FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - September (BATS: FSEP)

FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - September (BATS:FSEP), Trade Ideas

FT Vest U.S. Equity Buffer ETF - September

Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Timothy Switzer reiterates First Internet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INBK#NASDAQ">INBK</a>) with a Market Perform and raises the price target from $34 to $36.

News

Price Target

Reiteration

Analyst Ratings

INBK

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Reiterates Market Perform on First Internet, Raises Price Target to $36

Trading Ideas

BDRX

Biodexa Pharmaceuticals Shares Resume Trade

WIIM

FCUV

Focus Universal shares are trading higher after the company announced board approval for the spin-off of Lusher.

Barclays analyst Saket Kalia maintains Check Point Software (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHKP#NASDAQ">CHKP</a>) with a Equal-Weight and raises the price target from $170 to $175.

CHKP

Barclays Maintains Equal-Weight on Check Point Software, Raises Price Target to $175

Newell Brands Shares Resume Trade

Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Catherine Mealor maintains Independent Bank Gr (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBTX#NASDAQ">IBTX</a>) with a Outperform and lowers the price target from $55 to $46.

IBTX

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Maintains Outperform on Independent Bank Gr, Lowers Price Target to $46

Focus Universal Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FCUV#NASDAQ">FCUV</a>) ("Focus" or the "Company"), a provider of patented hardware and software design technologies for Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G, today announced the Board of Directors has approved the spin-off Lusher Inc. to develop the SEC Financial Reporting AI-Driven Automation Software for a future initial public offering and a potential Nasdaq listing.
Chief Executive Officer Desheng Wang stated, "We are excited that our management team received authorization from our Board of Directors to start the spin-off process for Lusher Inc. Lusher Inc. which will focus on AI-Driven Automation Software development and commercialization, which enables Focus Universal to concentrate more on the core of universal smart IoT. This will also allow the general market to access Lusher Inc. separately from Focus Universal, which may lead to an increase in shareholder value and unlock the intrinsic value of Lusher Inc. We believe reducing the SEC financial reporting preparation time from weeks to minutes is a compelling example to demonstrate this potential."
Focus Universal plans to distribute Lusher Inc's stock to all Focus Universal's shareholders in the form of a tax-free dividend distribution to shareholders, which will be free of charge, and free to trade when Lusher Inc. is listed upon Nasdaq. Distinguished from current providers' manual approach solutions, Focus Universal Inc. developed automated AI-driven solutions to disentangle the problem. When utilized, users may upload financial statements, and the software would update the SEC financial report and reduce preparation time significantly.
Focus Universal's AI-Driven Automation Software is the first application of this software technology within the financial reporting sector. The company also believes there exists significant potential for the use of AI-driven automated technology worldwide across multiple sectors such as accounting, logistics, insurance processing, and tax preparation solutions which would eliminate the need for labor-intensive, manual data-entry. Humans, as a whole, are slow in data entry and far less accurate than automation software. Investors who are interested in investing in Lusher, please contact <a href="mailto:ir@focusuniversal.com">ir@focusuniversal.com</a>, as investment deck is available on request.
SEC financial Reporting Software Market size was valued at US $14 Billion in 2022 and is projected to reach US $36.5 Billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 12.81 % from 2024 to 2030. The complexity and volume of financial data, the limiting capabilities of current spreadsheet solutions, the rising cost of compliance, and the expanding demand for such software are the main reasons propelling the growth of the financial reporting software sector. Superior financial reporting software has become an urgent necessity in order to lower accounting costs and boost efficiency.

Dividends

Focus Universal Inc. Announces Board Approval For Spin-Off Of Lusher Inc.

Barclays analyst Julian Mitchell maintains Carrier Global (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CARR#NYSE">CARR</a>) with a Overweight and raises the price target from $78 to $79.

CARR

Barclays Maintains Overweight on Carrier Global, Raises Price Target to $79

Fomento Economico (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FMX#NYSE">FMX</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $1.40 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $1.00 by 40 percent. This is a 40 percent increase over earnings of $1.00 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $10.50 billion which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $10.71 billion by 1.98 percent. This is a 8.88 percent increase over sales of $9.64 billion the same period last year.

Earnings

Earnings Beats

Earnings Misses

Fomento Economico Mexicano S.A.B. De C.V.

Fomento Economico Q1 EPS $1.40 Beats $1.00 Estimate, Sales $10.50B Miss $10.71B Estimate

Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Christopher Mcgratty maintains First Interstate BancSys (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FIBK#NASDAQ">FIBK</a>) with a Market Perform and raises the price target from $28 to $29.

FIBK

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Maintains Market Perform on First Interstate BancSys, Raises Price Target to $29

<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38113928/exclusive-the-top-crypto-vc-funding-trends-in-2024">Digital asset investment manager</a> Pantera Capital is reportedly preparing to launch a new investment fund, aiming to raise over $1 billion. 
What Happened: This new fund, known as Pantera Fund V, is scheduled for launch in April 2025 and seeks to provide investors with exposure to a diverse range of blockchain-based assets.
Unlike its previous funds, which include the Liquid Token Fund, Early Stage Token Fund, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) Fund, and various Venture Funds, each with a distinct investment focus, Fund V is designed to be an all-encompassing vehicle. 
<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-25/pantera-capital-seeks-to-raise-1-billion-for-a-new-crypto-fund">According</a> to Bloomberg, the fund will include startup equity, early-stage tokens, and liquid tokens, reflecting a broad spectrum strategy in the blockchain space.
The fund is targeting a substantial initial commitment from investors, requiring a minimum allocation of $1 million from qualified investors and $25 million from limited partners. 
This strategy suggests Pantera is not only capitalizing on the growing interest in digital assets but also banking on substantial institutional involvement.
This development is particularly notable given that a $1 billion fund would represent the largest raise in the cryptocurrency industry since May 2022, when <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38439393/a16z-crypto-cto-slams-memecoins-but-are-they-the-real-threat">venture capital powerhouse Andreessen Horowitz</a> secured a record $4.5 billion for its own efforts. 
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/events/digital-assets/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="250" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/29155259/905735A6-57D3-4874-9AA1-75D037842DB3-2.gif" alt="Benzinga Future of Digital Assets conference" class="wp-image-270548" /></a></figure>
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38437196/this-famous-buy-bitcoin-sign-netted-an-intern-1m">This Famous &#8216;Buy Bitcoin&#8217; Sign Netted An Intern $1M</a>
Why It Matters: The planned fund from Pantera comes at a time when other firms, such as VC firm Paradigm, are also seeking significant capital infusions, with reports of up to $850 million being targeted for a new cryptocurrency fund.
The momentum in the sector is underscored by recent investments and funding trends. For instance, venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz recently raised $7.2 billion for technology-focused sectors, although its cryptocurrency-focused fund did not see an increase. 
Meanwhile, Pantera has continued to invest heavily in specific platforms, such as the GameFi platform InfiniGods, where it led an $8 million Series A funding round.
According to RootData, the cryptocurrency industry has attracted over $3.5 billion across 604 funding rounds in 2024 alone, with projections suggesting this year's total could surpass the $9.3 billion raised in 2023. 
These figures indicate a strong recovery and renewed interest in the sector, although they still fall short of the peak funding years of 2021 and 2022.
What&#8217;s Next: The launch of Pantera Fund V and the resurgence of funding in digital assets will likely be hot topics at the upcoming Benzinga&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/events/digital-assets/agenda/">Future of Digital Assets</a> event on Nov. 19. 
Industry experts and investors will be keen to discuss the implications of these developments and the potential for sustained growth and innovation in blockchain technologies. 
This event will serve as a critical platform for stakeholders to explore how enhanced capital inflows are shaping the future landscape of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38298590/pompliano-bitcoin-on-track-for-100-000-within-two-years-downside-risk-limited">cryptocurrency and blockchain industries.</a>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38431860/maxine-waters-says-stablecoin-bill-in-the-short-run-coming">Maxine Waters Says &#8216;Stablecoin Bill In The Short Run&#8217; Coming</a>
Image: Shutterstock

Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency

$BTC

Pantera Capital Aims To Launch $1B Blockchain Fund Amid Sector Recovery

Biodexa Pharmaceuticals Shares Halted On Circuit Breaker To The Downside, Stock Now Up 104.2%

Newell Brands Shares Halted On Circuit Breaker To The Downside, Stock Now Up 8.50%

Barclays analyst Carter Gould maintains Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BMY#NYSE">BMY</a>) with a Equal-Weight and lowers the price target from $51 to $43.

Barclays Maintains Equal-Weight on Bristol-Myers Squibb, Lowers Price Target to $43

Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Christopher O'Connell maintains Flushing Financial (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FFIC#NASDAQ">FFIC</a>) with a Market Perform and lowers the price target from $14 to $13.

FFIC

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Maintains Market Perform on Flushing Financial, Lowers Price Target to $13

Perma-Pipe Inlt Hldgs (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PPIH#NASDAQ">PPIH</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $1.08 per share. This is a 176.92 percent increase over earnings of $0.39 per share from the same period last year. The company reported $40.18 million in sales this quarter. This is a 10.26 percent increase over sales of $36.44 million the same period last year.

PPIH

Perma-Pipe Inlt Hldgs Q4 EPS $1.08 Up From $0.39 YoY, Sales $40.18M Up From $36.44M YoY

Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Christopher Mcgratty reiterates First Citizens BancShares (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FCNCA#NASDAQ">FCNCA</a>) with a Outperform and raises the price target from $1900 to $2100.

FCNCA

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Reiterates Outperform on First Citizens BancShares, Raises Price Target to $2100

The future of&nbsp;TikTok&nbsp;in the United States hangs in the balance as its parent company and&nbsp;Meta Platforms Inc&#8217;s&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) rival,&nbsp;ByteDance, considers shutting down the app rather than selling it amid legal battles.
According to a report from Reuters, four sources close to the matter revealed that if ByteDance exhausts all legal options against the impending ban, it may opt for a shutdown over a sale.
TikTok&#8217;s core algorithms, integral to ByteDance&#8217;s operations, make a sale unlikely. The app contributes a small share to ByteDance&#8217;s revenue, leading the parent company to prefer a shutdown over selling to a potential American buyer.
Shutting&nbsp;down TikTok would have minimal impact on ByteDance&#8217;s business and allow it to retain its core algorithm, the report said.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/04/38187072/tiktok-parent-bytedances-profits-rise-60-year-over-year-as-company-grapples-with-potential-us-ban" rel="noreferrer noopener">TikTok Parent ByteDance&#8217;s Profits Rise 60% Year-Over-Year As Company Grapples With Potential&nbsp;US&nbsp;Ban</a>
In a statement posted on Toutiao, ByteDance denied plans to sell TikTok, countering reports suggesting otherwise.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew expressed confidence in overcoming the legal challenges posed by&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;legislation to ban the app.
The legislation signed by President Biden gives TikTok's parent company,&nbsp;ByteDance,&nbsp;nine months to sell the&nbsp;app or face a national&nbsp;ban, with the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38394855/biden-set-to-sign-tiktok-ban-into-law-after-senate-passes-bill-supported-by-gop-democrats" rel="noreferrer noopener">possibility of a 90-day extension by the President</a>.
TikTok&#8217;s&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;revenues accounted for approximately 25% of its total last year, highlighting its significance.
Despite interest from investors like former&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, ByteDance may need help attracting buyers for TikTok&#8217;s&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;assets sans algorithms.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38423296/expert-slams-tiktok-ban-bill-as-way-too-vague-questions-impact-on-donald-trumps-truth-social-rumble" rel="noreferrer noopener">Expert Slams TikTok Ban Bill As &#8216;Way Too Vague,&#8217; Questions Impact On Donald Trump&#8217;s Truth Social, Rumble And X</a>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Regulations

Tech

General

AAPL

GOOGL

MSFT

SNAP

TikTok Would Rather Shutdown Than Opt For Sale

Barclays analyst Brandt Montour maintains Boyd Gaming (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BYD#NYSE">BYD</a>) with a Equal-Weight and lowers the price target from $70 to $68.

Barclays Maintains Equal-Weight on Boyd Gaming, Lowers Price Target to $68

<ul>
<li>Conversion of promissory notes into common stock removed $94.9 million in pro forma balance sheet liabilities.</li>
<li>The converted common stock is included in the company's total 165 million outstanding shares.</li>
<li>The Tevogen.ai initiative aims to harness the immense potential of AI to enhance drug discovery, development, manufacturing, distribution, and patient access.</li>
</ul>
WARREN, N.J., April 26, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=fTHflf9-IJKUdNJ4AjpanzC8znYeswoPQvPRH_ULZw-0OB4WY5IWIv4xwH_yShPkVJLtUW-zuIxC1Zn0cu3ofs5MYxb26AAicZ1RDFUP4lM=">Tevogen Bio Holdings Inc.</a> ("Tevogen" or "Tevogen Bio") (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TVGN#NASDAQ">TVGN</a>) is a clinical-stage specialty immunotherapy biotech pioneer developing off-the-shelf, genetically unmodified T cell therapeutics in virology, oncology, and neurology.
Dear Fellow Stockholders:
In anticipation of the filing of our annual financial statements, I would like to provide our investors with a few reflections on anticipated financial results.
First, we expect to report that as of December 31, 2023, and for year-end 2023, the liabilities and net losses of Tevogen Bio Inc were primarily related to convertible promissory notes. Those notes were assumed and converted into shares of Tevogen Bio Holdings Inc in connection with the business combination between Tevogen Bio Inc and Semper Paratus Acquisition Corporation that closed on February 14, 2024. We expect to report that the net losses of Tevogen Bio Inc consisted primarily of non-cash charges related to the change in the fair value of the convertible promissory notes, not the operating expenses of Tevogen Bio Inc, and that Tevogen Bio Inc's operating expenses for 2023 were $8.8 million. Due to the conversion of the convertible promissory notes, we will report that on a pro forma basis, there are no longer any liabilities associated with convertible promissory notes, and that the non-cash charge related to the change in the fair value of the notes has been eliminated from the pro forma condensed combined statement of operations. We anticipate disclosing that of the $94.9 million of balance sheet liabilities that were removed by the conversion of the notes, $80.7 million were current liabilities and $14.2 million were long-term liabilities.
Second, I'd like to reflect on our recent leadership appointments and the newly launched initiative in Artificial Intelligence (AI). The <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=fTHflf9-IJKUdNJ4Ajpan2il_cdbgQ8ailAiHo4pYlpLppAIM-UdZJyjkCjg_Tl562NUU_V-_yl6btoXMvuTEg==">Tevogen.ai</a> initiative aims to harness the <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=D1TGpWUJbudR5KWf8Jp1BbqNsWXH3S5GXGhP8lcaeSkV2V64KVJSJJM4GKC89RT5LA3ZUnQwcvZyd5TkN7KNY8MxtldTwtqSSJqQKMPEU-1_nvow4Wi-0vXTMRRWsxoM9pc6i2RNHWn2DWoS_QjVEGaKNDDYjgr2P0ezA4_hcyQxKURHQqKHJpaC5y_C6A94lcdu46XKAcUkBmPsddzn3DcbERps5UsWBiF7LiltnUY6EJkvRtIghK0lfqY_-TUWoooL0h4gFpVoYZM9e7LNL2naCBt9tTeOxI4kQ4MGvG_nc7ofnCkAM8C0e-64CBQzoYpzXkZMnL0EwvVz6yFf7w==">immense potential of AI</a> to enhance drug discovery, development, manufacturing, distribution, and patient access. Mittul Mehta, our Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Head of Tevogen.ai, brings over 20 years of experience in information technology and nearly a decade in senior management roles. Previously, Mr. Mehta served as Senior Vice President, Global Head of Platforms Security, Mobility &amp; Cloud Security at Jefferies LLC, where he played a key role in enterprise strategy. His extensive experience across various organizations, including Avanade Inc., Macy's Inc., MetLife Inc., and Microsoft Corporation, demonstrates his ability to align technology with business objectives and lead teams effectively through complex projects and shifting priorities. Looking ahead, Mr. Mehta will share his vision for AI in biotechnology and healthcare through featured speeches including at the Longwood Healthcare Leaders Spring MIT conference and Hogan Lovells Annual Health Care AI Law and Policy Summit. &nbsp;&nbsp; Tevogen also appointed <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=_AC-gczzH-13XpklM9HgnApADRwt9iQlHKz5Z1k9BxwUZ37YxlXvUnksVOYZmSxyZFPCwq3rc8w8PF9_2DchUWz-RtSI1j-ah4tVlzB0KlX_azzsvlPkdGJ9N_k3EzsiZ0z_oF21xfmvkKIptv3L9FoSRc8bVYmO4W8PQqhUfGXXGfWsPbY12LF9OwoctOiCyeEBhxYVtEwAYYMReyJ44Irawfa5vv4CDZVhRuSxhDg=">Tapan V. Shah</a> as Head of Investor Relations and Corporate Development. Mr. Shah, a Wall Street veteran with over 25 years of experience across key financial services industry verticals, brings broad leadership capabilities to Tevogen Bio. Most recently, Mr. Shah was Director, Relationship Management, in Citigroup's Client organization, where he was also a member of the Executive Office. Prior to Citigroup, he worked in Morgan Stanley's asset management business (MSIM) focused on Equity Strategy and Product Development. Mr. Shah started his career in the Investment Banking Division of Goldman Sachs. In this new position, Mr. Shah will lead communications with all financial stakeholders, including shareholders, research analysts, and investment bankers. He will also lead the M&amp;A and capital raising functions at Tevogen Bio.
We believe our allogeneic, precision T cell technology platform, <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=wSDFlE_At_LEWO7XUe7H1oFkM8Hoqeoe_VWcaz10dbRaBRkA1yGhlv3GwN2mss_2DmToO0vx9UIxm96MlaIKJ2lWcJchKm4txTZJE9JbrNM=">ExacTcell&#x2122;</a>, represents a significant scientific breakthrough that has the potential to develop a new class of off the shelf T cell therapeutics with diverse applications spanning virology, oncology, and neurology.
As I prepare to attend the Yale CEO Summit with fellow business leaders from all sectors of our economy, I thank you all for your continued support for our shared mission for a healthier world.
Sincerely,
Ryan Saadi
CEO, Tevogen Bio Holdings Inc.

TVGN

Tevogen Bio CEO Highlights Expected Reporting Of A $94.9M Liability Elimination; Tevogen.ai Initiative Aims To Harness The Immense Potential Of AI To Enhance Drug Discovery, Development, Manufacturing, Distribution, And Patient Access