akinbostanci/E+ via Getty Images There's no doubt Micron Technology, Inc. ( MU ) was one of my best calls in 2025. Now, after more than a 200% run, I don't think the rally is over. I think another leg may be around the corner. MU: Stock Is Up More Than 200% Since My Last Piece (Seeking Alpha) The company's recent quarterly performance was nothing but a home run. It has strongly exceeded expectatio...
akinbostanci/E+ via Getty Images There's no doubt Micron Technology, Inc. ( MU ) was one of my best calls in 2025. Now, after more than a 200% run, I don't think the rally is over. I think another leg may be around the corner. MU: Stock Is Up More Than 200% Since My Last Piece (Seeking Alpha) The company's recent quarterly performance was nothing but a home run. It has strongly exceeded expectations, and to me it simply tells me there's a significant demand for its memory components. I don't think it will fade soon. The data center demand remains high. And mega-cap companies continue to spend capex heavily. In my opinion, that's a favorable combination for Micron. So, even after this strong rally, I maintained my rating as a Strong Buy. Here's why. The Market Expected A Strong Q, But It Still Was a Bolt from the Blue That's correct. Micron Technology posted a phenomenal quarter . The bottom line came in $3.04 above what analysts anticipated, while revenue exceeded the estimate by $4.1 billion. That's a bookcase type of double beat. Personally, I expected solid performance. But this sort of result was a bolt from the blue for me. Now, it did nothing but strengthen my bullish thesis. MU: Strong Demand Across Different Memory Chips (Micron Technology Investor Relations) Quite frankly, what I truly love about the company is that MU experiences demand across different memory chips. To me, it tells that it has a significant technological edge and strong market position for its DRAM and NAND flash products. Now, a triple-digit percentage increase in revenue signals how crucial these memory components are for AI development. And I don't think that's something that is going to simply decline in a quarter or two. What I'd also love to point out is that the quarterly performance was so strong; I sincerely believe it may need a bit of time for the market to price it. Why? Well, investors may remain cautious, thinking this could be a temporary blip. Now, if the performance conti...
akinbostanci/E+ via Getty Images There's no doubt Micron Technology, Inc. ( MU ) was one of my best calls in 2025. Now, after more than a 200% run, I don't think the rally is over. I think another leg may be around the corner. MU: Stock Is Up More Than 200% Since My Last Piece (Seeking Alpha) The company's recent quarterly performance was nothing but a home run. It has strongly exceeded expectatio...
akinbostanci/E+ via Getty Images There's no doubt Micron Technology, Inc. ( MU ) was one of my best calls in 2025. Now, after more than a 200% run, I don't think the rally is over. I think another leg may be around the corner. MU: Stock Is Up More Than 200% Since My Last Piece (Seeking Alpha) The company's recent quarterly performance was nothing but a home run. It has strongly exceeded expectations, and to me it simply tells me there's a significant demand for its memory components. I don't think it will fade soon. The data center demand remains high. And mega-cap companies continue to spend capex heavily. In my opinion, that's a favorable combination for Micron. So, even after this strong rally, I maintained my rating as a Strong Buy. Here's why. The Market Expected A Strong Q, But It Still Was a Bolt from the Blue That's correct. Micron Technology posted a phenomenal quarter . The bottom line came in $3.04 above what analysts anticipated, while revenue exceeded the estimate by $4.1 billion. That's a bookcase type of double beat. Personally, I expected solid performance. But this sort of result was a bolt from the blue for me. Now, it did nothing but strengthen my bullish thesis. MU: Strong Demand Across Different Memory Chips (Micron Technology Investor Relations) Quite frankly, what I truly love about the company is that MU experiences demand across different memory chips. To me, it tells that it has a significant technological edge and strong market position for its DRAM and NAND flash products. Now, a triple-digit percentage increase in revenue signals how crucial these memory components are for AI development. And I don't think that's something that is going to simply decline in a quarter or two. What I'd also love to point out is that the quarterly performance was so strong; I sincerely believe it may need a bit of time for the market to price it. Why? Well, investors may remain cautious, thinking this could be a temporary blip. Now, if the performance conti...
tumsasedgars/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Lord Abbett has graciously allowed me to use some of their analytical tools. While learning a slightly different platform, I ran some analytics on the Lord Abbett Dividend Growth Fund ( LAMFX ). It was touted to me as their flagship fund, and I can readily understand when I look at its overall history. I also made another interesting discovery: the...
tumsasedgars/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Lord Abbett has graciously allowed me to use some of their analytical tools. While learning a slightly different platform, I ran some analytics on the Lord Abbett Dividend Growth Fund ( LAMFX ). It was touted to me as their flagship fund, and I can readily understand when I look at its overall history. I also made another interesting discovery: the issue of fees. I will talk about that too, and it will be controversial. Just so you know in advance, I view LAMFX as a Buy, even though Morningstar rates it as a Hold (Neutral). Zacks rates it as a Sell, which I believe is overly harsh. Lipper Leaders aligns more with my thinking and gives it a 4.6/5 (Quintile 4, 69 th Percentile). LAMFX Methodology The management team for LAMFX focuses on companies with a history of dividend increases. Ironically, they are not focused on yield but only on a company’s ability to increase dividends. Of course, there are other factors, but when a company increases dividends, that is a sign of financial strength. Here is a synopsis of their process. LAMFX Process (Lord Abbett) Since I will not perform an analysis as deep as some readers may expect, I will note that this mutual has a yield of 0.81%, and its dividends have declined by an average of 0.15% per year since the fund’s inception. These are the top ten holdings and sector weights for LAMFX: Company Total Net Assets NVIDIA Corp. (XNAS: NVDA ) 6.82% Microsoft Corp. (XNAS: MSFT ) 6.00% Broadcom Inc. (XNAS: AVGO ) 3.79% Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. ADR (XNYS: TSM ) 3.49% Johnson & Johnson (XNYS: JNJ ) 3.28% Eli Lilly and Company (XNYS: LLY ) 3.14% Exxon Mobil Corp. (XNYS: XOM ) 3.12% JPMorgan Chase & Co. (XNYS: JPM ) 2.95% Parker-Hannifin Corp. (XNYS: PH ) 2.63% Walmart Inc. (XNAS: WMT ) 2.49% Total 37.71% Click to enlarge LAMFX Sector Weights % (Morningstar) Returns Here is some historical data for LAMFX dating back to 2002. 1/2002-3/2026 Lord Abbett Dividend Growth Fund;...
The struggles of the nascent private-capital market, weighed down by lending to software companies whose businesses are under attack from artificial intelligence, has captured the eye of the market and the news media.
The struggles of the nascent private-capital market, weighed down by lending to software companies whose businesses are under attack from artificial intelligence, has captured the eye of the market and the news media.
luza studios/E+ via Getty Images Watch the industrial robotics sector – tech progress, population trends, and the potential for reviving domestic manufacturing offer a prospect to worldwide labor shortages and aging populations. The affordability and capabilities of robots have led to their widespread adoption in many different industries, making them an essential part of our daily lives. Robotics...
luza studios/E+ via Getty Images Watch the industrial robotics sector – tech progress, population trends, and the potential for reviving domestic manufacturing offer a prospect to worldwide labor shortages and aging populations. The affordability and capabilities of robots have led to their widespread adoption in many different industries, making them an essential part of our daily lives. Robotics technology will continue to revolutionize the way we work by automating mundane and dangerous tasks that previously required humans to perform. As businesses strive to stay competitive and meet the demands of their customers, the need for robotics continues to grow. From manufacturing and healthcare to logistics and agriculture, robots are now an integral part of many industries. With a growing number of applications, the industrial robotics industry presents a compelling investment opportunity. This industry involves tasks like designing, developing, manufacturing, and selling robots or robotics systems for a wide range of applications. The cost-effectiveness of robots, along with advancements in technology and demographic shifts, has created a favorable environment for investors to consider this rapidly growing sector. Robotics Affordability: From Upfront Cost to Long-Term Advantage While industrial robots often require a higher upfront investment, the economics shift quickly over time. As shown in the chart, cumulative costs for automation rise slowly after deployment, while human labor expenses compound each year through wages, benefits, and turnover. Robots typically reach cost parity within the first one to two years, after which they become significantly more cost-effective, with the gap widening over time as labor costs continue to grow and robot operating costs remain relatively low. This shift is driven by technological advancements that have improved robot productivity, reliability, and utilization, allowing them to operate longer hours and perform tasks with gr...
A laden Japan-linked supertanker appears to sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, in what may be the first attempt by an oil carrier from the country to leave the Persian Gulf since the Iran war began. The Idemitsu Maru began sailing late Monday toward the strait from northwest of Abu Dhabi, where it had idled for more than a week, tracking data show. It appeared to turn north toward Iran’s Qeshm ...
A laden Japan-linked supertanker appears to sailing through the Strait of Hormuz, in what may be the first attempt by an oil carrier from the country to leave the Persian Gulf since the Iran war began. The Idemitsu Maru began sailing late Monday toward the strait from northwest of Abu Dhabi, where it had idled for more than a week, tracking data show. It appeared to turn north toward Iran’s Qeshm and Larak Islands, then sail past Larak toward the eastern side of the strait. It’s carrying 2 million barrels of crude loaded from Saudi Arabia’s Juaymah terminal in early March. The 2007-built Panama-flagged very large crude carrier had entered the Persian Gulf a few days before war between the US and Iran broke out in late February. It’s listed as being operated by the tanker arm of Japanese energy conglomerate Idemitsu Kosan Co. , and is currently signaling “for orders,” a common designation that indicates it may not yet have a buyer or destination. A company spokesperson said that for safety reasons, Idemitsu would not comment on the status of individual vessels. Ship-tracking in the Strait of Hormuz may not accurately capture all transits as some vessels have transponders switched off, and signals in the region can be interfered with. A transit by a Japanese-owned tanker would be a shift in approach by the nation’s refiners and shipowners, who tend to be conservative. Idemitsu Maru’s attempt is also noteworthy as it’s one of the largest tankers to do so since the US began a rival blockade of Iran two weeks ago. During that time, traffic through the strait has remained near zero. While Japan is heavily dependent on Middle Eastern crude, its shipowners have been cautious amid the hostilities. Idemitsu, among other refiners, has relied on ship-to-ship transfers to procure some cargoes, with these taking place well outside the Persian Gulf. They have also turned to buying alternative supplies from the US ferried on smaller tankers . Some Japan-linked vessels have made the...