Author: Chris Katje

Credit card giants Visa Inc (NYSE:V) and Mastercard (NYSE:MA) are set to offer insights into consumer spending and financial health when both companies report earnings Thursday.

Earnings Estimates: Mastercard is up first for earnings, with its fourth-quarter financial results coming before Thursday’s market opens. Analysts expect the company to report revenue of $7.39 billion, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

The company has beaten analyst estimates for revenue in more than 10 straight quarters.

Analysts expect Mastercard to report fourth-quarter earnings per share of $3.69, up from $3.18 in last year’s fourth quarter. The company has beaten analyst estimates for earnings per share in more than 10 straight quarters.

Visa will report first-quarter financial results after market close Thursday.

Analysts expect the company to report quarterly revenue of $9.34 billion, up from $8.63 billion in last year’s first quarter. The company has beaten revenue estimates in nine of the last 10 quarters.

Analysts expect Visa to report first-quarter earnings per share of $2.66, up from $2.41 in last year’s first quarter. The company has beaten analyst estimates for earnings per share in nine of the last 10 quarters, with the other quarter having earnings in line with estimates.

Read Also: American Express Analysts Expect Gains From Strong Card Spending

What Analysts Are Saying: Analysts are mostly bullish on both Visa and Mastercard, with some analysts liking both.

Seaport analyst Jeff Cantwell could be the exception with recent rating changes. Cantwell upgraded Visa from Neutral to Buy with a price target of $359. The analyst also downgraded Mastercard from Buy to Neutral with no price target.

Cantwell liked Visa’s greater exposure to the United States market while raising forecasts for the company. The analyst said service and data processing revenue should be higher in 2025 and 2026 with a strengthening U.S. economy in the second half of 2025.

The analyst predicts Visa will see 13% earnings per share growth in 2025 and 2026 alongside double-digit revenue growth in both years.

Cantwell said Visa’s Investor Day in February is a positive catalyst to watch.

Here are other analyst ratings for Visa and their price targets:

• Bank of America: Maintained Neutral rating, raised price target from $314 to $331
• Piper Sandler: Maintained Overweight rating, raised price target from $322 to $368
• Citigroup: Maintained Buy rating, raised price target from $326 to $354

On the other side of the credit card picks is Mastercard, which Cantwell downgraded.

The analyst said Mastercard has a good story, but the stock may be fairly valued at current prices. Cantwell said Mastercard’s revenue upside in 2025 is more limited with higher international exposure compared to Visa.

While Visa has an upcoming Investor Day, Cantwell highlighted in the note the fact that Mastercard’s Investor Day has already passed, leaving fewer catalysts for investors.

Here are recent analyst ratings for Mastercard and their price targets:

• Piper Sandler: Maintained Overweight rating, raised price target from $575 to $591
• Citigroup: Maintained Buy rating, raised price target from $572 to $584

Key Items to Watch: The earnings reports from Visa and Mastercard come after peer American Express Co (NYSE:AXP) recently reported quarterly results.

Freedom Capital Markets Chief Global Strategist Jay Woods shared thoughts on those earnings in his weekly newsletter and how it could predict what will happen to Visa and Mastercard.

“Both stocks are trading right or near all-time highs. How are higher rates and a resilient consumer affecting their bottom line? Are those trends continuing? American Express reported good numbers last week, but dropped -1.4% after a run up into their numbers. Will Visa and Mastercard do the same?” Woods said.

American Express reported record levels of card member spending in the quarter and strong member acquisitions. Investors will be watching these metrics for Visa and Mastercard to see if they are the same or if American Express gained market share at their expense.

Visa stole the spotlight away on Tuesday being named the first partner for X Money, the financial arm of social media platform X, which is owned by Elon Musk.

X CEO Linda Yaccarino said X money will use Visa Direct to help X users have secure and instant funding of their X wallets, which could be connected to debit cards and allow instant transfer of funds from bank accounts.

The comparison of domestic and international revenue and customer trends will likely be a key focus for both companies and analysts under the new White House administration. Investors will closely monitor the results and guidance and like Cantwell end up with a favorite out of the two after Thursday.

V, MA Price Action: Visa stock trades at $336.64 Wednesday versus a 52-week trading range of $252.70 to $337.83. The stock is up 7.0% year-to-date and up 23.0% over the last year.

Mastercard stock trades at $548.91 versus a 52-week trading range of $428.66 to $551.55. The stock is up 5.1% year-to-date and up 24.6% over the last year.

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• Visa Invests In Nigeria’s Moniepoint To Drive SME Growth And Digital Payments: Details

Photo: Shutterstock

Electric vehicle company Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) is likely to put an emphasis on future new models and technology progress for autonomous vehicles when the company reports fourth-quarter financial results after market close Wednesday.

Earnings Estimates: Analysts expect Tesla to report fourth-quarter revenue of $27.13 billion, up from $25.17 billion in last year’s fourth quarter, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

The company has missed analyst revenue estimates in four of the last five quarters and six of the last 10 quarters overall.

Analysts expect Tesla to report fourth quarter earnings per share of 74 cents, up from 71 cents per share in last year’s fourth quarter. The company has missed analyst earnings per share estimates in four of the last five quarters.

Tesla previously announced its fourth-quarter vehicle production and delivery figures. The company produced 459,445 vehicles and delivered 495,570 vehicles in the quarter. While the deliveries were a record in the fourth quarter, the company’s 1.79 million vehicles delivered in 2024 marked a year-over-year decline from 1.81 million in 2023. This was the first annual deliveries decline in company history.

Read Also: US Electric Vehicle Sales Hit Record 1.3 Million Units In 2024, Despite Tesla Declines: Top 10 Bestselling Models

What Analysts Are Saying: Analysts were mixed on the short-term outlook for Tesla after the company’s fourth-quarter delivery report. They continue to show questions for the short term with many bullish outlooks on the EV stock for the long term.

Goldman Sachs analyst Mark Delaney recently highlighted the Model Y update, automotive market share and a consumer survey in a new investor note.

The analyst maintained a Neutral rating with a price target of $345.

“Mix and how fast Tesla ramps up production of the refreshed version will help determine the effect on blended ASPs. We believe the new version offers several good enhancements,” Delaney said of the Model Y refresh.

Ahead of Tesla’s fourth-quarter financial results, Delaney highlighted five of the top items to watch.

1. Automotive non-GAAP gross margins
2. Vehicle delivery outlook for 2025
3. Progress with FSD and AI-related efforts
4. Growth in other segments, including Services and Energy
5. Progress with Optimus and expectations on ramp timing

“We believe a key debate in the market will be whether Tesla can grow more meaningfully in 2025/2026, driven by a refreshed Model Y and a new lower-cost model or models,” Delaney added.

Morgan Stanley analysts said the key topic for Tesla’s earnings report and conference call will be if the company is sticking with a delivery growth target of 20% to 30% for 2025. The analysts said growth of 10% to 20% is more likely with pressures on the EV market, increased competition for the sector in China and the potential of federal tax credits going away.

The analysts said production ramp-up of the Model Y refresh, FSD progress and any updates on the Optimus humanoid bot will also be key topics to watch.

Morgan Stanley has an Overweight rating on Tesla and $430 price target.

On the other side of the bull case for Tesla is Bank of America analyst John Murphy who downgraded Tesla from Buy to Neutral earlier this month and raised the price target from $400 to $490.

Murphy shared a Tesla sum-of-the-parts valuation and what could have the highest impact on the future of the company.

Tesla has long-term catalysts, but the rise in the stock price in 2024 could put valuation into question, Murphy said in the note. “Valuation captures much of long-term potential from autos, robotaxi, other and execution risk is high.”

Murphy added that there is still upside to Tesla stock, but the price increase limits the long-term potential.

Tesla’s robotaxi segment is called the biggest opportunity by Murphy, a segment that he believes could account for nearly 50% of the company’s valuation and be worth $420 billion in the U.S. and over $800 billion globally in the future.

Key Items to Watch: Delivery guidance for 2025 remains the biggest item for most analysts and investors. Outside of that there are multiple areas that people will be watching Thursday.

This includes the potential end of the $7,500 federal tax credit for EVs. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who supported Donald Trump in the 2024 election, has supported this potential end as it could be good for his company and bad for competitors.

Analysts may try to get Musk to comment on the timing of the end of the credit and if it could lead to a short-term demand spike.

As a close ally of Trump, another topic could be autonomous vehicle testing on roads. Trump previously said he would ban autonomous vehicles from roads, which could cause harm to Tesla. An update on where things stand would likely be well received by investors if Trump has reversed his stance.

With the promise of new models in 2025, investors and analysts will also be looking for commentary on the timing of this and any hints at what this means.

TSLA Price Action: Tesla stock is down 0.3% Wednesday versus a 52-week trading range of $138.80 to $488.54. Tesla stock is up 108% over the last year, with the majority of gains coming after Trump won the election.

Read Next:

• Tesla Q3 Earnings Highlights: EPS Beat, Revenue Miss, Shares Climb On 2025 Timeline For Lower-Cost EVs

Photo created using artificial intelligence via MidJourney.

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) analyst Mark Delaney highlights the Model Y update, automotive market share, what consumers are saying in a new survey and key questions ahead of the company’s fourth quarter earnings report on Wednesday, Jan. 29.

Tesla Model Y: The refreshed Model Y, which comes to the U.S. and Europe after a launch in China earlier this month, offers good upgrades, Goldman Sachs analyst Delaney said in the investor note.

The analyst maintained a Neutral rating with a price target of $345.

“Some of the changes made in the refresh, beyond the extended range, include updated exterior lighting, an added screen for the back seat, ambient lighting, and better outside noise reduction,” Delaney said.

The analyst said a new camera on the front bumper could better assist with parking and also could be used for Autopilot and FSD.  

Tesla is offering discounts on Model Y units in inventory ahead of the refresh launch in March.

“Mix and how fast Tesla ramps up production of the refreshed version will help determine the effect on blended ASPs. We believe the new version offers several good enhancements.”

Read Also: Tesla Lost $15 Billion In Brand Value In 2024, Report Says: Did Elon Musk’s Political Push Hurt EV Giant?

Tesla Market Share: The analyst estimates Tesla’s sales in the U.S. were flat in the fourth quarter on a year-over-year basis. Tesla’s market share for the electric vehicle sector in the U.S. likely hit “the mid 40% range,” Delaney said. This would be down from around 50% in the fourth quarter of 2023.

Delaney estimates Tesla’s sales in the European market were down 10% year-over-year in the fourth quarter and its market share went from 16% in last year’s fourth quarter to 13% in this most recent fourth quarter.

The analyst said Tesla’s sales in China are estimated up 16% year-over-year in the fourth quarter and the company had a high-single-digit percentage market share for battery-powered electric vehicles.

Consumer Feedback Survey: Delaney uses data from a HundredX consumer feedback survey to predict Tesla’s demand.

“The survey data still shows a decline for Tesla in the brand/trust metric, whereas the score for the broader industry have been relatively stable. Similarly, Tesla’s net purchase intent scores have declined by more than the peer group,” Delaney said.

The analyst said items like new vehicles and Full Self Driving are keys in potentially reversing the Tesla scores going forward.

Key Items to Watch: Ahead of Tesla’s fourth-quarter financial results, Delaney highlights the top items to watch.

These are the analyst’s key topics for the earnings report:

1. Automotive non-GAAP gross margins
2. Vehicle delivery outlook for 2025
3. Progress with FSD and AI-related efforts
4. Growth in other segments, including Services and Energy
5. Progress with Optimus and expectations on ramp timing

“We believe a key debate in the market will be whether Tesla can grow more meaningfully in 2025/2026, driven by a refreshed Model Y and a new lower-cost model or models,” Delaney said.

The analyst said Tesla is targeting 20% to 30% year-over-year growth in deliveries in 2025.

Delaney said the potential end of the $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles could be a key topic in the company commentary.

On the AI front, Delaney said Tesla is unlikely to hit a goal of being safer than human drivers in the second quarter of 2025. The analyst also questions Tesla’s timeline launch of the Cybercab robotaxi in 2026.

“We expect Tesla to begin very limited robotaxi operations in 2H26.”

TSLA Price Action: Tesla stock is down 3.02% to $394.62 on Monday versus a 52-week trading range of $138.80 to $488.54. Tesla stock is up about 110% over the past year.

Read Next:

• Tesla Analyst On High-Stakes Future: Optimus, Robotaxi, FSD Have Potential, But Execution Risks Loom

Photo: Shutterstock

Coffee retailer Starbucks Corp (NASDAQ:SBUX) is expected to report year-over-year declines for revenue and earnings per share in the company’s first-quarter financial results after market close Tuesday.

Here’s a look at the earnings estimates and key items to watch.

Earnings Estimates: Analysts expect Starbucks to report first-quarter revenue of $9.32 billion, down from $9.43 billion in last year’s first quarter, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

The company missed analyst estimates for revenue in four straight quarters and missed estimates in six of the past 10 quarters.

Analysts expect the company to report earnings per share of 67 cents, down from 90 cents in last year’s first quarter. The company has missed analyst estimates for earnings per share in three of the past four quarters but beaten estimates in five of the past 10 quarters.

The company has not shared guidance for fiscal 2025 citing the CEO transition to Brian Niccol in 2024.

Read Also: Starbucks Faces Sales Slump But Analysts See Silver Lining With New CEO’s Efficiency Strategy

What Experts are Saying: Bank of America maintained a Buy rating on Starbucks with a $117 price target ahead of the company’s first-quarter results.

Bank of America analysts highlighted the company’s brand strength and the potential to put emphasis on productive areas under new leadership in the January investor note.

RBC Capital reiterated an Outperform rating and $115 price target ahead of the first quarter report.

Data from Placer.ai could serve as a preview of the Starbucks first-quarter same-store sales and overall revenue.

A report highlighting the comparison between Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts showed that both coffee chains had drops in foot traffic in the fourth calendar quarter of 2024. Starbucks first fiscal quarter includes the months of October, November and December.

In the fourth quarter, foot traffic at Starbucks stores were down 2.9% year-over-year, compared to a 0.7% drop for Dunkin’ locations, according to the report.

Here’s how the fourth calendar quarter foot traffic compares to other 2024 calendar quarters:

• Q1: Starbucks +1.1% year-over-year, Dunkin’ +1.9% year-over-year
• Q2: Starbucks +1.9% year-over-year, Dunkin’ -0.7% year-over-year
• Q3: Starbucks -1.8% year-over-year, Dunkin’ -1.3% year-over-year

Overall in 2024, Starbucks foot traffic was “relatively flat” compared to 2023, Placer.ai said. The key here could be the sharp drop off in the fourth-quarter data.

The report showed Starbucks saw visitors stay slightly longer than in the past and most visits happen between the 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. time period, while Dunkin’ got a larger share of foot traffic before 10 a.m. likely due to food options.

One key to watch is Starbucks increased foot traffic related to several key dates. The report showed that three days in the fourth calendar quarter saw large spikes compared to the daily foot traffic average in 2024.

• Red Cup Day (Nov. 14): +40.4% to daily average
• Black Friday: +26.6% to daily average
• Super Saturday: +27.5% to daily average

These three days could provide a boost to Starbucks results in the quarter.

Key Items to Watch: Aside from foot traffic trends and key days in the quarter, there are other key items that investors and analysts are likely watching ahead of the first fiscal quarter.

New reports showed higher coffee future prices, which could put Starbucks margins and hedging strategy in focus. The company could get asked about what it is doing to prevent further price increases in the future for its commodities and pushing increases back to its customers.

Strikes at Starbucks locations in major cities around the Christmas holiday was a big topic during the quarter and the company could share the impact the strikes had and how it is looking to the future as more stores unionize.

Starbucks said it was considering a sale or partial sale of its Chinese segment. The company will share how this segment is performing in the financial results, but most attention will turn to if there is progress in this consideration and how it could help alleviate poor financial results for the region.

Without current fiscal guidance, investors will also be looking for commentary on the company’s growth and initiatives under new CEO Niccol.

“It is clear we need to fundamentally change our strategy to win back customers. ‘Back to Starbucks’ is that fundamental change,” Niccol said after fourth-quarter financial results.

SBUX Price Action: Starbucks stock is up 0.70% to $99.17 on Monday versus a 52-week trading range of $71.55 to $102.56. Starbucks stock is up 6% over the last year.

Read Next:

• Starbucks Faces 34 New Union Complaints Amid Rising Tensions with Workers

Photo: Shutterstock

The healthcare sector will be on watch Wednesday with a highly anticipated earnings report from Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) before market open.

Earnings Estimates: Analysts expect Johnson & Johnson to report fourth quarter revenue of $22.44 billion according to data from Benzinga Pro.

The company has beaten analyst estimates for revenue in two straight quarters and eight of the last 10 quarters overall.

Analysts expect the company to report fourth quarter earnings per share of $2.00, down from $2.29 in last year’s fourth quarter. The company has beaten analyst estimates for earnings per share in 10 straight quarters.

Read Also: FDA Approves Johnson & Johnson’s Treatment As First Monotherapy For Treatment-Resistant Depression

Key Items to Watch: Johnson & Johnson has received several price target cuts from analysts in the last two months.

Bank of America maintained a Neutral rating and lowered the price target from $166 to $160. Citi maintained a Buy rating and lowered the price target from $185 to $175.

Freedom Capital Markets Chief Global Strategist Jay Woods highlighted the importance of Johnson & Johnson’s earnings report for the health care sector.

“The health care sector has remained under pressure and those following it are hoping JNJ can help bring it back to life,” Woods wrote in a weekly newsletter.

Woods said analysts and investors will be looking for the company’s sales of key oncology drugs Darzalex and Carvykti. The market strategist also said investors and analysts will be looking for commentary on the recent acquisition of Cellular Therapies and its impact on the bottom line.

In the third quarter, Darzalex sales were up 22.9% year-over-year to $3.02 billion. Carvykti sales hit $286 million in the third quarter, up 87.6% year-over-year.

Woods highlighted the timing of the fourth-quarter results coming as shares have hit new 52-week lows recently.

“Johnson & Johnson has dropped over -16% from its September peak making new 52-week lows as recently as last week. In fact, over the last 52 weeks, shares are lower by 8%.”

With this being the company’s fourth quarter, investors and analysts will also be looking for commentary on future guidance.

Johnson & Johnson is a member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and one of several Dow Jones stocks reporting financial results this week, putting ETFs like the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (NYSE:DIA) into focus.

JNJ Price Action: Johnson & Johnson stock is up 1% to $148.43 on Tuesday versus a 52-week trading range of $140.68 to $168.85. The stock is down 9% over the last year.

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• Marjorie Taylor Greene Went Christmas Shopping For Stocks, Here’s What She Bought Before Holiday

Photo: Shutterstock

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:TSM) could share more commentary on strong semiconductor demand and how a new White House administration could boost the sector when the company reports fourth-quarter financial results before the market opens Thursday.

Earnings Estimates: Analysts expect Taiwan Semiconductor to report fourth-quarter revenue of $26.28 billion. That’s up from $19.62 billion in last year’s fourth quarter, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

The company has beaten analyst estimates for revenue in four straight quarters and five of the last 10 quarters overall.

Analysts expect the company to report fourth-quarter earnings per share of $2.23, up from $1.44 in last year’s fourth quarter. The company beat analyst earnings per share estimates in four straight quarters and six of the last 10 quarters overall.

Guidance from the company provided after Q3 results called for fourth-quarter revenue of $26.1 billion to $26.9 billion.

What Analysts Are Saying: Strong demand for leading-edge nodes from the company could power fourth-quarter results and 2025 guidance, Goldman Sachs analyst Bruce Lu recently said.

The analyst maintained a Buy rating and raised the price target from $248 to $254.

Lu sees strong momentum in artificial intelligence helping to boost revenue for Taiwan Semiconductor in 2025.

The analyst also sees a more favorable landscape for Taiwan Semiconductor against competitors like Samsung Electronics and Intel as those companies move to more advanced nodes.

Taiwan Semiconductor could raise prices and see its gross margins grow in 2025, the analyst added.

Read Also: TSMC Powers Up: December Revenue Soars Ahead Of Q4 Earnings Release

Key Items to Watch: Analysts and investors will be watching for commentary from Taiwan Semiconductor on recent reports of increased export regulations to China.

Advanced chips, including those that specialize in AI, have been a hot topic among items that are banned from being exported to China under the Biden administration.

Trump is set to take office on Monday, a short time after Taiwan Semiconductor’s earnings report is published. Analyst questions could center on the political conversation of the semiconductor sector and what’s ahead.

The semiconductor sector saw several stocks as top performers in 2017 — Trump’s first year in the White House previously. Micron Technology and Nvidia Corporation were among the 10 best-performing stocks in 2017 among S&P 500 members.

Investors and analysts may also be looking for an update on Taiwan Semiconductor’s U.S. expansion. The company expects its Arizona plant to begin manufacturing in 2025.

Price Action: Taiwan Semiconductor stock is up 2% to $206.06 on Wednesday versus a 52-week trading range of $100.000 to $222.20. Taiwan Semiconductor stock is up 103% over the last year.

Read Next:

• Taiwan Semi, Samsung, Intel May Face Stricter US Rules on Chip Exports to China Over Security Concerns

Image: Shutterstock

A United Airlines Holdings (NASDAQ:UAL) analyst says the company could mirror recent earnings strength and guidance that Delta Air Lines (NYSE:DAL) had when the company reports fourth-quarter financial results on Jan. 21.

The United Airlines Analyst: Bank of America analyst Andrew Didora reiterated a Buy rating on United Airlines and raised the price target from $100 to $120.

The Analyst Takeaways: United Airlines could be the biggest winner from a strong outlook shared by Delta, Didora said in a new investor note.

“We expect UAL to report strong 4Q24 results and guide 1Q25 ahead of consensus when the company reports earnings on 1/21,” Didora said.

The analyst raised fourth quarter, first quarter and full year 2025 earnings per share estimates ahead of the earnings report.

“The airline is the biggest beneficiary of the strong premium, corporate, and transatlantic growth mentioned in DAL’s earnings report last week.”

Didora said United’s premium product offering and coastal hubs that see strong corporate share should see the airline company reporting results in line with Delta or better.

“The magnitude of DAL’s +7-9% 1Q25 revenue guide was a positive surprise to us, and this outlook was well ahead of our prior/Visible Alpha consensus 1Q25 revenue growth forecast of +6.0% for UAL.”

The analyst estimates UAL could see 7.5% year-over-year growth in the first quarter based on Delta’s report.

“We are modeling consistent unit revenue growth throughout 2025 of around 3% for total revenue growth of +7.6%.”

The analyst said the new forecast should allow United to see both higher earnings and free cash flow, allowing the company to complete its buyback and see “further de-leveraging.”

UAL Price Action: United Airlines stock is down 3.32% to $103.52 at publication Monday versus a 52-week trading range of $37.02 to $110.92. United Airlines stock is up 164% over the last year.

Read Next:

• US Airlines Set To Fly High In 2025, Analyst Says: ‘Perfect Storm Of Tailwinds’ Will Propel Industry Gains

Photo: Shutterstock

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) has been a top performing large-cap stock in 2024 with shares up 70% year-to-date, with a large portion of the gains coming after the 2024 presidential election.

The month of January will include fourth-quarter delivery figures and fourth-quarter financial results, putting the stock in the spotlight early in 2025.

Tesla Delivery Estimates: All eyes will be on Tesla later this week with the company expected to report fourth-quarter delivery and production figures on Thursday, Jan. 2.

The company often releases quarterly delivery and production figures on the second day of the following month and with the market open Thursday after the New Year’s Day holiday Wednesday, analysts are currently eyeing this day for the official report.

New consensus estimates from analysts provided by Tesla call for the company to report fourth-quarter deliveries of 506,763 units. The estimated total consists of 476,398 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles and 31,755 other vehicles, as reported by Teslarati.

According to Tesla, the estimates are based on input from 26 analysts. The projected fourth-quarter delivery figure of 506,763 units would bring total deliveries for the year to 1,801,709.

Tesla reported a record 1,808,581 deliveries in 2023. The company would need to report deliveries of around 515,000 units in the fourth quarter to beat the 2023 total and show year-over-year growth.

Recent estimates from analysts include Goldman Sachs’ Mark Delaney estimating fourth-quarter deliveries of 510,000. The analyst has a Neutral rating and $250 price target.

UBS analyst Joseph Spak estimates Tesla will report fourth-quarter deliveries of 515,000, as reported by Teslarati. The analyst has a Sell rating and $226 price target.

Read Also: How Many EVs Has Tesla Delivered, Produced Each Quarter? A Look At The Results Since 2019

Why It’s Important: Tesla said it expected its growth rate to be lower for deliveries in 2024 than in past years. The new analyst consensus figures show the company may not post year-over-year growth and see declines in delivery units for the full year.

While this may be expected now after the past three quarterly reports, the official figure could put shares under pressure.

If Tesla is able to beat the consensus estimate it may be the result of huge financing offers and incentives during the final month, which could put pressure on automotive margins.

Tesla is set to report its fourth-quarter financial results later in January, with delivery figures likely to increase focus on key areas such as margins, Tesla Energy, and progress on FSD.

After the delivery and earnings catalyst are over, investors and analysts may want to hear more about what’s ahead like the FSD timeline and potential licensing deals to other automotive companies and a timeline update on robotaxis.

Following Tesla’s strong performance in 2024, early January catalysts could either sustain the stock’s momentum or quickly set a challenging tone for the rest of the year.

TSLA Price Action: Tesla stock is down 1% to $413.47 at the time of publication Tuesday versus a 52-week trading range of $138.80 to $488.54. Tesla stock is up 70% year-to-date in 2024.

Read Next:

• Elon Musk Is So Rich He Could Buy Every MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL Team And Still Have Cash Left Over

Photo: Shutterstock

Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) will look to follow the fate of Broadcom, which recently got a boost in share price after its quarterly earnings.

The Boise, Idaho-based company will report first-quarter financial results after the market closes on Wednesday. Analysts expect Micron Technology to report first-quarter revenue of $8.72 billion. That’s up from $4.73 billion in last year’s first quarter, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

The company has beaten analyst revenue estimates in six straight quarters and seven of the last 10 quarters overall.

Analysts also expect the company to report first-quarter earnings per share of $1.76 — up from a loss of 95 cents per share in last year’s first quarter. The company has beaten analyst estimates for earnings per share in three straight quarters and seven of the last 10 quarters overall.

Guidance from the company calls for first-quarter revenue of $8.5 billion to $8.9 billion and earnings per share of $1.66 to $1.82.

Read Also: Ahead Of Trump’s Return To White House, US Approves $406M Grant For Taiwan’s Chipmaker GlobalWafers

What Analysts Are Saying: First-quarter financial results should meet or beat analyst estimates, Wedbush analyst Matt Bryson said in a new investor note.

The analyst said Micron’s first quarter benefitted from favorable pricing and product mixes. The second quarter could be tougher to meet or beat estimates.

“We believe some of this pressure could be offset by mix, meaning risk to our current FQ2 forward estimates might be relatively modest,” Bryson said.

Outside of the second quarter, Bryson expects a strong back half of Micron’s fiscal year due to “favorable memory economics.”

“We believe sentiment on memory was extremely negative creating room for a potential sharp move upwards in the stock should MU results/guidance roughly fit the expectations.”

A more favorable product mix and signs of normalization of memory inventory could also benefit Micron in the future.

“We don’t have a strong view on MU into the print, but believe the company is well positioned heading into 2025.”

Stifel recently reiterated a Buy rating with a $135 price target ahead of Micron’s earnings print also.

Key Items to Watch: Micron’s report comes as the semiconductor sector has been in focus in 2024. Leader Nvidia has fallen in recent days while Broadcom soared after its earnings report.

Micron shares received a boost after the White House invested $6.1 billion for new advanced memory chip facilities was announced.

The semiconductor industry has been a prime sector for government investments to help support U.S. jobs and growing the market share of the sector in the country to lessen the need for imports from other countries.

Investors and analysts will be closely watching Wednesday’s report for more color on government support and commentary on the next White House administration set to begin in 2025.

The company’s next fiscal year will also be a key focus for investors and analysts with an update on guidance after the first quarter.

“We are entering fiscal 2025 with the best competitive positioning in Micron’s history. We forecast record revenue in fiscal Q1 and a substantial revenue record with significantly improved profitability in fiscal 2025,” Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrota said after the fourth-quarter financial results.

Investors and analysts will be looking for the same optimism Wednesday.

Price Action: Micron stock is up 1% to $108.82 on Tuesday, versus a 52-week trading range of $78.63 to $157.54. Micron stock is up 32% year-to-date in 2024.

Read Next:

• Nvidia, AMD, Taiwan Semi Gain As Broadcom’s Q4 Performance Sparks Sector-Wide Surge

Image: Shutterstock

Retailer Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) could show the early impact of a membership fee increase when the company reports first-quarter financial results Thursday after market close.

Earnings Estimates: Analysts expect Costco to report first-quarter revenue of $62.12 billion, up from $57.8 billion in last year’s first quarter, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

The company missed analyst revenue estimates in the fourth quarter. It also missed estimates in five of the last 10 quarters.

Analysts expect the company to report first-quarter earnings per share of $3.79, up from $3.48 in last year’s first quarter. The company has beaten analyst estimates for earnings per share in seven straight quarters and nine of the last 10 quarters overall.

Read Also: Costco’s Strong Q4 Performance Sparks Mixed Analyst Reactions As Stock Slides

What Analysts Say: Costco’s unmatched value proposition, strong gross margins and a loyal customer base make the stock a core holding, JPMorgan analyst Christopher Horvers said in a recent analyst note.

The analyst maintained an Overweight rating on Costco and raised the price target from $945 to $1,090.

Horvers highlighted the company’s membership renewal rate of around 90%.

Along with the strength of gross margins and the membership renewal rates, Costco also has the potential to double its store count, the analyst added.

Bank of America analysts recently maintained a Buy rating and price target of $962 saying the company is well-positioned to benefit from a focus on value by consumers in the 2024 holiday season.

Here are other analyst ratings on Costco and their price targets:

• Oppenheimer: Reiterated Outperform rating, raised price target from $980 to $1,075
• Jefferies: Maintained Buy rating, raised price target from $1,050 to $1,145
• Stifel: Maintained Buy rating, raised price target from $935 to $1,000
• Wells Fargo: Maintained Equal-weight rating, raised price target from $850 to $950
• Baird: Maintained Outperform rating, raised price target from $975 to $1,075
• Telsey: Maintained Outperform rating, raised price target from $1,000 to $1,050

Key Items to Watch: Costco’s first-quarter results will cover the months of September, October and November. The company announced a membership fee increase earlier this year with the change going into effect on Sept. 1.

While it will take time for all current members to pay the higher price as their renewals come up, Thursday will mark the first quarterly results with the higher amount, which could provide a boost to the higher-margin membership revenue line.

Membership fees were $1.512 billion in the fourth quarter.

A Placer.ai report showed that foot traffic at Costco stores was up 7.2% year-over-year in the third calendar quarter of the year with September up 4.5% year-over-year and October up 3.6% year-over-year.

Compare that to foot traffic at its peers: Sam’s Club (+5.2%), BJ’s Wholesale (+5.9%), Target (+1.0%) and Walmart (+0.9%).

Costco’s monthly sales reports have shown strong sales growth and Thursday’s report could further illustrate that.

Investors and analysts will be watching to see if there are any comments on market share gains and new customer growth that could show taking customers from other retailers.

Price Action: Costco stock is up 1% to $1,003.19 on Wednesday versus a 52-week trading range of $623.22 and $1,007.80. The stock hit the new 52-week and all-time high of $1,007.80 earlier in Wednesday’s trading session. Costco stock is up 54% year-to-date in 2024.

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