Goldman Sachs CEO says Apple Card 'completely changes the credit card experience'

Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon said that the new jointly-created Apple Card is a major step in its journey to becoming a player in the consumer finance industry.

Solomon, who attended Apple's Monday event unveiling the card and other new services, addressed the joint effort in a memo to employees.

"Apple Card completely changes the credit card experience and is built to help customers lead a healthier financial life," Solomon, 57, said. "We're excited to partner with Apple on this card, which is designed to be truly on the side of the customer."

The Apple product is meant to be simple and transparent, and that ethos meshes with the stated principles of Goldman's consumer finance division. Marcus has more than 3 million customers, $45 billion in deposits and $5 billion in consumer loan balances so far, he said.

"This partnership is a major step in the growth of our consumer franchise, furthering our vision to create the leading digital consumer platform," Solomon said.

WATCH: Apple just unveiled its big push into streaming video — Here's what five experts say it means for investors

show chapters Apple just unveiled its big push into streaming video — Here's what five experts say it means for investors    20 Mins Ago | 03:59

The one thing no one tells you about investing in a Roth IRA

When it's several decades away, you might categorize saving for retirement as a back-burner concern.

And when you're younger, contributing to an individual retirement account might seem like an impossible stretch. Yet people who made the leap generally say they're sorry they didn't start earlier.

Millennials seem particularly drawn to Roth IRAs, which are showing an across-the-board uptick from all age groups.

Drawing on investor data, Fidelity found more than half of IRA contributions going into Roth IRAs, and especially from people age 23 to 38. "Millennials opened 41 percent of new Roth IRA accounts in 2018, and 74 percent of their contribution dollars are going into Roths," said Maura Cassidy, vice president of retirement at Fidelity.

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Ashley Sproul, 40, started her Roth IRA when she was 34 and wishes she'd started sooner. "My dad said to start right away, but I didn't get the importance of tax-free growth."

Sarah Lindsay Miller, 29, maxes out her Roth IRA every year. "I would have funded mine in high school and college if I had known about it," said Miller, an office manager in Estes Park, Colorado.

"I would have funded mine in high school and college if I had known about it." -Sarah Lindsay Miller

The accounts are especially valuable when they are the sole source of retirement savings. Miller's employer does not provide a 401(k). However, she put in the maximum savings possible even when she was contributing to a workplace retirement plan with a former job.

Roth IRA advantages

For younger people, 30 or 40 years seems like a very long time to not be able to touch the money. Since Roth contributions are made with after-tax dollars, that's not a concern.

"The benefits of the Roth are that you can tap into the contributions you've made tax-free and penalty-free," Cassidy said. "People are finally really understanding that."

show chapters Roth IRA: The hidden gem of investing ... especially for young savers    7:46 AM ET Mon, 10 July 2017 | 01:08

You have to forgo the tempting, immediately available tax break, but you get something better in return, says Mike Hoffman, a director at Verdence Capital Advisors in Maryland: "The contributions and, most importantly, the 30-plus years of earnings, will be tax-free in retirement," Hoffman said.

"This is the year that millennials are estimated to be a larger population than boomers," Fidelity's Cassidy said. "The older millennials are in their 30s, stable in their careers, saving for multiple goals.

"It's great to see them saving for their future," she added.

For her part, Roth owner Sproul said that, although she loves "that it grows tax-free," she's less enthusiastic about the annual contribution limit.

Higher limits

Since the IRS has raised IRA contribution limits, you can contribute $6,000 annually. If you are over age 50 and making catch-up contributions, you can put in an additional $1,000, for a total of $7,000 per year.

"Those are great little bump-ups to take advantage of additional savings," Cassidy said.

You can also earn more and still contribute to a Roth IRA – the income cut-off is $137,000 for single filers, up from $135,000 for single filers in 2018.

If you're still deciding which type of IRA to go with, Hoffman says the traditional IRA is a form of instant gratification because of the upfront tax refund.

"But if you're truly thinking long-term, and what will be better for you and your family many years from now, then you would pick the Roth IRA in most cases," Hoffman said.

Remember: There's still time to make a contribution count for last year. The deadline to make a contribution for 2018 is April 15 in most states.

Disclosure: NBCUniversal and Comcast Ventures are investors in Acorns.

Top High Tech Stocks To Invest In Right Now

tags:OZRK,AIG,KS, &l;p&g;&l;img class=&q;size-large wp-image-779&q; src=&q;http://blogs-images.forbes.com/robisbitts2/files/2018/02/AdobeStock_187206820-1200x800.jpg?width=960&q; alt=&q;&q; data-height=&q;800&q; data-width=&q;1200&q;&g; Source: AdobeStock

&l;img class=&q;size-full wp-image-778&q; src=&q;http://blogs-images.forbes.com/robisbitts2/files/2018/02/blog.jpg?width=960&q; alt=&q;&q; data-height=&q;769&q; data-width=&q;1195&q;&g; Source: Barchart.com

The hysteria surrounding cryptocurrency is alive and well, but while speculators obsess about that space of the investment world, I have my eyes on something that is far more critical to those whose hard-earned wealth is more correlated to the fate of the stock and bond markets.&a;nbsp; Above is what I&a;rsquo;d call the really, really, REALLY big picture for the U.S. stock market.&a;nbsp; It covers the last 20 years of the S&a;amp;P 500, updated through February 14, 2018.&a;nbsp; My observations are threefold:

&l;/p&g;&l;ol&g;&l;li&g;We are literally in &a;ldquo;un-charted&a;rdquo; territory. During the heights of the market pre-financial crisis, the index stopped rising at around the same point it did during the dot-com bubble.&a;nbsp; This time around, that old high from 2007 has been left in the dust.&a;nbsp; That makes the analysis a bit tougher in determining just how dangerous this latest potential bull market peak can be.&l;/li&g;

Top High Tech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Bank of the Ozarks(OZRK)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lessened its stake in shares of Bank Of The Ozarks Inc (NASDAQ:OZRK) by 3.2% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 196,473 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 6,499 shares during the quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company’s holdings in Bank Of The Ozarks were worth $9,484,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Bank of the Ozarks (NASDAQ:OZRK) has been assigned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the twelve ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have given a hold recommendation and five have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $54.14.

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

  Bank of the Ozarks (NASDAQ: OZRK)Q2 2018 Bank Of The Ozarks Earnings CallJul. 12, 2018, 3:00 pm ET

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

  Operator

Top High Tech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: American International Group Inc.(AIG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  Insurance company American International Group Inc. (AIG) stock fell 5.3% as harsh winter weather weighed on profits. But the company's long-term care exposure is relatively minimal.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  American International Group Inc (NYSE:AIG) announced a quarterly dividend on Thursday, August 2nd, RTT News reports. Stockholders of record on Monday, September 17th will be paid a dividend of 0.32 per share by the insurance provider on Friday, September 28th. This represents a $1.28 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.32%.

• [By Motley Fool Transcribers]

  American International Group Inc (NYSE:AIG)Q2 2018 Earnings Conference CallAug. 3, 2018, 8:00 a.m. ET

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

  Operator

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on American International Group (AIG)

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

Top High Tech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation(KS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on KapStone Paper and Packaging (KS)

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

• [By Max Byerly]

  KapStone Paper and Packaging Corp. (NYSE:KS) was the target of unusually large options trading activity on Tuesday. Traders acquired 1,489 put options on the company. This is an increase of approximately 2,227% compared to the typical daily volume of 64 put options.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Kapstone (NYSE:KS) has been given a consensus recommendation of “Hold” by the twelve ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $32.60.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Kapstone (KS)

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

• [By Ethan Ryder]

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

  Get Kapstone alerts: Investor Interest Amplifies Stock EV For KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (NYSE:KS) (parkcitycaller.com) What is Clear choice Buy, Sell or Hold? KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (KS) (nysestocks.review) Is this stock is suitable for your portfolio? KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (KS) (stockquote.review) Investor Buzz: Earnings in Review for KapStone Paper and Packaging Corporation (NYSE:KS) (fisherbusinessnews.com) Kapstone (KS) vs. P H Glatfelter (GLT) Head-To-Head Survey (americanbankingnews.com)

  Several research analysts have issued reports on the company. Deutsche Bank cut Kapstone from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $35.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Thursday, February 8th. ValuEngine raised Kapstone from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, February 8th. Zacks Investment Research raised Kapstone from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $39.00 price target on the stock in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Citigroup reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and issued a $26.00 price target on shares of Kapstone in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets cut Kapstone from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the stock. Kapstone currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $32.17.

Noodles & Co Earnings: NDLS Stock Unmoved, Restaurant Turns Profit

Noodles & Co (NASDAQ:NDLS) unveiled its latest quarterly earnings figures late today, bringing in a profit that missed expectations, but it marked an improvement compared to the restaurant company’s year-ago loss.

The fast-casual business, hailing from Broomfield, Co., posted net income of around $19,000 for its fourth quarter of fiscal 2018, topping the loss it compiled during the same period in 2017. On a per-share basis, the company’s profit was less than a penny. When adjusted for asset impairment costs, earnings were up to a penny per share.

This figure was below what Wall Street predicted as Zacks Investment Research called for an adjusted profit of 2 cents per share, according to its survey of three analysts. Noodles & Co’s revenue for its fourth quarter totaled approximately $113.2 million for the period, below the $113.8 million that the Zacks poll of three analysts called for.

For its fiscal 2018, the business minimized its loss as it was down to $8.4 million, or 20 cents per share. The company’s sales reached $457.8 million for the year.

Now that the restaurant company is in the midst of its fiscal 2019, it announced that it foresees a profit of 6 cents to 15 cents per share. Revenue for the year is projected to be roughly $466 million at the midpoint guidance.

NDLS stock is unmoved after the bell. Shares had declined about 1.7% during regular trading hours as Noodles & Co readied its quarterly documentation for public release.

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Berman Capital Advisors LLC Buys New Position in SPDR S&P Insurance ETF (KIE)

Berman Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in SPDR S&P Insurance ETF (NYSEARCA:KIE) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund bought 1,483 shares of the exchange traded fund’s stock, valued at approximately $42,000.

A number of other hedge funds also recently modified their holdings of KIE. Bruderman Asset Management LLC acquired a new position in SPDR S&P Insurance ETF in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Kwmg LLC bought a new stake in shares of SPDR S&P Insurance ETF during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $51,000. Fis Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of SPDR S&P Insurance ETF during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $167,000. Bell Rock Capital LLC bought a new stake in shares of SPDR S&P Insurance ETF during the third quarter valued at approximately $169,000. Finally, Advisor Group Inc. raised its holdings in shares of SPDR S&P Insurance ETF by 6.7% during the fourth quarter. Advisor Group Inc. now owns 9,429 shares of the exchange traded fund’s stock valued at $267,000 after buying an additional 591 shares during the last quarter.

Get SPDR S&P Insurance ETF alerts:

KIE opened at $31.22 on Wednesday. SPDR S&P Insurance ETF has a twelve month low of $26.49 and a twelve month high of $32.78.

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About SPDR S&P Insurance ETF

The SPDR S&P Insurance ETF (the Fund), formerly SPDR KBW Insurance ETF, seeks to closely match the returns and characteristics of the S&P Banks Select Industry Index. The Fund invests all, but at least 80%, of its total assets in the securities comprising the Index. The Fund invests in all of the securities represented in the Index in approximately the same proportions as the Index.

Featured Story: Cost of equity and a company's balance sheet

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding KIE? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for SPDR S&P Insurance ETF (NYSEARCA:KIE).

Spectiv (SIG) Price Down 4.6% Over Last 7 Days

Spectiv (CURRENCY:SIG) traded up 4.7% against the US dollar during the 24 hour period ending at 19:00 PM Eastern on March 11th. Spectiv has a market cap of $369,687.00 and approximately $96.00 worth of Spectiv was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One Spectiv token can currently be purchased for about $0.0013 or 0.00000033 BTC on exchanges including IDEX, Bancor Network, Livecoin and YoBit. Over the last seven days, Spectiv has traded 4.6% lower against the US dollar.

Here is how similar cryptocurrencies have performed over the last 24 hours:

Get Spectiv alerts: XRP (XRP) traded down 0.6% against the dollar and now trades at $0.31 or 0.00007969 BTC. Binance Coin (BNB) traded up 0.3% against the dollar and now trades at $14.53 or 0.00371565 BTC. Tether (USDT) traded 0.2% higher against the dollar and now trades at $1.01 or 0.00025808 BTC. Stellar (XLM) traded up 2.6% against the dollar and now trades at $0.10 or 0.00002627 BTC. TRON (TRX) traded down 2.8% against the dollar and now trades at $0.0223 or 0.00000571 BTC. Bitcoin SV (BSV) traded 2% lower against the dollar and now trades at $65.48 or 0.01674769 BTC. NEO (NEO) traded down 0.6% against the dollar and now trades at $8.82 or 0.00225495 BTC. VeChain (VET) traded 1.2% lower against the dollar and now trades at $0.0047 or 0.00000119 BTC. Basic Attention Token (BAT) traded down 3.1% against the dollar and now trades at $0.19 or 0.00004945 BTC. TrueUSD (TUSD) traded 0.1% higher against the dollar and now trades at $1.01 or 0.00025920 BTC.

About Spectiv

Spectiv’s genesis date was January 1st, 2018. Spectiv’s total supply is 378,851,756 tokens and its circulating supply is 289,761,550 tokens. The Reddit community for Spectiv is /r/Spectiv and the currency’s Github account can be viewed here. Spectiv’s official website is www.spectivvr.com. Spectiv’s official Twitter account is @spectivvr and its Facebook page is accessible here.

Buying and Selling Spectiv

Spectiv can be bought or sold on these cryptocurrency exchanges: HitBTC, IDEX, Livecoin, YoBit and Bancor Network. It is usually not currently possible to purchase alternative cryptocurrencies such as Spectiv directly using US dollars. Investors seeking to trade Spectiv should first purchase Ethereum or Bitcoin using an exchange that deals in US dollars such as Gemini, Coinbase or Changelly. Investors can then use their newly-acquired Ethereum or Bitcoin to purchase Spectiv using one of the exchanges listed above.

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National Beverage Corp. (FIZZ) Position Increased by Rhumbline Advisers

Rhumbline Advisers lifted its stake in National Beverage Corp. (NASDAQ:FIZZ) by 24.2% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 26,262 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,119 shares during the quarter. Rhumbline Advisers’ holdings in National Beverage were worth $1,885,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank lifted its stake in shares of National Beverage by 40.0% in the fourth quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 840 shares of the company’s stock valued at $60,000 after purchasing an additional 240 shares during the period. Intercontinental Wealth Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in shares of National Beverage in the fourth quarter valued at about $74,000. FNY Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in shares of National Beverage in the third quarter valued at about $167,000. Essex Financial Services Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of National Beverage in the third quarter valued at about $202,000. Finally, Quantamental Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in shares of National Beverage in the fourth quarter valued at about $130,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 23.75% of the company’s stock.

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FIZZ has been the subject of several recent research reports. BidaskClub downgraded shares of National Beverage from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, December 21st. Susquehanna Bancshares dropped their target price on shares of National Beverage from $138.00 to $118.00 in a report on Thursday, November 15th. UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of National Beverage in a report on Thursday, December 13th. They set a “sell” rating and a $80.00 target price for the company. Maxim Group restated a “sell” rating and set a $45.00 target price on shares of National Beverage in a report on Friday, December 7th. Finally, Guggenheim upgraded shares of National Beverage from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $86.00 target price for the company in a report on Thursday, December 6th. Three investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. National Beverage has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $95.80.

NASDAQ:FIZZ opened at $68.27 on Friday. National Beverage Corp. has a twelve month low of $65.68 and a twelve month high of $127.32. The stock has a market cap of $3.42 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.48 and a beta of 1.39.

National Beverage (NASDAQ:FIZZ) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, December 6th. The company reported $0.88 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.87 by $0.01. National Beverage had a net margin of 16.33% and a return on equity of 47.17%. The firm had revenue of $260.71 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $273.40 million. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that National Beverage Corp. will post 3.83 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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About National Beverage

National Beverage Corp., through its subsidiaries, develops, produces, markets, and sells a portfolio of waters, juices, energy drinks, and carbonated soft drinks primarily in the United States and Canada. The company offers beverages to the active and health-conscious consumers, including sparkling waters, energy drinks, and juices under the LaCroix, LaCroix Cúrate, LaCroix NiCola, Shasta Sparkling Water, the Rip It, Everfresh, Everfresh Premier Varietals, and Mr.

Further Reading: How to use beta for portfolio diversification

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Brokerages Expect Meridian Bancorp Inc (EBSB) to Announce $0.28 EPS

Meridian Bancorp Inc (NASDAQ:EBSB) has been given a consensus broker rating score of 3.00 (Hold) from the one analysts that cover the company, Zacks Investment Research reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating.

Analysts have set a 12-month consensus price target of $18.00 for the company and are expecting that the company will post $0.28 EPS for the current quarter, according to Zacks. Zacks has also given Meridian Bancorp an industry rank of 64 out of 255 based on the ratings given to related companies.

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EBSB has been the topic of several recent research reports. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Meridian Bancorp from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $17.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Friday, January 11th. BidaskClub upgraded Meridian Bancorp from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 25th. Finally, Hovde Group reiterated a “hold” rating and set a $15.00 target price on shares of Meridian Bancorp in a report on Monday, January 28th.

In other Meridian Bancorp news, EVP Edward J. Merritt sold 2,800 shares of Meridian Bancorp stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $15.80, for a total value of $44,240.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Gregory F. Natalucci sold 7,000 shares of Meridian Bancorp stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $15.76, for a total value of $110,320.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 5.30% of the company’s stock.

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Meridian Bancorp by 7.4% in the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 605,146 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock valued at $8,665,000 after purchasing an additional 41,783 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP raised its stake in shares of Meridian Bancorp by 7.0% in the 4th quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 2,957,866 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock valued at $42,357,000 after purchasing an additional 194,621 shares during the period. Context BH Capital Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of Meridian Bancorp in the 4th quarter valued at about $244,000. Legal & General Group Plc raised its stake in shares of Meridian Bancorp by 10.3% in the 4th quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 8,597 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock valued at $123,000 after purchasing an additional 806 shares during the period. Finally, Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. NY raised its stake in shares of Meridian Bancorp by 346.1% in the 4th quarter. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. NY now owns 16,496 shares of the savings and loans company’s stock valued at $236,000 after purchasing an additional 12,798 shares during the period. 64.97% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

EBSB traded up $0.11 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $15.66. The stock had a trading volume of 88,772 shares, compared to its average volume of 148,543. Meridian Bancorp has a 52 week low of $13.67 and a 52 week high of $20.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.90, a quick ratio of 1.24 and a current ratio of 1.24. The firm has a market capitalization of $896.84 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 14.77 and a beta of 0.50.

Meridian Bancorp (NASDAQ:EBSB) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 22nd. The savings and loans company reported $0.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.29 by ($0.05). Meridian Bancorp had a return on equity of 8.37% and a net margin of 23.56%. The company had revenue of $42.31 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $45.20 million. As a group, research analysts forecast that Meridian Bancorp will post 1.2 EPS for the current year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, April 2nd. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, March 19th will be issued a dividend of $0.07 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, March 18th. This represents a $0.28 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.79%. Meridian Bancorp’s dividend payout ratio is presently 26.42%.

About Meridian Bancorp

Meridian Bancorp, Inc operates as the holding company for East Boston Savings Bank that provides various financial products and services for individuals and businesses primarily in Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, and Suffolk Counties, Massachusetts. The company accepts various deposit products, including non-interest-bearing demand deposits, such as checking accounts; interest-bearing demand accounts comprising NOW and money market accounts; savings accounts; and certificates of deposits, as well as commercial checking accounts.

Further Reading: How Buying a Call Option Works

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Why the Future of Work Is Remote

A narrative has taken hold over the past few years that asserts that the future of work will be dominated by robots, AI programs, and other technological marvels that strip humans entirely away from the workplace. Despite all the hubbub being raised over certain new technologies, however, the future of work is increasingly going to be dominated by remote working, which is quickly taking hold around the globe thanks to the productive results it delivers to business owners.

Here's why the future of work is remote, and why so many companies around the world are rushing to let their employees work from wherever works best for them.

Image source: Getty Images.

Remote employees are simply more productive

The biggest driver of the pivot to a remote workforce that's currently under way is that remote employees simply produce better results than their traditional counterparts. While many critics of remote working used to assert that letting employees work from home would drain them of their productive spirit, the past few years have produced conclusive evidence that employees who spend a bulk of their working hours outside of the office are vastly happier and more productive.

Recent research from Gallup, for instance, notes that those workers who spend about three to four days of the week working offsite are substantially more engaged in their jobs than traditional counterparts who are stuck behind desks all day. The logic behind this productivity boost is actually quite easy to understand; by giving workers more control over their personal lives and permitting them to schedule their work-life balance accordingly, companies are making them happier and more fulfilled as they enable Average Joes to become workplace superstars.

The IoT is merging workspaces and living spaces

As Jacob Morgan recently posited in his book The Future Of Work, the Internet of Things (IoT) is driving companies everywhere to produce products and services that cater directly to consumers while they're enjoying the comforts of the home. Smart thermostats, AI home assistants, and interconnected electric systems have made the modern household a "smart home," which is why it's so easy for most workers to plug directly into their workspace while they're sitting in their kitchens.

Morgan accurately noted that companies everywhere simply have an easier time finding talent that's willing to work from home right now than ever before; the big data revolution and the rise of the ubiquitous IoT effectively created the gig economy we're all so familiar with these days. Now, if a small business or a major corporation needs to rely on a select expert, they turn to the web and start searching for an independent freelancer who can get them the information they need at an affordable price. 

The era of convenience has arrived

Thanks to the fact that more and more people are working remotely, consumers everywhere can say hello to a new era of convenience. With freelance workers and remote employees able to more precisely adjust their scheduling, customers will be able to find an expert on demand at any time of the day. While most businesses close their doors at 5 p.m. or shortly thereafter, the remote workforce is effectively always available. There will be some challenges to this, naturally; work-related stress may increase, for instance, and employees who are working from home will need strict discipline to master work-life balance as the lines between the home and office get blurry. 

Nonetheless, the benefits of the remote workforce mean that in the near future, we'll likely see more leaders in a wide variety of industries embracing the concept, especially as automating technologies and cheaper software makes it easier for employees to accomplish great things from far away. Before remote working is universally accepted, however, business owners and everyday workers will need to come together to forge a new work style that accommodates the needs of a distributed workforce.

Implementing a remote work policy

Organizations looking to implement a remote work policy for their company should start with a few basic steps. First and foremost, make sure your workers are equipped with the three things they need to succeed: adequate technology, disciplinary excellence, and clear instructions.

Make sure your workers have a laptop, tablet, or desktop that can help them tackle their tasks, and consider investing in a companywide software sponsorship program that lets them install important software directly to their personal devices so that they can use them for business, too.

Next, it's imperative that you stress disciplinary excellence; workers at home don't have a manager peering over their shoulder, so they have to act as their own boss and maintain a strict schedule to get things done. Don't try to dictate every aspect of their lives -- remote work is effective because it offers workers flexibility, after all. Nonetheless, be sure that you're requesting regular status updates, and that you have a system in place to measure productivity.

Finally, never let your workers wander alone -- make sure they have clear instructions and achievable milestones that guide them as they work from the comfort of their home. This is perhaps the most important step for you, as it's where you'll be demonstrating your leadership by giving concise yet clear instructions that can be carried out even if you're not present to immediately answer questions.

Do this while placing faith in your remote workers, and your business will soon be a thriving, cutting-edge organization.

This article originally appeared on Glassdoor.com.

Sargent Investment Group LLC Buys Shares of 30,000 Viveve Medical Inc (VIVE)

Sargent Investment Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Viveve Medical Inc (NASDAQ:VIVE) in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm bought 30,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $32,000.

Separately, Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its position in Viveve Medical by 266.6% in the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 45,223 shares of the company’s stock valued at $47,000 after purchasing an additional 32,888 shares during the last quarter. 56.54% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Get Viveve Medical alerts:

Several brokerages have issued reports on VIVE. ValuEngine downgraded Viveve Medical from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, November 10th. Raymond James cut their price objective on Viveve Medical from $4.50 to $3.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday, December 12th. Craig Hallum set a $1.00 price objective on Viveve Medical and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, January 18th. Finally, Maxim Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Viveve Medical in a research report on Thursday, January 17th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. Viveve Medical presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $5.20.

Shares of VIVE stock traded up $0.05 on Tuesday, reaching $1.03. 250 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 132,244. The company has a market cap of $32.80 million, a P/E ratio of -0.48 and a beta of 0.80. Viveve Medical Inc has a one year low of $0.93 and a one year high of $4.40. The company has a quick ratio of 3.20, a current ratio of 3.72 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.42.

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Viveve Medical Profile

Viveve Medical, Inc designs, develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices for the non-invasive treatment of various post-partum conditions. The company offers Viveve System, a radio frequency generator, a reusable hand piece, and single-use treatment tip, as well as other consumable accessories.

Featured Story: Percentage Decliners

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

Gopro Inc (GPRO) CEO, Chairman of the Board Nicholas Woodman Sold $8.3 million of Shares

CEO, Chairman of the Board of Gopro Inc (NASDAQ:GPRO) Nicholas Woodman sold 1,400,000 shares of GPRO on 03/01/2019 at an average price of $5.94 a share. The total sale was $8.3 million.

GoPro Inc is a United States-based company engaged in the development and sale of cameras, mountable and wearable accessories and drones. The company has presence, including in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific. GoPro Inc has a market cap of $901.510 million; its shares were traded at around $6.00 with and P/S ratio of 0.72.

CEO Recent Trades:

CEO, Chairman of the Board, 10% Owner Nicholas Woodman sold 1,400,000 shares of GPRO stock on 03/01/2019 at the average price of $5.94. The price of the stock has increased by 1.01% since.

CFO Recent Trades:

EVP, CFO Brian Mcgee sold 19,526 shares of GPRO stock on 02/20/2019 at the average price of $6.04. The price of the stock has decreased by 0.66% since.

For the complete insider trading history of GPRO, click here

.

Why Did Shares of Stamps.com Plummet?

Stamps.com (NASDAQ:STMP) dropped its exclusive deal with the United States Postal Service (USPS) and was not able to make a non-exclusive one. That wasn't expected by the market, even though the company had been pivoting its model to rely on companies that ship using a variety of carriers. And while the stock has plunged, Stamps.com does have a plan -- albeit one that faces a lot of competitors.

A full transcript follows the video.

This video was recorded on Feb. 26, 2019.

Shannon Jones: Let's dive right in. We've got a lot to cover. Let's start with the bigger story, and that would be with stamps.com. Shares of stamps.com, ticker STMP, dropped as much as 58% on news late last week, wiping out nearly $2 billion in market cap. Dan, for such a steady-eddy company like stamps.com, which for our listeners has been the leading provider of postage solutions for regular Joes like you and I and also business customers, what in the world happened when shares can drop 58%?

Dan Kline: Well, basically, they're no longer going to be able to sell stamps. We've thrown around a lot of jokes about this. This would be like if flowers.com was just in the gym business. Essentially. they're losing their exclusive deal with the U.S. Postal Service. This didn't happen from the Postal Service side. stamps.com decided it couldn't afford to only be with one dwindling player. While it had other solutions, its deal with the USPS was very restrictive in what it was allowed to do with other players. So, they went to the Postal Service and they said, "How about a non-exclusive deal? Can we do things different ways?" And they weren't able to make a deal. They were in the midst of a business pivot anyway. This isn't a shocking, "Hey, renewing our deal? No! Oh, no!" They knew this was coming. But, it happened a little bit harsher than they expected and maybe with a little more finality than expected, and boy, did shares tumble.

Jones: Yeah, 58%. Basically, non-exclusive partners, sounds a lot to me like a reality show at this point. They're friends but will not be seeing each other exclusively. Dan, it sounds like this was not necessarily precipitated by any one thing or even by bad quarterly performance. Am I right?

Kline: Their quarterly numbers were good. Because of this change, they cut their guidance in half. The problem with it is, when you cut your guidance that much, it's clearly a guess, not a guidance. They're largely changing their business model. They used to focus on selling postage, which was getting you or I or companies to buy postage, buy their shipping software, and most of that volume moved through the U.S. Postal Service. Now, they're moving to focus on companies that do shipping and offering whatever the best solution is for that market. You might be working with 300 national companies, the five or six major ones, but then companies that just do very limited things in very limited areas or very specific carriers for certain types of products. They're going to try to match you with the best service. They're not alone in this space. Shopify would be a big example of a platform that does some of that.

Everything going forward for this company is uncertain, but the reality is, they could have kept their deal with the Postal Service, and that would have been ignoring that the Postal Service is a decaying business that probably has to raise prices, that's not financially solid. When you see Amazon pulling away from these people and taking on shipping customers on its own, you can't just let that go just so you can say, "Yeah, my numbers will be this next quarter," if you know that three years from now, your numbers will be terrible if you stick with that business model.

Jones: Exactly. Speaking of numbers, just to give our listeners a quick rundown, Q4 revenue was actually up 29% for this company. Full-year was up 24%. When you start digging into some of the actual platform metrics, there was really a lot to like about this company. This was a stock that was a Fool favorite for a lot of reasons, one of which was their churn rate. Looking at the last quarter, their churn rate -- which basically is the percentage of subscribers who discontinue their subscriptions -- declined to 2.9%, a good sign. This is an important metric when you're looking at any company with a subscription-based model. For context, since 2010, churn rates have actually been on the decline. In 2010, it was 3.9%. What this has been telling us is that more customers have been sticking with their subscriptions, which has been good for them.

Additionally, a couple of other metrics that everybody has been liking. If you look back since 2013, compound annual growth rate for new customers has been 10%. Average revenue per user -- this is another important platform metric -- has grown by 19% over that same time frame. This was actually one of those situations that on the surface looked really good.

Kline: Let me jump in there. When you talk about the average revenue per user, which over a lifetime has gone up 29%, that is the only piece of news long-term. They've been working for the past year to get a different type of customer, to get a corporate customer that's doing shipping. That customer is working at higher volume. They're going to be a higher-revenue-producing company. So, if you want to look at anything from this report -- honestly, the metrics of last year don't make sense anymore because they're largely not going to be in that business, or at least not on an exclusive basis with the best terms. It's not going to be the revenue driver it was. The fact that they've been able to use their shipping platform and get those mid-level companies suggests that this is a well-run business that has a chance of turning this corner as it moves into an entirely different business model.

Alamo Group Inc (ALG) Files 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended on December 31, 2018

Alamo Group Inc (NYSE:ALG) files its latest 10-K with SEC for the fiscal year ended on December 31, 2018. Alamo Group Inc is engaged in the design and manufacturing of agricultural equipment and infrastructure maintenance equipment. Its products include tractor-mounted mowing and other vegetation maintenance equipment, among others. Alamo Group Inc has a market cap of $1.14 billion; its shares were traded at around $96.89 with a P/E ratio of 18.99 and P/S ratio of 1.16. The dividend yield of Alamo Group Inc stocks is 0.48%. Alamo Group Inc had annual average EBITDA growth of 11.00% over the past ten years.

For the last quarter Alamo Group Inc reported a revenue of $256.0 million, compared with the revenue of $243.3 million during the same period a year ago. For the latest fiscal year the company reported a revenue of $1 billion, an increase of 10.6% from last year. For the last five years Alamo Group Inc had an average revenue growth rate of 6.4% a year.

The reported diluted earnings per share was $6.25 for the year, an increase of 64.9% from previous year. Over the last five years Alamo Group Inc had an EPS growth rate of 12% a year. The Alamo Group Inc had a decent operating margin of 10.02%, compared with the operating margin of 9.73% a year before. The 10-year historical median operating margin of Alamo Group Inc is 7.46%. The profitability rank of the company is 7 (out of 10).

At the end of the fiscal year, Alamo Group Inc has the cash and cash equivalents of $34.0 million, compared with $25.4 million in the previous year. The long term debt was $85.2 million, compared with $60.0 million in the previous year. The interest coverage to the debt is at a comfortable level of 18.4. Alamo Group Inc has a financial strength rank of 7 (out of 10).

At the current stock price of $96.89, Alamo Group Inc is traded at 68.1% premium to its historical median P/S valuation band of $57.63. The P/S ratio of the stock is 1.16, while the historical median P/S ratio is 0.68. The stock lost 10.26% during the past 12 months.

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

Renasant Corp (RNST) Files 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended on December 31, 2018

Renasant Corp (NASDAQ:RNST) files its latest 10-K with SEC for the fiscal year ended on December 31, 2018. Renasant Corp is a part of the financial services sector. Its business involves the provision of community banking services, which includes checking and savings accounts, business and personal loans and interim construction loans. Renasant Corp has a market cap of $2.26 billion; its shares were traded at around $38.44 with a P/E ratio of 13.79 and P/S ratio of 3.78. The dividend yield of Renasant Corp stocks is 2.09%.

For the last quarter Renasant Corp reported a revenue of $151.8 million, compared with the revenue of $125.7 million during the same period a year ago. For the latest fiscal year the company reported a revenue of $540.5 million, an increase of 15.2% from last year. For the last five years Renasant Corp had an average revenue growth rate of 18.8% a year.

The reported diluted earnings per share was $2.79 for the year, an increase of 42.3% from previous year. Over the last five years Renasant Corp had an EPS growth rate of 13.4% a year. The profitability rank of the company is 4 (out of 10).

At the current stock price of $38.44, Renasant Corp is traded at 21.7% premium to its historical median P/S valuation band of $31.59. The P/S ratio of the stock is 3.78, while the historical median P/S ratio is 3.09. The stock lost 9.94% during the past 12 months.

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

Why Tesla Is Getting Dragged by Consumer Reports

A new report has questioned the reliability of Tesla Inc.’s (NASDAQ: TSLA) Model 3. Ultimately, Consumer Reports claimed that it will no longer recommend Tesla's Model 3 for a number of reasons.

The Consumer Reports recommendation is based on a few factors, including the feedback of vehicle owners, crash test performance and the testing and reviews conducted by the Consumer Reports auto team. The group reached its conclusion after reading reports of Tesla owners complaining about the fit and finish of their vehicles.

It's worth pointing out that this new data from Consumer Reports comes from is annual owner satisfaction survey, which runs from July through September, so the vast majority of these issues already have been corrected through design and manufacturing improvements. Tesla has said that it already is seeing a significant improvement in its field data since that time.

On the other hand, this report confirms the concern many analysts have raised about the quality of Tesla models slipping as the automaker ramped up production last year.

According to CNBC, at one point, Tesla added an additional Model 3 assembly line by erecting a permanent tent outside its assembly plant in Fremont, California. Reports of production issues ranged from robots on the assembly line not working properly to Tesla employees claiming the company was churning out a high volume of flawed parts that led to the automaker needing to rework and repair new models before they were shipped to customers.

Jake Fisher, senior director of Automotive Testing at Consumer Reports, commented:

When we look at the Model 3 lot of the issues are the electronics. There are some issues replacing the (navigation/infotainment) screens, for instance, but we’ve seen other issues in terms of the trim breaking and the glass.

While many Tesla owners may not be happy about the reliability of their car, Consumer Reports says those owners are generally satisfied with their electric vehicles.

Shares of Tesla were last seen down about 1.5% at $297.96 on Thursday, in a 52-week range of $244.59 to $387.46. The stock has a consensus price target of $332.44.

ALSO READ: Why Warren Buffett’s Annual Letter and Annual Report Will Mean So Much

Top Insurance Stocks To Watch Right Now

tags:AIG,TOP,PRU,AON,PFG,WRB,

After a brief stock market correction in February caught investors by surprise, the announcement of new steel tariffs has sent stocks plunging again.

The Dow dove over 400 points on Thursday (March 1) and continued its decline on Friday (March 2). While we aren't in correction territory, the recent volatility underscores the need for a stock market crash insurance plan for every investor.

Now, we aren't predicting a stock market crash, but we also don't want our Members caught flat-footed if stocks tumble even more. The nine-year-long bull market, the second-longest in history, has made some investors complacent.

Top Insurance Stocks To Watch Right Now: American International Group Inc.(AIG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on American International Group (AIG)

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

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  The stock market finished the session mixed on Thursday, with investors initially reacting negatively to news of a big drop in retail sales during December but then gradually regaining confidence over the course of the day. By the close, most major benchmarks had declined modestly, though the Nasdaq ended just in the green. Yet among individual companies, weak earnings reports sent some stocks lower. American International Group (NYSE:AIG), CenturyLink (NYSE:CTL), and Six Flags Entertainment (NYSE:SIX) were among the worst performers. Here's why they did so poorly.

• [By ]

  The next day, the federal government announced that it was bailing out insurance and financial giant AIG (NYSE: AIG) to the tune of $85 billion in the form of a two-year loan, making Uncle Sam an 80% equity holder in the firm. Later, terms of the deal were revised to the government purchasing $45 billion in AIG preferred stock with TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) funds and the Federal Reserve purchasing $52.5 billion in mortgage-backed securities, which allowed the troubled insurer to unwind its soured credit default swap book in an orderly fashion.

• [By ]

  Insurance company American International Group Inc. (AIG) stock fell 5.3% as harsh winter weather weighed on profits. But the company's long-term care exposure is relatively minimal.

• [By Motley Fool Transcribers]

  American International Group Inc (NYSE:AIG)Q2 2018 Earnings Conference CallAug. 3, 2018, 8:00 a.m. ET

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

  Operator

Top Insurance Stocks To Watch Right Now: Topdanmark A/S (TOP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  TopCoin (CURRENCY:TOP) traded flat against the U.S. dollar during the one day period ending at 7:00 AM E.T. on September 8th. In the last seven days, TopCoin has traded flat against the U.S. dollar. TopCoin has a total market capitalization of $0.00 and $0.00 worth of TopCoin was traded on exchanges in the last day. One TopCoin coin can now be bought for about $0.0008 or 0.00000010 BTC on major cryptocurrency exchanges.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  TopCoin (CURRENCY:TOP) traded down 15.4% against the dollar during the 1-day period ending at 7:00 AM E.T. on June 21st. During the last seven days, TopCoin has traded up 4% against the dollar. TopCoin has a market cap of $0.00 and approximately $123.00 worth of TopCoin was traded on exchanges in the last day. One TopCoin coin can currently be bought for about $0.0010 or 0.00000015 BTC on popular exchanges.

Top Insurance Stocks To Watch Right Now: Prudential Financial Inc.(PRU)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chuck Saletta]

  Prudential Financial (NYSE:PRU) can trace its history back over 140 years. It's so proud of its financial strength that it uses the Rock of Gibraltar as its corporate symbol to showcase that stability. In recent times, it even managed to avoid taking a TARP bailout during the financial crisis, something that few of its giant financial competitors could manage.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  KBC Group NV trimmed its holdings in shares of Prudential Financial Inc (NYSE:PRU) by 11.9% during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 260,023 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 35,173 shares during the period. KBC Group NV owned about 0.06% of Prudential Financial worth $24,315,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Flippin Bruce & Porter Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Prudential Financial (NYSE:PRU) by 2.3% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 61,363 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,391 shares during the period. Flippin Bruce & Porter Inc.’s holdings in Prudential Financial were worth $6,354,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Prudential (LON:PRU) had its target price hoisted by Berenberg Bank from GBX 2,400 ($30.96) to GBX 2,600 ($33.54) in a research note published on Thursday morning, Marketbeat.com reports. They currently have a buy rating on the financial services provider’s stock.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Prudential (LON:PRU) had its price objective trimmed by Barclays from GBX 2,144 ($28.38) to GBX 2,076 ($27.48) in a research report report published on Wednesday. The brokerage currently has an overweight rating on the financial services provider’s stock.

Top Insurance Stocks To Watch Right Now: Aon Corporation(AON)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  AON (NYSE:AON) had its price target hoisted by Citigroup from $160.00 to $165.00 in a report issued on Tuesday morning. They currently have a buy rating on the financial services provider’s stock.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank lessened its stake in Aon PLC (NYSE:AON) by 2.7% in the second quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 46,895 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 1,313 shares during the quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank’s holdings in AON were worth $6,433,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Logan Wallace]

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

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

• [By Max Byerly]

  Aon PLC (NYSE:AON) Director Jeffrey C. Campbell acquired 5,550 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 6th. The shares were purchased at an average cost of $143.84 per share, for a total transaction of $798,312.00. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 7,084 shares in the company, valued at $1,018,962.56. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link.

• [By Lisa Levin] Companies Reporting Before The Bell Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ: CELG) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.96 per share on revenue of $3.46 billion. Aon plc (NYSE: AON) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $2.8 per share on revenue of $2.93 billion. American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AXL) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.81 per share on revenue of $1.75 billion. Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.88 per share on revenue of $9.27 billion. LifePoint Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: LPNT) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.13 per share on revenue of $1.62 billion. V.F. Corporation (NYSE: VFC) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.65 per share on revenue of $2.90 billion. Newell Brands Inc. (NYSE: NWL) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.26 per share on revenue of $3.05 billion. Titan International, Inc. (NYSE: TWI) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.04 per share on revenue of $407.27 million. Boise Cascade Company (NYSE: BCC) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.45 per share on revenue of $1.09 billion. Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE: LNG) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.39 per share on revenue of $1.59 billion. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBOE) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.24 per share on revenue of $308.05 million. ITT Inc. (NYSE: ITT) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.73 per share on revenue of $683.96 million. Fred's, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRED) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.19 per share on revenue of $551.00 million. Virtu Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIRT) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.52 per share on revenue of $288.31 million. Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE: CQP) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.57 per share on revenue of $1.38 billion. Genesis Energy, L.P

Top Insurance Stocks To Watch Right Now: Principal Financial Group Inc(PFG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

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

  Get Principal Financial Group alerts: Principal Financial Group (PFG) Approves New $300M Buyback (streetinsider.com) Principal Financial Group (PFG) Announces Share Repurchase Plan (americanbankingnews.com) Is Principal Large Cap Growth I Institutional (PLGIX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? (finance.yahoo.com) Principal Financial Group is Oversold (nasdaq.com) Principal Names New Chief Human Resources Officer (finance.yahoo.com)

  Several equities analysts have recently commented on PFG shares. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Principal Financial Group from $79.00 to $77.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 5th. Wells Fargo reaffirmed a “market perform” rating and issued a $76.00 target price on shares of Principal Financial Group in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Credit Suisse Group started coverage on Principal Financial Group in a research report on Wednesday, April 25th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $62.00 target price on the stock. Bank of America started coverage on Principal Financial Group in a research report on Monday, March 26th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $65.00 target price on the stock. Finally, UBS started coverage on Principal Financial Group in a research report on Friday, March 2nd. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $69.00 target price on the stock. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. Principal Financial Group currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $71.18.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Shore Capital reissued their hold rating on shares of Provident Financial (LON:PFG) in a report issued on Thursday.

  PFG has been the subject of several other reports. Liberum Capital reissued a sell rating and set a GBX 483 ($6.48) price objective on shares of Provident Financial in a research note on Monday, February 26th. Peel Hunt reissued a hold rating and set a GBX 870 ($11.67) price objective on shares of Provident Financial in a research note on Tuesday, February 27th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. reduced their price objective on Provident Financial from GBX 1,100 ($14.76) to GBX 750 ($10.06) and set a neutral rating for the company in a research note on Thursday, May 10th. Barclays reissued an underweight rating and set a GBX 584 ($7.84) price objective on shares of Provident Financial in a research note on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, Societe Generale lowered Provident Financial to a hold rating and set a GBX 1,050 ($14.09) price objective for the company. in a research note on Wednesday, February 28th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eleven have assigned a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. Provident Financial presently has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of GBX 1,190.14 ($15.97).

• [By ]

  Principal Financial Group (Nasdaq: PFG) is a diversified financial firm with $540 billion in assets under management and leadership in retirement investment products, fund investments and life insurance. The company missed Q2 earnings on non-recurring items which sent the shares skidding lower but core business in retirement income solutions and insurance remains solid.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Sawtooth Solutions LLC bought a new position in Principal Financial Group Inc (NYSE:PFG) during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm bought 17,428 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $922,000.

• [By WWW.GURUFOCUS.COM]

  For the details of Stilwell Value LLC's stock buys and sells, go to http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=Stilwell+Value+LLC

  These are the top 5 holdings of Stilwell Value LLCOFG Bancorp (OFG) - 1,614,868 shares, 14.1% of the total portfolio. Kingsway Financial Services Inc (KFS) - 3,780,889 shares, 12.63% of the total portfolio. HopFed Bancorp Inc (HFBC) - 627,128 shares, 7.62% of the total portfolio. Alcentra Capital Corp (ABDC) - 1,251,324 shares, 7.27% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 20.66%Sound Financial Bancorp Inc (SFBC) - 228,600 shares, 7.02% of th

Top Insurance Stocks To Watch Right Now: W.R. Berkley Corporation(WRB)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Gifford Fong Associates bought a new position in shares of W. R. Berkley Corp (NYSE:WRB) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 3,000 shares of the insurance provider’s stock, valued at approximately $217,000.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Mackay Shields LLC lessened its stake in W. R. Berkley Corp (NYSE:WRB) by 5.7% in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 123,539 shares of the insurance provider’s stock after selling 7,501 shares during the period. Mackay Shields LLC’s holdings in W. R. Berkley were worth $8,945,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on W. R. Berkley (WRB)

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

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  W. R. Berkley Corp (NYSE:WRB) has received a consensus rating of “Hold” from the eleven brokerages that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Five analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $69.33.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  W. R. Berkley (NYSE: WRB) and State Auto Financial (NASDAQ:STFC) are both finance companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, institutional ownership, dividends, earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations and risk.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Standard Life Aberdeen plc increased its stake in shares of W. R. Berkley Corp (NYSE:WRB) by 56.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 15,374 shares of the insurance provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 5,555 shares during the period. Standard Life Aberdeen plc’s holdings in W. R. Berkley were worth $1,113,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Ceragon Networks (CRNT) Reaches New 52-Week High at $5.04

Shares of Ceragon Networks Ltd (NASDAQ:CRNT) reached a new 52-week high during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $5.04 and last traded at $4.71, with a volume of 1435219 shares. The stock had previously closed at $4.83.

Several analysts have issued reports on the stock. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Ceragon Networks from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $5.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Thursday. BidaskClub upgraded shares of Ceragon Networks from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Thursday, November 8th. Needham & Company LLC cut shares of Ceragon Networks from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, November 28th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Finally, Oppenheimer set a $5.00 target price on shares of Ceragon Networks and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, December 10th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Ceragon Networks presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $4.73.

Get Ceragon Networks alerts:

The company has a market capitalization of $369.60 million, a PE ratio of 26.28, a P/E/G ratio of 1.31 and a beta of 1.11.

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Panagora Asset Management Inc. lifted its stake in Ceragon Networks by 1,581.7% in the 3rd quarter. Panagora Asset Management Inc. now owns 36,475 shares of the communications equipment provider’s stock worth $123,000 after purchasing an additional 34,306 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC raised its position in shares of Ceragon Networks by 221.1% during the 2nd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 50,518 shares of the communications equipment provider’s stock valued at $180,000 after buying an additional 34,787 shares in the last quarter. Harvest Management LLC raised its position in shares of Ceragon Networks by 5.8% during the 4th quarter. Harvest Management LLC now owns 58,200 shares of the communications equipment provider’s stock valued at $220,000 after buying an additional 3,200 shares in the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Ceragon Networks during the 2nd quarter valued at $286,000. Finally, GSA Capital Partners LLP purchased a new stake in shares of Ceragon Networks during the 3rd quarter valued at $404,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 22.72% of the company’s stock.

TRADEMARK VIOLATION WARNING: This story was originally published by Ticker Report and is the property of of Ticker Report. If you are viewing this story on another domain, it was illegally stolen and republished in violation of US and international copyright and trademark legislation. The original version of this story can be read at https://www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/4158673/ceragon-networks-crnt-reaches-new-52-week-high-at-5-04.html.

About Ceragon Networks (NASDAQ:CRNT)

Ceragon Networks Ltd. provides wireless backhaul solutions that enable cellular operators and other wireless service providers to deliver voice and data services worldwide. Its wireless backhaul solutions use microwave radio technology to transfer telecommunication traffic between base stations, small sells, and the core of the service provider's network.

Featured Story: Short Selling Stocks, A Beginner's Guide

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2019

tags:CMI,CNK,ATAX,UNS,RBC,COP,APH,MCHP,LFUS,UPS,

BALTIMORE (Stockpickr) -- We've had a pretty innocuous week so far in the markets, the big indices adding a few dozen basis points between Monday's open and Wednesday's close. All the while, stocks sit within striking distance of fresh all-time highs.

Must Read: Warren Buffett's Top 10 Dividend Stocks

Now seems like a good time to point out the fact that the S&P 500 has been a pretty poor proxy for "the stock market" in 2014 (and so have the other big stock indices, for that matter). Sure, it's been a strong year for the S&P: the index is up 10.8% since January. But more than a third of the S&P's performance this year has come from just ten stocks. Put simply, many of the biggest stocks on the market are showing very different price action this fall.

And that's providing us with a handful of trading opportunities in some of Wall Street's biggest names.

So today, we'll take a technical look at five large-cap stocks to trade for gains...

First, a little on the technical toolbox we're using here: technicals are a study of the market itself. Since the market is ultimately the only mechanism that determines a stock's price, technical analysis is a valuable tool even in the roughest of trading conditions. Technical charts are used every day by proprietary trading floors, Wall Street's biggest financial firms, and individual investors to get an edge on the market. And research shows that skilled technical traders can bank gains as much as 90% of the time.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2019: Cummins Inc.(CMI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Peloton Wealth Strategists reduced its stake in Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI) by 4.1% in the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 18,737 shares of the company’s stock after selling 800 shares during the period. Cummins comprises about 1.8% of Peloton Wealth Strategists’ holdings, making the stock its 27th biggest position. Peloton Wealth Strategists’ holdings in Cummins were worth $2,492,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Cummins (NYSE:CMI) announced that its Board of Directors has approved a share repurchase program, which authorizes the company to buyback $2.00 billion in shares on Tuesday, October 9th. This buyback authorization authorizes the company to repurchase up to 8.3% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares buyback programs are usually an indication that the company’s leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

• [By Motley Fool Transcription]

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

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

  Operator

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio trimmed its holdings in Cummins Inc. (NYSE:CMI) by 5.9% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 72,413 shares of the company’s stock after selling 4,569 shares during the quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio’s holdings in Cummins were worth $9,631,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

• [By Jason Hall]

  Furthermore, having a strong financial partner in Total to help it drive adoption of heavy-duty natural gas vehicles at this time could be a huge win. Prices of oil (and therefore diesel) have been steadily climbing over the past year, and the highly anticipated near-zero-emissions natural gas engine from Cummins (NYSE:CMI) and Westport Fuel Systems (NASDAQ:WPRT) is now being shipped to customers. 

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2019: Cinemark Holdings Inc(CNK)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Cullen Frost Bankers Inc. trimmed its stake in shares of Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CNK) by 11.0% in the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 19,865 shares of the company’s stock after selling 2,460 shares during the period. Cullen Frost Bankers Inc.’s holdings in Cinemark were worth $711,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its position in Cinemark by 73.2% during the fourth quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 6,081,823 shares of the company’s stock worth $211,768,000 after buying an additional 2,570,923 shares in the last quarter. Rivulet Capital LLC increased its position in Cinemark by 88.0% during the fourth quarter. Rivulet Capital LLC now owns 2,859,216 shares of the company’s stock worth $99,558,000 after buying an additional 1,338,000 shares in the last quarter. River Road Asset Management LLC increased its position in Cinemark by 1.9% during the fourth quarter. River Road Asset Management LLC now owns 2,312,832 shares of the company’s stock worth $80,533,000 after buying an additional 42,982 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in Cinemark by 4.0% during the fourth quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 1,728,543 shares of the company’s stock worth $60,187,000 after buying an additional 66,700 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Dimensional Fund Advisors LP increased its position in Cinemark by 3.4% during the third quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,334,140 shares of the company’s stock worth $48,310,000 after buying an additional 43,606 shares in the last quarter. 94.03% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

  ILLEGAL ACTIVITY WARNING: “$0.61 EPS Expected for Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (CNK) This Quarter” was published by Ticker Report and is the sole property of of Ticker Report. If you are viewing this story on another publication, it was illegally stolen and reposted in violation of United States & international copyright & trademark laws. The legal version of this story can be accessed at https://www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/3362835/0-61-eps-expected-for-cinemark-holdings
• [By Lisa Levin] Companies Reporting Before The Bell Anheuser-Busch InBev SA/NV (NYSE: BUD) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.89 per share on revenue of $13.06 billion. SINA Corporation (NASDAQ: SINA) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.42 per share on revenue of $433.32 million. Weibo Corporation (NASDAQ: WB) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.47 per share on revenue of $342.39 million. Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.57 per share on revenue of $1.55 billion. Mylan N.V. (NASDAQ: MYL) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.98 per share on revenue of $2.75 billion. Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $1.31 per share on revenue of $1.51 billion. ADT Inc. (NYSE: ADT) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.24 per share on revenue of $1.11 billion. Coty Inc. (NYSE: COTY) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.13 per share on revenue of $2.18 billion. Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: PNK) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.31 per share on revenue of $644.94 million. Conduent Incorporated (NYSE: CNDT) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.21 per share on revenue of $1.44 billion. Delphi Technologies PLC (NYSE: DLPH) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.16 per share on revenue of $1.25 billion. Office Depot, Inc. (NASDAQ: ODP) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.08 per share on revenue of $2.72 billion. Global Partners LP (NYSE: GLP) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.13 per share on revenue of $2.33 billion. Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (NYSE: WWW) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.37 per share on revenue of $530.99 million. Performance Food Group Company (NYSE: PFGC) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.32 per share on revenue of $4.46 billion. Groupon, Inc. (NASDAQ: GRPN) is projected to report

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2019: America First Tax Exempt Investors L.P.(ATAX)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  America First Multifamily Investors LP (NASDAQ:ATAX) Director Lisa Y. Roskens bought 5,965 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 27th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $5.95 per share, for a total transaction of $35,491.75. Following the purchase, the director now owns 100,069 shares in the company, valued at approximately $595,410.55. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Bank of Montreal Can bought a new position in shares of America First Multifamily Investors LP (NASDAQ:ATAX) during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor bought 22,500 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $143,000.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Shares of America First Tax Exempt Investors, L.P. (NASDAQ:ATAX) hit a new 52-week high and low during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as low as $6.47 and last traded at $6.43, with a volume of 54800 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $6.43.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  BidaskClub upgraded shares of America First Multifamily Investors (NASDAQ:ATAX) from a strong sell rating to a sell rating in a research report sent to investors on Thursday morning.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on America First Multifamily Investors (ATAX)

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

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on America First Multifamily Investors (ATAX)

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

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2019: UniSource Energy Corporation(UNS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Uni Select (TSE:UNS)‘s stock had its “hold” rating restated by equities research analysts at TD Securities in a report issued on Friday. They currently have a C$24.00 price objective on the stock. TD Securities’ price target points to a potential upside of 8.21% from the stock’s current price.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Uni Select (TSE:UNS) had its price target lifted by investment analysts at Macquarie from C$24.00 to C$25.00 in a report released on Wednesday. Macquarie’s price objective suggests a potential upside of 18.32% from the stock’s current price.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2019: Regal Beloit Corporation(RBC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Motley Fool Transcribers]

  Regal Beloit Corp  (NYSE:RBC)Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallFeb. 05, 2019, 10:00 a.m. ET

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

  Operator

• [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 Logan Wallace]

  Twin Capital Management Inc. grew its position in Regal Beloit Corp (NYSE:RBC) by 37.5% in the second quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 48,250 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after buying an additional 13,160 shares during the quarter. Twin Capital Management Inc.’s holdings in Regal Beloit were worth $3,947,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Lisa Levin] Companies Reporting Before The Bell Dean Foods Company (NYSE: DF) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.11 per share on revenue of $1.85 billion. Discovery, Inc. (NASDAQ: DISCA) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.44 per share on revenue of $1.99 billion. Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE: JEC) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.89 per share on revenue of $3.63 billion. Henry Schein, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSIC) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.92 per share on revenue of $3.17 billion. Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.57 per share on revenue of $926.18 million. The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.24 per share on revenue of $2.98 billion. Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPD) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.64 per share on revenue of $1.71 billion. US Foods Holding Corp. (NYSE: USFD) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.32 per share on revenue of $5.98 billion. DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.7 per share on revenue of $3.50 billion. Zebra Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: ZBRA) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $2.06 per share on revenue of $936.98 million. Camping World Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CWH) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.42 per share on revenue of $1.06 billion. Perrigo Company plc (NYSE: PRGO) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.14 per share on revenue of $1.21 billion. Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. - Petrobras (NYSE: PBR) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.28 per share on revenue of $23.80 billion. JD.com, Inc. (NYSE: JD) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.18 per share on revenue of $15.65 billion. Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (NYSE: VRX) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.6 per share o

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2019: ConocoPhillips(COP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  As things stand right now, analysts anticipate that at least some Iranian oil will come off the market as a result of the sanctions. That lost output would further tighten an oil market that suddenly has little margin for error thanks to red-hot demand and tame supply growth. That's the recipe for higher oil prices and could make top-tier U.S. oil stocks Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE:APC), Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN), and ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) big winners in the coming years.

• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  Investors in search of dividend income will quickly notice that ExxonMobil Corporation's (NYSE:XOM) 3.9% yield dwarfs the 1.8% dividend yield offered by ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP). That, however, isn't the biggest reason dividend investors should prefer Exxon stock. Here's what you need to know to understand why Exxon is a better dividend stock than ConocoPhillips. 

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec raised its position in ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) by 285.9% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 652,900 shares of the energy producer’s stock after purchasing an additional 483,700 shares during the quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec owned 0.06% of ConocoPhillips worth $38,710,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Max Byerly]

  IPG Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund purchased 3,931 shares of the energy producer’s stock, valued at approximately $274,000.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Investors purchased shares of ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) on weakness during trading hours on Friday. $107.97 million flowed into the stock on the tick-up and $35.36 million flowed out of the stock on the tick-down, for a money net flow of $72.61 million into the stock. Of all stocks tracked, ConocoPhillips had the 26th highest net in-flow for the day. ConocoPhillips traded down ($0.13) for the day and closed at $73.43

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  As things stand right now, analysts anticipate that at least some Iranian oil will come off the market as a result of the sanctions. That lost output would further tighten an oil market that suddenly has little margin for error thanks to red-hot demand and tame supply growth. That's the recipe for higher oil prices and could make top-tier U.S. oil stocks Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE:APC), Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN), and ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) big winners in the coming years.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2019: Amphenol Corporation(APH)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Aphelion (CURRENCY:APH) traded up 1.3% against the dollar during the one day period ending at 15:00 PM E.T. on September 29th. One Aphelion token can currently be bought for $0.0541 or 0.00000822 BTC on cryptocurrency exchanges including Switcheo Network and Kucoin. Over the last week, Aphelion has traded down 2.4% against the dollar. Aphelion has a total market cap of $2.70 million and $143,193.00 worth of Aphelion was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Aphelion (CURRENCY:APH) traded 7% lower against the dollar during the 1-day period ending at 20:00 PM Eastern on September 10th. Aphelion has a total market cap of $3.25 million and $108,130.00 worth of Aphelion was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One Aphelion token can currently be purchased for approximately $0.0483 or 0.00000764 BTC on major cryptocurrency exchanges including Switcheo Network and Kucoin. During the last seven days, Aphelion has traded 33.8% lower against the dollar.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V. increased its holdings in shares of Amphenol (NYSE:APH) by 4.5% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 1,105,805 shares of the electronics maker’s stock after buying an additional 47,719 shares during the period. Robeco Institutional Asset Management B.V.’s holdings in Amphenol were worth $95,258,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Teacher Retirement System of Texas lessened its holdings in shares of Amphenol Co. (NYSE:APH) by 50.9% during the 2nd quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 154,246 shares of the electronics maker’s stock after selling 160,204 shares during the period. Teacher Retirement System of Texas’ holdings in Amphenol were worth $13,443,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2019: Microchip Technology Incorporated(MCHP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Microchip Technology (MCHP)

  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 Microchip Technology (MCHP)

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

• [By Lee Jackson]

  This company is a huge Internet of Things benefactor. Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MCHP) is a leading provider of microcontroller, mixed-signal, analog and flash-IP solutions, providing low-risk product development, lower total system cost and faster time to market for thousands of diverse customer applications worldwide.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Microchip Technology (NASDAQ:MCHP) had its price objective increased by Morgan Stanley from $96.00 to $97.00 in a research report report published on Wednesday morning. The brokerage currently has an equal weight rating on the semiconductor company’s stock.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Mar Vista Investment Partners LLC bought a new stake in Microchip Technology (NASDAQ:MCHP) in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 888,437 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock, valued at approximately $81,168,000. Microchip Technology comprises 3.2% of Mar Vista Investment Partners LLC’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 12th largest position.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Microchip Technology (NASDAQ:MCHP) had its target price cut by research analysts at Needham & Company LLC from $130.00 to $120.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, MarketBeat.com reports. The brokerage presently has a “strong-buy” rating on the semiconductor company’s stock. Needham & Company LLC’s price target points to a potential upside of 42.72% from the company’s current price.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2019: Littelfuse Inc.(LFUS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Littelfuse, Inc. (NASDAQ:LFUS) shares hit a new 52-week high and low during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $227.35 and last traded at $225.33, with a volume of 3778 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $223.20.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Littelfuse (LFUS)

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

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Littelfuse (NASDAQ:LFUS) Director John E. Major sold 1,648 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.86, for a total value of $355,737.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 26,254 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,667,188.44. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Littelfuse (NASDAQ: LFUS) and ABB Group (NYSE:ABB) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, risk, analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership, dividends and earnings.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  KAMES CAPITAL plc lessened its holdings in Littelfuse, Inc. (NASDAQ:LFUS) by 0.8% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 315,223 shares of the technology company’s stock after selling 2,678 shares during the period. Littelfuse comprises approximately 1.5% of KAMES CAPITAL plc’s portfolio, making the stock its 27th biggest position. KAMES CAPITAL plc owned about 1.26% of Littelfuse worth $62,373,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  BidaskClub upgraded shares of Littelfuse (NASDAQ:LFUS) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note published on Friday morning.

  Several other equities analysts have also commented on LFUS. ValuEngine raised Littelfuse from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, May 3rd. Barrington Research reissued a hold rating on shares of Littelfuse in a report on Tuesday, May 1st. Finally, Zacks Investment Research lowered Littelfuse from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, April 4th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. Littelfuse has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $212.75.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Watch For 2019: United Parcel Service Inc.(UPS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

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

  Get United Parcel Service alerts: Will United Parcel Service Inc's (NYSE:UPS) Earnings Grow In The Next 12 Months? (finance.yahoo.com) Buy United Parcel Service – Cramer’s Lightning Round (9/6/18) (seekingalpha.com) Cramer’s lightning round: Anheuser Busch doesn’t look attractive because I think we’re past beer (finance.yahoo.com) October 26th Options Now Available For United Parcel Service (UPS) (nasdaq.com) UPS Named Worldwide Supplier Of The Ryder Cup (finance.yahoo.com)

  United Parcel Service stock opened at $122.99 on Friday. United Parcel Service has a 52 week low of $101.45 and a 52 week high of $135.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 8.54, a quick ratio of 1.21 and a current ratio of 1.21. The stock has a market capitalization of $107.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.46, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 1.16.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Here are some of the headlines that may have effected Accern Sentiment Analysis’s analysis:

  Get United Parcel Service alerts: Global Aviation MRO Logistics Market 2018-2022 with DB Schenker, Deutsche Post DHL Group, FedEx & United Parcel Service Dominating – ResearchAndMarkets.com (markets.financialcontent.com) [$$] New York City to Reduce Discounts on Parking Tickets for Commercial Vehicles (finance.yahoo.com) Courting Atlanta: Hawks rehab basketball courts to teach kids teamwork (Photos) (finance.yahoo.com) U.S. Postal Service Q2 loss widens to $1.3 billion, while revenue rises (finance.yahoo.com) United Parcel Service (UPS) to Issue Quarterly Dividend of $0.91 (americanbankingnews.com)

  Shares of United Parcel Service traded up $1.46, hitting $115.45, during mid-day trading on Friday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. 3,388,147 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,510,974. United Parcel Service has a twelve month low of $101.45 and a twelve month high of $135.53. The stock has a market capitalization of $95.98 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.21, a P/E/G ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 1.02. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 14.84, a current ratio of 1.22 and a quick ratio of 1.22.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Find out what's going on in today's market and bring any questions you have to Benzinga's PreMarket Prep.

  Before the markets open, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.85 per share on revenue of $5.24 billion. Bristol-Myers shares rose 0.95 percent to $52.25 in after-hours trading. AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) reported weaker-than-expected earnings