Over the past few years, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has been a massive tailwind for companies across the semiconductor industry. Two notable beneficiaries of this boom have been Arm Holdings (NASDAQ: ARM) and Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) . Both companies play crucial roles in powering the data centers that train and run complex AI models. But when investors weigh these two stocks a...
Over the past few years, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has been a massive tailwind for companies across the semiconductor industry. Two notable beneficiaries of this boom have been Arm Holdings (NASDAQ: ARM) and Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) . Both companies play crucial roles in powering the data centers that train and run complex AI models. But when investors weigh these two stocks against each other today, they face a fascinating trade-off. Micron is currently delivering explosive, triple-digit top-line growth and trades at a remarkably low valuation . Arm, meanwhile, trades at a sky-high premium but just announced a strategic shift that could fundamentally transform its business model over the long haul. So, which of these two chipmakers is the better buy for investors looking toward 2026 and beyond? Continue reading
wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Genius Sports ( GENI ) is a middleman that sits behind the scenes of the sports ecosystem as a data and technology provider. It collects real time data from live games through tracking systems and partnerships with leagues, then packages and distributes that data to sportsbooks, media companies, and teams. Their core product is "official" data, which ...
wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images Introduction Genius Sports ( GENI ) is a middleman that sits behind the scenes of the sports ecosystem as a data and technology provider. It collects real time data from live games through tracking systems and partnerships with leagues, then packages and distributes that data to sportsbooks, media companies, and teams. Their core product is "official" data, which is faster and more reliable than unofficial sources and is especially valuable for live betting and broadcast enhancements. On top of raw data, the company has its own products like BetVision (interactive streaming with integrated betting) and various analytics and fan‑engagement tools. Those generate revenue and help it embed itself across multiple points in the sports value chain. The business primarily makes money through signing contracts with leagues to secure exclusive data rights and then reselling that data to customers like betting operators and broadcasters at a markup. They also generate revenue from advertising services that help leagues and brands reach fans. In theory, this creates a recurring revenue model because customers depend on their data feeds and technology to operate. In practice though, this is not a particularly attractive business if you dig deeper which is why I've got a more cautious stance on the stock. The most important asset (the underlying data) ultimately belongs to the leagues. That means Genius has to continually pay up to maintain access and is always at risk of losing key contracts to competitors like Sportradar. That creates recurring bidding pressure which caps margins. Even when Genius wins, it often does so on terms that require sharing more of the economics with rights holders or accepting lower profitability to defend its market position. Investment Thesis My investment thesis on Genius Sports is that the competitive and macro realities make the current narrative around platforms like BetVision and the post‑Legend media business ...
Philippine refiner Petron Corp. has received a shipment of Russian oil, according to its chief executive officer, after the US issued a waiver allowing the purchase of the crude. Petron CEO Ramon Ang confirmed the receipt of the oil from the OPEC+ member, but didn’t provide further details. The US earlier this month issued a sanctions waiver , which allowed countries to buy Russian oil that had al...
Philippine refiner Petron Corp. has received a shipment of Russian oil, according to its chief executive officer, after the US issued a waiver allowing the purchase of the crude. Petron CEO Ramon Ang confirmed the receipt of the oil from the OPEC+ member, but didn’t provide further details. The US earlier this month issued a sanctions waiver , which allowed countries to buy Russian oil that had already been loaded onto tankers. The measure was aimed at easing a shortage of oil due to the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz since the Middle East war began at the end of February. Import-dependent Asia has been hardest hit, as it sources most of its crude from the region’s producers. The Philippines, which is heavily reliant on imported oil, is trying to find alternative sources to ease the supply crunch that has triggered an emergency declaration from the government. It’s also negotiating supply from Japan, China, South Korea and India. The Philippines was also trying to get a general waiver from Washington that would allow direct oil purchases from Russian producers, said Jose Manuel Romualdez , the country’s ambassador to the US. “We are one of many seeking the same,” he said. Some 13.5 million barrels of Russian crude on about 18 tankers, located east of the Suez Canal, were likely available for purchase as of Wednesday, according to ship-tracking data compiled by Bloomberg. That’s down from 25 vessels holding about 19 million barrels nearly two weeks earlier, when the US waiver was broadened from just India to other countries.
gregory_lee/iStock via Getty Images Summary I stayed with a buy rating for Darden Restaurants ( DRI ) earlier this year in January as the overall execution was excellent, resulting in market share gains and a more resilient growth model. In Q3, same-restaurant sales growth was solid, and it likely would have been stronger without weather and promotion timing headwinds at Olive Garden. On top of th...
gregory_lee/iStock via Getty Images Summary I stayed with a buy rating for Darden Restaurants ( DRI ) earlier this year in January as the overall execution was excellent, resulting in market share gains and a more resilient growth model. In Q3, same-restaurant sales growth was solid, and it likely would have been stronger without weather and promotion timing headwinds at Olive Garden. On top of that, management is stepping up store openings while still investing in value and convenience. Together, they give me confidence that DRI still deserves a buy rating. Q3 2026 Earnings Results Update DRI reported numbers were mixed. While top-line sales saw ~6% y/y growth, of which 4.2% came from blended same-restaurant sales growth and the rest from new restaurants (systemwide restaurants up by 31), restaurant margins were down 30 bps y/y to ~21%, and EBITDA margin was down 130 bps y/y to 16.4%. This was despite restaurant labor as a percentage of sales being down 21 bps y/y to 31.3%. Overall, EBIT was down ~3% y/y to $406 million, and that drove net income down 4% y/y to $311 million. As for each segment's same-store sales performance, LongHorn Steakhouse grew by 7.2%, Fine Dining grew 2.1%, and Other Business grew 3.9%. DRI Demand Looks Better Than The Headline Bloomberg If you were to just look at the headline numbers, you would think that demand is not strong enough to drive earnings growth, but I actually think otherwise. The 4.2% y/y is a big improvement from last year, and it could have been better. Blended same-restaurant sales would have been ~5% if not for the weather headwind. Also, Olive Garden had three fewer weeks of price-pointed promotions vs. last year, which created another drag of ~100 bps on comps. On this point about Olive Garden, the adjusted comp could be closer to 500 bps (100 bps + 80 bps weather headwind), which would imply a sequential acceleration. That would’ve been a clean number that would convinces the market growth is back after two quarters o...