What Happened in the Stock Market Today

Stocks opened lower Thursday but drifted higher during the session. The�Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES:^DJI)�finished a small loss and the�S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC)�closed higher.

Today's stock market Index Percentage Change Point Change

Dow	(0.03%)	(7.66)
S&P 500	0.49%	13.86

Data source: Yahoo! Finance.

Technology stocks led the market, with Apple�making history by being the first U.S. company to break through $1 trillion in market capitalization. The�Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (NYSEMKT:XLK) gained 1.3%. The materials sector lagged; the�iShares US Basic Materials ETF (NYSEMKT:IYM) fell 1%.

As for individual stocks, Sonos (UNKNOWN:UNKNOWN) rose on its first day of public trading, and Blue Apron (NYSE:APRN) tumbled following a disappointing quarterly report.

Image source: Getty Images.

Sonos soars in trading debut

Sonos, maker of high-end speakers for the home audio market, traded publicly for the first time today, and shares soared 32.7% above the initial public offering price of $15. Sonos had lowered the offering price below the $17-$19 target range that was given in the registration statement�it filed last week.

Sonos offered 5.6 million shares and current shareholders offered 8.3 million shares in the offering. Options on another 2.1 million shares are available to the underwriters from the company and existing shareholders. After the offering, there are a total of 98.4 million shares outstanding, giving the company a market capitalization of $2 billion. About 86% of the shares outstanding are held by current shareholders under a lock-up period for 180 days.�Options for about 50 million additional shares have been issued by the company as part of its incentive plan.

The company has had success selling wireless, multiroom speaker systems known for their audio quality, and has expanded into home theater and voice-activated speakers. Revenue in 2017 was $992.5 million, a 10.1% increase from the year before, but sales appear to be accelerating, with revenue in the first two quarters of the 2018 fiscal year up 18% over the first half last year. The company is not yet profitable, with a loss of $0.25 per share last year, an improvement on a $0.71-per-share loss in 2016.

Sonos is facing some stiff competition in the speaker market from players with deep pockets, such as Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet, as well as from new entrants like Roku. Investors were ready to buy into the company's risky proposition today, though.

Blue Apron tumbles as customer numbers shrink

Shares of meal-kit company Blue Apron got hammered today, plummeting 24.4% after the company failed to meet already-low sales expectations for the second quarter and reported that it's losing customers at a rapid pace. Net revenue fell 25% to $180 million, compared with analyst expectations for a 21% decline. Net loss per share was $0.17, $0.01 less than the analyst consensus. The number of customers decreased 24% from the period a year earlier, and fell 9% from last quarter.

There was a little good news in the quarter, with the average orders per customer holding steady from last quarter at 4.4, and the average order value ticking up from $56.58 in Q1 to $57.34 in Q2. The cost of goods sold improved to 64.7% compared with 68.7% in Q2 last year and 65.8% in Q1 as the company made efficiency improvements. But Blue Apron had reported a sequential increase in customers last quarter, expressing optimism that momentum would continue, and that didn't happen, with the company clearly having trouble attracting new subscribers.

Blue Apron shares had rebounded since last quarter's report, and recently jumped on takeover rumors. But today's news caused the stock to fall to less than a fifth of the IPO price, nearing all-time lows.

The Massive Marijuana Market You Won't See in Canada -- At Least Not This Year

You probably know by now that Canada is on course to allow the adult use of marijuana for recreational purposes in October. And you probably know that many project�that the market will be big -- with some estimating first-year sales of CA$5 billion�and perhaps even more.

What some might not realize, however, is that one potentially massive marijuana market won't be open for business in Canada this year. But this market should be on the path to legalization in 2019, with companies such as�Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC) champing at the bit.

Image source: Getty Images.

Hold off the munchies and vapes

Canada will allow legal use of marijuana in several forms beginning on Oct. 17. These forms include�dried cannabis, cannabis oil, and cannabis seeds. Notably absent from the list of what will be permitted, however, are cannabis edibles and cannabis concentrates.�

The regulations for Canada's adult-use cannabis market established by Health Canada, the country's federal department overseeing public health matters, specifically left out edibles and concentrates used for vaping. Why? The agency felt that more time was needed "for the development of specific regulations to address the unique risks posed by these product classes."

Health Canada's thinking was that�several aspects of�cannabis edibles and concentrates required special regulations. Quality control, THC limits, portion sizes, and packaging/labeling�were examples of areas where the department determined that edibles and concentrates were sufficiently different from dried cannabis, cannabis oil, and cannabis seeds to require more thought on regulatory requirements.

However, Health Canada did set a timetable for how much time should be allotted to finalizing these unique regulations. The agency expects to be ready for the legal sale of cannabis edibles and concentrates within one year of implementation of the Cannabis Act, also known as bill C-45. That means yet another legal marijuana market in Canada should be on the way in 2019.�

Fast-growing and lucrative categories

How big could the Canadian market for cannabis edibles and concentrates be? Judging from what's happened in the U.S. so far, pretty big.

In Colorado, for example, cannabis edibles claimed a market share of 11% of the entire cannabis market in the state in the first quarter of 2014, according to data from BDS Analytics. Concentrates made up 13% of the total market. Fast-forward to 2017 Q4. The market share for edibles rose to 15%, while the market share for concentrates more than doubled to 29%. Meanwhile, the market share for dried cannabis in Colorado fell from 70% to 47% during the period.

Other states that have legalized recreational marijuana have similar numbers. In California, edibles and concentrates claimed 37% of the total marijuana market in the second quarter of 2017. Oregon's figure for the same period was close -- 36%. In Washington state, around 32% of the total marijuana market was captured by edibles and concentrates.

BDS Analytics surveyed adults in these four U.S. states that have legalized recreational marijuana. The market research firm found that of the roughly one in four respondents who don't currently use cannabis but would consider doing so in the future, many stated that cannabis edibles would be the product they would be most likely to first try.

The opportunities in these two categories of marijuana product could be enormous. BDS Analytics thinks that cannabis edibles could offer "perhaps the highest financial returns of any cannabis sector." Concentrates, especially those used for vaping, have been the fastest-growing marijuana product category.

Waiting to profit

Canopy Growth CEO Bruce Linton definitely has his eyes on the potentially lucrative edibles market. Linton said in a recent CNBC interview that Canopy expected to launch an assortment of new products, with a focus on cannabis-infused beverages such as zero-calorie drinks with mixtures of cannabinoids.�

Selling these kinds of products makes perfect sense for Canopy Growth. In October 2017, giant alcoholic beverage maker Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ), perhaps best known for distributing Corona beer, bought a 9.9% stake in Canopy. The two companies also stated at the time that they planned to work together to develop cannabis-infused beverages.

Other Canadian marijuana growers could also jump into the fray. Last month, BNN Bloomberg reported that Molson Coors (NYSE:TAP) was in discussions with several Canadian companies, including Aurora Cannabis (NASDAQOTH:ACBFF) and Aphria (NASDAQOTH:APHQF), about collaborating on cannabis-infused beverages. The report also indicated that Molson Coors was potentially interested in investing in a Canadian marijuana grower, as Constellation Brands did.

So far in the U.S., cannabis-infused beverages have only been a small component of overall cannabis edibles sales.�However, it could be a much different story in Canada beginning next year with key marijuana growers in the country teamed up with large beverage companies. And if the U.S. relaxes federal laws related to marijuana, the opportunity in the U.S. should be even greater.

The bottom line is that there's a lot of money to be made in peripheral categories of marijuana. But for Canadian marijuana businesses, the profits will have to wait a little while.

Exane Derivatives Acquires Shares of 8,629 First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. (FR)

Exane Derivatives acquired a new position in shares of First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:FR) during the second quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor acquired 8,629 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock, valued at approximately $288,000.

Other hedge funds also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Mount Yale Investment Advisors LLC acquired a new stake in First Industrial Realty Trust during the first quarter worth approximately $146,000. World Asset Management Inc acquired a new stake in First Industrial Realty Trust during the second quarter worth approximately $205,000. Raymond James & Associates acquired a new stake in First Industrial Realty Trust during the fourth quarter worth approximately $211,000. Vident Investment Advisory LLC acquired a new stake in First Industrial Realty Trust during the fourth quarter worth approximately $236,000. Finally, OppenheimerFunds Inc. acquired a new stake in First Industrial Realty Trust during the fourth quarter worth approximately $246,000. 90.80% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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In related news, CFO Scott A. Musil sold 16,300 shares of First Industrial Realty Trust stock in a transaction on Friday, April 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.31, for a total value of $494,053.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 108,672 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,293,848.32. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Johannson L. Yap sold 19,156 shares of First Industrial Realty Trust stock in a transaction on Friday, April 27th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.24, for a total transaction of $579,277.44. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 272,877 shares in the company, valued at $8,251,800.48. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 232,240 shares of company stock worth $7,494,822. Insiders own 1.71% of the company’s stock.

Shares of First Industrial Realty Trust opened at $31.83 on Friday, according to Marketbeat.com. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 1.47 and a current ratio of 1.47. The company has a market cap of $4.07 billion, a PE ratio of 20.42 and a beta of 0.85. First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. has a 12-month low of $27.61 and a 12-month high of $34.04.

First Industrial Realty Trust (NYSE:FR) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, April 24th. The real estate investment trust reported $0.30 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.13 by $0.17. The business had revenue of $99.77 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $98.86 million. First Industrial Realty Trust had a net margin of 53.92% and a return on equity of 15.01%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.5% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.36 earnings per share. analysts anticipate that First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. will post 1.61 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, July 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 29th were given a dividend of $0.218 per share. The ex-dividend date was Thursday, June 28th. This represents a $0.87 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.74%. First Industrial Realty Trust’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 55.41%.

A number of analysts have weighed in on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group cut shares of First Industrial Realty Trust from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday. ValuEngine upgraded shares of First Industrial Realty Trust from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, July 2nd. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of First Industrial Realty Trust from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Wednesday, June 27th. Finally, Mizuho upgraded shares of First Industrial Realty Trust from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $31.00 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, May 7th. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating and six have issued a buy rating to the company. The stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $32.86.

First Industrial Realty Trust Company Profile

First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc (NYSE: FR) is a leading fully integrated owner, operator, and developer of industrial real estate with a track record of providing industry-leading customer service to multinational corporations and regional customers. Across major markets in the United States, our local market experts manage, lease, buy, (re)develop, and sell bulk and regional distribution centers, light industrial, and other industrial facility types.

Recommended Story: Price to Earnings Ratio (PE)

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Key Themes to Track When Dunkin' Brands Reports Earnings

Dunkin' Brands Group�(NASDAQ:DNKN) reports its second-quarter 2018 results next week on July 26.�The quick-service restaurant chain has chalked up a stock price return of 35% over the last 12 months, due in part to investors' confidence in its strategy of investing in franchisee growth.

Will DNKN shares continue to rise after the company's upcoming earnings release? The following are key themes that investors can use to measure next week's report against current company strategy and goals.

Comparable-store sales and other vital measures

Dunkin' Brands' comparable-store sales in its largest segment, Dunkin' Donuts U.S., dipped 0.5% in the first quarter of the year, as higher revenue per transaction was offset by lower traffic.�Among other segments, Dunkin' Donuts International comps improved by 2.1% and the�company's Baskin-Robbins International segment posted attractive comps growth of 10%, offsetting a Baskin-Robbins U.S. comps dip of 1%.

Management typically only provides a comparable-sales growth target for Dunkin' Donuts U.S. as it comprises more than three-quarters of company revenue (excluding advertising revenues). For the full 2018 year, management expects Dunkin' Donuts U.S. to deliver comps growth of 1%, although the second quarter may persist in a flat to negative trend as we'll discuss below.

As for other important measures, Dunkin' Brands has guided investors to expect companywide revenue growth in the low- to mid-single digits and operating income expansion in the mid- to high-single digits in 2018. For comparative purposes, revenue and operating income in the first quarter expanded by 1.7% and 3.5%, respectively.

Finally, the company also is seeking to reduce general and administrative (G&A) expense over the full year by 5%. G&A expense dropped less than 1 percentage point against the prior year in the first quarter of 2018.

New leadership at the helm

As shareholders who closely follow the company already know, last week, CEO Nigel Travis announced his retirement and immediately handed the reins to his chosen successor, Dave Hoffman.�Travis has been appointed executive chairman of the company's board of directors and plans to remain active in the business, with a focus on international restaurant expansion.

Hoffman, a veteran of competitor McDonald's Corporation�joined Dunkin' Brands in 2016 as head of Dunkin' Donuts U.S. He's led the effort to simplify Dunkin' Donuts' menu and modernize its locations, while increasing brand relevancy in the midst of sharp competition.

Investors should keep an ear open for any initial signs of strategy changes during the company's upcoming earnings conference call. Since Hoffman has already spent the last two years reinvigorating the U.S. franchise, any departures from the current plan are likely to occur in the company's larger global business and/or Baskin-Robbins ice cream revenue stream.

Update on the simplified menu

Last quarter, the company reported that it had completed the rollout of its simplified menu through 100% of the Dunkin' Donuts U.S. system. This initiative included the removal of 10% of items that franchisees were previously required to offer, as well as the elimination of an additional 23 optional products.

Management has projected an initial drag of 1 percentage point on Dunkin' Donuts U.S. comps in the first months following the launch, which investors can take to mean the second quarter. Thus, the full-year comps target of 1% growth in the U.S. Dunkin' business may end up being a task slated for the back half of the year.

Along with a store revamp that will see at least 50 technology-enabled, next-generation locations open this year (between remodels and new units), menu innovation may prove one of Dunkin' Brands' most potent competitive weapons in the coming years. For those interested, I've written a more in-depth analysis on the potential effects of the simplified menu in an article from late spring of this year.�

A simplified menu doesn't mean the end of enticing limited-time offers. Image source: Dunkin' Brands.

Packaged-foods growth

Consumer-channel sales have become an attractive, emerging revenue source for Dunkin' Brands. Last year, the company derived nearly 5% of total revenue from the licensing fees it earned in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) category.�Dunkin' Brands licenses its trademarks and product formulas to the J.M. Smucker Co. for sales of packaged coffee, to Keurig Green Mountain and Smucker for K-cup pod sales,�and to the Coca-Cola Corporation for sales of ready-to-drink Dunkin' Donuts iced coffee.

Branded Dunkin' packaged foods are outpacing the rest of the business: During the first quarter, management pointed out that retail sales of these products in grocery and convenience channels expanded at a rate of 10%.�The licensing fees from CPG sales get classified in the company's "other revenue" segment, and management expects such sales to expand the other revenue business in the high-single-digits range this year. In the first quarter, other revenue increased just 0.5%; expect to see a much stronger result in the second quarter.

Share repurchases

Following on the heels of a major share-repurchase exercise of $650 million, which was conducted in the first quarter of 2018, Dunkin' Brands announced a new buyback program in May of this year.�The organization's board of directors has approved a two-year, $250 million share-repurchase authorization. Shareholders appear to appreciate -- and expect -- the company's regular share-buying programs. By its own count, Dunkin' Brands has bought back $2.65 billion worth of its stock since becoming a public company in 2011.

For investors, it's important to know how fast the company intends to run through this newest authorization.�This is a topic that will likely be addressed by CFO Kate Jaspon during next Thursday's earnings call. My guess is that management will take its time making stock purchases under the new plan.

Dunkin' Brands currently has a debt-to-EBITDA ratio of 6.25�-- leverage that's near the upper end of an acceptable limit. Of course, an appreciable amount of the company's debt has arisen from its practice of frequent stock repurchases. From a practical standpoint, the organization will probably keep a minimal pace of repurchasing over the next few quarters as it builds up more cash and borrowing capacity via its strong cash flow.

Investmentaktiengesellschaft Fuer Langfristige Inv Buys Facebook Inc, Sells Shake Shack Inc, NOW Inc

Investment company Investmentaktiengesellschaft Fuer Langfristige Inv buys Facebook Inc, sells Shake Shack Inc, NOW Inc, Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc during the 3-months ended 2018-06-30, according to the most recent filings of the investment company, Investmentaktiengesellschaft Fuer Langfristige Inv. As of 2018-06-30, Investmentaktiengesellschaft Fuer Langfristige Inv owns 16 stocks with a total value of $661 million. These are the details of the buys and sells.

Added Positions: FB, FAST, TRIP, Reduced Positions: BRK.A, SHAK, MSFT, DNOW, Sold Out: EGLE,

For the details of INVESTMENTAKTIENGESELLSCHAFT FUER LANGFRISTIGE INVESTOREN TGV's stock buys and sells, go to http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=INVESTMENTAKTIENGESELLSCHAFT+FUER+LANGFRISTIGE+INVESTOREN+TGV

These are the top 5 holdings of INVESTMENTAKTIENGESELLSCHAFT FUER LANGFRISTIGE INVESTOREN TGVMicrosoft Corp (MSFT) - 1,530,000 shares, 22.84% of the total portfolio. Shares reduced by 2.17%Alphabet Inc (GOOGL) - 86,580 shares, 14.8% of the total portfolio. Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK.A) - 325 shares, 13.87% of the total portfolio. Shares reduced by 4.41%Tucows Inc (TCX) - 1,028,992 shares, 9.45% of the total portfolio. Fastenal Co (FAST) - 1,000,000 shares, 7.28% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 11.11%Added: Facebook Inc (FB)

Investmentaktiengesellschaft Fuer Langfristige Inv added to a holding in Facebook Inc by 23.93%. The purchase prices were between $155.1 and $202, with an estimated average price of $180.53. The stock is now traded at around $208.57. The impact to a portfolio due to this purchase was 0.82%. The holding were 145,000 shares as of 2018-06-30.

Sold Out: Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc (EGLE)

Investmentaktiengesellschaft Fuer Langfristige Inv sold out a holding in Eagle Bulk Shipping Inc. The sale prices were between $4.75 and $6.11, with an estimated average price of $5.44.

Here is the complete portfolio of INVESTMENTAKTIENGESELLSCHAFT FUER LANGFRISTIGE INVESTOREN TGV. Also check out:

1. INVESTMENTAKTIENGESELLSCHAFT FUER LANGFRISTIGE INVESTOREN TGV's Undervalued Stocks
2. INVESTMENTAKTIENGESELLSCHAFT FUER LANGFRISTIGE INVESTOREN TGV's Top Growth Companies, and
3. INVESTMENTAKTIENGESELLSCHAFT FUER LANGFRISTIGE INVESTOREN TGV's High Yield stocks
4. Stocks that INVESTMENTAKTIENGESELLSCHAFT FUER LANGFRISTIGE INVESTOREN TGV keeps buying

Stifel Financial Corp Trims Stake in Goldman Sachs BDC Inc (GSBD)

Stifel Financial Corp trimmed its position in Goldman Sachs BDC Inc (NYSE:GSBD) by 48.5% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 12,440 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 11,736 shares during the quarter. Stifel Financial Corp’s holdings in Goldman Sachs BDC were worth $238,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Great West Life Assurance Co. Can bought a new stake in Goldman Sachs BDC during the first quarter worth approximately $204,000. Jane Street Group LLC bought a new stake in Goldman Sachs BDC during the fourth quarter worth approximately $225,000. MML Investors Services LLC bought a new stake in Goldman Sachs BDC during the fourth quarter worth approximately $268,000. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. increased its stake in Goldman Sachs BDC by 41.9% during the fourth quarter. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. now owns 21,083 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $468,000 after acquiring an additional 6,226 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Greenwich Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in Goldman Sachs BDC by 6.7% during the first quarter. Greenwich Investment Management Inc. now owns 46,730 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $894,000 after acquiring an additional 2,925 shares during the last quarter. 35.21% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

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Several brokerages have weighed in on GSBD. Zacks Investment Research cut Goldman Sachs BDC from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday. ValuEngine raised Goldman Sachs BDC from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday. National Securities raised Goldman Sachs BDC from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price objective for the stock from $22.00 to $23.00 in a research note on Monday, May 7th. Raymond James reissued a “strong-buy” rating on shares of Goldman Sachs BDC in a research note on Wednesday, May 9th. Finally, Credit Suisse Group reduced their price objective on Goldman Sachs BDC to $24.00 and set a “neutral” rating on the stock in a research note on Monday, May 7th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, three have assigned a hold rating, two have given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $23.00.

Goldman Sachs BDC opened at $21.47 on Tuesday, according to Marketbeat.com. The company has a market cap of $866.98 million, a PE ratio of 10.53, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.20 and a beta of 0.78. Goldman Sachs BDC Inc has a one year low of $18.78 and a one year high of $23.20. The company has a current ratio of 0.89, a quick ratio of 0.89 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.72.

Goldman Sachs BDC (NYSE:GSBD) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 3rd. The financial services provider reported $0.47 EPS for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.47. The firm had revenue of $35.54 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $36.19 million. Goldman Sachs BDC had a return on equity of 11.09% and a net margin of 38.13%. The company’s quarterly revenue was up 10.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted $0.40 earnings per share. equities research analysts predict that Goldman Sachs BDC Inc will post 1.96 earnings per share for the current year.

The firm also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 16th. Stockholders of record on Friday, June 29th will be paid a dividend of $0.45 per share. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 28th. This represents a $1.80 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 8.38%. Goldman Sachs BDC’s dividend payout ratio is 86.96%.

Goldman Sachs BDC Company Profile

Goldman Sachs BDC, Inc is a closed-end management investment company. The Company is a specialty finance company, which is focused on lending to middle-market companies. The Company’s investment objective is to generate current income and, to a lesser extent, capital appreciation primarily through direct originations of secured debt, including first lien, including first lien, unitranche, including last out portions of such loans, and second lien debt, and unsecured debt, including mezzanine debt, as well as through select equity investments.

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

Bond Funds With Flexibility

With the broad bond market down 2% so far this year, it��s easy to see the appeal of a fund that can invest in the corners of the market that are working. That��s where so-called unconstrained bond funds and their cousins, multisector bond funds, can help.

See Also: 6 Great Low-Fee Bond Funds

As the name implies, unconstrained funds (classified as ��nontraditional�� funds by Morningstar) can invest in a variety of fixed-income assets, from investment-grade corporate debt to junk bonds issued by firms with below-average credit ratings to emerging-market IOUs. They can hold outsize slugs of the fund��s assets in the bond sectors they prefer, or they can sell short (a bet that prices will fall) the securities they see headed south. Some of the funds can even hold stocks. Multisector bond funds are nearly as flexible, but some have limits��albeit broad��on how much may be invested in a given sector.

But the increased freedom comes with some extra risk, especially when big wagers go wrong. In one striking example, Janus Henderson Global Unconstrained Bond, the fund run by erstwhile ��bond king�� Bill Gross, lost 3% in a single day in May, caught off-balance by a bet that German bonds would fall in price relative to Italian bonds (the market moved the other way). There are other caveats. Many of the funds in the two categories don��t have long track records, and expense ratios can be pricey.

We think the funds below represent the best combination of flexibility and moderate risk. They come with reasonable expenses and have shown they can withstand periods of market volatility. All are geared to prosper as rates rise, and most important, they are run by managers capable of taking full advantage of their freer rein. Returns and other data are through June 15.

DoubleLine Flexible Income (DLINX, 30-day yield 4.0%)

This four-year-old unconstrained fund doesn��t have much of a track record, but its managers sure do. Jeffrey Gundlach is a legend, and his comanager, Jeffrey Sherman, is quickly making a name for himself. Together, they have nearly five decades of asset-management experience between them.

The fund is well fortified against rising rates. It has a low duration��a measure of interest-rate sensitivity��of 1.3 years. A duration of 1.3 implies that if interest rates rise one percentage point, the fund��s net asset value would drop by 1.3%. The typical nontraditional bond fund has a 1.7-year duration, and it��s 5.9 years for the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond index, a proxy for the market overall.

Not only that, but Flexible Income��s managers have recently focused on bonds that do well in rising-rate environments. The fund has a 43% allocation to floating-rate debt. These loans pay variable interest rates pegged to short-term interest rate benchmarks that typically reset every 30 to 90 days, rising along with market rates.

Another favorite of late has been mortgage-backed securities. Non-agency mortgage debt��bundles of mortgages that aren��t guaranteed by the U.S. government��make up more than 20% of the portfolio.

But these instruments aren��t without risk. Both floating-rate debt and non-agency mortgage-backed securities are typically rated below investment grade, which means they carry greater risk that the issuers will default on their loan payments.

Since it launched in 2014, Flexible Income has returned 3.1% per year, on average��more than a percentage point better than the Aggregate index, with 32% less volatility.

Loomis Sayles Bond (LSBRX, 3.3%)

The managers of this multisector bond fund��Matthew Eagan, Dan Fuss, Brian Kennedy and Elaine Stokes��love a good bargain and look for promising bonds that have been unfairly punished. The value focus can make for a bumpy ride. In 2015, for instance, the team loaded up on high-yield corporate debt, particularly in the floundering energy sector as oil prices plummeted. That year, the fund posted a 7% loss��an eyebrow-raising decline for a bond fund��as energy bonds continued to flail. But investors who held on were rewarded when Loomis Sayles returned a cumulative 16.2% over the next two years, compared with 6.2% for the Agg index.

The managers maintain hefty positions��currently 44% of the fund��s assets��in the risky territories of high-yield corporate bonds (which come with higher default rates than investment-grade corporates) and non-dollar-denominated bonds (which are sensitive to currency movements). But Loomis Sayles has recently put a foot in the conservative camp, too, with a 30% stake in cash and short-term Treasuries. This pile of liquid assets lowers the fund��s overall sensitivity to interest rates��its duration is currently 3.2 years��and can be put to work quickly when a compelling opportunity arises, says Stokes.

The fund has rewarded patient investors. Over the past 15 years, its 6.3% annualized return bests the Agg index, as well as 84% of multisector funds. Including the first half of 2018, the fund has beaten similar funds in nine of the past 10 calendar years.

Metropolitan West Unconstrained Bond (MWCRX, 3.6%)

The team that manages this fund likes to work under some constraints, despite the fund��s name. They keep the fund��s duration between two and five years, and they stick almost exclusively with bonds, here and abroad, that are denominated in U.S. dollars. The managers say they have no crystal ball when it comes to assessing how interest rates and currencies will move. So they��d rather hunt for undervalued debt within their preferred sectors, says Stephen Kane, a comanager along with Laird Landmann, Tad Rivelle and Bryan Whalen.

Kane says many bond sectors look expensive these days, including emerging-markets debt and low-quality corporate issues. The managers prefer securitized debt: bonds backed by bundles of assets, such as residential or commercial mortgages and student, home-equity or auto loans. Such bonds account for 69% of the portfolio.

The lower-grade loans in these bundles are offset by higher-quality IOUs; some, such as student loans backed by the Department of Education, carry Uncle Sam��s guarantee. The overall result, says Kane, is a triple-B-style yield with a triple-A caliber default rate.

Scouting bargains has paid off for the fund in the past. In late 2011, high-yield and emerging-markets bonds were on sale, says Kane, as sovereign debt crises in Europe and headlines about a possible U.S. government default sowed volatility in the broad bond market and roiled riskier assets. The managers put 30% of the portfolio in emerging-markets bonds and high-yield corporate debt. The following year, the fund returned 15.8%, trouncing the Agg index and 98% of unconstrained funds. Since its 2011 inception, the fund��s 5.5% annualized return has beaten the index by an average of 3.4 percentage points per year.

Pimco Income (PONAX, 3.5%)

Managers Daniel Ivascyn and Alfred Murata tackle the vast fixed-income world by dividing the portfolio into two parts. In one portion, they hold high-yielding bonds that will excel in a growing economy. In the other, they hold high-quality debt that the pair expect to perform well when growth slows. They calibrate the two sides of the portfolio depending on Pimco��s current assessment of the economy and the bond market. When the firm sees risks on the horizon, the managers shift more of the fund��s assets into the high-quality group.

The managers have become more cautious recently. Bonds look richly priced, they say, and although global economies still look healthy, the U.S. economic recovery is getting long in the tooth. So they��ve added to the fund��s position in high-quality assets, such as U.S. government bonds, which currently make up about half of the fund. Income still has a big chunk of its assets devoted to emerging-markets and high-yield corporate debt. The managers�� biggest high-yield bet is in non-agency mortgages, which they say should continue to do well in a strong U.S. housing market. Over time, the duo��s balanced approach has paid off. Income has bested the Agg index in nine of the past 10 calendar years, including so far in 2018. The fund��s A shares come with a 3.75% sales charge, but investors can purchase them without paying a load or a transaction fee at online brokers, including Fidelity and Schwab.

See Also: The 8 Best Income Funds for a Scared Market Show comments

Asia stocks log another day of broad losses amid unrelenting trade worries

Asian markets logged another mostly losing session on Thursday, as investors counted down to the potential start of a new and worrying phase in a global trade spat.

The Shanghai Composite SHCOMP, -0.91% �closed down 0.9%, marking its third-straight losing session, while the tech-heavy China Shenzhen ChiNext Composite 399106, -2.20% �fell 2.2%, after logging a 2.6% decline on Wednesday.

Tech stocks have been a focal point for trade volleys between the U.S. and China. A U.S. move to block China Mobile CHL, -0.70% 0941, +0.73% from its market was followed by the Chinese temporarily halting Micron Technology Inc.��s MU, -5.51% �memory-chip sales in that country. U.S. markets will reopen on Thursday, a day after the Independence Day holiday, but closed out Tuesday��s session with losses, concentrated in technology stocks.

Read: Trade-war tracker: Here are the new levies, imposed and threatened

In the latest development on the trade-battle front, Chinese officials refuted media reports that the country will fire the first shots in its continuing skirmish with the U.S. The customs bureau announced Thursday that its tariffs on U.S. goods will kick in only after the Trump administration��s levies on $34 billion worth of Chinese products are implemented, a move expected to come Friday.

Elsewhere, Hong Kong��s Hang Seng Index HSI, -0.21% �fell 0.5%, while Japan��s Nikkei NIK, -0.78% �dropped 0.8% and Korea��s Kospi SEU, -0.35% fell 0.4%. The Taiwan Taiex Y9999, -1.03% �dropped 1%.

On the upside, New Zealand��s NZX 50 NZ50GR, +0.41% rose 0.4% and Australia��s S&P ASX 200 XJO, +0.52% finished up 0.5%.

Barbara Kollmeyer

Barbara Kollmeyer is an editor for MarketWatch in Madrid. Follow her on Twitter @bkollmeyer.

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Comment Related Topics Asia Markets China Japan Australia Singapore Foreign Investment Quote References SHCOMP -25.24 -0.91% 399106 -34.33 -2.20% CHL -0.31 -0.70% 0941 +0.50 +0.73% MU -3.00 -5.51% HSI -59.58 -0.21% NIK -170.05 -0.78% SEU -7.91 -0.35% Y9999 -110.06 -1.03% NZ50GR +37.21 +0.41% XJO +32.10 +0.52% Show all references MarketWatch Partner Center Most Popular Harvard University is fighting to keep its secretive admissions process under wraps The 21st Century has not been the American Century How will investors know if there��s a full-blown trade war? Here��s what Wall Street says Move over, Hyperloop pods, here come the new blimps While visiting my dying stepmother, I discovered her children had looted my father��s estate Community Guidelines �� FAQs

Stocks in the news: Ashoka Buildcon, Dena Bank, Fortis, Vedanta, Tech Mahindra

Here are the stocks that are in news today:

Ashoka Buildcon: The firm received Rs 22.4 crore in a settlement agreement with NHAI.

Shipping Corporation: Vijay Jadhao appointed as non-official, part-time (Independent) Director on the Board of SCI.

Fortis Healthcare:��The binding bids will be evaluated by the Board of Directors of the Company in consultation with its advisors

related news Stocks in the news: Hero MotoCorp, Dr Reddy��s Labs, Nestle, Tata Power, NCC Stocks in the news: IDBI Bank, Tata Motors, MOIL, TCS, Tata Steel, Cadila, Eicher Motors Stocks in the news: ICICI Bank, PNB, JSPL, Insecticides India, RBL Bank, SBI, Fortis

ISGEC Heavy Engineering:�The firm has emerged as L-1 bidder for an order worth Rs 700 crore.

GE Power India has been awarded twin boiler equipment orders by BHEL worth approximately Rs 467.9 crore

ICICI Prudential: Board approves appointment and remuneration of NS Kannan as MD and CEO

ISGEC Heavy Engineering emerged L-1 in reverse auction in order for Flue Gas Desulphurization (FGD). The value ofthe expected order is about Rs 700 crore

Tata Coffee: Company gets shareholder nod to reappoint Sanjiv Sarin as MD and CEO and Chacko Purackal Thomas as Deputy CEO

ICRA:�Downgrades Aspire Housing to A+ From AA-. It is�the housing finance arm of�Motilal Oswal Securities

United Bank of India hiked MCLR by 10 basis points across all tenors from July 5

Kwality board concluded to defer the decision on buyback/bonus and payment of interim dividend issue for the time being

Vedanta to raise up to Rs 1,500 cr through NCDs

VST Tiller sold 2948 power tiller and 871 tractors in June 2018

Dena Bank to sell 60.5 lakh shares in 3 entities

Sadbhav Infra achieves financial closure of Sadbhav Jodhpur Ring Road, a wholly owned subsidiary of the company

No plans to close operations at Brady House branch in Mumbai: PNB

Tech Mahindra signs IT pact with UK university

APL Apollo board meeting on July 6 to consider and approve the allotment of NCD's on private placement basis

Cholamandalam Investment board meeting on July 27 to consider issue of NCD and Q1 results

M&M Financial Services approved allotment of NCDs worth Rs 643cr

International Finance Corporation invests USD 100 million in Mahindra Finance

Punj Lloyd to consider stock split of preference shares on July 30

Shree Cements incorporates two investment firms in Dubai

Electrosteel Casting board meeting� on July 12 to consider the proposal for raising of funds by issuance of equity shares on preferential basis First Published on Jul 4, 2018 07:44 am

Domo plunges after volatile public debut

Domo, a Utah-based analytics company, saw its stock price fall more than 13 percent Monday morning, following a rocky public debut on Friday.

After bouncing around the board, Domo��s price settled Friday at $27.30 per share, 30 percent above its opening value of $23.80.

Domo opened Monday morning nearly 6 percent lower at $25.43, and is now hovering around $23.

Other tech IPOs this year have proven more successful so far, including Spotify, Dropbox and Zuora.

Domo, once privately valued at over $2 billion, had negative cash flow as of the end of last year and only $71 million in cash as of April, according to its most recent filing. The company is now valued at less than $600 million on the public market.

Southwest Gas (SWX) Receiving Favorable Press Coverage, Analysis Shows

Media stories about Southwest Gas (NYSE:SWX) have trended positive on Sunday, Accern Sentiment reports. Accern ranks the sentiment of media coverage by analyzing more than twenty million news and blog sources in real time. Accern ranks coverage of companies on a scale of negative one to one, with scores closest to one being the most favorable. Southwest Gas earned a coverage optimism score of 0.25 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave news articles about the utilities provider an impact score of 47.6549396344059 out of 100, meaning that recent media coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an impact on the stock’s share price in the near future.

These are some of the news articles that may have effected Accern Sentiment’s scoring:

Get Southwest Gas alerts: Should You Be Tempted To Buy Southwest Gas Holdings Inc (NYSE:SWX) Because Of Its PE Ratio? (finance.yahoo.com) Jefferies Financial Group Analysts Lower Earnings Estimates for Southwest Gas Holdings Inc (SWX) (americanbankingnews.com) Jefferies Financial Group Weighs in on Southwest Gas Holdings Inc’s Q2 2018 Earnings (SWX) (americanbankingnews.com) Consolidated Research: 2018 Summary Expectations for KAR Auction Services, XPO Logistics, La-Z-Boy, Southwest Gas, Greif, and Guidewire Software �� Fundamental Analysis, Key Performance Indications (finance.yahoo.com) Southwest Gas President & CEO John P. Hester interviewed by Advisor Access (finance.yahoo.com)

Shares of NYSE:SWX opened at $77.96 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.79 billion, a P/E ratio of 21.54 and a beta of 0.53. Southwest Gas has a fifty-two week low of $62.53 and a fifty-two week high of $86.87. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.06, a quick ratio of 1.10 and a current ratio of 1.10.

Southwest Gas (NYSE:SWX) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 7th. The utilities provider reported $1.63 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $1.60 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $754.30 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $524.56 million. Southwest Gas had a net margin of 7.69% and a return on equity of 10.32%. Southwest Gas’s quarterly revenue was up 15.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm posted $1.45 EPS. research analysts expect that Southwest Gas will post 3.58 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Tuesday, September 4th. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, August 15th will be paid a dividend of $0.52 per share. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, August 14th. This represents a $2.08 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.67%. Southwest Gas’s payout ratio is 57.46%.

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on SWX. Bank of America raised their price target on shares of Southwest Gas from $73.00 to $76.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research report on Tuesday, June 5th. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Southwest Gas from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $82.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, May 30th. ValuEngine upgraded shares of Southwest Gas from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, May 29th. Williams Capital began coverage on shares of Southwest Gas in a research report on Tuesday, April 10th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $73.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “hold” rating and issued a $69.00 price objective on shares of Southwest Gas in a research report on Wednesday, March 28th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have given a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. The stock has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $77.00.

In other Southwest Gas news, Director Thomas E. Chestnut sold 1,600 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $74.80, for a total transaction of $119,680.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 26,529 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,984,369.20. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, EVP Karen S. Haller sold 714 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $70.72, for a total transaction of $50,494.08. Following the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 24,216 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,712,555.52. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders have sold 4,903 shares of company stock worth $356,889. 0.99% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

About Southwest Gas

Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc, through its subsidiaries, purchases, distributes, and transports natural gas in Arizona, Nevada, and California. The company operates through Natural Gas Operations and Construction Services segments. As of December 31, 2017, it had 2,015,000 residential, commercial, industrial, and other natural gas customers.

Top 5 Value Stocks To Buy For 2019

tags:CPT,TCP,AP,TTC,NCMI,

Synovus Financial Corp bought a new stake in AllianceBernstein (NYSE:AB) during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund bought 3,729 shares of the asset manager’s stock, valued at approximately $100,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Blue Fin Capital Inc. increased its stake in AllianceBernstein by 22.7% in the first quarter. Blue Fin Capital Inc. now owns 36,365 shares of the asset manager’s stock valued at $976,000 after acquiring an additional 6,720 shares during the period. M&T Bank Corp increased its stake in AllianceBernstein by 2.5% in the first quarter. M&T Bank Corp now owns 120,729 shares of the asset manager’s stock valued at $3,242,000 after acquiring an additional 3,000 shares during the period. Mission Wealth Management LP bought a new stake in AllianceBernstein in the first quarter valued at about $205,000. American Asset Management Inc. bought a new stake in AllianceBernstein in the first quarter valued at about $209,000. Finally, Wedbush Securities Inc. bought a new stake in AllianceBernstein in the first quarter valued at about $307,000. 22.62% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Top 5 Value Stocks To Buy For 2019: Camden Property Trust(CPT)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  These are some of the news articles that may have impacted Accern Sentiment’s rankings:

  Get Camden Property Trust alerts: Camden Property Trust to Post Q3 2018 Earnings of $1.19 Per Share, DA Davidson Forecasts (CPT) (americanbankingnews.com) Camden Property Trust Forecasted to Earn FY2019 Earnings of $4.99 Per Share (CPT) (americanbankingnews.com) Camden Property Trust’s (CPT) CEO Ric Campo on Q1 2018 Results – Earnings Call Transcript (seekingalpha.com) Edited Transcript of CPT earnings conference call or presentation 4-May-18 3:00pm GMT (finance.yahoo.com) Camden: 1Q Earnings Snapshot (finance.yahoo.com)

  Several research firms have commented on CPT. BTIG Research increased their price target on shares of Camden Property Trust to $93.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, March 15th. Zacks Investment Research raised shares of Camden Property Trust from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 20th. TheStreet lowered shares of Camden Property Trust from a “b” rating to a “c+” rating in a research report on Thursday, January 18th. Sandler O’Neill set a $97.00 price target on shares of Camden Property Trust and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Finally, BMO Capital Markets set a $94.00 price target on shares of Camden Property Trust and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, February 12th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $90.64.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Swiss National Bank reduced its position in Camden Property Trust (NYSE:CPT) by 5.8% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 451,000 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after selling 28,000 shares during the quarter. Swiss National Bank’s holdings in Camden Property Trust were worth $37,965,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Amundi Pioneer Asset Management Inc. lifted its holdings in Camden Property Trust (NYSE:CPT) by 8.0% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 291,582 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after acquiring an additional 21,627 shares during the period. Amundi Pioneer Asset Management Inc. owned approximately 0.31% of Camden Property Trust worth $24,545,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Cryptaur (CURRENCY:CPT) traded up 2.6% against the US dollar during the 1-day period ending at 10:00 AM ET on June 14th. Cryptaur has a total market capitalization of $0.00 and $255,998.00 worth of Cryptaur was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. Over the last seven days, Cryptaur has traded 2.4% higher against the US dollar. One Cryptaur token can now be purchased for $0.0042 or 0.00000065 BTC on popular cryptocurrency exchanges including HitBTC and LATOKEN.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Cryptaur (CURRENCY:CPT) traded up 3% against the US dollar during the 24 hour period ending at 0:00 AM E.T. on June 7th. One Cryptaur token can currently be bought for about $0.0042 or 0.00000055 BTC on exchanges including LATOKEN and HitBTC. Cryptaur has a total market capitalization of $0.00 and $115,915.00 worth of Cryptaur was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. Over the last week, Cryptaur has traded flat against the US dollar.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Camden Property Trust (NYSE:CPT) was upgraded by analysts at TheStreet from a “c+” rating to a “b-” rating in a report released on Thursday.

Top 5 Value Stocks To Buy For 2019: TC PipeLines, LP(TCP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  That funding progress is important given an unexpected development in the quarter when the Federal Regulatory Commission (FERC) revised a long-standing policy and will no longer allow master limited partnerships to collect an allowance for income taxes on certain pipelines. That change could have a major impact on the cash flows of TransCanada's MLP TC Pipelines, LP (NYSE:TCP). While TC Pipelines isn't sure how much this change will impact its cash flow, it took precautionary actions by slashing its distribution to investors. That payout reduction and the related uncertainty has weighed significantly on TC Pipelines' valuation. Because of that, Girling said that "further dropdowns of assets by TransCanada into TC Pipelines is not considered a viable funding option at this time," and he isn't sure if it will be one in the future. However, he did clarify that even without future dropdowns to TC Pipelines, TransCanada believes it has the "financial capacity to fund our existing capital program through our predictable and growing cash flow from operations as well as several other funding alternatives."

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Most investors have probably heard of energy giants Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE:RDS-A) (NYSE:RDS-B), Dominion Energy (NYSE:D), and TransCanada (NYSE:TRP). Fewer, however, are likely familiar with their publicly traded master limited partnerships (MLPs): Shell Midstream Partners (NYSE:SHLX), Dominion Energy Midstream Partners (NYSE:DM), and TC Pipelines (NYSE:TCP). That might be a good thing, as the market has beaten up the latter trio this year, sending their valuations south.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Integrated Media Technology Limited (NASDAQ: IMTE) rose 30.8 percent to $22.00 in pre-market trading after declining 18.63 percent on Monday. Nevsun Resources Ltd. (NYSE: NSU) rose 14.5 percent to $3.40 in pre-market trading after Lundin Mining Corporation and Euro Sun Mining Inc. proposed to acquire Nevsun Resources for around C$1.5 billion. Sharing Economy International Inc. (NASDAQ: SEII) rose 15.2 percent to $4.25 in pre-market trading after the company disclosed that it entered into a license agreement with Ecrent Capital Holdings Limited. Veeco Instruments Inc. (NASDAQ: VECO) shares rose 14.1 percent to $19.50 in pre-market trading after reporting stronger-than-expected earnings for its first quarter. Impinj, Inc. (NASDAQ: PI) rose 13.4 percent to $15.40 in pre-market trading after reporting Q1 results. SandRidge Energy, Inc. (NYSE: SD) shares rose 13.2 percent to $16.45 in pre-market trading following Q1 results. Blink Charging Co. (NASDAQ: BLNK) rose 12.6 percent to $4.55 in pre-market trading after jumping 171.14 percent on Monday. Crocs, Inc. (NASDAQ: CROX) shares rose 10 percent to $16.66 in pre-market trading after the company reported better-than-expected earnings for its first quarter and issued strong sales forecast for the second quarter. Pareteum Corporation (NASDAQ: TEUM) rose 9.7 percent to $3.05 in pre-market trading after announcing Q1 results. Dean Foods Company (NYSE: DF) rose 8 percent to $9.00 in pre-market trading after reporting upbeat Q1 earnings. Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGI) rose 7.3 percent to $23.45 in pre-market trading following Q1 results. IAMGOLD Corporation (NYSE: IAG) rose 7.1 percent to $6.09 in pre-market trading after reporting upbeat Q1 earnings. TC PipeLines, LP (NYSE: TCP) rose 6.4 percent to $27 in pre-market trading after gaining 2.08 percent on Monday. Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: TAST) rose 6.3 percent to $11.75 in pre-market trading fol
• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  For years, Canadian pipeline giant TransCanada (NYSE:TRP) has used its master limited partnership (MLP) TC Pipelines (NYSE:TCP) as a source of capital by dropping down assets to that entity in exchange for cash. However, a regulatory policy change earlier in the year hit TC Pipelines hard, which caused the MLP to slash its distribution to investors. These changes have weighed heavily on the MLP's valuation and access to capital. Because of that, TransCanada no longer believes it can use TC Pipelines as a viable funding option.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Shineco, Inc. (NASDAQ: TYHT) rose 34.7 percent to $2.29 in pre-market trading following Q3 results. Shineco posted Q3 earnings of $0.21 per share on sales of $13.3 million. Carver Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: CARV) rose 15.8 percent to $12.74 in pre-market trading after surging 201.37 percent on Thursday. LiveXLive Media, Inc. (NASDAQ: LIVX) shares rose 11.5 percent to $7.75 in pre-market trading after climbing 64.50 percent on Thursday. Eiger BioPharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: EIGR) rose 9 percent to $18.30 in pre-market trading after climbing 41.77 percent on Thursday. AmTrust Financial Services Inc (NASDAQ: AFSI) rose 6.2 percent to $14.25 in pre-market trading after a 13D filing from Carl Icahn shows a new 9.38 percent stake in the company. The filing also shows language from Icahn that strongly opposes a go-private transaction. Cerner Corporation (NASDAQ: CERN) rose 5.6 percent to $64.02 in pre-market trading after the Department of Veterans Affairs reported an agreement with Cerner Government Services, Inc. to provide seamless care for veterans. PetroChina Company Limited (NYSE: PTR) shares rose 5.3 percent to $82.05 in pre-market trading. TC PipeLines, LP (NYSE: TCP) shares rose 5.2 percent to $26.59 in the pre-market trading session. IQVIA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: IQV) shares rose 4.8 percent to $102.50 in pre-market trading as the company pulled secondary offering 'in light of recent market conditions'. Axon Enterprise, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAXN) rose 4.5 percent to $59.70 in pre-market trading. On Thursday, Axon priced its 4.3 million share offering of common stock at $53 per share. The Trade Desk, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTD) rose 4.5 percent to $84 in pre-market trading. PetIQ Inc (NASDAQ: PETQ) rose 3.9 percent to $18.96 in pre-market trading after a 13G filing shows a new 5.05 percent stake by the State of New Jersey's Division of Investment. Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) shares rose 3.7 percent to $15.85 in pre-market

Top 5 Value Stocks To Buy For 2019: Ampco-Pittsburgh Corporation(AP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  Paris (AP) -- Floodwaters were nearing their peak in Paris on Saturday, with the rain-swollen Seine River engulfing scenic quays and threatening wine cellars and museum basements.

• [By ]

  Panama City, Fla. (AP) -- A man suspected of trading wild bursts of gunfire with officers during a long standoff in the Florida Panhandle was found dead Tuesday in a gasoline-soaked apartment after an armored vehicle approached, authorities said.

• [By ]

  Anchorage, Alaska (AP) -- A magnitude 8.2 earthquake off Alaska's Kodiak Island prompted a tsunami warning for a large swath of coastal Alaska and Canada's British Columbia while the remainder of the U.S. West Coast was under a watch.

Top 5 Value Stocks To Buy For 2019: Toro Company (TTC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Toro (NYSE:TTC) – Dougherty & Co cut their Q2 2018 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Toro in a report issued on Tuesday, May 22nd. Dougherty & Co analyst J. Fisher now expects that the company will post earnings of $1.18 per share for the quarter, down from their previous estimate of $1.22.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  IFP Advisors Inc decreased its position in Toro (NYSE:TTC) by 69.2% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 9,714 shares of the company’s stock after selling 21,866 shares during the quarter. IFP Advisors Inc’s holdings in Toro were worth $607,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Toro (NYSE:TTC) was downgraded by equities research analysts at ValuEngine from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday.

Top 5 Value Stocks To Buy For 2019: National CineMedia, Inc.(NCMI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.GURUFOCUS.COM]

  For the details of Standard General L.P.'s stock buys and sells, go to http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=Standard+General+L.P.

  These are the top 5 holdings of Standard General L.P.National CineMedia Inc (NCMI) - 12,576,000 shares, 60.53% of the total portfolio. New PositionTime Inc (TIME) - 3,181,424 shares, 29.62% of the total portfolio. Turning Point Brands Inc (TPB) - 305,319 shares, 3.58% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 189.90%CafePress Inc (PRSS) - 2,500,000 shares, 3.12% of the total portfolio. New PositionB. Riley Financial Inc (RILY) - 167,736 shares, 1.97% of the total portfoli
• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Twin Disc, Incorporated (NASDAQ: TWIN) shares surged 24.34 percent to close at $28.86 following Q3 earnings. Bioblast Pharma Ltd. (NASDAQ: ORPN) rose 21.89 percent to close at $2.45. Evolus, Inc. (NASDAQ: EOLS) gained 20.19 percent to close at $8.75. Evolus named David Moatazedi as new CEO. VivoPower International PLC (NASDAQ: VVPR) rose 18.56 percent to close at $3.13 on Monday after falling 39.86 percent on Friday. CEL-SCI Corporation (NYSE: CVM) gained 17.09 percent to close at $2.74. athenahealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHN) shares jumped 16.39 percent to close at $146.75 on Monday after Elliott Management confirmed a $160 per share cash offer for athenahealth. Gramercy Property Trust (NYSE: GPT) rose 15.45 percent to close at $27.50 after the company agreed to be acquired by Blackstone Group L.P. (NYSE: BX) for $27.50 per share. National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) surged 15.23 percent to close at $6.43 after the company posted upbeat quarterly profit. Turtle Beach Corporation (NASDAQ: HEAR) rose 14.53 percent to close at $7.33 CohBar, Inc. (NASDAQ: CWBR) gained 14.36 percent to close at $6.29. Tetraphase Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTPH) gained 12.69 percent to close at $3.64. Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI) gained 12.27 percent to close at $10.89 following Q1 results. CVR Refining, LP (NYSE: CVRR) shares climbed 9.8 percent to close at $19.05. Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) rose 4.93 percent to close at $256.89. Barclays upgraded Illumina from Equal-Weight to Overweight. Cloudera, Inc. (NYSE: CLDR) surged 3.92 percent to close at $15.63. Craig-Hallum initiated coverage on Cloudera with a Buy rating.

   

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Shares of National CineMedia (NASDAQ:NCMI) were up 0% during mid-day trading on Tuesday following a stronger than expected earnings report. The company traded as high as $6.59 and last traded at $6.43. Approximately 2,893,100 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 285% from the average daily volume of 751,461 shares. The stock had previously closed at $6.43.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Shares of National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) got a boost, shooting up 16 percent to $6.45 after the company posted upbeat quarterly profit.

  Gramercy Property Trust (NYSE: GPT) shares were also up, gaining 16 percent to $27.52 after the company agreed to be acquired by Blackstone Group L.P. (NYSE: BX) for $27.50 per share.

• [By Anders Bylund]

  Shares of National CineMedia (NASDAQ:NCMI) rose 29.6% in May 2018, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence. A strong first-quarter report kept this roller-coaster stock chart going with another big turn.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers athenahealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHN) shares climbed 23.2 percent to $155.19 after Elliott Management confirmed a $160 per share cash offer for athenahealth. Evolus, Inc. (NASDAQ: EOLS) gained 21.3 percent to $8.83. Evolus named David Moatazedi as new CEO. VivoPower International PLC (NASDAQ: VVPR) climbed 18.2 percent to $3.12 after falling 39.86 percent on Friday. Gramercy Property Trust (NYSE: GPT) rose 15.6 percent to $27.53 after the company agreed to be acquired by Blackstone Group L.P. (NYSE: BX) for $27.50 per share. EP Energy Corporation (NYSE: EPE) rose 13 percent to $2.26. Energy XXI Gulf Coast, Inc. (NASDAQ: EGC) gained 11.9 percent to $7.35. National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) surged 11.8 percent to $6.24 after the company posted upbeat quarterly profit. Sanchez Energy Corporation (NYSE: SN) shares gained 11.3 percent to $3.56. CVR Refining, LP (NYSE: CVRR) shares rose 8.8 percent to $18.875. Monaker Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: MKGI) rose 8.7 percent to $2.9683. Kosmos Energy Ltd. (NYSE: KOS) shares rose 7.4 percent to $7.40. Ceragon Networks Ltd. (NASDAQ: CRNT) rose 7 percent to $2.88 after climbing 1.89 percent on Friday. Cloudera, Inc. (NYSE: CLDR) surged 6 percent to $15.93. Craig-Hallum initiated coverage on Cloudera with a Buy rating. Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) rose 5.1 percent to $257.35. Barclays upgraded Illumina from Equal-Weight to Overweight.

  Check out these big penny stock gainers and losers

The Man Who Teaches North Koreans About Business

In 2016, Geoffrey See was jolted awake on a flight run by North Korea’s national carrier as smoke swirled through the cabin. Passengers sensed that the aircraft was descending rapidly, yet their panic was met with preternatural calm by a crew who insisted nothing was amiss.

The travelers sat in white-knuckled fear as the plane made an emergency landing. Hours later, they were forced to make their own alternative plans to continue the journey, with no compensation or explanation offered. The lack of communication didn’t surprise See, who was flying on state-run Air Koryo from the North Korean capital of Pyongyang.

For See -- who runs Choson Exchange, a non-profit group that trains North Koreans on entrepreneurship -- the experience was an illustration of the lack of transparency and accountability commonplace in the hermit kingdom. It’s also a sign of hurdles awaiting investors in the Asian nation as Kim Jong Un seeks to overhaul one of the world’s poorest economies in the wake of a historic summit in Singapore with U.S. President Donald Trump.

Donald Trump-Kim Jong Un Summit in Singapore

Source: Bloomberg

“North Korean officials typically only give you the information they think you need, and not what you seek,” said See, who got the idea for his organization in 2007 after a trip to Pyongyang. “This needs to change when the market opens up. There’s always that cultural gap, and given its paranoia, the country will take a long time to adjust to the way of doing business in the outside world.”

See, who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and received a masters from Yale University, conceived Choson Exchange after meeting a North Korean student who said she aspired to enter the business world to show that women can be good leaders. Since 2009, his group has brought more than 100 North Koreans to Singapore for them to learn more about modern and developed economies.

Trump and Kim signed a declaration on Tuesday that North Korea would work toward “complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula,” while leaving undefined the path to eliminating Pyongyang’s atomic arsenal. The Asian nation’s leader has previously indicated that he’s seeking a deal to ease sanctions that have squeezed his country’s economy.

To read more about North Korea’s economy, click here.

Even if trade restrictions are loosened and the economy gradually opens, challenges abound for potential investors. The country’s ranked one of the lowest in the Corruption Perception Index by Transparency International. New York-based Human Right Watch says that the government maintains an environment of fear and control via arbitrary arrests, torture in custody, forced labor as well as public executions.

A 2014 United Nations Commission of Inquiry report on North Korea said that systematic and widespread human rights violations committed by the government included enslavement, rape, forced abortion, and other sexual violence, and constituted crimes against humanity.

Economics Textbook

Yet the regime -- run by the Kim family for several decades -- hasn’t stamped out its citizens’ entrepreneurial spirit, according to See. He recalls meeting the student on his first trip to Pyongyang in 2007, when he asked her what she would like from abroad. She asked for an economics textbook.

“I went in there with thoughts that it’s a communist country, that people were not interested in business, that it was a state-run economy,” said See, who believes he’s been able to gain access to the reclusive state because he’s from Singapore, which is seen by the regime as a neutral country. “But when you meet the younger generation of North Koreans, on the ground, you’d be surprised by their aspirations.”

In 2015, See’s Choson Exchange conducted a “mini MBA,” bringing 11 North Koreans for a 4-month trip to Singapore and Malaysia. The attendees returned home to mentor up to 17 startup initiatives for businesses including consumer products, electrical appliances, and even an online community for mothers to share ideas and tips.

Infrastructure, Technology

As for the areas that offer most potential in North Korea, See says the retail consumer sector as well as infrastructure development for roads, railways and housing can provide opportunities for foreign companies looking to do business in the nation. There’s also demand for ways to improve the country’s manufacturing and use of technology, he said.

These will add to growing development in industries such as minerals mining, according to See. The nation’s natural resources include coal, iron ore, limestone, graphite, copper, zinc, lead and precious metals, according to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook. There’s also a budding market for leisure activities, with restaurants offering food and karaoke gaining popularity among some North Koreans, he said.

“Foreign investors looking to do business in North Korea will have to take a long-term approach, meaning at least 10 years,” said See. In the previous decade, when Kim’s father was still in power, the regime would be open to entrepreneurs creating and running successful businesses one moment, only to clamp down on them in the next, he said.

Under Kim Jong Un, the government has relaxed its grip over businesses, though reform remains slow, according to See. “People are more confident about building and growing a business without the fear of it being taken away from them, and more innovative and bigger businesses are emerging as a result.”

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Cramer: Foot Locker's stellar earnings show the 'mall is still not dead' yet

CNBC's Jim Cramer said Foot Locker's stellar quarterly earnings report on Friday shows there's still some life left for brick-and-mortar retailers.

Cramer was particularly pleased with a comment by CEO Richard Johnson, who said in a statement, the "flow of premium product continues to improve" at the athletic apparel and footwear retailer.

Shares of Foot Locker, now with a market value of about $6.3 billion, soared about15 percent early Friday after the company reported first-quarter earnings and revenue that beat Wall Street forecasts. Same store sales fell by 2.8 percent, but that was a smaller than expected decline.

"The mall is still not dead," Cramer said on "Squawk on the Street."

Cramer continued, "The read through here is not just good for Foot Locker, which is obviously going higher but for Nike which remains one of the strongest stocks in the Dow."

Before Friday's advance, Foot Locker had seen its shares fall 22 percent over the past year, as of Thursday's close. Foot Locker and other similar stocks have been under pressure as investors have been concerned that Amazon could expand its dominance into apparel.

There is also a concern in the retail industry about the future of malls as big department store chains such as Sears and J.C. Penney close locations.

Cramer, host of "Mad Money," has previously made the case for investors to stay in retail, particularly in apparel retail. In April, Cramer made the argument that the U.S. is "undergoing an apparel renaissance."

"These stocks are worth picking at into any weakness that we might get ... because right now, they have the best fundamentals of any large group in the entire stock market," he said at the time.

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Top 5 Insurance Stocks To Invest In Right Now

tags:AON,PRU,AIG,PFG,

Friday was a strong day on Wall Street, as major benchmarks finished higher by 1% to 2%. Market participants focused their attention on the April jobs report, which included a drop in the unemployment rate to 3.9%, its lowest level in more than 17 years. Nonfarm payroll gains of 164,000 weren't extremely strong, and some saw wage growth of just 2.6% as bad news for workers. Yet from many investors' perspective, weak wage growth is actually a positive, as it indicates a lack of inflationary pressure that's good for most stocks. Good news regarding several key individual companies also helped stoke favorable sentiment. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), Kraft Heinz (NASDAQ:KHC), and California Resources (NYSE:CRC) were among the best performers on the day. Here's why they did so well.

Apple gets more love from Buffett

Shares of Apple climbed 4% to hit a record high after Berkshire Hathaway�CEO Warren Buffett reported that he had increased his stake in the iPhone maker during the first quarter of 2018. Buffett said in an interview with CNBC that Berkshire bought 75 million more shares of Apple, worth roughly $13.5 billion at current prices, and that brought the total holdings for the insurance conglomerate to 240 million shares, worth more than $43 billion. With the Berkshire annual shareholder meeting taking place this weekend, Buffett's words carry even more weight than usual, and some still believe that Apple shares are bargain-priced even at all-time-high levels.

Top 5 Insurance Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Aon Corporation(AON)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

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

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

• [By Max Byerly]

  State of Wisconsin Investment Board decreased its holdings in shares of Aon (NYSE:AON) by 9.2% in the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 384,127 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after selling 38,942 shares during the quarter. State of Wisconsin Investment Board’s holdings in AON were worth $53,905,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Lisa Levin] Companies Reporting Before The Bell Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ: CELG) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.96 per share on revenue of $3.46 billion. Aon plc (NYSE: AON) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $2.8 per share on revenue of $2.93 billion. American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AXL) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.81 per share on revenue of $1.75 billion. Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.88 per share on revenue of $9.27 billion. LifePoint Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: LPNT) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.13 per share on revenue of $1.62 billion. V.F. Corporation (NYSE: VFC) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.65 per share on revenue of $2.90 billion. Newell Brands Inc. (NYSE: NWL) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.26 per share on revenue of $3.05 billion. Titan International, Inc. (NYSE: TWI) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.04 per share on revenue of $407.27 million. Boise Cascade Company (NYSE: BCC) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.45 per share on revenue of $1.09 billion. Cheniere Energy, Inc. (NYSE: LNG) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.39 per share on revenue of $1.59 billion. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBOE) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.24 per share on revenue of $308.05 million. ITT Inc. (NYSE: ITT) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.73 per share on revenue of $683.96 million. Fred's, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRED) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.19 per share on revenue of $551.00 million. Virtu Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ: VIRT) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.52 per share on revenue of $288.31 million. Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE: CQP) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.57 per share on revenue of $1.38 billion. Genesis Energy, L.P

Top 5 Insurance Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Prudential Financial Inc.(PRU)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chuck Saletta]

  Prudential Financial (NYSE:PRU) takes such pride in its rock-solid financial condition that it uses an actual rock -- the Rock of Gibraltar�-- as its corporate symbol. Prudential Financial backs up that claim with a balance sheet that has more cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments�than total debt on it. It also claims a debt-to-equity ratio around 0.6 and a current ratio around 1.0�, which are further signs of a solid financial condition.

• [By Zacks]

  Well, given the growing demand for securitized mortgage deals, Barclays plans to package and sell these Irish loans over the next two months. The group of investors that has shown interest in buying residential mortgage backed securities includes M&G Investments, the investment management division of British insurer Prudential Plc (NYSE: PRU) and Pacific Investment Management Co. ("PIMCO").

• [By Jason Hall, Chuck Saletta, and Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  But that doesn't mean you need to make risky bets to capture solid returns, either, and buying solid companies at reasonable prices can help create a margin of safety and improve your returns, while also decreasing your risk of permanent losses. Three stocks that meet these criteria are small healthcare real-estate specialist�Caretrust REIT Inc�(NASDAQ:CTRE), financial services giant�Prudential Financial Inc�(NYSE:PRU), and energy behemoth�ExxonMobil Corporation�(NYSE:XOM).�

• [By Max Byerly]

  Flippin Bruce & Porter Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Prudential Financial (NYSE:PRU) by 2.3% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 61,363 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after acquiring an additional 1,391 shares during the period. Flippin Bruce & Porter Inc.’s holdings in Prudential Financial were worth $6,354,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Top 5 Insurance Stocks To Invest In Right Now: American International Group Inc.(AIG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

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

  Get American International Group alerts: AIG’s loss for European business worsens in 2017 (businessinsurance.com) $1.26 EPS Expected for American International Group (AIG) This Quarter (americanbankingnews.com) UBS: Buy AIG After Earnings Estimates ‘Bottom Out’ (finance.yahoo.com) American International Group (AIG) Stock Rating Upgraded by UBS (americanbankingnews.com) American International Group (AIG) Receives Average Recommendation of “Hold” from Analysts (americanbankingnews.com)

  American International Group traded up $0.36, hitting $55.15, during mid-day trading on Friday, MarketBeat.com reports. The stock had a trading volume of 9,821,608 shares, compared to its average volume of 6,828,715. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53, a current ratio of 0.27 and a quick ratio of 0.27. American International Group has a 1-year low of $49.57 and a 1-year high of $67.30. The firm has a market cap of $49.51 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.98, a PEG ratio of 1.01 and a beta of 1.24.

• [By ]

  Insurance company American International Group Inc. (AIG) stock fell 5.3% as harsh winter weather weighed on profits. But the company's long-term care exposure is relatively minimal.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Sentry Investment Management LLC lessened its holdings in American International Group (NYSE:AIG) by 8.6% during the first quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The firm owned 64,968 shares of the insurance provider’s stock after selling 6,147 shares during the quarter. Sentry Investment Management LLC’s holdings in American International Group were worth $3,536,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on American International Group (AIG)

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

Top 5 Insurance Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Principal Financial Group Inc(PFG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.GURUFOCUS.COM]

  For the details of Stilwell Value LLC's stock buys and sells, go to http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=Stilwell+Value+LLC

  These are the top 5 holdings of Stilwell Value LLCOFG Bancorp (OFG) - 1,614,868 shares, 14.1% of the total portfolio. Kingsway Financial Services Inc (KFS) - 3,780,889 shares, 12.63% of the total portfolio. HopFed Bancorp Inc (HFBC) - 627,128 shares, 7.62% of the total portfolio. Alcentra Capital Corp (ABDC) - 1,251,324 shares, 7.27% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 20.66%Sound Financial Bancorp Inc (SFBC) - 228,600 shares, 7.02% of th
• [By Shane Hupp]

  These are some of the news articles that may have impacted Accern’s scoring:

  Get Principal Financial Group alerts: Principal Financial Group (PFG) Approves New $300M Buyback (streetinsider.com) Principal Financial Group (PFG) Announces Share Repurchase Plan (americanbankingnews.com) Is Principal Large Cap Growth I Institutional (PLGIX) a Strong Mutual Fund Pick Right Now? (finance.yahoo.com) Principal Financial Group is Oversold (nasdaq.com) Principal Names New Chief Human Resources Officer (finance.yahoo.com)

  Several equities analysts have recently commented on PFG shares. Morgan Stanley decreased their target price on Principal Financial Group from $79.00 to $77.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 5th. Wells Fargo reaffirmed a “market perform” rating and issued a $76.00 target price on shares of Principal Financial Group in a research report on Monday, January 8th. Credit Suisse Group started coverage on Principal Financial Group in a research report on Wednesday, April 25th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $62.00 target price on the stock. Bank of America started coverage on Principal Financial Group in a research report on Monday, March 26th. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $65.00 target price on the stock. Finally, UBS started coverage on Principal Financial Group in a research report on Friday, March 2nd. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $69.00 target price on the stock. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and three have issued a buy rating to the company. Principal Financial Group currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $71.18.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  ING Groep NV boosted its stake in Principal Financial Group Inc (NYSE:PFG) by 7.8% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 27,524 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,991 shares during the period. ING Groep NV’s holdings in Principal Financial Group were worth $1,676,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).