In this segment of this Motley Fool Money podcast, host Chris Hill and Fool analysts Jason Moser, Matt Argersinger, and Ron Gross discuss the latest quarterly results from the world’s largest retailer.
Walmart (NYSE:WMT) beat on revenue and earnings, and its domestic online sales rose by 33% — which would be more impressive if it weren’t pouring quite so much money into its efforts to win those sales and if its margins weren’t feeling the pinch. They talk about Walmart’s strategy, its international plans, and whether the stock is a value or a value trap right now.
A full transcript follows the video.
This video was recorded on May 18, 2018.
Chris Hill: First quarter profits and revenue both came in higher than expected. Online sales in the U.S. up 33%. But, Ron, they are spending a lot of money.
Ron Gross: Yeah. It was mixed. You nailed it on the head. Beating expectations on the top and bottom line, that’s great. Comp sales up 2.1%, also strong. Online sales, last quarter, they actually disappointed on the online sales growth, and the stock took a slam. Now, up 33%. Really good to see, and that’s important. Online grocery also showing good, strong growth numbers as well. But, margins are under pressure. We’ve got higher freight costs, we’ve got price cuts to remain competitive, and that’s taking a bite out of profit. Operating income was actually down in the U.S. by about 3%. So, a mixed bag overall.
Top 5 Value Stocks To Own Right Now: Sohu.com Inc.(SOHU)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Anders Bylund]
Sogou’s shares are prone to big swings for a couple of simple reasons.
As a Chinese business, many American investors don’t feel connected to Sogou’s business and might not have access to some important sources of information about this company and its stock. Though Sogou has been around for nearly a decade now, it only entered the public markets in November of 2017. It’s a new ticker, untested on the market, and not always easily understood through year-over-year or longer-term analyses. At the IPO, Chinese internet giants Tencent (NASDAQOTH:TCEHY) and Sohu.com (NASDAQ:SOHU) combined for a total ownership of 82% of Sogu’s business. Those stakes later declined to 71%, but Sohu and Tencent remain Sogou’s largest shareholders, with 96% of the voting power in shareholder elections and votes. Regular investors hold a very small stake in Sogou, which tends to boost the stock’s volatility.
Moreover, Chinese regulators launched an investigation of Sogou in June, forcing the company to shut down parts of its online advertising operations for 10 days in early July. The company is accused of showing video ads that insulted a national hero. That blackout will reduce Sogou’s third-quarter revenues by a significant but unannounced amount.
- [By Rick Munarriz]
I’ve been covering Sohu.com (NASDAQ:SOHU) for awhile, so when the Chinese internet pioneer announced plans to spin off Sogou, I was more than a little interested. Sogou has been the main growth driver at Sohu for years. With Sohu’s online advertising business meandering and its internet gaming business proving volatile, search has been its crown jewel.
- [By Rick Munarriz]
Sohu.com (NASDAQ:SOHU) is still struggling to fire on all cylinders, but investors nonetheless bid shares of the dot-com pioneer higher on Friday after it posted mixed fourth-quarter results. Revenue clocked in at $482.2 million for the final three months of 2018, a 5% decline from a year earlier, but a 5% sequential improvement.
- [By Daniel Sparks]
Shares of Chinese internet company Sohu.com (NASDAQ:SOHU) fell as much as 11.8% on Wednesday, following the company’s first-quarter earnings release. The stock is down 8.4% at the time of this writing.
- [By Rick Munarriz]
The market isn’t warming up to Sohu.com’s (NASDAQ:SOHU) latest financial report. Its shares are hitting their lowest levels since the summer of 2007 after the Chinese online advertising, search, and gaming specialist posted disappointing first-quarter results on Wednesday morning.
Top 5 Value Stocks To Own Right Now: Hudson Pacific Properties, Inc.(HPP)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Ethan Ryder]
Forestar Group (NYSE: FOR) and Hudson Pacific Properties (NYSE:HPP) are both finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, analyst recommendations, valuation, institutional ownership, dividends, risk and profitability.
- [By Joseph Griffin]
Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Hudson Pacific Properties (HPP)
For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com
- [By Max Byerly]
Hudson Pacific Properties (NYSE:HPP) EVP Sanford Dale Shimoda sold 2,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.72, for a total transaction of $71,440.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 94,478 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,374,754.16. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.
- [By Stephan Byrd]
Hudson Pacific Properties (NYSE:HPP) EVP Sanford Dale Shimoda sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 6th. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.96, for a total transaction of $179,800.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 89,478 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,217,628.88. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website.
- [By Stephan Byrd]
Hudson Pacific Properties Inc (NYSE:HPP) has been given an average recommendation of “Buy” by the thirteen ratings firms that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Five research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $37.78.
Top 5 Value Stocks To Own Right Now: NovoCure Limited(NVCR)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Stephan Byrd]
JPMorgan Chase & Co. reaffirmed their buy rating on shares of Novocure (NASDAQ:NVCR) in a report issued on Sunday morning.
NVCR has been the subject of a number of other research reports. Mizuho reaffirmed a buy rating and issued a $32.00 price objective on shares of Novocure in a report on Wednesday, June 13th. BidaskClub downgraded shares of Novocure from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a report on Tuesday, July 31st. Evercore ISI began coverage on shares of Novocure in a report on Monday, July 16th. They issued an outperform rating and a $46.00 price objective for the company. Wedbush lifted their price objective on shares of Novocure from $33.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock an outperform rating in a report on Friday, July 27th. Finally, Deutsche Bank downgraded shares of Novocure from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, July 25th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, six have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the stock. Novocure currently has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $40.29.
- [By Ethan Ryder]
NovoCure (NASDAQ:NVCR) Director Gabriel Leung sold 80,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.83, for a total value of $2,306,400.00. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.
- [By Brian Feroldi]
In this week’s episode of Industry Focus: Healthcare, hidden-gems aficionado Brian Feroldi shares three exciting healthcare small caps that don’t stick investors with a mountain of risk — LeMaitre Vascular (NASDAQ:LMAT), HealthEquity (NASDAQ:HQY), and NovoCure (NASDAQ:NVCR). What do these companies do? How did they carve out a niche for themselves? What does the competition look like? And, because you can’t mitigate all the risk away, what risks should investors watch for? Tune in and find out more.
- [By Max Byerly]
Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on NovoCure (NVCR)
For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com
- [By Brian Feroldi]
After the company announced details of its phase 3 INNOVATE-3 trial at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting, shares of NovoCure (NASDAQ:NVCR), a red-hot medical device company focused on cancer, fell as much as 12% in early morning trading today. Shares were down about 10% as of 10:30 a.m. EDT.
- [By Todd Campbell, Sean Williams, and Brian Feroldi]
There have been more stock market pops and drops lately and that might have you wondering what healthcare stocks can be bought to take advantage of this volatility. Buying healthcare stocks during periods of volatility can be smart because demand for healthcare products and services usually isn’t discretionary. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean it makes sense to buy every healthcare stock out there. To find out what healthcare stocks it might make sense to buy this month, we asked top Motley Fool investors what companies are on their radar. In their view, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (NYSE:TEVA), Novacure (NASDAQ:NVCR), and Galapagos (NASDAQ:GLPG) should be at the top of your idea list right now. Read on to find out why.
Top 5 Value Stocks To Own Right Now: Nuveen North Carolina Premium Income Municipal Fund(NNC)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Ethan Ryder]
Wells Fargo & Company MN increased its holdings in Nuveen North Carol Premium Incom Mun Fd (NYSE:NNC) by 29.8% in the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 289,655 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 66,507 shares during the quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN’s holdings in Nuveen North Carol Premium Incom Mun Fd were worth $3,554,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.
Top 5 Value Stocks To Own Right Now: Plantronics Inc.(PLT)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Joseph Griffin]
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- [By Logan Wallace]
Plantronics (NYSE: PLT) and Ciena (NYSE:CIEN) are both mid-cap computer and technology companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, analyst recommendations, valuation, profitability, earnings, institutional ownership and dividends.
- [By Stephan Byrd]
Lapides Asset Management LLC reduced its position in shares of Plantronics Inc (NYSE:PLT) by 36.3% in the second quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 42,200 shares of the technology company’s stock after selling 24,100 shares during the quarter. Lapides Asset Management LLC’s holdings in Plantronics were worth $3,218,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.
- [By Motley Fool Transcribers]
Plantronics Inc (NYSE:PLT)Q3 2019 Earnings Conference CallFeb. 05, 2019, 5:00 p.m. ET
Contents:
Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants
Prepared Remarks:Operator