DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ China's surprise stimulus could be a red flag, so investors should approach the nation's long-awaited rally with caution
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

AdvertisementLorraine Tan, Morningstar's director of equity research for Asia, also thinks monetary stimulus won't be sufficient. History says their skepticism is warranted, as China's past stimulus efforts have often failed to lead to sustainable gains. Even if this surge holds up, it won't necessarily spark a self-fulfilling prophecy that provides a lasting boost for China's economy. But others like Tan from Morningstar believe this bad news is reflected in Chinese stocks' cheap valuations. The team at UBS Global Wealth Management is also cautiously optimistic about Chinese stocks after this news.

Persons: —, they're, Betty Wang, Marcelli, Lorraine Tan, Tan, Brian Mulberry, Mulberry, Wang, China isn't, Jeff Kleintop, Charles Schwab, Donald Trump, Rory Green, Xi Jinping, Biden, Trump, That's, Kleintop, Morningstar, she'd Organizations: Service, Business, People's Bank of, Oxford Economics, UBS Global Wealth Management, Zacks Investment Management, Federal Reserve, BI Locations: China, People's Bank of China, Asia, Central, Republic

☆ Beijing is no longer hiding its panic about the state of its economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-25 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The measures were significant because Beijing has been holding back on a "bazooka" stimulus even though China's economy has been struggling to stage a convincing recovery post-pandemic. To be sure, this is not the first attempt China has made at boosting its economy in the past few years. However, Beijing's display of resolve also triggered market speculation that it's alarmed and panicked over the state of its economy, which is facing multiple challenges. Related storiesNotably, even on the heels of China's big stimulus announcement, most analysts also think Beijing still needs to do more to boost China's economy, particularly in boosting gloomy domestic demand. "Onshore stocks are a policy- and momentum-driven market, and policy signals don't get much clearer than this," they wrote.

Persons: —, Pan Gongsheng, Andrew Rocco, Rocco didn't, Pan, Freya Beamish, Rory Green, Anthony Sassine, Sassine, Rocco, macroeconomy, China's CSI300 Organizations: Service, People's Bank of China, Business, Lombard, Investors, Zacks Investment Research, Global Data.TS, Yahoo Finance, Data.TS Locations: China, Beijing, Swiss, London

☆ Blank: Kroger's flat pricing reflects broader food trends, with food prices up 2.1% overall
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-12 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailBlank: Kroger's flat pricing reflects broader food trends, with food prices up 2.1% overallJohn Blank, Chief Equity Strategist at Zacks Investment Research, discusses Kroger's flat performance and its merger with Albertsons to compete with Walmart. He notes the FTC's scrutiny and the partisan divide over the merger.

Persons: John Blank Organizations: Zacks Investment Research, Albertsons, Walmart

☆ Analyst: near-term upside for Zscaler, but longer-term outlook neutral given its capex plans
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-04 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailAnalyst: near-term upside for Zscaler, but longer-term outlook neutral given its capex plansJohn Blank from Zacks Investment Research discusses Zscaler’s Q4 earnings and his recommendation.

Persons: John Blank Organizations: Zacks Investment Research

☆ Disney just had its worst day in a year and a half
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( Allison Morrow | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Disney managed a rare feat for a legacy media company: Its streaming service actually turned a profit — with some caveats. It was Disney’s worst stock trading day in 18 months. That’s a lot of money, but it is a pretty huge improvement over the $659 million loss the collective streaming business reported in the same period a year ago. Streaming is new(ish) and very different beast from the traditional cable TV model Disney and other media giants like Paramount, Viacom and Warner Bros. “It is a very tough business,” Verna said.

Persons: CNN Business ’, New York CNN — Disney, ” Paul Verna, ” Disney, ” Verna, Bob Iger, It’s, ” “ Indiana Jones, ”, Iger, Brian Mulberry Organizations: CNN Business, New York CNN, Disney, ESPN, Apple, Netflix, Paramount, Viacom, Warner Bros ., Zacks Investment Management Locations: New York, “, India

☆ Something strange has been happening with jobless claims numbers lately
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-19 | by ( Jeff Cox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

That's because most of the past several weeks have shown that first-time claims for unemployment benefits haven't fluctuated at all — as in zero. "Initial claims for unemployment insurance are state programs, with 50 state rules, hundreds of offices, and 50 websites to file. Weather, seasonality, holidays, and economic vibrations drive the number of people filing claims from week to week," he added. Indeed, a Labor Department spokesperson noted that while the string of 212,000 prints on the jobless claims data is "uncommon," it would not be considered anomalous. The Labor Department official also pointed out that new seasonal factors to the claims data were announced a month ago.

Persons: Jim Bianco, Tracey Ryniec, Jim Organizations: Labor Department, Bianco Research, Zacks Investment Research, Labor, Federal Reserve Locations: New York City

☆ Apple may soon be feeling the heat from investors over its slow rollout of buzzy AI products
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Tim Cook has tried to reassure shareholders the company is committed to AI innovation. A shareholder told The Wall Street Journal Apple hadn't made a "big splash," in the space, however. AdvertisementApple is moving more slowly on developing generative AI products than some of its Big Tech peers, leaving investors wondering when, or if, it will go all in on the technology. AdvertisementApple's CEO Tim Cook has been eager to reassure shareholders that the company is big on AI, however. At the Wednesday meeting, Apple shareholders also voted down a request for an AI transparency report.

Persons: Tim Cook, Apple hadn't, —, Brian Mulberry, Cook, David Wagner Organizations: Apple, Wall Street, Service, Big Tech, Zacks Investment Management, Wall Street Journal, Google, Microsoft, Reuters, Aptus Capital Advisors, Business, Bloomberg

☆ Supermicro is absolutely a meme stock without profits, says John Blank
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailSupermicro is absolutely a meme stock without profits, says John BlankJohn Blank, Chief Equity Strategist at Zacks Investment Research, discusses Supermicro Computer and other meme stocks.

Persons: John Blank John Blank Organizations: Zacks Investment Research, Computer

PepsiCo got a bump to fourth quarter profits thanks in part to lower charges and continued price hikes, but higher prices have weakened consumer demand for the company's snacks and drinks. Volume for Frito-Lay North America fell 2% in the final quarter of the year, and beverages North America in North America slid 6%. Volume fell 8% in the Quaker Foods North America unit, as the division dealt with a recall. Pepsi has wrestled with higher prices and how to pass those costs along, raising prices by double-digit percentages for several quarters. Its profits are up, though higher prices have dragged down sales as people trade down to cheaper brands.

Persons: Quaker Oats Organizations: PepsiCo, New, Zacks Investment Research, Wall, Frito, Lay, Pepsi, Quaker Foods, Quaker Foods North America, Global, Carrefour, Quaker, Lipton, PepsiCo Inc Locations: New York, America, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Australia, New Zealand, China, Quaker Foods North, France, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Purchase , New York

Uber posted its first full-year profit since going public in 2019 and its stock hit an all-time high Wednesday as strong bookings in the final quarter of the year pushed profit and revenue beyond Wall Street expectations. Like its final year as a private company, the last time Uber turned a profit, it got a huge tailwind from investments that helped fuel profits, $1 billion in 2023. The company earned $595 million, or 29 cents per share, in the same period last year. Revenue totaled $9.94 billion, beating Wall Street projections for $9.75 billion. For the year, Uber posted a profit of $1.89 billion, or 87 cents per share, on revenue of $37.28 billion.

Persons: Uber, ”, Dara Khosrowshahi, lockdowns, William Blair's Ralph Schackart, Gross, Khosrowshahi Organizations: Industry, Zacks Investment Research, Revenue, Uber Technologies Inc Locations: San Francisco

The Woonsocket, Rhode Island-based company also trimmed its full-year adjusted earnings forecast, citing the possibility of higher medical costs. For the three months ended Dec. 31, CVS Health earned $2.05 billion, or $1.58 per share. CVS Health officials said in November that investors should ground their expectations for 2024 adjusted earnings at the low end of a range of $8.50 to $8.70 per share. CVS Health now foresees 2024 adjusted earnings of at least $8.30 per share. Pharmacists and technicians — mostly for Walgreens and other big retailers like CVS Health — were involved.

Persons: That’s, — Organizations: CVS, CVS Health, Zacks Investment Research, Revenue, CVS Health Corp, Company, Medicare, FactSet, Pharmacists, Walgreens, Rite Aid Locations: Woonsocket , Rhode Island

Still, it posted a healthy adjusted profit and the company raised its quarterly dividend. Exxon earned $7.63 billion, or $1.91 per share, for the quarter. Chevron also reported its financial results Friday, posting a fourth-quarter adjusted profit of $3.45 per share on revenue of $47.18 billion. Wall Street was calling for a profit of $3.29 per share on revenue of $52.59 billion. On Thursday, Shell plc reported an adjusted profit of $2.22 for the fourth quarter, with revenue totaling $80.13 billion.

Persons: Chevron, “ Organizations: Exxon Mobil's, Revenue, Zacks Investment Research, Exxon, Denbury Resources, Natural Resources, Federal Trade Commission, Hess Corp, Chevron, Shell plc, Analysts, Hamas, U.S Energy Information Administration Locations: California, , Texas, premarket, San Ramon , California, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Israel

Kohl’s posted on Tuesday a bigger-than-expected decline in quarterly sales, as customers spent less at its department stores. Lowe's, the nation's second-largest home improvement chain behind Home Depot, also reported drops in both sales and profits. The consumer electronics retailer posted revenue of $9.76 billion in the period, falling short of Street forecasts. In the year-ago period, sales were $10.59 billion. Best Buy expects full-year earnings in the range of $6 to $6.30 per share, with revenue in the range of $43.1 billion to $43.7 billion.

Persons: Kohl’s, they're, Corie Barry, Barry, Anne Organizations: Federal, “, Zacks Investment Locations: Richfield , Minnesota

Macy's third-quarter sales declined with consumers cautious about spending, but sales and profit both topped Wall Street expectations. The department store also raised the top end of its full-year revenue and adjusted profit forecasts. Overall sales fell 7% to $4.86 billion, with sales at traditional stores and online sales both down 7%. “We delivered better-than-expected top and bottom line third quarter results and are entering the holiday period in a healthy inventory position,” Chairman and CEO Jeff Gennette said in a prepared statement. Also on Thursday, Walmart posted better-than-expected third-quarter results as its low prices attract shoppers looking for deals in a tough economic environment.

Persons: Jeff Gennette Organizations: Zacks Investment Research, Walmart, Target, Inc

The big-box retailer's stock has lost a quarter of its value in a turbulent year marked by elevated inflation. Shoppers have focused on food and essentials purchases while spending less on home goods, electronics, toys and apparel. Target sales declined by an average 7% in August and September alongside declines in transaction count and value, TD Cowen said in a note ahead of its earnings. On Wednesday, Target forecast adjusted earnings to land between $1.90 and $2.60 per share in the fourth quarter. It also expects holiday-quarter comparable sales to decline in the mid-single-digit percentage range, compared with expectations of a 3.97% drop.

Persons: Brian Cornell, Cornell, TD Cowen, Kendra Scott, Lucy Nicholson, Brian Mulberry, Price, Dave Wagner, Siddharth Cavale, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, Matthew Lewis, Chizu Nomiyama, Nick Zieminski Organizations: Target, Shoppers, Schwarz, Azusa , California U.S, REUTERS, Zacks Investment Management, Walmart, Consumer, Retail's, . Commerce Department, Aptus Capital Advisors, Thomson Locations: Azusa , California, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland , Oregon, Bengaluru

Home Depot sales continue to slide as Americans wrestle with persistent inflation and it narrowed its outlook for the year. But the nation's biggest home improvement retailer topped expectations for the quarter. Political Cartoons View All 1244 ImagesHome Depot earned $3.81 billion, or $3.81 per share, in the quarter. Home Depot now expects a earnings per share to decline between 9% and 11% in 2023 and same store sales to fall 3% to 4%. The company previously anticipated an earnings per share drop between 7% and 13% and a same-store sales decline of 2% to 5%.

Persons: Ted Decker Organizations: Home Depot Inc, Zacks Investment Research, Atlanta - Locations: U.S, Atlanta

LSEG Workspace, a financial news and data platform, calculated inventory turnover ratios of 30 major U.S. retailers for Reuters. "I am relatively pessimistic about the holiday season," said Gerald Storch, retail consultant and former Target vice chairman and ex-CEO of Hudson's Bay. Department stores' holiday season is "likely not going to be that strong," said David Swartz, a Morningstar analyst. Reuters Graphics Reuters GraphicsTo be sure, inventory turnover is not the only metric Wall Street investors use to judge retailers' inventory levels. Some are already slashing prices and dangling discounts to clear excess inventory before Black Friday, the start of holiday shopping season.

Persons: King, King of Prussia, Sarah Silbiger, Gerald Storch, Jeff Bornino, David Swartz, Ulta, pare, Jason Benowitz, Joseph Feldman, Jane Hali, Nordstrom, Brian Mulberry, Savyata Mishra, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, Richa Naidu, Siddharth Cavale, Aishwarya Venugopal, Rod Nickel Organizations: REUTERS, Dollar, Walmart, Reuters, North America, Kroger, Department, Morningstar, TJX Companies, Dick's Sporting, Reuters Graphics Reuters, Roosevelt, Telsey Advisory, Research, Associates, Nordstrom, Zacks Investment Management, Thomson Locations: King of, King, King of Prussia , Pennsylvania, U.S, Hudson's, North

Pfizer lost more than $2 billion in the third quarter as an expected COVID-19 product sales decline clipped revenue. Both the company and analysts who follow it expected revenue from those key products to tumble this year before eventually rebounding as commercial sales take hold. But two weeks ago, Pfizer Inc. warned that sales of its COVID-19 drugs were weaker than it had expected, and it cut its annual revenue expectations by $9 billion. Falling sales of both Paxlovid and Comirnaty also trimmed sales in the second quarter, but Pfizer said in August that it expected a rebound in the second half of 2023. Pfizer also had a revenue reversal of more than $4 billion in the third quarter.

Persons: Pam Eisele Organizations: Pfizer, Pfizer Inc, U.S ., New, FactSet, Analysts, Zacks Investment Research Locations: New York, _____

Roughly half of the S&P 500 (.SPX) companies have reported results thus far, with more than 77% exceeding results. But of that group, consumer discretionary companies have been the biggest surprise, on average exceeding earnings-per-share estimates by 19%, according to LSEG I/B/E/S data. A 4.9% rise in U.S. gross domestic product in the third quarter further highlights the health of the consumer. Including Monday's gains, the S&P 500 consumer discretionary index (.SPLRCD) is up nearly 19% this year, far outperforming the broader S&P 500, which is up nearly 8%. Reuters GraphicsAmong the other consumer discretionary names that have surpassed expectations are Amazon (AMZN.O), Hilton Worldwide Holdings (HLT.N) and Royal Caribbean (RCL.N).

Persons: LSEG, Jason Benowitz, Roosevelt, McDonald's, Brian Mulberry, Gerald Pascarelli, Aishwarya Venugopal, Ananya Mariam Rajesh, Anil D'Silva Organizations: Reuters Graphics, Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Royal, Zacks Investment Management, Thomson Locations: U.S, Royal Caribbean, Bengaluru

Dimon and his family intend to sell 1 million of their 8.6 million shares, according to the filing. That is a tiny percentage of the shares outstanding in JPMorgan which has a market capitalization exceeding $409 billion, according to LSEG data. Dimon has no current plans to sell more stock, but could consider doing so in the future, the spokesman added. Shares of JPMorgan slid more than 3%, falling with peers Bank of America (BAC.N), Citigroup (C.N) and Wells Fargo (WFC.N). So far this year, JPMorgan shares have risen 1.4%, outperforming the S&P 500 Banks Index (.SPXBK), which has declined 18%.

Persons: JPMorgan Chase, Jamie Dimon, Dimon, Octavio Marenzi, Marenzi, they're, Schumer, Evelyn Hockstein, Wells, Brian Mulberry, Mulberry, Ben Silverman, Mike Mayo, James Gorman, Morgan Stanley, Peter Orszag, Dave Ellison, Hennessy, Scott Siefers, Piper Sandler, Siefers, Niket, Lananh Nguyen, Nupur Anand, Shilpi Majumdar, Shinjini Ganguli, Mike Harrison, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: JPMorgan, First Republic Bank, Forbes, U.S, Capitol, REUTERS, Bank of America, Citigroup, Zacks Investment Management, Wells, Wall Street, Lazard, Hennessy Funds, Banks, Thomson Locations: U.S, America, Washington , U.S, Wells Fargo, Bengaluru, Lananh, New York

Exxon Mobil’s third-quarter profit declined compared with last year when the oil giant put up record numbers as oil prices soared, but net income jumped 15% compared with the previous quarter. Exxon Mobil Corp. earned $9.07 billion, or $2.25 per share in the period. Revenue slipped to $90.76 billion from $112.07 billion, but still topped Wall Street's estimate of $89.29 billion. Exxon also announced Friday that it raised its fourth-quarter dividend to 95 cents per share from 91 cents per share. Exxon shares are up slightly before the open bell, while shares of Chevron are down more than 2%.

Persons: Exxon isn't, Darren Woods, “, Exxon Organizations: Exxon Mobil’s, Exxon, Chevron, Hess, Exxon Mobil Corp, Zacks Investment Research, Natural Resources, Mobil, Hess Corp, drillers, U.S Energy Information Administration Locations: Texas, New Mexico, San Ramon , California, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Israel, Gaza, U.S, Syria

☆ Exxon Mobil third-quarter profit falls compared with last year's record numbers, but refineries are strong
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-27 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Fuel prices are displayed at an Exxon Mobil Corp. gas station in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., on Wednesday, April 29, 2020. Exxon Mobil 's third-quarter profit declined compared with last year when the oil giant was put up record numbers due to soaring crude prices, but net income was up 15% compared with the previous quarter. Exxon Mobil earned $9.07 billion, or $2.25 per share, in the period. The company posted unprecedented profits last year of $55.7 billion, breezing past its previous record of $45.22 billion in 2008 when oil prices hit record highs. While attacks on Israel do not disrupt global oil supply, according to an analysis by the U.S Energy Information Administration, "they raise the potential for oil supply disruptions and higher oil prices."

Persons: Exxon isn't, Darren Woods Organizations: Exxon Mobil Corp, Exxon Mobil, Exxon, Natural Resources, Chevron, Hess, Zacks Investment Research, Mobil, Hess Corp, drillers, U.S Energy Information Administration Locations: Arlington , Virginia, U.S, Texas, New Mexico, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Israel

Hasbro's third-quarter revenue performance missed Wall Street's expectations and the company cut its full-year revenue outlook again as signs of a possible industry slowdown in toy sales heading into the holiday season weighs on jittery investors. Holiday shopping is traditionally a critical selling season for toy companies and can comprise a large portion of their annual toy sales. Rival Mattel Inc. had a better third quarter, reporting on Wednesday that its sales rose 9% in the period. Still, experts are pointing to toy industry sales being down for the year to date and the third quarter as a concern. Mattel Chairman and CEO Ynon Kreiz said during a conference call on Wednesday that the company anticipates the global toy industry will experience a mid single-digits decline in toy sales for the full year.

Persons: Barbie, Ynon Kreiz Organizations: Zacks Investment Research, Hasbro, Mattel Inc, Mattel Locations: Pawtucket, Rhode Island

☆ Comments on Morgan Stanley naming Ted Pick as CEO
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The corporate logo of financial firm Morgan Stanley is pictured on the company's world headquarters in New York, U.S. April 17, 2017. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 25 (Reuters) - Below are some quotes from banking observers and CEOs about Morgan Stanley's (MS.N) naming of insider Ted Pick on Wednesday as its chief executive officer effective Jan. 1, replacing long-time leader James Gorman. DAVID SOLOMON, CEO, GOLDMAN SACHS"First, I want to congratulate James Gorman for his very successful run as CEO at Morgan Stanley. James has been a remarkable CEO, a builder, a competitor, but also a great friend. I also congratulate Ted Pick on his appointment as the incoming CEO.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Shannon Stapleton, Morgan Stanley's, Ted Pick, James Gorman, BRIAN MULBERRY, MOODY'S, STEPHEN BIGGAR, Eaton Vance, DAVID SOLOMON, GOLDMAN SACHS, James, We're, BRIAN MOYNIHAN, KENNETH LEON, MARK NARRON, FITCH, Saeed Azhar, Nupur Anand, Lananh Nguyen, Rod Nickel, Sonali Paul Organizations: REUTERS, ANA, Gorman, Wealth, OF, Thomson Locations: New York, U.S

A screen displays the trading information for Morgan Stanley on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York City, U.S., January 19, 2022. Saperstein, who leads wealth management, will remain co-president and head of wealth, and take on additional responsibilities overseeing investment management. Simkowitz, head of investment management, will become co-president and head of institutional securities. GORMAN'S LEGACYGorman joined Morgan Stanley in February 2006 and was named co-president the following year. Gorman "guided a traditional, white-shoe investment bank through a transformative and successful evolution into a diversified, dynamic wealth management institution," said Ana Arsov, managing director at Moody's.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Brendan McDermid, Morgan Stanley's, Ted Pick, James Gorman, Gorman, Andy Saperstein, Dan Simkowitz, Pick, Brian Mulberry, John Mack, Brian Moynihan, Jamie Dimon, Eaton Vance, Stephen Biggar, Biggar, bachelor's, Ana Arsov, Manya Saini, Niket, Tatiana Bautzer, Lananh Nguyen, Nupur Anand, Saeed Azhar, Megan Davies, Anil D'Silva, Devika Syamnath, Sonali Paul Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Wall, Zacks Investment Management, Wall Street's, Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Trade Financial Corp, Eaton Vance Corp, Argus Research, University of Melbourne, Columbia University, Thomson Locations: New York City, U.S, Wall, Gorman, Australia, Bengaluru, New York

Search resuls for: "Zacks Investment"

25 mentions found