Financial Contrast: Maiden (MHLD) and Mercury General (MCY)

Maiden (NASDAQ: MHLD) and Mercury General (NYSE:MCY) are both finance companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, dividends, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, valuation, earnings and risk.

Profitability

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This table compares Maiden and Mercury General’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Maiden	-6.01%	-19.36%	-2.47%
Mercury General	2.25%	4.77%	1.65%

Risk & Volatility

Maiden has a beta of 1.17, meaning that its share price is 17% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Mercury General has a beta of 0.46, meaning that its share price is 54% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Maiden and Mercury General, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Maiden	0	4	0	0	2.00
Mercury General	0	0	0	0	N/A

Maiden currently has a consensus target price of $9.00, suggesting a potential upside of 9.09%. Given Maiden’s higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Maiden is more favorable than Mercury General.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

61.9% of Maiden shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 44.4% of Mercury General shares are owned by institutional investors. 10.5% of Maiden shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 34.2% of Mercury General shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Maiden and Mercury General’s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Maiden	$2.92 billion	0.23	-$169.89 million	($2.16)	-3.82
Mercury General	$3.42 billion	0.73	$144.87 million	$1.64	27.55

Mercury General has higher revenue and earnings than Maiden. Maiden is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Mercury General, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Dividends

Maiden pays an annual dividend of $0.60 per share and has a dividend yield of 7.3%. Mercury General pays an annual dividend of $2.50 per share and has a dividend yield of 5.5%. Maiden pays out -27.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Mercury General pays out 152.4% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future. Maiden has raised its dividend for 4 consecutive years and Mercury General has raised its dividend for 32 consecutive years. Maiden is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.

Summary

Mercury General beats Maiden on 10 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

Maiden Company Profile

Maiden Holdings, Ltd., through its subsidiaries, provides reinsurance solutions to regional and specialty insurers in the United States, Europe, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Diversified Reinsurance and AmTrust Reinsurance. The Diversified Reinsurance segment offers property and casualty reinsurance, including the writing of treaties on a quota share or excess of loss basis; and facultative risks, which are marketed through third-party intermediaries and on a direct basis. The AmTrust Reinsurance segment provides small commercial business insurance, including workers' compensation, commercial package, and other property and casualty insurance products; and specialty risk and extended warranty coverage for consumer and commercial goods, as well as custom designed coverages, such as accidental damage plans and payment protection plans related to the sale of consumer and commercial goods. This segment also offers specialty program comprising package products, general liability, commercial auto liability, excess and surplus lines programs, and other specialty commercial property and casualty insurance to small and middle market companies. In addition, the company offers auto and credit life insurance products through its insurer partners to retail clients. Maiden Holdings, Ltd. was founded in 2007 and is headquartered in Pembroke, Bermuda.

Mercury General Company Profile

Mercury General Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in writing personal automobile insurance in the United States. The company also writes homeowners, commercial automobile, commercial property, mechanical protection, fire, and umbrella insurance. Its automobile insurance products cover collision, property damage, bodily injury, comprehensive, personal injury protection, underinsured and uninsured motorist, and other hazards; and homeowners insurance products cover dwelling, liability, personal property, fire, and other hazards. The company sells its policies through a network of independent agents, 100% owned insurance agents, and direct channels in Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia. Mercury General Corporation was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

$0.04 Earnings Per Share Expected for NeoGenomics, Inc. (NEO) This Quarter

Brokerages predict that NeoGenomics, Inc. (NASDAQ:NEO) will report earnings of $0.04 per share for the current quarter, according to Zacks Investment Research. Two analysts have made estimates for NeoGenomics’ earnings. The highest EPS estimate is $0.05 and the lowest is $0.04. NeoGenomics also reported earnings of $0.04 per share during the same quarter last year. The business is scheduled to issue its next earnings report before the market opens on Tuesday, July 24th.

According to Zacks, analysts expect that NeoGenomics will report full-year earnings of $0.18 per share for the current fiscal year, with EPS estimates ranging from $0.16 to $0.19. For the next year, analysts expect that the firm will post earnings of $0.26 per share, with EPS estimates ranging from $0.24 to $0.30. Zacks’ earnings per share averages are a mean average based on a survey of sell-side analysts that follow NeoGenomics.

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NeoGenomics (NASDAQ:NEO) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, May 1st. The medical research company reported $0.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.03 by $0.01. NeoGenomics had a negative net margin of 0.86% and a positive return on equity of 3.19%. The business had revenue of $63.40 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $62.31 million. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $0.03 earnings per share. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 10.5% compared to the same quarter last year.

A number of equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. ValuEngine upgraded shares of NeoGenomics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 17th. First Analysis lowered shares of NeoGenomics from an “overweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and set a $11.00 price target on the stock. in a research report on Wednesday, May 2nd. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of NeoGenomics from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Thursday. BidaskClub upgraded shares of NeoGenomics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 18th. Finally, Stephens restated a “buy” rating and set a $15.00 price target on shares of NeoGenomics in a research report on Tuesday, June 26th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating, six have given a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $17.50.

NeoGenomics traded up $0.07, reaching $14.12, on Friday, according to Marketbeat Ratings. 473,998 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 451,635. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.13 billion, a PE ratio of 235.33, a PEG ratio of 6.69 and a beta of 0.52. NeoGenomics has a twelve month low of $7.08 and a twelve month high of $14.61. The company has a current ratio of 2.03, a quick ratio of 1.85 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.53.

In other NeoGenomics news, insider Robert J. Shovlin sold 12,941 shares of NeoGenomics stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $13.12, for a total transaction of $169,785.92. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 39,884 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $523,278.08. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, VP Jennifer Balliet sold 13,000 shares of NeoGenomics stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, May 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.24, for a total transaction of $146,120.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 13,000 shares in the company, valued at $146,120. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 708,707 shares of company stock worth $8,692,086 over the last 90 days. 12.20% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Cornerstone Wealth Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of NeoGenomics in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $528,000. WINTON GROUP Ltd purchased a new stake in shares of NeoGenomics in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $338,000. Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC raised its stake in shares of NeoGenomics by 1.6% in the 1st quarter. Segall Bryant & Hamill LLC now owns 441,380 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $3,602,000 after acquiring an additional 6,952 shares during the period. First Light Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of NeoGenomics by 23.7% in the 1st quarter. First Light Asset Management LLC now owns 4,760,332 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $38,844,000 after acquiring an additional 912,730 shares during the period. Finally, Barclays PLC raised its stake in shares of NeoGenomics by 385.3% in the 1st quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 53,295 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $435,000 after acquiring an additional 42,314 shares during the period. 83.26% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About NeoGenomics

NeoGenomics, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates a network of cancer-focused genetic testing laboratories in the United States. It operates through Clinical Services and Pharma Services segments. The company laboratories provide genetic and molecular testing services to hospitals, pathologists, oncologists, urologists, other clinicians and researchers, pharmaceutical firms, and other clinical laboratories.

Further Reading: Are Wall Street analysts’ stock ratings worth following?

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

Gluskin Sheff + Associates (GS) Price Target Raised to C$19.00

Gluskin Sheff + Associates (TSE:GS) had its target price hoisted by CIBC from C$17.00 to C$19.00 in a research report report published on Friday.

A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on GS. BMO Capital Markets lifted their target price on Gluskin Sheff + Associates from C$16.00 to C$17.00 in a report on Tuesday, May 15th. Desjardins reiterated a hold rating on shares of Gluskin Sheff + Associates in a research report on Monday, May 14th. Finally, Scotiabank increased their price target on Gluskin Sheff + Associates from C$18.00 to C$19.00 and gave the company a sector perform rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 16th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, The stock has an average rating of Hold and an average price target of C$17.70.

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Gluskin Sheff + Associates traded up C$0.45, reaching C$17.41, during mid-day trading on Friday, MarketBeat.com reports. 239,400 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 100,749. Gluskin Sheff + Associates has a 1-year low of C$14.15 and a 1-year high of C$19.20.

Gluskin Sheff + Associates (TSE:GS) last released its earnings results on Monday, May 14th. The company reported C$0.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of C$0.20 by C$0.02. The firm had revenue of C$28.69 million for the quarter. Gluskin Sheff + Associates had a return on equity of 70.32% and a net margin of 33.66%.

In related news, Director Wilfred Arthur Gobert purchased 9,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 27th. The stock was acquired at an average price of C$16.54 per share, for a total transaction of C$148,860.00.

About Gluskin Sheff + Associates

Gluskin Sheff + Associates Inc is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm also provides wealth management services. It primarily provides its services to high net worth investors, including entrepreneurs, professionals, family trusts, private charitable foundations, pension and profit sharing plans, pooled investment vehicles, charitable organizations , corporations, institutions, insurance companies, and estates.

See Also: What do investors mean by earnings per share?

Positive ��price drift�� suggests bitcoin has room to move higher

Bitcoin showed further resilience Thursday, building on sharp gains made earlier in the week.

Often in the past, sharp moves higher in the price of the No. 1 digital currency have been followed by pullbacks, or at the least, consolidation. This time, bitcoin has recorded five consecutive winning days and the ��price drift,�� when an asset continues in the same direction after a sharp move, suggests there��s more to come for world��s biggest digital currency, analysts say.

��All in all, we believe that when we see signs of price drift that it indicates that the current price may not be the fair value price. All the information that is relevant may not be fully priced in,�� wrote Thejas Nalval, portfolio director, and Kevin Lu, director of quantitative research, at Element Asset Management, in a note.

��And in the case of positive price drift, it means that bullish market sentiment has not been fully realized in the supply-demand equilibrium and that the price likely has more room to go,�� they said.

A single bitcoin BTCUSD, +0.18% was last valued at $7,416.27, up 1.1% since 5 p.m. Eastern Time Wednesday on the Kraken crypto exchange.

The seasons are changing for bitcoin

Speaking on a webinar conference hosted by private capital markets firm SharesPost, Tom Lee, head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors said the wintry start to 2018 for crypto investors could be coming to an end. ��We should think about when the season is going to change,�� said Lee, when posed the question has the bitcoin winter ended.

��There��s a reasonable argument that spring has already begun, Lee added��

Lee said the adoption of bitcoin will be generational, highlighting the importance of millennials for the future of cryptocurrencies and blockchain, the distributed ledger technology that underpins bitcoin. ��Every technology change relies on a generational shift,�� Lee said.

��Millennials will be the most important to the crypto space.��

Read: Barry Silbert says bitcoin put in its 2018 low, but 99% of cryptos are worthless

We should ban bitcoin mining: California congressman

During a Wednesday hearing hosted by the House Financial Services Committee, a notable cryptocurrency detractor, California Democrat Rep. Brad Sherman, said the U.S. should ban the buying and mining of cryptocurrencies.

"We should prohibit U.S. persons from buying or mining cryptocurrencies," says Rep. Brad Sherman, a senior Democrat on the House Financial Services Committee.

— Colin Wilhelm (@colinwilhelm) July 18, 2018

Sherman in the past called cryptocurrencies a ��crock,�� saying they are popular with guys who sit around in their pajamas and tell their wives they��re going to be millionaires.

Read: Fed��s Powell says cryptocurrencies have no intrinsic value

Altcoins bucking the trend Thursday

Coins other than bitcoin, colloquially known as altcoins, are underperforming bitcoin in afternoon trading. Ether ETHUSD, +0.44% is down 1.1% at $468.40, Bitcoin Cash BCHUSD, +0.24% has lost 0.7%, trading at $816.50, Litecoin LTCUSD, +0.14% is in the red to the tune of 2.1%, last trading at $86.34 and Ripple��s XRP coin XRPUSD, +0.53% was trading at 48 cents, down 0.8%.

Bitcoin futures markets followed spot markets higher. The Cboe Global Markets Inc. for August XBTQ8, +2.10% closed up 2.5% at $7,465 and the CME Inc. July contract BTCN8, +0.47% finished the day up 0.8% to $7,450.

CryptoWatch: Check bitcoin and other cryptocurrency prices, performance and market capitalization��all on one

Aaron Hankin

Aaron Hankin is a MarketWatch reporter in New York who covers cryptocurrency and financial markets.

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Comment Quote References BTCUSD +13.39 +0.18% ETHUSD +2.06 +0.44% BCHUSD +2.00 +0.24% LTCUSD +0.12 +0.14% XRPUSD +0.00 +0.53% XBTQ8 +152.50 +2.10% BTCN8 +35.00 +0.47% Show all references MarketWatch Partner Center Most Popular Chase and Southwest have a new travel credit card, but is it a good deal? One chart puts mega tech��s trillions of market value into eye-popping perspective Why Trump isn��t backing down in the trade fight �� in one chart

Why owning a home in retirement could be a mistake

We all have our own respective visions of what life in retirement will look like. For the bulk of Americans, however, that means owning a home.

In fact, 85% of current workers say they plan to own during their golden years, according to new data from Voya Financial, while 79% of current retirees are property owners. But while owning during retirement has its benefits, there's one major drawback to also be aware of.

Why own during retirement?

There are several good reasons to own a home during retirement. For one thing, ownership still offers a host of tax breaks, such as the mortgage interest and property tax deduction, which is currently capped but very much still in play.

Additionally, owning a home gives you a potential source of equity you can use to your advantage later in life. If cash flow becomes an issue, for example, you can get a reverse mortgage (though proceed with caution before you do) or home equity line of credit to buy yourself more options for paying the bills. And that's something renters can't do.

Homeownership in retirement can be a dangerous prospect

Despite the aforementioned benefits, there's one huge drawback to owning property in retirement, and it's committing yourself to a variable expense while living on a fixed income. Even if your mortgage itself is paid off by the time you enter retirement, you'll still have property taxes to contend with. And those have a tendency to rise over time, even during periods when home values don't follow suit.

There's also maintenance and repairs to think about, and that's where a lot of retirees who own homes get into trouble. The average homeowner spends 1% to 4% of his or her home's value on standard annual upkeep. Now being a retiree doesn't automatically mean you'll own an aging home. But if yours is on the older side, you should plan on hitting the top end of that range, which could really eat into your limited budget.

Furthermore, while that 1% to 4% range applies to regular maintenance, it doesn't include major repairs that could spring up on you without notice. I'm talking about things like your heating system going kaput or a pipe bursting in your basement -- expenses that could really hurt you financially when your income doesn't allow for too many surprises.

And there lies the danger of owning a home in retirement: You just don't know what to expect. And while renting certainly isn't without risk -- you could see your rent go up from year to year or find yourself suddenly on the hunt for a new home when your landlord unexpectedly decides to sell -- when you rent, you lock yourself into a fixed cost for the duration of your lease. Sign a series of long-term, affordable leases, and you eliminate much of the worry that comes with owning.

Related links:

�� Motley Fool Issues Rare Triple-Buy Alert

�� This Stock Could Be Like Buying Amazon in 1997

�� 7 of 8 People Are Clueless About This Trillion-Dollar Market

Ultimately, the decision to own a home during retirement boils down to how much risk you're willing to take on.

If you love your home, adore your neighborhood, and don't want to deal with the hassle and uncertainly of renting, then by all means, stay in your home. Just make sure you have a decent chunk of savings -- both emergency and otherwise -- to protect yourself from the various unknowns involved.

$106.24 Million in Sales Expected for Summit Midstream Partners LP (SMLP) This Quarter

Wall Street brokerages expect Summit Midstream Partners LP (NYSE:SMLP) to report $106.24 million in sales for the current fiscal quarter, Zacks reports. Two analysts have issued estimates for Summit Midstream Partners’ earnings, with the highest sales estimate coming in at $109.48 million and the lowest estimate coming in at $103.00 million. Summit Midstream Partners posted sales of $101.79 million in the same quarter last year, which would indicate a positive year-over-year growth rate of 4.4%. The company is scheduled to issue its next earnings results on Thursday, August 2nd.

On average, analysts expect that Summit Midstream Partners will report full-year sales of $451.05 million for the current fiscal year, with estimates ranging from $428.40 million to $470.00 million. For the next financial year, analysts anticipate that the firm will report sales of $477.01 million per share, with estimates ranging from $454.10 million to $504.00 million. Zacks’ sales averages are an average based on a survey of sell-side research firms that follow Summit Midstream Partners.

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Summit Midstream Partners (NYSE:SMLP) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 3rd. The pipeline company reported ($0.18) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.12 by ($0.30). The business had revenue of $117.32 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $106.68 million. Summit Midstream Partners had a net margin of 17.59% and a return on equity of 13.23%.

Several research firms have recently commented on SMLP. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Summit Midstream Partners from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Thursday, May 10th. Wells Fargo & Co downgraded shares of Summit Midstream Partners from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and set a $16.00 price objective on the stock. in a report on Monday, May 7th. Barclays dropped their price objective on shares of Summit Midstream Partners from $21.00 to $15.00 and set an “underweight” rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, April 17th. Deutsche Bank began coverage on shares of Summit Midstream Partners in a report on Thursday, April 19th. They issued a “hold” rating and a $17.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, ValuEngine downgraded shares of Summit Midstream Partners from a “sell” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 2nd. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating, four have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Summit Midstream Partners currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $19.22.

SMLP stock opened at $16.30 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.22 billion, a PE ratio of 9.94 and a beta of 1.83. The company has a current ratio of 1.02, a quick ratio of 1.02 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.05. Summit Midstream Partners has a 12 month low of $13.10 and a 12 month high of $24.75.

In related news, insider Brad N. Graves sold 5,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $15.53, for a total value of $77,650.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now directly owns 61,225 shares in the company, valued at approximately $950,824.25. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Brock M. Degeyter sold 9,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 22nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $16.06, for a total transaction of $144,540.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 63,744 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,023,728.64. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 24,000 shares of company stock valued at $377,140.

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Brookfield Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in Summit Midstream Partners during the fourth quarter worth $29,625,000. Raymond James Financial Services Advisors Inc. acquired a new position in Summit Midstream Partners during the fourth quarter worth $211,000. Penbrook Management LLC acquired a new position in Summit Midstream Partners during the fourth quarter worth $646,000. Guggenheim Capital LLC raised its position in Summit Midstream Partners by 62.1% during the fourth quarter. Guggenheim Capital LLC now owns 71,385 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $1,463,000 after acquiring an additional 27,337 shares during the period. Finally, Citigroup Inc. raised its position in Summit Midstream Partners by 94.4% during the first quarter. Citigroup Inc. now owns 190,110 shares of the pipeline company’s stock worth $2,671,000 after acquiring an additional 92,316 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 45.76% of the company’s stock.

Summit Midstream Partners Company Profile

Summit Midstream Partners, LP focuses on owning, developing, and operating midstream energy infrastructure assets primarily shale formations in the continental United States. The company provides natural gas gathering, treating, and processing services, as well as crude oil and produced water gathering services.

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

Can Traditional Retailers Survive the "Fast Fashion" Clothing Trend?

It is no secret by now that consumers, especially millennials and younger generations, increasingly desire products that are more convenient, up-to-date with currents trends, and reasonably priced. That is especially evident in the fast-paced and dynamic fashion retail industry, as shown by “fast fashion” and its effects on the entire business.

The term fast fashion is defined by retailers that attempt to mimic current fashion trends as quickly as possible—at a price that general consumers in the clothing sector can afford. Companies are able to keep up with fluctuating trends and produce the products in a cost-efficient manner through the use of extremely advanced supply chains and dedicated market research.

The Rise of Fast Fashion

The move towards fast fashion was initially lead by innovation-focused companies like Zara (IDEXY ) and H&M. These European brands were able to revolutionize the fashion retail industry in the early parts of the 21st Century and become household names.

An example of a company that has more recently been able to take advantage of the trend towards fast fashion is lifestyle brand Urban Outfitters (URBN ) , which is known for catering to a mainly young adult demographic through hip and stylish merchandise.  The stock has soared since this time last year, with prices climbing up over 150% to its current position at around $44.

One of the key drivers in the company’s progress has been its ability to accurately adapt to the newest fashion trends, and it is only expected to continue doing so in the future, according to analysts.  Increased analyst bullishness is one part of why Urban Outfitters currently holds a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

Another recent victory for fast fashion was Japanese company Uniqlo partnering with tennis legend Roger Federer. The $300 million deal made headlines due to the shock value of someone as well-known as Federer leaving sports apparel giant Nike (NKE ) for the lesser known Uniqlo.

The tennis star’s new sponsor doesn’t even focus mainly on sports like Nike does, but instead would be labeled as a fast fashion brand that tracks the world’s latest trends. Although it may not be a major hit for Nike right now, the move showed the power of fast fashion and its potential for even greater growth in the future.

Traditional Retail’s Response

Caught right in the middle of the fast fashion and online shopping storm are traditional retailers that have been staples in the clothing sector for a long time, including Nordstrom (JWN ) and Kohl’s (KSS ) .

In order to survive, these major companies are forced to make decisions on how to respond to the changes in today’s retailing and clothing landscape. It comes with no surprise that both companies have already made moves in attempts to maintain their positions in the industry.

On Tuesday, Nordstrom laid out a new five-year growth plan that was clearly influenced by the fast fashion movement. The plan centered on boosting the company’s e-commerce presence as foot traffic at malls has continued to decline.  However, the announcement was mainly met with negative reactions due to the costs associated with implementing all of the initiatives. It seems as if the company may have adjusted to consumer trends too and will now have to fight to catch up.

While it’s still unclear as to how Nordstrom’s initial moves will play out, its apparel retailing counterpart, Kohl’s, struck gold with its own solution. The company signed a deal with Amazon (AMZN ) in September of 2017, and the massive partnership has paid off big time, with the stock rising 64% since the move was announced.  Kohl’s teaming up with Amazon tremendously bolstered the retailer’s evolution towards becoming more convenient and faster.

Bottom Line

There is no denying the shift towards clothing that is easily accessible and consistent with the latest fashion trends. Investors should take note of fast fashion brands, like Urban Outfitters, which are perfectly suited to the new fast-paced environment in retailing.

On the other side, Nordstrom, Kohl’s, and similar traditional retailers should be looked at with greater caution as they continue to deal with how to adapt to fast fashion. These companies will have to pursue innovation and continue making strategic initiatives to stay at the forefront of retailing. Clothing retailers like Kohl’s that make successful changes should see growth, while others could be left behind.

The Hottest Tech Mega-Trend of All

Last year, it generated $8 billion in global revenues. By 2020, it's predicted to blast through the roof to $47 billion. Famed investor Mark Cuban says it will produce "the world's first trillionaires," but that should still leave plenty of money for regular investors who make the right trades early.

See Zacks' 3 Best Stocks to Play This Trend >>

European stocks rise for 6th day as focus turns to earnings season

European stocks rose on Tuesday, heading for a sixth straight session of gains as traders put aside trade war concerns for now and instead looked ahead to what is expected to be a positive earnings season.

U.K. politics were still in focus a day after two high-profile resignations from the cabinet sparked speculation about a fresh general election.

What are markets doing?

The Stoxx Europe 600 index SXXP, +0.48% �rose 0.2% to 385.51, on track for its highest close since June 18, according to FactSet data. A win on Tuesday would mark a sixth gain in a row, for the longest winning streak since mid-March.

The U.K.��s FTSE 100 index UKX, +0.11% �added 0.1% to 7,695.91, while France��s CAC 40 index PX1, +0.62% �put on 0.4% to 5,416.97.

Germany��s DAX 30 index DAX, +0.62% �was up 0.1% at 12,553.58.

The euro EURUSD, -0.2301% �traded at $1.1725, down from $1.1733 on Monday, while the GBPUSD, -0.0830% �fell to $1.3247 from $1.3258.

What is driving the market?

Tuesday��s advance was seen as a continuation of recent trading action, as investors put the U.S.-China trade spat on the back burner for now. Instead, investors are gearing up for the second-quarter earnings season, looking to U.S. corporates for a steer. The season there kicks off in earnest this week, with PepsiCo Inc. PEP, -1.64% �reporting on Tuesday and major banks JPMorgan Chase & Co. JPM, +3.09% �and Citigroup Inc. C, +2.68% �reporting on Friday.

In Europe, the recent political turmoil in the U.K. was still in focus after Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Brexit minister David Davis resigned on Monday. The moves were seen as making it more likely that Prime Minister Theresa May could face a leadership challenge and send U.K. voters to the polls at a crucial time in the Brexit negotiations with Brussels.

A general election in 2018 looked more likely after the resignations, with Betfair��s odds now implying a 40% probability of a vote this year compared with 17% before the weekend.

Read: Brexit turmoil: 4 things investors need to know

What are strategists saying?

��Solid gains across markets yesterday have certainly set the tone for the week, and today��s mixed session thus far, with markets alternating between small gains and losses, suggests we are in for a ��digestion day�� as markets pause before moving higher,�� said Chris Beauchamp, chief market analyst at IG, in a note.

��For a second day the big worry of late, trade wars, has been mercifully quiet, which has certainly helped to buoy risk appetite,�� he added.

Economic news

Eurozone house prices rose at the fastest pace in 11 years during the first three months of 2018, a development that is seen as further strengthening the case for the European Central Bank to end its massive easing program at the end of the year.

Meanwhile in the U.K., the Office for National Statistics for the first time ever released a monthly GDP figure instead of its usual quarterly numbers. The report showed the U.K. economy expanded 0.2% in the three months to May, up from flat growth in the three months to April.

Industrial production in France fell 0.2% in May from April, statistics agency Insee said, compared with forecasts for a 0.6% rise.

Stock movers

Shares of Danske Bank AS DANSKE, +1.43% �climbed 1.5% after Berenberg lifted the Danish lender to hold from sell, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

BMW AG BMW, +0.26% �slipped 0.4% after the German car maker said it will team up with Baidu Inc. K3SD, +0.00% �to develop autonomous-driving technology in China.

In the same vein, Continental AG CON, +0.48% �and Chinese ride-hailing company Didi Chuxing said they have formed a partnership to research and develop intelligent and connected vehicles. Continental shares were down 0.8%.

Volkswagen AG VOW3, -0.10% �fell 1% as the German car maker late Monday named Stefan Sommer to its management board as head of procurement.

Shares of TP ICAP PLC TCAP, -34.65% �sank 32% after the interdealer broker issued a profit warning for 2018 and said Chief Executive John Phizackerley has stepped down with immediate effect.

Tesco PLC TSCO, -1.58% TSCDY, +0.19% �dropped 1.2% after the U.K. supermarkets giant said its chief executive of Tesco U.K. & Republic of Ireland Charles Wilson will step down from the board due to health reasons.

Sara Sjolin

Sara Sjolin is a MarketWatch reporter based in London. Follow her on Twitter @sarasjolin.

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Comment Related Topics European Markets Europe Investing Stocks European Central Bank Quote References SXXP +1.84 +0.48% UKX +8.57 +0.11% PX1 +33.62 +0.62% DAX +78.15 +0.62% EURUSD -0.0027 -0.2301% GBPUSD -0.0011 -0.0830% PEP -1.80 -1.64% JPM +3.22 +3.09% C +1.80 +2.68% DANSKE +2.75 +1.43% BMW +0.21 +0.26% K3SD +0.00 +0.00% CON +0.95 +0.48% VOW3 -0.14 -0.10% TCAP -145.60 -34.65% TSCO -4.10 -1.58% TSCDY +0.02 +0.19% Show all references MarketWatch Partner Center Most Popular ��This rally in stocks is a last hurrah!�� warns Guggenheim��s Minerd This reliable indicator of a bear market in stocks �� and a recession �� just flashed a warning The spectacular rise and fall of MoviePass I paid for my girlfriend��s rent, food, vacations and utilities while she was in college��now we��re breaking up These five ��mega trends�� are producing soaring stocks regardless of Trump, tariffs or the economy Community Guidelines �� FAQs BACK TO TOP MarketWatch Site Index Topics Help Feedback Newsroom Roster Media Archive Premium Products Mobile Company Company Info Code of Conduct Corrections Advertising Media Kit Advertise Locally Reprints & Licensing Your Ad Choices   Dow Jones Network WSJ.com Barron's Online BigCharts Virtual Stock Exchange Financial News London WSJ.com Small Business realtor.com Mansion Global

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Twitter Inc (TWTR) Receives $28.96 Average Target Price from Analysts

Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) has received a consensus recommendation of “Hold” from the forty ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat.com reports. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, twenty have given a hold recommendation, eleven have given a buy recommendation and three have assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average twelve-month target price among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $29.64.

TWTR has been the topic of several recent analyst reports. Zacks Investment Research raised Twitter from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $32.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Thursday, April 12th. Morgan Stanley raised Twitter from an “underweight” rating to an “equal weight” rating and set a $29.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, April 17th. Pivotal Research dropped their price target on Twitter from $21.00 to $20.00 and set a “sell” rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 2nd. Vetr raised Twitter from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $35.33 target price on the stock in a research report on Monday, March 26th. Finally, UBS Group raised Twitter from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 25th.

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Twitter traded down $4.02, hitting $42.63, during trading hours on Friday, Marketbeat.com reports. 4,501,852 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 28,238,454. The firm has a market capitalization of $35.11 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 710.33, a PEG ratio of 5.72 and a beta of 0.87. Twitter has a twelve month low of $15.67 and a twelve month high of $47.79. The company has a current ratio of 10.23, a quick ratio of 10.23 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33.

Twitter (NYSE:TWTR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, April 25th. The social networking company reported $0.16 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.01 by $0.15. The firm had revenue of $665.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $607.56 million. Twitter had a return on equity of 2.81% and a net margin of 0.57%. Twitter’s quarterly revenue was up 21.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.07 earnings per share. equities analysts forecast that Twitter will post 0.35 earnings per share for the current year.

In related news, Director Evan Clark Williams sold 539,027 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, April 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $29.00, for a total transaction of $15,631,783.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 2,074,330 shares in the company, valued at approximately $60,155,570. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CAO Robert Kaiden sold 3,676 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $30.71, for a total value of $112,889.96. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 3,330,918 shares of company stock valued at $121,697,325. 6.62% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in TWTR. IFM Investors Pty Ltd raised its holdings in Twitter by 55.5% in the 2nd quarter. IFM Investors Pty Ltd now owns 30,852 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $1,347,000 after acquiring an additional 11,007 shares in the last quarter. DnB Asset Management AS acquired a new position in Twitter in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $3,533,000. Gulf International Bank UK Ltd raised its holdings in Twitter by 9.9% in the 2nd quarter. Gulf International Bank UK Ltd now owns 216,887 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $9,471,000 after acquiring an additional 19,600 shares in the last quarter. Neville Rodie & Shaw Inc. acquired a new position in Twitter in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $312,000. Finally, Summit Trail Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Twitter by 2,102.8% in the 1st quarter. Summit Trail Advisors LLC now owns 2,146,516 shares of the social networking company’s stock valued at $2,147,000 after acquiring an additional 2,049,071 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 59.57% of the company’s stock.

Twitter Company Profile

Twitter, Inc operates as a platform for public self-expression and conversation in real time. The company offers various products and services, including Twitter that allows users to consume, create, distribute, and discover content; and Periscope, a mobile application that enables user to broadcast and watch video live with others.

Park Hotels & Resorts Inc (PK) Expected to Post Earnings of $0.78 Per Share

Equities analysts expect that Park Hotels & Resorts Inc (NYSE:PK) will post earnings per share (EPS) of $0.78 for the current quarter, according to Zacks. Six analysts have made estimates for Park Hotels & Resorts’ earnings, with estimates ranging from $0.40 to $0.87. Park Hotels & Resorts posted earnings per share of $0.81 in the same quarter last year, which would suggest a negative year-over-year growth rate of 3.7%. The firm is scheduled to issue its next earnings results on Wednesday, August 1st.

On average, analysts expect that Park Hotels & Resorts will report full-year earnings of $2.73 per share for the current financial year, with EPS estimates ranging from $1.75 to $2.92. For the next year, analysts expect that the business will post earnings of $2.68 per share, with EPS estimates ranging from $1.30 to $2.97. Zacks Investment Research’s EPS averages are an average based on a survey of sell-side analysts that that provide coverage for Park Hotels & Resorts.

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Park Hotels & Resorts (NYSE:PK) last released its earnings results on Thursday, May 3rd. The financial services provider reported $0.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.63 by $0.08. Park Hotels & Resorts had a net margin of 15.31% and a return on equity of 6.57%. The company had revenue of $668.00 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $646.90 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.64 EPS. The company’s revenue was down 2.3% compared to the same quarter last year.

A number of research analysts have recently weighed in on the stock. Deutsche Bank raised their price target on shares of Park Hotels & Resorts from $29.00 to $30.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, March 19th. Jefferies Financial Group assumed coverage on shares of Park Hotels & Resorts in a report on Thursday, May 31st. They set a “buy” rating and a $37.00 price target on the stock. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Park Hotels & Resorts from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Friday, March 23rd. Goldman Sachs Group downgraded shares of Park Hotels & Resorts from a “neutral” rating to a “sell” rating and cut their price target for the company from $32.92 to $31.00 in a report on Sunday, June 10th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded shares of Park Hotels & Resorts from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $28.00 price target on the stock. in a report on Tuesday, June 5th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $30.95.

In other Park Hotels & Resorts news, EVP Matthew Abram Sparks sold 12,877 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, May 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $29.87, for a total value of $384,635.99. Following the sale, the executive vice president now directly owns 46,931 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,401,828.97. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Company insiders own 0.38% of the company’s stock.

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of PK. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. lifted its holdings in Park Hotels & Resorts by 2,193.3% during the 1st quarter. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. now owns 3,784 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $102,000 after purchasing an additional 3,619 shares during the last quarter. Institutional & Family Asset Management LLC bought a new position in Park Hotels & Resorts during the 1st quarter valued at about $109,000. American International Group Inc. lifted its holdings in Park Hotels & Resorts by 170.0% during the 4th quarter. American International Group Inc. now owns 4,773 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $137,000 after purchasing an additional 3,005 shares during the last quarter. Driehaus Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Park Hotels & Resorts during the 4th quarter valued at about $202,000. Finally, Comerica Bank bought a new position in Park Hotels & Resorts during the 1st quarter valued at about $203,000.

PK stock traded up $0.26 during midday trading on Tuesday, reaching $31.36. The company had a trading volume of 25,144 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,826,683. Park Hotels & Resorts has a 1 year low of $23.91 and a 1 year high of $32.62. The company has a quick ratio of 1.35, a current ratio of 1.35 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.52. The company has a market cap of $6.24 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.23, a PEG ratio of 2.22 and a beta of 0.40.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, July 16th. Shareholders of record on Friday, June 29th will be given a $0.43 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, June 28th. This represents a $1.72 annualized dividend and a yield of 5.48%. Park Hotels & Resorts’s dividend payout ratio is 61.87%.

Park Hotels & Resorts Company Profile

Park is a leading lodging REIT with a diverse portfolio of hotels and resorts with significant underlying real estate value. Park's portfolio consists of 55 premium-branded hotels and resorts with over 32,000 rooms located in prime United States and international markets with high barriers to entry.

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Top Financial Stocks To Watch For 2019

tags:BBOX,DGICB,NFEC, Should young people in the United Kingdom be given 拢10,000 ($13,500) when they turn 25? A top think tank says yes.

The proposal from the Resolution Foundation is one of a number of suggestions for reducing inequality between the young and old.

British Millennials and their peers in other developed countries have fallen behind older generations when it comes to wealth, income and home ownership, a trend that politicians have been slow to address in the wake of the global financial crisis.

"We need not just some tinkering, but some big and dramatic solutions," said Matt Whittaker, deputy director at the Resolution Foundation.

The 拢10,000 payment would come with strings attached: Young people would only be allowed to spend it on developing new skills, entrepreneurship, housing or pensions. The payments would cost an estimated 拢7 billion ($9.5 billion) per year and would be financed by an overhaul of the inheritance tax system.

The researchers suggested dozens of other changes to improve UK housing, education, health care and the employment market in a bid to give young people a boost. They would control rent levels, improve apprenticeship programs and dramatically lower taxes on home purchases.

Top Financial Stocks To Watch For 2019: Black Box Corporation(BBOX)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Black Box Corp. (NASDAQ: BBOX) traded flat Thursday to match its 52-week low of $0.75 after closing Tuesday at $0.75. The stock’s 52-week high is $8.45. Volume was more than 40 times the daily average of about 180,000 shares. The company warned on Tuesday that it could face bankruptcy. Shares rose in Thursday trading and are on track to post a gain of about 30% for the day.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Juniper Networks (NYSE: JNPR) and Black Box (NASDAQ:BBOX) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, risk, institutional ownership, profitability, valuation, analyst recommendations and dividends.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Media stories about Black Box (NASDAQ:BBOX) have been trending somewhat positive on Monday, Accern reports. The research firm identifies negative and positive news coverage by analyzing more than twenty million news and blog 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. Black Box earned a coverage optimism score of 0.09 on Accern’s scale. Accern also assigned news headlines about the technology company an impact score of 48.0509907143742 out of 100, meaning that recent news coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an impact on the stock’s share price in the next few days.

Top Financial Stocks To Watch For 2019: Donegal Group, Inc.(DGICB)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Media headlines about Donegal Group (NASDAQ:DGICB) have been trending somewhat positive on Thursday, Accern reports. Accern ranks the sentiment of press coverage by analyzing more than twenty million news and blog sources. Accern ranks coverage of companies on a scale of negative one to one, with scores closest to one being the most favorable. Donegal Group earned a news impact score of 0.13 on Accern’s scale. Accern also assigned news stories about the insurance provider an impact score of 47.2596177658095 out of 100, meaning that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the stock’s share price in the near term.

Top Financial Stocks To Watch For 2019: NF Energy Saving Corporation(NFEC)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Money Morning Staff Reports]

  But Blink and our other penny stocks to watch are unlikely to continue to lock in such spectacular gains in June. After looking at our 10 top penny stocks to watch this month, we'll show you a small-cap stock with great profit potential in its future…

  Penny Stock Current Share Price Law Month's Gain �Blink Charging Co. (Nasdaq: BLNK) $7.07 439.85% Senes Tech Inc. (Nasdaq: SNES) $1.27 175.40% Vivis Inc. (Nasdaq: VVUS) $0.77 150.41% Adomani Inc. (Nasdaq: ADOM) $1.49 137.68% NF Energy Saving Co. (Nasdaq: NFEC) $2.34 134.88% Vaalco Energy Inc. (NYSE: EGY) $2.15 109.06% Heat Biologics Inc. (Nasdaq: HTBX) $2.35 99.12% ArQule Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQL) $4.88 90.74% LiqTech International Inc. (NYSE: LIQT) $0.66 85.60% Transenterix Inc. (NYSE: TRXC) $3.46 77.84%

  While last month's gains are tremendous, they also illustrate the inherent dangers that come with investing in penny stocks.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  News coverage about NF Energy Saving (NASDAQ:NFEC) has been trending somewhat positive this week, Accern Sentiment Analysis reports. The research group scores the sentiment of press coverage by analyzing more than twenty million blog and news sources in real-time. Accern ranks coverage of companies on a scale of -1 to 1, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. NF Energy Saving earned a media sentiment score of 0.09 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave media headlines about the industrial products company an impact score of 46.4940834774151 out of 100, meaning that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an impact on the stock’s share price in the next several days.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Oragenics, Inc. (NYSE: OGEN) shares surged 66.67 percent to close at $2.00 on Wednesday after the company’s AG013 for oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients showed favorable safety profile in mid-stage OM study. Sigma Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ: SGLB) shares jumped 49.24 percent to close at $1.97 on Wednesday. Sigma Labs demonstrated proof of concept for closed loop quality control during metal additive manufacturing. ASLAN Pharmaceuticals Limited (NASDAQ: ASLN) rose 34.45 percent to close at $9.21. BTIG Research initiated coverage on ASLAN Pharmaceuticals with a Buy rating. Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. (NYSE: DKS) shares rose 25.82 percent to close at $38.35 after the company reported upbeat Q1 earnings and raised FY18 earnings outlook. TapImmune, Inc. (NASDAQ: TPIV) rose 24.15 percent to close at $5.09. WBB Securities upgraded TapImmune from Speculative Buy to Buy. Legacy Reserves LP (NASDAQ: LGCY) jumped 23.3 percent to close at $5.98 on Wednesday. Summer Infant, Inc. (NASDAQ: SUMR) gained 22.92 percent to close at $1.18 after announcing commitment for $60 million credit facility from Bank of America and $17.5 million term loan from Pathlight Capital. Cloud Peak Energy Inc. (NYSE: CLD) rose 21.95 percent to close at $4.00. SpartanNash Co (NASDAQ: SPTN) gained 21.4 percent to close at $22.92 after the company reported upbeat earnings for its first quarter on Tuesday. Motus GI Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOTS) rose 17.14 percent to close at $5.40. Movado Group, Inc. (NYSE: MOV) gained 16.59 percent to close at $49.20 after the company reported better-than-expected Q1 results and raised its guidance. Oramed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ORMP) climbed 15.61 percent to close at $8.22. Oramed Pharma disclosed that its patent has been allowed in the US for oral administration of proteins. Dorian LPG Ltd. (NYSE: LPG) rose 14.89 percent to close at $8.41. Dorian LPG confirmed receipt of unsolicited proposal fr
• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Sigma Labs, Inc. (NASDAQ: SGLB) shares rose 90.9 percent to $2.52. Sigma Labs demonstrated proof of concept for closed loop quality control during metal additive manufacturing. Oragenics, Inc. (NYSE: OGEN) shares surged 58.4 percent to $1.9005 after the company’s AG013 for oral mucositis in head and neck cancer patients showed favorable safety profile in mid-stage OM study. Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc. (NYSE: DKS) shares climbed 23.2 percent to $37.5370 after the company reported upbeat Q1 earnings and raised FY18 earnings outlook. Summer Infant, Inc. (NASDAQ: SUMR) rose 21.9 percent to $1.17 after announcing commitment for $60 million credit facility from Bank of America and $17.5 million term loan from Pathlight Capital. TapImmune, Inc. (NASDAQ: TPIV) jumped 18.8 percent to $4.87. WBB Securities upgraded TapImmune from Speculative Buy to Buy. Movado Group, Inc. (NYSE: MOV) gained 17.2 percent to $49.45 after the company reported better-than-expected Q1 results and raised its guidance. ASLAN Pharmaceuticals Limited (NASDAQ: ASLN) jumped 16.2 percent to $7.96. BTIG Research initiated coverage on ASLAN Pharmaceuticals with a Buy rating. Legacy Reserves LP (NASDAQ: LGCY) rose 15.5 percent to $5.6011. InspireMD, Inc. (NYSE: NSPR) gained 13.3 percent to $1.36 following PR announcing sustained benefit of CGuard EPS. Immutep Limited (NASDAQ: IMMP) shares climbed 13.2 percent to $2.7724 after the company reported new data from its ongoing TACTI-mel Phase I trial, which evaluated the combination of eftilagimod alpha, its lead compound, with Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK)'s Keytruda in unresectable or metastatic melanoma patients, who have had a suboptimal response or had disease progression with keytruda monotherapy.. SpartanNash Co (NASDAQ: SPTN) rose 12.2 percent to $21.20 after the company reported upbeat earnings for its first quarter on Tuesday. Amtech Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: ASYS) rose 12.1 percent to

Why Tesla Stock Was Slammed Tuesday

What happened

The gain in Tesla�(NASDAQ:TSLA) stock�on Monday morning, following the company's announcement of its first-quarter vehicle delivery and production figures, proved to be short-lived. Not only did the stock end up a few percentage points lower by the time the market closed yesterday, but shares also fell even more sharply on Tuesday.

Tesla stock fell as much as 7.6% on Tuesday as investors and analysts questioned whether the company's surge in Model 3 production is sustainable or not. At the time of this writing, Tesla stock is down about 7.2%.

The Tesla Model 3. Image source: Tesla.

So what

On Monday, Tesla announced that it had hit its important Model 3 target:�producing 5,000 in a single week. But several analysts have expressed concerns since the update, suggesting the Street isn't buying into Tesla's ability to keep up its recent progress.

Goldman Sachs analyst David Tamberrino, who reiterated a sell rating on Tesla stock, voiced several concerns after the report. He said (via CNBC) that the 18,440�Model 3 deliveries during the quarter were below his "bearish estimates..." In addition, Tamberrino noted that Tesla's mention of 420,000 reservations for Model 3 represented the first time Model 3 reservations had declined.

Meanwhile, the news media has questioned whether Tesla's end-of-the-quarter production push was just an unsustainable sprint. For instance, Tesla reportedly had to borrow workers from its Model S and Model X lines, and push Model 3 vehicles ahead of the two flagship vehicles for painting in order to hit its Model 3 production target, according to Reuters.�

It's worth noting, however, that Tesla did seem to sustain its Model S and X production rate of about 2,000 vehicles per week during the last seven days of the quarter. During this time frame, Tesla produced 1,913 Model S and X vehicles.

Now what

Looking ahead, investors will want to see whether or not Tesla can sustain its vehicle production at this level. Investors will likely get an update on the automaker's business early next month, when Tesla typically reports its second-quarter results. The automaker has said it will need to sustainably build Model 3 vehicles at a rate of 5,000 units per week or higher in order to achieve profitability.

Tesla now has its sights set on a production target for its Model 3 of 6,000 units per week by late August.