Niu Q3 Earnings: Scooter Volume Up, But Price Drops And Margins Tighten, Strong Q4 Outlook And More

Chinese electric scooter company Niu Technologies NIU reported a fiscal third-quarter 2024 revenue growth of 10.5% to 1.02 billion Chinese yuan ($145.90 million), mainly due to an increase in sales volume of 17.5%, partially offset by a decrease in revenues per e-scooter of 6.0%.

The company reported loss per ADS of $(0.07). Adjusted net loss was (34.25) million Chinese yuan, compared to (69.96) million Chinese yuan loss a year ago. 

Also Read: Disney’s Streaming Profits And Park Rebound Lead The Way: Analyst

The number of e-scooters sold increased by 17.5% Y/Y to 312,405, with sales in China growing by 12.4%. International e-scooter sales climbed 50.3% to 53,311 units. The number of franchised stores in China was 3,345 as of September 30, 2024.

The quarterly gross margin declined 760 basis points Y/Y to 13.8%, mainly due to a higher proportion of kick-scooter sales in international markets, changes in the product mix of e-scooters, and increased sales incentives to franchisees in the Chinese market.

The operating loss for the quarter was (58.49) million Chinese yuan versus a loss of (89.52) million Chinese yuan a year ago. The company held 1.05 billion Chinese yuan in cash and equivalents as of September 30, 2024.

CEO Yan Li noted that third-quarter sales growth fell short of targets due to recent policy changes in China affecting sales timing. However, retail demand remains robust, and the upcoming product lineup aligns with the new regulations, positioning the company well to manage these shifts. The launch of the NX Hyper electric motorcycle represents a key milestone, emphasizing a focus on performance and innovation.

Li added that the company has maintained a strong pace of new store openings this year, creating a solid base for future growth. At the recent Milan EICMA event, they introduced a series of new scooters, highlighting advanced design and innovative technology. These models will soon launch in the EU and the US.

Li expressed confidence in navigating market changes and delivering strong performance.

Outlook: Niu expects fourth-quarter revenues of 622 million Chinese yuan – 718 million Chinese yuan, representing a 30%-50% Y/Y increase.

Niu Technologies stock plunged 7% year-to-date.

Price Action: NIU shares closed lower by 0.50% at $1.99 on Friday.

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Asia And Europe Markets Mostly Lower, Dollar's Uptrend Continues – Global Markets Today While US Slept

On Friday, November 15, U.S. markets closed lower, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq recording their steepest losses in two weeks. The decline was fueled by worries over delayed interest rate cuts, reactions to economic data, and Trump’s cabinet picks, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., raising vaccine policy concerns.

Related: European And U.S. Vaccine Stocks Are Under Pressure – Here’s Why

According to economic data, U.S. export prices rose by 0.8% in October, while import prices increased by 0.3%. Retail sales grew 0.4% month-over-month, exceeding market expectations of 0.3% but lower than September’s revised 0.8% gain.

Most S&P 500 sectors fell, led by losses in tech, communication services, and healthcare, while utilities and financials gained, defying the broader market trend.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.47% and closed at 43,750.86, the S&P 500 declined 0.50% to 5,949.17, and the Nasdaq Composite slid 0.64% to finish at 19,107.65.

Asia Markets Today

  • On Monday, Japan’s Nikkei 225 declined 1.05% and ended the session at 38,232.50, led by losses in the Real Estate, Shipbuilding, and Financial Services sectors.
  • Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.18% and ended the day at 8,300.20, led by gains in the Consumer Staples, Utilities and Gold sectors.
  • India’s Nifty 50 closed 0.50% lower at 23,462.70, and Nifty 500 down 0.28% at 21,901.10, led by losses in the Technology, Oil & Gas, and Fast Moving Consumer Goods sectors.
  • China’s Shanghai Composite declined 0.21% to close at 3,323.85, and the Shenzhen CSI 300 fell 0.46%, finishing the day at 3,950.38.
  • Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.77% and closed the session at 19,576.61.

Eurozone at 05:30 AM ET

  • The European STOXX 50 index was down 0.27%.
  • Germany’s DAX slid 0.08%.
  • France’s CAC fell 0.00%.
  • FTSE 100 index traded higher by 0.30%

Commodities at 05:30 AM ET

  • Crude Oil WTI was trading higher by 0.70% at $67.39/bbl, and Brent was up 0.73% at $71.56/bbl.
  • Oil prices rose amid the escalating Russia-Ukraine conflict. However, market gains were tempered by weak demand in China and a global oil surplus forecast. U.S. support for Ukrainian strikes against Russia increased geopolitical risks.
  • Natural Gas rose 2.34% to $2.888.
  • Gold was trading higher by 0.99% at $2,595.80, Silver gained 1.27% to $30.820, and Copper rose 0.46% to $4.0830.
  • Gold prices rose, supported by a slowing dollar rally. Investors await Federal Reserve comments amid strong U.S. economic data reducing expectations for December rate cuts.

U.S. Futures at 05:30 AM ET

Dow futures declined 0.22%, S&P 500 futures up 0.02%, and Nasdaq 100 futures gained 0.35%.

Forex at 05:30 AM ET

  • The U.S. dollar index gained 0.02% to 106.70, the USD/JPY rose 0.41% to 154.97, and the USD/AUD rose 0.08% to 1.5484.
  • The dollar strengthened against the yen as Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda signaled potential future rate hikes without confirming timing.

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Seeking up to 14% Dividend Yield? Analysts Suggest 2 Dividend Stocks to Buy

The stock market closed last week on a negative note, weighed down by investor speculation that the Federal Reserve might scale back its pace of policy easing.

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, in remarks on Thursday, emphasized there was no immediate rush to lower interest rates, citing positive economic indicators. This message was reinforced on Friday by a stronger-than-expected October retail sales report.

Meanwhile, enthusiasm for President-elect Donald Trump’s pro-business agenda is fading, with growing concerns about the potential costs and inflationary risks tied to his fiscal policies.

In this environment, investors will turn toward defensive shares – and that frequently means dividend stocks. These investments offer consistent income, making them a reliable choice during periods of market uncertainty.

So, if Friday’s downbeat day has you seeking out dividends, Wall Street analysts have flagged two dividend stocks to buy, including one with a 14% yield. Let’s take a closer look, with insights drawn from the TipRanks database.

AFC Gamma (AFCG)

We’ll start with a real estate investment trust, a REIT, that operates with a bit of a twist. The company, AFC Gamma, works with the cannabis industry, where it acts as a finance provider, making available commercial real estate loans, as well as loan underwriting and other financial services. The company makes direct loans and bridge loans in the range of $10 million to $100 million – an important source of finance in an industry that is growing rapidly but is also dealing with a complex legal structure. AFC Gamma estimates that the cannabis industry has an addressable market of approximately $30 billion.

The company is based in West Palm Beach, Florida, one of the states with a legal cannabis framework, and its customer base is state-licensed cannabis operators across the country. The cannabis industry has a high overhead, as the grow facilities require a combination of large floor space and heavy use of both water and electric utilities. Access to traditional banking capital can be limited, because cannabis is illegal at the Federal level, and the states present a patchwork of different legal frameworks. All in all, AFC Gamma’s target niche is a bright opportunity for a finance company that can operate outside the banking networks – and the company’s status as the largest REIT in the cannabis industry makes it attractive to dividend investors.

Axalta Marks 10 Years as a Public Company by Ringing the Opening Bell® at the New York Stock Exchange on November 18, 2024

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Axalta AXTA, a leading global coatings company, has announced that Chris Villavarayan, CEO and President, and Rakesh Sachdev, chair of the board, will commemorate 10 years as a publicly traded company by ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Nov. 18, 2024. Axalta’s senior leadership team and employees from the Philadelphia area will also participate in this highly respected and time-honored tradition.

“Ringing the bell at the NYSE is a fitting celebration for Axalta at this point in our history,” said Mr. Villavarayan. “The ONE Axalta team has changed the industry with purpose-driven innovation developed for our 100,000 unique and valued customers. We are breaking the boundaries of external color, efficient application and sustainable solutions while simultaneously growing the company, becoming leaner, and delivering record-setting financial results.”

Since the beginning of 2023, the company has increased its market capitalization by 48 percent and is progressing well against its 2026 A Plan financial targets introduced this year, as reported in third quarter earnings.

Live coverage of the ceremony will begin at 9:28 a.m. EST and will be available for streaming at https://www.NYSE.com/bell.

About Axalta Coating Systems

Axalta is a global leader in the coatings industry, providing customers with innovative, colorful, beautiful, and sustainable coatings solutions. From light vehicles, commercial vehicles and refinish applications to electric motors, building facades and other industrial applications, our coatings are designed to prevent corrosion, increase productivity, and enhance durability. With more than 150 years of experience in the coatings industry, the global team at Axalta continues to find ways to serve our more than 100,000 customers in over 140 countries better every day with the finest coatings, application systems and technology. For more information, visit axalta.com and follow us on LinkedIn and @axalta on X.


Contact
Chelsea Quilty
267.216.5603
Chelsea.quilty@axalta.com
Axalta.com

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Refresco completes acquisition of Frías, enhancing Plant-Based beverage portfolio

Press Release
Refresco completes acquisition of Frías, enhancing Plant-Based beverage portfolio

Rotterdam, The Netherlands, November 18, 2024 – Refresco, the global independent beverage solutions provider for retailers and global, national, and emerging (GNE) brands in Europe, North America, and Australia, today announces the successful closing of its acquisition of Frías Nutrición (“Frías”), a leading manufacturer of plant-based drinks in Spain. This transaction, first announced on July 22, 2024, strengthens Refresco’s position in the rapidly growing plant-based beverage category. 
Frías, located in Burgos, Spain, employs approximately 250 people and specializes in producing private label plant-based drinks, including almond, rice, hazelnut, and soy options for key retailers in Spain and beyond. This acquisition complements Refresco’s existing operations in Spain and significantly expands its capabilities in the plant-based drinks sector.

CEO Refresco, Hans Roelofs, commented:
“As part of our proven Buy & Build strategy, we are looking to expand our capabilities in existing and adjacent beverage categories. The acquisition of Frías not only enhances our footprint in the plant-based drinks market, but it also allows us to better serve our European customers and accelerates our product innovation capabilities. We are excited to welcome the talented Frías team and are dedicated to a seamless integration process that will drive mutual growth.”
With this acquisition, Refresco reaffirms its commitment to delivering high-quality, innovative beverage solutions to its customers, while also further enhancing its service offerings.

About Refresco
Refresco is the global independent beverage solutions provider for retailers and global, national and emerging brands with production in Europe, North America and Australia. Refresco offers an extensive range of product and packaging combinations from juices to carbonated soft drinks and mineral waters in carton, PET, Aseptic PET, cans and glass. Refresco continuously searches for new and alternative ways to improve the quality of its products and packaging combinations in line with consumer and customer demand, environmental responsibilities and market demand. Refresco is headquartered in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and has more than 14,500 employees. www.refresco.com
Media Contacts

Refresco Corporate Communications
Hendrik de Wit
+31 6 1586 1311
hendrik.dewit@refresco.com

 

 


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Trump Victory-Led Rally In Stocks Shrugged Off Rise In Yields, But Analyst Says If Treasuries 'Don't Find A Ceiling…It Will Become A Problem': Here's What It Means For Investors

The victory of President-elect Donald Trump accompanied by stronger-than-expected economic data has been able to shrug off the worries from the rise in Treasury yields as the S&P 500 Index, which fell by 2.3% last week at 5,870.62 is still higher than its pre-election levels of 5,712.69 points on Monday, Nov. 4.

However, Fed Chair Jerome Powell‘s pirouette on interest rate reduction on Thursday last week may soon start weighing in on the equity markets as experts have highlighted the possible concerns about a “tighter monetary environment” if the economy remains strong.

After the 25 basis Nov. 7 rate cut, Powell said that “the economy is not sending any signals that we need to be in a hurry to lower rates.”

What Happened: Reducing interest rates increases liquidity in the system, thus giving a boost to investment in equities, but on the contrary, holding the interest rates at a higher level causes the liquidity to reduce, yields to rise, and consequently, the economy to shrink.

While the U.S. inflation and economy shows no sign of cooling off, Fed officials may decide not to cut the rates further in their Dec. 17-18 meeting, which will impact the equity markets.

The U.S. two-year Treasury yield rose to 4.31%, whereas the ten-year yield jumped to 4.45% on Friday. “If yields continue to trend up and they don’t find their ceiling, I think it will become a problem because it will basically translate into a tighter monetary environment,” said Irene Tunkel, chief U.S. equity strategist at BCA Research, to Reuters.

Also read: Powell’s Hawkish Remarks Shake Markets: Stocks Fall, Dollar Rockets, Bitcoin Dips

Why It Matters: “A tighter monetary environment” corresponds to higher central bank interest rates, lower bond prices, and higher yields. A tighter monetary policy, causes the yields to rise in the short term and makes borrowing more expensive, gradually reducing the liquidity in the system and hampering the growth while increasing the fear of recession.

The Federal Open Market Committee has the behemoth task of determining the rates and setting the targets while maintaining economic growth. Moreover, a tighter monetary environment is feared by equity investors as fixed-income and debt instruments become more lucrative than equities.

“Just last Thursday, at his presser, he (Powell) claimed that the FFR (Federal Fund Rate) was still too restrictive and had to be lowered to the neutral FFR. Meanwhile, our new ‘Nirvana Model’ shows that both the unemployment rate and inflation rates suggest that the current FFR is at the neutral rate.” said Yardeni Research in one of their quick takes.

Also read: Cathie Wood Redirects Elon Musk’s DOGE Focus Toward Nuclear Energy Amid Regulatory Challenges: Here’s How Oklo, Cameco, Centrus Energy And Other Stocks Performed

Talking about the two-year and ten-year Treasuries, the note added that “we expect both yields to be range bound between 4.25% and 4.75% over the rest of this year and possibly into next year.”

Adding about equities the Yardeni Research note said that “this might be a signal that the stock market could experience a correction now that the Fed might pause rate cutting. Nevertheless, we expect a Santa Claus rally in the S&P 500 to 6,100 points by the end of this year.”

Similar to the S&P 500 Index, the Nasdaq Composite fell by 3.49% last week to 18,680.12 points but remains higher than its Nov. 4 level of 18,179.98 points. NYSE Composite, which was 1.46% lower last week at 19,645.77 points, is also higher than its pre-election level of 19,243.39 points. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF SPY which tracks the S&P 500 Index has had a similar momentum in 2024.

Read next: Activist Hedge Fund ValueAct Boosts Meta Stake With $121M Bet, But CEO Morfit Supports Mark Zuckerberg’s AI Vision: Here’s What Investors Should Know

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Billionaire Warren Buffett Sold 67% of Berkshire's Stake in Apple and Is Piling Into a Beloved Consumer Brand Whose Stock Has Soared by 7,000% Since Its IPO

There isn’t a money manager who commands more attention from the investment community than billionaire Warren Buffett. In his nearly six decades as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A)(NYSE: BRK.B), the aptly dubbed “Oracle of Omaha” has overseen a cumulative return in his company’s Class A shares (BRK.A) of greater than 5,660,000%, as of the closing bell on Nov. 14.

Buffett’s ability to consistently outperform Wall Street’s major indexes over lengthy timelines has some investors eager to ride his coattails. Thanks to Form 13F filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, this can be done with relative ease.

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A jubilant Warren Buffett surrounded by people at Berkshire Hathaway's annual shareholder meeting.
Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett. Image source: The Motley Fool.

A 13F is a required filing by institutional investors with at least $100 million in assets under management. It provides investors with a snapshot of which stocks Wall Street’s smartest money managers purchased and sold in the latest quarter. Nov. 14 was the filing deadline to disclose trading activity for the September-ended quarter.

Consistent with Berkshire Hathaway’s 13Fs over the last two years, Buffett and his team have been net sellers of equities and very selective buyers. Based on the latest round of 13Fs, one top holding continues to get the heave-ho, while another beloved consumer goods brand is suddenly a popular buy.

Based on Berkshire Hathaway’s consolidated cash flow statements, Buffett and his team have sold more stocks than they’ve purchased for eight consecutive quarters (dating back to Oct. 1, 2022), totaling an aggregate of $166.2 billion. No stock accounts for a greater percentage of this $166.2 billion than top consumer brand Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL).

Over the trailing year, ended Sept. 30, Berkshire Hathaway has sold 615,560,382 shares of Apple, which reduced its stake in Wall Street’s second-largest company by a staggering 67%. Keep in mind that even after dumping 615.56 million shares of Apple, it’s still Berkshire’s largest holding by almost $25 billion in market value.

During Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting in early May, Buffett opined during the question-and-answer session with investors that the corporate income tax rate would likely head higher. He thus intimated that selling Apple’s stock was a way for Berkshire to lock in sizable unrealized gains at a favorable tax rate.

However, with Donald Trump winning the presidency and Republicans controlling both houses of Congress, corporate income tax increases look to be firmly off the table for at least the next four years. Considering that Apple’s stock has risen significantly on its artificial intelligence (AI) aspirations as Buffett has sold, it’s fair to say that Berkshire Hathaway has missed out on a pretty penny in gains.

Man Who Facilitated Bitcoin Laundering Worth Over $300M Sentenced To 3 Years In Prison

An Ohio-based operator of the darknet cryptocurrency mixer has been sentenced to a three-year prison term after being found guilty of laundering over $300 million in Bitcoin BTC/USD.

What Happened: According to the U.S. Department of Justice, 41-year-old Larry Dean Harmon was the brains behind Helix, a darknet mixer that played a crucial role in laundering customers’ Bitcoin from 2014 to 2017. The platform became a preferred choice for online drug dealers looking to hide the trail of their illegal earnings.

The service processed about 354,468 Bitcoin, equivalent to around $311.14 million at the time of the transactions and more than $32.52 billion at current market rates

See Also: Cathie Wood Draws Reagan-Era Parallels As Elon Musk Takes DOGE Helm: ‘This Bull Market Has Just Begun To Broaden Out’

On Aug. 18, 2021, Harmon admitted to conspiracy to commit money laundering. Besides his prison term, Harmon was sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit over $400 million in seized cryptocurrencies, real estate, and other monetary assets.

Why It Matters: This case is part of a broader crackdown on darknet cryptocurrency mixers in recent years.

In 2022, Tornado Cash, arguably the most popular of all cryptocurrency mixers, was blacklisted by the Department of Treasury, making it illegal for U.S. citizens, residents, and companies to use.

Tornado Cash founders, Roman Storm, and Roman Semenov were indicted in 2023 for allegedly operating a cryptocurrency mixer that laundered more than $1 billion, including funds from the notorious North Korean cybercrime group Lazarus Group.

The darknet has been a hotbed for illicit activities, with cryptocurrencies often used as a medium for transactions. In a similar case, Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the online illegal drug marketplace Silk Road, has been serving a double life sentence since 2013.

Ulbricht awaits a pardon from President-elect Donald Trump, who promised to commute the former’s sentence if elected to power.

Read Next:

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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