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Estimating The Intrinsic Value Of Clean Harbors, Inc. (NYSE:CLH) Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! How far off is Clean Harbors, Inc. (NYSE:CLH) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to today's value. I will be using the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. It may sound complicated, but actually it is quite simple! Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in theSimply Wall St analysis model. See our latest analysis for Clean Harbors We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, and so the sum of these future cash flows is then discounted to today's value: [{"": "Levered FCF ($, Millions)", "2019": "$202.3m", "2020": "$221.4m", "2021": "$237.1m", "2022": "$250.8m", "2023": "$263.0m", "2024": "$274.2m", "2025": "$284.5m", "2026": "$294.4m", "2027": "$303.9m", "2028": "$313.3m"}, {"": "Growth Rate Estimate Source", "2019": "Analyst x4", "2020": "Analyst x4", "2021": "Est @ 7.1%", "2022": "Est @ 5.79%", "2023": "Est @ 4.87%", "2024": "Est @ 4.23%", "2025": "Est @ 3.78%", "2026": "Est @ 3.46%", "2027": "Est @ 3.24%", "2028": "Est @ 3.09%"}, {"": "Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 8.38%", "2019": "$186.7", "2020": "$188.5", "2021": "$186.2", "2022": "$181.8", "2023": "$175.9", "2024": "$169.2", "2025": "$162.0", "2026": "$154.6", "2027": "$147.3", "2028": "$140.1"}] ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF)= $1.7b The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 10-year government bond rate of 2.7%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 8.4%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF2029× (1 + g) ÷ (r – g) = US$313m × (1 + 2.7%) ÷ (8.4% – 2.7%) = US$5.7b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= $US$5.7b ÷ ( 1 + 8.4%)10= $2.55b The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is $4.24b. The last step is to then divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding.This results in an intrinsic value estimate of $75.89. Compared to the current share price of $71.1, the company appears about fair value at a 6.3% discount to where the stock price trades currently. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent. We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Clean Harbors as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 8.4%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.948. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. Although the valuation of a company is important, it shouldn’t be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. For Clean Harbors, There are three important aspects you should further examine: 1. Financial Health: Does CLH have a healthy balance sheet? Take a look at ourfree balance sheet analysis with six simple checkson key factors like leverage and risk. 2. Future Earnings: How does CLH's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with ourfree analyst growth expectation chart. 3. Other High Quality Alternatives: Are there other high quality stocks you could be holding instead of CLH? Exploreour interactive list of high quality stocksto get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every US stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock justsearch here. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Body falls from Kenya Airways plane into London garden shortly before aircraft lands at Heathrow The body of a stowaway crash-landed in a London garden after plummeting from the undercarriage of a Kenya Airlines jet as it approached Heathrow Airport following a nine-hour flight from Nairobi, officials said Monday. The remains of an unidentified man were found outside of a residential property in Clapham, south London, and were later traced back to the aircraft, theAssociated Pressreports. Supplies including a bag, water and food were discovered in the plane's landing-gear compartment upon its arrival at Heathrow. Officials with the Metropolitan Police said an autopsy would be conducted to determine whether the man died before falling from the aircraft. In a statement obtained by theDaily Mail, Kenya Airlines said local authorities were in contact with the Kenya High Commission to help identify the victim. "It is unfortunate that a person has lost his life by stowing aboard one of our aircraft and we express our condolences," the airline added. Stowing away in a plane's undercarriage comes with an extremely high risk of mortality. According to the Associated Press, roughly three-quarters of stowaways do not survive the dangerous journey because of the extreme cold and lack of oxygen as the plane reaches cruising altitude. In September 2012, a similar fatality occurred when 30-year-old Jose Matada, of Mozambique, died after falling from the undercarriage of a Heathrow-bound flight from Angola. It took six months to identify his body, theGuardianreports.
6 Under-The-Radar Stocks With Big Upside Potential The Wall Street spotlight in 2019 has concentrated on only a handful of stocks. The big tech stocks have dominated that spotlight, includingFacebook(NASDAQ:FB),Amazon(NASDAQ:AMZN),Netflix(NASDAQ:NFLX),Microsoft(NASDAQ:MSFT) andAlphabet(NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL). Those big tech stocks have had to share the limelight with a few smaller but faster-growing tech stocks likeShopify(NYSE:SHOP) andRoku(NASDAQ:ROKU), a couple of booming IPO stocks likeBeyond Meat(NASDAQ:BYND) andZoom Video(NYSE:ZM), and pot stocks likeCanopy(NYSE:CGC) andCronos(NASDAQ:CRON). All the cloud stocks, Dow giants, video game stocks, e-commerce stocks and digital ad stocks have also been in the spotlight this year. However, there are a lot of stocks that haven’t been in the Wall Street spotlight in 2019, but are just as good of buys as all of the stocks that are. InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips • 7 F-Rated Stocks to Sell for Summer In this article, we will analyze that under-the-radar segment. Specifically, we will look at six of those high-quality stocks that have huge upside potential over the next several months and years. Which stocks belong in that group? Let’s take a look. Source: Shutterstock First up, we have sandal footwear brandCrocs(NASDAQ:CROX). Over the past several years, Crocs has orchestrated one of the most impressive retail turnarounds anyone has ever seen, simply by narrowing the product portfolio andfocusing on the company’s classic foam clog. This has allowed the company to improve its clog design, re-charge consumer interest in that core shoe, pull gross margins higher through increased demand, and take tons of operating expenses out of the system. The result? Renewed revenue growth, renewed margin expansion and renewed profit growth. Oh, and a surging CROX stock. This operational turnaround hit a snag in early 2019, when the whole growth trajectory slowed against the backdrop of broader retail turmoil. But, that dour retail backdrop has significantly improved since then, as U.S. labor markets have remained healthy, rates have plunged, and trade tensions have eased. Plus, consumer interest with respect to Crocs has onlysurged highersince then. Net net, the company will report much better numbers in the back half of 2019 and CROX stock will rebound as a result. Source: Shutterstock Second is digital education companyChegg(NYSE:CHGG). Much like Crocs, Chegg’s story over the past several years is a very impressive one. A few years back, this was a textbook rental company. Management realized that textbook rental services were a very small piece of the pie in the global education picture. Consequently, Chegg branched out from textbook rental services to textbook solutions, on-demand tutoring, writing help, citations, and more. Today Chegg is an end-to-end connected e-learning platform which helps students learn more effectively. Demand for this platform will only grow over time. Chegg is becoming a necessary learning companion for millions of high school and college students as they spend increasingly time in the digital space. • The 7 Top Small-Cap Stocks Of 2019 Over the next several years, millions more students will join the Chegg ecosystem, revenues will rise, and profits will, too. So will CHGG stock, which is worth holding for the long run. Source: Shutterstock Similar to Chegg,Kroger(NYSE:KR) is another under-the-radar stock worth buying and holding for the long run. As America’s largest grocer, Kroger has benefited from stable demand drivers over the past several years (consumers always need to eat). But competition concerns related to Amazon entering the grocery space via its acquisition of Whole Foods, as well as competition concerns related toWalmart(NYSE:WMT) andTarget(NYSE:TGT) building out their own grocery segments, has weighed on KR stock. The only problem? These competition concerns aren’t showing up in the financials. Over the past several quarters, Kroger has reported largely positive comparable sales growth, market share gains, and margin stabilization ex fuel. Broadly, Kroger isn’t being hurt by the beefed up competition. Instead, the company continues to benefit from stable demand drivers throughout the grocery industry. Overblown competition concerns have created a golden buying opportunity in Kroger. Long term, stable profit growth on top of a discounted present valuation will drive KR stock significantly higher from here. Big China tech stocks are usually well-covered by Wall Street and mainstream financial media. But, one smaller China tech stock which isn’t — and yet has more upside potential than many of its big China tech peers — is the Chinese YouTube,Bilibili(NASDAQ:BILI). Bilibili is one of China’s hottest growth stories. The company operates an animation, comics, and gaming-focused social video sharing platform. It has become a Generation Z favorite in China because it is visual-first, mobile-first, and is built upon consumer expression (which young consumers value). Consequently, this company has rattled off multiple consecutive quarters 25%-plus user growth and 45%-plus revenue growth. • The Top 8 Tech Stocks of 2019 (So Far) Margins, however, have come under significant pressure over the past few quarters due to growth-related investments. That’s why BILI stock has struggled for gains. But margins are starting to show signs of stability, and management has said repeatedly that over time these investments will phase out and margins will improve. It’s only a matter of time before the margin narrative here reverses course and heads higher with the revenue narrative. Once both of those narratives are trending in the right direction, BILI stock will rally. Source: Shutterstock Another Chinese under-the-radar stock with big upside potential over the next several years is hyper-growth retail coffee chainLuckin Coffee(NYSE:LK). Luckin Coffee is the fastest growing and second-largest retail coffee operator in China. At current expansion rates, the company is on track to become the largest coffee chain in China. At the same time, the Chinese economy is rapidly urbanizing and expanding, and the coffee market is surging higher. That makes Luckin the hyper-growth leader in a rapidly expanding market, a combination which implies tremendous long-term growth potential. Right now, Luckin has a market cap of about $4 billion. The company it gets compared to,Starbucks(NASDAQ:SBUX), has a $102 billion market cap. That’s a 25-fold difference. Luckin won’t ever become Starbucks-big, but it will become much bigger than a $4 billion company, especially considering China’s retail coffee market should continue to grow. As such, Luckin is in the early stages of a long-term growth narrative that will ultimately push LK stock materially higher. Source: Shutterstock On the retail front, one of the industry’s hottest and yet relatively unknown stocks is trend-oriented discount retailerFive Below(NASDAQ:FIVE). Five Below has found a winning strategy in the dynamic retail world. That strategy is simple: Sell cheap things (below $5) so that you always attract the price-oriented consumer, and sell trending things (like spinners or selfie sticks) so that you always attract the trend-oriented consumer. This strategy works because the consumers attracted to those trending items (young consumers) are also usually price-constrained (they don’t make enough money). Due to this winning strategy, Five Below has reported consistently positive comparable sales growth and margin expansion over the past several quarters. The company has also rapidly grown its real estate footprint. The result? Consistent 20%-plus revenue and profit growth, which has caused FIVE stock to surge higher while the rest of retail has flopped. This strong growth dynamic at Five Below will continue. As such, FIVE stock is arguably one of the best retail stocks to own for the long haul. As of this writing, Luke Lango was long FB, AMZN, NFLX, GOOG, SHOP, ROKU, BYND, CGC, CROX, CHGG, KR, TGT, BILI, and LK. • 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid • 7 F-Rated Stocks to Sell for Summer • 7 Stocks to Buy for the Same Price as Beyond Meat • 7 Penny Marijuana Stocks That Are NOT Cheap Stocks Compare Brokers The post6 Under-The-Radar Stocks With Big Upside Potentialappeared first onInvestorPlace.
The Wabtec (NYSE:WAB) Share Price Is Down 27% So Some Shareholders Are Getting Worried Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Wabtec Corporation(NYSE:WAB) shareholders should be happy to see the share price up 15% in the last month. But that doesn't change the reality of under-performance over the last twelve months. After all, the share price is down 27% in the last year, significantly under-performing the market. See our latest analysis for Wabtec In his essayThe Superinvestors of Graham-and-DoddsvilleWarren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time. Unhappily, Wabtec had to report a 32% decline in EPS over the last year. This proportional reduction in earnings per share isn't far from the 27% decrease in the share price. Therefore one could posit that the market has not become more concerned about the company, despite the lower EPS. Instead, the change in the share price seems to reduction in earnings per share, alone. You can see below how EPS has changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image). It's good to see that there was some significant insider buying in the last three months. That's a positive. On the other hand, we think the revenue and earnings trends are much more meaningful measures of the business. Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination ofhistoric growth trends, available here.. We'd be remiss not to mention the difference between Wabtec'stotal shareholder return(TSR) and itsshare price return. Arguably the TSR is a more complete return calculation because it accounts for the value of dividends (as if they were reinvested), along with the hypothetical value of any discounted capital that have been offered to shareholders. Its history of dividend payouts mean that Wabtec's TSR, which was a 27%dropover the last year, was not as bad as the share price return. Wabtec shareholders are down 27% for the year (even including dividends), but the market itself is up 7.6%. Even the share prices of good stocks drop sometimes, but we want to see improvements in the fundamental metrics of a business, before getting too interested. Regrettably, last year's performance caps off a bad run, with the shareholders facing a total loss of 2.6% per year over five years. We realise that Buffett has said investors should 'buy when there is blood on the streets', but we caution that investors should first be sure they are buying a high quality businesses. If you want to research this stock further, the data on insider buying is an obvious place to start. You canclick here to see who has been buying shares - and the price they paid. There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably donotwant to miss thisfreelist of growing companies that insiders are buying. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US exchanges. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Is Mimecast Limited (NASDAQ:MIME) Expensive For A Reason? A Look At Its Intrinsic Value Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! How far off is Mimecast Limited (NASDAQ:MIME) from its intrinsic value? Using the most recent financial data, we'll take a look at whether the stock is fairly priced by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to today's value. I will be using the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Don't get put off by the jargon, the math behind it is actually quite straightforward. Remember though, that there are many ways to estimate a company's value, and a DCF is just one method. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in theSimply Wall St analysis model. Check out our latest analysis for Mimecast We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: [{"": "Levered FCF ($, Millions)", "2020": "$38.4m", "2021": "$77.0m", "2022": "$108.0m", "2023": "$140.3m", "2024": "$167.8m", "2025": "$190.1m", "2026": "$209.4m", "2027": "$226.0m", "2028": "$240.3m", "2029": "$253.0m"}, {"": "Growth Rate Estimate Source", "2020": "Analyst x9", "2021": "Analyst x9", "2022": "Analyst x3", "2023": "Analyst x2", "2024": "Analyst x2", "2025": "Est @ 13.3%", "2026": "Est @ 10.13%", "2027": "Est @ 7.91%", "2028": "Est @ 6.36%", "2029": "Est @ 5.27%"}, {"": "Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 10.18%", "2020": "$34.9", "2021": "$63.4", "2022": "$80.8", "2023": "$95.2", "2024": "$103.3", "2025": "$106.2", "2026": "$106.2", "2027": "$104.0", "2028": "$100.4", "2029": "$95.9"}] ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF)= $890.3m After calculating the present value of future cash flows in the intial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 10-year government bond rate (2.7%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 10.2%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF2029× (1 + g) ÷ (r – g) = US$253m × (1 + 2.7%) ÷ (10.2% – 2.7%) = US$3.5b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= $US$3.5b ÷ ( 1 + 10.2%)10= $1.32b The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is $2.21b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding.This results in an intrinsic value estimate of $36.06. Relative to the current share price of $46.71, the company appears slightly overvalued at the time of writing. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out. We would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Mimecast as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 10.2%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.121. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. Valuation is only one side of the coin in terms of building your investment thesis, and it shouldn’t be the only metric you look at when researching a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. What is the reason for the share price to differ from the intrinsic value? For Mimecast, I've put together three relevant aspects you should further research: 1. Financial Health: Does MIME have a healthy balance sheet? Take a look at ourfree balance sheet analysis with six simple checkson key factors like leverage and risk. 2. Future Earnings: How does MIME's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with ourfree analyst growth expectation chart. 3. Other High Quality Alternatives: Are there other high quality stocks you could be holding instead of MIME? Exploreour interactive list of high quality stocksto get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the NASDAQ every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks justsearch here. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Salvadoran President on Death of Drowned Father and Daughter: ‘It Is Our Fault’ The newly elected president of El Salvador has taken responsibility for the deaths of a father and daughter who drowned in the Rio Grande while trying to reach the U.S., telling the BBC that the tragedy could have been avoided if conditions in the Central American country were not so dire. A photo of Oscar and Valeria Martinez lying face down in the Rio Grande went viral last week, stirring outrage among activists and political figures who were quick to cite the Trump administration’s immigration policies to explain the tragedy. But President Nayib Bukele, who was elected last month, believes that blame for the deaths rests with Salvadoran officials, who have failed to curb the violent crime and economic deprivation that is fueling record immigration to the U.S. “People don’t flee their homes because they want to, people flee their homes because they feel they have to,” Bukele told the BBC in an interview published Monday . “Why? Because they don’t have a job, because they are being threatened by gangs, because they don’t have basic things like water, education, health.” “We can blame any other country but what about our blame? What country did they flee? Did they flee the United States? They fled El Salvador, they fled our country. It is our fault,” he added. Nearly 500,000 illegal immigrants have been apprehended at the border this year, overwhelming Border Patrol and Department of Health and Human Services resources. The influx has led to rapidly deteriorating conditions within holding facilities, many of which are now holding four to five times as many migrants as they were designed to. Bukele decried the conditions in U.S. holding facilities and the policies that helped to create them during the interview, but said that blame for the situation ultimately rests with those countries that cannot offer more opportunity to their citizens. “I think migration is a right, but it should be an option, not an obligation,” he said. “And right now it’s an obligation for a lot of people.” More from National Review Trump Considers Militarizing the Border after Failure to Secure Funds for Wall CNN Uses Stephen Miller’s Uncle to Accuse Administration of ‘Political Racism’ Report: CBP Apprehends 1,000+ Migrants in Largest-Ever Bust of Its Kind View comments
3 Dull Stocks With Exciting Potential This article wasfirst published by MyWallSt. Some things in life, like waffles and roller coasters, should never be boring. Others, such as a transatlantic plane journey or a visit to the dentist, are probably better off without too much excitement. We can add certain stocks to that list, too. Image source: Unsplash. In his classic bookOne Up On Wall Street, investor Peter Lynch wrote that he actively seeks out boring stocks with dull names as part of his investing strategy: "A company that does boring things is almost as good as a company that has a boring name, and both together is terrific." Here are three companies that best demonstrate how boring can often be best. DocuSign(NASDAQ: DOCU)is a software-as-a-service company that provides electronic signature technology for facilitating exchanges of documents. Sounds thrilling, right? Although it's unlikely to gain a cult following any time soon, the company, which went public in April of last year, has managed to become a permanent fixture in the operations of countless businesses. Indeed, DocuSign's technology is already used by18 of the top 20global pharmaceutical companies and seven of the top 10 technology companies. With more than500,000 paying customers and hundreds of millions of usersunder its belt, DocuSign has turned something as mundane as the process of signing a contract into a high-growth business that makes up in growth potential what it lacks in glamour. Like DocuSign,Markel(NYSE: MKL)will never win a prize in the excitement department, but it offers something that faddish start-ups rarely can: a history of incredible returns. Markel, in its own words, is a -- wait for it -- "holding company for insurance, reinsurance, and investment operations around the world." It has performed so well in this space that it has acquired the nickname "Baby Berkshire." If insurance doesn't rock the boat for you, then how about this? Markel's stellar reputation comes from its track record of consistently beating theS&P 500, particularly in recent years. Indeed, if you'd bought $1,000 in Markel stock when the company was founded in 1986, your investment would be worth more than$100,000 today. Founded in 2007,Veeva Systems(NYSE: VEEV)provides cloud-based software that makes life-science companies more efficient. Read that sentence again. "Cloud-based software." "Life-science." "Efficient." That's right, Veeva is out there at the cutting edge of monotony. Sometimes described as thesalesforce.com(NYSE: CRM)of pharma, Veeva was actually co-founded by Peter Gassner, who built Salesforce's customer relationship management (CRM) platform, which is now the largest enterprise cloud-computing platform in the world. Veeva has achieved a similar level of dominance in its own space, with the company's CRM being used by about80% of the global pharma and life sciences industry. As growth inevitably slows down in its core business, Veeva is investing in its highly successful Vault content management products, which are expected to see growth of 40% by the end of the fiscal year. With shares recently reaching all-time highs, it looks like the future may indeed be exciting for Veeva. Image source: MyWallSt. Check out more great articles like this at MyWallSt now. MyWallSt operates a full disclosure policy. MyWallSt staff currently hold long positions in DocuSign and Veeva Systems. Read ourfull disclosure policy here. More From The Motley Fool • Beginner's Guide to Investing in Marijuana Stocks • Marijuana Stocks Are Overhyped: 10 Better Buys for You Now • Your 2019 Guide to Investing in Marijuana Stocks The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends DocuSign, Markel, Salesforce.com, and Veeva Systems. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy.
Trump nepotism attacked after 'out-of-her-depth' Ivanka given key summit role Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Donald Trump has been accused of taking nepotism to alarming new depths after giving his daughter, Ivanka, a prominent role in meetings with the G20 and Kim Jong-un. Related: #Unwantedivanka: awkward moment at G20 prompts slew of Trump parodies On Saturday, the French government released a video from the G20 summit in Osaka that showed Ivanka awkwardly interjecting with the French president, Emmanuel Macron, British prime minister, Theresa May, Canadian PM, Justin Trudeau and IMF director Christine Lagarde, whose icy expression spoke volumes. During the summit, Ivanka was also included in photographs of a group of leaders. A day later, Trumps 37-year-old daughter became one of the few Americans to set foot inside North Korea as her father held nuclear talks with Kim in the demilitarised zone. The first daughter described the event as surreal. Then, addressing US forces stationed in South Korea, Donald Trump invited Ivanka on stage and promised: Shes going to steal the show. Such brazenly dynastic displays caused concern among foreign policy experts who, noting Ivankas complete lack of diplomatic experience or training, warned of lasting damage to Americas credibility. Ned Price, former special assistant to Barack Obama for national security affairs, said: Its one thing for Trump to have his relatives around him in the White House as personal consigliere, especially if they do have the calming influence thats been reported. But its quite another for his daughter to represent the United States of America in the presence of world leaders. It reflects poorly on Ivanka Trump that she lacks the self-awareness to recognise how out of her depth she is Ned Price It reflects poorly on Trump that he would place her in that context and poorly on Ivanka Trump that she lacks the self-awareness to recognise how out of her depth she is. Price, now director of policy and communications at National Security Action, a thinktank, added: Above all it reflects poorly on the United States that were too often represented by unelected officials without any relevant qualifications. Story continues Ivanka is listed on the official White House website as adviser to the president, focusing on the education and economic empowerment of women and their families. This has included several foreign trips, often promoted on her Instagram account. Her husband, Jared Kushner, is no less influential, and recently unveiled part of a widely derided Middle East peace plan at a conference in Bahrain that was boycotted by Palestinian officials. The couple moved from New York to Washington to join the administration, with Ivanka eventually closing her clothing business. Several leaders brought their spouses to the G20, but in the absence of Melania, Donald Trump brought his daughter instead. Speaking at one session, she said the world economy would get a boost of up to $28tn by 2025 if women were on an equal economic footing. Ivanka even released video in which she looked self-conscious as she summarised meetings and used words such as deliverables. But it was the footage of her conversation with world leaders that triggered a tsunami of online parodies. May can be heard saying: As soon as you charge them with that economic aspect of it, a lot of people start listening who otherwise wouldnt listen. Ivanka then chips in: And the same with the defence side of it, in terms of the whole business thats been, sort of, male-dominated. Lagardes head jerks to the left. She looks irritated. Democrats seized on the incident. Congressman Eric Swalwell, who is running for president, said: This is your reminder that Ivanka Trump has no foreign policy or diplomacy experience. The American people deserve to be represented by a qualified diplomat, not the presidents daughter. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said: Being someones daughter actually isnt a career qualification. It hurts our diplomatic standing when the president phones it in [and] the world moves on. Trump drew his own sharp criticism over the weekend for his ostentatiously cosy relations with Kim, Vladimir Putin and the Saudi crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, suspected of involvement in the death and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist who lived in the US and wrote for the Washington Post. Trumps unorthodox approaches to trade, Iran, Israel and European allies have also received withering censure. Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota, said: The fact that Trump would let his own daughter, who has no training and no basis for participating in diplomatic events, [go to the G20] epitomises the Trump administrations amateurish approach to foreign policy. Hes very obviously thumbing his nose at protocol and decades of norms. The Trump family business has drawn comparisons to a constitutional monarchy. Trump told the Atlantic earlier this year: If [Ivanka] ever wanted to run for president. I think shed be very, very hard to beat. Related: Feel smug about western democracy? The G20 summit should make us reconsider \| Nesrine Malik Ivankas brothers, Donald Jr and Eric, have become outspoken defenders of their father and are set to play leading roles in the 2020 election. Jordan Libowitz, communications director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (Crew) in Washington, said: It is questionable what Ivanka Trump was doing at the G20 summit, but it is also questionable what she does in the White House. She takes a very prominent public role without defined duties or qualifications further than being the presidents daughter. More troubling is the fact that she continues to own significant problematic assets, from which she makes millions of dollars including a share of the Trump hotel in Washington, which has become a haven for people looking to influence the Trump administration.
Zooming in on NYSE:MIC's 9.9% Dividend Yield Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Dividend paying stocks like Macquarie Infrastructure Corporation (NYSE:MIC) tend to be popular with investors, and for good reason - some research suggests a significant amount of all stock market returns come from reinvested dividends. Yet sometimes, investors buy a popular dividend stock because of its yield, and then lose money if the company's dividend doesn't live up to expectations. In this case, Macquarie Infrastructure likely looks attractive to investors, given its 9.9% dividend yield and a payment history of over ten years. It would not be a surprise to discover that many investors buy it for the dividends. Some simple research can reduce the risk of buying Macquarie Infrastructure for its dividend - read on to learn more. Explore this interactive chart for our latest analysis on Macquarie Infrastructure! Companies (usually) pay dividends out of their earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, the dividend might have to be cut. Comparing dividend payments to a company's net profit after tax is a simple way of reality-checking whether a dividend is sustainable. In the last year, Macquarie Infrastructure paid out 542% of its profit as dividends. A payout ratio above 100% is definitely an item of concern, unless there are some other circumstances that would justify it. In addition to comparing dividends against profits, we should inspect whether the company generated enough cash to pay its dividend. With a cash payout ratio of 103%, Macquarie Infrastructure's dividend payments are poorly covered by cash flow. Cash is slightly more important than profit from a dividend perspective, but given Macquarie Infrastructure's payments were not well covered by either earnings or cash flow, we are concerned about the sustainability of this dividend. As Macquarie Infrastructure has a meaningful amount of debt, we need to check its balance sheet to see if the company might have debt risks. A quick check of its financial situation can be done with two ratios: net debt divided by EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation), and net interest cover. Net debt to EBITDA measures total debt load relative to company earnings (lower = less debt), while net interest cover measures the ability to pay interest on the debt (higher = greater ability to pay interest costs). Macquarie Infrastructure is carrying net debt of 4.43 times its EBITDA, which is getting towards the upper limit of our comfort range on a dividend stock that the investor hopes will endure a wide range of economic circumstances. Net interest cover can be calculated by dividing earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) by the company's net interest expense. Interest cover of 2.13 times its interest expense is starting to become a concern for Macquarie Infrastructure, and be aware that lenders may place additional restrictions on the company as well. Consider gettingour latest analysis on Macquarie Infrastructure's financial position here. From the perspective of an income investor who wants to earn dividends for many years, there is not much point buying a stock if its dividend is regularly cut or is not reliable. For the purpose of this article, we only scrutinise the last decade of Macquarie Infrastructure's dividend payments. During the past ten-year period, the first annual payment was US$2.58 in 2009, compared to US$4.00 last year. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 4.5% a year over that time. It's good to see some dividend growth, but the dividend has been cut at least once, and the size of the cut would eliminate most of the growth, anyway. We're not that enthused by this. The other half of the dividend investing equation is evaluating whether earnings per share (EPS) are growing. Over the long term, dividends need to grow at or above the rate of inflation, in order to maintain the recipient's purchasing power. Macquarie Infrastructure has grown its earnings per share at 3.9% per annum over the past five years. This level of earnings growth is low, and the company is paying out 542% of its profit. Limited recent earnings growth and a high payout ratio makes it hard for us to envision strong future dividend growth, unless the company should have substantial pricing power or some form of competitive advantage. To summarise, shareholders should always check that Macquarie Infrastructure's dividends are affordable, that its dividend payments are relatively stable, and that it has decent prospects for growing its earnings and dividend. We're a bit uncomfortable with Macquarie Infrastructure paying out a high percentage of both its cashflow and earnings. Unfortunately, earnings growth has also been mediocre, and the company has cut its dividend at least once in the past. Using these criteria, Macquarie Infrastructure looks quite suboptimal from a dividend investment perspective. See if management have their own wealth at stake, by checking insider shareholdings inMacquarie Infrastructure stock. We have also put together alist of global stocks with a market capitalisation above $1bn and yielding more 3%. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Options Bull Raises the Stakes on Emerging Market ETF TheiShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM)is 1% higher at $43.35, boosted by this weekend's upbeatU.S.-China trade headlines. The positive price action has the emerging markets exchange-traded fund (ETF) trading at levels not seen since early May, and one options bull scrambling to up the ante. With roughly two hours left to go in today's trading, EEM has seen 150,000 calls and 106,000 puts cross the tape, a slight markup to what's typically seen at this point. Trade-Alert highlights a potentialroll upof the July 44 calls to the July 45 strike. The lower-strike calls saw a notable increase in open interest in the two weeks leading up to the G-20 summit, with almost 45,000 positions added. Widening the sentiment scope, short-term EEM options traders are more put-heavy than usual toward the ETF, based on its Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 1.76, which ranks in the 88th annual percentile. This is due to a large accumulation of open interest at the September 36 put, with data from the major options exchanges confirming some sell-to-open activity here. By doing so,put writerssee $36 serving as a floor for the shares through September options expiration. Looking at the charts, EEM shares haven't traded below $36 since early 2017. More recently, the fund bounced sharply off the round $40 level in early May, home to its 200-week moving average. The ETF rallied 5.4% in June, marking its best monthly performance since January, when it jumped 10.3%.
Construction Superintendent Jobs in Georgia Lacking on New Projects ATLANTA, GA and SAVANNAH, GA/ ACCESSWIRE / July 1, 2019 /Commercial construction superintendent jobs for new building projects in booming areas of Georgia are in high demand. Yet, extremely scarce and hard-to-find talent for thecommercial general contractorswho are scrambling to add these new hires to supervise and build their new construction and tenant improvement projects they are taking on. It's not necessarily job vacancies for thesesuperintendentsand project manager roles, its new positions being created as the general contractors (GCs) are awarded new projects from real estate developers, public works, project owners and owner developers, for construction projects they previously submitted bids or proposals on, and now were awarded from their winning bid. "Top Georgia construction companiesare hurting for experienced superintendents right now that have the right type of project background. The current high demand is outweighing the quality supply of supers right now," says Monica Johnson, a human resources executive at JPI Executive Search, a prominent construction recruitment firm withtop construction recruitersin multiple industry building specialties. Project superintendent reviewing blueprints at a commercial construction jobsite in Atlanta, Georgia. Source: Brocreative / Shutterstock.com Called 'supers' for short, there are varioustypes of superintendents, including site, lead, project, concrete, residential, construction and general supers. The responsibilities for the role of a superintendent's job is to run the day-to-day operations on the construction site and to control the short-term building schedule. It also includes important quality control and subcontractor coordination to make sure the job site is running efficiently. Long-term scheduling is always handled by a project manager (PM) that may oversee multiple job sites. "Traveling superintendents"are specialized because they typically go nationwide or regional depending on where the project is located, often being away from home for many months at a time until a project is complete. "MEP superintendents" are a specialty super in mechanical, electrical and plumbing. Linkedin is popular for company job and career postings. Visit Linkedin.com/jobs/search and search for'superintendent' in Georgia. It yields a staggering 656 job postings placed in the past 30 days. 229 of those new job listings were posted by employers in the past week, and even 24 brand new listings in past 24 hours. These results are only for the state of Georgia with numbers even greater in other parts of the country. Searchconstruction jobson other popular job posting sites like Indeed.com, Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, SimplyHired.com, ZipRecruiter.com and others. The huge demand for construction professionals is quite evident. "The problem with all of these job postings are they are not being seen by the 'best-of-the-best' people. Thetop construction talentis already employed and working onconstruction projects, not actively looking. We hear frustrations every week from hiring managers like General Superintendents, Construction Managers and VP's of Construction saying they simply cannot find highly qualified supers with the right project skill level to handle a project from cradle to grave," said Johnson. According to research at PayScale.com, the average medianconstruction superintendentsalary in Atlanta, Georgia is only $72,046. On the high end, total compensation is reported at $130,000+ or more annually. Other major metro construction markets throughout the United States are paying even more. The companies that are hurting to fill theseopen construction positionsare willing to pay. The greater the pain, the more they are willing to pay. This represents prime opportunity for the highly talented construction estimators, project engineers, superintendents, project managers and project executives to confidentially explore opportunities, all while they are still currently employed now. Johnson said, "Construction companies large and small are looking for top talent and will gladly pay for it. As a prime candidate, you can write your own ticket. It's all about your experience level, project list, and specialty project type ahiring manageris looking for." "We handle these types of confidential situations all the time. Most of ourconstruction searchesinvolve someone that is currently employed but they want to hear about other opportunities out there, and do so in a very confidentially way, without their current employer finding out," continued Johnson. Every year, the Engineering News Record (ENR), published by BNP Media, publishes many 'ENR Top Lists' with the most popular being the 'ENR Top 400 Contractors' list for ranking the top 400 construction companies and general contractors nationwide, both publicly and privately held, based on construction contracting specific revenue. They have regional top lists including the 'ENR Southeast Top Contractors' that covers the Georgia (GA), Florida (FL), Alabama (AL), Tennessee (TN), South Carolina (SC) and North Carolina (NC) southeastern states. Brasfield & Gorrie LLC(BrasfieldGorrie.com) came in at the #1 spot on the Top SE list, and #25 overall on the ENR Top 400 for 2019. The Whiting-Turner Contracting Co.(Whiting-Turner.com) ranked #2, and #5 respectively,Turner Construction Co.(TurnerConstruction.com) was at the #3 position on both lists,Yates Construction(WGYates.com) ranked #4 and #34. Finally,DPR Construction(DPR.com) came in at #5 and #10 on theENR Top 400. Both the 'ENR 2019 Top 400 Contractors' and 'ENR Southeast Top Contractors' can be found at ENR.com/toplists for 2017, 2018 and 2019. "Companies listed on the ENR Top 400 are highly desirable for other general contractors tohire superintendentsand project managers from because of the high skill level and pedigree of projects those top contractors work on." For more information on how general contractors, developers and construction firms canfill key leadership and executive positionsin the construction industry, or for construction professionals looking to confidentially explore new opportunities, visithttp://www.JPIExecutiveSearch.comor call +1-404-596-5572. About JPI Executive Search JPI Executive Search is atop construction recruitment firmand executive search firm for the construction and building industry throughout the United States. The company is retained by top general contractors, developers and construction companies to find highly sought-after leadership and executive positions, as well as project managers, superintendents, estimators, pre-construction and project engineers. JPI currently has 11 offices forconstruction recruitingnationwide, including: Atlanta, GA, Charlotte, NC, Birmingham, AL, Orlando, FL, Miami, FL, Tampa, FL, Dallas, TX, Austin, TX, St. Louis, MO, Seattle, WA, and Chicago, IL. For contact phone numbers of each office location, please visithttp://JPIExecutiveSearch.com/contact JPI also representstop producing construction executives, and key individuals at construction companies, that want to confidentially explore a better opportunity to further their career growth. Contact Robin Schultz, emailinfo@jpiexecutivesearch.com, or call +1-404-596-5572.(JPIExecutiveSearch.com™is a 7 Figure PR™ Brand) SOURCE:JPI Executive Search View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/550542/Construction-Superintendent-Jobs-in-Georgia-Lacking-on-New-Projects
Why International Petroleum Corporation (TSE:IPCO) Is An Attractive Investment To Consider Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Building up an investment case requires looking at a stock holistically. Today I've chosen to put the spotlight on International Petroleum Corporation (TSE:IPCO) due to its excellent fundamentals in more than one area. IPCO is a financially-healthy company with an impressive track record of performance, trading at a discount. In the following section, I expand a bit more on these key aspects. For those interested in digger a bit deeper into my commentary, take a look at thereport on International Petroleum here. Over the past few years, IPCO has more than doubled its earnings, with its most recent figure exceeding its annual average over the past five years. Not only did IPCO outperformed its past performance, its growth also exceeded the Oil and Gas industry expansion, which generated a 11% earnings growth. This is an notable feat for the company. IPCO is financially robust, with ample cash on hand and short-term investments to meet upcoming liabilities. This suggests prudent control over cash and cost by management, which is a crucial insight into the health of the company. IPCO seems to have put its debt to good use, generating operating cash levels of 0.9x total debt in the most recent year. This is also a good indication as to whether debt is properly covered by the company’s cash flows. IPCO's shares are now trading at a price below its true value based on its discounted cash flows, indicating a relatively pessimistic market sentiment. According to my intrinsic value of the stock, which is driven by analyst consensus forecast of IPCO's earnings, investors now have the opportunity to buy into the stock to reap capital gains. Also, relative to the rest of its peers with similar levels of earnings, IPCO's share price is trading below the group's average. This further reaffirms that IPCO is potentially undervalued. For International Petroleum, there are three relevant factors you should look at: 1. Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for IPCO’s future growth? Take a look at ourfree research report of analyst consensusfor IPCO’s outlook. 2. Dividend Income vs Capital Gains: Does IPCO return gains to shareholders through reinvesting in itself and growing earnings, or redistribute a decent portion of earnings as dividends? Ourhistorical dividend yield visualizationquickly tells you what your can expect from IPCO as an investment. 3. Other Attractive Alternatives: Are there other well-rounded stocks you could be holding instead of IPCO? Exploreour interactive list of stocks with large potentialto get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
What's Next for Nike (NKE) Stock in Fiscal 2020 Amid Digital Expansion? Welcome to the latest episode of the Full-Court Finance podcast from Zacks Investment Research where Associate Stock Strategist Ben Rains breakdown Nike’s NKE fourth-quarter fiscal 2019 financial results and takes a look at what’s next for the sportswear powerhouse as it expands its digital business. Nike’s adjusted Q4 2019 earnings slipped and fell short of expectations, which rarely happens at the Beaverton, Oregon-based company. The firm said its profits were hurt by increased spending on new technology and a higher tax rate than a year ago. This spending included adding RFID tags into products as part of an ongoing effort to streamline and speed up its business in an IoT-focused age. At the top of the income statement, Nike’s revenue jumped 4% and topped estimates. Nike’s sales growth was negatively impacted by currency headwinds, brought about by a strong U.S. dollar. The company also saw its North American business, which accounts for roughly 40% of total sales, continue to grow. Meanwhile, Nike’s revenue in Greater China climbed by double-digits for the 20thconsecutive quarter. China is expected to continue to play a vital growth role at Nike for years to come. Investors should also note that Nike executives said the current U.S-China trade war hasn’t hurt business much, and they don’t expect it to going forward. The sportswear firm’s digital sales soared 35% in fiscal 2019. Looking ahead, Nike’s digital and direct-to-consumer expansion is projected to drive growth. CEO Mark Parker reiterated expectations that digital transactions will make up roughly 30% of Nike’s business by 2023. NikePlus, its various digital apps and platforms, along with its expansion across social platforms such as Instagram FB will play huge roles in this projected growth. Along with its DTC push, Nike has maintained strategic partnerships with the likes of Foot Locker FL, Dick’s Sporting Goods DKS, and Nordstrom JWN. Long-term, Nike seems poised to remain a strong company that is likely to see its stock price climb. Nike has been able to grow amid increased competition from Adidas AG ADDYY, Lululemon LULU, Puma, Gap-GPS owned athleisure brands, and other smaller players through its constant brand building and combination of sports and fashion. As a reminder, if you feel that we missed something, or if you have any topic suggestions, shoot us an email at podcast@zacks.com. Make sure to check out all of our other audio content at zacks.com/podcasts, and remember to subscribe and leave us a rating wherever you listen to your podcasts. The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of AllLast year, it generated $8 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $47 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days.Click to get this free reportFacebook, Inc. (FB) : Free Stock Analysis ReportFoot Locker, Inc. (FL) : Free Stock Analysis Reportlululemon athletica inc. (LULU) : Free Stock Analysis ReportNordstrom, Inc. (JWN) : Free Stock Analysis ReportThe Gap, Inc. (GPS) : Free Stock Analysis ReportDICK'S Sporting Goods, Inc. (DKS) : Free Stock Analysis ReportNIKE, Inc. (NKE) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAdidas AG (ADDYY) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research
I've Been Using Apple's New iPhone Software Out Later This Year. These Are My 7 Favorite Features Apple recently released the public beta for its upcoming iOS 13 update and brand new iPadOS, meaning you can now get the latest and greatest software for your iPhone or iPad before it’s deemed bug-free and ready for public consumption. Everyday users probably shouldn’t install these upgrades until they’re more stable. But I figured I’d give them a shot and report back. My biggest takeaway: The best updates in iOS13 are the ones that are truly making my life simpler. Sure, new features like improved Memoji are great, and being able to add new makeup, hairstyles, and other customizable options is quite entertaining. But making my day-to-day easier? Now that’s how you rethink what computers can do. And it’s what Apple does pretty well, most of the time. These are my favorite iOS 13 features so far. If you’d like to try it for yourself, you can head to Apple’s Beta Software Program page on your device of choice. But again, beta software like this can be notoriously buggy and crash frequently, so if you can’t afford to have a malfunctioning device while you’re doing critical work, just wait until the final update is available later this year. A fully functional web browser You never know how much you’ll appreciate a proper web browser until it’s gone. Case in point: Apple’s own Safari browser. Whereas it used to struggle with sites designed to run on traditional browsers, Safari can now handle nearly any site you throw at it, including pages full of ads or content management systems like WordPress or Squarespace pages and dashboards. The new Safari can also more easily deal with all those tabs you open during a browsing session — you can schedule automatic tab cleaning ranging from daily to weekly, keeping your tabs pristine and your conscious clear. Reminders is way more useful Not only has Apple’s Reminders app been subject to a thorough redesign, an upgraded Siri allows it to do more with what you need to get done. Story continues Reminders now lets you attach files like images or documents to each item, create groups of tasks and lists, and tag people you’re chatting with in Messages if you’ve got a reminder with their name in it. You can also use Siri to add multiple items to your list of reminders at a time, separated by the word “and.” Apps now ask for questionable permissions more frequently Ever wonder how your iPhone apps always seem to know more than they should about where you’ve been? That’s because many use services like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to determine your location more accurately, while some serve you ads based on where you’re at. With iOS 13, being launched amid Apple’s recent focus on privacy, apps must now ask for your permission whenever they want access to certain features, including Bluetooth. That means when apps like Google Maps ask for extra bits of information, seemingly for no reason, you’ll be better equipped to keep it to yourself. Control Center fixes a glaring issue Introduced in iOS 7, Control Center let users quickly enable or disable certain utilities, like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or the iPhone flashlight. But one major drawback was its lack of additional options when it came to quickly adjusting or disabling your wireless connections. Instead of turning off your iPhone’s wireless connections completely, Control Center only allowed you to temporarily disconnect from Wi-Fi routers, while your iPhone or iPad could still communication through AirDrop or with accessories like the Apple Watch. Now? When you tap on the connectivity options in Control Center, you’ll see an added link taking you directly to the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth options in the Settings app, where you can quickly switch networks or turn off Wi-Fi completely. It’s not perfect, but it beats the old implementation. Triple tap to undo The bane of my existence was undoing some written text or pasted image on my iPhone, which required a vigorous shake of my iPhone in order to call up the “Undo” button. With iOS 13, users can simply perform a three-finger tap to call up some copy/paste options, including the ability to undo and redo, all from an easy-to-grasp pop-up window. And since it works on iPadOS as well, you’ll no longer have to shake a tablet the size of a dinner plate to get rid of your mistakes. Post your pictures while protecting your privacy Everybody loves sending pictures, whether it’s to friends and family or that new someone you just met in the checkout line at Trader Joe’s. But photo files can contain more than we want to let on, including identifiable information like location data. With iOS 13, you can now remove that data from your images before you send them around. In the Photos app, tap the share icon at the bottom, then the Options selection at the top. From there you’ll see the option to share photos individually or via an iCloud link, along with the ability to remove location data. If you’re sending photos to someone who’s a stickler about image quality — like me — you can also enable the ability to send a “full original capture,” which is an uncompressed image. That might take a little longer to send and use up more mobile data if you’re not on Wi-Fi, though. Siri is now your texting teleprompter For the person committed to multitasking, Messages with Siri might be the most useful feature in iOS 13, aside from the Control Center upgrades. By enabling the new feature, Siri will read incoming messages aloud to you as long as you’re using AirPods or Powerbeats Pro headphones, both of which use the Siri-friendly H1 wireless chip. Since Siri’s voice has gone through a marked improvement in iOS 13, Messages with Siri is the perfect complement to busybodies whose hands are occupied with dishes, exercise, screaming children or whatever else.
Here's How P/E Ratios Can Help Us Understand International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! The goal of this article is to teach you how to use price to earnings ratios (P/E ratios). We'll show how you can use International Business Machines Corporation's (NYSE:IBM) P/E ratio to inform your assessment of the investment opportunity. Based on the last twelve months,International Business Machines's P/E ratio is 14.43. In other words, at today's prices, investors are paying $14.43 for every $1 in prior year profit. View our latest analysis for International Business Machines Theformula for P/Eis: Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for International Business Machines: P/E of 14.43 = $137.9 ÷ $9.56 (Based on the year to March 2019.) The higher the P/E ratio, the higher the price tag of a business, relative to its trailing earnings. That is not a good or a bad thingper se, but a high P/E does imply buyers are optimistic about the future. If earnings fall then in the future the 'E' will be lower. That means unless the share price falls, the P/E will increase in a few years. So while a stock may look cheap based on past earnings, it could be expensive based on future earnings. In the last year, International Business Machines grew EPS like Taylor Swift grew her fan base back in 2010; the 56% gain was both fast and well deserved. Unfortunately, earnings per share are down 8.9% a year, over 5 years. We can get an indication of market expectations by looking at the P/E ratio. If you look at the image below, you can see International Business Machines has a lower P/E than the average (35.8) in the it industry classification. This suggests that market participants think International Business Machines will underperform other companies in its industry. While current expectations are low, the stock could be undervalued if the situation is better than the market assumes. If you consider the stock interesting, further research is recommended. For example, I often monitordirector buying and selling. One drawback of using a P/E ratio is that it considers market capitalization, but not the balance sheet. In other words, it does not consider any debt or cash that the company may have on the balance sheet. In theory, a company can lower its future P/E ratio by using cash or debt to invest in growth. Spending on growth might be good or bad a few years later, but the point is that the P/E ratio does not account for the option (or lack thereof). International Business Machines's net debt equates to 26% of its market capitalization. While that's enough to warrant consideration, it doesn't really concern us. International Business Machines's P/E is 14.4 which is below average (18.1) in the US market. The EPS growth last year was strong, and debt levels are quite reasonable. If the company can continue to grow earnings, then the current P/E may be unjustifiably low. Since analysts are predicting growth will continue, one might expect to see a higher P/E soit may be worth looking closer. Investors should be looking to buy stocks that the market is wrong about. If the reality for a company is not as bad as the P/E ratio indicates, then the share price should increase as the market realizes this. So thisfreevisual report on analyst forecastscould hold the key to an excellent investment decision. Of course,you might find a fantastic investment by looking at a few good candidates.So take a peek at thisfreelist of companies with modest (or no) debt, trading on a P/E below 20. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
CDC warns of fecal pool parasite, and how you can stay safe In a decidedly unpleasant turn for pool-goers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a warning Friday about a fecal parasite that can cause symptoms such as watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, fever, and vomiting. Known as cryptosporidium or crypto, the microscopic parasite is commonly found in swimming pools where it can reportedly survive in the water for days. In a CDC study released last week, researchers found more than 7,465 cases of cryptosporidiosis from 2009-2017, 35 percent of them from pools. So how can you keep swimming this summer and still stay safe from this parasite? Here are four things you can do to protect yourself and others. Practice good hygiene. A troubling survey from the Water Quality and Health last month found that half of Americans use swimming pools as communal bathtubs. This means that 24 percent say theyd jump in the pool within an hour of having diarrhea and 48 percent do not shower before swimming. This is a great example of what not to do. According to the CDC, all swimmers should avoid the pool if they are ill with diarrhea. Parents should take kids on regular bathroom breaks, and check their infants diapers at least every hour. Those who are diagnosed with crypto should avoid the pool entirely for a minimum of two weeks. It only takes one person having diarrhea in the water to contaminate all of the water in a pool. Dont swim or let your kids swim if sick with diarrhea. Learn more this summer: https://t.co/PaMsqZKT3F . pic.twitter.com/zF6tehFmaD CDC (@CDCgov) June 27, 2019 Avoid swallowing pool water. One of the most important precautions to take, according to Michele C. Hlavsa, one of the CDC researchers behind the study, is to keep the water out of you and your loved ones mouths. "To protect ourselves from crypto, the best thing we can do is not swallow the water we swim in," Hlavsa said, according to USA Today . Tips for not swallowing water while swimming, according to Speedo , include keeping your face relaxed, and inhaling and exhaling slowly. Story continues Check the health grade at your local pool. According to Hlavsa, one proactive thing parents can do before taking their kids to the pool is search online for the health grade their pool received. The CDC provides links to state websites that collect this data. But if youre unable to track this information down, there is also the option of testing it yourself. You use test strips to check the chlorine level and the pH before getting in, Hlavsa said, according to the New York Post . We, as swimmers or parents of young swimmers, need to take a more active role to make sure we have a fun and healthy and safe time in the water this summer. Steer clear of contaminated water. Although a large number of cryptosporidiosis cases originate with pools, lakes and rivers can also be vessels for the disease. Of the more than 7,000 cases identified in the CDCs study, roughly 3,335 cases came from freshwater. As a result, the CDC warns not to drink untreated water from lakes, rivers, springs, ponds, streams, or shallow wells. Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle: Breastfeeding moms hold a 'nurse-in' after mother was removed from public swimming pool World's deepest swimming pool to open in Poland later this year Muslim women protest pool's dress code, wear burkinis in act of defiance Follow us on Instagram , Facebook and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.
California gun owners face new background checks for ammo purchases California became the first state in the country on Monday to requirebackground checksfor all ammunitionpurchases. Under the new law, gun owners now have to pick up bullets in person, in the store. That means if the buyer makes the purchase online, it must be shipped to a gun shop for pickup. Gun owners will be subject to a background check every time they make a purchase, even if they are already registered with the state. Gun owners are required to pay $20 for the first spot check and $1 for each additional purchase. Opponents say in addition to costing gun owners time and money, the law will send buyers across state lines for ammo, hurting business for sellers in California. Advocates says it’s meant to keep bullets out of the wrong hands. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX BUSINESS APP Hunters in California are also facing new regulations this week. They are now legallyrequired to use non-lead ammunitionor face stiff fines ranging from $500 to $5,000. Advocates say switching to non-toxic ammunition will safeguard hunting families from lead exposure and protect wildlife from illness and in some cases, death. Lead ammunition is still allowed is for target shooting at firing ranges. Related Articles • Here's How You Get a Body Like An Olympian • The Controversial Way Wealthy Americans Are Lowering Estate Taxes • Emmitt Smith Disappointed at NFL For Banning Cowboys Cop Tribute
Are Insiders Selling International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:IBM) Stock? Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! We've lost count of how many times insiders have accumulated shares in a company that goes on to improve markedly. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So before you buy or sellInternational Business Machines Corporation(NYSE:IBM), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling. It's quite normal to see company insiders, such as board members, trading in company stock, from time to time. However, rules govern insider transactions, and certain disclosures are required. Insider transactions are not the most important thing when it comes to long-term investing. But logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. For example, a Harvard Universitystudyfound that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.' See our latest analysis for International Business Machines In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the , Erich Clementi, sold US$1.8m worth of shares at a price of US$139 per share. That means that an insider was selling shares at around the current price of US$138. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take price at a lower price. In this case, the big sale took place at around the current price, so it's not too bad (but it's still not a positive). Happily, we note that in the last year insiders paid US$2.1m for 17964 shares. But insiders sold 39317.67 shares worth US$5.5m. Over the last year we saw more insider selling of International Business Machines shares, than buying. The chart below shows insider transactions (by individuals) over the last year. If you want to know exactly who sold, for how much, and when, simply click on the graph below! For those who like to findwinning investmentsthisfreelist of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. The last quarter saw substantial insider selling of International Business Machines shares. In total, Kenneth Keverian sold US$940k worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. Overall this makes us a bit cautious, but it's not the be all and end all. Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. International Business Machines insiders own about US$106m worth of shares (which is 0.09% of the company). Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders. An insider sold International Business Machines shares recently, but they didn't buy any. And our longer term analysis of insider transactions didn't bring confidence, either. On the plus side, International Business Machines makes money, and is growing profits. The company boasts high insider ownership, but we're a little hesitant, given the history of share sales. Therefore, you should should definitely take a look at thisFREEreport showing analyst forecasts for International Business Machines. Of courseInternational Business Machines may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see thisfreecollection of high quality companies. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Trump lashes out at New York's attorney general and defends his shuttered family foundation President Trump attacked New Yorks attorney general Monday for launching investigations into his companies and charitable foundation, which was forced to close last year. In four successive tweets, Trump accused New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, of using the states attorney general to personally target him and his family. The presidents tweetstorm came months after Attorney General Letitia James launched a probe into the Trump Organizations business dealings. Governor Andrew Cuomo uses his Attorney General as a bludgeoning tool for his own purposes, Trump tweeted. They sue on everything, always in search of a crime. I even got sued on a Foundation which took Zero rent & expenses. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and President Trump (Yahoo News photo Illustration; photos: AP, Getty Images) James tweeted back at Trump on Monday, saying that no one, including the president, is above the law. As the elected AG of NY, I have a sworn duty to protect & uphold state law, James tweeted. My office will follow the facts of any case, wherever they lead. Trump has a bitter history with the attorney generals office of his home state, dating back to his 2016 presidential campaign. The Trump Foundation was forced to dissolve in December 2018 and forgo its remaining assets under court supervision after a two-year investigation into the organization. Then-acting Attorney General Barbara Underwood accused the foundation of functioning as little more than a checkbook for Trumps business and political interests. It is very hard and expensive to live in New York. Governor Andrew Cuomo uses his Attorney General as a bludgeoning tool for his own purposes. They sue on everything, always in search of a crime. I even got sued on a Foundation which took Zero rent & expenses & gave away... Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2019 James made Trump a major focus of her campaign for attorney general, repeatedly threatening to investigate his businesses. Trump tweeted about James in December, saying she had campaigned on a GET TRUMP agenda. Story continues The president defended his shuttered charitable foundation Monday, suggesting that the investigation that led to its closure was a partisan attack. Trump also incorrectly referred to former Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, who resigned in 2018 after sexual assault allegations, as Crooked Hillarys Campaign Chair. The Trump Foundation gave away 100% plus, with Zero rent or expenses charged, and has been being sued by Cuomo and New York State for years - another part of the political Witch Hunt, Trump tweeted. Just in case anyone is interested - Clinton Foundation never even looked at! Thats right, The Trump Foundation gave away 100% plus, with Zero rent or expenses charged, and has been being sued by Cuomo and New York State for years - another part of the political Witch Hunt. Just in case anyone is interested - Clinton Foundation never even looked at! Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 1, 2019 Schneiderman launched the investigation into the Trump Foundation in September 2016, two months before the November election. While Schneiderman was a member of the Clinton campaigns leadership council in New York, he was never her campaign chair. The attorney generals office has rejected Trumps calls for an investigation into the Clinton Foundation. An investigation by the Washington Post found that Trump used the charitys funds to pay legal settlements for private businesses, make an illegal political donation and buy two portraits of Trump himself for a combined $30,000. The foundations largest gift $264,231 to the Central Park Conservancy in 1989 involved the restoration of a fountain outside Trumps Plaza Hotel. Jamess ongoing investigation into the Trump Organization focuses on four projects, including the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., and a failed attempt to buy the Buffalo Bills in 2014. The probe was prompted by testimony by former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, who said that Trump had inflated his assets while seeking loans, the New York Times reported. _____ Read more from Yahoo News: GOP whip Scalise cites Trump accusers bizarre CNN interview in doubting her account Pentagon secretly struck back against Iranian cyberspies targeting U.S. ships Trump admits his Cabinet had 'some clinkers' 'Great Replacement' ideology is spreading hate in U.S. and across the globe How Europe's smallest nations are battling Russia's cyberattacks PHOTOS: Hong Kong protesters take over legislative chambers
3D Printer Stock Put Options Could Triple, Says Signal The 3-D printing concern3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD)has been suffering on the charts after an early May bear gap caused the stock to bottom out at a two-year low of $7.81 in mid-June. While the beginnings of a rally can be seen on the charts, the stock quickly lost steam at its 60-day moving average today. This wouldn't be the first time DDD has run up to this trendline and failed -- and, if history is any indicator, it could mean even more downside for the stock in coming weeks. According to data from Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White, DDD has tested resistance at its 60-day moving average five times over the last three years. The security was positive two weeks later only 20% of the time, and averaged a 14.14% loss. From its current perch at $9.02, a similar move would have DDD shares trading at a new three-year low around $7.74 over the next 10 days. And now is the time to bet on DDD's next leg down with options. 3D Systems' Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 46% is higher than only 3% of all other readings from the past year. This means short-term options players are pricing in relatively low volatility expectations. In the wake of this bearish technical signal for DDD, and assuming the stock's option implied volatilities (IVs) hold around historical two-year averages over the next 10 days, the expected at-the-money put option return over this time frame is 249%. A rejection at trendline resistance could also embolden DDD shorts. The number of shares sold short rose by 4% over the most recent reporting period, and short interest now accounts for 23.3% of the equity's float. With these bears firmly in control, a renewed push to sell into the stock's recent relative strength could translate into additional headwinds for DDD.
Read This Before You Buy Hooker Furniture Corporation (NASDAQ:HOFT) Because Of Its P/E Ratio Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Today, we'll introduce the concept of the P/E ratio for those who are learning about investing. We'll look at Hooker Furniture Corporation's (NASDAQ:HOFT) P/E ratio and reflect on what it tells us about the company's share price. Looking at earnings over the last twelve months,Hooker Furniture has a P/E ratio of 7. That means that at current prices, buyers pay $7 for every $1 in trailing yearly profits. See our latest analysis for Hooker Furniture Theformula for P/Eis: Price to Earnings Ratio = Price per Share ÷ Earnings per Share (EPS) Or for Hooker Furniture: P/E of 7 = $20.62 ÷ $2.94 (Based on the trailing twelve months to May 2019.) A higher P/E ratio means that investors are payinga higher pricefor each $1 of company earnings. All else being equal, it's better to pay a low price -- but as Warren Buffett said, 'It's far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price.' Earnings growth rates have a big influence on P/E ratios. When earnings grow, the 'E' increases, over time. And in that case, the P/E ratio itself will drop rather quickly. And as that P/E ratio drops, the company will look cheap, unless its share price increases. Hooker Furniture increased earnings per share by an impressive 12% over the last twelve months. And earnings per share have improved by 30% annually, over the last five years. So one might expect an above average P/E ratio. We can get an indication of market expectations by looking at the P/E ratio. If you look at the image below, you can see Hooker Furniture has a lower P/E than the average (14) in the consumer durables industry classification. This suggests that market participants think Hooker Furniture will underperform other companies in its industry. Since the market seems unimpressed with Hooker Furniture, it's quite possible it could surprise on the upside. If you consider the stock interesting, further research is recommended. For example, I often monitordirector buying and selling. Don't forget that the P/E ratio considers market capitalization. That means it doesn't take debt or cash into account. In theory, a company can lower its future P/E ratio by using cash or debt to invest in growth. Such expenditure might be good or bad, in the long term, but the point here is that the balance sheet is not reflected by this ratio. Hooker Furniture's net debt is 2.4% of its market cap. It would probably trade on a higher P/E ratio if it had a lot of cash, but I doubt it is having a big impact. Hooker Furniture trades on a P/E ratio of 7, which is below the US market average of 18.1. The company hasn't stretched its balance sheet, and earnings growth was good last year. If it continues to grow, then the current low P/E may prove to be unjustified. Investors have an opportunity when market expectations about a stock are wrong. If the reality for a company is not as bad as the P/E ratio indicates, then the share price should increase as the market realizes this. So thisfreevisualization of the analyst consensus on future earningscould help you make theright decisionabout whether to buy, sell, or hold. You might be able to find a better buy than Hooker Furniture. If you want a selection of possible winners, check out thisfreelist of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20 (but have proven they can grow earnings). We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Can You Imagine How Chuffed iRobot's (NASDAQ:IRBT) Shareholders Feel About Its 164% Share Price Gain? Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! It hasn't been the best quarter foriRobot Corporation(NASDAQ:IRBT) shareholders, since the share price has fallen 23% in that time. But in three years the returns have been great. The share price marched upwards over that time, and is now 164% higher than it was. So the recent fall in the share price should be viewed in that context. The thing to consider is whether the underlying business is doing well enough to support the current price. View our latest analysis for iRobot While markets are a powerful pricing mechanism, share prices reflect investor sentiment, not just underlying business performance. One way to examine how market sentiment has changed over time is to look at the interaction between a company's share price and its earnings per share (EPS). During three years of share price growth, iRobot achieved compound earnings per share growth of 30% per year. In comparison, the 38% per year gain in the share price outpaces the EPS growth. This suggests that, as the business progressed over the last few years, it gained the confidence of market participants. That's not necessarily surprising considering the three-year track record of earnings growth. You can see how EPS has changed over time in the image below (click on the chart to see the exact values). It is of course excellent to see how iRobot has grown profits over the years, but the future is more important for shareholders. Thisfreeinteractive report on iRobot'sbalance sheet strengthis a great place to start, if you want to investigate the stock further. It's nice to see that iRobot shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 21% over the last year. That gain is better than the annual TSR over five years, which is 17%. Therefore it seems like sentiment around the company has been positive lately. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better with time. Before spending more time on iRobotit might be wise to click here to see if insiders have been buying or selling shares. Of course,you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere.So take a peek at thisfreelist of companies we expect will grow earnings. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US exchanges. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Trade Momentum & Chip Suppliers: What You Should Consider President Trump and Chinese President Xi made headway in trade discussions at the G-20 Summit this weekend and US chip suppliers are reaping the benefits. I discussed the implication of Huawei on US chip suppliers and the impact it would have as a concession in my article Huawei Ban’s Affliction on US Tech Stocks I released on Friday. This weekend Huawei was temporarily taken off of the US blacklist, allowing US suppliers to resume business with this smartphone behemoth, boosting US chip stocks. Morning trading has Micron MU up 4.6%, Qualcomm QCOM up 2.2%, Broadcom AVGO up 3.6%, and many other chip stocks surging as depressed Q2 and Q3 expectations for chip suppliers are lifted. The benchmark semiconductor ETF SOXX opened up almost 5% but has traded down this morning to an intraday gain of 2.4%. As you can see below, Q2 has been a volatile time for SOXX and the semi industry. This semiconductor “sugar rush” may be shor- lived and I wouldn’t recommend jumping into these stocks on this news alone. We need to look at the broader implications of the category itself and where it is expected to head in the near future. With or without the trade war, semis are expected to see slow to negative growth over the next year or two with soft tech output expectations. China’s economy is slowing, with China’s GDP growth falling to its lowest levels since 2009 and their manufacturing PMI, a leading economic indicator, has slowed to some of its lowest levels in a decade. Whether we are involved in a trade war with China or not is negligible to the fact that their demand for our chips is likely to slow. Take Away This short-term surge in semis isn’t something to jump out of your chair at, as an investor you need to sit back and look at the broader industry and how you believe it is valued as well as its future expectations. The semiconductor industry has seen a lot of volatility over the last 52 weeks, which comes with the territory, but this industry isn’t cheap. Currently trading at the higher end of its 2-year forward PE. I would wait for Q2 results to be released for more color on both how they have been performing in this shaky quarter and forward guidance from management on this sector. The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of AllLast year, it generated $8 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $47 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >> Click to get this free reportQUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) : Free Stock Analysis ReportBroadcom Inc. (AVGO) : Free Stock Analysis ReportiShares PHLX Semiconductor ETF (SOXX): ETF Research ReportsMicron Technology, Inc. (MU) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research
Does MGM Growth Properties LLC (NYSE:MGP) Have A Place In Your Dividend Stock Portfolio? Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Today we'll take a closer look at MGM Growth Properties LLC (NYSE:MGP) from a dividend investor's perspective. Owning a strong business and reinvesting the dividends is widely seen as an attractive way of growing your wealth. On the other hand, investors have been known to buy a stock because of its yield, and then lose money if the company's dividend doesn't live up to expectations. MGM Growth Properties yields a solid 6.1%, although it has only been paying for three years. It's certainly an attractive yield, but readers are likely curious about its staying power. Some simple analysis can reduce the risk of holding MGM Growth Properties for its dividend, and we'll focus on the most important aspects below. Click the interactive chart for our full dividend analysis Dividends are usually paid out of company earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Comparing dividend payments to a company's net profit after tax is a simple way of reality-checking whether a dividend is sustainable. In the last year, MGM Growth Properties paid out 103% of its profit as dividends. A payout ratio above 100% is definitely an item of concern, unless there are some other circumstances that would justify it. In addition to comparing dividends against profits, we should inspect whether the company generated enough cash to pay its dividend. Unfortunately, while MGM Growth Properties pays a dividend, it also reported negative free cash flow last year. While there may be a good reason for this, it's not ideal from a dividend perspective. As MGM Growth Properties has a meaningful amount of debt, we need to check its balance sheet to see if the company might have debt risks. A quick check of its financial situation can be done with two ratios: net debt divided by EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation), and net interest cover. Net debt to EBITDA is a measure of a company's total debt. Net interest cover measures the ability to meet interest payments. Essentially we check that a) the company does not have too much debt, and b) that it can afford to pay the interest. With net debt of 6.19 times its EBITDA, MGM Growth Properties could be described as a highly leveraged company. While some companies can handle this level of leverage, we'd be concerned about the dividend sustainability if there was any risk of an earnings downturn. We calculated its interest cover by measuring its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT), and dividing this by the company's net interest expense. Interest cover of 2.23 times its interest expense is starting to become a concern for MGM Growth Properties, and be aware that lenders may place additional restrictions on the company as well. High debt and weak interest cover are not a great combo, and we would be cautious of relying on this company's dividend while these metrics persist. Consider gettingour latest analysis on MGM Growth Properties's financial position here. From the perspective of an income investor who wants to earn dividends for many years, there is not much point buying a stock if its dividend is regularly cut or is not reliable. During the past three-year period, the first annual payment was US$1.43 in 2016, compared to US$1.87 last year. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 9.4% a year over that time. The dividend has been growing at a reasonable rate, which we like. We're conscious though that one of the best ways to detect a multi-decade consistent dividend-payer, is to watch a company pay dividends for 20 years - a distinction MGM Growth Properties has not achieved yet. Examining whether the dividend is affordable and stable is important. However, it's also important to assess if earnings per share (EPS) are growing. Over the long term, dividends need to grow at or above the rate of inflation, in order to maintain the recipient's purchasing power. It's good to see MGM Growth Properties has been growing its earnings per share at 35% a year over the past 3 years. Earnings per share have been growing very rapidly, although the company is also paying out virtually all of its profit in dividends. Generally, a company that is growing rapidly while paying out a majority of its earnings, is seeing its debt burden increase. We'd be conscious of any extra risk added by this practice. We'd also point out that MGM Growth Properties issued a meaningful number of new shares in the past year. Trying to grow the dividend when issuing new shares reminds us of the ancient Greek tale of Sisyphus - perpetually pushing a boulder uphill. Companies that consistently issue new shares are often suboptimal from a dividend perspective. Dividend investors should always want to know if a) a company's dividends are affordable, b) if there is a track record of consistent payments, and c) if the dividend is capable of growing. MGM Growth Properties paid out almost all of its cash flow and profit as dividends, leaving little to reinvest in the business. Next, earnings growth has been good, but unfortunately the company has not been paying dividends as long as we'd like. With this information in mind, we think MGM Growth Properties may not be an ideal dividend stock. Companies that are growing earnings tend to be the best dividend stocks over the long term. See what the 10 analysts we track are forecasting for MGM Growth Propertiesfor freewith publicanalyst estimates for the company. Looking for more high-yielding dividend ideas? Try ourcurated list of dividend stocks with a yield above 3%. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says migrant women told to 'drink out of toilets' and subjected to 'psychological warfare', after detention centre visit Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has described the living conditions inside a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detention centre in Texas, saying migrants are “drinking out of toilets” and describing officers using “psychological warfare” to intimidate and torture detainees. Ms Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive New York congresswoman, has repeatedly railed on US immigration detention programmes that she compares to concentration camps within the United States. In a series of tweets, Ms Ocasio-Cortez described the living conditions she saw, and said that officers were “physically & sexually threatening” towards her during her visit. “Officers were keeping women in cells [with] no water & had told them to drink out of toilets,” Ms Ocasio-Cortez said. “This was them on their GOOD behaviour in front of members of Congress,” she added. She continued, saying that she had to force her way into one of the cells to speak with migrant women. “After I forced myself into a cell [with] women & began speaking to them, one of them described their treatment at the hands of officers as ‘psychological warfare’ — waking them at odd hours for no reason, calling them wh*res, etc. Tell me what about that is due to a ‘lack of funding?’” She is now headed to Clint, Texas, one of the child detention centres that has become notorious in recent weeks for denying children toothpaste and soap. “This has been horrifying so far,” Ms Ocasio-Cortez wrote. “It is hard to understate the enormity of the problem. We’re talking systemic cruelty [with] a dehumanizing culture that treats them like animals.” A request or comment from The Independent was not immediately returned by CBP. View comments
Top Analyst Reports for Verizon, McDonald's & Lockheed Martin Monday, July 1, 2019 The Zacks Research Daily presents the best research output of our analyst team. Today's Research Daily features new research reports on 16 major stocks, including Verizon (VZ), McDonald’s (MCD) and Lockheed Martin (LMT). These research reports have been hand-picked from the roughly 70 reports published by our analyst team today. You can seeall oftoday’s research reports here >>> Verizon’s shares have gained +13.3% in the past year, outperforming the Zacks Wireless National industry’s increase of +8.7% during the same period. The Zacks analyst thinks that Verizon is well positioned to benefit from the impending 5G boom, driven by healthy traction in the wireless business. The telecom giant is seeking first mover advantage in the 5G race with the launch of commercial 5G smartphones, in collaboration with Samsung. Focus on online content delivery, mobile video and online advertising will likely drive future growth. Furthermore, the company has upped the ante against its rivals by launching 5G Ultra Wideband network in Chicago, Minneapolis, and in select locations of Denver and Providence. However, it continues to struggle in a competitive U.S. wireless market. The company's wireline division is struggling with losses in access lines due to competitive pressure from VoIP service providers. Verizon is spending heavily on promotion and lucrative discounts to woo customers, which weighs on its margins. (You canread the full research report on Verizon here >>>). Shares ofMcDonald’shave gained +10.2% in the past three months, outperforming the Zacks Restaurants industry, which has increased +8.7% over the same period. The Zacks analyst thinks that its various sales and digital initiatives as well as positive comparable sales bode well. Furthermore, global comps at McDonald’s have been positive over the trailing 15 quarters. The company’s increased focus on delivery and accelerated deployment of Experience of the Future restaurants in the United States should boost its performance. These apart, efforts to drive growth in international markets are encouraging. However, high labor costs and currency headwinds remain concerns. Additionally, revenues have been under pressure for quite some time due to strategic refranchising initiatives. Even its heightened focus on refranchising might reduce capital requirements and facilitate EPS growth. McDonald’s margins have been under pressure. (You canread the full research report on McDonald’s here >>>). Lockheed Martin’s shares have gained +21.5% in the past year, outperforming the Zacks Aerospace Defense industry which has gained +8.4% over the same period. The Zacks analyst thinks that Lockheed Martin, being the largest defense contractor in the world, enjoys strong demand for its high-end military equipment in domestic and international markets. As a result, solid order growth has been a key catalyst for the company. F-35 continues to be a major revenue contributor. Of late, the company is witnessing increased demand for its THAAD missiles from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However, the company’s higher debt-to-equity ratio shows that the stock is highly leveraged when compared to its industry, and thus bears higher chance of insolvency. Lockheed Martin also faces intense global competition for its broad portfolio of products and services. Higher cost expenditure related to the F-35 program may also hurt growth trajectory. (You canread the full research report on Lockheed Martin here >>>). Other noteworthy reports we are featuring today include 3M (MMM), Capital One (COF) and Dollar Tree (DLTR). The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All Last year, it generated $8 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $47 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early. See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >> Mark VickerySenior Editor Note: Sheraz Mian heads the Zacks Equity Research department and is a well-regarded expert of aggregate earnings. He is frequently quoted in the print and electronic media and publishes the weeklyEarnings TrendsandEarnings Previewreports. If you want an email notification each time Sheraz publishes a new article, pleaseclick here>>> Verizon (VZ) Rides on 5G Ultra Wideband Network Amid Rivalry McDonald's (MCD) Robust Comps Growth to Drive Performance Stiff Competition, F-35 Program Costs Hurt Lockheed (LMT) Card Focus, Loans Aid Capital One (COF), Asset Quality a Woe Per the Zacks analyst, focus on credit card and online banking businesses, solid loan growth and strong balance sheet aid Capital One. Yet, worsening asset quality and higher costs are major concerns. Dollar Tree's (DLTR) Impressive Comps Trend to Aid Growth Per the Zacks analyst, continued growth in comps is likely to aid the company's top and bottom lines. Loan Growth Supports M&T Bank (MTB), Rising Costs a Woe Per the Zacks analyst, M&T Bank's increasing loans and deposits balances will get a further boost from improving economy. McCormick's (MKC) CCI Program to Continue Boosting Savings Per the Zacks analyst, McCormick's bottom line is gaining from cost savings from the Continuous Improvement (CCI) program. Robust Wireless Growth Benefits Shaw Communications (SJR) Per the Zacks analyst, Shaw Communications' Wireless business is benefiting from higher subscriber growth and an improvement in average revenue per unit (ARPU). Fleet Upgrade Buoys Air Lease (AL) Amid Debt Woes The Zacks analyst likes the company's efforts to upgrade its fleet. Efforts to reward shareholders are encouraging too. Strategic Efforts to Boost DICK'S Sporting (DKS) Market Share Per the Zacks analyst, DICK'S Sporting has been making continuous investments in e-commerce, stores and payroll, Team Sports HQ and private brands, which is likely to boost market share growth. Solid Mortgage Insurance Business Aids Arch Capital (ACGL) Per the Zacks analyst, Arch Capital is poised to grow on expanding U.S. Mortgage Insurance business, strong premium growth, compelling product portfolio, strategic buyouts and robust capital position. Health Care Products Aid Fresenius (FMS) Amid Competition Fresenius continues to gain from its core Health Care Products segment. The Zacks analyst is however apprehensive about the competitive dialysis market. Dividends, Buybacks & Fleet Upgrade Buoy SkyWest (SKYW) The Zacks analyst appreciates the company's efforts to reward shareholders. Efforts to modernize its fleet are also encouraging. Rising Operating Expenses Hurt 3M (MMM) Per the Zacks analyst, 3M's revenue growth is being dampened by a rise in operating expenses due to inflation in the prices of major inputs & high interest expenses, which is hurting its bottom line. Weak Home Unit & Tariffs Pose Concerns for Kohl's (KSS) Per the Zacks analyst, home category weakness and adverse weather conditions are a hurdle for Kohl's store sales. These factors and negative impacts of tariffs are likely to dent fiscal 2019 results. High Debt & Pricing Pressures Hurt Western Digital (WDC) Per the Zacks analyst, a declining trend in PC shipments, sluggishness in client compute hard drives demand, ballooning debt levels and stiff competition are key negatives. undefinedundefinedVerizon Communications Inc. (VZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report3M Company (MMM) : Free Stock Analysis ReportMcDonald's Corporation (MCD) : Free Stock Analysis ReportLockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) : Free Stock Analysis ReportDollar Tree, Inc. (DLTR) : Free Stock Analysis ReportCapital One Financial Corporation (COF) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research
A Look At iRobot Corporation's (NASDAQ:IRBT) Exceptional Fundamentals Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Building up an investment case requires looking at a stock holistically. Today I've chosen to put the spotlight on iRobot Corporation (NASDAQ:IRBT) due to its excellent fundamentals in more than one area. IRBT is a company with great financial health as well as a an impressive history of performance. Below, I've touched on some key aspects you should know on a high level. If you're interested in understanding beyond my broad commentary, take a look at thereport on iRobot here. IRBT delivered a bottom-line expansion of 64% in the prior year, with its most recent earnings level surpassing its average level over the last five years. Not only did IRBT outperformed its past performance, its growth also surpassed the Consumer Durables industry expansion, which generated a 19% earnings growth. This paints a buoyant picture for the company. IRBT is financially robust, with ample cash on hand and short-term investments to meet upcoming liabilities. This suggests prudent control over cash and cost by management, which is an important determinant of the company’s health. Looking at IRBT's capital structure, the company has no debt on its balance sheet. This means it is running its business only on equity capital funding, which is rather impressive for a US$2.6b market cap company. Investors’ risk associated with debt is virtually non-existent and the company has plenty of headroom to grow debt in the future, should the need arise. For iRobot, there are three important aspects you should further examine: 1. Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for IRBT’s future growth? Take a look at ourfree research report of analyst consensusfor IRBT’s outlook. 2. Valuation: What is IRBT worth today? Is the stock undervalued, even when its growth outlook is factored into its intrinsic value? Theintrinsic value infographic in our free research reporthelps visualize whether IRBT is currently mispriced by the market. 3. Other Attractive Alternatives: Are there other well-rounded stocks you could be holding instead of IRBT? Exploreour interactive list of stocks with large potentialto get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
'Sons Of Anarchy': What Do All The Patches On Their Jackets Mean? There is a LOT of motorcycle club lore in "Sons Of Anarchy," but what does some of the symbolism signify, exactly? We all know SAMCRO stands for Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club Redwood Original, but others are more complicated. Here's a rundown of what some of the patches actually mean. Ace of Spades Patch A patch resembling this playing card means a person has off'd someone, as in a contract killing. Skulls and Grim Reaper Patches Sporting these symbols and other images that conjure up death are mostly used to intimidate. But in some cases this Nazi-invoking symbolism could refer to a white supremacy club. Avoiding RICO In the show, there are characters who use a rocker (curved patch) that will say "nomad," which means they're part of the Sons but not affiliated with any one town. This can also be used as a way to get around RICO prosecutions by allowing the member to claim they aren't actually part of the specific club being charged. What In the Sam-Hell "Prospects" are riders that aren't full members yet. Wearing SAMCRO patches underneath your arm means you're in a special group within the club, while having something that says "Man of Mayhem" or "MoM, means you commit "supreme violence." Men-Only Women can't wear SAMCRO logos or cuts, just something that says "Property of," since in real motorcycle club women basically have no say. Lucky Number 13 One big Outlaw Motorcycle Gang (OMG) thing to wear is the number 13. As the 13th letter of the alphabet, "M" here can mean methamphetamine or marijuana, and that they have it for sale. "M" can also mean murder, so that's fun. 1% The diamond "one percenter" patch is worn to show that a member is not part of the 99 percent of motorcycle riders are who are law-abiding citizens. Military Patches Many motorcycle club members wear military patches to show their service. In the show, Clay wears paratrooper wings.
Tesla's Q2 Delivery Number Could Cause A Big Move This week will bring some of the most important news in what has been a disastrous year forTesla, Inc(NASDAQ:TSLA) investors. Investors have gotten mixed signals about what to expect when Tesla reports second-quarter vehicle deliveries this week, but the number certainly has the potential to generate a major move in Tesla’s shares one way or the other. Despite major struggles with hitting its targets in recent quarters, Tesla reaffirmed its guidance for between 90,000 and 100,000 vehicle deliveries in the second quarter back on May 3. Since that time, aleaked emailfrom CEO Elon Musk last week indicated the company was “on track to set an all-time record, but it will be very close.” Tesla’s record for quarterly deliveries is 90,700 in the fourth quarter of 2018, suggesting second-quarter deliveries will be nowhere close to the 95,000 midpoint of the company’s guidance range. Tesla Skeptics Some analysts are skeptical Tesla even made it to 90,000. On June 26, Wedbush analystDaniel Ivesreduced his second-quarter deliveries estimate from 88,000 to 84,000. Investors shouldn’t underappreciate the importance of this week’s number, he said. “In order to get back on the yellow brick road to profitability in 2H19/FY20, Tesla needs to catalyze demand in the US and see Europe Model 3 success over the coming quarters, coupled by cost cutting initiatives, with next week's delivery numbers announcement (likely next week) an important potential first step on this road to recovery,” the analyst said. Ives is also skeptical of Tesla’s full-year vehicle demand guidance of between 360,000 and 400,000 units; he said investors should consider at least 275,000 Model 3 deliveries in 2019 a success. Tesla Optimists Ives is not alone in his low expectations for the second quarter: the consensus analyst estimates for Tesla deliveries has now fallen to 84,000. Some analysts are still expecting Tesla to surprise to the upside. JMP Securities analystJoseph Oshasaid Monday that he expects 97,000 Tesla deliveries, driven by better-than-expected Model 3 numbers. “We believe that quarter-to-date registration data strongly support our case that Model 3 deliveries in the U.S. should exceed 40,000 units in the second quarter, and our estimate stands at 43,000," the analyst said. Looking ahead, JMP is calling for third- and fourth-quarter Tesla deliveries of 107,500 and 111,400, respectively. Big Move Ahead Tesla is one of the largest and most popular shorts on Wall Street, and rising borrow costs suggest short sellers are digging in ahead of the deliveries number. TD Ameritrade senior trading specialist Shawn Cruz told Benzinga that Tesla traders should hold on tight this week. "With these production numbers coming up, 90,000 seems to be the number everyone's fixated on. If they come in with 95,000 or 100,000, you’ll see Tesla shoot up potentially to $260," he said. "But you’re also going to have a lot of short covering out there. They’ll immediately cover if you get a surprise beat in that number." The options market is currently pricing in a $17 move for Tesla stock in either direction this week, roughly a 7.4% change based on Monday’s trading price. Cruz said a 7.4% move is likely on the low side. Tesla stock has rallied off of its lows in the weeks heading into the deliveries report, but shares remain down 33.3% overall in the past year. The stock traded around $226.64 at time of publication Monday afternoon. JMP has a Market Outperform rating on Tesla with a $347 price target. Wedbush has a Neutral rating and $230 price target. Related Links: Credit Suisse Initiates Tesla At Underperform, Says Company Compares 'Most Appropriately' To Volkswagen Wedbush Lowers Tesla Q2 Delivery Estimate Photo courtesy of Tesla. Latest Ratings for TSLA [{"Jul 2019": "Jun 2019", "": "", "Reiterates": "Maintains", "Market Outperform": "Sell"}, {"Jul 2019": "Jun 2019", "": "", "Reiterates": "Initiates Coverage On", "Market Outperform": "Underperform"}] View More Analyst Ratings for TSLAView the Latest Analyst Ratings See more from Benzinga • Wedbush Lowers Tesla Q2 Delivery Estimate • Morgan Stanley Says The Market Is Underappreciating Tesla's AV Business © 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
What Kind Of Shareholder Owns Most Napco Security Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:NSSC) Stock? Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! The big shareholder groups in Napco Security Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:NSSC) have power over the company. Insiders often own a large chunk of younger, smaller, companies while huge companies tend to have institutions as shareholders. I quite like to see at least a little bit of insider ownership. As Charlie Munger said 'Show me the incentive and I will show you the outcome.' With a market capitalization of US$548m, Napco Security Technologies is a small cap stock, so it might not be well known by many institutional investors. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it's seems that institutional investors have bought into the company. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholder can tell us about NSSC. View our latest analysis for Napco Security Technologies Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices. As you can see, institutional investors own 41% of Napco Security Technologies. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone, since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. If multiple institutions change their view on a stock at the same time, you could see the share price drop fast. It's therefore worth looking at Napco Security Technologies's earnings history, below. Of course, the future is what really matters. Our data indicates that hedge funds own 5.5% of Napco Security Technologies. That worth noting, since hedge funds are often quite active investors, who may try to influence management. Many want to see value creation (and a higher share price) in the short term or medium term. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future. The definition of company insiders can be subjective, and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO. Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group. Our information suggests that insiders maintain a significant holding in Napco Security Technologies, Inc.. Insiders own US$207m worth of shares in the US$548m company. This may suggest that the founders still own a lot of shares. You canclick here to see if they have been buying or selling. The general public, with a 16% stake in the company, will not easily be ignored. This size of ownership, while considerable, may not be enough to change company policy if the decision is not in sync with other large shareholders. It's always worth thinking about the different groups who own shares in a company. But to understand Napco Security Technologies better, we need to consider many other factors. Many find it usefulto take an in depth look at how a company has performed in the past. You can accessthisdetailed graphof past earnings, revenue and cash flow. If you would prefer discover what analysts are predicting in terms of future growth, do not miss thisfreereport on analyst forecasts. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Prince Harry Paid Tribute to Meghan Markle's Canadian Home in the Most Special Way Click here to read the full article. Today’s a special day for Canadian residents, Canada Day, and several prominent personalities are taking to social media to celebrate it. Prince Harry’s tribute to Meghan Markle’s Canadian home is one example. The Duke of Sussex took to Instagram with a special slideshow of photos in honor of his wife’s former stomping grounds. In a post on the couple’s official Instagram channel, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remarked that “Canada is a very special place for both [of us]. The Duke has been fortunate to visit the country several times throughout his life, including as a young child and most recently for the Invictus Games in 2017, where the now Duchess joined him to lend her support. The Duchess lived and worked in Toronto for many years and also spoke at the One Young World Summit held in Ottawa.” Markle lived in Toronto throughout her tenure on the USA Network series, Suits . Related stories Prince Harry Apparently Envied Prince William -- But It's Not for the Reason You Think Why Serena Williams Won't Give Parenting Advice to Meghan Markle Meghan Markle & Prince Harry Have Gone Through 3 Nannies for Baby Archie View this post on Instagram Happy Canada Day! Heureuse Fête du Canada! 🇨🇦 🍁 Canada is a very special place for both The Duke and Duchess. The Duke has been fortunate to visit the country several times throughout his life, including as a young child and most recently for the Invictus Games in 2017, where the now Duchess joined him to lend her support. The Duchess lived and worked in Toronto for many years and also spoke at the One Young World Summit held in Ottawa. Earlier this year Their Royal Highnesses attended an event at Canada House in London to mark Commonwealth Day where they had the chance to meet many young Canadians doing great work here in the UK and around the world. Their Royal Highnesses have always been touched by the warmth, friendliness and hospitality of the Canadian people. They hope to be able to visit again as a family, and they send their great thanks to all of the kind Canadians who have sent such special gifts for Archie! We hope you enjoy celebrating Canada Day with your family and friends! A post shared by The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (@sussexroyal) on Jul 1, 2019 at 4:51am PDT The post’s photos include images of the couple’s visit to Canada House in London, Meghan and Harry at the Invictus Games in 2017, and Harry holding a Canadian flag with a young well wisher. The couple went on to praise the Canadian people for their special welcome to them and their newborn, Archie. “Their Royal Highnesses have always been touched by the warmth, friendliness and hospitality of the Canadian people. They hope to be able to visit again as a family, and they send their great thanks to all of the kind Canadians who have sent such special gifts for Archie!” Though there have been rumors of the couple feuding with nearly everyone in the royal family, it’s great to see the couple share their memories of how a holiday, like Canada Day holds such personal meaning. The first time Prince William’s daughter, Charlotte, went on a royal tour was to Canada so maybe we’ll see baby Archie hit up the country soon. Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter . For the latest news, follow us on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .
Should You Be Excited About Napco Security Technologies, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:NSSC) 17% Return On Equity? Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Many investors are still learning about the various metrics that can be useful when analysing a stock. This article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE). By way of learning-by-doing, we'll look at ROE to gain a better understanding of Napco Security Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:NSSC). Napco Security Technologies has a ROE of 17%, based on the last twelve months. Another way to think of that is that for every $1 worth of equity in the company, it was able to earn $0.17. View our latest analysis for Napco Security Technologies Theformula for ROEis: Return on Equity = Net Profit ÷ Shareholders' Equity Or for Napco Security Technologies: 17% = US$11m ÷ US$66m (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2019.) It's easy to understand the 'net profit' part of that equation, but 'shareholders' equity' requires further explanation. It is all the money paid into the company from shareholders, plus any earnings retained. The easiest way to calculate shareholders' equity is to subtract the company's total liabilities from the total assets. ROE looks at the amount a company earns relative to the money it has kept within the business. The 'return' is the profit over the last twelve months. That means that the higher the ROE, the more profitable the company is. So, as a general rule,a high ROE is a good thing. That means it can be interesting to compare the ROE of different companies. Arguably the easiest way to assess company's ROE is to compare it with the average in its industry. Importantly, this is far from a perfect measure, because companies differ significantly within the same industry classification. As you can see in the graphic below, Napco Security Technologies has a higher ROE than the average (12%) in the Electronic industry. That is a good sign. We think a high ROE, alone, is usually enough to justify further research into a company. For example,I often check if insiders have been buying shares. Most companies need money -- from somewhere -- to grow their profits. The cash for investment can come from prior year profits (retained earnings), issuing new shares, or borrowing. In the first two cases, the ROE will capture this use of capital to grow. In the latter case, the debt required for growth will boost returns, but will not impact the shareholders' equity. Thus the use of debt can improve ROE, albeit along with extra risk in the case of stormy weather, metaphorically speaking. Napco Security Technologies is free of net debt, which is a positive for shareholders. Its respectable ROE suggests it is a business worth watching, but it's even better the company achieved this without leverage. At the end of the day, when a company has zero debt, it is in a better position to take future growth opportunities. Return on equity is a useful indicator of the ability of a business to generate profits and return them to shareholders. In my book the highest quality companies have high return on equity, despite low debt. All else being equal, a higher ROE is better. But ROE is just one piece of a bigger puzzle, since high quality businesses often trade on high multiples of earnings. It is important to consider other factors, such as future profit growth -- and how much investment is required going forward. So you might want to check this FREEvisualization of analyst forecasts for the company. If you would prefer check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss thisfreelist of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
5 Ways to Save Money Your First Year Out of College Saving money as a new grad isn’t easy -- but it can be done. Here are five easy ways you can add to your savings account.Image source: Getty Images Your first post-college year can be a tricky one. You must navigate life as a working adult, but you’ll probably be tackling yourstudent debton an entry-level salary, too. That may not seem like a winning formula for boosting your savings, but if you commit to building some cash reserves, you’ll be surprised at how easily you can meet that goal. Here are a few things you can do to save when you’re first starting out: It’s hard to save money when you have no idea where yours is going month after month. That’s why having abudgetis crucial. Start by listing your recurring monthly expenses, like your • rent payment, • student loan payment, • food, • healthcare, • clothing, • utilities, and • anything else you pay for regularly. Then factor in once-a-year expenses to ensure that you’re saving for them month after month. Finally, compare your total spending to your take-home pay. If there’s money left over for savings, you’re in good shape. If not, you’ll need to trim some other expenses to eke out cash. Living with your parents might seem like a step backward socially -- and even emotionally. But it’s a great way tosave moneywhen you’re first starting out in the workforce. If your parents don’t charge you rent, the money you save could go into asavings account. It’ll earn interest and be there for you when you need it. Living at home may not seem like a good long-term arrangement. But doing it for even a year after college could really help your savings efforts. Working a full-time job is hard enough, so the idea of getting a second one may not be appealing. But the money you earn from a side hustle is yours to use as you choose. You’ll have the option to save every extra penny you bring in. And your second job doesn’t have to be a dull one. You can take a hobby you enjoy and turn it into a money-maker or even explore a different field you’re interested in. Save money by not throwing money away on credit card interest. If you manage to stay out ofcredit card debt, you won’t have a portion of your income monopolized by a monthly payment, and you won’t rack up interest. If you’re going to use a credit card, make sure you pay off your balance in full every month by the time it comes due. If you don’t trust yourself to do so, you may be better off sticking to cash. It’s hard to spend money you don’t know you have. One final way to ramp up your savings game after college is to automate the process. Arrange for a portion of each paycheck to be sent directly into savings so it never lands in yourchecking account. This way you’ll remove the temptation to blow that cash. Saving money out of college is a challenge, to say the least. But there’s good news. You can use numerous tricks to boost your personal cash reserves, and once you do, you’ll be happier for it. The Motley Fool owns and recommends MasterCard and Visa, and recommends American Express. We’re firm believers in the Golden Rule. If we wouldn’t recommend an offer to a close family member, we wouldn’t recommend it on The Ascent either. Our number one goal is helping people find the best offers to improve their finances. That is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.
Gremlins Animated Prequel Ordered to Series at WarnerMedia Streaming Click here to read the full article. The Gremlins animated series is officially moving forward at the WarnerMedia streaming service. The series, which Variety exclusively reported back in February, will be titled Gremlins : Secrets of the Mogwai. Set in 1920s Shanghai, the series will tell the story of how 10-year-old Sam Wing (future shop owner Mr. Wing in the 1984 movie) met the young Mogwai called Gizmo. Along with a teenage street thief named Elle, Sam and Gizmo take a perilous journey through the Chinese countryside, encountering, and sometimes battling, colorful monsters and spirits from Chinese folklore. On their quest to return Gizmo to his family and uncover a legendary treasure, they are pursued by a power-hungry industrialist and his growing army of evil Gremlins. Related stories WarnerMedia's Upfront Driven By Digital Video, Not Traditional TV Kaley Cuoco Signs New Overall Deal With Warner Bros. TV, Boards WarnerMedia Series 'Maniac' Creator to Helm 'Made for Love,' 'Station Eleven' for WarnerMedia The half-hour series has received a 10-episode order at the streamer. Tze Chun will write the series and serve as co-executive producer. Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey of Amblin Television will executive produce along with Sam Register. Brendan Hay will also co-executive produce with Dan Krall serving as supervising producer. Amblin will produce in association with Warner Bros. Animation. The first Gremlins film was released in 1984. Directed by Joe Dante and written by Chris Columbus, the film was a major box office success. It went on to gross over $153 million worldwide on a reported budget of $11 million. A sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch, was released in 1990 with Dante returning to direct. News of the series order comes as WarnerMedia continues to bulk up its originals lineup for its yet-to-be-named streaming service. Earlier on Monday it was announced that the Kaley Cuoco-led drama series The Flight Attendant has landed at the service , while last week it was announced that Maniac creator Patrick Somerville has signed on to run two new series for WarnerMedia as well. Other projects already ordered for the nascent streamer include Dune: The Sisterhood, Tokyo Vice starring Ansel Elgort, and Love Life starring Anna Kendrick with Paul Feig executive producing. Sign up for Varietys Newsletter . For the latest news, follow us on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .
CORRECTED-Constitutionality of $16 billion of Illinois bonds challenged (Corrects to reflect that a petition to file a lawsuit was filed, instead of an actual lawsuit, paragraphs 1, 2 and 4) By Karen Pierog CHICAGO, July 1 (Reuters) - The sale of $10 billion of general obligation bonds in 2003 and $6 billion in 2017 by Illinois was unconstitutional because the proceeds were used for loans to the state's pension funds or to finance budget deficits, according to a court filing on Monday. A petition to file a taxpayer complaint against Illinois' governor, comptroller and treasurer was filed in Sangamon County District Court seeking to stop $20 billion of future state payments, including interest, on $14.5 billion of the debt that remains outstanding. Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker's office said the lawsuit was without merit. The petition said Illinois' constitution permits the issuance of long-term debt only to fund "specific purposes" like capital improvements. "Simply obtaining cash to finance the state's structural deficits or to speculate in the market is not a 'specific purpose,'" it said. The pending lawsuit also cites Illinois' credit ratings, the lowest among U.S. states at a notch or two above junk, and an "unsustainable" debt burden that includes a $133.5 billion unfunded pension liability. A spokeswoman for Democrat Pritzker, who took office in January, said several layers of lawyers signed off on the bonds' legality. "This is simply a new tactic from the extreme right to interfere in capital markets. We’re done with the far right’s dangerous financial games to pull Illinois underwater," spokeswoman Emily Bittner said, adding the lawsuit "is not worth the paper it’s written on." John Tillman, CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute, a conservative think tank, is the taxpayer plaintiff, while New York-based investment firm Warlander Asset Management is suing as an owner of $25 million of other Illinois bonds the lawsuit claims are at risk of default because of the payments on the "unconstitutional" debt. Illinois used proceeds from the 2003 taxable bond sale for its underfunded employees retirement system. The lawsuit claims most of the money was a loan to the pension funds to boost their investment income. Money from the 2017 bonds was used to pay overdue bills that had reached a record-high $16.67 billion as a result of a two-year state budget impasse. About $9 billion of the 2003 bonds mature in 2023 and 2033 and $5.5 billion of the 2017 bonds are due between 2020 and 2029. The constitutionality of GO bonds is also being challenged in Puerto Rico's bankruptcy. The U.S. commonwealth's federally created oversight board is trying to invalidate over $6 billion of debt, claiming its issuance violated debt limits in the island's constitution. (Reporting by Karen Pierog in Chicago Editing by Matthew Lewis)
What to know about the huge losses of Antarctic sea ice The giant donut of ice encircling Antarctica is volatile. This ring of sea ice around the continent — which grows each winter and largely melts each summer — had been gradually increasing in size for 36 years, since reliable satellite measurements came online in 1979. But in late 2014, things changed dramatically. Between 2014 and 2017, the average sea ice extent plummeted, each year losing an area of ice (280,000 square miles) larger than the size of France. "It’s just a huge decrease," marveled NASA scientist Claire Parkinson, who for over 40 years has used satellites to track sea ice trends in Earth’s frigid polar worlds. On Monday, Parkinson published a new, comprehensive analysis of Antarctic sea ice in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences . The research emphasizes how unpredictable the floating ice around Antarctica can be, and perhaps more so, raises questions about what’s driving the change. The sudden drop, after years of consistent growth, seems puzzling. "I can assure you it’s been puzzling for the scientists also," said Parkinson. Polar scientists are now investigating conditions in the ocean and atmosphere that could be responsible for the diminished ice. But the big takeaway, emphasized Walt Meier, a senior research scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center, is that the recent drop off shows Antarctic sea ice is prone to some immense swings in growth and loss. "The Antarctic is more variable than previously thought (or at least previously seen in the satellite record)," Meier, who had no involvement in the research, said over email. In 2014, Antarctic sea ice exceeded 20 million square kilometers for the first time in the satellite record. Image: NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio / Cindy Starr Though, however notable Antarctica's sea ice loss has been since 2014, it’s nothing like what’s going on in the melting Arctic — home to the most rapidly warming and changing region on Earth. "[The study] definitely shouldn’t be read as the Antarctic suddenly showing a larger change than the Arctic," said Meier. "The Arctic sea ice environment has in many ways been completely transformed." Story continues Stoked by warming oceans and air, Arctic sea ice is plunging to historic lows. "The 12 lowest extents in the satellite record have occurred in the last 12 years," NOAA's 2018 Arctic report underscored . Meier has studied some of the earliest satellite imagery of Antarctica, from the 1960s. Though the old pictures are of lower quality and incomplete compared to modern satellite records, it does paint a picture of a highly variable Antarctic — similar to what Parkinson has recently observed. There were almost certainly giant swings in the Antarctic sea ice some 60 years ago, with a big drop comparable to that occurring in recent years, he noted. "In the Antarctic, it’s basically the same old story, with some fireworks (apropos for the [July 4] holiday I suppose) in recent years," Meier added. In early March 2017, Antarctic sea ice melted to its lowest yearly minimum in the satellite record. Image: NASA Goddard's Scientific Visualization Studio / L. Perkins What’s driving the changes? It’s a compelling question. And it’s not so easily answered. The Antarctic region is objectively a vastly different and more complicated region that the Arctic — which unlike the Southern Ocean doesn’t have a massive, frozen continent sitting in the middle of its pole. Also, Antarctic oceans aren’t bound by big land masses — namely Alaska, Canada, and Siberia — like the Arctic. This leaves Antarctic sea ice all the more exposed to natural changes in circulating ocean and atmospheric conditions. "It’s more complex," explained Ethan Campbell, a University of Washington Ph.D. student in physical oceanography who researches Antarctic ice. Campbell had no role in the NASA study. On left, Antarctic sea ice during the season's maximum in September 2018, versus the seasonal summer melting shown by December 2018 (right). Image: Claire L. Parkinson / Nick DiGirolamo / NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Polar scientists have long been working to unravel the complexity. "There has been a lot of speculation about what could conceivably have been causing, for decades, an overall increase in sea ice in the Southern Ocean — but there wasn’t ever a consensus viewpoint," said NASA’s Parkinson. Now, after the abrupt reversal of ice growth, researchers have the opportunity to better examine what forces could drive such sustained ice increases, followed by such big losses, she explained. One thing, however, is more certain. In stark contrast to the Arctic , it’s much too soon to say whether global warming is at fault. "Anyone who speculates conclusively that the new downward trends are related to climate change are far overstating the understanding we have," noted Campbell. Antarctic sea ice on June 27, 2019. Image: nasa Goddard Space Flight Center Scientists have proposed a number of ideas, noted Parkinson, linking ice losses to prominent El Niño events, longer-term temperature trends in the Pacific Ocean, the ozone hole over Antarctica, and shifts in atmospheric circulations over Antarctic seas. There is evidence that big Antarctic ice losses, at least in 2016, were stoked by the El Niño warming of tropical waters, which were then related to warmer seas around parts of Antarctica, explained Campbell. But to really solve the conundrum, polar scientists must keep vigilantly watching the dynamic Antarctic. "We need sustained observations of the ocean," emphasized Campbell. "We need to continue the ice record." SEE ALSO: Scorching France just smashed its temperature record For the past 40 years, Parkinson has used both NASA and Department of Defense satellites to monitor Antarctic sea ice. The satellites detected natural microwave radiation emanating from the ice and water, giving her a reliable record of constantly changing sea ice — even when the bottom of the world is shrouded in clouds or months-long winter darkness. "We can get our data even if there’s no sunlight," she said. "It’s a crowning achievement," noted Campbell, of the 40-year polar satellite record. And it’s helped illuminate dramatic, puzzling changes in the volatile Antarctic — changes that have stoked significant scientific curiosity. "Everyone in the community is interested," said Campbell. WATCH: Ever wonder how the universe might end? Uploads%252fvideo uploaders%252fdistribution thumb%252fimage%252f85981%252f120f5e1f 7646 4214 ac05 8e5ec6b6f03d.png%252foriginal.png?signature=xh6iamctwja5xroqir8hv1skfzy=&source=https%3a%2f%2fblueprint api production.s3.amazonaws
Who Has Been Selling PetMed Express, Inc. (NASDAQ:PETS) Shares? Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! We often see insiders buying up shares in companies that perform well over the long term. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So before you buy or sellPetMed Express, Inc.(NASDAQ:PETS), you may well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling. Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock on the market. However, such insiders must disclose their trading activities, and not trade on inside information. We don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Harvard Universitystudyfound that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.' Check out our latest analysis for PetMed Express Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider sale was by the Chairman, Robert Schweitzer, for US$278k worth of shares, at about US$37.00 per share. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. The silver lining is that this sell-down took place above the latest price (US$15.67). So it is hard to draw any strong conclusion from it. Robert Schweitzer was the only individual insider to sell over the last year. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! For those who like to findwinning investmentsthisfreelist of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. Insiders own 4.0% of PetMed Express shares, worth about US$13m. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders. There haven't been any insider transactions in the last three months -- that doesn't mean much. Our analysis of PetMed Express insider transactions leaves us cautious. But we do like the fact that insiders own a fair chunk of the company. Of course,the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in PetMed Express, you should check out thisfreereport on analyst forecasts for the company. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss thisfreelist of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Why Acacia Communications Stock Jumped Monday Shares of optical networking technology companyAcacia Communications(NASDAQ: ACIA)jumped on Monday, rising as much as 15.9%. As of 2:30 p.m. EDT, the stock was up about 6%. The stock's gain came after an analyst upgraded his rating on Acacia from hold to buy. Image source: Getty Images. In a note that covered Acacia and competitorsCiena(NYSE: CIEN)andInfinera(NASDAQ: INFN), Needham senior analyst Alex Henderson said he believes the industry landscape for these companies is improving. But Acacia's pace of digital signal processing (DSP) product launches is positioning the company to gain share from its competitors, Henderson noted (viaTheFly). Henderson upgraded his rating on the stock to buy and gave shares a 12-month price target of $59. This bullish note from an analyst is likely welcome news to Acacia shareholders. Shares took a hit in April when the U.S. Commerce DepartmentblockedAmerican companies from selling products to one of Acacia's Chinese customers. Nevertheless, analysts, on average, expect Acacia's second-quarter revenue to come in at $108.9 million, up about 68% year over year. More From The Motley Fool • 10 Best Stocks to Buy Today • The $16,728 Social Security Bonus You Cannot Afford to Miss • 20 of the Top Stocks to Buy (Including the Two Every Investor Should Own) • What Is an ETF? • 5 Recession-Proof Stocks • How to Beat the Market Daniel Sparkshas no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Infinera. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy.
Here's how Joe Biden found out about son Hunter Biden's affair with his late brother's widow Hunter Biden begged his father, Joe Biden, to publicly support his relationship with his late brother Beau's widow, Hallie Biden. Ina profile in the New Yorker published on Monday, the son of the 2020 presidential hopeful opened up about a variety of topics, including his controversial affair going public, revealing that his father found out about the tryst when Page Six reached out to him for comment in 2017. "I said, 'Dad, Dad, you have to.' He said, 'Hunter, I don’t know if I should. But I’ll do whatever you want me to do,'" Hunter recalled. "I said, 'Dad, if people find out, but they think you’re not approving of this, it makes it seem wrong. The kids have to know, Dad, that there’s nothing wrong with this, and the one person who can tell them that is you.'" SEE ALSO:Joe Biden breaks his silence on son Hunter Biden's secret wedding The outlet reported in March 2017 that Hunter and Hallie were dating, three months after his wife, Kathleen, filed for divorce that previous December. "We are all lucky that Hunter and Hallie found each other as they were putting their lives together again after such sadness," Joe and Jill Biden said in a statement at the time. "They have mine and Jill’s full and complete support and we are happy for them." "Hallie and I are incredibly lucky to have found the love and support we have for each other in such a difficult time, and that’s been obvious to the people who love us most," Hunter said. "We’ve been so lucky to have family and friends who have supported us every step of the way." In his New Yorker profile, Hunter revealed that he and Hallie decided to become a couple while he was staying at luxury resort Mii Amo in Sedona, Arizona, in October 2016, which came after he crashed a rental car near Palm Springs while reportedly driving with a crack pipe containing cocaine residue. Hunter and Hallie moved in together in Annapolis, Maryland, but they couldn't avoid attention and criticism because of their unconventional relationship, which was revealed less than two years after Beau Biden died from brain cancer at the age of 46 in 2015. SEE ALSO:Details emerge on Hunter Biden's secret marriage "All we got was sh-t from everybody, all the time," Hunter toldthe New Yorker. "It was really hard. And I realized that I’m not helping anybody by sticking around." They broke up "several months" later, but the split didn'tbecome publicuntil earlier this year. Last month, it was revealed ina bombshell reportthat Hunter secretly married South African woman Melissa Cohen in May, just ten days after meeting her. He's alsofacing a paternity lawsuit from another woman, who claims that he fathered a child with her in August 2018.
Why McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC) Is A Top Dividend Stock Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Today we'll take a closer look at McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE:MKC) from a dividend investor's perspective. Owning a strong business and reinvesting the dividends is widely seen as an attractive way of growing your wealth. If you are hoping to live on the income from dividends, it's important to be a lot more stringent with your investments than the average punter. A 1.5% yield is nothing to get excited about, but investors probably think the long payment history suggests McCormick has some staying power. There are a few simple ways to reduce the risks of buying McCormick for its dividend, and we'll go through these below. Explore this interactive chart for our latest analysis on McCormick! Dividends are usually paid out of company earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. Comparing dividend payments to a company's net profit after tax is a simple way of reality-checking whether a dividend is sustainable. Looking at the data, we can see that 42% of McCormick's profits were paid out as dividends in the last 12 months. This is medium payout level that leaves enough capital in the business to fund opportunities that might arise, while also rewarding shareholders. Plus, there is room to increase the payout ratio over time. We also measure dividends paid against a company's levered free cash flow, to see if enough cash was generated to cover the dividend. Of the free cash flow it generated last year, McCormick paid out 39% as dividends, suggesting the dividend is affordable. It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously. As McCormick has a meaningful amount of debt, we need to check its balance sheet to see if the company might have debt risks. A rough way to check this is with these two simple ratios: a) net debt divided by EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation), and b) net interest cover. Net debt to EBITDA measures total debt load relative to company earnings (lower = less debt), while net interest cover measures the ability to pay interest on the debt (higher = greater ability to pay interest costs). With net debt of 4.10 times its EBITDA, investors are starting to take on a meaningful amount of risk, should the business enter a downturn. We calculated its interest cover by measuring its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT), and dividing this by the company's net interest expense. McCormick has EBIT of 5.53 times its interest expense, which we think is adequate. Remember, you can always get a snapshot of McCormick's latest financial position,by checking our visualisation of its financial health. One of the major risks of relying on dividend income, is the potential for a company to struggle financially and cut its dividend. Not only is your income cut, but the value of your investment declines as well - nasty. McCormick has been paying dividends for a long time, but for the purpose of this analysis, we only examine the past 10 years of payments. During the past ten-year period, the first annual payment was US$0.88 in 2009, compared to US$2.28 last year. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 10.0% a year over that time. Companies like this, growing their dividend at a decent rate, can be very valuable over the long term, if the rate of growth can be maintained. Examining whether the dividend is affordable and stable is important. However, it's also important to assess if earnings per share (EPS) are growing. Growing EPS can help maintain or increase the purchasing power of the dividend over the long run. Strong earnings per share (EPS) growth might encourage our interest in the company despite fluctuating dividends, which is why it's great to see McCormick has grown its earnings per share at 12% per annum over the past five years. Earnings per share have been growing at a good rate, and the company is paying less than half its earnings as dividends. We generally think this is an attractive combination, as it permits further reinvestment in the business. When we look at a dividend stock, we need to form a judgement on whether the dividend will grow, if the company is able to maintain it in a wide range of economic circumstances, and if the dividend payout is sustainable. It's great to see that McCormick is paying out a low percentage of its earnings and cash flow. We like that it has been delivering solid improvement in its earnings per share, and relatively consistent dividend payments. Overall, we think there are a lot of positives to McCormick from a dividend perspective. Companies that are growing earnings tend to be the best dividend stocks over the long term. See what the 8 analysts we track are forecasting for McCormickfor freewith publicanalyst estimates for the company. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at ourcurated list of dividend stocks yielding above 3%. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
The Latest: Gov. Bullock says Montana to join climate group HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The Latest on Montana Gov. Steve Bullock's executive order on climate change (all times local): 1 p.m. Gov. Steve Bullock says Montana will be the 25th state to join the U.S. Climate Alliance, a group created in response to President Donald Trump's withdrawal from the 2015 Paris agreement on climate change. The Democratic governor made the announcement Monday as part of an executive order that also creates a 30-person council that will recommend how the state should deal with climate change. Bullock says joining the alliance will give Montana a chance to learn from other states that are crafting their own climate change policies. The new council will have a June 2020 deadline to recommend a plan to include how to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 and ways to support innovation and research. Montana Department of Environmental Quality Director Shaun McGrath says the aim is to make sure the state has a thoughtful, forward-thinking approach to climate change. ___ 11:50 a.m. Montana Gov. Steve Bullock says he's open to supporting the proposed Keystone XL pipeline "if it's done right." Bullock's comments came Monday in response to a question during an online town hall meeting on climate change. It underscores the tension of being both governor of an energy-producing state and one of nearly two dozen Democratic presidential candidates. Most Democratic candidates oppose the proposed pipeline from Canada, citing its potential to add to greenhouse gas emissions. An exception is U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado. Bullock says he's forming a panel to make recommendations on how to reduce emissions in Montana and prepare the state for the effects of climate change. When asked if he supports the pipeline, Bullock said the idea can't be taken off the table if done right.
6 Services You Probably Didn't Know Your Local Bank Branch Offers Thanks to the rise of online banks , peer-to-peer payment services and other technological advances in banking , visiting an actual brick-and-mortar branch is becoming a rare activity these days. In fact, about 1 in 5 Americans have gone an entire year without visiting a physical bank branch, according to a survey by Bankrate . Even so, there are still a few valuable services that you might not realize your bank can provide. Here’s a look at a few ways banks can make your life easier. 1. Notary services Have a document that needs to be notarized? There are probably plenty of notaries in your community who can do it for as little as $2 or as much as $100 , depending on what’s being notarized. But if you have an account at a local bank branch, there’s a good chance at least one employee there is also an authorized notary who can do it for free. When buying a new home, McKinzie Bean, a blogger at Moms Make Cents , needed dozens of documents notarized. “ We lived over an hour away from the title company that was being used, and with a new job we did not have any time off accrued to drive there, sign and then drive back to work,” she told HuffPost. “That’s when we found out our local bank offered notary services for free.” Bean called ahead to make sure the notary would be in that day, drove less than five minutes to the bank, and had everything notarized. “This saved us tons of money versus driving down to the title company and taking unpaid time off or hiring a local notary that charged per signature,” she said. 2. Other signature verification services Some banks also provide what’s known as a signature guarantee or medallion signature guarantee. Both certify that somebody at a financial institution is vouching for you. “When working with investment providers like brokerage houses and mutual fund sponsors, you may need a signature guarantee to transfer assets,” explained Justin Pritchard, a financial planner and owner of Approach Financial in Montrose, Colorado. “For example, if you update your address and ask for $100,000 a week later, they don’t know if an identity thief is accessing your accounts. As a result, they may require a signature guarantee from a financial institution to verify your identity.” Pritchard noted that getting a signature guarantee is not the same as getting a document notarized. If you don’t know which service you need, your bank can tell you and then provide it. 3. Invoice management for small business owners If you’re launching a small business, you’ll need software to help you with invoicing clients. While there are plenty of inexpensive options online, they can be a bit confusing for newbies. Story continues “If you’re just starting your own business or side hustle and want a little help managing your invoicing process, your corner bank branch may be able to help you,” said Logan Allec, a certified public accountant who runs the personal finance website Money Done Right . For example, Bank of America offers Viewpost , a service that gives you access to unlimited electronic invoicing for $14.99 per month. You can schedule an appointment to have a representative assist you with getting started, too. “This personal attention is a leg up over the major invoicing platforms; it’s not like you can just walk into your local Quickbooks office and schedule an appointment,” Allec said. “You could always schedule an appointment with a CPA or professional bookkeeper to help you with your bookkeeping needs, but that will likely cost you a lot more than $14.99 per month.” Plus, once your business does take off and you need to hire a professional accountant, you shouldn’t have trouble transitioning from your bank’s invoice management system. Allec says that in-house invoicing services like Viewpost easily sync with standard bookkeeping platforms such as Quickbooks and Xero. You can save time and money on certain financial services if you visit your local bank branch. (Photo: Bloom Productions via Getty Images) 4. Low-cost currency exchange If you’re headed out on an international trip, you’ll need to trade dollars for the local currency. Inexperienced travelers might wait to exchange currency at airport kiosks, which usually have unfavorable exchange rates. “In the past, my wife and I would travel and forget to exchange currency and be forced to accept poor exchange rates offered at airports and withdraw any additional cash needs from an ATM with a better rate,” said Riley Adams, a certified public accountant, a senior financial analyst at Entergy and owner of personal finance blog Young and the Invested . Had Adams gone through his bank, he could have exchanged currency at the lowest rate possible. So when he was preparing for an upcoming trip to Israel, he opted to use his bank to exchange U.S. dollars for Israeli shekels in advance. “I contacted the bank and submitted a request for how much cash I would need and they provided me the necessary shekels prior to departure.” 5. Cash for your coins Been saving the change you find in coat pockets and under couch cushions for a rainy day? When it comes time to cash in, you might head to a Coinstar kiosk. However, these machines take a major cut of your total ― 11.9% ― unless you choose to receive your money in the form of a gift card. That significantly limits how you can spend the money, and might result in buying items you don’t really need rather than putting the cash toward savings or paying off debt . What lots of people don’t realize is that many banks will count your coins for you free of charge. “This is typically part of their regular services offered to their customers,” said Catherine Alford, a family finance expert at Trendy Money . Plus, some banks even have their own coin counting machines. 6. Cashier’s checks and money orders You might use your debit or credit card to handle big-ticket purchases, but there are times when you can’t. For instance, if you need to put down a security deposit, buy a car or make a down payment on a house, you might not want to carry around a huge wad of cash. And the recipient may be wary about accepting a personal check that could bounce. In the days of Venmo and Paypal, you might not realize there are more old-school, secure ways to send large amounts of money: cashier’s checks and money orders. Though each works a bit differently — and has its own set of pros and cons — both are safe ways to send guaranteed funds for a small fee. Cashier’s checks and money orders are both available at your local bank. (You can also get a money order from the post office or a convenience store.) So the next time you need to pay someone a big chunk of change and can’t use a credit card or personal check, head to a nearby branch for two other easy options. Related coverage CD Rates Are On The Rise ― Is Now The Time To Buy? Brokerage Companies That Let You Trade For Free 13 High-Interest Savings Accounts That Don't Require A Huge Minimum Balance Also on HuffPost Roll Over Your Old 401(k) “Employees should consider rolling over an old 401(k) or 403(b) retirement plan into an IRA, which typically takes a matter of minutes. Though the money in the old plan will continue to grow tax-deferred, investors can end up paying much higher fees in an employer-sponsored retirement plan such as a 401(k) due to expensive fund options and plan administration costs. Those fees eat directly into an individual’s potential return. The savings can be significant if you switch to an IRA — even close to 1 percent in some cases. Over time, that can really add up.” ― Kristin McFarland, a wealth advisor and certified financial planner at Darrow Wealth Management in Boston. Switch Banks “If you aren’t earning at least 1 percent on your savings, you’re leaving money on the table. By simply switching from a traditional brick-and-mortar bank to a high-yield savings account , you can make your money work harder for you and earn on your savings effortlessly. It takes just a few seconds to compare interest rates between financial institutions to find the best option for you; opening a high-yield online savings account can be done in a matter of minutes.” ― Andrea Woroch, consumer savings expert Negotiate With Your Internet Provider “Call your internet provider and negotiate your bill. Let them know your budget has changed and you are shopping around. Providers usually have some sort of special promotion going on that they’ll offer you. For example, my provider once offered a huge discount for college students and gave us our internet for half price during the school year. Spending 10 minutes on the phone saved us around $300-$400.” ― Jaime Gibbs, a faith and finance blogger at Like a Bubbling Brook Complete A Health Assessment “Many people don’t realize that their health insurance provider offers the option to complete a health assessment, which means they miss out on hundreds of dollars each year. Ours has typically been a simple online survey that takes about 20 minutes to complete. In exchange (no matter what the results), we get $150 in gift cards for every insured person over 18.” ― Val Breit, owner of personal finance blog The Common Cents Club Sign Up For Auto-Pay “If you follow a reasonable budget, setting your bills to auto-pay is a great way to save time and money. Start by looking at your monthly mandatory expenses and find a company that incentivizes customers to sign up for automatic billing. Usually, they’ll offer a reduced interest rate or discounts on future transactions, depending on what type of bill it is. If you’re going to have to pay a bill eventually, why not get a discount for doing it automatically? Common places to find discounts can include student loans, car loans or utilities such as your electric bill. And the biggest perk? You don’t have to worry about remembering to pay the bill in full each month ― it’s all taken care of.” ― Ben Huber, owner of Dollar Sprout Rethink Your Health Insurance “Re-evaluate your health insurance options at work since now is enrollment time. What did you sign up for in the past that you now don’t need? For example, I knew someone who had health insurance and cancer insurance. The cancer insurance, which she did not need, was $100 a month. She removed it for instant savings.” ― Ja’Net Adams, speaker, author and creator of Debt Sucks University Skim Your Bank Statements “Spend 30 to 60 minutes one evening and review your past two to three months of bank statements. You might find your bank is charging you monthly maintenance fees that can be avoided and save you a couple hundred dollars a year. One way to avoid monthly fees is to enroll in direct deposit or, if you can, keep at least $1,000 in your checking account.” ― Jason Reposa, CEO and co-founder of MyBankTracker Listen To A Personal Finance Podcast “There are many out there, which can be from a few minutes long to almost an hour. These types of podcasts will greatly impact your knowledge and help you to learn how to save money at no cost to you. And you also aren’t spending hours to learn, either. It’s something I do each week and has helped me make smarter money choices.” ― Todd Kunsman, founder of Invested Wallet Switch To A Prepaid Cellphone Plan “Call your cellphone provider and ask about their prepaid pricing plans. With a few minutes on the phone, you can save $15 or more per month ($180+ per year), plus increase your data limit. After switching to prepaid, we saved $15 a month and increased our data from 3GB shared to 10GB each (20GB total).” ― Evan and Nikayla, the bloggers behind Budgeting Couple Set It And Forget It “Using an app like Acorns can take less than 10 minutes to set up and will continuously save (and actually invest) money every time you make a purchase. Acorns works by rounding up each transaction to the nearest dollar and investing the difference for you automatically. It’s a simple and quick way to get a method of saving and investing money every single day in place.” ― Dustyn Ferguson, blogger at Dime Will Tell Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost . View comments
The Latest: Judge allows details on affairs at Hunter trial SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Latest on charges against U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter of misspending campaign funds (all times local): 12:05 p.m. A federal judge will let jurors hear evidence of U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter's alleged extramarital affairs at a trial over whether the California Republican illegally used campaign money on personal expenses. U.S. District Judge Thomas Whelan ruled Monday in San Diego that allegations Hunter used campaign cash on romantic relationships with lobbyists and congressional aides are relevant to the corruption charges. Hunter's attorney, Gregory Vega, argued that any discussion of extramarital affairs would be "extremely prejudicial." The judge said prosecutors and Hunter's attorneys could agree before trial on how to describe the relationships. Hunter sat quietly as the judge made a series of procedural rulings. His father, former Congressman Duncan Hunter Sr., told reporters that prosecutors supported Hillary Clinton's presidential bid, compromising their case. ___ 1 a.m. A federal judge in San Diego is scheduled to consider a motion to toss out a corruption case against U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter. Lawyers for the Republican congressman from California contend the charges are politically motivated. Hunter and his wife were charged last year with illegally using over $250,000 in campaign funds for family trips and other personal expenses. Prosecutors say the money also helped finance his extramarital affairs. Margaret Hunter pleaded guilty last month to one corruption count and agreed to testify against her husband. Defense attorneys say prosecutors who initiated the investigation are Hillary Clinton admirers and want to see Hunter, an early supporter of President Donald Trump, driven from office. Prosecutors at a hearing Monday are expected to ask the judge to block Hunter from introducing evidence about his bias claims.
Can MGM Growth Properties LLC (NYSE:MGP) Improve Its Returns? Want to participate in a short research study ? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Many investors are still learning about the various metrics that can be useful when analysing a stock. This article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE). To keep the lesson grounded in practicality, we'll use ROE to better understand MGM Growth Properties LLC ( NYSE:MGP ). MGM Growth Properties has a ROE of 3.8% , based on the last twelve months. Another way to think of that is that for every $1 worth of equity in the company, it was able to earn $0.038. View our latest analysis for MGM Growth Properties How Do You Calculate ROE? The formula for ROE is: Return on Equity = Net Profit ÷ Shareholders' Equity Or for MGM Growth Properties: 3.8% = US$71m ÷ US$6.7b (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2019.) Most know that net profit is the total earnings after all expenses, but the concept of shareholders' equity is a little more complicated. It is all earnings retained by the company, plus any capital paid in by shareholders. You can calculate shareholders' equity by subtracting the company's total liabilities from its total assets. What Does ROE Mean? Return on Equity measures a company's profitability against the profit it has kept for the business (plus any capital injections). The 'return' is the amount earned after tax over the last twelve months. A higher profit will lead to a higher ROE. So, all else equal, investors should like a high ROE . Clearly, then, one can use ROE to compare different companies. Does MGM Growth Properties Have A Good Return On Equity? By comparing a company's ROE with its industry average, we can get a quick measure of how good it is. The limitation of this approach is that some companies are quite different from others, even within the same industry classification. As is clear from the image below, MGM Growth Properties has a lower ROE than the average (6.2%) in the REITs industry. Story continues NYSE:MGP Past Revenue and Net Income, July 1st 2019 That certainly isn't ideal. We'd prefer see an ROE above the industry average, but it might not matter if the company is undervalued. Nonetheless, it could be useful to double-check if insiders have sold shares recently . Why You Should Consider Debt When Looking At ROE Companies usually need to invest money to grow their profits. That cash can come from retained earnings, issuing new shares (equity), or debt. In the first two cases, the ROE will capture this use of capital to grow. In the latter case, the debt required for growth will boost returns, but will not impact the shareholders' equity. Thus the use of debt can improve ROE, albeit along with extra risk in the case of stormy weather, metaphorically speaking. Combining MGM Growth Properties's Debt And Its 3.8% Return On Equity Although MGM Growth Properties does use debt, its debt to equity ratio of 0.74 is still low. Its ROE is rather low, and it does use some debt, albeit not much. That's not great to see. Conservative use of debt to boost returns is usually a good move for shareholders, though it does leave the company more exposed to interest rate rises. But It's Just One Metric Return on equity is one way we can compare the business quality of different companies. In my book the highest quality companies have high return on equity, despite low debt. If two companies have the same ROE, then I would generally prefer the one with less debt. But ROE is just one piece of a bigger puzzle, since high quality businesses often trade on high multiples of earnings. The rate at which profits are likely to grow, relative to the expectations of profit growth reflected in the current price, must be considered, too. So I think it may be worth checking this free report on analyst forecasts for the company . But note: MGM Growth Properties may not be the best stock to buy . So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com . This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Best Regional Banks, 2019 Getty Images Many regional banks (by our definition, those with branches in fewer than 15 states) offer accounts and services that are just as robust as those of nationwide institutions--and they may be more involved in their communities. These banks are all contenders for top regional bank but operate in different regions. Take a look at our top picks for regional banks. SEE ALSO: The Best Banks for You, 2019 BEST: Fifth Third Bank Courtesy Fifth Third Bank Why it won: It offers numerous ways to avoid a monthly fee for its basic checking account, and it has an excellent account for customers who keep big balances. Standout accounts: Preferred Checking is free if your deposit and investment balance reaches $100,000 at least once in a month, and it's packed with perks. Promotional CD rates are attractive--2% on CDs with a nine- or 15-month term ($5,000 minimum deposit). Where it is: More than 1,200 branches in 10 midwestern and southern states. Cincinnati-based Fifth Third is working on becoming nationally chartered. But for now, we consider it a regional bank that covers a sizable swath of the U.S. The Essential Checking account offers numerous ways to skip an $11 monthly fee, including keeping $1,500 or more in deposit and investment accounts, spending at least $500 per month on a Fifth Third credit card , or having a loan or credit line with the bank (military members qualify with a $500 direct deposit, and the account is free for students). Preferred Checking includes 10 rebates of out-of-network ATM surcharges per month; discounted online investment trades and no custody or record-keeping fee with a brokerage account; free personal checks, money orders, cashier's checks and a safe-deposit box; preferred savings and loan interest rates; and free or discounted identity-theft protection services. Fifth Third waives service fees on its savings and money market deposit accounts if you have a checking account with the bank or are enrolled in the military account; otherwise, you'll need a $500 minimum to avoid a fee. For the most part, rates scrape along at 0.2% or less, although you can earn 0.4% on a balance of at least $100,000 in a money market account if you have an eligible checking account. (Account terms and interest rates listed are for customers in Cincinnati.) Story continues SEE ALSO: 7 Habits of People With Excellent Credit Scores BEST: People's United Bank Courtesy People's United Why it won: Most anyone can find a place to park cash among the bank's diverse checking options. Standout accounts: If you make 10 or more electronic payment transactions monthly, ePlus Checking levies no service charge. Some recent rates on CDs opened online were compelling, such as 2.1% for a six-month plus CD and 2.3% for an 11-month term ($500 minimum; checking account required). Where it is: More than 400 branches in New England and New York. People's United Bank has options for customers at varying levels. The basic Plus Checking account waives its $12 monthly fee if you keep a $1,000 minimum balance, have a direct deposit or are 65 or older. Advantage Checking (a $7,500 combined minimum in deposit and investment accounts and a home equity loan or line of credit waives the $25 monthly fee) reimburses ATM surcharges when you use machines outside your state and provides free personal checks, cashier's checks and wire transfers in U.S. dollars. Premier Advantage Checking ($75,000 combined minimum) tacks on refunds of ATM fees worldwide, a discounted safe-deposit box and an interest rate of 0.02%. (Account terms and interest rates are for customers in Hartford.) SEE ALSO: 9 Things You'll Regret Keeping in a Safe Deposit Box BEST: Union Bank Courtesy Union Bank Why it won: A new free checking account gave the bank a lift this year. Standout accounts: Bank Freely is a free, no-minimum checking account that offers two monthly rebates of out-of-network ATM surcharges. Where it is: About 330 branches for consumers in California, Oregon and Washington. The Banking By Design account is attractive. It lets you choose services a la carte; if you want paper statements, for example, they're $2 a month, and cashier's checks and money orders are $1 monthly (avoid a $5 monthly fee by making a $250 monthly mobile or direct deposit). If you can keep $25,000 in deposit and investment balances, or you have a linked mortgage with the bank, check out Priority Banking checking , which offers unlimited ATM rebates worldwide, preferred savings rates, and two additional checking or savings accounts with no monthly fee, among other benefits. Teen Access Checking is free for those 13 to 17 years old, and college students can use a free account, too. Savings yields are meager; for better rates, check out PurePoint Financial , a nationwide internet bank that is a division of Union Bank. PurePoint recently offered 2.35% on a savings account, 2.75% on a one-year CD and 3% on a five-year CD (there's a $10,000 minimum to open an account). SEE ALSO: Do You Need a Financial Planner? The Best Banks and Credit Unions for You, 2019 Getty Images These stellar banks and credit unions are making all the right moves to win satisfied customers: Best National Banks Best Banks for High-Net-Worth Families Best Internet Banks Best Banks for Families With Students Best Banks for No-Fee, No-Fuss Best Credit Unions Best Banks for Frequent Travelers Best Regional Banks Best Banks for Retirees EDITOR'S PICKS The Best Banks for You, 2019 The Best Rewards Credit Cards, 2019 6 Ways to Boost Your Credit Score -- Fast Copyright 2019 The Kiplinger Washington Editors
Insects could die out ‘in worst extinction since the dinosaurs’, experts warn German researchers revealed the warning signs this week (Getty) The world is teetering on the edge of a man-made apocalypse, experts have warned - with plunging insect numbers in Europe offering a chilling warning. A report this year found that 40% of insect species are declining, with a third endangered, according to a global scientific review of research. Researchers in Europe became aware of how serious the decline in insect numbers was in 2011 - and say that since then it has ‘got worse’. Martin Sorg of the Amateur Entomology Society of Krefeld have gathered 80 million insects in traps, and their work has been key to identifying today’s rapid decline. Sorg says, ‘Since 1982, the traps we manufacture ourselves have been standardised and controlled, all of the same size and the same material, and they are collected at the same rate in 63 locations that are still identical.’ Read more Boris Johnson admits 'deep sense of anguish' over Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe case Donald Trump becomes first sitting US president to enter North Korea In pictures: Britain basks in hottest day of the year so far Sorg told Phys.org , ‘We only became aware of the seriousness of this decline in 2011, and every year since then we have seen it get worse.’ The total mass of insects on our planet is droppping by 2.5% a year - meaning that insects could be wiped out altogether within a century. That would have ‘catastrophic’ effects on the environment as a whole, researchers said earlier this year, with many ecosystems reliant on insects. Many species are at risk (Getty) Birds, lizards and even plants pollinated by insects could be wiped out, the researchers warn - saying that extinction rates among insects are eight times higher than among mammals, birds and reptiles. Francisco Sánchez-Bayo of the University of Sydney said in February, ‘If insect species losses cannot be halted, this will have catastrophic consequences for both the planet’s ecosystems and for the survival of mankind. ‘It is very rapid. In 10 years you will have a quarter less, in 50 years only half left and in 100 years you will have none.’ Story continues The researchers write, ‘The trends confirm that the sixth major extinction event is profoundly impacting life forms on our planet. ‘Unless we change our ways of producing food, insects as a whole will go down the path of extinction in a few decades. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK
7 Restaurant Stocks to Put on Your Plate With the generally pessimistic and sometimes sensational headlines surrounding the U.S.-China trade war, it may surprise some that viable investment sectors exist. Even more surprising are some of the market segments experiencing positive sentiment. For instance, restaurant stocks are charging significantly higher than they were at the beginning of the year. Dont take my word for it: check out the sector benchmark Dow Jones US Restaurants & Bars Index . On a year-to-date basis, the index is up over 24%. And while the broader Dow Jones Industrial Average is no slouch at 15% YTD, the performance difference is clear. So whats driving enthusiasm toward restaurant stocks? One explanation is that geopolitical headwinds are still too high level to impact most Americans. Yes, the trade war situation is absolutely crucial. Right now, the U.S. and China have agreed to a truce, not a trade deal. Still, the fallout from poor relations with China have not generated significant watercooler conversations. InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips The second and more important point is that restaurant stocks have similar traits to so-called vice or sin investments. No matter what is going on with the economy, people need an outlet. Usually, going out to eat represents a relatively cheap form of entertainment. Its also an excursion that families can control. A major reason why professional sports attendance is declining is due to rising costs. However, families can choose which eateries to attend based on their cost preferences. Therefore, restaurant stocks have outpaced other event or entertainment-based investments. Finally, the National Restaurant Association forecasts a strong year for restaurant stocks. Better yet, every subsegment except one should experience a year-over-year uptick. 7 Stocks on Sale the Insiders Are Buying With that, here are seven restaurant stocks to put on your plate: Story continues Wendys (WEN) WEN stock Source: Mike Mozart via Flickr Often lost in the mix behind big marquee names like McDonalds (NYSE: MCD ) or Burger King , Wendys (NASDAQ: WEN ) is still a name you shouldnt ignore. For one thing, the performance of WEN stock has done nothing but impress onlookers. Since the January opener, shares have soared nearly 28%. Better yet, if youre a big proponent of technical analysis, you can still make a bullish case for WEN stock. According to some momentum indicators , shares of the fast-food joint have a shot at moving past $26. Given the WEN stock price of $19.58, that would represent a sizable 33% swing. But more importantly, WEN stock enjoys fundamental justification for such a move higher. While the company has successfully brought in more people, theyre gaining traction on another component: getting their customers to open their wallets deeper for higher-ticket items . Its no accident that profitability margins have improved in the first quarter of 2019. If that continues, look for WEN stock to gain accordingly. Dennys (DENN) Source: Mike Mozart via Flickr Lets face reality: When youre considering a special night on the town, the name Dennys (NASDAQ: DENN ) comes nowhere on your list. DENN stock is an investment toward comfort food, and not much else. But we also have to bring up another important angle. Comfort food isnt a bad gig, no matter what the market condition. As far as Im aware, every single Dennys location is open 24 hours. Thus, if your night out extended a bit too long, theres Dennys. Also, many people go straight to Dennys to sober up after clubbing. If the job market is stable which it is right now the company benefits from being one of few eateries open at odd hours. In turn, that supports DENN stock. Also, we should see a record number of people hitting the road this summer. Invariably, that involves families stopping over to grab a bite to eat. And because we might see an unusually high uptick this year, that should play into higher valuations for DENN stock. 7 One-Stock Portfolios for Passive Investors Lastly, Dennys is cheap. So if we do have a downturn in the economy, DENN stock might avoid the brunt of the damage. Darden Restaurants (DRI) Time to Take Profits in Darden Restaurants, Inc. (DRI) Stock Source: Mike Mozart via Flickr (Modified) A powerhouse name among restaurant stocks, Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI ) is enjoying a strong first half of the year. Since the beginning of January, DRI stock is up over 24%. Moreover, some of the same conditions that will likely benefit Dennys should also drive up Darden Restaurants. For one thing, Darden levers some of the most coveted names in sit-down restaurants. Not only that, its coverage is one of the most diverse when compared to other restaurant stocks. For comfort food, Darden owns the Olive Garden and Longhorn Steakhouse brands. But they also address consumers with more sophisticated tastes with brands like Seasons 52. This should help bring in the goods for DRI stock in terms of revenue and profitability. In fact, thats what were seeing. Over the past few years, revenue has strongly moved higher. But earnings have also increased accordingly, which bolsters the case for DRI stock. In addition, because Darden offers multiple brands across the price spectrum, theyll enjoy the benefits of the aforementioned travel bump. Dunkin Brands (DNKN) dunkin stock Source: Chris Waits Via Flickr Dunkin Brands (NASDAQ: DNKN ) is another name among restaurant stocks thats killing it so far this year. Since Januarys opening price, DNKN stock is up 27%. Undoubtedly, a major reason why is its coffee: worker bees love its coffee and Dunkin Brands dishes up some delectable cups. Furthermore, the commodities market have had their say in DNKN stock. Although coffee prices have recently spiked up, they are still deflated relative to prior years average prices. Theoretically, this should help Dunkin in terms of its bottom line. Of course, no company can depend solely on fortuitous circumstances. What investors in restaurant stocks will key in on is managements push to attract millennials . To this end, theyve embraced popular apps like Apples (NASDAQ: AAPL ) Pay. Dunkin has also advantaged the consumer-tech firms iMessage platform to further engage with their young clientele. 10 Best Stocks to Buy and Hold Forever Its a move that makes perfect sense for DNKN stock. Over the next several years, millennials will represent the largest workforce in the U.S. Theyll need lots of coffee and serving their needs is the most logical action they can take. Jack in the Box (JACK) Jack stock Source: Rojer via Flickr (modified) Im going to cut straight to the chase. Out of the restaurant stocks specializing in fast food, Jack in the Box (NASDAQ: JACK ) is probably the riskiest. Back in December, management announced a strategic review of its financing options. That normally entails a sale of the company. However, no one is buying, which raises eyebrows for JACK stock. Another problem is infighting between franchisees and the corporate leadership. The former is concerned that the latter is merely focusing on nearer-term goals, like the JACK stock price. They argue that the organization should consider longer-term goals, especially to address the needs of millennial consumers. Although I dont have skin in this game, I find myself agreeing with the franchisees. As a San Diego-based company, Jack in the Box has a strong presence in the west coast. Thats ideal since this region is always high in demand. Moreover, Jack also has several locations in Texas , which is experiencing an influx of people. That might bother the locals. However, if youre thinking about speculating on JACK stock, the population shift brings up an interesting argument. Dave & Busters Entertainment (PLAY) play stock Source: Shutterstock Right now, the absolute riskiest name among major restaurant stocks is Dave & Busters Entertainment (NASDAQ: PLAY ). Unfortunately, extremely volatility visited PLAY stock after the underlying company posted disappointing Q1 earnings results . It suffered a decline in comparable-store sales, and management adjusted down full-year guidance. However, it wasnt all bad news. Dave & Busters brought in sales of $363.6 million, up 9.5% from the year-ago quarter. Additionally, management opened seven new stores, up one from Q1 2018. That, however, was not enough to spare PLAY stock a huge double-digit loss. 10 Small-Cap Stocks That Look Like Bargains Still, I think the markets response toward PLAY stock is greatly exaggerated. For one thing, Dave & Busters provides a natural outlet to soak up demand thats leaving professional sports leagues . My argument is that people still need physical entertainment venues: Dave & Busters has an opportunity to capitalize on this dynamic if it plays its marketing cards right. Chanticleer Holdings (BURG) Source: Shutterstock Before you think about taking a gamble on Chanticleer Holdings (NASDAQ: BURG ), you should know that its an extremely speculative name. With BURG stock trading hands at just above $1, this isnt something that you bank your retirement savings on. And although its financials are improving somewhat, its still a rough picture. So why mention Chanticleer? Simply put, the company has some attractive brands. On one end, Chanticleer covers the decadence angle with its popular Hooters restaurants. Chanticleer is also well known (or perhaps notorious) for American Burger Cos Roadstar . Thats four cheeseburgers in one. But on the other end, the holding company owns brands like Little Big Burger, Just Fresh and BGR. These names definitely cater to millennials and health-conscious consumers. Thus, BURG stock has something for everyone. Historically, this widespread approach hasnt helped BURG stock. However, shares have ticked up since early June. Again, this is a big risk: only buy it with gambling money that you can afford to lose. As of this writing, Josh Enomoto did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid The 7 Top Small-Cap Stocks Of 2019 Critical Levels to Watch in 7 Marijuana Stocks 5 Smaller Cloud Stocks That Have Plenty of Potential Compare Brokers The post 7 Restaurant Stocks to Put on Your Plate appeared first on InvestorPlace .
Is Now The Time To Put Magna International (TSE:MG) On Your Watchlist? Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to investors, even if it completely lacks a track record of revenue and profit. And in their study titledWho Falls Prey to the Wolf of Wall Street?'Leuz et. al. found that it is 'quite common' for investors to lose money by buying into 'pump and dump' schemes. So if you're like me, you might be more interested in profitable, growing companies, likeMagna International(TSE:MG). While profit is not necessarily a social good, it's easy to admire a business than can consistently produce it. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, but time is often a friend of the profitable company, especially if it is growing. See our latest analysis for Magna International The market is a voting machine in the short term, but a weighing machine in the long term, so share price follows earnings per share (EPS) eventually. It's no surprise, then, that I like to invest in companies with EPS growth. It certainly is nice to see that Magna International has managed to grow EPS by 18% per year over three years. If the company can sustain that sort of growth, we'd expect shareholders to come away winners. I like to see top-line growth as an indication that growth is sustainable, and I look for a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin to point to a competitive moat (though some companies with low margins also have moats). Magna International maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 5.6% to US$41b. That's a real positive. In the chart below, you can see how the company has grown earnings, and revenue, over time. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart. Fortunately, we've got access to analyst forecasts of Magna International'sfutureprofits. You can do your own forecasts without looking, or you cantake a peek at what the professionals are predicting. We would not expect to see insiders owning a large percentage of a US$21b company like Magna International. But we are reassured by the fact they have invested in the company. Indeed, they have a glittering mountain of wealth invested in it, currently valued at US$202m. This suggests to me that leadership will be very mindful of shareholders' interests when making decisions! For growth investors like me, Magna International's raw rate of earnings growth is a beacon in the night. Further, the high level of insider buying impresses me, and suggests that I'm not the only one who appreciates the EPS growth. So this is very likely the kind of business that I like to spend time researching, with a view to discerning its true value. While we've looked at the quality of the earnings, we haven't yet done any work to value the stock. So if you like to buy cheap, you may want tocheck if Magna International is trading on a high P/E or a low P/E, relative to its industry. Of course, you can do well (sometimes) buying stocks thatare notgrowing earnings anddo nothave insiders buying shares. But as a growth investor I always like to check out companies thatdohave those features. You can accessa free list of them here. Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Commentary: Vietnam's Air Exports To The U.S. Increase As China-U.S. Trade War Simmers FreightWaves features Market Voices – a forum for voices with unique knowledge of numerous transportation/logistics/supply chain sectors, as well as other critical expertise. The Asian supply chain is best described as a spider web with China the central focal point. It was like that well before President Trump's tariffs were implemented. Low-labor manufacturing was already shifting to other nations in Southeast Asia while manufacturing in China took a step up the value ladder. Meanwhile China's domestic market continues to demand goods from beyond its borders, which benefits such countries as Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and nations within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. While the European Union was China's largest single import partner in 2018, Asian countries, combined, far surpassed all other countries in terms of imported value of goods. Since 2000, Chinese manufacturing labor costs have risen on average, 15.6 percent per year. However, regional manufacturing ecosystems have formed in China, often consisting of assembly plants, skilled workers, and material and component suppliers. This vertical integration has created not only value but also efficiencies that have kept a good bit of manufacturing from being offshored to other countries. Components and other imported goods flow to and from these ecosystems and elsewhere in China from such countries as Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. According to China's National Bureau of Statistics, 27 percent of China's imports in 2017 were classified as intermediate goods, which are components imported for China's manufacturing export. This is down from around 50 percent in 2008. Still, intra-Asia trade as a percentage of total China trade reached 60 percent in 2016 according to the Asian Development Bank, a clear indication of the importance of intra-Asia trade. "Vietnam takes advantage of us even worse than China." – President Donald Trump ininterviewwith Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business Network China has woven such a tight spider web that there are now calls for tariffs on Vietnamese exports to the United States. China is Vietnam's top import trade market, importing over $70 billion of goods. Meanwhile, Vietnam's top export destination is the United States, which imported over $40 billion in goods from Vietnam in 2017. According to Vietnam customs data, for the first four months of 2019, exports to the United States increased 29.7 percent from the same period in 2018. Meanwhile, imports from China for the first four months of 2019 increased 21.3 percent. The U.S. Census Bureau noted that in terms of customs value of goods, the majority of Vietnamese goods exported to the United States traveled via ocean. However, 33.6 percent traveled by air in the first four months of 2019, up from 31 percent for the same period in 2018. U.S. Census Bureau's USA Trade Online In terms of air volume (in kilograms), Vietnamese imports increased 16.7 percent for the first four months of 2019. The largest commodities imported by air into the United States were smart phones, up over 64 percent year-over-year and in terms of customs value, more than double for the same period. U.S. Census Bureau's USA Trade Online LG Electronics, Samsung, Apple, Xiomi and Huawei are among the leading smart phone brands that have manufacturing facilities in Vietnam. Samsung has the largest Vietnamese total export market share in terms of smart phones at over 30 percent of the total market. All of these brands have moved part of their production to Vietnam to reduce costs. But what percentage of smart phones are actually made in Vietnam? It's hard to say as it goes back to Asia's supply chain spider web effect. South Korea, home to Samsung and LG Electronics, produced just 1 percent of smartphones in 2018. Vietnam became the third-largest export market for South Korea in 2018, behind China and the United States, as South Korean companies sent goods in mid-production to be finished in Vietnam. Likewise, Chinese manufacturers have probably done the same as it is Vietnam's largest import trade partner with integrated circuits and telephones being the largest Chinese import commodity. However, as Vietnam reaps the benefits as a low-cost manufacturing location, its infrastructure is straining. Ramping up the ability to transfer goods from Vietnamese factories to ports is important. To address this, the country is building a deep-water port that can make transfers easier, but that won't open for another three years. In terms of air cargo, the International Air Transport Association ranks Vietnam as one of the fastest-growing aviation markets globally and expects it to become the fifth-fastest growing market by 2035. Investments in airports are ongoing but more to meet the increased passenger growth. Examples include a new terminal which is under construction at Tan Son Nhat International Airport to ensure that the airport can serve up to 50 million passengers per year, and expansion of Noi Bai International Airport to increase its handling capacity to 80-100 million passengers per year. Has Vietnam taken advantage of the United States or is it caught in the middle of a trade war between the United States and China? Asked if he wanted to "tariff" Vietnam, President Trump did not say "no," but said that the United States was in discussions with the country. After the interview, Vietnam issued a statement agreeing to buy more U.S. goods to help it reduce a $39.5 billion surplus. The country will sign a memorandum of understanding with the U.S. Department of Energy that includes buying "large volumes" of liquefied natural gas from the U.S. Image Sourced by Pixabay See more from Benzinga • Maple Leaf Motoring: New Load Board Aims To Disrupt The Canadian Freight Market • Port Report: THE Alliance Brings In Korea's Hyundai Marine As Member • GWR Realizes Goal By Being Acquired At A 40 Percent Premium © 2019 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
FOREX-Dollar climbs to two-week high as U.S.-China trade tensions ease * Trump, Xi agree over the weekend to restart trade talks * Risk assets rally, safe-haven yen, Swiss franc fall * Offshore yuan nears two-month high, data tempers gains * U.S. manufacturing index comes in slightly higher than expected * GRAPHIC-World FX rates in 2019: http://tmsnrt.rs/2egbfVh (Adds comments, updates prices) By Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss NEW YORK, July 1 (Reuters) - The dollar rose to two-week highs on Monday after the United States and China agreed to resume trade talks, with investors selling safe-haven currencies such as the Japanese yen and Swiss franc as tensions eased between the world's two largest economies. While reports of an agreement had been flagged ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese counterparty Xi Jinping's meeting on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Osaka, Japan, the outcome was more positive than investors had expected. Trump said he would hold back on new tariffs and China will buy more farm products, and he offered to ease restrictions on tech company Huawei. Market participants, however, remained cautious as the negotiations did not signify that a deal is imminent. "Uncertainty will linger," said Kevin Cummins, senior U.S. economist at NatWest Markets. "As we have learned - from the swift breakdown in talks with China in May after a deal seemed imminent, as well as the threat of tariffs against Mexico in June even after a trade deal with Mexico and Canada had been reached - a delay in action now does not necessarily beget a full trade deal in the near future." Still, China's offshore yuan also rose more than 0.5% to as high as 6.8165 yuan per dollar, near a two-month high, before easing back to 6.8476 after disappointing factory activity data. The dollar also extended gains after data showed the U.S. manufacturing activity index, as measured by the Institute for Supply Management, came in slightly higher than expected in June, at 51.7. The details of the report, however, were not so stellar, with the prices paid index, an inflation indicator, hitting its lowest since February 2016, and the forward-looking new orders index falling to its weakest since December 2015. "Although the headline ISM manufacturing index didn't fall as far as feared in June, the decline in the ... new orders component suggests the worst is still to come," said Michael Pearce, senior U.S. economist at Capital Economics. The dollar, which has fallen in recent weeks on rising expectations for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts, rose 0.8% against a basket of currencies, to 96.848, with the index hitting 96.867, a roughly two-week peak. The euro, meanwhile, fell 0.8% to $1.1283. The yen, which investors tend to buy when they are looking for safety, fell, pushing the dollar up 0.5% at 108.47 yen. Earlier, the dollar hit a two-week high of 108.53 yen. The dollar also rose against the Swiss franc, up 1.2 pct to 0.9839 franc, after hitting a two-week peak of 0.9884. ======================================================== Currency bid prices at 1459 EDT (1859 GMT): Description RIC Last U.S. Close Pct YTD Pct High Bid Low Bid Previous Change Change Session Euro/Dollar EUR= $1.1285 $1.1368 -0.73% -1.60% +1.1374 +1.1282 Dollar/Yen JPY= 108.4600 107.8800 +0.54% -1.63% +108.5300 +108.1100 Euro/Yen EURJPY= 122.39 122.65 -0.21% -3.03% +123.3500 +122.3700 Dollar/Swiss CHF= 0.9874 0.9760 +1.17% +0.62% +0.9884 +0.9783 Sterling/Dollar GBP= 1.2634 1.2693 -0.46% -0.96% +1.2707 +1.2633 Dollar/Canadian CAD= 1.3139 1.3090 +0.37% -3.65% +1.3145 +1.3064 Australian/Doll AUD= 0.6957 0.7020 -0.90% -1.31% +0.7036 +0.6957 ar Euro/Swiss EURCHF= 1.1144 1.1097 +0.42% -0.99% +1.1161 +1.1120 Euro/Sterling EURGBP= 0.8929 0.8953 -0.27% -0.61% +0.8979 +0.8925 NZ Dollar/Dolar NZD= 0.6667 0.6717 -0.74% -0.74% +0.6731 +0.6665 Dollar/Norway NOK= 8.5862 8.5313 +0.64% -0.60% +8.5894 +8.5106 Euro/Norway EURNOK= 9.6888 9.7025 -0.14% -2.19% +9.7018 +9.6647 Dollar/Sweden SEK= 9.3575 9.2815 +0.05% +4.40% +9.3667 +9.2783 Euro/Sweden EURSEK= 10.5609 10.5552 +0.05% +2.88% +10.5670 +10.5260 (Reporting by Gertrude Chavez-Dreyfuss in New York; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and James Dalgleish)
Disappointed Venezuelans lose patience with Guaido as Maduro hangs on By Angus Berwick and Mircely Guanipa CARACAS/PUNTO FIJO, Venezuela (Reuters) - Four days before Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido launched a military uprising in a bid to oust President Nicolas Maduro, he told supporters at a rally outside the capital, Caracas: "In the next few days, we'll decide our destiny." The 35-year-old, who had risen to national prominence three months before, finished his speech with his usual rallying cry to Venezuelans desperate for the end of 20 years of Socialist rule: "We're on track!" Yet after the April 30 insurrection swiftly unraveled, with troops remaining in their barracks and key government officials refusing to change sides, many Venezuelans aren't so sure. Interviews with more than two dozen people across Venezuela - as well as fresh polling data - suggest that many people have grown frustrated by the slow pace of change amid the hardships of daily life. Several said they were losing hope that Guaido could dislodge Maduro. "We're on track but it's the wrong track," said Rafael Narvaez, a taxi driver in the western coastal city of Punto Fijo. Narvaez said he had been full of hope on April 30 when he saw Guaido appear with military officers in a video posted on Twitter saying it was time to rise up against Maduro. "I thought that finally the moment had come to recover our country," Narvaez, 43, said. "Now I'm disappointed." Analysts said the most likely outcome now is for the status quo to continue as Maduro gains confidence that his crackdown on the opposition will go relatively unpunished and Guaido seeks a new strategy to keep a weary public energized. When Guaido, the speaker of the National Assembly, proclaimed a rival presidency in January in a bold challenge to Maduro, he injected new hope into Venezuela's fragmented opposition. With most Western nations saying Maduro's reelection last year was rigged, Guaido cited the constitution to announce an interim presidency until fresh elections could be held. Story continues Washington backed him and imposed tough new sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry, with the aim of forcing Maduro and his allies from power. Maduro, who took office in 2013 following the death of his political mentor, Hugo Chavez, has overseen an economic collapse that has left swaths of the once-wealthy country without reliable access to power, water, food and medicines. More than 4 million Venezuelans have emigrated and the Organization of American States warned this week that figure could double by the end of next year. Guaido has gained control of some Venezuelan assets in the United States, appointed diplomats overseas and unveiled an economic plan to rebuild Venezuela. But his promises of amnesty have failed to sway the armed forces, which remain loyal to Maduro. The opposition's momentum has slowed since the April 30 uprising. Attendance at Guaido's public rallies has dropped and the opposition has held no major protests since then. A march called for Friday will be a litmus test for Guaido's support. Maduro, who retains the loyalty of key allies Russia and China, has branded Guaido a U.S. puppet. With a swift removal of Maduro not in sight, the opposition says it is knuckling down for a more protracted campaign and seeking to build a grassroots organization to press for elections without Maduro. Yon Goicoechea, a member of Guaido's policy team, acknowledged there was "fatigue" among Venezuelans. "We have to fight against demobilization and despair," he said. "We Venezuelans have to keep consistent in our support for Guaido and be patient." ERODING SUPPORT To maintain momentum, Goicoechea said Guaido had traveled to 11 of Venezuela's 23 states and would travel to at least five more this month to motivate his supporters. Goicoechea said Guaido was focused on expanding a network of Help and Freedom Committees, a program the opposition began in April to organize efforts at a local level something the ruling Socialist Party has done successfully. However, attendees say so far the committees have got little traction. Rafael Mora, a 27-year-old doctor and Guaido supporter in the northwestern city of Barquisimeto, said too many Venezuelans wanted immediate change without being willing to work for it. "We can't leave all the responsibility just in the hands of a leader, a messiah," said Mora, who met Guaido when he visited in late May. Support for Guaido remains high but it has dipped slightly from 61.2% in February to 56.7% in May, according to a June 10 report from Venezuelan pollster Datanalisis. Just 10.1% of Venezuelans approved of Maduro in May, the lowest level for a president since 1999, according to the survey. Meanwhile, a survey from pollster DatinCorp showed the proportion of Venezuelans who recognized Guaido as the legitimate president had fallen from 49% in February to 36% in June. Raul Gallegos, associate director with consultancy Control Risks, said their base case scenario was for Maduro to still be in power by the end of the year and for the opposition to lose steam. It did not appear that Guaido had a "Plan B" to dislodge Maduro, Gallegos said. "We can expect Guaido's popularity to continue to erode the longer he is not exercising power," he said. "IT'S ALL TALK" Venezuela's crisis has received less public attention from U.S. President Donald Trump's administration in recent weeks as the White House has become embroiled in a confrontation with Iran and tensions over a trade dispute with China. When Trump launched his re-election campaign in Orlando, Florida, on June 18, he made just one brief mention of Venezuela, although aides insist he remains committed to Guaido. A senior U.S. administration official said: "The United States continues to execute the president's strategy of maximum pressure to achieve a peaceful transition to democracy in Venezuela." "Only Maduro wishes for the U.S. to give up now," the official told Reuters. Since the April uprising, Maduro's government has cracked down on Guaido's allies without significant retaliation from the international community. The Supreme Court has accused 14 opposition lawmakers of crimes including treason and conspiracy, prompting most to flee abroad or take refuge in foreign embassies in Caracas. Some ordinary Venezuelans interviewed by Reuters criticized Guaido's decision to send envoys to Oslo for talks with representatives of Maduro's government. Instead, they demanded that Guaido shift strategy and request a U.S.-led military intervention - a possibility that Washington has repeatedly played down. "We can't get rid of Maduro with votes. It will have to be a violent exit," said Juan Parra, a 67-year-old teacher in the Andean city of Merida, while he waited to see Guaido speak. While the most desired outcome for Venezuelans in the Datanalisis poll was negotiations leading to presidential elections this year, preference for a U.S.-led military invasion rose from 9.4% in April to 11.9% in May. For many Venezuelans, change is just too slow in coming and tens of thousands are leaving the country every week. "I bet that (Guaido) would change our country," Andraimi Laya, a 22-year-old former police student, told Reuters as she waited at a border checkpoint to enter Peru. "But, given that it's all talk and there is no organization, it's too hard to stay there." (Reporting by Mircely Guanipa in Punto Fijo, Anggy Polanco in Merida, Keren Torres in Barquisimeto, Mariela Nava in Maracaibo, Angus Berwick in Caracas, Mitra Taj in Lima and Robin Emmott in Brussels; Writing by Angus Berwick; Editing by Daniel Flynn and Cynthia Osterman)
Why Avid Bioservices Stock Was Up Big Today What happened Shares of Avid Bioservices (NASDAQ: CDMO) , a provider of contract development and manufacturing services for biopharma companies, rose as much as 12% in afternoon trading on Monday. Shares were up about 8% as of 3:15 p.m. EST. Investors can most likely thank an analyst upgrade for today's move. So what Janney Montgomery Scott upgraded Avid's shares to a buy today from neutral in a report that was published on Friday after the company reported earnings. The financial company also gave the stock a $10 price target. That's quite a bit higher than Friday's closing price of $5.60. Avid's quarterly numbers looked good , so the upgrade makes sense. Revenue came in much higher than expected, gross margin soared, and the company posted positive income from operations during the quarter. Guidance for the full year was a bit behind estimates, but that could just be because management is sandbagging. Man with laptop cheering Image source: Getty Images. Traders appeared to be bidding up the stock today in response to the bullish price target. Now what 2019 was a good year for the company, and management believes that it will be able to build upon that momentum in 2020. That bullish view is supported by Avid's ability to pull in new clients and win more business from its existing base of customers. Although it was on the upswing today, this company actually has a long history of destroying shareholder value: CDMO Chart CDMO data by YCharts. I'm not a big fan of buying companies that haven't done well for their long-term shareholders, so I'm content to take a pass on this stock right now. But I'd be happy to change my tune once this company starts to report sustained profit growth. More From The Motley Fool 10 Best Stocks to Buy Today The $16,728 Social Security Bonus You Cannot Afford to Miss 20 of the Top Stocks to Buy (Including the Two Every Investor Should Own) What Is an ETF? 5 Recession-Proof Stocks How to Beat the Market Brian Feroldi has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy .
Have Insiders Been Selling Merit Medical Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:MMSI) Shares? Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! It is not uncommon to see companies perform well in the years after insiders buy shares. The flip side of that is that there are more than a few examples of insiders dumping stock prior to a period of weak performance. So shareholders might well want to know whether insiders have been buying or selling shares inMerit Medical Systems, Inc.(NASDAQ:MMSI). Most investors know that it is quite permissible for company leaders, such as directors of the board, to buy and sell stock on the market. However, most countries require that the company discloses such transactions to the market. We would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing. But equally, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether. For example, a Harvard Universitystudyfound that 'insider purchases earn abnormal returns of more than 6% per year.' View our latest analysis for Merit Medical Systems In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the Director, Kent Stanger, sold US$747k worth of shares at a price of US$61.05 per share. So what is clear is that an insider saw fit to sell at around the current price of US$59.56. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take price at a lower price. Given that the sale took place at around current prices, it makes us a little cautious but is hardly a major concern. Kent Stanger was the only individual insider to sell over the last year. Kent Stanger sold a total of 17228 shares over the year at an average price of US$60.84. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! I will like Merit Medical Systems better if I see some big insider buys. While we wait, check out thisfreelist of growing companies with considerable, recent, insider buying. Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. Usually, the higher the insider ownership, the more likely it is that insiders will be incentivised to build the company for the long term. Merit Medical Systems insiders own 3.4% of the company, currently worth about US$110m based on the recent share price. Most shareholders would be happy to see this sort of insider ownership, since it suggests that management incentives are well aligned with other shareholders. It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Merit Medical Systems shares in the last quarter. It's great to see high levels of insider ownership, but looking back at the last year, we don't gain confidence from the Merit Medical Systems insiders selling. Of course,the future is what matters most. So if you are interested in Merit Medical Systems, you should check out thisfreereport on analyst forecasts for the company. If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss thisfreelist of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Southwest expects Boeing 737 MAX cancellations beyond Oct. 1: CEO CHICAGO (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines <LUV.N> expects it will have to remove the grounded Boeing Co <BA.N> 737 MAX jets from its flying schedule beyond the current Oct. 1 re-entry date following the discovery of a fresh safety issue, Chief Executive Gary Kelly told employees on Monday. Last week, Boeing said that it would take until at least September to solve 737 MAX software issues - later than airlines had been expecting - after U.S. aviation regulators uncovered a new problem during simulator sessions. "I'm sure this will cause us to have to take the MAX out of the schedule beyond Oct. 1," Kelly said in an internal update, adding that the company would also see "what other modifications we might need to make our plans for this year because it's obviously extending well beyond what I had hoped." Kelly did not elaborate on the possible modifications. So far, the Texas-based airline has tried to substitute its MAX routes with spare aircraft but has still been forced to cancel about 115 daily flights. American Airlines Group <AAL.O> and United Airlines Holdings <UAL.O>, the other two U.S. carriers that operate the 737 MAX, have removed the jetliner from their flying schedules until early September. The three airlines are expected to provide more details on the financial toll of a prolonged MAX grounding during second quarter results later in July. Boeing's fast-selling narrowbody was grounded worldwide in March following two deadly crashes within five months. (Reporting by Tracy Rucinski, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
Rhode Island diocese posts list of credibly accused priests PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence on Monday released a list of clerics, religious order priests and deacons it deems to have been credibly accused of sexually abusing children. The list of 50 names posted on the diocese website includes 19 priests and deacons who are still alive, ranging in age from 60 to 98, although nearly all have been removed from ministry. One priest resigned. The list also includes 25 dead priests and six others, including religious order priests. It posted where each of the men once worked. The diocese reviewed files dating to 1950. Rhode Island is one of the most heavily Catholic states. Bishop Thomas Tobin, in a letter accompanying the list, calls its release "a difficult but necessary moment" in the history of the church. "The publication of this list is an expression of the transparency we want to encourage, and the accountability we need to accept," he wrote. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, known as SNAP, said in a statement that it hopes the release of this information will lead to safer, more informed communities, and that survivors will be encouraged to come forward and make a report. SNAP asked Tobin to update the list with the full work histories of each accused priest so communities where abusers served know, and called on Rhode Island's attorney general to independently investigate. "While we are grateful for the bit of transparency shown by the Diocese of Providence today, we know that the best way to get full transparency and a true accounting of the problem is by relying on secular, independent officials," the statement said. The attorney general's office is already reviewing allegations of sexual abuse by clergy and plans to cross-reference the list with previous allegations and disclosures, Attorney General Peter Neronha's spokeswoman, Kristy dosReis, said Monday. "While release of this list is a step forward, we do not view it as the end of the process," she said in a statement. Ann Hagan Webb said there are about 15 names on the list that weren't publicly known before now. Hagan Webb, a former New England coordinator for SNAP, is in contact with many of the clergy abuse victims in Rhode Island. "There are probably victims sitting at home that will realize for the first time that they're not the only victim and possibly come forward," she said Monday. "That's what my fight has always been about, to take survivors out of isolation and expose the names of perpetrators so they can't hurt someone else." Story continues But Hagan-Webb also questioned why the list isn't longer. She referenced a 2007 court document in a clergy sex abuse case which states that the number of accused priests in the diocese files was about 125, which was reduced to 95 by excluding priests who were not alleged to have committed sexual assaults as previously defined by the court. "I know there are more to be disclosed," Hagan Webb said. The diocese said its director of compliance, a former state police detective, used his expertise to make assessments and judgments about the evidence within the files, and in some cases made additional inquiries. Of the 50 names, 48 are listed as credibly accused and two deceased clergy members are listed as publicly accused. Survivors of abuse have been asking since at least 2008 for the Providence Diocese to release a list of priests accused of abuse. The diocese reached a $14 million settlement in 2002 with 37 people who had sued over clergy sexual abuse and has settled other cases since then. The list includes the Rev. James Silva, who was accused of abuse by several people involved in the 2002 settlement. Silva was removed from the ministry in 1993 and pleaded guilty two years later to sexually assaulting an 18-year-old man. He received a seven-year suspended sentence and was a defendant in multiple lawsuits. A message left at a phone listed in Silva's name was not immediately returned Monday. Tobin was installed to lead the diocese by the Vatican in 2005. More than 140 religious orders and Roman Catholic dioceses have released similar lists. More than 100 of those lists were either released or significantly updated since a Pennsylvania grand jury in August detailed hundreds of cases of alleged abuse. Many dioceses haven't historically named priests who were accused after their death because they can't defend themselves, though some have changed their policy for transparency. The Providence Diocese's list includes a dozen priests who died before any allegation was received, including Monsignor Anthony DeAngelis, who worked in the diocese administration and died in 1990. Hagan Webb said that DeAngelis repeatedly molested her in West Warwick as a child and that she began recalling the abuse as an adult. She testified about what happened this year at the State House, to help persuade lawmakers to pass a bill introduced by her sister, Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee, to extend the statute of limitations. The General Assembly passed the bill last week to give victims 35 years to sue their abusers and institutions that shielded them, instead of seven and three respectively. Democratic Gov. Gina Raimondo signed it Monday. ___ Associated Press writers Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia and Michelle R. Smith in Providence contributed to this report. View comments
Ethereum Based Venture Cajutel Licensed to Become the Next AT&T of West Africa SEATTLE, WA / ACCESSWIRE / July 1, 2019 /Internet in West Africa is extremely slow, expensive, and very unreliable due to the poor infrastructure and frequent power cuts in the region. However, there are only two mobile operators in this region, both of whom focus almost exclusively on voice communication but not 3G or 4G data transmission. The only reason these carriers provide internet is that they are required by law to do so. On the top of all, there is zero incentive for them to make it fast enough to use and cheap enough to afford. To provide high speed, reliable and cheap internet to the underserved community in Africa, a new telecom start-up, dubbed "Cajutel Sarl" have emerged. Despite the raging odds of the regional conditions in West Africa, Guinea-Bissau, based Cajutel Sarl telecom startup has recently attained its telecom license to operate as an internet service provider in the West African nation. This implies that they can start working on their project to provide high speed, reliable and cheap internet to the underserved community in Africa. Cajutel used Ethereum's blockchain and created digital shares of their company. Moreover, this startup has been proudly awarded "Tier 1 ISP Data Services License for Sierra Leone" which was first announced by the founder and CEO ofCajutelvia Twitter on June 28. (viaTwitter) Cajutel to Bring New Revolution in West Africa To Attempt Internet Crisis West Africa is looking for a telecom revolution breaking the odds of centralized monopoly, looking for a more decentralized unit to look after the country's growing need of high-speed internet and to satisfy the needs Ethereum based telecom venture, Cajutel set to become the AT&T of Africa, breaking the stereotypes a decentralized AT&T. Sierra Leone is a country with a population of 7.5 million, and that ranks closer to the bottom in world rankings of literacy, GDP per capita, and Human Development Index. Sierra Leone currently has very unreliable and expensive internet, on average a person spends $99 per month for 5mbps internet. With the internet being so expensive, and the poor coverage of the country by telecom operators makes it difficult for users to use the internet and as more users joining the network will affect networks quality. Only less than 13% of the population is currently connected to the internet. Cajutel hopes to empower this nation by providing cheap, reliable and high-speed internet service which would enhance the nation's education system and increase the GDP per capita. How Is Cajutel Bringing Ultimate Solution to the Crisis? Since there is no sustainable infrastructure that can be built upon or improved in the country and its neighboring regions, Cajutel will have to build everything from scratch which includes fiber wires and underground connections, etc from ground level. It has resorted to providing power to its systems through solar-panels as the local power is highly unreliable. Although this may increase the cost, it provides Cajutel complete autonomy of its resources. Cajutel's CEO, Andreas Fink, already has more than two decades experience in the telecom sector and aspires to scale the project from Sierra Leone to other neighboring countries. With very low competition from local vendors, Cajutel can definitely establish itself as a telecom giant since it will start from ground-up, meaning it will own all its infrastructure and not have to depend on other service-providers, thereby making it immensely reliable and highly autonomous. Elaborating on how Cajutel is the only solution, Fink has stated:"In our case, we are using the Etherum's ERC20 protocol in a more traditional way, which means that we are raising funds against the shares of the company, because at the end of the day you will have investors who put money down and expecting a return, they want to participate in your revenue which you are giving up." Cajutel's Native Token CAJ - A Lucrative Investment Opportunity Cajutel has the potential to transform Africa's telecom landscape, especially through strategic partnerships with other telecoms, computer vendors; kiosks just to name a few. Investors have a chance to participate in a truly revolutionary idea. The company has embraced the Ethereum's Blockchain methodology of raising capital, in other to open up opportunities for investment to smaller investors. According to the project's whitepaper, Cajutel has its own native token, named, CAJ which is witnessed as one of the lucrative investment opportunities. The business plan projected under CAJ's whitepaper, the token is believed to be profitable and holders of token will be subjected for a dividend, the profit for a holder is projected to reach up to $824. In order, while contributors have the possibility to receive a high return on investment if the project succeeds and the newly issued digital token increases in value. At the time of reporting, the current price of CAJ onCoinmarketcapwas around $15. Cajutel is one such project with a very active community in thetelegram, and the CEO itself actively participate in answering investors queries, by far the project has been performing well, and with the license, the project is expected to reach a wider audience, Cajutel is currently listed onIdexandMercatoxexchange. CONTACT: Nox@hiptoro.com SOURCE:Cajutel View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/550533/Ethereum-Based-Venture-Cajutel-Licensed-to-Become-the-Next-ATT-of-West-Africa
2019’s Most Striking New Watches Feature Dials from Outer Space Click here to read the full article. Maybe it’s the looming 50 th anniversary of the moon landing on July 20, the perennial popularity of astronomical watches or merely a growing appreciation for shimmery metallics. Whatever the cause, luxury watchmakers are gravitating toward meteorite, a rare, distinctive and unusual material that lends the face of a timepiece a one-of-a-kind, galactic-inspired edge. Meteorite dials are so popular, in fact, they’ve even been spotted at trend-averse Rolex . Below, five new-for-2019 timepieces featuring a tangible connection to the heavens. Romain Gauthier Prestige HMS Stainless Steel Related stories America's Biggest Mall, a 3-Million-Square-Foot Behemoth, Is Opening This Fall High Flyers: 5 New Pilot's Watches Inspired by Vintage Models This $4.6 Million Pocket Watch Just Broke the Record for Independent Watchmakers The story behind the meteorite on the dial of the new Prestige HMS Stainless Steel from independent watchmaker Romain Gauthier begins in Australia’s Northern Territory in 1931: that was the year the Henbury meteorite, and the crater field it created, was discovered. Distinguished by coarse intersecting bands of nickel-iron crystal (aka the Widmanstätten pattern), the silvery shard is contained within a sleek 43 mm case. Available in a very limited run of just 10 pieces, it retails for $68,000. Hermès Arceau L’Heure De La Lune The epitome of elegance, Hermès’ new Arceau L’Heure De La Lune watch was a major talking piece at this year’s Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva. Its twin hemispheric moon phases in mother-of-pearl are framed by a backdrop of either aventurine or meteorite, for $25,000. Take one guess as to which is our favorite. Louis Moinet Moon Famous for making watches inspired by stellar associations , Atelier Louis Moinet is back at it with its new Moon watch , in honor of the Jules Verne classic Around the Moon . Available in a limited edition of 12 pieces in rose gold and 60 in steel ($45,000 and $16,500, respectively), the 43.2 mm model not only faithfully depicts the surface of the moon (along with its signature craters, Gassendi, Tycho and Cassini), it also features a capsule at 3 o’clock containing a fragment of a lunar meteorite. Rolex GMT-Master II The brilliance of pairing a no-nonsense tool watch like the Rolex GMT-Master II with a striking meteorite dial is its unexpected sophistication. Equipped with the brand’s trademark “Pepsi” bezel, the 40 mm white gold watch, which retails for $38,400, is at once smart and sporty. Piaget Altiplano The extraordinary dark grey meteorite at the center of Piaget’s newest Altiplano wristwatch is a guaranteed conversation-starter. Housed in a 40 mm rose gold case with matching rose gold hour-markers, the model is equally appealing to watchmaking nerds: its 1203P ultra-thin in-house automatic caliber is only 3 mm thick, a technical feat. Limited to 300 pieces, it retails for $24,600. Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter . For the latest news, follow us on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram . View comments
‘Alien’ asteroid was not a spaceship, but astronomers admit, ‘It’s still a mystery’ asteroid in deep space lit by a star A visitor to our solar system became the subject of headlines around the world after the cigar-shaped rock now named `Oumuamua flew past our sun. It isn’t an alien spacecraft, a new study has suggested - but there’s still something very strange about it, University of Maryland researchers have said. The space object, a visitor from another star system, was promptly scanned by the alien-hunting SETI project - and UFO fans (naturally) came up with dozens of strange theories. But while it showed no signs of life in scans in 2017, a mysterious ‘speed boost’ observed by astronomers reignited debate this year. Oumuamua, Hawaiian for Scout', spins like a coke bottle and accelerates like a comet, but without the gas jets often seen trailing them. Read more Boris Johnson admits 'deep sense of anguish' over Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe case Donald Trump becomes first sitting US president to enter North Korea In pictures: Britain basks in hottest day of the year so far The study's co-author, Dr Matthew Knight, an associate research scientist in the University of Maryland Department of Astronomy, said: 'The alien spacecraft hypothesis is a fun idea, but our analysis suggests there is a whole host of natural phenomena that could explain it. 'We have never seen anything like Oumuamua in our solar system. It's really a mystery still. 'But our preference is to stick with analogues we know, unless or until we find something unique.' Dr Knight worked with astronomer Dr Alan Fitzsimmons from Queen's University Belfast and 14 experts from the US and Europe. They analysed data from the Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT) at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona from their base at the International Space Science Institute in Bern, Switzerland. Dr Knight added: 'We tend to assume that the physical processes we observe here, close to home, are universal. 'And we haven't yet seen anything like Oumuamua in our solar system. This thing is weird and admittedly hard to explain, but that doesn't exclude other natural phenomena that could explain it.' Story continues Scientists think it could have entered our solar system after being ejected by a gas giant planet orbiting another star. And researchers said Jupiter may have created some of its own interstellar travellers by sneaking some of its icy objects through the sun's gravity field and into foreign solar systems. Watch the latest videos from Yahoo UK
Beth Chapman’s Stepdaughter Says She's 'Still in Disbelief' After Reality Star's Death Beth Chapman ’s loved ones are still coming to terms with their loss. One day after honoring Beth at a memorial in Waikiki, Hawaii, her stepdaughter Lyssa shared an emotional tribute to the late Dog the Bounty Hunter star, who died on Wednesday at the age of 51. Alongside a touching photo from the memorial that showed her young daughter walking hand-in-hand with her dad Duane “Dog” Chapman , Lyssa wrote that she had “no words” to describe what she was feeling. “Someone wake me up from this awful dream. I have no words. Still in disbelief. Pray for our family, as we lost our strongest member,” she wrote, adding a broken heart emoji. Over on Twitter, she also remembered her late stepmother by re-posting an old video of the pair playing a trick on Dog and his fellow bounty hunter Tim. Beth (left) and Lyssa Chapman \| Lyssa Chapman/ Instagram “ We sure ran them boys didn’t we ,” Lyssa wrote alongside the clip, tagging Beth. View this post on Instagram Someone wake me up from this awful dream. I have no words. Still in disbelief. Pray for our family, as we lost our strongest member. 💔 A post shared by Lyssa Chapman II (@mslyssac) on Jun 30, 2019 at 10:26am PDT We sure ran them boys didn’t we @MrsdogC https://t.co/WxxdNvi8Ve — Lyssa Chapman (@BabyLyssaC) June 30, 2019 RELATED: Dog the Bounty Hunter Announces Memorial Plans in Colorado for Wife Beth Chapman In her own sweet tribute, Beth’s daughter Cecily shared several photos from the service showing an array of brightly colored flowers floating in the ocean. Alongside one shot, Cecily thanked all of the family’s “ beautiful fans and friends near and far” for their love and support. View this post on Instagram #AlohaOeMrsDog A post shared by Cecily B Chapman (@cecilybeezee) on Jun 30, 2019 at 1:57pm PDT All of her posts also included the tag #alohaoemrsdog. Story continues ‘‘Oe means ‘you’ in Hawaiian. It is customary to say, ‘Aloha ‘Oe’ especially when saying farewell,” a rep for the Chapmans previously told PEOPLE. “There is a song by the same name, which Hawaiians often sing at the end of a party, funerals, or when people are leaving the islands.” (L-R) Beth Chapman and Duane RELATED: Beth Chapman’s Family, Friends and Fans Gather for a Memorial in Waikiki to Honor Late Star Beth’s husband has since announced that an official memorial will be held in Colorado. “Love you all and thank you very much for the support you have been giving for Beth,” Dog tweeted on Sunday. “We have tentatively scheduled July 13 in Denver to tuck her in, tell her goodnight, for she sleepeth. More details will follow… time, place, etc.” Love you all and thank you very much for the support you have been giving for Beth. We have tentatively scheduled July 13 in Denver to tuck her in, tell her goodnight, for she sleepeth. More details will follow... time, place, ect. — Duane Dog Chapman (@DogBountyHunter) July 1, 2019 Dog, 66, shared the sad news that Beth, who was diagnosed with stage II throat cancer in September 2017, had died in a heartbreaking tweet. “It’s 5:32 in Hawaii, this is the time she would wake up to go hike Koko Head mountain,” he wrote. “Only today, she hiked the stairway to heaven. We all love you, Beth. See you on the other side.” A rep for the Chapmans told PEOPLE, “Beth died at 5:32 this morning, the same time she would wake up to go hiking Koko Head. The exact same time. She was surrounded by family and Dog was there, holding her hand.”
Talent dogfight: Rock stars, heroes and misleading job postings as openings near record Corrections & Clarifications: A previous version of this story misstated the title for Peg Buchenroth. Are you a coding ninja? A social media rock star? A spreadsheet warrior? Employers are pulling out all the stops in job postings and interviews as they jostle to stand out amid a near-record 7.4 million openings and attract a dwindling pool of qualified candidates. While some businesses glamorize routine jobs with over-the-top titles, others oversell the level of responsibility and opportunity for promotion or soft-pedal the amount of hours and dreary tasks required. Many workers, in turn, are griping that the positions they took don’t reflect the job descriptions or interviews that got them in the door. “There seems to be a disconnect between what employers are saying they’re looking for and what the job turns out to be,” says Ian Siegel, CEO of ZipRecruiter, a leading job board. Complaints that jobs aren’t as billed aren’t new. But, Siegel says, “In a market where employers are in a dogfight for talent, they are more than ever trying to dress up their job listings.” Just 47% of workers believe job descriptions reflect actual responsibilities, according to a recent survey by recruiting and software company Jobvite. And a ZipRecruiter poll conducted in June for USA TODAY found that 58% of job-seekers have applied for a position based on an inaccurate description. Over the hill:Before there was an Apple iPod, there was Sony Walkman. 40 years of music on the move About 30% of workers report leaving a job within the first 90 days, with nearly half saying the day-to-day role wasn’t what they expected, the Jobvite survey shows. Such mismatches are more prevalent in industries struggling to find skilled workers, such as technology and health care, staffing firms say. Late last year, Tori Moore, 24, accepted a job advertised as social media/marketing coordinator for a nutrition company, focused on content creation, digital marketing and contact with “influencers.” She even got flexible hours and the freedom to work from home in New York City, where she had planned to move from Oklahoma. “It was like a dream,” she says. “It’s what every millennial wants.” But when she started in January, initially from Oklahoma, Moore was given starkly different duties-- answering calls and emails, handling shipping orders and human resources, and some sales. When she inquired about the social media responsibilities she was promised, she was initially strung along and then told a higher-level manager likely would be hired for that role. She also learned she would have to move to San Francisco, not New York. “I’m like -- what is going on?” says Moore, who quit within three months to take an actual social media job in Los Angeles. “I definitely feel misled. I feel I was being taken advantage of.” The vast majority of recruiters aren’t intentionally pulling bait-and-switches, staffing officials say. “I honestly don’t think employers are trying to deceive,” says Vicki Salemi, a career expert for job board Monster. If a new hire bolts, the costs and hassles – in restarting the hiring process and lost productivity – can be in the thousand of dollars. “If you’re not being transparent, there is a cost in turnover,” says Peg Buchenroth, senior vice president of human resources at Addison Group, a staffing firm. Sometimes jobs don’t pan out as expected because of innocent mistakes. “There has been a shortening of the entire hiring process” as employers try to snag candidates with lots of choices before they go elsewhere, Buchenroth says. That leaves less time for businesses and candidates to communicate with other, she says. Is Facebook listening to me?Why those ads appear after you talk about things In other instances, job responsibilities can change after a candidate is hired but before he or she starts, Salemi says. Some employers, meanwhile, may be putting the most positive spin on job openings in a highly competitive environment in which the 3.6% unemployment rate – a 50-year low -- forces them to filch workers from each other. When unemployment hit 10% during the Great Recession of 2007-09, the tables were turned and job candidates were similarly accused of stretching the truth or papering over gaps in their resumes. One red flag for job-seekers: Overheated job titles that provide few details. “Let’s say you’re (hired) as a spreadsheet guru,” Siegel says. “Once you get in the job, you’re an accountant.” Overly broad and fluffy job descriptions represent another warning sign says Scott Dobroski, senior director of corporate communications for Glassdoor, the job posting and review site. A post for a real estate sales job in Falls Church, Virginia, seeks “superstars only” who “have a burning desire to succeed, are extremely client oriented….never say die… and communicate with piercing persuasiveness.” Yet job-seekers also should be wary of excessively detailed postings that specify how each day will unfold, Dobroski says. “It’s safe to assume no two days are like,” he says. Other new hires, he says, may find themselves toiling more hours with fewer opportunities to telecommute than they anticipated. A job titled chief human resource officer for an Arizona-based nonprofit and touted as a chance to think strategically about the workforce turned out to be a nuts-and-bolts HR job centered on making payroll, says Kathleen Duffy Ybarra, CEO of Duffy Group, a recruiting firm. Two executives took the position but left within a year. “It was never really articulated how much of the role” would involve mundane tasks, Ybarrra says. Buchenroth advises job-hunters to ask probing questions in interviews, including about the percentage of the job devoted to each of the duties outlined in postings. Envision Tees, which prints and embroiders T-shirts, has always kept its customer service job postings simple, in part to attract candidates in a hot market dominated by larger firms that offer higher pay and more benefits, says CEO Tom Rauen. The job description cites duties such as answering calls and emails, processing orders and updating customer records. Sometimes, however, representatives are also asked to fold and stack shirts if there’s a flurry of orders. “We’re a small business and we need people to be resilient and pitch in,” Rauen says of the 40-employee firm based in Dubuque, Iowa. Yet many new customer service hires don’t expect to be pulled into production, leading two to quit the past few months. So Envision has revised the job description, adding that staffers will “assist coworkers as needed.” He’s also explicit about the requirement during interviews. “Now, we’re very upfront,” Rauen says. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Talent dogfight: Rock stars, heroes and misleading job postings as openings near record
Floating Antarctic ice goes from record high to record lows WASHINGTON (AP) — The amount of ice circling Antarctica is suddenly plunging from a record high to record lows, baffling scientists. Floating ice off the southern continent steadily increased from 1979 and hit a record high in 2014. But three years later, the annual average extent of Antarctic sea ice hit its lowest mark, wiping out three-and-a-half decades of gains — and then some, a NASA study of satellite data shows. In recent years, "things have been crazy," said Mark Serreze, director of the National Snow and Ice Data Center. In an email, he called the plummeting ice levels "a white-knuckle ride." Serreze and other outside experts said they don't know if this is a natural blip that will go away or more long-term global warming that is finally catching up with the South Pole. Antarctica hasn't showed as much consistent warming as its northern Arctic cousin. "But the fact that a change this big can happen in such a short time should be viewed as an indication that the Earth has the potential for significant and rapid change," University of Colorado ice scientist Waleed Abdalati said in an email. At the polar regions, ice levels grow during the winter and shrink in the summer. Around Antarctica, sea ice averaged 4.9 million square miles (12.8 million square kilometers) in 2014. By 2017, it was a record low of 4.1 million square miles (10.7 million square kilometers, according to the study in Monday's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The difference covers an area bigger than the size of Mexico. Losing that much in just three years "is pretty incredible" and faster than anything scientists have seen before, said study author Claire Parkinson, a NASA climate scientist. Antarctic sea ice increased slightly in 2018, but still was the second lowest since 1979. Even though ice is growing this time of year in Antarctica, levels in May and June this year were the lowest on record, eclipsing 2017, according to the ice data center. Story continues Ice melting on the ocean surface doesn't change sea level. Non-scientists who reject mainstream climate science often had pointed at increasing Antarctic sea ice to deny or downplay the loss of Arctic sea ice. While the Arctic has shown consistent and generally steady warming and ice melt — with some slight year to year variation — Antarctica has had more ups and downs while generally trending upward. That is probably in part due to geography, Parkinson and Serreze said. The Arctic is a floating ice cap on an ocean penned in by continents. Antarctica is just the opposite, with land surrounded by open ocean. That allows the ice to grow much farther out, Parkinson said. When Antarctic sea ice was steadily rising, scientists pointed to shifts in wind and pressure patterns, ocean circulation changes or natural but regular climate changes like El Nino and its southern cousins. Now, some of those explanations may not quite fit, making what happens next still a mystery, Parkinson said. ___ Follow Seth Borenstein on Twitter: @borenbears . ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
New Study Shows Promising Results for HPV Vaccines Click here to read the full article. While cervical cancer is not the killer it once was, the condition still affects thousands of women. In 2018, cervical cancer was responsible for 311,000 deaths. But thanks to diagnostic developments and the introduction of preventive treatments, like the HPV — or human papillomavirus — vaccine, these rates are dropping. And the immunization may be more promising than we initially hoped or thought. According to a new study , the HPV vaccine will likely cause a major drop in cervical cancer rates, and the treatment has already reduced the number of infections, precancerous lesions and warts young women face. The research, conducted by the HPV Vaccination Impact Group and published in The Lancet , analyzed dozens of studies and included 66 million females and males. Researchers found that in countries where the vaccine had been distributed for more than five years, the rates of HPV infection decreased by 83 percent among teenage girls and 66 percent among young women. Anal and genital wart rates also dropped — by 67 percent and 54 percent, respectively — and the appearance of precancerous lesions declined by 51 percent among teens and 31 percent among women. Related stories 5 Signs Your Period Cramps Aren't Normal How I Showed A Doctor I Know My Body Best Dog the Bounty Hunter's Wife Beth Chapman Placed in Medically-Induced Coma Of course, it is still too early to determine if (and how) the vaccine has affected cancer rates, but the reduction of precancerous lesions is encouraging. “These results provide strong evidence of HPV vaccination working to prevent cervical cancer in real-world settings, as HPV infections — which are the cause of cervical cancer — and precancerous cervical lesions are significantly declining,” study author and professor Marc Brisson of Université Laval in Quebec said in a statement to USA Today . “We are working with the World Health Organization to determine when cervical cancer could be eliminated in different countries, [and] our results provide promising early signs that the World Health Organization [will] call for action.” Story continues Currently, the World Health Organization recommends all girls ages 9 to 14 get the HPV vaccine , but some countries have different guidelines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for example, suggests the vaccine be given to young women and men. Unfortunately, despite the potential and call to action, vaccination rates remain low, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and the United States — where less than half of American adolescents get the full course of HPV shots . #HPV vaccine exceeds expectations, raising hopes that cervical cancer can be eradicated. https://t.co/uRMvNeimwR #ccsm pic.twitter.com/oUJfRQTK3m — Medscape (@Medscape) June 27, 2019 However, these results may persuade more parents to vaccinate their children. Caregivers have nothing to lose, and everything to gain. Sign up for SheKnows' Newsletter . For the latest news, follow us on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .
3 Gold Mining Stocks Help You Dig Up Profits Gold finally has its shine back. Yes, some folks may have abandoned gold in favor of digital gold — bitcoin has surged several hundred percent recently. But the world’s favorite precious metal is sparkling again too. Recently, the price of gold topped $1,400/oz, marking its highest level in more than five years. Gold’s move has come with surprising speed as well, it’s up nearly 10% over the past month. Not surprisingly, with gold surging, investors are starting to come back to a long dormant group of companies: mining stocks. Now, to be fair, most of these gold stocks are rightly ignored. As the famous adage goes, a gold mine is a hole in the ground with a liar at the top. That’s true of far too many small prospecting companies. Incredibly, over the past 10 years, even with the price of gold up overall, mining stocks have gotten wrecked. The main sector ETF,VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF(NYSEARCA:GDX) has lost nearly half its value over the past decade. Meanwhile, the more speculative smaller gold companies fund,VanEck Vectors Junior Gold Miners ETF(NYSEARCA:GDXJ) has lost a catastrophic 67% of its value. Again, that’s during a time when the price of gold went up on net, and stocks in general soared. InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips • 7 F-Rated Stocks to Sell for Summer That means that it is most important to stick to quality operations when picking your gold stocks. Unlike many sectors, mediocrity generally isn’t enough to drive positive performance in gold, even if the overall conditions are relatively decent. With all that in mind, what should you buy and what should avoid as gold stocks take off again? Source: ©iStock.com/TomasSereda One good rule for buying into an unloved sector is to buy one of the industry leaders, as long as it has a decent balance sheet.Newmont(NYSE:NEM) has been in a terrible funk since it made its questionable purchase ofGoldcorp. Newmont stock has barely moved since the gold stock rally got going. That leavesBarrick Gold(NYSE:GOLD) as the next best option. With its $30 billion market cap and operations spanning many countries, Barrick is one of the world’s leading diversified miners. In fact, by at least one metric, Barrick is the world’s powerhouse gold mining firm. It has five of the world’s ten Tier 1 mines — defined as a mine that produces 500,000 ounces or more per year, has 10+ years of reserves left, and operates at or below the median global cost of mining. This huge number of long-life world class assets ensures the Barrick is here to stay. Regardless of where the price of gold goes, Barrick will be mining lots of gold — profitably — for many years to come. The company has a lot to offer investors in 2019 specifically, as well. In its first quarter, for example, Barrick showed nice leverage to the price of gold despite it having lower-cost mining operations. For the quarter, Barrick managed to boost cash from operations 27% while doubling earnings as gold production rose 8%. That’s some solid results. At $16/share, GOLD stock is still well short of the $22 level it hit in 2016 on the last wave of gold stocks momentum. If gold can keep its momentum, GOLD stock should be able to revisit $22 in a hurry. Source: Shutterstock Buying industry leaders is a good way to catch a sector as it comes out of a long slumber. However, thinking back to how poorly mining stocks in general have performed, there’s another important thing to consider. That’s the different between gold streaming stocks and gold mining stocks. The gold streamers act as a sort of specialty finance shop, lending money to the mining companies, and getting a cut of ensuing gold production at a (usually) fixed price. The gold streamers take on significant risks including gold price variation, delays in production, and bankruptcy of the counterparty mining firm. In return, however, the gold streamers tend to earn fat returns. Over the past decade, while mining stocks as a group lost half their value or more, streamers prospered. For example,Franco-Nevada(NYSE:FNV) quadrupled, and rival streamerRoyal Gold(NASDAQ:RGLD) soared 150% over the past 10 year period while mining stocks plummeted. • 7 Stocks to Buy for the Same Price as Beyond Meat Franco-Nevada specifically, over the years, has built a huge pool of streaming assets across gold and other things. Last year, it sold nearly 350,000 ounces of gold, along with nearly 100,000 gold equivalent ounces of other metals including silver and platinum. For the year, it produced $139 million in net income off of $653 million in revenue, generating a robust profit margin. It also pays a modest dividend to shareholders — a rarity in the gold stocks industry — to reward its owners. Source: Shutterstock While Barrick Gold and Franco-Nevada will offer big upside if and when gold stocks rally more, the list wouldn’t be complete without at least one potential home run pick. EnterSandstorm Gold(NYSEAMERICAN:SAND). While the ticker may be SAND, Sandstorm is much more precious than that. The company is attractive because it is a small streaming company with several big deals in the pipeline. At the moment, it has streams on 22 operating assets, which, at a gold price of just $1,300/oz throw off more than $60 million a year in cash flow. By 2022, as new contracted assets come into play, Sandstorm’s cash flow is projected to double to around $130 million per year — again using that conservative $1,300/oz gold price number. Now, consider that Sandstorm’s market cap is just $1 billion. That’s something like just 7x cash flow once its new mine streams come online. Now factor it significantly higher gold prices and things get even more exciting. SAND stock is already up 50% since its November low. It could run a lot more than that if and when the gold stocks rally kicks it into next gear. At the time of this writing, Ian Bezek owned SAND and FNV stock. You can reach him on Twitter at @irbezek. • 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid • 7 F-Rated Stocks to Sell for Summer • 7 Stocks to Buy for the Same Price as Beyond Meat • 7 Penny Marijuana Stocks That Are NOT Cheap Stocks Compare Brokers The post3 Gold Mining Stocks Help You Dig Up Profitsappeared first onInvestorPlace.
Arsenic found in bottled water sold by Whole Foods and Walmart Update: This article has been updated to include a statement from Starkey Water. A recent study by theCenter for Environmental Health(CEH) has revealed high levels of metal arsenic in two brands of bottled water sold by Whole Foods and Walmart. Last month, the organization announced that it had discovered large amounts of the toxic contaminant in Starkey, which is owned by Whole Foods, and Peñafiel, which is owned by Keurig Dr Pepper and sold at various Walmart locations. The findings confirm anearlier studythat was conducted by Consumer Reports three months ago. In a release, Michael Green, CEH's CEO, condemned the companies involved for putting the public's health at risk. "Consumers are being needlessly exposed to arsenic without their knowledge or consent," he said. "Customers typically purchase bottled water at exorbitantly high costs with the assumption that it is safer and healthier to drink than tap water, unaware that they are ingesting an extremely toxic metal linked to birth defects and cancer." In fact, when ingested, arsenic — a natural element found in the earth's crust — can affect several organs and systems, including the nervous, respiratory, cardiovascular, immune and endocrine systems, according to theNational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. In the U.S., the maximum level of inorganic arsenic that is allowed in drinking water is 10 parts per billion (ppb). In April, however, Consumer Reports noted that it had found levels of arsenic in Starkey water that were dangerously close to — and even over — the federal limit. "Three samples tested this month ranged from 9.48 to 9.86 ppb of arsenic; a fourth registered 10.1 ppb, just above the federal limit of 10 ppb," wrote Ryan Felton, an investigative reporter at the magazine. In response, a spokesperson for Whole Foods Market played down the magazine's findings in a statement. "At Starkey Water, our highest priority is to provide customers with safe, high-quality and refreshing spring water," the statement read. "Beyond the required annual testing by an FDA certified lab, we have an accredited third-party lab test every production run of water before it is sold, and our test results from the same lot analyzed by Consumer Reports show that these products are fully compliant with FDA standards for heavy metals. We would never sell products that do not meet FDA requirements." Keurig Dr Pepper, on the other hand, confirmed to Consumer Reports in April that the arsenic level in its Peñafiel water, which is imported from Mexico, averaged at around 17 ppb. The company said it immediately stopped production of the brand following the discovery, Felton wrote. Still, the CEH claimed in its June release that both Whole Foods and Keurig Dr Pepper had long been aware of the high levels of arsenic in their water prior to this year's findings. The organization has since sent legal notices to both companies in an attempt "to create a legally binding standard that will protect consumers from the risks posed by arsenic in the growing bottled water industry." "There is no place for arsenic in bottled water," said Caroline Cox, a scientist at CEH. "Bottled water companies need to take the necessary steps to remove this toxic metal from their products, and retailers should stop selling them now. Until those conditions are met, we recommend consumers avoid purchasing Whole Foods’ Starkey and Dr Pepper’s Peñafiel."
Western Digital Stock Upgraded: What You Need to Know Every day, Wall Street analysts upgrade some stocks, downgrade others, and "initiate coverage" on a few more. But do these analysts even know what they're talking about? Today, we're taking one high-profile Wall Street pick and putting it under the microscope... From May 15 -- the date President Trump signed anexecutive orderrestricting sales of U.S. technology to Chinese 5G giantHuawei-- to the end of May, shares of computer memory makerWestern Digital(NASDAQ: WDC)lost 18% of their value. The good news is that Western Digital made up those losses in June. The better news is that now, one analyst is betting the stock can do even better on the prospect of a reversal of the Trump ban -- and maybe even a rollback in tariff barriers to trade between the U.S. and China. Here's what you need to know. Image source: Getty Images. On Saturday, President Trump announced plans to suspend tariffs on $300 billion in Chinese imports to the U.S. (Actually, in May he had threatened to impose tariffs on$325 billionin Chinese goods -- but to-may-to, to-mah-to. These are all really just negotiation points, not really policy until the negotiations have been completed.) More importantly to Western Digital, Trump's announcement included a reprieve on sales of radio frequency microchips, computer memory, and other high-tech components sold by U.S. suppliers to Huawei where such sales pose "no great national security problem" to the U.S. In an upgrade this morning, analysts at investment bankMizuhoargue that this latest twist in the trade war between America and China "effectively" takes Huawei "off the entity list" of foreign companies with which U.S. companies are unable to trade. And because this trade ban has been a major overhang for Western Digital and its business of selling computer memory to Huawei, the analyst believes that "improving visibility, a rebound in orders and upside to depressed expectations" will now benefit Western Digital stock -- which Mizuho is upgrading to buy, with a $55 price target. In the second half of 2019,Smarter Analystnotes that Mizuho is predicting an additional 50 million to 70 million Huawei handsets could be sold as a result of this development (in addition to developing 5G infrastructure, Huawei also sells cellphones), potentially incorporating memory from Western Digital. And Mizuho believes that "a more permanent resolution to the trade tariffs and more confidence in the supply chain should drive OEM restocking and normal demand and capex in 2020E." Between falling inventory of NAND memory and output cuts at rivalMicron, Mizuho is even predicting "a more rapid inventory adjustment" could begin as early as the December quarter of 2019, leading the analyst to forecast smaller-than-expected declines in NAND prices heading into 2020. And I have to say that all of thisdoesappear to bode well for Western Digital stock, which at a price of less than 11 timesfree cash flow(with a 4.2% dividend yield and a 10% projected growth rate) doesn't look especially expensive on the surface. A couple of caveats do bear mentioning, however. First, debt.S&P Global Market Intelligencedata show Western Digital carrying about $6.9 billion more debt than cash on its balance sheet, sufficient to push the company'senterprise valueup to $20.8 billion, and therefore itsenterprise value-to-free-cash-flow ratio up to 16 -- a less compelling bargain. And second, part of the reason for this less attractive valuation is the fact that Western Digital stock has already rebounded strongly from the lows it plumbed at the end of May in the immediate wake of President Trump's executive order. Indeed, at a recent share price approaching $49, Western Digital has already recovered the losses suffered from the trade spat -- and more. Why has this happened? Perhaps because investors are beginning to realize that Trump's trade ban wasn't quite as airtight as initially reported. Mizuho notes that "real clarity on supply chain relocations and production sourcing is still limited," an apparent reference to reports in the media on how "transshipment" of goods via third countries not directly affected by the executive order may be enabling companies like Western Digital to work around trade bans by selling to someoneotherthan Huawei, who then proceeds to reselltoHuawei. Mostly, these reports focus on Chinese exports going to Vietnam to be rebranded as "Made In Vietnam" for re-export to the U.S. But logically, sales from U.S. tech companies to Vietnam or other buyers could just as easily wend their way in the other direction and end up in China. If that's the case, it would explain both why Western Digital bounced back so quickly from the effects of the trade ban -- and why lifting the ban might not provide too much additional benefit for the stock. More From The Motley Fool • 10 Best Stocks to Buy Today • The $16,728 Social Security Bonus You Cannot Afford to Miss • 20 of the Top Stocks to Buy (Including the Two Every Investor Should Own) • What Is an ETF? • 5 Recession-Proof Stocks • How to Beat the Market Rich Smithhas no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy.
Inside Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner's Emotional, Ultra-Private Wedding in France ET is learning new touching details about Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner ’s epic wedding in the South of France over the weekend . A source is sharing why the couple chose the romantic destination to exchange vows, how involved now-sister-in-law Priyanka Chopra was in the planning stages and much more! "Sophie and Joe knew the moment they decided to tie the knot in Vegas that they would do it 'right' the second time around,” the source explained to ET. "They both are spontaneous and loved their Vegas wedding but there was never a question as to if they would get married 'properly,' as they referred to it, later in the year." "They just needed to plan so they could create a perfect fairy tale, which is what they did," the insider added. "Sophie wanted to have a very traditional, almost royal wedding and never ever considered wearing anything but white. France was the obvious choice for both of them because they felt it's not only truly beautiful, but also an ideal spot in the summer for everyone to come together." The source shared that one of the major hurdles for Jonas and Turner was making sure they got the wedding of their dreams, even though it was going to be held on another continent. Thankfully, Chopra, Nick Jonas’ wife, didn’t hesitate to help the couple throughout the process. "Sophie and Priyanka really bonded while planning the wedding," the source said. "Priyanka, having just experienced it, was so helpful with details and they have become so close." "The wedding went off without any issues at all; it was exactly how Sophie and Joe had planned it, which isn't always an easy feat when throwing a wedding so far from home," the source continued. "They wanted an ultra-private wedding in the South of France." The insider also shared that the couple’s chemistry was definitely on display during their picturesque nuptials. "Their love really shows and watching them together touched everyone at the wedding. They couldn't keep their eyes off each other,” the source gushed. "It was emotional for everyone involved during the ceremony because Sophie and Joe sweetly welled up. They had such happy tears, everyone felt their emotion." Story continues View this post on Instagram 🇫🇷 me 😏 A post shared by Sophie Turner (@sophiet) on Jun 22, 2019 at 11:46am PDT Also, unlike their impromptu Vegas wedding, this ceremony was attended by their family, which was extremely important to the bride and groom, according to the insider. "They both have so much support from family that it couldn't be a better match. Joe's family adores Sophie, and her parents just love Joe," the source said. "It was a true celebration of love and everyone got along so well. It was incredibly lighthearted once the ceremony was complete." On Saturday, a source told ET that the pair had gotten married for a second time . Since, several touching images from the proceedings have made their way to fans, including those of Porky Basquiat , Jonas' husky puppy, who served as an honorary groomsman. But on Sunday, Turner’s maid of honor, Maisie Williams , decided to share another glimpse at the fun. She posted a photo of herself clad in a long white coat while showcasing her pink locks. Joining her for the pic was a male companion, who also wore all-white for some of the wedding festivities. "white party for the bride and groom 🎉" she captioned the fun image. View this post on Instagram white party for the bride and groom 🎉 A post shared by Maisie Williams (@maisie_williams) on Jun 30, 2019 at 3:53am PDT ET was first to learn that Williams would be her Game of Thrones co-star’s maid of honor at her second ceremony. Turner shared the exciting news while on the red carpet for their hit HBO show’s eighth and final season in April. "I don't know why she's thinking about [what she's wearing to my wedding]. I'm giving her the bridesmaid dress!" Turner said with a laugh when asked about Williams’ plans. "She's my maid of honor! One of two." See more on Turner and Jonas' second wedding below. Reporting by Adriane Schwartz. RELATED CONTENT: Diplo Jokes He Was in a 'Holding Cell' at Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner's Second Wedding After Filming Their First All the Epic Photos From Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas' France Wedding Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner Celebrate Second Wedding in France Related Articles: Hollywood Bikini Bods Over 40 Biggest Celebrity Breakups of 2019 -- So Far! Celebrities in Their Underwear
How Financially Strong Is New Jersey Resources Corporation (NYSE:NJR)? Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! New Jersey Resources Corporation (NYSE:NJR) is a small-cap stock with a market capitalization of US$4.4b. While investors primarily focus on the growth potential and competitive landscape of the small-cap companies, they end up ignoring a key aspect, which could be the biggest threat to its existence: its financial health. Why is it important? Evaluating financial health as part of your investment thesis is essential, since poor capital management may bring about bankruptcies, which occur at a higher rate for small-caps. The following basic checks can help you get a picture of the company's balance sheet strength. Nevertheless, these checks don't give you a full picture, so I’d encourage you todig deeper yourself into NJR here. Over the past year, NJR has maintained its debt levels at around US$1.4b – this includes long-term debt. At this current level of debt, NJR currently has US$83m remaining in cash and short-term investments , ready to be used for running the business. Additionally, NJR has produced cash from operations of US$258m in the last twelve months, resulting in an operating cash to total debt ratio of 19%, indicating that NJR’s operating cash is less than its debt. With current liabilities at US$584m, it seems that the business has been able to meet these obligations given the level of current assets of US$605m, with a current ratio of 1.04x. The current ratio is calculated by dividing current assets by current liabilities. Generally, for Gas Utilities companies, this is a reasonable ratio since there's a sufficient cash cushion without leaving too much capital idle or in low-earning investments. NJR is a relatively highly levered company with a debt-to-equity of 86%. This is somewhat unusual for small-caps companies, since lenders are often hesitant to provide attractive interest rates to less-established businesses. No matter how high the company’s debt, if it can easily cover the interest payments, it’s considered to be efficient with its use of excess leverage. A company generating earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) at least three times its net interest payments is considered financially sound. In NJR's case, the ratio of 2.38x suggests that interest is not strongly covered, which means that lenders may refuse to lend the company more money, as it is seen as too risky in terms of default. NJR’s high cash coverage means that, although its debt levels are high, the company is able to utilise its borrowings efficiently in order to generate cash flow. This may mean this is an optimal capital structure for the business, given that it is also meeting its short-term commitment. This is only a rough assessment of financial health, and I'm sure NJR has company-specific issues impacting its capital structure decisions. I suggest you continue to research New Jersey Resources to get a better picture of the small-cap by looking at: 1. Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for NJR’s future growth? Take a look at ourfree research report of analyst consensusfor NJR’s outlook. 2. Historical Performance: What has NJR's returns been like over the past? Go into more detail in the past track record analysis and take a look atthe free visual representations of our analysisfor more clarity. 3. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore ourfree list of these great stocks here. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Both the EV Market and Nio Stock Have Credibility Problems Stakeholders ofNio(NYSE:NIO) are not having a good time this year. Since the start of January, Nio stock price dipped into crisis territory at a few ticks above $2.50. Mathematically, we’re talking about a more than 58% loss at this year’s halfway marker. Source: Shutterstock The situation could get worse for Nio because the electric-vehicle maker’s flagship SUV, the ES8, has aserious defect: its catching on fire. Specifically, NIO claims that these explosive incidents are battery-related. For the past few months, multiple reports surfaced. One ES8 began emitting smoke, while another burst into flames. As a precaution, the automaker issued a recall affecting 4,800 units of the ES8. On a side note, I think we should give credit to NIO here. Many car companies, includingGeneral Motors(NYSE:GM) andToyota(NYSE:TM) havelaggedin their response to their respective product defects. InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips Will this overture to consumer safety help lift the Nio stock price from the doldrums? I have my doubts. A big reason why I’m skeptical about a straightforward recovery for NIO stock is credibility. Simply put, “regular” cars with internal combustion engines (ICE) have it, and EVs aren’t quite there yet. • The 7 Top Small-Cap Stocks Of 2019 Of course, it’s an unfair comparison. ICE have been around practically forever. On the other hand, EVs have started to work their way into mainstream acceptance. Undoubtedly, the platform represents the fastest-growing automotive segment. Nevertheless, doubters remain. Because as much hype as EVs often receive,integrationinto the ICE-dominated world is a factually daunting task. When you count all the sales figures, EVs in the U.S. represent a very small market. Therefore, this clean-energy platform must consistently make convincing steps forward. What just happened with NIO andTesla(NASDAQ:TSLA), which also incurred a battery-smoking incident, are huge steps backward. And in theory, EVs are supposed to be more reliable than their traditional fossil-fueled counterparts. The latter has thousands of moving parts, while EVs haveonly about 20. You don’t have to be an automotive engineer to deduct the obvious: fewer moving parts, less chance of things going wrong. Yet here we are. Adding to concerns about the Chinese automaker and Tesla, German luxury brandAudi— owned byVolkswagen(OTCMKTS:VLKAF) — will recall 540 units of its first battery-powered SUV. Although drivers have reported no fires, Audi is taking a proactive approach due to potential fire risks. This really takes the shine off Nio stock. Yes, the battery-related fires aren’t limited to the Chinese automaker, but that doesn’t help their cause. EVs have a big disadvantage to ICE cars in that they must evangelize their specific products and the platform. Right now, every EV venture is selling a rough message. Prior to Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s many controversies, I was a huge fan of him and his organization. I still respect Musk’s innovative mind. However, he really started to lose the plot with variousunforced errors. Looking back on it, you can argue that arrogance undid Tesla. Musk thought he was above the law, and that audacitycaught up to him. It’s this same arrogance that underlines the EV market. For example,Forbes’ contributor Tom Raftery envisions a future where ICE drivers will be regarded as the automotive equivalent ofsmokers. College professors and rabbis stress themoral principlesof EV driving as well. While I respect their position, I think it’s a tad too aggressive to invoke a superiority complex onto EVs. This platform, as the red ink in the NIO stock price demonstrates, has much to prove. Primarily, EV companies’ shared idealism is running face-to-face with reality. AsQuartzcontributor Echo Huang argued, the push for additional range may have exacerbated recent battery fires. If so, that really puts a damper on NIO stock because improved range represents a big selling point for today’s EVs. It also means that EVs are consumer products available to the affluent. I don’t think it’s any coincidence that cheaper EVs, such as the Fiat 500e and the Hyundai IONIQ Electric, typically haveshorter rangethan the expensive Tesla Model S P100DL. To bridge this gap, manufacturers are competing vigorously to improve battery capacity. But this competitive surge is apparently putting drivers’ lives and property at risk. How is that a moral argument favoring NIO stock and the EV industry? The best EV automakers have their work cut out for them. I believe that’s one of the reasons why established names haven’t invested quite as much into EVs until recently. But for an upstart like Nio, I’m not liking what I’m seeing. To effectively address the growing challenges in this industry requires capital expenditures. A quick look at the company’s financials tells you all you need to know. They’re just not in a position to respond. Admittedly, the NIO stock price now is very attractive and it’s not unreasonable to expect a dead-cat bounce from these levels. However, I’d caution anyone considering this move to only view it as a short-term gamble. This is a distressed name on so many levels. As of this writing, Josh Enomoto did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. • 2 Toxic Pot Stocks You Should Avoid • The 7 Top Small-Cap Stocks Of 2019 • Critical Levels to Watch in 7 Marijuana Stocks • 5 Smaller Cloud Stocks That Have Plenty of Potential Compare Brokers The postBoth the EV Market and Nio Stock Have Credibility Problemsappeared first onInvestorPlace.
‘The Little Mermaid’: Awkwafina & Jacob Tremblay in Talks To Join Disney’s Live-Action Pic Click here to read the full article. Following reports of Melissa McCarthy attachments to Disney’s The Little Mermaid , Deadline has confirmed that Crazy Rich Asians actress Awkwafina and Jacob Tremblay are in talks to join the Rob Marshall-directed live-action/CGI take on the classic animated film. Tremblay, whose breakout role came in 2015’s Room , is in discussion for the role of tropical fish Flounder, best friend to princess Ariel, while Awkwafina is up for the role of Scuttle, a seagull and friend to the princess. David Magee wrote the latest script for the reboot after Jane Goldman. Marc Platt, Marshall, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and John DeLuca are producers. The original film’s composer Alan Menken is back to write new music and will craft the lyrics with Miranda. Related stories 'The Little Mermaid' Live Action Reboot Now Has Lizzo Bidding For Ursula Disney Wants Melissa McCarthy To Play Ursula In 'The Little Mermaid' 'The Dark Crystal: Age Of Resistance': Lena Headey, Benedict Wong, Awkwafina, Sigourney Weaver, More Join Voice Cast For Netflix Series Awkwafina, repped by UTA and Artists First, is set to co-star in the upcoming Jumanji: The Next Level movie at Sony, as well as Sundance film The Farewell , which be released later this month via A24. Tremblay had memorable performance opposite Julia Roberts in Liongates’ sleeper hit Wonder and next appears in WB’s Doctor Sleep , the sequel to The Shining . He’s repped by UTA. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter . For the latest news, follow us on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram . View comments
Gen Z, Millennials Biggest Supporters of Brick-and-Mortar Stores The popularity of online shopping among young consumers may have some sounding the death knell for brick-and-mortar stores, buta new studysuggests millennial and Gen Z consumers are more loyal to physical stores than older generations. Oracle NetSuite, a division of business software provider Oracle; polling services firm Wakefield Research; and consulting firm The Retail Doctor sought to determine how shopping preferences vary by generation. To gather their data, researcherssurveyed1,200 consumers and 400 retail executives representing companies that bring in between $10-$100 million in annual sales in three global markets — the United States, the U.K. and Australia. One of their biggest findings: Millennials and Gen Z consumers are more likely to do most of their shopping in brick-and-mortar stores than their older counterparts. In fact, 43% of millennials and Gen Zers are likely to do more in-store shopping this year than online shopping, compared with 29% of Gen Xers and only 13% of baby boomers. Not only that, but younger consumers as a whole seem to enjoy the in-store shopping experience more than older consumers. Among respondents, 57% of millennials and Gen Zers said they had a positive view of the in-store shopping experience while only 40% of Gen Xers and 13% of boomers felt that way. Despite younger consumers’ appreciation for brick-and-mortar stores, Gen Zers, in particular, preferred to be left alone while they shopped. In fact, 42% of Gen Zers said were more annoyed by increased interactions with retail associates. On the other hand, 56% of millennials, 44% of Gen Xers and 43% of baby boomers said they felt more welcomed in a store with more interaction between customers and retail associates. As retail executives have considered ways to make brick-and-mortar stores more appealing to consumers, one strategy has been to leverage technology to create a more inviting environment. Two technologies widely discussed among retailers include artificial intelligence (AI), a process that lets machines learn through experiences, and virtual reality (VR), an artificial environment that is perceived by sensory stimuli. Of those retail executives surveyed, 79% said they believed the use of AI and VR in stores would lead to increased sales. However, they may be overestimating the impact these technologies would have, as only 14% of consumers believe these technologies would make them more likely to buy. Finally, the study looked at the impact social media has on consumers’ perceptions of a brand. Nearly all retail executives — 98% — said engaging with customers via social media channels is important to building stronger relationships with them. Most younger consumers agree with 65% of Gen Zers and 63% of millennials saying their engagement with brands on social media impacted their relationship with those brands. However, overall, only 12% of consumers said their engagement with brands on social media had a big impact on how they felt about the brand. Whether you choose to shop online or in a brick-and-mortar store, take advantage of technology such asbrowser extensionsandshopping appsto compare prices and make sure you find the best deals. By being open to both e-commerce and traditional physical retail environments, you give yourself more options when it comes to finding lower prices.
Monday Apple Rumors: Apple Holding Live Concerts in Stores Leading theApple(NASDAQ:AAPL) rumor mill today is news of live concerts at its retail locations. Today, we’ll look at that and otherApple Rumorsfor Wednesday. Live Concerts :Apple is planning to hold live concerts at its retail locations this summer, reportsMacRumors. This will have the company featuring up-and-coming bands at its Store locations. The concerts will be part of its “Up Next Live” event and there will be seven in total. Artists taking part in the event include “Khalid, Bad Bunny, Jessie Reyez, King Princess, Lewis Capaldi, Daniel Caesar, and Ashley McBryde.” These are all former members of the company’s Up Next program for Music. Attendees will have to be 16 years or older to go to the concerts. Indie Labels:Apple Music is partially responsible for the rise in indie record labels,AppleInsidernotes. A recent report says that Music, as well as other streaming services, are allowing listeners to discover more indie bands. This is good news for these bands and that’s also good news for the indie labels that have them signed on. A survey of more than 2,000 indie labels saw 85% saying they are optimistic about the future. InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips iPhone Render:Another iPhone render shows us a square camera bump, reports9to5mac. It doesn’t come as much of a surprise this time around. There have been plenty of other leaks and renders that all point toward this change. It may not look the best, but here’s hoping that AAPL fans will be happy with the change. Subscribe to Apple Rumors As of this writing, William White did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.Compare Brokers The postMonday Apple Rumors: Apple Holding Live Concerts in Storesappeared first onInvestorPlace.
Are Integer Holdings Corporation’s Returns On Capital Worth Investigating? Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Today we'll look at Integer Holdings Corporation (NYSE:ITGR) and reflect on its potential as an investment. Specifically, we're going to calculate its Return On Capital Employed (ROCE), in the hopes of getting some insight into the business. First, we'll go over how we calculate ROCE. Second, we'll look at its ROCE compared to similar companies. And finally, we'll look at how its current liabilities are impacting its ROCE. ROCE measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. All else being equal, a better business will have a higher ROCE. Ultimately, it is a useful but imperfect metric. Author Edwin Whitingsaysto be careful when comparing the ROCE of different businesses, since 'No two businesses are exactly alike.' Analysts use this formula to calculate return on capital employed: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) Or for Integer Holdings: 0.083 = US$183m ÷ (US$2.4b - US$172m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2019.) Therefore,Integer Holdings has an ROCE of 8.3%. Check out our latest analysis for Integer Holdings One way to assess ROCE is to compare similar companies. It appears that Integer Holdings's ROCE is fairly close to the Medical Equipment industry average of 10%. Aside from the industry comparison, Integer Holdings's ROCE is mediocre in absolute terms, considering the risk of investing in stocks versus the safety of a bank account. Investors may wish to consider higher-performing investments. In our analysis, Integer Holdings's ROCE appears to be 8.3%, compared to 3 years ago, when its ROCE was 4.5%. This makes us wonder if the company is improving. You can see in the image below how Integer Holdings's ROCE compares to its industry. Click to see more on past growth. It is important to remember that ROCE shows past performance, and is not necessarily predictive. Companies in cyclical industries can be difficult to understand using ROCE, as returns typically look high during boom times, and low during busts. This is because ROCE only looks at one year, instead of considering returns across a whole cycle. Since the future is so important for investors, you should check out ourfreereport on analyst forecasts for Integer Holdings. Current liabilities are short term bills and invoices that need to be paid in 12 months or less. The ROCE equation subtracts current liabilities from capital employed, so a company with a lot of current liabilities appears to have less capital employed, and a higher ROCE than otherwise. To counter this, investors can check if a company has high current liabilities relative to total assets. Integer Holdings has total liabilities of US$172m and total assets of US$2.4b. Therefore its current liabilities are equivalent to approximately 7.2% of its total assets. Integer Holdings reports few current liabilities, which have a negligible impact on its unremarkable ROCE. Based on this information, Integer Holdings appears to be a mediocre business. Of course,you might also be able to find a better stock than Integer Holdings. So you may wish to see thisfreecollection of other companies that have grown earnings strongly. If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love thisfreelist of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Rose McGowan slams the New York Times Rose McGowan is speaking out against the New York Times. (Photo: REUTERS/Peter Nicholls) Rose McGowan doesn’t want the media to get all the credit for breaking the Harvey Weinstein sexual misconduct scandal. “I’ve been called one of the first to speak out. No. I was the first. I called the New York Times . I blew it wide open, not them,” McGowan told The Guardian in an interview published Monday. “They won the Pulitzer and I’m the one hard-up for money. It’s disgusting. I was kind of grossed out by how much they enjoyed being lauded.” McGowan was named as one of the actresses who’d reached a previously disclosed settlement with Weinstein in the initial New York Times story accusing Weinstein of sexual misconduct in October 2017. The story featured multiple women detailing their experiences with the mogul. While McGowan declined to comment for the story, the newspaper reported that she’d been paid $100,000 settlement following “an episode in a hotel room during the Sundance Film Festival.” However, the money was “not to be construed as an admission” on Weinstein’s part, according to legal documents obtained by the newspaper. Three days later, McGowan revealed on social media that she had donated the settlement to a rape crisis center. She also thanked the reporters for their “ bravery .” In April 2018, both the New York Times and the New Yorker were awarded a joint Pulitzer Prize — the most prestigious award in journalism — for their separate reporting on the allegations against Weinstein. Both publications were lauded by judges for their “explosive, impactful journalism that exposed wealthy and powerful sexual predators.” Around the same time, McGowan was starring in her own five-episode docu-series, Citizen Rose , capturing her activism and the rest of her life following her public accusations against Weinstein. She also published a memoir, Brave , about her experiences in Hollywood in January 2018. Those initial reports about Weinstein prompted the #MeToo movement, in which scores of women came forward to publicly accuse a number of high-profile men in the entertainment industry of sexual misconduct. More than 90 women spoke out against Weinstein alone, but sexual misconduct allegations surfaced against Les Moonves, Bryan Singer, Charlie Rose, Matt Lauer and hundreds of other powerful men, too. Story continues Weinstein was forced out of his company immediately. He’s scheduled to face trial on sexual assault charges against two women who are not McGowan in September. He’s pleaded not guilty to the charges and has always denied any allegations of nonconsensual sex, included those from McGowan. “I’m so scared for the women brave enough to testify. I would’ve done so, had so much time not elapsed,” the Scream star said. “I fear for them because they’re going to be savaged by his lawyer. I send them all my strength because they’re going to need it.” McGowan isn’t acting much these days, and her next project is different than, say, Jawbreaker or Charmed : It’s a music and spoken-word show called “Planet 9.” The official description reads: “Through memoir, music, storytelling, projections and performance Rose creates a new world of possibilities: Planet 9.” McGowan also told the Guardian that her acting career was “stolen.” “We all got stolen,” McGowan said of herself, Mira Sorvino, Ashley Judd and other actresses whose careers declined after making accusations against Weinstein. “And we were all very good at our jobs. That’s the other crime in all this.” Read more on Yahoo Entertainment: Mayim Bialik’s positive Pride post spammed with ugly, anti-LGBT comments 'Big Little Lies' star Zoë Kravitz marries Karl Glusman It's official: Katharine McPhee and David Foster marry in London Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyle's newsletter.
Integer Holdings Corporation (NYSE:ITGR): Time For A Financial Health Check Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Integer Holdings Corporation (NYSE:ITGR) is a small-cap stock with a market capitalization of US$2.7b. While investors primarily focus on the growth potential and competitive landscape of the small-cap companies, they end up ignoring a key aspect, which could be the biggest threat to its existence: its financial health. Why is it important? Evaluating financial health as part of your investment thesis is crucial, since poor capital management may bring about bankruptcies, which occur at a higher rate for small-caps. The following basic checks can help you get a picture of the company's balance sheet strength. However, potential investors would need to take a closer look, and I suggest youdig deeper yourself into ITGR here. ITGR has shrunk its total debt levels in the last twelve months, from US$1.6b to US$953m , which includes long-term debt. With this debt repayment, ITGR currently has US$14m remaining in cash and short-term investments , ready to be used for running the business. On top of this, ITGR has generated US$132m in operating cash flow over the same time period, resulting in an operating cash to total debt ratio of 14%, indicating that ITGR’s operating cash is less than its debt. Looking at ITGR’s US$172m in current liabilities, it seems that the business has maintained a safe level of current assets to meet its obligations, with the current ratio last standing at 2.55x. The current ratio is the number you get when you divide current assets by current liabilities. For Medical Equipment companies, this ratio is within a sensible range as there's enough of a cash buffer without holding too much capital in low return investments. With a debt-to-equity ratio of 85%, ITGR can be considered as an above-average leveraged company. This is a bit unusual for a small-cap stock, since they generally have a harder time borrowing than large more established companies. We can test if ITGR’s debt levels are sustainable by measuring interest payments against earnings of a company. Ideally, earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) should cover net interest by at least three times. For ITGR, the ratio of 1.88x suggests that interest is not strongly covered, which means that debtors may be less inclined to loan the company more money, reducing its headroom for growth through debt. ITGR’s high cash coverage means that, although its debt levels are high, the company is able to utilise its borrowings efficiently in order to generate cash flow. This may mean this is an optimal capital structure for the business, given that it is also meeting its short-term commitment. I admit this is a fairly basic analysis for ITGR's financial health. Other important fundamentals need to be considered alongside. I suggest you continue to research Integer Holdings to get a better picture of the small-cap by looking at: 1. Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for ITGR’s future growth? Take a look at ourfree research report of analyst consensusfor ITGR’s outlook. 2. Valuation: What is ITGR worth today? Is the stock undervalued, even when its growth outlook is factored into its intrinsic value? Theintrinsic value infographic in our free research reporthelps visualize whether ITGR is currently mispriced by the market. 3. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore ourfree list of these great stocks here. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Bike Helmets That Don't Meet Safety Standards Are Widely Available, Consumer Reports Finds Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with advertisers on this site. If youre shopping for a bicycle helmet , you might assume that all the products youre considering have met some basic standards for safety. But a recent investigation found that potentially unsafe helmets are widely available online. To be legally sold in the U.S., bicycle helmets are supposed to meet standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Those standards require a certain level of protection from skull fracture and a detailed label with information demonstrating compliance with CPSC standards. When purchasing products online, howevereven regulated products like helmetsit can be difficult to know that what youve bought is truly certified as safe. (In fact, I realized while working on this story that I had inadvertently bought a helmet for my own son that doesnt comply with CPSC standards.) Consumer Reports shoppers, working with our testing experts, were able to find and purchase 13 helmets without a label certifying CPSC compliance from four online marketplaces: Amazon.com, Sears.com, Aliexpress.com (a subsidiary of Chinese retail giant Alibaba), and LightInTheBox.com (a global retail company with headquarters in Beijing). These helmets represented a variety of styles, marketed toward road cyclists , mountain bikers, and recreational riders. To be clear, CR is not saying these helmets are definitively unsafe, something that can't be determined without putting them through testing. But the fact that they came without a required label indicates they may not have been tested according to CPSC standards. The lack of a label itself (or the presence of an improper label) makes the helmet non-compliant, meaning these products should not be for sale in the U.S. We contacted all four online retailers to let them know what we found, and they all said they would remove (or already had removed) the items. While we were glad to see a swift response, our investigation highlights a more pervasive issuethat products that may threaten consumer safety are easy to purchase, even when regulations say they shouldnt be. A Confusing Landscape for Shoppers On e-commerce marketplaces around the globe, there may be thousands of listings for helmets that are not properly certified for safety or are counterfeit versions of real products, says Andrew Love, head of brand security for Specialized Bicycles (which also makes helmets). Even savvy buyers can run into trouble. When buying a bike helmet online for my toddler recently, I made sure it had a CPSC certificationor claimed to. Though I didnt recognize the brand name, the helmet had a four-and-a-half star rating on Amazon, and the listing said it was CPSC certified, as did a label inside the helmet when it arrived. Story continues But that label did not contain all the information required by the CPSC, which should be a red flag for consumers, according to Peter Anzalone, senior test project leader for bike helmets at Consumer Reports. It lacked required information such as the month and year of product manufacture and the statement saying which CPSC safety standard the helmet complies with, making the helmet not properly certified for safety. The easy online availability of helmets that dont seem to be properly certified for safety is certainly concerning, says Barry Miller, Ph.D., director of outreach at the Helmet Lab at Virginia Tech, which tests helmets for a variety of sports and conducts research into how helmets can reduce risks for brain injury. You just dont know what youre getting. Its hard to know exactly how many consumers end up buying counterfeit helmets or helmets that are potentially unsafe knock-off versions of brand-name helmets, says Thom Parks, the senior director of product safety for Bell and Giro. But its a real issueParks said that as we spoke, he was holding a helmet that appeared to be a copy of a Bell helmet with a different brand name that hed bought from an online marketplace. Wearing a helmet when you ride a bike is essentialIve had a helmet save my own skull after a car trying to make a left turn plowed right into me. But its impossible to know just by looking at your computer screen whether many of the helmets available online are safe enough to meet the standards required for bike helmets in the U.S. Helmets arent the only products getting counterfeited and mislabeled. According to Steve Francis, director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, part of the Department of Homeland Security, a flood of cheap, potentially uncertified products like counterfeit pharmaceuticals and computer chargers or adaptorswhich can catch fire if not properly madecan also be produced en masse, then sold through online marketplaces with few built-in safeguards. Many of the 13 helmets purchased by CR display a sticker or label declaring that they comply with the European CE safety standard. But this standard does not qualify products to be sold in the U.S., and it doesnt require helmets to withstand impacts as strong as the CPSC standard does. While its possible that some or all of these helmets might pass the CPSCs required tests, they need to demonstrate that they meet the standard before being sold in the U.S. Part of demonstrating that includes affixing a label indicating the helmet complies with the CPSCs standard. Labels dont solve all problems, and are themselves counterfeited, says Francis. But these stickers are at least a first indicator of compliance. In order to better understand what consumers should know about the bike helmets that are available online, I consulted a number of experts familiar with bike helmets and the ways safety standards are applied to goods purchased online. Though our findings are troubling, consumers can still take important steps to help ensure that they are purchasing a legitimate product. Tracking a Vast, Complex Marketplace Its not surprising that we were able to find a number of helmets without CPSC certification online, says Neal Cohen, a consumer product safety lawyer and former CPSC official. Helmets are certified as safe by the manufacturers themselves, he explainsas with many other products, theyre not tested by the CPSC before they come on the market. That means that companies need to know and understand the required testing protocols, then either conduct those tests themselves or have their products tested by a third-party lab. Bell and Giro test helmets in their own lab, then send some out to third-party test labs as well, according to Parks. Manufacturers are basically on the honor system, says Francis, though the CPSC will act if it realizes that there are products for sale that shouldnt be. With limited manpower, its impossible for CPSC officials to survey all online marketplaces across the internet looking for unsafe products, says Cohen. But there are several ways that regulators might catch unsafe products before they reach consumers. One of the main strategies the CPSC uses to catch bad actors is examining products as they go through customs. A product like a bike helmet might receive extra scrutiny if its one of the current enforcement priorities for the CPSC, Cohen says. Helmets which do not meet safety standards can be (and are) seized when they enter the U.S., Francis says. But while some helmets might get seized, others make it through, and experts we consulted say that small parcel air packages arent necessarily stopped, even when they contain products that dont appear to conform to regulations. The CPSC will also investigate whenever consumers or legitimate manufacturers report that theyve discovered unsafe products, according to Cohen. In response to a query from Consumer Reports about the helmets we purchased and about how helmets purchased online are regulated, a CPSC spokesperson said: We received the information and are reviewing it. Onlines Sales: Uncertified Helmets, Safety Unconfirmed Traditional walk-in retailers sell products directly to consumers, which means they are likely to be held liable if they sell an unsafe helmetsomething Cohen says helps ensure that they sell certified products. The sellers operating through online marketplaces are technically liable for selling unsafe products too, but it's often hard to figure out who they areand they may be located in other countries. For many, the risk of prosecution is low, according to Francis. And as for most online marketplaces like Amazon or AliExpress, theyre never physically seeing or testing the item, theyre just an intermediary between buyer and seller, says Francis. Because of that, theyre not necessarily going to know whether or not a product meets safety standards, he says. And they are unlikely to be held liable if it does not. In many cases, platforms collect certificates of compliance from sellersdocuments that certify that products meet safety standards. But this isnt a foolproof system. LightInTheBox sent CR certificates for a number of helmets, for example, but its not clear that the helmets we purchased through the site are covered by these certificates, because not all the brand and model names on the certificates match items we purchased, and the helmets dont have labels that explain which production lot they come from. Every lot of helmets produced should have an individual certificate of compliance, according to Anzalone. A LightInTheBox spokesperson said that the company requires all suppliers of products like helmets to present certificates of compliance, and said it would be reviewing both legal requirements for helmets and its product inventory. LightInTheBox said it has also begun notifying customers who had purchased helmets that did not meet safety standards, according to the spokesperson. After being contacted by CR, the company also decidedat least temporarilyto stop selling bike helmets to U.S. customers. An AliExpress spokesperson described AliExpress as a third-party online marketplace that connects buyers and sellers around the world. The spokesperson specified that the company require[s] our merchants to comply with all the applicable local rules and regulations, and said it would make the sellers aware that they were selling potentially non-compliant products so that they could notify customers and potentially take other measures. It also removed the product listings we flagged. An Amazon spokesperson said that sellers using the companys marketplace are required to comply with all relevant rules and regulations and Amazon policies. Non-compliant sellers are subject to action, including removal of selling privileges and withholding of funds, according to the spokesperson. The listings that CR flagged are no longer available. The helmet CR purchased from Sears.com was sold through Ebay, because certain Ebay sellers products appear on the Sears marketplace. A Sears spokesperson said the helmet was sold by an unaffiliated third party vendor on our marketplace site, but that these vendors are contractually obligated to be responsible for compliance with all laws and regulations. The spokesperson said they notified the seller and that the product was no longer for sale. An Ebay representative said the company was committed to stopping the sale of counterfeit items, and buyers who believed they had purchased a counterfeit item may be covered under Ebays Money Back Guarantee. Additionally, Ebays product safety policy prohibits the sale of items that dont meet legal requirements. CR also attempted to contact several of the sellers we purchased helmets from through these marketplaces. In many cases, their contact information couldnt be found. One seller replied to say it had submitted reports to Amazon that showed the helmets it was selling met required standards; the product we purchased from it did not come with the required label, however, which makes it, by definition, non-compliant. Though the platforms responded quickly to de-list the helmets we notified them about, taking down individual listings is not enough to prevent such products from being sold, according to Love, from Specialized. They just pop back up, he says. He says that every day, his brand security team gets an average of just over 89 listings taken down from e-commerce sites around the world, mostly of counterfeit products. Love says many of the generic helmets, off-brand ones like those CR purchased, are often similar to counterfeit helmets, just without copying a brand name. While its possible that some lesser-known companies might produce safe helmets, unless there is proof that theyve been tested and certified, we just dont know, he says. What Consumers Should Know About Buying Safe Helmets For consumers bewildered by the seemingly infinite number of choices and trying to balance cost, style, and safety, a few simple steps can help you make a safe choice. (For more general tips on finding the best helmet, check out CRs Bike Helmet Buying Guide .) Know what safety certification is required. Bike helmets should always include instructions on how a helmet should fit and be worn, according to the CPSC. Additionally, the CPSC helmet regulations (PDF) and a CPSC website explaining the rules provide the following guidance for what information should be found on helmet labels: The helmet should have a statement saying it Complies with U.S. CPSC Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets for Persons Age 5 and Older or Complies with U.S. CPSC Safety Standard for Bicycle Helmets for Persons Age 1 and Older (Extended Head Coverage). The name, address, and telephone number of the manufacturer or importer issuing the certificate, or of the private labeler of the helmet. The name and address of the foreign manufacturer, if the helmet was manufactured outside the U.S. Information, such as a serial number, that allows you to identify the production lot of the helmet, and the month and year the helmet was manufactured. Additionally, each helmet needs to be marked with its model number and several warnings outlined on this CPSC website under the question What requirements are there for instructions and labeling for bicycle helmets? Buy from trusted sources. Love, Parks, and our experts recommend buying a helmet directly from your local bike shop, because walk-in stores should be selling only certified products, and they can help you find what works best for you . If you dont have a local bike shop, walk-in chain stores are also a reasonable option. If you want to buy a bike helmet online, make a purchase either directly from the manufacturer or directly from an authorized seller for that product, such as that sellers official Amazon or Ebay store or from authorized dealers listed on the manufacturer's website. You can also buy from reputable retailers with an online presence, like REI and Performance Bicycle, suggests Anzalone. CRs helmet ratings can also help. All of the helmets we rate are certified and carry the CPSCs required information on the labels, and if a helmet lacks this information, we wont test it. We also run our own comparative evaluations on a selection of certified helmets to judge protection. Last, dont assume a product is safe or genuine just because its for sale in the U.S. The burden is on the consumer in most cases, unfortunately, says Francis. Know that unsafe or uncertified helmets are out there. Some deals are too good to be true, but you dont need to spend a lot to get a helmet that offers excellent protection. Weve found helmets that offer excellent protection available for as little as $22. More from Consumer Reports: Top pick tires for 2016 Best used cars for $25,000 and less 7 best mattresses for couples Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Copyright © 2019, Consumer Reports, Inc. View comments
Blockchains.com Founder Buys Community Bank to Finance Crypto Dreams Jeffrey Berns, eccentric founder of blockchain incubation and investment firmBlockchains.com, purchased a small community bank in Las Vegas, Nevada in order to secure financing as he manifests his decentralized dreams, according toThe Nevada Independent. Berns said his ambitions are incompatible with the current financial system and he feared that the banking complex would cut off his supply of capital. The 56-year-old attorney previously announced plans to construct a Reno-sized, blockchain-focused smart city and e-sports arena in the Nevada desert. His $28 million acquisition of theKirkwood Bank of Nevada“is a small but critical step in helping the nascent company achieve its wildly ambitious goals,” reported The Nevada Independent. In addition to financing his own projects, Berns hopes Kirkwood Bank of Nevada will become a leading bank for the blockchain industry. Related:JPMorgan CEO Dimon Says Crypto Companies ‘Want to Eat Our Lunch’ “It’s to create an environment where the blockchain ecosystem, the legitimate businesses out there who are trying to build projects that are going to empower the individual and better the world… have a bank that understands what they’re doing and isn’t fearful,” he said. “Banks are hesitant, because if this takes off, you don’t need banks anymore. They become obsolete,” Berns said. Berns purchased the bank through a separate holding company to mitigate the reporting and ownership responsibilities. Additionally, he said he planned to decentralize his companies in the future, turning power over to users of the system. “I don’t think the regulators would have ever been comfortable with that,” he said, adding he may attempt limited integration of Blockchains with the bank to create a sandbox to test his financial technology and blockchain ideas. Related:Trump Administration in Talks With Crypto Startup on Israeli–Palestinian Peace Plans “I needed a playground,” he said. “I needed a place to do proof-of-concept with regulators to show that loans can be done in such a way that if I have $1,000, I could invest 10 cents in 10,000 loans and, it would all be done on the blockchain and micro payments would be made, and there’s no funny business.” Berns’ negotiation with Kirkwood began in February 2018, after he spent a year searching for a banking partner. He paid $25 million for the entity, and invested an additional $3 million. According to theFDICthe bank has more than $86.6 million in assets and has had a 9.14 percent return on equity in 2019. It has never changed ownership since its founding in 2008. Bank President John Dru said were no immediate planned changes for banking operations except for the name and a branch opening in Northern Nevada. It is unconfirmed what the bank’s new name will be. “I know for sure that the customers won’t see any changes,” Dru said. “All executive management is staying on board. The directors, there’s no change there, they’re all going to stay on. And even the account numbers won’t change.” Berns also said he plans to buy or create a 3D printing company to print a portion of his blockchain city. He’s considering using an undervalued building material – hemp – during the process and may cultivate the resource on 67,000 acres of land owned by Blockchains. “It’s environmentally friendly, it sucks carbon out of the air, it rehabilitates soil and it’s all around an amazing product,” Berns said. “And we had planned to do it on a smaller scale and after hemp was legalized, we intend to go much bigger.” Blockchains recently partnered withslock.itto further its integration within the Internet of Things. Photo byRobbie NobleonUnsplash • Pot Startup Uses the Blockchain to Smoke Out Weed Strains • Malta to Register All Rent Contracts on Blockchain
The YUM! Brands (NYSE:YUM) Share Price Is Up 41% And Shareholders Are Holding On Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! These days it's easy to simply buy an index fund, and your returns should (roughly) match the market. But you can significantly boost your returns by picking above-average stocks. To wit, theYUM! Brands, Inc.(NYSE:YUM) share price is 41% higher than it was a year ago, much better than the market return of around 5.3% (not including dividends) in the same period. That's a solid performance by our standards! It is also impressive that the stock is up 32% over three years, adding to the sense that it is a real winner. See our latest analysis for YUM! Brands In his essayThe Superinvestors of Graham-and-DoddsvilleWarren Buffett described how share prices do not always rationally reflect the value of a business. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time. Over the last twelve months, YUM! Brands actually shrank its EPS by 1.0%. We don't think that the decline in earnings per share is a good measure of the business over the last twelve months. It makes sense to check some of the other fundamental data for an explanation of the share price rise. We are skeptical of the suggestion that the 1.5% dividend yield would entice buyers to the stock. YUM! Brands's revenue actually dropped 4.5% over last year. So using a snapshot of key business metrics doesn't give us a good picture of why the market is bidding up the stock. The graphic below depicts how earnings and revenue have changed over time (unveil the exact values by clicking on the image). We consider it positive that insiders have made significant purchases in the last year. Having said that, most people consider earnings and revenue growth trends to be a more meaningful guide to the business. So we recommend checking out thisfreereport showing consensus forecasts It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. The TSR incorporates the value of any spin-offs or discounted capital raisings, along with any dividends, based on the assumption that the dividends are reinvested. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. We note that for YUM! Brands the TSR over the last year was 44%, which is better than the share price return mentioned above. And there's no prize for guessing that the dividend payments largely explain the divergence! It's good to see that YUM! Brands has rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 44% in the last twelve months. And that does include the dividend. Since the one-year TSR is better than the five-year TSR (the latter coming in at 16% per year), it would seem that the stock's performance has improved in recent times. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better with time. Investors who like to make money usually check up on insider purchases, such as the price paid, and total amount bought.You can find out about the insider purchases of YUM! Brands by clicking this link. YUM! Brands is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to findwinning investmentsthisfreelist of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US exchanges. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Zooko Wilcox gives the Zcash community an ultimatum TheZcashcommunity needs to get its act together fast—in fact, four months sooner than anyone expected. That news was delivered today during akeynote speechby Electric Coin Company CEO Zooko Wilcox at Zcash’s annual conference. Initially, it was assumed that the community had until October to reach consensus on how to continue funding its platform—because that’s when the funding ends. But Wilcox said that wasn’t the case. “If our runway gets below about 12 months, we’re pretty much forced to pivot,” he said at Zcon1 in Split, Croatia. This means if the community decides to keep funding the Electric Coin Company (ECC) to continue developing the Zcashblockchain, it will need to do so by June, 2020. Otherwise, the ECC will begin looking for alternative forms of funding, a distraction that will take its focus away from the development of Zcash. The ECC put the funding decision in the hands of the community to show that it’s not incompletecontrol over the network, which is supposed to be decentralized. “We don’t think we should be putting forward a proposal,” said Wilcox. “I don’t know if this was the right call, but I said: if I put forward a proposal, and then everyone agreed on it, we would be accused that the agreement was insincere. Therefore I’m not going to put forward a proposal.” However, this has caused a fewheadachesin the community since there’s no governance mechanism for it to make decisions—especially one so crucial to the network’s survival. A few suggestions have been made online but it is not clear who has the authority to choose which governance mechanism to use. Wilcox also revealed the current state of the ECC’s finances. He said that it has $3.35 million in the bank and is holding 29,096 ZEC ($3.2 million)—the native coin on the Zcash network. This, in addition to the block rewards it will continue to receive until 2020, will fund the salaries of the developers and engineers working on the blockchain. He also reaffirmed the recent update that the percentage of block rewards that goes to the ECC has gone up from four percent to eight percent. This is due to several of the founders and early advisors—who were receiving some of the Founders’ Reward—reassigning their portions of the coins towards the ECC and the Zcash Foundation instead. Regarding regulation, Wilcox said that the “tipping point has happened” and that due toFacebook’s Libra, much clearer crypto regulation is on its way. He added that the Zcash community has a strong part to play in that, standing up for privacy in digital assets across the board. As forZcash’s future, Wilcox said the ECC is looking to provide interoperability between Zcash and the Ethereum blockchain. That would allow cross-chain swaps between the two cryptocurrencies, allowing money to pass between them much more easily. While the speech was full of uncertainty in terms of the impending funding crisis, Wilcox reminded the audience that, for now, “We’re all in on ZEC. All the zebras are in the zeal together.” Whatever that means.
What Is a Self-Directed Roth IRA? ARoth IRAaffords some key tax benefits for savers, chiefly the ability to make 100% tax-free withdrawals in retirement. Typically, the scope of investments available through an IRA is determined by the company that holds your accounts. A self-directed Roth IRA, however, can offer more choices forbuilding a portfolio. Investing in a self-directed Roth IRA isn’t right for everyone and there are some important things to know before getting started. Specifically, investors need to be aware of the contribution limits for self-directed Roth IRAs, who can contribute, what you can invest in and what rules govern your choice of investments. The Basics of a Self-Directed Roth IRA A self-directed Roth IRA is anindividual retirement accountthat offers you control over how your money is invested. These accounts are offered bybrokerages, just like any other type of IRA. You choose which brokerage acts as a custodian for the account. Once you make the minimum opening deposit, if required, you can decide how your money is invested. This means that the brokerage acting as your custodian can not offer you any investment advice; you’re truly self-directing your account. Self-directed Roth IRA accounts have all the features of aregular Roth IRA, with regard to how much you can contribute annually and how withdrawals are taxed. The difference is that a self-directed IRA gives you the freedom to greatly increasediversificationin your portfolio. The most important details of a self-directed Roth IRA include: • An annual contribution limit of$6,000 for 2019($7,000 if you’re 50 or older), or your taxable compensation if your income for the year was less than this limit • Contributions that are not tax-deductible • Qualified withdrawalsthat are 100% tax-free • Contributions that can be withdrawn at any time, with no tax penalty • No minimum distributions required at age 70 1/2 Compared to a self-directed traditional IRA, a Roth IRA could be advantageous for someone who expects to be in a higher tax bracket at retirement. You’ll pay no tax on withdrawals beginning at age 59 1/2 or older and there’s no cutoff at which you have to begin taking money from your account. Of course, you won’t get atax deductionfor what you contribute the way you could with a traditional self-directed IRA, but that may be less important if you’re making contributions during the years when your income is lower. Who Can Contribute to a Self-Directed Roth IRA? The IRS sets rules on who can contribute to a Roth IRA,based on income. Those same rules carry over to self-directed Roth IRAs. For 2019, you can make a contribution up to the full annual limit if: • You’re a single filer or head of household with a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of less than $122,000 • You’re a married couple filing jointly or qualifying widower with an MAGI of less than $193,000 Married couples filing separate returns can make a partial contribution if their MAGI is less than $10,000. Contributions across all filing statuses phase out once the income for the year reaches a certain limit. If you’re eligible to contribute to a self-directed Roth IRA based on your income, the better question to ask may not be can you contribute, but should you. According to Scott Butler, a financial planner at Klauenberg Retirement Solutions in Laurel, Maryland, a self-directed IRA might not be the best account for just anyone. “This is definitely not something I would recommend to the average or casual investor,” Butler says. “With a self-directed IRA, there are more ways to make a mistake and some tax traps you can easily fall into.” Understanding the unique tax rules that apply to self-directed Roth accounts can help you determine whether it’s the right strategy for your investments. Self-Directed Roth IRA Tax Guidelines There are two specific rules to know when investing in a self-directed Roth IRA. The first covers disqualified persons and the second covers prohibited transactions. These rules are designed to prevent investors from abusing self-directed accounts and their tax advantages. What are disqualified persons and prohibited transactions? Thedisqualified person ruleessentially says that certain people are not allowed to engage in prohibited transactions. Aprohibited transactionis any improper use of your IRA by yourself or another disqualified person. Prohibited transactions include: • Lending money or extending credit • Furnishing goods, services or facilities • Selling, exchanging or leasing property • Using or transferring income from the plan to a disqualified person • Any act of a fiduciary dealing with your IRA money or assets in their own interest • Any receipt of consideration by a fiduciary to their own account from anyone dealing with the IRA and its money or assets A disqualified person includes: • You and/or your spouse • A beneficiary of the IRA • Your descendants and their spouses • Plan service providers • Any company in which you own at least 50% of the voting stock • A shareholder or partner in said company who owns 10% or more of its stock For example, you couldn’t use your self-directed Roth IRA as collateral for a loan or use those funds to buy a piece of property for your own personal use. Violating this rule could cause your self-directed account to lose its tax-advantaged status. What Can You Invest In With a Self-Directed Roth Account? Within a typical Roth IRA, your investment choices may be limited tomutual funds, index funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) andbond funds. Individual stocks or bonds may also be an option, though those are less common. With a self-directed Roth IRA, there’s much more variety. Some areas where you could invest your money in a self-directed account include: • Real estate • Private placements • Tax liens • Partnerships and franchises • Precious metals On the other hand, there are some investments you can’t own in a self-directed Roth IRA. Those include gems, stamps, collectibles, artwork, coins, rugs and antiques. “Self–directedaccounts are for risk-takers who are not satisfied with the ETFs and mutual funds that are offered through traditional custodians,” says Guy Baker, founder of Wealth Teams Alliance in Irvine, California. “They’re more interested in first trust deeds, real estate partnerships, real estate investment trusts and perhaps gold and othercommodities. In some cases, you can buy stock in a closely held business that is not traded on the exchange.” Being able to expand your investment options in a self-directed IRA can allow you to look beyond stocks and bonds. The potential downside, however, is that some of the things you may choose to invest in through a self-directed account could carry a higher degree of risk. The Bottom Line A self-directed Roth IRA can open up new possibilities for investing, but it’s important to consider the pros and cons carefully. If you’re not well-versed in a certain type of investment, for example, or you’re unsure of the tax rules for prohibited transactions, you could do more harm than good in your portfolio. Before you dive in, take time to learn the finer points of self-directed investing and get help if you need it. Tips for Managing a Self-Directed Retirement Plan • Take advantage of free resources and tools, such asretirement calculators, to help you determine your investing strategy and what steps you need to take to reach your retirement goals. Also, pay close attention to the fees associated with self-directed accounts and their underlying investments. While a self-directed approach could yield solid performance in your portfolio, high investment fees can nibble away at returns. • Consider working with a financial advisor to decide which investments belong in your self-directed Roth IRA and how to maximize tax efficiency. Finding the right financial advisor thatfits your needsdoesn’t have to be hard.SmartAsset’s free toolmatches you with financial advisors in your area in five minutes. If you’re ready to be matched with local advisors that will help you achieve your financial goals,get started now. Photo credit: ©iStock.com/designer491, ©iStock.com/shapecharge, ©iStock.com/AndreyPopov The postWhat Is a Self-Directed Roth IRA?appeared first onSmartAsset Blog. • Lump Sum vs. Annuity: Which Should You Take? • What Are 414(h) Plans and How Do They Work? • 401(k) Hardship Distributions: All You Need to Know
Trump’s softer stance on Huawei draws ire from lawmakers Chinese telecom giant Huawei is once again at the center of U.S.-China trade negotiations. President Donald Trump’s optimistic but vague statement on Huawei Saturday offered relief to many businesses, but didn’t make lawmakers in Washington D.C. very happy. After a meeting with China’s President Xi Jinping at G20 over the weekend, Trump loosened his administration's ban on Huawei, allowing U.S. companies to sell again to the Chinese firm that has been put on the entity list due to national security concerns. That move quickly drew backlash from top lawmakers in Washington. Republican Senator Marco Rubio tweeted that if Trump bargained away the recent restrictions on Huawei, “we will have to get those restrictions put back in place through legislation.” Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer, who sees Huawei as “one of few potent levers” the U.S. has over China, said if Trumps backs off, “it will dramatically undercut our ability to change China’s unfair trade practices.” By using Huawei as a bargaining chip, the Trump administration has put itself in a difficult position: If the administration softens its stance on Huawei, China hawks in Washington like Rubio and Senator John Barrasso, who believes the telecom equipment and phone maker doesn’t have a place in the U.S., may push to use other measures to block Huawei. If an outright ban remains, It would be tough to engage Beijing in a trade conversation. So far, Beijing has promised to purchase more agricultural products and services in exchange for restarting trade talks and a temporary brake on additional tariffs on $300 billion Chinese products. “President Xi gave Mr. Trump an ‘out’ by agreeing to buy more U.S. agricultural products but his price in return was steep; Mr. Trump already faces opposition at home to the relaxation of the rules governing sales to Huawei. We don't know how this will work out,” Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, wrote in a note on Monday. “In seeking to use Huawei as trade leverage, Trump emboldened hardliners in Washington intent on dismantling Huawei and creating a 5G network around the world that is free of all Chinese telecom equipment,” Samm Sacks, cybersecurity policy fellow at New America, wrote in a note. To address lawmakers’ concerns, top White House economic advisor Larry Kudlow is trying to clarify the administration’s stance. He said certain products, including “various chips and software and other services that are available all around the world, not specific to the U.S. ” are likely to get a temporary license from the U.S. Commerce Department. “Anything to do with national security concerns will not receive a new license from the Commerce Department,” he told CBS on Sunday. It’s unclear how the administration will define which products fall under “national security concerns.” Sacks believes a partial ban on Huawei could mean U.S. companies might be able to ship consumer products like tablets and handsets as well as possibly photovoltaics, but not telecom infrastructure for base stations. For now, investors and businesses can breathe a sigh of relief. Shares of Micron (MU), AMD (AMD) and other semiconductor companies that have business ties with Huawei rallied on Monday. Huawei’s U.S. suppliers like Intel (INTC) and Qualcomm (QCOM) have been lobbying Washington to reconsider the ban. “We are encouraged the talks are restarting and additional tariffs are on hold and we look forward to getting more detail on the president’s remarks on Huawei,”John Neuffer, president & CEO of the Semiconductor Industry Association, said in a statement on Monday. Akiko Fujita contributed to the reporting. Krystal Hu covers technology and China for Yahoo Finance. Follow her onTwitter. Read more: • New bipartisan bills threaten Chinese IPOs and Chinese companies listed in the U.S. • Amazon just got FAA approval to fly drones for deliveries • Huawei is still winning 5G contracts around the world despite the U.S. ban
Why WD-40 Company (NASDAQ:WDFC) Is A Dividend Rockstar Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Is WD-40 Company (NASDAQ:WDFC) a good dividend stock? How can we tell? Dividend paying companies with growing earnings can be highly rewarding in the long term. If you are hoping to live on the income from dividends, it's important to be a lot more stringent with your investments than the average punter. While WD-40's 1.5% dividend yield is not the highest, we think its lengthy payment history is quite interesting. The company also bought back stock during the year, equivalent to approximately 1.2% of the company's market capitalisation at the time. Some simple research can reduce the risk of buying WD-40 for its dividend - read on to learn more. Click the interactive chart for our full dividend analysis Dividends are typically paid from company earnings. If a company pays more in dividends than it earned, then the dividend might become unsustainable - hardly an ideal situation. As a result, we should always investigate whether a company can afford its dividend, measured as a percentage of a company's net income after tax. Looking at the data, we can see that 48% of WD-40's profits were paid out as dividends in the last 12 months. A medium payout ratio strikes a good balance between paying dividends, and keeping enough back to invest in the business. One of the risks is that management reinvests the retained capital poorly instead of paying a higher dividend. In addition to comparing dividends against profits, we should inspect whether the company generated enough cash to pay its dividend. WD-40 paid out 59% of its free cash flow last year, which is acceptable, but is starting to limit the amount of earnings that can be reinvested into the business. It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously. Consider gettingour latest analysis on WD-40's financial position here. One of the major risks of relying on dividend income, is the potential for a company to struggle financially and cut its dividend. Not only is your income cut, but the value of your investment declines as well - nasty. For the purpose of this article, we only scrutinise the last decade of WD-40's dividend payments. During the past ten-year period, the first annual payment was US$1.00 in 2009, compared to US$2.44 last year. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 9.3% a year over that time. Dividends have grown at a reasonable rate over this period, and without any major cuts in the payment over time, we think this is an attractive combination. Examining whether the dividend is affordable and stable is important. However, it's also important to assess if earnings per share (EPS) are growing. Over the long term, dividends need to grow at or above the rate of inflation, in order to maintain the recipient's purchasing power. It's good to see WD-40 has been growing its earnings per share at 13% a year over the past 5 years. A company paying out less than a quarter of its earnings as dividends, and growing earnings at more than 10% per annum, looks to be right in the cusp of its growth phase. At the right price, we might be interested. When we look at a dividend stock, we need to form a judgement on whether the dividend will grow, if the company is able to maintain it in a wide range of economic circumstances, and if the dividend payout is sustainable. Firstly, we like that WD-40 pays out a low fraction of earnings. It pays out a higher percentage of its cashflow, although this is within acceptable bounds. That said, we were glad to see it growing earnings and paying a fairly consistent dividend. Overall we think WD-40 scores well on our analysis. It's not quite perfect, but we'd definitely be keen to take a closer look. See if management have their own wealth at stake, by checking insider shareholdings inWD-40 stock. We have also put together alist of global stocks with a market capitalisation above $1bn and yielding more 3%. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
This Is Your Last Chance to Buy the Dip Before Bitcoin Pierces $20,000 In early May, we accurately predicted thatbitcoinwouldtrade above $11,500 before the end of 2019. The leading cryptocurrency breached that level last month, recording afresh yearly high above $13,000. Since then, BTC has been correcting and is backtrading near $10,000. While many see the retracement as the end of bitcoin’s parabolic rise, our analysis shows that the number one cryptocurrency is simply consolidating gains as those who caught the bottom take profits. However, once this round of selling is over, we are confident that bitcoin will once again trade above $11,500 and rip to a new all-time high at $20,000. A quick look at bitcoin’s hourly chart tells us that the cryptocurrency is printing a falling wedge. This is a bullish continuation pattern that suggests the resumption of the strong uptrend once profit-taking is over. The pattern aligns with our initial bottom-picking price target of $9,000. Support of $9,000 is currently our range midpoint from the macro perspective. At that point, bitcoin would have shed over 35 percent from the 2019 high of $13,880. Read the full story on CCN.com.
Does WD-40 (NASDAQ:WDFC) Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist? Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to investors, even if it completely lacks a track record of revenue and profit. But the reality is that when a company loses money each year, for long enough, its investors will usually take their share of those losses. If, on the other hand, you like companies that have revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested inWD-40(NASDAQ:WDFC). Even if the shares are fully valued today, most capitalists would recognize its profits as the demonstration of steady value generation. Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, but time is often a friend of the profitable company, especially if it is growing. Check out our latest analysis for WD-40 If you believe that markets are even vaguely efficient, then over the long term you'd expect a company's share price to follow its earnings per share (EPS). Therefore, there are plenty of investors who like to buy shares in companies that are growing EPS. We can see that in the last three years WD-40 grew its EPS by 13% per year. That's a good rate of growth, if it can be sustained. I like to take a look at earnings before interest and (EBIT) tax margins, as well as revenue growth, to get another take on the quality of the company's growth. While we note WD-40's EBIT margins were flat over the last year, revenue grew by a solid 4.7% to US$412m. That's progress. The chart below shows how the company's bottom and top lines have progressed over time. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers. Of course the knack is to find stocks that have their best days in the future, not in the past. You could base your opinion on past performance, of course, but you may also want tocheck this interactive graph of professional analyst EPS forecasts for WD-40. I like company leaders to have some skin in the game, so to speak, because it increases alignment of incentives between the people running the business, and its true owners. So it is good to see that WD-40 insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock. Given insiders own a small fortune of shares, currently valued at US$65m, they have plenty of motivation to push the business to succeed. This should keep them focused on creating long term value for shareholders. It's good to see that insiders are invested in the company, but are remuneration levels reasonable? A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. I discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like WD-40 with market caps between US$1.0b and US$3.2b is about US$4.0m. WD-40 offered total compensation worth US$2.4m to its CEO in the year to August 2018. That seems pretty reasonable, especially given its below the median for similar sized companies. While the level of CEO compensation isn't a huge factor in my view of the company, modest remuneration is a positive, because it suggests that the board keeps shareholder interests in mind. It can also be a sign of a culture of integrity, in a broader sense. One positive for WD-40 is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. The fact that EPS is growing is a genuine positive for WD-40, but the pretty picture gets better than that. With a meaningful level of insider ownership, and reasonable CEO pay, a reasonable mind might conclude that this is one stock worth watching. Of course, just because WD-40 is growing does not mean it is undervalued. If you're wondering about the valuation, check outthis gauge of its price-to-earnings ratio, as compared to its industry. Although WD-40 certainly looks good to me, I would like it more if insiders were buying up shares. If you like to see insider buying, too, then thisfreelist of growing companies that insiders are buying, could be exactly what you're looking for. Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Bill Wyman remembers 'absolutely brilliant’ Rolling Stones bandmate Brian Jones, 50 years later Fifty years ago, on July 3, 1969, the Rolling Stones’ Brian Jones became a member of the notorious “27 Club,” when he drowned in his swimming pool at Cotchford Farm in Hartfield, England. Mystery surrounds Jones’s death to this day — a longstanding conspiracy theory that he was murdered by handyman Frank Thorogood was even dramatized in the 2005 film Stoned and reinvestigated inconclusively by the Sussex Police in 2009. (The coroner's original verdict was “death by misadventure.”) But unfortunately, as the time goes by, younger music fans may not be fully aware of how crucial Brian Jones was to the Stones’ legacy. The Rolling Stones quite literally would have never existed without him. “Everybody thinks that it was Mick and Keith's band, but it was Brian's band,” original Stones bassist Bill Wyman tells Yahoo Entertainment in an interview promoting his new documentary, The Quiet One , an exclusive clip from which can be seen above. “Whenever I've written books… I've always spent quite a bit of time explaining that Brian was the person that created the Rolling Stones in the beginning. He chose the music. He chose the name. He was the leader. He signed all the recording contracts, the management contracts, all kinds of things.” Group portrait of the Rolling Stones circa 1964. L-R Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones (back), Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts. (Photo: Stanley Bielecki/ASP/Getty Images) Jones’s importance to the Stones went beyond minding their business affairs. As Rolling Stone magazine stated in an Aug. 9, 1969 cover story about Jones’s passing, “If Keith Richards and Mick Jagger were the mind and body of the Rolling Stones, Brian Jones, standing most of the time in the shadows, was clearly the soul. … He was a Rolling Stone before he joined in 1962, and he led the life of a true Rolling Stone from 1963 to 1969.” That issue’s obituary , written by the great Greil Marcus, described Jones as “not just a guitarist for the Rolling Stones, but an embodiment of the music itself.” Jones was in fact, the original public face of the band: the surliest and sauciest in press interviews, the most nattily dressed, the most lushly coiffed… and, most importantly, the most musically diverse. “I mean, he was brilliant musically in the early days. He could pick up any instrument and just play it, then just find something to add the record,” Wyman marvels. “He made so many records successful because of that. He would pick up an autoharp or a flute or a glockenspiel or marimbas, and he would be able to do all of that kind of stuff.” Among the other instruments Jones played were the harmonica, sitar, organ, recorder, cello, trumpet, trombone, saxophone, oboe, and, of course, guitar. Story continues Bill Wyman and Brian Jones in 1965. (Photo: Michael Ward/Getty Images) Jones formed and led the "Rollin' Stones" in 1962, initially as a blues/R&B covers band. But he slowly became estranged from his bandmates after Andrew Loog Oldham became their manager and encouraged singer Jagger to step out as the flamboyant frontman and write original songs with guitarist Richards. “It was the songwriting [that caused the power shift] … because Brian couldn't write songs,” Wyman says. “And of course, Mick was the frontman onstage. And so, it slowly evolved. It wasn't something that was forced upon anyone; it only evolved because of those reasons.” Wyman’s The Quiet One , a virtual treasure trove of never-before-seen home movies and photographs chronicling the Rolling Stones’ history, features copious footage of Jones in his prime, as well Wyman’s reflections on Jones’s tragic end. “I was really sad when Brian started to fall to bits, basically,” Wyman — who, unlike Jones, didn’t take drugs — says in the film. “We'd be in L.A. and we'd go out to the clubs, and he'd be on LSD and he'd be getting out the limo and going, ‘Oh look, there's snakes all over the ground! … The ceiling's on fire!’ I just used to let him get on with it, but he would go off on those tangents a lot.” The Rolling Stones' Brian Jones in 1965. (Photo: Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns) Wyman tells Yahoo Entertainment that while he and Jones were once dear friends, Jones’s drug use caused them to drift apart. “On the road [in the Stones’ early days], I would share [hotel rooms] with Brian,” he recalls. “So Brian and I always got along pretty well, and we used to go out clubbing when the others were staying in the hotel. We would go out clubbing and sometimes jam with local musicians and, you know, pick up girls. So yeah, we were pretty close. … [but] I was never aware of him ever taking heavy drugs. It was always painkillers with alcohol and sleepers. He used to take sleepers and then take alcohol and stay awake on it, so he would be stoned and all that kind of stuff. So, that was about '67 when I kind of lost the closeness with him, I suppose.” 1967 was the troubled, beginning-of-the-end year when Jones was arrested twice for drug possession, and also the year that his longtime girlfriend Anita Pallenberg left him for Richards after Jones was abusive during a vacation in Morocco. Jones’s increasingly erratic behavior and substance abuse over the next two years eventually led to him being ousted from the Stones during the making of their 10th album, Let It Bleed ; by that point, Jagger and Richards were very much in control, and it was very much their band. “It really had nothing to do with me, it was down to them,” the neutral and diplomatic Wyman says of Jones’s firing. “It was down to what was going on with Keith, Brian, and Andrew. Clearly, [drummer] Charlie [Watts] and I were just the rhythm section; we were there to do our job and lay the foundation for everyone else, and that's what we did. We did it very efficiently and conscientiously. We were always on time, we were always well-behaved, we were always straight, and so the basics went down.” Brian Jones and Bill Wyman in 1964. (Photo: Terry O'Neill/Iconic Images/Getty Images) Although Jones was in fact fired from the Stones in June ‘69, his former bandmates allowed him to announce his departure in his own way. Jones’s official statement read: “I no longer see eye-to-eye with the others over the discs we are cutting. … I want to play my kind of music, which is no longer the Stones music. The music Mick and Keith have been writing has progressed at a tangent, as far as my own taste is concerned.” Sadly, the world never got to find out what sort of music Jones would have created post-Stones. Less than a month after his exit from the band, he was dead. It was Watts who told Wyman the shocking news. “Charlie phoned me up,” Wyman says plainly in The Quiet One . He just said, ‘Brian died.’ I couldn't believe it, you know. … When he went, it really sort of got me bad. Somebody a bit special.” Just two days after Jones’s death, the Rolling Stones proceeded with their already-scheduled free concert in London’s Hyde Park, which had been booked as the live debut of Jones’s replacement in the Stones lineup, guitarist Mick Taylor. The event turned into a Jones memorial of sorts, with Jagger reading excerpts from the Shelley poem "Adonais,” stagehands releasing 3,500 white butterflies into the sky, and the band playing one of Jones's favorites tunes, Johnny Winter’s "I'm Yours and I'm Hers.” Wyman estimates that about half a million fans attended. “It was extraordinary, that day,” he wistfully recalls in his film. Brian Jones on the set of the Rolling Stones' 'Rock and Roll Circus,' about seven months before his death. (Photo: Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns) However, Watts and Wyman were the only two Rolling Stones band members to attend Jones’s actual funeral service. Wyman bitterly recalls that chaotic day in one of The Quiet One ’s archival interviews. “The press was so bad at the funeral. I mean, everybody's around the grave, you know, and they're putting the coffin in and all that and the preacher's reading out and all his family and relatives are all like tranquilized and everything. Everybody's crying, upset. There's thousands of fans everywhere. There's kids running up to you asking for autographs, and there's press guys with cameras everywhere, like all leaning over you and getting snaps in the grave. ... There was no respect at all.” But Wyman, who left the Rolling Stones in 1993, has fond memories of his fallen friend, and speaks very respectfully of Jones in his Yahoo interview. “Really, he was the most intelligent [Stones member]. He had the best school reports, he passed all the exams more than anybody else. He was very well-spoken, very educated, and he could be absolutely brilliant. … But there was a naughty part that he had as well, so he could be really cheeky sometimes.” Read more from Yahoo Entertainment: Jagger, Richards talk 'Some Girls' 40th anniversary: 'Punk rock was a kick up our ass' Rolling Stones make triumphant return to the stage in Chicago following Mick Jagger's surgery ‘The Quiet One’ film review: Reticent Rolling Stone Bill Wyman shares little of interest in documentary Follow Lyndsey on Facebook , Twitter , Instagram , Amazon , Spotify. Want daily pop culture news delivered to your inbox? Sign up here for Yahoo Entertainment & Lifestyle’s newsletter.
Aptiv PLC (NYSE:APTV): Should The Recent Earnings Drop Worry You? Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! For investors with a long-term horizon, examining earnings trend over time and against industry peers is more insightful than looking at an earnings announcement in one point in time. Investors may find my commentary, albeit very high-level and brief, on Aptiv PLC (NYSE:APTV) useful as an attempt to give more color around how Aptiv is currently performing. See our latest analysis for Aptiv APTV's trailing twelve-month earnings (from 31 March 2019) of US$1.0b has declined by -7.8% compared to the previous year. Furthermore, this one-year growth rate has been lower than its average earnings growth rate over the past 5 years of -6.6%, indicating the rate at which APTV is growing has slowed down. Why is this? Let's examine what's occurring with margins and if the entire industry is facing the same headwind. In terms of returns from investment, Aptiv has invested its equity funds well leading to a 28% return on equity (ROE), above the sensible minimum of 20%. Furthermore, its return on assets (ROA) of 8.6% exceeds the US Auto Components industry of 7.2%, indicating Aptiv has used its assets more efficiently. However, its return on capital (ROC), which also accounts for Aptiv’s debt level, has declined over the past 3 years from 25% to 17%. This correlates with an increase in debt holding, with debt-to-equity ratio rising from 70% to 125% over the past 5 years. Aptiv's track record can be a valuable insight into its earnings performance, but it certainly doesn't tell the whole story. Typically companies that endure a drawn out period of reduction in earnings are going through some sort of reinvestment phase Though if the whole industry is struggling to grow over time, it may be a indicator of a structural shift, which makes Aptiv and its peers a riskier investment. I recommend you continue to research Aptiv to get a better picture of the stock by looking at: 1. Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for APTV’s future growth? Take a look at ourfree research report of analyst consensusfor APTV’s outlook. 2. Financial Health: Are APTV’s operations financially sustainable? Balance sheets can be hard to analyze, which is why we’ve done it for you. Check out ourfinancial health checks here. 3. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore ourfree list of these great stocks here. NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the trailing twelve months from 31 March 2019. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Pranav Rastogi Comments on The Importance of ‘Marketing’ in Digital Marketing SEATTLE, WA / ACCESSWIRE / July 1, 2019 /Born in Dehradun but based in Delhi, 25-year-oldPranav Rastogiis the co-founder of Pollination, an internet media startup, which boasts of some of the biggest websites, social media pages and e-commerce platforms of the past decade. The 2010s were a time of rapid change in the way we know the internet technology, and by extension, internet marketing to be. This was the decade that saw Facebook and Google take digital marketing to the next level. Having witnessed these changes first-hand, Pranav was quick to capitalize. (via Instagram) Along with his partnersJagrit Pratap SinghandArjit Singh, Pranav runs a number of successful web properties, includingHiptoro- which witnessed a meteoric rise by reaching the top 200 websites in the world in just 7 days of its launch. Having used the power of social media to propel the website to such a high position, Pranav has since decided to convert it into a news and media platform. After his success with Hiptoro, Pranav further ventured into e-commerce, which has since become his area of expertise. Along with his partners, he has managed to create e-commerce platforms which have generated turnovers of $2 Million in just five months! Commenting on e-commerce, he said: "I see a lot of young professionals trying to push their products in the digital arena. However, several seem to be forgetting that Internet Marketing is 50% Internet and 50% marketing. Many people tend to forget the latter half." Pranav Rastogi stresses on the importance of 'marketing' in digital marketing. "Not only do you need to know who your audience is, but you also need to get in their shoes! You need to know what your audience likes, what it doesn't like, and whether or not will your advertisement be interesting enough for them." He points out that one 'needs to dirty his hands' if they wish to be successful in digital marketing! Innovation has been of key importance to Pranav, who believes that there needs to be this desire to experiment and this hunger to learn more. Coming from someone who has witnessed success in social media, internet search as well as e-commerce, this is indeed a statement that young digital marketing professionals should keep in mind as they head into the profession! CONTACT: Nox@hiptoro.com SOURCE:Pranav Rastogi View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/550557/Pranav-Rastogi-Comments-on-The-Importance-of-Marketing-in-Digital-Marketing
Selena Gomez Serves Up July 4th Style Inspiration in Sexy One-Piece Swimsuit During Mexico Trip Selena Gomez packed the perfect swimwear for her summer vacation. The singer wore a sexy red low-back one-piece while on vacation in Punta Mita, Mexico. The $39.99 Krahs Swim “Comino” swimsuit is just one of several USA Collection pieces available in time for the 4th of July on krahs.com. Gomez, 26, also designed a signature bikini for the new swimwear line (whose name is “shark” spelled backwards). The white “Selena” is a high-waisted bottom with an underwire bralette-style top . It’s identical to the red one Gomez designed for Krahs Swim’s first launch back in May, which she later debuted in an Instagram post. Theresa Mingus Theresa Mingus Theresa Mingus RELATED: Selena Gomez Proves She’s a Selfie Queen Once Again While in the Recording Studio Her second collaboration with the body positive company came about naturally, as the Krahs Swim founder Theresa Marie Mingus and The Dead Don’t Die star met five years ago and have been friends ever since. Gomez even posted a sweet black-and-white selfie of the two in May to promote the launch of Krahs Swim and celebrate her friend’s achievement. Theresa Mingus “I met Theresa 5 years ago. We worked together and became best friends. She has taught me how to see life in a fun, carefree and uplifting way. She has shown me how to be a strong and fearless woman. She is beautiful, kind and smart. I saw how capable she was of achieving her dreams. I wanted nothing more than to see her pursue them and soar. And here you are making it happen T. I love you and I am so proud of you,” Gomez wrote. Despite boasting a staggering 152 Million Instagram followers, Gomez recently said she has a complicated relationship with social media. While promoting The Dead Don’t Die at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival in May, the multi-hyphenate star opened up about her fears about the impact social media has made on her generation. RELATED: The Best Dressed Stars at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival “I think our world is going through a lot. I would say for my generation, specifically, social media has really been terrible,” she said during a Cannes press conference, according to Variety. “It does scare me when you see how exposed these young boys and young girls are. They are not aware of the news. I think it’s dangerous for sure. I don’t think people are getting the right information sometimes.” Andrew Lipovsky/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty She added, “I’m grateful I have the platform. I don’t do a lot of pointless pictures. For me, I like to be intentional with it. It just scares me,” she explained. “I’ll see these young girls at meet-and-greets. They are devastated, dealing with bullying and not being able to have their own voice. It can be great in moments. I would be careful and allow yourself some time limits of when you should use it.”
Auger-Aliassime up and running as fellow young guns flop By Martyn Herman LONDON (Reuters) - Those tennis fans who saw Felix Auger-Aliassime beat Vasek Pospisil in an all-Canadian first round clash at Wimbledon on Monday might one day look back on it as an "I was there" moment. The teenager they call "AA" had never won a Grand Slam match before, despite being 19th seed on his Wimbledon debut and tipped this week as a future world number one by none other than American great John McEnroe. After some early trouble against his compatriot, the 18-year-old opened his account with a 5-7 6-2 6-4 6-3 win to become the first man born in 2,000 or later to win a Grand Slam match. It was just as well the newest of the new kids on the block survived because Alexander Zverev and Stefanos Tsitsipas, the two players expected to lead the new generation into a brave new era, both suffered chastening first-round defeats. The 22-year-old sixth seed Zverev already has 11 singles titles but the German's Grand Slam progress has been stuttering to say the least and a 4-6 6-3 6-2 7-5 loss to powerful Czech qualifier Jiri Vesely continued a mediocre year. Swashbuckling Greek 20-year-old Tsitsipas, tipped as the man most likely to break the Roger Federer/Rafa Nadal/Novak Djokovic stranglehold at the top, was then bundled out by Italian journeyman Thomas Fabbiano 6-4 3-6 6-4 6-7(8) 6-3. Twelve months earlier in the third round here Tsitsipas had beaten the same player for the loss of seven games. Seventh-seeded Tsitsipas saved two match points in the fourth-set breaker but was scathing of his own performance, saying that only his fighting spirit had allowed him two sets. Candidly he added that the disappointment of losing a fourth-round epic against Stan Wawrinka at the French Open, a match in which he played superbly, lingered. "It was very, very difficult to overcome that match," Tsitsipas, who became the first Greek man to reach a Grand Slam semi-final at this year's Australian Open, told reporters. "I was really disappointed. I am disappointed now. People expected things from me. I didn't deliver. When you just ruin everything by yourself, it's devastating." Zverev won the ATP Tour Finals title last November, beating Federer and Djokovic back-to-back, but has stalled this year, although he did reach the French Open quarter-finals -- still the furthest he has been in 18 Grand Slams. "I didn't lose this match on tennis. It's just, my confidence is below zero right now," he said. EXCITING AUGER-ALIASSIME While Tsitsipas and Zverev fretted, Auger-Aliassime once again showed why people are getting so excited about him. Story continues With a damaging serve, silky smooth movement and easy power from the baseline, the Canadian has rocketed up the rankings to 21st having begun 2019 outside the top 100. Last week he beat Tsitsipas en route to the Queen's Club semi-finals, after which the Greek said Auger-Aliassime was the most difficult opponent he had ever faced. Despite losing the opening set against his Davis Cup team mate on a sun-baked Court 12, there was never a flicker of panic as Auger-Aliassime raised his level a notch and took charge. The 29-year-old Pospisil, once regarded alongside former Wimbledon runner-up Milos Raonic as a trailblazer for Canadian tennis, was effusive in his praise. "Physically he's extremely strong and he's very process driven. He has a really good team around him and a good approach, and I think the sky's the limit," he said. "I mean, I love Felix. I think he has such a good approach. I don't really know how Nadal was. I remember he was very mature when he came up in his teens. "But Felix for sure he's the most mature player for his age that I have seen. He has so much potential." Auger-Aliassime said it was a relief to get his first Grand Slam win but reckoned title talk was "crazy". "I'm not saying I'm here to lose, but if I can go all the way, I'll go all the way," he said. Auger-Aliassime, seeded 19th, plays 20-year-old Frenchman Corentin Moutet next after he beat Grigor Dimitrov in five sets. (Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris) View comments
What You Must Know About Aptiv PLC's (NYSE:APTV) Financial Strength Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! There are a number of reasons that attract investors towards large-cap companies such as Aptiv PLC (NYSE:APTV), with a market cap of US$21b. Market participants who are conscious of risk tend to search for large firms, attracted by the prospect of varied revenue sources and strong returns on capital. However, its financial health remains the key to continued success. Today we will look at Aptiv’s financial liquidity and debt levels, which are strong indicators for whether the company can weather economic downturns or fund strategic acquisitions for future growth. Remember this is a very top-level look that focuses exclusively on financial health, so I recommend a deeper analysisinto APTV here. Check out our latest analysis for Aptiv Over the past year, APTV has ramped up its debt from US$4.2b to US$5.0b , which accounts for long term debt. With this growth in debt, the current cash and short-term investment levels stands at US$321m to keep the business going. Additionally, APTV has produced cash from operations of US$1.6b during the same period of time, resulting in an operating cash to total debt ratio of 31%, meaning that APTV’s current level of operating cash is high enough to cover debt. With current liabilities at US$4.0b, the company has maintained a safe level of current assets to meet its obligations, with the current ratio last standing at 1.2x. The current ratio is the number you get when you divide current assets by current liabilities. For Auto Components companies, this ratio is within a sensible range since there is a bit of a cash buffer without leaving too much capital in a low-return environment. Since equity is smaller than total debt levels, Aptiv is considered to have high leverage. This isn’t uncommon for large companies because interest payments on debt are tax deductible, meaning debt can be a cheaper source of capital than equity. Since large-caps are seen as safer than their smaller constituents, they tend to enjoy lower cost of capital. We can test if APTV’s debt levels are sustainable by measuring interest payments against earnings of a company. Preferably, earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) should be at least three times as large as net interest. For APTV, the ratio of 12.13x suggests that interest is amply covered. High interest coverage serves as an indication of the safety of a company, which highlights why many large organisations like APTV are considered a risk-averse investment. APTV’s high cash coverage means that, although its debt levels are high, the company is able to utilise its borrowings efficiently in order to generate cash flow. Since there is also no concerns around APTV's liquidity needs, this may be its optimal capital structure for the time being. Keep in mind I haven't considered other factors such as how APTV has been performing in the past. You should continue to research Aptiv to get a better picture of the large-cap by looking at: 1. Future Outlook: What are well-informed industry analysts predicting for APTV’s future growth? Take a look at ourfree research report of analyst consensusfor APTV’s outlook. 2. Valuation: What is APTV worth today? Is the stock undervalued, even when its growth outlook is factored into its intrinsic value? Theintrinsic value infographic in our free research reporthelps visualize whether APTV is currently mispriced by the market. 3. Other High-Performing Stocks: Are there other stocks that provide better prospects with proven track records? Explore ourfree list of these great stocks here. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Should McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) Be Part Of Your Dividend Portfolio? Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Is McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) a good dividend stock? How can we tell? Dividend paying companies with growing earnings can be highly rewarding in the long term. If you are hoping to live on the income from dividends, it's important to be a lot more stringent with your investments than the average punter. A slim 1.2% yield is hard to get excited about, but the long payment history is respectable. At the right price, or with strong growth opportunities, McKesson could have potential. The company also bought back stock equivalent to around 6.2% of market capitalisation this year. Some simple research can reduce the risk of buying McKesson for its dividend - read on to learn more. Explore this interactive chart for our latest analysis on McKesson! Companies (usually) pay dividends out of their earnings. If a company is paying more than it earns, the dividend might have to be cut. Comparing dividend payments to a company's net profit after tax is a simple way of reality-checking whether a dividend is sustainable. Looking at the data, we can see that 897% of McKesson's profits were paid out as dividends in the last 12 months. Unless there are extenuating circumstances, from the perspective of an investor who hopes to own the company for many years, a payout ratio of above 100% is definitely a concern. Another important check we do is to see if the free cash flow generated is sufficient to pay the dividend. McKesson paid out 8.4% of its free cash flow as dividends last year, which is conservative and suggests the dividend is sustainable. It's good to see that while McKesson's dividends were not covered by profits, at least they are affordable from a cash perspective. If executives were to continue paying more in dividends than the company reported in profits, we'd view this as a warning sign. Extraordinarily few companies are capable of persistently paying a dividend that is greater than their profits. Consider gettingour latest analysis on McKesson's financial position here. From the perspective of an income investor who wants to earn dividends for many years, there is not much point buying a stock if its dividend is regularly cut or is not reliable. For the purpose of this article, we only scrutinise the last decade of McKesson's dividend payments. During the past ten-year period, the first annual payment was US$0.48 in 2009, compared to US$1.56 last year. This works out to be a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 13% a year over that time. With rapid dividend growth and no notable cuts to the dividend over a lengthy period of time, we think this company has a lot going for it. Examining whether the dividend is affordable and stable is important. However, it's also important to assess if earnings per share (EPS) are growing. Growing EPS can help maintain or increase the purchasing power of the dividend over the long run. It's not great to see that McKesson's have fallen at approximately 51% over the past five years. Declining earnings per share over a number of years is not a great sign for the dividend investor. Without some improvement, this does not bode well for the long term value of a company's dividend. When we look at a dividend stock, we need to form a judgement on whether the dividend will grow, if the company is able to maintain it in a wide range of economic circumstances, and if the dividend payout is sustainable. We're not keen on the fact that McKesson paid out such a high percentage of its income, although its cashflow is in better shape. It's not great to see earnings per share shrinking. The dividends have been relatively consistent, but we wonder for how much longer this will be true. In sum, we find it hard to get excited about McKesson from a dividend perspective. It's not that we think it's a bad business; just that there are other companies that perform better on these criteria. Without at least some growth in earnings per share over time, the dividend will eventually come under pressure either from costs or inflation. Very few businesses see earnings consistently shrink year after year in perpetuity though, and so it might be worth seeing what the 13analysts we track are forecasting for the future. We have also put together alist of global stocks with a market capitalisation above $1bn and yielding more 3%. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
Can Uber Stay Above $45 Next Time? For just the second time in as many months,Uber Technologies(NYSE: UBER)stock cracked above its IPO price of $45 late last week. Shares of the world's leading ride-hailing service closed above its debutante price on Thursday and Friday, something that investors have never seen since hitting the market nearly two months ago. Staying above its seemingly arbitrary starting line will be challenging, and for now the question of keeping its chin above the $45 bar is moot. Uber stock did open higher this week -- building on its recent upturn -- only to buckle below its IPO price less than two hours into Monday's trading day. Inertia has been stubborn and cruel. Friday remains the only day in Uber's brief history in which the stock hasn't been a broken IPO at some point in the trading session. The question now becomes if the third time can be a charm, as we learn if Uber can finally fix its rookie season. Image source: Uber. A catalyst to the rise that led to an all-time high on Friday was a Reuters report a day earlier, claiming that Uber was negotiating with regulators about expanding into two West African countries and launching a boat service in Lagos. Market momentum likely played a larger role, as Uber already has a global presence with93 million monthly active platform consumersalready. Pushing into new territories won't necessarily move the needle in a meaningful manner. Outside of the predictable wave of Uber underwriters scribing love letters four weeks after the IPO, analysts haven't exactly been smitten by Uber. The platform is huge, popular, and growing, but the gargantuan losses can be a real turnoff. The last two Wall Street pros to initiate coverage of the stock -- Jairam Nathan at Daiwa and and John Healy at Northcoast -- went with neutral ratings despite the depressed stock prices at the time. Daiwa's Nathan understands Uber's opportunity for growth, but it's hard for him to get entirely behind a company that isn't likely to turn a profit even on anEBITDAbasis until 2023. There will be execution risks between now and then, and it may have to scale up its investments along the way. Northcoast's Healy accepts Uber's best-in-class standing in the booming niche, but he's not sold on the stock's valuation. Uber's business -- particularly on the personal mobility end that continues to drive the lion's share of its revenue -- is decelerating. He feels that fair value for Uber stock is in the low $40s, slightly below Nathan's price target of $46. Uber remains a name to watch. Revenue may be slowing, and the cutthroat nature of where the market is now finds all players heavily incentivizing drivers and riders to keep them on their platforms. Put another way, Uber's weak top-line growth understates the 34% rise in gross bookings inits first quarteras a public company. The stock's been volatile enough that it may very well bounce on both sides of its $45 starting price. The losses and stiff valuation will weigh on the shares, but its market dominance and the industry's growth will pick it back up. Anything that Uber can do in the next few quarters to convince investors that the meaty deficits won't last forever will go a long way to fixing what has been a broken IPO through most of its first two months of trading. The clock is ticking, and the next $45 stress test will probably come sooner rather than later. More From The Motley Fool • 10 Best Stocks to Buy Today • The $16,728 Social Security Bonus You Cannot Afford to Miss • 20 of the Top Stocks to Buy (Including the Two Every Investor Should Own) • What Is an ETF? • 5 Recession-Proof Stocks • How to Beat the Market Rick Munarrizhas no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Uber Technologies. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy.
'Boy Meets World' Star Reveals Newborn Son In NICU After Birth Complications Danielle Fishel's last week has been filled with sadness and joy, as the "Boy Meets World" star gave birth to her first child, only to find out there were some major medical hurdles to overcome. The TV star, who also appeared on the now-scrapped, "Girl Meets World," announced on social media Monday morning that she and her husband, Jensen Karp, welcomed their first child. "One week ago today, on 6/24 at 4:52am, Adler Lawrence Karp made his entrance into the world, 4 weeks early," Fishel explained. The star wrote that she was only one week away from maternity leave, and ended up in the hospital after her water broke on June 20. She continued, "Unfortunately, after doing an ultrasound, our amazing OB discovered fluid in his lungs that was not there during our last appointment only 10 days earlier - and thus we entered a nightmare we'll never forget." Fishel said Adler is still not home with his parents, as doctors continue to investigate the fluid in his lungs and, "determine the best way to get it out." She said the trying time has strengthened the relationship with her husband, and that, "Jensen and I have also become closer than we ever thought possible and the love between us has grown exponentially as we have leaned on each other during both our highest highs and our lowest lows." Fishel admits, "We feel helpless and powerless and useless and we wanted so badly to follow our 'birth plan,' unsurprisingly none of which involved leaving our beautiful baby boy at the hospital for the first weeks of his life." Still, the new mom has found some things to gush about her little bundle of joy, and wrote, he hates having a poopy diaper for even 1 minute, he loves bath time, he has the cutest sneezes I've ever heard." Fishel also thanked family and friends for all the support her family has received, and is hoping to bring baby Adler home soon. She also made sure to let the haters know the cute little fox will be "removed from his crib."
Woodford Equity Income fund stays closed after review Fund manager Neil Woodford. Photo: YouTube/Woodford Investment Management. Investors are still unable to access £3.7 billion invested with high-profile fund manager Neil Woodford, after a review of his stricken flagship fund concluded it was not in a fit state to reopen. Link Asset Services, which administers the Woodford Equity Income Fund, said on Monday that it had decided to keep the fund gated after a review of its liquidity position. Karl Midl, a director of Link Fund Solutions, said the company “concluded that it remains in the best interests of all investors in the Fund to continue the suspension.” The firm will “continue to monitor the situation on a daily basis,” as well as conducting a formal review every 28 days. READ MORE: Star fund manager Neil Woodford 'sailed close to the wind' The decision means investors will now likely have to endure several more weeks of being unable to access their money. Withdrawals from the Woodford Equity Income Fund were suspended on June 3 after it suffered a liquidity crunch. Kent County Council tried to withdraw just over £260m from the fund but Woodford did not have enough cash on hand or liquid assets to meet the redemption. Link decided to suspend withdrawals from the fund to stop investors losing out from a fire sale of assets. The suspension has caused embarrassment for one of Britain’s most high-profile money managers, provoked anger from investors, and raised serious questions about Woodford’s investment practices. READ MOREL Shake-up at money manager Neil Woodford's business after fund freeze Woodford ran into trouble after investing a high-proportion of the fund into illiquid assets, such as the stock of private businesses. It meant he could potentially struggle to offer the daily liquidity promised by the fund. Bank of England governor Mark Carney last week said funds like this were “built on a lie.” Woodford Investment Management said on Monday it was “working around the clock to ensure the situation is resolved in everyone’s best interests as quickly as possible.” Story continues The company said it was making “positive progress” selling its illiquid holdings. Woodford has sold off £459m of assets since the fund was suspended, according to Citywire. Woodford said it is close to appointing a firm to help it sell other investments. Last week Sky reported Woodford was close to appointing PTJ Park Hill. READ MORE: Funds like Woodford 'built on a lie' and 'fundamental questions' ignored Neil Woodford was once viewed as one of Britain’s most successful money managers. He built a reputation for himself during a quarter century career at Invesco Perpetual, before going it alone under his own name in 2014. His record has been mixed since solo and the freezing of his fund has dealt a serious blow to his reputation. The Financial Conduct Authority has opened an inquiry into the episode and FCA CEO Andrew Bailey said last week that Woodford was “sailing close to the wind” prior to the suspension, as his fund had twice breaching liquidity rules in the run up to the freeze. “We can assure you that we are striving to do all we can to bring further clarity to the situation as soon as possible,” Link’s Midl wrote in a letter to investors on Monday. “All decisions will continue to be taken in the best interests of investors.” ———— Oscar Williams-Grut covers banking, fintech, and finance for Yahoo Finance UK. Follow him on Twitter at @OscarWGrut . Read more: Shake-up at money manager Neil Woodford's business after fund freeze Build more nuclear plants to reach green goals, government told Funds like Woodford 'built on a lie' and 'fundamental questions' ignored Bank of England's Carney has 'full confidence' in Fed's independence Andrew Bailey sails through Bank of England audition
Why Endo International Stock Is Jumping Today Shares ofEndo International(NASDAQ: ENDP)were jumping 12% higher as of 2:50 p.m. EDT on Monday. The nice gain for the drug stock came afterMoody'schanged its outlook for Endo from negative to stable. Moody's now thinks that Endo will be able to improve its earnings "modestly" next year. Even better, the credit rating agency expects that Endo's "cash flow will improve significantly as vaginal mesh-related litigation cash outflows roll off." Moody's anticipates that this improved cash flow will enable Endo to better handle major potential expenses related to lawsuits over the company's opioid drugs. Image source: Getty Images. Endo has seen a lot more bad news than good news lately. Despite reportingbetter-than-expected revenue in the first quarter, the company's bottom line came in significantly worse than analysts' estimates. A few days after its Q1 update in May, J.P. Morgan analyst Christopher Scottdowngraded Endo stockfrom neutral to underweight. Even the announcement from Moody's today had a downside. Although the agency now views Endo's outlook more positively, it still downgraded the company's Corporate Family Rating (CFR) to B3 from B2. Moody's also downgraded Endo's senior secured rating to B1 from Ba3, its unsecured rating to Caa2 from Caa1, and its speculative grade liquidity rating to SGL-3 from SGL-2. None of these are positive changes. Each of Moody's new ratings reflects significant uncertainty and risk related to Endo's ability to cover its corporate bonds. Moody's expressed concern that Endo's opioid-related litigation could negatively impact the drugmaker's access to cash. Endo CEO Paul Campanelli thinks that his company is in good shape to turn things around, although this process will take several years. He also expressed confidence in Endo's Q1 update that the company will be able to meet its previously provided full-year financial guidance. One key thing to watch with the drugmaker now is the outcome of litigation over its opioid drugs. Another is the company's efforts to win approval for Collagenase Clostridium Histolyticum (CCH), an injectable enzyme for treating cellulite. In the meantime, though, investors should expect continued volatility with Endo stock. More From The Motley Fool • 10 Best Stocks to Buy Today • The $16,728 Social Security Bonus You Cannot Afford to Miss • 20 of the Top Stocks to Buy (Including the Two Every Investor Should Own) • What Is an ETF? • 5 Recession-Proof Stocks • How to Beat the Market Keith Speightshas no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends MCO. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy.
Zoë Kravitz Got Married at Her Dad Lenny Kravitzs Gorgeous Paris Townhouse For Zoë Kravitzs June 29 wedding to actor Karl Glusman, her something borrowed was the venue. The Big Little Lies star and the Gypsy actorwho reportedly wed in a secret civil ceremony earlier this yearcelebrated their union again at the Paris townhouse of Zoë's famous father, Lenny Kravitz . People reports that Zoë's costars Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, and Laura Dern were in attendance, as were her mother Lisa Bonet, stepfather Jason Momoa, and numerous celebrity pals, including Denzel Washington, Cara Delevingne, Ashley Benson, Sam Taylor-Johnson, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. The newlyweds have yet to share pictures of the ceremony, but Lenny posted an image on Instagram of himself standing in the entrance hall of his home looking wedding-ready in a tuxedo. The rooms black-and-white tile floor is visible in the shot, and, notably, the rocker is sporting bare feet with his formal wear. When the abode was photographed for British Vogue this June, the Grammy winner revealed to the publication that he strictly enforces a no-shoe policy at his place. While it's unclear where in the house the wedding ceremony was held, the home is quite grand throughout. The aforementioned entrance hall features a magnificent white staircase with a wrought-iron bannister and is decorated with a Lucite piano and a painting by Jean-Michel Basquiat. Plenty more notable pieces of art adorn the rest of the house, including multiple works by Andy Warhol and a sculpture by Richard Orlinski. One especially notable feature of the dwelling is its basement-level speakeasy, where Lenny reportedly keeps a plethora of Dom Pérignon (he serves as the brands creative director), which may have come in handy when it came time to make a toast to the bride and groom. Celebrity Sightings In Paris - June 28, 2019 Zoë Kravitz, Karl Glusman (right), and a friend arriving at Restaurant Lapérouse in Paris, where they held their rehearsal dinner the night before their wedding. Photo: Pierre Suu/GC Images Zoë and Glusman were not the only celebrity couple getting married in France over the weekend: Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner also said, "I do," at a gorgeous property in Provence called le Château de Tourreau . Originally Appeared on Architectural Digest
Should You Worry About Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc.'s (NYSE:APLE) CEO Pay Cheque? Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! In 2014 Justin Knight was appointed CEO of Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. (NYSE:APLE). This analysis aims first to contrast CEO compensation with other companies that have similar market capitalization. After that, we will consider the growth in the business. And finally - as a second measure of performance - we will look at the returns shareholders have received over the last few years. This method should give us information to assess how appropriately the company pays the CEO. Check out our latest analysis for Apple Hospitality REIT Our data indicates that Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. is worth US$3.6b, and total annual CEO compensation is US$3.1m. (This number is for the twelve months until December 2018). That'slessthan last year. While we always look at total compensation first, we note that the salary component is less, at US$525k. When we examined a selection of companies with market caps ranging from US$2.0b to US$6.4b, we found the median CEO total compensation was US$5.2m. A first glance this seems like a real positive for shareholders, since Justin Knight is paid less than the average total compensation paid by similar sized companies. While this is a good thing, you'll need to understand the business better before you can form an opinion. You can see, below, how CEO compensation at Apple Hospitality REIT has changed over time. Over the last three years Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. has grown its earnings per share (EPS) by an average of 12% per year (using a line of best fit). Its revenue is up 2.6% over last year. This demonstrates that the company has been improving recently. A good result. It's nice to see a little revenue growth, as this is consistent with healthy business conditions. It could be important to checkthis free visual depiction ofwhat analysts expectfor the future. Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. has not done too badly by shareholders, with a total return of 1.9%, over three years. But they would probably prefer not to see CEO compensation far in excess of the median. It looks like Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. pays its CEO less than similar sized companies. Since the business is growing, many would argue this suggests the pay is modest. The total shareholder return might not be amazing, but that doesn't mean that Justin Knight is paid too much. It's good to see reasonable payment of the CEO, even while the business improves. It would be an additional positive if insiders are buying shares. Shareholders may want tocheck for free if Apple Hospitality REIT insiders are buying or selling shares. Important note:Apple Hospitality REIT may not be the best stock to buy. You might find somethingbetterinthis list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.
FILING DEADLINE--Kuznicki Law PLLC Announces Class Actions on Behalf of Shareholders of EQBK, TUSK and PYX CEDARHURST, NY / ACCESSWIRE / July 1, 2019 /The securities litigation law firm of Kuznicki Law PLLC issues the following notice on behalf of shareholders of the following publicly traded companies. Shareholders who purchased shares in these companies during the dates listed below are encouraged to contact the firm regarding possible appointment as lead plaintiff and a preliminary estimate of their recoverable losses. If you wish to choose counsel to represent you and the class, you must apply to be appointed lead plaintiff and be selected by the Court. The lead plaintiff will direct the litigation and participate in important decisions including whether to accept a settlement for the class in the action. The lead plaintiff will be selected from among applicants claiming the largest loss from investment in the respective securities during the class periods. Members of the class will be represented by the lead plaintiff and counsel chosen by the lead plaintiff. No classes have yet been certified in the actions below. Appointment as lead plaintiff is not required to partake in any recovery. Equity Bancshares, Inc. (EQBK) Investors Affected : May 11, 2018 - April 22, 2019 A class action has commenced on behalf of certain shareholders in Equity Bancshares, Inc. The filed complaint alleges that defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Company lacked adequate internal controls to assess credit risk; (2) as a result, certain of the Company's loans posed an increased risk of loss; (3) as a result, the Company was reasonably likely to incur significant losses for certain substandard loans; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. Shareholders may find more information athttps://kclasslaw.com/securities/equity-bancshares-inc-loss-submission-form/?id=2188&from=1 Mammoth Energy Services, Inc. (TUSK) Investors Affected : October 19, 2017 - June 5, 2019 A class action has commenced on behalf of certain shareholders in Mammoth Energy Services, Inc. The filed complaint alleges that defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Mammoth's subsidiary, Cobra, improperly obtained two infrastructure contracts with PREPA that totaled over $1.8 billion; (2) specifically, the contracts were awarded as the result of improper steering and not a competitive RFP process; and (3) as a result, Defendants' statements about Mammoth's business, operations and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times. Shareholders may find more information athttps://kclasslaw.com/securities/mammoth-energy-services-inc-loss-submission-form/?id=2188&from=1 Pyxus International, Inc. (PYX) Investors Affected : on behalf of stockholders who purchased Pyxus (f/k/a Alliance One International, Inc. (AOI)) securities between June 7, 2018 and November 8, 2018, inclusive. A class action has commenced on behalf of certain shareholders in Pyxus International, Inc . The filed complaint alleges that defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) the Company was experiencing longer shipping cycles; (2) as a result, the Company's financial results would be materially affected; (3) the Company lacked adequate internal control over financial reporting; (4) the Company's accounting policies were reasonably likely to lead to regulatory scrutiny; and (5) as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. Shareholders may find more information athttps://kclasslaw.com/securities/pyxus-international-inc-f-k-a-alliance-one-international-inc-loss-submission-form/?id=2188&from=1 Kuznicki Law PLLC is committed to ensuring that companies adhere to responsible business practices and engage in good corporate citizenship. The firm seeks recovery on behalf of investors who incurred losses when false and/or misleading statements or the omission of material information by a Company lead to artificial inflation of the Company's stock. CONTACT: Kuznicki Law PLLCDaniel Kuznicki, Esq.445 Central Avenue, Suite 344Cedarhurst, NY 11516Email:dk@kclasslaw.comPhone: (347) 696-1134Cell: (347) 690-0692Fax: (347) 348-0967 SOURCE:Kuznicki Law PLLC View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/550567/FILING-DEADLINE-Kuznicki-Law-PLLC-Announces-Class-Actions-on-Behalf-of-Shareholders-of-EQBK-TUSK-and-PYX
Facebook scam targets UAE residents, claims endorsement from Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince A Facebook scam has been targeting United Arab Emirates residents, The National writes . Scammers used the image of Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince, claiming he endorses the Bitcoin projects and is helping people make profits. According to the report, the scam was disseminated on Facebook via a sponsored post, which has been shared thousands of times and has generated even more comments. However, at the moment, it is not certain how many people were tricked into sending their money. Fraudsters promised that the scheme, which cost AED 1,000 (approximately $270), would make people “rich in seven days.” The sponsored post included a fake quote from the Crown Prince, claiming the scheme was his “way of giving back to the people.” The post linked to a fake news story that mixed facts with fabrications; it included a fake quote from Bill Gates and as well as a fictitious tweet from Sheikh Mohamed. The story itself was penned by a nonexistent journalist Michael Alvarado, and used a picture of a U.S.-based freelance journalist Timothy Seppala, who had been unaware his picture was used for a scam. Since the scam has been unearthed, the Facebook page used for the scam has been deleted. The Abu Dhabi Media Office has urged people to “check the authenticity of campaigns asking for pledges or donations in case of fraud, particularly online and on social media.”
This July, We Focus On All Things Meat With #MeatlessMonday now a household hashtag, it’s no secret that we’re being told to consume less meat. But why? And how do should we be adjusting our habits to eat it more responsibly? And just as important ― when we do eat it, how do we make it as delicious as possible? (Because waste, in fact, is a huge part of the problem.) We’re here to answer all your questions about meat this July. Maybe you’re nervous about raw meat, or maybe you just want to know how to grill a killer burger for the Fourth of July. And after you eat that burger, you might get the meat sweats ... when you do, we’ll explain exactly what is happening to your body. We’ll also delve into the world of canned tuna substitutes (it’s called Tuno, and it’s ... not great), talk about the nutrition of Beyond Meat and Impossible Burger (also ... not great) and so much more. Keep coming back every day for more stories, recipes, how-tos and conversation starters. Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today. This article originally appeared on HuffPost .
How Did Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc.'s (NYSE:APLE) 6.0% ROE Fare Against The Industry? Want to participate in ashort research study? Help shape the future of investing tools and you could win a $250 gift card! Many investors are still learning about the various metrics that can be useful when analysing a stock. This article is for those who would like to learn about Return On Equity (ROE). To keep the lesson grounded in practicality, we'll use ROE to better understand Apple Hospitality REIT, Inc. (NYSE:APLE). Over the last twelve monthsApple Hospitality REIT has recorded a ROE of 6.0%. One way to conceptualize this, is that for each $1 of shareholders' equity it has, the company made $0.060 in profit. View our latest analysis for Apple Hospitality REIT Theformula for ROEis: Return on Equity = Net Profit ÷ Shareholders' Equity Or for Apple Hospitality REIT: 6.0% = US$202m ÷ US$3.4b (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2019.) Most know that net profit is the total earnings after all expenses, but the concept of shareholders' equity is a little more complicated. It is all the money paid into the company from shareholders, plus any earnings retained. The easiest way to calculate shareholders' equity is to subtract the company's total liabilities from the total assets. Return on Equity measures a company's profitability against the profit it has kept for the business (plus any capital injections). The 'return' is the profit over the last twelve months. That means that the higher the ROE, the more profitable the company is. So, all else equal,investors should like a high ROE. That means ROE can be used to compare two businesses. By comparing a company's ROE with its industry average, we can get a quick measure of how good it is. The limitation of this approach is that some companies are quite different from others, even within the same industry classification. The image below shows that Apple Hospitality REIT has an ROE that is roughly in line with the REITs industry average (6.2%). That's not overly surprising. ROE tells us about the quality of the business, but it does not give us much of an idea if the share price is cheap. For those who like to findwinning investmentsthisfreelist of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. Virtually all companies need money to invest in the business, to grow profits. That cash can come from issuing shares, retained earnings, or debt. In the case of the first and second options, the ROE will reflect this use of cash, for growth. In the latter case, the debt used for growth will improve returns, but won't affect the total equity. Thus the use of debt can improve ROE, albeit along with extra risk in the case of stormy weather, metaphorically speaking. Although Apple Hospitality REIT does use debt, its debt to equity ratio of 0.47 is still low. Although the ROE isn't overly impressive, the debt load is modest, suggesting the business has potential. Careful use of debt to boost returns is often very good for shareholders. However, it could reduce the company's ability to take advantage of future opportunities. Return on equity is one way we can compare the business quality of different companies. In my book the highest quality companies have high return on equity, despite low debt. If two companies have around the same level of debt to equity, and one has a higher ROE, I'd generally prefer the one with higher ROE. Having said that, while ROE is a useful indicator of business quality, you'll have to look at a whole range of factors to determine the right price to buy a stock. Profit growth rates, versus the expectations reflected in the price of the stock, are a particularly important to consider. So you might want to check this FREEvisualization of analyst forecasts for the company. Of course,you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere.So take a peek at thisfreelist of interesting companies. We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor ateditorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.

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