Jubak Picks

Microsoft beats earnings estimates on cloud computing

Microsoft beats earnings estimates on cloud computing

On Tuesday, April 26, Microsoft (MSFT) reported net income of $16.73 billion or $2.22 share for the company’s fiscal third quarter. That was up from net income of $15.46 billion or $2.03 a share in the third quarter of fiscal 2021. Wall Street analysts had projected earnings of $2.19. The company reported revenue of $49.36 billion in the third quarter, compared with $41.7 billion a year earlier. Wall Street was looking for revenue of $49.05 billion. For the fiscal year that starts on July 1 Microsoft forecast double-digit revenue growth. The company’s shares closed up 4.81% on Wednesday, April 27. Microsoft is a member of my Jubak Picks Portfolio where it is up 179.25% from my initial buy on June 4, 2018. As of April 27 I’m raising my target price on Microsoft to $352 a share from the prior $155.

Good enough earnings from Coke and Pepsi, adding both to additional portfolios

Good enough earnings from Coke and Pepsi, adding both to additional portfolios

Neither company crushed Wall Street earnings expectations, but both reported good enough news in a very tough environment. I own PepsiCo in my long-term 50 Stocks Portfolio, where it was up 220.4% from my initial December 30, 2008 pick as of the close on April 26. I will add the stock to my 12-18 month Jubak Picks Portfolio tomorrow, April 27, with a target price of $190 a share. The stock pays a 2.47% dividend I own shares of Coca-Cola in my Jubak Picks Portfolio, where it was up 29.8% from my February 19, 2021 pick, and in my Dividend Portfolio, where it was up 41.75% from my May 1, 2020 pick. Tomorrow, April 27, I will add shares of Coca-Cola to my long-term 50 Stocks Portfolio. In addition I will raise the target price on Coca-Cola in my Jubak Picks Portfolio to $78 from the current $56 a share.

Please watch my new YouTube video: “Quick Pick Booking Holdings Update”

Please watch my new YouTube video: “Quick Pick Booking Holdings Update”

My one-hundredth-and-twenty-fourth YouTube video “Quick Pick Booking Holdings Update” went up today. Today I’m updating my Quick Pick from about a month ago to say that this last week’s earnings report from Delta (DAL) plus optimistic forecasts and earnings from American Airlines and United Airlines only make me more confident of the growth story for Booking. I think that with travel returns to near pre-Pandemic normal this summer, travel booking sites will see revenue increases in the later quarters of 2022. Plus, these sites don’t have to worry about fuel costs like actual airlines. (And I think”bargain hunting” sites like those owned by Booking Holdings will get an extra boost from rising inflation and from worries about a potential recession. I’ll be adding these shares to my Jubak Picks portfolio with a target price of $2800 a share tomorrow, Friday, April 22.

Another round of higher oil prices headed our way

Another round of higher oil prices headed our way

Today, April 21, reports from a number of different sources are pointing to lower oil production–which will mean higher oil prices. Even from current levels. And oil prices are significantly higher in the past three weeks. At 3:00 p.m. New York time today U.S. benchmark West Texas Intermediate traded at $103.44 a barrel, up 1.61% on the day. On April 11 West Texas Intermediate traded for just $94.29 a barrel.

Lessons from Netflix for all consumer stocks

Lessons from Netflix for all consumer stocks

In this post let me take another step back to look at the one of the larger economic forces revealed by the Netflix miss. I’d argue that the Nexflix miss should put pricing power and questions of what price increases will hurt demand up near the top of your stock picking check list. Especially since the streaming service’ loss of 200,000 subscribers this quarter and the ported loss of 2 million subscribers next quarter qualifies as just the first shoe to drop.

Netflix stuns with loss of 200,000 users in first quarter–what’s that mean for other consumer companies?

Netflix stuns with loss of 200,000 users in first quarter–what’s that mean for other consumer companies?

Shares of Netflix (NFLX), fell 25.73% today, April 19, in after-hours trading after the company announced first quarter earnings. (In regular trading the shares had gained 3.23%.) The stock was already down 42% for 2022 before today’s after-hours plunge. The bad news: In the first quarter of 2022 Netflix (NFLX) lost 200,000 subscribers. That was a bit short of the company’s guidance for the addition of 2.5 million subscribers for the quarter. And to put a cherry on top of the bad news in the company’s earnings report, Netflix forecast that it would lose another 2 million subscribers in the second quarter of 2022.

Stocks rally on bad inflation news in the morning and then give it all back (on second thoughts) in the afternoon

Stocks rally on bad inflation news in the morning and then give it all back (on second thoughts) in the afternoon

As of noon New York time today, April 12, the Standard & Poor’s 500 was up 0.47% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average had gained 0.34%. The NASDAQ Composite was higher by 0.73% and the NASDAQ 100 had moved up by 0.67%. The small cap Russell 2000 had tacked on 1.49%. And then by the close stocks had given up all these gains and more. For the day, the S&P 500 closed down 0.34% and the Dow was off 0.26%. The NASDAQ Composite ended lower by 0.30% and the NASDAQ 100 was down 0.36%. The small cap Russell 2000 managed to close up 0.33% on the day.

Trimming bank stocks ahead of earnings: Selling WFC and KBWB ETF

Trimming bank stocks ahead of earnings: Selling WFC and KBWB ETF

Just want to make sure that no one missed the sell recommendations in yesterday’s Saturday Night Quarterback post. Big banks will kick off another earnings season beginning with JPMorgan Chase (JPM) on Wednesday, April 13. Citigroup (C) and Wells Fargo (WFC) follow on April 14. Bank of America (BAC) reports on April 18. Bank earnings forecasts present a complicated picture for the quarter–which is only appropriate since that’s true of Standard & Poor’s 500 earnings forecasts as a whole.

Saturday Night Quarterback says, For the week ahead expect…

Saturday Night Quarterback says, For the week ahead expect…

Big banks will kick off another earnings season beginning with JPMorgan Chase (JPM) on Wednesday, April 13. Citigroup (C) and Wells Fargo (WFC) follow on April 14. Bank of America (BAC) reports on April 18. Bank earnings forecasts present a complicated picture for the quarter–which is only appropriate since that’s true of Standard & Poor’s 500 earnings forecasts as a whole.