Tag: Enphase Energy

  • Enphase Energy (ENPH) Stock Soars Following Strong Earnings Report

    Enphase Energy (ENPH) Stock Soars Following Strong Earnings Report

    Shares of Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH) are experiencing a notable surge on US stock charts following the recent earnings announcement. As of the latest update in the current market session, ENPH stock has risen by 12.25%, reaching $116.34.

    Robust Financial Performance and Operational Highlights

    With $303.5 million in sales and a non-GAAP gross margin of 47.1% for the second quarter of 2024, Enphase Energy posted remarkable financial performance. The business supplied 120.2 megawatt hours of IQ Batteries and 1,402,602 microinverters, or around 608.3 megawatts DC, during this time. Comparing the first quarter of 2024 to this year, revenue in the United States increased by almost 32%, while sales outside stayed steady. Furthermore, inventory levels across all worldwide channels have stabilized.

    Strategic Financial Moves

    Additionally, Enphase Energy carried out a sizable share repurchase program, purchasing 891,896 shares of its common stock for a total of around $99.9 million, or an average price of $112.02 per share. In order to pay taxes on employee stock vesting and options, Enphase Energy also invested almost $7.5 million in withholding shares, which reduced the number of diluted shares by 66,126.

    In the second quarter of 2024, Enphase Energy saw increased battery attach rates in California, driven by the growing adoption of NEM 3.0. The company has begun shipping its third-generation IQ Battery 5P to both the U.S. and Europe. The number of certified installers for Enphase Energy IQ Batteries has risen to over 7,400 worldwide, up from more than 4,900 in the first quarter of 2024.

    Product Innovations

    At Intersolar Europe in June 2024, Enphase Energy also announced a number of new products, including as the IQ EV charger, the IQ Balcony Solar Kit solution, and the IQ Battery 5P with FlexPhase backup. The company anticipates launching these products in select European markets later this year.

    Additionally, Enphase Energy introduced its AI-driven IQ Energy Management software in the Netherlands and Belgium, aimed at optimizing savings for homeowners. The recently launched Solargraf design and proposal software platform is now available to residential and commercial installers in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, Germany, Austria, and the Netherlands.

  • An Analyst Upgrade Gave Enphase Energy (ENPH) Stock A Boost

    An Analyst Upgrade Gave Enphase Energy (ENPH) Stock A Boost

    Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH) experienced a significant surge in its stock value during the previous trading session, reaching a notable 16.91% increase to close at $117.51. This upward momentum was largely attributed to an upgrade recommendation from an analyst firm, Oppenheimer. Formerly, Oppenheimer assessed Enphase stock as “Perform,” but on Wednesday, it upgraded its suggestion to “Outperform” while preserving a target price of $133.

    The optimistic market atmosphere encircling Enphase was strengthened by recent corporate advancements, especially the introduction of its fresh product series, the IQ8 Microinverters. These inventive microinverters, encompassing the IQ8HC and IQ8X variations, showcase a maximum output AC power of 384W, crafted to seamlessly merge with a broad array of solar panels up to 540W DC.

    Enphase’s proactive strategy in crafting products capable of adapting to the escalating power density of contemporary solar panels establishes the company as a frontrunner in the sector. Enphase’s expanding assortment of IQ8 Microinverters caters to the varied energy requisites of homeowners, providing straightforward, secure, and plug-and-play solutions.

    This adaptability empowers installers to devise and execute tailor-made systems suited to fulfill the precise needs of each client, whether it pertains to energy conservation or complete energy autonomy. Moreover, Enphase’s end-to-end energy system, powered by IQ8 technology, not only ensures peak energy generation but also incorporates intelligent energy optimization and control features through the Enphase App.

    This comprehensive approach simplifies the transition to clean energy for consumers, providing them with a user-friendly platform to monitor and manage their energy consumption efficiently. Beyond microinverters, Enphase offers a complete energy solution in North America with the integration of IQ Batteries and IQ Combiners.

    The IQ Batteries provide consumers with options for self-consumption, savings, or full backup functionality, while the IQ Combiners streamline installations by consolidating interconnection equipment into a single enclosure. Additionally, IQ Combiners facilitate internet connectivity for over-the-air updates and integration with the Enphase App monitoring platform.

  • Solar Stocks Worth Investing In For 2022

    Solar Stocks Worth Investing In For 2022

    The global solar industry has been performing in a top-notch manner, even prior to the boost that the Covid-19 phenomenon brought to it. Federal policies such as the Solar Investment tax credit, and wider initiatives such as the Paris Climate Agreement have catalyzed the growth of this rising giant. According to the Paris initiative, the global target for 2030 has been set at 5200 Gigawatts, whereas the standard for 2040 is at 14000 Gigawatts. All this comes as a spark for the global solar market, which is already enjoying tailwinds from its consistently declining costs of production.

    The most recent catalyst to drastically accelerate the growth of the solar industry is the Inflation Reduction Act, signed by President Joe Biden in mid-September. As part of the Act, a further $369 billion is being allocated to domestic renewables. In light of this, solar stocks seem to be in high demand among market participants. For this reason, we bring to you a list, highlighting five top solar stocks that are worth investing in.

    Canadian Solar

    The first stock on this list is the global solar champion, Canadian Solar (NASDAQ: CSIQ). Canadian Solar is one of the top names in the global solar markets, and it has structured itself in a manner so as to capture value at various levels of the segment.

    The company holds two core business segments, demonstrating world-class expertise in each. Canadian Solar’s first business segment is its manufacturing and installation one. This gives CSIQ exposure to long-term recurring revenue, especially since it offers service and maintenance agreements. At present, the company is dealing with over 3.1 gigawatts of operations under the segment, which management claims will surpass 20 gigawatts by 2026.

    On the other hand, Canadian Solar operates its global energy segment, which deals in the project management domains. Through this, the company develops, builds, and sells large-scale solar-power projects around the world. These projects range from develop-to-sell, build-to-sell, or build-to-own. The aforementioned exit strategies give CSIQ the flexibility to maximize its return. The pipeline of these projects presently totals up to 26 gigawatts of solar power.

    As a result of this robust business model, which gives the company a significant competitive edge, CSIQ has been flying high in terms of its financial performance. In its most recent quarterly report, the company saw its net income grow explosively by a staggering 572% on a year-on-year basis. For these reasons, CSIQ should be at the forefront while looking at the solar stocks to invest in.

    Maxeon Solar Technologies

    The second solar stock we present is the Singapore-based Maxeon Solar Technologies (NASDAQ: MAXN). The strength of this stock can be gauged by its price rise alone, which in the last six months amounted to almost 80%, whereas the S&P 500 declined by 14%.

    Like most players in the global solar industry, Maxeon too enjoys the strong tailwinds of opportunity and stands ready to climb high. However, there is much about this company in particular that makes it a difficult one for investors to ignore. Although it is a small-cap company valued at only $1 billion and is still in its negative EPS phase, its forward-looking prospects are extremely bright. For one, it recently renewed its contract with US photovoltaic specialist, SunPower which would enable it to continue supplies to the US and Canada until October 2023. Similarly, the company also penned an agreement with TotalEnergies to supply the company’s Danish Fields project in Texas with 400 megawatts of ultra-efficiency solar modules. Both these deals provide a substantial growth boost to the young company aiming to establish itself as a global leader.

    Furthermore, Maxeon Solar is excessively focused on driving down its solar panel costs through these strategic partnerships, which would enable it to gain a strong foothold in the North American markets. It also has finalized plans to establish a multi-gig solar production facility within the United States. This is a highly strategic move considering the legislative incentives the industry faces in the country.

    The final cherry on top for this high-growth emerging star is its financial performance. In its recent most quarter, Maxeon saw topline growth of 35%, indicating its success within the market it operates in. This is not a stock to take lightly for those seeking the gains of the lucrative world of solar.

    Array Technologies Inc.

    Next up we take a look at Array Technologies Inc., (NASDAQ: ARRY) a company that develops solar tracking systems that are essential to the optimization of solar projects on a utility-scale. The company was off to a dismal start since its IPO last year, given a price plummet that was caused by market-wide uncertainty in the wake of the post-Covid slowdown.

    Fast-forward to September 2022, ARRY appears to be in full-blown recovery mode, as a result of a number of wider factors. For one, the inflation reduction act, and similar policies issued by president Biden have changed the dynamics and prospects of the wider industry to a substantial degree. Secondly, Array’s solar tracking system, which adjusts panel placement in real time to face the sun, is seeing an influx in demand, given the energy optimization the concept promises. Finally, the prices of steel, which are a primary component of Array Technologies’ products offer wider profit margins and bottom-line growth.

    Given the shift in the playing field, ARRY has more than doubled its quarterly revenue in June 2022, from $197 million to $425 million, on a year-on-year basis. The wider market also appears to be confident in its prospects, considering its 36% climb in the bearish six months prior. It is evident that ARRY has good times ahead, hence making it a prime investment candidate for solar stocks would be a good choice.

    Enphase Energy Inc.

    The fourth solar stock we turn to is Enphase Energy Inc., (NASDAQ: ENPH) an American photovoltaic player working in the home energy solutions market. Although its stock has seen a price doubling from $152 to $305 in the last 12 months alone, it has a substantial growth runway ahead of it. In just the last 12 months, ENPH saw its revenue climb by 64%, whereas its earnings grew by 13%.

    The biggest opportunity that Enphase faces come from Europe, just as the company is on the verge of expanding to international markets. Given the tensions that currently exist between the EU and Russia, the entire European continent is on the verge of an energy crisis this oncoming winter, which could prove devastating to tens of millions of citizens in a number of countries. Amid such circumstances, solar-powered home energy solutions, as Enphase Energy offers could very well be the hero of the moment and face skyrocketing demand.

    Enphase Energy, following the acquisition of key American companies, has vastly expanded its installation and integration network, which allows it to meet demand at a global level. Its various manufacturing facilities in India, China as well as Mexico demonstrate the robustness of its distribution network and supply chain. Its very next manufacturing facility comes in Romania, which will launch later this year, indicating the company’s ambitions in the European continent.

    Given the oncoming opportunity in Europe, and potentially the world, Enphase is optimal for the capture of market share to a major degree. Its product pipeline appears to be one of the most promising in the solar competitive space, offering home power management tools, and solar-based solutions fit for homes as well as small businesses. The stock, for these reasons, is definitely one to keep on your radar among other solar stocks.

    Daqo New Energy

    The final stock on this list is the China-based, global world leader, Daqo New Energy (NYSE: DQ). Daqo, along with its subsidiaries is a producer and supplier of polysilicon, the most critical component that goes into solar panels. The company, given its substantial cost advantage, occupies a 13% share of the global polysilicon market.

    In just the last decade, Chinese companies have excelled substantially within this domain, pushing their European counterparts off their positions in market leadership. At present, the top 3 polysilicon players are all based in China, with Daqo being the largest player of them all, with rocketing growth.

    The company’s revenue from 2019 to 2021 stood at $350 million, $675 million, and $1.7 billion respectively. Analysts place their revenue consensus estimate for 2022 at a staggering $4.4 billion mark. Such explosive fundamental growth indicates possible domination of the solar markets, owing to its successful cost leadership, which competitors are unable to match. Similarly, earnings per share during these three years exploded from $0.43 to $21.50 a share.

    Despite such strong fundamental prospects, the DQ price has barely changed in the last 12 months, signaling a possible undervaluation of a substantial degree. The fact that the company’s forward PE ratio stands at 2.7, compared to the wider sector average of 16.7 further reinforces this view. DQ, therefore, is a great opportunity for those seeking both value and growth in solar stocks.

    Conclusion

    There appears to be agreement amongst all classes of investors that the next big opportunity exists within the world of solar. With so many tailwinds supporting it, and a number of policy incentives, its hard to not sway toward the investing opportunities that solar power offers to the world at large. As costs continue to decline, and countries strive to attain self-sufficiency, in terms of energy, the industry as a whole is likely to reach new heights, which will eventually challenge the mighty fossil fuel industry. Each of the solar stocks mentioned in this article allows investors to be a part of the booming rise the industry is on the verge of experiencing.

  • Top 5 Upgraded Stocks For Q3

    When uncertainty clouds the markets, investors have little room to take confident positions in stocks of their preference. This is precisely the condition of the financial markets today, at a global level. During these circumstances, the prudent approach would be to look to the upgraded stocks of financial analysts and experts. The recommendations put forth by analysts do hold significant weight, as they are the outcome of rigorous technical analysis, and a study of fundamentals, momentum, and wider trends. For this reason, many, especially beginner investors, turn to analysts’ guidance.

    Analysts delivering guidance.

    The first two quarters of 2022 have both been rocky and unpredictable, by a wide array of metrics. With the market entering into bear territory, many had lost fortunes amassed over several years. Looking toward the next quarter, we observe that there is little to say as to which direction things will take. In light of this, we explore the top 5 stocks analysts recommend for the third quarter of the current financial year.

    EMCOR Group

    In terms of analyst favorites in the upcoming months, EMCOR Group Inc (NYSE: EME) stands as one of the leading names in upgraded stocks. The company specializes in complex activities in the domain of electrical and mechanical construction at an industrial level. Ever since the performance slowdown during the pandemic in 2020, this specialist contractor has been seeing a surge in both its top and bottom-line figures. While the stock is presently trading at $114, its target price stands at almost $138. Moreover, just in FY22Q2, Sidoti analyst, Brian Russo upgraded the position on EME from neutral to buy.

    The extent of impressive performance can be glanced at in its recent quarter two results for 2022. Where analysts had set a consensus quarterly revenue of $2.6 billion, the company managed to successfully deliver $2.71 billion. This reflected an over-achievement amounting to $110 million. Even more impressive was the company’s bottom-line performance. Where analysts expected a quarterly EPS figure of $1.70, EMCOR had gone on to earn an impressive $1.99 per share.

    EMCOR Group, owing to its robust market position has been on a rapid growth trend. Its revenue climbed from $7.55 billion to $9.18 billion between 2016 and 2019. This took a dip during the pandemic in 2020, falling to $8.8 billion. 2021 had thus brought an impressive rebound, with revenue climbing up to $9.9 billion, ensuring companies’ position in upgraded stocks. Profitability throughout these periods has also been surging. In just a single year, the company managed to nearly triple its net earnings of $132.9 million in 2020, to an incredible $383.5 million in 2021.

    The reason this stock is so favored amongst analysts is due to its trading at discount levels. This is a result of the bear market conditions, where the S&P 500 dipped by 7.85% in the last 12 months. During this time, EME fell by a similar magnitude of 6.89%. A slip by this level is significant, especially given the rock-solid fundamentals and impressive financial growth the company is experiencing.

    SeaWorld Entertainment

    Another big name stock on the analysts’ radar has been the theme park and entertainment company, SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: SEAS), which operates several theme parks and water park attractions across several US states. Recently, Deutsche Bank labeled SEAS as being a ‘Catalyst Call: Buy Idea’, as a result of its top and bottom-line results being “achievable” for Q2, and the full year. With a present price of $45 per share, analysts have placed the stock’s target at over $78, indicating significant upside potential.

    The reason for this shift comes as the company continues to deliver impressive revenue and earnings figures. After the lifting of Covid-related restrictions placed on the industry, SEAS is once again operating at full-blown capacity. It has also managed to increase its potential revenue capacity per person from $66 in 2019 to $80 in its most recent quarter. This explains its impressive topline improvement and its placement in the list of upgraded stocks.

    Despite this strong fundamental position, SEAS has fallen from over $76, down to a mere $45, in just the last three months alone. A drop of 40%, without a fundamental deficiency, points to a significant undervaluation, which analysts have evidently identified.

    In fact, SeaWorld’s financials are so strong, that its management has been actively seeking to expand through acquisitions. The company had initiated talks with Cedar Fair LP (NYSE: FUN) for an acquisition, earlier this year. Although the talks were unsuccessful, it points to the company’s short and long-term strategic vision geared toward expansion. Moreover, during Q2, SEAS also announced a share buyback program worth $250 million. This indicates its willingness to return value to its shareholders.

    Enphase Energy

    Enphase Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH) is one stock that has been in the center of the market spotlight for many investors. Enphase Energy is a solar and home energy solutions company. Despite incredible macroeconomic headwinds, that have forced even corporate giants to shed significant market value, ENPH has performed remarkably. In just the last six months, the stock has almost doubled its price from $140 to $276.

    Many have argued that the hype has essentially overvalued ENPH, considering the trajectory of the wider market. However, some highly credible analysts feel that this is no overvaluation, and the price is trading close to the stock’s intrinsic value. Goldman Sachs, for instance, has raised the ENPH target price from its previous $244 to $290. Similarly, Credit Suisse has upgraded its classification of the stock from neutral to outperform, with the target price set at $281. These analyst positions indicate that, despite investor concerns, the stock remains a buy.

    These analysts’ stances on the stock are far from unsubstantiated, given some significant tailwinds supporting the wider industry. Enphase Energy, the microinverter market leader in the US, as well as a premium player in America’s MLPE duopoly stands well positioned to soar as a result of these tailwinds. Its capital-light business model, which gives it an edge above its peers in the industry, delivers significant cash flow to support business growth. Additionally, its expansion into new and lucrative business markets, such as the EV charging space, further stands to enhance its upside potential. All of these high-promise opportunities, coupled with the company’s strong execution, as observed in its stellar revenue and earnings growth, reinforces the analysts’ optimism regarding ENPH.

    Wingstop Inc.

    Analysts appear bullish on the stock of Wingstop Inc. (NASDAQ: WING). The company franchises and operates restaurants across 44 American states, and 7 countries in the world. WING is presently trading at $116, yet its target price has been set at $135, indicating an upside potential of 16%. Brokerage and research firm, Cowen, recently bumped up the target price of WING to $140. This suggests that the upside potential could be as high as 21%, at present levels.

    In just the past month, WING gained by 68%, so an additional 21% upside would amount to its price essentially doubling from where it stood in late June of 2022.

    Growth at such levels and its position in upgraded stocks comes as no surprise considering Wingstop management’s ambitions and their ability to execute. There is a renewed emphasis on brand awareness through innovative marketing and customer-oriented ads on social platforms. These moves signal a significant jump in the company’s ambitions, to which it will allocate up to $50 million per annum. Moreover, the company leadership has also decided to increase the per restaurant contribution to national marketing from 4% to 5%.

    Given that Wingstop stands on the verge of dynamically scaling up, and expanding its business, analysts are confident of the growth trajectory its stock is inevitably going to ride upon.

    Exxon Mobil

    The final stock we present is that of the globally renowned oil and gas company, Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM). The strength of the stock’s fundamentals, combined with its stock market performance, points to possibly significant upside potential. The last few months have brought in record high levels of crude oil, catalyzed by supply chain disruptions from Eastern Europe, and sanctions on giant oil producer, Russia. The result was soaring levels of inflation, which particularly impacted crude oil.

    With market prices of oil reaching new heights, the outcome for oil producers like Exxon Mobil was record-high profit margins. The surge in revenue also improved liquidity figures substantially. Despite such renewed growth opportunity, the stock’s $90 price is still marginally close to its price in 2018, which did not offer such a strong opportunity. This price is lower than anticipated given the drop in global oil prices in the last month. Despite this, however, the future looks extremely bright for XOM.

    The company is taking the patient route of using its short-term explosive gains to enhance its longer-term financial sustainability. The CEO of Exxon Mobil has disclosed some of these forward-looking plans in the company’s recent earnings call:

    “We are making outstanding progress on our high-value growth developments in Guyana, the Permian and LNG. Our new Corpus Christi Chemical Complex is up and running ahead of schedule and generated positive earnings and cash flow in its first quarter of operations.” He had also gone on to discuss the company’s strategy of pursuing low-carbon, biofuels, and hydrogen-based energy solutions, in light of the global energy transition.

    Perhaps these are the factors as to why analysts remain so optimistic regarding XOM and the company have successfully made its place 5 best-upgraded stocks. Earlier in July, Piper Sandler bumped up its target price from $102 to $109, reclassifying it from neutral to overweight. Similarly, in June 2022, Credit Suisse upgraded the stock to an “outperformer” with a target of an impressive $125.

    Conclusion

    Analyst picks are the guiding light to the uncertain investor during times of turmoil. When market participants lose confidence in their outlook of stocks, the best route might just be to turn to the technical-minded. Analysts employ rigorous valuation models, whilst factoring in relevant trend-related variables. These approaches are usually objectively sound in identifying which stock holds upside potential worth investing in. The stocks discussed above are some of the top upgraded stock picks for Q3 of the present financial year.

  • Early Morning Vibes: The 4 Best Stocks To Buy Now

    Trading on December 31 at the American stock markets ended in the green zone. The S&P 500 index climbed 0.64% to 3756 points, the Dow Jones rose 0.65%, the NASDAQ added 0.14%. S&P 500 and Dow Jones were able to hit new all-time highs thanks to positive statistics on weekly jobless claims. The growth of the indices for the whole of 2020 was 16% and 7%, respectively, while the growth of the high-tech NASDAQ over the past year was 44%.

    Company news

    Enphase Energy (ENPH: + 1.5%) will be listed in the S&P 500 starting January 7.

    Celsius Holdings (CELH: + 13.3%) will be listed in the S&P SmallCap 600 starting January 7.

    Elf Beauty (ELF: + 7.4%) will be listed on the S&P SmallCap 600 starting January 7.

    Today, global stock markets are showing positive dynamics on the first trading day of 2021. The news background remains calm, but market participants continue to bet on the recovery of the global economy this year thanks to effective vaccines and a fast vaccination process.

    However, while the vaccination campaign in the States is not so successful: as of January 2, only 4.2 million Americans received the first (of two) dose of the vaccine, although it was previously planned to reach the goal of 20 million. The head of the Operation Warp Speed organization suggested increasing the vaccination rate by halving Moderna’s vaccine dose for certain populations, negotiations are underway with the FDA regulator and company representatives. It is important to note that investors do not yet appear to be concerned about the slow pace of vaccinations.

    In Europe, there is still no desire from the authorities to soften coronavirus restrictions. Stricter measures can be taken in the UK. In general, after the holidays, a global increase in diseases and an increase in the burden on the health care system can be expected, but investors are optimistic and look at this as the peak of the fight against coronavirus, after which the burden on healthcare workers will begin to decrease and state borders will open.

    In the United States, an attempt to increase direct payments to the public from $ 600 to $ 2,000 was unsuccessful. Also over the weekend, attention was drawn to the delisting of Chinese telecom companies from American exchanges, which was a consequence of Donald Trump’s decree.

    Technical analysis

    Technically, the S&P 500 is prone to an upward movement. A new historical maximum was reached the day before. Buyers continue to demonstrate relative strength. At the same time, the RSI indicator is close to the overbought zone, so there is a risk of correction. To stay in an uptrend, the S&P 500 needs to hold above the 3640 level.

    Today Top Movers

    Nio Inc (NIO)‎, a Auto Manufacturer company, soared about 2.44% ‎at $49.93 in pre-market trading Monday after providing its December, fourth quarter and full year 2020 delivery results.‎

    ‎Canaan Inc (CAN) share price increased 20.57% to $7.15 during early morning ‎trading session on Monday.‎‎

    Castor Maritime Inc (CTRM) stock ascended 6.48% at $0.19 in the pre-‎market trading today following the announcement of pricing of $18.0 million registered direct offering.‎

    ‎Sundial Growers Inc (SNDL) gained over 2.30% at $0.48 in pre-market ‎trading on Monday.‎ The company recently revealed that it has closed the acquisition of a special purpose vehicle.

    Top Upgrades & Downgrades

    Barclays turned bullish on Ally Financial Inc. (ALLY), upgrading the stock to “Overweight” and assigning a $48 price target.

    The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) has won the favor of Barclays’s equity research team. The firm upgraded the shares from Equal-Weight to Overweight and moved their price target to $362.

    Morgan Stanley (MS) received an upgrade from analysts at Barclays, who also set their one-year price target on the stock to $88. They changed their rating on MS to Overweight from Equal-Weight in a recently issued research note.

    Earlier Monday Jefferies reduced its rating on Masco Corp (NYSE: MAS) stock to Hold from Buy and assigned the price target to $61.

    Barclays analysts reduced their investment ratings, saying in research reports covered by the media that its rating for Zions Bancorporation (NASDAQ: ZION) has been changed to Equal Weight from Overweight and the new price target is set at $50.

    Analysts at Barclays downgraded Citigroup Inc (NYSE: C)’s stock to Equal Weight from Overweight on Monday.

    Latest Insider Activity

    AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) EVP, Commercial Operations Stewart Jeffrey Ryan announced the sale of shares taking place on Dec 29 at $105.00 for some 25,290 shares. The total came to more than $2.66 million.

    Walmart Inc. (WMT) 10% Owner WALTON JIM C sold on Dec 30 a total 372,175,368 shares at $144.23 on average. The insider’s sale generated proceeds of almost $229.12 million.

    The Kroger Co. (KR) Director SARGENT RONALD declared the purchase of shares taking place on Dec 30 at $31.65 for some 3,200 shares. The transaction amount was around $0.1 million.

    Clearside Biomedical Inc. (CLSD) 10% Owner WHITMORE BRADFORD T bought on Dec 24 a total 3,179,095 shares at $1.95 on average. The purchase cost the insider an estimated $99,897.

    Important Earnings

    Top US earnings releases scheduled for tomorrow include SMART Global Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:SGH). It will announce its Nov 2020 financial results. The company is expected to report earnings of $0.7 per share from revenues of $290.93M in the three-month period.

  • The best-performing stocks in the Solar Sector last trading session

    The best-performing stocks in the Solar Sector last trading session

    During the third quarter of 2020, U.S. solar firms built 3.8 GW of new solar PV capacity. The industry struggled to recover from some of the worst effects of the Covid-19 pandemic in Q2, which saw installations rise by 9%.

    The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie have released the “US Solar Market Insight Q4 2020” report, which indicates that solar will account for 43% of all additional capacity additions through Q3 2020, more than any other electricity source. In 2020, a record 19 GW of new solar capacity is projected, representing a 43% year-over-year increase from 2019.

    The residential solar sector, which seems to have been the hardest hit by the pandemic’s business effects, has surpassed recovery expectations, rising 14 percent over Q2. Even it stayed below the rate of Q1.

    Following are the best performing stocks in the Solar Sector in the last trading session.

    Array Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:ARRY) shares were trading up 4.57% at $38.64 at the time of writing on Tuesday. On December 7, 2020, the company declared the closing of the secondary offering by a parent entity of the Company controlled by Oaktree Capital.

    Array Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:ARRY) share price went from a low point around $29.05 to briefly over $50.99 in past 52 weeks, though shares have since pulled back to $38.64. ARRY market cap has remained high, hitting $4.86B at the time of writing, giving it price-to-sales ratio of more than 5.

    If we look at the recent analyst rating ARRY, JP Morgan upgraded coverage on ARRY shares with an Overweight rating and a $45.39 price target, which implies room for 6.75% upside momentum this year.

    Canadian Solar Inc. (CSIQ) last closed at $43.02, in a 52-week range of $12.00 to $45.70. The firm on November 23, 2020 reported that it signed a power purchase agreement with BTG Pactual and that it was awarded with two projects in a private auction by Furnas Centrais Elétricas for a total of 862 MWp in solar power projects in Brazil. Analysts have a consensus price target of $45.57.

    Enphase Energy Inc. (ENPH) stock soar by 10.61% to $160.46. The company recently revealed the launch of the Enphase Installer Network (EIN) in Australia. The most recent rating by Piper Sandler, on December 11, 2020, is at an Overweight.

    First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) Shares headed rising, higher as much as 5.39%. The most recent rating by Piper Sandler, on December 11, 2020, is at a Neutral.

    JinkoSolar Holding Co. Ltd. (NYSE:JKS) rose 17.78% after gaining more than $9.55 on Tuesday following declaration of changes to its senior management team.

    Sunnova Energy International Inc. (NOVA) last closed at $42.97, in a 52-week range of $6.12 to $46.00. On December 4, 2020, the firm reported that it closed its securitization of leases and power purchase agreements on November 30, 2020. Analysts have a consensus price target of $40.18.

    Sunrun Inc. (RUN) stock soar by 10.63% to $63.17. The firm on November 24, 2020 reported five environmental justice initiatives to expand access to solar and its benefits. The most recent rating by UBS, on October 27, 2020, is at a Sell.

    SolarEdge Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:SEDG) Shares headed rising, higher as much as 6.97%. The most recent rating by Piper Sandler, on December 11, 2020, is at an Overweight.

    ReneSola Ltd (NYSE:SOL) rose 17.19% after gaining more than $1.2 on Tuesday. The company stated on December 8, 2020, that China’s Ministry of Finance approved ten of the Company’s rooftop projects to receive incentive payments.

    SPI Energy Co. Ltd. (SPI) last closed at $7.64, in a 52-week range of $0.55 to $46.67.

    SunPower Corporation (SPWR) stock soar by 13.10% to $24.87. The firm on November 24, 2020, declared a tender offer to purchase any and all of its outstanding 0.875% Convertible Senior Debentures due 2021. The most recent rating by UBS, on October 27, 2020, is at a Sell.

    Sunworks Inc. (NASDAQ:SUNW) Shares headed rising, higher as much as 12.81%. On December 7, 2020, the company announced that it has sold approximately 3.8 million shares of common stock. The most recent rating by ROTH Capital, on April 02, 2020, is at a Neutral.

    VivoPower International PLC (NASDAQ:VVPR) rose 19.16% after gaining more than $1.23 on Tuesday after announcing the appointment of Gemma Godfrey to the Company’s Board of Directors.

  • Early Morning Vibes: Watch These 4 Stocks Today

    Early Morning Vibes: Watch These 4 Stocks Today

    The session on December 11, the American stock indexes finished in different directions. The S&P 500 Index dropped 0.13% to 3663 points, the Dow Jones added 0.16%, the NASDAQ lost 0.23%. At the beginning of trading, quotes went down for a short time, but most of the losses during the day were compensated, thanks to positive macro statistics. The communications sector emerged as the clear leader, rallying 1.15% on higher Disney shares. The financial and energy sectors looked weaker than the market, losing about 1% due to the fixation of positions after the rally.
     

    Corporate News
     

    Walt Disney (DIS: + 13.6%) management shared plans and forecasts for streaming services Disney +, Hulu, ESPN + and Star. The cumulative number of subscribers is expected to grow from the current 137 million to 300-350 million by FY2024.
     

    Apple (AAPL: -0.7%) is developing its own modem for its future devices. The news put pressure on shares of Qualcomm (QCOM: -7.4%), a chip maker for 5G communications.
     

    Oracle’s quarterly results (ORCL: + 1.8%) exceeded expectations on strong demand for cloud services.
     

    Today, world stock exchanges are showing mostly positive dynamics. The vaccination campaign can start today. Moderna’s vaccine may be approved this Friday, December 18th, but that too will not come as a surprise to market participants. On the eve of the US authorities issued an order for 100 million of anti-clotting vaccines from this company.
     

    The discussions on the stimulus package remain in the focus of investors’ attention, especially in light of the weak data on jobless claims last week. Today, lawmakers will present a detailed bill on the $ 908 billion package, which can be split into two blocks. One of the blocks will contain support measures that are less controversial among lawmakers. Even a compromise solution on this issue will be welcomed by investors.

    Top Upgrades & Downgrades


    KeyBanc turned bullish on Welltower Inc. (WELL), upgrading the stock to “Overweight” and assigning a $70.0 price target.
     

    RPT Realty (RPT) has won the favor of KeyBanc’s equity research team. The firm upgraded the shares from Sector Weight to Overweight and moved their price target to $11.0.
     

    The Macerich Company (MAC) received an upgrade from analysts at KeyBanc. They changed their rating on MAC to Sector Weight from Underweight in a recently issued research note.
     

    Earlier Monday KeyBanc reduced its rating on Xenia Hotels & Resorts Inc. (XHR) stock to Sector Weight from Overweight.
     

    KeyBanc analysts reduced their investment ratings, saying in research reports covered by the media that its rating for Healthpeak Properties Inc. (PEAK) has been changed to Sector Weight from Overweight.
     

    Analysts at KeyBanc downgraded Retail Opportunity Investments Corp. (ROIC)’s stock to Sector Weight from Overweight on Monday.

    Today Top Movers


    Sundial Growers Inc (SNDL) went up 3.69% in today’s premarket session following a declaration from the firm that it has received approval to transfer the listing of its common shares to the Nasdaq Capital Market.
     

    Ideanomics Inc (IDEX) share price surged 11.96% at $2.06 in premarket session on Monday. Investors should take the recent surge in Ideanomics’ share price as a cautionary sign.
     

    Veru Inc (VERU) stock soared 21.16% in early morning trading session today. The firm recently declared that it has exclusively licensed worldwide rights to enobosarm, a late-stage oral novel androgen receptor (AR) targeting agent for the treatment of endocrine resistant ER+ HER2- metastatic breast cancer.

    Latest Insider Activity


    Progyny Inc. (PGNY) 10% Owner TPG Group Holdings (SBS) Advis announced the sale of shares taking place on Dec 10 at $37.52 for some 73,100 shares. The total came to more than $2.74 million.
     

    Enphase Energy Inc. (ENPH) Director Malchow Joseph Ian sold on Dec 11 a total 82,950 shares at $143.90 on average. The insider’s sale generated proceeds of almost $0.43 million.
     

    Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (GTE) Director Wade Brooke N. declared the purchase of shares taking place on Dec 09 at $0.39 for some 200,000 shares. The transaction amount was around $78000.0.
     

    Allied Esports Entertainment Inc. (AESE) 10% Owner Knighted Pastures LLC bought on Dec 10 a total 3,945,720 shares at $1.14 on average. The purchase cost the insider an estimated $99,194.

    Earnings To Watch


    Top US earnings releases scheduled for today include Champions Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ: CSBR). It will announce its Oct 2020 financial results. The company is expected to report revenues of $9.38M in the three-month period.
     

    Analysts expect Qudian Inc. (NYSE: QD) to report a net income (adjusted) of $0.04 per share, when the bank releases its quarterly results shortly. Revenue for the fiscal quarter ended Sep 2020 is predicted to come in at $165.18M.
     

    Vince Holding Corp. (VNCE), due to announce earnings after the market closes today, is expected to report earnings of $0.44 per share from revenues of $65.9M recently concluded three-month period.