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Twitter (TWTR) Hires New CFO to Lead Stock Turnaround

By U.S. News & World Report

Twitter Inc. (ticker: TWTR) shares traded higher by more than 3.4 percent on Wednesday morning after the company announced it has hired Intuit ( INTU) vice president of finance and former Goldman Sachs Group ( GS) banker Ned Segal as its new chief financial officer. TWTR stock owners are hoping Segal can provide a shot in the arm for Twitter’s finances. In the most recent quarter, Twitter reported its first year-over-year revenue decline since going public back in 2013.

[See: 7 Best Tech Stocks to Buy for 2017.]

Segal has more than 20 years of experience in finance, including 17 years in various roles at Goldman Sachs.

“Ned’s experience in financial operations as a public company and business unit CFO, along with his background serving technology companies and investors, are an ideal fit for Twitter as we work to extend our positive momentum, continue growing our audience and achieve greater operating efficiency,” Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey says. “He brings a principled, engaging and rigorous approach to the CFO role, with a track record of driving profitable growth.”

Segal will replace current Twitter CFO Anthony Noto, who will maintain his role as chief operating officer.

JMP analyst Ronald Josey says the addition of Segal will help lighten the workloads of Noto, Dorsey and other key players at Twitter.

“Since November 2016, COO Anthony Noto has been filling both the CFO and COO roles, and with the appointment of Mr. Segal, we believe it will give Mr. Noto more bandwidth to focus on monetization, building out Live Video, and core product improvements,” Josey wrote on Tuesday.

Segal is the latest hire by TWTR as the company attempts to replace a number of key executives that left in recent years. In May, the company announced the return of co-founder Biz Stone, who it expects to help “guide the company culture.”

Despite a surprise uptick in active users in the first quarter and the addition of Stone and Segal, Josey says Twitter still has a lot to prove before it becomes a compelling long-term investment opportunity.

[See: The 7 Best Bank Stocks to Buy for 2017.]

“While we are encouraged by the company’s continued development of Live Video, an improving product experience, and more recent [daily active user] trends, we believe it is early in Twitter’s turnaround related to advertiser demand, such that the risk/reward in shares remains balanced at current levels,” he wrote.

Investors certainly seem optimistic about Twitter’s recent trends. The stock is now up 34 percent in the past three months.

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Twitter (TWTR) Hires New CFO to Lead Stock Turnaround originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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