First Trust Senior Loan Fund (NASDAQ: FTSL)

Latest news for First Trust Senior Loan Fund (NASDAQ:FTSL)

First Trust Senior Loan Fund

First Trust Senior Loan Fund ETF

Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80 percent of its net assets (including investment borrowings) in first lien senior floating rate bank loans (Senior Loans). A Senior Loan is an advance or commitment of funds made by one or more banks or similar financial institutions to one or more corporations, partnerships or other business entities and typically pays interest at a floating or adjusting rate that is determined periodically at a designated premium above a base lending rate, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR), a similar reference rate, or the prime rate offered by one or more major U.S. banks. A Senior Loan is considered senior to all other unsecured claims against the borrower, senior to or equal with all other secured claims, meaning that in the event of a bankruptcy of the borrower the Senior Loan, together with other first lien claims, is entitled to be the first to be repaid out of proceeds of the assets securing the loans, before other existing unsecured claims or interests receive repayment. However, in bankruptcy proceedings, there may be other claims, such as taxes or additional advances that take precedence.

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Hawthorn Bancshares (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HWBK#NASDAQ">HWBK</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.66 per share. This is a 162.86 percent increase over losses of $(1.05) per share from the same period last year.

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HWBK

Hawthorn Bancshares Q4 EPS $0.66 Up From $(1.05) YoY

WIIM

Telix Pharmaceuticals shares are trading higher after the company announced it will buy the therapeutic pipeline, technology platform, and research facility from ImaginAb.

Ratings for Unity Software (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/U#NYSE">U</a>) were provided by 8 analysts in the past three months, showcasing a mix of bullish and bearish perspectives.
The following table summarizes their recent ratings, shedding light on the changing sentiments within the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th align="right">Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Indifferent</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th align="right">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
The 12-month price targets assessed by analysts reveal further insights, featuring an average target of $20.88, a high estimate of $26.00, and a low estimate of $15.00. This upward trend is evident, with the current average reflecting a 13.29% increase from the previous average price target of $18.43.
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1737572462_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Investigating Analyst Ratings: An Elaborate Study</h2>
The standing of Unity Software among financial experts becomes clear with a thorough analysis of recent analyst actions. The summary below outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Chris Kuntarich</td>
<td>UBS</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$23.00</td>
<td>$21.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Matthew Cost</td>
<td>Morgan Stanley</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
<td>$24.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Andrew Uerkwitz</td>
<td>Jefferies</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$23.00</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tim Nollen</td>
<td>Macquarie</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Underperform</td>
<td>$16.00</td>
<td>$15.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ross Sandler</td>
<td>Barclays</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Equal-Weight</td>
<td>$18.00</td>
<td>$16.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mike Hickey</td>
<td>Benchmark</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Sell</td>
<td>$15.00</td>
<td>$10.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bernie McTernan</td>
<td>Needham</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$26.00</td>
<td>$23.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alec Brondolo</td>
<td>Wells Fargo</td>
<td>Announces</td>
<td>Equal-Weight</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: In response to dynamic market conditions and company performance, analysts update their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise', or 'Lower' their stance, it signifies their reaction to recent developments related to Unity Software. This insight gives a snapshot of analysts' perspectives on the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Analyzing trends, analysts offer qualitative evaluations, ranging from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey expectations for the relative performance of Unity Software compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Analysts set price targets as an estimate of a stock's future value. Comparing the current and prior price targets provides insight into how analysts' expectations have changed over time. This information can be valuable for investors seeking to understand consensus views on the stock's potential future performance.</li>
</ul>
To gain a panoramic view of Unity Software's market performance, explore these analyst evaluations alongside essential financial indicators. Stay informed and make judicious decisions using our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/U/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on Unity Software analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>Delving into Unity Software's Background</h2>
Unity Software Inc provides a software platform for creating and operating interactive, real-time 3D content. The platform can be used to create, run, and monetize interactive, real-time 2D and 3D content for mobile phones, tablets, PCs, consoles, and augmented and virtual reality devices. The business is spread across the United States, Greater China, EMEA, APAC, and Other Americas, of which key revenue is derived from the EMEA region. The products are used in the gaming industry, architecture and construction sector, animation industry, and designing sector.
<h3>Key Indicators: Unity Software's Financial Health</h3>
Market Capitalization Analysis: The company's market capitalization is above the industry average, indicating that it is relatively larger in size compared to peers. This may suggest a higher level of investor confidence and market recognition.
Negative Revenue Trend: Examining Unity Software's financials over 3 months reveals challenges. As of 30 September, 2024, the company experienced a decline of approximately -17.95% in revenue growth, reflecting a decrease in top-line earnings. As compared to competitors, the company encountered difficulties, with a growth rate lower than the average among peers in the Information Technology sector.
Net Margin: Unity Software's net margin is below industry standards, pointing towards difficulties in achieving strong profitability. With a net margin of -27.94%, the company may encounter challenges in effective cost control.
Return on Equity (ROE): Unity Software's ROE is below industry averages, indicating potential challenges in efficiently utilizing equity capital. With an ROE of -3.92%, the company may face hurdles in achieving optimal financial returns.
Return on Assets (ROA): Unity Software's ROA falls below industry averages, indicating challenges in efficiently utilizing assets. With an ROA of -1.86%, the company may face hurdles in generating optimal returns from its assets.
Debt Management: With a high debt-to-equity ratio of 0.7, Unity Software faces challenges in effectively managing its debt levels, indicating potential financial strain.
<h2>Understanding the Relevance of Analyst Ratings</h2>
Experts in banking and financial systems, analysts specialize in reporting for specific stocks or defined sectors. Their comprehensive research involves attending company conference calls and meetings, analyzing financial statements, and engaging with insiders to generate what are known as analyst ratings for stocks. Typically, analysts assess and rate each stock once per quarter.
In addition to their assessments, some analysts extend their insights by offering predictions for key metrics such as earnings, revenue, and growth estimates. This supplementary information provides further guidance for traders. It is crucial to recognize that, despite their specialization, analysts are human and can only provide forecasts based on their beliefs.
Breaking: Wall Street's Next Big Mover
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This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Analyst Ratings

Assessing Unity Software: Insights From 8 Financial Analysts

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bearish stance on Polaris (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PII#NYSE">PII</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether this is an institution or just a wealthy individual, we don't know. But when something this big happens with PII, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 8 options trades for Polaris.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 25% bullish and 62%, bearish.
Out of all of the options we uncovered, 7 are puts, for a total amount of $462,535, and there was 1 call, for a total amount of $46,102.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $40.0 to $60.0 for Polaris during the past quarter. 
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Assessing the volume and open interest is a strategic step in options trading. These metrics shed light on the liquidity and investor interest in Polaris's options at specified strike prices. The forthcoming data visualizes the fluctuation in volume and open interest for both calls and puts, linked to Polaris's substantial trades, within a strike price spectrum from $40.0 to $60.0 over the preceding 30 days.
<h3>Polaris 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1737572454_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Noteworthy Options Activity:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>PII</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$1.8</td>
<td>$1.65</td>
<td>$1.8</td>
<td>$50.00</td>
<td>$180.0K</td>
<td>4.1K</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PII</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$1.9</td>
<td>$1.8</td>
<td>$1.8</td>
<td>$50.00</td>
<td>$86.2K</td>
<td>4.1K</td>
<td>2.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PII</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$1.95</td>
<td>$1.75</td>
<td>$1.9</td>
<td>$50.00</td>
<td>$48.6K</td>
<td>4.1K</td>
<td>3.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PII</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$6.8</td>
<td>$6.2</td>
<td>$6.23</td>
<td>$60.00</td>
<td>$46.1K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
<td>74</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PII</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$1.9</td>
<td>$1.75</td>
<td>$1.9</td>
<td>$50.00</td>
<td>$44.2K</td>
<td>4.1K</td>
<td>2.7K</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Polaris</h3>
Polaris designs and manufactures off-road vehicles, including all-terrain vehicles and side-by-side vehicles for recreational and utility purposes, snowmobiles, and on-road vehicles, including motorcycles, along with the related replacement parts, garments, and accessories. The firm entered the marine market after acquiring Boat Holdings in 2018, offering exposure to another segment of the outdoor lifestyle market. Polaris products retailed through more than 2,500 dealers in North America and through 1,500 international dealers as well as more than 25 subsidiaries and 90 distributors in more than 100 countries outside North America.
Having examined the options trading patterns of Polaris, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance
<h3>Polaris's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>Trading volume stands at 820,270, with PII's price down by -1.58%, positioned at $54.17.</li>
<li>RSI indicators show the stock to be may be approaching oversold.</li>
<li>Earnings announcement expected in 6 days.</li>
</ul>
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here for access</a>.
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Polaris, <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Options

Unpacking the Latest Options Trading Trends in Polaris

In the preceding three months, 16 analysts have released ratings for Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIVN#NASDAQ">RIVN</a>), presenting a wide array of perspectives from bullish to bearish.
The table below provides a snapshot of their recent ratings, showcasing how sentiments have evolved over the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th align="right">Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Indifferent</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th align="right">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
<td align="right">9</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
The 12-month price targets assessed by analysts reveal further insights, featuring an average target of $14.69, a high estimate of $20.00, and a low estimate of $11.00. A 5.23% drop is evident in the current average compared to the previous average price target of $15.50. 
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1737572454_0_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Diving into Analyst Ratings: An In-Depth Exploration</h2>
A clear picture of Rivian Automotive's perception among financial experts is painted with a thorough analysis of recent analyst actions. The summary below outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Dan Levy</td>
<td>Barclays</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Equal-Weight</td>
<td>$14.00</td>
<td>$13.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Joseph Spak</td>
<td>UBS</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$14.00</td>
<td>$11.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jordan Levy</td>
<td>Truist Securities</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Hold</td>
<td>$14.00</td>
<td>$12.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Andres Sheppard</td>
<td>Cantor Fitzgerald</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$13.00</td>
<td>$13.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jordan Levy</td>
<td>Truist Securities</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Hold</td>
<td>$12.00</td>
<td>$12.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>George Gianarikas</td>
<td>Baird</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$16.00</td>
<td>$18.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mark Delaney</td>
<td>Goldman Sachs</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$12.00</td>
<td>$10.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Stephen Gengaro</td>
<td>Stifel</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$16.00</td>
<td>$18.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Vijay Rakesh</td>
<td>Mizuho</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$11.00</td>
<td>$12.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tom Narayan</td>
<td>RBC Capital</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Sector Perform</td>
<td>$12.00</td>
<td>$14.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Daniel Ives</td>
<td>Wedbush</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alexander Potter</td>
<td>Piper Sandler</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$19.00</td>
<td>$21.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chris Pierce</td>
<td>Needham</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$14.00</td>
<td>$18.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>George Gianarikas</td>
<td>Baird</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$18.00</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ronald Jewsikow</td>
<td>Guggenheim</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$18.00</td>
<td>$21.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Vijay Rakesh</td>
<td>Mizuho</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$12.00</td>
<td>$15.00</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Analysts frequently update their recommendations based on evolving market conditions and company performance. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their reaction to recent developments related to Rivian Automotive. This information provides a snapshot of how analysts perceive the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Offering a comprehensive view, analysts assess stocks qualitatively, spanning from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey expectations for the relative performance of Rivian Automotive compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Gaining insights, analysts provide estimates for the future value of Rivian Automotive's stock. This comparison reveals trends in analysts' expectations over time.</li>
</ul>
Analyzing these analyst evaluations alongside relevant financial metrics can provide a comprehensive view of Rivian Automotive's market position. Stay informed and make data-driven decisions with the assistance of our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/RIVN/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on Rivian Automotive analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>Get to Know Rivian Automotive Better</h2>
Rivian Automotive Inc designs, develops, and manufactures category-defining electric vehicles and accessories. In the consumer market, the company launched the R1 platform with the first generation of consumer vehicles: the R1T, a two-row, five-passenger pickup truck, and the R1S, a three-row, seven-passenger sport utility vehicle (SUV).
<h3>Rivian Automotive: Delving into Financials</h3>
Market Capitalization Analysis: Positioned below industry benchmarks, the company's market capitalization faces constraints in size. This could be influenced by factors such as growth expectations or operational capacity.
Decline in Revenue: Over the 3 months period, Rivian Automotive faced challenges, resulting in a decline of approximately -34.63% in revenue growth as of 30 September, 2024. This signifies a reduction in the company's top-line earnings. In comparison to its industry peers, the company trails behind with a growth rate lower than the average among peers in the Consumer Discretionary sector.
Net Margin: Rivian Automotive's financial strength is reflected in its exceptional net margin, which exceeds industry averages. With a remarkable net margin of -125.86%, the company showcases strong profitability and effective cost management.
Return on Equity (ROE): Rivian Automotive's financial strength is reflected in its exceptional ROE, which exceeds industry averages. With a remarkable ROE of -17.3%, the company showcases efficient use of equity capital and strong financial health.
Return on Assets (ROA): Rivian Automotive's ROA stands out, surpassing industry averages. With an impressive ROA of -7.43%, the company demonstrates effective utilization of assets and strong financial performance.
Debt Management: Rivian Automotive's debt-to-equity ratio surpasses industry norms, standing at 1.06. This suggests the company carries a substantial amount of debt, posing potential financial challenges.
<h2>Analyst Ratings: Simplified</h2>
Ratings come from analysts, or specialists within banking and financial systems that report for specific stocks or defined sectors (typically once per quarter for each stock). Analysts usually derive their information from company conference calls and meetings, financial statements, and conversations with important insiders to reach their decisions.
Analysts may supplement their ratings with predictions for metrics like growth estimates, earnings, and revenue, offering investors a more comprehensive outlook. However, investors should be mindful that analysts, like any human, can have subjective perspectives influencing their forecasts.
Breaking: Wall Street's Next Big Mover
Benzinga's #1 analyst just identified a stock poised for explosive growth. This under-the-radar company could surge 200%+ as major market shifts unfold. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/turning-point-trader-checkout-2/?t=Tu1tu3arja3be22tu36&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here for urgent details</a>.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

RIVN

Rivian Automotive Stock: A Deep Dive Into Analyst Perspectives (16 Ratings)

Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bearish approach towards Target (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TGT#NYSE">TGT</a>), and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in TGT usually suggests something big is about to happen.
We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 12 extraordinary options activities for Target. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.
The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 33% leaning bullish and 50% bearish. Among these notable options, 5 are puts, totaling $308,435, and 7 are calls, amounting to $855,990.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $120.0 to $165.0 for Target over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Target's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Target's significant trades, within a strike price range of $120.0 to $165.0, over the past month.
<h3>Target Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1737572448_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>TGT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$8.85</td>
<td>$8.7</td>
<td>$8.85</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>$620.3K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
<td align="right">701</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TGT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>07/18/25</td>
<td>$8.35</td>
<td>$8.1</td>
<td>$8.4</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
<td>$126.0K</td>
<td>537</td>
<td align="right">150</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TGT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$8.65</td>
<td>$8.55</td>
<td>$8.55</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$60.7K</td>
<td>4.9K</td>
<td align="right">72</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TGT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$2.82</td>
<td>$2.78</td>
<td>$2.82</td>
<td>$125.00</td>
<td>$56.4K</td>
<td>1.3K</td>
<td align="right">163</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TGT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$11.9</td>
<td>$11.75</td>
<td>$11.75</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>$52.8K</td>
<td>2.4K</td>
<td align="right">61</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Target</h3>
Target serves as the nation's seventh-largest retailer, with its strategy predicated on delivering a gratifying in-store shopping experience and a wide product assortment of trendy apparel, home goods, and household essentials at competitive prices. Target's upscale and stylish image began to carry national merit in the 1990s—a decade in which the brand saw its top line grow threefold to almost $30 billion—and has since cemented itself as a leading US retailer.Today, Target operates over 1,950 stores in the United States, generates over $100 billion in sales, and fulfills over 2 billion customer orders annually. The firm's vast footprint is typically concentrated in urban and suburban markets as the firm seeks to attract a more affluent consumer base.
In light of the recent options history for Target, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>Present Market Standing of Target</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 1,623,019, the price of TGT is down by -0.6%, reaching $136.52.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 41 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On Target</h3>
A total of 4 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $143.0.
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&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Truist Securities continues to hold a Hold rating for Target, targeting a price of $134. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Citigroup keeps a Neutral rating on Target with a target price of $133. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Telsey Advisory Group keeps a Outperform rating on Target with a target price of $150. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Guggenheim persists with their Buy rating on Target, maintaining a target price of $155. 
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A Closer Look at Target's Options Market Dynamics

Analysts' ratings for Vistra (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VST#NYSE">VST</a>) over the last quarter vary from bullish to bearish, as provided by 5 analysts.
The table below offers a condensed view of their recent ratings, showcasing the changing sentiments over the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th align="right">Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Indifferent</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th align="right">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
The 12-month price targets, analyzed by analysts, offer insights with an average target of $176.6, a high estimate of $202.00, and a low estimate of $147.00. This current average has increased by 19.12% from the previous average price target of $148.25. 
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1737572444_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Deciphering Analyst Ratings: An In-Depth Analysis</h2>
The analysis of recent analyst actions sheds light on the perception of Vistra by financial experts. The following summary presents key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>James Thalacker</td>
<td>BMO Capital</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$191.00</td>
<td>$151.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Durgesh Chopra</td>
<td>Evercore ISI Group</td>
<td>Announces</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$202.00</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>William Appicelli</td>
<td>UBS</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$174.00</td>
<td>$161.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Stephen Byrd</td>
<td>Morgan Stanley</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$169.00</td>
<td>$135.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>James Thalacker</td>
<td>BMO Capital</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$147.00</td>
<td>$146.00</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: In response to dynamic market conditions and company performance, analysts update their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise', or 'Lower' their stance, it signifies their reaction to recent developments related to Vistra. This insight gives a snapshot of analysts' perspectives on the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Analysts assign qualitative assessments to stocks, ranging from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey the analysts' expectations for the relative performance of Vistra compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Analysts explore the dynamics of price targets, providing estimates for the future value of Vistra's stock. This examination reveals shifts in analysts' expectations over time.</li>
</ul>
To gain a panoramic view of Vistra's market performance, explore these analyst evaluations alongside essential financial indicators. Stay informed and make judicious decisions using our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/VST/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on Vistra analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>Get to Know Vistra Better</h2>
Vistra Energy is one of the largest power producers and retail energy providers in the us Following the 2024 Energy Harbor acquisition, Vistra owns 41 gigawatts of nuclear, coal, natural gas, and solar power generation along with one of the largest utility-scale battery projects in the world. Its retail electricity business serves 5 million customers in 20 states, including almost a third of all Texas electricity consumers. Vistra emerged from the Energy Future Holdings bankruptcy as a stand-alone entity in 2016. It acquired Dynegy in 2018.
<h3>Breaking Down Vistra's Financial Performance</h3>
Market Capitalization: Boasting an elevated market capitalization, the company surpasses industry averages. This signals substantial size and strong market recognition.
Positive Revenue Trend: Examining Vistra's financials over 3 months reveals a positive narrative. The company achieved a noteworthy revenue growth rate of 53.89% as of 30 September, 2024, showcasing a substantial increase in top-line earnings. When compared to others in the Utilities sector, the company excelled with a growth rate higher than the average among peers.
Net Margin: The company's net margin is a standout performer, exceeding industry averages. With an impressive net margin of 29.26%, the company showcases strong profitability and effective cost control.
Return on Equity (ROE): Vistra's financial strength is reflected in its exceptional ROE, which exceeds industry averages. With a remarkable ROE of 60.51%, the company showcases efficient use of equity capital and strong financial health.
Return on Assets (ROA): The company's ROA is a standout performer, exceeding industry averages. With an impressive ROA of 4.78%, the company showcases effective utilization of assets.
Debt Management: With a high debt-to-equity ratio of 5.33, Vistra faces challenges in effectively managing its debt levels, indicating potential financial strain.
<h2>Analyst Ratings: Simplified</h2>
Experts in banking and financial systems, analysts specialize in reporting for specific stocks or defined sectors. Their comprehensive research involves attending company conference calls and meetings, analyzing financial statements, and engaging with insiders to generate what are known as analyst ratings for stocks. Typically, analysts assess and rate each stock once per quarter.
Some analysts also offer predictions for helpful metrics such as earnings, revenue, and growth estimates to provide further guidance as to what to do with certain tickers. It is important to keep in mind that while stock and sector analysts are specialists, they are also human and can only forecast their beliefs to traders.
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This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Breaking Down Vistra: 5 Analysts Share Their Views

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Walt Disney (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with DIS, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did? 
Today, <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?utm_source=insights">Benzinga</a>'s options scanner spotted 25 uncommon options trades for Walt Disney.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 48% bullish and 40%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 4 are puts, for a total amount of $347,879, and 21 are calls, for a total amount of $993,788.
<h3>Projected Price Targets</h3>
After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $75.0 and $135.0 for Walt Disney, spanning the last three months.
<h3>Insights into Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Walt Disney options trades today is 3649.41 with a total volume of 6,392.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Walt Disney's big money trades within a strike price range of $75.0 to $135.0 over the last 30 days.
<h3>Walt Disney Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1737572442_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Largest Options Trades Observed:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>DIS</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>12/18/26</td>
<td>$27.4</td>
<td>$26.9</td>
<td>$27.4</td>
<td>$95.00</td>
<td>$174.8K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
<td>64</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DIS</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$26.95</td>
<td>$26.85</td>
<td>$26.85</td>
<td>$135.00</td>
<td>$166.2K</td>
<td>205</td>
<td>64</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DIS</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$1.4</td>
<td>$0.99</td>
<td>$1.15</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$115.0K</td>
<td>2.8K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DIS</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$22.5</td>
<td>$21.85</td>
<td>$21.9</td>
<td>$105.00</td>
<td>$98.5K</td>
<td>308</td>
<td>46</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DIS</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$10.25</td>
<td>$10.05</td>
<td>$10.09</td>
<td>$115.00</td>
<td>$58.5K</td>
<td>5.0K</td>
<td>60</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Walt Disney</h3>
Disney operates in three global business segments: entertainment, sports, and experiences. Entertainment and experiences both benefit from the firm's ownership of iconic franchises and characters. Entertainment includes the ABC broadcast network, several cable television networks, and the Disney+ and Hulu streaming services. Within the segment, Disney also engages in movie and television production and distribution, with content licensed to movie theaters, other content providers, or, increasingly, kept in-house for use on Disney's own streaming platform and television networks. The sports segment houses ESPN and the ESPN+ streaming service. Experiences contains Disney's theme parks and vacation destinations, and also benefits from merchandise licensing.
Having examined the options trading patterns of Walt Disney, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance
<h3>Present Market Standing of Walt Disney</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 4,433,466, the price of DIS is up by 0.27%, reaching $108.99.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 14 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Professional Analyst Ratings for Walt Disney</h3>
3 market experts have recently issued ratings for this stock, with a consensus target price of $127.33333333333333.
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&#x2A; Reflecting concerns, an analyst from Citigroup lowers its rating to Buy with a new price target of $125. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Macquarie persists with their Neutral rating on Walt Disney, maintaining a target price of $110. 
&#x2A; In a positive move, an analyst from Redburn Atlantic has upgraded their rating to Buy and adjusted the price target to $147. 
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Walt Disney's Options: A Look at What the Big Money is Thinking

Analysts' ratings for Peoples Bancorp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEBO#NASDAQ">PEBO</a>) over the last quarter vary from bullish to bearish, as provided by 4 analysts.
In the table below, you'll find a summary of their recent ratings, revealing the shifting sentiments over the past 30 days and comparing them to the previous months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th align="right">Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Indifferent</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th align="right">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
The 12-month price targets, analyzed by analysts, offer insights with an average target of $38.38, a high estimate of $40.00, and a low estimate of $36.00. This upward trend is evident, with the current average reflecting a 2.02% increase from the previous average price target of $37.62.
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1737572437_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Investigating Analyst Ratings: An Elaborate Study</h2>
The perception of Peoples Bancorp by financial experts is analyzed through recent analyst actions. The following summary presents key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Terry McEvoy</td>
<td>Stephens &amp; Co.</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Equal-Weight</td>
<td>$37.50</td>
<td>$37.50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nathan Race</td>
<td>Piper Sandler</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$39.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Manuel Navas</td>
<td>DA Davidson</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$42.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Timothy Switzer</td>
<td>Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Market Perform</td>
<td>$36.00</td>
<td>$32.00</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Responding to changing market dynamics and company performance, analysts update their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise', or 'Lower' their stance, it signifies their response to recent developments related to Peoples Bancorp. This offers insight into analysts' perspectives on the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Delving into assessments, analysts assign qualitative values, from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings communicate expectations for the relative performance of Peoples Bancorp compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Gaining insights, analysts provide estimates for the future value of Peoples Bancorp's stock. This comparison reveals trends in analysts' expectations over time.</li>
</ul>
To gain a panoramic view of Peoples Bancorp's market performance, explore these analyst evaluations alongside essential financial indicators. Stay informed and make judicious decisions using our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PEBO/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on Peoples Bancorp analyst ratings.</a>
If you are interested in following small-cap stock news and performance <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/small-cap">you can start by tracking it here</a>.
<h2>Get to Know Peoples Bancorp Better</h2>
Peoples Bancorp Inc (Marietta OH) is a financial holding company. As a community bank, it offers a complete line of banking, insurance, investment, and trust solutions through its financial subsidiaries. It offers demand deposit accounts, savings accounts, real estate mortgage loans, merchant credit card transaction processing services, corporate and personal trust services, life, health, property, and casualty insurance products, and brokerage services. The firm also offers telephone and internet-based banking through both personal computers and mobile devices.
<h3>Peoples Bancorp: Delving into Financials</h3>
Market Capitalization Analysis: The company's market capitalization is above the industry average, indicating that it is relatively larger in size compared to peers. This may suggest a higher level of investor confidence and market recognition.
Decline in Revenue: Over the 3 months period, Peoples Bancorp faced challenges, resulting in a decline of approximately -2.29% in revenue growth as of 30 September, 2024. This signifies a reduction in the company's top-line earnings. As compared to its peers, the revenue growth lags behind its industry peers. The company achieved a growth rate lower than the average among peers in Financials sector.
Net Margin: Peoples Bancorp's net margin excels beyond industry benchmarks, reaching 28.17%. This signifies efficient cost management and strong financial health.
Return on Equity (ROE): Peoples Bancorp's ROE surpasses industry standards, highlighting the company's exceptional financial performance. With an impressive 2.85% ROE, the company effectively utilizes shareholder equity capital.
Return on Assets (ROA): Peoples Bancorp's ROA stands out, surpassing industry averages. With an impressive ROA of 0.34%, the company demonstrates effective utilization of assets and strong financial performance.
Debt Management: Peoples Bancorp's debt-to-equity ratio is below the industry average. With a ratio of 0.21, the company relies less on debt financing, maintaining a healthier balance between debt and equity, which can be viewed positively by investors.
<h2>Analyst Ratings: What Are They?</h2>
Analysts are specialists within banking and financial systems that typically report for specific stocks or within defined sectors. These people research company financial statements, sit in conference calls and meetings, and speak with relevant insiders to determine what are known as analyst ratings for stocks. Typically, analysts will rate each stock once a quarter. 
Some analysts publish their predictions for metrics such as growth estimates, earnings, and revenue to provide additional guidance with their ratings. When using analyst ratings, it is important to keep in mind that stock and sector analysts are also human and are only offering their opinions to investors.
Which Stocks Are Analysts Recommending Now?
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This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

PEBO

Where Peoples Bancorp Stands With Analysts

Providing a diverse range of perspectives from bullish to bearish, 5 analysts have published ratings on BorgWarner (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BWA#NYSE">BWA</a>) in the last three months.
The table below summarizes their recent ratings, showcasing the evolving sentiments within the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th align="right">Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Indifferent</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th align="right">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
The 12-month price targets assessed by analysts reveal further insights, featuring an average target of $38.8, a high estimate of $43.00, and a low estimate of $31.00. Highlighting a 4.43% decrease, the current average has fallen from the previous average price target of $40.60. 
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1737572425_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Interpreting Analyst Ratings: A Closer Look</h2>
The standing of BorgWarner among financial experts becomes clear with a thorough analysis of recent analyst actions. The summary below outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Dan Levy</td>
<td>Barclays</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$43.00</td>
<td>$47.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kash Rangan</td>
<td>Goldman Sachs</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$31.00</td>
<td>$35.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Colin Langan</td>
<td>Wells Fargo</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$42.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ronald Jewsikow</td>
<td>Guggenheim</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$41.00</td>
<td>$41.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Edison Yu</td>
<td>Deutsche Bank</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Hold</td>
<td>$39.00</td>
<td>$38.00</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Analysts frequently update their recommendations based on evolving market conditions and company performance. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their reaction to recent developments related to BorgWarner. This information provides a snapshot of how analysts perceive the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Offering a comprehensive view, analysts assess stocks qualitatively, spanning from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey expectations for the relative performance of BorgWarner compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Delving into movements, analysts provide estimates for the future value of BorgWarner's stock. This analysis reveals shifts in analysts' expectations over time.</li>
</ul>
Considering these analyst evaluations in conjunction with other financial indicators can offer a comprehensive understanding of BorgWarner's market position. Stay informed and make well-informed decisions with our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/BWA/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on BorgWarner analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>Get to Know BorgWarner Better</h2>
BorgWarner is a Tier I auto-parts supplier with three operating segments. The air management group makes turbochargers, e-boosters, e-turbos, timing systems, emissions systems, thermal systems, gasoline ignition technology, powertrain sensors, and cabin heaters. The drivetrain and battery systems group produces automatic transmission components, torque management products, battery heaters, battery charging, and battery modules. The e-propulsion segment makes e-motors, power electronics, and software and control modules. The company's largest customers are Ford and Volkswagen at 14% and 11% of 2023 revenue, respectively. Geographically, Europe accounted for 36% of 2023 revenue, while Asia and North America were 34% and 29% apiece.
<h3>BorgWarner: A Financial Overview</h3>
Market Capitalization: Exceeding industry standards, the company's market capitalization places it above industry average in size relative to peers. This emphasizes its significant scale and robust market position.
Negative Revenue Trend: Examining BorgWarner's financials over 3 months reveals challenges. As of 30 September, 2024, the company experienced a decline of approximately -4.78% in revenue growth, reflecting a decrease in top-line earnings. In comparison to its industry peers, the company trails behind with a growth rate lower than the average among peers in the Consumer Discretionary sector.
Net Margin: BorgWarner's net margin is impressive, surpassing industry averages. With a net margin of 6.78%, the company demonstrates strong profitability and effective cost management.
Return on Equity (ROE): The company's ROE is a standout performer, exceeding industry averages. With an impressive ROE of 3.82%, the company showcases effective utilization of equity capital.
Return on Assets (ROA): The company's ROA is a standout performer, exceeding industry averages. With an impressive ROA of 1.6%, the company showcases effective utilization of assets.
Debt Management: BorgWarner's debt-to-equity ratio is below the industry average. With a ratio of 0.77, the company relies less on debt financing, maintaining a healthier balance between debt and equity, which can be viewed positively by investors.
<h2>The Basics of Analyst Ratings</h2>
Experts in banking and financial systems, analysts specialize in reporting for specific stocks or defined sectors. Their comprehensive research involves attending company conference calls and meetings, analyzing financial statements, and engaging with insiders to generate what are known as analyst ratings for stocks. Typically, analysts assess and rate each stock once per quarter.
Some analysts publish their predictions for metrics such as growth estimates, earnings, and revenue to provide additional guidance with their ratings. When using analyst ratings, it is important to keep in mind that stock and sector analysts are also human and are only offering their opinions to investors.
Which Stocks Are Analysts Recommending Now?
Benzinga Edge gives you instant access to all major analyst upgrades, downgrades, and price targets. Sort by accuracy, upside potential, and more. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=be8be9arja3be22bz21&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here to stay ahead of the market</a>.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Breaking Down BorgWarner: 5 Analysts Share Their Views

Analysts' ratings for Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RARE#NASDAQ">RARE</a>) over the last quarter vary from bullish to bearish, as provided by 11 analysts.
The following table encapsulates their recent ratings, offering a glimpse into the evolving sentiments over the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th align="right">Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th align="right">Indifferent</th>
<th align="right">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th align="right">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td align="right">4</td>
<td align="right">6</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">1</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
<td align="right">3</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Analysts provide deeper insights through their assessments of 12-month price targets, revealing an average target of $101.91, a high estimate of $140.00, and a low estimate of $48.00. This upward trend is apparent, with the current average reflecting a 3.89% increase from the previous average price target of $98.09.
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1737572415_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Investigating Analyst Ratings: An Elaborate Study</h2>
An in-depth analysis of recent analyst actions unveils how financial experts perceive Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical. The following summary outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Kristen Kluska</td>
<td>Cantor Fitzgerald</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$118.00</td>
<td>$118.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Christopher Raymond</td>
<td>Piper Sandler</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$140.00</td>
<td>$135.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Laura Chico</td>
<td>Wedbush</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$48.00</td>
<td>$46.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ed Arce</td>
<td>HC Wainwright &amp; Co.</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$95.00</td>
<td>$95.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tiago Fauth</td>
<td>Wells Fargo</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$88.00</td>
<td>$75.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Anupam Rama</td>
<td>JP Morgan</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$102.00</td>
<td>$105.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Whitney Ijem</td>
<td>Canaccord Genuity</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$121.00</td>
<td>$121.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Whitney Ijem</td>
<td>Canaccord Genuity</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$121.00</td>
<td>$109.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Luca Issi</td>
<td>RBC Capital</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$77.00</td>
<td>$77.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kristen Kluska</td>
<td>Cantor Fitzgerald</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$116.00</td>
<td>$116.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ed Arce</td>
<td>HC Wainwright &amp; Co.</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Buy</td>
<td>$95.00</td>
<td>$82.00</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Analysts respond to changes in market conditions and company performance, frequently updating their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their reaction to recent developments related to Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical. This information offers a snapshot of how analysts perceive the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Offering insights into predictions, analysts assign qualitative values, from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey expectations for the relative performance of Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Analysts provide insights into price targets, offering estimates for the future value of Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical's stock. This comparison reveals trends in analysts' expectations over time.</li>
</ul>
Capture valuable insights into Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical's market standing by understanding these analyst evaluations alongside pertinent financial indicators. Stay informed and make strategic decisions with our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/RARE/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>Discovering Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical: A Closer Look</h2>
Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc is a USA-based biopharmaceutical company. It identifies, acquires, develops, and commercializes novel products for the treatment of serious rare and ultra-rare diseases, with a focus on serious, debilitating genetic diseases. The company's medicine portfolio includes Crysvita, Dojolvi, and Mepsevii. Crysvita is indicated for the treatment of X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) in adult and pediatric patients 1 year of age and older. Mepsevii is indicated in pediatric and adult patients for the treatment of Mucopolysaccharidosis VII.
<h3>Understanding the Numbers: Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical's Finances</h3>
Market Capitalization Analysis: Positioned below industry benchmarks, the company's market capitalization faces constraints in size. This could be influenced by factors such as growth expectations or operational capacity.
Revenue Growth: Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical displayed positive results in 3 months. As of 30 September, 2024, the company achieved a solid revenue growth rate of approximately 42.27%. This indicates a notable increase in the company's top-line earnings. When compared to others in the Health Care sector, the company faces challenges, achieving a growth rate lower than the average among peers.
Net Margin: Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical's financial strength is reflected in its exceptional net margin, which exceeds industry averages. With a remarkable net margin of -95.71%, the company showcases strong profitability and effective cost management.
Return on Equity (ROE): Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical's ROE falls below industry averages, indicating challenges in efficiently using equity capital. With an ROE of -34.27%, the company may face hurdles in generating optimal returns for shareholders.
Return on Assets (ROA): The company's ROA is below industry benchmarks, signaling potential difficulties in efficiently utilizing assets. With an ROA of -8.46%, the company may need to address challenges in generating satisfactory returns from its assets.
Debt Management: With a below-average debt-to-equity ratio of 0.1, Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical adopts a prudent financial strategy, indicating a balanced approach to debt management.
<h2>Analyst Ratings: What Are They?</h2>
Analyst ratings serve as essential indicators of stock performance, provided by experts in banking and financial systems. These specialists diligently analyze company financial statements, participate in conference calls, and engage with insiders to generate quarterly ratings for individual stocks.
Some analysts also offer predictions for helpful metrics such as earnings, revenue, and growth estimates to provide further guidance as to what to do with certain tickers. It is important to keep in mind that while stock and sector analysts are specialists, they are also human and can only forecast their beliefs to traders.
Which Stocks Are Analysts Recommending Now?
Benzinga Edge gives you instant access to all major analyst upgrades, downgrades, and price targets. Sort by accuracy, upside potential, and more. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=be8be9arja3be22bz21&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here to stay ahead of the market</a>.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

RARE

Breaking Down Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical: 11 Analysts Share Their Views

The semiconductor showdown between Intel Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) and Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) is reaching a critical juncture as both companies prepare to report their <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings">fourth quarter earnings</a>. 
While BofA Securities analyst Vivek Arya maintains an Underperform rating on Intel and a Neutral stance on AMD, the dynamics of the PC, server, and AI markets are reshaping investor sentiment.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Intel: Can 18A and M&amp;A Speculation Keep It Afloat?</h2>
Intel faces a tough near-term outlook with limited market growth, CPU share losses, and ongoing PC weakness. The server segment is nearing a bottom, but AI remains a glaring void in Intel's pipeline, the analyst says. M&amp;A speculation is swirling, yet Arya sees multiple hurdles, including regulatory challenges and Intel's growing dependence on TSMC—ironically countering the CHIPS Act&#8217;s goals.
The wildcard? Any breakthrough in Intel's 18A node progress could offer a lifeline, but proof of success remains elusive.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43065280/intel-gains-8-on-speculation-of-buyout-details-remain-unclear">Intel Stock Gains On Speculative Buyout Report, Details Remain Unclear</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AMD: A Balancing Act Between AI Hopes &amp; Market Reality</h2>
AMD has gained server CPU share but remains highly sensitive to AI GPU demand for 2025. 
While the analyst expects in-line fourth quarter earnings, PC headwinds and muted embedded/gaming demand could pressure Q1 results. The AI market is a game-changer, but Arya sees AMD's 2025 AI revenue at $8 billion—below the $9 billion consensus. 
Despite the sector's explosive growth, Nvidia Corp still holds an 80%+ share, leaving AMD as a secondary player.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Verdict: Who Wins The Chip Wars?</h2>
For now, AMD appears better positioned with steady server CPU gains and AI exposure, but its long-term AI share remains a question mark. 
Intel, on the other hand, is still fighting manufacturing uncertainty and AI irrelevance, though any positive 18A developments could shift sentiment. 
As the fourth quarter earnings approach, investors must decide whether Intel's floor is solid—or just a mirage—while AMD's AI bet faces a reality check.
Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43126364/jim-cramer-this-tech-stock-is-a-buy-amd-is-a-great-company"> </a>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43126364/jim-cramer-this-tech-stock-is-a-buy-amd-is-a-great-company">Jim Cramer: AMD Is A &#8216;Great&#8217; Company, Hold Onto Dow Inc.</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Tech

INTC

Intel Vs. AMD: Server Battle, AI Race Frame Earnings Test

TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo previously predicted Himax Technologies, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HIMX#NASDAQ">HIMX</a>) as a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/tsmc" rel="noreferrer noopener">potential supplier for</a> Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>).
Kuo&#8217;s <a target="_blank" href="https://mingchikuo.craft.me/yV6zx9jgzMGiLj" rel="noreferrer noopener">latest supply chain</a> survey indicates that Taiwan Semiconductor&#8217;s Compact Universal Photonic Engine (silicon photonics) development and ecosystem visibility have improved markedly. Furthermore, the analyst confirmed that Himax is the exclusive supplier of micro-lens arrays for the first and second generations of COUPE FAUs.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43130244/amphenol-q4-earnings-30-sales-growth-ceo-highlights-growth-in-it-mobile-and-defense-markets-forecasts-strong-q1-sales-growth" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amphenol Q4 Earnings: Revenue And EPS Beat, CEO Highlights Growth In IT, Mobile And Defense, Strong Q1 Forecast And More</a>
Thanks to COUPE, Himax is poised for robust expansion over the next few years. Kuo estimates Himax revenue to reach $1.16 billion in 2026, $1.42 billion in 2027, and $2.4 billion in 2028 (versus the consensus of $1.11 billion for 2026), and EPS of $1.00, $1.60, and $3.40 (versus the consensus of $0.80 for 2026).
Kuo noted that the first COUPE generation is fully developed and undergoing mass production validation. Second-generation mass production validation should begin in the first half of 2026.
The analyst said that Taiwan Semiconductor&#8217;s earnings call and Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) CEO Jensen Huang&#8217;s statements may seem contradictory, but both are fundamentally positive about COUPE.
Himax is the exclusive micro-lens array supplier for the first and second COUPE generations. Kuo said a second supplier would likely emerge before the third generation.
According to the analyst, several events in the next six months could further boost market visibility for COUPE and silicon photonics.
Among Taiwan Semiconductor&#8217;s developing technologies, COUPE receives the highest priority, providing multi-year visibility.
On January 16, Taiwan Semiconductor mentioned silicon photonics could move to mass production in about 1–1.5 years. On January 17, during a visit to Taiwan, Nvidia chief Jensen Huang told local media about the Nvidia and Taiwan Semiconductor collaboration on silicon photonics, which will take several years.
Among Taiwan Semiconductor&#8217;s clients, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) is likely the first to adopt COUPE, continuing its aggressive trend of using Taiwan Semiconductor&#8217;s advanced technologies.
If mass production is on time (late 2027), Rubin Ultra could be the first Nvidia product to use COUPE.
Based on Kuo&#8217;s recent supply chain checks, if there are no big production problems, FOCI will be the sole FAU (ReLFACon) provider for both Gen 1 and Gen 2 COUPE, and Himax is the exclusive supplier of the micro-lens array. The earliest a second supplier might enter the market would be for the Gen 3.
Price Actions: At last check on Wednesday, HIMX stock was up 5.91% to $10.13. TSM is up 2.99%.
Also Read:
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</ul>

Movers

HIMX

NVDA

Himax To Gain Big As TSMC, Nvidia and AMD Advance Silicon Photonics and COUPE Tech: Analyst

Goldman Sachs analyst Lizzie Dove <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ccl/analyst-ratings">reiterated a price forecast of $35</a> and a Buy rating on the shares of Carnival Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CCL#NYSE">CCL</a>) and provided the following comments about its recently concluded investor event.
CCL&#8217;s strategy to develop private islands and exclusive destinations shows significant potential, with the capacity on its private islands expected to nearly double from 6.5 million to around 11 million passengers by 2030, said the analyst.
Management highlighted the considerable growth potential and expansion of its private island and exclusive destination strategy.
Management also pointed out that the growth will result in a daily capacity of approximately 95,000 guests by 2030, comparable to the throughput of Disney&#8216;s Magic Kingdom.
Despite concluding 2024 with an impressive 13% growth in new-to-cruise customers and a 10% increase in brand repeaters, CCL&#8217;s management remains confident in the long-term growth potential and the opportunity to &#8220;catch up&#8221; with certain brands that have not yet reached 2019 performance levels, noted the analyst.
CCL considers there is still substantial opportunity for continued brand momentum, even for some of its top-performing brands, which will drive further financial growth.
The company also noted that they have returned to solid bookings, with two-thirds of 2025&#8217;s capacity already booked by December, and all brands are priced higher year-over-year, noted the analyst.
With demand significantly outpacing CCL&#8217;s supply growth, management stressed that new ships are not essential to increase yields or stimulate additional demand.
Instead, the focus is on optimizing sales from existing ships rather than relying on the pricing boost from introducing a new vessel.
According to the analyst, the slower projected newbuild pace will not only create a favorable supply-demand environment but also provide <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance">room for further debt reduction.</a>
Management remains confident that CCL has a strong opportunity to improve its balance sheet and transfer debt to equity value, aiming for investment-grade metrics of approximately 3.5X by FY2026.
Price Action: CCL shares are trading lower by 0.25% at $25.54 at the last check Wednesday.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43122855" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump's Plan To Revoke $7,500 EV Tax Credit Is A ‘Huge' Negative For Tesla, Says Gary Black, Downplays Impact On Rivals</a></li>
</ul>
Photo by Darryl Brooks via Shutterstock.

Equities

Price Target

Reiteration

General

Carnival Corp's Private Island Strategy Poised For Significant Expansion, Says Analyst

The Trump Administration has announced an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43111153/nvidia-and-ai-stock-rises-as-trump-announces-500-billion-stargate-ai-infrastructure-venture" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI infrastructure joint venture</a> in the U.S. named &#8220;Stargate,&#8221; comprised of OpenAI, SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>), Oracle Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>), and Abu Dhabi&#8217;s MGX. The venture will deploy $100 billion initially and up to $500 billion over the next four years.
Masayoshi Son of SoftBank (rated Outperform), Sam Altman of OpenAI, and Larry Ellison of Oracle participated in the press conference at the White House.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43127416/anthropic-gains-big-with-google-backing-aiming-for-60-billion-valuation-and-surging-ai-revenue" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anthropic Gains Big With Google Backing, Aims for $60 Billion Valuation and Surging AI Revenue</a>
Ellison noted that the JV&#8217;s initial ten data center buildings are in Abilene, Texas, with plans to expand to twenty.
Macquarie analyst Paul Golding recalled that Son and President Donald Trump announced in December plans for SoftBank to invest $100 in the U.S. over the next four years while creating 100,000 jobs focused on &#8220;AI and related infrastructure.&#8221;
The OpenAI release on Stargate outlines SoftBank as having financial responsibility, OpenAI operational responsibility, and Son as Chairman of the JV. Arm Holdings Plc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>), Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Oracle, and OpenAI are the key initial tech partners.
Golding had been tracking a potential &#8220;mega-project&#8221; at SoftBank, focused on AI, semis, and data centers, for quite some time. In those early reports, the analyst cited that the investment size targeted was ~$100 billion. The breadth of the project type spanned data centers, colocated data center power generation, vaccines, and artificial general intelligence (AGI).
Prior reports indicated Son&#8217;s plan to use an Arm AI chip division to supply chips for new SoftBank data centers starting in 2026 while exploring fusion tech to power them.
Meanwhile, Arm IP is being leveraged in the partnership between Nvidia and SoftBank to develop multi-access edge computing technology for AI over 5G across Japan for deployment in other countries based on fine-tuning from the Japan pilot.
Golding remarked this could eventually be incorporated into Stargate to unlock IoT capabilities, inference at the edge, and other AI-enhanced processes.
While funding considerations and operational bandwidth for SoftBank will be key areas to watch as Stargate gets up and running, participation in a project of this scale alongside heavyweights in the AI space like OpenAI, in Golding&#8217;s opinion, shows how valuable the quality and combination of SoftBank&#8217;s assets and tech investment management capabilities are seen to be, given the time and place in tech and the world.
Also Read:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/01/43096797/huawei-wants-to-take-nvidias-place-in-ai-in-china-shifts-focus-to-inference-over-training" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Huawei Wants To Take Nvidia&#8217;s Place In AI In China, Shifts Focus to Inference Over Training</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

MSFT

ORCL

SFTBF

SFTBY

SoftBank's Role in $500 Billion Stargate AI Venture Seen as Major Growth Driver, Analyst Says

Millions of people tuned into media coverage of Donald Trump's inauguration on Monday, Jan. 20, which came with the stock market also being closed and some people having the day off in observance of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/01/43085323/trump-sworn-in-as-47th-president-declares-golden-age-of-america-begins-right-now">Martin Luther King Jr. Day.</a>
Here's a look at how many people watched the inauguration and how it compares to the last two presidential inaugurations.
What Happened: While <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/broad-u-s-equity-etfs/25/01/43085491/where-will-sp-500-open-after-trumps-inauguration-39-pick-this-range">investors are enthusiastic</a> about the potential stock market returns under Trump's new term in the White House, some may have skipped watching the inauguration.
The 2024 presidential election was watched by an average of 24.59 million viewers according to Nielsen data, as <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/01/trump-inauguration-ratings-1236262953/">reported </a>by Deadline.
Among the viewership totals, 17.4 million were aged 55 and older, 4.67 million were aged 35-54 and 1.43 million were aged 18-34.
Former President Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021 was watched by an average of 33.76 million viewers. Trump's first inauguration in 2017 was watched by an average of 30.64 million viewers.
The 2024 inauguration saw significantly lower viewership compared to the past two events.
The 12 p.m. ET to 12:45 p.m. ET swearing-in ceremony and inaugural address of Trump on Monday saw 27.12 million viewers, which was also down from around 40 million for 2021 and 38.3 million for the same portion of the past two inaugurations.
Many media outlets including broadcast and cable outlets aired the inauguration. Here is the viewership from the top five network leaders:
<ul>
<li>Fox News, a unit of Fox Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FOX#NASDAQ">FOX</a>)(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FOXA#NASDAQ">FOXA</a>): 10.67 million</li>
<li>ABC News, a unit of Walt Disney Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>): 4.58 million</li>
<li>CBS News, a unit of Paramount Global (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PARA#NASDAQ">PARA</a>)(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PARAA#NASDAQ">PARAA</a>): 4.35 million</li>
<li>CNN, a unit of Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WBD#NASDAQ">WBD</a>): 1.80 million</li>
<li>MSNBC, a unit of Comcast (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMCSA#NASDAQ">CMCSA</a>): 880,000</li>
</ul>
Fox News was the overall winner and had the highest viewership in the 25-54 demographic at 2.09 million, nearly double second-place NBC News (1.22 million).
Deadline noted that the viewership by network could be the result of partisanship. Fox News, which is Republican-leaning, had the lowest viewership of major networks for Biden's inauguration in 2021.
Trump's second inauguration also followed a trend of presidents having lower viewership the second time they are sworn into office. President Barack Obama had 37.8 million viewers for his inauguration in 2009 and saw only 20.6 million viewers for his second ceremony in 2013.
Check This Out:
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<li>Lawmakers Made Huge Investments In 2024. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/gov-trades/?utm_source=BZprocontent012225">Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool</a></li>
</ul>
Why It's Important: The lower viewership figure for Trump's inauguration comes as the 2024 election season helped boost viewership for many cable news outlets and boosted advertising rates around items such as <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/09/40840076/trump-vs-harris-presidential-debate-viewership-tops-trump-biden-total-but-falls-short-of-re">the presidential debates </a>and election night coverage.
The 2024 election had two debates featuring Trump with the June debate against Biden having 51.3 million viewers and the September debate against former Vice President Kamala Harris having 67.1 million viewers.
These figures were down from 73.1 million viewers for a debate between Biden and Trump in 2020 and a record-breaking 84 million viewers who watched a 2016 debate between Trump and Hillary Clinton.
Fox winning the viewership race could continue its momentum from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/11/41715564/foxs-q1-earnings-revenue-and-eps-beat-political-ads-tubi-expansion-boosts-growth">the political season</a>. The media company also has its eyes set on the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/05/38625265/heres-how-much-a-super-bowl-lix-commercial-will-cost-how-fox-corporation-stock-could-benefi">upcoming Super Bowl LIX </a>on Feb. 9 for which it was seeking at least $7 million per 30-second ad.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/broad-u-s-equity-etfs/25/01/43041374/exclusive-how-high-will-sp-500-go-under-donald-trump-in-2025-readers-are-optimistic-26-say-this">EXCLUSIVE: How High Will S&amp;P 500 Go Under Donald Trump In 2025? Readers Are Optimistic, 26% Say This…</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Gguy via Shutterstock

Entertainment

Politics

Media

CMCSA

FOXA

PARA

PARAA

How Many People Watched Donald Trump's 2025 Inauguration? (Spoiler: Less Than Biden Four Years Ago)

SEALSQ's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LAES#NYSE">LAES</a>) short percent of float has risen 46.13% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 13.14 million shares sold short, which is 18.5% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 1.0 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>SEALSQ Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1737571522_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for SEALSQ has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing SEALSQ's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, SEALSQ's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 9.96%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

Short Ideas

LAES

(LAES) - Analyzing SEALSQ's Short Interest

Sweetgreen's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SG#NYSE">SG</a>) short percent of float has risen 12.36% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 15.03 million shares sold short, which is 20.0% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 6.99 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>Sweetgreen Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1737571517_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Sweetgreen has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing Sweetgreen's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, Sweetgreen's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 8.69%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Peering Into Sweetgreen's Recent Short Interest

American Airlines Gr's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAL#NYSE">AAL</a>) short percent of float has fallen 4.04% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 45.32 million shares sold short, which is 7.83% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 2.36 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>American Airlines Gr Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1737571511_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for American Airlines Gr has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing American Airlines Gr's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, American Airlines Gr's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 8.49%, which means the company has less short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

How Is The Market Feeling About American Airlines Gr?

<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-22/trump-to-push-hard-on-asml-export-controls-dutch-premier-says" title="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-22/trump-to-push-hard-on-asml-export-controls-dutch-premier-says">https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-22/trump-to-push-hard-on-asml-export-controls-dutch-premier-says</a>

Global

ASML

'Trump to Push Hard on ASML Export Controls, Dutch Premier Says' - Bloomberg News

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates four times last year, stoking billions of dollars of inflows to short and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/19/01/12931695/investors-piled-into-bond-etfs-last-year">ultra-short duration bonds</a> and the related exchange traded funds.

At least one new ETF is looking to tap into investors&#39; affinity for low duration fixed income exposure.

<h3>What Happened</h3>

The First Trust Low Duration Strategic Focus ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="/stock/LDSF#NASDAQ">LDSF</a>) debuted on Friday, marking the launch of 2019&#39;s first new ETF. The latest fixed income ETF from Illinois-based First Trust is actively managed and uses the increasingly prominent <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/19/01/12922150/it-may-be-time-to-look-at-this-etf-of-etfs">ETF of ETFs strategy</a>.

LDSF &ldquo;seeks to generate current income, with a secondary objective of preservation of capital,&rdquo; <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190104005302/en/Trust-Launches-Trust-Duration-Strategic-Focus-ETF">according to a First Trust statement</a>. &ldquo;The fund seeks to achieve these objectives by allocating primarily among First Trust ETFs, but may also include other ETFs representing various asset classes, aimed at providing diversification benefits and less interest rate sensitivity when compared to traditional core fixed income benchmarks over time.&rdquo;

<h3>Why It&#39;s Important</h3>

As an actively managed using the ETF of ETFs strategy, LDSF offers investors exposure to an array of fixed income segments, including but not limited to bank loans, emerging markets bonds, high-yield corporates and U.S. government debt.

While short-duration bonds were in style last year, bolstered by the Fed&#39;s four rate hikes, Fed fund futures currently price in expectations for zero interest rate increases this year. If the Fed slows its pace of rate hikes or stops altogether, bond investors could be compelled to take on more interest rate risk in search of additional income.

LDSF uses credit analysis and disciplined portfolio construction to identify compelling fixed income opportunities.

The new ETF&#39;s holdings currently include the First Trust Low Duration Opportunities ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="/stock/LMBS#NASDAQ">LMBS</a>), First Trust Senior Loan Fund (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="/stock/FTSL#NASDAQ">FTSL</a>) and the First Trust Enhanced Short Maturity ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="/stock/FTSM#NASDAQ">FTSM</a>). Those three First Trust ETFs combine for over 87 percent of <a href="https://www.ftportfolios.com/Retail/Etf/EtfHoldings.aspx?Ticker=LDSF">LDSF&#39;s roster</a>.

LDSF aims to have a portfolio duration of three years or less. The new ETF charges 0.86 percent per year, or $86 on a $10,000 investment.

Related Links:

<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/19/01/12922150/it-may-be-time-to-look-at-this-etf-of-etfs">A New ETF Of ETFs</a>

<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/19/01/12931695/investors-piled-into-bond-etfs-last-year">Investors Love These Bond ETFs</a>

With investors continuing their search for income and yield, bank loan or senior loan exchange-traded funds are seeing some renewed interest. The largest bank loan ETF is the PowerShares Senior Loan Portfolio (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="/stock/BKLN#NYSE">BKLN</a>).
BKLN, which tracks the PowerShares Senior Loan Portfolio tracks the S&amp;P/LSTA U.S. Leverage Loan Index, is an alternative to traditional high-yield corporate bond funds and one that often receives attention when investors expect Treasury yields to rise.
&ldquo;Unlike fixed-rate instruments, the coupons of floating rate bank loans adjust upward as interest rates rise &ndash; providing investors with the potential of an attractive source of current income,&rdquo; <a href="https://www.invesco.com/portal/site/us/financial-professional/etfs/product-detail?productId=BKLN">according to PowerShares</a>. &ldquo;With their floating rate coupons and low durations, senior loans may offer compelling yield potential.&rdquo;
<h3>A Small, But Successful Niche</h3>
There are just four ETFs dedicated to senior loans, but each member of the quartet can be considered successful. BKLN is the king of the group with over $8.8 billion in assets under management. The smallest of the four bank loan ETFs is the Highland iBoxx Senior Loan ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="/stock/SNLN#NYSE">SNLN</a>), which has over $550 million in assets under management.
The other two senior loan ETFs are the actively managed SPDR Blackstone/GSO Senior Loan ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="/stock/SRLN#NYSE">SRLN</a>) and the First Trust Senior Loan Fund (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="/stock/FTSL#NASDAQ">FTSL</a>). FTSL is also actively managed. That pair of senior loan funds have over $2.3 billion in combined assets under management.
Related Link: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/17/09/10042531/evaluating-low-volatility-etfs">Considering Low Vol ETFs</a>
&ldquo;SRLN and FTSL have reeled in $745 million and $523 million respectively year-to-date, and SNLN a much lesser $83 million during this time frame,&rdquo; said <a href="http://streetonefinancial.com/">Street One Financial</a> vice president Paul Weisbruch in a note out Tuesday.&nbsp;
<h3>It&#39;s About The Yield</h3>
Not surprisingly, investors are typically drawn to an ETF such as BKLN for yield. The PowerShares ETF has a 30-day SEC yield of almost 3.3 percent. However, some bond market observers currently advocate traditional junk bonds <a href="http://www.barrons.com/articles/sell-loan-etf-buy-junk-stratgiest-tchir-1505231631">over senior loans</a>.
&ldquo;Regardless, there is obviously investor appetite across the board for these funds and this segment in general, which basically has been the steady trend since these funds debuted several years back and there is likely opportunity for new entrants and perhaps new approaches here given the momentum,&rdquo; said Weisbruch.
Nearly 97 percent of BKLN&#39;s holdings have maturities of one to five years or five to 10 years. Ninety-four percent of the ETF&#39;s holdings are rated B, BB or BBB.
Related Link: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/17/09/10042516/a-hidden-gem-among-dividend-etfs">A Unique Dividend ETF&nbsp;</a>

Bank loan ETFs gained a great deal of notoriety and assets last year as investors flocked to these non-traditional debt securities in order to insulate their portfolio from rising interest rates.&nbsp;

	Floating rate notes and senior loans are unique in that their yield is tied to a benchmark such as LIBOR, rather than being fixed. &nbsp;

	Loans are also higher on the capital structure than other unsecured obligations, and some even carry floors to insure you earn a respectable yield even if rates stay low.&nbsp; Their coupon rate typically resets every 90-days, resulting in a duration shorter than three months.

	The PowerShares Senior Loan Portfolio (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/bkln#NYSE">BKLN</a>) gained nearly $5 billion in new inflows in 2013 as investors worried over the Fed&rsquo;s long-term exit strategy from quantitative easing.&nbsp;

	That demand initially carried forward into 2014 as well, but we are starting to see some recent outflows that may spark additional questions for ETF investors. &nbsp;

	See also: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/14/05/4579252/transport-etfs-keep-on-trucking-higher">Transport ETFs Keep On Trucking Higher</a>

	According to ETF.com, BKLN has seen net redemptions of $74.5 million in May.&nbsp; This marks the second straight month of coordinated outflows as long-term interest rates have continued to fall and traditional fixed-income securities become more attractive.

	One concern for ETF investors in this space is the liquidity of the underlying securities in the event that additional selling picks up.&nbsp; Bank loans are notorious for their illiquid markets that often lead to long settlement times and unconventional trading practices. &nbsp;

	In addition, income seekers must keep in mind that you are sidestepping interest rate risk in favor of credit risk with bank loans because most are rated below investment grade.&nbsp;

	A flight from credit sensitive investments to quality holdings may also result in a shakeup of this sector. &nbsp;

	Other notable ETFs in this space that may be affected include the SPDR Blackstone GSO Senior Loan Portfolio (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/srln#NYSE">SRLN</a>) and First Trust Senior Loan Fund (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ftsl#NASDAQ">FTSL</a>). &nbsp;

	While it&rsquo;s important to understand these risks, each of these ETFs has also continued to provide <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/etfs/broad-u-s-equity-etfs/14/05/4571098/dissecting-dividend-growth-etfs">steady income and stable price action</a> in relation to the senior loan market.&nbsp;

Rising U.S. Treasury yields, the yields on 10-years are up more than 30 percent in the past 90 days, have sparked rampant chatter that the multi-decade U.S. bond bull market is coming to end. Tell that to bank loan ETFs.

	Bank loan ETFs have not only dealt with speculation that the bond bull market is ending, but frequent talk of the demise of high-yield bonds and criticism the senior loan market is illiquid, making it more vulnerable to out-sized retrenchment during periods of elevated market stress.

	Related: <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/markets/bonds/13/05/3554039/cue-the-bank-loan-etf-bubble-talk">Cue The Bank Loan ETF Bubble Talk</a>.

	Doubters of the ability of these ETFs to keep attracting inflows should consider this: Inflows to bank loan funds (mutual funds and ETFs), have been positive for 65 consecutive weeks, <a href="http://blogs.barrons.com/incomeinvesting/2013/09/13/its-now-65-straight-weeks-of-inflows-for-loan-funds/?mod=BOLBlog">according to Barron&#39;s</a>.

	Senior loans, referred to as such because holders of these bonds are ushered to near the front of the line for some compensation in the event of issuer default and bankruptcy, hold secured debt instruments issued by below-investment-grade companies. The loans have variable rates that adjust every 30 to 90 days and the loan is secured by some form of collateral, either hard assets, like equipment or buildings, or accounts receivable.

	Although competition <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/markets/bonds/13/05/3578005/investors-heart-bank-loan-etf-inflows-say-so">in the senior loan ETF space</a> has increased noticeably this year, the king is still the PowerShares Senior Loan Portfolio (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/bkln#NYSE">BKLN</a>). Year-to-date, BKLN is the top asset gatherer among PowerShares ETFs, no small feat given that the firm is the fourth-largest U.S. ETF sponsor with over 80 ETFs.

	BKLN has hauled in over $4 billion in assets this year, <a href="http://www.invescopowershares.com/flows/">according to PowerShares data</a>. That is nearly quadruple the second-best PowerShares ETF by that metric, the PowerShares Buyback Achievers Portfolio (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/pkw#NYSE">PKW</a>).

	Over the same 90-day period in which Treasury yields have spiked, BKLN has raked in $925.4 million in new investments. On the other hand, the PIMCO Total Return ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/bond#NYSE">BOND</a>), an ETF that some pundits anointed as the <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/markets/bonds/12/10/2978994/it-is-news-because-of-the-name-behind-the-fund-but-it-can-hardly-be-cons">savior of actively managed ETFs</a>, has seen outflows of $792 million.

	Speaking of actively managed, it is a concept that has gained traction with bank loan ETFs. The First Trust Senior Loan Fund (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ftsl#NASDAQ">FTSL</a>) is just five months old and has $66.5 million in assets under management. The SPDR Blackstone / GSO Senior Loan ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/srln#NYSE">SRLN</a>) is six months old and has $525.5 million in AUM.

	Flows to bank loan ETFs may also be a sign that although Treasury yields are rising, investors are not as concerned as previously believed regarding elevated spreads relative to junk bonds. Over the past three months, the SPDR Barclays High Yield Bond ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/jnk#NYSE">JNK</a>) has lost $1.1 billion, but that does not mean the junk bond ETF trade is dead. With 88 percent of BKLN&#39;s holdings rated BB or B, it is hard to say investors have lost their appetite for high-yield bond ETFs.

	For more on ETFs, click <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/etfs">here</a>.

	Disclosure: Author does not own the securities mentioned here.

Intraday Update

BOND

Bank Loan ETFs Keep On Trucking

Investors really like bank loan mutual funds and ETFs. Retail cash inflows into the high-yielding products totaled $1.03 billion for the week ended May 8, <a href="http://www.leveragedloan.com/investor-cash-continues-to-pour-into-loan-mart-more-than-1b-this-week/">Leveraged Loan reported, citing Lipper data</a>.

	Of that $1.03 billion, $216 million went to ETFs marking the second largest weekly ETF inflow on record, but still below the $354 million seen two weeks ago, Leverage Loan reported.

	Investors have gone far and wide in search of yield and that has been supportive of bank loan ETFs. The PowerShares Senior Loan Portfolio (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/bkln#NYSE">BKLN</a>), the giant among senior loan ETFs, has a 30-day SEC yield of 3.77 percent. In the week that ended May 9, BKLN raked in $181.44 million in assets, <a href="http://www.invescopowershares.com/flows/">according to PowerShares data</a>.

	Here is how powerful of the allure of bank loan ETFs and their yields are to investors. PowerShares is the fourth-largest U.S. ETF sponsor with over 70 funds. Over the past 90 days, this year and over the past year, no PowerShares ETF has attracted more assets than BKLN.

	However, BKLN has some rivals and like BKLN, those ETFs are growing as well. Benzinga reported on the <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/markets/bonds/13/05/3554039/cue-the-bank-loan-etf-bubble-talk">bank loan ETF craze just a week ago</a>. At the time, the Highland iBoxx Senior Loan ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/snln#NYSE">SNLN</a>) had $72.8 million in assets under management. That number is up $75.2 million, <a href="https://www.highlandfunds.com/Funds---Performance/Exchange-Traded-Funds/Senior-Loan-ETFs/Highland-iBoxx-Senior-Loan-ETF">according to issuer data</a>. Not bad for an ETF that debuted in November.

	Then there is the newly minted SPDR Blackstone / GSO Senior Loan ETF (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/srln#NYSE">SRLN</a>), the first actively managed senior loan ETF. SRLN gained $8 million in assets in the past week. In just five weeks of trading, SRLN has $168.3 million in AUM.

	Those statistics would seem to imply there is not much for more competition in this corner of the ETF arena. Not true. The First Trust Senior Loan Fund (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="/stock/ftsl#NASDAQ">FTSL</a>), another actively managed fund, debuted last week and already has almost $25 million in AUM.

	Doubters of the ability of these ETFs to keep attracting inflows should consider this: Inflows to bank loan funds (mutual funds and ETFs), have been positive for 47 straight weeks, according to Leveraged Loan.

	For more on bank loan ETFs, click <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/markets/bonds/13/05/3554039/cue-the-bank-loan-etf-bubble-talk">here</a>.

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