Carvana provides an online automotive sales platform, which might seem like a promising business model. After all, why not bring the used car market online and provide a platform for buyers and sellers?

This sounds great in theory, but putting it into practice has been challenging for Carvana this year. As we’ll see, Carvana’s problems have been reflected in the trajectory of the share price. If you’re hoping for a turnaround, though, it’s best to keep your expectations muted and your stance cautious.

What’s Happening With CVNA Stock?

It’s been a brutal year for Carvana’s shareholders, to say the least. Shockingly, CVNA stock has declined from $239 at the beginning of 2022 to $31 in early September. Sure, there were quick rallies along the way, but they were all promptly sold off.

Is this the right time to try a dip buy, then? Carvana founder and CEO Ernie Garcia would probably encourage prospective investors to jump into the trade. “We remain on the path to becoming the largest and most profitable auto retailer,” he claimed not long ago.

“Largest”? Perhaps. “Most profitable”? That’s debatable, as Carvana wasn’t actually profitable at all during 2022’s second quarter. In fact, the company incurred a $238 million net earnings loss in Q2 2022. Alarmingly, Carvana swung to that loss from a $22 million net profit in the year-earlier quarter.

On a GAAP-measured per-share basis, Carvana’s second-quarter 2022 net loss came to $2.35, missing Wall Street’s forecast of $1.46. Furthermore, the company’s quarterly revenue of $3.88 billion fell short of the analyst consensus estimate of $3.98 billion.

High Interest Rates Will Be Problematic for Carvana

When InvestorPlace contributor Thomas Niel revealed his “3 Stocks to Sell Ahead of the Next Big Rate Hikes,” I had a funny feeling that Carvana would be on the list. Indeed it is, and Niel is 100% right in assessing the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy tightening as problematic for Carvana.

Used car prices rocketed in late 2021 and early 2022. However, with the Fed hiking interest rates, people are dis-incentivized from borrowing money to buy cars nowadays. As Niel put it, “Changing economic conditions have already resulted in the beginning of the end for the used car bubble. It may be just about to pop.”

That’s a great point, and a Wall Street Journal article made an equally valid one. Carvana isn’t just an online used-car buying and selling platform. The company also makes car loans.

The Fed’s interest rate hikes are putting a squeeze on lending activity, and that’s bad news for an auto lender like Carvana. Consequently, if drivers decide to hold on to their current vehicles for a couple of extra years instead of taking out a loan to finance another used vehicle, Carvana’s business is likely to suffer.

What You Can Do Now

People can make jokes about CVNA stock going to the junkyard, but this is serious business. The last thing you need is to lose money on a bet that Carvana will miraculously defy a rising interest rate environment.

Additionally, Carvana shifted from a profitable profile to an unprofitable one, and also missed Wall Street’s top- and bottom-line quarterly estimates. All in all, it’s dangerous for investors to go on a dip-buying expedition now — especially with a company that, financially speaking, has shifted into reverse.

On the date of publication, David Moadel did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

David Moadel has provided compelling content – and crossed the occasional line – on behalf of Motley Fool, Crush the Street, Market Realist, TalkMarkets, TipRanks, Benzinga, and (of course) InvestorPlace.com. He also serves as the chief analyst and market researcher for Portfolio Wealth Global and hosts the popular financial YouTube channel Looking at the Markets.

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Weeks of selling pressure finally erupted yesterday, sending the Dow Jones up 1.4%, the S&P 500 up 1.8%, and the Nasdaq up 2.1%. Our own top stocks, meanwhile, more than doubled the broader indices. And that’s just a preview of how the next 12 months will play out on Wall Street.

Yes, there are lots of skeptics and critics out there. But we’ve read all their arguments. And they all hinge on one assumption that’s just plain wrong: Inflation will stay hot for a while.

It’s won’t.

Yesterday was proof of that. Commodity prices are collapsing. And nearly every leading inflation indicator implies that rates will collapse by more than half over the next few months. As they do, stocks will soar.

The technicals confirm as much. One breadth technical indicator – which flashed just last month and has a 100% track record of being right – suggests stocks will rise more than 20% over the next 12 months.

Yesterday wasn’t a fluke. Nor was the market’s summer rally. On the contrary, they are the start of a new bull market forming as inflation falls.

And we’re finding high-upside breakout stocks to play this new bull market for big and fast gains.

Here’s a deeper look.

Inflation Is Falling… Fast

All the bears these days have the same argument.

They believe inflation is going to stay hot, which will force the Fed to hike rates very rapidly and aggressively for a lot longer than anticipated. And in turn, that’s going to spark continued immense selling pressure in both bonds and stocks.

But that thesis hinges entirely on the idea that “inflation is going to stay hot.” That’s a faulty assumption being obliterated by recent price action.

Oil prices are down 40% from their June peak and are crashing to new cycle lows. Gas fuel prices are down 25% over that same stretch. Natural gas prices have collapsed 30% from their August peak. From their early 2022 peaks, copper prices are down 40%, aluminum prices are down 80%, and iron prices are down 35%. Wheat – one of the biggest commodities impacted by the Russia-Ukraine war – has seen its price decline by 50% since May.

Indeed, commodity prices are collapsing.

Why? Two reasons.

First, the supply side of the inflation equation isn’t as bad as feared. As it turns out, Russian wheat and oil aren’t coming offline. They’re being sold to China and India, and everyone else is just buying that wheat from China and India. In absolute terms, commodity supply has not decreased. Certain commodities are just playing a game of musical chairs.

Second, the demand side of the inflation equation is collapsing. The U.S., European, Asian, and Oceanian economies are all rapidly decelerating right now. That’s at the same time that the central banks across most of those regions are aggressively and rapidly raising interest rates. And that combination means economic demand across the globe is set for massive deceleration.

Massively decelerating demand is converging on a supply situation that isn’t as bad as feared, creating enormous price declines across the commodity world.

Such huge declines are leading to equally huge declines in manufacturing and services prices.

Every month, the Institute for Supply Management asks a bunch of manufacturing and services executives across the country what prices they are paying for certain goods. The index of those prices has been plummeting. That’s super important because that index tends to lead overall inflation rates in the U.S. economy by about three months.

Therefore, if ISM Manufacturing and Services prices are collapsing today, that means inflation rates should collapse over the next three months. Indeed, a quantitative analysis of the historical relationship between these two data series implies that inflation rates will halve over the next few months!

If inflation rates halve over the next six to 12 months, then stocks will soar over the next six to 12 months.

Just look at what happened the last time the U.S. economy dealt with runaway inflation in the 1970s. As soon as inflation peaked in late 1974, stocks bottomed at the exact same time. As inflation rates crashed from late 1974 to late ’76, stocks soared out of a bear market and into a new bull market.

We believe a similar relationship will develop between 2022 and ’24.

Inflation peaked in mid-2022. Stocks bottomed in mid-2022. Inflation rates will come crashing down over the next 12 to 24 months. As they do, stocks will soar into a new bull market.

The Perfect Bullish Breadth Indicator

Confirming the notion that we are in the midst of entering a new bull market is a unique breadth indicator with a 100% track record of calling big breakouts.

One of the most impressive things about the summer rally in stocks was its incredible breadth. Indeed, pretty much every stock partook in the rally. This incredible breadth trigged a rare stock market indicator. We went from incredibly oversold conditions (less than 10% of stocks trading above their 50-day moving averages) to incredibly overbought conditions (more than 90% of stocks trading above their 50-day moving averages) in just two months.

That’s pretty wild. In mid-June, less than 10% of stocks were trading above their short-term price trends. Two months later, more than 90% of stocks were trading above their short-term price trends.

That’s so wild, in fact, that it’s only happened six times before in the stock market’s history: 1988, 2009, 2011, 2016, 2019, and 2020.

Each time, stocks were higher three, six, and 12 months later, with average gains of 7%, 11%, and 23%, respectively.

The astute bear will point out that this time may be different because stocks are down about 7% since this signal was triggered.

But look more closely at the data. The fact that stocks have dropped in the month following this rare breadth indicator does not disprove it. In both 1988 and 2011, stocks dropped in the month following this breadth indicator being triggered. Still, in 1988, stocks were 7% higher a year later. In 2011, stocks were 13% higher a year later.

What we’re experiencing right now is par for the course. After such a terrific rally, it’s normal to take a breather. But the data strongly suggests that this selloff is, indeed, just a breather and nothing more sinister.

Regardless of where stocks go over the next month, we’re very confident in saying that stocks will rise significantly in six to 12 months.

That’s why it is an excellent time to buy breakout stocks ready to surge higher in this new bull market!

The Final Word

There is a massive tug-of-war emerging on Wall Street between the bulls and the bears. Everyone has their talking points. Everyone has their data metrics and their charts.

But at the end of the day, there’s one thing pretty much everyone agrees on: As goes inflation, so goes the stock market. If inflation rips higher, stocks crash lower. If inflation falls, stocks soar.

To that end, the debate on Wall Street between bulls and bears is a debate on inflation. Which way will it go?

That’s the million-dollar question.

And here’s the million-dollar answer: lower – a lot lower.

That’s why stocks rallied big in June, July, and August. It’s why stocks popped big yesterday. And it’s why stocks will rally big over the next six to 12 months.

The problem of the year (inflation) is being solved. As that happens, we’ll enter a new bull market.

The time to put yourself in a money-making position from this new bull market is now.

And the best way to do that? Invest in unique breakout stocks that are technically primed for huge moves higher in a short amount of time.

On the date of publication, Luke Lango did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.

The post A Perfect Inflation Indicator Shows Stocks Will Soar! appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) stock is a hot topic on Thursday following the tech giant’s latest event showing off new products.

Let’s go over all of the biggest announcements from the latest Apple event below!

• The main showing at the event was a range of new iPhone devices.
• That includes the iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, and 14 Max.
• Preorders for these smartphones open this Friday and costs are the same compared to last year’s models.
• One of the biggest new features for these phones is support for satellite service in an emergency.
• That means users would still be able to access services even if they’re out of cell tower range.
• Adding to that, Apple is doing away with physical SIM cards with this new generation of iPhones.
• Instead, they’ll use digital SIM cards that support multiple numbers and enhanced security.
• Also shown off were the new AirPods Pro wireless earbuds.
• These cost $249 and will be available on Sept 23.
• The earbuds are sporting better noise cancellation, a longer battery life, as well as a speaker on the case.
• The final big announcement at the Apple event is the new Apple Watch Ultra.
• This upgraded version of the Apple Watch launches on Sept. 23 for $799.
• The device has a new watch face that includes a compass and can also show how deep a person is swimming.

AAPL stock is down slightly as of Thursday morning.

Investors seeking more of the latest stock market news will want to stick around!

InvestorPlace is home to all of the hottest stock news traders need to know about today! Among that is what’s happening with Revance Therapeutics (NASDAQ:RVNC), Amylyx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:AMLX), and Gamestop (NYSE:GME) stock. You can find out more on these matters at the links below!

More Thursday Stock Market News

• Why Is Revance Therapeutics (RVNC) Stock Soaring Today?
• Why Is Amylyx Pharmaceuticals (AMLX) Stock Up 70% Today?
• Can New FTX Deal Turn GameStop (GME) Stock Around?

On the date of publication, William White did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

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Revance has indicated that its Daxxify injection, which is supposed to eliminate wrinkles, has a longer impact on people than AbbVie’s (NYSE:ABBV) Botox.

More Information on Daxxify

In a Phase 3 clinical trial involving more than 2,700 individuals, the effects of Daxxify lasted for a median period of nine months. For a number of people, its impact continued for nine months.

In its press release announcing the FDA’s approval of Daxxify, Revance stated that the treatment is the “first and only long-acting neuromodulator that demonstrates a median duration of six months and up to nine months for some patients.”

Dr. Jeffrey Dover, an investigator for the Phase 3 clinical trial of Daxxify, reported in a statement included in the press release that the injection was “well tolerated and achieved clinically significant improvement with long-lasting results and high patient satisfaction.”

Botox’s Duration

According to a plastic surgeon: “In general, Botox lasts 3-4 months.” The surgeon, Dr. Smita Ramanadham, added that: “There will certainly be patients in which in lasts longer, in that 4-6 month range, or shorter, in that 2-month range. It is also common for first-timers to notice that it may not last as long initially but may last longer after the second treatment.”

RVNC Stock: Botox Is Becoming Popular Among Young People

According to the Independent, a British newspaper, a significant number of “people in their twenties” are getting Botox injections in order to improve the appearance of their faces.

“Young people are racing to achieve the plumpest pout or the highest cheekbone as a result of the latest aesthetic trends,” the newspaper reported.

RVNC stock stands to benefit from this new fashion trend with Daxxify.

On the date of publication, Larry Ramer did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Larry Ramer has conducted research and written articles on U.S. stocks for 15 years. He has been employed by The Fly and Israel’s largest business newspaper, Globes. Larry began writing columns for InvestorPlace in 2015. Among his highly successful, contrarian picks have been GE, solar stocks, and Snap. You can reach him on StockTwits at @larryramer.

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Amylyx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:AMLX) stock is rocketing higher on Thursday following an update from the FDA on its ALS treatment.

A letter from the FDA reveals that it now supports AMX0035 for the treatment of ALS. This saw seven members of the FDA’s Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee vote in support of the drug while two voted against it.

The voting from the Peripheral and Central Nervous System Drugs Advisory Committee doesn’t mean that the FDA will approve AMX0035. However, the agency often follows the guidance of its advisors when reviewing New Durg Applications (NDAs).

According to Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, the Prescription Drug User Fee Act target action date for its AMX0035 NDA is Sept. 29. That’s an extension to a previous date as the FDA needed more time to review the NDA.

Jamie Timmons, M.D., Head of Scientific Communications of Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, said the following in about the news.

“The Committee’s thoughtful review of the data and support of the benefit that AMX0035 may bring to the ALS community, if approved, is promising. The CENTAUR trial data has consistently demonstrated potential benefits of AMX0035 on function and overall survival.”

AMLX stock is seeing heavy trading today on the FDA news. This has more than 3 million shares on the move as of this writing. That’s well above the company’s daily average trading volume of about 873,000 shares.

AMLX stock is up 70.4% as of Thursday morning.

There’s more recent stock market news for traders to read below!

InvestorPlace is home to all of the hottest stock news making the rounds on Thursday! That includes this morning’s biggest pre-market stock movers, a stock market crash warning, and more. You can find out more on these matters at the following links!

More Thursday Stock Market News

• Today’s Biggest Pre-Market Stock Movers: 10 Top Gainers and Losers on Thursday
• Stock Market Crash Alert: Michael Burry Says We Haven’t Hit the Bottom
• 3 Smart Steps to Survive a Stock Market Selloff

On the date of publication, William White did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

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The company lost $108.7 million, or 36 cents per share, for the three months ending in July on revenue of $1.14 billion. The loss was 75% higher than last year’s $61.6 million, or 21 cents per share, and revenue was below the last year’s $1.18 billion.

However, the stock was up about 4% in pre-market trading thanks to the aforementioned partnership, under which stores will carry FTX gift cards and become its “preferred retail partner in the United States.” GME stock opened today at about $24 per share with a market cap of $7.3 billion.

What’s Going on With GME Stock

Gamestop CEO Matt Furlong said that, over time, the FTX deal will support the GameStop Wallet, an app allowing trading of crypto and NFTs, which is the linchpin of its “tech-centric” strategy.

Gamestop was the leading meme stock of 2021. Chewy (NYSE:CHWY) co-founder Ryan Cohen led a charge by small traders into control of the company, where he is now chairman. FTX is the third-largest crypto trading firm, with over $1.6 billion in trading volume on a typical day.

The deal is also notable because Cohen and Sam Bankman-Fried, the billionaire founder of FTX, are in their 30s. Thus, at least when it comes to age, there is some overlap among FTX and Gamestop customers. Investors hope it will turn video gamers into crypto trading enthusiasts.

But others will point out Gamestop had negative cash flow of $126 million last quarter, and that total cash is now below $1 billion. It was $1.78 billion at the end of July 2021. There have been 12 analyst reports on Gamestop this month, with most suggesting investors just hold the stock.

During the height of the meme stock trend, Gamestop sold at more than $80 per share. It is now down 37% for 2022, but investors who bought in 2020 still have gains of 600% to 800%.

What Happens Next?

The second quarter was Gamestop’s sixth straight quarterly loss. But GME stock will remain strong so long as small investors support it and cryptocurrency remains viable. Despite some hard falls in 2022, the crypto market is still worth nearly $1 trillion.

On the date of publication, Dana Blankenhorn held no positions in any companies mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Dana Blankenhorn has been a financial and technology journalist since 1978. He is the author of Technology’s Big Bang: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow with Moore’s Law, available at the Amazon Kindle store. Write him at danablankenhorn@gmail.com, tweet him at @danablankenhorn, or subscribe to his Substack.

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It’s time for another overview of the biggest pre-market stock movers as we see what’s happening on Thursday!

We’ve got earnings reports, stock offerings, clinical trial data, and more to go over this morning.

Let’s get into that news below!

Pre-Market Stock Movers: 10 Top Gainers

10 Top Losers

On the date of publication, William White did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

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The post Today’s Biggest Pre-Market Stock Movers: 10 Top Gainers and Losers on Thursday appeared first on InvestorPlace.

However, while we aren’t likely to see a repeat of the 2021 frenzy anytime soon, that’s not to say that stocks in the meme category are a no-go right now (as long as you focus more on fundamentals and less on Reddit chatter). Top meme plays like AMC Entertainment (NYSE:AMC) and GameStop (NYSE:GME) continue to trade at valuations well above their underlying values.

As the speculative bubble that sent them “to the moon” continues to deflate, such names are at risk of further declines. Yet in the case of some of the secondary meme plays, following their big drops from their respective all-time highs, one can argue that investors can buy into them today, at a very favorable entry point.

For instance, with these three meme stocks to buy. It may take some time, but thanks to company-specific factors, each one has a shot of making a comeback.

Blackberry (BB)

It may not have been an AMC or GameStop-tier “meme king,” but when this trend first emerged, Blackberry (NYSE:BB) was initially one of the more popular meme stocks to buy.

Whether due to name recognition, or its appeal as a short-squeeze target, traders bid it up BB stock in January 2021. Trading at single-digit prices before the frenzy, it zoomed to as much as $28.77 per share. Unfortunately, shares in the company, best known for its now-discontinued mobile devices, have given back all of its meme gains.

However, this works in your favor. Per InvestorPlace’s Larry Ramer, there’s big potential with its current main lines of business, like its QNX automotive software unit.

While a deal to sell non-core patents recently fell through, it could eventually monetize this portfolio. Even if meme mania fails to return, success with its underlying businesses may make it a moonshot worth considering.

Express Inc. (EXPR)

One of the micro-cap meme stocks, Reddit traders who got in early with Express (NYSE:EXPR) in January 2021 saw stunning gains in a matter of days. The initial meme wave resulted in it going parabolic, skyrocketing around 14x in a matter of weeks.

Flash forward to now. EXPR stock is again back near pre-meme prices and not only because this investing trend has been on the wane. Soaring inflation, alongside growing concerns about a severe recession, have the market very pessimistic about the apparel retailer’s future prospects.

Based on Express’s latest fiscal results, sales growth has slowed down. Earnings have also seen a considerable drop. Add it its levered balance sheet, and fears of a total wipeout are well-founded.

Nevertheless, if it can ride out today’s challenges, or if an economic downturn proves to be milder than currently expected, this penny stock could easily make a triple-digit percentage rebound.

SNDL Inc. (SNDL)

If you can recall, at one point many pot stocks were popular meme stocks to buy. The meme crowd dived into names like SNDL Inc. (NASDAQ:SNDL) at the time, in large part due to high hopes that the “blue wave” seen during the 2020 U.S. elections would result in a fast-track for reforms to America’s marijuana laws.

However, this failed to pan out. In turn, investors soured on Canada-based cannabis purveyors like this one.  So, with pot stocks out of favor, why consider it? On a split-adjusted basis, shares have fallen to pre-“blue wave” and pre-“meme wave” prices.

SNDL stock now trades at a discount to its tangible book value ($3.65 per share). Support for reforms is increasingly becoming a bi-partisan issue. Legalization may be only a few years away. Even if federal laws fail to change, other factors could enable it to become profitable.

On the date of publication, Thomas Niel did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Thomas Niel, contributor for InvestorPlace.com, has been writing single-stock analysis for web-based publications since 2016.

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On the other hand, companies in the growth stage have moderate fundamentals and cash burn does not come as a surprise. However, fundamentals can’t be completely ignored while selecting growth stocks to buy.

I believe that there are several growth stocks to buy that have robust fundamentals. These companies might still be in a phase of cash burn, but have a robust cash buffer and improving EBITDA margins.

Let’s talk about three growth stocks to buy with superior fundamentals.

XPeng

XPeng (NYSE:XPEV) has corrected significantly in the last six months. Even with some near-term headwinds, the long-term outlook for this EV stock is bright.

XPeng reported a cash buffer of $6.2 billion as of Q2 2022. The liquidity ensures that the company is fully financed for the next 12-24 months.

I also believe that XPeng is positioned for healthy margin expansion once inflationary headwinds wane.

Amidst multiple headwinds, XPeng has reported a 96% year-over-year increase in vehicle deliveries in the first eight months of 2022. The company is expected to launch G9 SUV in Q4 2022. Additionally, two more models are in the pipeline for launch in 2023.

This is likely to ensure the robust deliveries growth sustains. At the same time, margin expansion seems likely with economies of scale. The EBITDA margin improvement will translate into XPEV stock upside.

Overall, XPEV stock is among the seriously undervalued growth stocks to buy with solid fundamentals. Long-term industry tailwinds add to the positives.

Coupang

With relatively lower growth expectations in a post-pandemic world, e-commerce stocks have been in a correction mode. This has presented some attractive long-term investment opportunities.

Coupang (NYSE:CPNG) stock is possibly among the top names to consider from the sector from a valuation perspective. After declining to 52-week lows of $9, CPNG stock has seen a sharp reversal. This is backed by fundamental factors and I expect the upside to sustain.

In terms of business fundamentals, there are two important points to note. First, Coupang reported cash and equivalents of $3.1 billion for Q2 2022. The company has ample financial flexibility to pursue aggressive growth in Korea and Southeast Asia.

Furthermore, Coupang has revised its adjusted EBITDA guidance for 2022. The company now expects to report a positive adjusted EBITDA. With economies of scale, it’s likely that EBITDA margin improvement will sustain. This provides visibility for robust cash flows in the next few years.

Pinterest

Pinterest (NYSE:PINS) stock has declined significantly from all-time highs. However, the stock has traded sideways in the last six months. This is a potential indication that the stock has bottomed out. I believe that Pinterest has strong fundamentals and the stock is poised for a reversal rally.

For Q2 2022, Pinterest reported 9% revenue growth on a year-on-year basis. For the same period, revenue growth from the rest of the world (excluding U.S. and Europe) was 71%.

With average revenue per user of 10 cents for the rest of the world, there is ample headroom for ARPU growth. Over the next few years, global markets will support top-line growth and cash flow upside.

It’s worth noting that as of Q2 2022, the company reported $2.6 billion in cash and equivalents. The company also reported an operating cash flow of $333 million for the first six months of 2022.

Therefore, there is ample financial flexibility for investment in platform development. Pinterest is already focused on making the platform shopping friendly. With global reach, the proxy e-commerce play has a bright outlook.

On the date of publication, Faisal Humayun did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Faisal Humayun is a senior research analyst with 12 years of industry experience in the field of credit research, equity research and financial modeling. Faisal has authored over 1,500 stock specific articles with focus on the technology, energy and commodities sector.

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Unlike most bonds, dividend stocks allow investors to benefit from rising distributions over time.

What about the safety component? Well, how investors decide which dividend stocks are safe is really an art more than a science. Assessing durable competitive advantages and other hard-to-quantify metrics isn’t easy. Accordingly, for most investors, it’s more important to consider company fundamentals.

These three dividend stocks are ones I believe are safe from both a fundamental and qualitative perspective. Let’s dive in!

Safe Dividend Stocks: Caterpillar (CAT)

Dividend Yield: 2.65%

Based in Deerfield, Illinois, Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT) is the world’s largest maker of mining and heavy construction equipment. Perhaps more notably for dividend investors, in January 2019, the company was added to the renowned list of Dividend Aristocrats. For roughly 28 years, Caterpillar has raised its dividend, providing investors with consistent and meaningful income growth over time.

Caterpillar has also paid a regular dividend since 1933. This streak, which is approaching nine decades, places it among the most impressive non-financial companies in the U.S.

From a fundamentals perspective, there’s a lot to like about Caterpillar’s forward-looking prospects. The company appears to have adequate cash flow to cover its dividend, at least over the medium term.

For those who consider Caterpillar a long-term growth stock, its 2.65% yield is simply the cherry on top.

McDonald’s (MCD)

Dividend Yield: 2.14%

As many may expect, the world’s largest hamburger chain is a dividend stalwart. Shareholders in McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) have been receiving burger-related dividends for decades. Since paying its first dividend in 1976, McDonald’s has found a way to provide impressive dividend growth over time.

Aside from impressive domestic growth, McDonald’s has become a global brand. For worldwide consumers, McDonald’s has found a way to successfully adjust its offerings to meet changing tastes.

Thus, from a business model perspective, there’s a lot to like about McDonald’s cash flow growth trajectory. As the company continues to dominate new markets, investors stand to benefit from a very profitable business model.

This past quarter, McDonald’s highlighted its trajectory, posting same-store sales growth of nearly 10%. In uncertain times like these, it appears McDonald’s burgers and fries provide about as consistent an outlook as investors can ask for.

With a dividend yield of 2.14% at the time of writing, McDonald’s remains a top safe dividend pick of mine right now.

Safe Dividend Stocks: Walmart (WMT)

Dividend Yield: 1.65%

Last, but certainly not least, we have Walmart (NYSE:WMT).

This multinational supermarket chain has proven to be one of the greatest long-term bets in its sector. Indeed, its simple business model of providing everyday low prices hasn’t gotten old. For consumers and investors, Walmart has been consistent for decades.

With more than 11,000 stores in 26 countries under 54 banners, Walmart really spans the consumer spectrum. This has allowed Walmart to boast $15 billion in average annual free cash flow over the past seven years. As far as cash machines go, Walmart is certainly up there.

For dividend investors, the good news is Walmart has consistently — and generously — returned capital to shareholders. Over nearly five decades, Walmart has increased its dividend. Presently, this distribution stands at $2.24 per year, or a yield of 1.65%. While this yield is smaller than most companies, Walmart has made up for this relatively low distribution via increases each and every year.

Over time, I think Walmart stands to benefit from continued cash flow growth, passing on its cash flow to investors via dividends and buybacks. Those thinking long term ought to consider this stock as a core portfolio holding.

On the date of publication, Chris MacDonald did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Chris MacDonald’s love for investing led him to pursue an MBA in Finance and take on a number of management roles in corporate finance and venture capital over the past 15 years. His experience as a financial analyst in the past, coupled with his fervor for finding undervalued growth opportunities, contribute to his conservative, long-term investing perspective.

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Let’s go straight to today’s takeaway, courtesy of legendary investor Louis Navellier.

From yesterday’s Accelerated Profits Weekly Profit Guide:

To be successful in the current market environment, we need to remain invested in companies that are able to maintain robust earnings and sales growth, as well as benefit from positive analyst estimates.

Right now, the majority of those stocks continue to be found in the energy sector.

As to “why?” energy is maintaining robust earnings and sales growth, all eyes are on Vladimir Putin and his stranglehold over European energy.

In the wake of the Russian invasion into Ukraine and the resulting Western sanctions on Russian energy, Russian President Vladimir Putin has been weaponizing his energy exports to Europe.

Yesterday, that weaponization took a sharp turn for the worse.

From The Wall Street Journal:

Power prices surged, European currencies hit multidecade lows and governments scrambled to contain the economic hit after Russia cut its main natural-gas pipeline to Europe.

The cutoff, which the Kremlin blamed Monday on Western sanctions and said would be long-lasting, realizes the worst-case scenario Europe had been girding for since Russia invaded Ukraine in February.

The natural gas pipeline referenced in the article above is the Nord Stream pipeline. On Monday, when the shutdown was announced, natural-gas and electricity prices initially leapt by roughly 33% before settling up more than 10%.

Back to Louis:

Energy markets around the world remain elevated, as most of Europe strives to break away from Russian crude oil and natural gas.

While some European officials reportedly secured enough natural gas to avoid rationing this winter, it’s a struggle to replace Russian natural gas for 2023 and beyond, despite LNG imports for the U.S., Canada and Qatar.

Building on Louis’ point, here the WSJ:

Gas storage levels have risen ahead of European targets and analysts increasingly think the region will survive the winter without state-directed rationing, albeit at exorbitant costs to the economy through record prices.

From where is Europe now getting its natural gas, if not Russia?

Well, it’s still from Russia…but now, it features a side trip through China.

From New18:

…In the first half of 2022, China’s imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) jumped 60 per cent year-on-year…

Russia’s sales of pipeline gas to China have increased even more dramatically, growing by almost 65 per cent year on year. However, at a time when China is experiencing an economic slowdown, the Communist nation simply has no use for such volumes of gas.

It is here that Europe comes in.

China has been exporting the surplus natural gas in its storage to Europe at inflated prices, and European buyers, who are desperate for even the smallest of LNG drops, are readily buying the resource from spot markets.

Europeans are paying for the same Russian gas, only that they are now shelling out two to three times more money than they would have had their governments not prematurely sanctioned and antagonised Russia…

Therefore, a major part of natural gas currently in European storages continues to be of Russian origin – with the obvious caveat of it having been bought from China.

Is it any wonder that Europeans are now paying absurdly-inflated prices for energy? It’s the same Russian oil, only now with additional mark-ups to nosebleed prices.

On Monday, OPEC+ decided to cut oil production for the first time in more than a year, targeting a reduction of 100,000 barrels a day.

Why would they do this?

Global concerns over a worldwide recession have kneecapped oil prices since this summer. And OPEC+ doesn’t like kneecapped prices.

Back to the WSJ:

…The market’s recent slide prompted the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and Moscow-led allies, collectively known as OPEC+, to prop up a market that had been lifting petrostate economies from Moscow to Riyadh.

The small cut would reverse the 100,000 barrels a day that OPEC+ said it would add to the market last month following President Biden’s trip to Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter. The U.S. and the West have called on OPEC+ to pump more oil to help tame rising inflation, but the group had resisted.

To get a bead on what to expect from market prices, let’s jump from Louis’ Weekly Profit Guide to his Platinum Growth Club Special Market Podcast:

Oil prices (yesterday) are pretty flat. The main reason is: China is locking down more of its provinces for Covid. So, their zero-tolerance policy is still impacting their economy.

So, worldwide demand is down for oil. And our demand in North America drops because the summer driving season is largely over…

We’ll see how this impacts everything. I’m expecting crude oil prices to remain relatively firm. They might go down four- or five-dollars a barrel, but they’re going to remain elevated because of all the supply disruptions internationally.

As soon as China picks up, or Europe picks back up – and of course, our demand will resurge in the spring – then oil will be headed higher.

Inflation has been soaring in Europe, hitting a record high of 9.1% in August.

Last month, when inflation was at 8.9%, the European Central Bank (ECB) surprised the world by raising interest rates for the first time in more than 11 years to try to control this runaway inflation.

For context, the interest rate has been negative since 2014 as the ECB has been trying to stimulate economic growth after years of weakness.

Similar to the Fed’s challenge here in the U.S., the ECB is walking a tightrope. It has to raise rates to curb inflation, but higher rates threaten to crush the economy at a time when Europe is already teetering on a major recession.

Be that as it may, more rate hikes are coming – today and tomorrow, in fact.

From Bloomberg:

Central banks around the globe are set to continue an assault on high inflation this week, even as vulnerabilities in their economies become ever clearer.

Northern-hemisphere policy makers are forecast to deliver the more aggressive actions. Unprecedented tightening in the form of a 75-basis-point rate increase is expected from the European Central Bank on Thursday, a day after the Bank of Canada hikes by a similar amount. 

That would follow half-point moves anticipated on Tuesday in Australia and Chile. At least five other central banks around the world are also expected to raise rates in the coming week. 

On this note, earlier today, the Bank of Canada did, in fact, raise rates by 75 basis points, while signaling there are more hikes to come.

Now, what’s interesting is that this has both positive and negative implications for your portfolio.

As the Fed has cannonballed into its rate-hiking campaign, the U.S. dollar relative to other currencies has soared.

To see this, below, we look at the U.S. Dollar Index. It’s a measure of the value of the U.S. dollar relative to the value of a basket of six major global currencies – the Euro, Swiss Franc, Japanese Yen, Canadian dollar, British pound, and Swedish Krona.

The dollar is up 18% over the last year – a big move for a currency.

As we’ve pointed out in recent Digests, this strong dollar has been bad for U.S. stocks. That’s because roughly 30% of the market-weighted sales of the S&P 500 are international.

So, while a strong dollar is great for U.S. tourists headed to the Italian coastline, it’s terrible for U.S. companies who are getting paid in weakened currencies.

Now, we can’t blame all of the S&P’s woes on the strengthening dollar, but take a look at the chart below and decide for yourself if you see some correlation. The S&P is in green, the Dollar Index in black.

With the ECB and the Bank of England finally raising rates, this should begin to weaken the Dollar Index. And that will be bullish for U.S. stocks.

But that brings up another question…

The cost of living in Europe is exploding thanks to energy costs (again, we’d point you toward the absurd new sales route through China).

Here’s Bloomberg with those details:

Energy bills for European households will surge by 2 trillion euros ($2 trillion) at their peak early next year, underscoring the need for government intervention, according to Goldman Sachs Group Inc. utilities analysts.

At their height, energy bills will represent about 15% of Europe’s gross domestic product, the analysts, led by Alberto Gandolfi and Mafalda Pombeiro, wrote in a note dated Sunday.

“In our view, the market continues to underestimate the depth, the breadth and the structural repercussions of the crisis,” they wrote. “We believe these will be even deeper than the 1970s oil crisis.”

And here’s The New York Times:

Economic anxiety is palpable across Europe.

In Prague, a day after the government survived a no-confidence vote over accusations that it had failed to act on soaring prices, tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets on Saturday to voice outrage over energy costs.

Led by far-right and fringe political groups, many demonstrators also criticized the Czech Republic’s membership in NATO and the European Union.

The protests underline growing concerns among European leaders that the energy crisis and soaring inflation could trigger political instability.

Many citizens said they feared for their savings, and worried they might be unable to pay their bills come winter.

Clearly, if Europeans are fearing for their savings and unable to pay their bills come winter, they’re not going to be splurging on, say, those new running shoes from Nike, or the latest iPhone upgrade – and with so much of the S&P’s revenues coming from Europe, that’s bad news for your portfolio.

Two weeks ago, economists polled by Bloomberg put the odds of a euro-area recession at 60%. That’s the highest level since before Russian invaded Ukraine.

And in the face of this, many prominent European politicians are calling for the ECB to hike rates by 75 basis points tomorrow.

Yes, such a hike might begin to chip away at inflation. But equally yes, it will continue to chip away at the health of the European consumer.

So, which will be the biggest influence on your portfolio? Currency tailwinds (meaning a weakening U.S. dollar)? Or demand headwinds (meaning reduced European demand for U.S. products)?

This is what we’ll be monitoring as we move late into the year. For now, following Louis into top-tier energy plays is a great bet.

Wrapping up, we’ll quote Louis: “Fascinating times we’re living in.”

Have a good evening,

Jeff Remsburg

The post Europe’s Chaos Grows Worse appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Fundamentally, should the Fed aggressively rein in soaring consumer costs, the result would be fewer dollars chasing after more goods. Such an environment would lift the purchasing power of the greenback. Indeed, precedence for this already exists. In the early years of the Great Depression, purchasing power increased by nearly 38%. Therefore, a stock market selloff implies a strengthening currency.

But why would equities decline if the U.S. dollar gains strength? It comes down to the economic incentivization between stasis and kinesis. In an inflationary environment, investors must do something (kinesis) to prevent their wealth from eroding. However, in a deflationary environment, sitting on dollars (stasis) effectively generates a guaranteed positive return.

Understanding this critical context will allow you to better survive a stock market selloff. Below are three points to consider.

Selectivity (or Making Your Rising Dollars Count)

Have you ever noticed that practically every single doom-and-gloom huckster sells the idea of the destruction of the U.S. dollar first before pitching an investment idea (usually gold)? Virtually every market con artist talks about inflation because it forces you to make a decision. Stated differently, if the dollar was truly about to implode, you better do something quick (like buying a newsletter or signing up for a dropshipping course).

On the flip side, did you ever notice that these shameless disinformation peddlers never sell the idea of deflation? It’s for a reason. Under a deflationary environment, the dollar will gain value over time. Therefore, all other things being equal, you are guaranteed a profit simply by doing nothing.

From another angle, should a stock market selloff occur, the catalyst likely stemmed from a deflationary force. If so, investors need to be extremely careful about where and how they put their money to work. Since the dollar will automatically rise in value, any investment opportunity must be so compelling that it’s worth setting aside a guaranteed return in exchange for a potentially robust but not guaranteed profit.

That’s why you need to be extremely prudent – more so than usual – under a stock market selloff. Not coincidentally, this prudence at scale contributes to why true bear markets can be frustratingly lengthy.

Adaptability (or Boring is Good)

Peruse the internet and you’re likely to come across another type of market huckster: the one that claims the development of a system that can yield absurd profitability with a fantastical rate of success. Further, you may be led in with magic words like “back-tested gains.” Here’s why it’s nonsense.

The huckster may be correct that the underlying system produced substantial gains, but it did so under the prior equities sector paradigm. Should a substantive stock market selloff materialize over the next several months, it’s very possible that the game itself has changed. As mentioned earlier, rather than operating under a framework of dovish monetary policies, the Fed has pivoted to hawkishness.

In economics, that’s the equivalent of a 180. Therefore, investors must be adaptable to this sharp transition. Specifically, rather than growth stocks like Affirm (NASDAQ:AFRM) or Coupang (NYSE:CPNG), investors will want to focus on “boring” names like Progressive (NYSE:PGR) or Duke Energy (NYSE:DUK).

The former two companies may benefit from an inflationary cycle as cheap money incentivizes intriguing business expansion opportunities. However, the latter two are kings of deflation because, in a parsimonious environment, such companies offer indelible services.

Productivity (or Your Boss is Watching You)

In an interview with Bloomberg, real estate billionaire Stephen Ross said that during the middle of the pandemic, employers hesitated to lay down the law due to the tight labor market. “But I think as you go into a recession and people fear that they might not have a job, that will bring people back to the office. You have to do what it takes to keep your job and to earn a living.”

Exactly. Many workers insist that working from home is more efficient. Therefore, corporations should simply get with the times and allow a permanent transition to telecommuting. The thing is, testing the patience of your employer is incredibly risky ahead of a possible economic downturn.

Take Airbnb (NASDAQ:ABNB) as an example. Earlier this year, it announced that its employees would be allowed to live and work anywhere. That sounds like the ideal management culture, right? Well, keep in mind that when the pandemic hit and times got tough, Airbnb laid off a big chunk of its workforce.

Therefore, it’s imperative that now – right flipping now – you start demonstrably confirming your value to your boss. If that means coming into the office, so be it. Better to collect a paycheck (especially during troubled times) than to be “working” from home, permanently.

On the date of publication, Josh Enomoto did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

A former senior business analyst for Sony Electronics, Josh Enomoto has helped broker major contracts with Fortune Global 500 companies. Over the past several years, he has delivered unique, critical insights for the investment markets, as well as various other industries including legal, construction management, and healthcare.

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Celsius Network (CEL-USD) is limping along through bankruptcy. It has been duking it out with creditors, customers and lenders for months now as it tries to claw out of a financial hole. Now this week, Celsius is suffering another couple of blows. Regulators just accused Celsius of running like a Ponzi scheme. Meanwhile, one of CEL’s cofounders is making a declaration that will further complicate the bankruptcy proceedings.

When Celsius froze withdrawals in June, it was catapulted into crypto infamy. The company was one of the first to prevent investors from moving their funds, effectively buckling them into a downward plunge that most wanted to simply avoid by taking losses while they still could. At the time, the decision was framed as a way to protect investors’ assets. But as it became more apparent that Celsius was approaching bankruptcy, the move became more of an attempt at stabilization.

Fast forward and, after some back and forth with lenders and an aggressive debt repayment campaign, Celsius is still filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Since July, the company has been promising to get itself back into a profitable space that can attract new shareholders. However, that’s proving easier said than done.

Many weeks of back and forth between Celsius and creditors in court have brought challenges to the company’s plan to mine its way out of debt. Ultimately, Celsius has secured go-ahead to do so from a judge. But the company has also dealt with multiple lawsuits and weighty accusations of fund mismanagement and more. Now, its woes are only persisting.

Celsius Network Navigates Accusations From Regulators

New bold claims are now beating this already downtrodden company. The Celsius Network’s latest hurdles? Regulators are paying close attention to the events that led up to its bankruptcy proceedings. Plus, CEL’s cofounder just threw another monkey wrench into the company’s court battle.

First off, Vermont’s Department of Financial Regulation evidently has beef with Celsius; the body just made this known with an eye-catching new filing. Essentially, state regulators say Celsius “misled investors about its financial health.” They also say the company used the CEL crypto to pad its balance sheet.

In fact, the department goes so far as to accuse Celsius of operating like a Ponzi scheme. “At least at some points in time, yields to existing investors were probably being paid with the assets of new investors,” the filing claims. According to the agency, the filing is the result of a multi-state investigation into the company’s practices leading up to its bankruptcy.

Meanwhile, Celsius cofounder Daniel Leon is causing an entirely different concern for this already-on-edge name. Recently, Leon submitted a filing to the court declaring his 32,600 common shares of the company “worthless.” Leon is likely using the filing in order to turn his holdings into a tax write-off, so this news may not mean anything for Celsius in terms of penalty. Still, it adds salt in the wound for the Celsius Network.

On the date of publication, Brenden Rearick did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Brenden Rearick is a Financial News Writer for InvestorPlace’s Today’s Market team. He mainly covers digital assets and tech stocks, with a focus on crypto regulation and DeFi.

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The entire energy trade has been strong – everything from natural gas, oil, uranium, energy storage, solar, electric vehicles. Indeed, earlier this year, despite soaring battery metal prices, EV sales were still hitting record highs. And this wave is continuing as that “headwind” has become a tailwind. Battery metal prices are falling, and we think that could lead to EV price reductions in 2023. It seems this energy rally has legs.

This is great timing for assets like Rivian stock. Indeed, things are just ramping up for the company here in 2022. But over the next few years, production will really pick up the pace. As the macro environment improves during this ramp, it will really help the company’s sales and margins. And Rivian stock could be primed for excellence.

Today, investors are simply waiting for the Fed to take inflation out back and shoot it. The only question is: How bad will that collateral damage be? For EVs, a shift in consumer preference is a strong tailwind that should survive no matter how much collateral damage we see. It’s a resilient space.

Now, as Aaron notes in this week’s episode, a slowing economy, falling inflation, and lower yields all set the stage for a market rally into the end of the year. So why aren’t people buying into that rally right now?

Indeed, according to the data we’re seeing, we’re in for falling inflation, a dovish evolution of the Fed, and lower Treasury yields over the coming months. And based on those three things, stocks should rally big into the end of the year.

But if the opposite happens – inflation stays hot, the Fed remains hawkish, and yields go higher – stocks will collapse. And the fear of that outcome is so strong that it has investors sitting on the sidelines. They want more proof to emerge before they’re willing to put some skin in the game.

And we think that proof will come very soon – in the form of the September CPI print. It’s likely to be much softer than expected and show a rapid deceleration in inflation. And after, we’re likely to hear some dovish Fed commentary about future rate hikes. Given that, stocks should head higher over the next four weeks. But we’ve got to get to that print first.

Investors fear CPI will come in hot, and that’s got the markets really choppy. And until we get some clear answers from the Fed, it’ll remain that way.

Now, the bear thesis hinges on the idea that inflation is structural. But this isn’t the 1970s. We have so many disinflationary forces at our fingertips today. There are so many tools in the toolkit nowadays that we can adopt as needed to make sure we crush inflation. So, it’s highly unlikely that the bear thesis here is correct. Indeed, by 2023, inflation will be a diminishing problem. And all signs point to a mega rally into 2022’s end.

On the date of publication, Luke Lango did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.

The post 2 Catalysts Rivian Stock Bulls Should LOVE appeared first on InvestorPlace.

For months, a question has loomed as to just how far the markets can fall. Between escalating geopolitical tensions and rising inflation, the macroeconomic headwinds have been significant. Recently, the Federal Reserve opted to raise interest rates yet again, leading to an even more bleak financial landscape.

As InvestorPlace’s Shrey Dua recently reported, the housing market crash will also likely to get worse in 2023. When these types of trends start making headlines, it’s hard not to wonder if a stock market crash is coming — and if so, can it be avoided?

One market expert just weighed in on the topic. Michael Burry thinks markets have even further to fall.

Michael Burry on the Stock Market Crash

Burry is famous for his prediction of the 2008 housing market collapse, which became the subject of book and film The Big Short. Since then, though, he has been busy with plenty of his own investments, including water stocks. The legendary investor has also deleted his Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) account multiple times. Currently, though, he’s back on the platform.

Earlier today, Burry addressed an important question about the state of the market:

No, we have not hit bottom yet.

Watch for failures, then look for the bottom.

2 SPAC ETFs failing is not near enough.

— Cassandra B.C. (@michaeljburry) September 7, 2022

This isn’t Burry’s first grim tweet about financial markets lately. Just yesterday, he listed several crashes in his signature cryptic style, noting the recent crypto, meme stock and special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) downfalls. Burry seemed to be highlighting an unfortunate trend.

Crypo crash. Check
Meme crash. Check.
SPAC crash. Check.
Inflation. Check.
2000. Check
2008. Check
2022. Check.

— Cassandra B.C. (@michaeljburry) September 7, 2022

Essentially, the legendary investor is implying that another crash is already underway; he clarified in today’s tweet that he sees markets falling even more. These posts are in line with Burry’s usual bearish attitude for 2022. Bloomberg reports:

“Warnings from Burry about coming turmoil have become common on Twitter this year, with the founder of Scion Asset Management predicting consumer spending and silliness in markets will cause trouble for investors.”

Whenever markets turn bearish, Michael Burry is a name that investors turn to — and for good reason. Per InvestorPlace’s Luke Lango, the legendary investor has an unrivaled record for finding opportunities in bear markets. But it’s important to note that, during the summer, Burry actually also turned bullish toward growth stocks. He thought they would rise in the second half of the year due to disinflation. Lango notes:

“[Burry has] called for disinflation and a dovish Fed policy pivot over the next six months. If he’s right — and we think he will be proven right yet again — then growth stocks are due for an enormous, face-melting rally into the end of the year.”

There’s still time for growth stocks to turn around and start rising again. Still, Burry did recently unload all but one stock from his personal portfolio. Clearly, he isn’t bullish on the high-growth part of the tech sector, having now sold both Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG, GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META).

Burry seems more convinced than ever that markets will fall even further before the stock market crash is over. Investors should follow his instructions and watch carefully for further failures to know when things have finally hit rock bottom.

On the date of publication, Samuel O’Brient did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Samuel O’Brient has been covering financial markets and analyzing economic policy for three-plus years. His areas of expertise involve electric vehicle (EV) stocks, green energy and NFTs. O’Brient loves helping everyone understand the complexities of economics. He is ranked in the top 15% of stock pickers on TipRanks.

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Others on the move include SolarEdge Technologies (NASDAQ:SEDG), SunPower (NASDAQ:SPWR), Maxeon Solar (NASDAQ:MAXN) and Sunrun (NASDAQ:RUN). Of course, the Invesco Solar ETF (NYSEARCA:TAN) is rallying nicely too, up more than 6%.

So what’s the catalyst? Specifically for Enphase Energy, it’s up on reports that it will partner with BayWa, a renewable energy company based in Munich. Others are up due to the energy crisis happening around the world. A little help from the U.S. federal government doesn’t hurt, either.

How Does an Energy Crisis Boost Solar Stocks?

There’s a lingering energy crisis impacting California, Europe and other parts of the world. Europe recently saw one of its hottest summers to date and energy bills are now spiking, while California is experiencing scorching temperatures and inevitably strained power sources. In fact, California Governor Gavin Newsom put out a Flex Alert in hopes of conserving as much energy as possible.

With energy bills surging in the U.K., new Prime Minister Liz Truss is preparing to commit up to 150 billion pounds (or $172 billion) to keeping costs under control for households and businesses. She hopes to cap annual energy bills at 2,500 pounds, or $2,860, for the next two years. While it seems like a necessary step to curb the energy crisis, investors are weary of the plan, as the country is already on shaky financial ground.

While energy prices have been declining lately, there is fear in Europe as we approach the winter months. An energy shortage would only send more price shocks through the system, creating a larger headache for consumers.

Although interesting, what does this have to do with solar stocks?

A brewing energy crisis will force more countries to focus on renewable energy sources. That, of course, is a positive for solar stocks as countries look to break their dependence on any one energy source. Need proof? Look no further than here in the U.S.

The Inflation Reduction Acts Helps Solar Too

The U.S. government recently passed the Inflation Reduction Act, which has some very big positives for solar stocks. The bill is “allocating about $370 billion to programs to mitigate the effects of climate change over the next 10 years.”

It includes tax credits, rebates and, according to The Wall Street Journal, “hundreds of billions of dollars in incentives for companies to manufacture clean-energy equipment such as solar panels and electric-vehicle batteries, as well as tax credits for companies that build green-power projects using American-made components.”

Combine all of these together — along with the strong earnings reports from the industry this quarter — and it’s a recipe for continued strength in solar stocks.

On the date of publication, Bret Kenwell did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Bret Kenwell is the manager and author of Future Blue Chips and is on Twitter @BretKenwell.

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Digital trading platform CMC Markets has been analyzing data on the renewable energy stocks that investors are most commonly seeking out. The platform recently revealed the most Googled renewable energy stocks, providing insight into the companies investors are most closely following — and why.

Let’s take a closer look at the most searched names.

Tesla (TSLA)

It’s no surprise that one of the most popular stocks on the market is the most searched for in the renewable energy space. Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) transformed transportation when it brought electric vehicles to the mainstream. According to CMC’s data, on average. TSLA stock receives 7.87 million searches worldwide every month.

The company has given investors plenty to search for. When it successfully enacted a stock split in August 2022, it made TSLA accessible to a new group of retail investors. On top of that, anticipation for the long-awaited Cybertruck is keeping both fans and investors on their toes. Now Tesla is on the fast track to producing cheaper batteries that could further transform EV production again.

The EV leader isn’t just making progress on the vehicle front. Elon Musk recently hinted that Tesla may be about to increase the availability of its Powerwall home battery pack. This would be another significant step forward for renewable energy. Regardless of what happens elsewhere within the sector, Tesla will remain on the front lines of the green revolution.

Gevo (GEVO)

It may seem odd to see a penny stock on a list with some of its industry’s top players. But investors have made it clear that they are interested in Gevo (NASDAQ:GEVO). This renewable chemical and biofuels company receives an average of 425,00 monthly searches. It is well-positioned to help the world in its transition away from fossil fuels.

According to Gevo’s webpage, it is “in an advanced state of developing renewable electricity and renewable natural gas for use in production processes.” In July 2022, GEVO stock rose when it entered into a five-year agreement to provide jet fuel to American Airlines (NASDAQ:AAL).

As InvestorPlace contributor Muslim Farooque reported, Gevo boasts several other airline contracts as well. “With the growing need for renewable energy, there are multiple use-cases for Gevo’s products,” he noted. Farooque ranked GEVO as an undervalued penny stock with significant upside. CMC’s data indicates that many other investors share this mindset.

As the green revolution continues, demand for Gevo’s technology will only increase, pushing it out of penny stock territory.

Plug Power (PLUG)

Plug Power (NASDAQ:PLUG) is a prominent player in the fast-growing field of hydrogen fuel cells. The company has seen its shares rise more than 15% over the past six months after signing a deal with Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) to provide liquid green hydrogen. InvestorPlace analyst Louis Navellier is bullish on PLUG following this news. As he wrote:

The deal with Amazon makes it more realistic than ever before for Plug Power to achieve its $3 billion revenue goal for 2025. This arrangement will also keep Plug Power very busy. That’s because the company will ‘supply 10,950 tons per year of liquid green hydrogen to fuel Amazon operations.’

Plug Power’s 319,000 average monthly searches indicate that many other investors share Navellier’s optimism that PLUG will rise in the coming months.

Sunrun (RUN)

Despite its trading symbol, Sunrun (NASDAQ:RUN) is not a stock that investors should run away from. The company deals in photovoltaic solar energy generation systems and battery energy storage, two fields that are growing rapidly. It receives an average of 54,000 searches per month, making it the most googled solar energy stock to date. It has also traded better than any of the renewable energy stocks on this list on a six-month basis, rising more than 25%. Most recently, it shot up on news of new partnerships in the solar space.

As InvestorPlace contributor Joel Baglole noted, Sunrun stands to benefit significantly from the Inflation Reduction Act. Baglole also sees the company as having a competitive edge due to partnerships with Costco (NASDAQ:COST) and Home Depot (NYSE:HD). As he stated, “these alliances allow it to market its installation services directly to customers in the retailers’ stores nationwide.”

Bloom Energy (BE)

This clean energy winner also deals in fuel cell production. It often moves in solidarity with its competitor Plug Power. Bloom Energy (NYSE:BE) has been revered for its fairly recent turnaround from a disregarded stock to one of its sector’s top players. Close on Sunrun’s heels, it receives an average of 49,000 global searches per month and investors are right to be watching it closely. Farooque has ranked it as a top pick among fuel cell stocks, citing its significant growth potential throughout the coming decade. In his words;

By 2031, it expects annualized sales growth to average between 30% and 35%. A major contributor to long-term growth could be its large-scale solid oxide fuel-cell power generation platform which could generate close to 300 kilowatts of power on a typical configuration. Such technologies could prove perfect for niche-based projects.

Farooque isn’t the only expert who sees tremendous growth opportunity from fuel cell stocks. Fellow InvestorPlace contributor Josh Enomoto reports that it “could lay the groundwork for tomorrow’s zero-carbon economy.” Enomoto is highly bullish on PLUG, citing geopolitical pressures as a likely growth catalyst for renewable energy stocks, specifically those in the fuel cell arena.

On the date of publication, Samuel O’Brient did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Samuel O’Brient has been covering financial markets and analyzing economic policy for three-plus years. His areas of expertise involve electric vehicle (EV) stocks, green energy and NFTs. O’Brient loves helping everyone understand the complexities of economics. He is ranked in the top 15% of stock pickers on TipRanks.

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Wolfe analyst Rod Lache believes that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will heavily benefit Tesla. As of now, Lache believes that Teslas made in China carry the highest growth margin in the estimated mid-30% range. He estimates that Teslas manufactured in the U.S. carry gross margins in the mid-20% range. However, with the introduction of the IRA, Lache believes that battery costs may drop to $50/kWh. The IRA will also introduce a $7,500 electric vehicle (EV) purchase tax credit. As a result, the analyst believes that U.S. gross margins could rise by a whopping 10% and become the most profitable production region.

TSLA Stock: Wolfe Research Raises Price Target to $360

Lache also believes that the ramp-up of the Giga Texas, along with ongoing cost reductions, will provide tailwinds for Tesla. On the other hand, competition in Europe and China may hamper profitability.

By 2025, Lache expects the EV maker to post earnings per share (EPS) of $16. The estimate assumes “modest contributions” from side ventures, such as Tesla Energy, insurance, full self-driving (FSD), and charging. The analyst is cautious on several of these areas, such as FSD, but believes that growth in Tesla’s core business will support meaningful earnings upside in the upcoming years.

Meanwhile, Global Equities’ Trip Chowdhry is bullish as well. For the fourth quarter, he expects a “super record quarter,” driven by his estimated delivery figure of 511,000 vehicles. He notes that starting on Sept. 1, multiple delivery trucks carrying the Model Y have left the Giga Austin factory each day. Furthermore, Chowdhry lauds Tesla’s employees for their work ethic and points out that Musk slept in the Giga Austin factory for three nights during August. On top of that, he estimates that the time an EV is made to the EV being put on a shipping truck is 10% more efficient than the prior quarter. On a 20-mile stretch on HWY 101, Chowdhry has also seen about three Model S Plaids on average with a temporary license plate, indicating that the EV was recently purchased.

Tesla has not yet confirmed the date for its third-quarter earnings, although the company is expected to report in mid-October.

On the date of publication, Eddie Pan did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Eddie Pan specializes in institutional investments and insider activity. He writes for InvestorPlace’s Today’s Market team, which centers on the latest news involving popular stocks.

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Many tobacco stocks have the added ability of raising their dividends on a regular basis, which has allowed investors to generate even greater dividend income over time. The combination of high dividend yields plus dividend growth are why tobacco stocks are held in such high regard among income investors.

This article will discuss three of our top tobacco stocks today that are particularly appealing for investors looking for high yields, plus long histories of dividend growth.

Altria Group (MO)

Altria (NYSE:MO) is the industry leader due to its flagship Marlboro brand, which controls over 40% of U.S. retail market share. Altria is a more diversified company with recent expansions into smokeless tobacco, wine and a roughly 10% ownership stake in Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE:BUD). That said, Altria still derives most of its revenue and profit from traditional cigarettes.

In the second-quarter earnings report, adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) increased 2.4% to $1.26 year-over-year (YOY). Net revenue stood at $6.5 billion, down 5.7% YOY. Reported diluted EPS stood at 49 cents, down 57.8% YOY. Revenue decreased 4.1% to $5.37 billion YOY.

Meanwhile, Altria reported approximately $750 million remaining under the company’s existing $3.5 billion share repurchase program, which it is expected to complete by Dec. 31, 2022. Additionally, the company reaffirmed full-year 2022 adjusted diluted EPS guidance of $4.79-$4.93. That represents an adjusted diluted EPS growth rate of 4% to 7%.

Altria is a Dividend King, an exclusive group of just 45 stocks that have each increased their dividend for at least 50 consecutive years. Altria has a high dividend yield above 8%. With a target dividend payout ratio of 80%, Altria’s dividend payout appears secure. The company has proven the ability to raise its dividend each year, even during recessions, thanks to its consistent profitability.

We expect Altria to continue growing future earnings, which will in turn fuel continued dividend increases. The company has invested in new categories, such as cannabis and vaping, with investments in Cronos Group (NASDAQ:CRON) and Juul Labs.

Philip Morris International (PM)

Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM) was spun off from Altria in 2008. It owns and operates production and distribution of Marlboro, as well as a collection of other brands, outside the United States. In all, PM owns six of the world’s top 15 international cigarette brands — Marlboro, L&M, Chesterfield, Philip Morris, Parliament and Bond Street.

The company continues to generate steady growth. In the most recent quarter, PM’s revenue increased 3% YOY as shipment volumes rose 3% (excluding PM’s operations in Ukraine and Russia). Adjusted EPS rose 4% in constant currency.

Management revised its fiscal 2022 guidance, expecting adjusted EPS from $5.23 to $5.34 (previously $5.45 to $5.56). Excluding currency effects, management expects adjusted EPS to range from $6.09 to $6.20.

And like Altria, PM is betting its future on new products, although it is taking a slightly different route. PM has invested heavily in development of its heated tobacco product iQOS. Heated tobacco units (HTUs) are increasingly important for PM, as they now constitute over 10% of the company’s total volume. PM’s heated tobacco revenue was up 7.4% last quarter, more than double the revenue growth rate of the overall company.

PM understands the likelihood of a post-cigarette future, which is why the company’s core strategy is to switch smokers from cigarettes to its own iQOS product. The company has reported a high conversion rate of 70% for iQOS, which bodes well for the future.

PM is an attractive income stock due to its 5.2% dividend yield. The company has increased its dividend annually since the spinoff.

Universal Corporation (UVV)

Universal Corporation (NYSE:UVV) is also an appealing stock for income investors, primarily because it has maintained a very long history of annual dividend increases. Like Altria, Universal has increased its dividend for over 50 consecutive years, placing it on the exclusive Dividend Kings list. Universal also has a high dividend yield of 6.2%.

The company has a slightly different business model than most tobacco companies like Altria and Philip Morris International. Universal is the world’s largest leaf tobacco exporter and importer. It is a wholesale purchaser and processor of tobacco that operates between farms and the companies that manufacture cigarettes, pipe tobacco and cigars. Therefore, its financial results are subject to different variables than a manufacturer and distributor such as Altria and PM.

Nevertheless, Universal has maintained a very long history of dividend increases. And the company has maintained profitable even in a challenging industry.

Universal reported strong quarterly earnings on Aug. 3. Revenue was up 23% YOY, while cost of goods rose 22%. That meant gross margins rose 70 basis points to 18.5% of revenue, and adjusted operating income was up 5% to $13.3 million. Ingredients revenue soared 46% higher YOY due mostly to the company’s 2021 acquisition of Shank’s Extracts.

Universal faces a slightly more uncertain outlook. That’s largely because it is fully reliant on traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes and cigars. Whereas other tobacco companies like Altria and PM have diversified into other product areas, this will be much more difficult for Universal. It is not a manufacturer. Universal is attempting to diversify into adjacent agricultural categories, such as with the 2019 acquisition of FruitSmart, an independent specialty fruit and vegetable ingredient processor.

It also acquired Silva International, a privately held dehydrated vegetable, fruit and herb processing company. Silva procures over 60 types of dehydrated vegetables, fruits and herbs from over 20 countries around the world. And as mentioned, the company most recently acquired Shank’s in order to diversify away from tobacco.

On the date of publication, Bob Ciura did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

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Energy has been the leading sector in the stock market all year and over the past 12 months. That’s as oil, natural gas, and gasoline prices have surged amid soaring inflation and strong demand. Supply chain disruptions haven’t helped, while the war between Russia and Ukraine has only — excuse the pun — poured fuel on the fire.

Stocks like Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM), Chevron (NYSE:CVX) and Warren Buffett’s darling Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) are rebounding from today’s lows, but it’s hard to ignore a selloff of this magnitude.

Could we be looking at a potential deflation trade, along with a rotation out of oil stocks into tech stocks? The former has been an outperformer, while the latter has badly lagged.

Can Oil Stocks Continue to Fall?

An energy crisis in California, Europe and other parts of the world is driving demand higher. These real-world situations have been the catalysts to higher energy prices (and higher energy stocks). However, oil prices — and thus, oil stocks — face multiple headwinds in today’s world.

Specifically, the Federal Reserve is strengthening the dollar and raising interest rates in an attempt to kill — not just curb — inflation. The Bank of Canada, European Central Bank and others are doing so as well. Lockdowns in other parts of the world, most notably in China, are also an ongoing risk.

Not only do we risk a recession here in the U.S. partially as a result of tightening liquidity, but combined with other parts of the world that are facing a true energy crisis, we also face the risk of a global recession. With multiple headwinds working against oil prices and oil stocks, there’s only one main catalyst holding up: Real-world demand.

If that demand collapses due to a decrease in economic growth, then energy prices could tumble lower.

So what will happen with oil stocks? These firms are immensely profitable and many have a low valuation. But if energy prices begin to tank, there will be no saving these stocks, unfortunately. They too will need to correct if that’s the case.

On the date of publication, Bret Kenwell did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Bret Kenwell is the manager and author of Future Blue Chips and is on Twitter @BretKenwell.

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Evercore ISI analysts Mike Newshel and Elizabeth Anderson essentially painted the announcement as a mutually beneficial partnership. According to Reuters’ summation, “Walmart’s clinics could get a boost of new customers from UnitedHealth’s Medicare Advantage members, while UnitedHealth gains access to the largest U.S. retailer’s footprint and a venue to enroll more people.”

Further, the partnership — which lasts for 10 years — represents Walmart’s ongoing healthcare ambitions. Particularly, the deal could help the big-box retailer better compete with CVS Health (NYSE:CVS) and Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA). Notably, last October, Walgreens invested $5.2 billion in primary-care provider VillageMD, which has more than 200 locations across 15 markets.

Walmart’s collaborative effort with UnitedHealth will target common ailments among aging Americans, such as heart disease and diabetes, per Reuters.

The partnership will start January of next year. Initially, 15 Walmart Health locations in Georgia and Florida will start the program. Per the press release, the program will “expand into new geographies over time, ultimately serving hundreds of thousands of seniors and Medicare beneficiaries in value-based arrangements through multiple Medicare Advantage plans.”

WMT Stock Receives a Much-Needed Jumpstart

Though Walmart weathered the storms of 2022 better than many of its core competitors, WMT stock remains challenged. On a year-to-date basis, the security is down 6%, although the 2% pop on Wednesday helped improve this figure. On the other end of the scale, UNH stock is up 4% for the year.

However, Walmart’s partnership with UnitedHealth could provide the kickstart to WMT stock that management has been seeking. “We’re on a journey to transform health care, connecting more people to the right care at the right time — at a cost that makes sense,” said Walmart CEO Doug McMillon.

The cost structure for the collaboration could expand Walmart’s broader footprint. “Unlike traditional fee-for-service models, in which health insurers pay doctors a fee for each service provided, value-based health-care payments are tied to measures of a patient’s health,” noted Reuters. “The model typically includes dietary guides, cancer screenings and frequent doctor visits.”

“We expect that through this partnership, we would grow to serve hundreds of thousands of seniors,” said Dan Schumacher, UnitedHealth Group chief strategy and growth officer.

Interestingly, Walmart and UnitedHealth partnered in January to offer free, at-home coronavirus-testing kits. Therefore, the deal also represents a continued progression of their business relationship.

On the date of publication, Josh Enomoto did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

A former senior business analyst for Sony Electronics, Josh Enomoto has helped broker major contracts with Fortune Global 500 companies. Over the past several years, he has delivered unique, critical insights for the investment markets, as well as various other industries including legal, construction management, and healthcare.

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Evidence of a housing market crash continues to grow as new data shows a record number of Americans are interested in selling their homes. This may prove to be the beginning of the end as it pertains to a possible housing recession.

According to analysis from luxury real estate platform RubyHome, searches on Google (owned by Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL)) for “sell my house” jumped 147% in July, the “highest level in internet history for America.” This is troubling evidence that the housing market may soon see a staggering new wave of home listings. With home purchases having plummeted in recent months, the conditions could be setting up a substantial downtick in home values.

The limited supply of homes for sale has been something like the last line of defense against a U.S. housing downturn. Indeed, even as mortgage rates climbed as high as 6% earlier this year and rising inflation pushed many would-be homebuyers out of the market, real estate values continued rising for most of 2022 — largely off the back of pinched housing supply.

From March 2020, home prices have climbed nearly 40%. As millions of Americans collectively went inside, available homes for sale and construction both plummeted. Combined with rock-bottom mortgage rates that raised demand for homes, this set the stage for unbridled home price growth.

However, with a troubling number of Americans now looking to sell their homes, housing may fall sooner than many had previously predicted.

Housing Market Crash Looms Large as Americans Sell Homes

Home prices fell 0.77% from June to July, the first drop in about three years. Many economists never expected home values to dip into the red. Now, it seems the “dip” may end up being a plunge.

Limited home supply was likely one of the only barriers to a drop in prices. After all, if there is a limited number of homes for sale to start — even given the fall in housing demand — basic economics tell us it’s unlikely for prices to substantially drop. Many economists predicted home price growth to only slow, not reverse course.

As per the U.S. Census Bureau, the country currently has a 10.9 month supply of new homes for sale. This is nearly double the level recorded in December 2021 and increasingly close to the peak 12.2 month supply recorded amid the 2008 recession.

What happens when a slowed housing market experiences a flood of new home listings? History tells us real estate may be prime for a sharp pullback.

Economists, Analysts Clash on Home Prices

Everyone agrees housing has largely run too hot for too long. However, many experts are split over the potential severity of a slowed market.

On the bearish side of things, housing analyst Ivy Zelman — one of the earliest predictors of the 2008 housing crash — believes U.S. home prices may fall nearly 9% over the next two years. This would make for one of the sharpest home price drops in U.S. history, although compared to the 27% drop during the Great Recession, it would only qualify as a housing correction and not a true crash.

Meanwhile, Zillow believes the U.S. is still primed for growth, upwards of 2.4% over the next year. That’s quite aways away from its previous 7.8% forecast, but still reflects a market that’s adding value. Goldman Sachs is also tentatively bullish on home prices, projecting a more than 5% increase over the next two years.

Regionally, of course, this means some sections may suffer more acutely. According to Moody’s Chief Economist Mark Zandi, 187 “overvalued” local markets may fall as much as 20%.

Altogether, housing is currently an industry in flux. With a record number of Americans considering selling their homes, notions of a housing market crash remain extremely relevant.

On the date of publication, Shrey Dua did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

With degrees in economics and journalism, Shrey Dua leverages his ample experience in media and reporting to contribute well-informed articles covering everything from financial regulation and the electric vehicle industry to the housing market and monetary policy. Shrey’s articles have featured in the likes of Morning Brew, Real Clear Markets, the Downline Podcast, and more.

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In response to the development, AMC’s CEO Adam Aron tweeted:

Cineworld/Regal just filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection for its theatres in the U.S.and U.K. Fortunately, AMC is in a very, very different situation — because retail investors embraced us and let us raise boatloads of cash. Thank you to retail! You really did save AMC.

— Adam Aron (@CEOAdam) September 7, 2022

Notably, Aron mentioned that AMC retail investors helped save the company from an uncertain fate. Back in March, Aron explained that retail investors own more than 90% of the public float when excluding index fund ownership. Still, shares of AMC stock have fallen by over 50% since Aron made that statement. Much of that loss is due to the special dividend issuance of AMC Preferred Units (NYSE:APE). Aron explained: “the value of your AMC investment will be the combination of your AMC shares and your new APE units.”

AMC Stock in Focus Following Cineworld Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Aron sought to differentiate AMC from Cineworld, stating that AMC had $1 billion of liquidity on hand at the end of the second quarter. He added that the best thing his company could do for shareholders is to have “ample cash.” The CEO also stated that he owns 793,974 shares each of AMC and APE and that shareholders should not “incorrectly fear dilution.” He owns an additional 2,100,074 shares that will vest between 2023 and 2025.

Approximately 517 million APE units were issued, with the same number of AMC shares outstanding. However, another 4.5 billion shares could be issued, pending board proposition and shareholder approval. That would have the effect of heavily diluting AMC and APE shareholders. It’s possible for the units to be converted into AMC shares, although this is not expected to happen anytime soon.

Meanwhile, AMC received a price target of 50 cents from MKM Partners on Sept. 2. Analyst Eric Handler notes that shares outstanding have increased by 400% since the start of the pandemic. He characterizes the company’s capital structure as “upside-down,” calling into focus AMC’s debt of $5.5 billion. Handler adds that movie theater demand “hit a wall” in August and that demand should remain low until late October. As a result, the analyst lowered his box office industry forecasts for Q3 and Q4.

On the date of publication, Eddie Pan did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Eddie Pan specializes in institutional investments and insider activity. He writes for InvestorPlace’s Today’s Market team, which centers on the latest news involving popular stocks.

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Consider Warren Buffett, arguably the most successful investor of all time. During the bull market of the past decade, Buffett was harshly and frequently criticized for not buying any stocks or companies even as his holding company, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.B), accumulated a cash hoard that, at its peak, totaled $149 billion.

However, during the bull run, Buffett repeatedly complained that stock prices were overvalued and that he didn’t see any deals to be had. But this year, when the benchmark S&P 500 index suffered its worst first half performance since 1970, Buffett bought more than $50 billion worth of stocks — the most he has purchased since the financial crisis of 2008-09.

Buffett took new positions in companies such as Occidental Petroleum (NYSE:OXY) and Ally Financial (NYSE:ALLY), and beefed up his existing holdings in companies such as Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), finding high-quality stocks to buy on the dip while prices were low and valuations were cheap.

If there’s one thing Buffett doesn’t want to miss it is an opportunity to buy great stocks that are on sale. Other investors should follow suit and also take advantage of this year’s market downturn. Here are seven stocks that you should buy on the dip. If you don’t, you’ll be kicking yourself later on.

Alphabet (GOOGL)

At the end of June, one share of technology giant Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) cost nearly $1,800.00. Today investors can buy the stock for a little over $105 per share. Two things have made the parent company of search engine Google’s stock more affordable. The first was a 20-for-1 stock split that occurred in July. The second is the fact that GOOGL stock has declined 27% this year as the market has turned south. The end result is that investors can now buy this top-shelf technology stock for $106.27 per share.

Consider also that Alphabet looks to be fairly valued right now, with the stock’s price-earnings ratio sitting at 20, its lowest level in a decade. Add in continued strong earnings and a likely rebound in online advertising at its flagship Google search engine, and buying GOOGL stock at its current levels seems like a no-brainer. The current median price target on the stock among 44 professional analysts who cover the company is $140, versus the stock’s current level of just under  $110..

In the past five years, Alphabet’s stock has gained 126%.

Apple (AAPL)

Another heavyweight tech stock that is on sale right now is consumer electronics giant Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL). As I mentioned earlier, Warren Buffett has used the downturn of AAPL stock this year to bolster his holdings.

Buffett’s company –Berkshire Hathaway — bought $600 million worth of Apple shares in Q1 when AAPL was trading near $150 a share.  The current value of Berkshire Hathaway’s AAPL stock is $141.28 billion. The shares are worth more than any other single stock owned by Berkshire.

AAPL stock has fallen to $155 recently. In 2022, the stock has declined about 15% and looks like a bargain at its current levels. The company’s P/E ratio appears to be fair at 25.7, and Apple is one of the few mega-cap technology stocks that actually pays a dividend, as it currently yields 0.60%.

Among the 37 analysts who cover Apple, the median price target on the stock is $185.00. Apple’s share price has gained 289% in the last five years.

Ford Motor Co. (F)

Ford’s (NYSE:F) stock is down 26% so far this year and trading at just $15 a share. The stock is now 42% below its 52-week high of $25.87 a share. While the share price should be attractive to most retail investors, consider also that Ford’s stock looks woefully undervalued with a current P/E ratio of only 5.22, well below the average P/E among S&P 500  stocks of 19.83. Investors should also like that Ford pays an outsized dividend that currently yields 4%, also much better than the average dividend yield among S&P 500 companies of 1.69%.

If a beaten down stock price, low P/E ratio, and high dividend yield aren’t enticing enough, consider also that Ford is aggressively, and successfully, transforming itself into an electric-vehicle company. In an effort to catch-up to industry leader Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA), Ford has announced that it will spend $50 billion on its electric vehicle transition through 2026, up from a previous commitment of $30 billion.

Ford has also moved to separate its EV unit from its combustion engine business, a decision that has been applauded by analysts. F stock has gained 32% in the past five years, including a 16% gain over the last 12-months.

Nvidia (NVDA)

The stocks of microchip and semiconductor makers have been brutalized this year as investors flee from specialty tech securities and head for the relative safety of blue-chip consumer staples. Case in point: Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), whose share price is down 55% so far this year and trading at $136 a share. The stock is 60% below its 52-week high.

Investors who are in it for the long haul should take full advantage of the downturn in NVDA stock and buy its shares hand-over-fist. The  California-based company remains a leader in the chip and semiconductor space, and its products are used to power everything from supercomputers to artificial intelligence.

The company’s share price has been knocked lower this year after it was forced to pre-announce earning and lower its guidance due to ongoing supply chain problems and softening consumer demand for its chips that are used to power personal computers and video game consoles. NVDA stock also took a gut punch after the U.S. government restricted the sale of some of its chips to China, citing national security concerns.

But despite these challenges, Nvidia’s long-term outlook is strong. In spite of this year’s plunge, the stock remains up 231% over the past five years, and the median price target on the stock is currently $207.50.

Nike (NKE)

The shares of athletic footwear and apparel brand Nike (NYSE:NKE) have been in investor jail for the better part of a year now. The Oregon-based company’s stock price slump 35% in the past 12-months, sliding down to their current level of $107.75 per share. NKE stock barely budged during the July market rally and it has been trading around the $105 mark since May of this year. Investors have sold off the stock on concerns about its manufacturing base in Southeast Asia, excess supplies in the U.S., and slowing demand within China. However, none of these issues appears to have impacted Nike’s earnings.

At the end of June, the company reported fiscal fourth quarter earnings that trounced analysts’ average  expectations, announcing earnings per share of 90 cents compared to the 81 cents that was expected, on average, among analysts. Its revenues totaled $12.23 billion versus the $12.06 billion that was expected.

While its sales have declined in China, Nike has managed to make up the shortfall with increased sales in its home market of the U.S. and elsewhere around the globe. The company continues to expand its digital and online sales channels. The median price target on the stock is $129 a share.

Disney (DIS)

Speaking of companies that delivered better-than-expected quarterly prints, Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) just delivered stellar financial results, beating analysts’ average estimates on the top and bottom lines and successfully growing its streaming subscribers. Plus, Disney theme parks, hotels and cruises are back to operating at full capacity for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic began in 2020, and the company has had several hit movies released in theaters this year, including Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Death on the Nile. Yet despite all these successes, DIS stock is trading 40% lower than where it was a year ago at $109.66 per share.

Apparently investors remain reticent about the growing competition in the streaming space, as well as the potential impact that upcoming price hikes could have on Disney+ subscribers. Plus, some analysts have raised red flags about the $33 billion that Disney is spending on content for its streaming platform this year.

And uncertainty looms regarding what this fall and winter will bring regarding Covid-19 outbreaks and the potential for renewed lockdowns that could impact Disney’s theme parks around the world. Worries aside, investors with a long-term horizon might want to buy DIS stock while it’s on sale. The median price target on the stock is $140.

Starbucks (SBUX)

Seattle-based coffee retailer Starbuck’s stock got kicked down a few rungs this past spring when interim CEO Howard Schultz announced that he was suspending the company’s $20 billion share buyback program, and as several of the company’s workers around the U.S. moved to unionize themselves. All the drama has conspired to send SBUX stock down 25% on the year to its current price of $87.88 a share. However, after months of turmoil and strife, Starbucks looks to be turning a page by announcing the appointment of a new permanent CEO and the realignment of its retail network.

Starbucks just named Laxman Narasimhan as its new leader. He most recently served as CEO of health and hygiene company Reckitt Benckiser (NYSE:RKT), which owns brands such as Lysol and Mucinex. He will join Starbucks in October and learn about the company before assuming the CEO job next April.

Until then, Howard Schultz will remain the interim CEO. Schultz will also remain on Starbucks’ board of directors after Narasimhan succeeds him in the top job. New management could be just the thing to help the ailing Starbucks. Analysts’ median price target on SBUX stock is $91 a share, for 8% potential upside.

On the date of publication, Joel Baglole held long positions in AAPL, GOOGL, NVDA and DIS. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.  

Joel Baglole has been a business journalist for 20 years. He spent five years as a staff reporter at The Wall Street Journal, and has also written for The Washington Post and Toronto Star newspapers, as well as financial websites such as The Motley Fool and Investopedia.

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Voyager Digital, Three Arrows Capital and Celsius (CEL-USD), make up the big three crypto institutions chopped down dramatically by the crypto crash. Their stories prove the dangers of getting carried away by the prospects of big gains. Each, like many retail investors, were enticed by the regulation-free DeFi loans with exceedingly low collateralization.

Leading up to the crypto plummet in May, Voyager Digital, like its peers, was vastly over-leveraging loans with DeFi platforms. These loans allowed it far more assets to stake elsewhere, essentially multiplying their gains. But when prices dipped tremendously, the assets Voyager collateralized with these lenders was far less valuable. It fell subject to margin calls it couldn’t pay off, and began the fast descent into bankruptcy.

Just before its bankruptcy, the company revealed a multi-hundred billion dollar exposure to Three Arrows, which defaulted first. This forced the company into freezing all investors’ deposits, withdrawals and rewards earned through its services. This has become especially controversial in recent days as it comes to light that Voyager Digital was still taking and freezing buy orders. Since then, these investors have been clamoring to get their assets back. They remain furious at the decision, whilst Voyager navigates a Chapter 11 bankruptcy where it hopes to be bailed out.

Voyager Digital Heads to Auction, Prompting Price Swing for VGX Crypto

After already scoffing at an offer from FTX, it now appears the company will be heading to the auction block with what few assets remain on its balance sheet.

FTX’s offer was very obviously not what Voyager Digital had in mind. The company complained Sam Bankman-Fried’s company offered a low-ball sum to buy it out. Fortunately for Voyager, though, several other companies have apparently made more savory offers — so much so that the court will be handling the bidding war.

In early August, the company said it had a multitude of suitors looking to win it over. However, it did not reveal who these potential buyers were. Well, investors will have a chance to find out in the next week. The court has ruled Voyager Digital’s remaining assets will go to an auction-style sale where companies will bid to buy it out.

Bidders submitted offers through Sept. 6, an extended date from the initial Aug. 26 deadline. Of the 22 companies Voyager claims have offered it a bailout, it is unclear currently how many submitted a formal bid. After the auction next week, the winner will be confirmed by the court in a September 29 hearing.

The news is a sigh of relief for Voyager Digital customers. With a bailout in the works, Voyager can move on and return the frozen assets. It’s also invigorating investors brave enough to hold onto Voyager’s VGX crypto through these proceedings.

Holding VGX was a big bet that Voyager really could make its way out of bankruptcy. After all, Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings only really prove successful less than 10% of the time. As this news breaks, then, the token is soaring 33%, taking prices above $1 for the first time since June.

On the date of publication, Brenden Rearick did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Brenden Rearick is a Financial News Writer for InvestorPlace’s Today’s Market team. He mainly covers digital assets and tech stocks, with a focus on crypto regulation and DeFi.

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[Editor’s note: “Billionaire Joyrides Primed Space Stocks to Rocket” was previously published in December 2021. It has since been updated to include the most relevant information available.]

2021 was one of the most pivotal years for space travel in decades. As the nascent space economy flourished under the successes of relatively new space companies, space stocks soared. And that made for great conversation about the future of space exploration. I remember sitting down at a dinner with colleagues and talking about all the cool things our kids would be able to do in space one day.

At the time, Richard Branson travelled into the edge of space aboard one of his Virgin Galactic (SPCE) ships. Amazon (AMZN) founder and executive chairman Jeff Bezos did the same the following week. His flight reached the slightly further internationally recognized space boundary known as the Kármán line.

Amid these landmark civilian space flights, everyone was excited about the idea of going into space. Social media was buzzing with space jokes. News outlets covered the stories each day. And space stocks were flying high.

At the time, it seemed like a big deal. Space was going to be the next big thing…

Then, just as quickly, everyone forgot about the space race of 2021. Those who remembered dismissed these space flights as spectacular battles of the ego between powerful — and out of touch — businessmen.

Twitter (TWTR) stopped joking about the shape of the Blue Origin rocket. CNBC stopped bringing on space company CEOs for interviews. And space stocks lost momentum.

One moment, the world was obsessed with space travel. The next, it didn’t care.

But this may prove to be the costliest mistake you could make in 2022.

Indeed, the spaceflights carrying Branson and Bezos were about much more than bored billionaires showing off their extravagant wealth.

They were about showing the world that jet propulsion technology has progressed to the point – and costs have fallen to the point – where we can safely, reliably, and cost-effectively fly into space whenever we want.

Commercial Space Travel Is a Big Deal

For decades, space travel has been prohibitively complicated and expensive. But that’s all changing now.

Engineers have figured out to how create and launch a satellite for as much as its costs to develop and launch an app. They’ve also figured out how to do so very safely and reliably. And they’ve developed safe and reliable methods for return flights, too. In fact, we can even make reusable rockets now!

In other words, the science surrounding rocket launches has undergone multiple paradigm shifts over the past few years. Launching a rocket or a satellite today is nothing like what it was just a decade ago.

Today, space tourism and exploration companies can launch any person – or anything – into the edge of space almost on demand, at a relatively low price point and with a high certainty of safety.

That’s an enormous deal.

You can’t colonize and commercialize space unless you’re first able to travel to and from space. In other words, you need to be able to send people and objects to space – and retrieve them – before you can start building commercial empires in space.

And, folks, we’re finally at that point.

The Space Economy Has Arrived

What comes next is the emergence of a multi-trillion-dollar Space Economy that will mint a new generation of billionaires.

Indeed, once in space, we can start any number of exciting new businesses. Think about some of the possibilities in this new space economy:

• Geospatial Imagery. Satellites orbiting the Earth can dynamically capture high-resolution images that can be applied in a number of value-additive ways. Think national defense, asset tracking, crop monitoring, and more.
• Weather forecasting. Some satellites sent into space will have the ability to collect GPS radio occultation data. That’s data that leverages space-based atmospheric density readings to improve weather forecasting.
• Asteroid mining. Asteroids contain many nonrenewable resources, including water and rare minerals (like lithium for EV batteries). This could prove very useful to mine and transport back to Earth.
• Space manufacturing. The lack of gravity in space makes it much easier to manufacture certain objects, like satellites, in space than on Earth. Therefore, we believe in-orbit satellite manufacturing represents a huge economic opportunity in the coming years.
• Renewable energy generation. Space is a lot closer to the sun than Earth. It also never has clouds. Therefore, there exists huge potential to generate enormous amounts of renewable solar energy in space and transport that energy back to Earth. We believe outer space solar energy generation could solve the world’s climate crisis.

Altogether, the economic opportunity waiting to be unlocked in space measures in the trillions of dollars. And investors positioned to capitalize on this opportunity stand to make millions of dollars.

The Final Word on Space Stocks

We believe the unlocking of this opportunity has already begun.

That’s why we’re so bullish on space stocks right now. We see a huge opportunity for space stocks to soar 10X or more in the 2020s as things like space tourism, space data, and space infrastructure become widely used.

They could make millionaires out of their early investors, regardless of how the rest of the economy develops.

Fortunately, we’ve done the leg work for you. And we’ve actually found the No. 1 stock to buy today.

It’s a company whose technology could fundamentally change how the world communicates forever. And it could unlock trillions of dollars in untapped economic potential.

This company’s possibly world-changing journey starts next week in what may go down as the most important rocket launch history.

If that launch is successful, this still-tiny stock could absolutely soar.

It’s a stock you simply must hear about right now — before this momentous rocket launch happens.

On the date of publication, Luke Lango did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.

The post Billionaire Joyrides Primed Space Stocks to Rocket appeared first on InvestorPlace.

I understand many investors might be thinking primary sector stocks have topped out. However, there’s a fair argument that many of them lag behind their intrinsic value, providing investors much scope for deep value plays.

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So, without further delay, here are my three best mining stock picks.

Barrick Gold (GOLD)

Barrick Gold (NYSE:GOLD) is a must-have in any mining portfolio. GOLD stock has prospered the past few years due to sound management of the company by new CEO, Mark Bristow. The Canadian company has 13 gold and copper mining operations, stretching from Nevada to sub-Saharan Africa. Additionally, Barrick is the world’s second largest gold mining company, which has led to regional market strongholds.

Furthermore, Barrick’s partnership with Newmont (NYSE:NEM) in its Nevada Gold Mines venture is seen as a gamechanger that could generate life-changing returns for both enterprises. Moreover, the company already possesses a solid market share, as its gross profit margin of 39% illustrates.

Lastly, GOLD is currently undervalued, as its earnings growth isn’t priced accurately by the market. For example, GOLD’s price-to-earnings ratio of 14.6x is at a 5-year discount worth 38%.

Sibanye Stillwater (SBSW)

Sibanye Stillwater (NYSE:SBSW) stock is a “buy the dip” opportunity after its 40% year-over-year drawdown. The company is one of the leading providers of platinum group metals (PGM) with a key focus on supplying the electric vehicle (EV) space. Furthermore, Sibanye owns strategic positions in gold mines with its Kloof and Beatrix properties in South Africa.

Sibanye’s profitability metrics embody its operational success. Firstly, its gross profit margin of 29% implies it has achieved economies of scale, meaning it holds much pricing power. Moreover, Sibanye produces attractive returns to its investors with a return-on-invested-capital ratio of 26%, which also conveys its extensive market position.

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A final matter to mention is Sibanye’s total return potential. The stock is deeply undervalued with a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 4.4x and a forward dividend yield of 11.3%, providing investors with capital gains and income-based return prospects.

Arch Resources (ARCH)

Contrary to popular belief, coal usage won’t disappear anytime soon. Sure, renewable energy is the future. However, renewable infrastructure needs to be developed by utilizing fossil fuels, and with the ex-Russia trade world, there’s a need for coal to stopgap some of the renewable metal and oil shortages. 

Let me provide some quantitative evidence: It’s forecasted that coal consumption will settle at a 10% year-over-year increase in December. In addition, coal prices have skyrocketed by more than double in the past year, leaving the industry’s producers with humungous profit margins.

Arch Resources (NYSE:ARCH) is one of the largest coal mining companies in the United States. The firm generates more than $2.5 billion in annual revenue from its cooking and thermal coal, which is provided by its seven actively managed and owned mines. ARCH stock provides solid returns to its investors with a current return on equity of 132%. More importantly, the stock’s undervalued with a price-to-earnings ratio of 2.4x, which is 71% below its sector median.

On the date of publication, Steve Booyens held a long position in SBSW. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Steve co-founded Pearl Gray Equity and Research in 2020 and has been responsible for institutional equity research and PR ever since. Before founding the firm, Steve spent time working in various finance roles in London and South Africa. He holds an MSc in Investment Banking from Queen Mary – University of London and is working towards his Ph.D. in Finance, in which he’s attempting to challenge the renowned Fama-French 5-factor pricing model by incorporating ESG factors. His articles are published on various reputable web pages such as Seeking Alpha, TipRanks, Yahoo Finance, and Benzinga. Steve’s articles on InvestorPlace form an interesting juxtaposition between mainstream opinion and objective theory. Readers can expect coverage on frequently traded stocks, cryptocurrencies, crowdfunding, and ETFs.

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Specifically, Tencent invested nearly $297 million in Guillemot Brothers Limited. This deal amounts to a 49.9% stake in the holding company, according to Reuters. This firm owns the bulk of the Ubisoft-founding Guillemot family’s 15% stake in the gaming developer.

Further, the holding company has the largest stake in UBSFY. However, under the aforementioned deal, Tencent will only have 5% of the voting rights for Guillemot Brothers. According to a CNBC report, the “move effectively closes the door on a full takeover of Ubisoft by any party.” Unfortunately, investors hoped that Tencent would take control of Ubisoft, thus sending UBSFY into the ground.

“What this transaction does appear to signal is that any full sale of Ubisoft to a strategic or financial buyer is very unlikely. In our view this should be seen as a net negative for shares (though not for the company itself),” Cowen analysts remarked in a research note Tuesday.

Tepid Response to TCEHY Stock

Currently, Tencent owns a 4.5% direct stake in Ubisoft. However, under the terms of the investment deal, it can raise the stake to 9.99% of the capital or voting rights. However, per CNBC, Tencent will not be able to sell its shares for five years. Further, it will not be able to increase its stake in Ubisoft beyond 9.99% for a period of eight years.

The terms’ disclosure produced a ho-hum response for TCEHY stock. On a year-to-date basis, the security has dropped around 32% of market value.

According to Reuters, the move caps a difficult four-year period for Ubisoft. Operationally, the company — which delivered crowd favorites such as Assassin’s Creed and Rainbow Six — failed to deliver new games in a timely fashion. Additionally, the company faced allegations related to harassment of a prurient nature.

However, management’s comments indicate an attempt to put the challenging past behind. “Tencent is a key shareholder partner for many of the industry’s leaders, who have created some of the most outstanding video games,” said Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot. “This transaction reinforces our ability to create strong value over the coming years.”

According to Matthew Kanterman, director of research at Ball Metaverse Research Partners, Tencent is hoping that Ubisoft “can improve its execution and unlock value in its catalogue of intellectual property.”

So far, the initiative is not off to the most auspicious of beginnings.

On the date of publication, Josh Enomoto did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

A former senior business analyst for Sony Electronics, Josh Enomoto has helped broker major contracts with Fortune Global 500 companies. Over the past several years, he has delivered unique, critical insights for the investment markets, as well as various other industries including legal, construction management, and healthcare.

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Morning Consult provided excellent data points regarding behavioral analytics during and following the Covid-19 pandemic. Notably, a majority of Americans feel comfortable socializing with others in public places. Back in April 2020, only 13% of survey respondents felt comfortable attending a party. Given that the behavioral paradigm shifted, the new normal bodes well for the best restaurant stocks.

Another factor to consider is the return to work. Earlier this year, approximately 50% of companies want their employees back in the office full time. On paper, experts suggest this strategy might fail because impacted workers would be unhappy. As well, the labor market currently runs tight. However, we must also ask: Who signs the checks at the end of the day?

With employers likely to win the “office wars” and most people ready to return to public spaces, below are the best restaurant stocks to buy now.

McDonald’s (MCD)

Easily one of the best restaurant stocks in terms of consumer convenience and value, McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) presents an attractive profile. Fundamentally and cynically, fast food is addictive. According to Healthline, “The fact is junk food stimulates the reward system in the brain in the same way as addictive drugs.”

Frankly, nobody does fast food better than the Golden Arches. Should the economy take a turn for the worst, consumers will still find a way to reward themselves. One of those avenues for personal rewards could be a trip to McDonald’s.

On the other hand, if the economy does well, McDonald’s stands poised to deliver the goods. With its lightning-quick drive thru networks along with its convenient and intuitive app, the company delivers fast food for the current century.

Plus, MCD stock represents solid value itself, featuring a forward yield of 2.13%. In addition, the American corporate icon commands excellent profitability metrics.

Yum! Brands (YUM)

Cleveland Clinic provided an interesting take on the fast food industry. “Overeating certain foods doesn’t mean you’re a gluttonous or weak-willed person. It means your body has learned to crave junk food. Intensely addictive processed foods can spike your blood sugar, hijack your brain chemistry and drive you to seek out more.”

Speaking realistically and cynically, an addictive underlying product bodes well for Yum! Brands (NYSE:YUM). Love it or hate it, the company truly lives up to its brand messaging. Underneath the corporate umbrella sit compelling eateries like KFC, Pizza Hut and The Habit Burger Grill. It also features Taco Bell, though compelling might not be the best descriptor for it.

Levity aside, Yum! Brands commands an intriguing financial profile, including solid growth metrics and outstanding profitability scores. In addition, the company features a forward yield of 2%.

Starbucks (SBUX)

Though not a pure play among the best restaurant stocks to buy, Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) nevertheless deserves serious consideration. Although people generally prefer remote work, employers may no longer be willing to play ball with their employees. That’s because the paradigm shifted recently.

With the Federal Reserve poised to continue raising interest rates to attack inflation, the economy may enter a deflationary period. That is, instead of the purchasing power of the dollar declining, it may rise. Sure enough, purchasing power did rise (albeit by a tiny margin) from June to July.

Therefore, companies across the business spectrum could see reduced revenues, potentially creating lean times. That’s going to inspire workers to show up to the office to demonstrate value to management. Subsequently, Starbucks could benefit as it returns as a hub for the corporate jockey.

As well, its caffeinated products could act as a coping mechanism for suddenly recalled workers.

DoorDash (DASH)

Under a similar framework of a possible return to the office, DoorDash (NYSE:DASH) could draw intrigue among the best restaurant stocks to buy. Again, DoorDash isn’t a pure-play idea. Rather, the company specializes as a food-delivery service. During the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic, DoorDash helped keep the lights on for many embattled eateries. Moving forward, it can help worker bees cope with life back in the office.

As more employers issue ultimatums to their employees, DoorDash revenues may rise from individual app users ordering food for lunch. In addition, with full offices come your typical office events: birthday parties, quarterly celebrations, holiday gatherings and what not. Therefore, catering demand could also rise for the delivery service, thus bolstering DASH stock.

To be fair, though, DASH embodies a high-risk, high-reward opportunity. On a year-to-date (YTD) basis, shares gave up 60% of market value. Over the trailing month, they slipped 23%. Still, if employers start cracking down on their return-to-office polices, DASH could be one of the speculative best restaurant stocks.

Ruth’s Hospitality (RUTH)

Back when the Covid-19 pandemic first upturned American society, Ruth’s Hospitality (NASDAQ:RUTH) suffered significantly. Prior to the global health crisis, Ruth’s stood as one of the best restaurant stocks to buy for its underlying premium experience. During the worst of Covid, the inability to socialize badly hurt the nature of Ruth’s business model.

Today, the company stands on much more stable ground. While the firm operates at a higher price threshold than most of its middle-income competitors, the gradual return to normal means more opportunities for special celebrations. For instance, President Joe Biden’s administration prioritized the return of the normal academic year. This translates to more graduations, which then means fancy dinners.

Currently, RUTH is down 13% YTD, which is on the riskier side of the spectrum. However, the benchmark S&P 500 index is down 18% during the same period, just to provide context. So, if you’re a forward-thinking risk taker, RUTH could be interesting.

Dave & Buster’s (PLAY)

As Morning Consult reported, the majority of Americans are comfortable interacting with others in public places. Whether this involves attending a party, wedding or religious ceremony, people have come to grips with the global health crisis. Combined with the potential return to the office, this narrative may bode well for Dave & Buster’s (NASDAQ:PLAY).

Dave & Buster’s historically provided an outlet for happy hours. As well, it allowed workers to let off some steam. From a non-work-related angle, the company also performed well for attracting various sports fans. So, with both collegiate and professional sports back on the field, PLAY could make a comeback.

Enticingly enough, PLAY also represents one of the best restaurant stocks simply on the math. It’s one of the few public securities that is posting a positive return so far this year. At time of writing, PLAY has gained 9% since the January opener.

Darden Restaurant (DRI)

For a balanced take on the best restaurant stocks to buy, Darden Restaurant (NYSE:DRI) presents an intriguing profile. The company features several popular high-profile eateries, including LongHorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze Island Grille and Seasons 52. As well, Darden offers budget-friendly family restaurants like Olive Garden.

Fundamentally, DRI stock commands a similar bullish narrative to Ruth’s Hospitality but scaled down for the middle-income crowd. Obviously, the larger volume of middle-income households makes DRI a potentially attractive bet. But another socialization element may factor in here.

According to Morning Consult, a majority of Americans are now comfortable dating. Back in January 2021, only 42% of men felt comfortable while a staggeringly low 24% of women said the same. Now, it’s 62% of women that are comfortable and 73% of men.

Personally, I don’t it’s a stretch that Darden could attract more demand from singles doing the traditional dinner-and-a-movie date. Therefore, DRI should be on your watch list of best restaurant stocks to buy.

On the date of publication, Josh Enomoto did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

A former senior business analyst for Sony Electronics, Josh Enomoto has helped broker major contracts with Fortune Global 500 companies. Over the past several years, he has delivered unique, critical insights for the investment markets, as well as various other industries including legal, construction management, and healthcare.

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But before you decide to “buy the dip” with this popular meme stock, you may want to sit this one out. There’s little to suggest that the company will meet/beat expectations, with its latest quarterly results based on the earnings misses in the preceding quarters.

Even if it does beat expectations, that may not be enough to save the day. Other factors, namely the decline of the “meme stocks” phenomenon, could outweigh it. In turn, applying more pressure onto shares. Add in a rich valuation, and all signs point to “avoid.”

GME Stock Can’t Buck the Trend

GameStop has a mixed track record when it comes to living up to analyst estimates. Over the past two years, it’s only beaten revenue estimates 50% of the time and earnings estimates 38% of the time. This is why I’m doubtful that its latest numbers will set the world on fire.

Even if, despite negatives like a post-pandemic drop in video game spending, the company manages to beat the Street’s estimates, it may not result in a big move higher for GME stock as “meme stock” trends continue declining in popularity.

Retail traders, burned by market declines driven by rising interest rates, have largely moved out of meme stocks. The Federal Reserve’s decision to keep raising rates to fight inflation further dampens the appeal of meme stocks.

Alongside this, something else has soured sentiment for meme stocks. That would be recent events involving Bed Bath & Beyond (NASDAQ:BBBY).

As you likely know, this is another meme stock that GameStop Chairman Ryan Cohen has been involved with. In a reversal to 2021, investing trends are no longer its friend. This points to the stock continuing to move lower whether its latest numbers pleasantly surprise or utterly disappoint.

Still Pricey Based on Fundamentals

Barring a few short-lived “relief rallies” that could arise along the way, GME stock stands to stay on its current trajectory. Worse yet, it may have a ways to go before it finally bottoms out.

Why? Based on its fundamentals, shares remain overvalued. Given its lack of profitability, we can’t use metrics like price-to-earnings (P/E) to give it a rough valuation estimate. We can, however, use metrics like price-to-sales (P/S) to compare its value to that of other electronics retailers.

Until it fully becomes an online retailer, omnichannel retail is an accurate description for GameStop’s main business. Comparing P/S ratios, this stock trades at a high premium to names like Best Buy (NYSE:BBY). While Best Buy has a P/S ratio of 0.43x, it has a P/S ratio of 1.24x.

This implies a valuation of around $8.71 per share. To longtime fans of GME, this may sound absurd. What about, for instance, its move into emerging areas like non-fungible tokens, or NFTs?

Given the 99% drop in daily volume seen with the largest NFT exchange out there, I’m not holding my breath that big success awaits this company’s recently launched NFT marketplace.

The Takeaway With GME Stock

I’m not the only one concerned that GameStop has a big downside risk. As InvestorPlace’s Eddie Pan recently reported, one analyst price target (from Wedbush’s Michael Pachter) isn’t far off from the above-mentioned rough valuation estimate.

Pachter currently gives the stock a $7.50 per share price target. Using a sum-of-the-parts analysis, the analyst added up his estimated values for its retail business ($2.50 per share), its NFT exchange ($1.50 per share), and its cash position ($3.50 per share), to come up with this figure.

What’s the takeaway from all this? GME stock may eventually be worth a look as a turnaround play, but only if it falls to or below its current fair value. Until then, it’s best to stay away, as its aura of being the top meme stock continues to lose its luster.

GME stock earns a C rating in my Portfolio Grader.

On the date of publication, neither Louis Navellier nor the InvestorPlace Research Staff member primarily responsible for this article held (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.

Thomas Niel, contributor for InvestorPlace.com, has been writing single-stock analysis for web-based publications since 2016.

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GameStop (NYSE:GME) is in full focus as the company gets ready to report second-quarter earnings after the market close today. Across the board, analysts expect revenue of $1.27 billion — implying year-over-year (YOY) growth of 7% — and an earnings per share (EPS) loss of 38 cents. During the same period last year, GameStop reported revenue of $1.18 billion and an EPS loss of 19 cents.

Meanwhile, shares of GME stock have fallen by more than 15% in the past five trading days. However, the stock does still carry a significant short interest as a percentage of float of 20.84%. That’s equivalent to 53.25 million shares short, or a monetary short value of $2.11 billion. As a result, a beat on earnings could send shares climbing.

Short interest can be perceived as both bullish and bearish. On one hand, it indicates that many market participants believe the stock will fall. But on the other hand, in the event of a positive catalyst like an earnings beat, it could also send GME stock higher; short sellers would have to capitulate and cover their positions by buying shares of the underlying stock.

GME Stock: GameStop to Report Earnings After the Market Close

GME short interest has fallen by 11% compared to the reading on July 31. At the current short interest of 20.84%, it would take 4.4 days to fully cover the short volume. What’s more, GME has closed lower five times following the day after earnings for its past eight earnings reports. Over the past five quarters, GameStop has also exceeded revenue estimates four times.

Per Barron’s, GameStop has not reported a profitable quarter since the end of January 2021. Based on analyst estimates, its likely the company will not have been profitable during Q2 either. In the case of a positive EPS reading, though, GME stock should soar higher.

Options traders appear to be bullish as well. In the past ten days, 2.5 call options for GME have been bought for every put option purchased on three options exchanges.

Under the leadership of CEO Matt Furlong, GameStop has placed an emphasis on fulfillment capabilities, customer service and, interestingly, non-fungible tokens (NFTs). The video game retailer launched an NFT marketplace and wallet this summer. Earnings should provide a glimpse into this development.

On the date of publication, Eddie Pan did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Eddie Pan specializes in institutional investments and insider activity. He writes for InvestorPlace’s Today’s Market team, which centers on the latest news involving popular stocks.

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According to the company, this agreement will continue to have its content appear alongside Alexa products, as well as Fire TV software. Getty Images holds 495 million visual assets that cover sports, news, entertainment, archival, as well as creative images.

Peter Orlowsky, senior vice president of Strategic Development at Getty Images, said the following about the deal:

The renewal of this agreement between Getty Images and Amazon highlights the growing demand for high-quality imagery that is only available at Getty Images. We continue to license our premium collection of editorial, creative and archival content to Amazon, working closely with them to improve the visual experience of Alexa now and in the future.

Today’s News Isn’t Helping GETY Stock

While a renewed contract should be a positive catalyst for GETY stock, that’s not the case today. Instead, the news doesn’t seem to be exciting investors as trading volume remains lower than the company’s daily average. Only around 500,000 shares have traded as of this writing, as compared to the daily average of roughly 1 million shares.

GETY stock is down 7.1% as of Wednesday afternoon. However, the company’s stock is up 37.8% since the start of the year.

There’s more recent stock market news that traders need to know about below!

InvestorPlace is home to all of the hottest stock market news happening on Wednesday! A few examples of that include what has shares of Tandy Leather Factory (OTCMKTS:TLFA), Sidus Space (NASDAQ:SIDU), and BioVie (NASDAQ:BIVI) stock on the move. You can catch up on all of this news at the following links!

More Stock Market News for Wednesday

• Is Tandy Leather Factory (TLFA) Stock the Next Big Squeeze?
• What Is Going on With Sidus Space (SIDU) Stock Today?
• BioVie (BIVI) Stock Pops on Positive Alzheimer’s Trial Results

On the date of publication, William White did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

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That’s no longer the case in 2022. Investors want quality revenues and profits. Having one without the other is unacceptable these days.

Australian Financial Review recently  discussed the tech split between “earners and burners.”

“The narrative is split into earners and burners,” Discovery Funds Management founder and portfolio manager Chris Bainbridge told AFR.  “We believe this correction is one of the best things that could have happened for a number of tech companies because it enforces a financial discipline that hasn’t been there for the last few years.”

The portfolio manager believes today’s market is the perfect time for stock pickers. Buying the index no longer works.

So, what might?

An excellent place to start would be the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. If all three of these look positive and the valuations aren’t too high, you might have something.

For this article, I’ll use three criteria: Operating profits, low net debt, and free cash flow (FCF), to find seven tech stocks to buy with superior fundamentals.

Microsoft (MSFT)

Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is one of those investments that’s hard to find fault with.

After all, it’s got one of the tech industry’s finest CEOs in Satya Nadella, who Barron’s recently named to its Best CEOs of 2022 list. Since Nadella became CEO in 2014, MSFT stock has generated an annualized total return of 27.9%, 2.5x greater than the S&P 500.

“Nadella’s prescient bet on cloud computing has also been a great success. Microsoft is now the solid No. 2 player in a market that Wedbush Securities predicts will reach $1 trillion over the next decade. According to Gartner, Microsoft’s Azure gained ground last year on the leader, Amazon Web Services, garnering a 21% share of the cloud market,” Barron’s contributor Tae Kim stated.

As for its financial statements, it finished fiscal 2022 (June year-end) with $57.73 billion in net cash, $83.38 billion in operating profits, and $65.15 billion in FCF.

Despite being one of the best tech stocks to buy and own for the long haul, its FCF yield is a reasonable 3.4%.

It’s a must-own.

Paychex (PAYX)

In August, Paychex (NASDAQ:PAYX) CEO Martin Mucci announced his retirement as the human capital management company’s chief executive after 12 years in the top job. When Mucci became CEO, PAYX stock traded at around $28. It’s up 333% since, compared to 240% for the S&P 500.

“In his time as CEO, Paychex revenue has more than doubled, from $2 billion to over $4.6 billion, and our market capitalization has increased from $10 billion to nearly $50 billion,” Paychex founder and board member B. Thomas Golisano said.

Mucci will be replaced by Chief Operating Officer B. Thomas Gibson. Mucci will stay on as Chairman.

Paychex reported its Q4 2022 (May year-end) results at the end of June. It finished the fiscal year with operating profits of $1.84 billion (26% higher than 2021), $493.6 million in net cash, and $1.37 billion in FCF.

Its FCF yield is a reasonable 3.1%.

Lam Research (LRCX)

Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) is a California-based semiconductor wafer fabrication equipment manufacturer.

It reported record revenues and earnings during the fourth quarter that ended June 26. On the top line, it had revenue of $4.64 billion, 14% higher than Q3 2022. On the bottom line, it had non-GAAP earnings per share of $8.83, 19% higher than the previous quarter.

“Lam delivered record levels of revenue and earnings per share in the June quarter while continuing to operate in a supply-constrained environment,” said Tim Archer, Lam Research’s President, and Chief Executive Officer.

Lam’s cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments were $3.9 billion as of June 26, down from $4.6 billion at the end of March. The good news if you’re a shareholder is that it was lower due to $876.1 million in share repurchases. It finished fiscal 2022 with $1.06 billion in net debt.

The equipment manufacturer’s operating income in fiscal 2022 was $5.38 billion, 23% higher than a year earlier. Operating income accounted for 31.2% of revenue, 60 basis points higher than in 2021.

Its FCF yield is 4.4% based on the 2022 FCF of $2.55 billion and a $58.48 billion market cap. I believe that anything between 4% and 8% is fair value.

Cisco Systems (CSCO)

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) delivered better-than-expected Q4 2022 results in August. On the top line, its revenues were $13.1 billion, $310 million higher than analyst expectations. On the bottom line, it earned 83 cents per share, one cent better than the consensus estimate.

Equally important, the company’s guidance for fiscal 2023 was very optimistic. It expects revenues to grow by 5% at the midpoint, with EPS between $3.49 and $3.56. Analysts were expecting revenue growth of just 2.3% with $3.53 a share in earnings.

For fiscal 2022, its operating profit of $13.97 billion was 8.9% higher than $12.83 billion a year earlier. Its net cash was $10.6 billion, and its FCF yield was 7.3%. I consider anything over 8% to be in value territory.

Cisco finished the year with Remaining Performance obligations of more than $31 billion. It continues to transform its business into a more cloud-based operation. As a result, its Annualized Recurring Revenue (ARR) hit $22.9 billion at the end of the fourth quarter, 8% higher than a year ago.

Between share repurchases and dividends, Cisco returns more than $4 billion a quarter to shareholders.

Synaptics (SYNA)

The average analyst rating from the 11 analysts covering Synaptics (NASDAQ:SYNA) is a “buy” with a target price of $190.50, that’s 73% higher than its current share price.

The producer of high-performance Internet of Things (IoT) semiconductor solutions generates approximately 70% of revenue from IoT products and services. The remaining 30% is from Mobile and PC end markets. In fiscal 2018, Mobile and PC end markets accounted for 79% of its revenue. In 2019, its serviceable available market (SAM) was $8 billion. Thanks to IoT, it’s grown to more than $11 billion in 2023.

In recent years, Synaptics has done an excellent job strengthening its financial performance — its non-generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) gross margin in Q4 2022 was 61.0%, 20.9 percentage points higher than Q4 2019, while its Q4 2022 non-GAAP operating margin was 39%, almost 8x what it was in Q4 2019 — and that’s led to a much healthier balance sheet.

At the end of June, Synaptics had net debt of $105.7 million. In comparison, at the end of fiscal 2019, it had $140.5 million in net debt. Simultaneously, its total assets over the past three years have grown by 103% to $2.86 billion from $1.41 billion.

In terms of valuation, its free cash flow yield is 9.1%, putting it squarely in value territory. Definitely, one of the best tech stocks to buy right now.

Jack Henry & Associates (JKHY)

Although Jack Henry & Associates (NASDAQ:JKHY) sounds like the name of a law firm somewhere, it’s a provider of financial technology solutions for small- and mid-sized banks. It currently serves more than 8,000 clients.

On Sept. 1, Jack Henry completed its latest acquisition, buying Payrailz, an artificial intelligence-focused provider of bill payment and peer-to-peer payments. While no terms were released, the deal enables Jack Henry to up its payments-as-a-service (PaaS) game with banks and credit unions. Adding just $8 to $10 million in revenue, it’s a strategic acquisition. It won’t move the needle in the near term.

On the same day, it closed its acquisition of Payrailz; it also announced it was teaming up with Google Cloud to accelerate its next-generation technology strategy.

“Through its work with Google Cloud, Jack Henry will keep financial institutions at the center of their accountholders’ financial lives by enabling access to a broad ecosystem of Jack Henry solutions and leading fintechs through a single, secure, and scalable cloud-first platform,” its Sept. 1 press release stated.

On the financial front, Jack Henry’s revenues increased 9% in fiscal 2022, while its operating income jumped 13% over 2021. In 2023, it expects to generate at least $2.05 billion in revenue with $5.05 a share in earnings.

Lumentum Holdings (LITE)

Lumentum Holdings (NASDAQ:LITE) reported Q4 2022 results on Aug. 16. Both its revenues and earnings topped analyst estimates — revenue was $422.1 million, $4.1 million higher than the consensus, while it earned 49 cents in the quarter, 21 cents better than analyst expectations — but its guidance for Q1 2023 was below estimates.

“In fiscal 2022, we achieved record revenue in datacom EMLs, coherent components, pump lasers, tunable products, and sub-sea components, with company profitability above our target model of 50 percent gross margin and 30 percent operating margin,” said Alan Lowe, President and CEO.

LITE stock has lost 18% of its value in the three weeks since announcing earnings. It’s down almost 27% year-to-date.

Despite the downbeat outlook for the first quarter, analysts mostly like the maker of optical and photonics products’ stock. A total of 14 analysts cover Lumentum. Eleven rates it a “buy,” two have it “overweight,” with one “hold,” and no sells. The average target price is $111.62, 42% higher than its current share price.

As of July 2, it had $ 2.55 billion in cash and short-term investments and $1.88 billion in convertible notes for $670.0 million in net cash.

On the date of publication, Will Ashworth did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Will Ashworth has written about investments full-time since 2008. Publications where he’s appeared include InvestorPlace, The Motley Fool Canada, Investopedia, Kiplinger, and several others in both the U.S. and Canada. He particularly enjoys creating model portfolios that stand the test of time. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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Not only that, but a prominent analyst issued a $3 price target on TLRY stock as the company acknowledged losing market share in its home country.

If there’s any company that’s the poster child of the cannabis trade gone wrong, it’s Tilray. Do you remember how much hype surrounded this company in late 2018? There was a whole lot of buzz, but in 2022, it looks like Tilray’s investors aren’t getting the happy ending they hoped for.

It’s a shame, as a whole lot of wealth has been lost in that trade. Yet, even after the steep share-price losses, there are reasons to believe that Tilray’s loyal investors won’t see a sustainable turnaround anytime soon.

What’s Happening with TLRY Stock?

We don’t even have to revisit late 2018 to appreciate the persistent downtrend in TLRY stock. Just in 2022 so far, the shares have lost half of their value. Recently, they barely held above the $3 level.

Does a low share price equate to a good value? Not always, and unfortunately, Tilray is a prime example of a business moving in the wrong direction.

Sure, the buyers can point to Tilray’s 8% year-over-year net revenue increase in fiscal 2022’s fourth quarter. That’s not a huge growth rate, though, and it doesn’t offset Tilray’s discouraging bottom-line trajectory. Specifically, Tilray swung from net income of $33.6 million in the year-earlier quarter, to a deep net loss of $457.8 million in Q4 FY2022.

Tilray Stock Could Break Below $3 and Stay There

The company cited “changes in market opportunities causing a shift in our strategic priorities, and market conditions inclusive of higher rates of borrowing and lower foreign exchange rates.” These are duly noted, but such a profound, negative year-over-year earnings change is unsettling.

On top of that, Tilray can’t seem to maintain its market share in Canada, the company’s home country.

In particular, Tilray’s Canadian retail market share declined from 12.8% in the second quarter of fiscal 2022, to 10.2% in the third quarter and then 8.3% in Q4. That’s an awfully steep drop over just half a year.

Perhaps it’s justified, then, that Benchmark analyst Mike Hickey downgraded TLRY stock to a “sell” rating. Hickey also issued a $3 price target on the shares. Is this price target too harsh, though?

Given Tilray’s problems, $3 might actually be optimistic. With a cautious tone, Hickey duly noted Tilray’s “continued deterioration from its core Canadian cannabis business.”

He also observed that the company is “losing market share in pre-rolls and vapes.” This, evidently, was a product category that Tilray had highlighted as a strength in the previous quarter.

What You Can Do Now

If you invested in Tilray during the peak hype phase, you’re in a tough position. Surely, it’s distressing to witness the company shifting from a net profit to a loss and losing home-country market share.

It might not be a bad idea to cut one’s losses and accept the reality that TLRY stock could go significantly lower than $3. And if you’re not already in the trade, feel free to stand aside as Tilray fights an uphill battle to regain a profitable profile.

On the date of publication, neither Louis Navellier nor the InvestorPlace Research Staff member primarily responsible for this article held (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.

Louis Navellier, who has been called “one of the most important money managers of our time,” has broken the silence in this shocking “tell all” video… exposing one of the most shocking events in our country’s history… and the one move every American needs to make today.

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That uplisting is set to take place today and will have the company switching from the OTC “Pink Current Information” Market. It is possible traders will see the price of TLFA stock squeeze higher after that uplisting.

That would be unsurprising considering the recent squeezes of other stocks that have uplisted. The same has been holding true for companies holding initial public offerings (IPOs) of late. The goal of traders is usually to push them higher before leaving with the profits.

Investors will want to keep that in mind with TLFA as it can make stocks incredibly volatile. While there’s an option for making money with such trades, it’s also a risky matter that could leave traders holding the bag.

Company Leaders Expect the Uplisting to Benefit TLFA Stock

Janet Carr, CEO of TLFA, said the following about the company’s uplisting:

The re-listing of our stock on Nasdaq marks a major milestone for Tandy. Following the completion of our restatement in June 2021 and the Company being current again in its filings since December, Nasdaq’s approval is the final step in coming back from the accounting issues that led to the restatement. We believe that this listing should restore liquidity for our investors and allow for a more active trading market in our stock.

TLFA stock is up 7.5% as of Wednesday afternoon and saw larger gains in morning trading.

There’s more stock news traders will want to know about below!

We’ve got all of the latest stock news investors need to know about for Wednesday! That includes what has shares of Sidus Space (NASDAQ:SIDU), BioVie (NASDAQ:BIVI), and ChargePoint (NYSE:CHPT) stock in the news today. You can find out more on these matters at the following links!

More Wednesday Stock Market News

• What Is Going on With Sidus Space (SIDU) Stock Today?
• BioVie (BIVI) Stock Pops on Positive Alzheimer’s Trial Results
• Why Is ChargePoint (CHPT) Stock Up Today?

On the date of publication, William White did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

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That agreement has Sidus Space securing five launch agreements with the rocket company. These will start in early 2023 and will take its LizzieSatTM multi-mission low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites into orbit.

Sidus Space already got approval in 2021 to set up a constellation is satellites operating in low earth orbit. The launches will support agreements with NASA and Mission Helios for payload deliveries and space-based data capture.

SpaceX Will Help SIDU Better Serve Customers

Carol Craig, founder and CEO of Sidus Space, said the following about the agreement with SpaceX:

We are excited to partner with SpaceX for safe, reliable launch services for multiple LizzieSatTM satellite deployments into diverse orbits that meet our customer’s needs. We look forward to continuing our journey of ‘Bringing Space Down to Earth’ for a variety of customers, industries, and new use cases.

News of a deal with SpaceX has shares of SIDU stock seeing heavy trading today. As of this writing, more than 26 million shares of the company’s stock have changed hands. That’s quite the leap over its daily average trading volume of about 6.3 million shares.

SIDU stock is up 28.6% as of Wednesday morning.

There’s more recent stock market news traders will want to know about below!

InvestorPlace is home to all of the hottest stock news happening on Wednesday! A few examples include what has shares of BioVie (NASDAQ:BIVI), ChargePoint (NYSE:CHPT), and SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI) stock on the move today. You can get all of those details from the following links!

More Wednesday Stock Market News

• BioVie (BIVI) Stock Pops on Positive Alzheimer’s Trial Results
• Why Is ChargePoint (CHPT) Stock Up Today?
• Can Justin Herbert Help SOFI Stock Score a Touchdown?

On the date of publication, William White did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

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Part of the stablecoin niche’s recent popularity is most certainly due to macroeconomic conditions facing both crypto and the broader investing sphere. Bonds, stocks, even fiat values, are sinking currently as a result of rising interest rates, inflation and other factors. Crypto is no different, and the crash early this summer compounds into a devastating blow. Today, investors are seeing the market return to the same lows as when this bear market started. Bitcoin (BTC-USD) prices have sunk back below $19,000, and the global crypto market capitalization is once again south of $1 trillion.

Stablecoins, for the most part, have remained the only safe bet within the space. Their pegged values offer refuge from volatile price movement, which has been almost entirely downward in recent weeks. Users can also put these assets to work on DeFi platforms to keep earning.

With these factors in mind, investing strategies have gravitated toward getting the full use out of stablecoin holdings. And depending on which stablecoin one might be using, they might get more use out of specific platforms. Say, Binance (BNB-USD) users might get more use out of Binance USD (BUSD-USD) than they would USD Coin (USDC-USD). With this in mind, it seems DeFi platforms are starting to up network usability with their own stablecoins.

Curve Finance Unveils Plans for New Stablecoin Offering

Curve Finance developers are taking notice of the hot stablecoin market, and they’re looking to capitalize on it. News today shows the platform plans to roll out its own stablecoin offering, native to its robust staking platform.

In July, Curve made its plans known to release a stablecoin, dubbed crvUSD. This week, it has taken its first steps toward realizing this plan, uploading the preliminary code for the stablecoin on GitHub. As of yet, the details are few and far between as of yet. The code shows plans for several smart contracts to structure the stablecoin.

The token, according to the initial announcement, will be an over-collateralized one, similar to Dai (DAI-USD). The team’s plan is to hold reserves in crypto, and ensure that these reserves remain greater in value than the amount of crvUSD set to circulate, guaranteeing its $1 peg. Initial murmurs about the token suggested it could be released at some point in September.

This news is part of a natural progression for Curve Finance. The project has become one of the largest DeFi platforms in the world, with over $5.5 billion in total value locked (TVL). Being primarily used to trade stablecoin liquidity, it’s only sensical that developers seek to employ a native stablecoin asset for its users. Though, investors aren’t sure exactly of what crvUSD’s purpose will be. After all, no decentralized exchange (DEX) has issued a stablecoin before; this will be a first. The only thing to do is wait for more details ahead of the token’s release.

On the date of publication, Brenden Rearick did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Brenden Rearick is a Financial News Writer for InvestorPlace’s Today’s Market team. He mainly covers digital assets and tech stocks, with a focus on crypto regulation and DeFi.

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Nevada-based BioVie focuses on developing treatments for chronic, debilitating conditions. Among those treatments is NE3107, which BioVie is testing in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease. The company’s target for completion of its Phase 3 trial is mid-2023.

According to BioVie, an estimated six million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. Unfortunately, this is a hard-to-treat ailment and frustratingly, the research for Alzheimer’s has been mixed over the decades.

As BioVie explains, NE3107 uses “a two-pronged approach targeting both neuroinflammation and insulin resistance.” Fortunately, the top-line data released today indicates NE3107 is “associated with significant improvements in cognition” for the tested Alzheimer’s disease patients. Plus, no adverse events were reported.

What’s Happening With BIVI Stock?

BIVI jumped 7% out of the gate this morning before pulling back somewhat. As of 11:00 a.m. Eastern, however, the shares were still in the green and above $3.50.

This is undoubtedly a welcome development for BioVie’s investors. Yet, the medical community should also appreciate the positive clinical results for NE3107.

Notably, BioVie reported that, according to the trial’s initial results, the “measurements for most patients improved with NE3107 treatment.” However, mild cognitive impairment/mild Alzheimer’s disease patients “showed greater change.”

It’s important to know, though, these aren’t the final trial results. BioVie plans to present its final data and statistical analyses at a conference in San Francisco, which will be held in late November and early December. Furthermore, the final results may differ from the top-line results released today.

Nonetheless, BioVie’s announcement of positive preliminary trial results should provide a confidence boost to the company’s shareholders. All stakeholders can root for BioVie to continue advancing NE3107 in the quest to discover better Alzheimer’s disease treatments.

On the date of publication, David Moadel did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

David Moadel has provided compelling content – and crossed the occasional line – on behalf of Motley Fool, Crush the Street, Market Realist, TalkMarkets, TipRanks, Benzinga, and (of course) InvestorPlace.com. He also serves as the chief analyst and market researcher for Portfolio Wealth Global and hosts the popular financial YouTube channel Looking at the Markets.

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Today is clearly a great day to be invested in ChargePoint (NYSE:CHPT). That’s because a Credit Suisse analyst just issued a high price target as well as an optimistic rating on CHPT stock. The analyst cited recent U.S. legislation as a potential positive catalyst for the company.

California-headquartered ChargePoint builds electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. It’s a high-conviction industry, no doubt. But not every day has been profitable for the company’s investors.

Today, however, shares are in the green. This is due to Credit Suisse analyst Maheep Mandloi, who just gave a seal of approval to the company. Reportedly, Mandloi initiated coverage of ChargePoint with an “outperform” rating and a $22 price target.

The analyst cited some EV-friendly legislation passed into U.S. law over this past year:

“Sections 30D, 25E, 45W, and 30C of the Inflation Reduction Act offer tax credits for EVs and EV infrastructure in the US. The Infrastructure bill also provides $7.5B to strategically deploy EV charging and alternative fuel infrastructure.”

What’s Happening with CHPT Stock?

It has been choppy year for CHPT stock so far, but shares are moving up about 6% this morning on heavy trading volume. The next major resistance level for the stock to break through is the $20 mark.

Mandloi’s $22 price objective is based on the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act. This law provides tax incentives for qualified purchases of EVs. The analyst also cited the Infrastructure Bill, which supports the build-out of America’s EV charging network. Mandloi pinpointed ChargePoint as having the right attributes to reap the rewards of this legislation.

“We are positive on ChargePoint, as it benefits from a capital-light growth model, first-mover advantage with integrated solutions, and an attractive valuation.”

The analyst even went so far as to project that ChargePoint’s revenue will increase at a 48% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), from $241 million in fiscal 2022 to $5.62 billion in fiscal 2030. If this actually happens, CHPT stock could easily reach the $22 price target — and beyond.

On the date of publication, David Moadel did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

David Moadel has provided compelling content – and crossed the occasional line – on behalf of Motley Fool, Crush the Street, Market Realist, TalkMarkets, TipRanks, Benzinga, and (of course) InvestorPlace.com. He also serves as the chief analyst and market researcher for Portfolio Wealth Global and hosts the popular financial YouTube channel Looking at the Markets.

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The post Why Is ChargePoint (CHPT) Stock Up Today? appeared first on InvestorPlace.

SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI) stock is on the move Wednesday as investors react to a multi-year contract with NFL player Justin Herbert.

According to a press release from SoFi Technologies, the Los Angeles Chargers quarterback will appear in a new brand campaign. That includes a television commercial as well as other advertisements.

SoFi’s decision to partner with Herbert follows the company’s successful “Break Up With Bad Banking” campaign during Super Bowl LVI. The company notes that the new partnership grants Herbert an equity stake in SOFI stock.

SOFI Could Benefit From Celebrity Endorsement

NFL quarterback Justin Herbert said the following about the deal in a news release:

“Given our shared values and the fact that I am already a SoFi member, I’m thrilled to partner with SoFi in an official capacity to help guide myself and others to financial success […] In order to set myself up for success – both on and off the field – it’s critical to build and maintain great relationships, especially when it comes to my finances.”

SoFi Technologies is likely hoping this new partnership will allow it to reach more customers. That’s typically why companies bring in celebrities to help advertise their products.

SOFI stock is up 1.3% as of Wednesday morning but still down more than 63% since the start of the year.

Investors looking for more of the hottest stock market news today are in luck!

InvestorPlace is home to all of the biggest stock market stories traders need to know about for Wednesday! Among that is what has shares of Figs (NYSE:FIGS), Spero Therapeutics (NASDAQ:SPRO) and software stocks in the news today. You can read up on all of that at the following links!

More Wednesday Stock Market News

• Short Seller Spruce Point Says FIGS Stock Can Plunge 60% From Here
• Why Is Spero Therapeutics (SPRO) Stock Up 15% Today?
• Why Are Software Stocks Climbing Higher Today?

On the date of publication, William White did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

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The post Can Justin Herbert Help SOFI Stock Score a Touchdown? appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Through the first eight months of Aug. 31, ARKF was down almost 59%. So an argument can be made that ARKF should be on any list of fintech stocks to buy in September.

ARKF is actively managed by Wood and some of Ark Investment Management’s other portfolio managers. It typically owns between 35 and 55 stocks at any given time.

The ETF has 34 holdings, with the top ten accounting for 63% of its assets. Block (NYSE:SQ), which accounts for nearly 10% of the ETF’s assets,  is its biggest holding . An argument can be made that it is one of the three best fintech names to buy in September. 

I believe that Square will dominate financial services in the next decade. Down almost 60% in 2022, it’s much cheaper than it was a year ago.

What are the three best fintech stocks to buy in September? Read on, and you’ll find out. 

Block (SQ)

Block (NYSE:SQ) has lost almost 60% of its value in 2022. It’s down 76% from its 52-week high of $274.37.

As CEO Jack Dorsey said during the firm’s May 2022 Investor Day, Block is busy building an ecosystem of ecosystems. The company started with Square. It added Cash App in 2013. In 2019, Block began to think about ways to connect these two ecosystems.

As a result, it acquired Afterpay for $29 billion in February 2022. The “buy now, pay later” service provides Square’s sellers with an additional sales outlook, while the users of Cash App are given a way to manage their spending and cash flows over extended periods.   

As a result of its continuously growing new and existing ecosystems, Block has increased its gross profit over the past five years from $824 million in 2017 to $4.42 billion in 2021. That’s a compound annual growth rate of over 50%.

Currently, Square and Cash App have addressable gross profits of $120 billion and $70 billion, respectively, according to Block. Both of the offerings have penetrated a tiny percentage of their addressable gross profits. 

Wood believes that Block’s focus on Bitcoin (BTC) makes Cash App a much better bet than PayPal’s (NASDAQ:PYPL) Venmo app. I can’t say whether that’s true or not, but I know that Cash App and Square make a potent one-two punch.

If the markets move higher over the final four months of 2022, I don’t think there’s any doubt that SQ stock will rise with the tide.

MercadoLibre (MELI)

As recently as September 2021, MercadoLibre (NASDAQ:MELI) traded within $30 of $2,000. Today, it’s 57% off its 52-week high of $1,970.13. 

The operator of Latin America’s largest commerce and payments platform does business in 18 different countries, including Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. MELI is ARKF’s sixth-largest holding with a 5.82% weighting. 

As far back as 2013, I was keen on MercadoLibre’s business and stock potential. Despite the shares’ swoon in 2022, I remain optimistic about its chances to dominate fintech in Latin America. 

InvestorPlace contributor Dana Blankenhorn discussed MercadoLibre’s strong Q2 results at the beginning of August. He correctly pointed out that MELI is more similar to Alibaba (NYSE:BABA) than Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) because MELI focuses more of its energy on payment processing than online sales. 

During Q2, its total payment volume (TPV) was $30.2 billion, 73% higher than the same period a year earlier. Its  gross merchandise volume (GMV) climbed 26% YOY, excluding currency fluctuations,  to $8.6 billion . And 98% of that total was processed by Mercado Pago, the company’s digital payment platform.  

And if you care about what analysts think, 19 out of the 23 of the analysts who cover MELI have a “buy” rating or the equivalent on it with an average price target of $1,285.48, 50% higher than its current price.  

Silvergate Capital (SI)

While this year hasn’t been good for Silvergate Capital (NYSE:SI) — it’s down more than 42% in 2022 — it gained 70% in the third quarter of 2022. The odds aren’t good that it will get back to its 2022 high over $160, but at least it’s recovered some of its losses. 

Silvergate Capital’s operating subsidiary, Silvergate Bank, is a California state-chartered bank which has been around a lot longer than the nine years that it has been serving the digital currency and fintech industry. 

When crypto was flying, SI stock was trading well over $200. That hasn’t been the case in 2022. So, quite naturally, its share price is underwater. 

However, SI, the tenth-largest holding of ARKF,  remains profitable, despite the current cryptocurrency slump.  

In Q2, the firm’s net income rose 72% YOY and 45% versus Q1 to $35.9 million,  It finished Q2 with 1,585 digital currency customers with an average digital currency deposit of $13.8 billion. That computes to an average deposit of $8.71 million per customer. That’s down from $9.07 million per customer  a year ago, but it’s still at a very healthy level. 

Unless the digital currency industry and the blockchains fall completely on their faces in the next 18-24 months, Silvergate holds an enviable position at the head of the sector’s table.  

On the date of publication, Will Ashworth did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Will Ashworth has written about investments full-time since 2008. Publications where he’s appeared include InvestorPlace, The Motley Fool Canada, Investopedia, Kiplinger, and several others in both the U.S. and Canada. He particularly enjoys creating model portfolios that stand the test of time. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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The post The 3 Best Fintech Stocks to Buy in September appeared first on InvestorPlace.

The short report comes about two weeks after billionaire Ron Baron disclosed a $100 million position in the healthcare apparel company. Baron characterizes Figs as a disruptor in the scrubs industry with a strong brand image.

With that in mind, let’s get into the details of the short report.

Spruce Point Issues Short Report on FIGS Stock

First, Spruce brings up Hasson’s background. Before Figs, Hasson claimed to run a successful handbag business in Italy and lived there for seven years. However, through a review of legal and corporate documents, Spruce believes that Hasson lived in California for most of those seven years. In 2009, Hasson filed for personal bankruptcy and was also accused of making false statements. These events have contributed to Spruce’s belief that Figs often engages in unrealistic statements.

After reviewing press stories between 2018 and 2019, the short seller concluded that Figs estimated revenue of $100 million by 2018. However, it only brought in $55 million that year. Meanwhile, Spruce accuses co-founder Trina Spears of making unrealistic statements as well. She claimed that more than half of Figs’ customers order products every month. This seems to conflict with Spruce’s proprietary calculation that only 22% of Figs’ customers place a fourth-order.

Figs claims to have a total addressable market (TAM) of $12 billion. Yet, in a review of Bureau of Labor Statistics data, purchase volume, and selling prices, Spruce contends that the TAM is actually $5.1 billion, or 57% lower. At the time of writing, FIGS had a market capitalization of $2.1 billion, which seems “disproportionally high.” Spruce also believes that Figs manipulates its gross margins, explaining:

Compared with DTC peers, FIGS allocates nearly all fulfillment and distribution expenses to the operating expense lines, instead of COGS. This results in FIGS gross margins being overstated by 2,040 bps.

On the date of publication, Eddie Pan did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Eddie Pan specializes in institutional investments and insider activity. He writes for InvestorPlace’s Today’s Market team, which centers on the latest news involving popular stocks.

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The post Short Seller Spruce Point Says FIGS Stock Can Plunge 60% From Here appeared first on InvestorPlace.

Yes, it’s been a horrendous year for stocks. But some investors are making money hand-over-fist in 2022.

The S&P 500 is down about 15% this year. And thanks to large-cap resilience in names like Apple (AAPL) and Microsoft (MSFT), even that big drop masks the underlying pain. Throw those out, and more than 1,400 stocks have declined at least 50%.

It’s been a rough year for investors.

Yet, even now, some investors are making a lot of money.

No. I’m not talking about investors betting against the market. Forget short-selling. I don’t like betting against American innovation.

Rather, I’m talking about investors taking advantage of Stage-2 breakout stocks.

What Are Stage-2 Breakout Stocks?

You see, there’s always a bull market somewhere. You just have to find it. And the best way to do that? “Stage analysis.”

I’ve discussed this in-depth over the past several days, so I’ll keep my synopsis here brief.

In short, at any given point in time, every stock is either going up, down, or sideways. To that end, a stock is always in one of four unique stages:

Using stage analysis, we can figure out which of these four stages a stock is in at any given point in time.

Obviously, the key to scoring consistently big returns is to find stocks on the cusp of entering Stage 2. Those are the ones that are about to break out. And they’re the best stocks to buy now — ahead of their enormous rallies.

We’ve developed a quantitative system to do just that.

It scans the entire U.S. stock market every single week, checks each stock against a set of parameters consistent with a Stage-2 breakout, and returns those that are breaking out every week.

Then, we go through those results with a fine comb and pick out the best of the best.

Yesterday, those stocks did their job. That is, they’re supposed to go up regardless of what the market is doing. Well, yesterday, the market tanked. But one of our breakout stocks was up as much as 10%. Another popped as much as 5%. And yet another shot up as much as 9%.

Our breakout stocks are… well… breaking out, even in a bad market!

And later today, we’re going to introduce a brand-new breakout stock pick to our portfolio.

Natural Gas Is Still on Fire

As noted, we run our stage analysis on the entire U.S. stock market each week to find the best breakouts.

Normally, we run our scans on Monday. But because of the shortened holiday week, we decided to run our scan for this week last night.

It produced some really interesting results. Specifically, we noticed three sectors that are catching fire right now.

The first is the natural gas sector. A handful of the stocks our system flagged as being in “breakout mode” were natural gas stocks.

This makes sense. The Russia-Ukraine war has resulted in a global oil supply shortage. And that shortage has been exacerbated by lacking capacity to refine that oil into usable end products. As a result, natural gas is in very short supply as we head into fall and winter. And that is causing natural gas prices to soar.

Now, if you look at the First Trust Natural Gas ETF (FCG) – is a collection of natural gas stocks – it’s no wonder our system flagged so many natural gas stocks this week.

The whole sector has been in a technical Stage-2 breakout since late 2020. And momentum has not slowed at all in 2022. Indeed, this ETF is currently trading at the midpoint of its uptrend channel. And our technical analysis suggests natural gas stocks could rally another 40% into the end of the year.

Could our newest Breakout Trader pick be from the natural gas sector? Maybe… you’ll have to wait until this afternoon to find out.

Best Stocks to Buy Now: Biotech Is Catching a Bid

Another sector our system has been flagging a lot recently is biotech.

Over the past few weeks, our scan has triggered bullish signals on quite a few biotech stocks every single week.

Why? Likely because the market is shifting from “inflation” fears to “recession” fears. This shift benefits biotech stocks. Lower inflation fears mean lower interest rate forecasts, which means higher valuations for long-duration assets like biotech stocks. Simultaneously, higher recession fears mean higher investor desire for recession-resilient stocks, which means higher demand for biotech stocks. That’s because their drug development pipelines are often recession-resilient. (People need drugs in good and bad economies –maybe even more in bad economies).

Looking at the technical picture for biotech stocks, the breakout is very clear. The SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI) bottomed in June and has soared ever since. Yes, it’s undergone a minor pullback recently. But that pullback is minute relative to the rally, and the ETF remains well within its newly formed uptrend channel.

If this new uptrend persists, biotech stocks could soar another 55% into the end of the year!

We already own some biotech stocks in our Breakout Trader portfolio, and they’re amid some huge breakouts. But could our latest pick also be a biotech stock? Maybe…

Uranium Is Resurging

The last sector that pinged on our radar this past week is the uranium industry. And according to our system, that’s because quite a few uranium stocks are breaking out right now.

The fundamental story here is pretty simple.

The world is shifting toward clean energy. Nuclear power is a very effective form of clean energy. But it has been shunned for years because of safety issues. However, those problems have largely been resolved. And now that the world is the midst of an energy crisis, there’s been a resurgence of interest in nuclear projects.

Case in point: Germany has long tried to steer away from nuclear energy. But when push came to shove this year, the country decided to keep two of its three nuclear reactors online to cushion the blow of a deepening energy crisis.

Another example: Japan was home to the last big nuclear disaster in Fukushima. Since then, the country has shunned nuclear energy. Just two weeks ago, though, Japan announced it will restart idled nuclear plants and look into developing next-generation reactors.

Indeed, the nuclear energy resurgence has arrived. And the sector holds some of the best stocks to buy now.

Price action confirms this. Looking at the Global X Uranium ETF (URA), we see a clear Stage-2 breakout forming. If the uptrend persists, we’re looking at a 20%-plus rally into December.

Could our big new buy to be unveiled this afternoon be a uranium stock? That’s certainly a possibility…

The Final Word on the Best Stocks to Buy Now

The biggest mistake investors make is holding themselves hostage to the market.

There’s a misconception out there that if the stock market is going down, you can’t make money in it.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

The stock market is a “market of stocks” more than it is a single “stock market.” Just because the market is going down doesn’t mean every stock is, too. In fact, to my knowledge, there has never been a day in Wall Street’s history where every stock went down. Every day, regardless of how much the market drops, there is always a group of stocks that’s rising.

The key to making money when the market is down, then, is to find those stocks.

Free yourself from the chains of a bear market. Stop thinking that you can’t make money this year. And go find the hidden bull markets raging on behind the scenes. That’s where you’ll find the best stocks to buy now.

The best way to do that?

Plug into the quantitative Breakout Trader system that algorithmically finds those hidden bull markets for you.

Make money hand-over-fist, even while the broader markets struggle.

On the date of publication, Luke Lango did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.

The post 3 Money-Making Sectors House the Best Stocks to Buy Now appeared first on InvestorPlace.

With a credo of “Stronger, simpler encryption,” you might be tempted to assume that Arqit Quantum is another cybersecurity company. There are plenty of businesses in this competitive field already. So, what makes Arqit special?

The answer is quantum computing, or more specifically, QuantumCloud. This quantum encryption technology product has already helped Arqit secure some notable clients — including one that will deploy QuantumCloud in space, believe it or not.

ARQQ Stock Provides Affordable Quantum Computing Exposure

The good news is that you don’t need to be a scientist or a mathematician to invest in ARQQ stock. Heck, you don’t even need a boatload of cash, as the shares cost less than $6 apiece at the time of writing.

It’s important to know what you’re investing in, though. Arqit Quantum has one product, but it’s a real gamechanger. It’s called QuantumCloud, and its “enables any device to download a lightweight software agent of less than 200 lines of code, which can create encryption keys in partnership with any other device.”

In other words, QuantumCloud leverages ultra-powerful quantum computing to provide speed and interoperability. Moreover, security is enhanced as “The keys are computationally secure, one-time use and zero trust.”

The company introduced QuantumCloud Release 1.0 with full commercialization last year, and already has contracts and agreements with multiple companies. These include BT Group plc., Sumitomo, Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC) and Juniper Networks (NYSE:JNPR).

Arqit Quantum Has a Contract With Virgin Orbit

Yet another client is Richard Branson’s space launch company, Virgin Orbit (NASDAQ:VORB). Branson’s company has licensed Arqit’s QuantumCloud to protect Virgin Orbit’s launch and space solutions businesses.

On top of that, Arqit Quantum has “contracted exclusively with Virgin Orbit for Arqit’s launch needs which might result from expected new government sales.” Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart expressed excitement that QuantumCloud could help keep his company’s missions and customers safe.

Moreover, Virgin Orbit has reportedly announced a $5 million investment in Arqit Quantum shares. Clearly, Virgin Orbit isn’t just a partner but a true believer in Arqit Quantum.

What You Can Do Now

You just never know where you might see Arqit’s quantum encryption technology next — possibly even beyond the Earth’s orbit. Yet, Virgin Orbit is just one of multiple clients that can provide Arqit Quantum with essential revenue streams.

So, you might want to consider scooping up a few shares of ARQQ stock while they’re still affordable. You’ll get exposure to the cybersecurity field, along with quantum computing at the same time — and an intriguing tech-niche leader with Arqit Quantum.

On the date of publication, David Moadel did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

David Moadel has provided compelling content – and crossed the occasional line – on behalf of Motley Fool, Crush the Street, Market Realist, TalkMarkets, TipRanks, Benzinga, and (of course) InvestorPlace.com. He also serves as the chief analyst and market researcher for Portfolio Wealth Global and hosts the popular financial YouTube channel Looking at the Markets.

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Spero Therapeutics (NASDAQ:SPRO) stock is climbing higher on Wednesday thanks to positive feedback from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The news concerns plans for the company to resubmit tebipenem HBr for the treatment of complicated urinary tract infection (cUTI). During a Type A meeting, the FDA said “positive results from an additional Phase 3 trial […] could be sufficient to support the approval of tebipenem HBr for cUTI.”

It’s worth noting that Spero has already conducted a Phase 3 clinical trial of tebipenem HBr for cUTI. The FDA’s suggestion is for a second Phase 3 clinical trial to further back up its results.

During that same meeting, Spero and the FDA hashed out some of the details of a new clinical trial. This could have the study being the subject of a Special Protocol Assessment. The trial will also need approval once plans are finalized.

SPRO Plans to Further Development of the Antibiotic

Spero Therapeutics notes that it intends to move forward with the clinical development and commercialization of tebipenem HBr. The company says that it will be seeking an “external partnership” as part of this effort.

News of the FDA meeting has SPRO stock seeing incredibly heavy trading on Wednesday. As of this writing, more than 38 million shares of the stock have been traded. To put that in perspective, the company’s daily average trading volume is closer to 1.6 million shares.

SPRO stock is up nearly 15% as of Wednesday morning but still down 91% since the start of the year.

Investors searching for all of the latest stock market news are in luck!

We’ve got them covered with our daily dives into the stock market. For Wednesday, that includes what has shares of software stocks, Pinterest (NYSE:PINS) and Coupa Software (NASDAQ:COUP) on the move today. You can get up to speed on that news at the links below!

More Wednesday Stock Market News

• Why Are Software Stocks Climbing Higher Today?
• Pinterest (PINS) Stock Pops on Wolfe Research Upgrade
• Coupa (COUP) Stock Gains 10% on Strong Earnings, Stock Buyback

On Penny Stocks and Low-Volume Stocks: With only the rarest exceptions, InvestorPlace does not publish commentary about companies that have a market cap of less than $100 million or trade less than 100,000 shares each day. That’s because these “penny stocks” are frequently the playground for scam artists and market manipulators. If we ever do publish commentary on a low-volume stock that may be affected by our commentary, we demand that InvestorPlace.com’s writers disclose this fact and warn readers of the risks.

Read More: Penny Stocks — How to Profit Without Getting Scammed

On the date of publication, William White did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

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Coupa lost $70.6 million, or 99 cents per share, on revenue of $211 million for its most recent quarter. The loss was just half what was expected, and revenue for the year is 17% ahead of a year ago. GitLab reported a non-GAAP loss of $21.5 million, 15 cents per share, on revenue of $101 million. Revenue was 74% ahead of the same quarter last year.

Growth Holding Up

Coupa runs a spend management program, something that has enormous value in tough economic times. GitLab calls itself a DevOps platform, meaning it can help companies deliver software that cuts costs.

CitiGroup reacted to the Coupa results by raising its price target $5 per share, to $82. The stock opened Sept. 7 at $62.88.

GitLab, which competes with Microsoft’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) GitHub, is now worth almost as much as Microsoft paid for the open source software repository in 2018.

Both stocks are swimming against the current, with all the major software exchange-traded funds (ETFs) down on the year. COUP is still down 60% for all of 2022. GTLB is down 45%, which may be why COUP stock reacted better to positive earnings.

Even the largest, best-managed software companies are down for the year. Microsoft is down 24%, Oracle (NASDAQ:ORCL) is down 16% and Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL) is down 26%. The whole sector is under pressure to cut its own costs even while cutting costs for customers.

What Happens Next for Software Stocks

Investors are still expecting a recession, and growth stocks are reacting accordingly.

But there are bargain hunters around, as the action in COUPA illustrates. Software is the best tool for cutting costs and beating inflation. If inflation can be beaten quickly, these stocks could jump back quickly. If it can’t, the industry’s own cost cuts should deliver profits in 2023.

On the date of publication, Dana Blankenhorn held a long position in MSFT and GOOGL. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Dana Blankenhorn has been a financial and technology journalist since 1978. He is the author of Technology’s Big Bang: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow with Moore’s Law, available at the Amazon Kindle store. Write him at danablankenhorn@gmail.com, tweet him at @danablankenhorn, or subscribe to his Substack.

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Pinterest (NYSE:PINS) stock is rising higher on Wednesday after getting an upgrade from Wolfe Research analyst Deepak Mathivanan.

This upgrade is boosting PINS stock from its prior “peer perform” rating to a new “outperform” rating. The upgrade is especially bullish next to analysts’ consensus “hold” rating for shares, which is based on eight “buy” ratings and 16 “hold” ratings.

Alongside the upgrade for PINS stock comes a price target of $28 per share. That represents a nearly 27% upside from the Tuesday close. However, it’s slightly below analysts’ consensus rating of $29.08 per share.

Why the Bullish Stance on PINS Stock?

Mathivanan argues that Pinterest has the potential to grow over the next 12 to 18 months. The Wolfe Research analyst cites new CEO Bill Ready as one of the reasons the company could experience growth, but there’s more to it than that.

Here’s part of what Mathivanan said in a note obtained by CBNC:

“We also see M&A with a strategic as a potential outcome for shares, should execution lag over next several quarters, given the activist involvement. Overall, we think risk/reward skews positively at current levels.”

PINS stock isn’t seeing the most activity today, with around 6 million shares on the move currently. That’s a ways off from the daily average trading volume of 15.8 million shares.

PINS stock is up 5% as of Wednesday morning but down roughly 37% since the start of the year.

Investors looking for more of the latest stock market news are in the right place!

We’ve got all of the hottest stock news to get traders through Wednesday! Among that is what has Coupa Software (NASDAQ:COUP), UiPath (NYSE:PATH) and CF Acquisition Corporation VI (NASDAQ:CFVI) stock in the news today. You can read up on all of that at the links below!

More Wednesday Stock Market News

• Coupa (COUP) Stock Gains 10% on Strong Earnings, Stock Buyback
• Why Is UiPath (PATH) Stock Plunging Today?
• Dear CFVI Stock Fans, Mark Your Calendars for Sept. 15

On the date of publication, William White did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

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Coupa Software (NASDAQ:COUP) stock is rising on Wednesday following the release of the tech company’s earnings report for the fiscal second quarter of 2023.

That earnings report starts with adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of 20 cents. This is better than the 9 cents per share Wall Street had expected from the company, even if it’s a drop from the 26 cents per share reported in the same period last year.

Adding to that is the company’s revenue of $211.1 million for the quarter. Yet again, that beats out analysts’ revenue estimate of $204.02 million for the quarter. It’s also an 18% year-over-year (YOY) increase compared to $179.25 million.

To go along with that, Coupa also announced a share buyback program. This covers the repurchase of up to $100 million worth of COUP stock. That program is set to expire on Sept. 1, 2023.

Strong Guidance Is Another Catalyst for COUP Stock

Coupa also included a positive outlook for the rest of fiscal 2023 in its earnings report. The company predicts adjusted EPS between 37 cents and 44 cents on revenue ranging from $838 million to $844 million. To put those figures in perspective, Wall Street’s fiscal 2023 estimates predict adjusted EPS of 26 cents on revenue of $840.31 million.

Today’s earnings news also brings heavy trading to COUP stock. As of this writing, more than 2.7 million shares have changed hands. That’s already above the daily average trading volume of 1.6 million shares.

COUP stock is up 14% as of Wednesday morning.

There’s more stock market news for traders to dive into below!

InvestorPlace is home to all of the hottest stock market news traders need to know about! That includes this morning’s biggest pre-market stock movers, as well as the latest on GameStop (NYSE:GME) and Target (NYSE:TGT) stock. You can catch up on all of that at the following links!

More Wednesday Stock Market News

• Today’s Biggest Pre-Market Stock Movers: 10 Top Gainers and Losers on Wednesday
• Why Is GME Stock Plunging Ahead of GameStop Earnings?
• Should You Short Target (TGT) Stock Now?

On the date of publication, William White did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

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The overnight fall took about $1.6 billion off the market cap, with shares opening just above $12.50 each.

Off the Growth Path

The strong dollar and a likely European recession seem to be weighing most on UiPath. The company came public in April 2021 at $56 per share and was worth more than $30 billion at its peak.

UiPath now expects third-quarter revenue of about $244 million with an annualized renewal run rate, or ARR, of $1.09 billion. It expects a further slowdown in the fourth quarter. The company has yet to turn a profit and posted a loss of $122 million, or 23 cents per share, in its most-recent quarter.

Despite the stock’s fall, and the slowdown over currencies and global growth, the underlying business appears sound. UiPath recently bought Re:Infer, which mines text communications for insights, and it has a data integration partnership with Snowflake (NYSE:SNOW).

Only 5.6% of the stock was recently held short. Cathie Woods’ ARK Innovation (NYSEARCA:ARKK) fund was steadily accumulating PATH stock until June. Morgan Stanley is among the firms that have downgraded the stock. It now rates the stock as “equal weight” with a price target of $15 per share.

What Happens Next for PATH Stock?

No one is paying 10 times revenue for money-losing growth stocks anymore, no matter their niche. UiPath stock will likely remain down until the currency and European growth winds shift. At its Sept. 7 opening price, it’s selling at a little more than 6.5 times revenue.

But companies whose software can lower costs, like UiPath, do have a good future. At some point, bargain hunting can be expected.

On the date of publication, Dana Blankenhorn held no positions in any companies mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Dana Blankenhorn has been a financial and technology journalist since 1978. He is the author of Technology’s Big Bang: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow with Moore’s Law, available at the Amazon Kindle store. Write him at danablankenhorn@gmail.com, tweet him at @danablankenhorn, or subscribe to his Substack.

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A special meeting of Rumble shareholders will be held on Sept. 15 for the purpose of voting on the company’s proposed merger with CFVI.  However, Rumble is urging the owners of CFVI stock to vote on the deal online or by telephone prior to 11:59 PM ET on Sept. 15.

CFVI Stock Climbs While DWAC Sinks

CF Acquisition’s rally stands in contrast to the recent tumble of Digital World Acquisition Corp, (NASDAQ:DWAC) which is planning to merge with Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG), a media startup company that’s owned by former President Donald Trump.

DWAC stock plunged 11% yesterday after Digital World’s shareholders rejected a proposal to postpone the merger for a year. The shares have dropped 9% in the last five trading days heading into today and 27% in the last month.

TMTG operates Truth Social, an online social media platform that was founded by Trump after he was banned from Twitter (NYSE:TWTR).

Rogan’s Comments About Rumble

Commenting on Rumble during his podcast hosted by Spotify (NYSE:SPOT) yesterday, Rogan noted that Rumble is “getting bigger and bigger names.” He asserted that “if [Rumble] becomes popular enough, and they can operate the way they are doing now, with no censorship, it’s a very interesting alternative.”

Rumble has attracted American conservatives by promising to uphold “free-speech principles.” Andrew Tate, a professional kickboxer and “internet celebrity” who became famous partly due to his criticism of lockdowns during the Covid-19 pandemic, recently joined Rumble after he was banned from Instagram, YouTube and TikTok for hate speech.

In the wake of Tate’s move, and Rogan’s shout-out, Rumble became the most-downloaded app on Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Alphabet’s (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL) respective app stores.

On the date of publication, Larry Ramer did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.

Larry Ramer has conducted research and written articles on U.S. stocks for 15 years. He has been employed by The Fly and Israel’s largest business newspaper, Globes. Larry began writing columns for InvestorPlace in 2015. Among his highly successful, contrarian picks have been GE, solar stocks, and Snap. You can reach him on StockTwits at @larryramer.

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