Supatman/iStock via Getty Images Shares of Alphabet Inc. ( GOOG ) ( GOOGL ) have been among the strongest of the large technology companies out there, considered a clear winner in the current AI boom, reporting among the highest growth rates in the cloud. The market's perception of the competitive position of Gemini, real underlying traction, great leverage on sales growth, higher capital spending...
Supatman/iStock via Getty Images Shares of Alphabet Inc. ( GOOG ) ( GOOGL ) have been among the strongest of the large technology companies out there, considered a clear winner in the current AI boom, reporting among the highest growth rates in the cloud. The market's perception of the competitive position of Gemini, real underlying traction, great leverage on sales growth, higher capital spending, and progress on TPUs and Waymo all have completely altered the narrative. Not too long ago, the dominant thesis was that AI was disrupting search, with Alphabet now being considered one of the clear winners from the AI boom. This is to be applauded, yet it makes expectations balloon, with shares having quadrupled in just three years' time as a testament to the extent to which expectations have risen. Earnings multiples have risen toward the high end of the range at which big tech trades, at multiples in the mid-thirties, and while real improvement is to be shown for, expectations have risen substantially. Over the past year alone, shares have more than doubled, compared to negative returns in the case of Microsoft, for instance, as the market might be expecting too much. The rat race in AI spending remains fascinating to watch. Alphabet has not necessarily been dealt a good hand, yet it has created a good hand for itself here. A Stellar First Quarter Earnings Report By the end of April, Alphabet reported a strong set of first quarter results, with reported sales growth up 22% to $109.9 billion, as constant currency growth rates of 19% year-over-year actually showed a nice acceleration from this period a year before. Google Services revenues were up 19% to $89.9 billion, but the star is a 63% increase in Google Cloud revenues to $20.0 billion, driven by core cloud and AI services. Operating margins rose no less than two points to 36% of sales, with operating profits reported at $39.7 billion. On top of this, the company reported over $37 billion in other income as well, re...
Images By Tang Ming Tung PayPal Holdings's ( PYPL ) Q1 earnings will be released before the market opens on Tuesday against a shifting backdrop. It enters Q2 under a new CEO, a rejiggered corporate structure , and fewer employees. The narrative has shifted since its Q4 results, with the "debate now centered on organic turnaround vs. pursuing strategic alternatives under new CEO (and prior Chairman...
Images By Tang Ming Tung PayPal Holdings's ( PYPL ) Q1 earnings will be released before the market opens on Tuesday against a shifting backdrop. It enters Q2 under a new CEO, a rejiggered corporate structure , and fewer employees. The narrative has shifted since its Q4 results, with the "debate now centered on organic turnaround vs. pursuing strategic alternatives under new CEO (and prior Chairman) Enrique Lores," Evercore ISI analyst Adam Frisch wrote in a note on Monday. He doesn't expect management to present a clearly defined plan on the Q1 call but expects them to remain “fairly balanced” between the two paths. A good starting point would be the sale of some “fringe” assets, with the setting up of Venmo as a standalone business being one indication of that strategy. "We continue to believe breaking up the company (as we don’t see a natural buyer for the entire entity) is the path that will optimize near-term value and risk for shareholders, while an organic turnaround will take several years and carry material risk of execution and success," Frisch said. For Q1, non-GAAP is expected to be $1.27, up 3.3% from Q4 2025 and down 4.6% from a year ago, according to the consensus estimate. For revenue, the average analyst estimate is $8.06B, down ~7% from the previous quarter and up 3.4% from the year-ago period. Note that in the past six months, the Q1 non-GAAP EPS consensus estimate dropped 9.5%, and the revenue estimate fell 3.1%. Adjusted cash flow is expected to be $997M, down from $2.10B in Q4 and up from $964M in Q1 2025. Looking at potential near-term catalysts for the stock, KBW analyst Sanjay Sakhrani sees the potential for PayPal ( PYPL ) to beat Q1 estimates on significantly lowered expectations on the positive side. In the negative column, catalysts could include evidence of market share decline and macro headwinds weighing on discretionary spending. PayPal ( PYPL ), rated Outperform by KBW, remains among the firm's preferred payment stocks for Q1 2026, b...
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) and Snap (NYSE:SNAP) just delivered earnings that frame two opposite paths through the digital ad market. Meta posted a 33.08% revenue surge powered by AI-driven ad pricing. Snap finally swung to a $45.21 million quarterly profit by leaning on subscriptions and small advertisers. Same industry, very different business stories. One Sells Pricing ... Meta Platforms vs Sn...
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) and Snap (NYSE:SNAP) just delivered earnings that frame two opposite paths through the digital ad market. Meta posted a 33.08% revenue surge powered by AI-driven ad pricing. Snap finally swung to a $45.21 million quarterly profit by leaning on subscriptions and small advertisers. Same industry, very different business stories. One Sells Pricing ... Meta Platforms vs Snap: Who’s Really Winning Digital Ads?
It probably goes without saying that the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) and the ETFs that track it are some of the best options for retail investors. Their broad diversification and ultra-low fees make them ideal for almost any long-term investing goals. But people often dial back their risk tolerance when stocks start falling. It's not unusual for people to sell their S&P 500 ETFs altogether if stock ...
It probably goes without saying that the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC) and the ETFs that track it are some of the best options for retail investors. Their broad diversification and ultra-low fees make them ideal for almost any long-term investing goals. But people often dial back their risk tolerance when stocks start falling. It's not unusual for people to sell their S&P 500 ETFs altogether if stock prices fall far enough. This is one of the most damaging things investors can do to their own portfolio performance. While it's tempting to exit in situations like this, let's look at some actual history to see what happened during past bear markets and why it makes sense to keep buying ETFs, such as the Vanguard S&P 500 (NYSEMKT: VOO) , even when times get tough. Continue reading
Welfare Enrollment Drops Sharply Following New Federal Work Requirements Via American Greatness, Enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has declined significantly since new federal work requirements took effect in mid-2025, with millions fewer Americans receiving benefits, according to newly reported federal data. The number of people enrolled in SNAP has fallen by roughly 3.5...
Welfare Enrollment Drops Sharply Following New Federal Work Requirements Via American Greatness, Enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has declined significantly since new federal work requirements took effect in mid-2025, with millions fewer Americans receiving benefits, according to newly reported federal data. The number of people enrolled in SNAP has fallen by roughly 3.5 million since July 2025 , dropping from an average of 42.1 million participants in the prior fiscal year to about 38.5 million as of January 2026, according to reporting by The Wall Street Journal . The decline follows the implementation of expanded eligibility rules included in the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law by Donald Trump on July 4, 2025. The legislation broadened existing work requirements for able-bodied adults, mandating that individuals between the ages of 18 and 64 without young dependents participate in at least 80 hours per month of work, volunteering, or government-run programs. Previously, the requirements applied to a narrower age group and included different criteria for dependents, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP. Officials told The Wall Street Journal that the recent changes represent the most sweeping adjustments to the program in decades. Under the updated policy, eligibility restrictions have also tightened for some categories of legal immigrants. Federal law has long barred undocumented immigrants from receiving SNAP benefits. Data compiled by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities shows that nearly every state has experienced a decline since the policy took effect. Alaska, Hawaii, and Kentucky are exceptions, each reporting modest increases. Meanwhile, SNAP participation in Guam has risen sharply, while Puerto Rico operates under a separate nutrition assistance program. Several states, including Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, and Tennessee, have reported double-digit percentage declines. In re...
Micron stands out in a profitability-driven market shift, boasting a 41.5% net margin and massive share gains as investors hunt for strong earnings performers.
Micron stands out in a profitability-driven market shift, boasting a 41.5% net margin and massive share gains as investors hunt for strong earnings performers.
Labour leadership challenge in wake of disastrous local poll results could unleash chaos in party, MPs told Cabinet ministers have warned mutinous Labour MPs that any attempt to oust Keir Starmer after a potentially disastrous set of election results this week would unleash chaos for the party that would not be easily overcome. However, several told the Guardian that even with the prime minister’s...
Labour leadership challenge in wake of disastrous local poll results could unleash chaos in party, MPs told Cabinet ministers have warned mutinous Labour MPs that any attempt to oust Keir Starmer after a potentially disastrous set of election results this week would unleash chaos for the party that would not be easily overcome. However, several told the Guardian that even with the prime minister’s determination to stay in Downing Street after Thursday’s vote, the mood on the backbenches was febrile and events could yet spiral out of control. Continue reading...
The U.S. bond market is increasingly concerned that accelerating inflation could pressure the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates to try and tamp down price pressures — even as U.S. stocks continued to trade near record highs on Monday.
The U.S. bond market is increasingly concerned that accelerating inflation could pressure the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates to try and tamp down price pressures — even as U.S. stocks continued to trade near record highs on Monday.
Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) and Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) just delivered earnings that frame the cloud pivot from opposite ends. Oracle is pouring capital into AI infrastructure to become a hyperscaler. Salesforce is layering AI agents onto the workflow software enterprises already run. Both are betting big. Only one is doing it with debt. IaaS Carries Oracle. Agentforce Carries ... Salesforce vs Oracle: There...
Salesforce (NYSE:CRM) and Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) just delivered earnings that frame the cloud pivot from opposite ends. Oracle is pouring capital into AI infrastructure to become a hyperscaler. Salesforce is layering AI agents onto the workflow software enterprises already run. Both are betting big. Only one is doing it with debt. IaaS Carries Oracle. Agentforce Carries ... Salesforce vs Oracle: There’s Only One Winner In the Cloud AI Push
Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) just delivered one of the strongest first quarters in big pharma history, but shares have pulled back sharply from their February peak. That gap between operating performance and stock price is where our model sees opportunity. Our 24/7 Wall St. price target for Eli Lilly is $1,133.12 over the next 12 months, ... Our Strongest Conviction Call: Eli Lilly Headed 21% Higher in 12...
Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) just delivered one of the strongest first quarters in big pharma history, but shares have pulled back sharply from their February peak. That gap between operating performance and stock price is where our model sees opportunity. Our 24/7 Wall St. price target for Eli Lilly is $1,133.12 over the next 12 months, ... Our Strongest Conviction Call: Eli Lilly Headed 21% Higher in 12 Months
Amazon announced Monday it is opening up its massive shipping and delivery network to any business that wants to use it -- not just the merchants who sell on Amazon's website.AWS started as an internal tool Amazon built for itself, then became a massive business by selling that same technology to other companies.
Amazon announced Monday it is opening up its massive shipping and delivery network to any business that wants to use it -- not just the merchants who sell on Amazon's website.AWS started as an internal tool Amazon built for itself, then became a massive business by selling that same technology to other companies.
The Massachusetts Supreme Court appeared skeptical of Kalshi Inc. ’s claim that its prediction markets don’t fall under state gambling laws because the company is instead providing financial arrangements between people using “swap” contracts on events like sports. The case is one of several legal fights involving states seeking greater oversight of prediction market companies, which argue their ac...
The Massachusetts Supreme Court appeared skeptical of Kalshi Inc. ’s claim that its prediction markets don’t fall under state gambling laws because the company is instead providing financial arrangements between people using “swap” contracts on events like sports. The case is one of several legal fights involving states seeking greater oversight of prediction market companies, which argue their activities come under federal rules and should only be regulated by the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission. A judge barred Kalshi in Massachusetts, and the company appealed to the state’s high court, which has yet to rule. During oral arguments Monday, some justices peppered Kalshi’s lawyer with questions, but also grilled an attorney for the state, which brought the initial suit against the company. “If you want to gamble on a game, this is one way of doing it, right?” Chief Justice Scott L. Kafker asked a Kalshi lawyer during oral arguments Monday. “This does seem to have a major aspect of sports gambling to it.” Kalshi attorney Grant Mainland argued to the justices that a provision in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act updated the Commodity Exchange Act to “broaden the definition” of a swap. Kafker responded, “The CFTC didn’t think it covered sports until the turn in the administration, right?” The Trump-era CFTC has largely sided with prediction markets, and the industry has been lobbying to fight stricter rules, even as platforms like Polymarket have drawn national attention from controversies such as insider trading. Read More: Prediction Markets Step Up Lobbying to Fight Stricter Rules State solicitor Gerard Cedrone argued that prediction markets don’t have the same consumer protections as state-licensed betting. Justice Serge Georges Jr. noted that Kalshi operates “this marketplace where users set odds with each other. Doesn’t that resemble more of a financial exchange rather than a house-based system” comparable to casino-style wagers? Massachusetts was the first state to ...
In trading on Monday, shares of CTO Realty Growth Inc's 6.375% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Symbol: CTO.PRA) were yielding above the 7.5% mark based on its quarterly dividend (annualized to $1.5938), with shares changing hands as low as $20.96 on the day. T
In trading on Monday, shares of CTO Realty Growth Inc's 6.375% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Preferred Stock (Symbol: CTO.PRA) were yielding above the 7.5% mark based on its quarterly dividend (annualized to $1.5938), with shares changing hands as low as $20.96 on the day. T