646 lodi
2025-01-08
646 lodi
December 26 - The Cleveland Cavaliers have steamrolled through the first third of their schedule and now face one of their toughest stretches when they open a four-game road trip at the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. The Western Conference swing is the longest road trip of the season so far for Cleveland, which has won five in a row. The Cavaliers are coming off a close win against Utah without forwards Dean Wade (knee) and Isaac Okoro (shoulder). Wade could be back Friday night, but Okoro is expected to miss a couple of weeks with his right shoulder sprain. Without those two available against the Jazz on Monday, the Cavaliers employed a smaller lineup at times but got good production from forward Evan Mobley, who had 22 points and 10 rebounds. The third overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft, Mobley is averaging a career-best 18.5 points and pulling down nine rebounds a game. He has been a good compliment to guards Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell, who have led the Cavaliers' early success. Mitchell (23.3 points) and Garland (20.4) lead the team in scoring average, and center Jarrett Allen is averaging a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds), with Mobley adding another layer to a deep team. "We've all said it, for us to be the team we want to be ... Evan had to take that step," Mitchell said recently. "And the best part about it is Jarrett Allen is his biggest cheerleader." Friday is the last of the two games between the teams, and Denver is trying to get even after losing 126-114 on Dec. 5 in Cleveland. Denver star Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double in the loss, one of his NBA-leading 11 this season. He has 141 triple-doubles in his career, which ranks third all-time behind Nuggets teammate Russell Westbrook (200) and Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson (181). The Nuggets, who have won five of their last seven games, may not have forward Aaron Gordon available against Cleveland after he left Wednesday night's 110-100 loss at Phoenix with a right calf strain. Gordon missed 10 games earlier this season with the same injury. "Hopefully, Aaron is going to be ready to go for Cleveland, but we'll have to wait and see these next 24, 48 hours," Denver coach Michael Malone said. Gordon is fifth on the team in scoring at 13.7 points a game and he is the team's most versatile defender, with the ability to guard every position. If Gordon can't go, most likely Peyton Watson, the team's leading shot blocker (0.9 per game), would get the start. Jokic leads Denver in scoring (30.7 points), rebounding (12.6) and assists (9.4) and is putting together another MVP-worthy campaign. But the Nuggets will need production from Jamal Murray, who is second in scoring at 18.8 points a gain, despite battling injuries. Murray sat out Monday's win over Phoenix with a right ankle sprain and had only 13 points in his return Wednesday. "I'm just trying not to use (injuries) as an excuse. Not mention it," Murray told The Denver Post. "I know I get slack for it, but (I'm) just going out there, and if I'm good enough to play, I play. That's how I look at it." --Field Level Media Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. , opens new tabMahakumbh 2025: Akhilesh Yadav Questions Yogi Govt`s Preparedness For Grand Event; How True Are His Claims? — Check HereSuspected gunman dead after shooting at Butte County school, authorities sayED: All Schools Need Cellphone Policies
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Axon Enterprise CPO & CTO Jeffrey Kunins sells $1.73m in stock
Despite facing a softer-than-expected retail environment in the third quarter, Foot Locker President and CEO Mary Dillon remains optimistic about the company’s long-term digital strategy, including a new mobile app and revamped loyalty program. “While our trends in early November landed below our expectations as consumers held back their spending ahead of the holiday season, we saw a meaningful and positive acceleration over the key Thanksgiving week period, especially in stores,” Dillon said Wednesday (Dec. 4) during the company’s third-quarter earnings call. “We’re taking a more cautious view and are lowering our full-year sales and earnings outlook due to a more promotional environment and softer consumer demand outside of key selling periods. We remain focused on unlocking opportunities through our new Reimagined stores and refresh program, revamped digital experience, including the recent launch of our new mobile app, and stronger customer engagement through our enhanced FLX Rewards program.” Enhancing Customer Engagement Foot Locker is leveraging technology to create a more seamless and personalized shopping experience, Dillon noted, seeking to elevate loyalty program participation and increase customer retention. “ Since the June relaunch of our FLX rewards program here in the U.S., we’ve been very pleased with our members’ response across a variety of KPIs, including a higher pace of enrollments, engagement with first-time redeemers, and higher AOVs compared to non-loyalty members,” she told analysts . “Following an improvement in our signup experience in stores toward the end of October, we’ve seen a meaningful improvement in the sales capture rate in stores as we moved into November. This holiday we’re excited to continue to activate through the program, including the recent addition of members-only events in stores and online across banners. We’re already seeing these events drive value for the program in the pace of new enrollments and lifts in the sales capture rates. We look forward to sharing incremental insights as the program moves toward our 50% loyalty penetration by 2026.” Improved Online Conversion Rates Improvements in online conversion rates enhanced the customer experience, Dillon said. “Our digital penetration in the quarter increased 60 basis points year-over-year to 17.6% of sales as we continue to target around 25% eCommerce penetration by 2026. Last month, we were excited to roll out our new and improved mobile app across the U.S. which provides a faster, more modern shopping experience featuring richer content and an improved launch experience. Importantly, the app serves as a hub for our new loyalty program across both stores and online, making it that much easier for our members to track and access their points across channels. While still very early days, the app has already seen a strong uptick in conversion levels, and we’re confident that this improved experience can be a significant lever for us to drive both our digital and loyalty penetration over time.” Third-quarter comparable store sales rose 2.4% while total sales fell 1.4%. Lace Up Plan Shows Positive Momentum “While we are disappointed that we did not see as much sequential improvement in the business that we had anticipated three months ago, we are pleased to continue to demonstrate ongoing progress against our Lace Up Plan as we delivered another quarter of positive comp results,” Dillon said. The Lace Up Plan simplifies and optimizes Foot Locker’s operations by concentrating on core banners and key markets and gained momentum in the company’s second quarter . During the third quarter, Foot Locker “saw consumers remain cautious with their discretionary dollars,” she said. That meant shoppers focused their spending around the back-to-school season in August, and then pulled back in September and October, possibly to save their spending for the holidays. “Looking to the fourth quarter, we expect our customers to remain cautious with their discretionary dollars and to consolidate their spending over peak periods in the holiday season,” Dillon said. “We also expect the elevated promotional activity we saw in the third quarter to continue through the holiday season.”Coursera Unveils Top 10 Tech Skills For 2025, Highlights Cybersecurity And Risk Management as Top Demand AreaCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A fight broke out at midfield after Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 on Saturday as Wolverines players attempted to plant their flag and were met by Buckeyes who confronted them. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A fight broke out at midfield after Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 on Saturday as Wolverines players attempted to plant their flag and were met by Buckeyes who confronted them. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A fight broke out at midfield after Michigan stunned No. 2 Ohio State 13-10 on Saturday as Wolverines players attempted to plant their flag and were met by Buckeyes who confronted them. Police had to use pepper spray to break up the players, who threw punches and shoves in the melee that overshadowed the rivalry game. Ohio State police said in a statement “multiple officers representing Ohio and Michigan deployed pepper spray.” Ohio State police will investigate the fight, according to the statement. After the Ohio State players confronted their bitter rivals at midfield, defensive end Jack Sawyer grabbed the top of the Wolverines’ flag and ripped it off the pole as the brawl moved toward the Michigan bench. Eventually, police officers rushed into the ugly scene. Ohio State coach Ryan Day said he understood the actions of his players. “There are some prideful guys on our team who weren’t going to sit back and let that happen,” Day said. The two Ohio State players made available after the game brushed off questions about it. Michigan running back Kalel Mullings, who rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown, didn’t like how the Buckeyes players involved themselves in the Wolverines’ postgame celebration. He called it “classless.” Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. “For such a great game, you hate to see stuff like that after the game,” he said in an on-field interview with Fox Sports. “It’s just bad for the sport, bad for college football. But at the end of the day, you know some people got to — they got to learn how to lose, man. ... We had 60 minutes, we had four quarters, to do all that fighting.” Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said everybody needs to do better. “So much emotions on both sides,” he said. “Rivalry games get heated, especially this one. It’s the biggest one in the country, so we got to handle that better.” ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football Advertisement Advertisement
Fourth-quarter earnings season is approaching quickly as major stock indexes, along with several top-rated growth stocks, continue to show strength near highs. Last week, we looked at some top performers in the that are expected to report more strong growth in Q4. This week, the focus turns to the , a stringent screen of top-performing large-cap stocks with strong fundamentals that are also leading price performers. Earnings dates are still a few weeks away for several high-quality names in the Big Cap 20, including enterprise software giant ( ), which is holdings gain well since it gapped up on Nov. 7, the last time it reported earnings. The company operates a cloud-based customer relationship management platform that helps small- to mid-sized businesses manage, respond and connect with their customers. In Q3, total revenue increased 20% year over year to $669.7 million, well above prior guidance of $646 million to $647 million. The top-line growth was helped by recent AI offerings like Breeze and Breeze Intelligence. HubSpot also cited strong demand for its freemium model, which is attracting new users who transition to paid plans. Adjusted profit jumped 35% to $2.18 a share, while cash flow from operations surged 79% to $159.5 million. Wall Street seems optimistic about Q4 results as well, as the stock trades tightly near highs. The FactSet consensus is for adjusted profit of $2.19 a share, up 24%. Revenue growth is expected to slow slightly, up 16% to $673.7 million. HubSpot reported Q4 results on Feb. 14, which gives investors an idea of when to expect the next report. Watching Fortinet, Axon Elsewhere, while ( ) and ( ) have started to lag in the security software group, Big Cap 20 stock ( ) continues to show strength after a positive reaction to earnings on Nov. 8 that saw shares surge 10%. Similar to HubSpot, Fortinet has held on to the bulk of those post-earnings gains after a brief drop below its Dec. 18. Two days later, Fortinet reversed higher above its 21-day line in strong volume. In November, investors cheered news that earnings and revenue growth accelerated for the second straight quarter, up 54% and 13%, respectively. Non-GAAP operating margin hit 36.1%, a record for the company, and well above prior margin guidance of 30.5% to 31.5%. For the fourth quarter, adjusted profit is expected to rise 20% to 61 cents a share, with revenue up 13% to just over $1.59 billion. Fortinet released Q4 results on Feb. 6. Axon Eyes AI Meanwhile, ( ) is another pillar of strength in the Big Cap 20 after a huge earnings move in November. Shares soared nearly 30% on Nov. 8 after the maker of Tasers and Axon body cameras handily beat estimates and offered up a strong Q4 and full-year outlook. Quarterly profit increased 38% to $1.45 a share, with revenue up 32% to $544.3 million. Taser revenue increased 36% to $222 million, helped by strong demand for the new Taser 10. Cloud & Services revenue rose 36% to $203 million, driven by growing adoption of Axon Evidence. Sensors & Other revenue picked up 18% to $120 million. For the full year, Axon raised its revenue guidance slightly to $2.07 billion, which would be an increase of 32% from 2023. As part of the earnings release, CEO Rick Smith commented on Axon's AI efforts and the Q4 launch of the company's AI Era Plan: "Axon AI represents not just a single product, but a commitment to continuous innovation for our customers. We have developed a suite of AI-powered products and solutions designed to evolve with the demands of modern law enforcement — and our portfolio is only growing. As new capabilities emerge, we intend to integrate them seamlessly into our hardware and software solutions, enhancing our customers' workflows. This will enable officers to work smarter, faster, and more efficiently — driving real change in public safety." Axon last reported Q4 results in late February. For the current quarter, analysts are modeling profit of $1.40 a share, up 25%. Revenue is expected to increase 31% to $566.8 million. Options Trading Strategy HubSpot, Fortinet and Axon could make sense for call-option trades as the earnings dates approach. A basic options trading strategy around earnings — using call options — allows you to buy a stock at a predetermined price without taking a lot of risk. Here's how the option trading strategy works: First, identify top-rated stocks with a bullish chart. Some might be setting up in sound early-stage bases. Others might've broken out already and are getting support at their 10-week lines for the first time. And a few might be trading tightly near highs and are refusing to give up much ground. Avoid extended stocks that are too far past proper entry points. A call option is a bullish bet on a stock. Put options are bearish bets. One call option contract gives the holder the right to buy 100 shares of a stock at a specified level, known as the strike price. Choose Options With Liquidity Once you've identified a bullish setup in the earnings calendar, check strike prices with your online trading platform, or at . Also, make sure the option is liquid with a relatively tight spread between the bid and ask. Look for a strike price just above the underlying stock price — that's out of the money — and check the premium. Ideally, the premium should not exceed 4% of the underlying stock price at the time. In some cases, an in-the-money strike price is OK as long as the premium isn't too expensive. Choose an expiration date that fits your risk objective. But keep in mind that time is money in the options market. Near-term expiration dates will have cheaper premiums than those further out. Buying time in the options market comes at a higher cost.Massachusetts Working Class Dramatically Shifted for Trump, Dems Wondering Why
Two ferry crossings of Cook Strait have been cancelled as strong winds pummel central New Zealand. And Interislander has provided passengers with tips to avoid seasickness for the other sailings. A lingering low-pressure system is bringing rain or showers to many parts of New Zealand, with thunderstorms, large swells and strong winds affecting the centre of the country. Interislander posted a service alert on its website , notifying passengers that the 6.15am Picton to Wellington crossing on Friday had been cancelled due to rough seas, as had the 11am return service. The swells were due to ease by the afternoon, and affected passengers had been moved to other sailings, it said. It said anyone who was worried about seasickness to sit at the back of the ship, and should not sail on an empty stomach. Meanwhile, a heavy rain warning remains in place for Wairoa District until noon Saturday. MetService said people could expect 150-200mm of rain there, on top of what had already fallen, especially about the Wairoa ranges. Peak rates would be 10-20mm/h. Strong wind watches remain in force for the following areas: MetService warned that southerly and south-west winds may approach severe gales in exposed places. In a post on social media, it said large, powerful, four-metre southerly swells were impacting the south and east coasts of the North Island. There was a heavy swell warning in place for Wairarapa (Turakirae Head to Mataikona) until 8am Saturday. Big swells - rising to 3-4m - would be accompanied by large wind waves developing on Friday morning, MetService said. These would gradually ease overnight into Saturday morning. The highest risk period would be around high tide on Friday afternoon, the forecaster added. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.The Animation Guild has unveiled the full terms of its new contract with the major studios, along with a candid explanation as to why it could not do more to protect against artificial intelligence. The union, which represents about 5,000 animators, technicians and writers, reached a tentative agreement on Nov. 23, after three months of bargaining. The deal includes certain guardrails around AI, but does not allow animators to opt out of using it if their job requires it, nor can they prevent their work from being used to “train” AI models. After the memorandum of agreement was published Tuesday night, some members expressed discontent with the deal. Shion Takeuchi, creator of the Netflix show “Inside Job,” argued there are “no substantive protections” against AI. “In this MOA there is nothing to stop the studios from gutting the staff,” she said via text. “We are chattel to them.” The agreement also does not include minimum staffing levels for animators and other craftspeople, which was a key issue, though it does provide a minimum of three writers for animated TV shows, with certain exceptions. The deal also includes significant gains in other job categories, such a provision establishing “pay equity” for color designers, a traditionally female-dominated craft. “We did the best we could,” said Teri Hendrich Cusumano, a union vice president who served on the negotiating committee. “It was definitely a long, drawn-out process. From my point of view, it felt like we bled them dry at the table. There really wasn’t much left to gain.” The agreement comes amid an industrywide slowdown, coupled with deep fears about AI and outsourcing. The guild has issued reports warning that AI could lead to a “massive displacement of jobs.” Sam Tung, a member of guild’s negotiating committee and its AI task force, said the deal requires notification and consultation, which will allow members to decide with open eyes whether they want to participate in a project that makes use of AI. “You get the best deal you think you can get with the leverage you have,” Tung said. “I would like to see more, but I think this is the best we were able to get right now.” The membership must now vote on whether to ratify the agreement. Some members are expected to challenge the leadership at a series of virtual town halls, though it is not clear there is enough discontent to threaten ratification. “Everyone I talk to is angry and desperately concerned about the future and their ability to make a living wage in one of the most expensive cities in the country,” Takeuchi said. “I have spoken with executives who have looked me dead in the eye and said they were experimenting with AI in the hopes of completely automating storyboarding — eliminating an entire craft! — without blinking.” Some members have pushed for an outright ban on AI in animation, which some see as a form of piracy. In an FAQ, the guild said that such a proposal would not have been workable. “We could not propose that GenAI simply be banned from use in signatory studios not only because the Producers would never have agreed to that, but because it would also result in the work being sent to non-union workers, without the protection or benefits of a Collective Bargaining Agreement,” the union stated. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which bargains on behalf of the studios, has reached agreements on AI over the last year with unions representing directors, writers, actors, musicians and below-the-line craftspeople. “No entertainment union achieved protections entirely stopping the use of GenAI,” the Animation Guild noted in its FAQ. The Animation Guild is part of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, which obtained AI protections in its deal in June, among which was a provision requiring that if a worker loses their job due to AI, they are entitled to severance and retraining. Given the unique threats to animators, the Animation Guild went into talks in August looking to layer additional protections on top of that deal. The guild sought to allow members to opt out of AI training, and to prevent studios from making willingness to use AI a “condition of employment.” According to the guild, the training proposal was a “non-starter” for the AMPTP , and it was withdrawn. The guild hung on to its “condition of employment” proposal until the end of bargaining, but “the producers never budged,” the union said in its FAQ. The Writers Guild of America was able to win such a provision last year, but the Animation Guild said it was hemmed in by a long-standing clause allowing producers to implement “technological changes.” Instead, the union got a provision stating that a studio will have to give written notice if AI will be used in a particular job. “There’s no way we were going to tell the studios, ‘Don’t use this software,'” said Roma Murphy, a writer who served on the negotiating committee. “We only would have had control over what our members are asked to do. Because of that, our efforts were more about putting up guardrails rather than staunching the flow of GenAI into the industry as a whole.” The union also got language stating that any AI use will not undermine pay or credit, similar to a provision won last year by the WGA. In most other respects, the AI terms are similar to those in the IATSE Basic Agreement. AI still faces legal uncertainty, especially with regard to the ability to copyright AI-generated work. Union leaders are looking to the courts and legislatures to offer additional levers to protect creative workers. Julia Prescott, a writer who served on the negotiating committee, said she remains concerned about the threat AI poses across Hollywood, especially for animation. But she said she’s hopeful the deal means that producers can’t use it without workers’ knowledge, which will put a spotlight on the issue. “That sets the table for us to continue fighting,” she said. The union also made “very aggressive” proposals for an overall staffing minimum, and held on to that until the very end of bargaining, according to the FAQ. In the end, however, the union was only able to get the three-writer minimum, which can be waived if a solo writer or a writing team are hired to write an entire show. The agreement also provides pay increases of 7%, 4% and 3.5% — identical to those won earlier by SAG-AFTRA and IATSE.
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