Shares in Sorrento Therapeutics (SRNE) edged 5% higher in Friday’s after-hours trading, after the company announced that it has now prepaid in full its outstanding term loans on June 12, 2020.The debt, comprised of an initial $100 million term loan and an additional $20 million term loan from funds affiliated with Oaktree Capital Management, L.P, was entered into in November 2018.The news follows the biopharma’s filing of a prospectus supplement dated April 27 for a public offering of up to $250 million of its common stock. Shares are being sold via Alliance Global Partners, alongside a 36-month purchase agreement with Arnaki Ltd, a British Virgin Islands corporation for up to $250 million.At the same time, Sorrento exited an equity distribution agreement, dated October 1, 2019 with JMP Securities LLC relating to shares worth up to $75 million. During the term of the agreement, the company ultimately raised $7.4 million.Shares in Sorrento are currently trading up 37% on a year-to-date basis, and analysts have a Moderate Buy consensus on the stock’s outlook. The $24 average analyst price target indicates significant upside potential from current levels. (See SRNE stock analysis on TipRanks).Sorrento recently disclosed that in preclinical trials, the company’s monoclonal antibody (MaB), STI-4938, code named COVIDTRAP, inhibited SARS-CoV-2 viral infection in vitro.Sorrento also has another antibody in development, STI-1499 (COVI-SHIELD), which recently demonstrated promising in vitro results as it was able to completely block the SARS-CoV-2 virus.While it is still early on for both antibodies, H.C. Wainwright analyst Ram Selvaraju is encouraged by the positive results. “We continue to believe that Sorrento may be positioning itself as a leader in addressing the pandemic, with multiple potential therapeutic approaches in its pipeline alongside the COVI-TRACK IVD antibody test,” the analyst said.Indeed, its COVI-TRACK in vitro diagnostic test kit enables the independent detection of antibodies in patients exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In eight minutes or less SRNE says its test reveals whether someone has been exposed to or potentially had coronavirus, and subsequently created antibodies to combat the infection.Related News: 5 Promising Covid-19 Vaccines Picked For Trump’s Operation Warp Speed What Would a Merger Mean for Gilead? Top Analyst Weighs In Sorrento Soars 17% In Pre-Market On Covid-19 Test Application More recent articles from Smarter Analyst: * AstraZeneca Inks Europe Deal For 400M Covid-19 Vaccine Doses * Boeing (BA) Stock Probably Rallied Too Far, Too Fast * Latam Airlines' Shares Could Be Heading Further South; Top Analyst Says 'Sell' * Starbucks’ (SBUX) Road to Recovery Will Take Longer Than Anticipated, Says Analyst

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From a fundamental perspective, I have not been a big fan of Inovio Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:INO). However, INO stock has continued to sport very solid technicals.Source: Ascannio / Shutterstock.com I have long believed that combining the two studies can yield superior results. When a stock has excellent fundamentals and excellent technicals, it can be a potent recipe for a higher stock price.Inovio may not have the fundamentals that we want, but it's chart sure looks good. Let's look at this one from a trading perspective first.InvestorPlace – Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips Trading INO Stock Click to EnlargeSource: Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com This stock erupted in March, bursting from $4 to almost $20 in just a few days. After pulling back and settling in, it was clear that $9.50 was resistance for INO stock. * 7 Great Biotech Stocks to Buy and Hold Now While the stock struggled to break out over this mark, it continued to put in a series of higher lows, riding uptrend support higher (blue line). In mid-April, shares finally broke through, rallying to $16 — what is now current resistance — before pulling back.This part is important, because on that pullback, shares found support at prior resistance near $9.50. That's a key bullish development that has continued to play out.With the 50-day moving average and uptrend support still buoying INO stock, investors can stay long this name so long as that observation remains true. If Inovio can reclaim its 20-day moving average, it puts $16 resistance back in play. On a move over $16, the 52-week high up at $19.36 is possible.This will be key for bulls, too. Should INO stock break below the 50-day moving average and close below the month's current low at $11.13, it puts the $9.50 level back in play. Below $9.50 and a larger decline could be in store for the stock.Like I said, if we back out the fundamentals for a minute and focus solely on the technicals, this one looks pretty good. For now, the dips are being bought and bulls remain in control. Valuing Inovio StockMy biggest problem with Inovio is the fundamentals. For a trade, I don't mind discarding the fundamentals and only focusing on the technicals. However, for an investment, I need the fundamentals to work. In that sense, it depends on how you're looking to utilize INO stock.If it's an investment you're after, Inovio may not be your top candidate.The company has essentially no revenue at the moment. While it did have $30.4 million and $42.2 million in sales in 2018 and 2017, respectively, it has virtually none now, with just $4.1 million generated in 2019.The lack of revenue hardly matters though, with Inovio doling out a net loss in each of those years. In 2019, it lost almost $120 million. In this situation, it should go without saying that INO stock also does not generate positive free cash flow.So forget a minute about actual growth, and realize that this company barely has any revenue at all, and thus, does not generate positive cash flow or profit.After boosting its cash position, INO stock does have about $270 million in cash and short-term investments, which will certainly buy it some time. Particularly as it only has current liabilities of $32.3 million and as total assets outweigh total liabilities $338.9 million to $151 million.That said, if we are investing in a company for its balance sheet strength, we'll take Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) or Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL, NASDAQ:GOOG) over INO stock.At the end of the day, Inovio is a play on the novel coronavirus. If it cracks the code on finding the cure, the stock will explode. If it doesn't, the stock could very well go right back to where it started from. That's too binary of a situation for me and therefore, Inovio only remains a trade candidate.Bret Kenwell is the manager and author of Future Blue Chips and is on Twitter @BretKenwell. As of this writing, Bret Kenwell is long GOOGL. More From InvestorPlace * Why Everyone Is Investing in 5G All WRONG * Top Stock Picker Reveals His Next 1,000% Winner * The 1 Stock All Retirees Must Own * Look What America's Richest Family Is Investing in Now The post Inovio Stock Still Has Strong Technicals – Herea€™s the Trade appeared first on InvestorPlace.

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I'm not flying until this pandemic is over. Are you? If you aren't, then why are you buying airline stocks?Source: Markus Mainka / Shutterstock.com That's the thought that ran through my head the week of June 8, as Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) stock dropped one-third of its value, from $36.97 per share to $27.20, in four trading sessions.There was little change in the fundamentals. Investors knew revenues for the second quarter might be down 90% from a year earlier. They should have suspected that some rearrangement of its debt would be necessary to avoid default, assuming the pandemic goes into 2021.InvestorPlace – Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsBut with trillions of dollars in Federal Reserve funny money around, anything is possible. Shares bounced back off the lows in pre-market trading June 12, opening at nearly $30 each. An Unhealthy RallyFor those who believe in fundamentals, this is a tough market to invest in. What works has been bid to the skies. What doesn't work has followed it.DAL stock doesn't work right now. * 7 Great Biotech Stocks to Buy and Hold Now Without the virus, the June 12 price is super cheap. Delta is selling at just five times last year's earnings of $5.39 per share. The market capitalization of $20 billion is just 42% of last year's revenue.But there is the virus. Passenger volumes are down 90%. Operating expenses will be down only 50%.In normal times Delta's long-term debt of $17.9 billion, including $5.2 billion in capitalized leases, would not be a problem. But the novel coronavirus is real, and it's going to be around for a while.Delta shares began rising in early April after it agreed to take $5.4 billion in aid under the CARES Act. That was $3.8 billion in cash and a $1.6 billion loan that came with a warrant to buy 1% of its common at $24.39 per share. At the time, CEO Ed Bastian said the money would prevent furloughs and pay reductions through the end of September.But wake me up when September ends. Passengers aren't rushing back. Employees face a hard choice between taking voluntary severance now or being laid off in October. Demand did pick up slightly in June, reducing cash burn from $100 million per day to about $40 million.That may not be enough. Even a burn rate of $40 million per day, over the third quarter, comes to a loss of $3.6 billion. That burn will continue into fall unless tough action is taken. The Final BailoutThere is a final bailout available to all airlines. Delta took it in 2005.It's called bankruptcy. Shareholders are wiped out, loans are written down, routes are dropped. The Delta that emerged in 2007 was different from the one that went into bankruptcy. During bankruptcy, Delta rejected a buyout from U.S. Airways, now part of American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL).It eventually bought Northwest for $2.6 billion. That looks to have been a bargain. Today's airline is a global giant.But it's a giant that may need to go bankrupt again in 2021 if it's to see 2022. The Bottom Line on DAL StockThe CARES Act bailout did DAL stock no favors.If the airlines were bankrupt right now, Delta would be in position to do more than just delay $300 million in payments. It could threaten to walk away entirely.It's the threat of going out of business that forces creditors and employees to create a viable reorganization. The harder today's negotiations, the more likely future shareholders will prosper. Between its purchase of Northwest and the pandemic, Delta stock rose 500%. It also delivered six years of dividends that rose from 6 cents per share to 40 cents.To get those gains tomorrow, today's shareholders would have to be sacrificed. But it would be the right bailout to take.Dana Blankenhorn has been a financial and technology journalist since 1978. He is the author of the environmental thriller Bridget O'Flynn and the Bear, available at the Amazon Kindle store. Follow him on Twitter at @danablankenhorn. As of this writing, he owned no shares in companies mentioned in this story. More From InvestorPlace * Why Everyone Is Investing in 5G All WRONG * Top Stock Picker Reveals His Next 1,000% Winner * The 1 Stock All Retirees Must Own * Look What America's Richest Family Is Investing in Now The post Bankruptcy Is the Best Bailout for Delta Stock appeared first on InvestorPlace.

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Moore's Law says that the number of transistors on a silicon chip will double every two years. That premise of ever-expanding computing power has been the driving force behind the modern digital revolution. It has also meant that semiconductor stocks have been a force to be reckoned with. * The InvestorPlace Q&A: ProShares Pet Care ETF Is a Treat for Investors But not every company that has built its business around silicon is worth investing in. The road is littered with failures like 3dfx Interactive. To stay safe and reap big gains, these seven picks should be at the top of your list if you want a piece of the semiconductor action: * Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) * Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) * Maxim Integrated Products (NASDAQ:MXIM) * Qorvo (NASDAQ:QRVO) * Skyworks Solutions (NASDAQ:SWKS) * Analog Devices (NASDAQ:ADI) * Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO)Some have been in business since the PC era began, while several of these companies are relative newcomers. What they all share in common is a focus on silicon chips, and stocks that are going to continue to be strong performers.InvestorPlace – Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips Best Semiconductor Stocks: Advanced Micro Devices (AMD)Source: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com First up is a stellar performer among semiconductor stocks. Advanced Micro Devices was the best-performing stock in the S&P 500 in 2019, posting 148% growth. AMD stock is up 9% so far in 2020, despite the novel coronavirus pandemic.AMD has been all but written off twice. First, after the 2000 dot-com crash, and again in 2008, when PC shipments began to stall, and AMD's processors and graphics cards just weren't competitive. All of that has changed in recent years. Under the direction of CEO Lisa Su, AMD has been relentless in its development of new chip architecture. Its Ryzen processors have been taking market share from Intel in the PC space, including an aggressive push into laptops for 2020. The company's EPYC processors are winning marketshare in the lucrative data center market. Its Radeon graphics cards are giving market leader Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) fits. And both the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 video game consoles will be powered by custom AMD chips when they launch later this year. Above all, as I wrote earlier this year, AMD maintains an ambitious vision for the future. Look for that vision to continue powering the company's success. Intel (INTC)Source: Kate Krav-Rude / Shutterstock.com Intel is the senior statesman among these semiconductor stocks. It has been focused on silicon chips since 1968. In fact Gordon Moore of Moore's Law fame is Intel's cofounder.One of Intel's key strengths is its resilience. Intel has faced challenges over the past five years that would hobble many other companies. Even as Intel's core PC market continues to shrink, AMD has been winning over consumers and manufacturers with its Ryzen processors. Intel has faced crippling chip shortages plus fallout from the Meltdown and Spectre chip vulnerabilities. It abandoned the smartphone processor market, and last year dropped its smartphone modem business, selling it to Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL). Adding to the gloomy news, it has been reported that Apple is on the verge of ditching Intel processors in its Mac PCs.So why the nod to Intel? Despite the many challenges, Intel remains a dominant force. Its new 10nm chips are beginning to hit the market, and production delays are expected to be resolved. Intel Xeon processors remain the chip of choice in the data center market, and that market is growing. Last year, Intel showed off its own Xe graphics cards, which will position it to take on AMD and Nvidia in that market. Intel is also dominant in the growing Internet of Things (IoT) sector — a key component of smart home and self-driving car technologies.Perhaps the strongest argument is that despite the many challenges, INTC stock continues to perform. Over the past five years, it's up 105%. * 7 Oil Stocks That Are Struggling to Survive In addition, Intel is generous with its dividends. Its latest quarterly dividend was 33 cents per share, paid on June 1. Maxim Integrated Products (MXIM)Source: Casimiro PT / Shutterstock.com Maxim Integrated is another of those semiconductor stocks with a long history. This company dates back to the 1980s and specializes in integrated circuits (ICs). These are the embedded chips used in a huge variety of products, ranging from cars to heath trackers to automated factory equipment.Maxim Integrated is positioned to benefit from some of the most promising areas of technology growth, including wearables, 5G wireless, automotive IoT, solar cells, military, aerospace and smart building automation.MXIM stock has posted growth of 79% over the past five years. Although it's still under water for 2020, it has been recovering from the March market selloff. At its current price, MXIM stock is up nearly 40% from its March 16 close. Qorvo (QRVO)Source: Piotr Swat / Shutterstock.com Qorvo is a relative newcomer among the semiconductor stocks scene. Founded in 2015, Qorvo describes itself as providing: "the industry's broadest portfolio of critical enabling technologies with expertise in mobile devices, complex infrastructure and global aerospace and defense applications."The RF business encompasses 5G and Wi-Fi 6, the latest tech in a red-hot communication sector. In 2019, Qorvo announced it had shipped 100 million RF devices for use in 5G infrastructure. On the foundry side, Qorvo specializes in custom solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense. That's a market that is always growing, no matter what the economic situation. Power management includes battery management components and power loss protection. Qorvo is growing through acquisition as well. Its latest purchase took place earlier this year, when it completed the purchase of Decawave — a company specializing in ultra-wideband (UWB) technology.QRVO stock was up an impressive 91% in 2019. It has been hit hard in 2020, but since bottoming out in March has re-gained nearly 66%. * The 9 Best Cryptocurrencies to Watch for the Rest of 2020 Expect that recovery to continue, based on the company's latest guidance: "While our June quarter guidance reflects the ongoing demand and supply effects of COVID-19, we are encouraged by continued growth in 5G handsets and infrastructure, and we remain confident in the long-term growth drivers of our business." Skyworks Solutions (SWKS)Source: madamF / Shutterstock.com Skyworks Solutions' primary product is radio frequency semiconductors used by smartphones to communicate with wireless networks. From 2002 through 2008, SWKS stock bounced around below the $10 level, but since 2009 it has been on a growth path. That's no surprise, given that Apple is Skyworks' largest customer, and the iPhone was the hottest-selling smartphone on the planet. That relationship can have its downside — 2018 saw SWKS stock slide, a reaction blamed on lower iPhone demand.However, 5G adoption is expected to spur iPhone demand this fall. That prospect helped to once again light a fuse under SWKS, starting in October. Before the coronavirus pandemic spooked the markets and spoiled the party, Skyworks' stock had gained 70% since the start of October. Even after a March plummet, the prospect of 5G iPhones boosting revenue for the at least the next few years has helped SWKS to recover and more. Now at the $132 level, it's up nearly 9% so far in 2020. Analog Devices (ADI)Source: Shutterstock This Massachusetts-based semiconductor company specializes in analog, mixed-signal and digital signal (DSP) integrated circuits.Its ICs can be found in products that are on the leading edge of technology, sectors that are all expected to see massive growth in coming years. This includes electric cars, self-driving vehicles, 5G infrastructure, industrial automation and smart sensors (Industry 4.0) and digital health solutions. Analog Devices claims over 100,000 customers, worldwide. The widespread use of its products, combined with a big presence in new technology sectors has served the company and its investors well. In addition, ADI has been rewarding investors with dividends and share buybacks — to the tune of $340 million last quarter. * 7 Great Biotech Stocks to Buy and Hold Now ADI stock is up 85% over the past five years, and has even managed to stay afloat in 2020. Broadcom (AVGO)Source: Sasima / Shutterstock.com Finally, another instantly recognizable semiconductor giant: Broadcom. The Singapore-based company is known for its presence in the data center and network infrastructure sectors. While other tech companies have taken a hit from the coronavirus pandemic, the move to working from home has boosted Broadcom's balance sheet. In its most recent quarter, earnings of $5.74 billion were up 4% year-over-year.Broadcom is not content to sit on its own semiconductor IP. Acquisitions are a key part of its strategy. It even took a shot at purchasing Qualcomm (NASAQ:QCOM) at the height of that company's fight with Apple. The proposed $117 billion deal would have been the biggest ever tech merger. However, in 2018, President Trump blocked it, citing security concerns.The company moved on quickly. In 2019, Broadcom snapped up enterprise security provider Symantec, for $10.7 billion. The move bolstered Broadcom's cloud offerings and helped to diversify from its reliance on hardware.AVGO stock is still down slightly for 2020, but it's well on the path of recovery. With 126% growth over the past five years and a proven track record of thinking big, Broadcom is a winner among semiconductor stocks.Louis Navellier had an unconventional start, as a grad student who accidentally built a market-beating stock system — with returns rivaling even Warren Buffett. In his latest feat, Louis discovered the "Master Key" to profiting from the biggest tech revolution of this (or any) generation. Louis Navellier may hold some of the aforementioned securities in one or more of his newsletters. More From InvestorPlace * Why Everyone Is Investing in 5G All WRONG * Top Stock Picker Reveals His Next 1,000% Winner * The 1 Stock All Retirees Must Own * Look What America's Richest Family Is Investing in Now The post The 7 Best Semiconductor Stocks on the Market Now appeared first on InvestorPlace.

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The airline industry has been on fire, surging higher as American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL) stock led the rally. United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) didn't miss out either, with UAL stock ripping 169% from the May lows.Source: NextNewMedia / Shutterstock.com While the stock is pulling back, shares are still up about 120% from those lows, as investor optimism climbed considerably in a short period of time. Helping to fuel that optimism has been part of the "reopening America" trade.I have been noting this trade for a few weeks now, as everything from cruise operators to restaurant stocks have come roaring back to life. But that's what this is — a trade — not an investment. There is still a lot of negativity and uncertainty surrounding these stocks.InvestorPlace – Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsUnfortunately, UAL stock isn't excluded from that observation. Let's take a closer look at the business. Sizing Up AirlinesWhen Warren Buffett sold his airline positions, many investors wondered why the Oracle had taken so long to exit. I'm pretty neutral toward Buffett. I don't hang on his every word and move, but I have a ton of respect for one of the market's greatest investors. * 7 Great Biotech Stocks to Buy and Hold Now He exited his four airline positions — United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) and Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) — as he explained during Berkshire Hathaway's (NYSE:BRK.A, NYSE:BRK.B) annual meeting. But Buffett wasn't looking at the next two to three weeks or even the next couple of months. He was looking years down the road.Some have predicted that airlines won't recover 25% of their prior traffic by September. However, American Air said it plans for 50% of July 2019's schedule to fly in July 2020. America is reopening and the public is not hesitating to book trips, pack into restaurants, and put the novel coronavirus behind them. That's even as we're seeing cases on the rise again. Valuing United AirlinesEven with the recent rise in enthusiasm, the recovery to pre-coronavirus levels will take a while. And even then, remember that airlines stocks did not command a premium valuation. Do you think they will now, given the rather dire circumstances we're seeing?Remember, this isn't Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), where the companies have robust balance sheets and delayed revenue from a dip in iPhone sales. U.S. airport traffic decreased by about 90% at the peak and is still more than 80% off year-over-year levels.DAL and LUV are the balance-sheet leaders, putting UAL stock in a tough spot. The company will weather the storm, but it's burning $40 million to $45 million in cash per day. United's balance sheet will also feel the pressure, as it borrows to stay afloat.Analysts expect United to see a 56% decline in revenue this year, with sales falling from $43.26 billion in 2019 to just $19 billion this year. In 2021, estimates call for a 65% rebound, but to just $31.73 billion. Like I said, this isn't likely to be fast recovery.After earning $12.05 per share last year, United is forecast to lose an incredible $19.49 per share in fiscal 2020. While that figure is sure to change, it shows the astronomical impact to the business. 2021 forecasts call for essentially break-even operations, with profit just $1.68 per share. That's still down 86% from 2019. Trading UAL Stock Click to EnlargeSource: Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com While the return to normalcy will benefit airlines stocks in obvious ways, it's hard to argue that the decline was an overreaction. Revenue was crushed, as expenses dragged on and the companies burned through cash. With the prospect of a slow return to flying, who is left to buy the stocks when they have rallied so much?UAL stock climbed almost 170% from the May low. The reopening of the country was more robust than expected, so a rally is deserved. However, this seems like too much, too fast.Should uptrend support fail to buoy United, look to see if the 23.6% retracement near $33 can support the stock. This level had been resistance for several months before United broke out above this mark. If it fails as support, see how UAL stock does with the 50-day moving average, currently near $28.On the upside, see if UAL can reclaim the 38.2% retracement and 100-day moving average. If it can, it puts $50 and the 50% retracement in play.Bret Kenwell is the manager and author of Future Blue Chips and is on Twitter @BretKenwell. As of this writing, Bret Kenwell is long AAPL. More From InvestorPlace * Why Everyone Is Investing in 5G All WRONG * Top Stock Picker Reveals His Next 1,000% Winner * The 1 Stock All Retirees Must Own * Look What America's Richest Family Is Investing in Now The post Avoid United Airlines Stock After 120% Rally From the Lows appeared first on InvestorPlace.

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Earlier this year, Luckin Coffee (NASDAQ:LK) stock was one of the hottest names out there. The coffee chain, touted as China's answer to Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX), looked like a solid long-term growth story. But in April, shares tumbled. With an investigation over accounting fraud, investors bailed, sending shares down nearly 76% in one day. Soon after that, Nasdaq halted trading of the company's stock.Source: Keitma / Shutterstock.com Shares resumed trading last month, initially taking another 35% dip. Then, it fell to prices as low as $1.33 per share. Yet, so far this month, investors have ignored the big red flag (accounting fraud), and have dived back into the stock. Since June 1, shares have rallied from around $2 per share to just under $4 per share. And that's after reaching prices above $6 per share on June 5.Simply put, this recent run-up is not indicative of a "turnaround" for this tarnished company. As InvestorPlace's Mark Hake wrote June 9, the recent rally is largely due to short-sellers covering their positions. Once this short-squeeze ends, expect shares to fall back to prior lows.InvestorPlace – Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsIn short, don't get fear of missing out and buy into this company. With its growth story derailed, and reputation tarnished, expect shares to trek lower over the next few months. Why LK Stock Could Go Lower From HereShares may have fallen more than 90% below their all-time highs. But that doesn't mean bad times are over just yet for LK stock. Why? With the company's 2019 revenue numbers found to be fraudulent, who's to believe any financial results from this company going forward? * 7 Great Biotech Stocks to Buy and Hold Now Sure, the company has "cleaned house," and Luckin's former chairman is now facing criminal charges. But this is all too little, too late. Without any trust in the company's financial statements, there's no reasonable way to determine its underlying value. Forget about "overvalued" or "undervalued." For now, the company's value is a big question mark.In short, investors buying shares now are essentially buying a lottery ticket. If the company manages to ride out this scandal, shares could bounce higher, albeit far below where they were before the scandal broke.But, more likely, the stock is headed towards penny stock status. Why? It's likely to be delisted from the Nasdaq permanently. Once that happens, shares could, in theory, trade on the over-the-counter (OTC) market. Yet, with institutional and retail investors typically avoiding OTC stocks, demand for shares is going to take a big hit.Granted, the Nasdaq delisting is still pending. Luckin has requested a hearing before an exchange panel. This panel has 30 to 45 days after the request to convene. With the company pursuing this "Hail Mary" in mid-May, that means in just a few weeks we'll know whether shares continue to trade on a major exchange.This may also explain why shares haven't cratered just yet. But, with the odds firmly against LK stock, buying now on the hopes its Nasdaq listing continues looking like a gamble not worth taking. Don't Bet on a Surprise from Luckin CoffeeChances are LK stock falls to even lower prices than where it is today. Yet, there is still a slight chance the company rides out this scandal, and retains some value. As our own Ian Bezek wrote June 10, with the company's secondary offering earlier this year, they may still have plenty of liquidity. While prior sales figures were inflated, they still have a substantial presence, and generate hundreds of millions in sales.Now, don't take that to mean Luckin still has a shot at unseating Starbucks as China's most popular coffee chain. What I'm saying is, there's still a chance the company can pick up the pieces, and turn what's left into a profitable business.But, this still isn't enough to go out and buy this stock today. The risk/return proposition remains out of your favor. Until we see revised financials, we remain in the dark. For now, it's still uncertain whether shares today price in a turnaround, or if they trade far below their potential value if a full recovery happens. Forget About Buy, Sell, or Hold, LK Stock Is an 'Avoid'Speculators may have made easy money trading this stock as of late. But, don't take that to mean this is a screaming buy. At any price. With the big red flag of fraud tarnishing their reputation, there's no good reason to buy Luckin Coffee's stock right now.Firstly, due to the risk of delisting. If shares no longer trade on the Nasdaq, expect them to fall to much lower prices. Secondly, even if the company manages to bounce back from this scandal and become a profitable business, we don't know whether today's stock price reflects this upside potential or not.In short, there's still a lot to lose, and little to gain, with LK stock. Forget about "buy," "sell" or "hold." This stock is an "avoid," pure and simple.Thomas Niel, contributor to InvestorPlace, has written single-stock analysis since 2016. As of this writing, Thomas Niel did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * Why Everyone Is Investing in 5G All WRONG * Top Stock Picker Reveals His Next 1,000% Winner * The 1 Stock All Retirees Must Own * Look What America's Richest Family Is Investing in Now The post Avoid Tarnished Luckin Coffee With Shares Bound to Head Lower appeared first on InvestorPlace.

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Investors have been looking for companies that are getting through the novel coronavirus without taking a major hit. And sure, there's value in a good high-quality defensive stock. But don't sell yourself short — there are great opportunities to go on the offense in this market as well. For example, look at Micron (NASDAQ:MU) stock.Source: Casimiro PT / Shutterstock.com The semiconductor memory developer is shaping up to be a big beneficiary of the economic ripples that the new vius has caused. Many investors are sleeping on Micron as a social-distancing play. Micron doesn't have the flashiest products when it comes to work-from-home trends. But its offerings are essential to powering several of the current technological megatrends that are transforming American life.Micron is also under the radar because it last published earnings results on March 25 for a quarter that finished in February. Thus, it hasn't put out any quarterly results since the Covid-19 crisis started to wreak havoc on the global economy. Further to that point, Micron is not scheduled to deliver its next earnings report until June 29. Fortunately, Micron gave an early indication of what next quarter's results are going to look like.InvestorPlace – Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips Micron Is a Stay-At-Home WinnerBack in March, I urged subscribers to get long Micron. At the time, while the market was still panicking, I pointed out the silver lining for Micron, writing that: "The coronavirus could help boost semiconductor demand. Almost every commercial or recreational activity that eliminates or reduces human interaction relies on semiconductors." * 7 Great Biotech Stocks to Buy and Hold Now And in fact, this is precisely what has played out. Spaces like video games and online video conferencing have been among the market's biggest gainers. As the market has woken up to the economic effects of the virus, stocks like Zoom Video (NASDAQ:ZM) have soared. But don't forget that in order to power all that increased computing, you need more chips and more memory. That's where Micron comes into the picture. A Huge Guidance IncreaseLate last month, Micron confirmed my hunch: Demand is way up. The company filed a regulatory document that provided investors with updated guidance. And the numbers were sizzling.Micron raised its expected revenue for the quarter from a range of $4.6 billion-$5.2 billion to a new range of $5.2 billion-$5.4 billion. In other words, the old top-end estimate became the new bottom-end estimate. And if we were to use the midpoints of these two forecasts, the company boosted its guidance by $400 million, up from $4.9 billion to $5.3 billion.Even more impressively, the company revealed that it expects to drop more than half of this revenue boost down to the bottom line and increase non-GAAP earnings by about $250 million more than it had forecast previously.How will this translate to earnings per share? The company's prior guidance called for the current quarter's EPS to come in around 55 cents. The updated guidance anticipates a jump to at least 75 cents. If Micron sees this sort of demand continue through the full year, a 20-cent-per-share quarterly boost would cause a massive lift in forward earnings expectations. Analysts Give the Thumbs-UpIn the wake of that guidance increase, numerous Wall Street analysts rushed to boost their outlooks for guidance. For example, Bank of America's Simon Woo. He raised his price target for MU stock to $70, noting "stronger chip demand for the remote-work economy."Evercore ISI's C.J. Muse raised his price target to $75 and stated, "The update is a clear positive for Micron, with memory trends holding up amidst COVID-19 pressure and exceeding investor expectation on growing concerns over falling spot memory prices." Additionally, Raymond James analyst Chris Caso reiterated a "Strong Buy" on Micron stock and a $60 price target.Caso's price target is easily achievable. I see Micron's guidance news as being the sort of thing that could help power MU stock to $60 and beyond. In fact, Micron shares rose from $45 to $55 in the days following the guidance boost, though they've slipped back a bit with the recent market volatility. MU Stock VerdictObviously, in this uncertain and volatile virus-constrained economy, investors must be cautious about extrapolating one moment's success too far into the future. We've seen how suddenly conditions can swing from good to bad. That said, this news from Micron was not just good, but very good. This is exactly the type of catalyst that should power Micron up to those $60-$75 price targets.The company is likely to report blowout numbers this quarter. With the economy starting to reopen, a lot of industrial demand is starting to come back online as well. As such, I'm expecting the company to continue building on this momentum.Eric Fry is an award-winning stock picker with numerous "10-bagger" calls — in good markets AND bad. He's found 40-plus 1,000% or higher stock market winners/"10-baggers". He beat 650 of the world's most famous investors (including Bill Ackman and David Einhorn) in a contest. And today Eric is revealing his next potential 1,000% winner/"10 bagger" for free, right here. More From InvestorPlace * Why Everyone Is Investing in 5G All WRONG * Top Stock Picker Reveals His Next 1,000% Winner * The 1 Stock All Retirees Must Own * Look What America's Richest Family Is Investing in Now The post Why You Should Buy Micron Stock Ahead of Earnings appeared first on InvestorPlace.

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