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☆ Carnivorous plants may lure their insect prey with specialized scents
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Kate Golembiewski | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Sarracenia pitcher plants, found in bogs throughout eastern North America, look like trumpet-shaped flowers, often in purplish or reddish hues. Different kinds of Sarracenia pitcher plants tend to eat different kinds of insects — some species trap more ants, while others feast on bees and moths. But recently opened pitcher plants that don’t stink of rotting bug carcasses provide an opportunity to identify the scents, she explained. The biggest challenge with the study, honestly, is that they did it in France,” rather than in the Sarracenia pitcher plants’ native North American bogs. It’s important to study pitcher plants due to the unique role they play in their increasingly fragile ecosystems, he added.

☆ Analysts say Netflix's password crackdown could reaccelerate growth, though concerns linger
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Netflix's mixed quarterly results had something for the bulls and the bears, as analysts weighed their outlook on the streaming service against a delay in the password sharing crackdown and lackluster guidance. Hodulik upgraded Netflix to buy from neutral, saying he expects growth will inflect with double-digit profit growth and rising free cash flow. What's more, he said restricting password sharing could become "meaningfully accretive" for Netflix as soon as the third quarter. Netflix turned to an ad-supported plan, and a password sharing crackdown, after reporting its first subscriber loss last year. He cited mixed subscriber growth, light guidance, and uncertainty around the delayed rollout in the password sharing crackdown.

☆ Traders wait to see if Netflix can keep its streak of subscriber surprises going
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Netflix reports earnings after the bell Tuesday and traders know that pretty much all that matters to the stock is how many subscribers did the streamer add for the prior period. Netflix's recent streak of subscriber surprises come after the streaming giant struggled to add subscribers in the fourth quarter of 2021 and glaringly missed consensus expectations in the following quarterly period. But Netflix has doubled off its 52-week low as it got its subscriber mojo back. Here's a look at recent quarters' subscriber additions vs. Wall Street estimates and the subsequent stock reaction, according to Goldman Sachs data. Although ad-supported subscribers represent 1% of Netflix's U.S. subscriber base, Goldman analysts expect this plan to attract additional members.

☆ Goldman picks 4 stocks to play a $5 trillion e-commerce opportunity — including one with 70% upside
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Zavier Ong | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

E-commerce growth may have slowed post-pandemic, but Goldman Sachs remains bullish on the sector and thinks there is more growth ahead. Stocks to play it Goldman has named a number of e-commerce stock picks, including three that made the bank's global conviction list — a compilation of the bank's top buy-rated picks. Goldman also said China was the world's largest e-commerce market, with an estimated $1.5 trillion in e-commerce sales in 2022, or about 43% of total sales globally. The e-commerce market grew in 2020 as consumers stayed home during pandemic lockdowns. Goldman estimates that global e-commerce penetration jumped by about 6 percentage points in 2020, double the growth rate of the pre-pandemic era.

☆ 9 startups bringing AI tech to Netflix, Lucasfilm, Marvel, and more Hollywood studios — and attracting millions in VC funding
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

VCs and private equity have poured millions into startups bringing AI tech to film and TV production. AI startups disrupting Hollywood include MARZ and Wonder Dynamics, cofounded by "X Men" star Tye Sheridan. Investment in AI startups for entertainment is "blowing up right now," said Michael Blank, head of consumer investing at CAA. There are already AI tools that can write full scripts. Vendors and investors told Insider that over time, AI tools will change jobs, not replace them.

☆ March's bank failures show options can be tricky even when retail traders pick big winners
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Jesse Pound | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

This halt, and how regulators and brokerage firms handled the outstanding options contracts, turned simple trades into a big headache for retail investors. Davies said that usually he would sell his winning options trades before expiration, so he does not have to deal with the settlement process. Robinhood later allowed Davies to create the naked short position and therefore to exercise his option. The naked short positions showed an on-paper loss in his account until the stock began trading over the counter on March 28. Another wrinkle is that some types of accounts, including retirement accounts, are not allowed to hold short positions, which created additional steps for traders and brokers to close out the trade.

☆ Goldman's technology team names a clear top pick for the rest of 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Tanaya Macheel | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Goldman Sachs has highlighted several opportunities for investors to play an uncertain environment now that the fourth quarter earnings season is over. With that in mind, Goldman highlighted Amazon as its top pick for the remainder of the year, among several other large cap, buy-rated stocks. Here are some of Goldman's other tech picks: The firm has a $145 price target on Amazon, which implies upside of about 54% from Monday's closing price. In gaming, Goldman names Take-Two Interactive its top pick. Goldman has a $155 price target on Take-Two, which is almost 34% above where it closed Monday.

☆ The war in Ukraine has shown the value of tanks, but militaries are now looking to stock up on slimmed-down versions of them
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Even before the war, some militaries were developing "light tanks" to complement heavier main battle tanks. Light tanks are seen as filling a capability gap between main battle tanks and other armored vehicles. Though not as powerful or as heavily armored as main battle tanks, light tanks are increasingly seen as filling a capability gap between full-fledged tanks and infantry fighting vehicles. Light tanksA US Army M24 Chaffee light tank on a street near Bologna, Italy in April 1945. NOEL CELIS/AFP via Getty ImagesThat capability gap stirred interest in light tanks, and over the past decade, three major militaries have adopted new designs.

☆ Fact Check-Images of a ‘satanic fashion show’ were digitally created, not taken at New York Fashion Week
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The rumors have spread online with captions such as: “New York Fashion Week: Almost as if they're trying to tell us something” (here). He added that the series is purely a fantasy concept and not affiliated with New York Fashion Week, although he was inspired by it. Reuters reported that New York Fashion Week 2023 took place between Feb. 10 and Feb. 6 (here), (here), (here). New York Fashion Week representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The images were created by an artist and don’t portray a real show at New York Fashion Week.

☆ Tuesday Morning says it wants to close 265 stores as part of its bankruptcy filing. See if your local store is on the list.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +30 min

Camarillo: Camarillo Village Square, 2450 Las Posas Road, Ste HCamarillo Village Square, 2450 Las Posas Road, Ste H Roseville: Fairway Commons Shopping Center, 5771A Five Star Blvd. San Diego: Pacific Plaza Shopping Center, 1772‐D Garnet AvenuePacific Plaza Shopping Center, 1772‐D Garnet Avenue Woodland Hills: Pride Shopping Center, 22950 Victory Blvd. Winston-Salem: Whitaker Square Shopping Center, 1947 North Pease Haven Road, Space #1947Whitaker Square Shopping Center, 1947 North Pease Haven Road, Space #1947 Matthews: Windsor Square Shopping Center, 9945 E. Independence Blvd. ; Westhill Village Shopping Center, 7525 WestheimerWeslayan Plaza West Shopping Center, 5442‐A Weslayan Street; Westheimer Commons, 12568 Westheimer Rd. ; Westhill Village Shopping Center, 7525 Westheimer El Paso: West Towne Marketplace, 6450 N. Desert Blvd., Ste.

☆ Analysts like Airbnb's latest earnings but still see risks for the short-term rental stock
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-15 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Airbnb 's latest quarterly earnings outperformed expectations, but most analysts are still concerned about the stock going forward. Several analysts covering the stock reiterated their neutral or sell ratings on Airbnb a day after the company reported its calendar fourth-quarter results, citing ongoing risks for the short-term rental name. The analyst has a price target of $160 per share, implying upside of 32.3%. JPMorgan's Doug Anmuth also reiterated a neutral rating on the stock, noting that online travel is growing more competitive. Sheridan raised his price target on the stock to $98 per share from $87.

☆ I'm a digital nomad who built my business to $1.5 million in revenue last year working from countries like Colombia and Argentina. Here's what to know about running a company while traveling abroad.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Alexandra York | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In 2020, Cody May became a digital nomad while growing his marking business, Sheridan St.Last year, his business booked $1.5 million in revenue while May traveled the world. May shares his advice for living as a digital nomad while growing a business. May became a digital nomad in 2020, when COVID-19 hit the US. He left his hometown in Canada to start his journey as a digital nomad, all while growing his business. Aside from team building, another potential difficulty in building a business while traveling is taxes.

☆ Goldman Sachs likes Pinterest even after Q4 revenue miss, says long-term catalysts still in place
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The company's long-term revenue outlook is also promising for investors, according to the analyst. The analyst also noted that management's "focus on reprioritizing investments" could help Pinterest grow margins and long-term profitability. Sheridan maintained his price target of $30 per share on Pinterest, implying a 9.2% upside from the stock's closing price of $27.48 as of Monday. He reiterated his neutral rating on Pinterest shares and issued a price target of $26 per share, implying downside of 5.4%. JPMorgan lowered its price target to $27 from $28 and maintained its neutral rating for the stock.

☆ How Paramount+ is punching above its weight with Stallone, Showtime, and reinvented library shows like CBS' 'Criminal Minds' and MTV's 'Teen Wolf'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Elaine Low | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access) is beefing up by bringing sister network Showtime into the fold. "The shows with rich, deep libraries are the ones that get a lot of consumption," said Paramount+ streaming chief Tanya Giles. But Paramount+ (formerly CBS All Access) is beefing up by bringing sister network Showtime into the fold — rebranding both the Showtime cable network and the streamer as Paramount+ With Showtime. Paramount+ is also building upon its library with originals: The streamer recently revived "Criminal Minds," which aired on CBS for 15 seasons. In anticipation of "Criminal Minds: Evolution," viewership of the original CBS "Criminal Minds" jumped 46%, a Paramount+ spokeperson shared with Insider.

☆ Can't get enough of Showtime's 'Billions'? Get ready for 'Trillions'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Showtime is making spinoffs of some of its biggest shows, like "Billions" and "Dexter." It reflects its owner Paramount's larger content strategy of doubling down on franchises. Showtime is planning to make up to four spinoffs of "Billions," including "Millions" and "Trillions." The plan reflects Paramount's larger content strategy of doubling down on its biggest hits and expanding them into franchises. Showtime content is being fully integrated within Paramount+, and some Paramount+ originals will air on Showtime linear programming.

☆ Amazon stock hit hardest after tech earnings bonanza, despite misses by Apple and Alphabet
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Annie Palmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Its stock was hit harder than peers Apple and Alphabet , which also reported on Thursday evening. Shares of Apple were trading up about 4% on Friday morning while Alphabet was down about 1%. Amazon said it expects revenue of between $121 billion and $126 billion in the current quarter. Similarly, despite Alphabet's misses, analysts are bullish on its prospects for artificial intelligence and highlighted its strong core business. WATCH: Arete Research's Richard Kramer on the outlook for Apple, Amazon and Alphabet

☆ Analysts say buy Amazon for the long term, despite recession concerns and slowing AWS growth
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

But even with these near-term headwinds, analysts remain confident in the long-term thesis for the e-commerce giant and its growth trajectory. The results from Amazon come on the heels of a difficult 2022 that saw the e-commerce bellwether shed roughly half its value and post its slowest year of growth . At the same time, revenue for its Amazon Web Services division fell short of Wall Street's estimates and showed slowing sales growth as business spending dwindles. Moderating growth within the company's cloud unit marked one of the biggest concerns for analysts, but nowhere near a shock. Revenue growth came in at 20% for the quarter, and below the already slow 27.5% growth rate the company experienced in third quarter.

☆ Analysts overlook Alphabet's disappointing quarter, cite confidence in AI push as ChatGPT threat grows
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Analysts are willing to overlook Alphabet' s disappointing quarter in lieu of its artificial intelligence push and focus on costs. Shares of the search giant fell more than 4% after the company missed Wall Street's expectations for the fourth quarter. But, analysts lauded the company's focus on artificial intelligence as it faces mounting pressures from popularized Microsoft-backed chatbot ChatGPT . Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said the company plans to release its LaMDA language model with search components "very soon." GOOGL 1D mountain GOOGL falls after earnings Analysts also cited some confidence in the company's push to reengineer its cost structure and reduce inefficiencies.

☆ Analysts laud Meta Platforms' focus on efficiency, say the stock is transitioning from 'doghouse to pedestal'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Meta Platforms is turning its focus toward efficiency, and analysts seem to like the narrative shift from the battered technology giant. "Our management theme for 2023 is the 'Year of Efficiency' and we're focused on becoming a stronger and more nimble organization." META YTD mountain Meta Platforms shares have already surged 27% this year Analysts also seemed to praise the company's move to lower its outlook for capital expenditures and operating expenses. The word "efficiency" came up over 25 times on the company's earnings call, according to Morgan Stanley's Brian Nowak. The analyst has an outperform rating on Meta and hiked his price target to $275, which implies upside of nearly 80%.

☆ UBS downgrades Snap after earnings, says rising competition will keep pressure on stock
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Snap may have trouble keeping up with ever-rising competition going forward, according to UBS. He also reiterated a price target of $10, which implies downside of 13.5% from Tuesday's close, and trimmed his 2023 revenue outlook on Snap. "We see increasing competition everywhere," analyst Lloyd Walmsley wrote in a client note on Wednesday. Given the magnitude of competition and Snap's relatively subscale nature, we see risk to revenue acceleration. Other analysts also grew more cautious on the stock after Snap's latest quarterly report.

☆ The cast of '1923' explain how the prequel has expanded the 'Yellowstone' universe in the most literal sense: 'If Taylor writes you are somewhere, you're shooting there'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-29 | by ( Eve Crosbie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In a Paramount+ video and Insider exclusive, the cast and crew discuss the drama's global scope. From the very first episode, this compelling new chapter set itself apart from earlier prequel "1883," and the present-day set series led by Kevin Costner with its incredibly ambitious scope that features storylines scattered across several continents. "The scale of what we're doing is so vast," Helen Mirren, who portrays the fearsome family matriarch Cara, says in an exclusive new Paramount+ video that takes viewers behind the scenes on the production. As Brandon Sklenar who plays the show's prodigal son, Spencer Dutton, says: "If Taylor writes you are somewhere, you're shooting there." Check out the cast and crew discussing the global journey of "1923" in the video below:"1923" is streaming on Paramount+.

☆ Six stocks Goldman Sachs likes ahead of earnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Goldman Sachs' analysts have stocks they are confident about going into a new earnings season. The stocks we found are Amazon , ServiceNow , Colgate-Palmolive , Boeing , Microsoft and Cleveland-Cliffs . Colgate-Palmolive Analyst Jason English raised estimates ahead of Colgate-Palmolive's Jan. 27 earnings as headwinds from foreign exchange turn in to tailwinds. While English said the uncertain global environment could hurt Colgate's business, he still expects the toothpaste and soap maker to meet Goldman's 9% per-share earnings growth forecast for the year. Specifically, we are now forecasting AWS growth to decelerate to +21% YoY (vs. +27.5% YoY in Q3'22) with more subdued growth expectations in 2023.

☆ Netflix's subscriber growth signals better times ahead, but some analysts say it's still too early to buy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Netflix 's strong fourth-quarter subscriber growth and solid content slate may signal the start of better times for the streaming stock, but it may be too early to buy up shares, according to some Wall Street analysts. Netflix reported 7.66 million adds, compared to 4.57 million subscribers expected by StreetAccount estimates. Analysts view the company's new advertising tier and its content slate as key to Netflix's financial performance in the months ahead. Since reporting second-quarter earnings results, Netflix shares have risen more than 46%. On the leadership front, Supino and analysts view the CEO transition as a positive for the company.

Check out the trailer for 'Mayor Kingstown' season 2Jeremy Renner returns for the show's the second season as Mike McLusky. How to watch 'Mayor of Kingstown'You can watch "Mayor of Kingstown" season two exclusively on Paramount Plus starting January 15, with new episodes dropping each Sunday. In order to watch "Mayor of Kingstown" season two in its entirety for free, you'll need to wait to sign up until the season two finale has been released. While season one had a 10-episode order, Paramount Plus hasn't confirmed how many episodes will be included in season two of "Mayor of Kingstown." If the viewership ratings and audience engagement are still high in season two, then "Mayor of Kingstown" season three could happen.

☆ The new 'Yellowstone' prequel '1923' is reportedly getting double the episodes originally planned
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Paramount+'s new "Yellowstone" prequel "1923" is reportedly getting eight more episodes. Paramount+'s new "Yellowstone" prequel, starring Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, is getting eight more episodes, on top of the originally planned first eight, according to a new Wall Street Journal story published on Saturday. WSJ categorized these additional episodes as "more '1923,'" but the "Yellowstone" expanded universe has sparked confusion before regarding the first prequel, "1883." It also announced a second prequel, which ultimately became "1923." They so far include "Mayor of Kingstown," "Tulsa King," and the "Yellowstone" prequels "1883" and "1923," all for Paramount+.

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