Jan. 2, 2024

This paid piece is sponsored by MarketBeat.

Pathward Financial (NASDAQ: CASH) – Pathward Financial was ranked as one of Investor’s Business Daily’s 100 Best ESG Companies for 2023. The list is made up of companies that “combine high Dow Jones sustainability scores with superior IBD technical and fundamental stock ratings.”

SAB Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ: SABS) – The clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company announced the commencement of the HUMAN Phase 1 clinical trial for its lead candidate SAB-142 treatment for Type 1 diabetes.

First Interstate BancSystem (NASDAQ: FIBK) – First Interstate BancSystem appointed Lori Meyer as executive vice president and chief information officer. Meyer had been serving as interim CIO for the Billings, Montana-based financial services company since the end of June.

The Bancorp (NASDAQ: TBBK) – In a year when shares of The Bancorp outperformed the broader market by climbing 40 percent, Piper Sandler reiterated its overweight rating on TBBK and raised its price target to $51 from $49.

Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) – Wells Fargo’s Investment Institute released its 2024 Market Outlook. The free report explains why the bank believes 2024 will be a pivotal year for the economy and markets.

NorthWestern Energy (NASDAQ: NWE) – NWE shareholders received a holiday gift in the form of the company’s quarterly dividend of 64 cents per share. The dividend was paid Dec. 29 to shareholders of record Dec. 15.

CNH Industrial (NYSE: CNHI) – Building on the company’s success this awards season, CNH Industrial won six 2024 AE50 awards from the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. The society honors the year’s 50 most innovative products and systems engineered for the food and agriculture industries.

Citigroup (NYSE: C) – Citigroup released its full-year Wealth Outlook 2024. The free report provides a detailed analysis of the global economy, which Citi believes will be slow in the first half of the year but will grow in the latter part of the year.

McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD) – In early December, McDonald’s began testing CosMc’s, the company’s new small-format, beverage-forward concept that is rooted in bold and unexpected flavor combinations, vibrant colors and functional boost. The initial store is in Illinois, with more stores expected to launch in the coming months.

Walmart (NYSE: WMT) – Sam’s Club, a division of Walmart and competitor of Costco, launched video advertising for products that customers can access on-site, off-site and in-app. The initiative is a response to industry research that shows consumers prefer watching a video to learn more about an item.

Target (NYSE: TGT) – Artificial intelligence will continue to play a key role in retail. And Target was one of the first companies to embrace the technology. Brett Craig, Target’s executive vice president and chief information officer, explains on the company’s website what sets Target apart from the competition relative to AI.

Macy’s (NYSE: M) – On Dec. 1, Macy’s received a “lowball bid” of $21 per share from Arkhouse Management and Brigade Capital Management. The bid is an attempt to take the venerable department store chain private. The offer is complicated by the estimated value of Macy’s real estate assets, which are valued between $6 billion and $8 billion.

Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) – On Dec. 20, Amazon Web Services announced the launch of the AWS Canada West (Calgary) Region, the company’s second AWS infrastructure region in Canada. The company is the first major cloud service provider with an infrastructure region in western Canada.

Costco (NASDAQ: COST) – On Dec. 14, Costco reported financial results for the first quarter of the company’s 2024 fiscal year. The company reported earnings per share of $3.48 on revenue of $57.8 billion. Both numbers beat analysts’ estimates and were higher than in the same quarter in fiscal 2023.

Ford Motor (NYSE: F) – Ford Motor’s November sales report showed the continuation of a trend that has been in place for most of 2023. Sales of electric and hybrid vehicles are helping offset a decline in internal combustion vehicles.

General Motors (NYSE: GM) – General Motors is partnering with Komatsu, a global manufacturer of mining and construction equipment, to develop a hydrogen fuel cell power module for Komatsu’s 930E electric-drive mining truck. The companies will design and validate the technology together.