Tag Archives: wbmd

Big Profit Gains Ahead For 3 Top Tech Stocks?

Internet stocks aren’t dominating the Tech Leaders list as they might have in years past. But three online content plays have strong earnings growth, behind them and up ahead. Facebook ( FB ) profit soared 83% to 77 cents a share in Q1, topping views by 15 cents, for its best gain in seven quarters. Revenue grew 52% to $5.26 billion, also well ahead of forecasts. The social network fired on all cylinders, with a 16% increase in daily active users, 15% higher monthly active users, and a 21% jump in mobile monthly active users. Mobile advertising revenue made up 82% of total ad sales, up from 73% in the year-earlier quarter. Analysts expect solid EPS gains to continue in Q2 and Q3 at 62% and 53%, respectively. The stock is still in buy range from a 117.09 cup-with-handle buy point it gapped past April 28 on its earnings report. With the market uptrend still under pressure, Facebook hasn’t been able to gain much upside traction but has held nearly all its gains. WebMD Health ( WBMD ) has posted 33% or higher quarterly earnings growth for the past three years. Analysts expect the pace to slow to a perfectly respectable 25% in Q2 and to 38% in Q3. WebMD’s 96 Composite Rating is second-best in the Internet content group, behind Facebook’s 98. The stock is extended from a 58.35 buy point cleared in March, but it is in buy range from a pullback to the 10-week moving average. Shares have rallied more than 30% so far this year, far outperforming the Nasdaq composite. Weibo ( WB ) (87 Composite) reported its first full-year profit, covering 2015, with consensus estimates targeting a 59% jump this year and 67% the next. The Chinese microblogging service’s Q1 EPS surged by triple digits, although it was just 7 cents from a year-earlier profit of a penny a share. Analysts expect an 80% increase in Q2 and a 60% gain in Q3. Shares are extended from a 19.20 cup-with-handle buy point which they blew past on April 6. Those who haven’t yet locked in gains could consider doing so, given the market uncertainty.

SunEdison Bankruptcy Watch: YieldCos’ CEO Abruptly Exits

Brian Wuebbels late Wednesday stepped down as CEO of TerraForm Power ( TERP ) and TerraForm Global ( GLBL ), as parent company SunEdison ( SUNE ) is on the brink of default. Both TerraForm Power and TerraForm Global said the respective board of directors had formed an “office of the chairman” to run the concerns on an interim basis. Meanwhile, David Tepper’s hedge fund, Appaloosa Management, which owns 9.5% of Terraform Power, sued the yieldco and SunEdison in Delaware’s Chancery Court, demanding that TerraForm overhaul its Conflicts Committee, claiming controlling shareholder SunEdison has breached its fiduciary duties. Appaloosa Management in January sued SunEdison, saying it violated its fiduciary duties as it pursed its now-defunct effort to acquire Vivint Solar ( VSLR ). Also late Wednesday, S&P Dow Jones Indices said that WebMD Health ( WBMD ) will replace SunEdison the S&P MidCap 400, saying SunEdison no longer has a market cap to qualify for the index. Earlier, JPMorgan downgraded TerraForm Global, while FBR suspended coverage of the “unpredictable” SunEdison. SunEdison hasn’t released financials for beyond Sept. 30 and is in danger of default. Late Tuesday, TerraForm Power said there was “substantial risk” of a SunEdison bankruptcy, which might make its own talks with creditors “more difficult.” SunEdison stock plunged as low as 45 cents on Wednesday, but closed up 2 cents to 59 cents. TerraForm Power fell 2.7% to 8.38 but rose 3% late. TerraForm Global climbed 7.4% to 2.18, then advanced 7% in late trade. Vivint Solar rose 6 cents to 2.62.

WebMD Says It’s Not For Sale, Stock Slides

WebMD (WBMD) Health Corp. saw its stock soar and then fall on Thursday as the online health care information company quieted rumors about a possible sale. “In light of recent news reports, the company is reporting that it is not currently in any negotiations to be acquired,” WebMD said in a press release on Thursday. Before the announcement, WebMD stock had been up more than 9% in midday trading in the stock market today, above 58. Afterward