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Barclays analyst Karen Short said a potential strategic bidders for Whole Foods (WFM) can "rationally outbid" Amazon (AMZN) based on the roughly $750M in synergies she estimates for a buyer such as Kroger (KR) or Wal-Mart (WMT). For Kroger, she estimates that a 100% debt-financed bid at $50 could be about 6% accretive, and a Whole Foods bid up to $60 would still be accretive. For Wal-Mart, a 100% debt-financed bid at $50 could be about 2% accretive, though a could still be accretive bid up to $70 per share, she tells investors. Whole Foods was not "shopped," based on public documents, and the math indicates a superior, competing bid is "feasible," said Short, who also notes that Amazon could then outbid any other offer. Short has an Overweight rating and $48 price target on Whole Foods shares.

Citi analyst Ronald Josey raised the firm's price target on Amazon.com to $235 from $215 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. The analyst "materially" raised operating income projections on Amazon following an analysis of the company's Advertising and Retail businesses. Citi now projects operating income to reach 10% margins in 2025 on continued advertising strength and improving retail efficiencies. Given faster shipping speeds, the firm believes conversion rates are improving as Amazon's retail business benefits from its regionalization approach with shorter transport distances as the overall cost to serve comes down. Amazon remains one of its top picks across the internet sector.

Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists.  1... To see the rest of the story go to thefly.com. See Story Here

Shares of Instacart (CART) are underperforming on Tuesday after Amazon (AMZN) announced its own grocery-delivery service, ramping up competition in an already crowded market. Commenting on the... To see the rest of the story go to thefly.com. See Story Here

Gordon Haskett notes that Amazon (AMZN) has announced a low-cost grocery delivery subscription program for EBT users as well as Prime members. The news has hit Hold-rated Instacart (CART) particularly hard, with shares down as much as 7% on Tuesday, which the firm believes is "a bit overdone" - but not enough for Gordon Haskett to turn bullish as it thinks investors have long thought of Amazon as a fierce competitor and expected it to take share from Instacart over the long run. Additionally, it's worth noting that Instacart has a deep roster of grocery stores on its platform and has been accepting EBT payments since 2020, the firm adds.

Meta Platforms (META), the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Oculus, Threads and other brands, is scheduled to report first quarter 2024 results after market close on Wednesday, April 24 with a conference call scheduled for 5 pm ET. Here's what to... To see the rest of the story go to thefly.com. See Story Here

JPMorgan keeps a Neutral rating on Affirm (AFRM) after CNBC reported that One, a Walmart-backed fintech, has begun offering buy now, pay later at certain U.S. Walmart (WMT) locations. The announcement does not come as a complete surprise, as One first announced it was exploring a BNPL service in December 2022, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm points out Affirm expanded its relationship with Walmart in December 2023 to offer BNPL at self-checkout kiosks. For the time being, Affirm will remain a funding option at Walmart but will presumably compete head-to-head with One at the point of sale, adds JPMorgan. It believes the news "highlights the importance, foresight and wisdom" of launching the Affirm Card, which makes Affirm a funding option most anywhere Visa is accepted, while reducing Affirm's reliance on merchant-driven promotion and exclusivity. The firm views the Affirm Card as the company's "ace in the hole."

Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced he signed onto a pending resolution with Kroger that will bring in $47.5M to combat the opioid epidemic in Washington state. Half of these resources will go to the state and the other half will go to Washington city and county governments. The $47.5M will be paid over 11 years. The first payment of $4.3M will come within a few months of the resolution being finalized by the litigating states and local jurisdictions, Ferguson said in a statement.

Mizuho analyst Dan Dolev says Affirm (AFRM) shares are lower today following a report that One, backed by Walmart (WMT), has started offering buy now, pay later loans in-store. However, this is not new news, as this was first reported in December 2022, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm says history suggests headline risks for Affirm end up being great buying opportunities. It estimates Walmart accounts for 5% of the company's gross merchandise volume and that all the volume likely won't go away. Affirm's total addressable market is in the trillions, so Walmart supporting buy now, pay later expands the visibility of the category, contends Mizuho. The firm keeps a Buy rating on the stock with a $65 price target.

Walmart's (WMT) majority-owned fintech startup One has begun offering buy now, pay later, or BNPL loans for big-ticket items at some of the retailer's more than 4,600 U.S. stores, putting One in direct competition with Affirm (AFRM), the BNPL leader and exclusive provider of installment loans for Walmart customers since 2019, CNBC's Hugh Son and Melissa Repko reported. Reference Link

In a post to its website, Amazon staff said, "Later this year, Amazon customers in the West Valley Phoenix Metro Area can receive Prime Air drone deliveries from our Tolleson, AZ Same-Day Delivery site. Since starting drone delivery in College Station, Texas and Lockeford, California in 2022, we've delivered thousands of items to customers in less than an hour. Last year we also began delivering prescription medications in partnership with Amazon Pharmacy to customers in College Station. We've received great feedback from customers and communities as we've rolled out the service. We're now adding a new location and entering into the next stage of the program's evolution. Later this year, drone deliveries are coming to the West Valley of the Phoenix Metro Area in Arizona...As we look to the future and prioritize our resources to continue growing the program, we've also made the decision to close our delivery site in Lockeford. We'll offer all current employees opportunities at other sites, and will continue to serve customers in Lockeford with other delivery methods. We want to thank the community for all their support and feedback over the past few years. We'll continue delivering in College Station, Texas and will open further U.S. locations in 2025." Reference Link

JPMorgan analyst Ken Goldman added Albertsons (ACI) to the firm's Analyst Focus List as a value idea and placed the stock on "Positive Catalyst Watch" following the fiscal Q4 earnings release. The "gap between the current share price and fair value is too wide," the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm says its trimming of out-year estimates does not impair Albertsons' standalone value, which it estimates at $24 per share. JPMorgan continues to believe the stock's valuation discount to Kroger (KR) is too wide given the companies similarities. It also believes the probability that Albertsons gets bought has increased, given yesterday's announcement that additional stores and services will be sent C&S's way. The firm says the risk/reward for Albertsons stock "is becoming too appealing to ignore." It keeps an Overweight rating on the name with a $27 price target.

Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists. 1... To see the rest of the story go to thefly.com. See Story Here

Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists. 1... To see the rest of the story go to thefly.com. See Story Here