Trading Tips Blog

Inflation rates are coming down off of a 40-year high. But they’re still far higher than average. The process will take time to fully play out. When it does, prices will remain higher than they are now overall. Companies that can raise prices and still maintain market share and their customer base will be just fine as this trend fully plays out. Some companies keep customers thanks to popular, low-priced products. Others are able to raise prices as there are few, if ...
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John Morikis, CEO at Sherwin Williams (SHW) recently added 2,207 shares. The buy increased his holdings by just over 1 percent, and came to a total cost of $500,327. The CEO was the last buyer of shares at the company nearly a year ago, with a 2,000 share pickup for about $519,000. One division president sold shares in the past year. Going back further, a number of company executives were sellers of the stock. Overall, insiders own about 8.5 percent of ...
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Shares of package delivery company United Parcel Service (UPS) are down about 10 percent over the past year. One trader sees a move higher for shares in the months ahead. That’s based on the March $195 calls. With 43 days until expiration, 33,836 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 130, for a staggering 261-fold rise in volume on the option. The buyer of the calls paid $1.45 to make the bullish bet. UPS shares recently traded for about ...
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Many industries tend to have a few big players. There will likely be a single player that dominates the industry. But things can change. And underdog companies looking to catchup to the big dog can potentially deliver better returns while doing so. That can come about from a better product or service mix, better customer service, or a way to improve profitability during an economic downturn. In the home improvement retailer space, Lowe’s (LOW) is down more than the overall market in ...
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Andrew Barker, a director at the Banc of California (BANC), recently bought 48,435 shares. The buy increased his holdings by 50 percent, and came to a total cost just over $800,800. This insider was also the most recent buyer with a 12,900 share pickup back in February 2022. The company President and CEO also picked up about $100,000 worth of BANC shares at the time as well. There have been no insider sales over the past three years. Overall, company insiders ...
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Shares of battery technology company QuantumScape (QS) have lost over 40 percent of their value in the past year, although shares have recently bounced more than 50 percent higher off their lows. One trader sees a further decline ahead. That’s based on the March $9 puts. With 44 days until expiration, 13,951 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 259, for a 54-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $1.42. Shares recently traded for ...
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Economies change over time. The U.S. economy is largely driven by consumer spending. Most of the goods that consumers spend money on are made overseas, where labor is cheaper. But that’s starting to change. A big reason why is automation. Rather than employ factory workers, technology allows for goods to be made with minimal human interaction. That’s making it easier for manufacturers to operate in the high-cost United States. Companies that play to that trend have years of growth ahead. In the ...
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John Donovan, a director at Lockheed Martin (LMT), recently added 556 shares to his holdings. That increased his stake by 31 percent, and came to a total cost just under $251,000. The director was responsible for the last insider activity, with a 568 share buy back in October. Over the past year, the director has made four purchases. And one company vice president has been a seller of shares. Overall, company insiders own 0.1 percent of shares. The defense contractor is up ...
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