Happy Sunday to everyone on The Street. 

Get your galoshes — it’s FUD season out there. (Fear, uncertainty, and doubt, for those who don’t know.)

But don’t be too beFUDdled to look with clear eyes. In tough times, opportunity abounds…

All Shake Shack-ed Up

Shaken Up(side)

Can Shake Shack $SHAK ( ▼ 1.02% ) bring all the bulls to the yard? Loop Capital thinks so. Last week, it upgraded the gourmet burger chain from Hold to Buy.

Analyst Alton Stump set a $127 price target for the stock, representing more than 60% upside on Friday's close. He pointed to Loop Capital's analysis that Shake Shack's adjusted EBITDA could beat the company's guidance this year.

Shake Shack has fallen sharply since Loop Capital's report was first published at the end of January. Stump argues the pullback makes it an attractive time to buy.

Tariffs Won't Shake This Stock

Stump said Shake Shack's sales growth over the past three quarters had been better than expected. He also sees potential in digital sales, which, along with kiosks, are central to the chain's omni-channel consumer approach.

Shake Shack's efforts to boost margins through stronger price negotiation and labor scheduling have been paying off. Limited-time offers, such as a black truffle burger, have been a hit with customers.

Plus, as markets digest the impact of tariffs, Stump argues the company will be somewhat insulated against any trade wars. This is because Shake Shack is committed to using premium, locally sourced ingredients.

Not So Fast

Shake Shack started out as a hot dog stand in Madison Square Park back in 2004 and now has over 580 locations worldwide. The company says it wants to push this figure to 1,500. 

Investor opinion puts it on somewhat shaky ground. According to Barron's, 13 out of 26 analysts have Shake Shack at a Buy or Overweight. 12 rank it a Hold, and one says it is a Sell.

So far, Shake Shack has shaken off economic uncertainty. Watch out for its next earnings report, due in early May, to see if that continues.

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Scotts Miracle-Gro Could Bloom in Tough Times

A Safe Haven in Stormy Weather

Scotts Miracle-Gro $SMG ( ▼ 2.92% ) may not seem like a typical defensive stock, but Truist Securities believes it can thrive even if the economy slows. Analyst Bill Chappell upgraded the lawn and garden company to Buy from Hold, setting a $70 price target — implying 36% upside from recent levels.

Chappell argues that when consumers pull back on travel or big-ticket spending, they tend to invest more in their homes and backyards. The analyst points to past recessions and the pandemic as examples, when lawn care spending held steady or even grew.

Chappell believes Scotts’ core business has normalized after the pandemic surge, making it better prepared to weather any economic turbulence ahead.

Back to Basics

Lawn care spending soared during lockdowns, but has since settled. Chappell says the category has now returned to pre-pandemic levels, with steady growth expected in the years ahead.

The analyst projects Scotts’ growth to stabilize in the low-to-mid single digits. This should make quarterly results more predictable after several years of volatile swings, per the analyst.

The company’s ability to manage expenses and better forecast demand could also help ease investor concerns.

Valuation Looks Attractive

Chappell highlighted Scotts’ current valuation as historically attractive. The stock is down around 23% year-to-date, potentially an ideal entry point for long-term investors.

The current macro backdrop makes the stock more appealing, the analyst argues. If consumer spending weakens and people cut down on vacations, they’re likely to put more money into their lawns and gardens.

For investors seeking a consumer-facing stock with resilience, Truist says Scotts Miracle-Gro may be worth planting in their portfolio.

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Byte the Bullet

3 Tech Stocks To Watch

Tech and consumer discretionary stocks were hit particularly hard by this past week’s sweeping tariffs and wider economic uncertainty.

But the stock market marches forward, and as we enter Q2, CNBC Pro is on the hunt for opportunities. Its analysts think some beaten-down tech stocks could be supercharged for recovery.

Top of its list are Arista Networks $ANET ( ▲ 5.69% ) , Dell Technologies $DELL ( ▲ 3.27% ) , and EPAM Systems $EPAM ( ▲ 3.64% ) .

Arista-Cratic

The team screened the S&P 500 tech sector for companies that checked these three boxes:

• Stock price down more than 20% this year

• Analyst consensus Buy rating

• Average price target with upside of at least 20%

Arista Networks is a prime example — its price may have reached an all-time high in January, but it's down over 30% in 2025. The company has become a leader in high-end networking equipment, which is crucial for AI.

Barron's says the company is rated a Buy or Overweight by 21 out of 27 analysts. In March, UBS $UBS ( ▲ 1.2% ) upgraded Arista from Neutral to Buy on the back of widespread expected investment in data centers and AI.

Cogs in the Machine

Another company on CNBC's list of well-oiled machines is Dell Technologies. After the tariffs risk-off, the stock is down nearly 40% year-to-date. 

Finally, CNBC sees potential upside in EPAM Systems. EPAM provides a range of digital engineering, cloud, and AI services. Scotiabank $BNS ( ▲ 2.51% ) recently reiterated its ​​Sector Outperform rating on the stock. It cut its price target from $275 to $250, but that still represents a 42% upside on its current price.

Tech stocks are undergoing a hard reset right now. As long as they don't completely blow a fuse, it could be an opportunity to pick up some quality investments at a discount.

Last Week’s Poll Results

Are you bullish or bearish on CK Hutchison Holdings (CKHUY) over the next 12 months?

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🐂 Bullish

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ 🐻 Bearish

Are you bullish or bearish on AutoZone (AZO) over the next 12 months?

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🐂 Bullish

🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🐻 Bearish

And, in response, you said:

• 🐂 Bullish —

  • “Personally, my own vehicle has over 100K miles on it, and I wouldn't think of replacing it just yet due to market conditions. Prefer to replace the needed parts as they go bad. In the end, that is the cheaper response.”

  • “Their long-term chart is truly a thing of beauty...”

  • “Folks be fixin' their own rides.”

Are you bullish or bearish on Pentair (PNR) over the next 12 months?

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ 🐂 Bullish

🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🐻 Bearish

• 🐻 Bearish — “With consumer spending at a low, consumers may be less likely to invest in a pool. Their water business may be bullish, but their personal pool line may be bearish.”