Latest news with #ScottLevine
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Why Shares of REV Group Are Charging Higher This Week
REV Group is a manufacturer of specialty vehicles like ambulances and fire trucks. The company beat analysts' second-quarter 2025 revenue and earnings estimates. Management upwardly revised revenue and free cash flow guidance for 2025. 10 stocks we like better than Rev Group › Powering past analysts' expectations, REV Group (NYSE: REVG) reported strong second-quarter 2025 financial results this week. Wall Street was also impressed. An analyst's auspicious outlook provided investors with another catalyst to buy the specialty vehicle manufacturer's stock. According to data provided by S&P Global Market Intelligence, shares of REV Group are up 14.5% from the end of last Friday's trading session through market close yesterday. Reporting Q2 2025 revenue of $629.1 million and adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.70, REV Group surpassed the consensus sales and adjusted EPS estimates of $603.5 million and $0.57, respectively. According to its press release, manufacturing growth with respect to the company's fire fighting-related vehicles drove the company's strong performance last quarter. In addition, REV Group upwardly revised 2025 guidance. While it originally projected 2025 revenue of $2.3 billion to $2.4 billion, it now foresees sales of $2.35 billion to $2.45 billion. The company also projects more robust free cash flow, raising its 2025 projection to $100 million to $120 million from the original guidance of $90 million to $110 million. Impressed with the company's financial results, DA Davidson analyst Michael Shlisky raised his price target on REV Group stock yesterday, keeping a buy rating and lifting the price target to $51 from $39. After soaring 41.9% since the start of the year, REV Group is now trading at 21.3 times operating cash flow. At this point, investors may want to watch the stock from the side of the road instead of choosing to park it in their portfolios. Before you buy stock in Rev Group, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Rev Group wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $674,395!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $858,011!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 997% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 2, 2025 Scott Levine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Why Shares of REV Group Are Charging Higher This Week was originally published by The Motley Fool Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
3 Rock-Solid Dow Jones Dividend Stocks to Double Up on in June
Chevron is a high-yield dividend stock that's well positioned to withstand the current downturn in energy prices. Honeywell's breakup could accelerate earnings growth within its businesses, not least through mergers and acquisitions. Home Depot's growth has ground to a halt, but the stock is a good value and pays a reliable dividend. 10 stocks we like better than Chevron › The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI) is one of the major stock market benchmarks. But unlike the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC), which has just over 500 components, or the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC), which has a few thousand stocks, the Dow only contains 30 components. Each company in the Dow is meant to represent a major stock market sector or industry. As representatives, Dow companies tend to be reliable, industry-leading businesses -- making the Dow a good place to look for blue chip stocks. Here's why Chevron (NYSE: CVX), Honeywell International (NASDAQ: HON), and Home Depot (NYSE: HD) stand out as top Dow stocks to buy now. Scott Levine (Chevron): With the midpoint of 2025 nearly upon us, it's a great time to look back on how things have fared so far and to take action if necessary. For those eager to start a new position, Chevron is a strong consideration right now. While the stock's performance this year has been unfavorable, it should certainly not dissuade patient investors with long investing horizons. Of course, the stock's 5% forward dividend yield doesn't hurt either. An oil supermajor, Chevron has robust operations throughout the energy value chain. This, in part, helps the company weather downturns in energy prices -- something that savvy investors know well. For example, while the price of oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate has dropped nearly 12% since the start of the year, shares of Chevron have only dipped 3.5% lower at the time of this writing. Furthermore, with energy prices lower, management has taken steps to ensure that the company's financial position remains strong. In addition to a $2 billion reduction in capital expenditures from 2024, management aims to achieve $2 billion to $3 billion in cost savings by the end of 2026. Illustrating further the company's resilience during downturns in energy prices, Chevron has consistently hiked its dividend higher for 38 consecutive years -- a period that has certainly seen its share of plunging oil prices. And all the while, the company has continued rewarding shareholders and growing the business. Shares are currently attractively priced, changing hands at 7.9 times operating cash flow, a discount to their five-year average multiple 8.4. Lee Samaha (Honeywell International): Currently sporting a 2% dividend yield, Honeywell's attractiveness to passive income investors isn't about its current yield but more about its potential to increase it. Or rather, the ability of the three new companies that Honeywell will become to increase their earnings. As readers already know, Honeywell is splitting into three different companies. Its advanced materials business, Solstice Advanced Materials, will be spun out in late 2025 or early 2026, with Honeywell Aerospace and Honeywell Automation separated in late 2026. The motive behind the breakup makes sense and should allow the respective management teams to better focus on generating value for investors while running their own capital allocation policies. In addition, the new listings might attract investors looking for more pure-play stocks in sustainable technologies (advanced materials), industrial and building automation, and aerospace. If there is criticism of Honeywell's management in recent years, it's come from its lackluster record in making acquisitions to boost growth, not least because the company tends to have a rock-solid balance sheet and an easily covered dividend. That conservatism over acquisitions changed somewhat with Vimul Kapur's appointment as CEO in 2023 -- examples include the $4.95 billion acquisition of Carrier Global Access Solutions (Automation) last year and the recent announcement of a $1.8 billion deal to buy Johnson Matthey's catalyst technology business (Solstice). These deals are part of a more aggressive approach to capital allocation, which should continue after the three stand-alone companies are created with their own priorities. As such, there's plenty of reason to believe they will create more value for investors as stand-alone companies. Daniel Foelber (Home Depot): Home Depot stock dipped after reporting first-quarter fiscal 2025 results -- with the stock now down 6.8% year to date at the time of this writing. Total revenue for the quarter was up 9.4% -- mainly thanks to Home Depot's blockbuster $18.25 billion acquisition of SRS Distribution. The acquisition was completed in June 2024 and therefore didn't impact first quarter fiscal 2024. Home Depot's comparable store sales decreased by 0.3% in the quarter -- illustrating consumer spending weakness. Home Depot reaffirmed its guidance for fiscal 2025, but that guidance wasn't great to begin with. The company expects just a 1% increase in comparable sales growth over the same 52-week period in fiscal 2024. On its latest earnings call, Home Depot discussed the impact of high interest rates and mortgage rates as causes for low housing turnover despite a need for home improvement on a relatively old housing stock -- with 55% of homes now 40 years or older. Home Depot said that consumers are working on smaller projects like painting and yardwork but are hesitant to take on larger projects because they typically require financing, like tapping into home equity. However, the longer consumers put off home improvement projects, the greater the pent-up demand when the cycle turns. It's worth understanding that Home Depot's customers tend to make good income and have equity in their homes -- which is why a strong housing market is vital to Home Depot's results. Home Depot CEO Ted Decker said the following on the first-quarter 2025 earnings call: But again, the thing to keep in mind is we have a very different customer and a very different sort of use case for expenditure in home improvement. So, our customer, from a broad basis, is one of the strongest in the economy. The average income is $110,000, 80% of our customers own their homes. We've talked about how much home price appreciation they've seen over the past year. Stock markets have recovered, job and wage growth are strong. So, our customer is in a good spot right now. Home Depot may not be firing on all cylinders right now, but it has an excellent business model and an industry-leading position in the home improvement industry, making it a coiled spring for long-term economic growth. The company has paid and raised its dividend every year since 2010 and yields 2.5% at the time of this writing -- making it a solid source of passive income. Home Depot's valuation is reasonable, with a 24.6 price-to-earnings ratio -- just slightly above its 10-year median of 22.9. Add it all up, and Home Depot is a great choice for long-term investors who care more about a company's future than its near-term challenges. Before you buy stock in Chevron, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Chevron wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $657,385!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $842,015!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 987% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 171% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 2, 2025 Daniel Foelber has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Scott Levine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Chevron and Home Depot. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 3 Rock-Solid Dow Jones Dividend Stocks to Double Up on in June was originally published by The Motley Fool
Business Wire
28-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Scott Levine Named CEO of TouchTunes to Lead Next Phase of Innovation & Growth
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- TouchTunes Music Company, LLC ('TouchTunes'), North America's largest in-venue interactive music and entertainment platform, today announced the appointment of Scott Levine as Chief Executive Officer. A seasoned executive with over 25 years of experience transforming and growing digital media and entertainment businesses, Levine brings a proven track record of innovation, product leadership, and operational excellence to the role. His appointment signals a new chapter of innovation and momentum as TouchTunes continues to shape the future of in-venue entertainment. Levine brings deep expertise at the intersection of media, technology, and entertainment, having previously led high-performing teams for some of the industry's most recognized brands. He most recently served as Chief Product Officer at Brightcove, where he led global teams across product, engineering, and data, helping transform the company into a full-service streaming engagement platform. His career also includes leadership roles at Univision and AOL, as well as co-founding one of the earliest online car-buying platforms, Across every role, Levine has demonstrated a passion for improving user experiences, driving strategic innovation, and building high-performance teams. 'Scott is a transformative leader with a rare blend of strategic vision, product expertise, and a deep understanding of how people connect through entertainment,' said Charles Goldstuck, Executive Chairman of TouchTunes. 'His track record of building innovative platforms and scaling digital businesses makes him the ideal person to lead TouchTunes into its next phase.' 'I'm thrilled to be part of the TouchTunes journey, to join such a talented team, collaborate with amazing partners and operators, and push the boundaries of social entertainment as we pioneer new ways to connect, delight, and wow our users,' said Scott Levine. 'TouchTunes is poised to strengthen its position as the leading in-venue entertainment platform, bringing people together through the power of music, darts, and social entertainment and creating unforgettable experiences in bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues everywhere.' For more information about TouchTunes, please visit About TouchTunes TouchTunes is North America's largest in-venue interactive music and entertainment platform, with its connected jukeboxes featured in more than 65,000 bars, restaurants, breweries, and other social venues across North America and Europe. Following its acquisition of Arachnid's preeminent soft-tip electronic darts business in 2024, TouchTunes' expanded network includes over 30,000 connected BullShooter dartboards in bars and restaurants globally. TouchTunes' platform provides location-based digital solutions that inspire social interactions through shared experiences for millions of consumers. TouchTunes supports a highly scalable digital out-of-home activation platform that provides targeted advertising and promotional opportunities for consumer brands and features a network of over 2,500 local operators who install equipment and take responsibility for maintenance, promotion, service, and support. TouchTunes is headquartered in New York City, with offices in Chicago, Montreal and London. For more information, visit or follow TouchTunes on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn for the latest company news.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
3 Dividend Stocks to Buy Now That Are Crushing the S&P 500 in 2025
Home security specialist Allegion is a company with secure long-term growth prospects. Pitney Bowes' cost-cutting has delivered results, and shareholders are benefiting. In times of uncertainty, investors tend to gravitate toward utility stocks like Southern. 10 stocks we like better than Allegion › The S&P 500 has rocketed higher in recent weeks but is still down year to date at the time of this writing. Trade tensions have eased somewhat, but there remains a great deal of macroeconomic uncertainty -- not to mention the ongoing "stroke of the pen risk," which refers to the dangers that companies can face from sudden changes in national policy. In these uncertain times, investors who might be looking for reliable sources of passive income that they'll be able to count on no matter what the economy does may want to take a closer look at Allegion (NYSE: ALLE), Pitney Bowes (NYSE: PBI), and Southern Company (NYSE: SO). All three companies regularly raise their dividends and are outperforming the S&P 500 so far in 2025. Here's why they stand out as top buys now. Lee Samaha (Allegion): Allegion is a provider of security products for homes and businesses. Its dividend sports a higher yield than the S&P 500 and an 11-year streak of annual payout increases. Moreover, if management's forecast for long-term double-digit percentage earnings growth is anything to go by, those dividends will likely grow significantly in the coming years. In addition, during Allegion's recent investor day presentation, management told investors it plans to deploy 30% of its available cash flow toward the dividend, up from just 23% in recent years. Its growth plans center on the secular growth opportunity in the convergence of mechanical and electronic security products and software. This means locks, electronic panels/readers, door accessories, frames, windows, and automatic closing doors -- a wide range of products. These higher-tech versions of everyday hardware are becoming increasingly essential in institutional buildings (education, healthcare, etc.), commercial spaces (offices, industrial facilities, etc.), and multifamily residences, as web-enabled technology brings more functionality to its solutions. For example, with Allegion's security products, access to areas can be monitored and controlled remotely, creating more secure environments and more efficient workplaces. Organic revenue growth of 4% aligns with management's long-term expectations (which assume mid-single-digit percentage growth plus a few points of growth from consolidating a fragmented market via mergers and acquisitions). Management recently affirmed its guidance for 2025 adjusted earnings per share (EPS) in the $7.65 to $7.85 range. That guidance factors in $80 million in costs associated with tariffs. The midpoint of that range would put Allegion on a price-to-earnings multiple of slightly more than 18, which is a good value for a company with such excellent long-term growth prospects. Scott Levine (Pitney Bowes): Except for some time in the middle of January, shares of Pitney Bowes have traded firmly higher in 2025 than where they ended 2024. As of this writing, shares of the shipping solutions specialist -- best known for its postage meters and other mailing equipment -- have soared by about 30% since the start of the year. Between this resilience during the market downturn and the fact that its stock offers a forward-dividend yield of about 3% at the current share price, Pitney Bowes is a passive income play that should be on your radar. One catalyst for the stock's rise came in February, when the company reported its fourth-quarter 2024 results. Illustrating management's commitment to reducing costs, the company announced another $30 million reduction in annualized costs during the quarter, bringing its run rate for annualized savings for the year to $120 million. Plus, the benefits from the cost-reduction initiative are expected to increase. Management projects that it will achieve $170 million to $190 million in annualized cost savings as a result of the plan. With its expenses coming down, Pitney Bowes is in a stronger position to reward shareholders. In addition to authorizing $150 million in stock buybacks, the company recently hiked its quarterly dividend from $0.06 per share to $0.07 per share. Lest investors fear that the company is being hasty in returning capital to shareholders, it's worth noting that the company currently has a conservative 43% payout ratio. While its free cash flow had steadily fallen for years, management seems to have righted the ship with the decision to sell its global e-commerce business and implement its cost-cutting initiative. Now, free cash flow is expected to rise from $290 million in 2024 to between $330 million and $370 million in 2025. Even after the stock's recent rise, this seems like a great time to pick up shares in this shipping specialist. Daniel Foelber (Southern Company): The utilities sector is up 5.6% year to date compared to a 3.7% decline in the S&P 500 at the time of this writing. Regulated electric utilities like Southern Company are a big reason the sector has been immune to this year's sell-off. Southern operates traditional electric companies in the Southeast U.S., and wind, solar, and natural gas generation facilities across the country. Thanks to economic and population growth, it's benefiting from the gradual increase in demand for electricity and natural gas. Southern works with regulators and government agencies to set prices so that customers have manageable utility bills. In exchange, the company enjoys steady cash flows, some of which it reinvests in new infrastructure, and some of which it distributes to shareholders through dividends. Management has embraced the clean energy transition by reducing its dependence on fossil fuels and investing in renewable energy sources. Last year, Southern completed Unit 4 of its Vogtle Electric Generating Plant in Waynesboro, Georgia -- which is now the largest nuclear plant in the country. Vogtle will provide Southern's customers with reliable power -- and the company with steady cash flows -- for decades to come. On May 7, Southern Company announced that construction was underway on four new battery energy storage systems (BESS) across Georgia. -- and more BESS investments are planned for the coming years. Investing in a diverse mix of projects is all well and good, but shareholders want to see that utilities are managing their projects well and getting good returns on their invested capital. Among its peer group, Southern Company consistently has a high return on invested capital and return on equity -- demonstrating its effective project development and operational efficiency. In April, Southern raised its dividend for the 24th consecutive year -- boosting the payout to an annualized rate of $2.96 per share, giving it a forward yield of 3.2% at the current share price. Southern Company's business model and growing payouts make it a relatively recession-proof dividend stock ideally suited for risk-averse investors. Before you buy stock in Allegion, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Allegion wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $620,719!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $829,511!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 959% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 170% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 12, 2025 Daniel Foelber has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Lee Samaha has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Scott Levine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends NextEra Energy. The Motley Fool recommends Dominion Energy and Duke Energy. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 3 Dividend Stocks to Buy Now That Are Crushing the S&P 500 in 2025 was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Better Buy: Joby Aviation vs. Southwest Airlines
Joby Aviation continues to make progress toward reimagining urban air travel. Southwest Airlines is the slow and steady choice for all but the most risk-tolerant investors. 10 stocks we like better than Joby Aviation › With the S&P 500 down more than 3% year to date (as of this writing), many investors aren't feeling so motivated to add positions to their holdings right now. This lack of interest, however, can be shortsighted. Times like these are when savvy investors who recognize the potential of quality companies are loading up on their stocks, positioning themselves for long-term gains. Joby Aviation (NYSE: JOBY) and Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) are two such aerospace names that have popped up on investors' radars. To help them decide whether it's a smart move to land these aerospace stocks in their portfolios, two contributors examine the bull arguments. Scott Levine (Joby Aviation): It's not often that the opportunity to invest in a nascent industry arises, but this is exactly the case with Joby Aviation. Reimagining how people travel in urban areas, Joby is developing innovative electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft that the company will use to provide air taxi service. Bringing a new type of aircraft to market is a heavy lift, but the company continues to make steady progress toward achieving the requisite Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) certifications. And last month, the company conducted its first piloted flight that included a transition from vertical takeoff to cruise flight and back to vertical. Lauding its accomplishment, Joby characterized itself as "the first company to routinely perform inhabited testing of an electric air taxi from hover to wingborne flight." While it works toward FAA certification, Joby is making progress in other areas as well. For one, the company is expanding its factory in California to provide pilot training and better aircraft maintenance, which will serve it well when commercial operations begin. And it is inking agreements with partners. Last quarter, management announced a partnership with Virgin Atlantic to provide air taxi service at the company's British hubs at London Heathrow and Manchester airports. Sure, there's a fair degree of risk with Joby since it's in the pre-revenue phase of its development, but investors who are not risk-averse have a great opportunity now with the stock down about 18% since the start of the year. Lou Whiteman (Southwest Airlines): First, full disclosure: I currently own shares of Joby, and not Southwest. But those Joby shares were bought at a lower price than where they trade today. I'm optimistic about the long-term potential for eVTOLs, but for most investors, Southwest is the better buy today. Southwest has a long history of innovation in the airline industry, but it has fallen on hard times. A failure to invest in tech upgrades has caused reliability issues, and management's refusal to match competitors on fees and other revenue enhancements have eaten into profitability. The stock is down 50% from its post-pandemic high. But Southwest, with the help of activist investors' pressure, is in the process of restructuring. Over the next 18 months, the airline will revamp its schedule, pricing strategy, and loyalty program, which should boost profitability by $4 billion annually by 2027. It also expects the MAX 7 version of Boeing's 737 to be certified this year, which would add a plane custom-designed for Southwest's route map and help boost efficiency. As the changes take hold, look for markets to rediscover what attracted investors to the airline for decades. The company has an industry-best balance sheet and significant scale and pricing power, accounting for about 17% of the U.S. market. While Joby and eVTOLs have great potential, there is also much greater risk. The company is racing a half-dozen competitors to bring a product to market. There is definite interest, but the extent of that interest in terms of the eventual size of the total market is unclear. Questions including pricing power and how fast these businesses will be able to ramp up remain unanswered. With an enterprise value of more than $4 billion, investors are being asked to pay a steep price to buy into a company with no history of producing revenue, let alone profits. Southwest, by comparison, has a $15 billion enterprise value. And if eVTOLs are the future, Southwest will not be left out. The airline has a deal with Joby rival Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR) to develop a taxi service connecting California airports. For all the excitement around eVTOLs, Southwest offers a much clearer path for market-beating returns from here. Since investors' goals vary, it's hard to categorically say that either Joby Aviation or Southwest Airlines is a better proposition right now. Growth investors who are comfortable with a high-risk, high-reward opportunity should certainly consider Joby, with the stock providing a less expensive entry point now compared to the start of the year. More-conservative investors, on the other hand, would be better served to fly with Southwest Airlines stock considering the company's rock-solid balance sheet and commitment to restructuring. Before you buy stock in Joby Aviation, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and Joby Aviation wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $614,911!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $714,958!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 907% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 163% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 5, 2025 Lou Whiteman has positions in Joby Aviation. Scott Levine has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Southwest Airlines. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Better Buy: Joby Aviation vs. Southwest Airlines was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
