce by Q3.

That's still an upside of more than 8%, after the precious metal notched a fresh record on Friday.

UBS strategist Joni Teves told investors it isn't only a scramble for safety that's driving gold prices up. She also predicts seasonal demand in India and says China will need to replenish its gold inventory.

Gold School

The surging interest might have retirees thinking about gold as a safe place to park their nest egg — especially as the safety of the stock market seems increasingly uncertain.

However, Barron’s recently pointed out a key drawback of gold, especially for retirees: it doesn't generate income. It doesn't always do well as a hedge against inflation either. Plus, depending on how you invest in gold, taxes can be complicated.

Before you rush out to buy a gold bar at Costco, think about how you might store it. Bank vault fees can add up. Rather than buying physical gold, you might opt for ETFs or gold mining stocks.

Diversification can be a powerful way to counter uncertainty. Just don't assume all that glitters will be gold.

Can McKesson Deliver Consistency Amid Market Turmoil?

A Haven in Healthcare

McKesson $MCK ( ▼ 0.16% ) has emerged as a top performer in a defensive corner of the market. The Texas-based drug distributor is up more than 20% in 2025 as investors seek stability amid market volatility and tariff concerns.

Scharf Investments analyst Brian Krawez points to McKesson’s large market share and steady growth — averaging 11% over the past decade — as reasons to stay bullish. With earnings expected to rise by double digits this year and next, the company still trades at a valuation below the S&P 500’s average, per Barron’s.

In a downturn, demand for medications tends to hold up better than other goods. That might make McKesson an appealing option for investors seeking growth with lower risk.

Margins on the Move

McKesson’s core business runs on razor-thin margins — around 1%. But according to Barron’s, that’s a feature, not a bug. The company generally avoids political scrutiny around drug pricing and is now expanding into oncology and specialty drugs, which typically offer higher margins.

Morgan Stanley’s $MS ( ▲ 1.22% ) Erin Wright raised her price target on the stock to $745, implying roughly 8% upside from today’s close. The analyst cited McKesson’s earnings visibility and its reputation as a “safe haven” in uncertain times.

Its recent acquisition of Prism Vision, a provider of ophthalmology services, also signals strategic moves into higher-value care segments.

Surviving Scrutiny, Attracting Capital

McKesson has continued on its upward trajectory, even after its $7.4 billion share of the industry-wide opioid settlement in 2022. Portfolio managers like Jeff Muhlenkamp say they bought in when the stock was under pressure and are still holding on, confident in its long-term trajectory.

The company’s ESG profile has also improved post-settlement. Hennessy Stance’s ESG ETF portfolio manager Bill Davis notes that McKesson scores well with institutional investors focused on sustainability metrics.

Market Analysts believe McKesson’s scale gives it an edge. It leads a triopoly alongside Cencora $COR ( ▲ 0.09% ) and Cardinal Health $CAH ( ▼ 0.39% ) , but its size often wins it the best margins — and key partnerships. For investors seeking steady performance in a rocky market, McKesson may be a solid option to lean on.

Together With RYSE

Mr. Wonderful Lost Out on $400 Million… Will You?

The Sharks passed on Ring before it sold for $1.2 billion to Amazon. Now, there’s another smart home company catching investors’ attention.

Meet RYSE—a leader in smart shade automation with $10M+ in revenue, 200% year-over-year growth, and distribution in 127 Best Buy stores (with Home Depot launching in 2025).

RYSE’s patented technology is making waves in a booming market—and you can invest at

$1.90/share before their next growth phase.

Health Is Wealth

Analysts Say Amgen Will Boom

Is Amgen's $AMGN ( ▲ 0.47% ) recent price dip a buying opportunity? Barron’s thinks so. It recently reported that the company is about to release a new obesity drug called MariTide — which just might turn the weight-loss tide in Amgen’s favor.

What's exciting about MariTide is that it enables patients to make monthly, not weekly, injections. That could give it the edge over current market leaders.

Amgen will soon announce Phase 2 trial results for the drug.

Vaccinated Against Tariffs

GLP-1 drugs — more commonly known as obesity drugs — are big business. JPMorgan $JPM ( ▼ 0.68% ) and Goldman Sachs $GS ( ▲ 0.78% ) both predict total spending could reach over $100 billion by 2030.

BMO Capital $BMO ( ▲ 0.53% ) analyst Evan Seigerman, who rates the stock a Buy, is confident about MariTide's potential to carve out a substantial portion of that market. He also sees growth potential in Repatha and several other existing Amgen drugs.

Another plus is that the majority of Amgen's manufacturing is on US soil. As such, Barron's believes any pharmaceutical tariffs will be a relatively easy pill to swallow.

MariTide Is High

Analyst sentiment is a mixed bag. Some have raised questions about MariTide's safety, pointing to bone mineral density issues in study results. MariTide has rejected the claims.

Per the WSJ, 15 out of 32 say it is a Buy or Overweight. However, 14 rate it a Hold, and 3 have it at Sell or Underweight. Part of that is due to concern over MariTide's bone density risk.

Amgen's Q1 results are due on May 2. Investors can expect more information on MariTide and whether it has a clean bill of health.

Last Week’s Poll Results

Are you bullish or bearish on Shake Shack (SHAK) over the next 12 months?

🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨 🐂 Bullish

🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨 🐻 Bearish

• 🐂 Bullish — “Going back up.”

• 🐻 Bearish — “It's tasty but very pricey — $20 for a burger, fries, and a drink.”

Are you bullish or bearish on Scotts Miracle-Gro (SMG) over the next 12 months?

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🐂 Bullish

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🐻 Bearish

And, in response, you said:

• 🐻 Bearish — “In a tough economy, you are best-invested in essentials. The mid and lower classes are hurting financially, so letting the yard slip a bit will be in the cards for more than usual households.”

Which stock do you think will outperform over the next 12 months?

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Arista Networks (ANET)

🟨🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️ Dell Technologies (DELL)

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ EPAM Systems (EPAM)

And, in response, you said:

• Arista Networks (ANET) — “Invested in them awhile ago, holding. Buying more when there's an uptrend.”