The S & P 500 is headed towards another positive week, following its strongest January showing since 2019. However, analysts believe some stocks are getting ahead of themselves and are set to fall. As of Thursday afternoon, the broad market index is up more than 2% for the week. The Nasdaq Composite surged nearly 5%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average oscillated around the flat line. Investors’ optimism that the Federal Reserve will soon ease up on its monetary policy has fueled the rise in the major indexes, despite Chairman Jerome Powell saying it is “premature” to declare victory on inflation. The tech stock rally has also contributed to the benchmark indexes’ gains in 2023. For example, Meta shares have jumped nearly 30% this week, surging after the social media company posted a quarterly revenue beat. Shares are up more than 60% for the year. Nevertheless, analysts don’t expect many stocks to sustain their early-year momentum, cautioning that investors are being too optimistic about the Fed’s stance on inflation. We used FactSet data to screen for S & P 500 stocks whose consensus price targets indicate an expected decline. Here are 20 stocks analysts predict will have the biggest drops this year. Prices are current as of Thursday morning: Entertainment giant Paramount has leapt to begin the year, up 44% year to date as of Thursday morning. On Monday, CNBC reported that the company is integrating its streaming service, Paramount+, with its Showtime TV network. Yet analysts anticipate downside of 22.6% this year. Macquarie downgraded Paramount shares to underperform from neutral the day after Paramount announced its integration plans. Another addition to the list — used vehicle retailer CarMax — gained about 25% in 2023. However, JPMorgan recently downgraded its shares, saying that investors are not fully pricing in the company’s risks. Analysts predict CarMax shares will tumble 19.6% from their current level. Carnival Cruise Line’s stock has popped more than 40% in 2023 as of Thursday morning, but analysts anticipate it will drop 8.1%. Although analysts speculate 2023 will be a “banner year” for the overall cruise industry, Morgan Stanley downgraded the cruise liner’s shares, expecting another year of losses for the company. Meanwhile, Citigroup reiterated its neutral but high risk rating. CH Robinson shares gained 11.5% in 2023, but analysts predict they will fall more than 8%. The freight company reported its quarterly results earlier this week. CH Robinson’s earnings and revenue fell short of analysts’ expectations, according to Refinitiv. The company has been struggling with reduced freight volume and prices due to declining consumer spending and shipping volumes. – CNBC’s Michael Bloom contributed to this story.
