Archives for August 1, 2019

The world’s largest telescope is one step closer to completion

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The second of seven primary mirrors on the Giant Magellan Telescope is now complete.

The world’s largest telescope is one step closer to completion. This month, the team working on the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) completed the second of seven primary mirror segments, a process that began in January 2012.

The GMT is an international effort to create a telescope that delivers images 10 times clearer than those produced by the Hubble Space Telescope. When it’s up and running, the GMT will help scientists tackle some of the biggest questions, like are we alone in the universe? It will allow astronomers to collect more light than any telescope ever built and at the highest resolutions yet.

But achieving this is no simple task. The team broke ground in 2015, and the telescope isn’t expected to be complete until 2027. That’s partly because of the complexity of the mirrors. Each primary segment is curved to a precise shape and polished to within a wavelength of light — about one-millionth of an inch. And thanks to an intricate honeycomb mold, the finished glass is mostly hollow, making it lightweight and easier to cool.

While this second segment took seven years, the University of Arizona was able to significantly speed up the front surface polishing process. The GMT team hopes replicating the technique will help future segments get through production even faster.

DeepMind AI can predict kidney illness 48 hours before it occurs

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It worked with the Department of Veterans Affairs to train AI to spot Acute Kidney Injury.

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) kills 500,000 people in the US and 100,000 in the UK annually, often because it’s not detected soon enough. Researchers want to use AI to change that. DeepMind, the Alphabet-owned AI company, partnered with the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to develop an AKI prediction algorithm. In a paper published in Nature today, the partners share their findings that the algorithm can predict the presence of AKI up to 48 hours before it happens. The model correctly identified 9 out of 10 patients whose condition worsened to the point that they needed dialysis.

DeepMind also had its mobile assistant for clinicians, known as Streams, evaluated by researchers at University College London. The results show that, through the app, specialists reviewed urgent cases within 15 minutes, as opposed to several hours. And only 3.3 percent of AKI cases were missed, compared to 12.4 percent without the app. Streams also led to health care cost savings. Combined with DeepMind’s new AKI-detecting algorithm, Streams could offer improved early detection.

With these tools, DeepMind hopes to advance medicine from a reactive model to a prevention-based approach. And it doesn’t plan to stop with AKI. It will look at some of the other diseases that lead to millions of preventable deaths every year. The DeepMind team plans to carry this work forward as a part of Google Health, a partnership meant to foster global impact.

LightSail 2 successfully demonstrates solar sailing

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It shows that satellites can use the Sun to propel themselves.

LightSail 2 is faring much better than its ill-fated predecessor. The Planetary Society has verified that LightSail 2 successfully raised its orbit using solar sailing, making it the first small spacecraft to demonstrate the concept (though Japan’s IKAROS was the first of any kind to fly). The team is now focused on raising the solar sailer’s orbit for about a month’s time as it continues to improve sail control through software updates and new techniques.

After the month has passed, the craft will spend another year gradually deorbiting.

It’s a rare achievement in spaceflight, and notable when LightSail relied partly on crowdfunding to make their project a reality. What’s important, though, is what comes next. The Scoiety intends to share data with others so they can implement or refine plans for solar sailing in their own vehicles, such as NASA’s asteroid-bound NEA Scout cubesat. You could see a wave of mini satellites that only need solar nudges to adjust their positions, and possibly larger spacecraft beyond that.

Google unveils advanced G Suite protection for high-risk employees

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Titan Security Keys will also be available in Japan, Canada, France and the UK.

Google is levelling up its security for businesses. The company unveiled a host of new protections for its G Suite, Google Cloud Platform (GCP) and Cloud Identity customers at the Next Tokyo summit. G Suite Enterprise admins can choose to enroll high-risk employees in an advanced protection program, automatically receive anomalous activity alerts and enable one-click access to additional apps.

A new Advanced Protection Program is meant for clients who are high-risk for a targeted online attack, such as IT administrators, CEOs and those who work in security-sensitive roles in finance and government. To protect against phishing or account takeovers, the program would enforce the use of Google’s Titan Security Keys or compatible hardware. Admins would be able to automatically block access to third-party apps that the company does not trust. The program will be released in beta over the next few days.

Google has also made improvements to its G Suite security and alert center for admins, which it launched in beta back in April. The new alert center is now equipped with machine learning models that detect security risks such as unusual external file sharing or download behavior. Admins can now receive alerts of such “anomalous activity” in the G Suite alert center. It will also roll out support for password vaulted apps through Cloud Identity over the next few days.

Titan Security Keys, which only have been available in the US since last fall, will soon be available in Japan, Canada, France and the UK. The Bluetooth-enabled keys have drawn criticism from the security community over safety concerns. Google recalled some of its Titan Security Keys earlier this year due to a minor security flaw.

Security concerns are a major reason why Google’s productivity platform isn’t quite taking off with bigger businesses, who tend to stick with Microsoft Office for that very reason. Earlier this year, the company launched several new security tools for G Suite clients, including a beta launch of advanced protection for malware and phishing attacks. With this latest set of tools, it’s likely that Google hopes to prove it takes the security of such high-profile clients seriously.

Stocks to Watch: Movado Group (NYSE:MOV) Upgraded at Zacks Investment Research

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Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Movado Group (NYSE:MOV) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note released on Tuesday, Zacks.com reports.

According to Zacks, “Movado Group, Inc. is one of the world’s premier watchmakers. Movado Group designs, manufactures and distributes watches from ten of the most recognized and respected names in time: Movado, Concord, EBEL and ESQ Movado along with their Coach, HUGO BOSS, Juicy Couture, Lacoste, Tommy Hilfiger and Scuderia Ferrari licensed watch brands. From their Swiss luxury timepieces to our accessible fashion watches, each of their brands is recognized for its inherent quality and distinctive image within its price category. Collectively, their timepieces are sold throughout North and South America, Europe, Asia and the Far East. Between their manufacturing facilities in Switzerland, corporate headquarters in Paramus, New Jersey, USA and Bienne, Switzerland and their sales and distribution offices around the world, Movado Group. “

Separately, TheStreet cut shares of Worthington Industries from a b- rating to a c+ rating in a research report on Monday, June 10th.

Shares of Movado Group stock opened at $25.98 on Tuesday. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $26.40. The company has a current ratio of 3.99, a quick ratio of 2.40 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.26. Movado Group has a twelve month low of $24.48 and a twelve month high of $52.10. The stock has a market cap of $580.35 million, a PE ratio of 9.73 and a beta of 0.44.

Movado Group (NYSE:MOV) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 30th. The company reported $0.24 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.30 by ($0.06). Movado Group had a return on equity of 12.43% and a net margin of 8.22%. The business had revenue of $146.55 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $148.70 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.37 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 15.3% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts predict that Movado Group will post 2.75 earnings per share for the current year.

A number of hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Comerica Bank lifted its holdings in Movado Group by 2.5% in the 1st quarter. Comerica Bank now owns 16,285 shares of the company’s stock worth $557,000 after buying an additional 391 shares in the last quarter. Texas Permanent School Fund lifted its holdings in Movado Group by 3.8% in the 1st quarter. Texas Permanent School Fund now owns 11,203 shares of the company’s stock worth $408,000 after buying an additional 406 shares in the last quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP lifted its holdings in Movado Group by 1.5% in the 4th quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 48,900 shares of the company’s stock worth $1,546,000 after buying an additional 700 shares in the last quarter. United Services Automobile Association lifted its holdings in Movado Group by 15.4% in the 4th quarter. United Services Automobile Association now owns 6,733 shares of the company’s stock worth $213,000 after buying an additional 896 shares in the last quarter. Finally, NumerixS Investment Technologies Inc lifted its holdings in Movado Group by 54.5% in the 1st quarter. NumerixS Investment Technologies Inc now owns 3,400 shares of the company’s stock worth $136,000 after buying an additional 1,200 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 73.34% of the company’s stock.

About Movado Group

Movado Group, Inc designs, develops, sources, markets, and distributes fine watches in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Wholesale and Retail. The company offers its watches under the Coach, Concord, Ebel, Olivia Burton, Rebecca Minkoff and Uri Minkoff, Scuderia Ferrari, HUGO BOSS, Juicy Couture, Lacoste, Movado, and Tommy Hilfiger brand names.

Stocks to Watch: Country Trust Bank Boosts Stock Position in JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM)

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Country Trust Bank boosted its holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) by 0.2% during the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The institutional investor owned 503,076 shares of the financial services provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 1,251 shares during the quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. makes up approximately 2.4% of Country Trust Bank’s holdings, making the stock its 13th largest position. Country Trust Bank’s holdings in JPMorgan Chase & Co. were worth $56,244,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

A number of other large investors have also bought and sold shares of the stock. Adirondack Trust Co. grew its holdings in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. Adirondack Trust Co. now owns 20,026 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,955,000 after purchasing an additional 99 shares during the last quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC grew its holdings in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 19.0% during the fourth quarter. Bogart Wealth LLC now owns 625 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 100 shares during the last quarter. Watch Point Trust Co grew its holdings in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 0.3% during the fourth quarter. Watch Point Trust Co now owns 35,305 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $3,447,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares during the last quarter. IMS Capital Management grew its holdings in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 2.5% during the first quarter. IMS Capital Management now owns 4,259 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $431,000 after purchasing an additional 104 shares during the last quarter. Finally, New Potomac Partners LLC grew its holdings in shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. by 0.5% during the fourth quarter. New Potomac Partners LLC now owns 23,102 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $2,255,000 after purchasing an additional 105 shares during the last quarter. 71.57% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

NYSE JPM opened at $115.59 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.22, a quick ratio of 1.00 and a current ratio of 0.97. JPMorgan Chase & Co. has a 52-week low of $91.11 and a 52-week high of $119.24. The business’s 50-day moving average is $112.69. The stock has a market capitalization of $377.01 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.16, a P/E/G ratio of 1.67 and a beta of 1.16.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) last released its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, July 16th. The financial services provider reported $2.82 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $2.50 by $0.32. The firm had revenue of $28.83 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $28.52 billion. JPMorgan Chase & Co. had a return on equity of 14.41% and a net margin of 24.73%. The business’s revenue was up 3.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $2.29 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts forecast that JPMorgan Chase & Co. will post 9.92 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, July 31st. Investors of record on Friday, July 5th will be given a $0.80 dividend. The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, July 3rd. This represents a $3.20 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 2.77%. JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s payout ratio is currently 35.56%.

JPM has been the topic of a number of research reports. Credit Suisse Group raised their price target on JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $128.00 to $132.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, April 15th. BMO Capital Markets raised their price target on Citigroup from $92.00 to $93.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Monday, April 15th. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target on Johnson Service Group from GBX 180 ($2.35) to GBX 190 ($2.48) and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. HSBC reissued a “hold” rating on shares of Societe Generale in a report on Thursday, April 4th. Finally, Deutsche Bank set a $142.00 price target on MCCORMICK & CO /SH and gave the stock a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, June 28th. Eleven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $122.94.

In related news, EVP Peter Scher sold 10,816 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, July 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $115.00, for a total value of $1,243,840.00. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider Lori A. Beer sold 13,341 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $114.28, for a total transaction of $1,524,609.48. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now owns 10,130 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,157,656.40. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. 0.76% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

JPMorgan Chase & Co. Company Profile

JPMorgan Chase & Co operates as a financial services company worldwide. It operates through four segments: Consumer & Community Banking (CCB), Corporate & Investment Bank (CIB), Commercial Banking (CB), and Asset & Wealth Management (AWM). The CCB segment offers deposit and investment products and services to consumers; lending, deposit, and cash management and payment solutions to small businesses; mortgage origination and servicing activities; residential mortgages and home equity loans; and credit card, payment processing, auto loan, and leasing services.