MarketMind
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
S&P 500 +18% past year β€” the bar to beat.
Market
β˜€οΈ Fair
a reasonable time for quality buys.
New Buys Today
0
buy list steady
Paper Fund
$102,520
β–² +2.5% all-time
Mode
βš–οΈ Balanced
balanced mix

⭐ What's New Today

βž– No longer a buy JNJ (Buyβ†’Hold), CDP (Buyβ†’Hold)

🟒 Top Buys Today

Great businesses at fair prices β€” here's why each makes the list.

1 PRI Primerica, Inc. 92
Excellent Β· Steady pick
βœ… Strong, healthy financesinterest coverage 41.7x Β· current ratio 3.60 Β· positive free cash flow
βœ… Highly profitableROE 32% Β· net margin 23% Β· gross margin 72%
2 HIG The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. 90
Excellent Β· Steady pick
βœ… Attractively pricedP/E 10 Β· PEG 0.1 Β· FCF yield 14.3%
βœ… Strong, healthy financesinterest coverage 24.9x Β· current ratio 1.77 Β· positive free cash flow
3 DUOL Duolingo, Inc. 90
Excellent Β· Faster-growth pick
βœ… Strong, healthy financesdebt/equity 7% Β· current ratio 2.62 Β· positive free cash flow
βœ… Highly profitableROE 37% Β· net margin 38% Β· gross margin 73%
πŸ”Ž Weaker on stability
4 LOPE Grand Canyon Education, Inc. 90
Excellent Β· Steady pick
βœ… Strong, healthy financesdebt/equity 15% Β· interest coverage 75830.2x Β· current ratio 2.75 Β· positive free cash flow
βœ… Steady and stablebeta 0.57 Β· steady margins
5 META Meta Platforms, Inc. 89
Excellent Β· Faster-growth pick
βœ… Highly profitableROE 33% Β· net margin 33% Β· gross margin 82%
βœ… Strong, healthy financesdebt/equity 36% Β· interest coverage 74.8x Β· current ratio 2.35 Β· positive free cash flow

…and 241 more buy candidates in the full briefing.

⚠️ Getting Worse β€” Watch

23 name(s) sliding toward Avoid: WY, TXNM, SBUX, NNN, ORA, FDXF, AEP, BKH, CNP, AES, ETR, XEL, EVRG, FE, LUV, LNT, NI, D, DUK, WMB, PCG, JNJ, CDP

πŸ“ˆ Paper Fund (MarketMind trading a fake $100k)

$96,413$98,634$100,855$103,076Jul 16: Paper Fund $100,000 Β· S&P 500 $100,000Jul 16: Paper Fund $100,000 Β· S&P 500 $100,000Jul 17: Paper Fund $100,000 Β· S&P 500 $99,660Jul 17: Paper Fund $100,000 Β· S&P 500 $99,660Jul 19: Paper Fund $99,404 Β· S&P 500 $98,670Jul 19: Paper Fund $99,404 Β· S&P 500 $98,670Jul 20: Paper Fund $99,404 Β· S&P 500 $98,670Jul 20: Paper Fund $99,404 Β· S&P 500 $98,670Jul 21: Paper Fund $99,495 Β· S&P 500 $98,510Jul 21: Paper Fund $99,495 Β· S&P 500 $98,510Jul 22: Paper Fund $98,924 Β· S&P 500 $99,330Jul 22: Paper Fund $98,924 Β· S&P 500 $99,330Jul 23: Paper Fund $97,250 Β· S&P 500 $99,220Jul 23: Paper Fund $97,250 Β· S&P 500 $99,220Jul 24: Paper Fund $96,968 Β· S&P 500 $97,990Jul 24: Paper Fund $96,968 Β· S&P 500 $97,990Jul 25: Paper Fund $98,061 Β· S&P 500 $98,090Jul 25: Paper Fund $98,061 Β· S&P 500 $98,090Jul 26: Paper Fund $98,061 Β· S&P 500 $98,090Jul 26: Paper Fund $98,061 Β· S&P 500 $98,090Jul 28: Paper Fund $100,393 Β· S&P 500 $98,110Jul 28: Paper Fund $100,393 Β· S&P 500 $98,110Jul 29: Paper Fund $102,520 Β· S&P 500 $98,350Jul 29: Paper Fund $102,520 Β· S&P 500 $98,350Jul 16Jul 29
Paper Fund $102,520S&P 500 $98,350
Paper Fund value vs. the same $100k in the S&P 500 Β· 12 days so far

Value $102,520 β–² +2.5% since 2026-07-16 Β· β–² +$2,128 (+2.1%) since yesterday Β· S&P -1.7% Β· Cash $1,016

StockHeldPriceTodaySince buyGrade
DUOL77 sh$140.73β–² +6.0%+9.1%90
HIG73 sh$140.14β–Ό -1.4%+2.6%90
INTU33 sh$312.99β–² +3.0%+6.2%88
LOPE69 sh$150.45β–² +3.9%+5.1%90
META15 sh$593.41β–Ό -0.1%-10.7%89
NBIX58 sh$182.83β–² +3.6%+6.6%89
NEM110 sh$91.52β–Ό -2.1%+0.8%86
PRI31 sh$321.64β–² +2.2%+2.8%92
PTC78 sh$127.51β–² +1.8%+0.1%89
RMD49 sh$208.96β–² +2.9%+3.1%89

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

πŸ† Track Record

Does the grading actually work? Two honest halves β€” 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 β€” replaying history

Reconstructed 319 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 +15.4% over 12 months vs the S&P’s +15.6% β€” roughly matched the market βž–

Do higher grades earn better returns?

GradeNames12-mo returnvs S&P
A (80-100)43+13.5%-0.5%
B (65-79)162+12.0%-3.8%
C (50-64)90+15.2%-0.2%
D-F (<50)24+41.0%+27.2%

β†’ higher grades did WORSE here (gap 27.5 pts) ⚠️

Your live record β€” real calls, zero hindsight

9 snapshot(s) since 2026-07-06, none ripe yet β€” first 6-month check ~2027-01-06.

Backtest limits: ~5 years back, surviving companies only, restated statements β€” a strong first read, not gospel. The live record is the hindsight-free gold standard and strengthens every month. Refreshed 2026-07-26. Educational only β€” not financial advice.

πŸ“° News β€” What Happened & Why It Matters

MarketMind β€” News Digest for 2026-07-29

Market weather: FAIR (SPY above its rising 200-day average).


Buy Candidates

HIG β€” The Hartford Insurance Group (Grade 90.3, Buy)

Hartford just reported Q2 2026 earnings and the numbers were strong. Core earnings came in at $945 million ($3.42/share), beating the Street's estimate of ~$3.12 by about 10%. Revenue hit $5.23 billion (+6.8% year-over-year). The standout was net investment income surging 22% to $800 million, well above the $746 million analysts expected β€” this is the benefit of higher interest rates flowing into their bond portfolio.

The company authorized a massive $4.2 billion share repurchase program (through 2028) and plans to boost quarterly buybacks to $475 million for the rest of 2026. Small Business insurance was a bright spot with 7% premium growth and an improved combined ratio of 86.5 (lower = more profitable). Return on equity was a very healthy 18.7%.

One thing to watch: they added $46 million to general liability reserves due to more frequent large claims and bumped commercial auto reserves for higher-than-expected claim costs. Management called these "modest relative to the reserve base," and they do look manageable.

AM Best also affirmed Hartford's A+ financial strength rating with a stable outlook β€” meaning the rating agency sees no near-term threats to the company's ability to pay claims and maintain its capital position.

This is a real catalyst β€” an earnings beat plus a big buyback authorization plus a credit-rating confirmation. The grade (90.3) reflects a financially strong, profitable insurer, and the Q2 results back that up.

META β€” Meta Platforms (Grade 89.3, Buy)

Meta reports Q2 earnings this week and the stock is under pressure β€” eight consecutive red days, down about 13% from recent highs. The options market is pricing in a roughly 7% move after results, so traders expect a volatile reaction.

The most interesting headline: Meta is reportedly in early talks to lease up to $10 billion of AI compute capacity to Anthropic. If real, this could turn Meta's massive AI infrastructure spending into an actual revenue stream (like AWS did for Amazon) rather than just a cost center β€” potentially a big narrative shift for investors who've been nervous about the spending.

Broader AI anxiety is also hitting the stock: a new Chinese model (Kimi K3, being called "DeepSeek 2.0") is spooking markets about whether U.S. tech companies' AI spending will pay off. Meanwhile, Meta COO sold about $540K in stock (routine, but noted).

The grade at 89.3 reflects Meta's strong profitability and growth. The near-term risk is whether Q2 earnings satisfy investors worried about AI return-on-investment. News is noise around a fundamentally strong business β€” the earnings report (due any day) will be the real signal.

DUOL β€” Duolingo (Grade 90.0, Buy)

Duolingo's stock has had a rough stretch β€” down about 66% over the past year and it dropped roughly 10% in one week after CEO Luis von Ahn flagged slower growth. The stock is now around $122.

The positive signal: Apptopia data from July 2026 shows that average time spent per daily active user among 17-to-25-year-olds hit its highest level since January 2025. More importantly, Duolingo's heaviest AI chatbot users (Duolingo Max, powered by GPT-4) are spending more time in the app β€” suggesting AI features are making the product stickier, not cannibalizing it.

Analyst reactions are mixed: Scotiabank raised its price target citing the user-growth shift, while D.A. Davidson kept a neutral rating saying growth is steady but not accelerating. Valuation is hotly debated β€” at ~13.5x earnings it looks reasonable versus the industry average of ~15.8x, but a discounted-cash-flow model puts fair value much higher (~$259).

The grade (90.0) reflects strong growth and profitability metrics. The main risk is whether slower subscriber growth becomes a trend or was a one-quarter blip. The engagement data among young users is encouraging β€” if Duolingo can convert that stickiness into paid subscriptions, the current price could look cheap in hindsight.

PRI β€” Primerica (Grade 92.4, Buy)

Primerica hit an all-time high of $317.86 last week, and the stock continues to hold near those levels. There's no major earnings catalyst right now β€” the news is mostly institutional fund flows (Dimensional Fund Advisors added ~7,600 shares; First Trust also boosted its position) and analyst consensus sits at "Hold."

The company's own Financial Security Monitor survey (Q2 2026) found that 71% of middle-income Americans say their income isn't keeping pace with living costs, and 66% don't think they're saving enough for retirement. This is actually Primerica's sweet spot β€” they sell term life insurance and financial products to exactly this demographic, so ongoing financial anxiety could support demand for their services.

No red flags here. The grade (92.4, highest in the list) reflects excellent financial health and profitability. The stock hitting all-time highs is consistent with the fundamentals.

INTU β€” Intuit (Grade 88.1, Buy)

Intuit is arguably the most interesting story in today's list. The stock is down about 60% from its peak and is one of the worst performers on the Nasdaq-100 in 2026. TD Cowen just downgraded the stock, citing a "more negative near-term catalyst path." There's also a securities class action lawsuit (investors who lost money may be eligible to participate).

On the positive side, Intuit launched a QuickBooks Card product and several analysts still see value at these depressed levels. The software sector is generally outperforming chips right now, which could provide a tailwind.

The grade (88.1) still reflects strong underlying profitability, growth, and financial health β€” the scoring engine looks at the business quality, not the stock-price momentum. The disconnect between a high grade and a beaten-down stock price could mean the market is pricing in fears (AI disruption to TurboTax? slower small-business spending?) that may or may not materialize. This is one to watch closely β€” if the business holds up, the current price could be an opportunity, but the downgrade and lawsuit add real uncertainty.

Could not read the TD Cowen downgrade article or the "down 60%" analysis (Yahoo Finance blocked access).

PTC β€” PTC Inc. (Grade 89.2, Buy)

PTC reports Q3 earnings soon. The company just launched Onshape Labs, bringing AI capabilities into its cloud-based product development platform β€” a meaningful move that positions PTC in the AI-for-engineering space. Renaissance Technologies (one of the most sophisticated quant funds) bought 183,600 shares recently.

Multiple analysts describe PTC as a "mispriced opportunity," trading at a discount on valuation metrics despite strong competitive positioning in CAD/PLM software. The 3D printing partnership (tie-up with an unnamed partner) adds another growth avenue.

The grade (89.2) reflects solid profitability and a strong competitive position. Earnings will be the next real test.

Could not read the Onshape Labs or earnings preview articles (blocked).

NBIX β€” Neurocrine Biosciences (Grade 88.6, Buy)

Neurocrine hit an all-time high of $181.30 and reports Q2 earnings soon. The company made leadership changes β€” appointing Samir Siddhanti as Chief Business Officer and announcing other hires/promotions, signaling investment in commercial execution. JPMorgan disclosed a 6.3% stake via a 13G/A filing, which is a meaningful institutional vote of confidence.

The stock has been on a steady climb. The grade (88.6) reflects strong profitability and growth driven primarily by Ingrezza (their tardive dyskinesia drug). Earnings will be the catalyst to watch.

Could not read the earnings preview or leadership articles (blocked).

RMD β€” ResMed (Grade 89.0, Buy)

ResMed is down 30% from its peak but just hit record free cash flow of $1.7 billion. One analysis projects 27% upside potential based on robust revenue growth. The stock has been outperforming the broader market recently (up several days in a row).

The grade (89.0) reflects the company's strong cash generation and market position in sleep apnea devices (CPAP machines). The disconnect between a 30% drawdown and record cash flow suggests the GLP-1 weight-loss drug scare (which initially crushed the stock on fears that Ozempic/Wegovy would cure sleep apnea) may have been overdone.

Could not read the 27% upside analysis (blocked).

FHI β€” Federated Hermes (Grade 88.4, Buy)

Federated Hermes reports Q2 earnings this week. Fund flow activity has been mixed β€” First Trust added shares while Dimensional Fund Advisors trimmed. No major catalysts ahead of earnings.

The grade (88.4) reflects solid profitability in asset management. Earnings will be the next signal.

LOPE β€” Grand Canyon Education (Grade 89.7, Buy)

Grand Canyon Education recently hit a 52-week low of $135.61, which is notable given its high grade. Institutional activity is mixed β€” Renaissance Technologies sold shares while Entropy Technologies LP bought ~9,200 shares.

The grade (89.7) reflects strong profitability and reasonable valuation in the education services space. A 52-week low paired with a near-90 grade is the kind of disconnect worth watching β€” it could mean the market is pricing in regulatory or enrollment fears that the fundamentals don't yet reflect, or it could be an opportunity.


Crash Watch

SBUX β€” Starbucks (Grade 45.2, Crash Watch)

Starbucks reports Q3 earnings TODAY (July 29). Multiple articles flag concerns about whether the company can afford its dividend while investing to fix the business. "Growth is off the menu" is the general analyst sentiment β€” same-store sales have been pressured and the turnaround under new leadership is still early.

The options market is pricing in a ~5.5% move. The grade (45.2) reflects weak profitability and growth metrics relative to the tool's standards. If earnings disappoint, this could get worse before it gets better.

Could not read the dividend or earnings preview articles (blocked).

WY β€” Weyerhaeuser (Grade 40.6, Crash Watch)

Weyerhaeuser's Q2 earnings are expected to decline, and analysts have been revising estimates downward. The stock is down 22% over three years, reflecting the tough lumber and housing environment. Raymond James is still bullish, but most commentary is cautious.

The grade (40.6) reflects weak profitability in a cyclical business facing soft demand. This is a classic "cheap for a reason" situation β€” lumber is a commodity and housing starts haven't recovered.

TXNM β€” TXNM Energy (Grade 41.1, Crash Watch)

Very little material news. Mostly institutional fund shuffling (Polar Asset Management sold, Weiss Asset Management invested ~$9.7 million). No catalysts or red flags beyond the weak grade (41.1), which reflects poor financial health metrics for this utility.

NNN β€” NNN REIT (Grade 47.6, Crash Watch)

NNN REIT has an impressive 37-year dividend increase streak, and the stock just crossed above its 200-day moving average. A Seeking Alpha preview says Q2 results look solid but are "largely priced in." One of their major tenants (a 46-year-old casual dining chain) is closing underperforming locations, which could affect lease income.

The grade (47.6) reflects that REITs tend to score lower on the tool's growth and profitability metrics by nature. The dividend streak is a genuine positive.

ORA β€” Ormat Technologies (Grade 47.8, Crash Watch)

Ormat, a geothermal energy company, dropped about 4.3% recently. Analysts call it a bargain on cash flow, and it has policy tailwinds for renewable energy. Migdal Insurance disclosed a 5.99% beneficial stake. The company is testing $101 resistance and has a "moderate buy" consensus.

The grade (47.8) reflects higher valuation relative to current earnings, typical for a growth-oriented clean energy name. The policy support and contracted revenue base are real positives, but the stock trades at a premium the grade model penalizes.


Sources Note

Yahoo Finance blocked access to most individual article pages today (rate-limiting or access restrictions), so several articles could only be assessed by headline. Articles that were fully read: HIG Q2 deep dive (Yahoo), HIG Q2 earnings beat (Yahoo), HIG Q2 earnings call highlights (MarketBeat), HIG AM Best affirmation (Yahoo), DUOL valuation analysis (Yahoo), DUOL Gen Z engagement (Yahoo), DUOL fully-valued debate (Yahoo), PRI middle-income survey (Yahoo RSS). All other items were assessed from headlines only β€” noted inline where this matters.

News is context alongside the grade, not a substitute for it. This is research assistance, not financial advice.

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 β€” financial health, profitability, growth, valuation, and moat β€” 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 β€” a fictional $100,000 that automatically follows the tool's own Buy ratings β€” 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 Β· refreshed every morning at 7:00 AM U.S. Central time.

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