Category: Stock Market

  • Past its peak? Battered oil demand faces threat from electric vehicles

    Past its peak? Battered oil demand faces threat from electric vehiclesOil companies may be facing uncertainty as the coronavirus pandemic triggers a collapse in demand for their products, but auto makers are betting the crisis will help accelerate an electric future. With economies reeling from lockdowns to curb the virus, the sharpest plunge in oil prices in two decades has slashed the cost of filling up a tank of gas, eroding some of the incentive to make the switch to cleaner fuels. Looking ahead, cuts in capital spending forced upon energy companies as their revenues crumble could tighten supply enough to cause a spike in oil prices, making electric vehicles more attractive just as automakers ramp up production, analysts say.

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  • Home Depot misses profit estimates after handing out virus-related bonuses

    Home Depot misses profit estimates after handing out virus-related bonusesShares of Home Depot, which have gained 12.4% this year, dropped nearly 3% to $238.50 in premarket trading, as the company also scrapped its full-year outlook, citing uncertainties stemming from the pandemic. Home Depot said it incurred about $850 million of pre-tax expenses in the first quarter, as it provided additional bonuses, doubled pay for overtime and added more hours of paid time-off for employees working during a surge of panic buying of cleaning supplies and masks. The company’s net earnings fell to $2.25 billion, or $2.08 per share, in the first quarter ended May 3, from $2.51 billion, or $2.27 per share, a year earlier, as it spent heavily to compensate its store employees working during the health crisis.

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  • Carvana Sinks 7% In Pre-Market On Public Offering Of 5M Shares

    Carvana Sinks 7% In Pre-Market On Public Offering Of 5M SharesCarvana (CVNA), the e-commerce platform for buying and selling used cars, has announced a public offering of 5,000,000 shares of its Class A common stock.The stock closed Monday’s trading at $98.59, and is currently falling 7% in Tuesday’s pre-market trading. According to Bloomberg the offering will be within the price range of $93-$96 per share.“The underwriters will offer the shares from time to time for sale in negotiated transactions or otherwise, at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices related to such prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices” the company stated.Citigroup and Wells Fargo Securities will act as book-running managers for the proposed offering.Carvana intends to use the proceeds for general corporate purposes and to partially repay borrowings under its floor plan facility.“While COVID-19 headwinds are apt to persist nearer term, we increasingly believe that on the other side of the crisis, a sustained, even more-favorable backdrop for preowned vehicles and well-positioned, digitally-driven players, such as CVNA will take hold” comments Oppenheimer analyst Brian Nagel.He recently reiterated his buy rating and ramped up his Carvana price target from $95 to $127, arguing that CVNA should prove capital self-sufficient and generate meaningfully positive adjusted EBITDA in 2022.Nagel admits that Carvana shares are not inexpensive, but believes investors will “continue to seek long-term growth and safety in equities of firms situated to thrive amid now-rapidly shifting consumer dynamics.”Overall the stock has a cautiously optimistic Moderate Buy consensus. With the stock up 7% year-to-date, the average analyst price target suggests 11% downside potential lies ahead. (See CVNA stock analysis on TipRanks).Related News: Tesla’s China Car Registrations Plummet In April- LMC Auto Amazon Is Said To Be In Talks To Buy Bankrupt J.C. Penney Saudi Arabia’s Sovereign Fund Snaps Up $7.7B Of US Stocks, Including Boeing and Facebook More recent articles from Smarter Analyst: * Boeing Embarks on Industry-Wide Safety Initiative For New Covid-19 Era * GameStop Pops 5% Amid ‘Significant Progress’ On Turnaround Plan * Tesla’s China Car Registrations Plummet In April- LMC Auto * Novavax Seeks To Raise $250 Million From Share Sale; Top Analyst Bumps Up PT

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  • Brent Oil Trades Near $35 With Demand Rebound Lifting Prices

    Brent Oil Trades Near $35 With Demand Rebound Lifting Prices(Bloomberg) — Oil held near a two-month high of $35 a barrel as supply curbs tighten the market and demand rebounds in the world’s largest consuming countries.Prices for oil cargoes from Russia to Brazil have surged as fuel demand has recovered. Indian fuel sales have jumped in the first half of May and Chinese consumption has all but returned to where it was before the coronavirus outbreak. South Africa’s biggest oil refinery restarted operations as the country eases coronavirus-lockdown measures.Tuesday also marks the expiry of the June West Texas Intermediate futures contract. While prices plunged at the end of the May contract’s trading period, oil has since staged a stellar recovery as producers embarked on deeper-than-expected output cuts. In a sign that the market is finding a new equilibrium, the premium traders pay for bearish put options versus bullish calls fell to the lowest since early March.On the supply side, shale oil output from the U.S., the world’s biggest producer, is forecast to fall to the lowest since late 2018 next month, according to the Energy Information Administration. There’s also been a “stunning reversal” in OPEC+ shipments so far in May, data intelligence firm Kpler said, after the alliance’s deal to curb production kicked in at the beginning of the month.“There’s a lot of optimism baked in here,” said Paul Horsnell, head of commodities research at Standard Chartered. “The market has balanced by supply coming off faster than expected.”The prospects of a rebound in consumption were buoyed on Monday after American biotechnology company Moderna Inc. said its vaccine showed signs it can create an immune-system response to the virus. Italians were allowed to go back to restaurants and New York is set to open a sixth region as some of the hardest-hit areas in Europe and North America move ahead with restarting their economies.As the recovery gets underway, the nearest corners of the oil market are tightening sharply. WTI’s closest contract settled above the next month on Monday for the first time since January, a sign that concerns over a glut have eased.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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  • Market pros have high hopes for a COVID-19 vaccine: Morning Brief

    Market pros have high hopes for a COVID-19 vaccine: Morning BriefTop news and what to watch in the markets on Tuesday, May 19, 2020.

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  • Tesla’s China Car Registrations Plummet In April- LMC Auto

    Tesla’s China Car Registrations Plummet In April- LMC AutoTesla’s (TSLA) car registrations in China plummeted 64% in April, compared to March, according to consultancy firm LMC Automotive’s data.Specifically, the electric-vehicle maker’s China registrations dropped to 4,633 units from 12,709 units the previous month. This includes imported cars. “Tesla’s sales in the first month of each quarter are usually lower than the remaining two months” points out Reuters.Meanwhile sales of Tesla’s Model 3 sedan in China plunged 64% in April vs March, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). Tesla sold 3,635 Model 3 cars in April, a significant decrease from the 10,160 vehicles sold in March.Commenting on the stock after a meeting with Tesla’s investor relations, Emmanuel Rosner at Deutsche Bank, kept to his Hold rating with a $850 price target, despite saying that the company’s message was positive.“While management provided few details about its 2Q/2020 outlook, it believes Fremont production can ramp back up very quickly given its experience in China and that the supply chain is already coming back online,” Rosner told investors.Indeed, for the second quarter, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas is forecasting a 2Q delivery drop of 13% Q/Q (19% Y/Y) and free cash burn of $2.7bn. He is also sticking to the sidelines, arguing that with Tesla’s stock trading at 13x projected 2025 EV/EBITDA there are likely better ways to invest in tech right now.Overall, the Hold consensus is based on 9 Sells, 9 Holds, and 8 Buys. Following the stock’s jaw-dropping 94% YTD rally the $604 average price target projects 26% downside potential in the shares in the next 12 months. (See Tesla’s stock analysis on TipRanks).Related News: Uber’s Latest Takeover Offer Said To be Rejected By GrubHub Tesla Gets County Nod To Reopen California Auto Plant – Report Saudi Arabia’s Sovereign Fund Snaps Up $7.7B Of US Stocks, Including Boeing and Facebook More recent articles from Smarter Analyst: * Novavax Seeks To Raise $250 Million From Share Sale; Top Analyst Bumps Up PT * Baidu Pops 8% After-Hours On Strong Earnings Beat * Amazon Is Said To Be In Talks To Buy Bankrupt J.C. Penney * Starbucks Back To Business In Japan Today

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  • Pinterest Taps Influencers, Publishers to Drive Shoppable Content

    Pinterest Taps Influencers, Publishers to Drive Shoppable ContentCurations by Elaine Welteroth, Blair Eadie and interior designer Sarah Sherman Samuel are featured in Pinterest's new Shopping Spotlights tool.

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  • Amazon Is Said To Be In Talks To Buy Bankrupt J.C. Penney

    Amazon Is Said To Be In Talks To Buy Bankrupt J.C. PenneyAmazon.Com Inc. (AMZN) is said to be interested in snapping up debt-strapped J.C. Penney Co. Inc., (JCP) in a deal that would bolster the online retailer’s apparel business, Women’s Wear Daily reported.Shares in J.C. Penney plunged another 23% to $0.18 before being halted on Monday. The report comes after the U.S. apparel and home retailer on Friday filed for bankruptcy protection proceedings.As part of its “renewal” plan, the Plano-based company said it will to cut its debt, streamline operations, close stores and spin off a real estate division in a move to come back in a stronger position. It has about 850 stores across the U.S. and Puerto Rico.“There is an Amazon team in Plano as we speak,” according to the WWD report. “There is a dialogue and I’m told it has a lot to do with Amazon eager to expand its apparel business.”J.C. Penney has $500 million in cash on hand as of the Chapter 11 filing date, the retailer said in a SEC filing. In addition, the company received commitments for $900 million in financing from its existing first lien lenders, which includes $450 million of new money.“This financing, combined with cash flow generated by the company’s ongoing operations, is expected to be sufficient to meet J.C. Penney’s operational and restructuring needs,” the company said. “As part of the commitment from its existing lenders, J.C. Penney will explore additional opportunities to maximize value, including a third-party sale process.”It looks like Amazon is on a shopping spree as the economic crisis induced by the coronavirus pandemic is creating opportunities for mergers and acquisitions. The world’s largest online retailer has reportedly also held talks to buy debt-strapped theatre operator AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. (AMC).Wall Street analysts are bearish about J.C. Penney’s stock with 2 Sells and 2 Holds adding up to a Moderate Sell consensus. Should the $0.36 average price target be met, investors could be looking at 98% upside potential in the shares in the coming 12 months. (See J.C. Penney stock analysis on TipRanks).Related News: AMC Pops 11% Amid Potential Acquisition Talks by Amazon Uber’s Latest Takeover Offer Said To be Rejected By GrubHub Apple is Said to Snap Up Startup NextVR For Virtual Reality Content; Top Analyst Sees Buying Opportunity More recent articles from Smarter Analyst: * Baidu Pops 8% After-Hours On Strong Earnings Beat * Starbucks Back To Business In Japan Today * Moderna Prices $1.3B Equity Offering at $76/Share * Uber Pops More Than 6% On Second Round Of Layoffs, Site Closures

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  • Top brokers pick the latest ASX stocks to buy today

    Market bulls have gained the upper hand with the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index:^AXJO) jumping 1.8% today.

    The world appears to finally be in control of the COVID-19 pandemic and investors are willing to look past the recession and into the recovery.

    But investors shouldn’t get ahead of themselves. The fact that the big four banks have finished the session at their intraday lows shows the rebound remains vulnerable.

    If you are looking for ASX shares that might hold their ground better, here are the latest buy ideas from leading brokers.

    Bountiful harvest

    One stock that UBS is backing is Graincorp Ltd (ASX: GNC). The broker just reiterated its “buy” call on the grain handler as it believes the risk-reward is favourable after management posted a better than expected profit result.

    There are also signs that the drought is breaking in parts along the eastern seaboard where Graincrop focuses on. This bodes well for our winter crop.

    Further, the group’s balance sheet looks healthy with net cash of $5 million from its core businesses post demerger of UMG and divestment of the Bulk Liquid Terminals.

    UBS’ 12-month price target on Graincorp is $4.50 a share.

    Turning a corner

    Meanwhile, Morgans reaffirmed its “add” recommendation on Superloop Ltd (ASX: SLC) after the broadband services company’s latest trading update.

    The broker thinks Superloop is at a turning point after struggling with operational issues over the past year or so.

    “Both 1H20 and 2H20 results, ex the COVID-19 overlay which is clearly not management’s fault, have been in-line with our expectations,” said Morgans.

    “This implies that after several years of being in an earnings downgrade cycle, FY20 looks to be the base year, from which to grow.”

    The broker’s price target on the stock is $1.30 a share.

    Good prognosis

    Another stock for the watchlist is medical diagnostic group Sonic Healthcare Limited (ASX: SHL). Citigroup highlighted the stock as a “buy” after running several COVID-19 test scenarios.

    The stock fell out of favour at the start of the pandemic because investors were worried that what it will make from running COVID-19 tests will not be enough to offset the drop in demand for its traditional services.

    The broker estimates that the total market opportunity in the US alone from coronavirus testing stands at around US$6 billion for the six months to the end of calendar 2020.

    “Assuming a SHL market share of 5%, it would increase group 1H21 revenue/EBITDA/NPAT by up to 13%/31%/63% over our baseline forecasts of ‘business as usual’, all else equal,” said the broker.

    While there are some caveats to the forecast, the broker believes Covid-19 testing could provide a significant cushion against a drop in the base business.

    “Under the 5% mkt share scenario the group’s global revenue would have to decline by 13% in 1H21 to offset the contribution from US Covid-19 testing,” explained Citigroup.

    The broker’s 12-month price target on Sonic is $32.50 a share.

    One “All In” ASX Buy Alert, that could be one of our greatest discoveries

    Investing expert Scott Phillips has just named what he believes is the #1 Top “Buy Alert” after stumbling upon a little-owned opportunity he believes could be one of the greatest discoveries of his 25 years as a professional investor.

    This under-the-radar ASX recommendation is virtually unknown among individual investors, and no wonder.

    What it offers is an utterly unique strategy to position yourself to potentially profit alongside some of the world’s biggest and most powerful tech companies.

    Potential returns of 1X, 2X and even 3X are all in play. Best of all, you could hold onto this little-known equity for DECADES to come.

    Simply click here to see how you can find out the name of this ‘all in’ buy alert… before the next stock market rally.

    Find out the name of Scott’s ‘All in’ Buy Alert

    More reading

    Brendon Lau has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of SUPERLOOP FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Sonic Healthcare Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    The post Top brokers pick the latest ASX stocks to buy today appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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