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(Adds analyst comment in paragraphs 4 and 8)By Bhanvi SatijaSept 5 (Reuters) - Illumina on Tuesday named Agilent Technologies' Jacob Thaysen as its CEO, months after the former head of the U.S. genetic testing company resigned following a proxy fight with billionaire Carl Icahn.Illumina repurchased cancer test maker Grail in 2021, despite opposition from the U.S. and European antitrust regulators, a decision that prompted Icahn to pursue a proxy fight, arguing the unit should be divested as it had cost billions of dollars to investors.The company said Thaysen, 48, who has been part of the analytical instruments division leadership at Agilent since 2018, would take the helm effective Sept. 25.Thaysen "checks all the boxes" required for the CEO role with his expertise in medical tools industry and understanding of Illumina's customer base, said Evercore analyst Vijay Kumar.The proxy battle with Icahn ended with a May vote in which the activist investor won enough shareholder support to oust the then-board chair, John Thompson, and appoint his nominee, Andrew Teno, on the board.Illumina's former head Francis deSouza stepped down in June, marking another victory for the activist investor, even though deSouza had secured more than twice the number of shareholder votes than his challenger.Thaysen will replace interim CEO ‍Charles Dadswell, who will resume as senior vice president and general counsel at Illumina.While the appointment starts a new chapter for Illumina, it remains a "show me" story given that investors were hoping for a hire with CEO experience, said Citi analyst Patrick Donnelly.The appointment comes at a time when the company's Grail deal is under increasing pressure from antitrust regulators, and just weeks after the genetic testing firm cut its full-year forecast, partly due to a slow recovery in China.(Reporting by Manas Mishra and Bhanvi Satija in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar and Shweta Agarwal)

Reuters

UPDATE 3-Illumina taps Agilent's Jacob Thaysen as CEO

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/1-illumina-names-agilent-exec-114547984.html

459f20c6-4e42-3a50-9c10-5618af7eaf39

A

Stocks trend lower this morning entering the first trading of September, a historically weak month for markets. Lowe's (LOW) stock received an upgrade to Outperform from Bernstein analysts. Oracle (ORCL) shares are rising after Barclays upgraded the stock on the software company's cloud outlook amid AI trends. Illumina (ILMN) names Former Agilent (A) Vice President Jacob Thaysen as its new CEO.Yahoo Finance Live details several trending stocks after Tuesday's opening bell.Video TranscriptBRAD SMITH: Stocks are lower to start off this holiday-abbreviated week. Investors could be in for a challenging few weeks ahead with September, historically, the weakest month for equities.There's also plenty of data on the docket ahead for the Fed's September policy meeting.JULIE HYMAN: And on an individual basis, watching shares of Lowe's this morning. Bernstein upgrading the home improvement chain to outperform from market perform. Analysts there Dean Rosenblum saying in a note, he now sees an influx of positive trends that could expand the company's margins in the next two years.He added that Lowe's growth could outpace that of competitor Home Depot. And the shares not getting the benefit here this morning.BRAD SMITH: Yeah. We're also watching Oracle after Barclays upgraded the stock from equal-weight to overweight and raised its price target to $150 citing the company's multi-year growth story. In a note, analysts saying that the giant's Cloud Infrastructure in this business partly fueled by emerging AI opportunities will be a key to the overall story.JULIE HYMAN: And shares of Illumina are on the move as well. They are trading lower by about 4% after the company announced former Agilent Senior Vice President Jacob Thaysen will take the helm as its new CEO. That's effective September 25.The move comes months after a bout of leadership turmoil. Previous CEO Francis deSouza stepping down in June, just weeks after activist investor Carl Icahn tried and failed to oust him from the top spot.

Yahoo Finance Video

Lowe's and Oracle upgrades, Illumina CEO: Market Movers

https://finance.yahoo.com/video/lowes-oracle-upgrades-illumina-ceo-143652525.html

f5140a07-16f5-31a2-b3d4-8cdd687513a0

AAL

American Airlines (AAL) closed at $14.33 in the latest trading session, marking a +0.21% move from the prior day. This move outpaced the S&P 500's daily loss of 0.7%. At the same time, the Dow lost 0.57%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq lost 1.06%.Prior to today's trading, shares of the world's largest airline had lost 11.62% over the past month. This has lagged the Transportation sector's loss of 4.85% and the S&P 500's gain of 0.58% in that time.Investors will be hoping for strength from American Airlines as it approaches its next earnings release. In that report, analysts expect American Airlines to post earnings of $0.75 per share. This would mark year-over-year growth of 8.7%. Meanwhile, our latest consensus estimate is calling for revenue of $13.59 billion, up 0.93% from the prior-year quarter.Looking at the full year, our Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $3.18 per share and revenue of $53.11 billion. These totals would mark changes of +536% and +8.46%, respectively, from last year.Investors might also notice recent changes to analyst estimates for American Airlines. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the company's business and profitability.Based on our research, we believe these estimate revisions are directly related to near-team stock moves. To benefit from this, we have developed the Zacks Rank, a proprietary model which takes these estimate changes into account and provides an actionable rating system.The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. The Zacks Consensus EPS estimate has moved 5.57% lower within the past month. American Airlines currently has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold).In terms of valuation, American Airlines is currently trading at a Forward P/E ratio of 4.5. This represents a discount compared to its industry's average Forward P/E of 8.58.Story continuesThe Transportation - Airline industry is part of the Transportation sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 83, which puts it in the top 33% of all 250+ industries.The Zacks Industry Rank includes is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.Make sure to utilize Zacks.com to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and more, in the coming trading sessions.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportAmerican Airlines Group Inc. (AAL) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

American Airlines (AAL) Gains As Market Dips: What You Should Know

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/american-airlines-aal-gains-market-215020513.html

0a2ded74-9f39-3088-b28e-fa8f23d2993e

AAL

American Airlines (AAL) closed at $13.98 in the latest trading session, marking a -0.14% move from the prior day. This change lagged the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.14%. Meanwhile, the Dow gained 0.22%, and the Nasdaq, a tech-heavy index, added 0.09%.Heading into today, shares of the world's largest airline had lost 11.17% over the past month, lagging the Transportation sector's loss of 6.54% and the S&P 500's loss of 1.27% in that time.Wall Street will be looking for positivity from American Airlines as it approaches its next earnings report date. In that report, analysts expect American Airlines to post earnings of $0.75 per share. This would mark year-over-year growth of 8.7%. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $13.59 billion, up 0.93% from the year-ago period.AAL's full-year Zacks Consensus Estimates are calling for earnings of $3.09 per share and revenue of $53.11 billion. These results would represent year-over-year changes of +518% and +8.46%, respectively.Any recent changes to analyst estimates for American Airlines should also be noted by investors. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As a result, we can interpret positive estimate revisions as a good sign for the company's business outlook.Our research shows that these estimate changes are directly correlated with near-term stock prices. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.Ranging from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), the Zacks Rank system has a proven, outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks returning an average of +25% annually since 1988. Within the past 30 days, our consensus EPS projection has moved 8.31% lower. American Airlines is currently a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).Valuation is also important, so investors should note that American Airlines has a Forward P/E ratio of 4.53 right now. For comparison, its industry has an average Forward P/E of 8.43, which means American Airlines is trading at a discount to the group.Story continuesInvestors should also note that AAL has a PEG ratio of 0.08 right now. The PEG ratio is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but this metric also takes the company's expected earnings growth rate into account. Transportation - Airline stocks are, on average, holding a PEG ratio of 0.34 based on yesterday's closing prices.The Transportation - Airline industry is part of the Transportation sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 85, which puts it in the top 34% of all 250+ industries.The Zacks Industry Rank gauges the strength of our industry groups by measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the groups. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.Be sure to follow all of these stock-moving metrics, and many more, on Zacks.com.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportAmerican Airlines Group Inc. (AAL) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

American Airlines (AAL) Stock Sinks As Market Gains: What You Should Know

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/american-airlines-aal-stock-sinks-214521496.html

764525d2-7349-384a-b88c-df20676dea4d

AAON

In the news release, ONE Gas Announces Angela E. Kouplen Senior Vice President - Chief Human Resources Officer, issued 05-Sep-2023 by ONE Gas, Inc. over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that the second paragraph, first sentence, should list Robert S. McAnnally's title as chief executive officer rather than chief operating officer as originally issued inadvertently. The complete, corrected release follows:ONE Gas Announces Angela E. Kouplen Senior Vice President - Chief Human Resources OfficerTULSA, Okla., Sept. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS) today announced that Angela E. Kouplen will join ONE Gas as senior vice president and chief human resources officer, effective Sept. 29, 2023.(PRNewsfoto/ONE Gas, Inc.)In her role at ONE Gas, Kouplen will oversee all functions of human resources and be a part of the company's leadership team reporting to Robert S. McAnnally, president and chief executive officer. She brings to the company a diverse background and executive leadership experience having served as an officer of two public companies. Most recently she was vice president of administration and chief information officer at the University of Tulsa. Angela has been an Independent Director for AAON, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAON) since 2016, where she serves as chair of the compensation committee and is a member of the audit committee."Angela's capabilities will strengthen our management team and reinforce our commitment to developing a high-performing workforce through impactful leadership programs, strategic succession planning and targeted recruitment and retention programs," said McAnnally.About ONE Gas, Inc.ONE Gas, Inc. (NYSE: OGS) is a 100-percent regulated natural gas utility, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "OGS." ONE Gas is included in the S&P MidCap 400 Index and is one of the largest natural gas utilities in the United States.Headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, ONE Gas provides a reliable and affordable energy choice to more than 2.3 million customers in Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Its divisions include Kansas Gas Service, the largest natural gas distributor in Kansas; Oklahoma Natural Gas, the largest in Oklahoma; and Texas Gas Service, the third largest in Texas, in terms of customers.Story continuesFor more information and the latest news about ONE Gas, visit onegas.com and follow its social channels: @ONEGas, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.About Angela E. KouplenWith more than 25 years of leadership and management experience, Angela Kouplen has held a variety of positions in human resources, contracts, facilities management and information technology. Since 2016, she has been an independent director for AAON, where she serves on the compensation and audit committees.Kouplen most recently served as chief information officer for the University of Tulsa. Before joining TU, she was responsible for human resources, executive compensation, information technology, real estate and facilities for WPX Energy. Prior to that, Kouplen worked in information technology with Williams and CITGO. Her roles have included managing IT planning and governance, third-party applications and applications development, e-business strategy as well as sourcing.She received a bachelor of science degree in management with a minor in management information systems from Oklahoma State University and an MBA from The University of Tulsa.Angela has served on a variety of nonprofit boards and committees supporting the Tulsa-area community including YWCA, Resonance Center for Women and the Tulsa Area United Way Women's Leadership Council. She currently serves on the Tulsa Regional STEM Alliance Board of Directors, Junior Achievement Board of Directors, the OSU Alumni Association Board of Directors and TU's Collins College of Business Executive Advisory Board. Angela also serves as an Elder at South Point Church in Bixby.Analyst Contact:Erin Dailey918-947-7411Media Contact:Leah Harper918-947-7123 CisionView original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/one-gas-announces-angela-e-kouplen-senior-vice-president--chief-human-resources-officer-301918239.htmlSOURCE ONE Gas, Inc.

PR Newswire

/C O R R E C T I O N -- ONE Gas, Inc./

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/one-gas-announces-angela-e-200500446.html

aaab51dd-71dc-3b07-8f72-eb68be5c22ab

AAON

For those looking to find strong Construction stocks, it is prudent to search for companies in the group that are outperforming their peers. Is Aaon (AAON) one of those stocks right now? Let's take a closer look at the stock's year-to-date performance to find out.Aaon is one of 99 companies in the Construction group. The Construction group currently sits at #1 within the Zacks Sector Rank. The Zacks Sector Rank considers 16 different groups, measuring the average Zacks Rank of the individual stocks within the sector to gauge the strength of each group.The Zacks Rank is a proven model that highlights a variety of stocks with the right characteristics to outperform the market over the next one to three months. The system emphasizes earnings estimate revisions and favors companies with improving earnings outlooks. Aaon is currently sporting a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy).The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AAON's full-year earnings has moved 8.3% higher within the past quarter. This signals that analyst sentiment is improving and the stock's earnings outlook is more positive.According to our latest data, AAON has moved about 30.8% on a year-to-date basis. In comparison, Construction companies have returned an average of 30%. This means that Aaon is outperforming the sector as a whole this year.Another stock in the Construction sector, Lennar (LEN), has outperformed the sector so far this year. The stock's year-to-date return is 30.5%.Over the past three months, Lennar's consensus EPS estimate for the current year has increased 29.2%. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).Looking more specifically, Aaon belongs to the Building Products - Air Conditioner and Heating industry, which includes 6 individual stocks and currently sits at #5 in the Zacks Industry Rank. On average, this group has gained an average of 51% so far this year, meaning that AAON is slightly underperforming its industry in terms of year-to-date returns.Story continuesLennar, however, belongs to the Building Products - Home Builders industry. Currently, this 19-stock industry is ranked #4. The industry has moved +44.7% so far this year.Going forward, investors interested in Construction stocks should continue to pay close attention to Aaon and Lennar as they could maintain their solid performance.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportAAON, Inc. (AAON) : Free Stock Analysis ReportLennar Corporation (LEN) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

Is AAON (AAON) Stock Outpacing Its Construction Peers This Year?

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/aaon-aaon-stock-outpacing-construction-134007700.html

688e759e-4128-348a-a4d2-ec29de1e1342

AAPL

Key inflation data, new iPhones, and a looming deadline for contentious labor negotiations await investors in the week ahead, the first full trading week of September.The economic highlight comes on Wednesday morning, when the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for August will be released. The report is set to show headline inflation continues to reverse its downtrend as oil prices rise.On the corporate side, Apple (AAPL) is scheduled to host its marquee fall event on Tuesday, with new iPhones, Apple Watches, and a new charging port for most devices expected to be announced.A September 14 deadline also looms in a contract dispute between the United Auto Workers and automakers Ford (F), General Motors (GM), and Stellantis (STLA), with workers threatening a strike when their current deal expires on Thursday.Last week, markets continued choppy trading that began back in August as concerns over sticky price inflation from an August report on the services sector sent stocks lower on Wednesday, while a decline in tech stocks over fears regarding China's economy weighed on equity markets.The tech-heavy Nasdaq (^IXIC) led the losses, falling near 2% during the holiday-shortened trading week. The benchmark S&P 500 (^GSPC) dropped 1.1% while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) fell 0.4%Inflation will be in focus this week with Wall Street expecting another uptick in headline inflation.Economists forecast headline inflation rose 3.6% over the prior year in August, an increase from the 3.2% rise seen in July. Prices are set to rise 0.6% on a monthly basis. An increase in energy prices is expected to drive much of the increase.On a "core" basis, which strips out the volatile food and energy categories, CPI is forecast to rise 4.3% over last year in August, a slowdown from the 4.7% increase seen in July. Monthly core price increases are expected to clock in at 0.2%.This content is not available due to your privacy preferences.Update your settings here to see it.The Federal Reserve's closer focus on core inflation has economists and investors confident the central bank won't raise rates in September. As of Friday, markets had priced in a 92% chance the Fed holds interest rates steady at the conclusion of its September 19-20 meeting, according to data from the CME Group.Story continues"We do not expect that [CPI data] will tip the scales towards a hike, given the mixed message delivered by the other employment reports and last month's inflation data," Jefferies economist Thomas Simons wrote on Friday.Also out this week will be the August retail sales report, which will provide a look at how resilient US consumers remain after a strong summer. Economists expect retail sales increased 0.1% in August, a noted decrease from the 0.7% jump seen in July.Data on producer prices, a read on small business optimism, and the weekly report on initial filings for unemployment insurance will also feature on the economic calendar.iPhone debutApple's update of its signature product on Tuesday is expected to be a market moving event, and comes at a critical juncture for America's biggest public company.Apple stock slipped more than 6% in a two-day period last week after Chinese officials told employees at central government agencies to not use iPhones at work. A new high-end phone release from China's Huawei also added pressure on Apple.Some analysts, though, said the selloff was "overblown."But this trading hangs in the background of Apple's event, dubbed "Wonderlust," which is expected to see its iPhone lineup refreshed, new Apple Watches revealed, and the introduction of USB-C charging ports across its device lineup, sunsetting the lightning charger currently powering most iPhones."Historically, the iPhone launch has been a sell-the-news event," Morgan Stanley analyst Erik Woodring wrote in a preview of the event."While we don't expect the day-of stock reaction to the September 12th Wonderlust event to be any different this year, we continue to believe that FY24 iPhone expectations are too low and that the iPhone 15 cycle is not as 'iterative' as anticipated, with the potential for both unit and [average selling price] growth."Customers experience Apple products at an Apple store in Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan province, Sept 8, 2023. (Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)Weekly calendarMonday Economic data: No notable economic news. Earnings: Bowlero (BOWL), Casey's (CASY), Oracle (ORCL)TuesdayEconomic data: NFIB Small Business Optimism, August (91.3 expected, 91.9 prior)Earnings: No notable companies set to report. WednesdayEconomic data: Consumer Price Index, month-over-month, August (+0.6% expected, +0.2% previously); Core CPI, month-over-month, August (+0.2% expected, +0.2% previously); CPI, year-over-year, August (+3.6% expected, +3.2% previously); Core CPI, year-over-year, August (+4.3% expected, +4.7% previously); Real average hourly earnings, year-over-year, August (+1.1% previously)Earnings: Cracker Barrel (CBRL)Thursday Economic data: Initial jobless claims (216,000 previously); Retail sales, month-over-month, August (+0.1% expected, +0.7% previously); Retail sales ex auto and gas, August (0.0% expected, +1% previously); Producer Price Index, month-over-month, August (+0.4% expected, +0.3% previously); PPI, year-over-year, August (+1.5% expected; +0.8% previously); Core PPI, month-over-month, August (+0.2% expected, +0.3% previously); Core PPI, year-over-year, August (+2.6% expected; +2.8% previously)Earnings: Adobe (ADBE), Lennar (LEN)Friday Economic data: Import prices, month-over-month, August (+0.3% expected, +0.4% previously); Export prices, month-over-month, August (+0.3% expected, +0.7% previously); Empire Manufacturing, September (-10.7 expected, -19 previously); Industrial production, month-over-month, August (+0.1% expected, +0.5 prior); University of Michigan consumer sentiment, September, preliminary (69.4 expected, 69.5 previously)Earnings: No notable companies set to report.Josh Schafer is a reporter for Yahoo Finance.Click here for the latest stock market news and in-depth analysis, including events that move stocksRead the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance

Yahoo Finance

Inflation, iPhones, and looming auto strikes: What to know this week

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/inflation-iphones-and-looming-auto-strikes-what-to-know-this-week-140049476.html

d5946258-9392-4d98-92a7-5d6df965579f

AAPL

Here's how to handle the battered market rally. The Apple iPhone 15 looms with earnings from AI giants Adobe and Oracle. Tesla stock got a big price target hikeContinue reading

Investor's Business Daily

Dow Jones Futures Rise For Ailing Market Rally; Tesla Stock Gets Huge Price Target Hike

https://finance.yahoo.com/m/adf86857-6fcf-31e1-aae0-fab15e31db5c/dow-jones-futures-rise-for.html

adf86857-6fcf-31e1-aae0-fab15e31db5c

ABBV

Shares of Alector ALEC rose 6.8% on Thursday after management announced that it achieved the enrolment target in the phase II INVOKE-2 study on its Alzheimer’s disease (“AD”) candidate, AL002. The candidate is being co-developed with AbbVie ABBV.Alector expects data from the study before this year’s end.Based on this study's results, management will decide whether to advance the candidate to pivotal late-stage development.The INVOKE-2 study is evaluating the safety and efficacy of AL002 in slowing disease progression in individuals with early AD. The study participants are randomized to receive either AL002 or a placebo administered intravenously every four weeks for a treatment period lasting up to 96 weeks.The primary endpoint of the INVOKE-2 study is disease progression, as measured by the Clinical Dementia Rating Sum of Boxes (“CDR-SB”) scale. The CDR-SB is a numerical scale that measures the severity of AD indication. In addition, the study will also assess microglial activation and Alzheimer’s pathophysiology using cerebrospinal fluid and plasma biomarkers.In the year so far, shares of Alector have lost 39.2% compared with the industry’s 13.8% fall.Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchA humanized monoclonal antibody, AL002 targets triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (“TREM2”) to improve cell survival and microglia activity.Alector signed a global strategic collaboration with AbbVie in 2017 to co-develop and market therapeutics targeting AD and other neurodegenerative indications. Per the terms of the partnership, Alector granted AbbVie an exclusive option for global rights to the development and commercialization of AL002. If AbbVie exercises its option for the program, Alector would be eligible to receive milestone payments of up to $487.5 million. Both companies will share the development costs and profits equally post regulatory approvals.The AD target market is highly competitive as several other pharma companies like Biogen BIIB and Eli Lilly LLY have their drugs targeting the AD indication. The Alzheimer’s drugs of these companies have either recently been approved for use or are under regulatory review development.Story continuesThis July, the FDA granted full approval to Biogen’s AD drug Leqembi (lecanemab). Following approval, the Biogen drug is the first and only approved anti-amyloid antibody treatment shown to reduce the rate of disease progression and slow cognitive impairment in the early and mild dementia stages of AD indication. Since Biogen’s Leqembi received full/standard approval from the FDA, it is also eligible for broader Medicare coverage. Such coverage is crucial for a wider rollout of treatment.Eli Lilly developed donanemab, its antibody therapy for AD. In June, Lilly reported positive data from the phase III TRAILBLAZER-ALZ 2 study that showed that treatment with donanemab significantly slowed cognitive and functional decline in people with early symptomatic AD. Based on this result, Eli Lilly has submitted regulatory applications with the FDA and EMA for the drug to treat AD. A final decision in the United States is expected before year-end.With no marketed drugs, Alector is solely dependent on its pipeline development for growth, Apart from AL002, Alector is also developing its lead pipeline candidate AL001 in a late-stage study for frontotemporal dementia (FTD) with progranulin mutation (FTD-GRN). The candidate is being developed in collaboration with GSK. AL002 is also being developed in an early-stage study for AD indication.The successful development of these pipeline candidates will likely boost Alector’s prospects. The company’s partnerships with pharma big-wigs like AbbVie and GSK are also a positive as compared to Alector, these companies already have years of drug-development experience and well-established drug distribution and supply chain.Alector, Inc. Price Alector, Inc. PriceAlector, Inc. price | Alector, Inc. Quote Zacks RankAlector sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportBiogen Inc. (BIIB) : Free Stock Analysis ReportEli Lilly and Company (LLY) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAbbVie Inc. (ABBV) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAlector, Inc. (ALEC) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

Alector (ALEC) Up 7% on Finishing Enrolment in Alzheimer Study

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/alector-alec-7-finishing-enrolment-161000634.html

adae1e64-99ee-393a-84e4-1973b49e4408

ABBV

Over the past year, many AbbVie Inc. (NYSE:ABBV) insiders sold a significant stake in the company which may have piqued investors' interest. When analyzing insider transactions, it is usually more valuable to know whether insiders are buying versus knowing if they are selling, as the latter sends an ambiguous message. However, if numerous insiders are selling, shareholders should investigate more.Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. Check out our latest analysis for AbbVie The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At AbbVieOver the last year, we can see that the biggest insider sale was by the Chairman & CEO, Richard Gonzalez, for US$12m worth of shares, at about US$149 per share. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$149. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. We note that this sale took place at around the current price, so it isn't a major concern, though it's hardly a good sign.Insiders in AbbVie didn't buy any shares in the last year. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!insider-trading-volumeIf you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).AbbVie Insiders Are Selling The StockThe last three months saw significant insider selling at AbbVie. In total, Chairman & CEO Richard Gonzalez dumped US$12m worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. Overall this makes us a bit cautious, but it's not the be all and end all.Insider Ownership Of AbbVieLooking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. A high insider ownership often makes company leadership more mindful of shareholder interests. AbbVie insiders own about US$280m worth of shares (which is 0.1% of the company). This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders.Story continuesSo What Does This Data Suggest About AbbVie Insiders?An insider sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. And even if we look at the last year, we didn't see any purchases. The company boasts high insider ownership, but we're a little hesitant, given the history of share sales. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. Every company has risks, and we've spotted 4 warning signs for AbbVie you should know about.If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Simply Wall St.

Possible Bearish Signals With AbbVie Insiders Disposing Stock

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/possible-bearish-signals-abbvie-insiders-130031640.html

cd857f5b-74bd-33c7-b2f9-0c7ff61c2d41

ABNB

New York City is working with booking service platforms such as Airbnb to enforce what is effectively a ban on any short-term apartment rentals not registered with the city. New York City adopted the Short-Term Rental Registration Law at the beginning of 2022, but it wasn't enforced until Sept. 5. Also, it prohibits booking service platforms like Airbnb from processing transactions for unregistered short-term rentals.Continue reading

Investopedia

Early Impacts of New York City's 'De Facto Ban' on Airbnbs

https://finance.yahoo.com/m/3c0704dd-6833-39e5-a0bc-b7b348cbecb2/early-impacts-of-new-york.html

3c0704dd-6833-39e5-a0bc-b7b348cbecb2

ABNB

In this piece, we will take a look at ten travel stocks billionaires are loading up on. If you want to skip our analysis of the recent events in the travel industry, then take a look at 5 Travel Stocks Billionaires Are Loading Up On. The travel industry has seen disruption in one form or the other over the past four years, and a tough economic environment after the coronavirus pandemic has hampered recovery. Some sectors, such as airlines that were forced to fly routes just to keep them running and cruise companies that saw ships stranded at ports, faced crises that perhaps few would believe were possible before they happened.Like the broader economy, such as industrial production and logistics, the global benchmark crude oil prices determine the ease of the cost of doing business for travel companies as well. These prices have been fluctuating since the start of 2022 and after a respite earlier this year as oil investors remained optimistic about sufficient demand for their products, the latter half of 2023 is seeing oil prices soar again. A big reason behind the high oil prices is the need for oil producing countries to balance their budgets as demand expectations from China start to wither down. The world's second largest economy in nominal terms and the biggest in purchasing power parity is dealing with a set of problems that are worrying investors.The travel industry depends on discretionary income, and recent trends indicate that consumers might start having less of this since gas prices in America have risen. To understand the impact that all these events have made, consider the story of Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE). Ever since inflation started to rise in early 2022, Expedia's shares started on a downward run. These troubles are also visible when looking at the stock of Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB). While the stock has still performed better than Expedia, the shares nevertheless have posted a 4.72% gain over the past five years. During the same time period, the S&P 500 is up by a strong 53%, gains that outpace the return offered by major airlines such as Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:DAL) (down 29.54%) and American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:AAL) (down 64.82%).Story continuesThe turmoil faced by the airlines and the hospitality firms is nothing when we take a look at cruise ship operators. Shares of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. (NYSE:RCL) still haven't recovered from the coronavirus-induced sell off, and are down 24.7% over the past five years. However, if you think this is bad, then you'd be glad you hadn't bought Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NCLH) in 2020 since its stock is down by a stunning 70% over the past five years. We've covered the shock to the cruise ship industry in detail as part of our coverage of 10 Best Cruise Stocks To Buy Now so check it out if you want to see just how bad things were for the companies, their employees, and the travelers stuck on vessels.Yet, even though the travel industry is down, it doesn't mean it's dusted for. The global economy should recover at some point in time, even as China struggles to move to pre-coronavirus levels and Europe - led by Germany - struggles to find economic stability. International tourism is expected to touch 95% of pre-pandemic levels this year, and Europe is one of the regions that is leading the recovery. Data from the United Nations' World Tourism Organization (WTO) shows that while international tourism had recovered to 65% of pre pandemic levels in 2022, the European sector had recovered to 80% and Western Europe to 87%.This recovery is also affecting the ticket prices between Europe and the U.S. Combined with high fuel prices, airlines and other firms have to scale up their operations as product demand increases. This scaling costs money, which is why prices go up during periods of high demand. As to what the situation in the industry was as the second half of 2023 kicked off, here's what the management of American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) had to say during the firm's second quarter of 2023 earnings call:We continue to see strong growth in Travel and Entertainment spending, which increased by double-digits in the quarter and remains strong across customer categories and geographies. Q2 was a record quarter for restaurant reservations through our Resy platform and bookings through our consumer travel business reached their highest levels since before the pandemic.. . . And look, I mean, just look at consumer, right? I mean consumer in the U.S. is up at 10%. T&E is still very, very strong. We talked about travel bookings, travel bookings more than one month out are higher than they’ve been pre-pandemic. They are higher than they were at this time last year. They were higher than they were, obviously, in 2019. International is really coming back strong for us. And as we said, it’s a fastest growing part of our business. And the other thing I’ll point out is you just had — you had a little hangover of noise from Omicron in this quarter because last year, you had a little bit of spending that was pushed from the first quarter to the second quarter. And if you look at — if you go back and look sequentially last year was a huge increase sequentially quarter-over-quarter.So, with these details in mind, we decided to take a look at which travel stocks billionaires are buying. Some top stock picks are Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE), Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB), and Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG).Travel Stocks Billionaires Are Loading Up OnPhoto by Artur Voznenko on UnsplashOur Methodology To compile our list of travel stocks being bought by billionaires, we first compiled a list of the largest companies categorized as travel services by Yahoo Finance. Then, the number of billionaires that had bought their shares during Q1 2023 was determined through Insider Monkey's research, and for updated coverage, the number of hedge funds that had bought their shares as of Q2 2023 is also provided. The stocks are listed according to the number of hedge fund investors since this is the more up to date data set.10 Travel Stocks Billionaires Are Loading Up On10. Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ:SABR)Number of Billionaire Investors: 8Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 28Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ:SABR) is a technology company that allows business travelers to plan their trips and hotels to manage their operations. Its stock is down 18% year to date and analysts have rated the shares as Hold on average.During this year's first quarter, eight billionaires had bought Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ:SABR)'s shares and in the next quarter, 28 out of the 910 hedge funds part of Insider Monkey's database were shareholders. Out of these, the company's largest investor is Terry Smith's Fundsmith LLP since it owns 22 million shares that are worth $72 million.Along with Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB), Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE), and Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG), Sabre Corporation (NASDAQ:SABR is a travel stock that billionaires are loading up on.9. Travel + Leisure Co. (NYSE:TNL)Number of Billionaire Investors: 10 Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 33 Travel + Leisure Co. (NYSE:TNL) operates travel businesses and runs other operations. The firm's second quarter earnings results show that revenue and operating income dropped by 5% and 3% respectively. The stock also has a strong 4.59% dividend yield due to its 45 cent dividend.By the end of 2023's second quarter, 33 hedge funds out of the 910 that were surveyed by Insider Monkey had invested in Travel + Leisure Co. (NYSE:TNL)8. Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP)Number of Billionaire Investors: 9 Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 33 Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP) enables travelers to plan and execute their itineraries. Like other travel companies, its shares are also down by 14% year to date, and the second quarter didn't help either since core revenue struggled.After sifting through 910 hedge funds for their Q2 2023 shareholdings, Insider Monkey discovered that 33 had held a stake in the company. Tripadvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ:TRIP)'s biggest hedge fund shareholder is Paul Reeder and Edward Shapiro's PAR Capital Management due to its $89 million investment.7. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NCLH)Number of Billionaire Investors: 7 Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 35The first cruise company stock on our list, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NCLH), is up by 37% year to date but down by a whopping 70% over the past five years. The stock tanked in January 2020 and as is evident, it still hasn't recovered.As of June 2023, 35 out of the 910 hedge funds profiled by Insider Monkey were Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:NCLH) investors. John W. Rogers' Ariel Investments is the firm's biggest stakeholder, through a stake worth $144 million.6. Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE:CCL)Number of Billionaire Investors: 7 Number of Hedge Fund Investors: 40 Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE:CCL) is one of the biggest cruise companies in the world with close to a hundred ships in its fleet. Its stock has done rather well this year, as the shares have gained 91% year to date. However, insiders have sold more than $1 million of shares over the past year or so, in a worrying development.Insider Monkey dug through 910 hedge funds for their second quarter of 2023 shareholdings and discovered that 40 had bought Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE:CCL)'s shares. Out of these, the largest shareholder is Josh Overdeck and David Siegel's Two Sigma Advisors since it owns $192 million of shares.Expedia Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:EXPE), Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE:CCL), Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB), and Booking Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:BKNG) are some top travel stocks billionaires are buying. Click to continue reading and see 5 Travel Stocks Billionaires Are Loading Up On. Suggested articles:12 Cheap Travel Stocks to Buy Now10 Biotech Stocks with Biggest Upside20 Most Dangerous Countries for LGBTQ+ American TravelersDisclosure: None. 10 Travel Stocks Billionaires Are Loading Up On in 2023 in 2023 is originally published on Insider Monkey.

Insider Monkey

10 Travel Stocks Billionaires Are Loading Up On

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/10-travel-stocks-billionaires-loading-192322831.html

47853206-9231-3f0d-b16e-d3ceee39b709

ABT

AbbottNORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / September 7, 2023 / As a global company with a broad range of businesses, operations in over 160 countries and 115,000 people around the world, diversity is inherent to our business and organization.The Billion Dollar Roundtable (BDR) is an organization dedicated to inspiring America's leading companies to expand and grow their work with diverse businesses across the country. They set a high bar - to join the BDR, companies need to spend $1 billion or more with diverse suppliers, every year. It's an important benchmark for demonstrating the positive impact that businesses can have in improving lives and advancing opportunity in diverse communities.At the annual BDR Summit recently held in Chicago, Abbott was proud to be inducted into the exclusive group of Billion Dollar Roundtable members. We've made significant progress in expanding our work with diverse suppliers in recent years. We currently work with more than 1,300 diverse suppliers, including certified minority-, women-, disabled-, LGBTQ-, and veteran-owned businesses, spending $1.7 billion in 2022, an increase of 63% from the prior year.Supplier diversity is an integral part of our broader work to build a resilient and sustainable supply chain, and our commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. A wider pool of potential suppliers helps strengthen supply chain resilience and ensure business continuity, and also promotes competition in the supply chain, which can enhance products and services and decrease costs.This work is having a significant economic impact as well. A recent analysis showed that our supplier diversity efforts have supported over 7,500 jobs and generated over $4.5 billion in economic impact in the communities where we operate across the U.S.Delivering Even Greater Impact in the Years AheadOur inclusion in the Billion Dollar Roundtable is an important milestone. But we know it's not just about purchasing more products and services from diverse companies.Story continuesDiverse owners of small companies face real barriers in growing their businesses. Half of diverse businesses can't get a loan. And in healthcare, strict regulations and systemic budget challenges make it hard to compete with bigger, more established rivals.That's why we're working with others to help address these gaps. One example: the Abbott-LISC Initiative to Support Diverse Businesses in Health is investing more than $37 million to provide diverse small businesses with the resources and support they need to compete, grow and create jobs in the healthcare industry. For more on these efforts, please see our story on the LISC collaboration.View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Abbott on 3blmedia.com.Contact Info:Spokesperson: AbbottWebsite: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/abbottEmail: [email protected]: AbbottView source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/781824/abbott-joins-billion-dollar-roundtable

ACCESSWIRE

Abbott Joins Billion Dollar Roundtable

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/abbott-joins-billion-dollar-roundtable-171500002.html

754f6928-2fc4-3f6b-97f2-3f1575a5fb8f

ABT

If you add both of these types of stocks to your portfolio, you're likely to benefit over the long haul. Three great examples are healthcare companies Abbott Laboratories (NYSE: ABT) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and beverage powerhouse Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO).Continue reading

Motley Fool

3 No-Brainer Dividend Stocks to Buy No Matter What the Market Is Doing

https://finance.yahoo.com/m/d83c8714-05c3-3728-975e-adfb51d73637/3-no-brainer-dividend-stocks.html

d83c8714-05c3-3728-975e-adfb51d73637

AC

Associated Capital Group, Inc.GREENWICH, Conn., Aug. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Associated Capital Group, Inc. (NYSE: AC) has set October 15, 2023 as the record date for its 2023 Shareholder Designated Charitable Contribution (“SDCC”). AC previously announced the approval of a $0.20 per share SDCC for all registered Class A and Class B shareholders. To be eligible, shareholders will have until October 15, 2023 to register shares directly with Computershare, AC’s transfer agent. Shareholders can then designate a 501(c)(3) charitable organization to receive the $0.20 per share SDCC.Based on the 21.7 million shares currently outstanding, AC’s total contribution will be approximately $4.3 million. In late October, AC will provide forms to registered holders to designate recognized 501(c)(3) charitable organizations. There will also be an option to designate charitable organizations through our website www.associated-capital-group.com/donate. A list of eligible charities is available at Guidestar.org (https://www.guidestar.org/search).Since its inception as a public company, through the SDCC, the shareholders of AC have donated approximately $38 million to over 190 different charities that address a broad range of local, national, and international concerns.About Associated Capital Group, Inc.Associated Capital, based in Greenwich, Connecticut, is a diversified global financial services company that provides alternative investment management through Gabelli & Company Investment Advisers, Inc. (“GCIA”). We have also earmarked proprietary capital for our direct investment business that invests in new and existing businesses. The direct investment business is developing along several core pillars, including Gabelli Private Equity Partners, LLC (“GPEP”) which was formed in August 2017 with $150 million of authorized capital as a “fund-less” sponsor. We also created Gabelli Principal Strategies Group, LLC (“GPS”) in December 2015 to pursue strategic operating initiatives.Story continuesSPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATIONOur disclosure and analysis in this press release contain “forward-looking statements”. Forward-looking statements convey our current expectations or forecasts of future events. You can identify these statements because they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. They use words such as “anticipate,” “estimate,” “expect,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” and other words and terms of similar meaning. They also appear in any discussion of future operating or financial performance. In particular, these include statements relating to future actions, future performance of our products, expenses, the outcome of any legal proceedings, and financial results. Although we believe that we are basing our expectations and beliefs on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of what we currently know about our business and operations, the economy and other conditions, there can be no assurance that our actual results will not differ materially from what we expect or believe. Therefore, you should proceed with caution in relying on any of these forward-looking statements. They are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees or assurances of future performance.Contact:Ian J. McAdamsInterim Co-Chief Financial Officer (914) 921-5078 [email protected]

GlobeNewswire

Associated Capital Group Sets Record Date for 2023 Shareholder Designated Charitable Contribution

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/associated-capital-group-sets-record-201500844.html

4b1e486b-05dd-34f0-b568-297369f745ba

AC

MONTREAL, Aug. 31, 2023 /CNW/ - Air Canada today released the 2022 edition of Citizens of the World, detailing the airline's approach, commitments and progress respecting its environmental, social and governance activities and performance throughout 2022. The report also outlines Air Canada's ambitions for the future.Air Canada Highlights ESG Accomplishments with 2022 Citizens of the World Corporate Sustainability Report (CNW Group/Air Canada)"Last year was a pivotal one for our business. We celebrated our 85th anniversary and recovered from the pandemic's effects on our industry, all while advancing our ESG priorities. As Canada's flag carrier, we connect Canada to the world, and we are acutely aware of the responsibility we have toward the communities we fly to and our planet. We have developed corporate priorities to improve our operations while caring for our customers, our employees and our communities, as well as preserving the planet we help people explore," said Michael Rousseau, President and Chief Executive Officer at Air Canada."We believe in the importance of taking care of one another. We lift each other up by creating a safe, healthy and inclusive environment, where our colleagues can grow and thrive, and our customers always feel welcome. Our next chapters may be challenging, but we are as determined as ever to deliver the care and class that Air Canada is known for, in a sustainable way."Citizens of the World, Air Canada's 2022 Corporate Sustainability Report, is available at aircanada.com/citizensoftheworld. It describes how the airline integrates environmental, social and governance factors into its daily operations through three sustainability pillars: Business, People and Planet. To ensure transparency, integrity and accountability, an independent third party was retained for a limited assurance engagement on select performance indicators.Highlights of this year's report include:Agreement to purchase 30 ES-30 electric-hybrid regional aircraft under development by Heart Aerospace and to invest US$5 million (approximately C$7 million) in the company.Introduction of CHOOOSE, a global climate technology company, as our new carbon offset program provider, with the option for customers to purchase verified carbon offsets now seamlessly integrated into the airline's Canadian and U.S. booking websites.Investment of $6.75 million into Canada-based climate solutions company Carbon Engineering (CE), supporting the advancement of CE's direct air capture (DAC) technology that pulls carbon dioxide directly out of the air at large, industrial scale.Recruitment of eight corporate accounts (corporate and cargo) to the Leave Less Travel Program, designed for corporate customers and offering effective options to offset or reduce GHG emissions that are related to business travel and to reduce our carbon footprint.First report aligned to the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), published in 2022.Air Canada was named one of the World's Best Employers and one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers by Forbes for 2022.Several Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) were formalized, providing representation and a conduit for employee feedback for various identity groups, and corporate ambassadors were introduced.285 charities supported by the Air Canada Foundation in 2022 with over $1.6 million disbursed to 41 organizations that are focused on the health and well-being of children.Additional 250 community organizations were supported in 2022, as well as over 300 events, initiatives or memberships across Canada and internationally.More than 550 Air Canada employees participated in volunteer activities through the Air Canada Foundation.Story continuesAbout Air Canada Air Canada is Canada's largest airline, the country's flag carrier and a founding member of Star Alliance, the world's most comprehensive air transportation network. Air Canada provides scheduled service directly to more than 180 airports in Canada, the United States and Internationally on six continents. It holds a Four-Star ranking from Skytrax. Air Canada's Aeroplan program is Canada's premier travel loyalty program, where members can earn or redeem points on the world's largest airline partner network of 45 airlines, plus through an extensive range of merchandise, hotel and car rental rewards. Its freight division, Air Canada Cargo, provides air freight lift and connectivity to hundreds of destinations across six continents using Air Canada's passenger and freighter aircraft.  Air Canada aims to achieve an ambitious net zero emissions goal from all global operations by 2050. Air Canada shares are publicly traded on the TSX in Canada and the OCTQX in the U.S.Internet: aircanada.com/mediaRead Our Annual Report HereSign up for Air Canada news: aircanada.comMedia Resources: PhotosVideosB-RollArticlesSOURCE Air CanadaCisionView original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/August2023/31/c8360.html

CNW Group

Air Canada Highlights ESG Accomplishments with 2022 Citizens of the World Corporate Sustainability Report

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/air-canada-highlights-esg-accomplishments-120000576.html

6eb59f59-50b1-32cd-a0bb-301225d6a6ca

ACCD

Accolade, Inc.SEATTLE, Sept. 05, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Accolade, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACCD), a healthcare provider that serves millions of members, today announced that it will be presenting at the following upcoming investor conferences:2023 Wells Fargo Healthcare Conference in Boston on Friday, September 8, 2023 at 8:00 am ET.Morgan Stanley 21st Annual Global Healthcare Conference in New York on Tuesday, September 12, 2023 at 8:10 am ETA webcast of these events will be available at ir.accolade.com and a replay will be available for 90 days.About Accolade, Inc.Accolade (Nasdaq: ACCD) is a Personalized Healthcare company that provides millions of people and their families with exceptional healthcare experiences so they can live their healthiest lives. Accolade’s employer, health plan, and consumer solutions combine virtual primary care and mental health, expert medical opinion, and best-in-class care navigation. These offerings are built on a platform that is engineered to care through predictive engagement of population health needs, proactive care that improves outcomes and cost savings, and by addressing barriers to access and continuity of care. Accolade consistently receives consumer satisfaction ratings of over 90%. For more information, visit accolade.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.Investor Contact:Todd Friedman, Investor Relations, [email protected]: Accolade

GlobeNewswire

Accolade To Present at Upcoming Investor Conferences

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/accolade-present-upcoming-investor-conferences-120000515.html

578d778e-ee4c-3b80-931a-67792282d7fe

ACCD

Accolade, Inc.SEATTLE, Sept. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a release issued under the same headline on Sept. 5, 2023 by Accolade, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACCD), please note that in the second bullet, the time of the Morgan Stanley presentation should be 1:35 pm ET, not 8:10 am ET as previously stated. The corrected release follows:Accolade, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACCD), a healthcare provider that serves millions of members, today announced that it will be presenting at the following upcoming investor conferences:2023 Wells Fargo Healthcare Conference in Boston on Friday, September 8, 2023 at 8:00 am ET.Morgan Stanley 21st Annual Global Healthcare Conference in New York on Tuesday, September 12, 2023 at 1:35 pm ETA webcast of these events will be available at ir.accolade.com and a replay will be available for 90 days.About Accolade, Inc.Accolade (Nasdaq: ACCD) is a Personalized Healthcare company that provides millions of people and their families with exceptional healthcare experiences so they can live their healthiest lives. Accolade’s employer, health plan, and consumer solutions combine virtual primary care and mental health, expert medical opinion, and best-in-class care navigation. These offerings are built on a platform that is engineered to care through predictive engagement of population health needs, proactive care that improves outcomes and cost savings, and by addressing barriers to access and continuity of care. Accolade consistently receives consumer satisfaction ratings of over 90%. For more information, visit accolade.com. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.Investor Contact:Todd Friedman, Investor Relations, [email protected]: Accolade

GlobeNewswire

CORRECTING and REPLACING -- Accolade To Present at Upcoming Investor Conferences

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/correcting-replacing-accolade-present-upcoming-180800112.html

67c955fc-b543-365b-a27b-c8e367e41bcf

ACGL

Building a successful investment portfolio takes skill and hard work, no matter if you're a growth, value, income, or momentum-focused investor.Should You Buy #1 (Strong Buy)-Ranked Arch Capital Group (ACGL) for Your Portfolio?Arch Capital Group was upgraded to the Zacks Rank #1 list on August 3, 2023. The Zacks Rank is a unique stock-rating model that helps you take advantage of earnings estimate revision trends and provides a way to get into stocks highly sought after by institutional investors.Established in 1995 and headquartered in Pembroke, Bermuda, Arch Capital Group Ltd. offers insurance, reinsurance and mortgage insurance across the world. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, the property and casualty (P&C) insurer provides a wide range of products and services, which include primary and excess casualty coverages, professional indemnity,  workers compensation and umbrella liability and employers  liability insurance coverages to name a few. The company offers a full range of property, casualty and mortgage insurance and reinsurance lines, while maintaining focus on writing specialty lines of insurance and reinsurance.For fiscal 2023, six analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.48 to $6.73 per share. ACGL boasts an average earnings surprise of 26.8%.Earnings are forecasted to see growth of 38.2% for the current fiscal year, and sales are expected to increase 30.6%.ACGL has been moving higher over the past four weeks as well, up 1.7% compared to the S&P 500's loss of 1.3%.Bottom LineWith a #1 (Strong Buy) ranking, positive trend in earnings estimate revisions, and strong market momentum, Arch Capital Group could be just the stock to help your portfolio generate returns that could fund your retirement, your kids' college tuition, or your short- and long-term savings goals.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportArch Capital Group Ltd. (ACGL) : Free Stock Analysis ReportZacks Investment Research

Zacks

The Zacks Rank Explained: How to Find Strong Buy Finance Stocks

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/zacks-rank-explained-strong-buy-134002426.html

882372e5-057d-3e3d-aab6-d14ab98e1a3e

ACGL

Low-beta stocks can provide several beneficial advantages for portfolios, including stability, defensive qualities, and stabilization when combined with high-beta stocks, helping to provide a more balanced risk profile.And for those seeking a less volatile approach, three low-beta stocks – Arch Capital Group ACGL, Allison Transmission Holdings ALSN, and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories RDY – could be considered. All three sport a favorable Zacks Rank, carry solid growth, and sport sound valuations.Let’s take a closer look at each.Arch Capital GroupArch Capital Group, a current Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), writes insurance, reinsurance, and mortgage insurance worldwide. Earnings expectations have jumped higher across the board, reflecting optimism among analysts.Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchShares aren’t expensive given the company’s forecasted growth, with earnings forecasted to climb nearly 40% in its current year on 30% higher revenues. Shares currently trade at an 11.6X forward earnings multiple (F1), beneath the 12.6X five-year median and the respective Zacks – Insurance industry average.Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchIt’s worth noting that the company has been a consistent earnings performer, exceeding Zacks Consensus Estimates in five consecutive quarters. In its latest release in late July, ACGL penciled in a 16% EPS beat and posted a positive 2.3% revenue surprise.Allison Transmission HoldingsAllison Transmission is the largest producer of fully automatic transmissions for medium, heavy-duty commercial, and heavy-tactical U.S. defense vehicles. The company has seen positive earnings estimate revisions among all timeframes, landing it into a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchALSN shares could also attract those who prefer income, currently yielding 1.6% annually. And the company has been committed to increasingly rewarding shareholders, sporting a 10% five-year annualized dividend growth rate.Story continuesZacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchThe company’s current 8.4X forward earnings multiple certainly isn’t expensive, beneath the 9.5X five-year median and the 20.8X average of the Zacks – Autos/Tires/Trucks industry average. Allison Transmission is forecasted to see 25% EPS growth on 10% higher revenues in its current year.Dr. Reddy’s LaboratoriesDr. Reddy's Laboratories, a current Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), is an integrated global pharmaceutical company engaged in providing affordable and innovative medicines. No different than those above, the company has enjoyed favorable earnings estimate revisions.Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchRDY shares presently trade at a 17.9X forward earnings multiple, reflecting a 41% discount relative to the Zacks – Drugs industry average and well below 2022 highs of 28.6X. The company is forecasted to see 15% EPS Growth paired with a 10% revenue bump in its current year (FY24).Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchLike ALSN, income-focused investors could find RDY shares attractive, with shares currently yielding a respectable 0.6% annually paired with a sustainable payout ratio sitting at 9% of the company’s earnings. The payout has grown by 3.6% annually over the last five years.Bottom LineLow-beta stocks can provide many beneficial advantages for investors, including a more defensive nature and overall portfolio balance.And for those seeking this approach, all three low-beta stocks above – Arch Capital Group ACGL, Allison Transmission Holdings ALSN, and Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories RDY – could be great considerations.All three sport a favorable Zacks Rank, carry sound valuation pictures, and sport solid growth profiles for their current and subsequent fiscal years.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportDr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd (RDY) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAllison Transmission Holdings, Inc. (ALSN) : Free Stock Analysis ReportArch Capital Group Ltd. (ACGL) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

These 3 Low-Beta Stocks Sport High Growth

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/3-low-beta-stocks-sport-185100956.html

f2d7680f-c4a3-3bee-a5ab-59e85bc16785

ACHC

Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors alike.Achieving those goals is made easier with the Zacks Style Scores, a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on popular investing methodologies, namely value, growth, and momentum. The Style Scores can help you narrow down which stocks are better for your portfolio and which ones can beat the market over the long-term.Why Investors Should Pay Attention to This Value StockValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, and Price/Cash Flow, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.Acadia Healthcare (ACHC)Headquartered in Franklin, TN, Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC) provides behavioral health care services in the United States and the United Kingdom.ACHC sits at a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), holds a Value Style Score of B, and has a VGM Score of B. Compared to the Medical - Hospital industry's P/E of 14.4X, shares of Acadia Healthcare are trading at a forward P/E of 23.1X. ACHC also has a PEG Ratio of 2, a Price/Cash Flow ratio of 17.8X, and a Price/Sales ratio of 2.6X.A company's earnings performance is important for value investors as well. For fiscal 2023, five analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for ACHC, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.12 to $3.35 per share. ACHC also holds an average earnings surprise of 2.8%.ACHC should be on investors' short lists because of its impressive earnings and valuation fundamentals, a good Zacks Rank, and strong Value and VGM Style Scores.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportAcadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

Here's Why Acadia Healthcare (ACHC) is a Strong Value Stock

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/heres-why-acadia-healthcare-achc-134004616.html

264bebb0-fe39-3409-a811-cfbe134dfdc5

ACHC

FRANKLIN, Tenn., September 01, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACHC) today announced that the Company will participate in the 2023 Wells Fargo Healthcare Conference, September 6 - 8, 2023, in Boston.In connection with the conference, there will be an online webcast of the Company’s presentation available on the Company’s website starting at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time / 8:30 a.m. Central Time on Wednesday, September 6, 2023.The live webcast of the presentation will be available on the Company’s website, www.acadiahealthcare.com, by clicking on the "Investors" link. A replay of the presentation will also be available on the Company’s website for 30 days.About AcadiaAcadia is a leading provider of behavioral healthcare services across the United States. As of June 30, 2023, Acadia operated a network of 250 behavioral healthcare facilities with approximately 11,000 beds in 39 states and Puerto Rico. With approximately 23,000 employees serving more than 75,000 patients daily, Acadia is the largest stand-alone behavioral healthcare company in the U.S. Acadia provides behavioral healthcare services to its patients in a variety of settings, including inpatient psychiatric hospitals, specialty treatment facilities, residential treatment centers and outpatient clinics.View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230901229741/en/ContactsGretchen HommrichVice President, Investor Relations(615) 861-6000

Business Wire

Acadia Healthcare to Participate in 2023 Wells Fargo Healthcare Conference

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/acadia-healthcare-participate-2023-wells-130000265.html

b6db3ca2-1a18-3ddf-a26a-df0a9d00bcf0

ACLS

Strong support for Axcelis appears at $160, but if it fails, $120 is easily the next step down for ACLS stock.Continue reading

Investor's Business Daily

ACLS Stock Today: Why A Bullish Combination Spread Trade In Axcelis Could Work Amid Current Stock Market Volatility

https://finance.yahoo.com/m/f3646625-672e-3529-8e97-220dcd100af3/acls-stock-today-why-a.html

f3646625-672e-3529-8e97-220dcd100af3

ACLS

If we want to find a stock that could multiply over the long term, what are the underlying trends we should look for? In a perfect world, we'd like to see a company investing more capital into its business and ideally the returns earned from that capital are also increasing. This shows us that it's a compounding machine, able to continually reinvest its earnings back into the business and generate higher returns. So when we looked at the ROCE trend of Axcelis Technologies (NASDAQ:ACLS) we really liked what we saw.What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Axcelis Technologies, this is the formula:Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)0.26 = US$224m ÷ (US$1.1b - US$248m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2023).So, Axcelis Technologies has an ROCE of 26%. That's a fantastic return and not only that, it outpaces the average of 12% earned by companies in a similar industry. View our latest analysis for Axcelis Technologies roceAbove you can see how the current ROCE for Axcelis Technologies compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Axcelis Technologies.What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell UsWe like the trends that we're seeing from Axcelis Technologies. The data shows that returns on capital have increased substantially over the last five years to 26%. The amount of capital employed has increased too, by 98%. So we're very much inspired by what we're seeing at Axcelis Technologies thanks to its ability to profitably reinvest capital.The Bottom LineA company that is growing its returns on capital and can consistently reinvest in itself is a highly sought after trait, and that's what Axcelis Technologies has. And with the stock having performed exceptionally well over the last five years, these patterns are being accounted for by investors. In light of that, we think it's worth looking further into this stock because if Axcelis Technologies can keep these trends up, it could have a bright future ahead.Story continuesOn a final note, we've found 1 warning sign for Axcelis Technologies that we think you should be aware of.Axcelis Technologies is not the only stock earning high returns. If you'd like to see more, check out our free list of companies earning high returns on equity with solid fundamentals.Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Simply Wall St.

Returns On Capital Are A Standout For Axcelis Technologies (NASDAQ:ACLS)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/returns-capital-standout-axcelis-technologies-142701995.html

5022823f-5fad-3d41-a82d-7b9d48dfa178

ACN

Workday, Inc. WDAY recently announced that it has extended its collaboration with Accenture to expedite the development of financial management solutions. The collaboration integrates Workday’s technology platform, foundational data model and advanced analytics with Accenture's industry expertise.The objective is to create a data-driven, client-oriented solution for financial planning and analysis to cater to the varied requirements of different industries. This partnership is aligned with Workday's Industry Accelerator initiative, which aims to meet the growing demand for digital transformation across various sectors.CFOs frequently face a multitude of challenges in the evolving business landscape. They need to maintain a delicate equilibrium between profitability and long-term sustainability and expansion. Effective financial management entails strategic planning, risk mitigation, cost optimization and the ability to adapt swiftly to dynamic market conditions.Workday’s financial management technology addresses these issues. It leverages a cloud-native platform powered by advanced AI and ML technology, in conjunction with industry-leading expertise in innovation, to craft highly configurable industry-specific solutions. This allows businesses to streamline their core financial operations while bolstering their resilience to the evolving business environment.Workday’s retail industry solutions encompass in-depth analytics and dashboards, providing detailed insights for retailers to assess store performance. This also features a workforce management solution, which facilitates efficient utilization of the workforce and improves store operations. In the media sector, Workday's offerings cover the monetization of media assets, training of media production and title amortization. In the software and technology domain, Workday’s solution will support enterprises with the customer billing process, revenue planning, spending and cash flow optimization.Salesforce, a leading provider of customer relationship management software, recently utilized Accenture design and execution support with Workday’s financial management tools. This will drive efficiency in Salesforce’s financial processes and offer business insights to streamline its global operations.Workday’s diversified product portfolio continues to yield a steady flow of customers. Its revenue growth continues to be driven by high demand for its HCM (Human Capital Management) and financial management solutions. The company’s cloud-based business model and expanding product portfolio have been the primary growth drivers. Moreover, the growing clout of Workday Prism Analytics and Adaptive Insights business planning cloud offerings holds promise.Workday is expanding its portfolio beyond core HCM solutions into the financial domain and is customizing them for diverse industries and verticals, such as education, the public and financial services, among others. This has helped the company witness strong renewals and expand its customer base as business enterprises aim to consolidate spending and improve efficiency levels.Story continuesManagement is putting a strong focus on integrating advanced AI and ML capabilities. The ongoing AI-powered product development emphasizes natural language generation, content search, summarization, content augmentation and document understanding. This augurs well for the long-term growth of the company.The stock has gained 47.4% in the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 12.9%.Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchWorkday currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).Stocks to ConsiderMotorola Solutions, Inc. MSI, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present, delivered an earnings surprise of 5.62%, on average, in the trailing four quarters. In the last reported quarter, it pulled off an earnings surprise of 5.58%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.It provides services and solutions to government segments and public safety programs, along with large enterprises and wireless infrastructure service providers. It develops and services both analog and digital two-way radio, voice and data communications products and systems for private networks, wireless broadband systems and end-to-end enterprise mobility solutions to a wide range of enterprise markets.Splunk Inc. SPLK, sporting a Zacks Rank #1, delivered an earnings surprise of 154.90%, on average, in the trailing four quarters. In the last reported quarter, it delivered an earnings surprise of 69.05%.Splunk provides software solutions that enable enterprises to gain real-time operational intelligence by harnessing the value of their data. The company's offerings enable users to investigate, monitor, analyze and act on machine data and big data, irrespective of format or source, and help in operational decision-making.NVIDIA Corporation NVDA, currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1, delivered an earnings surprise of 9.79%, on average, in the trailing four quarters. In the last reported quarter, it pulled off an earnings surprise of 29.19%.NVIDIA is the worldwide leader in visual computing technologies and the inventor of the graphic processing unit or GPU. Over the years, the company’s focus has evolved from PC graphics to artificial intelligence-based solutions that now support high-performance computing, gaming and virtual reality platforms.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportNVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) : Free Stock Analysis ReportMotorola Solutions, Inc. (MSI) : Free Stock Analysis ReportSplunk Inc. (SPLK) : Free Stock Analysis ReportWorkday, Inc. (WDAY) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

Workday (WDAY), Accenture Team Up to Optimize Finance Management

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/workday-wday-accenture-team-optimize-162200857.html

efbf8d5d-55cc-3d0c-afdb-7732bbaba3d5

ACN

Eli Lilly and Accenture are at new highs after earnings. Both stocks are supported by strong technical ratings and are in buy zones.Continue reading

Investor's Business Daily

Drug And Tech Services Stocks Surge To New Highs, Buy Zones With Strong Technical Ratings

https://finance.yahoo.com/m/0eae7d2c-d846-3510-bab9-8a9437545c6e/drug-and-tech-services-stocks.html

0eae7d2c-d846-3510-bab9-8a9437545c6e

ACNT

OAK BROOK, Ill., July 25, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ascent Industries Co. (Nasdaq: ACNT) ("Ascent" or the "Company"), an industrials company focused on the production and distribution of industrial tubular products and specialty chemicals, will hold a conference call on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time to discuss its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023. The results will be reported in a press release prior to the conference call.Ascent management will host the conference call, followed by a question and answer period.Date: Tuesday, August 8, 2023Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern timeLive Call Registration Link: Here Webcast Registration Link: HereTo access the call by phone, please register via the live call registration link above or here and you will be provided with dial-in instructions and details. If you have any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact Gateway Group at 1-949-574-3860.The conference call will also be broadcast live and available for replay via the webcast registration link above or here. The webcast will be archived for one year in the investor relations section of the Company’s website at www.ascentco.com.About Ascent Industries Co.Ascent Industries Co. (Nasdaq: ACNT) is a company that engages in a number of diverse business activities including the production of stainless steel and galvanized pipe and tube, the master distribution of seamless carbon pipe and tube, and the production of specialty chemicals. For more information about Ascent, please visit its web site at www.ascentco.com.View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230725207897/en/ContactsCompany Contact Bill SteckelChief Financial Officer1-630-884-9181Investor Relations Cody Slach and Cody CreeGateway Group, [email protected]

Business Wire

Ascent Industries Sets Second Quarter 2023 Earnings Conference Call for August 8, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. ET

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ascent-industries-sets-second-quarter-120000520.html

346ec028-0dfd-3fbb-a2ad-68466706e800

ACNT

OAK BROOK, Ill., August 08, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ascent Industries Co. (Nasdaq: ACNT) ("Ascent" or the "Company"), an industrials company focused on the production and distribution of industrial tubular products and specialty chemicals, is reporting its results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023.Second Quarter 2023 Summary – Continuing Operations1(in millions, expect per share and margin)Q2 2023Q2 2022ChangeNet Sales$60.7$84.6-28.3%Gross Profit$3.2$20.2-84.0%Gross Profit Margin5.3%23.9%-1860bpsNet Income (Loss)$(3.7)$10.8-134.8%Diluted Earnings (Loss) per Share$(0.37)$1.04-135.6%Adjusted EBITDA$(1.5)$14.8-110.0%Adjusted EBITDA Margin(2.4)%17.4%-1980bps1On June 2, 2023, the Board of Directors of Ascent made the decision to permanently cease operations at the Company’s welded pipe and tube facility located in Munhall, PA ("Munhall") effective on or around August 31, 2023. As a result, financial results from Munhall have been categorized into discontinued operations.Management Commentary"Challenges related to the strategic changes we’ve implemented over the last several quarters, along with difficult end market conditions impacting demand, continued to persist in the second quarter," said Chris Hutter, president and CEO of Ascent. "Despite this difficult environment, our organization took action by finalizing the permanent closure of our Munhall operations, as well as managing working capital effectively to generate cash and pay down debt. We believe our tubular products segment is on a path to improve through the remainder of the year, while we continue to work on expanding our sales pipeline within the specialty chemicals segment to drive long-term, profitable growth."We remain highly committed to executing our strategic goals and believe the operational changes we’ve made will significantly benefit the Company’s value proposition over the long-term. Although the work is never done, we have made tangible progress to right-size our operational footprint, create a more efficient organization, and implement a refreshed culture based on accountability and performance-based results. We believe the largest hurdles are now behind us and expect to begin seeing improvements through the remainder of the year."Story continuesSecond Quarter 2023 Financial ResultsNet sales from continuing operations were $60.7 million compared to $84.6 million in the prior year period. The decrease is primarily due to lower overall sales volumes and lower average selling prices within both the tubular products and specialty chemicals segments.Gross profit from continuing operations was $3.2 million, or 5.3% of net sales, compared to $20.2 million, or 23.9% of net sales, in the second quarter of 2022. The decrease is primarily attributable to the decline in net sales in addition to increased raw material and labor costs.Net loss from continuing operations was $3.7 million, or $(0.37) diluted loss per share, compared to net income from continuing operations of $10.8 million, or $1.04 diluted earnings per share, in the second quarter of 2022. The decrease is primarily attributable to the aforementioned decline in gross profit and higher interest expense.Adjusted EBITDA was $(1.5) million compared to $14.8 million in the second quarter of 2022. Adjusted EBITDA margin was (2.4)% compared to 17.4% in the prior year period. The decrease is primarily attributable to the Company’s aforementioned decline in net sales.Segment ResultsAscent Tubular – net sales from continuing operations in the second quarter of 2023 were $39.3 million compared to $55.6 million in the second quarter of 2022. Operating loss from continuing operations in the second quarter was $0.1 million compared to operating income from continuing operations of $13.0 million in the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations in the second quarter was $0.8 million compared to $14.2 million in the prior year period. As a percentage of segment net sales, adjusted EBITDA was 2.1% compared to 25.6% in the second quarter of 2022.Ascent Chemicals – net sales in the second quarter of 2023 were $21.4 million compared to $29.0 million in the second quarter of 2022. Operating loss in the second quarter was $0.8 million compared to operating income of $2.6 million in the prior year period. Adjusted EBITDA in the second quarter was $0.3 million compared to $3.6 million in the prior year period. As a percentage of segment net sales, adjusted EBITDA was 1.5% compared to 12.6% in the second quarter of 2022.LiquidityAs of June 30, 2023, total debt was $54.5 million under the Company’s revolving credit facility, compared to $71.5 million in debt at December 31, 2022. As of June 30, 2023, the Company had $45.4 million of remaining available borrowing capacity under its revolving credit facility, compared to $37.6 million at December 31, 2022.During the second quarter of 2023, the Company repurchased 18,843 shares at an average cost of $9.34 per share for approximately $0.2 million, bringing total year-to-date repurchases for 2023 to 51,156 shares. The Company currently has 628,823 shares remaining under its share repurchase authorization.Conference CallAscent will conduct a conference call today at 5:00 p.m. Eastern time to discuss its results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023.Ascent management will host the conference call, followed by a question and answer period.Date: Tuesday, August 8, 2023Time: 5:00 p.m. Eastern timeLive Call Registration Link: Here Webcast Registration Link: HerePlease call the conference telephone number five minutes prior to the start time. An operator will register your name and organization. If you have any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact Gateway Group at 1-949-574-3860.The conference call will also be broadcast live and available for replay here. The webcast will be archived for one year in the investor relations section of the Company’s website at www.ascentco.com.About Ascent Industries Co.Ascent Industries Co. (Nasdaq: ACNT) is a company that engages in a number of diverse business activities including the production of stainless steel, the master distribution of seamless carbon pipe and tube, and the production of specialty chemicals. For more information about Ascent, please visit its web site at www.ascentco.com.Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release may include "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other applicable federal securities laws. All statements that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements. Forward looking statements can be identified through the use of words such as "estimate," "project," "intend," "expect," "believe," "should," "anticipate," "hope," "optimistic," "plan," "outlook," "should," "could," "may" and similar expressions. The forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from historical results or those anticipated. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements and to review the risks as set forth in more detail in Ascent Industries Co.’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K, which filings are available from the SEC or on our website. Ascent Industries Co. assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information included in this release.Non-GAAP Financial InformationFinancial statement information included in this earnings release includes non-GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) measures and should be read along with the accompanying tables which provide a reconciliation of non-GAAP measures to GAAP measures.Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure that the Company believes is useful to investors in evaluating its results to determine the value of a company. An item is excluded in the measure if its periodic value is inconsistent and sufficiently material that not identifying the item would render period comparability less meaningful to the reader or if including the item provides a clearer representation of normalized periodic earnings. The Company excludes in Adjusted EBITDA two categories of items: 1) Base EBITDA components, including: interest expense (including change in fair value of interest rate swap), income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and 2) Material transaction costs including: goodwill impairment, asset impairment, gain on lease modification, stock-based compensation, non-cash lease cost, acquisition costs and other fees, proxy contest costs and recoveries, shelf registration costs, loss on extinguishment of debt, earn-out adjustments, realized and unrealized (gains) and losses on investments in equity securities and other investments, retention costs and restructuring & severance costs from net income.Management believes that these non-GAAP measures are useful because they are key measures used by our management team to evaluate our operating performance, generate future operating plans and make strategic decisions as well as allow readers to compare the financial results between periods. Non-GAAP measures should not be considered as an alternative to any measure of performance or financial condition as promulgated under GAAP, and investors should consider the Company's performance and financial condition as reported under GAAP and all other relevant information when assessing the performance or financial condition of the Company. Non-GAAP measures have limitations as analytical tools, and investors should not consider them in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of the Company's results or financial condition as reported under GAAP.Ascent Industries Co.Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets(in thousands, except par value and share data)(Unaudited)June 30, 2023December 31, 2022AssetsCurrent assets:Cash and cash equivalents$717$1,440Accounts receivable, net of allowance for credit losses of $734 and $762, respectively35,05337,062Inventories74,30085,572Prepaid expenses and other current assets9,1867,802Assets held for sale17,398380Current assets of discontinued operations3,44138,120Total current assets140,095170,376Property, plant and equipment, net34,36437,045Right-of-use assets, operating leases, net28,50929,198Goodwill11,38911,389Intangible assets, net9,24810,001Deferred income taxes6,8691,353Deferred charges, net153203Other non-current assets, net1,7821,861Long-term assets of discontinued operations137,617Total assets$232,422$269,043Liabilities and Shareholders' EquityCurrent liabilities:Accounts payable$22,242$19,623Accrued expenses and other current liabilities5,5046,039Current portion of note payable900387Current portion of long-term debt2,4642,464Current portion of operating lease liabilities1,0931,029Current portion of finance lease liabilities283280Current liabilities of discontinued operations1,8393,656Total current liabilities34,32533,478Long-term debt52,05669,085Long-term portion of operating lease liabilities30,33830,911Long-term portion of finance lease liabilities1,3131,242Other long-term liabilities6468Total non-current liabilities83,771101,306Total liabilities$118,096$134,784Commitments and contingenciesShareholders' equity:Common stock, par value $1 per share; 24,000,000 shares authorized; 11,085,103 and 10,158,219 shares issued and outstanding, respectively$11,085$11,085Capital in excess of par value46,95147,021Retained earnings65,31185,146123,347143,252Less: cost of common stock in treasury - 926,884 and 924,504 shares, respectively(9,021)(8,993)Total shareholders' equity114,326134,259Total liabilities and shareholders' equity$232,422$269,043Note: The condensed consolidated balance sheets at December 31, 2022 have been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date.Ascent Industries Co.Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss) - Comparative Analysis (Unaudited)($ in thousands, except per share data)Three Months EndedJune 30,Six Months EndedJune 30,2023202220232022Net salesTubular Products$39,302$55,580$82,922$111,454Specialty Chemicals21,36329,02045,11256,741All Other——5011460,66584,600128,084168,309Operating income (loss) from continuing operationsTubular Products(105)12,9921,56027,120Specialty Chemicals(806)2,6275465,014All Other(74)(235)(552)(317)CorporateUnallocated corporate expenses(2,750)(3,322)(6,455)(6,351)Acquisition costs and other(17)(157)(274)(688)Total Corporate(2,767)(3,479)(6,729)(7,039)Operating income (loss)(3,752)11,905(5,175)24,778Interest expense1,0474072,154810Other, net(154)(23)(247)(58)Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes(4,645)11,521(7,082)24,026Income tax provision (benefit)(897)699(1,385)3,197Income (loss) from continuing operations(3,748)10,822(5,697)20,829Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax(10,888)235(14,138)488Net income (loss)$(14,636)$11,057$(19,835)$21,317Net income (loss) per common share from continuing operationsBasic$(0.37)$1.06$(0.56)$2.04Diluted$(0.37)$1.04$(0.56)$2.01Net income (loss) per common share from discontinued operationsBasic$(1.07)$0.02$(1.39)$0.05Diluted$(1.07)$0.02$(1.39)$0.05Net income (loss) per common shareBasic$(1.44)$1.08$(1.95)$2.08Diluted$(1.44)$1.06$(1.95)$2.05Average shares outstandingBasic10,17010,24410,15910,226Diluted10,17010,43110,15910,377Other data:Adjusted EBITDA1$(1,471)$14,751$(166)$30,6801The term Adjusted EBITDA is a non-GAAP financial measure that the Company believes is useful to investors in evaluating its results to determine the value of a company. An item is excluded in the measure if its periodic value is inconsistent and sufficiently material that not identifying the item would render period comparability less meaningful to the reader or if including the item provides a clearer representation of normalized periodic earnings. The Company excludes in Adjusted EBITDA two categories of items: 1) Base EBITDA components, including: interest expense (including change in fair value of interest rate swap), income taxes, depreciation and amortization, and 2) Material transaction costs including: goodwill impairment, asset impairment, gain on lease modification, stock-based compensation, non-cash lease cost, acquisition costs and other fees, proxy contest costs and recoveries, loss on extinguishment of debt, earn-out adjustments, realized and unrealized (gains) and losses on investments in equity securities and other investments, retention costs and restructuring & severance costs from net income. For a reconciliation of this non-GAAP measure to the most comparable GAAP equivalent, refer to the Reconciliation of Net Income (Loss) to Adjusted EBITDA.Ascent Industries Co.Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited)($ in thousands)Six Months Ended June 30,20232022Operating activitiesNet income (loss)$(19,835)$21,317Net income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax(14,138)488Net income (loss) from continuing operations(5,697)20,829Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:Depreciation expense3,2433,201Amortization expense7531,343Amortization of debt issuance costs5049Deferred income taxes(5,515)(642)Payments of earn-out liabilities in excess of acquisition date fair value—(372)(Reduction of) provision for losses on accounts receivable(28)459Provision for losses on inventories1,190863Loss (gain) on disposal of property, plant and equipment182(5)Non-cash lease expense137214Issuance of treasury stock for director fees—364Stock-based compensation expense414446Changes in operating assets and liabilities:Accounts receivable2,037(10,173)Inventories10,279(27,738)Other assets and liabilities(295)(755)Accounts payable2,09514,476Accrued expenses(587)(1,980)Accrued income taxes(743)110Net cash provided by operating activities - continuing operations7,515689Net cash provided by operating activities - discontinued operations10,5572,200Net cash provided by operating activities18,0722,889Investing activitiesPurchases of property, plant and equipment(1,483)(1,981)Proceeds from disposal of property, plant and equipment—5Net cash used in investing activities - continuing operations(1,483)(1,976)Net cash used in investing activities - discontinued operations(142)(349)Net cash used in investing activities(1,625)(2,325)Financing activitiesBorrowings from long-term debt139,137237,938Proceeds from note payable900967Proceeds from the exercise of stock options—161Payments on long-term debt(156,166)(240,017)Payments on note payable(387)(96)Principal payments on finance lease obligations(151)(126)Payments on earn-out liabilities—(484)Repurchase of common stock(504)—Net cash used in financing activities - continuing operations(17,171)(1,657)Net cash used in financing activities - discontinued operations—(683)Net cash used in financing activities(17,171)(2,340)Decrease in cash and cash equivalents(724)(1,776)Less: Cash and cash equivalents of discontinued operations14Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period1,4402,017Cash and cash equivalents, end of period$717$245Ascent Industries Co.Non-GAAP Financial Measures ReconciliationReconciliation of Net Income to Adjusted EBITDA (Unaudited)($ in thousands)Three Months EndedJune 30,Six Months EndedJune 30,($ in thousands)2023202220232022ConsolidatedNet income (loss) from continuing operations$(3,748)$10,822$(5,697)$20,687Adjustments:Interest expense1,0474072,154810Income taxes(897)699(1,385)3,339Depreciation1,6321,6213,2433,201Amortization3766727531,343EBITDA(1,590)14,221(932)29,380Acquisition costs and other20157280688Gain on lease modification—(2)—(2)Stock-based compensation24258246390Non-cash lease expense68107137214Restructuring and severance costs71010310Adjusted EBITDA$(1,471)$14,751$(166)$30,680% sales(2.4)%17.4%(0.1)%18.2%Tubular ProductsNet income (loss) from continuing operations$(105)$12,993$1,560$27,120Adjustments:Depreciation expense6536881,2901,363Amortization expense2185764361,152EBITDA76614,2573,28629,635Acquisition costs and other4—4—Stock-based compensation10(16)(9)19Non-cash lease expense36(1)72(1)Restructuring and severance costs——97—Tubular Products Adjusted EBITDA$816$14,240$3,450$29,653% segment sales2.1%25.6%4.2%26.6%Specialty ChemicalsNet income (loss)$(818)$2,617$523$4,995Adjustments:Interest expense1893118Depreciation expense9569151,9081,800Amortization expense15896317192EBITDA3143,6372,7797,005Acquisition costs and other——2—Stock-based compensation(23)11(16)18Non-cash lease expense22—46—Specialty Chemicals Adjusted EBITDA$313$3,648$2,811$7,023% segment sales1.5%12.6%6.2%12.4%View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230808299203/en/ContactsCompany Contact Bill SteckelChief Financial Officer1-630-884-9181Investor Relations Cody Slach and Cody CreeGateway Group, [email protected]

Business Wire

Ascent Industries Reports Second Quarter 2023 Results

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ascent-industries-reports-second-quarter-200500535.html

5a610219-8319-3a9c-b3fc-609e50e73351

ACR

UNIONDALE, N.Y., July 19, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ACRES Commercial Realty Corp. (NYSE:ACR) (the "Company") announced today that it will release its results for the second quarter 2023, on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, after the market closes. The Company invites investors and other interested parties to listen to its live conference call via telephone or webcast on Thursday, August 3, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time.(PRNewsfoto/ACRES Commercial Realty Corp.)The conference call can be accessed by dialing 1-877-300-8521 (U.S. domestic) or 1-412-317-6026 (International) or from the investor relations section of the Company's website at www.acresreit.com.For those unable to listen to the live conference call, a replay will be available on the Company's website and telephonically through August 17, 2023 by dialing 1-844-512-2921 (U.S. domestic) or 1-412-317-6671 (International), passcode 10179700.About ACRES Commercial Realty Corp.ACRES Commercial Realty Corp. is a real estate investment trust that is primarily focused on originating, holding and managing commercial real estate ("CRE") mortgage loans and equity investments in commercial real estate property through direct ownership and joint ventures. The Company is externally managed by ACRES Capital, LLC, a subsidiary of ACRES Capital Corp., a private commercial real estate lender exclusively dedicated to nationwide middle market CRE lending with a focus on multifamily, student housing, hospitality, industrial and office property in top U.S. markets. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.acresreit.com or contact investor relations at [email protected] original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/acres-commercial-realty-corp-to-report-results-for-second-quarter-2023-301881230.htmlSOURCE ACRES Commercial Realty Corp.

PR Newswire

ACRES Commercial Realty Corp. to Report Results for Second Quarter 2023

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/acres-commercial-realty-corp-report-201500170.html

dc455ff5-4cb5-39f7-9408-4e821a2d5422

ACR

UNIONDALE, N.Y., Aug. 2, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- ACRES Commercial Realty Corp. (NYSE: ACR) ("ACR" or the "Company"), a real estate investment trust that is primarily focused on originating, holding and managing commercial real estate mortgage loans and equity investments in commercial real estate property through direct ownership and joint ventures, today reported results for the quarter ended June 30, 2023. ACR's GAAP net income allocable to common shares was $817,000 or $0.10 per share-diluted, for the quarter ended June 30, 2023.(PRNewsfoto/ACRES Commercial Realty Corp.)"The ACRES team has done an outstanding job proactively asset managing the investment portfolio to date," said ACRES Commercial Realty Corp. President & CEO Mark Fogel. "Our commitment remains unwavering in seeking avenues for expansion while upholding our steadfast dedication to safeguarding shareholder value."ACR issued a full, detailed presentation of its results for the quarter ended June 30, 2023 that can be viewed at www.acresreit.com.Earnings Call DetailsACR will host a live conference call on August 3, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss its second quarter 2023 operating results. The conference call can be accessed by dialing 1-877-300-8521 (U.S. domestic) or 1-412-317-6026 (International) or from the investor relations section of the Company's website at www.acresreit.com.For those unable to listen to the live conference call, a replay will be available on the Company's website and telephonically through August 17, 2023 by dialing 1-844-512-2921 (U.S. domestic) or 1-412-317-6671 (International), with the passcode 10179700.About ACRES Commercial Realty Corp.ACRES Commercial Realty Corp. is a real estate investment trust that is primarily focused on originating, holding and managing commercial real estate mortgage loans and equity investments in commercial real estate properties through direct ownership and joint ventures. The Company is externally managed by ACRES Capital, LLC, a subsidiary of ACRES Capital Corp., a private commercial real estate lender exclusively dedicated to nationwide middle market commercial real estate lending with a focus on multifamily, student housing, hospitality, industrial and office property in top U.S. markets. For more information, please visit the Company's website at www.acresreit.com or contact investor relations at [email protected] continuesForward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Such forward-looking statements can generally be identified by our use of forward-looking terminology such as "may," "will," "continue," "expect," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "believe," "look forward" or other similar words or terms. Because such statements include risks, uncertainties and contingencies, actual results may differ materially from the expectations, intentions, beliefs, plans or predictions of the future expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Factors that can affect future results are discussed in the documents filed by the Company from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including, without limitation, factors impacting whether we will be able to maintain our sources of liquidity and whether we will be able to identify sufficient suitable investments to increase our originations. The Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect new or changing information or events after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as may be required by law.CisionView original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/acres-commercial-realty-corp-reports-results-for-second-quarter-2023-301891919.htmlSOURCE ACRES Commercial Realty Corp.

PR Newswire

ACRES COMMERCIAL REALTY CORP. REPORTS RESULTS FOR SECOND QUARTER 2023

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/acres-commercial-realty-corp-reports-201500355.html

4d7a4e51-ea71-3a83-9196-db8c990fd1b1

ACRE

Key InsightsAres Commercial Real Estate's significant retail investors ownership suggests that the key decisions are influenced by shareholders from the larger publicThe top 25 shareholders own 36% of the company Institutions own 42% of Ares Commercial Real EstateIf you want to know who really controls Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation (NYSE:ACRE), then you'll have to look at the makeup of its share registry. The group holding the most number of shares in the company, around 55% to be precise, is retail investors. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).And institutions on the other hand have a 42% ownership in the company. Large companies usually have institutions as shareholders, and we usually see insiders owning shares in smaller companies.Let's delve deeper into each type of owner of Ares Commercial Real Estate, beginning with the chart below. View our latest analysis for Ares Commercial Real Estate ownership-breakdownWhat Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About Ares Commercial Real Estate?Institutional investors commonly compare their own returns to the returns of a commonly followed index. So they generally do consider buying larger companies that are included in the relevant benchmark index.As you can see, institutional investors have a fair amount of stake in Ares Commercial Real Estate. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see Ares Commercial Real Estate's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.Story continuesearnings-and-revenue-growthWe note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in Ares Commercial Real Estate. Our data shows that BlackRock, Inc. is the largest shareholder with 8.7% of shares outstanding. For context, the second largest shareholder holds about 5.1% of the shares outstanding, followed by an ownership of 2.5% by the third-largest shareholder.A deeper look at our ownership data shows that the top 25 shareholders collectively hold less than half of the register, suggesting a large group of small holders where no single shareholder has a majority.While studying institutional ownership for a company can add value to your research, it is also a good practice to research analyst recommendations to get a deeper understand of a stock's expected performance. There are a reasonable number of analysts covering the stock, so it might be useful to find out their aggregate view on the future.Insider Ownership Of Ares Commercial Real EstateThe definition of company insiders can be subjective and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. The company management answer to the board and the latter should represent the interests of shareholders. Notably, sometimes top-level managers are on the board themselves.Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group.We can report that insiders do own shares in Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation. In their own names, insiders own US$16m worth of stock in the US$532m company. It is good to see some investment by insiders, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been buying. General Public OwnershipThe general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, collectively holds 55% of Ares Commercial Real Estate shares. This level of ownership gives investors from the wider public some power to sway key policy decisions such as board composition, executive compensation, and the dividend payout ratio.Next Steps:While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. To that end, you should be aware of the 2 warning signs we've spotted with Ares Commercial Real Estate .But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future.NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Simply Wall St.

Institutions own 42% of Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation (NYSE:ACRE) shares but retail investors control 55% of the company

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/institutions-own-42-ares-commercial-140925391.html

cccd9790-7f46-3f9b-8f42-6d4e015fab4b

ACRE

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / September 6, 2023 / Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation (NYSE:ACRE) announced today that its Chief Executive Officer, Bryan Donohoe, and its Chief Financial Officer, Tae-Sik Yoon, will present at the BofA 2023 Global Real Estate Conference on Wednesday, September 13, 2023 at 1:25pm ET.A live audio webcast of the panel presentation will be available in the Investor Resources section of the Company's website at www.arescre.com. For those unable to listen to the live audio webcast, a replay will be available on the Company's website shortly after the event.About Ares Commercial Real Estate CorporationAres Commercial Real Estate Corporation (the "Company") is a specialty finance company primarily engaged in originating and investing in commercial real estate loans and related investments. Through its national direct origination platform, the Company provides a broad offering of flexible and reliable financing solutions for commercial real estate owners and operators. The Company originates senior mortgage loans, as well as subordinate financings, mezzanine debt and preferred equity, with an emphasis on providing value added financing on a variety of properties located in liquid markets across the United States. Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation elected and qualified to be taxed as a real estate investment trust and is externally managed by a subsidiary of Ares Management Corporation. For more information, please visit www.arescre.com. The contents of such website are not, and should not be deemed to be, incorporated by reference herein.Contacts:Investor RelationsAres Commercial Real Estate CorporationCarl Drake or John [email protected]: Ares Commercial Real Estate CorporationView source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/780569/ares-commercial-real-estate-corporation-to-present-at-the-bofa-2023-global-real-estate-conference

ACCESSWIRE

Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation to Present at the BofA 2023 Global Real Estate Conference

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ares-commercial-real-estate-corporation-100000033.html

75efc1d0-ea61-3d1f-ace4-5d3287d10d62

ACRS

The analysts covering Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACRS) delivered a dose of negativity to shareholders today, by making a substantial revision to their statutory forecasts for this year. Revenue estimates were cut sharply as the analysts signalled a weaker outlook - perhaps a sign that investors should temper their expectations as well.Following the latest downgrade, the current consensus, from the nine analysts covering Aclaris Therapeutics, is for revenues of US$7.5m in 2023, which would reflect a painful 76% reduction in Aclaris Therapeutics' sales over the past 12 months. Per-share losses are expected to explode, reaching US$1.79 per share. However, before this estimates update, the consensus had been expecting revenues of US$8.4m and US$1.80 per share in losses. So there's definitely been a change in sentiment in this update, with the analysts administering a substantial haircut to this year's revenue estimates, while at the same time holding losses per share steady. View our latest analysis for Aclaris Therapeutics earnings-and-revenue-growthOf course, another way to look at these forecasts is to place them into context against the industry itself. These estimates imply that sales are expected to slow, with a forecast annualised revenue decline of 94% by the end of 2023. This indicates a significant reduction from annual growth of 43% over the last five years. Compare this with our data, which suggests that other companies in the same industry are, in aggregate, expected to see their revenue grow 7.1% per year. So although its revenues are forecast to shrink, this cloud does not come with a silver lining - Aclaris Therapeutics is expected to lag the wider industry.The Bottom LineRegrettably, they also downgraded their revenue estimates, and the latest forecasts imply the business will grow sales slower than the wider market. Often, one downgrade can set off a daisy-chain of cuts, especially if an industry is in decline. So we wouldn't be surprised if the market became a lot more cautious on Aclaris Therapeutics after today.Story continuesThat said, the analysts might have good reason to be negative on Aclaris Therapeutics, given dilutive stock issuance over the past year. For more information, you can click here to discover this and the 2 other concerns we've identified.Another way to search for interesting companies that could be reaching an inflection point is to track whether management are buying or selling, with our free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Simply Wall St.

Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACRS) Analysts Just Slashed This Year's Revenue Estimates By 11%

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/aclaris-therapeutics-inc-nasdaq-acrs-124018971.html

aaf8d814-953b-35fc-bad8-83595b41f17c

ACRS

It's been a mediocre week for Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACRS) shareholders, with the stock dropping 12% to US$8.48 in the week since its latest second-quarter results. Revenue hit US$1.9m in line with forecasts, although the company reported a statutory loss per share of US$0.42 that was somewhat smaller than the analysts expected. Earnings are an important time for investors, as they can track a company's performance, look at what the analysts are forecasting for next year, and see if there's been a change in sentiment towards the company. So we gathered the latest post-earnings forecasts to see what estimates suggest is in store for next year. See our latest analysis for Aclaris Therapeutics earnings-and-revenue-growthTaking into account the latest results, the nine analysts covering Aclaris Therapeutics provided consensus estimates of US$7.57m revenue in 2023, which would reflect a sizeable 76% decline over the past 12 months. Per-share losses are expected to explode, reaching US$1.81 per share. Yet prior to the latest earnings, the analysts had been forecasting revenues of US$8.44m and losses of US$1.80 per share in 2023. So there's definitely been a change in sentiment in this update, with the analysts administering a substantial haircut to next year's revenue estimates, while at the same time holding losses per share steady.There was no real change to the average price target of US$28.89, suggesting that the revisions to revenue estimates are not expected to have a long-term impact on Aclaris Therapeutics' valuation. That's not the only conclusion we can draw from this data however, as some investors also like to consider the spread in estimates when evaluating analyst price targets. Currently, the most bullish analyst values Aclaris Therapeutics at US$43.00 per share, while the most bearish prices it at US$16.00. This is a fairly broad spread of estimates, suggesting that analysts are forecasting a wide range of possible outcomes for the business.Story continuesLooking at the bigger picture now, one of the ways we can make sense of these forecasts is to see how they measure up against both past performance and industry growth estimates. We would highlight that revenue is expected to reverse, with a forecast 94% annualised decline to the end of 2023. That is a notable change from historical growth of 43% over the last five years. By contrast, our data suggests that other companies (with analyst coverage) in the same industry are forecast to see their revenue grow 7.4% annually for the foreseeable future. It's pretty clear that Aclaris Therapeutics' revenues are expected to perform substantially worse than the wider industry.The Bottom LineThe most important thing to take away is that the analysts reconfirmed their loss per share estimates for next year. On the negative side, they also downgraded their revenue estimates, and forecasts imply they will perform worse than the wider industry. The consensus price target held steady at US$28.89, with the latest estimates not enough to have an impact on their price targets.Following on from that line of thought, we think that the long-term prospects of the business are much more relevant than next year's earnings. At Simply Wall St, we have a full range of analyst estimates for Aclaris Therapeutics going out to 2025, and you can see them free on our platform here..And what about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 4 warning signs for Aclaris Therapeutics (of which 2 can't be ignored!) you should know about.Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Simply Wall St.

Aclaris Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACRS) Analysts Are Cutting Their Estimates: Here's What You Need To Know

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/aclaris-therapeutics-inc-nasdaq-acrs-100705562.html

bfdb95be-ab88-3392-a2ee-bec72ab687ab

ACU

ParticipantsPaul G. Driscoll; VP, CFO, Secretary & Treasurer; Acme United CorporationWalter C. Johnsen; Chairman of the Board & CEO; Acme United CorporationJim Marrone; Equity Research Analyst; Singular Research, LLCJoichi Sakai; Equity Research Analyst; Singular Research, LLCNorman SarafianRalph P. Marash; MD & Portfolio Manager; First Manhattan Co. LLCRichard DearnleyUnidentified AnalystPresentationOperatorGood day, and welcome to the Acme United Corporation Second Quarter 2023 Earnings. (Operator Instructions) As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. At this time, I would like to turn the call over to Walter Johnsen, Chairman and CEO. Please go ahead, sir.Walter C. JohnsenGood morning. Welcome to the Second Quarter 2023 Earnings Conference Call for Acme United Corporation. I'm Walter C. Johnsen, Chairman and CEO. With me is Paul Driscoll, our Chief Financial Officer, who will first read the safe harbor statement. Paul?Paul G. DriscollForward-looking statements in this conference call, including, without limitation, statements related to the company's plans, strategies, objectives, expectations, intentions and adequacy of capital and other resources are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that such forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, among others, those arising as a result of challenging global macroeconomic environment characterized by continued high inflation and high interest rates. In addition, we have experienced supply chain disruptions, including those resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and we may experience supply chain disruptions in the future. We're also subject to additional risks and uncertainties as described in our periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission in our current earnings release.Walter C. JohnsenThank you, Paul. Acme United had an excellent second quarter of 2023, with net income increasing 26% and earnings per share increasing 35%. Our net sales were $53.3 million, a decrease of 6%, which was anticipated due to inventory reductions of several of our large customers. Net income was $3.4 million compared to $2.7 million in the second quarter of 2022. Earnings per share were $0.96 compared to $0.71 in the second quarter last year. In 2022, the cost of shipping a container from Shanghai to Long Beach, California, increased to as high as $19,000 versus our budget of $12,500. This resulted in additional expenses in 2022 of approximately $4 million. The company did not raise prices to adjust for these costs, but they obviously reduced profitability in 2022 by approximately $4 million. In 2023, container costs have declined to about $5,000 each. We implemented a $5 million cost savings plan in September of 2022, and we are on track to accomplishing our goal. We hired an experienced Director of Distribution to improve training, increased wages and began new automation projects in our North Carolina facility. We have also substantially lowered staff turnover. As you may know, we improved the working conditions and now our 345,000 square foot facility in North Carolina by installing massive air conditioning units during 2021 and 2022. about 9 months ago, it appeared that the worst of the supply chain problems were easing. The company began to reduce its inventory, being careful not to impact unexpected customer requirements would it be unprepared for another interruption. The result has been a $9.1 million reduction in inventory since June 30, 2022. We've used the cash flow to pay down debt and are positioned to fund another acquisition will take advantage of a new growth opportunity. We have not provided guidance for 2023, but we anticipate performance during the year, far exceeding that of 2022. We expect sales to be impacted by global supply chain reductions, but we have new programs in all our segments that will also drive us forward. I'll now turn the call to Paul Driscoll.Story continuesPaul G. DriscollAcme's net sales for the second quarter were $53.3 million compared to $56.8 million in 2022, a decrease of 6%. Sales for the 6 months ended June 30, 2023, were $99.2 million compared to $100.1 million in the same period in 2022, a decrease of 1%. Net sales in the U.S. segment decreased 8% in the second quarter due to customer inventory reductions of school and office products that were heavily purchased in the second quarter of 2022. Sales decreased 1% for the 6 months ended June 30. Net sales for Europe decreased 7% in local currency for the quarter and 5% for the 6 months ended June 30. The sales decrease for both periods was mainly due to the economic recession in Europe. Net sales in local currency for Canada increased 21% in the quarter and 8% for the year-to-date due to growth in first aid products. The gross margin was 37.5% in the second quarter of 2023 compared to 32.7% in 2022. The higher gross margin was mainly due to the productivity improvement initiatives that began in Q4 of 2022 as well as lower tranche placing costs. SG&A expenses for the second quarter of 2023 were $14.8 million or 28% of sales compared with $14.6 million or 26% of sales for the same period of 2022. SG&A expenses for the first 6 months of 2023 were $29 million or 29% of sales compared with $28 million or 28% of sales in 2022. Operating profit in the second quarter increased 32% due to an improved gross margin and tight control of SG&A spending. Interest expense for the second quarter of 2023 was $830,000 compared to $420,000 in the second quarter of '22. The increase was entirely due to higher interest rates. In fact, average debt declined by $8 million in the second quarter of 2023 compared to Q2 of last year. Our overall average interest rate in the second quarter of 2023 was 6.4% compared to 2.9% for the second quarter of 2022. Net income for the second quarter of 2023 was $3.4 million or $0.96 per diluted share compared to net income of $2.7 million or $0.71 per diluted share for the same period of 2022, an increase of 26% of net income and 35% in earnings per share. Net income for the first 6 months ended June 30, 2023, was $4.4 million or $1.25 per diluted share compared to $3.6 million or $0.93 per diluted share in the comparable period last year, increases of 24% and 34%. The company's bank debt less cash on June 30, 2023 was $47 million compared to $60 million on June 30, 2022. During the 12-month period, the company paid $2 million in dividends and generated approximately $14 million in free cash flow, including an inventory reduction of $9 million. Net debt declined $8 million from December 31, 2022.Walter C. JohnsenThank you, Paul. I will now open the call to questions. .Question and Answer SessionOperator(Operator Instructions) Our first question comes from the line of Jim Marrone with Singular Research.Jim MarroneI guess my question deals with what you anticipate going forward? It seems like you got past the headwinds of supply side and the higher costs associated with it. But going forward, a lot of economists are talking about recession. And just curious on what your thoughts on how Acme will be insulated if they are at all insulated to any upcoming recession? Can you anticipate lower volumes? Or what do you plan on doing to mitigate any of the negative effects of recession?Walter C. JohnsenGood question, Jim. First, Acme is not insulated for medicines. We have faced every bit of the challenges of any other company. And if there's supply chain problems, we face that, we faced inflation just like everybody else. And if we go into a recession, we face a demand issue, and that's pretty clear. The first aid side, where we're now the second largest in North America, has a recurring revenue stream from our Refill business as kits are used the pollen season through an accident or it disappears or is obsolete. Those kits have to be refilled and they are regularly. So there's a very strong recurring revenue stream that may be somewhat insulated. Relative to new first aid installations, we've got a number of programs going on with major companies in North America. And we've got increasing growth in Canada. We're using First Aid Central and our multinational companies that operate there, throughout every field, including mining, oil and gas, transportation and general retail. On the first aid side, we also have a number of new products that are going into retail accounts in the United States and Canada. So those are the things that offset some of the headwinds, if we go into a recession. With the Westcott business, the cost of our products, which are primarily scissors and cutting tools, those are not expensive items. Most of them are under $25, many are under $10. And while there may be migration from one product to another product within different price points, it's not the same as a capital goods. It's not a refrigerator or a house or a car. So in past recessions, we've seen some backing off of Westcott but certainly not the same as if it was a capital good. Relative to the inventory reductions, it depends on the retailer and it's uneven within departments. But obviously, the heavy purchasing they did a year ago is gradually being worked off. In the case of back-to-school, it was probably more opportune in the second quarter, what active school actually is an area the way you can sell product for that segment. But my belief is that by year-end, maybe soon, most retailers will have been completely out of the inventory that they bought a year ago. And in many cases, that's occurred already. And we're seeing, as we speak, increased demand from them. I hope that helps, Jim. That was a good question.OperatorOur next question comes from the line of [Bill] (inaudible) with (inaudible).Unidentified AnalystAllowing me to participate. I have 2 questions. The first is again on the supply chain. I believe earlier in the commentary, you mentioned what sounded like customers may be stocking up last year which perhaps a difficult comparison for this period. Can you give -- shed any light on your expectations for the second half of the year we may see similar? And then my second question, if I may, is since you mentioned recession, is it your belief that, that would occur? And if it does, do you feel that you're positioned well based on points that you mentioned that as you said, are more affordable and not like buying huge appliances and so forth.Walter C. JohnsenOkay. Well, first on supply chain. Customers in the second quarter last year did purchase and place orders from multiple sources in order to get product, particularly for back-to-school, but for other items as well. Those just happen to be in our segment. But you can imagine where you have a seasonal demand, which would be back-to-school. And your shelves have to be filled. And if you're online, you have to have product because the window while it is throughout the year, is predominantly in the June through September range. And so early in the time last year, the second quarter, retailers were just buying whatever they could. You may remember that the ports were plugged up in the East Coast, the West Coast, Rotterdam, it really didn't matter. And there were massive problems getting products out of China and a lot of peaking and demand requirements for trucks and ships and containers. So that scrambled reinforced the need to get stock from our retailers a year ago. Well, that's pretty much changed. And while there was some sell-off in the second quarter, and we anticipated it because we knew what they had and when it was shipped, that's been worked out pretty much now. If you're looking at the second half the retailers had a year for working out inventory really actually since maybe September when it lightened up a lot. But it's not the same kind of issue they had in the past 9 months, it's far better. And so you're getting closer to the actual demand from customers. We're seeing, as we speak, pretty good growth, but it's early in the quarter. And I think that in the back half of the year, we should -- with the programs we've got in place right now, see continued revenue growth. On the earnings side, it will be substantially improved because we don't have the cost of shipping, which capitalized as product cost and work through in the third and fourth quarter, those are pretty much normalized now. And so the margins will continue to improve, we believe, in the back half of the year. So we're looking for a very strong back half. Now regarding inflation, I mean, recession, I have to believe that if you keep increasing interest rates, you eventually cause a recession, and may be led by housing and it may be led by the auto industry and capital goods, but these are things that are interest rate sensitive. And while earnings are increasing for many people, and we've had good increases to our employees, still you pay tax on your increases and the spending is after tax. And it's very hard to match up. So I think we will have a recession. And I think that the Fed in order to break interest rate or break inflation will continue to raise rates and they really don't know the unintended consequences for moving that fast. We saw some of that with the banking segment. And there'll be others because things do not operate independently. However, I think as relative to Acme, as I outlined earlier, our first aid side with the high refill rates and the programs we've got in place should be pretty strong. And maybe there'll be some weakness in Westcott cutting tools because that is a consumer product. But I don't see it to be major. I hope that helped.OperatorOur next question comes from the line of Richard Dearnley with Longport Partners.Richard DearnleyI guess one for Paul. You're on average inventory rather than the LIFO or FIFO as I remember, has the -- does that mean that the high-cost inventory has largely flown through the P&L at this point?Paul G. DriscollYes. Yes.Richard DearnleyYes. Okay. And then last quarter, you were estimating that inventories would be down $5 million for the year, which would get you to something like $58 million, and you're $50 million now, so is there a new goal on the inventory? Or is this inventory about right?Paul G. DriscollI think the current inventory is about where we will end the year, maybe it's $1 million more.Richard DearnleyOkay. That's great. And what was the sales mix in the quarter between first aid and Westcott -- or first aid and...Paul G. DriscollOkay. So the first aid was 59% in the quarter and year-to-date. So for the 3 months and the 6 months, it was both 59%.Richard DearnleyRight. And what -- how did you get invited to that conference in Qatar? That was quite something.Walter C. JohnsenWell, for those that don't know, I was presenting at the Bloomberg Conference in Qatar. And it related to supply chain, which we live regularly. And it's not the first time we've spoken -- I've spoken about supply chain actually with Bloomberg, it's probably the fourth time. And we know what we're talking about when we're talking about what's going on in China and what's happening with containers. We live it daily. And our calls with Asia are weekly and -- for me, it's weekly and then, of course, I'm in China often. so it was a pretty natural invitation, I felt.Richard DearnleyGreat. It was intriguing to hear that. Then the expansion -- the square footage expansion in Canada to supply both Canada and multinational. why does it open markets being in Canada as opposed to the U.S.?Walter C. JohnsenWhen we bought First Aid Only -- I mean, First Aid Central in Canada. It gave us Canadian manufacturing of first aid. And while the borders are open, the provinces have very, very different requirements. It would be similar to many regions in the United States, all having different requirements for what goes into a kit. And it was very difficult as a non-Canadian supplier prior to First Aid Central to be able to be effectively supplying. But once we bought First Aid Central, we were able to access first incredible purchasing power of our combined businesses. So we were able to give them very competitive product costs. Second, we now had the full sales team for North America and Europe, working together with multinationals in Canada that we're looking for products that we had developed in one of the other regions that they weren't available in Canada, and we were able to produce them in our facility outside of Montreal. What we've been successful with that so much so that right now, even though we doubled the space, we still need more space, and it's very exciting.Richard DearnleyGreat. Paul, do you have the -- what last year's second quarter mix on first aid cutting was?Paul G. DriscollOkay. The second quarter last year was 51%.OperatorOur next question comes from the line of Norman Sarafian with RBC Wealth Management.Norman SarafianI had 2 questions. And 1 question was, it sounds like 1 fellow implied there might be a recession. What if there's no recession and we continue growing? It looks like the consumer is spending a lot of money this summer in Disneyland and places like this. With that in mind, if we have a soft landing or no recession because it seems to me the economy is acting much better and people are scratching their head, not understanding the impact. Interest rates are going up, it looks like it's actually increasing business activity. There was a lot of in activity, remember under the low interest rates. So it seems like people are out doing things. If that's the case, are we prepared for demand for our products with respect to inventory? If there's not enough inventory to meet the consumer demand, say, with the emergency kits and what have you, would that be a drag on the business going forward if we're not prepared for a strong economy? And the other question I have is -- go ahead.Walter C. JohnsenFirst, regarding what it is not a recession. Wow, let's stance, that's awesome. And I think you prepare for the worst and maybe you're lucky. Relative to inventory, we've raised our inventory about 30% in preparation for supply chain issues, and we did that during COVID, and that's what we've peeled back. So we're in position for normal growth. And in fact, when Paul said, we think we've bottomed out with the inventory, and when the question was asked, well, you said you reduced it $5 million, but you actually did $9 million. That's because we thought we could but we're very sensitive at this point to being able to supply our customers, should there be more demand. And I think we're positioned to do that. So again, we just pulled back the stock that we had done during COVID, when we really didn't know what supply would be like. And now we're in a position. I think if we're lucky, we get more growth.Norman SarafianGood. Now the other part of the question, though, now would be a little bit of a downer. So let's say, because of COVID and people aren't going back to work in the office like they were, is this a potential drag on business demand for product if people aren't going to show up in the office? I mean working remote seems so popular. I'm just wondering how that would affect your business?Walter C. JohnsenYes. I think we've already run through that. And what we did do was we shifted to a remote workforce during COVID, and we basically did promotions online and at places where they would shop for food and that proved to be the right area. You may remember that when offices were closed, the people weren't shopping at many retailers but we shifted within a week to online sales and...Norman SarafianAnd if the office is -- okay, excuse me, but if the offices are closed, I mean would that -- would you lose business on the safety, the first aid products? And is there less demand if there are fewer people going into the office environment? I guess that's the question.Walter C. JohnsenThe bulk of our first aid business is industrial. And while sure, we sell to the offices. The bulk of it is going into industrial companies, the Exxon, Boeing, a lot going to companies like Grainger into the industrial market. We sell -- our biggest online customer -- our biggest customer is Amazon, and we find a broad mix of people buying there. I don't think, honestly, that a change in a work pattern at this stage would have any impact.Operator(Operator Instructions) Our next question comes from the line of Joichi Sakai with Singular Research.Joichi SakaiWalter, just had a question on what's driving the first aid demand in Canada.Walter C. JohnsenWell, we're gaining market share. We're introducing new products, particularly industrial products that had not been available, at least from acne in the past. We've got better pricing than most of the Canadian competitors because we've got the scale of purchase them. And we've got a really good team. It seems to be working.Joichi SakaiOkay. Sounds good. And on to gross margin, seeing there's improvement there. How are we supposed to look at that in the future quarters? Will there be more improvement? Or will it be leveling off here?Walter C. JohnsenI'll turn that over to Paul Driscoll because he models that pretty carefully. Paul?Paul G. DriscollYes. The next 2 quarters will be similar to the latest quarter, the second quarter, maybe a little bit higher, maybe 37.5% to 38%.Joichi SakaiOkay. And then do you have any (inaudible) in future quarters after that?Paul G. DriscollWell, I think it will level off at that. There's a lot of factors that affect the gross margin. So I think at this point, it would -- being at 37.5% in the second quarter, we'll probably do something similar to that, a little bit higher in the third and fourth quarter. It's hard to predict what will happen next year.OperatorOur next question comes from the line of Ralph Marash with First Manhattan Company.Ralph P. MarashMy first question is, do you think that innovation within your product line has suffered at all with all the puts and takes during COVID?Walter C. JohnsenThat's hard to call, Ralph. I would say we've probably done less in the coding area than we had in earlier years. As you know, we have about 150 patents on codings. And I think some of the collaboration that we would have done during COVID probably wasn't done because it already together, and it was harder. On the other hand, on the first aid side, we've just -- our customers are pulling us into different segments so quickly. And a couple of the acquisitions like Spill Magic where it's being used for bloodborne pathogen kits and spill cleanups for bodily fluids, this didn't even exist. And we've got a business that's just rising now that we just didn't have. .I don't think it's across the board. But the kind of research or new products were all together and we're thinking through those ideas, we're starting them again. but I think that probably suffered a little bit.Ralph P. MarashOkay. And on the acquisition front, do you see a ThirdLeG? Or are you going to continue to grow First Aid and your office supply business?Walter C. JohnsenYes. I don't see a ThirdLeG, in particular, I see reinforcing in the First Aid segment where we've got really a lot of momentum. And there's a number of ways that we can grow intrastate, adjacencies in our market competitors as an example, or those that are half step away with products, but also the vertical integration of the components that go into the first aid kits. Example of that is Med-Nap where we're making alcohol wipes, prep pads, castile wipes, all going into our kits as well as selling on the outside, and Med-Nap will eventually be making other components, perhaps burn creams and hand sanitizers that also go into those kits. So there'll be other acquisitions probably in first aid, again, either horizontally expanding market share or vertically integrating into what we make. And they'll be in probably North America.Ralph P. MarashMy last question is, I'm assuming since you didn't mention it, that the good news is that your distribution facility in Rocky Mount was spared any tornado damage.Walter C. JohnsenSo for those that don't know, on Friday, a tornado in Rocky Mountain, North Carolina hit down and destroyed a big section of the Pfizer Hospira facility, which is 7 miles away from ours. It destroyed about 25% of the injectable pharmaceuticals in the United States. So they are a supplier, but it's going to be a massive shortage. We have a an emergency shelter within our facility, and we evacuated 180 workers. Fortunately, it missed us. We were lucky. But for Pfizer and for the country, we've got a handful of problems because it's going to be a shortage of injectable pharmaceuticals, whether that's for chemotherapy or for penicillin or so many other items, is a big problem. We're okay.OperatorThere are no further questions in the queue. I'd like to hand the call back to Mr. Johnsen for closing remarks.Walter C. JohnsenOkay. No further questions. Thank you for joining us. We look forward to talking to you as we complete the third quarter and have the earnings. Bye-bye. .OperatorLadies and gentlemen, this does conclude today's teleconference. Thank you for your participation. You may disconnect your lines at this time, and have a wonderful day.

Thomson Reuters StreetEvents

Q2 2023 Acme United Corp Earnings Call

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/q2-2023-acme-united-corp-055904793.html

900b5748-862a-3ae4-ba30-fb047adab8c2

ACU

Acme United Corp (ACU), a leading supplier in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry, has seen a significant increase in its stock price over the past three months. The company's stock price has risen from $25.78 to $31, marking a 21.30% increase. However, the past week has seen a slight decrease of 8.20%. The company's GF Value, a measure of intrinsic value defined by GuruFocus.com, is currently at $37.73, indicating that the stock is 'Modestly Undervalued'. This is a slight increase from the past GF Value of $37.01, which suggested that the stock was 'Significantly Undervalued'. The company's market capitalization stands at $110.609 million.Company OverviewWarning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Signs with ACU. Click here to check it out. ACU 30-Year Financial DataThe intrinsic value of ACUAcme United Corp is a renowned supplier of first aid and medical products, cutting technology, and other products to various markets including school, home, office, hardware, sporting goods, and industrial markets. The company's principal products sold across all segments are first aid kits and medical products, scissors, shears, knives, rulers, pencil sharpeners, and sharpening tools. The company operates in the United States, Canada, and Europe, with the majority of its revenue derived from the United States.Acme United Corp (ACU) Stock Price Soars by 21.30% Over the Past Three MonthsProfitability AnalysisAcme United Corp has a Profitability Rank of 9/10, indicating a high level of profitability. The company's Operating Margin is 4.33%, which is better than 47.63% of companies in the same industry. The company's ROE, ROA, and ROIC are 4.86%, 2.33%, and 4.63% respectively, all of which are above average compared to other companies in the industry. The company has consistently shown profitability over the past 10 years, better than 99.94% of companies.Acme United Corp (ACU) Stock Price Soars by 21.30% Over the Past Three MonthsGrowth ProspectsThe company's Growth Rank is 9/10, indicating strong growth potential. The company's 3-year and 5-year revenue growth rates per share are 8.10% and 7.80% respectively, better than over half of the companies in the same industry. However, the company's 3-year and 5-year EPS without NRI growth rates show mixed results, with a decrease of 20.00% over the past three years but an increase of 5.50% over the past five years.Story continuesAcme United Corp (ACU) Stock Price Soars by 21.30% Over the Past Three MonthsMajor Stock HoldersThe top three holders of the company's stock are Chuck Royce (Trades, Portfolio), Jim Simons (Trades, Portfolio), and Diamond Hill Capital (Trades, Portfolio). Chuck Royce (Trades, Portfolio) holds 141,115 shares, accounting for 3.98% of the total shares. Jim Simons (Trades, Portfolio) holds 125,607 shares, accounting for 3.52% of the total shares. Diamond Hill Capital (Trades, Portfolio) holds 9,041 shares, accounting for 0.25% of the total shares.Competitor AnalysisAcme United Corp faces competition from Grove Collaborative Holdings Inc (NYSE:GROV) with a market capitalization of $121.859 million, Peregrine Industries Inc (PGID) with a market capitalization of $15.626 million, and Naples Soap Co Inc (NASO) with a market capitalization of $40.232 million.ConclusionIn conclusion, Acme United Corp has shown strong performance over the past three months with a significant increase in its stock price. The company's profitability and growth ranks indicate a high level of profitability and strong growth potential. However, the company faces competition from other companies in the Consumer Packaged Goods industry. Despite the competition, the company's consistent profitability and strong growth potential make it a promising investment.This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

GuruFocus.com

Acme United Corp (ACU) Stock Price Soars by 21.30% Over the Past Three Months

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/acme-united-corp-acu-stock-151329096.html

3e45fb32-4291-3c8c-bd97-395419373f59

ADBE

A Mizuho analyst boosted his rating on Adobe stock to Buy, citing demand for the software provider’s artificial intelligence tools and improved fundamentals. Gregg Moskowitz’s upgrade from Neutral comes ahead of the company’s fiscal third-quarter earnings results on Thursday. Adobe stock (ticker: ADBE) opened Friday almost 2% higher, but has since pared those gains.Continue reading

Barrons.com

Adobe Stock Gets a Buy Rating Ahead of Earnings. AI Is Just One Reason.

https://finance.yahoo.com/m/a5ceef05-efc5-3e5b-9fdf-baa12692861d/adobe-stock-gets-a-buy-rating.html

a5ceef05-efc5-3e5b-9fdf-baa12692861d

ADBE

Key InsightsThe projected fair value for Adobe is US$588 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to EquityAdobe's US$560 share price indicates it is trading at similar levels as its fair value estimate The US$551 analyst price target for ADBE is 6.2% less than our estimate of fair valueToday we'll do a simple run through of a valuation method used to estimate the attractiveness of Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE) as an investment opportunity by taking the expected future cash flows and discounting them to today's value. We will use the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model on this occasion. Before you think you won't be able to understand it, just read on! It's actually much less complex than you'd imagine.We generally believe that a company's value is the present value of all of the cash it will generate in the future. However, a DCF is just one valuation metric among many, and it is not without flaws. For those who are keen learners of equity analysis, the Simply Wall St analysis model here may be something of interest to you. View our latest analysis for Adobe Crunching The NumbersWe are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To start off with, we need to estimate the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate:Story continues10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate2024202520262027202820292030203120322033 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$8.70bUS$10.1bUS$11.8bUS$13.1bUS$14.0bUS$14.8bUS$15.5bUS$16.1bUS$16.6bUS$17.1bGrowth Rate Estimate SourceAnalyst x17Analyst x5Analyst x1Analyst x1Est @ 7.18%Est @ 5.67%Est @ 4.61%Est @ 3.88%Est @ 3.36%Est @ 3.00% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 7.1% US$8.1kUS$8.8kUS$9.6kUS$9.9kUS$9.9kUS$9.8kUS$9.5kUS$9.3kUS$8.9kUS$8.6k("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$92bAfter calculating the present value of future cash flows in the initial 10-year period, we need to calculate the Terminal Value, which accounts for all future cash flows beyond the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.2%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 7.1%.Terminal Value (TV)= FCF2033 × (1 + g) ÷ (r – g) = US$17b× (1 + 2.2%) ÷ (7.1%– 2.2%) = US$350bPresent Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$350b÷ ( 1 + 7.1%)10= US$176bThe total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is US$268b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Compared to the current share price of US$560, the company appears about fair value at a 4.7% discount to where the stock price trades currently. Remember though, that this is just an approximate valuation, and like any complex formula - garbage in, garbage out.dcfImportant AssumptionsWe would point out that the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate and of course the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Adobe as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 7.1%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.998. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business.SWOT Analysis for AdobeStrengthDebt is not viewed as a risk.WeaknessEarnings declined over the past year.OpportunityAnnual revenue is forecast to grow faster than the American market.Current share price is below our estimate of fair value.ThreatAnnual earnings are forecast to grow slower than the American market.Next Steps:Whilst important, the DCF calculation is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For example, changes in the company's cost of equity or the risk free rate can significantly impact the valuation. For Adobe, we've compiled three fundamental items you should further examine:Risks: Case in point, we've spotted 1 warning sign for Adobe you should be aware of.Future Earnings: How does ADBE's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart.Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!PS. The Simply Wall St app conducts a discounted cash flow valuation for every stock on the NASDAQGS every day. If you want to find the calculation for other stocks just search here.Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Simply Wall St.

Calculating The Intrinsic Value Of Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:ADBE)

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/calculating-intrinsic-value-adobe-inc-110014976.html

17646994-7d36-3ba7-8f17-cb23dab79e9f

ADC

Does this pain extend to Agree Realty (NYSE: ADC)? Agree Realty is a net lease real estate investment trust (REIT). Net lease REITs develop properties and then lease them out under long-term leases called triple-net leases.Continue reading

Motley Fool

Is Agree Realty a Buy?

https://finance.yahoo.com/m/9b3dd604-bd8b-3d33-9e58-fe7adf8dacae/is-agree-realty-a-buy-.html

9b3dd604-bd8b-3d33-9e58-fe7adf8dacae

ADC

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) lend themselves to that strategy. Casino owner Vici Properties (NYSE: VICI) and retail landlord Agree Realty (NYSE: ADC) are two particularly good options for that $2,000 you might have sitting there waiting to invest. The chart above shows how Agree Realty and Vici Properties have performed in total returns since Vici's 2018 initial public offering (IPO) against the greater market as represented by the S&P 500.Continue reading

Motley Fool

Got $2,000? 2 Simple Stocks to Buy Right Now

https://finance.yahoo.com/m/e22160ea-275c-3948-ace9-8fa147e8b0f2/got-2-000-2-simple-stocks.html

e22160ea-275c-3948-ace9-8fa147e8b0f2

ADEA

Aristotle Capital Boston, LLC, an investment advisor, released its “Small Cap Equity Strategy” second quarter 2023 investor letter. A copy of the same can be downloaded here. In the second quarter, the composite delivered 1.16% net of fees (1.33% gross of fees) trailing the 5.21% total return of the Russell 2000 Index. The security selection hurt the portfolio while allocation effects positively contributed. Security selection in Communication Services and Materials along with an overweight to Industrials contributed to the relative performance while the Health Care, Information Technology, and Consumer Discretionary sectors detracted. In addition, you can check the top 5 holdings of the fund to know its best picks in 2023.Aristotle Small Cap Equity Strategy highlighted stocks like Adeia Inc. (NASDAQ:ADEA) in the second quarter 2023 investor letter. Headquartered in San Jose, California, Adeia Inc. (NASDAQ:ADEA) is a media and semiconductor intellectual property licensing company. On August 24, 2023, Adeia Inc. (NASDAQ:ADEA) stock closed at $9.81 per share. One-month return of Adeia Inc. (NASDAQ:ADEA) was -16.08%, and its shares gained 27.89% of their value over the last 52 weeks. Adeia Inc. (NASDAQ:ADEA) has a market capitalization of $1.047 billion.Aristotle Small Cap Equity Strategy made the following comment about Adeia Inc. (NASDAQ:ADEA) in its second quarter 2023 investor letter:"Adeia Inc. (NASDAQ:ADEA) is an intellectual property (IP) licensing business with patent assets focused on the media and semiconductor end markets. The company was spun off and rebranded from our former portfolio holding Xperi, and after further analysis, we decided to sell our position."cellanr, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia CommonsAdeia Inc. (NASDAQ:ADEA) is not on our list of 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 16 hedge fund portfolios held Adeia Inc. (NASDAQ:ADEA) at the end of second quarter which was 17 in the previous quarter.Story continuesWe discussed Adeia Inc. (NASDAQ:ADEA) in another article and shared the list of most undervalued technology stocks to buy according to hedge funds. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q2 2023 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors. Suggested Articles:15 Countries That Own the Most U.S. Debt25 Countries that Receive the Most Foreign Aid Per Capita11 Best Long-Term Penny Stocks to Buy NowDisclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.

Insider Monkey

Should You Sell Adeia (ADEA)?

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/sell-adeia-adea-033608334.html

85726458-23ca-331f-870b-e29664dfe5ab

ADEA

Adeia Inc.SAN JOSE, Calif., Sept. 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adeia Inc. (Nasdaq: ADEA) today announced that Jarl Berntzen joined Adeia as the company’s chief corporate development officer on September 5, 2023.“We are thrilled to welcome Jarl to Adeia as our chief corporate development officer. He brings extensive experience in strategy, finance and M&A advisory which will be instrumental in the execution of Adeia’s strategic growth plan,” commented Paul E. Davis, chief executive officer of Adeia.Berntzen joins Adeia from Oppenheimer & Co., where he was managing director of technology investment banking and head of technology M&A. At Oppenheimer, he was responsible for soliciting and executing M&A transactions and private capital raises across the full technology spectrum. Prior to that, Berntzen held corporate development leadership roles at Dolby Laboratories and Rambus. Earlier in his career, he worked for more than a decade in the M&A departments at Goldman, Sachs & Co., where he held the position of vice president.Berntzen is a seasoned corporate development professional with vast experience evaluating and leading technology acquisition and investment opportunities. He earned both a B.Sc. and an M.Sc. degree in Economics and Business Administration from Copenhagen Business School.“I am excited to join Adeia’s management team and contribute to Adeia’s leading IP licensing business,” said Berntzen. “I look forward to working with the team to advance Adeia’s growth objectives through strategic transactions and initiatives.”About AdeiaAdeia is a leading R&D and intellectual property (IP) licensing company that accelerates the adoption of innovative technologies in the media and semiconductor industries. Adeia’s fundamental innovations underpin technology solutions that are shaping and elevating the future of digital entertainment and electronics. Adeia’s IP portfolios power the connected devices that touch the lives of millions of people around the world every day as they live, work and play. For more, please visit www.adeia.com.Story continuesFor Information Contact:Investor RelationsChris [email protected] RelationsStephanie StockerConveyor [email protected]

GlobeNewswire

Jarl Berntzen joins Adeia as Chief Corporate Development Officer

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/jarl-berntzen-joins-adeia-chief-200500214.html

7488b3d3-a358-385d-b607-c829ab75cd9e

ADES

Gabelli FundsThursday, September 28, 2023RYE, N.Y., Aug. 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Gabelli Funds is hosting a PFAS Symposium on Thursday, September 28, 2023 at the Harvard Club in New York City. This event will focus on issues surrounding PFAS uses, replacements, and remediation. It will feature presentations from leading companies in waste and disposal services, water utilities, testing, and remediation. Attendees will also have the opportunity to meet with management in a one-on-one setting.PFAS (Per/Polyfluoroalkyl substances) are compounds that were widely used for perceived benefits in many industrial and commercial household applications; they have increasingly become an environmental and public health concern due to their persistence and inability to naturally degrade. Prospective attendees can learn more about the symposium on our website.Featured Companies:374Water (NASDAQ: SCWO)Advanced Emission Solutions (NASDAQ: ADES)American Water Works (NYSE: AWK)BioLargo (OTCM: BLGO)Casella Waste (NASDAQ: CWST)Hazen and Sawyer (Private)Heritage Environmental Services (Private)Minerals Technologies (NYSE: MTX)Montrose Environmental (NYSE: MEG)Regenesis (Private)SJW Corp (NYSE: SJW)Xylem Inc. (NYSE: XYL)Details:Gabelli Funds PFAS SymposiumSeptember 28, 2023Virtual Conference Registration: CLICK HEREFor general inquiries or to request one-on-one meetings, contact:Miles McQuillen, AVP Private Wealth Management, [email protected] Funds, LLC is a registered investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission and is a wholly owned subsidiary of GAMCO Investors, Inc.Contact:Rosemarie J. Morbelli, CFA Senior VP, Specialty Chemicals (914) 921-7757   Wayne C. Pinsent, CFA VP, Specialty Chemicals (914) 921-8352  

GlobeNewswire

Gabelli Funds to Host PFAS Symposium at the Harvard Club, New York City

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/gabelli-funds-host-pfas-symposium-153600474.html

22db3717-8f4e-3569-9864-a3d3b950752e

ADES

While it is true that penny stocks can present good opportunities for exponential gains, this is not the case with these three. Maybe at some point they gave good results, but as economists know, there is the law of diminishing marginal returns, there comes a point in the trajectory of a penny stock where it is considerable to sell the position if you have been in it, and if that is not the case, it is better to omit these investment options. Let’s take a quick look at these three penny stocks to sell.Anika Therapeutics (ANIK)Physiotherapist doing healing treatment on patient leg. Therapist wearing blue uniform. Osteopathy, Chiropractic leg adjustment. Orthopedic therapy. ATIP stck.Source: Microgen / ShutterstockAnika Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ANIK) specializes in the development of medical products for joint health. In the last quarter, it achieved revenues of $44.3 million, 12% increase over the previous year.One of their most notable achievements has been osteoarthritis pain management. It was able to generate revenues of $29.3 million, a remarkable 22% growth. However, it experienced a 33% decline in non-orthopedic revenue, with earnings amounting to only $2.3 million.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsThe company recorded a gross margin of 65%, or an adjusted gross margin 69% when factoring in acquisition expenses. On the profit side, the company experienced a $2.7 million loss due to shareholder activities and other extraordinary costs. Excluding these expenses, this resulted in an adjusted net profit of $0.8 million. In addition, after adjusting for these adjustments, EBITDA was $6.3 million, up significantly from $4.4 million the previous year.Despite these positive developments in terms of revenue and earnings, the unfortunate news is that Anika’s share value has fallen over 37% in 2023. Although there have been definite improvements, the notable drop in share value and the resulting uncertainty could lead some investors to consider one of the penny stocks to sell.Nikola Corporation (NKLA)Nikola (NKLA) company logo on a website with blurry stock market developments in the background, seen on a computer screen through a magnifying glass.Source: Dennis Diatel / Shutterstock.comNikola Corporation (NASDAQ:NKLA) is a hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles & battery developer. The company has pursued its business plan by strengthening its financials, curbing expenses and advanced hydrogen refueling network construction.Story continuesIn Q2, the company supplied over 110 trucks, and began production of its hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks. Nikola has 18 purchase orders for more than 200 hydrogen electric trucks so far.However, the second quarter financials reveal a negative operating income of about $168.6 million. Although the company managed to increase its cash reserves by $107.1 million, this still warrants attention and concern.Experts are concerned about the company’s history of controversies. Alleged exaggerations of the company’s technological capabilities have raised credibility questions, and a 32% year-to-date loss in stock value has left investors skeptical.Although Nikola Corporation has ambitious goals for its hydrogen electric vehicles, fears about its financial stability, technology uncertainties and questionable track record might discourage investors at this time.Advanced Emissions (ADES)Advanced Emissions Solutions (ADES) website under a magnifying glass.Source: Pavel Kapysh / Shutterstock.comLast on the list of penny stocks to sell is Advanced Emissions Solutions (NASDAQ:ADES). Advanced Emissions’ mission is to reduce harmful emissions from other companies during production.The basic concept of ADES is commendable: to make industries cleaner and less harmful to the environment. However, it experienced a year-over-year revenue decline in Q2, suggesting that its profits may not be as substantial as before.Furthermore, the company’s $5.9 million net loss indicates it is spending more than it is taking in. Additionally, the consolidated adjusted EBITDA has decreased this year, which could indicate that the company’s earnings performance is lacking. This situation is comparable to going over your allocation, not a viable long-term scenario.Unfortunately, the stock’s value has dropped by 19% year-to-date, showing that many investors are already reconsidering the investment. Overall, it may be best to categorize this as one of the penny stocks to sell.As of this writing, Gabriel Osorio-Mazzilli did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.Gabriel Osorio is a former Goldman Sachs and Citigroup employee. He possesses discipline in bottom-up value investing and volatility-based long/short equities trading.More From InvestorPlaceMusk’s “Project Omega” May Be Set to Mint New Millionaires. Here’s How to Get In.ChatGPT IPO Could Shock the World, Make This Move Before the AnnouncementIt doesn’t matter if you have $500 or $5 million. Do this now.The post 3 Sorry Penny Stocks to Sell in August Before It’s Too Late appeared first on InvestorPlace.

InvestorPlace

3 Sorry Penny Stocks to Sell in August Before It’s Too Late

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/3-sorry-penny-stocks-sell-112239054.html

5aa80e15-6770-3490-abfc-eb6aabf5c7ab

ADI

WILMINGTON, Mass., September 05, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Analog Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADI) today announced that the Company’s Executive Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer, Prashanth Mahendra-Rajah, will discuss business topics and trends at Citi’s 2023 Global Technology Conference taking place at The New York Hilton Midtown Hotel, located in New York, New York, on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, at 11:15 a.m. EST.The webcast for the conference may be accessed live via the Investor Relations section of Analog Devices’ website at investor.analog.com. An archived replay will also be available following the webcast for at least 30 days.About Analog Devices, Inc.Analog Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADI) is a global semiconductor leader that bridges the physical and digital worlds to enable breakthroughs at the Intelligent Edge. ADI combines analog, digital, and software technologies into solutions that help drive advancements in digitized factories, mobility, and digital healthcare, combat climate change, and reliably connect humans and the world. With revenue of more than $12 billion in FY22 and approximately 25,000 people globally working alongside 125,000 global customers, ADI ensures today’s innovators stay Ahead of What’s Possible. Learn more at www.analog.com and on LinkedIn and Twitter.(ADI-WEB)View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230905551819/en/ContactsFor more information: Michael LucarelliVice President, Investor Relations and FP&AAnalog Devices, [email protected]

Business Wire

Analog Devices to Participate in Citi’s 2023 Global Technology Conference

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/analog-devices-participate-citi-2023-200000567.html

eb5f9a20-311a-3b19-ae19-8371f74ad659

ADI

WILMINGTON, Mass., September 06, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Analog Devices, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADI) today announced that the Company’s Executive Vice President, Finance & Chief Financial Officer, Prashanth Mahendra-Rajah, will discuss business topics and trends at the Evercore ISI 2023 Semiconductor & Semiconductor Equipment Conference taking place at the Evercore ISI Offices located in New York, New York, on Thursday, September 7, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. EST.The webcast for the conference may be accessed live via the Investor Relations section of Analog Devices’ website at investor.analog.com. An archived replay will also be available following the webcast for at least 30 days.About Analog Devices, Inc. Analog Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADI) is a global semiconductor leader that bridges the physical and digital worlds to enable breakthroughs at the Intelligent Edge. ADI combines analog, digital, and software technologies into solutions that help drive advancements in digitized factories, mobility, and digital healthcare, combat climate change, and reliably connect humans and the world. With revenue of more than $12 billion in FY22 and approximately 25,000 people globally working alongside 125,000 global customers, ADI ensures today’s innovators stay Ahead of What’s Possible. Learn more at www.analog.com and on LinkedIn and Twitter.(ADI-WEB)View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230906334165/en/ContactsFor more information:Michael LucarelliVice President, Investor Relations and FP&AAnalog Devices, [email protected]

Business Wire

Analog Devices to Participate in the Evercore ISI 2023 Semiconductor & Semiconductor Equipment Conference

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/analog-devices-participate-evercore-isi-160000287.html

470f6596-8125-3b65-b4bc-0dd3b1904688

ADM

For Immediate ReleaseChicago, IL – September 7, 2023 – Today, Zacks Equity Research discusses Archer Daniels Midland Company ADM, Adecoagro S.A. AGRO, Dole plc DOLE and Limoneira Co. LMNR.Industry: Agriculture OperationsLink: https://www.zacks.com/commentary/2145333/4-stocks-to-watch-as-the-agriculture-operations-industry-recoversThe Zacks Agriculture – Operations industry is poised to benefit from innovations and improved consumer demand for healthy products. Investments in acquisitions, joint ventures and expansions are likely to fortify the prospects of the industry players. Continued investments in assets and technological capabilities to innovate and serve customers bode well for players like Archer Daniels Midland Company, Adecoagro S.A., Dole plc and Limoneira Co.However, higher investment costs and SG&A expenses continue to mar the profitability of the companies participating in the industry. Logistic and supply-chain issues, higher input costs, and elevated operational expenses have been affecting industry players for a while. Supply-chain concerns and commodity cost pressure have been affecting results.About the IndustryThe Zacks Agriculture – Operations industry comprises companies that produce or procure, transport, store, process, and distribute agricultural commodities to consumers. It also distributes ingredients to other parts of the agriculture industry (including clothing, animal feed, energy and industrial products). Some industry players engage in dairy operations, land transformation activities and the development of food ingredients using gene-editing technology.The industry encompasses production activities related to traditional farming of crops (like corn, soybean, wheat and cotton) and livestock and poultry products (including meat, dairy and eggs). The products are mainly sold at grocery stores or exported overseas. These are also used as feedstock for other industries. For example, cotton is used in the clothing industry and corn is used in the ethanol industry.Story continuesFactors Shaping the Future of Agriculture - Operations IndustryRobust Demand Trends for Organic Products: The industry has benefited from an organic movement prompted by consumers' increasing demand for healthier food. Agriculturists are adopting organic production techniques and curtailing the use of chemicals and pesticides. Innovations in food processing, improved grain-handling techniques, larger storage spaces and strong emerging market demand are conducive to the industry's growth.Healthy eating habits are likely to accelerate purchasing and consuming alternative proteins. Focus on nourishment and wellness is pushing microbiome solutions to the forefront. The companies have been investing in acquisitions and joint ventures to build top-notch ingredients and solutions for meeting the demand for healthy products.Agricultural Export Projections: Per the U.S. Department of Agriculture, agricultural export projections for fiscal 2023 (ending Sep 30, 2023) of $177.5 billion suggest a decline of $3.5 billion from the May forecast of a record $181 billion. The export forecasts have been affected by declines in commodity groups, including corn, wheat, and tree nut exports. Moreover, the agricultural export projections for fiscal 2024 are estimated at $172 billion, reflecting a further decline from the revised estimate for fiscal 2023. Lower exports of soybeans, soybean meal, and dairy products are expected to hurt agricultural exports in fiscal 2024.Elevated Costs: Industry participants have been witnessing higher costs due to rising raw material, freight and logistics costs, including constraints in labor and trucking resources, leading to higher lead times for deliveries. Supply-chain concerns and commodity cost pressure have been affecting the profitability of agricultural companies for a while. The companies have resorted to pricing strategies to counter rising raw material costs. The industry participants seek to counter the global supply-chain challenges by forming partnerships and distribution strategies. Despite the pricing strategies, supply-chain challenges and cost inflation are expected to continue hurting margins in the near term.Companies in the industry continue to face raised SG&A expenses due to higher performance-related compensation, project-related costs, commissions and variable compensation. The companies are also witnessing elevated costs for investments in technology and innovation to stay ahead of the race. Continued deleverage in SG&A expenses may continue to have a bearing on the profitability of companies.Zacks Industry Rank Indicates Bright ProspectsThe Zacks Agriculture – Operations industry is a 13-stock group within the broader Zacks Consumer Staples sector. The industry currently carries a Zacks Industry Rank #109, which places it in the top 44% of more than 250 Zacks industries.The group's Zacks Industry Rank, which is basically the average of the Zacks Rank of all the member stocks, indicates bright near-term prospects. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.The industry's positioning in the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries resulted from a positive aggregate earnings outlook for the constituent companies. Looking at the aggregate earnings estimate revisions, analysts are gradually gaining confidence in this group's earnings growth potential.Before we present a few stocks that you may want to consider for your portfolio, let's look at the industry's recent stock-market performance and valuation picture.Industry vs. Broader MarketIn a year, the Zacks Agriculture – Operations industry has underperformed the S&P 500 and the Zacks Consumer Staples sector.The stocks in the industry have collectively fallen 19.3% in a year against the growth of 13.5% for the Zacks S&P 500 composite. Meanwhile, the sector has declined 2.3% in the same period.Agriculture - Operations Industry's ValuationOn the basis of the forward 12-month price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, which is commonly used for valuing Consumer Staples stocks, the agriculture – Operations industry is currently trading at 11.75X compared with the S&P 500's 19.44X and the sector's 17.52X.Over the last five years, the industry has traded as high as 17.44X, as low as 10.52X and at the median of 14.44X.4 Agriculture Operations Stocks to Keep an Eye OnTwo Zacks Agriculture – Operations universe stocks currently sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 (Buy). Here, we suggest two other stocks with a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) from the same industry, which investors may hold on to. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Adecoagro: This Luxembourg-based agro-industrial company engages in farming crops and other agricultural products, dairy operations, sugar, ethanol and energy production, and land transformation activities in South America. The company benefits from high asset flexibility, which gives it a competitive advantage in the current uncertain market outlook. Its flexibility is reflected in its ability to increase the mix of anhydrous ethanol to benefit from its high prices and recovering demand. The company's Farming & Land Transformation businesses have been benefiting from consolidating the five-year plan investments made in Crops, Rice and Dairy businesses, along with its focus on efficiencies.The company's shares have rallied 31.4% in the past year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AGRO's 2023 earnings has increased 7.3% in the past 30 days to 88 cents per share. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company's 2023 sales and EPS suggests declines of 11.2% and 22.1%, respectively, from the year-ago period's reported figures. The company currently has a Zacks Rank #2.Dole: This Dublin, Ireland-based global leader in fresh produce is poised to benefit from improved logistical efficiencies in several areas, which brought increased stability to its core fruit business. The company's diverse sourcing network and advanced farming practices are likely to help overcome the potential weather challenges in various regions. The company benefited from a healthier supply and demand balance in the first half of 2023, which allowed a better pricing environment in Europe and much improved selling conditions in non-core markets.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Dole's 2023 earnings has increased 6.9% in the past 30 days. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its 2023 sales and earnings suggests a decline of 10.6% and 4.1%, respectively, from the year-ago period's reported figures. The company delivered an earnings surprise of 57.5%, on average, in the trailing four quarters. The DOLE stock has increased 28.7% in the past year. The company currently has a Zacks Rank #2.Archer Daniels: This Chicago, IL-based agricultural product company's leadership in critical global trends like flexitarian diets, nutrition and sustainable materials has contributed to its momentum. Its focus on investing in assets and technological capabilities to serve customers efficiently is likely to be a significant growth driver. Solid demand, improved productivity and product innovations have been driving growth. Its Readiness program, positive cash flow and solid performance at the Nutrition unit have been aiding the results. The company has been progressing well on its three strategic pillars — optimize, drive and growth.Management is optimistic about the company's 2022 results and envisions another year of solid earnings growth. It is poised to benefit from the robust performance of its Nutrition segment, owing to significant gains in the Human and Animal Nutrition units. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Archer Daniels' 2023 earnings has increased 0.8% in the past 30 days to $7.18 per share.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ADM's 2023 sales and earnings suggests a decline of 3.7% and 8.5%, respectively, from the year-ago period's reported figures. It delivered an earnings surprise of 22.4%, on average, in the trailing four quarters. The company has declined 9.6% in the past year. The company currently has a Zacks Rank #3.Limoneira: Santa Paula, CA-based Limoneira is a diversified citrus growing, packing, selling and marketing company with related agribusiness activities and real estate development operations. The company's strategic approach toward fresh utilization has resulted in robust sales of fresh lemons by its sales and marketing team. The company's avocado segment's sales are poised to benefit from robust pricing, which has almost doubled year over year. LMNR is on track with its new plan to expand One World of Citrus, increase its avocado plantings and strategically sell certain assets to increase cash flow in the near term dramatically.The company's shares have gained 25.2% in the past year. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for its fiscal 2023 sales suggests a decline of 7.1% from the year-ago period's reported figure. The loss estimate for fiscal 2023 of 15 cents implies a significant increase from a loss of 8 cents reported in the prior year. LMNR delivered a negative earnings surprise of 42.3%, on average, in the trailing four quarters. The company currently has a Zacks Rank #3.Why Haven't You Looked at Zacks' Top Stocks? Since 2000, our top stock-picking strategies have blown away the S&P's +6.2 average gain per year. Amazingly, they soared with average gains of +46.4%, +49.5% and +55.2% per year. Today you can access their live picks without cost or obligation.See Stocks Free >>Join us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ZacksInvestmentResearch/Zacks Investment Research is under common control with affiliated entities (including a broker-dealer and an investment adviser), which may engage in transactions involving the foregoing securities for the clients of such affiliates.Media ContactZacks Investment Research800-767-3771 ext. [email protected]://www.zacks.comPast performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance  for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportArcher Daniels Midland Company (ADM) : Free Stock Analysis ReportDole PLC (DOLE) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAdecoagro S.A. (AGRO) : Free Stock Analysis ReportLimoneira Co (LMNR) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

Zacks Industry Outlook Highlights Archer Daniels Midland, Adecoagro, Dole and Limoneira

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/zacks-industry-outlook-highlights-archer-123800666.html

42dafead-8a04-35fb-be51-3258ddeb6568

ADM

In this article, we take a look at the 15 largest biodiesel producers in the world. You can skip our detailed analysis of the biodiesel industry and go directly to the 5 Largest Biodiesel Producers in the World.The need for alternative fuels has contributed massively to the growth of the biodiesel industry. In 2022, the industry had a market size of $36.48 billion, predicted to grow to $79.12 billion by 2032, showcasing a CAGR of 8.1%, according to Precedence Research. The fuel sector alone contributed 79% of the total revenue, demonstrating how the transportation industry has been revolutionized with the advent of biodiesel. Out of all the sources that go into the production of this compound, vegetable oils made up 96.4% in 2022. The market is only expected to grow from here as the demand for biofuels replaces conventional fossil fuels, which are constantly being advocated against by environmental activists, and rightfully so. Not only is this type of fuel biodegradable, but it is also much more compatible with modern engines, which has led to its increased demand, specifically in the transport industry. Half of the market’s growth can be attributed to the demand for fuels that emit lower greenhouse gases, whereas the other half can be credited to increased government incentives and subsidies. Even though the automotive industry is growing more accustomed to biodiesel, that does not mean that the industry isn’t facing challenges of its own. Currently, the biggest hurdle for the biodiesel industry turns out to be its cost. The production costs for biodiesel are mainly determined by the expenses for feedstock oils, which are highly volatile. Currently, biodiesel sells a whopping 130% more expensive than fossil fuels, which is a barrier that needs to be crossed. The way out seems to be through government subsidies, which are currently upholding the industry. The most significant opportunity for the biodiesel industry’s growth is the depletion of fossil fuels, for which there is no other alternative yet. That, paired with the environmental benefits of the fuel and its compatibility with modern engines, will contribute significantly to the market in the coming years. Story continuesGlobally speaking, the EU is collectively the largest consumer of the market, but country-wise, it is the US. Renewable Energy Group is currently the largest biodiesel producer in the US, with five plants producing 432 million gallons annually. The company generated a revenue of $3.6 billion in 2022. Renewable Energy Group Inc has its headquarters in Iowa, from where it operates ten production plants nationwide.Archer-Daniels-Midland Co (NYSE:ADM) is another big corporation that has a long history of working with natural oils in the US and currently produces biodiesel from various vegetable oils. Archer-Daniels-Midland Co (NYSE:ADM) managed to raise $101.8 billion in revenue in 2022 alone. Archer-Daniels-Midland Co (NYSE:ADM) is further growing their biodiesel business and reported strong financial results in the subsector in the company's Q2, 2023 earnings call. The CEO, Juan Luciano, the CEO of ADM said the following: "Biofuels demand continues to remain strong. Through the first half of the year, we saw robust margins from biodiesel, strong demand for ethanol and an increasing demand for vegetable oil from renewable green diesel and we expect this trends to continue in the second half. Our Spiritwood, North Dakota processing facilities is scheduled to start up in Q4, adding 1.5 million metric tons of annual soy crush capacity to our portfolio and producing low carbon intensity soybean oil for our JV partner Marathon’s nearby renewable diesel facility."It’s players like these that have helped the US achieve its status as one of the biggest producers as well as consumers in the global biodiesel industry. The biodiesel industry's growth is not just limited to Western players; countries in the Asia-Pacific, like India, China, Thailand, and Indonesia, are also emerging as significant players, with Indonesia bagging first place in the list of the largest biodiesel producers in the world. 15 Largest Biodiesel Producers in the WorldKYTan/shutterstock.comMethodology To curate this list of the largest biodiesel producers in the world, we have compiled data from the United States Department of Agriculture: Foreign Agricultural Services, Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN), and Biodiesel Magazine. The rankings have been set based on the number of gallons the countries produced or were estimated to produce in the year 2022. For countries that did not have recent data available, data from 2017 was utilized. Based on these numbers, here is the list of the 15 largest biodiesel producers in the world currently: 15. India Biodiesel production in 2022: 48 million gallonsIndia comes in fifteenth place in this list of the largest biodiesel producers in the world, but its numbers are still impressive when compared with other countries in the region. As of the year 2021, the Indian government has claimed that it has a biofuel blending rate of 8.1%, which includes both biodiesel and ethanol. India is currently relying mainly on Jatropha for the production of biodiesel, which is low in yield as of yet. This is causing a significant hurdle that keeps biodiesel production in the country from going higher. 14. NetherlandsBiodiesel production in 2017: 105 million gallonsThe Netherlands has shown significant promise in terms of biodiesel production, with efforts coming in from both the government as well as the private sector. In 2022, Argent Energy, a biofuel producer, expanded its biodiesel production capacity in the Port of Netherlands. The promises set forth by the company were in line with the broader Dutch coalition agreement’s plans around clean mobility. 13. MalaysiaBiodiesel production in 2017: 124 million gallons One of the reasons why Malaysia isn’t reaching a higher place when it comes to the largest biodiesel producers in the world is because it’s not fully utilizing the capacity that it has. In 2022, the country had a total of 22 biodiesel plants, but only 19 were in operation. The 22 plants had a combined capacity of 3,044,583 tons per year, but due to the non-usage of three of these plants, only 998,862 tons were produced. 12. CanadaBiodiesel production in 2017: 132 million gallonsCanada was doing quite well for itself in 2017 in terms of biodiesel production, but the numbers have dwindled since then. The pandemic-related lockdowns of 2020 led to reduced use of transportation and, hence, a decrease in the demand for fuels. As the domestic market size dropped, so did production numbers immensely. This offset a downward chart for the country that it has not yet managed to recover from. 11. Colombia Biodiesel production in 2022: 184 million gallons (Estimated)Colombia is also one of the countries that have witnessed a decrease in their biodiesel production in 2022. This decrease resulted from adverse weather conditions and the government lowering the biodiesel blend mandate to B10. However, the numbers are expected to increase gradually in 2023, with the production capacity predicted to rise to 206 million gallons. This will bring about a slow improvement in the economy, which will be much appreciated after a year of decreased economic activity. 10. Poland Biodiesel production in 2017: 264 million gallonsRapeseed is the primary source of biodiesel production in Poland, which has been impacted by the Russia-Ukraine war. Due to the economic impacts of the conflict, rapeseed prices have increased, leading to an effect on the production of biodiesel. The production of biodiesel in the country has also led to the creation of competition between the national food, fodder, and petrol industries. It can be said that Poland's wider industrial environment is highly affected by the biodiesel industry. 9. ThailandBiodiesel production in 2022: 351 million gallons (Estimated)Thailand has had 13 biodiesel plants since the year 2020, which are producing more biodiesel than the country demands. The rest of the fuel is exported, with the estimated number for 2022 being 17 million gallons. The slow economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic has also impacted Thailand’s biodiesel industry, with both production and consumption rates still dropping. 8. SpainBiodiesel production in 2022: 356 million gallons (Estimated)Spain is the third largest biodiesel producer in the EU and eighth on the list of the largest biodiesel producers in the whole world. According to the 2015 biofuel law, Spain’s consumption and sales mandate for biofuels is set to rise by 0.5% in 2023. Major industry players like Repsol are taking significant initiatives, such as setting up new plants, for a shift to advanced biofuels.7. FranceBiodiesel production in 2022: 544 million gallons (Estimated)France had already begun blending fuels in the early 2000s when many other countries were still behind on the concept. The demand has only kept increasing, with production capacity eventually rising higher than the required amount. Avril, the country’s largest producer of biodiesel, has launched biodiesel fuel specifically aimed at fleet trucks after its initial success with cars. 6. ArgentinaBiodiesel production in 2022: 554 million gallons (Estimated)Not far from France in the list of the largest biodiesel producers in the world, Argentina has increased its biodiesel mandate in an attempt to conserve foreign exchange. The country’s largest source of biodiesel is soybean oil, the supplies for which were expected to tighten as a result of the increased mandates. Increasing internal mandates will allow the country to achieve less reliance on fuel imports, which were quite significant up until 2022. Click to continue reading and see the 5 largest biodiesel producers in the world.Suggested Articles:11 Most Undervalued Biotech Stocks to Buy According to Analysts15 Largest Exporters of Refined Petroleum10 Best Fuel Stocks to Buy NowDisclosure: None. 15 largest biodiesel producers in the world is originally published on Insider Monkey.

Insider Monkey

15 Largest Biodiesel Producers in the World

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/15-largest-biodiesel-producers-world-103636345.html

65a2c0a5-eca1-35e2-b466-507ddd1927b4

ADMA

The company, which focuses on infectious diseases, reported its second-quarter earnings on Wednesday after the markets closed.Continue reading

Motley Fool

Why Shares of ADMA Biologics Are Climbing Thursday

https://finance.yahoo.com/m/7f3330d4-2daa-3306-a957-fd20df80571a/why-shares-of-adma-biologics.html

7f3330d4-2daa-3306-a957-fd20df80571a

ADMA

Key InsightsSignificantly high institutional ownership implies ADMA Biologics' stock price is sensitive to their trading actionsThe top 16 shareholders own 51% of the company Insiders have been selling lately To get a sense of who is truly in control of ADMA Biologics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADMA), it is important to understand the ownership structure of the business. And the group that holds the biggest piece of the pie are institutions with 71% ownership. That is, the group stands to benefit the most if the stock rises (or lose the most if there is a downturn).And last week, institutional investors ended up benefitting the most after the company hit US$879m in market cap. The one-year return on investment is currently 40% and last week's gain would have been more than welcomed.Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about ADMA Biologics. View our latest analysis for ADMA Biologics ownership-breakdownWhat Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About ADMA Biologics?Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices.ADMA Biologics already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This can indicate that the company has a certain degree of credibility in the investment community. However, it is best to be wary of relying on the supposed validation that comes with institutional investors. They too, get it wrong sometimes. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see ADMA Biologics' historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.earnings-and-revenue-growthSince institutional investors own more than half the issued stock, the board will likely have to pay attention to their preferences. Hedge funds don't have many shares in ADMA Biologics. BlackRock, Inc. is currently the largest shareholder, with 7.3% of shares outstanding. The Vanguard Group, Inc. is the second largest shareholder owning 5.5% of common stock, and Perceptive Advisors LLC holds about 5.3% of the company stock. Additionally, the company's CEO Adam Grossman directly holds 1.2% of the total shares outstanding.Story continuesLooking at the shareholder registry, we can see that 51% of the ownership is controlled by the top 16 shareholders, meaning that no single shareholder has a majority interest in the ownership.Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.Insider Ownership Of ADMA BiologicsThe definition of an insider can differ slightly between different countries, but members of the board of directors always count. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO.Insider ownership is positive when it signals leadership are thinking like the true owners of the company. However, high insider ownership can also give immense power to a small group within the company. This can be negative in some circumstances.We can see that insiders own shares in ADMA Biologics, Inc.. It has a market capitalization of just US$879m, and insiders have US$16m worth of shares, in their own names. Some would say this shows alignment of interests between shareholders and the board. But it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling. General Public OwnershipWith a 22% ownership, the general public, mostly comprising of individual investors, have some degree of sway over ADMA Biologics. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run.Private Equity OwnershipPrivate equity firms hold a 5.3% stake in ADMA Biologics. This suggests they can be influential in key policy decisions. Sometimes we see private equity stick around for the long term, but generally speaking they have a shorter investment horizon and -- as the name suggests -- don't invest in public companies much. After some time they may look to sell and redeploy capital elsewhere.Next Steps:While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. For instance, we've identified 2 warning signs for ADMA Biologics that you should be aware of.But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future.NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Simply Wall St.

Institutional investors are ADMA Biologics, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:ADMA) biggest bettors and were rewarded after last week's US$56m market cap gain

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/institutional-investors-adma-biologics-inc-164314213.html

931c9c22-1555-3740-9325-310186088f13

ADP

Analysing ADP's Dividend Yield, Growth, and SustainabilityAutomatic Data Processing Inc(NASDAQ:ADP) recently announced a dividend of $1.25 per share, payable on 2023-10-01, with the ex-dividend date set for 2023-09-07. As investors look forward to this upcoming payment, the spotlight also shines on the company's dividend history, yield, and growth rates. Using the data from GuruFocus, let's deep dive into Automatic Data Processing Inc's dividend performance and assess its sustainability.What Does Automatic Data Processing Inc Do?Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Sign with ADP. Click here to check it out. High Yield Dividend Stocks in Gurus' PortfolioThis Powerful Chart Made Peter Lynch 29% A Year For 13 YearsHow to calculate the intrinsic value of a stock?ADP is a provider of payroll and human capital management solutions servicing the full scope of businesses from micro to global enterprises. ADP was established in 1949 and serves over 1 million clients primarily in the United States. ADP's employer services segment offers payroll, human capital management solutions, human resources outsourcing, insurance and retirement services. The smaller but faster-growing professional employer organization segment provides HR outsourcing solutions to small and midsize businesses through a co-employment model.Unpacking Automatic Data Processing Inc's Dividend PerformanceA Glimpse at Automatic Data Processing Inc's Dividend HistoryAutomatic Data Processing Inc has maintained a consistent dividend payment record since 1975. Dividends are currently distributed on a quarterly basis. Automatic Data Processing Inc has increased its dividend each year since 1975. The stock is thus listed as a dividend aristocrat, an honor that is given to companies that have increased their dividend each year for at least the past 48 years.Unpacking Automatic Data Processing Inc's Dividend PerformanceBreaking Down Automatic Data Processing Inc's Dividend Yield and GrowthAs of today, Automatic Data Processing Inc currently has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 1.88% and a 12-month forward dividend yield of 1.97%. This suggests an expectation of increased dividend payments over the next 12 months.Story continuesOver the past three years, Automatic Data Processing Inc's annual dividend growth rate was 10.80%. Extended to a five-year horizon, this rate increased to 12.40% per year. And over the past decade, Automatic Data Processing Inc's annual dividends per share growth rate stands at an impressive 11.10%.Based on Automatic Data Processing Inc's dividend yield and five-year growth rate, the 5-year yield on cost of Automatic Data Processing Inc stock as of today is approximately 3.37%.Unpacking Automatic Data Processing Inc's Dividend PerformanceThe Sustainability Question: Payout Ratio and ProfitabilityTo assess the sustainability of the dividend, one needs to evaluate the company's payout ratio. The dividend payout ratio provides insights into the portion of earnings the company distributes as dividends. A lower ratio suggests that the company retains a significant part of its earnings, thereby ensuring the availability of funds for future growth and unexpected downturns. As of 2023-06-30, Automatic Data Processing Inc's dividend payout ratio is 0.58.Automatic Data Processing Inc's profitability rank, offers an understanding of the company's earnings prowess relative to its peers. GuruFocus ranks Automatic Data Processing Inc's profitability 9 out of 10 as of 2023-06-30, suggesting good profitability prospects. The company has reported positive net income for each of year over the past decade, further solidifying its high profitability.Growth Metrics: The Future OutlookTo ensure the sustainability of dividends, a company must have robust growth metrics. Automatic Data Processing Inc's growth rank of 9 out of 10 suggests that the company's growth trajectory is good relative to its competitors.Revenue is the lifeblood of any company, and Automatic Data Processing Inc's revenue per share, combined with the 3-year revenue growth rate, indicates a strong revenue model. Automatic Data Processing Inc's revenue has increased by approximately 8.40% per year on average, a rate that outperforms than approximately 62.41% of global competitors.The company's 3-year EPS growth rate showcases its capability to grow its earnings, a critical component for sustaining dividends in the long run. During the past three years, Automatic Data Processing Inc's earnings increased by approximately 12.90% per year on average, a rate that outperforms than approximately 52.39% of global competitors.Lastly, the company's 5-year EBITDA growth rate of 12.80%, which outperforms than approximately 60.65% of global competitors.ConclusionGiven Automatic Data Processing Inc's consistent dividend payments, impressive dividend growth rate, sustainable payout ratio, high profitability, and solid growth metrics, the company presents a promising investment for those seeking stable dividend returns. As always, investors are encouraged to conduct their own comprehensive analysis before making investment decisions.GuruFocus Premium users can screen for high-dividend yield stocks using the High Dividend Yield Screener.This article first appeared on GuruFocus.

GuruFocus.com

Unpacking Automatic Data Processing Inc's Dividend Performance

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/unpacking-automatic-data-processing-incs-110306988.html

21a6913e-a9bb-3a40-9f29-42d49b5fe8d7

ADP

The Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell in his speech at the Jackson Hole Annual Policy Symposium last month said that more rate hikes are required as inflation remains elevated and a lot higher than the central bank’s target of 2%.However, a series of negative economic data released over the final week of August has raised fresh hopes that signs of a softening economy may prompt the Fed to keep interest rates unaltered in its upcoming September FOMC meeting.The Fed remained concerned that despite its aggressive interest rate hikes over the past year, the labor market remained resilient, which has been posing a barrier in its fight to curb multi-year high inflation.However, recently released data shows that both job additions and job openings in the United States have been narrowing. According to The ADP ADP National Employment Report, private payrolls increased by 177,000 in August, sharply lower than the July figures of 371,000.This came a day after the JOLTS report showed that job openings fell to 8.8 million in July, lower than the consensus estimate of 9.5 million.Additionally, the Labor Department said that the unemployment level jumped to 3.8% month over month in July, sharply higher than the rate of 3.5% in June.Understandably, the labor market is finally cooling. The Fed’s monetary tightening campaign is finally bearing fruit. Inflation has sharply declined from its peak of 9.1% in June 2021. The Fed has increased interest rates by 525 basis points since March 2022 to take its benchmark rate to the range of 5.25%-5.5%.The signs of a softening economy have once again raised hopes that the Fed might pause its interest rate hikes soon. This bodes well for growth assets like tech companies, which are poised to gain from lower borrowing costs.This is because higher interest rates can create challenges for tech companies by constraining their future cash flow, which in turn affects their capacity to invest in innovation and limits their potential for growth.Story continuesWhen interest rates increase, it becomes more costly for tech firms to borrow money, resulting in higher cash outflows and increased financial difficulties.3 Best ChoicesWe have selected three mutual funds with significant exposure to the tech sector. The funds carry either a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) and are poised to gain from the above factors. Moreover, these funds have encouraging three and five-year returns. Additionally, the minimum initial investment is within $5000.We expect these funds to outperform their peers in the future. Remember, the goal of the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank is to guide investors in identifying potential winners and losers. Unlike most fund-rating systems, the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank is not just focused on past performance but also the likely future success of the fund.The question here is: why should investors consider mutual funds? Reduced transaction costs and diversification of portfolio without several commission charges that are associated with stock purchases are primarily why one should be parking money in mutual funds (read more: Mutual Funds: Advantages, Disadvantages, and How They Make Investors Money).Fidelity Select Technology FSPTX fund seeks capital appreciation. Normally, FSPTX invests at least 80% of its assets in common stocks of companies principally engaged in offering, using, or developing products, processes, or services that will provide or will benefit significantly from technological advances and improvements.Fidelity Select Technology fund has a history of positive total returns for more than 10 years. Specifically, FSPTX has returned nearly 14.3% and 18.9% over the past three and five-year periods, respectively. Fidelity Select Technology fund has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 and an annual expense ratio of 0.70%, which is below the category average of 1.05%.To see how this fund performed compared to its category, and other 1 and 2 Ranked Mutual Funds, please click here.Red Oak Technology Select ROGSX fund seeks long-term capital growth by investing primarily in stocks of companies that rely extensively on technology in their product development or operations, or which may be experiencing growth in sales and earnings driven by technology-related products and services. ROGSX primarily invests in technology companies that develop, produce, or distribute products or services related to computers, semiconductors and electronics.Red Oak Technology Select fund has a history of positive total returns for more than 10 years. Specifically, ROGSX has returned nearly 9.8% and 12.5% over the past three and five-year periods, respectively. Red Oak Technology Select fund has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #2 and an annual expense ratio of 0.92%, which is below the category average of 1.05%.To see how this fund performed compared to its category, and other 1 and 2 Ranked Mutual Funds, please click here.DWS Science and Technology A KTCAX fund seeks growth of capital. Under normal circumstances, KTCAX invests at least 80% of net assets in common stocks of U.S. companies in the technology sector. For the fund's 80% investment policy, companies in the technology sector must commit at least half of their assets to the technology sector or derive at least half of their revenues or net income from that sector.DWS Science and Technology A fund has a history of positive total returns for more than 10 years. Specifically, KTCAX has returned nearly 10% and 15.5% over the past three and five-year periods, respectively. DWS Science and Technology A fund has a Zacks Mutual Fund Rank #1 and an annual expense ratio of 0.69%, which is below the category average of 1.05%.To see how this fund performed compared to its category, and other 1 and 2 Ranked Mutual Funds, please click here.Want key mutual fund info delivered straight to your inbox?Zacks' free Fund Newsletter will brief you on top news and analysis, as well as top-performing mutual funds, each week. Get it free >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportAutomatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP) : Free Stock Analysis ReportGet Your Free (FSPTX): Fund Analysis ReportGet Your Free (ROGSX): Fund Analysis ReportGet Your Free (KTCAX): Fund Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

3 Solid Tech Funds to Buy as Interest Rate Hike Fears Wane

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/3-solid-tech-funds-buy-134900168.html

6e5d8306-bd71-3629-afc4-cec76a005406

ADPT

Investing in biotech stocks is challenging even when you’re investing in established companies with commercially available drugs and expansive pipelines. And investing in up-and-coming biotech stocks is only for the most risk-tolerant investors.  When investing in the biotech sector, you’re speculating on future outcomes rather than a company’s financial performance. That’s because in many cases, these up-and-comers are long on potential but short on revenue and – more importantly – profit. And as anyone who’s invested in this sector knows, these stocks can have wild price swings based on news updates. Nevertheless, history makes clear that investing in companies before they make a breakthrough can be a way to generate market-beating returns. In many cases, this is where investors can find their 2x, 5x, or even 10x opportunities. InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsThat’s not what I’m promising you in this article. But some intriguing up-and-coming biotech stocks may be ready to break out. That means if you have a long-term outlook, now is the time to initiate or add to, an existing position.  Iovance Biotherapeutics (IOVA) Photo of test tubes and droplet with purple and reddish-orange sunset visual effect, representing biotechSource: shutterstock.com/Romix ImageIovance Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ:IOVA) is attempting to develop immunotherapy products that can harness the power of a patient’s immune system to identify and eliminate cancer cells. The clinical-stage company’s lead candidate, lifileucel, focuses on metastatic melanoma and cervical cancer.  This small-cap company has a market cap of just over $1.5 billion. It is not profitable and is only generating the slightest of revenue. Furthermore, the company recently announced a 20 million share offering at $7.50 per share. The company plans to use the $150 million from the offering to push lifileucel across the finish line.  Generally speaking, analysts don’t look favorably at shareholder dilution. However, since the company reported earnings in August 2023, analysts remain bullish on IOVA stock, with 12 out of 13 analysts giving IOVA stock a Strong Buy or Buy rating with a consensus price target of $24.55, which is 299% above its price of $6.15 as of this writing.  Story continuesAmylyx Pharmaceuticals (AMLX) Biotechnology stocks, biomedical stocksSource: aslysun / Shutterstock.comAmylyx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:AMLX) is next on this list of up-and-coming biotech stocks to buy and hold. Amylyx is focused on discovering and developing treatments for neurogenerative diseases including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).  The reward, and potential risk, involved with Amylyx centers around its ALS drug Relyvrio, which received FDA approval in 2022. The drug also received conditional approval in Canada. Both approvals could be in jeopardy pending the results of Phase 3 clinical trial results.  It’s hard to understate how significant these results will be. Prior to the conditional approvals, Amylyx was a pre-revenue company. However, the company generated over $71 million in revenue in its most recent quarter and turned a profit.  This uncertainty contributes to the high amount of short interest on AMLX stock. It’s currently over 17% and is weighing on the stock, which is down 40% in 2023 despite encouraging financials. However, despite not being widely covered, all six analysts that offer ratings give the stock a Strong Buy with a $47.40 price target. That’s 116% higher than the stock’s price as of the market close on August 25, 2023. Adaptive Biotechnologies (ADPT) OLK Stock. Modern Medical Research Laboratory: Two Scientists Wearing Face Masks use Microscope, Analyse Sample in Petri Dish, Talk. Advanced Scientific Lab for Medicine, Biotechnology. Blue Color. KZR stock. RSLS stockSource: Gorodenkoff / Shutterstock.comAdaptive Biotechnologies (NASDAQ:ADPT) is the last of the up-and-coming biotech stocks on this list. The company is a pioneer in the field of customizable medicine.  The theory behind the science is that some medicines are highly effective with one patient, but potentially lethal in others. Therefore, finding solutions that harness our body’s unique immune system is the key to finding “custom” medicine.  Adaptive has a commercially available product, clonoSeq, that can track traces of leukemia that may remain in a patient after chemotherapy. The company also has a partnership with Roche Group (OTCMKTS:RHHBY) which is helping the company build a pipeline of T-cell therapies for cancer and other diseases.  Cathie Wood’s ARK Genomic Revolution ETF (BATS:ARKG) initiated a position in ADPT stock in 2022 for those investors to whom it would matter. Today, the fund holds over 11 million shares and is currently the 10th largest holding in the ETF.  On the date of publication, Chris Markoch did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines. Chris Markoch is a freelance financial copywriter who has been covering the market for over five years. He has been writing for InvestorPlace since 2019.More From InvestorPlaceMusk’s “Project Omega” May Be Set to Mint New Millionaires. Here’s How to Get In.ChatGPT IPO Could Shock the World, Make This Move Before the AnnouncementIt doesn’t matter if you have $500 or $5 million. Do this now.The post 3 Up-and-Coming Biotech Stocks to Put on Your Must-Buy List appeared first on InvestorPlace.

InvestorPlace

3 Up-and-Coming Biotech Stocks to Put on Your Must-Buy List

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/3-coming-biotech-stocks-put-035359006.html

d4afbe57-b689-3f62-b95b-606fdabd6385

ADPT

Adaptive BiotechnologiesSEATTLE, Aug. 30, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation (“Adaptive Biotechnologies”) (Nasdaq: ADPT), a commercial stage biotechnology company that aims to translate the genetics of the adaptive immune system into clinical products to diagnose and treat disease, today announced it will be participating in the upcoming Morgan Stanley 21st Annual Global Healthcare Conference in New York, New YorkAdaptive Biotechnologies’ management is scheduled to participate in a fireside chat on Wednesday, September 13th at 1:35 p.m. Eastern Time. Interested parties may access a live and archived webcast of the presentation on the “Investors” section of the company website at: www.adaptivebiotech.com.About Adaptive BiotechnologiesAdaptive Biotechnologies (“we” or “our”) is a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on harnessing the inherent biology of the adaptive immune system to transform the diagnosis and treatment of disease. We believe the adaptive immune system is nature’s most finely tuned diagnostic and therapeutic for most diseases, but the inability to decode it has prevented the medical community from fully leveraging its capabilities. Our proprietary immune medicine platform reveals and translates the massive genetics of the adaptive immune system with scale, precision and speed. We apply our platform to partner with biopharmaceutical companies, inform drug development, and develop clinical diagnostics across our two business areas: Minimal Residual Disease (MRD) and Immune Medicine. Our commercial products and clinical pipeline enable the diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment of diseases such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases. Our goal is to develop and commercialize immune-driven clinical products tailored to each individual patient.ADAPTIVE INVESTORSKarina Calzadilla, Vice President, Investor [email protected] MEDIAErica Jones, Associate Corporate Communications [email protected]

GlobeNewswire

Adaptive Biotechnologies to Participate in the Morgan Stanley 21st Annual Global Healthcare Conference

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/adaptive-biotechnologies-participate-morgan-stanley-203000314.html

01155911-1256-3002-956e-c6f7b37b104e

ADSK

In this article, we discuss long-term returns of Scott Ferguson's activist targets. If you want to see more stocks in this selection, check out Long Term Returns of Scott Ferguson's 5 Activist Targets.Scott Ferguson is a portfolio manager who has perfected the art of leveraging value-oriented strategies to reap substantial returns while investing. A protégé of renowned activist investor Bill Ackman, Ferguson has risen up the ranks to become one of the most respected value-oriented investors on Wall Street. The founder and managing partner at Sachem Head Capital specializes in investing in undervalued and underperforming companies.Founded in 2012, Sachem Head Capital had about $3.9 billion in assets under management as of the beginning of 2023 and has been one of the best-performing hedge funds with a portfolio gain of 102.14%.Ferguson has made a name for himself as an aggressive, active investor focused on pursuing strategic initiatives to unlock underlying value. The hedge fund manager often seeks board representation, influence, and operational improvements in companies he gets involved in. He is also on record calling for capital allocation changes and pushing for mergers and acquisitions if they have the potential to unlock hidden value.Long Term Returns of Scott Ferguson's Activist TargetsOur MethodologyFerguson has been engaged in various proxy battles with multiple companies' boards, all in the effort of unlocking value. We have analyzed some of the biggest plays and strategies the activist investor pursued to unlock shareholder value.Long-Term Returns of Scott Ferguson Activist Targets13. CDK Global Inc (NASDAQ:CDK)Activist Investment: 2014 Long Term Returns Since Ferguson's Investment: 58% S&P 500 Gain Since Ferguson's Investment: 130%CDK Global Inc. (NASDAQ:CDK) is a leading retail technology provider and software as service solutions. The company offers solutions that help dealers and auto manufacturers run their businesses more efficiently to drive profitability and create frictionless purchasing. In 2014, Sachem Head Capital took out a 7.88% stake in the company, insisting that the stock was undervalued and was an attractive investment.Story continuesThe activist investor also reiterated it planned to hold discussions with the board of directors and stockholders on issues including governance and board composition. It also planned to discuss management operations capitalization and financial condition.12. Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) Activist Investment: 2014 Long Term Returns Since Ferguson's Investment: 64% S&P 500 Gain Since Ferguson's Investment: 16%Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) is a leading player in the drug manufacturing industry, specializing in discovering, manufacturing, and commercializing animal health medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic products. The company commercializes products across species, including livestock, cattle, swine, poultry, fish, sheep, etc.In 2014, Sachem Head Capital teamed up with Pershing Square Capital Management, headed by Bill Ackman, to acquire an 8.5% stake in Zoetis. The investment came from the strong belief that the company had a strong product portfolio and a significant market opportunity but needed to cut costs and explore strategic alternatives.Following the investment, the two activist investors nominated four directors for the company's board. In addition, the company agreed to cut $500 million in operating costs and increased its share buyback authorization following mounting pressure from activist investors. Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) also agreed to review its business portfolio.In 2016, Zoetis confirmed it had achieved its cost-cutting targets ahead of schedule and would continue to invest in growth. Nevertheless, Zoetis Inc. (NYSE:ZTS) decided to retain its core business of livestock and animal health.11. Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK) Activist Investment: 2015 Long Term Returns Since Ferguson's Investment: 40% S&P 500 Gain Since Ferguson's Investment: 7.8%Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK) is a company that provides 3D design, engineering, and entertainment technology solutions. The company is best known for offering AutoCAD Civil, a surveying design analysis and documentation solution for civil engineering. In 2015, the company was targeted by activist investor Ferguson, who acquired a 5.7% stake.10. Whitbread plc (LSE:WTB.L)Activist Investment: 2017 Long Term Returns Since Ferguson's Investment: 3.2% S&P 500 Gain Since Ferguson's Investment: 96.3%Whitbread is a British company that operates hotels and restaurants worldwide. It operates restaurants under the Brewers Fayre Beefeater, Cookhouse & Pub, and Bar+Block Steakhouse brands. The stock jumped the most in more than eight years after Sachem Head Capital took a 3.4% stake in the company.With Sachem Head Capital, speculation was rife that the company would be forced to pursue strategic alternatives to unlock shareholders' value. Top on the list was the sale of Costa Coffee and the leaseback of assets.The company would bow to pressure and announced that it would pursue the spinoff of its Costa Coffee unit in 2018, therefore providing investors with investments in two distinct businesses. The breakup of the Costa Coffee unit from the hotels and restaurant business was seen as one of the best options for boosting the value of the individual businesses.9. 2U, Inc. (NASDAQ:TWOU)Activist Investment: 2019 Long Term Returns Since Ferguson's Investment: -65% S&P 500 Gain Since Ferguson's Investment: -4.24%2U, Inc. (NASDAQ:TWOU) is an online education platform that operates through Degree Programs and Alternative Credential segments. It provides colleges and universities with technology and services that allow them to offer degree programs online. Sachem Head Capital started building a position in the education software provider in 2019.With the investment, the activist investor started pushing the company to explore strategic alternatives, including a complete sale. The hedge fund insisted that the company, which helps universities launch online master's degree programs, would be a perfect takeover target of private equity firms or other education technology companies.Despite facing governance issues, Sachem Head believed the company was a top provider in the space with a high-quality portfolio of academic partners, including Yale University. The activist investor exited its position in 2U, Inc. (NASDAQ:TWOU) in 2020.8. Instructure Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:INST)Activist Investment: 2019 Long Term Returns Since Ferguson's Investment: 22.5% S&P 500 Gain Since Ferguson's Investment: 20%Instructure Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:INST) is an education software company specializing in delivering dynamic learning experiences to students across the globe. It operates as an education technology company focused on elevating student success. The company was the subject of activist investor pressure in 2019 after Ferguson, through Sachem Head Capital, confirmed a 7% stake in the company and confirmed plans to push for strategic alternatives, including the sale of the business.The activist investor hedge fund, which had been accumulating stakes in the company, pushed for a full sale process seen as the only way of unlocking value at the time. The hedge fund believed Instructure Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:INST) could generate interest among private equity and publicly traded companies.The company behind the Canvas learning management software, which is widely used by schools and colleges, went private in 2020 after a $2 billion deal with Thoma Bravo, a private equity firm.7. Eagle Materials Inc. (NYSE:EXP)Activist Investment: 2019 Long Term Returns Since Ferguson's Investment: 173% S&P 500 Gain Since Ferguson's Investment: 72%Eagle Materials Inc. (NYSE:EXP) is a leading manufacturer of basic construction materials used for residential, commercial infrastructure, and energy applications. It operates under four segments: of Cement Concrete Gypsum Wallboard and Recycled Paperboard. Sachem Head Capital took a 9% stake in the company in 2019 and consequently nominated two directors to the board.6. Olin Corporation (NYSE:OLN) Activist Investment: 2020 Long Term Returns Since Ferguson's Investment: 292% S&P 500 Gain Since Ferguson's Investment: 78.81%Olin Corporation (NYSE:OLN) is a company engaged in the manufacturing and distributing chemical products and ammunition. Its chemical products include chlorine, caustic soda epoxy, hydrochloric acid, and bleach. Activist investment firm Sachem Head Capital started building positions in the company in 2020 and outlined plans to nominate four directors. In regulatory filings, it revealed owning 14.95 million shares or a 9.4% stake in the company.In addition, Ferguson said they are focused on engaging management and shareholders on issues related to business management, operations, assets capitalization, and financial condition. The activist investor also planned to explore strategic plans and board composition. Ferguson got a seat on the board and engineered the appointment of a new CEO, Scott Sutton, who helped turn around Olin Corporation (NYSE:OLN)'s fortunes.Ferguson resigned from the board at the end of 2022, insisting he had served with a talented management team and navigated COVID successfully. He touted his tenure on the board as a great success with remarkable turnaround and creating extraordinary value for shareholders. Click to continue reading and see Long Term Returns of Scott Ferguson's 5 Activist Targets. Suggested articles:12 States With The Largest Refining CapacityGoldman Sachs Defense Stocks: Top 10 Stock Picks15 Countries That Produce the Most E-waste in the WorldDisclosure: None. Long-Term Returns of Scott Ferguson Activist Targets is originally published on Insider Monkey.

Insider Monkey

Long-Term Returns of Scott Ferguson Activist Targets

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/long-term-returns-scott-ferguson-110104603.html

456690d4-650f-3589-876a-be6bfe6c372d

ADSK

Over the past year, many Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADSK) insiders sold a significant stake in the company which may have piqued investors' interest. When analyzing insider transactions, it is usually more valuable to know whether insiders are buying versus knowing if they are selling, as the latter sends an ambiguous message. However, shareholders should take a deeper look if several insiders are selling stock over a specific time period.Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. Check out our latest analysis for Autodesk The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At AutodeskIn fact, the recent sale by Andrew Anagnost was the biggest sale of Autodesk shares made by an insider individual in the last twelve months, according to our records. That means that an insider was selling shares at around the current price of US$219. While we don't usually like to see insider selling, it's more concerning if the sales take place at a lower price. Given that the sale took place at around current prices, it makes us a little cautious but is hardly a major concern.Autodesk insiders didn't buy any shares over the last year. You can see the insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year depicted in the chart below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!insider-trading-volumeIf you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).Autodesk Insiders Are Selling The StockOver the last three months, we've seen significant insider selling at Autodesk. In total, insiders dumped US$6.1m worth of shares in that time, and we didn't record any purchases whatsoever. Overall this makes us a bit cautious, but it's not the be all and end all.Insider OwnershipI like to look at how many shares insiders own in a company, to help inform my view of how aligned they are with insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Autodesk insiders own about US$64m worth of shares. That equates to 0.1% of the company. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment.Story continuesSo What Does This Data Suggest About Autodesk Insiders?Insiders sold stock recently, but they haven't been buying. And even if we look at the last year, we didn't see any purchases. But it is good to see that Autodesk is growing earnings. While insiders do own shares, they don't own a heap, and they have been selling. We're in no rush to buy! So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. To assist with this, we've discovered 1 warning sign that you should run your eye over to get a better picture of Autodesk.If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt.For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests.Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Simply Wall St.

Possible Bearish Signals With Autodesk Insiders Disposing Stock

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/possible-bearish-signals-autodesk-insiders-120049431.html

08be9f4d-553f-3ff8-b1b4-494ac07468fd

ADT

Ariel Investments, an investment management company, released its “Ariel Small Cap Value Strategy” second-quarter 2023 investor letter. A copy of the same can be downloaded here. Global markets continued their upward trend in the second quarter, exceeding expectations. Meanwhile US economy continues to show signs of economic slowdown as tighter credit conditions weigh on consumers and business confidence. Against this backdrop, the fund advanced +5.19% gross of fees (+4.93% net of fees) in the second quarter, ahead of the Russell 2000 Value Index’s +3.18% gain and relatively in line with the Russell 2000 Index’s +5.21% return. In addition, you can check the top 5 holdings of the fund to know its best picks in 2023.Ariel Small Cap Value Strategy highlighted stocks like ADT Inc. (NYSE:ADT) in the second quarter 2023 investor letter. Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, ADT Inc. (NYSE:ADT) offers security, automation, and smart home solutions. On September 6, 2023, ADT Inc. (NYSE:ADT) stock closed at $6.02 per share. One-month return of ADT Inc. (NYSE:ADT) was -10.28%, and its shares lost 26.50% of their value over the last 52 weeks. ADT Inc. (NYSE:ADT) has a market capitalization of $5.546 billion.Ariel Small Cap Value Strategy made the following comment about ADT Inc. (NYSE:ADT) in its Q2 2023 investor letter:"Lastly, shares of leading provider of automated security solutions ADT Inc. (NYSE:ADT), declined following mixed earnings results. Solid momentum in the Commercial and Consumer Security business was offset by softness in the Solar segment due to operational challenges from changing panel suppliers and weaker sales. Management quickly took action by announcing the implementation of a new dealer program and investments in infrastructure to improve cycle time. While the risk /reward remains compelling, we think patience will be required as ADT works to turnaround the solar business. Longer-term, we believe ADT’s industry leading brand and national presence, coupled with its Google and State Farm strategic partnerships, position the company to be a prime beneficiary of growing demand for smart home technologies, including fully monitored residential security."Story continues12 Most Automated Industries in the USCopyright: rawpixel / 123RF Stock PhotoADT Inc. (NYSE:ADT) is not on our list of 30 Most Popular Stocks Among Hedge Funds. As per our database, 16 hedge fund portfolios held ADT Inc. (NYSE:ADT) at the end of second quarter which was 20 in the previous quarter.We discussed ADT Inc. (NYSE:ADT) in another article and shared long-term returns of Keith Meister’s activist targets. In addition, please check out our hedge fund investor letters Q2 2023 page for more investor letters from hedge funds and other leading investors. Suggested Articles:Top 15 Jewelry Exporting Countries in the World12 Best Healthcare ETFs To Buy10 Undervalued Stocks to Buy According to Goldman SachsDisclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.

Insider Monkey

Do You Believe in the Long-Term Growth Potential of ADT (ADT)?

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/believe-long-term-growth-potential-100008222.html

aa76a11a-4b65-31a9-a135-36d6772d2e03

ADT

High mortgage rates are making people reluctant to sell their homes and buy a new one. It's something that is helping ADT keep customers. ADT President and CEO Jim DeVries sits down with Yahoo Finance Executive Editor Brian Sozzi at the Goldman Sachs Communacopia & Technology Conference to discuss how the company is being impacted by the challenged housing market.DeVries explains that “when relocations are down, our base is stickier. Fewer relocations is a headwind from a gross add perspective, but from a customer retention perspective, it helps us a great deal.”DeVries notes that ADT (ADT) is at “a 12.5 percent attrition on a trailing 12-month basis. Never in our history have we been as low as 12.5 percent.”Click here for more of Yahoo Finance's coverage from the Goldman Sachs Communacopia tech conference.Video TranscriptBRIAN SOZZI: Jim, good to see you here. One year ago, we were talking about the future of ADT. Since then you have sold this commercial business, like Seana just mentioned. What's next for your company?JIM DEVRIES: Well, I tell you. First, thanks for having me, Brian. Thrilled to be here. Big opportunity for us with selling the commercial business. We got a great price for it, a multiple arbitrage. We're using all the dollars to pay down debt and sort of accelerate our deleveraging.We went from a 3.7 down to a 3.3, feel really good about that. We have a path to 3. And now we'll be more focused on the residential market and our sweet spot in residential home security.BRIAN SOZZI: The commercial business, is that just ADT signaling we don't want exposure to commercial real estate. And whatever might happen with that because of higher interest rates over the next couple of years.JIM DEVRIES: Not so much. We had inbounds over the course of the last couple of years about this business. The implied multiple for ADT right now is about a 6x. And we traded the business, the commercial business for an 11. So we had a big multiple arbitrage, something in the neighborhood of $700, $750 million of arbitrage. From a cash flow perspective, it's about a wash.Story continuesThe interest expense savings that we realize from paying off about a billion five of debt is about what the business would have provided. And then in these markets, especially it's important to delever. And we've heard that from our investors. We've heard that from prospective investors. And we think it opens more doors for us to talk about our story.BRIAN SOZZI: What's the health of your customer base from a residential perspective?JIM DEVRIES: Very good. We measure our retention very closely. It's one of our key metrics. And we're at 12 1/2% attrition on a trailing 12-month basis. Never in our history have we been as low as 12 1/2% It wind-aided a bit because relocations are down. When relocations are down, our base is stickier. Fewer relocations is a headwind from a gross add perspective.But from a customer retention perspective, it helps us a great deal. And so we're at we're at 12 1/2% attrition. Never been better.BRIAN SOZZI: Do you survey your customers on-- I'm curious-- on why they haven't cut their alarm bill. We talked to a lot of different consumers and businesses, people are cutting back on clothing. They're cutting back on various lines of food. They're trading down on types of food, but they're not cutting their alarm bill.JIM DEVRIES: They are not. And generally speaking, , broadly, we have two kinds of customers. A customer that is security-centric that relies on their system for pure peace of mind. And that's not-- that's not a service that customer is interested in eliminating. They derive a great deal of comfort from the security that the system provides.The second kind of customer is a customer that uses our system much more for smart home, to make their home more helpful. They have cameras. They might have mesh Wi-Fi. Lights locks are integrated into the system. And it becomes how they interact with their home. And because they derive convenience and a more helpful home because of the system, that's not something that they're willing to do without.BRIAN SOZZI: It is fun to try to open my door lock from my phone inside from my car. I know I don't have an AT&T-- ADT. We'll take that off camera, though. Well, it is what it is.Where are you at with your Google partnership? What is next from there?JIM DEVRIES: Google has been a great partner for us. They're an equity owner. Three years ago, they purchased about $450 million of stock. They own about 6% of our company. They've been terrific. We're going to mark it as ADT plus Google, so it helps our brand as ADT be a little more tech forward, a little more contemporary. And their products are fantastic.I've shared this a number of times the year before the Google deal. We were selling white label equipment and our average installation was about 700 bucks. Now we're selling Google-branded hardware cameras, video doorbell, nest thermostat. Our average installation revenue is $1,450. They've been really good partner for us.BRIAN SOZZI: Do you have any new products sitting on that deal soon.JIM DEVRIES: We have some new products that we're developing. We're not ready for prime time quite yet. But first quarter, maybe second quarter, we'll have some products start to-- that will be ready to unveil.BRIAN SOZZI: Does that change will it change how we interact with an ADT now or does it give a glimpse into the future of the smart home?JIM DEVRIES: It does. One of the things-- I'll frame it up a little bit for you. One of the things that we're excited about is leveraging the analytics, leveraging the AI available to us via the Google partnership to essentially use your cameras as a digital assistant of sorts in the home.And so you can query to understand is anybody in the house? Is my kid home from school yet? Are any of my children playing by the pool? Are any of my children in the pool? And get proactive notification of that event in the house. And it just makes for the system to be much smarter, much more helpful to give more convenience and information to our customers.BRIAN SOZZI: That's wild stuff.JIM DEVRIES: It's really cool. It's really cool. I think it will result in a stickier customer for us. And there's all kinds of use cases, all kinds of applications that you can build off of that to create great customer experiences.BRIAN SOZZI: Before I let you go, just in terms of the stock price, are you surprised it hasn't maybe reacted to some of these big moves that you have-- I mean, you sold a business for well over a billion dollars. You have a deal with Google. You struck a deal, I think, a couple of weeks before this conference last year with State Farm. I mean, you've made all the moves. What else does the market need to see from ADT?JIM DEVRIES: We've always been a show me stock, will continue to be a show me stock. One of the issues that we continually faced was the leverage. When we were close to 4.0 on a leverage ratio, we were getting screened out pretty consistently. Now that we're at 3.3 with line of sight to 3, I think it opens the aperture for us. We're excited about our futureAs you know Brian, it's about getting new investors. It's about farming, not hunting. It takes a little bit of time. And we're going to go out there. Do what we do. Continue to deliver results. And eventually the stock's going to get there.BRIAN SOZZI: Fair enough. We'll leave it there. ADT CEO Jim DeVries, always good to see you. Can you post on that smart home stuff, sounds cool.JIM DEVRIES: It's a deal.

Yahoo Finance Video

One way ADT is benefiting from housing market struggles

https://finance.yahoo.com/video/one-way-adt-benefiting-housing-204738622.html

fa76b537-99c0-39fc-acb9-daa54cac257d

ADTN

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for ADTRAN Holdings (ADTN). Shares have added about 18.2% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is ADTRAN Holdings due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers.ADTRAN's Q2 Earnings Miss Despite Higher RevenuesADTRAN reported soft second-quarter 2023 results, wherein both the bottom line and the top line missed the respective Zacks Consensus Estimate owing to a challenging macroeconomic environment. However, revenues increased significantly on a year-over-year basis.Net IncomeOn a GAAP basis, net loss in the June quarter was $33.3 million or a loss of 43 cents per share against net income of $2.1 million or 4 cents per share in the prior-year quarter. The year-over-year decline despite top-line growth and income tax benefit was primarily due to higher cost of revenues and operating expenses. Non-GAAP net loss was $0.08 million or breakeven, which missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by a penny.RevenuesQuarterly total revenues surged to $327.4 million from $172 million in the prior-year quarter, driven by the increasing demand for ADTRAN’s network solutions and fiber broadband products. The top line missed the consensus estimate of $330 million.Revenues from Network Solutions in the reported quarter were $283 million compared with $156 million in the year-ago quarter, with incremental contribution from ADVA. ADTRAN completed the buyout of ADVA in July 2022. The company recorded healthy demand trends, driven by the accelerated expansion of fiber-to-the-home networks, upgrades to in-home Wi-Fi connectivity and the adoption of cloud-based automation tools. The top line was further buoyed by improved customer diversification and end-to-end fiber broadband solutions. Services and Support revenues were $44.4 million, up from $16 million.Story continuesOther DetailsTotal cost of sales increased from $109.5 million to $234.8 million. GAAP gross profit came in at $92.6 million compared with $62.5 million in the prior-year quarter. Operating loss in the quarter was $44.6 million against an operating income of $8.1 million in the year-ago quarter.Cash Flow & LiquidityIn the first six months of 2023, ADTRAN used $36.2 million of cash for operating activities compared with a cash utilization of $5.9 million in the prior-year period. As of Jun 30, 2023, the company had $124.3 million in cash and cash equivalents with $44.6 million of deferred compensation liability.Moving ForwardADTRAN expects the second half of 2023 to remain challenging as customers continue to optimize their inventory levels amid uncertain business conditions. Nevertheless, management remains bullish about the long-term earnings growth prospects of the company.How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?Analysts were quiet during the last two month period as none of them issued any earnings estimate revisions.The consensus estimate has shifted -950% due to these changes.VGM ScoresAt this time, ADTRAN Holdings has a poor Growth Score of F, a grade with the same score on the momentum front. However, the stock was allocated a grade of C on the value side, putting it in the middle 20% for this investment strategy.Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.OutlookADTRAN Holdings has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.Performance of an Industry PlayerADTRAN Holdings is part of the Zacks Technology Services industry. Over the past month, Seagate (STX), a stock from the same industry, has gained 7.6%. The company reported its results for the quarter ended June 2023 more than a month ago.Seagate reported revenues of $1.6 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -39%. EPS of -$0.18 for the same period compares with $1.59 a year ago.Seagate is expected to post a loss of $0.17 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -135.4%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed +1.3%.The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Seagate. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of F.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportADTRAN Holdings, Inc. (ADTN) : Free Stock Analysis ReportSeagate Technology Holdings PLC (STX) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

Why Is ADTRAN Holdings (ADTN) Up 18.2% Since Last Earnings Report?

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-adtran-holdings-adtn-18-153002778.html

32bafd1b-adfd-30f2-afad-b6954869ba00

ADTN

ADTRAN, Inc. ADTN announced that OSA 3300 HP, its high-performance optical cesium clock, has demonstrated unprecedented precision during a test conducted at a prominent European metrology institute. During the three-month-long test, OSA 3300 HP, powered by ADTRAN's cutting-edge Oscilloquartz optical cesium technology, met the stringent timing accuracy and stability requirements vital for precise synchronization in scientific measurement applications.The OSA 3300 HP comprises a range of advanced features, including remarkable frequency stability, accuracy, ease of operation and high reliability, which sets it apart from the legacy magnetic-based solutions. Its user-friendly, intuitive configuration minimizes the need for extensive training and reduces the likelihood of operational errors.Backed by Oscilloquartz’s in-depth knowledge and key expertise, the device can fulfill the most demanding and critical applications, providing ultra-stable and precise frequency. The compact design makes it an excellent choice for environments with limited space.Furthermore, with a guaranteed lifespan of ten years, ADTRAN’s OSA 3300 HP is the industry's first device that outperformed the best-in-class magnetic cesium clock. These features have the potential to significantly enhance the capabilities of scientists and engineers working across a wide range of research endeavors.PNT (Positioning, Navigation, and Timing) systems play a vital role across various sectors, including transportation, telecommunications, defense and scientific research. Enterprises and operators can also leverage the highly resilient OSA 3300 HP for PNT assurance in critical infrastructure that are not dependent on GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System).  The industry is witnessing a surge in demand for solutions that offer highly accurate timing while ensuring affordability. ADTRAN’s optical cesium technology is well-suited to meet these increasing requirements and can support a multitude of use cases in diverse sectors that are reliant on accurate timing and synchronization. Along with demonstrating its worth for metrology advancement and scientific research, it will also provide the foundation of future innovation in sectors from satellite navigation to nanoscale technology.ADTRAN continues to benefit from solid demand trends of its network solutions, driven by the accelerated expansion of fiber-to-the-home networks, upgrades to in-home Wi-Fi connectivity and the adoption of cloud-based automation tools. The company’s end-to-end solutions simplify the deployment of fiber-based broadband services and provide a better customer experience.It is focused on being a top global supplier of access infrastructure and related value-added solutions from the Cloud Edge to the Subscriber Edge through a broad portfolio of flexible hardware and software network solutions. These products enable a seamless transition to the fully converged, scalable, highly automated, cloud-controlled voice, data, Internet and video networks of the future.The stock has declined 58.3% in the past year against the industry’s growth of 0.9%Story continuesZacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchADTRAN carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).Stocks to ConsiderMotorola Solutions, Inc. MSI, carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present, delivered an earnings surprise of 5.62%, on average, in the trailing four quarters. In the last reported quarter, it pulled off an earnings surprise of 5.58%. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.It provides services and solutions to government segments and public safety programs, along with large enterprises and wireless infrastructure service providers. It develops and services both analog and digital two-way radio, voice and data communications products and systems for private networks, wireless broadband systems and end-to-end enterprise mobility solutions to a wide range of enterprise markets.Splunk Inc. SPLK, sporting a Zacks Rank #1, delivered an earnings surprise of 154.90%, on average, in the trailing four quarters. In the last reported quarter, it delivered an earnings surprise of 69.05%.Splunk provides software solutions that enable enterprises to gain real-time operational intelligence by harnessing the value of their data. The company's offerings enable users to investigate, monitor, analyze and act on machine data and big data, irrespective of format or source and help in operational decision-making.NVIDIA Corporation NVDA, currently sporting a Zacks Rank #1, delivered an earnings surprise of 9.79%, on average, in the trailing four quarters. In the last reported quarter, it pulled off an earnings surprise of 29.19%.NVIDIA is the worldwide leader in visual computing technologies and the inventor of the graphic processing unit or GPU. Over the years, the company’s focus has evolved from PC graphics to artificial intelligence-based solutions that now support high-performance computing, gaming and virtual reality platforms.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportADTRAN Holdings, Inc. (ADTN) : Free Stock Analysis ReportNVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) : Free Stock Analysis ReportMotorola Solutions, Inc. (MSI) : Free Stock Analysis ReportSplunk Inc. (SPLK) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

ADTRAN (ADTN) Optical Cesium Clock Exhibits Unmatched Precision

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/adtran-adtn-optical-cesium-clock-162200756.html

a1fa9b19-51ed-3501-b766-600bcbf28f27

ADV

Investors who take an interest in Advantage Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ:ADV) should definitely note that the CEO & Director, David Peacock, recently paid US$2.65 per share to buy US$133k worth of the stock. Although the purchase only increased their holding by 3.9%, it is still a solid purchase in our view. View our latest analysis for Advantage Solutions Advantage Solutions Insider Transactions Over The Last YearIn fact, the recent purchase by CEO & Director David Peacock was not their only acquisition of Advantage Solutions shares this year. Earlier in the year, they paid US$1.64 per share in a US$258k purchase. We do like to see buying, but this purchase was made at well below the current price of US$2.79. While it does suggest insiders consider the stock undervalued at lower prices, this transaction doesn't tell us much about what they think of current prices.In the last twelve months Advantage Solutions insiders were buying shares, but not selling. Their average price was about US$1.93. We don't deny that it is nice to see insiders buying stock in the company. But we must note that the investments were made at well below today's share price. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction!insider-trading-volumeThere are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying.Insider Ownership Of Advantage SolutionsMany investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. From our data, it seems that Advantage Solutions insiders own 1.0% of the company, worth about US$8.7m. Overall, this level of ownership isn't that impressive, but it's certainly better than nothing!Story continuesSo What Do The Advantage Solutions Insider Transactions Indicate?The recent insider purchases are heartening. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. However, we note that the company didn't make a profit over the last twelve months, which makes us cautious. We would certainly prefer see higher levels of insider ownership but analysis of the insider transactions suggests that Advantage Solutions insiders are expecting a bright future. If you are like me, you may want to think about whether this company will grow or shrink. Luckily, you can check this free report showing analyst forecasts for its future.But note: Advantage Solutions may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt.For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Simply Wall St.

CEO & Director of Advantage Solutions David Peacock Buys 3.9% More Shares

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ceo-director-advantage-solutions-david-120545338.html

b4160918-abee-3e39-845c-748f5e31865d

ADV

Advantage Solutions, Inc.Advantage Outlook reveals that consumer products companies are focusing on higher-end innovations, including health and wellness offerings and in- and at-home indulgences.IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 16, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Advantage Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: ADV) today unveiled the findings from its Advantage Outlook, a quarterly survey fielded in June and July 2023 that includes responses from senior-level executives at dozens of the leading retailers and consumer products companies across the U.S.The survey results reveal that product manufacturers are no longer attempting to innovate on lower-price-point products to compete on value. Instead, nearly all manufacturers — 98% — are investing in innovation on mainstream or premium-priced products with a heavy emphasis on health and wellness, and products that offer in- and at-home indulgences.The Advantage Outlook details a rapidly evolving retail landscape and a challenging operating environment for consumer goods companies and retailers, as persistent inflation and labor shortages continue to affect business operations. While consumer confidence remains high, challenges with in-store labor and other factors are leading to sweeping changes in retail strategy.“The Advantage Outlook found that facing continued labor challenges and rising costs, manufacturers and retailers are making substantial changes to ensure shoppers have an optimal in-store experience and can find and purchase the products they need,” said Dave Peacock, CEO of Advanced Solutions. In response, manufacturers and retailers are investing in technology and timely promotions and evolving how they approach innovation. They have a clear focus on high-end products that offer consumers premium experiences, health benefits and at-home indulgences.”Additional findings from the Q2 Advantage Outlook include:Product innovation getting a high-end makeover: Despite persistent inflation and price-sensitive consumers, manufacturers are focusing their innovation investments on premium-priced products with a heavy focus on health and wellness and in- and at-home indulgences. Meanwhile, retailers are hungry for more innovative products to spur sales, with 72% saying they expect to accept more innovation over the next six months and 95% indicating they will accept new item cut-ins outside of traditional reset windows. Most manufacturers are no longer raising prices to combat inflation: Sensing increasing price sensitivity among consumers, manufacturers no longer are raising list prices to combat inflation. Instead, they’re focusing efforts on disputing retailer fines and fees. Ninety-six percent of manufacturers say that disputing fines and fees remains their top strategy to address increased costs; less than one-third anticipate raising list prices.Labor shortage leading to more self-checkout: Manufacturers and retailers agree that in-store labor is a critical issue that requires a new and immediate approach. Retailers plan to increase self-checkout options to address labor shortages, while manufacturers say those shortages and a lack of planogram oversight are the top two factors affecting on-shelf availability.Expect more reliance on promotions to drive sales: Manufacturers and retailers will focus on increased promotions to drive unit sales, with some retailers looking to zero in on major holidays, their rewards programs, club-pack sizes and extended promotion periods.Story continues“The results of this quarter’s Advantage Outlook underscore that Advantage’s services are needed now more than ever to help manufacturers and retailers work hand-in-hand to connect people with experiences and products that enrich their lives,” Peacock said.With relationships with more than 4,000 consumer goods companies and most of the largest U.S. retailers, Advantage sits at the intersection of brand and retail with extensive reach and a breadth of services that help convert shoppers into buyers."Manufacturers and retailers are looking to do more with less in today’s operating environment while holding fast on price and ensuring product availability,” said Jill Blanchard, president of enterprise client solutions at Advantage Solutions. “Manufacturers are revamping their offerings with a focus on premium products, and retailers are ready to embrace a wave of innovation to meet evolving consumer demand and convert shoppers into buyers."About Advantage OutlookThe Q2 Advantage Outlook is a quarterly survey of the world's largest consumer goods manufacturers and retailers published by Advantage Solutions in partnership with Nielsen IQ. The survey was conducted between June 14 and July 6, 2023, and included two surveys with 60 respondents representing consumer goods manufacturers and 43 representing retailers.To access the complete findings and methodology, please visit https://advantagesolutions.net/advantage-outlook/.About Advantage SolutionsAdvantage Solutions is a leading provider of outsourced sales and marketing solutions to consumer goods companies and retailers. Our data- and technology-driven services — which include headquarter sales, retail merchandising, in-store and online sampling, digital commerce, omnichannel marketing, retail media and others — help brands and retailers of all sizes get products into the hands of consumers, wherever they shop. As a trusted partner and problem solver, we help our clients sell more while spending less. Headquartered in Irvine, California, we have offices throughout North America and strategic investments in select markets throughout Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe, through which we serve the global needs of multinational, regional and local manufacturers. For more information, visit www.advantagesolutions.net.Peter [email protected]

GlobeNewswire

New survey shows labor shortages and inflationary pressures are top concerns among the largest U.S. retailers and consumer goods manufacturers

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/survey-shows-labor-shortages-inflationary-130000496.html

d83235fa-543c-31fe-857b-04ba85b3ae6e

AE

Adams Resources & Energy (AE) came out with a quarterly loss of $0.23 per share versus the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $0.44. This compares to earnings of $0.69 per share a year ago. These figures are adjusted for non-recurring items.This quarterly report represents an earnings surprise of 47.73%. A quarter ago, it was expected that this oil and gas company would post earnings of $0.04 per share when it actually produced a loss of $0.55, delivering a surprise of -1,475%.Over the last four quarters, the company has surpassed consensus EPS estimates two times.Adams Resources , which belongs to the Zacks Oil and Gas - Refining and Marketing industry, posted revenues of $624.77 million for the quarter ended June 2023, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 6.81%. This compares to year-ago revenues of $992.05 million. The company has topped consensus revenue estimates just once over the last four quarters.The sustainability of the stock's immediate price movement based on the recently-released numbers and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's commentary on the earnings call.Adams Resources shares have lost about 11.2% since the beginning of the year versus the S&P 500's gain of 17.2%.What's Next for Adams Resources?While Adams Resources has underperformed the market so far this year, the question that comes to investors' minds is: what's next for the stock?There are no easy answers to this key question, but one reliable measure that can help investors address this is the company's earnings outlook. Not only does this include current consensus earnings expectations for the coming quarter(s), but also how these expectations have changed lately.Empirical research shows a strong correlation between near-term stock movements and trends in earnings estimate revisions. Investors can track such revisions by themselves or rely on a tried-and-tested rating tool like the Zacks Rank, which has an impressive track record of harnessing the power of earnings estimate revisions.Story continuesAhead of this earnings release, the estimate revisions trend for Adams Resources: mixed. While the magnitude and direction of estimate revisions could change following the company's just-released earnings report, the current status translates into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for the stock. So, the shares are expected to perform in line with the market in the near future. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.It will be interesting to see how estimates for the coming quarters and current fiscal year change in the days ahead. The current consensus EPS estimate is $0.99 on $812.88 million in revenues for the coming quarter and $0.80 on $2.88 billion in revenues for the current fiscal year.Investors should be mindful of the fact that the outlook for the industry can have a material impact on the performance of the stock as well. In terms of the Zacks Industry Rank, Oil and Gas - Refining and Marketing is currently in the top 43% of the 250 plus Zacks industries. Our research shows that the top 50% of the Zacks-ranked industries outperform the bottom 50% by a factor of more than 2 to 1.Canadian Solar (CSIQ), another stock in the broader Zacks Oils-Energy sector, has yet to report results for the quarter ended June 2023. The results are expected to be released on August 22.This solar wafers manufacturer is expected to post quarterly earnings of $1.52 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of +42.1%. The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has been revised 0.2% higher over the last 30 days to the current level.Canadian Solar's revenues are expected to be $2.5 billion, up 8.1% from the year-ago quarter.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportAdams Resources & Energy, Inc. (AE) : Free Stock Analysis ReportCanadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

Adams Resources & Energy (AE) Reports Q2 Loss, Lags Revenue Estimates

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/adams-resources-energy-ae-reports-213020767.html

2a8e89d1-eb17-3748-ac1c-b6eb9ba84236

AE

HOUSTON, Aug. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Adams Resources & Energy, Inc. (NYSE AMERICAN: AE) ("Adams" or the "Company") today announced that Kevin Roycraft, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company, and Tracy Ohmart, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer of the Company, will participate in the 14th Annual Midwest IDEAS Conference to be held August 23-24, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. Management is scheduled to present on Wednesday, August 23rd at 11:20 am CT and will participate in meetings with investors throughout the day.(PRNewsfoto/Adams Resources & Energy, Inc.)The presentation will be webcast and can be accessed through the conference website, and in the investor relations section of the Company's website: http://www.adamsresources.com.About IDEAS Investor ConferencesThe mission of the IDEAS Conferences is to provide independent regional venues for quality companies to present their investment merits to an influential audience of investment professionals. Unlike traditional bank-sponsored events, IDEAS Investor Conferences are "SPONSORED BY INVESTORS. FOR INVESTORS." and for the benefit of regional investment communities.  Conference sponsors collectively have more than $200 billion in assets under management and include: 1102 Partners, Adirondack Research and Management, Allianz Global Investors: NFJ Investment Group, Ariel Investments, Aristotle Capital Boston, Ascend Wealth Advisors, Barrow Hanley Mewhinney & Strauss, BMO Global Asset Management, Constitution Research & Management, Inc., Diamond Hill, First Wilshire Securities Management, Inc., Granahan Investment Management, Great Lakes Advisors, Greenbrier Partners Capital Management, LLC, Hodges Capital Management, Ironwood Investment Management, Keeley Teton Advisors, Luther King Capital Management, Marble Harbor Investment Counsel, North Star Investment Management, Perritt Capital Management, Punch & Associates, Shepherd Kaplan Krochuk, Westwood Holdings Group, Inc., and William Harris Investors.Story continuesThe IDEAS Investor Conferences are held annually in Boston, Chicago and Dallas and are produced by Three Part Advisors, LLC.  Additional information about the events can be located at www.IDEASconferences.com.For more information about the IDEAS conferences, please contact Lacey Wesley at (817) 769 -2373 or [email protected] Adams Resources & Energy, Inc.Adams Resources & Energy, Inc. is engaged in crude oil marketing, transportation, terminalling and storage, tank truck transportation of liquid chemicals and dry bulk and recycling and repurposing of off-spec fuels, lubricants, crude oil and other chemicals through its subsidiaries, GulfMark Energy, Inc., Service Transport Company, Victoria Express Pipeline, L.L.C., GulfMark Terminals, LLC, Phoenix Oil, Inc., and Firebird Bulk Carriers, Inc. For more information, visit www.adamsresources.com.Company Contact Tracy E. OhmartEVP, Chief Financial [email protected](713) 881-3609Investor Relations ContactJohn Beisler or Steven HooserThree Part Advisors(214) 872-2710CisionView original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/adams-resources--energy-inc-to-participate-in-the-14th-annual-midwest-ideas-conference-on-august-23-2023-301903989.htmlSOURCE Adams Resources & Energy, Inc.

PR Newswire

ADAMS RESOURCES & ENERGY, INC. TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 14TH ANNUAL MIDWEST IDEAS CONFERENCE ON AUGUST 23, 2023

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/adams-resources-energy-inc-participate-200500410.html

70923e27-9392-3e70-a52e-1740dfb86011

AEE

Ameren identified as one of the best companies to work for in the US for seventh year in a rowST. LOUIS , Aug. 28, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE) employees have once again reported the company as a Great Place to Work® – a prestigious Certification™ awarded to companies with an empowering and engaging culture.Ameren Logo (PRNewsfoto/Ameren Corporation)Thanks to rankings provided by Ameren employees, the company scored 19% higher than average U.S. companies. In addition, 85% of Ameren workers acknowledged that new employees are made to feel welcome.Great Place to Work is a globally recognized authority on workplace culture, employee experience, and leadership behaviors proven to increase innovation and employee retention."A Great Place to Work Certification isn't something that comes easily – it takes ongoing dedication to the employee experience," said Sarah Lewis-Kulin, vice president of global recognition at Great Place to Work. "It's the only official recognition determined by employees' real-time reports of their company culture. Earning this designation means that Ameren is one of the best companies to work for in the country.""People are at the center of everything we do here at Ameren, so this employee-driven certification is especially meaningful," said Mark Lindgren, executive vice president, corporate communications and chief human resources officer for Ameren Corporation. "It confirms that we're taking the right steps to create an inclusive environment and help employees grow and be successful, which makes it possible for us to serve our customers and communities even better."Ameren has developed a broad array of programs and partnerships to provide pathways to meaningful careers at every stage. Additionally, its unwavering focus on diversity, equity and inclusion makes Ameren an ideal work environment for anyone seeking a career in energy.Ameren offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, as well as hybrid and remote work alternatives. The company's benefits and flexible options provide a variety of work-life balance opportunities that are attractive to many prospective candidates in today's marketplace.Story continuesOpportunities at Ameren Ameren is an industry-leading and innovative Fortune 500 company that is a vital part of the communities it serves, building a sustainable energy future for generations to come. Ameren currently has more than 600 open positions in Missouri and Illinois, including opportunities in information technology, engineering, supply chain, finance, human resources, skilled craft, fleet/vehicle maintenance and customer service. Learn more about Ameren's job openings and comprehensive total rewards package at Ameren.com/careers.About Ameren CorporationSt. Louis-based Ameren Corporation powers the quality of life for 2.4 million electric customers and more than 900,000 natural gas customers in a 64,000-square-mile area through its Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois rate-regulated utility subsidiaries. Ameren Illinois provides electric transmission and distribution service and natural gas distribution service. Ameren Missouri provides electric generation, transmission and distribution service, as well as natural gas distribution service. Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois develops, owns and operates rate-regulated regional electric transmission projects in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. For more information, visit Ameren.com, or follow us on Twitter at @AmerenCorp, Facebook.com/AmerenCorp, or LinkedIn.com/company/Ameren.About Great Place to Work Certification™Great Place to Work® Certification™ is the most definitive "employer-of-choice" recognition that companies aspire to achieve. It is the only recognition based entirely on what employees report about their workplace experience – specifically, how consistently they experience a high-trust workplace. Great Place to Work Certification is recognized worldwide by employees and employers alike and is the global benchmark for identifying and recognizing outstanding employee experience. Every year, more than 10,000 companies across 60 countries apply to get Great Place to Work-Certified.About Great Place to Work®Great Place to Work® is the global authority on workplace culture. Since 1992, they have surveyed more than 100 million employees worldwide and used those deep insights to define what makes a great workplace: trust. Their employee survey platform empowers leaders with the feedback, real-time reporting and insights they need to make data-driven people decisions. Everything they do is driven by the mission to build a better world by helping every organization become a great place to work For All™.Learn more at greatplacetowork.com and on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.CisionView original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ameren-employees-celebrate-company-culture-with-great-place-to-work-certification-301911532.htmlSOURCE Ameren Corporation

PR Newswire

Ameren employees celebrate company culture with Great Place to Work Certification™

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ameren-employees-celebrate-company-culture-203000345.html

79e33cf4-9bad-3324-bada-30f03e192e4f

AEE

If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. Amongst other things, we'll want to see two things; firstly, a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an expansion in the company's amount of capital employed. Ultimately, this demonstrates that it's a business that is reinvesting profits at increasing rates of return. In light of that, when we looked at Ameren (NYSE:AEE) and its ROCE trend, we weren't exactly thrilled.What Is Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)?For those who don't know, ROCE is a measure of a company's yearly pre-tax profit (its return), relative to the capital employed in the business. To calculate this metric for Ameren, this is the formula:Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)0.05 = US$1.8b ÷ (US$39b - US$3.2b) (Based on the trailing twelve months to June 2023).Thus, Ameren has an ROCE of 5.0%. On its own that's a low return on capital but it's in line with the industry's average returns of 5.0%. View our latest analysis for Ameren roceAbove you can see how the current ROCE for Ameren compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free report for Ameren.What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell UsWhen we looked at the ROCE trend at Ameren, we didn't gain much confidence. To be more specific, ROCE has fallen from 6.3% over the last five years. Although, given both revenue and the amount of assets employed in the business have increased, it could suggest the company is investing in growth, and the extra capital has led to a short-term reduction in ROCE. If these investments prove successful, this can bode very well for long term stock performance.The Key TakeawayIn summary, despite lower returns in the short term, we're encouraged to see that Ameren is reinvesting for growth and has higher sales as a result. Furthermore the stock has climbed 44% over the last five years, it would appear that investors are upbeat about the future. So should these growth trends continue, we'd be optimistic on the stock going forward.Story continuesIf you want to know some of the risks facing Ameren we've found 3 warning signs (1 is concerning!) that you should be aware of before investing here.While Ameren isn't earning the highest return, check out this free list of companies that are earning high returns on equity with solid balance sheets.Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Simply Wall St.

The Returns On Capital At Ameren (NYSE:AEE) Don't Inspire Confidence

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/returns-capital-ameren-nyse-aee-182752563.html

0ff2a5d2-4272-33d2-bb6f-5e486557fffb

AEF

PHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESSWIRE / May 25, 2023 / The following abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds announced they each held their Annual Meeting of Shareholders (the "Meetings") on May 25, 2023. At the Meetings, shareholders of the respective Funds voted on the proposals set forth below:abrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. ("FAX")As of the record date, April 10, 2023, FAX had outstanding 247,695,769 shares of common stock and 2,000,000 or private preferred stock. 70.00% of outstanding common stock and 90% of the outstanding private preferred stock were voted representing a quorum.To elect one Class II Director to the Board of Directors:Votes ForVotes Against/WithheldVotes AbstainedP. Gerald Malone149,991,86121,010,1873,779,378To approve the continuation of the term of one Director under the Corporate Governance Policies:Votes ForVotes Against/WithheldVotes AbstainedWilliam J. Potter1,800,000--abrdn Global Income Fund, Inc. ("FCO")As of the record date, April 10, 2023, FCO had outstanding 12,540,892 shares of common stock. 64% of outstanding common stock were voted representing a quorum.To elect two Class I Directors to the Board of Directors:Votes ForVotes WithheldVotes AbstainedP. Gerald Malone7,692,327202,639154,442Moritz Sell7,687,033207,839154,536To approve the continuation of the term for one Director under the Corporate Governance Policies:Votes ForVotes Against/WithheldVotes AbstainedWilliam J. Potter7,684,894211,437153,077abrdn Australia Equity Fund, Inc. ("IAF")As of the record date, April 10, 2023, IAF had outstanding 25,469,348 shares of common stock. 72.82% of outstanding common stock were voted representing a quorum.To elect two Class II Directors to the Board of Directors:Votes ForVotes Against/WithheldVotes AbstainedRadhika Ajmera13,806,7794,741,419-P. Gerald Malone13,808,1614,740,038-To approve the continuation of the terms for two Directors under the Corporate Governance Policies:Story continuesVotes ForVotes Against/WithheldVotes AbstainedWilliam J. Potter13,858,8884,689,310-Moritz Sell14,824,9053,723,293-abrdn Income Credit Strategies Fund ("ACP")As of the record date, April 10, 2023, ACP had outstanding 52,075,560 shares of common stock and 1,600,000 shares of outstanding preferred stock. 81.73% of outstanding common stock and 64.92% of outstanding preferred stock were voted representing a quorum.To elect one Class III Trustee to the Board of Trustees:Votes ForVotes WithheldP. Gerald Malone39,197,9334,670,785For Preferred Stock Only: To elect one Preferred Share Trustee to the Board of Directors:Votes ForVotes Against/WithheldRandolph Takian928,143110,589abrdn Global Dynamic Dividend Fund ("AGD")As of the record date, April 10, 2023, AGD had outstanding 24,865,080 shares of common stock. 76.23% of the outstanding shares were voted at the Meeting representing a quorum.To elect two Class III Trustee to the Board of Trustees:Votes ForVotes WithheldNancy Yao Maasbach16,990,3431,963,612Stephen Bird17,208,8321,745,123Aberdeen Total Dynamic Dividend Fund ("AOD")As of the record date, April 10, 2023, AOD had outstanding 105,430,998 shares of common stock. 82.63% of the outstanding shares were voted at the Meeting representing a quorum.To elect two Class III Trustee to the Board of Trustees:Votes ForVotes WithheldNancy Yao Maasbach75,140,46611,978,073Stephen Bird80,745,0356,373,505abrdn Global Premier Properties Fund ("AWP")As of the record date, April 10, 2023, AWP had outstanding 85,407,951 shares of common stock. 73.09% of the outstanding shares were voted at the Annual Meeting representing a quorum.To elect two Class III Trustee to the Board of Trustees:Votes ForVotes WithheldNancy Yao Maasbach57,896,7284,523,612Stephen Bird60,084,6372,335,703The India Fund, Inc. ("IFN")As of the record date, April 10, 2023, IFN had outstanding 29,704,016 shares of common stock. 68% of outstanding common stock were voted representing a quorum.To elect two Class II Directors to the Board of Directors:Votes ForVotes AgainstVotes AbstainedLuis F. Rubio19,209,091751,368359,438Nisha Kumar19,264,023706,537349,337To approve the continuation of the term for one Director under the Corporate Governance Policies:Votes ForVotes AgainstVotes AbstainedJeswald W. Salacuse19,178,293768,369373,235abrdn Global Infrastructure Income Fund ("ASGI")As of the record date, April 10, 2023, ASGI had outstanding 25,206,605 shares of common stock. 86.75% of the outstanding shares were voted at the Meeting representing a quorum.To elect one Class I Trustee to the Board of Trustees:Votes ForVotes WithheldGordon A. Baird20,070,0261,795,899To elect one Class II Trustee to the Board of Trustees:Votes ForVotes WithheldChris LaVictoire Mahai20,043,3441,822,581To elect three Class III Trustees to the Board of Trustees:Votes ForVotes WithheldThomas W. Hunersen20,046,0491,819,876Nancy Yao Maasbach18,897,4002,968,525Stephen Bird19,443,2032,422,722In the United States, abrdn is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: abrdn Inc., abrdn Investments Limited., abrdn Australia Limited, abrdn Asia Limited, Aberdeen Capital Management, LLC, abrdn ETFs Advisors LLC and abrdn Alternative Funds Limited.Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. A Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results.www.abrdn.com/en-us/cefinvestorcenter#For More Information Contact:abrdn U.S. Closed-End FundsInvestor [email protected]: abrdn U.S. Closed-End FundsView source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/757423/abrdn-US-Closed-End-Funds-Announce-Results-of-Annual-Meeting-of-Shareholders

ACCESSWIRE

abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds Announce Results of Annual Meeting of Shareholders

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/abrdn-u-closed-end-funds-223500297.html

4674cab2-74f3-3f6c-8084-01c459c23ea9

AEF

PHILADELPHIA, PA / ACCESSWIRE / June 9, 2023 / The following abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds announced today that the closed end funds in the chart directly below will pay the distributions indicated on a per share basis on June 30, 2023 to all shareholders of record as of June 23, 2023 (ex-dividend date June 22, 2023).TickerExchangeFundAmountACPNYSEabrdn Income Credit Strategies Fund$ 0.1000AGDNYSEabrdn Global Dynamic Dividend Fund$ 0.0650AODNYSEabrdn Total Dynamic Dividend Fund$ 0.0575ASGINYSEabrdn Global Infrastructure Income Fund$ 0.1200AWPNYSEabrdn Global Premier Properties Fund$ 0.0400FAXNYSE Americanabrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc.$ 0.0275FCONYSE Americanabrdn Global Income Fund, Inc.$ 0.0700AEFNYSE Americanabrdn Emerging Markets Equity Income Fund, Inc.$ 0.1000At the end of each calendar year, a Form 1099-DIV will be sent to shareholders, which will state the amount and composition of each fund's distributions and provide information with respect to their appropriate tax treatment for the prior calendar year. You should not draw any conclusions about any of these Funds' investment performance from the amount of the distributions.MANAGED DISTRIBUTION POLICY FUNDS ANNOUNCE DISTRIBUTION PAYMENT DETAILSabrdn Global Infrastructure Income Fund ("ASGI") abrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. ("FAX")The above-noted abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds (the "Funds" or individually the "Fund"), today announced that the Funds will pay the distributions noted in the chart above on June 30, 2023, on a per share basis to all shareholders of record as of June 23, 2023 (ex-dividend date June 22, 2023).Each Fund has adopted a distribution policy to provide investors with a stable distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital in reliance on an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission.Under applicable U.S. tax rules, the amount and character of distributable income for each Fund's fiscal year can be finally determined only as of the end of the Fund's fiscal year. However, under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") and related rules, the Funds may be required to indicate to shareholders the estimated source of certain distributions to shareholders.Story continuesThe following tables set forth the estimated amounts of the sources of the distributions for purposes of Section 19 of the 1940 Act and the rules adopted thereunder. The tables have been computed based on generally accepted accounting principles. The tables include estimated amounts and percentages for the current distributions to be paid as well as for the cumulative distributions paid relating to fiscal year to date, from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short-term capital gains; net realized long-term capital gains; and return of capital. The estimated compositions of the distributions may vary because the estimated composition may be impacted by future income, expenses and realized gains and losses on securities and currencies.Each Fund's estimated sources of the current distributions to be paid and for its current fiscal year to date are as follows:Estimated Amounts of Current Distribution per ShareFundDistribution AmountNet Investment IncomeNet Realized Short-Term Gains*Net Realized Long-Term GainsReturn of CapitalASGI$0.1200$0.037231%$0.013211%$0.069658%--FAX$0.0275$0.015155%----$0.012445%Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year to Date Cumulative Distributions per ShareFundFiscal Year** to Date Distribution AmountNet Investment IncomeNet Realized Short-Term Gains*Net Realized Long-Term GainsReturn of CapitalASGI$1.0800$0.334831%$0.118811%$0.626458%--FAX$0.2200$0.121055%----$0.099045%* includes currency gains** ASGI has a 9/30 fiscal year end; FAX has a 10/31 fiscal year end.Where the estimated amounts above show a portion of the distribution to be a "Return of Capital," it means that Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in a Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income."The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The final determination of the source of all distributions for the current year will only be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. After the end of each calendar year, a Form 1099-DIV will be sent to shareholders for the prior calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes.The following table provides the Funds' total return performance based on net asset value (NAV) over various time periods compared to the Funds' annualized and cumulative distribution rates.Fund Performance and Distribution Rate InformationFundAverage Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 04/30/2023¹Current Fiscal Period's Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV²Cumulative Total Return on NAV¹Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV²ASGI 37.42%7.11%13.85%4.74%FAX-0.73%10.68%16.24%6.23%1 Return data is net of all fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund's dividend reinvestment plan, with the exception of the most recent distribution.2 Based on the Fund's NAV as of May 31, 2023.3 The Fund launched within the past 5 years; the performance and distribution rate information presented reflects data from inception (July 29, 2020) through May 31, 2023.Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about a Fund's investment performance from the amount of the Fund's current distributions or from the terms of the distribution policy (the "Distribution Policy").While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market.Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Funds may distribute any long-term capital gains more frequently than the limits provided in Section 19(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder. Therefore, distributions paid by the Funds during the year may include net income, short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains and/or a return of capital. Net income dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, while generally taxable at ordinary income rates, may be eligible, to the extent of qualified dividend income earned by the Funds, to be taxed at a lower rate not to exceed the maximum rate applicable to your long-term capital gains. Distributions made in any calendar year in excess of investment company taxable income and net capital gain are treated as taxable ordinary dividends to the extent of undistributed earnings and profits, and then as a return of capital that reduces the adjusted basis in the shares held. To the extent return of capital distributions exceed the adjusted basis in the shares held, capital gain is recognized with a holding period based on the period the shares have been held at the date such amount is received.The payment of distributions in accordance with the Distribution Policy may result in a decrease in the Fund's net assets. A decrease in the Fund's net assets may cause an increase in the Fund's annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund's market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund's net asset value per share. The Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund's investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. Each Fund's Board has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund's market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances.Circular 230 disclosure : To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Treasury, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein.In the United States, abrdn is the marketing name for the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: abrdn Inc., abrdn Investments Limited, abrdn Australia Limited, abrdn Asia Limited, Aberdeen Capital Management, LLC, abrdn ETFs Advisors LLC and abrdn Alternative Funds Limited.Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. A Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results.https://www.abrdn.com/en-us/cefinvestorcenterFor More Information Contact:abrdn U.S. Closed-End FundsInvestor [email protected]: abrdn U.S. Closed-End FundsView source version on accesswire.com: https://www.accesswire.com/760375/abrdn-US-Closed-End-Funds-Announce-Distribution-Payment-Details

ACCESSWIRE

abrdn U.S. Closed-End Funds Announce Distribution Payment Details

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/abrdn-u-closed-end-funds-202700527.html

4f899e43-c881-3de9-b5e4-a5fbe489697b

AEMD

By M. MarinNASDAQ:AEMDREAD THE FULL AEMD RESEARCH REPORTR&D spending expected to go further by conducting current clinical efforts in Australia & IndiaAethlon Medical (NASDAQ:AEMD) is studying its lead product, the Hemopurifier®, in oncology, infectious disease and, reflecting a recent initiative, to determine the device’s ability to improve the outcomes of organ transplantation. AEMD is launching a blanket oncology study in Australia and studying the Hemopurifier to treat severe COVID-19 in India, where it is also considering adding an oncology trial. In addition, AEMD has formed a research collaboration with 34 Lives, a PBC focused on improving the kidney transplant process.The company’s goal is to maximize its R&D spending to advance the Hemopurifier. By recently shifting its clinical efforts to Australia and India for now, Aethlon expects to make its R&D dollars go further. The Australian government provides attractive economic incentives for clinical development efforts and clinical costs in India are substantially lower than in the U.S., according to management. AEMD currently is processing the paperwork for submission to Australia’s rebate program, which enables companies to receive a tax rebate of up to 43.5% on clinical trial related R&D costs and is expected to help it reduce costs, lower risk, and accelerate time to market. AEMD believes its recent initiatives can boost the company’s potential to receive regulatory approval and funding to advance clinical research and accelerate time to market.Organ transplant initiative: potentially helping to increase the availability of viable organsThe company also recently announced an initiative to determine the Hemopurifier’s ability to improve the outcomes of organ transplantation in addition to its existing cancer and COVID-19 studies. Aethlon will investigate the Hemopurifier’s ability to remove viruses and exosomes from harvested organs to increase the number of organs that can be transplanted successfully.Story continuesThe company will study whether the Hemopurifier can remove viruses and exosomes from harvested organs when it is incorporated into a machine perfusion organ preservation circuit. In vitro studies using a scaled-down version of the Hemopurifier demonstrated the removal of multiple viruses and exosomes from buffer solutions. The company believes that if the Hemopurifier can remove these substances from the organs, the device could lower the risk of complications following transplantation, including potentially viral infection, delayed graft function and organ rejection. The objective is to position the Hemopurifier as an additive way to increase the supply of viable organs available to be transplanted.Incorporating device into existing organ preservation circuit will not extend preservation timeline… The initial focused will be on kidneys and studies will be conducted through a research collaboration with 34 Lives, a PBC (public benefit company) that is focused on improving the kidney transplant process. The process potentially could reduce complications such as viral infection, delayed graft function and even rejection following transplant surgery. Because the Hemopurifier will be incorporated into the existing machine perfusion organ preservation circuit, it will not extend the organ preservation timeline, which is critical given that organs have a short window during which they remain viable for transplantation.…which is critical given the short window during which organs remain viable for transplantationCurrently, the global transplantation market is in the multiple billions of dollars and is expected to grow substantially, driven by the aging of the population, higher rates of organ failure as people age and improvements in organ preservation and transplant procedures, among other factors. The NIH notes that kidneys are the most commonly transplanted organ. “In 2022, approximately 115,000 patients in the US were awaiting organ transplants. Of these, 96,000 [which equates to over 80%] were waiting for a kidney,” according to 34 Lives. Moreover, 34 Lives also notes that “In 2022, over 7,800 kidneys were recovered with the intent to be transplanted but were unused.” Reducing the number of unused organs could potentially lead to significant improvements in outcomes for patients waiting for organ transplant, in our view. AEMD is optimistic that the Hemopurifier can help increase the number of kidneys that are viable for transplant.SUBSCRIBE TO ZACKS SMALL CAP RESEARCH to receive our articles and reports emailed directly to you each morning. Please visit our website for additional information on Zacks SCR. DISCLOSURE: Zacks SCR has received compensation from the issuer directly, from an investment manager, or from an investor relations consulting firm, engaged by the issuer, for providing research coverage for a period of no less than one year. Research articles, as seen here, are part of the service Zacks SCR provides and Zacks SCR receives quarterly payments totaling a maximum fee of up to $40,000 annually for these services provided to or regarding the issuer. Full Disclaimer HERE.

Zacks Small Cap Research

AEMD: Focusing on Oncology, Infectious Disease & Organ Transplants Initially

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/aemd-focusing-oncology-infectious-disease-120300865.html

e9a2d180-8421-3052-8fad-08be81539338

AEMD

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Aethlon Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEMD), a medical therapeutic company focused on developing products to treat cancer and life threatening infectious diseases, today announced that Steven LaRosa, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, and James Frakes, Chief Financial Officer, will present a company overview on Tuesday, September 12 at 4:30 PM EST, during the H.C. Wainwright 25th Annual Global Investment Conference taking place September 11-13, 2023, in New York City.Management will also host in-person, one-on-one meetings during the event. Institutional investors who are registered for the conference can log into www.hcwevents.com to request a meeting with the company or may reach out to Susan Noonan at [email protected] live webcast of the presentation will be available on the Aethlon Medical website at: https://www.aethlonmedical.com/news-media/events. An archived replay will be available on the company's website for a period of 90 days after the conference.About Aethlon and the Hemopurifier®Aethlon Medical is a medical therapeutic company focused on developing the Hemopurifier, a clinical stage immunotherapeutic device which is designed to combat cancer and life-threatening viral infections. In human studies, the Hemopurifier has demonstrated the removal of life-threatening viruses and harmful exosomes from blood utilizing its proprietary lectin-based technology. This action has potential applications in cancer, where exosomes may promote immune suppression and metastasis, and in life-threatening infectious diseases. The Hemopurifier is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) designated Breakthrough Device indicated for the treatment of individuals with advanced or metastatic cancer who are either unresponsive to or intolerant of standard of care therapy, and with cancer types in which exosomes have been shown to participate in the development or severity of the disease. The Hemopurifier also holds an FDA Breakthrough Device designation and an open Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application related to the treatment of life-threatening viruses that are not addressed with approved therapies.Story continuesAdditional information can be found at www.AethlonMedical.com.Company Contact:Jim FrakesChief Financial OfficerAethlon Medical, Inc. [email protected] Contact:Susan NoonanS.A. Noonan Communications, [email protected] 917-513-5303CisionView original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aethlon-medical-to-present-at-the-hc-wainwright-25th-annual-global-investment-conference-301913304.htmlSOURCE Aethlon Medical, Inc.

PR Newswire

Aethlon Medical to Present at the H.C. Wainwright 25th Annual Global Investment Conference

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/aethlon-medical-present-h-c-120100308.html

e50217e8-9fb1-3b5f-813f-6f37b728999a

AENT

Alliance EntertainmentK-POP Sales Increase 55% to $32.0 Million Over Previous YearPLANTATION, Fla., Aug. 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alliance Entertainment Holding Corporation (Nasdaq: AENT) (“Alliance Entertainment”, “Company”), a distributor and wholesaler of the world’s largest in stock selection of music, movies, video games, electronics, arcades, and collectibles, today announced that it has shipped over 2.0 million units representing $32.0 million in K-POP sales during the twelve months ending July 31, 2023. This represents a 55% increase over the previous year of approximately 1.3 million units shipped and $20.7 million in K-POP sales. With several other major K-POP acts scheduled to be released throughout the balance of 2023, this exponential sales growth is expected to continue.K-POP, or Korean popular music, is driving enormous consumer demand and sales growth in physical music media, particularly in the Compact Disc market. Alliance Entertainment and its AMPED Distribution division are at the forefront of capitalizing on and fulfilling this demand through partnerships with domestic major and independent labels and importing directly from Korean based labels through AMPED.“K-POP is absolutely on fire with big new release shipments going to retail in August and October from multiple artists,” said Jeff Walker, CEO of Alliance Entertainment. “It is no longer only BTS and a couple other bands, this is now a significant genre of music worldwide. K-POP has helped revive the CD business and we cannot wait until these titles move to vinyl, which will be fantastic for the K-POP fans.”According to music industry data, nine out of the top ten CD best sellers for 2023 are K-Pop releases, driven by key artists such as ATEEZ, Twice, Stray Kids, BLACKPINK, NCT 127, NewJeans and Tomorrow X Together. Featuring elaborate packaging and multiple versions of releases, fans are encouraged to collect and own as many variants as possible. With an average retail price of $20-$25 per package, fans have been known to spend upwards of $200 to own every version of their favorite bands release. Additional industry data has shown that 69% of K-Pop fans are more likely to be motivated to purchase music by a desire to “show support” for their favorite artists. With multiple releases throughout the year, it creates many opportunities to serve their rabid fanbase. Major commitments at all levels of retail have dramatically increased the availability, exposure and marketing of K-POP with plans for further expansion.  Story continuesAbout AMPED Distribution  AMPED is one of the fastest growing, top-tier independent distributors committed to developing and growing independent artists and labels worldwide. A part of Alliance Entertainment, AMPED gives the indie community access to a global distribution system with the largest sales force, a seasoned and skilled staff that provides a suite of services and data second to none. AMPED’s customer base is the largest in the industry directly servicing brick and click retailers large and small along with (DTC) direct consumers. AMPED’s growing roster of labels include labels such as Believe Digital, Better Noise, Big Loud, By Norse, Cleopatra Records, Compass Records, Compound Interest, Earache, Empire, Epitaph Records, Firebird Records, Flatiron, Fuga, GoodToGo, Herp Alpert Presents, Hopeless Records, Iconic Artist Group, IDLA, Integral (PIAS, Harmonia Mundi), Kai Media, Kartel, Lex Records, Mascot, Merge Records, MNRK (eOne, Dualtone), Nettwerk Music Group, Nuclear Blast, Polyvinyl, Proper Music Group, Rebel Records, Reservoir Media (Chrysalis, Tommy Boy), Ruf Records, Secretly Music Group, Shanachie, Smithsonian Folkways, Sub Pop, Tuff Gong, Warner Classics and more.About Alliance Entertainment Alliance Entertainment is a premier distributor of music, movies, and consumer electronics. We offer over 425,000 unique in stock SKU’s, including over 57,300 exclusive compact discs, vinyl LP records, DVDs, Blu-rays, and video games. Complementing our vast media catalog, we also stock a full array of related accessories, toys and collectibles. With more than thirty-five years of distribution experience, Alliance Entertainment serves customers of every size, providing a robust suite of services to resellers and retailers worldwide. Our efficient processing and essential seller tools noticeably reduce the costs associated with administrating multiple vendor relationships, while helping omni-channel retailers expand their product selection and fulfillment goals. For more information, visit www.aent.com.Forward Looking StatementsCertain statements included in this Press Release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook,” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding estimates and forecasts of other financial and performance metrics and projections of market opportunity. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether identified in this Press Release, and on the current expectations of Alliance’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as and must not be relied on by an investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction, or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of Alliance. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including risks relating to the anticipated growth rates and market opportunities; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the ability of Alliance to execute its business model, including market acceptance of its systems and related services; Alliance’s reliance on a concentration of suppliers for its products and services; increases in Alliance’s costs, disruption of supply, or shortage of products and materials; Alliance’s dependence on a concentration of customers, and failure to add new customers or expand sales to Alliance’s existing customers; increased Alliance inventory and risk of obsolescence; Alliance’s significant amount of indebtedness; Our ability to continue as a going concern absent access to sources of liquidity; risks and failure by Alliance to meet the covenant requirements of its revolving credit facility, including a fixed charge coverage ratio; risks that a breach of the revolving credit facility, including Alliance’s recent breach of the covenant requirements, could result in the lender declaring a default and that the full outstanding amount under the revolving credit facility could be immediately due in full, which would have severe adverse consequences for the Company; known or future litigation and regulatory enforcement risks, including the diversion of time and attention and the additional costs and demands on Alliance’s resources; Alliance’s business being adversely affected by increased inflation, higher interest rates and other adverse economic, business, and/or competitive factors; geopolitical risk and changes in applicable laws or regulations; risk that the COVID-19 pandemic, and local, state, and federal responses to addressing the pandemic may have an adverse effect on our business operations, as well as our financial condition and results of operations; substantial regulations, which are evolving, and unfavorable changes or failure by Alliance to comply with these regulations; product liability claims, which could harm Alliance’s financial condition and liquidity if Alliance is not able to successfully defend or insure against such claims; availability of additional capital to support business growth; and the inability of Alliance to develop and maintain effective internal controls.For investor inquiries, please contact:MZ GroupChris Tyson/Larry Holub(949) [email protected]

GlobeNewswire

Alliance Entertainment Sees Explosive Sales and Future Growth with K-POP

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/alliance-entertainment-sees-explosive-sales-123100064.html

c929324e-b42e-32a8-b7a4-dfca7cd9c7b8

AENT

Alliance EntertainmentSUNRISE, Fla., Sept. 06, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alliance Entertainment Holding Corporation (Nasdaq: AENT) (“Alliance Entertainment”, “Company”), a distributor and wholesaler of the world’s largest in stock selection of music, movies, video games, electronics, arcades, and collectibles, today announced in partnership with Atari® and retro home arcade company, Arcade1Up, the launch of the Arcade1Up Atari 50th Anniversary Deluxe Arcade Machine for the home.Alliance Entertainment, through its COKeM International video game division, is the leader in US distribution of video games and related products. Using its wide range of retail partners, COKeM will launch the over 5-foot-tall cabinet for pre-sale online beginning September 5th at major retailers including Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and GameStop, with delivery expected to consumers by the official release date of October 3rd. The arcade will also be readily available on release date at Amazon.com, Kohls.com, Wayfair.com, Dell.com, Nebraska Furniture Mart, Conn’s Home Plus, RC Willey as well as many other retailers within the US.The Deluxe Edition arcade machine is Arcade1Up’s most authentic arcade format yet. Featuring a streamlined style and sleek, single-cabinet design that echoes the look of the classic arcade machine, with modern features and technology.The Atari 50th Anniversary Deluxe arcade machine celebrates the magic of Atari with (14) Atari Arcade Classics and (50) Atari 2600 games, the largest selection of game titles to be released on an Arcade1Up Deluxe machine yet and includes classic games such as Asteroids®, Centipede®, and Missile Command® making this feature-packed machine one of the best ways to embrace nostalgia. The cabinet also features a 17-inch BOE display panel, a light-up marquee, 3D Molded Light-Up Coin Doors, light-up buttons, and dual speakers for dynamic sound. With its wi-fi experience, gamers will be able to connect, compete and share high scores with others worldwide. The Atari 50th Anniversary Arcade Machine will immerse users into the world of classic gaming with this feature-packed cabinet. Each cabinet will include a Certificate of Authenticity to guarantee the genuine Atari heritage.Story continues“We are excited to partner with Atari and Arcade1Up to offer such a unique cabinet to the arcade gaming and retro community,” said Ken Glaser, SVP of Sales at Alliance Entertainment. “This is another opportunity for Alliance Entertainment to support our retailers by offering this one-of-a-kind arcade experience to engage with consumers in the marketplace.”About AtariAtari is an interactive entertainment company and an iconic gaming industry brand that transcends generations and audiences. The company is globally recognized for its multi-platform, interactive entertainment, and licensed products. Atari owns and/or manages a portfolio of more than 200 unique games and franchises, including world-renowned brands like Asteroids®, Centipede®, Missile Command®, Pong®, and RollerCoaster Tycoon®. Atari has offices in New York and Paris. For more information visit www.Atari.com. About Tastemakers LLC | Arcade1Up   It’s time to play again! Home entertainment titan Tastemakers presents Arcade1Up, a line of award-winning, innovative ¾ scale home arcade and pinball machines featuring licensed retro games from the golden age of arcades. Arcade1Up’s classic titles include NFL Blitz Legends, NBA JAM™: SHAQ EDITION, Golden Tee 3D, Terminator 2, Tron™, Street Fighter™, X-Men, Mortal Kombat®, Atari, Pong®, PAC-MAN™, Star Wars™, Marvel Super Heroes ™, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles™, and more. Arcade1Up allows people to play in the comfort of their homes, with an authentic retro arcade experience at an accessible price. Check out Arcade1Up.com, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and the Arcade1Up Companion App available in the App Store and Google Play.About COKeM InternationalCOKeM is a cutting-edge distribution company serving the video games and accessories industry. COKeM’s world-class 220,000 square-foot warehouse is located in Shakopee, Minnesota. COKeM is always leveling up, providing expanded services including full-service distribution, design & merchandising, sales support, e-commerce and publishing across gaming. Whether you would like to take advantage of our in-house e-commerce and publishing across gaming. marketing team, unique partner relationships or product end-of life management services, COKeM’s ready to deliver customized and light-speed business solutions for winners. For more information visit www.cokem.com.About Alliance Entertainment Alliance Entertainment (NASDAQ: AENT) is a premier distributor of music, movies, and consumer electronics. We offer over 375,000 unique in stock SKU’s, including over 57,300 exclusive compact discs, vinyl LP records, DVDs, Blu-rays, and video games. Complementing our vast media catalog, we also stock a full array of related accessories, toys and collectibles. With more than thirty-five years of distribution experience, Alliance Entertainment serves customers of every size, providing a robust suite of services to resellers and retailers worldwide. Our efficient processing and essential seller tools noticeably reduce the costs associated with administrating multiple vendor relationships, while helping omni-channel retailers expand their product selection and fulfillment goals. For more information, visit www.aent.com.Forward Looking StatementsCertain statements included in this Press Release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions under the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally are accompanied by words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “predict,” “potential,” “seem,” “seek,” “future,” “outlook,” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or that are not statements of historical matters. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding estimates and forecasts of other financial and performance metrics and projections of market opportunity. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether identified in this Press Release, and on the current expectations of Alliance’s management and are not predictions of actual performance. These forward-looking statements are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to serve as and must not be relied on by an investor as, a guarantee, an assurance, a prediction, or a definitive statement of fact or probability. Actual events and circumstances are difficult or impossible to predict and will differ from assumptions. Many actual events and circumstances are beyond the control of Alliance. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including risks relating to the anticipated growth rates and market opportunities; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the ability of Alliance to execute its business model, including market acceptance of its systems and related services; Alliance’s reliance on a concentration of suppliers for its products and services; increases in Alliance’s costs, disruption of supply, or shortage of products and materials; Alliance’s dependence on a concentration of customers, and failure to add new customers or expand sales to Alliance’s existing customers; increased Alliance inventory and risk of obsolescence; Alliance’s significant amount of indebtedness; Our ability to continue as a going concern absent access to sources of liquidity; risks and failure by Alliance to meet the covenant requirements of its revolving credit facility, including a fixed charge coverage ratio; risks that a breach of the revolving credit facility, including Alliance’s recent breach of the covenant requirements, could result in the lender declaring a default and that the full outstanding amount under the revolving credit facility could be immediately due in full, which would have severe adverse consequences for the Company; known or future litigation and regulatory enforcement risks, including the diversion of time and attention and the additional costs and demands on Alliance’s resources; Alliance’s business being adversely affected by increased inflation, higher interest rates and other adverse economic, business, and/or competitive factors; geopolitical risk and changes in applicable laws or regulations; risk that the COVID-19 pandemic, and local, state, and federal responses to addressing the pandemic may have an adverse effect on our business operations, as well as our financial condition and results of operations; substantial regulations, which are evolving, and unfavorable changes or failure by Alliance to comply with these regulations; product liability claims, which could harm Alliance’s financial condition and liquidity if Alliance is not able to successfully defend or insure against such claims; availability of additional capital to support business growth; and the inability of Alliance to develop and maintain effective internal controls.For investor inquiries, please contact:MZ GroupChris Tyson/Larry Holub(949) [email protected]

GlobeNewswire

Alliance Entertainment’s COKeM Gaming Division to Launch Exclusive Atari® 50th Anniversary Deluxe Arcade Machine for the Home on October 3rd

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/alliance-entertainment-cokem-gaming-division-123100347.html

ed3ec539-f3e4-315e-9734-f2cac9813de9

AEP

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) has completed the sale of its 1,365-megawatt (MW) unregulated, contracted renewables portfolio to IRG Acquisition Holdings, a partnership owned by Invenergy, CDPQ and funds managed by Blackstone Infrastructure, at an enterprise value of $1.5 billion including project debt. AEP nets approximately $1.2 billion in cash after taxes, transaction fees and other customary adjustments."This sale is part of our strategy to streamline and de-risk the business and focus on our regulated operations," said Julie Sloat, AEP president and chief executive officer. "Over the next five years, we plan to invest nearly $40 billion primarily in our regulated wires and generation businesses. The proceeds from this sale will be used to continue to modernize the energy grid, shift to a more balanced generation portfolio and enhance service for our customers while strengthening our balance sheet."AEP signed an agreement to sell the assets in February 2023 and obtained approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, clearance from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and approvals under applicable competition laws.The sale portfolio includes 14 projects, representing 1,200 MW of wind and 165 MW of solar in 11 states. The renewable power from the projects is contracted under long-term agreements with other utilities, corporations and municipalities.J.P. Morgan served as lead financial advisor and Citigroup Global Markets served as financial advisor to AEP for this transaction. Hunton Andrews Kurth LLP served as legal counsel to AEP.American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is powering a cleaner, brighter energy future for its customers and communities. AEP's approximately 17,000 employees operate and maintain the nation's largest electricity transmission system and more than 225,000 miles of distribution lines to safely deliver reliable and affordable power to 5.6 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation's largest electricity producers with nearly 29,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including approximately 5,800 megawatts of renewable energy. The company's plans include growing its regulated renewable generation portfolio to approximately 50% of total capacity by 2032. AEP is on track to reach an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2005 levels by 2030 and has committed to achieving net zero by 2045. AEP is recognized consistently for its focus on sustainability, community engagement, and diversity, equity and inclusion. AEP's family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, which provides innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.Story continues(PRNewsfoto/American Electric Power) CisionView original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aep-completes-sale-of-unregulated-renewables-assets-301902473.htmlSOURCE American Electric Power

PR Newswire

AEP COMPLETES SALE OF UNREGULATED RENEWABLES ASSETS

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/aep-completes-sale-unregulated-renewables-133000906.html

96fde4e8-df26-3044-be20-870db5d3bf85

AEP

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Aug. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of American Electric Power (Nasdaq: AEP) has elected Julie Sloat chair of the Board, effective Oct. 2. Sloat is AEP's president and chief executive officer. In addition, Daniel G. "Dan" Stoddard, retired senior vice president, chief nuclear officer and president of Contracted Assets for Dominion Energy, has been elected to the Board.Nicholas K. Akins will be retiring and stepping down from his position as executive chair of AEP's Board on Oct. 1."AEP's executive succession transition began just over a year ago, and in that time, Julie has embraced her role and made great strides in executing the company's strategic vision," said Sara Martinez Tucker, lead director of AEP's Board. "Her energy, expertise and passion for serving our customers is an asset to AEP as we work to provide value to our stakeholders, and we're pleased to have her take on this larger leadership role with the company.""Nick has been a respected and highly effective leader throughout his more than 40 years with the company and has continued this commitment to excellence in his role as executive chair of the Board," Tucker said. "We thank him for his innumerable contributions to AEP, and we extend our sincerest congratulations as he transitions to his next chapter."Sloat, 54, was named AEP president in August 2022 and became chief executive officer Jan. 1, 2023. Previously, she was executive vice president and chief financial officer, senior vice president of Treasury and Risk, and president and chief operating officer of AEP Ohio. Sloat joined AEP in 1999.Prior to his retirement from Dominion earlier this month, Stoddard, 61, oversaw the operations of the company's seven nuclear units in three states and more than 50 contracted solar generating facilities in nine states. He joined Dominion in 2006 and has held roles of increasing responsibility in their nuclear energy generation organization, including senior vice president of Nuclear Operations and site vice president of North Anna Power Station. Prior to Dominion, he held various roles with Progress Energy, including plant general manager for the H.B. Robinson Nuclear Station.Story continues"Dan's leadership roles with regulated utilities, expertise in nuclear operations and renewable energy, and background in safety and health make him a great choice for our Board," Sloat said. "His deep industry knowledge will be an asset as AEP builds upon our reputation of operational excellence and shifts to a cleaner generating portfolio. We welcome his guidance and insights to the Board."Stoddard is a U.S. Navy veteran. He received his bachelor's degree in marine engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy and his master's degree in nuclear engineering from the University of Virginia.Stoddard is a licensed professional engineer and a member of the American Nuclear Society. He serves as chair of the boards of the National D-Day Memorial Foundation and the American Civil War Museum. He formerly chaired the Executive Advisory Group for the Institute of Nuclear Power Operations and the New Plant Advisory Committee for the Nuclear Energy Institute.Oliver G. "Rick" Richard III has resigned from the Board of Directors for personal reasons."We thank Rick for his service to our Board and the company over the past 10 years," Akins said. "His leadership and knowledge have been instrumental in executing our strategy, and we wish him all the best."American Electric Power, based in Columbus, Ohio, is powering a cleaner, brighter energy future for its customers and communities. AEP's approximately 17,000 employees operate and maintain the nation's largest electricity transmission system and more than 225,000 miles of distribution lines to safely deliver reliable and affordable power to 5.6 million regulated customers in 11 states. AEP also is one of the nation's largest electricity producers with nearly 29,000 megawatts of diverse generating capacity, including approximately 5,800 megawatts of renewable energy. The company's plans include growing its regulated renewable generation portfolio to approximately 50% of total capacity by 2032. AEP is on track to reach an 80% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 2005 levels by 2030 and has committed to achieving net zero by 2045. AEP is recognized consistently for its focus on sustainability, community engagement, and diversity, equity and inclusion. AEP's family of companies includes utilities AEP Ohio, AEP Texas, Appalachian Power (in Virginia and West Virginia), AEP Appalachian Power (in Tennessee), Indiana Michigan Power, Kentucky Power, Public Service Company of Oklahoma, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (in Arkansas, Louisiana, east Texas and the Texas Panhandle). AEP also owns AEP Energy, which provides innovative competitive energy solutions nationwide. For more information, visit aep.com.(PRNewsfoto/American Electric Power) CisionView original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aep-board-elects-sloat-chair-names-stoddard-board-member-301905560.htmlSOURCE American Electric Power

PR Newswire

AEP BOARD ELECTS SLOAT CHAIR, NAMES STODDARD BOARD MEMBER

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/aep-board-elects-sloat-chair-120000280.html

6fb2e9bd-c3ed-3c9f-bdfd-5d0e8d0e9ed7

AES

The AES Corporation’s AES strategic investments and growing partnerships will further boost its bottom line. The company is focused on expanding its renewable footprint, which is expected to further drive its performance in the coming years.However, this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company has to face risks related to the trend of declining wholesale prices.TailwindsAES is at the forefront of the utility industry’s shift to clean energy through sustainable growth and innovation while delivering high-quality results. AES has expanded its development pipeline from 55 gigawatts (GW) as of January 2022, to 64 GW as of Dec 31, 2022. This expansion was achieved through acquisitions and higher investment in development activities.To rapidly expand its renewable footprint, both on the domestic front and in overseas markets, the company is investing aggressively. Through 2025, AES expects to invest a total of $4 billion in new renewables, generation, transmission, modernization and smart grid at its U.S. utilities.Currently, the generation capacity of the systems owned and/or operated under AES Clean Energy is 4,919 MW across the United States, with another 2,862 MW under construction, including 1,707 MW of solar, 639 MW of wind and 516 MW of energy storage. AES Clean Energy has a 5.2 GW backlog of projects, the majority of which are expected to come online through 2025. Based on expected growth in renewables, energy storage and U.S. utilities, the company expects its annualized growth in the range of 7-9% through 2025 and 6-8% through 2027.HeadwindsThe wholesale prices of electricity have declined significantly in recent years due to the increased penetration of renewable generation resources, cheap natural gas and demand-side management. This trend of declining wholesale prices is most likely to continue and might have a material adverse impact on the financial performance of AES.Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks from the same sector are Vistra Corp. VST, sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and FirstEnergy Corporation FE and Atmos Energy Corp. ATO, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for VST’s 2023 earnings per share (EPS) indicates an increase of 205.8% from the previous year’s reported number. The same for sales indicates a year-over-year increase of 46.2%.FE’s long-term (three to five years) earnings growth rate is 6.45%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FE’s 2023 EPS indicates an increase of 5% from the previous year’s reported figure.ATO’s long-term earnings growth rate is 7.25%. It delivered an average earnings surprise of 2.4% in the previous four quarters.Story continuesWant the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportFirstEnergy Corporation (FE) : Free Stock Analysis ReportThe AES Corporation (AES) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAtmos Energy Corporation (ATO) : Free Stock Analysis ReportVistra Corp. (VST) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

AES to Benefit From Investments and Focus on Renewable Energy

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/aes-benefit-investments-focus-renewable-122300360.html

12aa79cf-0153-3c97-bab8-72182b77239f

AES

Investors in The AES Corporation AES need to pay close attention to the stock based on moves in the options market lately. That is because the Jan 19, 2024 $10 Call had some of the highest implied volatility of all equity options today.What is Implied Volatility?Implied volatility shows how much movement the market is expecting in the future. Options with high levels of implied volatility suggest that investors in the underlying stocks are expecting a big move in one direction or the other. It could also mean there is an event coming up soon that may cause a big rally or a huge sell-off. However, implied volatility is only one piece of the puzzle when putting together an options trading strategy.What do the Analysts Think?Clearly, options traders are pricing in a big move for AES shares, but what is the fundamental picture for the company? Currently, AES is a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) in the Utility - Electric Power industry that ranks in the Bottom 42% of our Zacks Industry Rank. Over the last 30 days, no analysts have increased their earnings estimates for the current quarter, while one analyst has revised the estimate downward. The net effect has taken our Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current quarter from 49 cents per share to 48 cents in that period.Given the way analysts feel about AES right now, this huge implied volatility could mean there’s a trade developing. Oftentimes, options traders look for options with high levels of implied volatility to sell premium. This is a strategy many seasoned traders use because it captures decay. At expiration, the hope for these traders is that the underlying stock does not move as much as originally expected.Looking to Trade Options?Check out the simple yet high-powered approach that Zacks Executive VP Kevin Matras has used to close recent double and triple-digit winners. In addition to impressive profit potential, these trades can actually reduce your risk.Click to see the trades now >>Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportStory continuesThe AES Corporation (AES) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

Are Options Traders Betting on a Big Move in AES (AES) Stock?

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/options-traders-betting-big-move-124400591.html

5afea48d-2149-3888-9c88-3b0a4c645968

AEY

ParticipantsJoseph E. Hart; President, CEO & Director; ADDvantage Technologies Group, Inc.Michael A. Rutledge; CFO; ADDvantage Technologies Group, Inc.Unidentified Company RepresentativeUnidentified ParticipantPresentationOperatorGreetings, and welcome to the ADDvantage Technologies Group Fiscal 2023 Second Quarter Financial Results. (Operator Instructions) As a reminder, this conference is being recorded. It is now my pleasure to introduce your host, Mr. Brian Siegel. Thank you, and you may proceed, sir.Unidentified Company RepresentativeThank you, Claudia. Joining me today is Joe Hart, President and CEO; and Mike Rutledge, company's Chief Financial Officer. Before we begin today's call, I'd like to remind you that this conference call may contain certain forward-looking statements, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements regarding future events, such as the ability to maintain strategic relationships and agreements with certain original equipment manufacturers and multiple system operators as well as the future financial performance. These statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Participants are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are only predictions and may materially differ from actual future events or results due to a variety of factors, which are as those contained in the most recent reports on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K on file with the SEC. Financial information presented on this conference call should be considered in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in the company's press release issued earlier today and included in its most recent reports on Form 10-K and 10-Q. The guidance regarding anticipated future results on this call is based on limited information currently available to management, which is subject to change. Although any such guidance and factors influencing it may change, the company will not necessarily update the information as it will only provide guidance at certain points during the year. Such information is found only at the beginning of this call. During this call, we may also present certain non-GAAP financial measures, such as non-GAAP net income and certain ratios that are used in these measures. In our press release and in the financial tables issued earlier today, which are located on our website at addvantagetechnologies.com, you'll find a reconciliation of these non-GAAP financial measures with the closest GAAP financials and a discussion about why we believe these non-GAAP financial measures are relevant. These financial measures are included for the benefit of investors and should be considered in addition to and not instead of GAAP measures. I would now like to turn the call over to Joe Hart, President and Chief Executive Officer of ADDvantage Technologies. Joe, please go ahead.Story continuesJoseph E. HartThank you, Brian, and thank you to everyone joining us on the call today. We continue to navigate a challenging environment for both our Telco and our Wireless segments, while laying the groundwork for better days in the future. Both segments of our business were impacted by macro headwinds during the quarter. The results we are reporting today are not what we envisioned, especially for our Wireless business. As has been widely reported, several carriers have paused CapEx investments, slowing the deployment of 5G upgrades. We are responding by carefully managing expenses and broadening our offerings to address a wider range of projects. Our Wireless segment was hit late in the second quarter by a sudden downturn in 5G-related build activity by a couple of large wireless customers and an overall slowdown in the industry by the national wireless carriers. Construction is expected to pick back up later this year and in 2024 as wireless data consumption and network demand continues to climb at an increasing rate. The wireless industry faces significant change. Several large construction services providers in the industry, companies that have served large carriers in many areas of the country, have failed over the last 12 months. Others are struggling. This has created greenfield opportunities for reliable partners, and we believe we are well positioned to capture a meaningful share of the near-term CapEx spend in key geographies. Our efforts to expand our addressable market in the Wireless segment are accelerating. And under the leadership of Brian Davidson, our new Chief Revenue Officer, we are optimistic that we can secure additional projects from wireless carriers over the next few quarters. Our recently announced strategic partnership with Walker Technical Solutions is making encouraging progress on a significant multiyear program in the wireless space. The program will aid and a carrier significantly increasing its diversity spend and create a new source of revenue to Fulton Technologies for many years to come. We have added key personnel with deep industry experience to lead this important initiative. We're also very encouraged by the federal government's funding of the rural broadband program, BEAD, and the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, known as RDOF. Both programs will provide funding of a few hundred billion in fiber and fixed wireless network investment over the next several years. We are aggressively pursuing opportunities to design and build fiber networks across multiple regions. Compounding the challenging conditions in our wireless segment is continued depressed demand for refurbished solutions through our Telco segment. As we discussed last quarter, the rapid normalization of the supply chain over the last few months has significantly slowed demand for our Telco business. Companies no longer need to build inventory to account for supply chain challenges and chip shortages, and many customers have significant inventory in-house that they want to work off before resuming purchases. Orders for used and refurbished equipment in our Telco segment have been drastically reduced due to the overstocking done in 2022 by our customers and we have been forced to wait for the burn off of that excess inventory by the optical network providers sometime later this year. Simultaneously, we have been methodically reducing our Telco inventory levels in light of lower demand. We again lowered our SG&A expenses, and we believe that as conditions improve, we can return to profitability as revenues normalize in the wireless division later this year and 2024 construction returns to normal. With that, I'll now turn the call over to Michael Rutledge, our CFO, to provide a more detailed review of our financial results. Michael, please go ahead.Michael A. RutledgeThank you, Joe. Consolidated sales decreased $15.7 million or 57% to $12.1 million for the second quarter from $27.8 million for the 3 months ended June 30, 2022. The decrease was primarily due to a decrease of $14.8 million or 72% in Telco revenue and a decrease of $0.9 million or 13% in wireless revenue. Gross profit was $3.3 million or a 27% gross margin compared to gross profit of $8.1 million or a 29% gross margin for the same period last year. Operating expenses decreased $0.5 million or 23% to $2.0 million, reflecting the previously announced cost reduction initiatives taking place in 2022. Consolidated selling, general and administrative, or SG&A, expenses include overhead, which consists of personnel, insurance, professional services, communication and other cost categories decreased $0.8 million or 21% and to $3.3 million for the 3 months ended June 30, 2023, from $4.1 million for the same period last year. Net loss for the quarter was $2.8 million or a $0.20 per basic and diluted share loss compared to net income of $0.9 million or $0.07 per basic share -- basic and diluted share for the same quarter last year. Turning to our balance sheet. Cash and cash equivalents was $2.8 million at June 30 compared to $2.6 million at December 31, 2022. In April, we entered into a securities purchase agreement issuing 13% senior secured promissory notes in the aggregate principal amount of up to $3 million, convertible into shares of common stock of the company. as well as the issuance of up to 72,000 shares of common stock as a commitment fee and warrants for the purchase of up to 648,000 shares of common stock of the company, raising net proceeds of $2.8 million. As of June 30, 2023, the company had net inventories of $8.1 million, down from $8.5 million at March 31 and $9.6 million in December 31, 2022. Reducing our inventory exposure in our Telco business has been an area of focus for us. Our outstanding debt at June 30 was $3.8 million. This concludes the financial overview segment of our remarks. I will now turn the call over to the operator to facilitate any questions.Question and Answer SessionOperator(Operator Instructions) The first question comes from George Gasco, private investor.Unidentified ParticipantQuestions about the wireless area. Can you identify the crews that you're operating with -- in-house crews and outside crews that you're using now? And at the beginning of the third quarter -- at the quarter that you're in now versus what you had in the second quarter? Can you identify that.Joseph E. HartI can address it in a fairly broad fashion, George. The wireless group was doing fine this year until the month of June. So the last 60 days have dropped quite a bit as DISH is one of our big customers, and they finished the Phase 2 of their build-out and launched that Phase II network in June. So they've taken a pause and for them before they start their next or third bigger phase, it will probably be 3, 4 months before they get back in action and get the real estate permissions required for Phase III. So they've slowed down. And really, AT&T, it's been widely announced that AT&T has got -- been going through a slowdown. They're in a similar situation, but for a different reason. So our in-house crews remain the same as they have been. I haven't -- we haven't reduced the in-house crews because we have enough work for them. We have reduced our number of subcontracted crews and the central region and why we use a lot of subcontractors so that we can manage through the highs and lows during the construction year. So I would say we're probably currently running in total at about 40% to 50% of the crew count that we had in the first 4 months, 5 months of the year and through most of last year in the peak. So it's down right now. Now there's more work coming that we can see, but we don't have it in hand at the moment. So I think we're going to go through the 2 months we've already experienced and maybe a couple more before the work picks back up going into fourth quarter. Verizon and T-Mobile still continue to build not at a great pace, but at a steady pace. So every indication is that DISH will pick back up as they go into Phase III of their build and they get their CapEx funding, the merger with EchoStar, they get that done. And then AT&T will pick back up as they go into the next capital year of 2024. So I think next year is going to be a very strong year, and we have a number of initiatives in place that we're working on. So I think this is a temporary slowdown, and that's what all the analysts that are looking at both the carrier and OEM earnings reports are saying. So that's what I'm going to stick with.Unidentified ParticipantOkay. And then could you identify a little bit more about if there's any changes in what you're installing on towers? Are you getting yourself in a position where you can do more work on a tower as opposed to what you've been doing in the past? Or is it still a steady trend of what you have been doing up to now?Joseph E. HartWell, I mean we do I mean, we currently perform all nature of work and activity that customers are asking for on towers. The only thing we don't do much of is actually erecting new towers. We're not really in the steel stacking business. We do the technology upgrades, both at the base of a tower as well as on top of a tower. And we do integration of those radio networks. So we -- we do most everything that anyone could ask for on a tower already, and we've been doing it for a few decades. So I don't see any change there. What we are excited about is our push into project and construction management of fiber optic cable networks and as I talked about in my remarks, the federal funding has come through recently and in very large amounts of money up into 60 billion to $80 billion to $100 billion. And there are matching funds that go along with that of 30% to 50% in terms of matching funds that take that in above closer to $150 billion available for the next 5 years or so. So we're really excited about that. We have a good team where it's very similar to our wireless work in the sense of its program management, construction management, working with subcontractors and working in -- we're going to focus on similar geographies so that we don't get stranded 10 states away from our home base.Unidentified ParticipantRight. Okay. And could I ask an additional question, please?Joseph E. HartIf it's a quick one, George, yes, I don't want to -- if anybody else wants a question.Unidentified ParticipantOkay. I'd like to know about your future financing requirement going forward relative to what you released as far as your financial capacity now. Do you have some indications that you're going to have to do something near term here to broaden your flexibility so that you can start turning around the amount of volume that you're going to do and have the finances available to you to handle that?Joseph E. HartWell, I think we view the next 4 to 6 months as kind of a bridge period to 2024. So we're looking at multiple alternatives to make sure that we stay healthy and continue to pay our bills and get to 2024 and Michael Rutledge, our CFO. Michael, you might have some more comments in that regard?Michael A. RutledgeYes. Sorry, I was coming off on mute. We certainly are evaluating our needs on a daily, if not weekly, basis. So as we see an opportunity to bolster our balance sheet, we will address it.Unidentified ParticipantOkay. So at least you feel you've got the flexibility now to handle your activity level going forward?Joseph E. HartI'd say given where we're at and that we expect what we're starting to see the wireless work start to pick up so that we're -- we've sort of bottomed out on wireless in June, July, and it's picking back up. I think we're going to be -- we're going to be fine in that regard. On the Telco side, the order activity continues to remain flat at the reduced level. So Nave has always been a profitable contributor. So I think we're going to be fine, and we just got to get through this bridge period to get us into the new capital year.OperatorThere are no further questions at this time. I'd now like to turn the floor over to Mr. Joe Hart for closing remarks. Thank you, sir.Joseph E. HartYes. So I'd like to say that we appreciate those who are invested in the company today and have been with us for quite a few years. We had a big growth year last year in 2022, grew the business in all aspects by 40%, 50% across all the entities. This year, the drop in Telco product demand was both a surprise both that it happened so quickly as well as to the level it did. We feel that once the fiber optic providers burn off that excess inventory, that I described earlier, that it will return to a new normal. It most likely won't get back to 2022 levels, but we think it's going to be fine. The company has a strong management team. We have a strong board of directors that's supportive of the company. And most importantly, we feel that investors that have been with us for a number of years, sometimes a decade or more. So we feel that we're going to get through this. And it's always an uncertain path that you go because it's dependent upon customers. So we have some good partnerships in place. We think that the Walker Technical Solutions is going to be a very good, strong partnership and help lead us to a very good future. So we've got our heads down, trying to keep costs low, reduce inventories and get this business turned around. And thank you for attending the call, and thank you for your support.OperatorThank you very much, sir. Ladies and gentlemen, that does conclude today's conference. Thank you very much for joining us. You may now disconnect your lines.

Thomson Reuters StreetEvents

Q3 2023 ADDvantage Technologies Group Inc Earnings Call

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/q3-2023-addvantage-technologies-group-103046715.html

b16ce145-6946-3aea-9993-2c30c37453c7

AEY

Market volatility in 2022 has caused many compelling stocks to now trade for less than $1 per share. While the under-$1 territory is often associated with riskier penny stocks, hidden gems with solid fundamentals can be uncovered by discerning investors. As Warren Buffett famously said, “price is what you pay, value is what you get.”Even quality companies can temporarily see their share prices driven below $1 due to market psychology or other macroeconomic factors. However, investors who spot these opportunities and have a long-term perspective could generate massive returns if the business’ prospects improve.As we head further into the second half of 2023, such pink-sheet stocks could bottom out and start a turnaround next year. Thus, here are the three stocks trading under $1 that are too cheap relative to their potential.InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading TipsAyr Wellness (AYRWF)Young green medicinal marijuana plant in a pot after a rain fall shallow depth of field with focus on leaf; cannabis stocksSource: gvictoria / Shutterstock.comAs a leading vertically integrated U.S. cannabis multi-state operator, Ayr Wellness (OTCMKTS:AYRWF) offers exposure to the high-growth marijuana industry. While the company has faced recent challenges with profitability, I believe Ayr possesses strong assets and brands that position it for an eventual turnaround.In Q1 2023, Ayr grew revenue by 18% year-over-year but saw a net loss of $195 million. Encouragingly, the company generated positive operating cash flow for the third straight quarter, reflecting early progress on its optimization plan to drive cost savings and improve working capital. Ayr expects to build on this momentum and achieve positive cash flow for the full-year 2023.To drive growth, Ayr plans to expand its retail footprint in its key market in Florida. With seven new store openings already this year and 10 more planned, Florida provides a substantial growth avenue as Ayr maps the state for its 70 targeted locations. I’m also optimistic about the company’s expansion into Ohio, where it recently acquired two dispensary licenses that should open later this year.Story continuesWhile near-term industry headwinds persist, Ayr owns leading brands and dispensaries that position it well for the eventual adult-use transition in markets like Florida. With its beaten-down valuation at just 0.6-times sales, I see sizable upside potential for AYRWF stock once macro conditions improve. The average Wall Street price target implies upside potential of more than 500% from here.Feihe (CHFLF)Two smiling parents hold a smiling baby while sitting down.Source: Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.comAs the largest producer of infant milk formula in China, Feihe (OTCMKTS:CHFLF) presents an attractive opportunity to gain exposure to a defensive consumer staples business. While revenue is expected to decline 3.8% this year, Feihe is expected to see revenue bounce back next year with positive 12% year-over-year growth.Feihe also maintains a strong balance sheet with $2.8 billion of cash against only $218 million of debt. Its healthy cash position provides stability during economic uncertainty. Additionally, the company pays an annual dividend yielding nearly 10%.I think paying just 7-times trailing earnings for this leader in infant formula and recession-resistant business model is very much worth it. CHFLF appears poised to outperform when China’s economy rebounds from COVID-driven weaknesses. Its emphasis on product R&D and quality assurance also positions it well to capitalize on premiumization trends in infant formula. Gurufocus estimates its fair price value at $2, well above its current price of 55 cents, primarily due to its all-green balance sheet.ADDvantage Technologies (AEY)a picture of cell towers during daytimeSource: ShutterstockProviding communications infrastructure services and equipment, ADDvantage Technologies (NASDAQ:AEY) operates through two segments: telco and wireless. The company has faced recent revenue declines as a result of inventory rationalization by customers. However, with wireless infrastructure spending set to reaccelerate, I believe AEY stock presents deep value at current levels.ADDvantage’s wireless business is impressive, with the company boasting extensive experience managing 5G construction projects for carriers like Dish Network (NASDAQ:DISH). As macro conditions improve industry-wide over the long-run, the company’s exposure to secular 5G trends positions it for a revenue rebound. ADDvantage also plans to capture rural broadband funding for fiber network builds, representing a new growth avenue.Trading at just 0.1-times EV/Revenue and 0.06-times sales, AEY stock appears significantly undervalued relative to its long-term growth potential. Its services will remain in demand as 5G investments roll out over the next decade. As network operators resume spending in 2024, ADDvantage looks poised to reward patient investors. There is no Wall Street or Gurufocus coverage with this company, but I believe a fair price target should be $1.30 at the very least.Penny StocksOn Penny Stocks and Low-Volume Stocks: With only the rarest exceptions, InvestorPlace does not publish commentary about companies that have a market cap of less than $100 million or trade less than 100,000 shares each day. That’s because these “penny stocks” are frequently the playground for scam artists and market manipulators. If we ever do publish commentary on a low-volume stock that may be affected by our commentary, we demand that InvestorPlace.com’s writers disclose this fact and warn readers of the risks.Read More: Penny Stocks — How to Profit Without Getting ScammedOn the date of publication, Omor Ibne Ehsan did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.Omor Ibne Ehsan is a writer at InvestorPlace. He is a self-taught investor with a focus on growth and cyclical stocks that have strong fundamentals, value, and long-term potential. He also has an interest in high-risk, high-reward investments such as cryptocurrencies and penny stocks. You can follow him on LinkedIn.More From InvestorPlaceChatGPT IPO Could Shock the World, Make This Move Before the AnnouncementMusk’s “Project Omega” May Be Set to Mint New Millionaires. Here’s How to Get In.The Rich Use This Income Secret (NOT Dividends) Far More Than Regular InvestorsThe post The 3 Most Undervalued Stocks Under $1 to Buy Now: August 2023 appeared first on InvestorPlace.

InvestorPlace

The 3 Most Undervalued Stocks Under $1 to Buy Now: August 2023

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/3-most-undervalued-stocks-under-223138949.html

a37562e8-0bb0-3939-89b6-4741108cac16

AEYE

Index uncovers an average of 37 errors per page on the web's most visited websites, with significant barriers across retail, travel, and other industriesTUCSON, Ariz., Sept. 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- AudioEye, Inc. (Nasdaq: AEYE), the industry-leading enterprise SaaS accessibility company, today released its first-ever Digital Accessibility Index, a combination of automated AI findings coupled with expert audits from members of the disability community, to identify the most common digital accessibility issues across 40,000 websites. Of the 3 billion website elements tested (i.e., images, links, headers), the findings concluded every page tested had at least one accessibility error — and the average page had 37 items that failed one of the success criteria of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).(PRNewsfoto/AudioEye, Inc.)"AudioEye's Digital Accessibility Index underscores the unacceptable reality that digital experiences are broken for people with disabilities, preventing them from accomplishing critical tasks that many of us regularly depend on, such as online shopping, banking, news access, job-related activities, and more," said David Moradi, CEO of AudioEye. "This Index shows a clear need to approach digital accessibility with a combination of AI-driven detection and automation paired with expert audits from members of the disability community."AudioEye's report found that the most frequent barriers were related to image accessibility, descriptive links, and keyboard accessibility, which can significantly impact the ability of the 1.3 billion people globally with a disability to utilize online services and experiences successfully.Key insights from the report include:56% of the 32 million images scanned had faulty or missing image alternative text, making it difficult for people using screen readers to understand the full context of image-heavy pages.On average, each enterprise page had five links that lacked critical context for people with disabilities, making it hard to navigate between pages or know where clicking a link would take them.25% of forms were missing clear labels and instructions for people with disabilities, preventing them from submitting critical information to customer service, completing purchases, and other essential activities.Story continuesIn addition to the automated scan, AudioEye's team of certified experts reviewed the top 3-5 companies in multiple industries, including government, and found significant barriers keeping users from accomplishing core site objectives, including:RetailAudioEye testers encountered barriers keeping them from being able to complete a purchase, such as needing to be alerted when forms in the checkout process needed to include required information. Additionally, some users experienced no alert when adding an item to the cart, leading to confusion and potentially incorrect orders. MediaMedia sites generally have more video content than other industries, yet testers encountered unlabeled video player controls, making it difficult to start, stop, or pause videos. Additionally, keyboard accessibility issues prevented keyboard-only users from clicking between articles, sometimes getting stuck in slideshows with no way to exit. TravelTesters encountered pop-up windows that contained no information about flights or rooms for screen reader users and no way to close the window using a keyboard alone. Additionally, vague or missing image alt text failed to paint a verbal picture that would help non-sighted users decide about rooms or amenities.While the barriers found were significant, impacting customer experience, revenue, and critical site objectives, the issues found are fixable through a combination of AI-driven automation and expert audits.MethodologyAudioEye conducted an automated scan of over 2 million pages across 40,000 websites from companies with over $100M in annual revenue, starting at the homepage and following every link until it scanned up to 100 pages per site. More than 3 billion site-specific elements were tested against 25 of the 78 WCAG 2.1 criteria. Following the scan, accessibility experts— including members of the disability community — manually audited the top sites in each industry, revealing which issues are most disruptive to users.About AudioEyeAudioEye exists to ensure the digital future we build is inclusive. By combining the latest AI automation technology with guidance from certified experts and direct input from the disability community, AudioEye helps ensure businesses of all sizes — including over 104,000 customers like Samsung, Calvin Klein, and Samsonite — are accessible. Holding 23 US patents, AudioEye helps companies solve every aspect of digital accessibility with flexible approaches that best meet their needs — from finding and removing barriers to navigating legal compliance, to ongoing training, monitoring and upkeep. Join AudioEye on its mission to eradicate barriers to digital access.Media Contact:RAISE CommunicationsCari [email protected] Contact:Tom Colton or Luke JohnsonGateway Investor [email protected] CisionView original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/audioeye-releases-industrys-first-digital-accessibility-index-report-shows-significant-roadblocks-for-people-with-disabilities-on-enterprise-websites-301918892.htmlSOURCE AudioEye, Inc.

PR Newswire

AudioEye Releases Industry's First Digital Accessibility Index Report, Shows Significant Roadblocks for People with Disabilities on Enterprise Websites

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/audioeye-releases-industrys-first-digital-123000419.html

6a608a67-5226-36c4-8b4f-673c830cc7b8

AEYE

Even when a business is losing money, it's possible for shareholders to make money if they buy a good business at the right price. For example, biotech and mining exploration companies often lose money for years before finding success with a new treatment or mineral discovery. But while history lauds those rare successes, those that fail are often forgotten; who remembers Pets.com?So should AudioEye (NASDAQ:AEYE) shareholders be worried about its cash burn? In this article, we define cash burn as its annual (negative) free cash flow, which is the amount of money a company spends each year to fund its growth. Let's start with an examination of the business' cash, relative to its cash burn. Check out our latest analysis for AudioEye When Might AudioEye Run Out Of Money?A company's cash runway is the amount of time it would take to burn through its cash reserves at its current cash burn rate. When AudioEye last reported its balance sheet in June 2023, it had zero debt and cash worth US$4.3m. In the last year, its cash burn was US$3.2m. That means it had a cash runway of around 16 months as of June 2023. That's not too bad, but it's fair to say the end of the cash runway is in sight, unless cash burn reduces drastically. Importantly, if we extrapolate recent cash burn trends, the cash runway would be noticeably longer. Depicted below, you can see how its cash holdings have changed over time.debt-equity-history-analysisHow Well Is AudioEye Growing?Happily, AudioEye is travelling in the right direction when it comes to its cash burn, which is down 67% over the last year. And while hardly exciting, it was still good to see revenue growth of 14% during that time. It seems to be growing nicely. While the past is always worth studying, it is the future that matters most of all. For that reason, it makes a lot of sense to take a look at our analyst forecasts for the company.How Easily Can AudioEye Raise Cash?Even though it seems like AudioEye is developing its business nicely, we still like to consider how easily it could raise more money to accelerate growth. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. Commonly, a business will sell new shares in itself to raise cash and drive growth. By looking at a company's cash burn relative to its market capitalisation, we gain insight on how much shareholders would be diluted if the company needed to raise enough cash to cover another year's cash burn.Story continuesAudioEye's cash burn of US$3.2m is about 5.5% of its US$59m market capitalisation. That's a low proportion, so we figure the company would be able to raise more cash to fund growth, with a little dilution, or even to simply borrow some money.Is AudioEye's Cash Burn A Worry?The good news is that in our view AudioEye's cash burn situation gives shareholders real reason for optimism. One the one hand we have its solid cash burn relative to its market cap, while on the other it can also boast very strong cash burn reduction. Based on the factors mentioned in this article, we think its cash burn situation warrants some attention from shareholders, but we don't think they should be worried. Taking an in-depth view of risks, we've identified 4 warning signs for AudioEye that you should be aware of before investing.Of course AudioEye may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks that insiders are buying.Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Simply Wall St.

We Think AudioEye (NASDAQ:AEYE) Can Afford To Drive Business Growth

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/think-audioeye-nasdaq-aeye-afford-134541149.html

a531962b-4f96-3b43-a2aa-a9a0b87bf41f

AFG

A month has gone by since the last earnings report for ProAssurance (PRA). Shares have lost about 4.2% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is ProAssurance due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.ProAssurance’s Q2 Earnings Beat on Strong Investment IncomeProAssurance reported a second-quarter 2023 adjusted operating income of 16 cents per share, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 100%. However, the bottom line dropped 46.7% year over year.Operating revenues amounted to $282 million, which grew 2.5% year over year in the quarter under review. The top line outpaced the consensus mark by 6.4%.The quarterly results benefited on the back of solid investment returns and the uptrend in the metric is likely to sustain in the days ahead. New business growth across the healthcare professional liability, life sciences and traditional workers compensation businesses lines also contributed to the quarterly results. However, the upside was partly offset by an elevated expense level.Operational UpdateGross premiums written of $237.9 million inched up 1% year over year in the second quarter and surpassed our estimate of $222.8 million. Net premiums earned came in at $247.9 million, up 0.2% year over year and were higher than our estimate of $216.8 million.Net investment income of $31.7 million soared 44.2% year over year, attributable to increased average book yields from fixed maturity investments. The reported figure outpaced our estimate of $24.2 million.Total expenses escalated 7.3% year over year to $278.3 million in the quarter under review due to increased net losses and loss adjustment expenses, significant rise in segregated portfolio cell (SPC) U.S. federal income tax as well as SPC dividend expense. The metric came higher than our estimate of $244 million.Story continuesThe combined ratio of 108.2% deteriorated 500 basis points (bps) year over year in the second quarter.Segmental PerformanceSpecialty P&C SegmentThe segment recorded total revenues of $179.9 million, which declined 3% year over year but outpaced our estimate of $160 million. Gross premiums written inched up 1.4% year over year to $170.2 million in the second quarter on the back of renewal pricing increases, new business growth and strong customer retention rates. The reported figure surpassed our estimate of $157.5 million.Total expenses of $192.5 million increased 4% year over year in the quarter under review. The unit incurred a loss of $12.6 million against the prior-year quarter’s profit of $0.4 million. The metric was wider than our estimate of a loss of $11.5 million. The combined ratio deteriorated 680 bps year over year to 107.6%.Workers' Compensation Insurance SegmentRevenues came in at $41.7 million, which dipped 1.3% year over year in the second quarter and missed our estimate of $42.3 million. Gross premiums written decreased 1.4% year over year to $62.8 million due to reduced renewal premiums. Yet, the reported figure marginally beat our estimate of $62.4 million.Total expenses escalated 6.1% year over year to $44.2 million. A segmental loss of $2.5 million was incurred in the quarter under review against the prior-year quarter’s profit of $0.6 million and our estimate of $0.5 million. The combined ratio deteriorated 790 bps year over year to 107.7% due to an elevated net loss ratio, increased expenses and lower net premiums earned.Segregated Portfolio Cell Reinsurance SegmentIn the second quarter, gross premiums written of the segment surged 51% year over year to $25.1 million on the back of contributions from healthcare professional liability tail premium earned and new business growth.The unit recorded a profit of $0.8 million against the prior-year quarter’s loss of $0.4 million. Underwriting, policy acquisition and operating expenses escalated 24.8% year over year to $6.5 million, higher than our estimate of $5.4 million. The combined ratio of 84.4% improved 510 bps year over year in the quarter under review.Lloyd's Syndicates SegmentGross premiums written improved 22.4% year over year to $5 million in the second quarter. The segment’s operating profit of $0.2 million declined four-fold year over year. The combined ratio deteriorated 1,510 bps year over year to 100.6% in the quarter under review due to catastrophe losses. The metric also came higher than our estimate of 99.3%.Corporate SegmentNet investment income of $30.9 million climbed 43.2% year over year in the second quarter on the back of higher interest rates. The reported figure outpaced our estimate of $23.7 million. The unit reported a segmental profit of $22.7 million against the prior-year quarter’s loss of $2.4 million. Operating expenses of $8.3 million declined 8.2% year over year on the back of reduced compensation-related costs.  Interest expenses increased 11.9% year over year to $5.5 million in the quarter under review.Financial Position (as of Jun 30, 2023)ProAssurance exited the second quarter with cash and cash equivalents of $46 million, which soared 53.7% from the figure at 2022 end. Total investments of $4,315.4 million slid 1.6% from the 2022-end level.Total assets of $5,657.4 million dipped 0.7% from the figure at 2022 end.Debt-less unamortized debt issuance costs came in at $426 million, down 0.2% from the figure as of Dec 31, 2022.Total shareholders’ equity of $1,119.7 million increased 1.4% from the 2022-end level.In the first half of 2023, net cash used in operating activities of PRA stood at $61.8 million, higher than the prior-year quarter’s figure of $3.7 million.Book value per share came in at $21.24, which grew 3.8% from the 2022-end level. Non-GAAP operating return on equity deteriorated 230 bps year over year to 3% at the second-quarter end.Share Repurchase UpdateProAssurance bought back common shares worth $20 million in the second quarter. As of Jun 30, 2023, a leftover capacity of $86.4 million remained in place to be utilized for common share repurchases or retirement of outstanding debt.How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?It turns out, estimates review have trended upward during the past month.VGM ScoresCurrently, ProAssurance has a poor Growth Score of F, however its Momentum Score is doing a lot better with a B. However, the stock was allocated a grade of D on the value side, putting it in the bottom 40% for this investment strategy.Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of F. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.OutlookEstimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions has been net zero. It comes with little surprise ProAssurance has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). We expect an above average return from the stock in the next few months.Performance of an Industry PlayerProAssurance belongs to the Zacks Insurance - Property and Casualty industry. Another stock from the same industry, American Financial Group (AFG), has gained 0.6% over the past month. More than a month has passed since the company reported results for the quarter ended June 2023.American Financial reported revenues of $1.73 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +8.6%. EPS of $2.38 for the same period compares with $2.85 a year ago.American Financial is expected to post earnings of $2.47 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +10.3%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -2.1%.The overall direction and magnitude of estimate revisions translate into a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for American Financial. Also, the stock has a VGM Score of F.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportProAssurance Corporation (PRA) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAmerican Financial Group, Inc. (AFG) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

ProAssurance (PRA) Down 4.2% Since Last Earnings Report: Can It Rebound?

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/proassurance-pra-down-4-2-153057294.html

feddfe22-5d7c-3465-8988-5b7f9d4c0e4a

AFG

The Zacks Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance industry has been benefiting from better pricing, prudent underwriting, increased exposure, an improving rate environment and a solid capital position. With the ongoing economic expansion, insurers remain well-poised for growth. However, catastrophe losses might have weighed on P&C insurers.The industry has risen 20.2% in the past year, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite’s growth of 9.8% and the Finance sector’s 1.9% increase.Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchHere we focus on two property and casualty insurers, namely CNA Financial Corporation CNA and American Financial Group, Inc. AFG.CNA Financial, with a market capitalization of $10.42 billion, provides commercial property and casualty insurance products in the United States and internationally. American Financial, with a market capitalization of $9.48 billion, is an insurance holding company. It provides specialty property and casualty insurance products in the United States. CNA and AFG carry a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) each at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.Global commercial insurance prices rose 3% in the second quarter of 2023, per Marsh Global Insurance Market Index. This marked the 23rd consecutive quarter of composite price increase. Improvement in pricing drives premiums and claims payment.Price hikes, operational strength, higher retention, strong renewal and the appointment of retail agents should help write higher premiums.The P&C insurance industry remains exposed to catastrophe loss stemming from natural disasters, which drag down underwriting profit. Colorado State University predicted that 2023 hurricane activity will be about 130% of the average season. The team also predicted 18 named storms in 2023. In the first half of 2023, Aon had estimated a global economic loss of $194 billion from natural disasters, which was the fifth highest on record. Per Aon, in the first half of 2023, global insured losses from natural disaster events were 46%, which was above the 21st-century average.Exposure growth, improved pricing, prudent underwriting, favorable reserve development and a sturdy capital position will help absorb catastrophe losses. Also, frequent occurrences of natural disasters should accelerate the policy renewal rate.With four rate hikes already in 2023, investment income is likely to have improved, as insurers are beneficiaries of a rising rate environment. The Fed had raised its key interest rate by 0.25% and reached a target range of 5.25% to 5.5%, which marked the highest level in 22 years. An improving rate environment is a boon for insurers, especially long-tail insurers. Also, investment income is an important component of insurers’ top line.While a solid policyholders’ surplus will help the P&C insurance industry absorb losses, a sturdy capital level continues to aid the P&C insurers in pursuing strategic mergers and acquisitions, investing in growth initiatives, engaging in share buybacks and increasing dividends or paying out special dividends.Players are investing heavily in technology in a bid to drive efficiency, enhance cybersecurity, upgrade policy administration and claims systems and expand automation capabilities across their organizations.Let's delve deeper into specific parameters to ascertain which P&C insurer is better positioned at the moment.Story continuesPrice PerformanceCNA Financial has lost 4% in the past year against the industry’s growth of 20.2%. Shares of American Financial have declined 15.3% in the said time frame.Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchReturn on Equity (ROE)American Financial, with a ROE of 22.5%, exceeds CNA Financial’s ROE of 13% and the industry average of 6.7%.Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchValuationThe price-to-book value is the best multiple used for valuing insurers. Compared with American Financial’s P/B ratio of 2.38, CNA Financial is cheaper, with a reading of 1.19. The P&C insurance industry’s P/B ratio is 1.41.Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchDividend YieldCNA Financial’s dividend yield of 4.3% is better than the American Financial’s dividend yield of 2.2%. Thus, CNA has an advantage over AFG on this front.Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchLong-Term Debt-to-CapitalAFG’s long-term debt-to-capital ratio of 26.9 is higher than the industry average of 1.2 and CNA’s reading of 21.4.Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchEarnings Surprise HistoryAmerican Financial has a solid record of beating earnings estimates in six of the last seven quarters, missing once. CNA Financial beat earnings estimates in four of the last seven quarters and missed on three occasions.Hence, AFG has an edge in this regard over CNA.Growth ProjectionThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2023 earnings indicates 12.7% growth from the year-ago reported figure for CNA Financial, while the same for American Financial indicates a decline of 8.5%.Earnings EstimatesFor 2023, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for CNA has moved 0.6% north to $4.33 in the past 60 days, while the same for AFG has been revised 7.6% downward to $10.64. Therefore, CNA is in an advantageous position over AFG on this front.To ConcludeOur comparative analysis shows that CNA Financial is better positioned than American Financial with respect to price, valuation, dividend yield, leverage, growth projection and earnings estimates. Meanwhile, American Financial scores higher in terms of return on equity and earnings surprise history. With the scale majorly tilted toward CNA Financial, the stock appears to be better poised.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportCNA Financial Corporation (CNA) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAmerican Financial Group, Inc. (AFG) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

CNA or AFG: Which Property & Casualty Insurer Has an Edge?

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/cna-afg-property-casualty-insurer-122800617.html

52d6babe-cc28-378b-98bd-d4b1b94689ec

AFL

Lincoln National Corporation LNC shares gained 8.7% in the past three months against the 0.2% decline of the industry. The Finance sector has gained 1.7%, while the Zacks S&P 500 composite has risen 3.9%. With a market capitalization of $4.3 billion,the average volume of shares traded in the last three months was about 2.4 million.Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchEnhancement of existing products, resurging Group Protection business and rising investment income are driving the stock.Lincoln National currently has a VGM Score of A. The Style Score rates stocks on their combined weighted styles, helping to identify those with the most attractive value, best growth and most promising momentum.Favorable FactorsLet’s delve deeper to unearth the factors working in favor of this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2023 earnings per share is pegged at $7.15, indicating an increase of 237%. LNC beat earnings estimates in two of the last four quarters, missing on two other occasions.The Group Protection segment continued to see improved growth and profitability in the first half of 2023. This segment contributed one-third to the operating earnings in the second quarter, and management expects this to continue in the future. We expect total revenues to rise 3.3% in 2023. LNC expects to sustain a margin of 7% over the long term, thanks to strategic initiatives taken by the company to grow this business. Improved sales of supplemental health products should continue to drive growth in this segment.The company’s operating cash flow is expected to improve in the future as it continues to execute its strategy of generating solid cash flow by investing in profitable businesses. Although, it took a hit in the first half of 2023, as the company realizes savings from its Spark Initiative, cash flow is likely to increase. The company also expects to generate improved cash flow following the close of the Fortitude Re block reinsurance transaction. Following this transaction, free cash flow is anticipated to increase $100 million per year.Story continuesLincoln National expects sales to grow in the annuity segment for 2023, driven by product enhancements and tie-ups. As LNC enhances its value propositions, certain measures taken with the distribution partners are expected to further drive sales in the second half of 2023.The company reported an increase of 7.9% in net investment income for the second quarter. A high-interest rate environment should continue to be a tailwind for this metric.The company’s sturdy capital position supports effective capital deployment. LNC’s dividend yield is currently 7.1%, much higher than the industry’s average of 3.9%. It bought back shares worth $76 million in the first half of 2023. At the second-quarter end, it had a remaining security repurchase authorization of $714 million.RisksDespite the upside potential, there are some factors that investors should keep an eye out for.The company’s troubled Life Insurance segment is weighing on the company’s results. The pre-tax income declined 52.7% in the second quarter of 2023. The company expects this segment to remain a headwind as it would take time to benefit from a shift in the product mix. Nevertheless, we believe that a systematic and strategic plan of action will drive long-term growth.Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks in the broader finance space include Arch Capital Group Ltd. ACGL, Aflac Incorporated AFL and Chubb Limited CB. Arch Capital currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while Aflac and Chubb carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Arch Capital’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 26.8%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ACGL’s 2023 earnings and revenues indicates a rise of 38.2% and 30.6%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. The consensus mark for ACGL’s 2023 earnings has moved 2.3% north in the past 30 days.The bottom line of Aflac beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average beat being 7.8%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AFL’s 2023 earnings indicates a rise of 12.2% from the year-ago tally. The consensus mark for AFL’s 2023 earnings has moved 1.4% north in the past 30 days.Chubb’s earnings outpaced estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed the mark once, the average surprise being 3.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CB’s 2023 earnings indicates a rise of 19.3%, while the same for revenues suggests an improvement of 8.8% from the respective year-ago actuals. The consensus mark for CB’s 2023 earnings has moved 0.8% north in the past 30 days.Shares of Arch Capital, Aflac and Chubb have gained 64.5%, 20.4% and 3.5%, respectively, in a year.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportLincoln National Corporation (LNC) : Free Stock Analysis ReportChubb Limited (CB) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAflac Incorporated (AFL) : Free Stock Analysis ReportArch Capital Group Ltd. (ACGL) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

Lincoln National (LNC) Stock Up 8.7% in 3 months: Here's Why

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/lincoln-national-lnc-stock-8-152700879.html

6f19e14b-97fd-351e-a83f-ce9106c761cf

AFL

Virtu Financial, Inc. VIRT recently announced that its Triton Valor execution management system, POSIT Alert, Trading analytics and global equity execution algorithms have been deployed by Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Asset Management (“SMTAM”). This collaboration highlights that the core value proposition of VIRT is gaining popularity due to its unique products.This move bodes well for Virtu Financial’s Execution Services segment as it aims to diversify its revenue base. This partnership will give rise to more commissions earned and, in turn, greater contribution by this segment to the company’s top line in the future. The integration of Virtu Financial’s pre-trade and real-time analysis directly into the execution workflow offers traders transparency and provides decision support to help mitigate risk and manage implementation costs across global equities.SMTAM will be able to streamline and improve trading workflows due to Triton’s customizable feature. SMTAM also aims to expand its use within various asset classes internally and within Japan. It will also leverage Virtu Financial’s equity algorithms from its global suite across Canada, Latin America, the United States, Europe and Asia Pacific. This collaboration highlights the success of Virtu Financial’s ambitious investments in execution products and Japan. VIRT aims to maintain a client-centric approach, create customized solutions, increase automation, enhance efficiency and reduce costs.This partnership highlights Virtu Financial’s unwavering focus on developing cutting-edge technologies to deliver liquidity in markets and transparent trading solutions to clients. This should help further solidify its market-leading position as a financial services provider by enhancing its core value proposition, its technology platform.Zacks Rank and Price PerformanceVIRT currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).Shares of Virtu Financial have gained 3.3% in the past six months against the industry’s 0.5% decline.Story continuesZacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchStocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks in the broader finance space include Arch Capital Group Ltd. ACGL, Aflac Incorporated AFL and Chubb Limited CB. Arch Capital currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while Aflac and Chubb carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Arch Capital’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 26.8%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ACGL’s 2023 earnings and revenues indicates a rise of 38.2% and 30.6%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. The consensus mark for ACGL’s 2023 earnings has moved 2.3% north in the past 30 days.The bottom line of Aflac beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average beat being 7.8%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AFL’s 2023 earnings indicates a rise of 12.2% from the year-ago tally. The consensus mark for AFL’s 2023 earnings has moved 1.4% north in the past 30 days.Chubb’s earnings outpaced estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed the mark once, the average surprise being 3.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CB’s 2023 earnings indicates a rise of 19.3%, while the same for revenues suggests an improvement of 8.8% from the respective year-ago actuals. The consensus mark for CB’s 2023 earnings has moved 0.8% north in the past 30 days.Shares of Arch Capital, Aflac and Chubb have gained 67.4%, 20.6% and 4.6%, respectively, in a year.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportChubb Limited (CB) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAflac Incorporated (AFL) : Free Stock Analysis ReportArch Capital Group Ltd. (ACGL) : Free Stock Analysis ReportVirtu Financial, Inc. (VIRT) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

Virtu Financial (VIRT) & SMTAM Unite to Improve Trading Workflow

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/virtu-financial-virt-smtam-unite-174200207.html

7338a6f7-e26f-3c11-a606-40ce7b98c39e

AFRM

The "buy now and pay later" space is entering new territory. Affirm Holdings (AFRM) announced it's partnering with Booking Holdings (BKNG) travel brands to bring its services to the travelers. Affirm CEO Max Levchin tells Yahoo Finance that travel is "one of the few segments that just keeps growing very, very well," adding the travel business is a "major segment" for the company.When it comes to the consumer, Levchin says he is watching what is happening with the start of student loan repayments. "We think it's not actually going to be a major thing for the U.S. economy. We know it's not going to be a major thing for us, but obviously we are very cautious," Levchin says. "That said, the U.S. consumer has been unbelievably resilient," Levchin adds.On AI, Levchin sees it as "a collection of wonderful opportunities," but does not dismiss the concerns it could have on jobs.Click here for more of Yahoo Finance's coverage from the Goldman Sachs Communacopia + Technology Conference.Video TranscriptBRIAN SOZZI: Let's dive into all things tech with a little consumer angle with Max Levchin, co-founder and CEO of a Affirm. Didn't we just do this last year?MAX LEVCHIN: We did.BRIAN SOZZI: We did.MAX LEVCHIN: It seems like two weeks ago.BRIAN SOZZI: I know. It really was. So big news out of your company, today with booking. And it seems like you're making a deeper push into the travel space. Why is that the case?MAX LEVCHIN: It's one of the few segments that just keeps growing very, very well. There's just unbelievable demand for people to get out of town and shake off the pandemic.BRIAN SOZZI: Isn't this one way using Affirm to maybe just go out there and take a vacation if you don't have to up front what thousands of dollars?MAX LEVCHIN: Exactly. That's a canonical Affirm use case. We're very good with things like t-shirts and shoes and smaller items. But if you're looking at that first big trip overseas, and you haven't gotten out of town or country in a while, you kind of want to make sure it's great. And paying for it up front can be quite expensive. And Affirm will help you get into one of those things without fees, typically without even too much interest.Story continuesBRIAN SOZZI: How big a business is travel related, as it pertains to Affirm?MAX LEVCHIN: It's a major segment for us. It's-- I don't think we disclose exactly just how big it is for us. But we definitely disclose that at least a quarter ago, it was growing triple digits, which is quite impressive. Most recent quarter, it was still growing on that same sort of zip code. And so people are-- even as the US economy, broadly speaking, is cooling, we can tell, travel is going very strong.BRIAN SOZZI: You have a phenomenal read on the health of consumers in this country, specifically middle-income to lower-income consumers. What's your read on them right now?MAX LEVCHIN: You know, ask me again in 60 days, and I'll really tell you.BRIAN SOZZI: I will. I'm going to send you an email.MAX LEVCHIN: You should, reason being the student loan accruals just restarted a couple of days ago. And then the first bills are going to start coming in. We think it's not actually going to be a major thing for the US economy. We know it's not going to be a major thing for us. But obviously, we're very cautious. Credit is always job number one.That said, the US consumer has been unbelievably resilient. It's-- I think, at this point, even Federal Reserve government governors have come out and said, we're not quite sure why the standard rules don't exactly apply. And maybe it's the pandemic. Maybe it's the fact that people just have to get out of town. But the US consumer has been pretty good about paying their bills on time and shopping and doing their best to push the economy forward.BRIAN SOZZI: As this increasing financial stress comes onto the consumer, how are they at paying their Affirm bill?MAX LEVCHIN: They are doing a great job. As a matter of fact, we just reported our quarterly earnings a couple of weeks ago. And we once again posted a decline, sequential decline, in delinquencies. So the measure of our financial performance relative to the consumer payment is how good are they about being on time. And they're really good. They're better last quarter than they were the quarter before.BRIAN SOZZI: You think that's sustainable if now these consumers have to pay back their student debt?MAX LEVCHIN: For us, because we underwrite every transaction and because the typical term of a transaction is so short, it is not an output so much as an input. I think in the world of credit card issuance, when you're giving people lines a couple of years ago and they spend, spend, spend, and then it suddenly times get tough, and you've got to pay your bills, that's when they start building up delinquencies. And you see that in the industry, a couple of quarters ago, it started really accelerating. Ours did not.It is because every financial decision that we make, one, we keep credit in mind as job number one. But two, we ask-- at this point it's the models ask the question, can this person actually pay us back? And if the answer is we don't think so, we will decline them. And we have a lot of tools to say yes. For example, we can say, hey, you can be approved for $600 travel ticket, but you can make a down payment, and we'll finance $400 of it.So there's lots of ways to yes. But ultimately, we do not issue loans when we don't think consumers can pay us back. And as a result, we have a lot better control over our delinquencies.BRIAN SOZZI: On the consumer front now is not the Affirm, what, debit plus card-- is it Affirm card-- Affirm card. Any stats you can share on that?MAX LEVCHIN: So we flashed a whole bunch of really cool stats. If you look at our quarterly earnings supplement, you'll see what looks dangerously like a hockey stick curve of the active card growth. We announced that we hit 300,000 active cards last quarter. It's growing really, really well very rapidly.It is a very cool product. So in my opinion, not a surprise to that people are latching on to it and having a great time with it. We are still in a super early innings. Obviously, our user base is in the millions, tens of millions. Affirm card is sub 1 million as of last quarter. But the growth is pretty extraordinary.BRIAN SOZZI: When do you open up that spigot? All these people are on your platform already. Why can't you just give them all cards?MAX LEVCHIN: In my experience, and I've had a few in financial services, you frequently regret opening up a unstoppable funnel of a new credit product. So we're going to be deliberate. We have opened it up. So the hockey stick very much documents, our decision to say, we think this really works. It resonates. It's got a great product market fit. People love it.We get lots of very clear messages from consumers, saying this really clicked for me. I love it. It's better than my debit card debit plus name meant that your debit card can't quite do all the things that ours can. Affirm card is maybe a better name, but it really is a debit card with unique features. You can swipe and just pay for things right now or pay for things over time on the same card, your decision, in the app.So as we saw product market fit, as we saw the financial results that we wanted to see from the economics of the card, we've made it, generally speaking, open. But we have not yet told our consumers you got to get one. So it's available. If you're eligible, it will just magically appear in your app as a thing you can say, hey, send me one of those things.I think at some point in the future, we'll definitely say you've got to have one of these things. And it will be available to the Affirm user base. We don't expect to market it. There'll be no cap. But we got lots of people to offer it to.BRIAN SOZZI: Max, you're-- I think I've told you this before. And if I haven't, I'll just say now, you're an OG in tech. I mean, you just it is. And it's always--MAX LEVCHIN: I'm just an O.BRIAN SOZZI: OK, very fair. But you-- it's always special to get a few moments for you. And this is a special moment in tech with AI. And I've had two executives over three days tell me, they are concerned about AI, artificial intelligence, what it might do to society. Do you share those concerns? And what are we up against the next decade?MAX LEVCHIN: So I think like anything else, it is up to us to decide and act on what it can and cannot do. I think when humans invented first weapons, when humans invented the loom, when they invented machines, the steam power, you know, go back as any technological revolutions you can count, there are always people saying, oh, my God, it's upon us. It's going to take all the jobs. It might do terrible things to society.Generally speaking, it cost temporary and sometimes fairly long-term havoc, where people were losing jobs and people had to be retrained, et cetera. And so all of that is very possible. And there will be people whose jobs will be made obsolete because AI will be better and cheaper. And so I think it's not nothing to dismiss and not to laugh at.But I don't think we live in the world where it is a passive reality that the AI train is coming, and we're not strapped to the rail. It is an incredible collection of discoveries, inventions. It is a wonderful tool to make us more productive. Sam Altman, I think, says that it's like every one of us will have a thousand personal assistants doing a thousand things concurrently. That alone is a mind boggling awesomeness that we should not dismiss or shy away or discount.And so I'm very bullish on AI. I think it's a collection of wonderful opportunities. I think probably more to the point where does it accrete, it will initially at least really help companies with massive distribution and massive data to just amplify their offerings to create new value-added, lower-cost opportunities for their products to evolve. I think maybe a bigger question is, if you're a startup, what do you do with all this AI bonanza out there? And if you look at the Y Combinator most recent class, I think 60% is building something in AI. So people are trying and thinking up.But generally speaking, I'm very positive. I don't think we are so foolish as to allow the AI to turn us all into paperclips by saying, let's see what happens.BRIAN SOZZI: I still don't want to turn the paperclips. I remember you telling me that before. I don't want that. I have 15 seconds left. I know you're creating a firm. You work very hard. I always see you just busting your butt off. Do you want to play in AI in your neck-- I mean, not Affirm. Do you want-- do you see yourself creating another business? Do you want to be in that moment in a different way?MAX LEVCHIN: You know, Affirm is a very long-term project for me. I am quite committed to it. And I love what I'm doing. That said, we have a ton of really cool AI stuff that we're doing within Affirm. 15 seconds is not nearly enough to explain it. But we're pretty good at not saying too much before we launch something cool. But watch this space. We have AI ideas of our own.BRIAN SOZZI: All right. Keep us posted. All right, Max Levchin, co-founder and CEO of Affirm, always great to see you. I appreciate it. And it's OG. It's not O-- it's OG.

Yahoo Finance Video

Travel now, pay later: Affirm rolls out new offerings for users

https://finance.yahoo.com/video/travel-now-pay-later-affirm-215419482.html

bfe3d05c-f62f-3cea-a0ef-6d4d3e185ece

AFRM

Affirm Holdings, Inc. AFRM recently announced a partnership with ATERNAL to serve as the exclusive pay over-time provider in art galleries. Shares of AFRM gained 1.7% on Sep 7, 2023, implying investors’ confidence in the company’s prospects. ATERNAL is an inventory management platform for small to large-scale art galleries, and this partnership is expected to enhance its offerings to merchants, driving growth.This move bodes well, as AFRM will be able to expand its network with new merchants, driving its top-line growth. The partnership is expected to increase gross merchandise value in the future. Initiatives like this will aid AFRM in achieving its expected full-year profitability in fiscal 2024 on an adjusted operating income basis. It expects revenues to be more than $1.9 billion for fiscal 2024.ATERNAL can provide flexible payment options to art buyers, such as pay over time. This will add to ATERNAL’s offerings to art galleries, like improved workflows and insights from transactions. Hence, ATERNAL’s clients will experience increased sales as more customers get attracted to the buy now pay later (BNPL) solutions.The major strength of Affirm is its technology, which aids it in pricing its products and risk assessment. AFRM allows customers to pay overtime and does not charge hidden fees or late payment charges. It charges customers on a simple interest-rate basis and is transparent in displaying exactly what the customer owes, reducing their burden.Affirm is set to grow its business by collaborating with global giants, such as Amazon and Fidelity National Information Services. These partnerships will enable customers to access buy now and pay later options and drive growth in merchant business. AFRM will make money from commissions charged to businesses, boosting its top line in the future.The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AFRM’s fiscal 2024 revenues is pegged at $2.4 billion, indicating 21% year-over-year growth. This trend will likely help the company to become a profitable firm. The company is yet to register operating profit in the quarters ahead. However, modern and exciting products like Debit+ Card and partnerships will bring the company closer to its goals.Story continuesZacks Rank and Price PerformanceAffirm currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). In the year-to-date period, shares of Affirm have gained 132.5% compared with 2.3% growth of the industry it belongs to.Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchStocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks in the Business Services space are Limbach Holdings, Inc. LMB, Trane Technologies plc TT and Api Group Corporation APG. While Limbach presently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), Trane Technologies and APi Group currently carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.The bottom line of Limbach outpaced estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 81.40%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LMB’s 2023 earnings is pegged at $1.36 per share, which has more than doubled from the year-ago reported figure. The consensus mark for revenues suggests growth of 0.8% from the year-ago reported number. The consensus mark for LMB’s 2023 earnings has moved 21.4% north in the past 30 days.Trane Technologies’ earnings outpaced estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 7.30%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for TT’s 2023 earnings suggests an improvement of 19.8% from the year-ago reported figure. The same for revenues suggests growth of 10% from the year-ago reported number. The consensus mark for TT’s 2023 earnings has moved 0.6% north in the past 30 days.The bottom line of APi Group outpaced estimates in three of the last four quarters and matched the mark once, the average surprise being 9.85%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for APG’s 2023 earnings suggests an improvement of 13.5% from the year-ago reported figure. The consensus mark for revenues suggests growth of 7.9% from the year-ago reported number. The consensus mark for APG’s 2023 earnings has moved 0.7% north in the past 60 days.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportTrane Technologies plc (TT) : Free Stock Analysis ReportLimbach Holdings, Inc. (LMB) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAPi Group Corporation (APG) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAffirm Holdings, Inc. (AFRM) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

Affirm (AFRM) & ATERNAL to Offer BNPL Solutions to Art Buyers

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/affirm-afrm-aternal-offer-bnpl-173700165.html

1de2b082-48ac-31ad-8b72-5cae4aebdedc

AGCO

For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals.While you may have an investing style you rely on, finding great stocks is made easier with the Zacks Style Scores. These are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on value, growth, and/or momentum characteristics.Why This 1 Growth Stock Should Be On Your WatchlistFor growth investors, a company's financial strength, overall health, and future outlook take precedence, so they'll want to zero in on the Growth Style Score. This Score examines things like projected and historical earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will generate sustainable growth over time.Agco (AGCO)Established in 1990, headquartered in Duluth, GA, AGCO Corporation is a leading manufacturer and distributor of agricultural equipment and related replacement parts. The company offers a full product line of farm equipment through a wide network of dealers and distributors across 140 countries.  Its full range of agricultural equipment, include tractors (generated 57% of 2020 sales), combines (3%), application equipment including self-propelled sprayers (3%), hay tools and forage equipment, implements and other equipment (12%), and grain storage and protein production systems (10%). Sales of replacement parts generated around 14% of the company’s sales in 2018.AGCO sits at a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), holds a Growth Style Score of A, and has a VGM Score of A. Earnings and sales are forecasted to increase 22.3% and 15.8% year-over-year, respectively.Six analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2023. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.66 to $15.19 per share. AGCO boasts an average earnings surprise of 16.4%.Looking at cash flow, Agco is expected to report cash flow growth of 12.5% this year; AGCO has generated cash flow growth of 18.1% over the past three to five years.Story continuesInvestors should take the time to consider AGCO for their portfolios due to its solid Zacks Rank rating, notable growth metrics, and impressive Growth and VGM Style Scores.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportAGCO Corporation (AGCO) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

Why This 1 Growth Stock Could Be a Great Addition to Your Portfolio

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-1-growth-stock-could-134506519.html

551ae8e1-181c-3ef4-8b6d-2a060c69ca2e

AGCO

DULUTH, Ga., September 06, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AGCO, Your Agriculture Company (NYSE: AGCO), a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology, announced today that it will participate in the Morgan Stanley 11th Annual Laguna Conference on Tuesday, September 12, 2023. The conference will include a fireside chat with Damon Audia, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, at 1:25 p.m. Pacific Time. Investors may listen to a live webcast of the presentation by accessing the "Events" section of the company’s Investor Relations website at https://investors.agcocorp.com/events-and-presentations/upcoming-events. The webcast will also be archived immediately afterwards for 12 months.About AGCOAGCO (NYSE: AGCO) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology. AGCO delivers customer value through its differentiated brand portfolio including core brands like Fendt®, GSI®, Massey Ferguson®, Precision Planting® and Valtra®. Powered by Fuse® smart farming solutions, AGCO’s full line of equipment and services help farmers sustainably feed our world. Founded in 1990 and headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, USA, AGCO had net sales of approximately $12.7 billion in 2022. For more information, visit www.AGCOcorp.com. For company news, information, and events, please follow us on Twitter: @AGCOCorp. For financial news on Twitter, please follow the hashtag #AGCOIR.Please visit our website at www.agcocorp.comView source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230906377485/en/ContactsGreg PetersonVice President, Investor Relations(770) [email protected] Rachel PottsChief Communications Officer(678) [email protected]

Business Wire

AGCO to Present at the Morgan Stanley 11th Annual Laguna Conference

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/agco-present-morgan-stanley-11th-140000050.html

3dcdf789-e31c-3ea2-a0cb-2de11a612e7f

AGIL

AgileThoughtContinued Progress Towards Long-Term GoalsIRVING, Texas, Aug. 14, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AgileThought, Inc. (“AgileThought” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: AGIL), a global provider of digital transformation services, custom software development, and next generation technologies, today reported results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2023.Second Quarter 2023 Highlights and Results:Revenue was $38.3 million, down 17.0% year over year from $46.2 million in Q2 2022 and down 8.4% sequentially from $41.8 million in Q1 2023, as the company continues to exit non-core revenues, and also witnessed some market volatility since mid-March.Gross margin of 32.1% decreased 266 bps year-over-year from 34.7% in Q2 2022, and decreased 363 bps sequentially from 35.7% in Q1 2023.Four new clients added during the quarter.“I am proud of our second quarter achievements. While the market volatility and our ongoing efforts to exit non-core revenues has impacted our results this quarter, we feel confident about the future as we continue to build our pipeline and deliver top of the line services to our clients. We look forward enhancing relationships with new and current clients by staying at the forefront of transformational technologies and innovations,” commented AgileThought Chief Executive Officer Manuel Senderos.AgileThought will not host an earnings conference call for the Second Quarter 2023 Financial Results.About AgileThought, Inc.AgileThought is a pure play leading provider of agile-first software at scale, end-to-end digital transformation and consulting services to Fortune 1000 customers with diversity across end-markets and industry verticals. For years, Fortune 1000 companies have trusted AgileThought to solve their digital challenges and optimize mission-critical systems to drive business value. AgileThought’s solution architects, developers, data scientists, engineers, transformation consultants, automation specialists, and other experts located across the United States and across Latin America deliver next-generation software solutions that accelerate the transition to digital platforms across business processes.Story continuesFor more information, visit https://agilethought.com/.Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release includes financial guidance and other “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. AgileThought’s actual results may differ from the expectations, estimates, projections and other information included in these forward-looking statements, and consequently, you should not rely on these forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Words such as “expect,” “estimate,” “project,” “budget,” “forecast,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “believes,” “predicts,” “potential,” “continue,” and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially from the expected results. Most of these factors are outside AgileThought’s control and are difficult to predict. Factors that may cause such differences include, but are not limited to: AgileThought’s financial and business performance; AgileThought’s ability to repay and/or continue to service its indebtedness; AgileThought’s future capital requirements and sources and uses of cash; AgileThought’s ability to obtain funding for future operations; AgileThought’s business, expansion plans and opportunities; changes in our strategy, future operations, financial position, estimated revenues and losses, projected costs, prospects and plans; AgileThought’s ability to develop, maintain and expand client relationships, including relationships with our largest clients; changes in domestic and foreign business, market, financial, political, regulatory and legal conditions; AgileThought’s ability to recognize the anticipated benefits of the business combination, which may be affected by, among other things, competition and our ability to grow and manage growth profitably; costs related to the business combination; AgileThought’s ability to successfully identify and integrate any future acquisitions; AgileThought’s ability to attract and retain highly skilled information technology professionals; AgileThought’s ability to maintain favorable pricing, utilization rates and productivity levels for our information technology professionals and their services; AgileThought’s ability to innovate successfully and maintain our relationships with key vendors; AgileThought’s ability to provide our services without security breaches and comply with changing regulatory, legislative and industry standard developments regarding privacy and data security matters; AgileThought’s ability to operate effectively in multiple jurisdictions in Latin America and in the United States in the different business, market, financial, political, legal and regulatory conditions in the different markets; developments and projections relating to our competitors and industry; expectations regarding the time during which we will be an emerging growth company under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, as amended; changes in applicable laws or regulations; the outcome of any known and unknown litigation or legal proceedings and regulatory proceedings involving us; AgileThought’s ability to maintain the listing of our securities; and other risks and uncertainties indicated in AgileThought’s filings with the SEC. There may be additional risks that could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. In addition, forward-looking statements reflect AgileThought’s expectations, plans or forecasts of future events and views only as of the date of this press release. AgileThought anticipates that subsequent events and developments will cause its assessments to change. However, while AgileThought may elect to update these forward-looking statements at some point in the future, AgileThought specifically disclaims any responsibility to do so.Investor ContactMariana Franco (888) 257-3001 [email protected] Business MetricsWe regularly monitor several financial and operating metrics to evaluate our business, measure our performance, identify trends affecting our business, formulate financial projections and make strategic decisions. Our key non-GAAP and business metrics may be calculated in a different manner than similarly titled metrics used by other companies. For a reconciliation of non-GAAP to GAAP measures refer to our Non-GAAP Measures section further below. Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,  2023   2022   2023   2022 Gross Profit Margin(1) 32.1%  34.7%  34.0%  33.8%Loss from Operations (in thousands)$(5,289) $(237) $(40,842) $(10,292)Adjusted Operating (Loss) Income (in thousands)$(2,590) $3,488  $(3,776) $4,635 Net Loss (in thousands)$(20,309) $(3,502) $(57,680) $(9,800)Adjusted Net (Loss) Income (in thousands)$(6,419) $1,932  $(10,581) $1,495 Adjusted Diluted EPS$(0.13) $0.04  $(0.22) $0.03 Number of large active clients (at or above $1.0 million of revenue in prior 12-month period) as of end of period (2) 33   32   33   32 Revenue concentration with top 10 clients as of end of period(3) 64.6%  60.6%  63.3%  61.0%____________(1)   Calculated as net revenues for the period minus cost of revenue for the period, divided by net revenues.(2)   Defined as the number of active clients from whom we generated more than $1.0 million of revenue in the prior 12-month period. For comparability purposes, we include the clients of the acquired businesses that meet these criteria to properly evaluate total client spending evolution. (3)   Defined as the percent of our total revenue derived from our ten largest active clients.AgileThought, Inc. Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,(in thousands USD) 2023   2022   2023   2022 Net revenues$38,325  $46,166  $80,169  $90,390 Cost of revenue 26,040   30,138   52,951   59,851 Gross profit 12,285   16,028   27,218   30,539         Operating expenses:       Selling, general and administrative expenses 14,834   12,244   30,883   25,550 Depreciation and amortization 1,881   1,737   3,744   3,491 Change in fair value of purchase price obligation —   —   —   — Change in fair value of embedded derivative (3,306)  —   (4,685)  — Change in fair value of warrant liability (1,321)  478   (2,136)  956 (Gain) Loss on debt extinguishment (101)  (950)  10,061   6,186 Equity-based compensation expense 989   2,019   2,536   2,537 Impairment charges —   —   19,070   — Restructuring expense 1,101   162   3,618   915 Other operating expenses, net 3,497   575   4,969   1,196 Total operating expense 17,574   16,265   68,060   40,831 Loss from operations (5,289)  (237)  (40,842)  (10,292)        Interest expense, net (15,710)  (2,779)  (19,927)  (6,092)Other income (loss), net 1,120   (514)  2,838   6,807 Loss before income tax (19,879)  (3,530)  (57,931)  (9,577)        Income tax expense 430   (28)  (251)  223 Net loss (20,309)  (3,502)  (57,680)  (9,800)        Net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interests (15)  43   (27)  92 Net loss attributable to the Company$(20,294) $(3,545) $(57,653) $(9,892)        Selected Balance Sheet Data  (in thousands USD)June 30, 2023 December 31, 2022Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash$4,024 $8,691Total assets 186,593  215,239Total debt, net of unamortized debt issuance cost, debt premiums and debt discounts 91,122  76,056Total liabilities 157,359  135,369Total stockholders' equity attributable to the Company 29,317  79,924Selected Cash Flow Data Six Months Ended June 30,(in thousands USD) 2023   2022 Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities$969  $(8,495)Net cash used in investing activities (892)  (394)Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities (4,614)  11,538 Selected Segment Data Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,Revenue by Geography (in thousands)2023 2022 2023 2022United States$22,436 $29,287 $31,619 $58,285Latin America 15,889  16,879  48,550  32,105Total$38,325 $46,166 $80,169 $90,390  As of June 30, As of December 31, Employees by Geography 2023 2022 2022United States 176 291 249Latin America 2,010 2,317 2,255Total 2,186 2,608 2,504Non-GAAP MeasuresTo supplement our consolidated financial data presented on a basis consistent with U.S. GAAP, we present certain non-GAAP financial measures, including Adjusted Operating (Loss) Income, Adjusted Net (Loss) Income and Adjusted Diluted EPS. We have included the non-GAAP financial measures because they are financial measures used by our management to evaluate our core operating performance and trends, to make strategic decisions regarding the allocation of capital and new investments and are among the factors analyzed in making performance-based compensation decisions for key personnel. The measures exclude certain expenses that are required under U.S. GAAP. We exclude certain non-cash expenses and certain items that are not part of our core operations.We believe these supplemental performance measurements are useful in evaluating operating performance, as they are similar to measures reported by our public industry peers and those regularly used by security analysts, investors and other interested parties in analyzing operating performance and prospects. The non-GAAP financial measures are not intended to be a substitute for any GAAP financial measures and, as calculated, may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of performance of other companies in other industries or within the same industry.There are significant limitations associated with the use of non-GAAP financial measures. Further, these measures may differ from the non-GAAP information, even where similarly titled, used by other companies and therefore should not be used to compare our performance to that of other companies. We compensate for these limitations by providing investors and other users of our financial information a reconciliation of our non-GAAP measures to the related GAAP financial measure. We encourage investors and others to review our financial information in its entirety, not to rely on any single financial measure and to view our non-GAAP measures in conjunction with GAAP financial measures.We define and calculate our non-GAAP financial measures as follows:Adjusted Operating (Loss) Income: Loss from operations adjusted to exclude the change in fair value of embedded derivative, plus the change in fair value of warrant liability, plus equity-based compensation expense, plus impairment charges, plus restructuring expenses, plus (gain) loss on business dispositions, plus loss on debt extinguishment, plus intangible assets amortization, plus certain transaction costs and certain other operating expense, net.Adjusted Net (Loss) Income: Net loss adjusted to exclude the change in fair value of embedded derivative, plus the change in fair value of warrant liability, plus equity-based compensation expense, plus impairment charges, plus restructuring expenses, plus (gain) loss on business dispositions, plus foreign exchange loss (gain), plus loss (gain) on debt extinguishment and debt forgiveness, plus intangible assets amortization, plus certain transaction costs, plus paid in kind interest and amortization of debt issuance cost and certain other expense, net.Adjusted Diluted EPS: Adjusted Net loss, divided by the diluted weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period.Reconciliation of Loss from Operations to Adjusted Operating (Loss) Income The following table presents the reconciliation of our Adjusted Operating (Loss) Income to our Loss from operations, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, for the periods indicated: Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,(in thousands USD) 2023   2022   2023   2022 Loss from operations$(5,289) $(237) $(40,842) $(10,292)Change in fair value of embedded derivative (3,306)  —   (4,685)  — Change in fair value of warrant liability (1,321)  478   (2,136)  956 Equity-based compensation expense 989   2,019   2,536   2,537 Impairment charges —   —   19,070   — Restructuring expenses1 1,101   162   3,618   915 (Gain) Loss on debt extinguishment (101)  (950)  10,061   6,186 Intangible assets amortization 1,840   1,620   3,633   3,228 Transaction costs 1,794   —   1,794   9 Other operating expense, net2 1,703   396   3,175   1,096 Adjusted Operating (Loss) Income$(2,590) $3,488  $(3,776) $4,635 1 - Represents restructuring expenses associated with the ongoing reorganization of our business operations and realignment efforts. 2 - Represents professional service fees primarily comprised of legal fees advising with debt restructuring, tax consulting fees in connection with review advisory and corporate consolidation project assessments, as well as other miscellaneous non-operating/ non-recurring items.Reconciliation of Net Loss to Adjusted Net (Loss) Income and Adjusted Dilutive EPSThe following table presents the reconciliation of our Adjusted Net (Loss) Income to our Net loss, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, for the periods indicated: Three Months Ended June 30, Six Months Ended June 30,(in thousands USD, except shared data) 2023   2022   2023   2022 Net loss$(20,309) $(3,502) $(57,680) $(9,800)Change in fair value of embedded derivative (3,306)  —   (4,685)  — Change in fair value of warrant liability (1,321)  478   (2,136)  956 Equity-based compensation expense 989   2,019   2,536   2,537 Impairment charges —   —   19,070   — Restructuring expenses 1,101   162   3,618   915 Foreign exchange gain1 (1,481)  259   (3,210)  7 (Gain) Loss on debt extinguishment and debt forgiveness (101)  (950)  10,061   (1,094)Intangible assets amortization 1,840   1,620   3,633   3,228 Transaction costs 1,794   —   1,794   9 Paid in kind interests and amortization of debt issuance cost, premiums and discounts 12,311   1,203   13,571   3,177 Other expense, net2 2,064   643   3,547   1,560 Adjusted Net (Loss) Income$(6,419) $1,932  $(9,881) $1,495 Number of shares used in Adjusted Diluted EPS 48,819,648   46,340,888   48,079,580   46,326,025 Adjusted Diluted EPS$(0.13) $0.04  $(0.21) $0.03 1 - Represents foreign exchange loss (gain) due to foreign currency transactions2 - Represents professional service fees primarily comprised of legal fees advising with debt restructuring, tax consulting fees in connection with review advisory and corporate consolidation project assessments, fines and penalties, as well as other miscellaneous non-operating/ non-recurring items.

GlobeNewswire

AgileThought Reports Second Quarter 2023 Financial Results

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/agilethought-reports-second-quarter-2023-202200565.html

8249f8d1-d5f3-32ef-ad71-a2399a3a8323

AGIL

AgileThoughtSecures additional funding to support operations and enters into agreement to go-private with backing of its senior secured lenders, ensuring a brighter and more efficient futureIRVING, Texas, Aug. 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AgileThought, Inc. (“AgileThought” or the “Company”), a global provider of digital transformation services, agile software development, and next generation technology solutions, today announced additional working capital funding, a go-private transaction, and restructuring that, combined, will reduce the Company’s debt load, infuse new capital into the business, and provide a firm financial foundation for its future. This transaction is underpinned by an asset purchase agreement with affiliates of Blue Torch Finance, LLC (“Blue Torch”), the Company’s senior secured lenders, and marks a pivotal step in AgileThought’s journey towards long-term success and enhanced service delivery.To support the restructuring process, Blue Torch has agreed to provide approximately $22 million in new-money financing (subject to court approval), which will ensure AgileThought's high-quality standards, services, and commitment to its people will remain steadfast and uninterrupted. The day-to-day operations of the company will continue seamlessly, without disruption.To ensure a smooth transition and protection for all stakeholders, AgileThought will effectuate the transaction through a 90-day Chapter 11 reorganization process under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. This proven mechanism will allow the Company to execute the transaction and efficiently reorganize its finances, reduce its debt, and emerge with a healthier balance sheet.A Blue Torch affiliate has agreed to serve as the stalking-horse buyer of substantially all of AgileThought’s assets, subject to higher or better offers. The proposed transaction is subject to court approval, and other customary conditions.Manuel Senderos, Chief Executive Officer of AgileThought, emphasized, "We are excited about this transaction and what it means for our enhanced ability to deliver for our clients, people, and partners. This strategic financial reorganization will pair our already robust and thriving organization with a capital structure that matches, and this move will allow us to operate even more efficiently. Post-reorganization, we will emerge with significantly reduced debt and a private ownership structure, fortifying an even stronger and healthier AgileThought. The Company thanks Blue Torch for its continued support of the business and our future, and welcomes its continued partnership. "Story continuesClients have always been the cornerstone of AgileThought's success. The Company assures its valued clients that its dedication to delivering top-tier services remains unwavering. This financial restructuring is anticipated to further enhance the services and support clients have come to expect from AgileThought. The AgileThought team remains committed to best-in-class support and continued transparency throughout the reorganization process.Additional information is available on the Company's website, https://agilethought.com/. Court filings and other information related to the proceedings are available on a separate website administrated by the Company's claims agent, Kurtzman Carson Consultants LLC (“KCC”), at www.kccllc.net/AgileThought; by calling KCC at (866) 548-5856, or (781) 575-2073 for calls originating outside of the U.S. and Canada; or by emailing [email protected] Hubbard & Reed LLP and Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP are serving as legal advisor to AgileThought, Teneo Capital LLC is serving as financial advisor, and Guggenheim Securities, LLC is serving as investment banker.Ropes & Gray LLP and FTI Consulting are serving as legal and financial advisors to Blue Torch.About AgileThought:AgileThought is a pure play leading provider of agile software development at scale, end-to-end digital transformation and technology consulting services with diversity across markets and industries. For years, Fortune 1000 companies have trusted AgileThought to solve their digital challenges and optimize mission-critical systems to drive business value. AgileThought’s solution architects, cloud specialists, data & AI scientists, engineers, transformation consultants, automation specialists, and other experts located across the United States and across Latin America deliver next-generation software solutions that accelerate digitization across the enterprise.About Blue Torch:Blue Torch Capital is a US middle market direct lender providing bespoke credit solutions to stakeholders and management teams of companies requiring capital support for growth, acquisitions, operational challenges and financial distress. Blue Torch has deployed more than $6.9BN of capital across 114 transactions.Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The Company’s actual results may differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of certain risks and other factors, which could include the following: risks and uncertainties relating to the Company’s chapter 11 cases (the “Chapter 11 Case”), including but not limited to, the Company’s ability to obtain Bankruptcy Court approval with respect to motions in the Chapter 11 Case, the effects of the Chapter 11 Case on the Company and on the interests of various constituents, Bankruptcy Court rulings in the Chapter 11 Case and the outcome of the Chapter 11 Case in general, the length of time the Company will operate under the Chapter 11 Case, risks associated with any third-party motions in the Chapter 11 Case, the potential adverse effects of the Chapter 11 Case on the Company’s liquidity or results of operations and increased legal and other professional costs necessary to execute the Company’s reorganization; the conditions to which the Company’s cash collateral is subject and the risk that these conditions may not be satisfied for various reasons, including for reasons outside of the Company’s control; the consequences of the acceleration of the Company’s debt obligations and the trading price and volatility of the Company’s common stock.   Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including risks and uncertainties set forth in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report for the year ended December 31, 2022 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 13, 2023, the Company’s Quarterly Report for the three months ended June 30, 2023 filed with the SEC on August 14, 2023, or the Company’s other filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements included in this press release speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and the Company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. The Company does not give any assurance that it will achieve its expectations.Press Contact:Mariana FrancoInvestor [email protected]

GlobeNewswire

AgileThought Announces Strategic Financial Restructuring to Strengthen Financial Future

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/agilethought-announces-strategic-financial-restructuring-181300587.html

b5c63662-8845-3aba-abda-15b93e5a1127

AGL

Agilon Health (AGL) reported $1.15 billion in revenue for the quarter ended June 2023, representing a year-over-year increase of 71.5%. EPS of -$0.04 for the same period compares to -$0.04 a year ago.The reported revenue compares to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.11 billion, representing a surprise of +3.39%. The company delivered an EPS surprise of -300.00%, with the consensus EPS estimate being -$0.01.While investors closely watch year-over-year changes in headline numbers -- revenue and earnings -- and how they compare to Wall Street expectations to determine their next course of action, some key metrics always provide a better insight into a company's underlying performance.Since these metrics play a crucial role in driving the top- and bottom-line numbers, comparing them with the year-ago numbers and what analysts estimated about them helps investors better project a stock's price performance.Here is how Agilon performed in the just reported quarter in terms of the metrics most widely monitored and projected by Wall Street analysts:Medicare Advantage Members: 408900 versus the three-analyst average estimate of 433566.7.Average Medicare Advantage membership: 409700 versus the three-analyst average estimate of 404700.Revenues- Medical services: $1.15 billion compared to the $1.12 billion average estimate based on six analysts. The reported number represents a change of +71.4% year over year.Revenues- Other operating: $2.01 million versus $1.58 million estimated by six analysts on average. Compared to the year-ago quarter, this number represents a +111.4% change.View all Key Company Metrics for Agilon here>>>Shares of Agilon have returned +12% over the past month versus the Zacks S&P 500 composite's +1.5% change. The stock currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating that it could outperform the broader market in the near term.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportStory continuesAgilon Health, Inc. (AGL) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

Agilon (AGL) Q2 Earnings: Taking a Look at Key Metrics Versus Estimates

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/agilon-agl-q2-earnings-taking-023014740.html

eed8d38e-7fe5-31ee-b309-164106011c77

AGL

AUSTIN, Texas, August 24, 2023--(BUSINESS WIRE)--agilon health, inc. (NYSE: AGL), the trusted partner empowering physicians to transform health care in our communities, announced that it will participate in the following upcoming investor conferences.The 2023 Wells Fargo Healthcare Conference, including a fireside chat presentation on Wednesday, September 6 at 11:00 AM Eastern Time.The Morgan Stanley 21st Annual Global Healthcare Conference, including a fireside chat presentation on Tuesday, September 12 at 8:50 AM Eastern Time.A simultaneous webcast for each event can be accessed by visiting the "Events & Presentations" section of agilon’s Investor Relations website at https://investors.agilonhealth.com. A replay of the conferences will be available via webcast for on-demand listening shortly after the completion of each call.About agilon healthagilon health is the trusted partner empowering physicians to transform health care in our communities. Through our partnerships and purpose-built platform, agilon is accelerating at scale how physician groups transition to a value-based Total Care Model for senior patients. agilon provides the technology, people, capital, process, and access to a peer network of 2,700+ PCPs that allow physician groups to maintain their independence and focus on the total health of their most vulnerable patients. Together, agilon and its physician partners are creating the healthcare system we need – one built on the value of care, not the volume of fees. The result: healthier communities and empowered doctors. agilon is the trusted partner in 30+ diverse communities and is here to help more of our nation's leading physician groups and health systems have a sustained, thriving future. For more information visit www.agilonhealth.com and connect with us on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230824609429/en/Story continuesContactsInvestor Contact Matthew GillmorVP, Investor [email protected] Contact Megan StrothmanDirector, Communications & Public [email protected]

Business Wire

agilon health to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conferences

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/agilon-health-participate-upcoming-investor-200100703.html

a0bfd970-483f-3721-8bee-f0f47c6db485

AGNC

When deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold a stock, investors often rely on analyst recommendations. Media reports about rating changes by these brokerage-firm-employed (or sell-side) analysts often influence a stock's price, but are they really important?Before we discuss the reliability of brokerage recommendations and how to use them to your advantage, let's see what these Wall Street heavyweights think about AGNC Investment (AGNC).AGNC Investment currently has an average brokerage recommendation (ABR) of 1.75, on a scale of 1 to 5 (Strong Buy to Strong Sell), calculated based on the actual recommendations (Buy, Hold, Sell, etc.) made by eight brokerage firms. An ABR of 1.75 approximates between Strong Buy and Buy.Of the eight recommendations that derive the current ABR, four are Strong Buy and two are Buy. Strong Buy and Buy respectively account for 50% and 25% of all recommendations.Brokerage Recommendation Trends for AGNCBroker Rating Breakdown Chart for AGNCCheck price target & stock forecast for AGNC Investment here>>>The ABR suggests buying AGNC Investment, but making an investment decision solely on the basis of this information might not be a good idea. According to several studies, brokerage recommendations have little to no success guiding investors to choose stocks with the most potential for price appreciation.Are you wondering why? The vested interest of brokerage firms in a stock they cover often results in a strong positive bias of their analysts in rating it. Our research shows that for every "Strong Sell" recommendation, brokerage firms assign five "Strong Buy" recommendations.This means that the interests of these institutions are not always aligned with those of retail investors, giving little insight into the direction of a stock's future price movement. It would therefore be best to use this information to validate your own analysis or a tool that has proven to be highly effective at predicting stock price movements.Story continuesZacks Rank, our proprietary stock rating tool with an impressive externally audited track record, categorizes stocks into five groups, ranging from Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), and is an effective indicator of a stock's price performance in the near future. Therefore, using the ABR to validate the Zacks Rank could be an efficient way of making a profitable investment decision.ABR Should Not Be Confused With Zacks RankIn spite of the fact that Zacks Rank and ABR both appear on a scale from 1 to 5, they are two completely different measures.Broker recommendations are the sole basis for calculating the ABR, which is typically displayed in decimals (such as 1.28). The Zacks Rank, on the other hand, is a quantitative model designed to harness the power of earnings estimate revisions. It is displayed in whole numbers -- 1 to 5.It has been and continues to be the case that analysts employed by brokerage firms are overly optimistic with their recommendations. Because of their employers' vested interests, these analysts issue more favorable ratings than their research would support, misguiding investors far more often than helping them.On the other hand, earnings estimate revisions are at the core of the Zacks Rank. And empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.Furthermore, the different grades of the Zacks Rank are applied proportionately across all stocks for which brokerage analysts provide earnings estimates for the current year. In other words, at all times, this tool maintains a balance among the five ranks it assigns.Another key difference between the ABR and Zacks Rank is freshness. The ABR is not necessarily up-to-date when you look at it. But, since brokerage analysts keep revising their earnings estimates to account for a company's changing business trends, and their actions get reflected in the Zacks Rank quickly enough, it is always timely in indicating future price movements.Should You Invest in AGNC?Looking at the earnings estimate revisions for AGNC Investment, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has remained unchanged over the past month at $2.41.Analysts' steady views regarding the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by an unchanged consensus estimate, could be a legitimate reason for the stock to perform in line with the broader market in the near term.The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for AGNC Investment. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>It may therefore be prudent to be a little cautious with the Buy-equivalent ABR for AGNC Investment.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportAGNC Investment Corp. (AGNC) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

Wall Street Analysts Think AGNC Investment (AGNC) Is a Good Investment: Is It?

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/wall-street-analysts-think-agnc-133005172.html

fad3c4ae-0fc4-35ba-aeb4-2091095da735

AGNC

AGNC Investment (AGNC) closed at $9.69 in the latest trading session, marking a +0.62% move from the prior day. The stock outpaced the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.14%. At the same time, the Dow added 0.22%, and the tech-heavy Nasdaq gained 0.09%.Prior to today's trading, shares of the real estate investment trust had lost 3.51% over the past month. This has was narrower than the Finance sector's loss of 4.09% and lagged the S&P 500's loss of 1.27% in that time.AGNC Investment will be looking to display strength as it nears its next earnings release. The company is expected to report EPS of $0.54, down 35.71% from the prior-year quarter. Our most recent consensus estimate is calling for quarterly revenue of $310.17 million, up 75.24% from the year-ago period.Looking at the full year, our Zacks Consensus Estimates suggest analysts are expecting earnings of $2.41 per share and revenue of $417.5 million. These totals would mark changes of -22.51% and -55.59%, respectively, from last year.Investors should also note any recent changes to analyst estimates for AGNC Investment. Recent revisions tend to reflect the latest near-term business trends. As such, positive estimate revisions reflect analyst optimism about the company's business and profitability.Research indicates that these estimate revisions are directly correlated with near-term share price momentum. We developed the Zacks Rank to capitalize on this phenomenon. Our system takes these estimate changes into account and delivers a clear, actionable rating model.The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside-audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Within the past 30 days, our consensus EPS projection remained stagnant. AGNC Investment is holding a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold) right now.Digging into valuation, AGNC Investment currently has a Forward P/E ratio of 4. Its industry sports an average Forward P/E of 7.68, so we one might conclude that AGNC Investment is trading at a discount comparatively.Story continuesThe REIT and Equity Trust industry is part of the Finance sector. This industry currently has a Zacks Industry Rank of 215, which puts it in the bottom 15% of all 250+ industries.The Zacks Industry Rank includes is listed in order from best to worst in terms of the average Zacks Rank of the individual companies within each of these sectors. Our research shows that the top 50% rated industries outperform the bottom half by a factor of 2 to 1.You can find more information on all of these metrics, and much more, on Zacks.com.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportAGNC Investment Corp. (AGNC) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

AGNC Investment (AGNC) Outpaces Stock Market Gains: What You Should Know

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/agnc-investment-agnc-outpaces-stock-214520093.html

8906d3c7-dda6-3b14-921d-9860d9c29fbd

AGX

Argan, Inc. (NYSE:AGX) Q2 2024 Earnings Call Transcript September 6, 2023Argan, Inc. beats earnings expectations. Reported EPS is $0.94, expectations were $0.74.Operator: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Argan, Inc. [Technical Difficulty] Conference Call for the Second Quarter of Fiscal 2024, which ended July 31, 2023. This call is being recorded. All participants have been placed on a listen-only mode. Following management's remarks, the call will be opened for questions. There is a slide presentation that accompanies today's remarks, which can be accessed via the webcast. It is my pleasure to turn the floor over to your host for today, John Nesbett of IMS, Investor Relations. Please go ahead, sir.John Nesbett: Good evening, and welcome to our conference call to discuss Argan's results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2024 ended July 31, 2023. On the call today, we have David Watson, Chief Executive Officer; and Hank Deily, Chief Financial Officer. I'll take a moment to read the Safe Harbor statement. Statements made during this conference call and presented in the presentation that are not based on historical facts are forward-looking statements. Such statements include but are not limited to projections or statements of future goals and targets regarding the company's revenues and profits. These statements are subject to known and unknown factors and risks. The company's actual results, performance or achievements may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements and some of the factors and risks that could cause or contribute to such material differences have been described in this afternoon's press release and in Argan's filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.These statements are based on information and understandings that we believe to be accurate as of today and we do not undertake any duty to update such forward-looking statements. Earlier this afternoon, the company issued a press release announcing its second quarter financial results and filed its second quarter Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission. With that out of the way, I'll turn the call over to David Watson, CEO of Argan. Go ahead, David.Story continuesDavid Watson: Thanks, Jen, and thank you everyone for joining today. I'll start by reviewing some of the highlights of our operations and activities. And Hank Deily, our CFO will go over our financial results for the second quarter of fiscal 2024 ended July 31, 2023. Then we'll open up the call for a brief Q&A. We made great progress during the second quarter as evidenced by revenue growth of approximately 20% to $141 million with significantly improved bottom line profitability and continued strength in our balance sheet. We're also pleased during the quarter to see consolidated gross margin improved sequentially as compared to the first quarter of 2024 coming in at 16.8%, which is generally in line with our expectations based on a diversified mix of revenues.Additionally, we marked our third consecutive quarter, maintaining backlog in excess of $0.8 billion. Our current backlog includes the Shannonbridge Power Project in Ireland, which is a power plant that will ensure reliable electricity supply during critical situations and emergencies and also includes the value of the limited notices to proceed that we received for three solar plus battery power facilities in Illinois with Vistra Energy. And our balance sheet remains strong with $346 million of cash and investments and net liquidity of $240 million at July 31, 2023. Lastly , we carry no debt. During the second quarter, we repurchased approximately 77,000 shares of our common stock for a total spend of approximately $3 million or $39.24 per share.Reviewing our three reportable business segments, power industry services represented 75% of our second quarter revenues and reported pre-tax book income of $16.3 million. Revenues and income both increased for this segment during the second quarter by 15.3% and 12.3% respectively as compared to the amounts reported for the comparable quarter last year. This segment is comprised of our Gemma Power System and Atlantic Projects Company operating units and focuses on the construction of all types of power facilities including efficient gas-fired power plants, solar energy fields, biomass facilities and wind farms. As I just mentioned, following the quarter's close, APC received a full notice to proceed on the Shannonbridge project in Ireland and Gemma received limited notices to proceed on the solar and battery projects for Vistra Energy.The industrial construction services, which is represented by the Roberts Company, had a strong quarter and contributed 23% of our second quarter revenue. It reported pre-tax book income of $3.2 million. Revenues and income both increased for this segment during the second quarter by 42.3% and 81.1% respectively as compared to the amounts reported for the comparable quarter last year. Roberts provide solutions to mostly industrial and manufacturing clients. They focus on agriculture, petrochemical, pulp and paper, water and power industries, as well as other newer industries adding to or expanding the number of production facilities in the Southeast. The segment focuses on construction projects provides other field services like plant maintenance turnarounds, shutdowns and emergency mobilization, as well as pipe and vessel fabrication.Lastly, we have our Telecommunications Infrastructure services group, our smallest segment, which contributed 2% of our second quarter revenues. SMC Infrastructure Solutions is our operating brand in this segment, provides outside construction services for the utility and telecommunications sectors, as well as inside the premises wiring services for federal government locations and military installations requiring high level security clearance. We believe Argan is strongly positioned as the energy landscape transitions from coal power to cleaner alternatives like natural gas and renewables. The anticipated future decline in coal fired power generation is significant with coal-fired power generation in the U.S. expected to drop by an additional 70% to represent only 5% of net electricity generation by 2050.And while the move to more environmentally friendly power resources is important, the ability to provide the liable power generation is paramount. We have the capabilities and a track record of proven success in assisting our power partners as they address and balance increasing levels of power consumption with the demand for cleaner energy supply. Our business is already playing a leadership role in this transition as you'll see on slide six where we've highlighted the details of our recent limited notices to proceed on a project with Vistra Energy. [Indiscernible] will work with Vistra to complete three facilities located in Illinois to provide solar power plus battery storage capability, representing 160 megawatts of power and 22 megawatts of energy storage.We're excited to work with Vistra to drive the move to cleaner electrical power generation and specifically the growth of our solar power. We look forward to executing another successful project with another new customer in the renewable energy space. On slide seven, we provide the details of the Shannonbridge Power Project in Ireland. APC recently received full notice to proceed on EPC services project for a 264 megawatt power plant. We're excited to have the opportunity to combine the expertise of APC and Gemma for oversight of this project's lifecycle including design, procurement, construction and commissioning. This project, for which we began work earlier this year in a limited capacity, demonstrates our ability to dynamically work with our customers on a compressed schedule as we target completion for early next year.The Shannonbridge project is expected to strengthen the regions' power infrastructure and enhance reliable electricity supply during times of high utilization or merchant fees. As the industry shifts to new power generation technologies, it's important to note that 83% of our current backlog of over $0.8 billion represents projects that support lower carbon emissions demonstrating our commitment and our leadership role in the transition to cleaner power generation. Now, I'll hand the call over to Hank Deily to go over our financial performance.concrete, building, workPI/Shutterstock.comHank Deily: Thanks, David, and good afternoon, everyone. On slide nine, we present our consolidated income statement for the second quarter and the first six months of fiscal 2024. Second quarter of fiscal 2024 revenues increased 20% to $141 million, reflecting an increase in revenues from both our Power Services and Industrial Services segments as compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2023. In the second quarter, we achieved a 15% increase in revenues in our Power Industry Services segment, primarily related to projects under construction overseas and the Trumbull Energy Center, partially offset by decreased revenues associated with the Guernsey Power Station and the Maple Hill Solar facility as those projects get closer to final completion.In our Industrial Construction Services segment, the company achieved revenue growth of 42% driven by a meaningful increase in field services and fabrication work. Gross margin in the second quarter was 16.8%, a decline as compared to 20.6% in the second quarter of fiscal 2023 that related primarily to the changes in our mix of revenues. As many of you know, our margins can fluctuate quarter-to-quarter related to the revenues mix, current project risk profiles, commercial terms and associated margin expectations. For example, time and material contracts are less risky than fixed price and therefore generate a lower margin profile, which is acceptable on a risk adjusted basis. Additionally margins may also be impacted by where we are in the project lifecycle.While margins were down as compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2023, we did see margins rebound sequentially as compared to the first quarter of fiscal 2024, which were 13.7% to generally be more in line with our expectations based on a diversified mix of revenues. Selling, general and administrative expenses of $10.5 million for the second quarter of fiscal 2024 decreased as compared to SG&A of $11 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2023. Net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2024 improved significantly to $12.8 million or $0.94 per diluted share as compared to net income of $4.2 million or $0.30 per diluted share in the second quarter of fiscal 2023. These results benefited from an increase in earnings on our invested funds as yields increased meaningfully between periods and from a reduction in income tax expense between the periods due to the unfavorable research and development credits adjustment recorded in the prior year quarter.EBITDA, which is defined as earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, for the second quarter of fiscal 2024 was $17.9 million as compared to $14.9 million in the second quarter of fiscal 2023. Looking at our year-to-date performance, revenues in the first six months of fiscal 2024 increased by 12% to $245 million as compared to revenues of $218 million in the prior year period. Revenues in our Power Industry Services segment increased by $10.3 million due to the increase for the second quarter. Construction activities have increased in the current year for the Shannonbridge project, the Trumbull Energy Center, the ESB FlexGen peaker plants and the Kilroot Power Station. The increased revenues were partially offset by the effects of decreased activities at the Guernsey Power Station and the Maple Hill Solar energy facility as those EPC projects wind down.Our consolidated gross profit margin of 15.5% for the first six months of fiscal 2024 decreased, as compared to gross margin of 20.2% in the first six months of fiscal 2023, primarily due to changes in the mix of our revenues and the reduction of profits on the Kilroot project, which has encountered a number of unanticipated challenges, which are meaningfully impacting the contract cost and schedule. Gross margins in our Power Industry Services, our Industrial Services and our Telecommunications Infrastructure Services segments are 16%, 13.4% and 22.5% respectively for the first six months of fiscal 2024 as compared to 21.2%, 16% and 23.9% respectively for the first six months of fiscal 2023. SG&A expenses decreased to $21.1 million for the first half of fiscal 2024, as compared to $21.6 million for the first-half of fiscal 2023.Net income for the first six months of fiscal 2024 was $14.9 million or $1.10 per diluted share compared to $11.7 million or $0.80 per diluted share for the first six months of last year and EBITDA was $21.6 million compared with EBITDA of $25.6 million in the first six months of fiscal 2023. These results reflect the reduction in consolidated gross profit between periods, offset by an increase in earnings on our invested funds and the reduction in income tax expense between periods due to the aforementioned research and development credits adjustment recorded in the prior year. With that, I'm going to turn the call back to David.David Watson: Thanks, Hank. Turning to slide 10, our consolidated project backlog of over $0.8 billion as of July 31, 2023, remains consistent with where we stood at year end of fiscal 2023 and reflects the solid pipeline of opportunities we're seeing and the ongoing momentum in our business. Our backlog continues to reflect longer term fully committed projects in both the Power and Industrial Construction Service segments. On slide 11, we present certain major projects currently included in our backlog. We have two projects currently winding down, the Guernsey Power Station which is the largest single phase gas-fired power plant project in the U.S. and the Maple Hill Solar facility. Both are substantially complete and nearing final completion.The Kilroot Power Station and the ESB FlexGen peaker power plants are projects that are at or near peak activity. New to the list of major projects are the Shannonbridge power plant in Ireland and the Vistra solar plus battery projects in Illinois, both of which we've already talked about in detail above. Finally on this list, you'll see two separate water treatment plant projects that are being performed by The Roberts Company. So our backlog remains strong with a diverse selection of project work, which demonstrates the breadth of our capabilities and the market recognition of our company as a reliable and efficient industry partner here in the US and in Ireland and the U.K. Our balance sheet remains strong. As of July 31, 2023, cash, cash equivalents and investments totaled $346 million and net liquidity was $240 million with no debt.Stockholders' equity was $285 million at July 31, 2023. As you can see from this liquidity bridge, our business model ordinarily requires a very low level of capital expenditures. Our net liquidity was consistent with year-end and remains robust $240 million as of July 31, 2023. Since November 2021, we have returned a total of approximately $95 million to shareholders as we've repurchased approximately 2.6 million shares of our common stock or approximately 16% of shares outstanding at the beginning of the program, which equates to an average price of $37.32 per share. Additionally, since fiscal 2017, we have paid $1 per share annually through quarterly cash dividends. Argan has always been very focused on long-term value creation for shareholders.While our operating results can vary from quarter to quarter related to the timing of contracts, we remain focused on delivering long-term value to shareholders. Since 2008, we have increased our tangible book value and cumulative dividends per share considerably. During the first-half of fiscal 2024, we've continued to drive momentum in the business and have maintained project backlog at over $0.8 billion for three consecutive quarters. Our project pipeline is robust and diverse contributing to our ability to drive consistency in our revenue performance as certain projects finish up and new projects ramp up. And as I mentioned earlier, our margin profile, while down slightly compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2023, has rebounded sequentially and is generally in line with expectations based on the diverse revenue mix.We remain focused on driving improved margins. Additionally, we are confident that worldwide demand for reliable energy sources and grid stability will only increase and we believe that our reputation as a reliable partner for construction and project management, plant conversion activities and technology services positions us well to capture the opportunities we're seeing in the marketplace. To close, we remain focused on our long-term growth strategy, leveraging our core competencies to capitalize on existing and emerging market opportunities, maintain disciplined risk management, the goal of improving our project management effectiveness and minimizing costly project overruns, strengthen our position as a partner of choice in the construction of new low and net zero mission power generation facilities as the industry transitions to cleaner energy alternatives while maintaining grid reliability.And lastly, drive organic growth while also being mindful of acquisition opportunities that make sense for our business through thoughtful capital allocation. I'd like to thank our shareholders for their continued support and our employees for their dedication and hard work in building Argan to a position as a valued power industry partner. With that, operator, let's open it up for questions.See also 20 Most Underpriced Housing Markets in the U.S. and 10 “Great” Earnings Reports Jim Cramer is Talking About.Q&A SessionOperator: Thank you. At this time, we'll be conducting a question-and-answer session. [Operator Instructions] And the first question today is coming from Rob Brown from Lake Street Markets. Rob, your line is live.Rob Brown: Hi, good afternoon.David Watson: Good afternoon, Rob.Rob Brown: Just wanted to kind of get a little bit more detail on the pipeline. I think you've talked about it being strong and it's been strong recently. I just wanted to get your update on sort of the timing of the new project pipeline. Are you starting to see more conversions there, more activity kind of in preparation for awards? What are you seeing in terms of the pipeline activity?David Watson: Yes, we have seen some conversions as demonstrated by the Shannonbridge job that we announced earlier this month as well as the Vistra solar battery jobs. So we do expect some new larger projects towards the end of the year and into the next based on our current visibility into our pipeline. We may see a reduction in our reported backlog over the next quarter as we convert current backlog into revenue, but ultimately do expect to see our backlog meaningfully exceed where we are today. Keep in mind, the starts of future project wins are controlled by the customer, which makes it difficult to forecast our backlog given the material size of certain projects. Thermal jobs always take longer than we would like to, but given developmental job, it's not an easy job.And given the PJM auctions have been further delayed till the summer 2024, restructuring of the interconnect process, MISO is generally overloaded. So, there's a lot of things that are at play, but at the end of the day, we are very bullish on seeing new jobs later this year and into next.Rob Brown: Okay, great. Excellent, thanks for the color there. And then on the Vistra project, that's an interesting kind of project and I think it was limited notice to proceed. What's the timeline or how does that play out in terms of full notice to proceed? And I guess how the mechanics of that work.David Watson: Sure. I mean, similar to the Shannonbridge project and a bunch of number of projects earlier, given the elongated supply chain timeline today that we face, a lot of projects are going with a limited notice to proceed early so that some of that long lead time materials or equipment can be procured to make sure that the schedule is ultimately made. So Vistra is no different than we had LNTP -- or multiple LNTPs on Shannonbridge. So while thermal has historically been our bread and butter and continues to be to this day, we are committed to building the energy transition and Vistra is kind of an exciting step for us. We're really looking forward to working with that customer.Rob Brown: Okay. My last question is on Kilroot. There you cited some cost challenges or challenges overall. I guess, how would you kind of describe those at this point, feel like those are under control? Are there sort of areas that you see for the risk, has that?David Watson: Yes, I mean, we're clearly disappointed with where we are in the project. Just to give a little background on the job, Kilroot is a 660-megawatt gas-fired power plant being built just outside of Belfast in an existing structure built in the early 80's to house coal-fired power generation assets. So once it's completed, it will create a significant new electricity generation asset for the island of Ireland. We started the project in late 2021 and are approximately 80 plus percent complete with completion scheduled for early next year. You think encountered a number of meaningful challenges on the job, including the Omicron variant, COVID-19, the Ukraine war and their impacts on the global supply chains and prices, 50-year rains and building on a Brownfield building site among other factors.So, that -- those challenges have resulted in us having to reverse certain previously recorded profit on the job and we are working hard to achieve the completion of the project in a way that is reasonably acceptable to all stakeholders.Rob Brown: Okay, thank you. I'll turn it over.David Watson: Thanks, Rob.Operator: Thank you. [Operator Instructions] And the next question is coming from Chris Moore from CJS Securities. Chris, your line is live.Chris Moore: Good afternoon, guys. Thanks for taking a few questions.David Watson: Good afternoon, Chris.Chris Moore: Good afternoon. So, Shannonbridge looks like it's going to be a pretty quick turn. So will that start ramping this quarter or Q4?David Watson: Yes, good question. We started earlier this year pursuant to the limited notices to proceed. And given that this is an emergency or rush job, activity on the job site pursuant to LNTP has been significant. I mean, the schedule is to finish by early next year, so there is a lot of work being performed in a short period of time. And it's -- yes it is already ramping -- or ramped, Chris. I mean, I walked the job site about a month ago and activity was happening everywhere, so really impressive.Chris Moore: Got it. I assume the margins associated with this project are little bit lower than the bigger U.S. natural gas projects?David Watson: It all depends on the contractual terms and the risk -- the commercial risks that we take on. And so it's hard to be able to make that differentiation.Chris Moore: So there is potential for excess margin at the end like a traditional U.S. natural gas contract?David Watson: It is our goal to have a successful project for everyone that that we do and to account for it as best we can.Chris Moore: Fair enough. How about -- just in terms of Trumbull, kind of the timing of when you think it will be at kind of peak quarterly revenue and obviously to the timeframe on your sheet? I'm just trying to get a little better sense for the ramp?David Watson: So we are right on schedule and very happy with the progress of the Trumbull job, another huge job for us in Ohio. I would expect given the cadence of -- well, this schedule and the cadence of any gas-fired power plant job that the peak activity will be reached during the latter half of fiscal year '25 and on into fiscal year '26.Chris Moore: Got it. Other income was meaningfully higher than I had modeled. That $4.1 million, is that -- is that sustainable for the balance of fiscal '24?David Watson: It's -- we're pleased to have the strong balance sheet that we have and we've been purposeful in putting that money to work, not only in short-term money market funds and CDs, but also in longer duration treasury bills and the yields that we're seeing, like you're seeing everywhere is north of on average only around 5% or so. So is the $4.1 million sustainable? There were a couple of other things that run through the other income line item, Chris, but the majority of it is the interest and dividend income from our investments. And so it's something that's meaningful.Chris Moore: Got it. And maybe just my last. Want to follow-up on one to Rob's on the pipeline. So it sounds like you're looking for new projects hopefully later this fiscal year or early next. I guess, the question is are there -- how many significant natural gas slide decks or potential projects in the U.S.? Are there -- many of these days -- I'm just trying to get a sense in terms of kind of what the overall backdrop looks like.David Watson: Yes, so there's a number of converging forces some, some that are positive, some that are challenging. Some of the positive data points Chris is the OEMs are getting really busy again. And their production lines are basically full speed ahead. So, if some wants to build a thermal or a gas-fired power plant, they need to get a turbine ordered early in the process. So that should be very telling as to where the interest in and is in gas-fired power plants, not just in the U.S., but internationally. That being said, as I mentioned earlier when I was responding to a question from Rob, there is -- there's the PJM, there is the delays in the capacity auctions. There is the interconnection process that's getting in the middle of restructuring that's been gummed up.So there's a number of in MISO being overloaded. So there's a number of things that kind of go against that. And then in general, they -- gas power plants, there -- we see a number of them being cited developers trying to set up, not just developers that are private, but also public utilities and we're excited about what we're seeing over the next couple of years and on.Chris Moore: Got it. That's helpful. I will leave it there. Thanks, David.David Watson: Thanks, Chris.Operator: Thank you. There were no other questions in the queue at this time. I would now like to hand the call back to David Watson for closing remarks.David Watson: Great. Thank you everybody for joining us for our Q2 fiscal '24 earnings call. I appreciate the participation and the interest in our company. I look forward to speaking with each of you next time we have a call. Take care.Operator: Thank you. This does conclude today's conference. You may disconnect your lines at this time and have a wonderful day. Thank you for your participation.

Insider Monkey

Argan, Inc. (NYSE:AGX) Q2 2024 Earnings Call Transcript

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/argan-inc-nyse-agx-q2-130643118.html

905236ca-9bae-3be7-afa0-8bb27d2f78ee

AGX

It's common for many investors, especially those who are inexperienced, to buy shares in companies with a good story even if these companies are loss-making. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.If this kind of company isn't your style, you like companies that generate revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Argan (NYSE:AGX). While profit isn't the sole metric that should be considered when investing, it's worth recognising businesses that can consistently produce it. See our latest analysis for Argan Argan's Earnings Per Share Are GrowingThe market is a voting machine in the short term, but a weighing machine in the long term, so you'd expect share price to follow earnings per share (EPS) outcomes eventually. That makes EPS growth an attractive quality for any company. Impressively, Argan has grown EPS by 29% per year, compound, in the last three years. If the company can sustain that sort of growth, we'd expect shareholders to come away satisfied.Top-line growth is a great indicator that growth is sustainable, and combined with a high earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margin, it's a great way for a company to maintain a competitive advantage in the market. Argan maintained stable EBIT margins over the last year, all while growing revenue 2.8% to US$482m. That's progress.You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. To see the actual numbers, click on the chart.earnings-and-revenue-historyIn investing, as in life, the future matters more than the past. So why not check out this free interactive visualization of Argan's forecast profits?Are Argan Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?It's pleasing to see company leaders with putting their money on the line, so to speak, because it increases alignment of incentives between the people running the business, and its true owners. So it is good to see that Argan insiders have a significant amount of capital invested in the stock. As a matter of fact, their holding is valued at US$35m. This considerable investment should help drive long-term value in the business. As a percentage, this totals to 5.9% of the shares on issue for the business, an appreciable amount considering the market cap.Story continuesIt means a lot to see insiders invested in the business, but shareholders may be wondering if remuneration policies are in their best interest. A brief analysis of the CEO compensation suggests they are. The median total compensation for CEOs of companies similar in size to Argan, with market caps between US$200m and US$800m, is around US$2.4m.Argan offered total compensation worth US$1.4m to its CEO in the year to January 2023. That comes in below the average for similar sized companies and seems pretty reasonable. While the level of CEO compensation shouldn't be the biggest factor in how the company is viewed, modest remuneration is a positive, because it suggests that the board keeps shareholder interests in mind. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally.Does Argan Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?For growth investors, Argan's raw rate of earnings growth is a beacon in the night. If you need more convincing beyond that EPS growth rate, don't forget about the reasonable remuneration and the high insider ownership. This may only be a fast rundown, but the key takeaway is that Argan is worth keeping an eye on. Now, you could try to make up your mind on Argan by focusing on just these factors, or you could also consider how its price-to-earnings ratio compares to other companies in its industry.The beauty of investing is that you can invest in almost any company you want. But if you prefer to focus on stocks that have demonstrated insider buying, here is a list of companies with insider buying in the last three months.Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Simply Wall St.

Does Argan (NYSE:AGX) Deserve A Spot On Your Watchlist?

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/does-argan-nyse-agx-deserve-101935528.html

0216af64-85d7-3d89-98c2-53a2e8d3e99c

AHH

Armada Hoffler Properties, Inc. (NYSE:AHH) Q2 2023 Earnings Call Transcript August 3, 2023Armada Hoffler Properties, Inc. misses on earnings expectations. Reported EPS is $0.13 EPS, expectations were $0.31.Operator: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Armada Hoffler Second Quarter 2023 Earnings Conference Call. [Operator Instructions] This call is being recorded on Thursday, August 03, 2023. I would now like to turn the conference over to Chelsea Forrest. Please go ahead.Chelsea Forrest: Good morning, and thank you for joining Armada Hoffler's second quarter 2023 earnings conference call and webcast. On the call this morning, in addition to myself is, Lou Haddad, CEO; Matthew Barnes-Smith, CFO; and Shawn Tibbetts, COO. The press release announcing our second quarter earnings along with our supplemental package were distributed this morning. A replay of this call will be available shortly after the conclusion of the call through September 03, 2023. The numbers to access the replay are provided in the earnings press release. For those who listen to the rebroadcast of this presentation, we remind you that, the remarks made herein are as of today, August 03, 2023, and will not be updated subsequent to this initial earnings call.During this call, we may make forward-looking statements, including statements related to the future performance of our portfolio, our development pipeline, the impact of acquisitions and dispositions, our mezzanine program, our construction business, our liquidity position, our portfolio performance and financing activities, as well as comments on our guidance and outlook. Listeners are cautioned that, any forward-looking statements are based upon management's beliefs, assumptions and expectations taking into account information that is currently available. These beliefs, assumptions and expectations may change as a result of possible events or factors, not all of which are known and many which are difficult to predict and generally beyond our control.Story continuesThese risks and uncertainties can cause actual results to differ materially from our current expectations and we advise listeners to review the forward-looking statements disclosure in our press release that we distributed this morning, and the risk factors disclosed in the documents we have filed with or furnished to the SEC. We will also discuss certain non-GAAP financial measures, including but not limited to FFO and normalized FFO. Definitions of these non-GAAP measures, as well as reconciliations to the most comparable GAAP measures, are included in the quarterly supplemental package, which is available on our website at armadahoffler.com. I'll now turn the call over to Lou.Lou Haddad: Thanks, Chelsea. Good morning, everyone, and thank you for joining us. Today, we reported earnings for the second quarter of $0.32 per share, in line with our expectations and consistent with our full year guidance. As you can see from our press release, the portfolio continues to deliver positive growth in same store sales and releasing spreads, while maintaining company-wide occupancy over 97%. We continue to prove that best-in-market properties yield impressive results in most any economic climate. Shawn and Matt will give you the details on the quarter, as well as the current state of operations and financial metrics. I'll give you an overview of our few longer-term initiatives we intent to pursue over the next 18 to 24 months.For years, we have been describing the advantages of our business model, vertical integration of the development process, asset class diversification, mixed use environments, and best-in-class properties are all important factors in our platform as well as our value proposition. This approach to real estate, 44 years in the making, has produced substantial growth over the last 10 years. Since our IPO in 2013, we have increased our asset base over 5x, expanded our market cap nearly 4x, doubled our earnings per share and perhaps most importantly to investors outperformed the REIT Index on a total shareholder return state over the same period. All this despite the challenges of pandemic and the current disfavour of commercial real estate sector, which has impacted property values, consequently reducing our multiple and undervaluing our equity.While this may be viewed as respectable performance by many, it's by no means satisfactory to us. Our goal remains to demonstrate the true work of superior assets, both property and human. And returned the equity value to its previous highs and beyond, regardless of the macro environment. Over the next one to two years, in addition to continuing measurable growth in earnings and dividends, we intend to make strategic moves that should drive significant outperformance over our peers, as well as reinforce the flexibility, resiliency, and foundational strength of our diversified platform. Armada Hoffler has a well-established history of telling the market what we intend to accomplish, executing, and reporting back the positive results. We expect similar performance going forward.We took an important step in this process last month when our board authorized a limited stock buyback program. This initiative is predominantly meant to give us a headstart on retiring our preferred equity shares, which are callable next spring. It is our intent to eventually fully extinguish the entire series. Around this time next year, we will complete all current construction projects at Harbor Point on the Baltimore Waterfront. T Rowe price will begin their move in process, and the adjacent allied departments will start the lease up phase. Shortly thereafter, we intend to begin marketing some combination of our joint ventures and or selected wholly owned assets within the development. Make no mistake, we believe strongly in the viability and growth prospects for all the uses at Arbor Point.In fact, we intend to continue developing there alongside our longtime partner BD Development Group. That said, with four premier quality office buildings featuring many Fortune 500 companies on long-term leases and 700 luxury apartments. Selective disposition of some of the trophy assets in the development will significantly reduce our capital allocation, thereby enabling us to expand in higher growth Southeast markets, mitigate concentration risk and further deleverage the balance sheet. By utilizing all the tools in our toolbox, construction capacity, preferred equity, mezzanine lending, and season development partners, we expect to achieve significant portfolio expansion with minimal strain on the balance sheet, while continuing to release the value created by our development activities.Shawn will update you later in the call on new multi-family opportunities that we are executing. On a related note, although we don't anticipate exiting any assets at Town Center of Virginia Beach, we have decided against expanding the multifamily counts at the complex at this time. Instead, after we receive the adjacent Bed, Bath and Beyond site back, we will proceed with retenanting and expanding the property with new retail tenants. This decision affords us a much greater return with significantly less capital commitment and further enhances the retail and entertainment options for our patrons. This also allows us to redirect additional funds for multifamily investment in higher growth areas. Shawn will comment on these details as well. This ability to pivot our emphasis among asset classes and sub-markets is an advantage that has enhanced our profitability for over four decades.With the continued strength of the portfolio, robust fee income, and the lease up of new properties, our expectation is for continued growth in earnings and asset value next year. Additionally, we believe that the strategic moves that I've described today will meaningfully accelerate year over year increases in virtually all our financial results in 2025 and beyond. Now, I'll turn the call over to Shawn.Shawn Tibbetts: Thank you, Louis. The teams throughout our organization remain highly focused on disciplined execution in all areas of our business. Armada Hoffler's approach to value creation is bolstered by our commitment to company value, which in turn drive our actions and focus on achieving our goals even in this tough economic environment. We are operating efficiently with continued high levels of occupency, healthy re-leaseing spread and a substantial third-party construction backlog. We believe that, best-in-class performance throughout the portfolio, safe and reliable construction services, combined with seamless execution of high-quality development projects, will continue to create sustained shareholder value for years to come.The supplemental package contains a recap of our operating highlights. I would like to call out a few of the noteworthy metrics that are contributing to our continued growth and sustained high occupancy across the portfolio. 2023 quarter two year-over-year same-store NOI was positive in all segments and was 4.8% on a GAAP basis and 2.9% on a cash basis. Multifamily was 4.3% on a GAAP basis and 3.6% on a cash basis. Office was 1.3% on a GAAP basis and 2% on a cash basis. Retail was 7.5% on a GAAP basis and 3.1% on a cash basis. 2023, quarter two, year-over-year re-leasing spreads on the commercial portfolio were positive 8.9% on a GAAP basis and 7.3% on a cash basis. Our multifamily sector is growing consistently at mid-single-digits on par with our forecast for 2023.We are focused on optimising both revenue and expense management as we look to grow residential portfolio within our geographic footprint over time. The Retail segment is also experiencing sustained elevated levels of lease up, at 98.2% across our nearly 4 million square feet. In terms of office performance, we remain well leased at 96.2% inclusive of the Interlock acquisition, which contained a small amount of vacancy. On target note, portion of our team has been relocated within near Armada Hoffler tower near Town Center and KPMG has subsequently taken possession of their new space and we expect them to be in by the end of the year. This [flight] to quality has again increased the percentage of office space leased at Town Center, which currently sits at 99.4% of the nearly 800,000 square feet.Kokliang/Shutterstock.comAs a result of the high occupancy and continued demand, we are discussing future office needs with our tenants. These ongoing discussions create alignment and also provide insight into opportunities that may exist to accommodate additional tenants looking to relocate into Town Center. Retail performance remains strong and we are capitalizing on the momentum. We have recently signed a long-term lease with LEGO for prime retail space at our Town Center of Virginia Beach. This is yet another example of a high credit tenant seeking out space in our flagship development. We are excited about this new-to-market retailer and the positive effect the Lego following will have on traffic within our ecosystem. The tenants on our watch list remain materially similar to last quarter.Our focus has been on the opportunistic next steps for our two Bed Bath & Beyond store location. Conversations with new tenants are continuing for the Durham, North Carolina space. We expect a positive outcome and we will update you as soon as possible. In Virginia Beach, the decision is based on an opportunity cost equation, with an emphasis on the best long-term value creation for the six acres. Ultimately, the outcome of our due diligence exercises points to a high-end, high-quality retail-focused redevelopment site. We have narrowed the list of potential tenants to a preferred short list of suitors. The program will likely involve modifications to include one or two major high credit retailers with a very limited amount of high-end small shops supplemented by a strategic out parcel user.We intend to continue our relationship with Regal. However, should the opportunity arise, we would look to redevelop Phase 2 as a supplement to the Bed, Bath and Beyond site that provides for a natural flow of town center expansion to the East. As you may recall, our initial redevelopment plans included potential for inclusion of multi-family units. We have determined that the capital earmarked for multi-family will be best invested outside of town center, given that we already own the trophy assets in the submarket and the retail opportunity set being negotiated will provide better returns. Our analysis is that multi-family investment outside of Town Center combined with the focus on a retail driven program at the Bed, Bath and Beyond site ultimately results in yielding the highest overall return on shareholder equity, the best use of the property, a more diverse geographic footprint in the southeast, and a greater contribution to NAV.As you can see our portfolio, comprised of state-of-the-art properties and superior locations continues to operate consistently well throughout economic cycles, the complimentary property types and trophy assets in superior locations combined to outperform the competitive set. The T Row Price Global headquarters project at Harbor Point is continuing to take shape and is on track for turnover in the summer of 2024. The adjacent 312 unit Allied Apartment Tower is also on plan for delivery in the third quarter of 2024. At Southern Post in Roswell, Georgia. We are making significant progress toward the initial delivery early next year. Since our last earnings update, the retail space has moved to 86% leased or under LOI. As we noted last quarter, we are working through lease arrangements with a high credit tenant who is targeting approximately 40,000 feet of office, equating to 40% of the office space.Chandler Residences, the recently named multi-family component at Southern Post is a high-quality offering in a market with a limited supply of leaseable residential units. Programming and marketing efforts for the project have been very well received and we expect considerable success and speed in the lease up. Additionally, I would like to elaborate on a few noteworthy strategic topics, some previously mentioned by Lu. Last quarter, we discussed strategic growth initiatives underpinned by both acquisition and development of high-quality well-located trophy real estate. As you know, we at our modeller create value for shareholders through leveraging both our construction and development expertise as well as our extensive partnership network to manufacture and acquire well located trophy assets.Additionally, we are fortunate to be able to leverage those partnerships created along the way that provide access to high quality assets on an off market basis. Last quarter, we focused on the acquisition approach, while transacting on the interlock, demonstrating that our strategy continues to produce results. We are settling into the management of this trophy asset while studying opportunities to create upside beyond the NOI acquired in the transaction. We look forward to updating you on our initiatives as they come to fruition. To continue the theme of sourcing high quality real estate via existing relationships, one of our largest unit holders. Affiliates of Venture Realty Group presented us with a unique opportunity to invest in the development of a new 280-unit Class A multifamily apartment community [Indiscernible].The transaction requires minimum upfront capital and provides us both a preferred return on our investment and the ability to acquire the asset upon completion and stabilization, and a future OP unit transaction. Both the average and median household incomes in the zip code within Chesapeake, Virginia are the highest among all the markets in which we invest, including Atlanta and Charlotte. Consistent with our overall investment thesis, we are excited about the potential to own what will be the best asset in a growing secondary market with strong fundamentals at an attractive going in basis and yield. We have sourced two additional high-quality multifamily projects that will fill our preferred equity and mezzanine platform allocation. Solis Kennesaw and Soles Peachtree Covers are both located in a submarket outside of Atlanta.These developments will be executed by our trusted partners at to Terwilliger Pappas. Together, these opportunities allow us to continue increasing exposure to the Greater Atlanta markets and may ultimately yield the opportunity to own either of the assets, thereby creating additional concentration in these high growth markets. Finally, thank you to the talented colleagues at Armada Hoffler, who are manufacturing and managing high quality assets within our portfolio. We are performing well. However, as Lou previously stated, we are not satisfied with our equity value and as a result, we will remain laser-focused on our mission of leading in the REIT space by consistently creating long-term value for our shareholders. I will now turn the call over to Matt.Matthew Barnes-Smith: Good morning and thank you Sean. Another compelling performance by our team continuing to deliver consistently strong results across all operating metrics. We have reported FFO of $0.35 per diluted share and normalized FFO of $0.32 per diluted share, in line with guidance and slightly above analyst consensus. We maintained our guidance range accordingly and normalized FFO of $1.23 to $1.27 per diluted share. Our stabilized leverage metric remains in our target range at 5.5x. When our ancillary debt is included, leverage has risen to 7.1x, slightly elevated from last quarter. This metric will temporarily increase over the next few periods, until the assets in our development pipeline start producing cash flow.Leverages anticipated to decrease back into our target range as EBITDA continues to grow. Our debt service coverage ratio and fixed charge coverage ratio was 2.7x and 2.3x, respectively, demonstrating our team's ability to manage and execute our balance sheet strategy in the adverse market conditions we are experiencing. Our liquidity position continues to be strong at roughly $130 million more than ample to cover the 2023 cash requirements for our remaining development pipeline and the preferred equity investments that Sean mentioned earlier. This combined with our well-structured debt maturity ladder means that, we can continue to grow earnings while supporting the team and achieving our growth objectives. For reference, as stated last quarter, we have no debt maturities in 2023, and we expect small amount of debt maturities in 2024 and 2025 to be paid off at maturity, adding these previously secured assets to our unencumbered borrowing base.As interest rates continue to fluctuate, we will monitor the environment to ensure we either convert the variable rate debt to long-term fixed rate debt in the private placement markets, or layer in new hedge positions when our current set of positions mature. Lou discussed our growth strategy earlier on the call and we continue to strengthen our balance sheet to support these efforts. In June, we started the process of increasing the capacity of our revolving credit facility, looking to add $100 million through the accordion feature. We're excited to report that we have had over 75% of the funds committed to date. In addition to our established lending group, we are adding Barclays Bank as a new lending relationship. Attracting top talent, whether that be internal colleagues on the team or external support from our partners is key to driving success.Adding this full-service financial institution clearly demonstrates our capacity to grow and execute the strategy Lou described. As we look ahead over the next 18 months, the funds from plan disposition coupled with our expected capital market activities are anticipated to be split between growth in the southeast and de-leveraging our balance sheets. Another item of note this quarter was attracting an additional partner to our unsecured term loan used to fund the interlock acquisition. This additional $20 million allows us to pay down the capital that we use from our line of credit at closing. As you will recall, we swapped the whole $100 million at an all-in fixed rate of 4.7%, which is very competitive in today's environment. Continuing the theme of our derivative program in early July, we made two transactions that limited the exposure of interest rates remaining higher for a longer period than was initially anticipated.Both transactions involved selling our corridor positions and using the proceeds to buy down the rate on the swaps to 3.4%. The combined notional $250 million is the same notional amount as the initial corridors and will have the same maturity schedule. Whilst these derivative transactions do not have a material effect in 2023, we anticipate a lower cost of debt for 2024 as a result of these transactions. Some of our derivatives mature in early 2024, and we will either convert the variable rate debt to long-term fixed rate debt in the private placement markets or layer in new hedged positions. I'll now pass the call back over to the operator for the questions and answers session.See also 11 Best Under The Radar Stocks To Buy and Dividend Growth Stocks: 25 Aristocrats.To continue reading the Q&A session, please click here.

Insider Monkey

Armada Hoffler Properties, Inc. (NYSE:AHH) Q2 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/armada-hoffler-properties-inc-nyse-181408492.html

2c3d986a-e018-3895-a9ee-16c30c2b0506

AHH

The excitement of investing in a company that can reverse its fortunes is a big draw for some speculators, so even companies that have no revenue, no profit, and a record of falling short, can manage to find investors. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' Loss-making companies are always racing against time to reach financial sustainability, so investors in these companies may be taking on more risk than they should.If this kind of company isn't your style, you like companies that generate revenue, and even earn profits, then you may well be interested in Armada Hoffler Properties (NYSE:AHH). While this doesn't necessarily speak to whether it's undervalued, the profitability of the business is enough to warrant some appreciation - especially if its growing. Check out our latest analysis for Armada Hoffler Properties How Quickly Is Armada Hoffler Properties Increasing Earnings Per Share?The market is a voting machine in the short term, but a weighing machine in the long term, so you'd expect share price to follow earnings per share (EPS) outcomes eventually. That means EPS growth is considered a real positive by most successful long-term investors. Armada Hoffler Properties managed to grow EPS by 14% per year, over three years. That growth rate is fairly good, assuming the company can keep it up.One way to double-check a company's growth is to look at how its revenue, and earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) margins are changing. It's noted that Armada Hoffler Properties' revenue from operations was lower than its revenue in the last twelve months, so that could distort our analysis of its margins. On the one hand, Armada Hoffler Properties' EBIT margins fell over the last year, but on the other hand, revenue grew. If EBIT margins are able to stay balanced and this revenue growth continues, then we should see brighter days ahead.You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. Click on the chart to see the exact numbers.Story continuesearnings-and-revenue-historyOf course the knack is to find stocks that have their best days in the future, not in the past. You could base your opinion on past performance, of course, but you may also want to check this interactive graph of professional analyst EPS forecasts for Armada Hoffler Properties.Are Armada Hoffler Properties Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?It's said that there's no smoke without fire. For investors, insider buying is often the smoke that indicates which stocks could set the market alight. That's because insider buying often indicates that those closest to the company have confidence that the share price will perform well. However, insiders are sometimes wrong, and we don't know the exact thinking behind their acquisitions.Not only did Armada Hoffler Properties insiders refrain from selling stock during the year, but they also spent US$142k buying it. That paints the company in a nice light, as it signals that its leaders are feeling confident in where the company is heading. It is also worth noting that it was President of Construction & Development Eric Apperson who made the biggest single purchase, worth US$44k, paying US$14.32 per share.On top of the insider buying, it's good to see that Armada Hoffler Properties insiders have a valuable investment in the business. Indeed, they hold US$15m worth of its stock. This considerable investment should help drive long-term value in the business. Despite being just 1.4% of the company, the value of that investment is enough to show insiders have plenty riding on the venture.While insiders already own a significant amount of shares, and they have been buying more, the good news for ordinary shareholders does not stop there. That's because Armada Hoffler Properties' CEO, Lou Haddad, is paid at a relatively modest level when compared to other CEOs for companies of this size. Our analysis has discovered that the median total compensation for the CEOs of companies like Armada Hoffler Properties with market caps between US$400m and US$1.6b is about US$3.5m.Armada Hoffler Properties' CEO took home a total compensation package worth US$2.7m in the year leading up to December 2022. That seems pretty reasonable, especially given it's below the median for similar sized companies. CEO remuneration levels are not the most important metric for investors, but when the pay is modest, that does support enhanced alignment between the CEO and the ordinary shareholders. Generally, arguments can be made that reasonable pay levels attest to good decision-making.Is Armada Hoffler Properties Worth Keeping An Eye On?One positive for Armada Hoffler Properties is that it is growing EPS. That's nice to see. On top of that, we've seen insiders buying shares even though they already own plenty. These factors alone make the company an interesting prospect for your watchlist, as well as continuing research. Even so, be aware that Armada Hoffler Properties is showing 4 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 2 of those are concerning...Keen growth investors love to see insider buying. Thankfully, Armada Hoffler Properties isn't the only one. You can see a a free list of them here.Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Simply Wall St.

With EPS Growth And More, Armada Hoffler Properties (NYSE:AHH) Makes An Interesting Case

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/eps-growth-more-armada-hoffler-115326815.html

e8a32b04-0617-3805-bffa-b74bd5186785

AIG

American International Group, Inc. AIG is well-poised to grow due to strong Global Commercial business, improving net investment income and new business growth.AIG continues to benefit from strong performance in its General Insurance business and the strengthening of insurance rates. Moreover, divestitures are helping the company to streamline its business and enhance capital allocation.AIG is a leading global insurance organization providing a wide range of property casualty insurance, life insurance, retirement solutions and other financial services.Zacks Rank & Price PerformanceAmerican International currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). In the past year, the stock has gained 11.9% compared with the industry’s growth of 0.2%.Zacks Investment ResearchImage Source: Zacks Investment ResearchRising EstimatesThe Zacks Consensus Estimate for AIG’s 2023 earnings per share is pegged at $6.71, indicating a 47.5% increase from the year-ago reported figure of $4.55. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AIG’s 2023 sales is pegged at $51.4 billion, indicating a 13.2% increase from the year-ago reported figure of $45.4 billion.The company beat earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 13.5%.Key DriversIn the first half of 2023, a significant portion of AIG’s total revenues came from premiums, which improved 19.9% year over year. The figures are expected to grow further in the future due to strong performance in commercial lines and rate increases contributing to higher pricing.The General Insurance segment accounted for 55.4% of total revenues in the first half of 2023. This segment delivered strong results in the second quarter due to the improving performance of Lexington and Global Commercial businesses. North America Commercial is expected to aid the results of this business segment due to strong growth in net premiums thanks to Lexington and Retail Property. Strong retention, rate increases and new businesses have been the key drivers for the Lexington business.Story continuesTotal net investment income increased 21.6% year over year in the first half of 2023. A high-interest rate environment should provide an impetus to growth in net investment income. In order to take advantage of higher interest rates, AIG has repositioned its General Insurance portfolio to gain higher yields but remains careful about maintaining credit quality and duration. This is likely to result in higher net investment income in 2023.The company is delivering well on its objective to deliver 10% plus adjusted return on capital employed. In July 2023, it closed the sale of its Crop Risk Services to AFG and formed Private Client Select with Stone Point Capital LLC., to streamline its operations and enhance earnings quality.The company rewarded its shareholders with $554 million in repurchases and dividends worth $268 million in the second quarter, reflecting its balanced capital management strategy. This implies that the company’s shares are a good buy for investors looking for returns in the form of dividends.However, AIG’s rising expense level is a concern. Its total benefits and expenses increased 19% in the first half of 2023. We expect the metric to increase 16.9% in 2023. American International’s return on equity of 9.3% is lower than the industry’s average of 10.8%. Nevertheless, we believe that a systematic and strategic plan of action will drive growth in the long term.Stocks to ConsiderSome better-ranked stocks in the insurance space include Arch Capital Group Ltd. ACGL, Aflac Incorporated AFL and Chubb Limited CB. Arch Capital currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while Aflac and Chubb carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.Arch Capital’s earnings surpassed estimates in each of the last four quarters, the average surprise being 26.8%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for ACGL’s 2023 earnings and revenues indicates a rise of 38.2% and 30.6%, respectively, from the year-ago actuals. The consensus mark for ACGL’s 2023 earnings has moved 2.3% north in the past 30 days.The bottom line of Aflac beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average beat being 7.8%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for AFL’s 2023 earnings indicates a rise of 12.2% from the year-ago tally. The consensus mark for AFL’s 2023 earnings has moved 1.4% north in the past 30 days.Chubb’s earnings outpaced estimates in three of the trailing four quarters and missed the mark once, the average surprise being 3.4%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for CB’s 2023 earnings indicates a rise of 19.3%, while the same for revenues suggests an improvement of 8.8% from the respective year-ago actuals. The consensus mark for CB’s 2023 earnings has moved 0.8%north in the past 30 days.Shares of Arch Capital, Aflac and Chubb have gained 68.4%, 24.6% and 5.1%, respectively, in a year.Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportAmerican International Group, Inc. (AIG) : Free Stock Analysis ReportChubb Limited (CB) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAflac Incorporated (AFL) : Free Stock Analysis ReportArch Capital Group Ltd. (ACGL) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment Research

Zacks

Reasons to Hold American International (AIG) Stock Right Now

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/reasons-hold-american-international-aig-161600057.html

140f4534-f2fb-313c-9123-da28380e1fd9

AIG

Some investors rely on dividends for growing their wealth, and if you're one of those dividend sleuths, you might be intrigued to know that American International Group, Inc. (NYSE:AIG) is about to go ex-dividend in just three days. Typically, the ex-dividend date is one business day before the record date which is the date on which a company determines the shareholders eligible to receive a dividend. The ex-dividend date is of consequence because whenever a stock is bought or sold, the trade takes at least two business day to settle. Meaning, you will need to purchase American International Group's shares before the 14th of September to receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 29th of September.The company's next dividend payment will be US$0.36 per share. Last year, in total, the company distributed US$1.44 to shareholders. Looking at the last 12 months of distributions, American International Group has a trailing yield of approximately 2.4% on its current stock price of $59.66. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. That's why we should always check whether the dividend payments appear sustainable, and if the company is growing. View our latest analysis for American International Group Dividends are typically paid out of company income, so if a company pays out more than it earned, its dividend is usually at a higher risk of being cut. American International Group is paying out just 20% of its profit after tax, which is comfortably low and leaves plenty of breathing room in the case of adverse events.Generally speaking, the lower a company's payout ratios, the more resilient its dividend usually is.Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.historic-dividendHave Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. If earnings fall far enough, the company could be forced to cut its dividend. That's why it's comforting to see American International Group's earnings have been skyrocketing, up 53% per annum for the past five years.Story continuesMany investors will assess a company's dividend performance by evaluating how much the dividend payments have changed over time. American International Group has delivered an average of 14% per year annual increase in its dividend, based on the past 10 years of dividend payments. It's exciting to see that both earnings and dividends per share have grown rapidly over the past few years.The Bottom LineFrom a dividend perspective, should investors buy or avoid American International Group? Typically, companies that are growing rapidly and paying out a low fraction of earnings are keeping the profits for reinvestment in the business. This is one of the most attractive investment combinations under this analysis, as it can create substantial value for investors over the long run. American International Group ticks a lot of boxes for us from a dividend perspective, and we think these characteristics should mark the company as deserving of further attention.So while American International Group looks good from a dividend perspective, it's always worthwhile being up to date with the risks involved in this stock. Case in point: We've spotted 1 warning sign for American International Group you should be aware of.If you're in the market for strong dividend payers, we recommend checking our selection of top dividend stocks.Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Simply Wall St.

American International Group, Inc. (NYSE:AIG) Passed Our Checks, And It's About To Pay A US$0.36 Dividend

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/american-international-group-inc-nyse-123212629.html

3f4bb647-66c6-3661-b301-5281603c08c8