In what has been an extremely busy year, most of us could use a break. Luckily, many of the NDW analysts will be able to sit back and watch their favorite pastime from the couch this weekend as the Masters will have everyone’s eyes glued to the screen.
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In what has been an extremely busy year, most of us could use a break. Luckily, many of the NDW analysts will be able to sit back and watch their favorite pastime from the couch this weekend as the Masters will have everyone’s eyes glued to the screen. Whether you are a lifelong fan of the game or an amateur trying to break 100 for the first time, the beauty of Augusta undoubtedly gives us all something to enjoy. As our favorite players tee it up and go after the green jacket, markets have tried to do the same to open up Q2. The S&P 500 is up just over 3% since April 1st. While SPX is still fighting for par so far this year, the return to a PnF buy signal and move back up to the middle of the trading band is certainly constructive.
There is a reason for the saying “Buy What You Know.” Whether it be airlines, cars, or apparel, our clients enjoy following brands they most often use in their day to day lives. For many of the analysts in Richmond, part of that “buy what you know” slogan could involve some of the world’s most famous golf brands. Whether it be pulling out the new driver on the tee box or searching for the resulting shot in the woods in your new pair of shoes, most of us will have some association with a handful of golf-related brands. The table below breaks down these brands in more detail.
While golf club/gear names have mixed/good technical pictures in aggregate, golf apparel brands seem to be struggling a bit more as more discretionary stocks have lost some relative strength so far this year. While the likes of NKE, LULU, or UA found their way to the rough off the tee, there are several names eyeing birdie as they construct technical pictures to open Q2. Titleist/Footjoy parent company Acushnet Holdings (rightfully tracked via ticker GOLF) has put together quite a productive opening to 2026. Up over 23% YTD, this perfect 5/5’er recently broke back into a positive trend on its default chart pictured below. With plenty of support ranging between the upper $80’s and lower $90’s, the name seems poised to make the cut heading further into 2026. All this to say, remember to monitor the health of these “buy what you know” companies within client portfolios. While it can be easy to want to own a piece of the brand you rep as you fish your golf ball out of water, sometimes the real hole-in-one comes when you avoid those relative losers all together.
