Verizon Communications (VZ) is Holderness Investments Co.’s 7th Largest Position

Holderness Investments Co. raised its position in Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) by 2.1% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 85,389 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock after buying an additional 1,783 shares during the period. Verizon Communications accounts for about 2.2% of Holderness Investments Co.’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 7th biggest position. Holderness Investments Co.’s holdings in Verizon Communications were worth $4,520,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. BlackRock Inc. raised its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 0.8% in the fourth quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 265,904,768 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $14,074,340,000 after acquiring an additional 2,236,290 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp raised its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 14.1% in the fourth quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 48,749,993 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $2,580,337,000 after acquiring an additional 6,007,544 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 3.2% in the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 41,135,441 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $2,172,530,000 after acquiring an additional 1,282,685 shares during the last quarter. Legal & General Group Plc raised its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 2.7% in the third quarter. Legal & General Group Plc now owns 24,495,234 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $1,212,227,000 after acquiring an additional 636,014 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Verizon Communications by 6.2% in the fourth quarter. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. now owns 21,390,896 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $1,132,221,000 after acquiring an additional 1,250,691 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 63.81% of the company’s stock.

Get Verizon Communications alerts:

In other Verizon Communications news, SVP Anthony T. Skiadas sold 1,974 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $49.44, for a total value of $97,594.56. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 16,060 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $794,006.40. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Shares of NYSE:VZ opened at $48.52 on Tuesday. Verizon Communications has a 52 week low of $42.80 and a 52 week high of $54.77. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.15. The company has a market capitalization of $200.29 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.97, a PEG ratio of 1.94 and a beta of 0.62.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last issued its earnings results on Tuesday, April 24th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.17 EPS for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of $1.11 by $0.06. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 24.37% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The firm had revenue of $31.77 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $31.25 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $0.95 earnings per share. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 6.6% on a year-over-year basis. research analysts anticipate that Verizon Communications will post 4.57 EPS for the current year.

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, May 1st. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, April 10th were paid a $0.59 dividend. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.86%. The ex-dividend date was Monday, April 9th. Verizon Communications’s payout ratio is presently 63.10%.

A number of brokerages have weighed in on VZ. Vetr downgraded shares of Verizon Communications from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $52.49 target price for the company. in a research note on Tuesday, April 3rd. William Blair reaffirmed a “market perform” rating on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Wednesday, April 25th. Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Verizon Communications from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, March 12th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised shares of Verizon Communications from a “neutral” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $58.00 price target for the company in a research note on Friday, May 11th. Finally, Guggenheim started coverage on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Tuesday, March 13th. They set a “buy” rating and a $58.00 price target for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, nine have issued a hold rating and sixteen have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $54.75.

About Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications Inc, through its subsidiaries, offers communications, information, and entertainment products and services to consumers, businesses, and governmental agencies worldwide. The company's Wireless segment provides wireless voice and data services; Internet access on various notebook computers and tablets; multimedia, business-focused, and location-based services, as well as international travel services; and network access services to deliver various Internet of Things products and services.

Want to see what other hedge funds are holding VZ? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ).

Quality Systems (QSII) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume Following Strong Earnings

Quality Systems (NASDAQ:QSII) shares saw unusually-strong trading volume on Friday following a stronger than expected earnings report. Approximately 2,338,700 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 593% from the previous session’s volume of 337,438 shares.The stock last traded at $16.99 and had previously closed at $15.05.

The company reported $0.16 EPS for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.13 by $0.03. The firm had revenue of $135.80 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $131.95 million. Quality Systems had a return on equity of 12.08% and a net margin of 3.39%. The company’s revenue was up 2.2% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period last year, the company earned $0.21 earnings per share.

Get Quality Systems alerts:

A number of analysts recently commented on QSII shares. BidaskClub upgraded Quality Systems from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 10th. Piper Jaffray Companies reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $17.00 price objective on shares of Quality Systems in a research report on Friday, January 26th. Finally, Zacks Investment Research upgraded Quality Systems from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 6th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have given a hold rating and two have given a buy rating to the stock. The company presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $15.06.

In related news, CFO James Robert Jr. Arnold bought 40,000 shares of Quality Systems stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 15th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $13.10 per share, for a total transaction of $524,000.00. Following the completion of the acquisition, the chief financial officer now owns 212,156 shares in the company, valued at $2,779,243.60. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. 17.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in QSII. Fox Run Management L.L.C. bought a new position in shares of Quality Systems during the 4th quarter valued at about $367,000. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. bought a new position in shares of Quality Systems during the 4th quarter valued at about $1,203,000. Foundry Partners LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Quality Systems by 3.3% during the 4th quarter. Foundry Partners LLC now owns 292,105 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,967,000 after purchasing an additional 9,320 shares in the last quarter. Algert Global LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Quality Systems by 16.2% during the 4th quarter. Algert Global LLC now owns 200,141 shares of the company’s stock valued at $2,718,000 after purchasing an additional 27,874 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Alambic Investment Management L.P. lifted its holdings in shares of Quality Systems by 18.2% during the 4th quarter. Alambic Investment Management L.P. now owns 263,047 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,572,000 after purchasing an additional 40,447 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 70.45% of the company’s stock.

The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.12, a current ratio of 1.19 and a quick ratio of 1.19. The firm has a market cap of $932.77 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.96, a PEG ratio of 2.78 and a beta of 0.66.

Quality Systems Company Profile

Quality Systems, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, develops and markets software and services that automate various aspects of practice management (PM) and electronic health records for medical and dental practices in the United States. The company's NextGen division provides integrated clinical, financial, and connectivity solutions for ambulatory and dental provider organizations.

About to Buy Bitcoin? Look at These 3 Companies First

Bitcoin was a joyride for early investors, as the cryptocurrency surged from less than $100 earlier in the decade to more than $19,000 last December. However, the digital coin has fallen to around $7,500 since then as the hype and speculation around it seem to have peaked. At the same time, Google searches for "bitcoin" have also dropped sharply since December.

While crypto fans may be unfazed, the majority of the market seems to have moved on. If you're considering buying bitcoin for the high upside potential it exhibited last year, you may be better off with this group of stocks, which all have the potential to deliver big returns. Keep reading to see why our panel of Motley Fool investors recommend�PayPal�(NASDAQ:PYPL),�Yelp�(NYSE:YELP), and Trivago�(NASDAQ:TRVG).��

Image source: Getty Images.

The pioneer in online payments

Leo Sun (PayPal): PayPal, which was spun off of eBay (NASDAQ:EBAY) in 2015, popularized digital payments long before bitcoin became relevant. Unlike its industry peer Square (NYSE:SQ), PayPal refuses to add bitcoin transactions to its platform, saying that volatile prices make bitcoin unsuitable for payments.

PayPal's core business is rapidly growing. It's posted double-digit sales growth every quarter since its spinoff, and analysts expect revenue to rise 17% this year (despite eBay's decision to gradually part ways with PayPal by 2023). Its earnings are expected to rise 23% this year.

Last quarter, PayPal's revenue rose 24% annually, while its total payments volume (TPV) rose 27% to $132 billion on a constant currency basis -- supported by 30% growth in merchant services TPV, 50% growth in peer-to-peer payments (thanks to its subsidiary Venmo), and 52% growth in mobile payment volumes.

Its total number of transactions climbed 25% to 2.2 billion, as its total number of transactions per active account rose 8% to 34.7 over the past 12 months. Its new active accounts rose 35% annually. Those robust growth figures indicate that PayPal continues to gain steam as an international digital payments platform -- which is now available in 202 countries and 25 currencies. PayPal also recently acquired Square's rival iZettle for $2.2 billion to expand its reach into mobile point-of-sale systems.

PayPal's stock isn't cheap at 35 times this year's earnings. But it's arguably a smarter play on a cashless and cardless future than bitcoin.

Take advantage of Yelp's pullback

Steve Symington (Yelp): Bitcoin investors are all too familiar with unexpected pullbacks. So if you're considering buying some of the popular cryptocurrency, you might appreciate taking a look at Yelp instead. When Yelp announced strong quarterly results�earlier this month -- posting higher-than-expected revenue and narrowing its per-share losses -- it seemed strange at first to see shares of the local business-review website fall almost 8% in response.

But more important to Wall Street was the underlying source of that quarterly beat. While Yelp's impressive results were driven by accelerating advertising revenue growth -- ad sales climbed 20% year over year to $214 million, comprising the vast majority of its total revenue -- that acceleration came as a result of the company's adoption of non-term advertising contracts. Put simply, Wall Street wants to see whether newer advertisers will stick around, especially those that are trying Yelp for the first time precisely because of those more flexible contracts.

To be fair, Yelp's co-founder and CEO Jeremy Stoppelman admitted during this quarter's call that the company is going "through this change with a bit of caution about what we may see in the coming months." But Yelp management also insisted the move is a concerted effort, preceded by nearly two years of testing, followed by a broader ramp up in the new contracts that began in the third quarter of 2017.

To that end, Yelp was comfortable enough with the sustainability of this shift to modestly increase its full-year guidance ranges for both revenue and adjusted EBITDA. Alas, the market would have none of it.

But if Yelp can prove to investors that its accelerated ad growth is good for more than just a single quarter's outperformance, I think the stock will soar.

A promising turnaround candidate

Jeremy Bowman (Trivago):�Like bitcoin, Trivago shares have also tumbled in recent months. After the stock surged following its IPO in December 2016 as it was spun off from�Expedia, it's now given up more than 80% since last July.�

That decline has come largely due to Booking Holdings' decision to scale back on advertising on the platform, focusing on profitability rather than market share, which had the effect of making Trivago's revenue decline 3% year over year in the first quarter as comps were unfavorable, with Booking still on the platform a year ago.�

The hotel-booking specialist is now projecting flat revenue for the year. However, the company should return to growth as it laps the issues with Booking Holdings, and it expects revenue to increase in the second half of the year.�

The online travel industry is still growing steadily, and Allied Market Research projects it will grow at a compound annual rate of 11.1% from 2016 to 2022. Trivago's exclusive focus on hotels should give it an advantage over more-diversified platforms, and as consumer awareness of the platform improves, it should outgrow the overall industry.

At this point, the stock looks oversold, as the current weakness is temporary. The stock could easily double from here once revenue growth accelerates again.

Saddled With Student Debt? 4 Moves to Make Today

If you're drowning in student debt, you're certainly in good company. The average Class of 2017 graduate came away $39,400 in the hole, which represents a 6% increase from the previous year. All told, Americans are on the hook for nearly $1.5 trillion in student loan debt, and it's clearly going to take some time to knock that cumulative balance down. On an individual level, however, there are things you can do to get a handle on your debt. Here are a few moves to consider making.

1. Look into an income-based repayment plan

If you took out federal loans to fund your education, you may have options for lowering your monthly payments. That's because federal borrowers can apply for income-based repayment plans, where instead of sticking to your default payment under your loan agreement, your payment is calculated as a (reasonable) percentage of your income. The average student loan payment among borrowers aged 20 to 30 is currently $351, which can especially be a lot on a starting salary, so if you have the ability to shrink that payment, why not get some relief?

IMAGE SOURCE: GETTY IMAGES.

2. Refinance your debt

Just as it's possible to refinance a mortgage, so, too, is refinancing your student debt a possibility you might pursue. When you refinance your debt, what you're actually doing is swapping your old loan for a new one at what should ideally be a more favorable rate. Refinancing is an option whether you took out federal loans or private ones, and in the case of the latter, you might really manage to reduce your monthly payments by qualifying for a better rate (keeping in mind that private loans tend to be more costly interest rate-wise than federal ones). The only catch is that you'll need stellar credit to qualify for a rate reduction, but if your score is excellent, it pays to look into refinancing.

3. Get a side job

It's hard to keep up with student loan payments when you're dealing with a limited income. Boosting your earnings, therefore, might be the key to not only making your payments, but accelerating them so that you're free of that debt sooner. And that's why it pays to consider a side hustle, even if your primary job keeps you pretty busy. An estimated 21% of Americans aged 25 to 39 with student debt hold down more than one job, whereas those without student debt are only about half as likely to have a second gig. And while working more than your regular 40 hours or more per week may not seem ideal, swinging a side hustle even temporarily could help ease the burden of student debt and buy you some wiggle room in your budget.

4. Move back home

Making your student loan payments can be challenging when you're juggling life's many expenses, like rent, car payments, food, and utilizes. So why not eliminate some of those bills by moving back home on a temporary basis? If your parents have the space to accommodate you and are willing to let you live rent-free, you stand to save some serious money by giving up a bit of freedom for a year or two. Then, you can take the money you bank and apply it to your student loans, thus getting ahead on your payments and knocking out that debt more quickly.

Student dent might be a necessary evil, but it's a tough one to deal with nonetheless. Be sure to explore your options for making your debt more manageable, whether in the form of lowering your monthly payments or freeing up more cash to apply to those loans. It's a far better bet than bemoaning your decision to borrow for college and suffering financially in the years that follow.

Workers File Harassment, Retaliation Charges Against McDonald’s

Over the past several days, workers at McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE: MCD) restaurants have filed 10 charges with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging illegal conduct at McDonald’s stores in nine cities. The filings were announced Tuesday in Chicago and include charges of sexual harassment and retaliation.

According to a press release from a worker’s group called “The Fight for $15,” the TIME’s UP legal defense fund provided financial support to investigate and file the workers’ charges in Chicago, Detroit, Durham, Kansas City (Missouri), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, Orlando and St. Louis. They reveal instances when workers alerted management after experiencing sexual harassment on the job, yet their complaints were brushed off, went unaddressed or, in some cases, they were mocked or met with retaliation, including termination.

Sharyn Tejani, director of TIME’S UP legal defense fund said:

Few women working in low-wage jobs have the means or the financial security to challenge sexual harassment. As shown by these charges and thousands of intakes we have received at the Fund from women in every industry, those who report their abuse are often fired, demoted, or mocked��and since nothing is done to stop the harassment, nothing changes. McDonald’s is perfectly positioned��if it chooses��to take the lead in an industry that’s rampant with abuse.

Tuesday’s charges come two years after McDonald’s workers in the Fight for $15 filed a series of sexual harassment charges against the company and demonstrate that despite the spotlight on the issue in Hollywood and the media, little has changed for the burger giant’s frontline workers. Attorneys for the workers said they planned to ask the EEOC to consolidate or coordinate for investigation the newly filed charges, as well as some of the previously filed charges.

A full 40% of female fast-food workers experience unwanted sexual behavior on the job, according to a 2016 Hart Research survey cited in the press announcement. The same survey showed that 42% of women who work in the fast-food industry feel forced to accept the behavior because they cannot afford to lose their jobs. Over a fifth of women (21%) said they faced retaliation for reporting sexual harassment that included a reduction in hours, scheduling changes and being denied pay raises.

24/7 Wall St.
The Great Recession Has Created a New ‘Lost Generation’

As the payment wars heat up, PayPal could have a leg above Square

PayPal shares rallied on news it plans to acquire Swedish payment company iZettle, and all signs point to this as a smart move.

Even though the price tag is expensive �� a hefty $2.2 billion �� this helps solidify PayPal as end-to-end payments solution as retail shoppers continue moving online and payments are made increasingly on mobile phones.

Vote Vote to see results Total Votes:

Not a Scientific Survey. Results may not total 100% due to rounding.

This should also put to bed the rumors that PayPal was going to buy Square �� and instead will now be a stiff competitor.

Where PayPal now stands

PayPal is a leader in the move to digital, and more importantly mobile payments, across the globe. It has a technology platform that includes Venmo and other payment services which allow customers and merchants to quickly, easily and safely execute transactions. The company also already has a wide reach, with over 225 million active accounts executing over 2.2 billion transactions per quarter in over 200 countries.

Gaining an edge

IZettle will likely provide small point-of-sale devices that attach to mobile phones to businesses that are offline. It is similar to the U.S.-based Square.

The acquisition will help PayPal expand its point-of-sale business in the small and medium business market, and gives PayPal exposure to some additional markets in which they do not already have a strong presence.

Disclosure: Binger's firm, Gradient Investments, owns PayPal in its portfolios; Binger does not own the stock personally.

Denbury Resources (DNR) Receives $2.07 Consensus Price Target from Analysts

Denbury Resources (NYSE:DNR) has been assigned an average rating of “Hold” from the twelve brokerages that are currently covering the firm, MarketBeat reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, eight have given a hold rating and one has given a buy rating to the company. The average 12-month target price among analysts that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $2.07.

A number of research firms have issued reports on DNR. KLR Group lowered shares of Denbury Resources from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and set a $4.00 target price on the stock. in a report on Monday, May 14th. Zacks Investment Research lowered shares of Denbury Resources from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, January 31st. Finally, UBS began coverage on shares of Denbury Resources in a report on Wednesday, March 7th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $2.50 target price on the stock.

Get Denbury Resources alerts:

Denbury Resources traded up $0.04, reaching $4.13, during mid-day trading on Monday, MarketBeat reports. 10,831,455 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 10,318,098. The firm has a market cap of $1.80 billion, a PE ratio of 14.61 and a beta of 3.13. Denbury Resources has a twelve month low of $0.92 and a twelve month high of $4.23. The company has a quick ratio of 0.46, a current ratio of 0.46 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 4.24.

Denbury Resources (NYSE:DNR) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, May 8th. The oil and natural gas company reported $0.12 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of $0.11 by $0.01. The company had revenue of $347.57 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $324.65 million. Denbury Resources had a net margin of 15.01% and a return on equity of 19.63%. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 28.0% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned ($0.02) EPS. equities research analysts anticipate that Denbury Resources will post 0.38 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

In other news, Director Laura A. Sugg sold 12,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, April 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3.00, for a total value of $37,500.00. Following the sale, the director now directly owns 140,841 shares in the company, valued at approximately $422,523. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Insiders sold a total of 50,000 shares of company stock worth $157,625 over the last 90 days. Company insiders own 1.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. BlackRock Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Denbury Resources by 2.9% in the 4th quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 52,960,970 shares of the oil and natural gas company’s stock valued at $117,044,000 after purchasing an additional 1,516,392 shares in the last quarter. OTA Financial Group L.P. purchased a new position in shares of Denbury Resources in the 4th quarter valued at $224,000. Anderson Hoagland & Co. grew its position in shares of Denbury Resources by 119.2% in the 4th quarter. Anderson Hoagland & Co. now owns 149,350 shares of the oil and natural gas company’s stock valued at $330,000 after buying an additional 81,205 shares during the last quarter. Elephas Investment Management Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Denbury Resources in the 4th quarter valued at $484,000. Finally, Nomura Asset Management Co. Ltd. purchased a new position in shares of Denbury Resources in the 4th quarter valued at $540,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 81.98% of the company’s stock.

Denbury Resources Company Profile

Denbury Resources Inc operates as an independent oil and natural gas company in the United States. It holds interests in various oil and natural gas properties located in Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, and Alabama in the Gulf Coast region; and in Montana, North Dakota, and Wyoming in the Rocky Mountain region.