Tech analyst: We want people to see the real Elon Musk

The world needs to see the real Elon Musk.

"The public perception of Elon Musk more recently is he is thin-skinned and short-tempered," said tech analyst Gene Munster in an interview with Christine Romans on CNN on Friday. Munster penned an open letter to Musk asking him to take a break from Twitter.

"That's not who Elon Musk is." Munster told Romans. "It's important that the world sees what we think is the real Elon Musk."

Munster, a managing partner with the venture capital firm Loup Ventures, described Musk as a motivational leader with an important mission of speeding up the world's adoption of renewable energy. He said that investors were concerned that Musk's Twitter outbursts would distract from his message, and added that he wrote the letter on their behalf.

"We heard from Tesla investors that something needed to be said," Munster explained.

Munster pointed to several recent incidents as examples of a growing problem.

The billionaire CEO attacked analysts during an earnings call in May. He has sparred with short sellers and journalists on Twitter. And most recently, Musk lobbed an unfounded and disparaging accusation against a Vernon Unsworth, a caver who participated in the Thai rescue mission. The latest outburst crossed a line, Munster said.

"Hopefully we'll see some changes over the months to come," he told Romans.

The controversy surrounding the Tesla CEO comes at a precarious time for the company, which has struggled to bring the Model 3, its mainstream vehicle, to market. Bottlenecks have severely delayed the delivery timeline Musk promised for the Model 3, and Tesla may need to raise more money from investors soon to avoid a cash crunch.

Needham & Co. analyst Rajvindra Gill said this week that cancellations for Model 3 orders have picked up in recent weeks. Tesla (TSLA) disputes that.

Some experts say that Musk's antics could ultimately hurt the business.

The Tesla leader is "not showing the kind of discipline of someone going to manufacture hundreds of thousands of cars," said Brian Tierney, CEO of Brian Communications.

"When you're looking to expand the appeal of your product beyond innovators themselves, beyond early adopters ... you've got to be careful," said Rebecca Lindland, an analyst with Kelly Blue Book. "You've got to start acting like a CEO."

State of Alaska Department of Revenue Acquires 2,910 Shares of PVH Corp (PVH)

State of Alaska Department of Revenue grew its holdings in PVH Corp (NYSE:PVH) by 14.6% in the second quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor owned 22,780 shares of the textile maker’s stock after acquiring an additional 2,910 shares during the period. State of Alaska Department of Revenue’s holdings in PVH were worth $3,409,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also modified their holdings of the company. AMF Pensionsforsakring AB purchased a new position in shares of PVH during the 1st quarter worth about $18,661,000. BlackRock Inc. boosted its stake in shares of PVH by 2.4% during the 1st quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 5,193,528 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $786,454,000 after purchasing an additional 123,001 shares during the period. Cookson Peirce & Co. Inc. purchased a new position in shares of PVH during the 1st quarter worth about $11,142,000. Teacher Retirement System of Texas boosted its stake in shares of PVH by 267.9% during the 1st quarter. Teacher Retirement System of Texas now owns 86,136 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $13,044,000 after purchasing an additional 62,722 shares during the period. Finally, Hsbc Holdings PLC boosted its stake in shares of PVH by 72.8% during the 1st quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 137,799 shares of the textile maker’s stock worth $20,868,000 after purchasing an additional 58,071 shares during the period. 93.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

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In related news, EVP Mark D. Fischer sold 1,100 shares of PVH stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $164.25, for a total transaction of $180,675.00. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Francis K. Duane sold 16,475 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $160.00, for a total transaction of $2,636,000.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 22,125 shares of company stock valued at $3,564,789 in the last quarter. 1.00% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Shares of PVH opened at $151.49 on Wednesday. PVH Corp has a 1-year low of $112.17 and a 1-year high of $169.22. The stock has a market cap of $11.43 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.08, a P/E/G ratio of 1.26 and a beta of 0.78. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54, a current ratio of 1.76 and a quick ratio of 0.88.

PVH (NYSE:PVH) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 30th. The textile maker reported $2.36 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.25 by $0.11. PVH had a net margin of 7.00% and a return on equity of 12.66%. The company had revenue of $2.31 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.28 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business posted $1.65 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 16.4% on a year-over-year basis. research analysts forecast that PVH Corp will post 9.19 EPS for the current fiscal year.

The business also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Thursday, June 21st. Investors of record on Thursday, May 17th were issued a dividend of $0.0375 per share. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, May 16th. This represents a $0.15 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 0.10%. PVH’s payout ratio is 1.89%.

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. ValuEngine cut shares of PVH from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, July 2nd. Credit Suisse Group lifted their price target on shares of PVH from $178.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, June 26th. Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on shares of PVH in a research note on Monday, June 25th. They set a “sell” rating and a $150.00 price target for the company. UBS Group assumed coverage on shares of PVH in a research note on Thursday, June 21st. They set a “neutral” rating and a $180.00 price target for the company. Finally, Citigroup lifted their price target on shares of PVH from $179.00 to $188.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, June 15th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and sixteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. PVH presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $168.76.

PVH Company Profile

PVH Corp. operates as an apparel company in North America and internationally. The company operates through six segments: Calvin Klein North America, Calvin Klein International, Tommy Hilfiger North America, Tommy Hilfiger International, Heritage Brands Wholesale, and Heritage Brands Retail. It designs, markets, and retails men's and women's apparel and accessories, including branded dress shirts, dresses, suits, neckwear, sportswear, jeans wear, performance and intimate apparel, underwear, swimwear, swim products, handbags, luggage products, footwear, golf apparel, sleepwear and loungewear, eyewear and fragrances, cosmetics, skincare products and toiletries, socks and tights, jewelry, watches, outerwear, small leather goods, and furnishings, as well as other related products.

Featured Article: Should I invest in “strong buy” stocks?

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Celanese Co. (CE) Expected to Post Earnings of $2.37 Per Share

Wall Street analysts forecast that Celanese Co. (NYSE:CE) will post earnings per share of $2.37 for the current quarter, Zacks reports. Five analysts have made estimates for Celanese’s earnings, with the highest EPS estimate coming in at $2.52 and the lowest estimate coming in at $2.26. Celanese posted earnings of $1.79 per share during the same quarter last year, which suggests a positive year over year growth rate of 32.4%. The firm is scheduled to report its next earnings report after the market closes on Thursday, July 19th.

According to Zacks, analysts expect that Celanese will report full year earnings of $9.51 per share for the current year, with EPS estimates ranging from $9.25 to $10.40. For the next fiscal year, analysts forecast that the firm will post earnings of $9.98 per share, with EPS estimates ranging from $9.35 to $10.65. Zacks Investment Research’s EPS averages are an average based on a survey of research firms that that provide coverage for Celanese.

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Celanese (NYSE:CE) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, April 16th. The basic materials company reported $2.79 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $2.33 by $0.46. Celanese had a return on equity of 35.22% and a net margin of 15.69%. The business had revenue of $1.85 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.66 billion. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $1.81 earnings per share. Celanese’s quarterly revenue was up 25.8% on a year-over-year basis.

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the company. ValuEngine cut Celanese from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday, May 2nd. Citigroup lifted their price target on Celanese from $130.00 to $131.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday. Jefferies Financial Group lifted their price target on Celanese to $138.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, June 18th. Nomura lifted their price target on Celanese from $111.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Cowen reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $125.00 price target (up previously from $120.00) on shares of Celanese in a report on Friday, May 4th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have given a hold rating and fourteen have assigned a buy rating to the stock. Celanese has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $119.57.

Celanese stock traded down $1.75 during midday trading on Wednesday, reaching $112.35. 675,800 shares of the company’s stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 830,208. Celanese has a 52 week low of $91.15 and a 52 week high of $118.40. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.91, a quick ratio of 1.28 and a current ratio of 1.88. The stock has a market capitalization of $15.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 14.92, a PEG ratio of 1.34 and a beta of 1.28.

In other news, EVP Peter G. Edwards sold 3,674 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, June 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $115.44, for a total transaction of $424,126.56. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 12,160 shares in the company, valued at $1,403,750.40. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Insiders own 0.41% of the company’s stock.

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Compagnie Lombard Odier SCmA bought a new stake in shares of Celanese in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $160,000. Lido Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Celanese in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $200,000. TLP Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Celanese in the first quarter valued at approximately $229,000. Parametrica Management Ltd bought a new stake in shares of Celanese in the first quarter valued at approximately $230,000. Finally, Jump Trading LLC bought a new stake in shares of Celanese in the first quarter valued at approximately $258,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.14% of the company’s stock.

Celanese Company Profile

Celanese Corporation, a technology and specialty materials company, manufactures and sells value-added chemicals, thermoplastic polymers, and other chemical-based products worldwide. The company operates through Advanced Engineered Materials, Consumer Specialties, Industrial Specialties, and Acetyl Intermediates segments.

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Nike's digital reboot is working

Nike has hit its stride a year after making major changes to how it sells you shoes and clothes.

Mired in a slowdown in the United States and facing tough competition from Adidas, Nike laid off about 1,400 workers �� 2% of its workforce �� and restructured operations last summer.

CEO Mark Parker adjusted Nike's gameplan, announcing a long-term strategy to create a "local business, on a global scale." The world's largest sports footwear and athletic company wanted to use its massive size and marketing budget to deepen its connections to athletes and sneaker collectors.

Nike said it would narrow its focus to 12 key cities, including New York, London, Paris, and Beijing. New product innovations would drive half of revenue, and Nike would bring shoes and clothing to the market more quickly in response to rapidly shifting consumer trends. Nike also decided to cut its expansive product lineup by 25% to energize core labels.

The company oriented the strategy around its digital business. It told investors that sales through digital platforms, such as Nike.com, the Nike app, and retail partners' websites, would double to 30% of the company's roughly $36 billion in annual sales. And Nike finally launched a pilot program with Amazon after resisting it for years.

"There was a recognition at the time that we have to accelerate our digital experiences if we want to continue to connect with our consumers," Adam Sussman, Nike's first chief digital officer, said in an interview.

The business built out a roster of talent and launched mobile apps that have grown at a blistering pace. On Thursday, the company opened Nike by Melrose, a new store in Los Angeles for NikePlus app members.

"We're starting to see it really pay off," Sussman said.

Nike by Melrose, a new digital concept store in Los Angeles for NikePlus members, opened on Thursday.

'Boring retail is going away'

The athletic market made an abrupt change from performance to sportswear in the middle of 2015, catching Nike off guard. Simple, lightweight, and comfortable shoes and clothing define the current sportswear look. Brands such as Vans, Brooks, and Allbirds have capitalized on the trend.

"Nike did not anticipate the shift and took time to adjust," said Matt Powell, a sports retail analyst at research firm NPD Group.

To thrive in an era where shoppers have endless sneaker and clothing options, Nike believed it had to find compelling new ways to engage.

"Consumers today are 100% in charge of what's in fashion," Powell said. "A decade ago, the brands controlled fashion. The consumer is saying, 'I want these shoes. I want this look.' It's incumbent on the brand to respond."

Nike lacked a sneaker to compete against Adidas' resurgent Stan Smith and Superstar lines. Adidas overtook Nike's Jordan brand as the second biggest US sneaker seller last year.

But shoppers have embraced recent Nike shoes, such as the Air VaporMax, Epic React and the Air Max 270, and Nike expects Jordan to return to sales growth next year after it pulled back on supply to regain pricing power.

Still, Nike needed to overhaul its outdated business model to reach the new shopper.

The company generates the majority of revenue through selling to around 30,000 retailers, but many of them are department store and sporting goods partners, which are struggling to compete as customers shift to digital purchases. Some retailers like Sports Authority and City Sports went bankrupt, others closed stores, and many turned to steep discounts, diluting the value of the Swoosh brand.

In October, Nike announced it would reduce the number of its partnerships, and work more closely with 40 "differentiated" partners such as Dick's Sporting Goods (DKS), Foot Locker (FL), and Nordstrom (JWN).

Nike made the move to gain more control over how its brand is featured in stores, and cut out retailers that it didn't believe would survive industry changes.

"Physical retail isn't going away. Boring retail is going away," Sussman said.

The company also wanted to increase its direct-to-consumer sales. Selling products directly to shoppers online and through its own brick-and-mortar stores, instead of through third-party retailers, would give Nike more information about its shoppers and reap higher profit margins by cutting out the middleman.

Cortez Kenny III

The company's SNKRS app has become an essential tool for sneaker collectors, with launch calenders, notifications about sneaker drops, and original content from shoe designers.

Nike created a "LeBron Watch" series on SNKRS this year that allowed shoppers to buy five of James' player-edition shoes �� normally not available to customers �� when he wore them on the court last season. Nike also surprised fans at recent Kendrick Lamar concerts in several cities when it made Lamar-inspired Cortez Kenny III editions available to SNKRS users with push notifications sent to their phones.

Nike surprised fans with a sneaker drop at a May Kendrick Lamar concert at The Forum in Los Angeles.

"The SNKRS app is creating incredible demand, and capturing more value from that energy is one of Nike's largest upside opportunities," Parker said on an earnings call last month.

Nike also relaunched its NikePlus membership app last year. The app provides a customized selection for shoppers and a treasure trove of customer data that Nike can use to tailor products more effectively.

140 million members have signed up, and Nike wants to grow it to 300 million over the next few years. Through the app, Nike can learn which sports and styles shoppers prefer, how active they are, and give them style tips.

The membership program allows Nike to connect with customers and remain a frequent presence in their shopping lives, Parker said. "In our own ecosystem, NikePlus membership is the key to an elevated consumer experience."

Last quarter, digital direct-to-consumer sales jumped 34%. It was Nike's fastest-growing channel.

Wall Street is excited about the company's ability to execute its digital strategy and continue controlling the market. Shares of Nike (NKE) have gained 33% in the past year.

"Nike's library and the ability to constantly maintain newness is part of their secret sauce," said Simeon Siegel, senior retail analyst for Instinet.

Top 5 Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now

tags:MDXG,LFUS,COB,HDNG,ECOM ,

ValuEngine upgraded shares of Ferrari (NYSE:RACE) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research note issued to investors on Saturday morning.

Several other equities research analysts have also recently weighed in on RACE. Zacks Investment Research raised Ferrari from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $134.00 price objective on the stock in a research note on Friday, February 2nd. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Ferrari from $100.00 to $105.00 and gave the stock an underweight rating in a research note on Wednesday, February 14th. UBS Group reissued a buy rating and set a $160.00 price objective (up from $129.00) on shares of Ferrari in a research note on Monday, February 26th. Credit Suisse Group started coverage on Ferrari in a research note on Monday, March 12th. They set an outperform rating and a $150.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group started coverage on Ferrari in a research note on Friday, May 25th. They set a neutral rating on the stock. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, three have issued a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the stock. The company has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus price target of $130.75.

Top 5 Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: MiMedx Group, Inc(MDXG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  MiMedx Group Inc. (NASDAQ: MDXG) fell more than 40% Monday to post a new 52-week low of $3.80. Shares closed at $6.39 on Friday. The 52-week high is $18.25. Volume of nearly 12 million was almost five times the daily average. The company’s CEO and COO both resigned this morning.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  MiMedx Group Inc. (NASDAQ: MDXG) traded down about 10% Thursday and posted a new 52-week low of $4.95 after closing Wednesday at $5.50. The stock’s 52-week high is $18.25. Volume totaled over 3 million, 15% above the daily average of around �2.6 million. The company had no specific news.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  MiMedx Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:MDXG) shares hit a new 52-week high and low during mid-day trading on Thursday . The company traded as low as $5.79 and last traded at $6.46, with a volume of 660762 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $6.55.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  MiMedX Group Inc. (NASDAQ: MDXG) dropped about 29% Thursday to post a new 52-week low of $5.80. Shares closed at $8.21 on Wednesday and the stock’s 52-week high is $18.25. The biomedical company will restate financial reports filed for more than the last five years. The company’s CFO and its controller and treasurer were both fired Wednesday.

• [By Todd Campbell]

  There wasn't any news specific to MiMedx Group�(NASDAQ:MDXG) today, but shares have fallen sharply this year due to an internal investigation into its accounting and external news, including the indictment of former speakers on medical fraud charges.

Top 5 Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Littelfuse Inc.(LFUS)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Littelfuse, Inc. (NASDAQ:LFUS) shares hit a new 52-week high and low during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as low as $227.35 and last traded at $225.33, with a volume of 3778 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $223.20.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Littelfuse (NASDAQ:LFUS) Director John E. Major sold 1,648 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, May 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.86, for a total value of $355,737.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 26,254 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,667,188.44. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  BidaskClub upgraded shares of Littelfuse (NASDAQ:LFUS) from a sell rating to a hold rating in a research note published on Friday morning.

  Several other equities analysts have also commented on LFUS. ValuEngine raised Littelfuse from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Thursday, May 3rd. Barrington Research reissued a hold rating on shares of Littelfuse in a report on Tuesday, May 1st. Finally, Zacks Investment Research lowered Littelfuse from a buy rating to a hold rating in a report on Wednesday, April 4th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and three have given a buy rating to the stock. Littelfuse has a consensus rating of Hold and a consensus price target of $212.75.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Littelfuse (LFUS)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

Top 5 Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: CommunityOne Bancorp(COB)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Cobinhood (CURRENCY:COB) traded 6.8% higher against the U.S. dollar during the 1 day period ending at 7:00 AM ET on June 19th. One Cobinhood token can now be purchased for approximately $0.0409 or 0.00000607 BTC on major cryptocurrency exchanges including Mercatox, EtherDelta (ForkDelta) and Cobinhood. Cobinhood has a total market cap of $14.88 million and approximately $13,374.00 worth of Cobinhood was traded on exchanges in the last day. During the last seven days, Cobinhood has traded down 13.9% against the U.S. dollar.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Cobinhood (CURRENCY:COB) traded up 4.7% against the U.S. dollar during the 1 day period ending at 23:00 PM Eastern on May 16th. One Cobinhood token can currently be purchased for approximately $0.0862 or 0.00001024 BTC on exchanges including Mercatox, Cobinhood and EtherDelta (ForkDelta). During the last week, Cobinhood has traded 9.9% lower against the U.S. dollar. Cobinhood has a total market capitalization of $31.24 million and $16,592.00 worth of Cobinhood was traded on exchanges in the last day.

Top 5 Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Hardinge Inc.(HDNG)

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer, Rich Smith, and Sean Williams]

  Wall Street has a bad habit of focusing only on the largest and most interesting stories. That means that smaller, and sometimes boring, companies don't always get the analyst attention they deserve -- and that can spell opportunity if you are willing to do the extra legwork to get to know some unknown names. Three Motley Fool investors came up with these stocks to start you off with today:�Hardinge Inc. (NASDAQ:HDNG),�OrganiGram Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQOTH:OGRMF), and�Osisko Gold Royalties Ltd. (NYSE:OR).

Top 5 Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now: ChannelAdvisor Corporation(ECOM )

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  B. Riley started coverage on shares of ChannelAdvisor (NYSE:ECOM) in a report published on Tuesday, MarketBeat.com reports. The firm issued a buy rating and a $17.50 price target on the software maker’s stock. B. Riley also issued estimates for ChannelAdvisor’s Q2 2018 earnings at ($0.21) EPS, Q3 2018 earnings at ($0.11) EPS, Q4 2018 earnings at $0.03 EPS, FY2018 earnings at ($0.41) EPS, Q1 2019 earnings at ($0.09) EPS, Q2 2019 earnings at ($0.11) EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at ($0.04) EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $0.07 EPS and FY2019 earnings at ($0.16) EPS.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  ChannelAdvisor (NYSE: ECOM) and Tyler Technologies (NYSE:TYL) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, analyst recommendations, valuation, risk, dividends, institutional ownership and profitability.

Broken marriage? You can still save retirement

It's hard to break your marriage vows and still leave your retirement savings intact.

Legal fees will ensue. Assets will be split in two. Your two-income household will shrivel down to one.

When all is said and done, ending a marriage can be almost as destructive to your retirement savings as the Great Recession was, according to new findings from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College.

"There's a big financial cost to splitting up homes," said Geoffrey T. Sanzenbacher, associate director of research at the center and one of the study's authors.

Around 40 percent of marriages today end in divorce.

More: Getting a divorce? Here are 20 tips for maintaining financial sanity

More: Divorce under new tax law could complicate calling it quits

More: 5 steps to take if you don��t trust your spouse at tax time

The researchers at Boston College looked at how divorce impacts the National Retirement Risk Index, a measure of the likelihood an individual will be able to sustain their current standard of living once they leave their working life.

As of 2016, half of working-age households were at risk. Divorce pushes up an individual's retirement risk by 7 percentage points, the researchers found. For comparison, the 2008 financial crisis added 9 points.

.oembed-asset-photo-image { width: 100%; }

The average net worth (not including housing) for families unscathed by divorce is $132,000, compared with $101,000 for those households that have been halved, according to the center.

"It's an ugly situation overall, and divorce just makes it harder," Sanzenbacher said.

The authors of the study provide a breathless list of reasons for why divorce threatens your golden years.

Lawyers need to be paid. The ordeal requires time, potentially pulling people away from work. Women, in particular, are more likely to need to take time off from work to take care of their children.

Many splitting couples will sell their house, which spurs transaction costs. And there's no connection between when your love fades and how the housing market is faring. Retirement savings can be divided in two, leaving each person with a less reassuring balance.

Divorcees will also typically find their expenses have swelled, with two households to pay for instead of one.

.oembed-asset-photo-image { width: 100%; }

More: Retirement complications: Beware of hidden taxes when the career ends

More: How to avoid mistakes dividing up 401(k) assets in divorce

There's more: Many newly single people will have to adjust to a higher tax rate.

Men or women who are forced to pay alimony will have that much less to store away for their retirement. And singles will likely find themselves with access to a smaller line of credit than when they were married.

Yet, there are some retirement savings advantages to divorce, said Louise Nixon, president of QDRO Counsel, a California- based firm that focuses on the division of retirement benefits. You'll need to use a court order known as a domestic relations order, or Q.D.R.O., to reach those silver linings.

If you do, the nonparticipating spouse of a 401(k) can typically receive funds from their ex's account as cash and not have to pay a tax penalty for early withdrawal, Nixon said. Those funds will still be subject to regular income taxes. (Sanzenbacher at Boston College said people should avoid spending this money and keep it for their old age. Nixon said some people will want to use the funds to pay off debt or buy a house).

 (Photo: Getty Images)

If it was your 401(k), it's still not all bad.

"The benefit for the participant after divorce, [is] he or she has the job and will continue to accrue benefits under whatever plans are offered by that company," QDRO Counsel's Nixon said. "One hundred percent of those post-divorce benefits belong to the participant."

Once the dust is settled after a divorce, Sanzenbacher said, "assess where you are in respect to your retirement savings."

Nixon said many of her clients come to terms with the fact that they'll need to adjust to their new status.

"I hear people say, 'I was planning on retiring. Now I have to work five more years,'" she said.

漏�CNBC�is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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New research suggest divorce does run in the family and it's all thanks to genetics. Buzz60

Scott Pruitt's exit shows the enduring value of hard-hitting journalism

In the end, the whistleblowers made enough noise to be heard.

Concerned Environmental Protection Agency officials and other sources played a key role in exposing EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt's abuses of power. After Pruitt resigned on Thursday afternoon, President Trump said Pruitt "did not want to be a distraction," an acknowledgment of the damning accounts.

Political observers were surprised by how long Pruitt lasted. But eventually, it seems, the system of checks and balances worked. Whistleblowers sought out reporters. The resulting news stories caused outcries. The outcries spurred investigations, or, as Trump might say, "distractions."

Eventually it the said distractions were enough for some of Trump's staunchest advocates, like Fox News' Laura Ingraham, who called for Pruitt to step down. The editorial boards of conservative outlets The Weekly Standard and the National Review also called for Pruitt to go.

PRUITT BAD JUDGMENT HURTING @POTUS, GOTTA GO: Pruitt had aide, GOP donors help wife find job: report https://t.co/p7dhOK58Sh

— Laura Ingraham (@IngrahamAngle) June 13, 2018

Pruitt's defenders in the pro-Trump media are describing a different chain of events. They say journalists and liberal activists wanted a "scalp," and they got one.

Some say he was singled out for his effectiveness in rolling back Obama-era environmental policies. But that argument sidesteps all of the evidence about Pruitt's reported behavior. Over time, journalists from major media outlets became remarkably blunt about calling out Pruitt's abuses of power because the examples were so numerous and so egregious. Several news sites kept running tallies of the scandals.

When the resignation news broke on Thursday, CNN used a scrolling graphic to show all the controversies because the list wouldn't fit on a single screen. As recently as Tuesday, a CNN segment was bluntly titled "HOW DOES EPA CHIEF STILL HAVE JOB?"

The segment was about a former Pruitt deputy -- described as a whistleblower -- who alleged that Pruitt's camp kept "secret" calendars and schedules.

It's difficult, and probably impossible, to pinpoint any single story as being decisive. Trump said Thursday that there was no "final straw."

But there were many, many straws. Whistleblowers, reporters, lawmakers, inspectors general, and advocacy groups all drew attention to Pruitt's taxpayer-funded travel, wasteful spending, use of email, and other scandals.

All over the web on Thursday, people credited whistleblowers and journalists for Pruitt's resignation. Al Gore, an environmentalist and a strong critic of Pruitt's alleged behavior thanked "journalists, advocates, and citizens for exposing Mr. Pruitt as a destructive, unethical, and wasteful head of the #EPA."

Thanks to the journalists, advocates, and citizens for exposing Mr. Pruitt as a destructive, unethical, and wasteful head of the #EPA. We must remain vigilant to ensure EPA is held accountable for doing its job and addressing the climate crisis.

— Al Gore (@algore) July 5, 2018

Pruitt's defenders from partisan media outlets claimed that he was the casualty of a coordinated effort to take down Trump.

Wall Street Journal columnist Kimberley Strassel tweeted, "Lesson to other Trump officials from Pruitt resignation: Give the left/media/organized greens any molehill and they will turn it into K2. Most of the accusations were overwrought, but the barrage was overwhelming."

The Weekly Standard editor in chief Stephen Hayes responded to her and said, "The other lesson: Be less corrupt."

Later, Strassel admitted Pruitt gave his "opponents" some "ammunition."

Conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt said Pruitt was "caricatured by left and MSM," an abbreviation for mainstream media. Mollie Hemingway, a Fox News contributor, tweeted that the "well funded and media coordinated" anti-Pruitt movement had finally won "its scalp."

Journalists in the newsrooms that probed Pruitt's spending had a very different reaction.

Philip Rucker of The Washington Post called it "accountability journalism at its very best."

And Rebecca Leber of Mother Jones pointed out that the work is not over.

"There's been intense and incredible EPA reporting recently, but with Pruitt out we'll have to keep digging," she tweeted, "and I hope readers stay tuned for it."

38,203 Shares in Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) Purchased by Motley Fool Asset Management LLC

Motley Fool Asset Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) during the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund bought 38,203 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock, valued at approximately $1,827,000.

A number of other large investors also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. BlackRock Inc. grew its position in Verizon Communications by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. BlackRock Inc. now owns 265,904,768 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock worth $14,074,340,000 after purchasing an additional 2,236,290 shares during the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its stake in Verizon Communications by 14.1% during the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 48,749,993 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $2,580,337,000 after acquiring an additional 6,007,544 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Verizon Communications by 3.2% during the 4th quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 41,135,441 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $2,172,530,000 after acquiring an additional 1,282,685 shares during the period. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in Verizon Communications by 6.2% during the 4th quarter. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. now owns 21,390,896 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $1,132,221,000 after acquiring an additional 1,250,691 shares during the period. Finally, LSV Asset Management lifted its stake in Verizon Communications by 5.5% during the 4th quarter. LSV Asset Management now owns 14,115,327 shares of the cell phone carrier’s stock valued at $747,124,000 after acquiring an additional 729,841 shares during the period. 63.72% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

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In related news, SVP Anthony T. Skiadas sold 1,974 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $49.44, for a total value of $97,594.56. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president now owns 16,060 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $794,006.40. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 0.09% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Several analysts have commented on the stock. UBS Group upgraded shares of Verizon Communications from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, April 25th. Zacks Investment Research cut shares of Verizon Communications from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Saturday, June 30th. Vetr upgraded shares of Verizon Communications from a “buy” rating to a “strong-buy” rating and set a $53.82 price objective for the company in a research note on Tuesday, March 20th. Guggenheim initiated coverage on shares of Verizon Communications in a research note on Tuesday, March 13th. They set a “buy” rating and a $58.00 price objective for the company. Finally, Barclays upgraded shares of Verizon Communications from an “equal weight” rating to an “overweight” rating and set a $56.00 target price for the company in a research note on Monday, April 23rd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, six have assigned a hold rating and eighteen have given a buy rating to the stock. Verizon Communications currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $54.62.

Shares of Verizon Communications opened at $50.70 on Thursday, according to MarketBeat.com. The firm has a market capitalization of $208.13 billion, a P/E ratio of 13.56, a P/E/G ratio of 1.75 and a beta of 0.65. The company has a quick ratio of 0.94, a current ratio of 0.98 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.15. Verizon Communications Inc. has a one year low of $42.80 and a one year high of $54.77.

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, April 24th. The cell phone carrier reported $1.17 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.11 by $0.06. The company had revenue of $31.77 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $31.25 billion. Verizon Communications had a net margin of 24.37% and a return on equity of 42.62%. The firm’s revenue was up 6.6% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned $0.95 EPS. equities research analysts expect that Verizon Communications Inc. will post 4.58 earnings per share for the current year.

The business also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Wednesday, August 1st. Investors of record on Tuesday, July 10th will be issued a $0.59 dividend. This represents a $2.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 4.65%. The ex-dividend date is Monday, July 9th. Verizon Communications’s payout ratio is presently 63.10%.

About Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications Inc, through its subsidiaries, offers communications, information, and entertainment products and services to consumers, businesses, and governmental agencies worldwide. The company's Wireless segment provides wireless voice and data services; Internet access on various notebook computers and tablets; multimedia, business-focused, and location-based services, as well as international travel services; and network access services to deliver various Internet of Things products and services.

Vocera Communications Inc (VCRA) Shares Bought by Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc.

Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Vocera Communications Inc (NYSE:VCRA) by 2.6% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 152,100 shares of the communications equipment provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 3,832 shares during the quarter. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. owned approximately 0.51% of Vocera Communications worth $3,563,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of VCRA. Redmile Group LLC purchased a new stake in Vocera Communications during the fourth quarter worth $212,000. Jefferies Group LLC purchased a new stake in Vocera Communications during the fourth quarter worth $228,000. Teacher Retirement System of Texas purchased a new stake in Vocera Communications during the fourth quarter worth $271,000. Trexquant Investment LP purchased a new stake in Vocera Communications during the first quarter worth $375,000. Finally, MetLife Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Vocera Communications in the fourth quarter valued at $405,000.

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In related news, insider Mary Bridget Duffy sold 16,427 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $30.02, for a total transaction of $493,138.54. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 60,755 shares in the company, valued at $1,823,865.10. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Brent D. Lang sold 10,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $25.83, for a total value of $258,300.00. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold 77,901 shares of company stock worth $2,164,653 over the last quarter. 4.90% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Several analysts have recently issued reports on VCRA shares. Zacks Investment Research upgraded Vocera Communications from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 20th. Leerink Swann downgraded Vocera Communications from an “outperform” rating to a “market perform” rating and set a $29.00 price objective on the stock. in a research report on Tuesday, March 13th. They noted that the move was a valuation call. Cantor Fitzgerald restated a “buy” rating and issued a $35.00 price objective on shares of Vocera Communications in a research report on Tuesday, March 27th. Piper Jaffray Companies upped their price objective on Vocera Communications to $33.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 21st. Finally, ValuEngine upgraded Vocera Communications from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, June 21st. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and eight have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. The company has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $34.00.

Shares of NYSE:VCRA opened at $30.82 on Friday. Vocera Communications Inc has a 52-week low of $22.43 and a 52-week high of $32.23. The firm has a market capitalization of $943.87 million, a PE ratio of -102.73 and a beta of -0.09.

Vocera Communications (NYSE:VCRA) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, April 26th. The communications equipment provider reported $0.04 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters’ consensus estimate of ($0.05) by $0.09. Vocera Communications had a negative return on equity of 5.95% and a negative net margin of 7.42%. The business had revenue of $40.20 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $39.16 million. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned ($0.05) earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 10.7% on a year-over-year basis. sell-side analysts anticipate that Vocera Communications Inc will post -0.22 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Vocera Communications Profile

Vocera Communications, Inc provides secure, integrated, and intelligent communication and workflow solutions that empowers mobile workers in healthcare, hospitality, energy, and other mission-critical mobile work environments in the United States and internationally. The company's communication solution could be integrated with other clinical systems, including electronic health records, nurse call systems, and patient monitoring, as well as to provide critical data, alerts, alarms, and clinical context that enable workflow.