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Hat tip to you, Bank of America analyst Curtis Nagle for adhering to some very basic principles of investing, which still matter even though meme stock traders couldn't care less about valuation methodologies, free cash flow outlooks or margin structures.

After seeing Bed Bath & Beyond (BBY) shares explode 62% on June 2, Nagle said in a research note on Friday that it's time for him step back from the volatile stock.

"This [move in the stock] comes in the context of no significant updates from Bed Bath & Beyond or any other material news. Bed Bath & Beyond did release a press release on 6/2/21 regarding the launch of three new private label brands but this was already expected by investors and is not material, in our view. Instead we believe that the rapid appreciation in Bed Bath & Beyond's shares is being driven by another surge in interest and trading led by retail investors," Nagle said. "This follows a very large but short-term move in late January of this year. We also note that Bed Bath & Beyond's share price increase corresponds to big moves over the past week with "meme stocks" such as GameStop, AMC and BlackBerry. As a result, we move to No Rating as we believe shares of Bed Bath & Beyond are no longer trading on fundamentals. Investors should no longer rely upon our previous investment opinion or price objective."

Nagle isn't the first sell-side analyst this year to remove a rating or price target or just outright drop coverage of a company swept up into meme stock mania. Even still, as this former analyst could attest these are drastic actions that are far from the norm among the analyst community on Wall Street. It's a group that prides itself on making great calls after conducting granular research and maintaining good relationships with executive teams.

But the surprise maneuvers do underscore how impossible it is for an analyst to properly cover a company which includes talking with management, modeling out future earnings and communicating those things to clients amid an environment fast-filling up with a new generation of retail traders. In this topsy turvy backdrop, a veteran analyst could go from being a hero one day to being out of a job tomorrow simply because a CEO like Adam Aron of AMC conducts an interview with a YouTube influencer.

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Having said all of that, as luck would have it Bed Bath & Beyond CEO Mark Tritton was on Yahoo Finance Live on June 2 as the company's stock was going to the moon. Tritton joined us as shares of Bed Bath & Beyond was up more than 40%, as the meme stock army let themselves be heard once more.

"I think today's activities are just a day in time. It doesn't affect us operationally. We are focused and ready," Tritton said. "Regardless of the stock movement our role is to create sequential growth and strength at both the balance sheet and in growth ratios. We believe we have been doing that."

BofA's Nagle appears to believe that too, saying the company has a "solid" long-term turnaround in place. That may eventually lend itself to a fresh rating on the stock from Nagle, but for now the meme army is going to do its thing.

Brian Sozzi is an editor-at-large and anchor at Yahoo Finance. Follow Sozzi on Twitter @BrianSozzi and on LinkedIn.

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This meme stock exploded 62% in one day and this Wall Street analyst has had enough - Yahoo Finance

The Telegraph

Striker Bruno Petkovic is expected to fill Mario Mandzukic's big boots at Euro 2020 as Croatia aim to reach the last 16. Mandzukic, who scored an extra time winner in a 2-1 victory over England in their 2018 World Cup semi-final, is one of several stalwarts who hung up their international boots after Croatia were beaten by France 4-2 in the final. There were no surprises in coach Zlatko Dalic's squad as a bulk of those who spearheaded that World Cup campaign were named alongside a host of players looking to impress on the big stage. Dejan Lovren and Domagoj Vida are likely to be Dalic's first-choice centre backs again while 35-year old captain Luka Modric will continue to drive the midfield. "Petkovic has to be at Euro 2020 what Mandzukic was in Russia," Dalic told the online edition of daily Sportske Novosti. "He has shown that he is capable of leading the line but he has to be in top form. If not, Andrej Kramaric and Ante Budimir are the alternatives." The gifted Petkovic has scored six goals in 13 appearances for Croatia but is yet to be tested on the biggest stage after making his debut in March 2019. The Croatians face England, Scotland and the Czech Republic in Euro 2020 Group D and open their campaign against the English at Wembley on June 13. They face the Czechs at Hampden Park on June 18 where they also lock horns with Scotland in their final group match four days later. Dalic played down Croatia's chances of emulating or surpassing their World Cup success. "The primary goal is to reach the knockout stages and what makes it difficult is the fact that England and Scotland will be hosts in their games against us," he said. "England will be our most difficult opponents because they are a top quality side and we'll be playing them at Wembley. "Our will-power and energy levels are the same as before the World Cup, but the atmosphere is different. The bar is too high and expectations are unrealistic now whereas no one had any before we went to Russia. "We are still among the top 10 sides in Europe but there are many teams with a better chance of winning Euro 2020." Croatia Euro 2021 squad Goalkeepers: Lovre Kalinic (Hajduk Split), Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Simon Sluga (Luton Town) Defenders: Domagoj Vida (Besiktas), Joko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig), Domagoj Bradari (LOSC Lille), Mile kori (Osijek), Dejan Lovren (Zenit Saint Petersburg), Sime Vrsaljko (Atletico Madrid), Borna Barisic (Rangers), Duje Caleta-Car (Marseille), Josip Juranovic (Legia Warsaw) Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Mateo Kovacic (Chelsea), Marcelo Brozovic (Internazionale), Milan Badelj (Genoa), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta), Nikola Vlasic (CSKA Moscow), Ivan Perisic (Internazionale) Forwards: Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Josip Brekalo (Wolfsburg), Mislav Orsic (Dinamo Zagreb), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Kristijan Lovric (Gorica), Ante Rebi (AC Milan), Bruno Petkovi (Dinamo Zagreb) Croatia Euro 2021 fixtures England vs Croatia, Sunday June 13, 2pm Croatia vs Czech Republic, Friday June 18, 5pm Croatia vs Scotland, Tuesday June 22, 8pm Group D latest standings

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Amazon reportedly pursuing Al Michaels to be the voice of 'Thursday Night Football' package - Yahoo Sports

Just as the Madison Square Garden crowd saluted the New York Knicks for a return to relevancy after years of misery, Trae Young drilled a 30-footer, bowed to the crowd and signaled that for all the good vibes the moment delivered, the series was over.

And it was a reminder of the work to be done before the Empire State Building can turn its lights orange and blue again when the Knicks take the floor for the 2021-22 season.

The feel-good story of the year had a hard crash Wednesday, dumped by the surprising and mouthy Atlanta Hawks in five games. The expectations were raised headed into the series by the Knicks strong finish, but they were relatively exposed as an overachieving bunch.

It proved something that wasnt a secret, with the regular season being about what you can do and the playoffs being about what you cant.

Heres where Knicks president Leon Rose, senior adviser William Worldwide Wes Wesley and general manager Scott Perry must get busy in the offseason, because honeymoons in that city dont last but for a New York minute.

The Knicks face plenty of questions not as many as when a seat is reserved at the lottery, but plenty nonetheless. Playing for head coach Tom Thibodeau requires maximum effort at all times, which doesnt leave much room for the elevator to go higher in the playoffs.

The temptation is alluring $60 million in cap space, extra draft picks courtesy of shrewd trades to use as sweetener in a deal for a prime-time player and an annoying amount of hope but going for the large talent upgrade could be fools gold unless the perfect deal comes along.

Theyll be in every conversation for any disgruntled superstar, and even if they arent, well still hear about it anyways. The Knicks have turned into a desirable destination and with the crosstown Brooklyn Nets charting a championship path, the pressure will be on to match their energy sooner rather than later.

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Taking care of Julius Randle is probably the easiest financial decision if he wants an extension, a relative bargain this season at $18.9 million and $19.8 million next season. Randle struggled mightily in the series, looking nothing like the Most Improved Player and at times, like the turnover machine he was when he first arrived via free agency.

It looked like Randle saw triple during the series, every set of eyes fixated on him, and couldnt discover the man who dominated Atlanta during the regular season, the Julius Randle who gave the Hawks two of his three 40-point games.

Its because the playoffs are a different game, and teams will load up on his left hand next season as the book is out. His turnovers increased as the series went on, highlighted by eight in the clincher, and he shot under 30% from the field.

Ugh.

They didnt have the playmakers to lessen the dependency on Randle when he struggled and strategically, didnt find ways to make the game easier for him. He was either forcing the action or wholly indecisive, an experience the Knicks better hope is an outlier rather than harbinger.

There's only one way to get experiences, you have to get it, but it's a big part of learning, Thibodeau said. And hopefully we can take that and move it forward.

Randle thrived as the main playmaker, and its easy to say hes not a traditional No. 1 for a contender, but not many of those players come on the market, especially not after the litany of player turnover league-wide the last couple of seasons.

Can he be as effective if the Knicks made a personnel move to acquire a top-line scorer, if the offense wasnt built around him? If he finds a way to be more finisher than facilitator, itll make his life and the Knicks that much easier.

After the confetti from making its first postseason since 2013 fell from the emotional rafters, we saw a team that couldnt shoot, could barely score and maxed out.

The Hawks didnt make them quit, but the mascara was removed and the picture wasnt as pretty as we thought.

Antics aside, the 4-5 matchup with the Hawks looked like a clear disparity with talent, and if the Knicks look close enough, theyll see a team thats perhaps a half-step ahead with roster development.

Young was sensational and theatrical, but it was a group effort from the Hawks that propelled them to a second-round matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers.

I thought Atlanta really, they added some good pieces to complement Trae and I think that helped him, Thibodeau said following Game 5.

Second-year forward DeAndre Hunter didnt get a full chance to display his growth, but the potential both from using his length and the angles to effectively guard Derrick Rose and his improved shot selection was evident in stretches.

And adding a secondary scorer in Bogdan Bogdanovic took pressure off Young. Not only did it shift opposing defenses, but it took pressure off Young to make every play, limiting the bad shots and questionable decisions.

Derrick Rose wants to be back, and if Tom Thibodeau has his way, the Knicks will sign him. (Elsa/Getty Images)

Sounds like a recipe the Knicks can follow.

Rose wants to be back, and if Thibodeau has his way, the Knicks will sign him. Names like Dennis Schroder or veteran Kyle Lowry will come up in free agency, but Thibodeau would close games with Rose even if a 25-year old Magic Johnson was manning the point.

Thibodeau clearly soured on Elfrid Payton, but theres enough space for internal development elsewhere on the roster if the Knicks choose to be patient.

Its not sexy to say player development but thats the lane Obi Toppin, RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley travel in. Mitchell Robinson is still a second-round gem, but his injuries had better be more freak than the sign of a brittle athlete. He missed out on valuable playoff experience with a fractured right foot.

Can the Knicks invest in every young player or will they be bold and try to capitalize on the organizational momentum? Rose and Wesley are still novices, and they could want to press the fast-forward button.

But even the biggest Knick optimist can see theres a gulf between any team in the East and Brooklyn, Philadelphia and Milwaukee hence why Danny Ainge stepped down in Boston. Theres no one magic move to elevate them to that echelon, not one without huge risk that isnt necessary at this stage of development.

The appetite has been whet all around New York City, now its up to the front office not to get too full in the meantime.

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Knicks facing plenty of questions this offseason as the honeymoon won't last long - Yahoo Sports

Bias in clinical trials is one of many shortcomings the U.S. health care system uncovered by the coronavirus pandemic and advocacy groups are calling for more diversity in trial participants moving forward.

The federal government has started to take steps in recent years, with a Clinical Trial Diversity Toolkit published by the National Institutes of Health in 2016, and a call for greater diversity on a page published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

During the COVID-19 vaccine trials, Moderna (MRNA), which was the first company to start clinical trials, slowed its enrollment for the final stage of trials in order to ensure a more diverse participant pool. Other companies, including Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Novavax (NVAX), conducted global trials to provide a level of diversity.

The largest industry lobbying group, PhRMA, is slated to host a workshop in June to discuss "participation barriers" and ways to "enhance diversity" for clinical trials.

And some companies are vocal about the need to change the system.

"It's incumbent on us to ensure that when we study our medicines, that those medicines are studied in the representative patient populations that they're intended to treat. Historically, that's not been the case," Dr. Andy Plump, president of research and development at Japanese pharmaceutical company Takeda (TAK), told Yahoo Finance in a recent interview.

Reuters senior correspondent Aislinn Laing receives a dose of vaccine or placebo for a Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial at a medical facility in Colina area, Santiago, Chile, November 20, 2020. Picture taken November 20, 2020. REUTERS/Ivan Alvarado

The pandemic forced some companies to adopt a strategy they had been too cautious to pursue in the past, but could play a vital role in diversifying trials: remote participation.

The idea that a decentralized clinical trial setup, with engagement from physicians rather than institutions, could help encourage a more diverse participant pool, has already been attempted by firms like TrialSpark. But the idea that it could be done remotely, and thereby expand access, wasn't a popular idea pre-pandemic.

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That has since changed, and companies that can provide the necessary tech platforms can see the shift.

Derk Arts, CEO of software firm Castor EDC, saw the opportunity and hit the jackpot when the World Health Organization (WHO) was searching for a better way to run the most important trials amid the pandemic.

"The entirety of this business process is not data-driven at all," Arts told Yahoo Finance recently.

Securing the WHO contract was a result of a proactive outreach and luck, Arts said. The WHO was struggling with its existing platform at the time he decided to reach out to the principle investigator to pitch his company. With the addition of the 50,000-plus WHO trial, it meant the small company had to suddenly scale, and very quickly, to meet the demand.

"Within a week, we basically had the entire trial move on our platform and running. Almost no other competitor would have been able to pull that off," Arts said.

He believes that if contract research organizations, which are clinical trial sites that partner for federally-funded or pharma-funded trials, take the initiative to ensure remote monitoring and other tech-based tools are available, they will be prepared for the future.

"As soon as the (trial) sponsors start demanding that, they need to be in the right place. I think it's very likely they will look elsewhere for a more technology-focused partner who can kind of help them," Arts said of companies who are likely to start look for ways to bridge the diversity gap.

The contract with WHO has put Castor on the radar of Big Pharma. "It's definitely also just been driving a whole new customer segment to us. Where previously it would be very rare for big (clinical trial sites) or big CEOs or big sponsors to reach out to us, now everyone's saying, 'Wait, this company is making waves and making a difference,'" Arts said.

Castor opened up its platform for free for COVID-19 trials in February 2020, and is now supporting 300 trials. To-date, the company has completed 2,000 clinical trials, with about 4,000 currently under way.

Takeda's Plump believes the industry at-large is now focused new ways to conduct and monitor more diverse trials.

"I think that what we've seen over the last year is, in a sense, a jumpstart to something that we've been trying to do for many years, but now I think we're supercharged," he said.

To support the enthusiasm, a combination of industry action and federal engagement are necessary, with the a need for mandates or new regulations in some cases, Plump said.

But, he added, "mandates are less effective than the guiding principles and alignment of a sector, because mandates, as you know, sometimes drive bad behavior."

Still, now that the industry has had some experience with the concept, it is likely to start building forward. But it's not as simple as just ramping up what was put in place during the pandemic.

"I wish it was so simple," Plump said, noting that new relationships will need to be built in order to truly diversify.

To achieve that, Plump said, building trust in diverse populations and ensuring language in informed consent forms reflect inclusivity are the first big steps.

"Many of those trial sites don't access patients in the representative way that we're looking at, so it requires building out new relationships, new clinical trial sites....I think that's going to take time if we want to do this in a way that's foundational and lasting," Plump said.

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How the pandemic spurred reform of clinical trials in drug industry - Yahoo Finance

Victory Capital Holdings, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:VCTR) dividend will be increasing to US$0.12 on 25th of June. Although the dividend is now higher, the yield is only 1.1%, which is below the industry average.

View our latest analysis for Victory Capital Holdings

If it is predictable over a long period, even low dividend yields can be attractive. However, prior to this announcement, Victory Capital Holdings' dividend was comfortably covered by both cash flow and earnings. As a result, a large proportion of what it earned was being reinvested back into the business.

Looking forward, earnings per share is forecast to rise by 13.9% over the next year. Assuming the dividend continues along recent trends, we think the payout ratio could be 9.2% by next year, which is in a pretty sustainable range.

historic-dividend

The company has maintained a consistent dividend for a few years now, but we would like to see a longer track record before relying on it. The first annual payment during the last 2 years was US$0.20 in 2019, and the most recent fiscal year payment was US$0.48. This means that it has been growing its distributions at 55% per annum over that time. It is always nice to see strong dividend growth, but with such a short payment history we wouldn't be inclined to rely on it until a longer track record can be developed.

The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. Victory Capital Holdings has impressed us by growing EPS at 109% per year over the past five years. Earnings per share is growing at a solid clip, and the payout ratio is low which we think is an ideal combination in a dividend stock as the company can quite easily raise the dividend in the future.

Overall, we think this could be an attractive income stock, and it is only getting better by paying a higher dividend this year. The company is easily earning enough to cover its dividend payments and it is great to see that these earnings are being translated into cash flow. All of these factors considered, we think this has solid potential as a dividend stock.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. Taking the debate a bit further, we've identified 2 warning signs for Victory Capital Holdings that investors need to be conscious of moving forward. If you are a dividend investor, you might also want to look at our curated list of high performing dividend stock.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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Victory Capital Holdings' (NASDAQ:VCTR) Dividend Will Be Increased To US$0.12 - Yahoo Finance

REHOVOT, Israel, June 4, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- CollPlant (NASDAQ: CLGN), a regenerative and aesthetic medicine company, announced today the uplisting of its ordinary shares to the Nasdaq Global Select Market effective at the open of market today, Friday, June 4, 2021.

CollPlant's ordinary shares now trade under the Company's current ticker symbol "CLGN" and the Company's American Depositary Shares (ADSs) have been mandatorily cancelled and exchanged for ordinary shares at a one-for-one ratio. Shareholders holding their ADSs in book-entry or through a bank, broker, or other nominee form do not need to take any action in connection with the mandatory exchange.

"We are pleased to complete this important milestone and believe that our current and future shareholders will benefit from our Nasdaq Global Market status and the transition to ordinary shares," stated Yehiel Tal, CollPlant CEO.

A listing on the Nasdaq Global Market is considered an indicator of status and success for companies that qualify for listing. Listed companies must satisfy stringent financial, liquidity and corporate governance requirements, both initially and on an ongoing basis.

About CollPlant

CollPlant is a regenerative and aesthetic medicine company focused on 3D bioprinting of tissues and organs, and medical aesthetics. The Company's products are based on its rhCollagen (recombinant human collagen) produced with CollPlant's proprietary plant based genetic engineering technology. These products address indications for the diverse fields of tissue repair, aesthetics, and organ manufacturing, and are ushering in a new era in regenerative and aesthetic medicine. CollPlant recently entered into a development and global commercialization agreement for dermal and soft tissue fillers with Allergan, an AbbVie company, the global leader in the dermal filler market.

For more information, visit http://www.collplant.com.

Safe Harbor Statements

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This press release may include forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements relating to CollPlant's objectives plans and strategies, as well as statements, other than historical facts, that address activities, events or developments that CollPlant intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future. These statements are often characterized by terminology such as "believes," "hopes," "may," "anticipates," "should," "intends," "plans," "will," "expects," "estimates," "projects," "positioned," "strategy" and similar expressions and are based on assumptions and assessments made in light of management's experience and perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors believed to be appropriate. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Many factors could cause CollPlant's actual activities or results to differ materially from the activities and results anticipated in forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the following: the Company's history of significant losses, its ability to continue as a going concern, and its need to raise additional capital and its inability to obtain additional capital on acceptable terms, or at all; the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic; the Company's expectations regarding the timing and cost of commencing clinical trials with respect to tissues and organs which are based on its rhCollagen based BioInk and products for medical aesthetics; the Company's ability to obtain favorable pre-clinical and clinical trial results; regulatory action with respect to rhCollagen based BioInk and medical aesthetics products including but not limited to acceptance of an application for marketing authorization review and approval of such application, and, if approved, the scope of the approved indication and labeling; commercial success and market acceptance of the Company's rhCollagen based products in 3D Bioprinting and medical aesthetics; the Company's ability to establish sales and marketing capabilities or enter into agreements with third parties and its reliance on third party distributors and resellers; the Company's ability to establish and maintain strategic partnerships and other corporate collaborations; the Company's reliance on third parties to conduct some or all aspects of its product manufacturing; the scope of protection the Company is able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights and the Company's ability to operate its business without infringing the intellectual property rights of others; the overall global economic environment; the impact of competition and new technologies; general market, political, and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates; projected capital expenditures and liquidity; changes in the Company's strategy; and litigation and regulatory proceedings. More detailed information about the risks and uncertainties affecting CollPlant is contained under the heading "Risk Factors" included in CollPlant's most recent annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC, and in other filings that CollPlant has made and may make with the SEC in the future. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date of this press release and reflect CollPlant's current views with respect to future events, and CollPlant does not undertake and specifically disclaims any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contact at CollPlant:Eran RotemDeputy CEO & Chief Financial OfficerTel: + 972-73-2325600Email: Eran@collplant.com

Cision

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CollPlant Announces Effectiveness of Uplisting to the Nasdaq Global Market; Ordinary Shares Replace ADSs - Yahoo Finance

The board of Auburn National Bancorporation, Inc. (NASDAQ:AUBN) has announced that it will pay a dividend of US$0.26 per share on the 25th of June. Based on this payment, the dividend yield on the company's stock will be 2.7%, which is an attractive boost to shareholder returns.

Check out our latest analysis for Auburn National Bancorporation

While it is great to have a strong dividend yield, we should also consider whether the payment is sustainable. Before making this announcement, Auburn National Bancorporation was earning enough to cover the dividend, but it wasn't generating any free cash flows. No cash flows could definitely make returning cash to shareholders difficult, or at least mean the balance sheet will come under pressure.

Unless the company can turn things around, EPS could fall by 0.9% over the next year. If the dividend continues along recent trends, we estimate the payout ratio could be 50%, which we consider to be quite comfortable, with most of the company's earnings left over to grow the business in the future.

historic-dividend

Even over a long history of paying dividends, the company's distributions have been remarkably stable. Since 2011, the first annual payment was US$0.78, compared to the most recent full-year payment of US$1.04. This implies that the company grew its distributions at a yearly rate of about 2.9% over that duration. Slow and steady dividend growth might not sound that exciting, but dividends have been stable for ten years, which we think makes this a fairly attractive offer.

The company's investors will be pleased to have been receiving dividend income for some time. Let's not jump to conclusions as things might not be as good as they appear on the surface. Although it's important to note that Auburn National Bancorporation's earnings per share has basically not grown from where it was five years ago, which could erode the purchasing power of the dividend over time.

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In summary, while it's good to see that the dividend hasn't been cut, we are a bit cautious about Auburn National Bancorporation's payments, as there could be some issues with sustaining them into the future. While the low payout ratio is redeeming feature, this is offset by the minimal cash to cover the payments. Overall, we don't think this company has the makings of a good income stock.

Companies possessing a stable dividend policy will likely enjoy greater investor interest than those suffering from a more inconsistent approach. Meanwhile, despite the importance of dividend payments, they are not the only factors our readers should know when assessing a company. See if management have their own wealth at stake, by checking insider shareholdings in Auburn National Bancorporation stock. We have also put together a list of global stocks with a solid dividend.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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Auburn National Bancorporation's (NASDAQ:AUBN) Dividend Will Be US$0.26 - Yahoo Finance

Passive investing in index funds can generate returns that roughly match the overall market. But investors can boost returns by picking market-beating companies to own shares in. To wit, the AerCap Holdings N.V. (NYSE:AER) share price is 53% higher than it was a year ago, much better than the market return of around 39% (not including dividends) in the same period. If it can keep that out-performance up over the long term, investors will do very well! The longer term returns have not been as good, with the stock price only 4.3% higher than it was three years ago.

Check out our latest analysis for AerCap Holdings

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price.

Over the last twelve months AerCap Holdings went from profitable to unprofitable. While some may see this as temporary, we're a skeptical bunch, and so we're a little surprised to see the share price go up. We might get a clue to explain the share price move by looking to other metrics.

AerCap Holdings' revenue actually dropped 12% over last year. So using a snapshot of key business metrics doesn't give us a good picture of why the market is bidding up the stock.

The image below shows how earnings and revenue have tracked over time (if you click on the image you can see greater detail).

earnings-and-revenue-growth

You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic.

We're pleased to report that AerCap Holdings shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 53% over one year. That gain is better than the annual TSR over five years, which is 8%. Therefore it seems like sentiment around the company has been positive lately. Given the share price momentum remains strong, it might be worth taking a closer look at the stock, lest you miss an opportunity. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. Take risks, for example - AerCap Holdings has 1 warning sign we think you should be aware of.

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For those who like to find winning investments this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US exchanges.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

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AerCap Holdings (NYSE:AER) Shareholders Booked A 53% Gain In The Last Year - Yahoo Finance

Theres a real chance America could reach President Bidens ambitious goal of giving 70 percent of U.S. adults at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot by July 4, according to the latest data.

Yet Bidens top COVID adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci, just spent the holiday weekend warning Americans not to declare victory prematurely because we still have a ways to go.

To see how both of these things can be true at the same time, pay attention to whats happening right now in Mesa County, Colo., and northern Missouri.

At a national level, Americas COVID-19 prognosis is the best its been since the crisis began. Over the last two weeks, cases have fallen 45 percent, on average, to the lowest level since March 2020. Hospitalizations are down 22 percent over the same period; deaths are down 44 percent. And because of mass vaccination, these national trends show no sign of stopping.

Its now entirely possible, in fact, that 70 percent of U.S. adults could be at least partially vaccinated by Independence Day, a target Biden set on May 4, when 56 percent of U.S. adults had received at least one jab. In less than a month, that number has climbed 7 points to 63 percent; to climb another 7 points over the next month would require about 550,000 adults to get their first shot each day. Before Memorial Day, the U.S. was averaging more than 700,000 of these first shots each day, and the vast majority of them were still going to Americans 18 and older.

President Biden speaks about the COVID-19 response and vaccination program on May 12. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)

Yet theres also a flip side to all the good news. Even if 70 percent of U.S. adults are partially vaccinated by July 4, that would still leave 30 percent of them unvaccinated and few are likely to change their minds anytime soon. According to a new Kaiser Family Foundation survey, just 8 percent of unvaccinated adults say they want a shot as soon as possible or that they plan to get one within the next three months. Meanwhile, no one under 12 will be eligible before September, and hesitancy is higher among parents of younger children than among adults.

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In short, well over 40 percent of the total population upwards of 140 million Americans, including children will likely remain unvaccinated this summer. And there will be more unvaccinated people in some places than others.

When Fauci cautions against prematurely declaring victory and insists we still have a ways to go, that's what he means.

But what will America look like when the emergency ends and COVID is still circulating?

That question will define the next phase of the U.S. pandemic. The last statewide mask mandates will soon be gone. Business will be fully open. Life will largely return to normal. Yet certain communities will remain vulnerable to COVID, in large part because they have chosen to remain that way.

Unfortunately these groups of people who are anti-vax or who will end up being susceptible to the disease are going to be in pockets, Tara Kirk Sell, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, recently told the Guardian. Its not going to be evenly distributed through the population.

A mass vaccination site in Kansas City, Mo., in March. (Orlin Wagner/AP)

Which brings us back to Mesa County, Colo., and northern Missouri.

Nationally, the U.S. is averaging five new daily cases per every 100,000 residents. But two rural counties in northern Missouri Livingston and Linn were logging new daily cases at more than 25 times that rate before Memorial Day interrupted reporting. Over the last two weeks, COVID-19 cases have skyrocketed. More than 18 percent of tests are coming back positive (compared with 2 percent nationally). Hospitalizations are rising as well.

According to local authorities, the problem is threefold. Neither Linn nor Livingston was hit hard by previous waves of COVID, meaning that cases are now higher than ever and natural immunity is relatively low. Just 30 percent of the population, meanwhile, has been fully vaccinated 11 points below the national average. And everythings wide open in terms of restrictions, as one public-health official recently told the Missouri Independent.

With graduation we had schools that took senior trips and had students all on buses together for four to six hours, explained Linn County Health Administrator Krista Neblock. The kids were developing symptoms and continuing with festivities. And they only got tested on a Monday, after they had gone around and infected a significant number of people.

Long-standing resistance to masks coupled with evolving CDC guidance, added Sherry Weldon, Neblocks counterpart in Livingston County, means almost no faces are being covered anymore.

I just cringe, she told the Independent, when I see baseball games and basketball games in cities and nobody is wearing a mask.

At the same time, Missouris daily vaccination rate has fallen to less than a quarter of its April peak.

A sign at Coors Field in Denver before a Colorado Rockies game on May 13. (David Zalubowski/AP)

I would say the majority are 65 and older that we got a good response from, and we homed in on them and made sure it is available here, Weldon said. But beyond that group, she added, even convincing health care workers to be vaccinated has been difficult.

Many communities across the country still fit the Linn/Livingston mold: relatively low immunity from prior exposure combined with relatively low vaccination rates. In a world without masks or social distancing, they remain at risk.

When people say why [is this happening], my first comment or thought is, You wouldnt be having this problem if you had gotten a shot, Weldon said.

The situation in Mesa County, Colo., meanwhile, illustrates a slightly different threat. There, COVID-19 has surged before, and todays average daily case count (33 per every 100,000 residents) is about one-quarter as high as Novembers peak. But even that number is nearly seven times the current national average, and prior to Memorial Day, it had increased by 30 percent over the previous two weeks.

Why? It might have to do with a discovery local officials made in early May: that the highly contagious COVID-19 variant behind Indias deadly spring outbreak has now started to spread in Mesa County, which includes the city of Grand Junction.

As with all COVID variants, the approved vaccines offer near-perfect protection against B.1.617.2. But just 33 percent of Mesa County residents are fully vaccinated.

Of those 20 [B.1.617.2 cases] that we know about, all but two were not vaccinated and the two that were only had one of the two vaccinations, Jeff Kuhr, executive director of Mesa County Public Health, told Colorado Public Radio on May 18.

That really is the key here, Denver physician and medical journalist Dr. Dave Hnida recently explained. This is a more contagious strain. If you do not get a vaccine, you are unprotected.

A commuter receives a shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine at a subway station in Brooklyn on May 12 as part of a public vaccination program. (Brendan McDermid/Reuters)

Across Colorado, the numbers tell a clear story about whos getting sick and who isnt. According to another CPR report published Tuesday, about 500 people remain hospitalized statewide with COVID-19 and almost all of them are unvaccinated. Likewise, CPR reported that doctors in hospitals treating COVID-19 patients in the state cant recall a single death of a vaccinated person. And when the Colorado health department recently plotted both COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations against vaccinations, county by county, it found that Denver area and mountain counties with higher vaccination rates [are] seeing fewer cases and hospitalizations while more people are still getting sick and hospitalized due to the virus in counties like El Paso, Pueblo, Weld and Mesa [that] have recorded fewer vaccinations per capita.

National numbers follow the same pattern. A recent analysis by the Washington Post, for instance, found that unvaccinated Americans are being hospitalized and dying with COVID-19 at significantly higher rates than Americans overall; in several states, the virus is spreading as fast among the unvaccinated as it did during the winter surge.

To be sure, the scale of the threat is much smaller than it was back then. Linn and Livingston counties are currently averaging roughly 20 new COVID cases per day; Mesa is averaging 50. These arent the sort of huge outbreaks that devastated, say, Los Angeles over the holidays. More than 165 million Americans have been vaccinated, including 86 percent of seniors (i.e., the people who are most likely to get seriously ill or die from COVID). The more people who have immunity, the harder it gets for the virus to find its next host; in effect, vaccinated Americans are protecting unvaccinated Americans from themselves.

That will continue to be the case. But who knows how much protection other peoples immunity will provide when new variants emerge, or when the weather drives less vaccinated communities indoors? Will new clusters like Linn and Livingston and Mesa crop up? Will sickness and death follow?

People wait in line for COVID vaccinations in Los Angeles in April. (Lucy Nicholson/Reuters)

When it comes to COVID, each statistic however small represents another human life. Last week in Mesa County, a child died after testing positive for the B.1.617.2 variant the countys first pediatric COVID death to date. According to Mesa County Public Health, the child was hospitalized before her age group was eligible to receive the vaccine and after contracting COVID from a family member.

Was that relative vaccinated? Would that child still be alive if they had been? What about the 500 other people nationwide who will have died of COVID today, and tomorrow, and the day after?

For most Americans, vaccinated and unvaccinated, normal life will resume in the weeks and months ahead, if it hasnt already. The difference is that even though we now have the power to prevent nearly all sickness and death, unvaccinated Americans will be choosing to live with some degree of it.

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Biden may hit July 4 vaccine goal, but millions of unvaccinated Americans will keep COVID alive this summer - Yahoo News

Americans are emerging from the pandemic eager to reconnect with friends and family and strangers.

That last part is great news for dating apps.

And while the summer is generally a time for casual dating, Match (MTCH) CEO Hesam Hosseini thinks the fall of 2021 looks to be particularly auspicious for more serious relationships to blossom.

"Our role is really to help you find the one, find a meaningful connection," Hosseini said in an interview with Yahoo Finance (video above). "We are actually doubling down on that. You know, this summer is a mixed bag. We actually predict that come the fall were going to see the biggest cuffing season ever."

"Cuffing season" defined as the time of year when "single people begin looking for short term partnerships to pass the colder months of the year" was challenged by society largely shuttering in 2020, and Match sees pent up demand for people looking to make deeper connections.

"It's been an interesting year... to be single," Hosseini said. "For some, the pandemic was really a moment of reflection. As theyre getting back out and starting to date, they are looking for something meaningful. For others, it was a year with frankly a lack of intimacy and theyre looking for something more fun and more casual dating this summer."

A couple sits at an outdoor restaurant on Memorial Day weekend on May 29, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Alexi Rosenfeld/Getty Images)

Hosseini, who has been part of the Match ecosystem since August 2008, said he hasn't seen the company "provide such an essential service as it has in the last year." Amid the pandemic, Match added several video chatting and other COVID-specific features.

"At the peak of the pandemic, when folks were hesitant and still wanted to get out but not sure how to stay safe, we launched a feature allowing them to disclose dating preferences like... 'Are you still wearing a mask? Are you distancing? Is a hug hello okay?" he explained, adding that the features allowed users to get "that awkward COVID talk out of the way."

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Match will soon provide U.S. users the ability to display "vaccinated badges" on their profiles. And in partnership with the White House, the dating juggernaut is offering free "Super Likes" and other boosts for users who say they are vaccinated. The campaign will last until July 4, which President Biden set as the deadline to have 70% of Americans fully or partially vaccinated.

As of June 4, 63% of U.S. adults have received at least one vaccination, according to CDC's COVID-19 tracker. The Biden administration, along with companies in the private sector, have been trying to incentivize more Americans to get vaccinated with everything from free donuts and beer to childcare.

(Source: Apptopia/Yahoo Finance)

"At Match specifically, we saw a double-digit bump in user engagement when the pandemic first started," Hosseini said. "And in the last few months, as the country has opened up, we have seen an additional double-digit bump in stats like messaging on our platform."

The company reported a better-than-expected first-quarter, with revenue increasing 23% year-over-year, reaching $668 million. Tinder, the app perhaps most closely associated with hookups in the Match Group portfolio, saw 18% growth and non-Tinder brands, posted a growth rate of 30%, the highest seen since the company's IPO in 2015. Match competitor Bumble (BMBL) also smashed revenue expectations in the first quarter, turning a profit for the first time.

The reopening and resulting increase in social connection and dating both online and in-person are strong tailwinds for those in the business of love.

"Match is built for meaningful relationships," Hosseini said. "And for those that are looking for that, we're here. If you want to get out there and date casually this summer, that's totally cool with us. Just come to us in three months when you're ready [for cuffing season]."

Melody Hahm is Yahoo Finances West Coast correspondent. Follow her on Twitter @melodyhahm.

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Match CEO: 'Were going to see the biggest cuffing season ever' - Yahoo Finance