Core Investment Insights - American Express, SoFi Technologies, and Berkshire Hathaway are identified as promising long-term investments for retail investors starting with a modest amount of cash [1][2] American Express - American Express operates a different business model compared to Visa and Mastercard, as it issues its own cards and operates its own bank [4][5] - The company targets lower-risk, higher-income customers, which allows it to maintain a smaller market share intentionally [5] - American Express's business model is insulated from interest rate fluctuations, benefiting from higher interest rates through its banking segment [6] - Analysts project a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8% for revenue and 13% for earnings per share (EPS) from 2024 to 2027 [7] - The stock is currently valued at 18 times this year's earnings and offers a forward yield of 1.2% [8] SoFi Technologies - SoFi aims to disrupt traditional banks by providing a comprehensive range of digital financial services, including personal loans, credit cards, and stock trading [9] - The company has experienced rapid growth, with its member base increasing from 2.52 million in 2020 to 10.13 million in 2024 [10] - SoFi became profitable on a GAAP basis in 2024, despite facing challenges from a federal student loan freeze and rising interest rates [11] - Analysts expect SoFi's revenue and EPS to grow at a CAGR of 19% and 24%, respectively, from 2024 to 2027 [11] - The stock is valued at 49 times this year's earnings but appears cheaper at 14 times its forward adjusted EBITDA [12] Berkshire Hathaway - Berkshire Hathaway provides a diversified investment opportunity, owning various insurance companies and holding significant stakes in major financial institutions [13] - The company has consistently outperformed the S&P 500 since Warren Buffett acquired it in 1965, thanks to its scale and diversification [14] - Berkshire Hathaway's operating earnings, which exclude capital gains or losses, grew at a CAGR of 16% from 1994 to 2024, with expectations for continued growth [15]

Core Viewpoint - Recent volatility in the S&P 500 has led some investors to retreat from consumer discretionary stocks, but positive developments in the macroeconomic landscape may present investment opportunities for those willing to look beyond the surface [1] Consumer Spending and Savings - Consumer spending in the U.S. has declined for the first time since 2021, indicating growing concerns about personal financial stability [2] - The decline in spending has resulted in an increase in the personal savings rate, suggesting that consumers are holding more cash, which may seek investment opportunities [2] Banking Sector Insights - Increased savings may lead consumers to either pay down debts or leave funds idle in banks, potentially benefiting financial institutions [5] - Idle deposits can be used by banks to collateralize new products and generate net interest income (NII), which is crucial for bank earnings [6] Earnings Per Share (EPS) Forecasts - Bank of America is projected to see EPS rise to $0.96 for Q4 2025, up from $0.82, indicating potential stock price increases [8] - Citigroup's EPS is expected to grow to $1.85 for Q4 2025, reflecting a 38% increase from the current $1.34 [10] - Wells Fargo's EPS forecast for Q4 2025 is $1.60, a 12% increase from the current $1.43 [11] Market Sentiment and Price Targets - Current trading prices for Bank of America, Citigroup, and Wells Fargo are near 90% of their 52-week highs, suggesting optimism in the market [14] - Analysts project significant upside potential for these banks, with price targets indicating potential increases of 32% for Bank of America, 50.8% for Citigroup, and 26% for Wells Fargo [16][17]

Core Insights - Target Corporation reported a decline in both fourth-quarter and full-year earnings per share (EPS) for fiscal 2024, with fourth-quarter GAAP and Adjusted EPS at $2.41 compared to $2.98 in 2023, and full-year EPS at $8.86 compared to $8.94 in the prior year [2][10] Financial Performance - Fourth-quarter net sales were $30.9 billion, a decrease of 3.1% compared to the same quarter in 2023, which had an additional week of sales [6][30] - Full-year net sales decreased by 0.8% to $106.6 billion from $107.4 billion, with comparable sales showing a slight increase of 0.1% [7][10] - The company's total comparable sales increased by 1.5% in the fourth quarter, driven by an 8.7% increase in digital sales, while comparable store sales declined by 0.5% [6][10] Operating Results - Operating income for the fourth quarter was $1.5 billion, down 21.3% from $1.9 billion in 2023, resulting in an operating income margin of 4.7% compared to 5.8% in the previous year [6][8] - Full-year operating income was $5.6 billion, a decline of 2.5% from $5.7 billion in 2023, with a full-year gross margin rate of 28.2%, up from 27.5% in the prior year [9][10] Sales Metrics - The company experienced strong performance in categories such as Beauty, Apparel, Entertainment, Sporting Goods, and Toys, contributing to better-than-expected sales and profitability [3] - Digital comparable sales growth of 8.7% in the fourth quarter indicates a shift towards online shopping, with same-day delivery services growing over 25% compared to the previous year [10] Guidance and Expectations - For fiscal 2025, the company anticipates profit pressure in the first quarter due to consumer uncertainty and a decline in February net sales, but expects a moderation in trends as weather improves [4][5] - The company projects full-year net sales growth around 1% and GAAP and Adjusted EPS guidance between $8.80 and $9.80 [11][38] Capital Deployment - Target paid dividends of $513 million in the fourth quarter, reflecting a 1.8% increase in the dividend per share compared to the previous year [15] - The company repurchased $506 million of its shares in the fourth quarter, with approximately $8.7 billion remaining under the repurchase program [16] Return on Invested Capital - The after-tax return on invested capital (ROIC) for the trailing twelve months was 15.4%, down from 16.1% in the previous year, primarily due to lower profitability [17][44]

Core Viewpoint - American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) is expected to report its fourth-quarter 2024 results on March 6, with a focus on revenue growth and enrollment trends across its segments [1]. Financial Performance - In the last reported quarter, APEI's earnings per share (EPS) exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 300%, while revenues fell short by 0.3%. Year-over-year, revenues increased by 1.5% and EPS rose by 100% [2]. - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the fourth-quarter EPS is stable at 54 cents, indicating a 15.6% decrease from the previous year's EPS of 64 cents. Revenue estimates are pegged at $161.6 million, suggesting a 5.7% year-over-year rise [3]. Enrollment and Revenue Growth - APEI's fourth-quarter revenues are anticipated to increase due to strong performance across all segments, particularly in the American Public University System (APUS) and Hondros College of Nursing (HCN) [4]. - APUS is expected to see total net course registrations grow by 4% to 6%, driven by military-affiliated programs. HCN's enrollment is projected to rise by 19% to 3,700 students, while Rasmussen University (RU) is expected to have a 4% increase in student enrollment to 14,600 [6]. Segment Revenue Expectations - For the fourth quarter, revenues in the APUS and HCN segments are expected to increase by 2.8% to $81.6 million and by 20.6% to $19 million, respectively. RU segment revenues are predicted to grow by 5.4% to $55.4 million [7]. Margin and Income Projections - APEI is expected to report net income between $9 million and $11 million, down from $11.5 million a year ago, translating to EPS between 47 cents and 56 cents [9]. - Adjusted EBITDA is projected to be between $23 million and $26 million, compared to $25.7 million a year ago, with adjusted EBITDA margins expected to decline by 70 basis points to 16.1% [9]. Earnings Prediction Model - The current model does not predict a definitive earnings beat for APEI, as the Earnings ESP stands at 0.00% and the company holds a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) [10][11].

Group 1 - Nvidia's latest earnings report negatively impacted markets, despite some positive indicators in the S&P 500's performance [1][5] - The S&P 500 reported an earnings growth of nearly 18%, the highest since Q4 2021, with 77% of companies exceeding EPS estimates, consistent with the five-year average [1][5] - The financial sector was the top performer, achieving a 55% growth in earnings during the reporting season [2] Group 2 - The term "tariffs" was frequently mentioned in earnings calls, with 221 companies discussing it, indicating its significance as a corporate issue [3][5] - U.S. President Donald Trump announced that tariffs on Mexico and Canada would start on March 4, with additional tariffs on China, raising concerns about inflation and economic growth [4] - FactSet reported that 72 companies provided negative EPS guidance, surpassing the five-year average of 56 [4]

Core Insights - NetApp reported revenue of $1.64 billion for the quarter ended January 2025, reflecting a year-over-year increase of 2.2% [1] - The earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter was $1.91, slightly down from $1.94 in the same quarter last year [1] - The reported revenue fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.69 billion, resulting in a surprise of -3.09% [1] - The company met the consensus EPS estimate of $1.91, indicating no surprise in earnings [1] Key Performance Metrics - Gross margin for Product (Non-GAAP) was 56.7%, below the average estimate of 59.5% from eight analysts [4] - Total revenue growth was 2%, compared to the average estimate of 5.2% from seven analysts [4] - Gross margin for Services (Non-GAAP) was 82.8%, slightly above the average estimate of 82.2% from seven analysts [4] - Geographic revenue mix showed EMEA at 34%, Americas at 51%, and Asia Pacific at 15%, all in line with analyst estimates [4] - Net revenues from Services were $883 million, below the estimated $900.11 million, but represented a year-over-year increase of 2.8% [4] - Net revenues from Product were $758 million, compared to the estimated $793.22 million, with a year-over-year increase of 4.7% [4] - Public Cloud revenues reached $174 million, exceeding the estimate of $173.43 million, with a year-over-year growth of 15.2% [4] - Hybrid Cloud revenues were $1.47 billion, below the estimated $1.52 billion, with a year-over-year increase of 0.8% [4] - Support revenues were $621 million, below the estimated $642.46 million, reflecting a year-over-year decline of 1.6% [4] - Professional and Other Services revenues were $88 million, slightly above the estimated $87.02 million, with a year-over-year increase of 14.3% [4] Stock Performance - NetApp shares have returned +3.5% over the past month, outperforming the Zacks S&P 500 composite, which declined by -2.2% [3] - The stock currently holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), suggesting potential for outperformance in the near term [3]

Core Viewpoint - Salesforce Inc is set to report its fourth-quarter earnings, with Wall Street expecting an EPS of $2.61 and revenues of $10.04 billion, while the stock has shown a 2.76% increase over the past year but a 6.64% decline year-to-date [1] Stock Performance - Salesforce stock is currently priced at $308.35, indicating it is in bearish territory as it trades below its five-day, 20-day, and 50-day exponential moving averages (EMA), suggesting a strong downward trend [2] - The stock's eight-day simple moving average (SMA) is $316.35, the 20-day SMA is $328.28, and the 50-day SMA is $332.95, all reinforcing the bearish setup and short-term weakness [2] Technical Indicators - The stock remains above its 200-day SMA of $289.55, which provides a longer-term bullish signal [3] - Momentum indicators show a negative trend, with the Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) at -6.90 indicating negative momentum, and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 34.92 suggesting the stock is nearing oversold conditions [3] Analyst Ratings - The consensus analyst rating for Salesforce stock is currently a Buy, with a price target of $378.03, indicating a potential upside of 26.57% according to recent ratings from Citigroup, Citizens Capital, and BMO Capital [5] - At the time of publication, Salesforce stock was trading at $308.12 [5]