Don��t Let Debt Scare You From the AT&T Dividend Yield

Colloquially known as the dividend king, AT&T (NYSE:T) has more than earned that title thanks to 34 years of annual dividend raises. Even more remarkable than the hard numbers is the context. Through multiple boom-bust cycles, an unprecedented global banking crisis, and several military conflicts, the AT&T dividend yield has stayed true.

But as the old saying goes, past performance is no guarantee of future results. With the telecom giant’s much-covered acquisition of Time Warner, several investors have questioned the viability of the AT&T dividend yield. Primarily, the reason is debt. Well before a federal judge approved the buyout, experts criticized the approximate $175 billion liability the combined entity will carry.

And the situation is not quite over. Recently, the Justice Department filed an appeal against the AT&T-Time Warner verdict. The government claimed that Judge Richard Leon, who presided over the merger case, ignored “basic economics.”

The DOJ continues to stress that the combined entity has an unfair competitive advantage. In theory, AT&T could withhold valuable Time Warner content on a rival network. If the impact is severe enough, the telecom firm can later pick up dissatisfied customers.

AT&T has vowed to fight the appeal, but the damage has been done. On a year-to-date basis, T stock has dropped more than 15%.

Of course, the awkward dynamic is that many folks are rooting for the government. Without the merger’s debt overhang, the AT&T dividend yield is a much more reasonable undertaking. But with the enormous debt, the math at the very least is extremely challenging.

Also, as our own Will Ashworth pointed out last year, interest rates are rising. Over the trailing-year period, the 10-year U.S. Treasury yield has jumped roughly 27%. That makes debt financing much more expensive.

Why You Shouldn’t Dismiss the AT&T Dividend yield

The nosebleed liabilities that the telecom firm must incur is reason enough for many to avoid the AT&T dividend yield. I completely understand the reasoning. The company faces an uncertain future and a lagging broader market. In these circumstances, it’s better to have a clean balance sheet.

But that’s not to say that the lofty AT&T dividend yield is a pipe dream. For one thing, the company features consistently colossal free cash flow. Currently, its trailing 12-month FCF is $18.3 billion, up nearly 81% from the end of 2014.

Furthermore, management has stated its intention to not only maintain but to improve the AT&T dividend yield. While the deal will balloon the telecom’s debt levels, it will also enhance the asset base. Synergies between the two giants should significantly boost revenues and earnings.

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The counterargument is that the debt explosion is a guaranteed result of a completed merger. Increased earnings, on the other hand, is a variable concept. It could happen, and some might argue it’s a probability. However, all probabilities have associated uncertainty risks. The market deals with reality; hence, the drop in T stock.

Adding to doubts is that cord-cutting has accelerated in recent years, as InvestorPlace contributor Bret Kenwell notes. AT&T’s other big deal, DirecTV, hasn’t panned out so well.

But despite these serious pressures, I’m giving the edge to the AT&T dividend yield being sustainable. That’s because we have to consider the grandest context of them all: AT&T is one of the few elite companies that can make the 5G-network rollout work.

5G isn’t just about faster internet speeds. To actualize the benefits requires extensive networks and resources, which AT&T has in abundance. Plus, with Time Warner’s assets, it can better compete with would-be disruptors like Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) or Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL).

Look for T Stock to Make a Bounce Back

So is the 6% AT&T dividend yield worth it? I believe it is. Admittedly, the gargantuan debt load is a serious concern, as is the rising benchmark interest rates. However, I trust that management isn’t dumb. It knows the motivations behind most T shareholders, and it isn’t to get rich quick.

Assuming that the yield is reasonably safe, prospective T stock buyers may also look forward to capital gains. In prior sessions, AT&T shares have tested the $31 support level, only to bounce back up. I doubt that the bears will be successful at this juncture. Moreover, the options market implies significant upside over the next several months.

In summary, T stock is backed by a stalwart that has the keys to a paradigm-altering technology. Also, the company has a rich history of dividend payouts to which management is strongly committed. Combined, buyers have the chance to gain both passively and actively. You’re not going to find too many deals like this, especially in this market phase.

As of this writing, Josh Enomoto did not hold a position in any of the aforemen

Lawsuit: Black farmers were sold 'fake' seeds

Black farmers, whose numbers already have dwindled precipitously over the past century, face new hardships�after suffering�poor yields�last year, because they were�sold "fake" soybean seeds marketed at a Memphis trade show, members of a group representing African-American growers said Tuesday.

Leaders of�the Memphis-based Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association have�filed a class-action lawsuit against Stine Seed Co., the nation's largest independent seed-producer, accusing the Adel, Iowa, firm of targeting African-Americans for sales of defective seeds.

The suit alleges that black farmers who attended the 67th Annual Mid-South Farm & Gin Show at the Memphis Cook Convention Center in March of last year bought more than $100,000 worth of�Stine�seeds. But the "certified" seeds the growers had paid for were switched with inferior ones at a warehouse near Sledge, Miss., according to the suit.

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Stine, in a statement issued Tuesday night, strongly denied the allegations and said it would mount a vigorous defense against the "meritless" lawsuit.

The lawsuit is the latest action by the BFAA, which also has represented some of the African-American�farmers claiming widespread discriminatory practices against�by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Following an initial class-action lawsuit against USDA,�nearly 16,000 growers had collected settlements totaling $1.06 billion by 2011. Congress has appropriated $1.2 billion to pay for a second wave of settlements.

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Winter wheat is harvested in a field farmed by Dalton and Carson North near McCracken, Kan. Kansas farmers are harvesting a smaller winter wheat crop amid an ongoing drought.  CHARLIE RIEDEL, APFullscreen Winter wheat stands ready to by harvested in a field near McCracken, Kan. The government forecast U.S. winter wheat production at nearly 1.2 billion bushels, down 6 percent from last year.   CHARLIE RIEDEL, APFullscreen Winter wheat is harvested in a field near McCracken, Kan. Kansas is the nation's leading wheat producer with a forecast of 270 million bushels, down 19 percent compared to a year ago. Kansas is expected to harvest 7.3 million acres of wheat.   CHARLIE RIEDEL, APFullscreen Winter wheat is harvested in a field near McCracken, Kan.   CHARLIE RIEDEL, APFullscreen Winter wheat is harvested in a field near McCracken, Kan.   CHARLIE RIEDEL, APFullscreen Winter wheat is harvested in a field near McCracken, Kan.   CHARLIE RIEDEL, APFullscreen Winter wheat stands ready to by harvested in a field near McCracken, Kan.  CHARLIE RIEDEL, APFullscreen Winter wheat stands ready to by harvested in a field near McCracken, Kan.  CHARLIE RIEDEL, APFullscreen Winter wheat stands ready to by harvested in a field near McCracken, Kan.  CHARLIE RIEDEL, APFullscreen Winter wheat stands ready to by harvested in a field near McCracken, Kan.  CHARLIE RIEDEL, APFullscreen Winter wheat is harvested in a field near McCracken, Kan.   CHARLIE RIEDEL, APFullscreenInterested in this topic? You may also want to view these photo galleries:Replay1 of 112 of 113 of 114 of 115 of 116 of 117 of 118 of 119 of 1110 of 1111 of 11AutoplayShow ThumbnailsShow CaptionsLast SlideNext Slide

BFAA president Thomas Burrell said at a news conference Tuesday that the number of black farmers has dropped from nearly 1 million in 1920 to about 5,000 today largely as a result of "systemic racism." The�low yields resulting from the�"fake" seeds could�drive more minority growers out of business, he said.��

"The few remaining black farmers, who have survived drought, who have survived tariffs, who have survived all kinds of natural disasters... are now finding themselves having to deal with the government of systemic racism by not only the Department of Agriculture, but now seed-manufacturers, seed-breeders, chemical manufacturers who now are weaponizing and have weaponized their seeds," Burrell said.

Farmers using the seeds reported yields that were only half�those from other varieties, according to the suit. At the news conference, BFAA officials distributed laboratory results from Mississippi State University showing that none of the farmers' seeds that had been submitted for testing germinated.

"Upon learning of these claims, the company took swift action to conduct an internal investigation, which has not revealed any evidence that would support these allegations," Stine president Myron Stine said in a statement.�"Our focus is on continuing to serve all our customers with the highest degree of integrity and respect that are the bedrock of our company��s values.��

He said the company has filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

CLOSE

The U.S. hiked tariffs on Chinese imports Friday. Beijing has said it would be forced to counterattack. China could put higher tariffs on a number of U.S. goods including soybeans, whiskey and pork. That has pork farmers worried. (July 6) AP

�

Investigating Cisco's (CSCO) Quest to Bring India Online

The fastest-growing economy in the world, India is projected to see a GDP increase of 7.8% in 2018. The nation is rapidly industrializing, yet still only a third of its population currently resides in an urban environment. There is plenty of opportunity in this region, and Cisco is in an interesting position to capitalize.

The Big Picture

IP-based networking giant Cisco (CSCO ) is based in the US and operates under five main segments: infrastructure platform, applications, security, services, and other. It is the largest player in the networking space and has inked partnerships with a large list of global enterprises including Apple (AAPL ) , IBM (IBM ) and Alibaba (BABA ) .

Cisco India began operations in 1984, and has since filed over a thousand patents and issued 600 for what it calls “innovations across all technologies.” It works with over 2,500 partners in the country and operates 176 networking academies with an overall enrollment of 24,138 active students.

Cisco India works with key domestic firms including Tata Group, Bharti Artel, and multiple provincial government offices. The company’s second largest Global Development Center is based in Bangalore, and houses its research and development, IT, services, and customer support teams, where it develops new business models and technologies for emerging markets, including India.

One key reason why Cisco’s infrastructure platforms are so important to India is because it is still in its infancy. The country boasts a population of 1.32 billion, yet according to data from Statista, only 369 million are connected to the internet. The Indian government is trying to change this through an initiative known as Digital India, a program started in 2015 that seeks to transition the country into a knowledge economy comprised of a digitally literate workforce.

Cisco is one of multiple firms working towards making that a reality. It is leveraging a partnership with telecom giant to power the world’s largest all-IP network.  It includes over 250,000 Cisco routers and will allow Jio to cover 99% of India’s population, laying the basic groundwork to bring the nation online. Cisco began its manufacturing operations in Pune in 2016, and unveiled its first Made-in-India product the following year, predecessor to current routers.

By the Numbers

While this is a worthy cause, what does it mean for the company’s bottom line? In its most recent earnings report, Cisco posted revenues of $12.5 billion on $0.66 in earnings per share, both of which narrowly beat our Zacks Consensus Estimates. While this represents a year-over-year revenue decrease of 4%, EPS still surged 10%.

Cisco noted that its product revenue in India grew by 11% overall in 2017. While Cisco saw declines in other segments, initiatives in India are bearing fruit. The company is aggressively expanding its small business client portfolio, aiming to triple its customer base to 75,000 by 2020. A growing Indian economy includes an increasing number of small businesses, and Cisco has laid the groundwork to capture this opportunity.

Cisco expects the number of internet users in India to reach 829 million by as early as 2021, with the company set to play a major role in the process. The nation still has a long road ahead of it in terms of economic development, but according to a PricewaterhouseCoopers report titled “The World in 2050,” it could surpass the US in GDP by 2050.

Outlook

In recent news, the firm announced plans to acquire July Systems, a private cloud-based mobile application platform. The month before the announcement, it completed the buyout of an AI-based relationship intelligence platform provider, Accompany.

These moves are part of its shift from hardware to software-based products. It is a solid futureproofing method that could increase margins and give the firm a flexible market position. Cisco’s solid net-cash balance of $37.63 billion gives it the ability to pursue various growth initiatives alongside its stock repurchases and dividend hike. The company has raised its buyback program from $25 billion to $31 billion and returned $9.22 billion to shareholders through dividends in fiscal year 2017.

Cisco is a company with a compelling short and long-term investment outlook India. On top of India, it is also collaborating with Open Transit Internet (OTI) firm Orange to expand its network to Africa, Europe, and the Middle East.  Although the acquisition of multiple new firms carries integration risks, and deep macro exposure could make Cisco vulnerable, it is still operating in an overall position of strength, which is reflected in recent earnings estimate revisions.   

In the last 60 days, Cisco has seen six upward and no downward earnings estimate revisions for the current quarter, and nine upward estimates for the current fiscal year compared to one downward estimate. Four analysts have revised estimates downward for the following fiscal year, but twice analysts as many have moved them upward.

Overall, this mixed estimate activity currently leaves Cisco at a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). However, investors should keep in mind that the Zacks Rank performs strongest over a 3-6 month timeframe. Initiatives in India may take years to continue developing, but hold a lot of potential. As such, investors should put the sleeping giant on their radar if they haven’t already.

The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All

Last year, it generated $8 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $47 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.

See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>

Here's Why You Should Buy Twitter (TWTR) Stock Right Now

Shares of Twitter (TWTR ) sunk on Monday following a Friday report from The Washington Post that the social media company had suspended millions of accounts. Yet, Twitter quickly assured people that most of the removed accounts aren’t included in its metrics. Plus J.P. Morgan (JPM ) thinks yesterday’s slip represents a solid buying opportunity. And that’s just the start of why Twitter stock looks like a strong buy right now.

The Report

The Post reported last Friday that Twitter’s recent efforts to suspend and remove accounts hoped to “lessen the flow of disinformation on the platform.” Data obtained by The Post reportedly showed that Twitter has been suspending more than 1 million accounts per day in recent months.

The worry here was that the removal or suspension of roughly 70 million accounts would negatively impact Twitter’s monthly active user totals, which reached 336 million last quarter. Twitter’s CFO Ned Segal took to his company’s platform on Monday to respond to concerns, stating that “most accounts we remove are not included in our reported metrics as they have not been active on the platform for 30 days or more, or we catch them at sign up and they are never counted.”

“If we removed 70M accounts from our reported metrics, you would hear directly from us,” Segal continued. "This article reflects us getting better at improving the health of the service. Look forward to talking more on our earnings call July 27!”

J.P. Morgan

Shares of Twitter closed down 5.4% on Monday despite its CFO’s reassurance that it won’t end the quarter with 70 million fewer MAUs, which would have an extremely negative impact on Twitter’s business and stock price. Based on this, J.P. Morgan analysts see Monday’s drop off as a great time to buy shares of red-hot Twitter.

J.P. Morgan analyst Doug Anmuth reiterated his “overweight” rating and reaffirmed his $50 price target for Twitter, which represented a 13% upside from Monday’s close. “We’d be taking advantage of the weakness and recommend buying Twitter shares,” Anmuth wrote in a note to clients Monday.

He also noted that the removal of “spammy and suspicious” accounts should be seen as a positive for the company going forward. “Importantly, improving quality on the platform is critical for the health of the service and attracting more users and driving stronger engagement over time,” he wrote.

Twitter, like Facebook (FB ) and other social media platforms have to navigate the somewhat murky waters of troll accounts and the spreading of “fake news.” Luckily for investors, it seems that Twitter has been relatively proactive about cleaning up this problem.

Live Video

Twitter grew its daily active user base by 10% in Q1, while its MAUs climbed by 3% to 336 million. The company also noted that it streamed more than 1,300 live broadcasts last quarter and announced that it signed more than 30 new partnerships, including deals with the likes of Fox Sports (FOXA ) , NBCUniversal (CMCSA ) , Viacom (VIAB ) , and Disney (DIS ) —featuring a ton of ESPN programming and a FIFA World Cup partnership.

Twitter’s push into streaming sports, which is one of the last things people need to watch live, is also expected to pay off. The company now has partnerships with MLS and MLB for live games, and more.

The key here is that live video attracts more advertisers, and like Facebook, Twitter makes most of its money from advertising. The company’s advertising sales—which accounted for roughly 86% of Twitter’s $665 million total Q1 revenues—climbed 21% from $474 million in the year-ago period to $575 million. Meanwhile, the social media company’s international ad revenue surged 52%.

Outlook

Shares of Twitter have skyrocketed 135% over the last year, which crushes the S&P 500’s 15.3% climb and also tops Amazon’s (AMZN ) 76%. This climb includes a nearly 50% surge over the last three months on the back of its impressive first quarter.

Looking ahead to the second quarter—which the company is set to report on July 27—Twitter is expected to see its adjusted Q2 earnings skyrocket 112.5% to touch $0.17 per share, based on our current Zacks Consensus Estimates. The company’s fiscal 2018 earnings are also projected to soar by 72.7% to reach $0.76 per share.

The company is projected to see its Q2 revenues pop by nearly 22% to hit $700.02 million. Meanwhile, for the current fiscal year, Twitter revenues are projected to reach $2.94 billion, which would mark a roughly 20% surge.

Bottom Line

Twitter is currently a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and sports “A” grades for Growth and Momentum in our Style Scores system. The company is expected to expand its EPS figure at an annualized rate of 23.1% over the next three to five years.

Twitter is also set to become an even bigger player in the streaming video revolution, and Monday’s selloff presents a solid buying opportunity. 

The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All

Last year, it generated $8 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $47 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.

See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>
 

Top 5 Performing Stocks To Own Right Now

tags:UNT,SASR,NGL,ENV,PRU,

Motley Fool co-founder David Gardner regularly offers listeners to the Rule Breakers podcast sets of five stocks that he thinks will beat the market, usually over a specified period of years (because though we recommend buying stocks for the very long term, you can't wait forever to see if you're getting the result you want). And because investing honestly and successfully demands that you keep score, he checks back in annually to see how those picks are performing.

Thus far, he has had a remarkable streak: Every one of his 14 sets of stocks has beaten the market at every annual review. But no more. The group he picked last year at this time under the theme of "stocks riding the bull market" has stuck a fork in #RBIStreak. But painful though it may be, he reviews how�iRobot�(NASDAQ:IRBT), Pegasystems�(NASDAQ:PEGA), Impinj�(NASDAQ:PI), Wayfair�(NYSE:W), and Zillow�(NASDAQ:ZG) (NASDAQ:Z) performed over the past year.

A full transcript follows the video.

This video was recorded on June 20, 2018.

Top 5 Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: Unit Corporation(UNT)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

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

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

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Media stories about Unit (NYSE:UNT) have been trending somewhat positive recently, according to Accern Sentiment. Accern scores the sentiment of press coverage by reviewing more than twenty million news and blog sources in real time. Accern ranks coverage of companies on a scale of negative one to positive one, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Unit earned a coverage optimism score of 0.09 on Accern’s scale. Accern also assigned media coverage about the oil and gas company an impact score of 46.1985485817341 out of 100, indicating that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the company’s share price in the immediate future.

Top 5 Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: Sandy Spring Bancorp, Inc.(SASR)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  News articles about Sandy Spring Bancorp (NASDAQ:SASR) have been trending somewhat positive this week, Accern Sentiment Analysis reports. The research firm rates the sentiment of news coverage by reviewing more than twenty million blog and news sources in real-time. Accern ranks coverage of publicly-traded companies on a scale of negative one to one, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Sandy Spring Bancorp earned a daily sentiment score of 0.10 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave news headlines about the bank an impact score of 44.8977197847726 out of 100, indicating that recent news coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the company’s share price in the near term.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Sandy Spring Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ:SASR) Director Joseph S. Bracewell sold 32,173 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $43.36, for a total transaction of $1,395,021.28. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Sandy Spring Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ:SASR) Director Mark C. Michael sold 1,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $41.30, for a total value of $41,300.00. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 81,590 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,369,667. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website.

• [By Max Byerly]

  MetLife Investment Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Sandy Spring Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ:SASR) by 38.5% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund owned 14,587 shares of the bank’s stock after buying an additional 4,054 shares during the period. MetLife Investment Advisors LLC’s holdings in Sandy Spring Bancorp were worth $565,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Sandy Spring Bancorp (NASDAQ: SASR) and First Merchants (NASDAQ:FRME) are both finance companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, risk, dividends, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and earnings.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  LSV Asset Management cut its stake in shares of Sandy Spring Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ:SASR) by 3.4% in the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The fund owned 92,100 shares of the bank’s stock after selling 3,200 shares during the quarter. LSV Asset Management’s holdings in Sandy Spring Bancorp were worth $3,569,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Top 5 Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: NGL ENERGY PARTNERS LP(NGL)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Here are some of the headlines that may have impacted Accern’s analysis:

  Get Tidewater alerts: Current Trend: Tidewater (NYSE: TDW) (tradingnewsnow.com) Girls soccer | First Colonial’s Idelys Vazquez is the 2018 All-Tidewater Player of the Year (msn.com) Interesting Launch for Interesting Tugs (marinelink.com) Investor’s Alert (price to sales ratio) NGL Energy Partners LP (NYSE:NGL), LiveXLive Media, Inc. (NASDAQ:LIVX … (stocksnewspoint.com) Tidewater Mortgage Services opens Colonial Heights branch (progress-index.com)

  Several brokerages recently weighed in on TDW. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Tidewater from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 1st. ValuEngine raised shares of Tidewater from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 2nd.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDGL) rose 65.5 percent to $179.50 in pre-market trading. Madrigal Pharma disclosed that MGL-3196 achieved liver biopsy endpoints in patients with NASH at 36 weeks in Phase 2 trial. Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: VKTX) rose 34.8 percent to $6.70 in pre-market trading after falling 4.42 percent on Wednesday. vTv Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTVT) shares rose 31.5 percent to $2.19 in pre-market trading after the company reported a licensing deal with Newsoara Biopharma to rights for vTv's PDE4 Inhibitor in China and other Pacific Rim territories. Curis, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRIS) shares rose 27.2 percent to $2.90 in pre-market trading after the company reported FDA Fast Track designation for CUDC-907 development in patients with relapse, refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Kitov Pharma Ltd (NASDAQ: KTOV) rose 16.7 percent to $2.51 in pre-market trading. Tilly's, Inc. (NYSE: TLYS) rose 14.7 percent to $14.00 in pre-market trading as the company reported better-than-expected earnings for its first quarter and issued a strong Q2 outlook. Express, Inc. (NYSE: EXPR) rose 14.3 percent to $10.49 in pre-market trading after the company reported better-than-expected results for its first quarter. NGL Energy Partners LP (NYSE: NGL) rose 12.8 percent to $12.10 in pre-market trading after reporting Q4 earnings beat. J.Jill, Inc. (NYSE: JILL) rose 11.3 percent to $6.90 in pre-market trading after the company posted upbeat quarterly earnings. TapImmune, Inc. (NASDAQ: TPIV) shares rose 10 percent to $5.60 in pre-market trading after climbing 24.15 percent on Wednesday. Frontline Ltd. (NYSE: FRO) rose 9.8 percent to $5.74 in pre-market trading after Q1 results beat estimates. Tech Data Corporation (NASDAQ: TECD) rose 8.8 percent to $89.65 in pre-market trading following better-than-expected Q1 earnings. TransEnterix, Inc. (NYSE: TRXC) shares rose 7.1 percent to $3.65 in pre-market tra
• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on NGL Energy Partners (NGL)

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

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDGL) jumped 124.8 percent to $243.725 in reaction to an encouraging Phase 2 clinical trial update. The clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company said its liver-directed, thyroid hormone receptor called MGL-3196 showed a statistical significance in the primary endpoint of lowering liver fat at 12 weeks and also 36 weeks. Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: VKTX) gained 63.4 percent to $8.12 after falling 4.42 percent on Wednesday. Takung Art Co., Ltd. (NYSE: TKAT) rose 43.3 percent to $2.9094 vTv Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: VTVT) shares climbed 29.7 percent to $2.16 after the company reported a licensing deal with Newsoara Biopharma to rights for vTv's PDE4 Inhibitor in China and other Pacific Rim territories. Akers Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKER) gained 26.2 percent to $0.4109. The developer of rapid health information technologies said Wednesday afternoon it was granted a 180-day extension from the Nasdaq Stock Market to meet the requirement of a minimum $1.00 per share closing bid price for 10 straight days. Genprex, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) rose 22.2 percent to $11.6254. Genprex reported engagement of WIRB-Copernicus Group to provide clinical trial services to support Oncoprex clinical trial program. J.Jill, Inc. (NYSE: JILL) gained 21 percent to $7.506 after the company posted upbeat quarterly earnings. Urban One, Inc. (NASDAQ: UONE) gained 19.7 percent to $3.95 after rising 78.38 percent on Wednesday. TapImmune, Inc. (NASDAQ: TPIV) shares gained 18.5 percent to $6.03 after climbing 24.15 percent on Wednesday. Kirkland's, Inc. (NASDAQ: KIRK) rose 17.3 percent to $12.95 after reporting upbeat Q1 results. CymaBay Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CBAY) shares gained 15.1 percent to $13.210. The Brink's Company (NYSE: BCO) climbed 14.2 percent to $77.875 as the company announced plans to acquire Dunbar Armored for $520 million in cash. Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEY
• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Shares of energy products supplier NGL Energy Partners LP (NYSE:NGL) jumped 15% today after the company announced fiscal fourth-quarter and full-year 2018 results. The business continues to improve, as demonstrated by adjusted EBITDA of $155.9 million in the final three months of the fiscal year. That was a 28.6% increase from the year-ago period.�

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  NGL Energy Partners LP (NYSE:NGL) Director James M. Collingsworth bought 25,870 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, June 5th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $11.65 per share, with a total value of $301,385.50. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

Top 5 Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: Envestnet, Inc(ENV)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Envestnet Inc (NYSE:ENV) insider Shelly O’brien sold 4,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, June 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $54.23, for a total value of $216,920.00. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Financial services companies rely on the health of the markets to bring them business from the large institutions that are their best customers. With a bull market that's almost a decade long at this point, Wall Street has never been stronger, and that's given a big boost to financial information technology specialist Envestnet (NYSE:ENV). Yet as volatility returns to the stock market in early 2018, some investors feared that Envestnet's time in the sun might soon end and give way to more difficult conditions looking ahead.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Zillow (NASDAQ: ZG) and Envestnet (NYSE:ENV) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, analyst recommendations, dividends, institutional ownership, earnings, risk and valuation.

Top 5 Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: Prudential Financial Inc.(PRU)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Prudential Financial (PRU)

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

• [By Chuck Saletta]

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

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  These are some of the headlines that may have effected Accern Sentiment Analysis’s analysis:

  Get Prudential Financial alerts: Prudential (PUK) Presents At 2018 Deutsche Bank Annual Global Financial Services Conference – Slideshow (seekingalpha.com) Leston Welsh joins Prudential Group Insurance as head of Disability and Absence Management (finance.yahoo.com) Contrasting Prudential Financial (PRU) & Old Mutual (ODMTY) (americanbankingnews.com) Prudential again accused with unauthorised money deduction (vir.com.vn) An Application for the Trademark ��MULLINTBG�� Has Been Filed by Prudential Insurance Company (insurancenewsnet.com)

  Prudential Financial traded down $5.05, hitting $94.97, during midday trading on Tuesday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. 2,919,216 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 2,144,103. The company has a current ratio of 0.12, a quick ratio of 0.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35. The firm has a market cap of $42.01 billion, a PE ratio of 8.98, a P/E/G ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 1.52. Prudential Financial has a one year low of $94.51 and a one year high of $127.14.

Traders Buy Shares of NextEra Energy (NEE) on Weakness

Investors purchased shares of NextEra Energy Inc (NYSE:NEE) on weakness during trading hours on Thursday. $151.75 million flowed into the stock on the tick-up and $72.49 million flowed out of the stock on the tick-down, for a money net flow of $79.26 million into the stock. Of all companies tracked, NextEra Energy had the 3rd highest net in-flow for the day. NextEra Energy traded down ($0.02) for the day and closed at $168.54

A number of research firms recently commented on NEE. ValuEngine downgraded NextEra Energy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 17th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price target on NextEra Energy from $168.00 to $174.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Monday, April 16th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on NextEra Energy from $167.00 to $170.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Tuesday, April 10th. KeyCorp boosted their target price on NextEra Energy from $165.00 to $168.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 18th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research downgraded NextEra Energy from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Thursday, March 29th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and twelve have assigned a buy rating to the company. The company has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $170.64.

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The company has a quick ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 0.59 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.78. The company has a market capitalization of $79.36 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.02, a PEG ratio of 2.53 and a beta of 0.29.

NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, April 24th. The utilities provider reported $1.94 EPS for the quarter, topping the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $1.78 by $0.16. NextEra Energy had a return on equity of 10.91% and a net margin of 48.13%. The firm had revenue of $3.86 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $4.15 billion. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $1.75 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was down 2.7% on a year-over-year basis. equities research analysts anticipate that NextEra Energy Inc will post 7.73 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Friday, June 15th. Stockholders of record on Tuesday, June 5th were paid a $1.11 dividend. This represents a $4.44 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 2.63%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Monday, June 4th. NextEra Energy’s dividend payout ratio is currently 66.27%.

In other news, CEO Armando Pimentel, Jr. sold 8,336 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, June 14th. The stock was sold at an average price of $157.15, for a total value of $1,310,002.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 77,139 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,122,393.85. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director James L. Robo sold 81,489 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, May 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $156.81, for a total value of $12,778,290.09. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 118,939 shares of company stock valued at $18,698,946 in the last ninety days. 0.55% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NEE. Gables Capital Management Inc. bought a new stake in NextEra Energy in the first quarter valued at approximately $105,000. Centersquare Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in NextEra Energy in the first quarter valued at approximately $150,000. Stelac Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in NextEra Energy in the first quarter valued at approximately $151,000. Aristotle Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in NextEra Energy in the first quarter valued at approximately $152,000. Finally, Bray Capital Advisors bought a new stake in NextEra Energy in the first quarter valued at approximately $184,000. 75.92% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

NextEra Energy Company Profile

NextEra Energy, Inc, through its subsidiaries, generates, transmits, distributes, and sells electric power to retail and wholesale customers in North America. The company generates electricity through wind, solar, nuclear, and natural gas-fired facilities. It also provides risk management services related to power and gas consumption.