Nasdaq AMZN Amazon

The S&P 500 ended higher on Friday as investors weighed the prospect of more fiscal stimulus against fears of further business disruptions due to a record rise in COVID-19 cases.

The S&P 500 ended higher on Friday as investors weighed the prospect of more fiscal stimulus against fears of further business disruptions due to a record rise in COVID-19 cases.

The S&P 500 rose in choppy trading on Friday as investors weighed the prospect of more fiscal stimulus against fears of further business disruptions due to a record rise in COVID-19 cases.

InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips

InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice & Trading Tips

What happened Shares of Nutanix (NASDAQ: NTNX) were climbing today after the tech publication The Information named the hyperconvergence infrastructure specialist as a potential acquisition target and cited Alphabet as a possible buyer, among others.

The S&P 500 edged higher in choppy trading on Friday as investors juggled between prospects of more fiscal stimulus and fears of further business disruptions due to another record-breaking rise in COVID-19 cases across the country.

Private equity funds Cinven, Permira and Mid Europa Partners are pressing ahead with efforts to list Polish auction website Allegro on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in September, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The S&P 500 edged higher in choppy trading on Friday, as investors juggled between prospects of more fiscal stimulus and fears of further business disruptions due to another record-breaking rise in COVID-19 cases across the country.

In many rural areas of the U.S., people lack easy access to reproductive healthcare providers. The cost of a doctor's consultation can range anywhere between $35 to $250, and that's not accounting for travel costs to reach a clinic. Hence, there is a considerable need for a read

Some U.S. political figures, candidates and lawmakers locked out of their Twitter accounts in collateral damage from Wednesday's high-profile hack were beginning to return to the social media site on Friday.

In this episode of Industry Focus: Consumer Goods, Emily Flippen and Motley Fool contributor Dan Kline chat about the current state of the cord-cutting trend. They discuss some of the players operating in the streaming and TV space, their various business models, and the viewing

It's no secret that e-commerce platforms have benefited from the COVID-19 pandemic, as the public health crisis has shut down many retail stores, and people are choosing to shop online from the safety of their homes. As the largest such platform, Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) is lea

Zoom Video Communications (NASDAQ: ZM) recently revealed its first consumer-oriented hardware device, the DTEN ME, a 27-inch smart screen sporting three wide-angle cameras, eight microphones, and a touchscreen display. The $599 screen, developed by Zoom's hardware partner DTEN,

Back in May, India implemented one of the strictest lockdowns in the world to contain the spread of COVID-19. And the government's order to shut down nearly everything except what it deemed essential services threw the country's e-commerce mechanism out of gear. The lockdown sev

For several years now, the lines that once divided television media and television mediums have been blurring. Cable giant Comcast is the parent to TV brand NBC and movie studio Universal, for instance. Telco powerhouse AT&T is not only a cable provider but is also now the p

After the stock market crashed earlier this year, I went on a buying frenzy. And I'm glad I did. Every stock I bought has delivered positive returns so far, and most of them have been big winners.

Twitter Inc said late on Thursday that hackers targeted about 130 accounts during the cyber attack this week, an incident in which profiles of many prominent personalities and organizations were compromised.

Earnings season is almost in full swing — and a range of notable names are lined up to report results. One worth watching is none other than Amazon (AMZN), which will post its quarterly figures on Thursday, July 23.  

The stakes are high for the e-commerce giant, as its stock has been soaring over 60% so far this year. Can the company’s latest results live up to expectations? Cowen analyst John Blackledge expects Amazon to march on defiantly when it reports 2Q earnings on July 23.

“We expect strong 2Q20 results with Revenue & Operating Income above high end of guide range. Key revenue drivers include AWS, Advertising, Subscription, & accelerating eCom growth (+29% year-over-year vs. +17% year-over-year in 2Q19) given continued COVID-19 demand surge. Our 2Q20 Operating Income forecast is driven by AWS, Ad biz & 3P mix shift offset by COVID investments,” Blackledge said.

And that’s not really much of a surprise. If any company has been COVID proof, it has been the e-commerce giant. The surge in demand during the pandemic’s initial wave has been well documented and with the virus still amongst us, it is safe to say demand for Amazon’s services won’t decelerate any time soon.

That said, Amazon’s expenses have also increased significantly during the period. These will act as a costly counterpoint to the increased sales, as spending on infrastructure, workers’ safety, extra pay, and an expanded workforce are sure to impact the bottom line.

Despite an outlay expected to reach $4 billion, Blackledge expects “investors to look past the 2Q investments in COVID-19 related expenses.”

Overall, for 2Q20, the 5-star analyst calls for revenue of $81.3 billion, a 28% year-over-year increase and above the high end of Amazon’s guidance of between $75 billion to $81 billion. The estimate is also 0.8% above consensus.

Blackledge expects a beat on operating income, too, forecasting $2.1 billion, down 32.8% year-year-year, but still 38% above the high end of Amazon’s guidance of $1.5 billion. The figure is also way higher than the consensus estimate of $952 million.

Accordingly, Blackledge reiterated an Outperform (i.e. Buy) rating on Amazon and increased the price target from $2,750 to $3,700 – Wall Street’s most optimistic target right now. The figure implies upside potential of 26% in the year ahead. (To watch Blackledge’s track record, click here)

The sentiment remains bullish among Blackledge’s colleagues. Based on 2 Holds, a lone Sell, and a resounding 37 Buys, Amazon has a Strong Buy consensus rating. Surprisingly, the analysts expect shares to decline by 1%, based on the $2,980.47 average price target. (See Amazon stock analysis on TipRanks)

To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights.

The S&P 500 dropped on Thursday, pulled lower by Microsoft Corp and Apple Inc, as elevated levels of unemployment claims heightened concerns about the economic toll from rising coronavirus cases.