Luckin Coffee Stock (OTC:LKNCY), Trade Ideas

Luckin Coffee Inc is a China based company engaged in operation of coffee stores. It sources its Arabica coffee beans from various suppliers and engage World Barista Champion teams to design its coffee recipes. The company also has partnered with suppliers for other products such as juices and light meals.

Asia

Markets

General

LKNCY

NYKHF

SBUX

Nayuki Tweaks Franchising Model As Competitors Serve Up Rival Listings

News

IPOs

Key Takeaways:


	Chabaidao’s revenue grew 34.8% to 5.7 billion yuan in 2023, as the company has been consistently profitable over the last three years
	The premium tea chain operator plans to keep growing through greater penetration in lower-tier cities, expanding overseas and by diversifying into coffee


  

Chabaidao Joins Hong Kong IPO Tea Party

Penny Stocks

Small Cap

BABA

DADA

RAAS

Key Takeaways:


	The SEC charged cloud services provider Cloopen with falsifying revenue, but also praised it for cooperating with its investigation into the matter
	The company announced a major board overhaul in December, but faces a long road in its rebuilding effort due to stiff competition and China’s slowing economy




Cloopen Closes The Book On Fraud Case, Looks To Rebuild

LUCKIN COFFEE INC SP/ADR by Luckin Coffee Inc.

Luckin Coffee Inc

<p>Cantor Fitzgerald  analyst Charles Duncan   reiterates Intra-Cellular Therapies (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ITCI#NASDAQ">ITCI</a>) with a Overweight and maintains $120 price target.</p>


Price Target

Reiteration

Analyst Ratings

ITCI

Cantor Fitzgerald Reiterates Overweight on Intra-Cellular Therapies, Maintains $120 Price Target

<p>Wells Fargo  analyst Gabe Hajde   upgrades Packaging Corp of America (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PKG#NYSE">PKG</a>) from Equal-Weight to Overweight and raises the price target from $187 to $191.</p>


Upgrades

Wells Fargo Upgrades Packaging Corp of America to Overweight, Raises Price Target to $191

<p>Cantor Fitzgerald  analyst C J Muse   reiterates Texas Instruments (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TXN#NASDAQ">TXN</a>) with a Neutral and maintains $180 price target.</p>


Cantor Fitzgerald Reiterates Neutral on Texas Instruments, Maintains $180 Price Target

WIIM

Chubb shares are trading lower following Q1 earnings.

<p><strong>Tesla Inc</strong> (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) shares are trading higher Wednesday on the heels of the company&#8217;s first-quarter financial results. Here&#8217;s a look at <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38390883/tesla-q1-earnings-highlights-ev-giant-misses-wall-street-estimates-makes-cost-cuts-invests-in-ai-sp">what&#8217;s going on</a>.</p>
<p><strong>What To Know:</strong> Tesla reported first-quarter revenue of $21.301 billion, which missed the consensus estimate of $22.151 billion, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>. The EV maker reported adjusted earnings of 45 cents per share, which missed estimates for earnings of 51 cents per share.</p>
<p>Free cash flow turned negative and revenues fell by 9% on a year-over-year basis, representing the worst revenue decline for Tesla since 2012, as production and deliveries slowed amid continued demand weakness. </p>
<p>Despite missing analyst estimates on the top and bottom lines, Tesla shares are ripping higher Wednesday, partially due to the company&#8217;s accelerated timeline for the launch of new models and talk about the development of a next-gen vehicle.</p>
<p>&#8220;We have updated our future vehicle line-up to accelerate the launch of new models ahead of our previously communicated start of production in the second half of 2025,&#8221; the company said.</p>
<p>The gains in Tesla stock are also somewhat attributable to CEO <strong>Elon Musk&#8217;s</strong> focus on the conference call, per <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/24/elon-musk-is-keeping-investors-dreams-of-a-tesla-robotaxi-alive.html#:~:text=Tesla%20shares%20soared%2013%25%20in,if%20not%20late%20this%20year."">CNBC</a>. Despite turning in a flurry of disappointing quarterly figures, Musk downplayed the quarter and reiterated his vision for the future around AI, Full Self-Driving and robotaxis. </p>
<p>"If somebody doesn't believe&nbsp;Tesla's going to solve autonomy, I think they should not be an investor in the company,"&nbsp;Musk said on the call. &#8220;We will, and we are.&#8221;</p>
<p>The Tesla CEO also unveiled that Tesla&#8217;s robotaxi vehicle will be called &#8220;CyberCab&#8221; and that the company currently has approximately 35,000 Nvidia H100 chips installed and could have 85,000 by the end of the year for AI training purposes.</p>
<p><em>Don&#8217;t Miss: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38397845/tesla-will-solve-autonomy-even-if-i-got-kidnapped-by-aliens-tomorrow-says-elon-musk-as-he-reveals-ta">Tesla Will Solve Autonomy &#8216;Even If I Got Kidnapped By Aliens Tomorrow,&#8217; Says Elon Musk As He Reveals Talks With &#8216;Major Automaker&#8217; For FSD Licensing</a></em></p>
<p><strong>Analyst Changes:</strong> Following the print, multiple analysts weighed in on the stock.</p>
<ul>
<li>Needham analyst Chris Pierce reiterated Tesla with a Hold.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>BofA Securities analyst John Murphy upgraded Tesla from Neutral to Buy and maintained a price target of $220.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Mizuho analyst Vijay Rakesh maintained Tesla with a Neutral and lowered the price target from&nbsp;$195&nbsp;to&nbsp;$180.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Truist Securities analyst William Stein maintained Tesla with a Hold and lowered the price target from&nbsp;$176&nbsp;to&nbsp;$162.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives maintained Tesla with an Outperform and lowered the price target from&nbsp;$300&nbsp;to&nbsp;$275.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Canaccord Genuity analyst George Gianarikas maintained Tesla with a Buy and lowered the price target from&nbsp;$234&nbsp;to&nbsp;$222.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Roth MKM analyst Craig Irwin maintained Tesla with a Neutral and maintained a&nbsp;price target of $85.</li>
</ul>
<p><em>Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38402981/elon-musks-big-bet-tesla-to-ramp-up-ai-development-with-nvidias-powerful-chips">Elon Musk&#8217;s Big Bet: Tesla to Ramp Up AI Development with Nvidia&#8217;s Powerful Chips</a></em></p>
<p><strong>TSLA Price Action:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/TSLA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla shares</a>&nbsp;were up 11.9% at $161.99 at the time of publication, according to&nbsp;<a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>.</p>
<p><em>Photo: courtesy of Tesla.</em></p>


Earnings

Movers

TSLA

Tesla Stock Is Ripping Higher Wednesday: What's Going On?

LRCX

MPWR

QCOM

QRVO

Shares of chip stocks are trading higher in sympathy with Texas Instruments, which reported better-than-expected Q1 financial results.

<p><strong>Tesla Inc.</strong> (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO <strong>Elon Musk</strong> emphasized that the company should be recognized as an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/01/36467101/tesla-vs-byd-musk-labels-american-ev-giant-an-airobotics-company-after-chinese-rival-steals-global-s">AI or robotics company</a> rather than just an auto company.</p>
<p><strong>What Happened</strong>: Musk made these comments during <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38390883/tesla-q1-earnings-highlights-ev-giant-misses-wall-street-estimates-makes-cost-cuts-invests-in-ai-sp">Tesla&#8217;s Q1 earnings call</a> on Tuesday. He pointed out that Tesla&#8217;s sales drop in China was less than that of its competitors, saying it was better off than its competitors during the March 2024 quarter.</p>
<p>But beyond that, Musk thinks Tesla should be looked at as an AI and robotics company, not just an auto company.</p>
<p>"I think Cathie Wood said it best, like really, we should be thought of as an AI or robotics company." Earlier this month, Wood said Tesla is the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/04/38076756/cathie-wood-says-tesla-is-biggest-ai-project-in-world-sees-convergence-of-3-key-technolo">"biggest AI project" in the world</a>.</p>
<p>"If you value Tesla as just like an auto company, you just have to – fundamentally, it&#8217;s just the wrong framework and it will come to be."</p>
<p><em>See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38400945/metas-massive-1b-bet-on-nvidia-h100-gpu-cluster-will-dwarf-every-other-companys-target-but-zuckerber">Meta&#8217;s Massive $1B Bet On Nvidia H100 GPU Cluster Will Dwarf Every Other Company&#8217;s Target, But Zuckerberg Reveals Original Goal Was This, Not AI</a></em></p>
<p>Musk's comments come amid Tesla missing Wall Street estimates, with $21 billion in revenue, down 9% year-on-year, compared to a Street consensus estimate of $22.15 billion, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/feature/newsfeed?gspk=bHVrZWphY29iaTUzNDg&amp;gsxid=tdEE0VrK8Jeg&amp;ref=lukejacobi5348" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data from Benzinga Pro.</a></p>
<p>Musk also stressed that those who do not believe in Tesla&#8217;s ability to achieve autonomy should not invest in the company. He expressed confidence in Tesla&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38397845/tesla-will-solve-autonomy-even-if-i-got-kidnapped-by-aliens-tomorrow-says-elon-musk-as-he-reveals-ta">capacity to solve autonomy</a>, which would significantly increase the usage of its vehicles without raising costs.</p>
<p><em>Subscribe to the&nbsp;</em><a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><em>Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</em></a><em>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.</em></p>
<p><strong>Why It Matters</strong>: Musk&#8217;s recent comments align with his previous statements about Tesla&#8217;s focus on AI and robotics.</p>
<p>In August 2021, during Tesla&#8217;s &#8220;AI Day,&#8221; Musk highlighted the company&#8217;s plans to build <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38395385/elon-musk-says-tesla-optimus-humanoid-robot-might-be-available-externally-by-the-end-of-next-year-he">Tesla&#8217;s humanoid robot</a> <strong>Optimus</strong> and its broader ambitions in the field of artificial intelligence.</p>
<p>Despite <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38397845/tesla-will-solve-autonomy-even-if-i-got-kidnapped-by-aliens-tomorrow-says-elon-musk-as-he-reveals-ta">challenges</a> and skepticism from some quarters, Musk has remained steadfast in his belief in Tesla&#8217;s potential to lead the way in autonomous driving.</p>
<p>He has also indicated that the company is in talks with a major automaker to license its Full Self-Driving (FSD) software, a move that could further solidify Tesla&#8217;s position in the AI and robotics space.</p>
<p><em>Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.</em></p>
<p><em>Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/04/38397316/elon-musk-says-morgan-freeman-is-awesome-after-american-actor-says-hes-a-huge-fan-of-tesla-">Elon Musk Says Morgan Freeman Is &#8216;Awesome&#8217; After American Actor Says He&#8217;s A Huge Fan Of Tesla CEO</a></em></p>
<p><strong><em>Disclaimer</em></strong><em>: This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.</em></p>
<p><em>Photos courtesy: Shutterstock</em></p>


Equities

Tech

Elon Musk Echoes Cathie Wood, Wants Tesla To Be Seen As An AI Or Robotics Company: 'If You Value Tesla As Just An Auto Company…Wrong Framework'

<p>Citigroup  analyst Filippo Falorni   downgrades Molson Coors Beverage (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TAP#NYSE">TAP</a>) from Neutral to Sell and lowers the price target from $66 to $56.</p>


Downgrades

Citigroup Downgrades Molson Coors Beverage to Sell, Lowers Price Target to $56

<p><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-24/us-solar-manufacturers-seek-additional-tariffs-on-panel-imports-from-asia" title="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-24/us-solar-manufacturers-seek-additional-tariffs-on-panel-imports-from-asia">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-24/us-solar-manufacturers-seek-additional-tariffs-on-panel-imports-from-asia</a></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Solar manufacturers are asking the US government to slap duties on $12.5 billion of imported equipment from Southeast Asia, setting the stage for a sweeping trade probe that threatens to make power projects more expensive.</p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>In petitions filed Wednesday, seven panel makers and polysilicon producers seek trade help to counteract what they say are unfair practices by overseas rivals. Their requests raise the prospect of tariffs as high as 271.5% later this year.</p>


Macro Economic Events

Economics

ARRY

FSLR

NOVA

SEDG

SHLS

SPWR

'US Solar Makers Seek Additional Tariffs On Panel Imports From Asia; Panel Makers Say Help Needed To Bolster US Competitiveness; New Tariffs Risk Slowing Solar Panel Installations In The US' - Bloomberg

<p><strong>Vertiv Holdings Co</strong>&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VRT#NYSE">VRT</a>)<strong>&nbsp;</strong>shares are trading higher after the company reported better-than-expected first-quarter FY24 results and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/04/b38398210/vertiv-reports-60-organic-orders-growth-8-net-sales-growth-in-first-quarter-updates-full-year-2024" rel="noreferrer noopener">raised its 2024 guidance</a>.</p>
<p>Net sales rose 8% Y/Y to $1.64 billion, beating the consensus of $1.62 billion. Organic orders (excluding foreign exchange) rose 60% Y/Y, led by strong underlying market demand benefiting from the ramp-up of AI deployments. </p>
<p>The book-to-bill ratio stood at 1.5x in the quarter and had a $6.3 billion backlog at the end of the quarter.</p>
<p>Adjusted operating profit&nbsp;rose 42% Y/Y to $249 million, with adjusted operating margin expanding 370 basis points Y/Y to 15.2% in the first quarter of 2024, driven by favorable price-cost and increased volume and productivity.</p>
<p>Operating cash flow reached $138 million, and adjusted free cash flow<strong> </strong>stood at $101 million in the quarter. Adjusted EPS stood at $0.43, beating <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the consensus of $0.36</a>.</p>
<p>Giordano Albertazzi, Chief Executive Officer, said, &#8220;We are seeing order patterns with longer lead times based on customer build schedules, largely in 2025 and beyond, suggesting AI is starting to scale. Though still in its early stages, AI is quickly becoming a pervasive theme across our end markets.&#8221;</p>
<p>The company bought back shares worth $600 million in the first quarter of 2024.</p>
<p><strong>Outlook</strong>: For FY24, Vertiv raised guidance for revenue to&nbsp;$7.54 billion&nbsp;&#8211;&nbsp;$7.69 billion (from&nbsp;$7.515 billion-$7.655 billion earlier) vs.&nbsp;consensus of $7.63 billion and adjusted EPS to&nbsp;$2.29-$2.35&nbsp;(<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/02/37235496/why-electrical-equipment-company-vertiv-shares-are-tumbling-premarket-wednesday" rel="noreferrer noopener">from&nbsp;$2.20-$2.26 earlier</a>) vs. consensus of&nbsp;$2.30.</p>
<p>For the second quarter, Vertiv expects&nbsp;revenue of&nbsp;$1.90 billion-$1.95 billion&nbsp;(vs.&nbsp;$1.90 billion&nbsp;estimate) and adj. EPS of&nbsp;$0.53-$0.57&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">(vs.&nbsp;consensus of $0.55)</a>.</p>
<p>Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;<strong>TCW Transform Systems ETF&nbsp;</strong>(BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NETZ#BATS">NETZ</a>) and&nbsp;<strong>Series Portfolios Trust Adaptiv Select ETF</strong>&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADPV#NYSE">ADPV</a>).</p>
<p><strong>Price Action</strong>: VRT shares are up 16.3% at $92.04 at&nbsp;the last check Wednesday.</p>


Large Cap

Guidance

Buybacks

ADPV

Engine No. 1 ETF Trust Engine No. 1 Transform Climate ETF

NETZ

Why Data Infrastructure Company Vertiv's Shares Are Rocketing Today

<p>Coca-Cola Femsa (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KOF#NYSE">KOF</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $1.40 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $1.23 by 13.82 percent.  The company reported quarterly sales of $3.759 billion which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $3.597 billion by 4.50 percent.  This is a 22.36 percent increase over sales of $3.072 billion the same period last year.</p>


Earnings Beats

Coca-Cola Femsa Q1 2024 GAAP EPS $1.40 Beats $1.23 Estimate, Sales $3.759B Beat $3.597B Estimate

<p>As the week unfolds, investors are eagerly awaiting the impending release of the U.S. gross domestic product growth rate for the first quarter of 2024, set for this Thursday, ahead of the highly anticipated Personal Consumption Expenditure (PCE) price index report – the Fed&#8217;s preferred <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38389508/did-the-feds-strategy-pay-off-goldman-sachs-projects-steady-inflation-decline-in-20">inflation gauge – on Friday. </a></p>
<p>The U.S. economy showed a robust 3.4% growth rate in the last quarter of 2023, following another spectacular 4.9% growth in the third quarter, according to the final estimates from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.   </p>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Q1 2024 GDP: What Do Economists Expect?</h3>
<ul>
<li>Wall Street analysts are forecasting a deceleration in growth, with expectations set around a 2.5% increase in GDP, adjusted annually, from the previous quarter. &#8220;That would be the seventh consecutive solid reading for real GDP. That certainly isn&#8217;t a hard landing and hardly a soft one,&#8221; veteran investor <strong>Ed Yardeni</strong> commented in a note. </li>
<li>Among key GDP components, real consumer spending is predicted to advance at a 2.8% pace in Q1 2024,  slowing down from the 3.3% in the fourth quarter of 2023. </li>
<li>The Atlanta Fed GDPNow forecasts a 2.9% surge. The model suggests that real personal consumption expenditures and first-quarter real gross private domestic investment are expected to grow at 3.4% and 3.7%, respectively. </li>
<li>The GDP price index is expected to show a 3% quarter-on-quarter annualized surge, marking an acceleration compared to the 1.7% recorded in Q4 2023. </li>
</ul>
<p>Read also: &#8216;<em><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/24/04/38391252/were-buying-this-soft-landing-former-fed-governor-blames-government-spending-for-delaying-">We&#8217;re Buying This Soft Landing&#8217;: Former Fed Governor Blames Government Spending For Delaying Rate Cuts</a></em></p>
<p><em>Chart: Could The US Economy Continue To Defy Soft-Landing Scenarios?</em></p>
<p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="495" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/24085144/image-183-1024x495.png" alt="" class="wp-image-306527" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/24085144/image-183-1024x495.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/24085144/image-183-300x145.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/24085144/image-183-768x372.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/24085144/image-183-1536x743.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/24085144/image-183.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></p>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Goldman Sachs&#8217; Take</h3>
<p>Goldman Sachs economist <strong>Spencer Hill</strong> presents a more optimistic view, projecting a 3.1% growth rate. This forecast exceeds the consensus by 0.6 percentage points and edges out the Atlanta Fed's expectations by 0.2 points. Key factors underpinning this upbeat forecast include:</p>
<ul>
<li>A significant 13% quarterly annualized increase in residential investment, fueled by lower mortgage rates, spurring sales and construction.</li>
<li>A robust recovery in auto production, contributing an additional 0.2 percentage points to GDP growth.</li>
<li>A resurgence in manufacturing, likely to enhance capital expenditures on equipment and structures.</li>
<li>Continued strong consumer spending, supported by significant upward revisions to March retail sales data that the consensus may have underestimated.</li>
</ul>
<p>Looking beyond the first quarter, Goldman Sachs anticipates a slight deceleration in economic growth. </p>
<p>The forecast suggests a 2.4% expansion in Q2, with an average growth rate of 2.5% for the second half of the year. </p>
<p>This outlook is supported by high levels of immigration, robust real personal income growth, and a modest uplift from financial conditions.</p>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Why It Matters For Traders</h3>
<p>A stronger-than-expected Q1 GDP result may reinforce the perception of a resilient U.S. economy capable of withstanding high interest rates, potentially keeping the Federal Reserve focused on controlling inflation.</p>
<p>This could positively impact the U.S. dollar, while possibly leading to downward pressure on bonds and rate-sensitive sectors like real estate and technology.</p>
<p>Conversely, a GDP figure below expectations might prompt closer examination of how inflationary pressures are impacting consumer spending. This scenario could weaken the dollar, as reduced spending may lessen the likelihood of persistently high interest rates in the future. In such a case, bonds and gold could be positioned for a rally.</p>
<p>In the last advance estimate for Q4 2023 GDP, released on Jan. 25, the U.S. economy expanded by 3.3%, exceeding forecasts of a 2% increase. On that day, the <strong>SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust</strong> (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) saw a 0.5% rise.</p>
<p>Read also: <em><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/macro-notification/24/04/38337484/is-the-us-national-debt-unsustainable-we-cant-have-a-deficit-of-7-of-the-gdp">Is The US National Debt Unsustainable? &#8216;We Can&#8217;t Have A Deficit Of 7% Of The GDP&#8217;</a></em></p>
<p><em>Photo: Shutterstock</em></p>


Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Econ #s

Federal Reserve

ETFs

US Economy Expected To Grow 2.5% In Q1: Not 'A Hard Landing And Hardly A Soft One'

Spirit AeroSystems are trading higher after Boeing said their deal is not being delayed.

<p>Barrington Research  analyst Alexander Paris   maintains Stride (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LRN#NYSE">LRN</a>) with a Outperform and maintains $75 price target.</p>


Barrington Research Maintains Outperform on Stride, Maintains $75 Price Target

<p><strong>Anthony Scaramucci, </strong>a former White House Communications Director, took to X on Wednesday to express his views on the upcoming presidential race.</p>
<p><strong>What Happened</strong>: Scaramucci stated on X, formerly Twitter&#8217; that despite <strong>Nikki Haley</strong>&#8216;s withdrawal from the race, she is still polling well in Pennsylvania. He further predicted that former President<strong> Donald Trump</strong> stands no chance of winning the presidency.</p>
<p>&#8220;Write it down and study it. And if you are with him: CRY,&#8221; Scaramucci wrote.</p>
<p><figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><br />
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Nikki Haley dropped out of the race over a month ago, yet she is polling nicely in PA. Trump has no shot to win the presidency. Write it down and study it. And if you are with him: CRY.</p>
<p>&mdash; Anthony Scaramucci (@Scaramucci) <a href="https://twitter.com/Scaramucci/status/1782979817274544319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></p></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<p></p></figure></p>
<p><em>See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38351863/marjorie-taylor-greene-insists-motion-to-vacate-mike-johnsons-speakership-is-inevitable-do-the-right?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marjorie Taylor Greene Insists &#8216;Motion To Vacate&#8217; Mike Johnson&#8217;s Speakership Is Inevitable</a></em></p>
<p><strong>Why It Matters</strong>: Scaramucci&#8217;s prediction comes amid <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38346954/trump-in-hot-seat-in-hush-money-case-prosecutors-seek-deep-dive-into-ex-presidents-alleged-misconduc">legal challenges faced by Trump</a>, who is currently on trial over accusations of manipulating business documents to disrupt the 2016 election process. </p>
<p>Haley, the former Governor of South Carolina, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/37353927/nikki-haley-sounds-the-alarm-on-dwindling-republican-fortunes-in-colorado-due-to-ex-president-donald">had previously expressed her concerns </a>about the dwindling Republican fortunes nationwide, attributing it to Trump. She had warned about the potential consequences of Trump's nomination for the party ticket in the upcoming November elections, stating that Trump cannot secure a general election victory in states like Colorado, Michigan, and Minnesota.</p>
<p>Despite Haley&#8217;s withdrawal, recent election polls have shown a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/04/38348604/biden-vs-trump-new-poll-shows-tie-in-2024-election-race-one-candidate-gains-among-independent-vo">close race between Trump and current President <strong>Joe Biden</strong></a>, with both being the frontrunners and betting favorites for the November election.</p>
<p><em>Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38348258/marjorie-taylor-greene-takes-step-back-in-effort-to-remove-speaker-mike-johnson-but-blasts-him-as-a?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marjorie Taylor Greene Takes Step Back In Effort To Remove Speaker Mike Johnson But Blasts Him As &#8216;A Lame Duck&#8217;</a></em></p>
<p><em>Image via Shutterstock</em></p>
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Politics

Anthony Scaramucci Says Nikki Haley Is Still Polling 'Nicely' In PA, Despite Ending Bid Against Trump: 'And If You Are With Him: CRY'

<p>Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bearish approach towards Booking Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BKNG#NASDAQ">BKNG</a>), and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in BKNG usually suggests something big is about to happen.</p>
<p>We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 8 extraordinary options activities for Booking Holdings. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.</p>
<p>The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 37% leaning bullish and 50% bearish. Among these notable options, 2 are puts, totaling $170,500, and 6 are calls, amounting to $238,135.</p>
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
<p>Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $3510.0 to $4350.0 for Booking Holdings over the recent three months. </p>
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Trends</h3>
<p>In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Booking Holdings options trades today is 32.6 with a total volume of 3.00.</p>
<p>In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Booking Holdings's big money trades within a strike price range of $3510.0 to $4350.0 over the last 30 days.</p>
<h3>Booking Holdings 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<p><img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1713966433_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" /></p>
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>
<p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th><strong>Symbol</strong></th>
<th><strong>PUT/CALL</strong></th>
<th><strong>Trade Type</strong></th>
<th><strong>Sentiment</strong></th>
<th><strong>Exp. Date</strong></th>
<th><strong>Ask</strong></th>
<th><strong>Bid</strong></th>
<th><strong>Price</strong></th>
<th><strong>Strike Price</strong></th>
<th><strong>Total Trade Price</strong></th>
<th style="text-align: right;"><strong>Open Interest</strong></th>
<th style="text-align: right;"><strong>Volume</strong></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>BKNG</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$927.5</td>
<td>$906.3</td>
<td>$925.0</td>
<td>$4350.00</td>
<td>$92.5K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BKNG</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$780.0</td>
<td>$771.2</td>
<td>$780.0</td>
<td>$4300.00</td>
<td>$78.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">102</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BKNG</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$482.5</td>
<td>$473.0</td>
<td>$473.0</td>
<td>$3550.00</td>
<td>$47.3K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">33</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BKNG</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$482.5</td>
<td>$473.0</td>
<td>$473.0</td>
<td>$3550.00</td>
<td>$47.3K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">33</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BKNG</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$482.5</td>
<td>$457.7</td>
<td>$471.02</td>
<td>$3550.00</td>
<td>$47.1K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">33</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<h3>About Booking Holdings</h3>
<p>Booking is the world's largest online travel agency by sales, offering booking and payment services for hotel and alternative accommodation rooms, airline tickets, rental cars, restaurant reservations, cruises, experiences, and other vacation packages. The company operates several branded travel booking sites, including Booking.com, Agoda, OpenTable, and Rentalcars.com, and has expanded into travel media with the acquisitions of Kayak and Momondo. Transaction fees for online bookings account for the bulk of revenue and profits.</p>
<h3>Booking Holdings's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>Trading volume stands at 6,101, with BKNG's price up by 0.09%, positioned at $3537.22.</li>
<li>RSI indicators show the stock to be is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Earnings announcement expected in 8 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Professional Analyst Ratings for Booking Holdings</h3>
<p>Over the past month, 2 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $4125.0.</p>
<ul>
<li>An analyst from Wedbush has revised its rating downward to Outperform, adjusting the price target to $3850. </li>
<li>In a cautious move, an analyst from B. Riley Securities downgraded its rating to Buy, setting a price target of $4400. </li>
</ul>
<p>Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Booking Holdings with <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.</p>


Options

BKNG

Looking At Booking Holdings's Recent Unusual Options Activity

<p>Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bearish stance on <strong>MicroStrategy</strong>.</p>
<p>Looking at options history for MicroStrategy (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) we detected 27 trades.</p>
<p>If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 29% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 40% with bearish.</p>
<p>From the overall spotted trades, 10 are puts, for a total amount of $407,273 and 17, calls, for a total amount of $1,592,410.</p>
<h3>Projected Price Targets</h3>
<p>Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $980.0 to $3800.0 for MicroStrategy over the last 3 months. </p>
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
<p>In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of MicroStrategy stands at 168.38, with a total volume reaching 182.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in MicroStrategy, situated within the strike price corridor from $980.0 to $3800.0, throughout the last 30 days.</p>
<h3>MicroStrategy 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<p><img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1713966428_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" /></p>
<h3>Noteworthy Options Activity:</h3>
<p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th><strong>Symbol</strong></th>
<th><strong>PUT/CALL</strong></th>
<th><strong>Trade Type</strong></th>
<th><strong>Sentiment</strong></th>
<th><strong>Exp. Date</strong></th>
<th><strong>Ask</strong></th>
<th><strong>Bid</strong></th>
<th><strong>Price</strong></th>
<th><strong>Strike Price</strong></th>
<th><strong>Total Trade Price</strong></th>
<th style="text-align: right;"><strong>Open Interest</strong></th>
<th style="text-align: right;"><strong>Volume</strong></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$487.55</td>
<td>$470.0</td>
<td>$478.8</td>
<td>$1350.00</td>
<td>$478.8K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">70</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/26/24</td>
<td>$33.0</td>
<td>$30.0</td>
<td>$33.0</td>
<td>$1350.00</td>
<td>$330.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">268</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">127</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$535.0</td>
<td>$530.0</td>
<td>$535.0</td>
<td>$1200.00</td>
<td>$214.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">162</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$535.0</td>
<td>$530.0</td>
<td>$535.0</td>
<td>$1200.00</td>
<td>$107.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">162</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/26/24</td>
<td>$359.05</td>
<td>$354.0</td>
<td>$354.0</td>
<td>$980.00</td>
<td>$106.2K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<h3>About MicroStrategy</h3>
<p>MicroStrategy Inc is a provider of enterprise analytics and mobility software. It offers MicroStrategy Analytics platform that delivers reports and dashboards and enables users to conduct ad hoc analysis and share insights through mobile devices or the Web; MicroStrategy Server, which provides analytical processing and job management. The company's reportable operating segment is engaged in the design, development, marketing, and sales of its software platform through licensing arrangements and cloud-based subscriptions and related services.</p>
<h3>Present Market Standing of MicroStrategy</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 50,026, the price of MSTR is down by -1.56%, reaching $1317.79.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 5 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Professional Analyst Ratings for MicroStrategy</h3>
<p>In the last month, 3 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $1828.3333333333333.</p>
<ul>
<li>Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from BTIG keeps a Buy rating on MicroStrategy with a target price of $1800. </li>
<li>An analyst from Benchmark persists with their Buy rating on MicroStrategy, maintaining a target price of $1875. </li>
<li>In a cautious move, an analyst from Canaccord Genuity downgraded its rating to Buy, setting a price target of $1810. </li>
</ul>
<p>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 MicroStrategy options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>.</p>


MSTR

What the Options Market Tells Us About MicroStrategy

<p>Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on <strong>Vertiv Hldgs</strong> (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VRT#NYSE">VRT</a>).</p>
<p>And retail traders should know.</p>
<p>We noticed this today when the positions showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.</p>
<p>Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with VRT, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.</p>
<p>Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 11 options trades for <strong>Vertiv Hldgs</strong>.</p>
<p>This isn't normal.</p>
<p>The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 36% bullish and 36%, bearish.</p>
<p>Out of all of the options we uncovered, there was 1 put, for a total amount of $109,250, and 10, calls, for a total amount of $1,770,279.</p>
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
<p>Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $76.0 to $110.0 for Vertiv Hldgs over the recent three months. </p>
<h3>Insights into Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
<p>In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Vertiv Hldgs options trades today is 698.9 with a total volume of 3,619.00.</p>
<p>In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Vertiv Hldgs's big money trades within a strike price range of $76.0 to $110.0 over the last 30 days.</p>
<h3>Vertiv Hldgs 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<p><img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1713966422_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" /></p>
<h3>Noteworthy Options Activity:</h3>
<p>
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th><strong>Symbol</strong></th>
<th><strong>PUT/CALL</strong></th>
<th><strong>Trade Type</strong></th>
<th><strong>Sentiment</strong></th>
<th><strong>Exp. Date</strong></th>
<th><strong>Ask</strong></th>
<th><strong>Bid</strong></th>
<th><strong>Price</strong></th>
<th><strong>Strike Price</strong></th>
<th><strong>Total Trade Price</strong></th>
<th><strong>Open Interest</strong></th>
<th><strong>Volume</strong></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>VRT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$10.5</td>
<td>$9.9</td>
<td>$10.2</td>
<td>$82.50</td>
<td>$1.0M</td>
<td>1.7K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VRT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$4.2</td>
<td>$3.6</td>
<td>$3.9</td>
<td>$95.00</td>
<td>$402.6K</td>
<td>800</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VRT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$22.6</td>
<td>$20.7</td>
<td>$21.85</td>
<td>$105.00</td>
<td>$109.2K</td>
<td>50</td>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VRT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$2.8</td>
<td>$2.7</td>
<td>$2.8</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$84.0K</td>
<td>6.2K</td>
<td>644</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VRT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/26/24</td>
<td>$7.9</td>
<td>$7.5</td>
<td>$7.9</td>
<td>$84.00</td>
<td>$79.0K</td>
<td>685</td>
<td>13</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</p>
<h3>About Vertiv Hldgs</h3>
<p>Vertiv Holdings Co brings together hardware, software, analytics and ongoing services to ensure its customers vital applications run continuously, perform optimally and grow with their business needs. The company solves the important challenges faced by data centers, communication networks and commercial and industrial facilities with a portfolio of power, cooling and IT infrastructure solutions and services that extends from the cloud to the edge of the network. Its services include critical power, thermal management, racks and enclosures, monitoring and management, and other services. Its three business segments include the Americas, Asia Pacific; and Europe, Middle East &amp; Africa.</p>
<p>In light of the recent options history for Vertiv Hldgs, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.</p>
<h3>Where Is Vertiv Hldgs Standing Right Now?</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 1,674,305, the price of VRT is up by 13.48%, reaching $89.84.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 0 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On Vertiv Hldgs</h3>
<p>A total of 4 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $95.75.</p>
<ul>
<li>An analyst from JP Morgan has decided to maintain their Overweight rating on Vertiv Hldgs, which currently sits at a price target of $95. </li>
<li>Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Evercore ISI Group keeps a Outperform rating on Vertiv Hldgs with a target price of $90. </li>
<li>An analyst from Citigroup persists with their Buy rating on Vertiv Hldgs, maintaining a target price of $102. </li>
<li>An analyst from Oppenheimer downgraded its action to Outperform with a price target of $96. </li>
</ul>
<p>Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Vertiv Hldgs with <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.</p>


Vertiv Hldgs Options Trading: A Deep Dive into Market Sentiment

<p>Goldman Sachs  analyst Toshiya Hari   maintains Texas Instruments (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TXN#NASDAQ">TXN</a>) with a Sell and raises the price target from $137 to $157.</p>


Goldman Sachs Maintains Sell on Texas Instruments, Raises Price Target to $157

Baker Hughes Sees 20% Natural Gas Demand Growth Through 2040; Mid-Single Digit LNG Demand Growth Through End Of Decade

Luckin Coffee Inc. (LKNCY) Q4 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

<p><a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a></p>
<p>Many if not most people believe that the Street is nearly omniscient. These individuals contend that the price which the market assigned to a stock correctly reflects its current value and its short and medium-term outlook. But in my experience, that&rsquo;s often not the case. You can often find large returns by picking contrarian stocks. For example, when the Covid pandemic began in early 2020 stocks plunged, with the Street expecting disaster. By the end of the year however, the market was enjoying one of its greatest rallies ever. </p>



<p>And when it comes to individual contrarian stocks, <strong>Intel</strong> (NASDAQ:<span><a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/intc-stock-quote/"><strong>INTC</strong></a></span>) was being left for dead by most of the Street a year ago, and <strong>Super Micro Computer</strong> (NASDAQ:<span><a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/smci-stock-quote/"><strong>SMCI</strong></a></span>) was seen as nothing special. Over the last year, those names have zoomed higher by 73% and an incredible 750%, respectively. Nor in 2022 did most of the Street see the huge AI boom coming. So it is certainly possible to beat the Street by being a contrarian. Here are three contrarian stocks that are well-positioned to surprise the Street and generate huge profits for investors later this year. </p>



<h2>Xpeng (XPEV)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/xpev1600-1-300x169.png" alt="XPeng (XPEV) car logo in Shanghai International Automobile Industry Exhibition"><div>Source: THINK A / Shutterstock.com</div></div><p>Boding well for <strong>Xpeng</strong> (NASDAQ:<span><a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/xpev-stock-quote/"><strong>XPEV</strong></a></span>), one of its rivals, <strong>Li Auto</strong> (NASDAQ:<span><a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/li-stock-quote/"><strong>LI</strong></a></span>), <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/news/4071404-li-auto-non-gaap-eps-of-093-revenue-of-588b">reported extremely strong</a> Q4 2023 results. Specifically, Li&rsquo;s top line soared 136% versus the same period a year earlier to a very impressive $5.88 billion, while it expects its deliveries to jump 90%-95% this quarter compared with Q1 of 2022. Li&rsquo;s results and guidance show that worries about the demise of EVs in China are greatly exaggerated.</p>



<p>Xpeng&rsquo;s EVs feature market-leading driver-assistance systems, and it is <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/1-chinas-xpeng-signs-partnership-051748018.html">going to expand</a> to many more markets. Specifically, the automaker is entering five Middle East and North African countries. And it plans to start selling its EVs in parts of Europe as well. The automaker has already launched alliances with auto dealers in multiple Middle Eastern countries, including the UAE, whose population is quite wealthy. By Q4 2024, the firm&rsquo;s sales should get a big boost from its overseas expansion.</p>



<p>Despite the firm&rsquo;s huge opportunities, the shares are changing hands at a very low forward price-sales ratio of just 1.06. </p>



<h2>Luckin Coffee (<strong>LKNCY</strong>)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/lkncy1600-300x169.jpg" alt="close up luckin coffee's logo coffee brand in Shanghai, June 2019."><div>Source: NewsToday / Shutterstock.com</div></div><p><strong>Luckin Coffee </strong>(OTCMKTS:<span><a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/lkncy-stock-quote/"><strong>LKNCY</strong></a></span>) recently reported impressive fourth-quarter results. The Chinese coffee delivery service is recruiting an incredible number of new customers in the Asian country. Meanwhile, the popularity of its individual stores is increasing rapidly. </p>



<p>Don&rsquo;t be scared off by the fact that Luckin&rsquo;s profits fell last quarter because it offered many discounts. I believe <a href="https://www.netsuite.com/portal/resource/articles/cloud-saas/pricing-strategies.shtml#:~:text=Penetration%20Pricing&amp;text=A%20low%20price%20allows%20companies,without%20losing%20those%20early%20adopters.">that the firm is using</a> a penetration pricing strategy. The pricing technique is when a firm attempts to increase its market share by attracting new customers who talk positively about the offering. The goal is to have this word of mouth campaign entice future customers away from competitors. After obtaining many additional customers, the firms that use this strategy eventually raise prices while retaining most of the customers that they recruited. </p>



<p>Last quarter, Luckin&rsquo;s sales <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/pr/19632409-luckin-coffee-inc-announces-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2023-financial-results">jumped 91% year-over-year</a> while its same-store sales growth jumped 13.5%. However, the firm&rsquo;s operating income fell to 212 million Chinese yuan, about $30 million, from 313 million Chinese yuan in Q4 of 2022. Its average monthly transacting customers last year climbed to 48 million from 21.6 million in the previous year. </p>



<p>I predict that Luckin&rsquo;s penetration price strategy will ultimately work because the firm is roping in so many new customers while offering popular, innovative drinks.</p>



<h2>Plug Power (PLUG)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/plug1600-4-300x169.png" alt="Person holding smartphone with website of US hydrogen fuel cell company Plug Power Inc. on screen with logo. Focus on center of phone display. Unmodified photo."><div>Source: T. Schneider / Shutterstock.com</div></div><p><strong>Plug Power </strong>(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/plug-stock-quote/"><strong>PLUG</strong></a>) continues to greatly expand its businesses. On Feb. 13, Plug disclosed that <strong>Uline</strong> had agreed to deploy Plug&rsquo;s technology at its new facility in Wisconsin.</p>



<p>Under the deal, Uline <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/pr/19632396-plug-and-uline-expand-partnership-to-supply-hydrogen-and-fuel-cells-four-additional-sites">will deploy</a> the hydrogen firm&rsquo;s 18,000-gallon hydrogen storage tank and 17 hydrogen dispensers to service four distribution centers. Uline will also purchase an impressive total of 250 forklifts from Plug.</p>



<p>Also noteworthy is that Plug recently introduced a complete hydrogen refueling station on a portable platform. It is being marketed as a way to quickly and easily support fleet vehicle hydrogen refueling. The innovation will enable firms to deploy green hydrogen for their fleets without spending a large amount of capital on building many large fuel structures.</p>



<p>Finally, the firm recently reported that a major U.S. automobile manufacturer had agreed to buy&nbsp;hydrogen infrastructure and fuel cell solutions from Plug for its sprawling, six-mile campus. Despite all of these positive catalysts, the shares are down a huge 33% so far this year and 80% over the past 12 months as the Street focuses on the company&rsquo;s near-term cash-flow issues. <br><br><em>On the date of publication, Larry Ramer held a long positions in PLUG and XPEV and his wife owned a long position in LKNCY. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/" target="_blank">Publishing Guidelines</a></em>.</p>
<div><p>Larry Ramer has conducted research and written articles on U.S. stocks for 15 years. He has been employed by The Fly and Israel&rsquo;s largest business newspaper, Globes. Larry began writing columns for InvestorPlace in 2015. Among his highly successful, contrarian picks have been SMCI, INTC, and MGM. You can reach him on Stocktwits at @larryramer.</p></div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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<p>The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/02/3-contrarian-stock-picks-to-outsmart-wall-street-in-2024/">3 Contrarian Stock Picks to Outsmart Wall Street in 2024</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.</p>

3 Contrarian Stock Picks to Outsmart Wall Street in 2024

Luckin Coffee Serves Up A Record-Breaking 2023

Shares of coffeeshop behemoth Starbucks (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBUX#NASDAQ">SBUX</a>) are down 9% in the last year, as the company has been hit by inflation, the violence unfoldin...

Starbucks Stock (NASDAQ:SBUX) Is Weak, But the Business Remains Strong

These Consumer Cyclical stocks are trading higher:-Vroom Inc (VRM) stock is trading at $15.39, a rise of $4.02, or 32.89%, on high volume.  Vroom Inc gets a Sentiment Score of Very Bearish from InvestorsObserver and receives an average analyst recommendation of Strong Buy with a price target of $80.00.  -Jiuzi Holdings Inc

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<p><a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a></p>
<p>We all want to find those elusive hypergrowth stocks that can deliver eye-popping returns year after year. Who wouldn&rsquo;t love doubling their money on an annual basis? While that kind of performance is rare, some hypergrowth stocks do offer that tantalizing potential. These fast-growing companies can quickly become multibaggers for investors with the patience and foresight to get in early.</p>



<p>In my experience, the key to identifying hypergrowth stocks is finding companies that are experiencing surging top-line growth, while also expanding their profit margins over time. It&rsquo;s a powerful combination that turns small enterprises into Wall Street darlings seemingly overnight. The key is snapping these stocks up before the rest of the market catches on to their potential.</p>



<p>I believe now is an ideal time to go hunting for hypergrowth stocks. With interest rates poised to drop and unemployment remaining low, the economic backdrop looks favorable for rapid growth with many of these names. Many disruptive companies should be able to capitalize on strong tailwinds to see outsized growth. </p>



<p>With that said, let&rsquo;s take a look at these three unique hypergrowth stocks!</p>



<h2>Luckin Coffee (LKNCY)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/lkncy1600-300x169.jpg" alt="close up luckin coffee's logo coffee brand in Shanghai, June 2019."><div>Source: NewsToday / Shutterstock.com</div></div><p><strong>Luckin Coffee</strong> (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/lkncy-stock-quote/"><strong>LKNCY</strong></a>) is basically trying to become China&rsquo;s &ldquo;<strong>Starbucks</strong> (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/sbux-stock-quote/"><strong>SBUX</strong></a>).&rdquo; Now, before you dismiss Luckin as just another Chinese company, hear me out. Many of the biggest Chinese firms have struggled to maintain their growth momentum, but smaller startups in promising industries are thriving. Luckin Coffee is one such gem, boasting stellar financials and a dirt-cheap valuation.</p>



<p>In Q4 2023, the company <a href="https://investor.luckincoffee.com/static-files/ce374a3e-b7d7-4c1e-8a81-c7cfe2de2950">delivered a staggering $1 billion in revenue</a>, up an impressive 91% year-over-year. For the full year 2023, total revenue soared to $3.5 billion, an 87% year-over-year increase. Now, here&rsquo;s the kicker: even with a modest net margin of 4.2%, Luckin Coffee generates a respectable $1.28 in earnings per share, and trades at a measly price-to-earnings ratio of 20-times. Talk about value!</p>



<p>But that&rsquo;s not all. With significant room for margin expansion and top-line growth, this company is poised for greatness. China is pulling out all the stops to reignite growth through rate cuts and stimulus measures, which could further propel Luckin Coffee&rsquo;s growth trajectory.</p>



<p>Analysts expect the company&rsquo;s <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/LKNCY/earnings/estimates">earnings per share to surge to $2.30 in 2024</a>, meaning you&rsquo;re paying a paltry 11-times forward earnings for this stock. And get this &ndash; revenue is projected to soar to a whopping $6.1 billion in 2024. If these expectations are met, multi-bagger returns are well within reach.</p>



<h2>Soitec (SLOIY)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/semiconductor1600a-300x169.jpg" alt="Close-up Presentation of a New Generation Microchip. Gloved Hand Holding Piece of Technological Wonder. Semiconductor stocks are in the news."><div>Source: Shutterstock</div></div><p><strong>Soitec</strong> (OTCMKTS:<span><a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/sloiy-stock-quote/"><strong>SLOIY</strong></a></span>) is a semiconductor wafer company based in France, and is one I&rsquo;d certainly consider an overlooked company in this space. Unlike its more celebrated peers, this semiconductor gem has garnered little mainstream attention, presenting a golden opportunity to snatch this stock up before it soars.</p>



<p>Despite being down nearly 50% from its 2021 peak, I believe Soitec is unlikely to plunge much further, and a reversal could be imminent. This company designs and manufactures semiconductor materials used in a wide range of devices, from smartphones and computers to cars and medical equipment.</p>



<p>Its products include Fully Depleted Silicon-On-Insulator (FD-SOI) for automotive radar and processors, as well as PD-SOI and FinFET-SOI for high-performance computing markets. Soitec also offers RF-SOI substrates for 4G LTE and 5G smartphones, making it a key player in the ever-evolving tech landscape.</p>



<p>While analysts anticipate a <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SLOIY/earnings/estimates">slight dip in revenue from $1.3 billion in 2023 to $1 billion in 2024</a>, the company&rsquo;s long-term outlook is promising. Analyst projections suggest nearly $2 billion in revenue is likely by 2027, presenting ample room for growth. Moreover, with a forward price-to-earnings ratio of just 21-times and the potential for margin expansion as the company&rsquo;s top line grows, Soitec&rsquo;s value proposition is hard to ignore.</p>



<p>Adding to its appeal, Soitec boasts a robust balance sheet, with $707 million in cash offsetting $720 million in debt. This positions the company well for a recovery akin to <strong>Lasertec</strong> (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/lsrcy-stock-quote/"><strong>LSRCY</strong></a>), which has surged nearly 80% since I first covered it last year.</p>



<h2>SelectQuote (SLQT)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/health-insurance-300x169.jpg" alt="A close-up shot of a hand choosing wooden blocks with emoticons on little wooden tiles symbolizing types of health insurance"><div>Source: Shutterstock</div></div><p><strong>SelectQuote</strong> (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/slqt-stock-quote/"><strong>SLQT</strong></a>) is an insurance sales agency that helps customers find the best rates on life, auto, and home insurance policies. Lately, this company has been, shall we say, on a rather bumpy ride. Like many high-growth startups, its stock was decimated from mid-2021 to mid-2022, trading sideways around $1-$2 per share since September 2022. However, I believe SelectQuote is poised for a breakout as its financials improve.</p>



<p>In Q4, the company&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.google.com/finance/quote/SLQT:NYSE">revenue surged 27% to $405 million</a>, beating analyst estimates by a whopping 7.7%. Yet, the stock remains range-bound, likely due to concerns over its $724 million debt load and a mere $22 million in cash.</p>



<p>However, SelectQuote is aggressively cutting losses, with its <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/SLQT/earnings/estimates">losses expected to shrink by 43% in 2024</a> and a further 63% in 2025, before reaching profitability in 2026.</p>



<p>Couple this with the upcoming rate cuts, which should significantly improve the company&rsquo;s debt profile and allow it to generate even higher profits by reducing interest expenses, and you get a potential big-time winner. While some investors may remain wary, it&rsquo;s worth noting that dilution has been relatively low, with shares outstanding increasing by only around 2% year-over-year.</p>



<p>If SelectQuote weathers the storm and continues beating top-line estimates, holding SLQT stock until the company reaches profitability could yield multi-bagger upside. Currently trading at a mere 0.24-times forward sales and with 26% top-line growth expected for 2024, this potential upside is simply too hard to ignore.</p>



<p><em>On the date of publication, Omor Ibne Ehsan did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/" target="_blank">Publishing Guidelines.</a></em></p>
<div><p>Omor Ibne Ehsan is a writer at InvestorPlace. He is a self-taught investor with a focus on growth and cyclical stocks that have strong fundamentals, value, and long-term potential. He also has an interest in high-risk, high-reward investments such as cryptocurrencies and penny stocks. You can follow him on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/omor-ibne-ehsan-56068022b/">LinkedIn</a>.</p></div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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<p>The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/03/double-your-money-every-year-with-these-3-hypergrowth-stocks/">Double Your Money Every Year With These 3 Hypergrowth Stocks</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.</p>

Double Your Money Every Year With These 3 Hypergrowth Stocks

Luckin Coffee Inc (LKNCY) has released an update. Luckin Coffee Inc. has filed its audited financial statements for the fiscal year 2023, which are...

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<p><a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a></p>
<p>If your <a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-types/blue-chip-stocks/">blue-chip stocks</a> are underperforming, you have a big problem. Blue-chip stocks represent the best, most stable companies and can usually be considered solid performers. There are plenty of good names out there, so there&rsquo;s no need to holding battered blue-chip stocks.</p>



<p>Even with some recent pullbacks, the <strong>S&amp;P 500</strong> and the tech-heavy <strong>Nasdaq composite</strong> are up 5% on the year. But the <strong>Dow Jones Industrial Average</strong>, which is comprised of 30 of the most prominent companies, is faltering. Its gains for the year are negligible at best.</p>



<p>Blue-chip stocks represent established companies that are leaders in their field. They often pay reliable dividends and are considered safe for long-term investors.</p>



<p>But you aren&rsquo;t getting those generous returns from the blue-chip stocks on this list. For various reasons, these battered blue-chip stocks are taking it on the chin right now, and threatening to pull portfolios down with them.</p>



<p>The Portfolio Grader is an ideal tool for identifying blue-chip stocks that aren&rsquo;t making the grade. The Portfolio Grader evaluates stocks based on earnings performance, growth, analyst sentiment and momentum, and assigns an &ldquo;A&rdquo; through &ldquo;F&rdquo; grade accordingly.</p>



<p>These blue-chip names are among the worst to have now. Act accordingly if you&rsquo;re holding any of these equities.</p>



<h2>Apple (AAPL)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/apple-pay-300x169.jpg" alt="A close-up shot of the Apple Pay page"><div>Source: Bloomicon / Shutterstock.com</div></div><p>It wasn&rsquo;t too long ago that <strong>Apple</strong> (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/aapl-stock-quote/"><strong>AAPL</strong></a>) was the biggest company in the world by market capitalization. It was revered for innovative products, had a huge base of customers and was seemingly unlimited potential.</p>



<p>What in the heck happened to push AAPL to the ranks of battered blue-chip stocks?</p>



<p>But the shine on this Apple faded a bit last year, as iPhone sales slipped and earnings flattened. Apple saw drops in multiple products, including to Macs, home products, iPads and wearable technology.</p>



<p>It doesn&rsquo;t help that Apple is facing huge challenges in China, where iPhone sales are down 24% in the first few weeks of the year, in part because competitor <strong>Huawei </strong>is now offering its own 5G smartphone. </p>



<p>Apple is also battling both the U.K. and U.S. on the legal front, with allegations that Apple&rsquo;s App Store unfairly stymies competition.</p>



<p>Apple is still a great company. But as an investment, it&rsquo;s best to leave it on the tree. AAPL stock is down 13% in 2024 and gets a &ldquo;D&rdquo; rating in the Portfolio Grader.</p>



<h2>Tesla (TSLA)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/tsla1600-9-300x169.png" alt="Tesla (TSLA) on phone screen stock image."><div>Source: sdx15 / Shutterstock.com</div></div><p>Electric vehicle maker <strong>Tesla</strong> (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/tlsa-stock-quote/"><strong>TLSA</strong></a>) was on a dynamic run at the beginning of the decade, rising over 1,000% in a two-year span from January 2020 to December 2021. Since then? A huge disappointment.</p>



<p>There are a couple of factors at play. First, Tesla dominated the EV market in that two-year period, but naturally, other car manufacturers began entering the market and giving Tesla competition. Tesla responded by <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/17/tesla-slashes-prices-on-germany-cars-after-similar-cuts-in-china.html">lowering the prices</a> on some of its models to spur sales,  and in turn <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/brookecrothers/2023/10/15/15k-drop-in-ev-prices-led-by-tesla-as-model-3-model-y-prices-fall/?sh=28d83c4d7e86">cutting its own profit margin</a>.</p>



<p>The second issue is Tesla CEO and founder Elon Musk. Tesla&rsquo;s slip in stock price corresponds to his $44 billion purchase of the social media platform Twitter, which he rebranded to <strong>X</strong>. Musk sold billions of dollars in Tesla stock to finance the deal.</p>



<p>An activist at heart, Musk eagerly uses X as a platform to espouse controversial views and stir the pot. The drama <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2023-11-20/elon-musk-s-x-drama-hurts-tesla-where-it-matters-most">makes Tesla a less appealing brand</a> to would-be customers who don&rsquo;t want to be seen as endorsing Musk&rsquo;s brand of politics.</p>



<p>Tesla will report its first-quarter earnings on April 23 and <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/04/dear-tsla-stock-fans-mark-your-calendars-for-april-23/">analysts are already bracing for bad news</a>. TSLA stock is down 37% in 2024 and gets a &ldquo;D&rdquo; rating in the Portfolio Grader.</p>



<h2>Intel (INTC)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/intc1600-300x169.png" alt="Close up of Intel (INTC) sign at entrance of The Intel Museum in Silicon Valley. Intel is an American multinational corporation and technology company."><div>Source: JHVEPhoto / Shutterstock.com</div></div><p>Semiconductor chip maker <strong>Intel</strong> (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/intc-stock-quote/"><strong>INTC</strong></a>) is facing some challenges. While its stock flails in 2024, bigger and better-heeled competitors are soaring on the power of generative AI chips, and in turn helping investors in those companies make money hand over fist.</p>



<p>So, it&rsquo;s no surprise that tech stock investors are turning away from Intel.</p>



<p>The company&rsquo;s foundry division posted a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/intel-discloses-financials-foundry-business-2024-04-02/">loss</a> of $7 billion in 2023 as it attempts to compete with <strong>Taiwan Semiconductor</strong> (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/tsm-stock-quote/"><strong>TSM</strong></a>), which already has the lion&rsquo;s share of the foundry market.</p>



<p>Intel is still investing in the business, pouring billions of dollars into increasing capacity. It currently has a 1% market share in the foundry business, but hopes to be No. 2 in the world and start turning a profit by 2030 (TSMC has the top spot locked up with a <a href="https://www.trendforce.com/presscenter/news/20231206-11949.html">58% market share</a>).</p>



<p>I don&rsquo;t know about you, but that&rsquo;s a long time to ask investors to wait for foundry profits. INTC stock is down 29% this year and gets a &ldquo;C&rdquo; rating in the Portfolio Grader.</p>



<h2>PayPal (PYPL)</h2>



<a href="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/paypal-pypl-1600.jpg"><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/paypal-pypl-1600-300x169.jpg" alt="PayPal logo and front of headquarters"></a><p><strong>PayPal</strong> (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/pypl-stock-quote/"><strong>PYPL</strong></a>) is a fintech stock that may have ahead of its time. The stock rose 170% from January 2020 to July 2021, the Covid-19 shutdown era in which e-commerce was pretty much the only way to buy and sell products.</p>



<p>It&rsquo;s hard to believe that PayPal stock once topped $300. Now it could be had for less than $70. And while the company offers an impressive array of brands, including Zettle, Xoom, Venmo, Honey and Hyperwallet, there&rsquo;s massive competition in the fintech space.</p>



<p>The number of active users fell from 435 million in 2022 to 431 million in 2023. If PayPal is going to turn around its slide, it will need to find a way to reverse that trend.</p>



<p>PYPL stock is up 3% so far in 2024 and gets a &ldquo;D&rdquo; rating in the Portfolio Grader.</p>



<h2>Ford Motor Co. (F)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/ford1600-300x169.jpg" alt="Ford logo badge on grill of car"><div>Source: JuliusKielaitis / Shutterstock.com</div></div><p><strong>Ford Motor Co.</strong> (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/f-stock-quote/"><strong>F</strong></a>) is one of the best-known brands in the world. As an automaker, Ford makes the F-150 pickup, the Explorer SUV and the sporty Mustang. It&rsquo;s one of the Big Three Detroit automakers.</p>



<p>It&rsquo;s been a challenge in recent months, however. Competition is always fierce, and Tesla&rsquo;s move to lower its EV prices <a href="https://fortune.com/2024/02/20/ford-mustang-mach-e-electric-cars-evs-price-drop/">has a ripple effect for other automakers that Ford can&rsquo;t ignore</a>. </p>



<p>Ford also was one of three automakers that experienced a strike last year, and was forced to make significant wage concessions to get union members back on the job.</p>



<p>Ford saw an 81% jump in its EV sales in February, and overall sales increase by <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2024/04/03/ford-sales-first-quarter-hybrid/73137481007/">6.8% in the first quarter</a>. It remains to be seen how the company&rsquo;s profit margins will hold, however, and how investors will react when it reports first-quarter earnings on April 24.</p>



<p>F stock is down 1% in 2024 and gets a &ldquo;D&rdquo; rating in the Portfolio Grader.</p>



<h2>Boeing (BA)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/ba-stock-4-300x169.jpg" alt="Image of Boeing (BA) airplane in a hanger."><div>Source: Alex JW Robinson / Shutterstock.com</div></div><p><strong>Boeing</strong> (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ba-stock-quote/"><strong>BA</strong></a>) is a nightmare stock to own right now. The aerospace and defense contractor is under serious pressure as a series of problems with its aircraft left investors reeling.</p>



<p>First, a rear door plug flew off a Boeing 737 Max 9 passenger jet in mid-flight. The Federal Aviation Administration grounded Boeing 737 Max 9 jets for inspection, and <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/08/1223517098/door-plug-boeing-737-max-portland-ntsb-faa">two airlines</a> reported finding loose screws on their aircraft.</p>



<p>The FAA allowed the Max 9 to resume flying a few weeks later, but <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/01/27/1227278489/boeing-737-max-9-alaska-united-airlines-resumes-flying">many passengers remain reluctant</a>. The <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/04/1235826355/faa-audit-boeing-737-max-8-9-quality-control-failures">FAA</a> and the <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/06/1236277058/boeing-737-max-9-alaska-airlines-door-plug-removed-ntsb-commerce-cantwell-cruz">National Transportation Safety Board</a> both issued critical reports of Boeing as well.</p>



<p>So unsurprisingly, Boeing stock is one of the worst performers of the Dow Jones Industrial Average in 2024, down 34%.</p>



<p>It&rsquo;s going to be a rough period for Boeing in 2024 and there&rsquo;s no need to try to catch a falling knife. BA stock has an &ldquo;F&rdquo; rating in the Portfolio Grader.</p>



<h2>Starbucks (SBUX)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/sbux1600a-300x169.jpg" alt="the Starbucks (SBUX) logo on a sign outside of a coffee shop"><div>Source: Grand Warszawski / Shutterstock.com</div></div><p><strong>Starbucks</strong> (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/sbux-stock-quote/"><strong>SBUX</strong></a>) grew mightily from its roots in Seattle to be a dominant brand around the world. Starbucks has more than 39,000 locations, with plans to increase that to 55,000 by the end of the decade.</p>



<p>However, the stock is trading near its 52-week lows as customer traffic fell in the U.S. and China. Embattled <strong>Luckin Coffee</strong> (OTCMTKS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/lkncy-stock-quote/"><strong>LKNCY</strong></a>) <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/hospitality/how-starbucks-lost-the-top-spot-in-chinas-coffee-race-b6b36353">surpassed Starbucks as China&rsquo;s No. 1 coffeehouse</a> with an aggressive expansion and <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/09/12/how-luckin-coffee-overtook-starbucks-in-china.html">pricing plan</a> that undercuts Starbucks.</p>



<p>Starbucks saw its <a href="https://s22.q4cdn.com/869488222/files/doc_financials/2024/q1/1Q24-Earnings-Release-Final-1-30-24.pdf">international store count</a> and international revenue grow by 10% in 2023 &ndash; but operating margins slipped, and the company&rsquo;s operating income remained flat for the year despite the expansion.</p>



<p>The company will need to find a way to turn its fortunes in China around without shaving off too much in margin and profitability. SBUX stock is down 10% in 2024 and gets an &ldquo;F&rdquo; rating in the Portfolio Grader.</p>



<p><em>On the date of publication, Louis&nbsp;Navellier did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.</em> <em>The InvestorPlace Research Staff member primarily responsible for this article held AAPL, but did not hold (either directly or indirectly) any other positions in the securities mentioned in this article.</em></p>
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<p>The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/market360/2024/04/7-battered-blue-chip-stocks-to-bounce-from-your-portfolio-this-spring/">7 Battered Blue-Chip Stocks to Bounce From Your Portfolio This Spring</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.</p>

7 Battered Blue-Chip Stocks to Bounce From Your Portfolio This Spring

AAPL

HSAI

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JZXN

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Press Releases

Luckin Coffee Inc. Announces First Quarter 2023 Financial Results

Luckin Coffee to Announce Second Quarter 2023 Financial Results on August 1, 2023

Luckin Coffee Inc. Announces Second Quarter 2023 Financial Results

Luckin Coffee to Announce Third Quarter 2023 Financial Results on November 1, 2023

Luckin Coffee Inc. Announces Third Quarter 2023 Financial Results

Luckin Coffee to Announce Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results on February 23, 2024

Luckin Coffee Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2023 Financial Results

Luckin Coffee Files Audited Financial Statements for Fiscal Year 2023

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Luckin Coffee