If you're looking for some of the best stocks to buy with $1,000 right now, you don't have to look too far. In fact, some of the best stocks to invest in right now could be companies whose products and services you use nearly every day. Let's look at two to own right now. Outside of China, most people in the world use Google search, either directly or as the default search engine through their sma...
If you're looking for some of the best stocks to buy with $1,000 right now, you don't have to look too far. In fact, some of the best stocks to invest in right now could be companies whose products and services you use nearly every day. Let's look at two to own right now. Outside of China, most people in the world use Google search, either directly or as the default search engine through their smartphone. As the gateway to the internet, Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG) holds a powerful position, and artificial intelligence (AI) features are helping drive its search growth. At the same time, the company is reporting huge growth from its cloud computing business, where revenue skyrocketed 48% last quarter. Meanwhile, its custom AI chips, called tensor processing units (TPUs), give it a cost advantage over other competitors, which rely on Nvidia 's graphics processing units (GPUs) to power their AI workloads. Alphabet is betting big on AI, planning to spend between $175 billion and $185 billion on capital expenditures (capex) this year. But perhaps an underrated part of the story is that its TPUs cost considerably less than GPUs, so Alphabet's getting a lot more bang for its buck and a better return on its investment. Continue reading
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images News Affirm Holdings, Inc. ( AFRM ) has seen great volatility as of late. This is despite the company posting strong results, with the most important being sustained and increasing GAAP profitability. The company’s incremental operating margins are impressive and bolster my view of the long-term profitability outlook. The stock valuation appears more de-risked than in ye...
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images News Affirm Holdings, Inc. ( AFRM ) has seen great volatility as of late. This is despite the company posting strong results, with the most important being sustained and increasing GAAP profitability. The company’s incremental operating margins are impressive and bolster my view of the long-term profitability outlook. The stock valuation appears more de-risked than in years past, especially considering the refreshed financial picture. I am upgrading the stock to a "S trong Buy" rating. AFRM Stock Price I last covered AFRM in November , where I upgraded the stock to a "B uy" because I viewed it as a new leader. The stock has cratered 25% since. Data by YCharts That volatility has de-risked the valuation premium, offering an attractive opportunity for an upgrade. AFRM Stock Key Metrics AFRM is a leader in the buy now, pay later industry. Besides being a well-known and popular name with consumers, the company has historically also resonated with investors due to management’s beat-and-raise style. In the most recent quarter, the company delivered gross merchandise volume ("GMV") of $13.8 billion, crushing guidance of between $13 billion and $13.3 billion. FY26 Q2 Presentation The company has seen sustained hyper-growth in its direct-to-consumer business, led by its Affirm card. I view the Affirm card as being crucial in helping to earn customer loyalty, as it helps differentiate itself from the numerous other BNPL operators. FY26 Q2 Presentation AFRM has seen its strongest growth in 0% APR transactions. This is an important detail that many bears might be overlooking. I have heard (and at times, made) the argument that BNPL is simply a bad financing option for lower credit scores. I think this misses the whole point. Through 0% offers, AFRM enables merchants to offer promotions without discounting on price. This, in theory, helps retailers avoid the trap of continuous discounting. One could view AFRM then as being similar to online advertising...
Humana Inc. is in advanced talks to acquire MaxHealth in a deal valuing the operator of primary care clinics at about $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. An agreement could be announced within days for the company, which is backed by Arsenal Capital Partners , said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks were private. A final agreement hasn’t been reached...
Humana Inc. is in advanced talks to acquire MaxHealth in a deal valuing the operator of primary care clinics at about $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. An agreement could be announced within days for the company, which is backed by Arsenal Capital Partners , said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks were private. A final agreement hasn’t been reached and talks could still end without one, the people said. Representatives for MaxHealth and Arsenal Capital didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for Humana declined to comment. MaxHealth focuses on Medicare, Medicare Advantage and managed Medicaid patients in Central and South Florida. It was acquired in 2021 by Best Value Healthcare LLC, a company backed by private equity firm Arsenal Capital, according to a statement at the time that didn’t disclose terms of the transaction. Humana is focused on private Medicare Advantage health plans for seniors, a business that has struggled with rising care expenses and tighter reimbursements from government programs. In recent years, Humana has expanded its footprint in primary care and other services through its CenterWell division, which employs doctors who care for patients on Medicare plans. Other insurance companies that expanded into primary care have pulled back somewhat. CVS Health Corp. took a large impairment on its Oak Street Health primary care acquisition, while UnitedHealth Group Inc. is divesting or closing hundreds of its Optum Health care sites. Humana Chief Executive Officer Jim Rechtin said on its earnings call this week that the company hoped to announce a primary care acquisition soon.