J Studios/DigitalVision via Getty Images Artificial intelligence has advanced a lot over the past year, but concerns of the rapidly growing technology replacing human workers continue to mount. A Citrini Research report added to those fears and has been a big topic of discussion this week. The report imagined a scenario set in 2028, in which the unemployment rate crossed 10% as a result of AI. "AI...
J Studios/DigitalVision via Getty Images Artificial intelligence has advanced a lot over the past year, but concerns of the rapidly growing technology replacing human workers continue to mount. A Citrini Research report added to those fears and has been a big topic of discussion this week. The report imagined a scenario set in 2028, in which the unemployment rate crossed 10% as a result of AI. "AI capabilities improved, companies needed fewer workers, white collar layoffs increased, displaced workers spent less, margin pressure pushed firms to invest more in AI, AI capabilities improved… It was a negative feedback loop with no natural brake," it stated. Granted, the scenario hasn't materialized yet, but investors are already seeing some of AI's impact on the labor market. On Thursday, fintech firm Block ( XYZ ) said it would slash its headcount to just under 6,000 from 10,000, with its CEO Jack Dorsey attributing the drastic change to AI. Other notable names that laid off employees due to AI include Klarna ( KLAR ) and HP ( HPQ ). Salesforce ( CRM ) also rebalanced its workforce as AI agents took over customer support work. Amazon ( AMZN ) said its latest layoffs aimed to eliminate duplicate layers, and were not AI-driven. But last year, its CEO Andy Jassy said he expected generative AI to lead to a reduced headcount . On the other hand, IBM ( IBM ) said it would triple entry-level hiring "across the board" in the U.S. in 2026 by recasting many roles, Bloomberg News reported this month. For now, AI has mostly complemented employees' workflow, enhanced productivity in certain industries, and taken over some routine work otherwise performed by junior staff. Kristalina Georgieva, IMF managing director, last month noted that nearly 40% of global jobs are exposed to AI-driven change. "For workers, finding or keeping a job will increasingly depend on the ability to update skills or learn new ones." Besides concerns of job losses, the Citrini report touched upon the so-cal...
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visits the headquarters of Unitree Robotics in Hangzhou on Feb. 26, 2026. Photo: Andres Martinez Casares/VCG German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Beijing this week for his first visit as chancellor, attempting to strike a delicate balance between re-engaging Germany’s largest trading partner and addressing a ballooning trade deficit. Accompanied by executive...
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visits the headquarters of Unitree Robotics in Hangzhou on Feb. 26, 2026. Photo: Andres Martinez Casares/VCG German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived in Beijing this week for his first visit as chancellor, attempting to strike a delicate balance between re-engaging Germany’s largest trading partner and addressing a ballooning trade deficit. Accompanied by executives from roughly 30 leading German companies — spanning automotive, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and machinery — Merz met with President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. The visit, which concluded Thursday, marked a return to the more pragmatic, business-first diplomacy of the Merkel era, yet it unfolded against a backdrop of intensifying economic rivalry and European threats of protectionism.
When you're worried you won't have enough money for retirement, there are two ways to handle the situation: You can increase your savings, or you can reduce your costs. Many people want to save more, but they struggle because of high living costs today. Reducing your retirement costs can also seem difficult if you plan to remain in your current home. But if you're willing to move to one of the fol...
When you're worried you won't have enough money for retirement, there are two ways to handle the situation: You can increase your savings, or you can reduce your costs. Many people want to save more, but they struggle because of high living costs today. Reducing your retirement costs can also seem difficult if you plan to remain in your current home. But if you're willing to move to one of the following 10 states, your dollars could go a lot further. Image source: Getty Images. Continue reading
On February 6, 2026, BlueStem Wealth Partners, LLC reported selling 115,449 shares of TCW Flexible Income ETF (NYSE:FLXR) in the fourth quarter of 2025. According to its SEC filing dated February 6, 2026, BlueStem Wealth Partners, LLC reduced its stake in TCW Flexible Income ETF by 115,449 shares during the final quarter of 2025. The estimated value of this transaction, calculated using the averag...
On February 6, 2026, BlueStem Wealth Partners, LLC reported selling 115,449 shares of TCW Flexible Income ETF (NYSE:FLXR) in the fourth quarter of 2025. According to its SEC filing dated February 6, 2026, BlueStem Wealth Partners, LLC reduced its stake in TCW Flexible Income ETF by 115,449 shares during the final quarter of 2025. The estimated value of this transaction, calculated using the average quarterly closing price, was $4.6 million. BlueStem’s position was valued at $11 million at quarter’s end. TCW Flexible Income ETF provides investors with a globally diversified, actively managed fixed income portfolio that adapts to changing market and economic conditions. The fund's flexible mandate enables allocation across a wide range of debt instruments, including significant exposure to emerging markets and high-yield securities, while maintaining risk controls on currency and credit quality. This approach aims to deliver attractive income and total return, supported by a competitive dividend yield and a disciplined investment process. Continue reading
Shares of CoreWeave slumped around 12% before the bell on Friday, after the company's plans to double capital expenditure this year fueled investor concerns about margin pressure and effective returns from its artificial intelligence push. The cloud infrastructure company has committed significant capital toward the construction of large data centers filled with top-of-the line Nvidia chips to ...
Shares of CoreWeave slumped around 12% before the bell on Friday, after the company's plans to double capital expenditure this year fueled investor concerns about margin pressure and effective returns from its artificial intelligence push. The cloud infrastructure company has committed significant capital toward the construction of large data centers filled with top-of-the line Nvidia chips to capitalize on the booming demand for AI services. CoreWeave has budgeted $30 billion to $35 billion in capital expenditure this year, more than double the $14.9 billion it spent in 2025.
Gogo (GOGO) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of -166.67% and +3.36%, respectively, for the quarter ended December 2025. Do the numbers hold clues to what lies ahead for the stock?
Gogo (GOGO) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of -166.67% and +3.36%, respectively, for the quarter ended December 2025. Do the numbers hold clues to what lies ahead for the stock?
Fulgent Genetics (FLGT) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of +433.33% and -2.39%, respectively, for the quarter ended December 2025. Do the numbers hold clues to what lies ahead for the stock?
Fulgent Genetics (FLGT) delivered earnings and revenue surprises of +433.33% and -2.39%, respectively, for the quarter ended December 2025. Do the numbers hold clues to what lies ahead for the stock?
winhorse/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images As I’ve covered in the past , I saw HSBC Holdings Plc ( HSBC ) investment case more geared to income rather than value over the past few years, but despite that, its shares have performed quite well as investor sentiment continues to be positive toward the global banking sector and valuations keep increasing, supported by strong profitability levels and ...
winhorse/iStock Unreleased via Getty Images As I’ve covered in the past , I saw HSBC Holdings Plc ( HSBC ) investment case more geared to income rather than value over the past few years, but despite that, its shares have performed quite well as investor sentiment continues to be positive toward the global banking sector and valuations keep increasing, supported by strong profitability levels and good capital return prospects. HSBC has been no exception, and, as shown in the next graph, its valuation based on the price-to-book value multiple has gradually increased over the past three years to a current level around 1.7x book value. P/BV multiple (Seeking Alpha) This is the highest valuation multiple HSBC has been trading over the last decade, showing that investors have been willing to value its business at much higher multiples than in the past. Indeed, HSBC was valued at a bottom P/BV multiple of only 0.4x back in 2020 and less than book value at the end of 2024, showing that its strong share price performance over the last year was largely due to a re-rating of its shares rather than earnings or book value growth. Indeed, the bank has recently released its earnings related to 2025 , which showed a positive operating performance, but that was not that impressive that justifies a very strong re-rating of its shares, in my opinion. Its reported revenues amounted to $68.3 billion during last year, up by just 4% YoY, supported by higher net interest income and fee growth. On the other hand, its revenues were impacted by business disposals performed during 2024, namely in Argentina and Canada, plus the dilution of its stake in BOCOM ( BCMXY ) following a capital increase last June also had a negative effect on HSBC’s revenue. These items impacted HSBC’s revenues by close to $2 billion in 2025, while adjusted for these impacts, its revenues would have been around $71 billion last year, up by 5% YoY. While its top-line growth was not fantastic, this can be considered a ...
We Are/DigitalVision via Getty Images Introduction & Investment Thesis Celsius Holdings ( CELH ) reported their Q4 FY25 earnings yesterday, where revenue surged 117% YoY, led by the acquisition of Alani Nu, which grew 136% YoY on a pro forma basis, contributing to over 51% of Total Revenue, along with Rockstar Energy adding $45M to their total Energy Portfolio. I have been rating the stock a “buy”...
We Are/DigitalVision via Getty Images Introduction & Investment Thesis Celsius Holdings ( CELH ) reported their Q4 FY25 earnings yesterday, where revenue surged 117% YoY, led by the acquisition of Alani Nu, which grew 136% YoY on a pro forma basis, contributing to over 51% of Total Revenue, along with Rockstar Energy adding $45M to their total Energy Portfolio. I have been rating the stock a “buy” since January 2025 , and since then the stock has been up over 86%, hugely outperforming the S&P 500. Although the stock is down 14% since the time of my October “buy” rating, I believe there is still a 19% potential upside left in the short to medium term. In this post, I will explain why. Revenue surged 117% as Celsius Portfolio represents 20% of the US Energy Market Celsius reported its Q4 FY25 earnings yesterday, where revenue surged 117% YoY to $721M, led by the acquisition of Alani Nu, contributing $370M and growing at 136% on a pro forma basis, and Rockstar Energy, adding another $45M to total revenue. Their combined portfolio now represents approximately 20% of the US energy market in tracked channels, up 800 basis points compared to the previous year, inching closer to Monster Beverage ( MNST ) at the Number 2 position with a 27.3% market share and Red Bull at the Number 1 position with a 35.9% market share. Q4 FY25 Earnings Slides: Market share of Celsius brand profile relative to competitors in the US What is also impressive, in my opinion, is how the acquisition of Alani Nu in Q2 contributed to the company’s contribution to category growth, which has been inching higher every single quarter since. Q4 FY25 Earnings Slides: Growing contribution to category growth, spearheaded by Alani Nu acquisition As management discussed , their Energy portfolio is well positioned to capture the structural consumer behavior shift towards zero sugar, functional energy drinks that fit into daily routines and drive growth in the category as they continue to drive innovation and le...
J Studios/DigitalVision via Getty Images Since our last review of Micron Technology ( MU ) ( MU:CA ) ( ZMIC:CA ) about a year ago, the company has experienced an extraordinary upward trend, rising 294%. This is largely attributable to sharply rising spot prices for DRAM and NAND, as supply is under pressure from hyperscalers and LLM providers locking in their demand for production-intensive HBM wi...
J Studios/DigitalVision via Getty Images Since our last review of Micron Technology ( MU ) ( MU:CA ) ( ZMIC:CA ) about a year ago, the company has experienced an extraordinary upward trend, rising 294%. This is largely attributable to sharply rising spot prices for DRAM and NAND, as supply is under pressure from hyperscalers and LLM providers locking in their demand for production-intensive HBM with long lead times, and OpenAI reportedly securing up to 40% of global DRAM supplies for the coming years. In this earlier article, we expressed our view that investors could still benefit indirectly from the favorable developments in AI at a cheap valuation compared to Nvidia. This seems to have worked out well, as demand for HBM is less cyclical, with production for the 2025 calendar year already sold out at that time. A year later, however, we have come to realize that HBM has become more of a bottleneck for AI data centers than a building block, leading to the current situation of an expected undersupply for DRAM in the coming years, further accelerating the current AI memory cycle. Therefore, in this article, we will revisit the current state of the DRAM and NAND markets, Micron's latest results, and an updated valuation framework. Furthermore, we will discuss our reasons for believing that, although the AI memory boom will continue in the near future, the company in our view is correctly valued based on current prices, with the possibility of further upside potential if we see clear signs of the current supply constraints extending beyond 2028. Data by YCharts A Quarter Of Imbalance Although in our previous article, we laid out the thesis that Micron was a buy, given it would still provide investors with AI tailwinds with HBM likely being a bottleneck for the industry, we have to admit that we weren't expecting the imbalances to become this grave. On the positive side, it made Micron set another record quarter with revenue reaching $13.64BN as of fiscal Q1, up 57% YoY...