3 Stocks to Watch on Thursday: Snap Inc. (SNAP), Apricus Biosciences Inc (APRI) and e.l.f. Beauty Inc (ELF)

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Wednesday was another day of weakness for U.S. stock markets, thanks in large part to sinking oil prices taking a toll on energy equities. The S&P 500 Index lost 0.2%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was 0.3% weaker and the Nasdaq Composite edged a fraction of a percentage higher.

3 Stocks to Watch on Thursday: Snap Inc. (SNAP), Apricus Biosciences Inc (APRI) and e.l.f. Beauty Inc (ELF)Heading into Thursday, Snap Inc. (NYSE:SNAP) continues to stay in the spotlight, e.l.f. Beauty Inc (NYSE:ELF) is among a few stocks moving hot on earnings results, and Apricus Biosciences Inc (NASDAQ:APRI) is surging on the sale of a major asset.

Here’s what you need to know heading into today’s trade:

Snap Inc. (SNAP)

Shares of Snapchat parent Snap Inc. rebounded 7% yesterday after a multi-day slump as investors continue to get a hold on what exactly they think about the new publicly traded social media company. The impetus for the rebound appeared to be a let-up in short sales, which thinned from $300 million on Tuesday to $50 million on Wednesday.

Still, SNAP stock is far from out of the woods at this point.

The current debate being bandied about by experts right now is the lack of voting rights on Snapchat shares. Following the trend of tech companies thinning out the amount of voting power held by common shareholders, Snap Inc went all the way, giving shareholders zero voting power — something that prompted Stephen Isaacs, chairman of the investment committee at Alvine Capital, to tell CNBC that “Morgan Stanley and Goldman (who backed Snap’s IPO) shoul dhang their heads in shame here. … Isn’t that the ultimate example of bubble trouble?”

Investor groups are now talking to MSCI Inc (NYSE:MSCI) and S&P Dow Jones Indices — the major index providers — about keeping Snap Inc and any other company that uses non-voting shares out of their indices. These indices, such as the S&P 500, serve as the benchmark for numerous mutual funds and exchange-traded funds, which provide institutional buying for any stock that’s included.

MSCI specifically has asked for feedback concerning investors’ thoughts on voting rights and index inclusion.

SNAP shares are trending slightly lower in Thursday’s early trade.

Apricus Biosciences Inc (APRI)

APRI shares are hitting the roof this morning on news of an asset sale.

The pharmaceutical company is selling the ex-U.S. assets and rights related to erectile dysfunction cream Vitaros to Ferring International Center S.A. Ferring — a Switzerland-based biopharmaceutical group — will pay $11.5 million up front, followed by an additional $700,000 for inventory, as well as $500,000 more for assistance with the technology transfer.

Apricus Biosciences in on track to re-post its New Drug Application with the Food and Drug Administration in its third quarter.

APRI stock was up nearly 25% in Thursday’s premarket action.

e.l.f. Beauty Inc (ELF)

ELF shares were also popping on Thursday thanks to its latest quarterly financials.

The fast-fashion cosmetics firm earned 19 cents per share on an adjusted basis, up 35% year-over-year and better than the 14-cent bar set by Wall Street analysts. Revenues of $76.4 were 17% better YOY and topped expectations for $74.5 million.

“Our first strategy as a business is to build a great brand,” CEO Tarang Amin told CNBC in an interview.

For the full fiscal year 2017, e.l.f. Beauty predicts that it will earn between 40 and 48 cents on an adjusted basis. Net sales will be in the range of $285 million and $295 million. Wall Street reached a consensus estimate of earnings at 36 cents per share, while it’s looking for revenue of around $281.3 million.

Based on Thursday’s premarket trade, ELF shares should surge into the black for the first time since early January. The stock was off more than 12% heading into Wednesday’s report, but shares are up more than 20% early Thursday.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2017/03/3-stocks-to-watch-on-thursday-snap-inc-snap-apricus-biosciences-inc-apri-and-e-l-f-beauty-inc-elf/.

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