Baidu Earnings: BIDU Stock Gains on Q4 EPS, Sales Win

Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU) had a positive quarter to report on that saw the company bring in strong earnings and revenue figures that topped the Wall Street guidance, playing a role in pushing BIDU stock up close to 3% late on Thursday.

The Chinese company said that for its fourth quarter of its fiscal 2018, it was able to top analysts’ expectations as it amassed earnings of $1.92 per share. The figure was an improvement over the $1.79 per share that the Wall Street consensus estimate was calling for.

Baidu added that its revenue for the period rallied up to $3.96 billion, also coming in ahead of the $3.88 billion that analysts were calling for. The company added that its 2018 marked a 28% increase over its sales for its fiscal 2017, according to CEO Robin Li.

“The growth rate of Baidu App DAUs has been accelerating over the past year, up 24% year over year to 161 million in December 2018, while Haokan short video app grew to 19 million DAUs from 1 million a year ago,” he added.

The search engine business added that it completed roughly $1.25 billion in bond offerings during its fourth quarter, including about $850 million of 4.375% notes due in 2024 and $400 million of 4.875% notes due in 2028. These proceeds will help to repay current indebtedness.

BIDU stock was up about 2.8% after the bell on Thursday following a strong quarterly posting. Shares had been moving slightly upwards during regular trading hours as well, edging 0.4%.

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Piedmont Office Realty Trust Inc (PDM) Files 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended on December 31, 2018

Piedmont Office Realty Trust Inc (PDM) files its latest 10-K with SEC for the fiscal year ended on December 31, 2018. Piedmont Office Realty Trust Inc is a real estate investment trust. It is engaged in the acquisition and ownership of commercial real estate properties throughout the United States. Piedmont Office Realty Trust Inc has a market cap of $2.62 billion; its shares were traded at around $20.75 with a P/E ratio of 20.96 and P/S ratio of 5.27. The dividend yield of Piedmont Office Realty Trust Inc stocks is 4.04%. Piedmont Office Realty Trust Inc had annual average EBITDA growth of 3.90% over the past ten years.

For the last quarter Piedmont Office Realty Trust Inc reported a revenue of $137.2 million, compared with the revenue of $139.4 million during the same period a year ago. For the latest fiscal year the company reported a revenue of $526.0 million, a decrease of 8.4% from the previous year. For the last five years Piedmont Office Realty Trust Inc had an average revenue decline of 0.7% a year.

The reported diluted earnings per share was $1 for the year, an increase of 8.7% from previous year. Over the last five years Piedmont Office Realty Trust Inc had an EPS growth rate of 18.7% a year. The Piedmont Office Realty Trust Inc had a decent operating margin of 21.99%, compared with the operating margin of 22.25% a year before. The 10-year historical median operating margin of Piedmont Office Realty Trust Inc is 25.83%. The profitability rank of the company is 7 (out of 10).

At the current stock price of $20.75, Piedmont Office Realty Trust Inc is traded at close to its historical median P/S valuation band of $21.28. The P/S ratio of the stock is 5.27, while the historical median P/S ratio is 5.42. The stock gained 16.43% during the past 12 months.

For the complete 20-year historical financial data of PDM, click here.

Top Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now

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Top Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Rowan Companies Inc.(RDC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Check out these big penny stock gainers and losers

  Losers MDC Partners Inc. (NASDAQ: MDCA) fell 23.4 percent to $5.25 in pre-market trading after a first-quarter earnings miss. Hudson Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: HDSN) shares fell 15.1 percent to $3.48 in pre-market trading after the company reported downbeat Q1 earnings. Nuance Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN) fell 14 percent to $13.15 in pre-market trading after the company posted downbeat Q2 earnings and lowered FY18 organic growth guidance. Myomo, Inc. (NYSE: MYO) fell 13.2 percent to $3.10 in pre-market trading after reporting downbeat quarterly results. Rowan Companies plc (NYSE: RDC) shares fell 10.7 percent to $14.13 in pre-market trading after climbing 8.50 percent on Wednesday. BT Group plc (NYSE: BT) fell 9 percent to $14.80 in pre-market trading after the company reported Q4 results and announced plans to cut 13,000 jobs over the next three years. Exelixis, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXEL) fell 8.3 percent to $19.90 in pre-market trading after the company disclosed that IMblaze370 Phase 3 pivotal trial of atezolizumab and cobimetinib in patients with heavily pretreated locally advanced or metastatic colorectal cancer did not meet primary endpoint. Infinera Corporation (NASDAQ: INFN) fell 8.2 percent to $10.80 in pre-market trading after reporting Q1 results. Synaptics, Incorporated (NASDAQ: SYNA) shares fell 7.4 percent to $43.00 in pre-market trading. Synaptics reported better-than-expected earnings for its third quarter, while sales missed estimates. Randgold Resources Limited (NASDAQ: GOLD) shares fell 7.4 percent to $76.23 in pre-market trading after reporting Q1 earnings. Integra LifeSciences Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: IART) shares fell 7 percent to $59.36 in pre-market trading. Integra LifeSciences priced its 5.25 million share public offering of common stock at $58.50 per share. Array BioPharma Inc. (NASDAQ: ARRY) shares fell 6.9 percent to $12.75 in pre-m
• [By Logan Wallace]

  Ordocoin (CURRENCY:RDC) traded up 2.1% against the U.S. dollar during the 24 hour period ending at 18:00 PM Eastern on September 22nd. One Ordocoin token can currently be purchased for about $0.0001 or 0.00000001 BTC on exchanges including Crex24, BiteBTC and Stocks.Exchange. In the last seven days, Ordocoin has traded 2.8% higher against the U.S. dollar. Ordocoin has a market cap of $0.00 and approximately $53,260.00 worth of Ordocoin was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Rowan Companies (NYSE:RDC) has been given a $20.00 price objective by stock analysts at B. Riley in a report issued on Monday. The brokerage presently has a “buy” rating on the oil and gas company’s stock. B. Riley’s target price would suggest a potential upside of 54.32% from the stock’s previous close.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  California Public Employees Retirement System reduced its position in Rowan Companies PLC (NYSE:RDC) by 5.9% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 656,438 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 41,386 shares during the quarter. California Public Employees Retirement System owned 0.52% of Rowan Companies worth $7,575,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Rowan Companies (NYSE:RDC) was downgraded by analysts at HSBC Holdings plc from a buy rating to a hold rating.

  Roper Technologies (NYSE:ROP) was downgraded by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from an overweight rating to a neutral rating.

Top Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Orchids Paper Products Company(TIS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Check-Cap Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHEK) shares jumped 104.82 percent to close at $14.87 on Tuesday. EVINE Live Inc. (NASDAQ: EVLV) rose 31.25 percent to close at $1.06. The pay-TV home shopping company was named as a potential acquisition target by TechCrunch. According to the publication, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) is exploring ways of marketing its products and services to consumers beyond the internet. SemiLEDs Corporation (NASDAQ: LEDS) shares climbed 27.16 percent to close at $4.26 on Tuesday. Atossa Genetics Inc. (NASDAQ: ATOS) gained 27.09 percent to close at $3.80. Atossa Genetics disclosed that it has Received positive interim review from the Independent Safety Committee in Phase 1 Topical endoxifen dose escalation study in men. Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSII) surged 17.13 percent to close at $37.95 as the company posted upbeat results for its first quarter. Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SC) shares gained 15.91 percent to close at $18.21 following upbeat quarterly earnings. Riot Blockchain, Inc. (NASDAQ: RIOT) shares jumped 15.73 percent to close at $7.58 on Tuesday after declining 1.50 percent on Monday. Sanmina Corp (NASDAQ: SANM) shares gained 14.62 percent to close at $31.75 as the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings for its second quarter on Monday. Orchids Paper Products Company (NYSE: TIS) jumped 12.86 percent to close at $7.37. Orchids Paper Products is expected to report its Q1 financial results on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (NYSE: HLX) rose 12.8 percent to close at $7.05 following strong quarterly results. Avid Bioservices, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDMO) rose 12.72 percent to close at $3.81. Genprex, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) gained 12.61 percent to close at $5.00. Obalon Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: OBLN) rose 12.39 percent to close at $3.72. NextDecade Corporation (NASDAQ: NEXT) shares climbed 11.88 percent to close at $7
• [By Lisa Levin]

    

  Clearside Biomedical, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLSD) shares declined 32.19 percent to close at $9.86 on Thursday. Clearside Biomedical disclosed that its Phase 2 trial of CLS-TA met primary and secondary endpoints met in 6-month trial. scPharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: SCPH) shares dipped 30.1 percent to close at $9.94 on Thursday after the FDA identified deficiencies in the company’s New Drug Application for FUROSCIX. However, the FDA letter did not specify deficiencies identified and notification does not reflect final decision on information under review. Euroseas Ltd. (NASDAQ: ESEA) fell 24.08 percent to close at $1.86. Euroseas announced completion of the spin-off of its drybulk fleet into EuroDry Ltd. Golar LNG Limited (NASDAQ: GLNG) fell 25.09 percent to close at $25.98 following Q1 results. Oragenics, Inc. (NASDAQ: OGEN) shares dropped 25 percent to close at $1.50 on Thursday. Guess', Inc. (NYSE: GES) dropped 19.44 percent to close at $19.60 following Q1 results. Cantel Medical Corp. (NYSE: CMD) dropped 15.94 percent to close at $109.09 on Thursday following FQ3 results. Fusion Connect, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSNN) shares fell 15.55 percent to close at $3.91. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW) dropped 14.44 percent to close at $8.00 after reporting Q1 results. Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR) shares declined 14.28 percent to close at $82.59 after the company reported weaker-than-expected earnings for its first quarter and lowered its FY2018 earnings guidance. Titan Machinery Inc. (NASDAQ: TITN) dropped 13.94 percent to close at $18.09 after reporting Q1 results. Co-Diagnostics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CODX) declined 13.17 percent to close at $2.90 after declining 5.65 percent on Wednesday. Concordia International Corp. (NASDAQ: CXRX) fell 12.89 percent to close at $0.2440 after the company announced that it would be delisted from the Nasdaq. Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD) slipped 12.46 percent
• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Orchids Paper Products (NYSEAMERICAN:TIS) was the recipient of a significant drop in short interest in the month of August. As of August 31st, there was short interest totalling 2,241,555 shares, a drop of 14.0% from the August 15th total of 2,605,776 shares. Currently, 22.9% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 967,446 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 2.3 days.

Top Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: America First Tax Exempt Investors L.P.(ATAX)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on America First Multifamily Investors (ATAX)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on America First Multifamily Investors (ATAX)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Motley Fool Transcribers]

  America First Multifamily Investors LP (NASDAQ:ATAX)Q2 2018 Earnings Conference CallAug. 13, 2018, 4:30 p.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

Top Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: New York Mortgage Trust Inc.(NYMT)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on NY Mtg Tr Inc/SH (NYMT)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Bank of New York Mellon Corp cut its position in shares of NY Mtg Tr Inc/SH (NASDAQ:NYMT) by 2.1% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 1,265,207 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after selling 27,565 shares during the quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp owned 1.13% of NY Mtg Tr Inc/SH worth $7,604,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Shares of NY Mtg Tr Inc/SH (NASDAQ:NYMT) have earned an average recommendation of “Hold” from the eight research firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, four have issued a hold recommendation and one has given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $6.06.

• [By Max Byerly]

  ValuEngine cut shares of NY Mtg Tr Inc/SH (NASDAQ:NYMT) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report issued on Thursday morning.

  Several other research firms also recently commented on NYMT. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH downgraded shares of NY Mtg Tr Inc/SH from a buy rating to a neutral rating in a research note on Monday, August 6th. BidaskClub downgraded shares of NY Mtg Tr Inc/SH from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note on Saturday, September 15th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of NY Mtg Tr Inc/SH from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 25th. Finally, Maxim Group restated a buy rating and issued a $6.75 price target (up previously from $6.25) on shares of NY Mtg Tr Inc/SH in a research note on Friday, August 3rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock has a consensus rating of Hold and an average target price of $6.35.

• [By Max Byerly]

  NY Mtg Tr Inc/SH (NASDAQ:NYMT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 2nd. The real estate investment trust reported $0.20 EPS for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.15 by $0.05. NY Mtg Tr Inc/SH had a net margin of 24.78% and a return on equity of 17.07%. The business had revenue of $17.50 million during the quarter. analysts anticipate that NY Mtg Tr Inc/SH will post 0.24 EPS for the current year.

Top Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Jinpan International Limited(JST)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Deutsche Bank set a €46.00 ($53.49) price target on JOST Werke (ETR:JST) in a research report sent to investors on Friday. The firm currently has a buy rating on the stock.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Warburg Research set a €47.00 ($55.95) price target on JOST Werke (ETR:JST) in a report published on Friday. The firm currently has a buy rating on the stock.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  JOST Werke AG (ETR:JST) has earned an average rating of “Buy” from the six research firms that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is €49.33 ($57.36).

• [By Max Byerly]

  Hauck & Aufhaeuser set a €58.00 ($67.44) target price on JOST Werke (ETR:JST) in a report issued on Wednesday. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the stock.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  A number of firms have modified their ratings and price targets on shares of JOST Werke (ETR: JST) recently:

  5/25/2018 – JOST Werke was given a new €46.00 ($53.49) price target on by analysts at Deutsche Bank AG. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock. 5/25/2018 – JOST Werke was given a new €46.00 ($53.49) price target on by analysts at Deutsche Bank AG. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock. 5/25/2018 – JOST Werke was given a new €47.00 ($54.65) price target on by analysts at Warburg Research. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock. 5/24/2018 – JOST Werke was given a new €45.00 ($52.33) price target on by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co.. They now have a “neutral” rating on the stock. 5/8/2018 – JOST Werke was given a new €46.00 ($53.49) price target on by analysts at Deutsche Bank AG. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock. 4/4/2018 – JOST Werke was given a new €47.00 ($54.65) price target on by analysts at Warburg Research. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock.

  Shares of JOST Werke traded down €0.15 ($0.17), hitting €38.10 ($44.30), during mid-day trading on Friday, according to MarketBeat. 8,510 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 35,469. JOST Werke AG has a 52 week low of €27.20 ($31.63) and a 52 week high of €47.50 ($55.23).

Top Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: China Metro-Rural Holdings Limited(CNR)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Compass Capital Management Inc. bought a new position in Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI) (TSE:CNR) during the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 2,535 shares of the transportation company’s stock, valued at approximately $207,000.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI) (TSE:CNR) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the twenty brokerages that are covering the firm, Marketbeat.com reports. Twelve equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $93.33.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Wall Street analysts expect that Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI) (TSE:CNR) will announce $1.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the current quarter, according to Zacks Investment Research. Seven analysts have provided estimates for Canadian National Railway’s earnings, with the highest EPS estimate coming in at $1.06 and the lowest estimate coming in at $0.97. Canadian National Railway reported earnings per share of $1.00 in the same quarter last year, which would suggest a positive year over year growth rate of 2%. The company is expected to announce its next quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 24th.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. grew its holdings in shares of Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI) (TSE:CNR) by 1.3% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 134,917 shares of the transportation company’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,692 shares during the quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co.’s holdings in Canadian National Railway were worth $11,030,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Canadian National Railway (NYSE:CNI) (TSE:CNR) – Equities research analysts at Desjardins boosted their Q3 2018 earnings per share estimates for shares of Canadian National Railway in a research note issued on Monday, October 8th. Desjardins analyst B. Poirier now anticipates that the transportation company will earn $1.09 per share for the quarter, up from their previous forecast of $1.09. Desjardins also issued estimates for Canadian National Railway’s FY2021 earnings at $5.66 EPS.

Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Own For 2019

tags:HCP,MRC,OAK,BLMN,XRX,OZRK,SANW,ARRS,BND,TOWR,

Quick Take

Bloom Energy (BE) intends to raise gross proceeds of $100 million from a U.S. IPO, according to an S-1 registration statement.

The firm provides a new means of generating clean energy from renewable sources, delivering on-site electricity for organizations worldwide.

BE is seeking cheaper public capital as it plans to continue scaling its corporate offerings.

When we learn further details from management about IPO pricing and valuation, I'll provide a final opinion.

Company & Technology

The Sunnyvale, California-based company was founded in 2001 to change the way the world generates and consumes energy by converting fuels into electricity, without combustion.

Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Own For 2019: HCP, Inc.(HCP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Benzinga News Desk]

  U.S. banks are rolling in so much dough they are begging regulators to let them return to the days of risky proprietary trading — all the while stiffing their interest-starved customers, critics say: Link

  ECONOMIC DATA April Chicago Fed National Activity index 0.34 vs 0.48 expected The Treasury is set to auction 3-and 6-month bills at 11:30 a.m. ET. Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic is set to speak at 12:15 p.m. ET. Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank President Patrick Harker will speak at 2:15 p.m. ET. Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Neel Kashkariis set to speak at 5:30 p.m. ET. ANALYST RATINGS KeyBanc upgraded Alteryx (NYSE: AYX) from Sector Weight to Overweight Stifel upgraded Knight-Swift (NYSE: KNX) from Hold to Buy Evercore downgraded HCP (NYSE: HCP) from In-Line to Underperform Evercore downgraded Vereit (NYSE: VER) from Outperform to In-Line

  This is a tool used by the Benzinga News Desk each trading day — it's a look at everything happening in the market, in five minutes. To get the full version of this note every morning, click here.

• [By Tyler Crowe, Matthew Frankel, CFP, and Neha Chamaria]

  So we asked three of our Motley Fool contributors to each highlight a dividend stock they see as a great investment today, and added the extra twist of requiring the stock to have a yield higher than 5%. Here's why they picked pipeline company MPLX LP (NYSE:MPLX), healthcare real estate investment trust HCP Inc. (NYSE:HCP), and asset manager Brookfield Property Partners (NASDAQ:BPY).

• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  The aging baby boomer generation is set to materially increase demand for senior housing. The question isn't if but when because the demographic shifts this giant generation will engender are largely unavoidable. Investors looking at the senior housing sector have a number of options to pick from, with two of the biggest names in the space being HCP, Inc. (NYSE:HCP) and Brookdale Senior Living, Inc. (NYSE:BKD). But what's the better choice here: the property owner or the facility manager?

• [By Motley Fool Transcription]

  HCP, Inc. (NYSE:HCP)Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallFeb. 14, 2019, 12:00 p.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Own For 2019: MRC Global Inc.(MRC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Motley Fool Transcribers]

  MRC Global Inc  (NYSE:MRC)Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallFeb. 15, 2019, 10:00 a.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on MRC Global (MRC)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on MRC Global (MRC)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Mercantile Investment Trust PLC (LON:MRC) insider Graham Kitchen purchased 23,620 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, July 2nd. The stock was acquired at an average cost of GBX 217 ($2.89) per share, for a total transaction of £51,255.40 ($68,240.45).

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on MRC Global (MRC)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Own For 2019: Oaktree Capital Group, LLC(OAK)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Oaktree Capital Group (NYSE:OAK) was downgraded by equities research analysts at TheStreet from a “b-” rating to a “c+” rating in a report issued on Tuesday.

• [By Chris Hill]

  In this Market Foolery podcast, host Chris Hill has a special guest -- Foolish investor-at-large Tim Hanson -- and they lead off with a discussion of the annual letter, released Wednesday, from billionaire investing guru Howard Marks of Oaktree Capital (NYSE:OAK). In it, Marks expressed concern about the number of questionable deals happening in this low-interest environment, as an excess of optimism and high risk-tolerance send capital toward assets it should probably shun at current prices. Then Chris and Tim respond to a podcast listener who's wondering whether he should keep holding on to his General Motors shares. Beyond that, there's a timely retrospective on Tim's time at the Fool, and an equally timely debate on a divisive and controversial question: Are fun-size Halloween candies "fun" or a travesty?

• [By Leo Sun, Chuck Saletta, and Jordan Wathen]

  With the bull market now over 9 years old, it might seem tough to find stocks that can still generate multibagger returns. But today, a trio of our Motley Fool contributors will highlight three stocks -- JD.com (NASDAQ:JD), Kinder Morgan (NYSE:KMI), and Oaktree Capital Group (NYSE:OAK) -- that all still have the potential to double your money over the long term. 

• [By Motley Fool Transcribing]

  Oaktree Capital (NYSE:OAK) Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallFeb. 5, 2019 11:00 a.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Own For 2019: Bloomin' Brands, Inc.(BLMN)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Bloomin’ Brands (NASDAQ: BLMN) and Brinker International (NYSE:EAT) are both small-cap retail/wholesale companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, profitability, valuation, dividends, earnings, institutional ownership and analyst recommendations.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  These are some of the media stories that may have effected Accern Sentiment’s scoring:

  Get First Majestic Silver alerts: Zacks: Analysts Anticipate First Majestic Silver Corp. (AG) Will Announce Earnings of $0.03 Per Share (americanbankingnews.com) News Report of Sizzling Basic materials Stock: First Majestic Silver Corp. (AG) (nasdaqplace.com) Stock in the Wall Street Spotlight: First Majestic Silver Corp. (AG) (nysewired.com) Is the Stock Overvalued? – First Majestic Silver Corp. (NYSE:AG) (nasdaqjournal.com) Stocks in the Spotlight: Oasis Petroleum Inc. (NYSE:OAS), Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLMN), First Majestic Silver … (journalfinance.net)

  Shares of First Majestic Silver opened at $7.30 on Friday, MarketBeat.com reports. First Majestic Silver has a 12-month low of $4.93 and a 12-month high of $8.73. The company has a market capitalization of $1.41 billion, a P/E ratio of -182.50 and a beta of 0.30. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.21, a current ratio of 4.41 and a quick ratio of 4.15.

• [By John Ballard]

  The restaurant industry has had a rough few years. Bloomin' Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN), owner of Outback Steakhouse, and Brinker International (NYSE:EAT), owner of Chili's Grill and Bar, were hit particularly hard by traffic trends. Some of this can be attributed to shifts in consumer behavior, as diners more than ever are demanding faster service and quality food preparation. 

• [By Garrett Baldwin]

  By following a few simple steps, one IRS directive could help set you up to receive checks of up to $1,795 every single month. Hordes of Americans have already signed their names to the distribution list – and the longer you wait, the greater your risk of missing out on this powerful investment. Click here for more details.

  Stocks to Watch Today: YELP, CSCO, AAPL, NFLX Shares of Yelp Inc. (NASDAQ: YELP) added 5.5% after the consumer platform crushed earnings expectations and hiked its stock buyback program by $250 million. The strong earnings report comes a month after news emerged that one of its largest shareholders – SQN Investors – had launched a proxy fight against the company. SQN wants to see the firm improve financial performance and consider selling. On Wednesday, the company also announced three new board members. Shares of Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: CSCO) popped more than 3.4% after the tech giant topped Wall Street earnings after the bell Wednesday. The firm reported earnings per share of $0.73, beating expectations by $0.01. The company also issued revenue and a third-quarter forecast in line with analysts' estimates. Cisco will also increase its stock buyback program by a whopping $15 billion. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is taking dead aim at streaming giant Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) and premium content provider HBO. The tech giant is planning to unveil a new streaming product that will offer free original content to owners of Apple devices. According to reports, neither Netflix nor Hulu are expected to be a part of this new "Channels" service. The platform will be like the application developed by Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) for its Prime Video Channels. Look for other earnings reports from Ares Management Corp. (NASDAQ: ARES), Arista Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: ANET), AstraZeneca Plc. (NYSE: AZN), Bloomin' Brands Inc. (NASDAQ: BLMN), CBS Corp. (NYSE: CBS), Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO), Credit Suisse Group AG (NYSE: CS), Duk
• [By Logan Wallace]

  Jennison Associates LLC raised its position in shares of Bloomin’ Brands Inc (NASDAQ:BLMN) by 15.7% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 59,634 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after purchasing an additional 8,083 shares during the quarter. Jennison Associates LLC owned 0.06% of Bloomin’ Brands worth $1,199,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Wall Street analysts expect Bloomin’ Brands Inc (NASDAQ:BLMN) to post earnings of $0.08 per share for the current quarter, Zacks reports. Five analysts have made estimates for Bloomin’ Brands’ earnings. The highest EPS estimate is $0.12 and the lowest is $0.05. Bloomin’ Brands reported earnings of $0.12 per share during the same quarter last year, which would indicate a negative year-over-year growth rate of 33.3%. The firm is expected to report its next earnings results on Friday, November 2nd.

Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Own For 2019: Xerox Corporation(XRX)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  1. Xerox (NYSE: XRX)
  Falling off its highs to below support at the 50- and 200-day simple moving averages (SMAs), the original digital print company is higher by under 3% in 2018.  However, due to the way the company's pension plan is structured, it stands to benefit significantly from climbing rates.  Let me explain.

• [By ]

  Xerox (XRX) late Sunday terminated its merger with Fujifilm at the same time that it reached a deal to add five Icahn-backed directors onto its board and replace its controversial CEO. It marks a major victory for the insurgent investors at the document technology company's gate.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Xerox Corp (NYSE:XRX) shares hit a new 52-week low during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as low as $25.69 and last traded at $25.98, with a volume of 82388 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $26.33.

• [By Douglas A. McIntyre]

  Xerox Corp. (NYSE: XRX) reversed course and said its CEO would stay after a battle that cost him his job. According to CNBC:

  Xerox Corp said on Thursday its current board and management team, which included Chief Executive Jeff Jacobson, will stay, after a settlement agreement it had reached with dissenting shareholders to oust them expired.

• [By Benzinga News Desk]

  Xerox Corp (NYSE: XRX) said it will back out of its merger deal with Fujifilm Holdings Corp. as it reached a new settlement with two of its biggest shareholders, the latest twist in a months long tug of war over the future of the iconic American company: Link $

• [By Jim Crumly]

  As for individual stocks, Xerox (NYSE:XRX) is canceling its merger with Fujifilm, and Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ:SHLD) is moving toward selling its Kenmore brand.

Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Own For 2019: Bank of the Ozarks(OZRK)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Bank of the Ozarks (NASDAQ:OZRK) has been assigned a consensus rating of “Hold” from the twelve ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, six have given a hold recommendation and five have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price objective among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $54.14.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Bank Of The Ozarks Inc (NASDAQ:OZRK) declared a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, July 3rd, Wall Street Journal reports. Investors of record on Friday, July 13th will be given a dividend of 0.20 per share by the financial services provider on Friday, July 20th. This represents a $0.80 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.76%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, July 12th. This is an increase from Bank Of The Ozarks’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.20.

• [By Stephen Mack]

  Bank of the Ozarks Inc. (Nasdaq: OZRK) began in 1903 with a community bank in Jasper, Ark. Now headquartered in Little Rock, the company operates more than 255 locations in the southeast, as well as in California, Texas, and New York.

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

  Bank of the Ozarks (NASDAQ: OZRK)Q2 2018 Bank Of The Ozarks Earnings CallJul. 12, 2018, 3:00 pm ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Bank Of The Ozarks (OZRK)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lessened its stake in shares of Bank Of The Ozarks Inc (NASDAQ:OZRK) by 3.2% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 196,473 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 6,499 shares during the quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company’s holdings in Bank Of The Ozarks were worth $9,484,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Own For 2019: S&W Seed Company(SANW)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on S&W Seed (SANW)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  S&w Seed (NASDAQ:SANW) – Equities researchers at B. Riley decreased their Q3 2019 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for S&w Seed in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, May 10th. B. Riley analyst S. Sherbetchyan now anticipates that the company will post earnings of $0.00 per share for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $0.01. B. Riley has a “Buy” rating and a $5.50 price objective on the stock.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Alico (NASDAQ: ALCO) and S&W Seed (NASDAQ:SANW) are both small-cap consumer staples companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations, valuation, institutional ownership, risk and dividends.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on S&w Seed (SANW)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Neuberger Berman Group LLC raised its stake in S&W Seed (NASDAQ:SANW) by 43.6% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 73,415 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 22,293 shares during the period. Neuberger Berman Group LLC owned 0.30% of S&W Seed worth $264,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Own For 2019: Arris Group Inc(ARRS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson (NASDAQ:ERIC) and ARRIS International (NASDAQ:ARRS) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, valuation, profitability, risk, dividends and earnings.

• [By Max Byerly]

  LSV Asset Management lifted its stake in ARRIS International plc (NASDAQ:ARRS) by 178.4% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 101,897 shares of the communications equipment provider’s stock after buying an additional 65,297 shares during the period. LSV Asset Management’s holdings in ARRIS International were worth $2,490,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Strs Ohio increased its stake in shares of ARRIS International plc (NASDAQ:ARRS) by 6.2% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 4,728,995 shares of the communications equipment provider’s stock after buying an additional 273,995 shares during the quarter. Strs Ohio owned about 2.54% of ARRIS International worth $115,600,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Earnest Partners LLC increased its position in shares of ARRIS International plc (NASDAQ:ARRS) by 0.4% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 591,282 shares of the communications equipment provider’s stock after buying an additional 2,531 shares during the period. Earnest Partners LLC owned 0.32% of ARRIS International worth $15,710,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Jefferies sees this stock as another top value play in 2018. It has been a favorite at the firm for some time and remains a top small-cap pick. Arris International PLC (NASDAQ: ARRS) provides media entertainment and data communications solutions in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments.

Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Own For 2019: Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (BND)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  APCM Wealth Management for Individuals cut its position in shares of Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (NYSEARCA:BND) by 2.9% during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The firm owned 350,510 shares of the company’s stock after selling 10,464 shares during the quarter. Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF makes up approximately 9.7% of APCM Wealth Management for Individuals’ portfolio, making the stock its 3rd biggest position. APCM Wealth Management for Individuals’ holdings in Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF were worth $28,016,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  PFS Investments Inc. grew its holdings in Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (NYSEARCA:BND) by 13.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The firm owned 255,093 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 30,677 shares during the quarter. Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF accounts for about 1.4% of PFS Investments Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 23rd biggest holding. PFS Investments Inc.’s holdings in Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF were worth $20,076,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Selena Maranjian]

  You can also opt for exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, that focus on the same indexes -- such as the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: SPY), Vanguard Total Stock Market ETF (NYSEMKT: VTI), and Vanguard Total World Stock ETF (NYSEMKT: VT). You can balance out your portfolio with bonds via index mutual funds and ETFs, too. The Vanguard Total Bond Market ETF (NYSEMKT: BND) is one such option.

Top 10 Clean Energy Stocks To Own For 2019: Tower International, Inc.(TOWR)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Tower International Inc (NYSE:TOWR) has received a consensus recommendation of “Buy” from the eight brokerages that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $37.33.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Delphi Management Inc. MA reduced its position in shares of Tower International Inc (NYSE:TOWR) by 8.8% during the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 20,753 shares of the auto parts company’s stock after selling 2,005 shares during the quarter. Delphi Management Inc. MA owned about 0.10% of Tower International worth $670,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Here are some of the news articles that may have impacted Accern’s analysis:

  Get Tower International alerts: Bridging North America will build Gordie Howe International Bridge (windsorstar.com) Woods Bagot Unveils Design of Firm’s First Grade a Office Tower in Manila (dexigner.com) Gordie Howe International Bridge will be longest cable-stayed bridge in North America (clickondetroit.com) China Tower Is Said to Start Gauging Demand for Hong Kong IPO (bloomberg.com) Brokerages Expect Tower International Inc (TOWR) Will Announce Earnings of $1.08 Per Share (americanbankingnews.com)

  TOWR has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Tower International from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $30.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Saturday, May 5th. ValuEngine downgraded Tower International from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 2nd. Finally, Roth Capital initiated coverage on Tower International in a research report on Thursday, May 24th. They set a “buy” rating and a $41.00 target price on the stock. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. The company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $35.50.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Tower International (TOWR)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Tower International Inc (NYSE:TOWR) has received an average rating of “Hold” from the five ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, two have issued a hold recommendation and one has given a buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $30.00.

Pot Stocks Are Paying Absurd Premiums for Acquisitions, and the Data Proves It

The green flag is officially waving on the legal-cannabis industry. This past October, Canada ended nine decades of recreational-marijuana prohibition and became the first industrialized country in the world to legalize adult-use weed. Soon after, a number of U.S. states legalized medical pot or expanded its use to adult consumers. Then, in December, the groundbreaking Farm Bill was passed in the U.S., giving the green light to hemp and hemp-based cannabidiol products.

This sort of perfect storm of marijuana (and hemp) momentum has led to some very robust growth estimates for the industry. A co-authored report from Arcview Market Research and BDS Analytics that was recently released calls for 38% global sales growth in 2019, and a more than doubling in global revenue between 2018 and 2022 to $31.3 billion. Meanwhile, investment bank Cowen Group, which is arguably the biggest fan of the cannabis industry among Wall Street firms, is calling for $75 billion in worldwide sales by 2030.

Image source: Getty Images.

Marijuana buyouts could soon become commonplace

This expectation of rapid growth, coupled with extraordinary demand from consumers in Canada and in select legal U.S. states, has been the impetus behind a wave of cannabis acquisitions throughout North America. Although we're only seeing the tip of the iceberg in terms of consolidation, especially in Canada's pot-growing industry, we have seen a number of modest to large acquisitions made.

As an example, Aurora Cannabis (NYSE:ACB), Canada's projected top-tier grower by peak annual output, acquired CanniMed Therapeutics for $852 million, MedReleaf for about $2 billion, and ICC Labs for almost $200 million, last year. Aurora also announced the $132 million purchase of Whistler Medical Marijuana in January, which has yet to close. There were a handful of additional smaller transactions for Aurora as well.

Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC), Aurora's biggest rival, at least in terms of peak production, has purchased Colorado-based hemp research company ebbu for about $330 million, Hiku Brands for just north of $200 million, and Mettrum Health in early 2017 for around $325 million. Like Aurora, Canopy Growth has made other purchases, but these are the most prominent.

As the desire for consolidation increases, deals should become more commonplace.

But there's just one problem: Pot stocks aren't very good at valuing the companies they're buying.

Image source: Getty Images.

Cannabis acquisitions are making little financial sense in the early going

When one company buys another, it's extremely common for a premium to be paid by the acquirer. In other words, the purchasing company usually needs to sweeten the pot to get the other company's management team, board of directors, and potentially shareholders, on board. The issue is that it's really difficult to value pot stocks right now because the legal industry is still in its infancy. Thus, placing a premium on a value that's nothing more than a dart throw in a pitch-black room is leading to some financial humdingers on company balance sheets.

Though it's a figure the average investor often overlooks, goodwill is telling an interesting story for weed companies that have been active in the acquisition department. Goodwill is a way of quantifying the "premium" an acquirer pays above and beyond the tangible assets acquired. A good way to think about goodwill is this: The more of it there is, the more a company potentially overpaid when making acquisitions.

Of course, things are never cut-and-dried in the investment world. Goodwill can be something worth overlooking if future growth prospects, cost synergies from a combination, or other intangible factors, such as superior branding or a tenured management team, whittle away at this premium paid over time. The question is, "Will that happen with pot stocks?" While it's possible, the sheer amount of goodwill being lugged around by some pot stocks as a percentage of total assets is mindboggling.

Image source: Getty Images.

The prime offenders

A few days ago, following Aurora Cannabis' second-quarter report, I singled the company out for its exceptionally high goodwill total as a percentage of total assets. At the end of calendar year 2018, Aurora had $3.06 billion Canadian in goodwill, which represents 63% of total assets. Some 80% of the value of the company's flagship MedReleaf deal has been recorded as goodwill, with every other recent deal being recognized with large amounts of goodwill attached.

But this isn't just an Aurora problem, even if it's the easiest pot stock to point the finger at. Canopy Growth ended the fiscal second quarter (through Sept. 30, 2018) with CA$1.11 billion in goodwill and another CA$103.9 million in intangible assets. With total assets of just shy of CA$3 billion, 37% of the company's total assets are devoted to goodwill, with this figure rising to about 41% if intangible assets are included. 

It's not even just a Canadian problem. iAnthus Capital Holdings (NASDAQOTH:ITHUF), a vertically integrated cannabis dispensary with a focus on the U.S. market, recently closed on its purchase of MPX Bioceutical. This roughly $600 million deal increases the number of states iAnthus has access to from six to 11, and lifts its retail license count to 63. But take a gander at its most recent quarterly filing and you'll see that CA$7.2 million in goodwill has not so magically transformed into CA$75.9 million in goodwill over a nine-month period, through Sept. 30, 2018. This represents 55% of the company's total assets.

Long story short, it would appear that pot stocks are so eager to consolidate that they're grossly overpaying for their acquisitions. While it's possible the value of these deals could be realized over time, it's just as likely that big writedowns and subsequent revaluations from investors could await.

Rand Capital (RAND) Upgraded to C by TheStreet

TheStreet upgraded shares of Rand Capital (NASDAQ:RAND) from a d+ rating to a c rating in a research note released on Wednesday morning.

RAND traded up $0.02 during trading on Wednesday, reaching $2.99. The company had a trading volume of 252 shares, compared to its average volume of 122,866. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26, a quick ratio of 315.33 and a current ratio of 315.33. Rand Capital has a 12 month low of $2.05 and a 12 month high of $3.60. The firm has a market cap of $18.88 million, a P/E ratio of 100.00 and a beta of 0.05.

Get Rand Capital alerts:

About Rand Capital

Rand Capital Corporation is a business development company specializing in venture capital and private equity investments. The firm prefers to make investments through equity or debt instruments in early venture, expansion stage, and in small to medium-sized privately held companies. It generally lends to more mature companies.

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The 12 wealthiest presidents in US history

In the early days of American democracy, being a wealthy, white, male landowner was a prerequisite to having a voice in how the country was run. So it should come as no surprise that many of America's leaders have been staggeringly wealthy.

Winning a bid for the presidency requires a significant amount of hard work and good luck, but it is often helpful to have another key resource – wealth. Money and connections play a role in politics, and coming from a wealthy family can be the determining factor in whether someone's presidential aspirations are realized. The U.S. has seen a number of political dynasties built on wealth, including the Kennedys, the Bushes and the Adams.

24/7 Wall St. determined the net worths of every president based on all relevant sources of wealth, including incomes, properties, spouses and inheritance. There are 12 U.S. presidents with an estimated net worth of at least $50 million.

Donald Trump, who became the richest ever U.S. president in 2017, made most of his money through real estate. (Photo11: Win McNamee / Getty Images)

Donald Trump, who became the richest ever U.S. president in 2017, made most of his money through real estate. But Trump still had significant advantages in becoming rich. In 1971 he took over his father's real estate company, the Trump Organization.

Many other presidents inherited almost all of their money and, having spent most of their adult lives in public service, never expanded much on it. 

Founding fathers like George Washington, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison came from extremely wealthy land-owning families. There was no such thing as law school as these men were growing up, so if someone wanted to pursue a career in the law they had to hire a private tutor or study under a practicing lawyer – options that are very difficult to come by for someone in poverty.

Still, not every president on this list started out wealthy. Herbert Hoover was orphaned as a small child, but he made a significant fortune as mining engineer and executive. Bill Clinton was able to leverage the power he gained as president to earn a fortune through book deals and speaking engagements.

Calculating wealth hundreds of years after many of these presidents served is a challenging task, especially given the ways that wealth and finances have changed since the U.S. was first founded. Historical sources often give a range for a president's net worth, adjusted for today's dollar value.

24/7 Wall St. analyzed the finances of U.S. presidents based on historical sources. The figures are adjusted for inflation to December 2018 levels, the most recent available. We have accounted for hard assets such as real estate, estimated lifetime savings based on work history, and inheritance. We also considered annual salaries, incomes earned from royalties on books, ownership of companies, yields from family estates, and other forms of income.

The ranking is based on peak net worth, or how much a president's combined assets were worth at the time in his life when he was the richest. Many presidents became impoverished or even went into debt after their time in office.

John Tyler (Photo11: National Archives / Newsmakers / Getty Images)

12. John Tyler

• Term: 1841-1845 (10th president)
• Source of fortune: Inherited
• Peak net worth (inflation adjusted) $57.7 million

John Tyler was one of many presidents who received a large amount of land from relatives that set him up for future financial success. Tyler inherited a thriving tobacco plantation from his parents in Virginia. His first wife, Letitia, was also wealthy. She died while he was in office, leaving him with an even greater fortune.

11. Franklin Delano Roosevelt

• Term: 1933-1945 (32nd president)
• Source of fortune: Inherited
• Peak net worth (inflation adjusted) $66.8 million

Coming from the wealthy and powerful Roosevelt family, Franklin Delano Roosevelt always had a financial safety net. In fact, he needed financial help from his mother in 1919, just nine years before he was elected Governor of New York. Since he spent almost his entire adult life in public service, FDR never aimed to increase his fortune and died in office after being elected president for a fourth time.

10. William Jefferson Clinton

• Term: 1993- 2001 (42nd president)
• Source of fortune: Books, speeches
• Peak net worth (inflation adjusted) $75.9 million

Since leaving office, Bill Clinton has made millions from his 2005 book "My Life." Much of his wealth, however, actually comes from his wife, Hillary. The former secretary of state reportedly received a $14 million advance for her 2014 memoir "Hard Choices," and she made millions from a number of paid speeches. Because the two are married, their net worths are combined.

Herbert Clark Hoover (Photo11: General Photographic Agency / Getty Images)

9. Herbert Clark Hoover

• Term: 1929-1933 (31st president)
• Source of fortune: Mining
• Peak net worth (inflation adjusted) $83.0 million

Herbert Hoover was orphaned as a child, but overcame his struggles to become very successful. After graduating from Stanford and before entering politics, Hoover worked as a mining engineer. He went on to own several Burmese silver mines and write a mining engineering textbook, all of which combined to make him quite wealthy.

8. Lyndon Baines Johnson

• Term: 1963-1969 (36th president)
• Source of fortune: Broadcasting
• Peak net worth (inflation adjusted) $109.3 million

Lyndon Baines Johnson owned a number of assets, including livestock and 1,500 acres of land in Texas. However, the main source of income for Johnson and his wife Lady Bird came from their Texas TV and radio station business. Though the radio station KTBC was technically in Lady Bird's name, LBJ reportedly used his considerable influence as a member of Congress to make the acquisition go smoothly and make the station a success. The Johnsons later expanded their portfolio to include other TV and radio stations in Texas.

James Madison (Photo11: National Archives / Getty Images)

7. James Madison

• Term: 1809-1817 (4th president)
• Source of fortune: Inherited
• Peak net worth (inflation adjusted) $113.3 million

James Madison was born to wealthy parents in Orange County, Virginia. His parents ran a successful plantation and eventually built the famed Montpelier estate on their land. They owned over several thousand acres of land and dozens of slaves. Though wealthy at one point, Madison's money dwindled towards the end of his life. His plantation was not successful, and his stepson burned through much of his money because of drinking and gambling problems.

6. Andrew Jackson

• Term: 1829-1837 (7th president)
• Source of fortune: Plantation
• Peak net worth (inflation adjusted) $132.6 million

Andrew Jackson was born poor but made money through his law practice. He also inherited a fortune from his wife Rachel. By 1804, Jackson owned nine slaves and was wealthy enough to build a mansion, the Hermitage. As the estate grew more successful, he continued to expand the land and purchase more slaves. Jackson owned close to 150 people at the time of his death.

Theodore Roosevelt (Photo11: George C. Beresford / Hulton Archive / Getty Images)

5. Theodore Roosevelt

• Term: 1901-1909 (26th president)
• Source of fortune: Inherited
• Peak net worth (inflation adjusted) $139.7 million

Theodore Roosevelt came from a wealthy and prominent family. His fifth cousin, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, appears earlier on this list. Teddy Roosevelt, though, was significantly wealthier, having inherited a large trust fund. Though he was born wealthy, Roosevelt never worked much to increase his wealth, as he spent almost his entire adult life in public service since being elected to the New York State Assembly at 23. He sunk much of his fortune into a ranch in the Dakota Territory.

4. Thomas Jefferson

• Term: 1801-1809 (3rd president)
• Source of fortune: Inherited
• Peak net worth (inflation adjusted) $236.8 million

When he was a teen, Thomas Jefferson inherited 3,000 acres of land from his father near present-day Charlottesville, Virginia. Jefferson greatly expanded the land to 5,000 acres and built his architecturally advanced home Monticello. Though he was extremely wealthy for most of his life, he died in a great deal of debt, and his eldest daughter had to rely on charity for income.

George Washington (Photo11: Three Lions / Getty Images)

3. George Washington

• Term: 1789-1797 (1st president)
• Source of fortune: Inherited
• Peak net worth (inflation adjusted) $587.0 million

George Washington was America's first president and also its wealthiest for more than a century. He inherited his extremely successful plantation, Mount Vernon, from his half-brother. Washington also made substantial money as a general and as president. Washington's presidential salary in 1789 was 2% of the total U.S. budget. For context, 2% of 2017's federal budget would be about $80 billion, though the United States obviously was not as wealthy back then.

2. John Fitzgerald Kennedy

• Term: 1961-1963 (35th president)
• Source of fortune: Inherited
• Peak net worth (inflation adjusted) $1.1 billion

The Kennedys are one of the most powerful and influential families in American politics, and that was even more true in the 1960s. John F. Kennedy's father, Joe, made much of his fortune through banking and investing. He was one of the richest men in the United States, and the family fortune endures to this day. Kennedy clearly benefited from his family fortune, but estimating his exact net worth at its highest point is especially difficult. He had a number of other siblings sharing a portion of the trust. On top of the Kennedy family's wealth, Kennedy's wife Jacqueline was heiress to a vast oil fortune. The couple's combined wealth amounted to more than a billion dollars when adjusted for inflation.

1. Donald John Trump

• Term: 2017-current (45th president)
• Source of fortune: Real estate
• Peak net worth (inflation adjusted) $3.1 billion

Before he entered politics, Donald Trump was a prominent figure in New York City's real estate scene. Trump took over his father's business and grew it into an empire. Though many of his other businesses have failed, Trump's vast property holdings make him by far the wealthiest president of all time. In addition to a number of New York City buildings, Trump owns over a dozen golf clubs and many resorts. Trump broke precedent when he declined to release his tax returns as a candidate, so it is difficult to know his exact worth – what is certain is that he is extremely wealthy.

24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

 

Top Canadian Stocks To Own For 2019

tags:CS,ARG,CM,THO,

Yesterday, shares of the Canadian marijuana investment firm Cronos Group (NASDAQ:CRON) took an absolute beating. During normal trading hours, the company's stock fell by over 28%, and then it slipped another 6.9% in after-hours trading. What in the world happened?

Cronos' shares cratered yesterday for three separate reasons:

Citron Research's Andrew Left kicked off the downtrend by saying that Cronos is "deceiving the investing public" about its supply agreements with Canadian provinces and that its international footprint isn't as large as some of its chief competitors. As a result, the company might not be an ideal partner for U.K.-based beverage maker Diageo (NYSE:DEO). Diageo has been rumored to be engaging in talks with a handful of Canadian pot companies regarding a possible equity stake, according to BNN Bloomberg. News slipped out yesterday that President Trump has reportedly formed a secret committee to downplay the health benefits of marijuana. This unexpected development seems to pour cold water on the notion that Trump might move to legalize marijuana at the federal level or, at the very least, make it a states' rights issue as promised on multiple occasions.   Lastly, Cronos and nearly all of its large-cap marijuana peers have seen their shares prices tear higher over the last two weeks in anticipation of the upcoming legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada this October. In short, this widespread rally was probably ripe for a pullback.

Image source: Getty Images.

Top Canadian Stocks To Own For 2019: Credit Suisse Group(CS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  UBS Group set a €21.50 ($24.43) price target on AXA (EPA:CS) in a research note published on Monday morning, www.boersen-zeitung.de reports. The firm currently has a neutral rating on the stock.

• [By Dustin Parrett]

  Just look at what happened to traders who got involved in the now-defunct VelocityShares Daily Inverse ETN (XIV), a particularly nasty piece of financial engineering created by Credit Suisse Group (NYSE: CS).

• [By Max Byerly]

  HSBC set a €27.00 ($32.14) price objective on AXA (EPA:CS) in a research report released on Wednesday. The firm currently has a buy rating on the stock.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Vicor Corporation (NASDAQ: VICR) rose 19.7 percent to $35 in pre-market trading. Vicor posted Q1 earnings of $0.10 per share on sales of $65.2 million. Check-Cap Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHEK) shares rose 13.5 percent to $16.88 in pre-market trading after climbing 104.82 percent on Tuesday. Cree, Inc. (NASDAQ: CREE) shares rose 11.3 percent to $43.81 in pre-market trading as the company reported upbeat results for its third quarter on Tuesday. The Clorox Company (NYSE: CLX) rose 9.6 percent to $125.98 in pre-market trading. Aduro BioTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADRO) rose 5.8 percent to $7.25 in pre-market trading after falling 1.44 percent on Tuesday. STMicroelectronics N.V. (NYSE: STM) rose 5.2 percent to $22.42 in pre-market trading after reporting Q1 results. Twitter, Inc. (NYSE: TWTR) rose 5.2 percent to $32.05 in pre-market trading as the company reported stronger-than-expected results for its first quarter on Wednesday. Credit Suisse Group AG (NYSE: CS) rose 5 percent to $17.11 in pre-market trading following strong Q1 results. Harmony Gold Mining Company Limited (NYSE: HMY) shares rose 4.4 percent to $2.02 in pre-market trading. 22nd Century Group, Inc. (NYSE: XXII) rose 4.9 percent to $2.15 in pre-market trading after dropping 8.07 percent on Tuesday. Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ: TXN) rose 4.1 percent to $102.40 in pre-market trading after the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings for its first quarter on Tuesday. iRobot Corporation (NASDAQ: IRBT) rose 3.3 percent to $61 in pre-market trading following upbeat quarterly earnings.

  Find out what's going on in today's market and bring any questions you have to Benzinga's PreMarket Prep.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Credit Suisse Group (NYSE:CS) was downgraded by investment analysts at ValuEngine from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report issued on Friday.

Top Canadian Stocks To Own For 2019: Airgas Inc.(ARG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Argentum (CURRENCY:ARG) traded 3.6% lower against the US dollar during the one day period ending at 19:00 PM ET on May 27th. In the last week, Argentum has traded 2.8% lower against the US dollar. Argentum has a total market capitalization of $1.66 million and approximately $610.00 worth of Argentum was traded on exchanges in the last day. One Argentum coin can currently be purchased for about $0.17 or 0.00002374 BTC on popular cryptocurrency exchanges including Cryptopia and CoinExchange.

Top Canadian Stocks To Own For 2019: Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce(CM)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  A number of firms have modified their ratings and price targets on shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSE: CM) recently:

  6/6/2018 – Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was upgraded by analysts at Citigroup Inc from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating. They now have a C$130.00 price target on the stock, up previously from C$125.00. 5/24/2018 – Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was downgraded by analysts at National Bank Financial from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating. They now have a C$124.00 price target on the stock, down previously from C$136.00. 5/24/2018 – Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce had its price target lowered by analysts at Scotiabank from C$131.00 to C$127.00. They now have a “sector perform” rating on the stock. 5/24/2018 – Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce had its price target lowered by analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from C$141.00 to C$135.00. They now have a “sector perform” rating on the stock. 5/24/2018 – Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce was given a new C$140.00 price target on by analysts at Eight Capital. 5/24/2018 – Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce had its price target raised by analysts at Barclays PLC from C$133.00 to C$138.00.

  CM traded up C$0.59 on Wednesday, reaching C$115.86. 987,570 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,290,708. Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce has a fifty-two week low of C$103.84 and a fifty-two week high of C$124.37.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Shares of Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSE:CM) (NYSE:CM) have earned an average recommendation of “Hold” from the twelve research firms that are presently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and one has assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is C$130.33.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (NYSE:CM) (TSE:CM) declared a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, May 23rd, Zacks reports. Stockholders of record on Thursday, June 28th will be paid a dividend of 1.036 per share by the bank on Friday, July 27th. This represents a $4.14 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 4.63%. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, June 27th.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TSE:CM) (NYSE:CM) – Analysts at Desjardins reduced their Q2 2018 earnings per share estimates for Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, May 2nd. Desjardins analyst D. Young now forecasts that the company will post earnings of $2.85 per share for the quarter, down from their prior estimate of $2.86.

Top Canadian Stocks To Own For 2019: Thor Industries Inc.(THO)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Somerset Trust Co purchased a new position in shares of Thor Industries, Inc. (NYSE:THO) during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund purchased 3,352 shares of the construction company’s stock, valued at approximately $326,000.

• [By ]

  Thor Industries (THO) : "They had expenses and inventory go up and it's been hurt by both. Those are negatives."

  Hain Celestial Group (HAIN) : "They had a bad quarter with bad guidance. I can't reassure you here. "

• [By Asit Sharma]

  Winnebago's total backlog increased by 36% against the comparable prior year quarter, to $193.1 million. Competitor Thor Industries' (NYSE:THO) quarterly earnings, reported earlier this month, revealed a backlog reduction of 18%. Although Thor's management presented a credible argument that the organization's backlog reduction is due to increased production capability, its shareholders nonetheless have worried over demand trends. Winnebago's own backlog growth provides a more positive data point for those taking stock of the larger RV industry. 

• [By Shane Hupp]

  News articles about Tahoe Resources (NYSE:TAHO) (TSE:THO) have trended somewhat positive this week, Accern Sentiment reports. The research group scores the sentiment of news coverage by monitoring more than twenty million news and blog sources. Accern ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of negative one to one, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Tahoe Resources earned a media sentiment score of 0.07 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave headlines about the basic materials company an impact score of 48.1975954881896 out of 100, meaning that recent news coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the company’s share price in the immediate future.

WarnerMedia's Streaming Plans Are Already Confusing

One of the things that makes Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) appealing is its simplicity. It's pretty clear what you're getting with Netflix's three pricing tiers; the only differences are the resolution of the video stream and how many simultaneous streams are allowed. While some licensed content may come and go from month to month, it's a sure bet that Netflix's original productions will be available for streaming indefinitely.

AT&T's (NYSE:T) plans for its forthcoming WarnerMedia streaming service are a bit more confusing. First of all, it'll have three tiers of content. Second, management can't even agree over what content should be exclusive to the platform and what it will license to others. Both issues may confuse consumers, which could lead them to avoid WarnerMedia's service altogether.

Image source: HBO.

Three tiers of content

Last October, AT&T announced its plans to use the various assets of WarnerMedia to offer a three-tiered streaming service, with HBO as the cornerstone. In some cases, customers might need to subscribe to the most-expensive tier to gain access to the content they want.

That's in contrast to Disney's (NYSE:DIS) plan, which is to offer a discount for taking more than one of its three streaming services. Disney won't require customers to pay for content they don't want.

Adding to the confusion, HBO Now will remain a separate service, yet WarnerMedia's service will include HBO's content in one of its tiers. Furthermore, some content tiers will have ads while others won't.

All of this adds up to a product offering that lacks the simplicity of Netflix or the flexibility of Disney. With Netflix, everybody gets the same content. With Disney, consumers have more freedom to pick and choose what they want. With WarnerMedia, the bundle of content is confusing.

The company can't agree on content

Late last year, WarnerMedia agreed to license Friends on a non-exclusive basis to Netflix for 2019. Friends is arguably the most valuable content in WarnerMedia's back catalog.

When asked about it on AT&T's fourth-quarter earnings call, CEO Randall Stephenson stated that "exclusivity is probably not that critical on that type of content." Two weeks later, head of content Kevin Reilly said, "Sharing destination assets like that, it's not a good model to share. ... They should be exclusive to the service."

There's clearly some internal confusion and debate about which content should be exclusive to WarnerMedia's streaming service, and which content should be licensed to other platforms.

Reilly also briefly described what he calls "dynamic windowing"; he said the strategy will enable WarnerMedia to offer "the right product on the right platform at the right time." Ultimately, he explained that content will come and go from the WarnerMedia streaming platform. So, customers who love certain series and films from WarnerMedia may be disappointed regarding the availability of that content on WarnerMedia's own platform.

Disney, by contrast, is pulling its content from licensed deals with Netflix and others in favor of its own Disney+ and Hulu platforms. If someone is a fan of a Disney show, they'll find it on Disney+. Likewise, Netflix -- although it has syndicated content to linear television networks in the past -- isn't looking to license any of its original productions to rival streaming platforms.

Not only is WarnerMedia confusing consumers about what they'll get from each tier of service, it's also not making it clear what will be available and when it'll be available to stream. Such a muddled message to consumers won't go over well, especially with a growing number of competing services offered by other media companies.

Hot Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2019

tags:ALNY,AMGN,ARQL,BIIB, What happened

After reporting data from a phase 1/2 clinical trial, shares of ProQR Therapeutics N.V. (NASDAQ:PRQR), a clinical-stage biotech focused on RNA medicines that treat rare genetic diseases, rose 70% as of 12:13 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.

So what

ProQR reported results from its phase 1/2 trial that is testing its compound called QR-110 as a hopeful treatment for LCA10, which is a genetic mutation that usually leads to childhood blindness.

Image source: Getty Images.

Here are the key takeaways from the study:

Use of QR-110 led to improvements in vision of the majority of patients when measured using visual acuity and the mobility course performance tests. Specifically, about 60% of patients showed a clinically meaningful response to the drug after three months of treatment. A secondary study also showed that the efficacy effects of the drug persisted beyond three months.  The drug was well-tolerated by study participants, and no serious adverse events were reported. A pivotal phase 2/3 trial is set to start in the first half of 2019.

Commenting on the study results, Dr. David Rodman, an executive vice president of R&D at ProQR, stated:

Hot Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2019: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ALNY)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) was downgraded by analysts at Zacks Investment Research from a hold rating to a sell rating. According to Zacks, “Although Alnylam has a broad and promising pipeline, we note that most candidates are in mid stages of development. These candidates still have a long way to go before hitting the market. The company relies highly on collaborators for funding. Any development/regulatory setback would be a negative for the company.  However, Alnylam reported positive data from the ATLAS study in the first quarter which led to regulatory filings for its late-stage pipeline candidate patisiran and the FDA set an action date of Aug 11, 2018. The company along with its partners Sanofi and The Medicines Company, restarted fitusiran's ATLAS phase III study and advanced inclisiran in the ORION-9, -10, and -11 phase III studies, respectively, with results expected for both programs in 2019. Alnylam expects to achieve the profile of three marketed products by the end of 2020.”

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  BidaskClub lowered shares of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report released on Monday.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Speaking of competition, Ionis should have its hands full battling rivals for Tegsedi assuming the drug wins approval. Alnylam (NASDAQ:ALNY) anticipates winning FDA approval for its hATTR drug patisiran within a few weeks. Because the FDA delayed its decision on Tegsedi, Alnylam appears to be in position to reach the market first. In addition to its first-mover advantage, patisiran appears to have an edge over Tegsedi in efficacy and safety based on clinical data for the two drugs. 

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

Hot Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2019: Amgen Inc.(AMGN)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Philadelphia Trust Co. decreased its holdings in Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) by 8.0% during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 74,676 shares of the medical research company’s stock after selling 6,501 shares during the quarter. Amgen makes up 1.2% of Philadelphia Trust Co.’s portfolio, making the stock its 22nd biggest position. Philadelphia Trust Co.’s holdings in Amgen were worth $13,784,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) actually have quite a bit in common. They co-market one of the world's best-selling drugs, Enbrel. They both face some headwinds with declining sales of older drugs. Each company has promising new drugs. And both stocks are up by nearly the same percentage over the last 12 months.

• [By Chris Lange]

  Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) saw its short interest fall to 9.62 million shares from the previous level of 9.79 million. Shares were last seen at $178.26, in a 52-week trading range of $153.56 to $201.23.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD), Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN), and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) rank as the three top biopharmaceutical companies when it comes to cash stockpiles. Here's what these drugmakers are most likely to do with all that money -- and whether or not you should consider investing some of your hard-earned cash to buy their stocks.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Amgen (AMGN)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

Hot Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2019: ArQule Inc.(ARQL)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on ArQule (ARQL)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Logan Wallace]

  ValuEngine downgraded shares of ArQule (NASDAQ:ARQL) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report sent to investors on Saturday.

  Several other brokerages also recently issued reports on ARQL. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of ArQule from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $2.75 target price for the company in a research note on Tuesday, May 8th. B. Riley set a $4.00 target price on shares of ArQule and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Monday, March 26th. Roth Capital raised their target price on shares of ArQule from $5.00 to $6.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 17th. BidaskClub upgraded shares of ArQule from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note on Saturday, May 19th. Finally, Leerink Swann upgraded shares of ArQule from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research note on Thursday, April 5th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. The company has an average rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $5.35.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  ArQule (NASDAQ:ARQL)‘s stock had its “buy” rating restated by equities researchers at Needham & Company LLC in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. They currently have a $6.00 price target on the biotechnology company’s stock, up from their prior price target of $5.00. Needham & Company LLC’s price target suggests a potential upside of 134.38% from the company’s previous close.

Hot Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2019: Biogen Idec Inc(BIIB)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  The iShares biotech ETF has a structure that's familiar to anyone who invests regularly in exchange-traded funds. The ETF tracks an index of nearly 200 biotech and pharmaceutical stocks, with roughly 80% of assets dedicated to true biotechs and the rest split evenly between pharma and life sciences equipment and services providers. Top ETF holdings Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB), Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN), and Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) make up a total of roughly 25% of the fund's assets.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Wall Street continued its downward streak on Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling more than 100 points. Most major benchmarks fell more modestly, with a few actually poking into positive territory on the day. Trade-sensitive stocks were among the weakest as investors focused on uncertainty related to tariff disputes between the U.S. and China. But for some other companies, bad news of a different sort was responsible for the drops in their shares. Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB), Baytex Energy (NYSE:BTE), and Catalyst Biosciences (NASDAQ:CBIO) were among the worst performers on the day. Here's why they did so poorly.

• [By Chris Lange]

  Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: IONS) shares made a handy gain on Friday after the firm announced an expanded strategic collaboration with Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB). Through this partnership, these companies are planning to tackle and develop novel antisense drug candidates for a broad range of neurological diseases.

Hold Marico; target of Rs 400: ICICI Direct

ICICI Direct's research report on Marico

India business volumes witnessed muted growth of 5% YoY largely due to weakness in Saffola, non-core coconut oil and low end VAHO portfolio. Value growth of 12.8% for Q3FY19 was driven by price hike taken in Parachute portfolio to counter surge in copra prices over the last year. Parachute, VAHO and Saffola witnessed YoY volume growth of 9%, 7% and 2%, respectively While copra prices have corrected more than 23% YoY, inflation in crude derivatives and edible oil prices resulted in a 39 bps decline in gross margins. However, 20 bps & 55 bps saving in advertisement spend and overhead spend to sales, respectively, resulted in 20 bps improvement in operating margins to 18.8%.

Outlook

Copra, which accounts for 40% of the company's material costs, is a key raw material used to make coconut hair oil. Copra's price declined ~39% in November 2018 (Rs 88/kg) from a peak of Rs 144/kg in January 2018. However, copra price rebounded to Rs 106/kg from lows due to cyclone in Tamil Nadu. Marico expects copra prices to fall once the 'flush' season begins in April-May resulting in margin improvement going forward. We expect Marico to report healthy Revenue and PAT CAGR of 15.1% and 15.7%, respectively, in FY18-21E. We estimate 9% & 7% volume CAGR for hair oil and edible oil categories, respectively. However, we change our rating to HOLD as domestic volume growth has been muted in the last few quarters in an environment where its FMCG peers are reporting double digit volume growth on the back of the government's thrust on increasing farm incomes and higher election spend. We maintain our target price of Rs 400/share.

For all recommendations report, click here

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Read More First Published on Feb 11, 2019 04:33 pm

Robert Half International Inc. (RHI) Shares Sold by New Mexico Educational Retirement Board

New Mexico Educational Retirement Board lowered its stake in shares of Robert Half International Inc. (NYSE:RHI) by 5.5% during the 4th quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 10,403 shares of the business services provider’s stock after selling 600 shares during the quarter. New Mexico Educational Retirement Board’s holdings in Robert Half International were worth $595,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the business. Aviva PLC lifted its stake in shares of Robert Half International by 42.4% in the 3rd quarter. Aviva PLC now owns 86,982 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $6,122,000 after purchasing an additional 25,888 shares during the period. Affinity Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Robert Half International during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $3,629,000. Korea Investment CORP raised its stake in Robert Half International by 62.7% during the 3rd quarter. Korea Investment CORP now owns 264,400 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $18,608,000 after acquiring an additional 101,900 shares during the period. Baird Financial Group Inc. raised its stake in Robert Half International by 8.0% during the 3rd quarter. Baird Financial Group Inc. now owns 88,823 shares of the business services provider’s stock worth $6,164,000 after acquiring an additional 6,574 shares during the period. Finally, Engineers Gate Manager LP bought a new stake in Robert Half International during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $433,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 91.95% of the company’s stock.

Get Robert Half International alerts:

Shares of RHI opened at $63.40 on Friday. Robert Half International Inc. has a 1 year low of $51.35 and a 1 year high of $79.91. The company has a market cap of $7.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.56, a P/E/G ratio of 1.86 and a beta of 1.29.

Robert Half International (NYSE:RHI) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, January 29th. The business services provider reported $0.95 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.91 by $0.04. Robert Half International had a net margin of 7.49% and a return on equity of 39.15%. The business had revenue of $1.48 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.46 billion. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Robert Half International Inc. will post 4.08 earnings per share for the current year.

RHI has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Nomura decreased their target price on shares of Robert Half International to $80.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Wednesday, January 16th. Bank of America cut shares of Robert Half International from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 3rd. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Robert Half International from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $73.00 target price on the stock in a research note on Monday, January 28th. Barclays cut shares of Robert Half International from an “overweight” rating to an “underweight” rating and decreased their target price for the stock from $72.00 to $58.00 in a research note on Monday, November 19th. Finally, ValuEngine upgraded shares of Robert Half International from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 30th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have issued a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $70.20.

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About Robert Half International

Robert Half International Inc provides staffing and risk consulting services in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The company operates through three segments: Temporary and Consultant Staffing, Permanent Placement Staffing, and Risk Consulting and Internal Audit Services. It places temporary personnel for accounting, finance, and bookkeeping; temporary and full-time office and administrative personnel consisting of executive and administrative assistants, receptionists, and customer service representatives; full-time accounting, financial, tax, and accounting operations personnel; and information technology contract consultants and full-time employees in the areas of platform systems integration to end-user technical and desktop support, including specialists in application development, networking, systems integration and deployment, database design and administration, and security and business continuity.

Read More: Cost of Equity For A Business, Investors

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding RHI? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Robert Half International Inc. (NYSE:RHI).