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Please watch my new YouTube video: Lessons from Amazon

Please watch my new YouTube video: Lessons from Amazon

My one-hundredth-and-twenty-seventh YouTube video “Lessons from Amazon” went up today. In this video I’m looking at Amazon’s (AMZN) earnings report after hours on April 28. The company delivered its first quarterly loss in 7 years. The shares closed down 14.05% the next day. I think that the questions Amazon is facing are important across the economy as we emerge from a Pandemic. For example, looking at Pandemic sales trends do you invest in fulfillment and shipping infrastructure to maintain consumer expectations for quick delivery or do you hold back on spending on the likelihood that post-Pandemic trends will revert to lower pre-Pandemic patterns? Amazon’s decision to invest in building out fulfillment, and its flat sales numbers, led to this quarterly loss. Other companies such as Uber, DoorDash, Netflix, Peloton, and Starbucks face the same issues going forward.

Re-buying Alibaba for my JubakPicks Portfolio today

Re-buying Alibaba for my JubakPicks Portfolio today

The Chinese government has promised more stimulus to prop up growth in the country’s economy and the Politburo has indicated that, at least temporarily, it will slow the pace of its regulatory crack down on China’s Internet companies. The combination, as I posted in today’s Quick Pick YouTube video, has launched a huge rally in China’s Internet and e-commerce stocks. As of 3 p.m. on Friday, April 29, the New York traded shares of Tencent Holdings (TCEHY) wee up 8.95%. JD.com (JD) hadgained 7.72%. And Ablibaba (BABA), the big name among foreign investors and the leading target of government regulators is up 8.26%. On this trend, I’m adding shares of Alibaba to my JubakPicks Portfolio today

Visa’s earnings beat one more sign that post-Pandemic travel is back

Visa’s earnings beat one more sign that post-Pandemic travel is back

After hours on Tuesday, April 26, Visa (V) reported earnings of $1.70 a share. That modestly beat analyst projections of $1.65 a share for the quarter. But it was a big jump from the $1.35 a share in the first quarter of 2021. Visa’s shares were up 6.47% on Wednesday. Visa is a member of my Jubak Picks Portfolio where it is up 239.26% since I added it to that list on November 15, 2015. As of April 28 I’m raising the target price on Visa in Jubak’s Picks to $266 from the prior target of $194. I will also add the stock to my long-term 50 Stocks Portfolio.

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.

Russia’s Gazprom stops natural gas flows to Poland; natural gas prices in Europe spike 17%

Russia’s Gazprom stops natural gas flows to Poland; natural gas prices in Europe spike 17%

Russia’s Gazprom has told Poland’s government that it will stop supplying natural gas to Poland beginning on Wednesday after Poland refused to pay the supplier in roubles. Western sanctions have made it almost impossible for Russian companies to collect payments in dollars or euros. The decision to stop natural gas supply to Poland also followed on the country’s announcement on Tuesday that it was imposing sanctions on 50 entities and individuals including Russia’s biggest gas company. Polish ministers told a press conference that Poland had sufficient supplies of gas to weather the interruption

Replacing Invesco Bank ETF with Consumer Staples ETF in my Perfect 5 ETF Portfolio; increasing commodities weighting

Replacing Invesco Bank ETF with Consumer Staples ETF in my Perfect 5 ETF Portfolio; increasing commodities weighting

Back on April 11 when I “trimmed” my bank stock positions in my Jubak Picks Portfolio ( https://jubakam.com/trimming-bank-st…wfc-and-kbwb-etf/) by selling Wells Fargo (WFC) and the Invesco KBWB Bank ETF, I said I’d sell that ETF out of my Perfect 5 ETF Portfolio when I had a replacement ETF to offer. Today I’ve got a replacement to recommend and I’m selling the Invesco Bank ETF out of that portfolio. The replacement is the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLP).

This week is last stand for growth stock earnings hopes

This week is last stand for growth stock earnings hopes

Going into this earnings season, the hope was that strong, surprisingly strong perhaps, earnings from the big growth stocks would put a stop to the selling. Earnings would be strong enough to convince investors that the market wasn’t over-valued since at these growth rates stocks would be seen to be quick growing into current extended valuations That hasn’t exactly worked so far. But this week the earnings story from growth stocks hits its stride. If the companies reporting this week can’t make the case for growth stock earnings, there probably isn’t a growth stock story to be made in the light of Federal Reserve interest rate increases, supply chain disruptions, and fears of a recession.

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.

Tesla crushes earnings

Tesla crushes earnings

Tesla (TSLA) crushed Wall Street projections for first quarter earnings today, Wednesday, April 20. After the market close, the company reported record revenue of $18.756 billion, up 80.5% from the first quarter of 2021. (Wall Street analysts had expected revenue of $17.76 billon.) And earnings of $3.22 a share. That was well ahead of Wall Street expectations for $2.89 a share.