Monarch Mining Stock (OTC:GBARF), Trade Ideas

Monarch Mining Corp is a fully integrated mining company that owns around four projects, including the Beaufor Mine. Its other assets include the Croinor Gold, Beacon property and mill, McKenzie Break and Swanson properties, all located near Monarch's wholly-owned 750 tpd Mill. The company is mainly focused on gold projects.

MONARCH MINING CORP by Monarch Mining Corporation

Monarch Mining Corp

News

Pentagon Calls On Government Of Iraq To Take All Necessary Steps To Defend U.S. Forces

<h4>Key Takeaways:</h4>
<ul>
<li>Fosun International&rsquo;s total debt-to-capitalization ratio stood at 50.4% at the end of last year, down 2.9 percentage points from the previous year</li>
<li>The company recently announced the sale of most of its stake in Belgian insurer Ageas, and has raised 57.3 billion yuan from similar asset sales over the past two years</li>
</ul>
Li Shih Ta
After years of mining the globe for assets, conglomerate&nbsp;Fosun International Ltd.&nbsp;(OTC: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/fosuf#OTC">FOSUF</a>) has shifted into a new phase as it tries to find the right balance between its large stable of myriad businesses and a suitable level of debt. In the latest of its recent spree of asset sales to reduce that debt and focus on its core areas, the company&nbsp;<a href="https://www1.hkexnews.hk/listedco/listconews/sehk/2024/0414/2024041400019.pdf">announced</a>&nbsp;last week it was selling 8.19% of its stake in Belgian insurer Ageas.&nbsp;
&ldquo;We used to prospect and mine the world,&rdquo; said Fosun Chairman Guo Guangchang at his company&rsquo;s annual results conference late last month. &ldquo;But now we have enough good resources in areas where we have an advantage.&rdquo;
Fosun International&rsquo;s latest asset sale will see it sell the 8.19% in Ageas to a unit of French banking giant BNP Paribas for a total consideration of 626 million euros ($667 million) to 670 million euros. The transaction is expected to bring the company a pre-tax profit of 60 million euros to 65 million euros, and will still leave Fosun as a small shareholder in Ageas with a stake of just over 1%.
The deal marks Fosun&rsquo;s second sale of a major financial asset this year, following its sale of 5.6% of Banco Comercial Portugu&ecirc;s in January for 235 million euros. That sale still left Fosun with more than 20% of the bank&rsquo;s shares. Reports emerged last month that it would also like to sell that remaining stake, which is worth about 840 million euros, though no deals have been announced.
<h3>From Shopper To Slimmer</h3>
Fosun International has shifted from its former status as a &ldquo;crazy shopper&rdquo; to the current &ldquo;slim-down&rdquo; mode ever since being put on a watch list for a possible downgrade by Moody&rsquo;s in 2022. The company&rsquo;s list of other asset sales includes stakes in Nanjing Iron and Steel, Tianjin Jianlong Iron &amp; Steel and Ameritrust Group. It recovered 27.3 billion yuan in cash last year, and together with another 30 billion yuan in cash the year before that, has recovered a total of 57.3 billion yuan ($7.9 billion) in cash over the past two years.
The sales are making a significant dent in Fosun&rsquo;s financial burdens. The company had 211.9 billion yuan in interest-bearing debt at the end of last year, 15 billion yuan less than a year earlier. And its latest total debt-to-capitalization ratio was 50.4%, down 2.9 percentage points from a year earlier. Fosun International previously announced last August that it was no longer under pressure to repay large amounts of U.S. dollar debt in the next 12 months. As its situation improved, S&amp;P Global upgraded the company&rsquo;s outlook to &ldquo;stable&rdquo; in mid-2023.
The company&rsquo;s medium- and long-term debt as a percentage of total debt increased to 55% at the end of last year from 53.2% at the end of 2022. Its short-term debt, defined as that maturing within 12 months, decreased to 95.4 billion yuan from 106.3 billion yuan over that period, though the latest figure is still higher than the company&rsquo;s 92.5 billion yuan in cash at the end of last year.
<h3>Business Stabilizing</h3>
While the slim-down is making progress, it hasn&rsquo;t shown signs of ending just yet. Reuters reported last month that Fosun International was considering selling some or all of its Atlantis Sanya mega-resort as well as part of French resort operator Club Med, which are both owned by its Fosun Tourism&nbsp;affiliate. We should note that both of those earned record revenue last year and are considered important money spinners for the company, though Fosun International has yet to specifically comment on whether it might sell those assets.
Fosun International reported total revenue of 198.2 billion yuan last year, up 8.6% year-on-year, with a profit of 1.38 billion yuan, reversing a loss of 830 million yuan in 2022. Its four core subsidiaries Yuyuan Inc.,&nbsp;Fosun Pharma&nbsp;(2196.HK), Fosun Tourism and Fosun Insurance Portugal, all reported solid revenues, contributing 72% of its total revenue. That shows its core business are performing relatively well.
A report released by Citi this month said profitability of the company&rsquo;s asset portfolio has improved, leading to a narrowing of losses in its asset management segment. Citi added that most of the negative factors facing the company have been reflected in the stock price, but still lowered its target price from HK$7.10 to HK$6.30, maintaining an &ldquo;overweight&rdquo; rating.
<h3>Strategic Tie-Ups</h3>
While it may be selling assets, Fosun International has also continued making strategic moves in medicine and tourism, two areas that it considers its core focuses. Last July, Fosun Pharma signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with Shenzhen&rsquo;s Pingshan District to build a Fosun Pharma Headquarters in South China&rsquo;s Greater Bay Area, becoming the company&rsquo;s second base outside of its home in Shanghai.
And last month, Fosun Pharma and seven other investors proposed setting up a 5 billion yuan biomedical fund. Earlier this month, the Shenzhen municipal government and Fosun High Technology signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement focused on strengthening cooperation in the fields of biomedicine, culture, sports and tourism, and fashion consumption in the southern Chinese boomtown next to Hong Kong.
In terms of tourism, Fosun Tourism Chairman Xu Xiaoliang recently revealed that he is actively planning his first &ldquo;Super Club Med&rdquo; project in Hainan with an aim of creating more world-class tourism products to promote China&rsquo;s local tourism industry.
After nearly two years of aggressive slimming, Fosun finally seems to have eased market concerns about its debt. Its current price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio is about 23 times, much higher than the 5.8 times for&nbsp;CK Hutchison Holdings&nbsp;(0001.HK) and the 3.3 times for&nbsp;Shanghai Industrial Holdings(0363.HK), two other conglomerates, showing the market may have regained some confidence in the company.
Speaking at an entrepreneur convention earlier this year in Shanghai, Guo Guangchang indicated the worst may be behind for his company. &ldquo;The difficult times are in the past, and as long as there&rsquo;s life there&rsquo;s hope,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;After making it through such rough waters, Fosun International will be able to sail towards a brighter future.&rdquo;
That said, many still expect Fosun International to sell another 20 billion yuan to 30 billion yuan worth of non-core assets this year, which will further help to ease its debt load. That could give the company more breathing room in an &ldquo;asset light&rdquo; future anchored by a few core businesses.
This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga's reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

Asia

Penny Stocks

Markets

General

FOSUF

Fosun International On Cusp Of New 'Asset-Light' Era With Latest Sale

On 4-19-24, Sandra with Trading Made Simple LLC was on Benzinga Live with Zunaid Suleman discussing trade ideas for earnings season.&nbsp;
Sandra explained using Butterflies and Debit Spreads near the expected earnings range can be a great way to limit risk and take a directional trade or trade both sides of the expected move for a volatile market. Both Sandra &amp; Zunaid took out of the money debits spreads using the expected move for the upside and downside for a potential move in either direction or both.&nbsp;Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/tsla#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) stock was at $147.&nbsp; On Monday, 4-22-24 $TSLA ended the day at 142, and Sandra&rsquo;s ATM Put Debit Spread was at a 30% profit, and the OTM Put Debit Spread was at a 50% Profit.&nbsp; Now Awaiting $TSLA&rsquo;s earnings report for another possible move. &nbsp;
AT THE MONEY PUT DEBIT SPREAD: Analyze Graph ThinkorSwim
<img alt="" src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u1289625/7.png" style="height:310px; width:624px" />
OUT OF THE MONEY&nbsp;PUT DEBIT SPREAD: Analyze Graph ThinkorSwim:
<img alt="" src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u1289625/8.png" style="height:310px; width:624px" />
Let&rsquo;s discuss the Debit Spread strategy in more detail:&nbsp;
Earnings season can be a thrilling time for traders, offering increased volatility and potential for significant gains. However, navigating this period can be tricky. Stock prices can swing wildly based on earnings reports, leading to both windfalls and potential losses. Here, we explore how debit spreads, a strategic options technique, can help you approach earnings season with more control and potentially mitigate risk.
Understanding Debit Spreads
A debit spread involves buying one option contract a Call or Put and simultaneously selling another option contract, with the same underlying stock but with different strike prices and the same expiration date. Example: The option you buy (call) has a higher strike price than the option you sell (call). Since you&#39;re paying a premium to buy the call and collecting a premium from selling the call, you have a net debit (cost) when initiating the spread.
Why Debit Spreads for Earnings?
Traditional long calls (buying calls outright) can be risky for earnings trades. The time value of the call erodes quickly if the stock price doesn&#39;t rise significantly after the earnings report. Debit spreads offer several advantages:
<ul>
<li>Limited Risk: Your maximum loss is limited to the net debit you paid for the spread.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Defined Profit Potential: The maximum profit on a debit spread is capped at the difference between the strike prices minus the net debit paid. However, this profit can be achieved even with a moderate increase in the stock price after earnings.</li>
<li>Reduced Cost: Compared to buying a long call outright, debit spreads offer a lower upfront cost, allowing you to control more shares for the same amount of capital.</li>
</ul>
Crafting Your Earnings Debit Spread
Here are some key factors to consider when constructing a debit spread for an earnings play:
<ul>
<li>Choosing Strike Prices: Select a call strike price with potential upside after a positive earnings report. If choosing a bearish position, select a put strike price with potential upside after a negative earnings report.&nbsp; This can be placed in the money, out of money or at the money.&nbsp; Using the expected move for the earnings can help you place the strike prices.</li>
<li>Expiration Date: Consider options expiring shortly after the earnings report. However, be mindful of time decay, which accelerates closer to expiration.</li>
<li>Net Debit: Balance the cost of the debit spread with your potential profit and risk tolerance. Aim for a debit spread with a favorable risk-reward ratio.</li>
</ul>
Example:
<ul>
<li>Stock price: $50</li>
<li>Earnings report date: Next week</li>
<li>Debit Spread: Buy a call option with a strike price of $55 and sell a call option with a strike price of&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;$45 (both expiring in one week).</li>
<li>Net Debit: $5 (assuming the call premium is $7 and selling the call earned a premium and&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;collected&nbsp; $2)</li>
</ul>
Profit Potential:
<ul>
<li>If the stock price rises to $60 after earnings, you could potentially earn $5 per contract (maximum profit potential). This considers the difference between the call strike price ($55) and the stock price ($60) minus the net debit paid ($5).</li>
<li>Even if the stock price only increases moderately to $52, you could still potentially breakeven or achieve a small profit depending on the specific debit spread costs.</li>
</ul>
Remember:
<ul>
<li>Debit spreads are not without risk. The stock price could fall after earnings, leading to losses up to the net debit paid.</li>
<li>Earnings reports are unpredictable events. Always prioritize proper risk management and position sizing when using debit spreads. Consider using a stop-loss order to limit potential losses.</li>
<li>Debit spreads offer a strategic approach to earnings season. By understanding their mechanics and carefully crafting your spread, you can potentially capitalize on positive earnings surprises while limiting your downside risk. Remember, this is just one tool in your trading arsenal. Use it alongside sound risk management practices, and a healthy dose of caution when navigating the exciting, yet volatile, world of earnings season.</li>
</ul>
You can watch Sandra live on Benzinga every Friday at 11:30am EST.&nbsp; She can also be reached at&nbsp;<a href="https://tradingmadesimple.org/" target="_blank">https://tradingmadesimple.org</a>&nbsp;every trading day at 714-202-7361 for more information and to follow on X:&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/Options_Sandy" target="_blank">Options_Sandy</a>
This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga&#39;s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

Earnings

Tech

Trading Ideas

TSLA

Strategies To Use For Tesla Earnings Season: Using Debit Spreads To Capitalize On Earnings Reports

Tesla Terminates 6,020 Employees Across All Factories Today

Advanced Micro Devices,&nbsp;Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) stock continued its upward trajectory Tuesday after&nbsp;the&nbsp;Friday&#8217;s selloff, along with&nbsp;Nvidia Corp&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) stock.
The key artificial intelligence beneficiaries lost close to 6% &#8211; 10% in stock value last Friday as the Street grew wary of the U.S. Federal Reserve&#8217;s rate cuts and Iran and Israel strike.
Meanwhile, reports indicated that Chinese companies are succeeding in procuring advanced Nvidia chips from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/04/38369354/nvidias-high-end-chips-ended-up-in-chinese-hands-despite-us-ban-heres-how-beijing-scored-them" rel="noreferrer noopener">third-party vendors</a>.&nbsp;
Previously, Chinese tech juggernaut&nbsp;Alibaba Group Holding Limited&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) voiced how the U.S. embargo harmed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/04/38140039/us-embargo-on-nvidia-stings-hard-chinas-ai-development-lags-peers-alibabas-joe-tsai-reveals" rel="noreferrer noopener">China&#8217;s AI ambitions</a>.
Prior reports had also indicated how the U.S. embargo led to a captive underground market for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/02/36910198/whats-going-on-with-nvidia-stock-friday" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI chips in China</a>.
Analysts expect Nvidia to dominate the ~$90 billion calendar year 2024 accelerator market (rising to $200 billion by calendar year 2027), primarily backed by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38188367/nvidia-eyes-continued-leadership-in-90b-accelerator-market-despite-recent-dip-bofa-analyst" rel="noreferrer noopener">its Blackwell product</a>.
Analysts have identified&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38278064/whats-going-on-with-amd-stock-tuesday" rel="noreferrer noopener">several growth catalysts</a>&nbsp;for AMD&#8217;s recent surge, beginning with&nbsp;the introduction of&nbsp;new products. AMD unveiled the Ryzen PRO 8040 and 8000 Series processors, AI-enabled and built using advanced 4-nanometer technology, targeting business laptops, mobile workstations, and desktops.&nbsp;
The anticipated expansion of the AI PC market will likely benefit AMD significantly. Analysts have also highlighted AMD&#8217;s competitive positioning against Nvidia in the merchant accelerators market, bolstered by its Mi300 series products and an evolving chip, hardware, and software ecosystem.
Further financial upside is likely from the acquisition of Xilinx, which will likely offer substantial revenue synergies exceeding $10 billion.
Nvidia stock gained over 203% in the last 12 months&nbsp;, and&nbsp;AMD gained 74%. Investors can gain exposure to Nvidia via&nbsp;VanEck Semiconductor&nbsp;ETF&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMH#NASDAQ">SMH</a>) and&nbsp;Global X&nbsp;Robotics &amp; Artificial Intelligence ETF&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BOTZ#NASDAQ">BOTZ</a>).
Price Actions: NVDA shares traded higher by 3.68% at $824.48 at the last check Tuesday. AMD shares traded higher by 3.01% at $153.10.
Photo via Shutterstock

BABA

BOTZ

NVDA

What's Going On With Nvidia and AMD Stocks On Tuesday?

<a href="https://uaw.org/gm-aramark-workers-win-major-gains-raise-the-standard-for-sanitation-workers/" title="https://uaw.org/gm-aramark-workers-win-major-gains-raise-the-standard-for-sanitation-workers/">https://uaw.org/gm-aramark-workers-win-major-gains-raise-the-standard-for-sanitation-workers/</a>

UAW Says UAW Aramark Workers Will Also Receive Retroactive Back Pay From March 15, Day Previous Contract Expired; Under Agreement, UAW Was Also Able To Reduce Time It Takes General Motors Aramark Worker To Reach Top Wage Rate

Tesla To Terminate 2,267 Employees In Fremont, California; Tesla To Terminate 2,267 Employees In Fremont, California; To Terminate 486 Employees In Palo Alto, California; To Terminate 515 Employees In Lathrop, California; To Terminate 64 Employees In Burbank, California

WIIM

SNPS

Synopsys shares are trading higher, rebounding following Tuesday weakness.

Investors with significant funds have taken a bullish position in Canopy Gwth (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CGC#NASDAQ">CGC</a>), a development that retail traders should be aware of.
This was brought to our attention today through our monitoring of publicly accessible options data at Benzinga. The exact nature of these investors remains a mystery, but such a major move in CGC usually indicates foreknowledge of upcoming events.
Today, Benzinga's options scanner identified 10 options transactions for Canopy Gwth. This is an unusual occurrence. The sentiment among these large-scale traders is mixed, with 80% being bullish and 20% bearish. Of all the options we discovered, 9 are puts, valued at $390,515, and there was a single call, worth $41,000.
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $7.0 to $21.0 for Canopy Gwth over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Insights into Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Canopy Gwth options trades today is 4392.67 with a total volume of 1,424.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Canopy Gwth's big money trades within a strike price range of $7.0 to $21.0 over the last 30 days.
<h3>Canopy Gwth 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1713897952_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Largest Options Trades Observed:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>CGC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$15.7</td>
<td>$14.95</td>
<td>$14.95</td>
<td>$21.00</td>
<td>$58.3K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">80</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CGC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/26/24</td>
<td>$11.4</td>
<td>$11.2</td>
<td>$11.4</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$47.8K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">42</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CGC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>10/18/24</td>
<td>$14.45</td>
<td>$13.75</td>
<td>$13.75</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$41.2K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">5</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">238</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CGC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>10/18/24</td>
<td>$14.45</td>
<td>$13.6</td>
<td>$13.75</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$41.2K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">5</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">208</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CGC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>10/18/24</td>
<td>$14.45</td>
<td>$13.75</td>
<td>$13.75</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$41.2K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">5</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">31</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Canopy Gwth</h3>
Canopy Growth, headquartered in Smiths Falls, Canada, cultivates and sells medicinal and recreational cannabis, and hemp, through a portfolio of brands that include Doja, 7ACRES, Tweed, and Deep Space. Its non-THC products include skincare products under Martha Stewart CBD and Storz &amp; Bickel vaporizers. Canopy growth is attempting to merge its U.S. assets into a separately operated holding company, Canopy USA, which will not be consolidated into the Canadian company's financials.
Following our analysis of the options activities associated with Canopy Gwth, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.
<h3>Present Market Standing of Canopy Gwth</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 9,470,636, the price of CGC is up 13.55% at $8.91. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 58 days.</li>
</ul>
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Canopy Gwth, <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Options

Spotlight on Canopy Gwth: Analyzing the Surge in Options Activity

Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bearish stance on AbbVie.
Looking at options history for AbbVie (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABBV#NYSE">ABBV</a>) we detected 15 trades.
If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 33% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 46% with bearish.
From the overall spotted trades, 3 are puts, for a total amount of $162,900 and 12, calls, for a total amount of $749,820.
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $75.0 to $185.0 for AbbVie over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for AbbVie's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across AbbVie's significant trades, within a strike price range of $75.0 to $185.0, over the past month.
<h3>AbbVie 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1713897947_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>ABBV</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$9.4</td>
<td>$8.9</td>
<td>$8.9</td>
<td>$185.00</td>
<td>$347.1K</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>546</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ABBV</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$6.2</td>
<td>$5.5</td>
<td>$6.1</td>
<td>$145.00</td>
<td>$97.6K</td>
<td>213</td>
<td>160</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ABBV</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$6.5</td>
<td>$6.35</td>
<td>$6.41</td>
<td>$170.00</td>
<td>$48.0K</td>
<td>3.7K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ABBV</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$96.0</td>
<td>$93.9</td>
<td>$96.0</td>
<td>$75.00</td>
<td>$48.0K</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>6</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ABBV</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>08/16/24</td>
<td>$6.3</td>
<td>$6.2</td>
<td>$6.26</td>
<td>$175.00</td>
<td>$46.9K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About AbbVie</h3>
AbbVie is a pharmaceutical firm with a strong exposure to immunology (with Humira, Skyrizi, and Rinvoq) and oncology (with Imbruvica and Venclexta). The company was spun off from Abbott in early 2013. The 2020 acquisition of Allergan added several new products and drugs in aesthetics (including Botox).
Following our analysis of the options activities associated with AbbVie, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.
<h3>Present Market Standing of AbbVie</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 2,217,156, the price of ABBV is up 1.13% at $169.78. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 3 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What Analysts Are Saying About AbbVie</h3>
1 market experts have recently issued ratings for this stock, with a consensus target price of $195.0.
<ul>
<li>Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Barclays continues to hold a Overweight rating for AbbVie, targeting a price of $195. </li>
</ul>
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest AbbVie options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>.

ABBV

AbbVie's Options Frenzy: What You Need to Know

Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bearish stance on Newmont.
Looking at options history for Newmont (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NEM#NYSE">NEM</a>) we detected 15 trades.
If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 40% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 46% with bearish.
From the overall spotted trades, 5 are puts, for a total amount of $370,211 and 10, calls, for a total amount of $1,056,238.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $25.0 to $42.5 for Newmont over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Insights into Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Newmont's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Newmont's significant trades, within a strike price range of $25.0 to $42.5, over the past month.
<h3>Newmont Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1713897942_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NEM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$2.5</td>
<td>$2.47</td>
<td>$2.51</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$502.0K</td>
<td>12.8K</td>
<td>2.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NEM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$1.37</td>
<td>$1.13</td>
<td>$1.13</td>
<td>$32.50</td>
<td>$231.8K</td>
<td>10.1K</td>
<td>13</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NEM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$2.3</td>
<td>$2.25</td>
<td>$2.26</td>
<td>$37.50</td>
<td>$113.0K</td>
<td>12.5K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NEM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$4.85</td>
<td>$4.75</td>
<td>$4.75</td>
<td>$37.50</td>
<td>$91.2K</td>
<td>5.6K</td>
<td>204</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NEM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$4.05</td>
<td>$3.75</td>
<td>$3.8</td>
<td>$34.00</td>
<td>$76.0K</td>
<td>6</td>
<td>400</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Newmont</h3>
Newmont is the world's largest gold miner. It bought Goldcorp in 2019, combined its Nevada mines in a joint venture with competitor Barrick later that year, and also purchased competitor Newcrest in November 2023. Its portfolio includes 17 wholly or majority owned mines and interests in two joint ventures in the Americas, Africa, Australia and Papua New Guinea. The company is expected to produce roughly 6.9 million ounces of gold in 2024. However, after buying Newcrest, Newmont is likely to sell a number of its higher cost, smaller mines accounting for 20% of forecast sales in 2024. Newmont also produces material amounts of copper, silver, zinc, and lead as byproducts. It had about two decades of gold reserves along with significant byproduct reserves at end December 2023.
In light of the recent options history for Newmont, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>Newmont's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 7,512,115, the price of NEM is up 0.83% at $37.77. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 2 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On Newmont</h3>
A total of 1 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $45.0.
<ul>
<li>Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Citigroup keeps a Buy rating on Newmont with a target price of $45. </li>
</ul>
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Newmont, <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Market Whales and Their Recent Bets on NEM Options

Legal

UAW Says General Motors Aramark Workers Have Won A Historic Tentative Agreement; Under Tentative Agreement, General Motors Aramark Workers Will Receive Raises Of Up To 43% Over Life Of Proposed Three-Year Deal

General Motors Company&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) shares are trading higher on Tuesday after raising its outlook for FY24, following a first-quarter beat.
General Motors projects adjusted earnings per share of $9.00 – $10.00, higher&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38379260/general-motors-q1-earnings-surprise-north-america-growth-rising-profit-margin-and-annual-guidance-b" rel="noreferrer noopener">than the prior view of $8.50 – $9.50</a>.
According to&nbsp;Wedbush&nbsp;analyst Daniel Ives, the company&nbsp;is focusing&nbsp;heavily on profitability, with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GM/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">expenses continuing to be a big priority</a>.
This&nbsp;was a major &#8220;prove me&#8221; quarter for General Motors, which shows the long-awaited turnaround for the company&#8217;s CEO,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mary-barra" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mary Barra</a>.
Importantly, honing in on the EV transformation, the company expects to be EV variable margin positive in the second half of the year, with at least a 60-point EBIT margin improvement this year and mid-single digit EBIT EV margin in 2025, including the benefits from the clean energy tax credits.
Ives reiterated an Outperform rating on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">the stock with a price forecast of $45.</a>
BofA Securities&nbsp;analyst&nbsp;John Murphy&nbsp;said in a new investor note that there was optimism heading into the quarter and expectations for upside to 2024 guidance.
According to Murphy, the company&#8217;s liquidity levels should be sufficient to manage&nbsp;through&nbsp;volatility in the macro environment,&nbsp;while&nbsp;also&nbsp;proactively investing for the future and returning value to shareholders.
The company remains a leader in the industry in its Core to Future transition.
More specifically, General Motors&#8217; ongoing execution and strength in its core business&nbsp;continues to enable&nbsp;the company to invest in EVs, AVs, and other areas to future-proof the business while continuing to return value to shareholders, the analyst adds.
Murphy reiterated a Buy rating on the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;stock with a price forecast of $75.</a>
Goldman Sachs&nbsp;analyst Mark Delaney reiterated the Buy rating on General Motors&nbsp;with a price forecast of $50.
The analyst is eyeing the company&#8217;s updated 2024 outlook, margins, impact of pricing and cost, capital allocation,&nbsp;and&nbsp;the potential for shares to decline, the EV profit target, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38155753/cruise-back-on-phoenix-roads-soon-gms-self-driving-unit-reportedly-gears-up-to-resume-robotaxi-testi" rel="noreferrer noopener">Cruise&nbsp;</a>to&nbsp;be&nbsp;focus areas on the earnings call.
However, the analyst cautioned that&nbsp;key&nbsp;risks for the auto behemoth relate to the auto cycle, market share, margins, FCF, and the company&#8217;s ability to profitably pivot to growth areas such as EVs and AVs.
Price Action: GM shares are trading higher by 5.36% to $45.53 at the last check Tuesday.
Image Via Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Equities

Price Target

Reiteration

Analyst Ratings

General Motors' Potential In EV Transformation Weighed By Analysts After Q1 Beat- Was This a 'Prove Me' Quarter For CEO Mary Barra?

Cannabis companies in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/california-cannabis">California </a>are facing a massive debt issue, with unpaid taxes totaling $732 million. The bulk of this debt, approximately 72%, is owed by businesses that have already shut down, posing a huge challenge to the state to recover these funds.
Greenwave Advisors analyzed data from the <a href="https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/dataportal/dataset.htm?url=CannabisTaxRevenues">California Department of Tax and Fee Administration </a>(CDTFA) and discovered that in addition to the debts from defunct companies, there is also $173 million in taxes on unlicensed cannabis sales. These illegal sales could represent about a quarter of the market, with an estimated total of $1.2 billion.
In 2023, the legal cannabis market in California reported $4.4 billion in revenue, up 16% from $3.8 billion the previous year. Despite this growth, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/23/05/32238909/600m-debt-bubble-across-ca-cannabis-supply-chain-under-pressure-bill-proposes-punishment-without">financial issues</a> persist within the distribution and sales infrastructure. For instance, Herbl, a major distributor went bankrupt in September, severely affecting payments throughout the supply chain, <a href="https://www.greenmarketreport.com/cannabis-businesses-owe-california-732-million-in-taxes/">noted</a> Green Market Report.
Further complicating the situation, Greenwave estimates that distributors across California might collectively owe the state around $1.2 billion in taxes, an increase from the previous year's $1 billion. This includes debts both to the state and directly to cannabis brands themselves, suggesting a broader systemic issue with financial liquidity in the sector.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">High Penalties And Regulatory Challenges</h3>
Here&#8217;s a <a href="https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/taxes-and-fees/Top500/">MAP </a>of 500 top delinquent tax companies in California. It might be useful to understand the dimension of the problem.
California enforces strict penalties for late or non-payment of taxes by cannabis businesses. The state imposes a 50% penalty on the unpaid tax amount, a standard 10% late payment penalty and interest on the overdue amounts. Occasionally, the CDTFA might offer payment plans or waive some penalties, but these are not guaranteed and require careful negotiation.
The CDFTA regularly publishes a list of the top 500 delinquent taxpayers, which includes those owing more than $100,000 in sales and use tax. This punitive measure is designed to boost compliance. Since the program is online, the CDFTA has collected $29.6 million from 436 qualifying taxpayers, with 342 resolving their debts through installment agreements and 94 settling in full. 
Image AI created

Cannabis

Government

Regulations

California Cannabis Industry Is Drowning In Debt: $732M Owed In Taxes, 72% By Companies Already Closed Down

Analysts upgraded sports betting and casino operator PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENN#NASDAQ">PENN</a>) based on the valuation of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/02/37160836/penn-entertainment-q4-earnings-highlights-revenue-miss-eps-miss-espn-bets-impact">sportsbook ESPN Bet.</a>
The PENN Analyst: Truist analyst Barry Jonas upgrades Penn Entertainment from Hold to Buy and has a price target of $23.
The Analyst Takeaways: Penn Entertainment <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/23/11/35832924/espn-bet-launches-in-17-states-offers-200-in-bonus-bets-could-competition-spell-tro">launched ESPN Bet</a> in November 2023 through a licensing deal with ESPN owner The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>).
Related Link: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports/24/04/38364465/nfl-draft-takes-over-detroit-your-guide-to-events-for-sports-fans-kids-and-newcomers-to-the-motor-">NFL Draft Takes Over Detroit &#8211; Events For Sports Fans, Kids And Newcomers To The Motor City</a>
Jonas believes Penn stock is trading with no value assigned to ESPN Bet in a sum-of-the-parts calculation.
"We're upgrading Penn to Buy, largely on risk/reward, given we effectively see zero to negative value ascribed for ESPN Bet at current trading levels," Jonas said.
The analyst previously downgraded the stock in August 2023 with risks on the timeline of launching ESPN Bet and competition.
"At this point, we think expectations are too low, and the market is not only too bearish on ESPN Bet but also assuming no value for PENN's other profitable Interactive businesses."
The analyst said first-quarter results, set for May 2, could be better than low expectations currently.
A sum-of-the-parts implies no value for ESPN Bet or Interactive, Jonas said.
"Interactive is more than ESPN Bet. What we think the market is missing is that PENN Interactive is comprised of multiple businesses beyond just ESPN Bet. In the event ESPN Bet fails, then we think Interactive would still have value for Penn,&#8221; he wrote.
The analyst said Penn has valuable online licenses thanks to its land-based casinos. This could bring in $50 million to $70 million worth of recurring skin fees from other sportsbooks, he added.
The company's iGaming business also could be profitable at a smaller scale as it has different cost structure, the analyst said.
The analyst also sees some upside cases to ESPN Bet and the Interactive segment from where it is today.
"On a cash handle share basis, ESPN Bet has been a top-four player since launch at ~8%."
This puts ESPN Bet behind FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM, but ahead of other operators like Caesars Sportsbook, the analyst said.
PENN Price Action: Penn shares are up 2% to $17.26 on Tuesday. The stock has a 52-week trading range of $15.88 to $31.63. Shares of Penn are down 41.7% over the last year.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/02/37183902/penn-entertainment-analysts-say-espn-bet-sportsbook-in-early-innings-building-a-bus">Penn Entertainment Analysts Say ESPN Bet Sportsbook In Early Innings: &#8216;Building A Business Takes Time And Money&#8217;</a>

Sports Betting

Upgrades

PENN

Penn Entertainment Upgraded After Analyst Challenges ESPN Bet's Zero Valuation

ASAN

CRWD

INTU

PANW

SNOW

SOUN

TEAM

Shares of software stocks are trading higher amid overall strength in tech as Treasury yields drop.

In the latest Fortnite update (v29.30), Epic Games made a notable change by allowing players to block certain emotes often used in what the developers describe as<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/22/12/30130293/fortnite-tricks-players-to-purchase-stuff-and-invades-childrens-privacy-its-maker-will-pay-520m-to"> &#8220;confrontational ways.&#8221;</a>
Now, players can choose to hide four specific emotes, including &#8216;Laugh It Up&#8217;, &#8216;Take the L&#8217;, &#8216;Whipcrack&#8217; and &#8216;Make It Plantain&#8217;. 
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/02/37371214/your-kid-could-be-bullied-for-not-buying-skins-in-fortnite-no-distinction-between-online-offline-w">Your Kid Could Be Bullied For Not Buying Skins In Fortnite: &#8216;No Distinction Between Online, Offline World,&#8217; Study Says</a>
IGN <a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/fortnite-now-lets-players-block-overly-confrontational-emotes-sparking-vociferous-debate">reported</a> that instead of witnessing these potentially contentious moves, players who opt out will just see their character standing still, no sound effects included.
Epic Games explained their decision in a tweet, saying: &#8220;We want emotes to be a source of good vibes, but a few (cough Take the L cough) can sometimes feel a bit overly confrontational.&#8221; 
The new setting, located under &#8220;Social Privacy,&#8221; defaults to only showing these emotes from friends in the player&#8217;s party, but players have the freedom to change this as they wish.
The game&#8217;s early success was fueled in part by these emotes, which generated significant revenue. Some of them became iconic dances, embraced beyond gaming circles, with even professional athletes incorporating them into their celebrations.
While some players are surprised by the move, others support it, concerned about the toxic atmosphere certain emotes can create. 
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">How To Block Confrontational Emotes In Fortnite</h1>
<ol>
<li>Click on your profile and navigate to the settings tab in Fortnite.</li>
<li>Go to the Account and Privacy section and scroll down.</li>
<li>Locate the &#8220;See Confrontational Emotes&#8221; option and toggle the arrow to select your preference.</li>
<li>If you wish to hide these emotes from everyone, choose &#8220;Never&#8221; and click the Apply button.</li>
</ol>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/04/38257897/star-wars-day-arrives-to-fortnite-with-epic-crossover">Star Wars Day Arrives To Fortnite With Epic Crossover</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Gaming

Fortnite Update Lets You Block Mean Emotes: Here's How

On Tuesday,&nbsp;PepsiCo Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>) reported first-quarter FY24 sales growth of 2.3% year-on-year to $18.25 billion, beating the analyst consensus&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/38376341" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimate of $18.079 billion.</a>
Adjusted EPS of $1.61 beat the consensus estimate of $1.52.
Below are comments from analysts, along with current ratings and price targets.
BofA Securities &#8211; Reiterates Buy, $210 price target
Analyst Bryan D. Spillane said the 5% year-on-year&nbsp;increase in pricing&nbsp;helped drive 40 basis points of gross margin expansion to 55.7%.
Organic sales growth of +2.7% was in line with the analyst&#8217;s +2.6% estimate.
Softer volume by -100bps each in PBNA and Latam was offset by better volume in QFNA, AMESA, and APAC, with FLNA and Europe volumes in line, opined the analyst.
The analyst noted that&nbsp;first-quarter&nbsp;is PEP&#8217;s smallest, accounting for only 20% of full-year revenue.&nbsp;The price target reflects a P/E multiple of approximately 24x&nbsp;CY25 EPS estimate.
The analyst noted that PEP&#8217;s premium to nonalcoholic beverage peer average of 23x is warranted by its strengthened position and pricing power to manage the ongoing inflationary environment.&nbsp;
Goldman Sachs &#8211; Reiterates Buy, $200 price target
Analyst Bonnie Herzog said PEP reported stronger-than-expected topline growth and sequential volume improvement despite ongoing headwinds from the QFNA recall.
Healthy organic topline growth helped drive core f/x neutral EPS up 7% to $1.61 and gross margin expansion, said the analyst.
Since investor expectations were lower, today&#8217;s better-than-feared results could be enough to drive the stock higher, asserted the analyst.
Given the challenging operating environment, the analyst expected the management to maintain its FY24 guidance.
According to the analyst, volume pressures will likely continue to be a concern until trends moderate further, which could weigh on the stock&nbsp;in the near term.
The analyst noted PEP remains very well positioned given its strong brand portfolio and long-term growth opportunities in Beverages, given its revenue growth management capabilities.
Price Action: PEP shares are trading lower by 2.36% at $172.30 at the last check Tuesday.
Photo by ja-san-miguel for Unspalsh

What Analysts Are Saying About PepsiCo's Q1 Earnings?

Elon Musk&#8217;s financial success has been nothing short of extraordinary, especially as he thrives while other sectors of the economy struggle. What&#8217;s his secret weapon?
Musk hasn&#8217;t kept this secret to himself; he&#8217;s been hinting at it since late last year. However, amid the chaos of the Ukraine conflict, rising fuel prices and soaring inflation, many overlooked his advice. In an X post, Musk urged, &#8220;Buy physical things.&#8221;
It&#8217;s not just Musk; other notable figures have made similar moves. The Rothschilds sold a specific physical asset for over $197 million to the Dutch government, while Oprah Winfrey fetched $150 million (netting $62 million) and Jeff Bezos acquired $70 million worth of the same asset. What is this mysterious asset? It&#8217;s not gold or real estate; it&#8217;s fine art.
Don't Miss:
<ul>
<li>Oprah, Madonna and DiCaprio have turned to the alternative asset that is outperforming the S&amp;P 500.<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/masterworks"> Discover the potential of this market for yourself</a>.</li>
</ul>
At first glance, it might seem odd that these billionaires are flocking to an asset most people can&#8217;t access. Yet, there are compelling reasons why 85% of wealth managers, according to a Deloitte survey, believe in including art in their clients&#8217; wealth offerings:
<ul>
<li>Blue-chip art has outpaced S&amp;P 500 returns by 136% (1995-2022).</li>
<li>Blue-chip art sales surpassed prepandemic highs in 2023.</li>
<li>Art and collectibles form an estimated $2.174 trillion asset class projected to grow by 58% in five years.</li>
<li>The Wall Street Journal has dubbed art &#8220;among the hottest markets on earth.&#8221;</li>
</ul>
Many believe investing in fine art from renowned artists like Pablo Picasso or Jean-Michel Basquiat requires millions. However, that&#8217;s no longer the case. Platforms like <a href="https://masterworks.536u.net/rQPXYQ">Masterworks</a>, the largest dedicated blue-chip art investment platform, allow investors to buy shares representing investments in artworks. This opens the door for investors to tap into this overlooked asset, which celebrities such as Beyoncé, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio have also embraced but at a fraction of the cost of owning an entire piece.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Masterworks.com: The $1 Billion Art Investment Platform</h2>
Founded in 2017 by art investor and tech entrepreneur Scott Lynn, Masterworks.com is a $1 billion art investment startup that democratizes contemporary art investing. Thanks to the 2012 Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act, nonaccredited investors can now purchase shares in famous artworks like those from Banksy, Basquiat and Andy Warhol.
With over 810,345 users, Masterworks.com has become popular among everyday investors looking to invest in renowned artworks without hefty price tags. The platform&#8217;s success lies in offering shares of multimillion-dollar masterpieces typically collected by the ultra-wealthy for as little as $20.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why The Surge In Art Investment?</h2>
Art&#8217;s appeal lies in its low average correlation to the stock market, meaning blue-chip contemporary art prices don&#8217;t necessarily follow equity market trends. During high inflation periods (3% or higher), blue-chip art has outperformed other asset classes such as real estate investment trusts (REITs), S&amp;P 500 equities and gold.
The only downside? <a href="https://masterworks.536u.net/rQPXYQ">Masterworks.com</a> closes offerings to new investors once certain goals for each artwork are met. For instance, a Banksy painting named &#8220;Exit Through the Gift Shop&#8221; sold out in less than three hours on the platform.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Investing In Billionaire Art With Ease</h2>
Masterworks&#8217; team of over 200 employees includes art industry experts and professionals from major investment firms like Bank of America Corp. and Goldman Sachs. They have amassed transactional records dating to the 1960s, comprising over 5 million auction records and 50 million data points on 60,000 artists.
Since its inception, <a href="https://masterworks.536u.net/rQPXYQ">Masterworks </a>has completed 16 sales (&#8220;exits&#8221;), all yielding positive returns. Investors have collectively shared millions in profits (net of fees). Of those 16 exits, 15 or 94%, have outperformed the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF, Wall Street&#8217;s premier benchmark, over their holding periods.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li>With returns as high as 300%, it&#8217;s no wonder this asset is the investment choice of many billionaires.<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/masterworks"> Uncover the secret.</a></li>
</ul>

Elon Musk's Diverse Investments: The Billionaire's Secret Weapon

ACMR

AVGO

KOPN

MCHP

SYNA

Shares of semiconductor and chip stocks are trading higher amid a continued rebound following Friday's drop.

Monarch Mining&nbsp; GAAP EPS of -$0.01

Monarch to sell Croinor Property for $4.5M in cash and common shares of Probe

Monarch Mining GAAP EPS of -C$0.13, revenue of C$2.54M

GBARF

Press Releases

Monarch Reports Its Third Quarter Results

Monarch Continues to Intersect Broad Zones of Mineralization on Swanson, With 0.65 g/t Au Over 193.4 M (634.5 ft) Including 7.55 g/t Au Over 4.05 M (13.3 ft)

Monarch Expands Size of McKenzie Break to 1,100 m by 700 m With Latest Drilling Results

Monarch Signs Agreement to Sell Croinor Property

Monarch Signs Royalty Buyback Option Agreement With Gold Royalty

Monarch Announces the Closing of the Sale of the Croinor Property

Monarch Reports Its Results for the Fourth Quarter and Year Ended June 30, 2023

Financing

Monarch Announces it Has Been Served With a Prior Notice of Exercice of a Hypothecary Right

Monarch Announces the Filing of a Procedure Under CCAA

Management

Monarch is Placed Under the Protection of the CCAA to Ensure a Responsible, Controlled, and Orderly Restructuring of Its Affairs

TSX:GBAR

Monarch Mining