3 Stocks to Buy Ahead of the 2018 World Cup

Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA)

While Twenty-First Century Fox Inc (NASDAQ:FOX)’s U.S broadcasting rights for the World Cup took a big hit due to the U.S not qualifying, the same can’t be said about Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA)’s Spanish-language U.S rights, as held by the company’s subsidiary Telemundo.

With several strong Spanish-language teams competing in the event, including Mexico and Argentina, Telemundo feels confident in its World Cup success, and advertising dollars appear to be backing that up. In fact, Fox’s loss appears to be Telemundo and Comcast’s gain, as ad sales for Telemundo’s World Cup coverage picked up steam after the U.S was eliminated. Close to 75% of the ad inventory had already been sold as of early-March, with more than 20 advertisers on board.

Domino’s Pizza, Inc (NYSE:DPZ)

One of the 11 biggest fast food franchises in the world in 2017, Domino’s Pizza, Inc (NYSE:DPZ) has traditionally performed well during major sporting events, including past World Cups, as consumers host viewing parties or simply order in for themselves to watch the games. Domino’s has enjoyed double-digit year-over-year sales increases during the six-month periods covering each of the past two World Cups, and while the effect may be less pronounced in the U.S this time around, Domino’s growing presence in Europe, particularly in the U.K, should pick up that slack.

In an effort to capitalize on “pizza purchasing triggers”, Domino’s Pizza, Inc (NYSE:DPZ) recently began sponsoring Sky Sports News in an effort to grow awareness among U.K sports fans ahead of the World Cup. Sales in the U.K and Ireland grew by 10.4% in the first-quarter of the year, with digital sales rising to nearly 80% of total sales.

Disclosure: None