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  • JPMorgan Sees S&P at 3,900 If Trump Wins Election: Taking Stock

    (Bloomberg) -- With the final stretch of the election upon us, it’s still nearly impossible to guess how the stock market will react to next week’s vote. One estimate from JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s chief equity strategist puts U.S. stocks in for a double-digit advance if Donald Trump keeps his office.A victory for the Republican candidate could push the S&P 500 to as high as 3,900 at year-end under the most optimistic case laid out by Dubravko Lakos-Bujas, the bank’s chief U.S. equity strategist. The figure, some 300 points above his base-case target for year-end, implies a 12.5% advance from the gauge’s Friday close. While a number of traders have come to consider a Democratic sweep followed by a prompt fiscal deal among bullish scenarios for the equity market, Lakos-Bujas disagrees, seeing Trump’s victory as the most favorable outcome.“A ‘Blue Sweep’ scenario is expected to be mostly neutral in the short term,” JPMorgan’s strategists including Lakos-Bujas said in a report dated Friday. “It would likely be accompanied by some immediate positive catalysts (i.e. larger fiscal stimulus/infrastructure) but also negative catalysts (i.e. rising corporate taxes).”With days left until the election, traders are shrugging off the risk of a contested election -- at least judging by a flattening volatility curve -- corresponding with polls showing a widening lead for Joe Biden over the past month. Near-term uncertainty has remained elevated, with the Cboe Volatility Index stuck near a 30 level for weeks now, likely reflecting concern that sectors of the economy and markets that the candidates have referenced the most could see some wild swings post-election.A quick look at the top constituents of a Biden and Trump baskets of stocks created by JPMorgan, which bet on potential winners from either Democrats or Republicans taking control of Washington, shows the stakes are sky-high. Alternative energy and green-tech stocks in the Biden basket, for instance, have outperformed traditional energy and fossil fuel companies, among the top winners from Trump’s victory, by 84 percentage points since June, data compiled by JPMorgan show.Earlier: Barclays Sees VIX Plunging to Pre-Covid Level in Clear Biden WinFutures on the S&P 500 Index are trading 1% lower following losses in Europe’s Stoxx 600 Index and a dip in the Shanghai Composite Index on the first day Communist Party’s four-day meeting. News over the weekend confirmed a rising number of infections on both sides of the Atlantic, pushing Treasuries and the dollar higher as investors rushed into havens. Futures on the Nasdaq 100 Index are 0.9% lower after Europe’s application software giant SAP SE dropped as much as 21% after cutting its revenue forecast for the full year.Notes From the Sell Side:Apollo Global Management was upgraded to outperform at Evercore ISI, which wrote that recent share-price weakness related to Leon Black’s relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein was overdone. Shares down 14% from a peak hit earlier this month, but “this issue will ultimately have limited business impact to the company,” wrote analyst Glenn Schorr. “Plenty of LPs might rightfully put pressure on APO now, but [will] ultimately continue to invest with them.” The firm added that when considering APO as a stock, “investors & LPs should eventually separate the man from the company,” as the company “had no business dealings with the bad guy.”Winnebago Industries was upgraded to buy from neutral at Citi, which wrote that motor homes should continue to see strong demand throughout the pandemic. “A return to extensive travel (planes, cruise, hotels) is several years away, while we believe that the attractiveness of the RV lifestyle is here to stay,” wrote analyst Shawn Collins. The firm added that it was “encouraged” by WGO’s ability to grow its market share.First Solar and SunPower were both downgraded at Credit Suisse, which cited valuation following recent gains. Shares of SunPower are up more than 440% from an April low, and the valuation “already implies strong Ebitda recovery through 2022,” while First Solar is “approaching peak multiples,” Credit Suisse wrote. The firm added that solar manufacturing “will be a cyclical industry with limited tailwinds,” whereas for residential solar, “any multiple expansion/shrinking will rather be driven by supply/demand mismatch.”Sectors in Focus:Dunkin’ Brands shares are up 18% premarket after the Dunkin’ Donuts and Baskin-Robbins parent company confirmed Sunday afternoon that it has held preliminary discussions to be acquired by Inspire Brands.Cenovus Energy on Sunday agreed to buy Husky Energy in a C$3.8 billion all-stock deal that will combine two of the largest players in Canada’s beleaguered oil-sands industry. Watch HSE CN, CVE CN and companies like SU CN, IMO CN for a move.China said it will impose unspecified sanctions on defense contractors Lockheed Martin, a unit of Boeing Co. and Raytheon Technologies after the U.S. approved an arms sale to Taiwan last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Monday. Watch BA, LMT and RTX for a move.Watch KO after Barron’s says the beverage company is an under-appreciated post-pandemic reopening play.Your 64-Hour ICYMI:France set a record for new Covid cases, while Spain’s be Italy announced new restrictions. The U.S. reported record coronavirus infections for the second day in a row, adding 85,317 cases. U.S. Vice President Mike Pence’s chief of staff, Marc Short, and Marty Obst, a close adviser, tested positive for the virus.Alphabet, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft will emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever, despite intensifying antitrust scrutiny in Congress, Barron’s writes in its latest issue. “60 Minutes” finally aired the interview that Donald Trump cut short on Sunday night. Samsung’s billionaire chairman Lee Kun-hee, who made the South Korean company a global powerhouse, has died at 78. A San Francisco judge refused to pause her September order blocking Trump’s ban on Tencent Holdings Ltd.’s WeChat.Carlyle Group is nearing an agreement to acquire Siemens AG’s Flender mechanical drive unit for about $2.4 billion, according to people familiar. Airbnb is splitting its privately held shares ahead of a planned initial public offering, according to an internal email.The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday night to be just one win away from their first World Series title since 1988. UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov announces emotional retirement after latest victory, saying he doesn’t want to keep fighting again following the death of his father, who served as his coach, from the coronavirus.Tick-By-Tick to Today’s Actionable Events:6:30am-- HAS earnings8:30am-- Sept. Chicago Fed Nat Activity Index10am-- Sept. New Home Sales10:30am-- Oct. Dallas Fed Mfg Activity10:30am-- JCAP vote11am-- USDA weekly corn, soybean, wheat export inspections4:05pm-- FFIV, TBI earnings4:15pm-- TWLO earnings8pm-- NXPI earningsQuiet period expires: AVO, LUNG, YALA, OPRH, CD, BQPRCP/ATLKY - Prelim proxy filing deadlineFirst day of China’s Oct. 26 - Oct. 29 plenumFor more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

  • IRS Boosts 2021 Income Limits For IRA Deductions

    There's still time to benefit from 2020's IRA contribution limits. And odds are that you haven't put in the maximum allowed yet.

  • Tesla Ends Controversial Indemnification Agreement With Elon Musk

    Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) has ended a controversial practice where it paid its CEO Elon Musk to provide Directors and officers (D&O) liability insurance, the electric vehicle maker revealed in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.What Happened: The automaker said it paid Musk $3 million for 90 days worth of coverage -- up to a total of $100 million -- but didn't further extend the agreement."Following the lapse of the 90-day period, we did not extend the term of the indemnification agreement with our CEO and instead bound a customary directors' and officers' liability insurance policy with third-party carriers," Tesla said in a statement.The Palo Alto-based company didn't reveal which carrier it has opted for to provide coverage, or the premium it was paying for the D&O policy.Why It Matters: It is "highly unusual" for a company to replace a D&O policy with a guaranty from a company officer "for any period of time," Kevin Hirzel, a managing member of the Detroit-based Hirzel Law firm, told CNBC, which earlier reported the news."Tesla's board did the right thing in obtaining a traditional directors' and officers' liability insurance policy from a third-party insurer," said Hirzel.Charles Elson, a professor of corporate governance, said that the personal indemnification by a CEO "linked the directors too closely to the CEO.""Such a linkage would make it more difficult for board members to exercise good oversight on behalf of all shareholders," Elson told CNBC.Price Action: Tesla shares traded 0.9% lower at $416.50 in the after-hours session Monday after closing mostly unchanged at $420.28.Photo by TED Conference on FlickrSee more from Benzinga * Click here for options trades from Benzinga * Geely Plans To Make 30,000 Polestar EVs Annually At New China Plant: Report * Tesla Set To Be 'One Of The Biggest Winners' In A Biden Presidency, Says Analyst(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  • US Did Not Benefit From Trade War With China: WSJ

    President Donald Trump's trade war with China did not achieve the objective of boosting manufacturing in the U.S., the Wall Street Jornal reports.What Happened: Manufacturing activity in the U.S. has not reversed despite billions of dollars in tariffs to discourage importing Chinese manufactured goods.The trade deficit with China reduced in 2019. Still, the overall trade balance has soared to a record $84 billion in August as U.S. importers shifted to imports from Vietnam, Mexico, and other countries. Since the pandemic, China's trade deficit is back to where it was at the start of the Trump administration.The goal of reshoring factory production to the U.S. is unfulfilled as job growth in manufacturing slowed since July 2018, while the manufacturing activity peaked in December 2018.Why It Matters: Trump's trade advisers say that the tariffs of $370 billion on Chinese goods have succeeded in forcing China to agree to phase one trade deal in January and will end China's unfair practices over time. Industry analysis by the Federal Reserve shows that tariffs helped boost employment by 0.3% by protecting domestic industries exposed to cheaper Chinese imports.Those gains were more than offset by higher costs of Chinese imports due to tariffs, cutting manufacturing employment by 1.1% in the U.S. The retaliatory tariffs by China on the U.S. exports reduced domestic factory jobs by 0.7%.According to Peterson Institute for International Economics trade expert Chad Bown, President Trump is not the first to use tariffs to protect industries, but this is the biggest use of tariffs since the Great Depression.Image Courtesy: WikimediaSee more from Benzinga * Click here for options trades from Benzinga * European Markets Today: Indices Plunge On Fears Of New COVID-19 Restrictions Hurting Economy * AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Data Shows Promising Signs In Older Age Group: FT(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  • 3 Big Dividend Stocks Yielding Over 7%; JMP Says ‘Buy’

    With markets showing volatile movements in recent sessions – down one day, up the next – some of Wall Street’s analysts are showing a renewed interest in high-yield dividends. Not that they have ever shied away from these steady income generators; rather, the market boom of this past summer led the Street to focus on share appreciation as the source of profits. Market fluctuations since early September have analysts and investors both taking a closer look at defensive plays.The research analysts at JMP Securities have been searching the markets for the ‘right’ buys, and their picks bear a closer look. They’ve been tapping reliable, high-yielding dividend payers as an investment play of choice. The TipRanks database sheds some additional light on three of JMP’s picks – stocks with dividends yielding 7% or better – and that the investment firm sees with 20% upside or better. Annaly Capital Management (NLY)The first name on the list from JMP is Annaly Capital Management. The company inhabits the mortgage-backed security niche, with $104 billion in total assets, primarily mortgage securities backed by Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae. Annaly is one of the market’s largest REITs.The corona crisis was hard on Annaly, as the economic crush of the first quarter made it difficult for loan holders to make payments. As the economy bounced back in Q2, however, Annaly’s fortunes reversed and the steep losses from Q1 turned into modest gains. Q2 revenues came in at $979 million, with EPS, at 27 cents, beating the 23-cent forecast. Looking ahead, the forecast is a 26-cent EPS for Q3. It’s important to note that Annaly has beaten the earnings forecast in each of the past three quarters.Turning to the dividend, Annaly has remained a reliable dividend payer over the past several years, with a history of adjusting the payment to keep it sustainable. The current dividend is 22 cents per common share, and was paid out at the end of September; at that rate, the yield is 12.27%. In an era of near-zero rates from the Fed, NLY’s dividend return is sky-high.JMP analyst Steven DeLaney is impressed with NLY. The 5-star analyst pointed out, “The combination of dividends paid during the [second] quarter and the sterling book value gain—the company’s best quarterly gain since the Great Recession of 2008-09 [...] We believe NLY shares should trade at a meaningful premium to peers based on the company’s size, scale, and, now, its internal management structure."DeLaney rates the stock an Outperform (i.e. Buy) along with an $8.50 price target. This figure suggests a 20% upside potential from current levels. (To watch DeLaney’s track record, click here)Overall, there have been 8 recent analyst reviews of NLY shares, breaking down to 5 Buys and 3 Holds, giving the stock an analyst consensus rating of Moderate Buy. The $8.04 average price target implies a 13% growth potential from the current trading price of $7.10. (See NLY stock analysis on TipRanks)StoneCastle Financial (BANX)Next up, StoneCastle, is a management investment company, with a portfolio that includes moves into alternative capital securities and community banks. The company focuses its investment activity on capital preservation and current income generation, committing to returning profits to shareholders. StoneCastle’s investment portfolio totals over $133 million, of which 32% is credit securitization, 26% is debt securities, and 15% is term loans.During the second quarter, BANX saw over $2.6 million in net investment income, coming out to 41 cents per share. The company’s net asset value rose to $20.27 per share at the close of the quarter; that figure was $20.93 by September 30.BANX paid out a 38-cent quarterly dividend in Q2, a payment which the company has held up reliably – with one blip upwards in December 2018 – for the past three years. At $1.52 annually, the dividend yields an impressive 8%.5-star analyst Devin Ryan covers this stock for JMP, and he likes what he sees. “The company invested a healthy $36M during the [second] quarter, which included some higher yielding and more attractive securities, which drove the sequential increase in net investment income… Given a strong quarter of investing, particularly into attractive yielding securities, net investment income stepped up solidly in 2Q20. Moving forward, given the strong 2H20 outlook for deployment, we believe it is likely that net investment income will continue to move higher… BANX continues to more than cover its current quarterly dividend of $0.38, and we believe this will continue to be the case in the coming quarters,” Ryan opined. Ryan’s is the only recent review on record for this stock, which is currently selling for $18.15. He rates BANX an Outperform (i.e. Buy), with a $22 price target that indicates a possible 21% upside for the next 12 months. (To watch Ryan’s track record, click here)BRT Realty Trust (BRT)Last but not least is BRT Realty Trust, a real estate investment trust focused on multifamily properties. The company acquires, owns, and manages apartment dwellings, and currently boasts a portfolio of 39 properties across 11 states, totaling over 11,000 individual apartments. The company has felt a serious hurt from the ongoing corona crisis, and reported a net loss of 25 cents per share for the calendar second quarter this year. At the same time, BRT did manage to collect 98% of rents in Q2, and saw average occupancy remain above 93%. This bodes well for the company, as it does not have to carry and maintain empty or non-paying units.Also on a positive note, BRT kept up its dividend payment. The company has been gradually raising the quarterly payout for the past three years, and the current dividend, of 22 cents per common share, annualizes to 88 cents and gives a yield of 7.1%. This is more than triple the average yield found among S&P-listed companies, and more than double BRT’s dividend-paying peers in the financial sector.JMP’s Aaron Hecht sees BRT holding a solid position in its niche, writing, “With a lower price point product spread across Sunbelt markets, the BRT portfolio is generating strong results compared to peers with high-density urban market exposure... Rent growth averaged 2.2% for renewals and 0.2% for new leases, while minimal concessions were given. Rate growth and occupancy were similar in July and August 2020 compared with 2Q20.”Hecht rates the stock an Outperform (i.e. Buy), with a $15 price target that implies a one-year upside of 20%. (To watch Hecht’s track record, click here.)Overall, BRT has a Moderate Buy rating from the analyst consensus, based on an even split between Buy and Hold reviews. The stock is selling for $12.56, and the average price target of $13.25 suggests a modest gain of 5%. (See BRT 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.

  • Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands Exploring $6 Billion Sale of Vegas Casinos

    (Bloomberg) -- Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands Corp. is exploring the sale of its casinos in Las Vegas, according to people with knowledge of the matter, a move that would leave the mogul focused on Asia and mark his exit, for now, from the U.S. gambling industry.The world’s largest casino company, Sands is working with an adviser to solicit interest for the Venetian Resort Las Vegas, the Palazzo and the Sands Expo Convention Center, which together may fetch $6 billion or more, said the people, who asked to not be identified because the talks are private. The properties are all connected along the city’s famous strip.A representative for Las Vegas Sands confirmed it was in very early discussions about a sale and that nothing has been finalized.A sale would concentrate Sands’ casino portfolio entirely in Macau and Singapore, two larger casino markets for Adelson, who ranks as one of the world’s richest people, with a fortune estimated at $29.7 billion. The U.S. was already a small and shrinking part of his business, accounting for less than 15% of revenue last year.“The growing insignificance of the U.S. market explains to you why Las Vegas Sands is looking to offload their U.S. properties,” said Ben Lee, a Macau-based managing partner at IGamiX. “It is 15% of revenue but 80% of regulatory pain and burden.”A recovery in Asia helped improve Sands’ operating results in the third quarter, Adelson said in an earnings call last week. In Singapore, Marina Bay Sands had a profitable quarter as operations progressively resumed across the resort during the summer.The money from a sale could allow the company to fund other development opportunities. Sands dropped out of the competition to build a casino in Japan earlier this year due to terms executives described as unfavorable. Adelson, 87, has expressed interest in building in New York City, an opportunity that could arise next year.The stock rose as high as 12% in after-hours trading Monday after Bloomberg reported on the news of the deal. The shares had closed down 3.1% to $49.13.Makes SenseWith the global pandemic creating uncertainty in the Las Vegas convention business and an implied price for the properties of 12 times earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, a deal could make sense, Ben Chaiken, a Credit Suisse analyst, wrote in a research note late Monday. He added the caveat that it’s not clear who would buy the casinos.Adelson is chairman, chief executive officer and the majority shareholder of Las Vegas Sands, which has a market value of $37.5 billion.Casinos in Macau, the world’s biggest gambling market, generated 63% of the company’s $13.7 billion in revenue last year, before the pandemic struck. Covid-19 has devastated the casino industry, as it has other businesses where people gather in large numbers, like movie theaters, concerts and restaurants. Singapore was second at 22%.Sands is expanding in both regions, with Macau alone earmarked for $2.2 billion in spending.What Bloomberg Intelligence Says“The possible sale of its Las Vegas assets for $6 billion could fund those Asian projects, while $6.3 billion of existing liquidity would be enough to sustain idle operations for 17 months. China’s lifting of restrictions on visas should benefit Sands in Macau.”Brian Egger, senior gaming and lodging analystMacau’s recovery from Covid-19 curbs has been slow after China gradually lifted travel restrictions and formed a travel bubble with the gambling hub. Mainland Chinese visitor arrivals during China’s Golden Week holiday in early October were down 84% from a year earlier. However, there are signs gamblers are starting to return in volume as a visa backlog clears.Adelson Cashing Out of Vegas Would Come at Trying Time for City“We are seeing an uptick in real tourists on the ground in Macau,” said Lee. “The profile of the Chinese tourists is dominated by young females and families -- mainlanders taking advantage of the cheap accommodation on offer.”(Updates with analyst comment and Macau background beginning in fifth paragraph)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

  • How to cope if Amy Coney Barrett helps end Obamacare

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  • Salesforce’s Benioff Says SAP’s Troubles Are ‘Unique to Them’

    (Bloomberg) -- Salesforce.com Inc. Chief Executive Officer Marc Benioff criticized rival SAP SE’s business performance in stark terms, rejecting the notion that the German software giant’s challenges are an omen for his company.At “SAP, you can see they’re having very significant troubles with the CEO transition they’re going through,” Benioff said Monday in a Bloomberg Television interview. “They, as you know, moved from one CEO to two, they fired one of those two CEOs. The CEO transition is just not going well and their customers are saying that. Now you can see that their revenues are also reflecting this trouble.”Benioff, the co-founder of San Francisco-based Salesforce, used to needle mature rivals such as Oracle Corp. and Microsoft Corp. in his company’s early days. Since Salesforce has become a market leader in cloud-based applications, he generally avoids directly criticizing his competitors. But on Monday, investor concern over SAP’s decision to cut its full-year forecast helped drag down other software makers, including Salesforce. Benioff seemed keen to set the record straight that his German foe’s troubles shouldn’t be seen as relevant for the entire software industry.“They have not executed the cloud opportunity well,” Benioff said. “SAP’s troubles, I think, are unique to them.”In August, Salesforce reported quarterly sales increased 29% and raised in its revenue forecast for the year. “Our market share continues to grow,” Benioff said.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

  • 401(k) and IRA changes for 2021: Where and how can you contribute next year?

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  • Palantir Stock Just Got a Bunch of New Ratings. What Wall Street Is Saying.

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  • It’s been years since investors have been this fearful of a stock market crash, Nobel-winning economist warns

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  • 3 Stocks Under $5 That Are Ripe for a Turnaround

    Investors are always on the lookout for the best stock purchase, but the signs that indicate the ‘right’ stocks are an inconsistent lot. A high or rising share price, upside potential, or dividend payment have all been used – but all have their exceptions. Some investors say to keep away from low-cost stocks, as a price under $5 gets that low for good reason – but some ‘penny’ stocks are fundamentally sound and show the best upsides in the market. With this in mind, we used TipRanks’ database to find compelling stocks with bargain price tags. The platform steered us towards three tickers sporting share prices under $5 and Moderate or Strong Buy consensus ratings from the analyst community. Not to mention substantial upside potential is on the table.LiveXLive Media (LIVX)We’ll start in digital media, a tech niche that has gained from the various lockdown policies and the larger turn toward remote work and schooling. LiveXLive is a music and streaming company, offering platforms to deliver the digital music experience on live stream. The company also offers digital audio, music-on-demand, and a social music network.The stay-at-home policies helped LIVX in 1H20, as the stock saw strong gains and peaked in value in early July. Since then, however, the share price has fallen even as LiveXLive has reported a record-breaking first fiscal quarter, with the $10.5 million in revenue being its highest-ever quarterly result. Better yet, the quarter saw a 20% year-over-year increase in paid subscribers. Based on recent growth as well as the company’s $2 share price, Ladenburg analyst Jon Hickman thinks that now is the right time to pull the trigger.“With LIVX's dominant position as the industry leader in streaming live events, we believe the company continues to move rapidly to capture an increasing market share with its remote production/distribution platform for artists. We are pleasantly surprised by the early success of the Pay-pay-View initiative given the $1.35 million in ticket sales to date in 2020. Going forward, we note that the current revenue sources are now much more diversified and predictable and we are encouraged by the increasing number of well-known brands as sponsors and advertisers,” Hickman wrote.To this end, Hickman rates LIVX shares a Buy, and his $6.50 price target implies a whopping 222% upside for the coming year. (To watch Hickman’s track record, click here)Other analysts also take a bullish approach. LIVX’s Strong Buy consensus rating breaks down into 4 Buys and zero Holds or Sells. Additionally, the $6 average price target puts the potential twelve-month gain at 197%. (See LIVX stock analysis on TipRanks)Rimini Street (RMNI)Software is big business in today’s digital world – but it doesn’t always work as advertised, making support a necessity. Rimini Street is a leader in third-party software support, offering customers support for some of the big names in business software.While Rimini offers an essential product, the company’s EPS is notoriously low despite strong revenue numbers. At the top line, Rimini has reported $77 million to $78 million for the past three quarters – but EPS has remained below 8 cents. The first quarter of this year saw a net loss of 1 cent per share.Subsequently, Rimini found itself on the losing end of a legal battle with Oracle over copyright infringement. As a result, RMNI shares are down over 40% since August highs.That was the bad news. Mark Schappel, 5-star analyst with Benchmark, summarizes the possible silver lining.“While we are not attorneys, and understanding complex legal matters is not one of our strengths, the stock’s reaction since the ruling — down about 20% — strikes us as a bit of an overreaction since RMNI’s business remains on track, the court ruling doesn’t create operational downside, and the shares currently trade at a ‘going out of business’ valuation,” Schappel wrote.Accordingly, Schappel rates the stock a Buy and gives it a $10 price target suggesting an impressive 222% growth potential. (To watch Schappel’s track record, click here)This is another stock with a unanimous Strong Buy analyst consensus rating, this time based on 3 recent reviews. Rimini Street’s share are selling for $3.10 after the recent price collapse, but Wall Street sees potential here. The average price target, $7.67, suggests a one-year upside potential of 147%. (See RMNI stock analysis on TipRanks)Energous (WATT)The proliferation of mobile devices, and improvements in battery technology, have brought a focus on charging technologies. Energous holds a leading position in the wireless power and charging niche. The company’s WattUp system supports fast, efficient charging using RF-based wireless tech. The system can be tailored for home or office use, based on the number and type of devices to be charged. It has found applications in the automotive, industrial, medical, and retail industries.In specific advantages, Energous has the world’s first FCC Part 18 certification for wireless charging technology, an important lead in the industry. The company also holds 215 patents, with more on the way. This past September, the company received regulatory approval for a 1-meter ranged wireless charging broadcast.Like many companies specializing in emerging technologies, Energous regularly posts quarterly net EPS losses – but for the past two years, the trend in the company’s net loss has been steadily improving. The EPS loss has fallen by more than half in that time, moving from 49 cents n 3Q18 to 20 cents in the most recently report, for 2Q20.Despite an improving fiscal situation, WATT shares are down 37% in the past two months. The low share price, however, opens up opportunities for investors, according to Roth Capital analyst Suji Desilva. The 5-star analyst rates the stock a Buy, and his $7 price target indicates a possible 182% in upside potential. (To watch Desilva’s track record, click here)Supporting his stance, Desilva notes, “We believe WATT is experiencing increasing new customer engagement activity. As an example, management indicated that four Tier-1 customers are evaluating use of WATT technology and that the company is making inroads into newer military engagement opportunities. We believe the recently launched WattUp PowerHub development kit is helping drive charging application interest across fitness bands, smartwatches, hearables, smart glasses and medical devices to benefit. Wecontinue to expect a volume ramp in 2H20.”Overall, the Moderate Buy analyst consensus on WATT shares is based on two recent Buy ratings. The stock has an average price target of $6, suggesting a 152% upside from the current share price of $2.38. (See WATT stock analysis on TipRanks)To find good ideas for penny 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.

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  • I Refinanced My Mortgage. Here’s What Happened to My Credit Score

    When interest rates started to drop in the spring of 2020, my husband and I took notice. We watched as the rates on both fixed-rate and adjustable-rate mortgages continued to…

  • Surprising data suggests coronavirus housing boom is finally cooling off

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  • Jack Ma Becomes Richer Than Walmart Heirs With Mega Ant IPO

    (Bloomberg) -- Jack Ma, the former English teacher who co-founded Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. with $60,000, is poised to become the world’s 11th richest person after Ant Group Co. priced shares for a record initial public offering.Ma’s 8.8% stake is worth $27.4 billion based on the stock pricing in Hong Kong and Shanghai. That will take the 56-year-old’s fortune to $71.1 billion on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, exceeding that of Oracle Corp.’s Larry Ellison, L’Oreal SA heiress Francoise Bettencourt Meyers and individual members of the Waltons, whose family owns Walmart Inc.Ant’s mammoth listing is poised to boost the fortunes of a group of early investors and employees. The company has granted staff share-based awards since 2014 and at least 18 other people have become billionaires from the IPO. Lucy Peng, a director at the payments giant through August, is the biggest individual Ant owner after Ma, and has a $5.2 billion stake. Chairman Eric Jing’s holding is worth $3.1 billion.Ant is set to raise almost $35 billion, beating Saudi Aramco’s $29 billion sale last year. The Shanghai stock priced at 68.8 yuan ($10.27) apiece and its Hong Kong shares at HK$80 ($10.32) each. The company could raise another $5.2 billion if it exercises its green shoe options, taking its market value to about $320 billion. That would be more than JPMorgan Chase & Co. and four times bigger than Goldman Sachs Group Inc.The big winners of the listing own their stakes through two limited partnerships registered in Hangzhou that together hold about 40% of Ant. Alibaba, in turn, has a third of the fintech firm. Hong Kong’s Li Ka-shing, the family behind a French supermarket giant, the son of a Taiwanese real estate billionaire and Chinese retail tycoon Shen Guojun are among the other owners who have invested in the company over the year.Ant began when Alibaba launched the Alipay payments app in 2004 as an escrow service for buyers and sellers on Ma’s e-commerce website. In 2013, they were given the ability to save money and earn interest on the balances stored on their accounts. The firm then started offering credit to small businesses, branching out from its consumer-finance focus, and eventually expanded to services such as block chain, cloud computing and artificial intelligence.Since co-founding Alibaba with Ma, Peng served in different roles. She set up Alibaba’s human-resources department and, after helping create Ant, was its chief executive officer until Jing took over in 2016. Two years later, he succeeded her as executive chairman of the fintech company.Both Peng and Jing are members of the Alibaba Partnership, a 36-person group with the power to determine the annual cash bonuses for all members of management.(Updates Jack Ma’s wealth in second paragraph)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

  • Stock market news live updates: Stock futures tick higher after Dow's worst drop in nearly two months

    Stock futures opened flat to slightly higher Monday evening after a selloff on Wall Street pushed the Dow and S&P 500 to their biggest one-day drops in more than a month.

  • AMD Expected To Draw Strength From Intel's Weaknesses, Gaming Console Chips

    Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) is on tap to release its third-quarter earnings report Tuesday after the market closes. The report assumes significance, as rival chipmaker Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) turned in a disappointing quarterly performance.Q1 Expectations: Santa Clara, California-based AMD is expected to report earnings per share of 35 cents. The chipmaker's revenues are estimated to come in at $2.56 billion.A year ago, the company reported EPS of 35 cents on revenues of $1.8 billion.A Modest Beat? AMD is primed for a modest third-quarter beat, aided in part by more favorable data center demand mix, BofA analyst Vivek Arya said. As opposed to Intel,the enterprise segment, which softened, accounts for merely 20% of AMD server sales.Intel's modest 1% year-over-year growth in PC chips despite IDC's forecast for PC unit shipments increasing 15% in the third quarter is a pointer to AMD's share gains at the expense of Intel, Arya noted."Indeed, our Steam survey tracker has shown AMD's share in CPUs for PC gaming growing steadily over the last several months to recent 26% peak," Arya wrote in the note.PC mix toward consumer from enterprise is also favorable for AMD. Additionally, BofA expects semi-custom demand to be robust following very successful launches of both the PlayStation 5 and Xbox X game consoles. The firm estimates over $650 million in revenues from the segment, premised on unit sales of 6.5 million at $100-$110 ASP.The biggest constraint to upside, according to BofA, will likely be more due to capacity constraints at Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg. Co. Ltd. (NYSE: TSM) rather than a demand issue.View more earnings on AMDRelated Link: AMD's Interest In Xilinx 'Strategic': Here's WhyQ4 Guidance: The 2%-3% sequential growth implied by the fourth-quarter consensus estimate is achievable, given new product ramp in desktops and servers, BofA said. The consensus estimates for the fourth quarter call for EPS of 39 cents and revenues of $2.62 billion.The launch of Intel's new 10SF Tiger Lake notebook processors will spice up competition in the notebook segment, Arya said.AMD's PC mix/ASPs will likely hold up better partly due to gaming mix and limited participation in Chromebooks. Arya also sees semi-custom business facing tougher comps in the fourth quarter.With mix shifting away from semi-custom, overall gross margins are expected to expand 200 basis points to 46% in the fourth quarter, BofA said.Key Areas: Clarity on AMD's M&A strategy, especially any word on the speculated Xilinx, Inc. (NASDAQ: XLNX) deal, and subdued gross margins, given the higher mix of consoles, are among things investors will be keen to know, BofA said.AMD's Stock: AMD's shares are up about 80% year-to-date, and in the third quarter, the stock rose about 56%. The stock closed Monday at $82.23. BofA has a Buy rating and $100 price target for AMD.Latest Ratings for AMD DateFirmActionFromTo Oct 2020SusquehannaMaintainsPositive Oct 2020Truist SecuritiesInitiates Coverage OnHold Aug 2020Piper SandlerMaintainsOverweight View More Analyst Ratings for AMD View the Latest Analyst RatingsSee more from Benzinga * Click here for options trades from Benzinga * Tesla Raises Capex Guidance, Plans Outlay Of Up To B Over 2 Years * Palantir Analysts Mixed On Data Company, Debate Market Opportunity, Discounted Valuation(C) 2020 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  • Charles Schwab to cut about 1,000 jobs

    "These reductions are part of our efforts to reduce overlapping or redundant roles across the two firms," Charles Schwab, which completed the acquisition of TD Ameritrade earlier in October, said. In November last year, Charles Schwab had agreed to buy TD Ameritrade Holding in an all-stock deal valued at $26 billion. "Employees whose roles are impacted by today's changes will have early access to all newly opened positions and be treated as internal candidates for the more than 1,000 currently open positions at Schwab through their 60-day notice period", the company said on Monday.