5G or fifth-generation telecom promises huge changes in the way we interact with technology. For investors, this means it's time to think about 5G stocks.5G will not only be faster, but it will provide more bandwidth. This means that we, and the companies that provide us with data, can provide more data simultaneously.If I can lean on the analogy of water through a hose — not only will the water move faster through the hose, but the hose will also increase in size. This is going to mean that wireless connections will be as fast, and in some places faster, than the available wireline services.InvestorPlace – Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsIt will mean technologies like smart cars and everything provided through cloud services will be accessed in near real time, wherever you are. It will also change providers' ability to share content like movies, games or teleconferences. Along the way, the companies facilitating all of this could see enormous upside in their share prices. * 7 Red-Hot Vaccine Stocks Racing to Develop a Coronavirus Cure And the seven 5G stocks looking to the future that I feature below are laying the tracks for the next telecom expansion across the U.S. and the world. * Ciena (NYSE:CIEN) * Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) * Lumentum (NASDAQ:LITE) * American Tower REIT (NYSE:AMT) * Crown Castle International (NYSE:CCI) * Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM) * Texas Instruments (NASDAQ:TXN) 5G Stocks to Buy: Ciena (CIEN)Source: Michael Vi / Shutterstock.com This optical networking firm has been around since 1992. It's been around so long, it's headquartered in quiet Hanover, Maryland, since Silicon Valley was just glimmer in geeks' eyes back then.It was way ahead of its time. It specializes in optical networking equipment. The thing was, back then, fiber optic cable was as scarce as hen's teeth. It was a play on the future of the internet.Before the tech bubble burst, CIEN stock traded as high as $847 a share. But those were the days when brokers were telling clients that growth was the new income and a growth stock wasn't respectable if it didn't have a triple-digit price-earnings ratio.But CIEN made it through, which is testament to its management and its technology. Now, 20 years later, it is one of the leading companies in the vibrant and expanding optical networking space.The stock is up 56% in the past 12 months and 28% year to date. Yet, it still only trades at a P/E of 30. Intel (INTC)Source: JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock.com The computer you're using to read this likely has an Intel chip or two inside it. It's the largest semiconductor company in the world and invented the x86 chip that sits in almost every personal computer. And next month it will celebrate its 51st birthday.Intel has had its struggles remaining at the top of the chip heap. Management didn't get in the mobility sector until it was too late, and missed a huge opportunity in the smartphone world. But it is well-positioned in the internet of things (IOT), and has found opportunities in markets like 5G, AI, memory and networking as well.The competition is tough. CEO Bob Swan is an industry veteran but not a career Intel guy, and he took over in January 2019. Much of his leadership career was operating as a CFO for various large tech firms, so it will be interesting to see if he can keep INTC moving in the right directions. * 7 Cheap Stocks to Buy With Great Potential So far, so good. The stock is up 42% in the past year and 3% year to date. It also delivers a solid 2.1% dividend. And besides INTC itself, the 5G upgrade offers investors the chance to buy potentially the "next Intel" today. Lumentum (LITE)Source: Michael Vi / Shutterstock.com This company is also in the optical networking sector, but it launched just five years ago. And instead of focusing on the optical switching aspects, LITE focuses on the distribution and transmission of fiber optic networks.It also makes a variety of lasers for numerous applications. The lasers are used to build equipment in industries as varied as the automotive sector to mobile phones and semiconductors. And they are used for 3D sensing equipment.Just as cloud computing ultimately needs real hardware to operate, mobile networks need the fastest data transmission possible. And for now, that's fiber optic cables.That means that the greater the global demand for 5G, the more business LITE stands to gain. Also, the more we rely on advanced technologies, the more demand there will be to build more advance devices.The stock is up 72% in the past year and is off 9% year to date. American Tower REIT (AMT)Source: Pavel Kapysh / Shutterstock.com As you well know, mobile signals need mobile transmission towers. AMT is one of the top tower companies in the world, and it's one of the top 5G stocks to buy.It has operations across North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Since towers are property, AMT became a real estate investment trust (REIT), which has tax advantages for the company and the shareholders. All REITs consider shareholders direct owners and distribute net income via a dividend.5G is going to need towers because its antenna are different than previous generations of telecom services. Given the fact that AMT already has more than 180,000 towers around the world, and a solid history as a reliable partner, it's well positioned for the 5G wave.It continues to acquire smaller broadcast companies around the globe, including India and Africa, where mobile telecom is much denser than traditional wireline services. * 25 Stocks to Buy for the Reopening Rally The stock is up 27% in the past year and 12% year to date. It also provides a 1.7% dividend. It's among my top stocks for the worldwide 5G upgrade taking hold now. Crown Castle International (CCI)Source: Casimiro PT / Shutterstock.com This is another tower company, but it has two difference from AMT. First, it focuses its operations on the U.S., where it has over 40,000 towers.Second, it also has a significant small cells business for denser spots like office buildings and stadiums, as well as more than 80,000 miles of fiber optic cable. These are key sectors for 5G stocks because 5G has unique challenges in cities, and venues like stadiums will have growing challenges as events become carried on live streams and guests will be sharing across social media.CCI is also a REIT and is delivering an impressive 3% dividend currently. The stock is up 34% in the past 12 months, and 19% year to date.Owning both AMT and CCI stock captures a significant amount of the potential 5G transmission sector, but both stocks are trading at premiums currently. Qualcomm (QCOM)Source: JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock.com This telecom chipmaker has been around since 1985 and has been a major player in the mobility revolution. Its origins were building out CDMA telecom technology for commercial trucking operations. When mobile phones came out, one of the leading channels used for phones in the U.S. became CDMA.Now, CDMA and GSM run all the phones around the world and most chips can switch from one channel to the other if necessary.QCOM makes more money on licensing its patents than it does on actually shipping chips. That means it doesn't have to build massively expensive chip plants, and focuses on design rather than production.However, Qualcomm has run into antitrust issues. A few years ago it had to pay out massive fines to China and other countries that sued it because of its monopolistic hold on mobile phone infrastructure.But those days are behind it, and it is certainly going to be a major player as 5G starts to roll out globally.The stock is up 20% in the past year and off almost 12% year to date. It has an impressive 3.2% dividend and is trading at a reasonable P/E of 23. Texas Instruments (TXN)Source: Katherine Welles / Shutterstock.com Many people remember TXN as the company that built the coolest calculators around. And the fact is, it continues to make the default calculators for most high school students.But Texas Instruments, which has been around since 1930, is also one of the biggest chipmakers in the world. Nearly 80% of its revenue comes from analog chips and embedded processors. Analog chips convert analog inputs — like voice — into digital form for processing. And embedded processors are dedicated systems that provide a function within a larger piece of equipment or system. Think a sound system inside a car.These aren't sexy, but they are everywhere. And TXN can produce high-quality, reliable chips and processors in huge quantities. With everything going digital, that means TXN is in a growth business and is already producing at scale, and making money doing it.Not every aspect of our digital lives has to be built from cutting-edge designs; keeping some things simple makes high-performance equipment easier to maintain and more reliable. And TXN is certainly keeping up with the biggest trends, including 5G, but it is a significant supporting player, not a headliner.The stock is up nearly 14% in the past 12 months, and off 10% year to date. It also offers a durable and generous 3% dividend.Texas Instruments and other hardware makers I've mentioned here today are great examples of 5G stocks that stand to benefit from the 5G revolution.And I see even better potential with the companies that are making this massive infrastructure upgrade possible in the first place! The 5G Buildout Is an Incredible Opportunity for Investors Right NowWithin two years, most cell phones will be 5G enabled and be able to wirelessly handle television streaming. With 5G, we'll have cable modem speeds on any device; no need to plug in. That's a big deal for rural areas … the very same areas that are also key to President Donald Trump's reelection. So, by pushing 5G over the goal line, Trump will deliver a big win for his base — and strike a blow against Chinese rivals like Huawei Technologies.But, in the big picture, 5G is about much more than trade wars and faster downloads. Because 5G is 100 times faster than 4G, it'll allow your internet devices to work in real time. That advancement is a game changer for tech companies.With the 5G infrastructure market set to grow at an annual rate of 67% over the next 10 years, the entire market will go from $780 million to nearly $48 billion. This buildout is where I see opportunity with 5G stocks now.Cable companies can do their best to fight back with fiber optics … but they can't compete with the convenience of a smartphone, once it's got ultra-fast 5G. That's how my 5G infrastructure play will capture more market share from the broadband cable companies.The stock I'm targeting is enjoying an influx of big money on Wall Street, and it has strong fundamentals, too — making it an A-rated "Strong Buy" in my Portfolio Grader system.Click here to watch my new, free briefing on this extraordinary technology and the opportunity with 5G stocks.When you do, you'll see how to claim a free copy of my investment report, The King of 5G "Turbo Button" Technology, which has full details on this company — and what makes it such a great buy now.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 * Top Stock Picker Reveals His Next 1,000% Winner * The Huge Story for 2020 & Beyond That You Aren't Hearing About * Revolutionary Tech Behind 5G Rollout Is Being Pioneered By This 1 Company * The 1 Stock All Retirees Must Own The post 7 5G Stocks to Buy for the Future of Telecom appeared first on InvestorPlace.

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Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO) is one of the many oil and gas producers pushed to the limit due to the novel coronavirus. MRO stock has shed 56% of its value since December 2019, whereas the SPDR Energy Select Sector exchange-traded fund dropped 35% in the same period.Source: IgorGolovniov / Shutterstock.com Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) recently turned bearish on MRO stock due to its challenging outlook and substantial debt levels. CEO Lee Tillman believes the company is undergoing unprecedented challenges.Still, I believe it has enough in the tank to emerge from this crisis as a stronger company with a leaner cost structure and sufficient financial flexibility. However, given the uncertainty in the market and the company's weakening liquidity position, it will be tough for MRO to bounce back in the short term. Let's take a closer look at the company's fortunes and try to understand where it's going next.InvestorPlace – Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips MRO Stock and a Dismal Q1The first quarter was tough for Marathon, mainly due to the substantial dip in demand for crude oil and considerable reductions in oil prices. * 7 Red-Hot Vaccine Stocks Racing to Develop a Coronavirus Cure Oil markets played double jeopardy due to the pandemic and escalation in tensions between Russia and Saudi Arabia. The reduction in demand resulted in a loss of $0.16 per share, which was slightly higher than analyst expectations.Total revenues and other income rose by 2.7% from the year-ago period, which was buttressed by a $202 million net benefit on its commodity derivatives–additionally, revenues from contracts reduced by 14.7% due to a decline in the realized oil prices.On the back of its disappointing first-quarter results, Marathon announced that it would be slashing costs, capital expenditures, and halting shareholder rewards. The capital budget will be reduced by 50%, which will impact production levels in the near term.Moreover, the cash reductions in its costs are planned at 20%, compared to its initial budget. A sizeable portion of these costs are fixed in nature; therefore, the resultant savings will be sustained even when production volumes rise.According to Tillman, these cost savings "will result in a $5 to $6 per barrel improvement in our cash flow breakeven oil price."It's in an unwarranted position in terms of liquidity, with roughly $800 million in cash and cash equivalents and $3 billion in borrowing capacity. Its debt to equity ratio is 28% higher than the industry average. Also, its current ratio is 40% lower than the industry average.However, management feels that the suspension of its dividend share purchase plan will allow the company t0 to strengthen its liquidity position and improve cash flow. ValuationAnalysts have had differing viewpoints about the MRO stock valuation. Morgan Stanley believes MRO stock should be valued at $5, which is roughly 18% lower than its current price.Mean estimates for the stock price are at the $7 mark, but the difference between the high and low estimates is more than three times its current share price.The company's trailing 12 months price-earnings ratio is 21.2, which is significantly higher than the Oil and Gas sector's ratio at 10.25. Using the P/E ratio, we can calculate the company's enterprise value and its stock price. The formula is given as follows:Enterprise Value= P/E ratio (TTM) * Net income (TTM)= 21.2* $260 million= $5.51 billion / 804 million shares= $6.85The results show that the company is trading at a 16% bargain to its current stock price of $5.89. These results are in line with the analyst estimates, which indicated a $7 price per share. Looking AheadThings aren't looking too great for Marathon in the second quarter, either. In light of the volatility in the global commodity prices and the economic environment, the company has withdrawn its guidance for the upcoming quarters.It expects U.S. crude oil production to decline by roughly 8% on a divestiture-adjusted basis. The company will assess the need for curtailments in response to market conditions.The company's current quarter estimates have drastically reduced in the past 90 days from $0.09 to $-0.56, which represents a loss of 717%. Analysts expect the quarterly loss to be at $0.55, which represents a 244% increase from the previous quarter. However, they expect things to improve in the third quarter somewhat.Currently, the demand for gasoline remains highly uncertain along with jet fuel; hence the company would have to focus on kerosene to drive company value in the foreseeable future. Going forward, the company must manage its leverage by controlling capital expenditures and operational costs as much as possible. Bottom LineDespite making efforts to control costs, Marathon still finds itself in a precarious situation heading into the second quarter.The oil price recovery is still in its early stages, and the slowness of the rebound will continue to hurt the company for the better part of this year.Morgan Stanley believes that by 2021, the company's leverage per strip will be 2.5 times more than the industry median. Additionally, credit rating firms such as S&P Global and Moody's have significantly lowered their credit rating in the past few weeks. Therefore, I have a bearish outlook on MRO stock.As of this writing, Muslim Farooque did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities. More From InvestorPlace * Top Stock Picker Reveals His Next 1,000% Winner * The Huge Story for 2020 & Beyond That You Aren't Hearing About * Revolutionary Tech Behind 5G Rollout Is Being Pioneered By This 1 Company * The 1 Stock All Retirees Must Own The post Marathon Oil Stock Will Continue to Limp Along as the Pandemic Continues appeared first on InvestorPlace.

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This week brought a mixed bag of news for the cannabis industry.Aphria Inc (NYSE: APHA) announced it will transfer its stock from the New York Stock Exchange to the Nasdaq exchange after the market close June 5, and a long list of earnings reports, some better than others.Cresco Labs Inc. (CSE: CL) (OTC: CRLBF) had a great week with numerous store-opening announcements. The company also reported first-quarter revenue of $66.4 million, up 60% from the previous quarter. "In Q1 we built, staffed, integrated, and refined our operations in the largest and most important cannabis markets in the U.S.," said the company's co-founder and CEO Charles Bachtell.TerrAscend Corp. (CSE: TER) (OTC: TRSSF) reported net sales of CA$34.8 million (US$25.2 million) for the first quarter of 2020, up 34% quarter-over-quarter and 139% year-over-year. The Toronto-based company reached a positive adjusted EBITDA of CA$4.9 million versus a loss of CA$5.5 million in the corresponding quarter last year.Amid restructuring efforts, Canopy Growth Corp. (TSX: WEED) (NYSE: CGC) reported a fourth-quarter net loss of CA$1.3 billion ($946.4 million), up from the loss of CA$347.5 million it posted for the same quarter a year ago. On the other hand, net revenue of CA$399 million was up 76% year-over-year, but down 13% quarter-over-quarter. See the full results here.Following the report, Eric Choe, founder of StockDweebs, said Canopy Growth is well-positioned to rally on the production, distribution and sale of its cannabis products despite the recent downfall: "It relies primarily on retail traffic and the sale of medicinal and recreational cannabis products – this could boost overall sales and top-line figures once stores start opening post-COVID."Cantor Fitzgerald's Pablo Zuanic seemed to disagree, noting the company has considerable downside risk following the fourth-quarter report.See more financial results from Vibe Bioscience Ltd. (CSE: VIBE) (OTC: VBSCF), The Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. (TSX: TGOD) (OTC: TGODF), Slang Worldwide (CNSX: SLNG), Evogene Ltd. (NASDAQ: EVGN), and more, at our Cannabis Earnings Center.Don't miss this opportunity to connect with THE cannabis movers and shakers from across the globe during Benzinga's first Virtual Cannabis Capital Conference on June 1.For their part, ETFs closed the week on the red. Over the five trading days of the week: * ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF (NYSE: MJ) lost 2%. * AdvisorShares Pure Cannabis ETF (NYSE: YOLO) slipped 0.37%. * Cannabis ETF (NYSE: THCX) dropped 3.85%. * Amplify Seymour Cannabis ETF (NYSE: CNBS) shed 2.83% of its value. * SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE: SPY) closed the period up 2.95%.Debra Borchardt, CEO of Green Market Report called the earnings results "staggering," adding "It seems like it will be a long time before these companies can recover from past management decisions and give investors a company that they can believe in."In other news, real estate investment trust Innovative Industrials Properties (NYSE: IIPR) reported the upsize and pricing of an underwritten public offering of its common shares at an estimated cost of $100 million. The offering consists of 1,348,389 common shares.Banking and payment technology company Hypur partnered with business software provider Odoo to streamline the cannabis purchasing process. Together they will provide modern, digital payments, and bolster point-of-sale operations. The partnership will also enable customers utilize Hypur's new nationwide "safe checkout" feature, which was recently rolled out with Caliva, as well as online cannabis marketplace, Dutchie.Psychedelics company Red Light Holland Corp. started trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the ticker symbol "TRIP," and appointed Bruce Linton, the co-founder and former CEO of Canopy Growth, as chairman of its advisory board.Advanced Flower Capital Management LLC confirmed its associate has provided Nature's Medicines with $42 million in financing.Louisiana is moving forward with a piece of legislation that would make medical marijuana move easily available in the state by authorizing recommendations from any state-licensed physician, while updating the list of qualifiable medical conditions.House Bill 819 passed Senate vote on Wednesday by 28 to 6.Find our cannabis, hemp and psychedelics news in Spanish on El Planteo.More News From The Week True Terpenes, a producer of GMP/ISO/FSSC-certified terpenes, formed a scientific advisory board (SAB) to advance research in the cannabis industry. The SAB will be focused on studying the entourage effect, where the benefits of medical cannabis can be enhanced when combined with terpenes. Board members include Dr. Ethan Russo, a cannabis and pharmaceutical scientist who specializes in the entourage effect. Dr. Russo previously worked with GW Pharmaceuticals on progressing Epidiolex and Sativex through clinical trials, becoming the first cannabis-based drug to be approved by the Food & Drug Administration."There is a growing body of anecdotal evidence that supports the existence of the entourage effect. The profound potential for cannabis medicine to positively impact human health compels the cannabis industry to establish scientific proof of the synergistic interaction between terpenes and cannabinoids. True Terpenes has unmatched access to the global terpenes supply chain and a proprietary library of terpene profiles that our company is contributing to these efforts," said CEO Chris Campagna.New Wave Holdings Corp. (CSE: SPOR) (OTC: TRMND) announced its plans to sponsor TheraPsil, a Victoria, British Columbia-based non-profit coalition seeking legal access to psilocybin for Canadians in palliative care. The coalition is focused on providing legal, safe access to psychedelic therapies as well as education. In collaboration with domestic and global partners, the organization plans to help support the development of effective protocols in collaboration with health professionals."We are looking forward to working with TheraPsil to help bring psychedelic therapy to patients in palliative care. It is through education, training, research and the championing of those patients who could benefit from access to these therapies that we will see this initiative move forward and see so many people be helped," said Trumbull Fisher, President of New Wave. Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTC: MJNA) subsidiary Kannaway welcomed Earl Monroe, former NBA player for the Baltimore Bullets and the New York Knicks, to its Sports Team to help spread awareness on the benefits of CBD for athletes. Monroe played 13 seasons in the NBA. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990. "Earl uses our Premium Full Spectrum CBD and topical salve products to help manage the aches that are a result of many years of championing a professional sport," said Kannaway® CEO Blake Schroeder. "We could not be more proud that our products have made a positive difference for him,"A class-action lawsuit claiming Colorado-based Elixinol, LLC's CBD products were illegal to sell under federal regulations was dismissed. The company creates, manufactures and sells various CBD products, including capsules, tinctures and dog treats. In McCarthy v Elixinol, LLC, lawyers argued that under the 2018 Farm Bill the hemp-derived CBD company had the right to transport and ship hemp. In addition, the FDA's current regulations do not prohibit any company from selling hemp-based products. The suit was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California in December 2019."Elixinol isn't the only hemp and CBD company facing these unfounded class action lawsuits," says Jonathan Miller, chair of Frost Brown Todd's hemp industry team and general counsel of the U.S. Hemp Roundtable. "These attorneys previously earned a similar dismissal in Fausett, et al. v. Koi CBD, LLC and are working other pending cases claiming product impurities and failed drug tests. The 2018 Farm Bill made hemp legal and companies running legitimate businesses that are building this new industry should be welcomed and embraced."Top Stories Of The Week Check out the top stories on Benzinga Cannabis this week: * A Medicinal Cannabis Company That's Conducting Clinical Research On Autism, Insomnia, And More * Poison Pills: A Common Component In Lawmaking, M&A And Now Cannabis * A Snapshot of America's Medical Marijuana Marketplaces: Michigan * Cannabis Strain Names Are Meaningless: What Is The Industry Doing About It? * Virtual Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference Offers Sneak Peek At Pot Industry's Coronavirus Recovery * MindMed To Include MDMA to Research Portfolio * Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference Presents: Vivien Azer, Star Marijuana Analyst * Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference Presents: Isiah Thomas, NBA Legend And CBD Investor * Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference Presents: From Bud to Bloom – Grow Your Business The Right Way * What Isiah Thomas, John Salley And Al Harrington Have In Common (Hint: It's Not Basketball)Check out these and many other cannabis stories on Benzinga.com/cannabisLead image by Ilona Szentivanyi. Copyright: Benzinga.See more from Benzinga * ESPAÑOL • Odoo Ingresa a la Industria del Cannabis, Isiah Thomas, Avicanna en Colombia, Aphria, Aurora, y Más * The Week In Cannabis: A Great Week For Stocks Driven By Confusion, Aurora's Rally, New Advisors To Benzinga * ESPAÑOL • Reportes Trimestrales, Coronavirus y Acciones de Cannabis en Subida: ¿Qué Está Pasando?(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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