Z-SYMBOLS

Biden proposes/Trump disposes: Will GLP-1 diabetes/obesity drugs become free under Medicare and Medicaid?

Biden proposes/Trump disposes: Will GLP-1 diabetes/obesity drugs become free under Medicare and Medicaid?

The Biden administration has proposed making GLP-1 weight loss drugs free for low-income people and retirees who qualify as obese. Expensive drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy and Zepbound, which cost $1,000 a month, would be covered for the 40% of the U.S. population who qualify as obese. Currently, the federal plans only cover the drugs when patients have other conditions caused by obesity, such as diabetes, heart disease. The leading drugs are made by Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novo Nordisk (NVO). Shares of Eli Lilly were up 4.55% today while Novo Nordisk rose 1.50%. The incoming Trump Administration will have to decide whether to move ahead with the plan. You can either think of this as a smart piece of health care policy or an effort to jam up an incoming administration that already faces challenges in devising coherent policy on healthcare. I go with the “jam ‘em up” theory myself.

Palo Alto Networks beats on earnings, but it’s not enough

Palo Alto Networks beats on earnings, but it’s not enough

Shares ofPalo Alto Networks (PANW) fell 5.32% in after-hours trading today, November 20. The company reported earnings for its first fiscal quarter after the market close. Non-GAAP earnings per share of $1.56 beat analyst estimates by $0.08. Revenue of $2.14 billion, an increase of 13.8% year-over-year, beat by $20 million. But it wasn’t enough for a stock that trades at 54 times trailing 12-month earnings per share.

Special Report: “3 Strategies and 10 Picks for Juicy Returns in a Yield Drought”–first 6 picks

Special Report: “3 Strategies and 10 Picks for Juicy Returns in a Yield Drought”–first 6 picks

If you’re an investor looking for income, you’re facing what I’d call a Yield Drought. And this is no temporary dry spell. Things on the income investing front look they’ll get worse before they get better. Unless a financial crisis intervenes in 2025 to make everything else much worse and the yield story much better. Because, you see, there are two parts to the current Yield Drought.

With stocks looking stalled, Nvidia reports after the close on Wednesday

With stocks looking stalled, Nvidia reports after the close on Wednesday

NVIDIA (NVDA) will release its third quarter results after the market closes on Wednesday. Analysts are forecasting over 80% year over year growth in both revenue and EPS. Several Wall Street firms have raised their price targets on Nvidia ahead of its earnings report, citing strong demand for AI chips and the potential for upside surprises. Analysts from HSBC, Oppenheimer, Susquehanna, Wedbush, Raymond James, and Mizuho have increased their price targets, with HSBC setting the highest at $200. The stock closed at $140.15 on Monday, November 18. On the other hand…

Updated Special Report “11 Trump winners and 5 Harris/Trump losers”–first loser picks after Trump’s win

Updated Special Report “11 Trump winners and 5 Harris/Trump losers”–first loser picks after Trump’s win

When I posted the previous version of this Special Report back on September 30, I wrote: “I don’t know which candidate will win the election. Right now the polls are within the margin of error on the national level–and even tighter in the seven battleground states that will likely decide the election. But I do know the results on November 5 will move stocks. Some right off the bat even before the results are certified. And more significantly as a new administration clarifies its policy views and takes office.” That has changed just a bit with last night’s victory by Donald Trump. We do know who won and will be the President come January 20. And we do know whose policies will move stocks and the financial markets in general. So let’s see if I can bring my picks and strategic advice up to date.

Pick #7 CNH Industrial for my Special Report “10 new stock ideas for an old rally”

Pick #7 CNH Industrial for my Special Report “10 new stock ideas for an old rally”

Today I added CNH Industrial (CNH) as Pick #7 for my Special Report “10 new stock ideas for an old rally.” I also added the stock to my Jubak Picks Portfolio. Here’s what I wrote:
I like farm equipment maker CNH Industrial for the same reason I own Deere (DE) in my long-term 50 Stocks Portfolio. In the long term the world’s farmers are facing a huge challenge: produce more food as an increasingly chaotic climate makes growing stuff harder and harder. One important piece of the solution is a new generation of intelligent farm equipment that uses artificial intelligence to guide everything from when to plant to when to fertilize. At the moment, though, I like CNH more on price. CNH, the #2 farm equipment maker, is invitingly attractive because it is so cheap, absolutely and in comparison to Deere.