ReportWire

Tag: advertising

  • Trade Desk stock rockets after earnings as CEO says company is outperforming like never before

    Trade Desk stock rockets after earnings as CEO says company is outperforming like never before

    [ad_1]

    Shares of Trade Desk Inc. surged on Wednesday after the advertising-technology company issued an upbeat outlook that helped quell fears about the digital-ad market.

    Chief Executive Jeff Green spoke positively on the earnings call about the company’s performance relative to rivals, saying that the company grew 24% in the fourth quarter while most of its “large competitors” saw negative growth.

    Trade Desk’s
    TTD,
    +25.60%

    revenue rose to $491 million from $396 million, while analysts tracked by FactSet were modeling $490 million.

    “I don’t think we’ve ever had the level of industry outperformance in our six years or so as a public company as we did in 2022,” he said, according to a transcript provided by AlphaSense/Sentieo. “And it means that we can be very confident that we’re gaining share and that our platform continues to gain traction with advertisers.”

    Shares of Trade Desk were up 28% in morning action. Shares of streaming-media company Roku Inc.
    ROKU,
    +9.04%
    ,
    which is due to post results after the closing bell, were up more than 7%.

    Executives at Trade Desk, which makes programmatic ad technologies for connected television, see that area of the market as particularly compelling right now.

    “Not only is the shift from linear to CTV driving significant growth in digital spend as advertisers shift dollars from linear TV to connected TV, but more spend is happening outside the walled gardens as advertisers shift spend from user-generated content to premium streaming content,” Green shared.

    The company reported fourth-quarter net income of $71 million, or 14 cents a share, compared with $8 million, or 2 cents a share, in the year-earlier period. On an adjusted basis, Trade Desk said it earned 38 cents a share, down from 42 cents a share a year before but ahead of the FactSet consensus, which was for 35 cents a share.

    For the first quarter, management anticipates at least $363 million in revenue, along with about $78 million in adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda).

    The FactSet consensus was for $358 million in revenue and $75 million in adjusted Ebitda.

    “2023 will be the year that everything in TV changes,” Green told investors on the earnings call. “The market needs an upfront that is always on, but also leverages data so that content owners sell fewer, more relevant ads at higher CPMs and advertisers get more efficacy.” CPM stands for “cost per mille” and measures what advertisers pay for impressions.

    The company also announced Wednesday that its board of directors has authorized it to buy back up to $700 million of its stock.

    “The new share-repurchase program is designed to help offset the impact of future share dilution from employee stock issuances,” Trade Desk said in a release.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Big Tech just added to a shrinking forecast, but maybe Bob Iger can brighten the mood

    Big Tech just added to a shrinking forecast, but maybe Bob Iger can brighten the mood

    [ad_1]

    Wall Street’s expectations for 2023 have been diving as forecasts for the new year come in light, and the news could get worse once they factor in disappointing results from Big Tech. But at least Bob Iger is coming back for a sequel.

    Google, Facebook, Amazon and Apple all disappointed with holiday earnings this week. Their forecasts ranged from nonexistent to piecemeal to meh, and the fallout will only add to the biggest dive in Wall Street’s expectations through the beginning of a year since 2016.

    Analysts’ average forecast for 2023 earnings from the S&P 500 index
    SPX,
    -1.04%

    dropped by 2.5% in January, according to FactSet Senior Earnings Analyst John Butters, the worst in seven years. Those projections began heading lower last year, and the decline is only steepening — analysts are now projecting 3% earnings growth in 2023, and that is contingent on a big holiday rebound from the results being released this quarter.


    Uncredited

    The news was even worse for the first quarter, for which projections declined 3.3% in January as companies whiffed on their forecasts at a rapid pace: 86% of the 43 companies that have guided for first-quarter earnings have missed projections, Butters reported. Earnings are now expected to decline 4.2%, which would be the first year-over-year earnings decline since the third quarter of 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic write-offs started to come in.

    Big Tech only added to the downward trajectory in recent days. Amazon.com Inc.
    AMZN,
    -8.43%

    missed on its holiday earnings as well as its forecast for the first quarter, and that company could determine if S&P 500 profits rise in 2023 all on its own. Amazon’s worst holiday earnings since 2014 could also contribute to the consumer discretionary sector’s first earnings decline since the beginning of the pandemic, with holiday sector earnings now expected to drop more than 5%.

    Google parent Alphabet Inc.
    GOOGL,
    -2.75%

    GOOG,
    -3.29%

    and Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc.
    META,
    -1.19%

    also missed their respective earnings targets amid problems with the digital-advertising industry, leading to the communications-services sector having the worst earnings season in the S&P 500. Profit has declined 25.2% in that sector so far, the worst among the 11 S&P 500 sectors, but would be down just 6.5% without the effects of Meta and Alphabet, Butters reported.

    Apple Inc.
    AAPL,
    +2.44%

    also didn’t do projections any favors, reporting its biggest sales decrease since 2016 and an earnings miss Thursday afternoon. In a piecemeal forecast, executives projected a similar sales decline in the calendar first quarter, though unofficially.

    This week in earnings

    After the busiest week in earnings season wrapped up, don’t expect much of a breather — 95 S&P 500 companies are expected to report in the week ahead, the third consecutive week with at least 90 companies reporting. There will be plenty of intrigue among companies not in the S&P 500 too, including Robinhood Markets Inc.
    HOOD,
    -3.59%

    and Affirm Holdings Inc.
    AFRM,
    -14.14%

    reporting together on Wednesday afternoon.

    Only one Dow Jones Industrial Average
    DJIA,
    -0.38%

    stock will report, but that is the Wednesday call you will want to tune in for: Bob Iger’s return to the Walt Disney Co.
    DIS,
    -2.21%

    earnings show.

    The calls to put on your calendar
    The numbers to watch

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Tech stocks just finished a five-week rally — the longest stretch since market peak in November 2021

    Tech stocks just finished a five-week rally — the longest stretch since market peak in November 2021

    [ad_1]

    Tech stocks on display at the Nasdaq.

    Peter Kramer | CNBC

    The Nasdaq just wrapped up its fifth straight week of gains, jumping 3.3% over the last five days. It’s the longest weekly winning streak for the tech-laden index since a stretch that ended in November 2021. Coming off its worst year since 2008, the Nasdaq is up 15% to start 2023.

    The last time tech stocks enjoyed a rally this long, investors were gearing up for electric carmaker Rivian’s blockbuster IPO, the U.S. economy was closing out its strongest year for growth since 1984, and the Nasdaq was trading at a record.

    This time around, there’s far less champagne popping. Cost cuts have replaced growth on Wall Street’s checklist, and tech executives are being celebrated for efficiency over innovation. The IPO market is dead. Layoffs are abundant.

    Earnings reports were the story of the week, with results landing from many of the world’s most valuable tech companies. But the numbers, for the most part, weren’t good.

    Apple missed estimates for the first time since 2016, Facebook parent Meta recorded a third straight quarter of declining revenue, Google‘s core advertising business shrank, and Amazon closed out its weakest year for growth in its 25-year history as a public company.

    While investors had mixed reactions to the individual reports, all four stocks closed the week with solid gains, as did Microsoft, which reported earnings the prior week and issued lackluster guidance in projecting revenue growth this quarter of only about 3%.

    Cost control is king

    Meta was the top performer among the group this week, with the stock soaring 23%, its third-best week ever. In its earnings report Wednesday, revenue came in slightly above estimates, even with sales down year over year, and the first-quarter forecast was roughly in line with expectations.

    The key to the rally was CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s pronouncement in the earnings statement that 2023 would be the “Year of Efficiency” and his promise that “we’re focused on becoming a stronger and more nimble organization.”

    “That was really the game-changer,” Stephanie Link, chief investment strategist at Hightower Advisors, said in an interview Friday with CNBC’s “Squawk Box.”

    “The quarter itself was OK, but it was the cost-cutting that they finally got religion on, and that’s why I think Meta really took off,” she said.

    Zuckerberg acknowledged that the times are changing. From the year of its IPO in 2012 through 2021, the company grew between 22% and 58% a year. But in 2022 revenue fell 1%, and analysts expect growth of only 5% in 2023, according to Refinitiv.

    On the earnings call, Zuckerberg said he doesn’t expect declines to continue, “but I also don’t think it’s going to go back to the way it was before.” Meta announced in November the elimination of 11,000 jobs, or 13% of its workforce.

    Link said the reason Meta’s stock got such a big bounce after earnings was because “expectations were so low and the valuation was so compelling.” The stock lost almost two-thirds of its value last year, far more than its mega-cap peers.

    Navigating ‘a very difficult environment’

    Apple, which slid 27% last year, gained 6.2% this week despite reporting its steepest drop in revenue in seven years. CEO Tim Cook said results were hurt by a strong dollar, production issues in China affecting the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max, and the overall macroeconomic environment. 

    “Apple is navigating what is, of course, a very difficult environment quite well overall,” Dan Flax, an analyst at Neuberger Berman, told “Squawk Box” on Friday. “As we move through the coming months and quarters, we’ll see a return to growth and the market will begin to discount that. We continue to like the name even in the face of these macro challenges.”

    Watch CNBC's full interview with Neuberger Berman's Dan Flax

    Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who succeeded Jeff Bezos in mid-2021, took the unusual step of joining the earnings call with analysts Thursday after his company issued a weaker-than-expected forecast for the first quarter. In January, Amazon began layoffs, which are expected to result in the loss of more than 18,000 jobs.

    “Given this last quarter was the end of my first full year in this role and given some of the unusual parts in the economy and our business, I thought this might be a good one to join,” Jassy said on the call.

    Managing expenses has become a big theme for Amazon, which expanded rapidly during the pandemic and subsequently admitted that it hired too many people during that period.

    “We’re working really hard to streamline our costs,” Jassy said.

    Alphabet is also in downsizing mode. The company announced last month that it’s slashing 12,000 jobs. Its revenue miss for the fourth quarter included disappointing sales at YouTube from a pullback in ad spending and weakness in the cloud division as businesses tighten their belts.

    Ruth Porat, Alphabet’s finance chief, told CNBC’s Deirdre Bosa that the company is meaningfully slowing the pace of hiring in an effort to deliver long-term profitable growth.

    Alphabet shares ended the week up 5.4% even after giving up some of their gains during Friday’s sell-off. The stock is now up 19% for the year.

    Ruth Porat, Alphabet CFO, at the WEF in Davos, Switzerland on May 23rd, 2022. 

    Adam Galica | CNBC

    Should the Nasdaq continue its upward trend and notch a sixth week of gains, it would match the longest rally since a stretch that ended in January 2020, just before the Covid pandemic hit the U.S.

    Investors will now turn to earnings reports from smaller companies. Some of the names they’ll hear from next week include Pinterest, Robinhood, Affirm and Cloudflare.

    Another area in tech that flourished this week was the semiconductor space. Similar to the consumer tech companies, there wasn’t much by way of growth to excite Wall Street.

    AMD on Tuesday beat on sales and profit but guided analysts to a 10% year-over-year decline in revenue for the current quarter. Intel, AMD’s primary competitor, reported a disastrous quarter last week and projected a 40% decline in sales in the March quarter.

    Still, AMD jumped 14% for the week and Intel rose almost 8%. Texas Instruments and Nvidia also notched nice gains.

    The semiconductor industry is dealing with a glut of extra parts at PC and server makers and falling prices for components such as memory and central processors. But after a miserable year in 2022, the stocks are rebounding on signs that an easing of Federal Reserve rate increases and lightening inflation numbers will give the companies a boost later this year.

    WATCH: Watch CNBC’s full interview with Truist’s Youssef Squali

    Watch CNBC's full interview with Truist Securities' Youssef Squali

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Google suffered ‘pullback’ in ad spending over holidays, Alphabet stock falls after earnings

    Google suffered ‘pullback’ in ad spending over holidays, Alphabet stock falls after earnings

    [ad_1]

    Alphabet Inc.’s stock slipped nearly 5% in extended trading Thursday after the tech giant missed slightly on revenue and earnings in ho-hum quarterly results.

    Google’s parent company reported fiscal fourth-quarter total revenue of $76.05 billion, up from $75.3 billion a year ago. Earnings were $13.62 billion, or $1.05 per share, compared with $20.64 billion, or $1.53 per share, last year. Alphabet’s revenue, minus traffic-acquisition costs (TAC), was $63.12 billion, vs. $61.9 billion a year ago.

    “We’re on an important journey to re-engineer our cost structure in a durable way and to build financially sustainable, vibrant, growing businesses across Alphabet,” Chief Executive Sundar Pichai said in a statement announcing the results. The company recently announced 12,000 layoffs and has scaled back hires.

    In a conference call later with analysts, Google Chief Business Officer Philipp Schindler said a “pullback” in spending by advertisers amid a more challenging economy as well as foreign-exchange headwinds impacted sales.

    Analysts polled by FactSet expected Alphabet
    GOOG,
    +7.27%

    GOOGL,
    +7.28%

    to report total revenue of $76.2 billion and earnings of $1.18 per share, with sales expected to be in line with last year’s results and profit declining from the holiday season a year ago. Revenue, minus TAC, were modeled at $63.2 billion, which also suggests little to no growth from last year.

    Google’s total advertising sales slid to $59 billion from $61.2 billion a year ago, missing analysts’ average expectations of $60.44 billion. Google Cloud brought in $7.32 billion, compared with $5.54 billion last year. YouTube ad sales slipped to $7.96 billion from $8.63 billion a year ago.

    “The search giant underperformed our expectations across almost all business units, most importantly its core ad-search segment,” Jesse Cohen, senior analyst at Investing.com, said. “Once again, YouTube growth slowed to a crawl amid tough competition from TikTok and other players in the video-streaming space.”

    A dip in digital advertising has defined the past few quarters for Google, Meta Platforms Inc.
    META,
    +23.28%
    ,
    Snap Inc.
    SNAP,
    +9.93%
    ,
    Pinterest Inc.
    PINS,
    +8.99%

    and other companies dependent on ads. Meta’s better-than-expected quarterly report Wednesday was a sign of encouragement after Snap had another desultory quarterly performance.

    Indeed, Alphabet shares closed up 7% in Thursday’s regular session, at $107.74, before retreating 5% in after-hours trading.

    Read more: Alphabet earnings: What to expect from the Google parent company

    “After Alphabet’s advertising revenue cycle reached peak growth” in the second quarter of 2021, revenue for this part of the business is set to decelerate for the sixth quarter in a row, said Monness, Crespi, Hardt analyst Brian White, who forecast a 3% drop in the recently completed quarter.

    On Thursday, Alphabet Chief Financial Officer Ruth Porat said that beginning in
    the current quarter, AI subsidiary DeepMind will be included in Alphabet’s corporate costs rather than in Other Bets.

    Alphabet’s stock has declined 24.7% over the past 12 months. The S&P 500 index 
    SPX,
    +1.47%

    is down 6.7% over the past year.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Meta stock spikes nearly 20% as cost cuts and $40 billion for investors overshadow earnings miss

    Meta stock spikes nearly 20% as cost cuts and $40 billion for investors overshadow earnings miss

    [ad_1]

    Meta Platforms Inc. shares soared in after-hours trading Wednesday despite an earnings miss, as the Facebook parent company guided for potentially more revenue than Wall Street expected in the new year and promised more share repurchases amid cost cuts.

    Meta
    META,
    +2.79%

    said it hauled in $32.17 billion in fourth-quarter revenue, down from $33.67 billion a year ago but stronger than expectations. Earnings were $4.65 billion, or $1.76 a share, compared with $10.3 billion, or $3.67 a share, last year.

    Analysts polled by FactSet expected Meta to post fourth-quarter revenue of $31.55 billion on earnings of $2.26 a share, and the beat on sales coincided with a revenue forecast that also met or exceeded expectations. Facebook Chief Financial Officer Susan Li projected first-quarter sales of $26 billion to $28.5 billion, while analysts on average were projecting first-quarter sales of $27.2 billion.

    Shares jumped more than 19% in after-hours trading immediately following the release of the results, after closing with a 2.8% gain at $153.12.

    Alphabet Inc.’s
    GOOGL,
    +1.61%

    GOOG,
    +1.56%

    Google and Pinterest Inc.
    PINS,
    +1.56%

    benefited from Meta’s results, with shares for each company rising more than 4% in extended trading Wednesday.

    “Our community continues to grow and I’m pleased with the strong engagement across our apps. Facebook just reached the milestone of 2 billion daily actives,” Meta Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said in a statement announcing the results. “The progress we’re making on our AI discovery engine and Reels are major drivers of this. Beyond this, our management theme for 2023 is the ‘Year of Efficiency’ and we’re focused on becoming a stronger and more nimble organization.”

    Read more: Snap suffers worst sales growth yet in holiday quarter, stock plunges after earnings miss

    Facebook’s 2 billion-user milestone was slightly better than analysts expected for user growth on Meta’s core social network. Daily active users across all of Facebook’s apps neared, but did not crest, another round number, reaching 2.96 billion, up 5% from a year ago.

    Meta has been navigating choppy ad waters as it copes with increasing competition from TikTok and fallout from changes in Apple Inc.’s
    AAPL,
    +0.79%

    ad-tracking system in 2021 that punitively harmed Meta, costing it potentially billions of dollars in advertising sales. Meta has invested heavily in artificial-intelligence tools to rev up its ad-targeting systems and making better recommendations for users of its short-video product Reels, but it laid off thousands of workers after profit and revenue shrunk in recent quarters.

    The cost cuts seemed to pay off Wednesday. While Facebook missed on its earnings, it noted that the costs of its layoffs and other restructuring totaled $4.2 billion and reduced the number by roughly $1.24 a share.

    Meta executives said they now expect operating expenses to be $89 billion to $95 billion this year based on slower salary growth, cost of revenue, and $1 billion in savings from facilities consolidation — down from previous guidance for $94 billion to $100 billion. Capital expenditures are expected to be $30 billion to $33 billion, down from previous guidance of $34 billion to $37 billion, as Meta cancels multiple data-center projects.

    In a conference call with analysts late Wednesday, Zuckerberg called 2023 the “year of efficiency” after 18 years of unbridled growth. He recommitted to Meta’s emphasis on AI and the metaverse, a platform for “better social experiences” than the phone, he said.

    “The reduced outlook reflects our updated plans for lower data-center construction spend in 2023 as we shift to a new data-center architecture that is more cost efficient and can support both AI and non-AI workloads,” Li said in her outlook commentary included in the release.

    Meta expects to increase its spending on its own stock. The company’s board approved a $40 billion increase in its share-repurchase authorization; Meta spent nearly $28 billion on its own shares in 2022, and still had nearly $11 billion available for buybacks before that increase.

    “Investors are cheering Meta’s plans to return more capital to shareholders despite worries over rising costs related to its metaverse spending,” said Jesse Cohen, senior analyst at Investing.com.

    “At first glance…Meta getting its mojo back,” Baird Equity Research analyst Colin Sebastian said in a note late Wednesday. “Results and guidance look particularly solid after Snap’s dismal report; however, further cuts to operating and capital expenditures announced this afternoon were perhaps the biggest surprise.”

    UBS analyst Lloyd Walmsley said he anticipates double-digit revenue growth exiting 2023 and strong growth in earnings and free cash flow.

    The results came a day after Snap Inc.
    SNAP,
    -10.29%

    posted fourth-quarter revenue of $1.3 billion, flat from a year ago and the worst year-over-year sales growth Snap has ever reported. But they also arrived on the same day Facebook scored a major win in a California court. The company successfully fended off the Federal Trade Commission bid to win a preliminary injunction to block Meta’s planned acquisition of VR startup Within Unlimited.

    Read more: Meta wins bid to buy VR startup Within Unlimited, beating U.S. FTC in court: report

    Meta shares have plunged 53% over the past 12 months, while the broader S&P 500 index 
    SPX,
    +1.05%

    has tumbled 10% the past year.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • The 10-Minute Finance Move Every Parent Needs to Make

    The 10-Minute Finance Move Every Parent Needs to Make

    [ad_1]

    Becoming a parent is one of the happiest moments in people’s lives. For many, it’s like really seeing the world for the first time. It’s also an eye-opening moment that life isn’t just about yourself anymore — you’ve got someone who depends on you.

    Most parents would give their kids the world if they could. But we won’t be around forever. One of the most important things you can do to protect your family and kids is to help ensure they’ll be able to pay the bills after you’re gone — go to college, afford groceries, start a savings.

    That’s why it’s worth looking into a good life insurance policy — the sooner the better.

    A company called Fabric by Gerber Life can help you secure a $1 million policy for as little as $18.76 per month*.

    Give Your Family $1 Million, or More

    Maybe you’ve thought about life insurance in the past. But the unending sales calls and stacks of paperwork gave you reasons to kick the can down the road.

    Fabric by Gerber Life is all digital. You can do everything from your phone or computer, and the whole process is really fast. Traditionally, getting coverage can take 10 weeks or more, but Fabric could give you an instant decision. Qualifying applicants could even get coverage without a health exam. You could get coverage in as little as 10 minutes.

    Getting started is easy. It starts with a 60-second quiz, which will help you find out if term life insurance is right for you. If it is, and you choose to apply, Fabric can help you do so in 10 mins. Term policies start at as little as $7.86 a month**.

    How to Get Started

    Fabric is backed by Gerber Life — a brand trusted by millions of families for more than 50 years. They’re even rated 4.8 out of 5 stars on Trustpilot with more than 1,900 reviews.

    Want to help make sure your family is taken care of even after you’re gone? It only takes a minute to get a free quote, and you could be covered in just 10 minutes.

    *Pricing shown is as of 08/04/22 for a 10-year term and based on a 30-year-old, 170 lb, 5’4”, non-smoker female in TX in excellent health.

    **Pricing as of 08/04/22 for a 10-year term and $100k in coverage, based on a 25-year-old, 170 lb, 5’4”, non-smoker female in TX in excellent health.


    [ad_2]

    qplummer@thepennyhoarder.com (Quinten Plummer)

    Source link

  • Snap suffers worst sales growth yet in holiday quarter, stock plunges after earnings miss

    Snap suffers worst sales growth yet in holiday quarter, stock plunges after earnings miss

    [ad_1]

    Snap Inc. stumbled through another bleak quarter to end 2022 and executives refused to provide guidance Tuesday, sending shares sliding.

    In a potential barometer of what’s to come from advertising-dependent internet companies, Snap SNAP on Tuesday posted a loss of more than a quarter-billion dollars in the holiday quarter and declined to provide a forecast for the current quarter, which is likely to rattle investors in Meta Platforms Inc. META and Alphabet Inc.’s GOOGL GOOG Google, both of which report financial results later…

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • These 20 stocks led the January rally

    These 20 stocks led the January rally

    [ad_1]

    The initial version of this story had incorrect price changes for 2023. It is now updated with information as of the market close on Jan. 31.

    Investors staged a January rally, with solid gains for the S&P 500 and an even better showing for technology stocks that led the dismal downward action in 2022.

    This…

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Could Big Tech layoffs keep growing? Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google may give hints in biggest week of earnings.

    Could Big Tech layoffs keep growing? Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google may give hints in biggest week of earnings.

    [ad_1]

    In the biggest week of the holiday-earnings season, Big Tech results will receive the spotlight amid thousands of layoffs that could only be the beginning.

    After tech stocks were decimated in 2022, investors will be looking for signs of a turnaround in holiday reports and potential forecasts for the year ahead from three of 2022’s top five market-value losers: Amazon.com Inc.
    AMZN,
    -0.66%
    ,
    Apple Inc.
    AAPL,
    -0.63%

    and Meta Platforms Inc.
    META,
    -0.60%
    .
    The other two stocks on that list — Microsoft Corp.
    MSFT,
    -1.38%

    and Tesla Inc.
    TSLA,
    -0.15%

    — reported last week, and Microsoft’s results in the wake of a mass-layoffs announcement did not bode well for its Big Tech brethren.

    See also: Microsoft could be the cloud sector’s ‘canary in the coal mine’

    Those companies — along with Google parent Alphabet Inc.
    GOOGL,
    -1.32%

    GOOG,
    -1.49%

    — will deliver results after finding themselves in unfamiliar territory: A backdrop of layoffs amid slowing demand for core products like digital ads, electronics and e-commerce, after a two-year pandemic surge and a two-decade-plus honeymoon with investors. Some analysts say the bottom hasn’t arrived, for either their finances or their workforces.

    The one Big Tech company that hasn’t taken a sword to its payroll is Apple, which also increased its staff the least among the group during the COVID-19 pandemic. Apple shed $846 billion from its market cap last year, and now reports after its core product was part of the smartphone industry’s worst year since 2013 and worst holiday-season decline on record. The iPhone maker could also face questions from Wall Street about changing up its product sourcing, which has relied heavily on China, a nation whose COVID-19 restrictions have constrained production of some phones.

    While the tech-industry layoffs have yet to hit Apple, some analysts say the company is unlikely to be spared, despite Chief Executive Tim Cook requesting and receiving a healthy cut to his compensation.

    “Similar to other big technology companies, we expect Apple to adjust its head count to reflect an increasingly challenging global macroeconomic environment,” D.A. Davidson analyst Tom Forte said in a research note Tuesday.

    Rivals that have already cut could face more if profit continues to fall along with revenue growth. Alphabet, for instance, is cutting 12,000 employees, but an activist investor has already said that is not enough considering how much the company grew during the pandemic, and the difficulties it now faces in the online-ad sector.

    Opinion: Microsoft’s big move in AI does not mean it will challenge Google in search

    Analysts have said Meta’s “darkest days” are still ahead, as it navigates a round of more than 11,000 layoffs, competition from TikTok and its early stumbles in the metaverse. While cutting, Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg has promised to keep spending on metaverse development, even as the efforts slash the Facebook parent company’s previously healthy bottom line.

    “In 2023, we expect Meta to remain engulfed in arduous battles inside the Octagon,” Monness Crespi Hardt analyst Brian White said in a research note on Thursday. “In the long run, we believe Meta will benefit from the secular digital ad trend and innovate in the metaverse; however, regulatory scrutiny persists, internal headwinds remain, and we believe the darkest days of this downturn are ahead of us.”

    Full Facebook earnings preview: Meta’s ‘darkest days’ are ahead, but some analysts say ad sales are still on track

    Online retailer Amazon
    AMZN,
    -0.66%

    was the first Big Tech company to publicly declare cost-cutting was in order a year ago, and still coughed up $834 billion in market value in 2022. It kicked off 2023 with plans to lay off more than 18,000 workers as struggles continued throughout last year, when inflation siphoned away more consumer dollars toward essentials.

    Amazon’s own AWS cloud-infrastructure unit has helped to drive sales in years past, as businesses built out their tech infrastructures. But remarks and the outlook from Microsoft executives — the third-biggest market-cap loser of 2022, and a big barometer for tech spending overall — weren’t exactly encouraging for cloud growth: Executives there last week warned of “moderating consumption growth” for its own cloud business.

    For more: One company could determine whether U.S. corporate profits rise to a record in 2023

    “Sentiment was already bearish on AWS, with investors looking for slowing revenue over the next three quarters, largely confirmed after Microsoft earnings and conversations with industry checks,” Oppenheimer analyst Jason Helfstein said in a note on Wednesday. “Positively, we believe e-commerce revenue has stabilized, and margins should improve from organic scale and announced head-count reductions.”

    Layoffs are also starting to spread beyond Big Tech companies that grew fast during the pandemic in response to massive demand spikes. International Business Machines Corp.
    IBM,
    +0.76%

    confirmed plans for 3,900 layoffs as it reported earnings, despite already reducing its workforce by at least 20% during the pandemic.

    One sector to watch is semiconductors, where a chip shortage has turned into a glut: Chip-equipment maker Lam Research Corp.
    LRCX,
    +0.04%

    announced layoffs in the past week as Silicon Valley semiconductor giant Intel Corp.
    INTC,
    +0.27%

    displayed “astonishingly bad” results while laying off workers. When Intel rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
    AMD,
    -1.64%

    reports this week, it could determine whether there is any silver lining in the semiconductor storm.

    Earnings preview: AMD faces even more scrutiny after ‘astonishingly bad’ Intel outlook

    Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said in a Sunday note that a common theme of this week’s Big Tech earnings will be that “tech layoffs will accelerate with more pain ahead to curb expenses,” though he added that “Apple will likely cut some costs around the edges, but we do not expect mass layoffs from Cupertino this week.”

    Big Tech earnings were a salve to other problems in the market for the past decade-plus, but with layoffs already under way and doubts about the path forward, don’t expect salvation from their results this week.

    This week in earnings

    For the week ahead, 107 S&P 500
    SPX,
    -0.19%

    companies, including six members of the Dow Jones Industrial Average
    DJIA,
    +0.18%
    ,
    will report results, according to FactSet. While more Dow components reported last week, this will be the busiest week for S&P 500 holiday earnings of the season, FactSet senior earnings analyst John Butters confirmed to MarketWatch.

    Appliance-maker Whirlpool Corp.
    WHR,
    +1.18%

    reports on Monday, after it forecast fourth-quarter sales that were below expectations, following what it called a “one-off supply-chain disruption” and the pandemic home-renovation boom.

    On Tuesday, package-deliverer United Parcel Service Inc.
    UPS,
    -0.26%

    reports, amid questions about holiday-season demand. So does streaming service Spotify Technology,
    SPOT,
    -0.02%

    following its own layoffs and suggestions of possible price hikes, as well as McDonald’s Corp.
    MCD,
    -0.30%
    ,
    amid concerns that rising prices are keeping people from dining out. Exxon Mobil Corp.
    XOM,
    -0.99%
    ,
    Caterpillar Inc.
    CAT,
    -0.12%
    ,
    Snap Inc.
    SNAP,
    +0.64%

    and Pfizer Inc.
    PFE,
    +0.72%

    also report Tuesday.

    Earnings outlook: McDonald’s earnings haven’t been hit by higher prices

    On Wednesday, T-Mobile US Inc.
    TMUS,
    +0.23%

    reports, in the wake of a data breach and wobbling cellphone demand. Coffee chain Starbucks Corp.
    SBUX,
    -0.58%

    reports on Thursday, with analysts likely to be zeroed in on U.S. demand and China’s reopening, after executives said they were confident that higher prices, along with enthusiasm from younger customers and for customizable drinks, could help them navigate any potholes in the economy.

    For the Big Tech companies, Thursday is also the big day: Apple, Amazon and Alphabet will report that afternoon, after Meta reports the prior day.

    The calls to put on your calendar

    WWE upheaval: World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.
    WWE,
    +0.91%

    reports earnings on Thursday, as Vince McMahon — who returned to the professional-wrestling organization this month following allegations of sexual misconduct — seeks a buyer or some other so-called “strategic alternative” for the company.

    Analysts have speculated how the company’s wrestling events and backlog of media content might be repurposed, with some entertaining the possibility of interest from Amazon or Netflix Inc.
    NFLX,
    -0.39%
    .
    But WWE has struggled to develop story lines that stick with viewers, and has thinned its ranks of wrestlers.

    The Wall Street Journal this month reported that McMahon would pay a multimillion-dollar settlement to a former referee who accused him of raping her. Among the changes since McMahon returned was the departure of his daughter, who had been promoted to co-CEO after he stepped down from the role last year.

    There isn’t much clarity on whether Vince McMahon will be on Thursday’s earnings call, which was moved from the morning to the afternoon due to a scheduling conflict. But it should offer drama no matter who attends.

    The numbers to watch

    GM and Ford auto sales: Auto makers General Motors Co.
    GM,
    -2.00%

    and Ford Motor Co.
    F,
    -0.94%

    will issue results on Tuesday and Thursday respectively, amid signs of waning demand and rising interest rates that have made car loans more expensive. Despite falling new-vehicle sales in the third quarter, GM managed to keep its own sales higher, the AP noted.

    Mary Barry, GM’s chief executive, called out the popularity of vehicles like the Escalade, the Chevrolet Bolt EV and some pickups and SUVs during the auto maker’s third-quarter earnings call in October. During that quarter, GM said it completed and shipped nearly 75% of the unfinished vehicles held in its inventory in June. She said supply-chains were opening up again, but added that “short-term disruptions will continue to happen.”

    The auto makers report as they try to put a chip shortage and other production constraints behind them. But some forecasts call for 2022 auto sales, or sales volumes, to be the weakest in roughly a decade. Electric vehicle maker Tesla’s recent price cuts could also cut into GM’s and Ford’s own EV sales.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Facebook to allow Trump back on platform after 2-year ban

    Facebook to allow Trump back on platform after 2-year ban

    [ad_1]

    Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc. META will restore former President Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts after the social-media platform banned him in the wake of the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol in 2021.

    The reinstatement of those accounts is set to happen “in the coming weeks,” Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of global affairs, said in a statement late Wednesday.

    “As…

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Feds poised to file another antitrust suit against Google this week: report

    Feds poised to file another antitrust suit against Google this week: report

    [ad_1]

    The U.S. Justice Department is preparing to sue Alphabet Inc. in the coming days over its dominance in the online ad market, according to a report late Monday.

    Citing sources familiar with the matter, Bloomberg News reported the antitrust suit is expected to be filed in federal court before the end of this week, and as soon as Tuesday.

    The pending filing has been rumored for months, after the Justice Department reportedly rejected concessions offered by Google last summer. A Google spokesperson declined to comment Monday.

    Google dominates the online ad market, earning more than one-quarter of U.S. digital-advertising revenue, according to estimates from research firm Insider Intelligence Inc.

    It would be the second antitrust suit filed by the Justice Department against Google parent Alphabet. In October 2020, the DOJ accused Google of being “a monopolist in the general search services, search advertising, and general search text advertising markets.” In a 2020 blog post, Google called that suit “deeply flawed” and said people use Google because they choose to, not because they are forced to. That case is set for trial in the fall.

    Alphabet faces a number of other lawsuits targeting its business practices, including a $16.3 billion class-action suit filed in the U.K. in November accusing the tech giant of reaping “super profits” at the expense of thousands of smaller companies. Google called that lawsuit “speculative and opportunistic.”

    Alphabet’s Class A shares
    GOOGL,
    +1.81%

    are down 24% over the past 12 months while its Class C shares
    GOOG,
    +1.94%

    have fallen about 22%, compared to the S&P 500’s
    SPX,
    +1.19%

    9% dip over the past year. Both classes of Alphabet shares dipped nearly 1% in after-hours trading Monday after the Bloomberg report was published.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • Americans With Less Than $9,000 in Savings Should Do These 7 Things

    Americans With Less Than $9,000 in Savings Should Do These 7 Things

    [ad_1]


    When you log into your bank account, how do your savings look? Probably not as good as you’d like. It always seems like an uphill battle to build (and keep) a decent amount in savings.

    But what if your car breaks down, or you have a sudden medical bill?

    Ask one of these companies to help….

    1. Stop Paying Your Credit Card Company

    If you have credit card debt, you know. The anxiety, the interest rates, the fear you’re never going to escape… 

    And the truth is, your credit card company doesn’t really care. It’s just getting rich by ripping you off with high interest rates — some up to 36%. But a website called AmOne wants to help.

    If you owe your credit card companies $50,000 or less, AmOne will match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every single one of your balances. 

    The benefit? You’ll be left with one bill to pay each month. And because personal loans have lower interest rates (AmOne rates start at 2.49% APR), you’ll get out of debt that much faster. Plus: No credit card payment this month.

    You don’t need a perfect credit score to get a loan — and comparing your options won’t affect your score at all.  Plus, AmOne keeps your information confidential and secure, which is probably why after 20 years in business, it still has an A+ rating with the Better Business Bureau.

    It takes less than a minute and just 10 questions to see what loans you qualify for — you don’t even need to enter your Social Security number. You do need to give AmOne a real phone number in order to qualify, but don’t worry — they won’t spam you with phone calls.

    2. Play Bingo on Your Phone for Real Money — up to $83 Per Win

    Do you play games on your phone just for fun? You should see if you can make money doing it, too.

    A free iPhone app called Bingo Cash lets you play for real cash. Every win could pay you up to $83.

    Bingo Cash is based on the classic Bingo format, where you’ll battle it out against other players at your same skill level. Everyone gets the same board and sees the same Bingo balls. The top three players in a game can win real money — anywhere from $1 to $83.

    And no, there’s no catch. There are no ads, either. You can play for free or pay to play in higher-stakes tournaments.

    Download the free app and start playing your first game immediately. You could win money today!

    3. Add up to $526.44 to Your Wallet for Skipping the Grocery Store

    Running errands is the worst. Seriously. After a long day of work, the last thing you want to do is go to the store and deal with the traffic and the crowds. 

    We get it. That’s why we like a free site called Rakuten — they’ll pay you to skip going to the store and shop online instead. 

    No, really. They work with just about every online store you probably shop at, and they can make sure you get some cash back every time you buy — up to 15% cash back.

    We talked to Denver resident Colleen Rice, who’s earned more than $526.44 in cash back since she started using Rakuten. For doing nothing. She just uses Rakuten for things she already has to buy, like rental cars and flights. 

    It takes less than a minute to open a Rakuten account and start shopping like you normally would. You just need an email address. 

    They’ll pay you with a check in the mail every few months or deposit it to your PayPal account. Talk about money for nothing.

    3. Get Paid Up to $140/Month Just for Sharing Your Honest Opinion

    It sounds strange, but brands want to hear your opinion. It helps them make business decisions, so they’re willing to pay you for it — up to $140 a month.

    A free site called Branded Surveys will pay you up to $5 per survey for sharing your thoughts with their brand partners. Taking three quick surveys a day could earn up to $140 each month.

    It takes just a minute to create a free account and start getting paid to speak your mind. Most surveys take five to 15 minutes, and you can check how long they’ll take ahead of time. 

    And you don’t need to build up tons of money to cash out, either — once you earn $5, you can cash out via PayPal, your bank account, a gift card or Amazon. You’ll get paid within 48 hours of your payout being processed, just for sharing your opinions.

    They’ve already paid users more than $20 million since 2012, and the most active users can earn a few hundred dollars a month. Plus, they’ve got an “excellent” rating on Trustpilot.

    It takes just a minute to set up your account and start getting paid to take surveys. Plus, right now, you’ll get a free 100-point welcome bonus just for becoming part of the community. Now” button. It’s free.

    4. Cancel Your Car Insurance

    Here’s the thing: your current car insurance company is probably overcharging you. But don’t waste your time hopping around to different insurance companies looking for a better deal.

    Use a website called EverQuote to see all your options at once.

    EverQuote is the largest online marketplace for insurance in the US, so you’ll get the top options from more than 175 different carriers handed right to you. Take a couple of minutes to answer some questions about yourself and your driving record. With this information, EverQuote will be able to give you the top recommendations for car insurance. In just a few minutes, you could save up to $610 a year.

    5. Let This App Pay You up to $83 When You Win Solitaire Games

    Lots of us already play Solitaire on our phones for fun or just to pass the time. Want to see if you can win money at it?

    There’s a free app called Solitaire Cash that pays you up to $83 every time you win.

    You might be thinking: There’s got to be a catch. This is definitely one of those spammy apps, right?

    Wrong. There really isn’t a catch. And, in fact, there aren’t even any annoying ads.

    With each game, you’ll battle it out against at least five other players. Everyone gets the same deck, so winning is totally a matter of skill. The top three players who solve the deck fastest can win real money — anywhere from $1 to $83.

    Over on the App Store, it has over a million downloads and more than 15,000 ratings, averaging 4.7 stars (out of 5).

    To get started, just download the free app and start playing your first game immediately.

    6. Get Free Stock 

    Here’s the thing about investing: The sooner you start, the better. And we found a company that will give you free stock to get started. 

    An investing app called Robinhood will give you free stock worth between $2.50 and $200 just for downloading its free app and funding your account. 

    Yeah, you’ve probably heard of Robinhood. Both investing beginners and pros love it because it doesn’t charge commission fees, and you can buy and sell stocks for free — no limits. Plus, it’s super easy to use.

    Whether you’ve got $5, $100 or $800 to spare, it takes just a couple of minutes to sign up, fund your account and get your free stock — a nice boost to help you build your investments.

    7.  Earn $300+/Month in Passive Income with Your Extra Space

    If you’re like us, your garage probably isn’t doing much of anything at the moment. Maybe you have some tools in there, or maybe it’s home to your boxes of odds and ends, collecting dust. 

    But with a website called Neighbor, your extra space — whether it’s a spare room, an empty garage or a parking space — could be earning you an extra $300 a month in totally passive income. 

    Neighbor works by connecting people who need storage space with hosts who have the room to spare. The average host makes about $300 a month, but some people have earned up to $50,000 a year just by letting people park on their property. 

    It takes less than 10 minutes to get started. Just answer a few questions about your space, take some pictures and set your asking price. Neighbor will recommend a dollar amount based on your location and type of rental, but the final listing is up to you. 

    Neighbor even gives you up to $1 million in free protection as a host and offers protection plans for your renters, giving you both peace of mind. 

    Neighbor is an easy source of passive income, and it’s easier than most side hustles. It’s free to list your space, and you’ll only be charged a 4.9% processing fee from the profit you make each month, so there’s no risk to you. 

    Sign up here and see how much you could earn.

     

    *Results may vary and some may not see savings.



    [ad_2]

    qplummer@thepennyhoarder.com (Quinten Plummer)
    Source link
  • Genesis, Winklevoss twins’ Gemini crypto venture charged by SEC with selling unregistered securities

    Genesis, Winklevoss twins’ Gemini crypto venture charged by SEC with selling unregistered securities

    [ad_1]

    U.S. securities regulators on Thursday charged Genesis Global Capital and crypto exchange Gemini Trust Co. with offering and selling of unregistered securities to retail investors, bypassing disclosures and other requirements aimed at protecting market participants.

    Genesis and Gemini raised billions of dollars’ worth of crypto assets from hundreds of thousands of investors through unregistered offers, using a crypto asset-lending program called Gemini Earn, the Securities and Exchange Commission said.

    The complaint seeks the return of any “ill-gotten gains” plus interest, and any civil penalties, the SEC said.

    The SEC is also investigating whether other securities-law violations were committed and whether there are other companies or people relating to the alleged misconduct.

    Twins Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss are the founders of Gemini. The crypto exchange was sued late last year by investors alleging that the company sold interest-bearing accounts without registering them as securities, also through the Gemini Earn program.

    Also read: Gemini’s Cameron Winklevoss accuses crypto exec Barry Silbert of ‘bad faith’ stalling over frozen funds

    The Winklevoss twins were early champions of cryptocurrencies, using the money and fame they won in legal wrangling with Facebook parent Meta Platforms Inc.
    META,
    +2.87%

    and Meta’s founder Mark Zuckerberg over their role in creating the social-media giant to launch Gemini.

    According to the SEC complaint, the Gemini Earn agreement between Genesis, part of a subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, and Gemini started in December 2020.

    Gemini customers, including U.S. retail investors, were to have an opportunity to loan their crypto assets to Genesis in exchange for Genesis’ promise to pay a high interest rate.

    Gemini deducted agent fees that were as high as 4.29%, the SEC alleges.

    “Genesis then exercised its discretion in how to use investors’ crypto assets to generate revenue and pay interest to Gemini Earn investors,” the SEC said.

    By November, however, Genesis announced it would not allow the Gemini Earn investors to withdraw their crypto assets because of a liquidity crunch following volatility in the crypto market after FTX’s bankruptcy filing, the SEC said.

    At the time, Genesis held about $900 million in investor assets from 340,000 Gemini Earn investors, the SEC said. Gemini ended the Gemini Earn program earlier this month.

    “As of today, the Gemini Earn retail investors have still not been able to withdraw their crypto assets,” the SEC said in a statement.

    “We allege that Genesis and Gemini offered unregistered securities to the public, bypassing disclosure requirements designed to protect investors,” SEC Chair Gary Gensler said in a statement.

    The charges “build on previous actions to make clear to the marketplace and the investing public that crypto-lending platforms and other intermediaries need to comply with our time-tested securities laws,” Gensler said.

    The SEC’s complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • CES 2023: AMD, Nvidia, auto applications get the hype, but analysts say this one chip maker ruled

    CES 2023: AMD, Nvidia, auto applications get the hype, but analysts say this one chip maker ruled

    [ad_1]

    As CES 2023 draws to a close, much of the attention in the chip world was lauded on companies like Advanced Micro Devices Inc. and Nvidia Corp. but a lower profile chip maker appears better positioned coming out of the convention.

    Morgan Stanley analyst Joseph Moore said there’s still a lot of caution about overall chip demand especially with softness in China, but autos appear to be one of the strong themes of CES 2023, he said.

    “The areas that have been weak remain somewhat weaker – notably memory, semi cap, and generally PC and cloud builds – while the markets that have been strong (such as automotive and industrial) remain strong but with lead times clearly starting to normalize, which likely points to longer term revenue pressures particularly in a weaker economy,” Moore said.

    “Still, the longer term themes remain positive, especially for autos (which is increasingly the focus of CES),around themes such as EVs, ADAS and autonomous.”

    Such was the case when Nvidia Corp.
    NVDA,
    +4.16%

     said on Tuesday it was partnering with Hon Hai Technology Group
    2317,
    +0.41%

     , or Foxconn, best known for being the manufacturer of Apple Inc.’s
    AAPL,
    +3.68%

    iPhone, to make electric vehicles that use Nvidia’s Drive Orin chips and sensors, and bringing its GeForce Now streaming video game service to autos made by Hyundai Motor Group
    005380,
    +0.31%
    ,
    BYD
    1211,
    -2.60%
    ,
    and Swedish EV maker Polestar.

    “We generally think that Nvidia numbers are likely OK from here, though there was some caution on sell through in China for gaming, and a clear awareness that while the company’s position within cloud is very good, that pressure in cloud budgets leads to somewhat lower visibility,” Moore said. “But we would say that generally we think that they are past the worst of the pressures in their business, in contrast to most of the semiconductor group where there are still likely numbers cuts ahead.”

    Meanwhile, Advanced Micro Devices Inc.
    AMD,
    +2.62%

    used the CES keynote to introduce the Instinct MI300 chip as “world’s first data-center integrated CPU + GPU.” The  combined central processing unit and graphics processing unit meant for AI inference, the months-long process where data centers spend millions of dollars a year on electricity to train and develop artificial intelligence. AMD Chief Executive and Chair Lisa Su said the MI300 can reduce the time it takes for an inference modeling process from months to weeks.

    But one chip maker that doesn’t get a lot of attention appeared to emerge from CES best positioned for the year: ON Semiconductor Corp.
    ON,
    +4.57%
    ,
    which focuses on electric vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems as primary growth drivers, leveraging its legacy position in auto chips.

    “Most notably, the company’s push into [Silicon Carbide] remains on track, and expect to still exit the year at a run-rate where the majority of crystal driving the business is internally sourced,” Moore said. “The company remains confident that demand in the EV space will far outpace supply for a long time and have thus shifted their focus over to execution on the production side.”

    Citi Research analyst Christopher Danley lauded ON as being the most bullish chip maker of CES 2023.

    “ON remains on track to triple Silicon Carbide revenue YoY from roughly $300 million in 2022 to $1.0 billion in 2023,” Danley said. “The company stated it is sold out through 2023.”

    But ON aside, Danley said everyone at CES is “nervous” about “cracks” in data-center demand, “and they should be.”

    “There was a tone of nervousness on the data center outlook with many execs and investors cautious and talking about ‘uncertainty’ in data center outlooks from both hyperscalers and enterprise customers,” Danley said. “We continue to believe data center correction will happen given a multitude of datapoints and leading indicators.”

    Back in early December, Danley said his checks “indicate order rates from the data center end market are fading with downside from the enterprise end market (roughly 40% of the data center end market) and Facebook,” which is owned by parent company Meta Platforms Inc.
    META,
    +2.43%

    “We continue to expect a correction in the data center end market in 1H23,” Danley said.

    That said, Danley said his top pick was and continue to believe a correction there is inevitable. We remain cautious on semis until all end markets and companies correct and our top pick remains chip maker Analog Devices Inc.
    ADI,
    +3.65%

    Back to autos: Ambarella Inc.
    AMBA,
    +6.77%

    on Thursday, Ambarella said it was partnering with Continental AG
    CON,
    +2.32%

    to develop hardware and software for assisted driving using AI with the ultimate goal of an autonomous driving system. The companies hope to have systems in production in 2026.

    Moore said Ambarella’s tech “continues to impress,” and said the Continental partnership will provide software revenue that’s shared but with the larger portion going to Continental.

    At CES 2023, “the companies are showing a full L2+ ADAS implementation for a 10-camera system running on a single chip, which per AMBA was only using 8% of the compute value of the chip.”

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • The 7 Best Pieces Money Advice For 50-Somethings We’ve Ever Heard

    The 7 Best Pieces Money Advice For 50-Somethings We’ve Ever Heard

    [ad_1]

    Here’s the thing: A lot of people have already put these money secrets to good use. They’ve found hundreds of dollars in savings, secured their family’s financials and padded their bank accounts.

    Now it’s your turn, 50-somethings.

    Putting all these secrets to use is actually easier than you might think. We’re betting you can knock out at least three or four of these things right now — yes, even from your phone.

    Go ahead and join the masses and get in on these money secrets:

    1. Ask This Website to Pay Your Credit Card Bills This Month

    No, like… the whole bill. All of it.

    While you’re stressing out over your debt, your credit card company is getting rich off those insane interest rates. But a website called Fiona could help you pay off that bill as soon as tomorrow.

    Here’s how it works: Fiona can match you with a low-interest loan you can use to pay off every credit card balance you have. The benefit? You’re left with just one bill to pay every month, and because the interest rate is so much lower, you can get out of debt so much faster. Plus, no credit card payment this month.

    Fiona can help you borrow up to $250,000 (no collateral needed) with fixed rates starting at 2.49%.

    Fiona won’t make you stand in line or call a bank. And if you’re worried you won’t qualify, it’s free to check online. It takes just two minutes, and it could save you thousands of dollars. Totally worth it.

    All that credit card debt — and the anxiety that comes with it — could be gone by tomorrow.

    2. Get a Free Retirement Plan

    Every day, 12,000 people retire — and almost 75% don’t have any kind of plan in place. We spend our entire lives saving up, so you’d think we’d do a little more than wing it with last-minute Google searches. That money needs to last our entire retirement!

    It makes sense, though. Financial advisors are more interested in serving the super wealthy. That’s how they make the big bucks, after all.

    But here’s some good news: A company called Retirable can get you a free retirement plan.

    If you’re retiring in the next few years — or are recently retired — Retirable can tell you exactly how much is safe to spend every month alongside Social Security and any part-time income.  Plus, it updates as you go, which could help you confidently draw more income per month.

    Before you commit to anything, a registered investment advisor will work with you to create a retirement plan specific to your needs and goals. And, if it turns out Retireable isn’t a right fit, your financial advisor will point you in the right direction.

    Just answer a few questions to get started and get your free investment plan.

    3. Cancel Your Car Insurance

    Here’s the thing: your current car insurance company is probably overcharging you. But don’t waste your time hopping around to different insurance companies looking for a better deal.

    Use a website called EverQuote to see all your options at once.

    EverQuote is the largest online marketplace for insurance in the US, so you’ll get the top options from more than 175 different carriers handed right to you.

    Take a couple of minutes to answer some questions about yourself and your driving record. With this information, EverQuote will be able to give you the top recommendations for car insurance. In just a few minutes, you could save up to $610 a year.

    4. Invest In Something that Could Grow 300% In the Next 15 Years

    With inflation, market volatility and newsworthy crypto crashes, it hasn’t been a great year for our precious nest eggs.

    But some investments can actually protect you in times of economic uncertainty. One asset that’s remained historically steady — and has even increased in value during times of instability — is gold. In fact, the price of gold is up more than 300% in the past 15 years.

    So, how do you invest in gold? A company called Lear Capital can help you through the entire process from start to finish. It’s been in the precious metals business for more than 25 years, and has completed $3 billion in precious metals transactions and for more than 93,000 investors. Plus, you’ll get a 24-hour risk-free guarantee to review your purchase before committing to it.

    But the process isn’t necessarily for investor newbies. You’ll need to be able to invest a minimum of $15,000.To learn more, head over to Lear Capital’s site to sign up for your free gold investment kit.

    5. Get Paid Up to $140/Month Just for Sharing Your Honest Opinion

    If you’re turning blue in the face waiting for a raise at work, it might be time to quit holding your breath and start speaking your mind to someone who wants to listen.

    Brands want to hear your opinion to help inform their business decisions on everything from products and services to logos and ads — and they’re willing to pay you up to $140 a month for it.

    A free site called Branded Surveys will pay you up to $5 per survey for sharing your thoughts with their brand partners. Taking three quick surveys a day could earn up to $140 each month.

    They’ve already paid users more than $20 million since 2012, and the most active users can earn a few hundred dollars a month. Plus, they’ve got an “excellent” rating on Trustpilot.

    It takes just a minute to set up your account and start getting paid to take surveys. Plus, right now, you’ll get a free 100-point welcome bonus just for becoming part of the community.

    6. Watch Out For These Corporate America Tricks

    From inflation to smaller packaging, corporate America is famous for finding new ways to get you to spend more money.

    But here’s a way to fight back.

    A website called Rakuten will give you a refund from just about every store you shop at online. Which means it can give you up to a 15% cash back every time you buy toilet paper on Target or book that flight home for Thanksgiving.

    We talked to Denver resident Colleen Rice, who’s earned more than $526.44 in refunds since she started using Rakuten. For doing nothing. She just uses Rakuten for things she already has to buy, like rental cars and flights.

    Enter your email address here to get started with Rakuten. They’ll pay you with a check in the mail every few months or deposit it to your PayPal account.

    Plus, if you use Rakuten to earn money back within the first 90 days of signing up, it’ll give you an extra $10 on the first check it sends you.

    7. You Can Become Debt Free — Without Paying it All Off

    It doesn’t matter how much debt you’re in. Trying to stay on top of it all can be overwhelming.  Especially when the overdue credit card notices and threats from creditors start rolling in…

    The good news is, a company called National Debt Relief could help you pay off your debt for significantly less than you owe, and in less time. No bankruptcy, no loans and no need to have good credit.

    How? It offers a strategy a lot of people don’t know about, called debt relief.

    Here’s how it works: If you owe at least $10,000 in unsecured debt (credit card debt, personal loans, medical bills, etc.), National Debt Relief’s experts will create a customized plan just for you. As the monthly payments add up, they negotiate with your creditors to reduce the amount you owe. You then pay off the rest in a lump sum.

    On average, you could become debt-free within 24 to 48 months.

    National Debt Relief has already helped more than 500,000 people pay off over $5 billion in  debt. Find out what your best options are for taking control of your debt and living the life you want. It takes less than a minute to sign up for a free consultation.

    *Investing involves the risk of loss.

    *average expenditure $88/mo.


    [ad_2]

    editor@thepennyhoarder.com (The Penny Hoarder Staff)

    Source link

  • Tesla stock wipes out three-day bounce, falls to lowest price in more than 2 years

    Tesla stock wipes out three-day bounce, falls to lowest price in more than 2 years

    [ad_1]

    It has taken just one day for Tesla Inc.’s stock to erase the entire bounce it enjoyed over the last three days trading sessions of 2022, as disappointing deliveries data helped trigger the biggest selloff in more than two years.

    The stock’s
    TSLA,
    -12.24%

    Tuesday drop knocked the electric vehicle maker’s market capitalization to 15th on the list of most valuation S&P 500 index companies.

    On Tuesday, Tesla’s market cap fell below that of consumer products company Procter & Gamble Co.
    PG,
    +0.01%
    ,
    with a current market cap of $359.18 billion, and was just below Nvidia Corp.
    NVDA,
    -2.05%

    at $352.15 billion, according to FactSet data. Tesla sat just above Chevron Corp.
    CVX,
    -3.06%
    ,
    which was at $336.43 billion. (See list of S&P 500’s 20 most valuable companies as of Tuesday’s closing prices below.)

    Tesla’s stock took a $15.08, or 12.2% dive, to $108.10 on Tuesday, to lead the S&P 500’s
    SPX,
    -0.40%

    decliners, after the company reported over the weekend that fourth-quarter deliveries that came up short of expectations for the third quarter in a row. It suffered the biggest one-day decline since it plummeted 21.1% on Sept. 8, 2020, and closed at the lowest price since Aug. 13, 2020.

    Don’t miss: Tesla delivery-target miss shows ‘demand cracks clearly happening’ that mean ‘numbers could be materially reset’ for coming years, analysts write.

    With about 3.16 billion shares outstanding as of Oct. 18, the stock’s decline shaved about $47.62 billion off Tesla’s market cap, to bring it down to $341.35 billion. That’s a far cry from the peak market cap of $1.24 trillion reached exactly one-year ago.

    After the stock hit the deepest oversold reading in its history based on the widely followed Relative Strength Index momentum indicator on Dec. 27, following the longest losing streak in more than four years, it ran up $14.08, or 12.9%, over the past three days.

    If there’s a bright side to Tuesday’s stock selloff, it’s that even though the price fell below the Dec. 27 closing price, the RSI ended the day at 24.86, which is up from the Dec. 27 record low of 16.56.

    That could be a preliminary sign of what chart watchers call “bullish technical divergence,” which is when prices make lower lows while the RSI makes a higher low. It’s still rather early to make that determination, however, as the stock needs to start bouncing again to see if RSI bottoms above the previous low.

    Market caps of the Top 20 most valuable S&P 500 companies:

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • How Facebook’s Demise Will Change Digital Advertising

    How Facebook’s Demise Will Change Digital Advertising

    [ad_1]

    Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

    Facebook is in trouble. Social media platforms need constant growth to survive, but Facebook is no longer growing. In fact, it’s losing users. As Facebook’s core platform slowed down, Mark Zuckerberg made the fateful decision to shift focus to the metaverse, going so far as to change the company’s name, mission statement and stock ticker symbol to reflect this new direction.

    The public response was swift and decisive: People don’t want the metaverse, and especially not a half-baked version from Facebook. Even among those who are excited about the potential of virtual reality, there’s a sense that Facebook’s technology is decades behind the leading edge. And so people are leaving Facebook. Today, META’s stock is down around 70% from its highs.

    This exodus will have a profound impact on digital advertising. Facebook has long been the go-to platform for marketers looking to reach young people, and its targeting capabilities are unrivaled. But with Facebook no longer growing, and with users increasingly spending less time on the site, businesses will start to look elsewhere for their digital advertising needs.

    As a result, brands will need to find new platforms to reach their target audiences. They’ll also need to put greater importance on user privacy, as the public is no longer willing to tolerate Facebook’s cavalier attitude towards data. In addition, given the Facebook-fueled rise in ad blockers, brands will need to find ways to reach people that don’t rely on traditional display advertising.

    Related: 4 Digital Advertising Predictions You Need to Keep Your Eyes On

    Brands turn to new platforms

    When Facebook first launched, it was a novel way for businesses to reach their target audiences. There was nothing else like it, and so businesses flocked to the platform. But now there are many other social media platforms, and businesses will need to spread their advertising budgets across multiple sites.

    This won’t be easy, as each platform has its own quirks and capabilities. For example, TikTok is popular with young people, but it doesn’t have the same kind of targeting capabilities as Facebook. And while Instagram is owned by Facebook, it has a very different user base and set of features.

    Advertising on Twitter is an entirely new can of worms. Following the platform’s acquisition by Elon Musk and the subsequent removal of content restrictions put in place to appease advertisers, Twitter is now a Wild West of sorts. Many advertisers have pulled their budgets from the platform, but those who remain are finding that they need to adjust their strategies.

    Google is another behemoth that brands need to consider. While it’s not a social media platform, its search and display advertising businesses are still enormous. Like Facebook, however, advertisers face fake news and bots on Google. The company is also embroiled in antitrust investigations, which could lead to stricter regulation of its advertising business.

    All this is to say that brands need to be nimble and adaptable in the post-Facebook world. They need to be willing to experiment with different platforms, and they need to have a clear understanding of each one’s strengths and weaknesses.

    Related: What to Post on Each Social Media Platform: The Complete Guide to Optimizing Your Social Content

    Businesses focus on user privacy

    As people become more aware of the ways that their data is being used and abused, they’re increasingly demanding more control over their personal information. This is especially true of young people, who are growing up in a world where data breaches are commonplace.

    In response to this, brands will need to start respecting user privacy. They’ll need to be more transparent about how they’re using data, and they’ll need to give users more control over their personal information. This will require a fundamental shift in the way that many businesses operate, but it’s something that needs to be done if brands want to stay on the good side of the public.

    I’ve written before about the rise of zero-party data. This is a new kind of data that users voluntarily share with businesses, such as through quizzes, surveys and sign-ups. This data is incredibly valuable, as it allows businesses to get to know their customers on a much deeper level. Unlike third-party data, which is often inaccurate and outdated, zero-party data is fresh and accurate.

    As user privacy becomes more important, brands will need to start collecting this type of data. They’ll need to find new ways to engage with their customers, and they’ll need to invest in the necessary technology. This will require a significant amount of time and money, but it’s something that needs to be done if brands want to stay relevant in the post-Facebook world.

    Related: The 5 Best Digital Marketing Strategies to Empower Your Business

    Interactive content dominates

    The most successful advertising campaigns of the future will be those that manage to break through the clutter and capture people’s attention. In a world where people are bombarded with hundreds of marketing messages every day, this is no easy feat.

    One way to do this is with interactive content. This is content that requires people to take some kind of action, such as answering questions for a style quiz or responding to a poll measuring interest in a new product. Because interactive content is more engaging than traditional display advertising, it’s more likely to capture people’s attention and get them to take notice of your brand.

    Facebook’s sheer staying power has meant that many brands have been slow to catch on to this trend. But with the platform’s decline, they’ll need to start experimenting with new types of content if they want to stay ahead of the curve.

    Ultimately, the demise of Facebook will have a profound impact on the world of digital advertising. Brands will need to find new platforms to reach their target audiences, and they’ll need to put a greater emphasis on user privacy. In addition, given the rise in ad blockers, brands will need to find ways to reach people that don’t rely on traditional display advertising.

    [ad_2]

    Vlad Gozman

    Source link

  • These 20 stocks were the biggest losers of 2022

    These 20 stocks were the biggest losers of 2022

    [ad_1]

    This has been the year of reckoning for Big Tech stocks — even those of companies that have continued to grow sales by double digits.

    Below is a list of the 20 stocks in the S&P 500
    SPX,
    -0.72%

    that have declined the most in 2022.

    First, here’s how the 11 sectors of the benchmark index have performed this year:

    S&P 500 sector

    2022 price change

    Forward P/E

    Forward P/E as of Dec. 31, 2021

    Energy

    57.8%

    9.6

    11.1

    Utilities

    -0.5%

    18.8

    20.4

    Consumer Staples

    -2.7%

    20.9

    21.8

    Healthcare

    -3.2%

    17.4

    17.2

    Industrials

    -6.7%

    18.0

    20.8

    Financials

    -12.1%

    11.7

    14.6

    Materials

    -13.4%

    15.6

    16.6

    Real Estate

    -27.7%

    16.2

    24.2

    Information Technology

    -28.8%

    19.6

    28.1

    Consumer Discretionary

    -37.4%

    20.7

    33.2

    Communication Services

    -40.4%

    14.0

    20.8

    S&P 500

    -19.2%

    16.5

    21.4

    Source: FactSet

    The energy sector has been the only one to show a gain in 2022, and it has been a whopper, even as West Texas Intermediate crude oil
    CL.1,
    +0.41%

    has given up most of its gains from earlier in the year. Here’s why investors are still confident in the supply/demand setup for oil and energy stocks.

    Looking at the worst-performing sectors, you might wonder why the consumer discretionary and communication services sectors have fared worse than information-technology, the core tech sector. One reason is that S&P Dow Jones Indices can surprise investors with its sector choices. The consumer discretionary sector includes Tesla Inc.
    TSLA,
    +0.70%

    and Amazon.com Inc.
    AMZN,
    -1.17%
    ,
    which has fallen nearly 50% this year. The communications sector includes Meta Platforms Inc.
    META,
    -1.21%
    ,
    along with Match Group Inc.
    MTCH,
    +0.50%
    ,
    which is down 69% for 2022, and Netflix Inc.
    NFLX,
    -0.44%
    ,
    which is down 52% this year.

    There have been many reasons easy to cite for Big Tech’s decline, such as a questionable change in strategy for Facebook’s holding company, Meta, as CEO Mark Zuckerberg has put so much of the company’s resources into developing a new world that most people don’t wish to enter, at least yet. Meta’s shares were down 64% for 2022 through Dec. 29.

    You might also blame the Twitter-related antics and sales of Tesla shares by CEO Elon Musk for the 65% decline in the electric-vehicle maker’s stock this year. But Tesla had a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 120.3 at the end of 2021, while the S&P 500
    SPX,
    -0.72%

    traded for 21.4 times its weighted forward earnings estimate, according to FactSet. Those P/E ratios have now declined to 21.7 and 16.4, respectively. So Tesla no longer appears to be a very expensive stock, especially for a company that increased its vehicle deliveries by 42% in the third quarter from a year earlier.

    Analysts polled by FactSet expect Tesla’s stock to double during 2023. It nearly made this list of 20 EV stocks expected to rebound the most in 2023.

    The worst-performing S&P 500 stocks of 2022

    Here are the 20 stocks in the S&P 500 that fell the most for 2022 through the close on Dec. 29.

    Company

    Ticker

    2022 price change

    Forward P/E

    Forward P/E as of Dec. 32, 2021

    Generac Holdings Inc.

    GNRC,
    -0.84%
    -71.4%

    13.7

    30.2

    Match Group Inc.

    MTCH,
    +0.50%
    -68.9%

    20.1

    48.5

    Align Technology Inc.

    ALGN,
    -0.52%
    -67.7%

    27.4

    48.7

    Tesla Inc.

    TSLA,
    +0.70%
    -65.4%

    21.7

    120.3

    SVB Financial Group

    SIVB,
    -0.38%
    -65.4%

    10.8

    23.0

    Catalent Inc.

    CTLT,
    -0.40%
    -64.6%

    13.0

    32.5

    Meta Platforms Inc. Class A

    META,
    -1.21%
    -64.2%

    14.7

    23.5

    Signature Bank

    SBNY,
    -0.34%
    -64.1%

    6.2

    18.6

    PayPal Holdings Inc.

    PYPL,
    -0.01%
    -62.6%

    14.8

    36.0

    V.F. Corp.

    VFC,
    +0.15%
    -62.5%

    11.9

    20.4

    Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. Series A

    WBD,
    -1.64%
    -59.9%

    N/A

    7.5

    Carnival Corp.

    CCL,
    -0.23%
    -59.8%

    38.1

    N/A

    Stanley Black & Decker Inc.

    SWK,
    -0.42%
    -59.8%

    17.0

    15.9

    Lumen Technologies Inc.

    LUMN,
    -1.79%
    -57.8%

    7.7

    7.8

    Zebra Technologies Corp. Class A

    ZBRA,
    -0.44%
    -56.7%

    14.5

    30.1

    Dish Network Corp. Class A

    DISH,
    -0.96%
    -56.5%

    8.6

    10.9

    Caesars Entertainment Inc.

    CZR,
    +0.24%
    -55.7%

    51.4

    144.5

    Lincoln National Corp.

    LNC,
    +0.26%
    -55.1%

    3.4

    6.2

    Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

    AMD,
    -0.97%
    -55.0%

    17.8

    43.1

    Seagate Technology Holdings PLC

    STX,
    -0.55%
    -53.1%

    15.0

    12.4

    Source: FactSet

    Click on the tickers for more information about the companies.

    Click here for Tomi Kilgore’s detailed guide to the wealth of information available for free on the MarketWatch quote page.

    Another way of measuring the biggest stock-market losers of 2022

    It is one thing to have a large decline based on the share price, but that doesn’t tell the entire story. How much of a decline have investors seen in the holdings of their shares during the year? The S&P 500’s total market capitalization declined to $31.66 trillion as of Dec. 28 (the most recent figure available) from $40.36 trillion at the end of 2021, according to FactSet.

    Shareholders of these companies have suffered the largest declines in market cap during 2022.

    Company

    Ticker

    2022 market capitalization change ($bil)

    2022 price change

    Apple Inc.

    AAPL,
    -0.63%
    -$851

    -27.0%

    Amazon.com Inc.

    AMZN,
    -1.17%
    -$832

    -49.5%

    Microsoft Corp.

    MSFT,
    -1.15%
    -$728

    -28.3%

    Tesla Inc.

    TSLA,
    +0.70%
    -$677

    -65.4%

    Meta Platforms Inc. Class A

    META,
    -1.21%
    -$465

    -64.2%

    Nvidia Corp.

    NVDA,
    -1.37%
    -$376

    -50.3%

    PayPal Holdings Inc.

    PYPL,
    -0.01%
    -$141

    -62.6%

    Netflix Inc.

    NFLX,
    -0.44%
    -$138

    -51.7%

    Walt Disney Co.

    DIS,
    -1.62%
    -$123

    -43.7%

    Salesforce Inc.

    CRM,
    -0.96%
    -$118

    -47.8%

    Source: FactSet

    So there is your surprise for today: Apple is this year’s biggest stock-market loser.

    Don’t miss: Best stock picks for 2023: Here are Wall Street analysts’ most heavily favored choices

    [ad_2]

    Source link

  • The 8 Best Sites to Get Paid for Taking Surveys and Playing Games Online (Earn up to $896/Month!)

    The 8 Best Sites to Get Paid for Taking Surveys and Playing Games Online (Earn up to $896/Month!)

    [ad_1]

    You probably have friends or family that already supplement their income by filling out surveys or winning card games online.

    And we all understand how survey sites work: Businesses are willing to pay for honest feedback from us consumers about what we like and don’t like.

    This is the kind of article you look for when you just want to make sure you’re linking up with a legitimate company that isn’t trying to rip you off or waste your time.

    These are some of the best survey sites and quick-cash games, selected based on their reputation and the amount of money you can realistically earn in a month.

    1. InboxDollars — Add Up to $225/Month to Your Wallet While Watching the News

    You just have to answer honestly, and InboxDollars will continue to pay you every month. This might sound too good to be true, but it’s already paid its users more than $56 million.

    You could add up to $225 a month to your pocket by signing up for a free account with InboxDollars. They’ll present you with short surveys to choose from every day, which you can fill out while you watch tonight’s broadcast.

    It takes about one minute to sign up, and start getting paid while you watch the news.

    2. Branded Surveys — Get Paid Up to $140/Month Just for Sharing Your Honest Opinion

    Taking three quick surveys a day could earn up to $140 each month. A free site called Branded Surveys will pay you up to $5 per survey for sharing your thoughts with their brand partners.

    It takes just a minute to create a free account and start getting paid to speak your mind. Most surveys take five to 15 minutes, and you can check how long they’ll take ahead of time.

    Once you earn $5, you can cash out via PayPal, your bank account, a gift card or Amazon. You’ll get paid within 48 hours of your payout being processed, just for sharing your opinions.

    It takes just a minute to set up your account and start getting paid to take surveys. Plus, right now, you’ll get a free 100-point welcome bonus just for becoming part of the community.

    3. Bingo Cash — You Could Bag $83 For Every Win

    Bingo Cash gives you the chance to play Bingo for real money. The game is based on the classic Bingo format, but with special power-ups you can use to do things like buy more time or dab an extra square.

    You’ll battle it out against other players at your same skill level. Everyone gets the same board and sees the same Bingo balls. Winning is totally a matter of how you use the powerups you’re given.

    The top three players in a game can win real money — anywhere from $1 to $83. You can also play casually with virtual currency if you want.

    To get started, just download the free app and start playing your first game immediately.

    4. YouGov — Earn Up to $100 this Month By Answering Survey Questions About the News (It’s Anonymous)

    The news is a heated subject these days. It’s hard not to have an opinion on it.

    Good news: A website called YouGov America will pay you up to $100 or more this month just to answer survey questions about politics, the economy and other hot news topics.

    Plus, it’s totally anonymous, so no one will judge you for that hot take.

    When you take a quick survey (some are less than three minutes), you’ll earn points you can exchange for up to $100 in cash or gift cards to places like Walmart and Amazon. Plus, Penny Hoarder readers will get an extra 500 points for registering, and another 1,000 points after completing their first survey.

    It takes just a few minutes to sign up and take your first survey — and you’ll get your points immediately.

    5. Survey Junkie — Get Paid up to $40/Month Just for Sharing Your Opinion

    Yes, there are a bunch of paid survey sites out there, but one of the best we’ve found is Survey Junkie.

    They’ll ask you questions about things like, what kind of laundry detergent you use, or if you prefer Pepsi or Coke. You get points for answering, and many people accumulate enough points to request a check within a few hours. Completing just three surveys a day can earn you as much as $40 a month.

    More than 10 million people already use Survey Junkie, and it has 4.5/5 stars on TrustPilot.

    Give it a try by visiting Survey Junkie and clicking the “Join Now” button. It’s free.

    6. Solitaire Cash — Earn up to $83/Win in This Mobile Game

    Lots of us already play Solitaire on our phones for fun or just to pass the time. Want to see if you can win money at it?

    There’s a free iPhone app called Solitaire Cash that lets you play for real money. You could get paid up to $83 per win.

    You might be thinking: There’s got to be a catch. This is definitely one of those spammy apps, right?

    Wrong. There really isn’t a catch. Sure, you can pay to play in some higher-stakes tournaments, but there’s no pressure. And, in fact, there aren’t even any annoying ads.

    With each game, you’ll battle it out against at least five other players. Everyone gets the same deck, so winning is totally a matter of skill. The top three players who solve the deck fastest can win real money — anywhere from $1 to $83.

    Over on the App Store, it has over a million downloads and more than 15,000 ratings, averaging 4.7 stars (out of 5).

    To get started, just download the free app and start playing your first game immediately.

    7. Swagbucks — Get Paid $225 for Watching the News

    It’s been a historic year in the news, and we’re all constantly refreshing for the latest updates. You probably know more than one news-junkie who fancies themselves a constitutional scholar or a foreign policy expert.

    That might not be the best news for your dinner conversations — but it’s great news for your wallet. You could add up to $225 a month to your pocket by signing up for a free account with Swagbucks. They’ll present you with short surveys to choose from every day, which you can fill out while you watch tonight’s broadcast.

    You just have to answer honestly, and Swagbucks will continue to pay you every month. This might sound too good to be true, but it’s already paid its users more than $429 million. We talked to one user in Pennsylvania, 52-year-old Carolinda Hendrickson, who earned $1,200 in a year.

    It takes about one minute to sign up, and start getting paid while you watch the news.

    8. Nielsen Consumer Panel — Scan Your Groceries’ Barcodes For Free Gift Cards

    Remember the Nielsen company? The one that’s always tracked TV ratings? Well, now it wants to know what’s in your fridge.

    Once you sign up to be on the Nielsen Consumer Panel, you’ll gain access to the NCPMobile app. (If you don’t have a smartphone, Nielsen will send you a scanner.) As you unload your groceries after your next shopping trip, simply use the app to scan items’ barcodes.

    Nielsen will reward you with points, which you can redeem for free gift cards, electronics (new TV, anyone?) and household items. The longer you stay on the panel, the more opportunities you have to earn.

    Applying to become a panel member is straightforward. You’ll answer some basic questions about you and your household, then Nielsen reviews your application and will contact you when you’re eligible to join.


    [ad_2]

    qplummer@thepennyhoarder.com (Quinten Plummer)

    Source link