Earnings Season Highlights

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A collection of noteworthy post-earnings reactions

Published on Jan 26, 2021 at 2:43 PM

Best and Worst Stocks

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Top Stock Picks for 2021: First Solar

by Tony Venosa

Every day for the next two weeks, we're going to highlight one of Schaeffer's top 14 picks for 2021. Up today is a 2020 darling that could have an even bigger 2021. To access the entirety of the 2021 report, click here.

Alternative energy concern First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) emerged as a strong performer in 2020, and closed out the year with a 76.8% year-to-date gain. Even better news is that the solar stock is already bouncing off its 50-day moving average, and the solar panel manufacturer will remain in the spotlight with President Biden in office, with the new administration expected to favor the renewable energy industry over the next four years.

What’s more, declining short interest has acted as a tailwind since the security’s March 18, three-year low of $28.47. And given that 8.9% of the stock’s available float is still sold short, traders are likely to continue hitting the exits going forward. In fact, short interest has already dropped 3.5% during the past two reporting periods.

Meanwhile, analysts are pessimistic toward the security, with eight of the 12 in coverage carrying a tepid "hold" or worse rating, and four sporting a "strong buy." Should some of this negative attention begin to fade, it could give the security a boost. An unwinding of bearish bets in the options pits may also propel the security higher. This is per FSLR’s 50-day put/call volume ratio at the ISE/CBOE/PHLX, which sits higher than 90% of readings from the past year.

First Solar (NASDAQ:FSLR) Stock Pick 2021

Tony Venosa, CMT, is a Senior Options Strategist at Schaeffer's Investment Research. He's has over 20 years of trading experience under his belt -- including a stint in the mid-'90s clerking in the S&P 500 trading pits in Chicago, plus time spent as a commodity broker and proprietary day trader. A graduate of Miami University with a B.S. in finance and decision sciences, Venosa earned his Chartered Market Technician designation in 2008, and has been part of Schaeffer's in-house research team since 2010.

Published on Sep 18, 2020 at 8:09 AM

Updated on Jan 26, 2021 at 11:09 AM

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Today's Earnings Report Schedule: 09/18/2020

by Schaeffer's Digital Content Team

Big Tech and mixed messages concerning coronavirus vaccine progress put pressure on the broader market on Thursday, resulting in stocks closing our yesterday's volatile session with hefty losses. There was one positive takeaway from the day: a better-than-expected jobs data.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI - 27,901.98) shed 130.4 points, or 0.5% on Thursday. Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ: WBA -- $37.21) paced the list of winners yesterday, finishing the day 2.6% higher. Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS -- $194.83) landed at the bottom with a 2.9% drop for the day.

Meanwhile, the S&P 500 Index (SPX - 3,357.01) fell 28.5 points, or 0.8% for the day yesterday. The Nasdaq Composite (IXIC - 10,910.28) lost 140.2 points, or 1.3% during Thursday's session.

Lastly, the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX - 26.46) rose 0.4 point yesterday, or 1.6%.

Here is a quick roundup of new actionable trade ideas and analysis:

A major voluntary recall sends this pharma stock sliding
Life insurance stock gets boost from $1.68B acquisition
Upbeat analyst note pushes casino stock to record highs
Arcade stock plummets after sounding bankruptcy alarm
Huge return potential for this mining stock in October 2020
The two cruise stocks sinking after conflicting vaccine statements
New bullish coverage props up this pharmacy stock

Today, attention will shift to consumer sentiment and inflation data. There are no major earnings to slated to report today.

Looking ahead to next week, the earnings docket is packed to the brim, and is accompanied by a slew of economic data that is sure to keep investors busy.

Don't miss a beat! Join our complimentary 5-Minute Market Rundown newsletter for a concise recap of this week's trading sessions, featured stocks to keep an eye on, and access to our feature podcast, Schaeffer's Market Mashup, featuring Jermal Chandler from Cboe Holding this week.

Published on Jan 26, 2021 at 10:48 AM

Intraday Option Activity
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Better-Than-Expected Cash Flow Boosts General Electric Stock

by Jake Scott

That bullish sentiment is being echoed in today's options pits as well. Already, over 256,000 calls have exchanged hands, which is eight times the what's normally traded at this point and volume pacing in the 100th percentile of its annual range

Published on Jan 26, 2021 at 9:37 AM

Updated on Jan 26, 2021 at 9:48 AM

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Earnings Preview

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Boeing Stock Faces Off With $200 Ahead of Earnings

by Schaeffer's Digital Content Team

Published on Jan 26, 2021 at 9:44 AM

Analyst Update

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BB Extends Massive Gains Despite Downgrade

by Laura McCandless

Published on Jan 26, 2021 at 9:31 AM

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Sunny Outlook, Incoming Vaccine Data Lifts JNJ to Fresh Highs

by Lillian Currens

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) stock is getting a boost this morning, last seen up 1.8% at an all-time high of $169, after the major company posted better-than-expected fiscal fourth quarter earnings, though profits dropped 56.7% due to litigation expenses. The firm also posted a 2021 outlook that exceeded Wall Street's estimates, and its chief financial officer noted that promising data for its single-dose Covid-19 vaccine trial was expected to come out next week.

The pharmaceutical stock rallied past overhead pressure at the $156 level -- home to JNJ's former late-April peak -- in late December. The equity has since found a solid leg of support at its 20-day moving average, and sports a strong year-over-year lead of roughly 12%.

Analysts are optimistic toward the security. Of the 12 in coverage, nine carry a "buy" or better rating, while only three say "hold." Meanwhile, the stock's 12-month consensus price target of $169.13 sits just slightly above last night's close, indicating price-target hikes could be on the horizon.

Options traders have been overwhelmingly bullish, per JNJ's 50-day call/put volume ratio of 4.65 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX). This ratio stands higher than all but 1% of readings from the past year, suggesting long calls have been picked up at a faster-than-usual clip.

This sentiment has been echoed by short-term traders, as seen by the stock's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 0.37, which sits in its lowest annual percentile. This means short-term option traders haven't been more call-biased over the past year.

Published on Jan 26, 2021 at 8:47 AM

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Earnings Preview

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Could the Crypto Craze Be in the Cards For Visa?

by Schaeffer's Digital Content Team

Published on Jan 26, 2021 at 7:11 AM

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Today's Stock Market News & Events: 1/26/2021

by Schaeffer's Digital Content Team

Yesterday we saw a significant amount of optimism surrounding Big Tech earnings -- specifically Apple (AAPL). Elsewhere, concerns that speculative trading on heavily shorted names like GameStop (GME) and Bed Bath & Beyond (BBBY) could bring the broader market down are brewing on Wall Street. What's going on in Washington is still top of mind as well, as U.S. President Joe Biden continues to work to advance a $1.9 trillion stimulus plan, despite opposition.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI - 30,960.00) dropped 37 points on Monday. The S&P 500 Index (SPX - 3,855.36) dropped, while the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC - 13,635.99) added 92.93 points yesterday. The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX - 23.19) added 5.8% for the day on Monday.

Today the market picks up the pace after a semi-slow start to the week, with the Case-Shiller home price, FHFA home price, and consumer confidence indexes all due out.

The following companies are slated to release quarterly earnings reports today, January 26:

3M Company (NYSE:MMM -- $170.39) develops, manufactures, and markets various products. 3M will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Alaska Air Group, Inc. (NYSE:ALK -- $52.90) provides passenger and cargo air transportation services. Alaska Air will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

American Express Company (NYSE:AXP -- $121.15) provides charge and credit payment card products, and travel-related services. American Express will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (NYSE:ADM -- $53.09) procures, transports, stores, processes, and merchandises agricultural commodities, products, and ingredients. Archer-Daniels will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Autoliv, Inc. (NYSE:ALV -- $88.60) develops, manufactures, and supplies automotive safety systems to the automotive industry. Autoliv will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

CIT Group, Inc. (NYSE:CIT -- $39.15) operates as the holding company for CIT Bank, N.A.. CIT Group will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

D.R. Horton, Inc. (NYSE:DHI -- $78.97) operates as a homebuilding company. D.R. Horton will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Freeport-McMoRan, Inc. (NYSE:FCX -- $28.98) engages in the mining of mineral properties. Freeport-McMoRan will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

General Electric Company (NYSE:GE -- $10.99) operates as a high-tech industrial company. General Electric will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Invesco, Ltd. (NYSE:IVZ -- $21.04) is a publicly owned investment manager. Invesco will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ -- $165.98) researches and develops, manufactures, and sells various products in the health care field. Johnson & Johnson will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT -- $343.51) is a security and aerospace company. Lockheed Martin will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE:NEE -- $86.87) generates, transmits, and distributes electric power. NextEra Energy will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

NextEra Energy Partners, LP (NYSE:NEP -- $84.02) acquires, owns, and manages contracted clean energy projects. NextEra Energy Partners will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Novartis AG (NYSE:NVS -- $98.47) researches, develops, manufactures, and markets healthcare products. Novartis AG will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

PACCAR, Inc. (NYSE:PCAR -- $97.93) designs, manufactures, and distributes light, medium, and heavy-duty commercial trucks. PACCAR will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Pacific Premier Bancrop, Inc. (NASDAQ:PPBI -- $35.36) operates as the bank holding company for Pacific Premier Bank. Pacific Premier will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Polaris Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PII -- $119.50) designs, engineers, manufactures, and markets power sports vehicles. Polaris Industries will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Prologis, Inc. (NYSE:PLD -- $102.70) is the global leader in logistics real estate. Prologis will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Raytheon Technologies Corporation (NYSE:RTX -- $66.28) provides advanced aerospace and defense systems and services. Raytheon Technologies will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:ROK -- $66.28) provides industrial automation and digital transformation solutions. Rockwell Automation will report its first-quarter earnings before the bell today.

Simmons First National Corporation (NASDAQ:SFNC -- $26.45) operates as the holding company for Simmons Bank. Simmons First National will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Synovus Financial Corp. (NYSE:SNV -- $36.68) operates as the bank holding company for Synovus Bank. Synovus will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

UBS Group AG (NYSE:UBS -- $14.53) provides financial advice and solutions. UBS AG will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Verizon Communications, Inc. (NYSE:VZ -- $58.42) offers communications, information, and entertainment products and services. Verizon will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Xerox Holdings Corporation (NYSE:XRX -- $20.75) designs, develops, and sells document management systems and solutions. Xerox will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD -- $94.13) operates as a semiconductor company. Advanced Micro will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Boston Properties, Inc. (NYSE:BXP -- $91.28) is the largest publicly-held developer and owner of Class A office properties. Boston Properties will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:CHRW -- $99.32) provides freight transportation services and logistics solutions. C.H. Robinson will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Canadian National Rail Company (NYSE:CNI -- $107.99) engages in the rail and related transportation business. Canadian Nat'l Rail will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF -- $102.53) operates as the financial services holding company for the Capital One Bank (USA), National Association; and Capital One, National Association. Capital One will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Encompass Health Corporation (NYSE:EHC -- $85.70) provides facility-based and home-based post-acute healthcare services. Encompass Health will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

F5 Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:FFIV -- $207.25) provides multi-cloud application services for the security, performance, and availability of network applications, servers, and storage systems. F5 Networks will report its first-quarter earnings after the market closes today.

First Commonwealth Financial Corporation (NYSE:FCF -- $12.59) provides consumer and commercial banking services. First Commonwealth will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

First Midwest Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:FMBI -- $17.87) operates as the bank holding company for First Midwest Bank. First Midwest Banc will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:HA -- $20.22) engages in the scheduled air transportation of passengers and cargo. Hawaiian Holdings will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Hope Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ:HOPE -- $12.29) operates as the bank holding company for Bank of Hope. Hope Bancorp will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Marten Transport, Inc. (NASDAQ:MRTN -- $17.98) operates as a temperature-sensitive truckload carrier. Marten Transport will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. (NASDAQ:MXIM -- $92.44) designs, develops, manufactures, and markets a range of linear and mixed-signal integrated circuits. Maxim Integrated will report its second-quarter earnings after the market closes today.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT -- $229.53) develops, licenses, and supports software, services, devices, and solutions. Microsoft will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Navient Corporation (NASDAQ:NAVI -- $11.32) provides education loan management and business processing solutions. Navient will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

RenaissanceRe Holdings, Ltd. (NYSE:RNR -- $154.77) provides reinsurance and insurance products. RenaissanceRe will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Renasant Corporation (NASDAQ:RNST -- $38.43) operates as a bank holding company for Renasant Bank. Renasant will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Silgan Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:SLGN -- $36.72) manufactures and sells rigid packaging for consumer goods products. Silgan Holdings will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX -- $103.45) operates as a roaster, marketer, and retailer of specialty coffee. Starbucks will report its second-quarter earnings after the market closes today.

Stride, Inc. (NYSE:LRN -- $25.33) is a technology-based education company. Stride will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Texas Instruments, Inc. (NASDAQ:TXN -- $172.92) designs, manufactures, and sells semiconductors to electronics designers and manufacturers. Texas Instruments will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Trustmark Corporation (NASDAQ:TRMK -- $30.60) operates as the bank holding company for Trustmark National Bank. Trustmark will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

UMB Financial Corporation (NASDAQ:UMBF -- $73.02) operates as the bank holding company for the UMB Bank. UMB Financial Corporation will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Varian Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE:VAR -- $175.33) designs, manufactures, sells, and services medical devices and software products. Varian Medical will report its first-quarter earnings after the market closes today.

W.R. Berkley Corporation (NYSE:WRB -- $66.06) operates as the bank holding company for Trustmark National Bank. W.R. Berkley will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

WesBanco, Inc. (NASDAQ:WSBC -- $31.54) operates as the bank holding company for WesBanco Bank, Inc.. WesBanco will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, durable and core capital goods orders are set to be released. In addition, the Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) two-day meeting will conclude with the latest decision on interest rates, as well as a press conference from Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.. All economic dates listed here are tentative and subject to change.

Published on Jan 25, 2021 at 7:10 AM

Updated on Jan 25, 2021 at 5:25 PM

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Today's Stock Market News & Events: 1/25/2021

by Schaeffer's Digital Content Team

The first month of 2021 is set to end with a packed schedule, full of economic data and loads of earnings reports. Though today will start the week off on a slow note, Tuesday features the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) home price index, amongst other notable indexes. Midweek, there will be a press conference with Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell, and another fresh batch of jobless data is due out. A plethora of data is slated for Friday, including the latest Chicago Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI). Plus, did we mention it's full-blown earnings season right now??

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI - 30,996.98) dropped 0.6% for the day on Friday, and added 0.6% for the week last week. The S&P 500 Index (SPX - 3,841.47) dropped 0.3% lower on Friday, but added 2% last week, while the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC - 13,543.06) added 0.09% on Friday, and 4.2% last week. The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX - 21.91) added 2.8% for the day on Friday and dropped nearly 10% last week.

The following companies are slated to release quarterly earnings reports today, January 25:

Bank of Hawaii, Inc. (NYSE:BOH -- $84.11) operates as the bank holding company for Bank of Hawaii. Bank of Hawaii will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Cadence Bancorporation (NYSE:CADE -- $20.46) provides commercial banking products and services. Cadence Bancorp will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Community Bank System, Inc. (NYSE:CBU -- $70.58) operates as the bank holding company for Community Bank, N.A. Community Bank will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE:KMB -- $132.21) manufactures and markets personal care and consumer tissue products. Kimberly-Clark will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

Koninklijke Philips N.V. (NYSE:PHG -- $55.56) operates as a health technology company. Philips will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 before the bell today.

AGNC Investment Corp. (NASDAQ:AGNC -- $16.14) operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT). AGNC Investment will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

BancorpSouth Bank (NYSE:BXS -- $30.37) provides commercial banking and financial services. BancorpSouth will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Boot Barn Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:BOOT -- $58.35) operates specialty lifestyle retail stores. Boot Barn Holdings will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Brown & Brown, Inc. (NYSE:BRO -- $47.49) markets and sells insurance products and services. Brown & Brown will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Crane, Co. (NYSE:CR -- $80.66) manufactures and sells engineered industrial products. Crane will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Equity Lifestyle Properties, Inc. (NYSE:ELS -- $63.28) is a self-administered, self-managed real estate investment trust. Equity Lifestyle Properties will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Graco, Inc. (NYSE:GGG -- $75.83) designs, manufactures, and markets systems and equipment used to move, measure, control, dispense, and spray fluid and powder materials. Graco will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

H.B. Fuller Company (NYSE:FUL -- $52.73) formulates, manufactures, and markets adhesives, sealants, coatings, polymers, tapes, encapsulants, additives, and other specialty chemical products. H.B. Fuller will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Heartland Financial USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:HTLF -- $52.73) provides commercial, small business, and consumer banking services. Heartland Financial will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Hexcel Corporation (NYSE:HXL -- $48.34) develops, manufactures, and markets structural materials for use in commercial aerospace, space and defense, and industrial markets. Hexcel will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

J & J Snack Foods Corporation (NASDAQ:JJSF -- $153.09) manufactures, markets, and distributes various nutritional snack foods and beverages. J & J Snack Foods will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Steel Dynamics, Inc. (NASDAQ:STLD -- $38.70) operates as a steel producer and metal recycler. Steel Dynamics will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Xilinx, Inc. (NASDAQ:XLNX -- $142.94) designs and develops programmable devices and associated technologies. Xilinx will report its fourth-quarter earnings of 2020 after the market closes today.

Here is a quick recap of how Friday's earnings reports compared to Wall Street's expectations:

Ally Financial, Inc. (NYSE:ALLY -- $39.94) provides various digital financial products and services. Earnings per share increased 68.42% year over year to $1.60, which beat the estimate of $1.05. Revenue of $1,879,000,000 up by 14.36% from the same period last year, which beat the estimate of $1,670,000,000.

First Hawaiian, Inc. (NASDAQ:FHB -- $25.45) operates as a bank holding company for First Hawaiian Bank. Earnings per share fell 7.41% year over year to $0.50, which beat the estimate of $0.44. Revenue of $188,825,000 up by 1.34% year over year, which beat the estimate of $184,380,000.

First Horizon Corporation (NYSE:FHN -- $14.34) operates as the bank holding company for First Horizon Bank. Earnings per share fell 2.13% year over year to $0.46, which beat the estimate of $0.33. Revenue of $810,000,000 higher by 63.74% year over year, which beat the estimate of $783,280,000.

Huntington Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:HBAN -- $14.51) operates as a holding company for The Huntington National Bank. Earnings per share fell 3.57% over the past year to $0.27, which missed the estimate of $0.29. Revenue of $1,234,000,000 higher by 7.12% year over year, which missed the estimate of $1,250,000,000.

Kansas City Southern (NYSE:KSU -- $212.99) provides domestic and international rail transportation services. Earnings per share increased 3.85% over the past year to $1.89, which missed the estimate of $1.92. Revenue of $693,400,000 declined by 4.95% year over year, which missed the estimate of $695,770,000.

New Oriental Education & Technology Group, Inc. (NYSE:EDU -- $182.89) provides private educational services under the New Oriental brand. Earnings per share rose 19.44% year over year to $0.43, which beat the estimate of $0.34. Revenue of $887,689,000 up by 13.05% from the same period last year, which beat the estimate of $885,600,000.

Regions Financial Corporation (NYSE:RF -- $17.79) provides banking and bank-related services. Earnings per share were up 52.50% over the past year to $0.61, which beat the estimate of $0.42. Revenue of $1,655,000,000 higher by 11.67% year over year, which beat the estimate of $1,560,000,000.

Schlumberger Limited (NYSE:SLB -- $24.19) supplies technology for reservoir characterization, drilling, production, and processing to the oil and gas industry. Earnings per share fell 43.59% over the past year to $0.22, which beat the estimate of $0.17. Revenue of $5,532,000,000 decreased by 32.77% from the same period last year, which beat the estimate of $5,250,000,000.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, the market picks up the pace, with the Case-Shiller home price, FHFA home price, and consumer confidence indexes all due out. All economic dates listed here are tentative and subject to change.

Published on Jan 25, 2021 at 3:24 PM

Updated on Jan 25, 2021 at 3:30 PM

Most Active Options Update

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AMC Calls Surge as the Cash Rolls In

by Fernanda Horner

The shares of AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (NYSE:AMC) are surging today, up 28.4% to trade at $4.51 at last check, and one of the best stocks on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The pop comes after CEO Adam Aron laid bankruptcy rumors to rest, noting that the movie theater company has raised an additional $917 million in the past six weeks, including $506 million in equity from the issuance of 164.7 million new common shares.

What's more, the security recently appeared on Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White's list of stocks that have attracted the highest weekly options volume within the last two weeks, with one new name to the list highlighted in yellow. In AMC's case, 917,175 weekly calls, and 204,262 weekly puts have crossed the tape in the past 10 days.

MAO 0125

Today's headlines are only reinforcing this bullish sentiment. So far, 866,000 calls and 208,000 puts have exchanged hands, which is seven times the intraday average. Most popular is the weekly 1/29 7-strike call, followed by the 5-strike call in the same series, with new positions being opened at both. Buyers of these options expect to see more upside for the equity by the end of the week, when the contracts are set to expire.

Digging deeper, AMC stock has had a volatile run on the charts over the past year, surging above the $7 level in November before dropping to a Jan. 5 all-time low of $1.92. Shares have since struggled with overhead pressure at the $5 mark, though reclaimed support from the 10-day moving average is now guiding the security upwards. Year-to-date, AMC has added 112%.

AMC 10 Day

Analysts were overwhelmingly bearish toward the equity coming into today, with seven of the nine in question calling it a tepid "hold," while two said "strong sell." Plus, AMC's 12-month consensus target price of $2.15 is a 52% discount to current levels, leaving ample room for price-target hikes and/or upgrades moving forward, which could push the security even higher.

More tailwinds could come in the form of a short squeeze. Short interest is up 16.4% in the last two reporting periods, and the 38.99 million shares sold short still make up no less than 74.9% of the stock's available float, or over a day's worth of pent-up buying power.

Published on Jan 25, 2021 at 3:06 PM

Analyst Upgrades
Earnings Preview

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Analysts Praise AMD Ahead of Q4 Earnings

by Jake Scott

A look at AMD's post-earnings past shows five negative earnings reactions in the past two years, including a 10.1% in July of 2019, and a 4.1 fall last October.

Published on Jan 25, 2021 at 11:10 AM