There Are Always Overlooked Opportunities in Out-of-Favor Sectors

With so much focus on tech stocks over the past year, other sectors of the market look like a relative bargain. Many companies have been improving their earnings and revenues. But being in an out-of-favor sector means shares may become a better value. One such sector is the defense sector. It tends to perform well over time. And with rising global tensions, it could see further solid returns this year. In the defense space, L3Harris (LHX) looks like a reasonable buy. Shares ...
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Insider Activity Report: Banc of California (BANC)

James Barker, a director at Banc of California (BANC) recently added 10,000 shares. The buy increased his holdings by 6 percent, and came to a total cost of $131,590. The director was the last buyer of shares with another 10,000 share pickup last September. A cluster of company insiders were buyers last May, following the selloff in the bank’s shares. There have been just two insider sales over the past year. Overall, Banc of California insiders own 0.9 percent of shares. The ...
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Unusual Option Activity: Carvana (CVNA)

Used car e-commerce firm Carvana (CVNA) is up nearly 400 percent over the past year. One trader is betting on a further rally ahead. That’s based on the May $45 calls. With 87 days until expiration, 21,757 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 296, for a 74-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the calls paid $18.37 to make the bullish bet. Carvana recently traded for just under $58, meaning the options are nearly $13 in-the-money ...
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Watch this Key Metric to Determine a Company’s Future

Many companies still operate in the real world, where they have to manufacture and ship out physical goods. That can include anything from raw commodities to advanced computer chips. Each of these companies will look at its inventories to gauge their success. Rising inventories likely means slowing sales, and in turn, slowing revenues. Declining inventories can signal the opposite, that sales are on the rise, and maybe even that raising prices might be a good idea. Networking equipment manufacturer Cisco Systems (CSCO) ...
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Insider Activity Report: Rockwell Automation (ROK)

Blake Moret, President and CEO of Rockwell Automation (ROK), recently bought 3,500 shares. The buy increased his stake by 5 percent, and came to a total cost of $992,758. This marks the first insider buy since May 2022. Otherwise, company insiders, particularly executives, have been regular sellers of shares. Most of those sales have occurred following the exercise of stock options. Overall, Rockwell Automation insiders own 0.2 percent of shares. The automation machinery manufacturer is down about 6 percent over the past ...
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Unusual Option Activity: Lyft (LYFT)

Ride-sharing company Lyft (LYFT) soared 35 percent on Wednesday after the company reported a major earnings beat. One trader is betting that shares will pull back from that extreme move in the coming months. That’s based on the April $16 puts. With 62 days until expiration, 24,164 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 356, for a 68-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $1.40 to make the bullish bet. Lyft shares recently traded ...
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Use the Silliness of Earnings Season to Your Benefit

Earnings season is often full of surprises. That means a company can report great results, but sell off as traders didn’t think they were good enough. Or a company could lose money, but not as much as expected. When that happens, shares often soar. This can happen across any sector. But a great company in a long-term uptrend will likely keep moving with that uptrend, even amid any earnings season silliness. The latest market overreaction has hit Marriott International (MAR). The hotel ...
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Insider Activity Report: Raymond James Financial (RJF)

Art Garcia, a director at Raymond James Financial (RJF), recently bought 879 shares. The buy is an initial stake for the director, and came to a total cost of $98,715. This marks the only insider buy over the past two years. Otherwise, company executives have been sellers of shares over the past two years. The biggest sales have come following the exercise of stock options, and have totaled as much as $5.2 million. Overall, Raymond James insiders own 9.8 percent ...
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