Nike (NYSE: NKE) has a growth problem. The business just isn't doing as well as it has been in years past, and these days, investors are looking elsewhere in search of top growth stocks to own. Over the past five years, the returns from Nike stock have been abysmal, as it has crashed close to 70% during that stretch. Normally, a buy-and-hold strategy, especially when it involves an iconic company ...
Nike (NYSE: NKE) has a growth problem. The business just isn't doing as well as it has been in years past, and these days, investors are looking elsewhere in search of top growth stocks to own. Over the past five years, the returns from Nike stock have been abysmal, as it has crashed close to 70% during that stretch. Normally, a buy-and-hold strategy, especially when it involves an iconic company with a terrific track record, yields strong returns for investors. That hasn't been the case with Nike at all. Under CEO Elliott Hill, the company is attempting to turn things around. While there have been some small wins and signs of progress, the business is still trying to prove to investors that it's worth investing in -- its stock recently hit a new 52-week low. There is one market that has been doing particularly poorly for Nike, and that's China. Is its dependence on that part of the world the biggest problem for the shoe stock right now, and if so, what does that mean for investors? Continue reading
The rapper formerly known as Kanye West has been barred from entering the UK, where he was scheduled to perform at the Wireless Festival in July. It came after government officials condemned Ye’s history of antisemitic remarks. The festival’s organisers confirmed the ban and said the entire three-day festival was being cancelled as a result. Ye’s travel authorisation had been blocked on the ground...
The rapper formerly known as Kanye West has been barred from entering the UK, where he was scheduled to perform at the Wireless Festival in July. It came after government officials condemned Ye’s history of antisemitic remarks. The festival’s organisers confirmed the ban and said the entire three-day festival was being cancelled as a result. Ye’s travel authorisation had been blocked on the grounds that the performer’s presence in Britain would not be “conducive to the public good”, the BBC...
VladimirGerasimov/iStock via Getty Images The broader selloff in software is still trying to find a bottom, as noted by the mid to high single-digit drop in Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT ) since my last coverage . In this piece, I analyze the main bricks in the wall of worry around this stock, with the goal of understanding the root cause of investors' skepticism. I advance in this intro that there...
VladimirGerasimov/iStock via Getty Images The broader selloff in software is still trying to find a bottom, as noted by the mid to high single-digit drop in Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT ) since my last coverage . In this piece, I analyze the main bricks in the wall of worry around this stock, with the goal of understanding the root cause of investors' skepticism. I advance in this intro that there is more to the story than the broader selloff in software or the broader risk-off move due to the war in Iran. In my view, the main concerns revolve around a slowing Azure growth while CapEx is ticking up aggressively, margin pressure, and the durability of earnings expansion. Overall, I see the concerns as valid, although not enough to warrant a 35% drop in Microsoft shares since October last year. As long as demand for AI compute outpaces supply, I remain bullish on the broader hyperscaler group, with Microsoft being one of my favourite picks. I remain bullish on this stock, especially now that shares are trading near a historical support level. Understanding The Bear Case Let's start with the fundamentals first. The main concern that I see is the payoff on the AI CapEx spend. Just in Q2 FY26 alone, the company spent $37.5B in CapEx, up nearly 66% yoy. The problem that I see is the fact that Azure growth went down from 40% in Q1 FY26 to 39% in Q2, and management guided 37-38% for Q3. That's a declaration in Azure growth, while the company is ramping up its CapEx spending plans. This should be concerning to the bulls, especially after the remarks from CFO Amy Hood during the last call: We mentioned the potential impact on Windows OEM and on-premises server markets from increased memory pricing earlier. In addition, rising memory prices would impact capital expenditures, though the impact on Microsoft Cloud gross margins will build more gradually as these assets depreciate over 6 years. I considered including below the estimate from TrendForce on the memory hike expected i...
VladimirGerasimov/iStock via Getty Images The broader selloff in software is still trying to find a bottom, as noted by the mid to high single-digit drop in Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT ) since my last coverage . In this piece, I analyze the main bricks in the wall of worry around this stock, with the goal of understanding the root cause of investors' skepticism. I advance in this intro that there...
VladimirGerasimov/iStock via Getty Images The broader selloff in software is still trying to find a bottom, as noted by the mid to high single-digit drop in Microsoft Corporation ( MSFT ) since my last coverage . In this piece, I analyze the main bricks in the wall of worry around this stock, with the goal of understanding the root cause of investors' skepticism. I advance in this intro that there is more to the story than the broader selloff in software or the broader risk-off move due to the war in Iran. In my view, the main concerns revolve around a slowing Azure growth while CapEx is ticking up aggressively, margin pressure, and the durability of earnings expansion. Overall, I see the concerns as valid, although not enough to warrant a 35% drop in Microsoft shares since October last year. As long as demand for AI compute outpaces supply, I remain bullish on the broader hyperscaler group, with Microsoft being one of my favourite picks. I remain bullish on this stock, especially now that shares are trading near a historical support level. Understanding The Bear Case Let's start with the fundamentals first. The main concern that I see is the payoff on the AI CapEx spend. Just in Q2 FY26 alone, the company spent $37.5B in CapEx, up nearly 66% yoy. The problem that I see is the fact that Azure growth went down from 40% in Q1 FY26 to 39% in Q2, and management guided 37-38% for Q3. That's a declaration in Azure growth, while the company is ramping up its CapEx spending plans. This should be concerning to the bulls, especially after the remarks from CFO Amy Hood during the last call: We mentioned the potential impact on Windows OEM and on-premises server markets from increased memory pricing earlier. In addition, rising memory prices would impact capital expenditures, though the impact on Microsoft Cloud gross margins will build more gradually as these assets depreciate over 6 years. I considered including below the estimate from TrendForce on the memory hike expected i...
M.photostock/iStock via Getty Images W.R. Berkley Corporation ( WRB ) is an established holding company in the specialized insurance sector with extremely attractive baby bonds, which we will discuss later. WRB has close to $44.07 billion in total assets at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, and the total debt is around $3.1 billion. The total equity of the company is approximately $9.71 billi...
M.photostock/iStock via Getty Images W.R. Berkley Corporation ( WRB ) is an established holding company in the specialized insurance sector with extremely attractive baby bonds, which we will discuss later. WRB has close to $44.07 billion in total assets at the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, and the total debt is around $3.1 billion. The total equity of the company is approximately $9.71 billion. The current market capitalization is close to $24.45 billion. The company falls into the "investment-grade" category with its credit ratings from the major credit agencies, pictured below: WRB's credit ratings (WRB website) WRB's 5- and 10-year average annual total returns are around 16%, and the 3-year average annual total return is close to 19%: WRB's total returns (morningstar.com) WRB has 36 consecutive years of uninterrupted dividend payments, as the last 20 of them are consecutive dividend increases. The total dividend paid to the common shareholders over the past twelve months is $1.86. The last close price is around $65.99, corresponding to a dividend yield of 2.82%. The common shares outstanding are close to 377.15 million, so with a $1.86 dividend per share, the company has distributed approximately $701.5 million in dividends to common shareholders. In the picture, you see the dividend payout history of the company for the last few years: dividend payout history (Seeking Alpha) Baby Bonds WRB has four baby bonds: ( WRB.PR.H ), ( WRB.PR.F ), ( WRB.PR.G ), and ( WRB.PR.E ). WRB's baby bonds (author's database) All four are traded below par currently, and all four have credit ratings from the major credit agencies: Moody's: Baa2/ S&P: BBB/ Fitch: BBB. WRB.PR.E pays 5.70% interest distributions per annum in the form of $0.35625 quarterly, and a $1.425 annual amount. Its maturity date is on 03/30/2058, with close to 32 years to maturity, and its call date was on 03/30/2023. WRB issued 7 million notes of WRB.PR.E, each with a par value of $25 on 03/20/2018. WRB.PR....
Elon Musk’s aerospace to AI company will host summer event to try to convince buyers it is worth $2 trillion Business live – latest updates SpaceX will kick off the marketing for its highly anticipated stock exchange debut by hosting an event in June for 1,500 retail investors, as executives set out to convince buyers that the aerospace-to-artificial-intelligence group should be valued at $2 trill...
Elon Musk’s aerospace to AI company will host summer event to try to convince buyers it is worth $2 trillion Business live – latest updates SpaceX will kick off the marketing for its highly anticipated stock exchange debut by hosting an event in June for 1,500 retail investors, as executives set out to convince buyers that the aerospace-to-artificial-intelligence group should be valued at $2 trillion. In an unusual move, the company has earmarked a large portion of its shares – potentially up to 30% – for non-professional, non-institutional investors, banking on the popularity of its chief executive, Elon Musk, to help it raise $75bn (about £56bn) in what is expected to be the largest public offering in history. Continue reading...
UBS upgraded Morgan Stanley ( MS ) to Buy from Neutral on the strength of its advisory and wealth franchises, which the market doesn't yet fully appreciate. "Given the strength in advisory, potential for a handful of blockbuster IPOs this year, and a wealth franchise that leads peers, we see catalysts ahead to reignite shares," analyst Erika Najarian wrote in a note to clients. Still, while Morgan...
UBS upgraded Morgan Stanley ( MS ) to Buy from Neutral on the strength of its advisory and wealth franchises, which the market doesn't yet fully appreciate. "Given the strength in advisory, potential for a handful of blockbuster IPOs this year, and a wealth franchise that leads peers, we see catalysts ahead to reignite shares," analyst Erika Najarian wrote in a note to clients. Still, while Morgan Stanley ( MS ) stock isn't likely to screen as inexpensive, a recent “barrage” of headlines centering on the Iran conflict, private credit, and AI disruption has pressured bank stocks. That provides an opportunity for investors to add quality stocks to their portfolios, Najarian added. UBS has been puzzled over why, given its investment banking and trading strengths, the stock has been trailing its closest peer, Goldman Sachs ( GS ). Furthermore, Morgan Stanley's ( MS ) record of inorganic and organic growth demonstrates that it's willing to disrupt itself. That should make it a "net winner in the AI evolution within the wealth business," the analyst noted. Additionally, she also believes that the market hasn't yet priced in the benefits of deregulation for the bank. UBS's Buy rating on Morgan Stanley contrasts with the SA Quant rating and average SA Analyst rating of Neutral and aligns with the average Wall Street rating of Buy. More on Morgan Stanley Morgan Stanley (MS) Presents at European Financials Conference 2026 Transcript Wall Street Lunch: Private Credit Funds Face $10B Investor Exit Wave Morgan Stanley A Vs. E Preferred Shares: Rating Change For Both Stocks to watch on Monday after market: SOC, OWL, MS Morgan Stanley plans interval fund focused predominantly on private credit
Midfielder suspended by club for remarks on future Argentinian remains part of leadership group at club Chelsea are open to Enzo Fernández captaining the side again this season and hope to reintegrate the midfielder after his comments over his future. Fernández, who is on Real Madrid’s shortlist as they look to revamp their midfield, was dropped after whipping up a storm during last month’s intern...
Midfielder suspended by club for remarks on future Argentinian remains part of leadership group at club Chelsea are open to Enzo Fernández captaining the side again this season and hope to reintegrate the midfielder after his comments over his future. Fernández, who is on Real Madrid’s shortlist as they look to revamp their midfield, was dropped after whipping up a storm during last month’s international break. The Argentina international was not particularly subtle when he mentioned Madrid as the European city in which he would most like to live and praised the former Real Madrid midfielders Luka Modric and Toni Kroos. He also angered Chelsea by questioning the departure of Enzo Maresca , who was replaced by Liam Rosenior as head coach in January. Continue reading...
Adam Bartosik/iStock via Getty Images On our previous coverage of Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. ( ARE ), we identified the potential for a shorter term bounce. Our experience is that you can get a short bounce here, maybe after 2–3 days of selling. Source: It's Not The Dividend Cut, It's The Debt Load But our longer term view of the company remained firmly negative. The fact is that today t...
Adam Bartosik/iStock via Getty Images On our previous coverage of Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. ( ARE ), we identified the potential for a shorter term bounce. Our experience is that you can get a short bounce here, maybe after 2–3 days of selling. Source: It's Not The Dividend Cut, It's The Debt Load But our longer term view of the company remained firmly negative. The fact is that today they forecasted worse than almost all analysts and their leverage dials are moving up despite $3.0 billion of expected sales. You got to be a brave soul to think this is "an accumulating opportunity." Where do we stand? This is even more untouchable from a longer-term perspective than at any point in our previous coverage. Source: It's Not The Dividend Cut, It's The Debt Load Since that article came out, ARE did indeed validate our conclusions on both timeframes. Data by YCharts It bottomed shortly after and did a rip-roaring rally to suck in the next round of investors. It is now, even lower than before. We go over some key thoughts here and tell you why we believe a wipe-out remains probable. Supply & Demand If you go by ARE's 2026 guidance from their Q4-2025 conference call, we are looking for a dip in the occupancy rate in Q1-2026, followed by some growth in the back half of 2026. Our view is that we will certainly get that dip, but the growth in the back half won't materialize. What is more interesting here is that ARE plans to unload $2.6 billion worth of properties in 2026. While this does sound like an impressive figure, it is rendered less impressive by two factors. First the amount of construction spending that ARE has planned for 2026. ARE Q4-2025 Supplemental Second, the total amount of debt it actually has. In fact, the cumulative impact from its asset sales and declining net operating income (NOI), will mean another increase in debt to EBITDA. ARE Q4-2025 Supplemental But where the problems for ARE really shine through, are in the overall trajectory for supply ...
Adam Bartosik/iStock via Getty Images On our previous coverage of Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. ( ARE ), we identified the potential for a shorter term bounce. Our experience is that you can get a short bounce here, maybe after 2–3 days of selling. Source: It's Not The Dividend Cut, It's The Debt Load But our longer term view of the company remained firmly negative. The fact is that today t...
Adam Bartosik/iStock via Getty Images On our previous coverage of Alexandria Real Estate Equities Inc. ( ARE ), we identified the potential for a shorter term bounce. Our experience is that you can get a short bounce here, maybe after 2–3 days of selling. Source: It's Not The Dividend Cut, It's The Debt Load But our longer term view of the company remained firmly negative. The fact is that today they forecasted worse than almost all analysts and their leverage dials are moving up despite $3.0 billion of expected sales. You got to be a brave soul to think this is "an accumulating opportunity." Where do we stand? This is even more untouchable from a longer-term perspective than at any point in our previous coverage. Source: It's Not The Dividend Cut, It's The Debt Load Since that article came out, ARE did indeed validate our conclusions on both timeframes. Data by YCharts It bottomed shortly after and did a rip-roaring rally to suck in the next round of investors. It is now, even lower than before. We go over some key thoughts here and tell you why we believe a wipe-out remains probable. Supply & Demand If you go by ARE's 2026 guidance from their Q4-2025 conference call, we are looking for a dip in the occupancy rate in Q1-2026, followed by some growth in the back half of 2026. Our view is that we will certainly get that dip, but the growth in the back half won't materialize. What is more interesting here is that ARE plans to unload $2.6 billion worth of properties in 2026. While this does sound like an impressive figure, it is rendered less impressive by two factors. First the amount of construction spending that ARE has planned for 2026. ARE Q4-2025 Supplemental Second, the total amount of debt it actually has. In fact, the cumulative impact from its asset sales and declining net operating income (NOI), will mean another increase in debt to EBITDA. ARE Q4-2025 Supplemental But where the problems for ARE really shine through, are in the overall trajectory for supply ...