Buy ICICI Bank; target of Rs 410: JM Financial

JM Financial's research report on ICICI Bank

ICICI Bank reported a net loss of INR 1.1bn in 1QFY19, against our estimates of INR 16.8bn of profit as management opted to increase provision coverage on NPLs by c.640bps to 54.8% (provisions of INR20.4bn above estimates). ICICI Bank also disclosed Rs246bn of BB&below exposures in the loan book, which comprise of ~INR125bn of loans that were part of the earlier disclosed drilldown list, restructured loans as well as loans under various dispensations. The new disclosures, worth Rs121bn, are exposures to non-stressed sectors and more granular in nature. As a result, we do no expect significant changes to our provisioning estimates for FY19-20. Given the upfronting of provisions, the haircuts to networth in our estimates are now flowing through P&L and result in earnings cut of 35% / 12% to our FY19E / FY20E earnings.

Outlook

As there is a proportionate reduction on the networth hit, our fully adj.BVPS for FY20E remains unchanged. We build slippages of INR 325.7bn and provisions of INR 222.4bn over FY19-20E which adequately provides for the stress. We maintain our positive stance on ICICI Bank given inexpensive valuations.

For all recommendations report,�click here

Disclaimer:�The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

Read More First Published on Aug 3, 2018 03:59 pm

Somewhat Critical Media Coverage Somewhat Unlikely to Impact Miller Industries (MLR) Share Price

Media coverage about Miller Industries (NYSE:MLR) has been trending somewhat negative this week, Accern Sentiment reports. The research firm ranks the sentiment of news coverage by analyzing more than twenty million blog and news sources in real-time. Accern ranks coverage of publicly-traded companies on a scale of negative one to one, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Miller Industries earned a daily sentiment score of -0.09 on Accern’s scale. Accern also assigned news headlines about the auto parts company an impact score of 46.4626409572006 out of 100, meaning that recent news coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the stock’s share price in the next few days.

Separately, ValuEngine downgraded shares of Miller Industries from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, April 2nd.

Get Miller Industries alerts:

Shares of NYSE MLR traded down $0.35 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $25.55. The company had a trading volume of 30,540 shares, compared to its average volume of 19,450. The stock has a market cap of $290.71 million, a P/E ratio of 11.26 and a beta of 0.58. Miller Industries has a 1 year low of $23.90 and a 1 year high of $29.00. The company has a current ratio of 2.22, a quick ratio of 1.49 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05.

Miller Industries (NYSE:MLR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 9th. The auto parts company reported $0.59 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. The business had revenue of $159.16 million during the quarter. Miller Industries had a net margin of 4.13% and a return on equity of 12.93%.

About Miller Industries

Miller Industries, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of towing and recovery equipment. It offers wreckers, such as conventional tow trucks and recovery vehicles that are used to recover and tow disabled vehicles and other equipment; and car carriers, which are specialized flat-bed vehicles with hydraulic tilt mechanisms that are used to transport new or disabled vehicles and other equipment.

Recommended Story: Earnings Per Share

Will BMW's Move Open Doors for More Profits at GM and Ford?

In terms of vehicle sales volume, China is the land of opportunity. In fact, it's expected to carry the global auto sales market higher over the next decade as North America and Europe plateau. For years, foreign automakers have rushed to get their foot in the door, and China has forced them to partner with Chinese automakers in joint ventures to play ball.

Among other things, that joint venture scenario has cut profitability, but with China's recent decision to allow foreign automakeros to own more than 50% of their joint ventures, as rules are phased out through 2022, it could enable automakers to bring more of their profits home.�BMW (NASDAQOTH:BAMXF) is first in line to negotiate.

Let's take a look at BMW's recent development and whether its negotiation for more ownership will set a precedent and indirectly aid General Motors (NYSE:GM) and Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) in similar moves.

GM's Buick Excelle GT. Image source: General Motors.

More of the pie

BMW is first in line to own a majority stake in a Chinese joint venture. The German automaker currently owns 50% of its joint venture with Brilliance China Automotive Holdings and is rumored to be boosting that ownership up to 75%, according to Manager Magazin, although BMW has declined to officially comment on the discussion. If and when this ownership increase takes place, likely 2022 when the last of the ownership rules are phased out, it could set a precedent for other foreign automakers to flex their muscles and ask for higher ownership -- and thus more profits.

This could change business for automakers in China as they know it. While China is the world's largest automotive market in terms of sales volume, its profitability pales in comparison to that of North America. Consider that in 2017 General Motors sold more vehicles in China -- it topped 4 million sales for the first time there -- than it did in the United States. However, General Motors generated $11.9 billion EBIT-adjusted in North America while its equity income from China was $2 billion.

Part of the reason China is less lucrative than the U.S. is their respective sales mix. Through June, cars generated only about 33% of total light-vehicle sales in the U.S., and that figure continues to shrink as more and more Americans are driving higher-margin SUVs and trucks off dealership lots. And while demand for larger vehicles and SUVs is rising in China, in general, the sales mix favors less profitable passenger cars outside the U.S. For some context, SUVs and crossovers made up just over 1 in 3 vehicles sold globally last year, which is still triple their share from only a decade ago (according to the auto research firm JATO Dynamics), but a far cry from the more lucrative U.S. sales mix.�If GM were able to negotiate for more ownership of its joint ventures, it wouldn't directly boost margins but would allow GM to take a larger percentage of the total joint-venture profits.�

Can GM afford to take more ownership?

Unfortunately, investors shouldn't get their hopes up despite BMW setting a precedent for such a move, because GM has arguably the deepest roots with its joint ventures of any foreign automaker.

"Foreign companies may already be in a box [in China]," said James Chao, Asia-Pacific chief at consultancy IHS Markit, noting the joint venture partnerships are so ingrained that foreign autos might not want to change it, according to Automotive News. "While getting a bigger share could be advantageous in terms of boosting profits, they may actually be already too dependent on their Chinese partners to sever those ties."�

China's market can be difficult to navigate, both through government regulations as well as fickle consumers, and insights shared by foreign automakers' joint venture partners are highly valuable in understanding both of those aspects. Furthermore, of the 4.04 million vehicles GM delivered in China last year, 53% of those were under the Wuling and Baojun brands. If GM were to go it alone and drop SAIC, which produces Buick, Chevrolet, and Cadillac with GM, or perhaps negotiate for more ownership that is seen as unfair and could sour relationships, it would likely cause GM to lose Wuling -- the latter is mostly owned by SAIC.

Ford finds itself in a similar position to GM, with pretty deep ties and almost 1.2 million sales in China last year. Ford has also recently inked a deal with Chinese automaker Zoyte Automobile Co. last year to deliver less expensive electric vehicles. Of all Detroit automakers, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles may be in the best position to benefit from the change in ownership rules down the road. FCA was late to the game in China, doesn't exactly have strong ties with its partners, and only produces three products locally -- the Cherokee, Renegade, and Compass -- with sales just barely topping 146,000 units last year.

So while investors can dream of a day when GM brings back more profits from China, those ties appear too important at the moment to disrupt. GM's joint ventures aren't likely to change from the status quo, but could set the stage for it to own more of its future driverless and electric vehicles�in China -- and that is excellent news for long-term GM investors.

EncryptoTel [ETH] One Day Volume Tops $65.00 (ETT)

EncryptoTel [ETH] (CURRENCY:ETT) traded down 7.8% against the dollar during the twenty-four hour period ending at 13:00 PM E.T. on July 19th. During the last week, EncryptoTel [ETH] has traded up 9.1% against the dollar. One EncryptoTel [ETH] token can now be bought for $0.0295 or 0.00000397 BTC on cryptocurrency exchanges including Livecoin and Cryptopia. EncryptoTel [ETH] has a market cap of $0.00 and approximately $65.00 worth of EncryptoTel [ETH] was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours.

Here is how similar cryptocurrencies have performed during the last 24 hours:

Get EncryptoTel [ETH] alerts: XRP (XRP) traded down 6.8% against the dollar and now trades at $0.48 or 0.00006414 BTC. Stellar (XLM) traded up 0.1% against the dollar and now trades at $0.30 or 0.00003977 BTC. IOTA (MIOTA) traded down 7.2% against the dollar and now trades at $1.05 or 0.00014144 BTC. Tether (USDT) traded down 0% against the dollar and now trades at $1.00 or 0.00013446 BTC. TRON (TRX) traded down 9.5% against the dollar and now trades at $0.0378 or 0.00000509 BTC. NEO (NEO) traded down 8.5% against the dollar and now trades at $36.25 or 0.00487906 BTC. Binance Coin (BNB) traded 5.1% lower against the dollar and now trades at $12.91 or 0.00173765 BTC. VeChain (VET) traded 6.6% lower against the dollar and now trades at $1.80 or 0.00024230 BTC. 0x (ZRX) traded down 4% against the dollar and now trades at $1.22 or 0.00016477 BTC. Zilliqa (ZIL) traded 8.3% lower against the dollar and now trades at $0.0797 or 0.00001073 BTC.

About EncryptoTel [ETH]

EncryptoTel [ETH]’s genesis date was April 24th, 2017. EncryptoTel [ETH]’s total supply is 77,663,987 tokens. EncryptoTel [ETH]’s official Twitter account is @encryptotel.

Buying and Selling EncryptoTel [ETH]

EncryptoTel [ETH] can be traded on the following cryptocurrency exchanges: Livecoin and Cryptopia. It is usually not presently possible to purchase alternative cryptocurrencies such as EncryptoTel [ETH] directly using US dollars. Investors seeking to acquire EncryptoTel [ETH] should first purchase Bitcoin or Ethereum using an exchange that deals in US dollars such as Gemini, Coinbase or GDAX. Investors can then use their newly-acquired Bitcoin or Ethereum to purchase EncryptoTel [ETH] using one of the exchanges listed above.

Top 10 Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019

tags:PPL,WFC,RNO,COP,NUS,NG,NRG,SWY,III,CNI,

When Costco Wholesale (COST) announced its fiscal first-quarter earnings in December, its shares rose 1.3%, despite initial disappointment. And next month, Costco will release its December sales, which should show whether that reaction was justified. Baird’s Peter Benedict and team offer a preview:

Getty Images

Modeling December “core” comps (ex-gas/FX) of 2%-3% (reported comps also 2%-3% vs. Street’s initial 1.8%E), with the slight uptick from November’s 2% core supported by easier compares, stronger trends exiting/entering November/December, and more seasonable weather. Looking ahead to CY17, prospects for further improvement in underlying comp trends appear good as compares continue to ease and tobacco-related headwinds are cycled (in the spring). When combined with a potential U.S./Canadian fee increase (and perhaps even another special dividend), we reiterate our Outperform rating/$175 price target.

Top 10 Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019: PPL Corporation(PPL)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Traders sold shares of PPL Co. (NYSE:PPL) on strength during trading on Thursday. $37.99 million flowed into the stock on the tick-up and $66.42 million flowed out of the stock on the tick-down, for a money net flow of $28.43 million out of the stock. Of all equities tracked, PPL had the 0th highest net out-flow for the day. PPL traded up $0.35 for the day and closed at $25.61

• [By ]

  2) Review your goals. Are you retired and managing your portfolio for income and realize you're loaded up with low- to no-yield growth stocks? It's time to make some adjustments. As the second half of the year encounters choppier waters, many equity strategists have recommended reducing risk by pivoting toward more defensive stocks in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, utilities, and consumer staples. Some great names that are currently trading at attractive levels include health care giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), power producer PPL Corp (NYSE: PPL) and food giant General Mills (NYSE: GIS). Weighted equally, all three yield an average of 4.3% and trade with a forward PE of just 14.17.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  PPL Corp. (NYSE: PPL) posted a 52-week low of $31.11 after closing Wednesday at $31.59. The 52-week high is $40.20. Volume was about 9.6 million, more than double the daily average of around 4.2 million shares. The electric utility company had no specific news.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Goelzer Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of PPL Co. (NYSE:PPL) by 3.6% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 120,687 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 4,140 shares during the period. Goelzer Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in PPL were worth $3,414,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Maple Capital Management Inc. reduced its stake in shares of PPL Co. (NYSE:PPL) by 5.8% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 143,059 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after selling 8,754 shares during the quarter. Maple Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in PPL were worth $4,047,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  PPL Corp. (NYSE: PPL) dropped about 1.7% Tuesday to post a new 52-week low of $30.44 after closing at $30.95 on Friday. Volume was around 4.1 million about 10% below the daily average of around 4.6 million. The company had no specific news.

Top 10 Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019: Wells Fargo & Company(WFC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Excluding the company’s stake in Kraft Heinz Co. (NYSE: KHC), its top five holdings at the end of last year were as follows:

  American Express Co. (NYSE: AXP): a 17.6% stake valued at $15 billion with a cost basis of $1.3 billion Phillips 66 Co. (NYSE: PSX): a 14.9% stake valued at $7.5 billion and a cost basis of $5.8 billion Moody’s Corp. (NYSE: MCO): a 12.9% stake valued at $3.6 billion with a cost basis of $248 million Wells Fargo & Co. (NYSE: WFC): a 9.9% stake valued at $29.3 billion and a cost basis of $11.8 billion Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO): a 9.4% stake valued at $18.4 billion with a cost basis of $1.2 billion

  The following are a few of Buffett’s comments from the letter.

• [By Matthew Frankel]

  After Wells Fargo's (NYSE:WFC) fake-accounts scandal was revealed in 2016, Buffett said that the bank remained a compelling long-term investment and that he had no plans to sell any of Berkshire's massive stake. At last year's meeting, Buffett reiterated that while the bank made a big mistake by incentivizing cross-selling, it still was a great company.

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

  Wells Fargo and Company (NYSE:WFC)Q1 2018 Earnings Conference CallApril 13, 2018, 10:00 a.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  When it comes to investing, some people prefer to choose from among the leaders of an industry. In banking, Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) and Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) are among the biggest financial institutions in the world, and despite facing very different challenges, they've come a long way since teetering on the precipice of ruin during the financial crisis.

• [By ]

  Citigroup Inc. (C)  , a rival Wall Street bank, said in a separate report Friday that first-quarter profit jumped 13%, also fueled by growth in trading revenue. Meanwhile, San Francisco-based Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) , struggling to recover from a series of regulatory penalties over allegedly aggressive sales practices, posted a 5.5% profit increase on a preliminary basis, noting that legal costs might have to be revised higher pending discussions with regulators over as much as $1 billion of new penalties related to auto insurance and mortgage-related violations. Bank of America Corp. (BAC) , Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) and Morgan Stanley (MS) are all scheduled to post results next week.

• [By ]

  Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC) , the U.S. bank already reeling from sanctions by regulators over alleged customer abuses, faces additional penalties of as much as $1 billion to resolve allegations over matters including auto insurance and mortgage-sales practices.

Top 10 Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019: Rhino Resource Partners LP(RNO)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Renold (LON:RNO) announced its earnings results on Tuesday. The company reported GBX 4.50 ($0.06) EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of GBX 4.50 ($0.06), Bloomberg Earnings reports. Renold had a return on equity of 201.92% and a net margin of 4.30%.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Deutsche Bank set a €115.00 ($133.72) target price on Renault (EPA:RNO) in a report released on Friday morning. The firm currently has a buy rating on the stock.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  JPMorgan Chase & Co. set a €98.00 ($113.95) price target on Renault (EPA:RNO) in a research note released on Monday. The firm currently has a neutral rating on the stock.

Top 10 Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019: ConocoPhillips(COP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Several other oil companies have also steadily increased cash returns to shareholders in the last year. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP), for example, initially expected to repurchase $3 billion in stock through 2019. But after selling a boatload of assets last year, the company bought back that entire amount in 2017. So the company said it would buy back $1.5 billion per year through 2020, increasing its overall authorization to $7.5 billion. However, thanks to improving oil prices, the company has already boosted 2018's buyback by $500 million -- along with increasing its dividend 7.5%. And it could raise its repurchase authorization again given where crude prices are these days, and the fact that the company is on pace to achieve its debt-reduction target a year early.

• [By Max Byerly]

  ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) SVP Janet Langford Kelly sold 59,389 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.95, for a total value of $3,916,704.55. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 100,600 shares in the company, valued at $6,634,570. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website.

• [By ]

  As things stand right now, analysts anticipate that at least some Iranian oil will come off the market as a result of the sanctions. That lost output would further tighten an oil market that suddenly has little margin for error thanks to red-hot demand and tame supply growth. That's the recipe for higher oil prices and could make top-tier U.S. oil stocks Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE:APC), Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN), and ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) big winners in the coming years.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Traders purchased shares of ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) on weakness during trading on Friday. $447.22 million flowed into the stock on the tick-up and $180.32 million flowed out of the stock on the tick-down, for a money net flow of $266.90 million into the stock. Of all stocks tracked, ConocoPhillips had the 11th highest net in-flow for the day. ConocoPhillips traded down ($2.77) for the day and closed at $65.36

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) is one of these leaders. The U.S. oil giant announced a multi-billion-dollar buyback in late 2016, which has helped catapult its stock 55% higher since then, vastly outperforming the nearly 23% gain from the iShares U.S. Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF (NYSEMKT:IEO), which holds more than 60 U.S.-focused oil and gas stocks. Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE:APC), meanwhile, has rallied almost 60% since unveiling a multi-billion-dollar buyback last fall, doubling the return of the iShares E&P ETF.

Top 10 Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019: Nu Skin Enterprises Inc.(NUS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Nu Skin Enterprises (NYSE: NUS) and PetIQ (NASDAQ:PETQ) are both consumer staples companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, earnings, dividends, profitability, analyst recommendations, valuation and risk.

• [By ]

  Nu Skin Enterprises (NYSE: NUS) is benefiting from two key trends: its strong presence in Asia where it books 79% of its revenue and leading brand awareness with millennials. The company has increased its dividend every year since 2001, now paying a 2% yield, and maintains a share repurchase program that returns excess cash to shareholders.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Federated Investors Inc. PA raised its holdings in Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:NUS) by 20.7% during the first quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 125,726 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 21,522 shares during the quarter. Federated Investors Inc. PA’s holdings in Nu Skin Enterprises were worth $9,267,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Shares of Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE:NUS) reached a new 52-week high and low during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $81.72 and last traded at $81.25, with a volume of 3382 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $80.34.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Nu Skin Enterprises (NUS)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

Top 10 Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019: Natural Gas(NG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Money Morning News Team]

  Canadian gold mining company NovaGold Resources Inc. (NYSE: NG) shows an even starker change in sentiment. In the last six months, the volume of short bets on the stock declined 32.75%, from 19.05 million shares to 12.81 million.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  JPMorgan Chase set a GBX 870 ($11.80) target price on National Grid (LON:NG) in a research note released on Monday. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the stock.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Wells Fargo & Company MN lowered its stake in shares of NovaGold Resources Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:NG) (TSE:NG) by 5.1% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 1,071,600 shares of the mining company’s stock after selling 57,571 shares during the period. Wells Fargo & Company MN’s holdings in NovaGold Resources were worth $4,640,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Money Morning Staff Reports]

  Canadian gold mining company NovaGold Resources Inc. (NYSE: NG) shows an even starker change in sentiment. In the last 12 months, the volume of short bets on the stock declined 79%, to 522,400.

Top 10 Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019: NRG Energy Inc.(NRG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  DTE Energy (NYSE: DTE) and NRG Energy (NYSE:NRG) are both utilities companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, institutional ownership, profitability, valuation, risk, dividends and analyst recommendations.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  NRG Energy Inc. (NYSE: NRG) was started with a Buy rating and�assigned a $37 price objective (versus a $33.15 close) at Merrill Lynch.

  Oasis Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: OAS) was reiterated as Overweight and the target price was raised to $17 from $13 at Morgan Stanley.

Top 10 Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019: Safeway Inc.(SWY)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Robertson]

  In addition, Goldcorp��s (NYSE: GG) �l茅onore mine in the heart of the territory along with the Troilus mine (which produced over 2 million ounces of gold from 1997-2010 and is estimated to have another remaining 2 million ounces of reserves) are helping to maintain the interest of junior exploration companies in nearby properties. The same can be said about the Otish Mountains�area following the discovery of diamonds by�Stornoway Diamond Corporation (TSX: SWY) at their Renard diamond mine which is projected to produce 1.5-2 millions carats per year.

Top 10 Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019: Information Services Group Inc.(III)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  RMR Group (NASDAQ: RMR) and Information Services Group (NASDAQ:III) are both finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, risk, profitability, dividends, valuation, institutional ownership and earnings.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  CGI Group (NYSE: GIB) and Information Services Group (NASDAQ:III) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, earnings, dividends, analyst recommendations, risk, valuation and institutional ownership.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Information Services Group, Inc. Common Stock (III)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  3i Group (LON:III) had its price target upped by Societe Generale from GBX 1,020 ($13.58) to GBX 1,130 ($15.04) in a research note released on Thursday. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the stock.

Top 10 Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019: Canadian National Railway Company(CNI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  State of Tennessee Treasury Department lessened its stake in shares of Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI) (TSE:CNR) by 1.6% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 842,775 shares of the transportation company’s stock after selling 13,507 shares during the quarter. State of Tennessee Treasury Department owned about 0.11% of Canadian National Railway worth $61,565,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

• [By Max Byerly]

  WARNING: “Q3 2018 Earnings Estimate for Canadian National Railway (CNI) Issued By Cormark” was first posted by Ticker Report and is owned by of Ticker Report. If you are reading this piece on another publication, it was copied illegally and reposted in violation of U.S. & international copyright & trademark law. The original version of this piece can be viewed at https://www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/3350637/q3-2018-earnings-estimate-for-canadian-national-railway-cni-issued-by-cormark.html.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Canadian National Railway (CNI)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

  Canadian National Railway Co (NYSE:CNI)Q1 2018 Earnings Conference CallApril 23, 2018, 4:30 p.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Shares of Canadian National Railway (TSE:CNR) (NYSE:CNI) have been given an average recommendation of “Buy” by the eleven research firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold recommendation and six have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average 12-month price target among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is C$109.36.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Canadian National Railway (CNI)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

Top Penny Stocks To Own For 2019

tags:SMSI,TSN,TIS,NYMT,FFNW,

Penny stocks tempt investors with the promise of sky-high returns, while often delivering disappointing results. These companies typically don't have the same disclosure requirements that other publicly traded companies do -- which keep investors in the dark -- and their prices can fluctuate very quickly and leave their investors reeling.�

Of course, no investment is guaranteed to make you money. But you're far better off buying stocks in great companies and holding them for the long haul, rather than trying to time the market with sketchy companies you hardly know anything about. To help you track down a few stable investments, we reached out to a few Motley Fool investors for some stock recommendations. Here's why they think Osisko Gold Royalties (NYSE:OR), Cirrus Logic (NASDAQ:CRUS), and Square (NYSE:SQ) are better investments than penny stocks.

Image source: Getty Images.

Top Penny Stocks To Own For 2019: Smith Micro Software Inc.(SMSI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  These are some of the news stories that may have impacted Accern’s scoring:

  Get Smith Micro Software alerts: Short Interest in Smith Micro Software (SMSI) Increases By 51.9% (americanbankingnews.com) Smith Micro Software’s (SMSI) CEO Bill Smith on Q1 2018 Results – Earnings Call Transcript (seekingalpha.com) Smith Micro Software (SMSI) Reports Q1 Loss of $0.10 (streetinsider.com) Smith Micro Reports First Quarter 2018 Financial Results (finance.yahoo.com) Smith Micro announces above market USD 7.0m private placement offering (financial-news.co.uk)

  Separately, ValuEngine upgraded shares of Smith Micro Software from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Connecture (OTCMKTS: CNXR) and Smith Micro Software (NASDAQ:SMSI) are both small-cap computer and technology companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, profitability, dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations and earnings.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Okta (NASDAQ: OKTA) and Smith Micro Software (NASDAQ:SMSI) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, dividends, risk, valuation and profitability.

Top Penny Stocks To Own For 2019: Tyson Foods Inc.(TSN)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  In the Lightning Round, Cramer was bullish on T-Mobile US (TMUS) , Lennar (LEN) , Toll Brothers (TOL) , Tyson Foods (TSN) , JB Hunt Transport Services (JBHT) and International Paper (IP) .

• [By Brian Stoffel]

  Here are the 10 stocks that I think are in the most trouble. Below, I'll get into how each of them stacks up against these three metrics.

  Company Ticker Main Brands Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG) Tide, Pampers, Old Spice, Gillette PepsiCo (NASDAQ:PEP) Pepsi, Tostitos, Aquafina, Quaker Oats Coca-Cola (NYSE:KO) Coke, Sprite, Dasani, Minute Maid Tyson Foods (NYSE:TSN) Tyson, Jimmy Dean, Hillshire, Sara Lee Mondelez (NASDAQ:MDLZ) Oreo, Nabsico, Triscuit, Ritz, Cadbury General Mills (NYSE:GIS) Cheerios, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE:CL) Colgate, Speedstick, Palmolive, Softsoap Kellogg (NYSE:K) Mini-Wheats, Pop-Tarts, Eggos Dean Foods (NYSE:DF) Dean, LandOLakes, Organic Valley Hain Celestial (NASDAQ:HAIN) Celestial Teas, Arrowhead Mills

  Data source: Company websites.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Franklin Resources Inc. cut its holdings in shares of Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN) by 88.7% during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 58,511 shares of the company’s stock after selling 460,578 shares during the quarter. Franklin Resources Inc.’s holdings in Tyson Foods were worth $4,283,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE: TSN) reported weaker-than-expected results for its fiscal second quarter.

  Tyson posted quarterly earnings of $1.271 per share on sales of $9.773 billion. Analysts expected earnings of $1.32 per share on sales of $9.89 billion. Tyson expects FY18 earnings of $6.55 to $6.70 per share.

Top Penny Stocks To Own For 2019: Orchids Paper Products Company(TIS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Check-Cap Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHEK) shares jumped 104.82 percent to close at $14.87 on Tuesday. EVINE Live Inc. (NASDAQ: EVLV) rose 31.25 percent to close at $1.06. The pay-TV home shopping company was named as a potential acquisition target by TechCrunch. According to the publication, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) is exploring ways of marketing its products and services to consumers beyond the internet. SemiLEDs Corporation (NASDAQ: LEDS) shares climbed 27.16 percent to close at $4.26 on Tuesday. Atossa Genetics Inc. (NASDAQ: ATOS) gained 27.09 percent to close at $3.80. Atossa Genetics disclosed that it has Received positive interim review from the Independent Safety Committee in Phase 1 Topical endoxifen dose escalation study in men. Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSII) surged 17.13 percent to close at $37.95 as the company posted upbeat results for its first quarter. Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SC) shares gained 15.91 percent to close at $18.21 following upbeat quarterly earnings. Riot Blockchain, Inc. (NASDAQ: RIOT) shares jumped 15.73 percent to close at $7.58 on Tuesday after declining 1.50 percent on Monday. Sanmina Corp (NASDAQ: SANM) shares gained 14.62 percent to close at $31.75 as the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings for its second quarter on Monday. Orchids Paper Products Company (NYSE: TIS) jumped 12.86 percent to close at $7.37. Orchids Paper Products is expected to report its Q1 financial results on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (NYSE: HLX) rose 12.8 percent to close at $7.05 following strong quarterly results. Avid Bioservices, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDMO) rose 12.72 percent to close at $3.81. Genprex, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) gained 12.61 percent to close at $5.00. Obalon Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: OBLN) rose 12.39 percent to close at $3.72. NextDecade Corporation (NASDAQ: NEXT) shares climbed 11.88 percent to close at $7
• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers SemiLEDs Corporation (NASDAQ: LEDS) shares rose 35.8 percent to $4.55. EVINE Live Inc. (NASDAQ: EVLV) gained 28.8 percent to $1.04. The pay-TV home shopping company was named as a potential acquisition target by TechCrunch. According to the publication, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) is exploring ways of marketing its products and services to consumers beyond the internet. Sanmina Corp (NASDAQ: SANM) shares surged 19.1 percent to $33.00 as the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings for its second quarter on Monday. Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSII) gained 14.9 percent to $37.22 as the company posted upbeat results for its first quarter. Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SC) shares climbed 14 percent to $17.90 following upbeat quarterly earnings. Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (NYSE: HLX) climbed 14 percent to $7.12 following strong quarterly results. Check-Cap Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHEK) gained 13.6 percent to $8.25. Atossa Genetics Inc. (NASDAQ: ATOS) rose 11.8 percent to $3.34. Atossa Genetics disclosed that it has Received positive interim review from the Independent Safety Committee in Phase 1 Topical endoxifen dose escalation study in men. Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDNS) gained 11.6 percent to $40.99 after the company posted upbeat Q1 results and issued a strong Q2 forecast. Genprex, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) climbed 11.2 percent to $4.9363. Mitel Networks Corporation (NASDAQ: MITL) rose 10.5 percent to $11.23 after the company agreed to be acquired by affiliates of Searchlight Capital Partners for $2.0 billion. Systemax Inc. (NYSE: SYX) rose 10.2 percent to $30.86. Sidoti & Co. upgraded Systemax from Neutral to Buy. Orchids Paper Products Company (NYSE: TIS) surged 9.2 percent to $7.13. Orchids Paper Products is expected to report its Q1 financial results on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. (NYSE: EDU) rose
• [By Lisa Levin]

    

  Clearside Biomedical, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLSD) shares declined 32.19 percent to close at $9.86 on Thursday. Clearside Biomedical disclosed that its Phase 2 trial of CLS-TA met primary and secondary endpoints met in 6-month trial. scPharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: SCPH) shares dipped 30.1 percent to close at $9.94 on Thursday after the FDA identified deficiencies in the company’s New Drug Application for FUROSCIX. However, the FDA letter did not specify deficiencies identified and notification does not reflect final decision on information under review. Euroseas Ltd. (NASDAQ: ESEA) fell 24.08 percent to close at $1.86. Euroseas announced completion of the spin-off of its drybulk fleet into EuroDry Ltd. Golar LNG Limited (NASDAQ: GLNG) fell 25.09 percent to close at $25.98 following Q1 results. Oragenics, Inc. (NASDAQ: OGEN) shares dropped 25 percent to close at $1.50 on Thursday. Guess', Inc. (NYSE: GES) dropped 19.44 percent to close at $19.60 following Q1 results. Cantel Medical Corp. (NYSE: CMD) dropped 15.94 percent to close at $109.09 on Thursday following FQ3 results. Fusion Connect, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSNN) shares fell 15.55 percent to close at $3.91. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW) dropped 14.44 percent to close at $8.00 after reporting Q1 results. Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR) shares declined 14.28 percent to close at $82.59 after the company reported weaker-than-expected earnings for its first quarter and lowered its FY2018 earnings guidance. Titan Machinery Inc. (NASDAQ: TITN) dropped 13.94 percent to close at $18.09 after reporting Q1 results. Co-Diagnostics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CODX) declined 13.17 percent to close at $2.90 after declining 5.65 percent on Wednesday. Concordia International Corp. (NASDAQ: CXRX) fell 12.89 percent to close at $0.2440 after the company announced that it would be delisted from the Nasdaq. Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD) slipped 12.46 percent

Top Penny Stocks To Own For 2019: New York Mortgage Trust Inc.(NYMT)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Shares of NY Mtg Tr Inc/SH (NASDAQ:NYMT) have earned an average recommendation of “Hold” from the eight research firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, four have issued a hold recommendation and one has given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $6.06.

Top Penny Stocks To Own For 2019: First Financial Northwest Inc.(FFNW)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on First Financial Northwest (FFNW)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on First Financial Northwest (FFNW)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

IBM Scores More International Deals

Since International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) began its latest transformation, the tech company has been building up its capabilities in fast-growing areas. These areas include cloud computing, analytics, artificial intelligence, security, and blockchain, to name a few.

The breadth of what IBM can offer its clients and the company's global reach are two of IBM's key advantages, putting it in the running for big contracts that span multiple technologies. A recent $320 million deal with Denmark's KMD is a prime example. IBM has announced a handful of additional international deals this month, made possible by the company's investments over the past few years.

IBM's Global Center for Watson IoT in Munich, Germany. Image source: IBM.

A 40-year partnership

The Australian federal government announced on July 5 that it had signed a five-year, AU$1 billion deal with IBM. That translates into about $750 million at the current exchange rate. This is a Whole of Government agreement, meaning that all government agencies will have access to the technologies IBM is providing. It's also the highest-value contract ever signed by the Australian Government.

IBM has a 40-year relationship with the Australian Government, and it has existing deals with some government agencies. This new deal covers IBM hardware, software, cloud-based solutions, and artificial intelligence, as well as initiatives in quantum computing, cybersecurity, and blockchain. The main goal is to digitize government services by introducing more self-service and automation.

The Australian Government expects to realize significant cost savings over the course of the five-year agreement, driven by new efficiencies enabled by IBM's solutions. "For agencies it will be more simple and cost efficient to engage with IBM, while our technologies make it possible for government to deliver smarter, integrated, always-on digital services for citizen," said David La Rose, managing director of IBM Australia and New Zealand.

Signing deals in Europe

Also on July 5, IBM announced the launch of Dock, a $500 million joint venture with Italian bank Banca Carige. Dock's purpose is to "improve the competitiveness of Carige's more than 500 branches and over 1 million clients" with artificial intelligence, big data, and analytics.

At first, Dock will be focused on Banca Carige. The bank expects meaningful cost reductions as it shifts to a hybrid infrastructure, with some workloads moving to the cloud. The bank also plans to automate some branch processes, which could improve service and introduce additional cost savings.

But Dock's potential goes beyond a single bank. In the long run, IBM is positioning Dock "to lead the region's banking sector toward a future full of new professional skills and opportunities such as digital banking and Cloud storage."

This joint venture wasn't the only deal IBM signed in Europe this month. The company announced on July 3 that six large European companies that already use IBM Cloud had signed agreements involving artificial intelligence, analytics and blockchain. "Enterprises across�Europe�are gravitating to the IBM Cloud because it helps them modernize their existing infrastructures by gaining access to exciting technologies like AI, blockchain, IoT, analytics and more," said Sebastian Krause, general manager of IBM Cloud Europe.

Koopman Logistics in the Netherlands has implemented IBM Blockchain technology to track its supply chain and digitize records. Italian publisher Gruppo 24 Ore is using IBM Watson to allow tax professionals to search through 1.5 million documents related to the Italian tax code. French bank Credit Mutuel plans to deploy IBM Watson virtual assistants across all of its business lines. Spain's Teckel Medical is running its AI symptom checker on the IBM cloud. The UK's RS Components launched an IBM Cloud-powered peer-to-peer marketplace. And German lighting solutions company Osram AG has opted for a hybrid cloud solution from IBM.

Financial information wasn't disclosed, but it's safe to say that these deals are much smaller than the Dock joint venture and the Australian Government agreement.

Momentum going into earnings

IBM is scheduled to report its second-quarter results on July 18. Investors will be expecting revenue growth -- the average analyst estimate calls for a 3.6% increase year over year. The company's first-quarter results were somewhat disappointing, with revenue adjusted for currency roughly flat.

IBM's ability to win large deals involving the hottest technologies should give investors confidence that the company is on the right track. IBM will face a revenue headwind later this year as it laps the launch of its latest mainframe system, but new business could be enough to offset that decline.

Tactile Systems Technology (TCMD) Upgraded at BidaskClub

BidaskClub upgraded shares of Tactile Systems Technology (NASDAQ:TCMD) from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report report published on Saturday morning.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on TCMD. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Tactile Systems Technology from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 14th. ValuEngine upgraded Tactile Systems Technology from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 2nd. Piper Jaffray Companies lifted their target price on Tactile Systems Technology to $44.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a research note on Monday, May 7th. BTIG Research cut Tactile Systems Technology from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, June 4th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Finally, Northland Securities cut Tactile Systems Technology from a market perform rating to an under perform rating in a research note on Monday, June 4th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating, four have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Tactile Systems Technology has an average rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $48.30.

Get Tactile Systems Technology alerts:

Tactile Systems Technology opened at $55.44 on Friday, according to Marketbeat.com. The firm has a market cap of $1.01 billion, a PE ratio of 264.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 7.79 and a beta of 0.87. Tactile Systems Technology has a one year low of $22.72 and a one year high of $57.60.

Tactile Systems Technology (NASDAQ:TCMD) last released its earnings results on Monday, May 7th. The company reported $0.00 EPS for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of ($0.13) by $0.13. The company had revenue of $26.85 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $23.72 million. Tactile Systems Technology had a return on equity of 7.86% and a net margin of 6.29%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 35.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted ($0.09) EPS. research analysts predict that Tactile Systems Technology will post 0.36 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

In related news, Director William W. Burke sold 700 shares of Tactile Systems Technology stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.86, for a total value of $32,102.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 7,679 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $352,158.94. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Gerald R. Mattys sold 20,000 shares of Tactile Systems Technology stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 26th. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.38, for a total value of $1,087,600.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 87,450 shares of company stock valued at $4,391,253. 8.70% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. MetLife Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Tactile Systems Technology in the 4th quarter worth about $139,000. Municipal Employees Retirement System of Michigan purchased a new stake in Tactile Systems Technology in the 4th quarter worth about $158,000. Rehmann Capital Advisory Group purchased a new stake in Tactile Systems Technology in the 4th quarter worth about $218,000. Brown Advisory Inc. purchased a new stake in Tactile Systems Technology in the 1st quarter worth about $250,000. Finally, Barclays PLC increased its holdings in Tactile Systems Technology by 172.8% in the 1st quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 8,739 shares of the company’s stock worth $277,000 after acquiring an additional 5,535 shares during the last quarter. 92.03% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Tactile Systems Technology

Tactile Systems Technology, Inc, a medical technology company, develops and provides medical devices for the treatment of chronic diseases in the United States. The company offers proprietary Flexitouch system, an at-home solution for lymphedema patients; and ACTitouch system, a home-based solution for chronic venous insufficiency patients.

Shutterstock Inc (SSTK) Holdings Raised by Principal Financial Group Inc.

Principal Financial Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Shutterstock Inc (NYSE:SSTK) by 2.6% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 141,150 shares of the business services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 3,629 shares during the quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc.’s holdings in Shutterstock were worth $6,796,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Federated Investors Inc. PA acquired a new stake in Shutterstock during the first quarter worth $184,000. GSA Capital Partners LLP acquired a new stake in Shutterstock during the first quarter worth $231,000. We Are One Seven LLC acquired a new stake in Shutterstock during the fourth quarter worth $243,000. First Republic Investment Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Shutterstock during the fourth quarter worth $249,000. Finally, Teacher Retirement System of Texas acquired a new stake in Shutterstock during the fourth quarter worth $285,000. 56.11% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Get Shutterstock alerts:

Shares of Shutterstock opened at $49.85 on Friday, according to MarketBeat.com. Shutterstock Inc has a twelve month low of $29.85 and a twelve month high of $52.78. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.70 billion, a PE ratio of 70.21 and a beta of 1.29.

Shutterstock (NYSE:SSTK) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 26th. The business services provider reported $0.30 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.34 by ($0.04). Shutterstock had a net margin of 7.36% and a return on equity of 7.59%. The firm had revenue of $153.00 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $150.14 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $0.19 earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 17.5% compared to the same quarter last year. sell-side analysts predict that Shutterstock Inc will post 0.81 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Several research firms have issued reports on SSTK. Zacks Investment Research raised Shutterstock from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 24th. ValuEngine raised Shutterstock from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, June 11th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and four have assigned a hold rating to the stock. Shutterstock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $41.20.

About Shutterstock

Shutterstock, Inc provides content products and services in North America, Europe, and internationally. It offers digital imagery services, which include licensed photographs, vectors, illustrations, and video clips that customers use in their visual communications, such as Websites, digital and print marketing materials, corporate communications, books, publications, and video content; and commercial music services comprising music tracks and sound effects that are used to complement digital imagery.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SSTK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Shutterstock Inc (NYSE:SSTK).

Workiva (WK) Given Daily Media Impact Rating of 0.23

Media headlines about Workiva (NYSE:WK) have trended somewhat positive on Thursday, according to Accern Sentiment. Accern rates the sentiment of news coverage by reviewing more than twenty million blog and news sources. Accern ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of negative one to positive one, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Workiva earned a news sentiment score of 0.23 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave headlines about the software maker an impact score of 46.7404675270479 out of 100, meaning that recent news coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the stock’s share price in the next several days.

Workiva traded up $0.30, reaching $25.15, during trading on Thursday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. 6,328 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 143,247. Workiva has a twelve month low of $18.35 and a twelve month high of $27.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of -1.97, a quick ratio of 0.91 and a current ratio of 0.91. The company has a market cap of $1.06 billion, a P/E ratio of -23.50 and a beta of 0.61.

Get Workiva alerts:

Workiva (NYSE:WK) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 2nd. The software maker reported ($0.09) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.19) by $0.10. The company had revenue of $59.91 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $57.62 million. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 15.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted ($0.04) earnings per share. equities analysts predict that Workiva will post -1.32 earnings per share for the current year.

A number of research analysts recently weighed in on the company. ValuEngine raised Workiva from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Friday, May 11th. Zacks Investment Research raised Workiva from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, April 13th. Morgan Stanley upped their price target on Workiva from $18.00 to $19.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 3rd. Finally, TheStreet downgraded Workiva from a “c-” rating to a “d-” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 23rd. Seven investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, three have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $23.86.

In other Workiva news, major shareholder Jerome M. Behar sold 100,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $25.70, for a total transaction of $2,570,000.00. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Insiders own 29.94% of the company’s stock.

About Workiva

Workiva Inc provides cloud solutions for the finance and accounting, audit and internal controls, risk and compliance, and performance and management reporting markets in the United States and internationally. The company provides Wdesk, a platform with proprietary word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation applications to collect, link, report, and analyze the business data, as well as to create, review, and publish data-linked documents and reports.

U.S. Global Investors (GROW) Receives Daily Coverage Optimism Score of 0.16

Media coverage about U.S. Global Investors (NASDAQ:GROW) has been trending somewhat positive this week, Accern Sentiment reports. The research group ranks the sentiment of news coverage by monitoring more than twenty million blog and news sources in real-time. Accern ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of negative one to positive one, with scores closest to one being the most favorable. U.S. Global Investors earned a coverage optimism score of 0.16 on Accern’s scale. Accern also assigned news stories about the asset manager an impact score of 46.9454510191119 out of 100, indicating that recent news coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the company’s share price in the next several days.

U.S. Global Investors stock traded down $0.03 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $1.51. The stock had a trading volume of 196,788 shares, compared to its average volume of 96,524. The company has a market capitalization of $23.32 million, a PE ratio of 154.00 and a beta of 0.70. U.S. Global Investors has a 52 week low of $1.25 and a 52 week high of $7.49.

Get U.S. Global Investors alerts:

U.S. Global Investors (NASDAQ:GROW) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 10th. The asset manager reported ($0.07) EPS for the quarter. The firm had revenue of $1.42 million during the quarter. U.S. Global Investors had a return on equity of 0.64% and a net margin of 3.26%.

The business also recently disclosed a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, August 27th. Stockholders of record on Monday, August 13th will be issued a dividend of $0.0025 per share. The ex-dividend date is Friday, August 10th. This represents a $0.03 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 1.99%.

About U.S. Global Investors

U.S. Global Investors, Inc is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to investment companies. It also provides its services to pooled investment vehicles. The firm manages equity and fixed income mutual funds for its clients. It also manages hedge funds. The firm also manages exchange traded funds.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now

tags:FIBK,CM,PNBK,UBSI,BOFI,AGII,EHTH,WSB,ONB,CS,

The stock market performed well on Tuesday, responding to steady improvement among many companies as earnings season kicked into high gear. Although political issues are likely to remain in the spotlight for some investors for the foreseeable future, many market participants are looking to economic and business issues in driving their investing decisions. Major market benchmarks finished the day with gains of 0.5% to 1%, but some stocks did much better. Among the best performers on the day were Allegheny Technologies (NYSE:ATI), II-VI (NASDAQ:IIVI), and Beazer Homes (NYSE:BZH). Below, we'll look more closely at these stocks to tell you why they did so well.

Image source: Allegheny Technologies.

Allegheny gets a pipeline boost

Allegheny Technologies soared 31% in the wake of better-than-expected performance in its fourth-quarter and full-year 2016 financial results. The supplier of specialty metal products finished 2016 with a 16% decline in revenue from 2015 and a massive net loss, but its fourth-quarter bottom line was positive. What many investors watched even more closely was President Trump's decision to sign an executive order paving the way for the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines to go forward. In the order, there was a requirement that the pipeline builders must use U.S. steel, and that boosted steelmakers across the board. If a manufacturing boom does materialize, Allegheny Technologies is well-positioned to be in the middle of it.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: First Interstate BancSystem Inc.(FIBK)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on First Interstate BancSystem (FIBK)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Max Byerly]

  Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA lifted its stake in shares of First Interstate BancSystem (NASDAQ:FIBK) by 4.6% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 464,152 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 20,543 shares during the period. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA owned 0.82% of First Interstate BancSystem worth $18,357,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce(CM)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin] Companies Reporting Before The Bell Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $1.38 per share on revenue of $16.50 billion. Ralph Lauren Corporation (NYSE: RL) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.83 per share on revenue of $1.48 billion. Lowe's Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.25 per share on revenue of $17.63 billion. Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.83 per share on revenue of $957.49 million. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE: CM) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $2.23 per share on revenue of $3.40 billion. Citi Trends, Inc. (NASDAQ: CTRN) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.9 per share on revenue of $210.70 million. Qiwi plc (NASDAQ: QIWI) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.25 per share on revenue of $60.19 million. iClick Interactive Asia Group Limited (NASDAQ: ICLK) is projected to report quarterly loss at $0.06 per share on revenue of $34.87 million.

   

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

  Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM)Q2 2018 Earnings Conference CallMay 23, 2018, 8:00 a.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE: CM) and Foreign Trade Bank of Latin America (NYSE:BLX) are both finance companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, profitability, earnings, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, risk and valuation.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSE:CM) (NYSE:CM) – Analysts at Desjardins reduced their Q2 2018 earnings per share estimates for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, May 2nd. Desjardins analyst D. Young now forecasts that the company will post earnings of $2.85 per share for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $2.86.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM) (TSE:CM) declared a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, May 23rd, Zacks reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 28th will be paid a dividend of 1.036 per share by the bank on Friday, July 27th. This represents a $4.14 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.63%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, June 27th.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Patriot National Bancorp Inc.(PNBK)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Patriot National Bancorp (NASDAQ: PNBK) and Community Bank, N.A. (NYSE:CBU) are both finance companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, earnings, valuation, institutional ownership, risk, analyst recommendations and profitability.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: United Bankshares Inc.(UBSI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  In the Lightning Round, Cramer was bullish on Salesforce.com (CRM) , American Airlines (AAL) , Align Technology (ALGN) , Procter & Gamble (PG) , United Bankshares (UBSI) , Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX) and Dominion Energy (D) .

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: BofI Holding Inc.(BOFI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  In the Lightning Round, Cramer was bullish on Bank of Internet (BOFI) , MGM Resorts (MGM) , Verizon (VZ) , Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) , Oracle (ORCL) , Salesforce.com (CRM) , PayPal (PYPL) , Raytheon (RTN) and McDonald's (MCD) .

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  The relationship between people and banks has changed dramatically over the past 20 years. Previous generations had strong personal relationships with bankers at physical branch locations in their areas, and over time, Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) has gobbled up countless smaller institutions to become the national behemoth it is today. Younger customers have gravitated toward internet banking, and BofI Holding (NASDAQ:BOFI) and its Bank of Internet USA have captured a good deal of the resulting business from those who value better rates above in-person customer service.

• [By Jason Hall]

  BofI Holding Inc�(NASDAQ:BOFI) has made for a remarkable investment over the past decade. Its stock price is up an incredible 2,140% since the start of 2008, a remarkable�17-fold�better total return than the�S&P 500�over the same period of time. Over that period it has grown its assets almost 860% and increased earnings per share almost 2,600%.�

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap diversified financial services stock BofI Holding (NASDAQ: BOFI) has elevated short interest of 36.43% according to Highshortinterest.com. BofI Holding is the holding company for BofI Federal Bank, a nationwide bank that provides financing for single and multifamily residential properties, small-to-medium size businesses in target sectors, and selected specialty finance receivables. With approximately $8.6 billion in assets, BofI Federal Bank provides consumer and business banking products through its low-cost distribution channels and affinity partners. BofI Holding is a component of the Russell 2000 Index, the S&P SmallCap 600 Index, and the KBW Nasdaq Financial Technology Index. Bank of Internet USA is the oldest and most trusted FDIC-insured internet bank in America and is a division of BofI Federal Bank. It was one of the first banks to offer banking services exclusively online.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Argo Group International Holdings Ltd.(AGII)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Argo Group (NASDAQ: AGII) and Stewart Information Services (NYSE:STC) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, risk, earnings, dividends, institutional ownership, profitability and analyst recommendations.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: eHealth Inc.(EHTH)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Shares of eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) got a boost, shooting up 16 percent to $18.64 as the company posted upbeat Q1 results.

  Enova International, Inc. (NYSE: ENVA) shares were also up, gaining 25 percent to $28.35 following Q1 results.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Shares of eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) got a boost, shooting up 19 percent to $19.04 as the company posted upbeat Q1 results.

  SVB Financial Group (NASDAQ: SIVB) shares were also up, gaining 17 percent to $301.12 following strong quarterly results.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Genprex, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) jumped 46.7 percent to $16.1331. The low-float small-cap clinical stage gene therapy company saw its stock rally nearly 150 percent from Monday through Thursday. Formal news hasn't been announced this week that would support a triple-digit percentage rally (including more than 200 percent at one point on Thursday) but the quiet period following its initial public offering will expire on May 8. Celyad SA (NASDAQ: CYAD) shares gained 24.7 percent to $36.17. Celyad reported the publication of THINK study case report of CYAD-01 Induced Complete Remission in relapsed/refractory AML patient in haematologica. DMC Global Inc. (NASDAQ: BOOM) shares jumped 23.2 percent to $39.00 after the company reported upbeat Q1 results and issued upbeat Q2 guidance. eHealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: EHTH) gained 21.8 percent to $19.58 as the company posted upbeat Q1 results. Enova International, Inc. (NYSE: ENVA) climbed 20.4 percent to $27.20 following Q1 results. SVB Financial Group (NASDAQ: SIVB) shares jumped 18.2 percent to $304.135 following strong quarterly results. Knowles Corporation (NYSE: KN) gained 13.9 percent to $12.70 as the company reported Q1 results. Zymeworks Inc. (NYSE: ZYME) gained 13.8 percent to $17.36. Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: COCP) rose 11.8 percent to $2.336 after declining 25.09 percent on Thursday. ImmunoGen, Inc. (NASDAQ: IMGN) shares surged 11.7 percent to $11.75 after the company announced 'successful completion of interim analysis' for FORWARD I Phase 3 mirvetuximab soravtansine trial. Eloxx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ELOX) gained 9.5 percent to $12.70. Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE) shares rose 8.5 percent to $115.3801 after the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings for its first quarter on Thursday. Sprint Corporation (NYSE: S) shares rose 8.3 percent to $6.50. The stock moved higher after a Reuters report suggested ongoing merger talks with T-M

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: WSB Holdings Inc.(WSB)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Baldwin]

  Markets have been under pressure once again by the U.S. Federal Reserve. Inflation levels are going through the roof… but the people in charge of managing it have been lying to Americans for years. Now it's time to get even.�Money Morning�Liquidity Specialist Lee Adler has the perfect way to make a lot of money when no one is looking.�Read it here.

  The Top Stock Market Stories for Wednesday In addition to Trump's concerns about China and trade, the President also stated that he is unsure whether a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un will take place as planned. Multiple media outlets this morning are questioning if the event will take place. The summit is tentatively planned for June 12. Banking stocks were on the move after Congress passed new laws designed to reduce regulations for thousands of financial institutions. The new rules will ensure that smaller banks are not facing the same strict rules as the bigger giants. The financial sector has been lobbying to changes to the Dodd-Frank Act since its inception after the 2008-09 financial crisis. Facebook Inc. (Nasdaq: FB) CEO Mark Zuckerberg met with members of the European Union on Tuesday. The CEO of the social media giant outraged European Parliament members after reportedly dodging questions about user privacy and the firm's collection of personal data. During the conversation, EU members questioned whether Facebook is a monopoly and pondered if the firm should be broken up due to antitrust concerns. Three Stocks to Watch Today: TGT, LOW, TIF Shares of Target Corporation (NYSE: TGT) fell nearly 6% after the retail giant fell short of earnings expectations before the bell. The firm reported earnings per share of $1.32. This figure missed Wall Street earnings expectations by six cents. The retail giant blamed poor spring weather for its performance and said that its bottom line has been impacted by the costs of upgrading its physical locations. Lowe's Companies (NYSE: LOW) stock gained

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Old National Bancorp Capital Trust I(ONB)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Old National Bancorp (NASDAQ:ONB) Director Katherine E. White sold 1,064 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $17.80, for a total transaction of $18,939.20. Following the transaction, the director now owns 1,243 shares in the company, valued at approximately $22,125.40. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website.

Top 10 Financial Stocks To Buy Right Now: Credit Suisse Group(CS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  HSBC set a €27.00 ($32.14) price objective on AXA (EPA:CS) in a research report released on Wednesday. The firm currently has a buy rating on the stock.

• [By Garrett Baldwin]
  FAANG stocks are attempting to rebound today after a brutal sell-off hit the Nasdaq components Tuesday. The social media giant Facebook Inc. (Nasdaq: FB) will report earnings after the bell, but it's likely that analysts are more interested in the company's ongoing response to a data scandal that rocked investor sentiment and spurred privacy fears during the first quarter. Wall Street forecasts EPS of $1.36 on top of $11.45 billion in revenue. Right now, the 10-year interest rate is sitting on the border of 3%. And this news has many investors jittery about the impact on the stock market and the broader economy. Of course, many people forget that interest rates remain historically low for this stage of an economic expansion. And inflation targets remain stubbornly elusive for members of the U.S. Federal Reserve. The truth is that investors have little to worry about regarding interest rates. Instead, they should listen to Money Morning Chief Investment Strategist Keith Fitz-Gerald, who offered his insight to Fox Business Network earlier this week. Here's what Keith had to say. Three Stocks to Watch Today: TWTR, CS, GE General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) is under pressure to fire its auditor of 109 years, KPMG (for perspective, GE began its longtime relationship with KPMG a year after the first Model-T was built). Shareholder rights firms Glass-Lewis and Institutional Shareholder Services are spearheading the change and will push for adjustments during the firm's annual shareholder meeting. The move comes after a calamitous year for GE, which saw the company become the worst-performing Dow component of 2017. Twitter Inc. (NYSE TWTR) will lead a very busy day of earnings reports. The social media giant is expected to report EPS of $0.12 on top of $609.8 million in revenue. Shares in�Credit Suisse�(ADR) (NYSE: CS) rallied more than 4% today after the Swiss financial giant beat earnings expectations before the bell. This was a significant milestone for Cr
• [By Max Byerly]

  AXA (EPA:CS) has been given a €27.50 ($32.74) target price by research analysts at Kepler Capital Markets in a report released on Thursday. The firm presently has a “buy” rating on the stock. Kepler Capital Markets’ price target indicates a potential upside of 20.61% from the company’s current price.

Buy Future Consumer; target of Rs 76: Motilal Oswal

Motilal Oswal's research report on Future Consumer

Future Consumer��s (FCL) net sales grew 51.3% YoY to INR8b (est. of INR7.7b) in 4QFY18. EBITDA rose 521% YoY to INR162m (est. of INR190m). The company reported a loss of INR36m (est. of profit of INR58m). Gross margin contracted 80bp YoY to 12.8% (est. of 14.1%), mostly due to faster growth in the lower-margin fruits & vegetables business.

Outlook

We, thus, value FCON on an EV/sales basis, assigning a multiple of 2.2x (60% discount to EV/sales of our coverage consumer universe). This results in a TP of INR76, implying ~36% upside from current levels. Maintain Buy. As soon as the company demonstrates profitability at the net level, we will move our valuation to P/E basis.

For all recommendations report,�click here

Disclaimer:�The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

Read More

Top 5 High Tech Stocks To Watch For 2019

tags:SYNC,BRKR,MACK,WPP,CEL,

Top 10 States With Most Millionaires Per Person: 2018

Clients Rate Top Financial Services Firms in 13 Categories

7 Facts About Trump��s 2019 Budget Proposal, for Agents

Which investors are interested in digital advice may not be as clear as advisors think, according to new research from Cerulli Associates.

The firm's latest research from Cerulli looks at how investors’ interest in using digital advice platforms — which has increased modestly over the past few years — outpaces actual adoption of robo-advice.

Cerulli looked back at research it had done in the fourth quarter of 2015 that examined whether potential investors were open to a purely online relationship.

When Cerulli initially examined this factor in 2015, it found a clear inverse relationship between an investor’s age and their willingness to engage with purely digital platforms. Investors ages 30 to 39 exhibited the greatest enthusiasm, with 61% of them willing to do so, with interest steadily declining to a low of 18% of those ages 70 and older.

Top 5 High Tech Stocks To Watch For 2019: Synacor, Inc.(SYNC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.GURUFOCUS.COM]

  For the details of INTEL CORP's stock buys and sells, go to http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=INTEL+CORP

  These are the top 5 holdings of INTEL CORPCloudera Inc (CLDR) - 26,065,827 shares, 92.26% of the total portfolio. Borqs Technologies Inc (BRQS) - 3,799,172 shares, 5.42% of the total portfolio. ForeScout Technologies Inc (FSCT) - 257,756 shares, 1.37% of the total portfolio. Aquantia Corp (AQ) - 161,492 shares, 0.42% of the total portfolio. Synacor Inc (SYNC) - 866,884 shares, 0.23% of the total portfolio. New

Top 5 High Tech Stocks To Watch For 2019: Bruker Corporation(BRKR)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Bruker (BRKR)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Bruker (BRKR)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

Top 5 High Tech Stocks To Watch For 2019: Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(MACK)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Here are some of the media headlines that may have effected Accern Sentiment Analysis’s rankings:

  Get Merrimack Pharmaceuticals alerts: Edited Transcript of MACK earnings conference call or presentation 8-May-18 12:30pm GMT (finance.yahoo.com) Investors Purchase High Volume of Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Call Options (MACK) (americanbankingnews.com) Merrimack (MACK) Reports Wider-Than-Expected Loss in Q1 (finance.yahoo.com) Merrimack Pharmaceuticals (MACK) Announces Quarterly Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.05 EPS (americanbankingnews.com) Merrimack Pharmaceuticals’ (MACK) CEO Richard Peters on Q1 2018 Results – Earnings Call Transcript (seekingalpha.com)

  A number of equities analysts have issued reports on MACK shares. Robert W. Baird reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $12.00 price objective on shares of Merrimack Pharmaceuticals in a report on Thursday, March 15th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Merrimack Pharmaceuticals from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $9.50 price objective for the company in a report on Wednesday, April 25th.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Check out these big penny stock gainers and losers

  Losers Aceto Corporation (NASDAQ: ACET) fell 41.9 percent to $4.30 in pre-market trading. ACETO board disclosed that it is taking proactive steps to address business and financial challenges. Canaccord Genuity downgraded Aceto from Buy to Sell. Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc. (NASDAQ: HMNY) fell 25.3 percent to $2.86 in pre-market trading after reporting an ATM offering of $150 million. Pier 1 Imports, Inc. (NYSE: PIR) fell 17.4 percent to $2.86 in pre-market trading after reporting a fourth quarter sales miss. Comps were down 7.5 percent in the quarter. Sleep Number Corporation (NASDAQ: SNBR) fell 12.4 percent to $32.00 in pre-market trading following a first quarter earnings miss. Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRTK) fell 10.2 percent to $11.90 in pre-market trading on news of $125 million convertible debt offering. Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: MACK) shares fell 8 percent to $8.02 in pre-market trading after dropping 2.02 percent on Wednesday. Exponent, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPO) shares fell 5.6 percent to $80 in pre-market trading. Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: LITE) shares fell 4.8 percent to $60.00 in pre-market trading after rising 1.78 percent on Wednesday. vTv Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTVT) fell 4.6 percent to $2.10 in pre-market trading after surging 84.87 percent on Wednesday. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE: TSM) shares fell 4.5 percent to $40.07 in pre-market trading after the company reported Q1 results. Align Technology, Inc.. (NASDAQ: ALGN) fell 3.5 percent to $267.40 in pre-market trading after rising 1.61 percent on Wednesday. Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) shares fell 3.5 percent to $12 in pre-market trading after the company issued quarterly fleet status report. GoPro, Inc. (NASDAQ: GPRO) fell 3.2 percent to $4.90 in pre-market trading. Unilever PLC (NYSE: UL) fell 2.6 percent to $54.73 in pre-market

Top 5 High Tech Stocks To Watch For 2019: Wausau Paper Corp.(WPP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Bio-Path Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BPTH) shares rose 29.5 percent to $2.15 in pre-market trading after reporting pre-clinical data demonstrating potential of Prexigebersen presented at the annual American Association for Cancer Research meeting in Chicago. Sientra, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIEN) rose 16.7 percent to $12.90 in pre-market trading following the announcement of FDA approval for PMA supplement. Aqua Metals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AQMS) rose 13.5 percent to $2.95 in pre-market trading after climbing 14.04 percent on Wednesday. Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited (NYSE: HMY) rose 5.6 percent to $2.09 in pre-market trading. Alcoa Corporation (NYSE: AA) shares rose 5 percent to $62.32 in pre-market trading after the company reported better-than-expected earnings for its first quarter and raised its FY18 adjusted EBITDA outlook. Gold Fields Limited (ADR) (NYSE: GFI) shares rose 4.9 percent to $4.11 in pre-market trading after gaining 1.03 percent on Wednesday. ABB Ltd (NYSE: ABB) shares rose 4.3 percent to $24.47 in pre-market trading after reporting Q1 results. WPP plc (NYSE: WPP) rose 4.2 percent to $82.99 in pre-market trading. American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) rose 4 percent to $98.95 in pre-market trading after the company reported stronger-than-expected profit for its first quarter. HSBC Holdings plc (NYSE: HSEA) rose 3.4 percent to $27.30 in pre-market trading. Shire plc (NASDAQ: SHPG) rose 3.4 percent to $167.95 in pre-market trading. Takada offered to buy Shire at £46.50 per share, Reuters reported. Vipshop Holdings Limited (NYSE: VIPS) rose 3.1 percent to $16.43 in pre-market trading. iRobot Corporation (NASDAQ: IRBT) shares rose 3 percent to $63.66 in the pre-market trading session.

  Find out what's going on in today's market and bring any questions you have to Benzinga's PreMarket Prep.

• [By ]

  Embattled WPP Group (WPP) CEO Martin Sorrell, no stranger to business news channels and fat annual compensation checks, has quit as CEO. Below is a statement from Sorrell obtained by TheStreet.

Top 5 High Tech Stocks To Watch For 2019: Cellcom Israel Ltd.(CEL)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Thursday afternoon, the telecommunication services shares surged 0.58 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I), up 5 percent, and Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE: CEL) up 2.5 percent.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Check out these big penny stock gainers and losers

  Losers Natural Health Trends Corp (NASDAQ: NHTC) fell 7.8 percent to $19.80 in pre-market trading after rising 1.46 percent on Friday. Endocyte, Inc. (NASDAQ: ECYT) shares fell 6.6 percent to $11.41 in pre-market trading after climbing 4.18 percent on Friday. Quorum Health Corporation (NYSE: QHC) shares fell 6.2 percent to $5.15 in pre-market trading after tumbling 11.45 percent on Friday. Arcadia Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: RKDA) fell 6.1 percent to $7.31 in pre-market trading after declining 3.35 percent on Friday. Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) fell 5.6 percent to $28.30 in pre-market trading. Evofem Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: EVFM) fell 5.3 percent to $6.06 in pre-market trading after gaining 2.73 percent on Friday. Xerox Corporation (NYSE: XRX) shares fell 5.2 percent to $28.60 in pre-market trading. Xerox terminated its transaction agreement with Fujifilm and entered into a new agreement with Carl Icahn and Darwin Deason. JP Morgan downgraded Xerox from Overweight to Neutral. Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE: CEL) fell 5.2 percent to $7.02 in pre-market trading. Cellcom is expected to release Q1 results on May 30, 2018. Perrigo Company plc (NYSE: PRGO) fell 4.5 percent to $74 in pre-market trading. Nabriva Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ: NBRV) shares fell 4 percent to $4.66 in pre-market trading
• [By Lisa Levin]

  Thursday afternoon, the health care shares rose 1.79 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Partner Communications Company Ltd. (NASDAQ: PTNR), up 8 percent, and Cellcom Israel Ltd. (NYSE: CEL) up 7 percent.

How Starbucks will train its staff to be less biased

Starbucks has planned an elaborate racial bias training session for its employees.

On Tuesday afternoon, May 29, workers at each location will break into small groups to learn together. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson, Chairman Howard Schultz and musician and activist Common will serve as virtual guides. Employees will talk about their own experiences, and watch a film about bias.

The company explained that each store will get a tool kit to help guide the trainings. The session will focus on understanding both racial bias and the history of racial discrimination in public spaces in the United States.

About 175,000 workers will participate. The session will take place in stores and offices and about 8,000 company-owned stores will close for the event. More trainings will follow.

The coffee chain announced the training session after two black men were arrested for trespassing in a Philadelphia Starbucks. A store manager called the police because the two men were sitting in the store without placing an order. The customers said they were waiting for another man to arrive.

Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said that the training, among other efforts, will help make sure that nothing like the arrests will happen at a Starbucks again.

The company tapped several experts and researchers to help develop the curriculum, including Sherrilyn Ifill, president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. Ifill will participate in a press briefing Thursday afternoon to detail how the NAACP is helping Starbucks with its anti-bias curriculum.

The company said it will release training materials to the public next week, so others can use it.

"Our hope is that these learning sessions and discussions will make a difference within and beyond our stores," Starbucks executive Rossan Williams told employees in a note on Wednesday.

Starbucks recently changed its policy to allow people who haven't made a purchase to spend time in stores or use the bathroom.

But there are limits to the new policy. If customers are disruptive, employees are advised to step in.

The company offered specific guidelines in a document shared with employees. The list of inappropriate behaviors includes smoking, using drugs or alcohol, sleeping or improperly using the restroom. Starbucks added that customers could be asked to change their behavior if they are unreasonably loud, watching something inappropriate on a personal device or their personal hygiene disrupts others.

Starbucks advises employees to consider whether they'd be disturbed by the behavior in question if it was coming from a different customer. It also suggests that they consult colleagues to see if they agree that the person is being disruptive. If so, employees are instructed to approach the customer, while another employee watches, and respectfully ask the customer to cease the offensive action. If a Starbucks employee thinks the situation isn't safe, he or she should call the police.

Starbucks did not immediately respond to a request to clarify whether Tuesday's training will offer more advice or training to employees on how to maintain the new policy.

-- CNN's Yon Pomrenze contributed to this report.

China to Cut Import Duty on Cars to 15% After Truce With Trump

China will cut the import duty on passenger cars to 15 percent, boosting auto makers such as BMW AG and Ford Motor Co. just as the immediate threat of a trade war with the U.S. recedes.

The Finance Ministry said Tuesday the levy will be lowered effective July 1 from the current 25 percent that has been in place for more than a decade. Bloomberg News had reported last month that China was weighing proposals to reduce the car import levy to 10 percent or 15 percent.

A reduction in import duty follows a truce between President Donald Trump’s administration and Chinese officials as they seek to defuse tensions and avert an all-out trade war. While the levy reduction could be claimed in some quarters as a concession to Trump and will be a boon to U.S. carmakers such as Tesla Inc., the move will also end up benefiting European and Asian manufacturers from Daimler AG to Toyota Motor Corp.

Shares of Jaguar Land Rover owner Tata Motors Ltd. and BMW AG jumped on the news.

#lazy-img-327938472:before{padding-top:56.25%;}

Tata Motors gained as much as 4.7 percent in Mumbai while BMW rose as much as 1.5 percent in Frankfurt. Daimler added as much as 1.3 percent.

The latest round of tariff easing is part of a flurry of policy announcements in recent months aimed at demonstrating China’s commitment to opening the economy -- partly in response to the accusations of protectionism leveled by the Trump administration. Beijing has also pledged to slash ownership limits in the auto sector as well as in banking, and last November reduced import tariffs on almost 200 categories of consumer products.

The import duty on car parts will be reduced to 6 percent, the Finance Ministry said.

To read a QuickTake on trade war, click here.

China announced May 18 that it would end its anti-dumping and anti-subsidy investigation into imports of U.S. sorghum, citing “public interest.” That move, coupled with recent steps including restarting a review of Qualcomm Inc.’s application to acquire NXP Semiconductors NV, signal a conciliatory stance from the Chinese side.

President Trump retreated from imposing tariffs on billions of dollars worth of Chinese goods because of White House discord over trade strategy and concern about harming negotiations with North Korea, according to people briefed on the administration’s deliberations.

Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Sunday that the administration’s plan to impose tariffs had been suspended, and Trump said on Twitter on Monday that the Chinese had agreed to purchase unspecified amounts of American farm products.

China’s Imports

China imported 1.22 million vehicles last year, or about 4.2 percent of the country’s total sales of about 28.9 million automobiles. At the Boao Forum in April, President Xi Jinping reiterated China’s commitment to reduce import tariffs on vehicles.

Of the $51 billion of vehicle imports in 2017, about $13.5 billion came from North America including sales of models made there by non-U.S. manufacturers like BMW.

China imported 280,208 vehicles, or 10 percent of total imported automobiles, from the U.S. last year, according to China’s Passenger Car Association, an industry trade body.

A duty cut would typically benefit luxury carmakers or manufacturers, like Tesla, that don’t have a local production site. Most automakers produce mass-market models in China.

For Tesla, a tariff cut will provide a boon until the company manages to set up local production. The Palo Alto, California-based company has been working with Shanghai’s government since last year to explore assembling cars in China. China’s announcement by Beijing that it will allow foreign new-energy vehicle makers to fully own auto factories as early as this year removed the primary hurdle in the way of founder and billionaire Elon Musk.

Luxury sales leader Audi, part of Volkswagen, has been making cars in China since 1990s. General Motors Co.’s Cadillac, which has relegated Lexus to fifth in the luxury-car rankings, opened a factory in Shanghai in 2016.

Top 10 Import Car Brands in China in 2017

Source: China Automobile Dealers Association

.chart-js { display: none; }

High-end autos will feel the effects of a tariff cut because less of their production has moved locally. For example, Toyota’s Lexus would benefit as the only premium Japanese marque that doesn’t manufacture in China or hasn’t announced plans to do so.

Read this: China’s Car Revolution Is Going Global

Foreign carmakers have long pleaded for freer access to China’s auto market, while its own manufacturers are expanding abroad. In April, China announced a timetable to permit foreign automakers to own more than 50 percent of local ventures.

— With assistance by Ying Tian, Haze Fan, Yan Zhang, Xiaoqing Pi, and Jeff Black

LISTEN TO ARTICLE 4:22 Share Share on Facebook Post to Twitter Send as an Email Print