| | | | A biotech stock is skyrocketing 70% after a breakthrough in non-opioid pain treatment, while a vaccine giant is sliding as COVID-era sales continue to fade, and a soda giant is losing its fizz with declining profits. Read on to find out more! | |
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| | | | | What to Watch | Earnings: | SolarBank Corp [SUUN]: Aftermarket Clipper Realty Inc. [CLPR]: Aftermarket | Economic Reports: | Import price index [Jan]: 8:30 a.m. U.S. retail sales [Jan]: 8:30 a.m. Industrial production [Jan]: 9:15 a.m. Capacity utilization [Jan]: 9:15 a.m. Business inventories [Dec]: 10:00 a.m. Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan speaks: 3:00 p.m. |
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| | Beverages | Coca-Cola Europacific 2024 Profit Down, Expects Growth in 2025 | | Coca-Cola Europacific Partners plc [CCEP] reported a decline in profit for fiscal 2024, despite strong revenue growth. | The beverage giant posted €1.42 billion ($1.49B) in profit attributable to shareholders, down from €1.67 billion ($1.75B) the previous year. | Earnings per share dropped to €3.08 from €3.63. | Revenue, however, climbed 11.7% year-over-year, reaching €20.44 billion ($21.4B) compared to €18.3 billion ($19.17B) in 2023. | On an adjusted comparable and FX-neutral basis, revenue grew by 3.3%. | Looking ahead, the company expects further growth in 2025. It projects a 4% revenue increase on an adjusted comparable basis and a 7% rise in operating profit. | The outlook reflects steady demand and strategic pricing adjustments. | In addition to its financial results, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners unveiled a 12-month share buyback program worth up to €1 billion ($1.05B). | The program is subject to approval at the company’s 2025 Annual General Meeting. | As one of the largest independent Coca-Cola bottlers, CCEP will continue to focus on expanding its portfolio and improving operational efficiency, despite evolving consumer preferences and global market trends. |
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| | Pharmaceuticals | Moderna Shares Plunging as COVID Vaccine Sales Continue to Slide | | Moderna [MRNA] posted a larger-than-anticipated quarterly loss as the company continues to scale back manufacturing due to falling demand for its COVID-19 vaccine. | The biotechnology firm reported a fourth-quarter loss of $2.91 per share, missing analysts’ expectations of a $2.68 loss. | This marks a stark contrast from the profit of $0.55 per share recorded in the same quarter last year. | The company attributes a part of the loss to a $238 million non-cash charge tied to terminating a contract manufacturing agreement. | Chief Financial Officer James Mock stated that the decision was made to reduce excess production capacity and avoid unnecessary expenses. | Moderna's total revenue is down 66% year-over-year to $966 million, although it slightly exceeded analysts’ projections of $942.84 million. | COVID-19 vaccine sales contributed $923 million, while its respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) shot generated $15 million. | The revenue decline was primarily due to an earlier U.S. launch of the updated COVID-19 vaccine, which shifted sales into the third quarter, along with weaker international demand. | Looking ahead, the company is continuing cost-cutting efforts, aiming to reduce cash expenses by $1 billion this year and an additional $500 million in 2026. | Moderna also reaffirmed its expectation for FDA approval of its RSV vaccine for high-risk adults aged 18 to 59 later in 2025. | Shares of the firm are down around 4.5% in premarket trading, extending a nearly 60% loss in 2024. |
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| | | | Energy | Portland General Electric Reports Strong Revenue Growth in 2024 | | Portland General Electric Company [POR] reported a significant increase in annual profit, exceeding analyst expectations. | The company’s full-year earnings are $313 million, or $3.01 per share, up from $228 million, or $2.33 per share, in the previous year. | On an adjusted basis, excluding special items, earnings are at $327 million, or $3.14 per share, slightly surpassing Wall Street projections of $3.13 per share. | Revenue for the year is up 17.7% year-over-year, reaching $3.44 billion compared to $2.92 billion in 2023. | The strong financial results reflect the company’s continued efforts to enhance its operational efficiency and expand its customer base. | Portland General Electric’s earnings growth comes amid rising energy demand and ongoing investments in infrastructure and renewable energy projects. | The company has focused on modernizing its grid and increasing reliability, which has contributed to its positive financial performance. | Looking ahead, the company remains optimistic about sustaining growth, with continued investments in sustainable energy initiatives and improvements in service delivery. |
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| | Movers and Shakers | | Virpax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. [VRPX] - Last Close: $0.29 | Virpax Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing non-addictive pain management solutions and treatments for CNS disorders and antiviral barriers. | Its shares are skyrocketing 70%+ during premarket after announcing positive study results for Probudur™, a long-acting local anesthetic being developed in collaboration with the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR). | My Take: Virpax’s breakthrough is promising, especially amid the push for opioid alternatives. But as a preclinical biotech stock there are volatility risks involved. Keep a close eye on how the drug progresses. |
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| Nu Skin Enterprises, Inc. [NUS] - Last Close: $6.42 | Nu Skin Enterprises is a global personal care and wellness company specializing in direct sales of skincare and nutritional products. | Its shares are jumping 24% in early trade after it gave a better-than-expected Q4 earnings report, with EPS of $0.38, beating analysts' expectations of $0.22. | My Take: While Nu Skin posted a strong earnings beat, revenue declined and its forward guidance is also below estimates. Keep this stock on your wait and watch list for now. |
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| Roku, Inc. [ROKU] - Last Close: $86.80 | Roku is a leading streaming platform. Its shares are surging in premarket after beating Q4 revenue estimates and issuing a strong 2025 revenue forecast. | Q4 revenue hit $1.20 billion, surpassing estimates of $1.15 billion. This was driven by a 25% growth in its ad-supported platform segment, which brought in $1.04 billion. | My Take: Roku’s ad-supported model is rebounding, but competition from Amazon, YouTube, and Netflix’s ad tiers remains fierce. Nevertheless, it has consistently improved profitability in the last three quarters and should be on your watch list. |
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| | | | | | That’s all for today. Thank you for reading. If you have any feedback, please reply to this email. | Best Regards, | — Adam Garcia Elite Trade Club |
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