Critical Review: Provident Financial (PROV) and E*TRADE Financial (ETFC)

E*TRADE Financial (NASDAQ: ETFC) and Provident Financial (NASDAQ:PROV) are both finance companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership, valuation, earnings and dividends.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

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92.6% of E*TRADE Financial shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 61.0% of Provident Financial shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.1% of E*TRADE Financial shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 12.7% of Provident Financial shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Volatility and Risk

E*TRADE Financial has a beta of 1.19, meaning that its stock price is 19% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Provident Financial has a beta of -0.01, meaning that its stock price is 101% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and price targets for E*TRADE Financial and Provident Financial, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
E*TRADE Financial	0	2	12	1	2.93
Provident Financial	0	2	0	0	2.00

E*TRADE Financial presently has a consensus target price of $66.80, indicating a potential upside of 10.63%. Provident Financial has a consensus target price of $19.50, indicating a potential upside of 5.81%. Given E*TRADE Financial’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, research analysts clearly believe E*TRADE Financial is more favorable than Provident Financial.

Profitability

This table compares E*TRADE Financial and Provident Financial’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
E*TRADE Financial	29.13%	13.39%	1.32%
Provident Financial	3.30%	4.91%	0.51%

Dividends

Provident Financial pays an annual dividend of $0.56 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.0%. E*TRADE Financial does not pay a dividend. Provident Financial pays out 80.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Provident Financial has raised its dividend for 7 consecutive years.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares E*TRADE Financial and Provident Financial’s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
E*TRADE Financial	$2.37 billion	6.73	$614.00 million	$2.19	27.57
Provident Financial	$64.61 million	2.13	$5.20 million	$0.70	26.33

E*TRADE Financial has higher revenue and earnings than Provident Financial. Provident Financial is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than E*TRADE Financial, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Summary

E*TRADE Financial beats Provident Financial on 14 of the 18 factors compared between the two stocks.

About E*TRADE Financial

E*TRADE Financial Corporation, a financial services company, provides brokerage and related products and services primarily to individual retail investors under the E*TRADE Financial brand. It also offers investor-focused banking products, primarily sweep deposits to retail investors; Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation insurance services; clearing and settlement services; investment advisory services; and financial corporate services, such as software and services for managing equity compensation plans to its corporate clients. The company provides its services to customers through digital platforms; and a network of industry-licensed customer service representatives and financial consultants through phone, email, and online at two national financial centers, as well as in person through 30 regional financial centers in the United States. E*TRADE Financial Corporation was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

About Provident Financial

Provident Financial Holdings, Inc. operates as the holding company for Provident Savings Bank, F.S.B. that provides community and mortgage banking services to consumers and small to mid-sized businesses in the Inland Empire region of Southern California. It operates through two segments, Provident Bank and Provident Bank Mortgage. The company's deposit products include non-interest-bearing and interest-bearing checking accounts, savings accounts, money market accounts, and time deposits; and loan portfolio comprises single-family, multi-family, commercial real estate, construction, commercial business, consumer, and other mortgage loans. It also originates, purchases, and sells single-family mortgage loans, including second mortgages and equity lines of credit. In addition, the company offers investment services comprising the sale of investment products, such as annuities and mutual funds, as well as trustee services for real estate transactions. It operates 13 full-service banking offices in Riverside County and 1 full-service banking office in San Bernardino County. The company was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Riverside, California.

Top Stocks For 2019

tags:TIVO,VVUS,PCG,

Boston, MA, based Investment company North Tide Capital, Llc buys Impax Laboratories, Allergan PLC, Accuray, sells Community Health Systems, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Mylan NV, Perrigo Co PLC, Select Medical Holdings during the 3-months ended 2016-12-31, according to the most recent filings of the investment company, North Tide Capital, Llc. As of 2016-12-31, North Tide Capital, Llc owns 14 stocks with a total value of $483 million. These are the details of the buys and sells.

New Purchases: IPXL, AGN, ARAY, Added Positions: MYGN, KND, Reduced Positions: MYL, SEM, SVU, GILD, LPNT, Sold Out: CYH, VRX, PRGO, AFAM, ADUS,

For the details of NORTH TIDE CAPITAL, LLC's stock buys and sells, go to http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=NORTH+TIDE+CAPITAL%2C+LLC

These are the top 5 holdings of NORTH TIDE CAPITAL, LLCSelect Medical Holdings Corp (SEM) - 10,000,000 shares, 27.46% of the total portfolio. Shares reduced by 23.66%SUPERVALU Inc (SVU) - 18,469,921 shares, 17.87% of the total portfolio. Shares reduced by 24.61%Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD) - 500,000 shares, 7.42% of the total portfolio. Shares reduced by 37.5%Kindred Healthcare Inc (KND) - 4,250,000 shares, 6.91% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 6.25%Syneron Medical Ltd (ELOS) - 3,500,000 shares, 6.09% of the total portfolio. New Purchase: Impax Laboratories Inc (IPXL)

North Tide Capital, Llc initiated holdings in Impax Laboratories Inc. The purchase prices were between $12.75 and $24.23, with an estimated average price of $17.1. The stock is now traded at around $9.35. The impact to the portfolio due to this purchase was 5.49%. The holdings were 2,000,000 shares as of 2016-12-31.

Top Stocks For 2019: TiVo Inc.(TIVO)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Peregrine Capital Management LLC trimmed its position in shares of TiVo Corp (NASDAQ:TIVO) by 18.6% in the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 516,515 shares of the technology company’s stock after selling 118,200 shares during the period. Peregrine Capital Management LLC owned 0.42% of TiVo worth $6,947,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

• [By Lisa Levin]

   

  Companies Reporting After The Bell NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $1.45 per share on revenue of $2.89 billion. News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWSA) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $0.07 per share on revenue of $1.99 billion. Symantec Corporation (NASDAQ: SYMC) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $0.39 per share on revenue of $1.19 billion. Pilgrim's Pride Corporation (NASDAQ: PPC) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $0.54 per share on revenue of $2.65 billion. Hawaiian Electric Industries, Inc. (NYSE: HE) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.38 per share on revenue of $556.81 million. Air Lease Corporation (NYSE: AL) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $1.01 per share on revenue of $383.37 million. Flowserve Corporation (NYSE: FLS) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.27 per share on revenue of $880.89 million. Civitas Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: CIVI) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $0.12 per share on revenue of $396.25 million. The Trade Desk, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTD) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $0.1 per share on revenue of $73.23 million. Amdocs Limited (NYSE: DOX) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $0.95 per share on revenue of $980.50 million. Yelp Inc. (NYSE: YELP) is estimated to post quarterly loss at $0.04 per share on revenue of $220.14 million. Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. (NASDAQ: KLIC) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.43 per share on revenue of $210.01 million. TiVo Corporation (NASDAQ: TIVO) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $0.37 per share on revenue of $198.62 million. Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers Incorporated (NYSE: RBA) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.17 per share on revenue of $153.87 million. Uniti Group Inc. (NASDAQ: UNIT) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $0.01 per share on revenue of $247.16 million. Jagged Peak En
• [By Logan Wallace]

  TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) and Digital Turbine (NASDAQ:APPS) are both small-cap computer and technology companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, valuation, earnings, profitability, institutional ownership, risk and dividends.

Top Stocks For 2019: VIVUS, Inc.(VVUS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Money Morning Staff Reports]

  But Blink and our other penny stocks to watch are unlikely to continue to lock in such spectacular gains in June. After looking at our 10 top penny stocks to watch this month, we'll show you a small-cap stock with great profit potential in its future…

  Penny Stock Current Share Price Law Month's Gain �Blink Charging Co. (Nasdaq: BLNK) $7.07 439.85% Senes Tech Inc. (Nasdaq: SNES) $1.27 175.40% Vivis Inc. (Nasdaq: VVUS) $0.77 150.41% Adomani Inc. (Nasdaq: ADOM) $1.49 137.68% NF Energy Saving Co. (Nasdaq: NFEC) $2.34 134.88% Vaalco Energy Inc. (NYSE: EGY) $2.15 109.06% Heat Biologics Inc. (Nasdaq: HTBX) $2.35 99.12% ArQule Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQL) $4.88 90.74% LiqTech International Inc. (NYSE: LIQT) $0.66 85.60% Transenterix Inc. (NYSE: TRXC) $3.46 77.84%

  While last month's gains are tremendous, they also illustrate the inherent dangers that come with investing in penny stocks.

• [By Money Morning News Team]

  However, VivoPower and our other penny stocks to watch this week already saw big gains. After looking at our 10 top penny stocks to watch, we'll show you a small-cap stock with serious profit potential in its future…

  Penny Stock Current Share Price Law Week's Gain VivoPower International Plc. (Nasdaq: VVPR) $3.05 88.57% Euro Tech Holdings Co. (Nasdaq: CLWT) $3.77 75.11% Boxlight Corp. (Nasdaq: BOXL) $6.36 65.38% Chine Recycling Energy Corp. (Nasdaq: CREG) $2.01 45.92% Vivis Inc. (Nasdaq: VVUS) $0.52 38.82% HC2 Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HCHC) $6.79 33.49% Biostar Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: BSPM) $2.67 32.23% Turtle Beach Corp. (Nasdaq: HEAR) $6.99 30.19% Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. (NYSE: ANW) $3.30 29.24% Rexahn Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NYSE: RNN) $2.11 29.19%

  While the gains of last week's top penny stocks are exciting, it's important to note that investing in penny stocks is also incredibly risky.

• [By Money Morning News Team]

  Seadrill's rally demonstrates how profitable penny stocks can be for savvy investors. With Seadrill's gains already on the books, we'll look at a stock that's on track to generate tremendous returns – a small cap that just completed a groundbreaking acquisition with huge profit potential…

  Penny Stock Current Share Price Law Week's Gain Seadrill Ltd. (NYSE: SDRL) $0.58 98.74% Vivis Inc. (Nasdaq: VVUS) $0.83 59.97% MEI Pharma Inc. (Nasdaq: MEIP) $3.45 43.40% Transenterix Inc. (NYSE: TRXC) $3.15 35.72% Akers Biosciences Inc. (Nasdaq: AKER) $0.65 34.38% Galectin Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: GALT) $4.54 32.58% Phoenix New Media Ltd. (NYSE ADR: FENG) $5.65 32.22% Heat Biologics Inc. (Nasdaq: HTBX) $1.73 31.37% Bright Scholar Education Ltd. (NYSE ADR: BEDU) $18.51 29.03% 21 Vianet Group Inc. (Nasdaq: VNET) $7.36 28.72%

  These gains are incredibly exciting. However, not all penny stocks are equally strong investments.

Top Stocks For 2019: Pacific Gas & Electric Co.(PCG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Media coverage about PG&E (NYSE:PCG) has been trending somewhat positive on Saturday, Accern reports. The research firm identifies positive and negative media coverage by analyzing more than 20 million news and blog sources in real-time. Accern ranks coverage of companies on a scale of negative one to positive one, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. PG&E earned a news sentiment score of 0.20 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave media stories about the utilities provider an impact score of 46.1218598724786 out of 100, indicating that recent media coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the stock’s share price in the next few days.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  PG&E (NYSE:PCG) had its target price hoisted by analysts at UBS from $45.00 to $47.00 in a report released on Tuesday, www.benzinga.com reports. The firm currently has a “neutral” rating on the utilities provider’s stock. UBS’s target price would indicate a potential upside of 10.46% from the company’s current price.

• [By VantagePoint]

  PG&E Corporation (NYSE: PCG) has spent most of the last five weeks consolidating into a tight range, but it looks to have finally broken out on April 5. Since then the stock is up about 7 percent, and despite Friday's weakness VantagePoint's indicators are pointing to that bullish trend remaining intact. 

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Many major utilities are now ramping up investments in cost-saving, margin-boosting energy efficiency programs. In fact, there's a strong correlation between the most ambitious renewable energy investment strategies and energy efficiency programs. Some utilities have a lot of catching up to do.��

  Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) has saved 13,000 GWh of electricity consumption across its network over the years, including 9,000 GWh since 2005. The company has an ambitious plan to retire coal-fired power plants and build new wind and solar power capacity, which, when coupled with energy efficiency, could allow it to generate 45% of its electricity from renewables in 2027. Additionally, fuel-related expenses would drop from 47% of capital investments in 2010 to just 28% in 2027. That would free up more cash flow for dividends or growth projects -- or both. PG&E (NYSE:PCG) recently filed a plan to retire an aging fossil fuel power plant with distributed solar and energy efficiency programs, as discussed on a recent quarterly conference call with investors. The utility also offers some of the most ambitious customer rebates in the country, with up to $5,500 per household. Southern Company (NYSE:SO) has saved 2,700 GWh of electricity consumption across its network since 2000. By 2020, it will have invested $1 billion total in energy efficiency programs, although that lags well behind more ambitious peers. Dominion Energy (NYSE:D) was ranked second to last among all utilities in the country in energy efficiency by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy. That leaves plenty of room for improvement. A recent report suggests it's possible to reduce new home energy consumption in Virginia (the company's home state) by 60%, saving the utility billions in capital investments in the next decade by avoiding the need to build new facilities. Those efforts could also save customers $1.7 billion, but the utility's most recent plan does not prioritize energy efficien

Schwab US Broad Market ETF (SCHB) Stake Lifted by AJ Wealth Strategies LLC

AJ Wealth Strategies LLC grew its position in shares of Schwab US Broad Market ETF (NYSEARCA:SCHB) by 64.0% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 16,157 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 6,308 shares during the period. AJ Wealth Strategies LLC’s holdings in Schwab US Broad Market ETF were worth $1,066,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in SCHB. Sandy Spring Bank grew its position in shares of Schwab US Broad Market ETF by 115.4% during the 1st quarter. Sandy Spring Bank now owns 1,719 shares of the company’s stock valued at $110,000 after purchasing an additional 921 shares in the last quarter. Blackhawk Capital Partners LLC. grew its position in Schwab US Broad Market ETF by 161.8% in the first quarter. Blackhawk Capital Partners LLC. now owns 1,893 shares of the company’s stock worth $121,000 after acquiring an additional 1,170 shares in the last quarter. Efficient Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Schwab US Broad Market ETF in the first quarter worth $137,000. Tortoise Investment Management LLC grew its position in Schwab US Broad Market ETF by 99.5% in the first quarter. Tortoise Investment Management LLC now owns 2,205 shares of the company’s stock worth $141,000 after acquiring an additional 1,100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Signaturefd LLC purchased a new position in Schwab US Broad Market ETF in the first quarter worth $154,000.

Get Schwab US Broad Market ETF alerts:

Schwab US Broad Market ETF traded down $0.15, hitting $68.17, during midday trading on Thursday, Marketbeat reports. The company had a trading volume of 563,470 shares, compared to its average volume of 800,332. Schwab US Broad Market ETF has a 52-week low of $58.24 and a 52-week high of $69.07.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 29th. Investors of record on Wednesday, June 27th were given a $0.2874 dividend. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Tuesday, June 26th. This is a positive change from Schwab US Broad Market ETF’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.27. This represents a $1.15 annualized dividend and a yield of 1.69%.

About Schwab US Broad Market ETF

Schwab U.S. Broad Market ETF (the Fund) seeks to track the total return of the Dow Jones U.S. Small-Cap Total Stock Market Index (the Index). The Index is a float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index that reflects the shares of securities actually available to investors in the marketplace. The Fund��s index includes the 2,500 publicly traded United States companies for, which pricing information is available.

Read More: What do I need to know about analyst ratings?

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding SCHB? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Schwab US Broad Market ETF (NYSEARCA:SCHB).

HCG Q1 PAT may dip 85.8% YoY to Rs. 7 cr: Kotak

Kotak has come out with its first quarter (April-June�� 18) earnings estimates for the Pharmaceuticals sector. The brokerage house expects HCG to report net profit at Rs. 7 crore down 85.8% year-on-year (down 74.1% quarter-on-quarter).

Net Sales are expected to increase by 20.5 percent Y-o-Y (up 3.6 percent Q-o-Q) to Rs. 230.3 crore, according to Kotak.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) are likely to rise by 11.9 percent Y-o-Y (up 2.5 percent Q-o-Q) to Rs. 33 crore.

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

Read More First Published on Jul 18, 2018 03:04 pm

Buy Federal Bank; target of Rs 120: JM Financial

JM Financial's research report on Federal Bank

Federal Bank reported a strong quarter in 1QFY19, with PAT at INR 2.63bn (+8% above JMFe). The beat in net profit was primarily driven by strong NII growth (+22% YoY), as margins held up for FB. Credit cost was contained at 80bps for FB in 1QFY19, as slippages almost halved sequentially to 2.3% (annualised). Net stress on FB��s loan book (net NPA + other stress) is now at 2% of loans (from 2.3% as of 4QFY18). Management remains confident of containing slippages at INR 11-12bn in FY19E, with credit costs in the range of 65-70bps. Furthermore, FB is positive on its margin outlook, and expects this, along with the containment of credit cost will help it deliver 1% exit RoA by 4QFY19. We remain cautious on the margin outlook for FB and continue to build credit cost of 77bps/74bps in FY19E/FY20E. Our gross slippage expectation of 1.4%/1.2% over FY19E/20E is well below the 2.7% in FY18.

Outlook

We believe FB can deliver RoA/ RoE of 1%/13% in FY20E. Maintain BUY with unchanged TP.

For all recommendations report, click here

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

Read More First Published on Jul 18, 2018 05:07 pm

Why Have Costco Wholesale Corp. Shares Gained 12% So Far in 2018?

What happened

The internet can't disrupt Costco Wholesale Corp.�(NASDAQ:COST). The warehouse club has clearly shown that its loyal member base won't be abandoning it for cheaper online options, and that it can steadily grow its numbers of paid members.

Through the first 36 weeks of its fiscal 2018, Costco has grown same-store sales by 9.7% and digital sales by 36.1%. Perhaps more important, it has grown its customer base while maintaining a renewal rate that hovers around 90%.

The warehouse club has also increased its profitability. Through 36 weeks the company has delivered net income of $2.09 billion ($4.74 per share), compared to $1.76 billion ($3.99 per share) during the year-ago period.

Investors clearly like what they see. After closing 2017 at $186.12 a share, the company's stock rose to $208.98 at the end of June, a 12% gain, according to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence.�

Costco has seen its digital sales rise. Image source: Getty Images.

So what

While a lot of retailers have struggled with digital competition, Costco proved in 2018 that it could increase its digital business as a sort of added bonus for members. The company has improved its website and added delivery options, and makes better use of email offers.

That has helped make a membership even more useful, which likely helps the chain maintain its strong renewal rates. These changes also validate Costco's slow and steady strategy. The company did not rush to compete in digital or delivery. Instead, it waited to see what worked, and implemented the changes that made sense for its business.

Now what

Costco does not have to please the general public. Instead, the company needs to keep its members happy enough that they renew their memberships each year.

That's something the chain has been very able to do. Because Costco is membership-driven, the company can monitor its renewals and new sign-ups to gauge the health of its business. If it has a bad quarter (or even a bad month), it can take steps to correct the problem before it grows.

That does not seem to be something the warehouse club has had to do much of. Costco offers its members value and a fun shopping experience where you never know what you might find. So far, and for the foreseeable future, that should be enough to keep the company on a slow, steady path of growth.

Bankcoin Tops 24 Hour Volume of $5.00 ([email protected])

Bankcoin (CURRENCY:[email protected]) traded 17.6% lower against the US dollar during the 1 day period ending at 14:00 PM ET on July 12th. Bankcoin has a market capitalization of $68,852.00 and approximately $5.00 worth of Bankcoin was traded on exchanges in the last day. In the last seven days, Bankcoin has traded 2.4% higher against the US dollar. One Bankcoin token can now be purchased for approximately $0.0067 or 0.00000108 BTC on exchanges.

Here’s how related cryptocurrencies have performed in the last day:

Get Bankcoin alerts: XRP (XRP) traded down 2.9% against the dollar and now trades at $0.44 or 0.00007036 BTC. Stellar (XLM) traded down 3.8% against the dollar and now trades at $0.18 or 0.00002933 BTC. Tether (USDT) traded 0.2% lower against the dollar and now trades at $1.00 or 0.00016203 BTC. IOTA (MIOTA) traded 2.8% lower against the dollar and now trades at $0.95 or 0.00015405 BTC. TRON (TRX) traded 5.2% lower against the dollar and now trades at $0.0317 or 0.00000513 BTC. NEO (NEO) traded down 3.9% against the dollar and now trades at $31.93 or 0.00516084 BTC. Binance Coin (BNB) traded 3.7% lower against the dollar and now trades at $12.14 or 0.00196194 BTC. VeChain (VET) traded down 4.9% against the dollar and now trades at $2.10 or 0.00033931 BTC. Ontology (ONT) traded 5.5% lower against the dollar and now trades at $3.31 or 0.00053521 BTC. Zilliqa (ZIL) traded down 4.8% against the dollar and now trades at $0.0650 or 0.00001051 BTC.

Bankcoin Profile

Bankcoin’s total supply is 25,000,000 tokens and its circulating supply is 10,291,781 tokens. The official website for Bankcoin is bankcoin.global. Bankcoin’s official Twitter account is @Bankcoin_global and its Facebook page is accessible here.

Bankcoin Token Trading

Bankcoin can be traded on the following cryptocurrency exchanges: Waves Decentralized Exchange. It is usually not possible to purchase alternative cryptocurrencies such as Bankcoin directly using US dollars. Investors seeking to trade Bankcoin should first purchase Ethereum or Bitcoin using an exchange that deals in US dollars such as Gemini, Coinbase or GDAX. Investors can then use their newly-acquired Ethereum or Bitcoin to purchase Bankcoin using one of the exchanges listed above.

Brokerages Set Varian Medical Systems, Inc. (VAR) PT at $111.29

Shares of Varian Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE:VAR) have been assigned an average rating of “Hold” from the twelve brokerages that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $111.29.

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on the company. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Varian Medical Systems from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $142.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Tuesday, March 13th. Royal Bank of Canada set a $115.00 target price on Varian Medical Systems and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 10th. TheStreet upgraded Varian Medical Systems from a “c” rating to a “b” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 25th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered Varian Medical Systems from a “neutral” rating to an “underweight” rating and set a $105.00 target price for the company. in a research report on Thursday, June 28th.

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In other news, SVP John W. Kuo sold 1,327 shares of Varian Medical Systems stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $117.15, for a total value of $155,458.05. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 30,551 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,579,049.65. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, EVP Kolleen T. Kennedy sold 699 shares of Varian Medical Systems stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, April 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $120.33, for a total value of $84,110.67. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 27,361 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,292,349.13. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 5,382 shares of company stock valued at $646,996. Insiders own 0.78% of the company’s stock.

A number of large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in VAR. Renaissance Technologies LLC boosted its position in Varian Medical Systems by 438.0% during the 4th quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 746,200 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $82,940,000 after purchasing an additional 607,500 shares during the period. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in Varian Medical Systems by 77.1% during the 1st quarter. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. now owns 813,274 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $99,749,000 after purchasing an additional 353,938 shares during the period. Millennium Management LLC boosted its position in Varian Medical Systems by 842.3% during the 1st quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 256,392 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $31,446,000 after purchasing an additional 229,184 shares during the period. Amundi Pioneer Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in Varian Medical Systems during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $19,511,000. Finally, Chicago Equity Partners LLC boosted its position in Varian Medical Systems by 523.8% during the 1st quarter. Chicago Equity Partners LLC now owns 148,100 shares of the medical equipment provider’s stock valued at $18,164,000 after purchasing an additional 124,360 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 93.65% of the company’s stock.

VAR stock traded up $1.64 during midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $118.21. 701,800 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 719,663. Varian Medical Systems has a 12-month low of $95.23 and a 12-month high of $130.29. The company has a market capitalization of $10.67 billion, a PE ratio of 32.73, a P/E/G ratio of 3.25 and a beta of 0.86.

Varian Medical Systems (NYSE:VAR) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 25th. The medical equipment provider reported $1.15 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.04 by $0.11. Varian Medical Systems had a return on equity of 27.99% and a net margin of 4.77%. The company had revenue of $729.90 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $685.86 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business earned $0.89 EPS. Varian Medical Systems’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.1% compared to the same quarter last year. equities research analysts anticipate that Varian Medical Systems will post 4.49 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Varian Medical Systems Company Profile

Varian Medical Systems, Inc designs, manufactures, sells, and services medical devices and software products for treating cancer and other medical conditions worldwide. It operates through two segments, Oncology Systems and Varian Particle Therapy. The Oncology Systems segment provides hardware and software products for treating cancer with radiotherapy, fixed field intensity-modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, volumetric modulated arc therapy, stereotactic radiosurgery, stereotactic body radiotherapy, and brachytherapy.

Analysts Set Asure Software Inc (ASUR) Price Target at $20.40

Shares of Asure Software Inc (NASDAQ:ASUR) have been given a consensus rating of “Buy” by the eleven analysts that are covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month target price among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $20.40.

A number of analysts have weighed in on the company. Barrington Research set a $25.00 target price on Asure Software and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Asure Software from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, June 18th. ValuEngine upgraded Asure Software from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, June 11th. Canaccord Genuity restated a “buy” rating on shares of Asure Software in a research note on Thursday, May 17th. Finally, Lake Street Capital raised their price target on Asure Software to $20.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 10th.

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In other news, Director Daniel M. Gill sold 500,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, June 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $16.45, for a total transaction of $8,225,000.00. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Company insiders own 18.20% of the company’s stock.

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Allianz Asset Management GmbH increased its stake in shares of Asure Software by 19.1% during the first quarter. Allianz Asset Management GmbH now owns 256,997 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $3,146,000 after buying an additional 41,172 shares during the period. Millennium Management LLC bought a new stake in Asure Software during the first quarter valued at about $1,251,000. Ancora Advisors LLC boosted its position in Asure Software by 92.4% during the first quarter. Ancora Advisors LLC now owns 211,600 shares of the technology company’s stock valued at $2,590,000 after purchasing an additional 101,600 shares in the last quarter. Element Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in Asure Software during the first quarter valued at about $142,000. Finally, Cortina Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in Asure Software during the first quarter valued at about $2,172,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 43.59% of the company’s stock.

ASUR stock traded down $0.34 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $16.26. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 229,700 shares, compared to its average volume of 177,627. The company has a quick ratio of 1.13, a current ratio of 1.14 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.65. Asure Software has a 1 year low of $9.89 and a 1 year high of $19.78. The firm has a market cap of $243.11 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 37.11, a PEG ratio of 0.86 and a beta of 1.24.

Asure Software (NASDAQ:ASUR) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, May 9th. The technology company reported $0.13 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.08 by $0.05. Asure Software had a positive return on equity of 9.04% and a negative net margin of 10.45%. The business had revenue of $19.30 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $18.23 million. research analysts expect that Asure Software will post 0.68 EPS for the current year.

Asure Software Company Profile

Asure Software Inc provides cloud-based software-as-a-service time and labor management, and workspace management solutions worldwide. The company's product line includes AsureSpace workplace management solutions that enable organizations to manage their office environments and optimize real estate utilization; and AsureForce time and labor management solutions to help organizations optimize workforce, as well as control labor administration costs and activities.

The 1 Stock You've Been Overlooking for Your IRA

The current bull market has been raging for nearly a decade. The stock market's epic run is making it difficult for investors to find compelling opportunities.

Thankfully, I recently came across an under-the-radar business that I believe is nicely positioned to deliver for its investors: BlackLine, Inc. (NASDAQ:BL). This founder-led software company is growing fast, boasts a rock-solid business model, and has a wide-open market opportunity ahead. Those factors make me believe that it's a great company for growth-stock investors to add to their IRAs.

Image source: Getty Images.

The business

Every company depends on reliable financial data to make smart business decisions. However, it can be a hugely burdensome task to constantly gather, process, and consolidate financial information into usable financial statements. This process can be especially arduous for large multinational companies that need to pull, track, and reconcile financial data from a huge variety of sources (bank statements, enterprise resource planning systems, payroll processors, expense management programs, and more).

For years financial professionals have managed this complicated process primarily by using Excel spreadsheets and email. As you can imagine, this is hugely labor-intensive, inefficient, and error-prone.

Enter BlackLine. The company develops sophisticated software that brings order to this chaotic process. BlackLine's cloud-based software automates data collection, processing, and reconciliation tasks in real time. Operating in the cloud also makes it easy for multiple users (think accountants, tax managers, auditors, senior executives, and more) to have access to up-to-date data at the same time.

The advantages of switching to real-time data collection and processing haven't gone unnoticed by the market. BlackLine's unique solution has already been adopted by a range of big-name multinational companies such as Costco Wholesale, Under Armour, Coca-Cola, Autodesk, and more.

In fact, thousands of companies and hundreds of thousands of users have already adopted BlackLine's solution. In turn, the company's revenue has soared:

Metric 2015 2016 2017

Global customers	1,338	1,758	2,208
End Users	129,000	167,000	197,000
Revenue	$84 million	$124 million	$177 million

Data source: BlackLine.

As exciting as BlackLine's growth rates have been, there's still ample reason to believe the company has only scratched the surface of what's possible. Management currently estimates that its software could be useful to more than 165,000 global companies and 13 million professionals. That adds up to an $18 billion market opportunity.

In other words, BlackLine has only captured about 1% of its total addressable market thus far.

Flourishing financials

BlackLine is a software-as-a-service business; its business model is to charge each customer a recurring fee based on the number of users who are on the platform. That's great news for investors because it leads to recurring revenue, which leads to predictable revenue growth as more companies and users warm up to BlackLine's solution.

In an effort to accelerate growth, BlackLine has been spending lavishly over the last few years to enhance its commercial capabilities and build out its product suite. While that has resulted in net losses on the bottom line, the numbers have been trending in the right direction as the business continues to scale:

Metric 2015 2016 2017

Revenue	$83.6 million	$123.1 million	$177.0 million
Non-GAAP net loss	($20.1 million)	($16.5 million)	($3.3 million)
Free cash flow	($11.4 million)	($9.8 million)	($2.2 million)

Data source: BlackLine. GAAP = generally accepted accounting principles.

The company hasn't had any problem funding these losses, as its balance sheet remains packed with cash ($113 million as of the last quarter) and is completely free of debt. Better yet, BlackLine actually recorded non-GAAP profits during the last two quarters, so there's reason for investors to believe that the days of posting losses have finally come to an end.

In other words, this company is currently in great financial shape, and the numbers should only get better over time as new customers sign up.

A founder-led business with a winning culture

I'm a big believer in putting capital behind businesses that are still run by their founders. That's the case at BlackLine, as CEO and founder Therese Tucker has been running the show since she started the business in 2001. Tucker remains heavily invested in the business, too, as she currently owns more than 11% of shares outstanding; at current prices that ownership is worth more than $250 million. That should give investors confidence that she is heavily incentivized to grow shareholder value over time.

I also like that the company gets good reviews from employees. BlackLine has been named among the "Best Places to Work in Los Angeles" for five years in a row, and came in at No. 6 in Fortune's "Best Workplaces in Technology" ranking in 2018. While its reviews on Glassdoor.com are not perfect, they are decent enough to suggest that employees generally enjoy working at the company.

BlackLine is a buy

Between its rock-solid business model, wide-open growth opportunity, and founder-led executive team, BlackLine checks all of the boxes that I look for in a great growth stock. The only knock here is that Wall Street also sees huge growth potential for the business -- and has priced the stock accordingly. Shares are currently trading hands for more than 12 times sales, and 300 times next year's earnings estimates. Those are lofty figures, so if the company fails to deliver on its growth targets, shareholders like me could be in a world of hurt.

In spite of the risk, I think that BlackLine has enough going for it to justify an investment today. In case you think I'm all talk, you should know that I recently used the proceeds from a recent transaction�to add to my BlackLine position, so my money is where my mouth is.

Peel Hunt Reaffirms Buy Rating for EI Group (EIG)

Peel Hunt reissued their buy rating on shares of EI Group (LON:EIG) in a report released on Monday. Peel Hunt currently has a GBX 165 ($2.20) price target on the stock.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the company. Liberum Capital reaffirmed a hold rating and set a GBX 140 ($1.86) price objective on shares of EI Group in a research report on Friday, May 4th. Numis Securities reaffirmed a buy rating and set a GBX 200 ($2.66) price objective on shares of EI Group in a research report on Tuesday, May 15th. Finally, Barclays raised EI Group to an overweight rating and increased their price objective for the company from GBX 150 ($2.00) to GBX 175 ($2.33) in a research report on Thursday, May 31st.

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EI Group opened at GBX 148 ($1.97) on Monday, MarketBeat reports. EI Group has a one year low of GBX 118.20 ($1.57) and a one year high of GBX 153 ($2.04).

EI Group Company Profile

Ei Group plc operates leased and tenanted pubs in the United Kingdom. It also engages in rental of commercial properties, as well as financing and public houses management businesses. The company operates approximately 4,638 pubs. The company was formerly known as Enterprise Inns plc and changed its name to Ei Group plc February 2017.

Best Energy Stocks To Own Right Now

tags:MOBL,EDU,CPSI,

Suncor Energy (NYSE:SU) recently put the finishing touches on two megaprojects that position it for significant production growth in the near term. However, the company's growth beyond this phase remains unclear because it can't sanction new oil sands projects until more pipelines come online, which won't happen anytime soon due to continued opposition. Because of that, the company needs to look elsewhere to drive future growth.

A gusher in the near term

Suncor Energy delivered first oil on both its Fort Hills oil sands facility and the Hebron offshore oil platform at the end of last year. Those two expansions position the company to produce between 740,000 to 780,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (BOE/D) this year, up about 10% from last year. Meanwhile, as production ramps up from these projects, the company's output should head up toward 900,000 BOE/D by 2020, which implies 9% compound annual growth in production per share from the starting point in 2016.

Image source: Getty Images.

Best Energy Stocks To Own Right Now: MobileIron, Inc.(MOBL)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on MobileIron (MOBL)

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

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Mobileiron Inc (NASDAQ:MOBL) has been given an average recommendation of “Hold” by the nine research firms that are covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and three have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $6.19.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Mobileiron (MOBL)

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

Best Energy Stocks To Own Right Now: New Oriental Education & Technology Group, Inc.(EDU)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

  New Oriental Education & Technology Group (NYSE:EDU) Q3 2017 Earnings Conference CallApril 24, 2018 8:00 a.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Sanmina Corp (NASDAQ: SANM) shares rose 15.2 percent to $31.90 in pre-market trading as the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings for its second quarter on Monday. Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDNS) rose 12.4 percent to $41.30 in pre-market trading after the company posted upbeat Q1 results and issued a strong Q2 forecast. Aeglea BioTherapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AGLE) rose 10.8 percent to $8.75 in pre-market trading. Mitel Networks Corporation (NASDAQ: MITL) rose 8.8 percent to $11.05 in pre-market trading after the company agreed to be acquired by affiliates of Searchlight Capital Partners for $2.0 billion. Galectin Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: GALT) rose 7.3 percent to $3.70 in pre-market trading. Riot Blockchain, Inc. (NASDAQ: RIOT) shares rose 6.9 percent to $7.00 in pre-market trading after declining 1.50 percent on Monday. Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: HALL) rose 6.5 percent to $10.68 in pre-market trading. Boot Barn Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: BOOT) rose 5.2 percent to $20.40 in pre-market trading after gaining 4.53 percent on Monday. New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. (NYSE: EDU) rose 5 percent to $91.16 in pre-market trading after reporting Q3 results. Shire plc (NASDAQ: SHPG) rose 5 percent to $167.98 in pre-market trading after Bloomberg reported that Takeda is nearing a preliminary agreement to acquire Shire after sweetened bid. Outfront Media Inc. (NYSE: OUT) shares rose 5 percent to $19.00 in pre-market trading. Geron Corporation (NASDAQ: GERN) rose 4.3 percent to $4.18 in pre-market trading after gaining 5.80 percent on Monday. SAP SE (NYSE: SAP) rose 3.7 percent to $109.80 in pre-market trading after the company posted strong quarterly results and raised its outlook for the year. Golden Ocean Group Limited (NASDAQ: GOGL) shares rose 3.7 percent to $8.70 in pre-market trading after gaining 1.45 percent on Monday. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft (NYSE: D
• [By Ethan Ryder]

  EduCoin (EDU) is a PoW/PoS token that uses the Keccak hashing algorithm. It launched on September 9th, 2017. EduCoin’s total supply is 15,000,000,000 tokens. EduCoin’s official website is www.edu.one. EduCoin’s official Twitter account is @PReducoin.

• [By Max Byerly]

  State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D trimmed its position in shares of New Oriental (NYSE:EDU) by 11.5% during the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor owned 148,379 shares of the company’s stock after selling 19,268 shares during the quarter. State of New Jersey Common Pension Fund D’s holdings in New Oriental were worth $13,005,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Brian Stoffel]

  As the old saying goes, "You need to strike when the iron is hot."�Management at New Oriental Education & Technology Group�(NYSE:EDU), a provider of in-person and online after-school tutoring in China, knows that the business is red-hot right now; it is striking by leveraging its balance sheet and growing brand by pushing a massive expansion throughout the Middle Kingdom.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Strayer Education (NASDAQ: STRA) and New Oriental Education & Tech Grp (NYSE:EDU) are both consumer discretionary companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, risk, dividends, analyst recommendations, earnings, institutional ownership and profitability.

Best Energy Stocks To Own Right Now: Computer Programs and Systems Inc.(CPSI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Computer Programs & Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CPSI) has received an average rating of “Hold” from the nine brokerages that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, five have assigned a hold recommendation, one has given a buy recommendation and one has issued a strong buy recommendation on the company. The average 1-year price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $30.80.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Millrace Asset Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Computer Programs & Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CPSI) in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The fund acquired 45,000 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,314,000. Millrace Asset Group Inc. owned about 0.32% of Computer Programs & Systems at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Computer Programs & Systems (CPSI)

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

Handelsbanken Fonder AB Has $60.22 Million Stake in Allegion (ALLE)

Handelsbanken Fonder AB grew its stake in shares of Allegion (NYSE:ALLE) by 2.9% in the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The firm owned 706,010 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock after acquiring an additional 20,010 shares during the quarter. Allegion makes up about 1.3% of Handelsbanken Fonder AB’s portfolio, making the stock its 21st biggest position. Handelsbanken Fonder AB’s holdings in Allegion were worth $60,216,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC raised its position in Allegion by 109.1% during the fourth quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 1,326 shares of the scientific and technical instruments company’s stock valued at $105,000 after buying an additional 692 shares during the period. Macquarie Group Ltd. acquired a new position in Allegion during the fourth quarter valued at $111,000. Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft FI acquired a new position in Allegion during the first quarter valued at $205,000. FDx Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Allegion during the first quarter valued at $209,000. Finally, Claraphi Advisory Network LLC acquired a new position in Allegion during the first quarter valued at $217,000. 87.95% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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Shares of Allegion opened at $81.48 on Tuesday, Marketbeat reports. Allegion has a fifty-two week low of $73.85 and a fifty-two week high of $89.81. The stock has a market capitalization of $7.79 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 20.58, a PEG ratio of 1.43 and a beta of 1.05. The company has a current ratio of 1.78, a quick ratio of 1.17 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.20.

Allegion (NYSE:ALLE) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 26th. The scientific and technical instruments company reported $0.80 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.84 by ($0.04). Allegion had a net margin of 11.21% and a return on equity of 102.62%. The firm had revenue of $613.10 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $605.47 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.71 EPS. Allegion’s revenue was up 11.7% compared to the same quarter last year. equities research analysts expect that Allegion will post 4.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, June 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 15th will be given a $0.21 dividend. This represents a $0.84 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.03%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Thursday, June 14th. Allegion’s payout ratio is 21.21%.

Several research firms recently weighed in on ALLE. ValuEngine raised Allegion from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 7th. Zacks Investment Research lowered Allegion from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 25th. Berenberg Bank lowered Allegion from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 2nd. Wells Fargo & Co reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $105.00 price target (up from $100.00) on shares of Allegion in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. Finally, Imperial Capital reissued an “outperform” rating and set a $94.00 price target (up from $85.00) on shares of Allegion in a research report on Wednesday, February 21st. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. The company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $94.60.

Allegion Profile

Allegion plc manufactures and sells mechanical and electronic security products and solutions worldwide. The company offers locks, locksets, portable locks, and key systems; door closers and exit devices; electronic security products and access control systems; time, attendance, and workforce productivity systems; doors and door frames; and other accessories.

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

Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Open Lower; Booz Allen Hamilton Profit Beats Estimates

Following the market opening Tuesday, the Dow traded down 0.70 percent to 24,579.22 while the NASDAQ declined 0.30 percent to 7,411.42. The S&P also fell, dropping 0.67 percent to 2,703.19.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Tuesday morning, the consumer staples shares surged 0.17 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included CV Sciences, Inc. (OTC: CVSI), up 6 percent, and Sanderson Farms, Inc. (NASDAQ: SAFM) up 5 percent.

In trading on Tuesday, financial shares fell 1.47 percent.

Top Headline

Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corporation (NYSE: BAH) reported better-than-expected earnings for its fourth quarter.

Booz Allen posted adjusted earnings of $0.52 per share on revenue of $1.64 billion. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.46 per share on revenue of $1.67 billion.

Booz Allen Hamilton expects FY19 adjusted earnings of $2.35 to $2.50 per share on sales growth of 6 percent to 8 percent.

 

Equities Trading UP

Jupai Holdings Limited (NYSE: JP) shares shot up 16 percent to $26.48 after reporting Q1 results.

Shares of American Woodmark Corporation (NASDAQ: AMWD) got a boost, shooting up 13 percent to $100.05 after the company reported upbeat Q4 results.

Evolus, Inc. (NASDAQ: EOLS) shares were also up, gaining 19 percent to $26.67. Evolus named Lauren Silvernail as Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, Corporate Development.

Equities Trading DOWN

Roadrunner Transportation Systems, Inc. (NYSE: RRTS) shares dropped 14 percent to $1.9025. Office Depot, Inc. (NASDAQ: ODP) will replace Roadrunner Transportation Systems in the S&P SmallCap 600 on Monday, June 4.

Shares of T2 Biosystems, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTOO) were down 10 percent to $8.00 after the health care company that targets unmet needs received clearance from the FDA. The company said the FDA granted a market clearance for its T2Bacteria Panel for the direct detection of bacterial species in human whole blood specimens from patients with suspected bloodstream infections.

Fibrocell Science, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCSC) was down, falling around 13 percent to $2.51. Fibrocell reported a $6.0 million registered direct offering priced at-the-market

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded down 0.97 percent to $67.22 while gold traded down 0.57 percent to $1,301.60.

Silver traded down 1.12 percent Tuesday to $16.36, while copper rose 0.45 to $3.0915.

Eurozone

European shares were lower today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 tumbled 1.20 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index fell 2.48 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index declined 2.44 percent. Meanwhile the German DAX dipped 1.23 percent, and the French CAC 40 slipped 1.11 percent while U.K. shares fell 1.17 percent.

Economics

The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller home price index increased 6.8 percent year-over-year for March.

The Conference Board’s consumer confidence index climbed to 128 in May, versus a revised reading of 125.6 in April.

The Dallas Fed manufacturing index for May is schedule for release at 10:30 a.m. ET.

The Treasury is set to auction 3-and 6-month bills at 11:30 a.m. ET.

The Treasury will auction 4-week bills at 1:00 p.m. ET.

$317.10 Million in Sales Expected for Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (DLB) This Quarter

Wall Street analysts predict that Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE:DLB) will report $317.10 million in sales for the current fiscal quarter, Zacks reports. Five analysts have provided estimates for Dolby Laboratories’ earnings, with the highest sales estimate coming in at $319.62 million and the lowest estimate coming in at $314.31 million. Dolby Laboratories posted sales of $305.67 million during the same quarter last year, which would indicate a positive year over year growth rate of 3.7%. The business is expected to announce its next quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 24th.

On average, analysts expect that Dolby Laboratories will report full-year sales of $1.18 billion for the current fiscal year. For the next fiscal year, analysts expect that the firm will report sales of $1.26 billion per share, with estimates ranging from $1.23 billion to $1.27 billion. Zacks’ sales calculations are a mean average based on a survey of sell-side research firms that follow Dolby Laboratories.

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Dolby Laboratories (NYSE:DLB) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 24th. The electronics maker reported $0.78 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.64 by $0.14. Dolby Laboratories had a net margin of 7.64% and a return on equity of 12.73%. The business had revenue of $301.36 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $300.37 million. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.63 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 12.7% on a year-over-year basis.

A number of brokerages have issued reports on DLB. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Dolby Laboratories from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $73.00 price objective for the company in a report on Wednesday, March 28th. Barrington Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $78.00 price objective on shares of Dolby Laboratories in a report on Tuesday, May 1st. Finally, ValuEngine raised shares of Dolby Laboratories from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, March 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $66.50.

In other Dolby Laboratories news, EVP Mark Andrew Sherman sold 10,000 shares of Dolby Laboratories stock in a transaction on Monday, February 26th. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.00, for a total transaction of $650,000.00. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, major shareholder Dagmar Dolby sold 100,000 shares of Dolby Laboratories stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $60.81, for a total transaction of $6,081,000.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders sold 1,153,948 shares of company stock valued at $71,420,638. 43.80% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. D.A. Davidson & CO. boosted its stake in Dolby Laboratories by 3.8% during the first quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 25,802 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $1,640,000 after buying an additional 952 shares during the period. US Bancorp DE boosted its stake in Dolby Laboratories by 33.4% during the fourth quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 3,852 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $239,000 after buying an additional 964 shares during the period. Hermes Investment Management Ltd. boosted its stake in Dolby Laboratories by 6.2% during the fourth quarter. Hermes Investment Management Ltd. now owns 17,201 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $1,066,000 after buying an additional 1,000 shares during the period. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank lifted its position in shares of Dolby Laboratories by 48.9% during the fourth quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 3,472 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $215,000 after purchasing an additional 1,141 shares during the last quarter. Finally, The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company lifted its position in shares of Dolby Laboratories by 29.2% during the first quarter. The Manufacturers Life Insurance Company now owns 5,219 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $332,000 after purchasing an additional 1,181 shares during the last quarter. 53.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

DLB traded down $0.13 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $61.44. 256,820 shares of the company traded hands, compared to its average volume of 364,479. Dolby Laboratories has a 12-month low of $48.00 and a 12-month high of $74.29. The firm has a market cap of $6.40 billion, a P/E ratio of 24.00, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 0.76.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Wednesday, May 16th. Investors of record on Monday, May 7th were issued a $0.16 dividend. This represents a $0.64 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 1.04%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Friday, May 4th. Dolby Laboratories’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 29.09%.

About Dolby Laboratories

Dolby Laboratories, Inc creates audio and imaging technologies that transform entertainment and communications at the cinema, at home, at work, and on mobile devices. The company develops and licenses its audio technologies, including Dolby Digital Plus for digital television, mobile, and Internet-based services; Dolby Digital, a digital audio coding technology that provides multichannel sound in the home; and AAC & HE-AAC, an audio coding technologies used to broadcast, download, and streaming content.

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Calling For A Blue-Ribbon Panel On The Retirement Crisis

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Remember Studebakers? In 1963, their troubled automaker shut down its U.S. operations and more than 4,000 workers lost some or all of their promised pensions. Thousands of workers elsewhere found themselves in similar straits when their firms walked away from underfunded pensions. President Kennedy created a blue-chip commission to figure out how to prop up the pension system. And a decade later, President Ford signed into law the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, federally insuring private pension plans and regulating pensions and most employee benefits.

&l;strong&g;Time for a Retirement Crisis Commission?&l;/strong&g;

That was the last time Congress negotiated a broad-based overhaul of the private sector&a;rsquo;s retirement rules. Some policymakers think it&a;rsquo;s again time for a blue-ribbon retirement panel &a;mdash; this time, looking at how to boost retirement security in America. Call it the Retirement Crisis Commission.

Senators Todd Young (R-Ind.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) are the sponsors of the bipartisan legislation. They&a;rsquo;re calling for the formation of a federal retirement commission with a mandate to design ways to improve private sector retirement security. The conservative and progressive senators joined forces to draw up the initiative following the recommendation in a sobering 2017 Government Accountability Office report on the retirement system.

&l;strong&g;Also on Forbes:&l;/strong&g;

&a;ldquo;My hope is that the commission would deliver to Congress some ideas that are bold and ambitious,&a;rdquo; says Young. &a;ldquo;It has been 40 years since Congress has looked at private retirement security in a comprehensive manner. In the intervening decades the economy has been transformed.&a;rdquo;

I hope his peers listen and the blue-ribbon panel gets greenlit.

&l;strong&g;America&s;s Retirement System: Complex and Byzantine&l;/strong&g;

A federal commission would at least open up the prospect that Congress might help modernize a system that has evolved (devolved, really) into an overly complex, byzantine and woefully inadequate safety net for America&a;rsquo;s retirees.

&a;ldquo;We now have a huge, huge mess,&a;rdquo; says Eugene Steuerle, senior fellow at the Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C. think tank. &a;ldquo;The big issue for me is the retirement system doesn&a;rsquo;t do what it&a;rsquo;s supposed to do &a;mdash; protect people. In that sense, it&a;rsquo;s a failure.&a;rdquo;

The biggest failing? About 40% of full-time private-sector employees lack access to an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan. They typically work at small-to medium-sized businesses. The main reason small business owners say they don&a;rsquo;t offer a retirement savings option is the expense of setting up and managing the plans, according to a 2017 Pew survey.

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Contingent workers &a;mdash; think freelancers, independent contractors and gig economy workers &a;mdash; also can&a;rsquo;t participate in an employer-sponsored retirement plan because they&a;rsquo;re not employees. The same holds for most part-time workers.

Even people who can sign up a 401(k) retirement plan at work often find it hard to save and manage their portfolio. That helps explain the dismal figures you&a;rsquo;ve no doubt seen on how little so many workers have in retirement savings.

&l;strong&g;From Employers&s; Risk to Yours&l;/strong&g;

Over the past four decades, companies have moved away from traditional pensions where employers bear the investment risk and commit to a fixed payout of money, typically based on a salary and years-of-service formula. With those plans, employees get a steady pension income &a;mdash; essentially a monthly paycheck &a;mdash; during their retirement years.

Some members of the leading edge of the boomer generation have this kind of pension in retirement or will (although the size of their benefits may have been frozen some years back). &a;nbsp;But most younger boomers, Gen Xers and millennials only know about pensions from history books or tales from earlier generations in their families.

These days, of course, companies that offer retirement plans have shifted to defined contribution retirement savings plans such as 401(k)s. Here, employees absorb all the responsibility and risk of saving for retirement. They decide how much to invest (within regulatory limits) and where to invest (within the menu of choices in the plan).

&l;strong&g;The Crumbling Pillars of Retirement&l;/strong&g;

Trouble is, as behavioral economists have documented, most of us are bad at saving and investing regularly and for the long haul. And we&a;rsquo;re getting worse. Personal savings rates are about half what they were the 1970s and 1980s.

Not only do half of private-sector workers fail to participate in retirement savings plans (adding together those without the option and those who don&a;rsquo;t join). Worse, about a quarter of plan participants borrow or withdraw from their retirement savings; many don&a;rsquo;t put the money back.

And did I mention that the Social Security trust fund is expected to be unable to fully pay promised benefits 16 years from now, in 2034?

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Taken altogether, the three pillars of America&a;rsquo;s retirement savings system are crumbling &a;mdash; employer pensions or retirement savings; personal savings and Social Security.

&l;strong&g;How the Blue-Ribbon Panel Would Work&l;/strong&g;

That brings me back to the blue-ribbon commission. It would include the U.S. Secretaries of Labor, Treasury and Commerce; two presidential appointments; six appointees from the U.S. Senate and six from the U.S. House of Representatives. They would focus on the private sector (Social Security might be a panel for another day).

Young told me he wants the experts to think big. They should consider retirement issues facing the mobile workforce, gig economy workers and part-time employees, he says. Young wants the panel to explore what kinds of nudges, incentives and other insights from behavioral economists might encourage Americans to save more for retirement.

The commission would explore policies to emulate from other countries, such as the mandatory retirement savings systems of Australia and several Scandinavian nations. &a;ldquo;I&a;rsquo;ve read about some of the reforms to government programs in the Nordic countries which are more innovative than people are aware of,&a;rdquo; Young says.

&l;strong&g;Many Worthy Ideas to Consider&l;/strong&g;

There&a;rsquo;s no shortage of good ideas for the panel to review.

For instance, the &a;ldquo;auto-IRA proposal&a;rdquo; by J. Mark Iwry of the Brookings Institution and David John of AARP would make savings more automatic and accessible for the millions of workers not covered by employer-sponsored retirement plans. Economist Teresa Ghilarducci, of the New School for Social Research, and Hamilton James, executive vice chairman of the money-management giant Blackstone, favor Guaranteed Retirement Accounts. With those, any employer not offering a 401(k) would need to participate in, and contribute to, a government-sponsored retirement savings plan.

And one idea long floated by retirement security experts is attaching an Individual Retirement Account or 401(k) to each Social Security account.

Even if Congress approves a retirement commission, the risk is that its report will get shelved. That&a;rsquo;s what happened to the retirement system study launched in 1979 by President Carter. Its recommendations &a;mdash; including a mandatory universal private pension &a;mdash; were released in 1981.

We can&a;rsquo;t wait any longer.

Americans Are Bad at Taking Vacation -- and It's Hurting Them Big Time

Paid time off is among the most coveted workplace benefits out there. Yet a large chunk of Americans who are eligible for paid vacation make the glaring mistake of not using it. A disturbing 21% of U.S. employees admit to having left vacation days on the table over the past year, according to new data from Kimble Applications. And that's a decision that could hurt them, as well as other employees, in the long run.

Why can't we give ourselves a break?

Some workers don't take vacation because they're not entitled to paid time off. But for others, it's a matter of job-related stress and demands. Specifically, 27% of workers say they have too many things going on at the office or too many pressing deadlines to take time away, while 13% skimp on vacation days because they worry they'll return to piles of work.

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.

Furthermore, while some employers go so far as to force workers to take vacation, others encourage workers not to take time off, either directly or indirectly. In fact, 19% of employees say they've felt pressured by their companies to avoid spending time out of the office. And more than 25% say that the mere act of submitting a time-off request makes them feel anxious.

Even those workers who do manage to take vacation don't get a true break from the grind. Nearly 50% of employees admit that they actively check in on work matters while away from the office, and almost 30% claim they're expected to be available for emergencies.

Clearly, this points to a dangerous trend. The fact of the matter is that workers need time away to recharge and tend to personal matters. If they don't get it, they risk burning out and growing less productive, not more. And while companies should play a role in encouraging and enabling employees to get that time away, it's something workers need to push for at the individual level.

Don't pass up that vacation time

So how can you, as an employee, manage to take all of your allotted vacation time without experiencing backlash? For one thing, be strategic in when you schedule your time off. Aim to get away during less busy periods at work so that you don't risk missing deadlines or falling behind on major projects. Along these lines, if possible, try not to take time off during the holidays because that's when your company likely will be most understaffed. If you request vacation time the same week when half your team will be gone, your manager is more apt to say no.

Additionally, find a couple of colleagues who can serve as backups while you're away, and carve out the time to bring them up to speed before you're set to be out of the office. This way, you won't have to worry about falling short on deadlines or coming back to as large a mountain of work.

But notice that I said "backups" -- as opposed to a single backup. You can't really expect one person to cover for you fully when you're used to working 40 hours a week or more, so divvy up that load among several colleagues. It may require a bit more time on your end to get different people in sync, but it'll make everyone's life easier (including your own) while you're away.

Finally, talk to your manager before heading out on vacation and set expectations with regard to your availability during that time. It might be perfectly reasonable for you to log into your email once each night to address priorities, but if you're looking to leave your phone and laptop at your hotel while you enjoy your days, make that clear from the start.

Similarly, set deadlines for completing the work that piles up while you're out. Maybe you normally would complete certain requests within 24 hours, but if you're coming back to 17 of them after a week away, you'll obviously need some time to get everything done. Establishing reasonable expectations for catching up on missed work can help you make the most of your time off without stressing about it.

You deserve a mental and physical break from the office, so if you're fortunate enough to have paid vacation time, don't give it up. Doing so not only hurts you, but sends the message to employers that workers don't really need that time off. And we all know very well that that's the furthest thing from the truth.