Archives for July 5, 2019

Analyst: Apple will soon ditch its butterfly keyboard design

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An Apple analyst says a scissor switch replacement is on the way.

After years of controversy and technical difficulties, Apple could be about to give up on the butterfly mechanism keyboard in its MacBooks. According to a report authored by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo — who has a decent record in accurate Apple predictions — the company is on track to release a refreshed MacBook Air later this year, this time with a keyboard design based on scissor switches.

Apple’s butterfly keyboards have been troublesome from the get-go, and are well known to fail as a result of debris or overheating. Apple rolled out a worldwide repair program for 2015-and-later MacBooks, and subsequently updated the keyboard last year to include a thin silicone barrier behind each key to help thwart dust and crumbs. However, it was still prone to faults.

From a technical standpoint, this would be something of a step backwards. Butterfly keyboards are thinner and supposedly more durable than their scissor counterparts. However, these benefits are completely irrelevant if the device can’t be used in the first place, so MacBook owners will undoubtedly welcome any move that will improve the usability of their expensive gear.

Samsung expects another big slump in profits

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Apple and Huawei might prevent things from getting worse.

Samsung isn’t about to leave the doldrums any time soon. The company warned that its profits were likely to slump in the second quarter, dropping about 56 percent year-over-year to roughly 6.5 trillion won (just short of $5.6 billion). That doesn’t sound great, but it could have been worse — a one-time payment from an unnamed customer buoyed Samsung’s income. The company reportedly asked Apple for compensation after its OLED display orders didn’t meet minimum levels, although that hasn’t been confirmed.

While Samsung hasn’t explained what dragged it down this quarter, its performance early in the year suffered primarily due to a drop in memory chip sales. While its increased profits over the first quarter suggest that the Galaxy S10 and A-series launches helped, they weren’t popular enough to reverse trends.

The tech giant certainly faces a mixed summer. While the Galaxy Note 10 launch is right around the corner, the Galaxy Fold’s redesign has yet to get a release date. It’s also facing legal trouble in Australia and France over its advertising and labor practices. And then there’s the simple matter of competitive pressure. Even with Huawei’s troubles, Samsung still faces fierce rivalry from Chinese vendors and others that have historically hurt its sales.

Stocks to Watch: CRH Medical Corporation (TSX:CRH) Down -5.06%

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CRH Medical Corporation (TSX:CRH) stock finished trading at -5.06%, bringing the stock price to $3.75 on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The stock price saw a low of $3.75 and a high of $3.99.

The company’s stock was traded 531 times with a total of 131,947 shares traded.

CRH Medical Corporation has a market cap of $267.82 million, with 72.08 million shares in issue.

CRH Medical Corp is a healthcare products and services company. The company, through its subsidiaries, provides anesthesiology services to gastroenterologists in the United States. It also specializes in the treatment of hemorrhoids utilizing its treatment protocol and patented proprietary technology. The company’s product, the CRH O’Regan System, is a single-use, disposable, hemorrhoid treatment. It distributes the CRH O’Regan System, treatment protocols, operational and marketing services directly to gastroenterologists. Geographically, the company operates in the United States and Canada, of which key revenue is derived from the United States.

Stocks to Watch: ATCO Ltd. Class I Non-voting Shares (TSX:ACO.X) Up +1.60%

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ATCO Ltd. Class I Non-voting Shares (TSX:ACO.X) stock finished trading at +1.60%, bringing the stock price to $44.96 on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The stock price saw a low of $44.31 and a high of $45.13.

The company’s stock was traded 1,430 times with a total of 210,209 shares traded.

ATCO Ltd. Class I Non-voting Shares has a market cap of $5.16 billion, with 101.46 million shares in issue.

Atco Ltd is a Canadian holding company that offers gas, electric, and infrastructure solutions. The largest subsidiary of the company is Canadian utilities, which operates natural gas, electricity, and logistical services. Atco’s primary segments include electricity (generation, transmission, and distribution), pipelines and liquid, Neltume Ports and Structures and logistics. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, the firm mainly operates in Canada and Australia, along with some operations in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Mexico. Atco’s large subsidiary, Canadian Utilities, launched a major venture called Atcoenergy, which provides low-cost and sustainable energy solutions for the Canadian province of Alberta.

Cheap Stocks to Watch Under $10: GPRO and APPS Stock on the Radar

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There are plenty of stocks to watch out there. Those trading between $5 and $10 are often considered “cheap stocks.”

Trading in this range is often appealing because investors can purchase a substantial position in a company. Further, trading above $5 is considered less risky than penny stock investing, and companies in this range are often more well known.

With that said, these stocks are, still, inherently more speculative than higher-priced stocks. Finding the right investment depends on multiple factors and not simply price alone.

But if you are looking to bolster your portfolio with some cheaper-priced plays, here are some potential cheap stocks trading in the $5–$10 range.

Cheap Stocks: GPRO
Everyone has heard of GoPro cameras. The “action cameras” have become a staple product for the social media generation, and now the technology company has made changes that could see it turn a profit this year.

The company made an operational shift three years ago that, hopefully, it will reap the rewards of now. It narrowed its inventory down to only three cameras, titled Good, Better, and Best. The shift has worked; the company can now easily manage inventory and pricing, and the average sale price has increased by 8% to $288.

Now, management is expecting double-digit revenue growth this year with its guidance range being between 7% and 10% for 2019.

Shares of GoPro (NASDAQ:GPRO) are currently trading for $5.54 USD on the NASDAQ. On the day, shares are up 3.07%, but since mid-May GPRO stock has lost over 25%.

Cheap Stocks: APPS

Digital Turbine (NASDAQ:APPS) is a definite one for the radar. With shares currently selling for $5.26 USD and a market cap of only $430.2 million, APPS shares have already grown a massive 178% this year.

Austin, Texas-based Digital Turbine is a software company that focuses on mobile App advertising. According to the company’s website:

“Our Mobile Delivery platform makes it easier than ever for people to frictionlessly discover new apps, for operators and OEMs to build new revenue streams, and for advertisers to reach users at scale.”

The business has been booming, and in 2019, the Zacks consensus is that this stock is a “Buy.”

Stocks to watch:Huami Corp (NYSE:HMI) Rises By 73.7%

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Huami Corp (NYSE:HMI) was the target of a large increase in short interest in the month of June. As of June 15th, there was short interest totalling 549,900 shares, an increase of 73.7% from the May 15th total of 316,500 shares. Approximately 5.7% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 403,500 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.4 days.

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of HMI. FIL Ltd raised its holdings in shares of Huami by 951.1% in the first quarter. FIL Ltd now owns 839,530 shares of the company’s stock valued at $10,989,000 after purchasing an additional 759,662 shares during the last quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN boosted its position in Huami by 10.4% during the first quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 3,552,930 shares of the company’s stock worth $46,507,000 after purchasing an additional 334,907 shares during the period. Rock Creek Group LP bought a new position in Huami during the first quarter worth $2,038,000. Boston Partners bought a new position in Huami during the first quarter worth $1,516,000. Finally, Matthews International Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Huami during the first quarter worth $1,497,000. Institutional investors own 15.28% of the company’s stock.

Shares of NYSE HMI traded up $0.04 during mid-day trading on Thursday, hitting $9.92. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 91,581 shares, compared to its average volume of 271,868. The company has a fifty day simple moving average of $9.13. Huami has a one year low of $7.27 and a one year high of $19.66. The stock has a market capitalization of $587.21 million, a PE ratio of 10.74 and a beta of 2.56.

About Huami

Huami Corporation, a biometric and activity data-driven company, develops, manufactures, and sells smart wearable technological devices in the People’s Republic of China. It operates through two segments, Xiaomi Wearable Products, and Self-Branded Products and Others. The company offers smart bands, watches, and scales; and a range of accessories, including bands, watch straps, necklaces, sportswear, etc.