Companies that pay dividends are a great way to book a return without needing the market to go up or having to sell stock. Here's why Chevron (CVX 0.59%), Coca-Cola (KO 0.72%), and the exchange-traded fund (ETF) Global X Nasdaq 100 Covered Call ETF (QYLD -0.30%) are great buys in August. A dividend all-star that could fortify your passive income stream Scott Levine (Chevron): From rising inflation to concerns about how President Donald Trump's tariff policy will affect the economy, many are concerned that a ...

Why is the market down today? 🔎 Ask https://t.co/84k3lLTUN2 https://t.co/GMODoyJR3t ...

Core Viewpoint - CarMax reported better-than-expected Q1 results, with revenue rising approximately 6% year-over-year to $7.55 billion and earnings exceeding predictions at $1.38 per share, leading to a nearly 6% surge in stock price [2] Financial Performance - CarMax experienced a 6.6% rise in same-store sales year-over-year during the quarter, indicating a positive shift after a slight decline over the past two years [2] - The company noted an improvement in gross margins, with retail gross profit per used unit nearing an all-time high due to increased demand and cost efficiencies [2] - Quarterly revenues grew 6.7% to $6.0 billion compared to $5.6 billion a year prior, contrasting with a 4.8% improvement for the S&P 500 [6] - CarMax's revenues have decreased 0.7% from $27 billion to $26 billion in the last 12 months, against a 5.5% growth for the S&P 500 [6] Valuation Comparison - CarMax's price-to-sales (P/S) ratio is 0.4 compared to 3.1 for the S&P 500, and its price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio stands at 19.7 versus 26.9 for the benchmark [6] - The current valuation of CarMax appears moderate when compared to its operational performance and financial health over recent years [3] Profitability Metrics - CarMax's operating income for the last four quarters was -$221 million, reflecting an operating margin of -0.8% [7] - The operating cash flow (OCF) for this period was $624 million, indicating an OCF margin of 2.4%, compared to 14.9% for the S&P 500 [7] - Net income for the four-quarter period was $501 million, resulting in a net income margin of 1.9%, against 11.6% for the S&P 500 [7] Financial Stability - CarMax's total debt was $19 billion at the end of the most recent quarter, with a market capitalization of $11 billion, leading to a debt-to-equity ratio of 194.8% compared to 19.4% for the S&P 500 [9] - Cash and cash equivalents amount to $247 million of the $27 billion in total assets, resulting in a cash-to-assets ratio of 0.9% [9] Downturn Resilience - KMX stock has historically performed worse than the S&P 500 during several downturns, indicating lower resilience in adverse market conditions [9] - The stock experienced a significant decline of 64.0% from a peak of $154.85 in November 2021 to $55.69 in October 2022, compared to a 25.4% drop for the S&P 500 [10] - During the COVID pandemic, KMX stock fell 56.6% from a high of $101.90 in February 2020 to $44.27 in March 2020, versus a 33.9% decline for the S&P 500 [11] Overall Assessment - CarMax's performance across key metrics indicates extremely weak operational performance and financial condition, leading to the conclusion that KMX is a very unattractive stock to buy [12][14]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q1 2025, revenues decreased to $123.9 million from $195.4 million in Q4 2024 and $415 million in Q1 2024, primarily due to a decrease in sales volume [17][18] - Gross loss was $81.5 million, compared to a gross loss of $65.3 million in Q4 2024 and a gross profit of $72 million in Q1 2024, resulting in a negative gross margin of 66% [18][21] - Net loss attributable to shareholders was $71.8 million, an improvement from a net loss of $180 million in Q4 2024, but down from a net income of $15.5 million in Q1 2024 [21][22] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company operated at a reduced utilization rate of approximately 33% of nameplate capacity, with total production volume at 24,810 metric tons, slightly below guidance [9][10] - Polysilicon unit production costs increased by 11% sequentially to an average of $7.157 per kilogram, while cash costs increased by 5% to $5.31 per kilogram [11][12] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - China's new solar PV installations reached 59.71 gigawatts in Q1 2025, reflecting a robust year-over-year growth of 30.5% [15] - Domestic polysilicon production volume was reported at 105,500 metric tons in March, with January and February below 100,000 metric tons [12][13] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to enhance its competitive edge by improving efficiency and optimizing cost structures through digital transformation and AI adoption [16] - The transition to a market-based pricing mechanism for renewable energy is expected to promote sustainable development in the industry [14][15] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management noted that the solar PV industry is facing significant challenges due to overcapacity and low polysilicon prices, but believes that ongoing losses will lead to a healthier industry in the long term [9][15] - The company remains confident in its ability to weather the current market downturn and emerge as a leader in the industry [16] Other Important Information - As of March 31, 2025, the company had a cash balance of $792 million and no financial debt, providing ample liquidity [9][22] - The company expects total production volume in Q2 2025 to be in the range of 25,000 to 28,000 metric tons [12] Q&A Session Summary Question: When do you think overcapacity will be eliminated and which players might exit the market? - Management indicated that rebalancing of supply and demand will take longer than expected, with no companies completely exiting the market yet, but many are lowering utilization rates or undergoing temporary shutdowns [26][28] Question: What is the expected trend for industry utilization rates throughout the year? - Management expects the industry utilization rate to remain between 40% to 50% in the near term, with potential for slight increases depending on market conditions [30][32] Question: What is the strategy regarding ADR delisting risk? - Management acknowledged the risk of ADR delisting but considers it a low probability, while remaining vigilant and monitoring regulatory developments [40][42] Question: What is the outlook on cash costs for the subsequent quarters? - Management indicated that cash costs may remain similar to slightly lower in Q2 2025, depending on production levels, with current costs impacted by maintenance of facilities [45][50]

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - In Q1 2025, revenues decreased to $123.9 million from $195.4 million in Q4 2024 and $415 million in Q1 2024 [16] - Gross loss was $81.5 million, compared to a gross loss of $65.3 million in Q4 2024 and a gross profit of $72 million in Q1 2024 [17] - Gross margin was negative 66%, worsening from negative 33% in Q4 2024 and positive 17.4% in Q1 2024 [17] - Net loss attributable to shareholders was $71.8 million, an improvement from $180 million in Q4 2024 but a decline from net income of $15.5 million in Q1 2024 [19] - EBITDA was negative $48 million, compared to negative $236 million in Q4 2024 and positive $76.9 million in Q1 2024 [20] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Total production volume for polysilicon was 24,810 metric tons, slightly below the guidance range of 25,000 to 28,000 metric tons [9] - Polysilicon unit production costs increased by 11% sequentially to an average of $7.157 per kilogram [9] - Cash costs increased by 5% to $5.31 per kilogram due to maintenance and facility-related costs [10] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - China's new solar PV installations reached 59.71 gigawatts in Q1 2025, representing a 30.5% year-over-year growth [13] - Domestic polysilicon production volume was 105,500 metric tons in March, with January and February below 100,000 metric tons [10] - Polysilicon prices remained stable at approximately RMB 37 to RMB 42 per kilogram throughout the quarter [12] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company aims to enhance its competitive edge by improving efficiency and optimizing cost structures through digital transformation and AI adoption [14] - The transition to a market-based pricing mechanism for renewable energy is expected to promote sustainable development in the industry [12] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - The solar PV industry is currently facing challenges due to overcapacity and low polysilicon prices, but the company maintains a strong balance sheet with no financial debt [7][8] - Management believes that ongoing losses will lead to the exit of less competitive players, ultimately resulting in a healthier industry [13] - The company expects production volume in Q2 2025 to be in the range of 25,000 to 28,000 metric tons [10] Other Important Information - As of March 31, 2025, the company had a cash balance of $792 million and total quick assets of $2.15 billion, providing ample liquidity [7] - The company incurred idle facility-related costs of approximately $1.58 per kilogram due to lower utilization rates [9] Q&A Session Summary Question: When does the company expect overcapacity to be eliminated? - Management indicated that rebalancing of supply and demand will take longer than expected, with no companies completely exiting the market yet [25][26] Question: What is the expected trend for industry utilization rates? - The current industry utilization rate is between 40% to 50%, with expectations for slight improvements but potential downside risks due to policy changes [28][30] Question: What is the strategy regarding ADR delisting risk? - Management acknowledged the risk but considers the probability of forced delisting relatively low, while monitoring market and regulatory developments closely [38][40] Question: What is the outlook on cash costs for subsequent quarters? - Cash costs are expected to remain similar to slightly lower in Q2 2025, depending on production levels [48]