DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ These stocks will help investors break out of the sideways market doldrums, BMO says
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The stock market could be volatile and stay rangebound for the foreseeable future — but that doesn't mean investors should sit it out, according to BMO. The Canadian bank's year-end target of 4,300 for the S & P 500 implies just a 3.2% upside from where the broad index finished Monday. "Nonetheless, investors should remain opportunistic by employing active decision-making, in our view, as our analysis suggest that plenty of investment opportunities still exist even during range-bound market periods." He screened for stocks that have forword price-to-earnings multiples below the S & P 500 and forword earnings per share growth that's greater than the S & P 500's. The Delaware company also missed revenue expectations, reporting $3.02 billion against the $3.10 billion anticipated.

☆ DuPont trims revenue forecast on slow electronics recovery, shares fall
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

May 2 (Reuters) - DuPont de Nemours Inc (DD.N) on Tuesday cut its full-year revenue forecast, citing slower-than-expected recovery in the electronics and industrial markets, sending its shares down nearly 5% in premarket trading. The materials and chemicals maker expects customer utilization in the electronics markets to bottom in the "near-term" and improve only in the third quarter. DuPont cut the top-end of its annual sales forecast to $12.50 billion from $12.90 billion, while retaining the lower end at $12.30 billion. "Within electronics markets, we continue to see weakness and channel inventory destocking in the near-term," Chief Financial Officer Lori Koch said in a statement. "We continue to expect ongoing strength throughout the year in areas such as water, automotive, aerospace and healthcare," Koch said.

With markets increasingly volatile, BMO Capital Markets thinks investors should turn to a two-way strategy that provide returns and protection at the same time. The S & P 500 gained more than 1% last week, but it wasn't a smooth ride. Given this uncertain backdrop, BMO suggests relying on a dual-tiered approach encompassing growth at a reasonable price strategy, or "GARP," and a dividend growth barbell. The firm compiled a list of outperform-rated stocks that fit into the GARP or dividend growth themes. CF Industries and ConocoPhillips were also highlighted by BMO under their dividend growth strategy.

☆ Water’s big moment risks getting lost in the weeds
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-20 | by ( Antony Currie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The latest is research published last Thursday by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water. The sum, though, is just $140 million, and the U.S. government’s International Development Finance Corporation is pouring in three-quarter of the proceeds. But there is a decent investment case for water without state or supranational support. Without them, water’s big moment risks getting lost in the weeds. Follow @AntonyMCurrie on TwitterCONTEXT NEWSThe United Nations 2023 Water Conference starts on March 22, World Water Day, in New York.

☆ Starboard nominates directors to the board at Rogers. Here’s how the firm could boost margins
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-11 | by ( Kenneth Squire | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Activist Commentary: Starboard Value is a very successful activist investor and has extensive experience helping companies focus on operational efficiency and margin improvement. On Dec. 15, 2022 , Starboard delivered a letter to the company nominating four directors for election to the board at the 2023 Annual Meeting. Both sides seem to share the same views regarding margin improvement, and there is a new CEO who Starboard likely supports. Having Starboard representation on the board would help management stay focused and get the support it needs. While Starboard is not advocating for any strategic transaction, the firm is an economic animal with fiduciary duties.

His comments renewed investor hopes for less aggressive monetary policy that wavered after a strong U.S. jobs report last Friday. The tech-heavy Nasdaq (.IXIC) rallied on news form Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), and the S&P 500 (.SPX) also got a boost. Most sectors on the S&P 500 ended higher. So far, more than half of the companies on the S&P 500 have reported quarterly earnings, with 69.1% of them beating expectations, according to Refinitiv. The S&P 500 posted 5 new 52-week highs and 2 new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 90 new highs and 31 new lows.

His comments came after a strong jobs report last week stymied rising hopes of less aggressive monetary policy. The Nasdaq and the S&P 500 fluctuated during and after Powell's remarks. Boosting the tech-heavy Nasdaq (.IXIC) and the S&P 500 (.SPX) was Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O). Six of the top 11 sectors on the S&P 500 fell, but technology (.SPLRCT) was among top gainers, up 1.61%. So far, more than half of the companies on the S&P 500 have reported quarterly earnings, with 69.1% of them beating expectations, according to Refinitiv.

☆ DuPont expects strong second-half on boost from China's reopening
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Ankit Kumar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 7 (Reuters) - DuPont de Nemours Inc (DD.N) on Tuesday projected results to improve in the second-half of the year from steadying consumer electronics demand, normalized inventory levels at customers and China's reopening. DuPont forecast annual sales of $12.30 billion to $12.90 billion, compared with estimates of $12.91 billion, according to Refinitiv IBES data. It expects full-year adjusted earnings between $3.50 and $4.00 per share, compared with estimates of $3.86. The price hikes helped DuPont post adjusted income of 89 cents per share in the fourth quarter, compared with estimates of 78 cents. California's attorney general last year sued DuPont, 3M (MMM.N) and several other companies over toxic "forever chemicals".

Capping declines on the tech-heavy Nasdaq (.IXIC) was megacap Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O). Seven of the top 11 sectors on the S&P 500 were in declines, but technology (.SPLRCT) was among top gainers propped up by Microsoft. Expectations of high rates for a protracted period dragged Wall Street's main indexes down on Monday. But, all three major averages are in the black for 2023, with the Nasdaq (.IXIC) adding over 13%, led by a revival in battered mega-cap growth stocks. So far, more than half of the companies on the S&P 500 have reported quarterly earnings, with 69.1% of them beating expectations, according to Refinitiv.

☆ Morning Bid: Powell's state of the union
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Jerome Powell makes his first speech since the Fed's latest quarter-point interest rate rise last week. More importantly, it's his first chance to comment on Friday's seemingly blockbuster U.S. employment report for January. Perhaps just as significantly, they now price year-end Fed rates higher than the 4.5-4.75% range they are at right now. Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President Raphael Bostic on Monday said of the jobs readout: "It'll probably mean we have to do a little more work." Investors will watch Biden's State of the Union with one eye on the potentially destabilising debt ceiling standoff with Congress.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Chegg, Baidu, Bed Bath & Beyond, Hertz and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The company gave first-quarter and full-year revenue guidance that was below analyst expectations, according to Refinitiv. Bed Bath & Beyond — Shares plunged 30% after Bed Bath & Beyond announced a public offering to raise roughly $1 billion. Hertz — Shares gained more than 4% after Hertz reported results that beat earnings per share and revenue expectations, according to FactSet. DuPont de Nemours — Shares declined 2% after DuPont de Nemours posted earnings results from its most recent quarter. Leggett & Platt — Shares fell more than 1% after Leggett & Platt reported disappointing earnings results, according to consensus expectations on FactSet.

☆ DuPont fourth-quarter profit beats on higher prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 7 (Reuters) - Industrial materials maker DuPont de Nemours Inc (DD.N) reported a fourth-quarter profit on Tuesday that beat analysts' estimates, as higher pricing for its products helped offset an increase in costs. The company has been increasing prices to tackle rising costs for raw materials and energy. Prices of U.S. natural gas , a key input, averaged $6.10 per million metric British thermal units during the October-December quarter, nearly 26% higher from a year earlier. DuPont's net sales fell 4% to $3.1 billion in the quarter, compared with analysts' estimates of $3.09 billion, according to Refinitiv IBES data. On an adjusted basis, the company earned 89 cents per share, beating estimates of 78 cents per share.

☆ Exclusive: Starboard to challenge engineering materials maker Rogers' board -sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Svea Herbst-Bayliss | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The board challenge comes after chemical company DuPont (DD.N) in November walked away from a $5.2 billion deal to acquire Rogers because it failed to secure regulatory approval for the transaction in China. Starboard and Rogers did not respond to requests for comment. Its stock price tumbled after the DuPont deal was scrapped and is down 47% over the last 52 weeks. The company has made changes since the DuPont deal fell apart. Starboard has been active, including recent bets on cloud-based software company Salesforce (CRM.N), software company Splunk (SPLK.O) and website maker Wix.com (WIX.O).

☆ 3M, DuPont, Other Makers Expected to Face New Drinking Water Rules on ‘Forever Chemicals’
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-21 | by ( Kris Maher | Bob Tita | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

PFAS testing at a laboratory in Holland, Mich. New drinking water standards could require thousands of public water systems to install additional filtration systems. New federal drinking water standards could ratchet up legal pressure on 3M Co., DuPont de Nemours Inc. and other companies that manufactured or used so-called forever chemicals. The Environmental Protection Agency has been stepping up scrutiny of chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. The agency has said it is planning to propose the first federal drinking water limits on them in the coming months, a move some legal experts say could prompt additional lawsuits against PFAS manufacturers.

☆ 3M to end 'forever chemicals' output at cost of up to $2.3 billion
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Perfluoralkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) do not break down quickly and have in recent years been found in dangerous concentrations in drinking water, soils and foods. Pressure to stop producing the chemicals has also increased, with investors managing $8 trillion in assets earlier this year writing to 54 companies urging them to phase out their use. 3M expects related total pre-tax charges of about $1.3 billion to $2.3 billion over the course of its PFAS exit. In the fourth quarter, it expects to take an estimated pre-tax charge between $0.7 billion and $1.0 billion, primarily non-cash and related to asset impairments. In August, the Biden administration said it will propose designating certain forever chemicals as hazardous substances under the U.S. Superfund program.

☆ 3M to stop making 'forever chemicals', to take up to $2.3 bln charge
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are known as forever chemicals because the substances do not break down quickly and have in recent years been found in dangerous concentrations in drinking water, soils and foods across the country. Last month, 3M and DuPont de Nemours Inc (DD.N) were among several companies to be sued by California's attorney general to recover clean-up costs. The company expects to incur related total pre-tax charges of about $1.3 billion to $2.3 billion over the course of its exit from PFAS. In the fourth quarter, 3M expects to take an estimated pre-tax charge between $0.7 billion and $1.0 billion, primarily non-cash and related to asset impairments. In August this year, the Biden administration said it will propose designating certain "forever chemicals" as hazardous substances under the nation's Superfund program.

☆ Beware of these stocks in your portfolio with the biggest China risks as Covid protests erupt
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A wave of unrest in China could spell trouble for investors holding stocks with sizeable chunks of revenue exposed to the country. Protests erupted across China over the weekend as citizens pushed back against the country's strict and prolonged zero-Covid protocols . Here are some of the stocks we found: Tesla is the largest company on the list by market capitalization, with more than a quarter of its revenues exposed to China. Another stock in our screen is elevator manufacturer Otis Worldwide , with a little over 20% of revenues exposed to the country. Many semiconductor stocks such as Intel , Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices also made the list — including Qualcomm , with the highest revenue exposure to China on the list.

☆ California Sues 3M and DuPont Over PFAS Chemicals
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( Christine Mai-Duc | Kris Maher | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

California Attorney General Rob Bonta wants 3M and DuPont to establish an abatement fund to reduce the toxins’ effects. California is suing 3M Co. and DuPont de Nemours Inc. along with other manufacturers of PFAS, a collection of chemicals that have been linked to health issues including cancer and are commonly found in consumer products such as fabrics, food packaging and cookware. The complaint, filed in Alameda County Superior Court Thursday, alleges that a total of 18 defendant manufacturers made products containing PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals,” for decades even though they knew they were toxic and harmful to humans and the environment.

☆ California sues 3M, Dupont over toxic 'forever chemicals'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Nov 10 (Reuters) - California's attorney general on Thursday sued 3M Co (MMM.N), DuPont de Nemours Inc (DD.N) and several other companies to recoup the "staggering" clean-up costs from toxic pollutants known as "forever chemicals." The substances are known as forever chemicals because of how long they stay in the human body and environment. "The damage caused by 3M, DuPont, and other manufacturers of PFAS is nothing short of staggering, and without drastic action, California will be dealing with the harms of these toxic chemicals for generations," Bonta said. In June, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency warned that forever chemicals could be dangerous even at undetectable levels. The Biden administration is expected to issue the first enforceable drinking water regulations for PFAS in public water systems this year.

☆ California sues 3M, DuPont over toxic ‘forever chemicals’
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-10 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

DuPont has never manufactured PFOA, PFOS or firefighting foam, said spokesperson Daniel Turner, referring to two PFAS substances. “The damage caused by 3M, DuPont, and other manufacturers of PFAS is nothing short of staggering, and without drastic action, California will be dealing with the harms of these toxic chemicals for generations,” Bonta said. Thursday’s lawsuit was filed in Alameda County, which includes Oakland, and is the first statewide legal action over PFAS contamination. In June, the US Environmental Protection Agency warned that forever chemicals could be dangerous even at undetectable levels. The Biden administration is expected to issue the first enforceable drinking water regulations for PFAS in public water systems this year.

☆ Businesses Rush to Sidestep Rate Shock by Paying Down Debt
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Kristin Broughton | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

Executives are aggressively paying down debt as higher interest rates increase the cost associated with having debt and businesses face the prospect of a recession. As a result, some are taking steps to rein in expenses and cut interest costs, while others are looking to put cash reserves to work as their bank deposits continue to generate minimal yields. Beauty paid an annual interest rate of 4.9% on the loan, according to Mandy Fields, the company’s chief financial officer. About two-thirds of the loan carried a 5% interest rate that was fixed through a swap, which was set to expire in 2025. The two transactions reduced KAR’s annual interest costs by $70 million, to an estimated $15 million a year, Mr. Loughmiller said.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves midday: Lyft, Tripadvisor, Take-Two Interactive and more
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Carmen Reinicke | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Lyft – Shares of Lyft plummeted 21% after the company's earnings report showed mixed results in the last quarter. SolarEdge Technologies – Shares of SolarEdge rose 18% after the company reported record revenue in its last quarter that beat analysts' expectations. Revenue fell short of estimates coming in at $967 million instead of $979 million. Perrigo – Shares of pharmaceutical company Perrigo slumped 16% after the company reported earnings and revenue that fell short of analysts' expectations, according to Refinitiv. The company reported $198.3 million in revenue, which beat expectations, according to StreetAccount.

☆ DuPont beats profit estimates, launches $5 bln share buyback plan
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 8 (Reuters) - DuPont de Nemours (DD.N) beat Wall Street expectations for third-quarter profit as strong demand for electronics and other industrial products helped it offset cost pressures, sending its shares up nearly 3% in premarket trading. The industrial materials maker also announced a new $5 billion share repurchase program and said it plans to retire $2.5 billion in long-term debt, but kept its full-year sales forecast unchanged. Sustained demand helped the company shore up third-quarter revenue of $3.3 billion, up nearly 4% from last year. Its adjusted earnings of 82 cents per share in the three months ended Sept. 30, came above analysts' average expectation of 79 cents per share. Meanwhile, net income fell to $376 million, or 73 cents per share, from $404 million, or 75 cents per share, a year earlier.

Qualcomm (QCOM.O) ended its $44 billion purchase of Dutch peer NXP Semiconductors NV in 2018 after failing to secure regulatory approval. read moreChina's regulators have declined to comment on the DuPont deal and have not provided a reason for the delay in reviewing it. One merger arbitrage fund investor, who declined to be named, said deals involving Chinese approval will be closely watched in the aftermath of the scrapped DuPont-Rogers deal. Shares of some U.S. companies with a significant footprint in China that are waiting to complete deals dropped on Wednesday as a result. Some investors cautioned, however, that the collapse of these deals hinges not just on whether Chinese regulators will withhold clearance but also on whether the acquirers are committed to the transactions.

☆ DuPont scraps $5.2 bln Rogers buyout due to China hurdles
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

DuPont said the termination of the deal was agreed with Rogers as they have been unable to obtain timely clearance from all the required regulators. Shares of engineering materials maker Rogers plunged 43% in extended trading on Tuesday, while those of DuPont rose about 6%. The collapsed Rogers deal is the most prominent global acquisition to be called off in four years due to Chinese regulatory hurdles. In 2018, Qualcomm Inc (QCOM.O) walked away from a $44 billion deal to buy NXP Semiconductors (NXPI.O) after failing to secure Chinese regulatory approval amid China-U.S. trade tensions. DuPont added it would pay Rogers a termination fee of $162.5 million.

Search resuls for: "Dupont de"

25 mentions found