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KMB

MCD

McDonald's Corporation announced the retirement of Enrique 'Rick' Hernandez, Jr. from the Board of Directors, with Chris Kempczinski assuming the combined role of CEO and Chairman. Miles White will become Lead Independent Director. Mike Hsu, CEO of Kimberly-Clark, is nominated to the Board, bringing over 30 years of consumer products experience. The changes reflect McDonald's commitment to adapt to the evolving business and social landscape, aiming to continue its strong performance and growth.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Newsdesk

March 19, 2024 | 3:16 pm

EWJ

EWJV

FLJP

MUFG

SWJ

The Bank of Japan's decision to introduce positive interest rates is expected to significantly boost profits for Japanese banks like Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. (MUFG). With a combined reserve of $712 billion at the BoJ, these banks could see a substantial increase in interest earnings. Goldman Sachs has issued Buy ratings for MUFG and other Japanese banks, predicting a 30% surge in net interest margins. US investors can gain exposure to these stocks through ETFs like EWJ, EWJV, FLJP, and SWJ. Warren Buffett's earlier investments in Japanese equities have also paid off, with returns ranging from 117% to 276% since July 2019.

Portfolio Pulse from Piero Cingari

March 19, 2024 | 3:10 pm

FROG

In the last three months, 9 analysts have shared diverse evaluations of JFrog (NASDAQ:FROG), with recent updates showing a shift towards more bullish sentiments. The average 12-month price target for JFrog has been raised to $44.00, indicating a 22.63% increase from the previous target. Analysts from firms like Keybanc, Cantor Fitzgerald, and Morgan Stanley have adjusted their ratings and price targets, reflecting optimism about JFrog's market position and financial performance, despite its lower market capitalization and challenges in profitability and asset utilization.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Insights

March 19, 2024 | 3:00 pm

NCMI

National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ:NCMI) reported Q4 results surpassing expectations with $90.9 million in revenue and EPS of 24 cents, against consensus estimates of $81.1 million and 9 cents, respectively. The company anticipates Q1 2024 revenue between $34.5 million and $35.5 million, above the consensus of $32.47 million. A new $100 million share repurchase program was announced. Following the earnings beat, B. Riley Securities and Wedbush adjusted their price targets for NCMI to $6.75 (from $4.5) and $5.5 (from $4.5), respectively, with B. Riley upgrading the stock to Buy.

Portfolio Pulse from Avi Kapoor

March 19, 2024 | 2:41 pm

LEGN

Legend Biotech's stock price is trading lower following the announcement of a mixed shelf offering. This financial move allows the company to sell various types of securities, potentially diluting current shareholders' value.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Newsdesk

March 19, 2024 | 2:09 pm

TASK

Analysts have mixed views on TaskUs (NASDAQ:TASK), with ratings ranging from bullish to bearish over the last quarter. The average 12-month price target has increased to $14.25, up 6.9% from $13.33. Recent analyst actions include ratings and price target adjustments by Guggenheim, RBC Capital, B of A Securities, and Citigroup. TaskUs's financials show a decline in revenue growth, but strong net margin, ROE, and ROA, with a debt-to-equity ratio below industry norms.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Insights

March 19, 2024 | 2:01 pm

ALPN

Six financial analysts have recently provided ratings on Alpine Immune Sciences (NASDAQ:ALPN), with a mix of bullish and somewhat bullish perspectives. The average 12-month price target for ALPN is now $41.5, marking a significant increase from the previous average of $27.40. This adjustment reflects a positive sentiment shift among analysts, with recent actions including rating upgrades and price target raises by firms such as Wedbush, Oppenheimer, HC Wainwright & Co., and RBC Capital. Alpine Immune Sciences, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, has shown a revenue growth rate of 20.03% as of September 30, 2023, but faces challenges in net margin, ROE, and ROA, despite a strong market capitalization and sound debt management.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Insights

March 19, 2024 | 2:01 pm

DAVA

Analyst ratings for Endava (NYSE:DAVA) show a mix of bullish to bearish sentiments, with recent actions including ratings adjustments and changes in price targets. The average 12-month price target is now $62.08, down 19.03% from the previous $76.67. Endava faces challenges in revenue growth, net margin, ROE, and ROA, indicating potential difficulties in maintaining profitability and operational efficiency.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Insights

March 19, 2024 | 2:00 pm

FOUR

Shift4 Payments (NYSE:FOUR) has received diverse analyst ratings over the last three months, with a current average 12-month price target of $91.17, up 14.43% from the previous $79.67. Analyst actions include maintaining, raising, and lowering ratings and price targets, reflecting evolving market conditions and company performance. Shift4 Payments exhibits lower market capitalization, notable revenue growth of 31.19% as of December 31, 2023, but faces challenges in profitability, asset utilization, and higher financial risk due to a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.72.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Insights

March 19, 2024 | 2:00 pm

BYND

Beyond Meat Inc (NASDAQ:BYND) shares are trading lower after announcing a mixed securities shelf offering of up to $250 million. The offering may include various securities types. Beyond Meat reported $205.9 million in cash and equivalents and $1.1 billion in debt as of Dec. 31. The stock has underperformed the broader market, down about 45% over a year and 48.98% year to date, but has outperformed its historical average annual return of -60.93%. The current RSI is 49.6, indicating neutral conditions.

Portfolio Pulse from Adam Eckert

March 19, 2024 | 1:23 pm