The below excerpt came from Schaeffer’s annual and exclusive Stock Picks for 2025, each one carefully curated by our team of top traders. Click here to get your hands on our highly anticipated report of 18 stock picks.

German finance firm Deutsche Bank AG (NYSE:DB) has been slowly recovering from the financial crisis that hit more than 15 years ago. During the past decade shares have been very quiet, forming a long-term rounding pattern, suggesting a massive accumulation process. With a breakout above the $15 level in 2024 followed by a couple of retests, we believe 2025 holds promise for DB.

Another supporting factor is that the 50-week moving average (red line) crossed over a rising 200-week trendline (gold line). Short interest peaked in 2020 and has been moving lower since, but there remains potential buying power, as it would take five days for shorts to fully cover their positions.

Despite a 12-month average price target of $20.57, there is still pessimism among analysts, with three "hold" or worse ratings. In other words, Deutsche Bank stock looks ripe for bull notes.

Discount retail stock Dollar Tree Inc (NASDAQ:DLTR) was last seen up 5.2% at $70.63, after the company announced it would be selling its Family Dollar business to Brigade Capital Management, LP and Macellum Capital Management, LLC for $1 billion. The company also reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and revenue, though net sales missed estimates. 

On the charts, DLTR has been middling between $60 and $80 since August, hitting a Nov. 12 four-year low of $60.49 during this time. Today's pop is testing a layer of overhead moving averages, including the 50-day and 80-day trendlines. Year-to-date, the equity is down 6.2%. 

Options traders are chiming in after the news, with 25,000 calls and 15,000 puts exchanged so far -- five times the overall options volume typically seen at this point. The May 90 and 85 call contracts are the most popular, with new positions opening at the weekly 3/28 68-strike call. 

Today's options activity represents a bullish shift, as puts were much more popular than usual leading up to today. This is per DLTR's 10-day put/call volume ratio of 2.09 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), which ranks higher than 98% of readings from the past year.

GameStop Corp (NYSE:GME) stock is up 12.6% to trade at $28.60 at last glance, after the company's board approved a plan to use corporate dollars to buy Bitcoin (BTC) as pat of its investment strategy.

Should today's gains hold, the security will enjoy its best day since October, and notch its third win in the last four sessions. The equity already boasts an impressive 80.8% year-over-year, and earlier hit its highest level since January in addition to topping its 80-day moving average.

Short sellers are already hitting the exits, with short interest down 5.7% over the last two reporting periods. However, the 28.52 million shares sold short still account for 7% of the stock's available float, indicating a further winding on pessimism could boost GameStop stock.

Drilling down to today's options activity, with 231,000 calls and 90,000 puts have crossed the tape, which is 11 times the intraday average volume. Most popular is the weekly 3/28 30-strike call, where new positions are being opened.

From a volatility perspective, now may be an opportune time to trade GME options. Its Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 76% stands in the 9th percentile of its annual range, suggesting relatively low option premiums -- favorable for buyers initiating long volatility strategies.

Playtika (NASDAQ:PLTK) stock is heading for its best session on record today, after Bank of America issued a rare double-upgrade to “buy” from “underperform.” The brokerage firm called the mobile gaming company a standout in a maturing -- but still expanding -- sector. That sudden sentiment flip could mark the beginning of a broader shift in analyst tone, especially if today’s price action holds.

At last glance, PLTK was up 21.7% to trade at $5.36. A sharp pivot from its March 21, all-time low of  $3.97, though the stock still sports a 24.2% year-to-date deficit. The bounce has the equity reclaiming most short-term moving averages, but longer-term trendlines continue to loom overhead, and any rally may hit turbulence if the broader skepticism doesn’t fully unwind.

A staggering 73% of analysts still rate the stock a "hold" or worse. In other terms, should this bearish sentiment begin to unwind, it could catapult PLTK higher. Short interest is up 31.6% over the last two reporting periods, with nearly 9.9% of the float sold short. That’s ample potential for a squeeze, should today’s rally spooks bears.

Options traders have also been leaning bearish, with PLTK’s 50-day put/call volume ratio at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) ranking in the 92nd percentile of annual readings. However, given today's pop, this put-heavy activity appears to be shifting. The typically sleepy options pits have already seen 4,273 calls cross the tape -- 67 times the average intraday volume -- with the May 5 call seeing the most attention.

Canadian Solar Inc (NASDAQ:CSIQ) reported fourth-quarter earnings today, posting a steep loss of $1.47 per share -- far wider than the expected $0.03 loss. On the plus side, revenue came in slightly ahead of estimates at $1.67 billion versus $1.64 billion.

CSIQ hit a nearly 12-year low of $9.49 on March 13 after a long-term downtrend, exacerbated by tariff uncertainty from the Trump administration. The stock is down 6.4% year-to-date and 43.3% lower on a year-over-year basis. Despite the big earnings miss, however, CSIQ was last seen up 7% at $10.39, staging a rebound after a rough stretch. The move is also giving a lift to fellow solar names Sunrun Inc (NASDAQ:RUN) and First Solar Inc (NASDAQ:FSLR). 

Sunrun stock is also getting a lift, last seen up 3.2% at $6.58. The $6 level has emerged as a technical floor this month, helping to contain the recent pullback. Still, the broader trend remains negative -- RUN is down 30.6% in 2025 and off 66.1% over the past six months.

First Solar stock was last up 2.1% at $131.55. While the pop is welcome, FSLR is still off 25.4% year-to-date and hovering near its lowest levels since October 2022. Repeated rejections at short-term moving averages have capped rebound attempts, keeping the near-term technical outlook under pressure.

The below excerpt came from Schaeffer’s annual and exclusive Stock Picks for 2025, each one carefully curated by our team of top traders. Click here to get your hands on our highly anticipated report of 18 stock picks.

Back in November, fuel cell company Bloom Energy Corp (NYSE:BE) signed an agreement with American Electric Power (AEP) to provide power solutions to data centers. Since its late-November highs, BE has pulled back to its 50% year-to-date level, an area that coincides with its $5 billion valuation.

This pullback also aligned with the candle-high following the AEP announcement, as well as its ascending 20-day moving average. With technical support lining up, a next leg higher could be imminent in 2025.

BE is the perfect contrarian target; a relative strength leader with plenty of built-in skepticism. Of the 22 brokerages covering the stock, 11 maintain tepid "hold" ratings. Short interest, meanwhile, is at all-time highs and increased 16%in the last 30 days.

With bearish bets up 48% in 2024 and a healthy 23% of the equity's total available float now sold short, there's ample room for a short squeeze.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI), Nasdaq Composite (IXIC), and S&P 500 Index (SPX) are higher this afternoon, shaking off a March consumer confidence reading of 92.9 -- the lowest in 12 years, and well below analyst estimates. Optimism around a scaled back version of President Donald Trump's tariff plan is supporting stocks, as investors look ahead to this week's gross domestic product (GDP) and personal consumption expenditures (PCE) updates for additional economic insight.

Continue reading for more on today's market, including: 

• KB Home stock sinks on earnings miss.
• Keep a close eye on this Chinese tech stock.
• Plus, bulls blast coal mining stock; UHS bounces off multi-month lows; and Vistra stock gaps lower.

Options bulls are targeting Peabody Energy Corp(NYSE:BTU) stock today, with 48,000 calls traded so far -- 18 times the intraday average amount -- compared to 528 puts. The most popular contract is the weekly 3/28 15.50-strike call put, where positions are being opened. BTU was last seen 2.6% higher at $14.88, resuming a rally that came after President Donald Trump said he would support "clean coal" energy production. The equity is on track for its third-straight daily gain, but still carries a 37.9% year-over-year deficit.

Universal Health Services Inc (NYSE:UHS) stock is among the SPX's leaders today, last seen up 3.4% to trade at $187.68. Though a catalyst for today's positive price action remains unclear, the security is bouncing off its lowest level since April and sports a 5.9% year-over-year gain. Shares are also moving back above the 40-day moving average as they test overhead pressure at the $190 level.

Vistra Corp (NYSE:VST) stock is one of the worst stocks on the SPX today, down 3.7% to trade at $130.01 at last glance. VST has been trekking higher since hitting its lowest level since September earlier this month and still sports an 82.7% year-over-year lead. However, the overhead 40-day moving average could move in as added pressure.

Uniform rental stock UniFirst Corp (NYSE:UNF) is plummeting today, down 13.5% at $170.89 at last glance, after Cintas (CTAS) terminated its buyout offer. The acquisition proposal had valued UNF at $275 per share in cash for a total of $5.3 billion, but the companies were unable to come to an agreement. In response, UBS slashed its price target on UniFirst to $194 from $235. 

UNF hit a low of $162 earlier this morning, its lowest level since January. Before today's bear gap, the stock had been on a steady downtrend since its Jan. 7 three-year high of $243.70. Still, the stock is fighting for survival at its year-to-date breakeven mark. 

UniFirst's latest earnings report is coming up before the open on Wednesday, April 2. The stock finished higher after three of its last four reports, though broader-market volatility will likely have an impact this time around, with President Trump's tariff deadline looming. Over the last two years, the stock has averaged a 6.4% move, regardless of direction. This time around, the options pits are pricing in a larger-than-usual, 8.4% swing. 

Homebuilder KB Home (NYSE:KBH) reported worse-than-expected fiscal first-quarter earnings and revenue after the close yesterday, slashing its fiscal 2025 revenue outlook as well. In response, no fewer than five analysts lowered their price targets, including Barclays to $56 from $60. At last glance, KBH was down 5.6% to trade at $58.32. 

The equity is on track for its worst single-day percentage loss since January as it trades at 52-week lows. Shares shed 33.4% in the last six months, and have struggled with overhead pressure from the 40-day moving average since December.

Over at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), KBH's 50-day put/call volume ratio of 5.68 ranks in the 97th percentile of annual readings. This means options traders have been much more bearish than usual.

Drilling down to today's options activity, with 4,218 puts have already crossed the tape -- nine times the intraday average volume -- compared to 1,335 calls. Most active is the April 55 put, where new positions are being opened.