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☆ Mars to acquire Cheez-It, Pringles-maker Kellanova in $36 billion deal
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-14 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Family-owned candy giant Mars, whose brands include M&M's and Snickers, said on Wednesday it would buy Cheez-It and Pringles maker Kellanova in a nearly $36 billion deal, making it the biggest deal in the packaged food industry. Mars will pay $83.50 per share in an all-cash deal for Kellanova, representing about a 33% premium to Kellanova's close on Aug. 2, before Reuters first reported that Mars was exploring a deal for the Pringles maker. Kellanova, which split from WK Kellogg last October, is rooted in a salty snacks business and sells cereal outside of North America. WK Kellogg was left with the North American cereal business of Kellogg, the original parent company. Kellanova logged net sales of more than $13 billion in 2023.

Persons: Mars, Kraft Heinz, Mondelez, Rice Krispies, Andrew Clarke, WK Kellogg, Kellogg Organizations: Diamond Foods Inc, Procter & Gamble Co, Kellanova, Reuters, Wrigley, Global, Street Journal Locations: San Francisco , California, Kellanova, Hershey, Chicago, North America

With nearly three-fourths of the S & P 500 reporting second-quarter results, the earnings picture for the back half of the year is looking unusually complicated. It's been a 'meh' quarter so far We have the usual beat on bottom-line earnings, but revenue beats are below expectations. Most companies are beating on earnings estimates but are declining to hike full-year guidance beyond the beat. Plenty of complaints about a slowing China consumer A weak China economy has been a significant headwind for a number of global companies this season. Procter & Gamble's China sales tumbled 8% from a year ago as consumer spending slowed.

Persons: It's, Sherwin, Williams, Lockheed Martin, Chipotle, Isaac, CDW, Clorox, – Hershey, Kraft Heinz, Mondelez, General Mills, Smucker, McDonald's, Wendy's, Bob, Wyndham, Mills, Marriott, LVMH, haven't Organizations: GE Aerospace, Hasbro, Lockheed, Verizon, Mattel, IBM, Juniper Networks, Enphase Energy, NXP Semiconductors, Accenture, Oracle, Procter, Gamble, PepsiCo, ConAgra Brands, Bank of America, MGM Resorts, Comcast, Marriott, Airlines, Allegiant, Ryanair, Gamble's, Starbucks, Visa, Nike, Vegas Sands Locations: J.M, Atlantic City, China, Gamble's China, Greater China, Japan, Macao, Marina, Sands, Singapore

☆ Alphabet and Microsoft defended their AI spending in different ways. Why that matters
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-31 | by ( Jeff Marks | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Every weekday, the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer releases the Homestretch — an actionable afternoon update, just in time for the last hour of trading on Wall Street. 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. Every weekday, the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer releases the Homestretch — an actionable afternoon update, just in time for the last hour of trading on Wall Street.

Persons: Jim Cramer, Russell, there's, Jerome Powell, Powell, Eaton, Becton Dickinson, Jim Cramer's, Jim Organizations: CNBC, Nasdaq, Club, Nvidia, Federal Reserve, Microsoft, Arm Holdings, Qualcomm, Lam Research, Western, eBay, MGM Resorts, ConocoPhillips, Dominion Energy, Air Products, Chemicals, Jim Cramer's Charitable Locations: Hershey, Biogen

☆ Apple and Microsoft are among the 'Magnificent Seven' stocks set to report next week. Here's what that means
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-26 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

On Friday, the tech-heavy S & P 500 and Nasdaq Composite ended the week with losses, down 0.8% and 2.1%, respectively. However, the bulk of Magnificent Seven results is set for release in the week ahead. As it is, all seven of the Magnificent Seven companies closed out the week with losses. FOMC meeting, July jobs report Elsewhere, investors will also be reviewing the latest Federal Reserve interest rate decision set for release on Wednesday. Traders will also get insight into the labor market next week, with the release of the July jobs report on Friday.

Persons: Russell, Ryan Grabinski, John Belton, Tesla, Belton, FactSet, Stanley Black, Decker, Lam, Kraft Heinz, Ingersoll Rand Organizations: Nasdaq, Dow Jones Industrial, Microsoft, Facebook, Apple, Nvidia, 2H, 3Q, Gabelli, Traders, Dallas Fed, Semiconductor, Nation Entertainment, Electronic Arts, Starbucks, Match Group, Caesars Entertainment, Corning, Howmet Aerospace, Procter, Gamble, Pfizer, Merck, Co, PayPal, ADP, Civilian Workers, Chicago PMI, MGM Resorts International, Allstate, Lam Research, eBay, Qualcomm, Western, Cruise Line Holdings, Hess, Boeing, Mobile, Marriott International, GE Healthcare Technologies, Generac Holdings, Mastercard, Labor, PMI, Manufacturing, Intel, Holdings, Motorola Solutions, Technology, Air Products, Chemicals, Jobs, Exxon Mobil, Chevron Locations: Chicago, Albemarle, Kellanova, Hershey, Moderna

☆ Cocoa prices are soaring. Candy makers will need to get creative
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-15 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Prices of cocoa have more than tripled over the last year, creating a big headache for candy makers and other food companies that use the ingredient to make chocolate. The price surge has since eased off slightly, but the crop is still commanding well above what food companies are used to paying. This season's cocoa crop is expected to experience the largest deficit in at least six decades, according to a Rabobank report from May. A YouGov survey conducted in October found that 72% of U.S. respondents had noticed shrinkflation in food products. J&J Snack Foods CEO Daniel Fachner has been keeping an eye on cocoa and chocolate prices.

Persons: Ferley Ospina, Hershey, Kinder, Ferrero, they'll, Steve Rosenstock, Mondelez, shrinkflation, Daniel Fachner, Fachner, Justin Sullivan, Nik Modi, Modi, shea, Rosenstock Organizations: Bloomberg, Getty, Cadbury, Clarkston Consulting, Rabobank, Reuters, Mondelez, Consumers, Snack, CNBC, RBC Capital, Jumbo Locations: Ragonvalia, Norte de Santader, Colombia, . West Africa, Ghana, U.S, Novato , California, West

☆ Craft cocktails, mountain bikes and art: Walmart's hometown is booming, and getting more expensive
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-06 | by ( Melissa Repko | In Melissa-Repko | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

— When Gil Curren's family moved into a run-down farmhouse in Walmart's hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas, in 1971, the now-retail giant wasn't yet a decade old. Craft cocktails, hipster coffee shops and chef-driven restaurants have popped up around the city. Realtor Kristen Boozman, who works for Sotheby's, helps clients search for homes in the Bentonville area, including many buyers who are relocating from another city. Home values have shot up in the Bentonville area. A Walmart spokeswoman said the Walton Family Foundation funds and advocates for affordable housing projects in the Bentonville area.

Persons: Gil Curren's, it's, Sue, Gil Curren, Melissa Repko, Hunt, Tyson, Shawn Baldwin, Sam Walton, Walton, Walton's, Steuart, Tom Walton, Sam Walton's, Alice Walton, Bridges, She's, Crystal Bridges, Kristen Boozman, There's, Donna Morris, Morris, Tracy Robinson, she's, CNBC Tracy Robinson, Robinson, Stanley, Matthew Cooper, Tom, Cooper, he's, district's, It's, Jeff Webster, Bentonville Shawn Baldwin Organizations: Cyclists, Kansas City, CNBC, Walmart, Craft, Fortune, Tyson Foods, PepsiCo, Hershey, Mattel, . Census, Cushman &, Sage Partners, of Commerce, Northwest Arkansas Council, D.C, Ropeswing Hospitality, Bentonville Schools, Excellerate Foundation, Walton Family Foundation, Walton Family, Bentonville Locations: BENTONVILLE, Ark, Walmart's, Bentonville , Arkansas, Bentonville, Kansas, Austin , Texas, New York, U.S, Silicon, It's, Arkansas, Cushman & Wakefield, American, Crystal, Austin, Boise , Idaho, Dallas, Fort Worth, Atlanta, Toronto, New York City, Miami, Washington, New York City , Washington, Bentonville's

☆ These cheap turnaround candidates have 20% upside potential, says Jefferies
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Lisa Kailai Han | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Technology-adjacent stocks outperformed in January, while cyclical sectors such as property and automobiles lagged behind, wrote Desh Peramunetilleke, Jefferies' global head of quantitative strategy. Another stock Peramunetilleke highlighted was automotive manufacturing firm General Motors , down 7% in the last year. The majority of analysts covering the name rate it as a buy, with consensus price targets estimating a nearly 28% upside for the stock. Analysts are overwhelmingly bullish on the name, with the average price target indicating a 17% upside for the stock. Other names belonging to Jefferies' basket of stocks with potential upside include Kinder Morgan , Starbucks , eBay and United Airlines .

Persons: Jefferies, Peramunetilleke, Hershey, AllianceBernstein, Alexia Howard, Morgan Stanley, Adam Jonas, Oppenheimer, Kinder, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Technology, Hershey, Motors, General Motors, Citi, Kinder Morgan, Starbucks, eBay, United Airlines Locations: USA, U.S

Bernstein named Taiwan Semiconductor a "best idea" for 2024, raising its price target on the stock. — Alex Harring 7:01 a.m. In addition to the best-pick honor, analyst Steve Scala has an outperform rating and $86 price target. Analyst Michael Lavery downgraded the stock to neutral from overweight and slashed his price target by $40 to $200. ET: Morgan Stanley hikes PDD price target, calls stock a top pick following earnings Morgan Stanley named Chinese e-commerce name PDD Holdings a top pick following its latest quarterly earnings report.

Persons: Bernstein, Morgan Stanley, LSEG, Bank of America's Tal Liani, Morgan Stanley's Hamza Fodderwala, Alex Harring, Craig Siegenthaler, Blackstone, That's, — Alex Harring, Ken Hoexter, Hoexter, TD Cowen, Steve Scala, Scala, Jefferies, John Colantuoni, bode, Colantuoni, Neil Beveridge, Josh Silverstein, Silverstein, JMP, Baldwin, Mitch Germain, Germain doesn't, Germain, Piper Sandler, Michael Lavery, Lavery, elasticities, HSY's, Hershey, Eddy Wang, Wang, Mark Li, Li, — Fred Imbert Organizations: CNBC, Taiwan Semiconductor, Holdings, Wall, Bank of America, Bank of America's, KKR, Apollo Global Management, Pacific, Transport, AstraZeneca, pharma, Airbnb, Toyota, UBS, Exxon Mobil, Natural Resources, Exxon Mobil's, Hershey, PDD, U.S, LSEG, Commerce, PDD's U.S, Apple, Huawei Locations: Tuesday's, Ivory Coast, Ghana, 4Q23, Taiwan, China

☆ Wall Street is asking how weight-loss drugs will affect consumer giants — but it may be too early to tell
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Angelica Peebles | In Angelicapeebles | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Photographer: Caitlin O'Hara/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesIf you listen to third-quarter corporate earnings calls, it might seem like everyone is taking weight-loss drugs. Delta Air Lines , PepsiCo , Philip Morris International and Darden Restaurants are just some of the companies that faced questions from analysts about how the drugs are affecting their bottom lines. While some analysts are making sweeping claims about how obesity drugs will reshape the industries they cover, the medicines are still in the early days. Known as GLP-1s, the drugs were first approved for diabetes and are now also being used for obesity. But even so, only a sliver of eligible people are actually taking the drugs at this point, said Goldman Sachs analyst Chris Shibutani.

Persons: Caitlin O'Hara, Philip Morris, it's, Nestle –, It's, Wegovy, Goldman Sachs, Chris Shibutani Organizations: PepsiCo Inc, Bloomberg, Getty, Delta Air Lines, PepsiCo, Philip, Philip Morris International, Darden, Hershey, Conagra, Nestle, Novo Nordisk Locations: Phoenix , Arizona, U.S, Novo

☆ Morgan Stanley warns snack companies that weight loss drug study showed 'significant reduction in food consumption'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The use of Eli Lilly 's Mounjaro for weight loss can pull shoppers away from the snack aisle — though the transition will likely be gradual, according to Morgan Stanley. Kaufman noted a six-week study presented at ObesityWeek that showed users of Mounjaro cut calories and weight at a faster clip. The study also produced evidence that medication takers had a "significant reduction in food consumption," as well as fewer cravings for sweets and fast food fats. And while taking Mounjaro reduced food cravings overall, it had a particular impact on sweets, the study found. All four of the snack makers Kaufman said to watch have lost share value in 2023.

Persons: Eli Lilly, Morgan Stanley, Mounjaro, Pamela Kaufman, Kaufman, Hershey, Campbell, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Drug Administration, Hershey, Brand Locations: Mondelez

☆ Wall Street braces for big tech earnings and key economic data in the week ahead as Treasury yields rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-20 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Major earnings reports and economic data will be in focus next week as investors seek clarity on how the Federal Reserve will proceed from here. But next week will bring the lion's share of results including reports from mega-cap darlings Alphabet, Amazon , Meta Platforms and Microsoft . While the S & P 500 is higher by 10% in 2023, the equal-weighted index is down slightly. Of note, Tesla shares sank more than 9% on Thursday following a pessimistic economic outlook from CEO Elon Musk during the company's earnings call. Its the S & P 500's first weekly loss in three weeks.

Persons: bode, Elon Musk, We're, Sam Stovall, it's, Raphael Bostic, Ed Clissold, Ned Davis, Clissold, Katie Stockton, Rob Ginsberg, I'm, CFRA's Stovall, Stovall, Sherwin, Williams, Kimberly, Hess, Raymond James Financial, Keurig Dr Pepper, Northrop, Willis Towers Watson, Stanley Black, Rowe Price Organizations: Federal Reserve, Microsoft, Investors, CFRA, Dow Jones, Treasury, Fed, Atlanta Federal Reserve, Ned, Ned Davis Research, Wolfe Research, Chicago, P, PMI, P Global PMI Manufacturing, P Global PMI Services, Richmond Fed, Visa, Texas Instruments, General Electric, NextEra Energy, Raytheon Technologies, Dow, Inc, General Motors, Halliburton, Coca, Corning, Hilton Worldwide, General Dynamics, Dominion Freight, Mobile US, Boeing, Raymond, Technology, Whirlpool, International Business Machines, O'Reilly, Honeywell, Northrop Grumman, Mastercard, Amazon, Royal Caribbean Group, Tractor Supply, United Parcel Service, Hasbro, Southwest Airlines, Comcast, Hershey, Intel, L3Harris Technologies, Ford Motor, Energy, Chevron, Decker, Exxon Mobil, Colgate, Palmolive Locations: U.S, Atlanta, AbbVie

☆ Halloween is candy's biggest holiday. Here's how Snickers maker Mars prepares for trick-or-treaters
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-14 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

For 11 months of the year, Tim LeBel is Mars Wrigley's president of sales. The National Retail Federation predicts consumers will spend $3.6 billion on Halloween candy this year, up from $3.1 billion last year, even as many shoppers pull back spending elsewhere. Unlike Hershey, family-owned Mars doesn't report its financial results, but disclosed nearly $45 billion in annual revenue in 2021. With the stakes so high for Halloween, Mars starts planning for the holiday two years in advance. "A lot of those things take two years to develop and execute to bring to market," LeBel told CNBC.

Persons: Tim LeBel, Mars, Ferrero, Mondelez, …, Hershey, Michele Buck, LeBel Organizations: Mars, Hershey, National Retail Federation, CNBC

☆ Big Food vs. Big Pharma: Companies bet on snacking just as weight loss drugs boom
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-01 | by ( Amelia Lucas | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

But food companies' major bets on snacking come as investors fear the looming danger of Big Pharma's blockbuster obesity and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic. Younger generations snack more often than older consumers, said Kelsey Olsen, food and drink analyst for market research firm Mintel. Millennials and Gen-Z consumers tend to eat smaller meals that are closer together, creating more occasions to grab a snack. At the same time, Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy have taken off, fueled by prescriptions to help patients lose weight. Some patients even report developing aversions to foods with higher sugar and fat content — a category that includes many big snack brands.

Persons: Smucker, Big, Wegovy, snacking, Kelsey Olsen, Millennials, Morgan Stanley, Morgan Stanley's, General Mills Organizations: Hostess Brands, HSBC, Accenture, Novo Nordisk's Ozempic, Hershey, Mondelez, PepsiCo, General Locations: Seattle , Washington , U.S, U.S

☆ Cramer says these stocks do well in an economic slowdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( Julie Coleman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

CNBC's Jim Cramer said he's not sure whether the economy is headed for a slowdown, but on Tuesday he gave investors stocks to look into in case it is. "I don't know if we're headed for a slowdown, but I do know it makes sense to dip your toe into the consumer packaged goods stocks, true recession stocks, if only so that you'll have all your bases covered, and because they've gotten cheap," Cramer said. He added that during a slowdown, the consumer "retrenches," going back to the store to buy goods and make "the dollar stretch a little further." Cramer in particular highlighted consumer packaged goods stocks like Pepsico and Mondelez . "None of these recession stocks work if the economy stays white hot, but they make good protection in case Jay Powell says something really harsh on Friday that makes us terrified of a slowdown," Cramer said, referring to the Federal Reserve Chairman's upcoming speech at the central bank symposium.

Persons: CNBC's Jim Cramer, he's, we're, Cramer, Procter, Jay Powell, you've Organizations: Pepsico, Mondelez, Gamble, Hershey, Federal Reserve

☆ A revolution in weight loss treatment may force a reckoning for food and beverage companies
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-13 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

One such prediction came Monday from Morgan Stanley analysts who forecasted a 1.3% drop in calorie consumption in the U.S. by 2035. The shift in behavior is notable because it will affect a sizeable demographic group that represents a disproportionate share of food consumption, the analysts said. In fact, some patients taking these medicines say they have to sometimes force themselves to eat due to a lack of appetite. These types of patterns were seen in consumer research Morgan Stanley conducted in June and July among 300 patients taking these medicines. Keurig Dr Pepper, with its coffee business accounting for about 30% of corporate sales, offers some diversification from at-risk beverage categories, Morgan Stanley said.

Persons: you've, Morgan Stanley, Pamela Kaufman, Read, Campbell, Mondelez, Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, Morgan Stanley's, Morgan, John David Rainey, We've, we're, Rainey, Dara Mohsenian, Eric Serotta, Dr Pepper Organizations: Hostess Brands, Hershey, Nordisk's Ozempic, Centers for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration, Novo Nordisk, Industry, Lawmakers, Walmart Locations: U.S, Cava

☆ Wall Street rides high into next week as traders brace for a major Fed decision and key earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-21 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The recent streak of gains in markets could be in jeopardy next week as traders come up against a big Federal Reserve meeting and earnings shift into high gear. However, markets are ramping up just ahead of several catalysts next week that could roil markets. According to the CME FedWatch Tool, 83% of traders expect monetary policymakers will be done at that point. 'Floodgate' of earnings season including tech The biggest week for earnings season is also up ahead, with results having been mixed thus far. Personal Consumption Expenditure index (June) 10 a.m.: Consumer sentiment (July final) Earnings: Exxon Mobil , Chevron , Procter & Gamble , T. Rowe Price

Persons: Jerome Powell, Hogan, Powell, Shannon Saccocia, Jackson, Yung, Yu Ma, that's, Saccocia, Northrop Grumman, Rowe Price Organizations: Reserve, Dow Jones, Riley Wealth Management, BMO Wealth Management, Big Tech, Microsoft, Chicago, P Global, PMI, GE, GE HealthCare, GM, Boeing, Hess, ADP, CME Group, eBay, Honeywell, Hershey, McDonald's, Mastercard, Northrop, Royal, Enphase Energy, Mobile, Ford Motor, Intel, Mondelez, Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Procter, Gamble Locations: Royal Caribbean

☆ Goldman Sachs says these 'compelling' stocks are earnings season winners
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-29 | by ( Michael Bloom | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Sifting through the flood of financial reports this week, Goldman Sachs analysts have named a slew of stocks poised for more growth ahead. Constellation Brands Shares of the beer and wine maker are just too attractive to ignore, the firm said. Braze "Long-term fundamentals are intact," analyst Gabriella Borges said of the cloud software marketing company. Braze shares are up more than 7% this year, after coming off of a better-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter report . Importantly, the company raised its full year outlook at the high end of prior range, with ~8% net sales growth and ~11% adj.

☆ Software giant Oracle and five consumer names are among Wall Street’s most overbought stocks
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Fred Imbert | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

A stock is considered overbought if its 14-day RSI goes above 70, meaning investors should consider easing their exposure. Meanwhile, a stock with a 14-day RSI under 30 is considered oversold, meaning it may want more to that name. CNBC Pro screened for S & P 500 stocks in overbought territory, based on their relative strength index. Oracle topped the list with a 14-day RSI of 95.6. FRC 1M mountain FRC this past month Other stocks approaching oversold territory are Charles Schwab , Digital Realty , Applied Materials , AMD , C.H.

☆ Stability in a volatile market? Inside an S&P 500 ETF delivering double-digit percentage dividends
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-05 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Investors may want to consider JPMorgan's Equity Premium Income Fund ETF in order to get more reliable gains in the current volatile market environment. According to the firm, the ETF uses S&P 500 options and proprietary data to generate monthly income for investors. The goal is to provide investors with income even when market uncertainty is high. The JPMorgan Equity Premium Income Fund ETF is outperforming the S&P 500 year to date. The ETF is down almost 15% while the S&P is off about 21%.

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