Stock Markets
Donald Trump looks to excite white, small-town base at Wisconsin rally
By Gram Slattery
MOSINEE, Wisconsin (Reuters) – Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump heads to Wisconsin, a battleground state that could decide the election, for a rally on Saturday as he tries to solidify support in a key part of his support base: working-class and rural whites.
The former president has seen his support erode among most demographic groups since his Democratic rival in the Nov. 5 election, Vice President Kamala Harris, replaced President Joe Biden atop the Democratic ticket over the summer.
Trump is scheduled to speak at 1 p.m. local time (1800 GMT) in Mosinee, a town of about 4,500 people. The town is located near Wausau, a small city of about 40,000, but hours from the state’s major population centers, namely Milwaukee and Madison.
Marathon County, where Mosinee is located, used to be politically competitive, having voted for Democratic nominee Barack Obama in 2008. Since then, the county has veered right, having favored Trump in 2016 and 2020, both times by about 18 points.
Nationally, Harris is leading Trump among Hispanic voters by 13 percentage points, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, conducted in August, while Biden led that demographic by just five points in May. She has also boosted her support among Black Americans, outperforming Biden by seven points among that demographic.
But she has barely moved the needle among white voters, those same polls show. Whites without a college degree, long the linchpin of Trump’s coalition, still favor the former president by 25 points, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll. They favored Trump by 29 points when he was running against Biden.
That relative resilience among white voters represents an electoral bright spot for Trump, and several Trump advisers and allies have told Reuters in recent weeks that maintaining the former president’s margins within that demographic will be crucial if he is to defeat Harris.
That is especially true in the northern “Rust Belt” states, Wisconsin included, which skew white and have large rural populations. Trump relied heavily on these voters when he swept the Rust Belt’s swing states on the way to his 2016 victory over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.
Biden won the White House in 2020 in part by bringing some of these voters back into the Democratic Party.
While the Trump campaign has identified Hispanics and Black men as a key area of growth for the Republican Party, much of Trump’s campaigning in recent weeks has taken place in small cities and towns in the Rust Belt that are not diverse.
Trump’s running mate, Ohio U.S. Senator JD (NASDAQ:) Vance, is expected to hit relatively rural areas of the Rust Belt particularly hard in the final weeks before the election, two Trump advisers told Reuters.
Stock Markets
A-Mark Precious Metals extends credit agreement to 2026
EL SEGUNDO, CA – A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. (NASDAQ:), a leading wholesaler of precious metals, has amended its existing credit agreement, extending the facility’s termination date and modifying certain covenants. This development was formalized on Monday, with the company entering into the Tenth Amendment to its Credit Agreement.
The amendment pushes the termination date of the revolving credit facility to September 30, 2026, or an earlier date if certain conditions outlined in the agreement are met. This extension provides A-Mark with continued access to its credit line for nearly two additional years beyond the original termination date.
In addition to the extension, the Tenth Amendment also introduces changes to the covenants of the Credit Agreement. While the specific details of these modifications were not disclosed in the press release, such changes typically aim to adjust the company’s operational and financial flexibility within the scope of the credit facility.
A-Mark’s original Credit Agreement was established on December 21, 2021, and has since undergone several amendments leading up to this latest, the Tenth Amendment. CIBC Bank USA serves as the administrative agent for the lenders involved in this credit facility.
In other recent news, A-Mark Precious Metals has seen significant developments in its financial performance and business strategy. The company’s fiscal year results, ending June 30, 2024, reported a net income of $66.2 million, with diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.75.
After excluding a re-measurement gain from its investment in Silver Gold Bull, the diluted EPS was $2.15. Despite a 19% decrease in fourth-quarter revenues to $2.52 billion, A-Mark concluded the fiscal year with over $3 million direct-to-consumer customers and repurchased $22.4 million of its common stock.
Analysts from B.Riley and DA Davidson have shown confidence in A-Mark Precious Metals, raising their stock price targets to $44 and $47 respectively. B.Riley’s new forecast expects A-Mark Precious Metals to achieve an adjusted EBITDA of $31.6 million and earnings per share (EPS) of $0.91 for the first quarter of fiscal year 2025, up from its previous estimates. This optimism is based on the assumption of increased gold and silver pricing and improved sales volumes.
In strategic developments, A-Mark Precious Metals is contemplating expanding its market reach, potentially through a trading hub in Singapore. The company has also broadened its presence in Asia with the acquisition of LPM and increased its investment in Silver Gold Bull Canada.
Despite facing a 25% increase in interest expenses and a 54% decrease in full-year EBITDA compared to the previous fiscal year, A-Mark remains optimistic about potential M&A opportunities and maintaining profitability.
InvestingPro Insights
A-Mark Precious Metals’ recent amendment to its credit agreement aligns with the company’s strong financial performance and market position. According to InvestingPro data, A-Mark has demonstrated impressive growth with a 60.24% price total return over the past year and a substantial 46.43% return in the last six months. This positive momentum is further reflected in the company’s market capitalization of $1.03 billion.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that A-Mark’s stock price often moves in the opposite direction of the market, which could be advantageous for investors seeking portfolio diversification. Additionally, the company’s liquid assets exceed short-term obligations, suggesting a solid financial foundation that supports the extended credit facility.
While A-Mark suffers from weak gross profit margins, as noted by an InvestingPro Tip, the company remains profitable with a P/E ratio of 15.05, indicating reasonable valuation relative to earnings. This profitability, combined with the extended credit agreement, positions A-Mark well for potential future growth in the precious metals market.
For investors interested in a deeper analysis, InvestingPro offers 13 additional tips for A-Mark Precious Metals, providing a more comprehensive view of the company’s financial health and market position.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.
Stock Markets
Camden National Corporation to Announce Quarter Ended September 30, 2024 Financial Results on October 29, 2024
CAMDEN, Maine, Oct. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Camden National (NASDAQ:) Corporation (NASDAQ: ) will report financial and operating results for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 on Tuesday, October 29, 2024. A conference call and webcast will be held at 3:00 p.m. Eastern on Tuesday, October 29, 2024 hosted by Simon Griffiths, President and Chief Executive Officer and Michael Archer, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer.
Parties interested in listening to the teleconference should dial into the call or connect to the webcast link 10 “ 15 minutes before it begins. Dial-in and webcast information to participate is as follows:
Live Dial-In (Domestic): (833) 470-1428
Live Dial-In (International): (929) 526-1599
Participant access code: 504894
Live Webcast URL: https://events.q4inc.com/attendee/685424551
A link to the live webcast will be available on Camden National Corporation’s website at CamdenNationalCorporation.com prior to the meeting. The transcript and replay of the conference call will also be made available on Camden National’s website following the conference call.
About Camden National Corporation
Camden National Corporation (NASDAQ: CAC) is Northern New England’s largest publicly traded bank holding company, with $5.7 billion in assets. Founded in 1875, Camden National Bank has 57 branches in Maine and New Hampshire, is a full-service community bank offering the latest digital banking, complemented by award-winning, personalized service. Additional information is available at CamdenNational.bank. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.
Comprehensive wealth management, investment, and financial planning services are delivered by Camden National Wealth Management.
Stock Markets
MESA LABS DECLARES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND
LAKEWOOD, Colo., Oct. 02, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Mesa Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ:MLAB) (we, us, our, Mesa or the Company) today announced that its Board of Directors has declared a regular quarterly dividend of $0.16 per share of common stock. The dividend will be payable on December 16, 2024, to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 29, 2024.
About Mesa Laboratories (NASDAQ:), Inc.
Mesa is a global leader in the design and manufacture of life science tools and critical quality control solutions for regulated applications in the pharmaceutical, healthcare and medical device industries. Mesa offers products and services to help our customers ensure product integrity, increase patient and worker safety, and improve the quality of life throughout the world.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release may contain information that constitutes forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from our historical experience and present expectations or projections. Forward-looking statements include statements relating to revenues and growth, operating results, profit margin pressure, industry conditions, economic conditions, demand, competition, the effects of additional actions taken to become more efficient or lower costs, risks related to the integration of acquired businesses, changes in legal and regulatory matters, the ability to generate additional cash flow, and any events or developments that we expect or anticipate will occur in the future. Generally, the words expect, anticipate, seek, intend, plan, believe, could, estimate, may, target, project, and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. However, the absence of these words or similar expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These statements are based upon current information and expectations. Actual results may differ materially from those estimated or anticipated as a result of these risks and unknowns or other risks and uncertainties. For additional information concerning these and other risks and uncertainties that could affect these statements, and our business, see our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2024, as well as other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in our reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K subsequently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to republish revised forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, to provide any updates, or to reflect the occurrence of future events.
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