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If the CPI used actual rents from Zillow, the CPI is currently well below 2%
Using the CPI "Imputed Rent Index" it will take another two years for the reported CPI to decline to our actual current inflation rate.
https://www.wsj.com/economy/housing/fed-inflation-rate-housing-rentals-2f28c5ba
Wild chart voodoo at work in YPF S.A. a majority-state-owned oil and gas company in Argentina - with a p/e of not 5.5, but 55.
They've got their "dead cow" Vaca Muerta onshore shale production and Equinor working as their offshore partner, all in a very politically volatile nation where the rules can change overnight.
YPF was privatized under president Carlos Menem and bought by Spain-based oil company Repsol in 1999; then President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner renationalized 51% of the firm in 2012.
Next week the CPI will be reported and it will have a market moving influence, especially if it is a hot number. That would push any chance of a rate cut back to December or 2025.
On the other hand if it is a weak number we could be off to the races and over Dow 40,000 and SPX 5450, not at once, gradually.
An Insider bought at the 2 year lows in MBUU, it maybe worth following and see if it recovers.
A good time to buy banks when they are valued P/B close to 1.0 and then sell them as they rise to 2.0.
Of course there are other consideration also as to value and entry points.
Jim Simons is dead at 86. He will be missed. We owe him a lot of the numerical systems of investing.
That should have read closed VKTX, sorry.
Out of CLX Puts, the stock should not be still affected by the security breach several months ago. Other companies recovered much faster.
A Closer Look at 4 Analyst Recommendations For Realty Income
BENZINGA 10:00 AM ET 5/10/2024
Symbol Last Price Change
O 54.995down +0.365 (+0.6681%)
QUOTES AS OF 10:41:17 AM ET 05/10/2024
Realty Income (O) underwent analysis by 4 analysts in the last quarter, revealing a spectrum of viewpoints from bullish to bearish.
The table below summarizes their recent ratings, showcasing the evolving sentiments within the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.
Bullish Somewhat Bullish Indifferent Somewhat Bearish Bearish
Total Ratings 3 0 1 0 0
Last 30D 1 0 0 0 0
1M Ago 0 0 0 0 0
2M Ago 0 0 0 0 0
3M Ago 2 0 1 0 0
Analysts have set 12-month price targets for Realty Income(O), revealing an average target of $59.25, a high estimate of $65.00, and a low estimate of $56.00. Observing a downward trend, the current average is 3.27% lower than the prior average price target of $61.25.
price target chart
Investigating Analyst Ratings: An Elaborate Study
The standing of Realty Income(O) among financial experts becomes clear with a thorough analysis of recent analyst actions. The summary below outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
Analyst Analyst Firm Action Taken Rating Current Price Target Prior Price Target
Vikram Malhorta Mizuho Raises Buy $59.00 $56.00
Vikram Malhorta Mizuho Lowers Buy $56.00 $60.00
Simon Yarmak Stifel Lowers Buy $65.00 $67.75
Eric Borden BMO Capital Announces Market Perform $57.00 -
Key Insights:
Action Taken: In response to dynamic market conditions and company performance, analysts update their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise', or 'Lower' their stance, it signifies their reaction to recent developments related to Realty Income(O). This insight gives a snapshot of analysts' perspectives on the current state of the company.
Rating: Analysts assign qualitative assessments to stocks, ranging from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey the analysts' expectations for the relative performance of Realty Income(O) compared to the broader market.
Price Targets: Analysts gauge the dynamics of price targets, providing estimates for the future value of Realty Income's(O) stock. This comparison reveals trends in analysts' expectations over time.
Understanding these analyst evaluations alongside key financial indicators can offer valuable insights into Realty Income's(O) market standing. Stay informed and make well-considered decisions with our Ratings Table.
Stay up to date on Realty Income(O) analyst ratings.
About Realty Income
Realty Income (O) owns roughly 13,400 properties, most of which are freestanding, single-tenant, triple-net-leased retail properties. Its properties are located in 49 states and Puerto Rico and are leased to 250 tenants from 47 industries. Recent acquisitions have added industrial, gaming, office, manufacturing, and distribution properties, which make up roughly 17% of revenue.
Realty Income: A Financial Overview
Market Capitalization Analysis: Above industry benchmarks, the company's market capitalization emphasizes a noteworthy size, indicative of a strong market presence.
Revenue Growth: Realty Income's (O) remarkable performance in 3 months is evident. As of 31 March, 2024, the company achieved an impressive revenue growth rate of 33.47%. This signifies a substantial increase in the company's top-line earnings. When compared to others in the Real Estate sector, the company excelled with a growth rate higher than the average among peers.
Net Margin: The company's net margin is below industry benchmarks, signaling potential difficulties in achieving strong profitability. With a net margin of 10.29%, the company may need to address challenges in effective cost control.
Return on Equity (ROE): Realty Income's (O) ROE is below industry averages, indicating potential challenges in efficiently utilizing equity capital. With an ROE of 0.36%, the company may face hurdles in achieving optimal financial returns.
Return on Assets (ROA): The company's ROA is below industry benchmarks, signaling potential difficulties in efficiently utilizing assets. With an ROA of 0.21%, the company may need to address challenges in generating satisfactory returns from its assets.
Debt Management: Realty Income's (O) debt-to-equity ratio is below the industry average. With a ratio of 0.66, the company relies less on debt financing, maintaining a healthier balance between debt and equity, which can be viewed positively by investors.
Understanding the Relevance of Analyst Ratings
Analysts are specialists within banking and financial systems that typically report for specific stocks or within defined sectors. These people research company financial statements, sit in conference calls and meetings, and speak with relevant insiders to determine what are known as analyst ratings for stocks. Typically, analysts will rate each stock once a quarter.
Analysts may supplement their ratings with predictions for metrics like growth estimates, earnings, and revenue, offering investors a more comprehensive outlook. However, investors should be mindful that analysts, like any human, can have subjective perspectives influencing their forecasts.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.
Yesterday I doubled up on YOU and TXO. Today opened: ATMU and ASC.
Decoding 9 Analyst Evaluations For Clear Secure
BENZINGA 1:00 PM ET 5/8/2024
Symbol Last Price Change
YOU 17.48up -0.41 (-2.2918%)
QUOTES AS OF 10:28:42 AM ET 05/10/2024
During the last three months, 9 analysts shared their evaluations of Clear Secure(YOU) , revealing diverse outlooks from bullish to bearish.
In the table below, you'll find a summary of their recent ratings, revealing the shifting sentiments over the past 30 days and comparing them to the previous months.
Bullish Somewhat Bullish Indifferent Somewhat Bearish Bearish
Total Ratings 3 4 2 0 0
Last 30D 0 0 1 0 0
1M Ago 0 0 1 0 0
2M Ago 2 3 0 0 0
3M Ago 1 1 0 0 0
Analysts have recently evaluated Clear Secure(YOU) and provided 12-month price targets. The average target is $33.11, accompanied by a high estimate of $40.00 and a low estimate of $21.00. Witnessing a positive shift, the current average has risen by 16.18% from the previous average price target of $28.50.
price target chart
Deciphering Analyst Ratings: An In-Depth Analysis
The standing of Clear Secure(YOU) among financial experts becomes clear with a thorough analysis of recent analyst actions. The summary below outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
Analyst Analyst Firm Action Taken Rating Current Price Target Prior Price Target
Scott Devitt Wedbush Maintains Neutral $21.00 -
Scott Devitt Wedbush Lowers Neutral $21.00 $23.00
Dana Telsey Telsey Advisory Group Maintains Outperform $34.00 -
Joshua Reilly Needham Maintains Buy $40.00 -
Dana Telsey Telsey Advisory Group Maintains Outperform $34.00 $34.00
Dana Telsey Telsey Advisory Group Maintains Outperform $34.00 -
Joshua Reilly Needham Maintains Buy $40.00 -
Dana Telsey Telsey Advisory Group Maintains Outperform $34.00 -
Joshua Reilly Needham Maintains Buy $40.00 -
Key Insights:
Action Taken: Responding to changing market dynamics and company performance, analysts update their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise', or 'Lower' their stance, it signifies their response to recent developments related to Clear Secure(YOU). This offers insight into analysts' perspectives on the current state of the company.
Rating: Offering a comprehensive view, analysts assess stocks qualitatively, spanning from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey expectations for the relative performance of Clear Secure(YOU) compared to the broader market.
Price Targets: Analysts gauge the dynamics of price targets, providing estimates for the future value of Clear Secure's(YOU) stock. This comparison reveals trends in analysts' expectations over time.
Assessing these analyst evaluations alongside crucial financial indicators can provide a comprehensive overview of Clear Secure's(YOU) market position. Stay informed and make well-judged decisions with the assistance of our Ratings Table.
Stay up to date on Clear Secure(YOU) analyst ratings.
If you are interested in following small-cap stock news and performance you can start by tracking it here.
About Clear Secure
Clear Secure Inc (YOU) is an identity company making experiences safer and easier digitally and physically. It is involved in the creation of a frictionless travel experience while enhancing security. Its secure identity platform uses biometrics to automate the identity verification process through lanes in airports which helps to make the travel experience safe and easy.
Clear Secure: Financial Performance Dissected
Market Capitalization Analysis: Positioned below industry benchmarks, the company's market capitalization faces constraints in size. This could be influenced by factors such as growth expectations or operational capacity.
Revenue Growth: Clear Secure (YOU) displayed positive results in 3 months. As of 31 December, 2023, the company achieved a solid revenue growth rate of approximately 33.3%. This indicates a notable increase in the company's top-line earnings. When compared to others in the Information Technology sector, the company faces challenges, achieving a growth rate lower than the average among peers.
Net Margin: Clear Secure's (YOU) financial strength is reflected in its exceptional net margin, which exceeds industry averages. With a remarkable net margin of 8.17%, the company showcases strong profitability and effective cost management.
Return on Equity (ROE): Clear Secure's (YOU) financial strength is reflected in its exceptional ROE, which exceeds industry averages. With a remarkable ROE of 5.49%, the company showcases efficient use of equity capital and strong financial health.
Return on Assets (ROA): The company's ROA is a standout performer, exceeding industry averages. With an impressive ROA of 1.33%, the company showcases effective utilization of assets.
Debt Management: Clear Secure's (YOU) debt-to-equity ratio is below the industry average at 0.55, reflecting a lower dependency on debt financing and a more conservative financial approach.
The Core of Analyst Ratings: What Every Investor Should Know
Benzinga tracks 150 analyst firms and reports on their stock expectations. Analysts typically arrive at their conclusions by predicting how much money a company will make in the future, usually the upcoming five years, and how risky or predictable that company's revenue streams are.
Analysts attend company conference calls and meetings, research company financial statements, and communicate with insiders to publish their ratings on stocks. Analysts typically rate each stock once per quarter or whenever the company has a major update.
Some analysts publish their predictions for metrics such as growth estimates, earnings, and revenue to provide additional guidance with their ratings. When using analyst ratings, it is important to keep in mind that stock and sector analysts are also human and are only offering their opinions to investors.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.
Mizuho Maintains Buy on Realty Income, Raises Price Target to $59
BENZINGA 7:06 AM ET 5/10/2024
Holding onto PODD and watch earnings after the close.
Closed PACB after a little gain.
Closed VCTR ahead of earnings tonight.
Sold Calls in BMBL.
Sold Puts in AXON, I think the fall is over for the short term.
Doubled up in TXO.
Bought back Puts in RCL.
As long as most earning reports are followed by a massacre I will be very hesitant to hold stocks into earnings, even when the report is expected to be positive and greatly improved. I may change my mind next month unless an extended rally to new highs starts. Currently the best play maybe to be part of a run up prior to earnings and sell the day or two before or earlier if the bounce fades. PPO and RSI are two of my several guides here.
Unveiling 4 Analyst Insights On Energy Transfer
BENZINGA 3:01 PM ET 5/9/2024
Symbol Last Price Change
ET 16.23down -0.02 (-0.1231%)
QUOTES AS OF 03:07:36 PM ET 05/09/2024
In the latest quarter, 4 analysts provided ratings for Energy Transfer(ET) , showcasing a mix of bullish and bearish perspectives.
In the table below, you'll find a summary of their recent ratings, revealing the shifting sentiments over the past 30 days and comparing them to the previous months.
Bullish Somewhat Bullish Indifferent Somewhat Bearish Bearish
Total Ratings 4 0 0 0 0
Last 30D 1 0 0 0 0
1M Ago 1 0 0 0 0
2M Ago 0 0 0 0 0
3M Ago 2 0 0 0 0
The 12-month price targets assessed by analysts reveal further insights, featuring an average target of $19.5, a high estimate of $22.00, and a low estimate of $18.00. Witnessing a positive shift, the current average has risen by 2.63% from the previous average price target of $19.00.
price target chart
Breaking Down Analyst Ratings: A Detailed Examination
The analysis of recent analyst actions sheds light on the perception of Energy Transfer(ET) by financial experts. The following summary presents key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
Analyst Analyst Firm Action Taken Rating Current Price Target Prior Price Target
Selman Akyol Stifel Raises Buy $19.00 $18.00
Gabriel Moreen Mizuho Raises Buy $19.00 $18.00
Spiro Dounis Citigroup Raises Buy $18.00 $17.00
Shneur Gershuni UBS Lowers Buy $22.00 $23.00
Key Insights:
Action Taken: Responding to changing market dynamics and company performance, analysts update their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise', or 'Lower' their stance, it signifies their response to recent developments related to Energy Transfer(ET). This offers insight into analysts' perspectives on the current state of the company.
Rating: Analyzing trends, analysts offer qualitative evaluations, ranging from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey expectations for the relative performance of Energy Transfer(ET) compared to the broader market.
Price Targets: Analysts navigate through adjustments in price targets, providing estimates for Energy Transfer's(ET) future value. Comparing current and prior targets offers insights into analysts' evolving expectations.
Analyzing these analyst evaluations alongside relevant financial metrics can provide a comprehensive view of Energy Transfer's(ET) market position. Stay informed and make data-driven decisions with the assistance of our Ratings Table.
Stay up to date on Energy Transfer(ET) analyst ratings.
All You Need to Know About Energy Transfer
Energy Transfer (ET) owns a large platform of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquid assets primarily in Texas and the U.S. midcontinent region. It also has gathering and processing facilities, one of the largest fractionation facilities in the U.S., and fuel distribution. Energy Transfer(ET) also owns the Lake Charles gas liquefaction facility. It combined its publicly traded limited and general partnerships in October 2018.
Key Indicators: Energy Transfer's Financial Health
Market Capitalization Analysis: Above industry benchmarks, the company's market capitalization emphasizes a noteworthy size, indicative of a strong market presence.
Positive Revenue Trend: Examining Energy Transfer's(ET) financials over 3 months reveals a positive narrative. The company achieved a noteworthy revenue growth rate of 0.15% as of 31 December, 2023, showcasing a substantial increase in top-line earnings. As compared to its peers, the company achieved a growth rate higher than the average among peers in Energy sector.
Net Margin: Energy Transfer's (ET) net margin is below industry averages, indicating potential challenges in maintaining strong profitability. With a net margin of 5.86%, the company may face hurdles in effective cost management.
Return on Equity (ROE): Energy Transfer's (ET) ROE lags behind industry averages, suggesting challenges in maximizing returns on equity capital. With an ROE of 3.45%, the company may face hurdles in achieving optimal financial performance.
Return on Assets (ROA): The company's ROA is below industry benchmarks, signaling potential difficulties in efficiently utilizing assets. With an ROA of 1.09%, the company may need to address challenges in generating satisfactory returns from its assets.
Debt Management: Energy Transfer's (ET) debt-to-equity ratio is below the industry average at 1.45, reflecting a lower dependency on debt financing and a more conservative financial approach.
Understanding the Relevance of Analyst Ratings
Experts in banking and financial systems, analysts specialize in reporting for specific stocks or defined sectors. Their comprehensive research involves attending company conference calls and meetings, analyzing financial statements, and engaging with insiders to generate what are known as analyst ratings for stocks. Typically, analysts assess and rate each stock once per quarter.
Analysts may enhance their evaluations by incorporating forecasts for metrics like growth estimates, earnings, and revenue, delivering additional guidance to investors. It is vital to acknowledge that, although experts in stocks and sectors, analysts are human and express their opinions when providing insights.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.
I think why we are getting such big drops after earnings maybe due to two reasons: 1/ stock holders are expecting utopia from their stocks, and naturally even when it is a beat they sell on the news. Of course many stocks had a huge run up already since last October and it is profit taking.
2/ Volume is low so many moves are magnified.
Stifel Maintains Buy on Energy Transfer, Raises Price Target to $19
BENZINGA 9:58 AM ET 5/9/2024
Symbol Last Price Change
ET 16.31up +0.06 (+0.3692%)
QUOTES AS OF 10:43:37 AM ET 05/09/2024
Stifel analyst Selman Akyol maintains Energy Transfer(ET) with a Buy and raises the price target from $18 to $19.
Watching ACEL closely, not happy with the price action.
Each morning I spend the first 2-3 hours reading over the nightly reports and adjusting the strike price and expiration on my planned trades. All day I get immediate reports from the top 2 dozen money managers as they make a trade and the reasons for them, so I can cherry pick those, based on all information available to me. At the end of the day I get their forecasts and summations.
Sold Puts on: DUOL, ET, LMT.
Sold Calls on: COP, CVS, CLFD.
Waiting for an up pattern on BMBL to sell calls on.
I will be selling 25 Calls for an elevated price, thanks to the earnings report.
Revise Their Forecasts On Bumble Following Q1 Results
BENZINGA 8:44 AM ET 5/9/2024
Symbol Last Price Change
BMBL 10.27up 0 (0%)
QUOTES AS OF 04:00:00 PM ET 05/08/2024
Bumble Inc. (BMBL) reported better-than-expected first-quarter financial results on Wednesday.
Bumble posted quarterly earnings of 19 cents per share, beating market estimates of 17 cents per share. The company's quarterly sales came in at $267.77 million versus expectations of $265.47 million, according to data from Benzinga Pro.
“We delivered solid Q1 financial results while making great progress on our plans to unlock Bumble’s next phase of growth,” said Lidiane Jones, CEO of Bumble Inc.(BMBL) “We’re actively listening to our customers and building experiences that put joy back into the online dating experience. We relaunched Bumble App – the first chapter in Bumble’s evolution – to give women more choice in how they Make The First Move, showcasing a new pace of innovation and renewed commitment to our mission.”
Bumble said it sees second-quarter revenue of $269 million to $275 million versus estimates of $278.63 million.
Bumble shares fell 0.3% to close at $10.27 on Wednesday.
These analysts made changes to their price targets on Bumble following earnings announcement.
Evercore ISI Group raised the price target on Bumble from $17 to $18. Evercore ISI Group analyst Shweta Khajuria maintained an Outperform rating.
Goldman Sachs cut the price target on Bumble from $18 to $15. Goldman Sachs analyst Alexandra Steiger maintained a Buy rating.
Now Read This: Top 5 Tech Stocks That Could Lead To Your Biggest Gains This Month
InvestorsHub, also known as iHub, is a US subsidiary of ADVFN, a UK-based investing site that trades on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker LSE: AFN. HubSpot, Inc. (HUBS) stock trades on the NYSE stock exchange.
GOOG is planning to buy HUBS.
Volume is too low to have too much meaning. People are waiting for the CPI Report next week and afraid to commit too much money prior to it.
It all matters to me, especially with the 150 plus stocks I follow very closely. The moment there is news on any of them I am alerted.
When the news changes I may change my mind also.
The problem with CPNG is it is an Amazon-style retailer, without the Amazon cloud and other profitable businesses.
Not that it matters to the way you trade.
The NX350-hybrid actually has 3 electric motors, one on each front wheel to supplement the gasoline engine, and one electric motor to power the rear wheels.
Glen just picked up a Lexus NX350h hybrid loaner vehicle.
Exactly the same width as the Lexus 300h sedan, which is important to us with a narrow driveway.
But in the larger SUV hybrid they're able to pack in a lot more power than in the sedan hybrid, but with almost the same gas mileage 41 city 37 highway as the ES sedan 43 city 44 highway. I understand the sedan will also receive the newer more powerful and more efficient hybrid power train in a year or two, but there's parts they have to shrink. The NX AWD is a simpler hybrid concept with gasoline powered front wheels and electric motors on the rear wheels, eliminating a drive train and transmission gears for their super-reliable chain driven CVT.
I think it's side crash safety standards that have made SUVs preferable. In order to better secure passengers the bottom of the side windows is about 2.5" higher up and the roof pillar had to come back giving a much smaller window on a sedan with more limited visibility. Cars are also 2 inches wider to accommodate the side airbags. These changes created less visibility which in turn necessitated blind-spot sensors on the side mirrors and the backup camera which is now mandatory on all cars.
This explains why at parking ticket machines I see many people in newer sedans have to undo their seatbelt and climb up to lean out of their drivers window to grab a ticket - the bottom of the window being 2.5" higher is a challenger. In an SUV the bottom of the window relative to the driver and passengers is where they used to be in sedans. Your eyes are also higher from the ground in the SUV, but I personally see as many disadvantages in that as advantages.
Coupang Shares Fall After Mixed Q1 Results: Here's Why
BENZINGA 2:25 PM ET 5/8/2024
Symbol Last Price Change
CPNG 21.5down -2.15 (-9.0909%)
QUOTES AS OF 02:35:06 PM ET 05/08/2024
Coupang, Inc. (CPNG) shares are trading lower Wednesday after the company posted mixed first-quarter financial results. Here's a look at the key figures from the report.
The Details:
Coupang (CPNG) reported quarterly earnings of 5 cents per share which missed the analyst consensus estimate of 6 cents per share, unchanged from the same period last year.
Quarterly sales clocked in at $7.11 billion which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $6.91 billion and represents a 22.66% increase over sales of $5.8 billion from the same period last year.
The company said Product Commerce segment net revenues were $6.5 billion, up 15% year-over-year, and Product Commerce active customers reached 21.5 million, growing 16% year-over-year.
"Our results are a reflection of our commitment to customer experience and operational excellence,” said Gaurav Anand, CFO of Coupang(CPNG). “We continue to be focused on wowing our customers as we remain just single digit share of a massive and highly fragmented $560 billion commerce opportunity in Korea, and an even smaller share in Taiwan.”
Mizuho analyst James Lee maintained a Neutral rating on Coupang(CPNG) and raised the price target from $20 to $23 following the print.
Related News: Reddit Shares Soar On First Post-IPO Q1 Results, Strong Q2 Guidance
Should I Sell My CPNG Stock?
Whether to sell or hold a stock largely depends on an investor's strategy and risk tolerance. Swing traders may sell an outperforming stock to lock in a capital gain, while long-term investors might ride out the turbulence in anticipation of further share price growth.
Similarly, traders willing to minimize losses may sell a stock that falls a certain percentage, while long-term investors may see this as an opportunity to buy more shares at a discounted price.
Shares of Coupang(CPNG) have gained 30.34% year to date. This compares to the average annual return of -13.91%, meaning the stock has outperformed its historical averages. Investors can compare a stock's movement to its historical performance to gauge whether this is a normal movement or a potential trading opportunity.
Investors may also consider market dynamics. The Relative Strength Index can be used to indicate whether a stock is overbought or oversold. Coupang(CPNG) stock currently has an RSI of 72.53, indicating overbought conditions.
For analysis tools, charting data and access to exclusive stock news, check out Benzinga PRO. Try it for free.
CPNG Price Action: According to Benzinga Pro, Coupang(CPNG) shares are down 8.82% at $21.57 at the time of publication Wednesday.
Image: Courtesy of Coupang, Inc.(CPNG)
Following it very closely.
I was planning to hold CEG and even add to it after the report, but I think in view of the news I received just 30 minutes ago, I should be able to buy it back lower.
After a very nice 10% gain in CEG shares i sold since I did not want to be holding them tomorrow when they report, instead switched into NXT, they report on the 14th and are expected to have a big gain in earnings.
I like to stick to cutting my losses after 10% and if there are extenuating circumstances then I may let it go to 20%, but that is line in the sand.
I learned the final lesson with JKS and JD.
ALGN is a broken stock and is also being litigated against. I had 4 Puts sold at a strike of 260, but it hit a 10% loss and coupled with the bad news it is getting bought back on rebounds, so far 1 Puts was bought back.
Added HIMS and closed BURL, PROP, URI and TAK.
We are in a consolidation phase and the market is what some call dull. It is not a market to short, based on past experiences.
Just the title will ring alarm bells, but read the rest.
Good information:
Hedge Fund Legend Druckenmiller Shares His Top Secrets For 30% Returns
BENZINGA 5:53 PM ET 5/7/2024
Symbol Last Price Change
MSFT 411.42up +2.08 (+0.5081%)
CPNG 22.11up -1.54 (-6.5116%)
NVDA 898.21up -7.33 (-0.8095%)
LLY 775.3up -2.47 (-0.3176%)
STX 89.65down +0.14 (+0.1564%)
QUOTES AS OF 11:45:48 AM ET 05/08/2024
Legendary hedge fund manager Stanley Druckenmiller is known for making the right bets at the right time.
He came to fame In the early ’90s after a short against the British pound earnedGeorge Soros, his boss at the time, over $10 billion overnight.
Since then, his hedge fund Duquesne Capital, now called Duquesne Family Office, has made an average of 30% returns a year.
According to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, 70-year-old Druckenmiller boasts a fortune of almost $10 billion.
In a CNBC interview from Tuesday morning, Druckenmiller said he's not sure how he was able to achieve such impressive returns on a consistent basis for all these years.
"I have no idea. I don't know how I did it. So, I don't even know who that person was," he said.
Yet throughout the years, the investor has shared enough advice and other information that his investment philosophy can be pieced together.
According to SEC filings, the Duquesne Family Office's largest equity investment by the end of 2023 was Microsoft Corp(MSFT), owning more than 1 million shares, reaching 13% of the fund's holdings.
Other large holdings include Korean e-commerce company Coupang Inc(CPNG), NVIDIA Corp(NVDA) ,Eli Lilly And Co(LLY), Teck Resources Ltd Class B and Seagate Technology Holdings PLC(STX) .
Druckenmiller mentioned he exited some of his Nvidia(NVDA) positions after the stock went from $150 to $900 in just a few months.
Also Read: Analyst Warns Of 60% Market Crash Amid Recession Fears: ‘Probably Going To Turn Lower’
Druckenmiller's Five Tips For Investing Success
• Learning from the best beats a high pay: “If you're early on in your career and they give you a choice between a great mentor or higher pay, take the mentor every time. It's not even close,” said Druckenmiller, according to QuoteWise.
Druckenmiller worked as a fund manager for the Quantum Fund, under the guidance of billionaire philanthropist Soros for over 12 years between 1988 and 2000.
• Bet on your convictions: In 2008, Druckenmiller said he learned a lot from Soros, but not what he initially expected to learn.
"I did not learn what makes the yen go up or down, or what makes the stock market go up or down. Soros's great gift was how to use leverage, and how much money to have down based on the risk/reward and your sense of conviction. His view on the yen or the euro was better than random, but not much. And yet he was still one of the great money managers ever because he knew how to bet his convictions."
• Sometimes it's okay to put all your eggs in one basket: "The mistake I'd say 98% of money managers and individuals make is they feel like they got to be playing in a bunch of stuff. If you really see it, put all your eggs in one basket and then watch that basket very carefully.”
• Look ahead, always: “Never, ever invest in the present. It doesn't matter what a company's earning, what they have earned… you have to visualize the situation 18 months from now, and whatever that is, that's where the price will be."
• Diversify across asset classes, not just across industries: "I was also lucky to travel across asset classes. I traded commodities, currencies, bonds and equities, and it gave me discipline, if I didn't have a good idea in equities, I was happy to have no equities."
Now Read: Jeff Bezos-Backed Perplexity AI Is Now A Unicorn After Latest Fundraise: SoftBank’s Masayoshi Son, Nvidia(NVDA) ‘Doubled Down’ On Support
If you're beginning to think it's time to invest in crypto so you don't miss this boat as it sails out into a sea of free money, read this article from Molly White, Bloomberg BusinessWeek. tl;dr: Tulipmania for the modern investor.
The State of Crypto Is Anything But Strong
Industry boosters say they’ve learned their lessons from the last crash, but regulators need to move faster to protect a new wave of mainstream investors from the same old story.
After more than a year, the freeze of a deep crypto winter has thawed. Bitcoin prices have surged to new heights, venture capital firms are raising funds to invest in cryptocurrency startups, and gloating crypto bros are back to mocking skeptics with the words “have fun staying poor.” Once again, the people pouring millions of dollars into memecoins that depict dogs in knit hats or drooling cartoon sloths are being described as the smart money. When the developer of the sloth coin, Slerf, accidentally destroyed $10 million of the funds he’d raised from early buyers, the attention only fueled a massive spike in trading volume—$2.7 billion worth in 24 hours.
This speculative mania is familiar to veterans of the last crypto boom, from 2021 to 2022. Instead of “the metaverse,” everyone now just says “AI.” What’s new is a veneer of normalcy, a reputational makeover. While the average crypto fan of the last boom talked in terms of Lamborghinis and get-rich-quick schemes, the industry’s new spokespeople are CEOs in suits who focus on regulatory compliance, politicians whose favorite word is “innovation,” and traditional financial institutions pitching cryptocurrencies as a sound way to diversify your portfolio. The problem for the rest of us is that the crypto markets remain fraught with manipulation and scams.
Throughout the years I’ve been watching the cryptocurrency sector, the grifts have been the constant. Even when prices crashed, there remained plenty of opportunities for crooks to exploit. Now, with new money being drawn in by rising prices and new financial instruments, it’s important to look closely at the state of crypto.
In January, the US Securities and Exchange Commission begrudgingly approved spot Bitcoin exchange-traded products, a financial instrument targeted to mainstream investors and investment funds more comfortable with brokerage accounts than crypto trading apps. (The ETPs function like exchange-traded funds, so the finance world just calls them Bitcoin ETFs.) Crypto advocates saw this as a watershed moment, a more traditional investment vehicle that could draw billions of dollars into Bitcoin from more respectable sources who had previously been worried about it being lost, stolen or outlawed. As he announced the ETF approval, Gary Gensler, the SEC chair and longtime crypto detractor, reiterated that “Bitcoin is primarily a speculative, volatile asset that’s also used for illicit activity including ransomware, money laundering, sanction evasion and terrorist financing.” Still, these ETFs are now being offered by staid firms including BlackRock and Fidelity, which emphasize their due diligence in their prospectuses even as they stress Bitcoin’s volatility.
Gensler is far from the only one with reservations. During the last hype cycle, the Department of Labor expressed “serious concerns” about the inclusion of crypto in employer-sponsored retirement plans and warned fiduciaries to take “extreme care.”
They were right to worry. Market manipulation is rampant on the hundreds of exchanges where crypto trades hands. Many in the sector seem to have accepted wash trading—self-dealing that makes the market look busier than it is—as a built-in. The same professor who reported heavy market manipulation driving the 2017 crypto boom has noted similar suspicious patterns more recently, suggesting that a relatively small number of large holders continue to artificially prop up prices. The SEC, Department of Justice and Commodity Futures Trading Commission are weighed down with more evidence of these crimes than they seem to know what to do with. Slow to act on an industry that shifts quickly, these agencies often stepped in only after businesses collapsed.
Despite all this, the industry has continued to push the narrative that crypto has outgrown its wild teenage years, with the ETFs representing a sort of coming-of-age moment. “This approval establishes crypto as a legitimate new asset class and underscores that it’s here to stay,” tweeted Emin Gün Sirer, chief executive officer of blockchain company Ava Labs. Boosters are loudly promoting ETFs as well as the underlying assets to lay investors and institutional funds alike. All the more reason, then, for greater reforms and more stringent enforcement.
The saving grace of the 2023 crypto winter was that average folks who opted to stay away suffered little or no fallout. It was nothing like the global financial collapse of 2008, which had ramifications far beyond the market for mortgage-backed securities. During the crypto downturn, as some speculators saw their life savings collapse along with token prices, the rest of the world went on relatively unscathed. If traditional finance becomes more entangled with crypto, the rest of us won’t be so lucky next time.
Perhaps more than any other part of the tech industry, crypto relies on storytelling. This is because the underlying technology, as it exists today, doesn’t have much to offer the average person in their day-to-day life. Instead, entrepreneurs conjure visions of what the tech might look like tomorrow, usually blockchain products powered by artificial intelligence or AI products powered by the blockchain. They pitch AI bots meant to automate crypto trading strategies, or the software to make those bots.
The moral of the story is subject to change. After the 2008 financial crisis, early Bitcoin advocates pitched the currency as a true alternative to the traditional banking system, one with greater stability for everyday savings and more privacy for all kinds of transactions. When the opposite turned out to be true—Bitcoin is far more volatile than the US dollar and all too easy to track—advocates flipped their scripts to focus on Bitcoin as a winning lottery ticket and to sell sophisticated blockchain analysis tools to law enforcement.
The dominant narrative during the last crypto boom was “web3,” a buzzword that skyrocketed in popularity during 2021. Building on distrust for Big Tech, crypto companies and their backers promoted the idea that blockchains’ decentralization could redemocratize the internet and reverse its profit-minded decay. Unfortunately, their solution was to turn every online interaction into a transaction. Anyone who used the internet to post to social networks or play online games or do their jobs would soon be doing so “on the blockchain.” Certain identical copies of digital files were more valuable than the rest. If you weren’t paying attention to this stuff at the time, suffice it to say it was even sillier than it sounds. As crypto has resurged, web3 has not.
Crypto advocates now point to the fallout from this period, along with the rise of Bitcoin ETFs, as evidence that the industry has grown up. FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried, who controlled the second-largest cryptocurrency exchange until it imploded in late 2022, is beginning his first of 25 years in federal prison. Do Kwon, the man behind the massive, now-collapsed Terra/Luna stablecoin, was just found liable for fraud. Avi Eisenberg, a trader who boasted of his “highly profitable trading strategy” that siphoned more than $100 million from a cryptocurrency exchange, was just convicted of criminal market manipulation. This, the boosters say, means it’s time to pile into crypto—now that the biggest sharks are gone and before everyone else shows up.
To the SEC’s credit, it began cracking down on the industry after SBF became a household name. This has drawn it, however, into conflict with some of the same companies that claim to desire stronger oversight. In 2022, crypto exchange Coinbase Global Inc. petitioned the agency for a bespoke set of rules to govern the sector. Last year the SEC sued Coinbase for alleged violations of existing securities laws, including promotion of unregulated securities. Coinbase has vehemently denied the allegations and called the SEC suit “unfair.”
Although there’s a deterrent effect to legal actions against high-profile figures and firms, investors would be much better served by strong regulatory oversight that takes place before all their money is gone. Most crypto firms still don’t undergo anything resembling financial audits. Some say they have obviated the need for a traditional audit by producing a public report called a proof of reserves, a system of self-reporting. This, however, is a far lower standard than securities regulators accept. The disclosures and protections afforded to buyers of publicly listed stocks are nowhere to be seen for cryptocurrencies, and the same companies that say they want strong rules also say this standard would destroy their businesses. They may be right, but if an industry can’t coexist with basic consumer protection laws, that’s a condemnation of the industry, not the laws.
Outside of the appeals to authority, the industry is hard at work coming up with new problems their technology might solve. If all you have is a blockchain, everything looks like a use case. This time, it’s AI. Some are adapting old crypto projects to catch up with the trend. Every trading bot that promises to predict coin price movements or give speculators an inside scoop on the next big token is “AI-powered.” Blockchain security companies boast that they’re using AI to audit smart contracts or detect attacks. Crypto markets have emerged for people to buy and sell AI models, training data and computing power. Trading platforms offer chatbots that they claim can analyze market signals to help customers place the best bets.
But blockchain systems are inherently slow and inefficient, a bad match for resource-hungry AI models. More important, if you’ve tried ChatGPT, you know that AI models are prone to getting things wrong or just making them up. That isn’t a risk factor most people want to combine with their finances.
Nevertheless, a great many startups promise to use blockchains alongside their AI models for one reason or another. Much as web3 boosters saw an opportunity in the techlash, those in the blockchain-AI space have taken note that the secrecy built into the AI models of OpenAI and Google can freak people out. Although the hows aren’t exactly convincing, it’s an attractive idea that the decentralized computing of the blockchain might magically decentralize AI and return some power to the people.
Other startups say their blockchain applications will address the problems of AI bias or factual accuracy, or figure out how to compensate people whose data has been used to train AI models. Some even say their blockchain tools will, given enough funding, protect the world from some theoretical humanity-threatening AI superintelligence, by making AI development more inherently reviewable and therefore safe.
The problem with all of these sales pitches is that decentralized computing isn’t the same as decentralized control. Even if people willingly outsource their computing power to larger AI ambitions, there’s little to suggest the collective will get a say in how these models are designed or used. And it just so happens that some of the people creating the scary AI models are the same people selling the blockchain solutions.
OpenAI Inc. CEO Sam Altman also founded Tools for Humanity Corp., a benevolent-sounding company that manufactures a malevolent-looking chrome sphere about the size of a basketball. The sphere scans people’s eyeballs to issue them an account on the World App and some crypto tokens, called Worldcoins. Altman says these tokens will amount to a universal basic income to offset the job losses from the AI models he and OpenAI are developing. The token’s price, however, has fluctuated wildly over the past year, within a range of roughly $1 to $11, and most users receive about 75 of them a year, not much of an income. The enterprise has served mostly to draw the ire of data privacy agencies in multiple countries. The nonprofit Worldcoin Foundation has said it’s moving deliberately to ensure regulatory compliance.
The world of AI-blockchain hybrids remains light on products. Speculators can buy related tokens, but few of the underlying projects have developed much beyond glitzy websites and low-effort clones of existing AI models. That hasn’t stopped them from luring cash from retail investors and ostensibly savvy VC funds, just as some of web3’s worst offenders did.
As history repeats itself and the specter looms of a new crypto mania that could even overshadow the last, it’s far past time to consider new solutions to the familiar downside. Blockchains have been around for 15 years. The industry’s scammers must no longer be allowed to bleed dry the everyday people who are drawn in, year after year, by promises of revolutionary technology that’s always just around the corner.
Crypto firms and their lobbyists love to threaten that a crackdown on the industry would stifle innovation. But what innovation has the sector produced, besides new avenues for ransomware payments and new types of pump-and-dump schemes? People get scammed so often by crypto founders running off with the money raised for some project or other that there’s now a term for it: the rug pull. Perhaps it’s time we realize that not all innovation is inherently good and that preventative measures are needed before more people are swindled.
Even some crypto skeptics, however, are worried about the potential consequences of oversight. Any attempts at regulation, they argue, will probably leave open loopholes for exploitation while assuring more investors that crypto has gone legit. It’s true, as the past year has shown, that the industry will use any new rules as evidence that all of its problems are solved. But regulators spent more than a decade mostly ignoring crypto in the apparent hope that it would go away, and the results are in: That didn’t work.
Now that key financial firms have bought into crypto, it’s all the more essential that thoughtful, carefully crafted regulation be put in place. To protect investors, yes, but also to install a firewall limiting the contagion any future crypto disasters can transmit to the rest of the financial world. Careful limits on what assets can be sold, who they can be sold to and what disclosures are needed to go with them could help limit the damage to those who choose to engage with the sector, and help them make more informed decisions.
Stronger attention to the promises being made by crypto companies and those hired to promote them could make a huge difference in avoiding the types of disasters that came to define the sector in 2022, after swaths of customers were drawn in by crypto firms comparing themselves to banks. Many of those companies promised a new level of transparency and inclusivity to groups often ignored by traditional finance, and one consequence was that some of the pain in the crash that followed spread to people with few ways to absorb it.
Those within the industry have a role to play, too. Self-regulation will never be the sole solution, but crypto’s reputation as a fraud factory might be improved somewhat if leaders started holding one another to account. They should push those arguing against strong consumer protections to find another line of work, or at least pursue a business model that doesn’t require fleecing the customer. They will also need to support models of government regulation that require rigorous outside scrutiny, and even burdensome changes to their business models, rather than continuing to seek carve-outs that would essentially lock in the chaotic status quo.
For now, although crypto is hot once again and the number is back to going up, another crash seems inevitable, part of a vicious cycle that no one has had the strength to break. Although promises of mainstream safety and security unite the latest crypto boosters in a way that web3 did not, the current crop of ETF hawkers and AI startups weren’t the first to the idea. Before its collapse ruined many of its customers, “safe and easy” was a tagline of FTX, too.
AXON volume is at its heaviest since 10:37 am this morning, after its big fall. It is pushing the price upward and there is no negative news on AXON today. Some profit taking came as it did each top today, it will be interesting to see how the price deals with it. I am comfortable with the shares I own, the average price is just above where we are now.
AXON reversed its lower highs of earlier to higher lows and higher highs and I added more. It is now above 311, however, the volume is too weak for me. I would like to see 1000-4000 shares /minute to confirm this move to higher highs.
We are now above 312 and a little more volume would push the share price into the 314 area, where we shall see a major resistance.
Looks like AXON was stopped again by the resistance at 310.6.
AXON must close above 311 in the very short term and then it could become support. Heavier volume had been coming in the last couple of hours, perhaps the smart money?
AXON decided to move up and a solid volume and PPO signal, so I added to it.
Craig-Hallum Maintains Buy on Axon Enterprise, Raises Price Target to $370
BENZINGA 12:13 PM ET 5/7/2024
Symbol Last Price Change
AXON 309.66up -17.98 (-5.4877%)
QUOTES AS OF 01:01:55 PM ET 05/07/2024
Craig-Hallum analyst Jeremy Hamblin maintains Axon Enterprise(AXON) with a Buy and raises the price target from $325 to $370.
The share price keeps dropping all day, I wonder who sees a rotten egg here. Half a dozen brokerages raised its PT and it had a good report and a positive forecast for the year. Some one with big bucks is moving these shares down. If it drops another 5% I will be adding.
It could be technical, since it failed twice today to even try to close the gap from the open, since then it is making lower highs and lower lows.
That is a big negative, yet at one point it will be seen as a value play with support under it.
YOU increased its dividend from a penny to a dime. I am holding YOU.
Opened VCTR, earnings could be better than last year.
Opened HAS.
Bought back Puts: JKS 7 for 40% loss, held it too long, MO 20, PEP 5, SPOT 1, VICI 10 closed it.
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