Dollar Tree Inc. (DOG)
DLTR - Nasdaq
You’ve heard the expression that money doesn’t grow on trees. Well, in the case of Dollar Tree Inc., investors’ money actually withers and dies. Shares of the discount retailer plunged after it posted a fourth-quarter loss of US$1.7-billion or US$7.85 a share, as the company took hefty charges related to the planned closing of 970 underperforming Family Dollar stores and wrote down the value of the struggling chain. In hindsight, Dollar Tree’s decision to branch out by paying more than US$8-billion for Family Dollar in 2015 was probably the root of the company’s current problems.
Williams-Sonoma Inc. (STAR)
WSM - NYSE
Spring is here, which means it’s the perfect time to spruce up your living room with some new furniture. Consider the Addison Swivel Chair from Williams-Sonoma Inc. for $7,943. Its swivel technology allows you to aim the chair directly at the person you’re talking to for error-free communication. Or add some style to your dining room with the Jonathan Charles Sidereal French Laundry Dining Table for $16,295. Doubles as an ironing board! Demand for these must-have items has never been stronger, judging by the surge in Williams-Sonoma’s stock price after the home-products retailer posted fourth-quarter results above expectations and hiked its dividend by 26 per cent. With the stock hitting a record high, investors’ heads are spinning with all the money they are making.
SoundHound AI Inc. (STAR)
SOUN - Nasdaq
Business quiz! SoundHound AI Inc. refers to: a) an app that uses artificial intelligence to mimic the sound of barking dogs, creating a deterrent to would-be burglars and car thieves; b) a subscription music streaming service developed by, and for, canines; c) a money-losing company whose speech recognition and voice technology is used in automobile user interfaces, restaurant drive-thrus, call centres and other applications, and whose shares have been soaring for no apparent reason other than it has the letters “AI” in its name. Answer: c.
Jamieson Wellness Inc. (DOG)
JWEL - TSX
Jamieson Wellness Inc. investors have been feeling anything but well this week. Shares of the vitamins and supplements maker sank after it posted fourth-quarter revenue and adjusted EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) that rose from a year earlier but missed analysts’ estimates, prompting several brokerages to cut their price targets on the stock. Nothing a few ashwagandha capsules, a fistful of melatonin tablets and a jigger of scotch can’t fix.
Adobe Inc. (DOG)
ADBE - Nasdaq
True or false: When a company’s quarterly revenue and earnings both rise by double digits, the stock always shoots higher. Answer: false. In the case of Adobe Inc. – whose cloud-based software products include Photoshop, Acrobat, Illustrator and Lightroom – the company’s 11-per-cent growth in first-quarter revenue and 18-per-cent advance in adjusted earnings both beat Wall Street’s estimates, but its second-quarter revenue forecast slightly missed expectations, contributing to a sharp drop in the stock. Kids, this is why you shouldn’t play with stocks that trade at a multiple of more than 30 times earnings.
John Heinzl