Barron's Latest Picks And Pans: Affirm, Bitcoin, BorgWarner, Credit Suisse And More

• This weekend's Barron's cover story discusses why investors can no longer ignore cryptocurrencies.
• Other featured articles present companies pursuing Bitcoin opportunities and tips for investing in Bitcoin wisely.
• Also, see the prospects for cruise line operators, a newly public fintech, an auto parts giant, a struggling Swiss bank and more.

Cover story "Bitcoin Is Making a Splash. Is It Safe to Test the Waters?" by Daren Fonda makes the case that this cryptocurrency is reaching a tipping point that investors can no longer ignore. Plenty of vexing questions remain, says the article. Among them, whether a purely digital currency is necessary and whether Bitcoin's price run-up reflects a bubble.

Avi Salzman's "More Companies See Business Opportunities in Bitcoin" discusses how forward-thinking companies such as Square Inc SQ and Tesla Inc TSLA see value in blending cryptocurrencies into their business models. However, for now, these companies are mostly taking baby steps, says Barron's.

In "The Smart Way to Invest in Bitcoin," Nicholas Jasinski shows how Bitcoin is set to play a bigger role in portfolios as its popularity grows. See how advisors and investors can invest wisely, and what part Paypal Holdings Inc PYPL and even Visa Inc V may have to play.

Few industries have raised as much money during the pandemic as the leading cruise operators, according to "Cruise Line Stocks Are Riding a Wave. They Could Sink" by Andrew Bary. See what Barron's believes could torpedo investors' upbeat narrative on Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd NCLH and its rivals.

In Nicholas Jasinski's "This Laser Maker Is on the Cutting Edge. Its Stock Is Cheap," discover how Pennsylvania-based laser-component maker II-VI, Inc. IIVI is bulking up with a big acquisition, its latest in a long run of successful deals. While investors may not like the move, Barron's has some thoughts on why they should.

"Affirm Is Still a Good Play on the Future of Shopping" by Daren Fonda points out that newly public Affirm Holdings Inc AFRM is giving consumers a new way to make purchases, and no credit cards (or late fees) are required. Barron's thinks that could lift the shares of this leader, particularly in the e-commerce space.

See also: Benzinga's Bulls And Bears Of The Week: Apple, Chevron, GM, GE, Peloton And More

Overlooked multinational automotive supplier BorgWarner Inc. BWA is a cheap way to bet on the looming transition to electric vehicles. So says Jack Hough's "The EV Future Is Nearly Here. This Auto Components Giant Is Ready."

In "Credit Suisse's Crises Are Slamming the Stock. Stay Away," Paul Clarke reveals why analysts anticipate that Credit Suisse Group AG CS stock will fall further. As tempting as the stock price may be now, says the article, more nasty surprises could well lie ahead for the Geneva-based banking giant whose struggles began a year ago.

Eric J. Savitz's "The Economy Is On a Roll. Now Is the Time to Bet on Hardware" suggests that there is growing evidence of companies boosting their outlays for PCs, servers, disk drives and other tech hardware. Are Dell Technologies Inc DELL or HP Inc HPQ worth a look now? How about Seagate Technology PLC STX or Western Digital Corp WDC?

Also in this week's Barron's:

• Why economic recovery depends on getting women back to work
• How value stocks will win again if the Federal Reserve behaves
• Whether debt-fueled growth is more of a concern than inflation
• Whether this is the time to invest in Brazil stocks
• How Fed policies could restore gold's shine
• Why Bitcoin matters and what investors need to know
• Proposed tax hikes and the risk for tech and financials
• The Fed president who sees a sharp rebound by autumn
• How dividends are rebounding after the pandemic
• A simple blood test that could reduce cancer deaths
• When early retirement is a bad idea
• The pros and cons of renting in retirement

At the time of this writing, the author had no position in the mentioned equities.

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