We see some gems right now in the Communication Services sector, and we also like the sector overall. Argus rates Communication Services as Over-Weight. After Information Technology, Communication Services is expected to deliver the strongest earnings growth in 3Q, with a forecast of 12%, according to Refinitiv. The sector has many well-known names and is considered a 'barbell' group, with high-growth, low-income social media stocks on one end and low-growth, high-income telecom services stocks on the other. The style mix is approximately one-third "value" and two-thirds "growth." The sector is competitive, so companies in it need to be nimble and innovative, constantly assessing their clientele and staying current. Some of the names -- like Netflix, Alphabet, and Meta -- were at the top of the growth charts in the past five years or so. But like other growth sectors, even the leaders have been outshined by the glitz of artificial intelligence (AI). Market breadth has been recovering, though, and the companies listed below are among those starting to get re-recognized. The S&P 500 Communication Services Index is up 28% year-to-date, compared to the 22% gain in the broader S&P 500 Index. We see more runway for the industry. In our list this week, we look at leaders in Communication Services and sort them by those that are furthest from their 52-week high. All are BUY-rated at Argus and some are included in our Focus List and Model Portfolios.

Small- and mid-cap stocks (SMID), despite bursts of outperformance, have underperformed large-caps year to date - as they have over the past five years. But they may be in a better position to generate market-beating returns going forward. SMID companies tend to focus on domestic markets, so their businesses could be less disrupted by the fallout from unrest in the Middle East, the Russian invasion of Ukraine, issues in China, or other geopolitical developments. As well, the prices of SMID stocks generally are lower than the prices of large-caps. SMID stocks can be risky, but despite those risks, diversified investors look to have exposure to small- and mid-caps based on the long-term performance record. We estimate that 20% of the U.S. stock market's capitalization is comprised of SMID stocks.

The New York Times Co. is a multimedia news and information company. The company has a dual-class ownership structure, and the founding Sulzberger family is effectively in control. Headquartered in New York, NY, the company has 4,700 employees.

With Labor Day weekend now behind us, insider sentiment, as expressed by data from Vickers Stock Research, doesn't suggest a broad mover higher for stocks, nor does it suggest a big move lower. Compared to the prior week, Vickers' sell/buy ratios have remained largely stable, with the Total One-Week Sell/Buy Ratio rising slightly to 4.22 from 4.05, while the Total Eight-Week Sell/Buy Ratio has fallen slightly to 4.52 from 4.75. Meanwhile, Vickers' Insider Index is now at -19.57 compared to last week's -19.49, but is improved from the annual low of -20.98 set in early August. Surrounded by an environment of swirling geopolitical issues, 'pending' interest-rate cuts, and a contentious presidential election ahead, it is hard to blame any investor, insider or not, for thinking a seat on the sidelines may be reasonable right now. On a sector basis, insider buying outpaced selling in the Energy sector last week by a factor of 9.5-times. On the flipside, selling by insiders last week was greatest in Financials, with shares valued at $366 million sold versus just $4 million bought. Selling was also of note in Consumer Discretionary, Healthcare, Information Technology, Industrials, and Consumer Staples. This week, analysts at Vickers highlighted insider transactions of interest at Bank of America Corp. (BAC) and Foot Locker Inc. (FL).