SPDR® S&P MidCap 400 ETF
Latest SPDR® S&P MidCap 400 ETF News and Updates
Important releases hone in on rates and consumer spending
The hottest topic for market players right now is the interest rate hike. Last week’s labor releases spurred the recovery. Many investors had thought the recovery was flagging.

Alcoa’s 2016 Guidance Adds Gloom to 3Q Earnings Disappointment
During its 3Q16 earnings call, Alcoa lowered the business targets for all three segments under Arconic.

Valero’s Institutional Holdings before the 1Q17 Results
The institutional holdings in Valero Energy (VLO) are higher than the institutional holdings in Marathon Petroleum (MPC), Phillips 66 (PSX), and Western Refining (WNR).

What Does Basic Energy Services’ Historical Valuation Suggest?
On March 31, 2017, Basic Energy Services’ (BAS) stock price had fallen 6% from December 30, 2016.

Greenspan’s lament: Consumption is no substitute for investment
Why it’s becoming increasingly difficult to expect sustainable prosperity from additional consumption in the U.S. economy.

Arconic’s Tough Beginning: Controversies and Battles
Arconic is scheduled to release its 1Q17 earnings on April 25. ARNC was listed as a separate entity on November 1, 2016, when Alcoa split into two entities.

Marathon Petroleum Stock: Performance ahead of the 1Q17 Earnings
Marathon Petroleum stock has plunged 7% year-to-date. Due to its falling price in 1Q17, the stock has broken below its 50-day moving average.

Patterson-UTI Energy’s Dividend Yield on June 2
Patterson-UTI Energy’s (PTEN) dividend yield fell to 0.29% on March 31, 2017. Since then, its dividend yield has risen to 0.38% as of June 2, 2017.

Markets Will Await These Updates from Alcoa’s 1Q17 Earnings Call
In 1Q17, there were rumors that Rio Tinto (RIO) could acquire Alcoa.

What Were Jim Chanos’s Largest Holdings in 3Q17?
In 3Q17, Jim Chanos has made a substantial investment in the finance sector (XLF) and various ETFs.

Alcoa’s 1Q17 Earnings: What Investors Need to Know
Alcoa (AA) released its 1Q17 earnings on April 24 after the markets (MDY) (MID-INDEX) closed. It held the conference call the same day.

Why Analysts Suggest a ‘Hold’ for Domino’s Pizza
As of April 28, 2016, Domino’s Pizza (DPZ) was trading at $120.5. The share price might have already priced in the estimates that we discussed earlier in this series.
Why external factors affect ISM’s purchasing managers’ index
The ISM will release the manufacturing PMI for August on September 2. The PMI is a composite measure of economic activity. It’s based on surveys of private-sector firms.
Why an undiversified portfolio could mean fewer profits
Another common investor mistake is to have an under diversified portfolio. In a 1991 to 1996 study of the customers of a large US discount brokerage, more than 25% held only one stock and more than 50% held three or fewer stocks.

Share price performance for Six Flags since bankruptcy recovery
Six Flags’ share price on May 10, 2010, reflects $7.36 per share, the price of new common stock upon the company’s emergence from bankruptcy.

Mike Wilson: Don’t Expect a Breakout in the S&P 500
Yesterday, Mike Wilson said in an interview with CNBC, “Risk reward still not great.” Morgan Stanley’s chief strategist is expecting a recession.

Analyzing Oil and the US Equity Market
In the trailing week, SPY, MDY, and DIA’s returns were 0.8%, 0.7%, and 1.7%, respectively. During this period, US crude oil May futures fell 2.2%.

A Closer Look at Mednax’s Business Strategy
Mednax (MD) has a proven track record of expertise in the administration of physician services and a methodical approach to clinical data warehousing in fields such as research, education, and quality.

What Does Wall Street Predict for WPX Energy?
In the last one month, WPX Energy stock’s median target price has risen from $16.00 to $16.50.

How Wall Street Analysts Have Changed Their Targets for Marathon Oil
In the last one-month period, Marathon Oil stock’s median target price has increased from $17.00 to $17.25.

How Are Bioverativ’s Key Drugs Positioned after 2Q17?
In 2Q17, Bioverativ’s Alprolix generated revenues of ~$89.7 million, which represents ~12% growth YoY (year-over-year) and ~4% growth sequentially.

How Did United Therapeutics’ Orenitram and Unituxin Perform in 2Q17?
In 2Q17, United Therapeutics’ (UTHR) Unituxin generated revenues of around $16 million, a 10% decline on a year-over-year (or YoY) basis and an 11% decline on a quarter-over-quarter basis.

Bioverativ Expected to Report Healthy Profit Margins in 2017
Bioverativ (BIVV) expects its 2017 GAAP and non-GAAP operating margins to fall 38.0%–42.0% and 43.0%–47.0%, respectively.

Behind Abiomed’s Plans to Create a Greater Awareness of Impella
To target patients across communities, Abiomed (ABMD) has been developing a hub-and-spoke model with hospitals.

Behind Align Technology’s North American Expectations for 2017
In 1Q17, Align Technology’s (ALGN) Invisalign sales volumes in North American markets rose YoY by 20.3% and QoQ by 8.3%.

A Look at Patterson-UTI Energy’s Higher 2017 Capex Plan
Patterson-UTI Energy’s capex budget for 2017 is $450.0 million. That’s 275.0% higher than its 2016 capex.

What Valero Needs to Soar in 2Q17
Valero’s crack indicators have fallen in all of these areas in May 2017 (as of May 23) as compared to April 2017.

How Major Refiners’ Cash Flows Fared in 1Q17
Refiners’ cash flows have turned volatile over the past few quarters due to volatile refining earnings.

What Bio-Rad Laboratories Expects from Life Science
In 1Q17, Bio-Rad Laboratories’ (BIO) Life Science segment reported revenues of ~$174.3 million, which represents a YoY rise of ~5.1%.

Why MPC’s Valuation Commands a Premium over the Peer Average
MPC’s valuations are above the peer averages likely because it’s now in the process of restructuring its organization to unlock value.

WellCare Health Plans Expects Robust Revenue Performance in 2017
In 1Q17, WellCare Health Plans (WCG) reported revenues of ~$3.9 billion, which totals year-over-year growth of around 11.7%.

How Analysts Rated Tesoro on Its 1Q17 Earnings Day
Tesoro (TSO) has been rated by 18 analysts. Of those, 12 have assigned the stock a “buy” or “strong buy” rating.

Analysts’ Ratings for Phillips 66 after Its 1Q17 Earnings
After its earnings, Phillips 66 was rated by 19 analysts. Four analysts gave it a “buy,” 15 gave it a “hold,” and no analysts gave it a “sell.”

How Did Tesoro’s Stock Perform Pre-1Q17 Earnings?
Since January 3, 2017, TSO stock has fallen 9.8%. Comparatively, crude oil prices have fallen 5.2%, and natural gas prices have fallen 5.6% year-to-date.

Key Updates Markets Are Waiting for in U.S. Steel’s 1Q17 Call
In this article, we’ll analyze the key updates the markets are waiting for in U.S. Steel’s 1Q17 earnings call.

Are Valero’s Analyst Ratings Weaker or Stronger before the 1Q Results?
Of the 21 analysts covering Valero Energy (VLO), 12 (57%) analysts have assigned “buy” or “strong buy” ratings, while nine (43%) have assigned “hold” ratings.

Can AK Steel Regain Its Lost Mojo in 1Q17?
Previously, we looked at AK Steel’s (AKS) 1Q17 earnings estimates. In this article, we’ll look at some key updates the markets could be anticipating in the company’s 1Q17 earnings call.

Why Short Interest in Valero Soared in 2017
Valero Energy (VLO) has witnessed a rise in its short interest since mid-February 2017.

Analysts Might Take a Fresh Look at U.S. Steel Corporation
U.S. Steel Corporation will release its 1Q17 earnings on April 24 after the market closes. The company’s earnings conference call will be on April 25.

What Should Alcoa Investors Make of Aluminum Premiums?
Aluminum premiums are key indicators that investors in primary producers such as Century Aluminum (CENX), Norsk Hydro (NHYDY), and Rio Tinto (RIO) should track.

Short Interest: OFS Stocks with the Lowest Returns in 1Q17
Short interest in Nabors Industries (NBR), as a percentage of its float, rose to 11.5% as of March 31, 2017—compared to 6.5% as of December 30, 2016.

What the Divergence in Flat Rolled Steel Imports Tells Us
In this article, we’ll look at February 2017’s flat rolled steel imports and study whether there’s a divergence in the imports of these products.

How Does Tesoro’s PEG Compare to Its Peers’?
In this article, we’ll compare Tesoro’s (TSO) PEG ratio (price-to-earnings to blended growth rate) to those of its peers. We’ve considered the mean estimate of PEG.

How Raw Material Prices Could Impact U.S. Steel’s Performance
ArcelorMittal’s mining operations generated an operating income of $203 million in 4Q16, almost double what they generated in 3Q16.

What Analysts See in AK Steel under Trump’s Presidency
AK Steel (AKS) closed at $7.95 on March 14—0.8% higher than the previous day’s closing. So far, 2017 has been a dismal year for AK Steel investors.

Could Valero’s Refining Margins Soar in 1Q17?
Valero’s Midcon crack indicator rose to $11.90 per barrel in 1Q17 from $10.90 per barrel in 4Q16.

Analyzing Consol Energy’s 2016 Coal Production Guidance
For 2016, Consol Energy’s (CNX) Pennsylvania mining operations, which is part of its coal division, expects coal production of 23.6 million–24.4 million tons.

Gold Prices Recover amid Sell-Off
Demand for Gold Withstood Recent Selloff Despite the drop in the gold price in October, demand for gold bullion-backed exchange traded products (ETPs) held firm. Inflows have no doubt slowed down compared to earlier in the year (0.4% increase in holdings in October compared to 12% and 6% increases in February and June respectively), but […]

U.S. Steel: A Look at Its Annual Guidance
U.S. Steel’s earnings guidance During its 3Q16 earnings call, U.S. Steel Corporation (X) cut its fiscal 2016 EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization) guidance to $475 million. The company also reduced its net income guidance and now expects to post a net loss of $355 million this year. We should note that this […]

How Far Can U.S. Steel Raise Its Base Selling Prices?
U.S. Steel (X) announced a $30 increase in flat-rolled steel products. Some of the other producers including AK Steel (AKS) have also followed suit.

Policymakers Are Getting Vocal about the Fed’s Credibility
The issue of the Fed’s credibility is not a new one. The effectiveness of the prolonged monetary accommodation has sparked a lot of debate in the past.

Versum to Be Added to the S&P Mid-Cap 400
Versum Materials (VSM), a spin-off company of Air Products and Chemicals, will be added to the S&P MidCap 400 after the close of trading on September 26.

Generic Competition Not a Threat to UTHR’s Remodulin
Though Remodulin is expected to face generic competition starting in 2018, UTHR is confident in maintaining the majority of its market share.

How Far Could US Shale Oil Production Drop?
The EIA (U.S. Energy Information Administration) expects crude oil production to slow down at the key US shales.

Is the Hectic Macro Calendar Pointing to a Volatile Week Ahead?
In terms of the macro calendar, the major data releases for the week starting August 15 from the US side will include the CPI and the building permits release.

How Marathon Oil’s Stock Has Reacted to Past Earnings Reports
After losing ~84% of its market capitalization between September 2014 and February 2016, Marathon Oil’s stock price has begun to show signs of new uptrends.

Devon Energy: Production Guidance and Management in 2Q16
For 2Q16, Devon Energy (DVN) expects total production in a range of 616 Mboe (thousand barrels of oil equivalent) to 653 Mboe per day.

Consol Energy’s Coal Production Guidance for 2Q16
In response to the ongoing coal market uncertainty in early 2016, Consol Energy’s (CNX) coal division has reduced its 2016 expected sales forecast to 27 million–32 million tons.

What Superior Energy Services Plans for Capex in 2016
In this article, we’ll analyze how Superior Energy Services’ (SPN) operating cash flows trended over the past few quarters.

Buffalo Wild Wings: Revenue Growth Tops Casual Dining Restaurants
Revenue growth drives earnings and, in turn, raises investor confidence. In 1Q16, casual dining restaurant companies in our series posted a median revenue growth of 6.9%.

How Is The Cheesecake Factory Expanding Its Business?
By the end of 2015, CAKE was operating 188 The Cheesecake Factory restaurants, 12 Grand Lux Cafes, and one RockSugar Pan Asian Kitchen restaurant.

What Are Encana’s Plans for the Montney Resource Play?
By the end of 2018, Encana expects Montney to produce 1 Bcf per day of natural gas and 50,000 barrels of liquids.

The Cheesecake Factory Is Not Just about Desserts
The Cheesecake Factory has positioned itself as an upscale casual dining concept that focuses on providing a distinctive, high-quality dining experience.

What Are Analysts’ Recommendations for Domino’s Pizza?
According to a Bloomberg survey of 17 analysts, 29.4% recommended a “buy,” 64.7% recommended a “hold,” and 5.9% recommended a “sell.”

Domino’s Pizza: Will It Deliver Strong EPS in 1Q16?
In 1Q16, analysts are expecting Domino’s Pizza to post an EPS of $0.98. The increased revenue and EBIT margin expansion are expected to drive the EPS growth.

Will Panera Bread’s PE Ratio Continue to Rise?
Since the beginning of 2016, Panera Bread’s PE ratio has been trading at 29.4x–32.9x. As of April 17, 2016, it was trading at 30.9x.

Noble Corporation’s Valuation Compared to Its Peers’
Analysts expect a healthy 15% earnings growth for Noble in the next three to five years. This could boost NE’s valuation in the medium to long term.

Major Movers of the Financial Markets in the Past 20 Years: Part 1
The volatility of the financial markets began in 1997 when the currency markets in Thailand decided to no longer peg their currency to the US dollar. This spread rapidly to other Asian countries.

What Subsidy Eligible Membership Could Mean for Centene’s Public Exchange Revenues
Centene managed to increase its public exchange membership from 75,000 members in 2015 to 146,000 members in 2015.

US Dollar Rose Due to Decent Inflation and Labor Data
The US Dollar Index rose to a high of 94.6 when the labor and inflation data were released on October 15, 2015. The US Dollar Index closed at 94.4.

Nucor’s Comfortable Leverage Ratios Should Soothe Investors
Companies with strong balance sheets could still outperform amid challenging market conditions. We’ll explore different steel companies’ leverage ratios.

Nucor’s Financial Performance to Improve in 3Q15?
Nucor reported a 2Q15 EPS of $0.39, beating analysts’ estimates for its financial performance. Its share price then went up ~3%.

Why July Import Data Offers a Ray of Hope to US Steel Companies
US steel imports have now fallen on a yearly basis for four consecutive months.

Key Takeaways from the Jackson Hole Symposium
The annual Jackson Hole Symposium attracts a high-profile audience including finance ministers, central bankers, and academics from around the world.

U.S. Steel’s Flat Rolled Segment Posts a Loss in 2Q15
U.S. Steel’s Flat-Rolled segment posted negative EBIT of $24 per ton in 2Q15. This represents a slight improvement over 1Q15 results.

Weak Crude Steel Production in China Is Bad News for Iron Ore
Since 98% of mined iron ore goes into making steel, it’s important to track steel production. This helps decipher trends for iron ore demand.

Engaged Capital Raises Stake in Rovi Corporation
Engaged Capital’s relationship with Rovi dates back to April 2013, when the fund first invested in the company.
Why May’s consumer credit report is key in more than 1 way
The Fed will release the consumer credit figures on Tuesday, July 8. This is a monthly release. Its headline number is total consumer debt.