Wilhelmina International Inc (WHLM) Major Shareholder Purchases $22,380.80 in Stock

Wilhelmina International Inc (NASDAQ:WHLM) major shareholder Ralph Bartel bought 3,497 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 8th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $6.40 per share, for a total transaction of $22,380.80. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 917,418 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,871,475.20. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Major shareholders that own at least 10% of a company’s stock are required to disclose their sales and purchases with the SEC.

• On Tuesday, February 6th, Ralph Bartel bought 1,503 shares of Wilhelmina International stock. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $6.40 per share, for a total transaction of $9,619.20.
• On Friday, February 23rd, Ralph Bartel bought 7,612 shares of Wilhelmina International stock. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $6.25 per share, for a total transaction of $47,575.00.
• On Wednesday, December 27th, Ralph Bartel purchased 3,338 shares of Wilhelmina International stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of $6.40 per share, with a total value of $21,363.20.
• On Wednesday, December 27th, Ralph Bartel purchased 3,338 shares of Wilhelmina International stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of $6.40 per share, with a total value of $21,363.20.
• On Wednesday, December 6th, Ralph Bartel purchased 4,969 shares of Wilhelmina International stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of $6.40 per share, with a total value of $31,801.60.
• On Friday, December 8th, Ralph Bartel purchased 11,631 shares of Wilhelmina International stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of $6.40 per share, with a total value of $74,438.40.
• On Friday, December 1st, Ralph Bartel purchased 10,031 shares of Wilhelmina International stock. The stock was purchased at an average price of $6.50 per share, with a total value of $65,201.50.
• On Tuesday, November 28th, Ralph Bartel bought 4,933 shares of Wilhelmina International stock. The stock was bought at an average price of $6.40 per share, with a total value of $31,571.20.

Shares of Wilhelmina International Inc (NASDAQ WHLM) opened at $6.02 on Tuesday. Wilhelmina International Inc has a twelve month low of $5.58 and a twelve month high of $8.73. The company has a market capitalization of $32.40, a P/E ratio of -54.73 and a beta of 0.68. The company has a current ratio of 1.26, a quick ratio of 1.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07.

Separately, ValuEngine upgraded Wilhelmina International from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, December 1st.

About Wilhelmina International

Wilhelmina International, Inc is engaged in fashion model management. The Company provides fashion model and talent management services, specializing in the representation and management of models, entertainers, artists, athletes and other talent to various customers and clients, including retailers, designers, advertising agencies and catalog companies.

Ameriprise Smacked With SEC Share-Class Violation Fine

Ameriprise Financial Services has become the latest financial services firm to get ensnared in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s crackdown on share class infractions.

The Minnesota-based broker-dealer and investment advisor agreed Wednesday to settle charges that it recommended and sold higher-fee mutual fund shares to retail retirement account customers and failed to provide sales charge waivers.

According to the SEC’s order, Ameriprise disadvantaged certain retirement account customers by failing to ascertain their eligibility for less expensive mutual fund share classes.

Approximately 1,791 customer accounts paid more than $1.7 million in unnecessary up-front sales charges, contingent deferred sales charges, and higher ongoing fees and expenses as a result of Ameriprise’s practices.

According to the SEC order, Ameriprise recommended and sold these eligible customers Class A shares with an up-front sales charge or Class B or Class C shares with a back-end contingent deferred sales charge (a deferred sales charge the purchaser pays if the purchaser sells the shares during a specified time period following the purchase) and higher ongoing fees and expenses, when they were eligible to purchase load-waived Class A shares.

Without admitting or denying the findings, Ameriprise consented to a cease-and-desist order, a censure and a penalty of $230,000.

Ameriprise failed to disclose that it would receive greater compensation from the purchases and that the purchases would negatively impact the overall return on the customers’ investments, the SEC said.

“Ameriprise generated greater revenue for itself but lower returns for its retirement account customers by recommending higher-fee share classes,” said Anthony Kelly, co-chief of the SEC Enforcement Division’s Asset Management Unit.

“Ameriprise voluntarily paid full remediation to clients, with interest,” the firm said in a statement. “It’s important to note that this is a long-standing industry topic and numerous firms have settled with the SEC and FINRA on similar matters.”

The SEC continued:

“As evidenced by our recently announced Share Class Selection Disclosure Initiative, pursuing these types of actions remains a priority for the Division as we seek to get money back in the hands of harmed investors.”

Steven Peikin, co-director of the SEC’s Enforcement Division, said on Feb. 23 at the SEC Speaks event in Washington that investment advisors putting their clients into higher fee share classes when lower cost ones are available “is a widespread problem.”

Peikin, in referencing the division’s newly launched Share Class Selection Disclosure Initiative, said the “ultimate goal” of the program is to try to “return money” to as many investors

The SEC’s order instituting a settled administrative and cease-and-desist proceeding finds that Ameriprise violated Sections 17(a)(2) and 17(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933.

Steel stocks rise ahead of potential trade announcement

Steel and aluminum stocks rose in the premarket Thursday after reports that a major trade announcement from the White House could be coming.

Shares of U.S. Steel jumped 3.4 percent before the bell while AK Steelsurged 5.6 percent. Century Aluminum rose 4.4 percent on low premarket volume.

On Wednesday night, The Washington Post reported that the White House was planning to make an announcement on steel and aluminum imports on Thursday. Executives from top U.S. steel and aluminum companies had been invited to the White House for an emergency meeting on Thursday, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC.

The White House has been working on implementing tariffs on metals imports since last year. In June, Axios reported President Donald Trumpwas "hell-bent" on imposing tariffs on steel and other imports.

On Thursday, Trump reiterated his desire for changes to U.S. trade in the steel and aluminum industries, tweeting the industries "have been decimated by decades of unfair trade and bad policy with countries from around the world."

Among the recommendations from the Commerce Department's Section 232 investigation completed earlier this month was a 24 percent global tariff on steel imports.

U.S. Steel shares are up 24 percent this year.