Barron's Most Recent Picks And Pans: General Electric, Pfizer, Walt Disney And More

• This weekend's Barron's cover story examines the revival of mall stocks.


• Other featured articles discuss why small-cap stocks are the next big thing and some energy stocks that are poised to double.


• Also, see the prospects for the split up of a conglomerate, for a COVID-19 vaccine maker and for an entertainment giant on the rocks.

"Mall Stocks Are Back in Fashion. What's Behind Their Revival." by Sabrina Escobar Miranda and Logan Moore discusses why retailers like Abercrombie & Fitch Co. ANF have not only clawed their way back from the brink of death over the past year but propelled themselves into an unexpected renaissance. That is good for Simon Property Group Inc SPG and others.

In "The Math Behind the GE Spinoffs Makes Sense. For Investors, It's a Bet on CEO Larry Culp," Al Root makes the case that this Danaher veteran led the revival of industrial conglomerate General Electric Company GE in 2018 by restructuring, selling assets and reducing debt, but his boldest move is the decision to split the company in three.

Nicholas Jasinski's "Small-Caps Are in Line to Be Big Winners in 2022" points out that, in an expensive market, these stocks are cheap. See what Barron's says investors need to know about CommVault Systems, Inc. CVLT, Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc IONS, Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp MGY and many others.

An industry veteran finds promise in both conventional and alternative energy names. So says "Some Energy Stocks Could Double. Where to Invest Now." by Avi Salzman. See why he likes Antero Resources Corp AR, Diamondback Energy Inc FANG, EOG Resources Inc EOG and others.

See also: Benzinga's Bulls And Bears Of The Past Week: Disney, Ford, General Electric, Tesla And More

In Josh Nathan-Kazis's "Pfizer Shows Its R&D Is Strong. It's a Good Sign for the Stock," discover why successes with its COVID-19 vaccine and antiviral pill appear to validate a strategic shift by Pfizer Inc. PFE. Find out why Barron's believes that these twin wins for the pharmaceutical giant are a very good sign for the stock.

"Disney Stock Is Dropping After a Tough Quarter. Focus on the Big Picture." by Nicholas Jasinski explores how, though Walt Disney Co DIS posted earnings and revenue that came in below Wall Street consensus estimates for the company's fiscal fourth quarter, the trends were heading in the right direction. Should investors hang on?

Also in this week's Barron's:

• How U.S. companies face new risks in a changing China


• How Barron's small-cap picks have fared


• Why main street does not care about stocks at all-time highs


• What the market's biggest problem is


• Why the Federal Reserve knows that inflation is not transitory


• A pandemic legacy that no one is talking about


• How to protect portfolios from the inflation storm


• Why dividends and stock buybacks are headed higher


• The $45 trillion opportunity in the climate transition

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

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