Today Albemarle (ALB) announced that it would sell $1.75 billion in ADRs to fund capital spending during the collapse in lithium prices. The offer will be for a mandatory convertible preferred with a 7% to 7.5% coupon. The plunge is a reaction to the company having to do a capital raise at the bottom for the lithium market
Way back in 2005, shortly before he became chair of the Federal Reserve, economist Ben Bernanke proposed that the world was seeing a long-term glut of savings. With the world awash in cash as a result of massive numbers of people in the developing world entering the job market, and as the Baby Boom generation (and others) hit its peak earning years, and as relatively low inflation and rising real wages freed up more cash for many consumers, long-term interest rates would stay low and remain low for longer. The thesis looks, in retrospect, to have been massively correct. The global economy did experience a long period of extraordinarily low interest rates, with interest rates turning negative for important chunks of the the world. Now, it looks like the long-term trend has gone into reverse. We’re headed into a period of cash scarcity.
Yesterday, Thursday, February 22, Nvidia (NVDA) gained 16.40% at the close after beating Wall Street expectations on earnings and revenue after the market close on Wednesday. And then raising guidance for the rest of 2024. But what most interested me on Thursday were what tech stocks Nvidia carried higher with it–and which stocks it didn’t.
Well, optimistic analysts just weren’t optimistic enough about Nvidia’s (NVDA) fourth quarter 2023 earnings. The company reported adjusted earnings of $5.16 per share on revenue of $22.1 billion. Analysts were expecting earnings of $4.60 a share and revenue of $20.4 billion.
After yesterday’s earnings report–the company beat Wall Street estimates for the quarter–and radically lower guidance for next quarter and the rest of 2024–total billings for next quarter will grow by just 2% to 4% and revenue for all of 2024 will grow by just 15% to 16% from 2023–shares of Palo Alto Networks (PANW) took a big hit right between the eyes. The stock fell 28.44% at the close and lost $104.12 a share to $261.97. What do I recommend? I’d say “buy” with a couple of caveats. Why buy?
t should be a familiar story in this priced-to-perfection market: Company beats big in current quarter but lowers guidance and stock takes a dive. Latest victim? Palo Alto Networks (PANW). The stock is down 14.09% at 4:30 New York time today. And with Nvidia scheduled to report tomorrow after the close, you can bet the market will be on edge tomorrow.
Lynas, one of the largest producers of rare earth minerals outside of China (and one of only two non-Chinese processors of rare earth minerals) is my sixth Penny stock pick for my Special Report.
I’m playing catch up on this Special Report. I’ve got picks #5, #6, and #7 almost ready to post. My 10 Penny Stock Homeruns Pick #4: Nel (NLLSF).
The United States is on a pace to add nearly $19 trillion to its national debt over the next decade, according to a new report from the Congressional Budget Office released today, Wednesday, February 7. The budget office projected that the annual deficit will grow to $2.6 trillion in 2034 from $1.6 trillion this year, adding $18.9 trillion to the national debt during the decade. By then, the debt is projected to surpass $54 trillion.
Special Report: 10 Penny Stock Home Runs Pick #3 ESS Tech (GWH). The stock of this maker of iron flow, utility scale, long-draw-down batteries ticks all the boxes for my Penny Stock Home Runs.
Usually I start off one of these stock-picking Special Reports by building a paradigm that I can use to screen for the kind of stocks I’m looking for. For this Special Report: 10 Penny Stock Home Runs I’m going to reverse that process and begin with the 10 picks.My first pick is Luminar Technologies.
Shares in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSM) were up almost 10% yesterday after the company announced an unexpectedly strong return to growth. That has in turn pushed chip stocks higher across the sector. For example, shares of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), which were already moving higher this week ahead of the news, hit a new record high today. The good news from semiconductor companies and the moves on their stock have also rallied the general market.
