Deutsche Bank Analysts Give Renault (RNO) a €115.00 Price Target

Deutsche Bank set a €115.00 ($133.72) target price on Renault (EPA:RNO) in a report released on Friday morning. The firm currently has a buy rating on the stock.

A number of other brokerages have also commented on RNO. Berenberg Bank set a €82.00 ($95.35) target price on Renault and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, February 19th. Goldman Sachs Group set a €100.00 ($116.28) target price on Renault and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 28th. Deutsche Bank set a €115.00 ($133.72) target price on Renault and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday. JPMorgan Chase & Co. set a €100.00 ($116.28) target price on Renault and gave the company a neutral rating in a research report on Monday, March 26th. Finally, Barclays set a €108.00 ($125.58) target price on Renault and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Friday, February 23rd. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have assigned a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The stock has an average rating of Hold and an average target price of €98.89 ($114.99).

Get Renault alerts:

Shares of Renault opened at €95.21 ($110.71) on Friday, according to MarketBeat.com. Renault has a 52 week low of €73.71 ($85.71) and a 52 week high of €100.70 ($117.09).

Renault Company Profile

Renault SA designs, manufactures, sells, and distributes vehicles worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Automotive, Sales Financing, and AVTOVAZ. It primarily offers passenger and light commercial, and electric vehicles under the Renault, Dacia, Renault Samsung Motors, Alpine, Nissan, Datsun, and LADA brands.

Diversified Restaurant (SAUC) Sets New 1-Year High and Low at $1.15

Diversified Restaurant Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:SAUC) shares hit a new 52-week high and low during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as $1.15 and last traded at $1.16, with a volume of 422 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $1.20.

Separately, Zacks Investment Research upgraded shares of Diversified Restaurant from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday, May 11th.

Get Diversified Restaurant alerts:

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of -4.53, a quick ratio of 0.25 and a current ratio of 0.33.

Diversified Restaurant (NASDAQ:SAUC) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 9th. The restaurant operator reported $0.01 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $0.03 by ($0.02). The company had revenue of $39.53 million during the quarter. Diversified Restaurant had a negative net margin of 13.13% and a negative return on equity of 4.31%.

An institutional investor recently raised its position in Diversified Restaurant stock. Poehling Capital Management LLC grew its stake in Diversified Restaurant Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:SAUC) by 9.0% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 814,825 shares of the restaurant operator’s stock after buying an additional 67,241 shares during the quarter. Poehling Capital Management LLC owned 3.03% of Diversified Restaurant worth $1,100,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 10.66% of the company’s stock.

Diversified Restaurant Company Profile

Diversified Restaurant Holdings, Inc (DRH) is a restaurant company. The Company is a franchisee of Buffalo Wild Wings (BWW).As of September 25, 2016, the Company operated 64 BWW restaurants, which are located in Michigan, Florida, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. The BWW restaurants feature a range of menu items with a multimedia social environment, a bar and an open layout designed to create a dining experience for sports fans and families.

PPL Update: Has The Story Changed?

As I write this piece, PPL Corporation (NYSE:PPL) lingers near $27.40 a share after having been below $27.00 for a period of May 17 through May 21. I have written two lengthier pieces on PPL that have laid out the bullish case for a long-term investor, but I wanted to put together a piece reviewing some recent developments for those who remain interested in the stock. I am still quite surprised that PPL has been lingering at these valuation levels for such an extended period of time; however, I do not think the long-term outlook for PPL has changed materially.

The Stock Issuance Overhang

In my previous piece, I discussed the possible issues effecting the valuation of PPL (Is It Time To Re-Evaluate PPL?), and in the piece, and particularly the comments, we saw a lot of interest in the specter of PPL raising an additional $1B in capital through an equity offering in 2018. In fact, we now know that PPL has agreed to issue 55 million additional shares at a price of $27.00 with an over-allotment of 8.25 million shares. Those who are paying even scant attention to PPL will notice that this total offering seems to be much higher than initially forecast. There is a change here though - it would appear that this issuance is effective through November 2019 and allows for equity capital issuances both this year and next, which totals potentially over $1.5 billion in the 18-month period.

Clearly, this development, while anticipated, has created a short-term valuation ceiling for the stock. It is no coincidence that PPL has traded towards this $27.00 price point since the announcement on May 8th, and it will likely affect the stock for the next 12 months through dilution and the understanding of the pricing for new shares holding any price rally in check. PPL has said it intends to use the funds for ��general corporate purposes�� and is likely in response to tax reform issues, and seems typical of other utilities trying to raise capital in a variety of ways. One highlight or silver lining here �� the issuance of debt with increasing bond yields would likely prove less attractive in the long run. While PPL is diluting its share price currently, it will keep its overall debt level more stable in an era of rising interest rates. This could prove beneficial to investors going forward.

Other Recent Factors to Consider

It appears that institutional investors have been adding some significant positions in PPL in the first quarter which makes sense given its valuation and attractive yield. I view this development as bullish for the stock as money is moving into position as it had reached attractive price valuations. PPL has also boasted an earnings beat in each of its last 4 quarters, and the Q1 earnings call/presentation seemed very positive in my review. You can view a more detailed presentation of Q1 here: PPL Corporation Reports First-Quarter Earnings.

PPL reaffirmed the target of 5-6% earnings growth per share through 2020 and seems to be targeting a very favorable earnings and dividend growth pattern through the end of the decade. The fears over UK regulation seem to be overblown, and currency risk is nearly entirely mitigated by a very aggressive currency hedging strategy. While this may prove a mistake if the terms turn out to be less favorable than market rates, the certainty provided should weigh very positively for utility investors. 2018 is hedged at 100% at $1.32 per pound, and 2019 at 100% for $1.39, and 2020 at 50% for $1.49 per pound. These hedged currency positions for the next two years should allow for the consistent growth forecast through 2020 (see: PPL Corporation 2018 Q1 - Results - Earnings Call Slides). I view this as very positive, given the concern over future earnings for the UK segment, a segment which will make up over half the earnings for PPL in 2018. Please note that PPL also stayed steady with its quarterly dividend at $.41 payable for investors of record by June 8th. These are all positive drivers in my mind, and suitable for an income producing utility investment.

Conclusions to Be Made

I still value PPL highly in my portfolio, and have been looking to extend my position as the stock price has declined �� particularly below $27.00. I do not think we will see any significant price rally in the next 12-month period as shares are issued, but as a long-term investor, I am content to value the stock according to its future potential and stability. A caveat would be a flight to safety in some unforeseen economic turmoil in the short term �� towards quality equity names and reliable yields - another reason I like the safety of a utility stock at this time. In this vein, I still am bullish on PPL and continue to rate the stock a ��buy��. My price target remains around the overall street consensus of +/- $32.00, but I do not believe we may see sustained pricing above this level until 2019. I am also looking heavily at other beaten-down utilities, including Dominion (NYSE:D) and Southern Company (NYSE:SO), and may initiate some articles on these names in the near future. Let me know your thoughts and ideas on this stock �� do you see it the same way?

Note: Please click the "Follow" button if you like what you have read above. I will continue to provide long term and value oriented investing articles in the months ahead and appreciate your readership.

Disclaimer: The opinions and the strategies contained herein are not intended to be official financial advice nor an official recommendation to buy or sell a security. Please evaluate each stock according to your own research and risk tolerance.

Disclosure: I am/we are long PPL.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Whiting Petroleum Co. to Post Q2 2018 Earnings of $0.85 Per Share, Piper Jaffray Companies Forecasts

Whiting Petroleum Co. (NYSE:WLL) – Equities research analysts at Piper Jaffray Companies lifted their Q2 2018 earnings estimates for Whiting Petroleum in a research note issued on Sunday, May 20th. Piper Jaffray Companies analyst K. Harrison now forecasts that the oil and gas exploration company will earn $0.85 per share for the quarter, up from their previous forecast of $0.33. Piper Jaffray Companies currently has a “Hold” rating and a $46.00 target price on the stock. Piper Jaffray Companies also issued estimates for Whiting Petroleum’s Q3 2018 earnings at $0.97 EPS, Q4 2018 earnings at $1.16 EPS, FY2018 earnings at $3.90 EPS, Q1 2019 earnings at $1.70 EPS, Q2 2019 earnings at $1.48 EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $1.47 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $1.59 EPS and FY2019 earnings at $6.24 EPS.

Get Whiting Petroleum alerts:

Whiting Petroleum (NYSE:WLL) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, April 30th. The oil and gas exploration company reported $0.92 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.22 by $0.70. Whiting Petroleum had a negative return on equity of 1.08% and a negative net margin of 69.88%. The firm had revenue of $515.10 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $476.68 million. During the same period last year, the company earned ($0.15) earnings per share. The company’s revenue was up 38.7% on a year-over-year basis.

Several other equities analysts also recently weighed in on WLL. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Whiting Petroleum from $14.40 to $22.00 and gave the company a “sell” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 24th. Jefferies Group set a $29.00 price target on Whiting Petroleum and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 30th. Goldman Sachs upgraded Whiting Petroleum from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday, February 1st. ValuEngine downgraded Whiting Petroleum from a “sell” rating to a “strong sell” rating in a report on Friday, February 2nd. Finally, Tudor Pickering upgraded Whiting Petroleum from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Monday, February 12th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, sixteen have issued a hold rating and thirteen have issued a buy rating to the stock. The stock has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $41.55.

Shares of Whiting Petroleum opened at $50.48 on Wednesday, MarketBeat.com reports. Whiting Petroleum has a 1-year low of $15.88 and a 1-year high of $54.04. The company has a quick ratio of 0.58, a current ratio of 0.58 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.73. The firm has a market cap of $4.73 billion, a PE ratio of -38.53, a P/E/G ratio of 2.82 and a beta of 2.90.

In other Whiting Petroleum news, VP David M. Seery sold 1,059 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $27.77, for a total value of $29,408.43. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 37,122 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,030,877.94. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Company insiders own 1.70% of the company’s stock.

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. State of Alaska Department of Revenue purchased a new position in shares of Whiting Petroleum during the 4th quarter valued at about $138,000. Aull & Monroe Investment Management Corp purchased a new position in shares of Whiting Petroleum during the 1st quarter valued at about $206,000. Syntal Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Whiting Petroleum during the 1st quarter valued at about $225,000. M&T Bank Corp purchased a new position in shares of Whiting Petroleum during the 1st quarter valued at about $236,000. Finally, Sapphire Star Partners LP purchased a new position in shares of Whiting Petroleum during the 1st quarter valued at about $237,000.

Whiting Petroleum Company Profile

Whiting Petroleum Corporation engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas primarily in the Rocky Mountains region of the United States. The company sells its oil and gas production to end users, marketers, and other purchasers.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now

tags:AAT,SHLD,RHP,HST,AAOI,PLUS,BWLD,EPE,WYN,UUUU,

Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) is slated to report its fiscal second-quarter 2018 financial results after the market closes on Tuesday, May 8.

Let's take a brief look at where the entertainment giant stands now and then get into what to watch in Tuesday's report.�

Going into the report on a solid note

Disney is going into its earnings report on a solid note. Last quarter, the company kicked off fiscal 2018 with a return to growth after both revenue and net income dipped 1% year over year in�fiscal 2017. Disney CEO Bob Iger made it clear early on that 2017 would see a pause in the company's recent growth dynamics, but he's also long said the company was poised to resume those robust growth dynamics in 2018. So far, so good. In the first quarter, revenue increased 4% year over year, while earnings per share (EPS) adjusted for one-time factors jumped 22%.

Image source: Getty Images.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: American Assets Trust, Inc.(AAT)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Victory Capital Management Inc. increased its stake in American Assets Trust (NYSE:AAT) by 38.2% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The fund owned 1,639,815 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after acquiring an additional 453,679 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc. owned approximately 3.47% of American Assets Trust worth $54,786,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of American Assets Trust (NYSE:AAT) by 10.4% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 41,227 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after buying an additional 3,890 shares during the period. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Holdings Inc. owned approximately 0.09% of American Assets Trust worth $1,377,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: Sears Holdings Corporation(SHLD)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By ]

  Sears Holdings (SHLD) surprised to the upside after CEO Eddie Lampert, through his hedge fund ESL Investments, offered to purchase the appliance brand Kenmore for $500 million from the retailer.

• [By ]
  Questionable Recent Stock-Price Gains. While some retail stocks have done well since February, it's my view that short-term stock-price movements might not hold much import over the following weeks or months. I'm bearish on the overall U.S. stock market's likely performance for 2018's balance. Risky U.S. Macroeconomics. The U.S. middle class, which supports the retail industry, could see its condition deteriorate going forward. U.S. employment levels will likely peak over the next several months, but inflation and interest rates are rising, which will reduce real disposable incomes. As inflation percolates, businesses could also see a rising costs of goods that will pressure margins. A Challenging Industry. Disruption in the retail space is continuing, if not intensifying. However, after several years of reducing fixed costs, the retail industry has little left to cut. Sears Stinks. I think that Sears Holdings (SHLD) will likely declare bankruptcy in 2018. This, coupled with an acceleration in other store closings, will flood the market with low-priced inventory.

  Watch all of Jim Cramer's full NYSE live shows right here:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Sears Holdings (NASDAQ:SHLD) traded up 8% during trading on Thursday . The stock traded as high as $3.46 and last traded at $3.00. 116,454 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 91% from the average session volume of 1,320,185 shares. The stock had previously closed at $3.26.

• [By Chris Lange]

  This past week, Sears Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: SHLD) saw its shares make an incredible gain, one that the company has not seen in a while. Perhaps this is the spark that puts Sears back on the right track. And it only seems fortuitous that one of the strongest companies in the world is helping what many consider a dying company.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc.(RHP)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Ryman Hospitality Properties (NYSE:RHP) – Equities research analysts at SunTrust Banks boosted their Q2 2018 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Ryman Hospitality Properties in a research note issued on Wednesday, May 2nd. SunTrust Banks analyst P. Scholes now expects that the real estate investment trust will earn $1.80 per share for the quarter, up from their previous estimate of $1.74. SunTrust Banks has a “Outperform” rating and a $70.00 price target on the stock. SunTrust Banks also issued estimates for Ryman Hospitality Properties’ Q3 2018 earnings at $1.18 EPS, Q1 2019 earnings at $1.44 EPS, Q2 2019 earnings at $2.10 EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $1.42 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $2.13 EPS and FY2019 earnings at $7.09 EPS.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Ryman Hospitality Properties (NYSE:RHP)’s share price hit a new 52-week high and low during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as low as $80.07 and last traded at $79.93, with a volume of 191025 shares. The stock had previously closed at $79.56.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Ryman Hospitality Properties (RHP)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc.(HST)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  ING Groep NV increased its stake in shares of Host Hotels & Resorts (NYSE:HST) by 6.6% during the first quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 75,007 shares of the real estate investment trust’s stock after buying an additional 4,642 shares during the quarter. ING Groep NV’s holdings in Host Hotels & Resorts were worth $1,398,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Host Hotels & Resorts (HST)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By ]

  Selected examples: (BXP) , (DFS) , (HST) , (MA) , (TXN) , (USB) .

  Inflation Is a Key Risk

  Execs were most worried about inflation, as they should be.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Host Hotels & Resorts (NYSE:HST) had its price objective boosted by Stifel Nicolaus from $20.50 to $21.00 in a research note published on Thursday. They currently have a buy rating on the real estate investment trust’s stock.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: Applied Optoelectronics, Inc.(AAOI)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ezra Schwarzbaum]

  Applied Optoelectronics Inc (NASDAQ: AAOI) was trading up 1.4 percent. The stock was relatively unaffected by the ban, trading down as much as 5.3 percent on April 16 but ultimately ending the day within 1 percent of its previous close.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Applied Optoelectronics (NASDAQ:AAOI) issued an update on its second quarter earnings guidance on Tuesday morning. The company provided earnings per share (EPS) guidance of $0.39-$0.52 for the period, compared to the Thomson Reuters consensus estimate of $0.46. The company issued revenue guidance of $75-$81 million, compared to the consensus revenue estimate of $77.48 million.

• [By Anders Bylund]

  Shares of Applied Optoelectronics (NASDAQ:AAOI) closed 14.5% higher on Wednesday, having recorded a peak gain of 17.2% earlier in the trading session. An analyst firm issued an optimistic report on the stock based on good-looking checks among AAOI's data center customers.

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap fiber-optic networking product Applied Optoelectronics (NASDAQ: AAOI), a potential peer of EMCORE Corporation (NASDAQ: EMKR), Finisar Corporation (NASDAQ: FNSR) and Oclaro Inc (NASDAQ: OCLR), is the�most�shorted stock on the�NASDAQ with short interest of 62.65% according to Highshortnterest.com.

• [By Chris Lange]

  Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAOI) reported its fourth quarter results after the markets closed on Wednesday. The company posted $0.89 in earnings per share (EPS) on $79.9 million, which compares to consensus estimates that were calling for $0.82 in EPS on $86.2 million in revenue. Here��s what analysts were saying after the fact:

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: ePlus Inc.(PLUS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Tech Data (NASDAQ: TECD) and ePlus (NASDAQ:PLUS) are both retail/wholesale companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, institutional ownership, risk, dividends, analyst recommendations, profitability and earnings.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: Buffalo Wild Wings Inc.(BWLD)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  A long term performance chart shows Dave & Busters Entertainment�tripling in value�before falling back while�small cap upscale gentlemen's clubs and restaurant owner�RCI Hospitality Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: RICK) began taking off in 2016 and small cap�Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) is being acquired by Arby��s Restaurant Group:

• [By Steve Symington]

  That's not to say it was a quiet day for every stock on the market. With earnings season ramping up, brewing giant Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE:BUD) and restaurant chain Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ:BWLD) served as an exercise in contrast as investors reacted to their respective quarterly reports.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: EP Energy Corporation(EPE)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Wednesday afternoon, the energy shares rose 2.37 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included EP Energy Corporation (NYSE: EPE), up 24 percent, and Penn Virginia Corporation (NASDAQ: PVAC) up 24 percent.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers Liberty TripAdvisor Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: LTRPA) shares jumped 31.6 percent to $12.18 following TripAdvisor Q1 earnings beat. ZAGG Inc (NASDAQ: ZAGG) rose 26.5 percent to $14.55 after the company posted better-than-expected Q1 earnings. OPKO Health, Inc. (NASDAQ: OPK) shares gained 25 percent to $4.0234 following Q1 beat. Axon Enterprise, Inc. (NASDAQ: AAXN) jumped 23.5 percent to $55.12 following a big Q1 beat. The company raised its fiscal 2018 sales growth guidance from 16-18 percent to 18-20 percent. Penn Virginia Corporation (NASDAQ: PVAC) gained 23.3 percent to $59.00 after reporting Q1 results. TripAdvisor, Inc. (NASDAQ: TRIP) rose 22.5 percent to $47.51 after the company reported stronger-than-expected results for its first quarter on Tuesday. Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD) shares surged 21.7 percent to $3.36. Amazon.com's partnership with Sears started in 2017 with an agreement to sell Kenmore-branded appliances online. On Wednesday, the companies announced an extension of their relationship to now include tire delivery and installations. EP Energy Corporation (NYSE: EPE) jumped 21.3 percent to $2.68 following Q1 results. LendingClub Corporation (NYSE: LC) surged 20.4 percent to $3.395 following better-than-expected Q1 earnings. Superior Industries International, Inc. (NYSE: SUP) gained 19 percent to $15.82 after reporting Q1 results. Bellicum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLCM) shares rose 18.5 percent to $8.13 following Q1 results. Twilio Inc. (NYSE: TWLO) rose 18.3 percent to $52.47 after the company posted strong quarterly results. Cerus Corporation (NASDAQ: CERS) shares jumped 18.3 percent to $6.47 following quarterly results. IEC Electronics Corp. (NYSE: IEC) shares climbed 17 percent to $4.68 after reporting better-than-expected quarterly earnings. New Relic, Inc. (NYSE: NEWR) rose 16.8 percent to $90.10 following Q4 results. Gulfport Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: GPOR)
• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers athenahealth, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATHN) shares climbed 23.2 percent to $155.19 after Elliott Management confirmed a $160 per share cash offer for athenahealth. Evolus, Inc. (NASDAQ: EOLS) gained 21.3 percent to $8.83. Evolus named David Moatazedi as new CEO. VivoPower International PLC (NASDAQ: VVPR) climbed 18.2 percent to $3.12 after falling 39.86 percent on Friday. Gramercy Property Trust (NYSE: GPT) rose 15.6 percent to $27.53 after the company agreed to be acquired by Blackstone Group L.P. (NYSE: BX) for $27.50 per share. EP Energy Corporation (NYSE: EPE) rose 13 percent to $2.26. Energy XXI Gulf Coast, Inc. (NASDAQ: EGC) gained 11.9 percent to $7.35. National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) surged 11.8 percent to $6.24 after the company posted upbeat quarterly profit. Sanchez Energy Corporation (NYSE: SN) shares gained 11.3 percent to $3.56. CVR Refining, LP (NYSE: CVRR) shares rose 8.8 percent to $18.875. Monaker Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: MKGI) rose 8.7 percent to $2.9683. Kosmos Energy Ltd. (NYSE: KOS) shares rose 7.4 percent to $7.40. Ceragon Networks Ltd. (NASDAQ: CRNT) rose 7 percent to $2.88 after climbing 1.89 percent on Friday. Cloudera, Inc. (NYSE: CLDR) surged 6 percent to $15.93. Craig-Hallum initiated coverage on Cloudera with a Buy rating. Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN) rose 5.1 percent to $257.35. Barclays upgraded Illumina from Equal-Weight to Overweight.

  Check out these big penny stock gainers and losers

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Wednesday afternoon, the energy shares climbed 1.59 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included SeaDrill Limited (NYSE: SDRL), up 77 percent, and EP Energy Corporation (NYSE: EPE), up 19 percent.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Thursday morning, the energy shares rose 0.76 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Seadrill Limited (NYSE: SDRL), up 59 percent, and EP Energy Corporation (NYSE: EPE) up 7 percent.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: Wyndham Worldwide Corp(WYN)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Mackay Shields LLC acquired a new stake in Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE:WYN) during the 1st quarter, Holdings Channel reports. The institutional investor acquired 176,060 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $20,147,000.

• [By Taylor Cox]

  Investor Events

  IPO/offering lockup expirations for SailPoint Technologies Holdings, Inc (NYSE: SAIL) and Stitch Fix, Inc (NASDAQ: SFIX) Starbucks China investor day Wyndham Worldwide Corporation (NYSE: WYN) investor meeting

  Thursday
  Economic

• [By Max Byerly]

  Wyndham Worldwide (NYSE: WYN) is one of 31 public companies in the “Hotels & motels” industry, but how does it weigh in compared to its rivals? We will compare Wyndham Worldwide to related companies based on the strength of its dividends, valuation, risk, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, profitability and earnings.

Top 10 Stocks To Own Right Now: Energy Fuels Inc(UUUU)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Energy Fuels (NYSEAMERICAN:UUUU) (TSE:EFR) shares saw an uptick in trading volume on Monday . 1,091,365 shares were traded during mid-day trading, an increase of 300% from the previous session’s volume of 272,846 shares.The stock last traded at $2.09 and had previously closed at $2.04.