lucky grocers
Darnold gives Vikings another gem with career-high 377 yards in 27-25 win over Packers MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Sam Darnold added another exploit to his career-altering season, passing for a personal-best 377 yards and three touchdowns as the Minnesota Vikings hung on to beat the Green Bay Packers 27-25 for their ninth consecutive victory. The Vikings are 14-2. They set up a final-week showdown in Detroit for both the division title and the No. 1 seed for the playoffs in the NFC. Jordan Love’s only touchdown pass for the Packers came with 2:18 left to pull the Packers within two points. Darnold responded with two completions for first downs to seal the game. Saquon Barkley tops 2,000 yards rushing and moves within 100 of Dickerson's record PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley became the ninth running back in NFL history to top 2,000 yards rushing in a season, reaching the milestone with a 23-yard run in the fourth quarter against the Dallas Cowboys. That rush gave Barkley 2,005 yards with one game left and left him exactly 100 yards from Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105, set in 1984 for the Los Angeles Rams. Barkley could potentially top the record in next week’s finale against the New York Giants. However, that game will be mostly meaningless for the Eagles, who could opt to rest Barkley to protect him from injury ahead of the playoffs. NFC's No. 1 seed comes down to Vikings-Lions showdown at Detroit in Week 18 The NFC’s No. 1 seed will come down to the final week when the Detroit Lions host the Minnesota Vikings. The winner takes the NFC North and gets a first-round playoff bye and home-field advantage until the Super Bowl. The loser gets the No. 5 seed and must play on the road in the wild-card round. The Vikings held on for a 27-25 victory over the Green Bay Packers to set up the high-stakes showdown in Week 18. The Lions visit the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night. Win, lose or tie, they have to beat the Vikings for a second time this season. Herro leads Heat over Rockets in game marred by fight and ejections in final minute HOUSTON (AP) — Tyler Herro scored 27 points before being one of six people ejected after a fight in the final minute of the Miami Heat’s 104-100 victory over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night. Herro was thrown to the ground by the Rockets’ Amen Thompson with 35 seconds left and the Heat leading 99-94. Players and coaches from both benches then came onto the court. Both players were thrown out along with Rockets guard Jalen Green, coach Ime Udoka and assistant coach Ben Sullivan. Terry Rozier was also ejected for Miami. Bills clinch the AFC's No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the undisciplined Jets ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score and the Buffalo Bills clinched the AFC’s No. 2 seed with a 40-14 rout of the New York Jets. The Bills put the game away by capitalizing on two Jets turnovers and scoring three touchdowns over a 5:01 span in the closing minutes of the third quarter. Buffalo’s defense forced three takeaways overall and sacked Aaron Rodgers four times, including a 2-yard loss for a safety in the second quarter. The five-time defending AFC East champion Bills improved to 13-3 to match a franchise single-season record. Saquon Barkley tops 2,000 yards rushing as Eagles beat Cowboys 41-7 to clinch NFC East PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Saquon Barkley rushed for 167 yards to top 2,000 on the season, backup quarterback Kenny Pickett ran and threw for scores before departing with injured ribs, and the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the NFC East title by routing the Dallas Cowboys 41-7. Barkley has 2,005 yards and needs 101 in next week’s mostly meaningless regular-season finale to top Eric Dickerson and his 2,105 yards for the Los Angeles Rams in 1984. The Eagles led 24-7 in the third quarter when Pickett was drilled by defensive end Micah Parsons, ending his first start in place of the concussed Jalen Hurts. LeBron James at 40: A milestone birthday arrives Monday for the NBA's all-time scoring leader When LeBron James broke another NBA record earlier this month, the one for most regular-season minutes played in a career, his Los Angeles Lakers teammates handled the moment in typical locker room fashion. They made fun of him. Dubbed The Kid from Akron, with a limitless future, James is now the 40-year-old from Los Angeles with wisps of gray in his beard, his milestone birthday coming Monday, one that will make him the first player in NBA history to play in his teens, 20s, 30s and 40s. He has stood and excelled in the spotlight his entire career. Rising Sun Devils: Arizona State looks to pull off another big surprise at the Peach Bowl ATLANTA (AP) — As they prepare for Arizona State’s biggest game in nearly three decades, the guys who made it happen aren’t the least bit surprised to be rated a nearly two-touchdown underdog in the College Football Playoff. That’s a familiar position for the Sun Devils. They've been an underdog most of the season. Of the eight teams still vying for a national championship, there’s no bigger surprise than 11-2 Arizona State. The Sun Devils went 3-9 a year ago and were picked to finish dead last in their first season in the Big 12 Conference. Now, they're getting ready to face Texas in the Peach Bowl quarterfinal game on New Year’s Day. Penn State coach James Franklin says Nick Saban should be college football's commissioner SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Penn State coach James Franklin believes college football needs a commissioner and he even has a candidate in mind: former Alabama coach Nick Saban. Franklin made the suggestion Sunday at Penn State’s College Football Playoff quarterfinals media day ahead of the Fiesta Bowl. The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions are preparing for their game against No. 3 seed Boise State on Tuesday. The veteran coach was responding to a question about Penn State’s backup quarterback situation after Beau Pribula transferred to Missouri before the playoff. Pribula’s decision highlighted some of the frustrating aspects of a new college football world in the Name, Image and Likeness era and the transfer portal, forcing players to make tough decisions at inopportune times. Finland beats US 4-3 in OT in world junior hockey; Canada rebounds from loss to top Germany 3-0 OTTAWA, Ontario (AP) — Tuomas Uronen scored at 1:46 of overtime to give Finland a 4-3 victory over the defending champion United States on Sunday in the world junior hockey championship. Uronen, who plays for the Kingston Frontenacs in the Ontario Hockey League, came down the right side on a rush and beat goalie Trey Augustine high to the glove side. The Americans lost for the first time in three games. They’ll finish Group A play Tuesday night against Canada. Finland has won two straight after an opening loss to Canada. In the late game at Canadian Tire Centre, Carter George made 18 saves to help Canada rebound from an overtime loss to Latvia with a 3-0 victory over Germany.PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its position in MSCI Inc. ( NYSE:MSCI – Free Report ) by 6.3% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 17,534 shares of the technology company’s stock after buying an additional 1,046 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc.’s holdings in MSCI were worth $10,221,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in MSCI. Rothschild Investment LLC bought a new stake in shares of MSCI during the second quarter worth approximately $26,000. HWG Holdings LP bought a new stake in shares of MSCI during the 2nd quarter valued at $27,000. Ashton Thomas Securities LLC acquired a new position in shares of MSCI in the 3rd quarter valued at $40,000. Planning Capital Management Corp boosted its position in shares of MSCI by 35.1% in the 3rd quarter. Planning Capital Management Corp now owns 77 shares of the technology company’s stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 20 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Ridgewood Investments LLC acquired a new stake in shares of MSCI during the second quarter worth $40,000. Institutional investors own 89.97% of the company’s stock. Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades A number of brokerages recently weighed in on MSCI. Redburn Atlantic upgraded shares of MSCI from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $680.00 price target on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, October 9th. Argus lifted their price target on shares of MSCI from $520.00 to $600.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Friday, July 26th. Barclays boosted their price target on shares of MSCI from $650.00 to $700.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a report on Friday, September 13th. Evercore ISI assumed coverage on MSCI in a research note on Wednesday, October 2nd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $690.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on MSCI from $570.00 to $600.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, October 11th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and nine have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, MSCI has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $631.83. MSCI Stock Up 1.4 % Shares of MSCI opened at $589.25 on Friday. The company has a 50 day moving average of $586.39 and a 200-day moving average of $541.49. The stock has a market capitalization of $46.18 billion, a P/E ratio of 38.69, a P/E/G ratio of 3.10 and a beta of 1.11. MSCI Inc. has a twelve month low of $439.95 and a twelve month high of $631.70. MSCI ( NYSE:MSCI – Get Free Report ) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, October 29th. The technology company reported $3.86 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $3.77 by $0.09. MSCI had a negative return on equity of 162.06% and a net margin of 43.06%. The firm had revenue of $724.70 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $716.15 million. During the same period last year, the company earned $3.45 earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 15.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that MSCI Inc. will post 14.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year. MSCI Dividend Announcement The company also recently declared a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, November 29th. Shareholders of record on Friday, November 15th will be paid a $1.60 dividend. This represents a $6.40 dividend on an annualized basis and a yield of 1.09%. The ex-dividend date is Friday, November 15th. MSCI’s dividend payout ratio is currently 42.02%. About MSCI ( Free Report ) MSCI Inc, together with its subsidiaries, provides critical decision support tools and solutions for the investment community to manage investment processes worldwide. The Index segment provides indexes for use in various areas of the investment process, including indexed financial product, such as ETFs, mutual funds, annuities, futures, options, structured products, and over-the-counter derivatives; performance benchmarking; portfolio construction and rebalancing; and asset allocation, as well as licenses GICS and GICS Direct. Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for MSCI Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for MSCI and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .
It was with the DJI Air 2 and DJI Air 2S that DJI began to fork the road for some drone models. The Mavic 3 series then followed suit with several models available. As many have anticipated, we have now seen the release of the DJI Air 3S just over a year after the DJI Air 3 . The Air 3S is an impressive dual-camera drone. Although there are only a handful of upgrades, they are pretty impressive, making it a highly attractive mid-size drone. Before we get into the details, you can be sure that the Air 3S is one of the best drones . Thanks to the impressive dual camera capable of producing excellent image quality for photos and videos, it is also one of the best camera drones . Reaching a level where a drone fits comfortably into these prestigious categories is no mean feat, but the Air 3S has casually flown into both. Where the Air 3 sports two cameras using a 1/1.3-inch CMOS but with different focal lengths, the Air 3S features a 50MP 1-inch CMOS in the 24mm equivalent main camera, while the 70mm equivalent medium telephoto uses a 48MP 1/1.3-inch CMOS. Video can be captured in professional and enthusiast profiles up to 4K 120 FPS, while photos can be captured in Raw and JPEG at 12MP and the full resolution of each sensor. Both Air 3 drones look practically identical. The main differences aside from the camera are improvements to the Omnidirectional Vision Sensing System, which includes forward-facing LiDAR and downward ToF sensors to make lowlight flying and the advanced Return to Home functionality safer and more reliable. Of course, there are other improvements, and we will delve into those later. Back to top DJI Air 3S: Design Standard DJI folding design Level 6 wind resistance 42 GB of internal storage and a microSD slot DJI consumer drones look remarkably similar and feature a practically identical folding design; this is where the propeller arms fold and twist out from a folded transport and storage position that makes the drone’s footprint significantly smaller to flight position when required. It’s a tried and tested design and clearly shows no signs of needing a revamp – it simply works. Unfolded dimensions are arguably negligible because the drone is in the air most of the time in this state, but at 8.43 x 3.96 x 3.51 in / 214.2 x 100.6 x 89.2 mm with a weight of 25.54 oz / 724 g, you can see just how compact it is. This is, of course, way above the 250 g threshold, which means that the Air 3S, like the Air 3, is subject to greater restrictions and pilot requirements in most regions including both the US and the UK. Despite this relatively compact size, weight aside because it is roughly three-quarters the weight of the DJI Mavic 3 Pro , it is a powerful and fast drone with some impressive credentials in this area. The Air 3S has a 47 mph top speed, Level 6 wind resistance which equates to 27 mph and the 4276 mAh batteries provide up to 45 minutes of flight time. This couldn’t be fairly tested in the cool fall temperatures in the UK, but flight times per battery were never an issue. The Air 3S also features 42 GB of internal storage and a microSD slot to expand storage potential if and when required. Plus, there’s a USB-C port that can be used for data transfer from the internal storage and/or to charge the currently installed battery. If you have the Fly More Combo, the included three-way charging hub is undoubtedly the better option for charging. You can buy the drone with either the DJI RC-N3 controller , which is a standard controller that requires a smartphone running the DJI Fly app to be attached, or the DJI RC 2 smart controller , with its bright 700 nit 5.5-inch 1080p touchscreen and 32 GB of onboard storage. The DJI RC 2 is the more convenient of the two and doesn’t cost a huge amount more than the DJI RC-N3 Fly More Combo. DJI Air 3S: Functionality Omnidirectional obstacle avoidance with forward-facing LiDAR New Free Panorama feature 10-bit 04 Video Transmission In many respects, the Air 3S is the same drone as the Air 3, but it has a few aces beyond the improved camera that we will discuss in the next section. The most significant is the 360-degree omnidirectional obstacle avoidance, which has been upgraded with forward-facing LiDAR and downward infrared time-of-flight (TOF) sensors. The LiDAR and downward TOF sensors aim to improve obstacle avoidance at night. This could not be tested in the UK because night operations require special authorizations from the CAA. However, their inclusion on the Air 3S can only benefit pilots in countries where night flights are allowed without jumping through complicated regulatory hoops. One thing to bear in mind, however, is that collision avoidance, even in daylight, can never be fully relied upon because as effective as it is, and it is amazing, it is not a failsafe, and errors, however infrequent, can occur. So, pilot awareness always remains the most critical collision avoidance system with any drone and the two should supplement one another. The DJI Air 3S features ActiveTrack 360° subject tracking, which is highly effective and aims to keep the subject sharp and in focus in the center of the frame. This feature utilizes the collision avoidance system and is designed to maintain an optimum flight path during automated subject-tracking flights. The drone also uses the same DJI O4 HD video transmission technology that is used in the Air 3, which is claimed to be able to transmit 1080p 60 FPS video at up to 12.4 miles in the US and up to 6.2 miles in other regions. This could not be tested to its extreme, but suffice it to say that connection between the drone and controller was never an issue during testing within legal flight distances. Other useful new features include the new free panorama mode where panoramic shots are manually selected rather than simply selecting a panorama preset option, and the results are stitched together in-camera. Then there is Off-State QuickTransfer, which lets you connect the Air 3S to a computer to download files without switching it on. It's a simple feature that would have been great if it had been implemented in DJI drones long ago, but better late than never. Finally, let's not forget the DJI Cellular Dongle 2, which can be inserted directly into the Air 3S to provide 4G connectivity when there is interference or disconnection from DJI O4 HD video transmission. This is not a necessity for everyone, but for some pilots working in complex environments, it will provide enhanced reliability and peace of mind. Back to top DJI Air 3S: Performance 24mm and 70mm equivalent cameras 1-inch sensor in the main camera Up to 4K 120 FPS 1080p 240 FPS video Regarding camera performance, the Air 3S features a stunning pair of cameras that not only provide versatility for professionals and enthusiasts but also produce excellent image quality. The main camera is a real gem, and although it doesn't offer an adjustable aperture like the Mavic 3 models’ main camera, you can use ND filters to control shutter speed when shooting video. The main camera uses a 50MP 1-inch CMOS sensor and provides an equivalent focal length of 24mm, alongside a fixed f/1.8 aperture. Focus is from 1.64 ft / 0.5 m to infinity. The medium telephoto features a 48MP 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor and offers a 70mm equivalent focal length, alongside a fixed f/2.8 aperture and focus from 9.94 ft / 3 m to infinity. There’s also a digital zoom available for the cameras, but as always, the image quality drops as the zoom factor is increased since you’re cropping pixels rather than zooming optically. Overall image quality, as previously mentioned, is excellent from both cameras, with sharp and detail-packed photos and videos. There is a small amount of fall-off in sharpness towards the edges of the frame, but this is completely normal and minor. For photography, both cameras can be set to either their full resolution or 12MP if you only require a lower-resolution image. All resolution options allow for capture in RAW and JPEG formats, as well as all shooting modes including Automatic Exposure Bracketing (AEB) and Burst Shot, etc. Some DJI drones don't allow for these modes to be used when shooting in their high-resolution option. Both cameras can capture video in 4K at 24/25/30/48/50/60/120 FPS and in 1080p up to 240 FPS. For both 4K and 1080p video, capture at 120 and 240 FPS, respectively, requires the Slow Motion video option to be selected. 2.7K vertical video in 9:16 can be captured at 24/25/30/48/50/60 FPS, which is ideal for social media; this is a crop of landscape format rather than a rotation of the camera and gimbal like the Mini 3, 3 Pro and 4 Pro. Please note the footage below was shot in 4K but our video player only plays in HD. Video can be captured in Normal, HLG (HDR capture), and D-Log M color profiles with the former available in 8-bit and 10-bit with H.264 and H.265 encoding, and the latter two being 10-bit in H.265. This provides options for both straight-out-of-camera footage, which will appeal to enthusiasts, and flat profiles for professional workflows with color grading. Both cameras can also capture up to 14 stops of dynamic range, which is fantastic in high-contrast situations. DJI Air 3S: Price The Air 3S is available in three well-priced kit options considering the features on offer. It naturally sits between the DJI Mini 4 Pro and DJI Mavic 3 models in terms of cost and offers something different to both. The standard kit uses the DJI RC-N3 controller and includes this, the drone, a battery, and a USB-C/PD cable. This base kit costs $1099 / £959. There are two Fly More Combos with the less expensive of the two offering the same controller as the standard kit, and this option costs $1,399 / £1,239. The premium kit is the DJ RC N2 smart controller option, and this costs $1599 / £1,439. The Fly More Combos include everything in the standard kit alongside the relevant controller, two additional batteries, a shoulder bag, a three-battery charging hub, and an ND filter set with three filters to help with controlling shutter speed when shooting video or for creative photographic effects. Should you buy the DJI Air 3S? The DJI Air 3S is an excellent drone. Although the main camera doesn't have an adjustable aperture like the Mavic 3 models, the Air 3S produces excellent image quality. The Omnidirectional Vision Sensing System, which includes forward-facing LiDAR and downward ToF sensors, makes lowlight flying and the advanced Return to Home functionality safer and more reliable. This is also a fast and powerful drone with respectable flight times per battery, and this additional power alongside the weight makes it much more stable in windy conditions than the DJI Mini 4 Pro . Ultimately, the question you have to ask yourself is do you go for the Air 3S (this drone) or the Mavic 3 Pro . Both are excellent drones, but the Air 3S does have the edge in a few areas, including cost. If this drone isn't for you If you would like a more powerful professional drone with three cameras, including an adjustable aperture in the main camera, the DJI Mavic 3 Pro is the flagship model and provides fantastic image quality and features. The DJI Mini 4 Pro is the best sub-250 g camera drone available, and it's much more regulator-friendly than the DJI Air 3S. Its photo and video quality are great, and its small size and light weight make it highly portable. If you would prefer to capture FPV video, and photos are not important, the DJI Avata 2 is incredibly easy to fly with the DJI RC Motion 3 Controller. Flight is intuitive, even for beginners, and the quality of the 4K video is fantastic. Back to top
Two major automakers are joining forces to surviveDay 4 at the 2025 World Juniors was the best slate of games yet, with the top eight seeds coming into the tournament all in action. Here are the day’s standouts and analysis from The Athletic ’s prospects writers Scott Wheeler and Corey Pronman. • Sweden defeated Switzerland 7-5 in a chippy game that saw 18 minor penalties assessed. Red Wings prospect Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Hurricanes prospect Felix Unger Sorum, and Canucks prospect Tom Willander all had three points apiece for the Swedes. Capitals D prospect Leon Muggli had three assists for the Swiss. • Finland defeated USA 4-3 in overtime. Golden Knights prospect Tuomas Uronen scored the overtime winner and the Finns outshot the Americans 44-33. • Czechia defeated Slovakia 4-2 to improve to 3-0. Kraken prospect and Czechia captain Eduard Sale scored twice. The Czechs now have the best goal differential in the tournament (+18) heading into their New Year’s Eve matchup with Sweden. • Canada beat Germany 3-0, requiring an empty-netter for a second straight year against the Germans. Kings goalie prospect Carter George stayed perfect, pitching his second shutout of the tournament and making 25 saves. Defensemen Oliver Bonk ( Flyers ) and Caden Price (Kraken) scored for Canada. Mathieu Cataford (Golden Knights) had the empty-netter. Advertisement Canada lays another egg It took Canada 120 minutes to score a five-on-five goal against Latvia and Germany at the World Juniors. It bounced off the back boards and in off German goalie Nico Pertuch’s skate. Read that again. One five-on-five goal in six periods and an overtime. Four goals in total. Against Latvia and Germany. And in both games, almost the entire team looked aimless and disorderly, like they didn’t know where to be or how they wanted to play. The shots have been perimeter and the selection has grown increasingly forced. Their most talented players, the ones who had to make plays for them when they brought so few playmakers, don’t look like themselves. Sam Dickinson, who has dominated the OHL by playing a freewheeling style — sometimes to a fault — looks like a timid shell of himself and like he has been told not to be himself. They brought all of these mobile D and none of them are getting up in the play or killing plays early in the neutral zone, often retreating. Bradly Nadeau is in a second unfamiliar spot on the power play now (moved from the bumper to the net-front) and didn’t make his first real skill play until a flash in the offensive zone to set up a Tanner Howe chance midway through the second period of their third game. If you’re an NHL club, after how poorly things went for Matt Poitras on last year’s team and now Nadeau on this year’s, why would you want to loan your kids to play for Hockey Canada instead of for you right now? Two nights ago, head coach Dave Cameron talked about 6-8 goals worth of chances in a 3-2 overtime loss to a team they beat 10-0 a year prior. He gave “credit” and “full marks” to Latvia and their goalie. Do the Germans, who Team USA pumped 10 goals past on Boxing Day in a game they didn’t look good in themselves, also get “credit” and “full marks?” — Scott Wheeler Group A wide open We’re four days into the tournament and every team in Group A has now lost a game, leaving the door wide open for any seeding 1-3 into New Year’s Eve. Here’s where things stand: Eklund raising draft stock Hutson in early conversation for top D award The pre-tournament favourites for the top D award were undoubtedly Wild star prospect Zeev Buium and the award’s reigning winner, Swedish captain and Red Wings star prospect Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Sandin-Pellikka has had a strong tournament and leads the Swedes in goals (four), points (seven), shots (22) and plus-minus (+6) through three games. But Capitals second-rounder Cole Hutson and not Buium has been Team USA’s best defenseman. He has been outstanding with the puck on his stick all tournament long making things happen with his feet and creating the inches of space he needs to execute. After scoring a beautiful bar-down goal surfing across the offensive zone against Finland on Sunday, he now has six points of his own through three games. But it’s his calm, steady play defensively that has most impressed me. He has defended at a high level and the results match the eye test, too: Team USA has outscored the opposition 9-0 at five-on-five through three games with Hutson on the ice. The only two goals against he’s been on the ice for came on the power play on Sunday after he’d just stepped onto the ice for a bad change as Trevor Connelly turned a puck over, and at three-on-three in overtime after he blew a tire. He was still named USA’s player of the game. I know Hutson has talked, despite having 14 points in 16 games as an 18-year-old freshman at BU (tops among all under-19 D in college hockey and fifth among all under-19 skaters) about how he wants to be better than he has for the Terriers at points. But he has been good for them and excellent for Team USA here in Ottawa. He plays a more competitive style defensively than his older brother Lane does and while there are questions to ask about whether that will work against NHLers, he defends hard at this level. I’ve seen NHL upside this week. — Scott Wheeler Czechia emerges as a contender Coming into this tournament, Czechia was thought to be in the clear second-tier of teams, and likely not to challenge Sweden for the top spot in Group B. We will find out how their game goes on New Year’s Eve, but all indications are it’s going to be very competitive. Czechia’s performances against Switzerland, and today against Slovakia, have been arguably more impressive than what Sweden did to those teams. Czechia isn’t a star-studded team, but they’ve shown they have quality depth. A blue line full of mobility, size and smarts, and three lines of forwards who can make plays. On top of that they have a top-tier goalie in Michael Hrbal (Utah). Fellow Utah prospect Vojtech Hradec and Blues prospect Jakub Stancl have been surprise top scorers in the tournament to date. Czechia looks like a legit medal contender. — Corey Pronman (Photo of Canada’s Luca Pinelli and Germany’s Nico Pertuch: Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images)Target ( TGT 2.81% ) is getting labeled as the Grinch heading into the holiday season, after the retailer saw its shares plunge following poor third-quarter results and subdued guidance for the upcoming quarter. This most recent earnings summary was in contrast to rival Walmart ( WMT 2.32% ) , which reported strong quarterly sales and was upbeat approaching the all-important holidays for retailers. The slump in Target's share price now has the stock trading down about 14% on the year, as of this writing. Let's take a closer look at its most recent report and guidance to see if this dip in price could be a nice holiday gift for investors interested in the stock. Disappointing Q3 results and guidance After turning in solid results last quarter and looking like a turnaround was at hand, Target laid an egg when it announced its third-quarter results. Revenue edged up just 0.3% to $25.7 billion, below the $25.9 billion analyst consensus. Adjusted earnings per share (EPS), meanwhile, fell 12% to $1.85, badly missing analysts' expectations of $2.30. Same-store sales (comps) also rose by 0.3%, helped by a 2.4% increase in traffic. However, its average ticket declined by 2%. E-commerce sales jumped by 10.8%, but in-store comparable sales fell 1.9%. Beauty was once again a standout category for Target, with the segment seeing 6% comps growth. However, the company said that overall, consumer budgets remain stretched due to years of high inflation. It said this is leading to customers waiting for deals and then stocking up. The retailer continued to see strong growth in loyalty members, adding 3 million in the quarter. Target management said this is helping with the company's ad business, which grew by the mid-teens in the quarter. Meanwhile, after increasing gross margins last quarter, Target saw them slip 20 basis points year over year to 27.2% and by 170 basis points sequentially from 28.9% in the second quarter. Management blamed higher digital fulfillment and supply chain costs for the decline. Looking ahead, Target slashed its full-year earnings guidance, taking it to a range of $8.30 to $8.90 per share from a prior outlook of $9 to $9.70. That comes a quarter after the company raised its guidance. Metric Original Guidance Prior Guidance New Guidance Adjusted EPS $8.60 to $9.60 $9 to $9.70 $8.30 to $8.90 Source: Target. For the fourth quarter, it forecast comps to be flat, with adjusted EPS between $1.85 and $2.45. It said it continues to expect to see softness in spending on discretionary items. It also noted there will be five fewer shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas compared to last year. Should investors buy the dip? Target is clearly being outperformed by its rival Walmart at this point. The latter has shifted much more of its business toward groceries and other nondiscretionary items over the years, which helps isolate it more from consumer pressures. And Walmart appears to be making inroads into higher-income households making over $100,000 a year. This demographic has been the bread and butter of Target over the years. However, lower prices and the convenience of Walmart+ memberships that offer free same-day delivery have helped attract these customers. Target also offers same-day delivery, but with lower prices and more grocery offerings, Walmart appears to be winning the battle with consumers feeling the effects of the inflation of the past few years. From a valuation standpoint, Target stock now trades at a forward price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) of less than 12 times next year's analyst estimates, versus nearly 32 for Walmart. TGT PE ratio (forward 1y); data by YCharts. While Walmart stock warrants trading at a premium -- perhaps even a large premium given its more defensive nature and recent growth -- the gap between the two retailers has become extremely wide. Currently, it looks like Target shares are in the bargain bin compared both to Walmart and to historical levels. While Target is more dependent on the consumer and the economy, I think it looks like a solid rebound candidate that investors can consider buying after this recent price dip.
Ohio State, Michigan players involved in postgame scuffleBorn to James Earl Carter Sr. and Lillian Gordy Carter on Oct. 1, 1924, in Plains, Georgia, Jimmy Carter lived to age 100, making him the oldest former president before his death and the longest-living president in U.S. history. Carter achieved numerous accomplishments in his life, and experienced some memorable moments, in politics and other arenas. With time as a Georgia senator, governor and then U.S. president, Carter spent close to 20 years in politics before dedicating his life toward charitable organizations in the more than 40 years after he left the White House. Here are some of the most memorable moments from Carter's life: Carter's long life: Jimmy Carter's presidential longevity record Jimmy Carter's early life Graduation: After attending Georgia Southwestern College and the Georgia Institute of Technology, Carter attended the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and graduated in 1946 with a Bachelor of Science. Wedding: After knowing her for most of his youth, Carter married Rosalynn Smith on July 7, 1946, not long after his graduation. The two eventually had three sons – John William, James Earl III, Donnel Jeffrey – and a daughter, Amy Lynn. Farm life: After his father died in 1953, Carter took over the family farms and operated Carter's Warehouse, a general-purpose seed and farm supply company in Plains. Beginning of Jimmy Carter's political career After seven years as a naval officer, Carter began his political career by becoming a Georgia state senator in 1963. Gov. Carter: Despite an unsuccessful first attempt, Carter ran in the 1970 Georgia gubernatorial race and defeated Carl Sanders. He notably criticized his opponent's support of Martin Luther King Jr., but during his inauguration, he said, "The time for racial discrimination is over." Presidential campaign: Carter announced his candidacy for president in December 1974. After starting out with little support, Carter's campaign gained attention and clinched the nomination at the Democratic National Convention . Jimmy Carter's presidency 1976 presidential election: Carter debated incumbent President Gerald Ford three times on television. Carter eventually won with 297 electoral votes to Ford's 240. Presidential inauguration and Vietnam War: Carter was inaugurated as the 39th president on Jan. 20, 1977. One day later, he pardoned everyone who evaded the Vietnam War draft. The Camp David Accords: Carter brokered a historic peace treaty between Israel and Egypt, and he witnessed the agreement being signed at the White House on Sept. 17, 1978. Department of Energy: After comparing the U.S. energy crisis to war, Carter created the Department of Energy, the first new Cabinet position in more than a decade. Nuclear power plant meltdown: On March 28, 1979, a reactor at Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station in Pennsylvania partially melted down . Carter, who was an engineering officer during his time in the Navy, inspected the plant on April 1. The accident resulted in increased safety regulations for nuclear power plants in the U.S. 1980 State of the Union: Carter spent much of his presidency de-escalating the Cold War; he said in his final State of the Union address that the relationship between the U.S. and the Soviet Union "is the most critical factor in determining whether the world will live at peace or be engulfed in global conflict." Iran hostage crisis: From Nov. 4, 1979, to Jan. 20, 1981, 52 U.S. citizens, including members of the Diplomatic Corps, were held hostage in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, Iran. The hostage crisis began when Iranian militants broke into the embassy, marking a low point for Carter's presidency, one widely cited by historians and analysts as a contributor to his landslide loss in the 1980 general election to Ronald Reagan. 1980 presidential election: Reagan won the presidency with 489 electoral votes to Carter's 49. Carter's only term as president ended on Jan. 20, 1981. Jimmy Carter's life after presidency Carter Center: Carter created the Carter Center , a human rights organization. Accolades of the organization include observing 113 elections in 39 countries and helping reduce the cases of Guinea worm disease by 99.99%, essentially eradicating it, according to the Carter Center. Nobel Peace Prize: With his work with the Carter Center, Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for “his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights and to promote economic and social development.” Hurricane Sandy relief: After the devastation of Hurricane Sandy in 2012, Carter helped rebuild homes with Habitat for Humanity. Cancer diagnosis: Carter announced in 2015 that he had been diagnosed with cancer and had a mass in his liver removed. A few months later, he said he was cancer-free. Oldest living f ormer president: Carter broke numerous records, claiming the title of longest-living former president on March 22, 2019. By attending Donald Trump's inauguration in 2017, he became the oldest former president to attend an inauguration. Follow Jordan Mendoza on Twitter: @jordan_mendoza5.
CALGARY, Alberta – Minnesota Wild goalie Marc-Andre Fleury bounded down the tunnel and onto the ice for his 1,000th NHL start and what was presumably the final start of his career in the home rink of the Edmonton Oilers — a team he’d beaten 16 times previously in his career. ADVERTISEMENT He corralled one of the dozens of pucks strewn around the ice and fired toward the cage he would soon be guarding. But his attempt at an empty-net goal was foiled when the puck he had shot hit another puck at the top of the crease and both slid to the corners of the rink. It was just the first thing that would go wrong for the guy teammates lovingly call “Flower” on this night. Less than 30 seconds into the game, he swung at a puck bouncing in his direction all the way from the red line. He missed, and the Oilers led 1-0 on a fluke that had the Rogers Place crowd roaring and smiling. After the initial shock wore off, Fleury was smiling too. “I haven’t played in so long, I wanted to do well and help the team, and at the beginning to let that one in, I was mad for a little bit and then I just laughed. It was so stupid,” he said following Minnesota’s 5-3 win, which gave him a 4-0-1 record for the season. “The guys came by and they gave me a tap, and they laughed and kind of made it a little lighter. And they battled well, nobody sat back.” ADVERTISEMENT Just under 60 minutes of game time later, Flower was the one grinning in the Wild locker room as Minnesota won its ninth road game in a dozen opportunities. Fleury finished with 28 saves, and the other two Edmonton goals both went off the skates of Wild defenders. In the first period, he made a sprawling poke-check save to thwart Oilers star Connor McDavid’s rush to the net that had the Edmonton crowd primed to explode again. It was the 1,030th appearance in an NHL game for Fleury, moving him past Patrick Roy into third in the NHL record books for most games played by a goalie. He will turn 40 on Thanksgiving Day and has been in the league since 2003, after the Penguins made him the first-overall pick in that summer’s draft. But with Filip Gustavsson off to a fantastic start as the Wild’s mainstay in the crease, and Jesper Wallstedt waiting in the wings (in Iowa) presumably as the franchise’s goalie of the future, Fleury finds himself in a new role: backup goalie. Perhaps the only time his ever-present smile seemed forced following the win in Edmonton was when Fleury pointed out, on two occasions, that it was his first start in three weeks, since a win at San Jose on Nov. 7. ADVERTISEMENT Minnesota coach John Hynes reiterated on Friday afternoon that there was, for a brief moment, a thought that the Wild would carry three goalies — Gustavsson, Fleury and Wallstedt — for a time in October, meaning there would be two backups, or a rotation plus a third stringer. It didn’t work out that way. “Gus and Flower played well. Wally played well. But based on contracts and things like that and where everyone’s at in their career, Wally went down and played (in Iowa) and he’s doing a good job now and has found his game,” Hynes said. “But Flower’s playing really well and Gus is playing really well. So, it hasn’t been that he’s...the understudy. It’s just, here’s what we need to do everyday and then we’ll try to let you know when we’re going to start. Sometimes, it might be in advance. Sometimes, it might be a little closer to the game.” Fleury has made it clear that this will be the final season of his career, so like a rare flower that only blooms once in a while, seeing one of his remaining starts is worth seeking out. Of course, with the Wild defying expectations, the team’s fanbase is clearly hoping this flower keeps blooming well into May or even June. ADVERTISEMENT ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .
LONDON -- At 4-0 down after just 36 minutes, there was a danger that Julen Lopetegui was going to be the only person connected to West Ham left in the stands. The Hammers boss, serving a one-match touchline ban after picking up three yellow cards this season, watched on from a high vantage point as fans streamed out of London Stadium all around him before half-time, shaking their heads in disbelief at the havoc wreaked below. And yet, four minutes later, out of nowhere, West Ham had scored twice. Hope was revived. Just when the Hammers were getting themselves in a position from which to mount a second-half comeback, goalkeeper punched to concede a penalty that converted to send the Gunners in 5-2 up at the break. It was, quite simply, absolute madness -- a glorious advert for the brilliantly chaotic, implausibly unpredictable product, which ranks as one of the United Kingdom's most successful global exports in any field. In the end, the seven first-half goals tied a league record with three other games, the last of which came between Reading and in December 2012. Judging by the relative lack of empty seats -- most of those beleaguered West Ham fans returned anyway -- it was amusing that just when it seemed like more of the same would follow after the break, the second was goalless and uncompetitive. It felt like the proverbial early night in bed after the happy-hour hedonism. So, with about 15 minutes left, they started to leave again. It is, as ever, the hope that kills you as a sports fan and West Ham's had long been extinguished. Meaningful conclusions from games like this are ill-advised, but it should nevertheless be noted that after Arsenal needed a set-piece to break the deadlock, some of their football was a combination of divine and deadly. Gabriel Magalhães' 10th-minute header was the final act of a set-piece routine that will earn Arsenal fresh praise even given their well-documented strength in those situations. Running from far post to near, the Gunners were a blur of movement, in which perhaps the most cunning act was 's gentle nudge on to ensure Saka's delivery found Gabriel unmarked. If dark arts helped break the deadlock, Arsenal then well and truly stepped into the light. had a 17th-minute effort correctly ruled out for offside but West Ham were then overrun, Martin Ødegaard and Saka combining superbly to lay on a simple finish for . Saka then jinked into the box, and Paqueta could do nothing other than bring him down. Ødegaard converted. Trossard then released who finished low past Fabianski to cue the first mini-exodus. West Ham were the heavyweight knowing they were losing on points and therefore reduced to hopeful haymakers; inexplicably, they started landing. was given too much space in the Arsenal defensive third, though his pass was superbly executed through for to slot home. Wan-Bissaka had scored twice in 182 Premier League appearances, but now has two in six days. Because why not? Perhaps even more improbably, conceded a dubious free kick awarded for a challenge on Paqueta, and Emerson Palmieri curled a stunning 25-yard free kick in off the crossbar. It was the left-back's second goal in 20 months. Just as the visitors' sudden loss of composure sparked memories of Arsenal's 4-4 draw at Newcastle in February 2011 -- the only time a Premier League team has failed to win a game in which they led by four first-half goals -- Fabianski mistakenly floored Gabriel trying to meet a corner and Saka slotted home the penalty to conclude the scoring. Mercifully for them, the three-goal cushion proved sufficient. Arteta took pleasure in the restoration of the flow in Arsenal's game, triggered most significantly by Ødegaard's return to the starting lineup; it is no coincidence the Norway playmaker's reintegration has come in a week when the Gunners scored 13 goals including five in the Champions League for the first time since 2008. There was one note of caution after that game, which proved prophetic here too. "Before and after half-time you need to get through those 10-15 minutes in a different way," Arteta said after Tuesday's 5-1 win in Lisbon. "We gave so many balls away, and that doesn't allow you results." There was a similar sloppy spell here and there might come a time when that becomes the talking point. But not today, not after a 45-minute spell that ranks among the most tumultuous in recent memory.Jimmy Carter, who built a humanitarian legacy after presidency marked by crises, dies at 100
- Previous: lucky date to open a business 2024
- Next: lucky in japanese
