Barron's Picks And Pans: Alibaba, AllianceBernstein, Pfizer And More

• This weekend's Barron's cover story discusses why the lagging industrials could be poised for a decade of outperformance.
• Other featured articles discuss how American manufacturing can be reinvigorated and the coming wave of consolidation in investment management.
• Also, the prospects for a theater operators, an overlooked asset manager, a Chinese tech giant and more.

Cover story "How to Play the Next Industrial Revolution" by Al Root points out that industrial stocks such as Caterpillar Inc. CAT have lagged behind the S&P 500 index for the past 10 years. See why Barron's believes better times are ahead. Could the sector see a decade of outperformance?

Matthew C. Klein's "The American Dream: Bringing Factories Back to the U.S." suggests that decades of offshoring have left the American economy vulnerable. Restoring the nation's production prowess will be a long, hard slog, but it can be accomplished if companies such as Intel Corporation INTC, politicians and investors get behind the effort.

In "Movie Chains Reel as Box Offices Bomb," Liz Moyer discusses why, with the pandemic lingering, movie houses are reeling from delayed releases from the likes of Walt Disney Co DIS, theater shutdowns and scarce ticket buyers. Can AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc AMC and other theater operators survive until 2021?

Pfizer Inc. PFE wants a judgment in favor of programs that would let it help cover Medicare patients' copays for an expensive cardiovascular drug, according to "Pfizer Suit Could Be an 'Earthquake' for Drug Pricing" by Eleanor Laise. See what impact the ruling could have on drug prices and the likes of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc REGN.

In Andrew Bary's "Why AllianceBernstein Stands Out," Barron's make a case that Alliancebernstein Holding LP AB should be one the hottest plays in its industry. After all, this New York-based asset manager offers a growth story, and it has a nearly 9% yield. Find out why Barron's believes it generates so little attention from investors.

See Also: 4 Issues That Will Determine If The Market's Next Big Move Is Up Or Down

"Eaton Vance Deal Presages More Money-Manager M&A" by Leslie P. Norton discusses why, in the wake of the Morgan Stanley MS acquisition of Eaton Vance Corp EV, a wave of consolidation is likely as firms increasingly come under pressure to cut fees, trim expenses and boost investment performance.

Diagnostic giant Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings LN now processes 200,000 coronavirus tests a day. So says Jack Hough's "LabCorp Has Been Tested by Covid-19. But It's Now on a Roll." See how this North Carolina-based clinical laboratory network operator is preparing for whatever the new normal will be.

In "Using Alibaba to Hedge a U.S. Stock Portfolio," Steven M. Sears claims that China might be the best hedge for U.S. stocks. Find out how e-commerce and technology giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd BABA, given its broad scope, could act in the role once occupied by fixed income when it was an effective offset to equity weakness.

Lawrence C. Strauss's "The Tech Sector's Dividend Allure Is in Growth, Not Yield" says that the tech sector, unlike utilities or consumer staples, isn't the first option for dividend investors. However, some believe that they have a lot of runway to grow those dividends. See whether that includes Cisco Systems, Inc. CSCO, Lam Research Corporation LRCX and others.