Adani Ports falls 3% as Axis Capital downgrades stock

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone shares fell 2.7 percent intraday Tuesday after brokerage house Axis Capital downgraded the rating on stock to hold from buy citing expensive acquisition of Adani Agri Logistics from Adani Enterprises. It was in addition to 8 percent correction seen in the previous session.

The stock was quoting at Rs 319.05, down Rs 5.80, or 1.79 percent on the BSE, at 11:02 hours IST.

Axis Capital said the acquisition of Adani Agro Logistics at an enterprise value of Rs 1,662 crore is expensive, due to which the free cash flow generation has taken the backseat. "Acquisition is at premium valuations."

Higher payout to Adani Enterprises & high share pledge raised investor concerns, said the research house which expects Adani Ports to reduce exposure to group entities.

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It has set a price target for the stock at Rs 356 apiece (implying nearly 10 percent potential upside) and said the near-term upside looks capped after this buyout.

On February 25, Citi also downgraded Adani Ports to neutral from buy, saying that the acquisition appears expensive and raised questions on the capital allocation of the company.

The brokerage believed that the acquisition might lead to a resurgence of investor concern around related-party transactions. Citi cut its target price to Rs 385 from Rs 500 per share.

Japanese brokerage firm Nomura is neutral on the stock with a price target at Rs 380, implying 17 percent potential upside from February 25's levels.

"Adani Agri Logistics (AAAL) acquisition revived concerns on related-party dealings. We view AAAL's equity valuation of Rs 946 crore as expensive," it said, adding the impact on overall valuation at Rs 1.50-1.80 per share is modest.

Implied level of cost of equity at 10 percent seems substantially low, it said. Hence, it believes 12 percent cost of equity is a more suitable assumption.

Disclaimer: The above report is compiled from information available on public platforms. Moneycontrol advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions. First Published on Feb 26, 2019 11:37 am

$226.50 Million in Sales Expected for Douglas Emmett, Inc. (DEI) This Quarter

Brokerages expect that Douglas Emmett, Inc. (NYSE:DEI) will post $226.50 million in sales for the current quarter, Zacks reports. Four analysts have provided estimates for Douglas Emmett’s earnings, with estimates ranging from $221.13 million to $231.04 million. Douglas Emmett posted sales of $212.25 million in the same quarter last year, which suggests a positive year over year growth rate of 6.7%. The company is expected to issue its next earnings report on Tuesday, May 14th.

According to Zacks, analysts expect that Douglas Emmett will report full-year sales of $912.78 million for the current financial year, with estimates ranging from $897.07 million to $933.01 million. For the next financial year, analysts expect that the company will post sales of $934.34 million, with estimates ranging from $922.48 million to $944.96 million. Zacks’ sales averages are an average based on a survey of analysts that that provide coverage for Douglas Emmett.

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Douglas Emmett (NYSE:DEI) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 12th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.52 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, hitting the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.52. The business had revenue of $226.29 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $223.46 million. Douglas Emmett had a return on equity of 2.97% and a net margin of 13.58%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 8.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.49 earnings per share.

A number of equities research analysts recently issued reports on the company. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Douglas Emmett from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 31st. JMP Securities reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Douglas Emmett in a research report on Sunday. Raymond James reduced their price target on Douglas Emmett from $44.00 to $42.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, November 5th. Sandler O’Neill raised Douglas Emmett from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $42.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Thursday, November 15th. Finally, TheStreet downgraded Douglas Emmett from a “b-” rating to a “c+” rating in a research report on Monday, December 3rd. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. The stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $40.83.

In other Douglas Emmett news, Director William E. Simon, Jr. bought 8,700 shares of Douglas Emmett stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 20th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $34.17 per share, with a total value of $297,279.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 18,400 shares in the company, valued at approximately $628,728. The acquisition was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Company insiders own 16.20% of the company’s stock.

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Point72 Hong Kong Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Douglas Emmett in the 3rd quarter valued at $141,000. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Douglas Emmett by 10.7% in the 4th quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 5,595 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock valued at $192,000 after acquiring an additional 542 shares during the last quarter. AlphaCrest Capital Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Douglas Emmett in the 4th quarter valued at $232,000. Quantamental Technologies LLC bought a new position in shares of Douglas Emmett in the 4th quarter valued at $233,000. Finally, Signition LP bought a new position in shares of Douglas Emmett in the 3rd quarter valued at $266,000. 91.33% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

NYSE:DEI traded up $0.21 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $38.92. 553,500 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 822,203. The company has a market capitalization of $6.61 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.27, a P/E/G ratio of 2.93 and a beta of 0.79. Douglas Emmett has a 1-year low of $32.32 and a 1-year high of $40.86. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.07, a current ratio of 2.12 and a quick ratio of 1.96.

Douglas Emmett Company Profile

Douglas Emmett, Inc (DEI) is a fully integrated, self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust (REIT), and one of the largest owners and operators of high-quality office and multifamily properties located in the premier coastal submarkets of Los Angeles and Honolulu. Douglas Emmett focuses on owning and acquiring a substantial share of top-tier office properties and premier multifamily communities in neighborhoods that possess significant supply constraints, high-end executive housing and key lifestyle amenities.

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Top 10 Small Cap Stocks To Invest In 2019

tags:ATAI,FCEL,PQ,CNR,ACHN,MOBI,

Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC lifted its holdings in ISHARES Tr/MSCI EAFE SMALL CAP (NASDAQ:SCZ) by 18.5% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 7,365 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,150 shares during the period. Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC’s holdings in ISHARES Tr/MSCI EAFE SMALL CAP were worth $480,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. WealthShield LLC purchased a new position in shares of ISHARES Tr/MSCI EAFE SMALL CAP in the fourth quarter worth approximately $110,000. Exchange Capital Management Inc. purchased a new position in shares of ISHARES Tr/MSCI EAFE SMALL CAP in the first quarter worth approximately $117,000. Dynamic Advisors Solutions LLC purchased a new position in shares of ISHARES Tr/MSCI EAFE SMALL CAP in the fourth quarter worth approximately $203,000. Lido Advisors LLC purchased a new position in shares of ISHARES Tr/MSCI EAFE SMALL CAP in the first quarter worth approximately $203,000. Finally, Signaturefd LLC purchased a new position in shares of ISHARES Tr/MSCI EAFE SMALL CAP in the fourth quarter worth approximately $206,000.

Top 10 Small Cap Stocks To Invest In 2019: ATA Inc.(ATAI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  ATA Inc. (NASDAQ: ATAI) traded down about 14% Monday to set a new 52-week low of $0.82, based on revalued shares that closed at $0.72 on Friday but traded up about 250% on Monday at $2.53. Volume was more than 200 times the daily average of around 42,000. You’re on your own here to figure this one out.

Top 10 Small Cap Stocks To Invest In 2019: FuelCell Energy Inc.(FCEL)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Lange]

  FuelCell Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: FCEL) is due to share its most recent quarterly results first thing Thursday. Analysts are looking for a net loss of $0.19 per share and revenue of $11.32 million. Its shares traded at $1.17 on Friday's close, in a 52-week range of $1.00 to $2.49. The consensus price target is $3.15.

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap fuel cell stock FuelCell Energy Inc (NASDAQ: FCEL) reported Q4 and fiscal year ended October 31, 2017 earnings with Q4 total revenues being $47.9 million versus $24.5 million:    

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on FuelCell Energy (FCEL)

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Top 10 Small Cap Stocks To Invest In 2019: Petroquest Energy Inc(PQ)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  News headlines about Petroquest Energy (NYSE:PQ) have been trending somewhat positive recently, Accern Sentiment Analysis reports. Accern identifies negative and positive news coverage by reviewing more than 20 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. Petroquest Energy earned a coverage optimism score of 0.05 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave news stories about the energy company an impact score of 47.638327846877 out of 100, meaning that recent news coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an impact on the company’s share price in the near future.

Top 10 Small Cap Stocks To Invest In 2019: China Metro-Rural Holdings Limited(CNR)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Wall Street analysts expect that Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI) (TSE:CNR) will announce $1.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the current quarter, according to Zacks Investment Research. Seven analysts have provided estimates for Canadian National Railway’s earnings, with the highest EPS estimate coming in at $1.06 and the lowest estimate coming in at $0.97. Canadian National Railway reported earnings per share of $1.00 in the same quarter last year, which would suggest a positive year over year growth rate of 2%. The company is expected to announce its next quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 24th.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

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

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Several brokerages have updated their recommendations and price targets on shares of Canadian National Railway (TSE: CNR) in the last few weeks:

  2/11/2019 – Canadian National Railway was given a new C$117.00 price target on by analysts at Morgan Stanley. 1/31/2019 – Canadian National Railway was given a new C$116.00 price target on by analysts at BMO Capital Markets. They now have a “market perform” rating on the stock. 1/30/2019 – Canadian National Railway had its “outperform” rating reaffirmed by analysts at Raymond James. They now have a C$125.00 price target on the stock. 1/30/2019 – Canadian National Railway had its price target raised by analysts at TD Securities from C$125.00 to C$130.00. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock. 1/30/2019 – Canadian National Railway had its price target raised by analysts at CIBC from C$118.00 to C$119.00. 1/30/2019 – Canadian National Railway had its price target raised by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from C$116.00 to C$119.00. 1/14/2019 – Canadian National Railway had its price target raised by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from C$112.00 to C$116.00. 1/7/2019 – Canadian National Railway had its price target raised by analysts at Morgan Stanley from C$114.00 to C$115.00. 1/2/2019 – Canadian National Railway had its price target lowered by analysts at CIBC from C$120.00 to C$118.00. 12/19/2018 – Canadian National Railway had its price target lowered by analysts at National Bank Financial from C$119.00 to C$110.00. They now have a “sector perform” rating on the stock. 12/18/2018 – Canadian National Railway had its price target lowered by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from C$122.00 to C$112.00. 12/17/2018 – Canadian National Railway had its price target lowered by analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from C$130.00 to C$128.00.

  Shares of CNR stock traded up C$1.79 during tr

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Brokerages expect Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI) (TSE:CNR) to announce earnings of $1.03 per share for the current fiscal quarter, Zacks Investment Research reports. Eight analysts have issued estimates for Canadian National Railway’s earnings, with the highest EPS estimate coming in at $1.10 and the lowest estimate coming in at $0.97. Canadian National Railway reported earnings of $1.00 per share in the same quarter last year, which would indicate a positive year over year growth rate of 3%. The business is scheduled to issue its next quarterly earnings report on Tuesday, July 24th.

Top 10 Small Cap Stocks To Invest In 2019: Achillion Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ACHN)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACHN) shares saw strong trading volume on Friday . 40,274 shares changed hands during trading, a decline of 96% from the previous session’s volume of 999,221 shares.The stock last traded at $2.62 and had previously closed at $2.72.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Achillion Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ACHN) – Research analysts at B. Riley reduced their FY2018 EPS estimates for shares of Achillion Pharmaceuticals in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, May 2nd. B. Riley analyst M. Kumar now anticipates that the biopharmaceutical company will earn ($0.58) per share for the year, down from their previous estimate of ($0.55). B. Riley has a “Neutral” rating and a $3.50 price objective on the stock. B. Riley also issued estimates for Achillion Pharmaceuticals’ FY2019 earnings at ($0.64) EPS, FY2020 earnings at ($0.71) EPS, FY2021 earnings at ($0.70) EPS and FY2022 earnings at ($0.84) EPS.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Shares of Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACHN) have earned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the six research firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $4.50.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Achillion Pharmaceuticals (ACHN)

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

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Achillion Pharmaceuticals (ACHN)

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Top 10 Small Cap Stocks To Invest In 2019: Sky-mobi Limited(MOBI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Mobius (CURRENCY:MOBI) traded up 0.1% against the dollar during the 24 hour period ending at 18:00 PM ET on February 11th. In the last week, Mobius has traded 3.1% lower against the dollar. One Mobius token can now be bought for approximately $0.0095 or 0.00000260 BTC on exchanges including OTCBTC, Gate.io, Stellar Decentralized Exchange and BitMart. Mobius has a total market capitalization of $4.89 million and approximately $19,445.00 worth of Mobius was traded on exchanges in the last day.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Media coverage about Sky-mobi (NASDAQ:MOBI) has trended somewhat positive this week, according to Accern Sentiment. The research group ranks the sentiment of media coverage by analyzing more than twenty million news and blog sources. Accern ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of -1 to 1, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Sky-mobi earned a news impact score of 0.06 on Accern’s scale. Accern also assigned news stories about the software maker an impact score of 45.6853785900783 out of 100, meaning that recent media coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an impact on the company’s share price in the near term.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Mobius (CURRENCY:MOBI) traded 1.2% lower against the dollar during the 1-day period ending at 14:00 PM E.T. on August 21st. In the last week, Mobius has traded down 1.1% against the dollar. One Mobius token can now be bought for about $0.0291 or 0.00000452 BTC on popular cryptocurrency exchanges including GOPAX, BitMart, Gate.io and Stellar Decentralized Exchange. Mobius has a total market capitalization of $11.23 million and approximately $78,528.00 worth of Mobius was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Mobius (CURRENCY:MOBI) traded 12.4% lower against the US dollar during the 24 hour period ending at 17:00 PM E.T. on September 25th. One Mobius token can now be bought for approximately $0.0265 or 0.00000414 BTC on major cryptocurrency exchanges including Gate.io, Kucoin, BitMart and GOPAX. Over the last week, Mobius has traded up 8.8% against the US dollar. Mobius has a market cap of $10.22 million and approximately $69,762.00 worth of Mobius was traded on exchanges in the last day.

AlarmCom Hldg Inc (ALRM) Receives Consensus Recommendation of “Buy” from Analysts

AlarmCom Hldg Inc (NASDAQ:ALRM) has earned an average recommendation of “Buy” from the fourteen analysts that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating, ten have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 1 year price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $58.22.

Several analysts have recently weighed in on ALRM shares. Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on AlarmCom to $60.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, November 8th. ValuEngine upgraded AlarmCom from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, February 4th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded AlarmCom from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $58.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, January 1st. BidaskClub upgraded AlarmCom from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 17th. Finally, Raymond James boosted their price target on AlarmCom from $55.00 to $58.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 8th.

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In other AlarmCom news, CFO Steve Valenzuela sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, November 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $49.00, for a total transaction of $245,000.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 37,774 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,850,926. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, VP Daniel Ramos sold 5,446 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $50.77, for a total value of $276,493.42. Following the transaction, the vice president now owns 24,902 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,264,274.54. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 82,221 shares of company stock worth $4,400,514 in the last 90 days. 37.10% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale increased its position in AlarmCom by 202.9% during the 3rd quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 2,302 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $128,000 after purchasing an additional 1,542 shares during the period. Winslow Evans & Crocker Inc. acquired a new position in AlarmCom during the 4th quarter worth approximately $130,000. We Are One Seven LLC acquired a new position in AlarmCom during the 4th quarter worth approximately $167,000. Modera Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in AlarmCom during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $210,000. Finally, Riverhead Capital Management LLC increased its position in AlarmCom by 168.8% during the 3rd quarter. Riverhead Capital Management LLC now owns 4,300 shares of the software maker’s stock worth $247,000 after purchasing an additional 2,700 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 97.54% of the company’s stock.

Shares of AlarmCom stock remained flat at $$65.01 on Wednesday. The stock had a trading volume of 287,911 shares, compared to its average volume of 553,531. AlarmCom has a fifty-two week low of $33.39 and a fifty-two week high of $65.58. The stock has a market cap of $3.12 billion, a P/E ratio of 85.54, a P/E/G ratio of 3.35 and a beta of 1.48.

About AlarmCom

Alarm.com Holdings, Inc provides cloud-based software platform solutions for smart residential and commercial properties in the United States and internationally. The company provides interactive security solutions to control and monitor their security systems, as well as connected security devices, including door locks, motion sensors, thermostats, garage doors, and video cameras; and high definition video monitoring solutions, such as live streaming, smart clip capture, secure cloud storage, video alerts, continuous HD recording, and commercial video surveillance solutions.

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Is Scotts Miracle-Gro Company a Buy?

Marijuana stocks are popular on Wall Street these days, with even giant international corporations attempting to stake out a claim in the space with big investments. But you don't have to own a stock that sells marijuana or a product that contains it (or its compounds) to get exposure to the massive growth expected in the sector. You could, instead, focus on companies that provide products and services to marijuana growers. One name that has been working hard to grow its presence as such a supplier is The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (NYSE:SMG). Is it worth owning?

Picks and shovels

Scotts is probably best known for lawn-care products like Miracle-Gro and Roundup. But those are just two of the company's products that help individual consumers and professionals alike maintain beautifully manicured landscapes. It's the company's core business, accounting for roughly 80% of sales in fiscal 2018.

Image source: Getty Images.

The thing about this segment is that it's not exactly a big growth opportunity. In fact, slow growth is likely the best that can be expected. For example, revenue on this side of the business actually fell 2% in fiscal 2018 because of sales weakness at Scotts' four largest retail store customers. Although the company doesn't report the fourth largest retailer to which it sells, the top three are Home Depot, Lowe's, and Wal-Mart, which together account for roughly 60% of sales. It's little wonder that soft sales at just a handful of names was enough take a toll, here.   

This helps to explain why Scotts has decided that it wants a piece of the marijuana business. A little more diversification would be a good thing. In keeping with its roots, though, it hasn't invested in marijuana directly; it has built a sizable business selling hydroponic equipment. Hydroponics have long been used to grow marijuana, even before it was an increasingly legal thing to do. As the number of people growing pot expands, so too should the need for hydroponic equipment.

Very fast growth

Year over year, the company's hydroponic sales grew 20% in fiscal 2018. That number was even more incredible in the fiscal first quarter of 2019, when sales growth was a massive 84%. For reference, lawn care saw growth of 9% in the first quarter, a good number, but nothing like what the company's hydroponic division, known as Hawthorne, experienced.   

The problem is that the Hawthorne number isn't exactly a clean, apples-to-apples comparison, because Scotts has been using acquisitions to build its hydroponic business. That's clearly resulting in swift revenue growth, which should excite investors. But there's a downside to this approach, especially in an industry as hot as marijuana: price.

SMG Net Total Long Term Debt (Annual) data by YCharts.

Very quickly, Scotts has built its hydroponic business from, effectively, nothing to a roughly $600 million a year operation with some 1,800 retailer customers. It funded the acquisitions to get there with debt. Between fiscal 2014 and fiscal 2018, debt ballooned from $700 million (around 55% of the capital structure) to $1.9 billion (an unnerving 84% of the capital structure). At the end of the fiscal first quarter of 2019, long-term debt on the balance sheet had risen even further to nearly $2.2 billion -- nearly 90% of the capital structure.     

Scotts is clearly spending heavily to grow its Hawthorne business and using a lot of leverage to do so. And it looks like it may have overpaid in the race to create a market-leading hydroponic business to serve the marijuana sector. For example, despite the heavy investment, Hawthorne is losing money (pull-out acquisitions and sales in the segment were down nearly 30% in fiscal 2018). Worse, Scotts took a one-time charge in the fourth quarter of nearly $95 million to write down the value of the Hawthorne investment (which reduced shareholder equity and, thus, increased its leverage even further). Sales growth was down 10% year over year in the fiscal first quarter of 2019, too, though management expects the segment to swing back to positive growth shortly. 

SMG data by YCharts.

That said, management's comments on the division are less than inspiring. For example, during the fiscal first-quarter 2019 conference call, CEO Jim Hagedorn stated: "Let's be clear, I'm not claiming victory. We have a long way to go for that to happen, and we've learned the hard way that this industry has a lot of ups and downs." That sounds like Scotts rushed into a sector that it didn't fully understand on top of paying too much for the assets it bought (which is evidenced by the asset writedown). And even if Scotts manages to get the Hawthorne business moving in the right direction, it still has to deal with its heavily leveraged balance sheet.   

Not worth the risk

Scotts may, in fact, be taking an intelligent risk by leveraging up to rapidly build its hydroponics business, but for most investors, the early signs aren't particularly encouraging. That helps explain why Wall Street punished the shares in 2018, sending them lower by 42%. You could argue that the beaten-down stock is starting to, perhaps, look a little cheap. However, that will only be true if the big bet it's made on hydroponics pays off and it can get its balance sheet back in order. That's more uncertainty than most investors should be taking on, especially when there are less risky ways to get exposure to the marijuana space.

Zacks: Brokerages Expect MedEquities Realty Trust Inc (MRT) Will Announce Quarterly Sales of $13.95

Brokerages expect MedEquities Realty Trust Inc (NYSE:MRT) to post $13.95 million in sales for the current quarter, Zacks Investment Research reports. Three analysts have provided estimates for MedEquities Realty Trust’s earnings. The highest sales estimate is $14.35 million and the lowest is $13.19 million. MedEquities Realty Trust reported sales of $16.23 million in the same quarter last year, which would suggest a negative year-over-year growth rate of 14%. The firm is scheduled to announce its next earnings results on Wednesday, February 20th.

On average, analysts expect that MedEquities Realty Trust will report full year sales of $57.89 million for the current year, with estimates ranging from $57.15 million to $58.31 million. For the next year, analysts expect that the firm will report sales of $65.86 million, with estimates ranging from $62.16 million to $67.90 million. Zacks’ sales averages are an average based on a survey of sell-side research firms that that provide coverage for MedEquities Realty Trust.

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Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on MRT shares. JMP Securities set a $12.00 price objective on MedEquities Realty Trust and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, October 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. upgraded MedEquities Realty Trust from an “underweight” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 2nd. ValuEngine upgraded MedEquities Realty Trust from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 2nd. Raymond James cut MedEquities Realty Trust to a “market perform” rating in a report on Friday, January 4th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research upgraded MedEquities Realty Trust from a “strong sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 22nd. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. MedEquities Realty Trust has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $10.89.

NYSE:MRT traded down $0.04 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $10.80. 274,108 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 904,432. The stock has a market cap of $341.89 million, a PE ratio of 9.47 and a beta of 1.79. MedEquities Realty Trust has a 1-year low of $6.27 and a 1-year high of $11.85.

In related news, Director Bluemountain Capital Managemen sold 4,617 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $6.67, for a total value of $30,795.39. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders sold a total of 1,464,394 shares of company stock worth $15,566,349 over the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 3.00% of the company’s stock.

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MRT. Prudential Financial Inc. raised its position in shares of MedEquities Realty Trust by 41.0% in the 4th quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. now owns 2,603,235 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $17,806,000 after buying an additional 756,318 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. raised its position in shares of MedEquities Realty Trust by 14.8% in the 3rd quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 1,721,509 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $16,733,000 after buying an additional 222,015 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc raised its position in shares of MedEquities Realty Trust by 7.0% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc now owns 3,151,744 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $30,635,000 after buying an additional 205,635 shares during the period. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its position in shares of MedEquities Realty Trust by 7.0% in the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,151,744 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $30,635,000 after buying an additional 205,635 shares during the period. Finally, Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its position in shares of MedEquities Realty Trust by 21.5% in the 3rd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 1,020,302 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $9,917,000 after buying an additional 180,502 shares during the period. 91.77% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About MedEquities Realty Trust

MedEquities Realty Trust (NYSE: MRT) is a self-managed and self-administered real estate investment trust that invests in a diversified mix of healthcare properties and healthcare-related real estate debt investments. The Company's management team has extensive industry experience in acquiring, owning, developing, financing, operating, leasing and monetizing many types of healthcare properties and portfolios.

Featured Story: Net Margin

Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on MedEquities Realty Trust (MRT)

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

Buy KNR Constructions; target of Rs 250: Dolat Capital

Dolat Capital's research report on KNR Constructions

We downgrade our revenue estimates by 5.6%/ 13.7% for FY19E/ FY20E due to delay in receiving appointed date for 5 HAM projects. We upgrade/ maintain our FY19E/ FY20E EBITDA margins by 115bps to 19.1%/ 16% on the back of 9MFY19 results. We factor 11.6% tax rate for FY19E vs. 15% earlier. Accordingly, we upgrade/ downgrade our PAT estimates for FY19E/ FY20E by 4.3%/ 18.0%. We estimate revenue growth of 4.5%/ 30.1%/ 19.8% in FY19E/ FY20E/ FY21E. Our revenue estimates of `20.2 bn/ `26.3 bn for FY19E/ FY20E are higher than management guidance of `18-19bn/ `23-24bn, respectively.

Outlook

Though stock has corrected ~29% during YTDFY19, the upside potential likely to remain restricted in near term as we expect ~35%/ ~0.2% de-growth in PAT in Q4FY19E/ FY20E. However, considering healthy return ratios, well managed balance sheet, comfortable working capital, low D:E and quality management, we maintain BUY with a revised SOTP of `250 (Exhibit 1).

Read More First Published on Feb 15, 2019 03:18 pm

Apple is targeting April to launch its new video service, but HBO in doubt

Apple is in the final stages of preparing its new streaming video service, which will feature free original content for device owners and a subscription platform for existing digital services. But don't expect Netflix to be a part of it, and HBO's participation is also in doubt, according to people familiar with the matter.

Apple is aiming to launch service in April or early May. It will allow customers to sign up for existing digital streaming products and watch them in the iOS TV application, similar to Amazon's Prime Video Channels. Apple wants to simplify mobile video viewing by housing content in one app instead of forcing users to launch separate apps for each service.

Lions Gate's Starz; CBS, which owns Showtime; and Viacom are expected to offer subscription streaming services on the Apple platform, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private.

HBO may join its premium network brethren but isn't as far along in discussions with Apple, one of the people said. Apple hasn't offered HBO the same terms that Amazon offered, said the person.

While the exact disagreement between Apple and HBO isn't known, media companies have been concerned about data sharing and revenue splits as Apple tries to aggregate existing services in new ways. For instance, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Apple is pushing to take nearly 50 percent of revenue derived from a new subscription news service it's planning to launch later this year.

Apple is pushing for a 30 percent cut on every customer that subscribes to an over-the-top video service through its streaming service, three of the people said. Currently, Apple takes a 15 percent cut on revenue from customers that sign up to HBO Now, Netflix, and other streaming apps through the App Store, two people said.

Netflix and Hulu aren't part of Amazon Prime Video Channels and aren't expected to be a part of Apple's product either, according to people familiar with the matter.

Spokespeople at Apple, CBS, HBO, Hulu, Netflix, Starz and Viacom declined to comment.

Apple has jostled with traditional media companies for years over getting access to their content. CEO Tim Cook previewed Apple's new offering on the company's earnings conference call last month.

"We see huge changes in customer behavior taking place now and we think that it will accelerate as the year goes by with the breakdown of the cable bundle. I think that it'll likely take place at a much faster pace this year," Cook said. "We will participate in the original content world. We have signed a multi-year partnership with Oprah, but today I'm not really ready to extend that conversation beyond that point. We've hired some great people that we have a super amount of confidence in, and we'll have something to say more on that later."

Apple's deal with Oprah Winfrey and other big entertainment names like Reese Witherspoon and Steven Spielberg will give Apple device owners access to both film and TV content for no additional charge. Apple is planning to offer its original content free to device users, CNBC first reported in October. Apple planned to spend about $1 billion on originals last year, the Wall Street Journal reported. Apple has agreed to a number of movies and series already, including animated features, comedies, reality shows and dramas, most of which were compiled by Macworld here.

WATCH: Goldman's Rod Hall: Apple has its work cut out for it in services

show chapters Goldman's Rod Hall: Apple has its work cut out for it in services    11:27 AM ET Tue, 12 Feb 2019 | 04:55

One Of My Favorite "Lifetime Wealth Generators"

Over at my premium newsletter, High-Yield Investing, I have a portfolio reserved for a group of stocks I call "Lifetime Wealth Generators." 

Membership is reserved for special companies that can be reliably expected to continue growing dividends well into the next decade, regardless of what the economy throws at them.

Among other requirements, these businesses should have sturdy and visible cash flows that aren't terribly sensitive to external macro events. They should also have identifiable competitive advantages and operate in industries that are built to stand the test of time.

As you can imagine, there aren't many income stocks that meet this strict criteria.

But Realty Income (NYSE: O) is a textbook example. 

The company owns more than 5,000 properties leased to 260 different commercial tenants. I'm not talking about vulnerable mom-and-pop retailers either, but rock-solid renters such as Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT), Circle K, Kroger (NYSE: KR) and Home Depot (NYSE: HD). These properties are found in 49 states and leased to tenants in 48 different industries, insulating the company from a downturn in any one sector or geographic area.

Only a handful of these buildings (71 out of 5,694) are currently vacant. That's an occupancy rate of nearly 99%. In its 25-year history, Realty Income's occupancy has never once dipped below 96%.

Source: Realty Income

While many retail landlords are struggling, Realty Income was cut from a different cloth.

The company's properties are freestanding, not located in malls or shopping centers (which means better margins, lower rent volatility and less dependence on imperiled anchors). Better still, 96% of its rental income is shielded from e-commerce threats. After all, gas stations, drug stores and fast-food chains like Wendy's (Nasdaq: WEN) don't compete with Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN).

That's one reason why Realty Income has delivered positive earnings growth in 21 of the past 22 years. And its dividend track record is second to none:

• 583 straight monthly distributions over the past 49 years 
• 100 dividend increases since the IPO in 1994 
• 85 consecutive quarterly dividend hikes

It has been 25 years since Realty Income first listed on the New York Stock Exchange. And over that quarter-century, it has now raised dividends an even 100 times. That milestone was reached just last month when the monthly payout was lifted to $0.2255 per share.

If you want an idea of the stock's long-term wealth-creating power, just look at what it has already done over the past two decades.

An investor who bought Realty Income in 1999 would now be receiving a yield-on-cost of 26% on their initial investment. And with a dividend payback of 300%, they would have already recouped their outlay three times over from dividends alone -- not counting share price appreciation.

It's no wonder then that the company bills itself as "the monthly dividend company." 

Action to Take 
Realty Income remains one of my favorite income-producing stocks. 

My High-Yield Investing subscribers and I have held Realty Income in our portfolio for more than five years. In that time, we've earned more than 100% in total returns while our yield-on-cost has risen to 6.7%. 
And with a track record like this, I think we'll see plenty more dividend increases and share price gains in the future.

Management invests an average of $1.5 billion each year to acquire 400-500 new properties. By the way, the company is very selective, pulling the trigger on just 5% of the deals it runs across (meaning 19 out of every 20 opportunities reviewed are rejected).

More properties equal additional funds from operation (FFO) equal higher dividends. This winning formula allows for a prudent 3% to 4% step-up in dividends each year.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019

tags:MMP,ECA,WLL,COP,MRO,WPZ,APA,RIG,RRC,HAL,

When Saudi Arabia and Russia announced a new policy to revive oil production last week, one thing was missing: most of the other partners in their grand coalition.

With oil supplies tightening and prices soaring, the two countries agreed to restore some of the output they halted as part of an accord with 22 other producers, drawn from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and beyond. The trouble is, most of those nations weren’t consulted and several may have cause to object to the proposal when they meet in Vienna next month.

“It might be a contentious meeting,” said Ed Morse, head of commodities research at Citigroup Inc. in New York.

The matter is particularly sensitive because Russia and the Saudis are proposing raising production to make up for losses from other members, notably a worsening slump in Venezuelan supply and a potential drop in Iran as renewed U.S. sanctions kick in. Those countries have nothing to gain from looser output caps, and plenty to lose if oil prices extend Friday’s steep decline.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Magellan Midstream Partners L.P.(MMP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer, Travis Hoium, and Chuck Saletta]

  Often a high yield is an indication of a stock that's facing some sort of trouble -- but not always. If you take the time, you can find high-yield stocks worth buying if you look in the right places. For example, decidedly low-tech Lamar Advertising Company (NASDAQ:LAMR), beaten-up midstream player Magellan Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE:MMP), and renewable power-focused TerraForm Power, Inc. (NASDAQ:TERP) come from vastly different industries. However, each of these high-yield stocks has a solid business and good growth prospects.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  This process starts with gathering pipelines, which transports a well's production to central processing locations that separate oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and water. The oil then moves by truck, pipeline, or tanker to storage facilities while it waits to go through a refinery or petrochemical complex and get turned into fuel, chemicals, or another oil-based product. While oil companies tend to own some of these midstream assets, especially gathering lines and processing facilities, third parties hold a significant portion of the energy infrastructure in North America. These companies often charge fees for the logistical services provided to oil companies. Master limited partnerships (MLPs) are a noteworthy owner of these assets in the U.S. and most commonly found in the energy midstream sector. MLPs are tax-advantaged entities that pass through most of their income to investors. The largest MLP by enterprise value is Enterprise Products Partners (NYSE:EPD), while other notable ones include Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP) and MPLX (NYSE:MPLX). 

• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  Investing when you are young is generally focused on growing your nest egg. And as you near retirement, that starts to change to a goal of living off your savings. Doing that can be a lot easier if you focus on dividend-paying companies backed by stable businesses. Here are three high-yield stocks that fit that bill: Magellan Midstream Partners LP (NYSE:MMP), Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE:DUK), and Procter & Gamble (NYSE:PG).

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in shares of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE:MMP) by 35.9% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 23,614 shares of the pipeline company’s stock after acquiring an additional 6,235 shares during the quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Magellan Midstream Partners were worth $1,378,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Encana Corporation(ECA)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

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

  Get Encana alerts: Encana Corp (ECA) Rising Higher 7.95% Over the Past Four Weeks (fisherbusinessnews.com) Encana Corporation (ECA) Most Active Stock Price trades 19.10% off from 200- SMA (nasdaqchronicle.com) Mid-Day Movers –: Encana Corporation (NYSE:ECA), CSX Corporation (NASDAQ:CSX), MGIC Investment Corporation … (journalfinance.net) Featured Stock: Encana Corporation (ECA) (stockquote.review) Active Stock Evaluation – Encana Corporation (NYSE: ECA) (financerater.com)

  ECA has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Morgan Stanley raised shares of Encana from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and upped their price target for the company from $15.00 to $18.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Evercore ISI raised shares of Encana from an “in-line” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their price target for the company from $10.84 to $16.00 in a report on Wednesday, March 7th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Encana from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Scotiabank raised shares of Encana from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and upped their price target for the company from $13.00 to $14.00 in a report on Friday, February 16th. Finally, Goldman Sachs cut their price target on shares of Encana from $17.25 to $14.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Friday, April 13th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating, twenty-two have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. The stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $15.28.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Electra (CURRENCY:ECA) traded down 5.1% against the U.S. dollar during the 24-hour period ending at 15:00 PM E.T. on June 12th. Over the last seven days, Electra has traded down 25.7% against the U.S. dollar. Electra has a market cap of $34.53 million and approximately $134,011.00 worth of Electra was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One Electra coin can currently be bought for $0.0013 or 0.00000020 BTC on exchanges including CryptoBridge, Fatbtc, CoinFalcon and Coinhouse.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Encana (NYSE:ECA) (TSE:ECA) had its target price raised by Morgan Stanley from $16.00 to $20.00 in a research report report published on Wednesday morning. Morgan Stanley currently has a buy rating on the oil and gas company’s stock.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Electra (CURRENCY:ECA) traded 8% higher against the U.S. dollar during the 1-day period ending at 22:00 PM ET on June 20th. In the last week, Electra has traded 12.6% higher against the U.S. dollar. Electra has a market capitalization of $34.87 million and $128,874.00 worth of Electra was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One Electra coin can now be purchased for $0.0014 or 0.00000020 BTC on exchanges including Fatbtc, Novaexchange, CoinFalcon and CryptoBridge.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Encana Corp. (NYSE: ECA) may be one of the most undervalued companies in the energy patch. The Canadian energy player was given upside of almost 60% in a call from Merrill Lynch that noted the innovative shale leader has an infrastructure advantage and rising free cash flow.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Cenovus Energy (NYSE:CVE) and Encana (NYSE:ECA) are both large-cap oils/energy companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, valuation, profitability, dividends, earnings and analyst recommendations.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Whiting Petroleum Corporation(WLL)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.GURUFOCUS.COM]

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

  These are the top 5 holdings of DFT Energy LPWhiting Petroleum Corp (WLL) - 400,000 shares, 18.19% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 2.56%Hess Corp (HES) - 170,000 shares, 11.57% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 30.77%Noble Energy Inc (NBL) - 200,000 shares, 8.15% of the total portfolio. Southwestern Energy Co (SWN) - 1,360,000 shares, 7.92% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 4.62%Anadarko Petroleum Corp (APC)
• [By Logan Wallace]

  Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL)’s share price gapped down before the market opened on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $46.75, but opened at $48.93. Whiting Petroleum shares last traded at $50.12, with a volume of 80658 shares trading hands.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  ClariVest Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 53,424 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,816,000.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Whiting Petroleum Co. (NYSE:WLL) – Equities research analysts at Piper Jaffray Companies lifted their Q2 2018 earnings estimates for Whiting Petroleum in a research note issued on Sunday, May 20th. Piper Jaffray Companies analyst K. Harrison now forecasts that the oil and gas exploration company will earn $0.85 per share for the quarter, up from their previous forecast of $0.33. Piper Jaffray Companies currently has a “Hold” rating and a $46.00 target price on the stock. Piper Jaffray Companies also issued estimates for Whiting Petroleum’s Q3 2018 earnings at $0.97 EPS, Q4 2018 earnings at $1.16 EPS, FY2018 earnings at $3.90 EPS, Q1 2019 earnings at $1.70 EPS, Q2 2019 earnings at $1.48 EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $1.47 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $1.59 EPS and FY2019 earnings at $6.24 EPS.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Shares of Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) have been given an average rating of “Buy” by the thirty-two ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, thirteen have given a hold recommendation, fifteen have given a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $46.58.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) – Seaport Global Securities increased their Q1 2019 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Whiting Petroleum in a report issued on Wednesday, May 23rd. Seaport Global Securities analyst M. Kelly now expects that the oil and gas exploration company will post earnings of $0.98 per share for the quarter, up from their previous estimate of $0.55. Seaport Global Securities has a “Buy” rating and a $40.00 price target on the stock. Seaport Global Securities also issued estimates for Whiting Petroleum’s Q2 2019 earnings at $0.87 EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $0.85 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $0.89 EPS and FY2019 earnings at $3.58 EPS.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: ConocoPhillips(COP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) worked hard to turn its business around during the oil market downturn. We saw the first glimpse of its ability to thrive, now that prices are on the upswing, at the end of last year when the U.S. oil giant reported $545 million, or $0.45 per share, of adjusted earnings. That result marked a significant improvement from the loss it had posted in the previous year.

• [By The Ticker Tape]

  TD Ameritrade clients appeared to take some profits in multiple names during the period. Oil companies were popular sells with ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP), BP  PLC (ADR) (NYSE: BP), National-Oilwell Varco Inc. (NYSE: NOV), and Transocean LTD (NYSE: RIG) all net sold. Oil prices traded near three-year highs on higher global demand and possible OPEC-led production cuts. COP and BP both traded at multi-year highs, while NOV and RIG reached 52-week highs, enticing clients to take profits in all four names. Alcoa Corp. (NYSE: AA) traded at levels not seen since before the financial crisis following proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum, and was net sold. For the third month in a row, Facebook, Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) was net sold after CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before Congress regarding the misuse of user data and a beat on earnings.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

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

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Marathon Oil Corporation(MRO)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO), likewise, said it would stick with its $2.3 billion drilling budget, which is enough money to grow oil and gas production in the U.S. by 25% to 30% versus last year. Because of that capital discipline, Marathon is on pace to produce more than $500 million in excess cash this year, and that's assuming crude averages $60 a barrel.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO) also has cashed in on the improvement in oil prices. Shares of the U.S. oil company are up more than 80% over the past year -- making it one of the best-performing oil stocks of 2018 -- due to the impact higher oil prices are having on its cash flow. Like EOG, Marathon Oil set its budget to run on $50 oil, which has it on pace to produce $500 million in free cash at $60 a barrel and even more at current prices.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Marathon Oil (MRO)

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

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO) is another oil company built to thrive at lower oil prices. At $50 oil, Marathon can generate enough cash to grow production at a 10% to 14% annual pace for the next several years while living within cash flow. At $60 oil, Marathon's plan would generate about $500 million in free cash flow. With oil above that level even after the recent OPEC chatter, Marathon is on pace to produce a windfall of excess cash this year. 

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Williams Partners L.P.(WPZ)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Williams Partners (NYSE: WPZ) and Targa Resources (NYSE:TRGP) are both large-cap oils/energy companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, dividends, institutional ownership, earnings, analyst recommendations, profitability and valuation.

• [By Tyler Crowe, Jason Hall, and Matthew DiLallo]

  Matt DiLallo (Williams Companies): This natural gas pipeline giant has had a slow start in 2018. Through the first half of the year, cash flow at the company's MLP Williams Partners (NYSE:WPZ) has only increased by about 2%, due mainly to recent asset sales. However, with a major expansion project coming on line, cash flow growth should accelerate in the second half of the year. That project and others in the pipeline have the company on track to grow cash flow 9% in 2018 and another 13% next year.

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Simpler organizational structures could yield significant benefits for individual investors. In addition to being easier to follow and understand, it will make it easier than ever to own some of the most important pieces of energy infrastructure in the United States. The proposed merger between Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) and Williams Partners LP (NYSE:WPZ) is a great example, as it owns some of the best natural gas infrastructure in the United States. Here's why investors should be bullish on the multi-billion dollar merger.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Apache Corporation(APA)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Kinder Morgan announced that it signed a letter of intent with private equity-backed EagleClaw Midstream Ventures and Apache Corporation (NYSE:APA) to develop the Permian Highway Pipeline Project. The proposed $2 billion, 430-mile pipeline would move 2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day from the Permian to the Gulf Coast. However, the partners are evaluating the feasibility of building a larger pipeline that could move even more gas. Kinder Morgan and EagleClaw would each initially own a 50% stake in the project, though Apache has the option to acquire a 33% interest from those partners. Apache has committed to supply the pipeline with about a quarter of its initial capacity, while EagleClaw has also agreed to be a significant shipper on the proposed line, which could enter service by the end of 2020.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Ramsay Stattman Vela & Price Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Apache Co. (NYSE:APA) in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund purchased 4,704 shares of the energy company’s stock, valued at approximately $220,000.

• [By Jason Hall, Tyler Crowe, and John Bromels]

  If you're shopping for great buys in the oil patch right now, three Motley Fool contributors think you should take a close look at tech-heavy but asset-light oilfield services provider Core Laboratories N.V. (NYSE:CLB), value-priced independent oil producer Apache Corporation (NYSE:APA), and refining giant Marathon Petroleum Corp (NYSE:MPC). 

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Transocean Inc.(RIG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  The stock market was mixed on Friday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbing to record heights even as the Nasdaq Composite gave back some of its recent gains. Investors largely continued to play a waiting game, as little in the way of new economic data or readings on the geopolitical environment impeded generally bullish sentiment. Whenever stocks reach lofty heights, pauses are inevitable, but some were nevertheless able to climb higher. Transocean (NYSE:RIG), Novavax (NASDAQ:NVAX), and Steelcase (NYSE:SCS) were among the best performers on the day. Here's why they did so well.

• [By Matthew DiLallo, Jason Hall, and Tyler Crowe]

  The good news is spending is starting to bounce back in some segments, including offshore. Transocean (NYSE:RIG) recently pointed out that offshore investments in the first half of 2018 actually exceeded total 2016 offshore spending, and full-year 2018 spending is expected to be about 50% higher than last year. But unlike shale development, which can lead to new production in weeks, it's going to take years for new offshore spending to bear results. 

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Offshore drilling services company Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) announced Tuesday that it has agreed to acquire competitor Ocean Rig UDW Inc. (NASDAQ: ORIG) in a deal valued at $2.7 billion. Transocean will pay approximately $2.7 billion for Ocean Rig, including $12.75 and 1.6128 shares of newly issued Transocean stock for each share of Ocean Rig.

• [By Spencer Israel]

  Oil companies were popular sells for the month, including ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP), BP p.l.c. (NYSE: BP), and Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) all net sold. Investors also net sold Alcoa Corp. (NYSE: AA), Starbucks Corporation (NYSE: CMG). and Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) in the midst of CEO Mark Zuckerberg's testimony before Congress. 

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  An issue of Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) debt rose 1.3% as a percentage of its face value during trading on Wednesday. The debt issue has a 6.8% coupon and will mature on March 15, 2038. The debt is now trading at $84.56 and was trading at $83.13 one week ago. Price moves in a company’s debt in credit markets often predict parallel moves in its stock price.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Range Resources Corporation(RRC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Range Resources Corp. (NYSE:RRC) – Equities research analysts at Piper Jaffray Companies issued their Q3 2018 earnings per share estimates for shares of Range Resources in a report issued on Sunday, October 7th. Piper Jaffray Companies analyst K. Harrison expects that the oil and gas exploration company will post earnings of $0.17 per share for the quarter. Piper Jaffray Companies currently has a “Buy” rating and a $27.00 target price on the stock. Piper Jaffray Companies also issued estimates for Range Resources’ Q4 2018 earnings at $0.16 EPS, FY2018 earnings at $0.88 EPS, Q1 2019 earnings at $0.38 EPS, Q2 2019 earnings at $0.33 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $0.47 EPS, FY2019 earnings at $1.58 EPS, Q1 2020 earnings at $0.63 EPS, Q2 2020 earnings at $0.42 EPS, Q3 2020 earnings at $0.45 EPS and FY2020 earnings at $2.02 EPS.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Range Resources Corp. (NYSE:RRC) has received an average recommendation of “Hold” from the thirty ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have issued a hold rating, thirteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average twelve-month price objective among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $22.11.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Toronto Dominion Bank increased its holdings in Range Resources Corp. (NYSE:RRC) by 25.2% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 123,421 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock after purchasing an additional 24,839 shares during the period. Toronto Dominion Bank’s holdings in Range Resources were worth $1,794,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Range Resources Corp. (NYSE: RRC) fell about 4.4% Tuesday to post a new 52-week low of $14.43 after closing at $15.09 on Monday. The 52-week high is $34.93. Volume of about 15 million was nearly double the daily average of around 7.7 million shares traded. The company had no specific news.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Halliburton Company(HAL)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Smith Shellnut Wilson LLC ADV purchased a new position in shares of Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) during the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 12,059 shares of the oilfield services company’s stock, valued at approximately $489,000.

• [By Jason Hall]

  In this week's episode of Industry Focus: Energy, host Nick Sciple and Motley Fool contributor Jason Hall explain. Find out how the industry works, the biggest threats and opportunities in the industry today, and what long-term investors should know before buying in. Also, the hosts take a deep dive on two of the biggest companies in the space, Schlumberger (NYSE:SLB) and Halliburton (NYSE:HAL). Learn what differentiates the two, which one has performed better lately, and, of course, which company looks like the better long-term buy.

• [By Chris Lange]

  The stock posting the largest daily percentage loss in the S&P 500 ahead of the close was Halliburton Co. (NYSE: HAL) which fell about 6% to $37.05. The stock's 52-week range is $36.82 to $57.86. Volume was about 18 million compared to the daily average volume of about 8 million.

• [By Jason Hall, Tyler Crowe, and Matthew DiLallo]

  Not only are these pipeline issues impacting producers, but they're also starting to pinch the profits of oil-field service companies. Halliburton (NYSE:HAL), for example, recently said that while "we thought there would be a downturn in activity [in the Permian] due to budget constraints and takeaway issues... it's more than we expected." Because of those issues and some others, Halliburton's third-quarter results will come in $0.08 to $0.10 per share below expectations. Meanwhile, its outlook for 2019 is dimming due to the slowdown. 

• [By Max Byerly]

  Halliburton (NYSE:HAL)’s share price gapped up prior to trading on Friday . The stock had previously closed at $42.90, but opened at $44.92. Halliburton shares last traded at $46.22, with a volume of 15095300 shares traded.

• [By ]

  Selected examples: (AAL) , (CL) , (DRI) , (HAL) , (LUV) , (MCD) , (MMM) , (SBUX) . Darden and 3M are holdings in Jim Cramer's Action Alerts PLUS.

  What Trade War?

  Notes Goldman: "Firms expressed optimism that trade conflict would be resolved. Commentary emphasized the support for a free trade environment. Company management did not expect the disputes would escalate and affect global economic growth."

Best Performing Stocks To Own Right Now

tags:ITT,EURN,STC,JWN,BSET,

June 20, 2018: The S&P 500 closed up 0.2% at 2,767.37. The DJIA closed down 0.2% at 24,658.21. Separately, the Nasdaq was up 0.7% at 7,781.51.

Wednesday was a mixed day for the broad U.S. markets, but ultimately ended positive. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq recovered slightly from their losses earlier this week, but not so much for the Dow. Crude oil recovered as well and is just below $66. The S&P 500 sectors were mostly positive. The most positive sectors were real estate and energy, up 1.1% and 0.6%, respectively. The worst performing sectors were financials and materials, down 0.2% and 0.3%, respectively.

Crude oil was last seen trading up 1.3% at $65.91.

Gold was last seen trading down 0.6% at $1,271.30.

The stock posting the largest daily percentage loss in the S&P 500 ahead of the close was Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ: SBUX) which fell about 9% to $52.22. The stock's 52-week range is $51.58 to $61.94. Volume was 60 million compared to the daily average volume of 8.1 million.

Best Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: ITT Corporation(ITT)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Wedge Capital Management L L P NC cut its holdings in shares of ITT Inc (NYSE:ITT) by 5.6% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 593,183 shares of the conglomerate’s stock after selling 35,351 shares during the quarter. Wedge Capital Management L L P NC’s holdings in ITT were worth $31,006,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Lisa Levin] Companies Reporting Before The Bell Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ: CELG) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.96 per share on revenue of $3.46 billion. Aon plc (NYSE: AON) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $2.8 per share on revenue of $2.93 billion. American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AXL) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.81 per share on revenue of $1.75 billion. Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.88 per share on revenue of $9.27 billion. LifePoint Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: LPNT) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.13 per share on revenue of $1.62 billion. V.F. Corporation (NYSE: VFC) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.65 per share on revenue of $2.90 billion. Newell Brands Inc. (NYSE: NWL) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.26 per share on revenue of $3.05 billion. Titan International, Inc. (NYSE: TWI) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.04 per share on revenue of $407.27 million. Boise Cascade Company (NYSE: BCC) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.45 per share on revenue of $1.09 billion. Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE: LNG) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.39 per share on revenue of $1.59 billion. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBOE) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.24 per share on revenue of $308.05 million. ITT Inc. (NYSE: ITT) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.73 per share on revenue of $683.96 million. Fred's, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRED) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.19 per share on revenue of $551.00 million. Virtu Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIRT) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.52 per share on revenue of $288.31 million. Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE: CQP) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.57 per share on revenue of $1.38 billion. Genesis Energy, L.P
• [By Logan Wallace]

  Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Public School Empls Retrmt SYS purchased a new stake in shares of ITT Inc (NYSE:ITT) in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm purchased 23,591 shares of the conglomerate’s stock, valued at approximately $1,233,000.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Media coverage about ITT (NYSE:ITT) has trended somewhat positive recently, according to Accern. The research group scores the sentiment of press coverage by analyzing more than twenty million news and blog sources in real-time. Accern ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of -1 to 1, with scores closest to one being the most favorable. ITT earned a coverage optimism score of 0.24 on Accern’s scale. Accern also assigned press coverage about the conglomerate an impact score of 47.7240368211523 out of 100, meaning that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the stock’s share price in the next several days.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  ITT Inc (NYSE:ITT) saw unusually large options trading activity on Wednesday. Traders acquired 1,884 put options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 1,246% compared to the average volume of 140 put options.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Intelligent Trading Foundation (CURRENCY:ITT) traded down 96.4% against the US dollar during the 1 day period ending at 12:00 PM Eastern on July 4th. During the last seven days, Intelligent Trading Foundation has traded up 9.8% against the US dollar. One Intelligent Trading Foundation token can currently be bought for approximately $0.0502 or 0.00000754 BTC on exchanges including Mercatox, IDEX and COSS. Intelligent Trading Foundation has a market capitalization of $492,213.00 and approximately $1,654.00 worth of Intelligent Trading Foundation was traded on exchanges in the last day.

Best Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: Euronav NV(EURN)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Seanergy Maritime (NASDAQ: SHIP) and Euronav (NYSE:EURN) are both small-cap transportation companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their risk, valuation, institutional ownership, earnings, dividends, profitability and analyst recommendations.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Check out these big penny stock gainers and losers

  Losers Teradyne, Inc. (NYSE: TER) fell 10.8 percent to $37.02 in pre-market trading after the company issued downbeat Q2 guidance. Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE: EW) fell 9.2 percent to $122.29 in pre-market trading. Edwards Lifesciences reported better-than-expected results for its first quarter, but issued weak earnings guidance for the second quarter. New Gold Inc. (NYSE: NGD) fell 8.8 percent to $2.30 in pre-market trading after rising 4.13 percent on Tuesday. Gold Fields Limited (ADR) (NYSE: GFI) fell 8.6 percent to $3.61 in pre-market trading. Natus Medical Incorporated (NASDAQ: BABY) fell 8.2 percent to $32.95 in pre-market trading after the company issued weak forecast for the second quarter. Atossa Genetics Inc. (NASDAQ: ATOS) shares fell 7.9 percent to $3.50 in pre-market trading after climbing 27.09 percent on Tuesday. Bright Scholar Education Holdings Limited (NYSE: BEDU) shares fell 6.7 percent to $13.58 in pre-market trading after reporting Q1 results. Sangamo Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: SGMO) fell 5.9 percent to $16.75 in pre-market trading following announcement of a $200 million common stock offering. Foresight Autonomous Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ: FRSX) shares fell 5.7 percent to $3.29 in pre-market trading after declining 3.32 percent on Tuesday. Euronav NV (NYSE: EURN) fell 4.8 percent to $8.40 in pre-market trading. Limelight Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: LLNW) shares fell 4.3 percent to $4.69 in pre-market trading. Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc (NASDAQ: GLPI) shares fell 4.1 percent to $32.92 in pre-market trading after the company issued downbeat quarterly results and reported the retirement of CFO William Clifford

Best Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: Stewart Information Services Corporation(STC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  StarChain (CURRENCY:STC) traded 13% higher against the U.S. dollar during the one day period ending at 22:00 PM E.T. on June 3rd. StarChain has a total market capitalization of $0.00 and approximately $3.20 million worth of StarChain was traded on exchanges in the last day. One StarChain token can currently be purchased for about $0.0814 or 0.00001057 BTC on major cryptocurrency exchanges. In the last seven days, StarChain has traded 1.2% lower against the U.S. dollar.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Sangoma Technologies (CVE:STC) has been assigned a C$2.00 price objective by investment analysts at Acumen Capital in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday. The brokerage currently has a “buy” rating on the stock. Acumen Capital’s target price suggests a potential upside of 70.94% from the stock’s current price.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  StarChain (CURRENCY:STC) traded down 2.8% against the dollar during the one day period ending at 21:00 PM Eastern on May 31st. One StarChain token can now be bought for about $0.0729 or 0.00000971 BTC on exchanges. StarChain has a market cap of $0.00 and approximately $2.12 million worth of StarChain was traded on exchanges in the last day. In the last seven days, StarChain has traded down 18.5% against the dollar.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  StarChain (CURRENCY:STC) traded 8.7% lower against the US dollar during the 24-hour period ending at 20:00 PM E.T. on May 14th. StarChain has a market cap of $0.00 and approximately $5.27 million worth of StarChain was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One StarChain token can now be purchased for about $0.0925 or 0.00001062 BTC on major cryptocurrency exchanges. During the last seven days, StarChain has traded down 16.3% against the US dollar.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

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

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  StarChain (CURRENCY:STC) traded 1.1% higher against the U.S. dollar during the 1-day period ending at 20:00 PM E.T. on September 4th. StarChain has a market cap of $0.00 and approximately $199,071.00 worth of StarChain was traded on exchanges in the last day. One StarChain token can currently be bought for about $0.0119 or 0.00000162 BTC on major cryptocurrency exchanges. Over the last seven days, StarChain has traded up 29% against the U.S. dollar.

Best Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: Nordstrom Inc.(JWN)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Lange]

  The S&P 500 stock posting the largest daily percentage loss ahead of the close Monday was Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) which traded down about 2% at $51.92. The stock's 52-week range is $37.79 to $54.00. Volume was 2.3 million compared to the daily average volume of 2.0 million.

• [By Garrett Baldwin]
  Crude oil prices continue to remain in focus after Brent crude hit $80.00 per barrel. The benchmark crude touched $80.00, as markets are concerned about the impact renewed Iranian sanctions will have on global supply. French oil giant Total announced Wednesday that it was abandoning a gas project in Iran after failing to obtain a waiver from the Trump administration to do business in Iran. The sanctions are expected to decline global output at a time that OPEC is already working diligently to push oil prices higher by containing excessive global production. Four Stocks to Watch Today: JCP, BABA, F, KR Shares of JCPenney (NYSE: JCP) are ticking higher after its earnings report before the bell. Yesterday, retail companies were stunned by the 11% jump for its rival Macy's Inc. (NYSE: M) stock thanks to a strong first-quarter report. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE: BABA) is generating a lot of buzz as investors monitor trade relations between the United States and China. BABA stock had slumped by 18% thanks to trade restrictions on Chinese companies. Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) announced it will restart production of its popular F-150 pickup truck at its Dearborn, Mich., facility. The company recently suspended operations after a fire damaged supplies needed for manufacturing. The F-150 is the most popular consumer vehicle in the United States. In an effort to beat back the growth of Wal-Mart and Amazon, grocery giant Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR) announced a deal to purchase a 5% stake in British online supermarket Ocado. The deal will allow Kroger to utilize the UK firm's warehouse automation technology in the United States and improve its supply chain costs. Look for additional earnings reports from Applied Materials Inc. (Nasdaq: AMAT), Nordstrom Inc. (NYSE: JWN), The Children's Place Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCE), Teekay Corp. (NYSE: TK), and Quantum Corp. (NYSE: QTM).

  Follow Money Morning on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

• [By Jim Crumly]

  As for individual stocks, NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) reported yet another quarter of red-hot growth, and Nordstrom (NYSE:JWN) surprised observers with solid quarterly results.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Breaking news

  Deere & Company (NYSE: DE) reported weaker-than-expected results for its second quarter. Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT) reported stronger-than-expected results for its second quarter, but issued weak sales outlook for the third quarter. Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN) reported upbeat results for its first quarter. Comparable-store sales rose 0.6 percent. Boot Barn Holdings Inc (NYSE: BOOT) disclosed a 7.2 million common stock offering.

• [By Daniel B. Kline]

  Nordstrom (NYSE:JWN) had a good quarter and raised its forecast for the full year. That's a combination that investors generally like, and shares in the company rose significantly after the company reported.

Best Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: Bassett Furniture Industries Incorporated(BSET)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Headlines about Bassett Furniture Industries (NASDAQ:BSET) have been trending somewhat positive recently, Accern Sentiment Analysis reports. Accern rates the sentiment of media coverage by reviewing more than twenty million blog and news sources in real time. Accern ranks coverage of companies on a scale of -1 to 1, with scores closest to one being the most favorable. Bassett Furniture Industries earned a news impact score of 0.08 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave news coverage about the company an impact score of 46.0883846805754 out of 100, indicating that recent media coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an impact on the stock’s share price in the next several days.

Hochman Cole Investment Advisors Inc. Takes Position in Schwab US Small-Cap ETF (SCHA)

Hochman Cole Investment Advisors Inc. bought a new stake in Schwab US Small-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:SCHA) in the fourth quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor bought 3,299 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $200,000.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Piershale Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Schwab US Small-Cap ETF in the third quarter valued at $70,597,000. Gemmer Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Schwab US Small-Cap ETF by 24.3% in the fourth quarter. Gemmer Asset Management LLC now owns 402,935 shares of the company’s stock valued at $24,450,000 after buying an additional 78,703 shares in the last quarter. AJ Wealth Strategies LLC increased its stake in shares of Schwab US Small-Cap ETF by 6.1% in the third quarter. AJ Wealth Strategies LLC now owns 354,321 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,989,000 after buying an additional 20,433 shares in the last quarter. Bronfman E.L. Rothschild L.P. increased its stake in shares of Schwab US Small-Cap ETF by 3.2% in the third quarter. Bronfman E.L. Rothschild L.P. now owns 345,772 shares of the company’s stock valued at $26,337,000 after buying an additional 10,608 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Klingenstein Fields & Co. LLC increased its stake in shares of Schwab US Small-Cap ETF by 19.1% in the fourth quarter. Klingenstein Fields & Co. LLC now owns 304,956 shares of the company’s stock valued at $18,505,000 after buying an additional 48,983 shares in the last quarter.

Get Schwab US Small-Cap ETF alerts:

Schwab US Small-Cap ETF stock opened at $68.46 on Friday. Schwab US Small-Cap ETF has a 12-month low of $57.04 and a 12-month high of $78.34.

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About Schwab US Small-Cap ETF

Schwab U.S. Small-Cap ETF (the Fund) seeks to track the total return of the Dow Jones U.S. Small-Cap Total Stock Market Index. The Dow Jones U.S. Small-Cap Total Stock Market Index includes the components ranked 751-2500 by full market capitalization. The Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index.

Read More: 12b-1 Fees

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SCHA? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Schwab US Small-Cap ETF (NYSEARCA:SCHA).

Borrowers Beware: This About-Face on Payday Loans Could Cost You

One of the most dangerous financial traps you can fall into involves short-term loans. For centuries, loan sharks have been willing to lend small amounts of money for short periods of time, charging usurious rates of interest in exchange for acting as a lender of last resort for borrowers who had no other options. Since the early 20th century, lenders charging interest rates of up to 500% per year attracted the attention of policymakers looking to prevent predatory lending practices, but that hasn't stopped the industry from continuing to evolve into what it looks like today.

In recent years, it looked as though short-term lenders were on their way out. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau had drafted and proposed rules back in 2016 that would have put restrictions on payday lenders to prevent the endless cycle of loans that rack up fees and interest charges in such a destructive way. Yet now, the CFPB is taking steps to pull back that rule, citing what it sees as a better choice of allowing free-market competition to improve the state of affairs in the payday lending industry.

Image source: Getty Images.

What the CFPB originally sought to do

The 2016 rules that the CFPB proposed [opens PDF] were intended to cover not only traditional payday loans but also similar lending practices, including auto title loans, deposit advance products, and other high-cost installment and open-end loans. The original proposal noted that payday loans typically have due dates within two weeks and carry annual percentage rates of 390% or higher. Auto title loans with similar provisions give borrowers only 30 days to repay and often have rates that work out to around 300% on an annualized basis. The need to keep coming back and borrowing when the original loan comes due ensures that borrowers pay fees multiple times.

As recently as October 2017, it looked as though the CFPB would move forward with its efforts to control payday loans. As former CFPB Director Richard Cordray said in the release announcing the final version of the rules, "The rule's common sense ability-to-repay protections prevent lenders from succeeding by setting up borrowers to fail."

Specifically, under the rules, payday lenders would have to do several things before making loans. They'd first have to determine whether borrowers were financially able to repay their loans without sacrificing basic living expenses or defaulting on other loans or financial obligations. The CFPB tried to encourage efforts to help borrowers get out of debt on a more gradual basis by providing some exceptions to the rule that would apply to loans with more favorable terms than the particularly problematic payday loans that prevail throughout the marketplace.

The CFPB rules would also put a limit on the number of attempts lenders could make to have payday loans automatically repaid using electronic funds transfers from checking accounts or prepaid debit cards. Lenders routinely make multiple attempts to tap those accounts, often draining them inappropriately and adding further difficulty when banks charge overdraft fees to their customers. Payday lenders would have to get new authorizations from borrowers to seek repayment on more than two separate occasions.

Steps to stop the payday loan rules

The CFPB's mission has changed dramatically over the past year, though, and the final CFPB rules on payday loans never took effect. As early as January 2018, CFPB officials warned that it would go through the administrative steps necessary to reconsider the payday loan rules.

More recently, CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger said the rules would actually be harmful to borrowers, and that pulling back the rules would be beneficial. The rescission notice on Feb. 6 specifically mentioned taking away the need to make underwriting determinations about the ability of borrowers to repay their loans. The bureau argued that doing so "would increase consumer access to credit."

In addition to taking out that provision of the rule, the CFPB also proposed delaying the effective date for the underwriting portion of the rules to November 2020. Kraninger did note that the changes wouldn't affect the rules governing multiple attempts to collect repayment, which would remain in line to become effective this August.

The best choice for borrowers

Many policymakers have argued that the big winner from these moves will be the payday loan companies, which will be able to keep extending credit under terms favorable to them. Yet regardless of whether the rules take effect, would-be borrowers are still in the best position to avoid the debt traps that result from payday loans by choosing not to take them. No matter how financially desperate one might be, the costs of payday loans are simply too great, and it's just too difficult to extricate yourself from the fees and other costs involved with such loans as they balloon your overall debt higher.

Payday lenders might thrive under laxer regulation, but you don't need to support them. Steer clear of payday loans and find more reputable, less expensive ways to meet your financial needs as you figure out long-term strategies to stay out of debt once and for all. Only that way will you be able to protect yourself and keep bad actors from taking advantage of your financial vulnerability.

Hot Growth Stocks For 2019

tags:BWLD,TBI,JWN,ISRG,

Source: Google Images

US Foods Holding (NYSE:USFD) is the second-largest foodservice company, next to Sysco Corporation (NYSE:SYY). Many remember Sysco's attempt to acquire US Foods, which did not pass regulatory hurdles. Soon after the deal was off, US Foods decided to go the IPO route as a public company.

My initial interest in US Foods was the company's growth potential over the long term, combined with the opportunity for margin expansion resulting from consolidation and restructuring of the company's operations. I had modeled US Foods over the long term providing investors with a double-digit return at the right stock price.

Hot Growth Stocks For 2019: Buffalo Wild Wings Inc.(BWLD)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Steve Symington]

  That's not to say it was a quiet day for every stock on the market. With earnings season ramping up, brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE:BUD) and restaurant chain Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ:BWLD) served as an exercise in contrast as investors reacted to their respective quarterly reports.

• [By Peter Graham]

  A long term performance chart shows Dave & Busters Entertainment tripling in value before falling back while small cap upscale gentlemen's clubs and restaurant owner RCI Hospitality Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: RICK) began taking off in 2016 and small cap Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) is being acquired by Arby's Restaurant Group:

Hot Growth Stocks For 2019: TrueBlue Inc.(TBI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. lifted its holdings in Trueblue Inc (NYSE:TBI) by 18.2% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 30,550 shares of the business services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 4,700 shares during the period. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd.’s holdings in Trueblue were worth $823,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Trueblue (NYSE: TBI) is one of 23 public companies in the “Help supply services” industry, but how does it contrast to its rivals? We will compare Trueblue to similar businesses based on the strength of its analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, valuation, profitability, dividends, earnings and risk.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  American Century Companies Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Trueblue Inc (NYSE:TBI) by 24.4% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund owned 95,307 shares of the business services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 18,680 shares during the period. American Century Companies Inc. owned approximately 0.23% of Trueblue worth $2,468,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Trueblue Inc (NYSE:TBI) has received a consensus rating of “Hold” from the six brokerages that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation and three have assigned a hold recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $27.50.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Trueblue (TBI)

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

Hot Growth Stocks For 2019: Nordstrom Inc.(JWN)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  When it comes to fashion, Nordstrom (JWN) was a surprise pick, along with Macy's (M) which has been investing to fight back against Amazon.

  Boss admitted that President Trump and a trade war with China remain a wild card for retailers and that will be something they continue to watch closely.

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

  Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE:JWN)Q1 2018 Earnings Conference CallMay 17, 2017, 4:45 p.m. ET

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

  Operator

• [By ]

  Retail earnings continue on Thursday with Walmart (WMT) , Nordstrom (JWN) and JC Penney (JCP) all reporting. Cramer was looking for good things from Walmart and Nordstrom, but said Penney just doesn't have anything to set itself apart from the pack. Also on Thursday, Applied Materials (AMAT) , which should be able to mount a rally with the semiconductor stocks being hot recently.

• [By ]

  On Thursday, earnings are expected from JCPenney Co. (JCP) , Action Alerts PLUS holding Nordstrom Inc. (JWN) , Nintendo Co. (NTDOY) and Walmart Inc. (WMT) .

Hot Growth Stocks For 2019: Intuitive Surgical Inc.(ISRG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Stoffel]

  That's the basic business model behind the two companies in today's match-up: surgical robot maker Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) and medical device maker Medtronic (NYSE:MDT). If you're interested in investing in this field, the question becomes: Which is the better stock to buy at today's prices?

• [By Keith Speights]

  Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISRG) is on a roll that doesn't appear to be slowing down at all. Shares of the robotic surgical systems maker skyrocketed nearly 73% last year. So far in 2018, Intuitive Surgical stock is up close to 40%.

• [By ]

  As of the time of this article, home cleaning robot maker iRobot's (IRBT) shares are down over 6% on the news. And though it makes surgical robots rather than anything meant for homes, Intuitive Surgical  (ISRG) is down close to 2%. As usual, Wall Street immediately trembles on any sign that Amazon plans to further expand its reach.

• [By Keith Speights]

  You might have thought that Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) would have a hard time beating its performance in 2017. After all, the maker of robotic surgical systems reported record revenue. Its stock soared nearly 73%. 

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

  Stock No. 4: Let's go to the "I" stock from our April stocks a year ago. That's one of my favorite companies, a stock that I own, and have held for more than a decade, and that would be Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG), the maker of the da Vinci robot, the surgical robot.

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

  Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) reported fourth-quarter earnings and it delivered a small miss on profits. Wall Street, no shock, dinged its stock price accordingly.