Latest News for Universal Media Gr Stock (OTC:UMGP)

Universal Media Group Inc is a producer and distributor of both short and long-form content. The company also focuses on the implementation of celebrity-based programming through social media and interactive TV. The company generates revenue from media and production.

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UNIVERSAL MEDIA GROUP INC by Universal Media Group, Inc.

Universal Media Group Inc

Mastercard Incorporated (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MA#NYSE">MA</a>) is set to release earnings results for its first quarter <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MA/earnings">before the opening bell on May 1, 2024.</a>
Analysts expect the Purchase, New York-based company to report quarterly earnings at $3.02 per share, up from $2.8 per share in the year-ago period. Mastercard is projected to report quarterly revenue of $5.92 billion, up from $5.75 billion in the year-earlier quarter, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Mastercard, last month, unveiled a strategic realignment of its teams to focus on Core Payments, Commercial and new Payment Flows, and Services.
Mastercard shares fell 1.3% to close at $451.20 on Tuesday.
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/MA/analyst-ratings">analysts have rated the company</a> in the recent period.
<ul>
<li>Baird analyst David Koning maintained an Outperform rating and boosted the price target from $525 to $545 on April 19. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 77%.</li>
<li>JP Morgan analyst Tien-Tsin Huang maintained an Overweight rating and raised the price target from $504 to $520 on April 15. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 64%.</li>
<li>Jefferies analyst Trevor Williams maintained a Buy rating and raised the price target from $520 to $540 on March 8. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 63%.</li>
<li>Wells Fargo analyst Donald Fandetti maintained an Overweight rating and increased the price target from $490 to $530 on March 6. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 71%.</li>
<li>BMO Capital analyst Rufus Hone maintained an Outperform rating and boosted the price target from $480 to $490 on Feb. 1. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 78%.</li>
</ul>
Read This Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38520037/jim-cramer-rejects-illumina-as-its-not-well-run-recommends-buying-this-tech-stock-right-here-right-n">Jim Cramer Rejects Illumina As &#8216;It&#8217;s Not Well-Run,&#8217; Recommends Buying This Tech Stock &#8216;Right Here, Right Now&#8217;</a>

Earnings

Pre-Market Outlook

Mastercard Likely To Report Higher Q1 Earnings; Here Are The Recent Forecast Changes From Wall Street's Most Accurate Analysts

Apple, Inc.&#8217;s&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) second-quarter results due Thursday will&nbsp;be used&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38166627/apple-faces-difficult-china-demand-environment-results-could-be-better-than-feared-" rel="noreferrer noopener">gauge China&#8217;s softness,</a>&nbsp;a bullish analyst said&nbsp;on Tuesday.
The Apple Analyst:&nbsp;Wedbush&#8217;s&nbsp;Daniel Ives&nbsp;maintained an Outperform rating and $250 price target for the stock.&nbsp;
The Apple Thesis:&nbsp;&nbsp;iPhone unit sales will be softer in China, with revenue potentially declining&nbsp;year-over-year,&nbsp;due to&nbsp;Huawei&nbsp;competition and a lackluster iPhone 15 upgrade cycle, said Ives in a note.
But the analyst sees light at the end of the tunnel. &#8220;The good news is help is on the way as we believe a pent-up demand cycle with an AI-driven iPhone 16 model on the horizon should enable Cook &amp; Co. to return to growth again in China with tailwinds into FY25,&#8221; he said.&nbsp;
Ives said the Services business may have outperformed in the March quarter, and the segment remained the &#8220;Rock of Gibraltar for Apple.&#8221;
See Also:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/everything-you-need-to-know-about-apple-stock" rel="noreferrer noopener">Everything You Need to Know About Apple Stock</a>
Muted Outlook:&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;Tim Cook&#8217;s&nbsp;tone on the earnings call will be&nbsp;important, the analyst said. He looks ahead to a &#8220;cautiously optimistic&#8221; outlook around China&nbsp;longer&nbsp;term from&nbsp;Apple,&nbsp;while also not expecting any fireworks for iPhone unit growth in the region in the June quarter.
Ives models June-quarter iPhone revenue of about $35 billion and total revenue in the $80 billion range.&nbsp;
The analyst also expects Cook to shed more light on the broader AI strategy as the technology would be a game-changer for the Apple story over the coming years.
Bullish Bias:&nbsp;Despite the near-term softness, Ives said he is bullish on Apple due to:
<ul>
<li>seemingly achievable 2024 iPhone estimates&nbsp;</li>
<li>conservative 2025 estimates</li>
<li>pent-up demand around an upgrade cycle potentially exceeding 270 million</li>
<li>Services poised to grow by double-digit percentage</li>
<li>AI&nbsp;finally&nbsp;coming to Apple, with an announcement likely coming at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June</li>
<li>strong installed base with 2.2 billion iOS devices</li>
</ul>
&#8220;Our forest through the trees view on Apple is all about navigating this next 1-2 quarters and getting on to the other side of easier comps,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38362506/apples-next-big-leap-how-ai-software-and-wwdc-announcements-could-fuel-growth" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI announcement at WWDC</a>, [a]&nbsp;stronger upgrade cycle for iPhone 16, and the monetization opportunity of the golden installed base in Cupertino,&#8221; Ives said.
&#8220;The Street is bracing for a brutal March quarter this week and soft June guidance&nbsp;which&nbsp;we believe could be the last few quarters of this growth storm as Apple starts to see a renaissance of growth heading into the September quarter and FY25.&#8221;
Price Action:&nbsp;Apple ended Tuesday&#8217;s session down 1.83% at&nbsp;$170.33,&nbsp;according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro data.</a>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38481553/will-earnings-cheer-continue-to-buoy-markets-apple-amazon-pfizer-coinbase-lead-flurry-of-q1-reports">Will Earnings Cheer Continue To Buoy Markets? Apple, Amazon, Pfizer, Coinbase Lead Flurry Of Q1 Reports This Week</a>
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Equities

Previews

Reiteration

AAPL

Wall Street Braces For Brutal Apple Earnings, But Top Analyst Gives 6 Reasons To Stay Bullish On iPhone Maker

Jim Cramer, the host of CNBC&#8217;s &#8220;Mad Money,&#8221; has attributed the recent market downturn to concerns about interest rates.
What Happened: On Tuesday, Cramer discussed the market&#8217;s performance, emphasizing the impact of potential interest rate changes by the Federal Reserve, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/30/jim-cramer-says-interest-rate-worries-helped-bring-april-sell-off.html">reported</a> CNBC. 
The major indices experienced a significant drop, marking the end of a five-month winning streak for all three and the worst monthly performance for the Dow Jones Industrial Average since September 2022.
Cramer highlighted the market&#8217;s sensitivity to the Fed&#8217;s rate decisions, particularly in light of the recent increase in the Employment Cost Index, which measures worker pay. 
He suggested that investors are still hoping for multiple rate cuts this year, and any positive economic data could prompt them to sell off stocks.
"What truly matters to this market is that we've got plenty of investors who're still clinging, or holding out for, a whole bunch of rate cuts this year," he said. "And until they give up on that idea, they're going to keep dumping stocks any time we get one piece of strong economic data, no matter what it is."
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/04/38481364/chinas-big-banks-halt-russia-transactions-over-us-sanctions-forcing-firms-to-resort-to-underground-c?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">China&#8217;s Big Banks Halt Russia Transactions Over US Sanctions, Forcing Firms To Resort To &#8216;Underground&#8217; Channels: Report</a>
However, Cramer expressed optimism that Fed Chair Jerome Powell could reassure investors during the upcoming meeting by indicating a commitment to maintaining current rates. He pointed to a drop in consumer confidence and the Chicago Purchasing Managers&#8217; Index as potential indicators of a weakening economy, which the Fed may view favorably.
&#8220;Every year there are people who want to get out ahead of the &#8216;sell in May and go away&#8217; crowd,&#8221; Cramer said. &#8220;If that&#8217;s the case, we could right the ship tomorrow if Jay Powell acknowledges some brown shoots. Personally, that&#8217;s my preferred explanation.&#8221;
Why It Matters: Cramer&#8217;s analysis aligns with the current market sentiment, which has been heavily influenced by speculation about potential rate cuts. Earlier in February, Cramer encouraged investors to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/02/36946651/jim-cramer-tells-investors-to-find-some-room-for-stocks-before-fed-rate-cuts-youre-gonna-be-kick">capitalize on the market conditions</a> before the Fed implements rate cuts. 
However, by April, he <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38179803/jim-cramer-weighs-in-on-feds-interest-rate-cut-plans-dont-hold-your-breath-this-eco">warned against anticipating swift rate cuts</a> due to the strength of the economy, a sentiment echoed by other analysts.
Despite this, the possibility of a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/macro-notification/24/04/38526201/is-hawkish-shift-on-inflation-imminent-wall-street-analysts-traders-brace-for-fed-impa">hawkish shift in the Fed&#8217;s stance</a> has caused uncertainty among investors. The recent <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38508875/another-rate-hike-coming-in-2024-macquarie-economists-reverse-forecast-warn-of-incr">reversal of interest rate cut predictions</a> by Macquarie economists further adds to the complexity of the current market landscape.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38478293/shiba-inus-burn-rate-soars-cathie-wood-believes-ethereum-could-catch-up-to-bitcoin-and-mor?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shiba Inu&#8217;s Burn Rate Soars, Cathie Wood Believes Ethereum Could Catch Up To Bitcoin And More: Top Crypto</a>
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Global

Federal Reserve

Jim Cramer Attributes April Market Sell-Off To Interest Rate Concerns: 'They're Going To Keep Dumping Stocks ...'

Influential crypto trader Kevin, formerly known as OG_Yomi, recently predicted a major support zone for Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>), amidst a turbulent crypto market.
What Happened: On Tuesday, Kevin took to X, previously known as Twitter, to share his views on the current state of Dogecoin. He stated, &#8220;After the weekly close I made the prediction that #Dogecoin would come down to test the .125-.13 cents level. We officially came down to .129 so far.&#8221;
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">After the weekly close I made the prediction that <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dogecoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dogecoin</a> would come down to test the .125-.13 cents level. We officially came down to .129 so far. At this point this is a major support zone and if the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Crypto?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Crypto</a> market is in a real bull market we should not lose this zone. If we… <a href="https://t.co/DFWqFiydia">https://t.co/DFWqFiydia</a>
&mdash; Kevin (@Kev_Capital_TA) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kev_Capital_TA/status/1785437140773695576?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38479551/is-the-memecoin-supercycle-over-mad-crypto-alpha-with-ivan?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Is The &#8216;Memecoin Supercycle&#8217; Over? Mad Crypto Alpha With Ivan</a>
Kevin further emphasized the importance of this zone, stating, &#8220;At this point this is a major support zone and if the #Crypto market is in a real bull market we should not lose this zone.&#8221;
Dogecoin has seen a sharp fall in prices recently. The Shiba Inu-themed meme coin has slid 18.8% over a seven-day period, while over a longer 30-day span, it has lost more than 38% of its value. Even so it has managed to gain more than 47% since the year began. 
Why It Matters: Kevin&#8217;s prediction comes at a time when Dogecoin&#8217;s performance has been under scrutiny. Just a week ago, he expressed his views on the meme coin&#8217;s performance, stating that the crypto had closed its lowest weekly candle in almost two months. 
He suggested that a retest of the $0.125 to $0.13 level now seems likely, emphasizing that this is a crucial support level that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38488740/dogecoins-5-loss-closes-lowest-weekly-candle-in-2-months-but-this-trader-wouldnt-be-holdin">must hold</a> for Dogecoin to maintain its bullish outlook. A breach of this level could potentially lead to further downside pressure on the cryptocurrency's price.
Earlier this month, Kevin <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38395178/dogecoin-could-outperform-bitcoin-thanks-to-consolidation-in-the-golden-pocket-says-trader">shared a bullish outlook</a> on Dogecoin's performance against Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>), noting the cryptocurrency's consolidation in the golden pocket and its position above all bull market up trending moving averages. 
Price Action: At the time of writing, Dogecoin traded nearly 7.9% lower at $0.13, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/feature/newsfeed?gspk=bHVrZWphY29iaTUzNDg&amp;gsxid=tdEE0VrK8Jeg&amp;ref=lukejacobi5348">data from Benzinga Pro.</a>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38488740/dogecoins-5-loss-closes-lowest-weekly-candle-in-2-months-but-this-trader-wouldnt-be-holdin?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dogecoin&#8217;s 5% Loss Closes Lowest Weekly Candle In 2 Months, But This Trader &#8216;Wouldn&#8217;t Be Holding If It Was All Over&#8217;</a>
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Cryptocurrency

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$DOGE

Amid Dogecoin Price Dip, Trader Predicts 'Major Support Zone' For Meme Coin

The New York Police Department (NYPD) in riot gear stormed Columbia University&#8216;s campus to quell pro-Palestine protests. The police action came after a week of peaceful demonstrations against the Israel-Hamas war.
What Happened: The NYPD, armed with batons, entered Hamilton Hall, where student protesters had barricaded themselves. The police intervention followed a week-long protest on the university&#8217;s outdoor common space, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/education/4634531-police-riot-gear-enter-columbia-university-palestine-protests/">reported</a> The Hill on Tuesday.
The police entered the building through a second-floor window at approximately 9:30 p.m. This move came after the university ordered students to stay in their dorms and the NYPD demanded the same.
The university justified the police intervention as a necessary step to restore safety and order. The spokesperson expressed regret over the protesters&#8217; actions, which left the university with no other choice.
"We regret that protesters have chosen to escalate the situation through their actions," a university spokesperson <a href="https://communications.news.columbia.edu/news/campus-updates">wrote</a>. "After the University learned overnight that Hamilton Hall had been occupied, vandalized, and blockaded, we were left with no choice."
The protests at Columbia are part of a larger national movement against the Biden administration&#8217;s response to the Israel-Hamas war. The protesters are calling for a cease-fire, an end to military aid to Israel, and for their universities to divest from Israeli interests.
At a press conference earlier on Tuesday, New York City Mayor Eric Adams claimed that the protests had been &#8220;co-opted&#8221; and urged the demonstrators to end their cause before the situation escalates.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38507901/trump-kennedy-jr-feud-escalates-as-polls-indicate-gap-between-democract-gop-candidates-narrowing?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump-Kennedy Jr. Feud Escalates As Polls Indicate Gap Between Democract, GOP Candidates Narrowing</a>
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who met with the protesters earlier in the week, criticized the mayor and Columbia leadership for their response and the police action.
The police cleared Hamilton Hall of protesters before 11:00 p.m., with at least dozens of protesters being arrested. The NYPD is expected to remain on campus until May 17, according to an email sent to students by the student-run WKCR radio at Columbia.
Why It Matters: The protests at Columbia are part of a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38446778/students-demand-universities-sell-off-israel-related-stocks-hundreds-arrested-in-nationwide-protests">larger national movement</a> that has seen hundreds of arrests. The protesters are demanding a cease-fire and for their universities to divest from Israeli interests.
The protests have also sparked <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38358514/mike-pence-tim-scott-slam-pro-palestinian-protests-in-columbia-university-no-place-for-anti-semitism">criticism from political figures</a> such as former Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Tim Scott (R- S.C.). The university&#8217;s decision to call in the NYPD has been met with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38446778/students-demand-universities-sell-off-israel-related-stocks-hundreds-arrested-in-nationwide-protests">widespread condemnation</a>, with some calling for the university president to resign.
Meanwhile, the protests have also had <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38520941/ivy-league-grads-no-longer-the-apple-of-recruiters-eyes-amid-anti-israel-protests-they-are-going-to">repercussions on the job market</a>, with recruiters expressing discomfort with hiring graduates from Ivy League colleges due to their increasing political participation.
Despite the police intervention at Columbia, some universities have allowed the protests to continue. Brown University, for example, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38446778/students-demand-universities-sell-off-israel-related-stocks-hundreds-arrested-in-nationwide-protests">agreed to hold a vote</a> on the students&#8217; divestment proposal, leading to the end of their protest.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38482489/ukrainian-troops-retreat-as-conflict-with-russia-intensifies-in-eastern-front-zelenskyy-urges-us-for?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ukrainian Troops Retreat As Conflict With Russia Intensifies In Eastern Front, Zelenskyy Urges US For Swift Arms Deliveries</a>
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Politics

NYPD Descends On Columbia University In Riot Gear Amid Pro-Palestine Protests

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) CEO Lisa Su highlighted the company&#8217;s AI hardware&#8217;s superior performance over NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) and its potential to cut customer costs during the first quarter earnings call this year.
What Happened: Su claimed that AMD&#8217;s MI300X GPUs offer better inferencing performance and significant total cost of ownership (TCO) advantages compared to Nvidia&#8217;s H100 GPUs. 
She also noted that the MI300X GPUs could deliver the same amount of compute with 45% fewer servers than the competition, potentially reducing initial capex by up to half and lowering annual opex by more than 40%.
&#8220;Our partners are seeing very strong performance in their AI workloads. As we jointly optimize for their models, MI300X GPUs are delivering leadership, inferencing performance and substantial TCO advantages compared to H100,&#8221; Su said.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/04/38488235/supreme-court-drivers-hauling-baked-goods-are-in-transportation-not-baking?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Supreme Court: Drivers Hauling Baked Goods Are in Transportation, Not Baking</a>
She added, &#8220;For instance, several of our partners are seeing significant increases in tokens per second when running their flagship LLMs on MI300X compared to H100.&#8221;
Why It Matters: AMD&#8217;s first quarter earnings call comes on the heels of a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38534910/amd-investors-pull-back-after-modest-q1-beat-ceo-touts-ai-chip-ramp-up">modest beat and lukewarm guidance</a>, which caused a pullback in the stock. Despite this, Su&#8217;s remarks about the MI300X GPUs&#8217; performance and cost advantages could help bolster investor confidence in the company&#8217;s AI hardware.
Earlier in April, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38115757/amds-mi300-chip-gains-momentum-analyst-predicts-strong-growth-and-server-market-success">analyst predictions</a> about the MI300 chip&#8217;s strong growth and success in the server market had already set a positive tone for AMD&#8217;s AI hardware. Su&#8217;s recent comments further reinforce the potential of AMD&#8217;s AI hardware in the market.
Price Action: AMD stock traded lower in after-hours trading, with a decrease of 6.91% to $147.43 on Tuesday. Nonetheless, the stock has seen a 14.29% increase year-to-date, according to the data <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">from Benzinga Pro</a>.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38519395/goldman-sachs-tempers-investor-excitement-on-tesla-self-driving-not-yet-an-eyes-off?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Goldman Sachs Tempers Investor Excitement On Tesla Self-Driving Tech In China: &#8216;Not Yet An Eyes-Off, Unsupervised Product&#8217;</a>
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This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

NVDA

Nvidia's AI Leadership Challenged As AMD Claims Superior Inference Performance With MI300 Chip: 'Partners Are Seeing Very Strong Performance'

On Tuesday, Cathie Wood-led Ark Invest made significant trades, with the most prominent ones involving BYD Co Ltd (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BYDDY#OTC">BYDDY</a>) and Palantir Technologies Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>).
The BYD Co. Trade
Ark Invest, through its ARK Autonomous Technology &amp; Robotics ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKQ#BATS">ARKQ</a>), purchased 18,748 shares of BYD Co Ltd. Based on the closing price of $54.47 on the same day, the estimated value of this trade is approximately $1.02 million. This move comes in the wake of a debate between the late billionaire investor Charlie Munger and Wood over the superiority of Tesla, Inc and BYD in the electric vehicle market.
Wood had defended Tesla, a key holding of Ark Innovation ETF, arguing that the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/02/30972092/cathie-wood-chimes-in-on-the-tesla-vs-byd-debate-charlie-munger-and-many-on-wall-street-1">lower costs associated with technologically enabled innovation</a> in batteries and drivetrains would cause a boom in unit demand. This move by Ark Invest may indicate a broader strategy to capitalize on the growing electric vehicle market.
The Palantir Trade
Ark Invest also made a significant move in Palantir purchasing 45,453 shares through its ARKQ ETF. With a closing price of $21.97 on the same day, the trade is valued at approximately $1 million. This follows a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38477354/cathie-woods-ark-invest-hoards-palantir-stock-ahead-of-q1-earnings-adds-more-of-this-buffett-bac">previous acquisition</a> of Palantir shares ahead of the company&#8217;s first-quarter earnings report, scheduled for May 5, 2024.
Analysts expect Palantir to report earnings per share of 8 cents on revenue of $625.33 million, representing an increase from the previous quarter.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/macro-notification/24/04/38526201/is-hawkish-shift-on-inflation-imminent-wall-street-analysts-traders-brace-for-fed-impa?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Is Hawkish Shift On Inflation Imminent? Wall Street Analysts, Traders Brace For Fed Impact</a>
Other Key Trades:
<ul>
<li>Ark Invest bought 1,658 shares of Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD) through its ARKQ fund in a transaction valued at $262,594. Notably, the purchase came on the same day the company declared its first-quarter earnings numbers. The results came <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38534910/amd-investors-pull-back-after-modest-q1-beat-ceo-touts-ai-chip-ramp-up">slightly ahead</a> of investor expectations. </li>
<li>Ark Invest sold shares of 2U Inc (TWOU) from its ARK Innovation ETF (ARKK). </li>
<li>Trimble Inc (TRMB) shares were reduced from the ARKQ. Shares of Kratos Defense and Security Solutions Inc (KTOS) were sold from the ARKQ fund. </li>
</ul>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/04/38481364/chinas-big-banks-halt-russia-transactions-over-us-sanctions-forcing-firms-to-resort-to-underground-c?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">China&#8217;s Big Banks Halt Russia Transactions Over US Sanctions, Forcing Firms To Resort To &#8216;Underground&#8217; Channels: Report</a>
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ETFs

ARKQ

BYDDY

PLTR

Cathie Wood's Ark Invest Buys Shares Of Tesla Rival BYD, Continues Accumulating Palantir — Also Acquires AMD Shares

Amazon.com Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) CEO&nbsp;Andy Jassy&nbsp;highlighted the potential of the company&#8217;s AI chatbot, &#8220;Q,&#8221; to revolutionize software development during the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38534302/amazon-q1-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-beat-aws-hits-100-billion-annual-run-rate-and-more">first-quarter 2024 earnings call</a>. 
What Happened: On Tuesday, during the call, Jassy spoke about the pivotal role of &#8220;Q&#8221; in the future of software development. He stated that the AI chatbot will facilitate the transition of developers from Microsoft Windows to Linux.
&#8220;Today, developers can save months&nbsp;using Q to move from&nbsp;older versions of Java to&nbsp;newer, more secure and capable&nbsp;ones,&#8221; he said, adding, &#8220;In the near future, Q will help developers transform their dotNET code as well, helping them move from Windows to Linux.&#8221;
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38488085/metas-chief-ai-scientist-reveals-mark-zuckerberg-was-snubbed-from-bidens-ai-safety-institute-elon-mu?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meta&#8217;s Chief AI Scientist Reveals Mark Zuckerberg Was &#8216;Snubbed&#8217; From Biden&#8217;s AI Safety Institute; Elon Musk Also Missing From The List</a>
Jassy also said that &#8220;Q&#8221; is not just a code generator but also a code tester, debugger, and transformer. The Amazon CEO highlighted its unique feature, &#8220;Agents,&#8221; which can autonomously perform various tasks, from implementing features to performing software upgrades.
&#8220;Developers can collaborate with the agent to review and iterate on the plan, and then the agent implements it, connecting multiple steps together and applying updates across multiple files, code blocks and test suites.&#8221; &#8220;It&#8217;s quite handy,&#8221; Jassy concluded.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: The potential of &#8216;Q&#8217; to transform the software development landscape is significant, especially considering Amazon&#8217;s recent financial performance. 
The company reported&nbsp;first-quarter net sales of $143.3 billion, a 13% year-over-year increase, beating the Street consensus estimate of $142.5 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>
However, &#8220;Q&#8221; has had its share of challenges. In January earlier this year, the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/01/36588837/amazons-ai-chatbot-q-struggles-with-hallucinations-amid-criticism-for-rushed-launch">AI chatbot faced criticism</a> for producing incorrect outputs, or &#8216;hallucinations&#8217;, due to a rushed launch and the deployment of a less proficient version of Anthropic's Claude AI model. 
AMZN Price Action:&nbsp;At the time of writing, Amazon shares were up 1.23% in the after-hours session at $177.16, according to&nbsp;Benzinga Pro data.
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>.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38477795/elon-musks-prediction-for-domestic-robots-mark-zuckerbergs-massive-1b-bet-on-nvidia-gpus-and-more-th?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk&#8217;s Prediction For Domestic Robots, Mark Zuckerberg&#8217;s Massive $1B Bet On Nvidia GPUs And More: This Week In AI</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.

AMZN

Andy Jassy Envisions Amazon Chatbot 'Q' Helping Developer's Move Away From Microsoft Windows To Linux:  'It's Quite Handy'

As the cryptocurrency market braces for the upcoming Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) meeting, a prominent crypto analyst has made a bold prediction about Bitcoin&#8216;s (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) immediate future.
What Happened: Micahël van de Poppe, a well-known crypto analyst, took to social media platform X to share his forecast for Bitcoin&#8217;s immediate future. Van de Poppe anticipates a potential dip in the price of Bitcoin, with a possible range of $55,000 to $58,000 before a rebound.
Van de Poppe&#8217;s post read, &#8220;Monthly close approaching for #Bitcoin and FOMC day tomorrow. I think we&#8217;ll see that sweep beneath $60K and potentially cascade towards $55-58K from which we&#8217;re finding the low and rotate back upwards. From there: Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) ETF hype in May to pick up momentum.&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Monthly close approaching for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> and FOMC day tomorrow. I think we&#39;ll see that sweep beneath $60K and potentially cascade towards $55-58K from which we&#39;re finding the low and rotate back upwards. From there: Ethereum ETF hype in May to pick up momentum. <a href="https://t.co/Iki4De9mSF">pic.twitter.com/Iki4De9mSF</a>
&mdash; Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1785364388330824109?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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This prediction comes at a time when the market is experiencing a &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38528542/bitcoin-dogecoin-shiba-inu-pumped-after-the-last-fomc-meeting-will-history-repeat-on-wedne">horrendous slow bleed</a>,&#8221; with most cryptocurrencies closing in the red for 15 out of the last 20 days, according to pseudonymous cryptocurrency trader Kevin.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38478293/shiba-inus-burn-rate-soars-cathie-wood-believes-ethereum-could-catch-up-to-bitcoin-and-mor?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shiba Inu&#8217;s Burn Rate Soars, Cathie Wood Believes Ethereum Could Catch Up To Bitcoin And More: Top Crypto</a>
Why It Matters: The upcoming FOMC meeting is expected to have a significant impact on the cryptocurrency market. Kevin, in a recent tweet, emphasized the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38528542/bitcoin-dogecoin-shiba-inu-pumped-after-the-last-fomc-meeting-will-history-repeat-on-wedne">importance of the meeting</a> as a potential catalyst for the next significant market move.
Van de Poppe&#8217;s prediction also aligns with his previous insights on market rotations and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38523300/crypto-trader-michael-van-de-poppe-highlights-runs-in-solana-meme-coins-predicts-there-is-">altcoin seasons</a>. He believes that by identifying opportunities in altcoins and strategically rotating profits back into Bitcoin, investors can outperform the market and maintain their purchasing power in the face of inflation.
However, the market has also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38535711/bitcoin-jesus-roger-ver-arrested-in-spain-on-tax-evasion-charges">seen some turbulence</a> with the recent arrest of Roger Ver, a prominent figure in the early days of Bitcoin, in Spain on tax evasion charges.
Price Action: Bitcoin is currently trading at $59,730, experiencing a 1.47% decline over the last 24 hours but showing a remarkable 35.22% increase year-to-date. Meanwhile, Ether is trading at $2,977, down 1.13% in the past 24 hours, yet still reflecting a solid 26.54% gain year-to-date, according to data <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">from Benzinga Pro</a>.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38480709/bitcoin-faces-potential-downturn-as-analysts-eye-second-danger-zone-but-what-happen?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin Faces Potential Downturn As Analysts Eye &#8216;Second Danger Zone&#8217; — But What Happened To &#8216;Memecoin Supercycle?&#8217;</a>
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$ETH

Is Bitcoin Heading For A Dip Ahead Of FOMC? Analyst Predicts Potential 'Cascade Towards $55-58K' Before Rebound

On Tuesday, the main U.S. stock indexes closed lower, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average finishing down 1.5% at 37,815.92, the S&amp;P500 falling by 1.6% to 5,035.69, and the Nasdaq declining by 2.04% to 15,657.82 at the end of the day&#8217;s trading session.
These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors throughout the day:
Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>)
Amazon shares fell by 3.29% to close at $175, after reaching an intraday high of $182.99 and a low of $174.8. The e-commerce giant reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38534302/amazon-q1-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-beat-aws-hits-100-billion-annual-run-rate-and-more">first-quarter net sales </a>of $143.3 billion, a 13% increase year-over-year, beating the Street consensus estimate. 
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>)
AMD shares dipped by 1.14% to close at $158.38, with an intraday high of $162.29 and a low of $158.35. The chipmaker reported first-quarter results <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38534910/amd-investors-pull-back-after-modest-q1-beat-ceo-touts-ai-chip-ramp-up">slightly ahead of expectations</a>, thanks to record data center revenue. However, the stock retreated in after-hours trading due to lukewarm second-quarter revenue guidance. 
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38519395/goldman-sachs-tempers-investor-excitement-on-tesla-self-driving-not-yet-an-eyes-off?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Goldman Sachs Tempers Investor Excitement On Tesla Self-Driving Tech In China: &#8216;Not Yet An Eyes-Off, Unsu</a>
Super Micro Computer Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>)
Super Micro shares fell by 3.54% to close at $858.80, after hitting an intraday high of $910.84 and a low of $851.08. The company reported third-quarter earnings of $6.65 per share, a 307.98% increase YoY, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38535630/super-micro-shares-dip-on-mixed-q3-results-eps-beat-sales-miss">beating the analyst consensus estimate</a>. However, quarterly sales of $3.85 billion missed the consensus estimate. 
Starbucks Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBUX#NASDAQ">SBUX</a>)
Starbucks shares saw a slight increase of 0.18% to close at $88.49, with an intraday high of $88.99 and a low of $87.18. The company reported a 2% YoY decrease in second-quarter revenue to $8.6 billion, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38534321/starbucks-q2-earnings-revenue-miss-eps-miss-comps-down-4-and-more">missing the consensus estimate</a>. Comparable store sales declined 4% globally.
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)
Tesla shares dropped by 5.55% to close at $183.28, after reaching an intraday high of $190.95 and a low of $182.84. The shares <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38527242/tesla-stock-is-trading-lower-tuesday-whats-going-on">pulled back</a> after rallying more than 15% on Monday following the company&#8217;s progress on its full self-driving technology rollout in China. 
Prepare for the day&#8217;s trading <a href="Premarket Movers &amp; News">with top premarket movers and news</a> by Benzinga.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38490818/if-you-invested-1000-in-chipotle-mexican-grill-a-decade-ago-this-is-how-much-itd-be-worth-now?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">If You Invested $1000 in Chipotle Mexican Grill a Decade Ago, This is How Much It&#8217;d Be Worth Now</a>
Photo by WHYFRAME on Shutterstock

SBUX

SMCI

TSLA

Amazon, AMD, Super Micro Computer, Starbucks, Tesla: Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors' Radars Today

Elon Musk&nbsp;has unfollowed prominent&nbsp;Tesla Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) investor&nbsp;Sawyer Merritt&nbsp;on X, formerly Twitter, due to an alleged breach of confidentiality.
What Happened: On Tuesday, a user on X, who goes by the name&nbsp;Brandon Smith on the platform, questioned Musk about this move stating that Merritt often breaks news about Tesla that employees don&#8217;t disclose to the tech billionaire. 
Musk responded,&nbsp;&#8220;Don't post leaks of confidential&nbsp;information and expect me to&nbsp;follow.&#8221;&nbsp;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Don't post leaks of confidential information and expect me to follow
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1785405979573514425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38519395/goldman-sachs-tempers-investor-excitement-on-tesla-self-driving-not-yet-an-eyes-off?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Goldman Sachs Tempers Investor Excitement On Tesla Self-Driving Tech In China: &#8216;Not Yet An Eyes-Off, Unsupervised Product&#8217;</a>
Smith then defended Merritt, stating that if Merritt had received confidential information directly, he wouldn&#8217;t have posted it. He also requested Musk to give Merritt another chance.&nbsp;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">If Sawyer was the one who directly received confidential info he wouldn't have posted it. Once the genie leaves the bottle… it's out of the bottle. If you join the spaces he's in regularly, he refrains from posting dubious "news" all the time. I ask you give him another chance.
&mdash; Brandon Smith (@BLSmith2112) <a href="https://twitter.com/BLSmith2112/status/1785406841695961180?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Not just Smith, but many other users on X defended Merritt. On the other hand, some people deduced that Merritt &#8220;amplified Elon's leaked email&#8221; and allegedly disclosed information about layoff. At the time of writing,&nbsp;Musk still wasn&#8217;t following Merritt.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;get&nbsp;all the latest tech developments&nbsp;delivered&nbsp;to your inbox.
<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga</a> reached out to Merritt and he pointed us toward his explanation on X. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">This is what happened: Omar and I posted an article from <a href="https://twitter.com/theinformation?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theinformation</a> last night that we saw online. It was a public article that referenced an internal Tesla email from Elon Musk to his executives.
&mdash; Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) <a href="https://twitter.com/SawyerMerritt/status/1785426916482195795?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Why It Matters: Merritt, a well-known Tesla investor, has been in the spotlight for his outspoken support of the company and its CEO. In March 2024, Merritt&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37886370/tesla-investor-claps-back-after-a-columnist-calls-elon-musk-mediocre-white-man-amid-spat-with-don-le">defended Musk</a>&nbsp;against an op-ed that labeled him a &#8220;mediocre white man.&#8221; 
He also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/03/37648525/tesla-backs-investors-petition-to-fulfill-elon-musks-longstanding-regulatory-wish-stop-calling-ota-f">led a petition</a>&nbsp;supported by Tesla, urging the U.S. auto safety regulator to reconsider classifying over-the-air software updates for safety concerns as &#8220;recalls.&#8221;
Just earlier this week, Merritt humorously&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38515667/elon-musk-has-tears-of-laughter-as-tesla-investor-says-stock-is-up-one-gordon-johns">mocked a Tesla bear</a>, Gordon Johnson, after the company&#8217;s stock surged, signaling validation for Musk&#8217;s leadership. 
Merritt&#8217;s actions have often aligned with Musk&#8217;s vision, making this unfollowing incident all the more surprising.
Despite the unfollowing, it&#8217;s important to note that this incident does not necessarily indicate a significant rift between Musk and Merritt. However, it does raise questions about the handling of confidential information within the Tesla community.
Check out more of&nbsp;Benzinga&#8217;s&nbsp;Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38424000/mark-zuckerberg-shades-apple-vision-pro-once-again-calls-it-fashionable-ai-glasses-without-a-display?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mark Zuckerberg Shades Apple Vision Pro Once Again, Calls It &#8216;Fashionable AI Glasses Without A Display&#8217;</a>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with&nbsp;the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was&nbsp;reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Elon Musk Unfollows Tesla Investor Sawyer Merritt Over Alleged Confidential Information Leak: 'Don't Post … And Expect Me To Follow'

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton warns of a more severe Trump presidency, citing his recent interviews with Time.
What Happened: On Tuesday, Clinton shared a post on X, formerly Twitter, highlighting the potential dangers of a second Trump presidency. She quoted an excerpt from a Time article, which detailed Trump&#8217;s plans for a potential future term.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">If Donald Trump becomes president again, it wouldn&#39;t be as bad as it was last time. It would be much, much worse. Read about his plans, as he describes them in new TIME interviews, and take them seriously. <a href="https://t.co/RezUaOrJ3i">https://t.co/RezUaOrJ3i</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ds4E4iRRmC">pic.twitter.com/Ds4E4iRRmC</a>
&mdash; Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) <a href="https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton/status/1785348329334833386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2024</a></blockquote>
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See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38479082/elon-musk-gives-one-word-response-to-joe-bidens-dig-at-donald-trump-at-white-house-correspondents-di?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Gives One-Word Response To Joe Biden&#8217;s Dig At Donald Trump At White House Correspondents&#8217; Dinner</a>
The excerpt shared by Clinton from Time journalist Eric Cortellessa paints a picture of an &#8220;imperial presidency&#8221; where Trump would be willing to deploy the U.S. military for mass deportations, allow states to monitor women&#8217;s pregnancies, and potentially fire U.S. Attorneys who don&#8217;t follow his orders.
Why It Matters: The post comes in the wake of a series of interviews where Trump discussed his potential plans if re-elected. Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38539108/trump-says-if-supreme-court-decides-president-doesnt-get-immunity-then-biden-will-be-prosecuted-for">hinted at the prosecution</a> of President Joe Biden, contingent on the Supreme Court&#8217;s decision on presidential immunity.
Recent polls, nearing the six-month mark until the 2024 election, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/04/38537950/trump-vs-biden-former-president-holds-lead-in-all-7-swing-states-which-candidate-does-robert-f-k">suggest a close race</a> between Trump and Biden, with Trump leading in all seven swing states, including those won by Biden in 2020. 
Clinton has previously criticized Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38347162/hillary-clinton-says-donald-trump-would-like-to-do-what-vladimir-putin-does-including-kill-his-oppos">authoritarian tendencies</a>. Earlier, she suggested that Trump would be happy to suppress his opposition in a manner similar to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
She has also criticized Trump&#8217;s policies <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38328076/hillary-clinton-says-trump-is-on-your-side-if-you-are-a-billionaire-otherwise-good-luck">favoring the wealthy</a>, as reported in another Benzinga article, where she responded to a post criticizing Trump&#8217;s tax policies.
Photo Courtesy: Evan El-Amin On Shutterstock.com
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38507901/trump-kennedy-jr-feud-escalates-as-polls-indicate-gap-between-democract-gop-candidates-narrowing?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump-Kennedy Jr. Feud Escalates As Polls Indicate Gap Between Democract, GOP Candidates Narrowing</a>
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 Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a> 
 
 
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 The GPT-4-based Benzinga Neuro content generation system exploits the 
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 create comprehensive and timely stories for you. 
 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="color: #225aa9;text-decoration: none">Learn more.</a>
 
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General

Hillary Clinton On Another Trump Presidency: 'It Wouldn't Be As Bad As It Was Last Time, It Would Be...'

Martin Shkreli, the infamous former pharmaceutical executive, recently made an intriguing comment on social media platform X, hinting at his prison life. This comes as Changpeng Zhao, the co-founder of Binance (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/bnb/usd">BNB</a>), has been sentenced to prison.
What Happened: Shkreli, who is known as the &#8220;Pharma Bro,&#8221; took to social media platform X to comment on a post by billionaire Binance Co-Founder Changpeng Zhao. Shkreli wrote, &#8220;burgers on wednesday, chicken on Thursday,&#8221; hinting at the prison menu.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">burgers on wednesday, chicken on thursday
&mdash; Martin Shkreli (e/acc) (@MartinShkreli) <a href="https://twitter.com/MartinShkreli/status/1785466049711759561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Shkreli has been known for sharing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/03/37764805/sam-bankman-fried-considered-coming-out-as-a-republican-on-tucker-carlsons-show-after-ftxs">advice on prison life</a>. In November, he boasted to Tucker Carlson that Sam Bankman-Fried had sought his advice on serving time in prison, as the FTX founder faced a potential sentence of over 100 years.
Shkreli was released from federal prison in May 2022 after serving approximately five years. Following a lawsuit by the Federal Trade Commission, he was ordered to repay $64 million and faced a lifetime ban, which he contested as excessive and limiting his freedom of speech.
According to Martin Shkreli&#8217;s verified account on X, he <a href="https://x.com/wagieeacc/status/1778826437576790225">announced</a> that he would be moving his account to &#8216;@martinshkreli,&#8217; expressing apologies for any messages sent from the previous account due to it being set as default on his iPhone and acknowledging his laziness.
On the other hand, Zhao, the co-founder and former CEO of Binance, has been <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38532677/former-binance-ceo-changpeng-zhao-sentenced-to-four-months-in-prison">sentenced to four months in prison</a> for his involvement in the failure to establish an effective anti-money laundering (AML) program at the cryptocurrency exchange. Despite his personal situation, Zhao emphasized the importance of compliance in the crypto industry.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38508352/bitcoins-short-term-holder-realized-price-at-59-800-analyst-says-falling-below-this?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin&#8217;s Short-Term Holder Realized Price At $59,800; Analyst Says Falling Below This Could Trigger Notable &#8216;Price Corrections&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: Zhao&#8217;s legal troubles have been a point of concern in the cryptocurrency industry. Just a week before his sentencing, Zhao <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38315241/binance-secures-major-win-with-dubai-crypto-license-after-changpeng-zhao-surrenders-voting">surrendered his voting power in Binance</a>, which led to the exchange securing a crucial regulatory license in Dubai. This move was seen as a significant step towards Binance&#8217;s compliance with global regulations.
Earlier in April, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) had <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38401035/binance-founder-changpeng-zhao-apologizes-doj-pushes-for-3-year-sentence">pushed for a three-year prison term</a> for Zhao, citing serious lapses in regulatory compliance during his tenure at Binance. Despite the legal challenges, Binance has continued to operate, and Zhao&#8217;s recent tweet indicates his commitment to the industry&#8217;s compliance and development.
Price Action: As of the latest update, BNB is trading at $573.32, marking a decrease of 4.76% over the past 24 hours and a 5.42% decline over the last week. Meanwhile, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) is currently priced at $60,215.92, reflecting a 6.73% drop in the last 24 hours, according to the data <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">from Benzinga Pro</a>.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38478293/shiba-inus-burn-rate-soars-cathie-wood-believes-ethereum-could-catch-up-to-bitcoin-and-mor?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shiba Inu&#8217;s Burn Rate Soars, Cathie Wood Believes Ethereum Could Catch Up To Bitcoin And More: Top Crypto</a>
Binance&#8217;s Changpeng Zhao. Photo via Flickr
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Engineered by Benzinga Neuro, Edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/Kaustubh-Bagalkote" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kaustubh Bagalkote</a>
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The GPT-4-based Benzinga Neuro content generation system exploits the extensive Benzinga Ecosystem, including native data, APIs, and more to create comprehensive and timely stories for you. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn more.</a>
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Legal

$BNB

'Pharma Bro' Martin Shkreli Teases Binance Co-Founder Changpeng Zhao With A Supposed Prison Menu: 'Burgers On Wednesday, Chicken On Thursday'

Amazon.com Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) CEO&nbsp;Andy Jassy&nbsp;has expressed optimism about the future of the company&#8217;s&nbsp;Amazon Web Services&nbsp;or AWS during <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38534302/amazon-q1-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-beat-aws-hits-100-billion-annual-run-rate-and-more">the first-quarter 2024</a> earnings call.
What Happened: On Tuesday, during the call, Jassy highlighted the potential for AWS, stating that despite the segment&#8217;s&nbsp;$100 billion-plus annualized revenue run&nbsp;rate, over 85%&nbsp;of the global IT spend&nbsp;is still on-premises. &#8220;We remain very bullish on AWS.&#8221;
He also noted the impending rise of gen AI, which is expected to be predominantly cloud-based&nbsp;over the next 10 to&nbsp;20 years, presenting a significant opportunity for AWS. &#8220;There is a very large opportunity in front of us,&#8221; he stated. 
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38480983/giant-leap-for-apple-new-leak-of-iphone-16-lineup-confirms-recent-rumors-about-screen-sizes-and-came?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Giant Leap For Apple? New Leak Of iPhone 16 Lineup Confirms Recent Rumors About Screen Sizes And Camera Bump</a>
Jassy went on to highlight AWS&#8217;s competitive edge, which is attracting more companies to shift&nbsp;their AI focus to AWS.
&#8220;We expect the combination of&nbsp;AWS&#8217; reaccelerating growth and high&nbsp;demand for gen AI to&nbsp;meaningfully increase year-over-year capital expenditures&nbsp;in 2024, which given the&nbsp;way the AWS business model&nbsp;works is a positive sign&nbsp;of the future growth,&#8221; the Amazon CEO said, adding, &#8220;The more demand AWS has, the more we have to procure new data centers, power and hardware.&#8221;
Why It Matters: In April 2024, it was reported that the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36578155/amazon-stock-is-trading-higher-whats-going-on">workforce reductions in AWS</a>, were part of the company&#8217;s efforts to streamline operations and pivot towards digital. At the time, the e-commerce giant reported cited overlapping roles as a reason behind these cuts. 
However, despite this, AWS has continued to innovate, launching services such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38066196/amazon-aws-launches-deadline-cloud-to-transform-media-and-entertainment-content-creation-rendering">Deadline Cloud</a>&nbsp;to transform media and entertainment content creation and rendering.
Meanwhile, in the first quarter, Amazon&#8217;s net sales reached $143.3 billion, marking a 13% increase compared to the previous year and surpassing the Street&#8217;s estimated net sales of $142.5 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>
AMZN Price Action: At the time of writing, Amazon shares were up by 1.23% in the after-hours session at $177.16, according to Benzinga Pro data.
Photo via Shutterstock.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38509476/while-mark-zuckerberg-led-meta-battles-advertiser-complaints-elon-musk-continues-to-thrash-facebook?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">While Mark Zuckerberg-Led Meta Battles Advertiser Complaints, Elon Musk Continues To Thrash Facebook, Instagram For Allegedly Stealing &#8216;Credit For Traffic&#8217;</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.

Amazon's Andy Jassy Remains Bullish On AWS, Sees 'Very Large Opportunity' And Expects 'Meaningful' CapEx Increase In 2024

Top Democrats have rallied to shield Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) from a potential ouster threat by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), further intensifying the ongoing tensions within the House of Representatives.
What Happened: The debate over Johnson&#8217;s leadership reached a climax on Tuesday. Greene, who has been threatening to oust Johnson for over a month, stated that the Democrats&#8217; intervention was the last straw in her list of grievances against the Speaker, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/4634185-johnson-motion-to-vacate-greene-democrats-rescue/">reported</a> The Hill.
Greene accused Johnson of making &#8220;slimy&#8221; deals with Democrats and urged him to switch parties. She also pledged to force a vote on his removal, although she has not yet revealed when she intends to bring her resolution to the floor.
Leading Democrats, including Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (Mass.), and House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar (Calif.), have announced their intention to defend Johnson. Their strategy is to support a proposal to table Greene&#8217;s resolution, thereby preventing it from reaching the floor.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38477150/biden-vs-trump-contest-could-be-lost-cause-for-one-candidate-if-history-were-anything-to-go-by-accor?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Biden Vs. Trump Contest Could Be Lost Cause For One Candidate If History Were Anything To Go By, According To Pollster</a>
Why It Matters: Greene&#8217;s dissatisfaction with Johnson&#8217;s leadership has been brewing for some time. This month, she <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38084745/marjorie-taylor-greene-brands-mike-johnson-a-democrat-comparable-to-nancy-pelosi-literally-turned-in">likened</a> Johnson to a Democrat, criticizing him for striking a bipartisan deal on a $1.2 trillion funding bill.
Later, she called for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38349699/marjorie-taylor-greene-says-mike-johnsons-speakership-is-over-after-house-passes-ukraine-aid-package">Johnson&#8217;s resignation</a> following the House&#8217;s approval of a new aid package for Ukraine. Despite former President Donald Trump&#8217;s endorsement of Johnson, Greene <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38394246/trumps-endorsement-fails-to-quell-marjorie-taylor-greenes-conservative-rebellion-against-speaker-mik">continued to voice her discontent</a>.
Johnson, on the other hand, dismissed concerns about being a Speaker supported by Democrats, stating that he leads the entire House, not just the GOP conference. He emphasized his conservative Republican philosophy and record, and vowed to continue governing based on those principles.
Images via Shutterstock
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38482489/ukrainian-troops-retreat-as-conflict-with-russia-intensifies-in-eastern-front-zelenskyy-urges-us-for?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ukrainian Troops Retreat As Conflict With Russia Intensifies In Eastern Front, Zelenskyy Urges US For Swift Arms Deliveries</a>
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 Engineered by 
 Benzinga Neuro, Edited by 
 
 <a href="None" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="color: #225aa9;text-decoration: none"> 
 Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a> 
 
 
<hr style="border: 0;height: 1px;background: #225aa9" />

 The GPT-4-based Benzinga Neuro content generation system exploits the 
 extensive Benzinga Ecosystem, including native data, APIs, and more to 
 create comprehensive and timely stories for you. 
 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="color: #225aa9;text-decoration: none">Learn more.</a>
 
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Marjorie Taylor Greene's Ouster Threat Against Mike Johnson Gets Top Democrats Rallying Behind House Speaker

It is never too late to invest in mutual funds for retirement. As such, if you plan to invest in some of the best funds, the Zacks Mutual Fund Rank can provide you with valuable guidance.
The easiest, most reliable way to judge a mutual fund&#39;s quality over time is by analyzing its performance, diversification, and fees. The Zacks Mutual Fund Rank, which covers over 19,000 mutual funds, has helped us identify three outstanding options that are perfect for any long-term investors&#39; portfolios that is retirement-focused.
Let&#39;s break down some of the mutual funds with the top Zacks Mutual Fund Rank and the lowest fees.
Thrivent Large Cap Value Fund A (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/aautx#NASDAQ">AAUTX</a>): 0.85% expense ratio and 0.45% management fee. AAUTX is a Large Cap Value fund. These funds invest in stocks with a market cap of $10 billion of more, but whose share prices do not reflect their intrinsic value. AAUTX has achieved five-year annual returns of an astounding 12.4%.
RBB Free Market US Equity (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/fmuex#NASDAQ">FMUEX</a>): 0.55% expense ratio and 0.49% management fee. FMUEX is an All Cap Growth mutual fund. In order to increase diversification, these funds have holdings across small, medium, and large-cap levels. FMUEX, with annual returns of 11.41% over the last five years, is a well-diversified fund with a long track record of success.
TIAA-CREF Small Cap Equity Premier (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/tsrpx#NASDAQ">TSRPX</a>): 0.57% expense ratio and 0.4% management fee. TSRPX is a Small Cap Blend mutual fund, and usually targets stocks with market caps of less than $2 billion, letting investors diversify their funds among other kinds of small-cap equities. With a five-year annual return of 10.21%, this fund is a well-diversified fund with a long track record of success.
We hope that your investment advisor (if you use one) has you invested in one or all of the top-ranked mutual funds we&#39;ve reviewed. But if that isn&#39;t the case, it might be time to have a conversation or reconsider this vitally important relationship.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2264701/should-you-add-these-3-top-performing-mutual-funds-to-your-portfolio?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-fundamental_analysis|top_ranked_mutual_fund-2264701">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Mutual Funds

AAUTX

FMUEX

TSRPX

Should You Add These 3 Top-Performing Mutual Funds to Your Portfolio?

Visa (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/v#NYSE">V</a>) is one of the stocks most watched by Zacks.com visitors lately. So, it might be a good idea to review some of the factors that might affect the near-term performance of the stock.
Shares of this global payments processor have returned -2.3% over the past month versus the Zacks S&amp;P 500 composite&#39;s -2.5% change. The Zacks Financial Transaction Services industry, to which Visa belongs, has lost 4.3% over this period. Now the key question is: Where could the stock be headed in the near term?
While media releases or rumors about a substantial change in a company&#39;s business prospects usually make its stock &#39;trending&#39; and lead to an immediate price change, there are always some fundamental facts that eventually dominate the buy-and-hold decision-making.
Earnings Estimate Revisions
Here at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company&#39;s future earnings over anything else. That&#39;s because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
Our analysis is essentially based on how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to take the latest business trends into account. When earnings estimates for a company go up, the fair value for its stock goes up as well. And when a stock&#39;s fair value is higher than its current market price, investors tend to buy the stock, resulting in its price moving upward. Because of this, empirical studies indicate a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and short-term stock price movements.
Visa is expected to post earnings of $2.41 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +11.6%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -1.6%.
The consensus earnings estimate of $9.90 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of +12.9%. This estimate has changed +0.2% over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $10.98 indicates a change of +10.9% from what Visa is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -0.8%.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock&#39;s near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) for Visa.
The chart below shows the evolution of the company&#39;s forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Projected Revenue Growth
Even though a company&#39;s earnings growth is arguably the best indicator of its financial health, nothing much happens if it cannot raise its revenues. It&#39;s almost impossible for a company to grow its earnings without growing its revenue for long periods. Therefore, knowing a company&#39;s potential revenue growth is crucial.
In the case of Visa, the consensus sales estimate of $8.89 billion for the current quarter points to a year-over-year change of +9.4%. The $35.73 billion and $39.12 billion estimates for the current and next fiscal years indicate changes of +9.4% and +9.5%, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise History
Visa reported revenues of $8.78 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of +9.9%. EPS of $2.51 for the same period compares with $2.09 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $8.6 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of +2.07%. The EPS surprise was +3.29%.
The company beat consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company topped consensus revenue estimates each time over this period.
Valuation
No investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock&#39;s valuation. Whether a stock&#39;s current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company&#39;s growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.
While comparing the current values of a company&#39;s valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S) and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock&#39;s price.
The Zacks Value Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics to grade stocks from A to F (an An is better than a B; a B is better than a C; and so on), is pretty helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Visa is graded D on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers.
Conclusion
The facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it&#39;s worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Visa. However, its Zacks Rank #3 does suggest that it may perform in line with the broader market in the near term.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2264790/visa-inc-v-is-a-trending-stock-facts-to-know-before-betting-on-it?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-tale_of_the_tape|most_searched_stocks-2264790">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Visa Inc. Is a Trending Stock: Facts to Know Before Betting on It

Tesla (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/tsla#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) has recently been on Zacks.com&#39;s list of the most searched stocks. Therefore, you might want to consider some of the key factors that could influence the stock&#39;s performance in the near future.
Over the past month, shares of this electric car maker have returned +10.8%, compared to the Zacks S&amp;P 500 composite&#39;s -2.5% change. During this period, the Zacks Automotive - Domestic industry, which Tesla falls in, has gained 6.5%. The key question now is: What could be the stock&#39;s future direction?
Although media reports or rumors about a significant change in a company&#39;s business prospects usually cause its stock to trend and lead to an immediate price change, there are always certain fundamental factors that ultimately drive the buy-and-hold decision.
Earnings Estimate Revisions
Here at Zacks, we prioritize appraising the change in the projection of a company&#39;s future earnings over anything else. That&#39;s because we believe the present value of its future stream of earnings is what determines the fair value for its stock.
We essentially look at how sell-side analysts covering the stock are revising their earnings estimates to reflect the impact of the latest business trends. And if earnings estimates go up for a company, the fair value for its stock goes up. A higher fair value than the current market price drives investors&#39; interest in buying the stock, leading to its price moving higher. This is why empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.
Tesla is expected to post earnings of $0.61 per share for the current quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -33%. Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has changed -13.4%.
The consensus earnings estimate of $2.48 for the current fiscal year indicates a year-over-year change of -20.5%. This estimate has changed -17.3% over the last 30 days.
For the next fiscal year, the consensus earnings estimate of $3.29 indicates a change of +32.5% from what Tesla is expected to report a year ago. Over the past month, the estimate has changed -17.1%.
With an impressive externally audited track record, our proprietary stock rating tool -- the Zacks Rank -- is a more conclusive indicator of a stock&#39;s near-term price performance, as it effectively harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions. The size of the recent change in the consensus estimate, along with three other factors related to earnings estimates, has resulted in a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell) for Tesla.
The chart below shows the evolution of the company&#39;s forward 12-month consensus EPS estimate:
12 Month EPS
Revenue Growth Forecast
While earnings growth is arguably the most superior indicator of a company&#39;s financial health, nothing happens as such if a business isn&#39;t able to grow its revenues. After all, it&#39;s nearly impossible for a company to increase its earnings for an extended period without increasing its revenues. So, it&#39;s important to know a company&#39;s potential revenue growth.
For Tesla, the consensus sales estimate for the current quarter of $24.99 billion indicates a year-over-year change of +0.3%. For the current and next fiscal years, $99.74 billion and $114.19 billion estimates indicate +3.1% and +14.5% changes, respectively.
Last Reported Results and Surprise History
Tesla reported revenues of $21.3 billion in the last reported quarter, representing a year-over-year change of -8.7%. EPS of $0.45 for the same period compares with $0.85 a year ago.
Compared to the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $22.15 billion, the reported revenues represent a surprise of -3.83%. The EPS surprise was -2.17%.
Over the last four quarters, the company surpassed EPS estimates just once. The company topped consensus revenue estimates just once over this period.
Valuation
No investment decision can be efficient without considering a stock&#39;s valuation. Whether a stock&#39;s current price rightly reflects the intrinsic value of the underlying business and the company&#39;s growth prospects is an essential determinant of its future price performance.
While comparing the current values of a company&#39;s valuation multiples, such as price-to-earnings (P/E), price-to-sales (P/S) and price-to-cash flow (P/CF), with its own historical values helps determine whether its stock is fairly valued, overvalued, or undervalued, comparing the company relative to its peers on these parameters gives a good sense of the reasonability of the stock&#39;s price.
As part of the Zacks Style Scores system, the Zacks Value Style Score (which evaluates both traditional and unconventional valuation metrics) organizes stocks into five groups ranging from A to F (A is better than B; B is better than C; and so on), making it helpful in identifying whether a stock is overvalued, rightly valued, or temporarily undervalued.
Tesla is graded F on this front, indicating that it is trading at a premium to its peers.
Bottom Line
The facts discussed here and much other information on Zacks.com might help determine whether or not it&#39;s worthwhile paying attention to the market buzz about Tesla. However, its Zacks Rank #5 does suggest that it may underperform the broader market in the near term.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2264785/tesla-inc-tsla-is-attracting-investor-attention-here-is-what-you-should-know?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-tale_of_the_tape|most_searched_stocks-2264785">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Tesla, Inc. is Attracting Investor Attention: Here is What You Should Know

Coinbase (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/coin#NASDAQ">COIN</a>), the largest U.S. crypto exchange by trading volume, is rolling out support for the Lightning Network from today, enabling a faster and cheaper way for its users to send, receive or pay with Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)&nbsp;directly from their account. Previously, bitcoin transfers on Coinbase were processed on-chain, meaning transactions could take between 10 minutes and two hours, incurring high fees during periods of network congestion.&nbsp;Launched in 2017, the Lightning Network is a Layer 2 protocol built on top of the Bitcoin blockchain, designed to address scalability issues via bi-directional payment channels that enable near-instant, low-fee transactions off-chain without immediate settlement on the base layer. &quot;Growing Bitcoin adoption increases economic freedom in the world. I&#39;m thrilled that our Lightning integration is live to make Bitcoin more useful and accessible worldwide&quot; Coinbase&#39;s protocol specialist and Lightning integration lead Viktor Bunin told The Block. &quot;Offering faster and cheaper BTC payments through our partnership with Lightspark is another huge milestone for the ecosystem.&quot; Fees on the Lightning Network are broken down into a flat rate base fee as low as one satoshi &mdash; the smallest unit of bitcoin and equivalent to less than $0.01 &mdash; and a liquidity provider fee or fee rate as a percentage charged on the value of the payment. ​​Node operators on the network can set their fees at varying levels to compensate for locking up liquidity.
Read the <a href="https://www.theblock.co/post/291662/coinbase-lightning-network-lightspark?utm_source=benzinga&amp;utm_medium=rss&amp;utm_campaign=Coinbase+rolls+out+Lightning+Network+support+in+collaboration+with+Lightspark">full story</a> at The Block.

Events

COIN

Coinbase Rolls Out Lightning Network Support in Collaboration with Lightspark

<div>Nearly a week after the body of Dave Schultz was discovered in a field less than a mile from where his abandoned red- and white-striped Peterbilt with a loaded trailer of pigs was located in Sac County, Iowa, his family has more questions than answers.</div>

The Wall Lake, Iowa, man's widow, Sarah Schultz, says she's relieved that Dave's body has been found. But she and other family members still don't know how he died and why it took 155 days for the 53-year-old's body to be found in an area that had been heavily searched after he was reported missing on Nov. 21, 2023.

"It's good that he was found — at least we know where he is and we can be at ease with that, even though we don't know what happened yet" Sarah Schultz told FreightWaves. "I've been dreading this day, but I'm relieved it's over. It's exhausting to wonder and wait every time a body is found to find out if it was Dave. I feel exhausted."

Sarah said she received a call Wednesday from Sac County Sheriff Ken McClure that someone had reported finding a body in a field. She confirmed the boots and truck keys found at the scene belonged to her husband.

<div>
On Thursday, the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner conducted a forensic autopsy and identified Dave by his dental records.
</div>

Darrell Simmons, special agent in charge at the Iowa Department of Safety, said investigators don't suspect foul play based on the initial autopsy but that it may take up to six weeks before histology and toxicology reports are completed.

"Once the final autopsy report comes back, I want to sit down with the medical examiner and go over everything and make sure that we are confident in what we're going to release at that point and time" Simmons told FreightWaves. "We will probably never understand everything that happened, but when we get more of this information back from the autopsy lab results, we can hopefully get some idea of what led up to this or why this might have happened." 

<h2 id="h-a-mysterious-disappearance">A mysterious disappearance</h2>

Sarah said she last saw her husband alive around 7 p.m. on Nov. 20, after he stopped by the house to change clothes before heading out to pick up a Seaboard Foods load of 120 pigs near Eagle Grove, Iowa. Seaboard Foods is the third-largest pig producer in the United States and the fourth-leading pork processor. It has farm operations in Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and Colorado, according to its website.

<div>
However, authorities say Dave never arrived for his midnight appointment at the site where he was supposed to offload the pigs: the Wiechman Pig Co. buying station in Sac City, Iowa. Wiechman's home office is in Fremont, Nebraska, and it has 16 locations in the Midwest, including six pig-buying stations in Iowa.
</div>

Around 3 p.m. on Nov. 21, a Sac County secondary road employee reported seeing Dave's custom rig in the northbound lane of County Road N-14, but no Dave. The rig was facing the opposite direction of the buying station where Dave was scheduled to arrive with his load of pigs.

In the cab of his truck, investigators found his wallet, including his driver's license, cellphone and around $2,000 in cash, which Sarah confirmed he had in his wallet earlier. His coat was in a nearby ditch.

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After the rig was found, law enforcement searched the immediate area on foot and with a K-9, according to a Dec. 9 press release by McClure.

"The Sac County Sheriff's Office requested assistance from the Iowa State Patrol airwing unit" McClure said in the release. "An airplane was dispatched from Iowa City that was equipped with forward-looking infrared. A State Patrol pilot flew over the surrounding area and did not detect a heat signature that would be consistent with a person. For the next two days, law enforcement, area firefighters and volunteers expanded the ground search on foot and with the use of drones.  Nothing of significant value was located."

Investigators obtained video footage showing Dave at 11:15 p.m. on Nov. 21 at the Marker 126 Travel Center east of Fort Dodge, Iowa, on U.S. Highway 20. According to the press release, Dave was there for 16 minutes. He is then seen on a Department of Transportation camera on Highway 20 west of the truck stop heading west.

"This was the last time David was seen" McClure said. "Cellphone data obtained from David Schultz's phone corroborates this timeline."

Aiding in the search were members of the nonprofit search-and-rescue group the United Cajun Navy, led by Jake Rowley, the organization's Midwest team leader, along with countless volunteers. They searched over 100,000 acres in the area where the tractor-trailer was found, but without success.

<div>
Sarah said she is convinced something happened at the truck stop because when the rig was found, it was facing the wrong direction and the headlights and flashers were off. Dave wouldn't have done that, she said, because a vehicle traveling on that part of the highway could have struck the back of the rig in the dark.
</div>

"I still believe he was taken because I've talked to people who searched that field and said there's no way in hell they could have missed him" she said.

Simmons declined to comment further until final autopsy results are available.

<h2 id="h-time-marches-on">Time marches on</h2>

In the five months since Dave was first reported missing, Sarah said she has tried to stay strong for the couple's 10-year-old twin boys, Isaack and Joseph, who have been in grief counseling since their dad went missing.

"I never believed that Dave had taken off and left us to start a new life. Anybody that knew Dave knew he wouldn't do that" she said. "He wouldn't have left me or the boys."

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Prior to Dave's disappearance, he had recently purchased a bright yellow Peterbilt and was fixing it up. Sarah said the truck has since been sold. The red and white Pete that Dave was driving on the night he went missing is also for sale but needs a little work first, she said.

"I'm hoping it will sell soon because Dave didn't have life insurance" Sarah said. "He was in good shape; he could outrun our 10-year-old boys. We didn't count on him dying so young."

Sarah's cousin, Ramie Uren, has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help with the family's financial expenses.

No date has been set for his funeral as Sarah said she wants to ensure that Dave's family is included in the planning.

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"I have a meeting on Tuesday after I drop the kids off at school" she said. "I know Dave's brother will be there, and hopefully his parents will be there, too, to start the arrangements and picking things out for the service. I've never planned a funeral before. I'm still trying to make sense of why this happened and what happened."

The post <a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/widow-suspects-foul-play-after-missing-iowa-truckers-body-found">Widow suspects foul play after missing Iowa trucker's body found</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.freightwaves.com">FreightWaves</a>.

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Widow Suspects Foul Play After Missing Iowa Trucker's Body Found

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