Latest news with #Atkin
Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Sheff Utd fan explains why he wants his side to lose playoff final to Sunderland
Sheffield United will face Sunderland on Saturday in the Championship play-off final, though one Blades fan has made it clear he does not want the Blades to earn promotion A Sheffield United fan has bizarrely admitted he wants his side to lose Saturday's play-off final to Sunderland. The Blades will face the Black Cats at Wembley for the chance to be promoted to the Premier League. The Yorkshire side were last in the top flight in the 2023/2024 campaign, but it proved to be a miserable season. The Blades picked up just 16 points, winning only three times and conceding a record number of goals for a Premier League side. They missed out on automatic promotion this year by 10 points, though comfortably finished third in the Championship table. They will face Sunderland on Saturday, with Régis Le Bris' side having finished fourth. Chris Wilder's Blades smashed Bristol City in their play-off semi-final, while Sunderland edged past Coventry with a last-gasp extra-time winner. But one Sheffield United fan will be hedging against his side this weekend. Dan Atkin, of Four Blades In The Pub podcast, has made it clear he does not want to see Wilder's side promoted. Atkin is concerned that should they get promoted, a season back in the Premier League would be hard to watch. "The last two Premier League campaigns of ours have pretty much broken me to be honest. Just the fact we've not been competitive. We've been borderline embarrassing at times," Atkin told BBC Sheffield. "We've been close to setting record low points totals. We've set records for the number goals conceded and I've just not got the stomach to go down and spend a day in London. A couple of hundred pounds in a game I've got no real interest in the outcome. "And I know that sounds strange. I've been a Blade for 40 odd years, I've seen us be rubbish more than I've seen us be good. But I've just got to the stage where the Premier League just doesn't do it for me in the slightest. "The prospect of a season with a points total in the mid-teens. It's not there for me anymore. I've been a season ticket holder for 40 odd years. I've already renewed my season ticket for next season. "And if we're there then we're there and I'll support them as I always have done. But, realistically, whichever team loses on Saturday, their fans hare going to have a more enjoyable season next year." It is fair to say that Blades manager Wilder does not share Atkin's view. He said this week: "We're a winning football team. We're going for wins. We know how to win, and that has got to be our focus. On Saturday, we're going to go for a win and we back ourselves. 'They [the players] are ultra positive, they're focused, and they're excited as well, and they're really looking forward to the challenge of going to Wembley. And then after that it's about getting that win. 'To lead the club out at Wembley Stadium, in front of over 80,000 supporters, one of the biggest games in world football, it's a great honour and privilege and responsibility, but we've got to do the job right. That's the first and foremost, and we're ready to win.'
CNBC
04-05-2025
- Business
- CNBC
Top Wall Street analysts are bullish on these 3 dividend stocks for stable returns
Investors with concerns about the risks facing the economy may want to add some stable income to their portfolio in the form of dividend-paying stocks. To this end, Wall Street experts' recommendations can help pick lucrative dividend stocks that have the ability to make consistent payments despite near-term pressures. Here are three dividend-paying stocks, highlighted by Wall Street's top pros on TipRanks, a platform that ranks analysts based on their past performance. This week's first dividend stock is telecom giant AT&T (T). The company recently reported first-quarter results, driven by strong postpaid phone and fiber net subscriber additions. The company retained its full-year guidance and stated that it plans to commence share buybacks in the second quarter, given that its net leverage target of net debt-to-adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization is in the 2.5-times range. AT&T offers investors a quarterly dividend of $0.2775 per share. With an annualized dividend of $1.11 per share, AT&T stock offers a dividend yield of 4.0%. In reaction to the company's Q1 print, RBC Capital analyst Jonathan Atkin raised his price target for AT&T stock to $30 from $28 and reiterated a buy rating. The analyst noted that the company exceeded estimates even after excluding $100 million of one-time EBITDA benefits. Atkin added that AT&T's revenue surpassed expectations, thanks to the strength in both wireless and wireline businesses. Among other positives, the analyst noted that the company promptly addressed the slowdown seen in January and delivered robust postpaid phone net additions of 324,000, with gross additions growing 13% and helping to overcome higher churn. "Management signaled confidence in its execution amidst a challenging environment by reiterating guidance and introducing a buyback program that commences in Q2," said Atkin. Atkin ranks No. 85 among more than 9,400 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 69% of the time, delivering an average return of 11.3%. See AT&T Hedge Fund Trading Activity on TipRanks. We move to Philip Morris International (PM), a consumer goods company that is focused on transitioning completely to smoke-free alternatives from cigarettes. The company reported solid results for the first quarter of 2025, driven by strong demand for its smoke-free products. Philip Morris rewarded shareholders with a quarterly dividend of $1.35 per share. At an annualized dividend of $5.40 per share, PM stock offers a yield of nearly 3.2%. Encouraged by the results, Stifel analyst Matthew Smith reaffirmed a buy rating on PM stock and increased the price target to $186 from $168, noting strong momentum across the board. The analyst said that three growth engines – smoke-free product mix, pricing and volume growth – boosted Philip Morris' Q1 performance and drove a 10% rise in organic revenue, 340 basis points of gross margin expansion and 200 basis points of increase in operating profit margin. "Each of these engines support durable growth in 2025 and beyond as smoke-free continues to increase as a portion of PMI's portfolio, now over 40% of revenue and gross profit," said Smith. The analyst expects 170 basis points of operating profit margin expansion in 2025, driven by smoke-free products, including Iqos and Zyn. In particular, Smith noted that Zyn's Q1 U.S. volumes benefited from robust demand and earlier-than-anticipated improvement in supply chain capacity. He now expects 824 million cans for 2025, reflecting a 42% growth. Also, Zyn's capacity is expected to reach 900 million cans this year, supporting potential upside to his estimates, especially in the second half of the year when inventories are expected to normalize. Smith ranks No. 642 among more than 9,400 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been successful 64% of the time, delivering an average return of 15%. See Philip Morris Ownership Structure on TipRanks. This week's third dividend stock is Texas Instruments (TXN), a semiconductor company that designs and manufactures analog and embedded processing chips for several end markets. The company's first-quarter earnings and revenue easily surpassed Wall Street's estimates, reflecting strong demand for its analog chips despite the threat of tariffs. Also, TXN's guidance for the June quarter was better than the consensus estimate. Meanwhile, Texas Instruments pays a quarterly dividend of $1.36 per share. At an annualized dividend of $5.44 per share, TXN stock's dividend yield stands at 3.3%. Reacting to the strong Q1 results, Evercore analyst Mark Lipacis reiterated a buy rating on TXN stock with a price target of $248, saying, "We're buyers of TXN post a beat and raise 1Q25 print." He stated that TXN remains a top analog pick for Evercore. Lipacis contended that while bears will argue that the upside to Texas Instruments' Q1 results and Q2 2025 outlook were due to tariff-driven order pull-ins, his analysis shows that the company's inventories have overcorrected in the supply chain. In fact, numerous checks by his firm indicate that many entities in the supply chain have now taken their inventories well below normal levels. The analyst expects TXN to be early into the upward revision cycle, given that it was the first large-cap analog company to enter the inventory correction phase. He expects the company to deliver upside surprises through 2025 and into 2026. Additionally, he expects TXN stock to sustain a premium price-earnings multiple as it is exiting its capital expenditure cycle, which will drive its free cash flow per share higher from a trailing 12 months' trough of $1 to $10.30 by 2027. Lipacis ranks No. 69 among more than 9,400 analysts tracked by TipRanks. His ratings have been profitable 58% of the time, delivering an average return of 20.4%. See Texas Instruments Technical Analysis on TipRanks.
BBC News
29-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Castleford sign experienced Salford half-back Atkin
Castleford Tigers have signed half-back Chris Atkin from financially stricken Super League rivals 32-year-old scored 17 tries in 110 appearances for the Red Devils after joining from Hull KR in 2019."Thank you to the fans, players and staff for everything. Salford will always feel like home for me and my family, and hold a special place in our lives," he told the Salford website., externalCas, who won their second game of the season against lowly Huddersfield on Saturday, have not disclosed the length of Atkin's contract.
The Independent
23-04-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
‘This was my time for redemption': Stars align for new halfpipe world champion Zoe Atkin
Halfpipe skier Zoe Atkin came into this year's Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships with a bronze and a silver medal already under her belt from the previous two editions, and looking to complete the set. A fall on her first run left her in ninth going into the crucial, all-or-nothing second run in Engadin, Switzerland. She could have wilted; instead she produced the run of a lifetime to soar into top spot and become world champion for the first time. 'The way it happened was pretty storybook, dream-come-true,' she tells The Independent. 'I had fallen on my first run and you only get two, so it was all on the line, all the pressure on me. I was stressed at the top. 'My heart was beating so fast, my legs were jello, but I was able to handle that stress by being like, I'm so excited to ski and show the world what I can do. Recalling the exact moment she landed, she says, 'I was so happy to have landed my run under all that pressure and had all that adrenaline going through my body, I just felt so euphoric. It was so surreal because I'd been thinking and visualising that moment for so long.' Atkin describes the season as a 'whirlwind', as she also became overall World Cup champion alongside China's Li Fanghui. It was the first time the crystal globe has ever been shared by two athletes, with both athletes picking up one victory, two second-place finishes, and a fifth place apiece this season. Atkin, who represents Great Britain, finished fourth in the halfpipe at X Games in January, and says the 'bittersweet' experience of being just off the podium spurred her on to her first World Cup win since her breakout victory at the age of 16, in Aspen in February. 'This was my time for redemption,' she says, adding that the unexpected triumph in Colorado put her in prime position for the overall World Cup title. 'I never had goals of winning that, I felt it was so far away from me, but going into that [final] World Cup I was definitely nervous.' Atkin had led the standings after her first run in the final World Cup of the season in Calgary, but ultimately had to settle for second on the day and joint-first overall as Li outscored her on her second run for victory. The pair were only five points clear of reigning Olympic champion Eileen Gu on the crystal globe podium, with the depth and strength of the field making for a tense end to the season. 'I try to frame it in a positive sense,' Atkin says of the competition. 'I think about how we're all pushing the sport. You can't do that in a vacuum: there's got to be competition, there's got to be pressure, and I thrive in those moments. I hate them because they're so stressful! But that's where you unlock when you can rise to those occasions.' Atkin, who has British and Malaysian parents but was born and raised in the US, learned to ski when she was two years old. The family moved to Park City, Utah to further her and her older sister Izzy's skiing careers. Despite essentially growing up on skis, and always being drawn to tricks and stunts rather than more traditional disciplines, she says, 'It's interesting psychologically because I wouldn't consider myself to be a daredevil or an adrenaline junkie, which is funny considering the sport that I chose. 'But it's really precise and beautiful in the intersection of athleticism and artistry, and all these qualities coming together. I think that's really exciting to watch and be part of. And it feels like flying: it's just an amazing feeling.' Her success this year has been all the more remarkable considering she contemplated giving up skiing after the Winter Olympics in 2022, when she finished a frustrating ninth in the half-pipe, having put herself under pressure to follow in Izzy's footsteps and win a medal. The older Atkin secured Britain's first-ever British Olympic medal in skiing with slopestyle bronze in Pyeongchang in 2018. Atkin says the success she experienced at a very young age, coupled with the 'lingering disappointment' of the Olympics, held under the shadow of Covid-19, made her question her future. She stuck it out and the highs of 2023 – she won X Games gold for the first time – gave her the 'boost of confidence' she needed. Her path back to the top of the sport hasn't been linear, with the cycle of competing taking its toll on her last season. 'Maintaining that level year after year can definitely be quite exhausting. There's a lot of pressure,' she says, admitting that she didn't give herself enough time off and burnt out. That meant she had to lower her expectations for this season, and return to the idea of building her confidence once again. Atkin explains that her attitude at the start of this season was, 'It's not about winning every competition, it's about, what's a small thing I can do to get 1 per cent better today. You take a bunch of those steps and then you realise how far you've come.' She says that taking a step back and concentrating on the things she can control has given her perspective. 'I'm a big believer that there's no failing: every failure is an opportunity to grow and learn something from it. An appreciation for both the highs and the lows, and being able to learn from disappointing times and come back from them – I think that mindset is a testament of being a true athlete.' Atkin juggles her career as a skier with studying at Stanford University, where she has been taking psychology classes, and credits those with influencing her approach to skiing, particularly the mental block that she finds when grappling with new tricks. 'Some tricks come easily but something that maybe people don't know about action sports athletes is that it is scary and we are scared,' she says. 'That [apparent] ease of performance comes from a million repetitions behind the scenes that you don't see. 'I feel like [taking psychology classes] has been very helpful for me in understanding the biological processes behind fear and being able to reframe them as positive feelings: feelings that help you perform and give you that edge that you need to complete these scary manoeuvres.' Her philosophical approach is one that has been honed over time. The 22-year-old is already something of a veteran on the World Cup circuit, having competed since she was just 15. 'Every time I do an interview it's after a big result and you get all the credit, but all those days that you're training, there's no pat on the back, you have to wait and hope for the gratification and the result that's going to come,' she says. 'Everyone sees that end result, but not necessarily all the times that I've fallen. When I was younger I just wanted the accolades next to my name. Now with my experience and perspective as I'm getting a little bit older, I'm appreciating the process a bit more.' Her attention now turns to the Olympic season, with the Winter Games in Milan-Cortina on the horizon – only ten months away – and her phenomenal season coming at the best possible time. She admits she has big goals for the Games, but keeps them under wraps for now, only saying, 'I definitely would love to ski at my fullest potential, but I also would really like to enjoy the experience.'
The Guardian
30-03-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
Great Britain's Atkin crowns season with gold at halfpipe world championship
Great Britain's Zoe Atkin reached the crowning moment of her stellar season with a maiden world title on the final day of the freeski halfpipe championships in Engadin, Switzerland, on Sunday. It was third time's a charm for the 22-year-old, who won bronze at the event in 2021 and silver in 2023. 'I feel amazing, I'm world champion,' Atkin said. 'I'm going to go celebrate, I'm going to eat all the Swiss chocolate I have in my bedroom. I'm going to have a drink out on the patio. I'm just so excited.' Atkin fell at the end of her first run, which landed her in ninth place, and she was well behind China's Li Fanghui, who took the early lead with a score of 90.25 points. But Atkin rebuffed the disappointment and her phenomenal second and final attempt, which contained the highest altitude of the day, landed her a 93.50. The score was surely going to be enough put her on the podium but Atkin was made to wait to see what colour medal she would be taking home. The fight for gold came down to the Briton and Li, the two top skiers this season. Li, also 22, fell agonisingly short, receiving a 93.00 to finish 0.5 behind Atkin. Canada's Cassie Sharpe took bronze with a score of 88.00. 'I was so nervous going into my second run,' Atkin said. 'So to be able to put it down when the pressure was on felt so good, and to come back after I got third at my first world championship and second at my second championship, it just feels so good. 'This season I was like: 'You know what? I want to go for the gold.' So I put a lot of work in this season to try my new trick in there.' Earlier this month Atkin and Li shared the overall free ski half-pipe World Cup with Li after both claimed one win, two second-place finishes and a fifth place during the season. It was the first time the crystal globe awarded to the winner had been shared. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion Atkin is the younger sister of Isabel 'Izzy' Atkin, who in 2018 won the first British Olympic medal in skiing, claiming bronze in the women's slopestyle in Pyeongchang.
