U.S. markets open in 2 hours 17 minutes

  • S&P Futures

    3,841.50
    +7.25 (+0.19%)
     

  • Dow Futures

    30,862.00
    -47.00 (-0.15%)
     

  • Nasdaq Futures

    13,473.75
    +112.25 (+0.84%)
     

  • Russell 2000 Futures

    2,153.90
    -10.10 (-0.47%)
     

  • Crude Oil

    52.32
    +0.05 (+0.10%)
     

  • Gold

    1,861.40
    +5.20 (+0.28%)
     

  • Silver

    25.67
    +0.12 (+0.47%)
     

  • EUR/USD

    1.2162
    -0.0012 (-0.10%)
     

  • 10-Yr Bond

    1.0910
    0.0000 (0.00%)
     

  • Vix

    22.60
    +1.28 (+6.00%)
     

  • GBP/USD

    1.3679
    -0.0006 (-0.04%)
     

  • USD/JPY

    103.8210
    +0.0600 (+0.06%)
     

  • BTC-USD

    33,216.29
    -230.96 (-0.69%)
     

  • CMC Crypto 200

    674.20
    -2.70 (-0.40%)
     

  • FTSE 100

    6,653.07
    -42.00 (-0.63%)
     

  • Nikkei 225

    28,822.29
    +190.84 (+0.67%)
     

CLASS ACTION UPDATE for GDRX, JFU and CLSK: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP Reminds Investors of Class Actions on Behalf of Shareholders

·4 min read

NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / January 25, 2021 / Levi & Korsinsky, LLP announces that class action lawsuits have commenced on behalf of shareholders of the following publicly-traded companies. Shareholders interested in serving as lead plaintiff have until the deadlines listed to petition the court. Further details about the cases can be found at the links provided. There is no cost or obligation to you.

GDRX Shareholders Click Here: https://www.zlk.com/pslra-1/goodrx-holdings-inc-loss-submission-form?prid=12385&wire=1
JFU Shareholders Click Here: https://www.zlk.com/pslra-1/9f-inc-information-request-form?prid=12385&wire=1
CLSK Shareholders Click Here: https://www.zlk.com/pslra-1/cleanspark-inc-loss-submission-form?prid=12385&wire=1

* ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BELOW *

GoodRx Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ:GDRX)

GDRX Lawsuit on behalf of: investors who purchased September 23, 2020 - November 16, 2020
Lead Plaintiff Deadline : February 16, 2021
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT: https://www.zlk.com/pslra-1/goodrx-holdings-inc-loss-submission-form?prid=12385&wire=1

According to the filed complaint, during the class period, GoodRx Holdings, Inc made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: at the time of the IPO, unbeknownst to investors, Amazon.com, Inc. was developing and would soon introduce its own online and mobile prescription medication ordering and fulfillment service that would directly compete with GoodRx. Defendants timed the IPO so that it was priced before Amazon announced its online pharmaceutical business to facilitate the IPO and create artificial demand for the common shares sold therein, as well to maximize the amount of money the Company and the selling stockholders could raise in the IPO. Given defendants' knowledge of Amazon's intention to enter the online pharmaceutical business, and their misleading statements about GoodRx's competitive position made contemporaneously with that knowledge, defendants' materially false and/or misleading statements alleged herein were made willfully and caused GoodRx common stock to trade at artificially inflated prices during the Class Period.

9F Inc. (NASDAQ:JFU)

Lawsuit on behalf of investors who purchased JFU securities: (1) pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and related prospectus issued in connection with the Company's August 14, 2019 initial public offering; and/or (2) between August 14, 2019 and September 29, 2020.
Lead Plaintiff Deadline : March 22, 2021
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT: https://www.zlk.com/pslra-1/9f-inc-information-request-form?prid=12385&wire=1

According to the filed complaint, (1) the purported value and benefits of the Company's financial institution partners and its tri-party cooperation business model did not in fact exist and/or were materially overstated, given that 9F and Property and Casualty Company Limited ("PICC") had been engaged in an ongoing contractual dispute regarding payment of service fees under their cooperation agreement; (2) the collectability of service fees owed to 9F by PICC under the cooperation agreement was in doubt and at serious risk of non-payment; (3) there was a significant risk that PICC would no longer provide credit insurance and guarantee protection to investors and institutional funding partners; (4) as a result of the foregoing, the Company's platform, business model, reputation and financial results had been materially impaired; and (5) as a result, Defendants' statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all relevant times.

Cleanspark, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLSK)

CLSK Lawsuit on behalf of: investors who purchased December 31, 2020 - January 14, 2021
Lead Plaintiff Deadline : March 22, 2021
TO LEARN MORE, VISIT: https://www.zlk.com/pslra-1/cleanspark-inc-loss-submission-form?prid=12385&wire=1

According to the filed complaint, during the class period, Cleanspark, Inc. made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) that the Company had overstated its customer and contract figures; (2) that several of the Company's recent acquisitions involved undisclosed related party transactions; and (3) that, as a result of the foregoing, Defendants' positive statements about the Company's business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis.

You have until the lead plaintiff deadlines to request that the court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as a lead plaintiff.

Levi & Korsinsky is a nationally recognized firm with offices in New York, California, Connecticut, and Washington D.C. The firm's attorneys have extensive expertise and experience representing investors in securities litigation and have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved shareholders. Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

CONTACT:
Levi & Korsinsky, LLP
Joseph E. Levi, Esq.
55 Broadway, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10006
jlevi@levikorsinsky.com
Tel: (212) 363-7500
Fax: (212) 363-7171
www.zlk.com

SOURCE: Levi & Korsinsky, LLP



View source version on accesswire.com:
https://www.accesswire.com/625682/CLASS-ACTION-UPDATE-for-GDRX-JFU-and-CLSK-Levi-Korsinsky-LLP-Reminds-Investors-of-Class-Actions-on-Behalf-of-Shareholders

Latest Stories

  • GameStop Continues Meltup, Leaving Price Targets in Shambles

    (Bloomberg) -- To see how far GameStop Corp. has outrun anyone’s ability to render sensible analysis, consider what its dizzying rally has done to Wall Street’s best guesses of its value.Perched at $65 a share, hoisted by a short squeeze ignited and arguably organized in chat rooms, the stock soared $53 above the average forecast of equity handicappers tracked by Bloomberg, before briefly more than doubling in premarket trading Monday. The ratio between the two is by far the biggest in the Russell 3000 and jumped Friday, as crazed trading capped a stretch in which the 37-year-old game retailer burned bears who had shorted 140% of its shares.It’s happening in a stock that before 2020 had fallen six straight years as earnings shrunk, and which isn’t projected to turn a profit before fiscal 2023. While fundamentals may one day matter again, for now GameStop has become the latest and greatest show of force by newbie day traders in a market that seems more like their plaything each day.“It doesn’t make business sense,” said Doug Clinton, co-founder of Loup Ventures. “It makes sense from an investor psychology standpoint. I think there’s a tendency where there is heavy retail interest for those types of traders to think about stocks differently than institutional investors in terms of what they’re willing to pay.”Right now, they’re willing to pay 426% more than what analysts consider reasonable, on average. While perhaps fairly priced relative to its annual sales of about $5.2 billion in the 12 months through October, those sales are down 40% in just two years. The company is expected to report a per-share loss in both fiscal 2021 and 2022. To get a price-earnings multiple it’s necessary to look two years into the future, where the P/E is around 58.And that’s before the possibility of further gains: the stock soared to $136.63 in U.S. premarket trading on Monday, before paring the advance. It traded at $96.61 as of 6:25 a.m. in New York.While Wall Street may have no clue what GameStop shares are worth, it does have ideas on what the company should do with them: sell.“GameStop can issue equity and should sell stock to pay down debt,” said Wedbush Securities Inc. analyst Michael Pachter, who had a price target of $16 for GameStop as of Jan. 11. Doing so would involve “minimal dilution at these levels” and provide protection against an economic downturn. “They should do as much as the market will absorb,” he said.Separately, Telsey Advisory Group analyst Joseph Feldman double-downgraded the stock to underperform from outperform on Monday, removing GameStop’s only buy-or-equivalent recommendation.Whatever the future holds, the recent past has been a bonanza for anyone who dared own the stock -- or, even better, bullish options. Calls expiring Jan. 29 with a strike price of $60 were the most-traded GameStop contract on Friday, soaring 11-fold. Other similar wagers had correspondingly heady gains as contracts once seen as long-shot upward bets suddenly were in the money.“It has become a cult stock because of Ryan Cohen’s success with Chewy,” Pachter said, referring to the activist investor and co-founder of online pet retailer Chewy Inc., who joined the GameStop board this month. “I cannot discount Mr. Cohen’s past successes and don’t know what he has in mind going forward, but I need to see their strategy before I give them credit for materially higher earnings power.”(Updates with premarket trading in second paragraph)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

  • Biden's Green Energy Boom Could Send These Electric Vehicle Stocks Soaring

    2020 was an absolutely unbelievable year for electric vehicle stocks, but with a new administration set to take the wheel, this year could be even bigger

  • Goldman Sachs warns of a dangerous bubble in these 39 stocks

    Goldman Sachs sounds the alarm on some very hot tech stocks.

  • AMC shares soar 36% premarket on news of new $917 million debt and equity financing

    AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc. shares soared 36% in premarket trade Monday, after the biggest cinema-chain operator in the world said it has raised $917 million in debt and equity to help it get through a coronavirus-impacted winter. AMC said it has raised $506 million of equity by issuing 164.7 million new shares. That is combined with a previously announced $100 million of additional first-lien debt and the concurrent issuance of 22 million new common shares to convert $100 million of second-lien debt into equity. The company has commitment letters for $11 million of incremental debt capital in place through mid-2023, unless repaid before then, through the upsizing and refinancing of a European revolving credit facility. The company may pay non-cash PIK (payment in kind) interest through the duration of the European debt. "Based on a variety of assumptions, including future attendance levels, the company estimates that its financial runway has been extended deep into 2021," AMC said in a statement. "AMC also is presuming that it will continue to make progress in its ongoing dialogue with theatre landlords about the amounts and timing of owed theatre lease payments." Chief Executive Adam Aron said the new financing means any talk of imminent bankruptcy "is completely off the table." AMC has repeatedly raised capital through the pandemic to bolster its liquidity and stay afloat. Shares have fallen 48% in the last 12 months, while the S&P 500 has gained 16.6%.

  • Are You Ready For The 'FANGMAN'? — What To Know About The New Acronym On The Block

    After the FANGs, FAANGs and MAGAs, another acronym taking the investment world by storm is FANGMAN. This acronym is used by traders to refer to stocks of seven of the biggest tech companies in the world.The combined market capitalization of these stocks is about $7.9 trillion, which is roughly 25% of the total market capitalization of S&P 500 companies. To put things in perspective, the combined market cap of these seven stocks is more than the GDP of Japan, Germany or India, which are the third, fourth and fifth largest economies of the world, respectively.The ConstituentsThe stocks in the FANGMAN group are: * Facebook, Inc. Common Stock (NASDAQ: FB) * Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) * Netflix Inc (NASDAQ: NFLX) * Alphabet Inc Class A (NASDAQ: GOOGL) * Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) * Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) and * NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA)Buoying S&P 500 Performance: 2020 was a year marred by the COVID-19 pandemic that led to economic contraction worldwide due to disruptions to businesses and other activities. The stock market, given its forward-looking approach, weathered the setback and ended the year with gains.For instance, the S&P 500 Index ended 2020 at a record high and in the process generated a return of 16.2% for the year. The FANGMAN stocks played a big role int that as they outperformed the broader gauge: * Facebook: 33% * Amazon: 76.3% * Netflix: 67.1% * Alphabet: 30.9% * Microsoft: 42.5% * Apple: 82.3% * Nvidia: 129.3%Related Link: 10 Things Apple Investors May Wish For In 2021 FANGMAN, A Predictor of Stock Market Moves? Given the outsized weighting in different indices, it is logical to view FANGMAN stocks as a good predictor of which way the broader market is headed.FANGMAN Invariably Outperforms Market: For those investors who are looking for above-market returns, or "high-alpha" stocks, FANGMAN could be the better bet. These stocks outperform the broader market, thanks to their transformational business models, high growth and financial might, among other things.FANGMAN In Bubble Territory? From the perspective of topline growth, earnings potential and prospects, it is evident that the lofty valuations are justified. Higher P/E multiples of some of these stocks imply investors are willing to pay a premium to partake in their growth.Investors see them as compelling, as they are most levered to the digital transformation that is picking up pace.But the stretched valuations of these stocks could conjure up fears of a deep correction.One of the biggest risks faced by these companies is regulatory scrutiny. Analysts see the changing of the guard at the White House as a slight negative for these high-flying names."To be blunt, it's a clear negative for Big Tech as ultimately with a Senate now likely controlled by Democrats we would expect much more scrutiny and sharper teeth around FAANG names, with potential (although still a low risk) legislative changes to current antitrust laws now on the table," Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said in a Jan. 6 note.That said, the analyst remains bullish on tech stocks for 2021, but sees the tech rally will be more tame until the Street gets a better sense of the legislative agenda under President Joe Biden.Related Link: Why This Wedbush Analyst Expects A Year-End Tech Rally Photo by Daisy Anderson from PexelsSee more from Benzinga * Click here for options trades from Benzinga * The Week Ahead In Biotech (Jan 24-30): J&J, Lilly to Kickstart Big Pharma Earnings, Amgen FDA Decision and More * 8 Intel Analysts On Q4 Report: Why Some See Difficult Years Ahead For Chipmaker(C) 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  • Warren Buffett says this is how to protect your finances from the pandemic

    Listening to Buffett, you can pick up these tips for surviving the pandemic financially.

  • Your next stimulus check: Congress to speed along $1,400 payments this week

    Speaker Pelosi and other leaders want quick approval. How soon could you get more money?

  • 3 Top Dividend Stocks With Growth Opportunity; Goldman Sachs Says ‘Buy’

    Investing is all about finding profits, and investors have long seen two main paths toward that goal. Growth stocks, equities that will give a return based mainly on share price appreciation, are one route. The second route lies through dividend stocks. These are stocks that pay out a percentage of profits back to shareholders – a dividend, usually sent out quarterly. The payments vary widely, from less than 1% to more than 10%, but the average, among stocks listed on the S&P 500, is about 2%. Dividends are a nice addition for a patient investor, as they provide a steady income stream. Goldman Sachs analyst Caitlin Burrows has been looking into the real estate trust segment, a group of stocks long-known for dividends that are both high and reliable – and she sees plenty of reason to expect strong growth in three stocks in particular. Running the trio through TipRanks’ database, we learned that all three have been cheered by the rest of the Street as well, as they boast a “Strong Buy” analyst consensus. Broadstone Net Lease (BNL) First up, Broadstone Net Lease, is an established REIT that went public this past September in an IPO that raised over $533 million. The company put 33.5 million shares on the market, followed by another 5 million-plus picked up by the underwriters. It was considered a successful opening, and BNL now boasts a market cap over $2.63 billion. Broadstone’s portfolio includes 628 properties across 41 US states plus the Canadian province of British Columbia. These properties host 182 tenants and are worth an aggregate of $4 billion. The best feature here is the long-term nature of the leases – the weighted average remaining lease is 10.8 years. During the third quarter, the most recent with full financials available, BNL reported a net income of $9.7 million, or 8 cents per share. The income came mainly from rents, and the company reported collecting 97.9% of rents due during the quarter. Looking ahead, the company expects $100.3 million in property acquisitions during Q4, and an increased rent collection rate of 98.8%. Broadstone’s income and high rent collections are supporting a dividend of 25 cents per common share, or $1 annually. It’s a payment affordable for the company, and offering investors a yield of 5.5%. Goldman’s Burrows sees the company’s acquisition moves as the most important factor here. "Accretive acquisitions are the key earnings driver for Broadstone… While management halted acquisitions following COVID-induced market uncertainty (BNL did not complete any acquisitions in 1H20) and ahead of its IPO, we are confident acquisitions will ramp up in 2021, and saw the beginning of this with 4Q20 activity… We estimate that BNL achieves a positive investment spread of 1.8%, leading to 0.8% of earnings growth (on 2021E FFO) for every $100mn of acquisitions (or 4.2% on our 2021E acquisition volumes),” Burrows opined. To this end, Burrows rates BNL a Buy, and her $23 price target implies an upside of ~27% for the year ahead. (To watch Burrow’s track record, click here) Wall Street generally agrees with Burrows on Broadstone, as shown by the 3 positive reviews the stock has garnered in recent weeks. These are the only reviews on file, making the analyst consensus rating a unanimous Strong Buy. The shares are currently priced at $18.16, and the average price target of $21.33 suggests a one-year upside of ~17%. (See BNL stock analysis on TipRanks) Realty Income Corporation (O) Realty Income is a major player in the REIT field. The company holds a portfolio worth more than $20 billion, with more than 6,500 properties located in 49 states, Puerto Rico, and the UK. Annual revenue exceeded $1.48 billion in fiscal year 2019 (the last with complete data), and has kept up a monthly dividend for 12 years. Looking at current data, we find that O posted 7 cents per share income in 3Q20, along with $403 million in total revenue. The company collected 93.1% of its contracted rents in the quarter. While relatively low, a drill-down to the monthly values shows that rent collection rates have been increasing since July. As noted, O pays out a monthly dividend, and has done so regularly since listing publicly in 1994. The company raised its payout in September 2020, marking the 108th increase during that time. The current payment is 23.45 cents per common share, which annualizes to $2.81 cents – and gives a yield of 4.7%. Based on the above, Burrows put this stock on her Americas Conviction List, with a Buy rating and a $79 price target for the next 12 months. This target implies a 32% upside from current levels. Backing her stance, Burrows noted, “We estimate 5.3% FFO growth per year over 2020E-2022E, versus an average of 3.1% fo rour full REIT coverage. We expect key earnings drivers will include a continued recovery in acquisition volumes and a gradual improvement in theater rents (in 2022)." The analyst added, "We assume O makes $2.8 billion of acquisitions in each of 2021 and 2022, versus the consensus expectation of $2.3 billion. [We] believe our acquisition volume assumptions could in fact turn out to be conservative as, eight days into 2021, the company has already made or agreed to make $807.5 mn of acquisitions (or 29% of our estimate for 2021)." Overall, Wall Street takes a bullish stance on Realty Income shares. 5 Buys and 1 Hold issued over the previous three months make the stock a Strong Buy. Meanwhile, the $69.80 average price target suggests ~17% upside from the current share price. (See O stock analysis on TipRanks) Essential Properties Realty Trust (EPRT) Last up, Essential Properties, owns and manages a portfolio of single-tenant commercial properties across the US. There are 214 tenants across more than 1000 properties in 16 industries, including car washes, convenience stores, medical services, and restaurants. Essential Properties boasts a high occupancy rate of 99.4% for its properties. In 3Q20, the company saw revenue increase of 18.2% year-over-year, reaching $42.9 million. Essential Properties finished the quarter with an impressive $589.4 million in available liquidity, including cash, cash equivalents, and available credit. The strong cash position and rising revenues had the company confident enough to raise the dividend in going into Q4. The new dividend payment is 24 cents per common share, up 4.3% from the previous payment. The current rate annualizes to 96 cents, and gives a yield of 4.6%. The company has been raising its dividend regularly for the past two years. In her review for Goldman, Burrows focuses on the recovery that Essential Properties has made since the height of the COVID panic last year. “When shelter in place mandates went into effect in early 2020, only 71% of EPRT’s properties were open (completely or on a limited basis). This situation has improved in the intervening months and now just 1% of EPRT’s portfolio is closed… We expect EPRT’s future earnings growth to be driven by acquisition accretion and estimate 2.8% potential earnings growth from $100 mn of acquisitions,” Burrows wrote. In line with her optimistic approach, Burrows gives EPRT shares a Buy rating, along with a $26 one-year price target, suggesting a 27% upside. All in all, EPRT has 9 recent analyst reviews, and the breakdown of 8 Buys and 1 Sell gives the stock a Strong Buy consensus rating. Shares are priced at $20.46 and have an average price target of $22.89, giving ~12% upside potential from current levels. (See EPRT stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for dividend stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

  • Tesla Cybertruck Loses Out To Ford F-150 In Cox Survey Of US Pickup Buyers

    Ford Motor Company's (NYSE: F) all-electric F-150 is the more popular choice among buyers in the United States than Tesla Inc's (NASDAQ: TSLA) Cybertruck, according to research by Cox Automotive.What Happened: The study based on 155 in-market consumers was published last week and concluded that three in five consumers found the F-150 pickup truck appealing -- which Cox attributed to familiarity.The respondents were shown images of each vehicle, without brand and model indicators and minus product details.Ford was popular among those surveyed in terms of appeal, winning over 59% of the respondents. General Motors Company (NYSE: GM) Hummer Electric Vehicle took second place at 41%.Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Ford-backed Rivian came ahead of Tesla at 39%. The Elon Musk-led automaker's Cybertruck came in at the last spot at 19%. In terms of consideration, Ford led the pack at 45%, with three-quarters of respondents likely to consider the vehicle. Tesla came in second at 32%, Hummer at 28%, and Rivian at 25%."Tesla and Rivian R1T scored well with younger buyers, and Rivian performed well among female buyers as well," said Vanessa Ton, senior manager, Cox Automotive.Why It Matters: The non-traditional look of the Tesla Cybertruck didn't impress potential buyers, according to the study.Price, performance, design, and size matter the most to potential EV truck customers, while the brand name and work use were the least important."Ford leads in every attribute except tech advanced, where Hummer and Rivian are nearly tied for the lead," according to Cox Automotive.See Also: Ford's Electric F-150 Coming In 2022, Over-The-Air Updates PlannedTesla was ranked the lowest among important attributes that matter the most to pickup truck shoppers, as per the study.See Also: Jay Leno Takes Elon Musk For A Drive In A Tesla CybertruckPrice Action: Ford shares closed mostly unchanged on Friday at $11.52 and gained 0.43% in the after-hours session. On the same day, Tesla shares closed 0.2% higher at $846.44 and gained 0.1% in the after-hours session. Click here to check out Benzinga's EV Hub for the latest electric vehicles news.See more from Benzinga * Click here for options trades from Benzinga * Tesla 'Not A Competitor At All' In Self-Driving Space, Says Waymo CEO * Tesla Secures Top Spot In JD Power's Survey Of Premium EV Owners(C) 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  • Earnings are beating expectations by a massive margin: Morning Brief

    Top news and what to watch in the markets on Monday, January 25, 2021.

  • NIO: There’s a New Bull in Town

    Up more than 1,150% in the past year, Chinese electric-vehicle maker NIO (NIO) turned into one of the best-performing stocks of 2020 -- but one analyst thinks there are more gains to come. Initiating coverage on the "epitome of Chinese luxury brand[s]" and "domestic leader in EV manufacturing," Nomura analyst Martin Heung argues that even after its steep run-up, Nio stock remains a "buy" and has at least another 30% to run (above Friday's closing share price of $61.95). So why does Heung like Nio? In one word: Growth. And in another word: Batteries. On the growth front, Heung observes that EV-friendly infrastructure in China is improving, encouraging more car buyers to make the leap to electrics. "Conservatively," says the analyst, by as early as 2025 16.5% of new cars sold in the Middle Kingdom should be electrics, which implies an overall 31% annual sales growth rate for the industry (and probably a faster growth rate for leaders like Nio). Additionally, at some point electrics should reach critical mass (Heung estimates this will happen at 20% market penetration), which will convince even more car buyers to transition to electrics -- accelerating sales growth further. Helping Nio to maintain a market-leading position in China will be its "batteries as a service" (BaaS) business model, in which Nio sells cars to customers, leases the batteries to run those cars -- and then offers customers the ability to swap out their current batteries for new, fully-charged batteries as a faster alternative to charging the batteries. "By improving swapping time to only three minutes" and by placing such battery swapping stations throughout "most parts of the major cities in China, NIO hopes to redefine the whole user experience of owning an EV," says Heung. Swappable batteries, notes the analyst, helps to eliminate customers' range anxiety at the same time as it reduces wait times at charging stations, improving the customer experience in two different ways. Additionally, when arguably the most expensive and most important part of an electric car -- the battery -- is removed from the equation, customers will no longer need to worry about whether an aged car battery might reduce the resale value of their cars years down the road, removing yet another impediment to making a sale. In this way, Nio's BaaS strategy also helps to differentiate Nio's offerings, and builds a moat around the business. Widening and deepening that moat even further (to steal a phrase from Warren Buffett), Nio is encouraging customers to sign up for long-term, five-year battery leases in exchange for a lower cost per year -- essentially locking customers into its ecosystem for the lease term. All of the above, says Heung, positions Nio to become "the dominant power in China," in electric vehicles, at a time when EV adoption is surging, says the analyst. Even valuing the stock at a 25% discount to the prices investors are paying for its highest profile US rival, Tesla (on a price-to-sales basis), Heung feels these factors justify placing an $80.30 price target on Nio stock. So, that’s Nomura's view. Let’s have a look at what the rest of the Street has in mind for NIO shares. Based on 8 Buys and 6 Holds, the analyst consensus is a Moderate Buy. However, going by the $59.40 average price target, shares are anticipated to be changing hands at a 4% discount. (See NIO stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for EV stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analyst. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

  • Here's how celebrities use mortgages to build wealth (and you can, too)

    A home loan is a powerful financial tool, even if you have the cash to pay outright.

  • EV Stocks Are on Fire, No Matter Their Size

    The biggest EV names are still rocketing higher after epic 2020 runs. Some smaller names are following suit.

  • These Are The 5 Best Stocks To Buy And Watch Now

    Buying a stock is easy, but buying the right stock without a time-tested strategy is incredibly hard. So what are the best stocks to buy now or put on a watchlist?

  • Cleveland-Cliffs stock soars after upbeat revenue outlook

    Shares of Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. surged 9.4% in premarket trading Monday, after the steel maker provided an upbeat preliminary fourth-quarter outlook. The company said it expects to report revenue of $2.2 billion to $2.3 billion, up about 320% from a year ago, and well above the FactSet consensus of $1.97 billion. Steel sales volume for the quarter is expected to be 1.9 million net tons. The company expects to report full fourth-quarter results on Feb. 25. "We ended 2020 on a particularly high note," said Chief Executive Lourenco Goncalves. "With the backdrop of a resilient steel pricing environment and the growing number of steel companies competing for an increasingly scarce scrap supply in 2021 and beyond, Cleveland-Cliffs will continue to benefit from our differentiated business model with self-sufficiency in pellets and HBI. The stock has run up 89.2% over the past three months through Friday, while the S&P 500 has gained 10.9%.

  • Tencent’s $251 Billion Rally Triggers Frenzy in Shares, Options

    (Bloomberg) -- Hong Kong’s equity traders can’t get enough of Tencent Holdings Ltd., the $950 billion giant that’s on pace for its biggest ever monthly gain.They’re paying up for bullish derivatives tracking the Chinese internet firm, buying thousands of January call options that expire Thursday. The price of one Tencent contract -- which bets the stock will rise past HK$800 by expiry -- surged as much as 118,300% on Monday. Traders also rushed to offload their bearish puts, with one of the most-traded contracts losing more than 84% in value.The stock rallied 11% on Monday to HK$766.50, its biggest gain since October 2011. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index benchmark rose 2.4%, closing above the key 30,000 point-level for the first time since May 2019.Tencent has become a prime target for mainland traders flooding record amounts of cash into Hong Kong-listed shares this year, with net purchase of the stock accounting for roughly a quarter of total money coming in, according to exchange data. The buying frenzy has also boosted Tencent’s market value by about $251 billion this year, the most worldwide, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Tesla Inc. is the second-largest gainer, up $134 billion.Tencent shares now trade at nearly 40 times analysts’ estimated earnings for the next 12 months. While that’s well above the average of 30 since Bloomberg began tracking the data in 2005, it’s still below the recent peak multiple of 42 reached in 2014 and 2018. It reached 65 at the height of China’s equity bubble in 2007.On Monday, analysts at Citigroup Inc. lifted their target price on the firm by 19% to HK$876, the highest among analysts tracked by Bloomberg, citing the company’s market-share expansion and growth in the gaming sector and other digital businesses.Tencent is also getting an additional boost from taking part in the city’s fast-growing initial public offering market. Kuaishou Technology, backed by Tencent, is seeking to raise as much as $5.4 billion in Hong Kong in what would be the biggest internet IPO since Uber Technologies Inc.With the recent run-up, Tencent is trading at its highest price on record. It’s largely avoided the tightening regulatory oversight that sparked a selloff in rival Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and forced its part-owned Ant Group Co. to jettison a record IPO.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

  • Wingcopter raises $22 million to expand to the U.S. and launch a next-generation drone

    German drone technology startup Wingcopter has raised a $22 million Series A – its first significant venture capital raise after mostly bootstrapping. The company, which focuses on drone delivery, has come a long way since its founding in 2017, having developed, built and flown its Wingcopter 178 heavy-lift cargo delivery drone using its proprietary and patented tilt-rotor propellant mechanism, which combines all the benefits of vertical take-off and landing with the advantages of fixed-wing aircraft for longer distance horizontal flight. Wingcopter CEO and founder Tom Plümmer explained to the in an interview that the addition of an SV-based investor is particularly important to the startup, since it's in the process of preparing its entry into the U.S., with plans for an American facility, both for flight testing to satisfy FAA requirements for operational certification, as well as eventually for U.S.-based drone production.

  • Here's How Much Investing $1,000 In Intel Stock 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

    Investors who have owned stocks since 2016 generally have experienced some big gains. In fact, the SPDR S&P 500 (NYSE: SPY) total return in the past five years is 120.4%. But there is no question some big-name stocks performed better than others along the way.A Big Run: Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) has had a bumpy ride since 2016. But despite lots of struggles along the way, Intel investors have gotten some decent overall returns.The rise of smartphones, online gaming, cloud computing, cryptocurrency and other innovations created a boom in semiconductor demand over the past decade. Unfortunately for Intel, innovation missteps and production delays led to missed opportunities for company in the past five years.Throughout 2018 and 2019, Intel was unable to produce enough CPUs to supply its customers, essentially turning over market share to rival Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMD) and others for free. In 2020, Intel said chip manufacturing issues would once again be delaying production of its 7-nanometer chips, and the company may be forced to rely on third-party manufacturers for the first time.At the beginning of 2016, Intel shares were trading at around $34. The stock hit its low point of the past five years in mid-2016, dipping down to $24.87.From that point, the stock steadily churned higher over the next several years, reaching $50 in early 2018 and $60 for the first time in early 2020.Related Link: Here's How Much Investing ,000 In Morgan Stanley Stock 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth TodayIntel In 2021, Beyond: Intel peaked at $59.29 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic sell-off, which pushed the stock back down to $43.63 in March. Intel revisited its 2020 lows again in late October, but skyrocketed back up to above $57 per share in January after the company announced a new CEO, Pat Gelsinger.Investors who had no knowledge of the massive gains from semiconductor peers like AMD in the past five years would be fairly satisfied with their Intel returns.Intel investors that bought and held on through a volatile five-year period turned a significant profit. In fact, $1,000 worth of Intel stock bought in 2016 would be worth about $2,408 today, assuming reinvested dividends.Looking ahead, analysts expect Intel to grind higher in the next 12 months. The average price target among the 33 analysts covering the stock is $60, suggesting only 4.5% upside from current levels.(Photo: Walden Kirsch/Intel Corporation)See more from Benzinga * Click here for options trades from Benzinga * Option Trader Bets M On Advanced Micro Devices Following CES Presentation(C) 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  • Dow Jones Futures Dip, Tech Futures Jump As Apple, Tesla Lead Earnings Tsunami

    The stock market is riding a bullish wave, but here comes a tsunami of earnings, led by Apple and Tesla. With the Nasdaq extended, here's what to do.

  • How Biden's student loan forgiveness could throw you a big tax bomb

    Saying goodbye to some of your student debt could come at a huge price.