Latest news with #AMP
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Morgan Stanley Keeps Their Buy Rating on AMP (AMLTF)
In a report released today, Andrei Stadnik from Morgan Stanley maintained a Buy rating on AMP , with a price target of A$1.95. The company's shares closed last Tuesday at $1.35. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. Stadnik covers the Financial sector, focusing on stocks such as Suncorp Group, ASX , and Insurance Australia Group Limited. According to TipRanks, Stadnik has an average return of 6.7% and a 55.26% success rate on recommended stocks. In addition to Morgan Stanley, AMP also received a Buy from Citi's Nigel Pittaway in a report issued today. However, on the same day, Macquarie maintained a Hold rating on AMP (Other OTC: AMLTF).
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Macquarie Remains a Hold on AMP (AMLTF)
Macquarie analyst Andrew Buncombe maintained a Hold rating on AMP today and set a price target of A$1.70. The company's shares closed last Tuesday at $1.35. Elevate Your Investing Strategy: Take advantage of TipRanks Premium at 50% off! Unlock powerful investing tools, advanced data, and expert analyst insights to help you invest with confidence. According to TipRanks, Buncombe is a 4-star analyst with an average return of 9.7% and a 74.14% success rate. Buncombe covers the Financial sector, focusing on stocks such as NIB Holdings Ltd, Insurance Australia Group Limited, and Suncorp Group. In addition to Macquarie, AMP also received a Hold from UBS's Shreyas Patel CFA in a report issued today. However, on the same day, Citi maintained a Buy rating on AMP (Other OTC: AMLTF). Based on AMP 's latest earnings release for the quarter ending December 31, the company reported a quarterly revenue of $1.29 billion and a net profit of $83 million. In comparison, last year the company earned a revenue of $1.14 billion and had a GAAP net loss of $34 million
The Star
3 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Apple expands iPhone glass deal to avoid tariffs
WASHINGTON: Apple Inc chief executive officer (CEO) Tim Cook is using a familiar strategy to stay in Donald Trump's good graces: expanding existing initiatives to show he supports the president's 'Made in the USA' agenda. Standing in the Oval Office on Wednesday between Trump and vice-president JD Vance, Cook announced that Apple would increase its US investment commitment to US$600bil over four years – up from the US$500bil pledged after Trump's second-term victory. A centrepiece of the expansion is a US$2.5bil investment into Corning Inc, Apple's longtime glass supplier. For the first time, the cover glass for all iPhones and Apple Watches will be manufactured in the United States, at Corning's facility in Kentucky. Though Apple has touted the US roots of iPhone glass before, a portion of that glass was previously made overseas. 'Apple's been an investor in other countries a little bit. I won't say which ones, but a couple. And they're coming home,' Trump said when making the announcement. The US$600bil investment, he said, is 'the biggest there is.' The iPhone maker also discussed increased agreements focused on semiconductor manufacturing, expanding deals with partners like Samsung Electronics Co, Texas Instruments Inc and Broadcom Inc. Apple is branding the effort the American Manufacturing Programme, or AMP. In all, the announcements provided just enough evidence that Apple was focusing on America – without forcing it to make major changes. Corning has supplied Apple since the first iPhone in 2007, and Cook has long promoted the iPhone's American-made glass. What's new is the modestly increased scale. Apple is pointing to the deals as it seeks relief from looming tariffs. The Trump administration is letting exemptions on smartphone and gadget levies expire and adopting new duties on Indian imports – a potential issue for Apple, which recently shifted US-bound iPhone assembly to India. Cook even seized on Trump's famous love of gold. He presented the president with a large, circular Corning glass plaque engraved with the president's name, mounted in 24-karat gold. The Apple CEO said that the glass came off an assembly line in Kentucky while the gold was produced in Utah. Cook added that a former US Marine who works at Apple designed the plaque. Trump announced a major enticement – companies investing in the United States – even if the projects are in early stages, would get a break from some tariffs. 'The good news for companies like Apple is, if you're building in the United States, or have committed to build,' Trump said, 'there will be no charge.' Apple's pledges are expected to meet that criteria, even if it isn't actually making iPhones and other popular devices in the United States. Assembly of the smartphone – a costly and complex process of combining components, testing and boxing devices – will continue in China and, increasingly, India. That part will stay 'elsewhere for a while,' Cook said. But 'there's a lot of content in there from the United States, and we're very proud of it.' Trump acknowledged that assembly was 'set up in other places, and it's been there for a long time,' but he reiterated his desire to bring that stage of production to the United States someday. 'This is a significant step toward the ultimate goal of ensuring that iPhones sold in the United States also are made in America,' he said. Trump's existing tariffs have already taken a toll on Apple. It said last week that the levies would cost the company about US$1.1bil in the September quarter. But Apple is looking to avoid incurring further costs, especially as it prepares to unveil the iPhone 17 line next month. Cook is also likely seeking support from Trump on other fronts: The US Justice Department is suing the company for alleged antitrust violations, and the agency is threatening its US$20bil search deal with Alphabet Inc's Google in a separate case. The US government also could potentially help Apple cope with tough new restrictions on the App Store in the European Union. This isn't the first time Apple has used US manufacturing announcements to promote Trump's priorities. In 2019, the company promised to assemble a new Mac Pro in Texas. It wasn't a big change: Apple had produced the previous model in the state since 2013. But that gesture helped land the company a reprieve from tariffs. Earlier this year, after Trump's return to office, Cook unveiled the initial US$500bil commitment – an acceleration of the investments Apple had begun under President Joe Biden. At that time, Apple announced it would start making artificial intelligence servers in Houston. — Bloomberg
ABC News
3 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Investors 'not quite euphoric' but close, as share market rollercoaster roars on
This week, we've seen the Australian share market smash records, from fresh intra-day all-time highs (which occur during trading sessions) to record closing highs. Whichever way you cut it, the Australian share market is performing exceptionally well. It's been a remarkable turnaround from the enormous volatility we saw in early April when US President Donald Trump announced his "reciprocal" tariffs. So what happens next? Economists point to the psychological stages of the investment journey. While traders and investors might like to think of themselves as logical actors, like all of us, they're human. "It's well-known investment markets move more than can be justified by moves in investment fundamentals, because investor emotion plays a huge part," AMP's head of investment strategy, Shane Oliver, noted. As this chart demonstrates, a rollercoaster of emotions drives investor behaviour over the course of an investment cycle. While you can't predict the timing, psychologists say these stages are real and, when they occur, they put a mirror up to society. It's easy to get lost in the machinations of the share market, but the workings of it are easy enough to explain. The index most often tracked locally consists of the 200 largest stocks or companies by market capitalisation. It's called the S&P/ASX 200. Analysts try to determine the value of stocks and then buy and sell them depending on how that valuation compares to the stock price. Stockbrokers have the job of buying and selling stocks on behalf of the public and financial institutions. Risks to the value of stocks come from the companies themselves and from outside. The biggest outside risks for stocks at present are Donald Trump's tariffs and how they may affect international trade and inflation, and the health of the US economy. As for companies themselves? They cough up information — namely, their financial reports — every six months. The lead up is dubbed "confession season" for a reason. Right now, analysts say investors are taking Donald Trump's comments with a grain of salt. They also want further confirmation from official data that the US economy — post-last week's horror employment report — really is in trouble. But as far as reporting season is concerned, companies have generally performed rather well and, crucially, say they will continue to do so. "Earnings have to come through to the upside compared to expectations," FNArena finance commentator Danielle Ecuyer said. "That pretty much has held true for us as well for the US." She noted that many companies have had "great results" and then upgraded their outlook for the year ahead: "We're seeing that very much in the big tech sector". Share prices have risen in reaction. So, investors are pleased that companies are meeting and beating their expectations. The problem is, the outside risks are not going away. "All of that could be thrown out with the baby in the bath if President Trump decides to throw a few more spanners in the works," Ms Ecuyer says. "But obviously investors at the moment are turning a blind eye." Jamieson Coote Bonds portfolio manager James Wilson, who focuses on debt rather than equity markets, can see why investors are choosing to ignore macroeconomic risks. "At the moment, with the direction of global [interest] rates staying low and inflation not being at dangerous levels… I can see bonds relatively well supported." But he warns there is clear evidence the US economy is weakening. "Bond markets have moved with low yields since last week's weaker inflation number, and it's starting to price in a further slowing and downturn in the global economy." Part of the reason share markets, and financial markets more broadly, have been okay to push higher in the face of risks is the anticipation that central banks will cut interest rates. This puts more money in the pockets of consumers and business. But is there a bigger, psychological game at play here? James Wilson argues the share market has not hit its peak yet because a degree of worry is still swirling. "We're not quite at the euphoric stage … we're getting there," he said. Over the long term, the share market has proven extremely resilient. That is, if you're able to ride out the peaks and troughs, it's possible to receive a return on your investment greater than what you might have with cash in a bank deposit. But in the short term, financial market trends are driven, in part, by human psychology. Psychologist Ellen Jackson said the market's not ready to reach the euphoric phase, because investors can easily see the troubles in the world. Dr Jackson observes, while the markets climb, factors like geopolitical tensions and the cost-of-living crisis still affect people's daily lives. She says it's "inevitable" that the share market will reach a euphoric phase — "because most things in humans and human systems go through a cycle" — but it's impossible to say when. "It's going to be according to all of the other dynamics in that wider field, that wider system, that will trigger it,: she said. "Something significant might happen in global politics that switches things really quickly and our mood follows. "But it could be that it's a long, prolonged period of optimism and feeling encouraged. We don't really know." The share market is capturing some optimism and hope for the future now, but it also seems to be a metaphor for an increasing willingness to take on risk. As AMP's Dr Oliver noted, the key to riding the roller coaster is not getting sucked into the emotion. "Of course, this is easier said than done, so many investors end up getting wrong footed — by buying at the top when everyone is bullish and selling at the bottom when everyone is bearish."
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
ETFs Set to Benefit from Apple's $100B U.S. Bet
Apple AAPL announced a major expansion of its U.S. investment strategy with an additional $100 billion injection into American manufacturing over the next four years. This would follow the iPhone maker's previously pledged $500 billion commitment to U.S. operations, which included a Texas-based AI server plant developed in partnership with local announcement comes amid renewed pressure from Trump, who urged American tech companies to shift production back home. Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Apple's overseas-made products. Apple's latest move appears to be a direct response to that threat. This pushed Apple shares higher by 5.1% on Aug. 6. Investors seeking to tap the opportune moment could consider ETFs with the largest allocation to the tech titan. These are Global X PureCap MSCI Information Technology ETF GXPT, Vanguard Information Technology ETF VGT, MSCI Information Technology Index ETF FTEC, iShares US Technology ETF IYW and iShares Top 20 U.S. Stocks ETF TOPT. All these ETFs have a solid Zacks ETF Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or #2 (Buy).Apple's unprecedented $600 billion investment reflects its commitment to building the future of technology in the United States, from advanced manufacturing and semiconductor production to AI infrastructure and sustainable energy (see: all the Technology ETFs here).At the center of Apple's new push is its American Manufacturing Program (AMP), an initiative aimed at deepening Apple's supply chain and boosting domestic production in the United States. Key AMP partners include Corning, Coherent, GlobalWafers America, Applied Materials, Texas Instruments, Samsung, GlobalFoundries, Amkor, Broadcom and MP Materials. Inside AMP Initiative As part of the program, Apple has committed $2.5 billion to manufacturing all iPhone and Apple Watch cover glass in the United States. The company will work to build a fully domestic silicon supply chain, involving semiconductor fabrication, equipment and wafer production. Apple also plans to hire 20,000 U.S. employees, focusing on R&D, silicon engineering, AI and software development. This will help boost the country's job Apple is poised to produce over 19 billion chips in 2025 and invests in facilities to support cloud infrastructure and talent of Latest EarningsLast week, Apple reported robust third-quarter fiscal 2025 results, beating estimates for revenues and earnings. Earnings per share came in at $1.57, outpacing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.42 and increasing 12.1% from the year-ago earnings. Revenues rose 10% year over year to $94 billion and edged past the estimated $88.9 billion. This marks the highest quarterly revenue growth in more than three years (read: Take a Bite of Apple's Solid Q3 Earnings With These ETFs).The tech titan logged double-digit revenue growth in the iPhone, Mac and Services segments. The installed base of active devices also reached a new all-time high across all product categories and geographic segments. For the ongoing fiscal fourth quarter, the iPhone maker expects 'mid to high-single digit' sales growth. However, tariffs remain a significant headwind. Apple incurred approximately $800 million in tariff-related costs in the third quarter and anticipates around $1.1 billion of costs in the fourth quarter, especially with new tariffs proposed on goods manufactured in India. ETFs in Focus Global X PureCap MSCI Information Technology ETF (GXPT): Apple occupies the third position with a 17.1% share. Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT): Apple is the third firm, accounting for a 13% share. MSCI Information Technology Index ETF (FTEC): Apple takes the third spot, making up for a 13.7% share in the basket. iShares US Technology ETF (IYW): Apple takes the third spot, making up for 13.1% of the assets. iShares Top 20 U.S. Stocks ETF (TOPT): Apple takes the third spot at 11.9%. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Apple Inc. (AAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Fidelity MSCI Information Technology Index ETF (FTEC): ETF Research Reports iShares U.S. Technology ETF (IYW): ETF Research Reports Vanguard Information Technology ETF (VGT): ETF Research Reports iShares Top 20 U.S. Stocks ETF (TOPT): ETF Research Reports Global X PureCap MSCI Information Technology ETF (GXPT): ETF Research Reports This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Sign in to access your portfolio
