Swiss chocolate maker Lindt & Spruengli has left a bitter taste in investors' mouths in the past few months, Rupert Steiner writes in this week's edition of Barron's. The confectioner, famous for its bunnies wrapped in golden foil and Lindor truffle balls, said in January that labor and supply chain issues at its Russell Stover unit in the U.S. would hurt group sales growth in 2022. This news hit the stock, the author notes. But the shares could be nearing the bottom, and are worth a look for brave investors, the publication adds. Reference Link

Stocks are tumbling and bargains abound-if you know where to look. But buying the dip doesn't work in a bear market, and neither does simply scooping up shares of beaten-down companies, Al Root writes in this week's edition of Barron's. The publication named six stocks that have fallen hard this year but, due to high levels of stock comp, aren't as cheap as they look: CrowdStrike (CRWD), Snowflake (SNOW), Shopify (SHOP), Zscaler (ZS), Lyft (LYFT) and PayPal (PYPL). Reference Link

Two of the three major off-price retailers posted quarterly earnings this week, with dramatically different results. That leaves Burlington Stores (BURL), which reports May 26, Teresa Rivas writes in this week's edition of Barron's. In an otherwise brutal week for retail, TJ Maxx parent TJX (TJX) reported an earnings beat, despite light sales. That was a welcome reversal from other big players, whose higher revenue failed to flow through to the bottom line due to margin-crunching supply-chain and freight costs, the author notes. Ross Stores stock (ROST) lost more than 20% on Friday-its worst day since 1993-as earnings, revenue, same-store sales, and guidance all came in well below expectations, the publication adds. Therein lies the opportunity for off-price retail. If these companies can leverage their reputation for value at a time when consumers are spending selectively on nonessentials - think dresswear over the basics everyone already bought - and offer compelling merchandise, they can take market share despite a challenging backdrop for retail, Rivas argues. Reference Link

After a bubbly year for initial public offerings, 2022 looks like a bust. Shares of many companies that came public last year are down 80% or more from their peaks, Andrew Bary writes in this week's edition of Barron's. The wreckage has yielded some bargains, particularly in companies with good growth prospects and solid balance sheets. Some stocks to consider from the 2021 crop of IPOs, the author says, are Allbirds (BIRD), Poshmark (POSH), Robinhood (HOOD), and Warby Parker (WRBY). Kennedy says his firm's clients are "scouring the list of IPOs of the past five years" in search of opportunities. Rivian Automotive (RIVN) is also intriguing because its stock, which topped out at $179 after its IPO in November, got as low as $19 earlier in May. That valued the company at slightly more than the $15 billion of net cash on its balance sheet on March 31, the publication adds. Reference Link

Genco Shipping & Trading has a cleaned-up balance sheet and a new dividend policy that smartly ties payouts to quarterly cash flow, Nicholas Jasinski writes in this week's edition of Barron's. During this year's market turmoil, Genco's stock has proved to be a port in the storm. Shares are up 42% in 2022, but investors may still underappreciate the company's staying power, the author notes. Reference Link

3M is ordered to pay $77.5M to a veteran who claimed defective earplug caused hearing damage, Reuters' Brendan Pierson reports. Reference Link