Monthly Archives: February 2021

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Weve got a full month of 2021 behind us now, and a few trends are coming clearer. The coronavirus crisis may still be with us, but as vaccination programs expand, the end is in sight. With President Trump out of the picture, and the Democrats holding both Houses of Congress and the White House, politics is looking more predictable. And both of those developments bode well for an economic recovery this year. Looking back, at the year that was, we can also see some trends that stayed firm despite the pandemic, the shutdowns, and the supercharged election season. One of the most important is the ongoing rollout of 5G networking technology. These new networks bring with them a fuller realization of the promises inherent in the digital world. Faster connections, lower latency, higher online capacity, clearer signals all will strongly enhance the capabilities of the networked world. And it wont just be mundane things like telecommuting or remote offices that will benefit 5G will allow Internet of Things and autonomous vehicles to further develop their potential. There is even talk of medical applications, of remotely located doctors performing surgery via digitally controlled microsurgical tools. And these are just the possibilities that we can see from now. Who know what the future will really bring? To this end, we pulled up TipRanks database to learn more about three exciting plays in the 5G space. According to the Street, we are likely to see further interesting developments in the next few years as this technology takes over. Skyworks Solutions (SWKS) The first 5G name were looking at, Skyworks, is a semiconductor chip manufacturer that brought in $3.4 billion in total revenues for FY2020. Skyworks, which is a prime supplier of chips for Apples iPhone series, saw a massive 68% year-over-year increase in 1QFY21 revenues the top line reached $1.51 billion, a company record, and also much higher than analysts had forecast. Much of Skyworks fiscal Q1 sales success came after Apple launched the 5G-capable iPhone 12 line. Strong sales in the popular handset device meant that profits trickled down the supply line and Skyworks channels a disproportionate share of its business to Apple. In fact, Apple orders accounted for 70% of Skyworks revenue in the recent quarter. iPhone wasnt the only 5G handset on the receiving end of Skyworks chips, however the company is also an important supplier to Koreas Samsung and Chinas Xiaomi, and has seen demand rise as these companies also launch 5G-capable smartphones. Finally, Skyworks supplies semiconductor chip components to the wireless infrastructure sector, specifically to the small cell transmission units which are important in the propagation network of wireless signals. As the wireless providers switch to 5G transmission, Skyworks has seen orders for its products increase. In his note on Skyworks for Benchmark, 5-star analyst Ruben Roy writes: SWKS significantly beat consensus estimates and provided March quarter guidance that is also well ahead of consensus estimates as 5G related mobile revenue and broad-based segment revenue continued to accelerate In addition to continued strength of design win momentum and customer activity, we are encouraged with SWKS confident tone relative to the overall demand environment and content increase opportunities. In line with his comments, Roy rates SWKS a Buy along with a $215 price target. At current levels, this implies an upside of 20% for the coming year. (To watch Roys track record, click here) Roy is broadly in line with the rest of Wall Street, which has assigned SWKS 13 Buy ratings and 7 Holds over the past three month -- and sees the stock growing about 15% over the next 12 months, to a target price of $205.69.(See SWKS stock analysis on TipRanks) Qorvo, Inc. (QRVO) Qorvos chief products are chipsets used in the construction of radio frequency transmission systems that power wifi and broadband communication networks. The connection of this niche to 5G is clear as network providers upgrade their RF hardware to 5G, they also upgrade the semiconductor chips that control the systems. This chip maker has a solid niche, but it is not resting on its laurels. Qorvo is actively developing a range of new products specifically for 5G systems and deployment. This 5G radio frequency product portfolio includes phase shifters, switches, and integrated modules, and contains both infrastructure and mobile products. Qorvo posted $3.24 billion in total revenues for fiscal 2020. That revenue represents a 4.8% year-over-year increase and the companys sales have been accelerating in fiscal 2021. The most recent quarterly report, for the second fiscal quarter, showed $1.06 billion in revenues, a 31% yoy increase. Rajvindra Gill, 5-star analyst with Needham, is bullish on Qorvos prospects, noting: Qorvo reported strong sales and gross margins as 5G momentum rolls into CY21 on atypical seasonality... The company is planning for 500M 5G handsets to be manufactured in 2021, with an incremental $5-7 of content/unit from 4G to 5G. Management believes that ultra-wideband adoption will be a key growth driver in for smartphones going forward..." To this end, Gill puts a $220 price target on QRVO shares, suggesting room for 31% upside in 2021. Accordingly, he rates the stock a Buy. (To watch Gills track record, click here) What do other analysts have to say? 13 Buys and and 6 Holds add up to a Moderate Buy analyst consensus. Given the $192.28 average price target, shares could climb ~15% from current levels. (See QRVO stock analysis on TipRanks) Telefonakiebolaget LM Ericsson (ERIC) From chipsets, well move on to handsets. Ericsson, the Swedish telecom giant has long been a leader in mobile tech, and is well known for its infrastructure and software that make possible IP networking, broadband, cable TV, and other telecom services. Ericsson is the largest European telecom company, and the largest 2G/3G/4G infrastructure provider outside of China. But that is all in the background. Ericsson is also a leader in the rollout of Europes growing 5G networks. Ericsson is involved in 5G rollout in 17 countries in Europe, the Americas, and Asia, and its product line includes infrastructure base units and handsets, giving the company an interest in all aspects of the new 5G networks. Ericssons revenue performance in 2020 was not notably distressed by the corona crisis. Yes, the top line dipped in Q1, but that was in line with the companys historical pattern of rising revenue from Q1 through Q4. While the companys 1H20 revenues showed small yoy declines, the 2H20 gains were higher. In Q3, the $6.48 billion top line was up 8.7% yoy, and Q4s $8.08 billion revenue was up 17% from the prior year. The companys shares have also performed well during the corona year, and show a 12 month gain of 64%. Raymond James 5-star analyst Simon Leopold bluntly assigns Ericssons recent gains to its participation in 5G rollouts. Japan's awaited 5G roll-out has started. Share gains continue as Ericsson benefits from challenges facing its biggest competitors and more operators embrace 5G it seems obvious that Ericsson should be gaining market share... Competitor Nokia shunned the Chinese 5G projects, citing profitability challenges, yet Ericsson appears to be profiting in the challenging region. Leopold rates this stock an Outperform (i.e. Buy), and his $15 price target implies an upside potential of ~14% for the year ahead. (To watch Leopolds track record, click here) The Raymond James analyst, while bullish on ERIC, is actually less so than the Wall Street consensus. The stock has a Strong Buy consensus rating, based on a unanimous 5 reviews, and the $16.50 average price target indicates 25% growth potential from the share price of $13.19. (See ERIC stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for 5G stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

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Activision Blizzard beats earnings expectations, Call of Duty dominates - Yahoo Finance

The main MLB portal at Yahoo Sports is mainly compromised of a feed consisting of stories from national outlets, newspapers, and NBC-affiliated local sites. Incredibly, its about to get even less interesting.

On Tuesday, Yahoo MLB writers Tim Brown and Mike Oz announced theyd no longer be with the company.

The lone remaining MLB expert at Yahoo is Hannah Keyser.

Yahoo has been slashing the staff at its sports sites over the last few years. It attempted to launch a subscription-based Mets app in 2019, but that plan never got off the ground and all the writers were let go. Long-time editor Kevin Kaduk was laid off around the same time. A year ago, the sites entire UK editorial team was let go.

Its disappointing to see Yahoos MLB coverage continue to dwindle. Since Jeff Passan left for ESPN more than two years ago, it seems like there hasnt been much desire from Yahoo to build its MLB coverage back up. Yahoos focus has seemingly been directed towards cultivating its relationship with the NFL (shocker) and its sports betting ventures, and while thats all well and good, talented individuals are losing their jobs. Wherever Brown and Oz land, itll be Yahoos loss and their new employers gain.

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Yahoo Sports has cut ties with two of its three "MLB experts" - Awful Announcing

President Joe Biden used an odd phrase in a Feb. 4 speech when he outlined a foreign policy for the middle class. With Washington focused on a kooky Republican Congresswoman and the introduction of Bidens huge relief bill, the media barely mentioned this concept that sounds like an oxymoron.

Biden might need a pithier slogan, but foreign policy for the middle class is his rejoinder to President Trumps America First programand the Democrats first-ever effort to address the woes caused by free trade. To put this idea into practice, Bidens administration will appoint a kind of jobs czar within 30 days, develop a strategy within 60 days and establish benchmarks for measuring progress.

This could end up being weak tea, like many of the Washington task forces that issue reports but change nothing. Its a political necessity for Biden, however, to show voters he recognizes the problems Trump tapped into in 2016 by attacking trade deals and claiming China and Mexico were ripping off Americans. And some of Bidens top advisers have outlined a new approach to trade meant to protect American jobs while retaining the efficiencies of globalization.

Trumps unfinished trade agenda is the obvious starting point. Trump imposed new tariffs on about $350 billion worth of annual imports from China, Mexico and several other countries. Trump claimed raising the cost of imports would lead to more U.S. manufacturing, and jobs. That didnt really happen. Instead, importers shifted supply chains to other low-cost countries, such as Vietnam and India, not subject to the new tariffs.

Biden has signaled he plans to leave the Trump tariffs in place, using them as leverage as he forms a different set of policies. One thing he wants to do is team up with allies to confront Chinas trade abuses as a bloc, instead of going it alone, as Trump did. Biden hasnt detailed a strategy yet, but the American mood toward China has soured since President Obama left office in 2017. Obama touted economic cooperation with China, even as evidence grew that cheap Chinese production had vaporized millions of U.S. jobs. Trump successfully exploited worker frustrations on trade when he ran for president in 2016, and Biden needs to show working-class Americans he gets it, too.

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Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, has outlined what foreign policy for the middle class might look like. He was a co-author of a 2020 report published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace that called for new types of trade policy that put workers first. It noted that 30 years of globalization have thoroughly benefited big companies that can move work from country to country, and consumers who pay less for a huge basket of products. The losers, however, have been middle-class manufacturing workers whose livelihoods have disappeared, often with little relief or alternate work.

Theres no single-bullet solution. The Carnegie report makes dozens of recommendations, such as developing a national competitiveness strategy for creating more good-paying jobs, improving worker training and matching workers with companies that need them. Labor unions could have more input on trade deals at agencies such as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, where corporate America typically dominates. There could be better programs for aiding workers displaced by globalization.

Many trade experts say the United States needs better ways of addressing trade disputes, with China in particular. Complaints lodged at the World Trade Organization take years to resolve and results are often inconclusive. The United States could demand fixes at the WTO while also developing its own toolsin conjunction with allies, perhapsto act when the WTO doesnt. Congressional legislation that establishes those tools would make them more durable than the executive actions Trump relied on.

Biden also plans to use future stimulus bills to generate large investments in green energy and traditional infrastructure, another way to trigger job growth. And his Buy America plan could generate a bit more business for American firms.

The biggest question is whether Biden will be able to point to results by the time of the 2022 midterms, or even the 2024 presidential election. Trade deals and policies take a long time to implement and even longer to change reality on the ground. Trumps tariffs were an exception, because he imposed those unilaterally, with little notice. But trading partners imposed their own punitive measures just as quickly, negating any benefit of Trumps moves and raising costs in all directions.

If the economy is booming by the time voters head to the polls in 2022 and 2024, they may not care that much whether Bidens foreign policy has generated middle-class jobs. But its more likely pockets of the economy will remain depressed, perhaps large pockets. Many working-class American feel theyve been sold out, and Biden will have a tough time changing their minds.

Rick Newman is the author of four books, including Rebounders: How Winners Pivot from Setback to Success. Follow him on Twitter: @rickjnewman. You can also send confidentital tips, and click here to get Ricks stories by email.

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Instagram disabled high-value, single-word usernames that were stolen by hackers and resold, the New York Times reports. Twitter, TikTok and Facebook took similar measures as well.

The social media platforms are reportedly cracking down on those responsible for the hacking of highly coveted usernames. Such names have been dubbed O.G. usernames, and can include keywords like @Writer, @Killer, or @Gamer, for example. Theyre considered high-value because they come from early adopters who jumped on these platforms as they launched. Once hackers obtain the usernames, theyve been known to buy and sell them on online forums and group messaging apps.

Today, were removing hundreds of accounts connected to members of the OGUsers forum, a spokesperson for Instagram said in a statement. They harass, extort and cause harm to the Instagram community, and we will continue to do all we can to make it difficult for them to profit from Instagram usernames.

Instagram first launched the effort on Thursday, after a month-long investigation into one such site, ogusers.com. Some of the stolen account names had been obtained through extortion, blackmail, and harassment, and have been sold for upwards of $40,000. The big Twitter hack of last year, which impacted people including Elon Musk and former President Barack Obama, was traced back to the same site.

Their main objective is to grow their pages, and selling these O.G. usernames is a game for a lot of them, said 22-year-old Jackson Weimer, who is an administrator of a meme account that highlighted this insidious practice. Their objective is to do this to as many people as possible. Every meme page has encountered one of these people. When he first highlighted the practice, he was among those to be targeted with harassment by hackers sending him photos of his house on Google Maps.

They told me they wanted to rape and kill my parents, he said. They said that Ill regret doing this. They sent me my address a lot and created an account exposing me on instagram, where theyd just post and make up lies about me. While he thinks the bans are a good first step, its not going to be the end of it all by any means. If Instagram really wants to fix this problem, they need to go from the top down and start paying people who create content so theres no reason for people to make money in other ways.

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Instagram Removes Hundreds of Accounts That Were Stolen and Sold by Hackers - Yahoo Entertainment

Tesla (TSLA) might have a formidable new challenger in the high-tech self-driving electric car game, and its coming from an unlikely place: Apple (AAPL). Rumors that Apple is finally getting its automotive ambitions off the ground are hotter than ever, and multiple reports say it might have a partner for its so-called Apple Car in Hyundai-Kia.

For Tesla, Apple entering the EV race is a shot across the bow, and Hyundai is potentially a perfect EV marriage, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives told Yahoo Finance.

Apple, like Tesla, would be entering the market with an outside perspective. And with its exceptional customer service knowledge, it could easily eliminate the drudgery of going to the local dealership. Whats more, Apple knows how to generate customer interest in its products, and comes with a built-in and loyal customer base. The companys top-notch supply chain management, which CEO Tim Cook built out, would help it compete with Tesla even more.

Apple will surely have a long way to go to catch up with Tesla, but it might prove to be the kind of challenger to Musks empire that traditional automakers could only hope to be.

Apple has reportedly been working on building out its own vehicle since 2014. But the process on whats known as Project Titan has proceeded in fits and starts. First, Apple was said to be working on building its own car from scratch. Then, it was just working on self-driving software, and now Apple is reportedly teaming with Hyundai to do the heavy lifting on overall vehicle architecture.

Because Apple will reportedly use Hyundas Kia plant in Georgia, it already has a leg up on Tesla which had to build out its production capabilities. At one point in 2018, Musk was sleeping on the floor of Teslas production facility and set up an additional assembly line under an outdoor tent. Notably, Musk said he tried to get a meeting with Apples Cook at the time to sell the company to Apple. But Cook didnt respond, according to Musk.

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There are two big reasons Apple could rival Tesla the tech giant understands how to please customers and it knows how to manufacture high-end products that people want but dont need.

No matter how you cut it, this will provide a rival to Tesla, Patrick Moorhead of Moor Insights & Strategy told Yahoo Finance. Like Tesla, Apple focuses on the experience, so I see them in the same sphere of competition.

To understand Apples commitment to customer service, look no further than the Apple Store. You can walk in, talk to a salesperson, and you can get a phone on the spot. They dont pester you to upgrade or buy accessories they just set up your phone right away.

If Apple can bring that seamless approach to cars, something Tesla has managed, then the tech giant could change the game for the electric vehicle industry.

Think about the areas of improvement for customer satisfaction, Moorhead said. Unless you drive a super premium car, dreading to go into the dealer. And then there's the whole purchasing experience. I would expect them to change that whole dynamic.

Apple also excels at positioning its products as semi-luxury devices, before releasing more affordable versions for everyday consumers. A splashy first-generation vehicle, similar to Teslas original Roadster, could drum up interest in a second-generation mid-range vehicle.

I feel like they're going to have to come out with a statement piece first, before they go after, let's call it a mainstream type of audience, Moorhead said.

Theres also the fact that Apple already has its own financing arm. By using favorable interest rates, the company could give its vehicles a wider potential consumer base.

Of course, theres no guarantee that an Apple Car will hit the streets anytime soon.

As of now, reports indicate Apple and Hyundai are discussing building a self-driving, electric car. According to AppleInsider, citing TF Securities analyst and frequent Apple prognosticator Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple could use Hyundais recently announced E-GMP electric vehicle platform for the Apple Car. The Wall Street Journal reports Hyundai is already seeking partners to help build Apples car.

It might sound odd for Apple to team with a third-party to build its own vehicles, but that would align with its standard business practices. The iPhone maker already pays manufacturers from around the world, including in the U.S., to produce individual pieces for its various devices, before sending them off to be assembled by the likes of Chinas Foxconn and others.

And part of that partnership means Apple spending to build out those manufacturers facilities. Doing so would provide Hyundai with even more incentive to work with Apple.

Right now, its unclear whether well get a prototype of an Apple Car in 2022 or a mass market vehicle by 2024. But either way, Tesla might not lead the EV space for much longer.

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Weve got a full month of 2021 behind us now, and a few trends are coming clearer. The coronavirus crisis may still be with us, but as vaccination programs expand, the end is in sight. With President Trump out of the picture, and the Democrats holding both Houses of Congress and the White House, politics is looking more predictable. And both of those developments bode well for an economic recovery this year. Looking back, at the year that was, we can also see some trends that stayed firm despite the pandemic, the shutdowns, and the supercharged election season. One of the most important is the ongoing rollout of 5G networking technology. These new networks bring with them a fuller realization of the promises inherent in the digital world. Faster connections, lower latency, higher online capacity, clearer signals all will strongly enhance the capabilities of the networked world. And it wont just be mundane things like telecommuting or remote offices that will benefit 5G will allow Internet of Things and autonomous vehicles to further develop their potential. There is even talk of medical applications, of remotely located doctors performing surgery via digitally controlled microsurgical tools. And these are just the possibilities that we can see from now. Who know what the future will really bring? To this end, we pulled up TipRanks database to learn more about three exciting plays in the 5G space. According to the Street, we are likely to see further interesting developments in the next few years as this technology takes over. Skyworks Solutions (SWKS) The first 5G name were looking at, Skyworks, is a semiconductor chip manufacturer that brought in $3.4 billion in total revenues for FY2020. Skyworks, which is a prime supplier of chips for Apples iPhone series, saw a massive 68% year-over-year increase in 1QFY21 revenues the top line reached $1.51 billion, a company record, and also much higher than analysts had forecast. Much of Skyworks fiscal Q1 sales success came after Apple launched the 5G-capable iPhone 12 line. Strong sales in the popular handset device meant that profits trickled down the supply line and Skyworks channels a disproportionate share of its business to Apple. In fact, Apple orders accounted for 70% of Skyworks revenue in the recent quarter. iPhone wasnt the only 5G handset on the receiving end of Skyworks chips, however the company is also an important supplier to Koreas Samsung and Chinas Xiaomi, and has seen demand rise as these companies also launch 5G-capable smartphones. Finally, Skyworks supplies semiconductor chip components to the wireless infrastructure sector, specifically to the small cell transmission units which are important in the propagation network of wireless signals. As the wireless providers switch to 5G transmission, Skyworks has seen orders for its products increase. In his note on Skyworks for Benchmark, 5-star analyst Ruben Roy writes: SWKS significantly beat consensus estimates and provided March quarter guidance that is also well ahead of consensus estimates as 5G related mobile revenue and broad-based segment revenue continued to accelerate In addition to continued strength of design win momentum and customer activity, we are encouraged with SWKS confident tone relative to the overall demand environment and content increase opportunities. In line with his comments, Roy rates SWKS a Buy along with a $215 price target. At current levels, this implies an upside of 20% for the coming year. (To watch Roys track record, click here) Roy is broadly in line with the rest of Wall Street, which has assigned SWKS 13 Buy ratings and 7 Holds over the past three month -- and sees the stock growing about 15% over the next 12 months, to a target price of $205.69.(See SWKS stock analysis on TipRanks) Qorvo, Inc. (QRVO) Qorvos chief products are chipsets used in the construction of radio frequency transmission systems that power wifi and broadband communication networks. The connection of this niche to 5G is clear as network providers upgrade their RF hardware to 5G, they also upgrade the semiconductor chips that control the systems. This chip maker has a solid niche, but it is not resting on its laurels. Qorvo is actively developing a range of new products specifically for 5G systems and deployment. This 5G radio frequency product portfolio includes phase shifters, switches, and integrated modules, and contains both infrastructure and mobile products. Qorvo posted $3.24 billion in total revenues for fiscal 2020. That revenue represents a 4.8% year-over-year increase and the companys sales have been accelerating in fiscal 2021. The most recent quarterly report, for the second fiscal quarter, showed $1.06 billion in revenues, a 31% yoy increase. Rajvindra Gill, 5-star analyst with Needham, is bullish on Qorvos prospects, noting: Qorvo reported strong sales and gross margins as 5G momentum rolls into CY21 on atypical seasonality... The company is planning for 500M 5G handsets to be manufactured in 2021, with an incremental $5-7 of content/unit from 4G to 5G. Management believes that ultra-wideband adoption will be a key growth driver in for smartphones going forward..." To this end, Gill puts a $220 price target on QRVO shares, suggesting room for 31% upside in 2021. Accordingly, he rates the stock a Buy. (To watch Gills track record, click here) What do other analysts have to say? 13 Buys and and 6 Holds add up to a Moderate Buy analyst consensus. Given the $192.28 average price target, shares could climb ~15% from current levels. (See QRVO stock analysis on TipRanks) Telefonakiebolaget LM Ericsson (ERIC) From chipsets, well move on to handsets. Ericsson, the Swedish telecom giant has long been a leader in mobile tech, and is well known for its infrastructure and software that make possible IP networking, broadband, cable TV, and other telecom services. Ericsson is the largest European telecom company, and the largest 2G/3G/4G infrastructure provider outside of China. But that is all in the background. Ericsson is also a leader in the rollout of Europes growing 5G networks. Ericsson is involved in 5G rollout in 17 countries in Europe, the Americas, and Asia, and its product line includes infrastructure base units and handsets, giving the company an interest in all aspects of the new 5G networks. Ericssons revenue performance in 2020 was not notably distressed by the corona crisis. Yes, the top line dipped in Q1, but that was in line with the companys historical pattern of rising revenue from Q1 through Q4. While the companys 1H20 revenues showed small yoy declines, the 2H20 gains were higher. In Q3, the $6.48 billion top line was up 8.7% yoy, and Q4s $8.08 billion revenue was up 17% from the prior year. The companys shares have also performed well during the corona year, and show a 12 month gain of 64%. Raymond James 5-star analyst Simon Leopold bluntly assigns Ericssons recent gains to its participation in 5G rollouts. Japan's awaited 5G roll-out has started. Share gains continue as Ericsson benefits from challenges facing its biggest competitors and more operators embrace 5G it seems obvious that Ericsson should be gaining market share... Competitor Nokia shunned the Chinese 5G projects, citing profitability challenges, yet Ericsson appears to be profiting in the challenging region. Leopold rates this stock an Outperform (i.e. Buy), and his $15 price target implies an upside potential of ~14% for the year ahead. (To watch Leopolds track record, click here) The Raymond James analyst, while bullish on ERIC, is actually less so than the Wall Street consensus. The stock has a Strong Buy consensus rating, based on a unanimous 5 reviews, and the $16.50 average price target indicates 25% growth potential from the share price of $13.19. (See ERIC stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for 5G stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

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Its risky, and it seems to go against everything the NBA tries to stand for, but the All-Star Game is happening.

Things have to be dotted and crossed, but it seems like a formality. The NBA will risk it all on red, players and personnel from all across the country convening down on Atlanta like its Oceans Eleven for one big heist.

Some teams have had a weeks worth of games canceled due to COVID-19 infections or contact tracing and the league doesnt even have a second-half schedule yet to distribute publicly, but it will go forward with All-Star festivities that will take place on a day instead of a usual weekend.

Considering the summer bubble was pulled off without a relative problem and the league feels its gained more of a feel on how to conduct its business in relation to the virus since the season has started, its comfortable with the risk.

Tell that to the random, dangerous and deadly COVID-19, which can take lives mercilessly and without reason. Especially in Atlanta, which feels like a hotter spot than Florida was last summer when the NBA went to Walt Disney World and stayed for 100 days without incident.

Its not in Atlanta as some cruel joke, but because Turner Studios is located there, its a much easier event to put on considering all the behind-scenes personnel wont have to travel, and the players will only be there for a day or so, most likely quarantined until the game and shuffled immediately back to their home markets after.

But like the Super Bowl just illustrated, where a barber for the Kansas City Chiefs couldve infected the entire team testing positive after five days of negative testing all it takes is one cross interaction to turn a stripped-down event into an unwilling super-spreader party.

It doesnt seem worth it, the variables too uncontrollable to the naked eye, but its understandable.

Some inside the league office rightfully claim players will take the All-Star break to go someplace exotic to get away likely a place without stringent testing and carrying much more risk than a one-day event.

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And while Bora Bora or the Caribbean could do things differently, if a player contracts the virus while away, the eye of the public will be on him.

If he does it at All-Star and brings it back to his market and his team, the league will have to wear it.

When the NBA made the decision to start the season when it did, during Christmas week when all of the infectious disease experts rightfully stated it would result in a huge spike in viruses across the country, it did so for the money.

And nothing stops the money train.

Fan voting is up, even from last years All-Star weekend in Chicago when the league was reeling from the untimely death of Kobe Bryant and prepping for its new rules which turned out to be wildly successful.

Next to the conference finals and NBA Finals, the signature event is All-Star weekend, with the most eyeballs and greatest opportunity to promote the game. Apparently, the players, or at least the ones with an audience with commissioner Adam Silver, want it.

So do the broadcast partners.

So its on, although players like Sacramentos DeAaron Fox shouldnt have their concerns drowned in the chorus of capitalism and show business.

If Im gonna be brutally honest, I think its stupid, said Fox, who noted the league will fine players who are selected but dont attend All-Star weekend. Money makes the world go round, it is what it is.

The NBA knows the dangers, hence the tightened protocols about player contact after games with handshakes and jersey exchanges, as if this isnt a sport full of body contact for 48 minutes.

It flies in the face of common sense but the most recent wave of testing has shown no new cases just some false-positives that have caused a few delays in the meantime.

The league feels comfortable moving forward with this, the financial rewards and capital among its younger subset of fans critical toward its continued growth.

Who knows how the money will be dispersed to HBCUs and if itll make a tangible impact, but clearly the players are on board with it if they truly have a choice in this.

Could they say no? Theoretically, but the blowback would likely be massive and its probably not worth the fight considering how both sides have navigated through the unease of COVID-19 with some real pragmatism.

Nothing about this virus feels practical, and anyone who doesnt live in a bubble carries a level of risk every day, balancing whats realistic with whats important.

The NBA is just doing this on a much grander scale, the rewards more tangible, the consequences more unknown.

Earlier Thursday, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell was peppered about the leagues failure to hire anyone besides white men for head coaching positions despite the social climate, incentives and some of Goodells own wishes.

Those decisions were made by individual team owners who refuse to stand to account for the micro-actions that create an ugly macro picture.

Silver will soon have his turn, not as a sole caretaker for where the game is going, but as a representative for 30 NBA team owners. Owners who need this to happen to offset some of the financial losses they have incurred with the lack of fans in seats, but also owners who dont have to take on the risk of flying into Atlanta for a day for a meaningless game.

These are also owners who may not take the chance to throwing on an unassuming mask to escape the hotel for a trip to Magic City, Body Tap or Strokers for a decent meal hence why the wings and steaks should be delivered to the hotel to prevent such subterfuge.

It should make you feel a bit icky, and wonder if Silver is cashing in his goodwill for a cash grab. If the incentives are that plentiful, fine.

The NBA is a business, not a charity or altruistic enterprise. If it happens to spread some good cheer on the way to making money, so be it.

But it was and always has been a stretch to assign some moral or extra value to a sports league whose number one objective is to make money. Itll take years to recoup lost revenue due to this pandemic and presumably, the jobs that impact people we dont often see.

The NFL didnt have a Pro Bowl, and it survived, getting to the finish line this weekend.

Its mantra is no different from the NBAs, but we just see them differently.

Dolla, dolla bill, yall.

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Weve got a full month of 2021 behind us now, and a few trends are coming clearer. The coronavirus crisis may still be with us, but as vaccination programs expand, the end is in sight. With President Trump out of the picture, and the Democrats holding both Houses of Congress and the White House, politics is looking more predictable. And both of those developments bode well for an economic recovery this year. Looking back, at the year that was, we can also see some trends that stayed firm despite the pandemic, the shutdowns, and the supercharged election season. One of the most important is the ongoing rollout of 5G networking technology. These new networks bring with them a fuller realization of the promises inherent in the digital world. Faster connections, lower latency, higher online capacity, clearer signals all will strongly enhance the capabilities of the networked world. And it wont just be mundane things like telecommuting or remote offices that will benefit 5G will allow Internet of Things and autonomous vehicles to further develop their potential. There is even talk of medical applications, of remotely located doctors performing surgery via digitally controlled microsurgical tools. And these are just the possibilities that we can see from now. Who know what the future will really bring? To this end, we pulled up TipRanks database to learn more about three exciting plays in the 5G space. According to the Street, we are likely to see further interesting developments in the next few years as this technology takes over. Skyworks Solutions (SWKS) The first 5G name were looking at, Skyworks, is a semiconductor chip manufacturer that brought in $3.4 billion in total revenues for FY2020. Skyworks, which is a prime supplier of chips for Apples iPhone series, saw a massive 68% year-over-year increase in 1QFY21 revenues the top line reached $1.51 billion, a company record, and also much higher than analysts had forecast. Much of Skyworks fiscal Q1 sales success came after Apple launched the 5G-capable iPhone 12 line. Strong sales in the popular handset device meant that profits trickled down the supply line and Skyworks channels a disproportionate share of its business to Apple. In fact, Apple orders accounted for 70% of Skyworks revenue in the recent quarter. iPhone wasnt the only 5G handset on the receiving end of Skyworks chips, however the company is also an important supplier to Koreas Samsung and Chinas Xiaomi, and has seen demand rise as these companies also launch 5G-capable smartphones. Finally, Skyworks supplies semiconductor chip components to the wireless infrastructure sector, specifically to the small cell transmission units which are important in the propagation network of wireless signals. As the wireless providers switch to 5G transmission, Skyworks has seen orders for its products increase. In his note on Skyworks for Benchmark, 5-star analyst Ruben Roy writes: SWKS significantly beat consensus estimates and provided March quarter guidance that is also well ahead of consensus estimates as 5G related mobile revenue and broad-based segment revenue continued to accelerate In addition to continued strength of design win momentum and customer activity, we are encouraged with SWKS confident tone relative to the overall demand environment and content increase opportunities. In line with his comments, Roy rates SWKS a Buy along with a $215 price target. At current levels, this implies an upside of 20% for the coming year. (To watch Roys track record, click here) Roy is broadly in line with the rest of Wall Street, which has assigned SWKS 13 Buy ratings and 7 Holds over the past three month -- and sees the stock growing about 15% over the next 12 months, to a target price of $205.69.(See SWKS stock analysis on TipRanks) Qorvo, Inc. (QRVO) Qorvos chief products are chipsets used in the construction of radio frequency transmission systems that power wifi and broadband communication networks. The connection of this niche to 5G is clear as network providers upgrade their RF hardware to 5G, they also upgrade the semiconductor chips that control the systems. This chip maker has a solid niche, but it is not resting on its laurels. Qorvo is actively developing a range of new products specifically for 5G systems and deployment. This 5G radio frequency product portfolio includes phase shifters, switches, and integrated modules, and contains both infrastructure and mobile products. Qorvo posted $3.24 billion in total revenues for fiscal 2020. That revenue represents a 4.8% year-over-year increase and the companys sales have been accelerating in fiscal 2021. The most recent quarterly report, for the second fiscal quarter, showed $1.06 billion in revenues, a 31% yoy increase. Rajvindra Gill, 5-star analyst with Needham, is bullish on Qorvos prospects, noting: Qorvo reported strong sales and gross margins as 5G momentum rolls into CY21 on atypical seasonality... The company is planning for 500M 5G handsets to be manufactured in 2021, with an incremental $5-7 of content/unit from 4G to 5G. Management believes that ultra-wideband adoption will be a key growth driver in for smartphones going forward..." To this end, Gill puts a $220 price target on QRVO shares, suggesting room for 31% upside in 2021. Accordingly, he rates the stock a Buy. (To watch Gills track record, click here) What do other analysts have to say? 13 Buys and and 6 Holds add up to a Moderate Buy analyst consensus. Given the $192.28 average price target, shares could climb ~15% from current levels. (See QRVO stock analysis on TipRanks) Telefonakiebolaget LM Ericsson (ERIC) From chipsets, well move on to handsets. Ericsson, the Swedish telecom giant has long been a leader in mobile tech, and is well known for its infrastructure and software that make possible IP networking, broadband, cable TV, and other telecom services. Ericsson is the largest European telecom company, and the largest 2G/3G/4G infrastructure provider outside of China. But that is all in the background. Ericsson is also a leader in the rollout of Europes growing 5G networks. Ericsson is involved in 5G rollout in 17 countries in Europe, the Americas, and Asia, and its product line includes infrastructure base units and handsets, giving the company an interest in all aspects of the new 5G networks. Ericssons revenue performance in 2020 was not notably distressed by the corona crisis. Yes, the top line dipped in Q1, but that was in line with the companys historical pattern of rising revenue from Q1 through Q4. While the companys 1H20 revenues showed small yoy declines, the 2H20 gains were higher. In Q3, the $6.48 billion top line was up 8.7% yoy, and Q4s $8.08 billion revenue was up 17% from the prior year. The companys shares have also performed well during the corona year, and show a 12 month gain of 64%. Raymond James 5-star analyst Simon Leopold bluntly assigns Ericssons recent gains to its participation in 5G rollouts. Japan's awaited 5G roll-out has started. Share gains continue as Ericsson benefits from challenges facing its biggest competitors and more operators embrace 5G it seems obvious that Ericsson should be gaining market share... Competitor Nokia shunned the Chinese 5G projects, citing profitability challenges, yet Ericsson appears to be profiting in the challenging region. Leopold rates this stock an Outperform (i.e. Buy), and his $15 price target implies an upside potential of ~14% for the year ahead. (To watch Leopolds track record, click here) The Raymond James analyst, while bullish on ERIC, is actually less so than the Wall Street consensus. The stock has a Strong Buy consensus rating, based on a unanimous 5 reviews, and the $16.50 average price target indicates 25% growth potential from the share price of $13.19. (See ERIC stock analysis on TipRanks) To find good ideas for 5G stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks equity insights. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.

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Why the 'disappointing' jobs number could be good news for the White House's stimulus push - Yahoo Finance

When Super Bowl LV kicks off Sunday, at least one hulking human a 6-foot-5, 320-pound offensive lineman with an especially vested interest in the outcome will watch it all by himself.

In many ways, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif is as excited for it as he is nervous. He started for the Kansas City Chiefs 2019 Super Bowl championship team, and he knows the itch to get back to the game will be clawing at him as much as ever since he became the first NFL player to opt out of the 2020 season due to COVID.

You know, winning at Arrowhead Stadium in front of 80,000 people ... It's a feeling thats almost like a drug, said Duvernay-Tardif, who spoke to Yahoo Sports on behalf of Microban 24s Most Valuable Protector program. There were plenty of times during the season that I was like, I've got to be down there.

But I also knew what I signed up for.

Indeed. But in 2018, when Duvernay-Tardif became the first active NFL player to become a medical doctor, he had no idea it would lay the foundation to one day sacrifice an entire season of his prime to further serve his community.

Thats exactly what happened this season, when the native Canadian continued his offseason work as an orderly in a long-term care facility just outside of Montreal as a way of fighting against the pandemic.

I feel like it was the right call for me to make, to err on the side of caution, Duvernay-Tardif said. Like, there were so many things that were unknown back then and that are still unknown, that I just felt like I had to make that call in order to live well with that decision 10 years from now when I'm going to be full-time in the medical world.

Still, it was a tough decision for Duvernay-Tardif. He was happy to see the league carry on as it inches toward the completion of a full season despite the pandemic.

Football is probably the only thing that brings people together now these days, and we need that, we need that to help us go through this crisis. That's what sports can do, Duvernay-Tardif said.

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And while the itch to play has arisen a few times this season, the overwhelming support he received from Chiefs coach Andy Reid and his teammates always reinforced his choice.

It means a lot because to be honest, when I made that decision, I felt like I was letting my team down. And I was to a certain extent, you know? Duvernay-Tardif said. So feeling the support from coach Reid, from the guys, not only over the phone but also in the media and press conferences, it really means a lot. It's what the team is all about.

Duvernay-Tardif also knows Reids support comes from a sincere place since he has always been understanding and accommodating of Duvernay-Tardifs medical dreams, which certainly isnt a given in a sport filled with coaches intent on finding players who are only about football.

Back in 2014, he was the only coach that, during the pre-draft visit, saw the medical school thing as a cool thing, as a positive thing, and he said he was going to help me and that's really what he did, Duvernay-Tardif said. So when I called him and he was like, Yes I support you, I understand what you're what you're trying to accomplish, it really meant a lot.

So after announcing his decision in July, Duvernay-Tardif carried on to a new pattern, a new rhythm without the very sport that has played the pre-eminent role in his life for the past decade.

Since then, he has spent two to three days a week working with patients at a Quebec long-term care facility, doing everything from changing them to feeding them to putting in IVs and doing blood draws. On the side, hes also advanced his medical curriculum by starting a master's program in public health at Harvard.

Yet its Duvernay-Tardifs experiences in the facility and the things he has seen that wont soon be forgotten.

When somebody tests positive and youve got to rush into their room and basically, like, strip them of their belongings and send them into a red zone, there's some stuff that ... you know the odds that they might not be coming back, Duvernay-Tardif said. And it's such a fragile and vulnerable population that you're working with that you also take a big responsibility on making sure that you don't bring the virus in the building. So ... I was never really scared of COVID for myself, but that idea of potentially doing harm to my patient because I exposed myself in the community ... that's something that you've got to live with, too.

The COVID situation has been evolving in Quebec. Right now it has a curfew, he said, and he has to be home by 8 every night, which means he can't really see anybody.

Gone is the apartment he used to rent as a transitional zone, where he showered and washed his clothes with special soap before going home in order to protect his loved ones from any virus exposure he might have brought from the facility.

Interestingly enough, he could rejoin the NFL sooner rather than later. He haas stayed in shape, lifting regularly while consulting with a team of nutritionists and trainers. Duvernay-Tardif also received the first dose of the COVID vaccine two weeks ago and expects to get the second within the next month

I feel pretty good, Duvernay-Tardif said, and the good thing too is that I don't have all the impact of a full season on my body. I feel like I'm going to hit this offseason pretty fresh and ready to go.

So much so that Duvernay-Tardif went as far to say that hes focused on getting back to Kansas City in July, even though no one is sure how COVID will affect the NFLs schedule for the next several months.

In the meantime, Duvernay-Tardif will enjoy rooting for his friends to finish the journey they started in July on Sunday, when the Chiefs try to beat Tampa Bay to become the first team since the 2004 Patriots to go back-to-back.

It's one thing to go down there and win the Super Bowl, but to go back for a second year in a row with COVID, with all the uncertainty and I mean, even though we had a good team, you've still got to do it every week for 16 weeks, Duvernay-Tardif said. I'm really proud of the guys and I'm going to be rooting for them on Sunday.

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A Gold Coast weatherman has pulled a lifeless body from the rough Queensland surf moments after a live cross.

Luke Bradnam was reporting the dangerous conditions at Narrowneck Beach for Nine News on Friday evening when he said a swimmer told him he had seen someone struggling in the water.

Just after I got off air chatting with you guys a boogie boarder just behind me here alerted me here at Narrowneck, alerted me he thought hed seen someone struggling again out in the surf, Mr Bradnam told Channel 9.

The weatherman said he immediately stripped down and rushed into the water with the other swimmer to help but unfortunately it was too late.

When we got close it became pretty evident that there was a body floating in the water, Mr Bradnam told Nine.

The body is believed to be a British national who had moved to the Gold Coast from the UK and had been missing since Thursday.

The body however has not been formally identified.

The discovery of the body at Narrowneck came after a woman in her late 20s was found unresponsive on Kurrawa beach about 10.15pm on Thursday.

The woman and the British national were initially seen going into the ocean at Old Burleigh Rd, Broadbeach, about 9.20pm on Thursday.

Police will prepare a report for the coroner.

Several beaches are closed on the Gold Coast due to dangerous conditions and swimmers are reminded to stay between the flags.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

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