Archives for February 18, 2019

NASA backs tiny 3D-printed sensors for planetary rovers

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They could pave the way for human visits to Mars and the Moon.

Nanomaterials might just prove the key to the next wave of planetary rovers. NASA has poured $2 million into a Goddard Space Flight Center team developing 3D-printed sensors whose nanomaterials make them tiny, ultra-sensitive and resistant to radiation. The aim is to build a device that can detect minuscule (on the parts-per-billion-level) amounts of life-supporting chemicals like ammonia, hydrogen, methane and water.

Current sensor manufacturing methods involve building one sensor at a time and then combining them with other elements. They’re relatively bulky and inefficient, and they tend to rely on mass spectrometers that have trouble spotting materials like methane and water. This new approach 3D-prints all the sensors and some of the circuitry on one substrate, and could detect those previously elusive substances.

The initiative is expected to take two years. If it works as planned, it could help future rovers find places that support (or once supported) life. They could also be used as safety systems that warn about changes to air conditions inside spacecraft and habitats. As small as this technology is, it could be vital for long-term space exploration.

LG won’t release a foldable smartphone anytime soon

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It’s sticking with a 5G V-series flagship instead.

As Samsung, Huawei, and Motorola rush to release their foldable smartphones, one notable company is sitting out the trend. LG says it’s scrapping plans to release a bendy handset, reports The Korea Times, and will instead launch a 5G version of its flagship V-series brand, along with an LTE G-series lineup, at MWC later this month. The announcement comes just weeks after the company posted its fifteenth straight quarter of mobile losses.

Brain Kwon, the former head of LG’s TV unit who was tasked with reviving its mobile arm late last year, made the announcement at a press conference in Seoul on Friday. “We have reviewed releasing the foldable smartphone when launching 5G smartphone but decided not to produce it,” said Kwon. “LG’s main issue in smartphone business is to regain its market position. Considering this situation, it is too early for LG to launch a foldable smartphone.”

Reports of the device first surfaced in Korean media in 2017. After a period of silence, the company’s trademark applications for the “Foldi” and “Duplex” brand names reignited rumors last November. It was widely expected that LG would launch the device at CES last month, though all we got in the end was its rollable TV.

The fabled phone was tipped to support an optional “second screen” attachment, described as a sort of case with a display. It’s still unclear how far along in its development the device was. Its future, and the fate of LG’s mobile unit, now likely hinges on the success of LG’s upcoming batch of handsets.

Apple may unveil a 16-inch MacBook Pro and 31-inch 6K monitor this year

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New iPhones will supposedly be able to charge wireless AirPods, too.

If you’re in the market for a new MacBook Pro, iPhone, iPad or virtually any other Apple product, gather ’round for Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo’s freshest rumors. To start, he told 9to5Mac that Apple will release a 16-inch MacBook Pro in 2019 that would be the largest-screen MacBook since 2012. That makes some sense, as we know that LG or another manufacturer is building such displays for Origin and others. Kuo adds that a 13-inch MacBook Pro might appear with up to 32GB of RAM, an amount that can only be found on 15-inch models right now.

Kuo also believes that Apple will release a 31.6-inch 6K display with a “mini-LED-like backlight design.” That would be welcome but a bit surprising, considering that Apple discontinued its own panels and is instead pointing customers toward the 27-inch LG UltraFine 5K display. Rounding out the desktop rumors, Kuo reported something Apple has already implied, that the next Mac Pro will arrive in 2019 with “easy-to-upgrade components.”

Ming-Chi Kuo apple rumors 16-inch MacBook Pro 31-inch 6K display

On the mobile side, Kuo predicts that the next iPhone lineup with have the same screen sizes and (large) notches, with the next iPhone XR using an LCD, not OLED display, as before. However, all the models will have a new Face ID system, upgraded battery and frosted glass casing. More interestingly, they’ll pack an ultra-wideband indoor navigation radio and bilateral wireless charging. The latter would let the iPhone charge otherdevices, most likely all-new AirPods with wireless charging and upgraded Bluetooth capability.

A pair of new iPad Pro models could also be on the way this year with all-new processors. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro will increase to 10.2 inches, so it might also pack smaller bezels. A new iPad Mini could also be coming this year, news that jibes with other recent leaks.

Finally, Kuo believes that the Apple Watch’s ECG capability will come to additional countries in 2019 and that Apple will unveil a new ceramic case option. The latter was available on the Watch 3, but Apple skipped it on the latest model.

Keep in mind that while Kuo has a good reputation for leaks, he’s not always right. Also, a lot of these rumors are just confirmation of existing information and common sense guesses as to what Apple is likely to do.

Researchers blame YouTube for the rise in Flat Earthers

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Viewers are falling down conspiracy theory rabbit holes.

Despite steps taken to counteract problematic material YouTube is still a hotbed of hoaxes and fake news — a problem that’s become so prevalent the site recently announced it is changing its AI in a bid to improve matters. But now the scope of the problem has really come to light, as new research suggests that the increasing number of Flat Earthers can be attributed to conspiracy videos hosted on the site.

According to Asheley Landrum, assistant professor of science communication at Texas Tech University, all but one of 30 Flat Earthers interviewed said they hadn’t considered the Earth to be flat until watching videos promoting the theory on YouTube. Presenting her results at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in Washington DC, Landrum said that most were recommended the videos after watching clips about other conspiracies, such as alternative 9/11 theories and fake moon landing theories.

Landrum’s interest in the topic was first piqued after she attended the world’s largest gatherings of Flat Earthers at the movement’s annual conference in Rayleigh, North Carolina, in 2017. She visited the conference again in 2018, when it took place in Denver, Colorado, to interview a number of the attendees. According to Landrum, the one person who didn’t point to YouTube as a catalyst for their opinion change had their mind changed by family members who themselves were convinced by YouTube videos.

As AI expert Guillaume Chaslot explained on Twitter earlier this month, conspiracy theory videos tend to be promoted by YouTube’s AI more than fact-based videos because platforms that use AI often become biased by small groups of very active users. This explains why Microsoft’s AI chatbot Tay became a racist nightmare in less than 24 hours when it was left in the care of Twitter users.

According to Landrum, YouTube isn’t doing anything wrong, but it could be doing more to protect viewers from misinformation. “Their algorithms make it easy to end up going down the rabbit hole, by presenting information to people who are going to be more susceptible to it.” She called on scientists and other creators to make their own videos to counteract the slew of conspiracy videos. “We don’t want YouTube to be full of videos saying here are all these reasons the Earth is flat. We need other videos saying here’s why those reasons aren’t real and here’s a bunch of ways you can research it for yourself.”

Stocks to Watch: Analysts Cut Earnings Estimates for SunTrust Banks, Inc. (STI)

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SunTrust Banks, Inc. (NYSE:STI) – Equities researchers at FIG Partners cut their Q2 2019 EPS estimates for shares of SunTrust Banks in a research note issued to investors on Friday, February 8th, Zacks Investment Research reports. FIG Partners analyst C. Marinac now forecasts that the financial services provider will post earnings of $1.42 per share for the quarter, down from their prior forecast of $1.44. FIG Partners also issued estimates for SunTrust Banks’ Q4 2019 earnings at $1.50 EPS.

SunTrust Banks (NYSE:STI) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Friday, January 18th. The financial services provider reported $1.50 EPS for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $1.40 by $0.10. The business had revenue of $2.37 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.37 billion. SunTrust Banks had a return on equity of 12.40% and a net margin of 26.61%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 4.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the firm earned $1.09 earnings per share.

Other equities analysts also recently issued reports about the company. ValuEngine upgraded SunTrust Banks from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, February 8th. Macquarie upgraded SunTrust Banks from an “underperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $64.72 target price for the company in a research note on Friday, February 8th. BMO Capital Markets decreased their target price on SunTrust Banks from $74.00 to $70.00 and set a “market perform” rating for the company in a research note on Monday, October 22nd. Zacks Investment Research downgraded SunTrust Banks from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, January 7th. Finally, Robert W. Baird downgraded SunTrust Banks from an “outperform” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $61.90 target price for the company. in a research note on Monday, January 28th. Fourteen analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and six have given a buy rating to the stock. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $72.02.

NYSE:STI opened at $65.12 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.68, a current ratio of 0.95 and a quick ratio of 0.94. SunTrust Banks has a one year low of $46.05 and a one year high of $75.08. The stock has a market capitalization of $24.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.42, a PEG ratio of 1.33 and a beta of 1.51.

A number of large investors have recently made changes to their positions in STI. Capital International Investors bought a new stake in SunTrust Banks during the third quarter worth approximately $441,578,000. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund grew its position in SunTrust Banks by 4,883.7% during the 4th quarter. Oregon Public Employees Retirement Fund now owns 2,581,469 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $51,000 after purchasing an additional 2,529,671 shares in the last quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. grew its position in SunTrust Banks by 21,740.3% during the 4th quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 1,416,126 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $71,429,000 after purchasing an additional 1,409,642 shares in the last quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP grew its position in SunTrust Banks by 229.4% during the 4th quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 1,766,609 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $89,108,000 after purchasing an additional 1,230,300 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc grew its position in SunTrust Banks by 2.2% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc now owns 36,403,676 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $2,431,401,000 after purchasing an additional 793,283 shares in the last quarter. 83.02% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, March 15th. Investors of record on Thursday, February 28th will be issued a dividend of $0.50 per share. This represents a $2.00 annualized dividend and a yield of 3.07%. SunTrust Banks’s payout ratio is 35.09%.

About SunTrust Banks

SunTrust Banks, Inc operates as the holding company for SunTrust Bank that provides various financial services for consumers, businesses, corporations, and institutions in the United States. It operates through two segments, Consumer and Wholesale. The Consumer segment provides deposits and payments; home equity and personal credit lines; auto, student, and other lending products; credit cards; discount/online and full-service brokerage products; professional investment advisory products and services; and trust services, as well as family office solutions.

Stocks to Watch: Analysts Issued Awaitations For Amphenol Co.’s Q1 2020 Revenue (NYSE:APH)

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Amphenol Co. (NYSE:APH) – SunTrust Banks issued their Q1 2020 earnings estimates for shares of Amphenol in a note issued to investors on Thursday, January 24th, according to Zacks Investment Research. SunTrust Banks analyst W. Stein forecasts that the electronics maker will earn $0.98 per share for the quarter. SunTrust Banks also issued estimates for Amphenol’s Q2 2020 earnings at $1.05 EPS, Q3 2020 earnings at $1.11 EPS, Q4 2020 earnings at $1.14 EPS and FY2020 earnings at $4.27 EPS.

Amphenol (NYSE:APH) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, January 23rd. The electronics maker reported $1.05 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.98 by $0.07. The company had revenue of $2.22 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $2.09 billion. Amphenol had a net margin of 14.69% and a return on equity of 29.82%. The firm’s revenue was up 14.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $0.86 EPS.

APH has been the topic of a number of other research reports. Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Amphenol from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $96.00 price objective on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, November 20th. ValuEngine upgraded shares of Amphenol from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 31st. Finally, Bank of America restated a “buy” rating and issued a $107.00 price objective (up previously from $103.00) on shares of Amphenol in a research report on Thursday, February 7th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. Amphenol presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $102.00.

NYSE:APH traded up $1.54 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $92.69. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,227,789 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,418,240. The stock has a market cap of $27.93 billion, a PE ratio of 24.59, a PEG ratio of 2.15 and a beta of 0.87. Amphenol has a 1 year low of $74.95 and a 1 year high of $97.56. The company has a quick ratio of 1.36, a current ratio of 1.87 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69.

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. FMR LLC boosted its stake in Amphenol by 1.7% during the second quarter. FMR LLC now owns 38,544,742 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $3,359,175,000 after acquiring an additional 660,569 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC boosted its stake in Amphenol by 23.0% during the second quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 8,545 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $745,000 after acquiring an additional 1,597 shares in the last quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Amphenol by 2.9% in the second quarter. Advisors Asset Management Inc. now owns 34,602 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $3,016,000 after buying an additional 960 shares in the last quarter. Fulton Bank N.A. lifted its stake in shares of Amphenol by 26.2% in the third quarter. Fulton Bank N.A. now owns 6,780 shares of the electronics maker’s stock worth $638,000 after buying an additional 1,406 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Fox Run Management L.L.C. bought a new position in shares of Amphenol in the third quarter worth approximately $454,000. Institutional investors own 96.36% of the company’s stock.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, April 10th. Investors of record on Tuesday, March 19th will be given a dividend of $0.23 per share. This represents a $0.92 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.99%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, March 18th. Amphenol’s dividend payout ratio is currently 24.40%.

About Amphenol

Amphenol Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, and marketing of electrical, electronic, and fiber optic connectors worldwide. It operates through two segments, Interconnect Products and Assemblies, and Cable Products and Solutions. The Interconnect Products and Assemblies segment offers connector and connector systems, including fiber optic, harsh environment, high-speed, and radio frequency interconnect products, as well as antennas; power interconnect products, bus bars, and distribution systems; and other connectors.