$601.67 Million in Sales Expected for Valvoline Inc (VVV) This Quarter

Equities analysts predict that Valvoline Inc (NYSE:VVV) will announce $601.67 million in sales for the current quarter, according to Zacks Investment Research. Four analysts have made estimates for Valvoline’s earnings. The lowest sales estimate is $594.10 million and the highest is $609.90 million. Valvoline posted sales of $569.00 million during the same quarter last year, which would indicate a positive year over year growth rate of 5.7%. The firm is scheduled to report its next quarterly earnings report on Wednesday, May 1st.

According to Zacks, analysts expect that Valvoline will report full year sales of $2.43 billion for the current year, with estimates ranging from $2.38 billion to $2.45 billion. For the next financial year, analysts anticipate that the company will post sales of $2.53 billion, with estimates ranging from $2.42 billion to $2.62 billion. Zacks Investment Research’s sales averages are a mean average based on a survey of sell-side research firms that follow Valvoline.

Get Valvoline alerts:

Valvoline (NYSE:VVV) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 6th. The basic materials company reported $0.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.31 by ($0.04). The business had revenue of $557.00 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $584.75 million. Valvoline had a negative return on equity of 80.99% and a net margin of 9.97%. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 2.2% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.29 EPS.

Several equities analysts have weighed in on VVV shares. Bank of America cut Valvoline from a “buy” rating to an “underperform” rating and cut their price target for the company from $24.00 to $20.00 in a report on Tuesday, November 6th. Citigroup set a $22.00 price target on Valvoline and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, November 8th. Wolfe Research cut Valvoline from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating in a report on Wednesday, November 7th. ValuEngine upgraded Valvoline from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, November 26th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research cut Valvoline from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Saturday, November 17th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and four have assigned a buy rating to the company. The stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $23.29.

In other news, insider Anthony R. Puckett sold 2,588 shares of the stock in a transaction on Monday, November 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.32, for a total value of $52,588.16. Following the sale, the insider now owns 3,298 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $67,015.36. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, SVP Craig A. Moughler sold 2,551 shares of Valvoline stock in a transaction dated Friday, January 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.88, for a total transaction of $55,815.88. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now directly owns 27,221 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $595,595.48. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 9,277 shares of company stock valued at $195,453. Company insiders own 0.49% of the company’s stock.

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Valvoline by 1.6% during the 4th quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 16,762,617 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $324,357,000 after purchasing an additional 263,782 shares during the period. Capital International Investors purchased a new position in shares of Valvoline during the 3rd quarter worth about $208,400,000. FIL Ltd boosted its stake in shares of Valvoline by 4.4% during the 3rd quarter. FIL Ltd now owns 5,999,480 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $129,049,000 after purchasing an additional 254,864 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its stake in shares of Valvoline by 13.5% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 5,773,869 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $124,196,000 after purchasing an additional 684,854 shares during the period. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN boosted its stake in shares of Valvoline by 51.6% during the 3rd quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 3,709,001 shares of the basic materials company’s stock worth $79,781,000 after purchasing an additional 1,262,729 shares during the period. 98.45% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

NYSE VVV traded up $0.02 during trading on Friday, hitting $19.09. 2,851,080 shares of the stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,589,627. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.56 billion, a PE ratio of 14.80, a P/E/G ratio of 1.35 and a beta of 1.08. Valvoline has a 12-month low of $17.49 and a 12-month high of $24.18.

The business also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Stockholders of record on Friday, March 1st will be issued a $0.106 dividend. This represents a $0.42 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.22%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, February 28th. Valvoline’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 32.56%.

About Valvoline

Valvoline Inc manufactures and markets engine and automotive maintenance products and services. It operates through three segments: Core North America, Quick Lubes, and International. The company offers lubricants for passenger car, light duty, and heavy duty; antifreeze/coolants for original equipment manufacturers; functional and maintenance chemicals, such as brake fluids and power steering fluids, as well as specialty coatings for automotive and industrial applications comprising rust prevention and sound absorption; and oil and air filters for light-duty vehicles.

Featured Article: Is it better to buy a fund with a higher or lower NAV?

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

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

Canopy Growth Corp Earnings: Mixed Results?

Late Thursday evening, cannabis stock Canopy Growth Corp (NYSE‎: CGC; TSX‎: WEED) reported fiscal Q3 earnings – apparently to limit the amount of time and news stories between the earnings release and the Friday morning premarket conference call. Despite missing profit expectations, investors seem to be relieved by the sales numbers (supported by sales of legal marijuana in Canada) as revenue grew from $21.7 million to $83.0 million from the year-earlier period on 10,102 kilograms of pot and equivalents being sold versus just 2,330 kilos in the year-ago quarter. Average price per gram was $7.33 versus $8.30 in the year-ago quarter.

However, sales and market costs skyrocketed to $44.9 million from $9.4 million in the year-earlier period while general and administrative costs grew to $46.1 million from $11.1 million and share-based compensation expense grew to $63.9 million from $17.9 million. Net income was $74.9 million compared with $11.0 million in the prior year thanks to other income of $235.2 million that was primarily made up of fair value changes on financial assets and financial liabilities. Cash stood at nearly $4.915 billion thanks to a huge investment in the Company last year by Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ).

Chairman & Co-CEO Bruce Linton was quoted in the earnings release as saying:

"Our successful first full quarter with recreational sales in Canada reinforces our long held strategy of making meaningful investments early in order to secure market share. With a strong cash position, we added strategic assets and IP through acquisitions to accelerate the sophistication of our inputs with ebbu, and our consumer-facing outputs with Storz and Bickel."

"The Canadian recreational cannabis market will be dominated in the long term by businesses delivering excellent products and consumer experiences. Sales from the first wave of products and retail environments launched in the third quarter demonstrate that we are capturing consumers' attention."

"We have developed an unprecedented and unparalleled fully integrated platform at scale and will continue to expand by making strategic production investments in regions with federally permissible paths to market for our cannabis and hemp offerings. We believe this strategy will develop a significant and sustained return on invested capital over the long-term."

Canopy Growth Corp also said its CFO plans to retire in mid-to-late 2019.

Before earnings, its worth quoting Mad Money's Jim Cramer who commented that Canopy Growth Corp is in spending mode (thanks to the strong balance sheet) and wants to dominate the cannabis industry by being that industry's Coca-Cola (in fact, the Company is in a race to come up with cannabis infused beverages – the whole point of the Constellation deal). This means that investors may overlook the rising expenses and paper losses along with the CFO leaving albeit Cowen analyst Vivien Azer has already expressed concern about margins in a note earlier today:

"WEED net revenues of $83 mm were up 256% sequentially, and in line with consensus, which is a relief given the meaningful miss last quarter. The offset, however, seems to be an absence of production efficiencies as cash COGS (cost of goods sold) / gram continued to climb, and was $5.11 in the quarter, a far cry from the $2-3 we see from WEED's peers."

And:

"While industry disclosure around gross margin can vary from company to company, for Canopy, cash cost of goods sold per gram of $5.11 looks to be meaningfully higher than its peers, having climbed 15 percent sequentially."

Nevertheless, overall industry and idividual company growth will ultimately be determined by regulation in key markets like the USA where cannabis is banned nationally; but available for controlled use in select states. US banks cannot offer services to marijuana-related businesses without the risk of prosecution - leaving operations in states where the drug is legal to rely on cash.

On the other hand, the $867 billion farm bill signed into law in December included a provision for industrial hemp legalization. The provision removed industrial hemp from the federal government's list of controlled substances, making it a lawful agricultural commodity. This means that cannabidiol (CBD) can now be extracted from hemp in the United States. However, how the compound is consumed remains a point of confusion for many regulatory and law enforcement agencies with the US FDA still prohibiting companies from adding the active ingredients in drug products to foods and beverages.

Canopy Growth Corp was also granted a license by New York state to process and produce hemp and the Company plans to invest between $100 million and $150 million in its New York operations that will likely be located in close proximity to the operations of Constellation Brands.

A technical chart does show conflicting trends; but shares were rising almost 5% in trading after the market opened:

Could Amazon pick new city after ditching NYC?

Amazon's decision to cancel plans for a new headquarters in New York City reignited hope among cities that lost out on the massive economic development project.

Amazon said it won't reopen the search process, choosing instead to continue with plans to add jobs at its other new headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, a major new operation in Nashville, Tennessee, and its 17 current offices and tech hubs.

That probably won't stop mayors, governors, economic development officials and real estate developers from making a new pitch for the 25,000 jobs that had been promised to the borough of Queens.

"I think they're getting a lot of calls today," said Tom Stringer, leader of the site consultant practice for the corporate advisory firm BDO.

Maybe Dallas and Chicago could take another shot.

After all, the fact that Amazon is pulling out of New York suggests its plan was more fungible than the company let on.

"The one thing that's predictable about Amazon is that they're unpredictable," said Jeffrey Shulman, a University of Washington business professor who has tracked the company's presence in Seattle. 

Chris Wallace, president and CEO of the North Texas Commission, a public-private partnership, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "I think that the region would welcome these types of discussions."

FacebookTwitterGoogle+LinkedInHere are the 20 places Amazon went looking for an HQ2 FullscreenPost to FacebookPosted!

A link has been posted to your Facebook feed.

A clerk reaches to a shelf to pick an item for a customer order at the Amazon Prime warehouse, in New York. Amazon announced on Feb. 14, 2019 that it would no longer pursue a second headquarters in New York City amid local opposition. The year before, in January 2018, the tech giant announced it had narrowed down its potential site for a second headquarters in North America to 20 metropolitan areas. Here were the candidates.  Mark Lennihan, APFullscreenAtlanta, Ga. A jogger runs along a path in Piedmont Park as the Midtown skyline stands in the background, June 3, 2015, in Atlanta. David Goldman, APFullscreenAustin, Texas Women walk against the Austin skyline as seen looking northwest from the Lakeshore area showing the Roy and Ann Butler Hike and Bike Trail on Lady Bird Lake, in Austin, Texas on Aug. 31, 2016. Ralph Barrera, Austin American-Statesman via APFullscreenBoston, Mass. A view of the city skyline during the Head of the Charles Regatta on Oct. 21, 2017 in Boston, Mass. Maddie Meyer, Getty ImagesFullscreenChicago, Ill. Sailboats practice in front of the downtown Chicago skyline during practice for an America's Cup World Series sailing event on June 10, 2016. Kiichiro Sato, APFullscreenColumbus, Ohio Downtown Columbus, Ohio is viewed from across the Scioto River on Dec. 2, 3003. ROBERT DEUTSCH, USA TODAYFullscreenDallas, Texas This Jan. 14, 2011, file photo shows highway IH-30 traffic with the Dallas skyline in the background. Tony Gutierrez, APFullscreenDenver, Colo. A general view of downtown Denver on April 11, 2015. Chris Humphreys, Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY SportsFullscreenIndianapolis, Ind. The Circle Centre mall in Indianapolis, Ind, is seen on August 4, 2017. Kelly Wilkinson, Indianapolis Star via USA TODAY NetworkFullscreenLos Angeles, Calif. General overall view of the downtown Los Angeles skyline and the Harbor Freeway (Interstate 110) on Jan 10, 2018. Kirby Lee, USA TODAY SportsFullscreenMiami, Fla. The Brickell Key skyline is seen at dusk in downtown , Miami on March 23, 2015. Erik S. Lesser, EPAFullscreenMontgomery County, Md. This Monday, July 31, 2017, file photo, shows the Discovery Communications headquarters in Silver Spring, Md. Discovery Communications, the company that operates the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TLC and other popular cable channels, announced Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2018, that it plans to relocate its global headquarters from Maryland to New York City, in 2019. Manuel Balce Ceneta, APFullscreenNashville, Tenn, A general view of the downtown Nashville skyline and the Cumberland River on Oct. 16, 2017. Kirby Lee, USA TODAY SportsFullscreenNewark, N.J. In this Monday, Oct. 16, 2017, file photo, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, right, speaks while New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie stands behind him during an announcement in Newark, N.J. New Jersey lawmakers have signed off on $5 billion in tax breaks to Amazon in an effort to convince the company that Newark would be the best location for the company's planned second headquarters. Seth Wenig, APFullscreenNew York, N.Y. The Manhattan skyline towers over New York harbor on Oct. 16, 2017 in New York City. Spencer Platt, Getty ImagesFullscreenNorthern Virginia July 4th Fireworks from the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington, Va. on July 4, 2017. Michael Owens, USA TODAYFullscreenPhiladelphia , Pa. Clouds pass over the Schuylkill River and city skyline on Dec. 3, 2015, in Philadelphia. Matt Rourke, APFullscreenPittsburgh, Pa. Clouds hang over the skyline of downtown Pittsburgh, the Rachel Carson Bridge, and the Allegheny River on March 18, 2016. Gene J. Puskar, APFullscreenRalegh, N.C. The North Carolina State Capitol in Raleigh, N.C. is seen on July 24, 2013. Gerry Broome, APFullscreenToronto, Canada Fireworks explode over the Toronto skyline, during the opening ceremony for the Pan Am Games in Toronto, Canada July 10, 2015. Rebecca Blackwell, APFullscreenWashington, D.C. The Capitol is seen at sunrise, in Washington on Oct. 10, 2017. J. Scott Applewhite, APFullscreenInterested in this topic? You may also want to view these photo galleries:Replay1 of 212 of 213 of 214 of 215 of 216 of 217 of 218 of 219 of 2110 of 2111 of 2112 of 2113 of 2114 of 2115 of 2116 of 2117 of 2118 of 2119 of 2120 of 2121 of 21AutoplayShow ThumbnailsShow CaptionsLast SlideNext Slide

"The region remains very attractive for Amazon and other headquarter relocations," Wallace said. "Our current and future ready-skilled workforce, our education and transportation infrastructure and low regulatory environment are all great assets."

Any potential new suitor would need to learn lessons from the mistakes made on both sides of the issue in New York, Stringer said.

Could Newark, NJ be a winner?: Amazon cancels HQ2 in NYC, could Newark get more Amazon jobs?

Opinion: Losing Amazon HQ2 bad for NYC

Amazon still committed to this area: Amazon names Arlington County, Va. one of its two new headquarters

Political blowback on the tax incentives pledged to Amazon for the proposed operation in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens contributed to the deal's collapse.

Concerns about the negative effects of Amazon's growth on its hometown of Seattle, including housing affordability and transportation issues, also cast a cloud over the so-called HQ2 plan in a gentrifying area of Queens.

"Anything is possible: today was the day a group of dedicated, everyday New Yorkers & their neighbors defeated Amazon's corporate greed, its worker exploitation, and the power of the richest man in the world," Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., a leader of the Amazon project opposition, said Thursday on Twitter.

John Schoettler, Amazon vice president for real estate and facilities, left, joins New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, center, and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio during a news conference Tuesday Nov. 13, 2018, in New York. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) (Photo11: Bebeto Matthews, AP)

Amazon should have included more officials in the planning process from the beginning to avoid a backlash, while New York officials should have been more inclusive in their negotiations, Stringer said.

"New York really fumbled the ball on the 1-yard line in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. And Amazon should have known better," Stringer said.

Anything is possible: today was the day a group of dedicated, everyday New Yorkers & their neighbors defeated Amazon's corporate greed, its worker exploitation, and the power of the richest man in the world. https://t.co/nyvm5vtH9k

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 14, 2019

 

Amazon's own description of its about-face suggests that the company believes it was ambushed after it had secured support from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Mayor Bill De Blasio.

Amazon said that it "requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long term" and that too many city leaders "oppose our presence and will not work with us to build the type of relationships that are required to go forward."

Those statements suggest that any would-be Amazon hopeful should dampen its enthusiasm if there are any signs that landing the company would cause too much local consternation, Shulman said.

Amazon will no longer locate a headquarters in the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens in New York City. (Photo11: DON EMMERT, AFP/Getty Images)

"They've shown that both economic subsidies and community buy-in matter to where they channel their employee growth," he said. "Doing another search could actually create more backlash, so you might see them pursue economic subsidies and more community buy-in by more slowly growing their satellite offices."

The company initially said it wanted to go somewhere with strong talent, high quality of life and solid mass transit options. Those qualities would still apply to a new suitor.

BDO's Stringer said it's too soon to say whether Arlington and Nashville can handle most of the 25,000 jobs promised to New York, or whether Amazon will "spread it around" to other sites.

Here are four cities that fell short in Amazon's initial bidding process that could take another shot at landing the new headquarters:

1. Dallas

Pros: Pro-business environment. Plenty of space. Strong local airport. 

Cons: Amazon may not want a corporate feel.

2. Chicago

Pros: Centrally located. Strong local talent. Two major airports nearby.

Cons: High taxes. Regulatory thicket. Tough competition for workers.

3. Newark, N.J.

Pros: Not too far from New York City. Low cost of real estate. Big tax incentive deal.

Cons: Poorly developed tech center. Struggling schools.

4. Boston

Pros: Strong tech center. High quality of life. Large existing Amazon operation.

Cons: Expensive. Activists could have similar negative reaction as New York.

Follow USA TODAY reporter Nathan Bomey on Twitter @NathanBomey.

These sectors perform best after 'buyback blackout' periods

We are about three quarters of the way through Q4 earnings season.

That means the so-called "buyback blackout" window will end soon.

A "buyback blackout" is a period of several weeks around announcement of quarterly results when companies and their executives refrain from issuing any new share repurchases.

What happens in the month after the end of these periods?

Over the past 5 years, the Financials, Consumer Discretionary and Healthcare sectors have been top performers, according to a CNBC analysis using Kensho.

Each of those sectors have traded higher 100 percent of the time. They average around a 5 percent gain in just a month.

Why Advanced Micro Devices Stock Is Worth Buying Today

Did you fail to capitalize on Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) bullish earnings report? Relax, better opportunities in AMD stock are right around the corner … or perhaps, even here today depending on what kind of bull you are.

Let me explain.

It has been several trading sessions since AMD stock surprised Wall Street investors to the upside. Sure, the latest quarter missed and Q1 looks weak. But AMD’s report wasn’t a bearish bombshell and the type peer Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) supplied just prior to Advanced Micro Devices’ announcement. And there’s more going on with AMD too.

More compelling than simply being a relief or better-than-feared rally, Advanced Micro Devices stock delivered in spades with its longer-term, full-year outlook. In turn, despite all the nay-saying bears, the semiconductor outfit continues to fire on all cylinders under CEO Lisa Su.

For its part, Wall Street more than just listened — investors rightfully went into ‘buy, buy, buy!” mode. The good news for today’s AMD bulls is that if you think you’ve missed out following the two-day, 26% jump in the AMD stock price, you haven’t.

AMD Stock Monthly Chart

Back in mid-November when discussing AMD stock, I was optimistic a bottom was at hand, following a swift-and-hard hitting correction into value territory, supported by Fibonacci, price congestion and key moving averages.

The bullish call in Advanced Micro Devices stock wasn’t without almost immediate and difficult price behavior, but the outlook has proved correct. Ultimately, a double-bottom formed by late December and AMD has gone on to build a new uptrend over the last several weeks.

AMD Stock Daily Chart

Now, after a six-day pullback which began in earnest at the 50% retracement level, AMD stock is in position to buy on weakness. I’m anticipating a resumption of AMD’s new trend is around the corner, if not already started.

Three Ways to Buy AMD Stock

Friday’s bullish engulfing candlestick pattern suggests an upside reversal from the small counter-trend pattern could be underway for those shorter-term investors maintaining an eye on the daily chart.

For those appreciative of the smaller time-frame, the AMD stock price is in position to be bought through Friday’s high of $23.28. In respecting the simple pullback pattern, a stop-loss just beneath the newly formed pivot low of $22.27 makes sense and amounts to risk of just over $1.00 or 4.3%.

A second blended method for purchasing AMD stock is to wait for a wee-bit more of trend confirmation on the larger time-frames.

I see a move above the December mid-pivot high of $23.75 within the double-bottom pattern as sufficient evidence Advanced Micro Devices stock is reaffirming the bullish trend. Despite the additional confirmation, an entry above $23.75 doesn’t give away too much upside and smartly keeps risk contained to 6.2% if Friday’s pivot low is used as a stop-loss.

Lastly, if traders demand reduced and steadfast risk control and expect new highs to be reached over the next couple months, if not sooner, the April $26 / $29 bull call spread is an effective spread with lots of profit potential and less than 3% of the exposure of holding AMD stock.

Disclosure: Investment accounts under Christopher Tyler’s management currently own positions in AMD stock and / or AMD derivatives, but no other securities mentioned in this article. The information offered is based upon Christopher Tyler’s observations and strictly intended for educational purposes only; the use of which is the responsibility of the individual. For additional options-based strategies, related musings or to ask a question, you can find and follow Chris on Twitter @Options_CAT and StockTwits.

Compare Brokers

Best Cheap Stocks To Watch Right Now

tags:UNH,EMR,CMP,WEN,

I love talking about investments that can make you lots of money. But you know what I love even more? Simple strategies that can SAVE you lots of money with very little effort.

After all, even the safest investments carry risk. Meanwhile, some money-saving strategies can end up putting a lot more cash in your pockets with absolutely ZERO risk!

Take car insurance. Despite all the commercials and billboards featuring ducks, geckos, and crazy comedian ladies, I hadn't shopped around in five or six years.

But when we changed up our household's car assortment – and our premiums shot up substantially — I decided to see what other carriers could do for me.

At the risk of sounding like an ad, the process literally did take just 15 or 20 minutes with each company I investigated. Yet the savings were massive…

Progressive ended up being 30% cheaper than Liberty Mutual.

Meanwhile, Geico offered the same level of coverage at 58% less cost!

Needless to say, I switched.

Best Cheap Stocks To Watch Right Now: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated(UNH)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Chris Lange]

  UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH) is scheduled to share its quarterly report on Tuesday as well. The consensus estimates are $2.91 in EPS on $54.8 billion in revenue. Shares were last seen at $224.28. The stock has a 52-week range of $164.96 to $250.79, and the consensus price target is $271.67.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE: UNH) traded down 1.21% at $244.90. The stock’s 52-week range is $173.71 to $250.79. Volume was about half the daily average of 3.4 million. The company had no specific news Tuesday.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  WINTON GROUP Ltd cut its stake in shares of UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) by 21.6% during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 118,812 shares of the healthcare conglomerate’s stock after selling 32,650 shares during the period. UnitedHealth Group accounts for approximately 0.7% of WINTON GROUP Ltd’s portfolio, making the stock its 19th largest holding. WINTON GROUP Ltd’s holdings in UnitedHealth Group were worth $25,426,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By ]

  So, nothing about trade wars, tariffs, currency devaluations, wars in Syria, or North Korea, or Iran from the occupier of the Oval Office. Perhaps partly as a result, the major U.S. equity indexes rose strongly for a second day, fueled by better than expected earnings by Netflix (NFLX) and helped along by stalwart U.S. corporations including UnitedHealth (UNH) , General Electric (GE) and Cisco (CSCO) .

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Investors bought shares of UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) on weakness during trading on Thursday. $350.56 million flowed into the stock on the tick-up and $260.22 million flowed out of the stock on the tick-down, for a money net flow of $90.34 million into the stock. Of all stocks tracked, UnitedHealth Group had the 14th highest net in-flow for the day. UnitedHealth Group traded down ($5.96) for the day and closed at $257.12

• [By Shane Hupp]

  UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:UNH) – SunTrust Banks issued their Q2 2018 EPS estimates for UnitedHealth Group in a report released on Monday, June 11th. SunTrust Banks analyst D. Macdonald anticipates that the healthcare conglomerate will post earnings per share of $3.03 for the quarter. SunTrust Banks currently has a “Buy” rating and a $300.00 price target on the stock. SunTrust Banks also issued estimates for UnitedHealth Group’s Q3 2018 earnings at $3.32 EPS, Q4 2018 earnings at $3.25 EPS, FY2018 earnings at $12.64 EPS, Q1 2019 earnings at $3.37 EPS, Q2 2019 earnings at $3.50 EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $3.80 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $3.63 EPS and FY2019 earnings at $14.30 EPS.

Best Cheap Stocks To Watch Right Now: Emerson Electric Company(EMR)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Emerson Electric (NYSE:EMR)‘s stock had its “buy” rating reissued by Cowen in a research note issued on Wednesday. They presently have a $81.00 target price on the industrial products company’s stock. Cowen’s price target points to a potential upside of 3.30% from the company’s current price.

• [By Lee Samaha]

  While long-term secular growth looks assured, it's the cyclical part of its growth that has come under scrutiny in 2018. It hasn't been an easy year for Rockwell shareholders, not least because they watched on as management rejected a $225 bid from Emerson Electric (NYSE:EMR) in the fall, and then watched on as its peer significantly outperformed while Rockwell's stock has declined in 2018.

• [By Lee Samaha]

  In common with many other industrial companies, like Danaher, Pentair has been taking action to become a more focused investment proposition for investors. The sale of its valves and controls business to Emerson Electric (NYSE:EMR) in the spring of 2017 turned out to be well-timed for Emerson, as it occurred precisely at the time when oil and gas capital spending started picking up.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  D.A. Davidson & CO. lifted its position in shares of Emerson Electric (NYSE:EMR) by 1.3% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 574,584 shares of the industrial products company’s stock after buying an additional 7,640 shares during the period. Emerson Electric makes up about 0.8% of D.A. Davidson & CO.’s holdings, making the stock its 25th biggest holding. D.A. Davidson & CO.’s holdings in Emerson Electric were worth $39,244,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Best Cheap Stocks To Watch Right Now: Compass Minerals Intl Inc(CMP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Compass Minerals International (NYSE:CMP) was downgraded by investment analysts at ValuEngine from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note issued to investors on Monday.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Compcoin (CURRENCY:CMP) traded flat against the US dollar during the 24-hour period ending at 11:00 AM E.T. on October 13th. During the last seven days, Compcoin has traded up 12.6% against the US dollar. One Compcoin coin can currently be purchased for approximately $12.20 or 0.00130307 BTC on cryptocurrency exchanges. Compcoin has a total market cap of $0.00 and approximately $0.00 worth of Compcoin was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours.

• [By Jordan Wathen, Matthew Frankel, CFP, and Dan Caplinger]

  Here, three Fool.com contributors share why they believe Compass Minerals (NYSE:CMP), Chubb (NYSE:CB), and Realty Income (NYSE:O) exhibit the kind of traits found in many of Buffett's best investments.

• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE:CMP) is often listed as a miner, but the salt and fertilizer it produces are a bit different than what most investors think of when they hear the word "miner." That makes Compass something of an odd duck and results in it being off of most investors' radar screens. A tough 2017 is another net negative. That's a shame, since it currently sports a yield of more than 4.4%, and the business outlook is improving. Here's what investors are missing out on with this high-yield stock.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Shares of Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE:CMP) have been assigned an average rating of “Hold” from the seven ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 1 year target price among brokerages that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $74.33.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Rhumbline Advisers boosted its stake in Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE:CMP) by 1.6% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 61,295 shares of the basic materials company’s stock after acquiring an additional 991 shares during the quarter. Rhumbline Advisers owned about 0.18% of Compass Minerals International worth $4,030,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Best Cheap Stocks To Watch Right Now: Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc.(WEN)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  The company's properties are freestanding, not located in malls or shopping centers (which means better margins, lower rent volatility and less dependence on imperiled anchors). Better still, 96% of its rental income is shielded from e-commerce threats. After all, gas stations, drug stores and fast-food chains like Wendy's (Nasdaq: WEN) don't compete with Amazon (Nasdaq: AMZN).

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  If you're a burger lover who doesn't mind slumming it with the fast-food giants, this is going to be a great month for your pocketbook. McDonald's (NYSE:MCD) and now Wendy's (NASDAQ:WEN) are offering big markdowns on signature sandwiches through the end of September. 

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

  Tim Hanson: If you go to Canada, one thing that's ubiquitous in Canada, Tim Hortons. We went there for breakfast and my kids just could not get enough of the biscuits and the Timbits, which are the equivalent of Munchkins. My son has his Robinhood account now, so he's always on the lookout for stocks to buy. He said, "Can I buy Tim Horton's stock?" And I said, "Yes you can." And actually, I told him a story. A long time ago, when I was in college, I actually bought Wendy's (NASDAQ:WEN) stock on the thesis that Baja Fresh, which they owned at the time, was the next hot concept, and way better than Chipotle. Now, you fast forward a couple of years, Baja Fresh basically was worthless to Wendy's. Chipotle had gone on to be the winner in the burrito space. Obviously since reverted to the mean. But, made a lot of money on Wendy's because of Tim Horton's. They also own Tim Hortons, and Tim Hortons is growing crazy for them, they're growing all across Canada and the U.S.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Wendys (NASDAQ: WEN) and Empire Resorts (NASDAQ:NYNY) are both retail/wholesale companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, institutional ownership, earnings, valuation, profitability, analyst recommendations and risk.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Papa John's International (NASDAQ:PZZA) was reportedly willing to sell itself, and Wendy's (NASDAQ:WEN) might have been interested in buying, until comments deemed racially insensitive by the pizzeria's founder John Schnatter led to his resignation as company chairman -- and caused the burger joint to back away from further negotiations.

Dunkin' Brands Group Sees Progress

Dunkin' Brands Group (NASDAQ:DNKN) reported fourth-quarter financial results on Feb. 7. The parent company of Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins restaurants delivered sharply higher earnings thanks in part to the benefits of tax reform, prompting it to boost its capital returns to shareholders. 

Dunkin' Brands Group results: The raw numbers

Metric

Q4 2018

Q4 2017

Year-Over-Year Change

Revenue	$319.6 million	$314.9 million	1.5%
Operating income	$96.6 million	$92.2 million	4.8%
Adjusted EPS	$0.68	$0.48	41.7%

Data source: Dunkin' Brands Group Q4 2018 earnings release. EPS = earnings per share.

What happened with Dunkin' Brands Group this quarter?

Comparable sales for Dunkin's U.S. stores were flat year over year, as the benefit from price increases was offset by a decline in traffic. Lower guest counts also took a toll on Baskin-Robbins' comps, which fell 3.7%. 

"While we did not drive consistent traffic momentum for the full year, we laid the foundation for future growth and, most importantly, along with our franchisees, are unified and well-positioned to capitalize in 2019 on our brand promise of 'great coffee, fast,' " CEO David Hoffmann said in a press release.

Despite these challenges, the company's nationwide expansion continues to progress. Franchisees opened 106 net new Dunkin' restaurants in the U.S. in the fourth quarter and a total of 278 locations during 2018.

During a conference call with analysts, Hoffmann said that 90% of these new restaurant openings were outside of Dunkin's core markets -- an important aspect of the company's growth strategy. Moreover, the new stores are generating strong returns on investment for franchisees.

"The 2017 cohort of new store openings in our top 10 developing markets continues to track comfortably between 20% [and] 25% cash-on-cash returns," Hoffmann said. "As a reminder, all of these top 10 markets are outside of the core Northeast, in states such as California, Florida, Georgia, and Tennessee."

All told, Dunkin' Brands Group's revenue rose 1.5% to $319.6 million. Operating income -- adjusted to exclude certain amortization and impairment charges -- increased 6.9% to $102.2 million. Adjusted net income -- which benefited from a lower effective tax rate brought about by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act -- leapt 29.8% to $57.3 million. And adjusted earnings per share -- boosted by share repurchases -- surged 41.7% to $0.68.

Higher profits equal higher capital returns for Dunkin' Brands Group investors. Image source: Getty Images.

Looking forward

Dunkin' Brands Group issued guidance for fiscal 2019, including:

200 to 250 net new U.S. Dunkin' restaurant openings. Comparable-store sales growth for Dunkin' and Baskin-Robbins restaurants in the U.S. in the low single digits. Revenue growth in the low to mid-single digits. Operating and adjusted operating income growth in the mid- to high-single digits. GAAP EPS of $2.74 to $2.83. Adjusted EPS of $2.94 to $2.99.

The company also introduced long-term financial targets for the upcoming three-year period. They include:

200 to 250 net new Dunkin' U.S. restaurant openings annually. Comps growth for Dunkin' U.S. in the low-single digits. Revenue growth in the low- to mid-single digits. Operating and adjusted operating income growth in the mid- to high-single digits.

"2018 was clearly a foundational year for the implementation of our blueprint for growth," Hoffmann said. "2019 will be about building on this foundation to modernize the Dunkin' experience and deliver great coffee fast to consumers everywhere."

Dunkin' Brands Group also announced an 8% increase to its quarterly cash dividend, to $0.375 per share. The dividend is payable on March 20 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on March 11. The dividend gives the stock a 2.2% yield at Thursday's closing price.