Bloomberg Intelligence tracks some 2,000 companies in sectors ranging from communications and commodities to finance and food. BI has identified 50 that warrant a closer look this year based on a list of Focus Ideas, which combine contrarian views and upcoming catalysts for change. Our analysts consider factors such as growth prospects, resilience in an inflationary environment, changes in the C-suite, and plans for new products and services.
Airbus
The airplane maker’s flight path looks clearer, with spending increases for European defense and improving supply chains that will support commercial aircraft build rates. Better component availability is key to ramping up production of Airbus’s highly profitable A320 to a targeted 45 per month, which could jump to more than 60 a month in the second half of the year. US-China trade tensions are also helping it win orders in China over rival Boeing. —George Ferguson
Airports of Thailand
A rebound in the airport operator’s retail and duty-free sales could be undermined by shifts in the mix of visitors and spending patterns, causing revenue to miss consensus expectations by about 15%. Tourists from Southeast Asia tend to spend less, and purchasing power has fallen with inflation. Retail concession revenue will likely lag passenger volume even when historically higher-spending Chinese visitors return to destinations such as Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket, as lower tariffs have spurred them to buy more imported goods. —Denise Wong
Disney
The media titan’s year could be a tale of two halves. With Disney’s shares down about 50% from their 2021 high, the market is focused on content costs, increasing direct-to-consumer competition and theme park recession risks—concerns that may linger into the early months of 2023. But a reorganization that allows the company to accelerate its streaming strategy as it positions itself for a digital future could start to bear fruit in the second half. Robert Iger’s return as CEO adds further opportunity for a meaningful turnaround. —Geetha Ranganathan
Singapore Airlines
Operating at about 75% of its 2019 levels, the flag carrier could beat consensus on its profits this year. Increasing passenger capacity, strong travel demand in all cabin classes, elevated cargo-pricing levels and lower fuel costs should support higher earnings. Strong cash flow may also allow for the redemption of a convertible bond issued during the pandemic and possibly even acquisitions. —Tim Bacchus
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