>>> US Gapping up


Gapping up
In reaction to strong earnings/guidance:

  • WMT +3.7%, USAC +3.4%, SPN +2.9%, CTB +2.8%, JELD +2.6%, TEX +2.5%, TSEM +2.1%, CEQP +2.1%, MDT +2%, NEXA +1.7%, SAGE +1.3%, AU +0.8%, TTS +0.7%, .

Select metals/mining stocks trading higher:

  • SBGL +5.7%, IAG +3.3%, AUY +1.9%, GDX +1.2%, GOLD +1%, GLD +0.8%, . 

Other news:

  • ICPT +20.7% (announces 'positive' top-line results from Phase 3 REGENERATE sutdy of obeticholic acid in patients with liver fibrosis due to NASH)
  • EHIC +13.6% (enters Amended and Restated Agreement and Plan of Merger with Teamsport Parent)
  • NBRV +3.9% (receives FDA acceptance of NDA for Intravenous and Oral Lefamulin to treat community-acquired bacterial pneumonia in adults)
  • CNDT +3.8% (enters into settlement agreement with the state of Texas regarding claims related to two previous contracts supporting the state's Medicaid program)
  • TAL +3.1% (reports that long-term equity investment firm has agreed to purchase a total of $500 mln of newly issued Class A common shares of the Company)
  • RBS +2.5% (continued strength)
  • HMC +2.3% (confirms move to restructure global manufacturing network)
  • CSIQ +1.3% (announces that it has won three solar subsidy-free power contracts with Alberta's Ministry of Infrastructure) . 

Analyst comments:

  • PCG +7.7% (upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Citigroup)
  • FCX +3.1% (upgraded to Buy from Neutral at Citigroup)
  • MCD +0.8% (upgraded to Overweight from Equal-Weight at Stephens)

>>> US Early premarket gappers


Early premarket gappers

Gapping up:

  • NTES +5%, HYGS +5%, TSEM +4.4%, AUY +4.2%, SBGL +4.2%, BLDP +3.9%, IAG +3.6%, RIOT +3.2%, TAL +3%, TTM +2.8%, YNDX +2.6%, RBS +2.6%, CNAT +2.5%, HMC +2.3%, ENPH +2%, ORAN +1.8%, FCX +1.8%, VTNR +1.7%, WUBA +1.6%, CHK +1.5%, GM +1.5%, NAT +1.3%, GOLD +1.1%, CROX +0.8%, LPSN +0.8%, MOMO +0.5%

Gapping down:

  • WIN -56.4%, SFUN -13.2%, WTW -7.1%, GOGL -4.3%, FEYE -4.2%, DB -3.5%, AZN -3%, MT -2.6%, INFY -2.5%, BUD -2%, BHC -1.7%, ABB -1.7%, ERIC -1.6%, CNHI -1.5%, NOK -1.4%, WYNN -1.2%, KMB -1.2%, LULU -1.1%, GRPN -1.1%, VIPS -1.1%, ZTS -1%, CTL -1%, ALLE -0.9%, PBR -0.9%, FB -0.9%, HLT -0.7%, BP -0.6%

Business of ashion : What the ‘Amazon Coat’ Reveals About the Future of Shopping

What the ‘Amazon Coat’ Reveals About the Future of Shopping
Decoding the style, price and positioning of this season’s most viral piece of outerwear.

NEW YORK, United States — Last year, Jaynèe Mitchell, a health and fitness coach in New York, eyed a puffer jacket that one of her clients on the Upper East Side was wearing. It was olive green with an orange lining, a distinctive shape and had plenty of pockets. She wondered if it was in the same price range as a Canada Goose? Moncler?

The woman told her she bought it on Amazon, for around $100.

“I was like, ‘REALLY?! Oh my god, I’m going on Prime right now,’” Mitchell recalled, her enthusiasm not dampened many months later. “I ordered it in two minutes.” She texted her sister in New Jersey, who also bought it. And her friend in California, who needed a winter jacket for a trip to Lake Tahoe. Mitchell posted a photo wearing it on her Instagram account for her 1,500 followers, which was then reposted by an account dedicated to the jacket, @TheAmazonCoat, which now has more than 1,900 followers. On a typical work day, around uptown Manhattan, Mitchell said she sees at least two dozen women wearing it.

Welcome to the winter of the Amazon Coat, a singular piece of outerwear that has gone viral. What began in New York has become a phenomenon, spreading throughout the country and into Europe, fuelled in no small part by extensive media coverage. Owners of the coat are ready and willing to gush about their purchase, and report knowing head nods and sly smiles when they encounter strangers in the style. @TheAmazonCoat began on Instagram not in search of sponsorship, but in support of this unabashed fandom.

But why this coat? In all its ubiquity, this singular item reveals what shoppers want today. It is both stylish and affordable, and talked about highly by influencers and reviewers. Plus, it can be bought easily, delivered quickly and returned without hassle.

The fact that it’s by an unknown brand adds to the appeal. Just 23 percent of shoppers aged 15 to 29 feel that a strong or well-known brand is an influential product feature, according to Euromonitor International’s Lifestyle Survey 2017. Things that they value more are: comfort (56 percent), quality (45 percent) and value for money (44 percent).

The "Amazon Coat" is sold on Amazon but made by Orolay, a brand by Chinese manufacturer and exporter Jiaxing Zichi Trade Co. The price has grown with its popularity. It was originally under $100, then around $100, jumping to $129 and now $139. “Our wide range of selling partners is an important part of our selection, from small businesses like Orolay, to emerging designers and well-known brands,” an Amazon spokeswoman said in an email statement. “We are thrilled to see the success of the Orolay Women’s Down Jacket.” (Orolay did not respond to requests for comment.)

Many coat owners report being hooked initially by the coat’s distinct style. “It’s not a regular puffer,” said Elizabeth Spiridakis Olson, who works in fashion in New York and discovered the coat via a friend’s Instagram post. “It’s just weird-cool enough,” she said. The oversized silhouette with six pockets has a customised fit thanks to the adjustable side zippers. And it’s warm to boot. The hood sits perfectly on her head, instead of dropping down over her eyes like other winter jackets, she explained.

According to coat-lore, and a piece in New York Magazine, the original adopters were a group of women on Manhattan’s Upper East Side last winter. Lauren Posner, a stay-at-home mom who lives in the neighbourhood, bought hers last spring and has since noticed the coat all over the city. Her coat spottings were so frequent that Posner opened an Instagram account dedicated to it. (She has no ties to Orolay or Amazon, nor does she make money from the account.) She began by taking pictures of her friends in the coat; now, people regularly tag the account in their pictures. In less than two months, @TheAmazonCoat has attracted nearly 2,000 followers.

To Posner, the popularity lies in the price. “To spend $100 on a winter coat that is actually warm is kind of like a fashion coup,” she said. That’s especially in comparison to other trending winter styles by luxury brands. Around $100 is a sweet spot, Posner believes; even $300 would put it in a different spending category for many shoppers.

Bridget Barbier-Mueller, the Dallas-based blogger behind Being Bridget, bought the coat herself after hearing about it from a friend in New York. “It looked like Balenciaga could have created this jacket if it was into athleisure outerwear,” she said. Barbier-Mueller shared it immediately on Instagram but waited until recently to share it on her blog, when the coat was back in stock in more colours and sizes. On Instagram, to her 52,000 followers, she detailed why she liked it; it was long enough to cover her backside and the oversized body was balanced by the true-to-size arms. She has sold more than 900 coats, according to her affiliate link tracking. “This jacket is hot ticket,” she said.

Barbier-Mueller, who has been blogging since 2012, attributes the higher-than-usual response to the ease of purchase. Amazon offers one-click shopping for people with an established account, which makes it easy to shop via a “swipe up” link in Instagram. Its shipping and return policies, especially for those with a Prime membership, eliminate any risk from the transaction. That’s especially important on more fashion-forward pieces, which Barbier-Muller considers this jacket to be: “It makes it less scary to try.”

Sarah Kosid, who lives in Kentucky, learnt about the coat via Barbier-Mueller’s Instagram. A loyal follower, Kosid associates Barbier-Mueller with quality products — and she trusted her take on the coat even more because Barbier-Mueller had purchased it herself, rather than received it for a sponsored post. Still, Kosid went to the Amazon product listing page and dived into the coat’s more than 6,000 reviews, with a rating of 4.2 stars out of 5. “People don’t write a review unless they feel passionately,” Kosid said.

More than half of shoppers aged 15 to 29 are influenced by independent customer reviews, and 43 percent are influenced by social media, according to Euromonitor International’s Lifestyle Survey 2017. “When it comes to shopping for clothes, fit, sizing and quality are key criteria — and when shopping online, these criteria are so hard,” said Ayako Homma, a fashion and luxury consultant at the market research firm.

The glut of positive reviews surely has helped the Amazon coat stand out. Still, there are millions of new products are listed every month, said Elaine Kwon, a former member of the Amazon Fashion team and a partner at Kwontified, a fashion and beauty e-commerce management firm. It can be hard for even the best-known brands to rise to the top.

Kwon suspects the look and thoroughness of the Orolay product listing helped it gain traction. On its virtual storefront, Orolay introduces the brand and its values, including “ethical practices” and “high quality.” Five years ago, most wholesalers wouldn’t have bothered. The listing for the specific coat features professional product shots on a model. The style of the pictures, as well as the range (including a back angle, a hood-up shot and a short video), have a similar vibe to other better-known brands. “It makes the customer feel like they are getting something like Everlane but on Amazon,” Kwon said.

Calling this the Amazon Coat, rather than the Orolay coat, is a huge win for the online behemoth, says Wendy Liebmann, founder of WSL Strategic Retail. It helps it be seen as a fashion player and a destination for apparel beyond basic socks and T-shirts. It also signals willingness for shoppers to be destination agnostic, in the name of saving money and time. It’s not frowned upon or taboo to buy a winter coat in the same transaction as hand soap or granola bars. For some, it’s even a point of pride, Liebmann said. The sentiment is: “I’m smart, I know where to get the lowest or best price, or get other stuff on my list.”

Style, price, quality, ease of purchase — yes, to all of that. But the Amazon Coat also provides an intangible benefit, said Liza Bychkov-Suloti: “People love being a part of something.” Coat owners report with delight and pride moments when they have encountered other coat wearers. (@TheAmazonCoat regularly features group shots of multiple women wearing the coat.) Usually Bychkov-Suloti, a partner at Shadow in New York and an on-air style expert who owns the coat, wouldn’t want to be seen in something that someone else is wearing, but this coat has its own code.

“It’s like, ‘Hey girl, we both know we love it’ — it’s a fun moment,” she said. “You feel connected.”

9to5 : Kuo: 16-inch MacBook Pro, 31-inch 6K display, iPhones w/ upgraded Face ID

Kuo: 16-inch MacBook Pro, 31-inch 6K display, iPhones w/ upgraded Face ID & bilateral wireless charging coming in 2019

Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is out with a wide-reaching new investor note this evening. Kuo says that Apple will release new iPads, a new 16-inch MacBook Pro, a 31-inch 6K monitor, iPhones with bilateral charging, and more in 2019.

First and foremost, Kuo says that the 2019 iPhone models will retain the same screen sizes as the iPhone XS and iPhone XR. This means we’ll get 6.5-inch, 5.8-inch, and 6.1-inch iPhones. Kuo says that all three will retain Lightning connectivity instead of USB-C.

According to Kuo, the 2019 iPhones will feature ultra-wide band connectivity for indoor positioning and navigation, frosted glass casing, bilateral wireless charging for charging other devices, upgraded Face ID with a higher power flood illuminator, larger batteries, and a triple camera design. Kuo doesn’t explicitly say which model will get what features, but past reports have suggested only the iPhone 11 Max will have three cameras.

As for the iPad lineup, Kuo says Apple will release two new iPad Pro models this year with upgraded processors. The current 9.7-inch iPad will increase in size to 10.2-inches, suggesting a reduction in bezels. Further, Kuo corroborates reports of a new iPad mini and says it will feature an upgraded processor.

Perhaps most notable are Kuo’s claims about the Mac lineup. According to the analyst, Apple will release a new MacBook Pro between 16-inches and 16.5-inches with an all-new design. Further, Kuo says Apple will return to the display market with a 31.6-inch 6k3k monitor. This display is said to feature a Mini LED-like backlight design, giving it “outstanding picture quality.”

Additionally, Kuo adds that Apple will release a new Mac Pro with “easy to upgrade components” in 2019. He also says the 13-inch MacBook Pro “may” add a 32GB RAM option. Currently, the 13-inch MacBook Pro maxes out at 16GB of RAM, while the 15-inch does support 32GB.

Apple previously teased that it would release a “modular” Mac Pro in 2019, and today’s Kuo report seemingly indicates that Apple is still on schedule to do just that. Apple also teased its return to the professional display market alongside that Mac Pro launch.

Kuo adds that the Apple Watch ECG function will come to additional countries this year, while Apple will also release a new ceramic casing design. Apple offered a ceramic casing option with the Apple Watch Series 3, but did not continue that design with the Series 4.

Lastly, Kuo says AirPods 2 will support wireless charging and upgraded Bluetooth connectivity. He says AirPower will ship during the first half of 2019, while there will also be a new iPod touch with an upgraded processor. Bilateral wireless charging on the 2019 iPhones would allow you to charge other devices wirelessly through your iPhone, which means AirPods 2 could be charged through your iPhone.

It certainly looks like Apple has a busy 2019 ahead. It’s unclear when we might see these products, but it wouldn’t be surprising for the first announcements to come in March.