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☆ 10 of our stocks report earnings next week. Here's what we want to see from each
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +16 min

All three major averages posted gains for the third consecutive week, lifted by solid quarterly earnings and positive economic data. Earnings season ramps up next week, with five of the Super Six mega-cap stocks delivering results. Employment numbers are the most important economic data, with Friday's January nonfarm payrolls report carrying the most weight. The January ISM Manufacturing report on Thursday and December's factory orders report Friday are expected to show the sector still in contraction mode. But earnings and commentary this week from peer Sartorious made us encouraged about a return to growth in 2024.

Persons: nonfarm, December's, Sartorious, We've, Stanley Black, Decker, We're, We'd, Royal Philips, Crane, Woodward, ServisFirst, Cadence Bancorporation, CADE, Johnson, Phillips, Avery Dennison, Columbus McKinnon, Robinson, SIRI, Cardinal Health, Parker, DOV, Pitney Bowes, Ferrari N.V, CSW, COLM, W.W, Grainger, Dwight Co, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Tim Cook, Justin Sullivan Organizations: Gross, Procter, Gamble, Gillette, Super, Consumer, JPM Healthcare, Amazon, Microsoft, Honeywell, Aerospace, Solutions, Apple Watch, Masimo, Vision Pro, Franklin Resources, Resource Partners, Bank of Marin Bancorp, Bank7 Corp, Pacific Premier Bancorp Inc, Provident Financial Holdings, Dynex, Cliffs Inc, Nucor Corp, Whirlpool Corp, F5 Networks, Capital Southwest Corp, Harbors Investment Corp, Crane Co, Payne, Equity, Heartland Financial, Cadence, FinWise Bancorp, Five Star Bancorp, PotlatchDeltic Corporation, Sanmina Corporation, Pfizer, General Motors Corp, United Parcel Service, JetBlue Airways Corporation, Smith Corp, Marathon Petroleum Corp, HCA Healthcare, Oshkosh Corporation, SYSCO Corp, Danaher Corp, Johnson Controls, M.D.C . Holdings, Commvault Systems Inc, Hope Bancorp, Hubbell Incorporated, Malibu Boats, Polaris Industries, Inc, Camden National Corp, Cambridge Bancorp, Microsoft Corp, Starbucks Corp, Devices, Electronic Arts Inc, Juniper Networks, Stryker Corp, Lending, Canadian, Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited, Mondelez, Chubb Corporation, Modine Manufacturing, Partners, Management, Hawaiian Holdings, Manhattan Associates, Unum Group, UNM, Axos, Enova, Boston Properties, Boeing Co, Novo Nordisk, Mastercard Inc, Roper Technologies, Boston Scientific Corporation, MarketAxess Holdings, Fisher, Aptiv PLC, Hess Corp, Nasdaq, United Microelectronics Corp, Rockwell Automation, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd, Avery, Avery Dennison Corp, Extreme Networks, Otis Worldwide Corporation, OTIS, Columbus, Columbus McKinnon Corp, Central Pacific Financial Corp, Brinker International, Fortive Corporation, Qualcomm, Technology, Metlife, Hanover Insurance, Barn Holdings, CONMED Corporation, DLH Holdings Corp, Meritage Homes Corporation, Honeywell International, Eaton Corp, Altria, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd, Merck, Co, Enterprise Products Partners, Dorian LPG, SiriusXM Holdings, Cardinal, Hannifin Corporation, Allegheny Technologies Incorporated, Tractor Supply Company, Trane Technologies, Dover Corp, Huntington Ingalls Industries, Brunswick Corporation, Dickinson, Canada Goose Holdings, Kirby Corp, WEC Energy Group, WestRock Company, Allegro MicroSystems, Ball Corporation, Broadridge Financial, BrightSphere Investment Group, CMS Energy Corp, Lancaster Colony Corp, Rogers Communications Inc, Sanofi, Apple, Atlassian Corporation, United States Steel Corp, Corp, Adtalem Global, Homes, DXC Technology Company, Eastman Chemical Company, Gen, Post Holdings, America, Columbia Sportswear Company, Exxon Mobil Corp, Chevron Corporation, Myers Squibb Co, CIGNA Corp, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Charter Communications, AON, Cboe, Dwight, Banco Santander, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, Apple Vision, Getty Locations: China, East, United States, Europe, Cleveland, Alexandria, California, Corning, Canadian Pacific, Teradyne, TER, Novo, Hanover, PBI, Skechers U.S.A, Bristol, Chile

☆ Here are Tuesday's biggest analyst calls: Apple, Nvidia, Coinbase, Tesla, Meta, Exxon, Microsoft & more
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Here are Tuesday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Cantor Fitzgerald initiates Nvidia as buy Cantor said in its initiation of Nvidia that the stock is a top pick at the firm. Bank of America adds Apple to the US1 list Bank of America added the stock to its top picks list. TD Cowen upgrades Exxon to outperform from market perform TD says shares of Exxon are "compelling." Oppenheimer initiates Flywire as outperform Oppenheimer initiated the payments company with an outperform rating and said Flywire is a growth stock. Guggenheim reiterates Tesla as sell Guggenheim says it's sticking with its sell rating on Tesla heading into earnings on Wednesday.

Persons: Cantor Fitzgerald, Cantor, it's, TD Cowen, Wells, Jefferies, Enphase, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, JMP, SIRI, Oppenheimer, Flywire, JPM, Philip Morris, Morgan Stanley, Evercore, Guggenheim, Tesla, Roth, Boston Beer, Stephens Organizations: Nvidia, Citi, Meta, Bank of America, Apple, Apple Inc, Chevron, Exxon, ENPH, JPMorgan, NRG Energy, Liberty, Liberty Media, Brands, UBS, Duke Energy, AEP, Guggenheim, Boston Beer, Boston Locations: North Carolina, underperform, OW

☆ Three tips to maximize benefits during open enrollment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Chris Taylor | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

More than two out of three employees (67%) spend less than 30 minutes reviewing benefits options during open enrollment season, while almost half spend less than 20 minutes, a new Voya Financial survey shows. To get enrollment over with quickly, more than 90% of employees click the same options as last year, a new report by insurer Aflac shows. Compound that figure from enrollment every November, and you can see how your options can create a solid financial future or a shaky one. "Open enrollment isn't just a formality. After all, things might have changed since the previous open enrollment.

Persons: Eric Thayer, Sean Lovison, Jack Heintzelman, Spenser Liszt, Liszt, Nate Black, Black, it's, Chris Taylor, Lauren Young, Richard Chang Organizations: Macy's, of Labor Statistics, Employers, Employees, Thomson Locations: New York, Moorestown , New Jersey, Needham Heights , Massachusetts, Dallas

☆ How the Fed is using its multi-trillion-dollar balance sheet to fight inflation
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-29 | by ( Bryan Mena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Washington, DC CNN —The Fed’s fight against inflation is about to enter a new phase, but the central bank’s enormous balance sheet will continue to play a key role. The Fed also manages a multi-trillion-dollar balance sheet that accounts for trillions in government securities and lists how much currency is in circulation. For over a year now, the Fed has been steadily shrinking its balance sheet to help cool the economy. The Fed’s balance sheet is currently at around $7.9 trillion, down from its peak of $9 trillion in early 2022 right before the runoff. They also see alternative scenarios for the end of the balance sheet runoff if there isn’t a recession.

Persons: that’s, Lael Brainard, What’s, Wells, Jerome Powell, JPMorgan Chase’s Jamie Dimon, Jamie Dimon, Krystal Hur, Dimon —, Mr, Dimon, JPMorgan Chase, what’s, Estee Lauder, Kraft Heinz, Yum, Bausch, Eli Lilly, Molson Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, DC CNN, Congress, Fed, Wall Street, JPMorgan, JPMorgan Chase, CNN, HSBC, McDonald’s, China’s National Bureau of Statistics, Bank of Japan, Pfizer, Caterpillar, Marathon Petroleum, Sirius XM, Anheuser, Busch, BP, Chesapeake Energy, US Labor Department, Global, Board, CVS, GSK, Humana, Reuters, Apollo Global Management, Brands, Garmin, Cruise Line Holdings, Qualcomm, Airbnb, PayPal, MetLife, Aflac, AIG, Allstate, Prudential, P Global, Institute for Supply Management, Federal Reserve, ConocoPhillips, Starbucks, Duke Energy, Shopify, Ferrari, Marriott International, Moderna, Fox, Molson Coors, Hyatt, Apple, Motorola, Bank of England, Dominion Energy, Gartner, Restaurant Brands Locations: Washington, Treasuries, China’s, Mondelez, DoorDash, Avis, Shell, Cigna

☆ Eyeing dividend-paying stocks? Don’t rush to pick up the richest yielding names
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Darla Mercado | Cfp | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Today's higher interest rate environment drives home the reason why investors should scrutinize stocks offering tempting double-digit yields. Digging beneath the surface Multiple factors may contribute to a stock touting high dividend yields at first blush. First, there are dividend sustainers – companies that have made steady payments for years, including Merck , Johnson & Johnson and Southern Co . Investors who want to hunt dividend payers shouldn't go for the biggest yielders, but instead look for names that are in the second or third quintile among dividend payers, he said. "For many investors, you can get a pretty good dividend play and a good yield through ETFs at a low cost," said Ebersole.

Persons: Bond, Charlie Gaffney, Gaffney, Eaton Vance, Jamie Ebersole, Kim Abmeyer, Morgan Stanley, shouldn't, Ebersole, Morningstar's Bryan Armour, VIG Organizations: Utilities, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Ebersole, Abmeyer Wealth Management, Investors, Costco Wholesale, Merck, Johnson, Southern Co, Apple, Exxon Mobil, Walmart Locations: Southern

☆ These defensive stocks could help investors fortify their portfolio in this risky market
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

They must offer income — that is, a dividend yield in excess of 2%. Take a look at the stocks that can help bolster investors' portfolios: Beverage giant Molson Coors made the list of stocks ideal during unstable times. TAP YTD line Molson Coors year-to-date performance Networking and cloud solutions giant Cisco Systems also made the list. In September, Bunge also came up in a CNBC Pro screen for defensive stocks to help investors ride out a market sell-off. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Molson Coors year-to-date performanceNetworking and cloud solutions giant Cisco Systems also made the list.

Persons: Molson Coors, Roth, Bill Kirk, Molson, Kirk, Goldman Sachs, Bunge, FactSet, —, Darla Mercado, Michael Bloom, Tiffany Hagler Organizations: CNBC, Beverage, Molson, Molson Coors, TAP, Cisco Systems, Cisco, Packaging Corporation of America, CME Group, Geard, Bloomberg, Getty, Equity, AFL Aflac, Bunge, Corp, America, Molson Coors Beverage Co, FactSet Beverage, Cisco Systems Inc Locations: Israel

☆ Goldman analysts say these stocks have the most downside potential
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Western Digital and Intel are up by double digits in 2023, but Goldman Sachs says these shares may see sharp declines. But even given this optimism, Goldman believes some stocks are bound to fall. In a recent note, the firm detailed several stocks that have the most downside potential based on Goldman's respective target prices. This summer, Western Digital issued weak guidance for its fiscal first quarter, calling for a loss ranging between $2.10 and $1.80 per share, excluding items. The firm sees a descent of more than 14% for the lodging stock, a sharp turn from its 49% year-to-date gain.

Persons: Goldman Sachs, David Kostin, Goldman, FactSet, Justin Patterson, Northrop, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Western Digital, Intel, Chief, KeyBanc, Northrop Grumman, APA, Hormel Locations: Airbnb

☆ Here are Friday's biggest analyst calls: CVS, Hawaiian Electric, Peloton, Aflac and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Here are Friday's biggest calls on Wall Street: Edward Jones downgrades CVS to hold from buy Edward Jones expressed concern over the company losing part of its Blue Shield of California pharmacy benefit manager contract. TD Cowen initiates Dynatrace at outperform TD Cowen said checks were strong and there's reasons to be excited about the tech company. TD Cowen initiates Datadog at outperform TD Cowen said the software company has strong management and ways to differentiate itself from competitors. Bank of America reiterates Peloton as buy Bank of America kept its bullish rating ahead of the fitness stock's earnings report. Morgan Stanley downgrades Aflac to equal weight from overweight Morgan Stanley said the insurance stock's strong earnings and capital have been hampered by challenges within sales and persistence.

Persons: Edward Jones, TD Cowen, Cowen, Wells, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley downgrades Aflac, Morgan Stanley, Riley, there's Organizations: CVS, JPMorgan, Bank of America, Barclays downgrades Keysight Technologies, Barclays, Citi, Materials, Riley Securities, Marvell Technology, MRVL Locations: California

☆ Morning Bid: August cools Wall St stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

China's factory underperformance stood out once again and underlined its struggling recovery - perhaps the main driver of stalling industrial activity everywhere. With markets increasingly impatient at the patchy and underwhelming economic stimulus plans seen from Beijing so far, China stocks fell back (.CSI300), bucking Tuesday's wider Asia stocks rally. Sterling and UK stocks (.FTMC) fell back. Ride-hailing giant Uber's stock rose more than 2% before the bell and ahead of its earnings report. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: Mike Dolan, underperformance, Austan Goolsbee, Goolbee, Stanley Black, Decker, Zimmer Biomet, Revvity, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Federal Reserve, U.S ., Chicago Fed, Bank of England, Sterling, AMD, Caterpillar, Big Pharma, Pfizer, Merck, Ride, HSBC, BP, Uber, Prudential Financial, AIG, Starbucks, Molson Coors, Boston Properties, Caesars Entertainment, Illinois Tool, Natural Resources, Energy, Devon Energy, Gartner, Allstate, Paycom Software, Electronic, WEC, Rockwell, Public Service Enterprise, P Global, Dallas Fed, Chicago Federal, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Reuters, Thomson Locations: U.S, Wall, Beijing, China, Asia, ., Marathon, Eaton, Altria, Marriott, Illinois, Progressive

☆ On tap this week: Jobs report plus 10 key earnings. Here's what we want to see
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-29 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +18 min

All three major averages advanced for the week, powered by strong mega-cap earnings and favorable inflation data. Looking to next week, earnings season enters its second half with the last of our mega-caps — Apple (AAPL) and Amazon (AMZN) — set to report on Thursday. We'll get a better read on the employment picture on Wednesday with the ADP report and then, more importantly, on Friday's nonfarm payrolls report for July. Thursday after the close brings us to the main events of the week: Earnings from Apple and Amazon. For those looking to review first quarter performance ahead of these releases, be sure to keep our first-quarter earnings report card handy.

Persons: We'll, that's, Stanley Black, Decker, Emerson, Bausch, Leggett, Platt, SIRI, Ares, COLM, PERI, Kraft Heinz, Phillips, Ferrari N.V, Johnson, Robinson, COOK, BUD, Kellogg, Papa, Pitney Bowes, Parker, Trimble, Ziff Davis, Nonfarm, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Apple Tim Cook, Kevin Dietsch Organizations: Nasdaq, Dow, Federal Reserve, Federal, ISM Manufacturing, Services PMI, Investors, Caterpillar, Devices, Starbucks, Natural Resources, AMD, Management, Emerson Electric and, Humana, Bausch Health, Apple, Microsoft, Resource Partners, AerCap Holdings, CNA Financial Corp, CNA, Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Bank, SJW, Hutchison China MediTech, Camtek Ltd, Silvercrest Asset Management, Loews Corp, Oxford Lane Capital Corp, Banco Santander, Silicom Ltd, SuperCom Ltd, Arista Networks, Avis Budget Group, Diamondback Energy, Lattice Semiconductor Corp, Republic Services, Yum China Holdings, Western Digital Corp, Power Systems, Tenet Healthcare Corp, Vornado Realty, BioMarin Pharmaceutical, PetMed, SBA Communications Corporation, Brixmor, Snack Foods Corp, Cushman & Wakefield, Sanmina Corporation, TFI, PMI, Cruise Line Holdings Ltd, Uber Technologies, Pfizer, Enterprise Products Partners, Merck, JetBlue Airways Corporation, Allegro MicroSystems, Altria, SunPower Corp, SiriusXM Holdings, Molson Coors Beverage, Marriott International, Toyota Motor Corp, BP, SYSCO Corp, Marathon Petroleum Corp, Ares Management, Equitrans Midstream Corporation, Game Technology, Illinois Tool, IDEXX Laboratories, Rockwell Automation, Packaging International Corp, Gartner, Zebra Technologies Corp, IQVIA Holdings, Oshkosh Corporation, Leidos Holdings, Eaton Corp, yte Corp, Lear Corp, Starbucks Corp, Devon Energy Corp, SolarEdge Technologies, Lumen Technologies, Virgin Galactic Holdings, Caesars Entertainment, VF Corp, Sciences Corp, Paycom, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Suncor Energy, Holdings, Chesapeake Energy Corp, Boston Properties, American International Group, AIG, Allstate Corp, Aspen Technology, Electronic Arts, EA, Flowserve Corporation, Denny's, Corp, Prudential Financial, Store, Ternium S.A, Vimeo, Emerson, Lomb, CVS Health, Generac Holdings, Cameco Corp, Perion Network Ltd, Builders, Carlyle Group, Scorpio, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd, Rithm Capital Corp, AeroSystems Holdings, Vertiv Holdings Co, Johnson Controls, CDW Corp, DuPont, Brands Holdings, Scotts Miracle, Gro, SMG, Brands, Allegheny Technologies, AmerisourceBergen Corporation, ABC, Real Estate Corporation, Adient plc, Editas, Garmin Ltd, WWE, Bunge Ltd, Criteo S.A, PayPal, QUALCOMM, Occidental Petroleum Corp, Apache Corp, Albemarle Corp, MGM Resorts International, MGM, Marathon Oil Corp, Joby Aviation, Industrial, CF Industries Holdings, Goodyear Tire &, Realty ome Corp, Metlife, Pacific Biosciences of, Rush Street Interactive, Zillow, JFrog Ltd, Herbalife Nutrition Ltd, Simon Property Group, McKesson Corp, Storage, Cerus Corporation, GXO Logistics, MAX Holdings, Health, Anheuser, Busch InBev, Warner Bros ., Cheniere Energy, ConocoPhillips, Hasbro, CIGNA Corp, Lantheus Holdings, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Fiverr International, Air Products & Chemicals, TopBuild Corp, EPAM Systems, Lightspeed Commerce, Aurinia Pharmaceuticals, Cummins, CMI, Slair Corporation, Starwood Property Trust, Vulcan, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, New Energy Corp, Cedar Fair Entertainment, Intellia Therapeutics, Lending, Privia Health, Dickinson, Chimera Investment, CIM, Hyatt Hotels Corp, Lion Electric, LEV, Deluxe Corp, Murphy Oil Corp, PBF Energy, Papa John's, Targa Resources Corp, Wix.com Ltd, Apollo Global Management, LLC, Butterfly, Sempra Energy, Aptiv PLC, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners, Canada Goose Holdings, Hannifin Corporation, WESCO International, WCC, Arrow Electronics, Constellation Energy Group, Midstream Partners, Coinbase, Petroleo Brasileiro SA Petrobras, Gilead Sciences, Opendoor Technologies, Booking Holdings, Atlassian Corporation, International, Redfin Corporation, Motorola Solutions, Monster Beverage Corporation, Consolidated Edison, Rocket Companies, Apple Hospitality, Cirrus, Resources, Universal Display Corporation, Chesapeake Utilities Corp, Social, Defense, Security Solutions, Post Holdings, Tandem Diabetes Care, Nikola Corporation, Magna International, Dominion Energy, ACM Research, Frontier Communications, Brookfield Renewable Partners, inTEST Corporation, American Pipeline, TELUS International, XPO Logistics, Fluor Corp, Gray Television, Cboe, LyondellBasell Industries, Twist Bioscience, Global, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, Allen & Company Sun Valley, Getty Locations: U.S, China, India, Oxford, Chile, Illinois, Columbia, Pacific, Pacific Biosciences of California, Southern, PBI, Gilead, Sun Valley , Idaho

Recessions haven't always resulted in declining stock markets, and good opportunities can be found amid them. Sectors for recession naysayersThe best sectors for recession disbelievers are the most economically sensitive ones: industrials, materials and financials. Well-positioned companies with good growth prospects currently include: Corteva, Dow Chemical, Ecolab, Linde plc, Martin Marietta Materials, Nucor Corp., PPG Industries and Sherwin-Williams. Currently buyable names include: Campbell Soup Co., General Mills, The Hershey Co., Kellogg's, Kimberly-Clark Corp., Kroger, Procter & Gamble and Walmart. Sector names with reasonable risk levels and good growth prospects include: Vertex Pharmaceuticals, IDEXX Laboratories, DaVita Inc., Veeva Systems Inc., IQVIA Holdings Inc., Cigna Group and Zoetis Inc.

Persons: Sherwin, Williams, Mayur, Martin Marietta, JPMorgan Chase, Rowe Price, Willis Towers Watson, Campbell, General Mills, Clark, Willie B, Thomas, Digitalvision Organizations: Westend61, University of Michigan Consumer, Investors, Westinghouse Air Brake Co, Cummins Inc, CSX, Emerson Electric, Otis Worldwide, Carrier, Caterpillar, Honeywell, Illinois Tool, Lockheed Martin Corp, Dow Chemical, Ecolab, Linde plc, Martin, Martin Marietta Materials, Nucor Corp, PPG Industries, XLF, JPMorgan, Rowe Price Group Inc, American International Group, Allstate, The, McLennan, Sectors, Co, Hershey Co, Clark Corp, Kroger, Procter, Gamble, Walmart, Getty Images Health, iShares U.S, Medical Devices, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, IDEXX Laboratories, DaVita Inc, Veeva Systems Inc, IQVIA Holdings Inc, Cigna, Zoetis Inc Locations: American, The Hartford, Marsh, Kimberly

☆ Co-workers asking for too much help? Try a '20% no and 80% alternative solution' response, says The Workplace Therapist
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-12 | by ( Aditi Shrikant | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Nearly 60% of employees report experiencing at least "moderate" burnout, according to a 2022 Aflac Workforces Report. One way to alleviate some of that pressure is to stop obliging co-workers who are always soliciting help. If you're a people pleaser, the idea of saying "no" when someone asks you for a favor is probably horrifying. "The challenge with saying 'no' is it can be received personally," says Brandon Smith, a therapist and career coach known as The Workplace Therapist. Here's how to say "no" in a polite way when a colleague asks you for help.

☆ Pressure Mounts on CIOs to Build More AI Apps (and Faster)
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Isabelle Bousquette | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +5 min

Magesh Sarma, chief information and strategy officer for AmeriSave Mortgage Corp., said his team has been inundated with requests to build AI apps aimed at tackling various cost issues. But the AI team, which consists of 76 employees, has been one of the least affected because of its business value. Ms. Anderson has a system for evaluating the priority level of different possible machine-learning projects that come to her department via a request pipeline, she said. Photo: ERIC GAILLARD/REUTERSOne area she hasn’t been able to fully tackle is machine-learning algorithms to help with customer retention. “With AI, it’s an incremental sort of approach.”Adding to the pressure is the exploding popularity of ChatGPT and other generative AI applications.

☆ Here comes the biggest week of earnings. Plus an AI ode to the Dow
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-28 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

While only six companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average are reporting next week, about 20% of the S & P 500 reports, making it the biggest week of earnings this season. The Dow and the S & P 500 gained 2.2% and 2.9% this week, respectively, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 4.7%. As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB.

☆ Stocks may face an inflection point in the week ahead as the Fed meets and Apple posts earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The Fed's meeting Tuesday and Wednesday comes amid a flood of corporate earnings reports, with about 20% of the S & P 500 reporting that week. The most important day for earnings is Thursday, when Apple , Alphabet and Amazon report after the bell. The Nasdaq Composite was up 11% for the month as of Friday afternoon, well ahead of the 6.2% gain in the S & P 500. Traders have been watching the S & P 500 edge closer to the key threshold of 4,100 , its high from December. AAPL 1Y line apple Apple is also important because of the signals it can send about the strength of the consumer, supply chains and China's reopening.

☆ 2023 will be another record year for dividend payouts. Here's why that matters
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-11 | by ( Bob Pisani | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index (VYM) , for example, with more than $50 billion in assets, saw shares outstanding increase 20%. Dividend ETFs are typically divided into two groups: high dividend and dividend growers. ETFs that specialize in high dividends include iShares Select Dividend ETF (DVY) and Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM), and these are typically paying yields in the 3% range. Dividend growers include ProShares S & P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL) , Vanguard Dividend Appreciation (VIG) and Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD) . There are 58 of those in the S & P 500, including Caterpillar, Air Products, Franklin Resources, Aflac, and Procter & Gamble.

☆ Deion Sanders is showing that upward mobility isn't just for white coaches
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Cecil Harris | Cecil Harris Is A Veteran Sports Journalist Whose Work Has Appeared In The New York Times | Usa Today | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Many are upset that the Black former superstar is leaving a Historically Black University where his leadership could continue to provide a solid foundation for young Black athletes. Sanders proved his ability in his first coaching job by making the Jackson State Tigers the best team among HBCUs. In his final game at Jackson State, Sanders will lead the Tigers against North Carolina Central University in the Cricket Celebration Bowl on Dec. 17 in Atlanta. At each previous stop in Saban’s head coaching journey (University of Toledo, Michigan State University, Louisiana State University and the NFL’s Miami Dolphins), he may well have disappointed some players who signed on hoping he would stay. His son, Jackson State star quarterback Shedeur Sanders, is expected to do just that and follow his father.

☆ Parents beware: Dangerous, recalled toys are still on sale
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The 37th annual “Trouble in Toyland” toy safety report by Washington-based US Public Interest Research Group (PIRG) warned parents to be especially mindful of this hidden danger. PIRG said that in October it was able to buy more than 30 recalled toys from several US-based online sellers, noting that it is illegal for retailers and online marketplaces to sell toys that have been recalled. “None of the other sellers flagged, stopped or sent a warning about any of our other purchases of recalled toys,” the report said. Consumer watchdog group US PIRG warns that dangerous recalled toys are still available for purchase online. The recall covered a variety of the plush duck characters, including Accident Duck, Business Duck, Fishing Duck, Police Duck, PGA Duck, One Day Pay Duck, Heisman Duck and Lifeguard Duck.

☆ Walmart's PAC has quietly donated nearly $1 million to campaigns ahead of the midterms. While the company has a ''don't rock the boat strategy,' it contributed to 41 election deniers.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-07 | by ( Ben Tobin | Madison Hall | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

WALPAC donated almost 50-50 to Democratic and Republican federal candidates for the midterms. Walmart's PAC donated to 41 candidates who denied the 2020 presidential election results, ProPublica found. Of that, about 53% went to Republican candidates, and 47% went to Democrats. Some members of Congress, particularly among Democrats, also reject any corporate PAC contribution — WALPAC or otherwise — as a matter of practice. However, the company did donate a significant amount of money to candidates who voted against certifying the 2020 presidential election results.

☆ Aflac CFO Taps Japanese Debt Investors to Bring Down Interest Costs
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Nina Trentmann | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

CFO Journal spoke to Chief Financial Officer Max Brodén about the considerations for the transaction and what Aflac has done with the proceeds. WSJ: Aflac recently sold about $1.21 billion in debt to Japanese investors. Mr. Brodén: We issued a total of 180 billion yen [equivalent to about $1.21 billion]. We are replacing debt that we were paying 3.49% for with new debt that we’re paying 0.89% for. Mr. Brodén: The yen market is not as deep as the U.S. dollar market.

☆ The Fed may have to blow up the economy to get inflation under control
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-30 | by ( Paul R. La Monica | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Jobs report also on tapThe Fed meeting takes place just two days before the nation will get its next report card on the labor market. Another jobs report, from payroll processor ADP, is also due out next week, and this one looks just at Corporate America. The government said in the September jobs report that average hourly earnings rose 5% in the past 12 months. The Fed typically prefers to see wage growth in the 2% to 3% annual range as a sign that inflation is under control. Discovery, Starbucks (SBUX), PayPal (PYPL), Amgen (AMGN) and Block (SQ)Friday: US jobs report; earnings from Cardinal Health (CAH), Duke Energy (DUK) and Hershey (HSY)

☆ Stocks shrug off tech's troubles as the Street awaits key inflation data next week
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

The major indexes all posted gains this week despite a Big Tech beatdown, proving the market can rally without its most valuable stocks. Indeed strength in other sectors — only communication services finished down — helped the overall market to shrug off disappointing earnings results from Microsoft (MSFT), Alphabet (GOOGL), Amazon (AMZN) and Meta Platforms (META). Alphabet's results fell short of the Street's expectations, but still managed to grow revenue 6% annually off a $65 billion base. (Canada's central bank hiked rates less than expected this week, opting for a 50 basis point hike instead of the expected 75.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade.

☆ The Fed could lay the groundwork for a year end rally in the week ahead
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Patti Domm | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

The coming week is also the busiest of the corporate earnings season, with about a third of the S & P 500 companies releasing results. "Historically, the market waits for the last Fed rate hike to be introduced and then the market climbs higher. The S & P 500 was up more than 8.8% for the month. The Dow was up 5.7% on the week, the S & P 500 was up 5.7% and the Nasdaq was up 2.2%. The 50-day moving average is 3,841 for the S & P 500, and it was well above it Friday afternoon for the second time in the past week.

☆ Deion Sanders says HBCUs can be a path to the NFL for top players
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-19 | by ( Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

Jackson State coach Deion Sanders says historically Black college football programs can be a path to the NFL for top recruits, but it is difficult to compete with the wealthier, traditional power schools. Sanders, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who starred with the Falcons, 49ers and Cowboys, is in his third season with Jackson State. I can still make it through there (an HBCU) and they can navigate me to the NFL,” Sanders said Tuesday during an interview on the AP Top 25 College Football Podcast. HBCUs, such as Jackson State and its SWAC rivals, were a goldmine of top talent for decades, in large part because of segregation. “So now it’s becoming an option,” Sanders said.

☆ Goldman says one major issue will plague earnings season. But these stocks won't be affected
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-10 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

As Wall Street kicks off third-quarter earnings this week, Goldman Sachs expects investors will likely hear one major issue come up again and again during management calls: the stronger dollar. "The most common phrase during upcoming 3Q earnings calls will be 'but on a constant currency basis ...'" Kostin wrote. Goldman Sachs forecasts EPS, excluding energy, to decline by 3% and margins to narrow by 132 basis points (1.32 percentage points). Here are 11 stock picks that won't be hurt by the stronger dollar. By contrast, Goldman Sachs said names that will be hurt by a stronger dollar include Las Vegas Sands , Philip Morris International and Aflac .

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