Goldman Sachs analysts are underwhelmed by the new Goldman Sachs-Apple card

Goldman Sachs research analysts are less than impressed by their own bank's joint credit card with tech giant Apple.

The card, revealed Monday at an elaborate Apple event, is hamstrung by the still-limited reach of Apple Pay, according to analysts led by Rod Hall, a senior equity analyst at the bank. Users will get 2 percent cash back on purchases at merchants who accept Apple Pay, and just 1 percent where Apple Pay isn't accepted.

"Even though Apple Pay is becoming more available, we would still expect a large percentage of transactions to be done at the 1% return level (using the physical card) so we would expect the typical consumer to perceive the cash return rate to be OK but not great," the analysts wrote.

Apple Pay, the technology that allows people to use their iPhones to make digital payments, has steadily gained in acceptance since its inception in 2014. Apple CEO Tim Cook said Monday that it will be accepted at more than 70 percent of U.S. retailers and in 40 countries by year-end.

But it's still not as ubiquitous as traditional cards that run on the Visa or Mastercard network, some of which offer 2 percent or more in potential rewards. Apple had to create a titanium physical card for situations where Apple Pay isn't taken.

Part of the issue for Apple is that it's so massive, it's hard to move the needle with new products. The Goldman analysts assumed that Apple Card will garner 21 million users who spend $1,000 a month, generating $882 million in revenue. But that's a less than 1 percent boost to analysts' consensus earnings for 2020.

As a result, the card will probably have "little short term earnings impact" for Apple, according to the analysts.

— With reporting by Michael Bloom

Lyft, Uber and Pinterest are going public. Here's what the process looks like

Some high-profile, privately held companies — including Uber, Lyft, Pinterest and Airbnb — are about to break into the public market by launching an initial public offering.

So, what exactly is an IPO?

An IPO is the process by which a private company issues its first shares of stock for public sale. This is also known as "going public." Beyond structuring a firm's shares for sale, the process includes establishing stakeholders and creating regulatory compliance aimed at financial disclosures and transparency. This process exists, experts say, to protect the investor public from purchasing shares in fraudulent companies.

Here's what else you should know about the IPO process.

Why a company files an IPO Martin Barraud | Getty Images

It's amid discussions of funding options that the topic of going public will typically crop up at a company, said Tim Jenkinson, a finance professor at the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford.

IPOs can be an opportunity for businesses to rake in huge amounts of money, which they can use to ramp up hiring or acquire other firms.

Some private companies can be under pressure from their original investors to go public, Jenkinson said. That's because the venture capital or private equity firms that have funneled money into a company want to realize a profit, and one way for them to do so is if the company is able to be bought and sold on the public market.

show chapters Investors try to determine whether Lyft's IPO valuation is expensive or cheap    8:57 AM ET Fri, 22 March 2019 | 02:05

While original investors could also see a return if the private company is purchased by another company, Jenkinson said, that option isn't always available.

That might be because a company has found itself "too big" to be bought by another company, he said. Lyft is pegging its valuation between $21 billion and $23 billion, for example. "The more successful the company, the fewer the exits there are, except for the public market," Jenkinson said.

Employees of the private company might also be antsy to unload some of their equity. "You can't pay your rent in San Francisco with restricted stock," said Greg Rodgers, a capital markets lawyer and partner at Latham & Watkins.

There's another reason for the stampede toward the public market as of late, Jenkinson said. The stock market is approaching all-time highs, with the S&P 500 index up more than 200 percent over the last decade.

"Many people are saying, 'This is a great time to exit. Who knows what's around the corner?'" he said.

How it works Hutton Supancic | Getty Images Entertainment | Getty Images Lyft van is seen during the SXSW Music, Film + Interactive Festival at Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas.

An IPO generally takes around four to six months. "It's a very grueling process for the directors of the company," Jenkinson said.

Companies first have to decide on an investment bank — often called a "book running manager" — to lead them through the process, said Roni Michaely, a professor at the Geneva Finance Research Institute at the University of Geneva in Switzerland.

The company then typically files a confidential document, dubbed the IPO prospectus, with the Securities and Exchange Commission. That filing is supposed to contain everything investors should know about the company, including its risk factors and financial statements.

After a number of rounds with the SEC, that document is eventually publicly released.

Then the company goes on a "road show," during which prospective investors get to meet executives at the company and ask them questions. Think of the prospectus as a resume, and the road show as the job interview.

A company is essentially gauging its demand throughout this tour. A business typically aims to reach "a triple oversubscription," Michaely said. That means it wants three times the interest in its shares than it'll make available.

More demand, of course, allows the company to price itself higher.

"If your 401(k) is invested in equities, there's good chance you will benefit." -Jay R. Ritter, corporate finance professor at The Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida

On the last night of the road show, and before the trading begins on the public market, the investment bank and the company executives huddle to determine the price of their stock and to whom they'll allocate how many shares.

Most everyday investors aren't involved in the process. Typically, 85 percent of a company's shares during an IPO are sold to institutional investors, and the rest to individuals, said Jay R. Ritter, a finance professor at The Warrington College of Business at the University of Florida.

However, Lyft's IPO this month could, in theory, make a difference in your retirement down the road nonetheless.

"If your 401(k) is invested in equities, there's good chance you will benefit," said Ritter.

How the landscape has changed George Kavallines

Despite the rush of IPO headlines as of late, the process has actually grown less common.

Between 2000 and 2018, an average of 110 companies went public each year, compared with more than 300 a year between 1980 and 2000. "It's a dramatically lower number, even though the economy is much bigger than it was 30 years ago," Ritter said.

That's mainly because companies increasingly have other ways than the public market to raise money. "There's been an explosion in the private capital available to companies," Rodgers said.

And some companies are going public without an IPO — but through a process called a direct listing, in which shares are offered directly to public investors without the underwriting of a Wall Street bank.

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Rodgers, who worked on the recent direct listing of music-streaming service Spotify, said the option makes sense for companies that already have a robust shareholder base and no need for immediate capital. "It's essentially leaping into life as a public company without doing an offering," he said.

Many executives are also not eager for the scrutiny — including swarms of analysts, government regulation and constant coverage in news media — that comes with becoming a public company, Rodgers said.

"Your life going forward is lived under a microscope," he said.

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

Nifty, after a choppy trade initially, gained strength in the last couple of hours of trade on March 19 and continued uptrend for the seventh consecutive session to close above psychological 11,500 level for the first time since September 14, 2018.

The index formed a bullish candle, resembling a 'Hanging Man' pattern on the daily chart. In fact, the Hanging Man pattern has been seen in the last two out of five sessions.

A consistent rally brought the market to overbought levels, hence the upside from hereon looks limited, experts said, adding the correction or sideways trade could be possible in coming sessions.

Nifty after opening higher at 11,500 remained volatile and hit an intraday low of 11,451.25, but managed to gain strength in the last couple of hours of trade and hit a day's high of 11,543.85. The index finally closed up 70.20 points at 11,532.40.

related news Podcast | Stock picks of the day: Nifty may move towards 11,700 in coming sessions Indian market poised for multi-year rally, says Porinju Veliyath Nomura Financial says cyclical economy is slowing due to domestic & global factors

Maximum Put open interest (OI) was at 11,000 followed by 11,300 strike and maximum Call OI was at 11,500 followed by 11,600 strike. Meaningful Put writing was at 11,500 followed by 11,400 strike while Call unwinding was at all the immediate strikes with minor Call Writing at 11,800 strike. Option band signifies a shift in a higher trading range between 11,400 and 11,700 zones.

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

Sudarshan Sukhani of s2analytics.com

Buy Infosys with stop loss at Rs 712 and target of Rs 735

Buy Tata Chemicals with stop loss at Rs 581 and target of Rs 605

Buy Hindustan Unilever with stop loss at Rs 1685 and target of Rs 1715

Sell Bharat Forge with stop loss at Rs 521 and target of Rs 498

Sell Castrol India with stop loss at Rs 161 and target of Rs 152

Mitessh Thakkar of mitesshthakkar.com

Buy Engineers India with a stop loss of Rs 114 and target of Rs 125

Buy GSFC with a stop loss of Rs 103 and target of Rs 111

Buy Bharti Infratel with a stop loss of Rs 320 and target of Rs 342

Buy ITC with a stop loss of Rs 295 and target of Rs 309

Prakash Gaba of prakashgaba.com

Buy Century Textiles with target at Rs 940 and stop loss at Rs 890

Buy GSFC with target  at Rs 110-113 and stop loss at Rs 103

Buy Siemens with target at Rs 1080 and stop loss at Rs 1030

Buy Havells India with target at Rs 780 and stop loss at Rs 750

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com/CNBC-TV18 are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.​ First Published on Mar 20, 2019 08:30 am

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2019

tags:GD,UMH,CMI,UPS,Switzerland,CR,

Cheap stocks can serve as high-reward plays for loyal investors. However, they also carry a high degree of risk. Stocks that fall below $5 per share usually suffer a loss of confidence from the Wall Street community. Very often, the market predicts the direction of these equities correctly, and they fall to $0.

However, a few cheap stocks manage to survive despite the negative sentiment. Others stage either temporary or permanent comebacks and deliver their shareholders phenomenal gains. For example, American Tower (NYSE:AMT) fell as low as 60 cents per share in 2002. Today, its most recent quarterly dividend amounted to 77 cents per share. Who wouldn’t want to get more than their original investment back in a single quarterly dividend payment?

Even a present-day mega-cap such as Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) has seen price levels this low.

While I cannot guarantee any current penny stock will see the same kind of recovery, I believe the following four cheap stocks will head higher in the near term.

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2019: S&P GSCI(GD)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) is diversified across the Aerospace & Defense sector with 25% of sales in information technology, followed by aerospace orders (24%), marine systems (23%), combat systems (16%), and mission systems (12%). The acquisition of CSRA makes it one of the largest IT contractors to the U.S. government.

• [By Lou Whiteman]

  There's more at stake for Huntington Ingalls and fellow shipbuilder General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) beyond the $6.5 billion in lost refueling revenue. A modern aircraft carrier does not sail alone but rather relies on a large number of escorts and affiliated ships that also need to be acquired and staffed. There is also the expense of finding pilots for the large number of planes that are housed on a carrier.

• [By Lou Whiteman]

  Scale matters in the government IT business, as larger companies are better able to manage the increasingly large and complex systems customers demand, and a broader cost basis helps in putting together low-cost, competitive bids. In recent years, a wave of mergers and acquisitions has left a clear top two in the market. Industry leader Leidos Holdings (NYSE:LDOS) in 2016 bought the IT business of Lockheed Martin, while General Dynamics (NYSE:GD) vaulted to No. 2 earlier this year via its acquisition of CSRA.

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2019: UMH Properties Inc.(UMH)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on UMH PROPERTIES/SH SH (UMH)

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

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Wednesday afternoon, the real estate shares surged 0.56 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Armada Hoffler Properties, Inc. (NYSE: AHH), up 3 percent, and UMH Properties, Inc. (NYSE: UMH) up 3 percent.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on UMH PROPERTIES/SH SH (UMH)

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

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2019: Cummins Inc.(CMI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Neha Chamaria]

  Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI) is recalling 500,000 trucks to fix defects in emissions-control systems. This news seemed to have overshadowed a strong set of second-quarter numbers that the company released around the same time, roughly three weeks ago, capping potential upside in the stock. Cummins shares still are down about 19% year to date, as of this writing.

• [By Motley Fool Transcription]

  Cummins, Inc. (NYSE:CMI)Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallFeb. 6, 2019, 10:00 p.m. ET

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

  Operator

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Cyclical companies see plenty of ups and downs by their very nature, and after 10 years of economic expansion, U.S. investors are rightfully starting to wonder if a reversal of fortune lies dead ahead. For engine maker Cummins (NYSE:CMI), 2018 has been a great year for growth, but it's hard for a company that large to sustain strong momentum indefinitely.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Dividend Assets Capital LLC trimmed its position in shares of Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI) by 12.7% in the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 6,794 shares of the company’s stock after selling 989 shares during the period. Dividend Assets Capital LLC’s holdings in Cummins were worth $908,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Keith Speights]

  I like the idea of combining these approaches by buying stocks with strong dividend yields and bargain valuations. What are some dividend stocks that you can buy on sale right now? I'd put AbbVie (NYSE:ABBV), AT&T (NYSE:T), and Cummins (NYSE:CMI) at the top of the list.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Jacobs & Co. CA increased its stake in shares of Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI) by 8.2% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 28,587 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 2,175 shares during the period. Jacobs & Co. CA’s holdings in Cummins were worth $3,802,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2019: United Parcel Service Inc.(UPS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Motley Fool Transcribing]

  United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallJan. 31, 2019 8:30 a.m. ET

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

  Operator

• [By ]

  Cramer said UPS (UPS) has labor problems and people think FedEx (FDX) is expensive. "XPO has got a lot of things that they can do," Cramer said. "They're in M&A mode."

• [By Adam Levy]

  Amazon is working to reduce shipping expenses by moving more of its logistics and deliveries in-house with Amazon Air and a homegrown network of delivery service providers. On the company's fourth-quarter earnings call, CFO Brian Olsavsky provided some additional details about how Amazon manages its shipments between its own network and partners including FedEx (NYSE:FDX) and UPS (NYSE:UPS).

• [By Garrett Baldwin]
  Markets are cheering a major development in efforts to fix the ongoing trade conflict between the United States and China. According to Reuters, Chinese telecom giant ZTE has signed an agreement to get back into business with its American partners. The agreement will lift a ban by the U.S. Commerce Department that prevented China's No. 2 telecommunications equipment from buying from U.S. suppliers. This is a major development, and one that signals progress among trade officials from both nations. There are now more job openings in the United States than available workers. This is the first time that the Department of Labor has documented this phenomenon. There are 6.7 million openings compared to the 6.4 million workers available to fill those positions. As a result, U.S. companies have been forced to increase compensation in order to attract talent. All of the positive economic development could come to a screeching halt should the U.S. experience the largest labor strike in a decade. Reports indicate that the Teamsters and the United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS) are on a collision course that could result in a general strike. The union has announced that 260,000 UPS employees have authorized a strike should both sides fail to reach a labor deal by August 1. UPS is responsible for the transport of 6% of the nation's gross domestic product. Three Stocks to Watch Today: TSLA, NOG, WFC Tesla Inc. (Nasdaq: TSLA) investors remain committed to giving Chairman Elon Musk more of their money. On Tuesday, shareholders struck down proposals that would have removed Musk from the chairman role and shaken up the board of directors. Both proposals failed. At the same shareholder event, Musk announced plans for Tesla to open a production facility in Shanghai and projected that his firm will likely produce 5,000 Model 3 vehicles per week by the end of June. In deal news, defense contractor Northrop Grumman (NYSE: NOG) has won U.S. antitrust approval to purchase rocket moto
• [By Rich Smith]

  Shares of shipping giant United Parcel Service (NYSE:UPS) are up 22% off their lows of earlier this year -- but still lagging the S&P 500 by more than 10 percentage points over the past year. Can UPS maintain its momentum and pull itself out of its funk? That may depend in large part on how quickly investors believe UPS can return to free-cash-flow positive status, as one Wall Street analyst opines in an upgrade covered on TheFly.com this morning.

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2019: Tyco International Ltd.(Switzerland)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  In addition to South Korea’s small ETF, there are a few funds traded in Europe that track Mexican assets. Here are the ones to watch:

  Xtrackers MSCI Mexico UCITS ETF (Germany)iShares MSCI Mexico Capped UCITS ETF USD (Switzerland)HSBC MSCI Mexico Capped UCITS ETF (U.K.)Kim Kindex MSCI Mexico ETF (South Korea)Stocks

  Some of the larger companies based in Mexico are dual listed in Europe. While trading in these securities is limited, there may be some movement in the European morning hours. Here are a few to watch:

Hot Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2019: CRB Futures Index(CR)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Crane (CR)

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

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Crane (CR)

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

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Crane (CR)

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

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Crew Energy Inc (TSE:CR) – Cormark issued their Q1 2020 EPS estimates for shares of Crew Energy in a research note issued on Tuesday, March 5th. Cormark analyst A. Arif expects that the company will earn $0.06 per share for the quarter. Cormark also issued estimates for Crew Energy’s Q2 2020 earnings at $0.02 EPS, Q3 2020 earnings at $0.02 EPS and Q4 2020 earnings at $0.03 EPS.

JP Morgan pledges $350 million to help people at risk of being shut out of the modern economy

J.P. Morgan Chase is expanding a previous program designed to boost job prospects for people at risk of being shut out of the economy.

The bank's new five year plan, announced Monday, includes $200 million to develop training programs for in-demand digital and technical roles, $125 million to boost collaboration between employers and the educational system, and $25 million to help spread labor market data and analysis that will help companies focus on ways to life people out of low-wage positions.

J.P. Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon has voiced concern about the declining labor force participation rate in the U.S. and the shortfalls of the educational system in preparing people for emerging roles. In 2013, the bank announced a $250 million commitment called New Skills at Work that was focused on people with a high school degree. The bank said it helped 150,000 people gain skills to compete for better-paying jobs.

"The new world of work is about skills, not necessarily degrees," Dimon said in a statement. "Too many people are stuck in low-skill jobs that have no future and too many businesses cannot find the skilled workers they need. We must remove the stigma of a community college and career education, look for opportunities to upskill or reskill workers, and give those who have been left behind the chance to compete for well-paying careers today and tomorrow."

The company will focus its efforts on education and job training programs that help women, people of color, veterans and others prepare for roles in technology-related fields.

Ground Turkey Recall 2019: Butterball, Kroger, Food Lion Brands Affected

A ground turkey recall 2019 list has several brands possibly being infected with salmonella schwarzengrund.

Source: Shutterstock

The ground turkey recall 2019 list includes three different brands. These are Butterball, Kroger (NYSE:KR) and Food Lion. All of the turkey that is a part of this recall is made by Butterball. It was also all produced on July 7, 2018 and sold at stores across the U.S.

The following products are on the ground turkey recall 2019 list.

48-oz. plastic wrapped tray containing “BUTTERBALL everyday Fresh Ground Turkey WITH NATURAL FLAVORING (85% LEAN/15% FAT)” with sell or freeze by date of 7/26/18, lot code 8188, and UPC codes 22655-71555 or 22655-71557 represented on the label. 48-oz. plastic wrapped tray containing “BUTTERBALL everyday Fresh Ground Turkey WITH NATURAL FLAVORING (93% LEAN/7% FAT)” with sell or freeze by date of 7/26/18, lot code 8188 and UPC code 22655-71556 represented on the label. 16-oz. plastic wrapped tray containing “BUTTERBALL everyday Fresh Ground Turkey WITH NATURAL FLAVORING (85% LEAN/15% FAT)” with sell or freeze by date of 7/26/18, lot code 8188 and UPC code 22655-71546 represented on the label. 16-oz. plastic wrapped tray containing “BUTTERBALL everyday Fresh Ground Turkey WITH NATURAL FLAVORING (93% LEAN/7% FAT)” with sell or freeze by date of 7/26/18, lot code 8188 and UPC codes 22655-71547 or 22655-71561 represented on the label 48-oz. plastic wrapped tray containing “Kroger GROUND TURKEY FRESH 85% LEAN – 15% FAT” with sell or freeze by date of 7/26/18, lot code 8188, and UPC code 111141097993 represented on the label. 48-oz. plastic wrapped tray containing “FOOD LION 15% fat ground turkey with natural flavorings” with sell or freeze by date of 7/26/18, lot code 8188 and UPC code 3582609294 represented on the label.

Customers can follow this link to learn more about the ground turkey recall 2019 news.

As of this writing, William White did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

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Best Clean Energy Stocks To Own Right Now

tags:NTAP,SLF,HYH, &l;p&g;&a;nbsp;

&l;img class=&q; size-full wp-image-1740&q; src=&q;http://blogs-images.forbes.com/mikescott/files/2019/01/Global-Corporate-PPA-volumes-2018-e1548695810133.jpg?width=960&q; alt=&q;&q; data-height=&q;289&q; data-width=&q;493&q;&g;Business is becoming a major player in the renewable energy market, and it looks like it&a;rsquo;s here to stay.&l;/p&g;

New figures from BloombergNEF (BNEF) show that corporations bought a record amount of 13.4GW of clean energy through power purchase agreements (PPAs) in 2018, well over double the previous record of 6.1GW set in 2017.

The research firm&a;rsquo;s latest Corporate Energy Market Outlook, reveals that 121 companies in 21 different countries signed up to buy renewable energy last year. More than 60% of those purchases were in the US, where PPAs to buy 8.5GW of power were signed, almost three times 2017&a;rsquo;s figure. However, there are signs that the sector is ready to expand rapidly in other markets as well.

Best Clean Energy Stocks To Own Right Now: NetApp Inc.(NTAP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Profund Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ:NTAP) by 14.1% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 9,660 shares of the data storage provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,193 shares during the period. Profund Advisors LLC’s holdings in NetApp were worth $596,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ: NTAP) was reiterated as Outperform and the price target was raised to $75 from $73 (versus a $66.79 close) at BMO Capital Markets. The 52-week trading range is $37.43 to $72.85, and the consensus price target is $70.30.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Amundi Pioneer Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ:NTAP) by 22.3% in the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 381,020 shares of the data storage provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 69,530 shares during the quarter. Amundi Pioneer Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in NetApp were worth $23,505,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  NetApp Inc. (NASDAQ:NTAP) CEO George Kurian sold 30,253 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $67.52, for a total value of $2,042,682.56. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink.

• [By Garrett Baldwin]

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

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

  NetApp (NASDAQ:NTAP) shares hit a new 52-week high and low during mid-day trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $71.11 and last traded at $71.11, with a volume of 110710 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $69.65.

Best Clean Energy Stocks To Own Right Now: Sun Life Financial Inc.(SLF)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  According to a recent Reuters report, Canada's second-largest insurer, Sun Life Financial (NYSE:SLF), is one of those hesitant voices. Even though Canada legalized medical cannabis back in 2001, only now are insurers like Sun Life Financial slowly beginning to include it on covered plans. What Sun Life and other insurers have discovered is that medical cannabis can, in some instances, actually cost more than established pharmaceutical products.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Sun Life Financial (SLF)

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

• [By Max Byerly]

  TRADEMARK VIOLATION NOTICE: “Sun Life Financial (SLF) Scheduled to Post Earnings on Wednesday” was published by Ticker Report and is owned by of Ticker Report. If you are viewing this story on another website, it was illegally copied and republished in violation of US & international copyright and trademark laws. The original version of this story can be read at https://www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/4144720/sun-life-financial-slf-scheduled-to-post-earnings-on-wednesday.html.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Sun Life Financial (NYSE:SLF) and Investors Heritage Capital (OTCMKTS:IHRC) are both finance companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, risk, institutional ownership, dividends, profitability, analyst recommendations and earnings.

• [By Lisa Levin]

   

  Companies Reporting After The Bell Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $1.22 per share on revenue of $5.72 billion. Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $1.04 per share on revenue of $5.68 billion. The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $1.68 per share on revenue of $14.05 billion. Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.62 per share on revenue of $441.73 million. Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ: JAZZ) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $2.77 per share on revenue of $434.87 million. Sun Life Financial Inc. (NYSE: SLF) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $0.89 per share on revenue of $6.38 billion. LATAM Airlines Group S.A. (NYSE: LTM) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.16 per share on revenue of $2.70 billion. Liberty Global plc (NASDAQ: LBTYA) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $0.02 per share on revenue of $4.05 billion. TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.16 per share on revenue of $362.11 million. The Wendy's Company (NASDAQ: WEN) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $0.1 per share on revenue of $379.98 million. A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMRK) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.06 per share on revenue of $1.69 billion. Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ: MNST) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $0.4 per share on revenue of $849.38 million. Convergys Corporation (NYSE: CVG) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.4 per share on revenue of $670.10 million. ScanSource, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCSC) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $0.7 per share on revenue of $875.91 million. KAR Auction Services, Inc. (NYSE: KAR) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.76 per share on revenue of $923.13

Best Clean Energy Stocks To Own Right Now: Halyard Health, Inc.(HYH)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Renaissance Technologies LLC acquired a new position in Halyard Health (NYSE:HYH) in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The fund acquired 9,805 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock, valued at approximately $453,000.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Halyard Health (NYSE:HYH) updated its FY18 earnings guidance on Wednesday. The company provided EPS guidance of $1.65-$1.85 for the period, compared to the Thomson Reuters consensus EPS estimate of $1.26.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Principal Financial Group Inc. lifted its stake in Halyard Health (NYSE:HYH) by 2.8% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 232,419 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock after purchasing an additional 6,411 shares during the period. Principal Financial Group Inc. owned 0.49% of Halyard Health worth $10,710,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

AXT Inc (AXTI) Files 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended on December 31, 2018

AXT Inc (NASDAQ:AXTI) files its latest 10-K with SEC for the fiscal year ended on December 31, 2018. AXT Inc is a developer and producer of high-performance compound and single element semiconductor substrates known as wafers. It provides such alternative or specialty materials in the form of substrates or wafers, compound, and substrates. AXT Inc has a market cap of $168.810 million; its shares were traded at around $4.27 with a P/E ratio of 17.82 and P/S ratio of 1.64.

For the last quarter AXT Inc reported a revenue of $22.2 million, compared with the revenue of $26.33 million during the same period a year ago. For the latest fiscal year the company reported a revenue of $102.4 million, an increase of 3.8% from last year. For the last five years AXT Inc had an average revenue growth rate of 4.3% a year.

The reported diluted earnings per share was 24 cents for the year, a decline of 7.7% from the previous year. The AXT Inc had a decent operating margin of 11.86%, compared with the operating margin of 12.81% a year before. The 10-year historical median operating margin of AXT Inc is 3.41%. The profitability rank of the company is 4 (out of 10).

At the end of the fiscal year, AXT Inc has the cash and cash equivalents of $16.5 million, compared with $44.4 million in the previous year. The company had no long term debt. AXT Inc has a financial strength rank of 9 (out of 10).

At the current stock price of $4.27, AXT Inc is traded at 14.2% premium to its historical median P/S valuation band of $3.74. The P/S ratio of the stock is 1.64, while the historical median P/S ratio is 1.42. The stock lost 47.63% during the past 12 months.

For the complete 20-year historical financial data of AXTI, click here.

Houlihan Lokey Inc (HLI) Stake Lowered by Prudential Financial Inc.

Prudential Financial Inc. decreased its position in shares of Houlihan Lokey Inc (NYSE:HLI) by 1.8% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 142,061 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 2,612 shares during the quarter. Prudential Financial Inc. owned 0.22% of Houlihan Lokey worth $5,228,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Several other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of HLI. Bank of Montreal Can boosted its holdings in Houlihan Lokey by 0.8% in the fourth quarter. Bank of Montreal Can now owns 33,014 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,215,000 after purchasing an additional 269 shares during the last quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC boosted its holdings in Houlihan Lokey by 3.8% in the fourth quarter. Janney Montgomery Scott LLC now owns 7,364 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $271,000 after purchasing an additional 270 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc boosted its holdings in Houlihan Lokey by 13.9% in the third quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 5,308 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $238,000 after purchasing an additional 646 shares during the last quarter. Brookstone Capital Management boosted its holdings in Houlihan Lokey by 13.4% in the fourth quarter. Brookstone Capital Management now owns 6,478 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $238,000 after purchasing an additional 766 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Houlihan Lokey by 112.0% in the fourth quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,109 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $78,000 after purchasing an additional 1,114 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 53.00% of the company’s stock.

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Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on HLI shares. Bank of America upgraded shares of Houlihan Lokey from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and raised their target price for the stock from $46.00 to $47.00 in a report on Wednesday, January 9th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods restated an “outperform” rating and issued a $47.00 target price on shares of Houlihan Lokey in a report on Friday, January 4th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research cut shares of Houlihan Lokey from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, January 11th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating to the stock. Houlihan Lokey currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $50.00.

In other news, CFO J Lindsey Alley sold 8,000 shares of Houlihan Lokey stock in a transaction on Friday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $44.27, for a total transaction of $354,160.00. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, General Counsel Christopher M. Crain sold 1,000 shares of Houlihan Lokey stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 31st. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.08, for a total transaction of $44,080.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Company insiders own 80.50% of the company’s stock.

Shares of HLI stock opened at $45.57 on Tuesday. Houlihan Lokey Inc has a 12-month low of $34.31 and a 12-month high of $53.20. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 0.95 and a current ratio of 0.95. The company has a market capitalization of $2.93 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.07, a P/E/G ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 1.03.

Houlihan Lokey (NYSE:HLI) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 29th. The financial services provider reported $0.77 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.70 by $0.07. The business had revenue of $298.01 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $250.82 million. Houlihan Lokey had a net margin of 14.63% and a return on equity of 21.01%. As a group, equities analysts predict that Houlihan Lokey Inc will post 2.7 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Monday, March 4th will be paid a dividend of $0.27 per share. This represents a $1.08 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.37%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Friday, March 1st. Houlihan Lokey’s dividend payout ratio is presently 45.19%.

WARNING: This story was originally reported by Ticker Report and is owned by of Ticker Report. If you are viewing this story on another website, it was stolen and republished in violation of United States & international copyright and trademark law. The legal version of this story can be read at https://www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/4215586/houlihan-lokey-inc-hli-stake-lowered-by-prudential-financial-inc.html.

Houlihan Lokey Company Profile

Houlihan Lokey, Inc, an investment banking company, provides merger and acquisition (M&A), financing, financial restructuring, and financial advisory services worldwide. It operates in three segments: Corporate Finance, Financial Restructuring, and Financial Advisory Services. The Corporate Finance segment offers general financial advisory services; and advises public and private institutions on buy-side and sell-side transactions, leveraged loans, private mezzanine debt, high-yield debt, initial public offerings, follow-ons, convertibles, equity private placements, private equity, and liability management transactions, as well as financial sponsors on various transactions.

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Citigroup Inc. Raises Position in Amdocs Limited (DOX)

Citigroup Inc. boosted its position in shares of Amdocs Limited (NASDAQ:DOX) by 0.8% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 86,236 shares of the technology company’s stock after buying an additional 695 shares during the quarter. Citigroup Inc.’s holdings in Amdocs were worth $5,052,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of DOX. Riverview Trust Co acquired a new position in Amdocs during the 4th quarter worth $27,000. Cutler Group LP acquired a new position in Amdocs during the 4th quarter worth $55,000. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in Amdocs during the 4th quarter worth $58,000. Honkamp Krueger Financial Services Inc. acquired a new position in Amdocs during the 3rd quarter worth $124,000. Finally, Campbell & CO Investment Adviser LLC acquired a new position in Amdocs during the 4th quarter worth $222,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.10% of the company’s stock.

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DOX stock opened at $54.21 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $7.93 billion, a PE ratio of 15.53, a P/E/G ratio of 1.70 and a beta of 0.53. Amdocs Limited has a twelve month low of $52.60 and a twelve month high of $71.72.

Amdocs (NASDAQ:DOX) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, February 5th. The technology company reported $0.98 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.99 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $1.01 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.01 billion. Amdocs had a net margin of 8.46% and a return on equity of 14.75%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 3.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company earned $1.06 EPS. Sell-side analysts forecast that Amdocs Limited will post 3.92 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, April 19th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 29th will be paid a $0.285 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, March 28th. This represents a $1.14 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.10%. This is an increase from Amdocs’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.25. Amdocs’s dividend payout ratio is 26.74%.

Several research analysts have issued reports on DOX shares. TheStreet downgraded Amdocs from a “b” rating to a “c+” rating in a report on Friday, November 9th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Amdocs from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Monday, November 19th. BidaskClub downgraded Amdocs from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 28th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. set a $70.00 price objective on Amdocs and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 11th. Finally, ValuEngine downgraded Amdocs from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, February 15th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. The stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $71.03.

TRADEMARK VIOLATION WARNING: “Citigroup Inc. Raises Position in Amdocs Limited (DOX)” was originally published by Ticker Report and is the sole property of of Ticker Report. If you are accessing this piece on another publication, it was illegally stolen and reposted in violation of international copyright legislation. The original version of this piece can be accessed at https://www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/4205662/citigroup-inc-raises-position-in-amdocs-limited-dox.html.

Amdocs Profile

Amdocs Limited, through its subsidiaries, provides software and services to the communications, pay TV, entertainment, and media industry service providers worldwide. The company offers amdocsONE a line of services designed for various stages of a service provider's lifecycle, including planning, delivery, implementation, and ongoing support, as well as consumer experience and monetization, media and digital, enterprise and connected society, service-driven network, and services and agile operation solutions.

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

VAALCO Energy Inc (EGY) Files 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended on December 31, 2018

VAALCO Energy Inc (NYSE:EGY) files its latest 10-K with SEC for the fiscal year ended on December 31, 2018. VAALCO Energy Inc is an independent energy company. It is engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas. VAALCO Energy Inc has a market cap of $133.490 million; its shares were traded at around $2.24 with a P/E ratio of 1.48 and P/S ratio of 1.38.

For the last quarter VAALCO Energy Inc reported a revenue of $27.6 million, compared with the revenue of $10.03 million during the same period a year ago. For the latest fiscal year the company reported a revenue of $104.9 million, an increase of 36.2% from last year. For the last five years VAALCO Energy Inc had an average revenue decline of 11.3% a year.

The reported diluted earnings per share was $1.62 for the year, compared with the loss per share of $1.36 in the previous year. The VAALCO Energy Inc enjoyed an operating margin of 48.8%, compared with the operating margin of 26.49% a year before. The 10-year historical median operating margin of VAALCO Energy Inc is 43.43%. The profitability rank of the company is 6 (out of 10).

At the end of the fiscal year, VAALCO Energy Inc has the cash and cash equivalents of $33.4 million, compared with $19.7 million in the previous year. The company had no long term debt, compared with $2.31 million in the previous year. The interest coverage to the debt is at a comfortable level of 18.2. VAALCO Energy Inc has a financial strength rank of 9 (out of 10).

At the current stock price of $2.24, VAALCO Energy Inc is traded at 32.7% discount to its historical median P/S valuation band of $3.33. The P/S ratio of the stock is 1.38, while the historical median P/S ratio is 2.08. The stock gained 153.58% during the past 12 months.

For the complete 20-year historical financial data of EGY, click here.

Exxon Mobil (XOM) Given Media Impact Rating of 0.93

Media headlines about Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) have been trending somewhat positive on Saturday, according to InfoTrie. InfoTrie ranks the sentiment of press coverage by analyzing more than 6,000 blog and news sources in real-time. The firm ranks coverage of publicly-traded companies on a scale of -5 to 5, with scores closest to five being the most favorable. Exxon Mobil earned a daily sentiment score of 0.93 on their scale. InfoTrie also gave media stories about the oil and gas company an news buzz score of 8 out of 10, indicating that recent press coverage is very likely to have an effect on the company’s share price in the immediate future.

Here are some of the media headlines that may have effected Exxon Mobil’s analysis:

Get Exxon Mobil alerts: Markets Right Now: Stocks mark 1st weekly loss since January (marketbeat.com) ExxonMobil, Chevron Are Converting The Permian Into A Manufacturing Operation (forbes.com) A Massive Revision To Exxon Mobil’s Growth Strategy (seekingalpha.com) ExxonMobil shares fall premarket after Cowen downgrades to market perform and slashes price target (marketwatch.com) Skepticism Ramps Up on Downgraded Exxon Mobil Stock (schaeffersresearch.com)

Several equities analysts recently issued reports on the company. Mizuho set a $84.00 price objective on Exxon Mobil and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday. Zacks Investment Research cut Exxon Mobil from a “hold” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Sunday, January 6th. Royal Bank of Canada upped their price objective on Exxon Mobil to $100.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday. Piper Jaffray Companies reaffirmed a “hold” rating and issued a $81.00 price objective on shares of Exxon Mobil in a research report on Monday, November 19th. Finally, Cowen cut Exxon Mobil from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and lowered their price objective for the company from $100.00 to $75.00 in a research report on Friday. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twelve have assigned a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the company. The company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $85.12.

NYSE XOM opened at $79.01 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $334.80 billion, a PE ratio of 16.03, a PEG ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.90. The company has a current ratio of 0.83, a quick ratio of 0.54 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.10. Exxon Mobil has a 1-year low of $64.65 and a 1-year high of $87.36.

Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) last released its quarterly earnings results on Friday, February 1st. The oil and gas company reported $1.51 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $1.08 by $0.43. The firm had revenue of $71.90 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $78.87 billion. Exxon Mobil had a return on equity of 10.89% and a net margin of 7.18%. The company’s revenue was up 8.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the firm earned $0.88 EPS. As a group, analysts forecast that Exxon Mobil will post 4.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, March 11th. Stockholders of record on Monday, February 11th will be paid a $0.82 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Friday, February 8th. This represents a $3.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 4.15%. Exxon Mobil’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 66.53%.

In other news, insider John R. Verity sold 15,850 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, December 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.94, for a total value of $1,219,499.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 146,350 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,260,169. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, VP Neil A. Hansen sold 2,798 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, December 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $76.81, for a total value of $214,914.38. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 32,800 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $2,519,368. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 33,648 shares of company stock valued at $2,527,013 over the last 90 days. 0.08% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

COPYRIGHT VIOLATION NOTICE: “Exxon Mobil (XOM) Given Media Impact Rating of 0.93” was reported by Ticker Report and is owned by of Ticker Report. If you are viewing this piece on another website, it was stolen and reposted in violation of US and international copyright laws. The correct version of this piece can be accessed at https://www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/4208261/exxon-mobil-xom-given-media-impact-rating-of-0-93.html.

About Exxon Mobil

Exxon Mobil Corporation explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas in the United States, Canada/Other Americas, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia/Oceania. It operates through Upstream, Downstream, and Chemical segments. The company is also involved in the manufacture, trade, transport, and sale of crude oil, petroleum products, and other specialty products; and manufactures and markets petrochemicals, including olefins, polyolefins, aromatics, and various other petrochemicals.

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Amazon's Dash Button Is Dead

R.I.P., Dash button, we hardly knew you. Or needed you, for that matter. The Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) device that allowed you to reorder individual products at the touch of a button is no more.

The e-commerce giant says it has stopped selling the device as consumers have numerous other, better ways to order things. From virtual Dash buttons built into numerous appliances to Alexa-enabled Echo smart speakers, a physical dongle for every item you may want to order became superfluous.

Image source: Amazon.com.

Mini billboards for marketers

Launched in 2015, the Dash button was always more gimmicky than useful. Initially free, but then sold for $5 each, the Wi-Fi-enabled device was tied to a single product, like laundry detergent or diapers, though there were hundreds of items with their own button. When Prime members needed to order more of something, they pressed the button to place the order through their Amazon account.

A notification was sent to the member's phone so the order could always be canceled, and it only responded to the first button push, preventing the kids from ordering you hundreds of boxes of Tide pods if they got hold of the device.

Consumer product companies undoubtedly loved the Dash button, as it featured a brand logo or brand name of the product and served as a constant piece of advertising hanging in your home. But beyond perhaps one or two critical items, the buttons were a contrivance because no one was going to have dozens of Dash buttons strategically located around the house. I mean, is Hershey chocolate a consumer essential that needs a priority rush placed on an order (your dietician may want a word with you if you answered, "yes")?

The Dash button is dead, long live the Dash button

Despite the physical Dash button's demise, virtual ones live on. Amazon says there are tens of millions of products you can add to your Dash button dashboard online. As a clever bit of marketing, it highlighted the breadth of Amazon's capabilities in making the online shopping experience a seamlessly, easy one.

For example, the order page for that box of Hershey assorted candy bars you were jonesing for not only has a link to a virtual Dash button, but also to a subscription button, too. You can have a box delivered as often as once a month without ever having to push a Dash button again.

Moreover, Amazon turned the Dash button into a service manufacturers could incorporate into their products and their apps. From its own Basic microwave oven that lets you reorder popcorn by pressing a button to a Whirlpool smart washer that automatically reorders laundry detergent when you're running low, Amazon makes shopping more convenient.

The key takeaway

Yet the real future of online shopping may be voice commerce. eMarketer estimates that shopping via smart speakers hit $2.1 billion in 2018. Though this is less than half of a percent of all U.S. e-commerce sales, most of these voice sales likely came from Amazon, as the company remains far and away the leader in smart speakers. 

The Dash button was a bit of whimsy, to be sure, but it shows how Amazon.com is single-minded in its focus on ways of making it easier to get you to part with your money.

Freestone Capital Holdings LLC Buys Shares of 3,798 BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN)

Freestone Capital Holdings LLC bought a new stake in shares of BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ:BMRN) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 3,798 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock, valued at approximately $323,000.

Other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Doyle Wealth Management bought a new stake in shares of BioMarin Pharmaceutical during the 4th quarter valued at $26,000. Lindbrook Capital LLC bought a new position in BioMarin Pharmaceutical in the 4th quarter worth $30,000. Exane Derivatives boosted its holdings in BioMarin Pharmaceutical by 3,492.3% in the 4th quarter. Exane Derivatives now owns 467 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $40,000 after buying an additional 454 shares during the period. Patriot Financial Group Insurance Agency LLC bought a new position in BioMarin Pharmaceutical in the 4th quarter worth $51,000. Finally, We Are One Seven LLC bought a new position in BioMarin Pharmaceutical in the 4th quarter worth $55,000.

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BMRN opened at $91.05 on Thursday. BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. has a 52 week low of $75.81 and a 52 week high of $106.74. The stock has a market cap of $16.58 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -275.91 and a beta of 1.63. The company has a quick ratio of 2.26, a current ratio of 2.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28.

BioMarin Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ:BMRN) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 21st. The biotechnology company reported ($0.02) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.09) by $0.07. The firm had revenue of $353.00 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $377.35 million. BioMarin Pharmaceutical had a negative net margin of 5.18% and a negative return on equity of 2.82%. The business’s revenue was down 1.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.03 EPS. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. will post 0.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.

In other news, insider Henry J. Fuchs sold 2,196 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $95.00, for a total transaction of $208,620.00. Following the sale, the insider now directly owns 142,504 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,537,880. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CEO Jean Jacques Bienaime sold 2,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, December 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $93.12, for a total transaction of $186,240.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 290,290 shares in the company, valued at $27,031,804.80. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 46,346 shares of company stock worth $4,196,630 over the last 90 days. Corporate insiders own 1.90% of the company’s stock.

Several research analysts recently weighed in on BMRN shares. Oppenheimer dropped their target price on shares of BioMarin Pharmaceutical from $92.00 to $81.00 in a report on Friday, February 22nd. Cowen reaffirmed a “buy” rating on shares of BioMarin Pharmaceutical in a report on Monday, January 7th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $126.00 target price on shares of BioMarin Pharmaceutical in a report on Monday, January 7th. Wedbush set a $127.00 target price on shares of BioMarin Pharmaceutical and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 14th. Finally, SunTrust Banks dropped their target price on shares of BioMarin Pharmaceutical to $117.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Monday, February 25th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the company. The company has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $112.82.

TRADEMARK VIOLATION WARNING: “Freestone Capital Holdings LLC Buys Shares of 3,798 BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN)” was first posted by Ticker Report and is the sole property of of Ticker Report. If you are viewing this news story on another publication, it was illegally stolen and reposted in violation of U.S. & international trademark & copyright legislation. The correct version of this news story can be read at https://www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/4203166/freestone-capital-holdings-llc-buys-shares-of-3798-biomarin-pharmaceutical-inc-bmrn.html.

BioMarin Pharmaceutical Company Profile

BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Inc, a biotechnology company, develops and commercializes therapies for people with serious and life-threatening rare diseases and medical conditions. Its commercial products include Aldurazyme that is used for the treatment of patients with mucopolysaccharidosis I, a genetic disease; Brineura for the treatment of late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis type 2, a form of Batten disease; and Firdapse for Lambert Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome.

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

Why HP Stock Dropped 10% in February

What happened

Shares of HP (NYSE:HPQ) lost 10.4% in value last month, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.

After rebounding with the broader market in January, HP stock got clobbered in late February, following a disappointing earnings report that showed the company's printing segment struggling to grow amid heightened competition. 

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.

So what

For the fiscal first quarter of 2019, HP saw a 1% year-over-year revenue increase to $14.7 billion. That translated to growth in non-GAAP earnings per share of 8% over the year-ago quarter to $0.52. Those numbers were in line with management's outlook, but investors apparently wanted more.

Specifically, investors didn't like the performance in HP's printing supply business, where revenue declined 3% year over year to $3.3 billion. For that, management blamed weak supply sales in Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, as well as a decline in market share and pricing as customers shifted their purchases of printing supplies online, which doesn't play to HP's strengths. 

The concerns about HP's printing business brought on a series of bearish comments from Wall Street analysts, which painted a negative picture over the whole quarter and contributed to the stock's decline. 

HP is facing challenges in maintaining growth in its PC business, as the upgrade cycle has lengthened, and as more people shift their computer usage to mobile devices. Given those secular headwinds, analysts needed to see growth in all phases of HP's business to have confidence in its ability to grow, which didn't happen.

Now what

On the bright side, HP is showing leadership in delivering innovative new experiences in notebooks, especially for gaming. But that's just one piece the company must get right to deliver the goods to investors, and right now HP appears staggered.

Despite the negatives, there seems to be limited downside in the stock at this point. HP stock trades for a trailing and forward P/E multiple of 7.5 and 8.6, respectively, which seems low given that analysts expect the company to post low-single-digit growth in revenue and earnings over the next two years. Plus, the stock offers an above average dividend yield of 3.25%, which should entice income investors. 

These 5 Pillars Give This Oil Stock a Great Foundation for Enriching Investors

There has been a noticeable shift in the U.S. oil industry over the past couple of years. Oil producers that once trumpeted how fast they could grow are now highlighting their value proposition, drilling down into why they believe they can enrich investors in the future.

Pioneer Natural Resources (NYSE:PXD) is the latest driller to make this shift. On the fourth-quarter conference call, CEO Tim Dove drew attention to this point by laying out the company's five pillars for creating shareholder value. 

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Our primary focus is on drilling for returns

Dove started off by pointing out that Pioneer aims to invest capital so that it can earn high returns. He pointed out that in 2018, "we delivered a ROCE [return on capital employed] for the year of about 9%," which was "significantly up from the 4% level that we had in 2017." He added: "That's clearly a sign of high return wells, high return margins that eventually hit the bottom line. Actually, we would have been in double digits had we not liquidated hedges in the fourth quarter, which will hit directly to the P&L [profit and loss]."

The company has undertaken several actions in the past year to boost returns. It closed its frack sand mine and sold its oil services business and replaced those in-house options with lower-cost outsourced providers. The company has also sold off most of its assets outside the Permian Basin, which is where it earns the highest drilling returns. These actions will help Pioneer to enhance its returns on capital spending.

2. We're becoming much more disciplined allocators of shareholder capital

Pioneer, like many peers, used to reinvest every penny of cash flow, and then some, into drilling more wells. From here, however, the company aims to be much more disciplined. Dove pointed to "a significant capex decrease [of] about 11% compared to 2018" as evidence of the company's growing capital discipline. Though thanks to the higher returns it's earning on capital, it can still grow at a healthy rate, with Dove noting that Pioneer can "deliver a strong 15% increase in production" this year. This capital discipline forces Pioneer to focus on investing in its highest return opportunities.

3. We're ramping up the return of capital to shareholders

As part of Pioneer's capital discipline, it set its 2019 capital budget range to $2.8 billion-$3.1 billion, which is below the $3.2 billion of cash flow it anticipates producing this year. That will allow the company to generate some free cash, which it intends on returning to shareholders. Dove noted on the call that "our return of capital to shareholders continues to expand as part of our main goals, as we repurchased about $328 million of our $2 billion authorization that we put in place in December ... over the last two months," at "attractive prices." He added that "we doubled our dividend that amounts now to about a 700% increase over the last two years, an eightfold increase."

Dove further stated that in returning "capital to shareholders, we're showing to the market that's important to us." In paying a more competitive dividend and repurchasing shares when they're selling for a good value -- as was the case early this year, given their double-digit sell-off in December -- Pioneer has set itself up to produce higher total returns for shareholders over the long term. 

4. We aim to maintain our strong balance sheet

Dove also noted: "We already have one of the best balance sheets in the industry, and we plan to keep it that way with low leverage, because you never know what's going to happen with commodity prices; we certainly want to be responsive and to have the right balance sheet to be able to deal with any outcome. And I think that's a position we're in today."

The company ended last year with $1.4 billion in cash and only $900 million in net debt, which gave it the lowest leverage ratio in its peer group. That fortress-like balance sheet will help Pioneer withstand whatever the oil market throws its way, while giving it the flexibility to take advantage of opportunities that might develop should market conditions deteriorate. 

Image source: Getty Images.

5. We have a highly repeatable program

Dove concluded his overview of Pioneer's five pillars by stating that the company can manufacture growth because "we have quite a large inventory of wells to drill over the next many years." As a result, the company won't "really need to do large acquisitions like some of our peers to grow," which Dove said "then preserves our low cost basis in the acreage."

"And so it's essentially organic growth from the drill bit," he added, "and I think that's the best way to proceed from the standpoint of returns and all of these goals."

The final pillar of Pioneer's foundation for creating shareholder value is its vast inventory of high-return drilling locations in the heart of the Midland Basin. The company controls 680,000 net acres that hold an estimated 10 billion barrels of oil equivalent resources, which it can develop. Given the predictable nature of these wells, Pioneer can steadily grow production and cash flow for years to come.

A strong foundation for success

Pioneer Natural Resources believes it built a company that can create tremendous value for shareholders in the coming years. By focusing on investing for returns while keeping a lid on spending as it develops its vast and predictable resource base, the company can produce free cash flow and return it to investors while maintaining a top-tier balance sheet. Those pillars should enable Pioneer to prosper in both up and down markets so that it can enrich investors over the long haul.

Etherparty (FUEL) Price Reaches $0.0104 on Exchanges

Etherparty (CURRENCY:FUEL) traded up 22.7% against the U.S. dollar during the one day period ending at 14:00 PM E.T. on March 4th. One Etherparty token can now be bought for approximately $0.0104 or 0.00000276 BTC on major cryptocurrency exchanges including HitBTC, Gate.io, Binance and ACX. Etherparty has a market capitalization of $5.82 million and $14.23 million worth of Etherparty was traded on exchanges in the last day. In the last seven days, Etherparty has traded up 28.5% against the U.S. dollar.

Here is how other cryptocurrencies have performed in the last day:

Get Etherparty alerts: XRP (XRP) traded down 2.1% against the dollar and now trades at $0.31 or 0.00008153 BTC. Tether (USDT) traded 0.2% higher against the dollar and now trades at $1.01 or 0.00026953 BTC. Stellar (XLM) traded down 3.8% against the dollar and now trades at $0.0839 or 0.00002234 BTC. Binance Coin (BNB) traded down 1.5% against the dollar and now trades at $11.35 or 0.00302288 BTC. TRON (TRX) traded 2.2% lower against the dollar and now trades at $0.0223 or 0.00000594 BTC. Bitcoin SV (BSV) traded down 3.1% against the dollar and now trades at $63.49 or 0.01691539 BTC. NEO (NEO) traded down 6% against the dollar and now trades at $8.26 or 0.00219944 BTC. VeChain (VET) traded down 5% against the dollar and now trades at $0.0043 or 0.00000114 BTC. Basic Attention Token (BAT) traded 0.6% lower against the dollar and now trades at $0.17 or 0.00004608 BTC. TrueUSD (TUSD) traded 1.7% lower against the dollar and now trades at $1.00 or 0.00026536 BTC.

Etherparty Token Profile

Etherparty launched on October 1st, 2017. Etherparty’s total supply is 1,000,000,000 tokens and its circulating supply is 561,942,102 tokens. Etherparty’s official Twitter account is @etherparty_io and its Facebook page is accessible here. The official website for Etherparty is etherparty.com. The Reddit community for Etherparty is /r/etherparty and the currency’s Github account can be viewed here. Etherparty’s official message board is medium.com/etherparty.

Etherparty Token Trading

Etherparty can be bought or sold on these cryptocurrency exchanges: Binance, HitBTC, Gate.io and ACX. It is usually not possible to buy alternative cryptocurrencies such as Etherparty directly using US dollars. Investors seeking to trade Etherparty should first buy Bitcoin or Ethereum using an exchange that deals in US dollars such as GDAX, Coinbase or Gemini. Investors can then use their newly-acquired Bitcoin or Ethereum to buy Etherparty using one of the aforementioned exchanges.

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Andeavor Logistics LP (ANDX) Position Lowered by BP Capital Fund Advisors LLC

BP Capital Fund Advisors LLC decreased its holdings in Andeavor Logistics LP (NYSE:ANDX) by 26.9% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 44,803 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 16,489 shares during the quarter. BP Capital Fund Advisors LLC’s holdings in Andeavor Logistics were worth $1,456,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in ANDX. Alps Advisors Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Andeavor Logistics by 33.1% in the fourth quarter. Alps Advisors Inc. now owns 10,451,568 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock worth $339,571,000 after acquiring an additional 2,597,131 shares in the last quarter. Tortoise Capital Advisors L.L.C. raised its stake in Andeavor Logistics by 8.8% during the third quarter. Tortoise Capital Advisors L.L.C. now owns 14,726,926 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $715,140,000 after buying an additional 1,187,861 shares in the last quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. acquired a new stake in Andeavor Logistics during the third quarter valued at approximately $43,476,000. Virtus ETF Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in Andeavor Logistics during the third quarter valued at approximately $34,442,000. Finally, CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC raised its stake in Andeavor Logistics by 28.5% during the fourth quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 2,764,081 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock valued at $89,805,000 after buying an additional 613,411 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 34.22% of the company’s stock.

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Several analysts have issued reports on ANDX shares. SunTrust Banks cut Andeavor Logistics from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price objective for the company from $52.00 to $41.00 in a research note on Tuesday, November 13th. Barclays initiated coverage on Andeavor Logistics in a research note on Thursday, December 13th. They set an “equal weight” rating and a $36.00 price objective on the stock. TheStreet cut Andeavor Logistics from a “b” rating to a “c+” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 13th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on Andeavor Logistics from $52.00 to $47.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, November 14th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada dropped their price target on Andeavor Logistics from $51.00 to $47.00 and set a “sector perform” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 6th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have issued a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the stock. The company currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $47.93.

Shares of Andeavor Logistics stock traded up $0.34 on Friday, reaching $35.52. 33,147 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 652,722. The company has a current ratio of 1.01, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.18. The stock has a market capitalization of $8.64 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.82, a PEG ratio of 2.14 and a beta of 1.65. Andeavor Logistics LP has a 1-year low of $31.49 and a 1-year high of $50.82.

Andeavor Logistics (NYSE:ANDX) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 7th. The oil and gas company reported $0.66 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.73 by ($0.07). The company had revenue of $623.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $647.48 million. Andeavor Logistics had a return on equity of 19.28% and a net margin of 26.47%. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 44.1% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $0.25 earnings per share. Sell-side analysts predict that Andeavor Logistics LP will post 3.05 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, February 14th. Investors of record on Tuesday, February 5th were issued a $1.03 dividend. This represents a $4.12 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 11.60%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, February 4th. Andeavor Logistics’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 160.31%.

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Andeavor Logistics Profile

Andeavor Logistics LP operates as a diversified midstream company in the United States. The Terminalling and Transportation segment comprises the Northwest Products Pipeline, including a regulated common carrier products pipeline running from Salt Lake City, Utah to Spokane, Washington and a jet fuel pipeline to the Salt Lake City International Airport; a regulated common carrier refined products pipeline system connecting its refinery to its terminals in Anchorage, Alaska; tankage and related equipment at the refinery; and crude oil and refined products terminals and storage facilities in the western, and southwest and midwestern U.S.

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

$0.82 EPS Expected for Lakeland Financial Co. (LKFN) This Quarter

Wall Street brokerages expect Lakeland Financial Co. (NASDAQ:LKFN) to announce $0.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the current quarter, Zacks Investment Research reports. Four analysts have made estimates for Lakeland Financial’s earnings, with the lowest EPS estimate coming in at $0.79 and the highest estimate coming in at $0.84. Lakeland Financial reported earnings per share of $0.71 during the same quarter last year, which suggests a positive year over year growth rate of 15.5%. The company is scheduled to report its next quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 24th.

On average, analysts expect that Lakeland Financial will report full year earnings of $3.30 per share for the current fiscal year, with EPS estimates ranging from $3.23 to $3.41. For the next year, analysts anticipate that the company will post earnings of $3.54 per share, with EPS estimates ranging from $3.38 to $3.67. Zacks’ EPS calculations are a mean average based on a survey of sell-side research firms that follow Lakeland Financial.

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Lakeland Financial (NASDAQ:LKFN) last announced its earnings results on Friday, January 25th. The financial services provider reported $0.83 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.80 by $0.03. The company had revenue of $49.70 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $48.48 million. Lakeland Financial had a return on equity of 16.54% and a net margin of 33.63%.

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Zacks Investment Research lowered Lakeland Financial from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 1st. BidaskClub raised Lakeland Financial from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 31st. Finally, ValuEngine raised Lakeland Financial from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, November 26th. Four research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the stock. The company currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $52.50.

In other Lakeland Financial news, Director M Scott Welch purchased 8,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 10th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $42.45 per share, for a total transaction of $339,600.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the director now owns 136,448 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,792,217.60. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, Director Thomas Hiatt purchased 2,100 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 7th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $45.66 per share, for a total transaction of $95,886.00. Following the acquisition, the director now directly owns 20,291 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $926,487.06. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have bought 24,432 shares of company stock worth $1,041,297 and have sold 12,163 shares worth $556,410. 4.40% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of LKFN. Walthausen & Co. LLC purchased a new position in shares of Lakeland Financial during the third quarter valued at $11,014,000. Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC grew its holdings in shares of Lakeland Financial by 53.5% during the fourth quarter. Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC now owns 510,786 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $20,513,000 after buying an additional 178,109 shares in the last quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA grew its holdings in shares of Lakeland Financial by 21.6% during the fourth quarter. Massachusetts Financial Services Co. MA now owns 542,943 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $21,805,000 after buying an additional 96,339 shares in the last quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC grew its holdings in shares of Lakeland Financial by 100.2% during the third quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 172,651 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $8,025,000 after buying an additional 86,400 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BTIM Corp. grew its holdings in shares of Lakeland Financial by 31.1% during the fourth quarter. BTIM Corp. now owns 298,363 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $11,982,000 after buying an additional 70,769 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.96% of the company’s stock.

Shares of Lakeland Financial stock traded up $0.19 on Friday, reaching $48.51. 1,069 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 82,985. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.22 billion, a PE ratio of 15.51, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.46 and a beta of 0.91. The company has a quick ratio of 0.97, a current ratio of 0.97 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. Lakeland Financial has a fifty-two week low of $37.79 and a fifty-two week high of $51.25.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, February 5th. Stockholders of record on Friday, January 25th were given a dividend of $0.26 per share. This represents a $1.04 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.14%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Thursday, January 24th. Lakeland Financial’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 33.23%.

About Lakeland Financial

Lakeland Financial Corporation operates as the bank holding company for Lake City Bank that provides various banking products and services in Indiana. The company offers various deposit products, including noninterest bearing deposits; interest-bearing checking, savings, and money market deposits; and NOW and demand deposits.

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