OPEC’s crude output declined last month as turmoil curbed Venezuela’s exports while other members began a three-month production freeze, a Bloomberg survey showed. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries pumped an average of 28.83 million barrels a day in January, down 230,000 a day from the previous month, according to the survey. About a third of the decline was accounted for by Ve...
OPEC’s crude output declined last month as turmoil curbed Venezuela’s exports while other members began a three-month production freeze, a Bloomberg survey showed. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries pumped an average of 28.83 million barrels a day in January, down 230,000 a day from the previous month, according to the survey. About a third of the decline was accounted for by Venezuela, where tankers were subject to a US blockade amid the ouster of leader Nicolas Maduro . Venezuelan exports plunged to a three-year low in January as a US naval crackdown choked off shipments to China, according to shipping reports and vessel movements compiled by Bloomberg. Yet barrels were increasingly diverted as the month wore on, with flows to the US hitting a one-year peak and resuming to Europe after a lengthy hiatus. Production in several other OPEC countries edged lower while the group and its allies commenced a supply pause intended to offset slowing seasonal consumption during the first quarter. The United Arab Emirates and Iraq curtailed output modestly, the survey showed. The decision by key OPEC+ nations to hold production steady has been another source of strength for crude prices , which are being bolstered this year by threats of US military action against major Middle East exporter Iran, and disruptions in Kazakhstan. Brent futures traded above $67 a barrel on Wednesday, a few dollars below the near six-month high struck last week. READ: Oil’s Year of the Glut Begins With an Unexpected Price Surge Eight OPEC+ members led by Saudi Arabia once again ratified the first-quarter supply pause during discussions on Sunday. They’re scheduled to gather online on March 1 to decide whether to resume reviving production in the months ahead. It’s unclear what the producers will decide. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak — who represents one of the alliance’s co-leaders — said on Tuesday that OPEC+ expects oil demand to pick up gradually starting from ...
Maks_Lab/iStock via Getty Images Hikma Pharmaceuticals ( HKMPY ) may have attracted takeover speculation. Shares of Hikma rose as much as 8.8% in London trading. The identity of the company interested in Hikma ( HKMPY ) is unclear, according to traders, who cited a Betaville "uncooked" alert that was circulating on Wednesday. Past reports have speculated that Viatris ( VTRS ), Amgen ( AMGN ) and N...
Maks_Lab/iStock via Getty Images Hikma Pharmaceuticals ( HKMPY ) may have attracted takeover speculation. Shares of Hikma rose as much as 8.8% in London trading. The identity of the company interested in Hikma ( HKMPY ) is unclear, according to traders, who cited a Betaville "uncooked" alert that was circulating on Wednesday. Past reports have speculated that Viatris ( VTRS ), Amgen ( AMGN ) and Novartis ( NVS ) may have looked at buying some or all of Hikma ( HKMPY ) More on Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC (HKMPY) Shareholder/Analyst Call Transcript Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC Historical earnings data for Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC Dividend scorecard for Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC Financial information for Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC
piranka/E+ via Getty Images Investment Thesis The last few years have seen rapid deployment of AI infrastructure to meet the rising demands of training AI models. But the scale & pace at which AI infrastructure was deployed also gave rise to a new problem—complexity. As AI infrastructure prepares for the new phase of building and maintaining data centers, the need continues to revolve around TCO (...
piranka/E+ via Getty Images Investment Thesis The last few years have seen rapid deployment of AI infrastructure to meet the rising demands of training AI models. But the scale & pace at which AI infrastructure was deployed also gave rise to a new problem—complexity. As AI infrastructure prepares for the new phase of building and maintaining data centers, the need continues to revolve around TCO (total cost of ownership), but architectural designs and industry research are illustrating the emergence of optics and its benefits in deploying light-based connectivity solutions in the data center. That fundamental shift in DC architecture changes the demand signals for copper based solutions which is why Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd ( CRDO ) already looks like a casualty, down 22% ytd and shedding almost half its market cap since the ATH in December ‘25. I am downgrading my outlook on Credo’s shares to bearish based on my analysis below. Optics Is In AI Vogue, Copper Is Out For the first time last year, I revised down my outlook on Credo to a neutral view, citing high-spirited valuation multiples that were getting detached from Credo’s and the AI infrastructure landscape’s realities. Exhibit A: Author's history of Credo ratings (Seeking Alpha) Based on the market’s expectations, Credo should be reporting $1.2B in revenues in FY26, representing a 173% jump over FY25’s revenues. That is extremely impressive, but that is no secret anymore. Almost all investors must be aware of two things when it comes to Credo: That a majority of Credo’s business is to do with selling copper-based AECs (active electrical cables) that are mainly used in scale-up and scale-out networks in the data center. That Credo’s business carries a meaningful concentration risk, with a couple of hyperscaler clients contributing to Credo’s surging revenues, buying up most of its copper-based AECs. Many publicly available reports and past comments from Credo’s management reveal Amazon ( AMZN ) and Mi...
Investing.com -- BMO Capital analyst Keith Bachman believes Oracle’s sweeping new financing plan marks a constructive step for the software group, even as the firm cut its price target to $205 from $270 and lowered earnings estimates. Bachman said BMO is revising its forecast after Oracle moved to raise $45 billion to $50 billion in a mix of debt, equity and convertible preferred equity. He emphas...
Investing.com -- BMO Capital analyst Keith Bachman believes Oracle’s sweeping new financing plan marks a constructive step for the software group, even as the firm cut its price target to $205 from $270 and lowered earnings estimates. Bachman said BMO is revising its forecast after Oracle moved to raise $45 billion to $50 billion in a mix of debt, equity and convertible preferred equity. He emphasised that demand for the debt portion was far stronger than expected, saying there was “meaningful demand for Oracle’s debt offering at ~$125 billion vs the $25 billion offering.” According to BMO, that level of interest “supports the idea that investors are still willing to underwrite large-scale AI infrastructure plans.” While acknowledging the dilutive impact of equity issuance, BMO said the market backdrop had shifted and that issuing equity “was likely necessary in order to raise debt capital and help stabilise the financing markets and supply chain.” The firm said the size of the capital raise is key. Bachman wrote that it likely means not needing any more during CY26, adding that the move “alleviates the need for another capital raise during FY27.” BMO believes that a reduction in financing uncertainty should help remove a major overhang for investors. The firm cut EPS estimates due to a higher share count, increased interest expense and preferred dividends. Still, BMO reiterated an Outperform rating, stating: “We view Oracle procuring financing, and likely not needing any more during CY26, as a positive step for the shares as it removes an overhang.” Related articles Oracle financing plan removes key overhang, BMO says Goldman expects lower but still attractive stock market returns in 2026 Wolfe Research outlines eight risks that could spark stock declines in 2026
Elon Musk speaks at a Donald Trump campaign rally in 2024 at Madison Square Garden. The latest dump of documents related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein suggest the Tesla and SpaceX CEO had a closer relationship with Epstein than he’s let on. Alex Brandon/AP Elon Musk had a closer relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein than the Tesla Inc. and SpaceX CEO previously disclosed, accordi...
Elon Musk speaks at a Donald Trump campaign rally in 2024 at Madison Square Garden. The latest dump of documents related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein suggest the Tesla and SpaceX CEO had a closer relationship with Epstein than he’s let on. Alex Brandon/AP Elon Musk had a closer relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein than the Tesla Inc. and SpaceX CEO previously disclosed, according to the latest release of documents from the Justice Department. They show correspondence between Musk and the deceased sex offender dating back to 2012, when Musk was celebrating the release of Tesla’s Model S and SpaceX’s Dragon Capsule becoming the first commercial spacecraft to dock at the International Space Station. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Amid those business milestones, the Texas billionaire made time to send warm messages to Epstein, despite his earlier claims that he declined Epstein on several occasions. In one instance, Epstein’s assistant Lesley Groff even nudged him by email, saying, “Just a reminder Elon Musk was asking about coming to your island on Jan. 2 … ” Here’s what to know about the most notable interactions between Musk and Epstein found among records released Friday. Musk asked about parties On Christmas Day 2012, Musk wrote to Epstein that he was looking forward to shaking off the stresses of the past year and asked, “Do you have any parties planned?” Advertisement Article continues below this ad Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source “I’ve been working to the edge of sanity this year and so, once my kids head home after Christmas, I really want to hit the party scene in St Barts or elsewhere and let loose,” Musk wrote. “The invitation is much appreciated, but a peaceful island experience is the opposite of what I’m looking for.” Epstein was invited to SpaceX In early 2013, an Epstein assistant emailed Musk saying, “Jeffrey would like to...
Hims & Hers (NYSE: HIMS) announced today the launch of an early detection cancer test, bringing more value to its lab business. This is another product launch that isn't about pushing pills or slotting into the existing insurance ecosystem; it's fundamentally disruptive to the medical industry. In this video, I explain why this is the kind of product launch investors should want to see and why it ...
Hims & Hers (NYSE: HIMS) announced today the launch of an early detection cancer test, bringing more value to its lab business. This is another product launch that isn't about pushing pills or slotting into the existing insurance ecosystem; it's fundamentally disruptive to the medical industry. In this video, I explain why this is the kind of product launch investors should want to see and why it will make the business much more valuable over the next decade. *Stock prices used were end-of-day prices of Feb. 4, 2026. The video was published on Feb. 4, 2026. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Should you buy stock in Hims & Hers Health right now? Before you buy stock in Hims & Hers Health, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Hims & Hers Health wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $431,111!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,105,521!* Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 906% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 195% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of February 4, 2026. Travis Hoium has positions in Hims & Hers Health. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Hims & Hers Health. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Travis Hoium is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through their link t...
Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus. Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and of course, dividends. A dividend is the distri...
Getting big returns from financial portfolios, whether through stocks, bonds, ETFs, other securities, or a combination of all, is an investor's dream. But for income investors, generating consistent cash flow from each of your liquid investments is your primary focus. Cash flow can come from bond interest, interest from other types of investments, and of course, dividends. A dividend is the distribution of a company's earnings paid out to shareholders; it's often viewed by its dividend yield, a metric that measures a dividend as a percent of the current stock price. Many academic studies show that dividends account for significant portions of long-term returns, with dividend contributions exceeding one-third of total returns in many cases. First Financial Corp. In Focus First Financial Corp. (THFF) is headquartered in Terre Haute, and is in the Finance sector. The stock has seen a price change of 8.66% since the start of the year. Currently paying a dividend of $0.51 per share, the company has a dividend yield of 4.06%. In comparison, the Banks - Midwest industry's yield is 2.96%, while the S&P 500's yield is 1.56%. Looking at dividend growth, the company's current annualized dividend of $2.04 is up 51.1% from last year. Over the last 5 years, First Financial Corp. has increased its dividend 3 times on a year-over-year basis for an average annual increase of 13.25%. Future dividend growth will depend on earnings growth as well as payout ratio, which is the proportion of a company's annual earnings per share that it pays out as a dividend. First Financial Corp.'s current payout ratio is 45%, meaning it paid out 45% of its trailing 12-month EPS as dividend. THFF is expecting earnings to expand this fiscal year as well. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2025 is $5.41 per share, representing a year-over-year earnings growth rate of 35.25%. Bottom Line From greatly improving stock investing profits and reducing overall portfolio risk to providing tax advantages, investors...
Hello and welcome to the newsletter, a grab bag of daily content from the Odd Lots universe. Sometimes it's us, Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway, bringing you our thoughts on the most recent developments in markets, finance and the economy. And sometimes it's contributions from our network of expert guests and sources. Whatever it is, we promise it will always be interesting. If you like chatting ...
Hello and welcome to the newsletter, a grab bag of daily content from the Odd Lots universe. Sometimes it's us, Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway, bringing you our thoughts on the most recent developments in markets, finance and the economy. And sometimes it's contributions from our network of expert guests and sources. Whatever it is, we promise it will always be interesting. If you like chatting with us, check out the Odd Lots Discord , where you can hang out and talk with us and with other listeners 24/7. Here’s what Tracy’s thinking about Are business development companies and private credit specialists just software wrappers in disguise? They’re certainly acting like it. By now, everyone’s well aware of the SaaSpocalypse . Less noticed — up until recently — is just how entwined software and a certain part of the financial sector has become. Charts of alternative lenders like Blue Owl, Runway Growth Finance, and Golub Capital have now been plunging in tandem with the sector. Part of the problem is how murky private credit remains. Quantifying software exposure is tough. In the chart below, Bank of America analysts led by Ebrahim Poonawala have used the tech category as a broad proxy. On that basis, software looks like one of the biggest industry exposures for BDCs. There are reasons to think that exposure might even be higher. Robert Dodd at Raymond James points out that loans to software companies are often classified by end market. So a firm offering SaaS for healthcare could show up in the “healthcare” category as opposed to “technology” or “software.” What’s happening now feels, to me, like two unwinds happening at once. First, the logic of lending to software companies has broken down. The pitch was always that ARR (annual recurring revenue) offered something steady and bond-like — a long-duration stream of predictable payments that justified lending into sometimes negative free cash flow. But that argument depended on the belief that subscription revenues w...
However, the peer was sacked from the role last September, after Downing Street said new information about the depth of this relationship had emerged - including emails showing he sent supportive messages to Epstein as he faced charges for sex offences in 2008.
However, the peer was sacked from the role last September, after Downing Street said new information about the depth of this relationship had emerged - including emails showing he sent supportive messages to Epstein as he faced charges for sex offences in 2008.
SIlicon Labs went up a lot today, and could go up another 14% before its merger closes. Silicon Labs (SLAB +48.39%) stock skyrocketed 48% through 11:25 a.m. ET Wednesday after announcing its Q4 results -- and more importantly, also announcing Texas Instruments (TXN 0.76%) will buy it. Silicon Labs earnings Silicon Labs beat earnings in its Q4 report. Analysts expected the semiconductor stock to ea...
SIlicon Labs went up a lot today, and could go up another 14% before its merger closes. Silicon Labs (SLAB +48.39%) stock skyrocketed 48% through 11:25 a.m. ET Wednesday after announcing its Q4 results -- and more importantly, also announcing Texas Instruments (TXN 0.76%) will buy it. Silicon Labs earnings Silicon Labs beat earnings in its Q4 report. Analysts expected the semiconductor stock to earn $0.55 per share on sales of $207.6 million. Silicon Labs beat on both top and bottom lines, reporting $0.56 per share (adjusted) on $208 million in sales. The Silicon Labs buyout Of course, the "earnings beat" pales in significance to the day's bigger news. To "create a global leader in embedded wireless connectivity solutions," Texas Instruments will acquire and bring Silicon Labs in-house. Paying $231 per share cash, Texas Instruments proposes to acquire Silicon Labs for $7.6 billion. (Minus Silicon Labs' net cash position, the enterprise value is "approximately $7.5 billion.) In exchange, Texas Instruments will acquire a subsidiary that's grown revenues 15% annually for more than a decade, that took in $785 million in sales last year, that lost $65 million -- but generated nearly $66 million in positive free cash flow. Expand NASDAQ : SLAB Silicon Laboratories Today's Change ( 48.39 %) $ 66.11 Current Price $ 202.73 Key Data Points Market Cap $4.5B Day's Range $ 202.11 - $ 207.25 52wk Range $ 82.82 - $ 207.25 Volume 234K Avg Vol 295K Gross Margin 53.66 % Is Silicon Labs stock a buy? Silicon Labs stock ran up on the news today, but at $203 and change, still has another 14% to go before it reaches the price Texas Instruments wants to pay for it. TI says it hopes to close this transaction in the first half of 2027 -- so investors who buy and hold Silicon Labs stock might potentially need to wait more than a year to cash in. For a 14% return that might be worth it, but with Silicon Labs stock now valued at more than 100 times free cash flow, and closing no sure thing, the...
arild lilleboe/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Equinor ( EQNR ) said Wednesday it expects oil production at its Johan Sverdrup field to fall by at least 10% in 2026; ex ports from the field averaged 712K bbl/day last year, according to Bloomberg. "We've been able to postpone the decline for a long time," CEO Anders Opedal said at a media briefing. " This year we anticipate a decline of more than...
arild lilleboe/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Equinor ( EQNR ) said Wednesday it expects oil production at its Johan Sverdrup field to fall by at least 10% in 2026; ex ports from the field averaged 712K bbl/day last year, according to Bloomberg. "We've been able to postpone the decline for a long time," CEO Anders Opedal said at a media briefing. " This year we anticipate a decline of more than 10%, but well below 20%." Equinor ( EQNR ) has managed to keep Sverdrup's production elevated for a longer period than anticipated, Opedal said, adding it is working to optimize output with new wells and other methods. While Norway's oil and gas production is due to maintain roughly current levels through the end of the decade, a lack of investment will result in a "significant downsizing" of the industry in the years to come, the Norwegian Offshore Directorate said recentl y. Equinor ( EQNR ) trades little changed Wednesday after reporting Q4 adjusted operating income fell 22% Y/Y to $6.2B, above the $5.93B analysts had expected according to a company-compiled consensus, while net profit fell to $1.31B from $2B in the year-earlier quarter. The company said it would target a 10% cut in operating costs over 2026, and reduce its organic capital expenditure guidance by $4B through 2027. Equinor ( EQNR ) said it will buy back as much as $1.5B of shares this year, down from $5B in 2025 and a larger than expected cut, according to J.P. Morgan analysts, who expected a reduction of $2B-$2.5B; the cut is consistent with prior concerns about the company’s ability to fund sector-competitive distributions, JPM said. More on Equinor Equinor: A Strategic European Energy Buy With Margin Of Safety Equinor: Share Price Pullback Makes It A High Dividend-Yielding Investment Opportunity Equinor: A 7% Income Opportunity For An Oil Recovery
When King Charles stripped Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor of his titles and announced he would be booted out of Royal Lodge, Buckingham Palace said the “censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him”. Four months and more than 3m documents later, Charles must surely feel vindicated on his tough approach. For while there is nothing to sugg...
When King Charles stripped Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor of his titles and announced he would be booted out of Royal Lodge, Buckingham Palace said the “censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him”. Four months and more than 3m documents later, Charles must surely feel vindicated on his tough approach. For while there is nothing to suggest the king nor any other senior royals knew then what was to come in the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files, what has emerged has been truly shocking. The position of Mountbatten-Windsor, and that of his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, appears even more grave, and the shadow cast over the royal family and institution even darker. With government pressure mounting on the former prince to testify to the US Congress on what he knew about Epstein, royal sources can only indicate that it is “ultimately a matter for Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and his conscience”. From Mountbatten-Windsor himself, we have heard nothing. He has always denied any wrongdoing in relation to Epstein; in particular he has denied the allegation he had sex with Virginia Giuffre when she was 17 and was trafficked by the US financier. Nothing in the documents recently disgorged by the US Department of Justice shows legal wrongdoing on the part of the ex-prince. But they can be said to raise questions over his judgment at a time when he was a working royal and UK trade envoy globe-trotting to represent the nation’s interests. Recently released undated images appearing to show him crouching on all fours over an unidentified clothed woman and touching her abdomen are disturbing given they were taken at Epstein’s New York City mansion. His unequivocal assertion that he broke off his friendship with Epstein in New York in December 2010 is challenged. After that trip, he appears to have written to Epstein: “It was great to spend time with my US family. Looking forward to joining you all again soon.” In January 2011,...
Amazon is set to report fourth-quarter results late Thursday, with the tech giant's stock trading slightly lower vs. 12 months ago. Overall, analysts polled by FactSet expect Amazon's earnings to grow 6% to $1.97 per share. Meanwhile, revenue for the Amazon Web Services cloud business is projected to rise 21.7% to $35 billion.
Amazon is set to report fourth-quarter results late Thursday, with the tech giant's stock trading slightly lower vs. 12 months ago. Overall, analysts polled by FactSet expect Amazon's earnings to grow 6% to $1.97 per share. Meanwhile, revenue for the Amazon Web Services cloud business is projected to rise 21.7% to $35 billion.
The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is up +0.08%, the Dow Jones Industrials Index ($DOWI) (DIA) is up +0.54%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is down -0.56%. March E-mini S&P futures (ESH26) are up +0.08%, and March E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQH26) are down -0.60%. Stock indexes are wavering today on some mixed corporate earnings results and rotation out of technology stocks. Super Micro Comp...
The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) today is up +0.08%, the Dow Jones Industrials Index ($DOWI) (DIA) is up +0.54%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) is down -0.56%. March E-mini S&P futures (ESH26) are up +0.08%, and March E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQH26) are down -0.60%. Stock indexes are wavering today on some mixed corporate earnings results and rotation out of technology stocks. Super Micro Computer is up more than +15% after forecasting Q3 net sales well above expectations. However, Advanced Micro Devices is down more than -13% after analysts said the company's Q1 sales forecast was seen as weak. Data service and software stocks are also falling for a second day today following the release of an automation tool for lawyers by artificial intelligence firm Anthropic. Join 200K+ Subscribers: Stocks were also pressured by signs of weakness in the US labor market, after the Jan ADP employment change rose by +22,000, below expectations of +45,000. Market sentiment improved today, following the end of the partial US government shutdown after President Trump late Tuesday signed a deal to fund the government. The funding package only funds the Department of Homeland Security through February 13, while the rest of the government is funded through September 30, the end of the fiscal year. The Treasury today announced that next week's quarterly refunding will total $125 billion in sales of T-notes and T-bonds, right on expectations, and said it anticipates keeping auction sizes unchanged for nominal notes, bonds, and floating-rate notes "for at least the next several quarters." US MBA mortgage applications fell -8.9% in the week ended January 30, with the purchase mortgage sub-index down -14.4% and the refinancing sub-index down -4.7%. The average 30-year fixed rate mortgage fell -3 bp to 6.21% from 6.24% in the prior week. The markets this week will focus on earnings, economic news, and the passage of a spending bill to end the partial government shutdown. Later today, the ...