Analysts Expect Corecivic Inc (CXW) Will Announce Quarterly Sales of $432.75 Million

Analysts expect that Corecivic Inc (NYSE:CXW) will report sales of $432.75 million for the current fiscal quarter, according to Zacks. Two analysts have provided estimates for Corecivic’s earnings. The highest sales estimate is $439.78 million and the lowest is $425.71 million. Corecivic posted sales of $436.39 million during the same quarter last year, which suggests a negative year-over-year growth rate of 0.8%. The business is expected to issue its next earnings report after the market closes on Wednesday, August 8th.

According to Zacks, analysts expect that Corecivic will report full-year sales of $1.74 billion for the current year, with estimates ranging from $1.73 billion to $1.76 billion. For the next financial year, analysts forecast that the company will post sales of $1.73 billion per share, with estimates ranging from $1.70 billion to $1.76 billion. Zacks’ sales calculations are a mean average based on a survey of analysts that cover Corecivic.

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Corecivic (NYSE:CXW) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, May 2nd. The real estate investment trust reported $0.53 EPS for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.31 by $0.22. Corecivic had a return on equity of 11.80% and a net margin of 9.41%. The business had revenue of $440.90 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $430.67 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.63 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was down 1.1% compared to the same quarter last year.

A number of analysts have recently commented on CXW shares. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Corecivic from a “sell” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $23.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 9th. ValuEngine cut Corecivic from a “sell” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 2nd. Finally, TheStreet upgraded Corecivic from a “c” rating to a “b-” rating in a research report on Monday, June 25th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. The stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $32.50.

In other news, Director Thurgood Marshall, Jr. sold 3,300 shares of Corecivic stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.09, for a total transaction of $69,597.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 33,321 shares in the company, valued at $702,739.89. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 1.30% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in CXW. Point72 Asia Hong Kong Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Corecivic during the first quarter worth about $165,000. Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Corecivic by 77.0% during the fourth quarter. Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. now owns 10,296 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock worth $232,000 after buying an additional 4,478 shares during the last quarter. Verition Fund Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Corecivic during the fourth quarter worth about $240,000. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC purchased a new position in shares of Corecivic during the first quarter worth about $282,000. Finally, Fox Run Management L.L.C. purchased a new position in shares of Corecivic during the second quarter worth about $319,000. 79.20% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Shares of CXW traded up $0.40 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $24.70. 84,581 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,721,672. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.01, a quick ratio of 1.01 and a current ratio of 1.01. Corecivic has a twelve month low of $18.61 and a twelve month high of $29.23. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 10.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.78 and a beta of 0.93.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 16th. Stockholders of record on Monday, July 2nd were given a dividend of $0.43 per share. This represents a $1.72 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 6.96%. The ex-dividend date was Friday, June 29th. Corecivic’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 74.14%.

About Corecivic

The Company is a diversified government solutions company with the scale and experience needed to solve tough government challenges in flexible cost-effective ways. We provide a broad range of solutions to government partners that serve the public good through corrections and detention management, government real estate solutions, and a growing network of residential reentry centers to help address America's recidivism crisis.

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Millennials raid 401(k)s to fund home purchase

Many millennials are stretching financially to buy homes.�

Members of this younger generation�are exhibiting risky behavior when coming up with a down payment to buy a home, with about 1 in 3 (29 percent) saying they raided their 401(k) or IRA or borrowed against their retirement accounts, a move personal finance pros say could hurt their financial well-being, according to a new survey from Bank of the West.

Long known for being cautious when it comes to taking risk and approaching the unpredictable stock market with trepidation, millennials now view real estate as the "cornerstone" of their investment portfolio. Nearly 6 in 10�(56 percent) cited homeownership as the most popular ingredient of the American Dream, according to the bank's "2018 Millennial Study" released Thursday. Being debt-free ranked second at 51 percent and retiring comfortably came in third at 49 percent.

Still, their rush into the housing market (42 percent said they own homes) and their decision to�take�on mortgage debt and dip into accounts earmarked for retirement is "alarming," as it could put other financial goals at risk, says Ryan Bailey, head of the retail banking group at Bank of the West.�

"Tapping your 401(k) to buy a home should be a last resort," Bailey tells USA TODAY. "Millennial homebuyers should exhaust all other funding options first."�

If a millennial does opt to tap retirement savings, Bailey recommends taking out a loan. A loan�must be paid back to your account with interest and doesn't�result in a tax penalty, IRS rules state. And while the cash withdrawn for the 401(k) loan won't be able to grow in your retirement account, it's still a better option than withdrawing�money from your 401(k), which triggers federal and state income tax and a 10 percent�early withdrawal penalty. Roth IRAs allow penalty-free withdrawals of up to $10,000 for a first-time home purchase, although your earnings may be subject to a tax if the Roth is less than five years old. Homebuyers looking to tap their 401(k) or IRA should also see if they're eligible for hardship withdrawals.

The survey suggests that millennials ���40 percent think owning a home is a "good financial investment"��� are rushing into their home-buying decisions and may not be asking the right questions before making the plunge.

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In fact, 2 out of 3 (68 percent) millennial homeowners cited "regrets" or "buyer's remorse" after their purchase. The homeowners had issues with the cost of maintaining a home and felt too stretched financially.

"That tells us they haven't thought it through," Bailey says.

Still, 92 percent�of millennials who�don't currently own homes said they would like to buy one someday, according to the survey of 609 millennials between ages 21 and 34 conducted in November 2017.

CLOSE

Sadly, we can��t actually live in Barbie��s Dreamhouse. So what does a dream home mean as an adult? Buzz60

�

DoubleLine Income Solutions Fund Common Stock (DSL) Getting Somewhat Favorable News Coverage, Report

Headlines about DoubleLine Income Solutions Fund Common Stock (NYSE:DSL) have trended somewhat positive recently, Accern Sentiment Analysis reports. The research group rates the sentiment of media coverage by monitoring more than 20 million news and blog sources in real-time. Accern ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of negative one to one, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. DoubleLine Income Solutions Fund Common Stock earned a coverage optimism score of 0.02 on Accern’s scale. Accern also assigned media stories about the company an impact score of 46.8462359284019 out of 100, indicating that recent media coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the company’s share price in the next few days.

Shares of NYSE:DSL traded up $0.07 during midday trading on Thursday, reaching $20.25. The company had a trading volume of 700 shares, compared to its average volume of 329,820. DoubleLine Income Solutions Fund Common Stock has a one year low of $19.56 and a one year high of $21.56.

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The business also recently declared a monthly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, July 31st. Investors of record on Thursday, July 12th will be paid a $0.15 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Wednesday, July 11th. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 8.89%.

DoubleLine Income Solutions Fund Common Stock Company Profile

There is no company description available for DoubleLine Income Solutions Fund.

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National Bank Financial Weighs in on Taseko Mines Ltd’s Q2 2018 Earnings (TGB)

Taseko Mines Ltd (NYSEAMERICAN:TGB) (TSE:TKO) – Analysts at National Bank Financial issued their Q2 2018 earnings estimates for shares of Taseko Mines in a research report issued on Thursday, July 12th. National Bank Financial analyst D. Demarco anticipates that the mining company will post earnings per share of $0.01 for the quarter. National Bank Financial has a “Outperform” rating on the stock. National Bank Financial also issued estimates for Taseko Mines’ FY2018 earnings at $0.01 EPS.

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Separately, Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Taseko Mines from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, June 14th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $2.50.

Shares of Taseko Mines stock opened at $0.97 on Monday. Taseko Mines has a 52-week low of $0.96 and a 52-week high of $2.46.

Taseko Mines (NYSEAMERICAN:TGB) (TSE:TKO) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, May 2nd. The mining company reported ($0.05) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.02 by ($0.07). The firm had revenue of $64.18 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $75.95 million. Taseko Mines had a negative return on equity of 8.19% and a negative net margin of 7.97%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was down 38.5% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.07 earnings per share.

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its position in shares of Taseko Mines by 6.1% in the fourth quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 6,707,700 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $15,629,000 after purchasing an additional 384,800 shares during the period. State of Tennessee Treasury Department bought a new position in shares of Taseko Mines in the fourth quarter worth approximately $403,000. Alliancebernstein L.P. boosted its position in shares of Taseko Mines by 396.5% in the fourth quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 705,641 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $1,644,000 after purchasing an additional 563,521 shares during the period. Millennium Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Taseko Mines by 136.7% in the fourth quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 164,872 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $384,000 after purchasing an additional 95,232 shares during the period. Finally, Two Sigma Investments LP boosted its position in shares of Taseko Mines by 4.1% in the fourth quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 718,444 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $1,679,000 after purchasing an additional 28,563 shares during the period.

Taseko Mines Company Profile

Taseko Mines Limited, a mining company, acquires, develops, and operates mineral properties in Canada and the United States. The company explores for copper, molybdenum, gold, niobium, and silver deposits. It holds a 75% interest in the Gibraltar copper-molybdenum mine located in south-central British Columbia.

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Zacks Investment Research Upgrades ALPS Elec Ltd/ADR (APELY) to “Hold”

Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of ALPS Elec Ltd/ADR (OTCMKTS:APELY) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research report report published on Tuesday.

According to Zacks, “ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD. is a Japan-based company mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of electronic components and audio equipment. The Company operates in three business segments. The Electronic Component segment offers switches, adjustable resistors, hard disk drive (HDD) heads, tuners, data communication modules, printers, amusement machines, car control units and steering modules, among others. The Audio segment provides car audio equipment and navigation systems. The Logistic segment provides delivery and storage services and packaging materials, as well as system development service, office service, manpower dispatching service and financial management services. The Company has 86 subsidiaries and right associated companies. “

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Separately, ValuEngine downgraded ALPS Elec Ltd/ADR from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 2nd.

APELY stock opened at $55.02 on Tuesday. ALPS Elec Ltd/ADR has a twelve month low of $44.09 and a twelve month high of $68.45. The stock has a market cap of $5.53 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.30, a PEG ratio of 1.63 and a beta of 1.30.

ALPS Elec Ltd/ADR Company Profile

Alps Electric Co, Ltd. manufactures and sells electronic components worldwide. The company operates through Electronic Components, Automotive Infotainment, and Logistics segments. It offers sensors, switches, encoders, potentiometers, connectors, communication modules, multi control devices, power inductors, aspherical glass lenses, toroidal coils, touch input devices, actuators, and printers; and car navigation and audio systems, and information and communication devices.

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The Facebook Stock Price Could Double by This Date

The Facebook Inc. (Nasdaq: FB) stock price is trading at all-time highs right now ($209.99 per share), but there's still time to double your money on this tech juggernaut.

"A few years back – when Facebook was in the doghouse – I predicted it would double. And it did. It's going to double again from here – and more quickly than you think," Money Morning Defense and Tech Specialist Michael Robinson said on May 8.

Robinson calls FB CEO Mark Zuckerberg a "maverick."

In fact, he's so confident in how this company is run that Robinson projects the Facebook stock price will double by this date…

We Expect the Facebook Stock Price to Double Again

By now, everyone knows about Facebook and the Cambridge Analytica scandal. For a quick reminder, the data-analysis firm that worked on U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign was accused of improperly obtaining data from 50 million Facebook users.

In response, shareholders panicked, and the FB stock price dropped 13.32% in March.

But when I asked Robinson, he told me this was actually a buying opportunity for savvy investors.

"For the long haul, I still believe in this stock and see this as a great buying opportunity for tech investors. It does look like a classic overreaction. It seems as though Wall Street is panicking… but at this point, it's a lot of speculation," Robinson told me on March 20.

And indeed it was…

On March 20, FB was trading for $167.47.

Now trading at $209.99 per share, that's a 25.38% return in four months.

Life-Changing Profit Potential: One tiny firm is rapidly developing the parts for a game-changing technology – and the gains from its stock, trading for less than $10, could turn every $1,000 invested into $4,719. Learn more…

Not bad.

But there's still a chance to roughly double your money in Facebook.

The only catch is that you have to own it before this date…

Owning Facebook Now Could Lead to a 100% Return

Join the conversation. Click here to jump to comments…

Pepsi Continues to Lean On Its Snacking Division

Beverage and snacking giant�PepsiCo, Inc.�(NASDAQ:PEP)�issued its second-quarter 2018 earnings report on Tuesday, and it largely met the guidance management provided for investors in the first quarter. In an environment in which multinational consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies are struggling to expand, the ability to merely meet expectations is held in investor esteem -- shares rose roughly 5% in the trading session following PepsiCo's release. Let's review both the big-picture metrics and the details of PepsiCo's last three months.

PepsiCo results: The raw numbers Metric Q2 2018 Q2 2017 Year-Over-Year Change

Revenue	$16.09 billion	$15.71 billion	2.4%
Net income	$1.82 billion	$2.1 billion	(13.3%)
Diluted EPS	$1.28	$1.46	(12.3%)

Data source: PepsiCo.��

What happened with PepsiCo this quarter?

Organic revenue -- that is, reported revenue adjusted for acquisitions, divestitures, and the effects of foreign currency -- jumped 2.6% against the prior-year quarter. As I noted in my earnings preview, PepsiCo needed organic revenue growth to land between 2% and 3% to maintain the viability of a full-year 2.3% increase target.

Company performance was led by PepsiCo's second-largest segment, its Frito-Lay North America (FLNA) business. FLNA achieved volume growth of 2% versus Q2 2017, while net revenue improved 4% to $3.8 billion. Segment operating profit climbed 4% to $1.2 billion.

FLNA is benefiting from demand in what CPG research firms like to call the "core indulgent" category, which includes both sweet and salty snacks. This spring, I described how the division is enjoying higher sales in core indulgent snacks, even as it shores up its lineup of "clean" ingredient, "better-for-you" offerings, as evidenced by PepsiCo's pending acquisition of baked fruit and vegetable chip maker Bare Foods Co.

In contrast, North America Beverages (NAB), PepsiCo's largest segment, saw revenue dip 1% to $5.19 billion, while segment operating profit slumped 16% to $747 million. NAB's revenue has been pressured by a multiyear industry decline in sugary carbonated beverage volumes. While it's managed to offset this with portfolio diversification, PepsiCo recently admitted that rival Coca-Cola's (NYSE:KO) marketing support for trademark sodas like Coke and Diet Coke was eating into its own market share. We'll revisit this phenomenon below.

NAB's organic revenue decreased 1% and volume growth dipped 2%, yet these results represented sequential progress against last quarter's year-over-year comparisons, in which organic revenue and volume shrank by 2% and 3%, respectively.

Management attributed NAB's double-digit slide in operating profit to the decline in sales, as well as rising freight transportation costs, and higher commodity input costs.

Among the company's remaining segments, Asia, Middle East, and North Africa (AMENA) notably notched a jump in operating profit of 43% against the prior year. Even after removing 26 percentage points due to the refranchising of beverage businesses in Thailand and Jordan, AMENA enjoyed a double-digit increase in profits, a result of PepsiCo's cost-cutting measures across all geographies.

Similarly, Latin America reported an operating profit increase of 27%. The segment benefited from lower restructuring and impairment charges versus last year, and gained five percentage points in profit from insurance settlement payouts related to a 2017 earthquake in Mexico.�

Latin America booked an organic revenue gain of 3.5% over the prior year. However, a transportation strike in Brazil that lasted 11 days shaved at least 2 percentage points of additional organic revenue growth from this quarter's report. Thus, the positive results in this segment are slightly understated.

What management had to say

Image source: Getty Images.

During PepsiCo's earnings conference call, CEO Indra Nooyi addressed the need to support the organization's trademark soda brands regardless of innovation within other categories, as soft drinks remain a critical part of PepsiCo's revenue puzzle. Nooyi reassured investors that the behemoth would remain competitive with Coke's flagship products on store shelves:

As we mentioned last quarter, we have stepped up media support on trademark Pepsi under the Pepsi generation's campaign. As a result, in the second quarter, we began to see improvement in a number of key brand health metrics that is leading to better net revenue performance as the year progresses. So, we intend to stay the course increasing investment behind brand support in the second half of the year with the aim of driving further top line improvement. At the same time, we remain laser focused on higher growth categories with appropriate brand investment and robust innovation. For example, bubly, a cleverly marketed new entrant in the fast-growing sparkling water segment launched earlier this year and it continues to perform exceedingly well.

Looking forward

Since PepsiCo achieved its organic revenue goal during the second quarter, it left full-year revenue guidance intact. Management reiterated its 2018 organic revenue growth rate target of 2.3%, and though it cautioned that commodity price increases might pressure margins in the back half of the year, PepsiCo is maintaining its "core," or adjusted, earnings-per-share benchmark of $5.70. If met, this result will represent a 9% increase over last year's earnings.�

Zacks: Analysts Anticipate Stemline Therapeutics Inc (STML) to Post -$0.63 Earnings Per Share

Equities analysts expect Stemline Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:STML) to announce ($0.63) earnings per share (EPS) for the current fiscal quarter, Zacks Investment Research reports. Zero analysts have provided estimates for Stemline Therapeutics’ earnings. The lowest EPS estimate is ($0.66) and the highest is ($0.61). Stemline Therapeutics posted earnings per share of ($0.66) during the same quarter last year, which suggests a positive year over year growth rate of 4.5%. The company is scheduled to issue its next earnings results on Tuesday, August 14th.

On average, analysts expect that Stemline Therapeutics will report full-year earnings of ($2.73) per share for the current fiscal year, with EPS estimates ranging from ($2.91) to ($2.52). For the next year, analysts anticipate that the firm will post earnings of ($0.91) per share, with EPS estimates ranging from ($2.57) to $1.54. Zacks Investment Research’s earnings per share averages are a mean average based on a survey of sell-side research analysts that cover Stemline Therapeutics.

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Stemline Therapeutics (NASDAQ:STML) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 9th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($0.69) EPS for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of ($0.71) by $0.02.

STML has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Cowen restated a “buy” rating on shares of Stemline Therapeutics in a report on Thursday, May 10th. HC Wainwright set a $38.00 target price on Stemline Therapeutics and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, May 10th. BidaskClub upgraded Stemline Therapeutics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, April 12th. ValuEngine upgraded Stemline Therapeutics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, April 2nd. Finally, Roth Capital initiated coverage on Stemline Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, June 12th. They set a “buy” rating and a $30.00 target price on the stock. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the stock. Stemline Therapeutics has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $30.00.

Stemline Therapeutics traded down $0.10, reaching $16.60, during midday trading on Thursday, according to Marketbeat.com. 184,000 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 290,805. Stemline Therapeutics has a one year low of $7.30 and a one year high of $20.55. The stock has a market cap of $504.06 million, a P/E ratio of -5.63 and a beta of 0.22.

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in STML. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. increased its position in shares of Stemline Therapeutics by 17.0% during the 4th quarter. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. now owns 47,025 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $734,000 after purchasing an additional 6,825 shares during the last quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Stemline Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth approximately $189,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its position in shares of Stemline Therapeutics by 23.1% during the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 100,813 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $1,573,000 after purchasing an additional 18,899 shares during the last quarter. BlackRock Inc. increased its position in shares of Stemline Therapeutics by 6.3% during the 4th quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 1,406,181 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $21,936,000 after purchasing an additional 83,044 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Royce & Associates LP acquired a new position in shares of Stemline Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth approximately $106,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 66.91% of the company’s stock.

Stemline Therapeutics Company Profile

Stemline Therapeutics, Inc, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, acquisition, development, and commercialization of proprietary oncology therapeutics in the United States and internationally. The company develops SL-401, a targeted therapy directed to the interleukin-3 receptor (IL-3R), which has completed Phase II clinical trial for patients with blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm; is in Phase I/II clinical trials for patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms, chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, myelofibrosis, and acute myeloid leukemia; and is in Phase I clinical trial in combination with other agents for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

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Top Oil Stocks To Own For 2019

tags:WLL,MRO,APA,ECA,MMP, Russia just gave Venezuela a big break on debt payments. It's the latest sign that the two nations are deepening ties as the Trump administration cracks down on Venezuela.

The Kremlin announced that it had agreed to restructure $3.15 billion of debt payments that Venezuela owes Moscow. Russia's finance ministry is spreading the payments out over the next 10 years with "minimal" payments in the first six.

It's unclear if that's the total amount Venezuela owes Russia. One analysis published by Harvard Law Roundtable from September put the total sum at over $9 billion, but government officials haven't clarified what the total is.

The debt relief couldn't come at a better time for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. American ratings agencies, such as S&P Global, declared Venezuela and its state-run oil company, PDVSA, in default this week.

Despite the help from Russia, Venezuela's debt woes won't go away anytime soon. It owes over $60 billion just to bondholders. Its central bank only has $9.6 billion left. Venezuela has slowly drained its reserves in recent years to make debt payments.

Top Oil Stocks To Own For 2019: Whiting Petroleum Corporation(WLL)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Sheaff Brock Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Whiting Petroleum Co. (NYSE:WLL) in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 14,439 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock, valued at approximately $489,000.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Whiting Petroleum (NYSE:WLL) bounded upward more than 55% for the quarter, fueled by rising crude prices and its strong first-quarter results. After struggling to scrape by on lower oil prices, Whiting's cash flow has surged this year, providing it enough money to fund its drilling program with more than $100 million to spare during the first quarter.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Shares of Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) have been given an average rating of “Buy” by the thirty-two ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, thirteen have given a hold recommendation, fifteen have given a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $46.58.

Top Oil Stocks To Own For 2019: Marathon Oil Corporation(MRO)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  That efficiency was evident in the first quarter when companies like Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN) and Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO) drilled record-breaking wells. In Devon Energy's case, it completed two of the highest-rate wells ever drilled in the nearly 100-year history of the Delaware Basin. Those wells, when combined with some prolific ones in the STACK shale play, enabled Devon to produce a huge profit in the first quarter. Marathon Oil, meanwhile, drilled record-setting wells in two formations of the Bakken region as well as several high-rate ones in the STACK, which fueled strong profits for the driller in the first quarter.�

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Marathon Oil (MRO)

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

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Saudi Aramco's valuation, however, isn't the only one that would benefit from a pop in the price of crude. Many oil producers in the U.S. restructured their operations to run on $50 oil, so if the Saudi strategy is successful, these oil companies would produce a gusher of cash flow, which could fuel high-octane gains for investors. While that rise would likely lift the entire sector, Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN) and Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO)�could outperform in that scenario.

Top Oil Stocks To Own For 2019: Apache Corporation(APA)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Lange]

  The S&P 500 stock posting the largest daily percentage loss ahead of the close was Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA) which traded down about 4% at $42.73. The stock��s 52-week range is $33.60 to $51.21. Volume was over 6 million compared to the daily average volume of 4.5 million.

• [By Jason Hall, Tyler Crowe, and John Bromels]

  If you're shopping for great buys in the oil patch right now, three Motley Fool contributors think you should take a close look at tech-heavy but asset-light oilfield services provider�Core Laboratories N.V.�(NYSE:CLB), value-priced independent oil producer�Apache Corporation�(NYSE:APA), and refining giant�Marathon Petroleum Corp�(NYSE:MPC).�

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Both Apache (NYSE:APA) and Noble Energy (NYSE:NBL) have signed on to the private-equity-backed EPIC Pipeline, which will move 590,000 barrels of crude per day to the Texas coast when it starts operations in the second half of next year.

• [By Jason Hall]

  Since oil prices peaked in 2014, both Total and Shell have managed to generate positive total returns for investors who held through the downturn, in large part because of their diverse operations. Neither has come close to outperforming the�S&P 500, but it could have been far worse; one only has to look at some of the biggest independent oil producers, including�Apache Corporation�(NYSE:APA) (down 53%),�Anadarko Petroleum Corporation�(NYSE:APC) (down 33%), and�Continental Resources, Inc.�(NYSE:CLR) (down 12.3%) to appreciate the benefit of Total's and Shell's more diversified operations.�

• [By John Bromels]

  Three companies that the market has walloped are�Apache Corporation�(NYSE:APA),�Magellan Midstream Partners�(NYSE:MMP), and�General Motors�(NYSE:GM). Here's why these stocks look like bargains, and why today might be a good time to scoop up some shares.�

• [By John Bromels]

  It seems like a great time to buy in, but you still shouldn't just buy any oil and gas stock. Luckily, it doesn't take a genius to identify great choices in the oil and gas industry like�Apache Corporation�(NYSE:APA),�Devon Energy�(NYSE:DVN), and�Royal Dutch Shell�(NYSE:RDS-A)(NYSE:RDS-B). Here's why they're such no-brainer investments.

Top Oil Stocks To Own For 2019: Encana Corporation(ECA)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  Already, shale companies such as Encana (ECA) , Occidental Petroleum (OXY) and Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD) , among others, are reporting higher cash flows and earnings on higher oil prices. As a result, they are paying down debt, increasing dividends and engaging in buybacks. This is a dramatic improvement in shareholder yield for the group.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

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

  Get Encana alerts: Should You Listen to This Stock? Encana Corporation (ECA) moves 51.44% away from One Year Low (nasdaqchronicle.com) Hot Mover of the Day �� Encana Corporation (NYSE:ECA) (thestockgem.com) Enrapturing Stocks: Encana Corporation, (NYSE: ECA), AmTrust Financial Services, Inc., (NASDAQ: AFSI) (globalexportlines.com) Analysts, Options Traders Love This Lesser-Known Energy Stock (schaeffersresearch.com) Encana Corp (ECA) Expected to Announce Quarterly Sales of $1.12 Billion (americanbankingnews.com)

  ECA traded up $0.27 on Thursday, hitting $12.47. 9,071,326 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 9,380,907. Encana has a 12 month low of $8.01 and a 12 month high of $14.31. The company has a quick ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.00, a P/E/G ratio of 1.98 and a beta of 2.00.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Electra (CURRENCY:ECA) traded down 5.1% against the U.S. dollar during the 24-hour period ending at 15:00 PM E.T. on June 12th. Over the last seven days, Electra has traded down 25.7% against the U.S. dollar. Electra has a market cap of $34.53 million and approximately $134,011.00 worth of Electra was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One Electra coin can currently be bought for $0.0013 or 0.00000020 BTC on exchanges including CryptoBridge, Fatbtc, CoinFalcon and Coinhouse.

• [By Keith Noonan, Travis Hoium, and Matthew DiLallo]

  We asked three Motley Fool investors to profile some of the best under-the-radar growth stocks on the market today. Read on to see why they selected Encana�(NYSE:ECA), Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI), and Baozun (NASDAQ:BZUN) as top growth stocks for in-the-know investors.

Top Oil Stocks To Own For 2019: Magellan Midstream Partners L.P.(MMP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Meanwhile, the return multiples for many of the projects under development by Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP) are in the six- to eight-times EBITDA range. Because of that, the $1.7 billion of expansion projects Magellan currently has underway only will generate about $250 million in incidental EBITDA. That's partially why Magellan Midstream expects to grow its payout at a slower pace of 8% this year and a 5% to 8% annual rate in 2019 and 2020, even though it plans on paying out the same percentage of its cash flow as ONEOK.

• [By John Bromels, Jeremy Bowman, and Daniel Miller]

  We asked three Motley Fool investors to highlight a top dividend-paying stock with a yield above 2% that is supported by a solid business underneath. They came back with�Magellan Midstream Partners�(NYSE:MMP),�Home Depot�(NYSE:HD), and�Ford Motor Company�(NYSE:F). Here's why they chose the way they did.�

• [By ]

  Hetty Green Would Love This Trade
  It's in Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE: MMP).

  Magellan Midstream Partners owns the longest refined petroleum products pipeline system in the country, with access to nearly 50% of the nation's refining capacity and the ability to store more than 100 million barrels of petroleum products such as gasoline, diesel fuel and crude oil.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  In the meantime, Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP) is working on a 600,000 BPD pipeline in the region that could be in service by the middle of next year. Magellan is currently evaluating other options such as a joint venture that could optimize the project, which might shift the time frame and scale of the project. In addition, Magellan is eyeing a potential oil export dock in Corpus Christi, Texas, which it sees as an ideal landing spot for crude coming out of the Permian. The up-to-$700 million project could be up and running by 2020 and give Permian producers access to higher global oil prices. Projects like those potentially position Magellan to continue increasing its 5.4%-yielding distribution at a mid-single-digit annual rate for the next several years.

• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  Kinder Morgan, Inc. (NYSE:KMI) is one of the largest midstream companies in North America, and it has major dividend plans between 2018 and 2020. By the end of that period, it expects to increase its dividend from $0.50 per share per year (in 2017) to $1.25. That's huge dividend growth in a short period of time. But don't get too enamored by that news; the dividend will still be lower than it was before the midstream oil and gas company's 75% dividend cut in 2016. If you're looking for dividend income in the midstream space, take a look at longtime dividend payers ONEOK, Inc. (NYSE:OKE) and Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE:MMP) instead.� �

Celgene and Acceleron Pharma Win Again in Late-Stage Trial

Acceleron Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: XLRN) and Celgene Corp. (NASDAQ: CELG) each saw a handy gain early Tuesday morning after results from their late-stage study in adults with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia were announced.

The Phase 3 results from the BELIEVE study of luspatercept achieved a highly statistically significant improvement in the primary endpoint of erythroid response, which was defined as at least a 33% reduction from baseline in red blood cell (RBC) transfusion burden compared to the placebo.

Additionally, luspatercept met all key secondary endpoints of demonstrating statistically significant improvements in RBC transfusion burden from baseline of at least a 33% reduction during the period from week 37 to week 48, at least a 50% reduction during the period from week 13 to week 24, at least a 50% reduction during the period from week 37 to week 48, and a mean change in transfusion burden from week 13 to week 24.

Recently, these companies also announced that luspatercept met the primary and key secondary endpoints in the MEDALIST study, a separate Phase 3 trial in patients with Revised International Prognostic Scoring System very low, low or intermediate risk myelodysplastic syndromes with chronic anemia.

Habib Dable, president and CEO of Acceleron, commented:

The BELIEVE study marks the second positive phase 3 study for luspatercept and underscores the potential of this erythroid maturation agent to impact a range of diseases associated with chronic anemia. We continue to explore luspatercept across our broader development programs, including non-transfusion dependent beta-thalassemia in the ongoing BEYOND study.

Shares of Celgene traded at $85.10 just after the opening bell, up about 1.5%. The consensus analyst price target is $112.69, and a 52-week trading range is $74.13 to $147.17.

Acceleron shares were last seen trading up more than 3% to $49.12, with a consensus price target of $56.42 and a 52-week range of $29.57 to $50.00.

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2018 Dow Laggards Could Offer Material Upside Into 2019

Facebook will chip in for users' birthday fundraisers

Facebook is sweetening the pot for all birthday fundraisers posted on its platform.

Continuing its efforts for social good -- and helping to get back into good graces with its users -- the social network said on Tuesday it will donate $5 to every newly created fundraiser posted on a US user's birthday. The fundraiser must support one of the 750,000 vetted US nonprofits approved to raise money using the platform.

Last year, Facebook (FB) introduced the feature, allowing users to select an organization, set a goal amount and enter a custom message. Friends who see the post can make a donation.

The money will come from the Facebook Donations Fund to help nonprofits boost fundraising. The company previously said it would pour $50 million into the fund for 2018.

Facebook will only be adding contributions for a limited time, but Ian Alexander -- a product manager on Facebook's Social Good team -- didn't elaborate on a timeline.

"We're committed to helping as long and as much as we can," Alexander told CNNMoney.

It's unclear how much money has been raised through the effort or how many users have participated. However, Alexander said birthday fundraisers are one of the company's most popular fundraising tools.

In November, the company eliminated fees for nonprofits, so 100% of donations made through the platform go directly to the groups.

Donations like this can add a new stream of revenue for nonprofits without requiring much effort on their part.

The Marine Mammal Center, a California-based nonprofit that rescues marine mammals, said it has raised about $30,000 from Facebook birthday fundraisers over the last year. Overall, the majority of its revenue comes from individual donors.

"For nonprofits across the board, it can cost a lot of money to raise a dollar," said Laura Sherr, a spokeswoman for The Marine Mammal Center. "To have a platform and a channel that does not require a lot of work on our end means we can spread our story to even more people."

Christopher McClean, an analyst at Forrester, applauded Facebook's efforts to give back and engage with users but said it could be seen as an effort to boost the company's image after a tough year so far. The company recently faced concerns over data handling and a bug that temporarily unblocked users.

"[Some people] won't be swayed by this campaign," he said. "They want very clear and specific changes Facebook is making to take care of people's privacy and protect their data."

Here's Why CRISPR Therapeutics AG Fell 14.7% in June

What happened

Shares of CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRSP) dropped almost 15% last month after Wall Street caught wind of results from two studies suggesting that a certain CRISPR tool may be linked to cancer. The gene-editing tool itself doesn't cause the mutation, but instead activates one already present in a cell that can result in genetic instability. Nonetheless, the studies -- one of which was available as a preprint for almost one year -- gave investors pause.

That's hardly surprising, considering CRISPR stocks have been cruising higher in 2018. For instance, from the beginning of the year to the end of May, CRISPR Therapeutics stock gained 360%. Shares are up 290% year to date through the first week of July.

Image source: Getty Images.

So what

While investors shouldn't dismiss the latest CRISPR controversy, it's important to note two things. First, the two studies focused on one of two DNA repair mechanisms (what stitches a genome up after being cut) within cells. The lead drug candidates from CRISPR Therapeutics and those from the other two pioneers of the technology for medical applications don't rely on the DNA repair mechanism studied, so it shouldn't slow them down in the near term. Other, earlier-stage programs may need to navigate the new risk, however.

Second, more research is needed to more fully understand the long-term clinical risk. Will it be impossible to utilize current CRISPR tools leaning on the DNA repair mechanism at the center of the studies? Can they be altered to circumvent the obstacle? Companies and academic researchers will need more time to sort everything out.

Now what

CRISPR Therapeutics has zoomed ahead of its gene-editing peers this year in the stock market and clinic. By the end of 2018 it could have investigational new drug (IND) applications filed for two drug candidates, whereas its next-closest competitor will have just one. That swift progress has earned it a higher market valuation for now, but as events of the last month demonstrated, investors shouldn't forget that it's still very early for the technology.

Westlake Chemical Co. (WLK) Stake Raised by Clinton Group Inc.

Clinton Group Inc. increased its holdings in Westlake Chemical Co. (NYSE:WLK) by 742.5% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 40,752 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock after purchasing an additional 35,915 shares during the period. Clinton Group Inc.’s holdings in Westlake Chemical were worth $4,386,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other large investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Gulf International Bank UK Ltd purchased a new stake in Westlake Chemical during the second quarter valued at about $1,475,000. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd grew its position in Westlake Chemical by 194.9% during the first quarter. Dynamic Technology Lab Private Ltd now owns 26,255 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $2,918,000 after acquiring an additional 17,352 shares during the period. Allianz Asset Management GmbH grew its position in Westlake Chemical by 119.3% during the first quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 193,783 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $21,539,000 after acquiring an additional 105,418 shares during the period. Navellier & Associates Inc grew its position in Westlake Chemical by 82.4% during the first quarter. Navellier & Associates Inc now owns 13,718 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $1,525,000 after acquiring an additional 6,196 shares during the period. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada grew its position in Westlake Chemical by 18.2% during the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 489,915 shares of the specialty chemicals company’s stock valued at $54,455,000 after acquiring an additional 75,530 shares during the period. 29.74% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Shares of Westlake Chemical traded up $0.70, hitting $109.50, on Friday, according to MarketBeat.com. The company had a trading volume of 12,544 shares, compared to its average volume of 822,103. Westlake Chemical Co. has a 12-month low of $65.41 and a 12-month high of $124.29. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.47, a current ratio of 1.79 and a quick ratio of 1.22. The company has a market capitalization of $13.90 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.01, a PEG ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 1.59.

Westlake Chemical (NYSE:WLK) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, May 3rd. The specialty chemicals company reported $2.20 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $2.09 by $0.11. Westlake Chemical had a return on equity of 17.77% and a net margin of 17.61%. The company had revenue of $2.15 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.14 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $1.06 earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 10.7% compared to the same quarter last year. research analysts expect that Westlake Chemical Co. will post 9.09 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The firm also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, June 13th. Investors of record on Wednesday, May 30th were paid a $0.21 dividend. This represents a $0.84 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.77%. The ex-dividend date was Tuesday, May 29th. Westlake Chemical’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 15.36%.

In related news, Chairman James Chao sold 33,305 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 24th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.69, for a total value of $4,019,580.45. Following the transaction, the chairman now owns 51,492 shares in the company, valued at $6,214,569.48. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CFO Mark Steven Bender sold 23,506 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.33, for a total value of $2,757,958.98. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 32,636 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,829,181.88. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 70,376 shares of company stock worth $8,437,710. Insiders own 72.00% of the company’s stock.

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. Sanford C. Bernstein assumed coverage on Westlake Chemical in a research report on Wednesday, June 20th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $150.00 price target for the company. ValuEngine raised Westlake Chemical from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, May 12th. Cowen boosted their price target on Westlake Chemical from $122.00 to $124.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, May 11th. MED reissued a “buy” rating and set a $130.00 price target on shares of Westlake Chemical in a research report on Thursday, May 17th. Finally, Royal Bank of Canada downgraded Westlake Chemical from an “outperform” rating to a “sector perform” rating in a research report on Monday, June 11th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have assigned a hold rating, nine have assigned a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. Westlake Chemical presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $119.94.

Westlake Chemical Company Profile

Westlake Chemical Corporation manufactures and markets basic chemicals, vinyls, polymers, and building products primarily in North America and Europe. It operates through two segments, Olefins and Vinyls. The Olefins segment offers polyethylene, styrene monomers, and various ethylene co-products, as well as sells propylene, crude butadiene, pyrolysis gasoline, and hydrogen products.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding WLK? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Westlake Chemical Co. (NYSE:WLK).

El Pollo LoCo (LOCO) Stock Rating Lowered by Zacks Investment Research

El Pollo LoCo (NASDAQ:LOCO) was downgraded by Zacks Investment Research from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note issued on Wednesday.

According to Zacks, “El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiary, develops, franchises, licenses and operates quick-service restaurants under the name El Pollo Loco. The restaurants specializes in flame-grilled chicken in a variety of contemporary Mexican-influenced entrees, including specialty chicken burritos, chicken quesadillas, chicken tortilla soup, Pollo Bowls and Pollo Salads. El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc. is headquartered in Costa Mesa, California. “

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Other analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. ValuEngine upgraded shares of El Pollo LoCo from a “strong sell” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 26th. BidaskClub upgraded shares of El Pollo LoCo from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, June 22nd. Morgan Stanley restated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $11.00 target price (down previously from $12.00) on shares of El Pollo LoCo in a research note on Monday, March 12th. Finally, SunTrust Banks set a $11.00 target price on shares of El Pollo LoCo and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 8th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and one has issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $12.40.

Shares of NASDAQ:LOCO opened at $11.60 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $440.45 million, a P/E ratio of 18.41, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.09 and a beta of 0.33. The company has a quick ratio of 0.34, a current ratio of 0.38 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.31. El Pollo LoCo has a 1-year low of $9.05 and a 1-year high of $13.85.

El Pollo LoCo (NASDAQ:LOCO) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 3rd. The restaurant operator reported $0.17 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.16 by $0.01. The firm had revenue of $105.76 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $103.27 million. El Pollo LoCo had a net margin of 1.54% and a return on equity of 9.19%. El Pollo LoCo’s quarterly revenue was up 6.0% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $0.16 EPS. research analysts expect that El Pollo LoCo will post 0.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in LOCO. Wells Fargo & Company MN lifted its stake in shares of El Pollo LoCo by 351.6% in the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 129,529 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock worth $1,282,000 after acquiring an additional 100,845 shares during the period. Arizona State Retirement System increased its holdings in shares of El Pollo LoCo by 224.8% in the 4th quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 36,379 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $360,000 after purchasing an additional 25,179 shares in the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers increased its holdings in shares of El Pollo LoCo by 16.7% in the 4th quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 49,531 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $490,000 after purchasing an additional 7,094 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp increased its holdings in shares of El Pollo LoCo by 5.7% in the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 276,069 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $2,732,000 after purchasing an additional 14,872 shares in the last quarter. Finally, BlackRock Inc. increased its holdings in shares of El Pollo LoCo by 2.5% in the 4th quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 2,869,119 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock valued at $28,404,000 after purchasing an additional 69,526 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 83.43% of the company’s stock.

About El Pollo LoCo

El Pollo Loco Holdings, Inc, through its subsidiary El Pollo Loco, Inc, develops, franchises, licenses, and operates quick-service restaurants under the El Pollo Loco name. The company specializes in offering flame-grilled chicken. As of March 8, 2018, it had approximately 475 company-owned and franchised restaurants in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, and Utah.

Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on El Pollo LoCo (LOCO)

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

Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc (CRZO) Given Average Rating of “Buy” by Analysts

Shares of Carrizo Oil & Gas Inc (NASDAQ:CRZO) have been given a consensus rating of “Buy” by the twenty-four analysts that are covering the company, Marketbeat.com reports. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price objective among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $26.88.

A number of equities analysts recently commented on CRZO shares. SunTrust Banks set a $25.00 target price on Carrizo Oil & Gas and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, April 17th. Royal Bank of Canada reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $22.00 target price on shares of Carrizo Oil & Gas in a report on Friday, April 13th. BidaskClub upgraded Carrizo Oil & Gas from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 22nd. Deutsche Bank started coverage on Carrizo Oil & Gas in a research note on Wednesday, April 4th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $20.00 price target for the company. Finally, Citigroup set a $17.00 price target on Carrizo Oil & Gas and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, March 9th.

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Shares of CRZO traded up $0.10 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $27.76. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,613,800 shares, compared to its average volume of 3,064,576. Carrizo Oil & Gas has a one year low of $11.10 and a one year high of $30.31. The stock has a market capitalization of $2.27 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.41 and a beta of 2.20. The company has a current ratio of 0.28, a quick ratio of 0.28 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.69.

Carrizo Oil & Gas (NASDAQ:CRZO) last announced its earnings results on Monday, May 7th. The oil and gas producer reported $0.48 EPS for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.33 by $0.15. Carrizo Oil & Gas had a return on equity of 48.53% and a net margin of 9.10%. The company had revenue of $225.28 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $200.88 million. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.18 EPS. Carrizo Oil & Gas’s revenue for the quarter was up 48.8% compared to the same quarter last year. equities analysts predict that Carrizo Oil & Gas will post 2.86 EPS for the current year.

In other news, COO John Bradley Fisher sold 35,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $25.43, for a total transaction of $890,050.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 194,936 shares in the company, valued at $4,957,222.48. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, CEO S P. Iv Johnson sold 8,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $26.42, for a total value of $211,360.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 215,476 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,692,875.92. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 137,267 shares of company stock valued at $3,561,700. Company insiders own 5.40% of the company’s stock.

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its position in shares of Carrizo Oil & Gas by 6.8% during the fourth quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 1,000,141 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock valued at $21,283,000 after purchasing an additional 63,893 shares in the last quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas purchased a new position in shares of Carrizo Oil & Gas during the fourth quarter valued at about $576,000. William Blair Investment Management LLC grew its position in shares of Carrizo Oil & Gas by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC now owns 1,679,335 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock valued at $35,736,000 after purchasing an additional 5,450 shares in the last quarter. Lion Point Capital LP purchased a new position in shares of Carrizo Oil & Gas during the fourth quarter valued at about $42,560,000. Finally, AXA grew its position in shares of Carrizo Oil & Gas by 338.5% during the fourth quarter. AXA now owns 101,300 shares of the oil and gas producer’s stock valued at $2,156,000 after purchasing an additional 78,200 shares in the last quarter.

Carrizo Oil & Gas Company Profile

Carrizo Oil & Gas, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas liquids, and gas from resource plays primarily in the United States. The company holds interests in oil and gas plays, including Eagle Ford Shale in South Texas; and the Delaware Basin in West Texas.

Market Update: Nifty FMCG outperforms as ITC jumps 3%; UltraTech, Yes Bank up 4%

The Indian benchmark indices�have�slipped into the red�this Thursday afternoon�with the Nifty�shedding�23�points and is trading at 10,746 mark.�The Sensex is trading�lower�by�81�points at 35,564.

Nifty FMCG�is up over 1 percent led by ITC which jumped 3 percent while Emami, Marico and Hindustan Unilever are�the other gainers.

The metal and the IT index are the biggest drag to the market weakness. The top IT losers include�names�like Infosys which is down over 5 percent followed by KPIT Tech, Tech�Mahindra and�KPIT Technologies.

The top metal losers include names like NALCO, Hindustan Zinc, Jindal Steel and Power, SAIL, Tata Steel, Vedanta and Hindalco Industries.

related news Movers & shakers: Redington India, JK Cement volumes grow the most in last 5 days USL, GM Breweries, Pincon Spirit fall 5-6% after Karnataka govt raises excise duty on liquor

After the 41st AGM, Reliance Industries has slipped into the red, trading lower by over 1.5 percent which has also dragged the Nifty energy index down. The other stock which�have lost some ground include�GAIL India.

Following the launch of JioGigaFiber and registering a customer base of 215 million, other telecom stocks have come under pressure. Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular�are�down 1 percent each. DEN Networks is down 8 percent while Hathway Cable�has�fallen�close to�15 percent.

Nifty�realty�is down 1 percent with loses from DLF, Godrej Properties, HDIL, Phoenix Mills, Oberoi Realty, Prestige Estates and Sobha.

The top gainers among Nifty constituents were Yes Bank,�UltraTech Cement, ITC, HPCL and�Asian Paints�which gained�up to 4�percent.

The most actively traded stocks on the NSE are Reliance Industries, Infosys, Shriram Transport, Maruti Suzuki and�Yes Bank.

The top NSE losers included�Infosys, Titan Company, Vedanta, Tata Motors and�Reliance Industries.

Some of the top gainers on BSE are IL&FS Transport which jumped close to 10 percent followed by Future Lifestyle, GATI,�Firstsource Solutions and�Yes Bank.

The top losers included Hathway which tanked�14�percent while DEN Networks is trading lower by 8 percent. HCC,�Infosys�and Vakrangee are the other losers.

Britannia Industries, Graphite India, Hindustan Unilever�and HEG�are�some�of the very�few stocks that hit fresh 52-week high in the�afternoon�trade.

On the other hand,�156�stocks have hit new 52-week low including BHEL, DEN Networks, Dena Bank, Grasim Industries, Hathway Cable, Finolex Industries, Kwality, Max Financial, Punj Lloyd and Tata Motors among others.

The breadth of the market favoured�declines, with�742�stocks advancing, 954�declining and�369�remaining unchanged. On BSE,�1055�stocks advanced,�1428�declined and�139�remained unchanged.

Disclosure: Reliance Industries Ltd. is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd. First Published on Jul 5, 2018 02:19 pm

How Important is India to Walmart's (WMT) Future?

Quartz India reported on Monday about protests taking place across India in response to Walmart’s (WMT ) $16 billion takeover of e-commerce giant Flipkart. Up to a million shopkeepers were expected to protest the takeover over concerns that the buyout will create a monopoly in the retail market and drive small mom-and-pop stores out of business. However, in an update on Tuesday, reports stated that fewer than 100 people would go on to show up to a protest in New Delhi, India’s capital city.

As it stands, up to 90% of the nation’s $670 billion market transactions take place through small businesses, and protestors do not want that to change. Flipkart, which holds a third of the e-commerce market share in India, has been in direct competition with Amazon India (AMZN ) , which is right behind it, with about 30% of the market share. Walmart, which has not been able to grab a significant foothold in region, is instead leveraging Flipkart to build its presence.

Walmart is recognized as one of the giants in American retail, but how important could India be to the firm’s operations in the future? Let’s take a look.

By the Numbers

Walmart had a solid Q1 FY19 earnings report in mid-May, posting earnings of $1.14 per share on revenues of $122.7 billion, representing 14% and 4.4% respective year-over-year growth. US net sales rose 3.1% to $77.7 billion while international sales went up by 11.7% to $30.3 billion. Specifically, eight out of its overall eleven markets delivered favorable comps, four of which are in its largest markets.

One of the big highlights however was Walmart’s e-commerce growth over the quarter. Sales jumped 33% compared to a 23% boost from the previous quarter. This improvement was mainly guided by strength in Walmart.com and online grocery. Forward looking management remains optimistic about achieving 40% growth in FY2019.

As part of the deal, both Walmart and Flipkart will continue to operate as distinct brands. However, Flipkart’s financials will become part of Walmart’s international segment following the conclusion of the transaction. It is also worth noting that Walmart’s purchase includes a $2 billion investment into the firm, which is expected to help propel growth.

According to a report by the Economic Times, Flipkart posted revenues of $3.09 billion in FY 2017, representing a 29% year-over-year increase.         At the same time, it posted an overall loss of $1.3 billion, representing a 68% increase from FY16. This was however mainly guided by a five-fold increase in finance costs due to the company’s degraded valuation of $11.6 billion in April 2017 compared to $15.2 billion in 2015.

Flipkart is not the only firm feeling the pain, as Amazon also saw a loss of $2.1 billion in its international segments in FY17. Part of the reason why these big firms are not yet turning a profit in India is because the online retail market in the region is not yet mature. Furthermore, FDI policies make it so that firms must bring more sellers on board and reduce the share of revenue made by in-house vendors.

Outlook

All things considered, Walmart’s investment in Flipkart is based on the enormous amount of promise that the region shows. According to a report by the India Brand Equity Foundation, a trust established by its Department of Commerce, the nation’s e-commerce industry is expected to surpass the US to become the second largest e-commerce market in the world by 2034. The market is projected to approach $64 billion in value by 2020 and $200 billion by 2026 compared to $38.5 billion in 2017.

Estimates are guided by projections on the number of internet users in India growing from 429.2 million people as of September 2017 to 829 million by 2021. Digital literacy in the region is growing, and the nation’s population is quite young overall. The expectation is that as the rate of smartphone adoption increases, e-commerce will continue to surge.

These numbers are promising for Walmart, which is up 12.4% over the last 12 months compared to a 25.3% industry average. With as large as it has become in the US, new revenue streams will characterize its growth in the future. India is both a young and large market that could potentially become the next big catalyst for the firm.

Walmart currently sits at a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

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U.S. stock futures inch higher as traders look past trade tensions

Wall Street was set for a higher open on Tuesday, with stock futures building on the prior day��s gains as traders looked past the heightened U.S.-China trade tensions for now.

Trading volumes were expected to be lower than normal because of the Fourth of July holiday on Wednesday.

What are markets doing?

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average YMU8, +0.45% �climbed 43 points, or 0.2%, to 24,332, while those for the S&P 500 index ESU8, +0.33% �gained 4.70 points, or 0.2%, to 2,723. Futures for the Nasdaq-100 index NQU8, +0.38% �put on 18.25 points, or 0.3%, to 7,134.50.

All three U.S. benchmarks on Monday managed to shake off early losses and end in positive territory. Tech shares in particular rallied, helping the Nasdaq Composite Index COMP, +0.76% �end 0.8% higher, while the Dow DJIA, +0.15% �gained 0.2% and the S&P 500 SPX, +0.31% �put on 0.3%.

What is driving the market?

The premarket gains were seen as a continuation of Monday��s trading mood, where better-than-expected U.S. manufacturing data drove optimism and briefly overshadowed concerns about a potential trade war.

The uncertainty over trade policy, however, was still hanging over markets, ahead of the U.S.��s planned tariffs on up to $50 billion on Chinese products set to come into effect on Friday. The Trump administration was seen as keeping the U.S.-China tensions alive after late Monday saying it seeks to block China Mobile from operating in the U.S. market. The White House cited ��national security interests�� as the reason for refusing China Mobile access to the U.S.

As trade tensions persist, analysts were worried China is launching a currency war to fight back against the U.S. The Chinese yuan USDCNY, -0.2685% �has depreciated about 3.5% against the dollar over the past month, but rose slightly on Tuesday. The dollar bought 6.6523 yuan, compared with 6.6673 late Monday in New York.

Meanwhile, in Europe, traders welcomed a last-minute deal on immigration in Germany. With the agreement in place, Chancellor Angela Merkel��s fragile coalition government stepped back from a full-blown crisis that could have cost Merkel her position as German leader.

What are strategists saying?

��Equities in Asia are deep in the red following the continued depreciation of the Chinese yuan, while concerns on whether the U.S. trade levies threaten China��s growth send regional bourses lower. The European and U.S. futures, however, paint a different picture, with almost all the markets trending towards a positive opening bell,�� said Konstantinos Anthis, head of research at ADSS, in a note.

��Whether this change in bias is a reaction to the resolution in German politics or just a short-term bounce remains to be seen. Having said that and given that most indices are trading just above key support levels, vigilance is advised as a quick change in sentiment could threaten these lows and clear the path for more losses,�� he added.

What are other markets doing?

Asian stock markets closed mixed, with the Hong Kong Hang Seng Index HSI, -1.41% �and Japan��s Nikkei 225 Index NIK, -0.12% �ending lower, but the Shanghai Composite Index SHCOMP, +0.41% �finishing with a 0.4% gain. Equities in Europe were higher almost across the board.

The dollar DXY, -0.19% �declined against most other major currencies, while gold GCQ8, +0.42% �moved higher. Oil CLQ8, +1.07% �prices were also rising, as traders assessed the Trump administration��s softening of its stance on Iran sanctions.

Which stocks are in focus?

Shares of Micronet Enertec Technologies Inc. MICT, +7.89% �rallied 67% premarket after news late Monday that BNN Technology last month bought a 14.89% stake in the aerospace and defense company. The two companies also said they are planning a series of other strategic transactions.

Tesla Inc. TSLA, -2.30% �slipped 0.3% ahead of the bell, set to add to a 2.3% drop from Monday when The Wall Street Journal reported that the company��s top engineer Doug Field is leaving.

What��s on the economic calendar?

Factory orders for May are due at 10 a.m. Eastern Time, while monthly auto sales figures from June are expected to trickle out through the day.

There were no Federal Reserve speakers on the docket Tuesday.

Sara Sjolin

Sara Sjolin is a MarketWatch reporter based in London. Follow her on Twitter @sarasjolin.

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