The Amazon vortex won’t suck in everyone. That’s the verdict of investors in the retail sector. Among potential competitors to the e-commerce juggernaut founded by Jeff Bezos, some – including Ross Stores, Home Depot and AutoZone – may have the wherewithal to withstand Amazon. The market is conferring on them valuations commensurate with, or better […]
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Stocks most owned by hedge funds and mutual funds managing nearly $4 trillion are handily beating the market this year, according to Goldman Sachs. “Both mutual funds and hedge funds have enjoyed strong YTD returns … Key sector overweights lead to outperformance,” strategist David Kostin wrote in a note to clients Friday. “High allocations to […]
Read moreAmazon paying $13.7 billion for Whole Foods Market may be a savvy business decision for both parties — Amazon has been dabbling in groceries and Whole Foods needs to better compete with the burgeoning natural foods market it helped launch. But the founding ethos of the companies are as different as a chocolate pop tart […]
Read moreThe S&P 500 has suffered a 7 to 10 percent decline in each year since 1995. I believe this year is no different — and that, in fact, such a decline is around the corner. First of all, the market’s strength appears to be flagging. Sure, the S&P is up 9.2 percent this year, but […]
Read moreShares of Sprouts Farmers Market and other grocery stocks fell again Monday as Amazon.com rolled out price cuts at Whole Foods stores. Sprouts fell nearly 7 percent, Supervalu lost almost 3 percent and Kroger and Target traded nearly 1 percent lower. Wal-Mart fell about half a percent and Costco traded slightly lower, as of late-morning […]
Read moreWith hundreds of auto dealerships closed and vehicle imports slowing down, or in some cases stopping completely, Hurricane Harvey is slamming the brakes on the auto industry in southeastern Texas. By extension, the entire industry will feel the impact of the storm that continues to inundate the Houston area. “This is bad; real bad,” said […]
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Shares of property insurance giant Travelers declined more than 2 percent on Monday as investors weighed potential losses from Hurricane Harvey’s assault on Houston. The stock also had the biggest decline of the 30 stocks in the Dow Jones industrial average and was on track for its worst day of the year. Travelers in 2017 […]
Read moreUninsured losses from Hurricane Harvey in the Houston region and along the Gulf Coast of Texas could rival those seen 12 years ago after Katrina leveled New Orleans and flooded other areas in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, Farmers Group CEO Jeff Dailey told CNBC on Monday. “Unfortunately, the penetration of the National Flood [Insurance] Program […]
Read moreHome improvement shares jumped in early trade Monday as Tropical Storm Harvey continued to dump rain on Houston, Texas. Shares of Lumber Liquidators jumped 3.6 percent, while Lowe’s rose 1.2 percent and Home Depot climbed nearly 1 percent. Shares of power generator manufacturer Generac fluctuated after peaking 1.5 percent higher. The S&P 500 gained overall […]
Read moreA former key Wal-Mart executive and member of the founding Walton family has sold a chunk of his shares, netting a tidy $62.3 million in proceeds. S. Robson “Rob” Walton, the eldest son of company founder Sam Walton, sold his shares in two installments Wednesday and Thursday, according to a regulatory filing with the Securities […]
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