Mike Piazza explains what separates Warren Buffett from other investors
MLB Hall of Famer Mike Piazza shares why he idolizes Warren Buffett and what separates him from other investors.
President-elect Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion “rescue plan” released on Thursday calls for three key tax improvements for 2021 that would help Americans across the income spectrum.
Watching the markets with an eye to the main chance, Raymond James strategist Tavis McCourt sees both risk and opportunity in current market conditions. The opportunity, in his opinion, stems from the obvious factors: the Democrats won both Georgia Senate seats in the recent runoff vote, giving the incoming Biden Administration majority support in both Houses of Congress – and increasing the odds of meaningful fiscal support getting signed into law in the near term. More importantly, the coronavirus vaccination program is proceeding, and reports are showing that Pfizer’s vaccine, one of two approved in the US, is effective against the new strain of the virus. A successful vaccination program will speed up the economic recovery, allowing states to loosen lockdown regulations – and get people back to work. The risks are also coming from the political and public health realms. The House Democrats have passed articles of impeachment against President Trump, despite the imminent natural closure of his term of office, and that passage reduces the chances of political reconciliation in a heavily polarized environment. And while the COVID strain is matched by current vaccines, there is still a risk that a new strain will develop that is not covered by existing vaccinations – which could restart the cycle of lockdowns and economic decline. Another risk McCourt sees, beyond those two, would be a sharp rise in inflation. He doesn’t discount that, but sees it as unlikely to happen soon. “…product/service inflation is only really a possibility AFTER re-openings, so the market feels a bit bullet proof in the very near term, and thus the continued rally, with Dems winning the GA races just adding fuel to the stimulus fire,” McCourt noted. Some of McCourt’s colleagues among the Raymond James analyst cadre are keeping these risks in mind, and putting their imprimatur on strong dividend stocks. We’ve looked into Raymond James' recent calls, and using the TipRanks database, we’ve chosen two stocks with high-yield dividends. These Buy-rated tickers bring a dividend yield of 7%, a strong attraction for investors interested in using the current good times to set up a defensive firewall should the risks materialize. Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) We’ll start in the energy sector, a business segment long known for both high cash flows and high dividends. Enterprise Products Partners is a midstream company, part of the network that moves hydrocarbon products from the wellheads to the storage farms, refineries, and distribution points. Enterprise controls over 50,000 miles worth of pipelines, shipping terminals on Texas’ Gulf coast, and storage facilities for 160 million barrels oil and 14 billion cubic feet of natural gas. The company was hurt by low prices and low demand in 1H20, but partially recovered in the second half. Revenues turned around, growing 27% sequentially to reach $6.9 billion in Q3. That number was down year-over-year, slipping 5.4%, but came in more than 6% above the Q3 forecast. Q3 earnings, at 48 cents per share, were just under the forecast, but were up 4% year-over-year and 2% sequentially. EPD has recently declared its 4Q20 dividend distribution, at 45 cents per common share. This is up from the previous payment of 44 cents, and marks the first increase in two years. At $1.80 annualized, the payment yields 7.9%. Among the bulls is Raymond James' Justin Jenkins, who rates EPD a Strong Buy. The analyst gives the stock a $26 price target, which implies a 15% upside from current levels. (To watch Jenkins’ track record, click here) Backing his bullish stance, Jenkins noted, "In our view, EPD's unique combination of integration, balance sheet strength, and ROIC track record remains best in class. We see EPD as arguably best positioned to withstand the volatile landscape… With EPD's footprint, demand gains, project growth, and contracted ramps should more than offset supply headwinds and lower y/y marketing results…" It’s not often that the analysts all agree on a stock, so when it does happen, take note. EPD’s Strong Buy consensus rating is based on a unanimous 9 Buys. The stock’s $24.63 average price target suggests an upside of 9% from the current share price of $22.65. (See EPD stock analysis on TipRanks) AT&T, Inc. (T) AT&T is one of the market’s instantly recognizable stock. The company is a member in long standing of the S&P 500, and it has reputation as one of the stock market’s best dividend payers. AT&T is a true large-cap industry giant, with a market cap of $208 billion and the largest network of mobile and landline phone services in the US. Its acquisition of TimeWarner (now WarnerMedia), in a process running between 2016 and 2018, has given the company a large stake in the mobile content streaming business. AT&T saw revenues and earnings decline in 2020, under pressure from the corona pandemic – but the decline was modest, as that same pandemic also put a premium on telecom and networking systems, which tended to support AT&T’s business. Revenues in 3Q20 were $42.3 billion, 5% below the year-ago quarter. On positive notes, free cash flow rose yoy from $11.4 billion to $12.1 billion, and the company reported a net gain of 5.5 million new subscribers. The subscriber growth was driven by the new 5G network rollout – and by premium content services. The company held up its reputation as a dividend champ, and has made its most recent dividend declaration for payment in February 2021. The payment, at 52 per common share, is the fifth in a row at current level and annualizes to $2.08, giving a yield of 7.2%. For comparison, the average dividend among tech sector peer companies is only 0.9%. AT&T has kept its dividend strong for the past 12 years. Raymond James analyst Frank Louthan sees AT&T as a classic defensive value stock, and describes T’s current state as one with the bad news ‘baked in.’ “[We] believe there is more that can go right during the next 12 months than can get worse for AT&T. Throw in the fact that shares are heavily shorted, and we believe this is a recipe for upside. Large cap value names are hard to come by, and we think investors who can wait a few months for a mean reversion while locking in a 7% yield should be rewarded for buying AT&T at current levels,” Louthan opined. In line with these comments, Louthan rates T an Outperform (i.e. Buy), and his $32 price target implies room for 10% growth from current levels. (To watch Louthan’s track record, click here) What does the rest of the Street think? Looking at the consensus breakdown, opinions from other analysts are more spread out. 7 Buy ratings, 6 Holds and 2 Sells add up to a Moderate Buy consensus. In addition, the $31.54 average price target indicates ~9% upside potential. (See AT&T stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for dividend 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.
Here are analysts' top stocks to buy in the first quarter.The S&P 500 closed out 2020 at all-time highs on optimism surrounding additional government stimulus measures and a potential global economic rebound in 2021.
At a time when millions of people are strapped for money and counting on their income tax refund or a stimulus check, they’ll have to wait a little longer before they can file their taxes. Feb. 12 marks the first date the Internal Revenue Service will start accepting and processing returns. Tax season started Jan. 27 last year.
At 8.6% interest on its savings accounts, crypto fintech platform BlockFi is offering an interesting option for savers disappointed with low rates.
Tech stocks could come under pressure as President-elect Joe Biden's stimulus plan works its way through the U.S. economy.
Most financial markets will be closed for the celebration of the civil rights leader's life, the first one since protests over the killing of George Floyd touched off massive protests across the nation.
Q.: To lessen the death tax on my estate, if I put my Roth IRA in an irrevocable trust now and after my spouse and I die four years later, do my children afterward have six years or 10 years to invest all the money before they must dispose of the Roth money from the trust under the new rules of the 2019 SECURE Act? A.: John, you cannot put a Roth IRA in a trust while you are alive. You can move the assets in the Roth IRA out of the Roth IRA and then put those assets into the trust but trusts can only own Roth IRAs as Inherited Roth IRAs.
While it’s known as the maker of Post-it Notes, Scotch tape, and Ace bandages, 3M makes the adhesives, abrasives, and chemicals companies need to do what they do. It’s poised to ride an economic rebound.
A capital gain occurs when you sell something for more than you spent on it. Every taxpayer should understand these basic facts about capital gains taxes.
* Benzinga has examined the prospects for many investor favorite stocks over the past week. * The week's bullish calls included the electric vehicle leader and a recovering retailer. * A ride-sharing company and a semiconductor maker were among the bearish calls.As the fourth-quarter earnings reporting season got underway last week, the major U.S. indexes lost a little ground. The Dow Jones industrial average concluded the week down about 1%, and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq retreated a little more.Of course, much of the attention during the week was focused on the political drama in Washington, D.C. The U.S. president became the first ever to be impeached twice, after the prior week's chaos at the U.S. Capitol. Social media pulled the plug on the president and others who fomented the insurrection. The outgoing president also kept up the pressure on China, while the incoming president laid out a huge pandemic and economic recovery program.In corporate news, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission opened a probe into a petroleum giant, a semiconductor leader announced management changes, a casino owner and Republican megadonor passed away, and the Detroit Auto Show was canceled.Through it all, Benzinga continued to examine the prospects for many of the stocks most popular with investors. Here are a few of this past week's most bullish and bearish posts that are worth another look.Bulls Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) is not an auto company but rather a disruptive technology company. So says Shivdeep Dhaliwal's "Tesla Reaching T Valuation In 2 Years? Here's What Inspires Daniel Ives' Optimistic Target." Are U.S. political developments bullish for the Elon Musk-led company?Priya Nigam's "Marathon Oil Gets Upgrade Due To Higher Oil Prices, More Cash Return To Shareholders" is focused on how Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE: MRO) is likely to generate around $2 billion over the next couple of years.In Jayson Derrick's "Baird Upgrades Walgreens Boots, Expects Turnaround Of 'Train Wreck' Performance," see the several catalysts that could help turn around specialty retailer Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ: WBA)."Nvidia's Comprehensive Involvement In Gaming Market Continues Strong Demand: Rosenblatt" by Shanthi Rexaline examines how the competitive position of NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) in the gaming GPU market will only get better.In "Cantor Analyst Raises Aphria And Tilray Price Targets Amid Merger," Jelena Martinovic discusses why the impending merger with Tilray Inc. (NASDAQ: TLRY) has overshadowed the recent disappointing quarterly results from Aphria Inc. (NASDAQ: APHA).For additional bullish calls of the past week, also have a look at the following: * Study: Investors Say Tesla, Apple And Microsoft Were 2020's Top Stocks * Why KeyBanc Is Bullish On These 4 Casino StocksBears A Japanese tech investment giant has trimmed its stake in Uber Technologies Inc (NYSE: UBER), according to "SoftBank Dumps B Worth Of Uber Shares After Stock's Rally" by Aditya Raghunath. See how much of the stake in the ride-sharing company remains and whether it is still the largest investment in the firm's portfolio.Shanthi Rexaline's "Why Intel's CEO Transition Is A Negative For AMD: Analyst" argues that the "blue sky" scenario for Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) may start to crumble as its rival gets back on its feet. How much are AMD's share gains in servers likely to moderate?In Chris Katje's "Palantir Vulnerable With Valuation And Lockup Concerns, Citi Says," see whether shares of software company Palantir Technologies Inc (NYSE: PLTR) have run too far. Plus, a large share lockup expires around the same time as the upcoming earnings report."JPMorgan Says Hydrogen Stock Plug Power Trades At 'Steep Price,' Downgrades FuelCell Energy" by Jayson Derrick shows why the "compelling" path to $1.2 billion in sales by 2024 for Plug Power Inc (NASDAQ: PLUG) did not impress one top analyst.For more bearish takes, be sure to check out these posts: * Why Investment Strategist Ed Yardeni Is Worried About A Tech Stocks, Bitcoin-Led Market Meltdown * 'You're A Fool' Who Will 'Lose Everything' If You Take On Debt To Invest In Crypto, Mark Cuban Says * How Did Retail Perform During The Holidays?At the time of this writing, the author had no position in the mentioned equities.Photo Courtesy of PixabayKeep up with all the latest breaking news and trading ideas by following Benzinga on Twitter.See more from Benzinga * Click here for options trades from Benzinga * Barron's Picks And Pans: Dividend Aristocrats, Alibaba, GameStop, Walmart And More * Notable Insider Buys Of The Past Week: Howard Hughes, Party City, Perrigo And More(C) 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
The idea that value stocks are finally about to awaken after a decadelong slumber is almost a joke in financial circles. What is at least slightly different about Vanguard’s perspective is that its model suggests that investors have been correct in shunning value stocks, at least until the last few years. “Our research indicates that a value premium does exist and that the recent outperformance of growth stocks can be partially explained by downward-trending long-term inflation levels and the lack of material acceleration in earnings growth over the last decade,” the firm says.
Andrew LeftCitron Research's Andrew Left criticized insurance company Lemonade Inc (NYSE: LMND) on Friday, saying its stock multiple is based on empty marketing tactics.The Lemonade Bear Case: In a Twitter live video, Left dismissed Lemonade Inc's claims of bringing new technology to the insurance industry, saying the company's technology is no different from insurers like Progressive Corp. (NYSE: PGR) or State Farm."They've been lying to their customers and their shareholders," said the noted short seller.The company has not responded to a request for comment.Not An ESG Company: He also blasted Lemonade's claims of being a "social good" company as an easy marketing ploy.Left said Lemonade is taking advantage of younger investors' interest in supporting companies that have a positive social impact, like Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA)."It's playing on the millennial investors," he said, adding that the company has a higher multiple than Zoom Video Communications (NASDAQ: ZM), Uber Technologies Inc (NYSE: UBER) or Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA).Lemonade insiders have sold $400 million in the past six months but gave just $1 million to charity last year, he said.Left said the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Federal Trade Commission should look more closely at companies that make claims of being socially responsible.Price Action: Shares of Lemonade ended Friday's trading down 6.79% at $147.74 on Friday. Left's video posted to Twitter at 11:30 a.m.Related Link: XL Fleet Spikes On CEO's CNBC Plug, Citron's Long CallSee more from Benzinga * Click here for options trades from Benzinga * Hillman Group In Talks With Tilman Fertitta SPAC: Bloomberg * 6 Sports SPACs To Consider For Your Investing Playbook(C) 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Some left-for-dead penny stocks are now billion-dollar companies, thanks to the rally in the S&P 500 and other indexes.
The major U.S. equity-indexes are hovering around all-time highs, and a question that frequently pops up these days, is whether some companies’ valuations might be overstretched. However, some operate at the opposite end of the spectrum, and could yet offer investors untapped opportunities. H.C. Wainwright analyst Ram Selvaraju points in the direction of Sorrento Therapeutics (SRNE), as one such company. Selvaraju rates SRNE a Buy along with a $30 price target, which implies a 275% upside from current levels. (To watch Selvaraju’s track record, click here) So, what’s behind the optimistic outlook? Well, for starters, Sorrento has a stake in two cell-based immunotherapy companies that could “drive value in Sorrento shares over the coming months.” One is Celularity, a clinical-stage cell therapeutics company focused on cellular medicines for cancer, infectious diseases, and degenerative diseases. Celularity is expected to go public later this year via a SPAC merger with GX Acquisition Corp. The merged company’s equity value following the transaction’s closure will land at roughly $1.7 billion. Selvaraju estimates Sorrento's position should be worth in the $200 million region. The second company is NantKwest, which recently signed a deal to merge with ImmunityBio. The transaction is expected to close in 1H21. Sorrento owns roughly 8.2 million shares of the clinical-stage immunotherapy company. These are currently worth around $121 million, going by NantKwest’s recent share price. Additionally, the analyst highlights Sorrento’s “burgeoning portfolio of assets spanning three distinct therapeutic areas (non-opioid pain management, oncology and COVID-19).” In fact, on the Covid-19 front alone, Sorrento has taken a broad-based approach and has a long list of diagnostic, prophylactic and therapeutic offerings in the pipeline, with “updates likely to come fast and furious.” These include two rapid detection tests; COVI-STIX, for which the company filed for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in the U.S. in December, and COVI-TRACE, which Selvaraju claims could come in handy at any mass gathering event. “We believe that the incentive to facilitate the large-scale and indeed ubiquitous deployment of the COVI-TRACE test is extremely high and governments worldwide may seek to implement this in their respective regions,” the 5-star analyst opined. Other Covid-19 candidates include COVIGUARD - a SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody, COVI-AMG - an affinity-matured version of the COVIGUARD neutralizing antibody, a neutralizing antibody cocktail named COVI-SHIELD and COVIDTRAP, an ACE2 receptor decoy, intended to imitate the mammalian ACE2 receptor that acts as the primary portal for the SARS-CoV-2 virus to penetrate human cells. It has been relatively quiet when it comes to other analyst activity. In the last three months, only 2 analysts have issued ratings. However, as they were both Buys, the word on the Street is that SRNE is a Moderate Buy. Based on the $25.50 average price target, shares could climb 219% higher in the next twelve months. (See SRNE stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for healthcare 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 analyst. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.
Biden stimulus buzz may be waning, as the market rally had a healthy pullback. So did Tesla. Qualcomm and JPMorgan are near buy points.
Marijuana stocks surged as a Democratic Senate adds to cannabis legalization momentum. Are any pot stocks good buys now amid profitability challenges?
The Dow Jones slid lower amid fears Joe Biden's massive stimulus plan could lead to higher interest rates or tax hikes. GM stock reversed.
On CNBC's "Mad Money Lightning Round," Jim Cramer said Ballard Power Systems Inc (NASDAQ: BLDP) is good, but Plug Power Inc (NASDAQ: PLUG) is his favorite.Cramer likes Romeo Power Inc (NYSE: RMO). The stock has come down a lot and he thinks it's kind of attractive.Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: OXY) is going higher in the short term, thinks Cramer. He advised a viewer not to sell it because it will probably go to his entry price of $33. Eventually, he would have to sell because the new administration thinks fossil fuels are bad for the environment.Cramer almost pulled the trigger and bought salesforce.com, inc. (NYSE: CRM). He is holding off right now, but he might start buying it next week.See more from Benzinga * Click here for options trades from Benzinga * 'Trading Nation' Analysts Weigh In On Semiconductors * Mike Khouw Sees Unusual Options Activity In EEM(C) 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
(Bloomberg) -- They know about the stretched valuations and everything that must go right to keep stocks aloft. And yet rather than shy away from frothy markets, plenty of investors are only now jumping in.The reason, it appears, is how far out of the market they had been prior to the latest and greatest leg of the runup, the one that began in March 2020. So long has it taken for risk appetites to recover, JPMorgan Chase & Co. research shows, that pushing it to the levels of past peaks could mean at least another 26% rally for the S&P 500.“This bull market is still very young,” said Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist at the Leuthold Group, “It is not yet even one year old, and considering the large U.S. output gap and how high unemployment is, additional improvements in the economy should keep the stock market rising for a few more years.”In the worldview of Paulsen and others, many of the things that look like impediments today, including high valuations, set the stage for improvement that could sustain a rally. After recessions in 1992, 2002 and 2009, they note, price-earnings ratios fell as growth resumed and stocks still managed to rise -- in each case with the help of Federal Reserve stimulus.Warnings that the market is ripe for a crash are getting louder as a 10-month, 70% rally has pushed the S&P 500’s price-earnings ratio to levels not seen since the dot-com era.And while predicting the turning point is impossible, the study by JPMorgan suggests the end of the rally is likely a long way off. Strategists led by Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou developed a model to track investor holdings of stocks relative to bonds and cash over time. At 43.8%, the current equity exposure trails the peak of 50% seen before the 2007-2009 global financial crisis and is short of readings that were approaching 55% during the dot-com era.By the team’s calculation, even a slight return to the last bull market peak of 47.6% -- reached in January 2018 -- would cause a 26% appreciation for the S&P 500.“There is still room in the current bull market,” Panigirtzoglou said. “Admittedly, this room is created by still above-average bond allocations, rather than cash allocations which have already shifted to the low end of the past year’s range.”Investors, who had shunned equities in favor of fixed income during most of the last bull market, are starting to warm up to stocks. In the final two months of 2020, equity funds attracted $190 billion of fresh money, a record high, according to data compiled Deutsche Bank AG. Still, that pales in comparison to the total outflows of $725 billion since the start of 2018.The valuation case against stocks is poised to weaken. S&P 500 firms, climbing out of a pandemic-fomented recession, are in the process of ending a streak of profit declines, with income forecast to grow double-digit percentages this year and next.“These are companies that are growing faster than general economic growth, command much higher multiples,” said Robert Zuccaro, founder of Target QR Strategies whose $50 million Golden Eagle Growth Fund surged 121% last year. “If you’re going to look at a historic multiple of 16 times that’s predicated upon an industrial society, you’re going to be out of the stock market when the market’s going up.”Of course, much hinges on controlling the coronavirus. While the distribution of vaccines has boosted sentiment, a full recovery isn’t guaranteed. Yet young investors, some armed with money handed out in fiscal aids, are swarming to stocks and bullish options for quick profits.The sign of froth, along with charts showing extreme momentum in benchmarks like the Russell 3000 Index, make Sam Stovall cautious. The chief investment strategist at CFRA Research recently received phone calls from his two nieces who have never invested in equities and now want to buy shares.“This is like Markus Rudolf and Joe Kennedy looking to get advice from their bootblack,” Stovall said in an interview on Bloomberg Radio and Television. “That’s a concern that the market is need of a digest of gains.”But that doesn’t mean an end to the bull market is looming. The average bull cycle has lasted about five years since the 1930s, with the shortest going on for at least two years.“I wouldn’t sit here and say this is another year you could expect a 30 or 40% return but I’m optimistic this is going to be a good backdrop for risk-based assets for a least several more quarters,” said John Porter, head of equities at Mellon Investments. “It’s irrefutable how significant the Fed’s role is. And as an investor, you have to respect these forces in the market.”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.