Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading: New York Community Bank — Shares of the beaten-down regional bank popped more than 31% after CEO Joseph Otting said in a release , “we have a clear path to profitability over the following two years.” The bank on Wednesday posted a quarterly loss of $335 million , fueled by a rise in soured commercial loans and higher expenses. Super Micro Computer — The server vendor dropped 15% after missing revenue expectations for its fiscal third quarter. However, Super Micro beat analysts’ expectations for its adjusted earnings and hiked its revenue guidance for its fiscal 2024 year. Starbucks — Shares plunged more than 16% after the coffee chain posted weaker-than-expected quarterly results on the top and bottom lines. Starbucks posted adjusted earnings of 68 cents per share on revenue of $8.56 billion. It missed analysts’ forecasts of 79 cents per share in earnings and $9.13 billion for revenue, per LSEG. Pfizer — The drugmaker’s shares rose 3% after Pfizer topped Wall Street’s first-quarter revenue forecast and raised its full-year profit guidance. Pfizer now expects adjusted earnings of $2.15 to $2.35 per share for the full year, higher than its previous forecast of $2.05 to $2.25 per share. Skyworks Solutions — TD Cowen downgraded Skyworks to hold from buy, sending the Apple supplier down 15%. The firm said it sees numerous headwinds, and that the stock’s risk/reward ratio skews negative “until there is greater visibility into a Mobile content catalyst.” Amazon — The tech giant added 1.3% on the back of its strong first-quarter profit and revenue beat. Advertising revenue grew 24% in the first quarter, and Amazon Web Services also posted results that surpassed analysts’ expectations. SiriusXM — The broadcasting company’s stock jumped nearly 4% after Goldman Sachs upgraded SiriusXM to neutral from sell mainly on valuation, citing its recent underperformance. CVS Health — Shares plunged 16% following the drugstore chain and pharmacy benefit manager’s first-quarter adjusted earnings and revenue miss. In addition, CVS cut its full-year profit outlook , which also missed the consensus estimate, citing higher medical costs. Powell Industries — The Houston-based electrical infrastructure company advanced 22% after beating Wall Street’s fiscal second-quarter expectations. Powell posted earnings of $2.75 per share on revenue of $255 million. In the year-ago quarter, the company reported 70 cents per share in earnings and revenue of $171.4 million. Estée Lauder — Shares of the beauty and skin care conglomerate dropped 12% on its disappointing guidance for the fiscal fourth quarter. Estée Lauder said it now expects adjusted earnings per share of 19 cents to 29 cents, which was below analysts’ forecast of 76 cents per share, according to LSEG. Kraft Heinz — The ketchup and prepared food maker’s stock tumbled 6.6% on the back of weak first-quarter revenue. Kraft Heinz saw $6.41 billion in the three-month period, slightly less than the $6.43 billion estimate from analysts polled by LSEG. Adjusted earnings were in line with expectations at 69 cents per share. Pinterest — Shares of the social media platform soared 21% after the company surpassed Wall Street top- and bottom-line estimates for the first quarter. Pinterest’s second-quarter revenue guidance also beat expectations, as the company forecast sales of $835 million to $850 million compared to the LSEG consensus estimate of $827 million. Advanced Micro Devices — The chipmaker fell 9.5% after it issued in-line guidance for sales in the second quarter, forecasting sales of about $5.7 billion in the current quarter, or 6% annual growth. Yum Brands — The fast-food giant lost nearly 4% after it reported quarterly adjusted earnings and revenue that missed analysts’ expectations. KFC and Pizza Hut reported same-store sales declines as they struggled to attract customers, while Taco Bell’s same-store sales rose just 1%. 3M — Shares added 2.8% after JPMorgan upgraded shares of the conglomerate to overweight from neutral, enthused by its current trading price and earnings momentum after the company posted a beat on profit estimates driven by improved electronics demand. — CNBC’s Alex Harring, Yun Li, Lisa Kailai Han, Hakyung Kim and Michelle Fox contributed reporting.
After last month’s excitement over stimulus plans, Chinese stocks now face mounting challenges as earnings have yet to pick up and heightened U.S. trade tensions loom. “Stock picking remains important with [the] headwind of tariffs, a weaker currency and persistent deflation,” Morgan Stanley chief China equity strategist Laura Wang and a team said in a report Thursday. For investment options, she referred to the firm’s survey of China stocks the investment bank’s analysts already cover. The firm screened for stocks that could outperform depending on which of three scenarios unfolded. Only the bear case accounted for significant U.S. tariffs and restrictions. The base and bull cases assumed the status quo in U.S.-China relations. The bear case also expects 1 trillion yuan, or $140 billion, in fiscal stimulus a year and MSCI China earnings per share growth of 3% this year and 5% next year. Morgan Stanley’s basket of bear case stocks only includes overweight-rated names with a dividend yield above 4% this year. They also have free cash flow yield above 4% from 2023 to 2025 and market capitalization above $2 billion, among other factors. The companies must not be on Morgan Stanley’s lists of stocks at a disadvantage from Republican policy and supply chain diversification. The only consumer name that made the list was Tingyi , a Hong Kong-listed company that owns instant noodles brand Master Kong. The company is also PepsiCo ‘s exclusive manufacturer and seller in China. Tingyi’s net profit in beverages rose nearly 26% in the first half of 2024 compared to a year ago, while that of instant noodles rose 5.4%. Morgan Stanley expects Tingyi’s earnings per share to grow 12% this year and 11% in 2025. Other Chinese companies that made Morgan Stanley’s bear case basket included two state-owned energy stocks: drilling company China Oilfield Services and Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation , which specializes in shipping oil and natural gas. Both stocks are listed in Hong Kong, as is the only industrials name on the bear case list, Sinotruk . The truck manufacturer is also state owned. Morgan Stanley expects China Oilfield Services can grow earnings per share by 41% this year and 33% next year, while Cosco Shipping Energy Transportation can see its earnings rise 33% this year, before slowing to 16% growth next year. Sinotruk earnings can grow 18% this year and 17% next year, according to Morgan Stanley estimates. MSCI China constituents are on track for their 13th straight quarter of earnings misses, despite recent improvements in economic data, Morgan Stanley’s Wang said. “We expect further earnings downward revisions amid lingering deflationary pressure and geopolitical uncertainties until more policy clarity emerges.” Asia equity fund managers have modestly increased their exposure to China since September’s stimulus announcements, Morningstar strategist Claire Liang said in a phone interview Friday. “But many managers have said whether this rally can continue will depend on whether the policies can see real results,” Liang said in Mandarin, which was translated by CNBC. Beyond stabilizing the economy, she said the managers are looking for whether corporate earnings can recover. China’s October data release on Friday underscored a slow economic recovery despite the latest barrage of stimulus announcements. Industrial production missed forecasts. Fixed asset investment grew more slowly than forecast as the drop in real estate investment steepened, albeit with new home sales narrowing their decline. Only retail sales beat expectations with 4.8% growth . For China’s export-heavy economy, the risk of U.S. tariffs has only risen over the past two weeks as the Republican Party has taken control of the U.S. Congress and President-elect Donald Trump has filled his cabinet with China hawks. Morgan Stanley’s U.S. policy team expects Trump to impose tariffs soon after he takes office, and potentially hit Europe and Mexico along with China imports. While China is better positioned than six years ago to stave off the effects of targeted tariffs, the analysts said global duties on U.S. imports would hit China as much as targeted tariffs did in 2018.
Elon Musk at the tenth Breakthrough Prize ceremony held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on April 13, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.
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On Saturday, Elon Musk shared who he is endorsing for Treasury secretary on X, a cabinet position President-elect Donald Trump has yet to announce his preference to fill.
Musk wrote that Howard Lutnick, Trump-Vance transition co-chair and CEO and chairman of Cantor Fitzgerald, BGC Group and Newmark Group chairman, will “actually enact change.”
Lutnick and Key Square Group founder and CEO Scott Bessent are reportedly top picks to run the Treasury Department.
Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, also included his thoughts on Bessent in his post on X.
“My view fwiw is that Bessent is a business-as-usual choice,” he wrote.
“Business-as-usual is driving America bankrupt so we need change one way or another,” he added.
Musk also stated it would be “interesting to hear more people weigh in on this for @realDonaldTrump to consider feedback.”
Howard Lutnick, chairman and chief executive officer of Cantor Fitzgerald LP, left, and Elon Musk, chief executive officer of Tesla Inc., during a campaign event with former US President Donald Trump, not pictured, at Madison Square Garden in New York, US, on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024.
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In a statement to Politico, Trump transition spokesperson Karoline Leavitt made it clear that the president-elect has not made any decisions regarding the position of Treasury secretary.
“President-elect Trump is making decisions on who will serve in his second administration,” Leavitt said in a statement. “Those decisions will be announced when they are made.”
Both Lutnick and Bessent have close ties to Trump. Lutnick and Trump have known each other for decades, and the CEO has even hosted a fundraiser for the president-elect.
The Wall Street Journal also reported that Lutnick has already been helping Trump review candidates for cabinet positions in his administration.
On the other hand, Bessent was a key economic advisor to the president-elect during his 2024 campaign. Bessent also received an endorsement from Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, according to Semafor.
“He’s from South Carolina, I know him well, he’s highly qualified,” Graham said.
Money manager John Davi is positioning for challenges tied to President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff agenda.
Davi said he worries the new administration’s policies could be “very inflationary,” so he thinks it is important to choose investments carefully.
“Small-cap industrials make more sense than large-cap industrials,” the Astoria Portfolio Advisors CEO told CNBC’s “ETF Edge” this week.
Davi, who is also the firm’s chief investment officer, expects the red sweep will help push a pro-growth, pro-domestic policy agenda forward that will benefit small caps.
It appears Wall Street agrees so far. Since the presidential election, the Russell 2000 index, which tracks small-cap stocks, is up around 4% as of Friday’s close.
Davi, whose firm has $1.9 billion in assets under management, also likes staying domestic despite the tariff risks.
“We’re overweight the U.S. I think that’s the right playbook in the next few years until the midterms,” added Davi. “We have two years of where he [Trump] can control a lot of the narrative.”
But Davi plans to stay away from fixed income due to challenges tied to the growing budget deficit.
“Be careful if you own bonds for sure,” said Davi.