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The Fund will, under normal circumstances, seek to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its net assets in publicly traded equity securities of real estate investment trusts (REITs). The Fund will primarily invest in publicly traded common equity securities of U.S. REITs. The Fund may also invest a portion of its assets in publicly traded common equity of U.S. real estate operating companies (not structured as REITs), publicly traded preferred equity of U.S. REITs and real estate operating companies, and cash and cash equivalents. GSI Capital Advisors LLC, the Funds sub-adviser (GSI Capital or the Sub-Adviser), is responsible for implementing the Funds investment strategy in connection with its active management of the Fund.

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	Blackstone Inc&#39;s (NYSE: BX) CEO Stephen Schwarzman said that worried investors drove redemptions from its $69 billion unlisted real estate income trust (REIT) due to market volatility rather than dissatisfaction with the fund.


Blackstone CEO Says Worried Investors Behind REIT Redemptions

Reit 1 Ltd

Reitar Logtech Holdings Limited - Ordinary shares

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REITMANS CANADA LTD A by Reitmans (Canada) Limited

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REITMANS CDA LTD by Reitmans (Canada) Limited

Kyndryl Holdings Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KD#NYSE">KD</a>) is boosting investor confidence with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/KD/news">the announcement of</a> its first-ever share repurchase program, worth $300 million.
The International Business Machines Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) spin-off is using the buyback to return capital to shareholders, signaling its belief in sustainable growth despite a competitive market.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Share Repurchase Reflects Management's Confidence</h3>
The new repurchase program comes as Kyndryl sees significant progress in both its financials and operational transformation. CEO Martin Schroeter emphasized that the buyback underscores Kyndryl's success in expanding its margins and generating free cash flow. The program allows the company to strengthen its capital structure while remaining flexible for future strategic moves.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/09/40755363/pair-trade-alert-long-kd-short-dxc-says-jpmorgan-heres-why">Pair Trade Alert: &#8216;Long KD Short DXC&#8217; Says JPMorgan, Here&#8217;s Why</a>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">KD Stock Performance Shows Strength</h3>
Kyndryl's stock has demonstrated impressive momentum over the past year. Up 87% in 2023 and almost 40% year-to-date in 2024, the company has significantly outpaced market expectations. 
This growth comes despite broader industry challenges, with Kyndryl's mission-critical IT services gaining traction, especially in cybersecurity and AI-driven solutions.
The technical indicators for Kyndryl stock also align with this growth, providing strong bullish signals for investors.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/?utm_source=BZprocontent112124&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="628" height="490" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/21100103/Screenshot-2024-11-21-at-8.30.51-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-659037" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/21100103/Screenshot-2024-11-21-at-8.30.51-PM.png 628w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/21100103/Screenshot-2024-11-21-at-8.30.51-PM-300x234.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 628px) 100vw, 628px" /></a></figure>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/?utm_source=BZprocontent112124&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Chart created using Benzinga Pro</a>
KD stock, at $30.44, trades above its five, 20 and 50-day exponential moving averages, a strong sign of upward momentum. The eight-day simple moving average (SMA) of $28.51 suggests a bullish signal for the short-term, as does the 20-day SMA of $26.16. The stock's 50-day SMA of $24.74 further supports this, reinforcing that Kyndryl is on a bullish path even over the medium term.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator stands at 1.36, further suggesting that Kyndryl's stock momentum is bullish. 
However, with a Relative Strength Index (RSI) of 79.50, the stock is in the overbought territory, which means that momentum has peaked and investors could expect a reversal from here.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Road Ahead: A Focus On Sustainable Growth</h3>
With over three years as a public company, Kyndryl is entering a new phase of revenue growth and profitability. The $300 million share buyback reflects the company's ongoing transformation and its ability to thrive amid industry challenges. 
For investors, Kyndryl's strong stock performance, backed by positive technical indicators, signals confidence, but caution is advised due to the current overbought conditions.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/mid-cap/24/11/41944479/kyndryl-dell-nvidia-join-forces-to-launch-ai-private-cloud-for-japanese-enterprises">Kyndryl, Dell, Nvidia Join Forces To Launch AI Private Cloud For Japanese Enterprises</a></li>
</ul>

Long Ideas

Technicals

Buybacks

Tech

Trading Ideas

IBM Spin-Off Kyndryl Announces $300 Million Buyback: What's Next For KD Stock?

TD Cowen analyst J. Derrick Wood maintains Snowflake (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNOW#NYSE">SNOW</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $180 to $190.

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

SNOW

TD Cowen Maintains Buy on Snowflake, Raises Price Target to $190

Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades and downgrades, please see our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings">analyst ratings page</a>.
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst/58c6ab8bb85e9300015f1ad9/brian-abrahams">RBC Capital analyst Brian Abrahams </a>upgraded Sage Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SAGE#NASDAQ">SAGE</a>) from Underperform to Sector Perform and maintained the price target of $4. Sage Therapeutics shares closed at $4.91 on Wednesday. See how other analysts view this stock.</li>
<li>Morgan Stanley analyst James Faucette upgraded the rating for EVERTEC, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EVTC#NYSE">EVTC</a>) from Underweight to Equal-Weight and raised the price target from $33 to $35. Evertec shares closed at $34.84 on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/EVTC/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst/58933b1f43eaaa0001698f45/spiro-dounis">Citigroup analyst Spiro Dounis</a> upgraded DT Midstream, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DTM#NYSE">DTM</a>) from Neutral to Buy and raised the price target from $90 to $115. DT Midstream shares closed at $102.73 on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/DTM/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>Rosenblatt analyst Catharine Trebnick upgraded Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PANW#NASDAQ">PANW</a>) from Neutral to Buy and boosted the price target from $390 to $425. Palo Alto shares closed at $392.89 on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PANW/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>Compass Point analyst Floris Van Dijkum upgraded Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEB#NYSE">PEB</a>) from Neutral to Buy and maintained the price target of $17. Pebblebrook Hotel shares closed at $12.37 on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PPEB/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
</ul>
Considering buying PANW stock? Here&#8217;s what analysts think: 
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="367" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/21111949/image-222-1024x367.png" alt="" class="wp-image-659212" style="width:539px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/21111949/image-222-1024x367.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/21111949/image-222-300x107.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/21111949/image-222-768x275.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/21111949/image-222-1536x550.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/21111949/image-222.png 1595w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
Read This Next:
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<li> <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42114009/wall-streets-most-accurate-analysts-weigh-in-on-3-health-care-stocks-with-over-5-dividend-yields">Wall Street&#8217;s Most Accurate Analysts Weigh In On 3 Health Care Stocks With Over 5% Dividend Yields</a></li>
</ul>

Markets

EVTC

PANW

SAGE

This Palo Alto Networks Analyst Turns Bullish; Here Are Top 5 Upgrades For Thursday

TD Cowen analyst Matthew Ramsay maintains NVIDIA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) with a Buy and raises the price target from $165 to $175.

NVDA

TD Cowen Maintains Buy on NVIDIA, Raises Price Target to $175

<a href="https://open.substack.com/pub/europeancapitalinsights/p/european-stability-may-improve-with?r=3nmatg&amp;utm_campaign=post&amp;utm_medium=web">European geopolitical stability</a> may improve during the next Trump administration, despite concerns about the upcoming US president's impact on global security.&nbsp;
Citi analyst<a href="https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Citi-Sees-Oil-Prices-Dropping-to-60-Under-Trump.html"> have forecasted</a> Citi analysts forecasted that Brent crude, which closed at $73.49 a barrel on Wednesday,&nbsp; would average $60 per barrel next year driven lower by the energy policies of the incoming US administration. They also said Trump's presidency could lead to a decline in geopolitical tensions.
For European nations, lower oil prices will help spur economic growth and keep prices in check, allowing for lower interest rates and higher capital investments.&nbsp;After the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Europe experienced an "<a href="https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/blog/date/2024/html/ecb.blog240311~968c707650.en.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">extraordinary surge</a>" in inflation.
<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6728e40f-9830-4f1b-817a-83d4126d0480_766x407.png" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6728e40f-9830-4f1b-817a-83d4126d0480_766x407.png" alt="" style="width:627px" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Source:<a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/blog/date/2024/html/ecb.blog240311~968c707650.en.html"> European Union</a></figcaption></figure>
Europe has struggled to recover from the twin shocks of Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine. And there is little indication that euro area will shake off its weak <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-euro-indicators/w/2-30102024-ap" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">growth of 0.4% in Q3 this year</a>.
"Economic activity has been weaker than expected: we have revised down our projections twice – before the summer and in September," Luis de Guindos, Vice President of the European Central Bank, <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/key/date/2024/html/ecb.sp241118~752a75497e.en.html">said</a> on Monday. "The growth outlook is clouded by uncertainty about economic policies and the geopolitical landscape."&nbsp;
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Trump May Spur European Leaders Into Action</h3>
Trump's mandate for change after winning the election could influence European leaders to alter course. Germany&#8217;s <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-media-react-to-donald-trumps-us-election-victory-v2/a-70715243">most widely read tabloid, Bild, said</a> that the US election was &#8220;the last warning signal for our government&#8221; to address voters&#8217; grievances.
Like their American counterparts, many <a href="https://europeancapitalinsights.substack.com/p/eu-tilts-right-as-economy-migration?r=3nmatg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">European voters are frustrated</a> with their economic prospects and political leadership. They are <a href="https://europeancapitalinsights.substack.com/p/europe-frets-about-trump-presidency?r=3nmatg" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">concerned about geopolitical instability</a> impacting Europe with the war in Ukraine and tensions in the Middle East.&nbsp;
Trump's "peace through strength" policy had successfully fostered stability in Europe and the Middle East. <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.aa.com.tr/en/energy/energy-diplomacy/trump-hails-record-of-no-new-wars-while-in-office/31647">His supporters point to</a> the fact there were no new wars during his last administration.&nbsp;
Under President Joe Biden, through, Europe witnessed the Russian invasion of Ukraine and an escalation in tensions between Iran and Israel. The latest US policy shift by the outgoing president on Ukraine has also caused jitters in global markets.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">European Markets Fall After US Shifts Ukraine Policy</h3>
European markets moved lower after Biden <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/17/us/politics/biden-ukraine-russia-atacms-missiles.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">authorized the first use </a>of the US-supplied long-range missiles by Ukraine inside Russia. The DAX Index fell, bringing its one-month decline to 1.5%. Poland's main stock index (WIG) sank more than 7%.
<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F762ebe4b-4a09-4fea-a708-5f9c1b3c54bd_1600x811.png" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F762ebe4b-4a09-4fea-a708-5f9c1b3c54bd_1600x811.png" alt="" style="width:624px" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Poland WIG20 reacts to latest Russia-Ukraine tensions: <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.tradingview.com/chart/Fl8iqpOT/?symbol=MARKETSCOM%3APOLAND20">Trading View</a></figcaption></figure>
After Biden's decision to allow Ukraine to target sites within Russia, <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj4v0rey0jzo">Vladimir Putin approved changes</a> to Russia's nuclear doctrine. The doctrine now says an attack from a non-nuclear state, if backed by a nuclear power, will be treated as a joint assault on Russia.
In Washington, lawmakers in both parties generally supported Biden's policy change. "In a month-and-a-half, you're going to have a new president, and Russia will probably sue for peace," Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) said. "So let them defend themselves, punch Russia back in the face."&nbsp;&nbsp;
That show of support for Ukraine may reassure European politicians fretting about the new Trump administration.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Europe Concerns About Trump's Ukraine Policy ‘Unrealistic'</h3>
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has expressed concern about <a href="https://www.dw.com/en/prospect-of-trumps-return-stokes-anxiety-in-europe/a-69686356" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump&#8217;s unwillingness to support Ukraine</a>. But Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PYPL#NASDAQ">PYPL</a>) and Palantir Technologies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>), swept aside these fears.&nbsp;
"You probably can't simply retreat from Ukraine without it just <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://youtu.be/wwJV_NuN43Y?si=_Acn9qUqGsyJbNuO">becoming a route</a>," he said on November 14. "I don't think President Trump wants a repeat of what happened with Biden in Afghanistan."
Thiel was referring to the Biden administration's "<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2023/06/30/politics/state-deparment-afghanistan-withdrawal-report/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chaotic</a>" 2021 withdrawal, widely perceived as a major US foreign policy failure.&nbsp;&nbsp;
British Defense Minister John Healey characterized as "<a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://news.sky.com/story/amp/donald-trump-committed-to-nato-and-right-to-push-europe-to-increase-funding-uk-defence-secretary-john-healey-says-13252519">unrealistic</a>" accusations that Trump's return would be "a disaster for Europe" and "undermining" of NATO. Former EU official Thierry Breton said Trump's re-election "<a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://x.com/RnaudBertrand/status/1855804917103124893">accelerated</a>" policymakers' discussions about resolving the conflict.&nbsp;&nbsp;
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">European Stability Benefited From Trump's Defense Spending Push&nbsp;&nbsp;</h3>
<a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://m.economictimes.com/news/international/us/trumps-russia-ukraine-peace-plan-heres-what-his-plans-are-to-freeze-the-war/amp_articleshow/115123040.cms">One potential course of action under</a> consideration by the Trump administration includes European enforcement of a buffer zone in Ukraine. This would be accompanied by US security guarantees, in exchange for temporary deferment of full Ukrainian NATO membership.&nbsp;&nbsp;
During Trump's first term, he pressured European North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members to increase their defense spending to 2% of GDP. In 2017, only four NATO members had reached the alliance&#8217;s target, compared to the 23 expected this year.&nbsp;
Trump "was right," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://news.sky.com/story/amp/donald-trump-committed-to-nato-and-right-to-push-europe-to-increase-funding-uk-defence-secretary-john-healey-says-13252519">said</a>. "You have a president who is experienced, who is extremely clear about what he wants. He will push us all to spend more on defense and he is right on this."&nbsp;
Rutt made his comments during a gathering of European leaders in Budapest on November 7 to "<a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20241027-europe-guardrails-tries-to-trump-proof-security-nato">Trump-proof</a>" Europe.&nbsp;
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Trump's Mideast Engagement&nbsp;Could Support European Stability</h3>
During his first term, the Trump administration's <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/return-peace-strength-trump-obrien">Abraham Accords</a> established peace between Israel and four additional Arab nations. The US withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Deal was crucial in significantly crippling Iran&#8217;s regional influence.&nbsp;
These efforts simultaneously restricted Tehran's access to international markets and limited its ability to fund regional conflicts. Iran supports proxy forces in Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.&nbsp;
<figure class="wp-block-image is-resized"><a href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc073ad2a-9c6c-4dfa-9fdf-f6aa4839153e_806x822.png" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><img decoding="async" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fc073ad2a-9c6c-4dfa-9fdf-f6aa4839153e_806x822.png" alt="" style="width:auto;height:450px" /></a><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Iran's proxy forces in the Middle East, Source:&nbsp; <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.wilsoncenter.org/article/irans-islamist-proxies">Wilson Center</a></figcaption></figure>
"When U.S. allies see renewed American determination to contain the Islamist regime in Tehran, they will join with Washington," former US National Security Advisor, Robert C. O'Brien <a target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/return-peace-strength-trump-obrien">said</a>.
This will "help bring peace to a region that is crucial to energy markets and global capital markets," he added.&nbsp;
Disclaimer:
Any opinions expressed in this article are not to be considered investment advice and are solely those of the authors. European Capital Insights is not responsible for any financial decisions made based on the contents of this article. Readers may use this article for information and educational purposes only.
This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga&#8217;s reporting and has not been edited for content&nbsp;or&nbsp;accuracy.

Market Summary

Eurozone

Economics

PLTR

PYPL

European Stability May Improve With Trump's 'Peace Through Strength' Policy

WIIM

TELO

Telomir Pharmaceuticals shares are trading higher after the company announced preclinical results confirming the efficacy of Telomir-1.

Snowflake Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNOW#NYSE">SNOW</a>) shares are ripping higher Thursday after the company reported better-than-expected financial results for the third quarter and raised guidance. Several analysts raised price targets following the print. Here&#8217;s what <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/11/42099986/snowflake-q3-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-guidance-raise-ai-acquisition-anthropic-partnership-and-more">you need to know</a>.
What To Know: Snowflake beat analyst estimates on the top and bottom lines in the third quarter, reporting revenue of $942.09 million versus estimates of $896.99 million, and adjusted earnings of 20 cents per share versus estimates of 15 cents per share, per <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Total revenue was up 28% year-over-year. Product revenue came in at $900.3 million, up 29% year-over-year. Net revenue retention rate was 127% in the quarter.&nbsp;Remaining performance obligations totaled $5.7 billion, up 55% year-over-year.
Snowflake guided for fourth-quarter product revenue in the range of $906 million to $911 million, and raised its full-year product revenue forecast from $3.356 billion to $3.43 billion, representing 29% year-over-year growth.
"Our obsessive drive to produce product cohesion and ease of use has built Snowflake into the easiest and most cost-effective enterprise data platform. That is what's leading us to win new logo after new logo, expand within our customer base, and displace our competition over and over again," said&nbsp;Sridhar Ramaswamy,&nbsp;CEO of Snowflake.
In connection with the earnings release, Snowflake said it signed a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/11/b42099044/snowflake-agrees-to-acquire-open-data-integration-platform-datavolo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">definitive agreement</a>&nbsp;to acquire enterprise AI company Datavolo and announced a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/11/b42099092/snowflake-and-anthropic-team-up-to-bring-claude-models-directly-to-the-ai-data-cloud" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">strategic multi-year partnership</a>&nbsp;with Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>)-backed AI data cloud company&nbsp;Anthropic. 
Analysts React: Several analysts raised price targets on Snowflake following the company&#8217;s quarterly results.
<ul>
<li>Piper Sandler analyst Brent Bracelin reiterated Snowflake with an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings">Overweight</a> and raised the price target from&nbsp;$165&nbsp;to&nbsp;$185.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Needham analyst Mike Cikos maintained Snowflake with a Buy and raised the price target from&nbsp;$160&nbsp;to&nbsp;$200.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Rosenblatt analyst Blair Abernethy maintained Snowflake with a Buy and raised the price target from&nbsp;$180&nbsp;to&nbsp;$186.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Keybanc analyst Eric Heath maintains Snowflake with an Overweight and raised the price target from&nbsp;$150&nbsp;to&nbsp;$185.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Evercore ISI Group analyst Kirk Materne maintained Snowflake with an Outperform and raised the price target from&nbsp;$170&nbsp;to&nbsp;$190.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Wells Fargo analyst Michael Turrin maintained Snowflake with an Equal-Weight and raised the price target from&nbsp;$125&nbsp;to&nbsp;$150.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Goldman Sachs analyst Kash Rangan reiterated Snowflake with a Buy rating and maintained a price target of $220.</li>
</ul>
In a new note to clients on Thursday, Needham&#8217;s Cikos said the quarter gave him increased conviction to lift estimates, raising the price target to $200. The analyst expects large order strength to continue into the fourth quarter. 
Piper Sandler&#8217;s Bracelin characterized the quarter as being driven by &#8220;broad-based strength&#8221; and &#8220;solid&#8221; execution. The analyst expects increased contribution of data engineering features to more than offset any potential storage revenue losses, which was a concern heading into the quarter. Bracelin believes Snowflake will sustain greater than 20% growth next year.
Keybanc&#8217;s Heath noted that management commentary on the call was &#8220;very encouraging&#8221; in terms of shifting the narrative on AI. The analyst believes Snowflake is positioned to benefit from public cloud trends as an enabler of AI and generative AI workloads. 
Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42113449/natural-gas-prices-spike-to-over-1-year-highs-oil-surges-to-70-as-russia-fires-intercontinental-ballistic-missile-to-ukraine">Natural Gas Prices Spike To Over 1-Year Highs, Oil Surges To $70 As Ukraine Says Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Fired By Russia</a>
Goldman&#8217;s Rangan echoed much of the same sentiment, calling the quarter &#8220;impressive&#8221; and noting that it helps improve conviction that the company can sustain mid-20s percent revenue growth while delivering 25% free cash flow margins. 
&#8220;Given the company's strong competitive positioning, we continue to view Snowflake as well positioned to capitalize on a generational shift of data and analytics to the cloud, with strong secular tailwinds including cloud adoption, big data, AI/ML, and secure data sharing which we expect will drive durable growth for the foreseeable future,&#8221; the Goldman analyst said.
SNOW Price Action: Snowflake shares were up 33.5% at $172.41 at the time of publication, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.
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Photo: courtesy of Snowflake.

Earnings

Movers

AMZN

Snowflake Stock Is Blazing Higher Thursday: What's Going On?

E.l.f. Beauty, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ELF#NYSE">ELF</a>) shares are trading relatively flat on Thursday after the company issued a statement in response to a report <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42097477/muddy-waters-carson-block-is-betting-against-elf-beauty-short-seller-believes-company-is-overstating-revenue-earnings-major-red-flag">from Muddy Waters Research.</a>
Short seller Muddy Waters released a report Wednesday alleging that E.L.F. has overstated its revenue over the last three quarters by approximately $135 million to $190 million. Muddy Waters Research founder Carson Block revealed a new short position in E.l.f. Beauty at the Sohn Conference on Wednesday.
"We believe that in Q2 FY24, ELF management realized its growth narrative was in trouble as its inventory built. It appears that ELF then began reporting inflated revenue and profits," the short seller said.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/11/b42108198/e-l-f-beauty-issues-statement-refuting-unsubstantiated-short-seller-report">According to the company</a>, the short seller&#8217;s report aimed to negatively impact E.l.f. Beauty&#8217;s stock price.
E.l.f. Beauty rejected the allegations, calling them &#8220;without merit&#8221; and stating that Muddy Waters relied on incomplete data, flawed assumptions, and speculation.
Check This Out:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/11/42092578/oklo-stock-slides-as-short-seller-sets-sights-on-altman-backed-nuclear-startup" rel="noreferrer noopener">Oklo Stock Slides As Short Seller Sets Sights On Altman-Backed Nuclear Startup</a>
The beauty company pointed out that in early 2024, for competitive reasons, it filed a request with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to keep certain customs import data confidential.
This request resulted in a lack of public import data after Feb. 6, which Muddy Waters had used in its analysis. E.l.f. Beauty emphasized that the import data presented by Muddy Waters was not reflective of the company's actual U.S. imports.
Further, E.l.f. Beauty refuted Muddy Waters&#8217; assertions by pointing to strong consumption data from Nielsen and Circana, which showed robust demand for its products. The company also highlighted its rigorous inventory control procedures and revenue recognition practices, which ensure accurate financial reporting.
In its statement, E.l.f. Beauty reiterated its confidence in its financials, citing its recent second-quarter fiscal 2025 results, which marked the 23rd consecutive quarter of net sales growth and market share gains. The company remains confident in its business model, strategy, and momentum in the competitive beauty industry.
Price Action: ELF shares were up 5.4% to $125.46 at last check Thursday.
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</ul>
Photo: Pixabay

Equities

Short Sellers

E.l.f. Beauty Fires Back At Muddy Waters Over Revenue Inflation Claims

Ethereum Classic (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/etc/usd">ETC</a>) has surged 24% to $26.89 this week, fueled by investor optimism in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto">cryptocurrency</a> market.
This rally comes amid Bitcoin's historic <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42102366/bitcoin-taps-95k-ethereum-dogecoin-flat-as-trumps-crypto-policy-takes-shape-top-analyst-describes-btcs-path-to-135k">climb toward $100,000</a> and rising institutional interest across digital assets, signaling renewed confidence in Ethereum Classic's long-term prospects.
What To Know: The gains for ETC align with broader enthusiasm for Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>), which is experiencing strong speculation about its ability to hit $4,000 this November. 
Ethereum Classic, often considered the original Ethereum blockchain following the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-buy-ethereum-classic-etc">2016 hard fork,</a> is benefiting from renewed attention to Ethereum-based ecosystems as developers and investors explore its potential for decentralized applications (dApps) and smart contracts.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/42114875/coinbase-ceo-brian-armstrong-stands-out-as-candidate-for-donald-trumps-reported-crypto-czar-position-cardano-co-founder-says">Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong &#8216;Stands Out&#8217; As Candidate For Donald Trump&#8217;s Reported &#8216;Crypto Czar&#8217; Position, Cardano Co-Founder Says</a>
What Else: Another factor boosting ETC is its correlation with Ethereum's proof-of-stake (PoS) transition. Since Ethereum's move to PoS with the Merge, some miners have shifted resources to Ethereum Classic, strengthening its hash rate and security. This enhanced network robustness is likely contributing to increased investor confidence.
The current rally also ties into macroeconomic conditions, with easing global monetary policies encouraging capital flows into riskier assets, including cryptocurrencies. 
Additionally, rising institutional activity, including surging Bitcoin ETF inflows, has amplified interest in altcoins like Ethereum Classic.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/11/42102769/floki-beats-dogecoin-shiba-inu-with-double-digit-gains-after-coinbase-listing-announcement">Floki Beats Dogecoin, Shiba Inu With Double-Digit Gains After Coinbase Listing Announcement</a>

$ETC

$ETH

Why Ethereum Classic Is Exploding Higher This Week

Good Morning Traders! In today&#39;s Market Clubhouse Morning Memo, we will discuss SPY, QQQ, AAPL, MSFT, NVDA, GOOGL, META, and TSLA.
Our proprietary formula, exclusive to Market Clubhouse, dictates these price levels. This dynamic equation takes into account price, volume, and options flow. These levels are updated every day and shared with all Clubhouse Members, prior to the opening of the market.
We recommend closely monitoring these stocks, and be prepared to leverage potential breakouts or reversals. As always, stay alert and ready to adjust your tactics based on the market&#39;s pulse to optimize your trading gains. Now, let&#39;s dive into the stock analysis:
<h3>SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust</h3>
SPY&nbsp;(ARCA: SPY) is currently trading near the 592.00 level, a critical area for today&#39;s session. If bulls maintain control above this mark, the first target on the upside is 593.73, which would indicate strengthening buy momentum. If this level holds during regular trading hours, buyers are likely to push the price toward 596.57. Sustained bullish activity above 596.57 could bring the high-interest zone of 598.04 into focus, with the ultimate target on the day at 599.24 if the broader market sentiment aligns.
On the flip side, failure to hold 592.00 as a support level could embolden the bears. A test of 589.71 would be the next likely scenario. If sellers remain active below this point, deeper downside exploration toward 587.31 could occur. Breaking this level might lead to a move lower to 585.75, with a potential daily bear target at 584.68 if selling pressure intensifies.
<h3>Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1</h3>
QQQ (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/qqq#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) is hovering around the key 504.44 level, a pivotal area for bulls to defend. Holding this support could set the stage for a rally toward 506.68, with sustained buying potentially extending gains to 509.87. A bullish momentum breakout above 509.87 could lead to a push toward 511.53, with 513.64 standing as the high bull target for the day.
Conversely, a failure to maintain 504.44 as support could shift control to the bears. An initial move down to 502.65 would be on the table, with further selling likely driving prices to 501.07. Continued downside momentum could open the door to 499.44, and the low bear target at 498.37 may come into play if selling accelerates during the session.
<h3>Apple Inc. </h3>
Apple&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/aapl#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) is trading near 229.03, a key level that bulls need to defend to maintain upward momentum. If buyers succeed, a move toward 230.25 is expected, with potential continuation to 231.76 on strong buying interest. A decisive break above this level could target 233.28, the high bull target for the day, especially if broader market conditions remain supportive.
Should 229.03 fail to hold as support, the bears could take control and test 227.82. Breaking this level might prompt further declines to 226.90, with a potential move lower to 226.08. If bearish momentum persists, the price could test the low bear target of 225.31.
<h3>Microsoft Corp.</h3>
Microsoft&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/msft#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) is currently near 416.32, a crucial level to watch. A hold above this point could spur bullish momentum, leading to a test of 417.25. Sustained strength above this area might drive prices higher to 419.17, with the high bull target for the session set at 420.26 if buyers dominate.
Failure to maintain 416.32 as a support level could lead to bearish activity, testing 414.56. If selling pressure continues, the next target is 413.14. A breakdown below this area could see the price move toward 411.72, with the low bear target of 410.64 within reach on heavy downside pressure.
NVIDIA Corporation 
NVIDIA&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nvda#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) is positioned near 144.21, a key level for today&#39;s session. Bulls need to drive the price toward 145.61 to establish solid support. From there, continued buying could lift the stock to 147.06, with additional momentum targeting 148.52. The high bull target stands at 150.32, achievable if bullish sentiment dominates the session.
Should 144.21 fail to act as support, bears will likely push the price toward 142.35. A break below this level could bring 141.21 into play, with further declines potentially targeting 140.28. If selling intensifies, the low bear target of 139.42 may be tested.
<h3>Alphabet Inc Class A</h3>
Alphabet&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/googl#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) is trading near 175.12, a significant level for bulls to defend. If they succeed, an upward move to 176.23 is likely, with continued strength targeting 177.28 as the high bull target. Positive sentiment in the broader market could further support this bullish trajectory.
If 175.12 fails as support, bears may drive the price to 174.01. Additional selling could lead to a test of 172.28, with 171.14 as the low bear target for the day if bearish momentum accelerates.
<h3>Meta Platforms Inc</h3>
Meta&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/meta#NASDAQ">META</a>) is trading around 565.53, a key pivot level for today&#39;s session. Bulls need to maintain this level to aim for a move toward 573.25. Sustained buying above 573.25 could drive prices to 580.17, with the high bull target for the day at 585.73 if strong momentum persists.
If 565.53 is lost as support, bears will likely test 559.29. A breakdown below this point could lead to further selling pressure toward 553.05, with the low bear target at 548.44 in play if sellers maintain control.
<h3>Tesla Inc.</h3>
Tesla&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/tsla#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) is trading around 340.97, a key level to watch closely. Bulls will aim to push the price toward 346.64 as a first target. If bullish momentum continues, 350.87 could come into play, with a strong rally potentially leading to a test of 356.80. The high bull target for the day is 363.84 if buyers maintain control throughout the session.
On the other hand, losing 340.97 as support could pave the way for bears to test 333.93. A break below this level might prompt further declines to 327.59, with 322.52 as the low bear target if sellers dominate the session.
Final Word:&nbsp; The trading day starts with a flurry of critical economic data. Initial and Continuing Jobless Claims are due at 8:30 AM ET, alongside the Philly Fed Business Outlook for November. These reports will provide insights into labor market trends and regional manufacturing conditions. At 8:45 AM ET, Fed voting member Beth Hammack will deliver remarks, potentially offering clues about future monetary policy.
At 10:00 AM ET, the Leading Index and Existing Home Sales data for October will be released, shedding light on economic momentum and housing market health. Midday action includes the Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Activity at 11:00 AM ET, followed by speeches from non-voting Fed member Austan Goolsbee and Beth Hammack at 12:25 PM ET and 12:30 PM ET, respectively. The 10-Year TIPS Auction at 1:00 PM ET adds another layer of complexity to the session. Additionally, markets are digesting NVIDIA&#39;s earnings surprise, which could fuel volatility. Traders should remain vigilant, adjust strategies to the day&#39;s developments, and prioritize risk management in a potentially turbulent environment. Good luck and trade safely!
The Morning Memo is curated by RIPS, a pro trader with years of experience in equities, options, and futures trading. RIPS is at the heart of the exclusive Market Clubhouse community, offering his insights, expertise, and real-time mentorship.
Start your day with a live daily market analysis, a carefully selected watch list, early access to the Morning Memo, and exclusive Market Clubhouse price levels, providing precise support and resistance indicators. When you become a member of Market Clubhouse, you will gain early access to the Morning Memo, just like this one, every single day&mdash;hours before it&#39;s published. You will also have access to a live stream with zero latency and screen sharing, enabling you to witness Rips executing his trades in real-time and sharing his exclusive trading plans, strategies, and live decision-making.
For a limited time during our special promotion, you can join RIPS and get a full access pass to Market Clubhouse for 7 full days for just $7. Check it out at <a href="https://marketclubhouse.club/7Days/" title="https://marketclubhouse.club/7Days/">https://marketclubhouse.club/7Days/</a> where you can trade live with him and tap into his wealth of knowledge and experience. You can also catch Rips on his live day trading streams every Monday-Friday at 8 am EST on the Market Clubhouse YouTube channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MarketClubhouse" title="https://www.youtube.com/@MarketClubhouse">https://www.youtube.com/@MarketClubhouse</a>.
This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga's reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

AAPL

GOOGL

MSFT

TSLA

Market Clubhouse Morning Memo - November 21st, 2024 (Trade Strategy For SPY, QQQ, AAPL, MSFT, NVDA, GOOGL, META And TSLA)

VSTS

Vestis shares are trading higher. The company reported Q4 financial results.

Insider Trades

GRNT

SEC Form 4 Filing Shows Granite Ridge Resources Director Matthew Reade Buys 18,173 Shares At An Average Price Of $6.49

Evercore ISI Group analyst Shweta Khajuria maintains Trade Desk (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TTD#NASDAQ">TTD</a>) with a Outperform and raises the price target from $110 to $135.

Evercore ISI Group Maintains Outperform on Trade Desk, Raises Price Target to $135

Bitcoin Cash (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/bch/usd">BCH</a>) has soared 15% to $486.71 this week, riding the wave of investor enthusiasm across the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto">cryptocurrency</a> market. 
The rally coincides with heightened activity in the broader crypto space, particularly Bitcoin's (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) drive toward record highs, as well as favorable speculation about November's performance for leading cryptocurrencies.
What To Know: Bitcoin's all-time high of $98,310 and the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/42114012/bitcoin-price-hitting-100000-in-november-polymarket-traders-speculate-it-might-go-even-higher">ensuing predictions</a> of it potentially surpassing $100,000 have reignited interest in its offshoot, Bitcoin Cash. BCH often benefits from Bitcoin's momentum, as investors view it as a faster and more cost-effective alternative for transactions.
Additionally, Bitcoin Cash's rise comes amidst strong institutional inflows into Bitcoin-related assets, such as spot ETFs, which recorded $1.84 billion in net inflows in the past three days. The enthusiasm for Bitcoin appears to be trickling down to its derivative projects, including BCH.
The rally could also be attributed to Bitcoin Cash's appeal as a practical digital currency, aligning with growing use-case narratives as global monetary policies ease. 
Recent network upgrades to improve BCH's scalability and transaction efficiency have bolstered its utility, making it potentially an attractive asset in a bullish environment.
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$BCH

$BTC

Why Bitcoin Cash Is Up 15% This Week

TD Cowen analyst Phil Nadeau reiterates Kura Oncology (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KURA#NASDAQ">KURA</a>) with a Buy.

Reiteration

KURA

TD Cowen Reiterates Buy on Kura Oncology

Bernie Sanders has often been criticized for owning three houses and having a net worth of around $2 million, especially by those on the right who call out his <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/24/10/41303029/id-still-have-1-3-billion-bill-gates-says-bernie-sanders-would-take-99-of-his-fortune-he-claims-hed">stance on wealth inequality</a>. But Sanders has a simple explanation for his wealth and shared his thoughts during an appearance on the Lex Fridman <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miWJinIlMjc">Podcast</a>.
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&#8220;Do I own three residences? Yeah, I do,&#8221; Sanders said. He explained that he lives in Burlington, Vermont, in a &#8220;middle-class neighborhood, nice house,&#8221; and owns another home in Washington, D.C., like most senators do. He also has a summer camp on Lake Champlain. &#8220;That&#8217;s it,&#8221; Sanders stated, noting that his homes are far from luxurious. &#8220;They&#8217;re middle-class houses.&#8221;
When asked how he managed to afford these properties, Sanders pointed to his success as an author. &#8220;I wrote two bestselling books,&#8221; he said, including one about capitalism that became a New York Times bestseller. He also earns $175,000 a year as a senator.
Sanders emphasized that while he&#8217;s now comfortable financially, his working-class background remains a key part of who he is. &#8220;Growing up in a working-class family has been maybe the most singularly significant aspect of my politics,&#8221; he said. He grew up in a rent-controlled apartment in Brooklyn and remembers not having money.
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&#8220;I don&#8217;t really give a damn about money,&#8221; he added. Sanders drives an 11-year-old car, wears a solar-powered watch and owns a simple wedding ring – no luxury goods. &#8220;I don&#8217;t have a Rolex watch, would not be interested in it,&#8221; he said. For Sanders, money isn&#8217;t about status; it&#8217;s about security.
&#8220;The major thing about having money … I don&#8217;t have to worry if somebody in my family gets sick. I don&#8217;t have to worry about putting food on the table or paying the mortgage,&#8221; he explained. Sanders noted how this lack of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/24/07/39988774/survey-finds-nearly-half-of-people-say-2024-is-the-most-stressful-year-financially-94-admit-sacr">financial stress</a> is a luxury and he&#8217;s aware of how different that is from the experience of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/real-estate/24/06/39274689/amid-rising-costs-financial-strain-becomes-americas-chief-anxiety">many working-class Americans</a>.
Sanders also discussed how easy it is for politicians to lose touch with everyday struggles: &#8220;It&#8217;s a very easy trap to fall into – you can get separated from ordinary people and their struggles,&#8221; he admitted. By frequently working directly with members of the working class and endorsing labor strikes, he tries to stay grounded.
Despite his financial comfort, Sanders remains focused on fighting for the working class. &#8220;I do my best,&#8221; he said, adding that having wealth doesn&#8217;t mean he&#8217;s forgotten where he came from or the struggles he faced earlier in his life.
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Image from Shutterstock

Bernie Sanders Says It's 'Very Easy' To Lose Touch With Ordinary People's Struggles, Defends Owning 3 Houses And A $2 Million Net Worth

<h4>Key Takeaways:</h4>
<ul>
<li>RLX&rsquo;s third quarter revenue rose 52%, as its gross margin rose more than 3 percentage points to 27.2% following a regulatory crackdown in 2021</li>
<li>A year after expanding beyond its China base, international business accounted for more than half of the vaping company&rsquo;s revenues in the third quarter</li>
</ul>
By Edith Terry
Vaping may not be as hazardous to your health as smoking, but it was quite the damper for&nbsp;RLX Technology Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/rlx#NYSE">RLX</a>) when the company was doused by a massive wave of new regulation in 2021 in its home China market. Now, three years later, the company may finally be turning a corner, capitalizing on a globalization strategy where it&rsquo;s finding success using a combination of strong brand recognition and its own deep pockets.
Non-China business in five countries in East Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania accounted for more than half of the company&rsquo;s revenues in the third quarter, said Sam Tsang, RLX&rsquo;s head of capital markets, on the company&rsquo;s earnings call after the release of its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rlx-technology-announces-unaudited-third-quarter-2024-financial-results-302305299.html">third-quarter results</a>&nbsp;last week.
That&rsquo;s quite a feat when one considers the company only posted its first international sales of 228.5 million yuan starting last year, when that category made up 17% of revenues for the year. The company is also considering additional markets in 2025, either in the Middle East or Central America, Tsang added.
&ldquo;Based on our internal estimates, we are currently the number one brand in three out of five countries in terms of revenue from the closed system e-vapor category,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We are also one of the leading brands in the remaining two countries. We also sell products to affiliates that sell to their overseas distributors.&rdquo;
Its strong overall performance for the quarter was enough to catch the attention of investors, who bid up RLX&rsquo;s shares by 9.3% in the five days after the quarterly report&rsquo;s release. And in a show of confidence about its prospects, the company announced it would pay a dividend in December.
RLX&rsquo;s main metrics were all quite hot in the latest quarter. Its revenue rose 52% year-on-year to 756.3 million yuan, marking a sixth consecutive quarter of growth. With revenue of 1.9 billion yuan in the first nine months of this year, RLX is already well ahead of the 1.5 billion yuan it generated for all of last year, though it&rsquo;s still well off the 8.5 billion yuan it clocked during its heyday in 2021.
That was the year China abruptly banned online sales of vaping devices, followed by a subsequent ban on flavored vapes that appealed to the youth market and imposition of a 36% sales tax on all vaping products.
The company&rsquo;s gross margin also rose to 27.2% in the latest quarter from 24.1% a year earlier. Its quarterly net income for the third quarter fell slightly year-on-year to 169.4 million yuan. But its non-GAAP profit, which excludes some non-operational factors like stock-based employee compensation, rose 30% year-on-year to 261.9 million yuan.
Tsang&rsquo;s disclosure that more than half of RLX&rsquo;s revenue came from outside China means the company got less than 378 million yuan from the domestic market during the period. That shows the domestic market is still suffering, since RLX recorded 498.9 million yuan in revenues in the third quarter of 2023, most of that probably from China.
<h3>Rebuilding China Business</h3>
The company has previously said it is still rebuilding its China business under the tighter post-crackdown restrictions. It has also complained that it faces competition from illegal products that may, for example, still use flavorings favored by many users.
On the earnings call, Tsang said retail outlets in China had declined from 50,000 in the pre-crackdown era to just 10,000, and reiterated that the flood of illegal products had taken down sales for the compliant industry by 80% to 90%. But he added that sales for products at a range of price points had started stabilizing this year.
RLX has been somewhat late jumping onto the export bandwagon. China produces as much as 95% of the world&rsquo;s vaping products, but 90% of those are exported. Grand View Research estimated the China e-cigarette and vape market was worth $2.27 billion in 2023, equal to just 9% of the $24.6 billion in global sales that year estimated by data aggregator Statista. RLX competitors like&nbsp;Ispire Technology&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ispr#NASDAQ">ISPR</a>) and&nbsp;Smoore International&nbsp;(6969.HK) both derive significant revenues from selling to markets outside China.
RLX&rsquo;s sales were all in China until late 2023. It joined forces with the government in China to combat illegal products that were a big factor in depressing sales, with its Golden Shield program helping to intercept 60 million fake cartridges in 2023. CEO Wang Ying, who also uses the name Kate, said on the earnings call that between 80% and 90% of products sold in China were illegal. While the counterfeit problem may be easing this year, RLX isn&rsquo;t waiting for the market to rebound and instead is diversifying geographically to fortify its business.
To kick off its global drive, it announced $25 million in equity investments in two companies in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia last December. So far it has yet to enter the large but similarly tricky U.S. market, which has engaged in its own regulatory crackdowns and is also clamping down on a flood of illegal vaping devices.
RLX has spent millions of dollars on U.S. Food and Drug Administration-required studies since 2020 but has yet to receive approval for its devices. While it has not revealed which specific markets it has entered or is targeting, it has distribution in Indonesia, which has a smoking population of 61.4 million &ndash; far more than 28.3 million in the U.S. though tiny compared to China&rsquo;s 300 million smokers.
While estimates of prospects for the global vaping market vary widely, most agree it is growing by double digits. RLX CEO Wang concurred, saying the international industry should experience annual growth in the teens percentage range over the next few years as more adult smokers transition from cigarettes to vaping products.
Despite all the beating it&rsquo;s taken over the last three years, RLX&rsquo;s price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 8.81 is still far ahead of Ispire&rsquo;s 3.06, probably due to the fact that Ispire is losing money and its revenue is falling.
Ispire also reported last week that its revenue declined by 9% year-on-year to $39.3 million in the three months to September, while its net loss widened to $5.6 million from $1.3 million. One thing Ispire shares with RLX is its search for new markets, as it tries to expand beyond the U.S. where its sales plunged by more than half in the latest quarter to $8.1 million. That just goes to show that the U.S. and China may be the world&rsquo;s two largest economies, but they&rsquo;re hardly friendly to vaping companies.
This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga's reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

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Rebounding RLX Plots Course Beyond China

By <a href="https://roboforex.com/beginners/analytics/forex-forecast/?utm_source=benzinga.com&amp;utm_medium=pr&amp;utm_campaign=rf_en_external_article_21112024&amp;utm_content=analysis&amp;utm_term=forecast" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">RoboForex Analytical Department</a>
The NZD/USD pair is trading near 0.5879, experiencing volatility as the market awaits the upcoming Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) meeting. Expectations are leaning towards a significant rate cut, with a 50-basis-point reduction considered the baseline scenario and a 25% probability of a more aggressive 75-basis-point cut.
Adding to the uncertainty are pessimistic projections from the New Zealand Treasury, suggesting potential delays in economic recovery, further weighing on sentiment around the NZD.
Internally, the US dollar&rsquo;s strength, fuelled by mixed expectations regarding the Federal Reserve&rsquo;s policy decisions in December, continues to exert substantial pressure on the NZD. Since the US election, the dollar has emerged as a dominant force, benefiting from robust domestic factors, and overshadowing other currencies that lack similar support, leading to their devaluation. As a result, the NZD, particularly vulnerable, reflects this broader depreciation trend against the USD.
<h3>Technical Analysis Of NZD/USD</h3>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u117641/nzdusdh4_14.png"><img alt="" src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u117641/nzdusdh4_14.png" style="height:280px; width:624px" /></a>
On the H4 chart of NZD/USD, the market corrected to the 0.5921 level. Today, a decline wave structure is forming at the 0.5858 level, marking the boundaries of the consolidation range. A downward exit from this range could indicate the potential for the wave to extend towards 0.5777. Alternatively, an upward exit may result in another corrective move towards 0.5944 before the price resumes its decline to 0.5777.&nbsp; From a technical standpoint, this bearish outlook for NZD/USD is supported by the MACD indicator, with its signal line below zero and sloping downward.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u117641/nzdusdh1_14.png"><img alt="" src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u117641/nzdusdh1_14.png" style="height:280px; width:624px" /></a>
On the H1 chart of NZD/USD, the market has formed a consolidation range around 0.5875. Today, another decline wave towards 0.5777 is likely to develop. At this level, the wave is expected to exhaust its downside potential. This scenario is technically confirmed by the Stochastic oscillator, with its signal line below 50 and trending downward.
Disclaimer
Any forecasts contained herein are based on the author&#39;s particular opinion. This analysis may not be treated as trading advice. RoboForex bears no responsibility for trading results based on trading recommendations and reviews contained herein.
This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga&#39;s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

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