Tesla will mark the beginning of the end for this bull market, warns Ralph Nader

Tesla shares — unsafe at any speed? Apparently so, according to the consumer advocate and former presidential candidate, who issued a stark warning this week, not only on the pricey stock, but on the market as a whole.

Chipmaker Intel Smashes Fourth-Quarter Targets, Guides Higher

Chipmaking giant Intel late Thursday smashed Wall Street's sales and earnings targets for the fourth quarter. The Intel earnings report sent INTC stock surging in extended trading.

• StockBeat: STMicro Nudges the Chipmaker Rally Onward

  Investing.com
• RPT-Wall St Week Ahead-With market at record highs, eyes on reports from chipmakers

  Reuters

Mark Cuban: Where the ‘frothy’ market goes from here depends on one thing

“Where else are you going to put your money?” the Dallas Mavericks owner asked, adding that low interest rates are like universal basic income, but for rich people.

• 
  The Latest: Soros unveils $1B university plan, blasts Trump

  Associated Press
• 
  Play it again, Barry: Davos 'Piano Man' gets new gig

  Reuters

Tax breaks for college tuition and medical expenses just came back from the dead — read this before filing your taxes

The new legislation retroactively resurrects and/or extends a bunch of individual and business federal income tax breaks, which we will call the extenders. As its name indicates, the Act also includes a bevy of federal tax relief provisions for disaster victims. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) set the threshold for itemized medical expense deductions at 7.5% of adjusted gross income (AGI) for 2017 and 2018.

FICO scores, the 'most important numbers in your financial life,' are about to change

Consumers who miss credit payments or amass more debt will see falling credit scores under new FICO standards. On-time payers will get a boost.

• 
  What Democrats are doing to get the Social Security vote out

  Yahoo Finance Video
• 
  DC AG sues presidential inaugural cmte, alleging abuse of funds

  Yahoo Finance Video

Goldman Sachs: These 3 Stocks Are Poised to Surge by at Least 15%

The stock analysts at Goldman Sachs have been busy. The bank – one of the world’s largest and most influential investment and financial services organizations, with alumni in government positions throughout the major Western nations – maintains a cadre of Wall Street experts, who keep close tabs on the constant shiftings of the stock markets. The result is a wealth of expert opinion, backed by data, on the current go-to investments.All of this is bread and butter for TipRanks, a platform that makes financial recommendations accountable, and expensive institutional datasets available, to all investors. We’ve pulled up three of Goldman’s recent tech sector stock picks, and run them through TipRanks' Stock Screener tool to confirm that Goldman is in the majority on Wall Street in recommending these equities.So, here are the results. Three tech stocks that usually fly under the radar – but Goldman sees them all with more than 15% upside potential in the coming year.GSX Techedu, Inc. (GSX)First on our list is an education-related tech stock from China. GSX is a software company, providing educational packages for after-school tutoring. The company is a leader in the K-12, large-class, after-school market in China, an important segment in a culture that puts a premium on education.A combination of factors worked to push GSX shares sharply upward in December – as much as 24%. While’s China’s overall economic growth has been slowing in recent years, and the trade tensions with the US have put pressures on most sectors of the Chinese economy, Chinese parents still put a premium on giving their kids the best possible education. That cultural imperative helped insulate GSX, and the company showed a tremendous 460% year-over-year revenue gain in Q3, posting 557 million yuan in sales – approximately $80 million in US currency. Total student enrollment rose by 240%, to 820,000.When news broke of the Phase 1 trade agreement between the US and Chinese governments last month, however, Chinese markets experienced a broad rally – and that included GSX. Investors were suddenly bullish after the trade agreement was announced and the signing was scheduled, and more willing to invest – and a company with GSX’s proven recent growth was sure to attract plenty of investor attention.Goldman’s Christine Cho reviewed GSX, and outlined the major advantages of the stock for investors. First, regarding the educational market generally in China, she wrote, “We expect online AST penetration will grow from 15% of the total AST market to 41% over the same period, as we believe online AST courses have a wider reach given their scalability, lack of physical constraints and better affordability…” And, looking at GSX specifically, Cho laid out her firm’s line: “We believe its competitive moat lies in its technology DNA and ROI mindset, scalable business model via well-managed star teachers, and best-in-class operating efficiency…”Cho initiated coverage of this stock for Goldman, giving it a Buy rating and setting an aggressive price target of $45. Her target indicates confidence in an upside potential of 28% for the next 12 months. (To watch Cho’s track record, click here)Overall, investors and analysts are bullish on this stock. The price run-up in December pushed the share price to $35.25, well above the consensus price target. However, Cho’s new coverage, with her higher target, indicate the potential available in GSX shares. (See GSX stock analysis at TipRanks)Avaya Holdings Corporation (AVYA)The next two stock on our list are related, operating in the same sector and, more importantly, having just entered a strategic partnership. First up is Avaya Holdings, a holding company whose main subsidiary, Avaya, Inc., provides software in the business communication and collaboration niche. Avaya’s products offer services to unify communications, contact centers, and real-time video systems.Business communications is an essential niche; no company can do without an efficient system for managing its analog, digital, and online communications. Avaya has ridden that need, and put up strong revenue numbers from filling it. In Q4 of fiscal 2019, reported in November, the company showed $723 million in quarterly revenues, and $2.89 billion in annual revenues. These numbers reflect GAAP figures, and the annual total shows a 1.4% year-over-year gain. The company’s cash on hand has shown steady increases in the past year, and stands at $752 million.During the quarter, Avaya announced a partnership with RingCentral (more below), through which Ring will become Avaya’s sole provider of UCaaS solutions. In addition, Ring committed to paying $500 million to Avaya in return for stock shares and licensing rights. The move brings Avaya’s services and migration capabilities into combination with Ring’s UCaaS platform, for both companies’ benefit.Goldman Sachs sees plenty of reason for optimism in Avaya’s current situation. Writing for the firm, 4-star analyst Rod Hall says, “We believe the economics of the announced RingCentral deal are likely to drive Avaya’s revenue and profitability above consensus expectations… In our central case, we estimate that ACO conversions could add ~$28m in revenue to Avaya in the first full year of its availability…”Hall puts a Buy rating on AVYA shares and his price target of $18 suggests an upside of 28% for stock. (To watch Hall’s track record, click here)Shares in AVYA are priced at $14, and the average target of $16.25 suggests room for 16% growth in the coming year. The Moderate Buy analyst consensus rating is based on 6 reviews, including 4 Buys and 2 Holds. (See Avaya stock analysis at TipRanks)RingCentral, Inc. (RNG)Third on our list is Avaya’s new partner, RingCentral. RNG brings cloud computing to the realm of business communications, with software packages combining two staples of the modern office: telephone and computer systems. RingCentral Office, the company’s flagship product, is sync-compatible with popular business applications like Salesforce, Outlook, Google Docs, and DropBox, plus it provides RNG’s unique features in call forwarding, multiple telephone extensions, video conferencing, and screen sharing.RingCentral’s strong product, solving real problems and improving business efficiencies, has brought the company equally strong profits. Revenues and earnings were both up in Q3 2019, the most recent reported. EPS, at 22 cents, was up 15% year-over-year, and beat the forecast by 15%. Revenues came in at $222 million, showing an impressive 34% year-over-year growth. Strong profits and earnings, in turn, powered RNG’s share appreciation – the stock gained 108% in 2019.Heather Bellini, 5-star analyst with Goldman, was impressed enough by RNG’s performance to upgrade the stock from Neutral to Buy, while setting a $230 price target. Her target suggests a about 15% upside to the stock.In her comments, Bellini noted RNG’s fast-paced growth, and recent AVYA partnership’s potential to drive further growth. She writes, “We see continued runway for outperformance driven by secular growth from UCaaS adoption, enterprise traction, and continued evolution in the companies go-to-market strategy, most notably RingCentral’s recently announced partnership with Avaya.” (To watch Bellini’s track record, click here)RNG holds a Strong Buy rating from the analyst consensus, with 14 Buy ratings and just a single Hold. Shares are priced high, at $197.75, reflecting the stock’s recent gains. The average price target is $201.36, implying a 2% upside for the stock – but as cited above, Goldman analyst sees a 15% upside ahead for RingCentral. (See RingCentral stock analysis at TipRanks)

• 
  Goldman Sachs Will No Longer Take Companies Public Unless They Have at Least One ‘Diverse’ Board Member

  National Review
• 
  Goldman Sachs to companies: Hire at least one woman director if you want to go public

  Reuters

Intel enjoys big rebound in cloud, but the future is still hazy

Intel Corp. wrapped up a rocky 2019 by reporting record sales thanks to a big jump in sales of chips for data centers and cloud computing, but that rebound may just be temporary.

• 
  Intel Gains as Data Center Revival Fuels Revenue Growth

  Bloomberg
• 
  Intel Earnings, Revenue Beat in Q4 on Data-Center Business Strength

  Investing.com

Wells Fargo former CEO John Stumpf fined $17.5 million, banned for life from banking

Wells Fargo former Chairman and CEO John Stumpf agreed to a lifetime ban from the banking industry over the bank's 2016 sales-practices scandal.

• 
  "We're cautiously optimistic on the markets," says Wells Fargo strategist

  Yahoo Finance Video
• 
  US regulator fines ex-Wells Fargo CEO $17.5 mn over fake accounts

  AFP

Intel stock jumps as cloud pushes quarterly revenue higher than $20 billion for first time

Intel Corp. shares rallied in the extended session Thursday after the chip maker’s quarterly results and outlook topped Wall Street estimates with a big beat in data-center sales.

• 
  Dow Jones Futures Climb As Stock Market Resists China Virus; 3 Tech Giants Rise Near Buy Points As Tesla Hits Milestone

  Investor's Business Daily
• 
  Stock Market News for Jan 22, 2020

  Zacks

I’m 38 with $315,000 saved for retirement, but have $30,000 in debt. Should I lower my 401(k) contributions to get rid of that debt?

Your issue is a common one: The average personal debt load (that’s debt excluding mortgages) of people with debt is about $38,000, according to research from Northwestern Mutual. Why is paying down debt so beneficial to you?

• 
  Why Pay Off Your Student Loans if the Government Will Do It for You?

  National Review
• 
  Paying Off Student Debt — By Shopping at Macy’s?

  WWD

Young trader’s epic Beyond Meat stock misfire: ‘Biggest mistake of my life’

For many veteran traders, $12,000 is a rounding error, but for someone just getting his feet wet in the options pits, well, losing that much will leave a mark. That’s what happened this week to an anonymous trader.

Surgical Robotics Leader Dives As Sales, Earnings Growth Decelerate

Surgical robotics giant Intuitive Surgical reported decelerating sales and earnings growth Thursday, leading ISRG stock to slide in after-hours trading. Procedure growth remained strong.

• 
  The Zacks Analyst Blog Highlights: Citrix Systems, Southwest Airlines, Comcast, Travelers Companies and Intuitive Surgical

  Zacks
• 
  Intuitive Surgical Earnings, Revenue Beat in Q4

  Investing.com

Dow Jones Futures: Intel, Atlassian Soar On Earnings, Boost 3 Leaderboard Stocks; Broadcom Rises On Apple Deal

Futures: Intel and Atlassian soared late on earnings, lifting AMD, Nvidia and ServiceNow. Broadcom rose on an Apple supply deal.

• 
  Ally Financial (ALLY) Q4 Earnings Meet Estimates, Stock Up

  Zacks
• 
  Atlassian Earnings, Revenue Top Estimates On Cloud Growth; Stock Rises

  Investor's Business Daily

GE Stock Rebounds From Recent Slump As 'The Story Has Shifted'

General Electric is in a "budding turnaround" and should see minimal disruption from the Boeing 737 Max crisis, Morgan Stanley said.

• 
  GE’s stock jumps after Morgan Stanley gets bullish ahead of earnings

  MarketWatch
• 
  Morgan Stanley upgrades GE on ‘budding turnaround’

  Yahoo Finance Video

That letter from the IRS could be a fake. Watch out for this tax scam and others in 2020

Crooks want your Social Security number and other personal information to file fake returns so they can to steal tax refunds.

• 
  Don’t Fall For One of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ Tax Scams

  GOBankingRates
• When Is Tax Day in 2020?

  TheStreet.com

Mortgage rates fall to the lowest level in three months — but this is a double-edged sword for home buyers

Persistently low mortgage rates have both a positive and a negative influence on the housing market.

Mnuchin to Greta Thunberg — go study economics first

President Donald Trump has taken a few digs at 17-year-old environmental activist Greta Thunberg, and now Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has as well.

• 
  Business Leaders at Davos Prepare for Potential Trump Re-Election

  Dow Jones
• 
  Turkish Rate Guidance Intact After Five Cuts Went ‘Bit Deep’

  Bloomberg

‘Taxpayers are leaving millions of dollars off their returns.’ Why Americans repeatedly overlook this lucrative tax credit

This credit prevents millions from slipping into poverty, yet a new study finds many people are not aware of its existence.

A Tale of 3 Healthcare Stocks – 2 to Buy, and 1 to Sell

When investment bank Oppenheimer talks, investors listen -- or they should.One of the 10 top performing research firms tracked by TipRanks, 61% of Oppenheimer's stock picks have "worked" historically, producing positive returns for investors. In fact, on average, these picks have generated positive returns approaching 12%, and well ahead of the stock market's long term 10% average returns.And spread across a field of nearly 11,000 stock picks over more than a decade, that's no fluke.So when Oppenheimer announced on Wednesday that it's taken a good hard look at the healthcare industry, and come up with two stocks it's confident it can recommend buying -- and one it's pretty sure should be sold -- this is advice investors should give careful consideration.Let's find out what Oppenheimer has to say, beginning with:Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN)Regeneron is one of a strange breed in biotech -- a company that actually makes money. 32 years in business, Tarrytown, NY-based Regeneron develops medicines to treat a wide array of illnesses, everything from age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy (Eylea) to atopic dermatitis (Dupixent) to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (Praluent) and locally advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (Libtayo).Oppenheimer analyst Hartaj Singh makes the case that Regeneron -- already doing $7.6 billion in annual sales and earning in excess of $2.1 billion annually -- is preparing to advance to the "next level of commercial and R&D growth" as competition to Eylea abates and the company intensifies its focus on growing Dupixent sales -- a $10 billion potential market.At the same time, Singh is impressed with Regeneron's "burgeoning internally generated pipeline" in 2020, which the analyst calls "best-in-class," as well as with management's "renewed focus on cost control" and planned $1 billion share buyback. Combined, these two moves promise to increase profits -- then divide them up among fewer shares outstanding, accelerating growth in earnings per share.As a result, Singh rates Regeneron stock "outperform" with a $450 price target, promising better than 25% upside from current prices. (To watch Singh's track record, click here)However, Wall Street isn’t completely sold on Regeneron. TipRanks analysis of 11 analysts shows a consensus Moderate Buy rating, with 4 analysts recommending Buy, while 7 recommending Hold. The average 12-month price target on the stock is $396.33, representing about 10% increase. (See Regeneron stock analysis on TipRanks)Novavax (NVAX)Oppenheimer's second stock pick takes us back to more familiar territory: biotech stocks that aren't earning money (at least not yet). Analyst Kevin DeGeeter's pick of vaccine specialist Novavax is clearly headlines-driven, and specifically, timed to align with recent news that the coronavirus outbreak that began in Chinese provincial capital Wuhan, has now arrived in America, with the first reported U.S. infection reported in Seattle Wednesday.As DeGeeter explains, the "outbreak of potent new strain of coronavirus infections" will remind investors "of the power of NVAX's flexible vaccine development infrastructure." And yet, it's not the primary reason DeGeeter likes Novavax in 2020. This is because DeGeeter expects it will take Novavax a good six to nine months to develop a vaccine effective against the new Chinese illness -- by which time 2020 will be basically over.Rather, this analyst views the "upcoming Phase III readout in March from NanoFlu recombinant hemagglutinin (HA) protein nanoparticle for protection against seasonal influenza as the primary value driver" for Novavax stock. Strong Phase II clinical trial results have DeGeeter thinking that Phase III results will be likewise positive, and perhaps enough so to convince the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve NanoFlu for sale as early as 2021. Once that happens, DeGeeter sees a strong chance that Novavax will sell itself to a high bidder.For this reason, DeGeeter is positing a rise in share price from $7.20 currently, to $13 a share by early 2021. Granted, an 80% return in 12 months' time may sound optimistic, but it could actually be conservative. (To watch DeGeeter's track record, click here)On Wall Street, the average target price among analysts tracking Novavax stock is $17.38 per share -- 34% more than what Oppenheimer is promising. (See Novavax stock analysis on TipRanks)Amarin Corp (AMRN)As much as Oppenheimer's analysts like Regeneron and Novavax, they are quite bearish on Amarin, a seller of prescription-only omega-3 fatty acid capsules for treating high triglyceride levels in patients. Oppenheimer comes to its "underperform" recommendation on Amarin by an interesting route.To start with, analyst Leland Gershell notes that AstroZeneca's discontinuation of a clinical trial for a product (Epanova) that would compete with Amarin's triglycerides drug (Vascepa) is a positive for Amarin stock. Although other competing treatments exist (Acasti Pharma's CaPre for example, and Matinas BioPharma's MAT9001), the removal of Epanova from the mix implies greater market share for Vascepa -- and an increased, $13 price target for Amarin stock.That being said, Gershell warns that "AMRN's opportunity to exit through acquisition [is] diminishing," which is to say the chances of the company finding a buyer willing to acquire Amarin at a premium valuation don't look as good as they once did. For this reason, despite raising its price target on the stock, Oppenheimer's still ends up thinking that Amarin, at a share price of nearly $21 (i.e. still 60% above what it thinks the stock is worth), remains overpriced and unlikely to outperform the market from here on out.In short, despite improved prospects for its marquee drug, the fact that the prospects for the company fetching a premium buyout prices are worse means Amarin merits a sell rating.All in all, Wall Street almost evenly split between the bulls and those choosing to play it safe. Based on 10 analysts tracked in the last 3 months, 5 rate Amarin stock a Buy, 4 say Hold, while 1 issues a Sell. Notably, the 12-month average price target stands at $29.88, marking a nearly 44% in return potential for the stock. (See Novavax stock analysis on TipRanks)

Want to Retire in Five Years? What You Must Know

Here's how to do a retirement-needs analysis to know if you will have enough money to retire when you want to.