Markets and Business News Review

Time to think the unthinkable about bank regulation

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 00:00:58 -0400

Geopolitics is undermining the global system of financial regulation

Donald Trump vs Mr Market

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 00:00:58 -0400

As the US president’s rollercoaster tariff policy creates global financial chaos, Tim Harford asks: is he in a fight he can’t win?

Neil Woodford times his second coming to perfection

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 00:00:58 -0400

Former UK fund manager plots Easter comeback but his new ‘investment strategy platform’ has some obvious flaws

Welcome to slop world

Sat, 19 Apr 2025 00:00:58 -0400

The last bits of fellowship and ingenuity on the web are being swept away by a tide of so-called artificial intelligence

Trump Officials Blame Mistake for Setting Off Confrontation With Harvard

Michael S. Schmidt and Michael C. Bender — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 21:40:20 -0400

An official on the administration’s antisemitism task force told the university that a letter of demands had been sent without authorization.

I Want to Create the Ultimate Dividend Stock List – Can You Help Me Build It?

Joey Frenette — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 20:47:38 -0400

Investing in high-quality dividend stocks can be a great way to ensure you’re paid to ride out a tariff-troubled roller-coaster ride that has no end in sight. Of course, the bluest blue-chip stocks are prime targets for investors who are looking for the perfect mix of quality, relative stability, and reliability. And while it’s impossible not to feel the potholes in the road ahead, it is possible to steer clear of the deepest bumps by playing a bit of defense and not rushing to play the role of hero in a market environment that could punish excessive bravery in the early stages of a bear market.

A Reddit user recently took to r/dividends, searching for some high-quality dividend stock ideas to help them produce an “ultimate” portfolio build to last. In this piece, we’ll look at three blue-chip titans that I think could make for the bedrock of any such dividend-focused portfolio built to not only survive a Trumpcession but thrive.

Of course, the following dividend payers probably won’t have the most bounce-back potential if we’re in for more days like April 7, 2025, when the Nasdaq 100 popped double-digits while the S&P 500 surged by a high single-digit percentage amount. However, if you’re not looking to be a hero and would rather take a slow and steady approach to ride out this Trump tariff-fuelled slump (and a recession that could follow), the following blue chips could help keep your portfolio in good standing.

So, if you’re ready to prepare for a storm, rather than braving the dip as record numbers of retail investors, many of whom are rookies with no experience in riding out bear markets, have been, consider the following two names.

Key Points

Defensive dividend stocks may not be fancy, but they can produce upside in bear markets.
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McDonald’s

McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) is off to a decent start to 2025, rising by just over 6% year to date. With shares just 3% away from hitting new all-time highs, investors seeking robust dividends and relative stability may wish to keep buying, even as shares go for a rather rich 25.3 times forward price-to-earnings (P/E). The dividend yield, currently at 2.27%, isn’t gargantuan by any stretch of the imagination. However, it’s a payout that can grow steadily, even if Trump tariffs send the world economy into something a bit worse than a recession (think a depression or prolonged stagflation).

The company also has a margin expansion opportunity as it seeks to incorporate more tech into its kitchens. Sure, it’ll take some time before a robot makes your Big Mac with no lettuce and extra cheese, but for shareholders, it’ll be worth the wait, as embodied AI works its way into our everyday lives. For now, it’s AI-driven equipment across tens of thousands of locations that could enhance operating efficiencies.

Given that such tech is rapidly advancing and is highly scalable, I’d not dare discount McDonald’s margin growth prospects, even as investors drive the multiple higher because of their view that the Golden Arches can act as a shelter for their cash ahead of a potential hurricane as a result of the impact of draconian Trump tariffs.

Kroger

Kroger (NYSE:KR) is another resilient performer that could make for a great defensive buy as tariff troubles weigh heavily on the economy. Undoubtedly, the low-cost grocer has been hot of late, gaining 15% year to date as the market fell into a violent correction. As the company tests the ground with its new test-checking robot, Barney, the firm may have the means to take operating efficiencies to the next level.

At 15.1 times forward P/E, with a 1.8% dividend yield, KR stock stands out as a low-cost defensive dividend stock that could round out any blue-chip dividend portfolio ahead of almost any sort of environment. Even though shares are at new all-time highs, I’d not hesitate to buy more at north of $70. The grocer has done a lot of things right, and with innovations like Barney, the firm stands out as an underrated way to play the robotic AI boom.

The post I Want to Create the Ultimate Dividend Stock List – Can You Help Me Build It? appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..

Is Armour Residential REIT’s High Dividend Yield Worth the Risk of a 7 Percent Loss?

Joey Frenette — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 20:11:19 -0400

It’s tempting to buy the dip in some of the battered REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) and high-yield dividend stocks, while most others flee them due to Trump’s tariff concerns. Undoubtedly, catching a falling knife of a stock (or a REIT) is not for those who are easily rattled by extreme volatility. But when it comes to securities that pay out generous dividends or distributions, the rapidly swelling yield is an added incentive to jump into the deep end and brave the pain. After all, as the share price falls, the yield tends to rise. And if a firm’s cash flows aren’t pressured enough to warrant a distribution or dividend cut, investors may be able to walk away with super-charged yield in hand.

Of course, income investors seeking to give themselves a big raise by pursuing higher-yielders on the way down should evaluate the distribution health and the sustainability of cash flows in the event of an economic recession, one that may be unavoidable as Trump moves ahead with his tariffs on most of the world.

Indeed, not all REITs will fold and slash their distributions when times get a bit harder. The REITs with more durable cash flows can keep their distributions going strong, even when enduring tougher sailing. The key is telling the difference between the REITs with sustainable payouts and the ones that will have few other options than to trim the payout.

Key Points

Armour Residential REIT boasts a massive 20.2% yield. But does the towering payout make the name worth chasing?
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Understand the risks before reaching for yield.

As always, it’s essential to understand the full extent of the risks when buying securities after a big drop.

One must ask oneself whether such a drop accurately reflects the potential for fundamental decay in light of the developments that sparked the sell-off. Oftentimes, a security may be sold off for all the wrong reasons. If not much has changed about the long-term fundamentals or the state of cash flows, a fallen REIT can prove a fantastic buying opportunity. However, if the cash flows are put on the ropes, a distribution may not make it through a downturn in one piece.

In any case, it’s always wise to put in just a bit more homework when going for such securities for a shot at deeper value and fatter yields. Chasing yield without a full understanding of the business can lead to reduced distribution and mounting losses. With that warning out of the way, let’s focus on a specific REIT that one Reddit user, who posted in the r/dividends subreddit, is considering buying more of after its recent stumble.

Key Points

Armour Residential REIT boasts a massive 20.2% yield. But does the towering payout make the name worth chasing?
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Armour Residential REIT: A battered REIT with a sky-high yield.

Enter shares of Armour Residential REIT (NYSE:ARR), a 20.2%-yielder that tanked 24% in the past three months. With shares now down close to 90% from their all-time highs, there’s an intriguing deep-value proposition for investors seeking bang for the buck. The $1.14 billion mid-cap REIT invests in various residential mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and is required to pay at least 90% of its taxable income back to shareholders.

Upon first glance, the yield, which weighs in at a whopping 20.2%, looks too good to be true, at least in my humble opinion. As you’d imagine, there’s quite a bit of risk with the name amid mounting macro headwinds. That said, the cash flow situation isn’t as bad as one would imagine, with the dividend accounting for close to 90% of cash flows. Indeed, there are multiple scenarios where the payout could persist.

However, in my view, there isn’t much room for error. And with a history of dividend reductions (a reduction to 24 cents per share from 40 cents back in late 2023), let’s just say I wouldn’t be shocked in the slightest if another reduction were to unfold in the face of a Trump tariff-induced economic shock.

The Reddit user is an apparent fan of the yield, but is sitting on a position that’s down around 7%. Given their post is a few weeks old, their position — had they held onto it — is likely down closer to 20%. Personally, I think it’s too late to sell out of a relatively small position, especially if the Reddit user rode down the latest dip. In any case, I’m in no rush to buy shares at around $14 and change, even though the potential rewards could be great if the ultra-high-yielder manages to turn a corner.

The post Is Armour Residential REIT’s High Dividend Yield Worth the Risk of a 7 Percent Loss? appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..

Netflix Boasts That It’s Stable, Even in a Tough Economy

John Koblin — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 19:46:35 -0400

The streaming giant brought in $10.5 billion in revenue in the first three months of the year. For the first time, it didn’t disclose its quarterly subscriber figures.

CJR Editor Sewell Chan Is Fired

Katie Robertson and Benjamin Mullin — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 18:20:25 -0400

Sewell Chan, who started as executive editor of the publication in September, said his firing after several staff complaints was “baffling.”

U.S. Adds Fees for Chinese Ships in Effort to Boost Shipbuilding

Peter Eavis and Ana Swanson — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 18:02:55 -0400

The new fees are aimed at countering China’s dominance of the shipbuilding industry, but critics say they will simply raise prices for American consumers.

Trump Shifted on Tariffs After Bond Holders Got Jittery. He Held Millions Himself.

Ben Protess, Andrea Fuller and Joe Rennison — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 17:26:55 -0400

As of August, the president’s investment portfolio showed significantly more in bonds than in stocks. It is unclear if his personal holdings had any bearing on his decisions regarding tariffs.

Don Mischer, Master of Live Television, Is Dead at 85

Richard Sandomir — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 17:18:59 -0400

He produced and directed major events like the Oscars, Emmys and Tonys, as well as Super Bowl halftime shows and Olympic opening ceremonies.

Why the Bond Market Holds Sway Over Trump

Colby Smith and Jason Karaian — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 17:16:59 -0400

The bond market has emerged as one of the few brakes on the White House as it pursues its agenda on trade, taxes, personnel and more.

I.R.S. Head Is Ousted in Treasury Leader Bessent’s Struggle With Musk

Jonathan Swan, Andrew Duehren, Alan Rappeport and Maggie Haberman — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 16:55:29 -0400

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent complained to President Trump that the acting commissioner had been installed without his knowledge.

Elaine Wynn, Who Built Wynn Resorts Empire in Las Vegas, Dies at 82

Penelope Green — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 16:36:54 -0400

She and Steve Wynn were known as the king and queen of Las Vegas. After their divorce, Ms. Wynn became a force in her own right.

Wall Street slashes stock market forecasts amid Trump tariff fears

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 16:00:56 -0400

Banks expect gain of just 2% for S&P 500 this year, with JPMorgan and BofA among those lowering estimates

Dubai chocolate sparks pistachio shortage as TikTokers go nuts

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 16:00:56 -0400

Global kernel prices surge by a third as demand for viral cream-filled bars strains supplies

‘Protect the Dolls’ T-Shirts Become a Viral Symbol of Trans Support

Alisha Haridasani Gupta — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 15:54:09 -0400

The designer Conner Ives hoped to do some good with his “Protect the Dolls” T-shirt. Worn by celebrities, and sold out online, the shirts are raising money for a trans cause.

The flaky case for buying the dip

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 15:00:56 -0400

While professionals are deeply spooked, retail investors are piling in to US stocks

Trump’s Attack of Powell Tempered by Risk of Market Panic

Colby Smith, Jonathan Swan and Maggie Haberman — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 14:53:04 -0400

President Trump again attacked the chair of the Federal Reserve this week, but advisers say the president has turned more cautious on policies that could stoke extreme financial volatility again.

UK says transfer of deep-sea mining permits could prompt security review

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 14:46:47 -0400

A British company holding two Pacific Ocean exploration licences is up for sale after its Norwegian parent went bankrupt

Powell Faces Pressure From the Markets and Trump Over Rates

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 14:32:51 -0400

The Fed chair signaled the central bank will stand pat on borrowing costs despite President Trump’s trade fight. Investors and the president aren’t happy.

Capital One and Discover Can Merge, Regulators Say

Danielle Kaye — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 14:29:17 -0400

Two regulators signed off on the $35 billion deal, which the banks say will create a competitor to Visa and Mastercard. But consumer advocates warn that the deal may raise costs.

China-Built Airport in Nepal Was Littered With Corruption, Inquiry Finds

Bhadra Sharma and Daisuke Wakabayashi — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 14:06:28 -0400

A Nepali investigation blamed lawmakers and officials for looking the other way. The $216 million airport receives only one international flight a week.

How Hollywood learnt to love video games

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 13:00:28 -0400

While superhero franchises flag, ‘A Minecraft Movie’ shows the industry has finally cracked the formula for translating popular games into films

There’s No Need to Buy Any Semi-Automatic Shotgun If It’s Not On This List

Jessica Lynn — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 12:58:12 -0400

Gun laws are changing across the United States has states attempt to determine the ideal balance between gun rights and community protection. As of April 17, 2025, there have been 81 mass shootings — defined as an incident where four or more people are shot or killed — and there are still eight more months in the year. In an effort to crack down on gun violence and encourage more responsible gun ownership, the state of Colorado has implemented legislation that will require individuals looking to purchase semi-automatic rifles, shotguns, and gas-operated semi-automatic handguns to undergo safety training starting in 2026. Without undergoing safety training, individuals can still purchase a firearm, but it must adhere to having a permanently-fixed magazine with a 15-round limit. There are several critics of the legislation. However, this falls in line with Colorado’s general approach to gun regulations, which includes age purchase restrictions and ghost gun bans. (Does your state get an A+ or an F when it comes to gun laws?)

Despite these restrictions, semi-automatic weapons remain popular across the country. One survey from a few years ago even estimates that 37% of all weapons held in the U.S. were shotguns, with 20-25% being semi-automatic. Here, 24/7 Wall St. explored the most popular and best-selling semi-automatic shotguns in the United States. To do so, we used data from Gun Genius, which publishes a monthly report based on gun sales from GunBroker.com. These numbers are from 2024. While there are some monthly reports from 2025, we wanted a more comprehensive look at the entirety of 2024’s sales rather than a smaller look at trends so far this year. Guns are listed in ascending order, with the most popular shotgun first. We also provided a small overview of what semi-automatic shotguns are typically used for.

This previously published article was updated in April 2025 to adjust base price numbers and provide more insight into gun legislation that may impact semi-automatic gun sales.

What are Semi-Automatic Shotguns Used For?

Semi-automatic shotguns are usually used by hunters for the purpose of hunting waterfowl or birds. However, these guns are also popular for sport shooters and competitive shooters. Their popularity stands in their rapid firing rates and higher accuracy compared to some other shotguns.

Why It Matters

Perhaps the most versatile firearm on the market, shotguns are capable of taking a wide variety of game, from waterfowl and upland birds, to small mammals and deer. Shotguns are also commonly kept as home defense weapons, and are the only firearms suited to recreational trap and skeet shooting. Semi-automatic shotguns are especially popular in the U.S., and while there are many brands and configurations to choose from, certain models have emerged as clear favorites. Understanding which models are most popular also gives you insight into which gun sales are driving the shotgun and rifle market, estimated at USD $6.21 billion in 2025 and expected to reach USD $7.69 billion by 2030.

Check out the best-selling semi-automatic shotguns:

10. Benelli M2

Approx. base price: $1,549
Available chamberings include: 12 gauge, 20 gauge
Manufacturer: Benelli
Manufacturer’s U.S. headquarters: Accokeek, Maryland
Manufacturer’s parent company: Beretta Holding Group

9. Browning A5

Approx. base price: $1,539
Available chamberings include: 12 gauge, 16 gauge, 20 gauge
Manufacturer: Browning
Manufacturer’s U.S. headquarters: Morgan, Utah
Manufacturer’s parent company: FN Herstal

8. Franchi Affinity Series

Approx. base price: $1,049
Available chamberings include: 12 gauge, 20 gauge
Manufacturer: Franchi
Manufacturer’s U.S. headquarters: Accokeek, Maryland
Manufacturer’s parent company: Beretta Holding Group

7. Mossberg Model 940 series shotguns

Approx. base price: $778
Available chamberings include: 12 gauge
Manufacturer: Mossberg & Sons
Manufacturer’s U.S. headquarters: North Haven, Connecticut
Manufacturer’s parent company: N/A

6. Winchester Super X4

Approx. base price: $1,069.99
Available chamberings include: 12 gauge, 20 gauge
Manufacturer: Winchester
Manufacturer’s U.S. headquarters: New Haven, Connecticut
Manufacturer’s parent company: FN Browning Group

5. Benelli Super Black Eagle

Approx. base price: $1,949
Available chamberings include: 12 gauge
Manufacturer: Benelli
Manufacturer’s U.S. headquarters: Accokeek, Maryland
Manufacturer’s parent company: Beretta Holding Group

4. Beretta A400

Approx. base price: $1,889
Available chamberings include: 12 gauge, 20 gauge, 28 gauge
Manufacturer: Beretta
Manufacturer’s U.S. headquarters: Accokeek, Maryland
Manufacturer’s parent company: Beretta Holding Group

3. Benelli M4

Approx. base price: $2,399
Available chamberings include: 12 gauge
Manufacturer: Benelli
Manufacturer’s U.S. headquarters: Accokeek, Maryland
Manufacturer’s parent company: Beretta Holding Group

2. Beretta Model 1301 series shotguns

Approx. base price: $1,799
Available chamberings include: 12 gauge
Manufacturer: Beretta
Manufacturer’s U.S. headquarters: Accokeek, Maryland
Manufacturer’s parent company: Beretta Holding Group

1. Beretta A300

Approx. base price: $979
Available chamberings include: 12 gauge
Manufacturer: Beretta
Manufacturer’s U.S. headquarters: Accokeek, Maryland
Manufacturer’s parent company: Beretta Holding Group

The post There’s No Need to Buy Any Semi-Automatic Shotgun If It’s Not On This List appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..

Are Easter Baskets Getting Out of Hand?

Claire Fahy — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 12:12:37 -0400

Social media feeds are awash in images of lavish baskets overflowing with expensive gifts. Some parents are giving their children bikes. Others are pushing back.

Meat Is Back, on Plates and in Politics

Kim Severson — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 11:55:03 -0400

After years in which “plant-based” was the mantra, meat once again dominates the national conversation about dinner.

Google Makes History With Rapid-Fire Antitrust Losses

Steve Lohr — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 11:32:51 -0400

Within a year, two federal judges declared the tech giant a monopoly in search and ad technology. The tide may be turning for antitrust.

3 Top Schwab ETFs to Buy With the S&P 500 in Correction

Vandita Jadeja — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 10:43:26 -0400

The market downturn has led to investors scrambling for safe and secure investment options. Schwab is known for some of the best ETFs in the market and the current dip has made these ETFs cheaper for retail investors. If you are looking to reduce sector-specific and company-specific risks, now is the time to diversify your portfolio with ETFs.

Schwab ETFs have a low expense ratio, have generated steady returns in the past, and own elite stocks. Several Schwab ETFs align with your risk appetite and goals. If you are looking for ETFs that can outperform the stock market, we have the top three to consider. With the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite in correction, here are three Schwab ETFs that are a brilliant buy.

Key Points

Schwab ETFs have the ability to deliver steady returns while reducing your risk.
These three ETFs have a highly diversified portfolio of elite stocks and deliver solid returns.
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Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF

The Schwab’s U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF (SCHG) focuses on the top large-cap stocks. It tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Total Stock Market Index. Its NAV is $23.81 and it is up 6.5% in the past 12 months and about 112% in five years. However, due to the current market sell-off, the ETF is down 14.4% year-to-date. Its holdings include:

Information Technology: 48.99%
Consumer Discretionary: 13.76%
Communication Services: 13.53%
Health Care: 8.73%

SCHG has a high exposure to the tech industry and holds the Magnificent Seven including Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Meta, and Google. It also owns stocks like Broadcom and Eli Lilly which have performed exceptionally well in the past.

The fund’s top 10 stocks constitute over 50% of the total assets. SCHG has an expense ratio of 0.04% and $34.7 billion in total assets. Since SCHG is highly exposed to the technology industry, it has managed to generate significant returns over the past years when the sector was thriving. The top tech stocks aren’t cheap, and investing in an ETF that holds the Magnificent Seven will greatly reduce company-specific risks.

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF

Ideal for passive income seekers, the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSE ARCA: SCHD) focuses on the top dividend-paying companies. It mirrors the return of the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 index which consists of large-cap, profitable companies that have high dividend yields. The current dividend yield of the ETF is 3.5%. The NAV of SCHD is $25.42, it has remained flat in the past 12 months and is down 6.75% year-to-date. The fund has generated 52% returns in the past five years.

The fund holdings include:

Financials: 18.73%
Healthcare: 16.67%
Consumer staples: 14.37%
Industrials: 13.28%

The ETF has an expense ratio of 0.06% and the ETF underwent a 3-for-1 split in 2024. SCHD is not heavily focused on the technology industry which ensures steady returns even when the tech sector is down. Its top stocks include Coca-Cola, Verizon Communications, Lockheed Martin Corporation, and ConocoPhillips.

These are dividend-paying companies with stable cash flow and a history of increasing dividends over the years. The best thing about investing in SCHD is the low concentration on the tech sector. It focuses on financials and healthcare which are two indisputable industries. They may see market volatility but both industries play a very important role in the economy and will always bounce back.

Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ETF

The Schwab U.S. Large-Cap ETF (SCHX) is similar to SCHG and invests in large-cap stocks. It tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Total Stock Market Index. SCHX has an NAV of $20.79 and is down 10.19% year-to-date. The fund is up 5% in the past 12 months and 83% in five years. It is trading close to the 52-week low of $19. The fund went for a 3-for-1 stock split in October 2024.

SCHX holds 752 stocks and its holdings include:

Information Technology: 31.85%
Financials: 13.83%
Consumer Discretionary: 11.30%
Health Care: 10%

Tech makes up a large part of the fund’s assets and the top 10 stocks make up about 33% of the portfolio. The top stocks include the Magnificent Seven including Apple Inc., Amazon Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Nvidia, and Meta Platforms.

While these stocks aren’t enjoying their best days, they were once high-flying stocks that made investors rich. Their long-term performance has helped ETFs like SCHX thrive and deliver double-digit returns. It has an expense ratio of 0.03% and holds $48.1 billion in assets.

Since the fund invests in large-cap stocks, it offers steady returns at low risk. The companies hold a strong market position and have proved their worth time and again, they have the ability to bounce back, no matter how the market moves.

The post 3 Top Schwab ETFs to Buy With the S&P 500 in Correction appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..

If You Like Schwab’s SCHD, You Can’t Miss These Stocks With Even Higher Yields

Omor Ibne Ehsan — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 10:39:15 -0400

The Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSEARCA:SCHD) has a reputation for being the go-to choice for income-focused investors who want both quality and yield. The ETF offers a 4.14% dividend yield, and this is one of the highest yields you can get with a popular ETF. It is also quite cost-effective with a low expense ratio of 0.06%. Its portfolio focuses on household names and is well-diversified, so even a stock market downturn is unlikely to cause too much pain here.

Key Points

If you like the SCHD ETF, these individual stocks are worth having more exposure to.
These stocks give you solid dividends and safety, just like the SCHD ETF.
The dividends here are also higher than the Treasury yield.
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No ETF is perfect. There are individual stocks with higher yields and solid safety. These stocks aren’t going to give you the diversification, but having them in your portfolio is still worth it. Hand-picked high-yield stocks could deliver solid long-term returns as Treasury yields inevitably come down and more investors park their money in dividend stocks.

Verizon Communications (VZ)

The SCHD ETF holds Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ), but I think more exposure to this stock is a solid idea. If you’ve been watching the communications sector, you’re likely aware that AT&T (NYSE:T) has made a stellar comeback over the past few months and has fully recovered from a multi-year selloff. Investors who bought the dip here are raking in the dough, as not only have they collected solid dividends, they’ve also been rewarded with solid upside.

Verizon could deliver a similar upside going forward. Verizon complements the ETF’s stability with higher income potential and has a dominant position in the U.S. wireless market. This is a sturdy company that is unlikely to disappoint you at these levels. And even if it does, it’s likely to be short-term.

The appeal here goes beyond just a fat dividend check, and the company is in the midst of a growth renaissance with a surge in subscriber additions. Verizon has added nearly a million new subscribers in Q4 2024. This is the best growth in five years.

As a result, Verizon posted operating revenues of $134.8 billion in 2024. The wireless segment alone constituted $20 billion of that. EPS also climbed to $4.14 from $2.75 the year before.

The company’s management now projects that its wireless service revenue will grow 2-2.8% this year due to more pricing power and customer upgrades. It is future-proofing its business with a pending acquisition of Frontier Communications (NASDAQ:FYBR) to boost its broadband reach and is also investing in AI and 5G. VZ currently has a 6.1% dividend yield with 20 consecutive years of dividend increases.

British American Tobacco (BTI)

British American Tobacco (NYSE:BTI) shouldn’t be left out of the equation, as tobacco companies have done surprisingly well to grapple with declining smoking rates. BTI stock is up 48.2% in the past year and has completely recovered from the 2022-2023 selloffs and then some. The stock is now up 13% in the past five years. It is shifting to smokeless products and aims to derive 50% of its revenue from non-combustibles by 2035.

In the meantime, the financials have been solid. It reported full-year 2024 revenue of GBP 25.9 billion and net income of GBP 3.2 billion. This is now the world’s second-largest tobacco company by net sales.

One thing that I like about tobacco companies now is that they come with recession resistance alongside solid dividends. For obvious reasons, these companies tend to have inelastic demand regardless of the economic climate. Tobacco is not a big portion of people’s budgets, and if anything, people will consume more, not less, during a recession.

BTI stock now yields over 7%, and while the payout ratio of 62.37% also leaves room for more hikes down the line.

Pfizer (PFE)

Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) is a company that doesn’t have the best reputation in many circles, but many people forget that this company is not a one-trick pony. It makes more than COVID vaccines, and even though those vaccines are no longer driving recurring revenue, it has plenty of other products to offset that and keep paying solid dividends year after year.

Recently, Pfizer has been in the headlines for letting go of its weight loss pill. The stock is also down 14.2%, but I’d actually use the negativity as an excuse to buy it on the dip. The dividend yield here is a stellar 7.7% right now. These dividends are unlikely to go away anytime soon, as Pfizer has hiked these dividends for 16 consecutive years. The payout ratio is also at 56.98%, so it could keep increasing dividends.

The financial footing here is solid. Pfizer has reaffirmed its revenue guidance for 2025 in the range of $61 to $64 billion, with adjusted earnings per share expected to rise to $2.8 to $3. Moreover, the company posted $4 billion in net savings by the end of last year and plans to save another $500 million this year.

You have a lean company that is keenly focused on driving R&D productivity, with several late-stage readouts and regulatory decisions expected in 2025 that could yield the next generation of blockbuster medicines. I’d buy the dip and collect those dividends.

The consensus price target implies 39% upside.

The post If You Like Schwab’s SCHD, You Can’t Miss These Stocks With Even Higher Yields appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..

How QVC’s CEO Is Dealing With the Threat of Tariffs and TikTok

Jordyn Holman — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 10:30:41 -0400

The chief executive of QVC Group, David Rawlinson II, on tariffs, TikTok, and other threats to the company’s future.

Meloni and Trump Oval Office Meeting Cements Special Rapport

Emma Bubola — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 10:06:25 -0400

In Washington, President Trump lavished praise on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy. He also accepted her invitation to visit Rome.

‘We had to buy them’: old emails haunt Zuckerberg in high-stakes trial

Fri, 18 Apr 2025 09:22:54 -0400

Meta founder’s antitrust defence rests on showing that TikTok is rapidly expanding in his main market

If Putin Crosses the Line, These Are the Armies He’ll Have to Deal With

Jenn Boozer — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 09:04:53 -0400

What would happen if Putin escalated Russia’s ongoing conflict with Ukraine and attacks a NATO member country? Given current events, the answer is far from straightforward. The NATO alliance is currently facing internal tensions due to disagreements between the United States and European allies over handling the war between Ukraine and Russia. Recent actions by former U.S. President Donald Trump, including a softer stance toward Russian President Vladimir Putin, have made European countries uneasy. Trump’s apparent willingness to break from his NATO allies directly contrasts the beliefs of the American people — 66% of whom say that America benefits from its membership in the alliance, and 72% of whom believe that Russia is an enemy to our nation. Allies worry about America’s commitment to NATO’s core mission of collective defense against Russia, causing some European countries to consider strengthening their own defense capabilities independently. This comes at a challenging time, especially as Russia and Belarus are believed to be preparing to preemptively strike against certain NATO members. (What would the world today look like without NATO?)

Key Points

Putin’s expansionist ideology and aggressive military behavior has NATO countries worried about encroachment.
NATO countries are also concerned about how the U.S. might react, so European NATO members are building up defense capabilities.
The NATO member with the most military power has over 391,000 military vehicles.
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In response, European nations are looking at new plans to protect Ukraine without relying solely on NATO. For example, the UK and other countries considered sending fighter jets to defend Ukrainian skies or sending troops to help — though the latter plan is supposedly being walked back on. France’s President Emmanuel Macron has also suggested using the French nuclear program as a possible shield for Europe, signaling a move toward greater independence from U.S. protection. These differences highlight growing cracks within NATO, creating uncertainty about the alliance’s future unity. To determine the NATO members with the strongest military might, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 2025 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. Global Firepower ranked 145 countries based on their PowerIndex, a composite of over 60 measures in categories such as military might, financials, logistical capability, and geography. The smaller the PowerIndex value, the more powerful a nation’s theoretical conventional fighting capability is. The countries on our list are listed in ascending order from least powerful to most powerful military. We included supplemental information regarding active military personnel, military aircraft, vehicles, and naval power as well, also sourced from Global Firepower.

This article was updated in April 2025 to provide new Global Firepower data, as well as to provide an overview of recent conflicts associated with NATO members.

Why Is This Important?

NATO members work together to tackle crisis management, promote democracy, and create peaceful resolutions to disputes. Its principle of collective defense in Article 5 is the group’s hallmark and speaks to the cooperation encouraged between countries. But could this principle, only invoked once after the terrorist attacks in the United States on 9/11, need to be invoked again soon?

While it’s unlikely at this point that NATO will use Article 5 as any justification, increasing tensions could highlight why collective defens may become a strategy in the coming years. Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Director Sergey Naryshkin has even said that any “NATO aggression” against Russia would lead to Russian force against Poland, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia. This comes soon after the Baltic nations withdrew from the Ottowa Convention out of fears of diminished regional security. Though next steps are unclear, it seems as though some nations are beginning to prepare for a potentially inevitable global conflict if Russia continues pushing its territorial goals in Ukraine and beyond. (These NATO countries are ramping up defense spending.)

Here are the NATO countries with the strongest militaries.

32. Iceland

Military strength score: 3.5181 (ranked 135 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 0
Total military aircraft: 0
Total military vehicles: 150
Total navy ships and submarines: 0

31. Montenegro

Military strength score: 2.9216 (ranked 127 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 2,350
Total military aircraft: 11
Total military vehicles: 471 (including 12 MLRS units)
Total navy ships and submarines: 14

30. Luxembourg

Military strength score: 2.6415 (ranked 117 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 1,000
Total military aircraft: 1
Total military vehicles: 182
Total navy ships and submarines: 0

29. North Macedonia

Military strength score: 2.4042 (ranked 112 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 9,000
Total military aircraft: 20
Total military vehicles: 1,108 (including 20 tanks and 17 MLRS units)
Total navy ships and submarines: 0

28. Estonia

Military strength score: 2.2917 (ranked 107 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 7,700
Total military aircraft: 5
Total military vehicles: 1,685
Total navy ships and submarines: 8

27. Latvia

Military strength score: 2.1246 (ranked 99 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 17,250
Total military aircraft: 7
Total military vehicles: 1,848
Total navy ships and submarines: 18

26. Slovenia

Military strength score: 2.1016 (ranked 96 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 7,300
Total military aircraft: 39
Total military vehicles: 1,428 (including 54 tanks)
Total navy ships and submarines: 2

25. Lithuania

Military strength score: 1.9075 (ranked 88 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 23,000
Total military aircraft: 9
Total military vehicles: 1,263
Total navy ships and submarines: 14

24. Albania

Military strength score: 1.6815 (ranked 78 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 6,600
Total military aircraft: 19
Total military vehicles: 1,796 (including 46 tanks and 135 MLRS units)
Total navy ships and submarines: 19

23. Croatia

Military strength score: 1.5074 (ranked 74 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 14,325
Total military aircraft: 67
Total military vehicles: 2,848 (including 45 tanks and 42 MLRS units)
Total navy ships and submarines: 30

22. Slovakia

Military strength score: 1.3978 (ranked 71 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 19,500
Total military aircraft: 41
Total military vehicles: 3,074 (including 45 tanks and 25 MLRS units)
Total navy ships and submarines: 0

21. Bulgaria

Military strength score: 1.2563 (ranked 62 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 37,000
Total military aircraft: 65
Total military vehicles: 4,914 (including 90 tanks and 24 MLRS units)
Total navy ships and submarines: 36

20. Belgium

Military strength score: 1.2564 (ranked 61 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 25,000
Total military aircraft: 108
Total military vehicles: 4,606
Total navy ships and submarines: 9

19. Hungary

Military strength score: 1.0259 (ranked 55 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 41,600
Total military aircraft: 69
Total military vehicles: 7,797 (including 209 tanks)
Total navy ships and submarines: 0

18. Czechia

Military strength score: 0.9994 (ranked 53 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 28,000
Total military aircraft: 99
Total military vehicles: 6,340 (including 43 tanks)
Total navy ships and submarines: 0

17. Romania

Military strength score: 0.8984 (ranked 51 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 81,300
Total military aircraft: 140
Total military vehicles: 10,774 (including 328 tanks and 243 MLRS units)
Total navy ships and submarines: 20

16. Finland

Military strength score: 0.8437 (ranked 48 out of 145)
Active military personnel: 24,000
Total military aircraft: 163
Total military vehicles: 11,704 (including 200 tanks and 76 MLRS units)
Total navy ships and submarines: 264

15. Denmark

NASDAQ: APP) share price tumbled more than 35% afterward, due to a pending class action lawsuit and to short seller reports. The software company’s stock is down 4.6% from a week ago, despite a 3.7% pop on Thursday. The share price is now 26.4% lower since the beginning of the year. However, compared to a year ago, the stock is 236.0% higher, far outperforming the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq in that time.

Since the company went public in 2021, its stock price is up 310.7%. So, this has clearly been a top growth stock that investors have done well owning in recent years. AppLovin has been among the top tech stocks seeing a lot of love from the market, but is that still true with the recent overhang?

24/7 Wall St. Key Points:

AppLovin Corp. (NASDAQ: APP) has seen incredibly strong growth, driven by its core business model that helps online advertisers boost monetization and marketing efforts for their solutions.
Key drivers propelling AppLovin going forward include its enhancements in AI-powered advertising and its expansion into e-commerce advertising.
Here’s where this stock has come since its inception, and where AppLovin could be headed over the next one to five years.
If you’re looking for some stocks with huge potential, make sure to grab a free copy of our “The Next NVIDIA” report. It features a software stock we’re confident has 10X potential.

These days, the company focuses on providing software solutions that enhance the marketing and monetization of online advertisers. AppLovin, there are certainly catalysts worth considering, and we’ll get to those shortly. It continues to benefit from strong secular growth trends investors are looking for increased exposure to. As investors continue to pile into such stocks, retail investors appear to be looking to gain outsized exposure ahead of a continued boom.

It is worth remembering that AppLovin did see a more than 90% drawdown from its post-pandemic levels in 2021 in the past. So, is this stock headed for a further beat down, or is its momentum real? Let’s dive into some catalysts and price predictions around where this stock could go for the rest of 2025 through to the end of this decade.

Three Key Drivers for AppLovin

As mentioned, there is plenty on the news front that investors in AppLovin have to contend with. For instance, the analysts covering AppLovin have not been as bullish on this company as many may think, having issued warnings on the stock in the past year or so due to concerns around the company’s fundamentals.

Nonetheless, we see these key drivers propelling AppLovin going forward.

1. AI-Powered Advertising Enhancements

AppLovin’s Axon AI engine has been a game-changer, optimizing ad targeting and expanding beyond gaming into new categories like e-commerce, fintech, and automotive advertising. During the Q4 2024 earnings call, CEO Adam Foroughi highlighted that for the first time, AppLovin captured a significant share of holiday shopping ad spend—validating that its AI models are effective outside gaming.

Scaling AI Beyond Gaming: The company initially focused on direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands, but early pilots have shown AI-driven success across multiple verticals. This means any business in any industry could potentially tap into AppLovin’s advertising platform.
Personalized Advertising With Generative AI: The company is developing automated tools and AI-generated ad creatives to improve engagement. AppLovin’s self-service platform (currently in progress) will eventually allow businesses to run ads autonomously with AI-optimized targeting—a major step toward scaling its reach.

AppLovin’s AI capabilities are proving to be industry-agnostic, opening the door for millions of global advertisers.

2. Expansion Into E-Commerce Advertising

Foroughi described fourth-quarter 2024 as a major milestone, marking AppLovin’s first real penetration into e-commerce advertising. Historically, the company primarily monetized mobile gaming ads, but now retail and consumer brands are joining the platform in large numbers.

Surging Demand From E-Commerce Brands: Advertisers saw strong return on investment during the holiday season, prompting continued demand for the platform in 2025.
Pilot Program Scaling Up: While AppLovin hasn’t disclosed the number of e-commerce advertisers, industry checks suggest a significant influx of brands wanting access.
Self-Service Expansion Is the Next Big Growth Driver: Currently, the company manually onboards advertisers, but in 2025, the launch of automated tools and a self-serve platform will allow thousands of new businesses to join.

E-commerce advertising is set to be a major revenue contributor. Once self-serve tools become operational, adoption could scale exponentially.

3. Strategic Divestment of Mobile Gaming Unit

AppLovin is officially exiting game development—a move that frees up resources to focus entirely on advertising technology.

$900 Million Sale of Apps Business: AppLovin announced that it has signed an exclusive term sheet to sell its mobile gaming division, with $500 million in cash and $400 million in equity in a private company.
Why This Matters: The company originally acquired gaming studios to train its AI models, but it was never meant to be a core business. Now that AI is self-sufficient, AppLovin no longer needs to develop its own games.
Shifting to a Pure Ad-Tech Model: With gaming divested, the company can fully concentrate on expanding its advertising ecosystem—positioning itself as a direct competitor to Google and Meta in the ad tech space.

Divesting from mobile games is a giant pivot for the stock, as it paves the way as a pure advertising technology company.

Stock Price Prediction for 2025

Clearly, there are strong reasons why AppLovin was up as much as it is this year before the recent pullback. Simply put, investors have been banking on AppLovin as a potential AI beneficiary, as several AI advancements have fueled customer success and accelerated the company’s adoption and growth rates across the board. If the company can continue to prioritize generating outsized free cash flow and return capital to shareholders to a greater degree, I certainly think this multiple could be warranted. Here’s where the stock could be headed, assuming the company’s multiple stays the same and earnings grow according to analyst estimates.

The current consensus one-year price target for AppLovin is $457.16, which would be a 102.2% gain. On average, 27 analysts covering AppLovin recommend buying shares, five of them with a Strong Buy rating.

24/7 Wall St.’s 2025 forecast projects AppLovin’s stock price to be $505.00, or up 123.3% from today’s price. We see the stock continuing its strong growth rate and outperforming analysts’ expectations.

AppLovin Price Target for 2030

By the end of the decade, we estimate AppLovin’s stock price to be $1,325.00 per share with less than 10% year-over-year revenue growth. Our estimated stock price will be about 486% higher than the current stock price.

Year	Price Target	Upside Potential
2025	$505.00	123.3%
2026	$530.00	134.4%
2027	$637.00	181.7%
2028	$710.00	214.0%
2029	$975.00	331.2%
2030	$1,325.00	486.0%

Palantir (PLTR) Price Prediction and Forecast 2025-2030

The post AppLovin (NASDAQ: APP) Price Prediction and Forecast 2025-2030 (April 18) appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..

With Harvard Threat, Trump Tries to Bend the I.R.S. to His Will

Andrew Duehren, Alan Rappeport and Russ Buettner — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 08:23:15 -0400

Since the post-Nixon era, the Internal Revenue Service has had a degree of independence from the White House. President Trump is seeking to change that.

SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI) Price Prediction and Forecast 2025-2030 (April 18)

Joel South — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 08:15:26 -0400

Despite tariff-driven market volatility, shares of SoFi Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: SOFI) are up 2.6% in the past week. Though the stock had a strong start to 2025, on last look the share price was still down 28.7% year to date. However, its one-year gain is 53.3%.

Worries about recession have had an impact on fintech stocks like SoFi. While Jim Cramer has been talking up the stock lately, Cathie Wood has sold millions worth of shares. Morgan Stanley recently raised its price target for the stock from $7.50 to $13.00 and called the company “underweight,” and Needham raised its target for SoFi from $13.00 to $20.00 while giving it a Buy rating. The company reported strong fourth-quarter earnings but tempered forward guidance.

SoFi just announced a $2 billion extension of its Loan Platform Business agreement for personal loans with funds managed by affiliates of Fortress Investment Group. And the company has scheduled its annual shareholders meeting for May 28.

24/7 Wall St. Key Points:

SoFi Technologies is a premier online financial solutions platform targeting a more affluent demographic.
Its ambition to become a one-stop shop for financial services and its growing deposit base will likely drive future growth.
24/7 Wall St. projects a healthy upside for the stock through the end of the decade.
If you’re looking for a megatrend with massive potential, make sure to grab a complimentary copy of our “The Next NVIDIA” report. The report includes a complete industry map of AI investments that includes many small caps.

SoFi made its public debut on June 1, 2021, through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), Social Capital Hedsophia Holding Corp. V. Before the merger, the company was originally known as Social Finance, which started as a student loan financing firm before expanding into loans, and mortgage products among other finance products. After the SPAC acquisition, SoFi was equipped with substantial capital to enhance its technology stack to better scale its 2020 acquisition of Galileo. The Galileo platform was developed to deploy a wide range of financial services quickly, giving SoFi the tools to take numerous financial products to a mass market.

SoFi went public at $10 per share, and that quickly jumped 150%, but the stock has seen lackluster performance since. However, investors only care about what happens from this point on, particularly over the next one, three, and five years. Let’s crunch the numbers and give you our best guess on SoFi’s future share price. No one has a crystal ball and even the Wall Street “experts” are often wrong more than they are right in predicting future stock prices. But we give you our revenue and earnings projections as our peer-to-peer valuation.

SoFi’s Recent Performance

Here’s a table summarizing performance in share price, revenue, and profits (net income) from IPO.

Year	Share Price	Revenue*	Net Income*
2021	$12.50	$977.3	($483.9)
2022	$15.81	$1,519.2	($320.4)
2023	$4.62	$2,067.8	($300.7)
2024	$15.40	$2,343.5	($113.3)

*Revenue and Net Income in millions

In the past four years, SoFi has more than doubled revenue, but that top-line growth also carried a jump in total operating costs, particularly the $720 million in sales and marketing expense in 2023. However, the increases in operating costs are money well spent with in-house technology improvements and member-generating marketing spending.

Chart Source: YCharts

SoFi is close to hitting an inflection point in profitability and has done a stellar job of expanding revenue and improving earnings per share (EPS).

As SoFi’s revenue grows, it becomes more profitable, meaning its costs per customer decrease. This scalability is important because it indicates that as the company grows, it will become even more profitable. Given that the industry is growing and SoFi is outperforming its peers, there’s strong optimism that SoFi’s earnings per share will continue to rise.

Key Drivers of SoFi’s Stock Performance

Expanding its services and retaining customers.

Expansion Financial Services: SoFi’s ambition to become a one-stop shop for financial services will likely drive future growth. The company plans to continue expanding its product lineup, including new lending products, investment options, and insurance services, which will cater to a broader range of financial needs.

Bank Charter and Deposit Base Expansion: Obtaining a national banking charter allows SoFi to use its growing deposit base to fund lending operations more efficiently. This access to lower-cost funds is expected to drive net interest income growth, enhancing profitability as SoFi scales its banking operations.

Cross-Selling and Customer Retention: SoFi’s strategy of cross-selling its wide array of financial products aims to increase the average number of products per customer. This integrated approach is expected to improve customer retention and lifetime value, thereby boosting overall revenue and profitability.

One-Year Stock Price Prediction

Wall Street is cautious for now.

The Wall Street consensus one-year price target for SoFi Technologies is $13.04, which would be a 23.1% gain from today’s stock price. However, of the 19 analysts covering the stock, only six of them recommend buying shares.

24/7 Wall St. is even more cautious on the stock, with a $10 target price. Reaching that target would be a 6.4% retreat by the shares in the next year.

SoFi’s Share Price Estimates 2025-2030

Year	Est. Revenue ($B)	Est. Net Income ($B)	Est. EPS Normalized	Price to Sales Multiple	Est. Market Cap ($B)
2025	$2.84	$0.32	$0.21	3.5	$9.94
2026	$3.45	$0.584	$0.43	3.5	$12.08
2027	$3.79	$0.707	$0.62	3.5	$13.27
2028	$4.33	$0.902	$0.83	3.5	$15.16
2029	$4.84	$1.096	$1.02	3.5	$16.94
2030	$5.34	$1.279	$1.10	3.5	$18.69

24/7 Wall St. compared other fintech/lenders when deciding on our price-to-sales valuation of 3.5 times for the entire time frame of our analysis. Included in the analysis were Block Inc. (NYSE: XYZ), PayPal Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: PYPL), Upstart Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: UPST), LendingClub Corp. (NYSE: LC), and Affirm Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: AFRM), which gives us a blending valuation of around 3.3x sales.

By the end of the decade, we estimate SoFi’s stock price to be $17.56 per share with 10% year-over-year revenue growth. Our estimated stock price will be about 46% higher than the current stock price.

Year	Price Target	Change From Current Price
2025	$10.00	−6.4%
2026	$12.00	12.4%
2027	$15.00	40.5%
2028	$18.00	68.5%
2029	$21.00	96.6%
2030	$25.00	134.1%

Seven Financial Benefits Baby Boomers Got That We’ll Likely Never See Again

The post SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ: SOFI) Price Prediction and Forecast 2025-2030 (April 18) appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..

Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) Stock Price Prediction and Forecast 2025-2030 (April 2025)

Joel South — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 07:50:11 -0400

From late 2020 to the summer of 2024, Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE: LLY) stock was on a tear, up more than 635%. Last year was a transformative year for the Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical giant, with substantial financial growth driven by its innovative medicines, significant regulatory successes, and continued investment in its pipeline and manufacturing capabilities. On the other hand, it did experience a revenue shortfall in the fourth quarter.

24/7 Wall St. Key Points:

Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE: LLY) stock was on a tear from 2020 to last year.
The question for investors is whether the latest move is more of the recent volatility or the beginning of another run higher.
24/7 Wall St. sees plenty of room for shares to run through the end of the decade.
If you’re looking for a megatrend with massive potential, make sure to grab a complimentary copy of our “The Next NVIDIA” report. This report breaks down AI stocks with 10x potential and will give you a huge leg up on profiting from this massive sea change.

The share price is more than 22% lower since then, even after a 15% pop in recent days following news of positive trial results. The question for investors is whether the latest move is more of the recent volatility or the beginning of another run higher. What will Lilly stock do in the next three to five years, and beyond? 24/7 Wall St. looks at projected revenue and net income to give you our best estimate of future stock prices from 2025 to 2030.

Other “experts” look at past growth rates and assign future stock prices to those past numbers. However, we will walk you through our assumptions and provide the key drivers we see propelling Lilly’s stock in the future.

Lilly’s Recent Success

How did Lilly’s stock price soar so much in the past few years? Let’s take a look at the numbers:

	Share Price	Revenues*	Net Income*
2016	$80.36	$21.22	$2.74
2017	$77.55	$19.94	($0.21)
2018	$122.13	$21.49	$3.23
2019	$140.83	$22.32	$8.32
2020	$206.46	$24.54	$6.19
2021	$238.31	$28.32	$5.58
2022	329.07	$28.54	$6.25
2023	$745.91	$34.12	$5.24
2024	$745.91	$45.04	$10.59

*Revenue and Net Income in Billions

Since 2016, Lilly’s revenue grew by 60% but income grew by 91%. Typically, you would not expect a company growing at its top line by 7% annually to see an 828% increase in share price, however, investor sentiment for the next line of drugs front ran the stock price.

For example, in 2016 Lilly was trading 13 times the trailing 12 months earnings and the market has increased its valuation each year and currently trades at a 125 times earnings multiple.

This raises the valid question, is Lilly overvalued or will future revenues make up for the expensive valuation?

Three Key Drivers of Lilly Stock

Innovated Drug Pipeline: The current drug pipeline is loaded with several very high-potential drugs in development. Mounjaro, Zepbound, and Jardiance in the cardiometabolic category, Taltz in immunology, and Verzenio in oncology are the future of Lilly’s growth. While the aforementioned are the safer bets, the company has a handful of other drugs that could hold blockbuster potential.

Strategic Acquisitions: The acquisition of Morphic, with its promising drug candidate MORF-057, is a testament to Lilly’s strategic vision. This drug, if successful in late-stage trials, could become a major success in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Lilly’s focus on acquiring mid-sized companies (13 since 2020) with promising pipelines has bolstered its own research and development efforts, positioning it well for future growth.

Operational Efficiency: With a sound balance sheet, Lilly should continue to improve operational efficiency and manage costs to have net income growth rates above revenue growth.

Stock Price Prediction in 2025

The current Wall Street consensus one-year price target of Lilly stock is $1,006.09, which is 22.4% higher than today’s price near $840. Of the 28 analysts covering Lilly stock, all but four recommend buying shares, eight of them with Strong Buy ratings. Their consensus price targets range from $650 to $1,190.

24/7 Wall St. sets its one-year price target at $1,040. Taking a look at the sum of its parts, we see Lilly’s vertices valued as follows:

Endocrinology	$735/share
Oncology	$122/share
Cardiovascular	$4/share
Neuroscience	$16/share
Immunology	$38/share
Others and Pipeline	$110/share
Cash	$17/share

How Lilly’s Next Five Years Could Play Out

Valuing Lilly’s stock price for the coming years, we will take a look at expected revenue and net income and give our best estimate of the market value of the company by assigning a price-to-earnings multiple.

	Revenue	Net Income	EPS
2025	$52.8	$17.29	19.11
2026	$62.5	$22.49	25.03
2027	$70.87	$27.12	30.39
2028	$80.68	$32.2	25.97
2029	$87.99	$36.45	40.58
2030	$96.67	$41.12	46.29

*Revenue and net income reported in billions

We expect Lilly’s P/E ratio in 2025 to be 60 with an EPS of $19.11, resulting in a price target of $1,140.00. This prediction is based on strong revenue growth of 18.37% to $52.80 billion and net income expansion to $17.29 billion, continuing the upward trajectory from previous years.

For 2026, we anticipate a P/E ratio of 50 with an EPS of $25.03, leading to a price target of $1,250.00. This reflects significant revenue growth of 18.37% to $62.50 billion and an increase in net income to $22.49 billion, driving higher earnings per share.

Heading into 2027, we project the P/E ratio to remain at 50, with EPS increasing to $30.39. This results in a price target of $1,520.00. Continued revenue growth of 13.39% to $70.87 billion and net income expansion to $27.12 billion justifies this substantial increase in stock price.

With an EPS of $25.97 and a P/E ratio of 50 in 2028, we forecast the stock price to be $1,300.00. A slight dip in EPS growth is expected, but sustained strong performance in net income to $32.20 billion and revenue growth of 13.84% to $80.68 billion keeps the stock highly valued.

By 2029, we estimate Lilly’s EPS to rise to $40.58, with the P/E ratio adjusting to 40. This gives us a price target of $1,623.00. The continuous revenue growth of 9.06% to $87.99 billion and net income expansion to $36.45 billion supports this higher valuation.

By 2030, we estimate Lilly’s EPS to rise to $46.29, with the P/E ratio adjusting to 40. This gives us a price target of $1,850.00. The continuous revenue growth of 9.86% to $96.67 billion and net income expansion to $41.12 billion supports this higher valuation.

Year	Price Target	Potential Upside
2025	$1,140.00	38.7%
2026	$1,250.00	52.1%
2027	$1,520.00	84.9%
2028	$1,300.00	58.2%
2029	$1,623.00	97.5%
2030	$1,850.00	125.1%

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The post Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) Stock Price Prediction and Forecast 2025-2030 (April 2025) appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..

Ford Warns Dealers on Major Price Increases

Douglas A. McIntyre — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 07:10:40 -0400

Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) has told its dealers it will not raise prices on cars already on their lots. It warned that it will soon pass on a tariff that would probably be 25%. Those price hikes will probably happen in May, and dealers face potential car buyers unwilling to pay a new, large premium.

24/7 Wall St. Key Points:

Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) has warned its dealers that price hikes are coming.
Many of its vehicles and their parts are affected by increased tariffs on foreign goods.
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Automotive News published part of a memo sent by Andrew Frick, president of the Ford division that handles retail sales. It said, “However, in the absence of material changes to the tariff policy as articulated to date, we anticipate the need to make vehicle pricing adjustments in the future, which is expected to happen with May production.”

Not all Ford vehicles will face a 25% tariff because some and their parts are made in the United States. However, the higher costs will probably throttle customer demand. At some point, if the tariffs are in place for months, dealers will run low on cars, even if buying is not robust.

Most dealers have an inventory of 60 to 90 days worth of cars and light trucks. That inventory is constantly being replaced. Sometime in early summer, replacements that carry higher prices could push MSRPs up by anywhere between $5,000 and $15,000.

Just as difficult as price increases is that Ford may start to run low on cars. If car parts are affected enough by tariffs, its own margins will begin to erode. Ford has a huge number of fixed costs from factories and labor to warranties. That tariff-based profit erosion will hurt earnings. those earnings are already dragged down by a $5 billion loss in its EV division.

Ford has a tariff problem, and it has warned its dealers.

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OpenAI and start-ups race to generate code and transform software industry

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U.S. Gas Exports to China Stopped After Beijing Imposed Tariffs

Keith Bradsher — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 06:48:01 -0400

The United States accounted for only 3 percent of China’s natural gas imports last year. Those purchases could now dry up entirely in the trade war.

How to Make Money on a Google Breakup

Douglas A. McIntyre — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 06:46:54 -0400

By far the largest division of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Google, has lost two legal actions claiming it has a monopoly in the online ad industry. Two other huge tech companies have faced a similar hurdle. AT&T was broken up in 1983. Microsoft almost suffered the same fate in 2001 but was able to hold off the U.S. government. In other cases, like General Electric, management and the board have decided to break up independently without government encouragement. GE did so in early 2024, when the 132-year-old company divided into three publicly held companies. Those who held all three stocks did remarkably well. Alphabet shareholders may do well in a breakup too.

24/7 Wall St. Key Points:

Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOGL) shareholders may do well if the company breaks up.
Some parts could have a huge valuation as a new public company.
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Google’s Many Parts

Chrome, Android, AI, and more.

The government argues that Google’s search ad business has been a monopoly. It might be one segment that Alphabet could spin out. Alphabet had $96.5 billion in the fourth quarter, of which $54 billion was Google search. Alphabet has several divisions that bring in almost no money. These include the autonomous driving business Waymo and the home automation business Next.

Alphabet has four other very valuable businesses. One is Chrome, which is Google’s browser. Its share of the global browser market is about 65%. Among the values it provides Alphabet is that people who download Chrome automatically can access Google’s Web store. Chrome also integrates Google search and other products, including Gmail. Chrome helps build and maintain Alphabet’s success in these businesses.

Alphabet also owns Android, an operating system used on computers and smartphones. It has a market share of 71% worldwide, while Apple’s iOS has almost all of the remainder. Android also integrates Google products and search.

Some investors believe that Alphabet’s most important business is Google Cloud, one of the largest cloud businesses in the world, along with Microsoft Azure and Amazon’s AWS. The global cloud industry has had explosive growth for almost a decade.

Finally, Google has an AI business that relies on Google search for some of its distribution. Alphabet thinks this business is important enough to invest $75 billion, most of which will go to AI server farms. The AI industry has become the hottest tech sector, and major companies in the space including Amazon, Microsoft, Meta, and OpenAI have committed tens of billions of dollars to its growth.

The Breakup

How to break up Alphabet.

How does Google get broken up? The search business could be a standalone product. The AI and cloud businesses could be bundled together. Could a browser business be married to the Android OS?

If AI and cloud computing have the future that many people believe they do, just those parts of Alphabet could have a huge valuation as a new public company.

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Long-Term Investing Has Gotten Riskier as Trump’s Tariffs Shake the Markets

Jeff Sommer — Fri, 18 Apr 2025 05:01:41 -0400

President Trump’s policies have shaken the markets. Protect yourself first, and, only then, take advantage of investment bargains, our columnist says.

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China stops buying liquefied gas from the US

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