Buy Kalpataru Power Transmission; target of Rs 552: Sharekhan

Sharekhan's research report on Kalpataru Power Transmission

KPTL ventures into Nordic countries and European market with the acquisition of Linjemontage. KPTL acquires 85% stake at an EV of $24 million (8.6x its EV/EBITDA CY2018) to be funded majorly through internal accruals and some short-term debt. The deal is marginally value accretive considering 5% yield on current cash and 85% stake in Linjemontage's FY2019E net earnings. Linjemontage has a strong revenue growth profile (average 35% over trailing three years) and high return ratios (average 25% ROCE over trailing two years) with $77 million order book (1x its CY2018 revenue).

Outlook

The deal is reasonably valued and provides deeper access to KPTL in international markets (currently has 36% international orders). We await transaction to get closed by Q1FY2020. We maintain our Buy rating with unchanged PT of Rs. 552.

For all recommendations report, click here

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

Read More First Published on Mar 27, 2019 04:13 pm

Don't chase Apple into this 'battleground' range, says chart analyst

All eyes are on Apple ahead of Monday, when the company is expected to debut a new streaming TV service and a bundled subscription Apple News offering.

Street analysts and investors alike believe this could be the catalyst that propels the stock back to previous highs.

The stock was up slightly in Friday's premarket trading, after gaining as much as 4 percent during Thursday's session. It's now back above its 200-day moving average for the first time since November, pushed higher by a series of bullish calls on Thursday. Needham upgraded the stock to a strong buy, while Wedbush and Citi hiked their targets to $215 and $220, respectively.

Shares of the tech giant have bounced nearly 40 percent since sliding to a 52-week low at the beginning of the year, but are still in correction territory with the stock roughly 16 percent off its October all-time high.

Following this spike higher, the Street is split on whether now is the time to buy Apple. From a fundamental standpoint, Mark Tepper, president and CEO of Strategic Wealth Partners, said the stock is a buy since the "ecosystem is incredibly strong," while Bill Baruch, president of Blue Line Futures, said not to chase it at current levels.

Tepper contends that the Street is finally beginning to learn how to properly value Apple. For a long time it was seen as predominantly a hardware company, so when the company began shifting more toward a services business the Street didn't necessarily know how to properly value the different revenue streams.

"I think it just took the market and analysts a little bit of time to digest this strategy shift where they're going from selling iPhones, which was decelerating, and they've been shifting toward more of a focus on the wearables and services. And when you talk about services that's all recurring revenue and high margin," Tepper said Thursday on CNBC's "Trading Nation."

Apple bears have frequently cited "peak iPhone" as a reason to sell the stock, but Tepper contends that the company's "ecosystem is incredibly strong" since through the focus on services, Apple is locking in customers for the long term.

"They can offer services, recurring revenue, high margin services to these sticky customers, and now they're likely going to be jumping into the content wars, with maybe Apple TV or whatever they're going to brand it with this streaming service. And as we know good, original content costs money and it's getting more expensive, and nobody has more money to win at that game than Apple."

Ultimately he argues that the tech giant may not be the "growth company that it was 10 years ago," but that it still "absolutely" belongs in investors' portfolios.

Blue Line Futures' Baruch is long-term bullish on Apple, but he thinks investors shouldn't "chase it into that battleground of $195 - $200," and should instead wait for a better entry point. After examining the company's stock charts — paying particular attention to the average directional movement index — he notes the shares are trading in a range that has, in the past, given them some trouble.

"[I] want to take a look at that ADX [average directional movement index], and if you back that out going back to 2017 there's actually a trend line in the ADX where that trend starts to lose momentum, and it [shares of Apple] is running into that," he said.

The ADX is a technical indicator used to evaluate the strength or weakness of a trend without regard to trend direction. In this case, Baruch said that "there's a little more room here for Apple to go," but that when the stock has traded in the $195 - $200 range in the last few years it has sometimes struggled to maintain those levels.

Apple closed at just over $195 on Thursday. Baruch advised waiting "for a little more clarity" or a "little pullback" before picking up shares, but that overall there's "no reason not to be" bullish.

— CNBC's Todd Haselton contributed reporting.

Disclosure: Strategic Wealth Partners owns shares of Apple.

Disclaimer

Hot Low Price Stocks To Buy For 2019

tags:PFS,SSNLF,BKS,CCNE,PHH,AXTI, What happened

Shares of Alta Mesa Resources (NASDAQ:AMR) are plunging today, down 17.7% as of 11:45 a.m. EDT, after the oil and gas exploration and production company posted second-quarter earnings that fell well short of Wall Street expectations.

So what

Alta Mesa reported a net loss of $0.04 per share compared to analysts' expectations of a per-share profit of $0.10. While the company was able to grow production significantly -- July production was 50% higher than the beginning of the year -- and volumes of gas fracking water were up across its set of pipeline assets, low price realizations because of some unfavorable futures contracts and higher costs ate away at any chance of generating a positive return.

Image source: Getty Images.

Management tried to put its best face forward by raising production guidance for the full year, adding an additional drilling rig to its capital spending plan, and expanding its midstream footprint, but these capital spending plans are more than likely going to outstrip the company's cash-generating ability.

Hot Low Price Stocks To Buy For 2019: Provident Financial Services, Inc(PFS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Clifton Bancorp (NASDAQ: CSBK) and Provident Financial Services (NYSE:PFS) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, profitability, institutional ownership, earnings, dividends, risk and analyst recommendations.

• [By Logan Wallace]

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

  Get Provident Financial Services alerts: Head-To-Head Review: Provident Financial (PROV) versus Provident Financial Services (PFS) (americanbankingnews.com) Head-To-Head Contrast: Territorial Bancorp (TBNK) & Provident Financial Services (PFS) (americanbankingnews.com) Q3 2018 EPS Estimates for Provident Financial Services, Inc. Decreased by Piper Jaffray (PFS) (americanbankingnews.com) Provident Financial Services, Inc. (PFS) Given Average Rating of “Hold” by Brokerages (americanbankingnews.com)

  A number of research analysts have issued reports on PFS shares. Sandler O’Neill raised shares of Provident Financial Services from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $29.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 26th. ValuEngine raised shares of Provident Financial Services from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, March 7th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Provident Financial Services from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. Boenning Scattergood reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Provident Financial Services in a research report on Monday, January 29th. Finally, Piper Jaffray reissued a “hold” rating and set a $28.00 price objective on shares of Provident Financial Services in a research report on Tuesday, January 9th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. Provident Financial Services currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $28.42.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Provident Financial Services (NYSE: PFS) and Dime Community Bancshares (NASDAQ:DCOM) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, risk, institutional ownership, earnings, analyst recommendations, profitability and valuation.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  SG Americas Securities LLC raised its stake in Provident Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE:PFS) by 204.0% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The fund owned 27,047 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock after purchasing an additional 18,150 shares during the period. SG Americas Securities LLC’s holdings in Provident Financial Services were worth $745,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Hot Low Price Stocks To Buy For 2019: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. (SSNLF)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By SEEKINGALPHA.COM]

  Now, this removes one big uncertainty (actually management was pretty convinced they would settle on favorable terms), but there are a few other headwinds that also led them to lower guidance when presenting Q3 figures:

  In the low end of the mobile market (imaging) they are experiencing increasing competition. They are dealing with this by concentrating on more sophisticated and integrated solutions and narrowing the strategic focus (this is already starting to pay off with design wins like the Huawei Mate 10). For now they expect imaging revenues to be at least $10M lower. The probability of recognizing revenue from Echo, a significant mobile customer for audio technologies, has progressively declined as well. Samsung (OTC:SSNLF) IP licensing is removed from the guidance as they are litigating the company for patent infringement. Management is convinced of a favorable outcome here as well (they embarked on extensive DD prior to filing), but unsure of the timing. Management believes at least $10M in licence revenues has been underreported, but likely resolution will shift this income to 2018. Roughly $5M in expected license revenue from Invensas Licensees will shift to 2018 Guidance excludes roughly $52M in cash receipts which the company can't recognize as revenue under purchase accounting related to the DTS acquisition (see below for an explanation). This is why cash flow figures are much better than earnings figures.

  These are all somewhat messy litigation and compliance issues, but at least the Broadcom issue has been settled and much of the rest is likely to shift to 2018. About the Purchase Accounting. From company PR:

• [By SEEKINGALPHA.COM]

  Micron has also been quickly transitioning to 3D NAND production, which carries higher margins and a wider product mix, keeping Micron's margins afloat (although still somewhat volatile) even with a market with heavier supply than demand. The company sold the Lexar (consumer products) division shifting towards scaling output of the enterprise product lineup. Micron is now in very capable hands with its new management team, and I trust that Maddock and Mehrotra will continue to phase out their exposure to the consumer sector (where Samsung (OTC:SSNLF) currently dominates) to providing specialized business memory products as well as graphics memory to grow and sustain margins. A diverse mix of product solutions gives Micron far more pricing power, as memory becomes less commoditized and instead is tailored to improve the efficiency of a business and provide value to a firm.

• [By SEEKINGALPHA.COM]

  I know this sounds to many of the readers who like to hate Apple for everything they do like shady behavior, but ask yourself this, where can you go to replace a Samsung (OTC:SSNLF) or an HTC battery? The fact of the matter is that Apple is offering a useful service that will allow users to prolong the use of their existing phone and in the process it is getting an extra opportunity to market to this consumer.

• [By Leo Sun]

  Micron controlled 23% of the global DRAM market during the first quarter, making it the third-largest manufacturer after Korean tech giants Samsung (NASDAQOTH:SSNLF) and SK Hynix. China is the world's largest importer of memory chips, consuming 20% of DRAM and 25% of NAND chips worldwide.

• [By SEEKINGALPHA.COM]

  Corning, Inc.'s Gorilla Glass has been included in over 5 billion devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and wearables like smartwatches designed and sold by over 40 different Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). These include leading brands like Samsung (OTC:SSNLF), Acer, Sharp (OTCPK:SHCAY), Sony (NYSE:SNE) and many less-known brands. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) is not listed on the Corning website as an OEM using Gorilla Glass and little or no public information is available about its use. However, Corning has recently received $200M from Apple's new manufacturing investment fund.

Hot Low Price Stocks To Buy For 2019: Barnes & Noble, Inc.(BKS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Daniel B. Kline]

  Barnes & Noble (NYSE:BKS) has been a slowly sinking ship for many years. You can blame some of that on Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) and some on the chain's own incompetence.

• [By Daniel B. Kline]

  Barnes & Noble (NYSE:BKS) has been in a slow, steady decline driven by the failure of its digital strategy and a loss of relevance for its stores.

• [By Daniel B. Kline]

  That leaves a hole in the market, one that will be filled partially by independent stores, but still leaves an opportunity for one struggling retailer. Unfortunately, the CEO of that retailer, Barnes & Noble (NYSE:BKS), has recently commented that his chain plans to reduce its assortment of toys.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  My colleague Dan Kline believes there's also an opportunity for Barnes & Noble (NYSE:BKS) to gain share in this space. Best known for books, it has also long been a retailer of specialty toys and games, and opening up its shelves to more mass-market toys could give it a wedge into the industry. Certainly this is a possibility, but like Walmart, Target, and other retailers, Barnes & Noble has no special knowledge or expertise in the space to allow it to make a grand entrance. It's just not a market it knows well, which means that another type of retailer that could make a pronounced move in the space faces the same kinds of hurdles.

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

  Barnes & Noble (NYSE:BKS) Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallJun. 21, 2018 10:00 a.m. ET

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

  Operator

• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  If you're like me, you love dividend stocks, particularly ones with high yields. However, you have to look past the yield when you weigh an investment, because all dividends are not created equal. Today, for example, utility SCANA Corp. (NYSE:SCG) and bookseller Barnes & Noble Inc. (NYSE:BKS) both offer hefty payouts, but neither should be added to your portfolio.

Hot Low Price Stocks To Buy For 2019: CNB Financial Corporation(CCNE)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  BidaskClub upgraded shares of CNB Financial (NASDAQ:CCNE) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note released on Thursday morning.

  A number of other research analysts have also recently issued reports on CCNE. ValuEngine cut shares of CNB Financial from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Wednesday, May 2nd. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of CNB Financial from a sell rating to a hold rating in a report on Thursday, June 14th. Boenning Scattergood reaffirmed a buy rating on shares of CNB Financial in a report on Tuesday, April 17th. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods assumed coverage on shares of CNB Financial in a report on Tuesday, April 10th. They issued a market perform rating and a $35.00 price target for the company. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The stock presently has an average rating of Buy and an average price target of $31.50.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  CNB Financial (NASDAQ:CCNE) was downgraded by research analysts at BidaskClub from a “sell” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Friday.

• [By Max Byerly]

  BidaskClub upgraded shares of CNB Financial (NASDAQ:CCNE) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note released on Wednesday morning.

  Several other equities research analysts have also issued reports on CCNE. Boenning Scattergood reissued a buy rating and set a $29.50 price target on shares of CNB Financial in a research report on Monday, February 5th. Zacks Investment Research lowered CNB Financial from a buy rating to a sell rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 20th. ValuEngine raised CNB Financial from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Monday, April 2nd. Finally, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods initiated coverage on CNB Financial in a research report on Tuesday, April 10th. They set a market perform rating and a $35.00 price target on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The stock presently has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of $31.50.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  ILLEGAL ACTIVITY WARNING: “CNB Financial (CCNE) Rating Lowered to Sell at Zacks Investment Research” was posted by Ticker Report and is the sole property of of Ticker Report. If you are accessing this report on another website, it was illegally stolen and reposted in violation of US & international copyright and trademark laws. The legal version of this report can be accessed at https://www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/3370450/cnb-financial-ccne-rating-lowered-to-sell-at-zacks-investment-research.html.

Hot Low Price Stocks To Buy For 2019: PHH Corp(PHH)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  PHH (NYSE: PHH) and Orix (NYSE:IX) are both finance companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, earnings, dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations and profitability.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Media headlines about PHH (NYSE:PHH) have been trending somewhat positive recently, Accern Sentiment reports. Accern rates the sentiment of media coverage by monitoring more than twenty million blog and news sources. Accern ranks coverage of publicly-traded companies on a scale of -1 to 1, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. PHH earned a news impact score of 0.17 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave news coverage about the credit services provider an impact score of 45.9794154743809 out of 100, indicating that recent media coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an impact on the company’s share price in the next few days.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  New York State Common Retirement Fund decreased its stake in shares of PHH Co. (NYSE:PHH) by 25.1% in the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 29,300 shares of the credit services provider’s stock after selling 9,800 shares during the quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund’s holdings in PHH were worth $306,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Orix (NYSE: IX) and PHH (NYSE:PHH) are both finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, analyst recommendations, profitability, earnings, dividends, risk and institutional ownership.

• [By Max Byerly]

  PHH (NYSE:PHH) is scheduled to be announcing its earnings results after the market closes on Tuesday, May 8th. Analysts expect the company to announce earnings of ($0.94) per share for the quarter.

Hot Low Price Stocks To Buy For 2019: AXT Inc(AXTI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on AXT (AXTI)

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

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Comstock Holding Companies, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHCI) shares climbed 154.95 percent to close at $5.15 on Thursday. Comstock reported conversion of the majority of its unsecured, short-term debt into non-convertible preferred equity. Tyme Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: TYME) jumped 33.45 percent to close at $3.87. Universal Corporation (NYSE: UVV) gained 29.72 percent to close at $62.85 after reporting fiscal Q4 results. Evolus, Inc. (NASDAQ: EOLS) shares rose 22.93 percent to close at $23.80. nLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ: LASR) jumped 21.52 percent to close at $36.37 following Q1 results. Hudson Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: HDSN) gained 20.28 percent to close at $2.61. The Cato Corporation (NYSE: CATO) shares rose 19.57 percent to close at $21.45 after the company posted better-than-expected first-quarter results. AXT, Inc. (NASDAQ: AXTI) gained 18.8 percent to close at $7.90. Catasys, Inc. (NASDAQ: CATS) rose 16.33 percent to close at $6.41. HUYA Inc. (NYSE: HUYA) rose 15.68 percent to close at $23.09 on Thursday. Marinus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRNS) climbed 15.11 percent to close at $6.02 on Thursday after gaining 6.30 percent on Wednesday. Baird initiated coverage on Marinus Pharmaceuticals with an Outperform rating. Destination Maternity Corporation (NASDAQ: DEST) shares rose 14.48 percent to close at $3.32 after the board announced late Wednesday the election of four activist-backed director nominees. Three women and one man comprise the selected group championed by NGM Capital’s Nathan Miller and Kenosis Capital’s Peter O’Malley. Destination Maternity had advocated for another slate of three men and interim CEO Melissa Payner-Gregor. The new directors are Holly Alden, Marla Ryan, Anne-Charlotte Windal and Christopher Morgan. China Rapid Finance Limited (NYSE: XRF) gained 11.53 percent to close at $3.29 after announcing preliminary Q1 results. Bilibili Inc.. (NASDAQ: BILI) shares rose 11.33 pe
• [By Logan Wallace]

  Texas Instruments (NASDAQ: TXN) and AXT (NASDAQ:AXTI) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, earnings, institutional ownership, profitability, valuation, dividends and risk.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Comstock Holding Companies, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHCI) shares surged 115.8 percent to $4.3591. Comstock reported conversion of the majority of its unsecured, short-term debt into non-convertible preferred equity. Stellar Biotechnologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: SBOT) jumped 38.2 percent to $3.0251 after the company disclosed that it achieved robust viral clearance for its manufacturing process. Universal Corporation (NYSE: UVV) surged 26.7 percent to $61.40 after reporting fiscal Q4 results. Hudson Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: HDSN) rose 18.9 percent to $2.58. Evolus, Inc. (NASDAQ: EOLS) shares gained 17.8 percent to $22.8009. The Cato Corporation (NYSE: CATO) shares gained 17.5 percent to $21.07 after the company posted better-than-expected first-quarter results. Tyme Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: TYME) rose 15.9 percent to $3.3613. Destination Maternity Corporation (NASDAQ: DEST) shares gained 15.5 percent to $3.35 after the board announced late Wednesday the election of four activist-backed director nominees. Three women and one man comprise the selected group championed by NGM Capital’s Nathan Miller and Kenosis Capital’s Peter O’Malley. Destination Maternity had advocated for another slate of three men and interim CEO Melissa Payner-Gregor. The new directors are Holly Alden, Marla Ryan, Anne-Charlotte Windal and Christopher Morgan. AXT, Inc. (NASDAQ: AXTI) rose 15 percent to $7.65. nLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ: LASR) gained 14.5 percent to $34.27 following Q1 results. Achieve Life Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACHV) rose 14.3 percent to $11.4303. Bilibili Inc.. (NASDAQ: BILI) shares climbed 13.9 percent to $14.16 after announcing Q1 results. Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: BW) gained 13.2 percent to $2.91 after an amended 13D filing from Steel Partners Holdings shows a raised stake in the company from 6.99 million shares to 29.98 million shares, or a 17.8 percent stake. HUYA Inc. (NYSE: HUYA) gained 13.1
• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on AXT (AXTI)

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

• [By Max Byerly]

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

  Get AXT alerts: Gallium Arsenide Global Market Players by 2023- Sumitomo Electric, AXT and China Crystal Technologies (newspharmaceuticals.com) TheStreet Downgrades AXT (AXTI) to C+ (americanbankingnews.com) Is this stock is Overbought? AXT, Inc. (AXTI) (stockquote.review) What Investors Should Know? AXT, Inc. (AXTI) (mostvolatilestocks.com) Community rallies around valley high school, putting on its first musical in 20 years (yourcentralvalley.com)

  Several analysts have recently issued reports on AXTI shares. BidaskClub upgraded AXT from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. Dougherty & Co reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of AXT in a research note on Thursday, February 22nd. B. Riley decreased their price target on AXT from $8.75 to $8.25 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, February 22nd. Zacks Investment Research downgraded AXT from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, January 1st. Finally, BWS Financial restated a “buy” rating on shares of AXT in a research note on Tuesday, April 17th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has assigned a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $10.44.

Humana turns to game theory for new Medicare pricing as insurers juggle Trump rebate uncertainty

Humana executives say they are modeling a number of scenarios to try to figure out how they'll price their Medicare drug plans for 2020 as the health insurance industry awaits new pharmacy benefit rebate regulations expected this spring from the Trump administration.

"We're spending a lot of time at Humana doing some game theory, a variety of different ways to try to understand what different options we have here, depending on the rule -- the specifications of the rules," Alan Wheatley, president of Humana's Medicare, Medicaid and specialty health plans division, said earlier this week at the company's investor day.

Wheatley told investors Tuesday that the Trump proposal to force Medicare plans to pass on negotiated drug discounts to consumers at the pharmacy counter would result in lower prices for its members using brand names drugs, but there will be trade-offs.

Standard prescription drug plans will likely adjust the scope of the drugs they cover, known as the formulary, or increase premiums, or some combination of the two, executives said.

The game theory comes in with the timing of when new rules might be adopted. Executives note the deadline for filing 2020 plans is in early June.

"To the extent that the rebate proposal doesn't go through, we also have to be mindful about how manufacturers are going to behave as we bid for 2020 and so we're very focused on that," said Brian Kane, Humana CFO.

The company's central focus this year is on developing its technology and data analytics, with some executives directly comparing the company's efforts to that of Amazon, in trying to build a platform where others can plug in to offer digital health services that will help coordinate care for members.

"We see customer preferences changing and being more demanding … 'make it simple for me, make it easier … know me, personalize the interaction," said CEO Bruce Broussard.

The company is building out a new digital health hub in Boston, dubbed Studio H. Despite a competitive environment for talent, executives claim they are having no trouble filling technology positions.

"We're finding we have more demand than we have open jobs right now which is a great problem, we don't even have to advertise," said Heather Cox, chief digital health and analytics officer.

The company maintained its earnings outlook of $17 to $17.50 per share for 2019. Humana shares are down 4.5 percent so far this year.

Tesla Could Be On Fast Track, J.D. Power Says

&l;p&g;&l;img class=&q;dam-image getty size-large wp-image-1085793114&q; src=&q;https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/dam/imageserve/1085793114/960x0.jpg?fit=scale&q; data-height=&q;640&q; data-width=&q;960&q;&g; Super Charging stations like this one are a big advantage Tesla Motors has over other EV makers, J.D. Power says.

&l;/p&g;&l;p class=&q;p1&q;&g;Tesla Motors has drawn skepticism recently in the press as traditional manufacturers put more and more electric vehicles into the market, but a new J.D. Power analysis says not only has Tesla achieved remarkable success with its previous portfolio of vehicles, but it also is &a;ldquo;well-positioned to exploit a significant sales opportunity with its new products and price points.&a;rdquo;&l;/p&g;

&l;p class=&q;p1&q;&g;One giant opportunity J.D. Power sees for Tesla is less expensive mass-market EVs, a market it is only just beginning to exploit. As the Southern California-based research firm noted, Tesla sold an estimated 160,000 vehicles to U.S. buyers in 2018 with a sales pace approaching 250,000 annual sales in the fourth quarter. Importantly, the analysis added, the pioneer EV-maker achieved this volume despite average prices estimated at more than $90,000 for the Model S and Model X, and more than $60,000 for the Model 3. While Tesla&a;rsquo;s share of the overall light-vehicle market in the fourth quarter of 2018 was less than 2%, its market share among vehicles costing over $50,000 was significantly larger at just under 14%.&l;/p&g;

&l;p class=&q;p1&q;&g;&a;ldquo;Reaching almost 14% market share for the price points at which it competes is a remarkable achievement for Tesla, especially given the fact that many new vehicle shoppers will not consider a pure electric vehicle due to concerns about driving range and charging infrastructure,&a;rdquo; the study said.&l;/p&g;

&l;img class=&q;dam-image getty size-large wp-image-953896548&q; src=&q;https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/dam/imageserve/953896548/960x0.jpg?fit=scale&q; data-height=&q;597&q; data-width=&q;960&q;&g; Tesla Model 3 has moved the brand into lower-priced segments with more consumers.

&l;p class=&q;p1&q;&g;Tesla recently launched a variant of its Model 3 priced at $35,000 and has just shown the Model Y hatchback/sport-utility vehicle, so it is poised to tap into a much larger market, and J.D. Power thinks it will do well.&l;/p&g;

&l;p class=&q;p1&q;&g;We asked the spokesperson for the study, Tyson Jominy, managing director of the Power Information Network (PIN) at J.D. Power, to tell us more.&l;/p&g;

&l;p class=&q;p1&q;&g;Forbes.com:&l;span class=&q;Apple-converted-space&q;&g;&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;Why does J.D. Power think Tesla is poised for a sales surge?&l;/p&g;

&l;p class=&q;p1&q;&g;Jominy:&l;span class=&q;Apple-converted-space&q;&g;&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;The size of the segments and price points that Tesla is entering is five time larger than the spaces they had been playing in. Even if Tesla captures only a fraction of the share levels in the new segments and price points, volume stands to grow significantly.&l;/p&g;

&l;p class=&q;p1&q;&g;Forbes.com:&l;span class=&q;Apple-converted-space&q;&g;&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;It appears the number of consumers willing to consider an EV has grown sharply recently. Why?&l;/p&g;

&l;p class=&q;p1&q;&g;Jominy:&l;span class=&q;Apple-converted-space&q;&g;&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;The attributes of Tesla are such that they have highly desirable models and a cool factor&a;mdash;and they just happen to be electric. The range is such that anxiety is quite low and the supercharger network further alleviates that concern. If you can get a sexy product that isn&a;rsquo;t the same as your previous three vehicles, why wouldn&a;rsquo;t you?&l;/p&g;

&l;p class=&q;p1&q;&g;Forbes.com:&l;span class=&q;Apple-converted-space&q;&g;&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;It seems lower prices are a factor in the projected sales surge. Can Tesla profitably sell the Model 3 and successor models at the low ($35K) price point?&l;/p&g;

&l;p class=&q;p1&q;&g;Jominy:&l;span class=&q;Apple-converted-space&q;&g;&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;That&a;rsquo;s the billion-dollar question and not one that anyone outside of Tesla can really answer. The volume will be there, but can they do it profitably? That remains to be seen.&l;/p&g;

&l;p class=&q;p1&q;&g;Forbes.com:&l;span class=&q;Apple-converted-space&q;&g;&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;How does the fact that Teslas are no longer tax-credit-eligible affect the overall equation?&l;/p&g;

&l;p class=&q;p1&q;&g;Jominy:&l;span class=&q;Apple-converted-space&q;&g;&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;The expiring tax credit was certainly a factor in pulling sales into 2018, but Tesla has responded with price and content changes in 2019 that obscure visibility into how the loss is truly affecting the value equation. Going forward, we see Tesla starting to get into leasing, which is a significant factor in the Model 3&a;rsquo;s segment where more than half of all vehicles are leased each year. A lower monthly payment will again make any price increase less visible to consumers.&l;/p&g;

&l;p class=&q;p1&q;&g;Forbes.com:&l;span class=&q;Apple-converted-space&q;&g;&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;Are Tesla competitors just as likely to benefit from the new environment and greater acceptance of EVs?&l;/p&g;

&l;p class=&q;p1&q;&g;Jominy:&l;span class=&q;Apple-converted-space&q;&g;&a;nbsp; &l;/span&g;We have seen numerous other examples when new product in a segment lifts all entrants. Certainly, as consumers start to learn that an EV can work for their lifestyle, it will be a boon to everyone selling EVs. That doesn&a;rsquo;t necessarily mean others will be able to capture the cool factor, but they could make their value apparent to consumers.&l;/p&g;

Rockwell Automation (ROK) Expected to Post Quarterly Sales of $1.72 Billion

Wall Street analysts expect Rockwell Automation (NYSE:ROK) to announce $1.72 billion in sales for the current fiscal quarter, according to Zacks. Six analysts have issued estimates for Rockwell Automation’s earnings, with the highest sales estimate coming in at $1.74 billion and the lowest estimate coming in at $1.69 billion. Rockwell Automation posted sales of $1.65 billion during the same quarter last year, which suggests a positive year-over-year growth rate of 4.2%. The business is expected to issue its next earnings results on Wednesday, April 24th.

On average, analysts expect that Rockwell Automation will report full year sales of $6.93 billion for the current year, with estimates ranging from $6.87 billion to $7.00 billion. For the next fiscal year, analysts anticipate that the firm will report sales of $7.19 billion, with estimates ranging from $6.94 billion to $7.32 billion. Zacks’ sales calculations are an average based on a survey of sell-side research analysts that cover Rockwell Automation.

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Rockwell Automation (NYSE:ROK) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, January 29th. The industrial products company reported $2.21 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $1.99 by $0.22. The company had revenue of $1.64 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.63 billion. Rockwell Automation had a net margin of 12.68% and a return on equity of 66.47%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 3.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.96 EPS.

Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Rockwell Automation from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 23rd. Berenberg Bank set a $145.00 price target on Rockwell Automation and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a research note on Monday, November 19th. Barclays dropped their price target on Rockwell Automation from $170.00 to $165.00 and set an “equal weight” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, January 7th. Wolfe Research downgraded Rockwell Automation to a “market perform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 8th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets assumed coverage on Rockwell Automation in a research note on Friday, January 18th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $185.00 price target for the company. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. Rockwell Automation presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $172.06.

ROK stock traded down $1.35 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $179.33. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,867,116 shares, compared to its average volume of 996,010. Rockwell Automation has a 12 month low of $141.46 and a 12 month high of $198.23. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 1.21 and a quick ratio of 0.93. The company has a market capitalization of $21.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.11, a PEG ratio of 2.23 and a beta of 1.36.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 11th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, February 19th were given a dividend of $0.97 per share. The ex-dividend date was Friday, February 15th. This represents a $3.88 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.16%. Rockwell Automation’s dividend payout ratio is currently 47.84%.

In other news, insider Elik I. Fooks sold 5,100 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $177.80, for a total transaction of $906,780.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 15,597 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,773,146.60. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Frank C. Kulaszewicz sold 9,231 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $177.70, for a total value of $1,640,348.70. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 34,893 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $6,200,486.10. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 1.43% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Aviva PLC lifted its position in Rockwell Automation by 23.0% during the 3rd quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 127,589 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $23,925,000 after acquiring an additional 23,863 shares during the period. Pure Financial Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in Rockwell Automation during the fourth quarter worth $225,000. Private Wealth Advisors Inc. purchased a new position in Rockwell Automation during the fourth quarter worth $742,000. New England Research & Management Inc. purchased a new position in Rockwell Automation during the fourth quarter worth $233,000. Finally, Chartwell Investment Partners LLC increased its position in Rockwell Automation by 4.8% during the third quarter. Chartwell Investment Partners LLC now owns 14,354 shares of the industrial products company’s stock worth $2,692,000 after buying an additional 655 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 74.84% of the company’s stock.

About Rockwell Automation

Rockwell Automation, Inc provides industrial automation and information solutions worldwide. It operates in two segments, Architecture & Software; and Control Products & Solutions. The Architecture & Software segment provides control platforms, including controllers, electronic operator interface devices, electronic input/output devices, communication and networking products, and industrial computers that perform multiple control disciplines and monitoring of applications, such as discrete, batch and continuous process, drives control, motion control, and machine safety control.

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Top buy and sell ideas by Sudarshan Sukhani, Mitessh Thakkar, Prakash Gaba for short term

The BSE Sensex gained another 216 points on March 13 to close at 37,752.17, taking total gains to over 2,200 points in three consecutive weeks. Banking and financials drove the rally.

The Nifty 50 hit fresh six-month high and ended the session at 11,341.70, a gain of 40.50 points from previous settlement, but overall as it was a consolidation day, the index formed 'Hanging Man' kind of pattern on the daily charts.

India VIX increased by 1.18 percent to 15.27 levels. VIX closed higher after the declines of last seven-eight trading sessions but overall lower volatility is giving comfort to bulls.

According to Pivot charts, the key support level is placed at 11,294.76, followed by 11,247.83. If the index starts moving upward, key resistance levels to watch out are 11,370.46 and 11,399.23.

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The Nifty Bank index closed at 28,884.30, up 440.60 points on March 13. The important Pivot level, which will act as crucial support for the index, is placed at 28,516.1, followed by 28,147.9. On the upside, key resistance levels are placed at 29,090.1, followed by 29,295.9.

In an interview to CNBC-TV18, top market experts recommend which stocks to bet on for good returns:

Sudarshan Sukhani of s2analytics.com

Buy Bajaj Finance with stop loss at Rs 2810 and target of Rs 2850

Buy Pidilite Industries with stop loss at Rs 1168 and target of Rs 1192

Buy UPL with stop loss at Rs 902 and target of Rs 926

Sell Coal India with stop loss at Rs 242 and target of Rs 234

Sell Tata Chemicals with stop loss at Rs 586 and target of Rs 561

Mitessh Thakkar of mitesshthakkar.com

Buy CESC with a stop loss of Rs 722 and target of Rs 755

Buy Pidilite Industries with a stop loss of Rs 1153 and target of Rs 1220

Sell Wockhardt with a stop loss of Rs 435.5 and target of Rs 412

Buy ABB with a stop loss of Rs 1270 and target of Rs 1350

Prakash Gaba of prakashgaba.com

Buy Mahanagar Gas with target of Rs 948 and stop loss at Rs 915

Buy YES Bank with target at Rs 255 and stop loss at Rs 238

Sell Vedanta with target at Rs 166 and stop loss at Rs 174

Sell Zee Entertainment with target of Rs 430 and stop loss at Rs 454

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com/CNBC-TV18 are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.​ First Published on Mar 14, 2019 08:21 am

Top Medical Stocks To Own Right Now

tags:P,MED,BUSE,

With increasing legislation legalizing marijuana both in Canada and the United States, companies involved in the development of cannabis for medical and "other" purposes are gaining attention.

But weed stocks, as they are often referred to, have been taking a beating lately, with data showing that many of the stock dumps are sales by executives of major cannabis companies. Is this profit taking, or a reaction to AG Jeff Sessions, who has been an outspoken opponent of legalized marijuana, implying that he might consider a rollback to restore marijuana laws under federal jurisdiction? It's anybody's guess. But rather than rush to unload a company before it goes up in smoke (see what I did there…) it's worth taking a look at additional assets that a cannabis company may hold.

Top Medical Stocks To Own Right Now: Euro FX(P)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  It didn't take long for Sirius XM Holdings (NASDAQ:SIRI) to start leveraging its Pandora (NYSE:P) acquisition. Less than a week after closing on its purchase of the streaming-music pioneer in a roughly $3 billion deal, Sirius XM sent out an email offer to its satellite-radio subscribers for a free 14-day trial to Pandora's premium platform.

• [By Chris Lange]

  Pandora Media Inc. (NYSE: P) shares shot up early on Monday after it was announced that the company would be acquired by Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI). The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2019.

• [By Steve Symington]

  Pandora Media (NYSE:P) announced strong second-quarter 2018 results on Tuesday after the market closed, detailing accelerated revenue growth, improved ad-hour trends, and new partnerships that could further spur its momentum.

• [By Steve Symington]

  Pandora Media (NYSE:P) announced significantly better-than-expected first-quarter 2018 results on Thursday after the market closed, and shares of the music-streaming specialist are up more than 21% in Friday's early trading in response.

Top Medical Stocks To Own Right Now: MEDIFAST INC(MED)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  MediBloc [MED] (CURRENCY:MED) traded 11.7% lower against the U.S. dollar during the 1 day period ending at 20:00 PM ET on February 16th. MediBloc [MED] has a total market capitalization of $19.63 million and $281,103.00 worth of MediBloc [MED] was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. During the last seven days, MediBloc [MED] has traded down 27.6% against the U.S. dollar. One MediBloc [MED] token can currently be bought for $0.0066 or 0.00000100 BTC on major exchanges including Coinrail, Bibox and Gate.io.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  MediBloc [QRC] (MED) is a proof-of-work (PoW) token that uses the HybridScryptHash256 hashing algorithm. Its genesis date was January 3rd, 2014. MediBloc [QRC]’s total supply is 4,097,545,844 tokens and its circulating supply is 2,966,384,100 tokens. The official website for MediBloc [QRC] is medibloc.org/en. MediBloc [QRC]’s official Twitter account is @MEDDevTeam. The Reddit community for MediBloc [QRC] is /r/MediBloc and the currency’s Github account can be viewed here. The official message board for MediBloc [QRC] is medium.com/@MediBloc.

• [By Max Byerly]

  McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE: MKC) and Medifast (NYSE:MED) are both consumer staples companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, valuation, profitability, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, risk and dividends.

Top Medical Stocks To Own Right Now: First Busey Corporation(BUSE)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  BidaskClub downgraded shares of First Busey (NASDAQ:BUSE) from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Saturday morning.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on First Busey (BUSE)

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

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Her Majesty the Queen in Right of the Province of Alberta as represented by Alberta Investment Management Corp bought a new stake in shares of First Busey Co. (NASDAQ:BUSE) during the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm bought 7,000 shares of the bank’s stock, valued at approximately $208,000.

• [By Max Byerly]

  First Busey Co. (NASDAQ:BUSE) – Equities researchers at B. Riley decreased their Q2 2018 earnings estimates for First Busey in a report released on Tuesday, June 19th. B. Riley analyst S. Moss now expects that the bank will post earnings per share of $0.53 for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $0.57. B. Riley has a “Buy” rating and a $36.00 price objective on the stock. B. Riley also issued estimates for First Busey’s Q3 2018 earnings at $0.55 EPS, Q4 2018 earnings at $0.59 EPS, FY2018 earnings at $2.18 EPS, Q1 2019 earnings at $0.57 EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $0.59 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $0.63 EPS and FY2019 earnings at $2.38 EPS.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on First Busey (BUSE)

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

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on First Busey (BUSE)

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

Lupin rises 2% despite USFDA concerns for Mandideep unit; brokerages maintain buy

Shares of Lupin rose 2 percent intraday on March 14 despite USFDA classified the inspection at Mandideep (Unit 1) facility as Official Action Indicated (OAI).

US Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) has classified inspection at the company's Mandideep Unit 1 in Madhya Pradesh as OAI, blocking product approvals from the site on concerns over manufacturing practices.

"USFDA stated that this facility may be subject to regulatory or administrative action and that it may withhold approval of any pending applications or supplements in which this facility is listed," the company said in an exchange filing.

The management said there are no new drug master files (DMF) and abbreviated new drug applications (ANDA) pending review or approval from the Mandideep (Unit 1) facility.

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"The company does not believe that this classification will have an impact on disruption of supplies or the existing revenues from operations of this facility," the statement added.

Lupin said it is in the process of sending further updates of its corrective actions to the USFDA and remains hopeful of a positive outcome.

Foreign brokerage house Nomura has maintained buy call on Lupin with a target at Rs 1,017 per share.

 

Macquarie has maintained buy call with a target of Rs 716 per share.

At 1105 hours, Lupin was quoting at Rs 768.45, up Rs 4.55, or 0.60 percent on the BSE. First Published on Mar 14, 2019 11:53 am

Papa John's Can Finally Focus on Pizza Again

Papa John's (NASDAQ:PZZA) founder John Schnatter has agreed to resign from the company's board of directors, which means that after more than a year of turmoil sparked by Schnatter, the pizzeria can finally get back to doing what it does best -- making pizza.

Schnatter has agreed to withdraw his nomination to the board of directors and will resign his seat once he's helped choose a successor, according to a filing with the SEC. He will retain his 31% stake in the business he created.

Hedge fund Starboard Value has a lot of work to do to deliver on its promise to return Papa John's to health. Image source: Getty Images.

Burned by controversy

Schnatter built an international pizza chain with over 5,300 restaurants in all 50 states and in 46 countries that has consistently challenged rival Domino's for the title of the most popular pizzeria in the U.S. But controversy rose up around the business in late 2017 after Schnatter attributed Papa John's declining sales to National Football League players' kneeling during the national anthem and the NFL's handling of that situation. He then made comments deemed racially insensitive during a conference call with a marketing agency.

Schnatter subsequently stepped down as board chairman and gave up his position as CEO, but he railed at his successor and objected as the board sought to remove all connection to him, including removing his image from corporate marketing. Schnatter filed a lawsuit against Papa John's last year contesting his removal as chairman and accusing the board of failing to conduct an investigation into the conference call comments, which he contends the media took out of context. He also fought the "poison pill" defense Papa John's adopted to prevent him from acquiring control over the company.

This year, hedge fund Starboard Value took an activist role in the pizzeria, injecting $200 million into the business in the hopes of reversing the precipitous decline Papa John's was experiencing, much the way it had revived Darden Restaurants' Olive Garden chain. Papa John's then expanded its poison pill defense to include a new "acting in concert" provision, which required new board members, including Starboard's founder Jeffrey Smith (who had become Papa John's chairman), to vote in favor of the company's nominees.

Although Schnatter amended his lawsuit to include the new provision, as part of Papa John's settlement with him, the company has agreed to remove that language. Schnatter has also agreed to drop two lawsuits against Papa John's.

Customers fled the pizza shop

The latest moves should allow Papa John's to get back to business. The pizzeria spent $50.7 million last year in an attempt to limit the damage, whether through marketing, helping out franchisees with lower royalty payments, or paying for the legal work undertaken by the board's special committee assigned to deal with the issue.

Same-store sales at U.S. restaurants tumbled 8.1% in the fourth quarter and were down 7.3% for the full year. Revenue also plunged 20% in the quarter, dropping to $374 million from $468 million a year ago, and the company suffered a $13.8 million quarterly loss, or $0.44 per share. In the fourth quarter of 2017 the pizzeria earned a profit of $28.5 million, or $0.81 per share. Papa John's stock suffered similarly, losing almost 30% of its value in 2018.

Since Starboard's investment, however, shares have regained almost 18%. Still, the stock is currently trading at the same level it did in 2016, and remains some 50% below the highs it hit at the start of 2017.

Whether Starboard Value can help Papa John's reconnect with consumers the way it helped Olive Garden remains to be seen. There's only so much room to maneuver with a pizza chain's menu, and it's already been adding new specialty pizzas. It is also reaching out to social media influencers to help sell the idea that this is a new business.

Take a go-slow approach

There are literally tens of thousands of pizzerias consumers can choose from, in addition to the national chains. You can get just as much innovation at your local independent pizza shop as you'll find on Papa John's new menu. There will undoubtedly be a positive impact from the resolution and the fact the pizzeria is no longer in the headlines with allegations and recriminations, but Papa John's has a lot of work to do to repair the damage that's been done. Investors may want to take a wait-and-see approach. The stock is also not cheap at 27 times next year's earnings estimates and some 25 times the free cash flow it produces.

There should be plenty of time to see how well Starboard Value gets the pizzeria back in the dough. 

'As long as Nifty holds 10,800, any dip is likely to bought into'

Manali Bhatia

Slowdown in global economy is evident with factors such as lower GDP number for China, surge in US trade deficit to a record high, disappointing US jobless data and subdued Asian cues. Besides, decoupling on the domestic front is expected.

We suggest accumulating quality stocks in fewer quantities. Awaited elections, if favourable, then one can lock on the stated gain.

Around USD 2.37 billion were poured in by FIIs in the equity market in February, indeed this healthy buying still exists in March as well. It increases sentiment as FII "net seller" has now been the "net buyer" in the equity market.

related news Buy or Sell | Positive on market, banks likely to outperform Buying advisable in pharma with long-term view: Kotak Securities 'Level of 11,200 on Nifty could be make or break for this week'

Also, upswing in Nikkei India Composite PMI output index from 53.6 in January to 53.8 in February reflected a stronger and accelerated increase in private sector activity in the country. Strengthening of rupee at 70/dollar level followed by softening in crude oil prices to provide further comfort.

Furthermore, as inflation rate is already lower than estimated, RBI is expected to lower the interest rate in May thereon. With this, liquidity crisis is expected to polish off sooner than later.

The Pulwama attack, or to be slated as Indo Pak tensions, is mark under controlled. War situation has presently blown off. Intrepid actions taken by the current government on the same embark favourable winning chances in the upcoming elections.

On an upside, if 11,050 is traded on higher side, we can expect the rally to continue till previous top i.e. 11,118 and above this any breakout could result in pre-election rally till 11,324 and 11,550. Taking the broader view into perspective, Nifty is well placed above all major moving averages and until 10,800 holds, any dip is likely to bought into.

Here are the top stock trading ideas which can give good returns in the long term:

Exide Industries: Buy | CMP: Rs 224 | Target: Rs 262 | Return: 17%

Q3 numbers for Exide did not turn out to be very fruitful. Net profit stood at Rs 155 crore, mainly due to higher tax rate. Revenue stood at Rs 2497 crore against Rs 2278 crore, registering growth of 10 percent against previous year. EBITDA margin improved marginally 11bps at 12.5 percent against 12.4 percent in the previous year quarter primarily due to higher other expenses. Though, volumes in Automotive, Motorcycle, UPS and Solar Batteries in Q3 have grown well.

Going forward, the company's cost control measures and technology up gradation strategies would help to improve the bottom-line. Also, tie up for batteries having lithium-ion cell technology at its plant is expected to become operational by mid-2020 would add to improve company's performance and lower the raw material cost to some extent.

As, electric vehicles to be the next leg for growth combined with 2W growth expected to remain strong in the years to come due to increase in consumption & rural income. We remain positive for the sector and Exide industries to maintain its market share.

However, continued escalation in lead prices remains a major concern. Adding to that, muted auto sales numbers and competition pressures are also pulling back the margins.

Asian Paints: Buy | CMP: Rs 1384 | Target: Rs 1575 | Return: 14%

Asian Paints delivered Q3 results in line with our expectations; Volume growth has also picked up significantly, though business continued to face pressure from rising raw material prices.

Although crude oil prices were uptick during Q3 results, it had softened currently and is expected to remain range bound which would help improving the margins front.

Going forward, the commissioning of the Mysore plant as well as Vizag plant on board is expected to hit the market. Having said that is not enough, to stand out of the queue, it has entered home décor business as well- AP homes, to bring décor options under one roof and is planning to open up four more stores by the middle of July next year.

Also, company's products & market strategies are well on streamed. It has been repeatedly throwing various campaigns. One amongst is Royale Health Shield as the Gold Standard for aesthetics and protection for every home with Anti-Bacterial technology, keeping in mind consumer awareness and choices that are safe and hygienic, to establish.

Moreover, campaign launch to establish Ultima Protek as the 'Gold Standard' in protection for the exteriors of every home is expected to gain consumers traction. We expect all this efforts could make Asian Paints a unique moat among other competitors and outperform ahead.

The author is Senior Research Analyst at Rudra Shares & Stock Brokers

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. First Published on Mar 11, 2019 01:04 pm

Why International Game Technology's Shares Plunged 14% Today

What happened 

Shares of International Game Technology (NYSE:IGT) fell as much as 14.1% in trading Thursday after the company reported fourth-quarter results. At 1:10 p.m. EST, the stock was still down 13.4% and showed no signs of recovering. 

So what

Fourth-quarter revenue fell 6% to $1.27 billion and net loss was $102.0 million, or $0.50 per share. Adjusted for a $120 million noncash impairment charge, the company made a profit of $0.24 per share. Revenue was in line with estimates, but earnings were well below the $0.36 that analysts expected. 

Image source: Getty Images.

The problem with falling revenue and disappointing bottom-line results is that it increases the risk posed by $7.8 billion of debt on the balance sheet. That leverage looks like a huge hurdle if profitability doesn't improve quickly. 

Now what

Falling short of earnings estimates isn't always the end of the world, but it's especially troubling for companies with a lot of leverage. In the gaming industry, there doesn't seem to be a lot of growth in general right now, with very few large casino projects and no real need for most operators to upgrade equipment. Sports betting was the one ray of hope for growth, but IGT hasn't seen significant growth in the segment lately and that's diminished hopes for growth. 

Hot Bank Stocks To Watch For 2019

tags:HSBA,AP,CM,FCF, &l;p&g;&l;img class=&q;dam-image getty size-large wp-image-1011839052&q; src=&q;https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/dam/imageserve/1011839052/960x0.jpg?fit=scale&q; data-height=&q;617&q; data-width=&q;960&q;&g; A&a;nbsp;saver puts a coin in her savings piggy bank. Credit: Getty Royalty Free

&a;nbsp;

The so-called FIRE&a;nbsp;(Financial Independent Retire Early) movement in America &l;a href=&q;https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/01/style/fire-financial-independence-retire-early.html&q; target=&q;_blank&q;&g;is gaining popularity&l;/a&g;. But just how realistic is it to retire in your 30s? Of course, the FIRE movement never claimed this is easy, but for many Americans, the numbers suggest it is&a;nbsp;impossible.

&l;strong&g;Average earnings&l;/strong&g;

In the U.S. median household income has been around $50,000 for some time. So assuming a 55% savings rate, then yes, if you save from age 20, you&s;d hit a million in savings by age 39. That assumes you earn 6% a year on your investments, which is reasonable for a diversified portfolio. So in theory, you could get there on the savings side, but just how realistic are those spending assumptions?

Hot Bank Stocks To Watch For 2019: HSBC Holdings PLC (HSBA)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Credit Suisse Group set a GBX 720 ($9.32) price target on HSBC (LON:HSBA) in a research report sent to investors on Tuesday morning. The firm currently has a neutral rating on the financial services provider’s stock.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Morgan Stanley set a GBX 855 ($10.91) price target on HSBC (LON:HSBA) in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the financial services provider’s stock.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  HSBC (LON:HSBA) had its price target dropped by equities research analysts at Citigroup from GBX 810 ($10.78) to GBX 800 ($10.65) in a report released on Tuesday. The brokerage currently has a “buy” rating on the financial services provider’s stock. Citigroup’s price target points to a potential upside of 9.59% from the stock’s previous close.

Hot Bank Stocks To Watch For 2019: Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation(AP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  Wellington, New Zealand (AP) -- New Zealand plans to slaughter about 150,000 cows as it tries to eradicate a strain of disease-causing bacteria from the national herd.

• [By ]

  Vatican City (AP) -- Pope Francis has recognized as martyrs 19 people who were slain in Algeria in the 1990s, including a bishop killed by a car bomb and beheaded monks.

• [By ]

  London (AP) -- The British government said Sunday it is scrapping a promise to reconsider the ban on fox hunting, a centuries-old rural tradition contentiously outlawed more than a decade ago.

• [By ]

  Putrajaya, Malaysia (AP) -- Malaysia's government will sell much of the huge stash of jewelry and luxury goods, including diamond necklaces, tiaras and designer handbags that were seized in a money-laundering probe of former leader Najib Razak, Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng told The Associated Press on Friday.

• [By ]

  This undated photo provided by Edmunds, shows the 2018 Land Rover Discovery, which allows you to remotely fold the rear seats flat via a linked smartphone app. (Courtesy of Edmunds.com Inc. via AP) (Photo: AP)

• [By ]

  This undated photo provided by General Motors shows the 2019 Silverado, which features a large cargo bed in the full-size truck class. (Courtesy of General Motors via AP) (Photo: AP)

Hot Bank Stocks To Watch For 2019: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce(CM)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM)

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

• [By Logan Wallace]

  A number of firms have modified their ratings and price targets on shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSE: CM) recently:

  6/6/2018 – Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was upgraded by analysts at Citigroup Inc from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating. They now have a C$130.00 price target on the stock, up previously from C$125.00. 5/24/2018 – Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was downgraded by analysts at National Bank Financial from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating. They now have a C$124.00 price target on the stock, down previously from C$136.00. 5/24/2018 – Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce had its price target lowered by analysts at Scotiabank from C$131.00 to C$127.00. They now have a “sector perform” rating on the stock. 5/24/2018 – Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce had its price target lowered by analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from C$141.00 to C$135.00. They now have a “sector perform” rating on the stock. 5/24/2018 – Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was given a new C$140.00 price target on by analysts at Eight Capital. 5/24/2018 – Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce had its price target raised by analysts at Barclays PLC from C$133.00 to C$138.00.

  CM traded up C$0.59 on Wednesday, reaching C$115.86. 987,570 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,290,708. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has a fifty-two week low of C$103.84 and a fifty-two week high of C$124.37.

• [By Garrett Baldwin]

  We're about to reveal a little wealth secret that could unlock the trade of a lifetime. Money Morning Special Situation Strategist Tim Melvin takes you inside what could easily be a 10-bagger for investors in the weeks ahead. Read more right here.

  The Top Stock Market Stories for Tuesday The Euro has plunged to its lowest point against the U.S. dollar in 2018 thanks to political problems in Europe. The breakdown of power in Italy has raised new concerns about the nation's ability to repay its debts, as the spread between German and Italian bonds has widened. Market instability has also spread to Spain where the nation's parliament is preparing to vote on whether to oust Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and his party. Oil prices slid one news that OPEC and Russia will consider hikes in production during a meeting in Vienna, Austria on June 22nd. The news accompanied reports that U.S. production is expected to rise throughout the summer. The price of WTI oil sat at $67.20 per barrel. The Brent crude oil price recovered this morning, adding 1% to hit $76.12. Canadian banks are under pressure this morning over a major breach by cyber criminals. The Bank of Montreal (NYSE: BMO) and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE: CM) – the two largest banking institutions in the country – announced that roughly 90,000 customers' data may have been stolen. This would be the first major cybersecurity event to happen in Canada involving financial firms. Three Stocks to Watch Today: CRM, SBUX, MOMO com (NYSE: CRM) will lead a busy day of earnings reports on Wall Street. The cloud computing giant is set to report fiscal first quarter 2019 numbers after the bell on Tuesday. The average analyst projection calls for a 46% jump in EPS of $0.46 on top of a 23% gain in revenue to $2.94 billion. Starbucks' Corporation (Nasdaq: SBUX) will temporarily close about 8,000 locations on Tuesday to train roughly 175,000 employees on racial bias. The training sessions were

Hot Bank Stocks To Watch For 2019: First Commonwealth Financial Corporation(FCF)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on First Commonwealth Financial (FCF)

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

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on First Commonwealth Financial (FCF)

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

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on First Commonwealth Financial (FCF)

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

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on First Commonwealth Financial (FCF)

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

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Barclays PLC increased its holdings in First Commonwealth Financial (NYSE:FCF) by 24.3% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 33,717 shares of the bank’s stock after buying an additional 6,593 shares during the period. Barclays PLC’s holdings in First Commonwealth Financial were worth $476,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

This energy stock is trading at a 52-week high, but there could be a pullback, expert warns

Call it high energy.

Shares of oil and gas giant Kinder Morgan hit a fresh 52-week high on Wednesday, putting the stock up 30 percent in 2019. But Susquehanna's Stacey Gilbert argues that while the action looks positive, people could be trying to game the rapid rally.

"This really is a fan favorite right now within this space because of its clean balance sheet, its clear visibility, and it's certainly seeing ... that momentum," Gilbert said on CNBC's "Trading Nation." "All that being said, what I would say, from a sentiment perspective of what we're seeing in both the options and kind of what's trading out there in the stock, is we could be coming up to an area where it's either breaking out or it's really gone too far, too fast."

Gilbert, head of derivative strategy at Susquehanna, said she's noticed more buyers picking up $20 strike calls for Kinder Morgan. A strike call is a type of call option that allows an individual to buy shares of a security at a set price until a predetermined expiration date.

"That's much more consistent with someone who may have a short position or [is] thinking that it's overdone in terms of its rally, yet not wanting to be caught short here. So I wouldn't argue that it's a pound-the-table-bullish sentiment that we're seeing right now in Kinder Morgan," she said. "Even though there's a real positive fundamental sentiment going longer term, in the short term, I do think there's a little bit of concern that there could be a small pullback coming."

Bill Baruch, president and founder of Blue Line Futures, was slightly more positive on the prospects for Kinder Morgan's stock, highlighting the "good momentum" being fueled by the 50-day moving average crossing above the 200-day moving average.

"This should really bring a tailwind up to that peak from a couple years back when it recovered in 2016," he said, adding that the stock will likely face some resistance if it's able to rally to the $23 or $24 level.

"I think it gets there," Baruch said on "Trading Nation." "The real question is can it get out above there? And I think it could, if the broader market agrees. Getting above $24 would bring you to about $28 bucks." It's currently trading at $20 a share.

The commodity futures expert added that the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund, an exchange-traded fund that tracks energy stocks commonly referred to as the XLE, is poised for gains after a week in the red.

"I like XLE because I think that crude oil has upside to $60 [a barrel]," he said. "We're heading into a more seasonally bullish time of year for crude oil, and you could be long crude oil looking into May. I think that should bring some support for the broader energy sector."

Crude oil prices fell Wednesday after a surge in U.S. crude output. The XLE fell by about 1 percent.

Disclosure: Susquehanna Financial Group is a market maker in the security Kinder Morgan.

Disclaimer

Checchi Capital Advisers LLC Reduces Position in Comcast Co. (CMCSA)

Checchi Capital Advisers LLC lowered its holdings in shares of Comcast Co. (NASDAQ:CMCSA) by 11.4% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 41,925 shares of the cable giant’s stock after selling 5,388 shares during the period. Checchi Capital Advisers LLC’s holdings in Comcast were worth $1,428,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Capital International Investors lifted its stake in shares of Comcast by 363.4% in the third quarter. Capital International Investors now owns 122,675,220 shares of the cable giant’s stock worth $4,343,930,000 after buying an additional 96,201,446 shares in the last quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund lifted its stake in shares of Comcast by 6,558.8% in the fourth quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 33,520,863 shares of the cable giant’s stock worth $984,000 after buying an additional 33,017,459 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC lifted its stake in shares of Comcast by 10.2% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 123,314,475 shares of the cable giant’s stock worth $4,366,565,000 after buying an additional 11,459,543 shares in the last quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its stake in shares of Comcast by 17.6% in the third quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 36,684,340 shares of the cable giant’s stock worth $1,298,992,000 after buying an additional 5,499,850 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Sound Shore Management Inc. CT bought a new position in shares of Comcast in the fourth quarter worth approximately $151,101,000. 79.92% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Get Comcast alerts:

CMCSA opened at $38.61 on Thursday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.48, a current ratio of 0.79 and a quick ratio of 0.79. Comcast Co. has a twelve month low of $30.43 and a twelve month high of $39.66. The company has a market cap of $179.84 billion, a PE ratio of 15.14, a P/E/G ratio of 1.15 and a beta of 1.03.

Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, January 23rd. The cable giant reported $0.64 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.62 by $0.02. Comcast had a net margin of 12.41% and a return on equity of 16.49%. The firm had revenue of $27.85 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $27.56 billion. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.49 earnings per share. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 26.1% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts predict that Comcast Co. will post 2.71 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 24th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, April 3rd will be issued a dividend of $0.21 per share. This is a boost from Comcast’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.19. This represents a $0.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.18%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Tuesday, April 2nd. Comcast’s dividend payout ratio is currently 29.80%.

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. Barclays assumed coverage on shares of Comcast in a research note on Tuesday, November 13th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $44.00 target price on the stock. BidaskClub downgraded shares of Comcast from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 13th. Credit Suisse Group reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $44.00 target price on shares of Comcast in a research note on Tuesday, January 22nd. TD Securities upped their target price on shares of Comcast from $47.00 to $48.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 24th. Finally, Macquarie reissued a “hold” rating and set a $39.00 price objective on shares of Comcast in a report on Monday, December 24th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and sixteen have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $43.76.

In other Comcast news, EVP David N. Watson sold 201,007 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, February 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $38.31, for a total transaction of $7,700,578.17. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 817,992 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $31,337,273.52. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Kenneth J. Bacon sold 7,636 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, December 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.04, for a total transaction of $282,837.44. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 33,603 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,244,655.12. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 920,297 shares of company stock valued at $34,478,816. 1.31% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

COPYRIGHT VIOLATION NOTICE: This piece was originally posted by Ticker Report and is the property of of Ticker Report. If you are viewing this piece on another publication, it was illegally stolen and republished in violation of US and international copyright & trademark legislation. The correct version of this piece can be read at https://www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/4202842/checchi-capital-advisers-llc-reduces-position-in-comcast-co-cmcsa.html.

Comcast Company Profile

Comcast Corporation operates as a media and technology company worldwide. It operates through Cable Communications, Cable Networks, Broadcast Television, Filmed Entertainment, Theme Parks, and Sky segments. The Cable Communications segment offers cable services, including high-speed Internet, video, voice, and security and automation services to residential and business customers under the Xfinity name; and advertising services.

Further Reading: How is inflation measured?

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

Hot Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now

tags:CM,FCF,WFC,AP,HSBA,

Shares of Entertainment One Ltd (LON:ETO) have earned a consensus recommendation of “Buy” from the seven research firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price target among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is GBX 353.25 ($4.70).

Several research analysts have commented on ETO shares. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reissued an “overweight” rating and set a GBX 367 ($4.89) target price on shares of Entertainment One in a research note on Tuesday, March 27th. Peel Hunt reissued a “hold” rating and set a GBX 300 ($3.99) target price on shares of Entertainment One in a research note on Friday, May 4th. Royal Bank of Canada lowered their target price on Entertainment One from GBX 350 ($4.66) to GBX 340 ($4.53) and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, April 5th. Numis Securities raised Entertainment One to an “add” rating and boosted their target price for the stock from GBX 215 ($2.86) to GBX 340 ($4.53) in a research note on Tuesday, May 22nd. Finally, Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Entertainment One in a research note on Thursday, May 17th.

Hot Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce(CM)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

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

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

  Operator

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

   

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSE:CM) (NYSE:CM) have earned an average recommendation of “Hold” from the twelve research firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and one has assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is C$130.33.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CM)

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

• [By Garrett Baldwin]

  We're about to reveal a little wealth secret that could unlock the trade of a lifetime. Money Morning Special Situation Strategist Tim Melvin takes you inside what could easily be a 10-bagger for investors in the weeks ahead. Read more right here.

  The Top Stock Market Stories for Tuesday The Euro has plunged to its lowest point against the U.S. dollar in 2018 thanks to political problems in Europe. The breakdown of power in Italy has raised new concerns about the nation's ability to repay its debts, as the spread between German and Italian bonds has widened. Market instability has also spread to Spain where the nation's parliament is preparing to vote on whether to oust Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy and his party. Oil prices slid one news that OPEC and Russia will consider hikes in production during a meeting in Vienna, Austria on June 22nd. The news accompanied reports that U.S. production is expected to rise throughout the summer. The price of WTI oil sat at $67.20 per barrel. The Brent crude oil price recovered this morning, adding 1% to hit $76.12. Canadian banks are under pressure this morning over a major breach by cyber criminals. The Bank of Montreal (NYSE: BMO) and the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE: CM) – the two largest banking institutions in the country – announced that roughly 90,000 customers' data may have been stolen. This would be the first major cybersecurity event to happen in Canada involving financial firms. Three Stocks to Watch Today: CRM, SBUX, MOMO com (NYSE: CRM) will lead a busy day of earnings reports on Wall Street. The cloud computing giant is set to report fiscal first quarter 2019 numbers after the bell on Tuesday. The average analyst projection calls for a 46% jump in EPS of $0.46 on top of a 23% gain in revenue to $2.94 billion. Starbucks' Corporation (Nasdaq: SBUX) will temporarily close about 8,000 locations on Tuesday to train roughly 175,000 employees on racial bias. The training sessions were
• [By Logan Wallace]

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

Hot Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now: First Commonwealth Financial Corporation(FCF)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on First Commonwealth Financial (FCF)

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

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Barclays PLC increased its holdings in First Commonwealth Financial (NYSE:FCF) by 24.3% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 33,717 shares of the bank’s stock after buying an additional 6,593 shares during the period. Barclays PLC’s holdings in First Commonwealth Financial were worth $476,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on First Commonwealth Financial (FCF)

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

Hot Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Wells Fargo & Company(WFC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthew Frankel, CFP]

  Frankel: Obviously, I'll be watching all of the big banks reporting earnings. But Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) is one that I really have my eye on, just because their last quarterly report was so terrible. Last quarter, they missed expectations. I don't really pay too much attention to expectations, as we've said on the show. But their revenue dropped almost 3% year over year. Their deposit base is down 2%. The big takeaway is, as of the end of last quarter, there were no signs that their scandals and whatever have really begun to get into the past yet. So, I'm looking for that. 

• [By John Maxfield]

  Maxfield: I think we mixed up some numbers. Their revenue as a percent of assets is 4.92%, which is the highest in its peer group, and its peer group are the really large, too-big-to-fail banks, JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM), Citigroup (NYSE: C), Bank of America (NYSE: BAC), Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC), plus other large regional banks. So that's the largest with one exception, and that is Capital One (NYSE: COF). The reason that Capital One's revenue is so high as a percentage of assets is because a very large portion of its loan portfolio consists of credit card loans, and those yield, as everybody knows, a lot more than, say, a home mortgage does. So its revenue as a percent of assets is the top in its peer group. But then, if you translate that over into profitability, that's where that 1.1% return on assets is. When you're talking about profitability for banks, there's two measures that you want to look at: your return on assets and your return on equity. Return on assets is basically your unlevered profitability. Your return on equity is your levered profitability. Here's the interesting thing about PNC, and this is one of the reasons that it doesn't pop up a lot when investors are looking for the top-performing banks -- it's because their return on common equity last year was 8.58%. When you're looking for a 10% return on equity, you think, that's actually meaningfully below that standard industry benchmark that you want to see. But the reason that it's below, as we see with its good return on assets, is just because it's not very levered, which means it's a very safe bank that's still earning a lot of money if you look at it on a levered basis.

• [By ]

  JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) , Citigroup Inc.  (C)  Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC)  and BlackRock Inc. (BLK) reported first-quarter earnings on Thursday and Friday. Here are five things the reports show about the economic impact of President Donald Trump's tax cuts and how the Federal Reserve's interest-rate hikes are affecting consumers.

• [By Jordan Wathen]

  The Federal Reserve isn't pleased with Wells Fargo's (NYSE:WFC) scandals, but it isn't opposed to the bank paying out billions of dollars to its shareholders.

Hot Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation(AP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  Paris (AP) -- Floodwaters were nearing their peak in Paris on Saturday, with the rain-swollen Seine River engulfing scenic quays and threatening wine cellars and museum basements.

• [By ]

  Anchorage, Alaska (AP) -- A magnitude 8.2 earthquake off Alaska's Kodiak Island prompted a tsunami warning for a large swath of coastal Alaska and Canada's British Columbia while the remainder of the U.S. West Coast was under a watch.

• [By ]

  Brendan Kennedy, CEO and founder of British Columbia-based Tilray Inc., a major Canadian marijuana grower, poses outside the Nasdaq in New York. Investors are craving marijuana stocks as Canada prepares to legalize pot next month, leading to giant gains for Canada-based companies listed on U.S. exchanges. (Photo: AP)

• [By ]

  This undated photo provided by Honda shows the 2019 Honda Insight, which returns to the U.S. after a five-year absence. It now more closely resembles Honda's Civic and Accord models. (Courtesy of American Honda Motor Co. via AP) (Photo: AP)

• [By ]

  New York (AP) -- The bitter cold that followed a massive East Coast snowstorm should begin to lessen as temperatures inch up and climb past freezing next week, weather forecasters said.

• [By ]

  The San Jose skyline Feb. 5, 2013. (Photo: AP)

  7. San Jose, California

  Median earnings increase between 2011 and 2016: 8.7 percent
  Workforce and earnings score: 53.4
  Final score: 47.4
  Overall rank: 19

Hot Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now: HSBC Holdings PLC (HSBA)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Morgan Stanley set a GBX 855 ($10.91) price target on HSBC (LON:HSBA) in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the financial services provider’s stock.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  HSBC (LON:HSBA) had its price target dropped by equities research analysts at Citigroup from GBX 810 ($10.78) to GBX 800 ($10.65) in a report released on Tuesday. The brokerage currently has a “buy” rating on the financial services provider’s stock. Citigroup’s price target points to a potential upside of 9.59% from the stock’s previous close.

• [By Max Byerly]

  HSBC Holdings plc (LON:HSBA) has received an average recommendation of “Hold” from the sixteen analysts that are covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, ten have issued a hold recommendation and four have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is GBX 768.33 ($9.80).