This Small-Cap Alternative Energy Stock Is a “No-Brainer”

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Don't look now, but the alternative energy market has changed dramatically.

Not too long ago, the success of alternative energy was entirely dependent on staggeringly steep crude oil prices.

That and tax credits made alternative energy competitive to fossil fuels.

The higher crude prices went, the better alternative energy looked by comparison.

This dynamic played out perfectly on Wall Street, where solar stocks would track crude oil prices almost in lock step.

In early 2016, oil prices collapsed. It didn't take long for solar stocks to follow suit.

For example, First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: FSLR) traded for $70 per share in January of 2016. By the end of the year, First Solar was priced at $30 per share.

As crude recovered from those lows and peaked in the fall of 2018, shares of First Solar fought back to that $70 level.

In Q4 2018, amidst a rate hike cycle at the Federal Reserve and a strong dollar, crude prices fell below $50.

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Once again, down went First Solar.

By the end of the year, the stock had fallen approximately 40%.

But thankfully, we're finally in a place where solar stocks aren't completely dependent on the price of oil. The solar industry has matured in a way where the price of oil simply doesn't matter going forward.

In fact, as solar becomes more prevalent, demand for crude will conceivably fall. Of course, that would pressure oil prices.

The cost of producing solar energy has dropped dramatically too.

As volumes of solar energy increase, the pressure on crude will be immense.

This chart shows how solar prices have dropped dramatically in recent years, along with increased demand…

It may not matter much, but the U.S. Federal Reserve is also providing a huge tailwind to solar as well.

A dovish central bank takes the air out of the dollar. It also increases asset prices like oil.

The same cannot be said of solar.

In fact, if oil prices continue to move higher from here, the price of solar will further decline as demand for alternative energy increases.

And what happens to alternative energy stocks in that environment?

They skyrocket…

The Money Morning Stock VQScore system is well aware of this.

In fact, an alternative energy small-cap stock just received our highest rating, meaning it's poised for massive gains…

This Is the Best Alternative Energy Stock to Buy Today

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Facebook execs are fleeing, and an analyst warns the exodus could be contagious

Facebook dropped Monday after a Wall Street brokerage downgraded the stock to a hold rating and warned clients that the recent departure of 11 senior managers could spark further flights from the social media giant.

Needham analyst Laura Martin wrote that Facebook's pivot toward privacy and encrypted messaging, rising regulatory risk and the upload of disturbing content will accelerate the management exodus in what she called a "Negative Network Effect."

"We are concerned that regulatory, headline, and strategic pivot risks will negatively impact Facebook's valuation more than investors currently believe due to the negative flywheel created by Network Effects," Martin wrote. "A Negative Network Effect suggests that departures will continue, and since we believe that people are a key competitive advantage of FAANG companies, this implies accelerating value destruction until senior executive turnover ends."

Facebook has seen several of its top managers leave the company within the past several months, including Chief Product Officer Chris Cox to Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. Cox left last week.

Facebook also drew criticism last week after a terrorist incident in New Zealand in which a shooter live-streamed his attack on the social media site. Google's YouTube and Twitter also struggled to track down and remove the disturbing content. The shootings claimed at least 49 lives.

It also suffered its longest service outage last week. After nearly 24 hours of intermittent access, the company said a "server configuration change that triggered a cascading series of issues" was to blame.

Martin has a $170 price target on shares of Facebook, less than 3 percent from Friday's closing price of $165.98. Shares fell 1.2 percent in premarket trading Monday following the Needham note; the equity is down 9.7 percent over the past 12 months.

Disclaimer

Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019

tags:CMG,BRD,THO,CNI,

Canada is, without question, one of the most important cannabis markets on the planet. Its recreational marijuana market opens up nationwide in October, and the biggest marijuana stocks in the world are all based in Canada. But some investors might be overlooking another even more important cannabis market right under their noses -- the U.S.

This year, the U.S. is expected to generate more than 85% of total global marijuana sales. While that percentage will likely decrease as the Canadian recreational cannabis market and medical cannabis markets in Europe grow, the U.S. still is probably going to make up three-quarters of total global marijuana sales well into the next decade.

Marijuana remains illegal at the federal level in the U.S., but that hasn't stopped companies from making headway in the states that have legalized either medical or recreational marijuana. Most of these companies are very small, but not all of them. 

Three marijuana stocks that target the U.S. cannabis market that claim the biggest market caps are Scotts Miracle-Gro (NYSE:SMG), MedMen Enterprises (NASDAQOTH:MMNFF), and MariMed (NASDAQOTH:MRMD). Here's what you need to know about these three U.S.-based marijuana stocks.

Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019: Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.(CMG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Lange]

  Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE: CMG) shares dipped early on Monday after the burrito chain announced that it is piloting its new "highly anticipated" loyalty program, Chipotle Rewards. This is part of Chipotle's ongoing efforts to drive digital innovation and make the brand more accessible. The points-based loyalty system is now live in three test markets.

• [By Chris Lange]

  Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE: CMG) shares sank on Thursday after the burrito chain announced that it would be instigating a few changes to drive the brand forward. Apart from a marketing blitz and loyalty program, Chipotle will be closing some underperforming stores as well.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) got a boost, shooting up 25 percent to $423.49 as the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings for its first quarter on Wednesday.

• [By Garrett Baldwin]

  We have you covered. This week, we did our digging into the numbers, and we have found three stocks that could surge 80% or more in the months ahead. Let's dig into them as the market opens… right here.

  The Top Stock Market Stories for Thursday A leaked report from a Chinese government think tank warned of "financial panic" across the country. In addition to concerns about the ongoing trade battle with the United States, the National Institution for Finance & Development warned about the ongoing use of leverage in the stock market. The think tank argued that China's central bank must be ready to step in and support the nation's markets (the Shanghai Composite is off 20% since January) in the event of a liquidity crisis. This morning, the U.S. Department of Commerce said that Q1 gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed far more than analysts had expected. During January through March, we saw the weakest levels of consumer spending in roughly five years. GDP clocked in at just 2.0%, a downturn from the 2.2% reported by the agency last month. Markets appear to believe that the economy has rebounded during the second quarter thanks in part to the massive tax cuts in January. However, ongoing trade tensions and increasing uncertainty around the globe could potentially spur a panic at any time. In 2018, major telecom carriers will begin rolling out 5G networks across the country, and the development could be one of the biggest ever. This technological leap is creating some incredible profit opportunities for tech stocks. According to Swedish network equipment manufacturer Ericsson ADR (Nasdaq: ERIC), new 5G-related features could produce as much as $1.3 trillion annually in additional revenue for carriers by 2026. Just imagine how much money you could make if you get in early and invest right now in the top 5G stocks. It would be a fortune. Today, we show you the undervalued stock that is going to lead this revolution, and it could make you rich. M
• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Genprex, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) shares gained 86.76 percent to close at $11.00 on Thursday. Comstock Resources, Inc. (NYSE: CRK) shares climbed 47.06 percent to close at $7.00 after the company disclosed a deal with Arkoma Drilling L.P. and Williston Drilling, L.P. to buy oil & gas properties in North Dakota. Comstock announced withdrawal of tender offers for outstanding secured notes. Ceridian HCM Holding Inc. (NASDAQ: CDAY) gained 41.86 percent to close at $31.21. MarineMax, Inc. (NYSE: HZO) shares rose 26.5 percent to close at $22.20 as the company posted upbeat Q2 results and raised its FY18 outlook. Concord Medical Services Holdings Limited (NYSE: CCM) jumped 24.92 percent to close at $4.06. Mattersight Corporation (NASDAQ: MATR) shares climbed 23.26 percent to close at $2.65 after the company agreed to be purchased by NICE Ltd. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. (NYSE: CMG) rose 24.44 percent to close at $422.50 as the company reported stronger-than-expected results for its first quarter on Wednesday. Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: UCTT) gained 17.75 percent to close at $18.64 following upbeat Q1 earnings. PCM, Inc. (NASDAQ: PCMI) rose 16.59 percent to close at $12.30 following Q1 results. Zymeworks Inc. (NASDAQ: ZYME) rose 16.06 percent to close at $15.25. Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALXN) shares climbed 14.5 percent to close at $121.42 as the company posted reported Q1 beat And raised FY18 outlook. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) shares gained 13.7 percent to close at $11.04 as the company reported upbeat results for its first quarter. Axsome Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AXSM) rose 13.21 percent to close at $3.00 after the company disclosed a positive outcome of the interim analysis of STRIDE-1 Phase 3 trial of AXS-05 in treatment resistant depression. O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: ORLY) jumped 13.06 percent to close at $257.40 following upbeat Q1 profit. BioTelemetry,
• [By Ethan Ryder]

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

  Get Chipotle Mexican Grill alerts: UPDATE: Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) PT Raised to Street High $530 at Piper Jaffray (streetinsider.com) Chipotle gets a big bullish analyst call as Piper Jaffray sees 25% rally from here (finance.yahoo.com) Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) Price Target Increased to $530.00 by Analysts at Piper Jaffray (americanbankingnews.com) Chipotle's Honeymoon Won't Last Forever (finance.yahoo.com) $2.67 Earnings Per Share Expected for Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) This Quarter (americanbankingnews.com)

  Several research firms have commented on CMG. Piper Jaffray raised their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $420.00 to $530.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Monday. Deutsche Bank set a $285.00 price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill and gave the stock a “sell” rating in a report on Thursday, April 26th. Maxim Group downgraded Chipotle Mexican Grill from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and raised their price objective for the stock from $410.00 to $435.00 in a report on Friday, April 27th. ValuEngine upgraded Chipotle Mexican Grill from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, April 27th. Finally, Robert W. Baird raised their price objective on Chipotle Mexican Grill from $400.00 to $440.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, April 26th. Six analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, twenty-six have assigned a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. Chipotle Mexican Grill presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $356.78.

Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019: Apollo Gold Corporation(BRD)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Bread (CURRENCY:BRD) traded up 12.2% against the U.S. dollar during the one day period ending at 15:00 PM E.T. on September 20th. In the last week, Bread has traded 17.1% higher against the U.S. dollar. Bread has a total market capitalization of $32.97 million and approximately $760,371.00 worth of Bread was traded on exchanges in the last day. One Bread token can now be bought for approximately $0.37 or 0.00005774 BTC on major cryptocurrency exchanges including Kucoin, Tokenomy, OKEx and Cobinhood.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Bread (CURRENCY:BRD) traded up 0.8% against the US dollar during the twenty-four hour period ending at 22:00 PM Eastern on September 1st. Over the last week, Bread has traded 3.1% higher against the US dollar. Bread has a market cap of $32.33 million and $367,357.00 worth of Bread was traded on exchanges in the last day. One Bread token can currently be purchased for about $0.36 or 0.00005097 BTC on major cryptocurrency exchanges including Kucoin, Cobinhood, Binance and OKEx.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Bread (CURRENCY:BRD) traded 2.1% lower against the U.S. dollar during the 24-hour period ending at 21:00 PM Eastern on May 27th. One Bread token can currently be bought for $0.46 or 0.00006320 BTC on popular cryptocurrency exchanges including Cobinhood, Binance and OKEx. Bread has a market capitalization of $40.78 million and $4.40 million worth of Bread was traded on exchanges in the last day. During the last seven days, Bread has traded down 28.2% against the U.S. dollar.

Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019: Thor Industries Inc.(THO)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Keith Noonan, Rich Smith, and Tyler Crowe]

  For this roundtable, we asked three Motley Fool contributors to profile a company that has the makings of a long-term winner. Read on to see why they think that Thor Industries (NYSE:THO), Waste Management (NYSE:WM), and Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI) are stocks that are poised to do big things over the next 20 years.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  First Allied Advisory Services Inc. lowered its position in Thor Industries, Inc. (NYSE:THO) by 20.5% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 4,104 shares of the construction company’s stock after selling 1,060 shares during the period. First Allied Advisory Services Inc.’s holdings in Thor Industries were worth $401,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Shares of Tahoe Resources Inc (NYSE:TAHO) (TSE:THO) gapped up prior to trading on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $3.40, but opened at $3.05. Tahoe Resources shares last traded at $2.72, with a volume of 307328 shares.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  TheStreet lowered shares of Tahoe Resources (NYSE:TAHO) (TSE:THO) from a c rating to a d+ rating in a report published on Tuesday.

  A number of other research analysts also recently weighed in on TAHO. Cantor Fitzgerald assumed coverage on Tahoe Resources in a research note on Wednesday, March 28th. They set a buy rating on the stock. Zacks Investment Research downgraded Tahoe Resources from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Thursday, April 26th. ValuEngine downgraded Tahoe Resources from a sell rating to a strong sell rating in a research note on Monday, April 2nd. Finally, Credit Suisse Group downgraded Tahoe Resources from an outperform rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Friday, January 26th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. Tahoe Resources has an average rating of Hold.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  News articles about Tahoe Resources (NYSE:TAHO) (TSE:THO) have trended somewhat positive this week, Accern Sentiment reports. The research group scores the sentiment of news coverage by monitoring more than twenty million news and blog sources. Accern ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of negative one to one, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Tahoe Resources earned a media sentiment score of 0.07 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave headlines about the basic materials company an impact score of 48.1975954881896 out of 100, meaning that recent news coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the company’s share price in the immediate future.

Best Canadian Stocks To Invest In 2019: Canadian National Railway Company(CNI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Canadian National Railway (CNI)

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

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI) (TSE:CNR) – Analysts at Seaport Global Securities issued their Q1 2019 EPS estimates for shares of Canadian National Railway in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, January 30th. Seaport Global Securities analyst M. Levin expects that the transportation company will earn $0.96 per share for the quarter. Seaport Global Securities also issued estimates for Canadian National Railway’s Q2 2019 earnings at $1.26 EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $1.27 EPS and Q4 2019 earnings at $1.26 EPS.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI) (TSE:CNR) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the twenty brokerages that are covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $93.33.

Bank 100% Gains on This Industry's Slowdown

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We've uncovered a trend in stocks the rest of Wall Street is overlooking, and it could double your money if you play it right. We'll show you exactly how with today's trading strategy.

The economy might be slowing down from its peak, and there's no better evidence for it than in the transportation sector.

Last week's release of the February jobs report disappointed in a big way. With a mere 20,000 increase in total nonfarm payrolls, it was much lower than the consensus expectation for 181,000 new jobs. After a long string of jobs successes, this report made investors nervous that economic growth was truly slowing down.

However, for those who paid attention, one critical sector was already slowing down and foreshadowed recent numbers. Friday's report simply proved that it wasn't just a fluke.

The transportation sector is a favorite Wall Street bellwether for the economy – and the stock market by extension. It's also been one of the weakest sectors in the stock market this year.

The forecasting ability of transportation stocks, such as air freight, rails, tankers, and trucking, is no secret. After all, chartists have been following "Dow theory," named after The Wall Street Journal co-founder Charles Dow, for decades. They look for moves in the Dow Jones Industrial Average to be echoed in the Dow Transports. The theory holds that if the companies that make things and the companies that deliver those things are both doing well, then the economy should be doing well, too.

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Unfortunately for the bulls, the late 2018 market sell-off created a Dow theory sell signal that is still in effect today. What that means is the primary direction of the stock market is to the downside, and the rally we've seen since December is just a bounce. It's been a great bounce, but the transport sector suggests it will soon be over.

The good news is that we can still make plenty of money in this type of market. All it requires is creating a bearish strategy, and Money Morning Quantitative Specialist Chris Johnson has one.

His strategy could bag you a 100% gainer by going against this transportation titan while the rest of Wall Street overlooks it…

Double Your Money from the Transportation Slowdown

Just as a bullish strategy often relies on buying the strongest stocks in the strongest sectors, a bearish strategy relies on just the opposite.

That's why we're targeting the transportation sector. As we pointed out, it's been a laggard in the Dow index this year, and its fortunes worsened after the lackluster jobs report.

And to find a prime target in the sector, Johnson turned to his "Best in Breed" screener. His research pinpointed American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ: AAL) as a dud set to drop the most as the economy slows down.

One way to make money off this stock's fall is to simply short it. But the risk here is too high, and we have a smarter play. Shorting a stock exposes an investor to potentially unlimited losses, should the stock move higher.

Rather, we can use stock options to accomplish the same result – but with much lower risk. Buying options risks only the small amount of money invested but has the potential to double your money or more in a short period of time.

American Airlines closed Thursday at $32.13 per share, and Johnson has a price target of $29 for the near term. Given the price and time frame, the AAL April 18, 2019 $32 put (AAL|20190418|32.00C) presents a great opportunity to profit as the stock falls. At $1.25 per option, these puts offer the opportunity to double your money over the next few weeks, as this laggard leads the transportation sector lower. This isn't even factoring in the Boeing Co. (NYSE: BA) scandal that's grounded all 737 Max aircraft. American Airlines owns 24 of them.

This put option contract, which gives the holder the right (but not obligation) to sell 100 shares of AAL stock at $32 per share will cost $125 per 100-share contract, before commissions. If shares of AAL fall to Johnson's target price of $29 before its April 18 expiration, the options price will be $3. This is the difference between the strike price ($32) and stock price ($29).

With the current options price $1.25, that is more than a double. And that's not a bad payday for a month's trade.

But you don't have to stop there. Chris Johnson is leveraging his quantitative research into even more lucrative trades…

Chris Johnson's New Trading System Unveiled

The stock market recently experienced its worst October since 2008.

But since late September, Chris Johnson has delivered a perfect 20-0 record in closed trades with the help of his brand-new Infrared Index.

And it's expected to continue to produce massive profit opportunities, like 157% in total returns in just 24 hours.

In fact, Chris has a new trade opportunity coming out tonight.

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Imperial Metals (III) Upgraded to Buy at Canaccord Genuity

Canaccord Genuity upgraded shares of Imperial Metals (TSE:III) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Monday. They currently have C$4.00 price objective on the stock, up from their prior price objective of C$1.65.

Imperial Metals stock opened at C$3.01 on Monday. The company has a current ratio of 0.08, a quick ratio of 0.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 195.40. The firm has a market capitalization of $239.15 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of -4.06. Imperial Metals has a 52 week low of C$0.93 and a 52 week high of C$3.50.

Get Imperial Metals alerts:

About Imperial Metals

Imperial Metals Corporation acquires, explores for, develops, and produces base and precious metals in Canada. The company explores for gold, copper, zinc, and lead. It operates through Red Chris, Mount Polley, Sterling, Huckleberry, and Corporate segments. The company's key projects are Red Chris copper/gold mine in northwest British Columbia; Mount Polley copper/gold mine in central British Columbia; and Huckleberry copper mine in west central British Columbia.

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Hot Undervalued Stocks To Own Right Now

tags:KHC,PGLC,DF,DVAX,FOGO,CRECF,

The stock market hates Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI). The natural gas pipeline company's stock -- which once traded north of $40 per share -- has been languishing at less than $20 per share for nearly a year. And recent moves by the company to reward shareholders haven't moved the needle much. 

But that could mean the stock is ripe to outperform. Could this beaten-down pipeline company turn a modest investment into a cool million dollars by rocketing back to growth? Let's take a look and find out.

Kinder Morgan's stock may be undervalued, but can it outperform to the tune of $1 million? Image source: Getty Images.

Don't bring me down

Investors were justifiably angry with Kinder Morgan in 2016, when management cut its dividend by more than 75% to free up cash. That move sent shares tumbling. Since then, the company has made some progress cleaning up its balance sheet and improving its operations, but the market has still been giving it the cold shoulder. 

Hot Undervalued Stocks To Own Right Now: The Kraft Heinz Company(KHC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Sunbelt Securities Inc. increased its stake in Kraft Heinz Co (NASDAQ:KHC) by 399.5% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 23,977 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 19,177 shares during the quarter. Sunbelt Securities Inc.’s holdings in Kraft Heinz were worth $1,506,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Matthew Frankel]

  However, two major Berkshire stocks that just reported earnings posted some pretty excellent results. Between Apple's (NASDAQ:AAPL) strong report on Tuesday and Kraft Heinz's (NASDAQ:KHC) expectation-topping report on Friday, Berkshire's stock portfolio gained $4.6 billion in value.

• [By Chris Hill]

  Hill: -- that bears further investigation. As a reminder, it was back in May that Campbell Soup said that it was undergoing a strategic review. And, yes, of course, any time you hear, "We're undertaking a strategic review," one of the questions on the table is, "Should we be putting ourselves up for sale?" That's when CEO Denise Morrison said, "Check, please," and she left. Now, we're getting reports that Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ:KHC) might be looking to buy Campbell Soup, and shares are up 10%.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Hollencrest Capital Management lowered its holdings in shares of Kraft Heinz Co (NASDAQ:KHC) by 50.0% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 8,089 shares of the company’s stock after selling 8,091 shares during the period. Hollencrest Capital Management’s holdings in Kraft Heinz were worth $446,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Hot Undervalued Stocks To Own Right Now: Pershing Gold Corporation(PGLC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Pershing Gold (PGLC)

  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 Pershing Gold (PGLC)

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

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Pershing Gold (PGLC)

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

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Pershing Gold (PGLC)

  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 Pershing Gold (PGLC)

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

Hot Undervalued Stocks To Own Right Now: Dean Foods Company(DF)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Dean Foods (NYSE:DF) is looking none too fresh this morning, with shares of the maker of Dean's milk and TruMoo (among many other brands) down 8.5% as of 1:05 p.m. EST.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Dean Foods Co. (NYSE: DF) fell about 18% Monday to post a new 52-week low of $8.32 after closing at $10.13 on Friday. The 52-week high is $20.10. Volume of more than 12 million was more than seven times the daily average. The company reported poor results and issued a weak outlook.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  Shares of food and milk supplier Dean Foods Co (NYSE:DF) jumped as much as 15.3% in trading Tuesday after reporting first-quarter earnings that showed a nice improvement in the business. At 11:30 a.m. EDT shares had stabilized at a 10.6% gain on the day.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Dean Foods Co. (NYSE: DF) traded down about 1.6% Monday and posted a new 52-week low of $7.51 after closing Friday at $7.63. The stock’s 52-week high is $12.09. Volume was about 10% above the daily average of around 1.4 million. The company had no specific news.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Deutsche Bank cut shares of Dean Foods (NYSE:DF) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report sent to investors on Monday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports. They currently have $9.00 target price on the stock.

Hot Undervalued Stocks To Own Right Now: Dynavax Technologies Corporation(DVAX)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Dynavax Technologies Co. (NASDAQ:DVAX)’s share price traded down 6% on Wednesday . The stock traded as low as $8.60 and last traded at $8.56. 1,747,224 shares were traded during trading, an increase of 61% from the average session volume of 1,088,373 shares. The stock had previously closed at $9.11.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Dynavax Technologies (NASDAQ:DVAX) was upgraded by investment analysts at BidaskClub from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a report issued on Thursday.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Turtle Beach Corporation (NASDAQ: HEAR) surged 87.1 percent to $12.98 after the company reported Q1 results and raised its FY18 outlook. ARMO BioSciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARMO) shares jumped 66.8 percent to $49.735 after Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced plans to acquire ARMO BioSciences for $50 per share. vTv Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTVT) gained 34 percent to $2.2920 following announcement that the company will pre-specify new subgroup with the FDA and report Phase 3 Part B results in June. Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: PBH) climbed 22.3 percent to $34.84 after the company posted upbeat Q4 earnings. Depomed, Inc. (NASDAQ: DEPO) shares jumped 22.2 percent to $7.28 following better-than-expected Q1 earnings. Everspin Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRAM) gained 19.8 percent to $8.89 after the company reported strong results for its first quarter. Luxfer Holdings PLC (NYSE: LXFR) surged 19.8 percent to $17.10 following Q1 results. Clean Energy Fuels Corp. (NASDAQ: CLNE) rose 18.3 percent to $2.26 after French company Total announced plans to acquire 25 percent stake in Clean Energy Fuels for $83.4 million. Intelligent Systems Corporation (NYSE: INS) gained 17 percent to $7.116. Green Dot Corporation (NYSE: GDOT) surged 15.3 percent to $73.00 after reporting upbeat Q1 earnings. The Chefs' Warehouse, Inc. (NASDAQ: CHEF) climbed 15 percent to $28.85. Chefs' Warehouse posted Q1 earnings of $0.03 per share on sales of $318.6 million. Westport Fuel Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: WPRT) rose 14.2 percent to $2.9701. Wright Medical Group N.V. (NASDAQ: WMGI) jumped 13.8 percent to $23.87 after reporting upbeat quarterly earnings. Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc. (NYSE: DPLO) gained 13.4 percent to $22.70. Diplomat named Brian Griffin as Chairman and CEO. Carvana Co. (NYSE: CVNA) shares rose 13 percent to $27.97 after reporting upbeat Q1 sales. Prothena Corporation plc (NASDAQ: PRTA) gained 12 percent to $15.19
• [By Motley Fool Transcription]

  Dynavax Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:DVAX) Q4 2018 Earnings Conference Call February 26, 2019, 4:30 p.m. ET

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

  Operator

Hot Undervalued Stocks To Own Right Now: Fogo de Chao, Inc.(FOGO)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dustin Parrett]

  But with a VQScore of 4, our top score, this company is one of the best stocks you can buy right now, which means the Raymond James rating might be too conservative. Not only are you getting a company with growth potential, you're getting it at an excellent price.

  Restaurant Stocks to Buy, No. 2: Fogo de Chao Inc. (Nasdaq: FOGO)

  Fogo de Chao Inc. (Nasdaq: FOGO) is upscale Brazilian steakhouse, originally opened in Brazil in 1979. Fogo de Chao currently has 47 restaurants across the world.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Fogo De Chao (NASDAQ: FOGO) and Habit Restaurants (NASDAQ:HABT) are both small-cap retail/wholesale companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, dividends, analyst recommendations, risk, profitability, institutional ownership and earnings.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Fogo De Chao (NASDAQ:FOGO) and Texas Roadhouse (NASDAQ:TXRH) are both retail/wholesale companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, profitability, valuation, institutional ownership, earnings, risk and dividends.

Hot Undervalued Stocks To Own Right Now: Critical Elements Corporation (CRECF)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  The following 6 companies are on the bench for the index:

  Advantage Lithium (OTCQX:AVLIF) Argosy Minerals (OTCPK:ARYMF) Bacanora Minerals (OTC:BCRMF) Critical Elements (OTCQX:CRECF) NEO Lithium (OTCQX:NTTHF) Wealth Minerals (OTCQX:WMLLF)

  "Bench" is a sports analogy meaning that one or more of them could be added in the future if one of the above companies becomes a producer, is acquired, or the market capitalization ("cap") of one or more of the index holdings falls significantly below that of one or more companies on the bench.

• [By ]

  Other juniors include: Advantage Lithium (OTCQB:AVLIF) [TSXV:AAL], AIS Resources [TSXV:AIS] (OTCQB:AISSF), American Lithium Corp. [TSX-V: LI] (OTCQB:LIACF), Argentina Lithium and Energy Corp. [TSXV:LIT] (OTCQB:PNXLF), Argosy Minerals [ASX:AGY] (OTC:ARYMF), AVZ Minerals [ASX:AVZ] (OTC:AZZVF), Bacanora Minerals [TSXV:BCN] [AIM:BCN] [GR:1BQ] (OTC:BCRMF), Birimian Ltd [ASX:BGS] (OTC:EEYMF), Critical Elements [TSXV:CRE] [GR:F12] (OTCQX:CRECF), Dajin Resources [TSXV:DJI] (OTCPK:DJIFF), Enigri (private), Eramet (EN Paris:ERA) (OTCPK:ERMAY), European Metals Holdings [ASX:EMH] [AIM:EMH] [GR:E861] (OTC:ERPNF), Far Resources [CSE:FAT] (OTCPK:FRRSF), Force Commodities [ASX:4CE], Kidman Resources [ASX:KDR] [GR:6KR], Latin Resources Ltd [ASX: LRS] (OTC:LAXXF), Lithium Australia [ASX:LIT] (OTC:LMMFF), Lithium Power International [ASX:LPI] (OTC:LTHHF), LSC Lithium [TSXV:LSC] (OTC:LSSCF), MetalsTech [ASX:MTC], MGX Minerals [CSE:XMG] (OTC:MGXMF), Millennial Lithium Corp. [TSXV:ML] (OTCQB:MLNLF), Neo Lithium [TSXV:NLC] (OTC:NTTHF), NRG Metals Inc. [TSXV:NGZ] (OTCQB:NRGMF), Nemaska Lithium [TSX:NMX] [GR:NOT] (OTCQX:NMKEF), North American Lithium (private), Piedmont Lithium [ASX:PLL] (OTC:PLLLY), Prospect Resources [ASX:PSC], Sayona Mining [ASX:SYA] (OTCPK:DMNXF), Savannah Resources [LSE:SAV], Standard Lithium [TSXV:SLL] (OTC:STLHF), and Wealth Minerals [TSXV:WML] (OTCQB:WMLLF).

Top 5 Cheap Stocks To Own For 2019

tags:KSS,CMP,SIRI,WEN,UNH,

The story at Covisint (NASDAQ:COVS) is one I've seen so many times in my years looking for small- and micro-cap value plays. There's the "cheap" stock price:

COVS data by YCharts

There's a series of missed revenue targets. There're the questionable management decisions, like aggressively rebuilding the sales force in FY15 (COVS fiscal years end in March), only to moderate spend and shift some of those resources a year later. There's an "yeah, it's a bit slower than we thought, but we're on the right track" vibe from management even though there seems a very real chance Covisint is not on the right track. And, most notably, there's a real question as to whether Covisint should be a standalone business at all, a question that comes up quite often among companies of its size.

Top 5 Cheap Stocks To Own For 2019: Kohl's Corporation(KSS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  These are some of the news articles that may have effected Accern’s scoring:

  Get Kohl's alerts: Stephanie A. Streeter Sells 4,776 Shares of Kohl’s Co. (KSS) Stock (americanbankingnews.com) Insider Selling: Kohl’s Co. (KSS) President Sells 27,223 Shares of Stock (americanbankingnews.com) New blockchain ledger will let US residents sell personal healthcare data (computerworld.com.au) Kohl’s Stock Flashes Reliable Buy Signal Again (schaeffersresearch.com) Kohl’s (KSS) Dips More Than Broader Markets: What You Should Know (finance.yahoo.com)

  A number of brokerages recently issued reports on KSS. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Kohl’s from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $75.00 price target on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, May 30th. Guggenheim reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $75.00 price target on shares of Kohl’s in a research note on Tuesday, May 22nd. ValuEngine upgraded shares of Kohl’s from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, August 13th. Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $90.00 price target on shares of Kohl’s in a research note on Thursday, August 16th. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of Kohl’s in a research note on Monday, September 3rd. They issued a “buy” rating and a $91.00 price target on the stock. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, thirteen have issued a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. Kohl’s presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $77.20.

• [By Jim Crumly]

  As for individual stocks, shares of Kohl's Corporation (NYSE:KSS) suffered a setback after the company beat earnings expectations but sowed some concern about sales in the second half, and The TJX Companies (NYSE:TJX) bucked the retail trend, rising after reporting a strong quarter.

• [By Motley Fool Transcribers]

  Kohl's Corp  (NYSE:KSS)Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallMarch 05, 2019, 9:00 a.m. ET

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

  Operator

• [By ]

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

• [By Daniel B. Kline]

  Kohl's (NYSE:KSS) has proven to be one of the retail companies that understand how to operate in a changing market. The company, which at one point looked like it would fall victim to the so-called retail apocalypse, has posted some strong results recently.

• [By Jim Crumly]

  As for individual stocks, Toll Brothers surprised analysts with its second-quarter results and Kohl's Corporation (NYSE:KSS) reported a big profit gain on robust sales. 

Top 5 Cheap Stocks To Own For 2019: Compass Minerals Intl Inc(CMP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE:CMP) is often listed as a miner, but the salt and fertilizer it produces are a bit different than what most investors think of when they hear the word "miner." That makes Compass something of an odd duck and results in it being off of most investors' radar screens. A tough 2017 is another net negative. That's a shame, since it currently sports a yield of more than 4.4%, and the business outlook is improving. Here's what investors are missing out on with this high-yield stock.

• [By Motley Fool Transcription]

  Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE:CMP) Q4 2018 Earnings Conference Call Feb. 12, 2019, 10:00 a.m. ET

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

  Operator

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Few people look forward to winter more than investors in seasonal businesses that do a lot of business during the cold-weather months, and Compass Minerals International (NYSE:CMP) falls squarely into that category. With so much of its business coming from state and municipal governments treating roads and other surfaces with salt and anti-icing products, Compass often sees a lot of its success come during this part of the year.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Rhumbline Advisers boosted its stake in Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE:CMP) by 1.6% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 61,295 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after acquiring an additional 991 shares during the quarter. Rhumbline Advisers owned about 0.18% of Compass Minerals International worth $4,030,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Shares of Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE:CMP) have been assigned an average rating of “Hold” from the seven ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $74.33.

Top 5 Cheap Stocks To Own For 2019: Sirius XM Radio Inc.(SIRI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  A lot can happen to a stock in just a couple of weeks. There were 275.5 million shares of Sirius XM Holdings (NASDAQ:SIRI) sold short at the end of January, the largest number of bearish bets placed on the satellite radio provider in more than a year. Two weeks later, short interest fell to 174.7 million shares, a fresh 52-week low in pessimism. 

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  It's been a bumpy few weeks for Sirius XM Holdings (NASDAQ:SIRI) since the stock peaked at $7.70 last month. We've seen a pair of analyst downgrades on valuation concerns. And the shares kicked off this week trading 8% lower than their mid-June highs despite the general market inching slightly higher in that time. 

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  If Sirius XM Holdings (NASDAQ:SIRI) and Spotify (NYSE:SPOT) were playing a concert, it wouldn't be easy to decide which one is the headliner and which one has to settle for being the opening act. The two music services draw tens of millions of premium subscribers apiece, but each company is singing in a different key.

• [By Sean Williams]

  The VISE acronym stands for:

  Visa (NYSE:V) Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ:ISRG) Sirius XM Holdings (NASDAQ:SIRI) Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA)

  Each of these four companies brings clear-cut competitive advantages to the table that should allow it to handily outperform the broader market (and the FANG stocks).

Top 5 Cheap Stocks To Own For 2019: Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc.(WEN)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Asit Sharma]

  Quick-service restaurant chain The Wendy's Company (NASDAQ:WEN) released fourth-quarter 2018 earnings on Thursday before the markets opened for trading. While revenue tacked on a mid-single-digit increase against the prior-year period, operating profit declined as higher costs ate into company margins. Capping a credible if somewhat lackluster report on the last three months, management offered shareholders a middling yet realistic outlook for 2019. Let's review the details of the quarter, and dissect Wendy's guidance for the current 12-month period.

• [By Mac Greer]

  He still has 29% of the company, he's still plastered on the pizza boxes and the marketing -- although, that's really been pulled back. Then, it's also come out this week that Wendy's (NASDAQ:WEN) and Papa John's, before all of this stuff came up over the past couple of months, they're actually in talks to have some sort of merger. Going forward, if you're the board of directors at Papa John's, I think you have to really consider that possibility. Maybe the best step forward for the company is to look for a merger or a sale, because, man, this seems like a train wreck that keeps accelerating. When you have Schnatter on the board, he would have to be in favor of a buyout or a merger for it to go through. 

• [By Matt Hogan]

  Growth within the industry is a bit lumpy, with limited-service restaurants, such as Wendys Co (NASDAQ: WEN) and Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc (NYSE: CMG), growing at 5.3 percent in 2017 as compared to 3.5 percent for casual dining establishments according to the National Restaurant Industry.

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  The chart below shows how McDonald's compares with some of its closest peers based on its valuation and expected growth rate.

  Company P/E Ratio 2-Year Expected EPS Growth Rate McDonald's (NYSE:MCD) 26.2 23.6% Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) 26.2 27.3% Wendy's (NASDAQ:WEN) 21.8 58.1% Restaurant Brands International (NYSE:QSR) 21.4 41.9% Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM) 23.2 29.7%

  Data source: Yahoo! Finance. EPS = earnings per share.

Top 5 Cheap Stocks To Own For 2019: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated(UNH)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Baldwin]
  Market fears of an escalating Middle Eastern conflict abated thanks to last week's military strikes against the Syrian government. On Friday, April 13, U.S. forces joined the United Kingdom and France in retaliation for a chemical gas attack carried out by the Syrian government. The military exercise came at a time that tensions are also rising in the Middle East between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Today, several members of the U.S. Federal Reserve will be speaking at events around the globe, including San Francisco Fed President John Williams and Chicago Fed Bank President Charles Evans. But no one will be more watched today than Fed Gov. Randal Quarles, who will testify before the U.S. House Financial Services Commission. Quarles will provide testimony on the central bank's plans to regulate and oversee the financial system. Expect a wealth of questions about the Fed's plans to raise interest rates and manage its massive balance sheet. Money Morning Liquidity Specialist Lee Adler offers you advice on how to play the Fed's problems, right here. Four Stocks to Watch Today: GS, NFLX, TSLA, and ROKU Shares of Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) added 0.6% after the Wall Street bank easily topped Q1 earnings and revenue estimates. The firm reported earnings per share (EPS) of $6.95 on top of more than $10 billion in revenue. Analysts projected EPS of $5.67 on top of $8.89 billion. The investment bank hiked its quarterly dividend and said that revenue from equity trading rallied thanks to an uptick in recent market volatility. Shares of Tesla Inc. (Nasdaq: TSLA) are flat on the news that the firm will suspend production of its Model 3 vehicles. The firm said the temporary halt in production will aim to "improve automation" and address ongoing bottlenecks in its production process. Shares of Roku Inc. (Nasdaq: ROKU) popped more than 8.2% on news that Steven Cohen's family office has taken a passive 5.1% stake in the company. The streaming device manufactur
• [By Paul Ausick]

  UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH) traded up 0.37% at $220.41. The stock’s 52-week range is $156.09 to $231.77. Volume was about a 65% below the daily average of around 3 million shares. The company had no specific news.

• [By Chris Lange]

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

• [By Paul Ausick]

  The Dow stock posting the largest daily percentage gain ahead of the close Monday was UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH) which traded up 1.39% at $254.16. The stock’s 52-week range is $176.42 to $254.99, a new high set this afternoon. Volume was about 4% below the daily average of around 3.2 million. The company had no specific news.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH) traded up 3.08% at $223.90 in a 52-week range of $164.60 to $250.79. Volume of about 3.5 million shares was about 10% below the daily average. The company had no specific news.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  The Dow stock posting the largest daily percentage gain ahead of the close Monday was UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH) which traded up 3.19% at $231.43. The stock’s 52-week range is $164.96 to $250.79. Volume was about 20% lower than the daily average of around 4 million shares. The company had no specific news, but is set to report earnings before markets open Tuesday morning.

Why Investors Should Expect More Volatility From General Electric

If you had to choose between a volatile stock and a stock that was slowly and steadily declining, you'd probably pick the former. But that doesn't make it any easier to weather the gut-churning drops and swings of a share price that can't seem to hold still. 

Welcome to the last three months of being a General Electric (NYSE:GE) shareholder. In contrast to the stock's smooth downward trajectory in 2018 (and, sadly, 2017), 2019 has been a roller-coaster of leaps and dips. And unfortunately, it looks like things won't slow down anytime soon.

Here's why investors should expect even more volatility from GE's stock in the days and months ahead.

The stock market has taken GE's shares on a wild ride this year. Image source: Getty Images.

The rough road behind

Just how volatile has GE's stock been? For comparison's sake, have a look at GE's stock price vs. the S&P 500 so far this year:

GE data by YCharts.

In contrast to the S&P's smooth and steady rise, GE's shares have been incredibly volatile, especially during February. (Also, don't get excited that GE's shares have outperformed the S&P so far this year. By virtually every other timeframe -- six months and one, three, five, and 10 years -- they are underperforming by a LOT.)

GE's beta coefficient -- a measure of a stock's volatility relative to the market as a whole -- confirms that shares have been more volatile in 2019 than in 2018. GE began 2018 with a beta coefficient of negative 0.9 (a lower beta indicates less volatility). However, by April 2018, it had jumped up to 0.0. Then, in January 2019, there was a big jump in beta to 1.2, where it remains today:

GE data by YCharts

Here's why this is happening now.

The rocky road we're on

When short-lived CEO John Flannery took the helm of GE in August 2017, the company's shares had already lost about 20% of their value from their post-Great Recession peak of about $32/share. By October 1, 2018, when Flannery was abruptly ousted by GE's board, shares were trading at just above $12/share, more than 60% off those highs. That was thanks to some of the hornet's nest that Flannery uncovered during his time in the C-suite, which resulted in earnings misses, a painful-but-necessary dividend cut, lowered guidance, and plans to sell off businesses like transportation, oil and gas, and healthcare. 

The first few months of new CEO Larry Culp's tenure were relatively quiet, although shares continued to fall. Then, in early December, GE officially cut its quarterly dividend to $0.01/share, and the stock tumbled to a new 20-year low of about $7 per share. 

With so much pressure on GE's management to right the ship, the company is being heavily scrutinized by analysts and major shareholders, so any big announcements are likely to have an outsized effect on the share price. And -- after a long period of institutional silence at the beginning of Culp's tenure -- the big announcements are coming fast and furious. 

GE's sale of its biopharma unit to Danaher caused the stock to jump by 15% in February. In March, the warning that GE would likely be cash-flow-negative in 2019 caused shares to plunge by 12% over the next two days. By contrast, the announcement of the merger of GE's entire transportation unit to Wabtec in May 2018 only caused the stock to drop by 7.2%. When GE reveals its official 2019 guidance on March 14, there's likely to be another double-digit move...in which direction remains to be seen. 

A tough road ahead

If General Electric could straighten itself out quickly and show investors a clear path forward, its volatility problem would likely be solved. Unfortunately, management admits that isn't likely to happen. 

For one thing, the asset disposition plan -- merging GE Transportation with Wabtec, selling its stake in Baker Hughes, a GE Company, and spinning off its healthcare unit -- has started to evolve, with new terms announced for the Wabtec deal and Culp's admission that a spinoff of the remainder of healthcare is unlikely in 2019. Any further changes will probably affect the share price. 

GE Power, the perennial thorn in the company's side, may be bottoming out, but isn't quite out of the woods yet. According to Culp on the recent Q4 2018 earnings call, the unit is in need of "strengthening," while CFO Jamie Miller projected the heavy-duty gas turbine market will be "flat over the next few years." If the company's problems with Power really stretch on for years, that's a lot of opportunities for those problems to hit the stock price. 

Finally, with management finally starting to talk to investors regularly -- if not frequently -- it offers more opportunities for such comments to affect the share price. Culp gave a very candid interview on March 5 at the J.P. Morgan Aviation, Transportation & Industrials Conference, and Miller is set to give a presentation on March 19 at the Bank of America Merrill Lynch Global Industrials and EU Autos Conference, just after the company announces 2019 guidance on March 14. Don't get me wrong: This new trend of management talking more is a very good thing, but it means more opportunities for stock volatility. 

What investors should expect

If you can't stomach volatility, GE's probably not going to be the stock for you in the short term. The troubled conglomerate is releasing more and more news as it finalizes its turnaround strategy, and it's under more scrutiny than it's been under in years. Put it all together, and that's a recipe for wild stock swings. Although it's preferable to a stock that's in freefall, be aware of the risks before you buy. And if you already own shares of GE...well, hang onto your hats!

Trump touts paid family leave in budget as taxpayers worry about costs

Paid family leave is still a priority for the administration of President Donald Trump.

In his budget released on Monday, the President called for six weeks' paid leave for new parents, including adoptive parents, to recover from child birth and care for their children. But specific details on how such a plan would work are still up in the air.

Trump has touted his family leave plan on multiple occasions before, notably his State of the Union addresses and past budgets.

show chapters Pelosi condemns White House 2020 budget proposal    23 Hours Ago | 02:35

The proposal also calls for a $1 billion fund that would be used to help workers and employers create child-care programs.

On Tuesday, Sens. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) unveiled their own new proposal for paid leave that would give new parents anywhere from one to three months off, provided they delayed their Social Security benefits. Last month, Ivanka Trump, advisor to the president, met with Republican senators on Capitol Hill to discuss family leave. That meeting included Ernst and Lee, as well as Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who previously put forward a similar proposal.

Democrats, for their part, have put forward their own proposal with the FAMILY Act, which would give families 12 weeks off following the birth of a child or to take care of their own or a family member's health issues – something that is not addressed in the president's proposed plan.

More than 24 states are already working on their own family leave policies, according to Vanessa Brown Calder, policy analyst at the Cato Institute, a Washington, D.C., think tank. "That seems to be already playing out with or without the White House getting involved," Calder said.

The U.S. is one of the few developed countries without a national paid family leave program, according to the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington, D.C.-based think tank. Instead, U.S. workers rely mostly on state-based and private paid leave programs.

That leaves many Americans in the lurch, according to the most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of all workers who take family leave, just 13 percent take paid leave, while 87 percent take unpaid leave. Accessibility of these benefits also varies depending on a worker's wages, location and industry, the data show.

A big concern with creating a federal program is how it might affect employers who are already providing these kinds of benefits, said Rachel Greszler, research fellow at the Heritage Foundation.

"A lot of employers would interpret a federal program as providing coverage for family leave, and so they might not opt to start a new program that they otherwise would have, or they might opt to scale back or take back a program they already have," Greszler said.

Currently, there are between $75 billion and $100 billion in paid family leave benefits provided in the private sector, according to Greszler. Yet those benefits mostly go to upper-income individuals.

Ideally, a federal program would make these benefits more accessible to lower-income individuals without disrupting the private paid leave programs that already exist – and passing on the costs of those benefits to taxpayers, Greszler said.

Americans are also concerned about who will pay for family leave programs, according to a December survey from Cato.

Most Americans — 74 percent — support 12 weeks of federal paid family leave for new parents or individuals with medical conditions, the survey found.

But that support drops falls once costs are mentioned. Cato's research shows that 54 percent of individuals support a federal paid leave program if it meant they would have to pay $200 more in taxes per year. That falls to 48 percent if they had to pay $450 more in taxes annually and dips to 43 percent if their tax bill increased by $1,200 per year.

A large majority — 76 percent — do not want such a program if it means cutting funding to programs such as Social Security, Medicare or education.

In addition, 57 percent said they are against a federal paid leave program if it means increasing the federal deficit.

(Correction: Due to an editing error, a previous version of this story incorrectly identified Sen. Rubio's party affiliation.)

More from Personal Finance:
Trump budget would end some Medicare Part D drug-cost help
Some in GOP buck Trump, seek ways to fight climate change
Trump's budget would end student loan forgiveness program

Analyzing Telstra (TLSYY) and Telecom Argentina (TEO)

Telstra (OTCMKTS:TLSYY) and Telecom Argentina (NYSE:TEO) are both utilities companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, valuation, dividends, analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership and earnings.

Analyst Ratings

Get Telstra alerts:

This is a summary of recent ratings and recommmendations for Telstra and Telecom Argentina, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Telstra	0	0	2	0	3.00
Telecom Argentina	1	3	0	0	1.75

Institutional and Insider Ownership

0.1% of Telstra shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 6.8% of Telecom Argentina shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.0% of Telecom Argentina shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Telstra and Telecom Argentina’s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Telstra	$20.17 billion	1.35	$2.76 billion	$1.16	9.87
Telecom Argentina	$3.95 billion	0.75	$460.85 million	$2.39	6.38

Telstra has higher revenue and earnings than Telecom Argentina. Telecom Argentina is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Telstra, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Dividends

Telstra pays an annual dividend of $0.76 per share and has a dividend yield of 6.6%. Telecom Argentina pays an annual dividend of $0.79 per share and has a dividend yield of 5.2%. Telstra pays out 65.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Telecom Argentina pays out 33.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years.

Volatility & Risk

Telstra has a beta of 0.85, meaning that its stock price is 15% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Telecom Argentina has a beta of 0.93, meaning that its stock price is 7% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Telstra and Telecom Argentina’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Telstra	N/A	N/A	N/A
Telecom Argentina	-9.90%	-12.13%	-6.22%

Summary

Telstra beats Telecom Argentina on 10 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

Telstra Company Profile

Telstra Corporation Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications and information services to businesses, governments, communities, and individuals in Australia and internationally. It operates in four segments: Telstra Consumer and Small Business, Telstra Enterprise, Telstra Operations, and Telstra Wholesale. The company offers telecommunication products, services, and solutions across mobiles, fixed and mobile broadband, telephony and pay television/Internet protocol, and digital content; and online self-service capabilities, including buying, billing, and servicing requests, as well as operates inbound and outbound call centers, owned and licensed Telstra shops, and the Telstra dealership network. It also provides sales and contract management services for medium to large business and government customers; and product management services for advanced technology solutions and services, such as data and Internet protocol networks, and mobility applications and services, as well as network applications and services products comprising managed network, unified communications, cloud, industry solutions, and integrated services and monitoring. In addition, the company engages in the development of industry vertical solutions; planning, design, engineering architecture, and construction of Telstra networks, technology, and information technology solutions; and provision of a range of telecommunication products and services to other carriers, carriage service providers, and Internet service providers through its networks and related support systems. Further, it provides disconnection, media and marketing, and other services. The company was formerly known as Australian and Overseas Telecommunications Corporation Limited and changed its name to Telstra Corporation Limited in April 1993. Telstra Corporation Limited was founded in 1901 and is based in Melbourne, Australia.

Telecom Argentina Company Profile

Telecom Argentina SA engages in the provision of telecommunications services. It operates through the following segments: Fixed Services, Personal Mobile Services and Nucleo Mobile Services. The Fixed Services segment offers basic telephone services; interconnection services; data transmission and internet services; information and communication technology services; other telephone services; and sale of equipment. The Personal Mobile Services provides voice, data, internet services, and sells mobile communication devices. The Nucleo Mobile Services offers telecommunication services in Paraguay. The company was founded on January 5, 1990 is headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Top Medical Stocks To Own Right Now

tags:NSM,PRGX,LYTS,

Check out the companies making headlines before the bell:

Apple – Apple reported quarterly profit of $2.34 per share, beating the consensus estimate of $2.18 a share. Revenue also beat forecasts with a boost from Apple's iPhone X, and the company also gave upbeat revenue projections for the current quarter. Here's a wrap of all the major analyst opinions on Apple.

Pandora Media – Pandora lost 15 cents per share for its latest quarter, 1 cent a share less than Wall Street had anticipated. The streaming music service's revenue beat forecasts, and Pandora also said it now has about six million Pandora Premium subscribers.

Cheesecake Factory – Cheesecake Factory fell 16 cents a share short of forecasts, with adjusted quarterly profit of 65 cents per share. The restaurant chain's revenue was essentially in line with forecasts. Same-restaurant sales did increase during the quarter, but higher medical insurance and legal costs hurt the bottom line.

Top Medical Stocks To Own Right Now: Nationstar Mortgage Holdings Inc.(NSM)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  News coverage about Nationstar Mortgage (NYSE:NSM) has trended somewhat positive on Saturday, according to Accern Sentiment. The research firm identifies positive and negative news coverage by analyzing more than twenty million blog and news sources in real-time. Accern ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of negative one to positive one, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Nationstar Mortgage earned a media sentiment score of 0.12 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave media headlines about the financial services provider an impact score of 48.8354214982419 out of 100, indicating that recent news coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the company’s share price in the immediate future.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Eqis Capital Management Inc. purchased a new stake in Nationstar Mortgage Holdings Inc (NYSE:NSM) in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 10,391 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $182,000.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Nationstar Mortgage (NSM)

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

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. lifted its position in Nationstar Mortgage Holdings Inc (NYSE:NSM) by 4.1% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 149,406 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after buying an additional 5,824 shares during the quarter. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in Nationstar Mortgage were worth $2,684,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

• [By Max Byerly]

  LSV Asset Management raised its stake in shares of Nationstar Mortgage (NYSE:NSM) by 28.7% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 282,100 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 62,900 shares during the quarter. LSV Asset Management owned approximately 0.29% of Nationstar Mortgage worth $5,066,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Top Medical Stocks To Own Right Now: PRGX Global, Inc.(PRGX)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  PRGX Global (NASDAQ:PRGX) had its price objective boosted by B. Riley from $11.00 to $12.00 in a research note published on Wednesday. They currently have a buy rating on the business services provider’s stock. B. Riley also issued estimates for PRGX Global’s Q2 2018 earnings at ($0.07) EPS, Q3 2018 earnings at $0.08 EPS, Q4 2018 earnings at $0.27 EPS, FY2018 earnings at $0.18 EPS, Q1 2019 earnings at ($0.12) EPS, Q2 2019 earnings at ($0.05) EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $0.17 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $0.32 EPS and FY2019 earnings at $0.33 EPS.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  PRGX Global (NASDAQ:PRGX) Director Matthew A. Drapkin purchased 35,766 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 31st. The stock was bought at an average cost of $9.64 per share, with a total value of $344,784.24. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  PRGX Global Inc (NASDAQ:PRGX) – Stock analysts at Barrington Research cut their Q3 2018 earnings estimates for PRGX Global in a research note issued to investors on Wednesday, September 19th. Barrington Research analyst A. Paris. Jr now anticipates that the business services provider will post earnings of $0.04 per share for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $0.07. Barrington Research has a “Buy” rating and a $13.00 price target on the stock. Barrington Research also issued estimates for PRGX Global’s FY2018 earnings at $0.09 EPS and FY2019 earnings at $0.28 EPS.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  These are some of the headlines that may have effected Accern’s analysis:

  Get PRGX Global alerts: PRGX Global Inc (PRGX) Given $12.50 Average Target Price by Analysts (americanbankingnews.com) PRGX Global Inc (PRGX) Expected to Announce Quarterly Sales of $46.33 Million (americanbankingnews.com) Edited Transcript of PRGX earnings conference call or presentation 9-Aug-18 9:00pm GMT (finance.yahoo.com) Analysts Anticipate PRGX Global Inc (PRGX) Will Announce Earnings of $0.04 Per Share (americanbankingnews.com) Wednesday 8/22 Insider Buying Report: RIGL, PRGX (nasdaq.com)

  PRGX Global stock traded up $0.15 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $9.50. 100,780 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 51,706. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.30, a current ratio of 1.57 and a quick ratio of 1.57. PRGX Global has a 1-year low of $6.45 and a 1-year high of $10.30. The firm has a market capitalization of $223.40 million, a P/E ratio of 45.24, a P/E/G ratio of 19.00 and a beta of 0.73.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on PRGX Global (PRGX)

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

Top Medical Stocks To Own Right Now: LSI Industries Inc.(LYTS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  LSI Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:LYTS) Director John K. Morgan purchased 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 20th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $3.27 per share, with a total value of $32,700.00. Following the acquisition, the director now owns 35,880 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $117,327.60. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  LSI Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ:LYTS) CEO Ronald D. Brown acquired 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, August 20th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $5.30 per share, with a total value of $26,500.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief executive officer now owns 5,000 shares in the company, valued at $26,500. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website.

Top 5 Safest Stocks To Own Right Now

tags:ZG,PCH,GLPI,OMF,NTK,

The U.S. Dollar has appreciated more than 7% against a basket of currencies since the end of March. While that might not seem like a lot, it's huge for a developed currency and can cause a lot of problems in a lot of different ways.

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Mostly positive second-quarter earnings were overshadowed by warnings of a stronger dollar and weaker profits for U.S. companies with international exposure.

From Netflix to Illinois Tool Works, management was downbeat as weaker foreign currencies meant lower sales in those markets when converted back to dollars.

One fortunate side effect of all this is that shares of foreign companies have become cheaper in dollar terms. When a company's shares are primarily priced in another currency and that base weakens then it's going to act as an artificial weight on the price of the American Depository Receipts (ADRs).

Top 5 Safest Stocks To Own Right Now: Zillow Group, Inc.(ZG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anders Bylund, Jeremy Bowman, and Rich Duprey]

  Like its peer Zillow (NASDAQ:Z) (NASDAQ:ZG), Redfin is disrupting the real-estate market with online listings, but Redfin operates differently from Zillow. While Zillow relies on advertising from real-estate agents to drive its business, Redfin seeks to circumvent the traditional real-estate model by selling properties through its own agents and making the experience customer-centric by lowering commissions, incentivizing customer service, and using technology to make the search for a new home better and easier.  

• [By Steve Symington]

  Late last week, Zillow Group Inc. (NASDAQ:Z)(NASDAQ:ZG) announced two public offerings to raise a whopping $650 million -- half from issuing just over 5.7 million new Class C capital shares at $57 apiece and the other half in the form of 1.5% senior convertible notes due 2023. After accounting for costs and expenses from the offerings, that could bring Zillow's net windfall to nearly $725 million.

• [By Lisa Levin]

   

  Companies Reporting After The Bell Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HTZ) is projected to post quarterly loss at $1.31 per share on revenue of $1.97 billion. International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. (NYSE: IFF) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $1.59 per share on revenue of $909.36 million. Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZG) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.06 per share on revenue of $294.79 million. General Cable Corporation (NYSE: BGC) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $0.15 per share on revenue of $980.61 million. Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ: CENT) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.84 per share on revenue of $598.45 million. Cabot Corporation (NYSE: CBT) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $1 per share on revenue of $746.42 million. Fabrinet (NYSE: FN) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.71 per share on revenue of $319.71 million. National General Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: NGHC) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $0.55 per share on revenue of $1.08 billion. The Navigators Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NAVG) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $0.75 per share on revenue of $320.92 million. Diplomat Pharmacy, Inc. (NYSE: DPLO) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.22 per share on revenue of $1.29 billion. Trex Company, Inc. (NYSE: TREX) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $1.19 per share on revenue of $172.22 million. AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AMC) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.09 per share on revenue of $1.35 billion. Envision Healthcare Corporation (NYSE: EVHC) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $0.64 per share on revenue of $2.02 billion. Regal Beloit Corporation (NYSE: RBC) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $1.23 per share on revenue of $869.64 million. Amedisys, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMED) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $0.67 per share on revenue of $39
• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Zillow Group Inc Class A (ZG)

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

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

  In this segment from MarketFoolery, host Chris Hill is joined by Motley Fool Asset Management's Bill Barker to discuss Zillow Group's (NASDAQ:ZG) (NASDAQ:Z) latest quarterly results. It missed analysts' revenue expectations, which investors never want to hear, but revenue guidance was also weak, and that set the stock up for a serious plunge.

Top 5 Safest Stocks To Own Right Now: Potlatch Corporation(PCH)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  POPCHAIN (CURRENCY:PCH) traded 3.5% lower against the dollar during the one day period ending at 15:00 PM ET on September 24th. Over the last week, POPCHAIN has traded 8.5% lower against the dollar. POPCHAIN has a market capitalization of $4.63 million and $712,856.00 worth of POPCHAIN was traded on exchanges in the last day. One POPCHAIN token can currently be bought for $0.0138 or 0.00000208 BTC on major exchanges including LBank, CoinBene, Bit-Z and Bilaxy.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Comerica Bank lifted its stake in shares of Potlatchdeltic Corp (NASDAQ:PCH) by 9.1% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 46,810 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,890 shares during the quarter. Comerica Bank owned about 0.07% of Potlatchdeltic worth $1,676,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Potlatchdeltic (NASDAQ:PCH) declared that its Board of Directors has initiated a stock repurchase plan, which allows the company to repurchase $100.00 million in outstanding shares on Thursday, August 30th. This repurchase authorization allows the real estate investment trust to buy up to 3.3% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are often a sign that the company’s management believes its shares are undervalued.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. bought a new position in Potlatchdeltic Corp (NASDAQ:PCH) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 4,644 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock, valued at approximately $236,000.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on PotlatchDeltic (PCH)

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

• [By Max Byerly]

  Shares of Potlatchdeltic Corp (NASDAQ:PCH) have received an average rating of “Hold” from the ten research firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have issued a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $50.83.

Top 5 Safest Stocks To Own Right Now: Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc.(GLPI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  News articles about Gaming and Leisure Properties (NASDAQ:GLPI) have been trending somewhat positive this week, Accern reports. The research group identifies positive and negative press coverage by reviewing more than 20 million blog and news sources in real-time. Accern ranks coverage of publicly-traded companies on a scale of negative one to positive one, with scores closest to one being the most favorable. Gaming and Leisure Properties earned a media sentiment score of 0.19 on Accern’s scale. Accern also assigned media headlines about the real estate investment trust an impact score of 46.8663126119297 out of 100, indicating that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an impact on the stock’s share price in the near term.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Headlines about Gaming and Leisure Properties (NASDAQ:GLPI) have been trending somewhat positive recently, Accern reports. Accern ranks the sentiment of media coverage by analyzing more than 20 million blog and news sources in real time. Accern ranks coverage of publicly-traded companies on a scale of negative one to one, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Gaming and Leisure Properties earned a news sentiment score of 0.21 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave press coverage about the real estate investment trust an impact score of 47.0897463924648 out of 100, meaning that recent media coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the company’s share price in the near term.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Gaming and Leisure Properties (NASDAQ:GLPI) was downgraded by research analysts at BidaskClub from a “sell” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report issued on Saturday.

Top 5 Safest Stocks To Own Right Now: OneMain Holdings, Inc.(OMF)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Motley Fool Transcribers]

  OneMain Holdings, Inc.  (NYSE:OMF)Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallFeb. 12, 2019, 8:00 a.m. ET

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

  Operator

• [By Max Byerly]

  OneMain (NYSE: OMF) and Provident Financial (OTCMKTS:FPLPY) are both finance companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, dividends, earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations, valuation and risk.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on OneMain (OMF)

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

• [By Max Byerly]

  Rhumbline Advisers boosted its position in shares of OneMain Holdings Inc (NYSE:OMF) by 18.8% in the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 59,772 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 9,479 shares during the period. Rhumbline Advisers’ holdings in OneMain were worth $1,790,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  OneMain Holdings Inc (NYSE:OMF) – Stock analysts at Jefferies Financial Group upped their Q2 2019 earnings estimates for shares of OneMain in a note issued to investors on Tuesday, February 12th. Jefferies Financial Group analyst J. Hecht now anticipates that the financial services provider will post earnings of $1.30 per share for the quarter, up from their prior forecast of $1.28. Jefferies Financial Group also issued estimates for OneMain’s FY2019 earnings at $5.57 EPS, Q1 2020 earnings at $1.42 EPS, Q2 2020 earnings at $1.38 EPS, Q3 2020 earnings at $1.63 EPS, Q4 2020 earnings at $1.61 EPS and FY2020 earnings at $6.04 EPS.

Top 5 Safest Stocks To Own Right Now: Nortek Inc.(NTK)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  NetKoin (NTK) is a token. Its genesis date was January 7th, 2018. NetKoin’s total supply is 99,508,709,867 tokens. The official website for NetKoin is www.netkoin.com. NetKoin’s official Twitter account is @netkoin and its Facebook page is accessible here.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  News articles about Nortek (NASDAQ:NTK) have been trending somewhat positive recently, according to Accern Sentiment Analysis. Accern identifies positive and negative 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 negative one to one, with scores closest to one being the most favorable. Nortek earned a coverage optimism score of 0.21 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave media stories about the construction company an impact score of 47.207131440996 out of 100, meaning that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the company’s share price in the near term.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  NetKoin (NTK) is a token. It was first traded on January 7th, 2018. NetKoin’s total supply is 7,853,060,094 tokens and its circulating supply is 3,976,070,194 tokens. NetKoin’s official website is www.netkoin.com. NetKoin’s official Twitter account is @netkoin and its Facebook page is accessible here.

Fitbit's New Versa Lite Looks Promising

After a couple challenging years, Fitbit (NYSE:FIT) has started to mount a turnaround. The company has already returned to profitability. In no uncertain terms, the Versa is driving that progress, positioned as a mainstream smartwatch that can appeal to average consumers. Versa's predecessor, the Iconic, in contrast, was a flop because it was priced too high and targeted a smaller niche of performance users.

Fitbit is now looking to build on that momentum.

The new Versa Lite. Image source: Fitbit.

Adding to the family

The company announced four new additions to its wearables lineup yesterday: the Inspire, Inspire HR, Ace 2, and Versa Lite.

The Inspire ($70) and Inspire HR ($100) are basic fitness trackers (the HR version includes heart rate tracking) and will replace a handful of older models (the Alta, Alta HR, Zip, One, and Flex 2). Fitbit had actually introduced the Inspire a month ago, but it was only available to enterprise users participating in corporate wellness programs. The company is now bringing it to the consumer market.

The Ace 2 ($70) is a refreshed version of the Ace, a fitness tracker for kids, that was launched a year ago. Fitbit will launch the Ace 2 this summer.

In most parts of the world, the wearables market is rapidly transitioning away from basic trackers toward full-featured smartwatches, and streamlining the lineup should yield various operational efficiencies and cost savings. Basic trackers are still popular in emerging markets, so Fitbit still wants to address that demand with refreshed products.

The real headliner

The Versa Lite is easily the most important new addition to the portfolio, as Fitbit is getting more aggressive on pricing. The Versa Lite will start at $160 -- significantly cheaper than any smartwatch Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) sells. A previous-generation Apple Watch Series 3 starts at $279, while the latest Series 4 starts at $399.

Fitbit now has three different versions of the Versa: Versa Lite ($160), Versa ($200), and Versa Special Edition ($230). The Versa Lite includes most of the core features that users expect from a smartwatch, only lacking the ability to track floors climbed, swim laps, music playback, and on-screen workouts. The higher-end Versa Special Edition's main differentiation is mobile payments.

Fitbit is the No. 2 smartwatch player behind Apple, and the company's mainstream devices have emerged as compelling alternatives for more budget-conscious consumers. The company was the No. 4 vendor in the broader wearables market in the fourth quarter, according to recent estimates from IDC.

Apple has created a price umbrella in the smartwatch market, and Fitbit is happy to take shelter beneath it, expanding its market share in the process.