U.S. Markets open in 1 hr 16 mins

  • S&P Futures

    3,790.00
    +27.75 (+0.74%)
     

  • Dow Futures

    30,929.00
    +209.00 (+0.68%)
     

  • Nasdaq Futures

    12,906.75
    +104.50 (+0.82%)
     

  • Russell 2000 Futures

    2,145.50
    +24.70 (+1.16%)
     

  • Crude Oil

    52.52
    +0.16 (+0.31%)
     

  • Gold

    1,837.60
    +7.70 (+0.42%)
     

  • Silver

    25.31
    +0.44 (+1.77%)
     

  • EUR/USD

    1.2139
    +0.0056 (+0.4613%)
     

  • 10-Yr Bond

    1.0970
    0.0000 (0.00%)
     

  • Vix

    22.91
    -0.34 (-1.46%)
     

  • GBP/USD

    1.3615
    +0.0028 (+0.2069%)
     

  • USD/JPY

    103.9820
    +0.2950 (+0.2845%)
     

  • BTC-USD

    36,931.61
    +489.88 (+1.34%)
     

  • CMC Crypto 200

    731.81
    -3.33 (-0.45%)
     

  • FTSE 100

    6,729.05
    +8.40 (+0.12%)
     

  • Nikkei 225

    28,633.46
    +391.25 (+1.39%)
     

Darryl Strawberry: 'Disappointed' about Capitol protests, 'time for healing'

Retired baseball star Darryl Strawberry reacts to Capitol Hill riots saying it's 'unacceptable.'

Latest Stories

  • Stock market bubble bursting 'poses biggest risk to global economy'

    The stock market bubble bursting poses the biggest threat to the global economy over the next five years, top business and political leaders have warned, as investors raise the alarm over soaring stock valuations. Economic dangers, including debt crises, commodity shocks and price instability, dominated the top risks posed over the medium term in the World Economic Forum’s annual Global Risks Report. The survey ahead of the virtual Davos event next week found that an asset price bubble is the biggest risk in the next three to five years, amid fears the recent stock price rally has stretched valuations too far - particularly in the US. Infectious diseases are deemed the largest short-term risk, and weapons of mass destruction are the greatest long-term worry. The WEF survey took responses from "business, government, civil society and thought leaders".

  • Bank of America Earned More Than Expected. Why the Stock Is Slipping.

    The giant lender plans a stock buyback, but revenue and profits both fell relative to the year-earlier quarter.

  • 5 Stocks Expected to Crush the S&P 500

    To this end, The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and Fortune magazine created the Fortune Future 50, "the global companies with the best prospects for future growth." The top five names on Fortune Future 50's list include ServiceNow (NOW), Veeva Systems (VEEV), Atlassian (TEAM), Workday (WDAY), and Splunk (SPLK). ServiceNow is an enterprise software company, focusing on digital workflows.

  • These Companies Want to Charge Your Electric Vehicle as You Drive

    Several automotive, utility and infrastructure companies are testing technology that promises to allow electric cars, buses and trucks to charge on the move.

  • Here's How Much Investing $1,000 In Bank Of America Stock 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

    Investors who owned stocks since 2016 generally experienced some big gains. In fact, the SPDR S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY) total return in the past five years is 120.4%. But there's no question some big-name stocks performed better than others along the way.Bank of America's Big Run: One market leader of the past five years was Bank of America Corp (NYSE: BAC).Big banks were crushed during the worst of the financial crisis in 2008 and 2009. Among the banks that survived the crisis, Bank of America was one of the hardest-hit. In fact, Bank of America shares dropped as low as $2.53 in early 2009 as investors questioned whether the company could avoid bankruptcy or total nationalization.By the beginning of 2016, Bank of America shares had worked their way all the way back up to around $16.45. Within months, the stock hit its low point of the past five years, dropping down to $10.99 following a bout of early-2016 volatility related to concerns over an economic slowdown in China.Bank of America then went on a tear for the remainder of 2016, more than doubling off its lows to around $23 by the end of the year. The stock made it to $33.05 by early 2018 before stalling out for roughly a year and a half.Related Link: Here's How Much Investing ,000 In JPMorgan Stock 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth TodayBank of America In 2021, Beyond: Bank of America shares broke out to the upside again in the closing months of 2019, surging to new highs of $35.72 before the COVID-19 sell-off pushed the stock back down to $17.95 in early 2020.Since then, Bank of America shares have regained nearly all of their lost ground and are currently trading at around $33.Bank of America investors who held on through a volatile few years were rewarded for their patience, and $1,000 worth of Bank of America stock bought in 2016 would be worth about $2,518 today, assuming reinvested dividends.Looking ahead, analysts expect Bank of America to take a breather in the next 12 months. The average price target among the 24 analysts covering the stock is $33.50, suggesting only 1.5% upside from current levels.Photo credit: Mike Mozart, FlickrSee more from Benzinga * Click here for options trades from Benzinga * Here's How Americans Are Spending Their Stimulus Payments * 5 Key Questions About The Federal Reserve's Approach In 2021(C) 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  • Keystone XL May Be Sold for Scrap If Biden Moves to Kill It

    (Bloomberg) -- The Canadian province that invested $1.1 billion of taxpayers’ money in the controversial Keystone XL project is now considering the sale of pipe and materials to try to recoup some funds.“If the project ends, there would be assets that could be sold, such as enormous quantities of pipe,” Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said in a press conference Monday. “That would offset construction costs.”With Joe Biden set to be sworn in this week, the U.S. president-elect’s campaign promise to cancel the crude pipeline’s license is haunting the Canadian oil sands industry. The decision may come via executive action on his first day in office, CBC News reported on Sunday, citing people it didn’t identify.Meanwhile, the government of Justin Trudeau vowed to defend the project.Alberta, home to the world’s third-largest crude reserves, has struggled for years with a lack of pipeline capacity to ship its crude to the U.S. Gulf Coast and other markets. TC Energy Corp.’s Keystone XL was one of the possible pipelines the industry was counting on to solve that.The cancellation of Keystone XL would cost Alberta taxpayers just over C$1 billion ($785 million), Kenney said.In March, Kenney’s government agreed to fund the first year of construction with a $1.1 billion investment and to guarantee $4.2 billion of loans as a way to jump-start construction.The province and TC Energy have a “solid legal basis” to recoup damages through the courts, Kenney also said.Canadian Energy Minister Seamus O’Regan said the federal government continues to support Keystone XL and will make the case for the project to the Biden administration.“Canadian oil is produced under strong environmental and climate policy frameworks, and this project will not only strengthen the vital Canada-U.S. energy relationship, but create thousands of good jobs for workers on both sides of the border,” said O’Regan in an email.Kenney stressed that the federal government had said the pipeline is the “the top priority” of Canada’s relationship with the U.S.“Sit down and review the many facts that have changed since KXL was proposed a decade ago,” Kenney said, citing reduced carbon emissions from the oil sands, labor agreements and an indigenous stake in the pipeline.More than a decade old, the Keystone XL project was first rejected by former-President Barack Obama due to concern about climate change, but his successor Donald Trump issued a new permit when he took office.The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers said that canceling the project would kill thousands of jobs and offered to work with stakeholders to find a solution to complete the pipeline.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

  • What will Joe Biden do to mortgage rates? See what experts say

    See what the experts anticipate for home borrowers under the new administration.

  • Outlook darkens for Wall Street as Biden's regulators take shape

    Wall Street may be facing an uncomfortable four years after President-elect Joe Biden's team confirmed on Monday it planned to nominate two consumer champions to lead top financial agencies, signaling a tougher stance on the industry than many had anticipated. Gary Gensler will serve as chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Federal Trade Commission member Rohit Chopra will head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Progressives see the agencies as critical to advancing policy priorities on climate change and social justice.

  • IBM Waking Up From the Dead

    The company has been on an acquisition binge since October, scooping up six cloud computing and fintech firms.

  • The Stock Market Can’t Get Much Better From Here. Why a Correction Could Be Coming.

    Prices already reflect a wallop of government spending and central-bank aid that can’t get much larger from here, Bank of America warns. Other market watchers are downbeat as well.

  • A Guide to the Capital Gains Tax Rate: Short-term vs. Long-term Capital Gains Taxes

    Not all capital gains are treated equally. The tax rate can vary dramatically between short-term and long-term gains. Learn about both types in this tax guide.

  • Why the stock market could double twice by 2040: Morning Brief

    Top news and what to watch in the markets on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.

  • Goldman Sachs Blows Away Earnings Views; Bank Of America Mixed As Buybacks OK'd

    Goldman Sachs crushed Q4 views Tuesday on strong trading revenue, while Bank of America reported mixed results.

  • Peloton, Fiverr and Chewy downgraded to sell at UBS

    In a note on U.S. internet and interactive entertainment stocks, UBS downgraded Peloton Interactive , Fiverr International and Chewy to sell from neutral. Analysts led by Eric Sheridan said the three stocks are "emblematic of a market that values growth over any semblance of valuation that can be justified on a multiple year view based on our fundamental analysis." Take-Two Interactive Software was downgraded to neutral from buy.

  • Xpeng Unveils Autonomous Driving Feature Akin To Tesla's: What You Need To Know

    Xpeng Inc (NYSE: XPEV) has unveiled a new beta autonomous driving solution, which will help its flagship P7 sedan compete with similar offerings from Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA), CNBC reported Monday.What Happened: The new feature -- called the Navigation Guided Pilot (NGP) -- is a part of the company's XPILOT 3.0 autonomous driving package, the company said in a statement. Xpeng said that the NGP function is expected to be released to customers in China in the next few weeks.The Guangzhou, China-based automaker said on its launch the feature would be implemented in the Premium version of the P7 with the "XPILOT 3.0" system."[NGPs] full-scenario high-definition positioning capability solves HD-map positioning challenges for China's highly complex road conditions, including areas with no GPS signals," said Xpeng.Why It Matters: NGP will allow the P7 to automatically change lanes, change speed or overtake other vehicles and enter or exit highways, according to CNBC. Xpeng's NGP provides features similar to Tesla's "Navigate on Autopilot," the publication noted.Tesla CEO Elon Musk said last month that its own full-self driving software would get "absurdly good" in the future.See Also: Tesla Rolls Out Full Self-Driving Beta Version, With A 'Slow' And 'Cautious' ApproachXpeng deliveries rose 266% in the third quarter on a year-on-year basis as the company delivered 8,578 units in that period. Rival Nio Inc (NYSE: NIO) delivered 18.15% more vehicles on a quarter-over-quarter basis in Q3, while Li Auto Inc (NASDAQ: LI) deliveries surged 31.13% in the same period.Price Action: Xpeng shares closed 4.95% lower at $47.82 on Friday. On the same day, Tesla shares closed almost 2.2% lower at $826.16 and fell nearly 0.3% in the after-hours session.Related Link: Nio Day 2020: EV Maker Shows Off ET7 Sedan, New Power Swap Station, 150kWh Battery Pack, ADaaS And MoreClick here to check out Benzinga's EV Hub for the latest electric vehicles news. Photo courtesy: Jengtingchen via WikimediaSee more from Benzinga * Click here for options trades from Benzinga * Tesla Begins Model Y SUV Deliveries in China: What You Need To Know * Self-Driving Vehicles Can Now Be Made Without Steering Wheels Under New NHTSA Rules(C) 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  • These 3 “Strong Buy” Stocks Are Top Picks for 2021, Say Analysts

    Some traditions are too time-honored to shirk, and on Wall Street, the annual ‘top picks’ are one. Usually made at the very end or very beginning of a year, the Street’s analysts publish reviews on the stocks they believe will show the best performance in coming months – their top picks. The analysts have been analyzing each stock carefully, looking at its past and current performance, its trends on a variety of time frames, management’s plans – they take everything into account. Their recommendations provide valuable direction for building a resilient portfolio in the new year. With this in mind, we used TipRanks' database to identify three stocks which the analysts describe as their ‘top picks’ for 2021. Talos Energy (TALO) The Gulf of Mexico has long been known as one of the world’s great hydrocarbon production regions, and Talos Energy, which produces some 48,000 barrel of oil equivalent per day from offshore operations in the Gulf, is an important player in the area. Talos finished the third quarter of 2020 running a net loss, but revenues, at $135 million, were up 53% sequentially. The company reported over $353 million in accessible liquidity to end the quarter, including $32 million in cash on hand and $321 million in available credit. In December of last year, and continuing into this January, Talos has firmed up its liquidity situation through issues of senior secured notes. The December issue, of $500 million at 12%, will be used mainly to pay down a previous note issue which comes due next year. The January issue, an additional $100 million, will be used to cover outstanding debt on the reserves-based lending facility. Both note issues are due in 2026. Highlighting TALO as his top E&P pick for 2021, Northland analyst Subash Chandra wrote, "TALO is one of the few companies that we are aware of trading at trailing PDP values without a good reason, in our view. The company has addressed the maturity wall and credit facility stresses with a December equity offering and refi. They enter 2021 with breathing room to cross the finish line with Zama and look for scaling opportunities in GoM." To this end, Chandra rates TALO an Outperform (i.e. Buy), and puts a $19 price target, indicating the potential for 91% growth in the coming months. (To watch Chandra’s track record, click here) Overall, with five analyst reviews on file, including 4 Buys and a single Hold, Talos gets a Strong Buy rating from the analyst consensus. Shares are priced at $9.96, and their $14.33 average target gives ~44% upside on the one-year horizon. (See TALO stock analysis on TipRanks) Twilio (TWLO) Next up is Twilio, a Silicon Valley cloud communications company. Twilio’s software services allow customers to run their telecom service through their office computer servers, making available not just phone calls but chats, texts, and video conversations. The service includes security features such as user verification. The COVID pandemic, and the shift to remote work that was enforced on the economy, has been a boon to Twilio. The shift put a premium on stable and reliable remote connections and telecommuting, and the company’s revenues, which were already strong and showing sequential gains in every quarter, rose to $447 million in 3Q20. Subsequently, Twilio’s shares have skyrocketed 225% over the past 52 weeks. Oppenheimer analyst Ittai Kiddron sees the company on a solid foundation for continued growth, writing, “While some puts and takes are in place in 1Q21, Twilio's long-term opportunity remains underappreciated by investors. We believe the company's differentiated product portfolio (communications/data) and evolving GTM approach (hiring/GSI) can drive G2K/int'l adoption/expansion and enable >30% rev. growth at scale (>$4B/$6B) through CY23/24.” The 5-star analyst chooses TWLO as a ‘top pick,’ based on his upbeat analysis of Twilio. That comes with an Outperform (i.e. Buy) rating and a $550 price target implying one-year growth of 41%. (To watch Kiddron’s track record, click here) How does Kiddron's bullish bet weigh in against the Street? Overall, Wall Street likes Twilio, a fact clear from the 21 analyst reviews on record. No fewer than 18 of those are Buys, against just 3 Holds. However, the stock’s recent share gains have pushed the price up to $388.65, leaving room for just 2% upside before hitting the $396.88 average price target. (See TWLO stock analysis on TipRanks) SI-Bone (SIBN) Medical tech is a field of near-endless possibility, and SI-Bone has found a niche. The company specializes in the diagnosis sand treatment of pain and dysfunction in the sacroiliac joint between the lower back and pelvis. The company’s revenues dropped off between 4Q19 and 2Q20, as the corona crisis put a damper on elective medical procedures. That turned around in Q3, when the economy began to open up; many industries, including the medical field, saw a burst of pent-up demand that has not yet dissipated. In raw numbers, SIBN reported a 42% sequential revenue increase for Q3, with the top line at $20.3 million. Year-over-year, revenues were up 26%. During the quarter, the company passed 50,000 iFuse procedures, handled by 2,200 surgeons around the world. The company had $132 million in liquid assets available at the end of the quarter, against $39.4 million in long-term debt. Looking forward, the company guides toward an 8% to 10% yoy gain in full-year revenue for 2020, expecting that top line at $73 million to $74 million. Analyst David Saxon, covering the stock for Needham, says, “SIBN has shown resiliency during the pandemic, and we believe its growth drivers can allow it to beat consensus revenue throughout 2021. Further, we expect SIBN's 2021 sales force expansion, building momentum in surgeon training, upcoming product launches, and direct-to-patient marketing will all contribute to strong revenue over the next few years.” Saxon uses these points to support his ‘top pick’ status for SIBN. His average price target is $35, suggesting an upside of 23%, and fitting nicely with his Buy rating. (To watch Saxon's track record, click here) All in all, SI-Bone gets a Strong Buy from Wall Street, and it is unanimous – based on 5 positive reviews. The shares are selling for $28.48, and their $33.80 average target implies room for ~19% growth over the course of 2021. (See SIBN stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

  • Cannabis Countdown: Top 10 Marijuana And Psychedelic Stock News Stories Of The Week

    Welcome to the Cannabis Countdown. In This Week's Edition, We Recap and Countdown the Top 10 Marijuana and Psychedelic Stock News Stories for the Week of January 11th - 17th, 2021.Without further ado, let's get started.* Yahoo Finance readers, please click here to view the full article.10\. 4 U.S. Pot Stocks for Cannabis Investors Looking to Ride the Blue Wave to Federal LegalizationWith the Democrats Putting the Finishing Touches on the Blue Wave, Many Believe Serious Federal Marijuana Reform Could Happen in 2021 and the Bullish Sentiment Has the Cannabis Sector SoaringWhile it's true, a rising tide lifts all boats; we believe U.S. Multi-State Operators (MSOs) Red White & Bloom (OTCQX: RWBYF), Curaleaf (OTCQX: CURLF), Green Thumb (OTCQX: GTBIF) and Trulieve (OTCQX: TCNNF) are uniquely positioned to outperform the Cannabis sector in a big way.READ FULL U.S. POT STOCKS ARTICLE9\. Invest in Psilocybin Therapy with Compass Pathways StockIn 2018, Compass Pathways Received Breakthrough Therapy Designation From the FDA for COMP360 for the Treatment of TRDFounded in 2016, Compass Pathways (NASDAQ: CMPS) is located on the outskirts of Karl Pilkington's stomping grounds - Manchester, England - where the company managed to raise just over $116 million in funding from around a dozen investors including Peter Thiel ahead of its IPO. The bulk of that money is being put towards developing "a proprietary, high-purity polymorphic crystalline formulation of Psilocybin," and then turning it into a therapeutic that can address a severe form of depression known as treatment-resistant depression (TRD).READ FULL COMPASS PATHWAYS ARTICLE8\. Red White & Bloom Makes Final Cash Payment for Platinum Vape Acquisition, Platinum Reports Stunning First Week of 2021 SalesRWB's Powerhouse Cannabis Band Platinum Vape Continues to See Stunning Revenue Growth With Platinum Reporting Record-Breaking Sales of USD $2.8 Million in the First Week of 2021Red White & Bloom (OTCQX: RWBYF) announced that the company has now completed all cash payments related to the Platinum Vape (PV) acquisition. Powered by increased revenue figures in all active states, Platinum Vape expects to see its sales continue to organically accelerate as the company gears up to enter Arizona in Q1 2021 as well as enter core RWB markets throughout the year.READ FULL RED WHITE & BLOOM ARTICLE7\. As the Focus on Psychedelic Stocks Increases, So Do the ValuationsWith So Many New IPOs and Companies Launching in the Psychedelic Sector, it's Important to Fully Evaluate the Major Factors of Success or Failure in the IndustryThere are various steps that companies take to have a drug approved and to successfully complete them takes years and tens of millions of dollars. The further ahead a company moves in the approval process, the more valuable the company becomes, and that is why there is so much excitement for Compass Pathways. In all, there are currently only four Psychedelic Stocks that have Phase 2 clinical trials at the comment and they are Compass Pathways (NASDAQ: CMPS), MindMed (OTCQB: MMEDF), Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) and Mydecine Innovations (OTC: MYCOF).READ FULL PSYCHEDELIC STOCKS ARTICLE6\. Aphria: Multiple Analysts Raise Price Targets Following Q2 2021 ResultsAphria Now Has 11 Analysts Covering its Stock and APHA Analyst Ratings Currently Include 2 "Strong Buy" Ratings, 6 "Buy" Ratings, and 3 "Hold" Ratings, With an Average 1-Year Price Target of CDN $11.85On Friday, Aphria (NYSE: APHA) reported its second-quarter financial results for fiscal 2021. The company reported net revenues of C$160.5 million, a 10% increase quarter over quarter. Net cannabis revenue came in at C$67.9 million, an increase of 7% quarter over quarter.READ FULL APHRIA ARTICLE5\. Champignon Brands Announces New CFO and New General CounselAppointments Complete New Top Management Team Under Leadership of Chairman and CEO Dr. Roger McIntyreChampignon Brands (OTCQB: SHRMF), Chairman and CEO Dr. Roger McIntyre announced the company's appointment of Stephen R. Brooks as its new Chief Financial Officer and Peter Rizakos as the firm's new General Counsel. These appointments complete the company's new top management team put into place by Dr. McIntyre and the Champignon Board of Directors.READ FULL CHAMPIGNON BRANDS ARTICLE4\. Curaleaf: Canaccord Raises Price Target to $23.50Curaleaf Currently Has 9 Analysts Covering its Stock With 2 Analysts Issuing "Strong Buy" Ratings, 9 Issuing "Buy" Ratings and an Average 1-Year Price Target of CDN $20.19Wednesday, Canaccord came out with their updated valuations for the large three multi-state operators. In doing so, they raised their 12-month price target on Curaleaf (OTCQX: CURLF) to C$23.50 from C$18.50, while reiterating their Speculative Buy rating on the company.READ FULL CURALEAF ARTICLE3\. Peter Thiel-Backed Psychedelics Start-Up Targets Schizophrenia Ahead of IPOATAI Life Science, a Peter Thiel-Backed Start-Up, Has Taken a Majority Stake in Recognify, a Company That is Developing Drugs to Help Treat SchizophreniaNews of the Recognify deal comes after ATAI raised $125 million from investors including Peter Thiel in November ahead of a planned stock market listing this year. Total investment in the company now stands at over $210 million. The plan is to take ATAI public in the next few months at a valuation of between $1 and $2 billion, according to an industry source that asked to remain anonymous due to the nature of the discussions.READ FULL ATAI ARTICLE2\. U.S., Canadian Pot Stocks Flying High in 2021 as American Legalization Hopes RiseCannabis Stocks Are Off to a Hot Start to the Year, But Can That Momentum Be Sustained?Thanks in large part to optimism surrounding the GA Senate run-off elections that will give the Democrats control of Congress and the White House, cannabis has been one of the biggest winners of 2021, with the valuations of most Pot Stocks trading around record highs. Top U.S. Multi-State Operators (MSOs) Curaleaf (OTCQX: CURLF), Trulieve (OTCQX: TCNNF), and Cresco Labs (OTCQX: CRLBF) all posting impressive early gains. The trade is also evident in Canada, with top Licensed Producers (LPs) Canopy Growth (NASDAQ: CGC), Cronos Group (NASDAQ: CRON) and Aphria (NYSE: APHA) - fresh off quarterly results that handily beat analyst expectations - also posting strong gains.READ FULL POT STOCKS ARTICLE1\. MindMed Expands Psychedelic Microdosing Division, Adds Groundbreaking Study Evaluating LSD Microdosing Through Next-Gen Digital Clinical MarkersMindMed to Commence Groundbreaking LSD Microdosing Study Evaluating Benefits on Neuroplasticity, Sleep, Cognitive Enhancement Variables and Immune System Response on the Human BodyMindMed (OTCQB: MMEDF), a leading Psychedelic medicine biotech company announced an innovative randomized placebo-controlled study evaluating the effects of daytime and evening administration of low doses of LSD on cognitive performance, sleep quality, mood, neuroplasticity markers, emotion regulation, quality of life, and immune system response.READ FULL MINDMED ARTICLESee more from Benzinga * Click here for options trades from Benzinga * Cannabis Countdown: Top 10 Marijuana And Psychedelics Industry News Stories Of The Week * Cannabis Countdown: Top 10 Marijuana And Psychedelic Stock News Stories Of The Week(C) 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  • 3 Monster Growth Stocks That Are Ready to Run Higher

    What can you make of the market’s standard disclaimer, ‘past performance cannot guarantee future returns.' Should you avoid every stock that has shown enormous growth in recent months? Or should you ignore it, and focus on the fast-appreciating equities? The savvy investor takes a smart middle path, treating stocks as individuals and evaluating them case by case. Past performance is no guarantee, but it can be an indicator, especially consistent, long-term performance. But that is only one part of the growth stock picture. Investors should also look for Wall Street’s view – are the analysts impressed by the stock? And in addition to that, how does the upside potential look like? Now we have useful profile for monster growth stocks: gangbusters gains, Buy ratings from the Wall Street analyst corps, and considerable upside for the coming year. Three stocks in the TipRanks database are flagging all those signs of strong forward growth. Here are the details. OptimizeRx Corporation (OPRX) The ongoing health crisis has had a heady impact on our digital world, accelerating the move to put records and information online. OptimizeRx operates a digital platform that facilitates communication between the various branches of the health care environment – doctors, pharmacies, patients – at the point of care. The value of this service is clear from the stock’s massive gains in recent months: over the past 52 weeks, OPRX shares are up 277%. It’s not just share gains that are high. Since 3Q19, the company has reported top-line revenue gains in every quarter. The most recent, 3Q20, saw revenues of $10.52 million, a record for the company. The year-over-year gain was 110%; for the first 9 months of 2020, the company’s revenues were $26.9 million – another record, and up 56% from the same period in 2019. In other metrics, OptimizeRx reported having $12 million in cash on hand at the end of Q3, and reported that it had closed two additional enterprise deals in the quarter, bringing the total value of annualized recurring revenue to $21 million. Roth Capital analyst Rick Baldry is impressed by OprimizeRx’s rapid growth, and is not shy about saying so. “Given its RFP pipeline doubled yr/yr in 3Q20, we believe OPRX could accelerate organic growth to 100% in 2020… [We] note that OPRX's RFP pipeline growth may not fully reflect its growth potential in 2021 given its recent machine-learning platform extension announcement (and related data partnership with Komodo Health which tracks 320M patients annually) was hidden from prospects while R&D and patents were pursued," Baldry opined. Overall, the 5-star analyst summed up, "Given we expect both material upside to current forecasts, OPRX is our 2021 Top Pick.” In line with these bullish comments, Baldry rates OPRX a Buy, and his $70 price target implies an upside potential of 77% for the next 12 months. (To watch Baldry’s track record, click here) Wall Street clearly agrees with Baldry, as shown by the unanimous Strong Buy consensus rating, based on 3 recent analyst reviews. The shares are selling for $39.54, and their $53.33 average price target suggests room for ~35% growth this year. (See OPRX stock analysis on TipRanks) The Lovesac Company (LOVE) Next up is a furniture company, known for its modular seating systems and beanbag seats. Lovesac offers customers an easily customizable seating arrangement capable of fitting any room, home, or style – and easily adaptable to owners’ changing moods. The company has been named one of the fasted growing furniture makers of the past decade, and reported $165.9 million in total revenue for fiscal 2019. Lovesac’s growing revenues were clear in 3Q20, when the company reported net sales growth of 43.5% year-over-year, to $74.7 million. Net income switched from a $6.7 million loss in the year-ago quarter to a $2.5 million profit in this year’s Q3. Gross margins improved 10% yoy to 55.3%. That strong sales and financial performance drove a share appreciation of 283% over the past 52 weeks. Covering LOVE for BTIG, analyst Camilo Lyon says, “LOVE is leveraging the current COVID-19 crisis and the work from home environment as consumers shift their purchases to home-related goods. The company has successfully shifted its resources to support online sales, even redeploying its full-time associates to interacting with customers online through instant messaging and product demos on social media.” Lyon believes the company’s moves are successfully positioning it to thrive in a post-COVID world, modeling "27% annual revenue growth for the next two years as brand awareness grows, new customers come to the brand, and new product introductions give existing customers more reasons to shop the brand.” To this end, Lyon puts a Buy rating on LOVE, while his $62 price target implies room for 26% upside growth in 2021. (To watch Lyon’s track record, click here) Overall, there are 4 recent reviews on LOVE and all are Buys, making for a unanimous Strong Buy analyst consensus rating. LOVE's share appreciation has pushed the stock price close to the $56.75 average target, leaving room for 16% upside from the $48.88 current trading price. (See LOVE stock analysis on TipRanks) Kirkland’s (KIRK) The ongoing corona crisis has done more than just push white-collar workers into remote office and telecommuting situations. By forcing large numbers of people to stay home, the pandemic – and the government response – has made potential home furnishings customers take a long look at their living quarters. Lovesac, above, is not the only company that has benefitted; Kirkland’s, a diversified home décor and furnishings retailer with over 380 stores in 35 states plus a vigorous online presence, is another. Kirkland’s, like the other stocks on this list, has shown strong earnings growth and share appreciation in the past year. The company’s most recent quarterly results, for 3Q20, revealed top-line revenue of $146.6 million, just over the analyst forecast and up slightly year-over-year. Earnings showed a stronger gain. Q3 EPS was 66 cents per share, far better than the 53-cent loss recorded in 3Q19. Share appreciation has paralleled these gains, to say the least. KIRK is up a whopping 1500% in the past 12 months, an enormous gain that reflects the company’s success in adapting to the increased importance of online sales. The strong growth here has attracted notice from Craig-Hallum analyst Jeremy Hamblin. “[Kirkland’s] continues to fire on all cylinders… While the company is likely benefitting from some industry tailwinds, it’s clear that strategic initiatives to improve margins have sustainability while investments in an improved E-commerce platform (up 50% in Q3) should help offset store closures… we … note that KIRK generally has a stronger balance sheet with a better FCF yield (mid-teens) than its peer group,” Hamblin wrote. Accordingly, Hamblin rates KIRK stock a Buy and sets a $32 price target, implying a one-year upside of 65% from the share price of $19.38. (To watch Hamblin’s track record, click here) Some stocks fly under the radar, and KIRK is one of those. Hamblin's is the only recent analyst review of this company, and it is decidedly positive. (See KIRK stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for growth stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

  • Your next stimulus check — for $1,400 — will move closer this week

    Congressional leaders plan to get "right to work" on it. How soon could you get the cash?

  • These Are The 5 Best Stocks To Buy And Watch Now

    Buying a stock is easy, but buying the right stock without a time-tested strategy is incredibly hard. So what are the best stocks to buy now or put on a watchlist?