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Snapchat (SNAP) Stock Is Bad, But Twitter (TWTR) Is Much Worse

By U.S. News & World Report

Just over two weeks after Twitter, Inc. (ticker: TWTR) reported horrendous second-quarter numbers that sent shares tumbling to their lowest level in months, Snap Inc. ( SNAP) shares plummeted to new all-time lows on Friday after the company’s own quarterly earnings report missed the mark.

After a disastrous first few months on the public market, perhaps the only silver lining for Snap investors is that their outlook isn’t as bad as Twitter’s. At least not yet it isn’t.

[Read: The 10 Most Anticipated IPOs of 2017.]

Snap fell short of Wall Street’s expectations across the board in the second quarter. The company reported an adjusted earnings per share loss of 16 cents, revenue of $181.7 million and an uptick of 7 million in daily active users. Consensus analyst forecasts had called for an EPS loss of 14 cents on revenue of $186.2 million and 8 million DAU additions.

TWTR and SNAP’s struggles underscore the impressive execution at rival social media giant Facebook, ( FB), which continues to consistently exceed growth expectations. But while Facebook remains the gold standard of social media stocks, investors are left with a tough decision in picking a distant runner-up between Snap and Twitter.

Snap has stumbled out of the block since its March IPO, and a pattern of slowing growth and earnings misses is certainly concerning. However, at this point, Snap investors have more reason for optimism than Twitter shareholders.

On Thursday, Citi analyst Mark May said Snap has several key long-term advantages over Twitter. While Twitter reported no net user additions in the second quarter, Snap’s user base is already twice the size of Twitter’s and is still growing at an impressive clip. In addition, Snap has consistently reported better user engagement numbers than Twitter and has much more room for improvement in terms of average revenue per user.

May says all these factors make Snap a better long-term investment than Twitter, but buyers will have to tolerate the company’s growing pains in the near-term.

“Investors are more focused on DAU growth versus the ARPU/monetization opportunity at Snap, and quarterly results could weigh on sentiment [or] the stock,” May wrote.

[Read: 10 Reasons Why Everyone Should Own Facebook Stock.]

Other Wall Street analysts aren’t convinced that either stock is a worthwhile investment. On Friday, Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry called Snap stock “total junk” and said IPO investors “were sold snake oil.” In December of last year, Chowdhry said Twitter is “pretty much toast” and suggested TWTR stock is worth less than $10 per share.

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The 25 Best Blue-Chip Stocks to Buy for 2017

Snapchat (SNAP) Stock Is Bad, But Twitter (TWTR) Is Much Worse 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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