Elon Musk‘s Starlink isn’t just aiming for the stars. It’s making a tangible difference on the ground.

What Happened: After pilot tests were launched in 2023 in partnership with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change, Starlink’s satellite-powered internet has been installed in 40 health centers across regions like Rusizi, Rulindo, and Kigali, reported Teslarati.

In the past, many of these centers suffered from connectivity struggles. Starlink changed all that.

“The situation before was terrible. We had persistent issues with internet connectivity,” Jean Louis Murhirwa, a midwife at Buyoga Health Centre, said.

Before Starlink, only a few devices could connect at a time, and rationing was necessary.

Starlink’s presence has not only improved communication within these centers but has enabled efficient paperless workflows, faster patient care, and better coordination with national health initiatives.

Healthcare leaders, like Elie Ahimana from Kinini Health Centre, are calling for more widespread adoption of Starlink to further boost healthcare across the country.

Read Also: Elon Musk’s Tesla Dominates US EV Market With 3 Of Top 5 Best-Selling Models In Q3

Why It Matters: While Starlink is enhancing healthcare in Africa, it’s also helping disaster-stricken parts of the U.S.

Starlink founder and CEO Elon Musk recently announced that Starlink services would remain free for the rest of 2024 in areas affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

For those impacted by Hurricanes Helene or Milton, Starlink service is now free through the end of the year to help with response and recovery efforts → https://t.co/fUko3xSviJ pic.twitter.com/vEaGPavsFz

— Starlink (@Starlink) October 11, 2024

FEMA has already deployed Starlink to assist in North Carolina’s Emergency Operations Center, ensuring that first responders can communicate even in the face of devastation.

Musk’s Starlink has also begun working with T-Mobile US Inc (NASDAQ:TMUS) to launch Starlink Direct-to-Cellular services.

What’s Next: Starlink is looking to expand in India, where it faces a battle over spectrum allocation with local telecom giants.

Musk is also under scrutiny for the role Starlink plays in the Russia-Ukraine war. Russian troops have significantly improved their attacks at the expense of Ukraine due to the growing number of Starlink satellites, The Washington Post reported.

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• ‘Much Appreciated:’ Elon Musk Cheers India’s Move To Allocate Satellite Spectrum

Image: Shutterstock

Global superstar Taylor Swift is set to begin the final leg of her record-breaking “The Eras Tour” soon, and retailer Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) could be the latest company to benefit from the singer’s massive following and fan base.

What Happened: Swift announced Tuesday morning that she is launching two new products exclusively in Target stores. The items will be released on Nov. 29, which happens to be Black Friday this year.

“This tour has been the most wondrous experience and I knew I wanted to commemorate the memories we made together in a special way. Well, two ways actually,” Swift tweeted.

The singer is releasing “The Official Eras Tour Book” and “The Tortured Poets Department: The Anthology” on CD and vinyl on Nov. 29, exclusively at Target.

“Only at Target,” Swift said in a video shared with her more than 95 million followers on Twitter. The post was also shared on Instagram where Swift has more than 280 million followers.

Swift said the new album will contain 35 tracks, and the image showed four CDs containing the long list of songs. The record will sell for $59.99, and the CD will sell for $17.99, as reported by Variety. The anthology album was previously available as a 31-song digital release, with four acoustic bonus tracks added, and the physical disc form was available for the first time.

The singer said the tour book contains over 500 pictures from the tour, including never-before-seen behind-the-scenes images. According to the report, the book will sell for $39.99.

Swift has eighteen dates left on “The Eras Tour,” beginning with a stop in Miami this weekend for nine shows in the U.S. before heading to Canada for nine shows, with the tour ending on Dec. 8.

Read Also: Target Q2 Earnings: Revenue And Profit Beat, Digital Sales Boost, Annual Profit Outlook Hiked

Why It’s Important: The book, CD, and vinyl will exclusively be sold in North American Target stores on Black Friday and will be available for online sale on Nov. 30. Swift said international details will follow.

Target is one of many retailers offering discounted merchandise on Black Friday to appeal to holiday shopping consumers. With the new Swift merchandise, the retailer could see an extra boost in demand on this typically busy day.

Target had Circle Week from Oct. 6 to Oct. 12, offering seven days of deals with discounts of up to 50%.

The multiple sale days and weeks and the Swift exclusives could create a strong fourth quarter for Target. During its second-quarter earnings report, the company raised its full-year earnings per share guidance and showed optimism for the second half of the year.

Swift has been known to boost the share prices of some public companies and has been mentioned in earnings reports and earnings calls. Live Nation, The Walt Disney Company, AMC Entertainment, and airlines are among the companies that have noticed a boost from Swift.

The new album release could also serve as a proving point for the singer after endorsing Kamala Harris for president in the 2024 election. Donald Trump brushed off Swift’s endorsement of Harris in the election and predicted it would hurt the singer’s future album sales.

First released on April 19, 2024, “The Tortured Poets” has been one of Swift’s record-breaking albums, spending 15 non-consecutive weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 album chart. This marked a career-high for Swift, placing the album among the few to achieve this milestone.

The “Anthology” version of the 2024 album could help the record top the charts again. Republic Records, which is owned by Universal Music Group (OTC:UMGNF), could also benefit from the release of the new anthology album.

TGT Price Action: Target stock is up 1.9% to $161.04 on Tuesday, versus a 52-week trading range of $105.23 to $181.86. Target stock is up 10.4% year-to-date in 2024.

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• Taylor Swift Donates $5M Toward Hurricane Recovery: ‘Contribution Will Help Communities Rebuild’

Photo: Shutterstock

Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban, a prominent supporter of Vice President Kamala Harris, has been vocal about his dissatisfaction with SEC Chair Gary Gensler‘s approach to regulating the crypto industry.

“He is pushing the crypto industry overseas,” Cuban told POLITICO in an email on Monday. “He is perfecting regulation through litigation, stifling growth in the capital markets, reducing the number of companies going public and going on what seems like witch hunts for big names.”

Should Harris win the U.S. presidency, the “Shark Tank” judge floated the idea of himself as a potential SEC chair candidate.

“It’s not a job I will chase,” Cuban said. “But if asked, I would want to be interviewed.”

Cuban later walked back this statement, claiming he was merely “trolling.”

Read Also: Mark Cuban Questions Trump’s Motive Behind WLFI Token Sale—Former Prez Failed In The ‘Bitcoin IQ Test,’ Says Max Keiser

If Cuban was in consideration, Blockchain Association CEO Kristin Smith expressed support.

“We would absolutely welcome Mark Cuban as chair of the SEC, if that’s the way Harris wanted to go,” she said.

Jeff Hauser, executive director of the Revolving Door Project, disagrees.

“Mark Cuban’s palpably not qualified to be a commissioner of the SEC, let alone chair,” Hauser said.

The debate surrounding Gensler’s potential replacement highlights the ongoing tension between the crypto industry and regulators. It also raises questions about Harris’s potential approach to financial regulation.

While Cuban’s influence on her campaign is notable, it remains unclear how much sway he would have over potential SEC appointments. Cuban himself acknowledged, “The one certainty is that [Harris] makes the final call. That is the response I have gotten over and again.”

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• Man Who Accidentally Threw Hard Drive Containing 8,000 Bitcoins Worth Half A Billion Dollars In Landfill Sues Local City Council For Not Excavating The Site

Image: Shutterstock

Streaming giant Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX) is adding a new live weekly talk show with comedian John Mulaney.

What Happened: According to Variety, citing Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria, the streaming platform is adding a live talk show with Mulaney starting in 2025.

The announcement underscores one of the company’s main strategies, which is to grow live content in an effort to reach new subscribers.

Netflix currently has over 275 million paid subscribers.

Bajaria highlighted the company’s working relationship with Mulaney, which included standup specials and the live talk-show series “Everybody’s in LA.”

Bajaria praised Mulaney’s content as “bold and original and fresh and then unpredictable.”

“And I think it’ll be really fun to get to do a live show with him.”

Read Also: Netflix To Become ‘Default Choice’ For TV, Movies? Analyst Predicts More Live Sports, Price Increases

Why It Matters: Netflix sees live content as a way to increase demand from advertisers. It might also serve as a catalyst to boost subscribers to ad-free plans.

And while viewership for “Everybody’s in LA” wasn’t huge, according to Bajaria. Netflix has launched other talk shows in the past that did not catch on with viewers.

“I think we have to continue to be bold and take risks and swings,” Bajaria said. “And I think it would be too easy and too safe to go, ‘oh, well, talk hasn’t worked, so let’s not try this thing.’”

Netflix’s live content thus far has mostly been centered around comedy, such as the standup special featuring Chris Rock in March 2023.

Netflix is also pushing deeper into its sports content. The company will stream two National Football League games on Christmas Day 2024 and several in the future, and stream a live boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson on Nov. 15.

It also inked a $5 billion, 10-year deal with TKO Group Holdings Inc (NYSE:TKO) to start airing WWE’s pro-wrestling content in 2025.

Reports also link Netflix to wanting to launch live versions of “Hot Ones.” The popular video series from BuzzFeed features celebrities answering questions as they eat hot wings.

Price Action: Netflix stock trades at $730.75 on Thursday versus a 52-week trading range of $344.73 to $733.85. Netflix stock is up 56% year-to-date in 2024.

Read Next:

• Salesforce Paid John Mulaney To Speak At Its Event — Then He Roasted The Entire Company And Audience

Image: Shutterstock

Recent data from JPMorgan’s exclusive survey indicates that price gaps between Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT) and competitors like Kroger Co (NYSE:KR) and Albertsons Companies Inc (NYSE:ACI) are narrowing.

Kroger has traditionally maintained higher prices than Walmart, resulting in a price premium over its competitor. However, a recent shift in pricing strategies could signal a change in the competitive landscape as companies adjust to attract increasingly price-sensitive consumers. Notably, Kroger has reported a 2% decrease in its tracked prices since June 2024, marking the most significant decline recorded since the survey began.

Price Trends, Consumer Behavior

Walmart has raised its prices by 1.7%, while Albertsons and Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. (NYSE:SFM) have increased their prices by 1.4%, which contrasts sharply with Kroger’s recent price cuts. These changes highlight a shift in consumer sentiment as shoppers prioritize value.

As a result, Kroger’s price premium over Walmart has fallen to 10%, down from 13.3% in June, making it more competitive in a market where consumers are increasingly conscious of pricing.

Meanwhile, Albertsons’ prices have increased 5.8% since August 2023, potentially leading to a decline in customer loyalty and sales.

Read Also: Walmart: Retail Juggernaut Has More Room to Grow for Investors

Implications For Investors

The narrowing price gaps could have significant implications for investors.

Companies that effectively manage perishables and focus on maintaining competitive pricing may see enhanced market shares and improved earnings.

Notably, while Kroger is cutting prices to stay competitive, Albertsons has invested heavily in perishables, resulting in a 3.2% decline in pricing for this category. SFM, conversely, saw prices rise 4.6%, which might position it differently in terms of market strategy.

As these companies prepare for upcoming earnings reports, investors should closely monitor how they adapt to inflationary pressures and changing consumer preferences.

The insights provided by JPMorgan underscore the importance of strategic pricing in navigating the competitive grocery landscape. Investors should carefully evaluate each retailer’s approach to pricing to make informed decisions.

Read Next:

• Kroger, Albertsons Shares Dip After FTC Gives Closing Arguments In Hearing To Block Merger

Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

As of Oct. 9, 2024, two stocks in the financials sector could be flashing a real warning to investors who value momentum as a key criteria in their trading decisions.

The RSI is a momentum indicator, which compares a stock’s strength on days when prices go up to its strength on days when prices go down. When compared to a stock’s price action, it can give traders a better sense of how a stock may perform in the short term. An asset is typically considered overbought when the RSI is above 70, according to Benzinga Pro.

Here’s the latest list of major overbought players in this sector.

Morningstar Inc (NASDAQ:MORN)

• On Oct. 8, UBS analyst Alex Kramm initiated coverage on Morningstar with a Buy rating and announced a price target of $390. The company’s stock gained around 10% over the past month and has a 52-week high of $335.67.
• RSI Value: 77.50                              
• MORN Price Action: Shares of Morningstar gained 7.2% to close at $335.28 on Tuesday.

Msci Inc (NYSE:MSCI)

• On Oct. 2, Evercore ISI Group analyst David Motemeden initiated coverage on MSCI with an Outperform rating and announced a price target of $690. The company’s stock gained around 7% over the past month and has a 52-week high of $617.39.
• RSI Value: 71.97
• MSCI Price Action: Shares of MSCI rose 2.1% to close at $596.83 on Tuesday.

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• Jim Cramer: AST SpaceMobile Is ‘Just Too Hot,’ Recommends Buying This Tech Stock

Jim Cramer just reaffirmed his bullish stance on Shopify Inc. (NYSE:SHOP), and the timing couldn’t be more perfect. The stock has just formed a Golden Cross, a powerful technical indicator that suggests brighter days ahead for the e-commerce giant.

For those unfamiliar, a Golden Cross occurs when a stock’s short-term moving average crosses above its long-term moving average—a classic sign that the bulls are ready to charge.

Chart created using Benzinga Pro

In a recent segment on CNBC’s Mad Money, Cramer didn’t mince words. “I think Shopify is at a great level to buy. Harvey Finkelstein is doing a terrific job, and the stock should be perfect,” he said.

This comes as no surprise, given Shopify’s strong performance. Over the past month, the stock has soared 20.56%; year-to-date it’s up 11.26%. But what’s even more impressive is its 53.50% rise in the past year.

Read Also: Jim Cramer: AST SpaceMobile Is ‘Just Too Hot,’ Recommends Buying This Tech Stock

Shopify Stock Has Made A Golden Cross

Traders and analysts are buzzing about Shopify’s current stock performance.

Chart created using Benzinga Pro

With Shopify’s stock price sitting at $80.86, it’s comfortably above its 50-day simple moving average of $72.34 and its 200-day moving average of $71.82. Combined with its eight-day and 20-day averages, these indicators also show bullish signals and strongly suggest that the momentum is on Shopify’s side.

Even Wall Street is heaping praise on Shopify. Goldman Sachs recently upgraded Shopify to a Buy, while JPMorgan and BofA have also endorsed the stock, citing its product breadth, ease of use, and scale as key advantages.

Shopify’s Q2 Knocked It Out of the Park

If you’re wondering why analysts and investors are so bullish, look at Shopify’s stunning Q2 results. Free cash flow skyrocketed by 240% to $333 million, while revenue jumped by 21% year-over-year. Even though GMV growth slowed slightly, the company still raked in a massive $67.2 billion in gross merchandise volume.

With third-quarter revenue expected to grow in the low-to-mid 20% range, it’s no wonder Shopify is being touted as a “best of breed” stock. Sure, the forward P/E ratio is hovering near 60, but with EPS growth expectations of 43%, Shopify’s lofty valuation looks justified.

Cramer + Golden Cross = Winning Combination For Shopify Stock

Cramer’s bullish call, backed by Shopify’s Golden Cross and strong fundamentals, could be a winning combination.

The stock’s technical setup, combined with Wall Street’s vote of confidence, makes Shopify a name to watch as we head into 2025.

Investors looking for the next big move might find it here. Shopify isn’t just crossing averages—it’s crossing into new territory.

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Photo: Shutterstock

A pair of Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX) analysts are out with positive updates ahead of the entertainment giant’s earnings report next week. The calls focused on valuation, with one analyst being notably more optimistic than the other.

What To Know: Goldman Sachs analyst Eric Sheridan maintained a neutral rating on Netflix on Monday and raised the price target from $659 to $705 ahead of earnings next week.

Sheridan remains positive on Netflix, but continued stock outperformance has raised valuation questions. Netflix has significantly outperformed the S&P 500 over the past year, up 87% versus 27% for the broader market, he said in a new note to clients.

The Goldman analyst noted that much of the outperformance is warranted given that the company remains the market leader in streaming, has made further progress on its ad-supported tier and has seen competition continue to moderate as other streaming players focus on profits over growth.

Sheridan highlighted recent third-party data showing that Netflix maintains a strong market leader position, giving the company pricing power and lower competitive intensity.

“Our Neutral rating is a factor of stock performance (NFLX shares +45% vs the SPX +20% YTD) and the forward multiple to growth already reflecting a host of positive operating cadence in 2025 and 2026 at current levels,” the Goldman Sachs analyst said.

Check This Out: Apple TV+ Scores Biggest Streaming Movie In History Thanks To George Clooney, Brad Pitt

Sheridan is positive on Netflix, but he’s hung up on valuation. That’s where Piper Sandler, who also released a new note on Netflix on Monday, differs.

“Notably, our prior Neutral stance was centered around valuation, but now, we appreciate the company is expensive for a reason,” Piper Sandler analyst Matt Farrell said in a new note.

Piper Sandler upgraded Netflix from Neutral to Overweight and raised the price target from $650 to $800 to reflect the company’s clear leadership in the streaming space.

Farrell believes positive earnings revisions could be on the horizon as Netflix’s ad-tier business has been de-risked. The analyst also said the company still has levers it can pull in its ads-free business, particularly around pricing. He further noted that consensus estimates for margins could prove to be conservative.

Netflix is due to report third-quarter financial results after the market close on Oct. 17. The company is expected to report earnings of $5.11 per share on revenue of $9.762 billion, according to estimates from Benzinga Pro.

The Piper Sandler analyst highlighted recent channel checks showing that streaming now represents about 41% of all television viewing in the U.S. According to Farrell, Netflix has about 20% share of streaming viewership and about 8% share of overall television viewing.

“As the pivot to streaming continues, we expect the company to maintain its leadership position, particularly as it adds more and more live content,” the analyst said.

NFLX Price Action: Netflix shares were down 1.76% at $707.00 at the time of publication Monday, according to Benzinga Pro.

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Photo: Shutterstock.

Successful Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) trading is not about being bullish or bearish, but rather about understanding the probabilities of market movements, according to a prominent crypto trader.

What Happened: Pseudonymous trader CJ outlined in a detailed social media post that he anticipates Q4 to be largely bullish, despite the current downward trend.

The trader pointed out that the market is simply navigating a dip before an expected upside break, saying, “Forget bullish/bearish. Think in terms of probabilities.”

He identified the July range as a bullish range but noted that the market was consolidating below a set of equal highs on the premium side of the range.

In July, Bitcoin prices hovered around the $68,000 mark and for a majority portion of the trade remained at higher levels.

Also Read: Bitcoin ‘Not A Safe Haven’ But Rising Trump Odds Could Fuel A Rally: Standard Chartered

Why It Matters: CJ’s analysis provides a nuanced view of the Bitcoin market. He predicts a potential reversal zone at $65,000-$67,700 and suggests that the market could be much higher by November or December 2024. However, he also warned of a possible sell-off, with no real sign of strength at present.

“I’m thinking $56,000-$57,000 as a decent area to look for longs, but at the same time $49,000 isn’t off the table,” he stated. CJ believes that the market condition will definitively shift once it reclaims $70,000, but a good near-term start would be at $64,000.

He concluded by summarizing his current bias: for the higher time frame he expects an upside to a new all-time high by the end of the year, a downside to $56,000-$57,000 (maybe $49,000) in the medium term, and an upside from $60,000 to $62,500 in the short term.

What’s Next: The influence of Bitcoin as an institutional asset class is expected to be thoroughly explored at Benzinga’s upcoming Future of Digital Assets event on Nov. 19.

Read Next: 

• Would Bitcoin Drop If A War In The Middle East Breaks Out? Yes, But There’s A Catch

Image created using artificial intelligence with Midjourney.

Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) reported its fiscal first quarter results this week, topping earnings estimates but falling short on revenue, along with withdrawing guidance and postponing its investor day that was scheduled for November. The sneaker giant is in for a CEO change on October 14th. 

Fiscal First Quarter Higlights

For the quarter that ended on August 31st, Nike reported revenue dropped about 10% YoY to $11.59 billion, which was short of LSEG’s estimate of $11.65 billion. More precisely, direct to consumer sales shrinked 13% to $4.7 billion, and digital sales recorded an even sharper drop of 15%. Wholesale revenue also recorded a drop of 8% as it amounted to $6.4 billion.

In North America alone, Nike footwear sales dropped 14%, followed by a 10% drop in apparel sales. Converse also continues to drag Nike’s result down with sales decreasing 15% to $501 million, but still topping StreetAccount’s estimate of $493 million.

On the other hand, Nike earned a net income of $1.05 billion, or 70 cents per share, topping LSEG’s estimate of 52 cents. Gross margin grew by 1.2 percentage points to 45.4%, topping StreetAccount’s estimate of 44.4%, but profits still dropped by almost 28%.

A change in direction or more precisely, going back to what made Nike into a powerhouse.

The revenue shortfall is owed to Nike fixing its product assortment and reworking its approach to innovation, which in a way built its brand from the ground up. The sneaker giant has admitted its mistake of focusing on direct sales channels like its website and stores and leaving its wholesalers like Foot Locker Inc (NYSE:FL). Foot Locker has been working hard to improve the customer experience and refresh its stores and its latest quarterly results showed these efforts are bearing fruit. But despite reporting first comparable sales growth in six months, Foot Locker still recorded a loss of $12 million. Foot Locker continues its turnaround efforts as it tries to stay relevant in an environment where brands like Nike are not as reliant on multi-brand retailers as they were in the past, but fortunately for Foot Locker, even Nike realized it cannot do it alone. With its latest quarter that ended on August 3rd, Foot Locker did show things are looking up as it restores its relationship with Nike, its biggest brand partner, with gross margin expanding for the first time in more than two years.

While Nike’s DTC switch led to an initial boost in both sales and profits during the Covid-19 pandemic, it wasn’t a good call for the post-Covid era when shoppers returned to physical stores. More importantly, by getting into the complexity of direct selling, Nike lost focus of its strength, innovation. Although the departing CEO, John Donahoe succeeded to grow annual sales by more than 31%, this growth came at a cost of churning out legacy franchises, not the groundbreaking styles that Nike build its global legacy on. The result after a short-term sales boost was that those franchises reported double digits drops which is also expected for fiscal 2025. Moreover, overall online sales for fiscal 2025 are expected to also drop in double-digits. The returning Nike veteran, Elliott Hill, is the right person to mend wholesale relationship and bring Nike back to its roots. Undoubtedly, recovery will take time and a stagnant sneaker market, along with an environment of cautious consumer spending will make it even harder for Hill to turn things around.

DISCLAIMER: This content is for informational purposes only. It is not intended as investing advice.

This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga’s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.