This report summarizes key recommendations from CNBC's "Final Trades" segment, featuring analyst insights and recent performance updates for prominent companies such as ServiceNow, Alibaba, and Archer-Daniels-Midland. These selections reflect expert opinions on market opportunities and corporate financial health.

CNBC's "Final Trades" Segment Spotlights Top Stock Picks on May 19, 2026

On the morning of May 19, 2026, the popular CNBC program "Halftime Report Final Trades" brought forward a series of compelling stock recommendations from leading financial experts. Among the notable selections, Jason Snipe, the founder and chief investment officer of Odyssey Capital Advisors, advocated for ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE: NOW).

Adding significant weight to this endorsement, Tal Liani, a distinguished analyst at Bank of America Securities, initiated coverage on ServiceNow with a robust "Buy" rating and set an optimistic price target of $130.

The program also featured insights from Stephen Weiss, the chief investment officer and managing partner at Short Hills Capital Partners, who highlighted Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA). Alibaba recently unveiled its financial outcomes for the fourth fiscal quarter of 2026 on May 13. The company reported quarterly revenues of $35.28 billion, marking a 3% increase year-over-year and slightly surpassing analyst projections of $35.23 billion. Excluding the divested Sun Art and Intime segments, revenue growth on a like-for-like basis stood at an impressive 11%.

Shannon Saccocia from NB Private Wealth put forward iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF (NYSE: IYM) as her recommended trade, suggesting a positive outlook for the basic materials sector.

Rounding out the selections, Joseph M. Terranova, a senior managing director at Virtus Investment Partners, chose Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE: ADM). This choice was underpinned by Archer-Daniels-Midland's strong financial performance, having reported better-than-anticipated first-quarter financial results on May 5. The company also elevated its adjusted Earnings Per Share (EPS) guidance for fiscal year 2026, with its midpoint exceeding analyst forecasts.

In terms of market activity following these recommendations, Alibaba's shares saw a modest gain of 0.5%, closing at $133.26. ServiceNow experienced a significant surge, climbing 8.8% to settle at $103.42 during the trading session. Conversely, iShares U.S. Basic Materials ETF registered a slight dip of 0.3%. Archer-Daniels-Midland shares also moved positively, increasing by 0.6% to close at $80.91.

The insights shared by these experts offer valuable perspectives for investors navigating the current market landscape. The varied recommendations across technology, e-commerce, and basic materials sectors underscore a dynamic market environment influenced by both corporate earnings and analyst confidence. Investors might consider these analyses as they formulate their own strategies, keeping in mind the individual risk profiles and growth potentials associated with each company and sector mentioned.