Best Cheap Stocks To Buy For 2019

tags:KSS,IBM,CMP,RCII,UNH,

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Welcome to another edition of "3 Things In Biotech You Should Learn Today," a daily digest dedicated to helping you keep pace with the fast-moving world of pharmaceutical and biotechnology research.

Novartis gets its second CAR-T cell therapy approval

Company: Novartis (NVS)

Therapy: Tisagenlecleucel

Disease: Diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL)

News: NVS announced that the FDA has granted approval to its CD19 CAR-T cell therapy tisagenlecleucel for relapsed/refractory DLBCL. This adds the second approval for a technique that was approved for relapsed/refractory ALL last year. This approval was based on the pivotal JULIET study, which showed favorable response rates with long durations of response.

Looking forward: And the streak continues here in the states. Now this puts it in direct competition with Gilead (NASDAQ:GILD) for the first time, as it previously received approval in a similar setting. At this point, there doesn't seem to be any indication that the techniques are much different in terms of efficacy or safety. Perhaps projected price? But Gilead's option is estimated at about $100,000 cheaper, so I'm very curious to see how it intends to compete.

Best Cheap Stocks To Buy For 2019: Kohl's Corporation(KSS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Adam Levine-Weinberg]

  Most apparel-focused retailers have had a rough time over the past few years, bearing the brunt of declining U.S. mall traffic. However, No. 2 department store chain Kohl's (NYSE:KSS) and off-price leader TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX) have been able to outperform most of their rivals, partially due to their focus on non-mall store locations.

• [By ]

  The reluctance of millennials to spend their tax cuts could hurt the stock prices of many consumer companies. Shares of department stores such as Kohl's (KSS) and an electronics retailer like Best Buy (BBY) have run up this year on expectations of consumers shopping till they drop this spring/summer. Considering there are more than 83 million millennials in the U.S., that's a big pool of humans letting down some of the country's biggest companies. 

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Trust Investment Advisors cut its position in Kohl’s Co. (NYSE:KSS) by 5.7% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 20,340 shares of the company’s stock after selling 1,240 shares during the period. Kohl’s accounts for 1.5% of Trust Investment Advisors’ holdings, making the stock its 17th largest position. Trust Investment Advisors’ holdings in Kohl’s were worth $1,332,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By ]

  Walmart (WMT) was already on my "Best Short Ideas" list, and I added Kohl's (KSS) and Target (TGT) to the roster on Thursday morning.

  Some reasons for my bearishness on retail stocks:

• [By Chris Lange]

  On Thursday, look for Kohl��s Corp. (NYSE: KSS) to report its fiscal fourth-quarter results. The analysts�� consensus estimates are EPS of $1.75 and revenue of $6.74 billion. Shares were changing hands at $66.47 on Friday��s close. The consensus price target is $65.35, and the stock has a 52-week range of $35.16 to $69.14.

• [By ]

  Cramer and the AAP team say their favorite part of the Kohl's (KSS) story is its ties with Amazon (AMZN) . Find out what they're telling their investment club members and get in on the conversation with a free trial subscription to Action Alerts PLUS. 

Best Cheap Stocks To Buy For 2019: International Business Machines Corporation(IBM)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael A. Robinson]

  IBM Corp. (NYSE: IBM) has bet big on blockchain – and the company's leaders see it as vital to its future success.

  That said, IBM remains a poor investment. The company's legacy businesses are slowing down faster than its strategic initiatives are growing. Moreover, its leadership is unfocused and neglectful toward shareholders.

• [By Douglas A. McIntyre]

  An IBM (NYSE: IBM) hardware system was used to help complete the project.

  ALSO READ: 12 American Companies That Control Tech

• [By Paul Ausick]

  When International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM) lays off staff, the company calls it a “resource action.” IBM employees have shortened the term to “RA” and even created a verb �� fittingly in the past tense �� “RA’d.” The term is getting a lot of use these days.

• [By Douglas A. McIntyre]

  After International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM) posted a 3.7% rise in revenue for the second quarter, its shares rose modestly. The company’s extremely slow growth shows it is still not in the league with Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) and other tech giants that have posted strong revenue improvements in areas where IBM management says its future lies.

Best Cheap Stocks To Buy For 2019: Compass Minerals Intl Inc(CMP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Compass Minerals International (NYSE:CMP) was downgraded by investment analysts at ValuEngine from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday.

Best Cheap Stocks To Buy For 2019: Rent-A-Center Inc.(RCII)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  An issue of Rent-A-Center Inc (NASDAQ:RCII) bonds fell 1% against their face value during trading on Thursday. The high-yield issue of debt has a 6.625% coupon and will mature on November 15, 2020. The debt is now trading at $99.07 and was trading at $100.50 one week ago. Price moves in a company’s bonds in credit markets often predict parallel moves in its stock price.

• [By Timothy Green]

  Shares of Rent-A-Center Inc. (NASDAQ:RCII) surged on Tuesday after Vintage Capital Management increased its offer to acquire the company. Rent-A-Center disclosed on Monday that it had received an offer from one of the companies involved in its strategic review process soon after that process was ended. Rent-A-Center stock was up about 15% at 12:35 p.m. EDT.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  OMERS ADMINISTRATION Corp decreased its holdings in shares of Rent-A-Center Inc (NASDAQ:RCII) by 52.3% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 72,200 shares of the company’s stock after selling 79,200 shares during the period. OMERS ADMINISTRATION Corp owned about 0.14% of Rent-A-Center worth $623,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Shares of Rent-A-Center Inc (NASDAQ:RCII) have received a consensus rating of “Hold” from the eight ratings firms that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation and six have given a hold recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $8.75.

• [By Max Byerly]

  COPYRIGHT VIOLATION NOTICE: “Q1 2018 EPS Estimates for Rent-A-Center Increased by KeyCorp (RCII)” was first reported by Ticker Report and is the sole property of of Ticker Report. If you are viewing this article on another publication, it was illegally stolen and reposted in violation of United States and international trademark & copyright laws. The legal version of this article can be read at https://www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/3350595/q1-2018-eps-estimates-for-rent-a-center-increased-by-keycorp-rcii.html.

• [By ]

  Engaged Capital maintained large positions in Rent-A-Center (RCII) , TiVo (TIVO) , Hain Celestial (HAIN) , SunOpta and Jamba Inc. (JMBA) , all companies that have either previously been targeted by Welling or currently are in his cross-hairs.

Best Cheap Stocks To Buy For 2019: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated(UNH)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Todd Campbell]

  UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) reported second-quarter 2018 financials that show sales and profit continue to improve despite its decision to cut ties to to Obamacare last year. Here's what you need to know about UnitedHealth's performance last quarter and its guidance for the rest of 2018.

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

  So while Fischer is pitching cloud software company AppFolio (NASDAQ:APPF)�and Bush suggests cybersecurity player Carbon Black�(NASDAQ:CBLK), Moser is going with a healthcare basket: insurer UnitedHealth Group�(NYSE:UNH) big dog, medical device maker Masimo�(NASDAQ:MASI), pet-focused Idexx Labs�(NASDAQ:IDXX), and remote medicine leader Teladoc�(NYSE:TDOC).

• [By Paul Ausick]

  UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH) traded up 1.89% at $232.95. The stock’s 52-week range is $156.09 to $235.00, a new 52-week high set this afternoon. Volume was nearly double the daily average of around 2.9 million shares. The company’s fourth-quarter earnings and forecast for 2018 were better than expected.

• [By ]

  On Tuesday, he'll be tuning into UnitedHealth Group (UNH) , Goldman Sachs (GS) , Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and IBM (IBM) . Cramer had great things to say about all four companies.

• [By Chris Lange]

  UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH) is scheduled to report its second-quarter financial results before the markets open on Tuesday. Thomson Reuters consensus estimates call for $3.04 in earnings per share (EPS) and $56.09 billion in revenue. The same period of last year reportedly had EPS of $2.46 and $50.05 billion in revenue.

At Long Last, Facebook Turns on WhatsApp Monetization

It's now been over a year since Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) subsidiary WhatsApp started hiring for a "product manager for monetization," which came a few months before the popular messaging service officially launched WhatsApp Business. The social networking titan has been working on a new monetization model for WhatsApp for several years, after eliminating�the paltry $1-per-year subscription fee in 2016 shortly after acquiring the start-up.

Instead, Facebook wants to monetize WhatsApp (and Messenger) by helping businesses connect directly with consumers, and it just made a big move in that direction.

Image source: WhatsApp.

Charging businesses to connect with you

Facebook�and WhatsApp�today announced the launch of the WhatsApp Business API, which companies can use to manage their conversations with customers at scale. The WhatsApp Business app on Android now has over 3 million users, according to a Facebook blog post.

Using the new suite of tools, businesses can exchange or provide information to customers, make it easier for customers to initiate conversations by integrating a click-to-chat button, and offer real-time support. Users will be able to easily block any business that might be sending too many unsolicited messages.

Business customers will foot the bill, paying anywhere from�0.5 cents to 9 cents per message sent, depending on the geographical market. The great irony there is that WhatsApp's popularity was largely propelled by being incredibly affordable, making the service a very compelling alternative to traditional SMS text messaging in emerging markets, yet now the company's messaging rates will be significantly more expensive than SMS rates, which are usually less than 1 cent per SMS message. Of course, the big difference is that only business customers will have to pay, while the service remains free for users.

WhatsApp argues that charging businesses per message may help ensure that the messages "are selective and your chats don't get cluttered."

Pressure to monetize

The news comes at a tumultuous point in time for WhatsApp, which has seen co-founders Brian Acton and Jan Koum leave Facebook within the past year amid disagreements over data practices.

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and COO Sheryl Sandberg also reportedly pressured Acton and Koum to "move faster" because Zuck and Sandberg "grew impatient for a greater return" on the blockbuster $22 billion acquisition. It's possible that Facebook is worried about recognizing a goodwill impairment charge, should WhatsApp fail to live up to the lofty financial expectations that inevitably get priced in when you pay roughly 1,000 times sales for a start-up.

As revenue growth slows and costs rise on Facebook's core platform, pinching profitability in the process, the company is increasingly turning to its other properties in an effort to satisfy investors' growth appetites.

Are You Making This Huge Retirement Mistake?

Financial security in retirement is far from guaranteed, because Social Security's future is unclear. Social Security's funding from payroll taxes has fallen shy of payments to Social Security recipients since 2010, and according to Social Security's trustees, the trust fund that's been making up for the shortfall will run out of money in 2034, causing an across-the-board cut in benefits of about 25%.

The uncertainty associated with Social Security's future increases the pressure on workers to save more; however, a recent study by Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies finds that a shockingly high proportion of people aren't taking advantage of their employer's retirement savings plan. Furthermore, millions of Americans who are participating in these plans are failing to make the most of them. If you're forgoing a 401(k) or 403(b) plan or only contributing a little to one, then you could wind up running out of money in retirement.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.

Why the worry?

The average over-65 household's expenses exceed $40,000 per year, yet the average retiree collects just $16,848 in Social Security in 2018. Personal savings are bridging the gap between spending and Social Security; however, most Americans have too little set aside in savings to produce enough income to make up the difference. As a result, retirees' savings accounts are shrinking too quickly.

Advisors recommend withdrawing no more than 4% per year to avoid outliving savings, but most workers have saved too little to stick to that 4% rule.�According to Transamerica's survey, baby boomers approaching retirement have only set aside a median $164,000. At a 4% withdrawal rate, that would only provide about $6,560 per year. For perspective, a retiree with $40,000 in expenses and average Social Security income would need at least $575,000 to avoid drawing down his or her savings too quickly at a 4% withdrawal rate.

A costly mistake

Almost 30% of workers fail to take advantage of workplace retirement plans, and because 96% employers match at least some of a worker's contributions, those workers are literally forgoing free money.�

The amount of money people are giving up by failing to contribute to these plans, or by contributing less than they can, is significant. According to Vanguard, the median employer match is 4% of income, but 16% of employers match up to 6% or more.�The most common plans match 50% of income up to a set percentage, but many plans will match at least some contributions dollar for dollar.

In 2017, the average worker contributed 6.8% of his or her income to a 401(k). Including employer matches, that resulted in total contributions equal to 10.3% of income.

Those contributions can really add up. For example, a 30-year-old worker saving 6.8% of his or her income from age 30 to 65 could wind up getting more than $100,000 in free money because of employer contributions, if the employer matches 50% of contributions up to 4% of income, the employee gets a 2% annual raise, and he or she earns a hypothetical 6% annual return. At age 65, that person would wind up with a $516,505 nest egg, of which employer contributions were responsible for $117,388!�

What to do now

Saving money can be hard, but employers are making it easier. Many are automatically enrolling their employees in retirement plans, and often those plans include an auto escalation feature that allows workers to increase their contribution by a little bit every year. The auto-escalation feature is a great way to increase your savings every year without busting your budget, so if you're not taking advantage of it, make an appointment with your human resources department to find out if it's on offer. If so, signing up for it could give you the best shot at living the kind of retirement you want, rather than the retirement you can afford.

Why Microsoft Just Picked a Side in the Walmart-Amazon War

On Tuesday, Walmart (WMT ) revealed that it has entered a five-year deal with Microsoft (MSFT ) which will allow the retail giant to use the tech firm’s cloud solutions, such as Azure and 365. The agreement will also see the two companies take part in new projects centered on machine learning, artificial, intelligence, and data platforms.

For Walmart, the deal is an obvious move to fight back against Amazon (AMZN ) , the company’s biggest competition in the retail space. The partnership will significantly bolster Walmart’s online operations as the retailer embarks on a critical digital transformation to combat Amazon’s e-commerce success.

Use of Microsoft’s cloud infrastructure will also make shopping faster for Walmart’s customers and help to streamline the retail giant’s supply chain through data integration.

Significance for Microsoft

While the partnership is a major breakthrough for Walmart for obvious reasons, it is equally essential for Microsoft and the tech company’s growth moving forward. For starters, Amazon is also Microsoft’s main rival—but in the cloud computing space.

Amazon’s cloud computing business, Amazon Web Services, has a $20 billion annual revenue run rate and is the current market leader, with Microsoft actually trailing behind it in second place. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella didn’t shy away at all from that rivalry, stating that its “absolutely core to this” new partnership with Walmart, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

Partnering with Walmart will expand use of Microsoft’s cloud service into the retail industry, and the company could potentially push even more retailers to use its tech capabilities in the future. Amazon has already made deals with retailers like Kohl’s (KSS ) , so teaming up with Walmart was nearly a move Microsoft had to make.

In addition, this isn’t the first initiative Microsoft has taken to counter Amazon. Microsoft has recently been developing technology that will take away cashiers and checkout lines from stores, a clear response to Amazon’s already existent automated grocery shop Amazon Go.

The partnership with Walmart also wasn’t the only deal that Microsoft has made to spread the use of its cloud services. On Monday, the company announced another major partnership, this time with GE (GE ) , which will integrate Microsoft’s cloud features into GE’s Predix portfolio.

Bottom line

Microsoft is on a clear mission to defeat Amazon and broaden its cloud business. The company is taking steps to accomplish those goals by strategically entering partnerships and digitally transforming high-valued companies and industry leaders.

Microsoft stock has seen a huge rise in recent years, which can be partly attributed to cloud-based growth. In this year alone the stock has risen 45%, and the stock even traded on Tuesday at a record high of $106.50 per share. 

Microsoft is set to report earnings on July 19, and these results will be a key sign as to whether the company can compete with Amazon and evolve into the cloud-computing leader moving forward.

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$684.12 Million in Sales Expected for Carter’s, Inc. (CRI) This Quarter

Wall Street analysts predict that Carter’s, Inc. (NYSE:CRI) will announce sales of $684.12 million for the current fiscal quarter, Zacks Investment Research reports. Four analysts have issued estimates for Carter’s’ earnings, with the lowest sales estimate coming in at $680.20 million and the highest estimate coming in at $689.50 million. Carter’s posted sales of $692.12 million during the same quarter last year, which would indicate a negative year-over-year growth rate of 1.2%. The firm is scheduled to report its next earnings results on Thursday, July 26th.

On average, analysts expect that Carter’s will report full year sales of $3.48 billion for the current fiscal year, with estimates ranging from $3.47 billion to $3.50 billion. For the next financial year, analysts expect that the firm will report sales of $3.60 billion per share, with estimates ranging from $3.56 billion to $3.62 billion. Zacks’ sales calculations are a mean average based on a survey of analysts that cover Carter’s.

Get Carter's alerts:

Carter’s (NYSE:CRI) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, April 26th. The textile maker reported $1.09 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.98 by $0.11. Carter’s had a return on equity of 35.09% and a net margin of 8.72%. The firm had revenue of $755.79 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $744.23 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.97 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 3.1% on a year-over-year basis.

Several research firms have recently issued reports on CRI. SunTrust Banks reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $111.00 price target on shares of Carter’s in a research note on Friday, April 27th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. B. Riley set a $127.00 target price on shares of Carter’s and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, March 26th. Monness Crespi & Hardt reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $130.00 price objective (down from $137.00) on shares of Carter’s in a report on Monday, April 30th. ValuEngine lowered shares of Carter’s from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 29th. Finally, Cowen set a $109.00 price objective on shares of Carter’s and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 24th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. The company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $120.92.

Shares of Carter’s traded up $0.02, reaching $112.16, during trading on Monday, Marketbeat reports. The company had a trading volume of 9,722 shares, compared to its average volume of 677,642. The company has a market capitalization of $5.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.27, a PEG ratio of 1.97 and a beta of 0.43. Carter’s has a one year low of $83.84 and a one year high of $129.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72, a quick ratio of 2.02 and a current ratio of 4.14.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 15th. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, May 29th were given a $0.45 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 25th. This represents a $1.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.60%. Carter’s’s payout ratio is 31.25%.

In related news, Director David Pulver purchased 3,000 shares of Carter’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 1st. The shares were acquired at an average price of $100.32 per share, with a total value of $300,960.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 55,664 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,584,212.48. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, EVP Kevin Doyle Corning sold 3,491 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, June 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $108.51, for a total value of $378,808.41. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 3.30% of the company’s stock.

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Flinton Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Carter’s by 14.9% during the 4th quarter. Flinton Capital Management LLC now owns 3,216 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $378,000 after purchasing an additional 416 shares in the last quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System boosted its position in shares of Carter’s by 0.8% in the 1st quarter. New York State Teachers Retirement System now owns 66,700 shares of the textile maker’s stock valued at $6,943,000 after purchasing an additional 500 shares during the period. MML Investors Services LLC boosted its position in shares of Carter’s by 28.1% in the 4th quarter. MML Investors Services LLC now owns 2,611 shares of the textile maker’s stock valued at $307,000 after purchasing an additional 572 shares during the period. Meadow Creek Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in Carter’s by 14.9% in the 4th quarter. Meadow Creek Investment Management LLC now owns 4,422 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $520,000 after acquiring an additional 572 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Profund Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Carter’s by 10.7% during the 1st quarter. Profund Advisors LLC now owns 5,928 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $617,000 after purchasing an additional 573 shares in the last quarter. 96.86% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Carter’s

Carter's, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, designs, sources, and markets branded childrenswear under the Carter's, Child of Mine, Just One You, Precious Firsts, Simple Joys, OshKosh, Skip Hop, and other brands. The company operates through three segments: U.S. Retail, U.S. Wholesale, and International.

Top Insurance Stocks For 2019

tags:DHX,TISI,TWO,

Atria Investments LLC lifted its position in Washington Prime Group (NYSE:WPG) by 116.0% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 44,737 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after acquiring an additional 24,023 shares during the quarter. Atria Investments LLC’s holdings in Washington Prime Group were worth $298,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in WPG. Private Management Group Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Washington Prime Group by 169.6% in the 4th quarter. Private Management Group Inc. now owns 4,725,510 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $33,646,000 after acquiring an additional 2,972,581 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Washington Prime Group by 10.6% in the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 7,266,444 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $51,737,000 after acquiring an additional 699,063 shares during the last quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lifted its holdings in shares of Washington Prime Group by 166.9% in the 4th quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 1,089,897 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $7,760,000 after acquiring an additional 681,482 shares during the last quarter. Global X Management Co. LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Washington Prime Group by 54.1% in the 1st quarter. Global X Management Co. LLC now owns 1,577,327 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $10,521,000 after acquiring an additional 553,800 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Deutsche Bank AG lifted its holdings in shares of Washington Prime Group by 175.2% in the 4th quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 660,294 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $4,698,000 after acquiring an additional 420,359 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 89.66% of the company’s stock.

Top Insurance Stocks For 2019: DHI Group, Inc.(DHX)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers TransEnterix, Inc. (NYSE: TRXC) rose 28.8 percent to $4.03 in pre-market trading after the company disclosed that it has received the FDA clearance for expanded indications for its Senhance Surgical System. Global Eagle Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: ENT) rose 15.6 percent to $2.30 in pre-market trading. Companhia Brasileira de Distribuição (NYSE: CBD) rose 13.2 percent to $24.20 in pre-market trading. ZTO Express (Cayman) Inc. (NYSE: ZTO) rose 12.2 percent to $21.65 in pre-market trading. Alibaba and Cainiao agreed to make strategic investment in ZTO Express of $1.38 billion. DHI Group, Inc. (NYSE: DHX) rose 10.8 percent to $2.05 in pre-market trading. Momo Inc. (NASDAQ: MOMO) shares rose 9.6 percent to $42.68 in pre-market trading after the company reported better-than-expected results for its first quarter and issued strong sales forecast for the second quarter. Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: XENE) shares rose 9.1 percent to $6.00 in pre-market trading. Universal Display Corporation (NASDAQ: OLED) rose 8.4 percent to $108.00 in pre-market trading. Jupai Holdings Limited (NYSE: JP) shares rose 7 percent to $24.50 in pre-market trading after reporting Q1 results. Net 1 UEPS Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: UEPS) rose 5.9 percent to $10.61 in pre-market trading. Frontline Ltd. (NYSE: FRO) rose 5.9 percent to $5.04 in pre-market trading. Evogene Ltd. (NASDAQ: EVGN) rose 5.5 percent to $3.27 in pre-market trading after reporting Q1 results. Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD) rose 5.5 percent to $3.68 in pre-market trading after gaining 5.44 percent on Friday. Kitov Pharma Ltd (NASDAQ: KTOV) shares rose 5.4 percent to $2.16 in pre-market trading.

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

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  DHI Group Inc (NYSE:DHX) – Equities researchers at B. Riley reduced their FY2018 earnings estimates for shares of DHI Group in a research report issued on Monday, June 18th. B. Riley analyst K. Anderson now expects that the technology company will post earnings per share of $0.15 for the year, down from their previous estimate of $0.17. B. Riley currently has a “Hold” rating and a $2.00 target price on the stock. B. Riley also issued estimates for DHI Group’s Q4 2018 earnings at $0.06 EPS.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  DHI Group Inc (NYSE:DHX) shares rose 5.6% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $2.85 and last traded at $2.85. Approximately 793,700 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 49% from the average daily volume of 533,969 shares. The stock had previously closed at $2.70.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Axovant Sciences Ltd. (NASDAQ: AXON) shares rose 23.7 percent to $1.49. Axovant announced strengthening of management team and completion of organization restructuring which "enhanced capabilities in research and business development" and reduced internal headcount by 43 percent. Mammoth Energy Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: TUSK) shares jumped 19.8 percent to $37.3148. Mammoth Energy’s subsidiary Cobra signed a new $900 million contract to finish the restoration of critical electrical services and support the initial phase of reconstruction of the electrical utility system in Puerto Rico. Acorn International, Inc. (NYSE: ATV) shares gained 19 percent to $34.0201. Acorn shares rose Friday after the company declared a special one-time cash dividend of $14.97 per ADS. DHI Group, Inc. (NYSE: DHX) shares surged 19 percent to $2.20. My Size, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYSZ) climbed 16.8 percent to $1.18 after the company received a Notice of Allowance from the USPTO for measurement technology patent. Global Eagle Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: ENT) gained 16.6 percent to $2.32. Leju Holdings Limited (NYSE: LEJU) gained 16.5 percent to $1.34 following Q1 beat. Evolus, Inc. (NASDAQ: EOLS) shares surged 16.5 percent to $26.1499. Evolus named Lauren Silvernail as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, Corporate Development. Jupai Holdings Limited (NYSE: JP) shares gained 15 percent to $26.29 after reporting Q1 results. Momo Inc. (NASDAQ: MOMO) shares gained 15 percent to $44.7702 after the company reported better-than-expected results for its first quarter and issued strong sales forecast for the second quarter. Windstream Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: WIN) rose 15 percent to $7.075. China Advanced Construction Materials Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: CADC) gained 14.4 percent to $2.746. American Woodmark Corporation (NASDAQ: AMWD) climbed 14.2 percent to $101.10 after the company reported upbeat Q4 results. Savara Inc. (NAS

Top Insurance Stocks For 2019: Team, Inc.(TISI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Team (TISI)

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

Top Insurance Stocks For 2019: Two Harbors Investments Corp(TWO)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

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

  Get Two Harbors Investment alerts: Zacks Investment Research Upgrades Two Harbors Investment (TWO) to “Buy” (americanbankingnews.com) Is it time to Buy Now? Two Harbors Investment Corp. (TWO) (nysestocks.review) Two Harbors Investment Corp. 2018 Q1 – Results – Earnings Call Slides (seekingalpha.com) GPMT 2018-FL1, Ltd. — Moody’s assigns ratings to one class of notes issued by GPMT 2018-FL1, Ltd. (finance.yahoo.com) Edited Transcript of TWO earnings conference call or presentation 9-May-18 1:00pm GMT (finance.yahoo.com)

  Two Harbors Investment opened at $15.60 on Tuesday, according to Marketbeat Ratings. The company has a market cap of $2.73 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.50 and a beta of 0.30. Two Harbors Investment has a 52 week low of $15.55 and a 52 week high of $15.61. The company has a current ratio of 1.16, a quick ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Comstock Resources, Inc. (NYSE: CRK) shares shot up 52 percent to $7.235 after the company disclosed a deal with Arkoma Drilling L.P. and Williston Drilling, L.P. to buy oil & gas properties in North Dakota. Comstock announced withdrawal of tender offers for outstanding secured notes. MarineMax, Inc. (NYSE: HZO) shares gained 24.2 percent to $21.80 as the company posted upbeat Q2 results and raised its FY18 outlook. Mattersight Corporation (NASDAQ: MATR) shares rose 22 percent to $2.625 after the company agreed to be purchased by NICE Ltd. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) jumped 21.3 percent to $411.871 as the company reported stronger-than-expected results for its first quarter on Wednesday. Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AXSM) rose 17 percent to $3.10 after the company disclosed a positive outcome of the interim analysis of STRIDE-1 Phase 3 trial of AXS-05 in treatment resistant depression. Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: UCTT) rose 15.9 percent to $18.34 following upbeat Q1 earnings. PCM, Inc. (NASDAQ: PCMI) gained 15.6 percent to $12.20 following Q1 results. O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: ORLY) surged 14.4 percent to $260.3901 following upbeat Q1 profit. Concord Medical Services Holdings Limited (NYSE: CCM) gained 13.8 percent to $3.70. Penn National Gaming, Inc. (NASDAQ: PENN) rose 13.5 percent to $29.815 after reporting strong Q1 results. BioTelemetry, Inc. (NASDAQ: BEAT) rose 13.5 percent to $38.30 as the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings for its first quarter. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) shares rose 13.1 percent to $10.985 as the company reported upbeat results for its first quarter. SJW Group (NYSE: SJW) shares gained 11.8 percent to $63.59 following Q1 results. California Water Service Group made an offer for SJW. Churchill Downs Incorporated (NASDAQ: CHDN) climbed 9.8 percent to $278.40 following Q1 results. CYS Investments, Inc. (NYSE: CYS)
• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Genprex, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) shares gained 86.76 percent to close at $11.00 on Thursday. Comstock Resources, Inc. (NYSE: CRK) shares climbed 47.06 percent to close at $7.00 after the company disclosed a deal with Arkoma Drilling L.P. and Williston Drilling, L.P. to buy oil & gas properties in North Dakota. Comstock announced withdrawal of tender offers for outstanding secured notes. Ceridian HCM Holding Inc. (NASDAQ: CDAY) gained 41.86 percent to close at $31.21. MarineMax, Inc. (NYSE: HZO) shares rose 26.5 percent to close at $22.20 as the company posted upbeat Q2 results and raised its FY18 outlook. Concord Medical Services Holdings Limited (NYSE: CCM) jumped 24.92 percent to close at $4.06. Mattersight Corporation (NASDAQ: MATR) shares climbed 23.26 percent to close at $2.65 after the company agreed to be purchased by NICE Ltd. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) rose 24.44 percent to close at $422.50 as the company reported stronger-than-expected results for its first quarter on Wednesday. Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: UCTT) gained 17.75 percent to close at $18.64 following upbeat Q1 earnings. PCM, Inc. (NASDAQ: PCMI) rose 16.59 percent to close at $12.30 following Q1 results. Zymeworks Inc. (NASDAQ: ZYME) rose 16.06 percent to close at $15.25. Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALXN) shares climbed 14.5 percent to close at $121.42 as the company posted reported Q1 beat And raised FY18 outlook. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) shares gained 13.7 percent to close at $11.04 as the company reported upbeat results for its first quarter. Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AXSM) rose 13.21 percent to close at $3.00 after the company disclosed a positive outcome of the interim analysis of STRIDE-1 Phase 3 trial of AXS-05 in treatment resistant depression. O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: ORLY) jumped 13.06 percent to close at $257.40 following upbeat Q1 profit. BioTelemetry,
• [By Logan Wallace]

  HL Financial Services LLC purchased a new position in shares of Two Harbors Investment (NYSE:TWO) during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund purchased 53,436 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock, valued at approximately $821,000.

• [By Matthew Frankel]

  Mortgage real estate investment trust CYS Investments (NYSE:CYS) announced today that it had agreed to be acquired by fellow mortgage REIT Two Harbors Investment (NYSE:TWO).

Zacks: Analysts Anticipate Wingstop Inc (WING) Will Announce Quarterly Sales of $37.14 Million

Brokerages expect Wingstop Inc (NASDAQ:WING) to post $37.14 million in sales for the current fiscal quarter, according to Zacks Investment Research. Five analysts have made estimates for Wingstop’s earnings, with the lowest sales estimate coming in at $36.47 million and the highest estimate coming in at $37.63 million. Wingstop reported sales of $24.67 million during the same quarter last year, which would suggest a positive year-over-year growth rate of 50.5%. The business is scheduled to announce its next quarterly earnings report on Thursday, August 2nd.

According to Zacks, analysts expect that Wingstop will report full year sales of $149.48 million for the current year, with estimates ranging from $147.24 million to $151.48 million. For the next year, analysts anticipate that the business will post sales of $167.08 million per share, with estimates ranging from $161.50 million to $172.39 million. Zacks’ sales calculations are a mean average based on a survey of sell-side research firms that that provide coverage for Wingstop.

Get Wingstop alerts:

Wingstop (NASDAQ:WING) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 3rd. The restaurant operator reported $0.25 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.20 by $0.05. Wingstop had a negative return on equity of 28.86% and a net margin of 23.15%. The company had revenue of $37.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $36.34 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.22 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 12.0% compared to the same quarter last year.

WING has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Zacks Investment Research raised Wingstop from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 21st. ValuEngine raised Wingstop from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, April 2nd. Morgan Stanley raised their target price on Wingstop from $50.00 to $52.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, April 16th. Stifel Nicolaus raised their target price on Wingstop from $50.00 to $56.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 18th. Finally, BTIG Research assumed coverage on Wingstop in a research note on Friday, April 20th. They set a “buy” rating and a $59.00 target price for the company. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and three have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $50.79.

Wingstop traded down $0.08, hitting $52.49, during trading hours on Friday, according to MarketBeat Ratings. 345,500 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 586,657. Wingstop has a 1-year low of $29.54 and a 1-year high of $55.85. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.55 billion, a P/E ratio of 70.93, a P/E/G ratio of 3.26 and a beta of 0.90. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of -1.49, a current ratio of 0.73 and a quick ratio of 0.73.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, June 18th. Investors of record on Monday, June 4th were given a dividend of $0.07 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 1st. This represents a $0.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.53%. Wingstop’s payout ratio is 37.84%.

In related news, insider Lawrence Kruguer sold 1,064 shares of Wingstop stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $51.45, for a total transaction of $54,742.80. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Chairman Charles R. Morrison sold 6,000 shares of Wingstop stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $53.31, for a total value of $319,860.00. Following the transaction, the chairman now directly owns 133,152 shares in the company, valued at approximately $7,098,333.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 44,457 shares of company stock worth $2,355,314. 1.70% of the stock is owned by insiders.

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of WING. Point72 Asia Hong Kong Ltd lifted its holdings in Wingstop by 1,022.6% during the first quarter. Point72 Asia Hong Kong Ltd now owns 2,481 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $117,000 after acquiring an additional 2,260 shares during the period. Meadow Creek Investment Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Wingstop by 25.7% in the fourth quarter. Meadow Creek Investment Management LLC now owns 5,984 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $233,000 after buying an additional 1,224 shares during the period. Xact Kapitalforvaltning AB bought a new stake in shares of Wingstop in the first quarter valued at $238,000. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Wingstop in the first quarter valued at $245,000. Finally, Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Wingstop in the first quarter valued at $269,000.

About Wingstop

Wingstop Inc, together with its subsidiaries, franchises and operates restaurants under the Wingstop brand name. Its restaurants offer cooked-to-order, hand-sauced, and tossed chicken wings. As of February 22, 2018, the company operated approximately 1,000 restaurants the United States, Mexico, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, and Colombia.

Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Wingstop (WING)

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

Analysts Set Foxtons Group PLC (FOXT) PT at $76.50

Shares of Foxtons Group PLC (LON:FOXT) have earned an average recommendation of “Hold” from the six analysts that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is GBX 76.50 ($1.02).

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on FOXT shares. Barclays dropped their price target on shares of Foxtons Group from GBX 66 ($0.88) to GBX 52 ($0.69) and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 20th. Peel Hunt boosted their price target on shares of Foxtons Group from GBX 55 ($0.73) to GBX 60 ($0.80) and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research report on Thursday, April 19th. Numis Securities restated a “buy” rating and issued a GBX 123 ($1.64) price target on shares of Foxtons Group in a research report on Thursday, May 17th. Credit Suisse Group dropped their price target on shares of Foxtons Group from GBX 69 ($0.92) to GBX 56 ($0.75) and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, May 17th. Finally, Citigroup dropped their price target on shares of Foxtons Group from GBX 80 ($1.07) to GBX 75 ($1.00) and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, May 21st.

FOXT stock opened at GBX 49.95 ($0.67) on Friday. Foxtons Group has a 1 year low of GBX 63.50 ($0.85) and a 1 year high of GBX 115.13 ($1.53).

Foxtons Group Company Profile

Foxtons Group plc, an estate agency, provides residential property sales and lettings services in the United Kingdom. It operates through three segments: Sales, Lettings, and Mortgage Broking. The company is involved in short letting and corporate letting; and the provision of property management services.

Craft Brew Alliance (BREW) Receiving Somewhat Positive Press Coverage, Analysis Shows

News stories about Craft Brew Alliance (NASDAQ:BREW) have been trending somewhat positive recently, according to Accern. The research group ranks the sentiment of press 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 -1 to 1, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Craft Brew Alliance earned a media sentiment score of 0.12 on Accern’s scale. Accern also assigned news headlines about the company an impact score of 45.5957202296867 out of 100, indicating that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an impact on the company’s share price in the next several days.

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

Get Craft Brew Alliance alerts: Kirin (KNBWY) and Craft Brew Alliance (BREW) Critical Analysis (americanbankingnews.com) Are Healthier Options Making the Craft Beer Market Suffer? (finance.yahoo.com) Beer Alliance of Texas Continues Support of Texas Three-Tier Regulatory System (brewbound.com) The Ten Best Colorado Craft Beer Events in July (westword.com)

BREW has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. ValuEngine raised shares of Craft Brew Alliance from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, April 2nd. Zacks Investment Research cut shares of Craft Brew Alliance from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 8th. BidaskClub raised shares of Craft Brew Alliance from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, March 30th. Stifel Nicolaus cut their target price on shares of Craft Brew Alliance from $21.00 to $18.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, May 11th. Finally, TheStreet upgraded shares of Craft Brew Alliance from a “c+” rating to a “b-” rating in a research report on Monday, May 21st. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $20.67.

Craft Brew Alliance traded down $0.10, reaching $20.90, during mid-day trading on Friday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The company had a trading volume of 62,739 shares, compared to its average volume of 80,893. Craft Brew Alliance has a fifty-two week low of $16.50 and a fifty-two week high of $21.00. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a current ratio of 1.53 and a quick ratio of 1.04. The firm has a market capitalization of $401.64 million, a P/E ratio of 149.29 and a beta of 0.49.

Craft Brew Alliance (NASDAQ:BREW) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, May 9th. The company reported $0.01 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.02) by $0.03. Craft Brew Alliance had a net margin of 5.38% and a return on equity of 3.62%. The firm had revenue of $47.49 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $43.86 million. During the same quarter last year, the business posted ($0.09) earnings per share. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 7.2% on a year-over-year basis. analysts expect that Craft Brew Alliance will post 0.41 earnings per share for the current year.

About Craft Brew Alliance

Craft Brew Alliance, Inc brews and sells craft beers and ciders in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments, Beer Related Operations and Brewpubs Operations. It offers beers under the Kona, Widmer Brothers, Redhook, and Omission brands; and ciders under the Square Mile brand name.

Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2019

tags:BNS,VII,RDS.A,JE,

Bitcoin prices held above $9,000 this morning, as crypto enthusiasts have largely shrugged off statements by Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A) CEO Warren Buffett.

The "Oracle of Omaha" didn't mince words by describing Bitcoin as "probably rat poison squared" during an interview Saturday with CNBC.

Buffett argued that Bitcoin fails to provide any cash-generating returns. He also suggested that Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies would "come to bad endings."

With that in mind, both Buffett and Berkshire Vice Chair Charlie Munger have been wrong about Bitcoin in the past. Back in 2014, Buffett called Bitcoin a "mirage" at a time when it was trading at just $600 per coin.

Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2019: Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE:BNS) (TSE:BNS) has earned an average rating of “Hold” from the eleven ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and five have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $94.00.

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

  Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE:BNS)Q2 2018 Earnings Conference CallMay 29, 2018, 8:00 a.m. ET

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

  Adam Borgatti -- Vice President, Investor Relations

• [By Lisa Levin] Companies Reporting Before The Bell Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (NYSE: BAH) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.46 per share on revenue of $1.67 billion. Momo Inc. (NASDAQ: MOMO) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.5 per share on revenue of $396.17 million. Multi-Color Corporation (NASDAQ: LABL) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $1.06 per share on revenue of $424.96 million. American Woodmark Corporation (NASDAQ: AMWD) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $1.15 per share on revenue of $382.4 million. The Bank of Nova Scotia (NYSE: BNS) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.32 per share on revenue of $5.46 billion. Jianpu Technology Inc. (NYSE: JT) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.04 per share on revenue of $47.51 million. Trans World Entertainment Corporation (NASDAQ: TWMC) is estimated to report earnings for its first quarter. Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (NYSE: WMS) is estimated to report quarterly loss at $0.06 per share on revenue of $249.44 million. Quotient Limited (NASDAQ: QTNT) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.48 per share on revenue of $5.73 million. Elbit Systems Ltd. (NASDAQ: ESLT) is projected to report earnings for its first quarter. Evogene Ltd. (NASDAQ: EVGN) is expected to report earnings for its first quarter.

   

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS)

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

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Bank of Nova Scotia (TSE:BNS) (NYSE:BNS) – Stock analysts at Cormark raised their Q1 2019 earnings per share estimates for shares of Bank of Nova Scotia in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, May 29th. Cormark analyst M. Grauman now forecasts that the bank will post earnings of $1.83 per share for the quarter, up from their prior forecast of $1.82. Cormark also issued estimates for Bank of Nova Scotia’s Q2 2019 earnings at $1.83 EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $1.97 EPS and Q4 2019 earnings at $1.96 EPS.

Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2019: Vicon Industries Inc.(VII)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Vicon Industries, Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:VII) saw a significant decrease in short interest in the month of May. As of May 15th, there was short interest totalling 249,394 shares, a decrease of 30.9% from the April 30th total of 361,136 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 173,799 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 1.4 days. Approximately 3.0% of the shares of the company are sold short.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Here are some of the news headlines that may have effected Accern’s rankings:

  Get Kopin alerts: Global Microdisplay Market Report 2018-2023 eMagin Corporation, Kopin Corporation, LG Display Co., Ltd., AU … (ittechnology24.com) Price Performance Review on Shares of Kopin Cp (KOPN): Move 3.12% (parkcitycaller.com) MAMA Cross Spotted in Kopin Cp (KOPN) Shares (fisherbusinessnews.com) Is Kopin Corporation (NasdaqGS:KOPN) Generating Enough Return on Equity? (derbynewsjournal.com) Hot Stocks- Vicon Industries, Inc. (NYSE:VII), Kopin Corporation (NASDAQ:KOPN), Mannatech, Incorporated (NASDAQ … (journalfinance.net)

  Shares of Kopin traded up $0.03, reaching $3.34, on Monday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The stock had a trading volume of 101,064 shares, compared to its average volume of 263,988. Kopin has a fifty-two week low of $2.80 and a fifty-two week high of $4.60.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Seven Generations Energy (TSE:VII) insider Glen Allen Nevokshonoff sold 31,319 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of C$16.15, for a total transaction of C$505,801.85.

Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2019: Royal Dutch Shell PLC(RDS.A)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Royal Dutch Shell plc ADR Class A (NYSE: RDS.A) and Jagged Peak Energy (NYSE:JAG) are both oils/energy companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, analyst recommendations, dividends, institutional ownership, earnings, valuation and profitability.

• [By Alexander Bird]

  Much of Wall Street will tell you to stick with the oil industry giants – companies like Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) or Royal Dutch Shell Plc. (NYSE: RDS.A).

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Royal Dutch Shell plc ADR Class A (RDS.A)

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

Top Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2019: Just Energy Group, Inc.(JE)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Here are some of the news headlines that may have impacted Accern’s rankings:

  Get Just Energy Group alerts: Zacks: Analysts Anticipate Just Energy Group Inc (JE) Will Post Quarterly Sales of $708.65 Million (americanbankingnews.com) Brokerages Expect Just Energy Group Inc (JE) Will Post Earnings of $0.08 Per Share (americanbankingnews.com) 200 days simple moving average (SMA200) Indicator under Review: TrovaGene, Inc. (NASDAQ:TROV), Just Energy … (stocksnewspoint.com) Now Are The Time To Reconsider Sibanye Gold Limited (NYSE:SBGL), Histogenics Corporation (NASDAQ:HSGX … (journalfinance.net)

  JE traded down $0.04 on Tuesday, hitting $3.65. The company had a trading volume of 188,786 shares, compared to its average volume of 274,492. Just Energy Group has a 1-year low of $3.53 and a 1-year high of $5.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.83, a quick ratio of 1.23 and a current ratio of 1.25. The firm has a market cap of $549.06 million, a P/E ratio of 3.09 and a beta of 0.75.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  On Tuesday, the utilities shares surged 0.69 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Just Energy Group Inc. (NYSE: JE), up 4 percent, and Genie Energy Ltd. (NYSE: GNE) up 3 percent.

• [By Dustin Parrett]

  But as great as CNSL looks, our next stock offers even better upside…

  Best Dividend Stocks for Growth, No. 2: Just Energy Group Inc. (NYSE: JE)

  Just Energy Group Inc. (Nasdaq: JE) is a Canadian electrical power company that primarily uses low-cost natural gas.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Canaccord Genuity lowered shares of Just Energy (NYSE:JE) (TSE:JE) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report issued on Thursday morning. Canaccord Genuity currently has $3.86 price objective on the utilities provider’s stock.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Just Energy Group Inc. (NYSE: JE) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $0.15 per share on revenue of $873.77 million.

  Dynagas LNG Partners LP (NYSE: DLNG) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.15 per share on revenue of $34.49 million.

Oil and Gas Still Dominate This Energy Giant's Portfolio, but for How Long?

Total S.A. (NYSE:TOT) is a huge integrated oil and gas company, but it's looking to become something more. That's the big storyline right now at this French energy giant. But what exactly does that mean for investors? Here's an update of what's changing at the company and how it might play out.

Oil and gas rule the day

In the first quarter of 2018, exploration and production (the company's upstream energy operations) accounted for roughly 65% of Total's revenue. Its downstream chemicals and refining business pitched in roughly 20%, and marketing operations added another 10%. The tiny sliver that was left (less than 5%) came from the company's gas, renewables, and power division.

Total is building its business for the future, one piece at a time. Image source: Getty Images.

The oil business is clearly king at Total. But there's an interesting thing going on here, because the fourth division of the business -- gas, renewables, and power -- didn't even exist until late 2016. When the company announced the new division, it explained that the goal was to grow it to between 15% and 20% of revenue by 2035. Is that feasible?� �

The shifting gears

The first big move in this division actually predates its creation, when Total bought a controlling stake in solar power specialist SunPower�in 2011. The second came this year, when Total announced plans to buy utility Direct Energie, which operates electric and gas utilities in France and Belgium, for roughly $1.6 billion.

This single investment will increase Total's electricity production by 50% and its customer base in the gas, renewables, and power division by 75%. In addition, the company intends to double its growth in the division, upping its 5 gigawatts target for electric capacity in five years to 10 gigawatts.�

When Total announced the acquisitions, CEO Patrick Pouyanne explained, "This friendly takeover is part of the Group's strategy to expand along the entire gas-electricity value chain and to develop low-carbon energies, in line with our ambition to become the responsible energy major." This suggests that oil and natural gas will play an important role for many years to come, but also that Total is hedging its bets for a very different future.��

Preparing for change

But why? The answer lies in the forecasts provided by the International Energy Agency (IEA), a global industry group. The group projects energy demand to grow by 30% by 2040,�with renewable power receiving two-thirds of all money earmarked for new power plants through that date. Coal is going to see the greatest loss of share, which makes sense since it's a particularly dirty fuel source.

However, the problem for Total is that oil demand growth is projected to moderate. Growth on the natural gas side will offset some of the share loss, but taken together, oil and natural gas are expected to be flat to lower. Even though total energy demand growth will probably limit the pain, the core of Total's business is still set to see demand headwinds. The IEA sums it up pretty well, explaining in its preview to the World Energy Outlook 2018 that "The future is electrifying, with low-carbon technologies on the rise and electricity demand set to grow at twice the pace of energy demand as a whole." That makes Total's decision to create and expand its gas, renewables, and power division look like a good strategic decision.

The interesting thing here is that Total is planning to spend as much as $15 billion a year on capital investments over the next couple of years. That's largely going to go toward its upstream business today, but the Direct Energie acquisition shows it is also spending on the gas, renewables, and power division. But step back and put the spending into perspective.

Total has an enterprise value of around $180 billion. Divide that by capital spending of $15 billion, using the current annual projection as a run rate, and you get the number 12. In 12 years, Total could theoretically invest enough to completely remake the company.�So the company's newest division is relatively small today, but it's growing. And, perhaps more important, as Total gathers more experience with this new business, it can easily shift more of its capital spending toward the electric future the IEA is projecting.

A nice balance

Total's business is still about oil and natural gas. And these businesses, and their downstream cousins, refining and chemicals, will remain the core for quite some time. But Total is clearly looking to the future as it builds its gas, renewables, and power division. Assuming the future is, indeed, more electric than the past, Total is laying the foundation for a different corporate future.

There are risks in entering a new business, of course, but Total appears to be moving deliberately as it changes along with the world around it. The company has been executing well on the oil and gas side lately, but make sure to keep an eye on its electric progress as you read through earnings releases. Although the gas, renewables, and power division is really just a footnote today, that could change sooner than you might think.

Kotak Institutional Equities introduces midcap portfolio: 10 stocks that could return 20-60%

Warren Buffett once said be fearful when others are greedy and be greedy when others are fearful. Well something similar is happening in the small and midcaps space that has suffered some big cuts so far in 2018.

The Sensex is up 4 percent in 2018 compared to a 13 percent and about 17 percent fall in the BSE Midcap and Smallcap indices, respectively.

After the recent correction, Kotak Institutional Equities re-introduced its midcap portfolio focussing on 10 stocks.�These include: Balkrishna Industries, CESC, Escorts, Federal Bank, Kalpataru Power Transmission, Laurus Labs, Max Financial Services, Prestige Estates Projects, Sadbhav Engineering and Shriram City Union Finance.

Most companies on the list have either a buy or an add rating by the brokerage. It set the most aggressive target price on Sadbhav Engineering, which has the potential to offer up to 60 percent return in the next 12 months. (Refer chart below)

related news Portfolio check: These top 10 stocks could return 21-115% in 1 year Markets@Moneycontrol: Sensex, Nifty end off the day��s low points Technical View: Nifty forms 'Dark Cloud Cover' pattern; avoid short terms bets

"We continue to follow a ��barbell�� approach which is a mix of expensive ��growth�� and inexpensive ��value�� stocks noting extreme valuations across and within sectors.�We introduce our midcap portfolio after the recent steep correction in valuations of midcap stocks. We still find valuations of midcap consumer stocks to be quite expensive and are avoiding the same despite their relatively better longer-term growth prospects," the brokerage said.

Valuations of the broader market are still expensive versus historical levels and bond yields despite projected strong growth in net profits over FY18-20 led by normalisation of profits in a few sectors and economic recovery.

The market��s valuations are largely supported by ��growth�� stocks in consumption sectors while the valuations of remaining sectors are fairly reasonable and even attractive in a few cases.

There is deep value in several cases based on our fair valuations�after the severe correction in those names in the past six months, it added.

It said global issues (trade, sanctions) still pose meaningful risks to India��s macros in case trade tensions were to escalate. First Published on Jul 3, 2018 09:30 am

Supreme Court And Digital Privacy: Should Blockchain Companies Challenge The Bank Secrecy Act?

&l;p&g;&l;img class=&q;dam-image shutterstock wp-image-1082899742 size-large&q; src=&q;https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/dam/imageserve/1082899742/960x0.jpg?fit=scale&q; alt=&q;&q; data-height=&q;640&q; data-width=&q;960&q;&g; The Supreme Court&s;s digital privacy decision, &l;em&g;Carpenter v. United States&l;/em&g;, could have far-reaching implications for the blockchain industry. (Photo by Shutterstock)

&l;p class=&q;tweet_line&q;&g;The Supreme Court&a;rsquo;s recent digital privacy decision opens the door to re-challenging the constitutionality of the Bank Secrecy Act, known as the anti-money laundering law, which has posed major problems for legitimate blockchain businesses operating in the U.S.&l;/p&g;

In &l;span&g;&l;em&g;&l;a href=&q;https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/17pdf/16-402_h315.pdf&q; target=&q;_blank&q;&g;Carpenter v. United States&l;/a&g;&l;/em&g;&l;/span&g; the Supreme Court did something it rarely does&a;mdash;it carved out a material exception to an established legal doctrine when it decided that the Fourth Amendment&a;rsquo;s protections against unreasonable searches and seizures do apply to cell-phone location data.

The court previously defined the so-called &a;ldquo;third-party doctrine&a;rdquo; in 1976 by concluding that individuals have a reduced expectation of privacy when they knowingly share information with a third party, such as in bank transactions. It created the doctrine in a case challenging the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) called &l;span&g;&l;em&g;&l;a href=&q;https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/425/435/case.html&q; target=&q;_blank&q;&g;United States v. Miller&l;/a&g;&l;/em&g;&l;/span&g;. In &l;em&g;Miller&l;/em&g; the court found that there can be no expectation of privacy in financial records held by a bank because &a;ldquo;the Fourth Amendment does not prohibit the obtaining of information revealed to a third party.&a;rdquo;

But in &l;em&g;Carpenter,&l;/em&g; the court narrowed the third-party doctrine from a &a;ldquo;bright-line&a;rdquo; test to one based on the specific facts presented in the case. This means digital-privacy law is now unsettled and evolving, so the court is likely to take up more cases on the topic in the next few years.

The narrowed third-party standard focuses on the breadth of information collected by third-party service providers today, as well as the ubiquity of data collection in modern society. The court emphasized &a;ldquo;the exhaustive chronicle of location information casually collected by wireless carriers,&a;rdquo; deciding that law enforcement cannot have blanket access to that sweeping breadth of information without a warrant (which first requires the government to show probable cause). Further, the court noted that cell phones are &a;ldquo;such a pervasive and insistent part of daily life that carrying one is indispensable to participation in modern society.&a;rdquo;

One could easily make the very same arguments regarding the information banks collect today, since nearly every financial transaction is digital and must be conducted through institutions that comply with the BSA&a;rsquo;s reporting requirements. Banks today &a;ldquo;casually collect&a;rdquo; an &a;ldquo;exhaustive chronicle&a;rdquo; of information, and electronic transactions have made banking a &a;ldquo;pervasive and insistent part of daily life&a;rdquo; and &a;ldquo;indispensable to participation in modern society.&a;rdquo;

The court was careful to note that the &l;em&g;Carpenter&l;/em&g; decision was narrow and did not overturn &l;em&g;Miller&l;/em&g;, but by its reasoning the court opened the door to do just that if presented with a future case based on the sweeping data collection requirements of the BSA&a;mdash;which have been significantly expanded since &l;em&g;Miller&l;/em&g;. Moreover, in 1976, as the court noted in &l;em&g;Miller&l;/em&g;, banks collected only &a;ldquo;limited types of personal information.&a;rdquo; This is a far cry from the blanket information that banks must collect and report to comply with the BSA today, including suspicious activity reports and currency transactions. For example, the BSA requires banks to report every transaction of $10,000 or more&a;mdash;a level that was set in 1970 and remains there, even though it would &l;span&g;&l;a href=&q;https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm&q; target=&q;_blank&q;&g;equate&l;/a&g;&l;/span&g; to $66,557.67 today if adjusted for inflation. Consequently, the volume of BSA reports has ballooned. The latest &l;span&g;&l;a href=&q;https://www.gao.gov/assets/260/254594.html&q; target=&q;_blank&q;&g;GAO study&l;/a&g;&l;/span&g; (from 2006) found that banks filed 16 million BSA reports and the IRS achieved 296 convictions in 2006, for a paltry conviction rate of 0.002%.

&l;!--nextpage--&g;

What does all of this mean for the blockchain sector?

I see three potential implications:

&l;/p&g;&l;ol&g;&l;li&g;The Court&a;rsquo;s reasoning in &l;em&g;Carpenter&l;/em&g; raises questions about whether the crypto sector&a;rsquo;s third-party service providers, such as wallet providers and exchanges (or their customers) could successfully challenge the constitutionality of the BSA if prosecuted for violating it. Just as bank customers do, the customers of cryptocurrency custodial firms leave an &a;ldquo;exhaustive chronicle&a;rdquo; of digital information which these third parties &a;ldquo;casually collect.&a;rdquo; Attorneys could argue the customers have a reasonable expectation of privacy in that information (such as a user&a;rsquo;s IP address, for example).&a;nbsp;&l;a href=&q;https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/29/16717416/us-coinbase-irs-records&q; target=&q;_blank&q;&g;Coinbase litigated&l;/a&g; these issues with the IRS for more than a year in response to the IRS&a;rsquo;s attempted digital dragnet via a &a;ldquo;John Doe&a;rdquo; summons, which sought essentially &l;em&g;all&l;/em&g; information relating to &l;em&g;all&l;/em&g; U.S. customers of Coinbase from 2013-2015. The IRS subsequently narrowed the scope of the summons and in November 2017 a federal district court &l;span&g;&l;a href=&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2017/11/29/irs-nabs-big-win-over-coinbase-in-bid-for-bitcoin-customer-data/#4c0f0e89259a&q;&g;ordered&l;/a&g;&l;/span&g; Coinbase to comply with the narrowed summons. Five months ago, Coinbase &l;span&g;&l;a href=&q;https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2018/02/28/coinbase-notifies-customers-that-it-will-turn-over-court-ordered-data/#4e7732681431&q;&g;complied&l;/a&g;&l;/span&g;. One wonders whether Coinbase would have continued its fight by appealing to a higher court if the Carpenter decision had come down earlier.&l;/li&g;

&l;li&g;Another category of crypto companies&a;mdash;non-custodial wallet providers and exchanges&a;mdash;is under pressure by federal regulators to comply with the BSA, and if regulators seek enforcement it&a;rsquo;s possible that the constitutional challenge to the BSA may come from among this group of crypto companies. Non-custodial companies do not take custody of client assets and instead merely provide software for clients to use, which means the clients maintain full custody of their cryptocurrencies. Such non-custodial companies expressly avoid taking actions that would classify them as financial institutions and are instead software companies, but they are under pressure to comply with the BSA nonetheless. Litigation related to the BSA has not happened within this category of crypto companies to date.&l;/li&g;

&l;li&g;More generally within the crypto sector the BSA is the root cause of an enormous difficulty faced by start-ups, even if they are only loosely connected to the crypto sector: It is exceedingly difficult for start-ups to open even a basic business banking account. Traditional banks see the crypto sector as high-risk for BSA compliance problems and have shied away in droves from banking it, even for simple services such as payroll and cash management. The difficulty of obtaining and keeping a basic bank account (in U.S. dollars, not in crypto) has helped push blockchain start-ups offshore to jurisdictions that are friendlier to the new technology, such as Switzerland and Singapore.&l;/li&g;

&l;/ol&g;

Net-net, many legal experts expect a flood of litigation to test the Supreme Court&a;rsquo;s newly-narrowed third-party doctrine. It is logical that the BSA will be one of the re-challenged laws and that the crypto industry, which is in the sights of regulators for BSA enforcement actions, may be one source of that challenge. After all, Satoshi Nakamoto&a;rsquo;s original bitcoin white paper dedicated an entire section to &l;span&g;&l;a href=&q;https://bitcoin.org/bitcoin.pdf&q; target=&q;_blank&q;&g;privacy&l;/a&g;&l;/span&g;, and the privacy-focused &l;a href=&q;https://www.activism.net/cypherpunk/manifesto.html&q; target=&q;_blank&q;&g;Cypherpunks&l;/a&g;&a;nbsp;helped Satoshi make bitcoin what it is today&a;mdash;so the industry traces its origins to digital privacy.

&a;ldquo;The government can no longer claim that the mere act of using technology eliminates the Fourth Amendment&a;rsquo;s protections,&a;rdquo; said &l;span&g;&l;a href=&q;https://www.aclu.org/news/supreme-court-rules-police-need-warrant-track-cellphones&q; target=&q;_blank&q;&g;ACLU attorney Nathan Freed Wessler&l;/a&g;&l;/span&g;, who successfully argued the &l;em&g;Carpenter&l;/em&g; case before the Supreme Court. The &l;em&g;Carpenter&l;/em&g; decision, Wessler said, opens the door to safeguarding other sensitive digital information in many future cases, such as emails, smart-home appliances and technology not yet invented.

The Supreme Court emphasized the &a;ldquo;seismic shifts brought about by digital technology&a;rdquo; as part of its reasoning in the &l;em&g;Carpenter&l;/em&g; decision. There is no doubt cryptocurrency technology has introduced entirely new ways to record, store and transfer value digitally. The law may be catching up. Seismic shifts indeed.

Somewhat Favorable Media Coverage Somewhat Unlikely to Impact ADMA Biologics (ADMA) Share Price

Media stories about ADMA Biologics (NASDAQ:ADMA) have trended somewhat positive this week, according to Accern Sentiment. Accern identifies negative and positive media coverage by analyzing more than 20 million news and blog sources in real-time. Accern ranks coverage of publicly-traded companies on a scale of negative one to positive one, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. ADMA Biologics earned a news impact score of 0.03 on Accern’s scale. Accern also assigned press coverage about the biotechnology company an impact score of 45.3142660303953 out of 100, indicating that recent media coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the company’s share price in the next several days.

Shares of NASDAQ:ADMA traded up $0.05 on Friday, hitting $4.91. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 2,225,505 shares, compared to its average volume of 295,934. The stock has a market cap of $220.24 million, a P/E ratio of -2.57 and a beta of 2.11. The company has a quick ratio of 3.60, a current ratio of 4.92 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.76. ADMA Biologics has a 1 year low of $2.01 and a 1 year high of $5.70.

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ADMA Biologics (NASDAQ:ADMA) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 14th. The biotechnology company reported ($0.35) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the Zacks’ consensus estimate of ($0.27) by ($0.08). The firm had revenue of $4.04 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $7.47 million. ADMA Biologics had a negative net margin of 101.93% and a negative return on equity of 88.31%. equities research analysts expect that ADMA Biologics will post -1.34 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Several analysts have weighed in on the company. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH lowered their price target on ADMA Biologics to $7.50 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Wednesday, June 13th. ValuEngine raised ADMA Biologics from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, May 14th. Finally, Maxim Group set a $10.00 price target on ADMA Biologics and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 24th.

In other news, Director Jerrold B. Grossman acquired 20,921 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 8th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $4.78 per share, with a total value of $100,002.38. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 98,007 shares in the company, valued at approximately $468,473.46. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Adam S. Grossman acquired 52,301 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 8th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $4.78 per share, for a total transaction of $249,998.78. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer now owns 32,527 shares in the company, valued at approximately $155,479.06. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have purchased 78,222 shares of company stock worth $373,901. 16.90% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

ADMA Biologics Company Profile

ADMA Biologics, Inc, a biopharmaceutical company, develops, manufactures, and markets specialty plasma-derived biologics for the treatment of immune deficiencies and infectious diseases. Its lead product candidate is RI-002 derived from human plasma, which has completed Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of primary immune deficiency disease.

LPL Financial LLC Acquires 99,610 Shares of Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF (VPL)

LPL Financial LLC grew its holdings in Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF (NYSEARCA:VPL) by 125.3% during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 179,082 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 99,610 shares during the period. LPL Financial LLC owned about 0.27% of Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF worth $13,064,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of VPL. OLD Mission Capital LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $56,935,000. Jane Street Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF by 196.8% in the first quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 308,881 shares of the company’s stock valued at $22,533,000 after buying an additional 204,815 shares in the last quarter. Flow Traders U.S. LLC bought a new position in shares of Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF in the fourth quarter valued at $9,981,000. PFS Investments Inc. grew its stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF by 294.9% in the first quarter. PFS Investments Inc. now owns 151,458 shares of the company’s stock valued at $10,993,000 after buying an additional 113,108 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Atria Investments LLC grew its stake in shares of Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF by 50.9% in the first quarter. Atria Investments LLC now owns 254,606 shares of the company’s stock valued at $18,574,000 after buying an additional 85,869 shares in the last quarter.

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Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF opened at $71.97 on Tuesday, MarketBeat.com reports. Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF has a 1-year low of $64.78 and a 1-year high of $77.96.

About Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF

Vanguard FTSE Pacific ETF, formerly Vanguard MSCI Pacific ETF, is an exchange-traded share class of Vanguard Pacific Stock Index Fund. The Fund seeks to track the investment performance of the MSCI Pacific Index that consists of common stocks of companies located in Japan, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Singapore.

US Gas Price Reacts to Crude Oil’s Falling Price

The average U.S. price for a gallon of regular gasoline rose by about two cents last week to start the new week at $2.97, according to the latest data from GasBuddy. Pump prices reached that level last Friday ahead of the Memorial Day holiday and have held steady through the weekend.

Month over month, the price is up about 15.5 cents a gallon and is more than 59 cents a gallon higher year over year. Last month the national average was $2.81, while the year-ago average was $2.37.

While expectations may have been for higher prices over the holiday weekend, the reported increase in oil production from OPEC and its partners, including Russia, sent crude prices tumbling by about $5 a barrel over the weekend, and the downtrend continues Monday.

Patrick DeHaan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, said:

As the summer driving season gets underway, there’s reason to be optimistic and perhaps happy: OPEC appears ready to raise crude oil production to meet higher global demand, dashing at least for now, the likelihood of seeing the national average hit that ugly $3/gallon mark. For now, the national average peaked just under that level and prices are now starting to move ever-so-slowly lower, but more drops are coming. Crude oil dropped to $66.84 per barrel in electronic trading last night, representing a $5 per barrel loss in less than a week. I can confidently say that gas prices will be moving lower this week and perhaps into next week, so long as nothing comes out of left field to derail the plummet in oil prices. Motorists beware, however, the fall in gas prices will be slow to arrive at some stations and quick at others, so before gleefully filling up, check if you’re getting the best deal in the area.

According to GasBuddy, states where prices moved most last week were: Wyoming (up 10 cents); Indiana (down seven cents); Arizona (up six cents); Alaska, Colorado, South Dakota and Illinois (up five cents); and Washington, North Dakota and Wisconsin (up four cents).

States with the lowest average prices last week included: South Carolina ($2.64); Mississippi ($2.65); Alabama ($2.66); Oklahoma ($2.67); Louisiana ($2.68); Arkansas ($2.69); Missouri ($2.71); Tennessee ($2.72); Kansas ($2.73); and Texas ($2.75).

The highest average prices per gallon last week were reported from California ($3.75); Hawaii ($3.68); Washington ($3.44); Alaska ($3.38); Oregon ($3.34); Nevada ($3.32); Idaho ($3.17); Utah ($3.14); Connecticut ($3.13); and Pennsylvania ($3.10).

West Texas Intermediate crude oil for July delivery traded down 2% in the noon hour Monday at $66.52, while Brent for July delivery traded at $75.04. The price differential (spread) between WTI and Brent crude dipped by $1.54 to $8.52 a barrel week over week.

ALSO READ: Now Is the Time to Buy Mega-Cap Energy Stocks as Oil Stumbles

SG Americas Securities LLC Reduces Position in Synaptics, Incorporated (SYNA)

SG Americas Securities LLC reduced its position in shares of Synaptics, Incorporated (NASDAQ:SYNA) by 35.0% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 19,062 shares of the software maker’s stock after selling 10,281 shares during the period. SG Americas Securities LLC owned approximately 0.06% of Synaptics worth $872,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Schroder Investment Management Group lifted its holdings in Synaptics by 2,792.0% during the 4th quarter. Schroder Investment Management Group now owns 356,784 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $14,250,000 after purchasing an additional 344,447 shares during the last quarter. Crossmark Global Holdings Inc. acquired a new stake in Synaptics during the 4th quarter worth approximately $264,000. First Quadrant L P CA lifted its holdings in Synaptics by 671.1% during the 4th quarter. First Quadrant L P CA now owns 7,711 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $308,000 after purchasing an additional 6,711 shares during the last quarter. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Synaptics by 9.8% during the 4th quarter. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. now owns 241,753 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $9,656,000 after purchasing an additional 21,607 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Aperio Group LLC lifted its holdings in Synaptics by 60.3% during the 4th quarter. Aperio Group LLC now owns 10,718 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $428,000 after purchasing an additional 4,032 shares during the last quarter. 96.06% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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In other Synaptics news, Director Russell J. Knittel sold 15,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Friday, May 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $43.45, for a total transaction of $651,750.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 17,688 shares in the company, valued at approximately $768,543.60. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Nelson C. Chan sold 3,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, April 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.17, for a total value of $135,510.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 25,231 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,139,684.27. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 45,385 shares of company stock worth $1,965,037. Corporate insiders own 3.70% of the company’s stock.

Synaptics stock opened at $42.38 on Monday. Synaptics, Incorporated has a one year low of $33.73 and a one year high of $64.54. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.64, a quick ratio of 2.09 and a current ratio of 2.50. The firm has a market cap of $1.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.77, a P/E/G ratio of 1.89 and a beta of 0.92.

Synaptics (NASDAQ:SYNA) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 9th. The software maker reported $0.92 EPS for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.91 by $0.01. Synaptics had a positive return on equity of 11.99% and a negative net margin of 6.28%. The firm had revenue of $394.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $401.97 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $1.27 EPS. The company’s revenue was down 11.3% on a year-over-year basis. equities research analysts expect that Synaptics, Incorporated will post 2.25 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

SYNA has been the subject of several research reports. Craig Hallum reissued a “buy” rating and set a $51.00 price target (up from $49.00) on shares of Synaptics in a report on Thursday, May 10th. Cowen set a $60.00 price target on Synaptics and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 8th. Stifel Nicolaus dropped their price target on Synaptics from $59.00 to $57.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating and set a $55.00 price target on shares of Synaptics in a report on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, Mizuho raised Synaptics from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $42.00 to $55.00 in a report on Wednesday, April 11th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company. The stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $48.73.

Synaptics Company Profile

Synaptics Incorporated develops, markets, and sells intuitive human interface solutions for electronic devices and products worldwide. The company offers its human interface products solutions for mobile product applications, including smartphones, tablets, and touchscreen applications, as well as mobile, handheld, wireless, and entertainment devices; notebook applications; and other personal computer (PC) product applications, such as keyboards, mice, and desktop product applications.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SYNA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Synaptics, Incorporated (NASDAQ:SYNA).

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now

tags:PPL,GD,LFUS,PAYX,TLK, Yield, yield, yield . . . investors love it. Gurus and professors hate it (focus on total return they say). Having gotten out of grad school nearly 40 years ago, I’ve long felt free to ignore what gurus and professors think and obsess instead on real people who invest real money who want and need real income. That’s why equity income is such an important part of my strategic arsenal. That, and the fact that the fixed income bull market is over.

Coca-Cola, one of the dividend paying companies included in this portfolio (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)

Dividend Stocks in the Context of the World of Income

To the extent one wants to manage risk, you can’t beat the shortest-term Treasury instruments and money market funds. We all know that. Unfortunately, we also know that despite the Fed’s recent nudge upward, yields remain ridiculously low.

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now: PPL Corporation(PPL)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Investors bought shares of PPL Co. (NYSE:PPL) on weakness during trading on Tuesday. $85.45 million flowed into the stock on the tick-up and $30.50 million flowed out of the stock on the tick-down, for a money net flow of $54.95 million into the stock. Of all companies tracked, PPL had the 26th highest net in-flow for the day. PPL traded down ($0.42) for the day and closed at $27.23

• [By Paul Ausick]

  PPL Corp. (NYSE: PPL) posted a 52-week low of $30.74 after closing Tuesday at $30.76. The 52-week high is $40.20. Volume was about 3.2 million, about 25% below the daily average of around 4.5 million shares. The electric utility company had no specific news.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  PPL Co. (NYSE:PPL) was the recipient of a significant decrease in short interest during the month of April. As of April 30th, there was short interest totalling 17,988,914 shares, a decrease of 18.2% from the April 13th total of 22,001,974 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 5,372,103 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 3.3 days. Approximately 2.6% of the company’s shares are short sold.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Wall Street brokerages expect Pembina Pipeline (NYSE:PBA) (TSE:PPL) to report $1.51 billion in sales for the current quarter, according to Zacks Investment Research. Two analysts have made estimates for Pembina Pipeline’s earnings, with the lowest sales estimate coming in at $1.19 billion and the highest estimate coming in at $1.83 billion. Pembina Pipeline posted sales of $866.72 million during the same quarter last year, which would indicate a positive year over year growth rate of 74.2%. The firm is expected to issue its next quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, August 7th.

• [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.

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now: S&P GSCI(GD)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  Cramer and Moreno also looked at General Dynamics (GD) which peaked in early March, before starting a downtrend until Tuesday. Last week, General Dynamics fell to the lower end of its channel, but then it bounced right to the high end, and Wednesday it firmly broke out above the high end of this channel. The stochastic oscillator, which is a powerful momentum indicator is making a bullish crossover, and based on today's move, Moreno thinks General Dynamics can return to its old highs at $230.

• [By ]

  Only 10% of the companies on the list had female CEOs at the helm, four of which -- Hewlett Packard (HP) , Lockheed Martin (LMT) , General Motors (GM) , and General Dynamics (GD) -- grew significant revenue in five years or less. 

• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  Shipbuilding and services specialist�Huntington Ingalls (NYSE:HII) was spun off from Northup Grumman in early 2011. General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) is roughly six times larger and offers a far more diversified list of products and services that includes submarines, aircraft, and armored vehicles, among other things. Both, however, provide key products and services to the U.S. military. That's normally a fairly consistent business driven by large and often very long contracts. With a supportive administration in the White House, it would seem like now is a good time to take a look at this pair of stocks. But which of these two military-industrial companies is a better buy? Using a Benjamin Graham�lens, the answer may not be what you want to hear.

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now: Littelfuse Inc.(LFUS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  SG Americas Securities LLC raised its position in Littelfuse, Inc. (NASDAQ:LFUS) by 72.3% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 4,391 shares of the technology company’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,843 shares during the period. SG Americas Securities LLC’s holdings in Littelfuse were worth $914,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Littelfuse (NASDAQ:LFUS) was upgraded by stock analysts at ValuEngine from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report issued on Thursday.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  BidaskClub upgraded shares of Littelfuse (NASDAQ:LFUS) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note published on Friday morning.

  Several other equities analysts have also commented on LFUS. ValuEngine raised Littelfuse from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, May 3rd. Barrington Research reissued a hold rating on shares of Littelfuse in a report on Tuesday, May 1st. Finally, Zacks Investment Research lowered Littelfuse from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, April 4th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. Littelfuse has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $212.75.

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now: Paychex Inc.(PAYX)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Paypex (CURRENCY:PAYX) traded 1% lower against the dollar during the one day period ending at 16:00 PM Eastern on May 20th. In the last week, Paypex has traded 45.6% higher against the dollar. Paypex has a total market capitalization of $142.70 million and $8,938.00 worth of Paypex was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One Paypex token can currently be purchased for about $2.09 or 0.00024454 BTC on cryptocurrency exchanges.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI trimmed its holdings in shares of Paychex (NASDAQ:PAYX) by 2.9% in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 203,575 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 6,098 shares during the quarter. Paychex accounts for approximately 1.9% of Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI’s portfolio, making the stock its 24th biggest position. Schaper Benz & Wise Investment Counsel Inc. WI’s holdings in Paychex were worth $12,538,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Aperio Group LLC trimmed its stake in shares of Paychex (NASDAQ:PAYX) by 0.8% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 209,611 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 1,732 shares during the quarter. Aperio Group LLC owned 0.06% of Paychex worth $12,910,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By ]

  In the Lightning Round, Cramer was bullish on Paychex (PAYX) , Martin Marietta Materials (MLM) and XPO Logistics (XPO) .

  Cramer was bearish on 3M (MMM) , Fitbit (FIT) and Granite Construction (GVA) .

• [By ]

  "For many other stocks, such as gaming (EA, TTWO) and IT services ( (PAYX) , (GPN) ), regulatory risks for Facebook may not necessarily pose a risk to their core business models," writes Goldman Sachs strategist David Kostin. "We expect correlations for these stocks would likely revert to historical averages and present potential buying opportunities given their underperformance since March."

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy Right Now: P.T. Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk.(TLK)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Telekomnks Indn Prsr Tbk Prshn Prsrn (NYSE:TLK) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Macquarie from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

• [By Anders Bylund]

  Telekomunikasi Indonesia (NYSE:TLK), the largest telecommunications company in Indonesia, reported first-quarter results on Tuesday, May 2. Top-line sales rose modestly in the first quarter thanks to higher wireless subscriber counts and a healthy broadband business, but those upsides had to overcome a substantial headwind from a mass exodus of old-school wireline subscribers.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Tuesday afternoon, the telecommunication services shares climbed 1.18 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Intelsat S.A. (NYSE: I), up 7 percent, and Telekomnks Indn Prsr Tbk Prshn Prsrn-ADR (NYSE: TLK), up 3 percent.