Standing out from the crowd is not something we expect from Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT). After all, Walmart practically defines the crowd.
But the world’s largest retailer is not only going after the mass market this holiday. Walmart is trying a variety of things to make itself stand out, not just from the crowd, but from the 800-pound online sales gorilla, Amazon.com.
Like just about every other retailer around, Walmart kicks off holiday pricing and Black Friday deals in early November. Just as lots of shoppers have figured out that many of the best deals in physical stores become available on Black Friday, they have also figured out that online prices are best on Cyber Monday. How does Walmart make that work to its advantage?
Here’s a list of eight things Walmart is doing during the five-day shopping period from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday to boost its sales. Not all are unique to Walmart, but what may be different is the breadth of the company’s promotional push.
stock portfolio: EOG Resources, Inc.(EOG)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Paul Ausick]
EOG Resources Inc. (NYSE: EOG) traded up about 0.9% at $102.50. The 52-week range is $81.99 to $109.37.
The United States Natural Gas ETF (NYSEAMERICAN: UNG) traded down about 1.6% at $6.10 in a 52-week range of $5.86 to $9.74.
- [By WWW.THESTREET.COM]
With the Federal Reserve eyeing four possible rate hikes, Cramer said is not the time to give up on the banks, which is why he owns Citigroup (C) for Action Alerts PLUS. Cramer said he wouldn’t give up on Dow Chemical (DOW) , Arconic (ARNC) or the oil stocks either, as oil will be resuming its climb after this brief pause. He recommended EOG Resources (EOG) as a favorite in that group.
- [By WWW.THESTREET.COM]
Finally, there’s EOG Resources (EOG) . The stock is putting in a double bottom and if support holds up at $91 to $93, the stock could quickly head to $106, Boroden’s work suggests.
- [By WWW.THESTREET.COM]
Cramer said he tried to buck this trend by investing in EOG Resources (EOG) and Marathon Oil (MRO) but was wrong on both counts. In the case of EOG, even having the best properties wasn’t enough to ward off the collapse in oil prices. Meanwhile, Marathon’s decision to spin off its refining business left it with no cushion to stem its losses.
- [By Paul Ausick]
EOG Resources Inc. (NYSE: EOG) traded up about 2.2% at $97.32. The 52-week range is $57.15 to $98.32.
The United States Natural Gas ETF (NYSEMKT: UNG) traded up about 3.2% at $7.96 in a 52-week range of $5.78 to $9.64.
- [By Craig Jones]
Pete Najarian said that around 11,000 contracts of the January 100 calls in EOG Resources Inc (NYSE: EOG) were purchased on Tuesday. He likes the trade, but he thinks that these options are very expensive, so he decided to buy a call spread.
stock portfolio: 8point3 Energy Partners LP(CAFD)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By J.B. Maverick]
Recently added in January 2016 to the "strong buy" list at Zacks Investment Research, 8point3 Energy Partners LP (NASDAQ: CAFD) is a subsidiary firm with the support of major solar power companies SunPower and First Solar, and plenty of cash to fund 2016 growth projects. It should be well positioned to move forward in its business of acquiring and operating solar energy generation projects. In late January 2016, the stock is trading at $16.45, in the middle of its 52-week range of $10.26 to $21.15. The stock offers a dividend yield of 2.39%. It has been in a general uptrend since October 2015. Year to date in 2016, the stock is down 2.97%, which means it is weathering the market storm better than many other firms. With the backing of First Solar and SunPower, and a partnership agreement with Wells Fargo, 8point3 is in a stronger industry position than the majority of alternative energy companies.
- [By Laurie Kulikowski]
We highlight CAFD as our top income oriented pick, a relatively safer, more conservatively-run company within our YieldCo coverage. The stock is yielding 7.5% on a FY16E DPS basis, and provides predictable income over the next several years, regardless of new projects beyond the initial portfolio. With two of the strongest companies in the solar industry serving as sponsors, enough liquidity on the balance sheet to fund growth-projects through mid-2016, and additional levers to pull in order to grow DPS if needed (e.g. payout ratio), we believe CAFD is undervalued.
- [By Shanthi Rexaline]
If the Suniva noise is removed, the firm believes First Solar stock becomes a fundamental story of execution and long-term share gains. The firm also noted that the company has found success selling off projects to third parties, as intended, with the management seeing more value in selling to third-parties rather than to 8Point3 Energy Partners LP (NASDAQ: CAFD).
stock portfolio: Masco Corporation(MAS)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By WWW.THESTREET.COM]
Now, while Home Depot (HD) didn’t take off on these figures, Whirlpool (WHR) jumped more than four points. My take? Home Depot becomes a stock to put on your radar screen as we bounce around Dow 20,000. I am partial to Masco (MAS) , the kitchen and bath company, too, off these numbers.
- [By WWW.THESTREET.COM]
When companies break up, they can create enormous value, and nowhere is that more evident than with TopBuild (BLD) , the former services arm of Masco (MAS) that began trading as an independent company in July 2015. Since the spinoff, shares of TopBuild have rallied 50% and Cramer said the move is not yet over.
- [By WWW.THESTREET.COM]
In the Lightning Round, Cramer was bullish on Masco (MAS) , American Electric Power (AEP) and Valmont Industries (VMI) .
Cramer was bearish on Wisconsin Energy (WEC) .
stock portfolio: International Game Technology(IGT)
Advisors’ Opinion:
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Thursday was another strong day on Wall Street, with major benchmarks posting gains across the board. The S&P 500 reached another all-time high on strength from an upbeat view of the economy and good earnings results from major companies in the retail sector. Although energy prices sagged, investors seemed to focus on the cost savings that consumers would enjoy from cheaper gasoline rather than the profit hit that major oil and natural gas companies might suffer. Still, not every stock participated in the rally, and International Game Technology (NYSE:IGT), Genesco (NYSE:GCO), and Ensco (NYSE:ESV) were among the worst performers on the day. Below, we’ll look more closely at these stocks to tell you why they did so poorly.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Yet even though the overall market remained resilient in the face of some threats to positive sentiment among investors, some stocks posted substantial losses. Stratasys (NASDAQ:SSYS), International Game Technology (NYSE:IGT), and Momo (NASDAQ:MOMO) were among the worst performers on the day. Below, we’ll look more closely at these stocks to tell you why they did so poorly.
- [By Michael Flannelly]
Analysts at Sterne Agee noted on Monday that International Game Technology’s (IGT) fiscal 2014 growth is stronger than it appears. As such, the analysts raised the price target on the casino gaming equipment manufacturer.
The analysts maintain a “Buy” rating on IGT and now see shares reaching $25, up from the previous target of $23. This new price target suggests a 23% upside to the stock’s Friday closing price of $20.32.
“Excluding FY13 Canadian VLT sales, which do not recur in FY14, consensus FY14 EPS growth is ~14% versus ‘in-print’ consensus EPS growth of ~4%,” Sterne Agee analyst David Bain said. “We believe IGT’s peer-low stock valuation is partly driven by a misinterpretation of forward growth using ‘in-print’ FY14 EPS projections.”
Futhermore, the firm raised IGT’s fourth quarter EPS estimates from 33 cents to 34 cents.
IGT shares were inactive during pre-market trading on Monday. The stock is up 43.4% year-to-date.
