On CNBC’s ‘Halftime Report Final Trades,’ financial experts shared their top picks for the day. Kevin Simpson of Capital Wealth Planning highlighted CME Group Inc. (CME), citing its 4.5% dividend yield, forward PE of 21 (which is relatively low), and robust free cash flow of $3.5 billion. CME Group’s recent July market statistics demonstrated strong performance, with a new average daily volume (ADV) record of 24.8 million contracts, representing a 24% increase from the previous year.
Bill Baruch of Blue Line Capital favored Chubb Limited (CB), praising it as the ‘best in breed’ and highlighting Warren Buffett’s investment in the company. Chubb’s strong second-quarter earnings, surpassing analyst expectations, further supported its appeal. The company reported earnings per share of $5.38, exceeding the consensus estimate of $5.15, and revenue of $11.780 billion, beating the projected $11.642 billion.
Joshua Brown of Ritholtz Wealth Management remained bullish on Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK), noting its continued upward trajectory. TD Cowen analyst Andrew Kilgerman initiated coverage on Berkshire Hathaway with a ‘Hold’ rating and a price target of $465.
Liz Young of SoFi recommended the iShares U.S. Medical Devices ETF (IHI) as her final trade.
During Thursday’s trading session, CME Group shares closed down 0.5% at $214.10, Chubb shares rose 1.2% to settle at $281.98, Berkshire Hathaway shares gained 0.8% to close at $468.37, and the iShares U.S. Medical Devices ETF experienced a 0.5% increase.
