Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In Right Now

tags:WPZ,RIG,APA,HAL,RRC,

The mood was negative on Wall Street on Wednesday, and most major benchmarks finished in the red. Strength in the technology sector wasn't enough to lift more cyclically focused benchmarks like the Dow Jones Industrial Average, and the combination of an attack on Saudi Arabia that sent oil prices higher and some disquieting readings on the inflation front kept investors from feeling more confident about stocks going into earnings season. In addition, some individual companies had bad news that sent their shares lower. Analogic (NASDAQ:ALOG), QuinStreet (NASDAQ:QNST), and MSC Industrial Direct (NYSE:MSM) were among the worst performers on the day. Here's why they did so poorly.

Analogic makes a (bad) deal

Shares of Analogic dropped 13% after the imaging specialist accepted an offer from private equity company Altaris Capital Partners to buy it out. Stocks usually rise after getting acquisition bids, but the Altaris offer for $1.1 billion priced Analogic at just $84 per share, compared to the $96 per share closing price for the stock on Tuesday. Altaris justified the price by arguing that it represented a 25% premium to where Analogic traded nearly a year ago when it first announced its intention to seek strategic alternatives that could lead to a sale. Nevertheless, investors are highly disappointed that this was the best that Analogic could do, especially after announcing such strong earnings recently and given the generally favorable environment for tech stocks more broadly.

Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Williams Partners L.P.(WPZ)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Williams Pipeline Partners (WPZ)

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

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Carver Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: CARV) shares jumped 92.1 percent to $7.01. iPic Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: IPIC) gained 21.6 percent to $9.73. Baozun Inc. (NASDAQ: BZUN) shares jumped 18.7 percent to $53.49 after reporting Q1 results. World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) shares jumped 15.9 percent to $50.50. The company's "Smackdown Live" may not be renewed at NBCUniversal network and the company's "Monday Night Raw" program could be worth three times its current value elsewhere, according to a report for The Hollywood Reporter. Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPPI) gained 14.7 percent to $ 20.46 after the company issued further details on Phase 3 ADVANCE study of ROLONTIS. Motus GI Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOTS) climbed 13.4 percent to $5.5009. Endocyte, Inc. (NASDAQ: ECYT) rose 13.3 percent to $ 14.23 after the company announced presentation of Phase 2 data from prostate cancer trial of 177Lu-PSMA-617 at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting. Diana Containerships Inc. (NASDAQ: DCIX) gained 12.9 percent to $1.7499 after the company announced the sale of Post-Panamax Container Vessel for $21 million. Essendant Inc. (NASDAQ: ESND) gained 12.7 percent to $12.43. Essendant confirmed receipt of unsolicited proposal from Staples of $11.50 per share in cash. Blink Charging Co (NASDAQ: BLNK) rose 11.8 percent to $8.04 after surging 31.68 percent on Wednesday. OptimumBank Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: OPHC) gained 11.5 percent to $5.15. Flotek Industries, Inc. (NYSE: FTK) shares climbed 10.7 percent to $3.74. Farmer Bros. Co. (NASDAQ: FARM) rose 7.9 percent to $25.95 after climbing 7.90 percent on Wednesday. Minerva Neurosciences Inc (NASDAQ: NERV) rose 6.5 percent to $6.93 after Journal of Clinical Psychiatry published positive results of cognitive performance from Phase 2B trial of roluperidone in schizophrenia patients. Williams Partners L.P. (NYSE: WPZ) rose 5.6 percent to $40
• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  There's an interesting dichotomy here, however. Crestwood was looking to stay financially disciplined, but it also needed to invest to grow. Doing both at the same time is difficult, which is why it partnered up with Con Ed in the Marcellus region, Shell Midstream Partners LP (NYSE:SHLX) and First Reserve in the Delaware Basin, and Williams Partners (NYSE:WPZ) in the Powder River basin. These agreements allow Crestwood to keep expanding its business without having to foot the entire bill for the investments.

Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Transocean Inc.(RIG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Check out these big penny stock gainers and losers

  Losers Aceto Corporation (NASDAQ: ACET) fell 41.9 percent to $4.30 in pre-market trading. ACETO board disclosed that it is taking proactive steps to address business and financial challenges. Canaccord Genuity downgraded Aceto from Buy to Sell. Helios and Matheson Analytics Inc. (NASDAQ: HMNY) fell 25.3 percent to $2.86 in pre-market trading after reporting an ATM offering of $150 million. Pier 1 Imports, Inc. (NYSE: PIR) fell 17.4 percent to $2.86 in pre-market trading after reporting a fourth quarter sales miss. Comps were down 7.5 percent in the quarter. Sleep Number Corporation (NASDAQ: SNBR) fell 12.4 percent to $32.00 in pre-market trading following a first quarter earnings miss. Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRTK) fell 10.2 percent to $11.90 in pre-market trading on news of $125 million convertible debt offering. Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: MACK) shares fell 8 percent to $8.02 in pre-market trading after dropping 2.02 percent on Wednesday. Exponent, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPO) shares fell 5.6 percent to $80 in pre-market trading. Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: LITE) shares fell 4.8 percent to $60.00 in pre-market trading after rising 1.78 percent on Wednesday. vTv Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTVT) fell 4.6 percent to $2.10 in pre-market trading after surging 84.87 percent on Wednesday. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE: TSM) shares fell 4.5 percent to $40.07 in pre-market trading after the company reported Q1 results. Align Technology, Inc.. (NASDAQ: ALGN) fell 3.5 percent to $267.40 in pre-market trading after rising 1.61 percent on Wednesday. Transocean Ltd. (NYSE: RIG) shares fell 3.5 percent to $12 in pre-market trading after the company issued quarterly fleet status report. GoPro, Inc. (NASDAQ: GPRO) fell 3.2 percent to $4.90 in pre-market trading. Unilever PLC (NYSE: UL) fell 2.6 percent to $54.73 in pre-market
• [By Ethan Ryder]

  D.B. Root & Company LLC acquired a new position in shares of Transocean (NYSE:RIG) during the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund acquired 30,040 shares of the offshore drilling services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $297,000.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Quantitative Systematic Strategies LLC bought a new stake in Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor bought 13,609 shares of the offshore drilling services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $135,000.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  American International Group Inc. grew its position in shares of Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) by 7.7% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 872,019 shares of the offshore drilling services provider’s stock after buying an additional 62,611 shares during the quarter. American International Group Inc.’s holdings in Transocean were worth $8,633,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

• [By Jason Hall]

  So what's an investor to do? Owning the companies best-positioned to profit is a great place to start. Consider two of Big Oil's finest in�Royal Dutch Shell plc (ADR)�(NYSE:RDS-A)(NYSE:RDS-B)�and�Total SA (ADR)�(NYSE:TOT), offshore driller�Transocean LTD�(NYSE:RIG) and natural gas for transportation specialist�Clean Energy Fuels Corp�(NASDAQ:CLNE).

Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Apache Corporation(APA)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  US Bancorp DE decreased its stake in shares of Apache Co. (NYSE:APA) by 5.8% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 145,332 shares of the energy company’s stock after selling 8,948 shares during the period. US Bancorp DE’s holdings in Apache were worth $5,592,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By ]

  Presto, West Texas Intermediate crude rose 3% to $71.18, the highest since December 2014, boosting shares of oil companies including Occidental (OXY) , which gained 4.8%, Marathon (MRO) , up 3.8%, and Apache (APA) , which gained 2.5%. Spot gasoline also rose 2.7% to $2.17 a gallon, boding ill for the summer driving season in the U.S. and potentially eroding any gains middle-class Americans received from the Trump tax cuts.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA) dropped about 7.3% Thursday to post a new 52-week low of $34.50. Shares closed at $37.20 on Wednesday and the stock’s 52-week high is $55.23. Volume was over 11 million, about three times the daily average of around 3.9 million. The company reported quarterly results this morning, but investors were not impressed.

• [By Jason Hall]

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

Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Halliburton Company(HAL)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Lange]

  Haliburton Co. (NYSE: HAL) is expected to reveal its fourth-quarter results on Monday. The consensus forecast calls for $0.46 in EPS, as well as $5.63 billion in revenue. Shares were trading at $53.01 on Friday��s close. The consensus price target is $55.09. The stock has a 52-week range of $38.18 to $58.78.

• [By ]

  That investment would likely benefit both Schlumberger and Baker Hughes, but more so their competitor Halliburton Co. (HAL) , which is the most levered to the North American market among the big three oil services providers. 

• [By Garrett Baldwin]

  Earnings season is now in full swing, with today's key reports from�Alphabet Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOGL) and Halliburton Co.�(NYSE: HAL). Thanks to tax cuts, expectations are high. Analysts expect profit growth to top 18%, which would be the biggest jump in seven years. But there are a few bearish trends that are still lurking in the market. And if you're serious about making money, you need to know how to harness them and target individual stocks for life-changing gains.�Money Morning�Quantitative Specialist Chris Johnson explains.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Some of the stocks that may grab investor focus today are:

  Wall Street expects Halliburton Company (NYSE: HAL) to report quarterly earnings at $0.42 per share on revenue of $5.75 billion before the opening bell. Halliburton shares fell 0.06 percent to $51.93 in after-hours trading. Analysts expect Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) to post quarterly earnings at $9.33 per share on revenue of $30.31 billion after the closing bell. Alphabet shares gained 0.24 percent to $1,079.88 in after-hours trading. Before the markets open, Lennox International Inc. (NYSE: LII) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.09 per share on revenue of $815.16 million. Lennox shares dropped 2.84 percent to close at $197.08 on Friday. HNI Corporation (NYSE: HNI) reported retirement of its CEO Stan A. Askren and appointment of Jeffrey D. Lorenger as new CEO. HNI also reported strong earnings for its first quarter. HNI shares fell 3.17 percent to $34.20 in the after-hours trading session. Analysts are expecting Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) to have earned $0.35 per share on revenue of $822.15 million in the latest quarter. Hasbro will release earnings before the markets open. Hasbro shares fell 0.39 percent to $82.49 in after-hours trading.

  Find out what's going on in today's market and bring any questions you have to Benzinga's PreMarket Prep.

Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Range Resources Corporation(RRC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Range Resources Corp. (NYSE: RRC) fell about 4.4% Tuesday to post a new 52-week low of $14.43 after closing at $15.09 on Monday. The 52-week high is $34.93. Volume of about 15 million was nearly double the daily average of around 7.7 million shares traded. The company had no specific news.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Range Resources Corp. (NYSE:RRC) – Equities research analysts at Seaport Global Securities raised their Q4 2018 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Range Resources in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, May 23rd. Seaport Global Securities analyst M. Kelly now anticipates that the oil and gas exploration company will post earnings per share of $0.12 for the quarter, up from their previous forecast of $0.11. Seaport Global Securities has a “Neutral” rating on the stock. Seaport Global Securities also issued estimates for Range Resources’ Q1 2019 earnings at $0.36 EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $0.18 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $0.26 EPS and FY2019 earnings at $0.98 EPS.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Range Resources Corp. (NYSE: RRC) fell about 3.6% Monday to post a new 52-week low of $14.77 after closing at $15.30 on Friday. The 52-week high is $35.64. Volume of about 9.4 million was about 20% higher than the daily average of around 7.7 million shares traded. The company had no specific news.

• [By Chris Lange]

  The stock posting the largest daily percentage gain in the S&P 500 ahead of the close Monday was Range Resources Corp. (NYSE: RRC) which rose about 6% to $16.05. The stock��s 52-week range is $11.93 to $25.96. Volume was 8.6 million compared to the daily average volume of 7.4 million.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Media headlines about Range Resources (NYSE:RRC) have been trending somewhat positive on Saturday, Accern Sentiment Analysis reports. The research group identifies positive and negative press coverage by monitoring more than twenty million news and blog sources in real-time. Accern ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of -1 to 1, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Range Resources earned a daily sentiment score of 0.07 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave media headlines about the oil and gas exploration company an impact score of 46.3371462950661 out of 100, indicating that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the stock’s share price in the near future.

Even Alibaba Isn't Immune to the Consequences of Heavy Investing

Alibaba's (NYSE:BABA)�spending had investors excited when the company was able to maintain its profit and margins. But now its heavy investing is causing some raised eyebrows after the Chinese retail giant reported a drop in net income and a shrunken operating margin.�

The company didn't shy away from talking about its spending habits, even warning investors during the fiscal fourth-quarter earnings call that it intended to continue the heavy investing trend. Alibaba seems confident that reinvesting billions of dollars in new projects like New Retail, cloud computing, and logistics will help it diversify its revenue, stay ahead of the competition, and entice customers to spend more.

Alibaba has been prioritizing long-term growth over short-term profit. Image source: Alibaba.

Alibaba's heavy investing weighs on profit, margins

Alibaba has been open about its heavy investing in the past year. But some investors were still taken aback by the company's latest earnings report, which showed net income fell by 29% year over year to $1.2 billion. The company noted that it had a tough comparison due to the sale of certain investments in the same quarter last year.�

But operating margin also shrank to just 15%, down from 25% a year ago. And Alibaba warned investors in its earnings report that it expects its margin to continue to shrink as it works on growing all of its new initiatives. And Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang said on the earnings call that the company will continue to invest "aggressively."�

In 2017, Alibaba's heavy spending outside of its ongoing New Retail projects and cloud computing business included taking control of its logistics network Cainiao for $807 million. This gives Alibaba more control over deliveries and logistics, both in China and abroad, which it has typically relied on third parties for in the past. Furthermore, Alibaba also pledged to invest $15 billion additional dollars on building out its global logistics network over the next five years.�

And already in 2018, Alibaba is going after China's $10.7 billion food-delivery market by�scooping up�Ele.me in a deal that valued the start-up at $9.5 billion. But more importantly, Ele.me will also help improve Alibaba's delivery and logistics capabilities in China. That's because Ele.me's Feng Niao Delivery network has 3 million employees and a fleet of motorbikes that can strengthen Alibaba's local delivery network. Alibaba could expand its 30-minute grocery delivery service from its Hema stores or start offering 30-minute delivery on clothing, electronics, and more from its Tmall platform.�

Other investments this year include a 33% stake in its payment affiliate, Ant Financial, as it works to implement its Alipay mobile payment platform into its New Retail projects; a $2 billion investment in its Southeast Asia e-commerce company Lazada, bringing its total investment in the company to $4 billion; and most recently, the purchase of Pakistani e-commerce platform Daraz to further increase its chances of winning market share in South Asia.�

Why Alibaba feels pressured to spend big�

Right now Alibaba is reliant on its China commerce retail segment for over 70% of its revenue, which doesn't look good for long-term growth. Alibaba knows this and is working to diversify its revenue by investing in new initiatives.�

Alibaba is also under pressure to expand outside of online shopping because its top rivals, Tencent (NASDAQOTH:TCEHY) and JD.com (NASDAQ:JD), are both investing in other areas. JD.com already has its own delivery network and is building high-tech supermarkets across China, similar to Alibaba's Hema stores. And Tencent's WeChat app, which now allows for purchases, hit over 1 billion monthly active users earlier this year, topping Alibaba's 617 million monthly active users.��

Right now, Alibaba is in the lead for China e-commerce sales with 51.3% of the market, according to eMarketer. But Alibaba knows its position isn't secure and that investing in things like a better logistics network will be key to winning and keeping customers.

If everything goes right for Alibaba...

If all of these new initiatives work out as planned, then Alibaba will achieve its ultimate goal: to get each of its customers to spend more money within Alibaba's ecosystem.�Alibaba wants its 617 million monthly active users to come to its platform for all of their consumer needs, including media and entertainment, cloud computing, groceries, clothing, and more.�

In addition, as these customers buy more and more things through Alibaba, the company is going to glean even more information on consumer traits that will help it continue to improve all of its retail businesses. And it can also use that information to keep improving its New Retail projects.�

Co-founder Joseph Tsai said this in so many words in the last earnings call: "We're extremely excited by the potential flywheel effects of expanding the wallet share of these 550 million [annual active] users across our ecosystem, as well as the synergies and consumer insights that can be achieved through a platform built on the Alibaba technology infrastructure."�

But this hinges on everything going right for Alibaba. The company is putting a lot on the line for these new initiatives, and has warned investors about the expected negative impact on its margin. Now investors need to decide whether they trust the company can use these expensive initiatives to fuel long-term growth or not.

2 Dividend Stocks Better Than General Electric Company

General Electric (NYSE:GE) has fallen on very hard times as it works through a massive corporate overhaul. That said, dividend investors might be attracted to its iconic name and generous 3.4% dividend yield. However, there are better options in the industrial space today. Take a look at Eaton (NYSE:ETN) and ABB (NYSE:ABB), because each yields around the same as GE without the same turnaround baggage.

The problem with GE

General Electric's troubles date back to before the 2007 to 2009 financial crisis, when management at the time allowed the company's finance arm to expand. The original goal of the finance division was to support the sale of GE's own products and services, but it strayed far from that niche into areas like home mortgages. When the downturn hit, GE was forced to cut its dividend and take a government handout.

Image source: Getty Images.

It quickly started to refocus its business back to the core industrial space, jettisoning assets like a television network and noncore finance operations. This turnaround effort was going slowly, but the company appeared confident in the direction it was going -- until a new CEO took the helm in 2017 and announced another, even deeper round of restructuring.� �

The most recent turnaround effort included a 50% dividend cut. Investors were displeased and pushed the shares sharply lower. That's the backstory behind GE's generous 3.4% yield. If management can gain traction, there's material recovery potential at GE. However, most income investors would be better off avoiding this turnaround story and focusing on industrial giants with generous yields and less baggage.

1. Controlling power

Eaton is a $33 billion market cap industrial company that focuses on helping customers make efficient use of energy. Its business is broken into six divisions: electric products (roughly 33% of revenue), electrical systems and services (26%), vehicle (17%), hydraulics (13%), aerospace (9%), and the newly added e-mobility (the remainder). Eaton's business is also well diversified geographically, with operations that span the globe. The United States accounted for around 55% of sales in 2017, Europe 22%, Asia 12%, Latin America 7%, and Canada the rest.� �

GE data by YCharts.

The company experienced something of a turning point last year, which entered the year expecting organic growth to be flat. However, as the year progressed, that forecast proved overly negative. Organic sales ended up 3% for the year. As 2018 began, Eaton was projecting organic growth of 4% for the year. But by the end of the first quarter it had already increased that number to 5% on broad-based strength throughout its business.� �

Eaton announced a 10% dividend increase in the first quarter and offers investors a generous 3.4% yield. That dividend, meanwhile, is backed by a company that's doing well today, not one that's working on its second turnaround effort since the so-called Great Recession.� �

2. A foreign-heavy industrial business

Another strong alternative to General Electric is ABB, which breaks its business down into four divisions: power grids account for around 28% of sales, electrification products 29%, industrial automation 22%, and robotics and motion 25%. ABB's business spans the globe as well, but has significantly more foreign exposure. For example, the largest exposure to the Americas region (which includes North, Central, and South America) is in the company's robotics and motion division, which gets just 31% of revenue from the area -- all of the other businesses generate even less from the Americas.� �

ABB's foreign sales by division. Image source: ABB Ltd.�

Last year wasn't exactly exciting at ABB, with 2017 revenue up 1% and earnings down 1%. However, it completed a corporate restructuring during the year and is looking to 2018 as a critical moment. (Also worth noting, ABB inked a deal to buy a GE division in 2017.) The first quarter didn't disappoint. Although revenue was only up 1% year over year, base orders advanced 5%, with notable strength in the Asia, Middle East, and Africa region, where orders were up 12%. Increasing orders should lead to strong future performance.� �

ABB's dividend, which is paid in Swiss francs, was increased for the ninth year in a row in 2017. That said, the hike was modest at around 2.6%. The yield, however, is fairly generous today at roughly 3.4%, though the actual figure will depend partly on exchange rates. Although dividend growth will probably be relatively modest compared to Eaton's, ABB's strong order growth gives it a material edge over GE, which remains mired in a still-undefined turnaround effort.

An iconic turnaround mess

General Electric could be a very interesting investment, but only for those willing to take on the risks of a turnaround -- notably the second turnaround since the end of the last recession. That's why, if you are a dividend investor attracted to GE's historic name brand, you should strongly consider some industrial alternatives. ABB and Eaton are good options, since both are on much sounder footing and offer comparable dividend yields.

Top Financial Stocks For 2018

tags:PRI,FRGI,NEOG,

Going into NVIDIA's (NASDAQ:NVDA) first-quarter financial report, expectations were running high.

The company had delivered seven successive quarters of triple-digit growth in its data center segment, which houses revenue from cloud computing and artificial intelligence uses (AI). Many believe that this business unit will continue to power the company's growth, as AI gains more widespread adoption.

That triple-digit growth streak came to an end, but the company still managed to blast past analyst expectations.�

Image source: NVIDIA.

The raw numbers

Metric

Q1 2019

Q1 2018

Year-Over-Year Change

Revenue

$3.2 billion

$1.9 billion

66%

Net income

Top Financial Stocks For 2018: Primerica, Inc.(PRI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

   

  Companies Reporting After The Bell Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $1.22 per share on revenue of $5.72 billion. Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $1.04 per share on revenue of $5.68 billion. The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $1.68 per share on revenue of $14.05 billion. Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.62 per share on revenue of $441.73 million. Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ: JAZZ) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $2.77 per share on revenue of $434.87 million. Sun Life Financial Inc. (NYSE: SLF) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $0.89 per share on revenue of $6.38 billion. LATAM Airlines Group S.A. (NYSE: LTM) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.16 per share on revenue of $2.70 billion. Liberty Global plc (NASDAQ: LBTYA) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $0.02 per share on revenue of $4.05 billion. TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.16 per share on revenue of $362.11 million. The Wendy's Company (NASDAQ: WEN) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $0.1 per share on revenue of $379.98 million. A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMRK) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.06 per share on revenue of $1.69 billion. Monster Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ: MNST) is estimated to post quarterly earnings at $0.4 per share on revenue of $849.38 million. Convergys Corporation (NYSE: CVG) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.4 per share on revenue of $670.10 million. ScanSource, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCSC) is projected to post quarterly earnings at $0.7 per share on revenue of $875.91 million. KAR Auction Services, Inc. (NYSE: KAR) is expected to post quarterly earnings at $0.76 per share on revenue of $923.13
• [By Max Byerly]

  Great Lakes Advisors LLC bought a new position in shares of Primerica (NYSE:PRI) in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm bought 6,834 shares of the financial services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $660,000.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Primerica (NYSE:PRI) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the six brokerages that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating. The average 1-year target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $103.00.

Top Financial Stocks For 2018: Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc.(FRGI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers ProPhase Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRPH) gained 50.7 percent to $4.34 after the company announced a special $1.00 per share cash dividend. Impinj, Inc. (NASDAQ: PI) surged 28.4 percent to $17.44 after reporting Q1 results. Cardlytics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDLX) gained 22 percent to $17.945. Care.com, Inc. (NYSE: CRCM) shares rose 19.3 percent to $18.92 following Q1 earnings. Sharing Economy International Inc. (NASDAQ: SEII) jumped 19.1 percent to $4.3934 after the company disclosed that it entered into a license agreement with Ecrent Capital Holdings Limited. Blink Charging Co. (NASDAQ: BLNK) rose 18.6 percent to $4.79 after jumping 171.14 percent on Monday. IntriCon Corporation (NASDAQ: IIN) climbed 17.4 percent to $29.30 after reporting Q1 results. Nevsun Resources Ltd. (NYSE: NSU) rose 16.2 percent to $3.45 after Lundin Mining Corporation and Euro Sun Mining Inc. proposed to acquire Nevsun Resources for around C$1.5 billion. Tactile Systems Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: TCMD) gained 15.4 percent to $42.61 following Q1 results. eGain Corporation (NASDAQ: EGAN) gained 15.3 percent to $10.55 following Q3 earnings. Dean Foods Company (NYSE: DF) rose 13.8 percent to $9.48 after reporting upbeat Q1 earnings. Sterling Construction Company, Inc. (NASDAQ: STRL) shares surged 13.1 percent to $13.42 after reporting Q1 results. USA Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: USAT) climbed 11.9 percent to $10.85 following better-than-expected Q3 earnings. scPharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: SCPH) gained 11.2 percent to $14.45 following Q1 results. Fiesta Restaurant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: FRGI) rose 10.2 percent to $24.08 following Q1 results. Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (NYSE: VRX) shares rose 7.9 percent to $19.60 as the company posted upbeat Q1 results and raised its outlook. Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: TAST) rose 7.7 percent to $11.90 following upbeat Q1 results. Pareteum Corporation (NASDAQ: TEUM) rose 6.8 perc
• [By Logan Wallace]

  Fiesta Restaurant Group (NASDAQ:FRGI)‘s stock had its “outperform” rating restated by equities research analysts at Wedbush in a research note issued on Tuesday, The Fly reports. They presently have a $29.00 target price on the restaurant operator’s stock, up from their prior target price of $24.00. Wedbush’s price target would indicate a potential upside of 32.72% from the stock’s current price.

• [By Jeremy Bowman]

  Shares of�Fiesta Restaurant Group Inc.�(NASDAQ:FRGI) were moving higher today after the parent of fast-casual chains Pollo Tropical and Taco Cabana posted better-than-expected results in its first-quarter earnings report. Margins improved at Pollo Tropical, and comparable sales increased at both chains in April after the quarter ended.

Top Financial Stocks For 2018: Neogen Corporation(NEOG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Trinity Biotech (NASDAQ: TRIB) and Neogen (NASDAQ:NEOG) are both medical companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, risk, institutional ownership, profitability, valuation, earnings and analyst recommendations.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Neogen (NASDAQ:NEOG) has been assigned a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the seven analysts that are covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Five investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation, one has issued a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1-year target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $62.33.

• [By Max Byerly]

  NEO GOLD (CURRENCY:NEOG) traded 3.7% lower against the US dollar during the 24 hour period ending at 16:00 PM ET on May 21st. NEO GOLD has a market cap of $0.00 and approximately $162.00 worth of NEO GOLD was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One NEO GOLD token can currently be bought for about $0.0019 or 0.00000023 BTC on major exchanges. Over the last seven days, NEO GOLD has traded 10.9% lower against the US dollar.

MSG Sphere: 7 Things to Know About New Arena Coming to Las Vegas Strip

MSG Sphere is the latest development in music technology as it will consist of a new arena in the Las Vegas strip with remarkable acoustics.

Here are seven things you should know about the venue, which is being developed by Madison Square Garden Co (NYSE:MSG) and Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE:LVS):

MSG Sphere will include an “infrasound haptic” flooring system that will carry bass sounds through the floor, allowing guests to feel the music under their feet. It will also include a “beamformed” sound system that offers clear acoustics as it comes equipped with thousands of tiny speakers embedded in the building’s walls. Technicians will have the chance to capture and present super-resolution video with a special camera that captures and stitches together 360-degree-by-360-degree footage at 2 gigabytes per second. MSG Sphere will be 360 feet tall, 500 feet wide and it will have 18,000 seats. The venue is slated to be built by late 2020 about 63 acres east of the Sands Expo Center on a lot that is currently used for outdoor storage. The companies offered an invitation-only demonstration Friday at the Las Vegas Sands hangar at McCarran International Airport to more than 200 resort executives and entertainment specialists. The exterior of MSG Sphere will be fully programmable with a 170,000-square-foot spherical digital indoor display plane.

MSG shares fell 0.5% Monday, while LVS stock gained 1.9%.

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Reviewing HRG Group (HRG) & Maxwell Technologies (MXWL)

HRG Group (NYSE: HRG) and Maxwell Technologies (NASDAQ:MXWL) are both consumer staples companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, earnings, risk, profitability, valuation and dividends.

Volatility and Risk

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HRG Group has a beta of 1.48, suggesting that its share price is 48% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Maxwell Technologies has a beta of 0.31, suggesting that its share price is 69% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

94.6% of HRG Group shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 53.6% of Maxwell Technologies shares are held by institutional investors. 1.2% of HRG Group shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 7.7% of Maxwell Technologies shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares HRG Group and Maxwell Technologies’ revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
HRG Group	$5.01 billion	0.50	$106.00 million	N/A	N/A
Maxwell Technologies	$130.37 million	1.54	-$43.12 million	($0.91)	-5.82

HRG Group has higher revenue and earnings than Maxwell Technologies.

Profitability

This table compares HRG Group and Maxwell Technologies’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
HRG Group	11.05%	-7.35%	-0.56%
Maxwell Technologies	-31.75%	-29.38%	-16.32%

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent recommendations and price targets for HRG Group and Maxwell Technologies, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
HRG Group	0	0	0	0	N/A
Maxwell Technologies	0	1	5	0	2.83

Maxwell Technologies has a consensus target price of $7.00, suggesting a potential upside of 32.08%. Given Maxwell Technologies’ higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Maxwell Technologies is more favorable than HRG Group.

Summary

HRG Group beats Maxwell Technologies on 7 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

HRG Group Company Profile

HRG Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides various branded consumer products. It operates through two segments, Consumer Products; and Corporate and Other. Its product portfolio includes consumer batteries, such as alkaline and zinc carbon batteries, nickel metal hydride rechargeable batteries, battery chargers, battery-powered portable lighting products, hearing aid batteries, and other specialty battery products; small appliances comprising small kitchen appliances and home product appliances; and personal care products, such as electric shaving and grooming products, hair care appliances, and accessories. The company's product portfolio also comprises hardware and home improvement products, including residential locksets, door hardware, and plumbing products; pet supplies consisting of aquatics, companion animals, and pet food products; home and garden improvement products, such as outdoor insect and weed control solutions, animal repellents, household pest control solutions, and personal use pesticides for protection from various outdoor nuisance pests; and auto care products, including fuel and oil additives, functional fluids and automotive appearance products, do-it-yourself automotive air conditioner recharge products, and performance chemicals, as well as other refrigerant and oil recharge kits, sealants, and accessories. The company sells its products through retailers, wholesalers and distributors, construction companies, hearing aid professionals, industrial distributors, and original equipment manufacturers in approximately 160 countries in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the Asia-Pacific. The company was formerly known as Harbinger Group Inc. and changed its name to HRG Group, Inc. in March 2015. HRG Group, Inc. was founded in 1954 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Maxwell Technologies Company Profile

Maxwell Technologies, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets energy storage and power delivery products worldwide. The company provides ultracapacitor cells, multi-cell packs, modules, and subsystems that provide energy storage and power delivery solutions for applications in automotive, grid energy storage, wind, bus, industrial, and truck industries; and lithium-ion capacitors, which are energy storage devices designed to address various applications in the rail, grid, and industrial markets. It also offers CONDIS high-voltage capacitors, such as grading and coupling capacitors, electric voltage transformers, and metering products that are used to ensure the safety and reliability of electric utility infrastructure and other applications, including transport, distribution, and measurement of high-voltage electrical energy. In addition, the company provides dry battery electrodes for use in electric vehicles. It markets and sells its products through direct and indirect sales channels to integrators and OEMs for use in a range of end products. The company was formerly known as Maxwell Laboratories, Inc. and changed its name to Maxwell Technologies, Inc. in 1996. Maxwell Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.