VANCOUVER, BC, Oct. 19, 2021 /CNW/ – Trading resumes in:

Company: RANCHERO GOLD CORP. (formerly Melior Resources Inc.)

TSX-Venture Symbol: RNCH (formerly MLR)

Resumption (ET): 9:30 AM 10/20/2021

IIROC can make a decision to impose a temporary suspension (halt) of trading in a security of a publicly-listed company. Trading halts are implemented to ensure a fair and orderly market. IIROC is the national self-regulatory organization which oversees all investment dealers and trading activity on debt and equity marketplaces in Canada.

SOURCE Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC) – Halts/Resumptions

View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2021/19/c5804.html

(Adds details from interview with BHP executive)

Oct 20 (Reuters) – BHP Group Ltd on Wednesday topped a takeover offer for Canadian nickel producer Noront Resources Ltd from billionaire Andrew Forrest's Wyloo Metals, as the two groups vie for greater access to the electric vehicle battery metal.

BHP, the world's biggest mining company, increased its all-cash offer to C$419.3 million ($339.1 million), or C$0.75 per share, bettering the C$0.70 per-share proposal from Wyloo that Noront backed on Monday

Wyloo, already Noront's top shareholder, this week lifted its offer from C$0.315 per share to top a C$0.55 proposal made by BHP in July.

At stake in the scramble for Noront is the Eagle's Nest nickel asset in Canada's so-called Ring of Fire, a high-grade deposit of the metal, as well as copper and palladium.

"We like the geology of the area, and Noront has the best land position in that area," Johan van Jaarsveld, BHP's chief development officer, told Reuters.

BHP gave shareholders of the Canadian firm 22 days to accept its latest offer.

The company, which earlier this year signed a deal to supply Tesla https://www.reuters.com/business/bhp-supply-nickel-tesla-australia-2021-07-21 Inc with nickel from its Australian operations, does not plan to build a Canadian smelter to process Noront's nickel and won't limit nickel sales from the project to North America, he said.

Should BHP's offer prevail, the mine would be run completely on renewable electricity, van Jaarsveld said.

"We certainly have the operating track record in nickel and the ability to build infrastructure in remote areas," he said, adding that BHP would be open to developing the asset jointly "with the right partner".

Neither privately held Wyloo nor Noront immediately responded to a request for comment.

BHP's offer requires at least 50% of Noront shareholders to tender in support, while Wyloo's offer would require a shareholder vote.

If Noront shareholders support BHP's offer, "this could all be over by mid-November," van Jaarsveld said.

($1 = 1.2365 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Nikhil Kurian Nainan and Savyata Mishra in Bengaluru, and Ernest Scheyder in Houston; Editing by Aditya Soni, Subhranshu Sahu and Jan Harvey)

The external fund manager backed by Berkshire Hathaway's Charlie Munger, Li Lu, makes no bones about it when he says 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility of prices, but whether you will suffer a permanent loss of capital.' It's only natural to consider a company's balance sheet when you examine how risky it is, since debt is often involved when a business collapses. We note that Gem Diamonds Limited (LON:GEMD) does have debt on its balance sheet. But the real question is whether this debt is making the company risky.

When Is Debt A Problem?

Debt and other liabilities become risky for a business when it cannot easily fulfill those obligations, either with free cash flow or by raising capital at an attractive price. Part and parcel of capitalism is the process of 'creative destruction' where failed businesses are mercilessly liquidated by their bankers. However, a more frequent (but still costly) occurrence is where a company must issue shares at bargain-basement prices, permanently diluting shareholders, just to shore up its balance sheet. Of course, plenty of companies use debt to fund growth, without any negative consequences. The first step when considering a company's debt levels is to consider its cash and debt together.

View our latest analysis for Gem Diamonds

How Much Debt Does Gem Diamonds Carry?

The image below, which you can click on for greater detail, shows that Gem Diamonds had debt of US$14.7m at the end of June 2021, a reduction from US$23.6m over a year. But it also has US$33.9m in cash to offset that, meaning it has US$19.2m net cash.

A Look At Gem Diamonds' Liabilities

We can see from the most recent balance sheet that Gem Diamonds had liabilities of US$43.1m falling due within a year, and liabilities of US$112.0m due beyond that. Offsetting these obligations, it had cash of US$33.9m as well as receivables valued at US$6.55m due within 12 months. So its liabilities total US$114.6m more than the combination of its cash and short-term receivables.

This is a mountain of leverage relative to its market capitalization of US$116.4m. Should its lenders demand that it shore up the balance sheet, shareholders would likely face severe dilution. Despite its noteworthy liabilities, Gem Diamonds boasts net cash, so it's fair to say it does not have a heavy debt load!

Even more impressive was the fact that Gem Diamonds grew its EBIT by 406% over twelve months. If maintained that growth will make the debt even more manageable in the years ahead. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. But it is future earnings, more than anything, that will determine Gem Diamonds's ability to maintain a healthy balance sheet going forward. So if you're focused on the future you can check out this free report showing analyst profit forecasts.

Finally, while the tax-man may adore accounting profits, lenders only accept cold hard cash. Gem Diamonds may have net cash on the balance sheet, but it is still interesting to look at how well the business converts its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to free cash flow, because that will influence both its need for, and its capacity to manage debt. In the last three years, Gem Diamonds created free cash flow amounting to 4.2% of its EBIT, an uninspiring performance. That limp level of cash conversion undermines its ability to manage and pay down debt.

Summing up

Although Gem Diamonds's balance sheet isn't particularly strong, due to the total liabilities, it is clearly positive to see that it has net cash of US$19.2m. And it impressed us with its EBIT growth of 406% over the last year. So we don't have any problem with Gem Diamonds's use of debt. There's no doubt that we learn most about debt from the balance sheet. However, not all investment risk resides within the balance sheet – far from it. Be aware that Gem Diamonds is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 1 of those shouldn't be ignored…

When all is said and done, sometimes its easier to focus on companies that don't even need debt. Readers can access a list of growth stocks with zero net debt 100% free, right now.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

For new and old investors, taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals. Zacks Premium provides lots of different ways to do both.

The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.

Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.

What are the Zacks Style Scores?

The Zacks Style Scores, developed alongside the Zacks Rank, are complementary indicators that rate stocks based on three widely-followed investing methodologies; they also help investors pick stocks with the best chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on — that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value Score

For value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth Score

Growth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.

Momentum Score

Momentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.

VGM Score

If you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank

The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.

It's highly successful, with #1 (Strong Buy) stocks producing an unmatched +25.41% average annual return since 1988. That's more than double the S&P 500. But because of the large number of stocks we rate, there are over 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, plus another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.

Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: CNX Resources Corporation. (CNX)

Founded in 1860, CNX Resources Corporation, an independent oil and gas exploration and production company formed after the separation of CONSOL’s, Exploration and Production (E&P) and Pennsylvania Mining Operations into two independent companies. The natural gas focused company retained the old ticker symbol while the coal focused company retained the name of the old company. As of Dec 31, 2020, the company had 9.55 trillion cubic feet equivalent of proved natural gas reserves up 13% year over year.

CNX is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

It also boasts a Value Style Score of A thanks to attractive valuation metrics like a forward P/E ratio of 10.42; value investors should take notice.

Five analysts revised their earnings estimate higher in the last 60 days for fiscal 2021, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.14 to $1.27 per share. CNX also boasts an average earnings surprise of 29.3%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Value and VGM Style Scores, CNX should be on investors' short list.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
 
CNX Resources Corporation. (CNX) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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(Bloomberg) — Canadian miner Noront Resources Ltd. agreed to be acquired by Andrew Forrest’s Wyloo Metals Pty Ltd. in a deal that tops a rival offer from BHP Group.

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Noront agreed to Wyloo’s “superior” offer of C$0.70 a share, which represents a 27% premium to BHP’s friendly offer of C$0.55 from July, the Toronto-based company said Monday in a statement. BHP has been given five business days to match the offer from the firm controlled by Forrest, an Australian mining magnate.

Shares of Noront fell 6.2% to C$0.76 at 9:55 a.m. in trading in Toronto.

Wyloo and BHP have been in a bidding war to gain access to Noront’s high-grade Canadian nickel deposits in a largely untapped region of northern Ontario dubbed the Ring of Fire. Mining heavyweights are racing to control more supplies of raw materials that are key to transitioning to low-carbon energy sources. Nickel is one of the key metals used in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.

Wyloo already owned about 24% of Noront’s stock and took further steps last month to lift its stake to 37.3% by swapping convertible debt into common shares. Wyloo said in August that its unsolicited proposal was more likely to succeed because it owns a chunk of Noront shares and doesn’t intend to support BHP’s offer. The deal values Noront at about C$321 million ($259 million), based on approximately 458.5 million shares outstanding as of July 31.

Noront’s main asset is the Eagle’s Nest deposit in Ontario, whose mineral wealth includes nickel, copper, chromite and zinc.

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Gainers

• Valneva SE (NASDAQ: VALN) shares jumped 34.6% to $37.75 after the company reported VLA2001 met both co-primary endpoints in the Phase 3 pivotal trial Cov-Compare.

• Greenpro Capital Corp. (NASDAQ: GRNQ) rose 23.2% to $1.1008 after jumping around 19% on Friday.

• Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE: BTU) gained 20.5% to $19.24. Peabody said it sees preliminary Q3 sales of $670 million to $690 million.

• Aerovate Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AVTE) shares climbed 19.8% to $16.93 after declining around 19% on Friday.

• Evolving Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: EVOL) gained 19.2% to $2.67 after the company announced it will sell its activation and marketing businesses to PartnerOne Capital for $40 million.

• MeiraGTx Holdings plc (NASDAQ: MGTX) surged 18.2% to $16.88.

• Progenity, Inc. (NASDAQ: PROG) gained 17.3% to $2.5109. Benzinga recently highlighted stock as a top 5 short squeeze candidate.

• Centrus Energy Corp. (NYSE: LEU) gained 15.2% to $56.97.

• InMed Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: INM) shares rose 14.3% to $1.60. InMed Pharmaceuticals recently announced completion of BayMedica acquisition.

• FuelCell Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: FCEL) shares rose 14.2% to $8.44.

• TORM plc (NASDAQ: TRMD) gained 13.6% to $9.16.

• BTCS Inc. (NASDAQ: BTCS) surged 13.2% to $6.69.

• DoubleVerify Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: DV) gained 12.5% to $35.72. Barclays maintained DoubleVerify with an Equal-Weight and lowered the price target from $42 to $37.

• Amplitude, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMPL) jumped 11.8% to $62.61.

• Agile Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: AGRX) rose 11.4% to $0.8468. The company said Executive Edelman Joseph bought 8.42 million shares at average price of $0.58.

• Ardmore Shipping Corporation (NYSE: ASC) gained 10.8% to $4.30.

• Macy's, Inc. (NYSE: M) surged 9.3% to $26.28. Jana Partners LLC, an activist investment firm founded by hedge fund executive Barry Rosenstein, has taken a stake in Macy’s and has called on the company’s leadership to spin off its e-commerce operations.

• Riot Blockchain, Inc. (NASDAQ: RIOT) gained 8.7% to $30.28 amid a weekend increase in the price of Bitcoin.

• COMSovereign Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: COMS) gained 5.6% to $1.23 after the company announced its RF Engineering & Energy Resource unit received Google's "Android TV Operator Tier" certification for its new IPTV device.

Check out these big penny stock gainers and losers

Losers

• Revance Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: RVNC) shares dipped 41.7% to $13.25. The FDA issued a Complete Response Letter (CRL) regarding Revance Therapeutics’ marketing application for DaxibotulinumtoxinA for Injection for moderate to severe glabellar (frown) lines.

• Omeros Corporation (NASDAQ: OMER) dropped 21.9% to $6.04 after the company announced it received a Complete Response Letter from the FDA for the Biologics License Application for narsoplimab in the treatment of HSCT-TMA.

• MannKind Corporation (NASDAQ: MNKD) tumbled 19% to $4.1250 after the company announced the FDA issued a complete response to United Therapeutics regarding the New Drug Application for Tyvaso DPI.

• Phathom Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: PHAT) dropped 18.8% to $26.39. Phathom Pharmaceuticals announced data from the PHALCON-EE Phase 3 trial evaluating vonoprazan versus lansoprazole for erosive esophagitis (EE).

• Nxt-ID, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXTD) dipped 18% to $3.2600.

• Kala Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: KALA) declined 17.8% to $1.8150.

• Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ: AVDL) fell 15.7% to $8.43. Avadel Pharmaceuticals reported ongoing FDA review of NDA for FT218 for patients with narcolepsy.

• Cullinan Oncology, Inc. (NASDAQ: CGEM) dropped 15.2% to $21.20. Cullinan Oncology named Nadim Ahmed as Chief Executive Officer.

• Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: IONS) fell 14.7% to $29.94. Ionis Pharmaceuticals recently highlighted topline results from its tofersen Phase 3 study and its open label extension in SOD1-ALS at the American Neurological Association Meeting.

• Latch, Inc. (NASDAQ: LTCH) dipped 14.5% to $9.34. Goldman Sachs downgraded Latch from Buy to Neutral and lowered the price target from $16 to $10.

• Zillow Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: Z) shares fell 9.7% to $85.54. After buying more than 3,800 homes in the second quarter, Zillow Group has announced that it will make no further purchases for the rest of the year, according to a report from Bloomberg.

• Synaptogenix, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNPX) tumbled 9.1% to $10.86.

• Salem Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: SALM) fell 8.5% to $3.1921.

• Flywire Corporation (NASDAQ: FLYW) dropped 7.2% to $48.10.

• Cemtrex, Inc. (NASDAQ: CETX) fell 6.2% to $1.05 after gaining over 8% on Friday.

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© 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

(Bloomberg) — The global energy crisis that’s fueling demand for coal boosted third-quarter results for Peabody Energy Corp., pushing up shares 17%.

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Sales exceeded $900 million, the highest in seven quarters, and adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of $280 million to $290 million will be triple the year-ago figure, according to preliminary earnings released Monday by the biggest U.S. coal miner.

The results bode well for U.S. miners, which are heading into earnings season buoyed by increasing consumption at domestic utilities, higher demand for international shipments and prices climbing around the world. The global economic recovery has increased electricity consumption, leading to a shortage of natural gas and strong demand for coal. While world leaders will converge in Glasgow in two weeks for a critical climate conference, the dirtiest fossil fuel will remain the world’s biggest source of power for years to come.

“We remain optimistic about the future, given strong coal pricing and global demand fundamentals,” Peabody Chief Executive Officer Jim Grech said in the statement.

Peabody surged as much as 17% in New York, the most intraday since July. The shares have surged more than sevenfold this year as demand for coal has climbed. The company will issue its full third-quarter results on Oct. 28.

Peabody is the first U.S. coal producer to provide results for the quarter. Rivals may also report solid gains as power producers around the world are calling for more coal to head off potential shortfalls. U.S. miners are shipping as much as they can dig up, though their ability to increase production is constrained by labor shortages and mining capacity that’s been in decline for years.

Elliott Investment Management, the company’s top shareholder, reduced its stake after exercising short call options, according to a filing Monday.

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The U.S. Energy Department's weekly inventory release showed a lower-than-expected increase in natural gas supplies. Despite the positive inventory numbers, a bearish turn in weather forecasts sparked a pullback in the commodity. But relatively low stockpile levels and continued strong liquefied natural gas (“LNG”) feedgas deliveries suggest that the fuel’s prices will remain favorable in the short and medium terms. 

EIA Reports a Build Smaller Than Market Expectations

Stockpiles held in underground storage in the lower 48 states rose by 81 billion cubic feet (Bcf) for the week ended Oct 8 compared to the 89 Bcf addition guidance, per the analysts surveyed by S&P Global Platts. But the increase was above the five-year (2016-2020) average net build of 79 Bcf and last year’s addition of 50 Bcf for the same corresponding week.

The latest injection puts total natural gas stocks at 3,369 billion cubic feet (Bcf), which is 501 Bcf (12.9%) below the 2020 level at this time and 174 Bcf (4.9%) lower than the five-year average.

The total supply of natural gas averaged 97.8 Bcf per day, essentially unchanged on a weekly basis as higher dry production was offset by lower shipments from Canada.

Meanwhile, daily consumption rose 1.3% to 84.7 Bcf from 83.6 Bcf in the previous week, primarily due to stronger demand from the residential/commercial sector and increased LNG deliveries, partly canceled by a lower power burn.

Natural Gas Registers a Weekly Decline

Natural gas prices trended downward last week despite the lower-than-expected inventory build. Futures for November delivery ended Friday at $5.41 on the New York Mercantile Exchange, falling 2.8% from the previous week’s closing. The decrease in natural gas realization is the result of a mild weather outlook and the subsequent lull in heating/cooling demand.

Wrap-Up

As is the norm with natural gas, changes in temperature and weather forecasts can lead to price swings. The latest models are anticipating moderate temperature-driven consumption, after which prices have gone down. Nevertheless, the commodity’s medium-term outlook continues to be favorable.

For starters, the low stockpile levels — well below normal for this time of the year — have been supporting the price of the energy commodity with the apprehension that the market might enter the winter withdrawal season with a supply shortage.

Secondly, LNG shipments for export from the United States have been robust for months on the back of environmental reasons and record higher prices of the super-chilled fuel elsewhere. Most analysts believe that deliveries appear poised for further gains this year on surging consumption in Europe and Asia, especially as we head into winter. The circumstances are particularly dire in Europe where gas supply is running low with the need for a steady refill from the United States ahead of the heating season.

Consequently, the scenario for the primary U.S. power plant fuel is expected to be healthy. In fact, natural gas recently topped $6 MMBtu for the first time since 2014 and reached a 13-year high settlement of $6.312 earlier this month. As a matter of fact, prices have more than doubled year to date and a staggering 270% from the 25-year lows in June 2020.

Final Words

Overall, given natural gas’ fundamental set-up, prices might ease occasionally but should generally stay strong. The upward trend should aid gas-weighted producers SilverBow Resources SBOW, Goodrich Petroleum GDP, Range Resources RRC, Comstock Resources CRK, EQT Corporation EQT and CNX Resources CNX, while LNG exporter Cheniere Energy LNG is also primed for growth. SilverBow, Goodrich, Range and Comstock sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), while EQT, CNX and Cheniere carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

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Comstock Resources, Inc. (CRK) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Range Resources Corporation (RRC) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
EQT Corporation (EQT) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
CNX Resources Corporation. (CNX) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Cheniere Energy, Inc. (LNG) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Goodrich Petroleum Corporation (GDP) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
SilverBow Resources (SBOW) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
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Our extensive research has shown that imitating the smart money can generate significant returns for retail investors, which is why we track nearly 900 active prominent money managers and analyze their quarterly 13F filings. The stocks that are heavily bought by hedge funds historically outperformed the market, though there is no shortage of high profile failures like hedge funds' 2018 losses in Facebook and Apple. Let’s take a closer look at what the funds we track think about CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX) in this article.

Is CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX) going to take off soon? Investors who are in the know were betting on the stock. The number of long hedge fund bets inched up by 7 recently. CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX) was in 30 hedge funds' portfolios at the end of June. The all time high for this statistic is 38. Our calculations also showed that CNX isn't among the 30 most popular stocks among hedge funds (click for Q2 rankings).

To the average investor there are plenty of tools investors employ to evaluate publicly traded companies. Two of the most useful tools are hedge fund and insider trading moves. Our researchers have shown that, historically, those who follow the top picks of the top fund managers can trounce their index-focused peers by a superb margin (see the details here). Also, our monthly newsletter's portfolio of long stock picks returned 185.4% since March 2017 (through August 2021) and beat the S&P 500 Index by more than 79 percentage points. You can download a sample issue of this newsletter on our website.

Ryan Tolkin, CIO of Schonfeld Strategic Advisors

At Insider Monkey, we scour multiple sources to uncover the next great investment idea. For example, lithium mining is one of the fastest growing industries right now, so we are checking out stock pitches like this emerging lithium stock. We go through lists like the 10 best EV stocks to pick the next Tesla that will deliver a 10x return. Even though we recommend positions in only a tiny fraction of the companies we analyze, we check out as many stocks as we can. We read hedge fund investor letters and listen to stock pitches at hedge fund conferences. You can subscribe to our free daily newsletter on our homepage. Keeping this in mind let's take a gander at the fresh hedge fund action encompassing CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX).

Do Hedge Funds Think CNX Is A Good Stock To Buy Now?

Heading into the third quarter of 2021, a total of 30 of the hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey held long positions in this stock, a change of 30% from one quarter earlier. Below, you can check out the change in hedge fund sentiment towards CNX over the last 24 quarters. With hedgies' capital changing hands, there exists an "upper tier" of notable hedge fund managers who were adding to their holdings meaningfully (or already accumulated large positions).

The largest stake in CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX) was held by Southeastern Asset Management, which reported holding $384.8 million worth of stock at the end of June. It was followed by D E Shaw with a $50.6 million position. Other investors bullish on the company included Aequim Alternative Investments, Arrowstreet Capital, and Quaker Capital Investments. In terms of the portfolio weights assigned to each position Southeastern Asset Management allocated the biggest weight to CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX), around 7.74% of its 13F portfolio. Quaker Capital Investments is also relatively very bullish on the stock, dishing out 3.98 percent of its 13F equity portfolio to CNX.

As one would reasonably expect, specific money managers were breaking ground themselves. Marshall Wace LLP, managed by Paul Marshall and Ian Wace, created the largest position in CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX). Marshall Wace LLP had $3.3 million invested in the company at the end of the quarter. Michael Gelband's ExodusPoint Capital also made a $1 million investment in the stock during the quarter. The other funds with brand new CNX positions are Mark Broach's Manatuck Hill Partners, Ryan Tolkin (CIO)'s Schonfeld Strategic Advisors, and Qing Li's Sciencast Management.

Let's also examine hedge fund activity in other stocks similar to CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX). These stocks are Alamos Gold Inc (NYSE:AGI), Kennametal Inc. (NYSE:KMT), Hilltop Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HTH), Jumia Technologies AG (NYSE:JMIA), Berkeley Lights, Inc. (NASDAQ:BLI), Calix Inc (NYSE:CALX), and Utz Brands Inc (NYSE:UTZ). This group of stocks' market values match CNX's market value.

[table] Ticker, No of HFs with positions, Total Value of HF Positions (x1000), Change in HF Position AGI,20,221648,-2 KMT,18,376031,5 HTH,8,44603,-8 JMIA,14,153915,-2 BLI,15,379480,-1 CALX,23,289870,-8 UTZ,14,76181,1 Average,16,220247,-2.1 [/table]

View table here if you experience formatting issues.

As you can see these stocks had an average of 16 hedge funds with bullish positions and the average amount invested in these stocks was $220 million. That figure was $540 million in CNX's case. Calix Inc (NYSE:CALX) is the most popular stock in this table. On the other hand Hilltop Holdings Inc. (NYSE:HTH) is the least popular one with only 8 bullish hedge fund positions. Compared to these stocks CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE:CNX) is more popular among hedge funds. Our overall hedge fund sentiment score for CNX is 83.7. Stocks with higher number of hedge fund positions relative to other stocks as well as relative to their historical range receive a higher sentiment score. Our calculations showed that top 5 most popular stocks among hedge funds returned 95.8% in 2019 and 2020, and outperformed the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) by 40 percentage points. These stocks gained 24.9% in 2021 through October 15th and still beat the market by 4.5 percentage points. Unfortunately CNX wasn't nearly as popular as these 5 stocks and hedge funds that were betting on CNX were disappointed as the stock returned -3% since the end of the second quarter (through 10/15) and underperformed the market. If you are interested in investing in large cap stocks with huge upside potential, you should check out the top 5 most popular stocks among hedge funds as most of these stocks already outperformed the market since 2019.

Get real-time email alerts: Follow Cnx Resources Corp (NYSE:CNX)

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Disclosure: None. This article was originally published at Insider Monkey.

ACI earnings call for the period ending September 30, 2021.

Goldman Sachs, Apple, Occidental Petroleum, CDW and Albertsons are five top stock gainers for Monday.

Toward the end of trading Monday, the Dow traded down 0.20% to 35,223.86 while the NASDAQ rose 0.68% to 14,998.54. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.19% to 4,480.05.

The U.S. has the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the world, reporting a total of 45,792,530 cases with around 744,540 deaths. India confirmed a total of at least 34,081,310 cases and 452,320 deaths, while Brazil reported over 21,644,460 COVID-19 cases with 603,320 deaths. In total, there were at least 241,556,670 cases of COVID-19 worldwide with more than 4,915,950 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Consumer discretionary shares gained by 1.1% on Monday. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Macy's, Inc. (NYSE: M), up 17% and Dutch Bros Inc. (NYSE: BROS) up 10%.

In trading on Monday, utilities shares fell 1%.

Top Headline

Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) reported better-than-expected results for its second quarter on Monday.

Albertsons reported quarterly earnings of $0.64 per share, beating analysts’ estimates of $0.45 per share. The company reported quarterly revenue of $16.50 billion, versus analysts’ estimates of $15.81 billion.

Albertsons also increased its quarterly dividend by 20% to $0.12 per share. The next quarterly dividend will be paid on November 12, 2021, to stockholders of record on October 29, 2021. Albertsons raised FY21 EPS guidance to $2.50 – $2.60 (previously $2.20 – $2.30) versus the consensus of $2.28. The company also raised adjusted EBITDA to $3.95 billion – $4.05 billion (prior view $3.7 billion – $3.8 billion).

Equities Trading UP

Valneva SE (NASDAQ: VALN) shares shot up 34% to $37.67 after the company reported VLA2001 met both co-primary endpoints in the Phase 3 pivotal trial Cov-Compare.

Shares of Evolving Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: EVOL) got a boost, shooting 22% to $2.7250 after the company announced it will sell its activation and marketing businesses to PartnerOne Capital for $40 million.

Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE: BTU) shares were also up, gaining 21% to $19.37. Peabody said it sees preliminary Q3 sales of $670 million to $690 million.

Check out these big movers of the day

Equities Trading DOWN

Revance Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: RVNC) shares tumbled 39% to $13.83. The FDA issued a Complete Response Letter (CRL) regarding Revance Therapeutics’ marketing application for DaxibotulinumtoxinA for Injection for moderate to severe glabellar (frown) lines.

Shares of Omeros Corporation (NASDAQ: OMER) were down 27% to $5.67 after the company announced it received a Complete Response Letter from the FDA for the Biologics License Application for narsoplimab in the treatment of HSCT-TMA.

MannKind Corporation (NASDAQ: MNKD) was down, falling 19% to $4.1050 after the company announced the FDA issued a complete response to United Therapeutics regarding the New Drug Application for Tyvaso DPI.

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded down 0.2% to $82.10, while gold traded down 0.1% to $1,767.00.

Silver traded down 0.3% Monday to $23.28 while copper fell 0.4% to $4.7125.

Euro zone

European shares closed lower today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 slipped 0.50%, the Spanish Ibex Index fell 0.68% and the German DAX 30 declined 0.72%. Meanwhile, the London’s FTSE 100 fell 0.42%, French CAC 40 dipped 0.81% and Italy’s FTSE MIB dropped 0.83%.

Economics

Industrial production dropped 1.3% in September, following a revised 0.1% drop in August.

The NAHB housing market index increased 4 points to a reading of 80 in October.

The Treasury International Capital report for August will be released at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Check out the full economic calendar here

See more from Benzinga

• Click here for options trades from Benzinga

• Mid-Day Market Update: Nasdaq Rises 50 Points; Revance Therapeutics Shares Plummet

• 34 Stocks Moving In Monday's Mid-Day Session

© 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Midway through trading Monday, the Dow traded down 0.05% to 35,275.96 while the NASDAQ rose 0.34% to 14,948.46. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.19% to 4,479.71.

The U.S. has the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the world, reporting a total of 45,792,530 cases with around 744,540 deaths. India confirmed a total of at least 34,081,310 cases and 452,320 deaths, while Brazil reported over 21,644,460 COVID-19 cases with 603,320 deaths. In total, there were at least 241,556,670 cases of COVID-19 worldwide with more than 4,915,950 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Consumer discretionary shares gained by 0.7% on Monday. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (NYSE: AAP), up 3% and PlayAGS, Inc. (NYSE: AGS) up 1%.

In trading on Monday, health care shares fell 0.5%.

Top Headline

Albertsons Companies, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) reported better-than-expected results for its second quarter on Monday.

Albertsons reported quarterly earnings of $0.64 per share, beating analysts’ estimates of $0.45 per share. The company reported quarterly revenue of $16.50 billion, versus analysts’ estimates of $15.81 billion.

Albertsons also increased its quarterly dividend by 20% to $0.12 per share. The next quarterly dividend will be paid on November 12, 2021, to stockholders of record on October 29, 2021. Albertsons raised FY21 EPS guidance to $2.50 – $2.60 (previously $2.20 – $2.30) versus the consensus of $2.28. The company also raised adjusted EBITDA to $3.95 billion – $4.05 billion (prior view $3.7 billion – $3.8 billion).

Equities Trading UP

Valneva SE (NASDAQ: VALN) shares shot up 30% to $36.35 after the company reported VLA2001 met both co-primary endpoints in the Phase 3 pivotal trial Cov-Compare.

Shares of Evolving Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: EVOL) got a boost, shooting 21% to $2.7099 after the company announced it will sell its activation and marketing businesses to PartnerOne Capital for $40 million.

Peabody Energy Corporation (NYSE: BTU) shares were also up, gaining 17% to $18.64. Peabody said it sees preliminary Q3 sales of $670 million to $690 million.

Check out these big movers of the day

Equities Trading DOWN

Revance Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: RVNC) shares tumbled 42% to $13.28. The FDA issued a Complete Response Letter (CRL) regarding Revance Therapeutics’ marketing application for DaxibotulinumtoxinA for Injection for moderate to severe glabellar (frown) lines.

Shares of Omeros Corporation (NASDAQ: OMER) were down 25% to $5.83 after the company announced it received a Complete Response Letter from the FDA for the Biologics License Application for narsoplimab in the treatment of HSCT-TMA.

MannKind Corporation (NASDAQ: MNKD) was down, falling 18% to $4.16 after the company announced the FDA issued a complete response to United Therapeutics regarding the New Drug Application for Tyvaso DPI.

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded up 0.3% to $82.54, while gold traded up 0.1% to $1,769.20.

Silver traded down 0.4% Monday to $23.255 while copper fell 0.7% to $4.6975.

Euro zone

European shares were lower today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 slipped 0.52%, the Spanish Ibex Index fell 0.78% and the German DAX 30 declined 0.68%. Meanwhile, the London’s FTSE 100 fell 0.42%, French CAC 40 dipped 0.83% and Italy’s FTSE MIB dropped 0.91%.

Economics

Industrial production dropped 1.3% in September, following a revised 0.1% drop in August.

The NAHB housing market index increased 4 points to a reading of 80 in October.

Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari will speak at 2:15 p.m. ET.

The Treasury International Capital report for August will be released at 4:00 p.m. ET.

Check out the full economic calendar here

See more from Benzinga

• Click here for options trades from Benzinga

• 34 Stocks Moving In Monday's Mid-Day Session

• Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Mostly Lower; Albertsons Tops Q2 Estimates

© 2021 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

Momentum investors typically don't time the market or "buy low and sell high." In other words, they avoid betting on cheap stocks and waiting long for them to recover. Instead, they believe that "buying high and selling higher" is the way to make far more money in lesser time.

Who doesn't like betting on fast-moving trending stocks? But determining the right entry point isn't easy. Often, these stocks lose momentum once their valuation moves ahead of their future growth potential. In such a situation, investors find themselves loaded up on expensive shares with limited to no upside or even a downside. So, going all-in on momentum could be risky at times.

It could be safer to invest in bargain stocks that have been witnessing price momentum recently. While the Zacks Momentum Style Score (part of the Zacks Style Scores system), which pays close attention to trends in a stock's price or earnings, is pretty useful in identifying great momentum stocks, our 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen comes handy in spotting fast-moving stocks that are still attractively priced.

Peabody Energy (BTU) is one of the several great candidates that made it through the screen. While there are numerous reasons why this stock is a great choice, here are the most vital ones:

Investors' growing interest in a stock is reflected in its recent price increase. A price change of 0.8% over the past four weeks positions the stock of this coal mining company well in this regard.

While any stock can see a spike in price for a short period, it takes a real momentum player to deliver positive returns for a longer time frame. BTU meets this criterion too, as the stock gained 42.7% over the past 12 weeks.

Moreover, the momentum for BTU is fast paced, as the stock currently has a beta of 1.56. This indicates that the stock moves 56% higher than the market in either direction.

Given this price performance, it is no surprise that BTU has a Momentum Score of A, which indicates that this is the right time to enter the stock to take advantage of the momentum with the highest probability of success.

In addition to a favorable Momentum Score, an upward trend in earnings estimate revisions has helped BTU earn a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Our research shows that the momentum-effect is quite strong among Zacks Rank #1 and #2 stocks. That's because as covering analysts raise their earnings estimates for a stock, more and more investors take an interest in it, helping its price race to keep up. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

Most importantly, despite possessing fast-paced momentum features, BTU is trading at a reasonable valuation. In terms of Price-to-Sales ratio, which is considered as one of the best valuation metrics, the stock looks quite cheap now. BTU is currently trading at 0.64 times its sales. In other words, investors need to pay only 64 cents for each dollar of sales.

So, BTU appears to have plenty of room to run, and that too at a fast pace.

In addition to BTU, there are several other stocks that currently pass through our 'Fast-Paced Momentum at a Bargain' screen. You may consider investing in them and start looking for the newest stocks that fit these criteria.

This is not the only screen that could help you find your next winning stock pick. Based on your personal investing style, you may choose from over 45 Zacks Premium Screens that are strategically created to beat the market.

However, keep in mind that the key to a successful stock-picking strategy is to ensure that it produced profitable results in the past. You could easily do that with the help of the Zacks Research Wizard. In addition to allowing you to backtest the effectiveness of your strategy, the program comes loaded with some of our most successful stock-picking strategies.

Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today.

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Investors interested in Consumer Products – Staples stocks are likely familiar with Albertsons Companies, Inc. (ACI) and Purple Innovation (PRPL). But which of these two companies is the best option for those looking for undervalued stocks? Let's take a closer look.

Everyone has their own methods for finding great value opportunities, but our model includes pairing an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system with a strong Zacks Rank. The Zacks Rank is a proven strategy that targets companies with positive earnings estimate revision trends, while our Style Scores work to grade companies based on specific traits.

Albertsons Companies, Inc. has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Purple Innovation has a Zacks Rank of #4 (Sell) right now. This means that ACI's earnings estimate revision activity has been more impressive, so investors should feel comfortable with its improving analyst outlook. But this is only part of the picture for value investors.

Value investors also try to analyze a wide range of traditional figures and metrics to help determine whether a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.

Our Value category highlights undervalued companies by looking at a variety of key metrics, including the popular P/E ratio, as well as the P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that have been used by value investors for years.

ACI currently has a forward P/E ratio of 12.10, while PRPL has a forward P/E of 29.99. We also note that ACI has a PEG ratio of 1.01. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. PRPL currently has a PEG ratio of 1.85.

Another notable valuation metric for ACI is its P/B ratio of 7.79. The P/B ratio is used to compare a stock's market value with its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. For comparison, PRPL has a P/B of 8.58.

These are just a few of the metrics contributing to ACI's Value grade of A and PRPL's Value grade of C.

ACI sticks out from PRPL in both our Zacks Rank and Style Scores models, so value investors will likely feel that ACI is the better option right now.

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Looking at Oklo Resources Limited's (ASX:OKU ) insider transactions over the last year, we can see that insiders were net buyers. That is, there were more number of shares purchased by insiders than there were sold.

While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, we would consider it foolish to ignore insider transactions altogether.

See our latest analysis for Oklo Resources

The Last 12 Months Of Insider Transactions At Oklo Resources

Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by MD, CEO & Director Simon Taylor for AU$109k worth of shares, at about AU$0.14 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being AU$0.13). It's very possible they regret the purchase, but it's more likely they are bullish about the company. We always take careful note of the price insiders pay when purchasing shares. Generally speaking, it catches our eye when an insider has purchased shares at above current prices, as it suggests they believed the shares were worth buying, even at a higher price. The only individual insider to buy over the last year was Simon Taylor.

Simon Taylor bought a total of 1.20m shares over the year at an average price of AU$0.16. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date!

There are always plenty of stocks that insiders are buying. So if that suits your style you could check each stock one by one or you could take a look at this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Insider Ownership

Another way to test the alignment between the leaders of a company and other shareholders is to look at how many shares they own. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Our data indicates that Oklo Resources insiders own about AU$6.5m worth of shares (which is 10% of the company). But they may have an indirect interest through a corporate structure that we haven't picked up on. Whilst better than nothing, we're not overly impressed by these holdings.

So What Do The Oklo Resources Insider Transactions Indicate?

The fact that there have been no Oklo Resources insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. While we have no worries about the insider transactions, we'd be more comfortable if they owned more Oklo Resources stock. So while it's helpful to know what insiders are doing in terms of buying or selling, it's also helpful to know the risks that a particular company is facing. Case in point: We've spotted 4 warning signs for Oklo Resources you should be aware of, and 3 of these can't be ignored.

But note: Oklo Resources may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt.

For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

(Bloomberg) — Coal prices are likely to remain high after soaring to new records on strengthening power demand and challenges in key supplier nations, according to a major Australian producer.

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High-quality thermal coal at Newcastle port in Australia, the benchmark in Asia, the world’s largest market for the fuel, averaged $167.52 a ton in the quarter ending Sept. 30 from $52 a ton in the same period a year earlier, Whitehaven Coal Ltd. said Thursday in a production report statement.

“Both thermal and metallurgical coal prices are forecast to remain well supported due to strong demand and continuing supply tightness,” the Sydney-based supplier said. The Newcastle coal index was at $232.06 a ton as of Wednesday, according to the company.

Rising demand for the fuel driven by global efforts to spur industrial activity and boost growth after the impact of coronavirus has collided with waning output from mine hubs. That’s led to shortfalls in Europe to China and India, prompting curbs on electricity consumption and power outages.

Read more: Coal Surges to Record as Global Scramble for Energy Accelerates

The impact of the heavy rainfall and government restrictions on exports from Indonesia have tightened volumes of seaborne coal, while the market has also been impacted by logistics issues in Russia, South Africa and Australia’s Hunter Valley region, Whitehaven said in its statement.

That’s been a particular issue for China, the top producer and consumer of the fuel. The National Development and Reform Commission, China’s top planning agency, pledged Wednesday to boost local output and raise imports to ensure sufficient supply through winter.

“China’s dependence on the seaborne market remains strong,” Whitehaven said. “Attempts to expand domestic coal production have been disappointing against a backdrop of strengthening energy demand.”

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LONDON/MELBOURNE, Oct 14 (Reuters) – BHP Group investors look set to offer a lukewarm assessment of the miner's climate change roadmap on Thursday, due to concerns that its long-term plans to tackle its customers' greenhouse gas emissions do not go far enough.

BHP has said it is pursuing the goal of net zero emissions by 2050 for its customers, including the heavily polluting steel industry. But it has stopped short of setting a target largely due to uncertainties over how technology would develop.

The miner wants investors to endorse its climate action plan at its shareholder meeting in London on Thursday, but the response has been mixed.

Advisors Glass Lewis and the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF) recommended that investors vote against the plan while ISS offered qualified support.

LAPFF said it was not aligned with the global treaty on climate change adopted in Paris in 2015 "and appears to rely too heavily on carbon capture and offsetting as a means of carbon reduction". It did however commend BHP's steps to cut carbon emissions.

Glass Lewis said it "did not appear that (BHP's) emissions targets were science-based" and that the company was not specific enough around disclosures of customer emissions.

ISS recommended investors vote for the "reasonable" plan and continue to engage with the company as its targets evolve.

"Investors have been clear that they want an opportunity to have a say on our approach to climate, and we know they are seeking more information and transparency," a BHP spokesman said.

BHP said it has found support from shareholders including Climate Action 100+, the world's largest investor engagement initiative on climate change, which said it looked forward to ongoing dialogue over a plan it called "a realistic statement of the challenges faced."

BHP's Australian peer Fortescue Metals Group raised the stakes on iron ore producers this month by setting a 2040 target to achieve net zero customer emissions.

Factbox of major miner plans to cut emissions.

BHP's Australian shareholder meeting is on Nov. 11. (Reporting by Clara Denina in London and Melanie Burton in Melbourne; editing by John Stonestreet)

(Bloomberg) — BHP Group’s London investors voted to support the biggest mining company’s climate change plan, despite some opponents of the strategy saying it doesn’t go far enough.

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BHP’s has said it will target net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from its direct suppliers and the shipment of its products by 2050. But the miner stopped short of extending that to steelmaking customers due to what it describes as the technical challenges facing the industry.

That refusal to set hard targets for its customers’ pollution, which account for 96% of its overall emissions, drew criticism from some investors, including prominent advisory firm Glass, Lewis & Co., which urged shareholders to vote down the plan. Most ignored that advice, with 83% of the BHP’s London investors supporting the plan at the company’s annual meeting on Thursday.

“There’s a need for urgent action, many different views about what that action should look like and you see that coming forward in the way that some parties are reacting to the plan,” BHP Chief Executive Officer Mike Henry said after the meeting in London.

The company’s Australian investor base will vote next month, before full results are released.

The world’s top miners are seeking to reassure investors they can curb their environmental impact amid growing pressure from shareholders and advocacy groups. Scope 3 emissions — created when customers such as Chinese steel mills use the raw materials they mine — are among the hardest to reduce. Miners such as BHP say they can’t give hard targets before the technology to curb that pollution has been proven.

“As our understanding of the underlying opportunities continues to evolve, as technologies continue to evolve, we will refresh the direction we are traveling and the goals and target we’ve set,” Henry said.

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©2021 Bloomberg L.P.

A recent boom in oil and gas prices, along with severe weather, is making the mix of energy sources in the U.S. more expensive, volatile, and pollution-heavy.

Investors interested in Oil and Gas – Exploration and Production – United States stocks are likely familiar with CNX Resources Corporation. (CNX) and Diamondback Energy (FANG). But which of these two stocks presents investors with the better value opportunity right now? Let's take a closer look.

Everyone has their own methods for finding great value opportunities, but our model includes pairing an impressive grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system with a strong Zacks Rank. The proven Zacks Rank puts an emphasis on earnings estimates and estimate revisions, while our Style Scores work to identify stocks with specific traits.

Currently, CNX Resources Corporation. has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy), while Diamondback Energy has a Zacks Rank of #3 (Hold). The Zacks Rank favors stocks that have recently seen positive revisions to their earnings estimates, so investors should rest assured that CNX has an improving earnings outlook. But this is only part of the picture for value investors.

Value investors are also interested in a number of tried-and-true valuation metrics that help show when a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.

Our Value category grades stocks based on a number of key metrics, including the tried-and-true P/E ratio, the P/S ratio, earnings yield, and cash flow per share, as well as a variety of other fundamentals that value investors frequently use.

CNX currently has a forward P/E ratio of 10.53, while FANG has a forward P/E of 10.65. We also note that CNX has a PEG ratio of 0.31. This popular metric is similar to the widely-known P/E ratio, with the difference being that the PEG ratio also takes into account the company's expected earnings growth rate. FANG currently has a PEG ratio of 0.49.

Another notable valuation metric for CNX is its P/B ratio of 0.70. Investors use the P/B ratio to look at a stock's market value versus its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, FANG has a P/B of 1.67.

These metrics, and several others, help CNX earn a Value grade of A, while FANG has been given a Value grade of C.

CNX has seen stronger estimate revision activity and sports more attractive valuation metrics than FANG, so it seems like value investors will conclude that CNX is the superior option right now.

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Investors might want to bet on CNX Resources Corporation. (CNX), as earnings estimates for this company have been showing solid improvement lately. The stock has already gained solid short-term price momentum, and this trend might continue with its still improving earnings outlook.

The rising trend in estimate revisions, which is a result of growing analyst optimism on the earnings prospects of this company, should get reflected in its stock price. After all, empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements. This insight is at the core of our stock rating tool — the Zacks Rank.

The five-grade Zacks Rank system, which ranges from a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) to a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive externally-audited track record of outperformance, with Zacks #1 Ranked stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 2008.

For CNX Resources Corporation. There has been strong agreement among the covering analysts in raising earnings estimates, which has helped push consensus estimates considerably higher for the next quarter and full year.

The chart below shows the evolution of forward 12-month Zacks Consensus EPS estimate:

12 Month EPS

Current-Quarter Estimate Revisions

The earnings estimate of $0.29 per share for the current quarter represents a change of +625% from the number reported a year ago.

Over the last 30 days, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for CNX Resources Corporation. has increased 23.19% because four estimates have moved higher compared to no negative revisions.

Current-Year Estimate Revisions

The company is expected to earn $1.27 per share for the full year, which represents a change of +86.76% from the prior-year number.

There has been an encouraging trend in estimate revisions for the current year as well. Over the past month, four estimates have moved up for CNX Resources Corporation. versus no negative revisions. This has pushed the consensus estimate 10.34% higher.

Favorable Zacks Rank

The promising estimate revisions have helped CNX Resources Corporation. earn a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). The Zacks Rank is a tried-and-tested rating tool that helps investors effectively harness the power of earnings estimate revisions and make the right investment decision. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Our research shows that stocks with Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and 2 (Buy) significantly outperform the S&P 500.

Bottom Line

CNX Resources Corporation. shares have added 6.8% over the past four weeks, suggesting that investors are betting on its impressive estimate revisions. So, you may consider adding it to your portfolio right away to benefit from its earnings growth prospects.

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CNX Resources Corporation. (CNX) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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CNX Resources Corporation. (CNX) closed the last trading session at $13.30, gaining 6.8% over the past four weeks, but there could be plenty of upside left in the stock if short-term price targets set by Wall Street analysts are any guide. The mean price target of $17.67 indicates a 32.9% upside potential.

The average comprises nine short-term price targets ranging from a low of $13 to a high of $28, with a standard deviation of $4.36. While the lowest estimate indicates a decline of 2.3% from the current price level, the most optimistic estimate points to an 110.5% upside. More than the range, one should note the standard deviation here, as it helps understand the variability of the estimates. The smaller the standard deviation, the greater the agreement among analysts.

While the consensus price target is highly sought after by investors, the ability and unbiasedness of analysts in setting price targets have long been questionable. And investors making investment decisions solely based on this tool would arguably do themselves a disservice.

But, for CNX, an impressive average price target is not the only indicator of a potential upside. Strong agreement among analysts about the company's ability to report better earnings than they predicted earlier strengthens this view. While a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions doesn't gauge how much a stock could gain, it has proven to be powerful in predicting an upside.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Here's What You Should Know About Analysts' Price Targets

According to researchers at several universities across the globe, a price target is one of many pieces of information about a stock that misleads investors far more often than it guides. In fact, empirical research shows that price targets set by several analysts, irrespective of the extent of agreement, rarely indicate where the price of a stock could actually be heading.

While Wall Street analysts have deep knowledge of a company's fundamentals and the sensitivity of its business to economic and industry issues, many of them tend to set overly optimistic price targets. Are you wondering why?

They usually do that to drum up interest in shares of companies that their firms either have existing business relationships with or are looking to be associated with. In other words, business incentives of firms covering a stock often result in inflated price targets set by analysts.

However, a tight clustering of price targets, which is represented by a low standard deviation, indicates that analysts have a high degree of agreement about the direction and magnitude of a stock's price movement. While that doesn't necessarily mean the stock will hit the average price target, it could be a good starting point for further research aimed at identifying the potential fundamental driving forces.

That said, while investors should not entirely ignore price targets, making an investment decision solely based on them could lead to disappointing ROI. So, price targets should always be treated with a high degree of skepticism.

Why CNX Could Witness a Solid Upside

There has been increasing optimism among analysts lately about the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher. And that could be a legitimate reason to expect an upside in the stock. After all, empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

For the current year, four estimates have moved higher over the last 30 days compared to no negative revision. As a result, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased 10.3%.

Moreover, CNX currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which means it is in the top 20% of more than the 4,000 stocks that we rank based on four factors related to earnings estimates. Given an impressive externally-audited track record, this is a more conclusive indication of the stock's potential upside in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>>

Therefore, while the consensus price target may not be a reliable indicator of how much CNX could gain, the direction of price movement it implies does appear to be a good guide.

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CNX Resources Corporation. (CNX) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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Zacks Investment Research

Email in court shows former CEO said grocery chain did hundreds of hours of due diligence before inking Theranos deal.

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL – October 11, 2021 – Stocks in this week’s article are C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. CHRW, ArcBest Corporation ARCB, AutoNation, Inc. AN, Phillips 66 PSX and Peabody Energy Corporation BTU.

Recent Analyst Upgrades Bring These 5 Stocks into the Limelight

With the third-quarter earnings season commencing shortly for most sectors, investors will look to add stocks to their respective portfolios, which have the potential to surpass earnings expectations in the to-be-reported quarter. Generally, an earnings outperformance results in stock price appreciation.

The task of selecting appropriate stocks from a plethora of options available in the stock market at a given point of time is anything but easy. The current scenario of the Delta-variant induced uncertainty made the task even more daunting. The procedure becomes further difficult when one tries to select a winning portfolio without proper guidance.

Time for Some Broker Advice?

In view of these unprecedented times and economic constraints, it is in the best interest of investors to be guided by the experts in the field. The concerned experts are brokers. Brokers, irrespective of their types (sell-side, buy-side or independent), undertake a thorough research of the stocks that they cover.

They have at their disposal a lot more information on a company and its prospects than individual investors.  To attain their objective, they go through minute details of the publicly available financial documents apart from attending company conference calls and other presentations.  Broker opinion should thus act as a valuable guide for investors while deciding their course of action (buy, sell or hold) on a particular stock.

Direction of Earnings Estimates Serves as a Proper Pointer

As brokers meticulously follow the stocks in their coverage, they revise their earnings estimates after carefully examining the pros and the cons of an event for the concerned company. Naturally, their estimate revisions serve as an important pointer regarding the price of a stock.

To take care of the earnings performance, we designed a screen based on improving broker recommendations and upward estimate revisions over the last four weeks.

Do Not Ignore the Top Line

However, designing a strategy based solely on the bottom line is unlikely to lead to a winning approach. Actually, according to many market watchers, a revenue beat is more creditable for a company than a mere earnings outperformance. To address top-line concerns, we included in our screen the price/sales ratio, which serves as a strong complementary valuation metric.

For the rest of this Screen of the Week article please visit Zacks.com at: https://www.zacks.com/amp/stock/news/1808244/recent-analyst-upgrade-brings-these-5-stocks-in-the-limelight

Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.

About Screen of the Week

Zacks.com created the first and best screening system on the web earning the distinction as the "#1 site for screening stocks" by Money Magazine.  But powerful screening tools is just the start. That is why Zacks created the Screen of the Week to highlight profitable stock picking strategies that investors can actively use.

Strong Stocks that Should Be in the News

Many are little publicized and fly under the Wall Street radar. They're virtually unknown to the general public. Yet today's 220 Zacks Rank #1 "Strong Buys" were generated by the stock-picking system that has more than doubled the market from 1988 through 2016. Its average gain has been a stellar +25% per year. See these high-potential stocks free >>.

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss. This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumed that any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein and is subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performance for information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

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Peabody Energy Corporation (BTU) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (CHRW) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
AutoNation, Inc. (AN) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Phillips 66 (PSX) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
ArcBest Corporation (ARCB) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.
 
Zacks Investment Research

PITTSBURGH, Oct. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — CNX Resources Corp. (NYSE: CNX) will announce its financial results for Q3 2021 at 6:45 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, October 28. At that time, CNX will issue a brief press release containing a link to presentation materials providing a Q3 2021 update, which will be available on CNX's Investor Relations website. This release will be followed by a conference call and webcast.

Conference Call Information

CNX Resources (NYSE: CNX)

• 10:00 a.m. ET: Thursday, October 28

• Dial-In: 855-656-0928 (domestic) 412-902-4112 (international)

• Reference "CNX Resources Call"

• Webcast: investors.cnx.com

A replay of the conference call and webcast will be maintained on the Investor Relations page on CNX's website.

About CNX Resources

CNX Resources Corporation (NYSE: CNX) is the premier independent natural gas development, production, and midstream company, with operations centered in the major shale formations of the Appalachian basin. Our vertically integrated model includes transmission, storage, gathering systems, and water infrastructure that support energy development from wellhead to end user. With the benefit of a more than 150-year legacy and a substantial asset base amassed over many generations, the company deploys a strategy focused on responsibly developing its resources to create long term per share value for its shareholders, employees, and the communities where it operates. As of December 31, 2020, CNX had 9.55 trillion cubic feet equivalent of proved natural gas reserves. The company is a member of the Standard & Poor's Midcap 400 Index. Additional information may be found at www.cnx.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cnx-resources-corporation-announces-third-quarter-2021-financial-results-and-conference-call-schedule-301397250.html

SOURCE CNX Resources Corporation

TULSA, Okla., October 11, 2021–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: ARLP) will report its third quarter 2021 financial results before the market opens on Monday, October 25, 2021. Alliance management will discuss these results during a conference call beginning at 10:00 a.m. Eastern that same day.

To participate in the conference call, dial (877) 407-0784 and request to be connected to the Alliance Resource Partners, L.P. earnings conference call. International callers should dial (201) 689-8560 and request to be connected to the same call. Investors may also listen to the call via the "investor information" section of ARLP’s website at http://www.arlp.com.

An audio replay of the conference call will be available for approximately one week. To access the audio replay, dial U.S. Toll Free (844) 512-2921; International Toll (412) 317-6671 and request to be connected to replay using access code 13723742.

About Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.

ARLP is a diversified natural resource company that generates operating and royalty income from coal produced by its mining complexes and royalty income from mineral interests it owns in strategic oil & gas producing regions in the United States, primarily the Permian, Anadarko and Williston basins.

ARLP currently produces coal from seven mining complexes it operates in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland and West Virginia. ARLP also operates a coal loading terminal on the Ohio River at Mount Vernon, Indiana. ARLP markets its coal production to major domestic and international utilities and industrial users and is currently the second largest coal producer in the eastern United States.

In addition, ARLP also generates income from a variety of other sources.

News, unit prices and additional information about ARLP, including filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), are available at http://www.arlp.com. For more information, contact the investor relations department of ARLP at (918) 295-7674 or via e-mail at investorrelations@arlp.com.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211011005084/en/

Contacts

Brian L. Cantrell
Alliance Resource Partners, L.P.
(918) 295-7673

If you want to know who really controls New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX:NHC), then you'll have to look at the makeup of its share registry. Large companies usually have institutions as shareholders, and we usually see insiders owning shares in smaller companies. Companies that have been privatized tend to have low insider ownership.

New Hope has a market capitalization of AU$2.2b, so we would expect some institutional investors to have noticed the stock. In the chart below, we can see that institutional investors have bought into the company. We can zoom in on the different ownership groups, to learn more about New Hope.

View our latest analysis for New Hope

What Does The Institutional Ownership Tell Us About New Hope?

Institutions typically measure themselves against a benchmark when reporting to their own investors, so they often become more enthusiastic about a stock once it's included in a major index. We would expect most companies to have some institutions on the register, especially if they are growing.

We can see that New Hope does have institutional investors; and they hold a good portion of the company's stock. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. When multiple institutions own a stock, there's always a risk that they are in a 'crowded trade'. When such a trade goes wrong, multiple parties may compete to sell stock fast. This risk is higher in a company without a history of growth. You can see New Hope's historic earnings and revenue below, but keep in mind there's always more to the story.

New Hope is not owned by hedge funds. Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited is currently the company's largest shareholder with 40% of shares outstanding. With 7.4% and 4.8% of the shares outstanding respectively, L1 Capital Pty. Limited and Vinva Investment Management Limited are the second and third largest shareholders.

After doing some more digging, we found that the top 3 shareholders collectively control more than half of the company's shares, implying that they have considerable power to influence the company's decisions.

While studying institutional ownership for a company can add value to your research, it is also a good practice to research analyst recommendations to get a deeper understand of a stock's expected performance. There are plenty of analysts covering the stock, so it might be worth seeing what they are forecasting, too.

Insider Ownership Of New Hope

While the precise definition of an insider can be subjective, almost everyone considers board members to be insiders. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO.

Most consider insider ownership a positive because it can indicate the board is well aligned with other shareholders. However, on some occasions too much power is concentrated within this group.

Our most recent data indicates that insiders own less than 1% of New Hope Corporation Limited. It is a pretty big company, so it would be possible for board members to own a meaningful interest in the company, without owning much of a proportional interest. In this case, they own around AU$21m worth of shares (at current prices). It is always good to see at least some insider ownership, but it might be worth checking if those insiders have been selling.

General Public Ownership

The general public, with a 22% stake in the company, will not easily be ignored. While this size of ownership may not be enough to sway a policy decision in their favour, they can still make a collective impact on company policies.

Public Company Ownership

Public companies currently own 40% of New Hope stock. This may be a strategic interest and the two companies may have related business interests. It could be that they have de-merged. This holding is probably worth investigating further.

Next Steps:

I find it very interesting to look at who exactly owns a company. But to truly gain insight, we need to consider other information, too. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 4 warning signs with New Hope (at least 1 which doesn't sit too well with us) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.

With the third-quarter earnings season commencing shortly for most sectors, investors will look to add stocks to their respective portfolios, which have the potential to surpass earnings expectations in the to-be-reported quarter. Generally, an earnings outperformance results in stock price appreciation.

The task of selecting appropriate stocks from a plethora of options available in the stock market at a given point of time is anything but easy. The current scenario of the Delta-variant induced uncertainty made the task even more daunting. The procedure becomes further difficult when one tries to select a winning portfolio without proper guidance.

Time for Some Broker Advice?

In view of these unprecedented times and economic constraints, it is in the best interest of investors to be guided by the experts in the field. The concerned experts are brokers. Brokers, irrespective of their types (sell-side, buy-side or independent), undertake a thorough research of the stocks that they cover.

They have at their disposal a lot more information on a company and its prospects than individual investors.  To attain their objective, they go through minute details of the publicly available financial documents apart from attending company conference calls and other presentations.  Broker opinion should thus act as a valuable guide for investors while deciding their course of action (buy, sell or hold) on a particular stock.

Direction of Earnings Estimates Serves as a Proper Pointer

As brokers meticulously follow the stocks in their coverage, they revise their earnings estimates after carefully examining the pros and the cons of an event for the concerned company. Naturally, their estimate revisions serve as an important pointer regarding the price of a stock.

To take care of the earnings performance, we designed a screen based on improving broker recommendations and upward estimate revisions over the last four weeks.

Do not Ignore the Top Line

However, designing a strategy based solely on the bottom line is unlikely to lead to a winning approach. Actually, according to many market watchers, a revenue beat is more creditable for a company than a mere earnings outperformance. To address top-line concerns, we included in our screen the price/sales ratio, which serves as a strong complementary valuation metric.

Screening Criteria

# (Up- Down Rating)/ Total (4 weeks) =Top #75: This gives the list of top 75 companies that have witnessed net upgrades over the last 4 weeks.

% change in Q (1) est. (4 weeks) = Top #10: This gives the top 10 stocks that have witnessed earnings estimate revisions over the past 4 weeks for the upcoming quarter.

To ensure that the strategy is a winning one, covering all bases, we have added the following screening parameters:

Price-to-Sales = Bot%10: The lower the ratio the better, companies meeting this criteria are in bottom 10% of our universe of over 7,700 stocks with respect to this ratio.

Price greater than 5: A stock trading below $5 will not likely create significant interest for most investors.

Average Daily Volume greater than 100,000 shares over the last 20 trading days: Volume has to be significant to ensure that these are easily traded.

Market value ($ mil) = Top #3000: This gives us stocks that are the top 3000 if one judges by market capitalization.

Com/ADR/Canadian= Com: This eliminates the ADR and Canadian stocks.

Here are five of the 10 stocks that made it through the screen:

C.H. Robinson Worldwide CHRW, currently carrying a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), operates as an asset-light logistics company.  This Minnesota-based freight broker is being aided by the improving freight scenario in the United States. The company has an impressive track record with respect to earnings, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the last four quarters, the average being 14.5%. 

ArcBest Corporation ARCB provides freight transportation services and solutions. Improving freight conditions in the United States bode well for this presently Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) player. Solid customer demand and higher market rates are supporting growth at ArcBest. The stock has witnessed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-quarter earnings being revised 29.8% upward over the past 60 days. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

AutoNation AN, currently sporting a Zacks Rank of 1, is an automotive retailer in the United States. The stock has seen the Zacks Consensus Estimate for current-year earnings move 7.3% north over the past 60 days. The company is benefiting from factors like its diversified product mix and cost-containment efforts.

Based in Houston, TX, Phillips 66's PSX operations incorporate refining, midstream, marketing and specialties, and chemicals. The company, currently carrying a Zacks Rank of 3, is strongly positioned to gain from rising demand for midstream assets in the United States. It has an impressive history with respect to earnings, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the last four quarters (missing the mark in the remaining one). The average beat is 28.6%. 

Peabody Energy BTU: St Louis, MO-based Peabody Energy engages in the coal-mining business and has both thermal and metallurgical operations to manage. Revival in the domestic and international coal markets augurs well for this currently Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) stock that outperformed on earnings in each of the last four quarters, the average being 48%.

You can get the rest of the stocks on this list by signing up now for your 2-week free trial to the Research Wizard and start using this screen in your own trading. Further, you can also create your own strategies and test them first before taking the investment plunge.

The Research Wizard is a great place to begin. It's easy to use. Everything is in plain language. And it's very intuitive. Start your Research Wizard trial to day. And the next time you read an economic report, open up the Research Wizard, plug your finds in, and see what gems come out.

Click here to sign up for a free trial to the Research Wizard today.

Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material

Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks’ portfolios and strategies are available at: https://www.zacks.com/performance.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report
 
Peabody Energy Corporation (BTU) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. (CHRW) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
AutoNation, Inc. (AN) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
Phillips 66 (PSX) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
ArcBest Corporation (ARCB) : Free Stock Analysis Report
 
To read this article on Zacks.com click here.

Yields of up to 15pc are on offer next year as FTSE 100 dividends return to record levels, rewarding investors who make early moves to capture 2022’s top payouts.

Total payments could reach £85.1bn, just behind the £85.2bn record paid out in 2018, according to the stockbroker AJ Bell, as profits and economies rebound after the pandemic.

Analysts are predicting British blue-chip stocks will build on a strong recovery in dividends this year. Payouts from FTSE 100 companies are forecast to reach £84.1bn in 2021, a rise of 37pc from £61.4bn in 2020.

Dividends from some of the London stock market’s biggest payers this year have sent their yields soaring.

Shares in miners Rio Tinto and Evraz yield almost 18pc, based on payouts for their 2021 financial year and current share prices, according to AJ Bell. Rival BHP Group yields 11.3pc.

While dividends from miners have ballooned, investors haven’t left it too late to cash in, according to experts. More than half of Rio Tinto’s 17.8pc yield is forecast to come from a bumper final dividend expected to be paid in April. Similarly, half of Evraz’s $1.48 dividend predicted for its 2021 financial year has yet to be paid.

The FTSE 100’s trio of top dividend payers are meanwhile forecast to continue to offer high payouts next year. Analysts have estimated 2022 yields of 14.9pc for Evraz, 12.4pc for Rio Tinto and 12.2pc for BHP.

Is this too good to be true? Ian Williams, the manager of the Charteris Premium Income fund, said he did not think so. Mr Williams, who holds around a third of his portfolio in mining stocks, said he expected double-digit yield forecasts to come good, despite a slump in the iron ore price from its summer high amid waning Chinese demand.

“Even if commodity prices fall, mining companies are so profitable they can still pay high dividends,” he said.

“Rio Tinto takes iron ore out of the ground for around $20 a ton. Prices have fallen by almost half since July to $118 a ton, so even after a crash it can still afford to pay shareholders.”

Mr Williams argued that miners could continue to raise their dividends in the future as they rode a wave of higher demand for metals as governments and companies pushed to decarbonise the economy.

“You can’t have decarbonisation without metals. Electric cars use four times as much copper as their petrol equivalents – demand for the metal could rise more in the next 10 years than it has done in the past 2,000,” he said.

“Rare earth” metals will also be in demand thanks to their use in the lithium-ion batteries used to power electric cars. Mr Williams highlighted Poly­metal International, forecast to yield 9.8pc next year, as a major miner of these metals.

However, other investors warned that chasing the high yields offered by mining stocks was dangerous. Laura Foll of the fund group Janus Henderson said: “Be wary of relying solely on the yield to value shares.”

She added that Rio Tinto and BHP’s high forecast dividends depended on the prices of a narrow basket of metals.

Ms Foll highlighted shares in rival miner Anglo American, which she owns in her funds, as an alternative. Expected to yield 6.6pc next year, she argued that the stock’s dividend was more reliable as the company made money from a large basket of commodities, including copper, diamonds, iron ore and nickel.

Shares in banks also offered good dividend prospects, she said. Lenders have resumed payouts after the Bank of England scrapped restrictions imposed at the start of the pandemic, and their dividends are expected to grow. Lloyds Banking Group and ­NatWest, which Ms Foll owns, are forecast to yield 5.6pc and 4.7pc respectively next year.

Simon Gergel, manager of the £660m Merchants Trust, also cautioned on the outlook for miners’ dividends. He said payouts from Rio Tinto and BHP would fall next year should the iron ore price remain at its current level.

He recommended tobacco companies as an alternative source of dividends as their profits were more predictable. British American Tobacco and Imperial Brands are forecast to yield 8.5pc and 9.2pc next year, and the former has raised its payout in each of the past 23 years.