MarketMind
Monday, September 7, 2026
S&P 500 +20% past year — the bar to beat.
Market
☀️ Fair
a reasonable time for quality buys.
New Buys Today
4
since yesterday
Paper Fund
$105,571
▲ +5.6% all-time
Mode
⚖️ Balanced
balanced mix

⭐ What's New Today

🆕 New buy HBAN grade 71, UNP grade 70, EXPD grade 70, ZION grade 70
🔀 Also changed BXP Avoid→Hold

🟢 Top Buys Today

Great businesses at fair prices — here's why each makes the list.

1 PRI Primerica, Inc. 93
Excellent · Steady pick
✅ Strong, healthy financesinterest coverage 41.7x · current ratio 3.73 · positive free cash flow
✅ Attractively pricedP/E 12 · PEG 1.1 · FCF yield 11.4%
2 FHI Federated Hermes, Inc. 92
Excellent · Steady pick
✅ Strong, healthy financesinterest coverage 44.0x · current ratio 2.59 · positive free cash flow
✅ Highly profitableROE 31% · net margin 21% · gross margin 69%
3 HIG The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. 90
Excellent · Steady pick
✅ Attractively pricedP/E 10 · PEG 0.1 · FCF yield 14.7%
✅ Strong, healthy financesinterest coverage 24.9x · current ratio 1.77 · positive free cash flow
4 LOPE Grand Canyon Education, Inc. 89
Excellent · Steady pick
✅ Strong, healthy financesdebt/equity 16% · interest coverage 75830.2x · current ratio 2.82 · positive free cash flow
✅ Steady and stablebeta 0.58 · steady margins
5 NBIX Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. 89
Excellent · Faster-growth pick
✅ Growing quicklyrev CAGR 24% · rev YoY 40% · EPS CAGR 46% · EPS YoY 31%
✅ Steady and stablebeta 0.38 · steady margins

…and 366 more buy candidates in the full briefing.

⚠️ Getting Worse — Watch

40 name(s) sliding toward Avoid: IRM, WHR, ORA, TXNM, NNN, NWE, PNW, CMS, DTE, D, LNT, AES, NI, WTRG, BKH, ETR, FE, AEP, LUV, RCL, OGS, POR, XEL, EVRG, WEC, AEE, NLY, SO, WMB, CNP, DUK, SR, EXC, NJR, AWK, PPL, NEE, PCG, BX, SCHW

📈 Paper Fund (MarketMind trading a fake $100k)

$95,615$100,475$105,335$110,195Jul 16: Paper Fund $100,000 · S&P 500 $100,000Jul 16: Paper Fund $100,000 · S&P 500 $100,000Jul 17: Paper Fund $100,000 · S&P 500 $99,660Jul 17: Paper Fund $100,000 · S&P 500 $99,660Jul 19: Paper Fund $99,404 · S&P 500 $98,670Jul 19: Paper Fund $99,404 · S&P 500 $98,670Jul 20: Paper Fund $99,404 · S&P 500 $98,670Jul 20: Paper Fund $99,404 · S&P 500 $98,670Jul 21: Paper Fund $99,495 · S&P 500 $98,510Jul 21: Paper Fund $99,495 · S&P 500 $98,510Jul 22: Paper Fund $98,924 · S&P 500 $99,330Jul 22: Paper Fund $98,924 · S&P 500 $99,330Jul 23: Paper Fund $97,250 · S&P 500 $99,220Jul 23: Paper Fund $97,250 · S&P 500 $99,220Jul 24: Paper Fund $96,968 · S&P 500 $97,990Jul 24: Paper Fund $96,968 · S&P 500 $97,990Jul 25: Paper Fund $98,061 · S&P 500 $98,090Jul 25: Paper Fund $98,061 · S&P 500 $98,090Jul 26: Paper Fund $98,061 · S&P 500 $98,090Jul 26: Paper Fund $98,061 · S&P 500 $98,090Jul 28: Paper Fund $100,393 · S&P 500 $98,110Jul 28: Paper Fund $100,393 · S&P 500 $98,110Jul 29: Paper Fund $102,520 · S&P 500 $98,350Jul 29: Paper Fund $102,520 · S&P 500 $98,350Jul 30: Paper Fund $104,605 · S&P 500 $96,830Jul 30: Paper Fund $104,605 · S&P 500 $96,830Jul 31: Paper Fund $102,768 · S&P 500 $98,460Jul 31: Paper Fund $102,768 · S&P 500 $98,460Aug 3: Paper Fund $101,506 · S&P 500 $99,170Aug 3: Paper Fund $101,506 · S&P 500 $99,170Aug 4: Paper Fund $101,506 · S&P 500 $99,170Aug 4: Paper Fund $101,506 · S&P 500 $99,170Aug 5: Paper Fund $104,441 · S&P 500 $102,390Aug 5: Paper Fund $104,441 · S&P 500 $102,390Aug 10: Paper Fund $105,443 · S&P 500 $102,650Aug 10: Paper Fund $105,443 · S&P 500 $102,650Aug 11: Paper Fund $106,400 · S&P 500 $102,620Aug 11: Paper Fund $106,400 · S&P 500 $102,620Aug 12: Paper Fund $106,087 · S&P 500 $102,290Aug 12: Paper Fund $106,087 · S&P 500 $102,290Aug 13: Paper Fund $105,077 · S&P 500 $102,550Aug 13: Paper Fund $105,077 · S&P 500 $102,550Aug 14: Paper Fund $105,309 · S&P 500 $103,260Aug 14: Paper Fund $105,309 · S&P 500 $103,260Aug 17: Paper Fund $105,436 · S&P 500 $103,060Aug 17: Paper Fund $105,436 · S&P 500 $103,060Aug 18: Paper Fund $105,436 · S&P 500 $103,060Aug 18: Paper Fund $105,436 · S&P 500 $103,060Aug 19: Paper Fund $105,522 · S&P 500 $101,880Aug 19: Paper Fund $105,522 · S&P 500 $101,880Aug 20: Paper Fund $107,525 · S&P 500 $102,090Aug 20: Paper Fund $107,525 · S&P 500 $102,090Aug 21: Paper Fund $107,115 · S&P 500 $101,230Aug 21: Paper Fund $107,115 · S&P 500 $101,230Aug 24: Paper Fund $108,405 · S&P 500 $101,650Aug 24: Paper Fund $108,405 · S&P 500 $101,650Aug 25: Paper Fund $108,980 · S&P 500 $101,350Aug 25: Paper Fund $108,980 · S&P 500 $101,350Aug 26: Paper Fund $108,062 · S&P 500 $101,670Aug 26: Paper Fund $108,062 · S&P 500 $101,670Aug 27: Paper Fund $107,525 · S&P 500 $101,700Aug 27: Paper Fund $107,525 · S&P 500 $101,700Aug 28: Paper Fund $107,032 · S&P 500 $102,360Aug 28: Paper Fund $107,032 · S&P 500 $102,360Aug 31: Paper Fund $107,912 · S&P 500 $102,130Aug 31: Paper Fund $107,912 · S&P 500 $102,130Sep 1: Paper Fund $107,871 · S&P 500 $101,820Sep 1: Paper Fund $107,871 · S&P 500 $101,820Sep 2: Paper Fund $107,631 · S&P 500 $101,120Sep 2: Paper Fund $107,631 · S&P 500 $101,120Sep 3: Paper Fund $107,974 · S&P 500 $101,570Sep 3: Paper Fund $107,974 · S&P 500 $101,570Sep 4: Paper Fund $107,974 · S&P 500 $101,570Sep 4: Paper Fund $107,974 · S&P 500 $101,570Sep 7: Paper Fund $105,571 · S&P 500 $102,240Sep 7: Paper Fund $105,571 · S&P 500 $102,240Jul 16Sep 7
Paper Fund $105,571S&P 500 $102,240
Paper Fund value vs. the same $100k in the S&P 500 · 38 days so far

Value $105,571 ▲ +5.6% since 2026-07-16 · ▼ -$2,402 (-2.2%) since yesterday · S&P +2.2% · Cash $3,897

StockHeldPriceTodaySince buyGrade
CF83 sh$133.35▼ -3.2%+2.9%89
EOG78 sh$145.19▼ -0.5%+7.8%87
FHI156 sh$62.40▲ +0.4%+4.1%92
HIG73 sh$138.37▼ -1.2%+1.3%90
INTU33 sh$332.70▼ -3.4%+12.9%87
LOPE69 sh$152.67▲ +0.1%+6.6%89
LULU85 sh$100.61▼ -17.4%-15.4%87
NBIX58 sh$155.64▼ -1.7%-9.3%89
PRI31 sh$295.62▼ -0.7%-5.5%93
RMD49 sh$228.35▼ -0.4%+12.6%84

Fictional money · prices update daily · a live test of whether the picks actually work.

🏆 Track Record

Does the grading actually work? Two honest halves — a backtest on past data, and the real live record as it ripens. It reports the truth even when that's “not enough data yet.”

Backtest — replaying history

Reconstructed 318 graded moments across 150 companies (a sample of 150 names), then measured what each actually returned over the next 12 months.

Buy calls vs the market Buy-rated stocks averaged +14.7% over 12 months vs the S&P’s +14.7% — roughly matched the market ➖

Do higher grades earn better returns?

GradeNames12-mo returnvs S&P
A (80-100)45+14.9%+1.5%
B (65-79)159+11.3%-4.2%
C (50-64)90+12.7%-1.6%
D-F (<50)24+41.0%+27.2%

→ higher grades did WORSE here (gap 26.1 pts) ⚠️

Your live record — real calls, zero hindsight

37 snapshot(s) since 2026-07-06, none ripe yet — first 6-month check ~2027-01-06.

Backtest limits: ~5 years back, surviving companies only, restated statements — a strong first read, not gospel. The live record is the hindsight-free gold standard and strengthens every month. Refreshed 2026-09-06. Educational only — not financial advice.

📰 News — What Happened & Why It Matters

MarketMind — News Digest for 2026-09-07

Buy Candidates

LULU — lululemon athletica (grade 87.4, Buy)

The biggest story among today's Buy names. Lululemon plummeted 17% on Sept 4 after slashing full-year guidance for the fourth time since June. Q2 revenue fell 4% year-over-year to $2.4 billion (missing consensus of $2.46B), and Americas same-store sales dropped 12%. The company now expects full-year revenue of $10.35–$10.5 billion, down sharply from prior guidance of $11.0–$11.15B. Q3 is projected to decline 10–11% year-over-year. Management cited weak product launches, intensifying competition, and negative social media commentary. Even China — previously a growth bright spot — saw same-store sales fall 8%. The stock is down over 51% year-to-date. JPMorgan cut its price target, noting "Lululemon remains a recognizable brand, but it is losing market share." Separately, founder Chip Wilson is reportedly divorcing, adding governance uncertainty, and the company is pulling back on pop-up stores.

This is a real deterioration — revenue declining, guidance slashed repeatedly, and the brand losing share. The grade (87.4) reflects strong historical financials and profitability, but the forward picture is clouding fast. The gap between the high grade and the ugly operational news is worth watching carefully; if the next quarter confirms the trend, the grade will catch up on the downside.

PRI — Primerica (grade 93.0, Buy)

An article from Sept 6 flags that Primerica's investment product boom is masking a shrinking sales force — net income climbed 13% to $202 million in Q2, but the company is losing the independent agents who are its core distribution channel. This is a structural concern: investment product revenue from existing customers can grow even as the pipeline of new customers narrows. The stock is also down 8.8% since its last earnings report, though that article's details couldn't be loaded. Several institutional buys and sells (Ohio pension buying $2.75M, UBS selling ~48k shares) are normal portfolio shuffling and not material signals.

The grade (93.0) is the highest in the focused set and reflects excellent current profitability and financial health. The shrinking-salesforce story is worth monitoring — it's not a crisis today, but it could erode the growth pillar over time if the trend continues.

DECK — Deckers Outdoor (grade 88.0, Buy)

Deckers gained 1.55% on Sept 4, the same day Lululemon cratered — providing what analysts called "a mixed read on premium brand demand." The divergence is notable: while LULU is losing share, Deckers (HOKA, UGG brands) appears more resilient. No company-specific catalyst or earnings news this week; the remaining headlines were about competitor On Holding (ONON) falling 27% in a month and general market recaps. Quiet news week — the grade reflects strong fundamentals without new concerns.

CF — CF Industries (grade 89.1, Buy)

CF is up 18.1% since its last earnings report, though the article explaining why couldn't be loaded (Yahoo JS shell). An SEC 8-K filing on Sept 3 was blocked by a 403 error so I couldn't confirm its contents — 8-K filings cover material events like executive changes, asset sales, or contract amendments. Separately, CF announced the planned retirement of its Chief Accounting Officer (a Google News headline from Sept 4); this is a normal succession event, not a red flag, though it's worth watching that the replacement is smooth. The grade remains strong.

FHI — Federated Hermes (grade 92.3, Buy)

The most interesting headline is their "APAC tokenization push" — Federated Hermes is expanding into tokenized fund products in Asia-Pacific, potentially a new lever for AUM growth. Unfortunately the full article couldn't be loaded. Brokerages have an average "Moderate Buy" recommendation. No earnings surprises or negative catalysts this week. The grade (92.3) is the second-highest among all focused names, reflecting strong profitability and financial health for this asset manager.

HIG — The Hartford Insurance Group (grade 90.3, Buy)

No material news. Headlines are all institutional position changes (Nykredit buying, AlphaGrep investing, Northwestern Mutual buying) and a Simply Wall St. piece calling it a "bargain on earnings." This is typical quiet-week noise for a well-run insurer. The grade is strong at 90.3.

LOPE — Grand Canyon Education (grade 89.4, Buy)

Two headlines worth noting: (1) a Simply Wall St. piece from Sept 1 discusses an "interim CFO appointment amid trading probe" — this sounds like it could be material (a trading probe usually means an SEC or internal investigation into insider trading), but the Google News redirect wouldn't load. (2) An Insider Monkey article calls LOPE "a steady cash-generating business ignored in a speculative market," though that also couldn't be loaded. The institutional buys (AXQ Capital, Legal & General, Manulife) are routine. The trading-probe headline is the one to watch — if it's a formal SEC investigation, that's a real risk even if the grade doesn't capture it yet.

NBIX — Neurocrine Biosciences (grade 89.3, Buy)

Neurocrine is presenting at investor conferences in September (Boston and New York healthcare events). A Simply Wall St. piece notes the stock "could still be a bargain after a 61% run" — suggesting strong momentum. A director donated 1,000 shares (charitable donation, not a sale — not a warning signal). Brokerages appear positive. No negative catalysts. Clean week.

RJF — Raymond James Financial (grade 88.4, Buy)

Near its 52-week high with a "technical breakout setup." Raymond James announced a dividend and new board appointments. Munich Re bought shares. All positive or neutral. No concerns.

KNSL — Kinsale Capital Group (grade 87.4, Buy)

A Simply Wall St. analysis suggests KNSL "may be below fair value on strong returns," with an intrinsic value estimate pointing to roughly a one-third discount. However, brokerages have an average "Reduce" recommendation, which creates a conflicting signal — the quant models like it, but sell-side analysts are cautious, likely on valuation multiples. No company-specific catalyst or negative news this week.


Crash Watch

IRM — Iron Mountain (grade 39.3)

Iron Mountain got a fair-value boost from analysts who raised their AI-related growth assumptions — the new estimate is approximately $143–$146 per share. There's also a headline about an "AI lending deal in Saudi Arabia" that could change the investment case. Brokerages average "Moderate Buy." The grade is very low (39.3), which typically reflects weak traditional fundamentals (thin margins, heavy debt for a REIT, rich valuation). The AI data-center story is real but speculative — the grade is saying the stock's price already assumes a lot of that growth will materialize.

WHR — Whirlpool (grade 45.4)

Down 15% since last earnings, though the full article couldn't be loaded. No positive catalysts visible — just routine institutional position shuffles. The low grade reflects fundamental weakness in a cyclically challenged appliance maker.

ORA — Ormat Technologies (grade 46.6)

Down 3% since last earnings. An analyst research call from 247 Wall Street mentioned ORA on Sept 4 but the article was truncated before the ORA section. Van ECK sold ~226k shares. No clear catalyst either way — the geothermal energy company has a niche moat but the grade suggests the valuation is stretched relative to the fundamentals.

TXNM — TXNM Energy (grade 46.7)

The most notable item: TXNM raised $400 million in a stock sale (equity offering), per a Stock Titan headline from Sept 2. An SEC 8-K was filed the same day but couldn't be loaded (403 error). A Seeking Alpha article notes the "deal spread might be thin given regulatory presence" — suggesting this may be related to a pending acquisition or merger where regulatory risk is a factor. A $400M equity raise dilutes existing shareholders and is a real event; the purpose of the cash matters (funding a deal vs. shoring up a balance sheet have very different implications). Worth following.

NNN — NNN REIT (grade 48.4)

No material company-specific news. Headlines are generic dividend/income roundups ("$860,000 portfolio that pays $5,100/month," "3 landlord stocks," "dividend champions"). The grade is low for a REIT, suggesting the valuation is rich relative to the modest growth and financial profile.


Honest limits

Many Yahoo Finance article pages returned only JavaScript shells with no readable content — this affected detailed articles on PRI, CF, FHI, WHR, ORA, KNSL, NBIX, and DECK. Google News redirect links (news.google.com/rss/articles/...) were not attempted as they typically redirect to the original source's SPA shell, which has the same problem. The SEC 8-K filings for CF and TXNM returned 403 errors. The Street (thestreet.com) also returned 403. The Motley Fool articles loaded successfully and provided the most detailed content (LULU earnings breakdown, DECK context). As always, this is a once-a-morning read of free sources — not a substitute for reading the primary filings or company releases yourself.

About MarketMind

MarketMind is a personal, educational stock-research tool. Every morning it screens roughly 900 large- and mid-cap U.S. companies, grades each one from 0–100 on five research-backed pillars — financial health, profitability, growth, valuation, and moat — and surfaces the businesses that look strong and reasonably priced.

The idea it rests on: over the long run, a stock's price follows the company's profits. So rather than chasing hype, MarketMind looks for great businesses at fair prices and lets time do the work.

It also runs a Paper Fund — a fictional $100,000 that automatically follows the tool's own Buy ratings — so you can watch, over time, whether the picks actually work. It's pretend money: nothing here is ever bought or sold for real.

Built with free public data · refreshed every morning at 7:00 AM U.S. Central time.

Educational only — not financial advice. Nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Always do your own research.