Top 10 Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now

tags:HCKT,JST,ATAX,RDC,TIS,XIN,SMSI,UFPT,CPHI,SORL,

Whether you’re a newbie who just watched The Wolf of Wall Street or you’re a seasoned trader whose previous fliers on penny stocks have burned one too many holes in your pocket, the story is the same — stay away from penny stocks.

Penny stocks (classified by the SEC as anything trading under $5) are among the more volatile securities you’ll ever come across. There are a few reasons for that, not the least of which is that their low prices confuse many would-be investors. Remember, just because it trades for a dollar doesn’t mean that it’s a cheap stock.

Consider Lifeway Foods (NASDAQ:LWAY), which trades for a mere $3.60. Compare that to Danone (OTCMKTS:DANOY), trading at $15.46. Lifeway certainly appears cheaper, but with a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 57 versus Danone’s P/E of 15, you’re actually paying a premium for LWAY stock.

That tiny price tag also makes penny stocks more susceptible to scammers and wild swings in price. All of this is not to say that buying penny stocks can’t go your way, but the odds are stacked against you.

Top 10 Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: The Hackett Group Inc.(HCKT)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  The Hackett Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:HCKT) has been assigned a consensus rating of “Buy” from the six research firms that are covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Three analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $21.00.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on The Hackett Group (HCKT)

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

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on The Hackett Group (HCKT)

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

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on The Hackett Group (HCKT)

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

Top 10 Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Jinpan International Limited(JST)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Warburg Research set a €47.00 ($55.95) price target on JOST Werke (ETR:JST) in a report published on Friday. The firm currently has a buy rating on the stock.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  A number of firms have modified their ratings and price targets on shares of JOST Werke (ETR: JST) recently:

  5/25/2018 – JOST Werke was given a new €46.00 ($53.49) price target on by analysts at Deutsche Bank AG. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock. 5/25/2018 – JOST Werke was given a new €46.00 ($53.49) price target on by analysts at Deutsche Bank AG. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock. 5/25/2018 – JOST Werke was given a new €47.00 ($54.65) price target on by analysts at Warburg Research. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock. 5/24/2018 – JOST Werke was given a new €45.00 ($52.33) price target on by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co.. They now have a “neutral” rating on the stock. 5/8/2018 – JOST Werke was given a new €46.00 ($53.49) price target on by analysts at Deutsche Bank AG. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock. 4/4/2018 – JOST Werke was given a new €47.00 ($54.65) price target on by analysts at Warburg Research. They now have a “buy” rating on the stock.

  Shares of JOST Werke traded down €0.15 ($0.17), hitting €38.10 ($44.30), during mid-day trading on Friday, according to MarketBeat. 8,510 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 35,469. JOST Werke AG has a 52 week low of €27.20 ($31.63) and a 52 week high of €47.50 ($55.23).

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Deutsche Bank set a €46.00 ($53.49) price target on JOST Werke (ETR:JST) in a research report sent to investors on Friday. The firm currently has a buy rating on the stock.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Hauck & Aufhaeuser set a €58.00 ($67.44) target price on JOST Werke (ETR:JST) in a report issued on Wednesday. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the stock.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  JOST Werke AG (ETR:JST) has earned an average rating of “Buy” from the six research firms that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and five have issued a buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is €49.33 ($57.36).

Top 10 Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: America First Tax Exempt Investors L.P.(ATAX)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  America First Multifamily Investors LP (NASDAQ:ATAX) Director Lisa Y. Roskens bought 5,965 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, August 27th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $5.95 per share, for a total transaction of $35,491.75. Following the purchase, the director now owns 100,069 shares in the company, valued at approximately $595,410.55. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on America First Multifamily Investors (ATAX)

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

• [By Motley Fool Transcribers]

  America First Multifamily Investors LP (NASDAQ:ATAX)Q2 2018 Earnings Conference CallAug. 13, 2018, 4:30 p.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  America First Multifamily Investors LP (NASDAQ:ATAX) announced a quarterly dividend on Friday, September 14th, Wall Street Journal reports. Stockholders of record on Friday, September 28th will be given a dividend of 0.125 per share by the financial services provider on Wednesday, October 31st. This represents a $0.50 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 8.50%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, September 27th.

Top 10 Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Rowan Companies Inc.(RDC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  While September was a good month for Ensco, the company made an even bigger splash in October by agreeing to buy fellow offshore driller Rowan (NYSE:RDC) in an all-stock deal. Ensco believes that the combination with Rowan will generate $150 million in annual cost savings while boosting its cash flow per share starting in 2020. It's the company's second major deal since the oil market downturn began; it bought Atwood Oceanics last year for $6.9 billion.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Rowan Companies (NYSE:RDC) has been given a $20.00 price objective by stock analysts at B. Riley in a report issued on Monday. The brokerage presently has a “buy” rating on the oil and gas company’s stock. B. Riley’s target price would suggest a potential upside of 54.32% from the stock’s previous close.

• [By Jason Hall, Tyler Crowe, and Matthew DiLallo]

  At the same time, there has been a tremendous amount of consolidation (like this and this and this), leaving fewer -- stronger -- companies operating just when work is starting to pick up. Here's a look at quarterly revenue for Diamond Offshore (NYSE:DO), Transocean (NYSE:RIG), Ensco PLC (ADR) (NYSE:ESV), Noble Corp. (NYSE:NE), and Rowan (NYSE:RDC) so far this year. 

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Rowan Companies (NYSE:RDC) was downgraded by analysts at HSBC Holdings plc from a buy rating to a hold rating.

  Roper Technologies (NYSE:ROP) was downgraded by analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from an overweight rating to a neutral rating.

Top 10 Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Orchids Paper Products Company(TIS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Orchids Paper Products Co. (NYSEAMERICAN: TIS) dropped more than 12% Monday to set a new 52-week low of $0.70. Shares closed at $0.80 on Friday and the stock’s 52-week high is $15.47. Volume totaled around 15 million, about 60 times the daily average of around 250,000. The company had no specific news. Shares have made a massive comeback and are on track to close at $2.47, up more than 200%.

• [By Money Morning Staff Reports]

  Last week's top performing penny stock, Orchids Paper Products Co. (NYSE: TIS), jumped over 218% after the company delivered a stellar earnings reports on Aug. 13.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers SemiLEDs Corporation (NASDAQ: LEDS) shares rose 35.8 percent to $4.55. EVINE Live Inc. (NASDAQ: EVLV) gained 28.8 percent to $1.04. The pay-TV home shopping company was named as a potential acquisition target by TechCrunch. According to the publication, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) is exploring ways of marketing its products and services to consumers beyond the internet. Sanmina Corp (NASDAQ: SANM) shares surged 19.1 percent to $33.00 as the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings for its second quarter on Monday. Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSII) gained 14.9 percent to $37.22 as the company posted upbeat results for its first quarter. Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SC) shares climbed 14 percent to $17.90 following upbeat quarterly earnings. Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (NYSE: HLX) climbed 14 percent to $7.12 following strong quarterly results. Check-Cap Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHEK) gained 13.6 percent to $8.25. Atossa Genetics Inc. (NASDAQ: ATOS) rose 11.8 percent to $3.34. Atossa Genetics disclosed that it has Received positive interim review from the Independent Safety Committee in Phase 1 Topical endoxifen dose escalation study in men. Cadence Design Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDNS) gained 11.6 percent to $40.99 after the company posted upbeat Q1 results and issued a strong Q2 forecast. Genprex, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) climbed 11.2 percent to $4.9363. Mitel Networks Corporation (NASDAQ: MITL) rose 10.5 percent to $11.23 after the company agreed to be acquired by affiliates of Searchlight Capital Partners for $2.0 billion. Systemax Inc. (NYSE: SYX) rose 10.2 percent to $30.86. Sidoti & Co. upgraded Systemax from Neutral to Buy. Orchids Paper Products Company (NYSE: TIS) surged 9.2 percent to $7.13. Orchids Paper Products is expected to report its Q1 financial results on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. (NYSE: EDU) rose
• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Check-Cap Ltd. (NASDAQ: CHEK) shares jumped 104.82 percent to close at $14.87 on Tuesday. EVINE Live Inc. (NASDAQ: EVLV) rose 31.25 percent to close at $1.06. The pay-TV home shopping company was named as a potential acquisition target by TechCrunch. According to the publication, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) is exploring ways of marketing its products and services to consumers beyond the internet. SemiLEDs Corporation (NASDAQ: LEDS) shares climbed 27.16 percent to close at $4.26 on Tuesday. Atossa Genetics Inc. (NASDAQ: ATOS) gained 27.09 percent to close at $3.80. Atossa Genetics disclosed that it has Received positive interim review from the Independent Safety Committee in Phase 1 Topical endoxifen dose escalation study in men. Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSII) surged 17.13 percent to close at $37.95 as the company posted upbeat results for its first quarter. Santander Consumer USA Holdings Inc. (NYSE: SC) shares gained 15.91 percent to close at $18.21 following upbeat quarterly earnings. Riot Blockchain, Inc. (NASDAQ: RIOT) shares jumped 15.73 percent to close at $7.58 on Tuesday after declining 1.50 percent on Monday. Sanmina Corp (NASDAQ: SANM) shares gained 14.62 percent to close at $31.75 as the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings for its second quarter on Monday. Orchids Paper Products Company (NYSE: TIS) jumped 12.86 percent to close at $7.37. Orchids Paper Products is expected to report its Q1 financial results on Wednesday, April 25, 2018. Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. (NYSE: HLX) rose 12.8 percent to close at $7.05 following strong quarterly results. Avid Bioservices, Inc. (NASDAQ: CDMO) rose 12.72 percent to close at $3.81. Genprex, Inc. (NASDAQ: GNPX) gained 12.61 percent to close at $5.00. Obalon Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: OBLN) rose 12.39 percent to close at $3.72. NextDecade Corporation (NASDAQ: NEXT) shares climbed 11.88 percent to close at $7
• [By Lisa Levin]

    

  Clearside Biomedical, Inc. (NASDAQ: CLSD) shares declined 32.19 percent to close at $9.86 on Thursday. Clearside Biomedical disclosed that its Phase 2 trial of CLS-TA met primary and secondary endpoints met in 6-month trial. scPharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: SCPH) shares dipped 30.1 percent to close at $9.94 on Thursday after the FDA identified deficiencies in the company’s New Drug Application for FUROSCIX. However, the FDA letter did not specify deficiencies identified and notification does not reflect final decision on information under review. Euroseas Ltd. (NASDAQ: ESEA) fell 24.08 percent to close at $1.86. Euroseas announced completion of the spin-off of its drybulk fleet into EuroDry Ltd. Golar LNG Limited (NASDAQ: GLNG) fell 25.09 percent to close at $25.98 following Q1 results. Oragenics, Inc. (NASDAQ: OGEN) shares dropped 25 percent to close at $1.50 on Thursday. Guess', Inc. (NYSE: GES) dropped 19.44 percent to close at $19.60 following Q1 results. Cantel Medical Corp. (NYSE: CMD) dropped 15.94 percent to close at $109.09 on Thursday following FQ3 results. Fusion Connect, Inc. (NASDAQ: FSNN) shares fell 15.55 percent to close at $3.91. Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. (NYSE: BBW) dropped 14.44 percent to close at $8.00 after reporting Q1 results. Dollar Tree, Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR) shares declined 14.28 percent to close at $82.59 after the company reported weaker-than-expected earnings for its first quarter and lowered its FY2018 earnings guidance. Titan Machinery Inc. (NASDAQ: TITN) dropped 13.94 percent to close at $18.09 after reporting Q1 results. Co-Diagnostics, Inc. (NASDAQ: CODX) declined 13.17 percent to close at $2.90 after declining 5.65 percent on Wednesday. Concordia International Corp. (NASDAQ: CXRX) fell 12.89 percent to close at $0.2440 after the company announced that it would be delisted from the Nasdaq. Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD) slipped 12.46 percent
• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Orchids Paper Products (NYSEAMERICAN:TIS) was the recipient of a significant drop in short interest in the month of August. As of August 31st, there was short interest totalling 2,241,555 shares, a drop of 14.0% from the August 15th total of 2,605,776 shares. Currently, 22.9% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 967,446 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 2.3 days.

Top 10 Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Xinyuan Real Estate Co Ltd(XIN)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Mixin (XIN) is a proof-of-stake (PoS) token that uses the SHA256 hashing algorithm. It launched on October 2nd, 2017. Mixin’s total supply is 1,000,000 tokens and its circulating supply is 438,115 tokens. Mixin’s official message board is mixin.one/logs. Mixin’s official Twitter account is @XIN_Foundation and its Facebook page is accessible here. The official website for Mixin is mixin.one.

• [By Motley Fool Transcribers]

  Xinyuan Real Estate Co., Ltd.  (NYSE:XIN)Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallFeb. 15, 2019, 8:00 a.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Xinyuan Real Estate Co., Ltd. (NYSE:XIN) declared a quarterly dividend on Wednesday, May 30th, RTT News reports. Stockholders of record on Monday, June 11th will be given a dividend of 0.05 per share by the financial services provider on Friday, June 22nd. This represents a $0.20 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 3.74%.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Mixin (CURRENCY:XIN) traded up 6.2% against the U.S. dollar during the 1-day period ending at 20:00 PM E.T. on July 17th. One Mixin token can currently be purchased for approximately $550.98 or 0.07481400 BTC on popular cryptocurrency exchanges. Mixin has a total market cap of $241.93 million and approximately $90,201.00 worth of Mixin was traded on exchanges in the last day. Over the last week, Mixin has traded up 19.1% against the U.S. dollar.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Mixin (XIN) is a proof-of-stake (PoS) token that uses the SHA256 hashing algorithm. It launched on October 2nd, 2017. Mixin’s total supply is 1,000,000 tokens and its circulating supply is 442,200 tokens. Mixin’s official Twitter account is @XIN_Foundation and its Facebook page is accessible here. Mixin’s official message board is mixin.one/logs. The official website for Mixin is mixin.one.

Top 10 Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Smith Micro Software Inc.(SMSI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Connecture (OTCMKTS: CNXR) and Smith Micro Software (NASDAQ:SMSI) are both small-cap computer and technology companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, profitability, dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations and earnings.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Okta (NASDAQ: OKTA) and Smith Micro Software (NASDAQ:SMSI) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, dividends, risk, valuation and profitability.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  These are some of the news stories that may have impacted Accern’s scoring:

  Get Smith Micro Software alerts: Short Interest in Smith Micro Software (SMSI) Increases By 51.9% (americanbankingnews.com) Smith Micro Software’s (SMSI) CEO Bill Smith on Q1 2018 Results – Earnings Call Transcript (seekingalpha.com) Smith Micro Software (SMSI) Reports Q1 Loss of $0.10 (streetinsider.com) Smith Micro Reports First Quarter 2018 Financial Results (finance.yahoo.com) Smith Micro announces above market USD 7.0m private placement offering (financial-news.co.uk)

  Separately, ValuEngine upgraded shares of Smith Micro Software from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd.

Top 10 Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: UFP Technologies Inc.(UFPT)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Media coverage about UFP Technologies (NASDAQ:UFPT) has trended somewhat positive recently, Accern Sentiment Analysis reports. The research group identifies positive and negative press coverage by reviewing more than twenty million blog and news sources. Accern ranks coverage of publicly-traded companies on a scale of negative one to positive one, with scores closest to one being the most favorable. UFP Technologies earned a daily sentiment score of 0.03 on Accern’s scale. Accern also assigned headlines about the industrial products company an impact score of 47.0533500754779 out of 100, meaning that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an impact on the company’s share price in the near future.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  China XD Plastics (NASDAQ: CXDC) and UFP Technologies (NASDAQ:UFPT) are both small-cap basic materials companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, analyst recommendations, dividends, institutional ownership, earnings, risk and valuation.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  UFP Technologies (NASDAQ: UFPT) and China XD Plastics (NASDAQ:CXDC) are both small-cap industrial products companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, risk, profitability and earnings.

Top 10 Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: China Pharma Holdings Inc.(CPHI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  These are some of the news headlines that may have impacted Accern Sentiment’s scoring:

  Get Scynexis alerts: Steady Activities: SCYNEXIS, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCYX), LPL Financial Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:LPLA) (oracleexaminer.com) Do Analysts Think You Should Buy – SCYNEXIS Inc (NASDAQ: SCYX) (stockspen.com) Notable Runner: SCYNEXIS, Inc. (SCYX) (nasdaqplace.com) Most Active Stocks Now: SCYNEXIS, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCYX), China Pharma Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CPHI), Kala … (journalfinance.net) Overview on price to free cash flow: SCYNEXIS, Inc. (NASDAQ:SCYX), InfuSystem Holdings Inc. (NYSE:INFU) (stocksnewspoint.com)

  Several research analysts have recently issued reports on the company. Roth Capital assumed coverage on Scynexis in a research note on Tuesday, May 8th. They set a “buy” rating and a $6.00 price target for the company. Seaport Global Securities assumed coverage on Scynexis in a research note on Tuesday, April 10th. They set a “buy” rating and a $4.00 price target for the company. Zacks Investment Research raised Scynexis from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $1.25 price target for the company in a research note on Tuesday, May 8th. HC Wainwright assumed coverage on Scynexis in a research note on Monday, May 7th. They set a “buy” rating and a $5.00 price target for the company. Finally, ValuEngine raised Scynexis from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 2nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Scynexis currently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $4.45.

Top 10 Penny Stocks To Invest In Right Now: SORL Auto Parts Inc.(SORL)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Icahn Enterprises LP Common Stock (NASDAQ: SORL) and Sorl Auto Parts (NASDAQ:SORL) are both multi-sector conglomerates companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, risk, institutional ownership, profitability, analyst recommendations, valuation and dividends.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Euro Tech Holdings Company Limited (NASDAQ: CLWT) shares climbed 70.3 percent to $5.45 after reporting 2017 year-end results. MEDIGUS Ltd/S ADR (NASDAQ: MDGS) surged 39.8 percent to $1.58 in reaction to its Monday announcement of a distribution agreement. The medical device company said it reached an agreement to distribute its minimally invasive medical devices in Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Arcadia Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: RKDA) gained 25.6 percent to $11.50. Arcadia Biosciences reported that Albert D. Bolles, Ph.D. has joined its board of directors. Aytu Bioscience Inc (NASDAQ: AYTU) shares jumped 21.8 percent to $0.4798 after the company late Monday reported lighter-than-expected Q1 loss. Hollysys Automation Technologies Ltd. (NASDAQ: HOLI) shares gained 21.1 percent to $26.77 following Q3 results. Pfenex Inc. (NYSE: PFNX) rose 16.8 percent to $7.1271 after the company announced the positive top-line PF708 study results in Osteoporosis patients that showed no imbalances in severity or incidence of adverse events. MEI Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: MEIP) rose 13.8 percent to $2.88. Red Violet, Inc. (NASDAQ: RDVT) jumped 13.1 percent to $6.41 after reporting Q1 results. SORL Auto Parts, Inc. (NASDAQ: SORL) shares gained 12 percent to $5.87 after reporting upbeat Q1 results. Bovie Medical Corporation (NYSE: BVX) gained 8.4 percent to $3.96 after reporting a first-quarter sales beat. Rosehill Resources Inc. (NASDAQ: ROSE) surged 8.4 percent to $7.90 after announcing Q1 results. LiqTech International, Inc. (NASDAQ: LIQT) rose 8.1 percent to $0.5171 following Q1 results. ProPhase Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRPH) rose 7.7 percent to $5.6103 following Q1 results. Nine Energy Service, Inc. (NYSE: NINE) shares climbed 7.4 percent to $35.90. Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: XENE) rose 6.7 percent to $6.40 after the company presented XEN901 Phase 1 clinical update and XEN1101 TMS pharmacodynamic Phase 1 data. MYnd
• [By Logan Wallace]

  News coverage about Sorl Auto Parts (NASDAQ:SORL) has trended somewhat positive recently, Accern reports. The research firm identifies negative and positive press coverage by analyzing more than twenty million blog and news sources. Accern ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of negative one to positive one, with scores closest to one being the most favorable. Sorl Auto Parts earned a coverage optimism score of 0.12 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave press coverage about the company an impact score of 48.4932889103567 out of 100, meaning that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an impact on the stock’s share price in the next few days.

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts Is Generating Underlying Growth After Its La Quinta Purchase

Global hotel franchisor Wyndham Hotels and Resorts (NYSE:WH) attempted a dramatic transformation last year when it completed both the acquisition of La Quinta Holdings and a spinoff from parent Wyndham Destinations on successive days (May 31 and June 1, respectively).

So far, the transformation appears to be a success, as La Quinta's roughly 900 franchised mid-scale hotels have helped lift Wyndham's average daily rates (ADR), while Wyndham continues to increase the scale and revenue potential of its original franchised brands.

Below, we'll review fourth-quarter 2018 results, released on Wednesday, for perspective on Wyndham's first few months as a significantly altered organization. (Note that in the discussion that follows, all comparable numbers refer to the prior-year quarter, the fourth quarter of 2017.)

Wyndham: The raw numbers Metric Q4 2018 Q4 2017 Growth (YOY)

Revenue	$527 million	$312 million	68.9%
Net income	$43 million	$92 million	(53.2%)
Diluted earnings per share	$0.43	$0.92	(53.2%)

Data source: Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. YOY = year over year.  

What happened this quarter?

Image source: Getty Images.

Removing $198 million in incremental revenue from the La Quinta acquisition and the impact of its May 2018 divestiture of its Knights Inn brand, Wyndham achieved underlying (organic) revenue growth of 6% in the fourth quarter, which management attributed to higher license and other fees. Revenue per available room, or RevPAR, increased 8% to $37.54. Removing the La Quinta and Knights Inn transactions, RevPAR increased 2% -- in line with recent industry trends. The company's average royalty rate charged to franchisees of its brands rose 10 basis points to 4.59%. Systemwide room count grew by 11% to 809,900, and by 2% when removing the effects of the La Quinta and Knights Inn transactions. The company increased new construction signings by 28% in the U.S. market -- its highest level of development activity in five years. Wyndham announced that it has reacquired exclusive master franchising rights for its Days Inn brand in China. The Days Inn system in China currently consists of 50 hotels. Wyndham concluded the year with $2.1 billion in debt, the majority of which was incurred to finance the La Quinta acquisition. Total debt is roughly four times 2018 adjusted EBITDA of $507 million, which can be considered a moderate to slightly high amount of leverage. For the full year, Wyndham generated $158 million in free cash flow. The company repurchased $60 million worth of its shares in the fourth quarter. Management pointed out that since the company's spinoff from Wyndham Destinations on June 1, it's repurchased $119 million of its shares, or 2% of its outstanding share count. Wyndham increased its quarterly dividend payment by 16% from $0.25 to $0.29, effective with the first dividend payment of 2019. The significant slump in earnings against the prior-year period seen in the table above is due to a large, one-time tax benefit of $85 million recorded in the fourth quarter of 2017, as a result of U.S. tax legislation. What management had to say

In Wyndham's earnings conference call, CEO Geoff Ballotti discussed, among other topics, the company's aim to expand in the economy and mid-tier segments of the hotel industry. As it successfully integrates La Quinta, management sees other opportunities to lift its systemwide ADR and build supply in these active areas of the broader hotel market:

Another significant objective of ours is to continue elevating the economy and mid-scale experience, including new prototypes for many of our brands. For our largest U.S. economy brand, we are working with our franchise advisory council to initiate a refresh of Days Inn by Wyndham, requiring our franchisees to invest in the quality of the sleep experience in the overall standards of the economy brand, which focuses on the little things that surprise and delight, and a brand that has moved up to third place from sixth place in the J.D. Power economy guest satisfaction rankings over the past three years. We know from our experience with Super 8's new Innovate brand standard that a thoughtful, cost-effective refresh program could have a very meaningful impact on guest experience, while driving favorable market share and operating margin improvements.

Looking forward

Wyndham provided its outlook for 2019 alongside earnings. Management expects RevPAR growth of 1% to 3%, and room growth of 2% to 4% in 2019. Revenue is expected to land between $2.11 billion and $2.16 billion, which at the midpoint will represent an increase of 14.3%, benefiting comparatively from the La Quinta acquisition. 

Adjusted EBITDA is anticipated to improve by 19% to 22%, from $605 million to $620 million. Finally, adjusted diluted earnings per share are pegged at a band of between $3.05 and $3.17, versus $2.71 in 2018. Again, for the most part, these increases will come courtesy of La Quinta's contribution, yet Wyndham is managing to increase the value of its core business alongside this acquired growth.

Top Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2019

tags:CR,IRET,GD,TLK,

I like media stocks, and one that has been a long-time holding of mine is CBS (CBS), notes Chuck Carlson, editor of DRIP Investor, which specializes in stocks offering dividend reinvestment plans.

The company has strengths in important areas of the media world, from a strong network television presence to leadership in cable and digital media.

One area in which CBS has done well is adapting to the digital world. Its CBS All Access and Showtime Anytime, as well as relationships with over-the-top streaming services such as Netflix (NFLX) and Hulu, have positioned the firm nicely to survive and thrive in the changing media landscape.

At the core of the company’s success is its quality content, much of it owned by CBS. Owning the content allows CBS to exploit distribution deals with many digital players, thus leveraging the long-term value of its content.

Top Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2019: CRB Futures Index(CR)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  BlackRock Inc. grew its stake in Crane Co. (NYSE:CR) by 2.2% during the first quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 4,303,084 shares of the conglomerate’s stock after acquiring an additional 93,264 shares during the period. BlackRock Inc. owned 7.21% of Crane worth $399,069,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Crane (CR)

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

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Shares of Crew Energy (TSE:CR) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Buy” by the eleven research firms that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is C$3.37.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Raymond James restated their market perform rating on shares of Crew Energy (TSE:CR) in a research note released on Monday. The firm currently has a C$1.60 target price on the stock.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Crane (CR)

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

Top Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2019: Investors Real Estate Trust(IRET)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Motley Fool Transcribing]

  Investors Real Estate Trust (NYSE:IRET) Q1 2019 Earnings Conference CallSep. 11, 2018 10:00 a.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator 

• [By Motley Fool Staff]

  Investors Real Estate Trust (NYSE:IRET) Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallJun. 28, 2018 10:00 a.m. ET

  Contents: Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on INVESTORS REAL ESTATE TRUST REIT Common Stock (IRET)

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

Top Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2019: S&P GSCI(GD)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lou Whiteman]

  Whiteman: It is. The big guns, so to speak, are the names you mentioned, Lockheed Martin being the biggest with an $85 billion market cap. Then, there's a handful of other companies that are focused mostly on weapons platforms -- your General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), Northrop Grumman, Raytheon. The Boeing defense business is only 20% of the company, but it's still a huge contractor. 

• [By Lou Whiteman]

  Shares of defense titans Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC), General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), and Raytheon (NYSE:RTN) all underperformed the S&P 500 in the 12 months leading up to when the Budget Control Act was signed in August 2011, a period when the tension between different congressional factions intensified, with shares of individual companies dropping between 7% and 13% during the first two weeks of August alone.

• [By Lou Whiteman]

  Contractors including Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT), Northrop Grumman (NYSE:NOC), General Dynamics (NYSE:GD), and Raytheon (NYSE:RTN) have been richly rewarded over the last two years. The current-year Pentagon budget, at $700 billion, is the largest in history and represented a 15.5%, or $94 billion, jump from the year prior. That's the largest single-year jump since a 26.6% gain in 2002.

• [By ]

  In addition to increasing the dividend, Action Alerts PLUS holding Raytheon announced in late March that under the Department of Defense's DARPA program, it was developing technology that could control swarms of both air-based, and ground-based drone vehicles that might be launched using a "drag and drop" visual interface. My price target: $245.

  General Dynamics (GD)

  This is one firm where we have already seen cash flows and margins improving. GD is also another defense name that increased their dividend in March. Think the Navy gets some love in the 2018 federal budget that earmarked $654 billion for the Pentagon? Me too. Know who runs the Virginia class submarine program? General Dynamics. In fact, the Navy just awarded a $696 million modification to that program for 2019.

Top Dividend Stocks To Buy For 2019: P.T. Telekomunikasi Indonesia Tbk.(TLK)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Several analysts have recently issued reports on TLK shares. TheStreet upgraded shares of Telekomnks Indn Prsr Tbk Prshn Prsrn from a “c+” rating to a “b-” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 6th. ValuEngine upgraded shares of Telekomnks Indn Prsr Tbk Prshn Prsrn from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 17th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have assigned a buy rating to the stock. The stock currently has an average rating of “Buy”.

  COPYRIGHT VIOLATION WARNING: “Augustine Asset Management Inc. Sells 28,367 Shares of Telekomnks Indn Prsr Tbk Prshn Prsrn-ADR (TLK)” was originally reported by Ticker Report and is the property of of Ticker Report. If you are viewing this report on another domain, it was illegally copied and republished in violation of U.S. & international trademark & copyright law. The legal version of this report can be read at https://www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/4150140/augustine-asset-management-inc-sells-28367-shares-of-telekomnks-indn-prsr-tbk-prshn-prsrn-adr-tlk.html.

  About Telekomnks Indn Prsr Tbk Prshn Prsrn

• [By Anders Bylund]

  Telekomunikasi Indonesia (NYSE:TLK), the largest telecommunications company in Indonesia, reported first-quarter results on Tuesday, May 2. Top-line sales rose modestly in the first quarter thanks to higher wireless subscriber counts and a healthy broadband business, but those upsides had to overcome a substantial headwind from a mass exodus of old-school wireline subscribers.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Telekomnks Indn Prsr Tbk Prshn Prsrn (NYSE:TLK) was upgraded by equities research analysts at Macquarie from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday, The Fly reports.

Sum Up The Pieces: The iShares Core S&P Mid-Cap ETF Could Be Worth $207

&l;p&g;&l;img class=&q;dam-image getty size-large wp-image-1126870048&q; src=&q;https://specials-images.forbesimg.com/dam/imageserve/1126870048/960x0.jpg?fit=scale&q; data-height=&q;720&q; data-width=&q;960&q;&g; Getty

Looking at the underlying holdings of the ETFs in our coverage universe at &l;a href=&q;https://www.etfchannel.com/&q; target=&q;_blank&q;&g;ETF Channel&l;/a&g;, we have compared the trading price of each holding against the average analyst 12-month forward target price, and computed the weighted average implied analyst target price for the ETF itself.&a;nbsp; For the Shares Core S&a;amp;P Mid-Cap ETF, we found that the implied analyst target price for the ETF based upon its underlying holdings is $206.84 per unit.

With IJH trading at a recent price near $186.36 per unit, that means that analysts see 10.99% upside for this ETF looking through to the average analyst targets of the underlying holdings. Three of IJH&s;s underlying holdings with notable upside to their analyst target prices are Cheesecake Factory, Sensient Technologies and Janus Henderson Group. Although CAKE has traded at a recent price of $45.62/share, the average analyst target is 13.48% higher at $51.77/share. Similarly, SXT has 11.66% upside from the recent share price of $62.24 if the average analyst target price of $69.50/share is reached, and analysts on average are expecting JHG to reach a target price of $25.27/share, which is 11.52% above the recent price of $22.66.

Below is a summary table of the current analyst target prices discussed above:

&a;nbsp;

&l;/p&g;&l;div class=&q;table-wrapper&q;&g;&l;table class=&q;hctblstyle&q; border=&q;0&q; cellspacing=&q;0&q; cellpadding=&q;0&q;&g;&l;tbody&g;&l;tr&g;&l;th&g;Name&l;/th&g; &l;th align=&q;center&q;&g;Symbol&l;/th&g; &l;th align=&q;right&q;&g;Recent Price&l;/th&g; &l;th align=&q;right&q;&g;Avg. Analyst 12-Mo. Target&l;/th&g; &l;th align=&q;right&q;&g;% Upside to Target&l;/th&g; &l;/tr&g;&l;tr&g;&l;td&g;&l;b&g;iShares Core S&a;amp;P Mid-Cap ETF&l;/b&g;&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;center&q;&g;&l;b&g;IJH&l;/b&g;&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;right&q;&g;&l;b&g;$186.36&l;/b&g;&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;right&q;&g;&l;b&g;$206.84&l;/b&g;&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;right&q;&g;&l;b&g;10.99%&l;/b&g;&l;/td&g; &l;/tr&g;&l;tr&g;&l;td&g;Cheesecake Factory Inc.&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;center&q;&g;CAKE&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;right&q;&g;$45.62&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;right&q;&g;$51.77&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;right&q;&g;13.48%&l;/td&g; &l;/tr&g;&l;tr&g;&l;td&g;Sensient Technologies Corp.&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;center&q;&g;SXT&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;right&q;&g;$62.24&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;right&q;&g;$69.50&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;right&q;&g;11.66%&l;/td&g; &l;/tr&g;&l;tr&g;&l;td&g;Janus Henderson Group plc&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;center&q;&g;JHG&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;right&q;&g;$22.66&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;right&q;&g;$25.27&l;/td&g; &l;td align=&q;right&q;&g;11.52%&l;/td&g; &l;/tr&g;&l;/tbody&g;&l;/table&g;&l;/div&g;

Are analysts justified in these targets, or overly optimistic about where these stocks will be trading 12 months from now? Do the analysts have a valid justification for their targets, or are they behind the curve on recent company and industry developments? A high price target relative to a stock&s;s trading price can reflect optimism about the future, but can also be a precursor to target price downgrades if the targets were a relic of the past. These are questions that require further investor research.

&l;a href=&q;http://www.etfchannel.com/slideshows/ten-etfs-with-most-upside/&q; target=&q;_blank&q;&g;Click here to find out 10 ETFs With Most Upside To Analyst Targets &a;raquo;&l;/a&g;

Buy NRB Bearings; target of Rs 215: ICICI Direct

ICICI Direct's research report on NRB Bearings

NRB Bearings reported mixed Q3FY19 numbers. The company reported in line topline numbers, albeit with lower margins (other expenses increased 38.1% YoY). Revenues came in at Rs 242.6 crore, up 16.7% YoY. We estimated revenues of Rs 242.4 crore. We believe strong topline growth was on account of robust performance across all segments i.e. domestic OEMs, after-markets and exports • EBITDA increased 3.7% YoY to Rs 42 crore. The company reported lower EBITDA as other expenses increased 38.1% YoY. Gross margin declined marginally by 50 bps YoY. EBITDA margins came in at 17.3% vs. 19.5% YoY. • Tax rate for the quarter was at 15.5% vs. 33.6% YoY. Accordingly, PAT grew 25.7% YoY to Rs 26.8 crore.

Outlook

NRB has been delivering strong double digit topline growth from past six quarters. Going forward, we expect NRB's key segments - domestic OEMs, after markets and exports to grow at a healthy rate of 12.7%, 13% and 18% respectively. Accordingly, revenue, EBITDA and PAT are expected to grow at 14.5%, 13.3% and 13.8% CAGR, respectively, in FY18-21E. Capex plans of ~Rs 150 crore over the next two years are also on track for the company. It has also planned a capex of ~Rs 20 crore for SNL Bearings. We expect borrowings in the range of Rs 230-250 crore by FY19E. We maintain our positive stance on the company and value it at ~16x FY21E to arrive at a target price of Rs 215 per share. We have a BUY rating on the company.

For all recommendations report, click here

Disclaimer: The views and investment tips expressed by investment experts/broking houses/rating agencies on moneycontrol.com are their own, and not that of the website or its management. Moneycontrol.com advises users to check with certified experts before taking any investment decisions.

Read More First Published on Feb 11, 2019 01:29 pm

US Senate Takes Aim at OPEC, but Will It Follow Through?

On Thursday, a bipartisan group of four U.S. Senators introduced legislation titled the No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act (NOPEC) that would give the U.S. Department of Justice authority to sue members of the Organization of the Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) for antitrust violations. Similar legislation was passed out of committee in the House of Representatives Thursday and now needs approval by the full House.

The four Senators were Republicans Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Mike Lee of Utah, along with Democrats Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Patrick Leahy of Vermont. Missing from the group were any Senators from big oil-producing states like Texas, North Dakota and Louisiana.

Perhaps that’s because the oil patch is not well-pleased with the NOPEC legislation. Earlier in the week, American Petroleum Institute CEO Mike Sommers sent a letter to Senate and House leaders of their respective Judiciary Committees pointing out why the legislation “threatens serious, unintended consequences for the U.S. natural gas and oil industry.”

Sommers also says that the NOPEC legislation is unnecessary because the Sherman Antitrust Act already covers activities by other nations, even if the activities occur overseas. He goes on:

Second, the apparent focus on the legislation – improper influence on energy markets – has been mitigated significantly in recent years. The success of America's natural gas and oil industry coupled with continued integrations with our NAFTA partners has significantly increased the energy security and self-sufficiency of the United States. This energy renaissance has made America much less susceptible to efforts that may be undertaken by foreign organizations.

He is referring, of course, to booming U.S. crude oil production (currently running at about 11.9 million barrels a day) resulting from horizontal drilling and fracking. Although Sommers doesn’t say this, U.S. production has rendered OPEC virtually toothless. If the cartel cuts production, there is every reason to believe that rising prices will spur more U.S. production. If the cartel tries to flood the market with crude, the price could drop in the $30 a barrel range as it did several years ago.

Complicating matters further is a move by some current members of OPEC to create a formal partnership with Russia and nine other countries that have become known as OPEC+ because they have cooperated with the cartel in cutting production in order to lift prices. Adding Russia to the cartel only makes increasing U.S. production a better bet.

And while Russian President Vladimir Putin may want to poke his finger in President Trump’s eye, Putin also has to keep his oil oligarchs happy. They do not support production cuts because it cuts into the wealth, nor do they want to risk losing access to U.S. capital through their business relationships with American companies. As energy industry consultant Bob McNally told The Wall Street Journal that the Russian oligarchs “want to do the absolute minimum to leverage Saudi cuts.”

Where President Trump comes down on the issue is also arguable. He has made lower pump prices a key point in the run-up to the 2020 elections. On the one hand, spiking retail gasoline prices do not help his chances for re-election. On the other, reduced supply drives up the prices for the U.S. oil industry, a dependable source of campaign cash for Republicans running for office.

The signal to watch for is if (as is likely) the Judiciary Committee reports the NOPEC bill out of committee for a full Senate vote. Majority leader Mitch McConnell will only let that vote take place if Trump supports it and it does not threaten to unveil a split in Republican solidarity. If McConnell shelves the NOPEC legislation, then low gas prices are a good bet to figure strongly in Trump’s 2020 bid for a second term.

ALSO READ: Merrill Lynch Has 5 Safe Growth Stocks to Buy That All Yield 5% or More