Nuveen Variable Rate Stock (NYSE:NPFD), Trade Ideas

Nuveen Variable Rate

Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred&Income is a newly organized, diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund's investment objective is to seek to provide a high level of current income and total return.

Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund Common Shares

Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred&Income

WIIM

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust

QQQM

Major indexes are lower amid a drop in Meta following its quarterly earnings report and weaker-than-expected US GDP data.

Trading Ideas

XPRO

Expro Group Holdings Shares Halted To The Downside Pending News

Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Sanjay Sakhrani maintains Navient (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NAVI#NASDAQ">NAVI</a>) with a Market Perform and lowers the price target from $19 to $17.

News

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

NAVI

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Maintains Market Perform on Navient, Lowers Price Target to $17

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) is expected to release earnings results for its third quarter, after the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MSFT/earnings">closing bell on April 25, 2024</a>.
Analysts expect the Redmond, Washington-based company to report quarterly earnings at $2.82 per share, up from $2.45 per share in the year-ago quarter. Microsoft is projected to report quarterly revenue of $60.8 billion, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Microsoft recently launched Phi-3 Mini, a lightweight AI model with 3.8 billion parameters, the smallest in its Phi series.
Microsoft shares rose 0.4% to close at $409.06 on Wednesday.
Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/22/09/28888638/exclusive-study-finds-benzinga-analyst-ratings-data-yields-market-beating-strategie">Analyst Stock Ratings</a> page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.
Let's have a look at how Benzinga's most-accurate <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MSFT/analyst-ratings">analysts have rated the company</a> in the recent period.
<ul>
<li>Stifel analyst Brad Reback maintained a Buy rating with a price target of $455 on April 22. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 73%.</li>
<li>BMO Capital analyst Keith Bachman maintained an Outperform rating and raised the price target from $455 to $465 on April 12. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 77%.</li>
<li>Morgan Stanley analyst Keith Weiss maintained an Overweight rating and increased the price target from $465 to $520 on April 11. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 77%.</li>
<li>UBS analyst Karl Keirstead maintained a Buy rating with a price target of $480 on April 10. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 74%.</li>
<li>Jefferies analyst Brent Thill maintained a Buy rating and increased the price target from $465 to $550 on April 1. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 78%.</li>
</ul>
Read This Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/04/38405528/over-1m-bet-on-citi-trends-check-out-these-3-stocks-insiders-are-buying">Over $1M Bet On Citi Trends? Check Out These 3 Stocks Insiders Are Buying</a>

Earnings

Markets

MSFT

Microsoft Earnings Are Imminent; These Most Accurate Analysts Revise Forecasts Ahead Of Earnings Call

Guidance

American Airlines CEO Says His Message To Boeing Is The Same "Get Your Act Together"

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) moved lower, with the cryptocurrency prices falling below the key $64,000 level on Thursday.
Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) also recorded losses, trading below the key $3,200 mark this morning.
Theta Fuel (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/tfuel/usd">TFUEL</a>) was the top gainer over the prior 24 hours, while Nervos Network (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ckb/usd">CKB</a>) turned out to be the biggest loser.
U.S. initial jobless claims declined by 5,000 to 207,000 in the week ending April 20, compared to market estimates of 214,000. The U.S. economy grew an annualized 1.6% in the first quarter, marking a notable slowdown from the 3.4% rate in the final quarter of 2023
At the time of writing, the global crypto market cap fell to $2.36 trillion, recording a 24-hour decline of 4.3%. BTC was trading lower by 3.9% at $63,990 while ETH fell by around 4.7% to $3,127 on Thursday.
Here are the top ten crypto gainers and losers over the past 24 hours:
Gainers&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Theta Fuel (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/tfuel/usd">TFUEL</a>)
Price: $0.1183
24-hour gain: 1.7%
TRON (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/trx/usd">TRX</a>)
Price: $0.1156
24-hour gain: 1.4%
Losers
Nervos Network (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ckb/usd">CKB</a>)
Price: $0.01774
24-hour drop: 15.6%
dogwifhat (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">WIF</a>)
Price: $2.97
24-hour drop: 15.6%
Jupiter (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">JUP</a>)
Price: $1.04&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
24-hour drop: 14.7%
Starknet (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">STRK</a>)
Price: $1.16
24-hour drop: 13.5%
Fetch.ai (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/fet/usd">FET</a>)
Price: $2.28
24-hour drop: 12.2%
SingularityNET (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">AGIX</a>)
Price: $0.9361
24-hour drop: 12.2%
Immutable (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">IMX</a>)
Price: $2.12
24-hour drop: 12.1%
Worldcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">WLD</a>)
Price: $4.84
24-hour drop: 11.5%
Read This Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38428592/how-to-earn-500-a-month-from-t-mobile-us-stock-ahead-of-q1-earnings-report">How To Earn $500 A Month From T-Mobile US Stock Ahead Of Q1 Earnings Report</a>

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

Cryptocurrency

Intraday Update

Movers

$AGIX

$ALGO

$BTC

$CKB

$ETH

$FET

$IMX

$JUP

$PEPE

$STRK

$TFUEL

$TRX

$WIF

$WLD

Bitcoin Falls Below $64,000 Following GDP, Jobless Claims Data; Nervos Network Becomes Top Loser

Wells Fargo analyst Blaine Heck initiates coverage on Americold Realty Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COLD#NYSE">COLD</a>) with a Equal-Weight rating and announces Price Target of $24.

Initiation

COLD

Wells Fargo Initiates Coverage On Americold Realty Trust with Equal-Weight Rating, Announces Price Target of $24

Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Aidan Hall reiterates Moelis (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MC#NYSE">MC</a>) with a Market Perform and lowers the price target from $58 to $54.

Reiteration

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Reiterates Market Perform on Moelis, Lowers Price Target to $54

Jim Simons is a multifaceted American who has achieved remarkable success in multiple fields. A mathematician by training, he later turned his talents towards finance, founding Renaissance Technologies, a highly quantitative hedge fund.
Through his work there, Simons has garnered a reputation as one of the greatest investors of all time.
Beyond finance, Simons is a major philanthropist, directing his resources toward advancements in mathematics and related sciences.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Math Professor Who Beat Oracle Of Omaha</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="585" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074615/Jim-Simons-1-1024x585.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-308542" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074615/Jim-Simons-1-1024x585.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074615/Jim-Simons-1-300x171.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074615/Jim-Simons-1-768x439.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074615/Jim-Simons-1-1536x878.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074615/Jim-Simons-1.jpg 1792w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Recreation of Jim Simons teaching math to students &#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
Here's an example of just how successful Simons has been: His hedge fund's signature product, Medallion Fund, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/linasbeliunas_jim-simons-is-the-most-successful-investor-activity-7188617968237297666-8vSo">returned</a> a staggering 62% annual returns between 1988 and 2021, or 37% net of fees.
To put this into perspective, if you invested $1 in the Medallion Fund in 1988, it would have grown to $42,000 by 2021.
For comparison, the same $1 investment in Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway would have grown to $152.
A $1 bet on Simons would have been 276x higher than one on the Oracle of Omaha.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38406483/improving-credit-score-is-a-long-process-that-requires-patience-and-discipline-but-these-6-proven-st">Improving Credit Score Is A Long Process That Requires Patience And Discipline — But These 6 Proven Strategies Can Speed Things Up</a>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Jim Simons Reveals The Formula For Making Billions</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074946/Jim-Simons-2-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-308547" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074946/Jim-Simons-2-1024x576.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074946/Jim-Simons-2-300x169.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074946/Jim-Simons-2-768x432.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074946/Jim-Simons-2-1536x864.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074946/Jim-Simons-2.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Secret to making billions of dollars &#x7C; Source: Unsplash</figcaption></figure>
But what's the secret behind Simons' staggering returns? Here's the formula from the horse's mouth!
"My algorithm has always been you get smart people together. You give them a lot of freedom."
The Medallion Fund became synonymous with unprecedented success. Known for its secrecy and astounding returns, the fund is exclusively managed for Renaissance's employees, turning it into a sort of mythical creature in the finance industry.
This exclusivity and performance have fueled intrigue and admiration among investors globally.
"Create an atmosphere where everyone talks to everyone else. They're not hiding in a corner with their own little thing," Simons explained.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Developing The Quantitative Approach</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="585" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074741/Jim-Simons-3-1024x585.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-308544" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074741/Jim-Simons-3-1024x585.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074741/Jim-Simons-3-300x171.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074741/Jim-Simons-3-768x439.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074741/Jim-Simons-3-1536x878.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074741/Jim-Simons-3.jpg 1792w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Recreation of Quant investing delivering big returns &#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
The cornerstone of Simons&#8217; success was his pioneering quantitative approach, which uses complex mathematical models to predict price changes in financial markets.
Unlike traditional investors, Simons and his team of scientists and mathematicians rely on patterns, data, and algorithms, setting a new standard in the investment world and achieving extraordinary returns.
What helps with this, according to Simon, is providing the "best infrastructure, the best computers, and so on."
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">‘Make Everyone Partners'</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="585" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074824/Jim-Simons-4-1024x585.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-308545" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074824/Jim-Simons-4-1024x585.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074824/Jim-Simons-4-300x171.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074824/Jim-Simons-4-768x439.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074824/Jim-Simons-4-1536x878.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/25074824/Jim-Simons-4.jpg 1792w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Employees celebrating &#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
The last secret sauce to making billions, according to Simons, is making sure that everyone has skin in the game.
"Make everyone partners."
To sum up, Simons' model at Renaissance comprised of four factors – smart people, collaborative atmosphere, best infrastructure, and skin in the game.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/04/38335897/no-us-city-makes-the-cut-where-are-the-10-best-airports-in-the-world">No US City Makes The Cut! Where Are The 10 Best Airports In The World?</a>
Disclaimer: 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.
 Image generated Using Dall-E 3

Education

Success Stories

Jim Simons, A Math Professor, Became One Of The Most Successful Investors Of All Time — Now He Shares His Formula For Making Billions

Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Meyer Shields maintains Goosehead Insurance (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GSHD#NASDAQ">GSHD</a>) with a Outperform and lowers the price target from $93 to $85.

GSHD

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Maintains Outperform on Goosehead Insurance, Lowers Price Target to $85

<ul>
<li>Groundbreaking topline results demonstrated sensitivity for colorectal cancer of 92% with specificity of 90% and best-in-class sensitivity for advanced adenoma of 82% &nbsp;</li>
<li>690 subjects analyzed including previously unexamined and reported patients from Company's ColoFuture and eAArly DETECT studies utilizing the mRNA biomarkers, FIT test, and a proprietary AI Algorithm 
<ul>
<li>The power to determine advanced adenoma, lesions in a pre-cancerous stage, can change the entire CRC diagnostic field, by treating the patient before the polyps can progress to cancer &nbsp;</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

Biotech

General

MYNZ

Mainz Biomed Reports Topline Results From Pooled Study Evaluating Novel MRNA Biomarkers And Proprietary AI Algorithm For Integration Into Pivotal FDA PMA Clinical Trial For Next Generation Colorectal Cancer Diagnostic

HC Wainwright &amp; Co. analyst Heiko Ihle maintains MAG Silver (AMEX:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAG#AMEX">MAG</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $16 to $17.

HC Wainwright & Co. Maintains Buy on MAG Silver, Raises Price Target to $17

Dogwifhat (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">WIF</a>) saw its price rally cut short, but cryptocurrency traders continue to showcase it as the prime example of the &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/03/37445799/welcome-to-the-memecoin-supercycle-mad-crypto-money-with-ivan">meme coin supercycle</a>.&#8221;
What Happened: Pseudonymous crypto influencer &#8220;0xMrWzrd&#8220;, in his recent tweet, shed light on the significant impact the meme coin has had, saying "WIF is the reason the meme supercycle thesis exists."
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Couldn't have said it better myself. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24wif&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$wif</a> <a href="https://t.co/50tE9BDyhG">pic.twitter.com/50tE9BDyhG</a>
&mdash; Imagyn (@_imagyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/_imagyn/status/1783243742238953701?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Among many reasons, he emphasizes the coin&#8217;s role in kickstarting the current meme coin craze as it pioneered the 1 billion supply meta, setting a new standard for meme coin tokenomics.
0xMrWzrd also highlighted Dogwifhat's innovative use of a picture as a ticker symbol, a trend that has since been adopted by numerous other meme coins.
One of the most impressive feats of Dogwifhat was its ability to reach a price of $1, a milestone that broke the idea of small unit bias in the crypto space, 0xMrWzrd states. This achievement demonstrated that even coins with a large supply could generate significant value.
&#8220;It&#8217;s the one that made it click for a lot of people,&#8221; he noted. Drawing a parallel to the impact of Bored Apes on the NFT market in 2021, 0xMrWzrd argued that WIF has done the same for meme coins, bringing them into the mainstream and sparking a broader movement.
&#8220;It&#8217;s the king for a reason,&#8221; 0xMrWzrd declared, emphasizing Dogwifhat's unrivaled position in the meme coin hierarchy: &#8220;There is no second best.&#8221;
Looking ahead, 0xMrWzrd predicts that $WIF has the potential to reach $100, a price target that would solidify its status as the leading meme coin and generate substantial returns for investors who recognized its potential early on.
Voicing a similar <a href="https://twitter.com/apatheticwhale/status/1783310762896695737">opinion</a>, "apatheticwhale" also called WIF the "fastest meme coin to achieve a market cap of over $1 billion in approximately 6 months." He suggests traders wait for more months to see what is next.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/events/digital-assets/ "><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="250" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/29155259/905735A6-57D3-4874-9AA1-75D037842DB3-2.gif" alt="Benzinga Future of Digital Assets conference" class="wp-image-270548" /></a></figure>
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38407870/shiba-inu-killer-dogwifhat-dons-bull-hat-on-7-surge-to-3-30-breakout-says-trader">&#8216;Shiba Inu Killer&#8217; Dogwifhat Dons Bull Hat On 7% Surge To $3.30: &#8216;Breakout,&#8217; Says Trader</a>
Price Action: At the time of writing, WIF was trading at $ 2.94, down 17% over the past 24 hours.
Why It Matters: Traders&#8217; lofty long-term price targets were not reflected in short-term price action, as Dogwifhat suffered a serious price dip upon Itcoin&#8217;s pullback below $64,000.
Cryptocurrency trader CrediBULL Crypto, in his latest <a href="https://twitter.com/CredibleCrypto/status/1783256237053722672">tweet</a>, points out that Dogwifhat has retraced back to the point of breakdown while open interest has moved higher to the levels it was at before the last liquidation flush. 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24WIF&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$WIF</a> has retraced back to the point of breakdown, while OI has risen right back to the levels it was at prior to the last liquidation flush. A move down of the same magnitude as the last (which is certainly possible due to similar levels of OI) puts us at ~$1.50. Would you be… <a href="https://t.co/U8vUfk67wr">https://t.co/U8vUfk67wr</a> <a href="https://t.co/DWAF0ZO5vl">pic.twitter.com/DWAF0ZO5vl</a>
&mdash; CrediBULL Crypto (@CredibleCrypto) <a href="https://twitter.com/CredibleCrypto/status/1783256237053722672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
He forecasts the price to drop to around $1.50.<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/events/digital-assets/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>
What's Next: The influence of meme coins and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/is-bitcoin-a-good-investment" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin as an institutional asset class</a>&nbsp;are topics expected to be thoroughly explored at Benzinga's upcoming&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/events/digital-assets/agenda/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Future of Digital Assets</a>&nbsp;event on Nov. 19.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38331874/crypto-vc-reveals-his-bitcoin-solana-dogwifhat-ton-price-targets-for-buying-opportunities-">Crypto VC Reveals His Bitcoin, Solana, Dogwifhat, TON Price Targets For &#8220;Buying Opportunities As Huge Gifts&#8221;</a>

'Shiba Inu Killer' Dogwifhat Down 17%, But Traders See WIF As 'The Reason The Meme Super Cycle Thesis Exists'

Wells Fargo analyst George Kelly upgrades Five Below (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FIVE#NASDAQ">FIVE</a>) from Equal-Weight to Overweight and maintains the price target from $180 to $180.

Upgrades

FIVE

Wells Fargo Upgrades Five Below to Overweight, Maintains Price Target to $180

Honeywell International CEO Says H2 Will Be Stronger Than H1

Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Kelly Motta maintains First BanCorp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FBP#NYSE">FBP</a>) with a Outperform and raises the price target from $19 to $21.

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Maintains Outperform on First BanCorp, Raises Price Target to $21

Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) shares are in the spotlight Thursday ahead of earnings. Here&#8217;s what <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings">you need to know</a>.
What To Know: Microsoft is set to report financial results for its fiscal third quarter after the market close on Thursday. The company is expected to report earnings of $2.82 per share and revenue of $60.804 billion, according to estimates from <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Last quarter, Microsoft <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/01/36854915/microsoft-q2-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-beat-cloud-growth-applying-ai-at-scale-and-more#">beat analyst estimates</a> on the top and bottom lines as total revenues jumped 18% on a year-over-year basis.
"We&#8217;ve moved from talking about AI to applying AI at scale. By infusing AI across every layer of our tech stack, we&#8217;re winning new customers and helping drive new benefits and productivity gains across every sector," Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO of Microsoft, said at the time.
On the conference call, Microsoft guided for a roughly 1 point decrease in Microsoft Cloud gross margin percentage and for capital expenditures to increase materially on a sequential basis.
Microsoft also guided for Productivity and Business Processes revenue growth of 10% to 12%, Office 365 revenue growth of approximately 15%, Office Consumer and LinkedIn revenue growth in the mid-to-high single-digits, Intelligent Cloud revenue growth between 18% and 19% and stable revenue growth in Azure.
Microsoft shares are facing some selling pressure ahead of earnings. Investors appear to be exercising caution after Meta fell more than 15% following its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38416273/meta-platforms-q1-earnings-highlights-facebook-owner-beats-estimates-but-guidance-higher-costs-ding">earnings report</a> late Wednesday. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/04/38429782/us-economy-grows-1-6-in-q1-slightly-below-expectations-as-price-pressures-weigh-o#">came in at 1.6%</a> Thursday morning, below economist expectations of 2.5%, which appears to be sparking a broader selloff in markets.
Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/04/38429782/us-economy-grows-1-6-in-q1-slightly-below-expectations-as-price-pressures-weigh-o#">US Economy Grows 1.6% In Q1, Slightly Below Expectations As Price Pressures Weigh On Spending</a>
Here&#8217;s a look at some of the recent analyst changes:
<ul>
<li>Stifel analyst Brad Reback maintained Microsoft with a Buy and a price target of&nbsp;$455.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Citigroup analyst Tyler Radke maintained Microsoft with a Buy and lowered the price target from&nbsp;$480&nbsp;to&nbsp;$475.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Wells Fargo analyst Michael Turrin maintained Microsoft with an Overweight and raised the price target from&nbsp;$460&nbsp;to&nbsp;$480.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>BMO Capital analyst Keith Bachman maintained Microsoft with an Outperform and raised the price target from&nbsp;$455&nbsp;to&nbsp;$465.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Morgan Stanley analyst Keith Weiss maintained Microsoft with an Overweight and raised the price target from&nbsp;$465&nbsp;to&nbsp;$520.</li>
</ul>
MSFT Price Action: Microsoft shares were down 3.11% at $396.33 at the time of publication, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Photo: Shutterstock.

Previews

What's Going On With Microsoft Stock Thursday?

Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMG#NYSE">CMG</a>) shares are trading higher Thursday after the company reported better-than-expected financial results. Multiple analysts raised price targets on the stock <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/04/n38415509/chipotle-announces-first-quarter-2024-results">following the print</a>.
<ul>
<li>Q1 Revenue: $2.702 billion, versus&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates</a>&nbsp;of $2.675 billion</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Q1 EPS: $13.37, versus estimates of $11.68</li>
</ul>
Chipotle&#8217;s total first-quarter revenue was up 14.1% on a year-over-year basis. Comparable restaurant sales increased 7% year-over-year due to higher transactions and a&nbsp;1.6%&nbsp;increase in average check. Digital sales represented 36.5% of food and beverage revenue. Operating margin was 16.3% in the first quarter, up from 15.5% year-over-year.
Chipotle said it opened 47 new restaurants in the quarter, and 43 of those locations included a Chipotlane. The company also repurchased $25 million of its stock during the first quarter and has $399.1 million remaining under its share repurchase authorization.&nbsp;
"We had another outstanding quarter driven by our improvement in throughput and successful marketing initiatives, including Braised Beef&nbsp;Barbacoa and Chicken Al Pastor, which drove strong sales and transactions," said&nbsp;Brian Niccol, chairman and CEO of Chipotle.
"The results we are seeing from our focus on developing exceptional people, preparing delicious food and fast throughput gives me confidence that we can achieve our long-term target of more than doubling our business in&nbsp;North America&nbsp;and expanding internationally."&nbsp;
Chipotle said it expects full-year 2024 comparable restaurant sales growth to be in the mid- to high-single-digit range. The company anticipates opening between 285 and 315 new restaurants in 2024 with over 80% including a Chipotlane.
Don&#8217;t Miss: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38424840/us-stocks-brace-for-negative-start-amid-tech-earnings-disappointments-caution-ahead-of-data-worst-o">US Stocks Brace For Negative Start Amid Tech Earnings Disappointments, Caution Ahead Of Data: &#8216;Worst Of This Two-Week Decline Is Behind Us,&#8217; Says Analyst</a>
Analyst Changes: 
<ul>
<li>TD Cowen analyst Andrew Charles maintained Chipotle with a Buy and raised the price target from&nbsp;$3,400&nbsp;to&nbsp;$3,500.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Stephens &amp; Co. analyst Jim Salera maintained Chipotle with an Equal-Weight and raised the price target from&nbsp;$3,010&nbsp;to&nbsp;$3,050.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Baird analyst David Tarantino maintained Chipotle with an Outperform and raised the price target from&nbsp;$3,250&nbsp;to&nbsp;$3,500.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Wedbush analyst Nick Setyan maintained Chipotle with a Neutral and raised the price target from&nbsp;$2,850&nbsp;to&nbsp;$3,200.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Oppenheimer analyst Brian Bittner reiterated Chipotle with an Outperform and raised the price target from&nbsp;$2,825&nbsp;to&nbsp;$3,300.</li>
</ul>
CMG Price Action: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/CMG" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chipotle shares</a> were up 4.04% at $3,045 at the time of writing, according to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/gxjhpowx7zks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Photo: Shutterstock.

Why Chipotle Stock Is Cooking Thursday

Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Bose George reiterates Mr. Cooper Gr (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COOP#NASDAQ">COOP</a>) with a Outperform and raises the price target from $86 to $92.

COOP

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Reiterates Outperform on Mr. Cooper Gr, Raises Price Target to $92

Keurig Dr Pepper Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KDP#NASDAQ">KDP</a>) shares are trading higher after the company reported first-quarter FY24 sales growth of 3.5% year-on-year to $3.47 billion,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/04/n38426135/keurig-dr-pepper-reports-q1-2024-results-and-reaffirms-fiscal-2024-guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">beating the analyst consensus estimate of $3.407 billion</a>.
U.S. Coffee sales decreased 2.1% to $0.9 billion, U.S. Refreshment Beverages rose 4.3% to $2.1 billion, and International climbed 11.8% to $0.5 billion.
Gross profit increased 11% to $1.94 billion, with the margin expanding from 52% to 55.9%. Selling, general and administrative expenses grew 1% to $1.2 billion.
Operating margin was 22%, and operating income for the quarter increased 31% to $765 million.
The company held $317 million in cash and equivalents as of March-end. Operating cash flow for the quarter totaled $85 million. Inventories as of March totaled $1.2 billion.
Adjusted EPS of $0.38&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">beat the consensus estimate of $0.35.&nbsp;</a>
As announced earlier, Tim Cofer assumed the CEO role and board member effective April 26; Bob Gamgort will&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/34773367" rel="noreferrer noopener">serve as executive chairman.</a>
Outlook: Keurig reaffirmed FY24 constant currency net sales growth in a mid-single-digit range and Adjusted diluted EPS&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">growth in a high-single-digit range.&nbsp;</a>
Price Action: KDP shares are trading higher by 5.16% at $34.01 in premarket at&nbsp;the last check Thursday.

Equities

Why Beverage Company Keurig Dr Pepper's Shares Are Surging Today

The Dirty Dozen CEFs From 2021: A Summary

Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund declares $0.0935 dividend

Weekly CEF Commentary | Dec 3, 2023 | CEF Discounts Take A Breather

Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund goes ex-dividend tomorrow

Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund declares $0.1195 dividend

CEF Weekly Review: CEF Fees Remain Full Of Pitfalls

NPFD: This Preferred CEF Will Have Its Day

NPFD: Distribution Bump Amid Activist Pressure

BIGZ

ECAT

FSCO

MEGI

NBXG

NMAI

NPCT

NPFD

OCCI

OCCIN

OCCIO

PAXS

RFMZ

TBLD

Press Releases

Nuveen Closed-End Funds Declare Distributions and Updates to Distribution Policies

Nuveen Closed-End Funds Declare Distributions

NDMO