Latest news with #TheGoldenAgeofAmerica
Yahoo
06-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Is Copart (CPRT) the Best Counter Cyclical Stock to Buy According to Analysts?
We recently published a list of . In this article, we are going to take a look at where Copart, Inc. (NASDAQ:CPRT) stands against other best counter cyclical stocks to buy according to analysts. Counter cyclical stocks stand out because they tend to perform well during economic downturns, providing relative stability when markets become volatile. These resilient companies typically operate in more defensive sectors like utilities, consumer staples, and healthcare, offering products and services that consumers need, no matter how tight their wallets become. Furthermore, the truly counter cyclical stocks are the ones that experience accelerations in growth during recessions, due to consumers actively searching for ways to save money – think of discount stores or cheap clothes retailers. What makes the best counter cyclical stocks especially compelling is their stability during downturns: investors seek refuge in these stocks because they tend to maintain (or even increase) their value while other market segments struggle. Financial theory, as pioneered by Markowitz' modern portfolio theory (1952), suggests that including counter cyclical stocks in a portfolio can improve the overall risk-adjusted returns by significantly reducing volatility while at the same time not impairing the return profile. Modern literature emphasizes that effective diversification can be achieved by combining financial assets whose returns are inversely correlated to one another; counter-cyclical stocks align well with this principle due to their low or even negative correlation with the broad markets. Empirical studies confirm that portfolios containing counter cyclical stocks tend to exhibit lower volatility and more stable returns during recessionary periods – this is a highly sought after trait by investors. The legendary fund manager Peter Lynch also emphasized the strength of stable companies in recessions; here's what he said: 'In economic downturns, invest in companies that make essential products; people will still buy toothpaste and food regardless of the economy.' READ ALSO: 10 Best Low Risk Stocks To Buy in 2025. We believe that the current market conditions are potentially suitable for investors to start considering adding the best counter cyclical stocks to their portfolios. The biggest problem we see with the current US stock market is that the Trump 2.0 Tariff Turmoil and a plethora of other aggressive shifts in the policy stance of the new administration are undermining consumer confidence in the future. Consumers, while still strong and healthy, exhibit a rapid deterioration in confidence – the Consumer Confidence Index dropped sharply in March to the lowest reading since January 2021. Even the Trump administration itself admits that its trade and DOGE policies might cause some slowdown in the short term but says they should lead to 'The Golden Age of America' in the long term. Furthermore, business surveys show that increasingly more people are expecting fewer jobs in the upcoming months. A sharp deterioration in both metrics has historically coincided with the onsets of several recessions, such as the dot-com bubble burst, the 2008 crisis, and the 2022 bear market. It is of no surprise that many reputable research boutiques, including Yardeni Research and Goldman Sachs, have recently significantly raised their odds that the US economy will enter a recession in 2025 (although the estimated probability remains below 50% on average). The drivers of a recession could be a potential one-time inflation shock from the tariffs expected for next week, a widespread slowdown in business Capex expectations that may trigger layoffs, as well as a more frugal consumer due to the overall uncertainty and deterioration in purchasing power. Under such conditions, counter-cyclical stocks could witness a significant acceleration in their business, which in turn may translate into superior returns compared to the broad market. We believe that the best counter-cyclical stocks are the ones that have significant potential upside according to analysts, as well as a proven track record of exceptional performance during previous economic cycles. We consulted business literature on the characteristics of the best counter cyclical stocks and manually selected 20-30 stocks with a history of performing well during economic downturns, such as the 2008 and 2022 bear markets. Then, we select the top 11 stocks with the largest average upside potential as estimated by analysts and rank them in ascending order. For each stock, we also include the number of hedge funds that own the stock as of Q4 2024. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (). A busy car auction being held at a leading car dealership, buyers and sellers engaging in active bidding. Copart, Inc. (NASDAQ:CPRT) is a global leader in online vehicle auctions and remarketing services, facilitating the sale of used, wholesale, and repairable vehicles. The company operates over 200 locations across 11 countries, including the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, and Brazil. CPRT's innovative online auction platform connects vehicle sellers (primarily insurance companies, but also dealerships, rental car businesses, and financial institutions) with a diverse buyer base that includes dismantlers, rebuilders, used vehicle dealers, exporters, and the general public. During economic slowdowns, CPRT often sees increased activity as more vehicles are deemed total losses, leading to a higher volume of salvage vehicles entering its auctions. Copart, Inc. (NASDAQ:CPRT) reported strong performance with global revenue increasing 14% to nearly $1.2 billion and GAAP net income rising 19% to over $387 million. The company experienced 8% growth in global unit sales, with US insurance unit volume increasing about 9% YoY, or approximately 2% when excluding catastrophic units. Total loss frequency hit an all-time high of 23.8% in the fourth quarter in the United States, partly due to storm events, while the full year trend of 22.2% represents an all-time annual high. The company's Title Express platform has shown significant success, processing well over 1 million titles per year, with no carrier who has started with Copart taking the service back in-house. Copart, Inc. (NASDAQ:CPRT) maintains a strong financial position with over $5 billion of liquidity, comprising nearly $3.8 billion in cash and over $1.2 billion in revolving credit facility capacity. The company continues to invest in technology, real estate, and people to fuel future growth while expanding services with sellers beyond the insurance industry to include financial institutions, rental car fleets, and corporate fleets. The Blue Car business, which services bank, rental, and fleet customers, demonstrated strong performance with YoY growth of over 27%. The company's AI-enabled image recognition tools are empowering insurance companies to total cars more accurately and effectively. With a whopping 215% stock price return in the last 5 years, CPRT is among the best counter cyclical stocks. Overall, CPRT ranks 6th on our list of best counter cyclical stocks to buy according to analysts. While we acknowledge the potential of CPRT as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than CPRT but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock. READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires. Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump Commerce Secretary Makes WTF Claim On Fox News About America's 'Beautiful' Beef
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick defended President Donald Trump's new tariffs on more than 180 countries Wednesday on Fox News, and made a particularly baffling claim that is already being ridiculed on social media. In a 'Hannity' segment introduced as 'The Golden Age of America,' host Sean Hannity accused America's trade partners of 'abusing and stealing from us' and asked Lutnick where the growing criticism against Trump's supposedly 'fair' tariffs is coming from. 'It was just soft politicians as President Trump said,' Lutnick argued Wednesday, adding: 'I mean the European Union won't take chicken from America. They won't take lobsters from America. They hate our beef — because our beef is beautiful! And theirs is weak.' While U.S. beef imports into Europe increased by more than 2,000 metric tons in 2022, most social media users focused on Lutnick's premise that beef in the European Union, which has many more restrictions on the use of antibiotics in livestock, is 'weak.' 'Nah — what they hate is that American beef comes marinated in hormones, antibiotics, and chemicals their governments banned decades ago,' wrote one user on X, formerly Twitter. 'This isn't about nationalism. It's about trash food policy.' Trump dubbed April 2 'Liberation Day' and announced a sweeping 10% baseline tariff on all imports to the U.S. Levies on some countries were set even higher, including China and the European Union — which now face tariffs of 54% and 20%, respectively. A few Republicans reached across the aisle Wednesday, joining every single Senate Democrat in voting against the emergency powers that Trump used earlier this year to impose his initial tariffs on Canada. Lutnick appeared baffled that criticism of U.S. tariffs existed at all, meanwhile, and decried during his interview Wednesday that the people in Japan don't buy American cars and the U.S. supposedly can't even 'sell rice to Asia,' deeming the latest Trump policies long overdue. 'Why in the world do we let these people sell their cars?' Lutnick asked Wednesday. 'Finally, finally, the man behind the Resolute Desk, the man in the Oval Office, Donald Trump, is finally standing up for our farmers, our ranchers, and our manufacturers, to let the world understand, either they buy our products, or don't bother coming here,' he added. Economists have already warned these policies will spike prices for U.S. consumers. Lutnick's claim that the U.S. 'can't sell rice' to the region, meanwhile, is blatantly false: The Department of Agriculture noted in January that America exports 40-45% of its annual rice crop to countries like Mexico, Canada — and parts of Northeast Asia. His comment about 'beautiful' beef has since been aptly getting skewered. Billionaire Commerce Secretary Says Seniors Wouldn't Mind Missing Social Security Checks Trump Commerce Secretary's Cringeworthy Tesla Pitch On Fox News Leaves Critics Stunned James Carville Shares Intriguing Theory Behind Trump Tariffs
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump Commerce Secretary Makes WTF Claim on Fox News About America's 'Beautiful' Beef
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick defended President Donald Trump's new tariffs on more than 180 countries Wednesday on Fox News, and made a particularly baffling claim that is already being ridiculed on social media. In a 'Hannity' segment introduced as 'The Golden Age of America,' host Sean Hannity accused America's trade partners of 'abusing and stealing from us' and asked Lutnick where the growing criticism against Trump's supposedly 'fair' tariffs is coming from. 'It was just soft politicians as President Trump said,' Lutnick argued Wednesday, adding: 'I mean the European Union won't take chicken from America. They won't take lobsters from America. They hate our beef — because our beef is beautiful! And theirs is weak.' While U.S. beef imports into Europe increased by more than 2,000 metric tons in 2022, most social media users focused on Lutnick's premise that beef in the European Union, which has many more restrictions on the use of antibiotics in livestock, is 'weak.' 'Nah — what they hate is that American beef comes marinated in hormones, antibiotics, and chemicals their governments banned decades ago,' wrote one user on X, formerly Twitter. 'This isn't about nationalism. It's about trash food policy.' Trump dubbed April 2 'Liberation Day' and announced a sweeping 10% baseline tariff on all imports to the U.S. Levies on some countries were set even higher, including China and the European Union — which now face tariffs of 54% and 20%, respectively. A few Republicans reached across the aisle Wednesday, joining every single Senate Democrat in voting against the emergency powers that Trump used earlier this year to impose his initial tariffs on Canada. Lutnick appeared baffled that criticism of U.S. tariffs existed at all, meanwhile, and decried during his interview Wednesday that the people in Japan don't buy American cars and the U.S. supposedly can't even 'sell rice to Asia,' deeming the latest Trump policies long overdue. 'Why in the world do we let these people sell their cars?' Lutnick asked Wednesday. 'Finally, finally, the man behind the Resolute Desk, the man in the Oval Office, Donald Trump, is finally standing up for our farmers, our ranchers, and our manufacturers, to let the world understand, either they buy our products, or don't bother coming here,' he added. Lutnick: "European Union won't take chicken from America ... they hate our beef because our beef is beautiful and theirs is weak." — Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 3, 2025 Economists have already warned these policies will spike prices for U.S. consumers. Lutnick's claim that the U.S. 'can't sell rice' to the region, meanwhile, is blatantly false: The Department of Agriculture noted in January that America exports 40-45% of its annual rice crop to countries like Mexico, Canada — and parts of Northeast Asia. His comment about 'beautiful' beef has since been aptly getting skewered. They hate our beef, Crazy Eddie, because it's filled with antibiotics. @howardlutnick WTF is weak beef? You're weak beef. Your beef is so weak it's chicken. — colleen (@waysandmeans71) April 3, 2025 Anybody who's ever had meal in Europe knows their food is much better. They don't take our chicken and beef because of the amount of antibiotics. — Blue Georgia (@BlueATLGeorgia) April 3, 2025 the EU has restrictions on what types of pesticides/fertilizers/hormones you use to grow crops, poultry and beef. We use ones they don't allow. We also build cars, like the Ford trucks, that require commercial drivers licenses to drive in Europe that barely fit on their… — The Last Axeom (@last_axeom) April 3, 2025 Increase your food standards, remove additives and hormones and bacteria. Make better cars with improved fuel consumption for the EU market and you will sell more. It's called capitalism. Make better products that the consumer wants. You guys are supposed to be experts in this. — Visio Smaragdina (@SmaragdinaVisio) April 3, 2025 When in doubt, insult foreign poultry and praise your own. That'll fix global trade relations. — Nikos (@NikosReggae) April 3, 2025 Hang on, that's going too beef is awesome. Some of the best meat I have ever eaten has been in America, hands don't hate America, so stop spreading this nonsense. We hate the orange goblin, we hate his lies, we despise his stupidity. — Crypterotas (@crypterotas) April 3, 2025 Billionaire Commerce Secretary Says Seniors Wouldn't Mind Missing Social Security Checks Trump Commerce Secretary's Cringeworthy Tesla Pitch On Fox News Leaves Critics Stunned James Carville Shares Intriguing Theory Behind Trump Tariffs
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
President Donald Trump family member to host new Fox News show. What to know
Lara Trump, President Trump's daughter-in-law, will be joining Fox News Channel, hosting a new weekend show. The show, 'My View with Lara Trump,' will make its debut Saturday. This may be the first time someone so closely related to a U.S. president has been given such a prominent TV role while the politician is in office, according to The Associated Press. It's not the first time Lara Trump has been before the camera. She started her career producing CBS's "Inside Edition," and has been a regular paid contributor on Fox News. The Fox News channel announced Lara Trump would host a new weekend program, "My View with Lara Trump." 'A gifted communicator who knows how to connect to the viewers, successful entrepreneur and working mother, Lara's innate understanding of the American public and today's political landscape will be a compelling addition to our weekend lineup," said Fox News Media Chief Executive Officer Suzanne Scott. The program hosted by Lara Trump will premiere Saturday, Feb. 22 and will air on Saturdays from 9 to 10 p.m. "One Nation with Brian Kilmeade" will be moved to Sundays from 10-11 p.m., Fox said. "My View with Lara Trump" will focus on the "return of common sense to all corners of American life as the country ushers in a new era of practicality," Fox News said. "Every week, the program will feature big picture analysis and interviews with thought leaders, shedding light on the headlines driving the national conversation and affecting families around the country." 'I'm thrilled to bring my voice back to Fox News, talk directly with the American people, and highlight what makes this country so great," Lara Trump said. "As I cover the success of The Golden Age of America, I look forward to where this time will lead our country and where this opportunity will lead me in the future." MSNBC said in an opinion piece written by Matt Gertz "the deal is almost comically corrupt. "No one should have any illusions that Fox has hired Lara Trump to produce anything other than crude propaganda for her father-in-law and his administration." Matt Gertz is a senior fellow at Media Matters for America, a progressive research center that monitors the U.S. media. "His work focuses on the relationship between the right-wing media and Donald Trump's Republican Party, news coverage of politics and elections, and media ethics." Lara Trump was born Lara Lea Yunaska on Oct. 12, 1982, in Wilmington, North Carolina, and raised in Wrightsville Beach. She graduated from the University of North Carolina with a degree in communications. She also graduated from the French Culinary Institute in New York and became a pastry chef and a personal trainer, according to People. She was a former producer for "Inside Edition" and host of Trump Productions' "Real News Update." In 2008, Lara Trump met Eric Trump, President Trump's son, through friends. She said on her podcast, "The Right View," she didn't know at the time who his father was. "When I first met Eric, I did not know who his dad was. I didn't know his last name initially. I just knew I met some really tall guy out." Lara Trump is 5 feet 11 inches to Eric Trump's 6 feet 5 inches. ➤ Which Trumps weddings included Mar-a-Lago? Lara Yunaska and Eric Trump were married in November 2014 in a ceremony at Mar-a-Lago. The couple welcomed their first child, Eric "Luke" Jr., in 2017 and their second, Carolina Dorothy, in 2019. On Nov. 8, 2014, after a six-year relationship, Lara Yunaska married Eric Trump in a ceremony at Mar-a-Lago. Eric Trump, then 30 and son of Donald Trump and his first wife, Ivana Trump, married Lara in a ceremony that included 450 guests and was held on the lawn of the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. Wedding guests included Eric Trump's mom Ivana Trump, radio personality Elvis Duran and former "Real Housewives of New York" star Jill Zarin, according to People magazine. ➤ Eric Trump marries Lara Yunaska in lavish wedding Eric Trump's niece — daughter of Eric's sister, Ivanka Trump — was a flower girl. Ivanka Trump's husband, Jared Kushner, officiated at the wedding, according to the Daily News. The Daily Mail also reported Lara Trump's dog, Charlie, was the ring bearer. Two weeks before her wedding, Lara Trump broke both of her wrists in a horse riding accident. Lara Trump has been active in Donald Trump's presidential campaigns. In 2016, she led the Trump-Pence Women's Empowerment Tour to win female voters in swing states. She became the co-chair of the Republican National Committee in March 2024 but resigned in December of the same year. Previously, she was a senior adviser to the Trump campaign during the 2020 presidential election and served as surrogate during his 2016 campaign, according to Fox. She was briefly considered to take over Marco Rubio's Senate seat after he was confirmed as Secretary of State earlier this year. She later withdrew her name. She also had floated the idea of running for the North Carolina Senate seat in March 2021 after Sen. Richard Butt announced his retirement, according to People. In 2017, Lara Trump was hired as a consultant and adviser for Donald Trump's reelection campaign and launched her "Real News" Facebook show, which reported on Donald Trump's presidency. In March 2021, Lara joined Fox News as a paid contributor. She left in December 2022 after Donald Trump announced his reelection campaign in 2024. Lara Trump has hosted a podcast "The Right View" since 2020, and was a Fox News contributor from 2021-2022. The Right View features a panel of conservative women dissecting the sociopolitical issues of the day. Contributors: Jennifer Sangalang, Ann Oldenburg, Ashley Ferrer, USA Today Network This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Who is Lara Trump, host of new Fox News Show? Premiere Feb. 22
The Guardian
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Lara Trump to host new show on Fox News
Lara Trump, the daughter-in-law of the president, will host a new show on Fox News, the network announced, in a further sign of the fluidity between the rightwing news channel and the Trump administration. My View With Lara Trump will air on Saturday nights, Fox News said in a press release. It said Trump's show 'will focus on the return of common sense to all corners of American life as the country ushers in a new era of practicality'. That someone so close to a president – Lara Trump is married to Eric Trump, Donald Trump's son – is being given a high-profile show on a prominent network sets a precedent. Various Trump children and their partners have been guests on Fox News over the years, but none of Trump's immediate family or other presidents' immediate family have hosted their own show while their family member was in office. Fox News has long been a champion of Donald Trump, and in a statement announcing the show, his daughter-in-law offered little to suggest she would take a different tone. 'As I cover the success of The Golden Age of America, I look forward to where this time will lead our country and where this opportunity will lead me in the future,' Lara Trump said in a statement. The incoming Fox News host's recent career has been tightly intertwined with that of her father-in-law. In 2024, she was elected co-chair of the Republican National Committee after being endorsed by Donald Trump; before that, she hosted what were essentially propaganda videos on Trump's Facebook page during his first term. Lara Trump's ascension continues the trend of a crossover between Fox News and Trump's administration. Pete Hegseth, Trump's defense secretary, was previously a Fox News host, while the current Fox News personality Sean Hannity is a longtime Trump confidant. The New York Times reported that there were 19 'former Fox News hosts, commentators, on-air medical experts, producers and other personnel' expected to take up roles in the Trump administration. The Fox News show is not Lara Trump's first brush with show business. Since becoming a public figure, she has also dabbled in music, and released a cover of Tom Petty's I Won't Back Down in 2023. The song reached No 10 on Billboard's Digital Song Sales chart, but Trump's follow-up efforts have been less successful. Sign up to This Week in Trumpland A deep dive into the policies, controversies and oddities surrounding the Trump administration after newsletter promotion Hero, an original song written by Lara Trump and the musician Madeline Jaymes, was widely panned on its release in late 2024. 'The things the performance lacks include: expressive timing, dynamic range, vowel shaping, thoughtful breath placement, to name a few,' Catherine Ann Provenzano, assistant professor of musicology and music industry at UCLA, wrote for MSNBC.
